The Role Of Ben Johnson During The Olympic Olympics

Case 8.28 explains the role Ben Johnson played in the investigation into drugs in sports. Johnson was a well-known Canadian runner. He won gold in the 1988 Olympics breaking both world and Olympic records. Winning the gold medal at the Seoul Olympic Games gave Canadians a reason to celebrate and led to widespread celebrations across the country. Winning gold for one’s country bring pride to the country and Canada took full advantage. It is believed that the Prime Minister even used the victory to call a federal election. After the Olympics were over, the world found out that Johnson’s body contained an illegal substance. Johnson was stripped of his gold medal from the Olympic committee and what Canada had been rejoicing was now†¦show more content†¦Factual issues of the case include the use of steroids and the pressure from Canada for Johnson to win the race at the Olympics. The pressure from the peoples’ expectations of him dominating in his performance was another factual issue in this case. Lastly, the investigation that led to the discovery of an international substance abuse problem. To answer some of the moral or ethical decisions a few things must be determined. What is considered cheating? How can a substance abuse problem be determined? Also, did Canada have a right to go after athletes in their quest to seek the truth about substance abuse in the country? On the bases on deontology, Johnson is aware of the substances banned by the Olympic committee. He knew it was possible that he would be tested prior to the games. Substance is considered a wrongdoing by the Olympic committee. This is why they have issued a ban on certain substance and why if a person is caught in violating the rules they will be stripped of their medal. The Canadian government was acting in a way to protect the country. The country also knew the use of a banned substance went against the rules and as a result the country investigated sports across the n ation. From a teleological perspective Johnson may have felt it was for the good of the country to do what he could to perform well. Winning a gold medal for Canada

Two Kinds Free Essays

In the short story â€Å"Two Kinds†, Amy Tan uses the narrator’s point of view to share a mother’s attempt to control her daughter’s dreams and ambitions. Tan`s short story is an example of how differing personalities cause struggles between a parent and child. Children often fall victim to a parent trying too hard or expectations being too high, and in the case of â€Å"Two Kinds,† we see Jing Mei’s mother trying to live her life through that of Jing Mei. We will write a custom essay sample on Two Kinds or any similar topic only for you Order Now The outcome of her mother’s actions soon leads the narrator into feeling tension within herself, and between herself and her mother. In the beginning, we find Jing-Mei’s mother convincing her that she â€Å"can be prodigy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Tan 346) and that she â€Å"can be best anything. † (Tan 346). The way in which her mother portrays becoming a prodigy as such a wonderful thing for their family, Jing Mei quickly falls into her trap. At first Jing-Mei is, â€Å"just as excited as my mother, maybe even more so. † (Tan 347). The fact that Jing Mei is feeling â€Å"just as excited as her mother†; allows her mother to have a better opportunity to create the ideal identity for her daughter. At first Jing Mei is very willing to cooperate in what her mother wants her to do, but soon it gets too much for her to handle. The expectations get higher, and Jing Mei becomes resentful and unwilling. This is a very crucial point in the story because this is when Jing Mei figures out that it’s her life, and not her mothers. She thinks to herself, â€Å"I won’t be what I’m not. † (Tan 348). Even though Jing Mei begins to rebel against her mother’s wishes, this doesn’t change the fact that her mother keeps on pushing her to become something’s she is not. This is when the piano gets introduced into the story. Jing Mei’s mother gives all her time and effort into being able to provide for her daughter. She exchanges cleaning services in return for piano lessons, so that hopefully her daughter will make her proud one day. The same outcome is received from the piano lessons. Jing Mei refuses to put her best foot forward and to try something new, even though her mother has given up so much just so her daughter could succeed. Before her mother dies, Jing Mei is given the piano by her mother. She describes the piano as a â€Å"shiny trophy†. This metaphor clearly indicates her feelings about the piano and about the conflicts with her mother over her piano playing. Jing Mei takes the piano as a â€Å"shiny trophy† because in the end she has won it, on her own terms, and not by her mother’s high expectations. Jing-Mei’s mother has had an immensely difficult life, having lost her mother and father, her husband, and her two twin babies. In this respect we as the reader see that she is worthy of sympathy. The fact that she has gone through so much in her life, it is natural that she would want to make up her losses through Jing-Mei. In the beginning we are given only an objective view of Jing Mei’s mother, however, it is near the end, where we see her deepest feelings described. We see that her breaking point is when Jing Mei shouts â€Å"I wish I were dead! Like them† (Tan 353). This is the breaking point because we finally she Jing Mei’s mother give up on her daughter. It finally reaches the point where it does not matter how much her mother tries, in the end her daughter will never be who she has ideally portrayed her to be. At the end of Tan’s short story â€Å"Two Kinds†, we as the reader see that Jing-Mei’s mother is conveyed as somebody that will do anything for her daughter, whether it is working day and night in order to provide her daughter with as much tools to succeed in life, to telling her that she could have done anything she wanted if she had tried. Jing-Mei characterizes her mother as an ideal parental figure by showing how much hope she has in her daughter. Her mother’s only wishes are to give her daughter more opportunities than she had growing up in China. And by doing this she shows that no matter how many conflicts there is between a mother and daughter, a mother will never give up hope on her daughter. She will cherish her for who she is in the end. How to cite Two Kinds, Essay examples

HR Challenges of Relocating an Employee from Melbourne to London

Brexit effect Question: Identify and Discuss the Human Resource Management issues that a HR Manager in Melbourne would have to Consider when relocating a Manager from Australia to Manage a subsidiary branch of an Australian Multinational Organisation that is Located in London in the United Kingdom. Answer: Moving to a new location, especially in a new country, in response to a job demand can be challenging to the employee as well as the HR manager. Several practical issues need to be tackled to settle in the new job and location. The new manager who is moving from Melbourne to London has other added challenges i.e. the employee is arriving in London in midst of Brexit turmoil. The decision of the UK parliament to move away from European Union may have much serious impact on the UK employment sector, its GDP growth, the foreign exchange rate of GB pounds, etc. The host country UK need to convert the thousands of EU laws to UK laws which ranges from workers wages laws to complex environmental laws that govern the carbon emissions.From a family perspective, the excitement of living in one of the popular cities of the world would be high, but a range of practical issues need to be managed before they settle as residents. Finding a suitable residence, identification transport to commute to work, finding right school for children, etc. can add stress to the incoming employee. Not only the employee and his / her family is concerned about the adjustment issues, The HR manager also has critical role in successfully relocating the employee and gain the targeted productivity from the employee. Managing a business at global level is challenging than running it in the native country. For many multinational companies, relocation has become a routine task, as more of them are relying on their inner resources to expand the business in other countries. The moving employee is likely to have intense emotional experience for some time during the travel and initial months of the new life. In order to facilitate the employee to reconcile with the new job and adapt to the social surroundings, the HR manager must apply the resources based on sound HR theories and practicality. Work - Life in London Expatriates are likely to be thrilled about working in London, because of the career and leisure opportunities the city is offering. The relocating employee will be landing in a multicultural and densely woven fabric of diverse population with backgrounds in cutting edge technologies and exposure to fine living. London is not only the political capital of UK, but also wields economic power. The expatriates are likely to find many business opportunities there. The business sectors that are well established in London include, finance, medicine, creative industries, law, IT, hospitality, etc. However, with the beginning of the Brexit, expatriates moving from other countries are required to get valid work permit before starting the work. At the moment the requirements to get the work permit is unclear due to the changes in employment laws. It is a known fact that London is one of the expensive cities of the world, and the relocating employees must earn enough salary to compensate for the living expenses, insurance and savings. Another challenge the city offers is about identifying affordable accommodation. Because of the high cost of living and the density of population, the expatriates may find the accommodation not matching to their expectations i.e. smaller accommodation at higher rents. Since London has a long history of housing foreigners for long time and attracts people from all over the world, there is significant expatriate population. Century old and well-established communities of Africans, Chinese, Indians, Australian immigrants are spread across the city. An incoming expatriate can get connected to them easily, who are prepared to welcome the new members. Because of the presence of multitude of cultures the city of London offers never ending opportunity for social stimulation and cultural exchanges. The city is perpetually energized by the diversity of the population. The creative assets of London are enormous; the expatriates are likely to be benefitted by many free festivals and events such as art shows, film festivals, exhibitions, etc. throughout the year. Brexit effect Even though the European Union collectively has contributed to the economic growth of the United Kingdom, it has decided to sever membership with the Union. Now, it is almost certain that UK will not be part of the EU and the political leadership has begun to prepare for the consequences of the fall out. The economists are predicting a slowdown in the economy of the UK, and it can affect other European countries too. Brexit has imposed burden on the economy and its complete impact cannot be fathomed at the moment (Grant, u.d). The trade barriers that are going to be imposed in the neighboring countries are expected to weaken the financial conditions and erode investor confidence. Apart from trade barriers, the labor movement also will be constricted leading to increase in unemployment and lower wages. In the long run the country is about to experience lower capital investment, lower immigration and retarded technological progress (Tilford, 2015). The labor productivity is also likely to be low due to lesser capital and revenue inflow, and lower skill acquisition. Within a decade the GDP growth will be lesser than it would have been with the European Union. Some economists are of the view; the Brexit not only hurts UK, but also other countries of the Union (Noe, et. al., 2006). With the formation of the European Union the living standard disparity was beginning to reduce, but now the economic impacts cannot be forecasted (Farndale, Scullion Sparrow, 2010). HR Practices in London /UK In United Kingdom HRM practices are delegated to managers and mist are involved in developing employee policy, designing learning and proactive resourcing (Adam, 2017). The essential HRM role is about strategic co-ordination and other broad range of activities such as recruitment selection, performance appraisal, etc. The management of HRM issues is entrusted to managers such as pay administration, recruitment, designing working conditions, performance appraisal etc. (Dowling, Festing, Engle, 2008). HRM activities are generally not delegated to other line managers or supervisors. The UK applies strategic HRM practices more than any other country in the European Union. Most organizations have an accountability framework to report various HR related issues and are linked to strategic goals. Salary Administration: Basic salary and bonuses are determined through collective bargaining with representatives. Executive and professional pays are fixed by centralized body meant for pay review. The salaries are revised usually on annual basis, and rarely other time frames are used for pay review (Schuler, Jackson Tarique, 2011). The department, qualifications and experience form the primary basis of salary and job content and performance are the secondary determinants of salary. In some organizations seniority is also considered for the pay administration. Working time: The average number of working hours per year in the UK is lesser than that of other European countries (Arrowsmith Pulignano, 2013). Similarly, the weekly working hours are also less .The public holidays and annual leave days are more excluding sick leaves. Promotions: Based on the number of staff available and needs of the organization, the vacancies are published transparently to all the employees in the organization. The companies follow merit based selection using assessment centers and competency based interviews. No much affirmative action is in place to give priority to specific groups. Performance appraisal: This function of HR is extensively used in the UK for pay rise, promotions and training. All employees in the UK are subjected to appraisal procedure that consists of an annual meeting and a written feedback. The typical appraisal content s include 360 degree feedback, quality and productivity of outputs, cost effectiveness in work, improvement in competencies, motivation to perform better, interpersonal skills, etc.( Waddington, 2010). Career advancement and remuneration is based on the appraisal. Expatriate Issues Expatriation is the process of transferring employees or managers to a new country to oversee a branch or sub unit of an organization. Before the employee leaves the native country, the expatriation process ensures a training to raise awareness about cultural differences and a strategy to tackle the culture shock (Oberg, 1960), (Dictionary of Human Resource Management, 2001). Expatriation can be Difficult and filled with challenges when moving to a new country for job reasons. Because the cultures of each country vary significantly, many issues can directly affect the expatriate through cultural differences, for example ethical dilemmas or security issues are frequently ones (Shimoda, 2017). Another common problem encountered by the expatriates is finding an accommodation and merging with the host countrys society. According to a HSBC Expat Explorer Survey (2008) the frequent problems bothering the expatriates include finding a suitable accommodation, learning the local language, socializing and making friends, organizing finances for local expense, managing healthcare issues and locating a suitable educational institution for the children. It is observed that younger expatriates have the knack to learn the local language quicker, but lag in socializing and making new friends. Also, skills to manage the practical issues are lacking among the younger expatriates. Older expatriates are capable of solving practical issues such as locating a school, finding accommodation, arranging transport for commuting, etc. they lag in learning the local language. It is observed that many expatriates miscalculate the difficulties and are over confident, until they face the issues. There are differences in cultures among countries; for example, Canada is a welcoming country, because most of the expatriates moving to this country form friendships with the local people quicker, while in United Arab Emirates, only about half of the expatriates are able to develop friendship with the local population (HSBC Expat Explorer Survey, 2012). Cross Cultural aspects and training In the context of globalization, managers have the responsibility to manage people from different cultural origins, and any misstep will affect the companys profitability negatively. People of different countries have unique ways of perceiving things, events, attires, etc. Diversity in cultures can cause problems to expatriates such as interpreting actions and comments, predicting behavior and responding to situations (Laznyi, Holicza, Baimakova, 2017). As per Edward T Hall, cultural differences can be explained in a multidimensional manner. Some of the cultural differences are due to high context vs. low context communication, monochromic vs. polychromic approach to time, future vs. past vs. present orientation, etc. Similarly, Greet Hofstede identified factors such as power distance and individualism vs. collectivism, etc to explain the cultural differences (Laznyi, Holicza, Baimakova, 2017). In various cultures, time is considered as a critical resource, and cannot be squandered. In other cultures, time is abundantly available and people show no hurry or urgency for the matters. In German culture, punctuality is appreciated and time is considered as limited. Another prominent cultural dimension is power distance. Power distance means the degree to which people can acknowledge the differences in influence. The cultures that have high power distance, hierarchy is accepted. In cultures with low power distance, people do not require explanation or justification to power distribution (Hofstede). Similarly, individualistic cultures value self reliance and achievements. Employees who show initiatives, work autonomously or are self starters are accepted. In collectivist cultures, people are expected to maintain harmony of the group and affiliate with them (Laznyi, Holicza, Baimakova, 2017). In order to overcome the cultural issues, awareness training is suggested. For example, the social customs; verbal and non-verbal communication; taboos and rules; management structures; business practices and customs; and decision-making processes prevalent in the host country need to be exposed to the expatriates. The country specific cultural awareness training should be imparted to the relocating employee. The training should include more than one cultural dimension at deeper levels of awareness. Involving the spouse and family enhances the success of the training and adjustment in work life (Kalra, Malhotra, Kondepudi, Nagarkatti, 2017). It is also suggested that maintaining positive attitudes towards other countrys cultures is essential for cross-cultural communication especially relating to economy, politics and social culture. (Christopher, 2012) Conclusion The key challenges for an HR manager are to identify the probable issues the expatriate may face at the relocated country. Once the key challenges are identified, setting up training to enhance the adjustment of the employee to the new world of employment is the next priority. In order to gain business in the globalised world, relocation and the process of training the employees is an investment for the company that can gain better profitability in the long run. References Adam, D. (2017). Book Review: Comparative Workplace Employment Relations: An Analysis of Practice in Britain and France. Arrowsmith J. and Pulignano V. (eds.) (2013) The transformation of employment relations in Europe Institutions and outcomes in the age of globalization, London, Routledge.. Christopher, E. (2012). Communication across Cultures. Hampshire. Palgrave Macmillan. Dowling, P., Festing, M. Engle, A. (2008). International Human Resource Management. London. Cengage Learning EMEA. Dictionary of Human Resource Management (2001). Oxford University Press, Oxford. Farndale, E., Scullion, H., Sparrow, P. (2010). The role of the corporate HR function in global talent management. Journal of World Business, 45(2), 161-168. Grant, C. How Brexit is changing the EU.CER Bulletin. Hofstede, Geert (December 1983). "Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values".Administrative Science Quarterly. Johnson Graduate School of Management, Cornell University.28(4): 625629. HSBC Expat Explorer Survey (2012) https://www.expatexplorer.hsbc.com/survey/, Accessed on 4th April 2017. Kalra, S., Malhotra, S., Kondepudi, T. B. S. M., Nagarkatti, V. (2017). STUDY OF ADJUSTMENT OF WESTERN EXPATRIATES IN INDIA.International Educational Scientific Research Journal,3(3). Laznyi, K., Holicza, P., Baimakova, K. (2017). Different Cultures Different People. InExploring the Influence of Personal Values and Cultures in the Workplace(pp. 183-200). IGI Global. Noe, R. A., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart, B., Wright, P. M. (2006). Human resource management: Gaining a competitive advantage. Shimoda, Y. (2017). Transnational Offices. InTransnational Organizations and Cross-Cultural Workplaces(pp. 47-82). Palgrave Macmillan US. Schuler, R. S., Jackson, S. E., Tarique, I. (2011). Global talent management and global talent challenges: Strategic opportunities for IHRM. Journal of World Business, 46(4), 506-516. Tilford, S. (2015). Britain, immigration and Brexit.CER Bulletin,30, 64-162. Waddington J. (2010). European Works Councils and industrial relations. A transnational industrial relations institution in the making, London, Routledge.

Policy Process free essay sample

The Policy Process: Part I Susan Kunz HCS 455 July 6, 2011 Rich Jones The Policy Process: Part I Patient access to affordable health care is an ongoing issue in the United States. The first portion of the policy process involves three different stages, the formulation stage, legislative stage, and the implementation stage. Three main stages exist in the process to transform a topic into a policy (Morone, J. A. , Litman, T. J. , Robins, L. S. , 2008). Coupled with the implementation stage is an evaluation of all the stages to determine effectiveness and gather information for use in future public health care policy making.In the formulation stage, the ideas, concepts, and information steam from this process of policy making. The evaluation process is defined as the stage where deliberations, discussions, debates, and justifications are done. The implementation phase occurs when the adopted policy is acted upon (Abood, 2007). In the United States the government finances health care for the elderly, blind, and the disabled with low income and limited resources. We will write a custom essay sample on Policy Process or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page With the help of the economy over the years, health care clearly developed into the largest growing health field since 1975 (The Kaiser Family Foundation, 2010). This paper will focus on the first three portions of how the process takes place within Medicaid. Formulation Stage The first stage of the process is the Formulation Stage, which by definition is the â€Å"first and often most challenging stage in using formal decision methods (and in decision analysis in particular). The Formulation Stage also includes a lot of extensive research from different individuals, various organizations, and different types of interest groups. The main purpose of the formulation stage is to create a formal example of the given decision,† (Wikipedia, 2010).At this point those individuals over the age of 65 had little to no access to health insurance and other individuals had inadequate health care coverage. The American people rejected the idea of the government mandating health insurance year after year prior to Johnson singing the bill into effect in 1965. American’s returned year after year pursing different concepts and ideas to receive som e sort of health insurance concept passed. Whether it meant spreading information, ideas or by deliberately starting rumors that certain items were paid by government funds to get the bill passed.After the Medicaid bill was formulated, the bill had to be sent through a debate phase or what can be better defined as the Legislation Stage. Legislative Stage The definition for Legislative Stage â€Å"is the introduction of a bill in the House of Assembly by a member of the Assembly. The next stage is for the bill to be called for second reading. Except by unanimous consent, second reading may not begin until the bill has been printed and distributed to the members and this has been signified on the order paper. The next stage is for the bill to be called for third reading.Unless the House of Assembly orders third reading to begin immediately, third reading takes place on a future day,† (Legislation Process, 2006). The Medicaid debate has been, was, and still is a large expansion of public health care. The bill contained a wide variety of public health issue as well as covering every type of health coverage for children, blind, and low-income families. Implementation Stage The final stage that will be discussed in this paper is the implementation stage in which is considered to be the expression portion of the decision stage.Through different methods like policies, mechanisms, and legislation implementation is born. It is at this point that the decisions made by the correct individuals when situations come to life. On the downside the implementation stage is one of the most difficult tasks when acquiring to deal and confront already existing cultures. â€Å"The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits Improvement and Protection Act of 2000 (Public Law 106-554) allowed persons with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (Lou Gehrigs Disease) to waive the 24-month waiting period,† (Medicare, 2010). Medicaid, which is a separate federal funded insurance was intended to cover low-income, aged, blind, disabled individuals, parents, and their dependent children on welfare. However, the senior citizens are the population group most likely to be living in poverty, and only about half of these individuals have insurance coverage. The difference between 1965 and now, of course, is costs. Years ago spending more on health care in result covering more people were the whole point. The administration wants to broaden coverage, but cut spending.The American Health Care system needs to be constantly improved to keep up with the demands of America’s health care system. In order for the American Health Care system to improve policies must be constantly reviewed. Congress still plays a powerful role in public policy making (Morone, Litman, ; Robins, 2008). A health care policy is put in place to reach a desired health outcome, which may have a meaningful effect on people. People in position of authority advocates for a new policy for the group they have special interest in helping. The Health care system is formed by the health care policy making process (Abood, 2007).There are public, institutional, and business policies related to health care developed by hospitals, accrediting organizations, or managed care organizations (Abood, 2007). A policy is implemented to improve the health among people in the United States. Some policies take longer than others to be implemented if they are a big change, controversial, or costly (Abood, 2007). ). All public policies that are amended by the local, state, or federal government are normally acted through the regulatory process, which converts the said policy into an established set of rules, which are administered by the various agencies of the government.The challenge to maintain and improve health care today is an everyday job for government and state officials. Health care professionals around the world work in servitude to ensure the wellbeing of others and maintain a systematic way of providing these needs. These officials are in constant preparation and negotiation of improvement policies for a more effective health care system. The decision to incorporate, revise, and sometimes remove these policies are vitally important to the American people, therefore cannot be taken lightly.The three stages of the process of a topic becoming a policy will be discussed: formulation, legislative, and implementation. One must realize the importance of understanding the process of how a topic eventually becomes a policy. A political process must be undergone to make a topic a policy. The idea, or the brainstorming effect, is the initial onset of beginning this process. Once the topic in evident, administration begins the routine sorting of advantages and disadvantages. In the problematic world oday, more problems are evident than any organization can handle. Many of the issues today never make it to the political surface. The number of uninsured and underinsured American people is high, which conflicts patient access to affordable health care. The majority of people in this category may live in poverty. The uninsured and underinsured struggle with rising cost of health care because it is impossible for he or she to access affordable healthcare. The proposed public policy is to ensure affordable health care for all citizens.The proposition is to take state tax returns and a percentage of lottery proceeds to generate a funds to purchase affordable health insurance for people without or with insufficient health insurance. Counties within the state will take a poll of the number of people without health insurance. Conclusion Patient access to affordable healthcare is an ongoing issue in the United States. Policies have been implemented and the cost of health care continues to rise. The first portion of the policy process involves three different stages, the formulation stage, legislative stage, and the implementation stage.

Harvard Business Review -Porter Model Essays

Harvard Business Review -Porter Model Essays Harvard Business Review -Porter Model Essay Harvard Business Review -Porter Model Essay Infosys Consulting (ICI) emerged from Infosys Technologies as a business and information technology consulting firm with a unique strategy. ICI applied Infosys’ Global Delivery Model (GDM) to consulting and leveraged the parent company’s client relationships to attain projects. Based on 24-hour workforce and cheaper off-shore labor, ICI’s strategy allows them to cut down costs and implementation time for projects. While the parent company offers strategic advantages, ICI and Infosys often clash due to overlap in the two companies abilities to complete customer engagements. Although ICI and Infosys are separate entities the two work closely together, thus both must work hard to interface with one another. ICI’s unique organization and strategy creates a value chain which sets them apart from their competitors and produces great benefits for their clients. ICI created the GDM value chain for their consulting services, the â€Å"1-1-3 model,† which consisted of giving the client one onsite ICI resource, one onsite Infosys Technologies resource, and three offshore Infosys Technologies resources. This model allows ICI to cut costs with a blended rate of $100 per hour due to the cheaper labor of the offshore resources. Utilizing the offshore resources also allows ICI to shorten the length of the project from design to implementation as someone can be working on the project all hours of the day. During the day, the onsite team works with the client to observe the company’s processes and create a design. During the night, the offshore team can work on converting the design into software configuration which can then be presented and tested with the client the next day. : This allows the team to complete the project much faster than if the entire team was in the same time zone and allows the client to provide daily input into what they want in the end. The 1-1-3 strategy improved ICI’s operational effectiveness as they performed the same implementation faster than major rivals like IBM or Accenture. IBM and Accenture, who focus efforts with onshore representatives, cannot easily implement a 24-hour work schedule. Their focus on onshore representatives also forces them to charge higher blended rates, ranging from $175 to $225. IBM and Accenture cannot easily reposition themselves to match ICI’s strategy as they would need to scale down their US presence. Leading offshore consulting companies also cannot easily implement ICI’s strategy of creating a US subsidiary as they currently are managed through their technology businesses. Mimicking ICI’s structure requires significant investment in recruiting which these companies did not have readily available. To use ICI’s 1-1-3 model, ICI made several tradeoffs. One tradeoff is the result of implementing the GDM with 24-hour workdays. Using a 24-hour workday means that meetings can be scheduled at all times of the day often causing employees to be stretched thin. Employees cannot work â€Å"normal† work hours as they are needed across many time zones. ICI also made a tradeoff between using low-cost off shore labor and having clear communication between onsite and offsite workers. This forces consultants to work past normal business hours and plan for time differences. ICI chose to make this tradeoff because this strategy fits well with the rest of their value chain. Activities completed by offshore employees overnight allow onshore employees to start each day one step further in the process and move forward in the design cycle. In this way the two sets of activities, both onshore and offshore, reinforce one another and the company can optimize their efforts. ICI also made a tradeoff when it came to their consulting fees. ICI could charge high rates like IBM and Accenture, thus taking a higher profit margin, but ICI was willing to sacrifice profit in the short term for a higher market share in the long term. Infosys Technology created a channel for ICI to attract customers as Infosys, with an established brand and long list of previous customers, referred their customers to ICI. Infosys‘ strategic needs based positioning was the main reason for creating ICI. In creating ICI, Infosys strove to satisfy a larger fraction of their customers’ technology needs. ICI came from Infosys identifying the opportunity to work for the client earlier, to define issues, create solutions, and implement them. However, tensions emerged between ICI and Infosys Technologies’ Enterprise Solutions business units over which entity would lead client relationships and engagements. ICI is a completely separate entity with its own culture, leadership, and growth; this created a divide between ICI and the parent company. ICI and Infosys constantly work on improving communication and collaboration between one another as it is paramount to the success of the organization. However, while this divide exists it will remain one of ICI’s largest weaknesses. Infosys must continue to invest in their value chain to keep and create a competitive advantage. Infosys currently invests in creating subsidiaries, such as ICI in the US, in other countries to expand their business. An important part of creating these subsidiaries is investing in top tier talent recruitment, ICI management works to recruit MBA graduates and implement a referral-based system to target the top 10 percent of consultants from other firms. ICI interviewed and took on about half of the employees from Infosys’ original consulting division but the overall goal was to create a more diverse work force and hire from within the local country. ICI also worked to expand the number of consultants in countries like China and Australia to extend their global reach. Our action plan to improve ICI’s competitive position starts with investing more money in marketing to improve the brand name of ICI. One of the advantages IBM and Accenture have is their strong brand loyalty, recognition and global client base. ICI also needs to establish themselves as a competitor, retain their clients and make their advantages to their customers known. ICI invests time and energy into satisfying their customers and should advertise these benefits. ICI is unique in their value based pricing, which allows cost to be based on metrics that determine success from the client’s perspective. Sometimes engagements are structured such that ICI gets paid based on the outcome of the project and whether these metrics were achieved. This strategy ensures that the client will get what they want and pay for what they get. Our action plan also includes clearly defining the domain of ICI in relation to Infosys Technologies. One possibility is to merge the Infosys Technologies’ Enterprise Business Solutions unit into ICI, eliminating problems with placing engagements. This problem could also be solved by clearly defining a method to classify a client engagement under ICI or Infosys. Another action item is to unify the leadership between ICI and Infosys to eliminate friction on interfacing. This could be done by developing a communication strategy or by creating a common leadership team. Clarifying domain issues and unifying leadership will help to better establish an overall culture at ICI and make them more successful in the future.

Foods Role in the Evolution of the Human Jaw

Foods Role in the Evolution of the Human Jaw You may have heard the old adage that you should chew your food, especially meat, at least 32 times before you try to swallow it. While that may be overkill for some types of soft food like ice cream or even bread, chewing, or lack thereof, may have actually contributed to the reasons human jaws became smaller and why we now have smaller numbers of teeth in those jaws. What Caused the Decrease in Size of the Human Jaw? Researchers at Harvard University in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology now believe that the decrease in size of the human jaw was, in part, directed by the fact that human ancestors began to â€Å"process† their foods before they ate them. This does not mean adding artificial colors or flavors or the type of processing of food we think of today, but rather mechanical changes to the food such as cutting meat into smaller pieces or mashing fruits, vegetables, and grains into bite sized, small jaw friendly amounts. Without the large pieces of food that needed to be chewed more times to get them to pieces that could be swallowed safely, the human ancestors’ jaws did not have to be so large. Fewer teeth are needed in modern humans compared to their predecessors. For instance, wisdom teeth are now considered vestigial structures in humans when they were necessary in many of the human ancestors. Since jaw size has considerably gotten smaller throughout the evolution of humans, there is not enough room in some people’s jaws to comfortably fit the extra set of molars. Wisdom teeth were necessary when humans’ jaws were bigger and the food needed more chewing to be fully processed before being able to be swallowed safely. The Evolution of Human Teeth Not only did the human jaw shrink in size, so did the size of our individual teeth. While our molars and even bicuspids or pre-molars are still larger and flatter than our incisors and canine teeth, they are much smaller than the molars of our ancient ancestors. Before, they were the surface upon which grains and vegetables were ground into processed pieces that could be swallowed. Once the early humans figured out how to use various food preparation tools, the processing of the food happened outside of the mouth. Instead of needing large, flat surfaces of teeth, they could use tools to mash these types of foods on tables or other surfaces. Communication and Speech While the size of the jaw and the teeth were important milestones in the evolution of humans, it created more of a change in habits besides just how many times food was chewed before swallowed. Researchers believe the smaller teeth and jaws led to changes in communication and speech patterns, may have something to do with how our body processed changes in heat, and could even have affected the evolution of the human brain in areas that controlled these other traits. The actual experiment performed at Harvard University used 34 people in different experimental groups. One set of groups dined on vegetables early humans would have had access to, while another group got to chew on some goat meat- a type of meat that would have been plentiful and easy for those early humans to hunt and eat. The first round of the experiment involved the participants chewing completely unprocessed and uncooked foods. How much force was used with each bite was measured and the participants spit back out the fully chewed meal to see how well it was processed. The next round â€Å"processed† the foods the participants would chew. This time, the food was mashed or ground up using tools the human ancestors may have been able to find or make for food preparation purposes. Finally, another round of experiments were performed by slicing and cooking the foods. The results showed that the study participants used less energy and were able to eat the processed foods much more easily than those that were left â€Å"as is† and unprocessed. Natural Selection Once these tools and food preparation methods were widespread throughout the population, natural selection found that a larger jaw with more teeth and oversized jaw muscles were unnecessary. Individuals with smaller jaws, fewer teeth, and smaller jaw muscles became more common in the population. With the energy and time saved from chewing, hunting became more prevalent and more meat was incorporated into the diet. This was important for early humans because animal meat has more calories available, so more energy was then able to be used for life functions. This study found the more processed the food, the easier it was for the participants to eat. Could this be why the mega-processed food we find today on our supermarket shelves are often high in caloric value? The ease of eating processed foods is often cited as a reason for the obesity epidemic. Perhaps our ancestors who were trying to survive by using less energy for more calories have contributed to the state of modern human sizes.

Review of the Annual Report & Accounts regarding the financial Essay

Review of the Annual Report & Accounts regarding the financial performance of the QE11 for the year ended 31 March 2013 - Essay Example This improvement can be attributed to improved strategies that helped the centre maximise in potential. The first main reason for the improvement in cash flow was the presence of the Olympic and Paralympic Games in London between July and August 2012 (QEIICC, 2013).During this period, the centre operated as the Olympic House for Italy. This booking acted as a very strong boost for a positive cash flow. Another reason for the improvement of the cash flow was a change in strategy where the centre decreased its dependency on government bookings and concentrated on hosting both local and international professional associations and corporations. During the 2013 financial year, the centre received 326 meetings and events with government bookings accounting for only 18% of these bookings translating to only 5% of the revenue received the whole year (QEIICC, 2013). The final reason for this improvement in cash flow is an extensive and effective marketing campaign instituted. The marketing campaign targeted both the local and international markets and it was maximised through the sale and subsidiary services and opportunities. During the financial year ending 31 March 2013, the QE11 planned to achieve a minimum divided payment to the local government and to the Department of Communities equal to 6% of the total capital employed. This step was taken to ensure that the centre retains cash. Stutely (2007) notes that in some situations Chief Financial Officers may choose to retain cash rather than paying out dividends to shareholders for a variety of reasons. In the case of the QE11 several reasons may precipitate the retention of cash. Atrill and McLaney (2011) argue that retaining surplus cash is important as it provides more flexibility in an uncertain market. The government’s decision to severely cut down the number of government bookings has resulted in creating a volatile situation

Book report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 4

Book report - Essay Example He attended Canterbury school in New Milford for his 8th grade. In 1931, JFK acquired appendectomy that made him withdraw from school in order to recuperate. In June 1935, JFK graduated from Choate regardless of numerous health challenges (Caro 78). In 1935, he made his first trip in the Diaspora together with family members. The destination was London. The main intent was to study economics at the London school of economics. In September 1936, JFK joined Harvard College where he was an active entertainer. He produced a cast of radio personalities. He was also a sportsman in relation to football, golf and swimming. Later on, he became serious with his studies whereby he completed his thesis, ‘Appeasement in Munich’. The thesis was about Britain’s participation in the famous Munich Agreement. He graduated the same year with a Bachelor of Science honours in international affairs. JFK was the 35th president of USA. He served from January 1961 to 1963 following his assassination. He served as commander in the military commanding motor torpedo boats used during the world war two. He took part in the war at south pacific. JFK also represented Massachusetts 11th congressional district in United States House of Representatives. This was between the periods 1947 to 1953. He did this as a democrat. From the year 1953 to 1953, JFK served in the senate of the United States. This was followed by a win over his rival Richard Nixon in the United States general election of 1960. JFK notable achievement was that he was at that time in history the youngest president at the age of 43. This was after President Theodore Roosevelt. Another notable thing about JFK was that he was the first president to attain office being born in the 2oth century. It is also noted that he is the only president who was a roman catholic. JFK also won a Pulitzer Prize, which was among his great achievements. JFK also had an impact to American history due to the many events that characterized

Hilift Pty Ltd Essay Example for Free

Hilift Pty Ltd Essay Hilift Pty Ltd (Hilift) owns an industrial crane. Hilift employs two crane operators, Elwyn and Osman, who each work 4 hour shifts. In May 2008 the owner/builder of a new apartment block hires Hilift’s crane and operators for two weeks to lift building materials to the upper floors of their building. At the end of the first shift on the 10 May, Elwyn notifies the manager of Hilift that the crane is not performing properly and that it needs looking at. The manager contacts the company who does repairs and maintenance work on the crane, EFL Engineering, and asks for an engineer to be sent out immediately. EFL says that no-one is available for two hours. The manager of Hilift decides to allow Osman to begin his shift before the engineer arrives, since to stop work will delay construction. Osman is halfway through hoisting his first load when a cable in the crane snaps and the crane swings out of control, smashing into a lower floor of the building. Two construction workers in the building are injured. One has both legs crushed and they have to be amputated. The other worker will be hospitalised for a long time with serious injuries but will make a full recovery. The building is damaged by the accident and will cost $75,000 to repair. The construction of the building is delayed by three months because of the accident, and for this period the expected income from tenants is lost. Osman is deeply traumatized by these events and cannot bring himself to drive a crane again. After a period of six months without employment, during which he receives psychiatric treatment, Osman takes lower paid work as a general construction worker. A subsequent inspection of the crane finds that the fault in the cable would have been discovered if an engineer had inspected the crane after El wyn’s shift had ended. To replace this cable would have taken six hours. Advise Hilift as to whether, and to what extent, the company will be liable in tort for the harm that has occurred. Facts: Hilift Pty Ltd owns industrial crane May 2008: hired to lift building materials to upper floor of new apartment block Hilift is aware crane is not performing properly Hilift contacts repairs company Hilift allows Osman to work before crane is looked at  Cable in crane snaps Causes $75 000 of property damage and delays construction by 3 months Osman is traumatized, cannot drive crane again Fault in cable would have been discovered by engineer Advise Hilift as to whether, and to what extent, the company will be liable in tort for the harm that has occurred. Consider: Osman, Construction Worker 1, Construction Worker 2 and the building owner using IRAC. Issue: Is the company liable in tort for the harm that has occurred to Osman, Construction Worker 1, Construction Worker 2 and the building manager and to what extent? Rule Tort of Negligence: The respondent in a civil claim of negligence will only be liable to the applicant/plaintiff by way of damages if the following elements are established on the balance of probabilities: 1. That a duty of care was owed by the respondent to the plaintiff in the relevant situation; Here you would cite cases if relevant – specific tests/standards etc. 2. That the respondent breached that duty of care owed to the plaintiff; and Again, cite case authority and any applicable standards – e.g. â€Å"reasonable person† 3. That the plaintiff has suffered some injury or damage as a result of that breach. Case authority – e.g. the injury must be reasonably foreseeable. Apply – Osman 1. Duty of care? Hilift reasonably ought to have been able to foresee, and clearly did know, that there would be risk that the crane would malfunction or break which would likely cause physical or psychological harm to the crane operator, if he did not wait for the maintenance / repairs company. This is supported by the fact that the other operator, Elwyn, notifies the manager of Hilift after his shift recommending that the crane needs to be looked at. This is also supported by the fact that the manager contacts the maintenance company: if he did not perceive there to be a risk, why did he contact the maintenance company and request a consultation immediately? While a person is not generally liable in tort for psychological harm, this is a special case under the pure mental illness exception, whereby the plaintiff, Osman, witnessed the two construction workers being severely injured Neighbour principle: Established a duty of care between employer and employee in Wilson Clide Coal Co LTG v English (1 938): employers owe employees a duty of care to provide a safe working environment, and Paris v Stepney Borough Council (1951). 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the plaintiff might be injured if the crane malfunctioned or broke The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from EFL Engineering to check the crane. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have exercised a much greater standard of care, particularly as the crane was lifting building materials to upper floors and the consequences if the crane malfunctioned were very serious. 3. Damage? Osman was â€Å"deeply traumatized† and cannot drive a crane again He received psychiatric treatment and would eventually take lower paid work. Causation: if Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the cable would not have snapped and would not have caused Osman’s psychological injury. (â€Å"But for† test) Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consult, that the crane could malfunction and this malfunction would be likely to cause injury or death to others and consequently cause a severe risk of physical or psychological harm to the  crane operator. Conclusion Osman Hilift would be liable in tort for the psychiatric injury to Osman, but is unlikely to be liable in tort for the compensation for Osman’s reduced salary after the accident because established in Kyogie shire Council v Francis (1989) that it is not permissible for the court to award damages to compensate the injured for profits they may have earned if not for the negligent conduct. Apply – Construction worker 1 (Amputee) 1. Duty of care? Hilift reasonably ought to have known that there would be a (not insignificant) risk that the crane would malfunction or break, which would, in turn, be likely to cause severe damage or injury to workmen below. Supported by Hilift’s contact with the maintenance company: if he did not perceive there to be a risk, why did he contact the maintenance company and request a consultation â€Å"immediately†? Neighbour principle: Established a duty of care between employer and employee in Wilson Clide Coal Co Ltd v English (1938): employers owe employees a duty of care to provide a safe working environment, and Paris v Stepney Borough Council (1951). 2. Breach? See â€Å"Breach† in Apply – Osman The likely seriousness of the consequences of Hilift continuing construction without waiting for the engineer were extremely serious as the crane was handing heavy materials at a high altitude, which suggests Hilift ought to have exercised a higher standard of care. 3. Damage? The snapping of the cable caused direct, severe injury to the construction worker, requiring amputation of both legs. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the construction worker would not need to be amputated. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultant, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause severe injury or death to construction workers working on lower floors. Conclusion – Construction Worker 1 Hilift would be liable in tort to pay compensation for the costs incurred by Construction Worker 1 due to that hospitalisation and forced amputation of both legs, and possibly even â€Å"consequential mental harm† depending on the mental health of Construction Worker 1. Apply – Construction Worker 2 1. Duty of care? see â€Å"Duty of care† in Apply – Construction Worker 1* 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the plaintiff might be injured if the crane malfunctioned or broke. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from EFL Engineering to check the crane. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have exercised a much greater standard of care, particularly as the crane was lifting building materials to upper floors and the likely seriousness of the consequences if the crane malfunctioned. 3. Damage? The snapping of the cable hospitalised Construction Worker 2 for an extended period of time and serious injuries. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the construction worker would not need to be hospitalised. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if they did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultation, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause severe injury or death to construction workers working on lower floors. Conclusion – Construction Worker 2 Hilift would be liable in tort for compensation for the costs incurred by Construction Worker 2 for the hospitalisation due to Hilift’s negligent inaction by allowing Osman to continue work on a faulty crane. Apply – Building Manager 1. Duty of care? Hilift ought to have foreseen that if the crane was faulty, it would likely cause damage to the building Duty of care: professional persons (Hilift) owing a duty to client (building owner) established in Hill v Van Erp (1997). Analogous situation: manufacturers (Hilift) owing a duty to eventual consumer (building owner) established in Donohue v Stevenson (1932). 2. Breach? Standard of care: the â€Å"reasonable man† definitely would have believed there to be a real and foreseeable risk that the building would be damaged if the crane malfunctioned while handing heavy building materials. The â€Å"reasonable man† would have waited the two hours for an engineer from the EFL Engineering to check the crane. 3. Damage? The building will cost $75 000 to repair Construction is delayed by three months; expected income from tenants during this period is lost. Causation: If Hilift had waited for EFL Engineering, the fault in the cable would have been detected and fixed, and the building would not need to be repaired, nor will construction be delayed 3 months. Foreseeability: Hilift ought to have foreseen that if he did not wait for the EFL Engineering consultation, the crane could malfunction and this would be likely to cause damage to the building. Conclusion – Building Manager Hilift would be liable in tort for the compensation of $75, 000 for the  building repair, but precedent suggests the company will not be liable for compensation for the expected profits the building owner lost due to the three month delay. This was established in Kyogle Shire Council v Francis (1989).

OUR SENSES: A DANGEROUS GIFT :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The issue of our mistrust and or trust in our humanly senses remains a building block for philosophies of many notorious philosophers. In the discussions â€Å"The Allegory of the Cave† written by Plato and â€Å"Meditation: The Path to Enlightenment† by Siddhartha Gautama, The Buddha, both analyze the issue of our senses. Both philosophies are reasonably logical and realistic in their approach to the humanly senses and whether or not they should be trusted or mistrusted, however, they seem to contradict each other somewhat.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In both discussions, our senses are essential to reach our so called goals in life: In Plato’s discussion, our goal is to find Truth; and in Buddha’s discussion, to reach enlightenment. Plato’s philosophy holds senses to be of an untrusting or false guide to reality. He argues that if everyone relied on their senses to interpret reality and find the Truth, everyone has different perceptions of their senses and the reality would be different depending upon the individual. Basically Plato suggests that our senses can be a distraction from the Truth, and therefore, should not be trusted. Buddha’s reasoning of the senses is slightly different from those of Plato. Buddha chooses to not focus on the falsity of our humanly senses, but the element of imagination and how that can alter our perceptions. If we see something as it really is, without integrating our imagination, we are given a freedom to come to a true understanding of the world. Th erefore, Buddha suggests that the senses can be trusted, however the imagination is untamed and when mixed with our senses, creates a distorted perception. The main discrepancy between the two philosophers is that Plato believes that senses themselves should be mistrusted, and Buddha believes that only our senses combined with our imaginations are to be mistrusted.

Book Exam Narrative Frederick Douglass

Instructions: This exam consists of twenty-six questions worth one point and eight questions worth three points. Students should type all answers. The link to the entire PDF of this reading is available on Blackboard. Students found to be engaged in collusion or plagiarizing the work of another student will receive a zero. Please spell-check your work and type all answers appropriately, i.e. in complete sentences where possible. The following questions are worth one point: 1. In the preface a figure, described as being â€Å"a little lower than the angels† attended the Anti-Slavery convention in Nantucket; who was this figure? 2. What do you think was meant by the statement â€Å"I am glad the time has come when the ‘lions write history’?† 3. What does Douglass mean when he suggests plantation owners quickly sell mulatto slaves as a measure to preserve humanity? 4. What actions might earn a plantation owner the title of â€Å"kind master†? 5. Why are slaves allowed to partake in holiday activity at the end of each year? 6. Publically the plantation owner justified the whipping of Douglass’ aunt by arguing what? 7. How is tar used to maintain plantation rule? 8. Plantation visitors often leave the plantation with only good things to say about the plantation experience. Why are some visitors poorly informed about the slave experience on the plantation?9. Who is George Cookman? 10. What ‘protection’ did Douglass’ provide those who travelled North with him? 11. Douglass received a whipping nearly every week for what offense? 12. Based on your reading of the preface, how do those attending the conference in Nantucket view Douglass? 13. How does William Garrison describe the institution of slavery? 14. What myth does Douglass hope to dispel in his discussion of slave songs? 15. Why does Douglass suggest slaves measure the kindness of a master â€Å"by the standard of kindness set up among slaveholders† in the surrounding region? 16. What is Douglass’ role under Master Auld? 17. What problem did literacy pose for Douglass? 18. Why was Douglass’ apprehensive about the Irishmen he met on the wharf? 19. Why does Douglass believe Auld is a poor master? 20. Using Douglass’ memories, why are slaves manumitted? 21. At what point did Douglass decide he was no longer a slave in spirit? Explain. 22. What was the purpose of the root? 23. Douglass claims that his desire for freedom is highest when?24. What affect did receiving a portion of his earnings have on Douglass? 25. Which slave master appears to be familiar with Adam Smith’s work? 26. Why was Douglass overcome with loneliness upon reaching a free state? The following questions are worth three points: 27. Describe the experience of slave children. Be sure to cite the appropriate pages. 28. Based on Douglass’ experience, would you argue relationships between slaves are important? Why or why not? Include page references. 29. Is there evidence of the Grimke sisters’ argument in Douglass’ work? Elaborate. 30. How does Douglass interpret the impact of religion among slaveholders? Reference the reading. 31. Do slaves have rights? Defend your position with support from the reading. 32. What elements offered Douglass’ insight to freedom? Elaborate. 33. Does the reading offer evidence to support George Fitzhugh’s argument? 34. How are Master Thomas and Master Hugh different in their approach to slavery?

The Motorcycle Diaries

It is an irony that the guerrilla Ernesto â€Å"Che† Guevara, one of the most intriguing figures of Latin America, has come to be immortalized as an icon of popular culture—a pin-up, poster boy of sorts that lends face to the mass-produced â€Å"Che† shirts and pins. This massive appeal, however, needs to be rooted in the context of what prompted him to become a revolutionary, to a time before he took up arms and became a legend. Retracing such route to a decisive era in Guevara’s early life is the book â€Å"The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America.† The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America is the memoir of twenty-three year-old medical student Ernesto Guevara de la Serna when he embarked upon a journey across South America with his older friend Rodrigo Granado. In search for fun and adventure, theirs is a rather grand route that spans Argentina, Chile, Peru, the Peruvian Amazon, Colombia and Venezuela. The two start out aboard a lumbering 1939 Norton 500 motorcycle they named â€Å"La Poderosa† (The Mighty One) which eventually crashes on the way and forces them to travel on foot. Chronological entries in The Motorcycle Diaries detail Ernesto’s narrative of the eight-month journey, in which they initially wanted to seek bourgeois pleasures like getting drunk and getting laid. Early on, they pose as Argentinian leprosy doctors in order to gain accommodations and hospitable treatment from local folks.   Further on the road, Ernesto and Alberto share a series of youthful misadventures, at times committing scams to get themselves by. In an event, Ernesto tries to work as a fireman but sleeps out on the sounding fire alarm so that the building on fire burns down. Even if the diaries present the characters’ bawdy behavior, it more importantly accounts for a great discovery that only such journey can offer them. As they themselves experience poverty and come face-to-face with indigent townsfolk, nameless people whose living conditions sharply contrast the lavish lifestyle they were born into, their view of the world changes. Incidents in the diaries concretely speak of these encounters with social injustice. When Ernesto sees a tuberculosis-stricken woman in her death bed, he realizes how dismal the public health system is. When he tours a copper mine (which has taken lives of miners), he discovers how laborers are famished and unfairly treated. Throughout the trip, not only does Ernesto stumble upon the endemic poverty and subjugation of the peoples across South America. He is also able to make his stand regarding a â€Å"unified Latin America.† A passage in the The Motorcycle Diaries reads Although we are too insignificant to be a spokesman for such a noble cause, we believe, and this journey has only served to confirm this belief, that the division of America into unstable and illusory nations is a complete fiction. We are one single mestizo race with remarkable ethnographical similarities, from Mexico down to the Magellan straits. And so, in an attempt to break free from an all narrow-minded provincialism, I propose a toast to Peru and United America. From various South American sights running parallel to each other, Ernesto sees his ideal of Pan-American unification which he would later brace politically. He maintains that since all of Latin America share a common experience and long history of oppression, hence should they have an integrated movement towards their liberation. (Later in his life, Ernesto demonstrated how he lived up to this ideal, touring across the continent to unite different guerrilla units and revolutionary forces in different countries.) What was originally meant to be a journey for fun and adventure turned out to be the provocation necessary to make a â€Å"revolutionary.†   Immersion and encounters with workers being laid-off and fighting for jobs, starving farmers, and other vestiges of feudal rule on agricultural communities make only a few threads weaving the larger story of oppression that proved strong enough to catapult individuals like Ernesto Guevara to the fray. These experiences caused such indignation in Ernesto, sending him to become the revolutionary who changed the history of South America. Both Alberto (who came back to Argentina to pursue medicine and dedicate his practice for the poor) and Ernesto show that the things they saw from their journey are hard truths—realities often obscured to the upper economic classes but inescapable realities nevertheless, needing to be dealt with actions more forceful than charity. The characters of The Motorcycle Diaries are a testament that revolutionaries are made, not born. The ‘life-changing’ theme that prevails in The Motorcycle Diaries is conveyed by other allegories pertaining to the characters’ awakening. For instance, the river separating the leper colony to the medical staff’s island symbolizes the gap between the powerful and the oppressed. Ernesto’s act of dissolving this symbolic divide is a portent to the way he would later take in his life. Ernesto’s Diaries is written with such vividness and animation, and is punctuated with a range of ordinary human emotions, from mischief and vulgarity to a sense of righteousness and justice. He states even his most roguish actions in a matter-of-fact tone that you would think of â€Å"shooting a puma in the dark of the night† (which turns out to be a neighbor’s dog) as if it is the most natural thing to do.   Even if Ernesto writes The Motorcycle Diaries from his own viewpoint, it does not render him heroically ‘larger-than-life.’ In 2004, a film bearing the same title was made based on the book. There are minor deviations from the book to account for, particularly the omission of several interesting incidents (like shooting of the â€Å"puma† and sneaking inside a shipment of melons, etc.). The film also romanticizes the love angle between Ernesto and his fiancà ©e, which, in the diaries, does not appear to be such a highlight.   Despite these, however, the film is still quite able to introduce the essence of the written memoirs to those who have not read them yet. The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America has written down how witnessing concrete forms of social injustice could change a person’s worldview and awaken him from his ignorance and unconscious indifference. At least for the man who later became the revolutionary Che Guevara, the journey even served to fuel his future actions in defiance of the prevailing system he found oppressive. The catchphrase â€Å"Before he changed the world, the world changed him† (promoting the film version of The Motorcycle Diaries) speaks truthfully of the bereted man we see ubiquitously as a pop icon. In turn, the book speaks of demystifying the face behind the shirt and the poster and understanding, from his beginnings, the persona who the powers-that-be, for so long, have come to vilify. Guevara, Che, The Motorcycle Diaries: A Journey Around South America. October 1996. New York: Verso.   

The differences in news organizations

The differences in news organizations Sources Four news organisations will be used in this study. The first two may not be as well known as the others so before going any further it is important to clarify the credibility of these sources. The first one is the Jerusalem Post and it was founded in 1932. In their official website it claims that it is Israels best-selling English daily and most-read English website.1Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The differences in news organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The second one is the Haaretz Newspaper in Israel. It is an organisation that â€Å"provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East† and everything that occurs within these regions including defence policies, Arab-Israeli conflict and even the peace process.2 The other sources comes from the BBC News and CBC News Canada. Jerusalem Post The article from taken from the Jerusalem Post provided the m ost in-depth discussion of the Palestinian refugees problem. Using this article as the point of comparison, the other three sources will be studied on their treatment of the said subject matter. Going back to the Jerusalem Post it has to be pointed out that the article was written by a guest columnist. His name is Alon Ben-Meir and it can be presumed safely that he is an Israeli who happens to be a Professor of International Relations at New York University. Ben-Meir identified key elements of the refugee problem such as the idea of resettlement, homeland, and coming home to the State of Israel. Ben-Meir argued not only on the urgency of the problem but also discussed a possible solution. Ben-Meir clarified the issue even further by saying that this is not just a political problem but also a humanitarian concern because there are at least 4.5 million refugees according to UN records.3 The author also said that it is imperative that the surrounding nations, the UN and the nations all over the world should assist in one way or another in order to resolve this issue once and for all. Ben-Meir added two crucial statements, he said that refugees cannot afford to wait for the peace talks to be finalized and then he said that the European Union should take the lead.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More He cited the economic and political clout possessed by the EU as the main reason why they should initiate the final solution to the problem. He also pointed out the propensity of the Arab States to gravitate towards the EU and not the United States because of the perceived close ties that the Americans have with the Israelis. Haaretz Newspaper In the Haaretz Newspaper the article the title contained the terms â€Å"concession on rights to return.† First of all there was no discussion with regards to the urgent need to help refugees resettle or ret urn to their homeland. The issue immediately centred on the fact that there were secret deals that were made to limit the number of refugees that will be allowed to go back to their homelands. In the previous article the number of refugees was estimated to be only 4.5 million but this time around the estimate reached 5 million Palestinian refugees. BBC News In the BBC News article, the emphasis was on the culpability of the Israelis for the war of 1948 was the main reason why 700,000 Palestinians were displaced. The Israeli government countered with the statement that â€Å"most Palestinian refugees left to avoid a war instigated by neighbouring Arab states though it admits a handful of expulsions and unauthorised killings.†4 The article also stated that aside from the 1948 war there was also the 1967 war that displaced hundreds of thousands of Palestinians and that the accurate tally reached up to 6 million refugees. The Israeli government disputes this number. CBC News Cana da In CBC News Canadas Special Report, the emphasis was on the reason why the Palestinian refugees left in the first place. It is implied that when the Jews established a Jewish State hundreds of thousands of people were displaced and that the diaspora of 700,000 Palestinians resulted in the 4.7 million refugees that exists today. The report also focused on the state of the Palestinian refugees that fled to Lebanon, and the author remarked that, â€Å"While in countries such as Jordan and Syria, Palestinians can attend local schools, access government services, participate fully in the job market and even acquire citizenship, in Lebanon, they remain marginalized and are considered to be among the poorest in the diaspora.†5Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The differences in news organizations specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Differences in Reporting There are significant differences in reporting. The first maj or issue that these news sites could not agree on is the number of the Palestinian refugees. The Jerusalem Post said that there are 4.5 million while the Haaretz said that there are 5 million refugees. On the other hand the BBC made the assertion that the total number of refugees numbered 6 million while the CBC Canada had a the second lowest estimate and it is 4.7 million refugees. There is also differences in focus or the way the reporters frame the events. Others see it as a political problem related to the peace process while other see it as a humanitarian problem and thus puts pressure on authorities to resolve it as quickly as possible because the lives of millions of people are at stake. Others nitpicked on the kinds of assistance that must be extended to the refugees. There is an argument whether the Palestinians must be absorbed by host nations, if they are supposed to be sent back to their original homes or at least given the chance to go back to their homeland. Explanatio n The differences in the reporting can be understood from the point of view of the reporters and their bias towards a particular subject matter. For example the Jerusalem Post, through their guest columnist emphasized the need for the EU to come in and help. This can be interpreted as an appeal to the EU to assist Israel because the Jewish State could not carry the burden all by itself. Furthermore, Ben-Meir said that there are only 4.5 million refugees not five million or six million as claimed by other reporters. The low estimate can be interpreted as the reluctance of the Israelis to carry all the blame for the diaspora. The article from the Haaretz newspaper rounded-off the figure to 5 million presumably to force people to understand the gravity of the problem. It is the impossibility of absorbing these great number of people without risking the stability of the only Jewish State in the planet.Advertising Looking for essay on communications media? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More It also gave emphasis to other options which is resettlement. However, there is no mention of compensation. It can be argued that the refugees had the right to be relocated and compensated for what was done to them when they were forced to leave their homes in 1948. In the case of the CBC News report the spotlight was focused on the suffering that the refugees suffered under the Israelis as well as the callousness of the Lebanon government when it comes to integrating the refugees into the local population. This can be interpreted as an attempt to force Israel and Lebanon to accept responsibility for their actions. If one will use the article from Jerusalem Post as a guide one can argue that there are so many facets to the refugee problem and yet international leaders, the Israeli government and Arab States focuses only on the areas that will benefit them. It is time to look at the problem from a humanitarian point of view. These refugees must not be seen as pawns in the ongoing Ara b-Israeli conflict. The Arab leaders must accept the fact that 4 to 6 million refugees cannot be realistically brought back within the borders of Jerusalem or even relocated into the Gaza strip. The BBC News and CBC News failed to explain another major root cause of the refugee problem. The Arab nations surrounding Israel did not agree to what was then known as the British Mandate of Palestine.6 This is crucial because the BBC and the CBC seem to paint the Israeli government in a negative light that this refugee problem was all their fault. The Palestinian refugees are more than 4 million in number, this is no longer a problem that should be tackled only by Israel, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. It has become an international problem and requires the assistance of everyone. Bibliography Asser, Martin. â€Å"Obstacles to Arab-Israeli peace: Palestinian refugees.† BBC News. September 2, 2010, bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11104284 Ben-Meir, Alon. â€Å"Guest Column: Taking resp onsibility for Palestinian refugees.†Ã‚  Jerusalem Post. April 16, 2010, jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=173223. CBC News. â€Å"Special Report: Palestinian Refugees.† CBC News Canada. October 27, 2010, cbc.ca/news/world/story/2010/10/26/f-lebanon.html. Haaretz Service. â€Å"Hamas urges Palestinian refugees to protest over concessions on right of return.† Haaretz.com. January 25, 2011, haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-urges-palestinian- refugees-to-protest-over-concessions-on-right-of-return-1.339120. Footnotes 1  Ben-Meir, Alon. â€Å"Guest Column: Taking responsibility for Palestinian refugees.†Ã‚  Jerusalem Post. April 16, 2010, jpost.com/Opinion/Columnists/Article.aspx?id=173223. 2  Haaretz Service. â€Å"Hamas urges Palestinian refugees to protest over concessions on right of return.† Haaretz.com. January 25, 2011, haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-urges-palestinian- refugees-to-protest-over-concessions-on-right -of-return-1.339120. 3  Ben-Meir. 4  Martin Asser. â€Å"Obstacles to Arab-Israeli peace: Palestinian refugees.† BBC News. September 2, 2010, bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-11104284, p.1 5  CBC News. â€Å"Special Report: Palestinian Refugees.† CBC News Canada. October 27, 2010, cbc.ca/news/world/story/2010/10/26/f-lebanon.html. 6  CBC News.

Chronic Absenteeism Related to Drop-out Rates

Chronic Absenteeism Related to Drop-out Rates While most educators, students, and parents  think of September as back-to-school month, that same  month recently has been given another important education designation. Attendance Works, a national initiative that is  dedicated to improving the policy, practice and research around school attendance has named September as National Attendance Awareness Month.  Ã‚   Student absences are at crisis levels. A September 2016 report Preventing Missed Opportunity: Taking Collective Action to Confront Chronic Absence using data provided by the  U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) reveals that, the  promise of an equal opportunity to learn is being broken for far too many children. More than 6.5 million students, or about 13 percent, miss three or more weeks of school, which is enough time to erode their achievement and threaten their chance of graduating.  Nine out of 10 U.S. school districts experience some level of chronic absenteeism among students. To counter this problem,  Attendance Works,  a fiscally-sponsored project of the Child and Family Policy Center non-profit organization, is working as a  national and state initiative that  promotes better policy and practice around school attendance. According to the organizations  website, We [Attendance Works]  promote tracking chronic absence data for each student beginning in kindergarten, or ideally earlier, and partnering with families and community agencies to intervene when poor attendance is a problem for students or schools. Attendance is a critically important factor in education, from developing national funding formulas  to predicting graduation outcomes.   Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which guides federal investments in elementary and secondary education for states, has chronic absenteeism as  reporting element.   At every grade level, in every school district, across the nation,  educators know first hand that too many absences can  disrupt  a students learning and the learning of others. Research on Attendance A student is considered chronically absent if they miss only  two days of school per month  (18 days in a year), whether the absences are excused or unexcused.  Research shows that by  middle and high school, chronic absence is a leading warning sign that a student will drop out. This research from the National Center on Educational Statistics noted that differences  in absentee rates and projections for graduation  were observed as early as kindergarten.  Those students who eventually dropped out of high school had missed significantly more days of school in first grade than their peers who later graduated from high school. Moreover, in a study by E.  Allensworth  and J. Q. Easton, (2005) called  The On-Track Indicator as a Predictor of High School Graduation: In eighth grade, this [attendance]  pattern was even more apparent and, by ninth grade, attendance was shown to be a key indicator significantly correlated with high school graduation (Allenworth/Easton). Their study  found attendance and studying more predictive of dropout than test scores or other student characteristics. In fact, 9th grade attendance was a better predictor of [student] dropout than 8th grade test scores. Steps can be taken at at the upper  grade levels, grades 7-12, and  Attendance Works offers  several suggestions to counter attitudes that prevent students from attending school. These suggestions include: incentives/rewards/recognition provided  for good attendance;personal calls (to home, to students) as reminders;  adult mentors and after  school leaders trained to reinforce the importance of attendance;curriculum that features engaging, team-based activities that students do not want to miss;  Ã‚  academic support provided to students who are struggling;  efforts to make  school a place of success rather than a negative experience; engaging community partners, such as, health providers and criminal justice agencies. National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP) Test Data A state-by-state analysis of NAEP   testing data shows that students who miss more school than their peers score lower on the NAEP tests in grades 4 and 8. These lower scores were found to be consistently true in every racial and ethnic group and in every state and city examined. In many cases,  the students with more absences have skill levels one to two years below their peers. In addition, While students from low-income families are more likely to be chronically absent, the ill effects of missing too much school hold true for all socio-economic groups. Grade 4 test data,   absentee students scored an average 12 points lower on the reading assessment than those with no absences - more than a full grade level on the NAEP achievement scale. Supporting the theory that academic loss is cumulative,   Grade 8  absentee students scored an average 18 points lower on the math assessment.   Mobile Apps Connectto Parents and Other Stakeholders Communication is one way educators can work to reduce student absenteeism. There are a growing number of mobile  apps educators can use to connect educators with students and parents. These software platforms share the daily classroom activities (EX:  Collaborize Classroom, Google Classroom,  Edmodo). Many of these platforms allow parents and authorized stakeholders to see short and long term  assignments and individual student work. Other mobile messaging apps (Remind,  Bloomz,  Classpager,  Class Dojo,  Parent Square)  are great resources  to increase regular communication between a students  home and school.  Ã‚  These messaging platforms can  allow teachers to emphasize  attendance from day one. These mobile apps can be tailored to providing student updates on individual attendance or used to sharing data about the importance of attendance in order to promote  a culture of attendance all year long. Conferences:Traditional Connections to Parents and Other Stakeholders There are also more traditional methods to share the importance  of regular attendance with all stakeholders. At the beginning of the school year, teachers can leverage the time during a  parent-teacher conference to talk about attendance if there are already signs or a pattern to a student missing school. Mid-year conferences or conference requests can be helpful in making face-to-face connections that   Teachers  can take the opportunity to make suggestions to parents or guardians that  older students need routines for  homework and  sleep. Cell phones, video games and computers should not be part of a bedtime routine. Too tired to go to school should not be an excuse. Teachers and school administrators  should also  encourage families to  avoid extended vacations during the school year, and to try to line up vacations with the school’s schedule of days off or holidays. Finally, teachers and school administrators   should remind parents and guardians the academic importance of planning doctor and dentist appointments during  after school hours. Announcements regarding a schools attendance policy should be made at the beginning of the school year, and repeated regularly throughout the school year.   Newsletters, Flyers, Postersand Websites The school website should promote daily attendance. Updates on daily school attendance should be displayed on the home pages of every school. The high visibility of this information will help to reinfrce the importance of school attendance. Information about the negative impact of absenteeism and the positive role daily attendance has on academic achievement can be placed in newsletters, on posters and circulated on flyers. Placement of these flyers and posters are not limited to the school property. Chronic absenteeism is a community problem, particularly at the upper grade levels, as well. A coordinated effort to share information about academic damage caused by chronic absenteeism should be shared throughout the local community. Business and political leaders in the community should receive regular updates on how well students are meeting the goal of improving daily attendance. Additional information should feature the  importance of attending  school as a students most important job. Anecdotal information such as the facts listedon this flyer for high school parentsor  listed below can be promoted in schools and throughout the community: Missing one or two days a month can add up to nearly 10 percent of the school year.  Students who attend school set up the routines for future employment and showing up for for work on time every day.Students who attend school regularly are more likely to graduate and find good jobs. High school  graduates make, on average, a million dollars more than a dropout over a lifetime.School only gets harder when students  stay home.  Too many absent students can affect the whole classroom, creating redundant instruction and slowing down other students. Conclusion Students who miss school, whether the absences are  sporadic or on consecutive days of school, miss academic time in their classrooms that cannot be made up. While some absences are unavoidable, it is critically important to have students in school for learning. Their academic success depends on daily attendance at every grade level. NOTE: An infographic with additional statistics to share with students and families with younger students is offered by Attendance Works on this link.

Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies Essay - 2

Corporate Responsibility and Marketing Strategies - Essay Example Its marketing strategy is decent but there is room for improvement. Even so, its reputation has been hurt because of violation of not only its code of conduct but also other laws (Klein 2011). This has been detrimental, but Apple is trying its best to make right the situation. Apple Corporation has a code of conduct that sets out its suppliers’ ethical and social responsibility. On its website, it outlines that suppliers ought to treat workers in an ethical manner and fairly at all times. In addition, each worker has the right to healthy and safe work area, it integrates environmental responsibility into its processes and products, and that it goes deep into the supply chain in order to enforce its standards and solve problems (Apple Inc., 2014). Despite having a code of conduct, Apple has not met these responsibilities effectively. For instance, Kaiser (2012), reports that Foxconn, the main supplier of Apple located in China, subjects employees to long working hours, they are paid peanuts and work in conditions that are unsafe, all for the mere reason of prompt assembling of iPods, iPhones and iPads. Additionally, the supplier also releases its waste into sewages, a contravention to its environmental responsibility. These violations have been detr imental to Apple, especially with the lack of an elucidation. Publication of the violations against ethical and social responsibilities occasioned by Apple’s suppliers has been detrimental. After hiring an external organization to conduct an investigation into the allegedly forceful overtime, destitute working conditions, and child labor in its suppliers in the Chinese market, the investigation confirmed the allegations and they were included in the company’s annual reports. Besides, the New York Times released a report after investigating the company and finding that its American workers