Ethical Decision Making Essay

Ethics One definition–Ethics is the code of moral principles and values that governs the behaviors of a person or group with respect to what is right or wrong. Ethical Decision Making The Gut Test–Most of the time you’ll know if something is right or wrong. If it feels fishy, it probably is. Common Ethical Principles Utilitarianism–An ethical choice is one that leads to the†greatest good for the greatest number of people. † Decision takes into consideration of costs and benefits to â€Å"society,† not just for the decision maker or those close to him. Justice–An ethical choice is one that distributes benefits and burdens equitably. Under this principle, both processes and outcomes can be evaluated. Procedural Justice: fairness in the process of deciding/doing/distributing†¦ Distributive/Outcome Justice: equality of outcome/result. Disclosure–A decision is ethical if the public would think it is right. â€Å"How would I feel if my behavior was revealed on†¦ (e. g. , The WSJ, nightly news) or to†¦ (e. g. , my parents, my pastor, my children)? CoCo Framework Control–control comprises those elements in an organization that support people in the achievement of the organization’s objectives. The elements in an organization includes its resources, systems, processes, culture, structure, and tasks. Organization–People working in pursuit of objectives. An organization can be a legal entity, a system or process that produces the outputs to meet a particular objective. The smallest unit of a n organization is the individual person. A person performs a task, guided by an understanding of its purpose (the objective to be achieved) and supported by capability (information, skills, resources, and supplies). The person will need a sense of commitment to perform the task well over time. The person will monitor his or her performance and the external environment to learn about how to perform the task better and about changes to be made. The same is true of any team or work group. In any organization of people, the essence is purpose, capability, commitment, monitoring, and learning. General Categories of Objectives Effectiveness and efficiency of operations–Related to organization’s goals, such as customer service, efficient use of resources, profitability and meeting social obligations. This includes safeguarding of the organization’s resources from inappropriate use or loss and ensuring that liabilities are identified and managed. Reliability of internal and external reporting–Maintenance of proper accounting records, the reliability of information used within the organization, and of information published for third parties. This includes the protection of records against two main types of fraud: the concealment of theft and the distortion of results. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations and internal policies–Includes objectives related to ensuring that the organization’s affairs are conducted in accordance with legal and regulatory obligations and internal policies. Control is effective to the extent that it provides reasonable assurance that the organization will achieve its objectives reliably. Control includes the identification and mitigation of risks. Two more fundamental risks to the viability and success of the organization: Failure to maintain the organization’s capability to identify and exploit opportunities; Failure to maintain the organization’s resilience. Resilience refers to the organization’s capability to respond and adapt to unexpected risks and opportunities, and to make decisions on the basis of telltale indications in the absence of definitive information. Important Concepts in Understanding of Control (a) Control is affected by people throughout the organization. Board of directors, management, and all other staff. b) People are accountable for achieving objectives as well as effectiveness of control that supports the achievement of objectives. (c) Organizations are constantly interacting and adapting. Organizations are constantly adapting in response to changes in the external environment and changes in the internal environment. For control to be effective, the control elements must fit with the organization’s objective, change and adapt. When changes are contemplated to any aspect of the organization, the control consequences should be considered. (d) Control can be expected to provide only reasonable assurance, not absolute assurance. Two reasons absolute control is not possible, even with due diligence exercised: First is limitations of human capabilities. Faulty judgement, human error. Second is cost/benefit considerations. (e) Effective control demands a balance be maintained: i. Between autonomy and integration. The balance between centralization of decentralization, imposing constrains to achieve consistency and granting freedom to act. ii. Between the status quo and adapting to change. The balance between demanding greater consistency to gain efficiency and granting greater flexibility to respond to change. The four pillars of CoCo framework Purpose Establishment and communication of objectives; Identification and assessment of significant risks; Establishment of policies that support the organization in achieving its objectives and managing its risks; the policies must be communicated and practiced, so that people know what is expected of them and their scope of freedom to act; The organization’s plans to achieve its objectives should be communicated and established; Objectives and related plans should include measurable performance targets and indicators. Commitment Shared ethical values should be established, communicated, and practiced throughout the organization; Human resource policies should be consistent with the organization’s ethical values and with the achievement of its objectives; Clear definition of authority, responsibility, and accountability; they should be consistent with an organization’s objectives so that decisions and actions are taken by the appropriate people; An atmosphere of mutual trust should be fostered to support the flow of information between people and their effective performance towards achieving this organization’s objective. Capability People should have the necessary knowledge, skills and tools to support the achievement of the organization’s objectives; Communication process should support the organization’s values and its achievement of objectives; Timely communication of sufficient and relevant information to enable people to perform their assigned responsibilities; The decisions and actions of different pars of the organization should be coordinated; Considering the organization’s objectives and risks, control activities should be designed as an integral part of the organization. Monitoring and Learning External and internal environments should be monitored to obtain information that may signal a need to re-evaluate the organization’s objectives or control; Performance should be evaluated against the targets and indicators identified in the organization’s objectives and plans; The assumptions behind an organization’s objectives should be periodically challenged; Information needs and information systems should be reassessed as objectives change or as reporting deficiencies are dentified; Follow-up procedures should be established to ensure appropriate change or action occurs; Management should periodically assess the effectiveness of control in its organization and communicate the results to those to whom it (management) is responsible. Ouchi Framework Control is interpreted by some authoritative persons as the sum of interpersonal influence relations in an organization. It is equivalent to power. Ouchi about control: The problem of organ ization is the problem of obtaining cooperation among a collection of individuals or units who share only partially congruent objectives. Market Control In a market, prices convey all of the information necessary for efficient decision-making. Markets deal with the control problem through their ability to precisely measure and reward individual contributions. The firm can simply reward each employee in direct proportion to his contribution. The market mechanism permits individuals to pursue non-organizational goal, but at a personal loss of reward. The market mechanism can be very effective only if strict conditions apply. Contributions must be measurable, and a norm of reciprocity assures that, if one party in a transaction attempts to cheat another, the cheater, if discovered, will be punished by all members of the social system, not only by the victim. The severity of the punishment will typically far exceed the crime, thus effectively deterring potential future opportunities. If an agent of an organization cheats to yield higher reward, once discovered, it is the organization that will suffer the punishment. Bureaucratic Control Involves close personal surveillance and direction of subordinates by supervisors. Strict rules and explicit work routines apply. Employees are evaluated based on compliance to rules. Bureaucracies rely on a mixture of close evaluation with a socialized acceptance of common objectives. Supervisors have the right to direct the effort of subordinates on an ad hoc basis. Ad hoc–formed, arranged, or done for a particular purpose only. Rule contains less information than a price. It is an arbitrary standard against which a comparison is yet to be made. Compliance: In exchange for pay, an employee gives up autonomy in certain areas to his organizational superiors, thus permitting them to direct his work activities and to monitor his performance. legitimate right to command† Bureaucratic mechanism is not as efficient as market mechanism in terms of administrative overhead consumption. It also relies heavily on monitoring, which can offend people’s sense of autonomy, which will have a negative effect on their motivation. Cultural/Clan Control Attains cooperation by selecting and socializing individuals so that their individual objectives substantially overlap with the organization’s objectives. Works best in an environment where task performance is inherently ambiguous, and teamwork is common, so that precise evaluation of individual contribution is impossible. The clan mechanism involves internalization of objectives through activities such as ceremonies, stories and rituals, and socialization process. It requires social agreement on values and reliefs. This mechanism reply upon a relatively complete socialization process which effectively eliminates goal incongruence between individuals. The clan lacks explicit price mechanism of the market and the explicit rules in bureaucracy, it relies for its control upon a deep level of common agreement of what constitutes poor behavior, and requires a high level of commitment on the part of each individual to those socially prescribed behaviors. The clan mechanism cannot cope with diversity and high employee turnover. Such disadvantages make it infeasible as a central control mechanism in modern organizations, but it can be efficient if the social requirements can be met. Social and Informational Prerequisites of Control CoSo Framework Internal Control–Internal control is a process, effected by an entity’s board of directors, management and other personnel, designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives in the following categories: Effectiveness and efficiency of operations. Reliability of financial reporting. Compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Internal control is a process and is effected by people at every level of the organization. It can be expected to provide only reasonable assurance. It is geared to the achievement of objectives in one or more separate but overlapping areas. Objectives falls into three categories: Operations–relating to efficient and effective use of the entity’s resources. (EPS or cash-flow targets, process efficiency†¦) Financial reporting–relating to preparation of reliable published financial statements. Compliance–relating to the entity’s compliance to applicable laws and regulations. Components Control Environment The atmosphere in which people conduct their activities and carry out their control responsibilities. Related to the entity’s people–their integrity, ethical values, commitment to competence, and the environment in which they operate. The environment includes aspects such as board of directors, audit committee, management’s philosophy and operating style, organizational structure, assignment of authority and responsibility, human resources policies and practices. An effective control environment is a environment where competent people understand their responsibilities, the limits of their authority, and are knowledgable, mindful, and committed to doing what is right and doing it the right way. They are committed to following an organization’s policies and procedures and its ethical and behavioral standards. The control environment encompasses technical competence and ethical commitment. † Evaluation Criterions Integrity and ethical values–Existence and implementation of codes of conduct and other policies egarding acceptable business practices, conflict of interest, and expected standards of ethical or moral behavior. Dealings with employees, suppliers, customers, investors, creditors, competitors, and auditors, etc. Pressure to meet unrealistic targets. Commitment to competency–Formal or informal job descriptions, knowledge and skills to adequately perform jobs. Board of directors or audit committee–Independ ence from management; frequency and timeliness of meetings with management, sufficient and timely communication between management regarding significant organizational activities and financial performance/position. Management’s philosophy and operating style–Whether management is risk adverse, risk neutral, or risk seeking. Frequency or interaction between senior management and operating management. Attitudes towards financial reporting. Organizational structure–Appropriateness of the entity’s organizational structure, and its ability to provide the necessary information flow the manage its objectives. Adequacy of definition of key manager’s responsibilities, and their understanding of these responsibilities. Assignment of authority and responsibility–Assignment of responsibility and delegation of authority to deal with organizational goals and objectives, operating functions and regulatory requirements, including responsibility for information systems and authority to implement changes. Human resource policies and practices–Deals with policies and procedures for hiring, training, promoting, and compensating employees, management of employee retention and turnovers. Risk Assessment A precondition to risk assessment is establishment of objectives. Risk assessment is the identification and analysis of relevant risks to achievement of objectives. There are three categories of objectives: Operations objectives–relate to achievement of an entity’s basic mission, the fundament reason for its existence. Financial reporting objectives–address the preparation of reliable financial statements. Compliance Objectives–entities must conduct their activities in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Financial Reporting Objectives Existence or Occurrence–Assets, liabilities, and equity exist at a specific date, and recorded transactions actually occurred. Completeness–All transactions, events, and circumstances in a specific period that should have been recorded have been indeed recorded. Rights and Obligation–Assets (rights) and liabilities (obligations) are recorded. Valuation and Allocation–Assets, liabilities, revenue, and expense components are recorded at appropriate amounts in conformity with relevant accounting principles. Transactions are mathematically correct and appropriately summarized, and recorded in the entity’s books and records. Presentation and Disclosure–Items in the financial statements are properly described and correctly classified. Overlap of Objectives An objective in one category may overlap or support an objective in another. Example: â€Å"Close quarterly within 10 workdays. † Primarily an operation objective, but can also be a financial reporting and compliance objective, as the firm is required to file financial statements timely in accordance with SEC regulations. Evaluation of Objectives: Entity level: The entity-wide objectives provide sufficiently broad statements and guidance on what the entity desires to achieve, yet which are specific enough to relate directly to this entity. These objectives need to be communicated to employees and the board of directors. Business plans and budges need to be consistent with the entity-wide objectives and current conditions. Activity level: Strong linkage of activity-level objectives with entity-wide objectives and strategic plans. Important objectives (the critical success factors) need to be identified. tc. Once goals and objectives are determined, identify risks that threaten goals. Stated and implied risks External and internal factors Entity to activity level Risks at the entity level include those associated with external and internal factors. External factors are very much like the economic factors that affect demand for a product, such as: Technological development Changing customer needs or expectations, which can affect product development, production process, customer service, pricing and warranties. Competition New laws and regulations Natural disasters Economic changes Other extraordinary events Internal factors involve the internal conditions of the entity, such as: Disruption in information systems Quality/competency of personnels hired Change in management responsibilities Nature of the entity’s activities Ineffective board or audit committee Activity level involve the potential risks hidden in the normal course of business. Example: objective is to maintain adequate raw material inventory. The risks to not achieving the activity objective might include goods not meeting specifications, or not being delivered in needed quantities, on time, or at acceptable prices. Analyzing risks–risk mapping. Likelihood (frequency) and magnitude. Managing Change: changed operating environment (regulatory or economic), new key personnels, rapid growth (existing systems may be strained to the point where controls break down), new technology, new lines, products, activities†¦ Evaluation of Risks The firm needs to have adequate mechanism to identify risks arising from both external and internal factors. These risks need to be thoroughly assessed in terms of estimated significance based on the likelihood of occurring and magnitude of impact on goal achievement. Then, needed actions must be determined. Significant risks for each significant activity-level objective also need to be identified.

Greenpeace International: On the Forefront of Environmental Activism Essay

Perhaps the most notable obstacle that Greenpeace International faced during the course of its existence as an environmental activist organization is the time when the Rainbow Warrior was struck down by two underwater mines. The incident led to the discovery of the involvement of the French Government through its network of spies overseas. Eventually, the ordeal became a high-profile case that involved international bodies which also took its toll on Greenpeace International. Not only did the organization had to face the need to finance a replacement for Rainbow Warrior, they also had to take more caution in ensuring the safety of their personnel despite intimidations and threats to life and property (20th Anniversary of the Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior, 2005). The bombing of Rainbow Warrior became a precedent for Greenpeace International to further strive to achieve its goals of promoting the welfare of the environment for the benefit of humanity. The organization is currently facing the challenge of proving the innocence of Greenpeace Japan Campaigns Director Junichi Sato together with Toru Suzuki before the theft charges filed against them. If proven guilty, both accused members of the organization may face jail time for a maximum of ten years. In the long run, the possibility of having a decision unfavorable to the interests of the organization may eventually adversely affect the safety of the whales situated in the marine waters of Japan. On the other hand, the case, if the accused individuals are proven innocent beyond reasonable doubt, can serve as a future deterrent to whaling expeditions in Japan guised under the rug of scientific research. Embezzlement of whale meat may no soon become a footnote to written history as far as the environmental concerns in Japan go (Justice for the Tokyo Two – Justice for Whales, Coming Our Way? 2009). There are a few more obstacles that the organization is currently facing and has dealt with in the past. For the most part, none of these obstacles have struck down the efforts of the group. Despite the growing number of people hurling both legal and extra-legal impediments to the activities of Greenpeace International, it remains fervent in its aim to protect the natural environment. (2) Social justice is a very broad concept and, therefore, it should encompass all possible aspects of the society. Part of its concerns should be the protection of the natural environment. Environmental protectionism ought to be a major concern especially today since the erosion of the natural environment across continents has direly affected the lives of countless people. With a huge number of the global population dependent on the resources taken from the environment, it is easy to understand why the imperative to protect it is urgent and called for. A society existing under the helm of justice is secure insofar as its continued survival is concerned. Depriving the environment of the rightful protection it deserves diminishes the available source of natural wealth for the people. In the end, the lack of concrete protective measures for the environment can lead to the collapse not only of the environment but also of the entire human civilization (Kuzmiak, 1991). The premise is simple: we cannot live without the ample resources provided by nature. To neglect the need to protect the environment is to neglect the welfare of our generation and the generations that will soon follow. Similarly, to destroy it is to destroy our own lives and our hopes for a world devoid of the hazards of the hustle and bustle in the ever expanding concrete jungles of cities. (3) Environmental protectionism is necessary in achieving social justice because the environment is the foundation of everything else that we know of in this planet. The absence of such protective measures, no matter how radical they may stand in contrast to the status quo, will certainly reduce our chances of surviving as a race. The social perception of Greenpeace International is the idea that there is an urgent need to actively promote and protect the environment amidst the different social forces that seek to use environmental resources to great lengths without even giving sufficient room for environmental concerns. People should actively engage themselves in efforts to curb the disintegration of the natural environment as a direct result of human factors. Human beings alone have the power to effect change in their natural surroundings especially when taken in the context of the use and abuse of the environment by several public and private entities. Protecting the environment can go to great lengths especially in the form of directly meddling with the private activities of private groups, to the point of causing harm, financial or physical, to those who are at the wrong side of the fence. The political perception of the organization is the idea that governments should prioritize environmental concerns. For instance, the organization has recently called upon United States President Barack Obama to reassess the so-called bogus climate bill released in Congress (Democrats Pass Bogus Climate Bill, 2009). It serves as a concrete example of the political pressure being exerted by the organization on the upper branches of the government. With that in mind, it is easy to understand that the organization very well considers political avenues in meeting their goals to protect the environment. With the growing environmental concerns throughout the years of the organization’s existence, it is apparent that the organization itself has dramatically changed through time. For the most part, the organization has grown more active than what it used to be in the later parts of the twentieth century. Moreover, the organization has become more actively involved in directly meddling with the activities of individuals and groups which they see as threats to the environment. (4) There are several previous actions of Greenpeace International which have been politically adapted. For example, the supporters of the organization heeded the call to write to their Representatives in Congress and inform them of the people’s clamor for safer toys for children up to 12 years of age. Eventually, the US Congress passed a law that will ban children’s products that contain the toxic chemical â€Å"phthalates† (US Congress Announces Ban on Toxic Chemicals, 2008). Another example is the organization’s victory during the early parts of the 1970s, especially the cases of protesting US nuclear testing at Amchitka Island in Alaska and France’s efforts to do atmospheric tests of their weapons somewhere in the regions of the South Pacific. In December 2007, the Irish government listened to the call of the organization to end the use of incandescent light bulbs and acted accordingly; the government announced its move to ban the use and production of incandescent light bulbs in Ireland which became the first country to do so among the European Union members (Greenpeace Victories, 2008). The latter example is a turning-point in history precisely because it marks the initial departure from the long-standing practice of using light bulbs on a massive scale that are not friendly to the environment. These examples, among others, present the idea that Greenpeace International has been successful in some of its efforts to protect the environment. Several laws were passed in favor of the environmental concerns of the organization. Also, several protests resulted to drastic changes in the activities of sovereign governments. References 20th Anniversary of the Bombing of the Rainbow Warrior. (2005). Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/press/releases/20th-anniversary-of-the-bombin Democrats Pass Bogus Climate Bill. (2009). Retrieved May 24, 2009, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/news/waxmanbill-180509 Greenpeace Victories. (2008). Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/about/victories Justice for the Tokyo Two – Justice for Whales, Coming Our Way? (2009). Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/news/justice-for-the-tokyo-two-ju Kuzmiak, D. T. (1991). The American Environmental Movement. The Geographical Journal, 157(3), 265-278. US Congress Announces Ban on Toxic Chemicals. (2008). Retrieved May 25, 2009, from http://www. greenpeace. org/international/news/congress-announces-ban-on-toxi

Formative Essay-Employment At Will Essay

1. How is employment-at-will applied in your organization or in one with which you are familiar? To what extent do the exceptions to employment-at-will limit its application in the organization? How might managers in the organization use knowledge of employment-at-will and its exceptions to protect the interests of the organization? An employment-at-will relationship where there is no contractual obligation to remain in the relationship; either party may terminate the relationship at any time, for any reason, as long as the reason is not prohibited by law (Bennett-Alexander & Hartman (2007)) The company I work at talks about how they reserve the right to terminate your employment without notice and without receipt of any Corrective Action Agreement, for any reason during the first 90 days of employment and beyond. It goes on to give a list of actions or attempt of actions that will result in the company using the Corrective Action Agreement. 2. What are specific examples of roles that are filled by employees and others that are filled by independent contractors? Use examples from your employer, industry, or an employer or industry with which you are familiar. What do the employees and independent contractors have in common and how do they differ in dealing with employers? How might temporary employees be characterized in the organization or industry you select? Within the company there are several departments: break-n-shear, welding, upholstery, sewing, cutting, electrical, wood shop, and shipping. The departments that do not use temporary workers are break-n-shear, electrical, welding, and since accident on friday cutting will no longer employee temporary employees. During our busy season (four months a year) the company hires temporary workers for sewing, upholstery, assembly, and shipping. The main difference is filings with IRS, benefits, and places to go, such as department of labor to file grievances. The subcontractor receives no benefits, less of a liability, and nowhere to file a grievance except small claims court. When I first started working at the company, I was hired as an employee; with full benefits as benefits became available. The owner came to where I was working as a head sewer and told me that if I came to work with him that his intent was to make me manager of the sewing department. As the company grew, so did the subordinates underneath me. I started getting sick. Owner wanted to keep me and make adjustments. I went out on medical leave and quit because I can no longer do the job. Owner talked me into coming back as subcontractor. I asked for written definition and term. The only people I answer to are the foreman, HR, and owner. Depending on subcontractor hired to do will determine who the subcontractor answers to; not all mangers’ have that concept at work but will after the training. When the job I was hired for is done my work at company is done. I receive no benefits the tax forms are different; I am responsible for taking taxes and FICA out (paying). I am less of a liability than a regular employee. I am also paid a percentage not hourly pay. Other subcontractors are hired through temporary employment agencies. The company pays the agency based on an hourly scale for each temporary employee and the agency in turn pays the subcontractor. At the end of the busy season if a position opens up then one of the subcontractors would be offered a positioned. Subcontractors are not trained and employees are cross trained is the major difference besides what was previously mentioned. The company has a policy that anyone who gets hurt on premises the company pays the medical; for everyone including employees, subcontractors, and guests. The company views it as responsible and less of a liability (proactive approach). References Bennett-Alexander, D.D., & Hartman, P.L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th Ed). New York: McGraw-Hill.

Marriage Gone Wrong Spills Over to WorkView in a new window Assignment

Marriage Gone Wrong Spills Over to WorkView in a new window - Assignment Example ording to the US employment and labour laws, external harassment of an employee, not only possesses a security threat to him or her but to the whole company employees (Bennett-Alexander and Hartman). Thus, it is would be prudent for the company to develop human resource policies (protocols) that could be useful in handling situations like this. These policies are expected to be in compliance with the federal laws and the state laws of the particular state in concern. Some of the policies that could be applied in this particular situation include: As the employee in this situation had clearly put it to her supervisor, the situation in this case is personal. The simplest way to tackle this issue is for the employer to personally talk with the employee. To achieve this, a trusted member of the management team, like her supervisor, could be invited to the meeting in order for her to talk freely without feeling that her personal boundaries, as well as her constitutional rights, are being violated. Through this, the employer may be able to understand her attitude in the workplace and even officially refer her to relevant authorities who handle matrimonial issues. However, this protocol proves less effective especially given the fact that the husband’s audience in the meeting is not guaranteed. In order to avoid unnecessary chaos in the workplace, the supervisor, having been informed of the situation, should immediately alert the security department of the company of this employee’s situation. It is usual that some employees in a company usually feel demystified in the company to the extent that they feel their personal issues may not be addressed. This could be a reason as to why the employee, in this situation, felt that her supervisor should not bother telling anyone of her problem. However, her confrontation with the husband could generate a general disturbance to the company that could lead to even the arrest of the employer on allegations of improper security

HND Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

HND Business Law - Essay Example ement is entered into, regardless of the manner in which it is executed, all parties agree to abide by the terms and conditions spelled out in said agreement. Only if all parties agree to be released from a particular clause in the contract, or an agreement is reached to null and void the entire contract, it remains in force. If violated, one party will likely have a claim against the other in a court of law. This brief section covers all three of these different types of contracts. When considering verbal agreements and contracts, it is important to remember that they are legally binding as a written contract in many situations. The key today, however, is proving the terms and conditions in question when a disagreement arises in a modern business situation. Under UK law, it has been largely determined that there are two main areas that constitute an actual binding agreement between two or more parties. The first involves whether or not an agreement was actually clearly reached as to the services that were to be performed, or goods provided. The second involves remuneration. If a figure was reached and agreed upon, it would be considered binding. Interestingly enough a verbal agreement today can be reached via either an in-person or on telephone voice exchange, or via email. Verbal contracts are more difficult to prove in a court of law. If one party states that the other party did not meet the conditions or warranties stipulated in the agreement, then problems can arise. If these are written out in a formal and written agreement, the issue is often quickly resolved. If, however, the agreement was verbal in nature, it can quickly become a ‘he said, she said’ affair that makes it difficult to prove one way or other in court. As such, it is recommended that the terms and conditions be clearly spelled out in a contract. Written agreements, quite simply, are similar to verbal agreements, except that they have a verifiable signature on them from all

Research report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 2

Research report - Essay Example The main principles included the social settings, social relationships, cultural practices, and present trends that can be used to provide an ethnographic description of the term. Findings were also compared and contrasted to some of the theories that relate to the topic of the study. Consequently, the study provided an all rounded understanding of the barbeque through time and various trends that have changed. The project was carried out in Melbourne, one of the major towns in Australia where the barbeque culture has been adopted by time. The location was strategically chosen due to factors such as financial, accessibility and socio-cultural backgrounds among others. The research took place over a period of one month, a calculated period that would provide substantial data to the projects. Additionally, there were also variations that were put in place due to changes in time caused by weather and other unwanted causes. However, the study took place at the specified time and date was strategically collected from the locals. It also focused on some of the local celebration that involved lamb and pork barbeques. The location was chosen based on factors such as tourism and entertainment that the town has been well for been known. Moreover, the locality has an added advantage due to its proximity to the ocean; that is used in transportation for social and cultural integration. The participants included some of the town folks and those from neighboring residential areas. The variation in the participants was due to the changes in cultural and social backgrounds due to the rural-urban migration. However, a detailed literature review of the study provided a foundation for the right locations to gather information. The population sample included individuals ranging from the age of forty to seventy years. The age bracket had an added advantage because the subjects had longer experiences of most of the social and cultural activities in the

Challenges of International Students in the US Coursework

Challenges of International Students in the US - Coursework Example American colleges and universities place emphasis on learning through the completion of assignments and projects, enforcing future professionals to build the bridge between the academic and practical world while yet at the classroom desk. For many, such approach is difficult to adapt to. Educational systems in their countries are more oriented towards the traditional theoretical knowledge accumulation. Some also struggle with the plentiful essays and research papers, as well as with the norms of citing and referencing. Finally, international students coming to the US inevitably experience the phenomenon known as a 'culture shock'. The feeling of unfamiliarity with many situations and uncertainty about how to react to them result in a state of anxiety and disorientation. The experience is not limited to students, though: many of those who traveled abroad in search of work, education, or better living found themselves in similar circumstances. The symptoms of culture shock may range fr om moderate irritation to deep-rooted psychological crisis or even panic (Deresky & Christopher, 2012). In conclusion, international students coming to the US in order to acquire knowledge should be prepared for a long adaptation process. Foreign language, demanding educational system, and culture shock are the main environment-associated inhibitors of one’s academic progress. It depends both on the student and his mentor whether or not he will be able to level the impact of these inconveniences.

Patient Safety Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Patient Safety - Research Paper Example The Incident Bishop (Baltimore Sun, 2011) reports that a Maryland woman suffered serious health difficulties as navy doctors left surgical instruments inside her abdomen. The portion of a Gyrus Forceps, a disposable surgical instrument, broke off in the belly of the victim while doctors at the Portsmouth Naval Medical Center in Virginia removing her uterus in February 2008. The woman, Mrs. Williams faced severe health difficulties following the surgery. Mrs. Williams said that she had frequently consulted doctors at the general surgery clinic in Portsmouth and complained of pain and pressure. However, surgeons could not find the actual cause of her abdominal issues. As per the reports at last, she went to National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda in July 2008 and described of â€Å"unbelievable abdominal pain, nausea, and near-fainting† (Baltimore Sun). From a CT scan, it was discovered that there had been a foreign object in Mrs. Williams’ pelvis. The detected foreign object in her pelvis measured 3.5 ?0.4?03 cm and it was later removed by another surgery (Baltimore Sun). The woman filed a $2 million negligence lawsuit against the United States and another negligence suit against the makers of the disposable Gyrus Forceps. In her suit, she said that she had been hospitalized several times and â€Å"had undergone painful procedures to investigate and treat her symptoms† (Baltimore Sun). Analysis of the Incident Evidently this dangerous incident is the result of the careless act of some navy doctors. Although US government argued that the quality of the forceps was poor, the surgeons cannot dispose their responsibilities easily. Doctors have undeniable responsibility on their patients’ health until the patients recover perfectly. According to Rogers (2002), the quality of doctor-patient interaction becomes the foundation for medical relationships which also greatly contributes to patient’s autonomy and interests. Although Mrs. Williams had repeatedly visited general surgery clinic in Portsmouth in order to get rid of her health issues, the doctors did not try to examine her problems in detail. The US medical sector could detect the broken part of forceps in her abdomen only seventeen months after it had been left inside her body. This incident obviously raises some ethical questions. The Modeling and Role Modeling nursing concept, which is one of the major grand theories, states that nursing is a â€Å"self-care model based on the client’s perception of the world and adaptations to stressors† (Nursing theories). Although it is a nursing concept, it broadly addresses the whole health care practitioners’ responsibility of giving great emphasis on clients’ perceptions. As stated, ‘facilitation, nurturance, and unconditional acceptance’ are the major elements that determine the quality of the care giving (Frisch, 2006, p.117). However, in this case, the medical practit ioners did nothing either to reduce the patient’s stress or to nurture her. The seriousness of this incident increases as it comes to a group of navy doctors who are appointed only after a series of recruitment procedures that verify all qualitative as well as professional potentials of the candidates. This poor performance of the navy doctors raises some further questions regarding the quality of the public health care sector. Here, the Gyrus Forceps Company has also not taken a favorable stance towards the woman. It is obvious

Microeconomics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Microeconomics - Essay Example On the other hand, a rationale requires healthy debate in the process of evolution concerning the operating conditions of the sector. The Canadian government intervention in the agricultural sector, specifically in the livestock sector has brought forth numerous benefits and consequences as outlined below. The intervention occurs because of imperfect market, in order to provide public goods and services like the web extension reports and crop information. However, the private market can fail to offer sufficient public goods or services, thus result to excluding the some people from consumption of goods and services. The other reason relates to extremities such as high costs of public health due to poor nutrition. In this case, the occurrence of an externality happens in situations when the costs benefits are not related to decision makers. The other reason relates to the market power and monopolies in situations when the firm influences market prices. For example, the cooperative has offered the necessary privileges for offsetting the concentration of power to the buyers or service providers like railroads. Moreover, the imperfect and asymmetric information, whereby there is uncertainty relating to the products attribute, and in other situations processors might have more information concerning a required attribute compared to the supplier. The other reason relates to the labeling requirements, whereby the government intervention helps to solve private market imperfections. In this case, the intervention of based on offsetting economic distortion and it is created by the actions of the foreign party. Moreover, the subsidized exports in a  country are a determinant of the returns in the other, whereby the economic augments for the government intervention is harmonized in standards of the trading partners. There are justifications within the economic situations that government intervention into the agricultural sector is premised on a philosophy,

Totalitarian Governments Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Totalitarian Governments - Essay Example Totalitarianism is an "extreme form of oppressive government with limitless power that uses ruthless force to exert absolute control over all individuals within a society (Orwell 1)." Totalitarian government comes in many forms. However, these commonly come under pretext ideologies like "internal or external enmity, national security, mass fear and common good objective (Orwell 1)." The totalitarian government in Russia before the World War II can be characterized as a communist government which took root from Marxist Socialism. Before the formation of the Soviet Union, the region was dominated by monarchist forces. However, the dissatisfaction and discontent from monarchist government ensued to civil war. The Bolsheviks who were led by Vladimir Ilyich Lenin demanded a highly disciplined, centralized, and dedicated revolutionary elite rather than a mass party. Thus, the Bolsheviks had a long and bloody fight with the monarchist forces and became known as the Communist Party. This commenced the arrival of communism in Russia. The basic ideology behind communism was the establishment of a classless, stateless, and social organization which is based upon the common ownership of the means of production. This new ideology governing Russia before the World War II gave rise to new policies especially economic reforms.

Human Resources - Employing and maintaining staff Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Employing and maintaining staff Essay Human resources is a department which is a key component for any size business as it’s responsibilities affect the whole business The main responsibilities of the Human resources department can be split into 4 areas, Employing and maintaining staff, Training for new employees, Procedures, laws and legislation and Providing a safe working environment. The recruitment process is important: because it ensures that everyone in the business follows the same procedure . The best possible candidate is hired and reduces the risk of hiring a unsuitable candidate , saves further recruitment costs . Makes sure money and time are being used efficiently and effectively . The Recruitment process : the steps involved in finding and appointing new employees A vacancy arises Vacancies occur in a business because of maternity/paternity, death, retirement , dismissal , promotion , expansion . A job description is written or revised based on the job analysis . Job analysis – to see if it’s necessary or can be shared by other employees . it allows HR to become ware to any changes that many need to be made in the job description . They do this by reviewing the job . This is important because it makes sure the job description is correct and includes all the responsibilities/tasks , so you can get the best possible candidate . A person specification or job profile is written Person specification – skills/attributes of the person (eg communication, the ability to work as a team , hold a driving license ) / Educational and vocational qualifications , such as GCSES and NVQS . This is to eliminate people that wouldn’t be suitable for the job , this saves money and time . it is important because it makes sure you don’t get the wrong candidate , ensures you get the best possible candidate . Serves as a measure which the applicants can be judged against . It helps to design the advert , select in interviews and short list . A decision is made about whether to recruit internally or externally Internally in large business – notice boards , emails , website – intranet , memos , appraisals , meetings and newsletters . Externally – local and national newspapers , Job recruitment agency , radio advert , company website , trade journals – specialist magazines , job centres , social media –twitter and Facebook . You need to consider these factors when deciding whether to recruit externally or internally : cost , target audience and how quickly you need them . This is important as you need to know if the job can be completed within the business by being spread out over employees , even though you would have to pay them for the extra hours they are doing . It would save money as you do not have to pay for the advert , you could send around an email or put a notice on the notice board . You could do 1 on 1 interviews rather than panel interviews . In panel interviews there is more staff , that are not doing their job because they are interviewing so replacement have to paid for . Advertisements are drawn up and placed in appropriate media Design job advert – includes job title and hours , skills/qualifications required , key duties , where the job is , how to apply and where to send the application . All of this information is important because they may have a busy lifestyle and be unable to do flexible hours , lack certain skills and qualifications . When the candidates view the advert they can decide for themselves if the job is unsuitable for them , this lowers the recruitment costs and the business does not have to waste time and money interviewing and sorting though the candidates application . The key duties, location , how to apply and where to send application are stated because on the candidate needs to be able to do these duties , reach the location and apply . Application forms are issued and/or cvs and letters of application are requested . The applicants will need to complete an application form / letter of application and cv . They are sent out to the applicants and the applicants return to them to the correct business within the business . This helps with short listing . The job description and person specification are compared against to check for correct qualifications . The application form is the best to judge against , as they all have the same layout so this makes them quicker to judge against . There is also no discrimination as all candidates are given the same questions . Short listing takes place Short listing – selecting the candidates who best meet the qualities , qualifications and experiences requested on the job description . Primark and other large companies make applicants take an aptitude test and selection questions as this saves time and money . Interviews are held and assessment and testing takes place Factors to consider before the interview : Who will interview the candidates? Most likely the supervisor of the member / staff responsible for them/ store manager / HR manager . Is it going to be a One to one or panel interview . Panel interview is more fair as it is less biased . Where will you interview the candidates ? Make sure here is no interruptions , quiet and accessible for disabled candidates . What questions will be asked . All the candidates get asked the same questions , reduces discrimination . Judged on all the same questions , easy to compare . Need to cater to all , eg Deaf people . How to ensure fairness in the interview? What tests will you run , aptitude and psychometric tests? This is important because in the application form a candidate could lie and say they are confident as they are sitting in front of a computer screen . Many mistakes are made in the interview and it is easily to judge the candidate a nd tell when they are lying . Selection takes place and someone is appointed You should seek references from previous posts , to ensure that the candidates have been honest throughout , and not omitted to inform prospective employer of any issues that many effect his/her ability to do the job . This isn’t done at the beginning as the candidate may have a current job and wouldn’t want their employer knowing unless they have an interview . This is important as if the candidate is not chosen they can call up and ask why they were not chosen , to ensure there is no discrimination against the candidate and there a valid reason for the selection . Contract of employment – rates of employment , hours to be worked , holiday entitlement , sick pay procedures , duties Letter of appointment : offer , job title , pay , start date , where to report to and other relevant information. Maintaining staff Staff retention It is important for a business to keep it’s staff because this will minimise disruption to other employees , as other employees will have to pick up the duties of that job whilst the recruitment process is being done . The new employees will not be trained so this can cause the customers to get annoyed at the bad customer service . The trained employees will have to be constantly looking over the new employees this can decrease productivity . The recruitment process is costly and time consuming , on average it costs  £2000 to recruit per person. It is costly because of the training costs and other factors . The longer the employees are there , the more familiar they will become with the businesses policies and the better they will get with the customers . A business such as Primark can encourage staff retention by having monetary rewards which will include discounts or a pay rise linked to them achieving a target / an appraisal . They can have flexible working schemes which allow staff to start and finish work later/earlier. The business needs to make sure the business has a safe and suitable working environment that is not detrimental to physical or mental health . Staff should be praised upon and recognised , they can be valued within the employee of the month . All staff should receive a fair pay with opportunities for promotion . If the staff retention is bad the labour turnover is high so this may put off future candidates from applying because they can see the labour turnover so will wonder so many people are leaving . They will assume the business isn’t that good as there are many problems making the employees leave so the business will not get the best candidates for the job . The recruitment process is expensive and is done in the certain steps to ensure the best candidate is chosen , this would make this process a waste of time . If employees are covering roles there is less time to spend with customers so this will affect the customer service . Appraisals Appraisals can also be done , this is an examination of an employees performance over a period of time , this is carried out by the employees line manager . An appraisal report will include the strengths of an employees , the development needs of an employee , a report on the achievement of objectives set at the previous appraisal and an action plan using the weaknesses to identify training needs. Labour Turnover HR measure how successful they are retaining staff by looking at the labour turnover for each year . Labour turnover is the proportion of employees leaving a business over a period of time . HR will analyse the results and look at the trends to decide on what action they think will be appropriate . This is important as the business needs to know if their staff retention is good or bad , as this affects the money in the business . High levels of labour turnover will indicate a problem within the business , HR will look at the main issues and take steps to address them . Low levels of labour turnover will indicate that the business is keeping it’s employees satisfied or that unemployment is high so fewer people are leaving for other jobs . To identify issues HR will carry our exit interviews so they discuss with the employee why they have left the business , and if HR can do anything to make them stay or improve the business for the future so this does not reoccur . Grievance HR must design and set up this the grievance procedure , they must ensure the process allows complaints to be dealt with quickly and fairly . This must ensure all staff have access to this . This is important so both the employer and employee are satisfied . Ensuring employees are trained as necessary in accordance with job role and business procedures The importance of training It is important for a business to train all its staff so the employees know how to operate in house systems such as operating tills. Also to make sure the business is remaining competitive and keeping up with customer requirements such as learning how new styles and cross selling. The staff need to be aware of the companies polices affecting legalisation , and health and safety . This also motivates staff as they can now operate efficiently. They will also have the same training as the rest of staff so they won’t feel left out and unmotivated . If the employees are motivated , they will give better customer service . This makes the business more competitive as the customers would go to their business over a competitor with bad customer service . This would allow the business to make higher quality goods and sell for higher prices . The more training an employee gets the more productive and efficient the employee can be , therefore there are lower costs for the business and mor e profit being made . So they can charge lower prices and attract more customers . Induction training The main aim of induction training is to make sure the employee feels motivated as soon as they join the business , and become familiar with their position to increase productivity . In induction training there are many things that need to be covered including aims and objectives and the history of the business. They will need to met key staff so when they start actually working there they will know who everyone is and where to go if they have problems . This is important because the employee is less likely to remember all the rules and policies if they put in a room and made to listen to them for the first day . Employees that do not get induction training will be unable to integrate into the team easily . They will fail to perform to their highest , have low morale and reduced productivity . All the information is broken down into different sections , each should be delivered by a different member of staff . A brief introduction into the business’s history allows senior management to be introduced to the new employee . Future plans for the business could be explained here , the idea of working at a focused , determined and fast-moving business is very motivating . Shortly after administration will step in and go through the contract of employment , this will include disciplinary / grievance/ sick pay procedures , what to do if you are unable to attend work , hours of work , rates of employment ,holiday entitlement and duties. Staff handbooks are given out , pension schemes and uniform requirements are explained. On the job training This training is given whilst the employee is doing their regular duties . It is done on a normal working day in the normal work place . A demonstration can be done this is working alongside an experienced employee and showing them what to do and what standard the work needs to be done to. Job shadowing is similar , the employee will watch an experienced member of staff perform the duties . The employee will have to watch carefully so when they are their own they can perform the tasks to the same standard . Observation is where the employee will perform their tasks are usual whilst being watched and then they are given feedback at the end . Coaching is where the employee learns new skills and have the chance to practice the skills with a coach before actually doing them at the workplace . The coach will watch them perform the skills and give feedback till the employee can perform the skill to a high standard . Mentoring is another option , the employee will be paired with an experienced member of staff and they can discuss the employee’s progress and problems. . On the job training is important because training occurs whilst you are doing day to day duties so training is less disruptive to productivity . You can also do computer based training which is commonly used in health and safety training , it is training through a computerised program . This is relatively cheap and easy to organise . In-house training can be carried out by a member of staff, they will be given the task of training other employees , this could be linked to new legislation .This ensures everyone is aware of new policies . There are disadvantages to this method they include employees not taking the training as seriously because they are just doing normal duties . Another member of staff may teach the employee a bad habit which they will pick up and do . The member of staff may not have received training on how to train effectively so their training could be a waste of time and ineffective. As the training is being done within the workplace there are more distractions so this could make the learning environment very difficult . Off the job training This training is usually done away from the normal workplace , they will not being doing their usual duties so they can focus their full attention onto the training . An external training agency can be brought in or an employee can carry out the training . As the employee is away from their normal work environment it is easier to focus and harder to get distracted . The employee is given the opportunity to discuss ideas with employees from or outside the business , this allows them to bond better as a team. Although there are disadvantages which include the cost , the cost would be higher if you hired an external trainer , there is lost productivity . Even though the employee is being trained , they are not doing their usual duties . HR must be able to identify training needs , not all employees need the same amount of training as they may have previous experiences . This is important as it reduces costs as the business will not have to pay for unnecessary training . New training is needed when there are new systems , new company policies , after illness periods , maternity , promotions and changes in the law/ health and safety . Costs The cost of on the job training includes that the employee will be less productive during the training period , if the trainer is a fellow employee they will not be doing their job and the training may disrupt other employees and decrease productivity over the whole department. The cost of off the job training includes the cost of the course , travel expenses , loss of productivity whilst the employee is on the course , other members of staff may become resentful as they have not been sent on the course so there will be a decrease in efficiency. If the training is on going , the costs will keep getting higher . Ensuring the business follows procedures, laws and legislation HR is responsible for ensuring that the business is operating within the employment laws , this includes the equality act 2010 , employment rights act 1996 and the health and safety at work act 1974 . The employees must be trained on these policies and trained again when there are new changes in the law . HR needs to understand the implications of not following the law .This is important as the business can be prosecuted if they fail to do so and they can be involved in a tribunal . Also the business can get a bad reputation and limit the employees willing to join the business . Corporate social responsibility and ethics can lead to customers not thinking the business is ethical and there will be a loss in sales . The employment rights act of 1996 sets out an employees basic rights , and includes the right to a contract of employment , holiday and maternity provision . The equality act of 2010 , tells employers that they may not discriminate on the grounds of race , age , religion , sexual orientation , sex, or disability against employees when recruiting , paying or promoting . The health and safety at work act of 1974 , sets out the requirements for keeping people safe in the working environment , this includes keeping accident books and recording visitors to a business. HR needs to look at these acts when doing tasks . When creating grievance / disciplinary procedures , adverts , job description , person specifications and short listing , the equality act is needed to help . When doing interviews , short listing and adverts , the employment rights act should be looked at . The health and safety act helps when doing the interviews and risk assessments , such as Primark does , they use this to make sure younger / disabled employees are safe and not working over time. Providing a safe working environment It is important to provide a safe working environment so there are no injuries caused to anyone , this is Primark’s job . The employee needs to ensure it’s own safety by working and behaving safely in Primark . An unsafe working environment can lead to a bad reputation to customers , this will cause a sales loss . A bad reputation can also put off potential employees , the recruitment process is time consuming and expensive so it is necessary that Primark does not limit the candidates . There is an accident book, which must be completed every time an injury occurs whether is it a minor or major injury . Every time a visitor enters the business , they must log on a visitor book . In the case of an emergency such as a fire , everyone must be evacuated and the business needs to know if everyone is safely out the building . If a visitor did not log onto the book , the business would be completely unaware that there person was there. In a visitor book , there are a few sections to fill out , this can vary business to business . Most often your name , reason for being there and who you are there to see and proof of identification are required . This is important as it makes sure no one at the workplace is put into danger . Fire safety is important when trying to make your workplace as safe as possible , this includes carrying out a fire risk assessment of the premises and reviewing it regularly , as well as telling staff of any risks you may find . Appropriate fire measures must be put in place and maintained , this includes a plan for emergency . All staff must receive fire safety instructions and training . All staff must be trained on a certain type of equipment before they use it . This is important as this reduces injuries , and if they are taught how to use it correctly they can work faster compared having to figure it out by themselves.

Determining Databases and Data Communications Essay Example for Free

Determining Databases and Data Communications Essay Getting organized and planning ahead for trade shows is critical to a successful showing. As the marketing assistant for XYZ Consumer Electronics Company, I have a number of tasks to complete for the trade show booth setup. There several ways, in which the equipment, components, shippers and shipments can be categorized, cataloged and tracked. This can be done either by entering the information into a data base to print an itemized report or plug in the information into the respective fields in an Excel Spreadsheet. To determine the best way of managing the trade show booth below is a list of things to keep in mind about the components, equipment, shippers, shipment, and time to assemble the pertinent equipment for display. The first steps in preparing for a trade show would be: †¢Select space and determine size of footprint based on the equipment and components †¢Prepare your budget †¢Determine exhibit needs and objectives †¢Select primary vendors (transportation company, installation/dismantle) †¢Identify promotions and/or give-away items †¢Produce show literature and marketing materials †¢Plan in-booth audio visual programs and presentations/demonstrations The typical fields needed to track the Components would be: †¢The Name of component †¢The quantity of each item †¢ the size of each item or carton †¢ the weight of each pallet or item †¢ how long it takes to unload the components †¢ the length of time needed to set up †¢How long it takes to break down †¢Tools required for each piece The typical fields needed to track the Equipment would be: †¢Quantity of pieces of equipment †¢Which container has each piece of equipment †¢The placement of the piece of equipment once it arrives at the show †¢The cost of each piece of the equipment (in case of damage) Keeping track of the shippers and shipments: †¢The Name of the Shipper †¢The Shippers phone number, address and contact person †¢Tracking number or Pro number †¢What the Travel time and estimated date and time of arrival †¢What the Travel time to and from the location would be †¢The Container Company Insurance information in case of damage in transit †¢The Quantity of pieces per container †¢The Quantity of containers containing goods (numbering or color coding would be helpful as a reference on an Excel spreadsheet) †¢The Date and time container was loaded Having all of the above listed information, a check list can be created either in a data base or on an excel spread sheet to make sure all of the needful items make it to the trade show. With numerous items, multiple containers and possibly different arrivals of these items a check list would make the process easier. A database system is one option that could be used in this situation, or if one would be more comfortable with a spreadsheet. We all know that a database is a â€Å"self-describing collection of integrated records† (Kroenke, 2012, p. 101). A data base could be useful whereas you can print different reports, store all the information on the components and equipment for you and others to access whether at the trade show or in the office. A database is meant to collect, filter and report data quickly. The information entered into the database can be used to populate spreadsheets, import and export data between word processing and excel. As well as the ability to create reports that take less time and effort then putting together and manually entering an excel spreadsheet. It will enable you to integrate various departments like procurement, finance, traffic and the trade show team members into the process. Database provides up to date information, and the data is in a consistent format (Kavanagh 2002, 7-11). I would choose to use an enterprise database over a personal database. They both have the same functionality and data modifications, but the enterprise database also has additional networking capabilities. The decision support system (DSS) I would chose to work on for this as well as other projects would be ACT!. It works with the daily business tools such as Windows, MS Office, Outlook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn and has been integrated with our  Quickbooks accounting system. With this accessibility it provides visibility to open quote, payment status, sales orders, purchase orders, a full customer view and th e list goes on. A few of the highlights that are †¢Group Scheduling †¢Group Dashboards and Reports †¢Enhanced Security Settings †¢Advanced Admin Options †¢HTML5-based Mobile Included †¢Hosting Options Available Scenario Two As the manager of a small consulting business, that has some of my employees working from home while others are in the office, it is important that we are able to communicate with each other and to our customers. Technology has provided new tools in the industry that has made it convenient to communicate through video conferencing, voice calls, e mails, and instant messaging. Having half of my employees telecommuting the best option for the company would be to have a WAN. A WAN will allow computers in different locations all to be connected to the network and have the ability to share information. While a LAN, would only be able to share the information with the computers on the network at that specific location. LANWAN Local reachGlobal reach Internal networkInternational network Relatively simpleRelatively complex Simple to InstallProfessional installation required The need and the benefits of having a wireless network for my small business: †¢Convenience Being able to access your network resources from any location within your wireless networks coverage area. †¢Mobility. The ability to go online anywhere and with different devices, not being tied to your desk. †¢Easy setup No string cables, so installation can be easy and cheap. †¢Expandable – Can expand wireless networks with existing equipment. †¢Security wireless networks provide enhanced security protections. VPN uses a virtual connection through the internet from my company to my telecommuting employee’s. This is helpful to my company’s security because  the data will be encrypted for anyone trying to intercept the information. Reference MIS Essentials, Second Edition, by David M. Kroenke. Published by Prentice Hall. Copyright  © 2012 Shaw RL, Booth A, Sutton AJ, Miller T, Smith JA, Young B, et al. Finding qualitative research: an evaluation of search strategies. BMC Med Res Methodol 2004;4:5

Is religion a good force for the society?

Is religion a good force for the society? Is religion a good force for the society? The role of religion in our society has always been debated. Some people are of the view that, religion helps in bringing about a change in society, while other believe it does the very opposite. However, sociologists have a different view on this. They say that religion adopts a middle path. It brings about change and also acts as a conservative force. The notion that religion can help bring about a change is rejected by many theories, including the theory of functionalism and Marxism. It is the effect of such theories which have given birth to the view that religion is a force of conservatism. However, there is still difference between these two theories as well. Functionalists say that, the norms and values on which our society has been built are reinforced by religion. According to Durkheim, religion performs many functions. One of these functions is to ensure that there is harmony and stability in the society. For instance, functionalists say that, when people of the society pray together, it helps in making the society into a single unit. When people become a single unit, the unity of the group increases the bond between the society members is strengthened. Religion in other words is a kind of glue. In fact, its social glue, one that enables solidarity to prevail in society. For instance, Durkheim studied a society of traditio nal Aboriginal people. In his study, he got to know that totems are the main focus of this particular type of society, through which they show their solidarity towards the values that they have learnt. This is one form of solidarity and integration of people into the society. On the other hand, Marxists have a different take on religion. According to them religion brings about conservatism. They say that this is because, religion seeks to make sure that one class is superior and dominant over the other. Marxists have the view point that, the current inequalities in our social surrounding is due to the fact that religion makes one class dominant over the other. The inequalities are mainly due to two things. First and foremost, it is due to the ownership of the means to produce things and secondly, the people who act as employers are easily able to exploit the working class. Marx famous lines on this believe is, Religion is the opium of the masses. He connect the drug opium to religion saying, just like opium, religion makes sure that people who are suffering can bear the pain and it takes them into a dream where they feel happy, when in fact the reality is quite the opposite. Religion is able to do this by, telling people that in the next life they will be given eternal bliss. This promise of bliss makes it easier for people to bear the current suffering and in this way religion justifies the inequality that prevails in society. Class consciousness is stopped from growing by religion. When there is no class consciousness, it is not possible to bring about a revolution. Thus in this way, religion prevents any kind of change in society. Those who are Feminists also agree with the theory, that religion is conservative force. They say the system of patriarchal is also a part and parcel of this conservatism. For example, the fact that in many religions women are not allowed to be religious leaders and the fact that religions endorse the idea that women should stay and take care of the family and that is what their role should be after marriage, also shows that there is some kind of conservatism prevailing, which wishes that the role of women should be subservient and this stance is endorsed by many religions. The above theories can be supported by many real life examples, which show that religion acts as a force of conservatism. One of the best examples, which support the view that Marxists have adopted is the Caste System in India. This cast system is fully supported by the Hindu religion. One more glaring example is the Medieval Europe Monarchs. Their right to rule was said to be their divine right. Their right to be the rulers was believed by the people of those times to be God-given. They had all the power and there was no one who could challenge them or any decision made by them. The above examples show the conservative force of religion. However, the problem is that these theories entirely reject the fact that religion can bring about change in society. Therefore the statement is not supported in entirety. Even though both Marxism as well Functionalism gives an account of religion which is plausible, but their views are criticized by other sociologists, who argue that religion is not a conservative force at all. In fact, they say, religion is a force, a radical force which helps to bring about a change in society. The one who holds this view that, religion can bring about a revolution is Neo-Marxist Otto Maduro. He points to the catholic priests of the 1960s in Latin America, who used to criticize the bourgeoisie. These priests used to teach the Theology of Liberation. It means to free people from their oppression using religion. In both social actions as well as political actions there was collaboration between the Marxists and the Catholics. This was the main catalyst which gave birth to resistance and then led to social change. Consequently in 1979 the Somoza regime in Nicaragua was overthrown from power. This was due to the resistance and change in which the Catholics revolutionari es played a huge part. Some more instances which show that religion was responsible for bringing about social change are also present. Another example of this can be seen during the time period of 1978 to 1985. During this time, Desmond Tutu who was the Archbishop during that time played a very important role in South Africa, when he opposed apartheid. What resulted from his efforts was that, he was the first black person who became Cape Towns Archbishop and led the Anglican Church. Other examples seen by Nelson (1986) include the opposition to communism by the Catholic Church in Poland, as well as in America, where there was a black civil-rights movement. These examples show how authority was undermined and a change was brought in. Weber, one of the most influential classical sociologists also supports the view, that religion is a force which can bring about change. He strongly believed that religion can bring about change and from this belief he came up with his famous theory which said that, Capitalism developed due to Protestantism. There are many types of Protestantism, but Weber has focused on Calvinism. This is because the skilled workers as well as the entrepreneurs were Calvinists, in all the countries where, Western Capitalism prevailed. Weber talks about, how social change was brought about by Calvinism, in his book titled, The Protestant Work Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism. Ascetic ideal was a very important factor in Calvinism, according to Weber. The ethic of hard work with lots of discipline is the basis of capitalism. In the early times, Calvinists followed the bible, their pleasures and entertainments were very simple and they lived a simple life, which was much disciplined. This led to the prop er and correct ethics of work being developed, besides capital. In other words, the right conditions of the economy and the religious belief in Protestantism was mainly responsible for the building of the system of Capitalism. But this theory that Weber came up with has been criticized as well. It was claimed by Eisenstadt (1967), that the development of the system of capitalism has nothing to do with the idea of Calvin. This is because, in countries like Italy, which were catholic, Protestant Reformation came out after Capitalism. Other people, who criticize Weber, talk about the fact that there are many other economic factors which helped to develop capitalism. Some of these factors include, democracy, the influence that immigrants have on the economy and people as well as freedom of religion. Many other critics have disagreed with Weber and said he was wrong because he did not interpret Protestantism properly, he did not locate capitalism properly and last but not the least and he did not understand Catholicism. However, Weber had his share of supporters as well. Marshall (1982) says that people criticized Weber, because they were never able to understand his work. For instance, Weber simply demonstrate d how Calvinism and Catholicism were related and how religion can bring change. He never said that there was any kind of casual relationship between the two. The good thing about the work that Weber did is that, his work is able to show us clearly how religion has the power to change the society. The problem with his view is that, it completely ignores the simple fact that, it is possible for religion to be conservative in some cases and thus the statement put forward in the question is not fully supported. Most of the sociologists believe in the middle path. They believe that religion has both sides. Religion can be a radical force which can bring about change and a conservative force which can stop the change from coming. It all depends on which religion it is and the circumstances that are prevailing in the country in which the change is coming. Thompson came out in support of this view. He identified the factors which are responsible for the role that religion will play in bringing change. For instance, he says that if there are no avenues which can bring change, like no political will to change then religion can step in to do so. Likewise, when such avenues are available (example economy), then religion will play a limited role and will have a more conservative nature. In the end we can say that, religion is indeed a conservative force as well as a force which brings about change. This position is supported by the evidence which has been put forward in support of both views. It shows that religion has the capacity to take on both roles, the role of acting as a radical force as well as a conservative force. The thing that will determine what role religion takes will depend on two things, the religion and the society in question. Even though both the conservative side and the radical side have their supports and arguments, it is better to have a wider view if this, in contrast to a single view. Health Promotion in Nursing: Smoking Cessation Health Promotion in Nursing: Smoking Cessation Public Health Issue SMOKING The purpose of this essay is to identify a public health issue related to a patient in my previous clinical placement. The patient Mrs M who was 35 year old woman diagnosed with lung cancer as a result of smoking. To facilitate the discussion smoking as a public health issue has been chosen. The stage of change model and The Healthy Lives (2010) policy will be explored in relation to smoking. The rationale for choosing this topic is because smoking is an important public health issue. The smoke is very toxic to every human tissue it touches on its way into, through and out of the smoker’s body (Ewles 2005). The cost of smoking on the National Health Service (NHS), which has been found on the ASH poster. ASH is the campaigning group, which was established in 1971 by Royal College of Physicians [RCP].It is a campaigning group which eliminates the harm caused by tobacco. Ash produced a poster with the cost of tobacco to NHS. ASH poster on the rate of smoking cost the NHS  £2.7 billion yearly; more than  £50 million individually week paid treating infections triggered by smoking. Each week smoking financial records for an estimated  £20 million spending on hospital admissions,  £4 million on outpatients,  £10 million on GP consultations,  £1 million on practice nurse consultations and  £17 million in treatment costs. Assuming 1996 amounts of recent and ex-smokers advocates. So advertising and Promotion bans can prevent the onset of smoking and help people to stop (WHO 2008).The ban reduce consumption which was started by research.Saffer and Chaloupka 2000 stated that anti-smoking companies pressed for further restriction on advertising and promotion. Electronic cigarettes has been banned from showing on TV a restriction that some believe might confuse viewers (ASH 2014). It has been said that E –cigarettes are not cigarettes. Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) recommended that quitting all forms of nicotine is the best for smokers E cigarettes are used by 700.00 to 2.1million (ASH 2014). According to Peto et. al. (2003) cited in Ewles (2005), most premature deaths caused by smoking are Lung and coronary cancer, chronic obstructive heart diseases and coronary heart diseases with 42800, 29100 and 30600 deaths respectively every year. In addition, smoking is known to also bring increased risk of many debilitating conditions like impotence, infertility, gum disease, asthma and psoriasis (Ewles 2005). Furthermore, through second hand smoking the health of other family members can be negatively affected. Percival (2009) indicated that second hand smoking can lead to rise in respiratory infection and infection in the lungs .Research shows that the families whose paternities smoulders are the ones who get infected (NHS 2013).The Blair regime introduced to help or guarding children of risk of damage. Blair management has introduced to aim upgrading in social services to security to inspire youths. The government indicated that â€Å"smoking kills† in a white paper. This campaign was to target reducing smoking among students from 13% to a 9% or less by (2010).They also tried to reduce adults from smoking from 28% to 24%, to reduce the ratio women who were pregnant from smoking. The Prochaska DiClemente (2000) Trans theoretical Model of Change (TTM), will be used to highlight the role of the nurse in implementing a variety of therapies that can be used in order to support Mrs M’s behaviour change. Public health is defined as the science and art of protecting and promoting health and wellbeing, preventing ill health and prolonging life through the organised effects of society (Faculty of Public Health 2010). Health promotion is a complex activity and is difficult to define. Davies and Macdowall (2006) describe health promotion as â€Å"any strategy or intervention that is designed to improve the health of individuals and its population†. However perhaps one of the most recognized definitions is that of the World Health Organizations who describes health promotion as â€Å"a process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health (WHO 1986). If we look at this in relation to the nurse’s role in smoking cessation and giving advice to a patient, this can be seen as a positive concept in that with the availability of information together with support, the patient is then able to make an informed decision, thus creating empowerment and an element of self-control DOH (2013, March 25). Bright (1997) supports this notion suggesting that empowerment is created when accurate information and knowledgeable advice is given, thus aiding the development of personal skills and self-esteem. A vital component of health promotion is health education which aims to change behavior by providing people with the knowledge and skills they require to make healthier decisions and enable them to fulfill their potential. Healthy Lives Healthy People (2010) highlight the vital role nurses play in the delivery of health promotion with particular attention on prevention at primary and secondary levels. Nurses have a wealth of skills and knowledge and use this knowledge to empower people to make lifestyle changes and choices. This encourages people to take charge of their own health and to increase feelings of personal autonomy (Karen.et.al 1999). Smoking is one of the biggest threats to public health, therefore nurses are in a prime position to help people to quit by offering encouragement, provide information and refer to smoking cessation services. In 2010 the white paper Healthy Live Healthy People set out the government long term policy for improving public health and in 2011 a new tobacco control plan was published (Department of Health 2011). The Whitepaper Healthy Life Healthy People set out a range of measures aimed at preventing people from starting to smoke and helping them to stop, such as banning cigarettes advertising on billboards, in size and action on tobacco intensified (DH, 2011). There are also smoking campaigners like Stoptober which is a regime campaign which has been encouraging smokers to quit smoking for a month. These campaigns are done on TV’s and radios on a daily basis.Gorvenment is using ways to campaign by advertising through these advertisements, papers and internet as well. Stoptober is a 28day trial which was said to work 5times more to stop individuals from smoking for good. The reason why Stoptober launched a campaign was to encourage people to take part of the smoking challenge. It started to give advice through the leaflets, posters, in order for people to stop smoking for a month. Research shows that 160 000 people managed to stop smoking for a month with Stoptober campaign. WHO defines health promotion a process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve, their health. It implies that the ideology moves beyond a focus on individual behaviour towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions. Naidoo and Wills (2010), states ‘health promotion is based on theories about what influences people’s health and what are effective interventions or strategies to improve health. The Marmot Review (2010) stated that between 2001 to 2007, prevalence of cigarette smoking among women in manual household dropped from 34 to 28 percent. In Woodhouse, C. 2011 ,showed that between 2001 and 2008, there has been a decrease of smoking in the population of England. They further stated that since the 1980s the uptake of smoking among young people in England has decline, study by Ansell, Gu , Tuit and Sinha (2012) suggests that it is important for nurses to have good relationships with their patients in order to provide quality care which is well understood by their patients. In order to help Mrs M on her transitioning journey to smoking cessation there are therapies such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). These efforts have been successful in some cases of enabling patients to stop smoking however there is limited clinical evidence to suggest that this method would be successful in all patients (Rice and Stead 2000). Health professionals are advocates of change in preventing smoking related diseases yet it seems during assessments they skip or hardly mention whether patients want to quit smoking as they blame it on lack of time and patient lack of motivation to quit. (DH 2011). To assist in the assessment process the model of behaviour change will be utilized such as Prochaska Diclemente’s stages of change model (1984). This works on the assumption that individuals go through a number of stages in other to change their behaviour. The first of the stages is pre-contemplation; this is a stage where the individual has no intention of behaviours change. The second stage is contemplation; at this point the individual is considering change. The third stage preparation, this is when the individual is preparing to change. The fourth stage, action, this is where the individual has to make a positive decision to quit, he works towards goals that are realistic and achievable, the need for support is very strong at this stage. The fifth stage, is maintenance, this is the stage of new behaviour for example the individual has quit smoking and moved on to a healthier lifestyle. To select the most appropriate interventions, I need to know the patients present readiness to change. The patient currently resides in stage 1 (pre-contemplation) and this stage will determine the intervention that can be used to empower the patient; therefore it is essential that an effective assessment takes place. In offering a prescription for nicotine replacement to a patient who is in the pre-contemplation stage is unlikely to be successful, because doing so essentially asks the patient to move from pre-contemplation to action without going through the necessary intervening stages AIPPO (2012). My role as a student nurse is to encourage the patient in the pre-contemplation stage to think about her smoking and to consider the possibility that smoking is a problem that needs attention. Being in the pre-contemplation stage suggests that the patient has some unresolved contradiction about change and thus needs help moving to stage 2 where the patient can start to prepare for smoking cessation. Brief interventions can be effective in the pre-contemplation stage and as the patient moves from one stage to the next. Effective interventions include the following: educate the patient about the effects of smoking, recommend changes in behaviour, list options for achieving behavioural change, discuss the patient’s reaction to the nurse’s feedback and recommendations, follow up to monitor to reinforce behavioural change. This process, known as â€Å"motivational interviewing,† uses empathy rather than confrontation. It acknowledges that the patient, not the nurse, is responsible for changing behaviour. In conclusion, it is evident that smoking is a vital aspect of public health and therefore a vital part of nursing practice. In particular, health promotion in daily practice is required to help patient to overcome the habit. Smoking is a major public health issue that continues to donate to social and health inequalities. References : According to the Oxford Medical Companion (1994) cited World Health Organization (2008). WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic Geneva: WHO 2008. Action on Smoking and Health (2006). Smoking Statistics; Illness and death. [Online]. Available from: http://old.ash.org.uk/html/factsheets/html/fact02.html AIPPO (2012). Stages of Change Model by Prochaska and DiClemente. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/transtheoretical_model.html ASH. Use of electronic cigarettes in Great Britain. 2014. ASH. Secondhand smoke. 2014 Bright, J. (1997) Health promotion in clinical practice: Targeting the health of the nation. London, Bailliere Tindall Cancer Research UK (2009). Lung cancer and smoking statistics. [Online]. Available from: http://info.cancerresearchuk.org/cancerstats/types/lung/smoking/. Christensen, M. Hewitt-Taylor, J. (2006) Empowerment in nursing: Paternalism or maternalism. British Journal of Nursing, Vol 15, issue 13, pp 695-699 Department of Health (2010) Healthy Lives Healthy People. London, The Stationary Office Davies, M. Macdowall, W. (2006) Health Promotion Theory, Understanding Public Health. London, Open University Press Ewles, L. (2005). Key topics in Public Health. Essential briefings on prevention and health promotion. London: Elsevier Ltd. The NHS Information Centre (2008). Statistics on smoking; England, 2008. Karen J.Berger, Marylin Brinkman Williams, (Appleton and Large). Fundamentals of Nursing Collaborating for Optimal Health, Volume 2. 3rd ed. : 1999. Naidoo, J. Wills, J. (2005). Public health and health promotion. Developing practice 2nd ed. London: Elsevier Ltd. National Health Services (NHS) 2013. Suzzane Noble, (2012). . In: (ed), Clinical Text of Dental Hygiene and Therapy. 4th ed. John Wiley and son 2012. pp.e.g. (32-48). Royal College of Physicians. Harm reduction in nicotine addiction: helping people who can’t quit. A Report by the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians. London: RCP, 2007. Peto, R., Lopez, A., Boreham, J. et al. (2003). Mortality from smoking in developed countries 1950 -2000. 2nd ed. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Prochaska etal (2000). Health attribution therapy. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gary.sturt/health/healthat.htm Prochaska, J.O. and DiClemente, C.C. (1984) The Transtheoretical Approach: Crossing Traditional Boundaries of Therapy. Dow Jones Irwin, Homewoo Rice, Stead (2001). Nursing interventions for smoking [Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2000] PubMed NCBI. Re-trieved April 3, 2014, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10796619 Woodhouse, C. (2011, June 24). 700 pubs closed by smoke ban, supermarket beer and tax rises News London Even-ing Standard. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.standard.co.uk/news/700-pubs-closed-by-smoke-ban-supermarket-beer-and-tax-rises-6414902.html World Health Organization (WHO) (1986) Ottawa Charter. (Online) available at: http://www.who.int/hpr/NPH/docs/ottawa-charter-hp.pdf. Date accessed 11.12.10, 15.20 1

The Role of Hermaphrodites in Society Essay -- Sociology Essays Resear

The Role of Hermaphrodites in Society In Ruth Gilbert’s At the Border’s of the Human, she discusses society’s interest in hermaphrodites in terms of â€Å"people’s desire to examine, scrutinize, and display objects which are alien, strange and other† (6). The anomalous and bizarre spectacle of the hermaphroditic body has drawn the focus of scientists since the early sixteenth century. Hermaphrodites have long evoked a â€Å"mixture of disgust and desire, and fear and fascination†(Gilbert 150) that has led to their position as objects of scientific scrutiny. As defined by Random House Webster’s College Dictionary, a hermaphrodite is â€Å"an individual in which reproductive organs of both sexes are present†. Besides hermaphrodites challenging society’s physical norms, they challenge and have recently changed its cultural norms as well. In ancient societies, dual-sexed beings were either â€Å"exterminated, considered to be beings of suffering, or regarded as strange phenomena† (Brisson 40). Their roles in society were nonexistent because they were viewed as â€Å"threatening deviance from the...