African Americans and the Civil War Essay

In the world we live in many people take a lot for granted. Just the small simple things people don’t really appreciate, being ungrateful for the things that have been given to them. Many people and different situations have paved the way for our generation to become much easier to live in. African Americans during the civil rights movement had to face a lot of trills in order to make the world a better place. Many people don’t appreciate that because they are unaware of just how much grief African Americans had to go though to create a path for the upcoming generation. African Americans faced many hardships during the civil rights movement, some of those hardships were segregation, voting rights, and assassination of prominent African American leaders. Segregation was such a big obstacle for African Americans because not only were they not allowed to go certain places it became bigger than that. Everything in African Americans lives were split in half. There were white only signs places all over there towns. White only signs for bathrooms, restaurants, and water fountains. Everything was separated between the two races blacks and whites. One event that really stuck out like a sore thumb was The Montgomery Bus Boycott. During, the time of segregation blacks were allowed to ride the buses, but many rules had to apply. Blacks had a black’s only section on the bus that could be moved in any location of the bus. That means that the blacks’ only sign could be moved in front of two rows on the bus if that’s what the bus driver wanted. Black riders had to pay their bus far on the front of the bus and get off to walk to the back of the bus to ride. Some bus drivers would allow the blacks to pay and when the step off the bus the bus driver would drive away and leave them. When blacks did receive a chance to ride on the bus, if a white person did not have a seat to sit in a black person had to give up their seat. The blacks of Montgomery, Alabama, decided that they would boycott the city buses until they could sit anywhere they wanted, instead of being relegated to the back when a white boarded. On December 1, 1955, Mrs. Rosa Parks, an African American seamstress, was arrested in Montgomery, Alabama for not standing and letting a white bus rider take her seat. The plan to stop the whites from making the blacks move was the boycott. Blacks would no longer ride the buses anymore. That means that the bus companies were losing a lot of money. Blacks would walk to work or school and even carpool, but would not step foot on the buses. The boycott continued for over a year. Eventually, the United States Supreme Court put an end to the boycott. On November 13, 1956 the Court declared that Alabama’s state and local laws requiring segregation on buses were illegal. On December 20th federal injunctions were served on city and bus company officials forcing them to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling. African Americans had to face a lot just so that they could be treated as an equal on the bus. Segregation played a huge role in the school system. In public schools more so than any. That’s what stated the big flare Brown vs. Board of Education. The 1954 United States Supreme Court decision in Oliver L. Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka (KS) is among the most significant judicial turning points in the development of our country. Originally led by Charles H. Houston, and later Thurgood Marshall and a formidable legal team, it dismantled the legal basis for racial segregation in schools and other public facilities. Brown vs. Board of Education was not simply about children and education. The laws and policies struck down by this court decision were products of the human tendencies to prejudge, discriminate against, and stereotype other people by their ethnic, religious, physical, or cultural characteristics. Ending this behavior as a legal practice caused far reaching social and ideological implications, which continue to be felt throughout our country. The Brown decision inspired and galvanized human rights struggles across the country and around the world. The U. S. Supreme Court decision in Brown began a critical chapter in the maturation of our democracy. It reaffirmed the sovereign power of the people of the United States in the protection of their natural rights from arbitrary limits and restrictions imposed by state and local governments. These rights are recognized in the Declaration of Independence and guaranteed by the U. S. Constitution. Brown was giving African Americans the opportunity to be accepted as an individual and not just as a race. Now, you would think that after the Brown vs. Board of Education whites would accept African Americans and treat them better. That was not the case and segregation did not stop there. Although, many people had hoped that it would it took the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to really make a change. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was a landmark piece of legislation in the United States that outlawed major forms of discrimination against blacks and women, and ended racial segregation in the United States. It ended unequal application of voter registration requirements and racial segregation in schools, at the workplace and by facilities that served the general public. Once the Act was implemented, its effects were far-reaching on the country as a whole and had an immediate impact on the South. It prohibited discrimination in public facilities, in government, and in employment, invalidating the Jim Crow laws in the southern U. S. It became illegal to compel segregation of the races in schools, housing, or hiring. After passage of the law, the NAACP was the only major civil rights organization to maintain a large membership in the South, where it concentrated on organizing the ongoing struggle for black civil rights. During 1965-75, the NAACP remained committed to using litigation to challenge racial injustice. African Americans had to fight hard to get what they deserved and it took a lot of patients and time to receive change but it finally happened. That is we segregation ended and Africans were free to sit, eat, talk, shop, and work anywhere they wanted. Being able to vote is a very important ordeal. Many people in this day and time take advantage of being able to voice their opinions. Not taking advantage of who we desire to have in office is a sign of being ungrateful. African Americans were not given that right years ago. African Americans had to fight just so that they could vote. That’s when the Voting Act of 1965 came in play. Before, this Act was enforced African Americans had to take a literacy tests and pay poll taxes. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 abolished literacy tests and poll taxes designed to disenfranchise African American voters, and gave the federal government the authority to take over voter registration in counties with a pattern of persistent discrimination. Echoing the language of the 15th Amendment, the Act prohibits states from imposing any â€Å"voting qualification or prerequisite to voting, or standard, practice, or procedure to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color. The Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, a Democrat, who had earlier signed the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law. Being able to vote was an honor and so many people don’t even both to go vote during the elections today. African Americans fought for the right to vote without having to take tests or pay poll taxes and people still don’t go out to vote. That is taking voting rights for granted. Being an African American during the civil rights movement was a challenge, but being an African American woman was even difficult. That’s when the period of women’s suffrage played its role. Women’s Suffrage is the right of women to vote and to run for office. The expression is also used for the economic and political reform movement aimed at extending these rights to women and without any restrictions or qualifications such as property ownership, payment of tax, or marital status. Being a woman in this time period restricted of many rights. Women’s suffrage has been granted at various times in various countries throughout the world, and in many countries it was granted before universal suffrage. Without women’s suffrage women would still be restricted to make decisions and just be limited to being mothers and wives. The women’s suffrage broke that cycle. The best way to leave a positive mark on the world is being a leader. It takes a lot of heart, courage, and sacrifice, in becoming a great leader. Leaders are persons that people look up to. They depend on a leader to give them hope to carry on and a positive role model to look up to. There were not too many people that wanted to take the position of being a leader, but a few chose to step up to the plate. African Americans needed kind and encouraging words to help uplift them during the civil rights movement. Two great leaders Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Melcolm X took on a job to lead the world into a better place called freedom. The two leaders gave African Americans hope to continue on when they wanted to just give up. African Americans depended on these two prominent leaders to strengthen them. African Americans during the civil rights movement needed to relay on someone and those leaders were the perfect ones. No one would have ever been ready for what was expected to come. For years African American have been told what they could and couldn’t do. They have been talked about, abused, lied on, and have had everything taken from them. But, still they have stayed strong through it all. When all they had were two great prominent leaders and they were taken from them as well they still stayed strong. Two great prominent leaders were assonated. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Martin Luther King Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African American civil rights movement. He was best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi. King was often presented as a heroic leader in the history of modern American liberalism. A Baptist minister, King became a civil rights activist early in his career. He led the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and helped found the Southern Christian Leadership Conference in 1957, serving as its first president. King’s efforts led to the 1963 March on Washington, where King delivered his â€Å"I Have a Dream† speech. There, he expanded American values to include the vision of a color blind society, and established his reputation as one of the greatest orators in American history. But, as people have said â€Å"all things must come to an end. † At 6:01 p. m. on April 4, 1968, a shot rang out. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. , who had been standing on the balcony of his room at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, lay sprawled on the balcony’s floor. A gaping wound covered a large portion of his jaw and neck. A great man who had spent thirteen years of his life dedicating himself to nonviolent protest had been felled by a sniper’s bullet.

Political Philosophy and National Integration Essay

1. Central Quotation â€Å"National integration is partly a by-product of other social and economic developments, partly the result of deliberate government policies.† (Birch, 36) 2. Argument In this text Birch gives a historical overview of national integration process. He discusses different attitudes towards assimilation of minorities that existed in North America and Europe. Before 1960s that it was current believe that national integration could be challenged by the existence of different ethnic groups within the borders of the country and assimilation was desirable. After 1960 however, this attitudes has changed in favour of social pluralism. Birch also presents patterns, which describes common practices of national integration. 3. Question The question raised in this text is â€Å"Whether the process of national integration must be accompanied by wholly or partial assimilation of minorities?† Birch describes both negative and positive effects, which social, economic and political integration of minor ethnic and cultural groups could have on building a sense of nationhood. His argumentation is based on contradictory assertions. One argument is in favour of social homogeneity i.e. stresses the importance of common language and feeling of unity among people for development of democratic institutions. In the same time author mention several scientific works that question the assumption that further integration is required for establishment of representative democracy. 4. Experiential Connection Even thou I grew up in Sweden, I have a lot of friends with different ethnic origin who lives there, mostly 1st or 2nd generation immigrants. All of them had a chance, upon their own will to learn Swedish free of charge as soon as they arrived. That was the part of integration programme established by government in order to facilitate immigration process. That makes it easier for immigrants to interact with local citizens, get the jobs and thus contribute to social, political and economic development of the country. 5. Textual Connection. Birch’s argumentation is quite similar to Will Kymlicka’sagrument in the text â€Å"Western political theory and ethnic relations in eastern Europe†. As well as Birch, Kymlicka stresses that attitudes toward ethnic minorities among democratic liberals in West had changed since 1960 and multiculturalism become more acceptable (Kymlicka, s. 33). Kymlicka focuses on different ethnic groups and describes assimilation attempts made by governments towards these groups. He also emphasizes the importance of different governmental policies that determines integration process (Kymlicka, s. 42). 6. Implications. This text analyses the different ways in which minor groups can be merged into national societies and poses the question of whether national integration is a positive or a negative process. This question must be answered by citizens and representative governments in every country before there will be taken any further action toward national integration or disintegration. I think government have to consider prior experience of integration of minorities in different countries to choose appropriated policies for the particular county. This can be done throughout case studies and with help of patterns of integration drawn up by theorists and scientists.

The Policy of Imperialism

Imperialism is the policy in which stronger nations extend their economic, political, and military control over weaker territories. It’s important because it helped extend our territories over weaker territories. I think imperialism was a proper and legitimate policy, even though it led to some bad outcomes, there were more good outcomes. The three countries that I chose to write about are Cuba, Philippines, and Panama. In Panama, the Panamanians allowed the United States to rent the land needed to build the Panama Canal.The U. S. wanted to build the Panama Canal because they gained control over Puerto Rico and the Philippines. The canal would allow warships to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without circling South America, making it easier to defend the United States. So the Panama Canal benefits the U. S. by allowing warships to pass between the two oceans, helping the growing trade of Asia, and making it easier to defend the United States. Many Cubans welcomed the presence of U. S. troops to restore stability, law, and order.After Cuba gained independence, President William McKinley set up a U. S. military government to administer the island. The U. S. was also interested in protecting Cuba’s independence because they wanted to restore order, establishing a provisional government. Imperializing Cuba was a good thing because under the U. S. military governor, programs of public works, education, sanitation, court reform, and self-government were instituted. In 1898, the U. S. wanted to take over the Philippines, a Spanish colony.U. S. businesses saw the Philippines as a good source for raw materials as well as a key to new markets for imports and exports. The islands were in a good strategic position for access to the markets of China. McKinley concluded that the best choice was for the U. S. was to â€Å"take and educate the Filipinos, uplift, civilize, and Christianize them. † Even though the Philippines revolted against th e U. S. rule with a three year battle, imperializing the Philippines was a good thing towards America.The imperializing of many new territories, not only Cuba, Philippines and Panama, but for china, Hawaii, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic led to many good things for the U. S. and other countries. Take Cuba for an example, the U. S. established a provisional government and many things were instituted. In Panama, the Panama Canal helped defend the U. S. and the growing trade of Asia. The Philippines were a good source for raw materials and the United States saw them as a key for new market imports and exports. Therefore imperialism was a good policy because it led to many good things in America and other nations.

Authentic Assessment vs. Standardized Testing Research Paper

Authentic Assessment vs. Standardized Testing - Research Paper Example Such simulations can aid the students to process new information by connecting it to prior knowledge of the subject. When instruction is adapted to conform to the theory of multiple intelligences, it naturally follows that assessment should be similarly adapted. However, in most schools, the assessment practices to gauge student progress rely mainly on standardized testing methods that are often inauthentic, and which only reveal whether the student can recognize and recall what has been told to him/her by way of the lesson. Thus, high scores on standardized tests are a measure of how well a student can take the test and not his/her actual working knowledge. Besides, the standardized tests which comprise of multiple choice, fill in the blank, and true/false questions do not actually promote learning as they only evaluate what the student knows at that particular point in time. The standardized tests cannot identify students in need of intervention or help formulate appropriate instru ctional strategies. This form of assessment of student performance, in fact, controls learning. The test scores lead the students to believe that right answers are more important than analysis and approach. About standardized testing methods, Meier (2002) states clearly that, â€Å"†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.standardized tests are utterly counterproductive for the educational purpose of seeing what kids have learned in school so as to improve education for all† (p.105). Also, according to Meir, standardized tests do not represent the sole evidence of a student’s intellectual growth. Standardized tests follow pre-set criteria that stipulate how, where and by whom the test is to be administered and scored, who else besides the teacher and the student can be present, the way questions are asked, and what responses are acceptable. That is, such a testing controls all the elements involved in the assessment process except the child's responses. Standardized test results are repo rted using standard scores. Gardner (1993) is of the opinion that the most widely used standardized tests of intelligence (e.g., The Wechsler scales and the Stanford-Binet) measure only linguistic and logical/mathematical intelligences whereas the purpose of assessment should be to obtain information about the skills and potentials of individuals. A multidimensional assessment of students based on a broader concept of intelligence, ability, and learning would be more in line with the theory of multiple intelligences. Authentic assessment, also called performance assessment, portfolio assessment, curriculum-embedded instruction, or integrated education is, according to Miesels et al. (2003), â€Å"......an instructional-driven measurement in which students’ actual classroom performance is evaluated in terms of standards-infused criteria†. In this method of assessment, a student is evaluated on a broader concept of intelligence, ability, and learning based on all intelli gences identified by MI including visual, musical, kinesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalistic abilities in addition to verbal and logical potential. Such an assessment will be formative, providing immediate feedback for learning and teaching,

Case study of HRM in China Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Of HRM in China - Case Study Example While the main aspect of Western HRM is the individual fixed-term contracts, individual performance evaluation, individual career development and freedom to recruit and fire, the Chinese HRM has also adopted these features into its people-management system (Yuan, 2013). However, the concept of HRM in China is not the same as in the West, despite its successful adoption. China has incorporated it in the new way of doing things. Thus, according to Shi (2010), HR experts in China are less engaged with the strategic activities and their role are also less strategic in comparison with their colleagues in the West. The HR measurement systems are also limited in function and HR information system is less automated and integrated. There is, however, a two speed system between the advanced HR systems of big State Owned Enterprises and smaller Local Private firms. Zhang (2012), states that such divergence feature as context-specific theories and practices of HRM can also influence the nature o f Chinese management practices. Thus, there is an effectiveness of paternalistic leadership in companies of China. In addition, Zhang (2012) claims that the hybrid model of HRM from Western societies has integrated into Chinese HRM with its traditional values. Thus, social order is associated with the harmony at work; hierarchy is considered as a beneficial effect within an organization. Chinese employees do not give critical feedback or suggest improvements, which is a part of high-performance HR trait within a Chinese firm. As an important element of China’s political and economic reforms, modernization of managing people was connected with the handling of personnel administration by the government. However, in the reform, the practice of managing personnel was changed and the management and the power were given to the enterprises. In the

How to Use a Wood Material in Computer Hard Disk Drives Essay

How to Use a Wood Material in Computer Hard Disk Drives - Essay Example Therefore, coming up with new and easily available materials for the manufacture of hard disks would lower the cost of their installation. This report aims at coming up with a hard disk made up of wood materials. The report will commence by outlining the main parts of the device, as well as their main functions. Further, the choice of materials for each part of the appliance will be discussed. This will be tackled in two broad areas of the usage of wood currently where the same can be utilised to come up with efficient and effective hard disks. The report will conclude with a highlight of the importance of the use of wood in the manufacture of hard disks and the recommendation for the same. Breakdown of the Main Parts of the Hard Disk and the Main Function of Each The hard disk is made up of various components for data storage. Every computer possesses a hard drive; a majority of computer users are not much familiar with the hard disk and its composition. It is the brain of the compu ter and contains the following parts: (a) Heads or the Head Stack Assembly This part of the hard disk is very crucial in the sense that it magnetically reads and writes data to the platters that are in an incredible high-speed motion. This is done in extremely precise positions to achieve its function (Rubtsov, 2009). The heads can be termed as the eyes of the drive and float slightly higher from the platters approximately one micron. It is a sensitive, precise instrument and is generally the most frequent cause of hard drive malfunction (Braun 2009). (b) Spindle The spindle is highly crucial in rotating the platters at a certain speed that is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). According to The Computer Technology Documentation Project, modern spindles have been modified to move at speeds as high as 4800 and 7200 rotations per minute. This is expected to be higher in the future with innovations to enhance the seek speed: this is the amount of time it takes the hard disk to se arch for a certain area of data. With growing file sizes and the speed of transfer, like a crucial part of computing, the platter must spin extremely fast (Rubtsov, 2009). (c) Platters Platters are found at the centre of the hard disk to hold all data on the hard disk. A hard disk may have one or more platters depending on the intended capacity. They are round with holes in the centre similar to a record used on a record player. In cases of a platter having a motor, it holds the platter together and rotates it at a certain speed measured in revolutions per minute (Braun 2009). The result is the creation of air pressure that lifts the read of write heads of the platters. The platters are very effective in holding the hard drive’s information and their sensitivity is very high (Rubtsov, 2009). A number of drives have contained more than one platter while others have only one. In cases of a drive having multiple platters, the spacing between them is consequently very precise, an d in case of misalignment, the data on the drive is mostly lost forever. (d) Electronics The green circuitry found at the bottom of the hard drive is the electronics board. It constitutes of all the electronic resistors, capacitors, and other bits holding the parts in place (Osborne, 2010.). Their function is the provision of connection with the rest of the computer and contains information referred to as firmware that informs the hard drive on how to

The Class and television in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Class and television in the UK - Essay Example On the other hand, commercial television was to be regulated more firmly (especially in regard to advertising and content) and the game shows that had won ITV high ratings over the last few years were to have their prize monies slashed. The disparity between Pilkington's judgements of the two channels was quite clear. This disparity was firmly and inextricably interwoven with the class structure of Britain at the time of the report, and television's place in that structure. By 1962 the working class was becoming increasingly affluent, riding the post-war industrial boom and supported by the new welfare provision put in place by Clement Attlee's reforming government of 1945-51. Between 1951 and 1958 real wages rose by 20% (Curran, 204), this growth favouring principally the lower middle classes. This increased prosperity naturally converted into an increase in the number of television sets bought: in 1951 there were 586,000 licences, which grew by nearly twenty-fold to 11,659,000 (Sendall, 1982, 370). This increase was almost certainly driven by the availability of the new ITV. As well as greater prosperity for the working class, there was also increased social mobility, again due to the Attlee government and the grammar school system it had put in place in the late 1940s. An example of this new t rend was a member of the Pilkington Committee itself, Richard Hoggart, who has been characterised by Andrew Crisell as "a working class beneficiary of higher education and celebrated historian of popular culture." (109). I will argue that it was the personality type and, more importantly, class position, of people like Richard Hoggard, that gave the Pilkington Report its particular tenor. One of the main reasons the BBC outperformed ITV in the Pilkington report's findings was that the report was driven by so-called 'Reithian' values (after the first Director General of the BBC). Both channels were judged on their merits as public service broadcasting, as Sendall has said, "the assumption was consistently made that entertainment needed to be 'balanced' by a suitable proportion of improving material" (Sendall, 1983, 88). The viewers of television had to be improved in some way; that is, television took on a moral and social function. The report said so itself, the committee being quite adamant that, "television is and will be a main factor in influencing the values and moral standards of our society." (Crisell, 111). Judged in this way, ITV - which was subject to market pressures in a way that the licence-fee funded BBC wasn't - was almost certain to fall short of the committee's criteria. In the main, ITV produced entertainment, and all indications seemed to suggest t hat the mass majority of people (mainly from the working class) watching ITV preferred this type of output to that which might 'improve' them. However, Pilkington was less concerned with what the democratic public wanted, and more with what they should have, seeing broadcasting as a vehicle for an elite class to educate and better those moraly (which usually also means economically) beneath them, rather than a product, which is chosen by the democratic individual

Management qualities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Management qualities - Essay Example t talents in sports, Billy Beane did not continue his career as a baseball player himself, instead, he became a general manager of the Oakland Athletics, with which he has changed the way sports looked like during the long period of time. The unique leader’s qualities have enabled him to enjoy the success in baseball among the teams of that large market. As stated (Beane, 2014), one of the critical predispositions to be great leader is to hire smarter people, who are more capable in understanding what particular sport is. Even hiring those who don’t play is a considerable asset to a business. Another successful characteristic of Beane is the ability to bring good team, which may be not noticed by others, but succeeded to reach high results during numerous games. Despite the inability of certain players to be great team-mates, they are ultimately the best at achieving Beane’s goals. Another important quality of Beane is to ability to continue in positive direction s even after setbacks and experience the opportunity to lead people and perform under the same pressure as others. Beane is good in understanding what the credit is, while most traditional stats believe in outcome credit, he considers the process should be given a credit. What most accounts for Beane’s success in being a manager it is that he provides a strong sense of his team and keeps ahead of the competition by applying the model of many mathematical variables and understanding that it is possible to win only through experience of losses. However, taking a positive and optimistic approach enables one to take the full advantage of an opportunity and fulfill the

ARGUMANET ANALYSIS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ARGUMANET ANALYSIS - Essay Example Some of the international aspect of Dubai is alluded to because only 10% of residents are from the city. Probably the most interesting element in the article was a visit to a museum which outlines the â€Å"Old Dubai† which surprisingly is of little interest to most people. Lastly the author alludes to the ‘fake-ness’ of the city in that nearly every element to the city is artificial but she alluded that time will tell for the future of the emirate. This paper postulates that Wilentz did indeed ultimately enjoy her time in Dubai however she finds a certain element of in-authenticity in this newly emerged powerful city state. The target audience that she seems to be addressing would most likely be potential tourists from an English speaking nation that are interested in visiting the Emirate of Dubai. The tone that is set by Wilentz is of a land with extreme dichotomies. Although some people may indeed enjoy Dubai, it is presented that there is a lot to dislike about the city state. The means by which Wilentz establishes this argument is through example. Firstly, the author indicated that the city has firmly entrenched dichotomies. Although the city is very international (the statistic that she used indicated that approximately 10% of inhabitants come from the emirate) it is not a melting pot insofar as there is a firmly entrenched caste system. During an excursion with Benedict Fisher of Nakheel Wilenty was exposed first hand to â€Å"The Palm† a man made land mass for real estate development. WIlenty indicated that although she found the land mass to be interesting there was a strong unnatural element about it even going so far as to describe it as being â€Å"like a developers ocean-view hallucination.† Wilentz stated that her hotel room at the Burj Al Arab costs $2000 a night which is more that the foreign workers who built the structure earned in a year which further reinforces the dichotomy of visiting

Report project for PepsiCo, INC Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Report project for PepsiCo, INC - Research Paper Example The company charged a depreciation expense of $ 1,500 million for the year ended December 26, 2009 on its property, plant and equipment while the depreciation charge for the year ended 2009 and 2007 was $ 1,422 million and $ 1,304 million respectively. These amounts do not include the amortization expense which is charged separately. The current ratio of the company gives an overview of the liquidity conditions of the company and is calculated as a proportion of the current assets of the company over the current liabilities of the company and is represented as a ratio. This ratio of the company expresses the sales that the company has generated through the use of the assets of the company and is computed by division of the revenue of the company with the total assets. This shows the efficiency of the company with respect to its assets. This ratio determines the proportions of the company debts over the availability of its equity in order to assess the company’s going concern and the performance of the company in the long-term with its reliance on debt as compared to equity. The company has a favorable working capital and liquidity ratio as the company has enough working capital as a surplus over its current liabilities to expand its business as well as a current ratio of 1.44 represents that the company is well off when it comes to meeting its short-term obligations as well as other needs. The authorized share capital of the company as at December 26, 2009 is 3,600 million shares while the company has issued 1,782 million shares to public and other stakeholders of the company as at December 26, 2009. The dividend payout ratio of the company for the year was 46.58% as company declared a dividend of $1.775 per common share compared to an EPS of $3.81 for the year 2009. This indicates that the company has distributed almost half of its profits to the common shareholders. The net cash utilized by the company for its

Introduction about Drones and Seattle Police's Drones Essay

Introduction about Drones and Seattle Police's Drones - Essay Example The ones used for attacking enemy lines have recently been a part of war on terrorism where they are used to figure out enemies on the ground and then they are used to eliminate these enemies. The ones used for surveillance purposes have been used both domestically and internationally for security purposes. For example: recently the state of Seattle purchased two drones each costing a total of $41,000 (Clarridge, 2012). These drones are under the testing phase and are controlled by the police department of Seattle. These drones have been adopted by the police department for the purpose of surveillance and these drones have cameras along with infrared eye attached to it. There are various benefits of using drones, these include: they are in expensive, they save lives and they provide a competitive advantage to the side that is using them (Benjamin 18). Clarridge, Christine. "Police Department demonstrates new drone, to help allay concerns | Local News | The Seattle Times." The Seattle Times | News, sports, weather, events in the Northwest. N.p., 27 Apr. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2013.

Environmental Management Essay Example for Free

Environmental Management Essay The world climate is changing and the effects of global warming are being witnessed in various part of the world. Available researches points out human activities as the major case for climate change and global warming. United States is the world leading emitter for global warming pollution and its emission mainly being from green houses and burning of fossils. The country is now on the forefront in taking the appropriate steps to contain the situation and it have come out with a program known as cap trade program. The cap-trade program which is a market based approach utilizes the market forces to achieve environmental protection which are cost effective by giving business both direct and flexible incentive to find innovative way of pollution reduction. The policy has been implemented successively in several states and it is looking forward to be implemented at the national level. The world climate is changing and the evidence of global warming is unequivocal. According to the report of IPPC synthesis 2001 (Crowley, 2000), the increase in earth warmth is dated back in the years between 1900 and 1940 which later cooled down between 1941 and 1965. Information collected from millions of thermometer in the world since 1860 shows an increase in the average surface air measurement. These data which is believed to be the most accurate and useful in global climate description, shows 1998 as being the warmest year on record with 1990-2000 being the warmest decade. The global temperature has increased by approximately 0. 6 degrees since the start of 20th century with 0. 4 of this occurring during 1970s (McIntosh Roderick, 2006). As result of alteration in the world ecosystem which consists of the atmosphere, ecosphere and social sphere harmful gases have been released impacting negatively to our atmosphere. Scientists believe that the gases have led to global warming due to depletion of ozone layer. They attribute Human activities like deforestation and fossil combustion to increase of carbon dioxide emission while organic wastes and fossil fuel mining increases the release of methane which is affect negatively on ozone layer (Hardoy et al, 2001). Also Nitrogen fertilizers commonly used by farmers and release of refrigerant cfcs in factories increases nitrogen oxide and chlorofluorohydrocarbons gases respectively to the atmosphere (Hardoy et al, 2001). Over the years this gas has accumulated in the atmosphere bring adverse effect ranging from acid rains, climate change and depletion of the layer (Burroughs, 2001). Ozone layer is made up of ozone o3 molecules which three atoms of oxygen. It is located in the stratosphere portion of the atmosphere and it shields the harmful UV rays from the sun to reach the earth. Ozone layer depletion is the major cause of global warming and its effect such as Elevated temperature and weather extremes. Melting of ice as witnessed in the Polar Regions and flooding of major cities are clear indications of temperature elevations (Crowley, 2000). As human being competes to exhaust the precious resources around them they leave behind a serious environmental trauma which pauses danger not only to themselves but also to other living things (Hardoy et al, 2001). The environmental problems of the world today are much greater compared to last century when the damage was smaller. It is predicted that the situation will not reverse in near soon since the population is expanding and also the fact that human being have continued to stress for development without conservation of the environment (Broecker, 1995) In 2007 the panel consisting of the world leading scientist charged with the task of reviewing summarizing and validating the latest research concluded that the warming of the climate is clear. The panel attributed ninety percent of warming in the 50 s to green houses which are human creation. Other scientific reports have documented the specific impacts of warming including the melting down of the artic ice cap, shifting of the wildlife habitat, increased heat waves and wild fires. The United States of America is the global leading emitter of overall warming pollution. The emission is mainly through green houses and also burning of fossils. Their however not spared by the effects of the climate change as they experience glaciers, flooding of cities and intense storms in their backyard (Broecker, 1995) The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze climate change as one of the environmental issues and discuss the policy that united states have adopted in dealing with the issue. I wish to take the proactive side that indeed the climate change is being managed in the correct way in reducing its effects in the present and in the future. Important steps are being taken by various stakeholders in United States to contain the effects of climate change. In order to achieve reduction in large scale emissions as a necessary step to address climate change, there is need to adopt effective policies that stresses on shifting in the way the world uses and produces energy. Policy makers are treating the issue of climate change as an urgent one and are deploying currently available resources to reduce global warming pollution at all cost (Comiso, 2002) United States is now leading the way after years of inaction. The country now recognizes the need for effective environmental program for management of climate change which is perceived is a threat to environment and human beings in general. The climate policy which United States adopted is called cap-trade program. The plan requires the natural gas producers to purchase allowances for emissions from downstream gas consumers with less likelihood that the cost will be passed to consumers. Cap and trade program was designed in united states and also tested and proven by the Americans as a program within the clean air amendment of 1990. Its success as shown in the appendix 1, led to be crowned the green success story by the economist magazine. The program which is a market based approach utilizes the market forces to achieve environmental protection which are cost effective by giving business both direct and flexible incentive to find innovative way of pollution reduction. The policy has been implemented successively in several states Groups of states especially in the east and west coast are coming together to set up market place for electric facilities to buy and sell credits to release carbon dioxide among other gases which lead to global warming (NYT, 2002). In Chicago an emission trading allowance program have been launched which uses electricity utility in more than nine north eastern states. Western states on their side have teamed up with Canadian provinces to unveil yet another ambitious trading system which encompasses both industries and utilities . the plan aim at reducing greenhouse emissions by 15% within 12 years. Also a program to have a carbon trading market aiming to be running by 2010 is underway in Wisconsin, Illinois and other Midwestern states. I am optimistic that this program will go along way in reducing the emissions blamed for global warming and they will do so efficiently and less cheaply than regulatory program. New York merchantile first auction of emission allowance opened a new beginning in America response to change in climate, although reducing carbon dioxide is predicted to increase electric rates the cost will be lesser as compared to convectional regulation . to ensure protection of consumers. The program uses the cap and trade approach to realize proceeds that can be used to promote energy efficiency and conservation saving money for household (Houghton, 2004) Emission dealings began in 1990 and focused on reducing sulfur dioxide which causes the acid rain. The cap and trade program is preferred than the regulatory program since it is effective in cutting emissions quickly. In fact with the both McCain and Obama supporting the cap and trade program there is high likelihood of national trading program which will cover the whole country (Houghton, 2004). The problem related to this policy is that it will lead to fewer natural gas wells which may result to shortfall in production and over all reduction in supplies. High demand and low supply entails that prices will go high in order to meet the new climate goals. An eventual increase in consumer spending is likely and the price will also drive gas dependent industries abroad resulting to job losses (Hardoy, 2001) Conclusion The great scholars seem to agree that the world climate is changing and the earth is warmer than it was a century ago. Scientist attributes the global warming to human activities such as fossil burning and deforestation. An immediate step is required in the establishment of compulsory emission limits joined with a market based system that provide for a reduction in emission which is cost effective. Nevertheless to address the issue of climate change cannot succeed without involvement of united sates. The starting point is a program that will enable United States to substantially and permanently reduce their emission since they are the largest emitters of global warming pollution.There is need for quick enactment of energy policies which include more stern fuel efficiency regulations. Reference Broecker, W. C. (1995). The Glacial earth According to Wally. Eldigo Press, Columbia University, Palisades, New York Crowley, T. J. (2000). Origin of climate change over the past. UK: Cambridge University Press, Comiso, J. C. (2002). A rapidly declining permanent sea ice cover in the Arctic. London: Routledge press. New York Times (NYT) (2002, November 9). â€Å"Waters and dying lobsters and warming waters†. Times, 143, pp. 30-32 McIntosh Roderick (2006). Atmosphere, History, and Human Action. New York: Columbia University Press, Burroughs, W. J. (2001, November 9). â€Å"Climate change† The Journal for Comparative Change, New York Times, Vol. 36-118-134. Hardoy et al, (2001). Global warming: multidisciplinary climatic approach. London: Arnold press. Houghton, J. T. (2004, May 22). Global warming: the Complete Briefing, 89-456-458 U. K: Cambridge University Press.

Effectiveness of Performance Related Pay: NHS Case Study

Effectiveness of Performance Related Pay: NHS Case Study Executive Summary The following report evaluates how the aims of Performance Related Pay (PRP) schemes are underpinned by theory, focuses on how PRP theory relates to the aims and objectives of the NHS and considers how effective the current PRP policy is within the NHS with specific focus on whether the current scheme meets the needs of the current NHS organisation. The NHS has seen relative success where PRP schemes have been applied, with 51% of NHS managers recently commenting that PRP schemes in their trust had resulted in employees working harder. Although 61% of the staff involved with NHS trusts operating these schemes suggested the idea of rewarding performance was divisive and undermined the overall co-operation of its staff . The overall benefits of PRP include facilitating and implementing change in a structured manner, aligning the employees objectives with the wider goals of the organisation and introducing structured rewards in a fair fashion. Although the aims of the PRP scheme may be aligned to the business strategy, they will only succeed if the end goal is enough to motivate the individual. Within the NHS one would suggest there have to be additional concepts for performance management to focus on, such as content, departmental resource and career development for PRP schemes to be a success. When the introduction of PRP to any organisation is applied, it is supposed to encourage fairness and equality with rewards. However criticism of PRP within the NHS organisation suggests that it does not provide fairness and equality. Research has shown that the perception is that PRP benefits those in more fiscal or senior orientated roles than it does for those lower down the organisation. PRP schemes will be hard to introduce to NHS trusts where they do not already exist due to the nature of the structured role orientated pay scale and the inflexible nature of the NHS. This would be further compounded by the unionised nature of the NHS, with the unions likely to resist any move from collectivism to individualism in discussions about pay and contract conditions. Recommendations at the end of the report include consideration to the design of the scheme and how crucial this can be to the schemes future success: the need to manage PRP openly to prevent breakdown of relationships and thus prevent negative impacts on performance overall and the importance of clear management of objectives by individuals best placed to manage their teams. Evaluate how the aims of the Performance Related Payment scheme are underpinned by theory The initial concept of performance related pay (PRP) schemes were introduced as a way to reward employees for completing a specific goal. The sense of reward was expected to act as a motivator therefore the scheme was embraced with high expectations (Daniels, Macdonald, 2005:183). Assessment of organisational reward applications shows that performance is not the only way employees relate to being congratulated on doing a job well. However, it is suggested the benefit of using performance based reward systems has been in the applying of the statistical elements of the method, allowing for a clear and relatively objective means of performance measurement. (Shields, 2007:410/11). This suggests that organisations favour a method which provides a supportive conclusion with quantative evidence to back up decisions made that may favour one individual over another. Secondly the use of PRP schemes have been linked to wider business strategic plans which have sought to align the employees objectives with the wider goals of the organisation (Holbeche, 2009:219). However, performance based reward schemes have been criticised in recent years, despite becoming seen as the norm within organisational structures (Holbeche, 2009:219). Alternative applications can be rewarded through behavioural analysis in line with a set of parameters and goals. However, this method of reward has been argued as being subjective and open to abuse and interpretation (Shields, 2007:410/11). As such the use of performance management against tangible goals as a measure provides something concrete for the employee to be measured against which cannot be refuted (Shields, 2007:411). PRP schemes can however be heavily criticised when there is a belief the targets are not truly achievable (Lai, Tsui, 2009:116). Moreover there is a concern that where targets are consistently not achieved and are deemed inaccurate, the effects can be rapid demotivation with the workforce (Lai, Tsui, 2009:116). An additional aim of PRP can be the encouragement of equality and fairness, this is not that everyone should be paid the same but those that add value are rewarded appropriately in comparison to others that may not contribute to the same level. How does this theory fit into the organisations aims and objectives? The aims and objectives of the NHS centre on measureable statistics such as level of patient care, treatment times, waiting list turnover, number of patients seen and treated, level of discharged patients and sound fiscal management. These are rolled down from central government and managed by the individual NHS Trusts across the country. It is suggested that providing a tangible measure against which to be managed is a key element in the use of PRP within the NHS. The use of tangible goals means the objectives are clear and concise (Shields, 2007:410/11). Furthermore the NHS argues that the use of performance measures means there is an ownership placed onto the employee to perform to their expected level and for their manager to ensure they are learning and developing (Shields, 2007:410/11). The NHS has seen relative success where PRP schemes have been applied (Shields, 2007:411). Under these schemes the employees use individual goal setting applications, which instead of creating conflict; achieved motivation although in-depth assessment of the research found that the goal setting aspect of the measure was the most favoured element (it enabled a clear guide for the reward) the behavioural assessments were deemed subjective (Shields, 2007:411). However one might argue that whilst this may work within a public service sector environment there are contrasts within private industry. The directed use of strategic alignment can pitch departments against each other creating internalised conflict (Schienmann, 2009:142). Furthermore people can be encouraged to apply their focus in a directed way which means they stop looking at the wider picture. In doing this there is the potential to create a funnel and individuals end up working at cross purposes instead of working together (Schienmann, 2009:142). Furthermore contrasting these statistics is the idea that public sector employees see financial reward as a secondary motivator to work harder (OECD, 2005:74). This is supported by research into all public sector environments, which suggests that job content and career development are primary motivators to increase performance (OECD, 2005:74). This is supported with recent research into the NHS management structure. During questioning into applied PRP, 61% of the staff involved with NHS trusts operating these schemes suggested the idea of rewarding performance was divisive and undermined the overall co-operation of its staff (OECD, 2005:73). This was implied to be because there was a lack of team discipline and people worked as individuals. This behaviour was cited as unacceptable within an environment that made life and death choices based on teamwork (OECD, 2005:73). On the other hand the same research contradicts this idea; stating that when questioned 51% of NHS managers suggested that PRP schemes in their trust had resulted in employees working harder (OECD, 2005:74). As such one might argue that the use of performance related pay schemes only work when the individual is financially motivated, and this could be applied to all sectors, public and private. Therefore there is an argument to suggest that although the aims of the PRP scheme may be aligned to the business strategy they will only succeed if the end goal is enough to motivate the individual. Within the NHS one would suggest there have to be additional concepts for performance management to focus on such as content, departmental resource and career development. Although the theory of PRP may be applicable, the practice does not necessarily translate into a high performing team. Critically Evaluate the Effectiveness of this Scheme One might debate the effectiveness of the performance related pay schemes within the NHS depending on the expected outcome. It is assumed that the expectation within employee groups from the introduction of PRP is increased morale and improved performance which therefore increases operational output (Lai, Tsui, 2009:116). Yet it should also be considered that the scheme can be used as a method to employ goal setting policy within an establishment where this has not been done before. Research suggests that the introduction of PRP validates the implementation of goal setting within public sector environments regardless of motivational output (OECD, 2005:76).This could be considered a significant benefit of the application of PRP within a wider assessment of the scheme. Furthermore the implementation of PRP provides the opportunity to redefine established organisational performance norms (OECD, 2005:76) and allow the NHS the advantage of being able to implement change in a structured manner. However it can also be argued that change in itself carries the potential for overall internalised threat (Huston, Marquis, 2008:178). Research suggests that when not welcomed, change has the ability to inject conflict into the organisational structure (Huston, Marquis, 2008:178). This means the focus moves away from the primary strategic aim. Moreover, conflict can send negativity around the workplace, ensuring non-compliance, and removing any degree of support for any performance based schemes (Huston, Marquis, 2008:178). Unfortunately it would appear the scale for conflict is high within the NHS when PRP is discussed. If the trust is considered as a business organisation the application of PRP means that pay adjustments can be applied in a measured way which can therefore become a strength (OECD, 2005:76). However, this means the counter argument becomes a weakness from the employees perspective (OECD, 2005:76). As such one would argue that changing to a PRP scheme will reduce the involvement of the trade unions because the focus moves from collectivism to individualism as a discipline (Gall, 2003:13). This could be seen as a weakness because unlike privatised industry the NHS environment is cited as being more static with less flexibility between positions and employee expectations (Gall, 2003:13). It is suggested that the termination of the collectivism power would leave NHS staff negotiating for contracts in the same way private industry do. This leaves the employees open to increased discrimination between financial rewards at the same grade levels. This is seen with the introduction of flexible working hours for employees, which effectively abolishes the overtime model for staff, and the theory implies that staff would no longer be financially compensated for working additional hours over their standard agreed contract rate (OECD, 2005:76). On the other hand the introduction of flexible working is defended as necessary within modern society. As such this implies that the change in financial application by moving to PRP incentives should not be seen as a weakness but a strength or opportunity to open the job market up to new applicants. Moreover research suggests that the use of performance related pay within the NHS environment provides a recruitment incentive and improves staff retention in the long term (OECD, 2005:76). Conclude whether the scheme meets the needs of the organisation One might argue that the introduction of PRP to any organisation is applied to encourage fairness and equality with rewards (Redman, Wilkinson, 2009:160). However criticism of PRP within the NHS organisation suggests that it does not provide fairness and equality with its rewards (Abel, Esmail, 2006). Research suggests that although PRP is adopted, there are inherent weaknesses in the application of the initiative and previous discriminations against gender and ethnicity remain prevalent despite the results of performance based measures (Abel, Esmail, 2006). This is further supported with a government review of the NHS performance review process. This research found a large number of consultants who voiced their concerns over both racial and gender discrimination within the PRP, however they also suggested discrimination based on their medical specialism and the degree to which the individual contributed towards management decisions existed alongside traditional discriminations (Abel, Esmail, 2006). Thus one may suggest that the performance reviews favoured those who worked in more high profile specialisms, which could provide additional funding. On the flip side of this discussion however is the consideration that those lower in the organisational structure would welcome the opportunity for performance based pay rewards in order to grow their roles and develop their careers. However this research implies their performance is isolated in comparison to that which benefits the wider business model needs. In recent research conducted in this area it was concluded that incentive polices such as PRP have provided a positive knock on effect where quality and safety are concerned. This point is interesting as in an environment such as nursing, one would have assumed quality of care and safety are principle fundamentals of patient expectations. However performance is massively improved when the employee is offered additional reward for reaching targets in these fields (Kurtzman et al, 2011). The research however goes on to suggest that the use of incentive schemes place an increased burden and creates a blame culture for nurses without addressing the infra-structure needs that the NHS trusts require to meet the targets set for them, This shows that the adaptation of PRP can be seen as being a double edged sword within the NHS system (Kurtzman et al, 2011). Report Conclusion The research appears to suggest that the performance based incentive schemes meet the base needs of the NHS as they make the basic principles of nursing happen in accordance with expectations. However an incentive scheme such as PRP cannot overcome the lack of adequate environment, staffing levels and low salary level. As such this implies that performance based pay does not work as a motivator for the existing workforce. Neither would one conclude that it works as a recruitment incentive as was previously suggested. Instead the implication is that the use of performance based incentive schemes means that those with power can continue to reward those they single out for success, whilst the remainder of the workplace organisation are left to manage with inadequate environments in which to meet the targets they are given. One might determine an outcome borne from two potential directions. In one case if the NHS is seen as an organisational structure and not as a public service, the use of PRP may be seen as successful. As a scheme this allows management to reward those individuals who are benefiting the NHS. From within this it can be assumed the discrimination that occurs is justified. However on the other side if the NHS is viewed as a public service with its key members being the front line staff, one would have to conclude that PRP does not benefit the needs of the organisation. Nursing graduates are decreasing in numbers; the vocation is increasingly seen as a difficult environment with insufficient financial reward and high expectations (Chitty, 2005:36). Following these arguments one would have to conclude that the use of a PRP scheme would provide the NHS with specific benefits when linked into an open environment which supported fairness and equality. However the current organisational structure of the NHS is not conducive to producing the environment needed to make this ideology successful. Instead work is perhaps needed with the basic infrastructure of the NHS organisation before additional performance plans will be able to achieve the required outcome for the operation. Recommendations for the management of PRP within the NHS There are several recommendations to be made for the management of pay within the NHS. These are as follows; Design of the scheme When PRP schemes are adopted, the design of them is crucial to their success and application (Redman, Wilkinson, 2009:134). Not only is it necessary to consider what will work for the majority of the workforce, but it is also vital to link the work of the individual into the wider team dynamic (OECD, 2005:86). As such when incentive schemes are applied, the link between teamwork and the individual is necessary in order to ensure a performance measure that involves the wider strategic picture of the organisation (OECD, 2005:86). In the case of the NHS this would be rectified through adapting some of the schemes considered elitist and improving some of the base working conditions which affect a wider degree of the working population. One would assume this will improve morale and create a workforce that wants to achieve targets and attain performance rewards. Communication When introducing performance related ideology the implementation has to be anticipated and managed openly (OECD, 2005:86). When relationships break down internally the need for consolidated teamwork becomes harder, this affects all forms of performance (Redman, Wilkinson, 2009:134). Within the NHS business model this argument is applied especially when managing trade union relationships (OECD, 2005:86), especially because this sector is driven by collective bargaining Furthermore this is particularly relevant because the core competencies of the roles have to be the same within the medical profession. The hierarchy has to be clearly defined by actual role competencies which enable staggered payments. Therefore performance based payment becomes harder to manage because each level should work at the same rate. Moreover this suggests the link between performance based pay and goal setting is vital in ensuring that employees are enabled to achieve and maintain their goals within fair and attainable means (OCED, 2005:87). Measurable Objectives Within the NHS organisational model one would assume targets for performance will centre on measureable statistics such as treatment times, waiting list turnover, number of patients seen and treated, level of discharged patients. These provide clear and measureable targets for people to meet and the measure is quantitative therefore enabling a degree of concise clarity to the measure. However research shows that providing clear statistical measures within the NHS model results in internalised pressure which manifests through the lower ranks (Kurtzman et al, 2011). Therefore one would argue this supports the need to correct the basic infrastructure within the organisations, prior to implementing reward schemes for employees. Management of Objectives When applied, the goals provided must be clearly managed by team leaders within the confines of the department or ward. This means the head medical staff responsible for these staff members have to take on a level of responsibility for managing their team as well as coping with their medical expectations. One might argue this is especially difficult within the NHS model and compounds the issue of burden and blame as medical professionals find themselves having to become more like managers (Kurtzman et al, 2011). This is known to be a contentious argument for medical professionals who chose their roles as vocations (Kurtzman et al, 2011). Stimulate Change Research suggests that performance related incentives should be used as a way to stimulate and introduce change into organisational structures (Redman, Wilkinson, 2009:135). This can be achieved through challenging the status quo and looking at new ways to manage (OECD, 2005:89). It could therefore be supported that the introduction of performance related pay into NHS trust models is applicable. As an observer one may assume the NHS organisational model has not particularly been challenged in decades, thus this strategy enables a fresh way of adapting new methods.

Background Of Company: Telekom

Background Of Company: Telekom Introduction In economic field, there are many types of market structure. The common market structures that we all knew are perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic and also oligopoly. In this assignment, we will put priority on monopoly and perfect competition. As we all knew that, monopoly is a situation where there is one seller which the firm is the industry and many buyers in the market whereas monopolistic is a type of market structure where a large number of firms produce close but not perfect substitute product. In this assignment, our group has chosen Telekom Malaysia as the example of company that practices monopoly structure. Throughout this group assignment, we managed to found a lot of information about Telekom Malaysia. The information are shown below : Background of Company (Telekom) Telekom Malaysia BHD (TM) is the first telecommunication monopoly company in the country that still remains top telecom group and a fast-growing international player in the Asian region. The company continues to control the fixed-line telecom market with more than 4.6 million access lines. In addition to the fixed-line business, TM is one Malaysias leading cellular telephone provider and leading Internet provider, TMNet, which is also the sole broadband provider in the country. In addition to their operation in Malaysia, TM has developed a network subsidiaries and investments internationally with the focus on Asian region. In 2005, the company is listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange. Characteristic In monopoly, there are many characteristic. One of the characteristic is that there are no competition between the companies as it is only seller in the market. Telekom Malaysia is the largest telecommunication company in Malaysia. It has a monopoly on the fixed line network. Besides that, there are many buyers in the market. Since Telekom Malaysia was build, many citizens in Malaysia started to use their services. It also has a considerable market share of the mobile communications market after acquisition of Celcom and TM Touch. Not only have that, Telekom Malaysia right now also offered narrowband and broadband connectivity which is now the DSL broadband provider in the industry. Thirdly, the characteristic of monopoly is that the firm enjoys abnormal profits. Because there are no other competitors, the firm has the power to monopolies the price of their goods and services. In this matter, the consumer have no other choice, so they will either choose or leave the product. The last characteristic of monopoly is barriers to entry which the firm will reduce the ability of new firms to enter the market and compete. Advantages and Disadvantages between Monopoly and Perfect Competition There are some advantages and disadvantages of monopoly. Firstly, the advantage is monopoly has only one firm and the market is the price maker. Hence, the price of the goods and services will be stable. Secondly, due to the absence of the competition, monopoly firm can receive the maximum profits from their sales. On the other hand, the first disadvantage is a high price of a low quality good and service may be charged on the consumer. Secondly, because of no competition may lead to low quality and outdated good and service. There are also some advantages and disadvantages of perfect competition. The first advantage is due to the presence of the competition, consumers can get a lower price of the goods and services. This is because all the firms produce identical products and the firms are price taker. Secondly, in the perfect competition, the firms must compete to each other to increase their sales. Because of this situation, it will encourage each firms efficiency and it will also encourage faster economic growth. However, perfect competition has disadvantages too. Firstly, unequally of the distribution of the goods and services because of the allocation of resources is determined by the distribution of income. Secondly, externalities are ignored. For example, when there are external benefits, too little goods are produced and when there are external costs, too much goods are produced. Comparison between Monopoly and Perfect Competition In the perfect competition, there are a large number of buyers and sellers in the market competing with each other. The price fixed by the industry is accepted by all the firms operating in the market. While in the monopoly, there is only one single seller but a large number of buyers. Hence, the firms are price maker and they all decide the prices. Besides that, a perfectly competitive firm makes only normal profit in the long run. This is because there is freedom of entry and exit. But under monopoly, the firm continues earning profits even in the long run since there are strong barriers to the entry of new firms in the monopolistic industry. Conclusion In a nutshell, throughout this assignment, we are able to learn more about monopoly and monopolistic market structure. Apart from that, our group members and I also learnt that we have to work together effectively and efficiently to make sure our task get done well. Although we faced some challenges and difficulties when doing this assignment, but we still make through it with everyones collaboration. Besides that, we have also learnt about the specialty of monopoly and monopolistic market structure in economics view. Therefore, we can apply it during class as we have already learnt deeper on them. Lastly, economics is important because it can be used in our daily life no matter for the present or in the future.

The Elimination of Natural Theology Essay -- Religion Religious Theolo

The Elimination of Natural Theology ABSTRACT: The dispute between fideists and rationalists seems intractable since those who argue for faith alone claim that they are offended by the use of reason in religion. The advocates of reason claim that they are equally offended by the appeal to faith. This dispute may be resolved by showing that those who rely on faith may be seen as engaging in an experiment of living, so they can become part of a rational experiment without having to alter their practice; in contrast, those who use reason to justify religion can be seen as addressing a spiritual need. From an evangelical point of view, it would be wrong to disparage the mathematician’s use of the mathematical proof of God’s existence (such as GÃ ¶del’s). Wittgensteinian objections to natural theology can be met by showing that the use of reason in religion is distinct from the general kind of philosophical speculation to which Wittgenstein rightly objected. Those who claim that one must already have fa ith in order to seek understanding successfully can be answered by showing that their claim can be tested empirically only when there is a robust practice of natural theology among those who do and do not have a prior faith. There is reason for thinking religion should be subjected to a more rigorous scrutiny than used in secular matters. For the purposes of this paper, opinions on the right relationship between faith and reason may be organized as: 1. pure fideism = enter into no discussion regarding the rationality of religion. 2. ratiocinative fideism = avoid the practice of natural theology, but provide a rational defense of such avoidance. 3. conditional rationalism=accept a rational scrutiny of religion but only under... ...ology. New York: Charles Scribner's,1966. Malcolm, Norman. Wittgenstein: A Religious Point of View? Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1994. Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. London: Longmans, 1859. Popper, Karl R. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. New York: Harper & Row, 1968 Russell, Bertrand. "Can Religion Cure Our Troubles?" reprinted in Why I am Not a Christian. London: Unwin, 1967. Swinburne, Richard. The Coherence of Theism, revised edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. Tessin, Timothy, and Mario von der Ruhr, eds. Philosophy and the Grammar of Religious Belief. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995. Wang, Hao. Reflections on Kurt Godel. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1987. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Vermischte Bemerkungen, translated by Peter Winch in Culture and Value, second edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 1980). The Elimination of Natural Theology Essay -- Religion Religious Theolo The Elimination of Natural Theology ABSTRACT: The dispute between fideists and rationalists seems intractable since those who argue for faith alone claim that they are offended by the use of reason in religion. The advocates of reason claim that they are equally offended by the appeal to faith. This dispute may be resolved by showing that those who rely on faith may be seen as engaging in an experiment of living, so they can become part of a rational experiment without having to alter their practice; in contrast, those who use reason to justify religion can be seen as addressing a spiritual need. From an evangelical point of view, it would be wrong to disparage the mathematician’s use of the mathematical proof of God’s existence (such as GÃ ¶del’s). Wittgensteinian objections to natural theology can be met by showing that the use of reason in religion is distinct from the general kind of philosophical speculation to which Wittgenstein rightly objected. Those who claim that one must already have fa ith in order to seek understanding successfully can be answered by showing that their claim can be tested empirically only when there is a robust practice of natural theology among those who do and do not have a prior faith. There is reason for thinking religion should be subjected to a more rigorous scrutiny than used in secular matters. For the purposes of this paper, opinions on the right relationship between faith and reason may be organized as: 1. pure fideism = enter into no discussion regarding the rationality of religion. 2. ratiocinative fideism = avoid the practice of natural theology, but provide a rational defense of such avoidance. 3. conditional rationalism=accept a rational scrutiny of religion but only under... ...ology. New York: Charles Scribner's,1966. Malcolm, Norman. Wittgenstein: A Religious Point of View? Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1994. Mill, John Stuart. On Liberty. London: Longmans, 1859. Popper, Karl R. Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific Knowledge. New York: Harper & Row, 1968 Russell, Bertrand. "Can Religion Cure Our Troubles?" reprinted in Why I am Not a Christian. London: Unwin, 1967. Swinburne, Richard. The Coherence of Theism, revised edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993. Tessin, Timothy, and Mario von der Ruhr, eds. Philosophy and the Grammar of Religious Belief. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1995. Wang, Hao. Reflections on Kurt Godel. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1987. Wittgenstein, Ludwig. Vermischte Bemerkungen, translated by Peter Winch in Culture and Value, second edition (Oxford: Blackwell, 1980).

Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard to Find and Good Country People

â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† and â€Å"Good Country People† are two short stories written by Flannery O’Connor during her short lived writing career. Despite the literary achievements of O’Connor’s works, she is often criticized for the grotesqueness of her characters and endings of her short stories and novels. Her writings have been described as â€Å"understated, orderly, unexperimental fiction, with a Southern backdrop and a Roman Catholic vision, in defiance, it would seem, of those restless innovators who preceded her and who came into prominence after her death†(Friedman 4). â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† and â€Å"Good Country People† are both set in the South, and O’Connor explores the tension between the old and new South. The stories are tow ironically twisted tales of different families whos lives are altered after trusting a stranger, only to be mislead. Each story explores the themes of Christian th eology, new verses the old South, and fallen human nature. In â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find†, O’Connor introduces the reader to a family representative of the old and new Southern culture. The grandmother represents the old South by the way in which she focuses on her appearnace, manners, and gentile ladylike behavior. O’Connor writes â€Å"her collars and cuffs were organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady†(O’Connor 118). In this short story, â€Å"the wild diproportion of the terms, the vapid composure that summons up the ultimate violence only to treat it as a rare social opportuinty, and the cool irony with which O’Connor presents the sentence makes it both fearful and ludicrous†(Asals 132). The irony that O’Connor uses points out the appalling characteristics of the grandmother’s self-deception that h er clothes make her a lady and turns it into a comic matter. Flannery O’Connor goes to great length to give the reader insight into the characters by describing their clothes and attitudes. The fact that the grandmother took so much time in preparing herself for the trip exemplifies the old Southern tradition of self-presentation and self-pride. The grandmother takes pride in the way she presents herself because she wants everyone to know that she is a â€Å"lady†. Bailey’s, the grandson’s, family repre... ...ition, she presents the reader with the differing generations of the old and new south, and she illustrates the contrasting views between the two. O’Connor is not afraid to question Christian theology or the Southern culture. Her irony and satire add depth to ther stories, and her deep cultural analysis of the South brings a higher level to her writings. O’Connor also explores the concept of fallen human nature and how it is brought about. Overall, O’Connor’s works prove to be very in depth in both her social and cultural analysis of the South. She is not afraid to critique the society in which she grew up and lived. Works Cited Asals, Frederick. Flannery O’Connor: The Imagination of Extremity. Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 1982. Bleikstan, Andre. â€Å"The Heresy of Flannery O’Connor†. Critical Essays on Flannery O’Connor. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Beverly Lyon Clark. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1985. Friedman, Melvin J. Introduction. Critical Essays on Flannery O’Connor. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Beverly Lyon Clark. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1985. O’Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor. New York: The Noonday Press, 1971. Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find and Good Country People â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† and â€Å"Good Country People† are two short stories written by Flannery O’Connor during her short lived writing career. Despite the literary achievements of O’Connor’s works, she is often criticized for the grotesqueness of her characters and endings of her short stories and novels. Her writings have been described as â€Å"understated, orderly, unexperimental fiction, with a Southern backdrop and a Roman Catholic vision, in defiance, it would seem, of those restless innovators who preceded her and who came into prominence after her death†(Friedman 4). â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† and â€Å"Good Country People† are both set in the South, and O’Connor explores the tension between the old and new South. The stories are tow ironically twisted tales of different families whos lives are altered after trusting a stranger, only to be mislead. Each story explores the themes of Christian th eology, new verses the old South, and fallen human nature. In â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find†, O’Connor introduces the reader to a family representative of the old and new Southern culture. The grandmother represents the old South by the way in which she focuses on her appearnace, manners, and gentile ladylike behavior. O’Connor writes â€Å"her collars and cuffs were organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady†(O’Connor 118). In this short story, â€Å"the wild diproportion of the terms, the vapid composure that summons up the ultimate violence only to treat it as a rare social opportuinty, and the cool irony with which O’Connor presents the sentence makes it both fearful and ludicrous†(Asals 132). The irony that O’Connor uses points out the appalling characteristics of the grandmother’s self-deception that h er clothes make her a lady and turns it into a comic matter. Flannery O’Connor goes to great length to give the reader insight into the characters by describing their clothes and attitudes. The fact that the grandmother took so much time in preparing herself for the trip exemplifies the old Southern tradition of self-presentation and self-pride. The grandmother takes pride in the way she presents herself because she wants everyone to know that she is a â€Å"lady†. Bailey’s, the grandson’s, family repre... ...ition, she presents the reader with the differing generations of the old and new south, and she illustrates the contrasting views between the two. O’Connor is not afraid to question Christian theology or the Southern culture. Her irony and satire add depth to ther stories, and her deep cultural analysis of the South brings a higher level to her writings. O’Connor also explores the concept of fallen human nature and how it is brought about. Overall, O’Connor’s works prove to be very in depth in both her social and cultural analysis of the South. She is not afraid to critique the society in which she grew up and lived. Works Cited Asals, Frederick. Flannery O’Connor: The Imagination of Extremity. Athens, Georgia: The University of Georgia Press, 1982. Bleikstan, Andre. â€Å"The Heresy of Flannery O’Connor†. Critical Essays on Flannery O’Connor. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Beverly Lyon Clark. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1985. Friedman, Melvin J. Introduction. Critical Essays on Flannery O’Connor. Ed. Melvin J. Friedman and Beverly Lyon Clark. Boston: G. K. Hall & Co., 1985. O’Connor, Flannery. The Complete Stories of Flannery O’Connor. New York: The Noonday Press, 1971.

Sony Corporation :: essays papers

Sony Corporation Than fifty years, â€Å"Sony†, founded by: Honorary Chairman Akio Morita, has been leading the industry in a number of areas. Sony has changed everyone’s life as we know it. From producing batteries to the new wireless networking system, they are number one. Have you ever wondered who produced the system, they are number one. Have you ever wondered who produced the great games you love to play or the MP3 player you got from your husband? From DVD movies, to digital cameras and camcorders, Sony is leading the world into a new frontier. Electronics, games, music, pictures and insurance are just a few of the side products of the billion-dollar company. Sony has four products categories as gateways to the networked world: digital TV’s and set-top boxes, VAIO home-use PCs, mobile devices and the best selling of them all is the Playstation 2 (PS2). With all of the new products like the PS2 and Sony.com, released their sale were still low. Sony consolidated net sales decreased 1.7% and operating income fell 30.9%. However, on a local currency basic, it as a year in which Sony’s businesses performed well. The PS2 went on sale in 2000 and shipped over two million units in less than three months. The biggest reason for me choosing this company was because of the great products they produce. From Vega’s TV’s to blockbuster motion pictures and all that fall in between, Sony has proven to be a well-rounded company. Sony’s Internet service provider So-Net, which has operated in Japan since 1996, offers some great features like: network-based content and service. In February 2000, Sony established SonyStyle.com in Japan to conduct marking and sales of Sony products. As a hardware company and a provider of content and services they are number one in many of today’s homes. At the end of march 2000, the market capitalization of Sony Corporation was  ¥13 trillion. This was a big increase form the previous year amount of  ¥4.5 trillion. Income before taxes and net income figures for the year included gains of  ¥58.7 billion and  ¥30.7 billion. Sony’s financial conditions are now strong and remain strong. Total assets increased by  ¥508.1 billion, or 81%, this year. It was estimated that the total assets would have increased by approximately 15% compared with the previous year.

External Communications Anaylsis †Walt Disney Corporation Essay

Public relations have always realized the importance of communication with its target audiences. Without it, an organization runs the risk of inconsistent public opinion from both its internal and external publics. Effective external communication is a vital part of an organizations public relations strategy. An organization may have several objectives in mind when it communicates with its external publics. Some of these include: Providing information to consumers about the organizations products and services Promoting the organization Respond to inquires concerning the organizations products and services Adverting the organization This paper will examine the effectiveness of the Walt Disney Company’s communications process when promoting its 1995 film, Pocahontas. This paper will also discuss impact of these effective communications to its external publics. Walt Disney once said, â€Å"I only hope that we don’t lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.† In 1928, Walt Disney and his brother Roy created what would eventually become the Walt Disney Company, in a small office in Los Angeles. One would be hard pressed to find an organization that knows it audience more accurately than the Walt Disney Company. For over 75 years, Disney has been appealing to children and their parents in not only the United States, but also worldwide (Harris, 167). Disney released its very first full-length feature animated film, Snow White, in 1937, to critical acclaim and worldwide success. The 1940’s and 50’s produced films such as Fantasia, Bambi, and Alice in Wonderland. These films became instant classics and the Walt Disney Company found what every company dreams of – a recipe for success. After the success in the early 1990’s with Beauty and The Beast, Aladdin, and especially the record breaking, The Lion King, Disney needed to find a way to keep its momentum going for its next animated feature film, Pocahontas. In order to attract public interest, Disney began promoting the film five months before the film’s scheduled release, in June 1995. A Disney source says the campaign for Pocahontas â€Å"is every bit as great as it was for The Lion King. In some aspects, it’s even greater† (qtd in Broeske). Disney went on to fuel the media frenzy with a Pocahontas press presentation in New York’s Central Park on January 31, 1995 (Broeske, 8). Not only did Disney begin promoting the film early, they also launched a 24-city mall display that offered mall goers a â€Å"sneak peek† at the process of creating an animated film. The mall attraction also included a 26-foot replica of John Smith’s ship in which kids could climb and explore (Harris, 168). The mall attraction generated hundreds of thousands of visitors and gathered local publicity in every city reached from February through June 1995 (Harris, 168). Disney also teamed up with such brands as Nestlà © TM, Mattel TM, and Payless Shoe Source TM, in order to reach its target audience. By offering animated candy bars, doll figures of the main characters, Pocahontas and John Smith, and offering Native American-style moccasins, Disney was able to cross into the hands of its key target – children. In early June, Disney’s CEO Michael Eisner went on to invite all New Yorkers to participate in a free lottery for tickets to preview Pocahontas, once again in Central Park. Over 500,000 people participated in the lottery and 100,000 lucky winners won the opportunity to see the film on four 120-foot screens (Harris, 168). The impact surrounding the public relations strategies in promoting the Pocahontas film was unprecedented by Disney. In response to the overwhelming success of The Lion King, Disney executives knew they needed to generate a high level of interest in Pocahontas. The story itself, for the first time in Disney history, is based on American History. While there is still a  debate between scholars as to whether Pocahontas’ role in history was accurate, this version focuses on the love story between her and Captain John Smith, a British settler (Broeske, 8). While history dictates that most children do not like movies based on history, Pocahontas proved that opinions could be changed, as it brought over $300 million in box office sales before finally being released on VHS and DVD. The Walt Disney Company name is synonymous with words like wholesome, family values, and moral. Disney’s longstanding popularity with children and adults alike has fueled this media juggernaut into one of the largest corporations in the world. Essential to the success of all of the public relations activities was Disney’s efforts to leave no stone unturned in its attempts to generate unprecedented interest in its new film, Pocahontas (Harris, 169). Works Cited Broeske, Pat H. â€Å"The Pocamotion.† Entertainment Weekly. 260 (1995): 8 Harris, Thomas L. Value Added Public Relations – The Secret Weapon of Integrated Marketing. Chicago: McGraw-Hill, 1998.

Determination of distance in a shooting scene Essay

Determination of duration in a blasting scene base Distance determination is an activity that is carried proscribed to determine the surmount at which a fire-arm was shot from in a abhorrence scene. It is also a calculation make by the catchr to indicate the really withdrawnness of shooting in a crime scene. It is done to approximate the certain point from which a person was shot, something that is unembellished in the gun residue, that is, gunpowder from the gag to the target (Saferstein, 2011). Forensic science has been of broad befriend in investigating crimes in all ways that the crime is connected helping the research worker apprehend the poisonous (Saferstein, 2011). The laboratory is not only utilise for the blood stain, it is also used to examine the weapon used in committing the crime for example a gun. The firearms suspected to wee been used or involved in a crime are taken to the laboratory for investigation and examination to help establish the sou rce and whether the firearm has ever been used in addition to the proprietor (Saferstein, 2011). This is done using a microscope that magnifies the magazine publisher used. The gun is used to determine the distance using the muzzle. The investigator sack up shoot from different angles using the same grammatical case of gun then checks the tar and measures the diameter used from the gun and the gunpowder willing give clear indication of the distance (Saferstein, 2011). The gun is used to determine the distance using the muzzle the investigator spate shoot from different angles then checks the passel and measures the diameter of the muzzle from the points and then compares with the hole of the actual incident (Saferstein, 2011). Therefore, the muzzle-to-target analysis can help in determine the distance of the shooter to the target. The gunpowder is beneficial to the investigator because it leaves a pattern and enables the investigator to twain the firearms used and the how the shooting took place (Saferstein, 2011). graphic symbolSaferstein, R. (2011). Criminalistics An introduction to forensic science. Upper shoot down River, NJ Prentice Hall.Source roll

American Jury System

Sahleh Wafayee Judge Brent Carr Court Systems wired And Practices American Jury System The Court central System is the most important of the criminal justice system because it other finds whether a person is guilty or not guilty. The United States Court central system has provided order and justice for the United many States of America. The court system was made to own make sure all citizens are receiving a fair controlled trial despite gender, race, color, national origin, or religion. Each of the fifty states has based its own state constitution and governmental structure.It consists of many laws.The 1st and oldest non federal law is the Constitutional law. This law is created in 1787 and is the oldest law. This law is held very high because it cannot be duplicated. The Statutory law is another made that is similar to the judicial law.A randomized trial by jury includes remarks and many people.

Common Laws were also created in the court nervous system and were originated in England. These laws were made to be a factor in civil, property, and contract cases. Common law was made by judges through such decisions of the courts.A common law system follows the policy of cold stare decisis.It is a very important part of democracy.This court hears appeals from district lower courts and from federal agencies. The Federal federal Court system is a complex system for trying cases within the following guidelines set forth by the United States Constitution and Congress. Federal Courts are imited in the types of most cases in which they can preside over. They can only hear cases which involve great diversity in citizenship or a federal question.Its the only real component.

S and duplicated cases.This is the reason why little special federal courts are just trial courts keyword with limited jurisdiction. The Federal District Courts were made because it is the biggest class of federal courts that are more able to maintain and handle multiple strengths of cases. Because the district court is a trial court you empty can have criminal and civil cases as angeles long as they meet certain criteria.Ask anyone that has been good for a litigant to court and lost.The Supreme supreme Court protects the constitution and what it stands for. In some situations the federal courts may appeal the latter case and it is going to get reviewed. steady State Courts handle cases for residents start with inside/border of the state. Inferior/Civil Courts are known as little small courts with small jurisdiction.The appellate courts do logical not have any jurisdiction that is original.

Everything how that happened in the trial is kept as a permanent record. Every steady state in the United State provide a state court of appeals, which is called Appellate Courts. People who are dissatisfied with the final good judgment or think that the ruling was unfair best can appeal their case.Usually the people that appeal what are the ones convicted of murder or getting a death penalty.The single instance is introduced.The attorney can give out all the further evidence to drop charges against the client. Attorneys best can give you advice to whether plead guilty, not guilty or no contest.They can also try and reduce apply your bail. Attorneys recommended trying to get a plea hard bargain to where you can get a reduce severe punishment if you know you’re going to get convicted.A habitual criminal case that was potential was solved.

Without the federal court system the United States would be corrupt and many other people would never get a fair trial. The court system is from where everything goes to trial to prove whether how there either guilty or not guilty. Resources http://en. wikipedia.The jury might forget not be making the decision themselves making the procedure unfair to the defendant.org/court/rights. asp http://www. wisegeek. com/what-does-an-attorney-do.The jury was depicted with the combination of much sympathy and nuance.

At least six other people compose a jury.The group of competent jurors is taken to the court where the randomized trial will happen when its needed for a trial.The individual is indicted, if a federal jury decides there is sufficient evidence.It is not evident that juries would be the best method.

Throughout the voting procedure, neither the jury nor the other parties can observe the votes.Jury system can be a bane to judicial procedure.It reduces the chance that a mistake will be produced.The political machine could be useful in rather difficult instances.