Discuss the Challenges and Opportunities of Ihrm When...

International human resource management is about the worldwide or global management of human resources. (Schuler et al., 2009). It can be referred to as the activities undertaken by an organization to effectively utilize its human resources. (Dowling, et al. 2008). Many organisations now compete on a worldwide scale. The vast range of technological developments available to business in modern times has changed the interface of business. As we move towards a more knowledge-based global economy, the importance on human resources has increased significantly in order to survive in an unstable economy. To operate in an international environment, human resources departments engage in a number of activities that would not be necessary in a†¦show more content†¦The advantages include mutual learning so that effective practices learnt in one location can be spread across the world, without the costly and often ineffective need for each subsidiary to reinvent the wheel. The alignme nt of global systems will facilitate an internal labour market and make expatriation and other forms of cross border movement of personnel easier. (Harzing 2011). During the global financial crisis (GFC), many companies were forced to downsize. However, some companies were able to share good news with their employees such as giving pay rises and bonuses. To boost staff morale, Cathay Pacific Airways increased salaries by an average of 2 per cent in 2009 despite the airline industry being hit the hardest during the GFC. Downturns such as this can provide an opportunity for companies to review and reflect on efficiency levels and other cost saving measures (aside from dismissing employees). (Schermerhorn et al. 2010. pp. 110 - 111). Teleworking presents advantages in terms of efficiency. Hewlett Packard and American Express researched their call centres and discovered their work-at-home staff got through 20 per cent more calls, plus they experienced an increase in customer satisfaction as employees working at home are typically more focussed on the task at hand (Sheedy, 2010). Teleworking can be a useful tool during economic recession as emp loyees retain their jobs, while gaining greater work satisfaction by workingShow MoreRelatedDirected Study6575 Words   |  27 PagesDirected Study #2 International Management - Managing Across Borders and Cultures Chapter 2 Managing Interdependence -Social Responsibility and Ethics Discussion Questions 3.  What does moral universalism mean?  Discuss your perspective on this concept.  Do you think the goal of moral universalism is possible?  Is it advisable? Moral universalism is a moral standard toward social responsibility accepted by all cultures. My opinion is that what is morally correct in my culture may not be in anotherRead MoreArticle: Performance Appraisal and Performance Management35812 Words   |  144 Pagesmerit rating in which an individual is rated as better or worse in comparison to others. This is one of the oldest and most universal practices of management (Tripathi 2005). This is a process which reveals that how well employees perform their jobs when the performance compared with the predetermine set of standards (L Mathis John H. Jackson). Merit rating is used basically for promotion of employees. However performance appraisal is more comprehensive term for such activities, because its use extendsRead MoreStrategic Management: HM and Zara14590 Words   |  59 Pagesretailing of fashion apparel and accessories. The company offers a range of apparel, cosmetics, footwear and accessories for men, women, children and teenagers. HM primarily operates in Europe, North America and Asia, and has a presence in over 38 countries. The company is headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden and employs approximately 87,000 people on a full-time basis. This thesis focused on the strategic management of HM company. The main research problem was to make an in-depth analysis of its marketingRead MoreManagement Course: Mba−10 General Management215330 Words   |  862 Pagesthis course. The instructor is solely responsible for the editorial content of such materials. 111 MANGGEN ISBN: 0−390−58539−4 Management Contents Feigenbaum−Feigenbaum †¢ The Power of Management Capital 1. New Management for Business Growth in a Demanding Economy 1 1 Text Jones−George †¢ Contemporary Management, Fourth Edition I. Management 17 17 2. The Evolution of Management Thought Hughes−Ginnett−Curphy †¢ Leadership, Fifth Edition I. Leadership is a Process, Not a Position

Essay on Threat to Internet Privacy - 2666 Words

Threat to Internet Privacy Abstract At what level is Internet surveillance by the United States government acceptable to society, considering a balance between security and privacy, what are the short and long term implications, and how does it affect the rest of the world. Introduction Privacy from governments has been under assault increasing amounts in the last 100 years. Technology has revolutionized the concept, as before we had microphones, telephones, wiretaps, video cameras, someone would actually need to trespass to violate your privacy. For example, you would need to actually be in someone?s house to eavesdrop on his or her conversation without technological help[1]. Privacy protection can be looked at as how†¦show more content†¦But a prudent teacher could buy them in another town to avoid this act being discovered by the school. But with computer technology, the bar code on the condoms could be tied to the credit card number and to the school records, informing the school that a teacher made an unacceptable purchase[2], potentially costing the teacher his or her job. Current technology makes such a scenario feasible. However, such a compilation of publicly available information seems like quite an intrusion of privacy. Yet, this ability to track someone?s actions could be used to catch potential criminals and terrorists. A terrorist could research how to make a bomb online, take flight lessons, and communicate with other terrorists over email. If this activity were properly monitored, the terrorist could be caught before any harm was done. Current practices of monitoring based on the Patriot Act have been given credit for catching more terrorists than ever before[3]. At what level are we willing to give up our personal privacy for security? The United States has long had a practice of respecting privacy and considering it an individual right. In 1890, the U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis stated that individuals have a ?right to be left alone?[4]. The courts have used this repeatedly as the basis for upholding personal privacy, though just as often overlooked this right whenShow MoreRelatedThreats posed by the internet to personal privacy1012 Words   |  5 PagesPrivacy is a very important issue to Internet users. Fear of disclosure of personal information about an individual has prevented many from using the Internet. According to a 2000 U.S. News World Report survey, 86% of Internet users fear that continued use of the Web threatens their privacy. Private information, in the wrong hands, can cause a great deal of harm to the individuals concerned. There are several issues related to the Internet and privacy that raise concerns for many users. The usersRead MoreContinual Assault on Individual Privacy633 Wo rds   |  3 PagesInternet Privacy Introduction The greatest challenge to the legal foundations of the Internet is the continual assault on individual privacy, brought about by continually loosening standards as to how personal data is used, stored and tracked online. Foremost among these threats is the relentless use of personal data from websites, social networks and other online forums where people are coaxed into giving up as much data as possible to support advertising strategy-based business models (ChristiansenRead MoreNetwork Product Development Company : Security Issue1280 Words   |  6 PagesIoT Integration in Network Product Development Company : Security issue –Critical Literature Review. Introduction: The Internet of Things (IoT) sometimes known as Internet of objects. Internet of Things later will change to Internet of Everything which includes education, communication, business, science, government, and humanity. The internet is one of the most important and powerful creations in human history (Evan, 2011). The high volumes of data generated by IoT and technologies for the similarRead MoreControversy of Privacy and the Internet1117 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Privacy is dead – get over it†, according to Steve Rambam, a privacy investigator who specializes in Internet privacy cases, this is how he considers privacy to be in today’s society. He is just another entity living in the midst of a high technology society to whom privacy seems to be dead when reaching the Internet. With all the traffic on the Internet, the risk of private information falling into the wrong hands is excessive, and with all the advances in computer technology the rate of privacyRead Mo reCell Phone Privacy1664 Words   |  7 Pagespeople’s daily life. The crowd use cell phones to do a bunch of things, such as calling, texting, searching the Internet, taking photos, using GPSs to get directions and so on. Individuals have large demand for those cell phone’s utilities. However, the enormous demand will also bring notable privacy threat to the public. There is a contradiction between cell phone users’ demands and privacy threats as well as the necessity for those users to learn to how to balance the two things. More specifically, peopleRead MoreLack Of Privacy On The Internet1404 Words   |  6 Pagesissue today that cuts so wide a swath through conflicts confronting American society like privacy. From AIDS tests to wiretaps, polygraph tests to computerized data bases, the common denominator has been whether the right to privacy outweighs other concerns of society. And with more and more people using the Internet, more and more information be ing passed over the Internet, more problems arise. The Internet has been an advantage in technology that has greatly increased the capacities of a computerRead MoreBan And Monitoring Of Internet Browsing And Surfing1169 Words   |  5 Pages Assignment on Ban and monitoring of internet browsing and surfing By XxX Dated Ban and monitoring of internet browsing and surfing There is a continuous monitoring over the Internet in the United States. This is the potential and propositional controversy over the privacy rights. This law is stated as the invasion of privacy, and it can be observed that this regulation is placed upon us for the context of limitation and a ban on certain websites. This is truly an example of a nanny stateRead More Technological Advances Threaten Privacy Essay1109 Words   |  5 PagesAdvances Threaten Privacy The year is 2004. By now, our technology is so advanced that we’ve built robots to do common daily tasks for us. To many people, all of this technology seems like a dream come true. What they don’t realize is that the magnitude of complex technology can go the other way as well. The Internet is a cyber jungle filled with a lot of hunters, and even more prey. Just by hooking ourselves in with all of this new technology we have threatened our privacy. With the click ofRead MoreInternet Monitoring : Control Laws1339 Words   |  6 Pagesof the Incarnate Word Internet Monitoring: Control Laws in United States Zaid Alsubaie Internet Monitoring and Control Laws of United States There is a continuous monitoring over the Internet in the United States. This is the potential and propositional controversy over the privacy rights. The laws such as Communications Decency Act (CDA) and ‘Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act’ is pertaining to the monitoring of internet is stated as an invasion of privacy, and it can be observedRead MoreFacebook Is An Online Social Networking1079 Words   |  5 Pagesopportunities and threats. The segments of the general environment I believe that most affects Facebook are the political/legal segment, the sociocultural segment and the technological segment. The Political/Legal Segment The political/legal segment of the general environment is concerned with organizations influence on the government and how organizations study and understand how legal and political affairs impact their competitive actions and responses. Many opportunities and threats arises from this

Organizational Culture and Employee Behaviour

Question: Discuss about the Organizational Culture and Employee Behaviour. Answer: Introduction: Managers are tasked with making decisions that have a huge implication on the organization. Therefore, it is important for them to make effective decisions following a certain criteria. The first step in effective decision-making is identifying the problem that needs to be solved (Schneider., et al 2013, 370). Organizational problems can be many but only one can be solved at a time. In the same context, there might be one broad problem that gives rise to many others. As such, it is critical to know the specific problem that has to be dealt with so that the manager gets the priorities right. The second step is identifying the method of solving the problem. Different problems require different criteria. Therefore, by identifying the criteria which matches the problem, the chances of success increase. After identifying the solution framework, managers can develop alternatives to the criteria. Sometimes the core method can fail to achieve the desired effect. Effective decision-making calls for managers to develop a set of alternative methods so that they have enough cover in case the first method fails (Pettigrew 2014, 23). These method(s) has to be analyzed to determine if it is in tandem with the magnitude of the problem. Managers also have to compare the strengths and weaknesses of the chosen method(s). The next step is harnessing the necessary resources required to solve the problem. Fundamentally, managers have to seek input from all stakeholders within and outside the organization who are likely to be affected by the impending decision. Managers have to keep communication as open as possible to allow opinion from others since decisions affect more than just the management. After this, the next stage is to implement the decision using the correct parameters identified above. This also includes timelines that have to be followed. The last step is to carry out an evaluation to ascertain whether the decision was successful or not and a pply the necessary measures if necessary. Organizational Culture and How it Influences Behavior Organizational culture refers to a set of values, principles, attitudes and beliefs that determine how things are done within the precincts of the organization (Alvesson 2012, 7). It is a collection of norms that have been proved to be working and beneficial to the organization and which every employee ought to understand and act as per the provisions. It is a shared way of acting and thinking that makes the organization stand above the rest. Organizational culture brings about responsibility among all employees since they know what is expected of them and how they have to achieve personal and organizational goals. Secondly, organizational behavior motivates employees (Sinha, et al 2010, 55).When employees feel part of the organization as per the provisions of the culture, they become more motivated and improve their performance. Additionally, organizational behavior enhances innovation among employees (Hogan Coote 2014, 1615). Part of the organizational culture is to empower employees with the necessary incentives to exploit their potential. In this context, employees develop curiosity and can go ahead to make innovations that are beneficial to the company and themselves. Organizational culture also affects employee behavior in that it constitutes a friendly working environment for employees (Sinha, et al 2010, 62). Culture defines specific roles and means of handling them to get optimum results. Therefore, employees are likely to develop a positive attitude and feel happy in a system where the culture is enabling. Positive organizational culture is a recipe for happiness and job satisfaction (Latchigadu 2016, 5). When employees feel that they are appreciated within the system, they increase their loyalty and improve their performance. Consequently, such employees will have no reason to seek opportunities elsewhere. Organizational culture also promotes collaboration while eliminating unnecessary competition among workers. As a unifying factor, employees put collective success above individual honors and as such, they are open to working together and assisting one another to move to the next level together. The Future of Planning Planning is, and will remain a critical part of organizational management in the future. Planning will become more important to managers in the future because the scope of organizational management is changing because of the varying dynamics in the operating environment (Griffin 2013, 8). Organizations are prone to various challenges emanating from changes occurring within and outside them and which have an impact on the short-term and long-term future of the firm. Planning will help managers deal with the problems by anticipating them in advance and developing response mechanisms in time to scale down the negative impact of the challenges. Planning will become more important for managers in the future because of the growing need to change priorities, goals and objectives (Griffin 2013, 11). Companies have a set of goals that they anticipate to achieve within specific timelines. However, these goals cannot remain constant forever due to various changes in the market. Therefore, managers will need to plan so that they reconstitute their list of priorities so that they move in line with the market patterns. In the same context, planning will remain critical since new strategies keep emerging by day and which managers have to integrate in their organizations so that they can conform to the prevailing demands. Planning will also remain crucial since it involves allocation of resources (finances).All organizations envisage growth and this can only come about in the presence of resources. As part of the process, managers will continue to spot growth opportunities and plan accordingly to move towards achieving the desired heights. Planning will enable them to make the right decisions and investments while reducing overlapping projects and wasteful allocations that harbor little or no meaningful returns. In the same regard, planning will remain essential for managers since it will help them craft competitive advantage strategies in relation to their competitors. By proper planning, managers are simply moving ahead of their competitors in the market. References Alvesson, M., 2012.Understanding organizational culture. Sage. Griffin, R.W., 2013.Fundamentals of management. Cengage Learning. Hemanalini, R. and SUGANYA, S., 2016. A Study on Organizational Culture and its Impact on Employee Behaviour.Global Journal For Research Analysis,5(3). Hogan, S.J. and Coote, L.V., 2014. Organizational culture, innovation, and performance: A test of Schein's model.Journal of Business Research,67(8), pp.1609-1621. Latchigadu, C.M., 2016.Relationship between organisational culture and organisational commitment(Doctoral dissertation). Pettigrew, A.M., 2014.The politics of organizational decision-making. Routledge. Schneider, B., Ehrhart, M.G. and Macey, W.H., 2013. Organizational climate and culture.Annual review of psychology,64, pp.361-388. Sinha, S., Singh, A.K., Gupta, N. and Dutt, R., 2010. Impact of Work Culture on Motivation and Performance Level of Employees in Private Sector Companies.Acta Oeconomica Pragensia,2010(6), pp.49-67.

Levis Strauss Canada Holding an Ember the Gwg Brand free essay sample

Q1. Why do consumers buy jeans? What is the buying decision based on? -Jeans were invented in 1873 by Levy Strauss. Consumers’ perceptions about jeans are following: 1. Durable and extra strong-In terms of durability Jeans are considered more durable than other fabric pants . This extra strong image attracts customers for the feel of rough and tough personality. 2. Symbol of rebellion :Blue jeans were adopted as a workers’ jeans and in the 1950 they became a symbol of rebellion when stars such as Marilyn Monroe and James Dean began sporting variations of the Denim bottom . Manual Labor through High Fashion : In modern time a blue jeans is considered as an everyday common garment for varied occasions . It has a fashion relevancy as well as it is a casual wear of daily use. 4. It reflects own Personal independence and style. It reflects the utilitarian image. People wear jeans for work , relaxation ,to be themselves ,to attract others and to feel good. We will write a custom essay sample on Levis Strauss Canada Holding an Ember: the Gwg Brand or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page 5. Jeans are considered as ‘Cool’ ,They are famous for comfort, ease and compatibility factor. Many a times the buying decision of a consumer is based on the modern fashion relevancy. Jeans are very famous as Casual cloths , which can be used in College or even offices, workplaces . For younger generation, youth are often spurred on by ‘image’ and peer pressure, hence these factors influence their buying behavior in purchasing jeans. A wide variety exists of jeans for diverse lifestyles, for example relaxed fit for comfort, ultra baggy, low waist for younger generation. So jeans have attracted all age group, all ethnicities. Denim is universal. How are people influenced for buying jeans, apart from fashion and trend, jeans appeal for purchase because of their longer durability and even after a long time they are usable as they considered better as they fades. Most of the very good brands are affordable for middle class income group they are not considered as luxury clothing hence they are more popular and sold, 70 percent of people in western countries uses jeans. With the rise of woman empowerment, there is an advent of new market for denim. The young women and girls have been greatly attracted by jeans. Q2. What is happening in the overall market place and channels? Ans: The various happenings in the market place and channels can be grouped into three parts: Consumer tastes Consumer taste varied from diverse lifestyles to fashion preferences like Flare jeans for fashion conscious consumers and ultra baggy for younger consumers. The trend of casual wear in the work place was also increasing allowing the combination of different pant styles, including blue jeans, corduroy and khakis. The jeans market of women section experienced greater flux and change. It varied on alternative purchases such as khakis, shirts or Capri pants. Industrial observers believed that the marketplace moved from jeans to casual pants with the popularity of the khakis pant from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, the denim cycle was believed to begin again. Competitive Scenario Market Players: The retail chains produced fierce competition. The average price paid for jeans had fallen consecutively for five years due to increased promotional pricing by the departmental stores such as the Bay and Sears and entrants like Wal-Mart and Costco pushing down the average price. The Levi’s jeans were market leaders owning 16. 1% of men’s jeans market. Levi’s jeans had good brand recall. Wrangler was competitor to Levi’s. Private labels: Nevada at Sears and Rockland at Costco, Originals at Wal-Mart were some of the private label brands that owned significant portions of the men’s and women’s jeans market. The pricing was suited for mass market. These labels offered strong promotional pricing up to 40% of listed price. Premium brands: Premium brands were sold through dedicated shops with in department stores. Tommy Hilfiger and Diesel were in the process of opening their own line of stores in shopping malls and storefront locations. Specialty retailers: The specialty retailers developed their own brand like Mark’s Work Wearhouse with Denver Hayes and catered special age groups. Distribution Channel: There were six distribution channels for jeans in Canada. Department Stores – The departmental stores like The Bay, Sears, Eatons. These stores kept 80% of jeans in price ranges up to $49. 99. Specialty Stores – The specialty stores like Thrifty’s, the Gap, Mark’s Works Wearhouse, Old Navy. Large Mass Merchants – The large Mass merchants like Wal-Mart, Zellers. The large mass merchants generally kept jeans ranging up $29. 9. Around 80% of jeans in price ranges up to $ 29. 99. Small Mass Merchants – The small mass merchant like Saan, Best value, fields, NorthWest, Gaint Tiger, Harts, Cohoes. Others The others consisted of Winner, Costco, outlets Stores and catalogue sales. Wal-Mart and Costco offered jeans between $ 15 and $ 20. 3. What is the context within which Klee needs to make a decision? The dilemma that is faced by Klee here is somewhat synonymous to the one faced by the management board of General Motors in case of Oldsmobile being phased out. In this case Klee’s major concern was that where exactly does the GWG as a brand and product fit into their overall portfolio. It is pretty common for any organization to focus on its core competencies and so Klee has also advocated that they had two market leading brands in Dockers and Levi’s. Like any company they also have limited amount of marketing fund and being a part of a multinational business, seeking profits and market share growth around the world they cannot there investment into GWG. The problem is GWG is underdeveloped in market place and in order to justify an investment it needs to produce higher volumes and profits. So if they don’t invest it can’t grow but unless it grows, Klee can’t justify an investment particularly with urgent market pressures facing their higher return brands i. e. Levi’s and Dockers. Klee has also stated his discomfort with the way Licensee has gone about GWG. He hasn’t invested money into it, hasn’t, updated any of the fits and hasn’t tried to build it as a brand at all. Klee was very much concerned that if the situation continues like this the Brand’s past glory will be lost. Klee knew that her priorities laid with the leading brands i. e. Levi’s and Dockers but on thinking about GWG as a brand she felt that there was an indifference shown by them towards the brand. Though she was not sure whether if the brand was taken aback there can be any growth beyond the sales figures of Jack Spratt’s sales number of the first year. On doing the mathematics and calculation on various operations required to rejuvenate GWG production and sales she was still not very much convinced with the result of cost benefit analysis. All the exercise and data crunching that was done by her was not giving a very clear cut direction to whether the brand should be revived or not. There were issues with minimum cost of production, shipping cost, no. of days of inventory needed, management staff needed to update the fits and increase brand awareness, create refreshed point of sales materials, how to sell the brand to retailers an how to support its production from the existing infrastructure. In the end Klee was still introspecting and asking herself the same question which was pretty evident from the start itself, â€Å"Should she try to revive the brand†. Q4. What are the Channel implications and financial considerations? Ans. Financial Considerations: ?The minimum cost of manufacturing a pair of jeans is $15 per unit and they have to maintain inventory of at least 90 days. All this adds to the operational cost and an excess burden on already weak financial status of the company. They have to pay tax rate about 40% of the sales. ?They would need new workforce to manage the brand and a person in general management would cost company around $60000/annum. The supporting infrastructure would cost the company an extra $50000 Channel Implications: ?The GWG brand has not being able to build a own identity over the years due to no marketing plans by Spratt, hence selling it via specialty stores will not be a feasible option as there are existing brands working aggressively on their strategies. ?The units sold by GWG remained the same more or less from 1998 to 2001 and before that it seriously affected sales of Orange Tap and hence we cannot s ell it with GWG if they revive it. Although they can sell it via mass merchants who do not favor any particular brand and this could also boost sales of the brand. ?Retailers are using Economies of scale to reduce the price of production of per unit of jeans and this has brought down the margins and challenged the other channels who have to reduce the margins and hence profits. ?Besides GWG is limited only to Men’s jeans and it showed significant decrease in market share. If Levis tries and revive it will be a challenge for them because they have to capture the lost market and also help GWG grow. The above mentioned implications suggest that the overall cost of manufacturing a pair of jeans will go up and in order to increase profits, Levis has to price it upwards of 30$. The company has to work on pricing strategy because they already have Levis Orange Tab in this range so it may cannibalize its own product. If they increase the price somewhere in between the 29$ price tag for Orange Tab and 49$ price tag for Red Tab they can have a alternate product in their portfolio filling in the gap. The company also needs to select the channels appropriately so as to get higher margins and position the brand as planned.

The Lowell Mill Girls in the 19th Century

The Lowell Mill Girls in the 19th Century The Lowell Mill Girls were female workers in early 19th century America, young women employed in an innovative system of labor in textile mills centered in Lowell, Massachusetts. The employment of women in a factory was  novel to the point of being revolutionary. And the system of labor in the Lowell mills became widely admired because the young women were housed in an environment which was not only safe but reputed to be culturally advantageous. The young women were encouraged to engage in educational pursuits while not working, and they even contributed articles to a magazine, the Lowell Offering.   The Lowell System of Labor Employed Young Women Francis Cabot Lowell founded the Boston Manufacturing Company, prompted by the increased demand for cloth during the War of 1812. Utilizing the latest technology, he built a factory in Massachusetts which used water power to run machines that processed raw cotton into finished fabric. The factory needed workers, and Lowell wanted to avoid using child labor, which was commonly used in fabric mills in England. The workers did not need to be physically strong, as the work was not strenuous. However, the workers had to be fairly intelligent to master the complicated machinery. The solution was to hire young women. In New England, there were a number of girls who had some education, in that they could read and write. And working in the textile mill seemed like a step up from working on the family farm. Working at a job and earning wages was an innovation in the early decades of the 19th century, when many Americans still worked on family farms or at small family businesses. And for young women at the time, it was considered a great adventure to be able to assert some independence from their families. The company set up boardinghouses to provide safe places for the women employees to live, and also imposed a strict moral code. Instead of it being thought scandalous for women to work in a factory, the mill girls were actually considered respectable. Lowell Became the Center of Industry Francis Cabot Lowell, the founder of the Boston Manufacturing Company, died in 1817. But his colleagues continued the company  and built a larger and improved mill along the Merrimack River in a town which they renamed in Lowells honor. In the 1820s and 1830s, Lowell and its mill girls became fairly famous. In 1834, faced with increased competition in the textile business, the mill cut the workers wages, and the workers responded by forming the Factory Girls Association, an early labor union. The efforts at organized labor were not successful, however. In the late 1830s, the housing rates for the female mill workers were raised, and they attempted to hold a strike, but it did not succeed. They were back on the job within weeks. Mill Girls and Their Cultural Programs Were Famous The mill girls became known for engaging in cultural programs centered around their boardinghouses. The young women tended to read, and discussions of books were a common pursuit. The women also began publishing their own magazine, the Lowell Magazine.  The magazine was published from 1840 to 1845, and sold for six cents a copy. The content poems and autobiographical sketches, which were usually published anonymously, or with the authors identified solely by their initials. The mill owners essentially controlled what appeared in the magazine, so the articles tended to be a positive nature. Yet the magazines very existence was seen as evidence of a positive work environment.   When Charles Dickens, the great Victorian novelist, visited the United States in 1842, he was taken to Lowell to see the factory system. Dickens, who had seen the horrible conditions of British factories up close, was very impressed at the conditions of the mills in Lowell. He was also impressed by the publication issued by the mill workers. The Lowell Offering ceased publication in 1845, when tensions between the workers and the mill owners increased. Over the last year of publication the magazine had published material that was not entirely positive, such as an article which pointed out that loud machinery in the mills could damage a workers hearing. When the magazine promoted the cause of a workday shortened to ten hours, tensions between workers and management became inflamed and the magazine was shut down. Immigration Brought the End of the Lowell System of Labor In the mid-1840s, the Lowell workers organized the Female Labor Reform Association, which tried to bargain for improved wages. But the Lowell System of Labor was essentially undone by increased immigration to the United States. Instead of hiring local New England girls to work in the mills, the factory owners discovered they would hire newly arrived immigrants. The immigrants, many of whom had come from Ireland, fleeing the Great Famine, were content to find any work at all, even for relatively low wages.

Demings 14 Points Theory Explained

Demings 14 Points Theory Explained Read about 14 points of Total Quality Management concept a kind of guideline on management. Deming’s 14 Points Deming’s 14 Points are a set of guidelines for management presented in the Out of the Crisis, written by statistician W. Edward Deming in 1982. Deming is credited with inventing the concept of Total Quality Management (TQM) through the ideas presented in the book, although he did not invent the term â€Å"total quality management.† The central concept behind Deming’s management philosophy is that variation is the biggest obstacle to productivity; by following the 14 points, he reasoned, organizations could develop their own ways to reduce variation  and improve performance and competitiveness. Deming developed his ideas while working in Japan beginning shortly after the end of World War II. His work originally had nothing to do with business, but rather to apply his skill as a statistician to helping to conduct a census of the Japanese population. During the 1950s, Deming began teaching Japanese engineers â€Å"statistical process control,† a methodology that allowed for better quality control in production without applying new processes or equipment; the idea was enormously appealing to Japanese industry, particularly in the capital-lean years following the war, and for Deming’s contribution to resurrecting Japanese manufacturing, he received the rare honor of being awarded a medal by Emperor Hirohito in 1960. On a side note, that means that Japan’s position as a powerhouse in some industries, particularly automobiles and electronics, owes much of its success to an American statistician who had some free time on his hands while on an unrelated assignment. Pay attention in your math courses, kids; it might just make you a business god someday. Read also:  Five Components of Service Management  | Difference between  Leadership and Management Demings 14 Points explained Point 1: Create constancy of purpose to achieve quality. This is a suggestion to focus on long-term planning rather than a  short-term response to changing circumstances  and to align periodic planning with the organization’s overall mission and vision. Point 2: Adopt the quality way of thinking. The implication is that the implementation of the new, quality-oriented philosophy should be sincere; rather than simply imposing it on the workforce, management has to begin the transformation by changing its way of thinking first. Point 3: Stop depending on inspection to achieve quality. A basic premise of TQM is that quality control is integrated into production processes, therefore, dedicated quality control procedures, which are out of the normal process flow, are unnecessary and work against increasing efficiency. Point 4: End the practice of awarding business to suppliers on price alone instead minimize cost by working closely with only one or two vendors. The main idea here is to minimize variations in the quality and specifications of supplies and raw materials. Deming’s contention is that there is a greater net cost benefit to establishing long-term relationships in a supply chain rather than chasing lower prices. Point 5: Constantly improve every process involved in planning, production, and service. This, of course, is the fundamental idea behind TQM: continuous improvement as part of everyday practice. Point 6: Institute on-the-job training for all employees. This idea goes hand-in-hand with Point 5; if constant improvement is practiced in every other aspect of the business, it must be applied to the workforce as well. Point 7: Adopt and institute leadership. Leadership, as opposed to mere â€Å"management† or â€Å"supervision.† This idea is sometimes confusing  because Deming does not define the difference very clearly in his own work, although numerous others have tackled the question, with varying degrees of success. Point 8: Drive out fear from the work environment. Punitive management, that is, where the primary check on performance is to punish performance that is not up to the expected standards, is counterproductive because it discourages workers from working for the organization’s best interests. In other words, they are performing at the minimum level necessary to â€Å"stay out of trouble†, rather than trying to excel. Point 9: Break down barriers between the workers and the management. This point, as Deming discusses it, is not so much a statement on the form of organization but a prescription for another basic idea in TQM, that different parts of the organization have a supplier-customer relationship with one another. Point 10: Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets. In TQM, the presumption is that the likely source of variation and error is the process, rather than the people. Deming views slogans – the sort of thing one might see on those ubiquitous motivational posters – as useless at best, if the process that they are directed towards is not improved. Point 11: Eliminate quantity-quotas and targets for the workforce and management. This is related to Point 8; continuous improvement is not possible if some â€Å"endpoint† is established. The focus of the work will shift from seeking continuously improving quality and productivity to meeting a quantitative goal. Point 12: Remove barriers that rob people of their pride in workmanship, and eliminate the annual rating or merit system. This particular point is a bit difficult to interpret; Deming’s view is that merit-based performance rating is demotivating, and he ties it in with his general distaste for targets, quotas, and the â€Å"carrot-and-stick† approach to performance management. On the other hand, if taken to extremes this point could suggest that performance is not important, which would be an idea most managers would take exception to. Point 13: Institute a vigorous program of education and self-improvement for everyone. This point is simply an extension of the ideas in Points 5 and 6; â€Å"continuous improvement† must be applied to the people as well as processes. Point 14: Put everyone in the organization to work to accomplish the transformation. This point is related to Point 7; any organizational transformation must include everyone and not simply be imposed on the organization. The most common criticism of Deming’s 14 Points is that they do not provide any tools to carry out these ideas, and in many ways suggest that tools for measuring and management performance are counterproductive.  Deming himself provided little guidance to deflect this criticism; his position was that these were broad objectives  and that it was up to management to develop the means to reach them, according to their own organization’s unique circumstances. If you need a similar essay feel free to  ask our writers for help and place an order.

CFP and CFA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

CFP and CFA - Essay Example For an individual to access the Certificate of approval from the CFP Board, he/she must possess certain academic qualifications as required by this board for instance: He/she must possess a degree in matters related to financial management as well as accounting issues. Moreover, the degree must have been obtained from an ISO Certified and accredited learning institution. People interested in acquiring the Certified Financial Planning approval certificate are also usually exposed to a five year training of, which they have to pass exams (Brandon & Welch 2009). There are various advantages ascribed to an individual acquiring this certificate; first of all, individuals approved with the provision of this certificate are considered to have acquired the proper financial management ethics hence have a higher chance of employment as compared to persons who have not been provided with this certificate. In addition, the acquisition of this certificate is important owing to the fact it is recognized in some parts of Europe i.e. in Britain; hence allowing individuals who possess it to access job opportunities in Britain This is a program offered to individuals focusing on financial analysis of various economic activities. It is usually offered by an American organization that was formerly referred as Investment Management & Research. In order to access this charter, an individual must complete the program offered by this organization (Lucas 2010). Such a person will therefore be referred as a Chartered Financial Analyst certificate holder. This charter certificate is not usually regarded as a degree but rather a program that enhances individuals’ capacity to perform duties pertaining to financial analysis. Apart from the fact that an individual has to attend the training programs offered to attain the charter certificate, he/she must also possess an experience of two years in regard to financial training and management. Moreover,

History of Italian Painting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Italian Painting - Essay Example â€Å"The style of the painting breaks with the academic traditions of the time. He did not try to hide the brush strokes: indeed, the painting looks unfinished in some parts of the scene† (Shronda, Art: story in a medium). The active, live independence spirit in impressionism could be viewed as excellent from popular pieces of work, which could have been rejected in 1863 by the salon and might have been exhibited within the Le Bain title, meaning The Bath at the Salon des Refuses within the same year. In accordance with Antonia Proust, the picture’s notion might be said to have depicted itself to Edouard Manet at the time when piece they had been watching Argenteuil’s bathers. Edouard Manet had been reminded of the concert Champetre of Giorgione, but instead of trying to bring substantial painting back to life, he opted to redo the theme within modern personnel and in a clearer color than the previous. There might have been the technique of Old Master within the formal arrangement element with regards to the characters. Although Manet may be said to have ostensibly opted to set his stage in an open ground, there might be a couple of suggestions and clues of the fresh possibilities’ color and light within this open air painting. We might have had knowledge that the artist of this piece of work might have kept Titian’s Pastoral Symphony in consideration as his primary source to Le Dejeuner Sur l’herbe (Shronda, Art: story in  the medium).... Manet may be said to have followed others’ examples in the formulation of his own pieces, one of the techniques within the Academy of Fine Art. â€Å"A closer likeness of composition has been found in an engraving by Marcantonio of a group of river gods, after a now lost original by Raphael† (Lometa: Le Dejeuner Sur l’herbe). Courbet Gustave, in his time, might have debated that it would be significant for painters to ensure that their pieces maintain a modern trend, reflect the figures of the people of the artists themselves, and reflect their own original images. It might not be extremely farfetched for Manet to make use of this theme: he made paintings of the things, which might have appeared crucial or significant to him. He was featuring most elements that may have been anticipated within a piece extremely relevant to the L’Academie Francoise, e.g. still-life nude figures within a landscape together with, the history painting scale. He may be said to have pushed the traditional envelope although he intended to make his pieces acceptable traditionally. It might seem ironical that the nude works of Bouguereau could have been acceptable, yet Manet’s could have been disputed (Lometa: Le Dejeuner Sur l’herbe). Nothing within the foreground in his figures could be considered heroic. In real life, every figure was based on leaving the identifiable people who characterized his life. The nude, seated figure had been Victiorne Meurand while the gentlemen could be identified as Eugene, (with Cain) his brother together with Ferdinand Leenhof, the sculptor and his brother in-law. These two men dressed in the 1860s’ fashionable Parisian style together with the nude at the fore front may be

Eth 125 Week 5 Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay Example for Free

Eth 125 Week 5 Religious and Ethnic Groups Essay Jehovah’s Witnesses go door to door while other religious groups let people come to them. They do this because they consider it an honor to spread the word of god. Their religious practices are generally similar to others they worship God, pray to him, and think that all things good come from him. Jehovah’s Witnesses believe God can not lie therefore what the bible says will come true and earth will someday be cleansed of all the â€Å"wickedness†. In addition, most religions do some kind of baptizing when a child is young however, Jehovah’s Witnesses only baptise those who want to serve as a Jehovah’s Witness. * * Jehovah’s Witnesses have contributed to American Culture in many ways. For instance, they help with education, disaster relief, and parenting. They contribute in many ways and are modest about the history in the making. Jahovah’s Witnesses set out to help people become law abiding citizens that do right by God. They have also won many court battles about religious freedom issues. Other groups that do not have the same beliefs have discriminated against Jehovah’s Witnesses. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been treated poorly or even been victims of violent crimes. Jehovah’s Witnesses have been shunned in many different areas of the world. For instance; in France (2006) the government branded them as dangerous and 71 kingdom halls were burned, firebombed, shot at, and vandalized. In India (2006) door to door Jehovah’s Witnesses were attacked and beaten with fence posts. The Jehovah’s Witnesses were charged with inciting the violence. The sources of this discrimination and prejudice came from governments as well as general population. What I have learned about this religion helps me understand it just as well as I understand any religion. Jahovah’s Witnesses are fighting for what they believe in just as many of us are. They are no different accept their beliefs differ from others. Jahovah’s Witnesses deserve to believe what they want to believe in. Everyone needs to believe in something and they should not be treated differently because the way they practice is not the same as everyone else. Racial/ethnic group: Hispanic and Latino * * Hispanic and Latino culture is different in many ways. Some of these differences include skin color, language, and physical features. Many Hispanic and Latinos speak Spanish and their second language is English. Their culture is defferent in the sense that they try to avoid standing out in their own groups. In addition, Hispanic and Latino children are raised to have a deep connection with family. This group many times has a strong bond with all family including Aunts Uncles, and Grandparents, many times these family members live in the same household or near by. * * Hispanic and Latinos have been treated poorly similar to any other racial group. The efforts to increase border patrol on the Mexican American border have done nothing but increase prejudice and discrimination against Hispanic and Latino people. There have even been reports that women and children are treated poorly as well. Here in Tucson Az. for instance we hear many reports about the border patrol having to work over time to keep them out. Someday I feel it will all come crashing down and anyone who tried to keep them out will have to pay for that in some way shape or form. Hispanics and Latinos should not be told they can not come to the US. Many of them say that the US has better opportunitys and that is why they want to be here. If we can help other countrys organize then why not Mexico as well. Hispanic and Latinos have highly influenced American culture. First and foremost the food thay they showed us is popular all over the world. Tortillas, burritos, chimichangas, and many other dishes that are simply delicious. In addition, the music they have introduced us to has definitely spiced things up in many clubs all over the U. S. Also many students are now required to complete spanish as a second language in school, which at first may have been frowned upon but now is embraced by most parents and students. Some discrimination that Hispanic and Latinos deal with still today is the difficulty to get good paying jobs. Because many of them do not speak english well and have little to no education the jobs they get are in most cases low wage high labor jobs. The sources of this prejudice and discrimination is employers as well as general population. Hispanics and Latinos are looked upon as different especially if they were not born in the US. In addition, in many films Hispanics are often prtrayed as lazy, hyper-sexual, or violent which is simply untrue and not very different from any other ethnic group. What I have learned about this racial and ethnic group does help me understand it. I have never understood why so many of them live under the same roof and now I understand it is because their family is close. In addition, now I know that it is the lack of education the prevents them from getting higher paying jobs and maybe not so much that they are different. The prejedice between my selected racial and ethnic group is similar because it is all in the same category. Prejedice and discrimination is all a way of making a person or a group feel inadequate and that they do not belong. Regardless of the way Jahovah’s wittnesses were beaten and harrassed or the way the Hispanic and Latinos have been cast out and told they are not welcome in the US it is all wrong and should not be tolerated. In conclusion, discrimination comes in all shapes and sizes and can happen to anyone. Jahovah’s Witnesses References: Reference: http://www. jw. org/en/publications/magazines/g201008/what-do-jehovahs-witnesses-believe/ Reference: http://www. knocking. org/ReligiousPersecutionReport. html Reference: http://www. jw-media. org/aboutjw/article44. htm Reference: http://wiki. answers. com/Q/How_have_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses_contributed_to_American_culture Hispanic and Latino Reference: Reference: http://www. coedu. usf. edu/zalaquett/hoy/culture. html Reference:

Location Analysis Of A Franchise Restaurant :: essays research papers

Location Analysis of a Franchise Resturaunt Problem Statement: Boston Pizza International Inc. is a Canadian owned and operated restaurant. It has many facilities in Canada and has opened facilities in the United States and in Southeast Asia. Boston Pizza is penetrating further into the Canadian market and is opening at a new location on 8th Street in Saskatoon. The chosen location has been the home of many previous restaurant failures. It seems odd that any restaurant would want to open in a location which has proven to be unsuccessful. What characteristics does Boston Pizza have that other restaurants don't have that may allow this location to be successful? This new location will be the second Boston Pizza franchise in Saskatoon, complimenting the facility operating on 50th Street. Will the market areas of these two restaurants overlap? * * * * * The early beginnings of this restaurant occurred in Edmonton, Alberta. In 1963 the first Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House opened. The name of the restaurant is seemingly odd because Boston is the name of a city in the United States, and has nothing to do with a pizza restaurant located in Edmonton. Ron Coyle, the original owner, named the restaurant 'Boston' because the Boston Bruins NHL hockey team was the favorite of the Edmonton area in the 1960's and he wanted his business to use sports as a promotion. Another reason, which may have been more of a coincidence, was that his accountant's surname was Boston ("only way", 37). Boston Pizza and Spaghetti House became a popular restaurant and in 1968 it began to operate as a franchise. In mid-1968, Jim Treliving, a former drum major for the RCMP, and his friend Don Spence bought the franchising rights for British Columbia with the exception of Vancouver. They opened their first unit in Penticton, British Columbia, and in the first year of operation the pizza restaurant grossed $52,000 and the nightclub which was co-located with the restaurant grossed $80,000 (Cameron, 16). Meanwhile, franchise units opened in Edmonton, Winnipeg and Vancouver. As the pizza chain grew, Treliving and George Melville (who had become involved with Treliving's restaurants as a financial planner) became involved in real estate ventures in Hawaii and the Okanagon Valley and also in oil investments in British Columbia (Cameron, 16). In 1983, these two men purchased Boston Pizza Spaghetti House from the original owner Ron Coyle for $3 million. This money was raised from private lenders ("recipe is simple", 16). During that same year, the headquarters of Boston Pizza was moved from Edmonton, Alberta to Richmond, British Columbia where it is found today.

Herbert Butterfield Essay

In this book, the author focuses more on the works of Herbert Butterfield rather than his personal life and explores Butterfield’s influence that reaches beyond what he perceived as â€Å"presentmindedness†. McIntire uses Butterfield’s private papers giving the reader a very close accounting of this historian’s thoughts and writings. His career in the academic field was impressive. Graduating from Cambridge in 1922 he went on to become regius professor, master of Peterhouse, and serve as vice-chancellor of the university. He grew up in the industrial town of West Riding where he and his family came from a Methodist background. His first job offer that he applied for after graduating was at the secondary school in Lampeter. He did get the job, but turned it down because he believed the teaching position would have been a dismal and uninspiring job. Butterfield believed, according to the author, that it would not have helped his writing. He had previously considered becoming a Methodist preacher, like his father. Even discussing the matter with the principal of Wesley House, and together decided he did not have the qualities of a preacher. He had aspirations of Knighthood and becoming president of the Historical society, this and all that was just part of McIntire writings of the man, Herbert Butterfield. The author takes the reader through each step of Butterfield’s careers throughout his life. In 1979, McIntire had his own encounter with Herbert Butterfield while he was editing and publishing part of the historian’s essays on Christianity and history. McIntire is able to use secondary sources with friends, critics, colleagues and family that do fit into his writing quite well. Butterfield had an early exposure to Harold Temperley and his writings reflected this, McIntire wrote in his book. Butterfield’s experiences inspired his first academic publication on the minutiae of Napoleonic diplomacy. Butterfield explained that the research technique he used as free of religious, ethnic, and ideological partisanship. A scientific history approach was his theory, but there is an interesting fact that Butterfield did not write another book from 1929 to 1968 on that subject or anything to enhance that topic. Another interesting fact was in the next fifty years of his life he kept assuring everyone that he was working on a book about Charles James Fox, but that book never came about. In addition, it caused guilt throughout Butterfield’s career, McIntire wrote. Soon though with Butterfield’s love of the legacy of Lord Action, his attentions focused from technical history towards the broader questions of historical thought. McIntire shows how all of Butterfield’s major works came from â€Å"The Wig Interpretation of History† and out of that came his numerous other writings â€Å"The Origins of Modern Science†, â€Å"Man on His Past† and his inaugural address as Regius Professor, â€Å"The Present State of Historical Scholarship†. In the book, the author points to Butterfield’s status as an outsider that influenced his behavior as being a dissenter. â€Å"His idiosyncratic Methodism reinforced his sense of self as a clever lower middle class grammar school boy with a funny Yorkshire accent immersed in an academic environment filled with Anglican gentlemen bred at exclusive public schools. The result was a reactive compulsion to every rule; an attitude that did not always serve Butterfield well for it contained elements of the childishness. As J. H.  Plumb noted, deep down he loved to shock† (McIntire 86). McIntire portrayal is more of a shy and humble man, instead of what many viewed him. They considered his views as more of a moral and intellectual vanity of a self-centered person. In addition, believing that â€Å"his own views as the wave of the future in historical study† (McIntire 151) once again showing his complex problem. At one point, Butterfield publicly praised Marxist historical method but many believed he did not know what he was talking about when he said it. In the 1930’s Butterfield publicly praised Marxist historical method, although it is not clear from the author’s writings if Butterfield, a devout Christian, really understood the core of Marxism. During the era of appeasement, Butterfield criticized any moral judgments directed at Nazi Germany, wishing instead â€Å"that the enemies of the Fascists could be gentler† (McIntire 105). He never lived down his foolish decision to undertake a lecture tour of Germany after the 1938 Munich Conference. The question he gave seemed to blame Britain for the conflict. â€Å"What did we do wrong? What could we have done to prevent the Germans from feeling that they must turn to Hitler? † (McIntire 112). Butterfield admitted proudly that he almost never voted. Political quietism supposedly came from Butterfield’s principled insistence upon the segregation of history from moral and political questions, the core of his argument in â€Å"The Whig Interpretation of History†. In the 50’s and 60’s, Butterfield vocally denounced U.  S. foreign policy, while demanding with Soviet Russia and unilateral disarmament by the West. He denied any inconsistency saying, â€Å"I am as an historian against all governments† (McIntire 170). I felt the book was more of the moral standings of the man. Butterfield did write on science, religion, and historiography, but I felt the author lacked showing the connection it had to events in Butterfield’s life and how the connection was to the academic or scientific community. The reader swims through explanation after explanation of the same concept as McIntire analyses a succession of publications in chronological order, with not enough of Butterfields’s own words to support. Maybe that way some light on the thoughts of the man instead of McIntire’s interpretations. The book was difficult to follow and the length of the book made it tough to read. I was not impressed with the book, but I did get to know another viewpoint of another historian, on a subject I knew nothing about.

Community Policing Corruption Essay

In today’s society, the amount of crime that occurs can be quite difficult to deal with and responsibility ends up falling on police to curtail it. Unfortunately, the infectious nature of crime often drags these assigned â€Å"stoppers† into the same mud that they are trying to prevent others from falling into. When officers abuse their legally sanctioned position of authority, it is known as police corruption. It is a persistent problem that is more significant in a criminal sense than the average person committing a crime because it is happening by a representative/protector of the law. Since police are not judiciaries, they do not determine who is guilty and thus undermine the law system when they do these crimes. Also, it is important to note that police corruption is not the same as an ordinary instance of crime. To elaborate, â€Å"Police corruption is an illegal use of organizational power for personal gain. The personal nature of the gain distinguishes corruption from brutality, perjury, illegal search, or any other law violations committed in the pursuit of such legitimate organizational goals as fighting crime. The organizational nature of the power used illegally excludes many crimes committed by policemen, such as burglary committed by a city police officer in his suburban town of residence in which he has no contact with the local police. That particular burglary would be merely a crime. A burglary committed by a police officer in his own police jurisdiction, under the protection of his colleagues or aided by his organizational knowledge of his colleagues’ practices, would be both a crime and an act of police corruption.† (Sherman, 31). As one can see, police corruption is a serious problem as it is almost always involves an associated act of crime. There is no room for this behaviour in fair environments and it cannot occur if society wishes to advance. Ultimately, police corruption cannot coexist with the concept of community policing because it is unethical and morally wrong, it is contrary to Robert Peel’s nine principles of policing and undermines effectiveness, and it offers no sense of accountability to the government and to the public. There is no logical way to justify corrupt actions by the police. Any time it occurs, it involves the â€Å"abuse of a legally sanctioned position of authority—in other words, the status of the police officer makes the crime possible. It is this abuse of a ‘sanctioned and sacred’ social position that makes police corruption so dangerous. It is the ultimate social inversion—the cops become criminals. (Police Corruption)† Instead of helping to fight crime, they end up contributing to the problem through means that are only available to them because of their sworn duties as protectors of the community. When corruption is revealed to the public, the police lose the confidence and trust that allows them to function and be legitimate. Corrupt acts are completely immoral as they are motivated by personal gain which demonstrates selfishness and a disregard of the well-being of society. The detrimental aspects of police misconduct cannot be overstated as they immediately threaten the possibility of effective police-community relationships. â€Å"In terms of public trust for law enforcement, recent polls show that only 56 percent of people rated the police as having a high or very high ethical standard as compared with 84 percent for nurses. Over the past few decades, great strides have occurred in the law enforcement profession. To begin with, many police agencies have avoided hiring candidates who have low ethical standards and have identified those onboard employees early in their careers who might compromise the department’s integrity. In addition, research has discovered new methods of testing candidates for their psychological propensity to act ethically. However, unethical conduct by the nation’s police officers continues to occur in departments large and small. (Martin). Clearly, society has made some strides toward ensuring ethical and rational behaviour in the police force but it is impossible to root it out all the way to the individual level. For community policing to be effective, a high percentage of officers must be able to see the difference between right and wrong and take appropriate action. Recent studies offer some understanding of the phenomenon in the hope of rooting out this behavior that serves to undermine the overall legitimacy of law enforcement. Theories on the role of society in law enforcement, the negative influence of an officer’s department, and a person’s own natural tendency to engage in unethical behavior have been offered as potential explanations. While some may argue that the â€Å"rotten apple† theory is the best explanation for this problem, the vast amount of evidence to the contrary is overwhelming. Deviance rarely persists in an isolated environment but it thrives when it is adopted by an entity such as a department. To explain, â€Å"If we scan these activities then it must be plain that we are no longer dealing with individuals seeking solely personal gain but with group behaviour rooted in established arrangements. Police officers have to be initiated into these practises, rationalisations have to be produced to accept them, supervisors have to collude or turn a blind eye, justifications have to be sought to continue them, and organizations have either in some way to condone or encourage these activities — or else fail to tackle them. This is social behaviour, conducted in groups within organizations, that is powerful enough to override the officer’s oath of office, personal conscience, departmental regulations and criminal laws (European Committee, 68).† For all of these events to occur, it is evident that a multitude of people inside the organization must collaborate and therefore it is rarely an isolated case of corruption. Corruption is highly contagious and this is illustrated well through theories such as the â€Å"slippery slope† and â€Å"grass vs meat eaters† This also explains why corruption is usually concentrated in certain precincts or areas instead of being dispersed. Sir Robert Peel was credited with the concept that the police depend on citizen cooperation in providing services in a democratic society. â€Å"Peel envisioned a strong connection between the police and the community (Police Corruption)†. Unfortunately, the existence of police corruption is contrary to all nine of his principles. The police’s basic mission is to prevent crime and disorder, which they only contribute to if they are corrupt. They rely on the public approval of their actions, which cannot happen in a just society (â€Å"community tolerance, or even support, for police corruption can facilitate a department’s becoming corrupt [Sherman, 32]). Corrupt police officers do not cooperate with the public; they avoid contact as they do not want to reveal their illicit nature. Since corrupt officers are aware of their actions, they might have improper judgement and use physical force. They fail to demonstrate absolutely impartial service by attempting to manipulate public opinion, do not become â€Å"one† with the public, they usurp the power of the judiciary, and sacrifice efficiency for personal gain by not devoting all of their effort to reducing crime and disorder. These corrupt officers also undermine effectiveness as they do not use their time as well as they should be, show only self-concern and indifference to the morality of the situation, and abuse resources. â€Å"The legal authority of police departments and the nature of law violations in their jurisdiction provide organizational resources that can be exploited for personal gain. The nature of these resources varies greatly among and within police departments according to the nature of police tasks performed and the social characteristics of the police task environment. A police department that is a corrupt organization can exploit the resources for internal profit. In all cases, exploitation of these resources for personal gain is an inversion of the formal goals of the organization. (Sherman, 38). Depending on exactly what type of resources the organization deals with, they may or may not be suitable for exploitation. Federal drug enforcement entities constantly deal with opportunities to make a lot of illicit profit whereas Secret Services almost never has chances to make illicit gains at all. In many situations, police may lose some or all of their accountability to the public or government if they do not act with the appropriate intentions. Accountability is a vital element of not just community policing but policing in general. If the police are to achieve their goal which should be lawfulness and legitimacy, they require effective accountability procedures. â€Å"Lawfulness and legitimacy, in turn, are essential if the police are to achieve their goals of reducing crime and disorder, enhancing the quality of neighborhood life, and serving community needs. A lack of legitimacy inhibits the development of working partnerships that are an essential ingredient in community policing and problem oriented policing. Contrary to the popular view that effective crime control and respect for constitutional principles are competing values in policing, experts today increasingly recognize that lawful conduct and accountability are essential for crime-fighting. (Walker, 1). While it is apparent that lawfulness and legitimacy must be upheld in order to serve the community, a fundamental principal of a democratic society that the police should be held accountable for their actions. This includes choosing what actions they take and how they perform. This is especially true in post-conflict environments where police forces are viewed as brutal, corrupt, and unfair. In order to maintain a healthy relationship, a â€Å"liberal society must be maintained, complaints about the police must be addressed, and police themselves must be protected by disgruntled acts by the community† (Accountability and Police). At the same time, police must keep a healthy distance to avoid excessive personal interaction which leads to preferential treatment, discretion, and favouritism. Furthermore, it is important to note that, â€Å"The accountability of police to the public is undermined when charges are often dropped while officers under investigation are usually suspended with pay. In other words, there is no real certainty of punishment and this de-legitimizes any notion of public accountability and respect for the law (Police Corruption). In the eyes of the public, it is already bad enough that the officer are taking advantage of their position of authority but to have them face virtually no consequences is beyond demoralizing. In order for community policing to exist, the public must be confident in the fact that the police are not taking advantage of their position and are accountable in and out of service. In conclusion, because police corruption is unethical and morally wrong, violates all of Robert Peel’s principles, and shows a complete disregard of the notion of accountability, it is impossible to coincide with effective community policing. Police corruption is the illegal use of organizational power for personal gain and unfortunately a still a common occurrence in modern society. It is crucial for the police, as protectors of society, to not allow themselves to stoop so low. The community has to be able to know that no matter what police might have to deal with, they will remain pure and free of corruption in order to begin forming positive relationships. Methods of containing corruption include abolishing existing precedures that encourage corruption, letting go of any member that demonstrates corrupt tendencies, requiring a certain level of accountability, and many other steps. Organizations such as the Special Investigations Unit have made strides in reducing corruption however it is not nearly enough. If corruption is controlled to a point where it no longer has a detrimental impact to society, community policing can have enough room to develop. â€Å"Preventing corruption completely is a tall order. However, steps can be taken to reduce it significantly. There are a few fundamental ideas that can be implemented that can, by their very nature, curb corruption. The three areas that need attention are the officer training, personal characters, and the incentives program. The first step is to hire police officers of good character. Stricter screening methods need to be implemented to decrease the chance that a potential hire will become corrupt. Once an officer is hired, the department should do all it can to promote ethics on the job. The department must understand that the citizens trust the police to be ethical, and a breach of that trust is unjust. Further, it is not practical to act unethically. People eye the police and their behavior constantly. Corruption in the force makes it easier for a citizen to rationalize acting unlawfully, which just creates more work for the police. If a police officer, who is allegedly the pillar of the law, can defy it, why cannot the citizens who pay for the police services? (White) A corrupt police officer cannot very well express effectively why citizens should obey the law, for he has no consistency and thus no credibility. Works Cited Sherman, Lawrence W. Scandal and Reform: Controlling Police Corruption. N.p.: University of California, 1978. Print. Police Powers and Accountability in a Democratic Society. N.p.: 2000. Google Books. Web. . Walker, Samuel. â€Å"Police Accountability: Current Issues and Research Needs.† National Institute of Justice Police Planning (2006): 1-35. National Criminal Justice Reference Service. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. . White, Stuart A. â€Å"Controlling Police Corruption.† Stanford University. N.p., 4 June 1994. Web. 25 Jan. 2012. . Martin, Rich M.S. â€Å"Police Corruption: An Analytical Look Into Police Ethics.† FBI. N.p., May 2011. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. .

Free Essays on Landscapes

Wherever one goes, one can see certain homes covering the landscape. Each home varies as do the owners themselves. The only limits are money and social acceptance of what one can build. In this paper I shall talk about the similarities and differences in house types and building materials used in India (Punjab), Canada (B.C.), and Mexico. There were three types of homes that were most prevalent in Mexico. These types were as follows: the squatter homes, adobe brick homes, raw brick (brick that hasn’t been fully kilned) and the cement covered brick homes. The squatter homes in Mexico are made from anything that is cheap and readily available. Usually these homes consist of raw brick for walls and a metal or Spanish tile roof. The home itself is built on a plot that has no essential services such as electricity or running water. These homes are not very large it all depends on the amount one can afford and they range from a simple square of 8 by 8 feet or a rectangle of 8 by 12 feet. Adobe brick homes are not found in squatter settlements in Mexico. One could speculate that building on a hilltop away from any good source of clay soil makes the availability of adobe limited at best. Accordingly adobe structures are more noticeable in some cities and farming communities in Mexico where clay soil is plentiful. In this picture one can see the extensive use of Adobe. This building is built simply and cheaply and most likely not to code. The structure itself consists of wooden poles every couple of feet. These poles are placed vertically and are weight-bearing poles, holding up the roof and keeping the walls intact. There are smaller poles, which are placed horizontally, and these tie it all in. After the wooden structure is erected and the soil is mixed with water, the Adobe is ready to be applied to the wall. The adobe, which I once believed was cow manure, is actually soil mixed in with water and then kneaded like flour;... Free Essays on Landscapes Free Essays on Landscapes Wherever one goes, one can see certain homes covering the landscape. Each home varies as do the owners themselves. The only limits are money and social acceptance of what one can build. In this paper I shall talk about the similarities and differences in house types and building materials used in India (Punjab), Canada (B.C.), and Mexico. There were three types of homes that were most prevalent in Mexico. These types were as follows: the squatter homes, adobe brick homes, raw brick (brick that hasn’t been fully kilned) and the cement covered brick homes. The squatter homes in Mexico are made from anything that is cheap and readily available. Usually these homes consist of raw brick for walls and a metal or Spanish tile roof. The home itself is built on a plot that has no essential services such as electricity or running water. These homes are not very large it all depends on the amount one can afford and they range from a simple square of 8 by 8 feet or a rectangle of 8 by 12 feet. Adobe brick homes are not found in squatter settlements in Mexico. One could speculate that building on a hilltop away from any good source of clay soil makes the availability of adobe limited at best. Accordingly adobe structures are more noticeable in some cities and farming communities in Mexico where clay soil is plentiful. In this picture one can see the extensive use of Adobe. This building is built simply and cheaply and most likely not to code. The structure itself consists of wooden poles every couple of feet. These poles are placed vertically and are weight-bearing poles, holding up the roof and keeping the walls intact. There are smaller poles, which are placed horizontally, and these tie it all in. After the wooden structure is erected and the soil is mixed with water, the Adobe is ready to be applied to the wall. The adobe, which I once believed was cow manure, is actually soil mixed in with water and then kneaded like flour;...

Biography of Mark Zuckerberg, Creator of Facebook

Biography of Mark Zuckerberg, Creator of Facebook Mark Zuckerberg (born May 14, 1984) is a former Harvard computer science student who along with a few friends launched Facebook, the worlds most popular social network, in February 2004. Zuckerberg also has the distinction of being the worlds youngest billionaire, which he achieved in 2008 at the age of 24. He was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 2010. Zuckerberg currently is the chief executive officer and president of Facebook. Fast Facts: Mark Zuckerberg Known For: Chief executive officer, president, and founder of Facebook, youngest billionaireBorn: May 14, 1984 in White Plains, New YorkParents: Edward and Karen ZuckerbergEducation: Phillips Exeter Academy, attended HarvardPublished Works: CourseWork, Synapse, FaceMash, FacebookAwards: Time magazines 2010 Man of the YearSpouse: Priscilla Chan (m. 2012)Children: Maxima Chan Zuckerberg, August Chan Zuckerberg Early Life Mark Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York, the second of four children born to dentist Edward Zuckerberg and his wife, psychiatrist Karen Zuckerberg. Mark and his three sisters, Randi, Donna, and Arielle, were raised in Dobbs Ferry, New York, a sleepy, well-to-do town on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Zuckerberg began using and programming computers in middle school, with the active support of his father. Edward taught the 11-year-old Mark Atari BASIC, and then hired a software developer David Newman to give his son private lessons. In 1997 when Mark was 13, he created a computer network for his family he called ZuckNet, which allowed the computers in his home and his fathers dental office to communicate via Ping, a primitive version of AOLs Instant Messenger that came out in 1998. He also developed computer games, such as a computer version of Monopoly and a version of Risk set in the Roman Empire. Early Computing For two years, Zuckerberg attended public high school Ardsley and then transferred to the Phillips Exeter Academy, where he excelled in classical studies and science. He won prizes for math, astronomy, and physics. By his high school graduation, Zuckerberg could read and write French, Hebrew, Latin, and ancient Greek. For his senior project at Exeter, Zuckerberg wrote a music player called the Synapse Media Player that used artificial intelligence to learn the users listening habits and recommend other music. He posted it online on AOL and it received thousands of positive reviews. Both Microsoft and AOL offered to buy Synapse for $1 million and hire Mark Zuckerberg as a developer, but he turned them both down and instead enrolled at Harvard University in September 2002. Harvard University Mark Zuckerberg attended Harvard University, where he studied psychology and computer science. In his sophomore year, he wrote a program he called Course Match, which allowed users to make class selection decisions based on the choices of other students and also to help them form study groups. He also invented Facemash, a program with the stated purpose of finding out who was the most attractive person on campus. Users would look at two pictures of people of the same sex and pick which was the hottest, and the software compiled and ranked the results. It was an astounding success, but it bogged down the network at Harvard, peoples pictures were being used without their permission, and it was offensive to people, particularly womens groups, on campus. Zuckerberg ended the project and apologized to the womens groups, saying he thought of it as a computer experiment. Harvard put him on probation. Inventing Facebook Zuckerbergs roommates at Harvard included Chris Hughes, a literature and history major; Billy Olson, a theater major; and Dustin Moskovitz, who was studying economics. There is no doubt that the conversational stew that occurred among them spurred and enhanced many of the ideas and projects that Zuckerberg was working on. While at Harvard, Mark Zuckerberg founded TheFacebook, an application intended to be a reliable directory based on real information about students at Harvard. That software eventually led to the February 2004 launch of Facebook. Marriage and Family In his second year of college at Harvard University, Zuckerberg met medical student Priscilla Chan. In September 2010, Zuckerberg and Chan began living together, and on May 19, 2012, they were married. Today, Chan is a pediatrician and philanthropist. The couple has two children, Maxima Chan Zuckerberg (born December 1, 2015) and August Chan Zuckerberg (born August 28, 2017). The Zuckerberg family is of Jewish heritage, although Mark has stated he is an atheist. As of 2019, Mark Zuckerbergs personal wealth was estimated to be more than $60 billion. Together, he and his wife founded the philanthropic Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, to leverage technology to support the aims of science, education, justice, and opportunity.   Mark is currently president and chief executive officer of Facebook and works at the companys office in Menlo Park, California. Other company executives include chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg and chief financial officer Mike Ebersman. Zuckerberg Quotes By giving people the power to share, were making the world more transparent. When you give everyone a voice and give people power, the system usually ends up in a really good place. So, what we view our role as, is giving people that power. The web is at a really important turning point right now. Up until recently, the default on the web has been that most things aren’t social and most things don’t use your real identity. We’re building toward a web where the default is social. Sources An Interview with Mark Zuckerberg. Time Magazine.Mark Zuckerberg Interview, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer.Amidon Là ¼sted, Marcia. Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook Creator. Edina, Minnesota: ABDO Publishing Company, 2012.Kirkpatrick, David. The Facebook Effect: The Inside Story of the Computer That Is Connecting the World. New York: Simon Schuster, 2010.Lessig, Lawrence. Sorkin Vs. Zuckerberg. The New Republic, 30 Sept 2010.McNeill, Laurie. There Is No I in Network: Social Networking Sites and Posthuman Auto/Biography. Biography 35.1 (2012): 65-82.Schwartz, John. No Stopping Movie View of Mark Zuckerberg. The New York Times 3 Oct 2010.

Relationship between ownership structure, investment and corporate Essay

Relationship between ownership structure, investment and corporate value - Essay Example f such literature talks about the relationship between managerial ownership levels, the direct investment decisions made by management and the natural value of the firm. Moreover, there were many arguing studies done in almost the same year from different authors and researchers. Just like Morck, Shleifer and Vishny (1988), McConnell and Servaes (1990), and Hermalin and Weisbach (1991) provide facts and verification of a significant non-linear relationship between corporate value and managerial ownership. They argue that corporate value increases with management equity holdings to a particular level after which entrenchment behavior becomes dominant, resulting into a decrease in firm value. Out of the three studies, it was only McConnell and Servaes (1990) that have reported no change in the relationship between corporate value and managerial holdings at certain high levels of equity ownership. However, such earlier findings were found to formulate doubts when compared to works of Cho (1998) and Himmelberg, Hubbard and Palia (1999). Cho (1998) showed that managerial ownership had no effect on corporate value and investment but the only the corporate value that had a considerable impact on managerial ownership through the application of a two-stage least squares methodology. One must choose an ownership structure prior to starting a business. It may come into varying types of ownership whether sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation (for-profit and nonprofit), cooperative, or limited liability company (LLC). Although these types are being utilized by many businesses, there is no one preference that fits for every business. This is for the reason that each of these ownership structures has its certain advantages and disadvantages in a business and thus the choice of ownership structure depends on the form that would best suit and meet its needs. In saying so, there would be a need for a careful evaluation of the most important considerations in

Marketing project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 1

Marketing project - Essay Example For this very reason the government and the customers are encouraging the investment of public and private sector into the sector; they are encouraging more of private investment because it is believed that they would provide with better quality of services. The system of nursing home started in 1980s and with time and has progressed over the years; more investment during 1990s and it is believed that by 2011 the government would have invested $123 Billion into the sector. The quality of the services is under question; there are few areas that do not provide the expected level of facilities and much important needs to be given on them. The customers need the facility but at the same time they would prefer such nursing homes that would give them the standard they are looking for at a reasonable cost. Because there is high demand for the services that is why any new investment would find itself good customers and at an stage of investment; Guardian Care will be a good investment for the people of China as well as for the company if they focus on the existing lack of facilities and services and provide the same and bridge the

Finance and accounting Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Finance and accounting - Essay Example As a result, auditors in this case are required to review the accounting information in order to determine how well the business is doing. It requires proper financial statements which provide a clear insight on the economic health of these accounting companies. Generally, it gives an insight on the company’s soundness in the short and long term. As a result, financial analysts, investors and also the members of the public are in a position to try and gauge a company’s competitiveness in the market place. KPMG in accounting business is trying to strengthen its legal function in trying to ensure that our structure, processes, and policies meet the highest levels of the accounting profession. Challenges that accounting companies face Bad debts: In his presentation, Judge Holmes, for example in the year 2011, the financial markets witnessed negative vibes mostly on the currency markets after their investors shunned risky assets which eventually led to the low yielding asse ts. This was witnessed by one German representative who said that the European mounting debt crisis could not be easily cured during that month since its leaders had to meet and discuss how to prevent the debt crisis from even getting worse (Skinner 97) Unemployment is still another challenge in Europe which is mostly affecting the accounting companies at the moment. ... (Skinner 99) The Greek debts have also increased and this has also affected the European countries. When it comes to the U.S. economy, without funds and investments, there are no ways the country can survive in this economy since unemployment rates has risen to shocking numbers and as a result, the economic uncertainties have led to political pressure and lack of leadership (Skinner 109) How to solve these problems According to Holmes, in trying to solve these challenges, a survey can be done whereby the businesses can be broken into six sections which are; the current firm condition and its prospects for its growth, the company’s growth strategies as well as its tactics, the businesses challenges and its threats, the profitability management, the existing client retention and the company’s profit margin. Through this survey, the companies can drive growth in the coming decades, for example by selling most of their existing services to both current and also the new clie nts. Accounting specialists (professionals) are also more needed, because it is with the help of the accounting specialists that most of the accounting companies will be in a position to reduce all these debts hence leading to their growth. Strong internal accounting/audit is also highly needed in trying to curb these problems. The accounting companies need to hire both the external and the internal auditors with auditing experience, as it is with the help of these auditors that the company can review accounting information to determine how well the business is doing. Risk management methodology is also a measure which can be applied to control these accounting business challenges. This methodology involves the use of certain rules that are used to drive action in a particular business. Many

Overview And Analysis Of Overconfidence

Overview And Analysis Of Overconfidence Overconfidence has to with presumption and excessive believe in ones abilities. In as much as people are gifted with various talents and abilities, it is incumbent of people to try and tone down on how they expose these to others as people can be very judgmental. Overconfidence therefore is having a cocksure mentality which is mostly not desirable in the society today. I really detest cocky individuals as they have a mentality of knowing-it-all and have a great disregard about other peoples opinions and contributions in day to day events in our lives. In this way most people often shun away these individuals as they are mostly self-centered and egocentric. Overconfidence can turn tragic if events dont work out as anticipated and it is therefore advisable not to be so certain about what lies in the realms of the unknown future. It also certainly adds pressure to our lives as we try too hard to achieve and even exceed in things that we do. It therefore leaves us doing our daily activities anchoring the outcome on what people would think of it therefore disregarding the very purpose of simplicity and comfort in life. Overconfident people are seen to be obnoxious and personally do not attract me very much. Creating an air of self-reliance in thoughts therefore isolates and individual as many tend not associate with people who do not appreciate contributions of others in society. Therefore loosening up and accommodating others makes them feel less intimidated and give them a feeling of playing a role in a team Overconfidence should therefore generally be discouraged unless it is done with moderation so as not to look unpleasant to others. This is especially in places like job interviews when one has little time to cut a niche for themselves and appear as the most ideal candidates for positions. Hypothesis This is a tentative proposition that is due to be verified or proven in future. It is a proposition whose approval is subject to investigations, often scientific to either affirm or decline the proposition. Personally I have often encountered cases that could have divergent but unknown values or results. The most common way in which I have been able to establish the true values is through hypothesis-testing. This involves giving a statement in the affirmation regarding the hypothesis and another nullifying proposition, often known as the null hypothesis. After research and scientific-based investigations, conclusions are made based on the results that would either confirm or negate the hypothesis. I often feel that hypotheses are a good way of proving scientific theories or untested facts. The hypothesis must always be worded so that it can be able to be tested in your experiment. Do this by often expressing the hypothesis using your selected independent variable (the variable you would be changed during your experiment) and the dependent variable (the variable that is observed-changes in the dependent variable would depend on changes in the independent variable). In fact, in many hypotheses, there are stated exactly as: If a particular independent variable is changed by a given value, then there is also a subsequent change in a certain dependent variable. Hypotheses can sometimes be used to give the wrong analysis of facts. I therefore think that careful scientific backing is mandatory in any of these experiments. In this way, the results are sound and can be proven by any replicated experiment. Critical thinking Critical thinking is a high level of looking at issues in a manner that questions the often assumed conclusions and goes a long way in asserting a sense of exploring every possibility in a theory or allegation. I have always thought of critical thinking as an emancipation of the mind in a way that frees one from the conventional and often made assumptions. Free and independent-mindedness is seminal for critical thinking. It is the only way that people can start to think outside the box and away from the norm. Critical thinking is an intellectually disciplined process which involves use of actively and skillfully applying, conceptualizing, analyzing and evaluating information that has been gathered as a result of experience observation, reflection, reasoning, or even communication. It is based on universally accepted intellectual values that are beyond any subject matter divisions like precision, clarity, consistency, sound evidence relevance or even fairness. It would entail the close scrutiny of elements of thought or structures implicit in all aspects of reasoning: empirical grounding; purpose concepts reasoning leading to conclusions; implications of conclusions and their consequences; objections from alternative views as well as frame of reference. Critical thinking is being responsive to variable viewpoints in subject matter, purposes and issues. It is incorporated in a class of interwoven modes of thinking, among them- mathematical thinking, scientific thinking, economic thinking, historical thinking, anthropological thinking, moral thinking, as well as philosophical thinking. Culture Culture is a set of shared pattern or thought that are common in a given society. The underlying culture of a given person is highly likely to affect an individual. Culture is diverse and it is a product of the environmental set up, this is the reason why, different people in different geographical settings embrace different sets of cultures that are almost similar to those of other people in those particular settings. Each culture has a set of elements that are inherent to that particular culture. In most cultures, language is the key element that determines how different members that belong to that culture communicate. Taboos and norms define what is acceptable within that particular culture. The various elements as defined in each culture help bringing social harmony, which is basically a state of synchronization between various individuals that co-exist in a given society. Without the existence of culture (and the corresponding values), the likelihood of unnecessary collisions with other members of society is very high. More often than not, an individuals culture usually comes into play before making many critical decisions. As a student, more often than not, the decisions I have are to some extent influenced by the different cultures at play-where to learn and the culture of the people there, the various eating cultures of the people, who to interact with and their culture. Most people however, are not very much aware of how culture really affects the short term or long term decisions that they make. Endorphins Endorphins chemicals housed in the brain referred to as neurotransmitters. They perform their functions by transmitting signals of an electrical nature in and around the nervous system. The human system has exhibited numerous types endorphins, which are manifested in different parts. The pituitary gland is where the endorphins are found, the other place is in some parts of the brain and also, they are well distributed in the nervous system. Pain and stress are most common factors leading to the release of endorphins. Endorphins are chemicals that are released primarily to ease pain in the body. Endorphins have also been known to produce a euphoric feeling amongst people. The release of Endorphin varies among individuals. This means that two people exercising at the same level or suffer the same degree of pain may not necessarily produce similar levels of endorphins. Various activities can be used to increase the levels of endorphin. Studies of acupuncture and massage therapy have shown that exercise can stimulate endorphin secretion. Change of blindness Change blindness refers to the fact that the brain, does not envisage the accurate presentation of the world and the surrounding. The brain first scrutinizes the suitability of data before subsequent storage. One would think that, it all has to do with the eyes, but that is not the case. The brain is responsible for everything that the eyes land on. This implies that, it is not possible for the brain to recognize change to any given object, if there is no memory of the object stored in the brain. This explains the reason why the people could not detect any change when the construction workers switched position and clothing. The attentive nature also contributes to the degree of whether an incidence is stored in the brain or not. If a person is paying close attention to the subject matter, then there is no doubt the brain will be able to store the event and could easily recognize any form of change to the element or object thereof. In the event that, the person was not paying attention, the incidence in question should be one that is able to distract, the people from whatever they are doing to concentrate on it. The brain deals with different situations on a first come, first serve basis. In order for the brain to have memory of the incident, concentration even for a moment is fundamental. Whether the brain is able to absorb and store information or even the change of an element, it all depends on state of mind of the person at the time. Busy minds will tend not to notice any changes in the surrounding at all. This is because the mind is occupied. However, idle minds will most certainly see a change in the environment. This is because the brain is not concentrating on any particular element or issue for storage in its memory. However the nature of the event should be able to attract significant attention. Rapid eye movement Rapid eye movement is the commonly known as REM sleep is the point of sleep, where there is movement of eyes randomly. Random eye movement is subject to numerous changes in the physiology, in addition to the fact that it is periodical in nature. When we are asleep and not having any dreams our eyes do not record any movements at all. The random movement of eyes is demonstrated when one starts to dream. At this point the activity recorded by the brain bears a close resemblance to that when one is awake. REM sleep is progressive in nature and will keep up to the pick of the night, when it is assumed that one is at the pick of his or her sleep. As the night drifts towards the end, the intensity of REM sleep increases. However the REM sleep differs significantly depending on the age of the person. This implies that REM sleep is more pronounced in babies than it is experienced by adults. The babies experience REM sleep in most of their sleep. The adults on the other hand experience REM sleep in a very small portion of their sleep. REM sleep is essential in the preservation of the overall memory in the brain. Despite this, REM sleep is accompanied by irregularity of the rate of the heart, coupled with the fact that, the rate of breathing is irregular. In addition to this, REM results to the improper regulation of the temperature in the body. REM is not common at all, and the only way one can easily slide to REM sleep is in the event of deprived sleeping hours. The people who have not slept for a while will most certainly drift to REM sleep much faster than those who are in a good condition as regards sleep deprivation. During REM sleep, it is not the brain only where activity is recorded, rather in numerous other parts of the body. One thing is for sure REM sleep, engages parts of the body as if the person was awake. Depressants A depressant refers to a substance, especially drug that impairs by slowing down the nervous system. The operational effect of these drugs to the central nervous system entails action on the neurons which in turn leads to symptoms that vary significantly from one another. The symptoms experienced are relaxation, dizziness, and death in some extreme instances, to mention but a few. Prior to the manifestation of symptoms, the depressants in addition to reducing brain awareness, have the effect of decreasing the central nervous activities. The differences exhibited by these drugs are extremely wide as regards the harmful and safety effects manifested. There is no doubt; most of these drugs are more often than not harmful coupled with the fact that they are pretty much addictive, however a significant portion of these drugs is also safe and of great importance in the medicine world. Benzodiazepines, ethyl alcohol and barbiturates are examples of depressants. Barbiturates for instance is used in medicine to manage seizures, however, it is highly addictive. As a result it not commonly used in hospitals. Alcohol on the other hand is no doubt the most common of all. The effects of alcohol are known to all. In this century, alcohol is the most abused, even the minors are no exception to this predicament presented by alcohol. Despite the problems associated with alcohol, it is not possible to do away with it, because in addition to being legal, it is readily available to any willing buyer. Depressants, though of value to the people are harmful in many ways and people take them despite the impending dangers presented by these drugs. The depressants affect neural activities and as a result create illusion tendencies to the addicts whenever they take them. The depressants temporarily put the addicts in an ideal world, where the reality of life is none existent. This fact makes depressants extremely addictive especially for those who are desperate to escape from the realities of life even for a moment. Color deficient vision Color deficient vision also known as Color blindness is the reduced ability to distinguish between two different colors. The nature and impact of color deficient vision varies depending on the gender of the person. It is no secret; color blindness is more pronounced and manifested in men compared to women. Almost all people who suffer from color deficiency vision suffer specifically from the red-green color blindness. The main reason why men are more likely to be color blind, all has to do with the fact that, color blindness is mainly of red-green type. The red-green color blindness is gender bias, by the fact that it is enjoined in the x chromosomes. The resultant effect is that men will more likely than not suffer from color deficiency vision compared to the women, given that the red-green color deficiency vision is encoded in the xx chromosomes. The red-green color blindness is usually inherited from grandparents. The women do not necessarily suffer from the color deficiency vision, but they carry it pass it over to the child. The woes of people who suffer from the red-green color blindness are not just limited to the green and red color only, but rather extend to other colors in the spectrum. The major problem for the people suffering from the red-green color blindness is associated with the orange color and the green color. However this is not to say that the other colors do not cause their fair share of problems to the people suffering from color blindness. They certainly do, given the fact red-green color blindness is rampant with virtually all people with color deficiency vision suffering from it. Color deficiency vision; though a sensitive issue in different environmental set up and occupations, it does not in any way render the person suffering incompetent. The people could easily do well in the respective work despite the setback of color deficiency vision. Parallel processing Parallel processing refers to the capability of the brain to process and execute information that is of distinct quality. Vision is fundamental, given the fact that the brain the brain partitions whatever that comes to its sights into four sections of motion, depth, color and shape. The brain takes the initiative and scrutinizes them and subsequently evaluates them by making comparisons with the memory. Unlike the processor in the computer, the human brain has the ultimate capability is to process and execute numerous tasks at the same time with the assistance of the central nervous system and other close functions of the body, from the cognition aspects as regards the overall perception, to hearing, and lastly speaking. Co-ordination of a special nature for all these tasks is of great importance for the brain to complete the process successfully. Whereas the computers appears to process multiple tasks at the same time (multi-tasking), what really happens is that the instructions are read into the computer one by one in a mode that is referred to as serial transmission, this helps the computer in allocating suitable time cycles and avoiding resource conflicts that may arise. The working of the computer and the brain can however, be compared. The computer and the human brain have parts that are dedicated to their functionality. At no given point will these parts be used for other purposes and therefore reducing the chances of conflict of resources which may lead to a deadlock. The human brain may be slower than the computer, but one thing is for sure, it is extremely efficient and flexible compared to the processor of the computer. In addition to basic inputs, the computer will require instructions before executing any processes at it disposal.