Othello Appeal To A Twenty First Century Audience

In my opinion Othello appeals to a twenty-first century audience due to his themes such as jealousy, deception, racism, manipulation, love and corrupt civilisation which is still relevant in today’s society. These themes are themes that are timeless which explore human nature which is unchanging which still develop and evolve around us. The twenty first century audience would find Othello appealing as the main themes such as racism, jealousy and manipulation are still very prevalent in today’s society.The main theme in the poem which we can still relate to century’s later is the theme of love, which is very prominent in Othello. Love makes the play ageless; as long as there are people on the earth love will always be surrounding us. Othello and Desdemona surrendered everything they had to be together. This resembles they modern day romance novel, play or movie. They did this even though they were aware it might result in serious conflict. Othello bids â€Å"fare well the plumed troops and the big wars that make ambition virtue!O, Farwell, Farwell the neighing steed and shrill trump, the spirit stirring drum, their piercing fife, the royal banner, and all quality, pride, pomp, and circumstances of glorious war! † He tells us he won Desdemona not by magic but by telling her of his battles. Therefore Othello affirms his triumphant success on love by his successful career as a soldier. In today’s society men look for success in a career and for a loving wife and this is what Othello achieves with Desdemona. A theme which is also very relevant in today’s society is one of racism.Othello suffered from this greatly in the play. Just as Othello suffered from this it has carried on through the years, up until 1968 when the black community were finally given rights. Othello was constantly referred to as â€Å"the moor† and â€Å"thick lips†. As this happens it shows a hypocritical society as they would have them prot ect their country but would find it shameful that he married Desdemona. Many felt this way when the first black president of the United States was elected. Iago supposedly Othello’s close friend tells brabantio that â€Å"’you’ll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse†.He then paints Othello as a crude and animalistic being and insinuates that he is sexually corrupting his daughter the innocent Desdemona. As the play goes on iago continues to go on about the unnatural nature of the relationship between Desdemona and Othello. He tells roderigo the lust between them will not last long â€Å"It cannot be that Desdemona should long continue her love to the moor – put money in thy purse- nor he his to her†. This is a recurring situation today. Our two races are being separated by what each fears of the other.

College Essay Essay

The Ohio State University has been a college of my choice for multiple reasons. I always wanted to attend a college that would benefit me in a positive way. Before my visit to Ohio State I was undecided on what college I wanted to attend. However, after my visit to OSU’s campus I knew that Ohio State was the place for me. Ohio State is one of the few institutions that are committed to diversity and the overall success of its students. The rigorous curriculum, study abroad opportunities and student organizations offered will not only groom me as a scholar but a person as well. While OSU is one of the largest universities, the freshman programs discussed during my visit have assured me that I would not be a number, but a member of the OSU community. I would like to be in a positive environment where the level of expectation and measurement for success is paramount. From my research, OSU has a world class reputation in research and academics. As a prospective Finance major at the Fisher College of Business, I will plan to learn and operate in the values that reflect Max Fisher and the College of Business. With OSU being one of the top 20 colleges I felt there’s no other college that could fit me better. I feel The Ohio State University fits me best. I also can not forget the wonderful chant I was taught on the visit, when I say â€Å"O-H† you say â€Å"I-O.†

Contrast and Compare Approaches to Hrm Within Two Diverse Countries?

Contrast and compare approaches to HRM within two diverse countries? Introduction Human resource management (HRM) means the activities of management in the employment relationship (Boxall and Purcell, 2003). The use of strategic HRM in an organisation helps function with its various activities like training n development, motivation, recruitment, employee selection, leadership, communication and reach their milestones. HRM strategy helps an organisation to focus on its micro-strategic issues. It also helps to provide a robust and link between its various activities conducted in a HRM department (Beardwell, 2004). This essay will cover the importance of understanding HR practices of two diverse countries. The study of comparative HRM is necessary to build a bridge between two different cultures. For example UK there is high rate of part time jobs due to a wide range of social and economic reasons. On the other hand, part time jobs in other parts of Europe are comparatively less. To know these difference and to easy cross culture businesses comparative HRM is necessary. In the past half century with the rise in globalisation, international human resource management (IHRM) has gained popularity. However the study of international and comparative HRM is regarded as an expensive and time consuming research (Adler, 1984; Brewster et al, 1996; Tregaskis et al, 2003). Hyman, R 1999 says that cross broad expansion has created a need for the deep knowledge of IHRM to avoid complex business issues Models of HRM In HRM, there is no specific approach or single way to implement it. HRM is a style of management which can be measured and defined or even compared against an ideal model. There are two approaches or models of HRM – soft Model and hard Model. Hard HRM emphasize the â€Å"resource† aspect of HRM, Legge refers to this as â€Å"Utilitarian Instrumentalism†. The hard HRM model focuses on the critical integration of human resource policies, systems and activities with business strategy. The hard HRM model characterizes human resources as factor of production. This means that the human resource is not the only resource capable of turning the production into wealth. Human Resources are viewed as passive, to be provided and deployed as numbers and skills at the right price, rather than the source of creative energy (Legge, 1995, p. 66-67). Hard HRM model requires calculations and deep thinking as required by any other branch of management. Thus it communicates through the tough language of business and economics. This emphasis on the quantitative, calculative and business-strategic aspects of managing the â€Å"headcount† has been termed human asset accounting (Storey, 1987). The hard HRM model is closely related to scientific management as it treats human resource which posses some skills/attributes that the firm requires. In contrast to hard HRM model, soft HRM model focuses on human relations rather than treating it as commodity. Soft HRM places an emphasis on â€Å"human† and is associated with the human relations school of Herzberg and McGregor (Storey, 1987). Legge refers to this as â€Å"Developmental Humanism† (Legge, 1995, p. 66-67). The soft model approach treats employees as valued asset of firm which gives the firm a competitive advantage over others through employees professional skills, commitments, adaptability and performance. Employees are proactive rather than passive inputs into productive processes, capable of development, worthy of trust and collaboration which is achieved through participation (Legge, 1995, pp 66-67). The soft Model inspires employee’s resourcefulness by increasing employee commitment, participation and involvement. Walton (1985, p. 79) suggests that â€Å"a model that assumes low employee commitment and that is designed to produce reliable if not outstanding performance simply cannot match the standards of excellence set by world-class competitors† and discusses the choice that managers have between a strategy based on imposing control and a strategy based on eliciting commitment. (Legge, 1995) in her analysis says that â€Å"use of HRM styles like hard and soft models in an organisation has always been debatable†. These models are primarily within normative, or prescriptive, models of human resource management. Soft HRM is associated with the human relations movement, the utilization of individual talents (McGregor, 1960). Soft HRM is also associated with the goals of flexibility and adaptability and implies that communication plays a central role in management (Storey and Sisson 1993). Hard HRM, on the other hand, stresses on the importance of ‘strategic fit', where human resource policies and practices are closely linked to the strategic objectives of the organization (external fit), and are coherent among themselves (internal fit) ( Baird and Meshoulam,1988). In UK, firms generally rely on numerical forms of flexibility than ualitative form. Both of these are supported by soft HRM models and theories of flexible specialisation. Hence UK employment system has failed to adopt best practice of HRM models. Almond, 2001 says in times of short term pressure if there is a lack of institutional lock-in to soft HRM firms resort to management unilateralism. However in Russia employees are tr eated as human capital and are used to generate revenues for the organization. In Russia predominantly hard HRM model approach exists. The employee is like commodity which is found worthy if there is a short supply or plays a central role in company’s goals. The implementation of the hard Model varies from company to company depending on the calculations and quantitative approaches in a rational manner. In Russia the companies have authoritative, hierarchical, bureaucratic type of structure whereas in UK the companies have participative management approaches, team concepts, and greater employee involvement. The Russian companies center of focus so far have been towards the technical aspects of their business – how to efficiently produce a product or provide a service, how to increase revenues and how to stay afloat in the market. However with the globalization of economies, many of them have started realizing the importance of other aspects of business – Human capital management, organizational structure, compensation, training, motivation and communication. In Russian, organizations perceived HR as a compliance function, existing to fill out forms and enforce rules, rather than a strategic part of organizational performance and success. However in UK the companies look at HR management as a strategic approach to an overall growth of the company. In this essay, using theories and literature, I will try to identify some of the key different HR practices and policies in Russia as compared to those of western countries like UK. Compensation, bonuses, incentives: In Russia, many of the small and mid size companies have no standard compensation system. There were no systematic, equitable pay scales and incentive structures flexible enough to withstand periods of growth and change. Most of the Russian companies’ main goal is to provide full employment. Unlike UK and American companies, Russian companies paid bonuses and incentives to their employees irrespective of their performance. However incentive pay was a traditional and integral part of the Russian compensation system. Most of the bonuses were divided equally across the organization or among members of a specific work group. Since employees received incentives regardless of individual performance, they came to see them more as an entitlement than as a reward for good performance (Puffer & Shekshnia, 1996). This approach complemented with the Russian culture of collectivism and high uncertainty avoidance. Unlike Russian culture, UK culture is more about individualism and social responsibility. In UK HR practices, the compensation system is focused towards employee’s performance. Management of individual performance: In Russia the HR have a different approach towards management of Individual performance and constructive discipline. Russian organization practices extensively the use of fines as a central focus of discipline systems. The employees are fined for every conceivable infraction. In fact some companies in Russia posted a list of standard fines to the employees as a reminder to the consequences of breaking rules. In contrast to this, UK HR practice follows a positive reinforcement and effective feedback techniques. The companies in UK have a formal performance appraisal and a feedback system. This helps in keeping track of an employee performance and interest and gives them effective feedback. Motivation techniques: In Russia the HR practice follows a centralized planning system on individual motivation. The company through its experience tries to motivate employees in ways which work best at that time. The basic technique of their motivation is to provide monetary benefits to the employees. This creates an even more expectation despite of employee’s lackluster performance. However in UK, the HR practices not only focused on employee’s motivation but also to maintain a high level. The HR in UK uses non-monetary strategies to motivate employees. Some of them are job enrichment, cross-training, and organizational support of training and education. Recruiting and staffing: The recruitment and staffing procedures in Russia is completely different from UK. In Russia, the HR practices do not lay emphasis on spending time and money for recruiting qualified employees. The companies in Russia do not spend on advertisement for recruitment. The whole recruiting and staffing procedures is rudimentary. In contrast the UK HR practices have organized application and selection process such as testing, group and individual interviewing. The companies in UK spend a considerable amount of money on advertisement to recruit qualified employees. More over recruiting and staffing is considered as one of the central strategies of HR management in UK. Internal Communication: Russian and British companies both realize the importance of good internal communication for smooth running of the business. However the communication happens more naturally in UK than in Russia. In fact internal communication is a key challenge in Russia. Lack of this communication between people is a problem in smooth running of the business. In Russia there is a common belief that if you tell too much you are losing the power. Russians love to talk about daily affairs except the core things for the company. Historically Russian organizations have been good at vertical flow of information but very poor with horizontal flow of information. In both Russia and UK, companies use formalized mechanisms to increase internal communication flow. This system includes instruments like intranets, newsletters, regular department/company meetings, suggestion boxes/systems, etc. The formalized mechanism seems to be more useful for Russia, since UK employees indicates that by the time the information was available via formal channels, they often already knew much of the information from informal channels. In UK, employees were much more likely to share useful information with another employee through informal channels than was the case in Russia. Training and Development: Training and development formed more competitive HR strategies in UK than Russia and were more formalized in the UK than Russia. The UK employees have more diverse backgrounds and work in areas which they are not originally trained. Hence they require more formalized training. In UK all the trainings and development is supervised and coordinated by the HR department. The HR department strictly monitors the training progress. In UK, the initiative for training comes from individual, superiors or the HR department. The trainings are conducted once the HR department has the formal discussion with the employee. However in Russia, the practice of on the job training is more prevalent. In Russia an informal training approach is used as most of the people have the desired skill set for the job. When talking about training and development for Russian employees, many HR and senior managers in Western firms maintain that a mix of hard and soft approaches and styles is necessary. Conclusion The HRM is transitioning from the traditional model which was focused only on administrative issues to a new HRM paradigm which lays emphasis on the strategic dimension of human capital management. The new responsibilities of HR require an integration of human capital in corporate strategy, to overcome the complex and diverse global labor market and to be able to incorporate young employees differing values and expectations than their predecessors. Due to global economic downturn, investments in human capital are not likely to be a high priority for organization whose very survival is threatened by the global downturn. But for companies with strong balance sheets and compelling business models, the economic downturn presents important opportunities to strengthen their HR management capabilities and position them for the inevitable rebound: Utilizing slack time to engage employees in professional development and technical training programs. This serves both to sharpen skills and to preserve morale during tough times. Opportunistic hiring of talented individuals caught in downsizing at weaker enterprises, which augments the company’s human capital base for long-term growth Promoting cross-divisional and cross-functional collaboration. This improves utilization of human resources and encourages teamwork between employees who previously had little or no contact. While termination of employees is an avoidably painful process, how companies manage downsizing is an important component of human resource management. Generous treatment of departing workers – including high-quality placement services and severance packages – not only creates goodwill among former employees who will speak favorably about the company and who may indeed return as â€Å"boomerangs†. It also burnishes the company’s image as an attractive workplace (â€Å"employer brand†) and thereby strengthens its capacity to recruit and retain talented persons when the economy recovers. Bibliography Beardwell, J. And Claydon, T. (2007) Human Resource Management: A contemporary approach. 5th ed. , Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd http://www. goinglobal. com/hot_topics/russia_jerome_education. asp http://mams. rmit. edu. au/d4lhtsmk45c. pdf http://www. rsmmcgladrey. com/pdf/managinghrglobal. pdf

Rise and Fall of Enron Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Rise and Fall of Enron - Research Paper Example Enron was an energy company that had the marketing of electricity and natural gas as its main activities.  Its’ revenues in 2000 were (supposedly) of $ 100 billion and the market value of the company exceeded $ 60 billion, which meant 70 times earnings and six times book value (Thomas, pp.41).  The company benefited from the deregulation of the energy market, facilitated by the company's own lobby in donations to political campaigns, but without the use of accounting gimmicks and management practices suspicions never had reached this level. Enron collapsed taking along with itself pension funds of its employees and other investors in the same category, a shortfall of at least $ 1.5 billion and dragging a debt of more than $ 13 billion.  For years, the company's directors maligned balance sheets, wiped the losses and inflated profits.  The magic book worked until the end of 2001.  Enron is the product of stunning deregulation of the energy sector.  It was a success and everyone wanted to invest in its actions as it was an excellent company with a higher rate of return, their investment valued up every month, even in times of crisis. The stock prices fell from a record high of $90 in 2000 to $0.60 at the end of 2001, after the scandal was revealed (Bratton, pp.1275). Trade operations of the company were based on complex financial transactions, most referring to businesses that would occur several years later, a practice that inflated their profits.  Operators placed the value of the company's shares way high, suggesting that before these future actions would even appreciate, without having to justify the markdown price, was the mark-to-market. Mark-to-market means considering a company’s assets so highly valued that it is possible to liquidate them at any time by the current market price.  The actions came to be worth about $ 85, behind the scenes; however, the company could only lose on failed projects internet and plants that never operated in India (Thomas, pp.50).   There is evidence that senior company executives were also involved in the fraud, as well as major banks.   The Securities and Exchange Commission initiated an investigation.  Enron was forced to redo their balance sheets for the last five years and admit that its profit in the period was $ 600 million lower than originally reported (Thomas, pp.44).   Auditors Fabricating the Facts The company’s auditor was Arthur Andersen, one of the key executives of the company, which contributed to concealing the scam, while, manipulating the revenue recognition principles.  Since being involved with the collapse of Enron, Andersen lost many prestigious clients. The company's employees took damage by losing their jobs; their savings in most cases were invested in Enron stock (Thomas, pp.46).  The tragic end of Enron shook the confidence of the American financial system.  According to the lawsuit filed by former shareholders, Enron hid th e injury and decreasing profits with the connivance of accounting firm, Arthur Andersen auditor (Healy & Palepu, pp.12).  Former Enron auditor approved fraudulent accounting practices and illegal schemes adopted to hide losses and then destroyed the evidence of the crime.   Involvement of White House   Enron was regarded as an innovator, admired (elected between 1996 and 2001 as one of the most admired companies according to  Fortune  magazine) and dynamic, and Kenneth Lay was a celebrity worlds of business (something that is not seen much in the post

As You Like It by Shakespeare is a still comedy, because Jaques is Essay

As You Like It by Shakespeare is a still comedy, because Jaques is intended as a tool to represent relativity of values - Essay Example In this regard Shakespeare, Evans & Tobin comments substantiating the role of Jacques, â€Å"Throughout â€Å"As You Like It† Jacques has functioned less as the representative of a valid point of view than as a measure of the essential sanity and balance of [the] characters† (42). Simply the presence of Jacques in the novel is melancholic, as the comic trait of the play requires him to be in such a manner to represent the relativity of values. It is remarkable that â€Å"Melancholy Jacques† is schemed as an observant to view the new world in the Arden Forest. He is the only cynic in the Arden Forest, whereas all other characters are happy and joyful. He spends most of his time grudging against the hostility of life. Rather it seems that Jacques is more comfortable with the cynic views that put the joyous environment with the people around him into direct contrast with his depression and also his â€Å"miserable world† (Shakespeare Act 2 sc 7). His depression emerges not only from the futility of human life but also from the feebleness and the evilness of human nature. Jacques carefully keeps himself out of the happy group in the Forest of Arden. Anyway, the reason of Jacques’ bitterness is not mentioned explicitly. As his functions appear to be the sharp foil to the jubilance of other characters, â€Å"inside the happy fantasyland of Arden, Jacques is a constant reminder that in the real world time i s not suspended, and grief, sorrow and death provide a counterpoint to all human joys† (Study-world). Throughout the whole play, the significance of Jacques’s role is so weighty that he alone has been manipulated to work out the thematic joyous environment around other characters as a foil to their jubilation. He provides the audience the perfect lookout to perceive life as â€Å"strange eventful history† (Shakespeare Act II Sc VII). Though the terms, â€Å"pessimism† â€Å"cynicism† suitably fit the character of Jacques,

Management - Service Package Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Management - Service Package - Essay Example An elderly care center is a specialized place designed to take care of elderly people in the society. Therefore, a number of supporting facilities must be taken care of before elderly people are admitted into the elderly care center. In some states, it is a requirement that all elderly care centers comply with state regulations concerning the nursing home reform act. Supporting facilities Supporting facilities refer to physical resources that must be in place before a service can be given out. A key component of facilitating goods encompasses architectural appropriateness, which means that the structures should be tailored according to the needs of the elderly people. In terms of architecture, the houses should be constructed in line with the prevailing climatic conditions of the place where the elderly care centre will be located (White & Duncan 263). The houses should encompass various rooms with washrooms, which are well maintained to cater for the needs of the elderly. The archit ectural design should provide for facilities such as places where the elderly can rest whenever they want to relax. The interior decor should consist of quality furniture and the house should be well decorated. The tables, sofas, and other furniture should be made with appropriate designs and from quality timber. The layout of the facility should be placed in a location with a good flow of traffic to avoid any unnecessary disturbance to the elderly. Other essential supporting facilities include facilities to ensure safety against fire, grab bars in bathrooms and toilets, private toilets and bathrooms, safes, and locked drawers. The houses should also be equipped with supporting facilities such as temperature controls and heating facilities. Other supporting facilities include fitness rooms, libraries, activity rooms, theatres, open grounds for exercises, and walking facilities for persons with walking problems (White & Duncan 268). To improve on security within the housing facility, wander alert systems, alarmed exits, automated fire sprinkler systems, and enclosed yards should be considered. Facilitating goods Facilitating goods refer to goods consumed by buyer or goods as well as materials purchased and consumed by the providers of services. The facilitating goods necessary in an elderly care centre include quality mattresses and warm blankets. Quality will ensure that the elderly feel comfortable when they sleep while the warm blankets will significantly reduce the chances of them to feel cold. Sleeping in a comfortable place can reduce the chances of conditions such as backaches and flu. The caregivers should also be provided with mattresses of high quality as well as warm blankets. This will ensure that they do not have any hindrance while providing services to the elderly (Johnston & Clark 32). Other essential facilitating goods, which should be made available in the elderly care centre, include toothpaste, shampoo, as well as uniforms for the elders and caregivers. Toothpaste and shampoo are essential goods, which ensure the general well being and hygiene in the elderly care centre. Uniforms should be provided as they play an essential role in identifying both the caregivers and the elders. This helps in differentiating between the elderly and caregivers. Service explicit The explicit services refer to benefits, which can be observed and felt with the use of the senses. The achievement of explicit services calls for the employment of qualified caregivers who can treat

How has the global political economy changed as a result of the global Assignment

How has the global political economy changed as a result of the global financial and economic crisis since 2007 - Assignment Example Today, most economists aver that the worst is behind us. However the pangs of the latest recession are still being felt. The immediate future is not rosy with growth forecasts being downgraded by most countries. That the distant future would bring back the joys of boom period is what every nation is pinning its hopes on. Along with this economic and financial crisis that has seen unemployment numbers soar, banks collapse, incomes shrink and demand wane, there has been turbulence in the world political scene as well. If the stock markets are shaky, so are the government set ups of many nations. Vukovic (2011) maintains that the reason for the crisis lies primarily in the political domain. He asserts that the strong influence of interest groups, lobbying power of financial corporations, leads to favoritism in macroeconomic policies and inefficient resource allocation. While the mighty, deemed to be infallible United States is facing a leadership crisis, there is political turmoil in Eu ropean countries. Walker (2011) suggests that this crisis of leadership is prevailing, along with United States, in Europe, Japan and Australia. Furthermore this leadership deficit extends to institutions like the IMF. The BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India and China) are also facing political crisis of sorts as this crisis has spared few. The present paper looks at the political scenario in certain select countries of the world to understand how the global financial and economic crisis since 2007 has impacted the global political scene. United States of America Duchin (2009) establishes that the banks' political ties played a considerable role in Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) fund distribution. It was thus the political activism and not prudence that governed government spending when recession was at its peak and the beleaguered companies clamored for cash. There has been a political stand-off in the U.S between the Republicans and the democrats as the two parties failed to agree on key issues. So much so that the disagreement between them brought the US on the brink of a debt default and kept the world on tenterhooks fearing another meltdown. The latest arrangement between the two warring factions will enable the U.S government to borrow money till the end of 2012. The government, on its part will ensure a spending cut of almost $1 trillion spread over the next decade. Experts opine that the compromise formula may be short-lived and questions like â€Å"where to cut government spending?† could again flare up the political scene. Furthermore, is the political constrains that will decide whether Obama can go in for the third round of quantitative easing or not. India Today (2011) avers that Barack Obama, the U.S president, has numerous issues to confront, including the first ever credit rating downgrade of the US, as he goes for reelection. The president would be hoping that his $447 billion jobs bill translates into favorable, tangible number s by then. The status of the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency of the world automatically links the currency exchange rates with political overtones. The movement of this currency leads to political repercussions in the rest of the world. Germany Greece has been the latest beneficiary of rescue loans granted after the consent of Euro zone leaders. Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel., has come under fire from the Christian Democratic Union for her efforts to secure additional bailout funds for Greece. Opinion polls in the

Race and racism (evolution Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Race and racism (evolution - Coursework Example An example is Pedro Alonzo Nino who was a pilot of a ship in the fleet led by Christopher Columbus and was believed to be African (Smedley 89). Native Americans on the other were less exploited as slaves due to the fact that many of them got ill quite often and succumbed to European diseases. They were also perceived to be brutal and many would escape since they knew the land better than anyone else. This left the planters no choice but to take advantage of the vulnerable Africans and turn them into slaves. It is in 1661 that Virginia was granted a formal slave status by Queen Elizabeth which allowed slaves to be bought and sold just like any other commodity. From this time Africans’ status dropped drastically and they were consequently believed to be inferior to all other races. This legality to trade in slaves facilitated and maintained this trade for centuries. There was the perception that the whites were more superior to all other races while the rest were termed as color ed people. The whites in America even disregarded immigrants from Europe. They claimed to be biologically different from all immigrants regardless of origin. This perception created rifts in the society which caused the Americans to dominate others. The New World perpetuated slave trade because they had vast lands which were productive and the climate was favorable (106). This followed a massive expansion of plantations in Georgia and South Carolina which translated to increased production levels of rice and tobacco. These slaves did a great deal of work which the white servants had refused to do for example draining of swamps. West Africans came in handy especially in rice growing plantations since they were familiar with the kind of work required as their mother lands grew rice. Slaves worked for 15 hours on a daily basis especially during the harvest season. One overseer was required to supervise a minimum of 20 slaves doing back-breaking work and when a slave lazed around, the o verseer was supposed to whip them. The fact that slaves were cheap to buy and maintain saw planters buy them in masses so as to plant and cultivate more (281). As earlier indicated slaves used to work for many hours per day which translated to bumper harvests and therefore booming plantation business. Many plantation owners like the Byrd family from Virginia turned to be quite wealthy. Such families came together to form elite classes of planters in the southern states who ensured that slave trade remained because it was a lifeline to their wealth. Some slaves also supported the trade owing to the fact that some, especially the overseers, lived better lives than the one they left in Africa. Q2 America is comprised of people from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. When America was organizing itself as a country many people streamed in as immigrants from all over the world but majority from Europe. All these people on their arrival to the United States found a society strictly stratifie d hierarchically on the basis of ethnicity (Sacks 55). These hierarchies defined ones social and economic status thus limits had been set in regards to what one can or cannot do. The white settlers are the ones who set these hierarchies so as to protect their interests and to limit others from exploiting existing resources. The African-American population especially before the civil war was condemned to slavery. European immigrants like the Irish people worked as laborers or supervisors in farms or small

Investigation of evidence of the spread of the U.S. financial crisis Dissertation

Investigation of evidence of the spread of the U.S. financial crisis and contagion to Europe, with focus on the UK - Dissertation Example In this day and age of multinational businesses and unified regional and international financial systems, financial and economic crises have become particularly widespread, severe, and sudden, instantaneously crossing borders through the international banks that are invested in countries initially embroiled in the crisis. The weakening of the banks in other countries as a result of the contagion speeds up the spread of the crisis into other economies. While it is true that globalization is inevitable, it remains to be determined whether or not regulatory frameworks and infrastructures would be sufficient to arrest the spread of potential financial crises that attend globalization. This study will examine the most recent U.S. financial crisis, how it developed and spread to other Western countries, how the U.S. appears to have recovered while European countries Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Spain still reel under the effects thereof, and the possibility that the European crisis will eithe r be resolved or if it shall spread backwards towards the U.S. and other countries (Businessweek, 2012; Forbes, 2012). . 1.2 Purpose of the study The study deals with the contagion that had taken place due to the financial crisis of 2008. The contagion refers to the negative effects on the financial markets that spread from the US markets to other countries of the world, as a result of market linkages. The focus of the discussion is the empirical evidence of the spread of the contagion from its point of origin in the United States to the economy of the United Kingdom and the European Union. Evidence of the contagion is also sought in the Australian economy, to determine if the contagion has spread to another country outside of the US-Europe paradigm. The study dwells exclusively on the stock indices of the US, the UK, the European Union, and Australia, and searches for evidence of the contagion within the capital markets. 1.3 Research questions In order to attain the goal specified for this dissertation, the following research question shall be resolved: 1.3.1 Is there evidence of contagion in the stock markets between the US and the UK? 1.3.2 Is there evidence of contagion in the stock markets between the US and the EU? 1.3.3 Are there discernible contagion effects between the UK and EU stock markets? 1.3.4 Are there contagion effects between Australia the one hand, and the US, the UK and the European stock markets on the other hand? The findings that were generated by the answers to the foregoing questions are expected to shed light on the main research problem and lead to a valid and acceptable conclusion. 1.4 Significance of the study The study is significant because of the persistent nature of financial crises and the phenomenon of financial contagion. Since globalization, financial crises and contagion have become repetitive, continuing, and constantly evolving. The last great crisis in the US was the Great Depression ushered in by the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The effects of this crisis was largely contained within the US since national economies then were relatively isolated except for international trade, and the speed and volume with which transactions were carried out was slow and low enough to keep the economies sufficiently separated as to prevent any contagion from taking place. The next significant crisis took place four decades later, in the 1973

Extended Disk Leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Extended Disk Leadership - Essay Example Many people usually think that a leader should be a person who can be feared by his or her subjects so that they can not dare to go against the wishes or instructions given. I have just realized that this is a very wrong notion, as a leader who is feared is a threat to the organization as it is possible that the subjects will not be free to share ideas with him or her. Considering the fact that I am social, I believe that this can motivate my subjects as they would be free to tell me anything that they feel is important that I should know, as I will have created a conducive environment for their operations, which consequently motivates them to perform better. One thing that I do not always like is making all the decisions of most of the decisions in whichever group that I am part of. This is a characteristic that a good leader should possess as no one is always one hundred percent right. All the stakeholders should always be involved, as some of the workers who are normally overlooke d or even considered as lesser beings always have some good and constructive ideas that can help in the growth of an organization to a large extent. When the employees are involved in the decision-making process, they are made to feel as if they are part of the organization, which even motivates them further (Extended Disk Leadership Analysis, 2011). Therefore, this Extended Disc analysis has been of great importance to me since it has enabled me to see the qualities of a good leader that I did not know.

Analyze any two themes in Edgar Allan Poes short story, The Tell Tale Essay

Analyze any two themes in Edgar Allan Poes short story, The Tell Tale Heart - Essay Example It is quite difficult to ascertain a particular genre onto the story because as Reilly puts it, this is an ‘ultimate mystery story’; however, the reader will immediately notice the discrepancies between the classical detective genre and Poe’s work. In a classic detective story, the plot is centered around guessing who the murderer is, however, Poe’s stories are not whodunits, rather, they are concentrated on the psyche of the murderer. ‘If there is a mystery in these tales, it is the mystery of motive: not who did it, but why. Poe’s fascination with the idea of a crime without a clear motive has proved to be one of his richest bequests to later writers.’ (Benfrey, 29) One of the themes in Poe’s story is of a murder sans motive. It is closely interconnected and interwoven with the theme of madness and obsession that leads to this murder, inexplicable to a ‘sane’ person. The topics of insanity and guilt are dominant in many of Poe’s works like in ‘Berenice’, ‘The Black Cat’, ‘The Fall of the House of Usher’, ‘The Murders in the Rue Morgue’, ‘Metzengerstein’, ‘William Wilson’, and are very often developed by the writer from an unexpected angle. To begin with, it is necessary to take a quick look at the plot of the story in order to understand the themes of the story. ‘The Tell Tale Heart’ is a story told along the lines of a monologue narrated by an unnamed character – an aspect dominant in many of Poe’s works. The narrator of the story is often referred to as ‘unreliable’ – his credibility is questioned due to his clear mental disorder. This may be understood as a ploy to puzzle the mind of the reader (Benfey 30) and to create that special mixture of suspense, absurdity and fatality, peculiar for Allan Poe’s short stories. The main character (traditionally considered to be a man, though there are no evidences that this could not be a woman) confesses that he murdered an old man to an

Should Gay Marriages Be Legalized Essay Example for Free

Should Gay Marriages Be Legalized Essay With the world going through a state of change, the society across all countries have begun to change their mindset. We have witnessed the different kinds of changes through new inventions and ideologies; some for the better and others for the worse. Today, gay marriage also known as a union of the same biological sex, is one of the most controversial ideas presented. In this essay, the topic about legalizing gay marriages will be discussed such as how gay marriages are a negative repercussion to the society by defining ‘marriage’ in the eyes of the law and addressing concerns about the legalization of gay marriage. There will also be an argument of why gay marriages should be legalized by redefining marriage from an unbiased point of view and providing supporting evidences that gay marriage is of no difference from same-sex marriage. First of all, what is marriage? The law has defined marriage as the formal union of a man and a woman by which they become husband and wife. Many believe that legalizing gay marriage would weaken the definition and respect for the institution of marriage. According to the U. S.  Census Bureau, the divorce rate of first marriage is around 50 percent; second marriages are at 60 to 67 percent and third marriages are at 73 to 74 percent. (Gini, 2012) With divorce rates higher than they have ever been, critics argue that allowing homosexuals to marry would only contribute to an ever-crumbling institution. Thus, it is believed that legalizing gay marriage would increase the number of joke or non-serious marriages. Secondly, it is believed that legalizing gay marriage would affect every nations future as it leads to a lower birth rates and psychology disorders. The traditional family which consists of a man, a woman, and a child has always been the building block of every society. By legalizing gay marriage, research has shown that same-sex marriage would eliminate the incentive for procreation that is implicit in defining marriage as a male-female union as there is definite evidence of at least a correlation between same-sex marriage and low birth and fertility rates, both in the U. S. and abroad. (Sprigg, n. d. Apart from that, it is believed that gay marriage would also result in more children being raised in same-sex households which are not an optimum environment because both a Mother and a Father are essential figures for any child’s upbringing. Studies have shown that girls who are raised apart from their fathers are reportedly at higher risk for early sexual activity and teenage pregnancy. † (Ellis, 2003) â€Å"Children without a mother are deprived of the emotional security and unique advice that mothers provide. (Stacey Bublarz, 2001) If children were exposed to an alternative lifestyle since birth, they are more likely to experiment and date people of the same gender. This could be a vicious cycle of the human beings that our world will not be able to afford. Thirdly, there is an infringement of gay rights on religious liberty since homosexuality is considered sinful by most religions. According to a statement from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope John Paul II, marriage was established by the Creator with its own nature, essential properties and purpose. No ideology can erase from the human spirit the certainty that marriage exists solely between a man and a woman. (Ratzinger, 2003) This has proven that legalizing gay marriage would be incompatible with the beliefs and traditions of many religions. Thus, by demanding the majority of the religious population to accept a relationship which is against their religion, it is not only deemed as offensive but also, morally and ethically corrupted. With all the cons mentioned above, I am sure one would be swayed to oppose to the idea of legalization of gay marriage. Having that said, I believe gay marriage can also be perceived from a different light such that one would think twice before opposing and even learn to accept the legalization of gay marriage. First of all, I would like to re-define marriage from an unbiased point of view: Marriage is a celebration of the unconditional, life-long commitment between two individuals. For better or for worse, they are always ready to share all of life, to love, to cherish and engage in the fullest of communication, the deepest of understanding, and the strongest of personal loyalty and trust. Since marriage only involves two individuals who are deeply in love, should it matter that the couple is of the same sex? Should it matter that the couple does not fit into what the society used to be? Should it matter since this form of marriage isnt hurting the society or anyone at all? If the answers to my questions have been a consistent no, then why should we stop the legalization of gay marriage? Since young, most people have been taught to cherish freedom, encourage differences and never discriminate against other races, then why cant we stop discriminating homosexuals too and accept them for whom they are by legalizing gay marriage? People have to understand that homosexuals are humans too and we are all given the same equal rights. As Hilary Clinton have stated, gays and lesbians are our colleagues, our teachers, our soldiers, our friends, our loved ones and they are full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship — that includes marriage. (Clinton, 2013) No doubt that it is difficult for discriminations to be omitted in any society in the world but no government should be the one discriminating. As such, by legalizing gay marriage, it will be killing two birds with one stone since it allows both the government to set a good role model for its people and also, the homosexuals to have their very own freedom to love and to make their own decisions. Secondly, marriage does not only revolve around pro-creation. If marriage is only about reproduction, does it mean that infertile couples would not be allowed to marry too? Since the ability or desire to create offspring has never been a criterion for marriage, why should we allow pro-creation to obstruct the love of two individuals? George Washington, often referred to as the Father of Our Country, did not have children with his wife Martha Custis, and neither did four other married US presidents. (Talbot, 2010) Since marriages between a man and a woman do not necessarily end in offspring due to physical problems or personal choice, we should not hold on to the concept of procreation as essential to the marriage bond. Hence, pro-creation should never be a reason why we should not legalize gay marriage. Additionally, gay marriage will make it easier for people to adopt children. However, people worries over issues such as confusion amongst children about gender roles and expectations of society which would consequently lead to psychological disorders and increase in social problems if gay marriage had been legalized. They are worried about how schools are going to teach their children the difference between â€Å"same-sex marriage and opposite-sex marriage. In my opinion, there is no difference and instead, children should always be taught how to embrace all kinds of love since love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, as preached in the bible. Studies have also found that children of gay fathers were as well-adjusted as those adopted by heterosexual parents, (Gatrell Bos, 2010) and children of lesbian mothers were rated higher than children of heterosexual parents in social and academic competence and had fewer social problems. (Farr et al. , 2010) This has shown that, on the contrary, gay marriage would provide an environment that is just as good or even more conducive for children. As such, this unduly worries of legalization of gay marriage are truly redundant. Lastly, despite the fact that gay marriage is considered sinful by most religions, there has been an increase of religious organizations voicing their support for marriage equality. Parrella (2004a) mentioned Marriage offers us the ideal human setting for us to surrender our own self-importance and discover, through intimacy with another, the real heart and center of the universe in God—whether one uses the word God or not. This unconditional giving of ones self is at the core of a sacramental marriage in the Catholic tradition. . This has shown that it stays true even if a person is a homosexual as this sacramental understanding of marriage can also be applied to two individuals of the same gender. Moreover, a gay or lesbian orientation is not up to ones choice or decision but it is simply the way an individual is. Since all that matters to God is what is in the hearts and souls that God has given to us and that we seek to give to one another (Parrella, 2004b), it is only fair for us to give homosexuals their freedom to express themselves by legalizing gay marriages. In conclusion, although the legalization of gay marriages will lead to negative impacts on the society, it does not justify denying a person his equal rights just based on his/her sexual orientation. Moreover, recent statistics have shown that support for the legalization of gay marriages has risen dramatically in the past decade as younger generation with more accepting views are replacing older generation in the population. This can be seen by using data from 98 national surveys conducted between 2004 and 2011, â€Å"75% of the growth has come from people changing their minds. † (Lewis Hatalsky, 2013). Ultimately, marriage is the celebration of lifelong commitment between two individuals, regardless of gender. Hence, gay marriages should be legalized.

Green sustainable supply chain

Green sustainable supply chain Environmental changes across the world have generated a movement to identify the causes of global warming and develop solutions to end it before it is too late. In an effort to achive this, many countries are creating laws and regulations with the specific aim to reduce carbon emissions and greenhouse gas effect. The truth is that environmental change is upon us. Not only do we have climate problems but we are also dealing with a resource depletion issue. With economies like India and China growing at double digit rates, the population of the world continues to grow creating shortages of many resources that we use to take for granted. Many consumers, stakeholders and businesses are becoming more involved in the growing green movement. Influenced by customer loyalty shifting towards environmentally friendly products, businesses are trying more and more to make their supply chains greener by introducing sustainability strategies throughout their organizations and supplier relationships. The recent focus on sustainability has resulted in a growing need for integrating environmentally safe choices into supply chain management practices. The concept Green Sustainable Supply Chain Management GSCM can be defined as the process of using environmentally friendly inputs and transforming them through change agents into outputs that can be reclaimed and re-used at the end of their lifecycle therefore, creating a sustainable supply chain. The whole idea of a sustainable supply chain is to reduce costs while helping the environment. 2. Sustainability and Profitability A Green Sustainable Supply Chain integrates ecological factors and supply chain management principles to identify the environmental impact of an organizations supply chain processes. Businesses are becoming aware of the importance of this integration to enable a sustainable business strategy. Many are now seeking out solutions and guidance on how to implement a sustainable supply chain. A sustainable supply chain should not be only optimal for the organization, but also optimal in terms of a limited environmental impact. The sustainable supply chain is no longer exclusively about green issues, but also about generating efficiencies and cost containment. As organizations restructure to reduce their companys environmental footprint, supply chains have become a key area of focus. Many people think that being environmentally friendly increases costs. In the past, most of the companies were focused on reducing unit costs. Only later, many companies could do the change and look instead at total landed costs with the on-set of global trade. Some companies also started looking at the usage costs with a piece of equipment- total cost of ownership TCO.   Sustainability is a tremendous weapon for companies to reduce their costs. There are many facets of the supply chain that could be improved by looking at it from a sustainability point of view. The consulting firm A.T. Kearney released an analysis of businesses submitting information to the Carbon Disclosure Project that finds more than half of them along with 25 percent of their suppliers are generating cost savings as a result of adopting sustainable supply practices. It is a major action because they believed that at least half of the carbon emissions attributable to some global companies are generated in their supply chains. The Carbon Disclosure Project 2011 Supply Chain Report, which covers 57 global companies and more than a thousand of their supply chain partners, shows that 86 percent of those companies derived value out of addressing their supply chain processes as part of a corporate sustainability initiative. PepsiCo. Is a very good example of this, A.T. Kearney reports that the company saved more than $60 million in energy -16% reduction per-unit across its beverage plants as the result of managing the carbon associated to those activities. Walter Todd, the vice president of operations for PepsiCo UK and Ireland, where many of these savings took place, says: â€Å"With a robust strategy and proven benchmarks in place, PepsiCo set out to engage and educate suppliers about potential opportunities to innovate their own operations. By providing suppliers access to the same energy assessment tools we use in our own operations, weve seen a mutual return on investment.† Pepsi-Co also saved around $44 million by switching from corrugated to reusable plastic shipping containers for bottles. Other major companies have also reported significant savings thanks to a sustainable supply chain strategy: Dell is saving over $20 million annually as a result of packaging improvements. They achieved its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2008. One of Sherwin-Williams facilities reduced disposal costs from $95,000 to around $39,150 in less than two years through source reduction, refurbishment of metal containers, and recovery of fiber and steel. Texas Instruments is saving $8 million per year by reducing its transit packaging budget for semiconductor business by implementing source reduction, recycling and reusable packaging systems. Raymour Flanigan Furniture has saved more than 15 million pounds of waste after renovating a building to serve as a recycling center, now they have the capacity to prepare scrap polystyrene, plastic film, and cardboard for market. Commonwealth Edison generated $50 million in financial benefits from managing materials and equipment by taking a lifecycle management approach to production management. Dow Corning saved $2.3 million by using reconditioned steel drums in 1995 and conserved 7.8 million pounds of steel. It is interesting to notice how several companies have developed new revenue sources on the waste they used to throw out. If a sustainable supply chain can be developed, money can be saved by not having to dispose harmful by-products, reduce of obsolescence, decrease the spent on scrap and resources spent on complying its regulatory issues. Another key issue that sustainable companies are focusing on is the logistics and transportation of the product. A simple action such as filling the trucks as full as possible can represent significant savings; Dell has increased its average truck load and worked with UPS to optimize delivery strategies. Multinational company 3M has developed an innovative system to install adjustable decks in trucks.   By placing pallets on two levels they were able to reduce the number of daily truckloads by 40% and save around $110 k per year. Sustainability can be profitable. Improvements in transportation efficiency, operations, raw material selection and packaging are all in the top of the list of green sustainable supply chain initiatives. 3. Sustainability as a competitive advantage Greener supply chain management practices represent a competitive advantage thanks to the increasing customer awareness and regulatory norms. Across industries, there is also a shift in the focus of GSCM programs from compliance to creating value for customers and shareholders. The implementation of Green Supply Chain initiatives has evolved from strictly a compliance issue into a means of generating value. The following table shows how to create value out of traditional cost compliance, including environmental, safety and health business contributions. More and more companies are using sustainability as a competitive advantage to grow market share within their industry. A green supply chain usually pushes the organization towards an improvement of their products, processes, quality and productivity. It can also be considered as an enabler for innovative decisions and brand differentiation improvement. GE now has an Ecomagination program focused on growing their revenue stream from environmentally friendly products to around 20 billion dollars by 2011. They recognized the opportunity associated with saving the environment.   Nowadays many companies are offering customers environmentally produced power and charging a premium for that offering. The green initiatives also help a company to maintain and enlarge their customer portfolio. Environmental concern and social responsibility are now considered as an important part of a succesful business strategy. All competitors are under same market force to change their direction and priority towards a more green initiative, therefore, efforts and investments on this area are becoming more and more important. In addition, more countries will enforce importers to import green products to their nations with tax incentives and this will trigger the chances to do global business. In the same direction, new product development should not be only the responsibility of product design and engineering department; it should also include the fully team-work among marketing, engineering, procurement, logistics and materials operations in order to find the best solutions, like how to ship the products effectively, how to ensure that processes will not generate hazardous wastes and emissions to the environment, what green components can be purchased, what is the optimal packaging size and re-cycle materials to pack each prodcut, etc. In brief, companies have to consider the new product development process as part of the green supply chain strategy. The development, implementation and commitment of green supply strategy are not only to fulfill the customer needs; but also to meet general publics expectations to improve and enhance the role in social responsibility and environmental concerns. In exchange, the company will gain sustainable competitive advantage in the industry. 4. Sustainability and Suppliers Management One of the bigger issues facing companies these days is the actions of suppliers. Companies today are being held accountable for environmental or social problems created by their suppliers. Corporate buying practices can impact suppliers ability to improve their business conduct. Pressure on cost and efficiency can force suppliers to contravene some of their own standards in order to meet their customers commercial requirements. But as the opposite effect, companies can use their purchasing power to help install best practices in small and medium-sized companies. In fact, the companies that engage their suppliers around these issues constitute one of the most important drivers for spreading corporate green and sustainable principles around the world. Collaboration is the key. Many companies are performing environmental audits or implementing rules of conduct to check the actions of their suppliers. The most successful green efforts in supply chains are based on the creation of value by sharing with suppliers and subcontractors the intelligence and know-how about environmental and emerging regulatory issues and emerging technologies. Suppliers and customers can strengthen each others performance, share cost of ownership and social license to operate and create a reciprocal value. Supply chain sustainability must be driven by the originating manufacturers that rely on deep tiers of suppliers and vendors for their products. The reported supplier human rights and environmental violations done by Apples suppliers, is an example of the challenges that suppliers face in managing or influencing these issues on the ground. Apple recently did the right thing by transparently releasing its Apple Supplier Responsibility 2011 Progress Report, which underscored just how challenging and difficult multi-tiered supply chain management can be. GE and other multi-national companies- including Wal-Mart, Honeywell, Citibank and SABIC Innovative Plastics- have partnered to create the EHS Academy in Guangdong Chinese province. The objective of this non-profit venture is to create a better trained and capable workforce of environmental, health and safety professionals and give them the management, implementation and technical knowledge to be able to proactively ensure that real performance is sustainable and integrated fully into the overall business strategy and operating system of a company. Chinese regulatory agencies are also invited to participate as well. The model that GE is using in China offers a positive example of collaborative innovation. One of the main difficulties is the enforcing of supplier sustainability, spceially in growing economies like China or India. Only a small percentage of suppliers meet the requirements in the codes of conduct- including worker compensation and environmental requirements- of major multinational companies. There are still major challenges related to wages, working hours, overtime compensation, lack of unions and social insurance. One factor contributing to the difficulties is the high presence and mobility of migrant workers. 5. Green SCOR model Green SCOR incorporated within the SCOR framework can provide immense help by offering information on best practices, waste disposal process and metrics to increase the success of Green SCOR initiatives. It also provides environmental metrics that can be included in the calculations for optimizing the supply chain. GreenSCOR focuses on the impacts of SCM in each stage of the product life cycle. GreenSCOR integrates best practices and metrics into the entire supply chain planning process. It also enables a systematic study of the supply chain to unearth opportunities for making the supply chain greener. Best practices include collaborating with partners on environmental issues, reducing fuel and energy consumption and minimizing and reusing packaging. It also includes the metrics to measure the effects of greening, including carbon and the environmental footprint, emission costs per unit, energy costs as a percent of production costs, waste produced as a percent of production and returned products disposed of versus remanufactured. Processes to address waste management, such as how to collect and manage waste produced during production and testing (including scrap and non-conforming product). It also enables more efficient use of resources and increases the visibility of financial and operations benefits of supply chain practices. Lastly, the metrics can be effectively used to monitor the progress an organization is making towards a green supply chain. By implementing this model a company increases the chance of success of any green initiative. 6. Challenges when implementing a GSC Contrary to what many people could think, making a business sustainability operational within a supply chain is becoming easier, not harder. There is more information available from procurement managers, environmental directors, design engineers, marketing, communication staff and operations managers- among others- and this deffinitely makes a difference when a supply chain decides to go green. But still big challenges like the lack of information about the green supply chain practices and the lack of tools to optimize the supply chain with environmental management makes the implementation less easy. With the trend of global sourcing tracking the carbon footprint of finished products can be difficult; however, new initiatives have emerged for adopting the practice of requesting a carbon footprint from suppliers. Barriers to global trade because of the increasing environmental regulations, more restrictions on hazardous substances, bigger emphasis on lean manufacturing and increased supplier auditing and verification are creating the critical road toward new supply chain management expectations. The seek for efficiencies in supply chain management and producing products while reducing waste is a vital imperative in a recovering economy. Shareholder value, company valuations and possible mergers and acquisitions are affected by supply chain sustainability. This impacts cash management and liquidity, for example, carbon-intensive sectors may see an increase in the cost of capital. The World Resources Institute is working on the new supply chain and product lifecycle greenhouse gas protocols that will frame the new expectations of value chain sustainability accounting and reporting. Increased attention will be paid on conflict minerals, fair labor and other social aspects of sustainability, management of hazardous substances in toys and other consumer products. It is acknowledged by all organizations that the needs of the community are as important as those of other traditional stakeholders. Larger companies are identifying the critical supply chain partners that have the greatest product impact and collaboratively address the environmental and social footprint of their products through the value chain. Consumers will play a leading role behind greater supply chain collaboration. Consumer awareness about sustainability demands a more CO2-friendly supply of products and services. Other main challenge is in monitoring sub-supplier sustainability, this has become a tough task for companies with complex global supply chains.It is the responsibility of the direct suppliers to ensure that their sub-suppliers acknowledge, understand and accept the companies sustainable requirements. However, when a supply chain is long and complex, ensuring compliance at many thousands of sub-suppliers represents a major challenge. The future of sustainability will inevitably include the sustainability of entire supply chains, not just direct suppliers One example of this recently has been Dells use of bamboo in its packaging. The company worked to secure Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification for its entire bamboo supply chain, from forest to manufacturing. The packaging is still a small percentage of Dells overall packaging needs, but it is a start. Another example could be IKEA, according to their sustainability annual report, the company is moving in the right direction. Although the company they fell short of its goal of having 30% of its solid wood sourced from verified responsibly managed forests, they are working actively to increase the number, especially in China and Russia. The company has a team of nine forestry specialists who are dedicated to the two countries and is working towards certifying forests which are closer to the production facilities of IKEAs suppliers. IKEA has the goal of having 35% of its solid wood sourced from certified forests by 2012. If companies are not able to manage product compliance such as regulatory norms, they can suffer business interruptions such as product redesigns, delayed market launches, product returns and recalls. Therefore, effective lifecycle management is a key differentiator for short-term as well as long-term to get an advantage and stable position in the market. Suuply chain network and logistics optimization is also key when implementing a GSC, inefficient transportation methods represent a significant part of the ecological problem. It has been illustrated by a recent report that found that as much as 75 per cent of a companys carbon footprint comes from transportation and logistics alone.Transportation management includes load consolidation and route planning to drive cost savings and reduction of environmental impact. Another important challenge is related to establish a reverse logistics network that supports life cycle design and demanufacturing processes. Producers are required to meet specific targets for material recycling and recovery, relative to the total amount of packaging that they have put into the marketplace. This helps to shift the responsibility for collecting packaging and end of life products from local government to producers. Reverse logistics manages the handling and disposition of returned goods, improving a companys ability to put returned goods back on the market. Companies implementing reverse logistics processes can dramatically reduce the waste going into landfills and increase opportunities to reintroduce products to market. Xerox implemented a reverse logistics solution and achieved huge financial benefits of equipment remanufactured and parts reuse amounting representing over $100 million and reduced the waste from landfills. Another important point is the ability to simulate the unpredictable events in the supply chain network flow and evaluate the supply network design frequently. Companies need to work esigning optimum supply chain networks for sustainability incorporating criteria like fuel usage and carbon emissions. Process optimization is another challenge; companies should improve the synchronization of production with customer demand and supplier capacity. The main areas of green manufacturing are reduction in energy, water consumption, waste and emissions that are part of manufacturing processes. And the last challenge I will include is the green reporting, measuring and reporting the environmental impact is the first step towards reducing them. There are direct benefits to organizations from measuring and reporting as because it gives a better understanding of the risks and exposure. Globally, sustainability and environmental reporting are becoming one of the most important management concerns due to increasing pressures of legislation as well as other initiatives. The challenge remains to quantify and report the emission and environmental footprints. It can be a time consuming and costly process that requires extraction of data from multiple systems and manipulating it to arrive at required reports. 7. Findings and conclusions Economic activity has an impact on the environment and the society; industries need to conmsider this into their business operations and costs. It is becoming critical to measure and manage the environmental and social impact of activities and procesess across the supply chain. Green practices and a sustainable supply chain have become a necessity due to both regulatory obligations and economic benefits, yes; a green supply chain can help a company to discover hidden sources of profitability. Increasingly the companies are giving more importance to sustainability to promote loyalty of customers, who are getting more aware about the socio-ecological implications of businesses. A green sustainable supply chain enables business to improve products, process and supply quality and productivity. It also pushes the company to make innovative decisions that respond to green economy requirements, by doing this, companies gain access to key markets through diverse certifications. By using a model such as GreenSCOR incorporated in SCOR version 9, the chances of success in any green initiatives increases. Some key success factors and reccomendations in the implementation of a green sustainable supply chain were identified: Stakeholders should be actively engaged in the sustainability strategies of the business. Green initiatives should be aligned with the strategic objectives of the company. GSCM Best Practices should be adopted when implementing a green supply chain. Technology and models such as SCOR should be used to enable the green initiatives. The company should boost its responsiveness to the expectations of the consumer. Green practices should be designed for minimal environmental impact, focussing the efforts to reduce packaging and in-transit damage when shipping. Planning and inventory management should pay special attention to reducing inventory and identifying optimal distribution solutions. Transportation solutions should be improved by collaboration. Procurement departments should perform lifecycle analysis for choosing products or solutions to minimize environmental impact. Suppliers relationship management should include the regular monitoring of suppliers and sub-suppliers sustainability. Benefits should be extended to the local community, as starting point.

A Film Analysis Of An Inconvenient Truth Politics Essay

A Film Analysis Of An Inconvenient Truth Politics Essay The film chosen for the analysis is An Inconvenient Truth. This is a documentary film made in 2006, directed by Davis Guggenheim and presented by Al Gore, the former Vice-President of USA and a US presidential Candidate. The film deals about global warming and climate change and it presents and explains to the public a crisis that impacts and will impact us all. This film, although not a Canadian production, was chosen for several reasons. First climate change and global warming is a global issue, affecting all people on Earth, regardless of their nationality, religion or social status. It is also a Canadian issue because Canada is a part of this global community but it also a Canadian issue because of very specific environment in the north of this country. Also, Canada is one of the biggest polluters in the world and is ranked amongst the dirty dozen: the twelve biggest producers of greenhouse gases. Second, climate change has in the last couple of years become a very important poli tical issue. The issue of global warming and other environmental issues have been widely discussed in the Canadian press while the politicians have been increasingly debating this topic. Since the public awareness about the climate change has grown (partly because of this film!), Canadian voters have made the environment a very important, if not the most important issue in deciding which party to vote for. Third, climate change and global warming have been in the center of media attention because of Canadas recent withdrawal from the Kyoto protocol. Also the Conservative governments decision to develop a national plan for the reduction of the greenhouse emissions (instead of joining the international effort) additionally raised public attention Stephen Harpers government claims that the Kyoto commitment would be too disruptive to Canadas economy, and hence the change. Finally, the global warming theorists have responded to the documentary with their counter argument; some are good, and others are weak. The proposal of this essay is to attempt to present both sides; what is presented in the film documentary, how it is debunked by supporters of the global warming theory, and what information presented in the documentary and in the response can be debunked; and what is left after the debunking. What science remains after applying science to both arguments? The film follows Al Gores lectures to mass audiences on global warming and climate change. As Mr. Gore states himself, he has given the lecture a thousand times in cities all over the world. To an average person a retired politician giving a lecture on a complex science issue may seem like something that one would probably sleep through. Yet, Gore is very passionate on the subject; the lecture is very well conceived, prepared and presented. In the film the lecture is combined with dramatic images and facts thus giving it a feeling like a good action movie. Gore is eloquent, funny and entertaining. The facts are presented in a very simple yet extraordinarily effective manner. The lecture as well as the film is most likely aimed at people who know little about this issue. However, even those who believe to know a lot may still be in for several surprises. For example, I was shocked to find out that US cars couldnt be sold in China since they do not meet the Chinese environmental standa rds! In fact, Chinese mileage standards are better than the mileage standards in Canada. An Inconvenient Truth is an excellent film, primarily because it manages to get its message across. For the first time, global warming has become a mainstream issue and everybody is talking about it. Even those who criticize the film and call it a lie are nevertheless thinking about it and acting on it. The issues of global warming, climate change and their relationship with the increase of greenhouse gases are not new. In fact as Mr. Gore states in the film, the evidence that there is an increase in CO2 levels in the global atmosphere has been around since the early 1960s. Despite this fact a controversy around this issue arose in past decades. Some sources claimed that the increase in the concentration of green house gases is not a product of human activity at all but is rather a natural process. However, this controversy was not created by the scientific community. There is no doubt amongst scientists that the current global warming is caused by human activities. They have also pr esented a range of effects that we can expect to occur. The controversy is a political creation perpetrated by popular press. As Mr. Gore eloquently tells us, there is no controversy about these facts. Out of 925 recent articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals about global warming, 0% said that that the causes of global warming are uncertain. The success and the impact of the film can be attributed to many dramatic images that are used to show the effects of global warming and which the creators use to punctuate the facts they are presenting. A good example is a photograph of Mount Kilimanjaro in Kenya, Africa. The film begins and ends with image of the Earth, landscapes, seas, lakes and sunsets. The first photo is from the 1970 and then several follow up until 2005. Each show an increasing and alarming reduction of snow and ice at the peak of the mountain with the progression of time. On the last photograph there is hardly any snow. The emotional impact is heightened with dramatic images of New Orleans after the hurricane Katrina. The hurricane was directly linked to climate change and global warming because one of the effects of global warming are more severe storms. Another segment which was chosen to touch US viewers was the one in which Mr. Gore discusses the fate of certain low-lying regions in the worst-case event of melted icecaps raising the sea-level by twenty some feet. The film does a nice job also of giving some perspective to Mr. Gores passion. He talks openly and emotionally about his son being hit by a car at the age of six, and how thinking he was going to lose his beloved child made him reconsider his priorities and what he was doing with his life. The emotion of two other events in Mr. Gores life and how they inspired his environmental activism also come across in the film: his defeat in Florida to Bush, the death of his sister, a lifelong smoker, from lung cancer and the fact that his family farmed tobacco and didnt stop until after her death. However, these are very briefly covered but still are an important piece of the story. Furthermore, Mr. Gores presentation is very straightforward, simple and precise. He gives it flavour by adding jokes, literary quotes and by using a sleek, savvy and sophisticated power-point slide show. These details make up for the lack of literally any other person addressing the audience. Al Gore and the makers of this film go to great lengths to emphasize that the problem of global warming and the issues related to climate change as well as the urgency of the need to do something about it should not be political issues. To Mr. Gore this issue is so important and the potential consequences so dire that it is necessary to put aside all political differences and to go beyond politics. Yet in the film, the authors cannot help but criticize the Republican Party for their attitude towards the environment. The scenes in New Orleans after Katrina link the consequences of the current US Administrations lack of action against global warming with the Administrations failure to act and help the people of New Orleans after the hurricane. There is a scene in which two Republican Presidents are commenting on global warming as a non-issue, an attitude that seems ridiculous at best. To Mr. Gore global warming and its consequence go beyond politics and borders: it is a moral issue. If we do not do something to stop it we will be acting unethically. Nevertheless, he does not steer clear of politics. He compares our current attitude of doing almost nothing against global warming to the attitude of world powers in the 1930s while the Nazi were rising to power in Germany. Although it should not be a political issue because global warming is a fact and not an opinion or one partly or the other, nevertheless it is clear that it is now exactly a political issue. People are divided amongst two groups. In the first group are those who agree that global warming is taking place, that it is caused by human activities, particularly fossil fuel burning and that it is causing dire consequences. In the second group are those who believe that the current global warming is a natural occurrence and that it is not caused by human activity and that therefore nothing needs to be done about it. The first group are usually liberal, environmentalists; the second group are people in the oil and automobile industry, conservatives, Republicans. Hence, in this way global warming and problems surrounding it actually become a political issue. Mr. Gore states in the documentary that he wants to reach as many people as possible one city at a time. However it is more likely that p eople who share views with him will be the ones that will watch the film. Those who oppose them, will not want to see it. Yet the film will also reach those that are undecided or more importantly know little or nothing about global warming. Some may know a little bit about global warming but be unaware of the far-reaching consequences it may have on the global climate. It is these people that the movie is targeting. The main message of the first movie is that global warming is real and is happening, that humans play a significant role in what is happening, and if we continue to neglect what is happening the future could bring catastrophe on a global scale. What Mr. Gore and the authors of the film are doing is simply offering up the growing mountain of scientific evidence that backs this argument to as many people as possible in a simple and approachable fashion. The idea of the film, much like the idea behind Mr. Gores lectures is to inform as many ordinary people as possible. Global warming has become a political issue, although as Mr. Gore argues it is an issue that goes beyond politics. The political aspect cannot be ignored particularly because of Mr. Gore political history and because the USA is currently all but ignoring the topic of global warming. The film documentary The Great Global Warming Swindle (2007), by director Martin Durkin, features some of the worlds and certainly the United States most highly credible and respected scientists in a discussion on global warming. The scientists are taking the position that global warming is occurring, but that it is more scientifically seen as the natural forces of nature as opposed to the man-made greenhouse gasses or CO2 put into the atmosphere by mankind. Their argument about global warming as a natural occurrence is compelling, and convincing. At the foundation of this argument, which has garnered great support, including celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, and political force, like former Vice President Al Gore who has made a film about mans abuse of fossil fuels; is the notion that global warming is bringing about climate change that is responsible for everything from the melting of the icebergs at the north pole, to tidal waves and hurricanes (Gore, A., An Inconvenient Truth, 2006, motion-picture). In response to the allegations that mankind and, especially, that CO2 regardless of who put it into the air; mankind, plants, the residual of the decaying plant and life processes. A group of scientists, including highly respected Professor Tim Ball, of the University of Winnipeg; Professor Niv Shaviv, University of Jerusalem; Professor Ian Clark, University of Ottawa; Professor John Christy of the University of Alabama and lead author International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Professor Philip Stott, University of London; Professor Richard Lindzen, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; and others from Harvard and other highly respected universities around the world. Have come together on film, loaded with scientific information which, if it does not refute mankinds responsibility for global warming, at least demonstrates that there is a lack of scientific evidence to support that contention. Because it is highly controversial, and because these scientists have taken the unpopular position of anti-CO2; they have now been called names like heretic and have even been the subjects of death threats because of their outspokenness. It is not, they emphasize, to be unpopular to contrary to a popular notion, but to refute bad science, they say, that they come together in this way to present the other side, the scientific side, of global warming that is not found in Al Gores very popular film on mankind generated global warming, An Inconvenient Truth (2006). Anytime a cause has the huge special interest of the environmentalists, responsible for preventing exploitation of fossil fuels in the pristine Alaskan range; and add to that mix the celebrity of Hollywood and the political clout of the man from whom the 2000 presidential election was stolen from, Al Gore, then you have an emotional, but highly powered, or fueled, group of advocates. It is not that their goal of alternative fuels is not an admirable goal; only, contend the scientists of The Great Global Warming Swindle, that it is, at best, bad science, and, at worst, responsible for keeping the third world nations in the dark because of their support and influence in preventing development or industrialization in third world nations. Carbon dioxide, the scientists of The Great Global Warming Swindle, contend, has always had a fluctuating presence in the earths atmosphere, and that it is a relatively small amount in the atmosphere. The data, they contend, shows that there is a surface warming of a slight level, but no atmospheric warming. The recent warming of the earth, they contend, happened in the early part of the 20th century, and, if the CO2 theory were valid, it would be reflected in the data that shows that the most significant increase in human generated CO2. Professor Ian Clark has examined ice samples going back thousands of years, but that link between CO2 and the weather, but that the CO2 levels lag behind the temperature increase by 800 years. So when the temperature rises, behind it, consistent with historical data, the CO2 rises. The most fundamental assumption of climate changes because of CO2 is proven wrong, the scientists say. In fact, that the CO2 increases in the atmosphere is more easily proven scientifically to be consistent with global cooling, than global warming. Other natural bodies, like the oceans, are the source of CO2 than is the modern technology of mankind.The scientists say that the global warming, now, is a result of coming out of a mini-ice age, and that during that time, which predates modern civilization, the temperatures were much cooler than those times going back to the little medieval period, when in fact the temperatures were much higher than temperatures today, and during a period when mankind could not have had any responsibility for putting CO2 into the atmosphere. It is not, these scientists contend, CO2 that drives climate change. They do agree that climate change is occurring, that the global warming is occurring; but that it is more related to the activity of the sun, solar flares, solar winds that pass close to the earth, than mankinds generating CO2 into the atmosphere. It is important to understand that these scientists do not disagree that there is a need to find alternative fuel sources, or that environmental conscientiousness is a good thing; they do, however, adamantly maintain that they cannot stand back as scientists and allow to be put out as fact and good science, when in fact it is not.

Essays --

Laser treatment is being employed for several applications including wound healing, bone repair, pain-relief, etc. The basic principle of laser therapy relies on the absorption of photonic energy by molecular photoacceptors (chromophores), leading to a photochemical reaction. This photochemical reaction results in the generation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and heat, which are known to play a crucial role in laser-induced damage. This study explores the role of specific heat in affecting laser-induced damage. By using the formula, H = msÃŽ ¸ (H being Heat, M being Mass; S being Specific heat, and ÃŽ ¸ being change in temperature), it was speculated that a change in specific heat would affect rise in temperature and hence cytotoxicity induced by the laser. Therefore, the specific heat of different solutions was measured using a calorimeter-like setup. Once the specific heat of different solutions was determined, cells (HaCaT, Human Skin Epithelial Cells and NOKSI, Normal Oral Keratinocytes) were treated with solutions of varying specific heat capacities and assessed in laser damage. It was observed that in lowering the specific heat by using various cell culture solutions, there is a sharp increase in temperature at lower laser doses, leading to increased damage to cells. Further, a robotic arm is being assembled to characterize the heat dispersion during clinical therapy, with the aim of mimicking manual operator hand motions and helping simulate clinical therapy in further lab experiments. INTRODUCTION There are three primary phases of wound healing—inflammation, tissue formation, and tissue regeneration. It is a dynamic, interactive process involving soluble mediators, blood cells, extracellular matrix, and parenchymal cel... ...of glycerol is indeed cytotoxic. When treating the cells with a 1.7W laser, the 10% FBS solution proved to be the most effective in preserving cell viability, due to its high specific heat capacity. Future goals of this experiment will strive to determine whether the laser-induced killing is through heat, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation, or some other factor. In Aim 2, we were able to capture the precise clinical operator movements in multiple dimensions using the precision 6-axis sensor. We recently completed construction of our robotic arm and are in the process of programming using the clinical data captured with the sensor. This robotic arm concept is expected to greatly stabilize the laser motions, and will certainly be a beneficial and revolutionary application in not only lab experiments, but also experiments dealing with animals, such as mice.

Emily dickinson Essay examples -- essays research papers

Emily Dickinson’s poetry powerfully indicates values of society of the time. It does this through its conciseness, its simplicity and its control. Indications of society’s values are seen in many of Dickinson's poems, but they are especially noticeable in ‘It was not Death’, and ‘Because I could not stop for Death’. In Dickinson’s poem ‘It was not Death’, she demonstrates how restricting and stereotyping society can be on an individual, and how society values the conformity of the whole community, even though they may not want to. In Dickinson’s poem ‘Because I could not stop for Death’, she is questioning society’s values on religion and everlasting life. Emily Dickinson’s poems analyze her perception of the world and society, which is different to that of the commonly accepted, objective perception. The reader sees this perception in her poem ‘It was not Death’, where Emily appears to perceive a world full of confusion and chaos. She also observes that society tries to place people into stereotypes, and feels that she herself is restricted to one. The Figures I have seen Set orderly, for Burial, Reminded me, of mine – Dickinson shows in these lines that her own life reflects that of a dead persons – it appears to be a living thing, but lacks something that makes it alive. It seems that life is a convential pattern, and she is conformed in society just like the people in the coffins. She resents the way that in her society people were heavily placed into stereotypes. As if my life were shaven, And fitted to a frame These lines express Dickinson’s thoughts about the restrictions of her life in her society. The fact that her life was ‘shaven’ seems to give the image of being cut down to size with a razor to fit her frame, and this is a very sharp image. It also seems to hold connotations to the times of torture and the methods they used, and she may be suggesting that the rest of society make her life torture. It is as if her whole life has been shaped and trapped, which is not by its own nature, and from which it can not escape. Emily Dickinson also gives the impression of confusion and chaos through the verse techniques employed in her poem ‘It was not Death’. There are a mixture of images which give the impression of confusion and chaos. In the poem there is action (‘I stood up), sound (‘Bells’), frost, heat (‘Siroccos’, ‘Fire’), shipwreck (‘Without a Ch... ...else, it just simply stops, whilst you are still aware of it. Since then – ’tis Centuries – and yet Feels shorter than the Day I first surmised the Horses’ Heads Were toward Eternity – The lack of punctuation in the last stanza is to show breathlessness and panic as the woman realises that she has come to a state of eternity, and also emphasises that this is a long time – forever. This is how Emily Dickinson shows her theory of eternity after death, which contradicts the values of the rest of society. Values of society of the time can be seen through Emily Dickinson’s poetry. She powerfully shows society’s values of conformity in her poem ‘It was not Death’, as well as how she and many others were expected to fit into stereotypes, even if it meant sacrificing their natural state. This is shown through the form of the poem and the poetic devices that are used. ‘Because I could not stop for Death’ powerfully shows some of society’s values by contradicting them. Emily Dickinson displays her own beliefs on what comes after death, and they are certainly not to do with an afterlife in Heaven, or other religious beliefs. These are examples of how Emily Dickinson’s poems are powerful in

Retrofitting To Reduce the Carbon Footprint of a Household :: improving energy efficiency

Executive summary This report aims to explain the interconnected nature of human behaviour and the result it has on the residential environment. Despite finding that human behaviour changes from household to household, it can be concluded that human behaviour and activities ultimately has an impact on our energy consumption. Hence, this report details the finding on how different retrofitting measure that may be invested in can change the energy consumption of a household, lower their annual running costs and carbon footprint. In the processes of researching different measures of improving energy efficiency, I also analyse my own house and determine measures I could take to further improve our consumption and what behavioural changes my family and I can make to modify our habits. I look at retrofitting measures including; energy conservation measures, heating, insulation, lighting, PV cells, solar hot water, water tanks and windows and doors, and determine the disadvantages and estimates of total costs that are associated with each selection. Table of contents Title page 1 Executive summary 2 Table of contents 3 Introduction 4 Building description 4 Retrofitting measures 5-6 - Energy conservation measures - Heating - Insulation - Lighting - PV cells - Solar hot water - Water tanks - Windows and doors 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 Three most beneficial measures 6-7 - Energy conservation measures - Water tanks - Windows and doors - Consideration and rejection of measures 6 6 6 7 Conclusion 7 Appendix 8-9 References 10 Introduction Sustainable housing is a major part of residential development and is increasing getting larger. Sustainable development aims meet our needs while not depleting resources and not compromising the ability for future generations to meet their own needs (Green Building Council Australia, 2014) because the capacity of our world is finite. The phases of a building’s life cycle impacts greatly on the environment and it is a system encompassing the extraction and processing of raw material, the embodied energy in construction and manufacturing, transportation and distribution; use, reuse, maintenance and recycling and final disposal of waste (Khasreen, M, Banfill, P & Menzies, G 2009, p. 676). Human interactions and behaviour also impact upon energy and resource consumption within the residential environment and contribute to our carbon footprint and hence changing and modifying our actions and habits can have a great impact of the lifestyle we lead. This report will detail the findings of many sustainable technologies that are available commercially and aim to reduce our impact on the environment through retrofitting, to modify the efficiency of household components. It will also factor in the disadvantages and costs involved in retrofitting efficient energy measures. Building description The house I am currently residing in is a single story, fully detached dwelling, built in the late 1970s and is a 758sqm property in Templestowe.