text
large_stringlengths 2
26.8k
| model
large_stringclasses 9
values | temperature
float64 0
1
| target
int64 0
1
| top_p
float64 0
1
| family
large_stringclasses 5
values |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Youth Crime and Punishment Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Causes of youth crime 3. Types of crimes committed by youth 4. The law on youth criminals/punishment 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction Crime can be described as a deviant behavior that violates the prevailing norms or cultural standards prescribing how humans ought to behave normally (Gary 4). Statistics state that the youth crime rate has increased over the years but the big question is how has that happened and why. The current generation youth has been exposed to so many immoral behaviors and they desire to ape what is happening around them. Parents, teachers, media and peer groups are largely to be blamed for these results because they are the ideal tool of control to the youth. In the United States and Canada, youth has resulted to commit crimes in defense of discriminatory acts. The “rod” what happened to it? Is it part of the blame? Drug related crimes, homicides committed by youth and even property crimes just to mention but a few are crimes that the youth commit. Punishment is seen as one way of tackling and minimizing the crime rates but has it been effective? If the law enforcers have voted it in and made sure it is in action the why is the crime rates among the youth taking its toll in the society (Gary 23). Causes of youth crime There are major risk factors that lead the youth to commit crime which include; Parental supervision and discipline which is characterized with harsh and erratic parental discipline, cold or rejecting parental attitudes has led to the children lacking inhibition against offending. Parental conflict and separation also contributes to the youth crimes. Having separated parents or a broken home does not create the high risk of offending rather the parental conflict which led to the separation. Social and Economic deprivation are important factors contributing to antisocial behavior and crime. Research states that the risk of becoming criminally involved is higher for young people raised in disorganized inner city areas, characterized by physical deterioration and overcrowded households (Donald 473). Types of crimes committed by youth Drug related offenses are prevalent; also property crime rates have been evident especially in the schools. Research states that1 in 10 youth crimes occurred on school property, assaults being the most prevalent offenses (27%).Homicides among teenagers have contributed negatively to the society especially among the victims (Gary 46). The law on youth criminals/punishment The question has been why has the crime rates been so much adverse yet the law on the youth crimes is being enforced? There has been an alarm over youth crimes but few efforts reduce the rate offer partial solutions to the problem. Many crime-control projects have been initiated but there is little appreciable effect. Some of the experts believe that locking up large numbers of the worst offenders would bring reduction but others question the applicability of such a move (Bureau of Justice Statistics 162). Therefore, we see that punishment on the youth crimes have not had any effect whatsoever. This implicates that the society continues to become rotten because the law has failed to do its part. Conclusion Based on the above we need to look for strategies which will be effective and control or even rehabilitate the offenders among the youth. First, the causes should be looked at in depth and thoroughly scrutinized. This is the most basic thing which should be done to come up with effective resolutions. The reason is that we are answering the question ‘why do the youth go out and commit offenses?’ what drives them to offend is what should be dealt with first. Issues of parental conflict, socio-economic issues, and harsh discipline from the parents should be addressed adequately. They should pass a law that makes it mandatory for parent to take parental class so as to bring up their children in a socially acceptable way. Secondly the law enforcers should look at what went wrong to the laws they are following and make quick amendments which will be fair and effective to both the youth and the society. Works Cited Bureau of Justice Statistics. Performance Measures for the Criminal Justice System: Discussion from the BJS-Princeton Project. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Justice, 1993. 152-179. Cressey, Donald R. “Crime: I. Causes of Crime.” vol. 3. New York: Macmillan and Free Press, 1968. 471–476. LaFree, Gary. Losing Legitimacy: Street Crime and the Decline of Social Institutions in America. Boulder, Colo.: West view, 1998. 3-52. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
It is through various literary techniques that Shelly’s belief — art and language outlast politics — shines through. As the poem creates the mysterious sculpture found in “an antique land” and subsequently destroys it, the reader experiences a sense of ironic loss that almost hedges into hopelessness. Shelly’s poem Ozymandias effectively communicates that political power is not everlasting and even the most feared of leaders cannot halt the passage of time through its use of irony, alliteration, and metaphor. Main body Shelly’s main literary device in Ozymandias is his use of irony to emphasize the decay of political power at the hands of time. Ironically, Ozymandias’ statue bears a “wrinkled lip” and “sneer of cold command”, features that indicate a powerful and foreboding king, but the statue itself is falling apart. Even the inscription declaring that people should “look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!” is ironic; the reign would no longer strike fear in anyone for it had crumbled many years ago. Shelly examines the statue, constructing an image of the king and his rule only to rip it apart in the latter half of the poem by pointing out that there was very little left of even the statue, just as there is nothing left of Ozymandias’ reign. This sense of irony, that a king who was so feared that his people suffered by “the hand that mocked them…” lost his kingdom and life to the sands of history, which eventually overtake all men, runs deeply in Shelly’s Ozymandias. Shelly uses alliteration frequently in Ozymandias to draw attention to certain images throughout the poem. The use of alliteration gives the poem a rhythm and flow in addition to illuminating the importance of certain lines. The letter ‘s’ in particular is repeated on three separate alliterative occasions. At the beginning of the poem, Shelly describes where the traveler found the statue, “…on the sand, [h]alf sunk, a shattered…”. This draws the reader’s attention to the hidden, already destroyed image of the statue; it is not proudly displayed anymore, it is buried and hidden and alone. The ‘s’ alliteration continues as Shelly describes the sneer and “cold command” that “…yet survive, stamped on…” the statue’s pedestal. This particular point is alliterated not once but twice because it is, simply, the entire point of the poem. Shelly uses “sneer”, “survive”, and “stamped” to reiterate the ‘s’ sound as well as “cold command” within the same sentence to emphasize that art lives on, the sculptor’s work survived, even though Ozymandias is long dead and his period of rule long since over. Finally, Shelly says that “the lone and level sands stretch far away” at the end of the poem, giving the illusion of never-ending space that stretches forever; history goes forever, no one can stop it. Through the use of alliteration, Shelly commands his reader’s attention to the central theme of his poem; no political power is strong enough to resist the decay of time. The decaying statue in Ozymandias is a metaphor for the decay of political power. Shelly effectively utilizes this metaphor throughout the poem to emphasize that political power is not ever-lasting. Art, however, is eternal and despite the march of time, the statue remains as evidence of what was and what has been lost. The broken statue itself is a metaphor of a ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ sentiment. Shelly describes the statue, the king, the rule, and even the people under Ozymandias, but in the latter half of the poem, the statue is nothing but a “colossal wreck”. “Nothing beside remains”, save for the inscription and the sneer on the statue’s ancient face. Ozymandias is lost and his kingdom gone. He is even further removed from the reader because Shelly uses the narrator as a person relaying a story he heard from yet someone else. Not only is the reign of the king over, not only is his statue a decaying mess, but he is not even directly known to the author; Ozymandias is so far removed from history, he may as well not even exist. But the statue heralded a much-feared, strong king from a bygone era, illustrating Shelly’s metaphor that encompasses the entire poem. The lost king Ozymandias could not hold onto his power, but the sculptor’s statue lasted throughout the ages. Conclusion The poem Ozymandias is an incredible illustration of how nothing can last forever; no man can hold onto absolute power for all time. Everyone who lives also dies, every era and every kingdom will eventually dissolve or morph into something different. Art, however, carries forward forever, even if it is a “colossal wreck” by the time it is rediscovered. Through Shelly’s use of irony, alliteration, and metaphor, the reader experiences a dramatic sense of haunting reality: everything ends and people are powerless to stop it. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Capitalism and Its Role in Commodity Exchange and Value Essay (Book Review) The emergence of capitalism has contributed to the development of the community exchange system. Introducing money as a tool for measuring use-value of commodities has provided a revolution into the economic society. Money, therefore, has become a powerful instrument of assessing prices and value of goods and services. They represent both material side and ‘fetishism’ of goods and services. Therefore, commodity price often equals to material and spiritual needs of consumers. Apart from the presented network of commodity exchange, the complex capitalist system also introduces significant problems to the recognized system of use-value and its magnitude. Apparently, the problem of shifts and deviations is explained in ability of the capitalism system to estimate the commodity in accordance with labor engaged in creating the value of a product. All these problems are highlighted in studies by Marx about commodities, as well as in the deliberations of Longhofer. According to Langhofer (2012), “…economic lives are comprised of thousands of wages, purchases, gifts, saving, and investment, but they are also social lives comprised of complex human relationships” (p. 108). The complex nature of human interaction also leaves imprint on value formation of the products of these relationships. According to Marks, other than material side of value is more confined to mysterious processes because “the social character of men’s labour appears to them as an objective character stamped upon the product of that labour” (Marx, 2012, p. 133). Thus, commodity cannot be estimated on the basis of its material values because of the presence of human factor. Moreover, because commodities are result of labor of individuals working independently, the outcome can be regarded as a result of social relations. The analysis of Marx’s theories and assumptions provides a better understanding of how capitalism and commodity system can face financial and economic crisis. Specifically, the theorist attached much importance to the capability of capitalism to adapt to the changes and reinvent the values and principles of commodity exchange and labor distribution. Specifically, Langhofer (2012) emphasizes, “… that the spontaneous collision of social and economic events is actually not spontaneous, but is driven by underlying contradictions in how we create, manufacture, and manipulate the material necessities of life” (p. 109). Therefore, the mysterious nature of commodity is explained by changes in material concerns of consumers. It is important for capitalists to understand how a specific use-value can be obtained, as well as evaluate attitude of consumers towards specific products across time and space. Judging from the historically predetermined trends, future approaches to commodity exchange will rely on the human relations and social aspects of market (Langhofer, 2012). In addition, financial and economic recessions also depend largely on which value will be introduced to the commodity with regard to the character of social interactions. The concept of exchange, therefore, will adjust to the changes in outlooks on market relations. In conclusion, it should be stressed that the deliberations on commodities, exchange values, and economic crisis are closely interconnected. In case of financial recessions, the role of capitalist relations is confined to assessing deviations and shifts in exchange value. Human factor should also be taken into the deepest consideration while assessing the consequences of financial and economic pitfalls for the country because they provide grounds for further analysis of free market opportunities. Approaches to treating the importance of labor and its relation to the exchange value of a single commodity provide better understanding of capitalist system. References Longhofer, W. (2012). Networks of Capital: Dimensions of Global Capitalism. In W. Longhofer (Ed.) Social-Theory Re-Wired: New Connections to Classical and Contemporary Perspectives . US: Taylor & Francis. pp. 107-109. Marx, K. (2012). Capital. In W. Longhofer (Ed.) Social-Theory Re-Wired: New Connections to Classical and Contemporary Perspectives . US: Taylor & Francis. pp. 129-135. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Externalities Effects on People and Environment Essay Positive and negative externalities Studies by Baldwin, Wyplosz, and Wyplosz show that positive and negative externalities have good and bad effects on the people and the environment (5). A positive externality is attractive to the consumer while a negative externality is detrimental to the consumer because a firm is not obliged to pay for the adverse effects of the negative externality on the environment. The mechanism that leads to a negative externality happens when a consumer pays less for an externality than the society, leading to serious market failures. Social and private marginal cost For instance, manufacturing activities increase air pollution, which negatively affects the environment and the health of the people, leading to an increase in health care costs and environmental cleanup costs (Chatzimouratidis and Pilavachi 35). The environmental effects include an increase in global temperatures due to the high concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That is a good example of market failure because the social marginal cost ( SMC ) is lower than the private marginal cost (PMC) (Matthews and Lave 12). The sum of the imputed monetary value indicates the overall benefits of the society, which leads to product pricing mechanisms that do not reflect the true cost of externalities. The government can address such as situation by imposing taxes. A typical example is the externality cost of coal based on the complete life cycle of the production, use, and the effects of the emission of chemicals into the environment without including the market cost of the fuel (Sovacool 25). Consuming power generated from coal plants leads to negative consumption externality, which causes a reduction in the well-being of the society and the environment. The situation reveals itself as one that does not allow for equal distribution of the adverse health effects caused by the emissions of pollutants on children, the elderly, and those with respiratory problems, and the environment. Government activities What action has our government taken in order to provide this good or service in an equitable fashion? To bring about the socially optimal market quantity, the government introduced relevant policies through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to facilitate the development of alternative sources of energy to remediate the negative externalities. The proposed solutions that have been implemented include diversification and development of alternative sources of renewable energy such as wind and solar power (Frank, Bernanke and Johnston 29). Government has imposed taxes rather than internalising an externality among the consumers, which is difficult to implement to create an equilibrium condition between the social marginal benefits and fuel costs. The tax acts as an input cost for internalising the externalities (McConnell, Brue and Flynn 30). Additional intervention measures include subsidies, regulations, use of better quality plants, and application of a corrective tax. What are the alternatives to government intervention? Establishing standards for compliance based on achievable targets, rate of return considerations, imposing emission fees and fuel taxes, setting aside considerations, establishing collaborative considerations, and integrating the allowance trade policy. What has been the end result of government intervention? The end results have been a significant decrease in the number of coal powered stations because of an increase in the government’s coordination activities with energy producing firms to establish better plans to minimise the effects of externalities on the people and the environment. Works Cited Baldwin, Richard E., Charles, Wyplosz, and Charles, Wyplosz. The economics of European integration . London: McGraw-Hill, 2006. Print. Chatzimouratidis, Athanasios I., and Petros A. Pilavachi. “Multicriteria evaluation of power plants impact on the living standard using the analytic hierarchy process.” Energy Policy 36.3 (2008): 1074-1089. Print. Frank, Robert H., Ben Bernanke, and Louis Dorrance Johnston. Principles of economics . New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin, 2007.Print. Matthews, H. Scott, and Lester B. Lave. “Applications of environmental valuation for determining externality costs.” Environmental Science & Technology 34.8 (2000): 1390-1395.Print. McConnell, Campbell, Stanley Brue, Sean Flynn , Microeconomics: Principles, Problems, & Policies . London: McGraw-Hill, 2006.Print. Sovacool, Benjamin K. “Critically weighing the costs and benefits of a nuclear renaissance.” Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences 7.2 (2010): 105- 123. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
A Road Map for Managed Care Success Essay Managed care is an arrangement whereby health insurance plans work in conjunction with health care service givers and health care facilities to give services to enrolled members at a lower cost (Birenbaun, 1997). There is increasing use of managed care in today’s health care provision hence the need to ensure its success. According to Ayers and Benson (1995), ten practices would greatly improve the chances of success of managed care. These ten ways are further grouped into three; those practices which focus on strategic planning, those that focus on operations control, and those that focus on operations effectiveness. In strategic planning, some practices take care of the structure, capital assets, and management team of managed care businesses. Provider integration is also essential for the success of managed care. The health care provider needs to form horizontal alliances, with others giving similar care, and vertical alliances, which puts all medical services under a single organization (Ayers and Benson, 1995) The business of managed care has a huge capital requirement in terms of facilities, supplies, and even financial assets. Infrastructure management is, therefore, necessary to take care of these aspects of managed care business. A management team with true leadership and good negotiating abilities is needed in managed care to ensure the smooth running of operations. The lack of such a team would lead to the misappropriation of funds and hence poor performance of the managed care enterprises (Ayers and Benson, 1995). Operations control deals with practices that help control cost and maintain the quality of services. There are four practices used to ensure effective operations control. Protocols are necessary for each managed care provider since they act as product definitions for the particular provider. Risk assessment is also useful as it helps in setting the cost and preparing for the future of the enterprise (Ayers and Benson, 1995). Utilization measurement looks at information on services delivered. This information helps in cost control and optimization of health care services. Activity-based costing is another practice that provides for control of costs hence controlling profitability. This is necessary for the provider to control operations well. The compensation of members of a provider organization determines their behavior. Recognition and rewards also have an appositive impact on the behavior of members. These serve as incentives to both parties and lead to better performance (Ayers and Benson, 1995). Operations effectiveness comes in to ensure that there is a balance between cost, service provision, and outcomes of the patients. The need for ready access to information necessitates proper information management. Information technology has roles in aspects of administration, accounting, community networking, clinical interface, and data interchange. Reengineering in all areas of managed care leads to improvements in the process of managed care. It entails changes in service provision with a positive impact on time and cost. Quality assurance from the managed care providers is important as there is a need to keep high standards of service delivery to customers (Ayers and Benson, 1995). For the success of managed care, the ten practices proposed by Ayers and Benson (1995) need to be implemented. However, it is not easy to implement all of them. This leaves a desire for methods that are easier to implement. The practitioner’s best interests may not be well taken care of due to the big number of personnel needed and they may feel dissatisfied. References Ayers, J. and Benson, L. (1995). A road map for managed care success: administrative radiology, AR, 14, 8, 31 -7. Birenbaum, A. (1997). Managed care: Made in America . Westport, Conn: Praeger. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Influence of Water Quality on the Population of Salmonid Fish Proposal Introduction Freshwater fish of the salmon group have a high economic value, and therefore their artificial farming requires compliance with special conditions. However, unlike farmed species, wild salmon species living in the natural environment of freshwater ecosystems are at greater risk due to the lack of control. Consequently, any fluctuations in the external environment, whether temperature changes or water pollution, can have a destructive effect on the quality of life of such wild species. It is expected that populations of wild salmonid fish may decline rapidly due to water pollution instead of farmed species because the effects of water pollution are deleterious. Specifically, this could include radical changes in trophic chains, oxygen depletion, and localized temperature increases: these changes together have the potential to cause wild populations of freshwater salmon to decline at a faster rate. Testing this hypothesis is an essential piece of critical research that will provide applied knowledge that provides a better understanding of the ecological security of freshwater ecosystems. The findings are expected to be a valuable resource for environmental policy change. Including, if the study uncovers other patterns that were not originally anticipated, it will create a more extensive and fundamentally promising contribution to improving procedures for the ecological safety of salmonid fish. Materials and Methods Materials * Salmonid fish (2×50) * Water from the American River * Water from the American River mixed with sewage water * Fish food * Temperature sensor, light sensor, and water oxygenation sensor. The design of the experiment will be based on the use of two comparison groups, an experimental and a control group. Each sample is to be represented by fifty individuals caught at random from the waters of the American River. Initially, identical conditions will ensure that systematic error is minimized. It is proposed that the experimental sample of salmonids be placed in an artificial tank with water mixed with sewage waste, while the control group is placed in a tank of the same size and under the same physical conditions, with the difference being that the water filling it must be favorable to the fish, that is, from their usual habitat. Control variables would include feeding regimen, amount of light ingested, and water temperature, while the water quality in which the fish swim would differ. This quality is expected to influence the population dynamics of the samples. Results Preliminary studies offering a foundation for the current experiment have yielded several impressive results. First, water pollution is associated with the development of diseases in fish, including epidermal papilloma, fin rot, and hyperplasia (Austin, 1998). Second, changes in oxygen saturation in the freshwater ecosystem have resulted in radical changes in fish behavior (Reebs, 2009). This suggests that contaminated water will harm the salmon population size. Specifically, habitat contamination is expected to show the mortality of a more significant proportion of fish in the experimental group, even in the short term. In contrast, for the control group, no significant changes are expected to be seen because the natural conditions of the fish have been maintained. Discussion This study aimed to investigate the effects of polluted waters on the quality of life of salmonid fish. Specifically, population dynamics were used as the dependent variable. The experimental fish population was expected to decline due to the deleterious effects of polluted waters. This deleterious effect could be realized through a decrease in population size — which is one of the most expected outcomes — or through changes in fish behavior, which scientific papers have predicted. In either case, the effects of water pollution are predicted to be noticed. Potential sources of error in the study could be smaller vessels, which would inevitably change salmon behavior. In addition, the experimental groups may be different due to mutational mechanisms that were not evident in the selection. The results will prove extremely useful in terms of environmental safety. It will help environmentalists monitor natural habitats in more detail and model changes. In addition, the proposed study could easily be expanded: additional fish species could be used as such variations, and the more targeted effects of different contaminants on population welfare could be studied. Taking into account considerations of ecological safety and economic value of salmonid fish, the present study deserves to be carried out. References Austin, B. (1998). The effects of pollution on fish health. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 85 (S1), 234-242. Web. Reebs, S. G. (2009). Oxygen and fish behaviour [PDF document]. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Factors That Should Take Into Account When Designing a Tax System to Finance Public Expenditure Essay Tax can be termed as a levy or fee that is charged by a government on products and income of the people in that state. Tax is either direct or indirect tax. Direct tax is the levy on an individual’s or corporate’s income. Indirect tax on the other hand is charged on the prices of goods and services offered in the country. The government normally has a body that is bestowed with the responsibility of collecting taxes on its behalf (Web-book, n.d, p.1). The tax collected is principally used to finance the expenditure of the government, for instance, paying of government officials and provision of essential services to the residents of the country. Designing a tax system for a country is normally a very difficult decision for the law makers and tax agencies. The government is therefore compelled to lay down factors that will guide it in selecting the tax system to use (Web-book, n.d, p.1). This will be steered by factors such as transparency and simplicity of the system. If the tax system is detailed and complicated, it leaves room for legal evasion of tax which is a loss of revenue to the country. An example is the sales tax that was earlier on charged on transactions. This system had loopholes because tax was charged if the goods were sold but not charged if the goods were transferred to a branch of the company. If the government uses the value added tax system then all possible loopholes will be sealed leaving the government with more revenue. The tax system should also be easy to understand. This will help citizens to know and precisely understand what they are being taxed on. This will make remittance of tax easier and simpler as people will know what and how much they are supposed to pay in form of taxes. It should also be stable, in that it does not change or fluctuate yearly or periodically. If the tax system is stable it will not cause inconveniences in financing of public expenditure. A change in the tax system causes a decline or an improvement in the amount of revenue collected, thereby resulting in a surplus or deficit is revenue (Seto, 2009, p.1). The system should also be unavoidable, implying that all people comply in paying of the taxes. In the past, there have been instances of people avoiding or underpaying their taxes. The system should be free of inter-governmental leakages, implying that the state and the local tax system should share information. This will create transparency and accountability between the two. A good tax system should be efficient to ensure that all taxes are collected accordingly (Seto, 2009, p.1). The system should also not interfere with the private economic decisions. Adequacy should be observed for the government or state to be able to meet its targets on public expenditure. Last but not least, the tax system should also be fair on the mode of payment. This means that there should be considerations for the high income earners and low earners. A good tax system is the one that ensures that people with higher incomes pay more than their counterparts with less income (Seto, 2009, p.1). This is due to the fact that if low income earners are overtaxed they are left with little income hence having difficulties in living a decent life. As much as the state requires tax revenue to finance its public expenditure, it should ensure that the system has the right measures put in place. This being public money, it should be well spent and accounted for. Reference List Seto, T. (2009). Four Core Principles of Tax System Design: Introduced and Applied to the Taxation of Multinationals . Web-book. (n.d). Financing Government. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Youth Cultural Consumption and Its Impact on the Economy Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Main body 3. Conclusion 4. Reference List Introduction The youth has always been symbolically recognized as the future of society. The younger generation has been considered to be more developed and more promising than the older generation that tends to follow the traditions while the young people are always open for innovations. Nowadays the population of the developed countries tends to become younger; this means that the demographic sector of the youth becomes more and more influential. This is especially evident in the sphere of culture since it has become obvious that youth cultural consumption is of great importance for the modern economies of developed countries. Main body Culture is necessary to let the young become good citizens and harmonious individuals. However, “culture is not something already-made which we ‘consume’; culture is what we make in the varied practices of cultural consumption” (Vlasselaers, Baetens, & Lambert 2000, p 269). Nowadays culture is seen as commonly seen as “the product of ‘culture industry’”, which means that culture and economy are also greatly interrelated (Harris 2005, p 2007). Culture is the sphere that can bring great profit to the manufacturers and the youth is the target audience of a great number of businesses belonging to the “culture industry”. Adults form a category of people that have full-time work and spend the greater part of their time there having little leisure time while the main duty of the youth, mainly teenagers, is to study. Thus, young people have significantly more time to spend on their leisure activities. Culture and leisure are interrelated as leisure time is usually filled with some cultural activities. In this relation, the statement that “leisure has been acquiring increasing economic importance since its commercialization first became significant in the nineteenth century” seems important (Bull, Hoose, & Weed 2003, p 110). There are factors that influence cultural consumption in relation to the youth; they are historical and technological factors. The development of youth cultural consumption is influenced by historical events and circumstances: for instance, the time between the two World Wars was the time when the economy of the countries had to be restored and cultural consumption was not among the preferences of the population and manufacturers. Still, nowadays, in a relatively peaceful world, young people have an opportunity to get free access to education and careers and this enables them to take part in cultural activities and consume cultural products more effectively. There exist different types of cultural consumption, ranging from reading that is, probably, the most traditional one, to cinema-going, theater-going, listening to music, etc. Technological development and the interrelation of the development of youth culture consumption are evident. Young people are always interested in technological innovations and the rapid development of technology and its application to the sphere of culture, such as the invention of new information-carrying media, visual effects in the films, etc. make them more interested in culture and they become more active consumers of the culture industry. At the same time, youth cultural consumption impacts the economy of developed countries a lot. It is known that during the twentieth century “the service sector, of which leisure is a part, has replaced the manufacturing sector as the dominant mode within the economy” (Bull, Hoose, & Weed 2003, p 110). Hence the assumption that youth cultural consumption shapes the demand in the culture industry, which is of great importance for the economy of the country. For instance, the Internet has become an important cultural medium that is extremely popular with the youth and the use of the Internet for cultural purposes shapes the increased demand for computers, software, and associated goods, the sales of which contribute to the economy of the state. Besides, youth cultural consumption influences the export and import of the countries. For example, China is the county that is the most influential manufacturer of technical devices that are necessary for the culture industry, such as mp3-players, TV sets, etc. and the great demand for these devices impacts the economy of the state positively in terms of export of these products. Hollywood is the main manufacturer of films and the popularity of Hollywood films among the youth also contributes to the American economy too. Conclusion Drawing a conclusion, it is possible to state that the youth is an extremely influential layer of society in terms of its impact on the economy of the countries. Young people are active consumers of the culture industry and they shape the demand for cultural products that influence import and export, contributing to the economy of the countries that are active manufacturers of modern cultural production or associated goods. Reference List Bull, C, Hoose, J, & Weed, M 2003, An Introduction to Leisure Studies , Pretence Hall, London. Harris, D 2005, Key Concepts in Leisure Studies , SAGE, London. Vlasselaers, J, Baetens, J, & Lambert, J 2000, The Future of Cultural Studies: Essays in Honour of Joris Vlasselaers , Leuven University Press, Leuven. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Nurse Staffing in the United States Coursework Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Current Staffing Trends 3. Acuity 4. Staffing Frameworks 5. Effective Skill Mix 6. Non-Productive FTEs 7. References Introduction Currently, the workforce of the United States is severely understaffed for health workers, especially nurses. The nursing profession is one of the most challenging across the board. Today, nurses play a variety of roles: they not only conduct standard procedures but also take up the responsibilities of a counselor, health promoter, and patient advocate. Given the inadequate patient-to-nurse ratio, it is readily imaginable how overwhelmed nurses probably are. What could definitely help to improve the situation is effective staffing management. Ideally, it would help nurses avoid burnout, keep a healthy work-life balance, and stay alert and concentrated on the job. This, in turn, would account for more precision and accuracy in the workplace. This essay covers current staffing trends in nursing, staffing frameworks, and acuity as well as gives an explanation of an effective skill-mix and non-productive FTEs. Current Staffing Trends Challenges in nurse recruitment are at an all-time high: in 2019, there is still a vast number of job openings to be filled. Most hospitals depend on new graduate nurses to apply for these jobs. Sadly enough, as many as 57% of newly graduated health workers cannot keep up with the straining work pace and leave their facilities in their first two years on the job (Avant Health Professionals, 2019). This trend is fairly alarming, especially given that the retirement rates among nurses are also on the rise. In 2019, more nurses than ever choose to quit the field altogether, which leads to dangerously low staffing levels. When experienced nurses leave, they no longer can pass down their clinical expertise and institutional knowledge, therefore, depriving younger nurses of an opportunity to receive meaningful mentorship. Understaffing also accounts for unsafe conditions for both nurses and patients. The most understaffed units are medical-surgical, emergency room, and operating room. Currently, US hospitals are trying to balance out the situation by inviting international nurses from developing countries. Acuity One of the key roles of a nurse staffing manager is evaluating acuity and putting together a schedule accordingly. In the nursing field, acuity levels refer to the urgency of a situation regarding a patient (Thomas, 2015). Measuring acuity levels helps nurse managers set adequate staffing levels. Without an appropriate system in place, patients may be deprived of the amount of care that matches their most dire needs, which in turn, would lead to the aggravation of their conditions. Building a system that takes acuity levels in consideration is especially important at understaffed facilities. The general logic is usually that higher acuity patients, i.e. patients who are severely ill, need more intensive care. On the other hand, patients with more predictable health outcomes and who are doing better overall should receive less frequent care. A proper understanding of acuity and adequate response are vital to managing multiple patients in the clinical setting. Staffing Frameworks There are four key staffing frameworks in the nursing field based on the criterion of the availability of resources: 1. The least resourced model: a facility heavily relies on low-qualified personnel and agency staff; 2. The moderately resourced basic model: a facility mainly relies on auxiliary nurses; they do not work after hours as much as those within the first model; 3. The moderately resourced professional model: a facility employs fewer less-qualified personnel. For registered nurses, it means more workload as well as working overtime; 4. The most resourced model: a facility capitalizes on highly qualified personnel and leverages instability in nursing teams (Africa, 2017). Effective Skill Mix The nursing skill mix refers to the percentage of highly qualified specialists in a nursing team. Thus, a poorer mix stands for a small share of professionals while a richer mix means that a greater number of professional nurses are present on the team. Ideally, medical facilities should strive for enriching their teams, attracting, and retaining high caliber cadres. Having proper academic and professional background implies not only practical knowledge but also interdisciplinary, transferable skills such as critical thinking and therapeutic communication. A team with a large share of professional nurses promotes continuing education as the rest of the team feels the need to keep up with the part that is most qualified. Moreover, as recent studies have shown, having professionals on the team positively correlates with better patient outcomes, i.e. lower mortality rates as well as lower readmission rates (Thomas, 2015). It is argued that there are two strategies that a hospital may adopt to ensure enrichment. First, a hospital might consider attracting experienced nurses through external and internal advertisement. The other option is to try and grow cadres with the required skill set within the organization. Non-Productive FTEs One of the key concepts of nurse staffing management is the concept of productive and non-productive hours. Typically, non-productive time includes vacation and holidays, sick leave, staff development and meeting, orientation for newcomers, new equipment orientation, and more (Young, White, & Dorrington, 2018). It can also be time spent on improving nurses’ professional expertise as attending training sessions and further nursing education. In facilities that hire traveling nurses, commuting is seen as part of non-productivity. Generally speaking, non-productive hours do not add value to various processes; yet, they are paid according to the current policies (Mason, Gardner, Outlaw, & O’Grady, 2015). References Africa, L. M. (2017). Transition to practice programs: Effective solutions to achieving strategic staffing in today’s healthcare systems. Nursing Economics , 35 (4), 178. Avant Health Professionals. 2019 trends in nurse staffing. Web. Mason, D.J., Gardner, D.B., Outlaw, F.H., & O’Grady, E.T. (2015). Policy & politics in nursing and health care. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier Health Sciences. Thomas, T. (2015). Management and leadership for nurse administrators. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Publishers. Young, C., White, M., & Dorrington, M. (2018). Nurse staffing improvements through interprofessional strategic workforce action planning. Nursing Economics , 36 (4), 163-194. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Student Loans as Regular Income Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Student Loans and the Profit They Carry 3. Conclusion 4. References Introduction It is common for individuals pursuing higher education to use student loan programs to assist them with payment for their studies. Schmeiser, Stoddard, and Urban (2016) indicate that the current number of American students with loan debts exceeds 44 million people. Many experts in the field of economics tend to believe that the mentioned type of loan cannot be considered as a taxable income, for it is expected that debtors will pay that money back. Nevertheless, recent studies have shown that loaners can sometimes benefit from using credit funds. The present research will focus on facts proving that student loans can be treated as the source of regular income. Student Loans and the Profit They Carry Aside from the fact that student credits are tax-deductible, they can lower the amount of other taxes withdrawn from a person. Even though one pays for education with a loan, one is allowed to claim tax reduction with such an option as American Opportunity Credit (Findeisen & Sachs, 2016). By referring to this program, an individual can save up to $2,500 per year: the total tax bill becomes reduced, and it results in a significant economy for a taxpayer at an annual rate. The exact sum of money one can save ultimately depends on a tax bracket used by a person and an overall tuition fee. When discussing studying at college, one should also consider the presence of grants and scholarships. The latter are free funds that people receive without the need to return those. An acquired student loan automatically offers an opportunity to withdraw extra money when education starts. Moreover, financial aid for students is generally not considered as a taxable income if it is spent on books or other college supplies (Schmeiser et al., 2016). The fact that the majority of learners use scholarships to cover at least a part of their study-related expenses proves that credit programs serve as a means to gain financial profit on an ongoing basis. Finally, there is a probability that the loan will be partially forgiven. The government has recently introduced an income-driven repayment (IDR) plan that exists to make student loan debts more manageable by diminishing the number of monthly payments (“What is income-driven,” 2018). In accordance with this plan, once a payment period is completed, any remaining debt is abolished regardless of a credit term. With regards to this fact, a forgiven sum can be viewed as a direct benefit, which is subject to taxation. There were frequent occasions when the amount of money written off reached thousands of US dollars. If combined with grants and reduced taxes, IDR arrives as a formidable source of finance one could spend on personal needs. Conclusion Student loans, although being tax-deductible and viewed by many experts as non-profit funds, still provide opportunities for everyone engaged in higher education to receive extra income. Credit programs allow a student to reduce his/her total tax bill, to participate in scholarship programs, and to benefit from a recently introduced income-driven repayment (IDR) plan. The latter serves as a means to legally diminish the number of monthly payments. Having put all of the research findings together, one may conclude that treating student loans as the source of regular income is an entirely reasonable approach for scholars to take when studying the discussed issue. References Findeisen, S., & Sachs, D. (2016). Education and optimal dynamic taxation: The role of income-contingent student loans. Journal of Public Economics , 138 , 1-21. Schmeiser, M., Stoddard, C., & Urban, C. (2016). Student loan information provision and academic choices. American Economic Review , 106 (5), 324-28. What is income-driven repayment? (2018). Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Dictatorship in Latin America Essay The political landscape of Latin American countries has often been dominated by dictators who took virtually complete control of the state. In many cases, these people relied on violence and suppression of their political opponents or activists who could not accept totalitarian rule ( The War on Democracy ). This paper is aimed examining the impact of these political regimes on people living in Latin America. Moreover, it is critical to show why dictators could come to power in these countries and retain this authority for a long time. These are the main issues that should be discussed more closely. In the course of history, various Latin American countries could be governed by dictators. For example, one can mention Ecuador, Paraguay, or Chile. These people could use various strategies in order to retain their power. For instance, one can mention that during the rule of Augusto Pinochet nearly 3000 people disappeared (Johnson 71). This dictator adopted the policy of state-sponsored assassination (Johnson 71). Furthermore, it is important to mention the constitution adopted by Pinochet administration in 1980. This constitution undermined the possibility of any democratic reform in Chile. Moreover, the state was authorized to use torture against the people who opposed to the totalitarian government. Apart from that, those people, who were responsible for these crimes, were not brought to justice. Similar political regimes existed in other countries such as El Salvador, Argentina, or Nicaragua which were also governed by the totalitarian leaders. These examples are important for understanding the strategies of political dictators. Moreover, their activities produced disruptive effects on various Latin American societies. This is of the main arguments that can be put forward. This problem can be explained by several factors. For example, it is possible to speak about increased economic inequalities between people. These inequalities increased the likelihood of political conflicts in these societies. Moreover, the elites in Latin American countries supported military coups because they believed that the military leaders would protect their financial interests (Johnson 37; Ezrow 38). They did not oppose to the idea of totalitarian state provided that such a state could protect their property (Johnson 37). Secondly, one should not forget about military intervention into the political life of Latin American countries. For example, the United States played an important role in shaping the political regime of Latin American states ( The War on Democracy ). In particular, the released documents of the CIA indicate that the American government supported anti-communist dictators in Chile, Bolivia, and Venezuela (Johnson 71). This topic is examined in the film The War on Democracy directed by John Pilger . This documentary is aimed at demonstrating that the history of Latin America can largely be explained by the influence of foreign governments ( The War on Democracy ). This is another issue that should be taken into account. It is important for understanding the history of these countries. This discussion suggests that political dictatorship in Latin America affected the lives of many people many of whom could be killed, tortured, or imprisoned. To some degree, this situation can be explained by the internal conflicts within these societies that can be explained by economic inequalities. However, it is critical to remember about foreign intervention, especially the support which the U.S. government to many anti-communist dictators. This is the main point that can be made. Works Cited Ezrow, Natasha. Dictators and Dictatorships: Understanding Authoritarian Regimes and Their Leaders , New York: Continuum, 2011. Print. Johnson, Sterling. Peace Without Justice: Hegemonic Instability Or International Criminal Law?, New York: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd., 2003. Print. The War on Democracy . Ex. Prod. John Pilger. London: Youngheart Entertainment, 2007. DVD. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. Main body 3. Colleagues’ Postings 4. Conclusion Introduction The movie “Fire in the Blood” depicts a sad tale of how multinational pharmaceutical companies and Western governments collaborated in blocking poor countries in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia from gaining access to life-saving AIDS drugs due to the employment of a greatly monopolized profits-first approach in the sale of the drugs. Although the justification for this approach was nested on the patent system or intellectual property (IP) protections, it caused a lot of suffering and unnecessary deaths of millions of people who could not access the life-saving drugs. Main body Such a situation, in my view, could have been avoided by ensuring that governments contribute to a global health fund that could be used to pay or reward drug companies for their innovation instead of allowing them to recoup their investments through the use of the patenting system. From the movie, it is clear that patents and IP protections provided an enabling environment for monopolies to exist in the drug market, which in turn allowed drug companies to set very high prices in line with the principles of a market failure. A global health fund will ensure that the pharmaceutical companies are effectively compensated for their time and effort in producing the drugs before patents can be shared with generic drug manufacturers to enhance cost efficiencies. This way, the IP system will be safeguarded and pharmaceutical companies will be motivated to innovate more to benefit from the reward pool. On the other hand, generic drug manufacturing companies will be able to use the knowledge and expertise of the patent holders to manufacture cheap life-saving drugs, hence ensuring that drugs are easily accessible to millions of people who need them. This approach is ethical in nature as it provides access to life-saving drugs while ensuring that pharmaceutical companies are able to achieve their profit objectives. Colleagues’ Postings The student’s posting raises pertinent questions on ethics and law by arguing that pharmaceutical companies should neither be allowed to benefit unethically due to patent laws nor continue to put millions of lives at risk due to their profit-oriented objectives. Although the student’s concerns are valid, it may be difficult to implement laws and regulations that oblige pharmaceutical companies to make the life-saving drugs affordable to millions of people who require them as such a move is bound to compromise the free market dynamics. According to Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM), it is possible to increase access to life-saving drugs by supporting revolutionary research and development (R&D) practices. It is evident that multinational pharmaceutical companies charge exorbitant prices to recoup the high costs associated with research and development from the end consumers. As such, it would be plausible for governments and other stakeholders to come up with strategies that could be used to enable drug companies to cover their research and production costs so that the benefits are passed down to consumers in terms of sustainable drug prices. While activism and laws can be used to push pharmaceutical companies to lower their prices as suggested by the student, it is necessary to employ alternatives that will lead to competition in the marketplace. Conclusion The UAEM’s alternative of supporting revolutionary R&D practices will definitely lead to competition as it empowers individuals and green companies to develop effective medicines at greatly discounted costs. Multinational pharmaceutical companies will be forced to lower their prices of life-saving drugs when it becomes clear to them that they no longer have the capacity to monopolize the market. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Legislation Related to Bioterrorism Essay Developments in Biotechnology, genetics and molecular biology have resulted in remarkable advancements in industry, agriculture and medicine. Nevertheless as the capacity of manipulating viral and bacterial genomes increases so does the possibility for rogue nations and terrorists to bioengineer biological weapons utilizing the same technology. Following the 2001 terrorist attack and subsequent bioterrorism attack through the spreading of the anthrax via anthrax-laden letters in the same year, the United States government and other governments across the globe have enacted legislations as well as increased funding for the development of comprehensive preventive and responsive counter-terrorism strategies. Despite the current legislations providing better mechanism for dealing bioterrorism it fails to restrict the dissemination of this knowledge hence making it possible for terrorist to access it and use it in the wrong way. In simple terms the greatest obstacle to our fight against bioterrorism is not lack of political and financial resources but lack of a comprehensive legislation to deal with this menace. Since the 2001 terror attack in the United States, the federal government has enacted various legislations providing for enough resources to both public and private agencies as part of its wars on terror. For instance the 2002 enactment of a bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act in led to increased resources for bioterrorism-related fundamental research. According to Knobler et al (2002) the NIH funding aimed at bioterrorism increased by approximately $2billion dollars from fiscal year 2002 to fiscal year. In 2003, the then US president George Bush requested Congress to allow him establish a project name BioShield, at approximately $6billion to accelerate procurement of bioterrorism countermeasures and DHHS review. The BioShield initiative gives incentives in form financial resources for pharmaceutical firms to research and develop antibiotics, vaccines and antiviral agents for eradication of pathogens. The United States government also promised that it would purchase and store any countermeasures that may be developed by these companies for any future bioterrorism attacks. In the fiscal year 2004, the US Congress appropriated about nine hundred million United States dollars in optional funding for bioterrorism research in the country’s homeland security spending bill for that year. In 2003 the DHHS gave approximately $350 million to 8 new study centres specializing in biodefense studies. This information is a clear indication that there is enough funding as well as political support on health sector in dealing with bioterrorism. As mentioned earlier, the major weakness of our response to bioterrorism is the lack of a comprehensive legislation that takes into consideration all aspects of bioterrorism. Most of the current laws are aimed at either increasing funding for bioterrorism related research or increasing surveillance to detect any potential bioterrorism attack. For instance in 2001, some Australian researchers reported that they had developed a mousebox, a virus that resembled the small pox virus and that possessed the ability of killing a mouse that was earlier resistant to it (Knobler et al, 2002). The article gave a vivid description of the procedures for the development of a virus with the ability of overcoming natural defence against the illness. In the following year, i.e. 2002 other two papers published sensitive biological information showing the world that viruses could be created as well as mutated to make them more virulence (Sutton, 2003).Such sensitive information on the media might be used by terrorist for the wrong reasons. This calls for regulations that govern sharing of biological information. As long there are no laws preventing free exchange of sensitive biological research information hence allowing terrorist to freely access this information and utilize it to develop bioterrorism agents we will continue using our resources for defensive purposes instead of tackling the root cause of the problem, free exchange of biological information.. References Knobler, S. et al. (2002). Biological threats and terrorism: assessing the science and response capabilities: workshop summary . Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Sutton, V. (2003). Law and Bioterrorism. New York, NY: MacMillan Publishers. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Language, Communication, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Essay What are some benefits of using AAC in an early childhood program for children under 5 who have limited spoken language? The opportunity to use AAC can be discussed as rather beneficial for those children under 5 years who have some developmental disabilities and limited spoken language. AAC provides the variety of techniques and methods which allow increasing the children’s possibilities to interact and communicate with each other effectively. For instance, the usage of gestures and body movements in order to help to perceive and comprehend the necessary information can contribute to breaking the possible barriers in communication. Moreover, the usage of symbols and pictures is significant for the children under 5 years because their perception of the visual information in connection with the auditory material is more effective due to its stability, prolonged character, and concreteness of the meaning (National Research Council and Institute of Medicine, 2000). Teachers can successfully draw the children’s attention to the object and spoken information about it with the help of gestures, movements, facial expressions, signs, eye contact, pictures, and symbols along with speech. The techniques of AAC can stimulate the children’s response to the spoken or demonstrated messages with involving them in the further communication. Furthermore, the early intervention of the methods of AAC contributes to the progress of the children’s functional communication and decreases the risks of the development of the communication difficulties in the future (Cress & Marvin, 2003). How could you use AAC to promote the inclusion of all children in a pre-school classroom? What key points might you communicate to families who have a child with verbal communication difficulties about the value of AAC in your classroom? Consider the rights of the child (all children) in your response The methods of AAC are effective for involving all the children from the classroom in the communication activity. It is possible because of a range of ways to attract the children’s attention and stimulate their responses. AAC methods can also contribute to expressing the children’s initiative in communicating. From this point, it is effective to use unaided as well as aided types of AAC with paying much attention to the facial expression, eye contact, Key Word Signs, using real objects and pictures or photos. The influential aspects of the process are the children’s interest, comprehension, and the active participation in the communication. The value of AAC in a classroom is based on the development of possibilities for the children’s interactions. It is extremely important to provide children with the possibility to communicate with each other, especially when they have the limited abilities to do it effectively. In this case, AAC is used in order to meet the children’s rights in the sphere of communication. The usage of AAC helps to overcome the barriers for children in their communicating with each other in order to share the definite information. Thus, children receive the opportunity to satisfy their communication needs and be involved in social activities. Moreover, AAC techniques are developed and researched to provide the most effective vocabulary or methods of communicating (Trembath, Balandin, & Togher, 2007). It is important for parents to concentrate on the fact that the outcomes from using AAC techniques and methods can be more successful when the efforts of teachers and families are combined, and intervention of AAC techniques is realised in the pre-school classroom (Dunst, 2000). References Cress, C. & Marvin, C. (2003). Common questions about AAC services in early intervention. Augmentative and Alternative Communication, 19 , 254-272. Dunst, C. J. (2000). Revisiting “Rethinking early intervention”. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 20 (2), 95-104. National Research Council and Institute of Medicine (2000). Promoting healthy development through intervention. In J. P. Shonkoff and D. A. Phillips (Eds.), From neurons to neighborhoods: The science of early childhood development . Board on Children, Youth and Families, Commission on Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Trembath, D., Balandin, S., & Togher, L. (2007). Vocabulary selection for Australian children who use augmentative and alternative communication. Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 32 (4), 291-301. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Role of the Dietary Lipids in the Organism Essay Lipids include simple lipids or triglycerides, complex lipids or phospholipids, and cholesterol or cyclic lipids. The term “fats” is used primarily for triglycerides, which are made up of three fatty acid molecules and glycerol. In the daily diet, fats account for 95–98% of lipids. That is why the term “fats” is used in the sense of food energy. Dietary lipids or fats are an indispensable component of food, a source of energy, plastic material for humans, and a supplier of essential substances. Dietary lipids contain three types of fatty acids: saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated. Saturated fatty acids predominate in animal fats such as lard or butter. Animal fats are usually solid at room temperature. Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids are predominantly present in vegetable fats, such as olive oil. The human body is unable to synthesize two polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic (Omega-6 fatty acid) and linolenic (Omega-3), so they must be obtained from food. The content of these three types of acids in different fats varies. Dietary lipid is a concentrated source of energy for the human body: 1 g of it provides approximately 9 kcal of energy. Lipids are important building material for cells; they participate in the processes of growth and regulation of vital activity and supply the human body with fat-soluble vitamins. They are needed for their absorption and transportation in the body. Phospholipids are found in all tissues and cells, most of them in nerve tissues and brain cells. The fatty layer that forms around the organs protects them from bruises. They are needed to remove bile into the intestines; otherwise, it accumulates in the gallbladder, and there is a risk of gallstones formation. Dietary lipid is essential because it carries the flavor of food and creates a feeling of fullness. The recommended caloric content of fat in the human diet is 30 – 33% or 90 – 107 g per day. A balanced composition of the daily human diet should contain 10-20% polyunsaturated, 50-60% monounsaturated, and 30% saturated fatty acids. This is achieved when one-third of vegetable and two-thirds of animal fats are used in the diet. Lipids should not provide less than 20% of dietary energy; otherwise, there may be problems with the amount of essential fatty acids and the receipt of fat-soluble vitamins. In the case of a lack of fat, the development of the whole organism can be inhibited and resistance to environmental influences can decrease. On the other hand, fats provide too much energy, and when energy intake and expenditure are not balanced, they can be stored as fat in adipose tissue, leading to overweight or obesity. The sources of dietary lipid in food are fats used in food preparation and those contained in food. To assess the amount of dietary lipid, a person needs to monitor both visible and hidden fat. The amount of the latter is difficult to estimate since it is not visible. Therefore, it is important to read the composition of the product on the packaging and monitor the fat content. Latent fat can, for example, be present in cheeses, sausages, and buns. It is recommended that the number of lipids used in cooking should not exceed half the daily amount of fat. To conclude, unsaturated fatty acids are involved in the breakdown of lipoproteins, and cholesterol, prevent the formation of blood clots and reduce inflammation. Lipids affect the metabolism in cells, are part of cell membranes, affect blood pressure, and remove cholesterol from the body, while increasing the elasticity of the walls of blood vessels. Vegetable oils are the richest in polyunsaturated fatty acids among food products. Therefore, for health to be strong, it is not necessary to avoid the fats contained in the food and used in its preparation. However, it is important to choose which fats to give preference to and which ones to use as rarely as possible. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Company Overdiversification and Its Reasons Essay The phenomenon of diversification is not new; in fact, it has been around for a while. Emerging in 1970s, the phenomenon in question was used to denote the situation when a company prefers to hold several stocks, thus, avoiding the possibility of losing its entire financial reserve (Kenny, 2009). True, holding only one stock is extremely risky for an entrepreneurship; however, a range of company leaders, terrified by the perspective of losing their money, disseminate the company’s investments into too many stocks. Therefore, the concern for the company’s financial stability, overrating of the company’s financial assets, and the willingness to seize control over the company, therefore, seemingly contributing to its stability can be viewed as the key reasons for the phenomenon of overdiversification to take place. As it has been stressed above, most companies resort to overdiversification due to an extreme caution concerning the safety of the company’s financial assets and the unwillingness to choose several investment options, which stems from the lack of trust towards the potential investment options. However, other reasons can be specified, such as industrial policies concerning taxes and antitrust regulations, managers pursuing their interests and the increase in job loss risks. It seems that each of these factors has its effect on a company overdiversification. Still, taxes and antitrust regulations seem to have the greatest effect, since, unlike other factors, they pose a direct threat to the company’s revenues. Reference List Kenny, G. (2009). Diversification strategy: How to grow a business by diversifying successfully . Philadelphia, PA: Kogan Page Publishers. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Artwork Brinco by Judi Werthein Essay Judi Werthein was born in 1967 in New York. She lives and works in a city called Brooklyn. Since she was a child, Werthien has been involved in art work and that is where she gets her inspiration. One of Werthein’s artwork is the Brinco. This is a type of a high-top tennis shoe found in Mexico and the United States of America. It was devised by Werthein and given out to a large number of Mexicans who were preparing to migrate (illegally) into the United States soil. Brinco was originally designed and equipped to help illegal immigrants to trek to the USA. The term Brinco refers to the act of crossing the border from Mexico to the United States. Werthein’s shoes had a compass and a flashlight to help the immigrants who crossed at night (The Balkans project 5). They also had painkillers to help immigrants who might be injured along the way. They also had a pocket where the immigrants could hide money and a map to help them as they crossed over to the USA. The toe of the shoe was embroidered with an American Eagle which represented their dream land. Werthein’s shoes were sold in most parts of America especially at the border as a special and unique art object at the price of $200 per pair. The proceeds from the sale were used to provide necessities for the people living in Tijuana. The estimated number of shoes given to the Mexican immigrants was 1000 which were produced in China. This caused a lot of controversy in the United States since they wondered why they too could not be given the shoe freely (Regine 2). This made Werthein to be a frequent guest in talk shows and was a main feature in news. However, she received some bad mails from people who did not support her project. Werthein’s pair of shoes was simple and was produced using cheap labor which was available in the global market. To reduce the tensions ignited by the mobility in the global market by factories that were also seeking for cheap labor, Werthein shoes were manufactured in China following strategies and models used by other factories operating outside the United States in disheartened economies. Werthein’s project arbitrates on the global flow of labor and goods and also concentrates on issues of trade across borders among others. It also addresses the inconsistencies between competition and fashion in factories and the theme behind the concepts of labor geography in the global market (Anon. “The Irresistible force” 7). Werthein shoes were later sold in other parts of the world, for instance De Apple where Werthein set up a Brinco shop. The profit realized from the sale of the shoes was used to support the immigrants living in Tijuana. Inspired by her new project, Werthein went to study in India, where she got a chance to observe the farmers who used to collect seeds of cereals, beans and rice, to breed them for better farming. Werthein was really moved by their creativity and wanted to transfer her experience to improve farming in Scandinavia. She started by planting some traditional potatoes (the staple food) which she found out that place and they could be used in a variety of ways. Using the potato, Werthein was able to understand the cultural aspects related to the consumption of potatoes, the regulation imposed on the production of agricultural products, and the problems associated with those regulations. Works Cited Anon. “The Irresistible force.” Romanian Cultural Institute , 2007. Web. Regine. “ Trainers for border crossers .” Creative commons , 2010. Web. The Balkans project. “Words and art from the Balkans;” Balkans project , 2010. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Does the Universe Have A Direction? Essay Does the Universe Have A Direction? In questioning the universe, we essentially question the purpose of our existence. This essay explains that the universe has a direction and goal only when we view it as the same entity in the past, now and in our future imagination. To answer the question of whether the universe has a direction, we shall rely on the metaphysics field of ontology (Solomon and Kathleen p.7). There are two sides of explaining the nature of reality, that of realist and anti-realists. The former claim that reality is independent of us and the later disclaims this fact. Realists say that there is a planetary system and a force of gravity among other features that make up the universe. Furthermore, they state that the existence of these systems and gravity does not cease after we stop noticing. Much of realists’ theories do not factor in our epistemology of the things and events they examine. Anti-realists on the other hand must attach meaning that can be confirmed to statements of reality. Objects in reality possess attributes that we can use in define and describe them. For instance, if we propose that someone is ignorant, then we are using the attribute of ignorance to describe the person. However, when describe someone else as ignorant, then we are faced with the dilemma explaining how the two persons, which in our case are real objects, though having the same attribute of ignorance, are different people. To solve this dilemma and effectively discern single objects we have to see further than their attributes. In doing so, we have to rely on Aristotelians who have demarcated kinds from properties. The Aristotelians hold it as a fact that kinds are what the particulars or attributes belong to. So in our example above, the individuals belong to the human family and ignorance is one of their properties. We are therefore able to understand that the individuals are two members of the human family who share the same property (Newall para14-30). The universe is our reality and suggestions of a universal direction bring us to the question of time. The presentism theory holds the view that only the present exists. The externalism theory on the contrary denies the presence of now, and further explains that now is a mere reference point to differentiate events as they happen, such that Plato and other people in our past exist, but their existence is within a separate context (Newall para. 30-35). The above theories of time do not offer us much explanation that we can use in our example of the individual being ignorant. We shall therefore use the time theories of endurantism and perdurantism. Endurantists view that the individual in our above example is the same in the past as well as now. Since the same individual belonged to the humans family and continues to do so. This depicts a characteristic of endurance. In the perdurantist view, the individual is different and changes or moves to another stage depending on the perspective of the viewer. Furthermore, endurantists believe that only the now exists and the past and future are only possibilities, while the perdurantists see no particular significance in time implying that the past, now and the future and our imaginations are all equally real (Newall para.37-42). In the realists and perdurantists’ view and also as observed by Voltaire, the universe and its attributes are meaningless and only assume the meaning we give (Solomon & Kathleen p.68 & 72). When we hold this view, the universe ceases to be headed in a particular direction. Works Cited Newall, Paul. “Philosophy for beginners: Metaphysics 2”. The Galilean Library. 2005. Web. Solomon, Robert C. and Kathleen M. Higgins. The Big Questions: A short introduction to philosophy. 8 th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2010. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Islam, Christianity and Terroristic Organizations Proposal Essay Introduction Islam and Christianity belong to the same branch of religious beliefs that have emerged in the Middle East. Despite the current trend of setting these religions as different, both of them have very many details in common. Several important figures are the same in Islam and Christianity, and the storylines in the Bible and Koran match in many parts of these books. However, a lot of people currently view Islam as a religion of war against the “unfaithful ones.” Christianity, on the contrary, is promoted as a religion of peace. Although modern terrorist groups have the Muslim ideology, Christianity was used to wage wars in the Middle Ages, and the most important similarity between these factors is that religion is often used to receive material benefits. Summary Christianity has emerged from Judaism, which predicted the coming of a new king to Earth that would finish all the hardships of true God’s followers. However, Christ became a prophet that promoted ideas which later formed into a new religious wave. According to it, he was God’s son who died for the sins of ordinary people, giving them the ability to go to Heaven. Islam does not support the same belief, yet Christ is one of the most important figures in this religion as well. He is one of the prophets that tell people about the right path to Allah. Christianity as a philosophy is based on the idea of mercy and love for other members of the human society. However, some Christian readings feature practices that are cruel, which must be applied to people who refuse to believe in Christ and his sacrifice. Nevertheless, for the most part, they promote kind behavior. Koran is not so uniform. Many people believe that it contains the call to wage war against those people who are not Muslim. In fact, this is one of the official claims of various modern terrorist groups. Terrorist Organizations Islam One of the most well-known terrorist organizations in the modern world is ISIS. It operates mainly in Syria as one of the parties of the local war conflict. However, ISIS recruits many followers all over the world, mainly through the propaganda of Islam and the description of how different the life of Muslims who join it would be. The followers of this organization often commit attacks in European or American cities. Boko Haram is another terrorist organization that is known for its cruelty (Graham, 2016). Unlike ISIS, it operates mainly in Africa, it’s a home region. Other terrorist groups have similar strategies. However, their actions are not uniform, and many of these groups are rivals. Christianity Despite the promoted image of Christianity as a religion of peace, it was used in the past to explain invasions and mass murder. One of the brightest examples was the numerous crusades of the Middle Ages when European rulers attacked the Middle Eastern region to become wealthier. One of the most recent facts associated with the extremist behavior is the Ku Klux Klan, the movement that aimed to physically eliminate African-Americans in the U.S. While most of the claims of its members concerned the matters of civilization, Christianity was also used to support their actions. Conclusion Not a single religion promotes violence. Both Christianity and Islam support practices targeted at helping each other and caring for society. However, many terrorist groups often use religion to ground their actions, which causes negative reactions like modern Islamophobia. Reference Graham, D. (2016). Boko Haram: 30,000 dead after years of carnage. The World Post . Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The article is dedicated to the discussion of the main trigger points of the transition from feudalism to capitalism. Thus, the author analyzes two opposite views on that issue and tries to define the right position. The article starts with consideration of the main reasons for the change in social relationships. The author presents the Marxists’ theory that runs about the emergence of capitalism as the production relationships. On the other hand, Brenner is a supporter of the theory of division of labor as the core concept of capitalism. In this respect, Bergesen tries to examine their positions from different angles and presents the evidence-based approach to those theories. The authors consider Brenner’s point of view concerning the role of class relations in the development of capitalism. He supports the Marxists’ theory that stands for the dominating importance of class relations rather than trade relations as the basis of capitalism. On the other hand, his opinion does not coincide with Wallerstein’s view who states that the division of labor was the outcome of the changes in social relations. Further, the article discloses the connection between the core/periphery relations and unequal commodity distribution. Thus, he denied the fact that capitalism was the outcome of new trade relations and the division of labor. On the contrary, he sticks to the point that the emergence of the new stage in the social relations of production was due to class struggles. In other words, the author emphasizes the historical aspect in the class relations development and the foundation of capitalism. Both economic development and underdevelopment have their own specific historical reasons, which are not interconnected. Bergesen is assured that Marxist theory works in case it does not involve periphery, but gives a diligent attention to the core relations. On the other hand, the researcher expresses his disagreement concerning the Wallerstein’s theory of division of labor because the emergence of the world system was due to the unequal commodity exchange. Bergesen, being the supporter of the Marxist theory, discovers the weaknesses both of Brennen’s as well as Wallerstein’s positions. According to his point of view, the disadvantage of Marxists’ theory lies in considering class relations within a certain region. In their turn, the world system theorists are wrong considering commodity but not class relations as the crucial ones in the appearance of capitalism. For the better understanding of the core principles of capitalism, the author studies other points of view on this problem in order to find what predetermined a new mode of production. Nevertheless, the author skeptically perceived the answers given by Andre Gunder Frank who believed that exchange and production are mutually connected since that idea denied the prevailing role of class relations. After considering the core points of the article, it brings me to the conclusion the author’s analysis of world systems theory has a significant value for the further study of the economic and class relationships. In addition, all the points have the ground basis and, therefore, the article deposited to the better understanding of the main historic processes that influenced the development of trade and capitalism. Besides, Bergesen proved that class relations are the core point that predetermined the transition from feudalism to capitalism. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Successful Careers in Culinary Arts Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Who is a “hot line” cook? 3. Advantages of the career 4. Disadvantages of the career 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction Admittedly, the vast majority of people spend hours, days or months trying to decide what career to choose. Some of the major factors which influence the choice are salary, schedule and self-realization and the image of the career. If a person likes cooking he or she may consider culinary arts career. One of the most fascinating careers in this area is hot line. Who is a “hot line” cook? Hot line includes all cooks participating in preparing hot foods – “soups, appetizers, entrées, vegetables”, etc (Donovan 18). The term “hot line” was coined since in the majority of kitchens hot food was prepared on the stoves arranged in a single line (Donovan 18). The qualities which any hot line cook should possess are expertise in a variety of dishes, “split-second timing, excellent memory skills, and the ability to keep a variety of dishes in production at one time” (Donovan 19). These people create gorgeous dishes which are artworks. Here cooks can use their creativity and even obtain worldwide popularity. Advantages of the career In the first place, it is necessary to point out that culinary is one of the most ancient and well-developed industries. It originates from “the taverns of ancient Rome” (Mondschein and Matters xii). Nowadays it is a very profitable industry. For instance, National Restaurant Association stated that it was “$558 billion industry” and calculated that “each American eats out an average of 230 times per year” (Mondschein and Matters xii). It goes without saying that such profitable industry presupposes quite high salaries. For example, in 2006 US head chefs and cooks working in “fancy restaurants” made about $60,730. At present the salaries increased. Apart from good salaries career in culinary art can bring satisfaction. Creative people are able to realize their ideas. Reputedly, cook was always a very important profession since no place (restaurants, taverns, homes) or event (conferences, and even wars) could do without cooks. More so, among the first Europeans who set foot on American land there were cooks. At present the profession did not lose its significance and even became “glamorous” (Mondschein and Matters xiii). Thus, the career of hot food cook is very attractive for creative people. Disadvantages of the career Admittedly, this career can have drawbacks, as any other. However, it is important to state that these shortcomings are insignificant (especially in comparison with other professions). First, working at a hot line is “physically demanding” since the cook has to spend hours on his/her feet ( Career as a Chef ). However, there are many people who cannot just sit, they are very active. Thus, if a person active he/she will become a good cook. Some claim that salaries are not high, especially salaries of novice cooks. Nevertheless, t is but natural since in any sphere novice workers do not get much since they are first tried. Finally, many people claim that cooks have too little time for their families or just recreation since they often have to work on weekends and in the nighttime. However, it is possible to mange one’s time irrespective of any schedule. Conclusion On balance, the career of a hot line cook is an exciting opportunity to self-realize for active and creative people. Moreover, this can be a successful career which will bring a lot of profits and even worldwide popularity. Works Cited Career as a Chef . Chicago: Institute For Career Research, 2007. Donovan, Mary Deirdre. Opportunities in Culinary Careers . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Professional, 2003. Mondschein, Ken and Print Matters. Food and Culinary Arts . New York, NY: Infobase Publishing, 2009. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
As a result, a firm is able to use a convenient distribution format that provides goods to customers more effectively. Therefore customers obtain products promptly in different retail outlets; an approach that allows a firm to penetrate the foreign market easily. A firm is able to satisfy the needs of its customers because it improves the quality of service it offers to consumers of its products. As a result, the firm gets more positive customer feedback because it consistently meets their needs (Hisrich, 2010, p. 29). A joint venture enables an international firm to utilise a pre-existing market structure to minimise risks associated with foreign. A joint venture may make a foreign firm incur higher expenses to set up operations in a foreign country. Some countries have a lot of regulations that bar foreign firms from entering their markets to take advantage of available opportunities. An ineffective management structure is also one of the key problems a joint venture is likely to face. This slows down decision making processes in the joint venture because all parties have to agree before a specific decision is enforced. Poor financial performance may also have a negative effect on a joint venture. Some local firms may use their favoured market position to make foreign firms pay more money to set up joint ventures. It is necessary for all business firms to assess all risks involved before agreeing to become part of a joint venture (Hisrich, 2010, p. 36). A joint venture offers business firms an opportunity to expand their operations and I believe that it is an effective way through which a firm can make an impact in foreign markets. A joint venture between a design firm in the US and another partner in Germany has several benefits. The joint venture will enable the US firm to rely on the existing structure of the German firm to market its products. It also allows the US firm to overcome regulatory hurdles in the German market which comply with strict EU economic policies. However, the firm may need to modify some its designs to ensure they comply with German specifications. The firm is likely to incur additional product development costs (Gaspar, 2011, p. 78). The ownership structure may also slow down decision making in the firm due to differences between managers from the two entities. References Gaspar, J. (2011). Introduction to global business: Understanding the international environment. Mason, OH: Cengage Learning. Hisrich, R.D. (2010). International entrepreneurship: Starting, developing, and managing a global venture. London, UK: Sage Publications. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Individuals were subjected to brutal killings between 2nd and 5th October under Rafael Trujillo’s orders (Wright, 2018). This analysis presents a reflection on the massacre’s impacts among victims. Specifically, individuals who experienced the parsley massacre endured both physical and psychological challenges arising from atrocities committed by military officers from the Dominican Republic (Veldwachter, 2020). Corporal punishment and physical torture resulted in physical injuries among victims. Social embarrassment from the military officers traumatized individuals, which lead to adverse psychological impacts. Ethnic minorities, in essence, suffered political oppression and economic segregation in the following years until the dictator was assassinated in 1961. Haitian’s Parsley Massacre victims (1937) suffered physical consequences from the military regime under Rafael Trujillo. For instance, media reports of 1961 indicated extreme body torture among individuals caught by military officers (DeLugan, 2018). This was intended to send a direct message to the ethnic Haitians of their unwanted presence in the Dominican Republic. In addition, victims of the massacre had to endure long-lasting physical scars left after torture. Many Haitians. Corporal punishment, for example, included whipping and brutal caning among minorities who seemed defiant of the military rule. Authoritarian practices were common during Trujillo’s reign, which ended in 1961 (Veldwachter, 2020). Representatives of the authoritarian leadership committed social injustices against Haitians living in the country’s northwest border with the Dominican Republic. Many victims who survived torture from the military officers depicted significant and permanent body marks. Atrocities committed against Haitians in 1937 resulted in permanent physical scars among victims of the massacre. The Parsley Massacre’s physical consequences are also associated with a river that separates Haiti from the Dominican Republic in the latter’s northwest border. It is worth noting that many victims of the genocide included are Haitians living in the Dominican Republic. The natural landscape where the war began is significant for separating farmlands belonging to Dominicans and grazing areas for Haitian herders (Veldwachter, 2020). Traditionally, members from both communities traversed the river for social and economic activities. For instance, children crossed the river when attending schools on the other side of the border. Herders from the Haitian communities engaged in the ancient barter trade exchanging cattle products with agricultural produce. Social activities included religious activities that occurred harmoniously between the two societies. However, Rafael Trujillo’s dictatorship practices distorted peace using military rule, which facilitated mass killings among minorities (DeLugan, 2018). Most importantly, physical impacts encountered by Haitian’s should be recognized and acknowledged to condemn authoritarian practices against minority communities. Moreover, victims of the Parsley Massacre experienced severe psychological impacts. Individuals who survived the event suffered from advanced trauma, which impacted their mental well-being. The security of one’s family was a substantial source of discomfort among victims who escaped. Parents were separated from their children as they were fleeing soldiers sent by Rafael Trujillo (DeLugan, 2018). Siblings also ran in different directions to save themselves from physical torture. The advanced trauma resulted in hampered decision-making among Haitians who endured the atrocities. For instance, children found it difficult to attend school in areas with high violence. Trauma was instilled by fear among victims as the officers committed extreme crimes against humanity during the dictatorship period (Veldwachter, 2020). Most fundamentally, members of the Haitian community in the Dominican Republic suffered long-term mental impacts from the massacre. Additionally, Haitian victims who survived the 1937 massacre encountered advanced stress and depression after 1961. Social discrimination and segregation of minority populations in the Dominican Republic are substantially defined ethnicity (DeLugan, 2018). Rafael Trujillo facilitated a mechanism of distinguishing individuals from both communities based on the pronunciation of syllables with the letter “r”. Haitians have identified accurately as they pronounced the term “Perejil” with a trilling “r” (Wright, 2018). In essence, this provided a platform for social discrimination in subsequent years after the dictator was assassinated. Specifically, victims of the 1937 massacre in the northwest Dominican Republic endured post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is a mental condition that affects normal cognitive functions due to distorted images processed by the brain (Veldwachter, 2020). For instance, army veterans can suffer from this condition for being exposed to military conflicts. Similarly, Haitians who witnessed dead bodies along the way suffered from associated mental illnesses. In conclusion, Haitians suffered significantly during the Parsley Massacre of 1937. Military agents of Rafael Trujillo executed many victims using physical torture. Survivors of the atrocities depict body scars which illustrated mechanisms used to cause fear among victims. Social embarrassment through corporal punishment also contributed to the physical impacts of the Parsley Massacre. In addition, victims of the genocide also endured psychological impacts arising from diverse traumatic events. Family members were separated, and children were denied an opportunity to access necessities. PTSD was a common mental challenge to Haitian victims who escaped the Dominican Republic. It is objective to acknowledge and recognize the adverse impacts of authoritarian leaders across the globe. The Parsley Massacre (1937) depicts the possibility of mass killings evidenced against Haitians. References DeLugan, R. M. (2018). Reimagining the strange and familiar in national belonging: Memory, heritage, and exclusion in the Dominican Republic. Journal of Anthropological Research , 74 (4), 450-467. Veldwachter, N. (2020). How to kill with words: The convergence of Dominican and German rhetoric in the 1937 Haitian massacre. Journal of Haitian Studies , 26 (1), 74-103. Wright, M. (2018). The Dominican racial imaginary: Surveying the landscape of race and nation in Hispaniola. New Brunswick, England: Rutgers University Press. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (SINDy) Usage Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Problem Description 3. Methods Used 4. System Discovery and Formula Used 5. Conclusion 6. References Introduction Equation extraction from governing data can be difficult among scientists and engineers. Overfitting is avoided by balancing the models’ complexity with a descriptive ability. The study by Steven Brunton and others at the University of Washington demonstrates the use of Sparse Identification of Nonlinear Dynamics (SINDy). The algorithm can be used in several problems, from simple canonical systems to fluid vortex shedding. Problem Description With recent technological advancement data analysis software and programs have been developed, data distillation has remained slow (Brunton et al., 2016). Consequently, data extrapolation has been limited to attractor’s sampling and construction. For instance, the discovery of Kepler, although equipped with extensive and most accurate planetary data, lacked fundamental dynamic relationship description of planetary orbits (Brunton et al., 2016). Conversely, Newton’s discovery of the relationship between momentum and energy presented a dynamic model that can predict behaviors where data is unavailable. Methods Used Linear and nonlinear oscillators were used to demonstrate difficulties in simple canonical systems. Also, the study applied chaotic Lorenz system to demonstrate the challenges in simple canonical systems (Brunton et al., 2016). Most physical systems have limited number of relevant dynamic definition terms, limiting number of leading equations in high-dimensional nonlinear function space (Brunton, 2016). Algorithms in the unsteady fluid wake and nonlinear PDEs were also demonstrated by the study method (Brunton, 2021). After that, the dynamics were subjected to generalization to include parameters, time, and forcing. System Discovery and Formula Used The study reenvisioned a dynamical system discovery problem from sparse regression perspective and compressed sensing. The dynamical system considered was of the form: , x( t ) is the system’s state at duration t and f( x (t)) is the dynamic constraint (Brunton et al.,2016). Do determine f the collected data was sampled using the matrix: Next, a library of Θ ( X) was constructed each consisting of non-linear functions of X’ s column. Θ ( X) consist of constants, trigonometric terms or polynomials. To determine active non-linear using the formula: , each column of is a sparse vector that determines active terms. A model governing each equation was determined: . Since is a symbolic functions’ vector of element x . Therefore, x=f(x)=ΞT (Θ(XT)) T New Results and Possible Extensions The work shows that generalizing the SINDy algorithm allows analysis of externally forced and controlled systems. Fields such as neuroscience, with big data without governing equations can apply the new results from the study. The works present the discovery of standard forms by including optimization parameters, thus making a significant step towards unassisted dynamical systems’ identification. Chaotic Lorenz system formula: x=σ (y− x), [7a] y= x (ρ− z) −y, [7b] z=xy −βz, [7c] The data collected was stored matrices X and . For the PDE coordinate system, the mean-field model for the cylinder was: x= μx −ωy+Axz, [8a] y= ωx+ μy+Ayz, [8b] z= λ (z− x2 − y2) [8c] When λ is large the z dynamics are fast and the slowing manifold z= (x 2 + y 2 ). The vortexes should be shedding. For bifurcations and parameterization, the SINDy algorithm was encompassed to allow discovery of normal forms (31, 50). Parameter μ was appended into the dynamics: x=f (x; μ) [9a] μ= 0. [9b] Identifying f (x; μ), a sparse combination of x and μ was easy. 1D logistic x k+1 =μx k (1−X k ) +η k. 2D Hopf normal form (51) x=μx+ ωy−Ax (x 2 +y 2) y= – ωx +μy−Ay (x 2 +y 2) Time dependence and external forcing μ are added to the vector field: x= f(x, u(t), t), and t= 1. Conclusion While data science seems a panacea for scientific and engineering problems, it only provides a principled approach to leveraging data. Traditional systems to dynamic and big data available are prone to overfitting: statistical data models fit precisely against their training data. Therefore, algorithms producing parsimonious models are desirable. The work applied sparse regression in determining dynamic equations that accurately represent data. Generalizing the SINDy algorithm used in the piece makes it possible to analyze forced and externally controlled systems. Therefore, the new results are beneficial to climate science, epidemiology, financial markets, and other scientific and engineering fields with big data. References Brunton, S. L., Proctor, J. L., & Kutz, J. N. (2016). Discovering governing equations from data by sparse identification of nonlinear dynamical systems. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113 (15), 3932-3937. Web. Brunton, S. (2016). Sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy) . YouTube . Web. Brunton, S. (2021). Sparse identification of nonlinear dynamics (SINDy): Sparse machine learning models 5 years later! YouTube . Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Ethical Approvals and Clearance 2. Study Design 3. Sampling 4. Data Collection 5. Analytical Tool This part of the paper is devoted to the methodology. It reflects ethical approvals and clearance, study design, sampling, data collection, and analytical tool that would contribute to the perspective concise analysis of the study results. It seems appropriate to examine every aspect of the methodology respectively. Ethical Approvals and Clearance The research is conducted according to the ethical principles. The participation is completely voluntary. Before completing the survey, every participant should carefully read and sign a consent form, where all the rules are written in detail. It it stated that answers and the personality of respondents will be kept anonymous. Moreover, all the information provided by participants will be secured by password and destroyed after the research. Participants are free to interrupt the completion of the survey at any time. Thus, the study does not violate human rights and discriminate persons due to their age, gender, or ethnicity providing clear and uncomplicated rules that explain the purpose of the study. The research is to acquire the information directly from participants. It is also should be noted that the study provides participants with the relevant contacts concerning e-mail and phone number in the case if they would like to know more about the research. Study Design Every study needs a research design before starting because it is an integral part of the research. Therefore, we need to determine a research method of the research. In our study, we would use a mixed design of the investigation. A qualitative method involves the collection of information in a free form; it focuses on the understanding, explanation, and interpretation of empirical data that is the source of speculation and productive ideas. A quantitative method comprises conducting various surveys based on the use of structured questions of closed type, which corresponds to a large number of respondents. The main objective of quantitative research is to obtain a numerical estimate of the issue or the reaction of respondents towards it. Consequently, the quantitative representation would be accompanied the qualitative explanation of the situation. Sampling The research bases on the self-evaluation of participants. Namely, they evaluate whether metacognition improves their learning performance or not. In order to study a particular group of students, the research is focused on 22 female students from Zayed University, Abu Dhabi campus. Their majors are psychology and human services. Participants’ age is between 20-24 years. The majority of them are in their third year of education. Therefore, inclusion and exclusion criteria consist of age, gender, and University. Data Collection First of all, we identified a key objective of the study. The research question is: “Do people who monitor their learning better are able to perform better on exams?”. In this connection, to test hypotheses and statements that were identified in the introduction and literature review, we chose a questionnaire as the data collection method. As it was stated earlier, the research data collection involves a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Using them individually, the researcher risks to receive too superficial information or personal opinion that do not correspond to the opinion of the majority. Therefore, we used no close-ended questions allowing participants four variants of answers. Questions are posed in a simple and easy to perceive form. All of them are specific and understandable. We would suggest participants exams that they already passed. Before starting the exam, they would be asked to assess their potential degree according to a ten-point scale. After that, students would evaluate their results as well as studying hours. All the information would be recorded in the Excel table for the further analysis. It seems very important to point out the fact that it was noted that there is no direct benefit for respondents. However, they might find it interesting and important to contribute to the research in the field of psychology. Analytical Tool The results of the research would be analyzed in Excel. The first table would represent the direct results of the research including participants’ answers, post-test rating, and study hours. The second table would count the correlation and average points that would contribute to the appropriate analysis and discussion of results. Excel table seems to be an appropriate and useful tool for the analysis as it allows calculating numerical data with high degree of accuracy that is quite significant to receive correct results of the study. What is more, it promotes the visibility of the represented information. In addition, the introduction of quantitative indicators to the study is necessary and indispensable component to obtain objective data results. For this purpose, it is useful to apply methods of mathematical statistics to study learning issues. It would promote various subjects such as the processing of factual data, the rationale for the scientific research, and others. The analysis of the data conducted in the research could not be easily argued and denied as there is evidence of it being taken directly from participants. Therefore, the information presented in the Excel would appear to be accurate and trustworthy. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Private Labels Competing Against the FMCG Case Study Private labels are those goods that are by produced by the retailers such as supermarkets. There are several reasons why this marketing strategy has become very popular. First of all, at the time of economic recession, the purchasing power of many clients has declined. This is why they search for less expensive goods (Lincoln 25). Therefore, the marketing of private labels can increase the profitability of many retailers that try to become less dependent on manufacturers. Furthermore, consumers notice that in many cases, private labels are not inferior to branded goods in terms of quality. This is one of the main aspects that can be identified. To a great extent, one can speak about a significant shift in public attitude toward such these products. They are no longer associated with poor quality (Lincoln 25). This is why this marketing strategy has been successfully implemented by many firms. Additionally, it is vital to remember that modern businesses can operate on the Internet. Information technologies enable buyers to compare different products in terms of price and quality. In many cases, these people prefer to purchase private labels. These are the main reasons that can explain the popularity of these products among retailers as well as consumers in Europe or the United States. At present, one cannot say whether the situation will change in the future, especially at the time when the purchasing power of people increases. Nevertheless, it is quite possible that these labels will not lose their competitive position. Much will depend on the marketing strategies adopted by various producers. This is one of the main arguments that can be put forward. The manufacturers of branded fast moving consumer goods (FMCGs) adopt various strategies in order to regain their competitive edge at the time when the economy recovers. First of all, they can launch their own stores (Kotler 128). In this way, they can increase the loyalty of consumers. Furthermore, such an approach can distinguish a certain product among many private labels. This is one of the actions that can be taken. Nevertheless, such a policy has significant limitations because it is applicable only to companies that produce various brands. This is one of the main issues that should be considered by the managers of these companies. Furthermore, these businesses can carry out marketing campaigns that stress the quality of branded goods. This strategy is also helpful for attracting clients. However, the main issue is that many consumers have changed their attitudes toward private labels and FMCG. Many clients are no longer convinced that branded FMCGs are superior to private labels (Lincoln 25). Therefore, the producers of FMCGs should introduce innovative products that can be distinguished in terms of functionality, design, reliability, or other criteria. So, they will need to create additional value for customers. This is one of the ways in which they can strengthen their position in the market. Finally, these companies may decide to cooperate with retailers. It should be kept in mind that some producers provide goods to retailers and later these products are sold as private labels (Lincoln 25). Such a strategy can help these businesses improve their sustainability. These are some of the policies that FMCG managers can adopt in order to improve their long-term performance. Works Cited Kotler, Phillip. A Framework for Marketing Management , New York: Prentice Hall, 2011. Print. Lincoln, Keith. Private Label: Turning the Retail Brand Threat into Your Biggest Opportunity, New York: Kogan Page Publishers, 2009. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Australian Bankers’ Association Promotion Strategy Report (Assessment) Australian bank customers have had a very bad perception about the country’s banking sector. For instance, many customers believe that banks are closing branches to cut costs. This is a misconception as the country is ranked well with 25,000 banking access points per one million residents when compared to countries like UK, Singapore and France (Australian Bankers Association 2010, p. 8). Customers should also know that the sector has real competition among various banks. After deregulation, transaction accounts are now available in 24 banks, 177 credit unions and 14 building societies (Australian Bankers Association 2010, p. 11). It should also be known that competition has reduced interest margins to less than 2% (Australian Bankers Association 2010, p. 13). Most of these customers believe that banking services are not affordable. This is a misconception as transaction fees accounts for only 1% of banks revenues (Australian Bankers Association 2010, p. 17). Therefore, this will be communicated to different people and customers to do away with these misconceptions. In this case, TV will be effective in reaching a wide mass of people. This is because it is mostly accessible and adverts can be made appealing to different age groups (Westpac 2010, p. 8). Other forms of promotion will also be used to reach individual target groups. Public relations and sales promotion will give individual target groups the attention they deserve and in the process explain all they need to know. Personal selling is very interactive and can be tailor made to suit different interests. Because there is a good advertising budget, all banks will be covered in this campaign as it’s an all industry affair (Australian Bankers Association 2010, p. 26). This will pull together their efforts in reaching a wide mass of people. Therefore, all banks will be required to input their contributions on the way forward. Reference List Australian Bankers Association., 2010. Fact sheets on banking industry . Web. Westpac., 2010. Australia’s First bank. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. Background 3. Selection Criteria 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction To analyze the financial information of the organization the company California Pizza Kitchen can be seen as a suitable choice. California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is a chain of full-service restaurants, offering California-style cuisine, represented through creative pizzas, pasta, soups, sandwiches, appetizers, and desserts. The restaurant was opened on March 27, 1985, by the attorney’s Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax, who both hold the position of Co-Chairman of the Board of Directors, Co-President & Co-CEO of the company. The present paper will provide a short description of the organization and the reasons for which it is was deemed suitable for analyzing financial information. Background The company currently consists of owned, licensed, or franchised 265 locations in 321 states and 10 foreign countries. The company has 25 years of operational history in the segment of casual dining restaurants (CPK, 2010). The chain has two directions of development, the full-service restaurants, and the CPK/ASAP concept which focuses on the fast-casual service is significantly smaller restaurants. As of 2010, the company employs approximately 14,600 employees, among which 190 employees are working in the company’s headquarters in West Century Boulevard, Los Angeles, California (CPK, 2010, 2011b). The company market value is estimated as $343 million, where the revenues in 2010 were $642.2 million, with a non -GAAP net income of $17.1 million (CPK, 2011a; Forbes, 2011a). Selection Criteria The company went public in 200, and thus, it is publicly traded with plenty of information available on its website. Additionally, the company is considerably small having a single direction of development, and a relatively small period of being publicly traded, for comparison reasons. Although the company is currently having a decrease in sales, according to their 2010 financial results, it is appraised on several levels. Forbes magazine put the company on its annual list of self-made entrepreneurs, which are also on the list of America’s best small companies. The conditions taken in consideration include such aspects as annual revenues in the range between $5million and $750 million, being publicly traded at least for a year, and “stock price no lower than $5” (Forbes, 2011a). The criteria for rankings include sales growth, return on equity, and other aspects, for which it is ranked as 192 (Forbes, 2011b). The company might be distinguished among many companies by the fact that the original founders are still taking control of the organization despite going public. Additionally, with the company having its highs and lows during the time it went public, it can be used for comparison purpose with all statements, annual reports, SEC filings, and stock information being available on “Investor Relations” section of the company’s website located at(CPK, 2011c). Conclusion The present paper provided a brief overview of the company California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) for the purpose of being approved as the organization to be used during the Session’s Long Project (SLP). The paper argued that the company is a suitable candidate for analyzing its financial information. Being publicly traded, ranked among Forbes 200 small companies in 2009 and publishing all their relevant financial information on their website provides an opportunity for using and analyzing the company’s financial position. References CPK. (2010). California Pizza Kitchen, Inc. and Subsidiaries 2009 Annual Report on Form 10-K . California Pizza Kitchen . CPK. (2011a). California Pizza Kitchen Announces Financial Results for the Fourth Quarter and Fiscal Year 2010. California Pizza Kitchen . Web. CPK. (2011b). Investors Relations: CPK Fact Sheet. California Pizza Kitchen . Web. CPK. (2011c). Investors Relations: Financial Information. California Pizza Kitchen . Web. Forbes. (2011a). The 200 Best Small Companies: California Pizza Kitchen. Forbes.com LLC . Web. Forbes. (2011b). In Depth: Self-Made Stars – California Pizza Kitchen . Forbes.com LLC . | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Polish Coal Export to Germany, Its History and Trends Research Paper Abstract Poland was the largest exporter of polished coal to Germany in the early twentieth century. The country continues to export coal to Germany. Germany was allowed by the Geneva Convention to import coal from the Silesia region in the 1924 to 1925. Germany was also the greatest purchaser of coal, especially the one that was duty free, as an outcome of the pact that was signed in Geneva. It is very critical to mention that the most part of Silesian coal basin was in Poland, and this is what made Poland the largest exporter of coal in Germany. In 1925, after the treaty termination, the government of Germany banned the import of coal from Poland. Poland is a country known to be rich in minerals. Today it has become the biggest manufacturer of coal. Coal has many uses, but the most common usage is in the production of electricity. The history of Polish coal began many years ago. Historians document that coal mining in Poland started in early twentieth century. This research paper will deliberate the export of Polish coal to Germany. History of export of Polish Coal to Germany Poland was trying to develop its economic system after it had acquired independence from the Germans. The Silesian coal mine was one of the biggest in the country. Most of the biggest mines in Poland were owned by foreign businessmen who were registered under corporations, for example: Donnersmarck, Ballestrem and Hohenlohe. During the inter-war period, the production of coal went up. During this time, coal export was at fourteen million tons. 172 million tons of coal were exported from Poland to other countries between the year 1924 and 1938 ( From Ballestrem to the port in Gdynia , 2012). Due to a rise in production, Poland was forced to ship forty percent of the total production abroad. The Geneva Convention allowed Germany to import specific amount of coal from the Silesia region. A new custom law was overhauled by the Poland parliament, which was directed at protecting Poland market from outside influence. Since Poland began exporting coal to Germany, it faced resistance from the German. The opposition took place, despite Germany being one of the biggest buyers of Silesian coal. One of the reasons is that the largest part Silesian mines were on the Poland side. In January 1925, the government of Germany banned the import of coal from Poland. Therefore, Poland was forced to look for new markets for its coal ( From Ballestrem to the port in Gdynia , 2012). Reasons for the decrease in the amount of Polish coal exported to Germany The amount of coal that Germany imports from Poland is likely to fall in the next few years. For example, since 2012, the amount of Germany import of Polish coal has gone down by seven percent. The cause for the fall of coal imports is the rough economic situation in Europe. The increment in the use of other renewable energies such as solar power has likewise led to the reduction in the amount of coal imported from Poland. Competition from coal producing nations has also contributed to a decrease in the amount of Polish coal exported to Germany (Eckert, 2012). Presently, the largest importers of Polish fine coal include Austria, Britain, Czech Republic and Germany. The coarse coal for heat generating purposes is imported to Ireland and United Kingdom. However, Polish coal faces competition from nations such as Russia, United States of America and South Africa. Despite strong competition, Polish coal continues to be one of the best in Europe. References Eckert, V. (2012). German hard coal imports seen down 7 pct in 2012 . Web. From Ballestrem to the port in Gdynia. The pre-war period . (2012). Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
“Peter Pan” a Story by James Matthew Barrie Essay “Peter Pan” by J.M. Barrie is a unique story, which tells tales about children in a tone more typical for an adult literature. The main character of Barrie’s books is a magic boy who does not grow older. There are three main propositions concerning Peter Pan. The first one is the result of his unique ability – the time does not pass for him (there is no past and no future). The second proposition is that he doesn’t differentiate between what is “real” and what is “make-believe.” The third proposition is that Peter doesn’t love anybody except himself. All the above-mentioned propositions are interrelated in Barrie’s depiction of Peter in a way that often creates new qualities of the character and violates initial propositions. Barrie introduces his character as an ordinary boy. In his physical appearance, Peter Pan does not differ greatly from the ordinary children. He is described as “a lovely boy, clad in skeleton leaves and the juices that ooze out of trees but the most entrancing thing about him was that he had all his first teeth” (Barrie 10). The character of the boy is determined by his connection with the world of magic and the Neverland island in particular. Numerous adventures disclose different traits of Peter’s character, showing him as an adult person rather than a “lovely boy.” The first proposition about Peter Pan is a little boy who whom there is no past and no future. Peter is self-centered to the extent that prevents him from following the course of events. Peter does not have a concept of exact time and time flow. When he is asked about his age, he replies “I don’t know… “but I am quite young” (Barrie 23). Specific perception of time that Peter possesses is closely connected with his self-consciousness. The boy easily forgets what happened to him and lives in the now. For example, when Wendy warns him that sewing his shadow might hurt, the boy replies “Oh, I shan’t cry”. Peter says this because he “was already of the opinion that he had never cried in his life” (Barrie 10). Peter utterly forgets that he was crying a moment ago. Peter’s special perception of time influences his memory it is difficult for him to remember his friends. The second proposition concerning Peter Pan is that he doesn’t differentiate between what is “real” and what is “make-believe”. For Peter imaginary and unnatural things and actions are quite natural. The entire world around him is the reflection of himself. Peter easily perceive the idea of sewing his shadow to his feet, he talks to fairies, fights with pirates and flies in the most natural way and teaches his friends to fly with the help of fairy powder. For Barrie’s character the world is not divided in to real and unreal. Everything exciting and created by imagination is real. A good example of a “make-believe” reality is the Neverland where Peter brings his friends. The unreal island often becomes the stage for rather mundane events. The third proposition about Peter Pan is that Peter doesn’t love anybody except himself. This quality of Peter’s character is revealed in his communication with children. When Wendy helps Peter to attach his shadow he does not reveal any gratitude. “How clever I am!” he crowed rapturously, “oh, the cleverness of me!” (Barrie 22). The author points out that “It is humiliating to have to confess that this conceit of Peter was one of his most fascinating qualities” (Barrie 23). Barrie clearly states that “there never was a cockier boy” (23). Peter’s selfishness is revealed in his careless and even ruthless actions when they fly across the sea. He lets his friends fall asleep and start to fall down and saves them at the last moment. The author states on the subject “it was his cleverness that interested him and not the saving of human life” (33). The complicated character of Peter Pan sometimes reveals qualities contrary to the initial propositions. For example, the proposition that Peter loves nobody but himself is violated when Peter says to Wendy that “… one girl is more use than twenty boys”(Barrie 23). Peter’s caring attitude to fairy Tink also contradicts with his selfishness. Peter reveals his affection to Wendy when she is believed to be dead, which also proves that he is not indifferent to others. The violation of the “real” and “make-believe” rule can be revealed in Peter’s attitude to mothers. On the Neverland island, many boys miss their mothers, but Peter prohibits even to talk about mothers. Peter “despised all mothers” (Barrie 62). Nevertheless, Peter asks Wendy to be his mother, and mother for all of the boys. This awkward request shows how vulnerable Peter Pan is. It explains that Peter’s love for himself is a compensation for not being loved by anybody, especially his mother. Barrie creates Peter Pen as a real human with bad and good traits of character. The bad qualities are easily seen from the very beginning of the story, but as the narration develops positive traits of character and new propositions appear. The author creates the propositions about his main character to make the story easier to read. He violates those propositions to engage the reader’s interest, to apply the reader’s personal experience to the perception of the story. “Peter Pen” is written in a way that helps every adult recognize himself in a certain period in life. Work Cited Barrie, James Matthew. Peter Pan . Collector’s Library, 2008. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Plans to End the Great Depression in His Presidency Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Great Depression 3. Measures to End the Great Depression 4. Conclusion 5. Works Cited Introduction President Franklin Roosevelt rose to power at the time when the U.S. was facing hardships in the economy with the great depression badly affecting the economic activities of the country. Although the President did not have new measures to combat the great depression, he had normal old techniques to be applied together with a message of hope to the Americans that they could overcome everything that is affecting the economy. He encouraged the Americans to overcome fear first. This paper discusses the techniques that President Roosevelt used to overcome the great depression in his presidency. The Great Depression The great Depression affected the economy of the U.S. in the 1930s with people’s values shrunken to the lowest levels. The government increased taxes due to reduced levels of income with ability for consumers to consume goods decreasing to lowest levels. In addition, the means of exchange that measures the level of liquidity in the economy had gone down thereby freezing any form of trade. Enterprises closed down even as savings of many Americans were diminished. The level of economic activities in the country was badly affected and the levels of unemployed were soaring. Therefore, the president had to offer not only hope, but ways through which the economy could be resuscitated (Polenberg 39). Measures to End the Great Depression The President began by offering measures that could be undertaken to end the great depression. He argued that banks had lacked morals and ethical standards that led to lack of credit to borrowers. Due to this, he stated that his government would restore values in the banking sector so that credit can be improved and the levels of investment increased. This was not the only solution to the problem. He argued that employment levels were low and the economy could only be revived through reduced unemployment levels. This could be achieved by various means beginning by direct recruitment by the government. He pointed out that his government would treat unemployment as an act of emergency such as war. Through employment, the country’s natural resources would be put back to use (Polenberg 40). The other revealed measure to end the great depression was balancing of population in industrial centers together with redistribution into agricultural land. Through this, Agricultural production would be increased even as unemployment reduces. This was to be accompanied by the increased purchasing power of the population. The federal government pledged to support these activities by effective planning and provision of effective means of transportation of manufactured farm products. Despite this, the efforts were to begin immediately and not wait any longer (Polenberg 42). President Roosevelt pointed to regulation of the financial sector as another ensure that would ensure that the recession did not repeat itself again in future. This could involve strict supervision of all banking, credit and investment activities carried by all financial institutions. This could help end speculation using other people’s money. In addition, the president prioritized stability of the national economy over international trade. In the State of the Union Address in 1935, the president reiterated that the federal government owed the Americans in terms of provision of employment. Therefore, he outlined measures taken by the federal government to reduce levels of unemployment. These measures included a vast public works program that would cost $5 billion such as slum clearance and upgrading, rural electrification and reforestation (Polenberg 64). Further still, he reiterated that his second term government would ensure that unemployment is low, interest rates are maintained low to encourage investment, more agricultural production would be promoted and better and cheap infrastructure would be provided to the American citizens. The president further argued that welfare programs established by the federal government such as home relief should come second to work relief, a statement that has spurred mixed reactions. A part from economic recovery and overcoming the Great Depression, President Roosevelt was concerned with the conservation of the environment. He continuously pointed out that the environment should be conserved for the future generations that will succeed the land in a few years to come. His government undertook measures to conserve the environment through various programs such as the reforestation, dam construction and provision of hydroelectric power projects to show his concern for the environment (Polenberg 66). Conclusion It is true that President Roosevelt had measures in place to overcome the great depression that affected the U.S. economy in the 1930s. First, the great depression had led to low levels of productivity that was accompanied by high unemployment levels, lack of credit in financial institutions, low investment and reduced farm output. The measures as he outlined in his inaugural address to the nation were many. They included government support to improve agricultural production and general productivity in the country through improved industrial activities. Farmers were to be supported by provision of cheap infrastructure and provision of cheap social amenities such as electricity through the rural electrification programme. Unemployment was to be reduced by direct government recruitment. Lastly, government regulation of the banking sector was to ensure that the issues affecting the economy are not repeated in future. In addition, the President pursued environmental conservation measures such as reforestation. Works Cited Polenberg, Richard. The Era of Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1933-1945: A Brief History with Documents . Basingstoke: Palgrave McMillan. 2000. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Financial Reporting Practices and Ethics in Business Research Paper In the current competitive environment, creating constructive strategies for enhancing the effectiveness of financial reporting practices of health care organizations is of critical significance. It is the path that contemporary health care professionals should take and achieve substantial growth. Efficient reporting strategies incorporate various elements of fiscal management and accounting principles and financial ethical standards. One of the most essential elements of financial management is fiscal planning. The planning ensures that sufficient resources are available at the appropriate times to solve needs of the health organizations. These needs include long-term requirements, costly technical equipment, and short-term needs, such as employees’ payment and upgrading equipment. The next element is fiscal control. It enables organizations to meet their goals. Fiscal control evaluates the security of organizational assets, efficiency of the management and productivity of the assets (Financial management, n. d.). The other elements are directing and organizing, which ensure that organization brings together human, financial, and physical resources and develop a positive relationship among the resources. This process entails delegation of authorities, identification of activities and coordination of responsibility relationships. The final element is fiscal decision-making. It helps develop a relationship among financing tools, investment, and dividends. In addition, it helps the management determine the most appropriate means of distributing profits (Financial management, n.d.). Health care centers also incorporate accounting principles and general financial ethical standards in their management plans. Doctors and nurses abide by ethical standards that regulate the purchase of drugs and other health care related items. One of the key ethical standards that health care finance professionals uphold to achieve their objectives is competence. According to Morley (2013), to be competent, the professionals need to acquire quality formal education and continue learning by taking part in forums that equip them with new information that can have impact on their career. In addition, they need to be aware of changes in the accounting principles. Among other things, they must display integrity and be honest. Additionally, accountants and financial experts must maintain objectivity. They need to be objective and avoid conflicts of interest to achieve institutional and individual goals. They must not work for their relatives, as most people have some significant interest in their relatives’ organizations. All associations of financial professionals discourage engaging in dishonest practices irrespective of the type of connections that may exist between the expert and the employer. The associations hold that practices such as manipulating records to enhance a firm’s reputation and perceived financial performance are against the accounting standards (Governance, n. d). Another general accounting principle is confidentiality. Financial professionals have access to their employees’ vital and sensitive financial and personal information. Accounting principles and ethical standards oblige accountants to keep such pieces of information private with the exception of when a court of law orders for disclosure. Apart from keeping the data private, all associations for accountants and financial professionals require the professionals not to use the information to gain undue advantages. Notably, Health Net has codes of conduct that comply with the standards. It has adopted a ‘report a potential violation policy’. The policy assures that the organization maintains a high level of transparency, objectivity and competence. According to credible information on the organization’s official website, the code ensures that nobody misuses its resources and no one suffers for reporting violation. Workers in the organization have the freedom to discuss with their supervisors matters relating to the violation of their code. Anyone who thinks a director of the company has violated the code has the option of reporting to the Chief Ethics officer or the Legal Department. The codes enable the managers to understand their roles and responsibilities, which ultimately leads to keeping of accurate and verifiable accounting records. The policy also requires people who have information regarding poor management of accounting and auditing activities to report the issues to the Audit Committee (Governance, n. d). Health Net also requires its employees to avoid conflicts of interest. The company says that those who engage in activities such as working for its competitor, benefiting unduly from the information they have acquired in the course of work, or have a financial interest in other similar health care venture, should not continue working for the company. This policy ensures that stakeholders of the company keep ethical standards and safeguard the interests of the company. Additionally, the organization has an anti-money laundering policy. The company has put measures in place to detect fraud and prevent its officers from using illegal means to make money. It requires its customers and staff to report officers that use transaction structures that lack commercial justification to the Legal Department. Apart from Health Net, the National Association for Health Care Quality upholds similar ethical principles. The organization requires healthcare professionals to possess skills in health care information fundamentals such as reporting, computer use and statistical processes (NAHQ code of ethics and standards of practice, 2011). The ethical standards make the professionals competent. The standards also enhance reporting strategies of health centers and other institutions that adopt them. References Corporate governance. (n.d). Health.net. Web. Financial management . (n.d.). Reaady Ratios: Financial Analysis and Accounting Book of Reference . Morley, M. (2013). Accounting principles & general financial ethical standards . Small business . NAHQ code of ethics and standards of practice. (2011). NAHQ.org . Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Administrative Agencies and Regulatory Flexibility Act Essay Administrative Agencies Administrative agencies are an important part of the governmental system. They could be defined as organizations, created for solving important social problems. These agencies interact directly with people from the society and provide them required services. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the public agencies, related to the Department of Health & Human Services. The main purpose of this agency is “to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.” (“CDC,” 2014, para. 1). The agency’s functions are to detect and prevent dangerous disease spreading, to apply novel technologies, and to develop healthy behavior of the community. Main questions to the CDC: * Does the organization provide funding for the healthcare researches? What are the criteria for research program preferences? * What is the list of CDC’s actions in case of emergency? What legal measures could it take? * What is the agency’s policy according to the vaccination? Does it have the power to oblige parents to vaccinate their children? Administrative agencies are important for the society due to its role in urgent social problems solving. These agencies provide their services directly to people in the community. Dealing with current problems directly, administration of the agency changes existing rules and regulations according to the particular issue to make it more efficient. Another important role of agencies is investigations and scientific researches. Agencies provide funding for research projects and apply the obtained results into the practice. However, some people believe that administrative agencies have too much power. This suggestion is based on the lack of regulation of these agencies work. In fact, administrative agencies have the power of legislation, execution, and judgment in the areas of their responsibility. It leads to the almost uncontrolled power of the administrative agencies. Regulatory Flexibility Act Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) was passed with the purpose to protect employees from the discrimination on the genetic information basis, in particular, on the basis of family diseases and inclinations. According to this act, employers have no rights to request the employee’s genetic information, share it among staff members or use it for the job transferring or firing. However, this act has some limitations, in particular, according to the health insurance and wellness providing. Mainly, this act could be related to the employee’s individual health insurance plan development. The problem is that insurance companies are not supposed to request the information about family based diseases with the purpose to provide better healthcare services. The Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) could be applied in this situation to regulate the GINA’s effect on these companies. In particular, some of the GINA’s aspect could be avoided. For example, insurances companies might be able to request information, related to the employee’s health condition, however, might not be able to share it with the employer. For example, one of the public comments (, related to the GINA, was from the company which provides wellness plans for the workers and their families. To develop the optimal plan, the company should obtain the data according to the employees’ genetic information, in particular, according to the metabolic diseases. After the GINA was passed, the company could not provide their services without, in fact, breaking the law. It could be stated that organization’s concerns are rational. Without this particular information, it is impossible to develop the program for health improvement which would be useful. Moreover, it is possible to even to impair the situation without the required information. Thus, it could be supposed that the RFA could be applied to regulate the GINA in this particular case. References CDC. Mission, role, and pledge . (2014). Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Management of e-waste Essay Today’s technology is rapidly changing thus rendering existing technology and equipment obsolete quite often. This applies to electronic devices and equipment like computers, printers, copiers, scanners, keyboards and monitors. A recent study indicates that 300 million and above computers were obsolete in 2007 and the number was expected to triple by 2013. This poses a challenge on disposal of such obsolete equipment by schools (Sawyer, 2010). E-Waste contains toxic elements that may be harmful to the environment if crushed, burned or disposed at landfills. Such toxic elements may be harmful to the school’s population. Therefore, there are several recommended disposal mechanisms. Computer and equipment purchase done in a life cycle. Computers and equipment purchased by the school should be done in a life cycle. This means at the time of purchase the school makes an appropriation of how long the machines are to be used and disposed. The school disposes the machines in bulk which is simple. Recycling by vendors. The school can contact the vendors and suppliers of such equipment for disposal. Also, when making new purchases, ensure the vendor has a return/ recycling program. Donation to others. The school can opt to donate usable equipment to charitable organizations. This goes a long way as a way of giving back to the community. Auctioning unused equipment. The school can identify the surplus equipment and organize a local auction to dispose them off. This generates some income for the school. Use of commercial recyclers. The school can use the services of an electronic commercial recycler, county or state recycler to dispose its used computers and equipment. The school can fully adopt the above mechanisms for effective and efficient disposal off their e-waste. References Francis, C. A. (2009). Organic farming: the ecological system . American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI. Sawyer, P. L. (2010). Electronic waste management and recycling issues of old computers and electronics . Nova Science, New York. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Case Korematsu v. United States Essay The case Korematsu v. United States illustrates that the principles imbedded in the Constitution of the United States can be violated or at least misinterpreted, especially at the time when the country has to cope with a threat to national security. This paper is aimed at discussing the opinions of judges who had to pass verdict about the internment of Japanese Americans and their exclusion from military areas. It is important to examine three themes, namely national security, race, and the constitutionality of the internment since they are vital for legislators. Justices Hugo Black and Felix Frankfurter supported the decision of the government. In their opinion, internment was not motivated by racial prejudices against Japanese Americans. They believed that the internment of these citizens was motivated by the necessity, in particular, the war with Japan. This is one of the main points that they made. In contrast, Justice Frank Murphy disagreed with this argument. In his opinion, racial considerations did play a vital role, and these biases affected the views of legislators. Additionally, he noted that Americans of German or Italian origin were not interred, even though both Germany and Italy could potentially pose a threat to the national security of the country. This example indicates at the inconsistency of governmental policies. This is one of the main issues that should be considered. Furthermore, it is vital to focus on such a theme as national security. Hugo Black and Felix Frankfurter believed that during the war with Japan, the government of the United States had to take precautions in order to protect the state. In their opinion, Japanese Americans might cooperate with the government of Japan. Therefore, the decisions of the military leaders could be justified at that time. In contrast, Justices Murphy and Jackson opposed to this decision by saying that the ethnic background of a person could not turn him/her into a suspect. They believed that this approach to the national security was driven by racial prejudice, rather than evidence. This is why they did not support the policies of the state. Finally, it is vital to discuss the constitutionality of the internment. None of the judges believed that the exclusion order fully complied with the principles of the U.S constitution. Nevertheless, they looked at this problem from different perspectives. For example, Justices Jackson and Murphy argued that the U.S Constitution did not prevent the government from taking expedient military precautions, especially at the time when the country was at war. However, they did not speak about the privileges guaranteed to the citizens. In their turn, Murphy and Jackson clearly stated that the exclusion order was constitutional because the liberty of a person could not be restricted without due process. These are the main aspects that can be identified. In my view, this court ruling was not legitimate and the exclusion could not be upheld because ethnicity cannot be the measurement of a person’s loyalty to the country. It should be mentioned that Korematsu was born in the United States. More importantly, he held the citizenship of the country, and he possessed certain unalienable rights that had to be safeguarded. This is why Korematsu and other Japanese Americans could not be removed from their homes or official posts. This is the main argument that can be put forward. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
“Introduction to Manufacturing Lipke, David. “American Apparel Focuses on Fundamentals”. WWD Issue.” Essay (Article) This article gives a point of view of American Apparel from the perspective of a fairly new company in a hotly competitive market. Lipke, the author, focuses on cutting down costs by the company to pay off the company’s debts, however after years of financial success, production problems have brought up costs in their LA facilities and lowered profitability. American Apparel applies product costing in tracking and assessing the expenses involved in the manufacturing process and selling costs, from raw materials purchases to costs incurred in transiting the finished products to retail stores (Lipke, 1). The article stresses that the main focus is on interdependent of the decision making process needed in apparel product development. Due to the kind of competitive environment American Apparel is operating in, product costing is essential for its survival in the market. American Apparel has established an elaborate inquiry that provides accurate information of a product’s real cost and benefit. American Apparel has recognized that its competitiveness is improved by purchasing, processing, logistics, and product design affiliates implement total lifecycle costing. American Apparel is trying to strengthen their management ranks with new talent and reduce inventory. Furthermore, the company mentions that they are a new company that has not worked out all the kinks yet and they are working hard to become more stable in the economy. Empirically, the article states, “(earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) ratio was increased to 2 (from 1.75) in the first quarter of 2010, and to 1.9 (from 1.65) in the second quarter”, and adds that, “The changes will enable American Apparel to access a larger amount of its $75 million credit facility with Bank of America” (Lipke, 2) Seidler, Ben. “Fur Takes Center Stage Again.” The New York Times . September 9 th Sept. 2010. Web. This article focuses on fashion material sourcing and selection as seen during the autumn/winter 2010 runway; fur has been a fashionable preference for fashion artisans, not only in the traditional Milan and Paris, but also in New York and London. Material sourcing is not only meant to maintain a theme in a collection, but also is cost efficient on the consumers. It also shows the ability of designers and the creativity of artisans in working with different materials; in the apparel industry designers and merchandisers find different and creative ways in using fabrics and materials, such as trim, for different products other than the original designed garment. Not only was fur used for the typical, fur coat, but designers used fur as a source for many other uses as well. Observed in this autumn/winter 2010 runway were fur skirts, hats, and bags. Seidler (3) states that fur could be “feathered, shredded, unlined, or knitted”. This is mainly due to the elevated amount of fur on the runway this year. Although with the emphasis was on real fur this season, some designers decided to opt for the faux fur as well. Along with fur and many other fabrics in our wardrobe, there are many new and creative ways of using fur items for other resources. In addition, with the given today’s technology there will continue to be other ways in using our materials productively. Even artificial fur is been used by designers to explore the aesthetic and textured nature of artificial fur (Seidler, 5). Works Cited Lipke, David. “American Apparel Focuses on Fundamentals”. WWD Issue. 1 st April 2010. Web. Seidler, Ben. “Fur Takes Center Stage Again.” The New York Times . September 9 th Sept. 2010. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
How Social Network Empowers Youths in the Society Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Literature Review 3. Methodology 4. Results 5. Discussion 6. Conclusion 7. Reference List Introduction To facilitate meaningful youth participation in the society, there has been rising need to inject their commitments in serving the society through presentations using posters and workshops. According to Majer (2009: 17), posters are quite powerful presentations which enhance skills and knowledge development among youths due to their tendency to stimulate creativity and psychomotor skills development. With the current society dominated by information technology, the digital media is one of the emerging reliable sources of innovation among youths. Particularly, skillful presentation of ideas and expressions through posters over the internet has been revealed as one of the most powerful agents of youth development. As revealed by Hess & Tosney (2009: 59), the engagement of youths in creative arts through development of posters stimulates systems change through innovations, resulting into general community development. Quite importantly, meaningful youth involvement in various development projects facilitates value-focused decision making in the society. This report is to establish the ultimate value of youth engagement in posters presentations in various social activities. Literature Review Hess, G. & Tosney, K. (2009). Effectiveness of Poster Presentation to Enhance Youths’ Social Networks. Social Networking, 32( 1): 57-69. As noted by Hass & Tosney, the engagement of youths in various presentations using posters is one of the most powerful strategies to enhance creativity in them. Since communication is a very important skill among youths, its usage among youths in various presentations enhances the linkage between theoretical knowledge they gain in school to real life experiences or practice. On this basis, Hass & Tosney considers posters as one of the most effective facilitators of accuracy in knowledge application among youths. Though Hass & Tosney lacks precise consideration of special cases like visually impaired youths, his ideas are quite useful for active engagement of youths in community development projects. Majer, J. (2009). Using Poster Presentations to Enhance Community Skills. Curtin University of Technology: Curtin University Press, 12-21. As revealed by Majer, youth participation in social activities through developing respective posters to reflect a certain social events facilitates unity in the community. Through use of posters, youths are actively involved in community development projects, which make them realize self esteem through expressing their artistic skills through posters development. However, fails to consider talent diversity among youths, in which some of them are more talented in other community development activities or expressions, other than only through poster presentations. Tham, M. (2004) Poster Presentation of Research Work. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers, 42-71. Through the use of posters, Tham reveals how the development of efficient communication skills among youths will be nurtured. Since posters creations of skillful artistic work, the engagement of youths in poster presentations enhances innovation and invention of new ideas in various fields. More so, Tham show how engagement of youths in poster presentations facilitates the development of various careers like arts and drawing among others. Nevertheless, this study seems to lack empirical study carried out to form a basis for the arguments presented in it. Methodology This study relied on the use of secondary research materials like books, journal articles and the internet. This study was carried out as group work and included group decision-making rather than only group leader alone. The poster we developed constituted of an advertisement of a drink meant to children made by Kool Aids Company. In development of the poster the choice of the design was also collectively agreed after each member coming with various designs. In delivering the oral presentation, one of the group members was selected to do it. Results As it was revealed, poster presentation is one of the most accurate and effective communication media due to its accuracy in information conveying. Being a visual media, the poster we developed was quite enticing in the way it was quite appealing and persuasive due to its effective color use and emotional nature. As a result, we discovered how we have the potential to express our creativity in communication through poster presentation. Discussion As it was revealed, poster presentations enhances the understanding of the potential youths have as part of their personal development towards self actualization. Though socializing with others, youths are empowered to develop various competencies and skills in the society. According to Tham (2004: 64), social networks have the capacity to engage youths in active learning since they enhance sharing of knowledge and ideas collectively. As a result, remarkable competencies have largely been experienced in team work while developing the poster meant to act as an advertisement for Kool Aids drink for children. Generally, it has been revealed, how collective poster presentations among youths facilitates the development of various skills among youths to enhance the overall society development. Conclusion As it has been revealed, the engagement of youths in poster presentation is one of the most powerful strategies to enhance creativity and development of various communication skills. Through poster presentation in team work, as a result of social networking, youths have been empowered to participate in various community development projects. Reference List Hess, G. & Tosney, K. (2009) Effectiveness of Poster Presentation to Enhance Youths’ Social Networks. Social Networking, 32( 1): 57-69. Majer, J. (2009) Using Poster Presentations to Enhance Community Skills. Curtin University of Technology: Curtin University Press, 12-21. Tham, M. (2004) Poster Presentation of Research Work. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishers, 42-71. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Criminal Justice Workplace Observation Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Leadership 3. Culture 4. Systems 5. Law 6. Stakeholders 7. References Introduction Many agencies form part of the criminal justice. Criminal justice is incomplete without correctional facilities famously called prisons. People and government agencies perceive prisons as centers of punishment while others perceive prisons as correctional and rehabilitation facilities. Prisons are used as a venue to correct a member of the society who has done wrong and eventually reunites with other members of the society. Leadership I work in an agency where leadership is central to all activities and yields a lot of influence. Leadership is the ability to command influence. Success or failure in any organization is attributed to management. Leadership rests in the top management of the prisons who are the decision-makers and lead the prison to attain its objectives. The structure of leadership is two-fold. There are guards and wardens. These are the people who administer rules and regulations over the inmates. They restrict the free movement of inmates, administer punishment or reward them and train the inmates. The prisoners follow the directions of the wardens and guards out of respect and at times out of fear. Wardens and guards are appointed by the government to take up leadership roles in prisons. The management in the upper level is the topmost leadership center in the prison with a wide range of responsibilities within them, that is, it offers transformational leadership. “Upper management, therefore, is more concerned with the transformation of the agency towards a more competitive and active force in pursuing its own goals and objectives in the society. Leadership in the Middle and lower management rests upon the supervisors and line leaders who execute supervisory level management to carry out the mandate of the upper-level management (Kania, 2008)”. Another leadership center exists among inmates themselves. Inmates from informal groups with rules and regulations, with a leader who develops a leadership structure composed of his loyal lieutenants. They develop their own rules with an internal system of punishment. However, the rules they come up with cannot supersede the rules set out by the wardens. There are circumstances where the warden tolerates the rules among the inmates as long as they help to maintain law and order in the facility. Culture Culture is another factor to watch in the agency. Culture is the belief system of people, their way of living, religious beliefs, and values as they share them in the agency. Culture affects the functioning of group members, especially where they follow the different cultures. The facility has many different cultures. Therefore, there is a need to take care of the approach to inmates to avoid offending them without knowing their culture. Organizational culture features prominently in the effective functioning of the teams. Culture is a center for the positive establishment of the mission and vision of the agency. Inmates in this agency have a culture of forming informal groups among them as seen above. The prison has also developed a culture of training their inmates to equip them with life skills that would help them after they leave the facility. The warden has also developed a culture of rotating guards who watch over inmates for twelve hours to ensure they attain their tasks as a team. Systems The main players in the system are the law enforcement officers who are mandated to maintain law and order and they are the one who makes arrests, followed the courts of law which administer trial to the accused, and finally the collection facility for punishment and rehabilitation. The first system is in law enforcement as enshrined in the constitution. The accused person has a right to remain silent since what he can say can be used against him in a court of law, the accused has a right to an attorney, and where he cannot afford one, the state should provide him with one. Officers are required to conduct searches only when they have search warrants (Peak, 2010). The court system is the second. It ensures a fair trial for the accused by ensuring that the accused person does not incriminate himself and there is a jury trial and fair representation by a counsel. The third system is the correctional facility. When an accused is found guilty he is sent to a correctional facility for punishment and rehabilitation. These take two forms, either probation or incarceration or in some instances, both. Law There are many laws and statutes passed to help in the criminal justice system. The law set out the maximum penalty and maximum sentences a person can be given once found guilty of an offence. The law has to be argued out by the lawyers in a court of law. This will enable judges to pass their judgment based on the facts of the law. Stakeholders The influential stakeholders comprise various bodies as discussed below. Political bodies usually have a negative effect on the justice system because they want cases decided politically rather than legally. The president as a political figure also offers presidential pardons to offenders of minor offences. Community groups like the media and human rights activists are very influential. They ensure that the rule of law is upheld while passing judgment and they advocate for a fair trial of the accused persons. These influential groups make sure that what needs to be done happens. Employees also are influential since they see what happens daily. Employees then relay what they see to wardens for collective action (Robbins & Judge, 2009). References Kania, R. E. (2008). Managing Criminal Justice Organizations: An Introduction to Theory & Practice. New York: Elsevier. Peak, K. (2010). Justice administration: police, courts, and corrections management. New York: Pearson/Prentice Hall. Peter, J. (2012). How Does the Criminal Justice System Work? Web. Robbins, S. P., & Judge, T. A. (2009). Organizational behavior. New York: Pearson/Prentice Hall. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Project Head’s Leadership and Managerial Profile Report (Assessment) Background Problem Faced by Knowlton Knowlton lacks confidence; he does not believe in himself when competition arises. According to the write-up, Bob Knowlton is the head of the project dealing with the photon correlator since his scientific breakthrough two years before. He has been good at this job for the previous two years. He even thinks that he has ‘produced’ just as Dr. Jerrold had advised him to do in order to be prosperous in his line of duty. However, the situation changes when Jack Remington arrives at the lab. He gets irritated when Remington talks about the graphs he was analyzing. He thinks that Remington is very smart and competitive. He feels bad when he realizes that Remington is enthusiastic about work and is smart enough to find out the problem with the photon. He even describes him to his wife as a genius. During the morning meetings with his laboratory team, he realizes that Remington is organized and very thorough in his presentation. Knowlton is not comfortable to make a speech for a special meeting with projects heads and the financial investors. He brightly deceives Jerrold to allow Remington write and deliver a speech. Ego-Defence Mechanism Knowlton uses rationalisation as his ego-defence mechanism. He gives fake reasons for his resignation. He writes a letter to Jerrold saying that he has found a better position in another company. However, this statement is not true. In the real sense, he would receive a slightly lower salary than what he gets at Jerrold’s company. He indicates that he would not appear in the lab anymore for personal reasons and that he would gladly go back to help in case of any mix-ups in the group. In addition, he indicates that Remington is capable of providing leadership in the group. He then adds that his decision to leave suddenly is due to a change in his family circumstances. This assertion is also not true; he resigns because he is afraid that Remington will take his job and that he will have to work under him. Power Bases That Knowlton Failed to Draw Upon Knowlton was not able to draw power from the expert power base. This base of power involves employees believing that their leader has a high level of expertise and knowledge in a particular field. Knowlton, therefore, should have shown his superiority during the meetings with his employees for Remington to respect him as his superior. He should have written and read speeches to project leaders and financial investors. Leadership requires courage and readiness to share and teach. Knowlton’s Leadership Style Knowlton’s style of leadership is legitimate. Legitimate power refers to having a position of power in the company. For instance, being a boss or an important member of a team of leaders. He does not show any authority to the employees under him. He just guides them on what to do to achieve the goal of the project. He is offended when Remington shows up and insists on individual work. Bob Knowlton’s Managerial Profile Knowlton is a smart scientist who has made great progress in his field. He, however, does not have managerial skills. He is not confident in his qualities in the presence of competition. When Remington arrives, he thinks that he is not good enough. He is worried that Remington might find so many mistakes in the reports about the project. He does not believe that he can present Remington’s ideas to the project leaders. He is also not ready to embrace new ideas. Worse still, he is not happy that Remington is working single-handedly in troubleshooting the performance of the photon yet he advocates group work. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Security Threats in Social Sites Report There are quite a couple of benefits for a firm that invests in information security. The ability to cope effectively with today’s security threats in social sites such as web hacking to steal consumer identity, and other internet disruptions is at the verge. Insecurity has caused complexity and slow progression in delivery of products and services in the virtual market since people want to countercheck viability before any engagements. Risks involved in virtual transactions or commitments are huge threats especially sites such as Facebook, MySpace or emails servers, since they necessitate submission of personal information. Today, information requires proper security for an effective collaboration. The service providers are able to invest heavily on the security due to possible negative effect, for instance the recent attacks on giant search engines, Google and Yahoo in China. Major risks may include stolen patent laws, compromise of data integrity and worse cases such as total loss and manipulation of information to gain profits. Various government regulations and business policies or requirements quantify the sites’ information security as a competitive advantage. Regulations make the customer to feel comfortable transacting in such firms and provide a legal platform in case of violations. The group sites and other social accounts must engage security measures to ensure privacy of information. Contrasting speculations that the sites lack security or privacy, the involved firms recognize benefits of investing in Information Security, thus the need to understanding methodologies behind risks experienced by the clients (Schneier, 2009). Security is quantifiable through evaluation of performance or comparison between the prospective or potential competitors. The quantitative risk analysis shows how the control adds value in a reputable and comparable manner. Lack of major cases involving private data violations is a good sign of enhanced privacy. Companies are able to control the data losses by investing in proper security control measures such as server configurations. Today, ability to prove availability of system security such as assuring privacy of data or information in social sites falls upon business proceedings. None of the companies that manage social sites has experienced critical performance hitches such as bleach of data or highly impacts on reputation due to compromised clients’ data. Although it is difficult to predict the value and amount of Information Security that protect privacy, it is helpful and important to determine availability. Data privacy depends on information security, which also ensures full protection of the information and systems from attacks such as unauthorized access, malicious attacks, theft, unauthorized disclosure or use, disruptions and illegal modifications. As a standard in support of privacy, information security has to involve safe usage and transfers. Security enhances easy and quick data and information exchange for the end-users during communication in both private and public networks. Information security is more beneficial in the public domain because of the advanced setup and high possibilities of attacks. Today the security of data links that are more susceptible to exploration occurs through data encryption or public key cryptography, which is a very common practice by the companies owning the collaborative sites (Schneier, 2009). When using the sites, a consumer can note protection of profiles as an assurance over application. Enhanced government policies and regulations ensure protection of privacy, intellectual property rights and enhance management of information by defending against challenges of unauthorized system access. Another protective mechanism involves isolation of untrusted form of malicious or unsecure users through authentication and enhancement procedures. The information security protocol also prevents systems’ attacks by locking down the server systems or ensuring only authorized access. The operational procedures during the security enhancement process involves checking eavesdropping and, enhancing use of strong passwords to stop gathering of information by the system users or visitors through authentication of access. The security procedures also enhance encryption of information during transfers between servers or other workstations (Easttom, 2006). References Easttom, C. (2006). Network Defense and counter measures principles and practices: Security Series . Pearson Prentice Hall Schneier, B. (2009). Security ROI Fact and Fiction . Retrieved from https://www.schneier.com/ | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The main reason for labeling is to enable consumers to identify a certain product easily and as quickly as possible. Most consumers have a difficult time identifying their preferred products if they are not well labeled. Secondly, companies label their products to make them more appealing to their target market. A significant number of consumers purchase certain products because of how they are labeled or packaged, and not because of their quality. Product labeling and sustainable marketing can also be used to rebrand Kern County almonds to enhance their marketability. Kern County can enhance the marketability and brand position of its almonds by designing an effective labeling system for the products. The packaging of the almonds can be designed using an attractive phrase containing alluring words such as ‘Kern County almonds, truly raw almonds, never pasteurized’; the phrase can make the product look more attractive and appealing to the customers. These words would not only explain to the consumers how fresh the almonds are, but also make them look unique and different from the others. Such a label on the package would also be easy for the consumers to identify. The label on the package containing the Kern County almonds should also show the nutritional value of the product in it. For instance, the label may include information such as low in carbohydrates, rich in fiber, rich in protein, rich in healthy raw fat, rich in good cholesterol, and sweet and delicious. These words provide consumers with important information that they need to know about the almonds before they even purchase them. Most consumers are extremely careful when dealing with new products, and are keen to know what is contained in them before buying or consuming them. Consequently, including such information on the packaging containing the Kern County almonds would make the brand more attractive to customers. Figure 1: Proposed Kern County Almonds Label. Kern County Almonds: low in carbohydrates, rich in fiber, rich in protein, rich inhealthy raw fat, rich in good cholesterol, and sweet & delicious When bright and attractive colors are included on the label, they can be a very effective way of attracting and retaining target customers for the Kern County almonds. Kern County can conduct viability tests to check whether appropriately labeling the almonds would make them unique before implementing the strategy on a large-scale basis. Companies can easily make significant sales and increase their profits if their labels are unique and appealing to consumers. For that reason, Kern County should ensure that the labels and packaging are attractive enough to catch the attention of the target consumers. Lastly, labeling and packaging can be used by Kern County to improve the product positioning for the almonds. The marketing team can also design fancy labels for the product to make it look like a premium brand — most customers like purchasing prestigious brands and offering them as gifts to their relatives and friends. In conclusion, attractive labels can be used to enhance product positioning for the Kern County almonds. In order to label the almonds attractively, their packaging should comprise attractive pictures and meaningful words. The labels should also be done using fancy colors that are appealing and attractive to the customers. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Basic Operations of Computer Forensic Laboratories Essay Table of Contents 1. National standards 2. Laboratory components 3. Working conditions 4. Standard laboratory equipment 5. Tools 6. References National standards National standards provide a platform upon which computer forensic laboratories operate in the US (Nelson, Phillips & Steuart, 2010; Easttom, 2014). They are aimed to achieve practical and realistic computer forensic laboratory goals. All computer forensic laboratories in the US have to adhere to the national standards before they could be certified (Easttom, 2014). The standard 1.3.3.1 provides essential information that is crucial for developing technical skills for personnel. The standard 1.4.2.6 outlines emerging technical procedures that should be fulfilled by computer forensic laboratories. The standard 1.4.2.8 provides a framework within which samples are handled in a computer forensic laboratory. The standard emphasizes documentation that is aimed to maintain a high degree of the validity of the laboratory procedures. The standard 1.4.2.11 offers approaches that should be adopted to certify laboratory equipment and instruments. The standard also aims to ensure that adequate instruments are utilized to carry out laboratory procedures. The standard 1.4.2.12 offers guidelines that should be adhered to when maintaining computer forensic laboratory equipment and/or instruments. All instruments and/ equipment should be maintained in a way that promotes safe and valid analysis. All testing laboratories should be certified to operate upon meeting the requirements of the standard 1.4.2.13 that offers the framework for calibration of equipment and/instruments. Finally, the standard 2.11.4 aims to ensure that all technical personnel of a computer forensic laboratory pass a mandatory competency test before a laboratory could be certified (Easttom, 2014). Laboratory components There are 5 main categories of components that are used in computer forensic laboratories (Nelson et al., 2010; Easttom, 2014). First, computer forensic laboratories should have specific facilities that are utilized to ensure secure working environments. The environments could be achieved by adopting controls that prevent unauthorized access to digital information stored in computer systems. Second, laboratory configuration is an essential component of computer forensic laboratories that aim to put in place the required furniture and furnishing. The following examples of configuration components are common in many computer forensic laboratories: desktops, bookcases, evidence safe or locker, LAN and server stations, storage shelves, and forensic software. Third, the equipment used in a computer forensics laboratory may depend on the type of operating systems, storage capacities of computer hard disks, tape media, and the type of forensic investigation mainly conducted in a laboratory. Fourth, the software components used in the laboratory could be designed locally or purchased from commercial software developers. These are crucial programs that are used in data capture and analysis, among other uses. Fifth, reference materials offer excellent resources that professionals refer to when in need. The resources provide relevant answers to questions with regard to digital evidence and procedures (Easttom, 2014). Working conditions Working conditions of personnel in computer forensic laboratories differ from one facility to another. Technicians are involved in collecting and analyzing digital evidence. They could either investigate crime in the field or in the laboratory (Nelson et al., 2010). In most cases, forensic science technicians spend a considerable amount of time writing reports in the laboratory. Although computer forensic experts work during normal business hours, they could be called upon to investigate urgent crimes within their areas of jurisdiction outside normal working hours. Crime scene investigators and experts in computer forensics appear in court as expert witnesses who provide detailed and specialized evidence regarding computer-related crimes (Easttom, 2014). Standard laboratory equipment Standard computer forensic equipment is used to support standard procedures and conditions in the laboratories. The equipment makes it possible for many computers used within the context of digital evidence investigations to be used along similar methods on each occasion (Nelson et al., 2010). A mobile forensic workstation is used to collect digital evidence in the field. The equipment is also utilized to analyze suspected computer data. The rapid imaging device is an essential device used to copy suspect hard drives found in computers used to commit crimes. The equipment copy and retain the integrity of the data found in the hard disks. Interceptor equipment supports wireless networks that support airborne communications. The equipment captures crucial contents of airborne communications in static and mobile locations. This is important because computer forensic experts have adopted the use of wireless networks to gather, analyze and store computer evidence (Taylor, Haggerty, Gresty & Lamb, 2011). In addition, forensic workstations could be used in the laboratory for the analysis of data obtained from the laboratory (Nelson et al., 2010; Easttom, 2014). Tools Computer forensic investigations involve the use of specific tools used in the analysis of computer memory (Easttom, 2014). The analysis is important because it identifies digital evidence hidden in computer memory devices like hard disks. MemGator interrogates files in a computer in order to isolate crucial evidence. It gives a report to an investigator who decides the value of the information obtained. Memoryze is used to obtain memory from Microsoft Windows-based computers. In addition, the tool analyzes live memory in a running computer. Computer forensic investigators use PTFinder to search a memory of a computer that uses a Windows operating system. It identifies important threads and processes that can be placed into a file for further analysis. References Easttom, C. (2014). System forensics, investigations, and response (2 nd ed.). Burlington, MA; Jones and Bartlett Learning. Nelson, B., Phillips, A., & Steuart, C. (2010). Guide to computer forensics and investigations . Stamford, CT: CengageBrain. com. Taylor, M., Haggerty, J., Gresty, D., & Lamb, D. (2011). Forensic investigation of cloud computing systems. Network Security, 2011 (3), 4-10. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Dietary Fat Intake and Development of Breast Cancer Essay (Article) Table of Contents 1. Objective/Aim 2. Methods 3. Results 4. Discussion 5. References Objective/Aim This study aimed to determine the relationship between dietary fat intake and the development of breast cancer in women. The following are the specific objectives that are outlined in this article. * To determine the relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer in women. * To identify specific types of fat associated with breast cancer in women. * To come up with a report that can be used to inform future studies about dietary fat as a risk factor to cancer among women. Methods The researchers worked with the hypothesis that high dietary fat intake increases breast cancer among women (Sieri 2). They used cohort studies design to conduct their investigation and determine if there is any relationship between fat intake and breast cancer. From their investigation, it was evident that high saturation of fat was associated with the risk of ER+PR+ disease (Barh 45). It means that women who have an excessive intake of dietary fat have a higher risk of developing breast cancer. The researcher used a large sample of 337,327 heterogeneous cohorts of women. 10,062 case patients developed cancer after 11 years. The sample population was only taken from women above 18 years. Men did not form part of the research. The process of selecting the participants was unbiased. The researcher identified the participants through stratified sampling from 10 European countries. The sample population was selected through correspondents in various hospitals across the 10 European countries. The outcome of the study strongly suggests that there is a close relationship between a high intake of dietary fat and the development of breast cancer (Lee 74). The researchers suggested that there is a need to conduct follow-up strategies to help in eliminating any doubts that one may have about this disease. Results The findings of the research revealed that women who had a high quintile of consumption of saturated fat had a significant risk of ER+PR+ breast cancer. The result also revealed a close relationship between ER+PR− breast cancer and high saturation of fat within the body. Development of HER2− the disease was also closely associated with a high intake of fat. However, the study did not find any statistically significant relationship between high intake of fat and ER−PR− disease, another major precursor to breast cancer. In summarizing their findings, the researchers concluded that there is a close relationship between high intake of dietary fat and most of the precursors to breast cancer. Women who had high saturation of fat in their bodies were at greater risk of getting breast cancer (Coulston, Boushey, and Ferruzzi 36). However, it is also important to note that the findings revealed that the cause of some of the precursors to cancer such as ER−PR− the disease is not in any way related to intake of fat. Discussion A critical analysis of this research reveals several strengths and weaknesses. The main strength of this study is the huge number of participants who were used to come up with the findings. 337,327 respondents were a huge number that makes this study very reliable. The fact that the study was conducted in 10 countries and involved so many experts also strengthens the finding (Carson 19). However, its main weakness is the time it took to complete it. Within 11 years, some dynamics might have changed (Legato 94). The findings can be generalized when analyzing the relationship between dietary fat and breast cancer in women. References Barh, Debmalya. Omics Approaches in Breast Cancer: Towards Next-Generation Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Therapy . New York: Cengage, 2014. Print. Carson, Bernard. Integrative Nutrition Therapy: From Particles to Circuits . Boca Raton: CRC Press, 2015. Print. Coulston, Ann, Carol Boushey, and Mario Ferruzzi. Nutrition in the Prevention and Treatment of Disease . London: McMillan, 2013. Print. Lee, Edmond. Dietary Fat and Cancer: Genetic and Molecular Interactions . Boston, MA: Springer US, 2013. Print. Legato, Marianne. Principles of Gender-Specific Medicine . Amsterdam: Academic Press, 2010. Print. Sieri, Sabina. Dietary Fat Intake and Development of Specific Breast Cancer Subtypes. JNCI J Natl Cancer Inst , 106.5 (2014): 1-6. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Using Victim Impact Statements and Defendant’s Sentencing Memorandums in Court Essay (Critical Writing) Victim impact statements and sentencing memorandums are already widely used in court in every state. Despite the states’ laws differentiating, sometimes significantly, the basic role of jurisdiction remains the same. Its purpose includes retribution, incapacitation, rehabilitation, restoration, and deterrence (Hartley et al, 2017). Many opposing forces serve in court in order to achieve these goals successfully. There are aspects that are not in the judge’s power, like mandatory sentencing for certain types of convictions, however, every case still remains unique. Paying more attention to victim impact statements and sentencing memorandum will certainly have its imminent effects, and despite its downsides discussed later, my opinion is that judges should pay more attention to these parts of the process. Firstly, a closer and more careful inspection of these two documents will allow the judge to become aquatinted with the case from within. Reading through the offender’s memorandum, an experienced judge will be able to learn more about the personality and true intentions of them than the conditions of the court will ever make space for. It is expectant of the offender to bend the truth, however, the judge would be able to devise it when presented with other documents, such as the criminal history. The concept of “acceptance of responsibility” constitutes the main problem with this part of the hearing, as many “offenders learn to act contrite and make false statements about their acceptance of responsibility” (Hartley et al., p. 249). Thus, the judicial expertise becomes even more valuable when dealing with sentencing memorandums. Victim impact statements function similarly to sentencing memorandums; however, they serve a slightly different purpose. In this document, the victim is supposed to expose to the court the true circumstances of the crime committed. However, they tend to be emotional, as they are written by a person who was affected directly. Therefore, both of these parts of a hearing can, in fact, mislead the court, however, they also “personify” crime in a sense that they give the judge better idea of the main actors of the felony. In that role, they may be greatly beneficial in passing a fair judgement – however, the judge’s responsibility raises even higher. Thus, I consider these documents to be of high importance, and the jurisdiction should give it more attention – the punishments will only become more realistic. Reference Hartley R. D., Rabe G. A., Champion D. J., & Champion D. J. (2017). Criminal Courts . VitalSource. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The brick and mortar system meant that only deliverables that had potentials for compensating the cost of delivery were transported to the clients. Few orders meant the customers had to trace the stores and pick their orders physically. This system only had the advantage of producers of pet products quoting prices that were not susceptible to manipulation by dealers to bargain about and therefore these bids would be posted to clients straight away. Shipping was manually coordinated with little electronic activity only on reporting. The trend was office; both manufacturing and distribution relied on the setting and organization of the office. This is not the case anymore. Transformation on the supply chains started with the introduction of point of sales and supply management programs like the Oracle Transportation management. Initially, on delivering an order, a client would come to confirm if the order could possibly fit on a truck. This proved inaccurate since costs were incurred for sending empty trucks to dispatch orders that proved to add cost to the deliverables. This eyeball check was repealed with the introduction of the automated system. The system reduced costs previously incurred from freight expenses. The transformation needed a systematic approach in which orders through the internet would be translated into quantities that could then be transported at maximum carrying capacity of the trucks and shipments. Before this era, there was no visibility of how orders coming at different times could be amalgamated to fit into trucks and sent simultaneously. The systems enabled shipment of orders as they stop on the way to different delivery destinations. The use of IT not only served to provide a solution to handling of orders, it also integrated the aspect of transport and viable delivery. Technologies that drove the transformation included the bar code and electronic commerce (EC). The electronic data interchange was particularly very instrumental. These are forms of communication that required a great deal of standardization. The retailers are provided with product distribution information which should be given in time. The information is required as complete as possible and should conform to the information standards. This has created responsibility and a wide range of opportunities for the technological implementation. The most used of the supply chain systems are the bar codes, that standard forms and the Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) systems. The latter is discussed into details since it brings the greatest conformity to EC. Through EDI being interfaced into programs like oracle, planners are able to evaluate the orders that need full truck delivery. These ones are dealt with easily since they don’t need any analysis to maximize on delivery costs. For the half truck deliveries, opportunities are sought for cost reduction. This is done through verification of location and order types. Similar order types that qualify to be transported at the same and location qualify for the first delivery cost minimization. Those that don’t qualify are pushed forward, brought back earlier or struck out to a later order compliment. Shipping or transportation dates are then scheduled. The requirements for shipping are then pushed over to carrier services that are tendered or internally arranged. These are affected by the shipment criteria. A tenders picking schedule having been put in place, the required information is sent to the warehouse management system that directs the picking, packing and lining the orders for transport. The system that works best here is load configuration systems such as provided by oracle. The products database is managed within the system and understands the packing and shipment requirements for all the products. Products coded in the system of Global Trade Item Number (U.P.C) and labeled using the systems such as EAN.UCC standard criteria of numbering. Serial Shipping Container Code or any other standard and acceptable code of the destination territory is also encrypted on containers. Those on the shipping container provide a very unique identification of the box container. The printing of bar codes should be acceptable to the readers. The scanning technology should be able to interpret the barcodes and input it into the EDI system that verifies the content of the shipment. The failure to decode the information means that the system will fail or work poorly. The chain as it is now involves transactions between the manufacturers, the distributors and a point of sale that acts as the outlet. The manufacturer may receive purchase orders either directly from the point of sale/ retailer or from a distributor. This is acknowledged and a manifest or invoices change hands. The distributor may respond by changing order, or sending an electronic fund transfer to procure the goods. The point of sale my also change or modify order, make adjustments in the order or acknowledge and send a payment through electronic transfer. This may also happen between the distributor and the point of sale as appropriately agreed in the transfer chain. The systems have incorporated information and standards to reduce costs through lowering their inventory levels but with an increase in costs of procurement and handling. This is an intricate balancing act that has to be managed, nonetheless, because of the major reductions in specific costs incurred especially in processing of orders, transportation and delivery. There is increased web participation thanks to the EDI system. Major developments in the offing include freight payment and billing modules over the WebPages for most pet supplies that promise to cut even further, the cost of transport. Through this, the cost of marketing is likely to fall further since strategies to keep bidding low are already underway. References Doctors Foster and Smith. (2008). Web. Pet Shed. (2008). Web. PetSmart Store Support Group, Inc. (2008). Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Email Communication from The CEO of Cerner Corporation Essay (Article) Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Summary of Case Study 3. Best Email Practices 4. Conclusion Introduction Communication is important in all organizations because it enables employers and employees to understand each other. It is necessary for people to know communication channels that will enable recipients to understand and respond to their messages. This paper examines the best email practices using a case study. Summary of Case Study Mr. Neal Patterson (the CEO of Cerner Corporation) was not happy the way his employees were performing their duties. He observed that the parking space was usually almost empty in the mornings and evenings. He decided to write emails to about 400 company managers to remind them that they were not doing their duties as expected by the organization. Mr. Patterson was annoyed and suspected that managers did not know what their employees were doing, or did not care about what happened in the company. The CEO believed that managers had allowed their subordinates to introduce a culture of working for 40 hours in a week. He outlined punishments for managers who tolerated laziness and reminded them that he would replace them if they did not fix that problem. The email elicited reactions from his subordinates and the public, and this prompted the devaluation of the company’s shares in the stock market. Best Email Practices Lynne Curry believes that email communication should not be treated like a speech because it can be stored and accessed for future references. She argues that even though people write what they think email messages should be evaluated before the writer clicks the send button. It is necessary to explain that speeches can be altered when their messages are passed from one person to another, and there is no possibility of knowing that the information has been distorted. Therefore, she argues that people should check their messages properly, proofread and wait for at least four hours before sending them. This will enable senders to be sure that their messages are professional; therefore, recipients will interpret them correctly. Mr. Patterson rushed to send his email to company managers without thinking about its impacts, and that is why it evoked negative reactions from various stakeholders. In addition, the email was posted on Yahoo and this exposed it to the public for scrutiny. Secondly, emails speak a lot about their senders; therefore, people should ensure that the messages they send reflect their personalities. Curry claims that politeness is a key aspect in email communication since it shapes the public’s opinion about an individual or company. The CEO did not know that his email would have negative effects on the company and his reputation. He thought that expressing his anger to company managers through his email would compel them to act responsibly. However, he was mistaken because most people thought he was arrogant. Lastly, people should avoid shouting through their email messages. It is necessary to explain that email communication gives senders the confidence of sending messages they cannot express when they meet their audiences face to face. For instance, a person can find it easy to demand promotion and salary increase through emails, but when he is given an opportunity to speak to his employers the individual will not talk. Curry argues that people should not hide their fears in emails and write shouting messages because this is not a professional practice. Mr. Patterson thought that his threats of sacking irresponsible company managers would make them realize their mistakes and compel their subordinates to respect and follow the policies of Cerner Corporation. Conclusion Email communication is an efficient way of sending and sharing messages between friends and colleagues. However, people should check their messages before sending them to ensure they are accurate and addressed to the right recipients. In addition, an employee’s communication skills portray the character of the individual or company, and this means that senders must evaluate the impacts of their messages before sending them. Lastly, people should avoid shouting at their recipients even if they have been offended by their messages or actions. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
How to Use an Automatic Gas Cooker Essay Introduction An Automatic gas cooker is an important appliance in the kitchen. However if not used properly it can easily cause accident and death. If properly used, it meets safety standards. An automatic gas cooker should not be used by children, people with reduced mental, physical and sensory capabilities for the sake of their safety and others. An automatic gas cooker is efficient for it saves time. All parts should be carefully installed before use to ensure safety. This instruction guide should be read carefully before using you automatic gas cooker. It is an instruction on how to use a double burner automatic gas cooker. It also guides assembling of all parts. It highlights on care and maintenance of a gas cooker and troubleshooting too (Online Technical Writing, 2011). Features The double burner automatic gas cooker has electronic ignition system. Therefore, marches should not be used: * Top panel, * Double burner, * Small burner, * Gas control knob, * Trivet, * Rubber legs. Installation procedure 1. Before using the cooker, you should confirm that you have the right model for your type of gas supply. 2. All the parts of the cooker should be assembled properly. 3. Place the gas control knob on to the gas cock axis and push it inward firmly. 4. Attach the rubber legs by turning the cooker upside down. 5. Place the trivets on top of the burner. 6. Push the rubber hose on to the hose joint as far it will go. 7. Place your gas cooker at a firm and level surface. The place should be spacious and with good aeration (Online Technical Writing: Instructions). How to use your gas cooker To light the burners Open the main gas valve, then carefully push control knob to open the gas into the burning valve; make sure that the burner lights up. If it does not, turn off the knob and try to light on. In case of double burner both the small and large burners will light. If you want to use only the small burner, continue turning the knob to the min position. To adjust the flame sizes turn the control knob between MAX and MIN position. To turn off the burners Turn of the gas control knobs back to off position until you hear a click. The burner should be put out immediately when you turn the knobs off. Then turn off the main gas valve as well. Maintenance of your gas cooker * Always clean the top of your gas cooker with soap and water and dry it completely. Do this when it is not hot to avoid burning. * Check regularly the hose pipe for wear and change it occasionally. Clean it regularly and keep it away for heat sources. * Wash the trivet with water and soap and dry thoroughly before replacing. * Take care not to spill water and soap onto the electronic ignition for it will not function when it becomes wet. * Always keep your gas cooker clean for it to serve you for longer. (Online Technical Writing: Instructions). Caution * The gas cooker should only be used for cooking. Never try to dry clothes or other items over it, * Do not keep inflammables such as oil near the gas cooker. * Only rubber hose should be used and not plastic for it is dangerous. * Always make sure you turn off the knobs after use and also the main gas source should always be off when not in use. * The gas cylinder should be kept away at least 0.5m from the cooker. * Your kitchen should be well ventilated (Online Technical Writing: Instructions). Trouble shooting * Gas leak from pipe. * Examine pipe and replace it. Gas smells * Rubber hose is damaged. * Re-ignite it. * Burner is not lit. * Lack of gas supply. * Replace gas cylinder. Flame is abnormal * Flame ports are blocked. * Clean them. * Burner is not in its correct position. * Place it in the right position. Does not ignite * Main gas valve is closed. * Open it. * Rubber hose is bent. * Put it right. Works Cited Online Technical Writing: Instructions. How to use an automatic gas cooker . Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Different Aspects of the Narrative Study 2. Principles of Conducting Narrative Studies 3. Types and Benefits of the Narrative Approach 4. Algorithm of a Narrative Study: The Main Procedures 5. Reference Different Aspects of the Narrative Study Narrative research is a handy qualitative analysis tool that provides answers to relevant questions by analyzing specific experiences. As a feature of this type of research, one can note adherence to a chronological sequence as the feature that allows assessing a particular story without distorting facts. Creswell (2018) states that this approach is one of the most valuable for describing an individual’s experience in the correct order. Principles of Conducting Narrative Studies Narrative studies involve different practices for collecting and interpreting data. As sources, interviews, documentaries, conversations, and other forms of primary information are used. As Creswell (2018) argues, despite the unified compilation mechanism in a chronological order, the processing of the information received may differ depending on the purpose of a study. Stories tend to be based on assessing the premises of certain situations and analyzing their consequences through patterns of differences or similarities. Types and Benefits of the Narrative Approach Creswell (2018) provides a classification of these methods and identifies biographical, autoethnographic, oral, and other tools for describing the experiences of individuals and their life paths. One of the main advantages of this approach is the validity of the information that is obtained from credible sources and is true. In addition, due to the preservation of chronology, no significant facts are omitted, which increases the value of such a study. This makes research work justified from the perspective of the need to analyze and process a large volume of personal information. Algorithm of a Narrative Study: The Main Procedures A narrative study is not complex and can be conducted without special tools. Creswell (2018) describes the entire algorithm as a process from defining a problem or topic to presenting it in a written form. In the intermediate stages, the rationale for the problem is given, and a specific individual’s story is selected based on the proposed issue. Further, a principle of data collection is applied, for instance, an interview or conversation. After that, the selected story is restored in accordance with the chronology. At the end of the research, the results obtained are summarized and recorded. Reference Creswell, J. W. (2018). Qual itative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4 th ed.). Sage Publications. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Modernism in Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Main text 3. Conclusion 4. Works Cited Introduction The style of the novel Huckleberry Finn reflects modernist structure and themes, vision of reality and social change. Mark Twain uses such modernist elements that involve wholesale imitation of human culture. The main elements of the modernist style are an open form, intertextuality and multiple narrative points of view. Thesis Huckleberry Finn shows that it is the characters and their interrelationship which determine the arrangement and structure of the book. Main text The three thematic sections subdivide into little units notable for the contrast they offer each other. The first three chapters continue naturally to which this book becomes a sort of sequel. Everything is colored by the excitement of Tom’s imaginary adventures; he insists on doing all things according to the books he has read, from having his Gang sign in blood their oaths of allegiance to capturing and holding people for ransom. Tom and Huck may themselves be viewed as symbols of the two aspects of life. Tom Sawyer has a home and a loving. In contrast appears Huck Finn. Huck fears his father and apparently never knew his mother; a homeless waif, he sleeps on doorsteps or in hogsheads; he is troubled by no ambition and steers clear of Sunday school; his life is as aimless as a bit of drift on the Mississippi. And yet Mark Twain finds Huck and Huck’s life infinitely worth while. As a modernist novel, it reflects corruption at levels of the society. Mark twain portrays social evil and culture, social views and relations between people. Huck himself nowhere suggests that his life is not satisfactory. The novel is based on Huck Finn’s moral garment definitely tinged with gray. In the book which he relates, he lies to everybody who threatens Jim’s safety or his own. Life is precious to him; freedom is precious to him. And it is no wonder that he lies. Young as he is, he has known a deal of violence. He escapes his drunken father by staging a mock murder-his own; he notes that the Grangerfords carry their guns to church and watches their feud end in the murder of boys; he sees the drunken, blackguarding Boggs and is at hand when the blackguarding is ended by Sherburn’s bullet; he associates daily with the king and the duke, two creatures who emerge from the slime of the river, as amoral as gnomes. But Huck has a code of his own and sticks to it in defiance of hell itself. He is frequently troubled by his conscience. Huck’s conscience appears at times to be much keener than that of the romantic Toni Sawyer. Conclusion As a unique feature the modernist style, Mark Twain uses the narrator of the unusual adventures of Huck and Jim; the realist, portrayer of the daily round of life in small towns along the river; and the satirist, critic of the narrowness and meanness of human nature, and the way he blends the realistic and the satiric elements Every man is in his own person the whole human race, with not a detail lacking. This suggests that when he had need of a certain trait, his habit was to dig for it within himself, to isolate and study it, then to enlarge it to the proportion proper to the character. When Huck is alone, because he has no rules to go by he is guided by the voice within himself. He listens to what goes on inside him. He is free to probe within his own heart, where is to be found whatever bit of divinity man has-what we know as his soul. Works Cited Mark Twain, Huckleberry Finn. n.d. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. Plan 3. Metadata to be created 4. ETL tools 5. Factors 6. References Introduction As businesses globally become complex, so is the type and amount of data they use. Organizations are finding master data to be of importance in their day-to-day operations and for future business predictions (Loshin, 2008). Metadata and tools are essential in utilization of large sets of data in any company. This essay will use GlaxoSmithKline plc (GSK) as the company. This assignment will create a plan to be followed in GSK. The plan will give examples of such metadata in GSK. The essay will also discuss tools to be used in the project. Finally, the essay will look at the factors that GSK will address to implement the project successfully, particularly about the choice of tools. GSK is a company that deals with pharmaceutical products, with markets across the continents. It was formed in 2000 as a result of merging two firms. These were Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham Company. It is one of the best performing companies in the world. Plan Metadata is defined as data that give information about other data (Loshin, 2008). GSK is a complex and multinational company with huge amounts of data. In order to create metadata, it is prudent to comprehend the characteristics of the data to be described and standards to be used. The process involves the use of codes in disk files (Otto, Hüner & Österle, 2012). For one set of data set, there is only a file in the computer disk describing it. There are four steps involved in creating metadata. The fist step involves the collection of information regarding the data to be described. This is followed by creation of a file having the metadata. The metadata should be arranged according to the standards used (Loshin, 2008). The third step involves arranging the information in the files to achieve the required structure. The final step involves testing the completeness of the metadata. The step will verify that the subject under description is described fully by the information in the disk file (Otto et al., 2012). Metadata to be created Metadata is based on metadata stacks (Loshin, 2008). A metadata stack is an organization of information flows (data objects) from top to bottom. Metadata in GSK will describe the data entered about the pharmaceutical products that the company manufactures and markets. For example, a product like Augmentin (antibiotic produced by the company), its metadata would include where it was sold, date, the company representative who sold and the pricing. The customer information would also be described. A metadata stack for this application in GSK would involve five primary components. The first is a store in which external information regarding the product will be saved. The second is an internal store which creates a link between the product records in the store and other applications in the company master data. The third component is a co-ordinating store that fetches information from all the stores in the system. The fourth component is a model giving information about what is found in the stores. The final component is an assembly of objects under description. This final component is necessary in the management of objects about the pharmaceutical products in GSK. All the five components must be used to describe the metadata in the stack. ETL tools Advance in modernization of systems, complex warehousing and increase in the number of products that GSK deals with requires that complex tools for extracting, transforming and locating data be used. This will ensure that there is sharing of the required information in time. However, before the information can be moved, it has to be extracted from the file records and transformed accordingly. The ETL tools that GSK will use can either be developed by technical experts in the company from scratch or be bought from software vendors. The two sources have both merits and demerits that should be analyzed by the project implementing team. Factors Tools are important for successful implementation of a master data management project (Silvola, Jaaskelainen, Kropsu-Vehkapera & Haapasalo, 2011). Several factors will affect the selection of the master data management tools at GSK. One of the factors is the complexity of the project envisaged by the management. A complex project will require sophisticated tools while a simple one will need simple tools. The amount of money that the company will be ready to spend on the project will also determine the tools that will be used. If the project budget will be accommodative enough, then complex tools will be used to implement the project. The personnel will also play a critical role in the selection of master data management tools (Silvola et al., 2011). The personnel working with GSK will give their views on the system that they can operate. Thus, their input will be necessary because they will form part of the end-users. If the number of personnel who are IT-compliant is big, then the tools to be used can be complex. However, the interests of all the personnel will be considered before selecting the tools for the project. References Loshin, D. (2008). Master data management . Burlington, MA: Morgan Kaufmann. Otto, B., Hüner, K. M., & Österle, H. (2012). Toward a functional reference model for master data quality management. Information Systems and e-Business Management, 10 (3), 395-425. Silvola, R., Jaaskelainen, O., Kropsu-Vehkapera, H., & Haapasalo, H. (2011). Managing one master data–challenges and preconditions. Industrial Management & Data Systems, 111 (1), 146-162. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Intercultural Communication Sensitivity Against Ethnocentrism Research Paper Table of Contents 1. Some fundamentals on ethnocentrism 2. The concept of Self-Regard and its importance 3. The ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory 4. Conclusion 5. References: Some fundamentals on ethnocentrism While examining the ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory, it is necessary to consider the theoretical concept of ethnocentrism in detail. First of all it must be noted that the core principle of ethnocentrism involves the idea of superiority of a certain nation, group, culture, etc. At first sight it seems that ethnocentrism contradicts all the variables the humanistic theory is based on. Thus, keeping in mind that the idea of the intrinsic superiority of the nation is hardly consistent with such issues as democracy and freedom (Dong et al., n.d., p. 35), one can conclude that ethnocentrism cannot be regarded within the humanistic perspectives. Moreover, it should be pointed out that ethnocentrism is mostly related to collective beliefs, behaviors, expectations, etc.; while the humanistic theory reveals the importance of individual experiences. The concept of Self-Regard and its importance Carl Rogers is of the opinion that Self-Regard is one of the key elements the theory is based on. In other words, the way a person accepts himself or herself determines the way a person behaves. The same can be said about ethnocentrism. For instance, everyone will agree that the concept of Self-Regard can be also applied to collective reasoning, as every nation has its own mentality; therefore, every nation does not reject its uniqueness. One can speak about a certain nation’s Self-Regard , when pointing out some peculiar features on a nation’s culture, traditions, values, etc. So, Self-Regard can be regarded as a generalized concept both systems of the current discussion include. The ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory Still, despite the fact that ethnocentrism and the humanistic theory seem to be totally incompatible issues, there is a certain interdependence between the two. Thus, there is a strong need to clarify that the common ideas ethnocentrism and the humanistic theory involve are recognized to be self-actualization and self-development. As far as these aspects can exist at both – individual and collective levels, it becomes obvious that ethnocentrism heightens the basic points of the humanistic theory. When analyzing the ethnocentric limitations of the theory, one can probably notice that the humanistic approach promotes such issues as diversity and equality. For this reason, one can conclude that multiculturalism is regarded as the threat to a wide range of the ethnocentric conceptions. Of course, cultural diversity is mostly regarded from the positive perspectives; however, negative attitudes towards the phenomenon cannot be neglected, as negative views on diversity give rise to negative prejudices, which, in turn, lead to serious contradictions among intergroup interactions. Intercultural communication is an important variable of the current analysis, as it determines “many cognitive, affective and behavioral aspects of our interactions with others” (Chen & Starosta, 2000). Denial, defense and minimization are considered to be some of the major ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory. They prevent ethno-relative relations development and promote rejection of integration. Conclusion Globalization seems to weaken the ethnocentric limitations of the humanistic theory, as it promotes cultural diversity along with ethnic diversification. Some of the researchers state that in order to overcome the limitations, it is necessary to promote multicultural interactions and intercultural communication sensitivity. People’s attitude to the concept of ethnocentrism depends upon a wide range of variables, which most important include “age, social economic status, and other demographics” (Dong et al., n.d., p. 35). References: Chen, G. M., & Starosta, W. J. (2000). Intercultural Sensitivity . Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Company. Dong, Q., Day, K. & Collaço, C. (n.d.). Overcoming Ethnocentrism through Developing Intercultural Communication Sensitivity and Multiculturalism. A Publication of the Pacific and Asian Communication Association, 11(1), 27-38. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Mongols’ Rise and Expansion Essay As the Mongols expanded their territory, not only did they become powerful, but they also left behind a trail of pain to those that resisted their rule. In the account of the Abbasid Empire and Section 7: The Rise of the Mongols, one trait associated with the Mongols is that in their approach and stopped at nothing to achieve power. For example, in the account of the Abbasid Empire, the Mongols used negotiations and instructions to compel the Muslims to submit to their rule. However, when the Muslims neglected the call for military reinforcement against the Persians, Hulagu murdered the people in Baghdad and depopulated the city only to recover decades later. In their rise, Genghis Khan realized the Muslim states were powerful, like his grandson, Hulagu, who tried to negotiate with Afghanistan and Turkestan instead of hitting them head-on. However, on declining the request, Genghis Khan attacked the Turkestan, killing every living thing in his wake. One contrast between the two reads us that in section 7 when Chinson Bayan invaded Southern China, Kublai Khan led the Mongols to allow the Southern China Empress to live pleasurably inside an opulent palace. When her husband, the Song Emperor, heard how they treated his wife, he returned to China only to be seized and beheaded. On the contrary, the invasion of the Abbasid Empire saw Hulagu lead his horse riders in singling outhouse of learning for destruction. The people were massacred by the bushel, Abbasid Caliph included. Contrary to Genghis Khan, who poured molten gold down the throat of the sultan, Hulagu ordered his men to roll the caliph up in a carpet and rode their horses over him. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
“Mirror Image” by Coakley and “A Secret Lost in the Water” by Carrier Essay The focal point of this paper is to prepare a reflection of two short stories, “Mirror Image” by Lena Coakley and “A secret lost in the water” by Roch Carrier, translated by Sheila Fischman from French. The paper would look into the parameter of different aspects of the stories and compare the two, particularly on the theme of self-discovery. However, it should be noted that as the latter is a translation, therefore, the higher emphasis would be given to the narratives of the texts. The story “A secret lost in the water” is so touching that it speaks itself without any explanation. It has a touch of magic realism with all its references of ancient knowledge of finding water but it is at the same time extremely realistic and present-day with the underlying fact that with the growth of technological development and economy induced specialization it is obvious in this day that fathers are unable to pass their knowledge to their sons. It is a painful inference of generation gap and intellectual loss and loneliness that the narrator has portrayed with a minimum of emotion involved. The emotions and pains are present between the lines of the story. These elements hardly surface and overflow the mode of narration in the story. It is through such a clear and distinct manner the writer helps the reader to understand the nature of the self-discovery of a person who left the path of his father. The self-discovery in this case is the self-realization that one must honor the old ways of life. However, this idea was provided to the narrator by an old man who knew the father of the narrator and while he was telling the story of how his sons left the way of farming and went to the city, the narrator understood that it applies to him too. The narrator did not learn the ways and knowledge of his father and everything his father tried to teach him was lost over time. He understood that this was ultimately a loss of knowledge. On the other hand, the second story, “Mirror Image”, is about Alice who had undergone a total brain transplant and finds herself in a two-year-older completely different body. She survived an accident and then a difficult operation and the story focuses on Alice’s dilemma of finding her identity within her new body. The narrative is complex and presents the situation in a similarly complex and investigative manner. The first part of the story even illustrates an element of suspense while revealing the actual problem of the characters. The elements of self-discovery in this story come through the means of physical and psychological adaptations that the main character, Alice, needs to go through in order to adjust her brain to a new body. This new body of Alice is completely different and her brain is finding it difficult to adapt. However, through painful medical processes, Alice makes it possible to adapt to this new body and started liking it too. Nevertheless, the second part of the self-discovery was the time she found it was more difficult to place herself in the social context. The body in which her brain was placed belonged to a girl whose mother claimed Alice to be her daughter. Alice thus discovered that emotion is more powerful than science and relations mattered more than legal clauses. Thus, in the conclusion, it can well be stated that the aspect of self-discovery in the two stories looks at the same context from two different viewpoints. The story fundamentally differs in the context of perspectives but remains identical and similarly attached while the subject is taken into account. Thus, it is seen that despite the initial differences in approach and narratives the two stories remain fundamentally the same in the greater context of the pains related to civilization and its developments which are realized through self-realization and self-discovery. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Private Property in the Economic Philosophy Essay The phenomenon of private property is having been widely discussed by the leading economists worldwide. Marx believed that its character was determined by the owner. In other words, he assumed it critical to distinguish between laborers and non-laborers while speaking about the owners of private property. The main disadvantage of Marx’s considerations resides in the fact that he limited the notion of private property to petty industry. Therefore, the private property, according to Marx, is supposed to produce commonly essential goods and thence, to contribute to the general welfare. Marx notes that when private property, such as petty industry, belongs to a non-laborer, this form of ownership leads to “slavery, serfdom, and other states of dependence” (Heilbronner 189). This statement cannot be argued in the modern context when employees essentially depend on the private property’s owner. Meanwhile, they are free to choose between the “owners”; thus, “slavery” cannot be applied to this form of dependence. Moreover, the relevant form of property allocation seems to be impossible in the modern world where petty industries are replaced by large corporations that provide thousands of workplaces. Hence, it might appear that Marx overlooked the fact that the number of goods demanded in the market would be growing, making petty industries incapable of fulfilling the social needs. According to Marx, the main barrier to the establishment of the “right type” of the property is the existence of the “old social organisation.” Hence, in order to reorganize the institute of private property in such a manner that it serves the interests of the society, it is essential to complete several steps. First and foremost, it is necessary to ensure the minor property of the many, instead of the “huge property of the few” (Heilbronner 189). At this point, it might be argued that this proposal is rather a pun than a rational suggestion. As soon as the majority receives the property, it will essentially assign another minority to manage it, returning to the initial pattern. Secondly, Marx states that it is essential to eliminate expropriation – its mechanism allows separating a laborer from the products of labor (Heilbronner 191). Upon applying this assumption to the modern reality, it can be noted that the complete elimination of the expropriation mechanism is impossible in today’s world where the means of labor become more sophisticated along with its character. Works Cited Heilbronner, Robert. Teachings from the Worldly Philosophy , New York, New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 1996. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Most people have only a superficial understanding about the origins of this popular holiday and its secular traditions. * Speaker Credibility: Practically everyone has experience with Halloween traditions at some point in their lives. However, I took the time research many aspects of the holiday to understand its comprehensive meaning and evolution through history. * Preview: After conducting in-depth research, in the next few minutes, I will inform you about the history of Halloween, how the modern trick-or-treat tradition came to be, and the practice of wearing costumes. * Transition: We’ll start with learning about the holiday’s history. Halloween’s most ancient origins can be traced to the Gaelic festival of Samhain, celebrated from October 31st to November 1st, marking the end of the harvest season. Having Celtic pagan origins, it is associated with important events in Irish mythology. It is thought that during the festival, the world of pagan gods was visible to humankind, resulting in supernatural activities along with ghosts and spirits returning to earth. While little is known, it is believed that cattle were brought, and animal sacrifice occurred to appease deities. Massive bonfires were lit, and people presumably dressed in costumes and left offerings to protect against the evil spirits (Lang, 2018). With the spread of the Catholic church as Rome conquered the Celtics in 43 A.D., Celtic traditions were appropriated and reframed. In 609, Pope Boniface IV declared a celebration named All Saints’ Day or All-hallows in Middle English, which was then moved to November 1. Homage paid to martyrs and saints during the celebration closely represented the appeasement of ghosts during Samhain. Eventually All-hallow’s Eve became the secular holiday of Halloween, with its religious roots largely ignored (History.com Editors, 2020a). * Transition: As mentioned earlier, during the early festivals of Samhain, the Celtics would dress up in primitive costumes as a manner of disguise against spirits and ghosts. It can be assumed that these costumes were scary in nature to ‘fit in’ with the spirits of the otherworld. During the Christian adoption of the tradition, dressing up was much less common (Cerini, 2020). The modern secular custom did not emerge until the early 20th century when the first community Halloween event was held in Anoka, Minnesota in 1920. To prevent social unrest and hooliganism that usually occurred on the night of October 31st, a major event was held with scary decorations, costume contests, and parades (Frazer, 2019). Eventually other towns adopted the practice, and modern Halloween was born. At first, costumes were elaborate and truly horrifying. However, as tradition and secularism caught on costumes were made more widely available, people began dressing up as popular media stars and fictional characters. In the 1980s, there was a shift in Halloween practices as urban legends began to spread and there was a scare of the so-called Tylenol murders in 1982. Adults began hosting at-home Halloween parties for children, leading to more adult participation in costume dress-ups. Currently, the Halloween holiday industry is booming, with an approximate $9 billion ($86.79 per person) spent annually on costumes and decorations (Fraser, 2019). * Transition: As most people know, for children, putting on costumes is only part of the fun, with the main tradition being trick-or-treating. The trick-or-treat custom is a common tradition on Halloween as children travel from house to house, knocking and pronouncing the phrase “trick or treat.” In modern contexts, a treat is usually a piece of candy or a small toy which is then given by the homeowner. Meanwhile, the trick part of the phrase represents a playful veiled threat, which is purely traditional not intentional, suggesting that if no treat is given, some mischief will be done (History.com Editors, 2020b). The tradition goes back to the 16th century, when Christians celebrating All Saints’ Day. They would go door to door singing songs and reciting verses for the souls of the departed, in exchange receiving a baked treat known as soul-cakes. This was also known as Hallowmas bridging the gap between paganism and Christianity, and was referenced in the Shakespearean play Two Gentlemen of Verona (Fraser. 2019). By the 20th century, the secular tradition became established, particularly in suburban America. It was popularized in the 1950s by Disney comics and cartoons. At the peak of the post-war baby boom, the custom reclaimed its place and became a standard practice for millions of households. An estimated $2.6 billion is spent annually on Halloween candy, making it the second-largest commercial holiday (History.com Editors, 2020b). Conclusion * Review: Overall, Halloween is a modern secular holiday with ancient religious roots and traditions. Many of the customs taken for granted served a specific purpose just centuries prior. * Audience Analysis: Those who have heard the information today are aware of the origins of the holiday, which may lead them to reconsider how they celebrate going forward. * Memorable Closing Statement: Even if in modern day we are not yet realizing it, we are contributing to the rich history of this ancient celebration by practicing these customs and traditions. References Cerini, M. (2020). From pagan spirits to Wonder Woman: A brief history of the Halloween costume . CNN Style. Fraser, E. (2019). The history of Halloween costumes . SYFY. History.com Editors. (2020a). Halloween 2020 . History.com. History.com Editors. (2020b). How trick-or-treating became a Halloween tradition . History.com. Lang, C. (2018). What is Samhain? What to know about the ancient pagan festival that came before Halloween . Time . | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
From Europe to Asia to North America, major historical vents took place resulting into radical socioeconomic changes. However, depending on one’s perspective, the events and activities that occurred between the 15th to 18th centuries can be either revolutionary or evolutionary. It is also imperative to note that historians do not exhibit similarities in knowledge base since each historian analyses past events differently. Thus, it is imperative to examine the same events and present them as both evolutionary and revolutionary simultaneously. To start with, revolution is an impulsive, far-reaching, or absolute deep-seated change in the manner of thinking regarding something. On the other hand, evolution is a change in a definite course of a progression, incessant alteration from straightforward to more intricate, with the results representing an enhanced state; or a course of steady, social, political and economic progress [1] . Between the 15th and 18th centuries, many things happened, some taking a short life span and others a long life span. Thus, it is imperative to look at some examples and analyze whether they are evolutionary or revolutionary. For instance, the path towards the making of American constitution was revolutionary. Starting in 1775, the Battles of Lexington and Concord were the foundation of the American Revolution. However, a critical analysis of the situation reveals how the process was more of evolution than revolution. In fact, the American Revolution itself did not commence arbitrarily, but was a matter planned very well. Additionally, before the real war started, many developments took place. Some historians claim that the foremost thing that led to the Revolutionary War was the influx of Europeans into the land of America and the dictatorial control. The Sugar Act of 1764 was also another thing that triggered the American Revolution. From these examples, it is fair to say that the period between 1500 and 1800 was both revolutionary and evolutionary. The 15th to 18th centuries also saw United States enter into a civil war, which many term “the second American Revolution”. The American States fought amongst themselves to control the affairs of the entire region. Although the Civil War matched the characteristics of a revolutionary process, its causes were on the contrary different. Undeniably, some factors dominant in this period for example, slavery were evolutionary because, from the initial stages of colonialism, slavery had been one of the American institutions. However, as time went by, the northern states plotted a move to abolish slavery. On the contrary, the southern states continued practicing it. However, the election of a sympathetic President and some constitutional amendments such as the right to vote almost abolished servitude. Clearly, this was an evolutionary process. Another instance, which actuary took place between the 15th to 18th centuries is industrial revolution. History is replete with information on people abandoning coal as the form of energy and adopting electricity as the new source. In overall, social and economic revolution occurred during this period and jobs opportunities increased. Technologically, various countries for example, United States and Britain adopted new technologies by abandoning the old mechanizations. In Britain for example, great industrial revolution took place and caused the rise in prices of commodities and fostering of the money economy. At first, many countries found it hard to adapt the new technological innovations due to lack of expertise. Thus, in order to deploy the new technology, countries had to seek expertise from other country familiar with the technology. Even today, most developing countries encounter challenges in deploying technological innovation to warfare [2] . References Braudel, Fernand. Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century . New York: World History Center, 1985. Web. Lewis, Hackett. Industrial Revolution . New York: HarperCollins, 1992. Web. Footnotes 1. Fernand, Braudel. Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century (New York: World History Center, 1985). 2. Fernand, Braudel. Civilization and Capitalism 15th-18th Century (New York: World History Center, 1985). | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Abortion Counseling and Psychological Support Report (Assessment) Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Short-Term 3. Long-Term 4. Impacting Factors 5. References Introduction A recent change in medical practice suggests that women seeking an abortion should undergo specially designed abortion counseling. In some countries, this is mandatory and is meant to address critical factors which may be impacting the woman and her decision to undergo the abortion procedure. Furthermore, it offers a support system that can evaluate the emotional and psychological state of the patient. The practice of abortion counseling is generally considered helpful, enticing to seek healthcare and information on contraception and psychological support post-abortion (Beja & Leal, 2010). Short-Term Abortion can have significant physical side-effects on a woman’s body. This can include cramps, vomiting, fever, and a disrupted menstrual cycle. Although rare, abortion can result in complications and even mortality. These factors are greatly exaggerated by the cultural stigma against abortion, causing women to become concerned with physical health prior to making any decisions (Gerdts, Dobkin, Foster & Schwarz, 2016). Social situations resulting in abortion may be a deciding factor. For example, rape or an unintended teenage pregnancy often leave women without input from their partners. Meanwhile, other stable couples have the male partner having an indirect influence on the woman (Frederico, Michielsen, Arnaldo & Decat, 2018). Long-Term Women that are considering or have undergone abortion have increased an increased mental health risk regarding the experience. This can include anxiety, substance abuse, depression, and suicide. The stressors and pressures of the experience can lead to posttraumatic stress disorder. Inadequate pre-abortion counseling increases the chance of potential psychological trauma (Coyle, Coleman & Rue, 2010). Psychological consequences lead to poor self-esteem, excessive guilt, and nightmares. It is common for women to worry about future gynecological health, including the ability to have healthy children when they are ready (Pourreza & Batebi, 2011). Women faced with pregnancies have to evaluate long-term factors, even as basic the desire to become a parent. If so, are there means and opportunities, especially financial to carry out, give birth, and raise the child in a safe and healthy environment. If not, what possibilities do the women have with pregnancy (termination or adoption)? The pregnancy can potentially compromise education or career choices that a woman had planned. Therefore, the process of decision-making regarding abortion is highly dependent on long-term consequences (Frederico et al., 2018). Impacting Factors Specific factors may have overwhelming influence over women considering abortion. These are often based on institutional or cultural norms that instill determinants of sexual behavior in women, a violation of which may result in severe social consequences. For example, some cultures view premarital sex as taboo, forcing women with unintended pregnancies into desperate situations. Religion can be a social factor which creates challenges for abortion and healthy behavior (use of contraceptives) as these are considered immoral. Furthermore, even institutional and government policy can be enacted to regulate abortion practices in a way that discourages women (Vinh & Tuan, 2015). When considering whether to have an abortion, many women had to evaluate the reality of their current situation and prospects for the future that would ensure safe and stable conditions for raising a child. While ideological aspects play a role, practicality had a tremendous impact on the decision-making process. One recurrence is a woman’s lack of autonomy which can directly pressure the decision to have an abortion. Demographics such age and socio-economic status which make the woman dependent on someone else decreases the level of autonomy. Other factors recorded are lack of information and poor availability of local abortion services (Frederico et al., 2018). Women may be driven by a number of influences and ideological factors to have a certain level of doubt about performing the abortion procedure. The first contact with a patient requires addressing subjects of choice, coercion, moral or religious principle, and psychological pressure that may require more extensive counseling. A substantial commitment to abortion counseling is to ensure a woman’s comfort with the decision and emotional well-being in an unobtrusive way (Joffe, 2013). References Beja, V., & Leal, I. (2010). Abortion counselling according to healthcare providers: A qualitative study in the Lisbon metropolitan area, Portugal. The European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care: The Official Journal of the European Society of Contraception, 15 (5), 326–335. Web. Coyle, C. T., Coleman, P. K., & Rue, V. M. (2010). Inadequate preabortion counseling and decision conflict as predictors of subsequent relationship difficulties and psychological stress in men and women. Traumatology, 16 (1), 16–30. Web. Frederico, M., Michielsen, K., Arnaldo, C., & Decat, P. (2018). Factors influencing abortion decision-making processes among young women . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 15 (329), 1-13. Web. Gerdts, C., Dobkin, L., Foster, D. G., & Schwarz, E. B. (2016). Side effects, physical health consequences, and mortality associated with abortion and birth after an unwanted pregnancy . Women’s Health Issues, 26 (1), 55-59. Web. Joffe, C. (2013). The politicization of abortion and the evolution of abortion counselling. American Journal of Public Health, 103 (1), 57–65. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Pourreza, A., & Batebi, A. (2011). Psychological consequences of abortion among the post abortion care seeking women in Tehran . Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 6 (1), 31-36. Web. Vinh, N. T., & Tuan, P. C. (2015). Factors influencing unintended pregnancy and abortion among unmarried youth in Vietnam: A literature review . Tap Chi Y Te Cong Cong, 3 (2), 3–16. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Industrial Revolution in Various Sectors of the Economy Essay Industrial revolution is a gradual development process which led to the transformation of early man’s way of living through sound innovation in various sectors of the economy (Ashton, 1948). Industrial revolution totally transformed not only the way things are done but also the way man operates. Agrarian revolution changed the lifestyle of humankind. Prior to 18 th century, the early man used to survive on hunting and gathering, more often using crude weapons in his day-to-day activities (Eric, 2009). The practice of hunting and gathering was tedious and time consuming as individuals had to cater for their daily needs and those of their immediate families. Industrial revolution totally alienated individuals from their traditional working modes. This has largely transformed the agrarian society in a number of ways. First, there was mitigation of time wastage as persons worked on the fields to produce their products that they were sure of harvesting. This replaced the uncertainty of capturing something to eat, thus enhancing food security. Early man used to cover wide area hunting but with revolution he was able to operate in a small location while increasing his output. This was because of development of enhanced hunting tools which were more effective. Textile manufacturing was in small scale before the revolution; it was termed as cottage industry (Clark, 2007). This mostly was done by individual workers and missing on innovation and division of labor. The mode of transportation could only accommodate the small-scale production since it was not highly developed. With the wave of revolution, textile industry had a massive shift into large-scale production (Clark, 2007). However, at the beginning the working conditions at the ginneries were not human. Dim lighting and working for long hours were problems that were realized at the early stages. Child labor was also a common issue during this progress. Industrial revolution led to the development of advanced machines, which replaced human activities in many aspects (Eric, 2009).With the help of these machines, production was always on the rise although less labor was in operation. The transformation of labor from man to machine power necessitated other inventions to allow massive transportation of these products to the market. Bernal (2006) pointed out that spinning jenny and the flying shuttle that were later replaced by spinning mule were the first innovations that transformed the textile industry. Some expertise on the how to run these machines was required, this additional training increased the efficiency hence increased production. These developments changed how work was being done as it accommodated increased number of individuals. It also advocated for division of labor, which enhanced productivity and innovation. Moreover, iron folding and steam power are other 18 th century sectors that transformed the agrarian life. The early man through these sectors was able to develop advanced weapons that were used for various purposes (Ashton, 1948). According to Bernal (2006), industrial revolution was a blessing to the early man; this is because the daily dues from wages and salaries outweigh the struggles of hunting and gathering. In addition, working in these firms is dignifying enough as work environment has been greatly improved to make them as favorable as possible. Moreover, the source of food in the industrial generation was more stable as individuals could work more efficiently in one location and produce surplus to help sustain them as well as sell the surplus. References Ashton, T. S. (1948). The industrial revolution (1760-1830). UK: Oxford University Press. Bernal, J. D. (2006). Science and industry in the nineteenth century. London: Routledge. Clark, G. (2007). A farewell to alms: a brief economic history of the world. New Jersey: Princeton University Press. Eric, H. (2009). The age of revolution: Europe 1789–1848 . United Kingdom: Weidenfeld & Nicolson Ltd. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Human Papillomavirus Awareness Among College Students Essay (Article) What Is the Reference for Your Article? Pleasant, A. & Sandfort, J. R. (2009). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Informational Behaviors of College Students regarding the Human Papillomavirus. Journal of American College Health , 58(2), 141-149. Read the Entire Article. What Are Your First Impressions of the Article? Do You Believe That It Is Complete? Does It Answer Your Questions or Are You Left With Unanswered Questions? My first impression is that the article will bring a positive contribution among the readers concerning reproductive health care education and awareness particularly information about Human papillomavirus, HPV, and other sexually transmitted infections. The article is not complete since we are told from this article that the information about HPV is confusing to some extent. It is also noted again that more research is still being undertaken that may give new details about HPV and therefore what is given in this article is not comprehensive (Pleasant & Sandfort, 2009). The article answers most of my questions. However, there are some questions, which remain debatable and partially answered, for instance, the question of various modes of transmission is not answered fully (Pleasant & Sandfort, 2009). Who Are the Researchers? What Do They Do? Why Did They Write This Article? The researchers are known as Jessica R. Sandfort and Andrew Pleasant. Jessica Sandfort is an MPH student at the Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York. While Pleasant, a Ph.D. holder is the director of Health Literacy and Communication at the Canyon Ranch Institute in Tucson, Arizona (Pleasant & Sandroft, 2009). Objective The main aim of writing the study was to evaluate the level of awareness among the student population concerning HPV and other sexually transmitted diseases and thereafter provide education on facts about these illnesses. Does the Title of the Article Reflect the Research Conducted? if You Were to Write a Better Title, What Would It Be? The title reflects the research conducted. Nevertheless, if I were to write a better title for the research then it would read, “The Scientific Study of the Level of awareness, Feelings, and Approach among College Students Concerning Human Papillomavirus and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases”. Summarize the Article, Labeling & Answering the Following Questions The research addresses the problem of low levels of literacy concerning HPV and other related sexually transmitted diseases and the stigma associated with the diseases (Pleasant & Sandroft 142). This research aims to determine the level of literacy among college students concerning HPV and other related STIs. Their attitude and approach about gender and age. The literature review is sufficient and thorough as it creates a strong background for the study by providing information on the current knowledge of HPV regarding its means of transmission and prevention. The sample is not adequate since the study was only done in one college and this does not adequately represent the whole population segment, i.e. it is not representative (Pleasant & Sandroft 145). The authors used both qualitative and quantitative research methods including questionnaires and statistical methods of data analysis to derive their conclusion. Ethical Considerations The authors mention informed content when talking about the limitations of this study. He says since the study relied on self-reporting, the participant may have attempted to respond based on what they believe were the expectations of the researcher and thus prejudice the results (Pleasant & Sandroft, 2009). Research Findings The authors conclude that this is the right time to initiate public awareness health campaign to raise literacy levels about HPV among the youth. The authors also conclude that there has been an improvement in levels of understanding about HPV as compared to the time of the previous research. No. the authors did not overstate the conclusion. They gave it the strong tone it deserves since this research concerns a serious disease that poses a great threat to peoples’ lives. I trust the research findings. This is because the study used a scientifically sound research methodology beginning from background research to the conclusion. Besides, the authors are both experts in the field of human health and hence the article is written from an expert point of view (Caron, Kispert & McGrath, 2009, p. 1-5). References Caron, R.M., Kispert, E. & McGrath, R.J. (2009). Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccine: Attitudes, Behaviors, and Beliefs of At-Risk Women. The Internet Journal of Health , 9(2), 1-5. Pleasant, A. & Sandfort, J. R. (2009). Knowledge, Attitudes, and Informational Behaviors of College Students in Regard to the Human Papillomavirus. Journal of American College Health , 58(2), 141-149. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Gas Station Fires, Their Causes and Effects Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Direct fire 3. Static fire 4. Explosives 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction This section will be an overview of the essay. It will mainly entail general facts about fire. This includes the number of gas station fires that have occurred in the world, their possible causes, and the effects that such fires have had with regards to injury, loss of life, destruction of property, and health hazards. To be more specific, this part will critically analyze gasoline fires that have occurred in the United States of America. It will recap on the first fire that ever occurred in the history of the United States of America. This was the gas station fire that occurred in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1912. This incident will then be compared with more recent incidents that have occurred in the United States to determine their similarities and differences. The final part of this essay will be to state the possible causes of fires that occur in gas stations. Direct fire Direct fire will be the main cause of gas station fire that the essay shall concentrate on. Here, the possible causes of direct fire shall be discussed. This includes fire from cigarettes, kitchen fires, excessive heat, and any other factor that may result in the occurrence of direct fire. The essay will then focus on how to direct fire can result in the development of severe fires at a gas station. It will determine the possible faults that may lead to the development of fires, the potential risks that they may cause, and finally means through which such factors can be avoided. This will be achieved by critically analyzing relevant literature that has been written on causes of fires with special emphasis on American gas stations (Miles 22). Static fire This section will concentrate on the effects of static fires and the role they play in the occurrence of gas station fires. The first step of the essay will be to define what static fires are, identify its sources, and determine the potential risks that it poses to the community. After the definition of static fire, a list of the various causes of static fires shall be made. This includes electricity, cellular phones, the human body, and any other possible source. Due to the bulk of literature, this part will only concentrate on how cell phones and electricity may cause fires at gas stations. The chemistry behind the production of electrical sparks from cell phones due to their interactions with radio waves and how they may ignite gasoline shall be discussed. How electrical faults and sparks may ignite a fire in a gas station shall also be discussed. Finally, preventive measures will be discussed in the final part of the essay. To gather relevant literature, scholarly articles, and journals that concentrate on fire safety shall be used (Kirk 19). Explosives Explosives shall form the last segment on the possible causes of fires at gas stations in the essay. This part will mainly concentrate on factors that may lead to the occurrence of explosions, the chemical reactions that are involved, and finally the effects that such fires may have. Finally, the essay will concentrate on how terrorism with regards to explosives and gas station fires. Conclusion This will form the final section of the essay. It will recap on the major arguments that have been advanced by the essay. It will also contain a summary of the findings of the essay. Finally, a few recommendations will be stated that will aim at curbing the occurrence and effects of gas station fires. Works Cited Kirk, J. Fire Investigation . Upper Saddle River (NJ): Prentice-Hall, 2012. Miles, M. (2009). Fires at retail gas stations: the role of static electricity. American Journal of Safety, 44 (2), 2009, 19-25. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Project Planning Elements Report Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Project Planning 3. Project Planning and Success of Projects 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction Project planning is a critical path that when employed effectively, can greatly aid the achievement of goals. The development in technology and advancement in knowledge over the past years have also witnessed the development in planning and management of processes. The success of any procedure highly depends on the level of organizational planning in regard to management and administration. This paper discusses the elements of a project plan. Project Planning The notion and basis of project planning and management can be said to have derived its principles from the armed forces’ system. Like in the armed forces, project management has seen its evolution into an almost fixed structure that has to be carefully planned and closely monitored. The planning and management of a project process will significantly have a bearing on the overall result of the process hence an efficiently established and monitored process stands a better productivity outcome than one that is not properly planned and managed (Meredith and Mantel, 2009). Meredith et al. (2006) have noted that the military management aspect has been accustomed by nonmilitary organizations in the private sectors, government agencies and other organizations. Meredith and Mantel (2009) explained that a project plan is an estimate of what is to be carried out and as such it must give allowance for adjustments in the execution process. In carrying out a project plan, control measures to ensure compliance to the plan have to be put in place. Among the elements in a project plan are the establishments of its scope, duties to be undertaken, time schedule, budget estimates, established risk management group among others (Meredith and Mantel, 2009). Project Planning and Success of Projects Robert (2009) pointed out the following elements of a project element as being significant: “the aim of a project, Outputs, Quality criteria, Resources, Management structure, Milestones, Tolerances, Dependencies, Risks and Schedule” (P. 1). The aim of the subject project is a statement or statements of reasons for undertaking a given project as well as the benefits that are estimated to result from the project’s realization. It must be relevant to the subject business plan and must be indicative enough of what should or must be realized at the end of the intended process (Robert, 2009). Another element of a project plan as illustrated by Robert (2009) is the outputs. This is the specifications in clarity of the end products of the process. It indicates what the workforce must come up with at the end of the project. For example, in the event of introducing a new TV brand into a market, the statement should be indicative of the intended percentage of the particular audience to be reached. The quality criterion is another element factored in the project plan. The quality criterion in regard to project planning is the means of checking on the evaluation of the project process. It ensures that the output meets the required standards and the criterion should be “specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and well timed” (Robert, 2009, p. 1) the criteria should be reasonable to all involved parties. Resources in the context of project planning are the set of necessities for realization of the project. It ranges from the personnel in terms of working hours, knowledge and skills to monetary needs for acquisition of all the necessities (Robert, 2009). The management structure is an array of levels of operations in terms of decision making and implementation. It indicates the top decision makers and the chain of command in regard to decision making and implementation. The management structure also clearly indicates who is to perform what task under what circumstances and in whose collaboration. Milestones in the plan are the significant events or sub processes in the project. Events and activities that are related should be put together under a given management. By having similar tasks grouped together specialization is created and this has been found to greatly enhance the final quality of the project results. There is need for tolerance when executing a project; tolerance assists cater in for issues which may crop up in the course of undertaking a project. Tolerance can be seen as the level of deviations from the plan that the project can cope with. However there is a need for a tolerance level guideline to avoid taking the project off the intended course. Dependency is the sequential relation among the processes. It is an important aspect that can help reduce wastage of time resource and raw materials (Robert, 2009). A project plan needs to cater in for unexpected issues which might not be seen when planning for a project. Risks are perils that can affect delivery of the outputs. They should be identified and measures to mitigate them put down. Scheduling is the time frame illustration of the processes. It is a review of activities indicating their exact timing (Robert, 2009). Conclusion Project planning is an important part of management. Its elements are guidelines to the management that ensures efficiency hence quality production under minimum wastages. Project planning is very significant because the success of any project will depend on how well the plans are laid down. References Meredith, J and Mantel, S. (2009). Project Management: A Managerial Approach . New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Robert, T. (2009). Project Plans: 10 Essential Elements. Project Smart. Retrieved from: www.projectsmart.co.uk | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. The New Product Introduced by Apple 3. The Quality of Apple’s Current Projects 4. Sources of Funding the New Product 5. Conclusion 6. References Introduction Apple, Inc. is one of the leaders in the technology industry that regularly introduces the most innovative products. However, the process of launching a new product depends on the thorough analysis of market trends to guarantee that this product will attract consumers and provide stockholders with returns. The purpose of this paper is to describe a new product that has been recently launched by Apple, analyze the effectiveness of Apple’s current projects and their financial outcomes, and discuss the funding of the new product. The New Product Introduced by Apple iMac Pro is a new product developed by Apple that became available for purchasing in the United States in December of 2017. Thus, iMac Pro is an innovative personal computer that also has the features of a workstation . This computer is the most powerful among other Mac products, and it is attractive to designers and professionals whose activities depend on the power of a personal computer. Thus, iMac Pro is characterized by advanced technological features and qualities, and its system works as fast as it is possible for Mac computers (“iMac Pro – Apple,” 2018). As a result, despite a comparably high price that starts at about $5,000, it is considered by the company as a potentially profitable project. The Quality of Apple’s Current Projects It is important to analyze the quality of Apple’s projects with reference to analyzing return on equity (ROE) and return on capital (ROC) in relation to current and new projects. Apple’s ROE for December of 2017 was 36.87%, and it is calculated by dividing net income by total equity. The current ROE is 37.07% (“Apple, Inc.,” 2018). Referring to Apple’s ROE, it is possible to state that the company develops financially profitable and successful projects because its ROE is significantly higher than ROE of the majority of companies in the industry. Apple’s ROC for December of 2017 was 19.86%. The current ROC is 20.04%. Apple’s ROC is comparably high, and it tends to increase (“Apple, Inc.,” 2018). This figure means that the company effectively turns capital into cash, and appropriate products and projects are selected for the development. From this point, the analysis of Apple’s recent and current ROE and ROC demonstrates that the developed projects and introduced products contribute to increasing the company’s profitability. Sources of Funding the New Product Apple announced the production of iMac Pro in June of 2017, and this project was planned during several months. Its funding was based on the distribution of financial resources available from the company’s annual income, and the significant investment was made in research and development. However, it is important to note that Apple has overcome several barriers to financing the project because of moderate sensitivity levels in relation to macro- and micro-economic variables. Thus, Apple is rather sensitive to changes in interest rates, inflation, currency rates, and economic tendencies. Fluctuations in interest rates in the United States have significant impacts on Apple. Fluctuations in exchange rates are addressed with the help of hedging procedures. Therefore, the sensitivity of Apple’s operating income to changes the discussed variables is also moderate to high. Still, the sensitivity of the sector’s value is moderate, as it is reported (Apple, Inc., 2017). Thus, to address these levels of sensitivity, Apple pays much attention to developing effective strategies for promoting iMac Pro outside the United States. Conclusion Apple is a company that effectively addresses any changes in market trends. New products like iMac Pro are funded as a result of analyzing the financials related to the company’s profitability and annual ratios. These approaches allow Apple to remain one of the leaders in the industry whose ROE and ROC are high in comparison to other companies. References Apple, Inc. (2017). Form 10-K: Annual report . Web. Apple, Inc.: Morningstar rating . (2018). Web. iMac Pro – Apple . (2018). Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Organic and Inorganic Compounds Report Theoretical chemistry is regarded as the basis of chemistry research and studies. However, most consider that theoretic approaches may exist only on papers, in books, and in journals. Knowledge of theoretical basis may be quite interesting for curious minds, and the language of numbers, chemical elements, and equations may be quite spectacular if put into practice. Explosions, chemistry tricks, hot ice, freezing liquids, and many other things are quite simple for those who realize the basics of chemistry theory, and they look like magic for those who missed chemistry lessons at school. Just imagine that an explosion is possible without explosives, or that ice may be hot. The liquid may look like some disgusting moving slime like in scary movies. All these and more are available in Joe Genius podcasts and shows available on YouTube . All you need is to listen carefully, follow the precautions, and make sure you do not violate fire safety rules. The essence of the shown experiments is explained by the nature of sodium, and its reaction with water. 2Na(s) + 2H 2 O → 2NaOH(aq) + H 2 (g) (Myers, 54) This reaction is featured with the eruption of H 2 , hence, if it is placed in a sealed bottle, the pressure of the gas will break the bottle walls, as plastic will no longer be able to keep this pressure. Dry Ice (CO2) if put in water, starts melting, and soon it becomes gaseous, as the temperature of CO2 increases. If it is placed in a bottle, the gas pressure tears the walls of the bottle. The gas expansion is clearly shown in the experiment with the soap bubble. An organic part of theoretic chemistry is linked with a clear understanding of the processes that happen during organic reactions. Most people do not even suspect that we come across organic reactions every day, and even do not mention them. Here we have substitutions, aromatic substitutions, rearrangements, metathesis, etc. (Mahajan and Girija, 714) Cooking chemistry reactions. The most well-known cooking reactions in cooking are: * Fermentation. It is often used in baking when yeast reacts with sugar creating alcohol and carbon dioxide. The simplest reaction is as follows: + C6H12O6 → 2(CH3CH2OH) + 2(CO2) + Energy (which is stored in ATP) (Miles, 47) * Acid-base reactions. This is used for making sour milk, cream, or bubbles in biscuits. + CH3COOH + NaHCO3 = CH3COONa + H2O + CO2 (Walden, 203) * Caramelization. Proteins are breaking into simple sugars; hence, we get crusty meat for barbecues. More information is available at Science Daily Portal and all the answers as to the chemical process that happens while cooking may be found on this page. Organic chemistry is a complex science, and it is impossible to restrict it with sugars, alcohols, or acidity only. This presupposes knowing the sphere of non-organic chemistry, as well as bits of knowledge from related sciences: biochemistry, the chemistry of molecules, the behavior of atoms, etc. (Science Daily, 2011) If you are interested in the latest achievements of organic chemistry scientists all over the world, the Department of Theoretical Chemistry portal will be the source of news and information for you. Actually, these are the latest achievements in chemistry, and this is regarded as one of the most reliable theoretic chemistry sources. Works Cited Mahajan, Deepa Sanjay, and Girija Shankar Singh. ” Organic Chemistry Teaching: Perception of Science and Undergraduate Students.” Education 123.4 (2003): 714. Miles, Elizabeth. “Organic Chemistry.” The Architectural Review . 2003: 47. Myers, Richard. The Basics of Chemistry . Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 2003. Walden, Paul. Salts, Acids, and Bases: Electrolytes . Trans. Ludwig Frederick Audrieth. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 2004. Science Daily. Chemistry Of Cooking. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
E. B. Sledge’s Views on Dropping the A-Bomb Term Paper Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The life of US Marine, E.B. Sledge 3. Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a good end? 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction It is not an easy task to outline the rights and the wrongs in a war. There will always be points of difference based on the situation and the position in which the speaker/writer is. Every murderer has a murder; in other words, the reasons for war are always well articulated, irrespective of the person responsible for such articulation. In the case of E.B. Sledge, there were a lot of conflicting emotions that crossed his mind, during the course of the war. For a person who lived out his career as a US Marine, in close proximity with the horrors of the battlefield, the justification of the atom bomb being dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima does not call for any form of debate, as far as he is concerned. For a man who was numbed by the scores of the soldier dead and dying before him, this only served to be a respite, more so a permanent one, from a horrendous military exercise. There are no fanciful descriptions of the war, nor is there a romanticizing of the situation in Japan. There is a pointed effort to present to the reader the reality of war in all its starkness and raw horror. The life of US Marine, E.B. Sledge In a desperate move to be inducted into the US Marine Corps, E.B. Sledge gave up an academic program and joined others like him. No amount of training and orientation would prepare him for the war that was being fought in Okinawa and Peleliu. It was a certain esprit de corps that kept these Marines together, fighting a common enemy and coming to terms with their own fears and inadequacies. All his experiences on these battlefields have been chronicled in great gory detail. One such instance is of a fellow Marine stealing gold teeth from a Japanese soldier who is on the verge of death. Knowing full well that the soldier is still alive, a Marine plunges a knife to extract a gold tooth. Sled and a few other Marines shout out for him to stop, which he reluctantly does. The Japanese soldier is shot dead to relieve him of his pain, while the Marine expresses his displeasure for the humane gesture of Sledge and the other Marines (Sledge 120). His career as a Marine required him to follow orders implicitly even if it meant having to dig a trench right through the corpse of a Japanese soldier! His description of the invasion and occupation of Okinawa leaves no doubt in the mind of the reader about the kind of motivation that was used to get soldiers like Sledge into the spirit of war. His view of the enemy, their strategies and warfare, the harshness of the terrain, and a lot more, make you feel like you are part of the World War II landscape. Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a good end? There is nothing just about war – this would be a cry from most pacifists who believe that justifications cannot be even contemplated when one talks of war. However, in the case of a war veteran like E.B. Sledge, there is a burning desire to bring the war to an end after being a past of carnage and bloodshed, which after a time, seems almost pointless. Like E.B. Sledge there are those like Paul Fussel who believe that only experience can make you take sides on how and when war should end. It is relatively easy to sit thousands of miles away from the war front debating on the ethical correctness of dropping the A-bomb compared to the likes of Sledge who want the carnage to end. People who have spent considerable hours on the battlefield and are intensely aware of the horrors of an invasion (whichever side they may be on) are in favor of a quick end to all suffering. The dropping of the A-bomb was therefore both “horrible and welcome” to Fussel, Sledge, and a host of other soldiers who looked forward to a reduction in the fast escalating losses on both sides. Conclusion To say that E.B. Sledge approved the dropping of the atom bomb would be a simplistic statement to make, devoid of any contextual and circumstantial support, that would make him out to be an ogre – something he is not. Knowing full well the scale of destruction that would have ensued, had the end not come when it did with the dropping of the A-bomb, soldiers like Sledge were thankful for the speedy end to the war. The only way to prevent further loss of lives on both sides was to bring the war to a dramatic close. Much has been written about Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the justness of the A-bomb, and descriptions of the psyche of Japanese and American soldiers, had the bomb not been dropped. Though post-mortems are rarely of much use, there is no doubt that it is necessary to have various perspectives on such past issues in order to be able to comprehend the severity and complexities of present-day terrorism and genocide. As Victor Hanson, a Senior Fellow at Stanford University rightly puts it, “The truth, as we are reminded so often in this present conflict, is that usually in war there are no good alternatives, and leaders must select between a very bad and even worse choice. Hiroshima was the most awful option imaginable, but the other scenarios would have probably turned out even worse.” (2005). Sled could not have agreed more! References Sledge, E.B. With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa. Ballantine Books. New York. 2007. p. 120. Fussel, P. Thank God for the Atom Bomb and Other Essays. Summit Books. 1988. Hanson, V.D. “60 Years later considering Hiroshima” National Review. 2005. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Revolution of 1848 in France Essay In February of 1848, the social tensions in France intensified because of the monarchy’s inability to promote liberal changes in the social life and government. Focusing on the industrial and agricultural decline in the country and on the necessity of the electoral reforms, people chose to follow the known path of a revolt and the further revolution in order to change the situation (De Lamartine par. 6). Thus, the rise of nationalism in France was associated with the rise of people to promote positive changes and reforms in the country in order to improve the rule of Louis-Philippe as a monarch. In spite of the fact that the Revolution of 1848 was supported by the wide categories of the French public oriented to reforming the regime, the revolution led to the further restoration of monarchy in its new form. The Revolution of 1848 started as a revolt directed by the activists whose main purpose was to promote the electoral reform and possible changes in the monarch’s rule, in the ministry, and in the Chambers. According to Alphonse de Lamartine, the French people aroused against the corruption of the government and against the rulers’ ignorance in relation to the problems of the vulnerable categories of the French society (De Lamartine par. 19). Thus, “the government was blamed for causing the trouble and also for failing to help the poor” (Pearce 23). The problem was in the fact that Louis-Philippe was the representative of the ‘party of resistance’ who believed in the successful realization of the revolutionary ideals in the past. However, there also was the ‘party of movement’ focused on changing the regime and proclaiming the social justice (Pearce 22). From this point, the citizens who organized barricades in February of 1848 were the representatives of the ‘party of movement’. A distinctive feature of the Revolution of 1948 was the fact that the National Guard chose to remain neutral in relation to the revolt, and that neutrality was discussed as the support for the idea of the people’s revolution. The National Guards acted along with the other French people who “felt an antipathy” to the regime and to Guizot as a chief minister (De Lamartine par. 14). As a result, the monarchy fell, and the Second Republic became the reality for the thousands of people who were oriented to prolonged changes in the political, economic, and social spheres. The problem was in the fact that Louis Napoleon elected as the president of the Republic chose to restore the monarchy in spite of the accomplishments of the Revolution of 1948. The idea of nationalism during the period after the Revolution of 1948 was realized in the form of building the strong stabilized authority and in the form of developing the economic potential of the country (Pearce 23). However, the ideals of Louis-Philippe’s monarchy were not restored after the Revolution of 1948. The Revolution of 1948 demonstrated that the French people were ready to fight for the revolutionary ideals during a long period of time, and that the movement to the developed future was the priority for the society. In spite of the fact that the Second Republic fell after some years of its existence, the results of the Revolution of 1948 for the national development of France in the 19 th century were significant. Works Cited De Lamartine, Alphonse. History of the Revolution of 1848 in France . 1998. Web. Pearce, Robert. “Louis-Philippe and the 1848 Revolutions”. History Review 71.1 (2011): 18-23. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Understanding Economy of the US Essay Introduction ‘This American Life’ is a radio show that is run every week. The show was produced by Chicago Public Radio. The show has over 300 episodes. Several lessons can be learned from the episode that was aired on September 9th, 2009. The underlying vital aspects of the episode The episode focuses on the death spiral that engulfed the state. The death spiral was characterized by surging federal debt that amounted to $16 trillion. This amount was exclusive of Medicare and social security. When these two elements are included, the debt would escalate further to $211 trillion. The debt crisis in the country gave clear indications that the country would go into recession. It is important to appreciate the fact that the state was fully aware of a high possibility of a recession since it is evident that a team of various professionals comprising of geopolitical analysts, economists, and scientists confirmed that the country was likely going into a recession and major institutions in the economy, such as the credit and money market, were likely to collapse. The team held the state responsible for the slump since it encouraged the Ponzi scheme thus, escalating the debt. Further, the team pointed out that the recession would affect necessities in the economy such as energy, water, and food. The team further hinted that the situation is soaring and within a short time the economy will slump. The episode further points out that the various subcommittees and various teams investigated the envisaged recession and the result was the same, a looming recession was on the way to hit the country. Besides, all investigations carried out showed the same results, that is, a Ponzi pyramid scheme. Further, in the episode, the team indicated that there was no possible way that the mess could be sustained any longer. Further, there is no way it could be corrected in a well-ordered manner without incurring losses. Lessons learned There were adequate signs of a possible recession. All studies indicated that the country was in a death spiral that started escalating way back in the seventies. However, signals were raised quite late and it was impossible to correct any element of the mess in a manner that would not affect the entire public. In as much as the economic cycle (that is, recession, recovery, boom, and depression) is bound to occur at some point in the economic life of a country, the state did not take any action that would cushion the economy from the consequences of a possible downswing. The policies put in place by the state were not in the best interest of the public. Besides, the policies encouraged consumption and the use of debt to finance spending and government activities instead of focusing on production and revenue generation. Further, from the episode, it is evident that the state does not carry out regular reviews of various policies in place. It is good practice to review policies before implementing them and after implementing them. Such reviews give indications of the impact of the policies on the economy. These reviews help in pointing out the possibility of depression and a recession in an economy is a good time to help mitigate the impact of such policies. Further, it is important to have an independent body that carries out frequent reviews of policies and the general state of the economy. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Prisons Role in Society Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Body 3. Conclusion 4. References Introduction While jails are run by local governments or sheriffs and are designed for housing people serving short sentences or awaiting trial, prisons on the other hand, are run by Federal Bureau of Prisons and state governments and are meant to hold people who are convicted of crimes. In addition, jails handle issues in drug and substance abuse, behavioral change, educational as well as vocational issues. State prisons in contrast, operate work release centers, halfway houses along with community restitution centers (Schmalleger, 2009). Body There are various types of prisons: state, federal, military and municipal. Federal prisons are managed and operated by the government and usually house inmates who have convicted crimes in violation of federal statues instead of local or state laws. Whereas municipal prisons are high security prisons, military prisons are prisons operated and managed by the military. A military prison is used to hold enemy combatants, war prisoners or those people whose freedom is considered a national security risk by the national authority as well as military members guilty of serious offences. Lastly, state prisons are facilities used to rehabilitate and house criminals and are managed by a state. Prisons as a total institution are enclosed facilities estranged from society and physically are where residents share all their daily life aspects. Prisons like many other institutions are made up of social units that have their own culture and norms. This can be seen in concentrated camps and mental hospitals where individuals who are deemed socially unfit are eliminated from the larger society. Following the same line of thought, jails are important in protecting the society by keeping away offenders from the rest of the society. This is an effort to maintain law and order in the society. In addition, the role of community based correction programs such as concentrated camps, seminaries and mental hospitals associated with prisons and jails is that, they help in restoring community’s safety and reducing violence cases. Prisons also deliver designated punishment to offenders which are either short term and/or long term. Without them, crimes would be overrated and people breaking the law will go unpunished, thus they would keep on committing crimes repeatedly. Prior to considering violent behaviors between inmates, among prisoners and staff, one should reflect on the inmates’ age, level of education, prior incarceration experiences, gang affiliation, and history of criminal activity in addition to how long they have been serving currently. Violence against staff members in prison are seen to result from “friction points” which are inevitable in the prison administration system. There are various strategies for responding to such violent behaviors. First, violence can be controlled through supervision and management. Second, there can be provision of adequate services in the prison. Thirdly, it can be ensured that the prison is serving its incarceration purpose. Another solution is the provision of gang members’ segregation housing units. The fifth point is that there should be creation of smaller housing units than the present ones. Lastly, there should be provision of counseling services to help prisoners that specialize in relationships development as well as managing violence and anger. This is in an effort to ensure that, those who successfully complete such counseling program are awarded with personal incentives. Parole, a concept for prisons and jails is used in order to allow prisoners to serve the final part of their sentence in the community based on clearly set conditions as a parole officer enforces. Fundamentally, “parole is a conditional release from prison”. The parole system requires prisoners to serve a third of their sentence before they apply for parole consideration. The panel which comprise of the parole members then evaluate the record of the prisoners and resolve whether or not the prisoner stands a good chance of staying as a law-obedient citizen. If these parole board members consider the parole candidate favorably, they usually release that prisoner in line with the prescribed conditions. Those parole conditions include abstinence from alcohol or drugs, employment, regular monitoring and permanent residence. Ahead of accepting the parole’s conditions of release, the applied prisoner turns out to be a parolee. This means that the prisoner goes back to the society to start on abiding by the conditions of the parole release. The assigned parole officer will observe his conformance with the conditions of release. Violation of the release’s conditions, the parolee might be recommended to go back to prison and either a parole board or judge will make the ruling. Conclusion The role of truth-in-sentencing is believed to act as a deterrent to crime since criminals are aware that if they are arrested, they will serve the sentence in prison. Along the same lines of thought, truth in sentencing laws are promoted too as a means of protecting the victims’ rights and those of the general public. Violent crimes victims, for instance, can be guaranteed that the criminals will serve the sentence against them (Earley, 2005). References Earley, P. (2005). The Hot House: Life Inside Leavenworth Prison . New York: Random House Publishing Group. Schmalleger, F. (2009). Criminal Justice Today 10th edition . New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Muslim Patients’ Healthcare Beliefs and Values Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Interview Results 3. Comparison of Beliefs 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction In healthcare, religion and personal beliefs of the patients often play a vital role. According to Rumun, only by understanding these notions, one can provide a person with effective and attentive treatment. Thus, for a better understanding, an interview was conducted with the participation of a local Muslim community member. In the process, it was discovered that while Islam offers an array of specific values and practices, most of them do not cause healthcare difficulties. Although Islamic spirituality does not wholly correspond to my beliefs, I could not help but agree with several points. Interview Results We talked about the connection between Islam and the possible implications of healthcare. The respondent insisted that Muslims value medicine a lot since they deem spiritual and bodily health as holistic assets. On my question of whether the beliefs could hinder the treatment, the respondent said that in most cases, it could be avoided. If healthcare providers have no objections against daily Islamic rituals like prayer, cleansing, or fasting, these could even improve the condition of a Muslim patient. Also, the respondent agreed that conservative community members do not support such medical methods as birth control. Nonetheless, he noted that in extreme cases, exceptions could be made. Moreover, according to him, younger Muslims are more practical in that regard. Comparison of Beliefs Several features seem unusual to me, given my personal beliefs. I was raised in a family of Christians and inherited their moral values, although there was not so much accent on fasting, a common practice, and especially on cleansing. However, I have already noted during my experience that prayer really can raise the spirit of an ill person. Even more, I could not agree more that the tolerance to beliefs demonstrated by the medical staff is a keystone for handling a patient from a different culture. Conclusion The religion and beliefs of a patient heavily influence the conditions of their treatment. For the sake of determining the correlation, we interviewed a local Muslim who agreed to help. In the process, he explained that most of the rituals do not contradict successful rehabilitation, and spiritual confidence can even improve it. Although for a Christian person, the emphasized rituals of cleansing and fasting can appear odd, one cannot disagree with the statement that tolerance is a crucial part of the patient-nurse relationship. References Rumun, A. J. (2014). Influence of religious beliefs on healthcare practice. International Journal of Education and Research, 2 (4), 37-48. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Harley Davidson Company’s Troubled Times Essay A core competency is defined as the capital and capacity that defines the competitive advantage a company has over its competitors over time. Core competency is used to portray the personality and is drawn from the capabilities of the company. Our company is Harley Davidson. Other examples of core competencies in other firms would be how Sony prides itself in producing and assembling small and miniature-sized electronic appliances. In our case core competencies of Harley Davidson can be distinguished by the standards that dictate what a core competency is and what is not. A core competency must be valuable, uncommon, inimitable, and organized. A value chain analysis assists a company in making an evaluation of overheads and activities that are centered towards delivering value to its clients (Mitchell, 2009). Harley Davidson’s value chain activities that may be considered as core competencies include: * Value chain activities that may be considered core competencies for H-D include: Inventory management and order processing , whereby the company strictly organizes the inventory in its plants using the just in time policy. In this policy, a request for an inventory part is passed through a signal in the form of a ticket and a reply through the provision of the requested part is made. This removes the overproduction of certain parts and ensures that the quality of the motorbike is sustained. It also improves the company’s return on investment as it also saves on costs such as warehousing. * Marketing and sales: Harley Davidson is known worldwide due to the successful marketing campaigns that they have done in the past. Adverts of the motorcycles have been done by creating a retro appeal whereby the machines being assembled to have the look and feel of motorcycles assembled during wartime. This has created and exploited brand loyalty among its customers. Through its marketing efforts, the Harley Davidson brand is being compared to others such as Google and Microsoft (Mitchell, 2009). * Services: Harley Davidson is known to offer technical support through its large network of dealers all over the world. This creates a direct connection for the company to its customers and it also gives them a form of communication whereby the customers can voice their concerns which can be easily be picked up by the company. The company also does repairs and maintenance for Harley Davidson customers and this ensures that value is created for its customers. * Research and Development: H-D is known for pushing the envelope when it comes to the innovation of its motorbikes. The staff at the company has always come up with several inventions of different engines such as the famous V twin engine and the V-Rod which was invented with the help of engineers from other firms such as Porsche. Research and development are not limited to the bikes assembled but also to the production and distribution processes. * Regulatory Affairs: H-D is known for its strict compliance with environmental policies to meet standards set out by the various environmental bodies such as the EPA and European Union. In 2005, the company was the first to register in the one clean-up program which was meant to clear out any forms of waste that affected both the soils and groundwater at its former plant in Pennsylvania. Its efforts have been congratulated and recognized by the EPA director of operations. Despite the core competencies of H-D’s competitors, H-D continues to beat the competition mainly because of the brand image it has cultivated over the years. The retro feel infused into the motorcycle is responsible for driving up the prices of the bike. A Harley Davison bike is considered luxurious because of the years and heritage that it maintains (Mitchell, 2009). References Mitchel, D. (2009). Harley-Davidson Chronicle – An American Original. New York: Publications International Limited. pp. 68–69 | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc.’s McGinty-Moss Assessment Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Understanding the organization culture of the institution 3. Monitoring productivity quotient of the organization 4. Conclusion 5. References Introduction PPD , Inc promotes its organizational culture to ensure the prosperity of its management. PPD , Inc is a CRO clinical research institution that deals with clinical research in the Pharmaceutical industry. Organizational culture affects the business venture of PPD Company as well as its employees. It is significant for PPD , Inc to understand its culture since organizational culture is the internal constitute (its character, beliefs, and values) of the institution. All these features affect the effectiveness and motivation of the PPD Company. It is essential for PPD , Inc to appropriately monitor its culture and create essential changes. The workers need to understand and assess their work culture. Equipped with this knowledge, employees are capable to enhance their work performance and become consistently part of their organizational culture. This paper aims to assess the organizational culture of the PPD , Inc through using the assessment test developed by the Debra Woog McGinty/Nicole moss. Understanding the organization culture of the institution After assessing the McGinty/Moss test, it is revealed that PPD Company possesses a stable or established culture. However, PPD Inc has a culture that is rigid although it is thorough. The organization makes certain that the institution and its workers are more developed through engaging in different training programs (Flamholtz and Randle, 2011). The institution has vital strategies to address business and organizational matters. However, the strengths of this institution may turn into weaknesses. For example, an organization that is too tough and rigid may in turn hurt and put off its employees. In this manner, the institution may hurt its management operations, therefore there is a need to adopt resourcefulness and flexibility. Organizational culture is a manner in which people in the PPD Company operate both unconsciously and consciously on their daily activities. Through understanding the organizational culture, the institution can understand the culture that prevails, drives and supports essential programs to accomplish the strategic objectives of the PPD Company. The PPD Company understands that the key issue for running the business is to ensure that its workers are more productive and happy. The PPD Company believes that when its employees are more productive and satisfied with their job performance, their customers benefit a lot from the delightful workforce through efficient customer service and great productivity of the company. Currently, the PPD Company strives to understand its organizational culture so that to attain its objectives and goals. It is learned from the experience that mismanaged and poorly developed organizational culture killed silently the corporate landscape. Ineffective culture sabotaged appropriate business strategies. Sylvia and Stanley (2008) opine that the company encourages its employees to raise their concerns regarding matters affecting the organization. Such issues raised by workers are enlightening and resourceful to the senior management. It is significant to know both the weaknesses and strengths of the organization to understand how to develop the company. Monitoring productivity quotient of the organization The PPD Company identified that the key driver of productivity is employees’ morale. It is revealed that engaged (involved) and productive workers are more likely to be creative and interested in their work commitments. Satisfied workers are more eager to create positive results in their work. Douglas (2000) presents that whenever financial and objective results do not yield desired impacts, it is important to measure the effectiveness of the company’s management. It is significant to evaluate whether workers are satisfied with their contribution to the organizational goals. The company also strives to ensure that the needs of its consumers, customers, and clients are satisfied effectively. The organization makes use of measurement opportunity to look at its internal affairs by monitoring its productivity quotient (PQ). Employees are also allowed to contribute their viewpoints regarding the daily management and operation of the organization. For the productivity quotient to become an effective tool, it is appropriate to ensure that workers and the management team both understand the collective perspective of the institution. Workers are likely to be creative and honest when they are not mistreated. According to Robert (2008), when employees feel vulnerable, they tend to be stressful. It is important to allow employees to present and contribute their viewpoints anonymously. Workers feel comfortable when their responses remain anonymous. This is to ascertain that nothing they claim either negative or positive are returned to hurt or haunt them. A useful way to create this anonymous feedback is to develop free quick online service for performing anonymous surveys. Although this tool is not a completely effective assessment device, it helps to begin identifying major issues which are required to be addressed. Conclusion Once the drivers of the productivity level of the institution are understood, the management team and entire employees can start to enhance the management systems of the organization. The company’s productivity can be highly increased when effective communication is promoted within the institution. When employees understand the business strategy of the institution and the job responsibilities, the company’s productivity is likely to be improved. Preparing a favorable work environment is important to put into consideration in addition to improving morale and motivating the employees. When employees understand that their work commitments are great contributions to the desired organizational objectives, the company’s productivity will immensely improve. References Douglas, R. (2000). Does corporate culture contribute to performance? American international college journal of business , 4(1), 45-47. Flamholtz, E., & Randle, Y. (2011). Corporate culture: the ultimate strategic asset. Stanford: Stanford business Books. Robert, R. (2008). The strategic role of human resource management in developing a global corporate culture. International journal of management, 19(2), 4-9. Sylvia, F., & Stanley, K. (2008). Creating competitive advantage through intangible assets: The direct and indirect effects of corporate culture and reputation. Advances in competitiveness research, 16(1-2), 34-38. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Reflective Learning of Saudi Arabian Basic Business Industries Corporation Essay Saudi Arabian Basic Business Industries Corporation is a multinational company that deals mainly in petrochemicals and steel manufacturer. My interest to do a project with SABIC was precipitated by its fast growth and its ability to experience an average higher performance for the last few years. In addition to the above, I was interested in a company that deals in a variety of materials. Saudi Arabian Basic Business Industries Corporation is a leading industry in the manufacture of fertilizers, steel equipment, cars, medical equipment, building materials, and many more. This would give me an expanded view in dealing with the handling of management of issues within companies that handle a variety of materials. Furthermore, to achieve the aims and goals of my project, there was the need to work in a big company as demonstrated by SABIC. With “almost 33000 employees all over the world and business operations in almost 100 countries in six continents, its good performance is demonstrated in sales of SR 151 billion in 2008 along with net profit of 22 billion” (SABIC, 2010). I had the opportunity to connect with SABIC through Mr. Abdurrahman from human resource management department. I must point out that without his presence and support, I would not have done my project at SABIC. During the time I was undertaking a project in the analysis of the quality of software at the company, I received all the necessary support I needed. While there is a general abidance in the fact that there are a number of ways through which an organization can enhance its ability to attract an external workforce, available research work and articles demonstrate that their effectiveness depends largely on the culture of an organization. Both the management and operational culture within SABIC make it an ideal atmosphere to not only undertake a research project but also become a full-time employee. In the course of my project, I got the opportunity to discover and have the practical view of the software application within the company. This was also possible because of the good and conducive atmosphere at SABIC that is necessitated by its good operational culture and the open-door policy within the company. Once you join, you are a member and nothing is hidden from your view. This gave me the continuous chance to interact with several senior personnel with the company that ensured the smooth running of my project through continuous support and encouragement. This is because the management of SABIC has fully realized that people form the most prized asset of the organization and there is a need to attach the greatest value to their well-being about their skills and knowledge and the continuous improvement of the same. I was thus accorded the necessary support as entrenched in the management culture of the organization. In addition to the above, I successfully managed to obtain the best information regarding the level of software application within SABIC. Due to the perfect communication channels within the company. Communication forms one of the critical components of the company that ensures business success. I must point out that I found very little difficulty in my efforts to communicate and receive responses regarding my project during the entire period. In summary, I must point out that my reflection of the period I undertook my project at SABIC was truly successful and I would not hesitate to take another research project within the organization. References SABIC. (2008). Annual Report 2008 of Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Sexually Charged Relationships in Asian Cinema Essay Cinema is the means of humans allows people to reproduce the phenomena of the objective reality, but moreover to reflect the inner, psychological experiences of humans. Accordingly, personal and purely psychological topics are dominant in the cinema as far as people are always intrigued by what others feel in the sense of this being the same as they themselves do. Sex and the emotional states it provokes are also the subjects of the cinematographic interest. This paper will focus on the representation of sexually charged relationships in the classical pieces of the Japanese cinema – “Cruel Story of Youth” by Nagisa Oshima and “Woman in Dunes” by Hiroshi Teshigahara. To begin with, it is necessary to state that the Japanese culture has long been considered a rather conservative and reserved one. In other words, laws, rules, and regulations have been viewed as the dominant forces in Japanese society, while traditions and religious prohibitions have been perceived as the guidelines to which the Japanese live. Sex, as one of the most intimate phenomena in the human life, has long been forbidden for public discussion, let alone filming. However, the years after World War II changed the social attitude towards the issue drastically. Americanization of the country and the subsequent marginalization of the Japanese youth led to the vagueness of ideals and national values and made discussion of sex appropriate, even in public: “… times were tough after the war, but we had a way of life. I could’ve said that we were reborn a democratic nation; that responsibility went hand in hand with freedom. But today what can we say to this child? Nothing ” (Cruel Story of Youth, 1960) Accordingly, Nagisa Oshima was one of the first Japanese directors to publicly address this topic in their movies. “Cruel Story of Youth” is an account of the criminal lives of two young people lost in the whirlwind of the social changes. Having no firm values in life, Kiyoshi and Makoto start up the life of crime with robberies and blackmailing as the major means to earn their living. The most terrific aspect of their life becomes sex which Kiyoshi uses only as an instrument of control over his girlfriend. Sex is viewed by the main character as the means to share the burden of his criminal deals with someone else who, by the power of personal relationship, becomes closer to him than anyone else. Moreover, sex is pictured by Oshima as a phenomenon that led the society of his time to the complete loss of values. As Kiyoshi states, no values mean no disappointment in them: “We’re different from you. We have no dreams so we’ll never end up miserable like you” (Cruel Story of Youth, 1960). Sex, in such a context, becomes everything but pleasure – it is viewed as the means of submission, earning money, criminalization of the society, etc. Society is, thus, viewed as an obsolete phenomenon with archaic ideas and values. The representatives of the older generations are pictured by Oshima as the ones regretting their past and feeling sad about the presence of their children. Sex is viewed by them The same topic is considered by Hiroshi Teshigahara in his film (Woman in Dunes, 1964). “Woman in Dunes” is an allegorical criticism of society as a place where sexually charged relationships fail to express people’s feelings but are rather used to destroy their dreams and deprive them of their freedom. The film starts as a depiction of a field experiment of a young entomologist who travels in a desert. However, the very initial scenes of the film are filled with tension and anticipation of some tragedy happening. Close-ups of minor details including insects and even hairs on the protagonist’s hands show that the atmosphere is rather aggressive and the main hero is to experience some tragedy soon (Woman in Dunes, 1964). Jumpei, the film’s protagonist, falls into a sandpit where he meets a woman, with no name, living there regularly. Her major troubles are connected with shoveling sand from the roof of her house in the sandpit, but soon Jumpei realizes that it is not the main issue. Freedom becomes the main impossible dream of the protagonist who is forced into sexually charged relationships with the woman. Accordingly, sex becomes the opposite of freedom for Jumpei who remains to live in the sandpit and to dream about becoming free. By drawing this picture, Teshigahara shows how much society impacts the values and typical behavioral patterns of human beings making sexually charged relationships from the ones bringing pleasure into the means of submission and humiliation (Woman in Dunes, 1964). To conclude, Asian cinema considers the basic aspects of human lives. Sexually charged relationships are also examined by it, even although traditional Japanese culture does not favor it. “Cruel Story of Youth” by Nagisa Oshima and “Woman in Dunes” by Hiroshi Teshigahara is the film that achieves two goals at once – they manage to introduce the topic of sex into the Japanese society and show how this society uses all means available, including human feelings, to subjugate people to its standards and norms. Works Cited Cruel Story of Youth. Dir. Oshima, Nagisa. With Yusuke Kawazu, Miyuki Kuwano. Shochiku, 1960. Woman in the Dunes. Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara. With Eija Okada, Kiyoko Kishida. Bfi Video,1964. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Policies that Favor Interests of Central Canada Report (Assessment) Are they necessary for nation building? Central Canada consists of Canada’s two most populous provinces, namely: Ontario and Quebec. It is the high population that gives Central Canada political leverage, which has often led to discomfort by other provinces. The policies favoring the interests of Central Canada are detrimental to the building of the nation, since they have only used the policies to their own advantage. With regards to trade tariffs that were negotiated with the U.S., Central Canada used the tariff to its advantage by making other provinces appear as their trading partners and not giving them an opportunity to trade with competitive partners. Policies that have favored the interest of the populations of Central Canada have often led to conflict from the Western, Atlantic and Eastern provinces. Some policies like the procurement policies have made the population of Central Canada to treat other provinces as colonies. There have also been complains by the Prairie Provinces, which are resource-rich that they have been under exploitation by the national government which mainly serves the interests of the Central Canada region. National policies of Canada reflect the interests of Central Canada, and it has enabled the region to be the industrial centre of Canada. This is a reflection that the policies serving the interests of Central Canada do not foster nation-building and, instead they perpetuate regional alienations, resentment and conflicts (1). Canadians Regionally or nationally oriented? Canada is regionally oriented; it is often understood as a nation of nations due to its two main demographic distinct divisions: English Canada and French Canada which is the Quebec province. In this regard, the Canadian country is founded on compromise and cooperation between the two sections of the population. The region of Quebec, for example, has a distinct cultural identity. The Canadian communities are located in different regions based on their language, culture, religion and politics. These communities live in isolation with different aspirations and views of Canadian history as a nation. The antagonism between the two nations in Canada has threatened the existence of Canadian nationhood. Canada is divided into four provinces or regions with their autonomy to define their legislative agenda, which is an indication of regionalism. The existence of two cultures is a clear illustration of regionalism. Quebec, for example, is home to a unique and independent subculture with its autonomy regarding legal, education or institutional system. The conflicts often witnessed in Canada are as a result of regional differences and national identity. On electoral matters, voting takes the form of regionalism and ethnicity. There is also the existence of regionally based political parties and hence regionalism affects the behavior of national politics (2). Albertans Are they right to upset National Energy Policy? The main energy policy of Canadian government is the energy policy program, and it was introduced during the high-energy crisis in 1970s. The National Energy Program is mandated to ensure security of supply, equal opportunities for the Canadians to participate in the energy industry and to guarantee fairness in pricing. It is argued that Alberta has lost a lot of revenue following the coming into force of National Energy Program. The province of Alberta is a major producer of electricity. Many decisions by the Albertans are designed at expanding and maximization of energy resources, which require federal government’s cooperation. There have been agitations by opposition parties for energy policies that are aimed at benefiting Central Canada while penalizing the Albertans. The National Energy Policy can only gain legitimacy and leverage if Albertans are included in its formulation since it is the leader in production of energy resources (3). References 1. Weaver, K. The Collapse of Canada? Washington, DC: Brookings Institution Press; 1992. 2. Leuprecht, C. Essential Readings in Canadian Constitutional Politics. Toronto: University of Toronto Press; 2011. 3. Energize. Energize Alberta Features. Energizer Alberta; 2011 [updated 2011; cited on 17 Nov. 2011]. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
On this basis, we can draw parallels between a leader/manager and a driver, a route and a strategy, other cars on the road and competitors, etc. I find this analogy cogent and well-thought-out. First of all, it describes the key points of managing an organization in simple and understandable words, which, in its turn, makes the whole concept comprehensible for everyone, even for people who are not familiar with this field of study at all. Besides, with the help of this analogy, the authors easily win and keep the readers’ attention. It is interesting to continue reading and find out what parallels have been drawn, which concepts have been compared, and so on. On the other hand, this analogy is rather superficial; it encompasses only the most important points and ignores many details. Even the authors write, “we realize that this analogy is far from perfect” (Fontaine and Ahmad 4). However, when it comes to analogies, details do not really have so much value. The second paragraph of this section describes the difference between conventional and Islamic strategic management. I think that this duality is justified – although conventional and Islamic perspectives have very similar goals, the ways to achieve those goals are too different. Conventional strategic management focuses on the aim, the probability of success, and the least possible time for which this aim can be achieved. Even more, since the time has to be minimized, the rights of the stakeholders (or the passengers, according to an analogy with driving a car) are to be of minor importance. Islamic perspective, on the other hand, implies that “the rights of all stakeholders is a shared moral duty” (Fontaine and Ahmad 4). Islamic management would never sacrifice those to achieve the goal quicker. So, while the conventional approach is goal-oriented, Islamic strategic management focuses on people in the first place. Thus, it is people-oriented. By the way, that is where the analogy is extremely useful. Pushing out a stakeholder seems to be not a big deal in management since it is just a business, and there is nothing personal about it. However, if we use other terms (a driver instead of a manager and passengers instead of stakeholders), the situation turns out to be not so natural and fair. Finally, analyzing the comparison of management and driving a car in detail, we can notice that there are some missing elements in this pattern. Firstly, companies and organizations do not exist separately; all of them cooperate with each other. To coexist successfully, they have to follow some general rules, government regulations, etc. However, that is not enough. On the road, there are small cars and trucks, cheap transports and luxurious vehicles. Drivers who own luxury cars do not only know the Traffic Laws and follow them – they also have a talent for driving. Translating it back to the language of management, company leaders should necessarily have a particular set of abilities, like critical and creative thinking, managing and leadership skills, and so on. To conclude, the analogy used in the book is persuasive and definitely can win the reader’s attention. However, for better understanding of the concept, I would recommend the readers to search for and examine some additional information. Works Cited Fontaine, Rodrigue, and Khaliq Ahmad. Strategic Management from an Islamic Perspective: Text and Cases , Singapore: John Wiley & Sons, 2013. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Literacy Bags as a Useful Pedagogical Tool Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Literacy Bag: What is it? 3. Growth of Family Involvement 4. Advantages for: Child 5. Advantages for: Parents 6. Advantages for: Teacher 7. Interaction with the Family 8. References Introduction Any of the proven pedagogical methods for teaching early literacy should not be neglected. The use of literacy bags addresses family involvement, instilling a love of learning, and controlling homeschooling. This paper provides a detailed and illustrative look at the topic of literacy bags. Literacy Bag: What is it? Literacy instruction has been successfully implemented by families outside of school. A literacy bag is a physical set of useful teaching materials. The contents of the bag depending on the topic being taught and the teacher’s intentions. The bags are regularly updated to keep learning relevant. Growth of Family Involvement Among others, literacy bags strengthen the parent-teacher relationship by embracing four positive goals at once. Forming partnerships: both parents and teachers are interested in achieving a common outcome but have individual spectrums of responsibility. Developing an economic approach: the literacy sack lending system raises issues such as respect, collaboration, and accountability. Strengthening parent-child relationships: this allows for a connection between child and adult, which will eventually have a positive effect on the teacher-pupil relationship as well. Informing parents: from the teacher, parents can learn about various useful sources and use them in their homeschooling practices. Advantages for: Child * practicing one’s knowledge; * improving specific literacy skills; * developing trusting relationships with adults; * learning to do tasks on their outside of school; * fun activities. Advantages for: Parents * building a constructive relationship with the teacher ; * deepening into the culture of the classroom, awareness of the quality of education ; * personal mentoring of the child; * overcoming socio-economic segregation; * opportunity to be involved despite hard work. Advantages for: Teacher * building trusting relationships; * removing part of the pedagogical load; * one way of involving the family; * creative realization of pedagogical potential. Interaction with the Family Effective communication with parents can be accomplished through three different formats: * visiting the school in person at a convenient time: ineffective; * telephone: useful, but not always convenient; * text correspondence: the best option, taking into account timeliness and recording of results. References * Akil, K. (2020). Family literacy bags for preschoolers. Provlib. Web. * Family literacy bags. (2017). Utah State University. Web. * Good Overton, A. (2017). Family literacy bags: A rural-appalachian approach for parental involvement and education. Web. * Literacy backpacks. (2017). Calgary Reads. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Descriptive Painting «The Creation of Adam» Descriptive Essay Introduction The Creation of Adam is a painting that belongs to the renaissance era. This work is Michelangelo’s fresco Sistine chapel ceiling, which is circa done in the year1508-1512. The work was done in the Sistine Chapel of Vatican in Rome (Hartt 56). This painting was selected because of the way it expresses the relationship between God and man, through the first man. A lot of interest lies in the gap that exists between the fingers of God and those of Adam, which are reaching one another for a kind of inspirations. The Creation of Adam painting is the most notable as can be seen in the frescoes of the Sistine chapel (Pietrangeli et al. 286). This painting places God at an iconic position as can be seen in the hands reaching each other. The painting is an illustration of biblical creation as can be found in the book of genesis. This painting was the fourth among the ones that traced the episodes on creation at the beginning, which were present in the ceiling of Sistine. Monalisa by Leornado da Vinci is the only painting that rivals the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo (Hartt 59).The image portrayed touching hands of Adam and God, and has led to countless parodies and imitations. The languid Adam of Michelangelo was modeled in the form of the Door of Paradise by Ghiberti where he was trying to portray the creation of Eve. Michelangelo has heavily borrowed from the version of Jacopo della Quercia found in the portal of San Petronio, Bologna. Michelangelo uses the enlarged figure of Adam and God in this painting so as to show the points of focus to the viewers. In the Creation of Adam , a white bearded man depicts God, who is wrapped in a cloak and Adam is at the lower left. God outstretches his right arm to give life from his finger into the first man. Adam on the other hand stretches his left arm and poses to mirror God. This is to remind men that they are created in the likeness and image of God (Gen 1:26, NIV). The painting also creates suspense when the fingers of God and man are not in contact although they are close to each other. This implies that God who is the giver of life is reaching out to man and man is receiving in return. There is a person protected by the left arm of God and according to my own analysis it is a feminine figure in appearance. The feminine person could be a female angel. The painting generally depicts how God created man in his own image and Michelangelo might have been inspired by a medieval hymn by the name veni creator spiritus, which asks the faithful speech to be given by the finger of the right hand of the father. In the Creation of Adam , 1508-1512, there is a short distance between Adam and God. This short distance makes the work dynamic and impressive. The space between fingers and not fingers is the focal point of the painting according to my analysis. Michelangelo used this gas meticulously in the renowned fresco. In the Creation of Adam painting, there is a stylistic shift with increment of monumental figures and the reducing of narrative details (Steinberg 558). The scenes unfold in an order that is chronologically reversing. This draws the viewer closer to God and the action of creation that signifies the union between man and God. In the painting, God’s left arm has stretched to reach a female figure and a child. This child is believed to be Jesus Christ. The prominent position of the child is in large scale and is directly in contact with God which gives the child the stats of Jesus Christ. Hence, the Creation of Adam is a painting, which encapsulates the relationship existing between God and man (Steinberg 560). The arm stretched wide signifies how God created man and anticipated a savior for him. Man is thus required to spark in unity with his creator. The painting depicts the future sin to be committed by Adam and automatically lead to his fall. Then Jesus Christ will come in to redeem him. Both the hands of God and those of Adam are muscular although the hands of Adam are weak and flaccid unlike the hands of God that have structural strength. The colors used by Michelangelo emphasizes this contrast, for instance Adam’s tan hue flesh is heavy and opaque while the arm of God is vigorous and rosy (Steinberg 564). This painting consists of illusionist architectural elements, which derive the figure and narrative scenes discussed in the Old Testament. In conclusion, in the Creation of Adam by Michelangelo, God is depicted breathing life into Adam while Adam is in a reclining position from a hill top stretching the left hand passively towards his creator. Consequently, Adam is resting on his right hand foreshortened and his head sunken within his shoulders. The portrayal of God as a bearded man who arrives in a swirling robe accompanied with angels shows his majesty. The gap between the finger of God and that of Adam portrays his majesty and genius. This makes the viewer develop tension and anticipation and I can analyze this scene as God putting spark of life to Adam. It can be compared to a huge electric charge transmitted through a cable that is very thin. No other image of western creation has endured the Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam despite its portrayal of the western art history. Works Cited Hartt, Frederick. Michelangelo . New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1984. Print. Pietrangeli, Carlo, et al, The Sistine Chapel: A Glorious Restoration . New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1994. Print. Steinberg, Leo. “Who’s Who in Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam: A Chronology of the Picture’s Reluctant Self-Revelation.” Art Bulletin 74.4 (1992): 552-566. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Government Should Sanction Marriages of Same Sex Couples Essay The debate concerning Same Sex Marriages (SSMs) has become a controversial issue in the contemporary US society. In the recent past, we have witnessed a lot of debate either in favor, or against the sanction of the same sex marriages by the federal government. This essay explores the underlying assumptions that individuals have against the proposal of legalizing SSMs. Proponents supporting the legalization of gay unions argue that marriage is based on love, relationships, and tolerance which supersede any other issue. However, this essay argues that things are not easy as they seem. There are a lot of aspects that militate against the acknowledgement of same sex marriages. This essay argues that same sex marriages have the capacity to cause detrimental problems. This is in relation to a variety of significant social and cultural factors that disqualify such kinds of unions (“Disadvantages of Gay and Lesbian Marriage (Same-sex Marriage)” par. 1). Several surveys conducted in the 1990s have suggested that the biggest issue affecting conservative Christians and any other American citizen from the North is the possibility of awarding the same privileges to SSMs, which are enjoyed by heterosexual couples. The issue which raises the highest contention is the legalization of SSMs. From the initial attempt which was instituted to legalize gay marriages in Hawaii, the issue has remained in the public focus. Tensions have escalated during 2003 when gay marriages were accepted in Ontario and British Columbia. However, the conservative Christian clergy have defined SSMs as a potential hazard to society. They regard the derogative nature of this vice as self-explanatory, and hence they do not indulge in in-depth discussions of the factors that arouse their concerns (Disadvantages of Gay and Lesbian Marriage (Same-sex Marriage)” par. 2). The government of Hawaii and the petitioners who filed the case on behalf of the Christian clergy argued that SSM couples cannot offer the same parenting quality as heterosexual parents. They emphasize that the only way to ensure that children are provided with quality care is to demand both parents to be of separate genders. Additionally, it is argued that children raised by SSMs are confused in relation to the particular gender roles they are supposed to take in society. This is because scientifically, pro-creation is a preserve of a man and woman. These children are left to figure out their gender roles from the community. It is difficult to educate these children on the significance of traditions amidst the confusion. All through the centuries male and female unions have raised children, guided, and taught them the traditions of society (Newton 215). The move to legalize gay marriages will break traditional family norms which are significant to the society. The foundation pillar of the human society and the bond which holds it together is the conventional family comprised of two heterosexual parents and children. These conventional families have sustained the US society through the great depression, and many other adversities over the years. Scholars argue that even if an individual is deserted by a friend or lover, the family will always remain supportive. The cause attributed to the erosion of culture and societal norms is the dysfunctional family structure. The introduction of a different kind of family would only exacerbate the situation (“Should Same-Sex Marriages be Legalized?” par. 13). The legalization of gay marriages could set a new precedence in legal issues. For example, it could pave the way for multiple marriages or unions which involve animals. Activists in favor of SSMs argue that these unions should be legalized because they do not cause any injury. However, this could initiate a chain reaction that can erode the values of the marriage institution. For instance, if individuals wish to marry their pet dogs, why should they be obstructed? What if an individual wants to marry their siblings or parents, how will it be prevented? Unless a conclusive description of marriage is agreed upon, individuals will take advantage of the vague laws. It only takes a single wrong decision by the US Supreme Court to pave the way for this sort of anarchy in the marriage institution. The legalization of SSMs would be an imposition of a retrogressive law to a majority of the population who are against gay marriages. For instance, judges in California ruled that the pledge of allegiance was against human freedoms. It should also be noted that 95% of Americans were against this ruling, but it did not stop the courts from upholding the decision (“Should Same-Sex Marriages be Legalized?” par. 14). Gay lifestyles are immoral and should not be promoted because evidence from research indicates that it is associated with reduced life expectancy, psychological illnesses, among other complications. Recent surveys have revealed that individuals in SSMs, based on a multiplicity of reasons, are expected to live for only 20 years. Like other social vices such as smoking and alcoholism, same sex marriages should be vehemently opposed. Any attempt to legalize them would break the social fabric of society. Works Cited Disadvantages of Gay and Lesbian Marriage (Same-sex Marriage). 2011. Web. < http://kayezlonz.blogspot.com/2011/01/disadvantages-of-gay-and-lesbian.html > Newton, David E. Same-sex Marriage: A Reference Handbook . Santa Barbara, Calif: ABC-CLIO, 2010. Print. Should Same-Sex Marriages be Legalized? . n.d. Web. < https://www.balancedpolitics.org/same_sex_marriages.htm > | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The women are here seen to be struggling with inequality and being side-lined at the expense of men to levels that even force the woman from the opposing party family to join them in the battle. They do manage to come up with various organizations for the main purpose of ensuring that they can deliver something reasonable and that is related to the need of running the riots. These face opposition that is very strong and they vow never to call it quits as the structure they have embraced does allow them to work on different opportunities simultaneously and based on a variety of perspectives. The activists that rally behind the Indian women are themselves aware of the uselessness of expending that much energy as these women try to impose the strategic accord. Main body The women groups are calling for public action on the people who perpetrate violence against women as well as the improvement of women’s access to education and the technical training that is needed for one to be employed in the organized sector. Advocating for a greater expenditure by the government on women and infants health care concerns as well as the minimum wages law implementation for female gender is what the women movement was out to seek. The assents of the Equal remuneration act of 1976 as well as the Child and Marriage Restraint Act of 1978 were some of the documents that too influenced the need of women to riot. Moreover, they wanted there to be governing policies that sought o reserve jobs for the feminine gender and guarantees of jobs after these women have gone to the training colleges. These variables and the need of having poor women’s credit availability raised are the factors that were mobilizing women into a movement that was meant to spur the government into action. All that Indian women were seeking was the transformation through the local access to the economic ways and the need of being free from violence as well as the realization of the ability to make individual decisions in their daily lives. The author used various methodologies to explain what was supposed to be delivered by this research. An inductive approach is what was preferred here and it gave the author the room to formulations of various statements to govern the research question and its realization in general. This was an open reassert where the needs that were influencing the riot were analyzed and the likeliness of them being accomplished was to counter check. The research has covered the different perspectives that were used by women in India as they tried to spur the government into action to their benefit. Such an umbrella style is applied by the qualitative research methodology and covers various perspectives of inquiry that are meant to facilitate the conception of social matters. In addition to this, the methodology is too supported by the researcher’s interest in what women needed through the assumptions of meaning. This article is written to outline the need for women’s empowerment and their roles in society. It argues that women are underestimated on their potentials and they are left to stay in the village as opposed to the powerful men who are based in the town and which hold high ranking and powerful posts. Due to the discrimination of women, the activists are pulled into the battle as well though they have already realized that it is fruitless to have women on the streets rioting for empowerment and freedom. Conclusion This research is very productive and does to a greater extent influence the perceptions of the reader. It has managed to convince the readers that women in India were underrated and all they were out to seek was government intervention and support for them to be able to be recognized as human beings in the same magnitude as the male gender. Furthermore, the research methodology has made it possible for the investigations of the women and the movement politic that was practiced in India. If the author had used a different kind of writing style, it would not have been as effective as this approach; hence, it is right to conclude that this research has been successful. This success is attributed to the sources that were used as well as the format or methodology that the author had in mind and applied in the research. Discussion questions 1. Was what the Indian women were seeking justifiable? 2. Was it realistic and within the societal norms for the women to seek empowerment and favoritisms from the government of India? 3. Put yourself in the shoes of the disadvantaged Indian women and formulate a way forward that will save you and the rest from the agony of being underrated, uderestimated, and ignored by your government. Would you adopt the women’s formula? References Women and Movement Politics in India Leslie J. Calman. Far Eastern Survey (1960) 29 (10): 940–958. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Paley’s analogy Essay Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Teleological Argument 3. Discussion 4. Bad Premises 5. Weak Reasoning 6. Conclusion 7. Works Cited Introduction The “watchmaker analogy” that outlines the argument with regard to timepiece dates back to Cicero. In reference to the argument, Voltaire once commented “if a watch confirms the existence of a watchmaker, but the universe fails to demonstrate the presence of a great Architect, then I consent to be labeled a fool.” Today, the analogy is credited with William Paley who outlined the argument in his book Natural Theology (1802). Paley argues that, if one was to find a watch laying on the ground and was to be asked how the watch happened to be in that position, it would be inapplicable to assert that the watch has lain in that position forever. By just gazing at a watch and all its complex components working in concert uniformly, one can derive that the watch was designed by a watchmaker (Engel, et al. 200-250). Hence, by exploring the intricacy of the eye and the way it aligns its function so well (to see), the eye ought to be designed by a Divine Watchmaker (God). Teleological Argument This analogy can be classified as the teleological argument, also referred to as “the argument from design.” The teleological argument is grounded in the character of the world and the universe. The argument stipulates that the world is a place filled with such novel interlocking intricacy to the extent that the sole rational justification centers on the existence of an intelligent designer (Engel, et al. 200-250). The intricacy of life on earth together with the harmonious association of living organisms demonstrates evidence of intelligent design. A design demands the existence of a designer (the designer being God). Discussion The analogy advanced by Paley is weak; this is because it presumes, devoid of any justification, a manifest similarity between objects occurring naturally such as the eye and objects designed by humans (such as a watch). There is no strong correspondence between the two suffice to reinforce the analogy. This flows from the uniqueness of the universe; hence, one cannot employ an analogy to explain it. Secondly, the notion that the universe was designed prompts one to wonder who designed the designer. One can acknowledge the existence of God as the sole basis of the world and subsequently recognize God’s existence as necessary (always existing). Alternatively, one can just stop at the universe and embrace its existence as necessary (always in existence) devoid of positing God to explain it (Engel, et al. 200-250). Thirdly, the argument advanced in the analogy avails little information concerning God with the exception of the assertion that God is a design-producing being. As a result, the argument fails to avail a window for one to draw any conclusions regarding God’s nature or character beyond that. Similarly, the analogy fails to confirm the existence of only one God as there may be numerous designers (watchmakers). Bad Premises The analogy presented by Paley can be faulted based on some premises. To start with, if a person had not been aware of anyone with the capability of making a watch, or seen a watch, one will have no basis to conclude that there is a watchmaker. Secondly, if a person knows nothing regarding the watch, it would not be possible to come up with any conclusions regarding the existence of the watch. Thirdly, the reality that the watch is so complex does not provide evidence that the watch was constructed; besides, some stone could equally be puzzling as a watch (Engel, et al. 200-250). The critical difficulty existing in Paley’s watch argument flows from the fact that the argument flows from an analogy. As asserted by most logicians, analogical arguments tend to manifest several constrains because nothing in an analogy can either verify or falsify the analogy. Weak Reasoning The analogy of the watch maker suffers from weak reasoning. Even though Paley focuses on features of a watch that he specifies as referring to an impartial observer designed as per the watch, most of the features fail to confirm anything at all. They only confirm when one uses external information, which point out that watches are designed. The analogy’s overriding belief is that the universe indicates organization and purpose, which is itself an assumption (Engel, et al. 200-250). The characteristics of both the world and the watch cannot be termed as truly shared; as such, the analogical argument is unsound. Conclusion Paley’s analogy of the watchmaker is not adequately strong to reinforce his conclusion. The argument does not display the complex nature because highly complex systems can originate from small steps that are randomly-generated. Paley’s analogy has several flaws; the most significant includes that no collection of empirical evidence can reinforce the analogy. The analogy does not portray whether design can be regarded as true, or whether the design is justified. Works Cited Engel, Morris, Soldan Angelika and Durand Kevin. The Study of Philosophy . Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
International Marketing Mix And Other International Marketing Related Factors Report International marketing mix (price, product, place and promotion), product modification, distribution, country of origin, etc. are the issues which influence the expansion of the product on the international arena and impact the demand on the product (Kotler & Armstrong 2010). EKEN Power Bands should underline the main principles of its strategy to make sure that marketing mix corresponds and supports it. Highlighting each element in detail, price should be referred to. Having considered the preferences of American consumers, it should be stated that to avoid consumer ethnocentrism and reduce the effect from country of origin to minimum, premium prices should be established. Consumers are not usually attracted by low prices as this fact makes them feel inconvenience and alert (Parts 2007). The EKEN Power Bands prices in Australia and in the USA are not similar, the difference is $20 and American price is lower. Such attitude may distract Australians from buying the products and negative attitude in the country of origin may reduce the interest in the product worldwide as well. The product and place should be considered from one and the same perspective as they are closely interrelated. Americans are people who are fond of sports and who have a lot of sport stars they adore. The choice of the local representation in Los Angeles is a good idea, however, the company should not enlarge it, but it should locate some offices in different parts of the state to make sure that people have an opportunity to turn directly to company representatives if some specific problems appear. Providing online trading strategy, the EKEN Power Bands feels responsibility for its products, that is why the local presentation is crucial. American people feel security when they know where they can turn in case of problem appearance and the local office is much better than international communication via the Internet. Unique characteristics of the product make Americans consume it. The absence of the similar alternatives helps EKEN Power Bands be in the center of attention among sportsmen. The choice of promotion is an important issue. EKEN Power Bands has made a correct choice having considered the American sport stars as a tool to encourage people for buying their products. It is important to tell more to Americans as well as Australians about the main qualities of the bands and its healthy traits. This idea must be considered within Australians consumers as the latest publicans in the relation to EKEN Power Bands’ products confused people without strong explanation. The company should regulate public relations in such a way that Australians could consider bands as their national product, unique and healthy. Once all the goals are achieved, the product will be sold and there will be orders on it. The satisfaction of the customers’ demand means that the right product (EKEN Power Band) has appeared at the right price in the right place (the USA) and at the right time (Stone 2001). It is impossible to avoid the impact of the country of origin, but following the simplest rules, like emphasize ‘Made in’, establish correct prices and exclusive location, support with country image, EKEN Power Bands will be able to reach success (Hoffmann, Mai & Smirnova 2011). In addition, the development of the innovative technologies should be considered as the main factor which should be followed and all novelties should be used in the product to make it competitive and properly positioned at the market (EKEN 2011). Reference List EKEN 2011. Web. Hoffmann, S, Mai, R, & Smirnova, M 2011, ‘Development and Validation of a Cross-Nationally Stable Scale of Consumer Animosity’, Journal of Marketing Theory & Practice , vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 235-252. Kotler, P & Armstrong, G 2010, Principles of marketing , Pearson Education, Oxford. Parts, O 2007, ‘The Measurement of Consumer Ethnocentrism and COO Effect in Consumer Research’, Transformations in Business and Economics , 6, 1, pp. 139-154. Stone, P 2001, Make marketing work for you: boost your profits with proven marketing techniques , How To Books Ltd, Oxford. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
His addiction started with the occasional use of pot in high school and graduated to coke in college. Most students, for whatever reasons, start abusing drugs at high school or college. This book touches on what all students can identify with: the abuse of drugs or the temptation to. One of the adverse effects of using drugs is major memory loss. Carr’s memory was affected so much that, to submit accurate information on his history of drug addiction, he had to interview a lot of people in his past to help him fill in and piece together bits of his past. He writes: “Over the course of two years of reporting and writing, the data accumulated began to tell a story that I thought I knew, but didn’t”. Carr admits that without the people he interviewed, there is not a chance he would have remembered enough to write this book. During his interviews, Carr found out that what he remembers wasn’t the truth. Carr further points out how drug takes over one’s life so that everything that one does is only to feed that insatiable hunger for a dose; that one’s life revolves around obtaining the drug. For example, one of the ladies in the addiction forum mentioned how drugs took over her life. Not only did she have few friends but also her ability to communicate increasingly failed and only came out when she needed a dose. If she ever communicated with someone, it was because she could benefit from that person. Carr also talks of this in the book. He admits to using many people to satisfy his habit, even his relationship with Anna was intended to guarantee a steady supply of cocaine and more drug-related connections. He also used Frank to get to know the loan shark who lived in his street to gain access to more coke. Soon enough, Frank became a tool of Carr’s addiction. Carr mentions that many of his friends went to jail, died, or had psychological problems because of drug addiction. For instance, Fred, a close friend of Carr who was also a drug addict, was found dead in a lake in Minnetonka. Carr himself lost his girlfriend Goolie, in the book he says “I lost my job, she [Anna] lost her business [drug dealing]. It would have ended there, but…Anna had twin girls” (22). The ladies in the forum also mentioned how they were exposed to death or trauma. However, the addiction was not only a danger to the addicts themselves but other people as well, especially family members. Carr’s addiction, for instance, caused a lot of suffering to his children. During Anna’s pregnancy, they still used coke, exposing the babies to drug-related health problems. And after Carr had won the custody of his twins, he would leave them in the car, even during cold winter, to go to Eddie’s for doses of coke. These are part of the reasons for his children’s health problems. Carr writes of one medical test result on his children: “their medical records indicated that they had breathing and heart issues” (231). The fact that Carr knew his twins were increasingly getting exposed to danger, thanks to his addiction, but could not stop shows just how much of his life the drugs had taken over; that he could even disregard the need to take care of his children. Carr also talks of how difficult it is to fight the addiction; that once addicted it is difficult to hold oneself from drug abuse. For instance, Carr explains his experiences regarding his attempts to quit drinking and doing coke. He says that sometimes he would party for months without drinking, but other times he would drink like the alcoholic that he once had been. It is only his fear of getting back to his dark days that kept holding him from returning to hard drugs. That fear notwithstanding, there was always the temptation nudging and pulling him back to those days. Carr’s ultimate triumph, when he becomes a successful columnist with ‘The New York Times’, one of the most highly thought-of dailies in the world, becomes the climax of the good that “The Night of the Gun’ has in store for students. His victory against drug addiction preaches to the drug-addict students. It says if you have the will you can stop the habit. The almost graphic portrayal of his addiction, the cruelty of his habit against his children, his nullification of the myth that one can control a drug habit, his exploration of the difficult battle against addiction that many do not live to realize are all danger signs, a warning to those who haven’t touched drugs yet. The message is simple and clear; keep off. In a nutshell, Carr’s book speaks to both addicts and non-users. It has a strong message for all of them. This is a remarkable, necessary read for all students. Works Cited Carr David. The Night of the Gun. New York: Simon & Schuster, 2008. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Global Climate Deal as International Agreement Essay The climate change has been a long-standing issue not only for the environmentalists but also for global authorities and governments, as well as major global corporations. The negotiations on the protection of the environment, reduction of harmful emissions and dealing with greenhouse have been conducted numerous times over the past decades; however, the previous talks were held with varying degrees of success. Often, high hopes before talks were later turning into vast disappointment at the failure to reach an agreement on key topics. However, the latest climate conference in Paris, held on 5 th of December, 2015, might become a proof that an agreement can, in fact, be achieved. The draft of the agreement, as posted on the official website of the UN organization, emphasizes the need to reduce global carbon emissions and limit the global warming, as the negotiators from 195 countries, agreed to sign the document ( Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action, Draft Paris Outcome , p. 1-48). Greg Botelho (2015), the CNN reporter claims that this step, although inconclusive, maybe a significant achievement in multinational efforts for keeping climate changes at bay (para. 1). While the outcomes of these negotiations may look promising, the so-called issue of the corporations “going green” is still an acute topic, and this problem still awaits its solution. On one level, various corporations, who are willing to maintain their reputation are already acting responsibly, struggling to decrease the environmental impact and enhance their performance in compliance with the ecological regulations. Still, besides the existence of their counterparts, the companies, which deny or even challenge the negative influence on the environment caused by their activities (Revkin 2009, para. 1-20), another type of business behaviour has been developed recently. The researcher Sharon Beder (2002) mentions them in her article on environmentalism and corporate reputations: “A company that is undertaking environmental measures in order to distract attention from more socially damaging aspects of its operations is clearly not embarking on the road to social responsibility, but rather engaging in a form of greenwashing” (p. 70). While the first type of irresponsibility can be explained, for example, by inefficient company politics on accountability, or by being misinformed about the environmental impact, the other type of corporations may, in fact, pose a greater danger because of their actual malpractice that does not lead to long-term environmental sustainability. In a key concept overview, “Managing in the Multicultural World of Energy” published by the University of Liverpool (2015), an approach for resolving the trouble with energy efficiency and reduction of emissions for various types of supply chains is proposed (p. 10), however, it remains a great press of work for the environmental protection organizations and ecologists to adopt such strategies and propose individual solutions to all companies willing to participate in the environmental movement. While the lack of substantial penalties for violation of environmental regulations encourages the corporations not to take seriously even such major agreements as Kyoto protocol (Bond 2003, para. 13), establishing the harsher penalties may also lead to companies attempting to avoid responsibilities or resorting to half measures, as in an abovementioned example. Reference List Ad Hoc Working Group on the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action , Draft Paris Outcome. 2015. Web. Beder, S 2002, ‘Environmentalists Help Manage Corporate Reputation: Changing Perceptions not Behaviour’, Ecopolitics, vol. 1 no.4, pp. 60-72. Bond, E 2003, The Kyoto Protocol . Web. Botelho, G 2015, ‘ Officials from around the world reach climate change draft agreement ’, CNN . Web. Revkin, AC 2009, ‘ Industry Ignored Its Scientists on Climate ’, The New York Times . Web. University of Liverpool 2015, Managing in the Multicultural World of Energy, Baltimore, MD: Laureate Education, Inc. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Theodore Roethke and Sylvia Plath Essay Theodore Roethke and Sylvia Plath are two poets who have done poetry justice. They are known for their great works both in poetry and in writing. Theodore took up poetry as a vocation relatively late in life while Sylvia started writing poems at a tender age of eight years. Both have had great success in their works that are still popular even after their deaths. Being a younger poet than Theodore is, Sylvia learnt a great deal from Theodore and she owes much of her work to this role model. The two poets were highly inspired by their surroundings and nature. Their works therefore, holds more similarities as compared to their differences. Theodore Roethke was born in America in 1908 of a German father. He grew up in a greenhouse run by his father and uncle. His childhood experience in a greenhouse has a big influence in his work that mostly hinges on various forms of nature such as the universe, man, God and eternity. Loss of his father and uncle in the same year at the age of fifteen also formed a foundation to his future career as a poet. He graduated in 1929 in the University of Michigan and later took a masters degree in literature. Academia became his career and he taught in several colleges and universities including the University of Washington in Seattle. His first work, Open House, appeared in 1941 and was a great success together with the subsequent works. Most of his work revisits his childhood experiences in the greenhouse through which he brings out his internal reality. Roethke suffered bouts of depression, which explains his interest in psychoanalysis. He felt that psychoanalysts helped him “to reach a new form of reality” (Malkoff, 1971, p. 76). His poem, My Papa’s Waltz , shows his ambivalent attitude towards his father. This work was also an influence of his childhood. Theodore died in 1963 of a heart attack. On the other hand, Sylvia Plath was born in Massachusetts in 1932 of a Germany immigrant father. She started writing poems at a tender age of eight years. Her works were highly recognised; she won an award, which secured her a place in the editor guest position in Mademoiselle Magazine in her third year in college (Kirk, 2004, p. 2). Her experience as the guest editor inspired her first novel, The Bell Jar. She was a great admirer of Theodore Roethke’s work and this is reflected in her poem, Daddy, that is quite similar to Theodore’s My Papa’s Waltz. Her work draws from personal experiences and nature. The biggest influences in her poems include moon, hospitals and foetuses. Her experience with her father inspired her poem, Daddy . When her husband Ted left, Sylvia wrote many poems on love, despair, heartbreak, and revenge all influenced by her husband’s departure. Sylvia suffered from depression and she had attempted suicide on several occasions. She successfully committed suicide in 1963. Her posthumously published work, Ariel , has gained great popularity and respect and through such poems, her influence still runs deep in literature circles in contemporary times. Plath and Roethke share many similarities both in their works and in lives. Their poems were highly influenced by their childhood and nature. This is well illustrated in Theodore’s My Papa’s Waltz and Sylvia’s Daddy . The two poems tell of the poets’ fear and ambivalence towards their fathers. Theodore was inspired by nature out of the greenhouse experience he had as a child. Hospitals and foetuses inspired Sylvia due to her miscarriage she experienced. Both poets suffered from depression that influenced the themes of poems in Praise to the End by Theodore and Ariel by Sylvia. Incidentally, the two poets died in 1963 and their posthumous work is highly recognised. On the contrast, though the two poets were influenced by nature and personal experiences, Sylvia’s world was haunted by death and misfortunes while Theodore appreciated the beauty in his world. Sylvia died of suicide while Theodore died of heart attack. In conclusion, the two poets had great similarities both in their work and in life. References Malkoff, K. (1971). Theodore Roethke: An Introduction to the poetry. Columbia: Columbia University press. Kirk, C. (2004). Sylvia Plath: A Biography. New York: Greenwood Publishing Group. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Incrementalist vs. Rationalist Policymaking Approach Essay Policy refers to a set of interrelated decisions aimed at achieving specific objectives using resources (Johnson 243-425).Policies are made by governments or by organizations to address a wide range of issues. Polices made by governments regarding public issues or public good are known as public policies. There are various approaches to policy making. Two of them include the Rational and incrementalist approaches. The rational method in public policy making is characterized by rules and procedures. The method involves identifying and defining a problem based on data, identifying a number of possible decisions and options for addressing the problem and selecting the best option or alternative for addressing the problem, then formulating a policy as a means to some end. It is also characterized by clearly defined goals and several possible alternatives, which are compared quantitatively based on available data. The polices under this approach are therefore as comprehensive, descriptive and detailed as possible. Policies are based on the pros and cons of each and every possible alternative, whereby the policy makers select the ‘best’, not the ‘good’ alternative, depending the pros and cons of each and every policy alternative (Johnson 243-425). This policy approach has the strength of being procedural and systematic, which leaves no room for rent seeking behavior which is prevalent in many policy makers. It ensures that the polices made are a true reflection of the needs of the people being affected by the policy. For example, a policy on service provision to citizens of a certain community would involve a base line survey and a needs assessment exercise to understand the most pressing needs from the people’s perspective not from the policy maker’s perspective. This approach has also the strength of being proactive instead of being reactive (Society for International Development). The weakness of this approach is that it is time consuming and it may be irrelevant in emergent situations because it tends to be bureaucratic in nature. For example, in a situation where by there is natural disaster, the approach, may not be applicable because it emphasizes on analysis of possible alternatives which may take time thus leading to more casualties. Despite these weaknesses, this policy making approach can be said to be the one which explains how policies are made and implemented because many policies and programs involve various stakeholders, who must come into a consensus regarding any policy. They can only reach a consensus through doing a cost benefit analysis of each policy option and picking the best option, which has the maximum benefits and the minimum costs (Society for International Development). On the other hand, incrementalist approach is characterized by lack of comprehensiveness but instead, policies are made based on some current policies or activities as well as past polices, in a manner which, as the name suggest, tends to add on what the previous policies had achieved or where they failed. This approach also does not separate the policy objectives, alternatives and values, but rather, it focuses on working on specific courses of action, which have been successful, with the objectives and alternatives being limited. The approach does not base its policy formulation on quantitative data but policy is made in a purposive manner, to meet some specific areas of interests for the policy makers or for the public interest. With this model therefore, the policy makers just unilaterally agree on what they think is the most agreeable policy to all of them (Society for International Development). The strength of this policy making approach is that it gives policy makers the opportunity to decide which policy they think is good, even if it’s not the best. This means that the policies which are made are more likely to take into consideration the public feelings or opinion on a certain issue, in short, the approach helps policy makers to come up with policies which are more acceptable to the public, irrespective of the availability of other better policy alternatives, which may be better but not appealing to the public. For example, a policy on whether to ban or allow smoking may only be made under this approach because the approach allows for the consideration of public feelings or attitudes towards such issues, given that there are those countries which prioritize their health and environmental pollution than revenues generated from the sale of cigarettes. The weakness of the policy making approach is that it may lead to formation of irrelevant policies which do not capture the real issues affecting the people for which the policy is being made for. This is because the policies are not based on empirical and statistical facts nor do they involve the consideration of several courses of action so as to select the best. I think it is possible to have a hybrid approach to these two methods of policy making. This can be achieved through taking some elements of each approach, and harmonizing them to eliminate any structural disagreements. This is however only possible through compromising of hardline positions in each method, and approaching policy making in a flexible, realistic and rational manner. Works Cited Johnson, David. Thinking Government: Ideas, Policies, Institutions, And Public Sector Management In Canada , 2nd Edition. Toronto, ON M5S 2G5: University of Toronto Press, 2006.243-425. Print. Society for International Development. International development review, Volume 14. Toronto, ON M5A 2N4: Society for International Development, 1972. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
However, racial discrimination is evident in all facets of society, including educational institutions, corporates, housing, and criminal justice. Street protests and social media campaigns against ethnic intolerance have become more rampant in recent years. Amidst the current chaotic environment, a question arises whether there is an amicable way of ending the enduring racial hatred in the United States. This essay utilizes two articles, one by Day and the other by Swenson, in arguing about the best way of resolving ethnic animosity. Although reacting to incidents can raise awareness, there is a need for a lasting solution, which can be achieved through strategic adjustment of media representation, political leadership, and institutional policies. First, a permanent answer will partially be achieved by changing the media representation of minorities. The Hollywood representation of a black woman is often a magical hero who “is a virtuous black character who serves to better the lives of white people…and asks nothing for herself” (Swenson). The description promotes a slave mentality where the African Americans toiled without reaping any benefit, thus being discouraged. The news reports are also fond of reporting the Black people as the criminals whenever there is conflict. Currently, Ferguson, who is an activist, has noted that there are always contradictions in what is being reported and the reality. For example, “while the TV networks were reporting on incidents of rioting and looting, real-time tweets from protesters…claimed that the police had been firing tear gas and rubber bullets” (Day). The portrayal of the African Americans by the mainstream media as offenders has continued to encourage injustices. Thus, the solution is for the mainstream media to remain neutral. Next, giving leadership positions to the people who will be mindful of the challenges faced by racial minorities is a significant step in ending racial discrimination. This is evident during the Alabama elections where “98 percent of black women voted for Jones,” making her win against Moore (Swenson). The results excited the African American women in the region as they felt that their voices would be heard. The need for representative leadership is evident in Oprah Winfrey’s statement that: “What I’m looking for is some kind of leadership to come out of this to say: This is what we want” (Day). If the minority groups have their leaders, they can advocate for their wellbeing and bring lasting change. In addition, a strategic policy change on different institutions to enhance fairness can be effective in eradicating some of the challenges faced by the Black community. In her article, Day notes that “in almost every area of society, black Americans remain disadvantaged.” She provides statistical facts to show that in schools, prisons, employment, and housing, the blacks remain disadvantaged. One of the effective solutions is contained in this quote: “how about you change the laws making it easier for us to vote, or sing our praises by giving us raises” (Swenson). Summarily, institutional policy changes can have a great impact on the lives of racial minorities who are discriminated against. Conclusively, it is apparent that the reactionary movements and protests are not as valuable for providing a lasting change for the minority groups as strategic solutions. The media representation of Black people should not be biased or follow traditional prejudices both in fiction and news reports. It is also important to vote for leaders who will represent the needs of ethnic communities discriminated against. Last but not least, policy changes are a must for the institutions that have long been designed to disadvantage African Americans to be transformed. Such permanent solutions will lead to peaceful coexistence for all people regardless of their individual backgrounds. Works Cited Day, Elizabeth. “#BlackLivesMatter: The Birth of a New Civil Rights Movement.” The Guardian , Web. Swenson, Kyle. “‘We Didn’t Do It For You’: Black Women Sound off on ‘Saving America’ from Roy Moore.” The Washington Post , Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture Report (Assessment) Organizational architecture and corporate culture Organization architecture describes the systems within an organization- both formal and informal. It involves creating roles, clear reporting lines mechanisms to handle inputs and results. It has three elements, these are; mechanisms of evaluating employees’ performance, reward structure and allocation of decision rights. Corporate culture on the other hand, is a wider term that incorporates organization of authority and work, reward schemes, company customs, slogans, taboos as well as social rituals and heroes. The two – corporate culture and organizational architecture affect each other. Organizational architecture defines corporate culture of a company (Pride, Hughes & Kapoor, 2012). Components of corporate culture such as heroes and customs enhance communication and cultivate productivity within a firm. Organizational architecture reinforces these elements. For instance, G.E’s corporate culture of innovativeness helps to steer high performance among the employees. As a result, G.E has been rated highly and as one of the top 100 companies worldwide. Its corporate culture of communication such as GE Corporate Ombudsperson that allows employees to air views regarding their integrity has allowed for coordination between its business and the employee welfare. Always Round Tire The problem is the leadership and building of the best team which is necessary in facilitating organizational architectural development. Leadership is essential not only in the proactive transformational change within the organization but also in the achievement of the organizational goals and objectives (Brickley et al., 2007). Active involvement and personal commitment of departmental and senior management are vital for the success of the organization. Leaders must possess a clear vision of the organization goals, provide strategic direction, empower and integrates the desired outcome with all aspects of the organization functioning. However, in this case, the team lacks personal active involvement and commitment to their area of competence or department. In fact, the team seems not to have a clear vision of the desired end, strategic direction, motivation empowerment as well as a clear understanding of the organization functioning. Always Round Tire While individuals perceive promotions as a means through which they are rewarded by the organization, promotions are also a means through which the organization perpetuate and communicate its culture and values to the workforce. Promotions are the primary means for the organization to deploy talent, reorganize, implement new strategic initiatives and achieve strategic goals (Brickley et al., 2007). The desired strategic goals form the basis in which organizations promote their employees. Therefore, individual employees being promoted must be a reflection of the competency that will enable the company to achieve the desired objectives. Low level management does not require highly skilled techniques and knowledge that is imparted into the individuals through training and education. That is why promotions based on seniority and experience best suited low level management. However, in higher positions where competency, skills and techniques are needed, education attainment and training should form the basis through which promotions are made. Free rider problem According to economists, free rider problem signifies a state where individuals reap more than their fair share from a collectively shared resource. This is a common in the organizations especially where team work is involved. Economists advise the problem needs to be addressed. This will help to promote equity and satisfaction among employees. Equal participation in the running of company is of essence. Team work has contributed a lot to unequal participation by individuals. Some members allow others to perform all the tasks while they sit back and enjoy (Pride, Hughes & Kapoor, 2012). The joy riders are mostly leaders who reap higher pays and bonuses than the rest. This can lead to resentment among the team players. Eventually conflicts may occur. These conflicts may also be as a result of clashing ideas among the team players. Teamwork limits innovativeness. Some team players focus on the overall benefit of the team and thus fail to make use of their full potential. This may lead to stagnation of the company. 360 degree performance evaluation Performance evaluation refers to an assessment of an individual’s job affiliated actions and their consequences within a particular level or setting. 360 degrees is a commonly used performance evaluation process that focuses on assessment based on the ideas of all parties involved. These include; customers clients, supervisors, junior staff, peers and suppliers. Though this type of evaluation is more comprehensive and credible in regards to an employee’s performance, it suffers some weaknesses. It is more complex and it would take a lot of time in implementing it. Implementation of the program would cause tensions and conflicts as those who are rated lowly would resent their raters (Boone & Kurtz, 2011). The implementation of the program would require some training on the part of the staff which would be very costly. Dishonesty may occur among the members of staff if the tool is not carefully planned. Responsible stewardship Responsible stewardship involves proper planning and management of resources entrusted unto an individual. It is significant to an organization in that enables those who are involved to generate intelligence that helps in better decision making in an organization. Responsible stewardship assists individuals to formulate a planned framework of policy that provides a distinct sense of direction for the organization. Responsible stewardship has a great impact on accountability as those involved are always held responsible for their actions. Responsible stewardship ensures balance between culture, structure and the objectives of an organization’s policies (Boone & Kurtz, 2011). This is because it ensures the overall organization architecture is congruent to the policy objectives and the communication lines are clear. References Boone, L. & Kurtz, D. L. (2011). Contemporary business . Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons. Brickley, J., Smith, C., & Zimmerman, J. (2007). Managerial economics and organizational architecture . New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Pride, W. M., Hughes, R. J. & Kapoor, J. R. (2012). Foundations of business . Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Nurses perform duties such as feeding the patients, administering drugs, and ensuring they have a conducive environment for recuperation. Their greatest responsibility is with the inpatients, but they also work with the outpatients in cases where they are required to measure their blood pressure levels, body temperature, and other such elements. One of the issues affecting the nursing environment in the health care system is the nurse-patient ratio. This refers to the number of patients allocated to one nurse, about the type of diagnoses. Body An effective nursing environment requires that the nurse should have enough time with the patient so that he/ she can attend to all their needs. This however is not the case, owing to the increasing number of patients in hospitals today. The lifestyles most people have adopted promote poor health habits hence increasing cases of diseases. A good example is the rising cases of different kinds of cancers. In the earlier years, this condition was unheard of and the few cases were mostly found in the elderly. This has however changed since cancer is the condition that most people are living with now. This means that chemotherapy has become famous and requires that more nurses be deployed in these areas, which is not the case. Therefore, the few who are there are being overworked hence being less productive. Patients suffering from such conditions which in most cases are considered terminal require special attention since most of them suffer from stigmatization. They need counseling and this can only be possible if the nurse-patient ratio allows the nurse sufficient time. Besides these cases, many other traumatized patients in the hospital need special attention. These include patients who have gone through domestic violence, fatal accidents, and other traumatizing events such as infernos. If not given proper psychological attention, most of these patients normally end up with suicidal or developmental problems. This explains the importance of having enough nursing staff that will have sufficient time with the patients, understand their needs and be able to attend to them without causing more emotional pain. Having a small number of nurses in a healthcare facility translates to more hours of work. This means that nurses will be forced to spend more time at work especially when there are emergency cases. This also reduces their productivity hence making them ineffective and the result of it all is unsatisfied patients. Lack of rest normally translates to fatigue which mostly causes emotional imbalance, and this explains why some nurses treat their patients harshly. Nurses are expected to be sober since in most cases they are dealing with people who are not stable emotionally. Patients can be annoying for example when they refuse to take medicine or food necessary for their recovery. It, therefore, requires an emotionally stable person to deal with them since the most important goal is for them to get well and go home. Conclusion In conclusion, therefore, health care facilities should increase the number of nursing staff to improve the services being offered to the patients. They could be having all the facilities they need but offer poor services owing to less motivated staff. Staff motivation in this case narrows down to enough resting time which translates to having enough staff within the facility. Patients undergoing special treatments such as chemotherapy should be assigned a specific nurse who will be able to attend to them at whatever time they need the attention. This can only happen if the supply of nurses exceeds the demand. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
“The Distance of the Moon” the Book by Italo Calvino Essay Introduction “ The Distance of the Moon ”, written by Italo Calvino in the year 1923, is a story which consists of the scientific knowledge as well as fiction which when combined together produce a very captivating tale for its readers. The reader has taken into consideration the different shapes of the Moon. He is fascinated by the various kinds of eclipses that take place in which the Earth, the Moon are blocked by one another. The author also believes that when high tides appear due to the gravitational pull of the Moon, are so high that one can literally climb onto the Moon with the help of a ladder. He adds fiction when he says that the sea weeds and the planktons with the other water animals like octopus and the fish came up to the surface at the time of tides. It seemed that they were being attracted by the gravitational pull of the Moon. The author talks of climbing onto the Moon while he sits in the boat and reaches the point where he can clearly see the edge of the Moon. He then includes using a ladder to finally step onto the surface of the Moon with the rest of his gang. He says that they usually kept hanging between the Earth and the Moon and were neither able to land on the Earth or climb onto the Moon. The author along with his ‘deaf’ cousin, the captain and his wife and little Xlthlx would collect milk from the Moon which was retrieved from the crevices in the Moon. According to the author, that milk was very thick and was formed when the trees and the species in the forests fermented. As the Moon passed over them, they stuck to it and formed this milk. But, he also detested some remains that stuck along with the fermented matter like twigs, leaves, small insects, etc. He along with his group, climbed to the Moon almost every night to collect milk. Body Argument-1 The ‘deaf’ cousin was an expert in extracting milk with spoon and even sometimes with the toe of his foot and knew where he could find it. Due to his exceptional quality and even though he was ‘deaf’, the captain’s wife, Mrs. Vhd Vhd had a liking for him. She liked the way he could find milk from places which they could have never thought of. On the other hand, the author liked Mrs.Vhd Vhd very much. But, this ‘love triangle’ was unknown to the captain. The captain’s wife never took notice of the author and was always interested in playing her harp. This made the author very frustrated and angry. He started envying his ‘deaf’ cousin. This love triangle, contributed a lot to the theme of the story. Argument-2 In the end of the story, the author says that the moon had started drifting away from the Earth and at that point of time, Mrs. Vhd Vhd was left on the Moon along with the author because she could not land back on the Earth like everybody had done. Once when the author was left alone on the Moon with her, his exact words were- “I should have been happy; as I had dreamed; I was alone with her, that intimacy with the Moon I have so often envied my cousin and with Mrs. Vhd Vhd was now my exclusive prerogative……” The author might have treated the captain’s wife as the Moon and when she had eyes for his brother than for him, might suggest that the Moon was very far away from the author, i.e. the woman he loved was not near him and was drifting away from him every moment. This made him sad and at times he also felt that he might have done something wrong or maybe he should not have even thought about her in these terms. The author’s cousin was not even aware of all this. He never laid eyes on the captain’s wife. He was only interested in scooping milk from the crevices of the Moon with his exceptional ability to find the correct places. In the end, when Mrs. Vhd Vhd was left all alone on the Moon which had started drifting from the Earth, the author felt a sharp pang of pain and guilt. He felt that he had left her all alone on the Moon and now she has to stay for another month until the Moon comes back to the same position as was before. He truly missed her though. Argument-3 He was utterly mesmerized by her physical appearance. He had often come across her beautiful physical structure and was moved by the way god had made her. He also feared whether the captain had ever come to know of the author’s intentions. Nevertheless, he made it a point to attract the attention of the captain’s wife and keep her off from admiring his ‘deaf’ cousin. Conclusion This ‘love triangle’ has been surmounted on a fiction filled tale which deals with the drifting away of the Moon from the Earth. The distance of the Moon from the Earth keeps on changing from time to time. This is because of the changing positions of the Moon. Sometimes it is a full moon, while at other times it resembles a set of sharp horns. According when the moon is full, it is easier to climb it. The ‘love triangle’ involving the ‘deaf’ cousin, the captain’s wife and the author himself is beautifully and interestingly related to the theme of the story ‘The Distance of the Moon’. Works Cited Page Italo Calvino.”Cosmicomics”.The Distance of the Moon. A Helen and Kurt Wolff Book, 1976, 61. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
“Fast Food Nation” Movie by Richard Linklater Essay The movie created by Richard Linklater raises several significant questions about which the society prefers not to talk. Without any disguise, Fast Food Nation tells a story of how producers of meat exploit employees, slaughter animals, and disregard hygienic and sanitary norms the adherence to which is of utmost importance in the sphere that concerns food consumption. The film raises a range of feelings, the major ones being aversion, hatred, sympathy, and shock. Fast Food Nation may be regarded as a confession from the fast food producers that they will never have the courage to make. This is a story of how one of the most favorite things in the country is destroying people’s health and undermining the belief that the world is a friendly and kind place where people love their neighbors. The most shocking issue in the movie is the revelation of work processes at the meatpacking processing plant. While the primary reason for performing an examination of the plant’s work is to find fecal masses in meat, many more appalling factors are discovered by Don Anderson, the marketing director of Mickey’s hamburger chain. There is no concern for safety regulations. Employees do not have enough time to check whether the waste stays away from the meat. The smell in the plant department is unbearable, and there is a scene when a new employee is recommended “to breathe through the mouth” ( Fast Food Nation ). Such issues must not be silenced, and their occurrence should be not eliminated but eradicated. Personally, I found the scene where animals are being slaughtered the most intense one. I do realize that to get meat, animals have to be killed. However, I did not assume that they are killed in such a brutal manner. Moreover, the conditions in which people are working are impossible to accept. They look at the masses of dead animal corpses, the blood of dead the animals in everywhere, including employees’ clothes and faces, and it seems impossible to work in these conditions. Probably, the only reason that does not allow these people to leave the job is that they have no alternative. The majority of the plant’s employees are illegal immigrants who agree to work anywhere and in any conditions only to obtain the possibility of providing for their families. This state of affairs is a global problem, and it involves many organizations, but Linklater is one of the few courageous individuals to speak about it out loud. The movie makes a strong impression on viewers. Although it is not a documentary, there is little doubt that many fast food makers do not put their interests first, disregarding consumers’ health and not caring about the conditions in which employees work. Fast Food Nation makes people think over their food preferences carefully and inspires them to refuse from consuming fast food. While those who sell fast food may be furious and try to refute the issues shown in the film, it is undoubted that people will approach the question of choosing what to eat more cautiously. Thus, Fast Food Nation may be regarded as an eye-opener for the society the preferences of which have such a long history that some individuals may be afraid to alter anything. The movie shows that a change is not only possible but compulsory. Work Cited Fast Food Nation . Directed by Richard Linklater, performances by Greg Kinnear, Bruce Willis, and Catalina Sandino Moreno, Participant Media, 2006. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Libyan Conflict Involvement Research Paper NATO means the North Atlantic Treaty Organization; it is an Intergovernmental military alliance based on North Atlantic Treaty which was signed on April 4 th 1948. It comprises of 28 nations, and its headquarter is in Brussels in Belgium (Marco, 2009). It is the world largest military alliance, and its member states agreed to offer a joint defense in reaction to any external attack by any external enemy. Example of interventions, where NATO has been involved include: Kosovo Intervention 1999, Afghanistan war, Iraq training Mission on August 2004, Gulf of Aden anti-piracy on August 2009 and Libyan Conflict 2011 (Peter, 2000). Libyan conflict started on 12 th and 13 th 2011 where violence broke out between protesters and the government under Colonel Muamar Gadaffi who came into power in 1969.The Libyan revolt quickly developed into an insurgency and then into civil war (Itamar, 2012). On 17 th March 2011, United Nations Security Resolution of 1973 was enacted, and it authorized a cease fire and military action to protect civilians. Consequently NATO forces enforced no fly-zone and enforced an arms embargo against Libya. A leader of a member country of NATO would consider the following before participating in the Libyan conflict. There are some risks involved, since it is vital for the leader to evaluate the risks that would affect his nation negatively before deciding to participate or not in the Libyan conflict. For example, loss of a significant relationship with other countries and the cost involved (Peter, 2000). Revenge is also a factor to be considered. Here, a nation would consider past damages caused by Libya against its interests. In addition, an evaluation would be carried out to determine the need of the revenge (Marco, 2009). Trade relations between Libya and the nation would also be a weighty factor to deliberate on before deciding whether or not to participate in the conflict. For example, if the country is dependent on Libyan products such as oil, hydrocarbon which is of high quality and extraction is easy and profitable the leader could decide to participate in the war to safeguard the imports and exports (Itamar, 2012). Another factor is the vulnerability to terrorism. The conflict would lead to a fallen state and terrorist would take advantage of the conflict to spread terrorism propaganda and recruit more people to join their group. This would in turn be a threat to the international peace (Itamar, 2012). The stability of the government is also a crucial factor. Here, a leader would consider the stability of government back home, for example, threats from opposition parties as it would be better to solve internal problems first (Peter, 2000). A leader is that person who inspires people to achieve a particular objective. A leader in addition must have a dream, obligation and energy to ensure that the dream is achieved. Leadership skills are tools, capabilities and conducts that a person requires to be successful in motivating and directing others (John, 2010). The following leadership skills would be significant and relevant for a leader while deciding on whether to join the Libyan conflict or not. Leaders need to communicate effectively and efficiently. Thus, a leader should communicate to other decision makers effectively in order to move them toward achieving the chosen goal (Terry, 2002). A leader must have a will to take the risk. The leader must be willing to take calculative risks since the decision to participate in the conflict is risky as the outcomes are uncertain (John, 2010). A leader should be a problem solver. It is crucial that a leader knows how to handle various problems since the decision to participate in the conflicts should be thought of carefully. Therefore, a leader should identify the problem tactfully, and in this case the problem is the Libyan conflict and makes the final decision on whether to participate in the conflict (John, 2010). Ability to achieve a tangible result is a must. To portray this, the leader must be committed to achieving results and have a drive to move toward achieving a common goal. This will ensure that the citizens agree with the decision made by their leader (Terry, 2002). A leader must have the capacity to motivate people to achieve the common goal. A leader therefore should motivate other decision makers in the government to come up with thoughts that would aid in deciding whether or not to participate in the Libya conflict (Terry, 2002). A leader should be a proven planner. Planning is very crucial as the interests of the country would be endangered in case of poor planning. Thus, a leader should come up with various achievable strategies that would keep everyone moving together toward achieving the common goal (John, 2010). In conclusion, a leader should consider various factors before participating in the Libya conflict and to do so, the leader must have the above leadership skills. This is important since a leader is a representation of the country’s interests. Therefore, uncalculated move would be a catastrophic. Reference List Itamar, R. (2012). The Lingering Conflict: Israel, the Arabs, and the Middle East 1948– 2012 . U.S.A: Brookings Institution Press. John, A. (2010). Develop your Leadership Skills . U.K: Kogan Page Publishers. Marco, R. (2009). The A to Z of NATO and Other International Security Organizations . U.S.A: Scarecrow Press. Peter, D. (2000). NATO: Its Past, Present, and Future . U.S.A: Hoover Press. Terry, G. (2002). Leadership Skills for Boosting Performance . U.K: CIPD Publishing. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
They are also known as chain stores, superstores, supercenters or megastores. A big box store is “a stand-alone building typically significantly larger in size than traditional stores and often uniform in appearance” (Big Box Stores 3). Thus, one can find similar big box stores in different locations. Generally, big box stores are categorized into two- general merchandise for example Wal-Mart and specialty stores that deal with specific goods like electronics for example Tesco. The establishment of big box stores in the community raises a debate and people have contrary opinions about these chain stores. Some favor them while others oppose their establishment. Big box stores have both merits and demerits to the economy. Big box stores are large and some of them are chains. This factor enables them to negotiate favorable prices with their suppliers hence they are able to sell their wares at very low prices. The stores benefit from the large volumes of goods they sell thus can afford to set low prices. The large stores that use technology for example optical scanners have a low cost in restocking hence they can pass this benefit to consumers. This is an advantage to the consumers because they can get goods at cheap prices (Villarreal 1). Consumers are also able to get all the goods they require under one roof hence convenience in shopping. This saves consumers time they would have used hopping from one store to another. The consumers not only enjoy this convenience but inexpensive products. The big box stores lead to increased sales volumes, which translates to big sale taxes to the local governments. The tax is used to fund local services hence improve the economy (Villarreal 1). Critics of big box stores say that they have a negative impact on the economy. This is because most of the big box stores lead to lower wages. A study done by Marlon Boarnet and Russell Crane on the impact of big box stores in California show that they will lead to lowering of the industrial wage and benefits (Big Box Stores 5). Furthermore, the study found out that the big box stores give less cover on health insurance and thus reduce health coverage for its employees. This means that the employees cannot enjoy the full benefits of health cover and can only receive low quality care. Big box stores undermine smaller businesses and often drive them out of business, as they are not able to compete with the stores’ extremely low prices. When such small businesses are pushed out of the market, people lose jobs and the local governments lose revenue. The stores destroy many jobs than they create and pay less thus “does less to stimulate the local economy” (Big Box Stores 5). Moreover, the big box stores such as Wal-Mart receive large tax subsidies and are able to skirt taxes due to tax loopholes (Mitchell xi). The stores are able to offer low prices and give low salaries to their employers giving them an undue advantage over small business. Lieber sums this point clearly,” where one of these giants is competing against a small business that is responsible to its workers and to the community, the giant will win every time” (1). Undoubtedly, big box stores have an impact on the economy. Both the critics and opponents of these stores raise fundamental points. The government should regulate the stores and come up with a policy that will eliminate the tax loopholes. Clearly, the stores influence the economy both negatively and positively and a middle ground should be sought to reduce the negative effect to keep enjoying the benefits that come with big box stores. Works Cited Big Box Stores. Jwj.org. 2004. Lieber, Sally. Wal-Mart’s welfare dependency. commondreams.org . 2003. Mitchell, Stacy. Big-box swindle: the true cost of mega-retailers and the fight for America’s independent businesses. Boston, Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 2007. Villarreal, Pamela. Thinking outside the Big Box. 2005. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
IKEA Expansion Strategies Descriptive Essay Table of Contents 1. Success of IKEA Strategies 2. Modification of IKEA Strategies 3. IKEA’s Current Strategy 4. Future Changes 5. Works Cited IKEA was established in 1943 by its founder, Ingvar Kampard when he was just 17 years old. During its early days, the company mainly supplied fish, Christmas magazines and a variety of farm seeds. In 1948, Kampard started to sell household furniture (Back 2). During this era, elegant furniture was expensive. Therefore, young individuals usually inherited old furniture from their relatives since it was expensive to buy new ones given their minimal salaries. As a result, Kampard focused on selling high quality furniture that meets the needs, desires, and expectations of his target market at an affordable price. This strategy proved to be effective in the business operations as IKEA increased its market share in Sweden. Due to the viability of the business, the firm expanded its operations in Western Europe, America, and Asia (Back 2). At the present moment, IKEA is the leading furniture retailer in the world. It has over 300 outlets in 35 countries in the world. However, to achieve all this success, the company’s operations have been based on basic plans and strategies that have ensured that its operations are sustainable and profitable in the short run and in the long run. IKEA’s operations are based on its basic principle that aims at producing high quality furniture at the lowest price possible (Back 3). With this strategy, IKEA has been able to stand at a competitive edge over rival firms in almost every market that it enters into the world. In the USA for example, IKEA faced stiff competition from companies such as Wal-Mart and Costco that had low quality that were sold at low prices. On the other hand, companies such as Ethan Allen that sold high quality products at a high price (Back 3). To stand at a competitive edge, IKEA sold high quality products that meet the needs and desires of its target market at a low price. This strategy enabled the company to maintain its loyal and satisfied customers hence increasing its market share as well as its profitability. Success of IKEA Strategies IKEA success was also determined through its market analysis strategies. The company had a clear understanding of its target market, its purchasing power, and its tastes and preferences. Throughout its operation, IKEA has always been targeting young individuals who are between their 20s and 30s. This target group has a taste of elegance. However, it lacks the purchasing power to achieve this dream. Therefore, to meet the needs of this target group, IKEA has an effective pricing strategy that ensures that the final product is priced at the lowest price possible. The company sources its products from the cheapest manufactures within and outside their target markets. In its early years, the products that were sold in the Swedish market were manufactured in Poland (Back 5). To reduce the operating costs in the US market, IKEA sourced its products from local suppliers to cut on transportation costs. This move ensures that the final product is not only sold at the lowest price possible but it is also of a superior quality, hence meeting the tastes and preferences of its target market. Modification of IKEA Strategies In the course of its operations, IKEA has modified its strategies to meet the requirements of its target market. For instance, IKEA’s location strategy has changed over time. All IKEA stores are located outside the city enhancing the shopping experience of customers. At the same time, the stores have been divided into different sections with each section containing a range of goods that can meet the specific needs of different customers. With the home assembly strategy, customers can easily carry their products and assemble them at the comfort of their homes. Most importantly, the stores are run by highly qualified, skilled, and dedicated individuals (Back 4). It has been the tradition of IKEA to employ young individuals who have the passion of the company rather than experienced individuals from other firms. Through extra-role performance and high quality service delivery, IKEA employees always meet the needs and desires of their customer. As a result, the customers are always satisfied with IKEA products, as well as the services they receive from the company. This has increased the global success that the company is enjoying. IKEA’s Current Strategy The operations of IKEA are based on the transnational strategy (Hill 402). To ensure that its operations are sustainable and profitable in the long run, IKEA has come up with strategies modified its store layout, store location and product line to suit the local market while entering the Chinese market (Back 3). In the process, the firm has greatly reduced its production hence selling its products at lower prices as compared to its competitors. This move was successful and by 2008, IKEA had 4 stores in China alone. Given the current market conditions, this strategy is effective since it has greatly increased the number of units sold hence increasing its global market share as well as its profitability. Future Changes All businesses operate in a dynamic environment. Therefore, IKEA will have to modify its operations to keep up with market trends. For instance, the firm needs to enhance the application of internet technology to enhance its internal and external operations. IT will enable the firm to monitor its inventory and staff in an effective and effective and efficient manner. IT will also increase its profitability through online sales. With the help of social media, the firm can enhance its relationship with its customers hence having a better understanding of their tastes and preferences. Through research and development, the firm can come up with better products, effective marketing and pricing mechanisms and better management systems. Works Cited Back, Alison. IKEA: Furniture Retailer to the World. PDF file. Web. Hill, Charles. Global Business Today. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Problem 2. Dimension of the problem 3. Evaluating evidence 4. Type of evidence 5. Data representation 6. Data interpolation 7. Conclusion 8. References The Problem The world is undergoing massive globalisation that has been favoured by scientific inventions and inventions of efficient communication and transport networks. One of the strongest pillars of globalisation is international trade and international collaboration in making global decisions on various issues like the environment, governance and human rights. Globalisation can be categorised into economic and political globalisation; this paper discusses the differences between economic and political globalisation. Dimension of the problem Different countries have different resources; they thus can produce some item more cheaply than their counterpart’s countries; trade among countries is facilitated by the differences in resource distribution making a certain region have the advantage of producing some commodities than other. The advantaged country then decides to export those products that it can produce cheaply and efficiently and import those that it cannot. To have such an operation mechanism, governments of the trading countries must be involved to have policies and control mechanisms, the issue of political globalisations then comes into the picture. Evaluating evidence Economic globalization is the term used to refer to interdependence of different countries through their trading: world countries have different potentials so when some commodities have been produced in one country (the country with comparative or absolute advantage), then they get access to international markets facilitating trade. The uneven distribution of natural and human resources is the major source of forces of trade, some countries can produce a certain commodity that is required in another country and export the commodity: in return the exporting country get what it cannot produce effectively. International trade supports economic globalisation and regional or international agreements to perform certain duties in a way prescribed by the abiding parties. International trade is controlled by international trade policies or through regional government policies; it generally involves the importation and exportation of goods and services. with economic globalisation, people are able to produce more commodities since there is ready market for their produce. It can be in the form of an F.T.A. (Free Trade Agreement), whereby there is no restrictions to trade or W.T.O. (World Trade Organization) where trade is regulated by an internationally body. The main agenda by international trade regulating bodies is to ensure that there is fair trade among countries and where possible to have free trade among them. Economic globalisation has resulted to a number of benefits to the countries engaging in the trade, they are able to maximize their available resources since there is ready market; when there is a competitive market, people tend to look for better ways of utilizing the available resources thus they utilize the resource better. Population of a country stands to benefit since when there is trade, they can get the much needed commodities for their consumption; this increases the solvenity of consumers. The major short coming of economic integration is that come countries will be left as net importers thus their economic growth will be hampered. International trade operated under the rule of comparative and absolute trade, some countries may not have this advantage and if it is there, then they lack the expertise to exploit them. Such countries economic situation deteriorates as more trade continues (Schulte, 2000). Political globalisation involves itself with the integration of governing policies and ensuring that some legislation that cut across the board for member countries. The model of globalisation takes the form of regional nations or they may involve international nations. From a political point of view, globalisation is seen as an understanding among countries for their own benefit or for the benefit of the world in general. There are some incidences of political globalisation and integration. For, instance the role played by the European Union (EU), can be interpolated t have elements of political globalisation, this is so because the integration of the nation members makes it that when one country is making a decision, it has to interpolate and consider the implication that the decision it will make will have on other countries. it will aim to make that decision that will be considered ethical. An ethical decision is the decision that will cause no harm to the majority of the people. International agreements are other forms of political globalisation; countries are held accountable for such legislations for example the Kyoto protocol was supposed to instil discipline in member countries so that they will not pollute the environment. Type of evidence The writer analysis the trend in the world, and how relations among countries are developing, he does not stay blind to emerging needs among societies and countries that governments and international bodies are looking and concerned. It thus has a historical, statistical and abstract touch. Data representation The writer presented the two topics in a straightforward manner; in either the topics, he started by expounding and explaining what the terms given are meant to imply then develops the chapter in a manner that connects the current position in the world with the topics under discussion. Data interpolation The data can be interpolated in different ways since human beings understands things from different angles, however what is coming out is a clear difference between economic and political globalisation (Manfred, 2003). Conclusion International trade and scientific innovation are strong pillars of globalisation: economic globalisation is concerned about trade among countries while political globalisation is about binding policies to control trade and movement of factors of production across borders. References Manfred, B.(2003). Globalization: a very short introduction . Oxford: Oxford University Press. Schulte, J. A. (2000). Globalization: a critical introduction . New York: Palgrave Macmillan. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Promoting Women Leadership in Upper Management Presentation Survey Results * Coming soon…. + graph and percentages from survey we sent out to men and women working in Aramco and around the Kingdom. Powerful Quotes from Survey Barriers * Lack of Opportunities for Women. * Physical Segregation at Work. * Pressures from Society to be Home-Makers/Mothers. * Some People not Comfortable with Women in the Workplace. Lack of Opportunities for Women * Current 2030 Kingdom Vision: + To increase women’s participation to the workforce from 22% to 30%. * Amended Vision: + To increase women’s participation to the workforce from 22% to 30% (and out of that 30% at least 10% are supervisors or in upper management positions). How are we going to make this happen? Early Leadership Awareness for Children * Leadership Courses Embedded in the Curriculum; * Virtual Reality Simulations: + Effective Communication; + Problem Solving; * Mentor Programs (Women with Leadership Roles); * Guest Speakers: + Female Petroleum Engineers; + Scientists; * Electives/After School Programs: + Women Empowerment; + Debate; + Small Businesses. Higher Education Opportunities for Females * Universities Built in Kingdom. * Options for Master’s Degree/PHD courses. * Entrepreneurship Programs. * Virtual Schools. More Variety for Women in Fields/Education Common Jobs: * Engineers: + Mechanical; + Electrical; + Petroleum; * Army: + Field Psychologist; + Emergency Responder; + Nursing Officer; * NASA: + IT Specialist; + Robotics Control Engineer; + Scientists; * Aviation: + Aircraft Maintenance Technician; + Customer Support Engineer; + Safety Officer. Small Businesses * International Partnerships. * Government Bids. * Easier Access to Funding. It is crucial to provide equal opportunities for work to women in all possible types of work. Currently, women around the world are working as engineers, aviation specialists, NASA scientists, and even serve in the army. Our country could benefit greatly by providing similar opportunities to women in the petroleum industry, medical fields, as well as research and development. Some of the most impressive projects created by humanity relied on the female workforce, and there is no reason to prevent them from working in positions that were traditionally filled by men. Through proper education and hard work, any person can be a valuable worker. Another avenue that women should be supported in is small business creation. The process of government bidding and funding should become easier through simplification of laws and regulations. International collaboration should also be encouraged. Accountability How will companies and organizations be held accountable for reaching and upholding the 2030 Vision? * Audits Conducted. * Observations. * Growth Plans. * Penalties. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
The Book of Job in the Old Testament Essay The Book of Job is a poetic book included in the Old Testament. As its authors are not specified, the date of writing is not clear as well. It describes Job, a prosperous man who has wealth and a lot of children. However, Job is an obedient and generous man; he feels contempt to inequity, heathenry, and lie. Nevertheless, when Satan comes to God and asks his permission to test the Job’s loyalty and faith, God agrees, and the devil takes away Job’s wealth, children, and health. When Job’s friends, Eliphaz, Zophar, and Bildad, come, they persuade Job to repent his errors as God punishes only sinners and helps righteous people. Despite the friends’ suasions, Job refuses to repent or curse God as he does not view himself as a person who perpetrated outrages. Although he immeasurably suffers, he continues to believe in God’s just. The fourth friend, Elihu, suggests that God knows better about everything, and Job should stay devoted and trust His actions. At the end of the Book, God explains to Job that every creature in the world has its mission, only He knows the reason of all events, and people should unquestionably trust their God as loyalty is above all (Fox 2018, 7). For his loyalty, Job was awarded health, more children, wealth, and long life. The Book of Job teaches religious people that the devil cannot destroy anyone physically or financially without God’s permission. It also demonstrates that people cannot see, understand, or explain why people suffer all over the world (Rosner 2015, 285). However, their struggling is not only the result of sins, as there are a substantial number of righteous people who currently experience substantial issues. The Book of Job destroys the traditional logical orthodox theory that explains suffering by people’s sins. Sufferings are frequently essential as they help to learn, strengthen and purify the soul. In any circumstances of life, people should stay devoted to God, pray, and believe in His sovereignty. The Book reminds its readers that they should trust the Lord even when they do not understand the reasons for events as He is perfect. From a personal perspective, Job was treated fairly by God. Despite all Satan’s accusations that Job’s godliness is non-genuine and egoistic, the man proved that his faith, devotion, trust, and love to God do not depend on his Lord’s presents in his life, such as family, wealth, and health. Job’s test was painful, however, the godly sufferer passed it honorably and was fairly rewarded by just God. It goes without saying that the Lord should be fair, and He is fair regardless of the people’s understanding. The world presents the interrelatedness of people, all living creatures, and events. While individuals cannot apprehend the reasons for proceedings, especially tragic events, such as catastrophes, natural disasters, or terrorist acts that cause the deaths of innocent people, God knows that all people have their mission. The world is too huge for the understanding of one person, a group of people, or all mankind. What people should do is to trust in the Lord’s wisdom and love to them. Personally, I was substantively impressed by the Book of Job when I read it as an adult. Frankly speaking, I frequently do not understand why people, especially children, die in airplane crashes as I do not believe they all are sinners. Fortunately, the Book gave me answers on certain questions and taught me to accept current developments with humility. Reference List Fox, Michael V. 2018. “ The Meanings of the Book of Job . ” Journal of Biblical Literature 137(1): 7-18. Web. Rosner, David J. 2015. “ Self-Deception and Cosmic Disorder in the Book of Job. ” Cosmos and History: The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy 11(1): 285-298. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. Content Summary 3. Discussion 4. Conclusion 5. Work cited Introduction Impoverished children never imagine a world of possibilities, but a journey full of struggle, which at any given moment starvation, the rage of alcoholic parents, and threats of misfortunes may take them away before they make it to their destinations (Miranda, pp. 192-193). This is the kind of environment Douglas Wallace was brought up in, among six siblings who also grew into adulthood under the threat of poverty. In his book, “Everything Will Be All Right”, he explains how he used to live in a family where they stayed in abandoned homes, but now he is the manager of a very prosperous law firm. His book brings out the dual face of the world dream that is very bright and dark. It’s a nonfiction book. Content Summary Douglas Wallace’s story is a breathtaking one. He grew up in a poor family where he and his siblings merely survived their childhood because; they used to struggle for food. His father became an alcoholic, terrorized their mother, and refused to feed his family. This can be seen when one day, Wallace brings home a dog he affectionately likes, only to be pitched over a bridge forty feet above a river by his father. When the dog finds its way back, he throws it in the trunk and Wallace never got to see it again. Douglas brings out the portrait of a child who is determined to get free from the poverty circle that has affected his family for a long period, from his experience; Wallace learns to use every circumstance to achieve his dream. The book encourages readers to overcome any stumbling block through the relentless drive. Discussion Wallace’s book is memorable and interesting; it brings out the picture of a child who uses his misfortunes as a stepping stone to acquire prosperity and success in his life. The author’s opinion is that he empowers readers to overcome any situation they may encounter in their journey to achieve their dreams. I agree with him because it is a positive influence on most of us who are undergoing such misfortune. Poverty being the major problem in the world, everyone is encouraged to focus and be determined to change the situation for a better future. Douglas Wallace’s book raises issues on alcoholism, domestic violence, and poverty as the main problem. The book” Everything Will Be All Right” shows the possibility that poverty can be eliminated if people are determined to work hard towards achieving their goals. It empowers the readers never to give up. Just like Wallace, when the situation became hard he clanged to the smallest hope he had and as his book title suggests, he made it as the head of the law firm. The book did not bring out the major causes of poverty, compared to progress and poverty written by (George, pp. 25-30) he explained why poverty existed notwithstanding the technological advances. The more improved the public services, the high the rent and hence the lowering of the amount left over for labor and finally collapse of enterprises leading to unemployment. George argued that to reduce the causes of poverty, a single tax on land values should be given to landowners as an incentive to use the land productively, leading to the creation of labor, creating wealth and thus raise the general level of wages and ensuring that no one suffers involuntary poverty. I support the opinion of the author since through this, poverty can be reduced or eliminated “ Everything will be all right “by Douglas Wallace, has affected me positively in that am totally empowered to work hard, be determined, and always have faith in all situations to achieve my dreams. Conclusion “Everything Will Be All Right” is a kind of book that portrays the life of a child who sticks to the smallest hope in the world and sees hope being rewarded through his hard work, perseverance, and faith. Douglas Wallace grew up in a poor family. But today, he is the manager of a law firm. Therefore, my advice to the potential readers is that they should maintain a positive attitude, explore their dreams, have a good role model, and never give up in life. Work cited 1. George, Henry. Does the Henry George Theorem provide a practical guide to Optimal city size? The American Journal of Economics and Sociology 16 (1876): 25-27. 2. Miranda, Paul. “On book reviewing”. Journal of Educational Thought 30 (1996) : 191 – 202. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Intervention of Western countries Essay The foremost idea that is being promoted throughout the course of Michael Walzer’s article The Case against Our Attack on Libya , is that, contrary to the assumption that it is specifically the protection of human rights and freedoms that represented the involved Western countries’ main agenda in Libya, this having not been the actual case. According to the author, it was not only that the Western support of these rebels did not help to prevent the humanitarian catastrophe in the region, but it in fact created objective preconditions for this catastrophe to assume dramatic proportions. Hence, Walzer’s suggestion that there is absolutely no rationale to believe that anything positive may ever come out of the military attack against Qaddafi forces. Kenneth Roth’s article Was the Iraq War a Humanitarian Intervention? does resonate with the one, mentioned earlier. In it, the author went about justifying his suggestion that, even though American governmental officials used to justify the America’s invasion of Iraq, as such that was concerned with achieving purely humanitarian objectives, it did not result in lessening the extent of the ordinary Iraqi citizens’ vulnerability to the violations of their human rights. In its turn, this provided Roth with the justification to conclude his article by suggesting that the U.S. invasion of Iraq could be referred to as anything, but the ‘humanitarian operation’. Mahmood Mamdani’s article Responsibility to Protect or Right to Punish? can be well defined as another analytical piece, meant to expose the fallaciousness of the assumption that the pretext of ‘human rights protection’ justifies the violation of the independent countries’ national sovereignty. After all, as it was pointed out by the author, the idea that the protection of ‘human rights’ should account for the international law’s cornerstone, contradicts this law’s classical provisions, which are absolutely clear about the fact that there can be no good enough excuse for any third-parties to meddle in the internal affairs of independent countries. The Part 1 of the Gareth Evans’s book The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All is concerned with the discussion of how the concept of R2P (Responsibility to Protect) came into being. Throughout this particular part of his book, the author also provides readers with an insight, as to what he considers the major challenges, faced by the members of the international community, on the way of eliminating the possibility for the state-sponsored genocidal atrocities to take place in the future. As it appears from the book’s Part 1, it is specifically the fact that R2P is being inconsistent with the provisions of the 1648 Peace of Westphalia (which even today remains the foundation of an international law) that undermines the effectiveness of internationally enacted atrocity-prevention policies. There can be only a few doubts, as to the fact that the earlier mentioned articles (book excerpt) do contain a number of discursively valid ideas, as to what should be considered the de facto implications of the R2P’s practical deployment. At the same time, however, there are also a number of weaknesses to these articles (book excerpt). The foremost of them is the fact that; whereas the authors discuss the concept of human rights, in general, and R2P, in particular, from the Constructivist perspective, it would make much more sense doing it from the Realist one. The reason for this is apparent – as of today, it became clear to just about everybody that the true purpose that the ideologeme of ‘protection of human rights’ actually serves, is ensuring Western countries’ undisputed geopolitical dominance in the world, and allowing them to exercise a unilateral control over the world’s natural resources. Works Cited Evans, Gareth. The Responsibility to Protect: Ending Mass Atrocity Crimes Once and for All . Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2009. Print. Mamdani, Mahmood. “Responsibility to Protect or Right to Punish?” Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding 4.1 (2010): 53-67. Print. Roth, Kenneth. “Was the Iraq War a Humanitarian Intervention?” Journal of Military Ethics 5.2 (2006): 84-92. Print. Walzer, Michael. The Case against Our Attack on Libya . Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Introduction 2. When supply decreases, prices increase 3. Short-run companies stay while long-run companies leave 4. Looking for substitute goods 5. Conclusion 6. Works Cited Introduction Companies are said to be in business if they can maintain the supply of the preferred commodities and maintain the price levels of those commodities. When the supply of a certain commodity decreases, there is always an increase in price. Those companies that rely on such a commodity wholly are in a risk of collapsing if they are not in a position to substitute the commodity with another, which the customers would find satisfaction. When supply decreases, prices increase The supply of the Gulf Coast oysters has been on the decrease owing to the fact that the prolonged swath of toxic algae has delayed the harvesting season. As the oysters feed on the toxic algae, they also become toxic to the humans who may consume it since they may cause some stomach distress and nausea. This means that the restaurants would need to desist from selling them and rely on the limited supply of edible oysters to serve their customers. As the supply decreases, there is always a tendency of the price to rise in order to balance the two – price and supply (Vienneau 616). If the price were to remain the same, the people would quickly buy off all the oysters and deplete all the supplies. This mechanism is meant to regulate the buying rate of the rare commodity so that it can still be in the market. With the increase in price, the restaurants would be able to maintain their profits levels even with the low supply of the oysters. Short-run companies stay while long-run companies leave In such a situation where the supply of a commodity is cut down, the effects that it would have on companies would be varied depending on the nature of the company. For example, the long-run companies that rely wholly on that commodity for its business would need to close down due to the lack of an alternative commodity to sell or having no other options in terms of supply. However, the short-term companies may be able to maintain a steady supply by venturing into other areas to get the supplies. Another option would be to get an alternative good to supply and satisfy their customers. This way the company would be able to maintain the customer base and survive the term of shortage. Looking for substitute goods During a time of shortage of such an important commodity in the market, other companies may be forced to introduce a new commodity into the market in order to remain in business. This new commodities may not be as appealing to the customers as the previous commodity but the customers may accept it due to the relative satisfaction obtained from it. The commodity might be made more appealing by reducing the buying price. This would make it affordable to the customers and may serve as a substitute for the time being. In the case of the companies reported in the newspaper, they could try to substitute oysters for some other commodities such as the shrimp, crabs and fish. These commodities were unaffected by the toxic algae since the toxins were not accumulated in the edible portions of the animals. This way, the customers would be able to enjoy the diet and the company would maintain its profits levels. Conclusion Business is all about making profits and this requires the company to maintain its customer base. The company can only do this by maintaining its quality of products or to maintain the supply of the commodity that is most preferred by the customers. When this does not happen, there is likelihood to lose the customers and therefore, the company needs to look for alternative goods to maintain the customers’ satisfaction levels. Works Cited Vienneau, Robert. “On labour demand and Equilibria of the firm.” Manchester School 73.5 (2005): 612-619. Print. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
White Collar Crimes From a Marxist Criminological Perspective Essay Marxist criminologists are quite direct in opinions about the contemporary state of capitalistic development of relationships. To date, the situations with white-collar crimes are more significant for society. In the world of huge capital investments, the point on justice is almost trite. In fact, with the emergence of private property people began struggling for having more material amenities. It is supposed with the main idea of the Marxists theory that follows: the well-being of one individual promotes a conflict for the others. As a result, white-collar crimes are seen to be a part of a social process that is shaped by whether the society will thrive or not. Marxists look at such features in justice quite straightforwardly. Marxist criminologists interpret it in the following way: “…the crimes of the upper class exert a greater economic toll on society than the crimes of the ‘ordinary people’” (Traditional Marxist Perspective on Crime 2). Thus, such top crimes done in the sphere of financial affairs highly damage the economical reality within the society. This idea goes without saying as Marxist theory is, in fact, is anti-capitalist one. It blames the bourgeois way of relationships provision among different strata of the society. Hence, the main reflection of Marxist criminologists against corporate and white-collar crimes is that the richest people are the driving power of society. Their position is too influential, even on the body of justice. They will always be in favor until they have enough money and power at hand. The issue of more lenient charges as provided for white-collar offenders is rather debatable among Marxist criminologists. It is a result of a capitalistic machine that provides more amenities and more freedom to those of more possession thereof (Schmalleger 45). In other words, capitalistic reality grounds its pivots on those who provide direct movement of the financial system. Logically, it is easier to punish someone for burglary, for such a person is less preserved in society. It is a light crime, moreover. However, tycoons and other possible white-collar offenders do harm to many people working day and night within the country. They provide stagnation or even full delay for economic growth and social prosperity. Marxists also consider such paradoxical occurrence to be due to the fact that laws are the result of productive work on the part of the state power (Traditional Marxist Perspective on Crime 2). In turn, state power usually represents the interests of the ruling classes of the society. Hence, it is clear that white-collar offenders are charged leniently in most cases. The trials related to corporate crimes become more complicated once the chain line touches in an ascending way upon respectable figures in the society step by step. Higher social status provides an obstacle for a more detailed investigation of a crime. Thus, the stop appears at the point of anticipation to accuse less extent of charge making it more lenient despite particular casualty reflected due to the crime. It is well observed in the example of Enron Corp. bankruptcy. To facilitate the problem of less attention to corporate crimes, it is vital to take a glance at the theoretical implications according to the issue. In this respect several perspectives should be promoted on the part of the government: * Corruption decrease; * Giving commission on corporate crimes more authority; * Provision of governmental verification once a quarter. Works cited Schmalleger, Frank . Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. Ed. 5, New York, NY: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. Traditional Marxist Perspectives on Crime. P. Convington, 1997. Web. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Ethical assessment of continuing to use the selection measure 2. Legal assessment of continuing to use the selection measure 3. Explaining the position on using the selection measure 4. References Ethical assessment of continuing to use the selection measure The ethical implication of a selection method determines the validity of the selection process. A selection measure that has a high criterion-related validity gives an organization a strong ground to recruit employees based on job performance. This method of employee selection measure gives a strong job performance measure but it does not establish any connection with the content of the job. Job performance measures include; determination, hard working, dedicated to the work and dutiful (Gottredson, 2006). However, these qualities of an employee do not clearly indicate the contents of a job specification. Job performance during selection is an important prediction about the performance of an individual in the actual job. The ethical concern of using this measure is that it leads to adverse impacts and troubles for the organization if it is used continuously. For example, it is possible for this selection measure to contain strong supervisory ratings on performance that is not inclined to the performance of the job (Gottredson, 2006). Therefore, this selection measure ignores the ethical issue of job performance and focus more on empirical ratings that do not add value to the job performance. Legal assessment of continuing to use the selection measure Selection measures adopted by an organization have legal implications if the criterion does not meet the requirements. A high criterion-rated selection method allows for the selection employees based on performance. Here, the organization is focused on employing a high quality workforce. This ignores the diverse nature of employees and adverse impacts of the selection. For example, in a fire fighting job, the job specification requires a strong physical body to be hired. Therefore, using this selection method only the male will be hired over possible women. This leads to an adverse impact because a section of the population is ignored. As such, a legal battle will erupt. Since the high criterion-rated selection has adverse impacts, then the process has a legal bearing to ensure that it can prove itself (Heneman & Judge, 2009). The law is clear on organizations that use selection criteria that lead to isolation of the protected population. In this case, the organization is forced to show validity evidence that only men are required to be selected for the job than women. Failure to present the validity evidence then the organization will face legal challenges about its decision. The legal implications will force the organization to stop its functions. The boss should mitigate the adverse impacts of using high criterion-rated selection to avoid any possible legal challenge. Explaining the position on using the selection measure The most important criteria used to select employees should be tested using validity evidence. Validity is an anticipation of how best the selection method offers accurate information regarding the actual performance of the employee in the future. My advice to the boss would be to test the validity evidence of using high criterion-rated selection. Currently, I will demonstrate to the boss that this selection method does not show the validity of job performance. As such, the boss will understand that an assessment that does not accurately identify the best job seeker to be employed should not be used (Brannick, 2002). Additionally, although high validity can be used as a prediction for future performance, other validity scores are also important when combined. My position to the boss will be to combine an assessment criterion that measures different areas of competence to give an average validity that is more accurate (Brannick, 2002). References Brannick, M. (2002). Job analysis. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publication. Gottredson, L. (2006). Societal consequences of the g factor in employment . Journal of Vocational Behavior, 29(1), 379-410. Heneman, H., & Judge, T. (2009). Staffing organizations . Middleton, WI: McGraw-Hill Press. | human | 0 | 0 | 0 | human |
Subsets and Splits