Applied Ethics and Social Responsibility Essay

1) Why do you think Starbucks has been so concerned with social responsibility in its overall corporate strategy? â€Å"I think that Starbucks has been concerned with social responsibility in its overall corporate strategy because in the long run it affects the bottom line. By being socially responsible, the business is also showing that they care about more than their profits. Caring about more than just profits allows for greater employee commitment, investor loyalty, as well as higher customer satisfaction. Research has also shown that social responsibility and good business ethics contributes to higher profits. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013)† 2) Is Starbucks unique in being able to provide a high level of benefits to its employees? â€Å"No, Starbucks is not unique in being able to provide a high level of benefits to its employees. Business ethics has become more important in the business world and it has been found that if a company is dedicated to taking care of its employees, the more dedicated the employees will be. If an employee sees that the company is acting and treats them in an ethical manner, the employee is more likely to act in an ethical manner. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013)† 3) Do you think that Starbucks has grown rapidly because of its ethical and socially responsible activities or because it provides products and an environment that customers want? â€Å"I think that Starbucks has grown rapidly because it has combined a product and environment that people want with great business ethics and social responsibility. This combination has allowed the company to expand exponentially during a good economy and maintain in a bad economy. By being socially responsible and treating their employee’s right, the company has less of a turnover rate and in the long run has been able to avoid large layoffs and shutting down a large amount of stores. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013)† 4) In what other ways does this case relate to the concepts that we have learned in the chapters so far? â€Å"This first chapter has shown that ethics is a big part of business. It can basically make or break a company. In the case of Starbucks, it has made them. They have based their business around social responsibility and ethics and have been able to maintain in an economy that has tanked because they treat their employees and customers right. According to our textbook, being ethical pays off with better employee performance, and higher employee honesty and integrity. (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2013)† Bibliography Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2013). The Importance of Business Ethics. In O. C. Ferrell, J. Fraedrich, & L. Ferrell, Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases (pp. 17-22). Mason: South-Westen.

Are Zoos Cruel or Educational Essay

Zoos are cruel because of recent incidents that have happened creating the deaths and injuries of some animals. In the 2005 DreamWorks move, Madagascar, a group of zoo animals wanted to leave the zoo for a day to explore New York little did they know there one day escape turned into an adventure greater than they could have every imagine. While exploring New York they were accidentally shipped to the island of Madagascar. Though they were among other animals that look like them, the four friends found themselves totally out sync with the real world. Living in the zoo sheltered them from their ability to live in their natural habitat. Although zoos are educational, animals are held in captivity unable to live and thrive in their natural habitat. Zoo keepers, scientist and animal groups continue to debate the issue with zoos being either place of education and entertainment or unnecessary prisons. While some people argue that zoos play an important role in conservation and research, others counter that they do more harm than good. Zoos have been entertaining people with exotic animal collections since 1250 BC with Egyptian records describing different species of animals in captivity behind bars (Nationalgeographic. com). The Imperial Menagerie in Vienna, Austria was the first modern zoo established in 1752. There are thousands of zoos around the world today. Overtime, zoos have improved the environment for zoo animals from steel bar enclosures and cold cement cages to illusions mimicking the animals’ natural habitat with moats and ditches that separate the animals from people who visit the zoo. Zoos are going beyond keeping animals alive in captivity. They have become more involved in conserving wild animals, reintroducing endangered species, and restoring habitats (Nationalgeographic. com). So why do scientist and animal groups believe that zoos are far from entertaining and educational? While conditions have improved for zoos by creating a natural habitat for animals critics continue to argue that the spacing available is not enough. Animals like zebras, giraffes and gazelles were designed to run across miles of open terrain, not live out their lives in captivity. Despite a zoo’s best efforts, its animals often are deprived of privacy, confined to inadequate spaces and unable to engage in natural hunting and mating activities. Forced to live in man-made constructs, many animals began to display obsessive, repetitive behaviors (Fact Sheet on Zoos). David Hancocks, a zoo consultant and former zoo director, describes the natural-looking zoo inhabit as mere illusions, arguing that they’re not much of an improvement in terms of space (www. time. com). Many captive animals exhibit signs of severe distress: People have witnessed elephants bobbing their heads, bears pacing back and forth and wild cats obsessively grooming themselves (www. time. com). This display of behavior has caused some animals to act out either among themselves or humans. SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed on February 24, 2010 after being attacked by the killer whale â€Å"Tilikum† at Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Florida during a live performance. The whale dragged her underwater, toying with her until her death. Brancheau was described as one of the best in her profession. So what went wrong? Until behavior records are closely examined as to what led the whale to kill the trainer the question remains (www. time. com). In December 2007, â€Å"Tatiana, a 4-year-old Siberian tiger, escaped from its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo and killed one teen and injured two others on Christmas afternoon† (Chua-Eoan). There have been many articles about zoos keepers neglecting animals and displaying other acts of mistreatment. The most recent article comes from a zoo director being charged with animal cruelty. Meghan Mogensen, 27 year old zoo director allegedly drowned a wounded wallaby in a bucket of water after suffering from an eye injury in his pen at the zoo (Daily News). In conclusion, although zoos have created natural-looking environments for animals, in my opinion, I believe it is cruel to house animals in captivity. The incidents mentioned above is proof to why animals need to be able to hunt and roam in the wild which cannot be created by a zoo. There is no reason why innocent lives are continually lost for the sake of research, education, or entrainment. So what is your opinion on zoos?

Business and Society Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business and Society - Case Study Example From this study it is clear that Warhead cables were used in missiles and to prove its quality, it underwent a series of tests. It was tested using an elevated heat test where it was bent at a ninety degree angle and placed in an oven at approximately 105 degrees for seven hours. If the seal did not delaminate, then the cables passed the test. Then Stanton could prepare a detailed report of the test results. In the previous week, a large order came by with a short time period.   On Friday, Stanton tested the batch of cables and two out of the ten tested had a problem. He immediately reported this to Harry who directed him to wait and see if the source inspector could note the problem. Stanton did not like this directive at all as he thought of all innocent civilians out there who would suffer form this unethical behavior. These cables were used in missiles fuses and Stanton was worried sick of a problem arising if these cables were to be used. What if a missile was to fire itself a nd harm innocent civilians? He thought of anyone in the parent corporation that he could contact but to no avail.According to the discussion  Bryson corporation should act ethically due to the dangers they would be exposing civilians into if they failed to act ethically. Considering the warhead cables are used to manufacture switches used in missiles unethical behavior could cost innocent lives in the case of such missiles firing themselves.

Maritime piracy along Malacca straits 800-1830 Research Paper

Maritime piracy along Malacca straits 800-1830 - Research Paper Example Privateering under the Dutch was initially started in the 1600s as a weapon of war in the Malay Peninsula against the Iberian army which was perceived to be threatening the Dutch’s strategic frontlines and may potentially cripple the Dutch’s trade in the region. Privateering was considered legitimate according to the laws of war at that time since privateers operate with company licenses or a letter from a marque stating privateers can only attack and seize enemy ships. This paper investigates how the Dutch, other European countries and native Sultans employed privateering as a legitimate operation in war. Therefore, privateering activities along the Malay Peninsula in the 19th century, was instrumental in the development of piracy activities, mainly motivated by trade activities between the Europe and the Asian, and which were responsible for promoting piracy activities along he Malay Peninsula. This paper also investigates the effects of piracy activities on both the Europeans and natives, and how both parties viewed such piracy activities which are often in contrary to each other, resulting in tensions between them. Privateering is a concept closely linked to just war, and was designed to work from a legal perspective in the high seas.4 Since the 17th century, Europeans had made their way in the Malaysian Peninsula and developed sets of rules that explained how, and under which conditions such privateering activities were to be carried out; the Dutch were the main European powers behind privateering. To ensure adherence to legal limits, privateers had only to operate under a letter of marque and reprisal, which was only issued if such groups showed evidence of loss suffered as a result of their enemies.5 These groups were therefore allowed to seize such enemy vessels along the peninsula, and covert such goods as a ransom for

Gap analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Gap analysis - Essay Example They always insist on relevant case studies and reality in the job market. Through their examples and case studies, I have been able to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and plan adequately on how to improve my capabilities. They pose different challenges like giving me assignments to solve different situations. This also includes different research studies in order to come up with different conclusions and answers to challenges that most organizations and companies are experiencing in the global market. I also intend to participate in other activities that will prepare me for the preferred field. Firstly, I plan to attend career fairs that are occasionally organized by our department through the university. Further, all movements under my department also organize different career fairs depending on the needs of the students. They also organize exchange programs for students from different universities who normally come together and discuss different issues that are in line of their course and their expectations in the job market. Through these avenues, I will be able to acquire the relevant knowledge and skills that are required in the job market. These opportunities will provide an avenue for exposure to the reality of the job market. Additionally, it will provide an avenue to network and interact with other students from different institutions and share our thoughts altogether. In the profession fairs, I expect to meet leaders of diverse companies. In my situation, the school normally invites most of the renowned global companies like the Unilever and the Coca Cola companies. Mostly, I will be involved I these activities during my last two years in the university. This will be the best time since I will be partly done with most of my course work and ready to join the world. Through the different networking opportunities during the career fairs and exchange programs,

Organisational Change Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 18

Organisational Change Management - Essay Example The Suffolk County Council has not been changed since its inception time and continued to operate in more or less same manner since then. After recruiting as the new CEO of the SCC, Andrea Hill proposed for certain organizational changes which will lead it to a better horizon in the near future. The underline problem of SCC is the huge gap between its actual cost and the yearly turnover. According to Andrea Hill, the organization would not bring extra capital to invest in balancing the gap, but the cost of the service they produce would be out of the hand much sooner. To stand at the safe point, the organization can go for a huge redundancy program, but it would not be enough to pull up the profit figure in the comfort zone. The key issue that the organization is facing now is the wider old system implied through all the organization’s structure. For this reason, the day to day expenses is rising at the same pace too. Moreover, they have numerous service verticals which they p rovide their consumers. Merging or removing any service verticals would harm the organization’s image to the consumers. So, in this context Hill suggests to curb down the demand for their services in two ways that is – stating the root cause of the local and social problem a change for which will be implemented overall and would be acceptable for a longer period of time. On the other hand, building communities by gathering sufficient capital from the people also would help the organization to pull down the costs.

End of term Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

End of term - Essay Example Looking back, the most important learning outcome that I have achieved is my ability to present ideas clearly in an organized manner with a logical flow. I have understood how to integrate facts and figures into my arguments to validate them. Thus, the skills I developed during the course will help me in constructing arguments cohesively and presenting them before my audience. My discussions with peers during collaborated tasks have facilitated the opportunity to understand how perspectives on an issue can differ and helped me develop analytical skills while evaluating a particular situation. These have further enabled me to listen to others with a view to examine the different aspects of an issue to obtain insight on the entire scope of an issue rather than viewing it from a linear point of view. I feel that currently the authorities are framing Environmental Policies, without much consideration about the future legal complications that may arise out of them. Such policies, in my opinion, need to also consider future impacts of a certain policy and how these will affect stakeholders involved. By doing this, we can obviate the possibilities of complications at later stages and thus nullify the need for frequent amendments, which entail wastage of time and resources. The knowledge I gained from this course will help me argue my case with logic and coherence, in well structured and organized manner. At this point, I do not have any specific questions or concerns regarding what we have covered in the course. However, it will be my endeavor to keep improving my skills by taking cue from what I have learned so far in this

Human Health and Environment Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Human Health and Environment - Assignment Example & Wicander, R., 2009) However, it has been discovered to be dangerous to humans. The British Rail in 1967 made it public that it would cease to use asbestos insulation because of the danger to workmen. (Tweedale, G. & et. al., 2000) Asbestos, which is made up of six different fibrous materials that mainly affect the lungs, causes cancer. Because exposure to asbestos could slowly kill humans, â€Å"the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) banned the use of various asbestos-containing products during 1970s and 1980s. In 1989 the EPA announced a ban on all asbestos products by 1996.† (Alters & Schiff, 2006) Dichloro-diphenyl-trichloro-ethane or DDT, as it is most commonly called, is a synthetic pesticide. Renowned author and environmentalist Rachel Carson refers to DDT as a toxic chemical in her book, Silent Spring. As Carson (2002) states, â€Å"one of the most sinister features of DDT and related chemicals is the way they are passed on from one organism to another through all the links of the food chains.† Although there are no definite examples of human fatality due to ingestion of DDT, illness has been manifested with a dosage of 10mg/kg. (Assembly of Life Sciences, 1977) DDT has not always been a threat. Initially, DDT was of great importance As a matter of fact, it was considered â€Å"a great importance to all, both in helping to win the war and improving the country’s health after the war is over.† (Simmons, J., 2008) Discovered to cause paralysis in insects, DDT was used to treat lice in military men. After Geigy Colour Company, Ltd. of Switzerland introduced its effective DDT-based insecticide, Gesarol, American investigators brought it to the USA to be developed and distributed for use against insect-borne disease during World War II. (McCallum, J.E., 2008) Continued use of DDT-based pesticides, however have resulted to health problems for people and danger to the

The role of genetics in diabetes type 1 Research Paper

The role of genetics in diabetes type 1 - Research Paper Example These statistics indicate that the problem of diabetes is intensifying. At present, state law provides minimum coverage requirements for state-regulated health insurance policies that include treatment for diabetes. Federal law, however, does not offer an assured support for diabetes research and treatment (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). Because of the expensive cost of treating diabetes type 1, state and federal programs must fund more medical research for diabetes treatment, in order to help children who are generally afflicted by this disease and to ensure that the high costs of treating diabetes type 1 will be lessened in the long run. Diabetes type 1 is more expensive to treat than diabetes type 2. Diabetes is â€Å"characterized by a condition where the body does not produce or properly use insulin† (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). People need insulin to covert sugar, starches, and other foods into energy (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). As a whole, the cost of treating diabetes reached $174 billion, including medical costs and reduced productivity (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). Around $27 billion went to the treatment of diabetes, while $58 billion went to treat diabetes-related chronic complications (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). $31 billion paid excess medical costs (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). The National Changing Diabetes Program commissioned a study, which learned that the existing estimate should include the costs for undiagnosed diabetes, pre-diabetes and gestational diabetes, which will further increase the costs to $218 billion in 2007 (â€Å"Providing Diabetes†). These significant costs should be broken down further because treating diabetes type 1 is more expensive than diabetes type 2. Children and young people with diabetes type 1 have very low insulin secretion and so they become dependent on insulin shots (Loghmani 167). In â€Å"Bridling at Insulin’s Cost, States Push for Generics,† Saul interviewed people with diabetes and their

The Creature in the light of this argument Essay Example for Free

The Creature in the light of this argument Essay When I reflected that they had spurned and deserted me, anger returned, a rage of anger. Shelley had very open religious beliefs, and it is notable that alienation happens in society because of religion. At the time the novel was written Catholicism was a very oppressive faith, and Shelley was very strongly opposed to the idea. I think that Shelley is making an important point about oppressive faiths: Victor plays God, and as a result, his people (the creature) are miserable and unfortunate. Also, as ideas such as the principle of life were arising at the time, Shelley is voicing a remarkable argument: Because technology was fast approaching before humans had developed enough to know how use it, it was extremely worrying that any faith or religion which survives the mechanization of the world, provides no moral code for science. The creature is isolated by his behaviour. He is alone in the world and lives like primitive man. He eats berries from the trees and seeks shelter from trees and caves, and other natural forms. He later realises that the embers he discovers produce fire, which in turn provides him with the three necessities of life: light, heat and food. It is essential for the sustenance of life on earth. Before this discovery, the daemon was isolated by his means of living and his primitive behaviour. In this instance, he is like the elderly today. They are uneducated, or not well enough informed of new techniques that improve the standard of living. Many dont have anybody to help them or to explain new concepts and discoveries, just as the creature doesnt have a parental figure for guidance. I think Shelley is informing us of the ongoing problem of alienation in any society, whatever age. The creature has no nurturing and no teacher, but above all, Frankenstein fashioned him repellently different from all humans so he is solitary in his appearance. Blindly, Frankenstein introduces an unsightly being into a discriminative world. On reflection of the creation of the daemon, Frankenstein says: I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God! When confronted by his reflection, the creature says: I had admired the perfect forms of my cottagers their grace, beauty, and delicate complexions; but how was I terrified when I viewed myself in a transparent pool! Alas, I did not yet entirely know the fatal effects of this deformity. The fact that individuals are alienated by their looks is timeless. Discrimination is apparent in all time periods. This element in the novel of the creatures isolation is unchanging and significant to all who read it. By incorporating this narrative, Shelley is successfully portraying the ageless theme of alienation, and touching upon the discrimination always found in the world. I believe that this strong sense of loss exemplified in the creature portrays Mary Shelleys own losses throughout her life. Growing up motherless, at the age of sixteen she ran away to live with the twenty-one year old Percy Shelley, the unhappily married heir to a wealthy baronetcy. She was cast out of society, even by her father. Shelley also lost her sister to suicide, as well as losing three of her own children to miscarriage and early childhood deaths. In 1822 her husband drowned in the Gulf of Spezzia, and she was left, twenty-five years old, with only one remaining son. She remained unmarried and died in London in 1851. The creature is also a victim of alienation due to social class. This is also a common problem today; however his is much worse, as he has no place in society whatsoever: Was I then, a monster, a blot upon the earth? He is solitary in looks, stature, and endurance. He is stronger than man, and more agile: When I looked around I saw and heard of none like me. This is utterly devastating to the daemon, who longs for companionship. Yet another of todays causes of alienation is a difference in learning abilities. The family in the cottage teach him civilisation what his father should have taught him he masters the science of words alone, by watching, listening and learning the things a new born child does for a long time before he eventually speaks. The creatures development is very rapid, yet he is cut off from society whilst learning this difficult task: I easily perceived that, although I eagerly longed to discover myself to the cottagers, I ought not to make the attempt until I had first become master of their language. He realises that he must be able to communicate with the family fluently for him to have a chance of describing his feelings, and this urges him to push on with his learning. I agree that Mary Shelleys Frankenstein is indeed a study of alienation; the concept is reflected in all characters and with all problems described in the book. I think the gothic typicality in the novel made her aim acceptable at the time: it fitted in with the literary requirements. The gothic descriptions also compliment the real fear of alienation it makes Shelleys point more terrifyingly real. I think Frankenstein is a very moralistic novel. Shelley has made her point very clear and we must be more aware that no matter how scientifically advanced society gets, there will always be those who are left behind and alienated from the rest because of the ignorance of others; whether because of social class, religion, behaviour, learning abilities or looks some things will never change.

Functionalism and Marxism: Education and Employment

Functionalism and Marxism: Education and Employment Sociologists study human society. Their subject matter includes human behaviour in various social contexts, social interaction, social institutions and organisation, social change and development (Haralmbos, Van Krieken, Smith Holborn 1999). For this reason, unemployment is an issue which sociologists delve. Unemployment has far reaching affects in all areas of society. Stratification in the areas of age, race, class, gender, ethnicity, sex and disability is rife amongst the employed and unemployed alike, unemployment creates further segregation amongst these already stratified people. This essay will look at unemployment from the functional and conflict theory perspective, as well how four main institutions (family, education, government and health) are affected by unemployment. It will also look at Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim and their contribution to sociology and the theory of functionalism and conflict. Unemployment affects almost everyone to some degree during their lives, th e need to understand how we can deal with the issue is becoming critically important to society as a whole. Functionalist Theory Function is an unclear term, often used by orthodox sociologists to define the logical and social place of roles, institutions and structures in terms of the production and reproductionof a society as a social system as in the idea that the function of the family is to socialise new members of society (Bessant Watts, 1999). Functionalists believe everything serves a specific function in our society and these functions need to be understood. Everyone has a role to fill in this functional society, in other words we need to have stratification so as everyone has a purpose. Functionalists are very boundaried and thin within the square. For this theory to really work, there needs to be a consensus amongst the individuals that make up society, they need to believe everything is in the best interest of this so called utopia. There is obviously no conflict of interest. This does not seem possible in this modern age, so can functionalism still be considered a plausible theory. It does of course have its merits, yes everything does have its function, but these functions are up for a degree of interpretation and change. Unfortunately functionalism does not explain change except in a gradual evolutionary way. Conflict Theory Conflict theory is a body of theories including marxism, which claims that all social orders are fractured by social conflict, typically between classes and other groups, over control of valued resources including wealth, power and property (Bessant Watts, 1999). Conflict theorists believe that conflict is the basis of social order and that a minority of people with power are able to impose their will over others. There is a conflict of interest, people have different goals and purpose. They will use whatever means to gain this, even to the detriment of others in their society. Those with more power and money have the ability to gain a higher level of services by the main institutions in our society (such as education and health), thus creating a greater level of stratification in society. This in turn creates more conflict as those who cannot get the services they need turn to deviant or dependant methods to gain the same baisc needs. Unfortunately it is a vicious circle which cont inues to breed contempt from both sides of the fence in our society. Durkheim Durkheim (1858-1917) was one of the original founding fathers of positivist sociology (functional theory), his concern was how to preserve society. The basis for social order (how society hung together and worked over time) was not economic but moral for Durkheim, expressed in the type of solidarity that a society exhibited (Willis,1999). Durkheim was particularly concerned to distinguish social facts, which he sometimes described as states of the collective mind, from the forms these states assumed when manifested through private individual minds. This distinction is most obvious in cases of customs, moral and legal rights and religious beliefs etc. Marx For Karl Marx (1818-1883), the transformation had to be understood primarily as a change in the economic structure of societies; a change in the means by which economic production was organised from a system called feudalism to one called capitalism (Willis 1999). Marx was a man looking to understand society, he followed many different paths and was alienated many times for his ideas. His theories on value and surplus value, accumulation, exploitation, pauperization, crisis and appropriation, class struggle and revolution made no immediate impact on the workers movement, until after his death in 1883 (Rius 1999). Unemployment We are entering a new phase in world history one in which fewer and fewer and fewer workers will be needed to produce the goods and services for the global populationFor the whole of the modern era, peoples worth has been measured by the market value of their labournow new ways of defining human worth and social relationships will need to be explored (Rifkin 1996). Life has changed, globalization and feminism have had a huge impact on the work environment around the world. Technology has also made many jobs redundant. Unemployment has become an issue allaround the globe, explanations of this phenomenom are plenty. How does unemployment serve a purpose, or is it just another chance for the powerful to stamp on those with less power? The government views the unemployment situation as an idividual problem. It is due to the lack of training of the individual, they now make people have training to continue to get unemployment benefits. This is a great idea as far as keeping the individua l busy and increasing the self-esteem and knowledge, but what then? We are now creating alot of qualified people for positions which dont exist. We need to look at why there are not enough positions to employ these individuals. If it is not lack of skills, then what is it? Could it be that they government or us as a society are not doing enough to promotebusiness in Australia, instead sending our work load overseas for cheaper labour. We need to look at why the positions are non existant rather than assuming it is the individuals fault. Unemployment affects our society in so many ways. The four main institutions I am looking at are family, education, health and government. Firstly the family, unemployment places added financial and mental strain on the family. The lack of income can cause many families to have to live without the basic necessities which we take for granted, they then need to turn to welfare agencies in order to survive. Lack of income also means children often have to miss out on school activities and sports programs as the family budget can no longer stretch the distance. This monetary strain can cause breakdown in both the individual and family. This can turn in domestic violence, alcoholism, gambling, family dysfunction and even suicide. Unemployment has such wide ranging affects on family life. Alcoholism, smoking, the illegal use of drugs and crime are associated with unemployment (Makkai 1994).This can then be made even more significant when their is further stratification caused by age, disability, ethnicity, gender, sex, class and race. For example, if your race was one that expected the men to work and the wife to stay at home and raise the children. When you become unemployed, you may lose your standing as both a husband and member of your community, as you can no longer provide appropriately for your family. Each of these aspects further increases the impact of unemployment. Secondly, there is education. Public versus private is already a hotly argued issue, do children get a better education from private or public education. This is not an issue for Australians who cannot afford the private education system. It is still a struggle though to pay for books, uniforms, excursions, camps and other school activities. Add in unemployment and the issue becomes even harder. If you currently have your children in private education and become unemployed, you may not be able to meet the financial demands. Taking your child out of their school and changing them to the public education system can then be very traumatic for everyone involved. Once again add any of the other stratification issues mentioned before and the situation can become very volatile. You may have certain reasons for attending special schools, if then cannot afford to maintain this situation what happens to your child. For example, a special school for your disabled child, mainstream public school may not be able to handle your childs disability. Your child is then left in a situation which is detrimental to their well being. Thirdly, government, unemployment is such a hot issue with voters that the government must be seen to be doing as much as they can to help the situation. They are always making promises to decrease the unemployment rate, unfortunately the unmployment rate does not really give an accurate picture of how many people are out of work. It is only those who are registered as looking for work. The government provides welfare and training for unemployed but they do not seem to see the bigger picture. The government also creates stratification by having different payments and services for different races, rather than basing services provided on an individual needs basis. For example, Austudy and Abstudy. Finally, health system, the health system is hit hard by unemployment especially with the drop in bulk billing. Many unemployed people cannot afford to go to a non-bulk billing doctor so instead go into their local emergency department. This is causing congestion in the emergency department. There is also an increase of illness (mental and physical) and suicide amongst the unemployed. This is creating a huge draw on our medicare and health system. Those on low incomes or unemployed cannot afford to have private health insurance, so are therefore no getting all the help they need. We are creating a system where people are leaving illnesses and injuries until they are quite serious due to the fact that they cannot afford to see a specialist. We will now look at what the functionalists and the conflict theorists say about it. Unemployment (Functionalism) Functionalists believe unemployment serves a purpose in society. We need unemployment in our society, it plays its own part. For all those who are or have been unemployed, it is hard to see how it can possibly be good for society, part of the master plan. Unemployment creates so much misery and further increases the problem of stratification. Those in the underprivileged class have to rely on government handouts, which only creates further poverty as those people struggle to make ends meet. This in turn affects the family structure by adding extra money pressures. This is the point though, unemployed people create work for centrelink staff, welfare agencies, counsellors and keep cheap discount stores in work. It also maintains that there will always be someone to take the menial jobs that others dont want. Those lower classed people will do the jobs others wont. We need the divisions to make sure there are people to cover all types of places in society. Unemployment (Conflict Theory) Conflict theorists see unemployment as more evidence of those in a powerful or priviledged position taking advantage of others. Power is the emphasis is an employment situation, while employed you have a certain amount of power, both over your work environment and your own life. Once unemployed you become powerless, reliant on the government to provide you an income. Once in this position, an individual is likely to take a job which is below their abilities and for less pay, just so as to be earning an income. The difference in class and standing continues to increase. Those with money, do not need to stoop to this type of position, they can instead wait until an appropriate job comes up or they can indulge in further education to improve their position even more. Conclusion Unemployment plays are major part in our society, its affects are wide reaching. The implication that unemployment is an individual problem due to lack of skills, only seeks to increase the problem. The idea that who we are is depicted by what we do as a job, creates further stratification of our society. Long-term unemployment has been shown to be one of the most important contributors to domestic violence and other forms of crime, as well as psychological illness and suicide (Baker 1993). Whether we look at unemployment from a functional or conflict perspective, there is no right or wrong answer. We need to look at it from both perspectives to get a better idea of the situation, and then to look at possible ways of dealing with the issue. There will always be unemployment due to changes in the environment, whether they are biological or technological. For this reason further insights into how society deals with unemployment is necessary. Stratification is a principal aspect of the evolution of a societys social identity, when this is compounded with unemployment, alienation and dysfunction becomes a consequence.

From Rome to Columbia: A Comparison of Jesse Hall and The Pantheon Ess

For much of the last millennia many great architects have looked upon the Pantheon as a staple of classical architecture, as well as a model for many modern day buildings. Created by the Romans, the Pantheon would use many elements better than any other works of architecture to that time. No further than Columbia Missouri is this evident in the construction of what used to be known as the First Academic Building on the University of Missouri campus. The Architects Bell and Binder headed the creation of the new building after the First Academic Building burnt down in 1892. Known today as Jesse Hall, this modern day work of architecture pulls many elements from the Pantheon to create a unique work of public space. The most glaring comparison of both comes from the domes that top both buildings. Each building also shares similar characteristics in their front facades. Yet, while there are many similarities to both works, each contain unique differences in their layout and construction. One of the most defining features of both the Pantheon and Jesse Hall is the larges domes that sit atop their structures. When the Pantheon was created, there was no dome ever created to the scale or size of the one that tops the building to this day. The dome itself sits on a drum like structure that supports the structure. The top is not completely curved like many other domes today. A stepped dome is used near the bottom and begins to curve more towards the top where the oculus sits. This oculus allows any sort of element into the building including sunlight, rain, and snow. The Pantheon, being a space of religious worship when originally created used the dome for many different purposes. In Understanding Architecture, extra contributor David Wat... ...ssional work in Jesse Hall would render this oculus unnecessary if applied. The ways the spaces are used are key to the layout of the interiors of the Pantheon and Jesse Hall. With the Pantheon being built over 1700 years ago, it’s amazing that architects are still using features and techniques from this work of architecture in modern creations. The use of this type of classical architecture will continue to be used in works for public space due to its remarkable exterior appearance and it’s long lasting structural durability. When both Jesse hall and the Pantheon are compared it is possible to see their similarities from the types of domes that top each, their external facades, and their interior plan. While they share many similarities, the differences that Bell and Binder used in their creation make this work of architecture unique to many other public spaces.

Summary of The Color Purple Essay -- essays research papers

Alice Walker's The Color Purple is a touching story of one African American woman's journey through abuse and oppression to finding her own voice and self-worth as well as definite place in the world around her. The novel is written in an epistolary format and has a very confessional and emotionally raw tone. Through using this format, Walker has more freedom to weave an impressive network of heartfelt themes and colorful characters, in addition to displaying her talents for delivering to her readers an addictive and suspenseful plot. The story opens with a hideous sexual crime against Celie, the fourteen-year-old protagonist of The Color Purple. Having being raped by Pa, the man that she knows as her father, she becomes pregnant twice and bears him two incestuous children. Pa, who has consistently abused Celie over the years, is ashamed and enraged at the birth of their children, and takes them and kills them while Celie is sleeping. Celie is told "You better not tell nobody but God. It'd kill your mammy" (Walker 1). This tragic incident ruins Celie's child-bearing ability permanently and introduces her as the submissive, obedient, and abused character that she is through-out the majority of the story. After her mother dies and leaves her alone with her father on their rural Georgian farm, her only source of hope, comfort and security comes from her younger sister Nettie. Soon afterwards, Pa has a discussion with a widowed man in town who has interest in marrying Nettie. Pa, who has incestuous interest in Nettie , says that she is too young in order to keep her for himself. However, he convinces the man to marry Celie, saying "She ugly...but she ain't no stranger to hard work. And she clean. And God done fixed her. You ca... ... lover and motherly-figure that Celie takes refuge in. By the end of the story, Shug is entirely in love with Celie and settles down to live with her. Walker does and impressive job with the characters in The Color Purple. Through making them all round and dynamic, it is easier to connect and relate to their situations and decisions. The plot is laid out through the first person view and is therefore very personal and touching, as the story is told through Celie’,s eyes and heart. Although the epistolary format, time gaps and the lack of definite setting can make the novel confusing at times, Walker’,s choice to write in the manner does help to make the story more believable and personal, much like reading a diary. Beautifully imagined and deeply compassionate, The Color Purple is a successful novel rich in passion, pain, inspiration, and an indomitable love of life.

Organizational Change and Theory Paper Essay

Organizational Change and Theory Paper Introduction   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The aspect of managing organizational change is very crucial to any given organization. Organizational change is the execution of new technologies and procedures with an aim of realigning the organization to the changing demands of the firm or benefit from on the business opportunities. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how implementation of new technology of computerized charting was effectively managed in the hospital.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Nurses have to deal with the new change of computerized charting though it is hardly a new technology. However, several PC-challenged healthcare experts have taken keen interest to become conversant with this new method to patient information management. Taking interest to increase personal skills and marketability as well as being proactive is likely to influence the nursing career in a positive manner. Recent research findings indicate that more institutions are investing in capturing data by electronic means. The keys to computerized charting in modern market, there are various software vendors and alternatives to choose from. In the office I use epic computer software. The use of electronic means is overwhelming at first, but an individual becomes used to with time. It is much better compared to paper charting (Richards & Keogh, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Many health professionals leaned how to work with epic software in their first day of orientation. There is a lot of improvement since most nurses are able to enter their orders themselves. The epic software will enable all the nurses in the institution to use the system from the basic triage to discharge from inpatient. However, there are some resentment about the system since some nurses find it inefficient claiming that the system crashes down frequently for several hours. Others find it very difficult to use especially to the nurses working on the rapid response departments and it’s a challenge to work on a patients without their medical histories, allergies, procedures and meds. The hospital copes with this problem by having backup system. There are also computer hubs where all nurses can print up their chart, though it is also a sticky situation to be used by the entire hospital (Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarti cle/810573).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The epic program is very effective when it is working since nurses can enter their progress notes and orders. The other problem that the hospital has to deal with is that there is high probability of nurses clicking the wrong orders. The other problem is that sometimes the system is too slow. The nurses are asked to been with the system and have specific way of entering individual orders for easy identification since one click on the system shows very many orders. However, nurses are given opportunity to access any patient’s order from anywhere at any given time since they can use epic system at the same time (Retrieved from http://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/epic-computer-program-280071.html).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The hospital’s IT department has provided enough memory and large servers which is a very significant move. This enables the nurses to make their own orders effectively without the system breakdown or becoming too slow. The epic system might be complicated at first since some nurses find it difficult to locate their flow sheets. The nurses who became used to the system are able to program their favorite flow sheets which make it effortless for the nurse to remember to fill them later. The institution has managed this change also by adjusting the system according to their needs. In the epic software many flow sheets are linked such that if nurse document important orders in one place, they will appear in every relevant flow sheet where those orders are required (Retrieved from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/810573). Ð ¼Numerous cases reveal that it is not always easy to manage effective organizational change, thus organizations should find out the possible causes of the failure. There are a lot of changes occurring across the globe. The changes range from increase in competition, changes in customer preferences as well as changes in technology. Organizations are required to create new advantages, serve customers better and cope with stiff competition. To stay competitive, organizations are required to abandon the work and processes that are not fruitful or those that do not add value to the company. As the nurse head I encourage and offer assistance to the nurses who are not used to the epic software (Richards & Keogh, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The epic software has various definite advantages. The system can be made effective by frequent training of the nurses on how to program their flow sheets, the IT department should also ensure that there is enough memory and large server; the institution should also adjust the epic software according to the needs of our patients. I would also propose that the flow sheets should be organized in an appropriate manner; the colors might be used to organize the flow sheets in a superior manner. These options will make the epic system to be user friendly (Richards & Keogh, 2008).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, change management is very crucial in every institution. The nurses will benefit from various advantages linked to epic software since they will be able to enter their own orders. Computerized charting is better as compared to paper charting. Institutions are called upon to give training and orientation to the nurses so that they can become conversant with this new change. Enough memory and large servers enable the system to be fast and avoid system breakdown. References Charting made incredibly easy! (4th ed.). (2010). Philadelphia: Wolters Kluwer Health/Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. EPIC Computer Program. (n.d.). Answers Articles and Jobs for Nurses and Nursing Students RSS. Retrieved June 18, 2014, from http://allnurses.com/nursing-informatics/epic-computer-program-280071.html Medscape Log In. (n.d.). Medscape Log In. Retrieved June 18, 2014, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/810573 Richards, J., & Keogh, J. E. (2008). Medical charting demystified. New York: McGraw-Hill. Source document

Cultural Pathways Through Universal Development

This article examines the independent self vs. interdependent self theories of development. It also presents three theoretical approaches to culture and development: ecocultural; sociohistorical; and, cultural values. Main Ideas: * Culture is a socially interactive process of construction, comprising two main components: shared activity (cultural practices) and shared meaning (cultural interpretation). The Cultural Values Approach – Culturally relevant developmental goals are represented in the form of implicit ethnotheories of development, i. e. , a system of beliefs and ideas concerning the nature of the ideal child and the socialization practices necessary to achieve this ideal. * The Ecocultural Approach, sees the child’s behavioral development and the acquisition of culture as resulting from the interaction between human biological potentialities and environmental conditions. In short, the ecocultural approach emphasizes development as an adaptation to different environmental conditions and constraints. * The Sociohistoric Approach emphasizes processes of social construction, particularly cultural apprenticeship, cultural activities or practices, the use of cultural artifacts, including tools, and the historical dimension of these processes. The primary focus of this approach has been on explaining the child’s cognitive development. Criticisms: * One common criticism of these cultural paradigms is that the approach is too simplistic and reductionistic; the dichotomous binary quality of individualism and collectivism is seen as problematical. * Another criticism of the framework involves the notion that independent and interdependent concerns coexist in the same culture * The core theoretical approach to relationship formation is attachment theory. Attachment theory stresses the evolutionary basis of attachment relationships as a phylogenetically evolved adaptive system with a core of standard assumptions that are supposed to constitute universals of ontogenetic development. Basically, it assumes that maternal sensitivity, defined as the prompt, adequate and consistent reaction towards infants’ cues, is causally linked to attachment security and that this constitutes the normative and healthy developmental pattern across cultures.

Discovering the Relationship Between the Law and Your School Essay

For this Benchmark I had to research the law and how it is applied to special education issues that were covered in this class.. I looked at my state departments of educations website to view the laws of my state of Oklahoma and Texas and Arkansas to see how they cover special education issues. I had also had to interview a lawyer who is well-versed in school law. I interviewed Ms. Andrea Kunkel, she was a wealth of information. She is well-versed in Special Education law, she was an attorney at Rosenstein, Fist and Ringold, where she represented Oklahoma Public Schools. She handled many Due Process Cases, she advised school staff on their legal responsibilities under the Section 504, Title II of the ADA and IDEA. She also was the legal advisor of the Oklahoma Directors of Special Services and is now the staff attorney of CCOSA (Cooperative Council of Oklahoma School, where she is currently training school administrators on special education law and issues and is the liaison to ODSS group. The first topic we discussed was how has the legal system evolved, as it applies to special education, over the past 20 years, and how has that affected the legal framework for special education today? Ms. Kunkel said that in the 2004 Reauthorization of the IDEA, Congress  added a requirement that, when a parent files a due process hearing complaint, the district and parent must promptly participate in a resolution session, unless they agree in writing to waive the resolution session. The purpose of the resolution session is to provide a forum at which the parent  explains the complaint and what s/he is seeking through the process so that the district has an opportunity to resolve the complaint. Parties who resolve some or all of the complaint issues through a resolution session must spell out the terms of their agreement in writing, and that writing is enforceable in court. Ms. Kunkel injected that the resolution session alone is of questionable value in resolving cases. Those same cases would likely be resolved in an IEP team meeting held after the complaint was filed. However, in Oklahoma, the entity that runs our dispute resolution and hearing processes – the Special Education Resolution Center at OSU – makes available without charge, with the parties’ agreement, trained resolution session facilitators, who assist the parties in attempting to resolve the complaint issues. Resolution sessions that include facilitators are effective in resolving due process hearing complaints in Oklahoma. She pointed out that although the IDEA does not require parents and districts to participate in mediation, it encourages alternative dispute resolution processes. SERC offers mediation services without charge to resolve disputes between parents and districts that agree to participate. Mediation is available whether or not the dispute has resulted in a due process hearing complaint. Ms. Kunkel said that most recently, SERC has started to offer facilitation services at IEP meetings. Again, this service is free to parents and schools that agree to participate. SERC cannot make facilitation broadly available, due to limited resources, but it is likely to be available in situations in which parents and schools cannot make it through IEP meetings due to mental health issues or other major obstacles. She went on to point out that the availability of alternative dispute resolution options has improved the legal framework for special education in Oklahoma. Although Oklahoma has never been a state with large numbers of  due process hearing complaints, the timing of SERC’s taking on the state’s due process hearing and alternative dispute resolution systems coincides with the filing of fewer due process hearing complaints. At a time when OSEP is emphasizing avoiding disputes and resolving disputes at the lowest possible level, Oklahoma is already a leader in those areas. Greater access to alternative dispute resolution processes seems to indicate that even fewer cases will result in administrative hearings, appeals and requests for judicial review. That indicates greater collaboration between parents and schools and improved services for students. How does the legal framework differ for special needs students and regular students in private and public schools was the next question that I asked her. She said that the IDEA applies to local education agencies (LEAs) like public schools, but not to private schools. Students with disabilities may be placed by their parents unilaterally in private schools or IEP teams in LEAs/public schools may place students with disabilities in private schools to receive FAPE. For unilaterally placed students, the private school may or may not provide the child with special education or related services and may or may not write an IEP or similar document. That is up to the private school. The parent has no access to due process procedures against a private school to challenge educational services provided or not provided to a private school student. She went on to say that for private schools that accept placements of students on IEPs to receive FAPE, then the placing LEA/public school has the legal obligation to provide the student with FAPE, to ensure that procedural safeguards are followed and that an appropriate IEP is developed and implemented. The private school does not become subject to the IDEA by accepting the student. The parent’s due process rights are against the LEA/public school, not the private school. Public schools have child find responsibilities as to students attending private schools, even unilaterally  placed students. At most, the private school has a moral obligation, not a legal one, to refer parents to LEAs/public schools for IDEA evaluations when private school personnel suspect a disability. Parents who believe that the LEA/public school has failed in its child find obligation or obligation to evaluate or reevaluate a student have access to IDEA due process procedures. I posed the question, â€Å"Who monitors the implementation and evaluation of IEPs in private and public schools?† Ms. Kunkel stated that private schools that voluntarily develop IEPs for their students with disabilities who are unilaterally placed by their parents monitor their own IEPs. There is no state or federal oversight. IEP development and implementation by LEAs/public schools is monitored by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, which  reports the results to the U.S. Department of Education/OSEP. LEAs/public schools face various consequences for IDEA violations. The last question that I asked her was â€Å"In the legal expert’s opinion, are there any elements of special education law that need refinement?† Ms. Kunkle said that, â€Å" As to the legal system, I would prefer mandatory mediation when a due process hearing complaint is filed.† I researched how mediation works in my schools district website. The website stated that a trained mediator works with both of the parties involved. The Special Education Resolution Center (SERC) is the one who appoints a mediator when needed, these mediators are neutral. The mediator is neutral facilitator to help the family, students and the school staff to reach an agreement. The mediator is in control of the session they parties involved makes all of the decisions regarding the case. The mediator permits both parties to voice their points and tries to help both parties to come to a mutual understanding and find the best solution to the problem that best suits the problem and best services that student. Parents and the school system also have a role in the mediation, their role is to be active during the session and help to develop an agreement along with the mediator. Both  parties can bring an attorney, but they are responsible for all fees. Mediation is free and not mandatory for any party to participate in. Mediation can be asked for at any time and if an agreement is made both parties get a copy of the agreement. If the agreement is not followed the case can go to court. (http://ok.gov/sde/faqs/special-education-mediation ) My state has policies that ensure that the funds that the state gets from IDEA (section 608 (a) ) There is a policy by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) establishes that secondary transition services be started at the start of the students ninth grade year or when they turn 16. There is a policy that makes sure that classroom sides are not big. Initial eligibility determination must be completed within 45 school days of receipt. In Oklahoma Due Process is managed by The Special Education Resolution Center (SERC) SERC has expanded with programs to help assist families and school districts to resolve disputes at the earliest possible time. This service is done for free to families and the district. The mediators are well trained. Mediation in Oklahoma is totally voluntary. If a parents wants to have mediation, they have to fill out a form, sign and return it to the SERC and the SERC will inform the other party involved in the dispute. After both parties agree to attend the mediation, a mediator will be assigned, there is a mediation manual on the states website. . In Oklahoma a Due Process hearing proceeds mediation when the disputes cannot be worked out during mediation. There are special rules for the conduction of the hearing. There is a hearing officer that proceeds over the hearing. Both parties have thirty days to try to settle once again on a resolution. A hearing will go ahead at this point. These options for parents and districts are funded by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. As a paraprofessional I have luckily never had to go through a Due Process Hearing, but I have worked with a few parents that I was  wondering if we were going to have to. I have worked with some wonderful families who truly worked with the school in making sure their child go the best education possible. In conclusion, through this course I have learned a lot about Special Education and law. The law is made to help people but I find that sometimes that is not case, through this class I have learned more about law and how it might help my special needs students. It is important as a teacher to be up on law. I might be the only one who can help my students and families. I want to be source of help and safety for my students and their families. As a special education teacher I will try to stay up on laws and stay educated myself. Resource Page http://ok.gov/sde/faqs/special-education-mediation (N.D) retrieved on August 5, 2014 http://ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/OSDE%20SES%20Policies.pdf (N.D.) retrieved on August 5, 2014 Personal Interview with Ms. Andrea Kunkel on August 3, 2014

Research Papers on Ready to Eat Food

CRISES Paul Krugman, January 2010 As this is formally billed on this program as the Nobel lecture, I suppose that I’m expected to focus on the work for which I was honored with the prize. And yet †¦ proud as I am of the work I and many others did on increasing-returns trade and economic geography, given what is happening in the world – and given what I’ve largely been working on these past dozen years – that work is not uppermost in my mind. Fortunately, there’s an out. The Nobel committee did cite another line of work that goes back to the first good paper I ever wrote: â€Å"A model of balance of payments crises†, published in 1979 but originally written while I was in still in grad school. When I’m in an expansive mood, I like to say that I invented currency crises – not the thing itself, which goes back to the invention of paper money, but the modern academic literature. And business has been good ever since. Now, most of what has gone wrong with the world these past two years has not taken the form of classic currency crises (though give it time – the Baltic nations, in particular, seem well positioned to follow in Argentina’s footsteps). But there are strong parallels between the kinds of crises we actually have been experiencing and what those of us in the currency crisis biz call â€Å"third-generation† crises. Both the similarities and the differences are, I think, illuminating. 1 So without further ado, let me launch into a discussion of currency crises, their relationship to financial crises in general, and what all of that tells us about current prospects. A history of violence The sudden implosion of world financial markets, trade, and industrial production in 2008 shocked many if not most economists. I think it’s fair to say, however, that international macroeconomists were less startled. That’s not to say that we predicted the crisis: speaking personally, I saw that we had a monstrous housing bubble and expected bad things as it deflated, but both the form and the scale of the collapse surprised me. What is true, however, is that international macroeconomists were aware, in a way those who focused mainly on domestic data were not, that the world economy has a history of violence. Drastic events – sudden speculative attacks that emerge out of a seemingly clear blue sky, abrupt economic implosions that slash real GDP by 5, 10, even 15 percent – are regular occurrences on the international scene. Let me illustrate the point with the figure below, which shows peak-to-trough declines in real GDP during â€Å"third generation† currency crises (a term I’ll explain in a little while). This list is close to, but not identical to, the Reinhart and Rogoff (2009) list of banking crises: as R&R point out, crises often combine elements of several of their ideal types. What I’ve done in this case – in a poor man’s homage to Reinhart and Rogoff’s awesome data-collection effort – is scan the Total Economy Database for all cases of sharp GDP declines in high-and middle-income countries since 1950, then do some cursory historical research to ask whether they fit the profile of a third-generation crisis. 2 GDP declines in third-generation currency crises Mexico 1994 Korea 1997 Chile 1981 Malaysia 1997 Finland 1990 Thailand 1997 Indonesia 1997 Argentina 2002 5 10 15 20 A few observations: First of all, we’re talking huge declines here – Depression-level, in some cases. You can see why international macroeconomists were more attuned to the possibility of disaster than domestic macroeconomists: if you were looking only at US data, your idea of a really bad slump would be 1981-1982, when real GDP fell only 2. 3 percent. Second, if you know a bit about the history, you get a very strong sense of just how wrong conventional wisdom can be. Reinhart and Rogoff emphasize the â€Å"this time is different† syndrome, the way people wave off clear parallels to earlier crises. I’d go a bit further and argue that there’s a strong â€Å"pride goeth before a fall† syndrome. In many if not all of these cases, the country in question was everybody’s darling just before the disaster. Chile was a showpiece for Chicago School policies in action. I remember personally the enormous optimism about Mexico on the eve of the tequila crisis; I was very unpopular at a 1993 meeting of investors where I raised some questions about prospects. Argentina’s currency board was lionized by the Cato Institute, the Wall Street Journal editorial page, and so forth. The countries caught up in the East Asian crisis were the subject of glowing reports, including a major World Bank study. 3 After the fact, of course, everybody saw many flaws in each afflicted country’s economic model – just as everyone now sees the rottenness of the U. S. financial system, a system that was being praised just yesterday as one of the wonders of the world. Finally, note that half my examples are from the late-90s East Asian crisis. That crisis had a profound effect on some of us. Nouriel Roubini was transformed from a mild-mannered macroeconomist into Doctor Doom. I lost my faith in the healing powers of central bankers, and wrote the original edition of The Return of Depression Economics. In essence, the East Asian crisis awakened us to the fact that there were more dangers in the world economy than were dreamt of in textbook macro. But what were these dangers, anyway? Generat(ion)ing crisis All crises are divided into three parts. OK, maybe not. But the currency risis literature has evolved in three â€Å"generations†, successive accounts of what can cause sudden speculative attacks on currencies. First-generation models began, at least in my mind, with wise words from the governor of the Bank of Portugal. Back in 1976, a group of MIT graduate students was working at the Bank, thanks to a personal connection between the governor and Dick Eckaus. Portugal at the time was 4 a bit of a crazy place, still suffering from the mild chaos that followed the overthrow of the dictatorship the year before. The economy had stabilized after an initial slump, but the currency was under pressure, with reserves rapidly dwindling. It turned out later that most of the reserve loss was due to foreign exchange hoarding by commercial banks – which was kind of funny, since at the time those banks were state –owned. But in any case, the governor made a remark that intrigued me: â€Å"When I have six months of reserves,† he said, â€Å"I will have no reserves. † What he meant was that once reserves dropped below some critical level, there would be a run on the currency that would quickly exhaust whatever was left. There were already economic models like this, albeit of very recent vintage – and not exactly about foreign exchange. Notably, Salant and Henderson (1978, but circulated as a working paper in 1976), in an analysis of gold prices, devoted part of their paper to attempts to stabilize gold prices with stockpiles. They showed that an unsustainable stabilization scheme would eventually collapse in a speculative run that quickly exhausted the remaining stock, which is more or less what happened in March 1968. I realized that this was in effect what Silva Lopes had been saying about the escudo. Translating that insight into a fully-specified model was a bit tricky. Krugman (1979) was more complicated than it should have been; it took the work of Flood and Garber (1984) to get it in comprehensible form. But the result was a highly suggestive analysis of speculative attacks on fixed exchange rates. 5 But there were problems with that analysis. Some complained about the asymmetry between super smart speculators and super stupid governments. More compelling, in my view, was the fact that the story didn’t seem to fit very well with what actually happened in many currency crises, especially in advanced countries. For example, neither the sterling crisis of 1931 nor that of 1992 seemed to be mainly about dwindling foreign exchange reserves. Instead, both seemed to be about governments who found that their commitment to a fixed exchange rate was interfering with attempts to achieve domestic objectives, especially full employment. When speculators began to bet on an abandonment of the currency peg to deal with pressing domestic concerns, spiking interest rates sharply increased the cost of defending that peg – hence, a crisis, with speculators in effect forcing the government’s hand. In an influential survey of evidence from the 1992-1993 European crisis, of which the fall of sterling was one component, Eichengreen, Rose, and Wyplosz (1995) coined the term â€Å"secondgeneration models† to describe models that tried to capture this quite different kind of crisis dynamics. The most influential modeling came from Obstfeld (1994), who showed that this kind of analysis strongly suggested the possibility of multiple equilibria: countries in a vulnerable state could experience a currency crisis whenever investors believed that such a crisis was imminent, or for that matter believed that other investors believed in a crisis. But two generations of crisis theory, it turned out, were not enough. Second-generation crisis models suggested that succumbing to a speculative attack should be good for employment and GDP: no longer constrained by the exchange rate commitment, a government would be free to 6 expand demand. That is, in fact, what happened in the aftermath of the two sterling crises, 60 years apart: I used to joke that Britain should erect a statue of George Soros in Trafalgar Square, to thank him for getting the UK out of the ERM. But it’s not what happened to Mexico after the tequila crisis, or the East Asian economies after the crises of 1997, or Argentina after the collapse of convertibility in 2002. In all these cases the collapse of a fixed rate under speculative attack was followed by a severe contraction in the real economy. Hence the development of third-generation models. These models – e. g. Krugman (1999), Aghion et al (2001), Chang and Velasco (1999) – emphasized private-sector balance sheets, especially firms or banks with foreign-currency debt. The key argument was that a currency depreciation set off by speculative attack would sharply worsen balance sheets, as the domesticcurrency value of foreign-currency debt rose. This in turn would damage the economy, e. g. by depressing investment, which would feed back into further currency depreciation, and so on. Some models stressed the possibility of multiple equilibria, but even without such multiplicity there was the clear possibility of disproportionate depreciation and output decline from an adverse shock, including the end of a bubble financed by foreign capital. Or to put it a different way, what happens in a third-generation currency crisis is a vicious circle of deleveraging. Hence the severe cost to the real economy. One question you might ask is whether this diagnosis is all ex-post rationalization. Did the theory of third-generation currency crises actually succeed in predicting any crises? The answer is yes: Argentina, which, alas, played out exactly as expected. 7 Before I proceed to the relationship between currency crises and the financial crises that have afflicted all of us recently, let me briefly ighlight two policy issues that arise in the context of third-generation crises. First, does this analysis argue that troubled economies with large foreign-currency debt should avoid currency depreciation? This is a highly relevant question right now for the Baltics, which, as I’ve already mentioned, are currently in a situation highly reminiscent of Argentina’s position just before the collapse. It might seem, given the a ccount I’ve just provided, that Latvia or Estonia should do anything possible to avoid devaluation. But that’s not right. Suppose that the underlying problem is a level of prices and wages that makes your production uncompetitive – typically the consequence of an earlier period of excessive capital inflows. Then what must happen, sooner or later, is a decline in prices and wages relative to those in your trading partners – a real depreciation. This can happen through nominal currency depreciation – but this has the unpleasant consequence that the real value of foreign currency debt will rise, creating a deleveraging crisis. Unfortunately, the alternative is worse. Real depreciation without nominal depreciation must take place through deflation. And this means that the real value of all debt, not just foreigncurrency debt, rises. So the deleveraging crisis will be even worse if you don’t depreciate. 8 A second issue concerns the role of capital mobility. Clearly, substantial capital mobility is a prerequisite for third-generation crises, which can’t happen unless you’ve already run up a large foreign-currency debt. And in the crisis, it’s capital flight that leads to the large depreciation that in turn worsens balance sheets. So there is a clear case for temporary capital controls – a sort of curfew on capital flight – in the heat of a third-generation currency crisis. But what does all this have to do with the current problems of the United States and other advanced countries? Deleveraging crises: similarities and differences In the movie The Longest Day there’s a scene involving a German general who is first shown preparing for a war game in which he will play the American commander. He tells his aide that he plans to surprise everyone by landing, not at Calais, but in Normandy – but not to worry, the Americans would never do that. Then, when the invasion begins, he mutters, â€Å"Normandy! How stupid of me! † Now you know how some of us felt as the current crisis unfolded. By 2006, huge U. S. urrent account deficits suggested that the dollar would have to fall eventually, and the fact that U. S. real interest rates weren’t significantly higher than rates in other major economies suggested that markets weren’t taking that fact into account. So there was reason to expect a Wile E. Coyote moment – a moment of sudden realization – leading to a 9 sudden dollar fall. But U. S. external debt, although large, is overwhelmingly dollar-denominated. So America didn’t seem vulnerable to a third-generation currency crisis. No worries, then, right? Yet the logic of the models should have suggested that there were, in fact, reasons to worry. After all, a vicious circle of deleveraging could arise as easily on the asset side as on the liability side, as noted in Krugman (2002). It should have been easy to put the evidence of a mammoth housing bubble together with the concepts of third-generation crisis theory to see how a nasty deleveraging cycle could occur without the â€Å"original sin† of dependence on foreign-currency debt. Sadly, almost nobody – certainly not yours truly – put the pieces together. Even those of us who diagnosed that housing bubble correctly failed to foresee the financial implosion that would follow. Normandy! How stupid of me! But now it has happened. How does the crisis we have actually stumbled into compare with a currency crisis, both in terms of outlook and in terms of the policy response? One difference one might have expected to be important is the role of monetary policy. The normal front line of defense against recession involves cutting interest rates. For a country facing a currency crisis, however, that defense is of ambiguous value: cutting rates may help domestic demand, but it may also weaken the currency, intensifying the vicious circle. For a country facing an asset-side deleveraging spiral, however, interest rate reductions are all good: in 10 addition to their usual effects, they support asset prices and help balance sheets. So you might have expected central banks to be very effective in fighting asset-price-driven deleveraging. In reality, however, the monetary line of defense was quickly overrun: reductions in policy rates quickly ran up against the zero lower bound, and that was that, at least as far as conventional monetary policy was concerned. We should have seen this coming: Krugman (2002) laid it all out, but nobody – the author included – took the message to heart. Meanwhile, there’s another difference between currency crises and asset-side crises that makes the latter look worse: namely, the fact that asset-price deflation, unlike currency depreciation, has no indirect stimulative effect on the economy. As Calvo et al (2006) have stressed, financial crises in emerging markets are often followed by â€Å"phoenix-like† recoveries, with the downturn giving way to very rapid growth. Key to these recoveries is the fact that a severely depreciated currency makes exports extremely competitive, leading to a large positive swing in the trade balance. As with the output declines associated with third-generation crises, the violence of these turnarounds is startling to economists accustomed to the tameness of U. S. data. The figure below shows the â€Å"current account reversal† for each of the cases shown at the beginning of this paper – that is, the extent of the swing from current account deficit on the eve of the crisis to the maximum current account surplus following the crisis. 1 Current account reversal as % of GDP 0 Mexico 1994 Korea 1997 Chile 1981 Malaysia 1997 Finland 1990 Thailand 1997 Indonesia 1997 Argentina 2002 5 10 15 20 25 These are awesomely large swings. In part, no doubt, they were due to the import-compressing effect of recession. But mostly they represent a gain in competitiveness due to plunging currencies. Plunging prices of house s and CDOs, unfortunately, don’t produce any corresponding macroeconomic silver lining. This suggests that we’re unlikely to see a phoenix-like recovery from the current slump. How long should recovery be expected to take? Well, there aren’t many useful historical models. But the example that comes closest to the situation facing the United States today is that of Japan after its late-80s bubble burst, leaving serious debt problems behind. And a maximum-likelihood estimate of how long it will take to recover, based on the Japanese example, is †¦ forever. OK, strictly speaking it’s 18 years, since that’s how long it has been since the Japanese bubble burst, and Japan has never really escaped from its deflationary trap. 2 This line of thought explains why I’m skeptical about the optimism that’s widespread right now about recovery prospects. The main argument behind this optimism seems to be that in the past, big downturns in the world’s major economies have been followed by fast recoveries. But past downturns had very different causes, and there’s no good reason to regard them as good precedents. Living in a crisis-ridden world Looking back at U. S. commentary on past currency crises, what’s striking is the combination of moralizing and complacency. Other countries had crises because they did it wrong; we weren’t going to have one because we do it right. As I’ve stressed, however, crises often – perhaps usually – happen to countries with great press. They’re only reclassified as sinners and deadbeats after things go wrong. And so it has proved for us, too. And despite the praise being handed out to those who helped us avoid the worst, we are not handling the crisis well: fiscal stimulus has been inadequate, financial support has contained the damage but not restored a healthy banking system. All indications are that we’re going to have seriously depressed output for years to come. It’s what I feared/predicted in that 2001 paper: â€Å"[I]ntellectually consistent solutions to a domestic financial crisis of this type, like solutions to a third-generation currency crisis, are likely to seem too radical to be implemented in practice. And partial measures are likely to fail. † 13 Maybe policymakers will become wiser in the future. Maybe financial reform will reduce the occurrence of crises: major financial crises were much rarer between the end of World War II and the rise of financial deregulation after 1980 than they were before or since. Meanwhile, however, the fact is that the economic world is a surprisingly dangerous place. REFERENCES Aghion, Philippe, Philippe Bacchetta, and Abhijit Banerjee, 2000, â€Å"Currency Crises and Monetary Policy with Credit Constraints† (unpublished; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University). Chang, Roberto and Andres Velasco 1999, â€Å"Liquidity Crises in Emerging Markets: Theory and Policy,† NBER Working Paper No. 7272. Eichengreen, Barry, Rose, Andrew, Wyplosz, Charles and Dumas, Bernard, â€Å"Exchange Market Mayhem: The Antecedents and Aftermath of Speculative Attacks†, Economic Policy, October. Flood, Robert, and Peter Garber 1984, â€Å"Collapsing Exchange Rate Regimes: Some Linear Examples,† Journal of International Economics, Vol. 17, pp. 1–13. Krugman, Paul, 1979, â€Å"A Model of Balance of Payments Crises,† Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Vol. 11, pp. 311-325. Krugman, Paul, 1999, â€Å"Balance Sheets, The Transfer Problem, and Financial Crises,† in Flood, Robert, Isard, Peter, Razin, Assaf, and Rose, Andrew, eds. , International finance and financial crises: essays in honor of Robert P . Flood, Jr. , Kluwer. Krugman, Paul 2002, â€Å"Crises: the next generation† in Assaf Razin, Elhanan Helpman, and Efraim Sadka, eds. , Economic policy in the international economy: essays in honor of Assaf Razin, Cambridge. Obstfeld, Maurice; 1994, â€Å"The Logic of Currency Crises,† Cahiers Economiques et Monetaires, Bank of France, Vol. 43, pp. 189-213. Reinhart, Carmen and Rogoff, Kenneth 2009, This Time is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, Princeton. Salant, Stephen and Henderson, Dale 1978, â€Å"Market Anticipations of Government Policies and the Price of Gold†, Journal of Political Economy 14

Importance of society based on evidence from the media Essay

The media plays a very important part in the modern world. Media is any form or channel of communication that reaches out to large numbers of people. For instance, television, radio, newspapers, magazines and journals which circulate news and entertainment. Recent developments in technology have given rise to more sophisticated forms of media. In a growing society consisting of all age groups and people with different needs and interests, each mode of news would be received according to the individual receiving and understanding capacity. The attitudes and interests of an individual influence what he or she is willing to hear. Society is an entity that embodies a lot of aspects. Every human being has the need to belong to a certain society. No one can live alone and it is the nature of human beings to stay together. No one is an island and the sense of belonging is derived from being part of a society. Each society has its own values and these are respected by the society members. Communication is valued by the members of society because that is the way messages are passed from one person to the other. Given the current state where the world has become a global village, the need to receive and send information has become inevitable. Education and obtaining of new ideas is also seen as integral to the growth of any organization. This is where media comes in . Television offers information in many fields for example news, entertainment and advertising. It gives news on various occurrences and channels like Cartoon Network, Disney Channel, National Geographic, Discovery channel deliver entertainment to children and adults alike and develop learning skills for children. Television in this fast pace technology times is an effective mode of communication for multinational companies to big advertisements in order to increase sales and it is evident that people get motivated by new products. For instance a new flavor of tomato sauce, a new laptop of Acer, or a new Hollywood movie entertainment. Catching a clip of advertisement juggles the memory and motivates consumers to purchase. Radios, magazines and journals also play a huge role in advertising. Especially newspapers because they are more widely spread. Television media is a source of â€Å"All in one† which means, advertisement, entertainment, education and news are available with cable connection or dish antennae. Television is looked upon as a home entertainment box which is why television companies such as Panasonic, LG, Samsung are releasing televisions with wider and flat screens and almost every middle class home has a television to have access to entertainment and news. On one hand, television regulates business stocks, nation index and sensex, product advertisements, sales promotion, education and entertainment for children, access to global news for public and on the other hand, it is difficult to control TV channels that are transmitted. This aspect of media has a negative impact because this means that even little children can have access to unsuitable channels that show programs which are way above their level of mind. For example soap operas that promote infidelity or have explicit content certainly causes harm to young minds. Some programs also show violence and hostility which might poison young minds. In this way the media downplays the society’s attempts to uphold good morals. These negative challenges can only be prevented through certain guidelines and rules of Television and Media regulations which have to be promulgated regionally in every state keeping the view of younger generation. Apart from the above, an awareness about positive and negative impact of television must be brought before civil society, as to what messages should be accepted and messages that are to be unaccepted must be made clear. For instance, emotionally disturbing family serials or violent destructive play shows leave a deep impact on people, whose mindset would begin to change and might lead to another line of negative thinking. A healthy and upright message should be transmitted, which is seldom found in present times. It is the absolute responsibility of parents to guard children from watching any morally deviating channels or programs or better yet the TV stations should issue parental advisories before the beginning of every program. Apart from the television there are other mass media forms that can transmit negative literature. For example magazines and journals that are substandard and publish lies. This can cause uprisings in the society and disrupt the otherwise peaceful environment. Journalists should take great care to write and publish the truth only. The media has a key role in every society and if this position is misused it can work in against the society. The media should always try to work in such a way that they can uphold peace in the society and complement the society’s efforts to maintain peace and morals. According to (Perse 78), media affects how children can be more accepting of violence and anti-social behavior. It can also cultivate social attitudes and stereotypes. Thus media as an entity should be handled carefully. According to (New York Times 20) music is an integral part of the young people’s lives and the rapper Nas’ lyrics with his strong messages would definitely have an effect on the young people. Though media can also help to impart helpful and good morals to a society. For instance there are programs on the radio and television that uphold peace and unity in the community. The newspapers and briefs also produce news items that serve to bring people together. The media sometimes organizes campaigns to spread awareness. For example Youth campaigns against drug abuse, campaigns to create awareness on HIV/AIDS and promote responsible behavior. In this way the media plays an important role in uplifting the morals of the society. This is because the media can generate interest and cause debates or discussions about most social problems. So it is evident that despite the adverse aspects of the media, society cannot survive without it. Society plays a large role in influencing the media because it chooses what to promote in the media. For instance the kind of entertainment provided by media stations are tailor-made and designed to meet the needs of a particular audience. People play a great part in determining what the media shows. â€Å"It is human agency that both maintains and alters social structures. † (Croteau 22). A survey carried out to determine how much people rely on the media for news and advertising information. 8 out of 10 people get their news daily. 2 out of 10 people have subscribed to a magazine or newspaper. 7 out of 10 read or watch advertisements. 8 out of 10 have been interested to buy something they saw in an advertisement. 8 out of 10 say that it is not best to use advertisement to choose a product. Most people get news from the TV 5 out of 10 read only the headlines when they get news on the internet. 50% do not trust the news they get. The above research shows that media does play an integral role in transmitting information to the members of a society. Though half the people do not believe the news they hear, we still have to acknowledge the role the media plays in creating commonness and unity within a society. The positive effect it has on society surpasses the negative attributes. Works Cited Crouteau, David and Haynes, William. Media Society. Industries, Images and Audiences. Thousand Oaks, California: Pine Forge Press. 2000 Fleming, Rockey A. New Rage Music: Do explicit Lyrics Corrupt Moral Values of Children. New York Times 12 January 2003. Perse, Elizabeth M. Media Effects and Society. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2001.

TQM IMPELEMENTION Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

TQM IMPELEMENTION - Research Paper Example TQM works on the assumption that the superiority of goods and processes is normally the conscientiousness of all who are involved in the manufacture or using up of the products and/or services presented by an institute, requiring commitment and the participation of administration, personnel, suppliers, and clientele, to convene or surpass client expectations. ADNOC deals in oil as well as incorporating the petroleum firms in UAE. It produces an average of 21 million barrels daily. ADNOC has diversified its products as well as used benchmarking as a strategy to provide better quality services. ADNOC strives in the provision of quality products by installing such necessary TQM standards in all its operations for example gaming policy allocation in the supply chain, in inventory, it is constructing a stack approach together with adequate support technologically and crucially the human resource (Ross, 1999) Having fourteen subsidiaries, ADNOC has tried in all its bid to ensure that it ha s the requisite resources available just like any other Organization with the most important being the human resource that proves to be the most vital in every Organization. ADNOC treats the planning of the human resource component with some specialty being one of its goals. The company takes notice of the fact that an employee that is not satisfied means hindrance in the Company’s productivity (Rawlins, 2008). There is much diversification of the products offered by the firm. The core objective being to locate, produce and ultimately market the various resources that is natural gas. Vision To develop into a value added dealer of environmentally welcoming, included and highly quality goods and plus the services in the whole gulf Mission: Quality-focused relationship managing a well thought-out logistics support stand providing comprehensive goods and services to the trade of oil & gas, while outstanding in commitment to its clientele, owners, staff and society Marketing Strat egies: ADNOC marketing The firm involves itself in deep analysis of the continuing products in the market. ADNOC has a very well defined market catering for the various clienteles with a sole focus of seeing a rise in demand of the oil in the future and the petrol stations helped through promotion by famous joints that have opened doors around them. This way, the customers converge and are therefore likely to consume fuel in the stations. ADNOC has a very steady brand positioning. Even though the differentiation in price is set by OPEC, the variance there from is managed by them (ADNOC). The firm has many oil reserves managed by the capital ( Rawlins, 2008). As concerns product differentiation, the firm employs such strategies that do achieve some uniqueness. ADNOC takes caution, though on the possibility of the oil exhausting in some time in the future. ADNOC has a very large network to be able to sustain its customers and give an ample time and resources to explore other viable po ints. Being the promoters of the firm, the customers are an integral part in promotion with the channel available both in and outside the boundaries of the country through the maintenance of the customer (Hults, et, al 2012). Products and/or the services provided the brand name of the company as they have over the time marshaled such reputation and therefore very difficult to lose on the grounds of quality. The firm also ensures that there are no flaws in the products or services. The OPEC determines

Future of Nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Future of Nursing - Essay Example Increasing educational levels of nursing and continuous training will provide highly qualified nurses in the hospitals. This training will enable them acquire lifelong skills required when handling future developments within the health department. IOM proposes the amendment of requirements for hospital participation in medical provision programs. Collaboration between nurses and other physicians is required during research and improvement of the health care environment (Ridge, 2011). It will oversee the implementation of the recommendations by the government and other bodies involved. This includes the provision of advanced research models that will provide innovative solutions in the health care provision system. The institute has to strive to empower nurses to further their education and engage in continuous learning activities. Nurses require empowerment through the institute in order to lead the changes required for the provision of advanced health care. The standardization of data collection by licensing boards requires contribution from IOM. The most important point made during the briefing was the proposed increase of nurses with baccalaureate degrees to 80 percent by 2020 (IOM, 2010). This will add to the number of highly qualified nurses who can provide health care services in hospitals and homes. The number of patients who require health services is increasing rapidly and these patients require different health services. This in turn requires a diversified workforce of trained nurses who have the appropriate skills to cater for the patients. Collaboration between education institutions, funding agencies, and employers is required in order to provide necessary training to student nurses. Creating a learning culture within health facilities will encourage nurses to further their education in order to meet the required percentage. The congress has to amend the Medicare program to authorize nurses to