Today’s Society That Effect Teenagers

There are many things in today's society that effect teenagers. Throughout high schools students mindset are not very stable and they are willingly to follow the crowd. These messages can come from not only other students but from music videos,magazine advertisement television commercials, talk shows and sports. When you were a little kid, your parents usually chose your friends, putting you in playgroups or arranging playdates with certain children they knew and liked. Now that you're older, you decide who your friends are and what groups you spend time with. It's natural for people to identify with and compare themselves to their peers as they consider how they wish to be (or think they should be), or what they want to achieve. People are influenced by peers because they want to fit in, be like peers they admire, do what others are doing, or have what others have. Teenagers face many acts that pressure them to act or try to look a certain way. Peers are a powerful force in the life of a teenager. Negative peer pressure can persuade a teenager or child to shoplift, drink alcohol, take drugs, smoke cigarettes, cheat at school, vandalize property, bully other students, skip school and participate in racist and discriminatory behavior. When it seems like everyone else is doing something-dressing a certain way or acting a certain way-teens feel a tremendous pressure to go along with the crowd and be like everyone else. Most teenagers don't want to stand out as being different. Everyone wants to fit in. No one has to say anything to a student but just observing their peers will create peer pressure to be like them. Teen magazines have a high impact on the mindset of the teens and they seem to be very influenced by the information that is provided. For example,a magazine that is personally one of my favorites seventeen a world wide magazine has a section thats dedicated for tips on teen dating. They no longer give the right message of how you should wait for the right person to come along to take the plunge but instead they teach you how to attract the â€Å"hottest† guy and how to keep him. All this talk puts a lot of pressure on the teen girls to have a guy who's in which leads to other problems such as disease,pregnancy, and even rape. Although their are many things that pressure teenagers in negative ways,there are also positive things that are being held and can be done in the world today. So many things such as girls/boys convention, clubs, and Internet logs can be formed to help shape teenagers mindset in positive ways so they can grow into young adults that are needed in the future. the person they need to be. All teenagers face some kind of peer pressure whether it's something extreme as doing drugs to fit in or as little as picking on the class dork. Either way the outcome of peer pressure is never good and a small helping hand can change not only a single person's entire life but a society. † we are the future,so why not start preparing for tomorrow. â€Å"

Sugar And Children

Hypothesis – The more sugar that a child consumes, the less attentive the child will be. If too much sugar is consumed the child may become very active for a short time then crash. ï‚ ·Independent Variable – In safe dosses increase the amount of sugar the children consume in a given time period before having them take a short test to track their attention. ï‚ ·Dependent Variable – Have each of the children take a short test to determine how their attention was affected with each dosage of sugar. ï‚ ·Confounding Variable – List any and all affects that may not be a result of the sugar consumption.Survey Methodï‚ ·Random Sample – Allow at random a few different children from the population of children to take part in the survey. If you must recruit children for the survey then do it in a manner that will get an average of the complete population of children. Such as selecting a child from every five children alphabetically.ï‚ ·Biasing à ¢â‚¬â€œ Avoid asking questions that forces the children to fit your preconceived notion or interpretation. Do not use questions such as: Do you not feel that too much sugar causes you to lose concentration or your attention when taking a test. Instead reword it like this: How do you feel that the consumption of sugar affects your attention when taking a test. Set up questions to obtain the child’s grade and their preferences of sweets like how many and what product they consume. Compare and ContrastBoth Methods offer valuable insight to our original question. Survey Method will allow you to effectively gain data at a much faster pace. Experimental Method allows for a controlled environment and establishes a cause and effect from your experiment. While the Survey Method is a very fast way to gain insight, it is sometimes hard to refrain from showing bias in your questioning especially if an outcome is already interpreted. It is also hard to guarantee a true average of the tota l population of children when doing the Survey Method. In my opinion the Experimental Method is clearly the better choice for it establishes the extent of which sugar consumption affects the child’s attention and is done in a controlled environment.

A Business Plan to introduce Clean City Ltd

A Business Plan to introduce Clean City Ltd This document serves as a Business Plan to introduce Clean City Ltd, a registered Limited Company that was formed in January 2010. The sole purpose of Clean City’s business will be to solely engage/enforce the sorting of garbage, its collection, transportation and delivery/disposal to recycling plants and dumping sites, our main focus being recycling plants. What is Waste Management? Waste management is the collection, transportation, processing, recycling or disposal, and monitoring of waste materials, while Recycling is the process of re-using a given product (beyond its intended use), or producing a new product from a recyclable material. Nairobi’s population is approximately 4 million, 44% Kenyans fall below the poverty line, meaning approximately three quarters of Nairobi’s population falls under the urban poor category. In Nairobi, approximately 1,530 tonnes of garbage is generated daily and as illustrated in the Pie Chart below, approximately 1,130 tonnes of garbage rots uncollected close to its source, or is burnt in homesteads, dumped at illegal landfills or dumpsites or is collected by Non Governmental Organisations and Community based groups. Due to economic hardships and the high rate of unemployment, we have seen an increase of people migrating from rural to urban areas in search of better prospects to support their immediate families and/or dependants, and more often than not, most of these people eventually reside in low class areas such as the Kibera Slums or Peri-urban areas such as Gachie, Ongata Rongai, etcetera. Approximately half of the Kenyan population is based in Nairobi, and most of these migrants find themselves close to fragile areas such as rivers, valleys, steep slopes and adjacent to sewers or dumps. Nairobi City Council whose mandate is to provide and sustain a clean and healthy environment in Kenya has been unsuccessful due to its failure to formulate and adopt clear and comprehensive strategies that take in to account all aspects of waste management; its reluctance to involve stakeholders and to educate the general public on taking responsibility for their garbage disposal; and its manner in which it has disseminated information on the inherent dangers of inadequate attention given to waste management, or lack thereof. The Council’s Systems and Methods adopted to manage solid waste have failed to conform to the minimum requirements stipulated in the Environment Management and Co-ordination Act (EMCA) 1999, Part 11, Section 3(i). Generally it is poor governance. It is very sad indeed to witness adult pedestrians, motorists and passengers’ alike, ditching rubbish on footpaths, streets and roads without giving a second thought to the negative effects of their actions and having no regard for the beauty of Kenyan’s Capital, the Green City in the Sun. Majority of our young citizens, that is, our children, who are our leaders of tomorrow, innocently litter anywhere and e verywhere outside their homes and/or school premises, and in many instances this habit grows uncorrected because these young impressionable children mirror what many of us adults do resulting in a vicious cycle. Many of Nairobi streets and footpaths are littered with rubbish ranging from maize cobs, cigarette butts, fruit skins to plastic papers.

Political Economy and Economics Research Proposal

Political Economy and Economics - Research Proposal Example The term political economy is used in yet a third sense. â€Å"It is the name of the science, which treats of this nation-wide complexus of economic activities.† (Knight, 2005) The subject matter of political economy: Political economy studies the laws, which cover the functions of production and exchange of material means. Both important functions constitute. Production is an independent function but the exchange is dependent on production since exchange can only be done of products. Although the external influences affect both of the two functions but in order to put up with these external influences both the functions have their own laws. Production and exchange are the major activities, which constitutes the economics curve. The circumstances affecting these two functions can be different in different countries. The difference in time span in which both of these functions are practiced can also change the notion of political economy. â€Å"Political Economy belongs to no nation; it is of no country: it is the science of the rules for the production, the accumulation, the distribution, and the consumption of wealth. It will assert itself whether you wish it or not. It is founded on the attributes of the human mind, and no power can change it.† (Speech on the Irish bill, 1870)

The Strategic Threats Facing Google Research Paper

The Strategic Threats Facing Google - Research Paper Example Moreover, the firm was far ahead of other search engines because their search results were of high quality, and due to this, the company has become very popular and successful. Besides being so popular, the firm employs several people globally; moreover, it has always been ranked as one of the best firms to work for. The firm has acquired several firms to enable it to continue being innovative. In the year 2003, it acquired Applied Semantics Inc, which advanced the advertising campaign of the firm. In the year 2006, Google acquired Writely, and as the end of 2006 approached, it acquired YouTube by outbidding other competitors for $1.65 billion. Similarly, early in the year 2007, the firm at $3.1 billion acquired Double click. The firm has acquired several other firms since then; one of them is Tonic Systems. The mission statement of the firm, which is to sort out the worlds’ information, makes it available and helpful to its users; moreover, this statement refers to their goals; however, it is not reflecting how the firm is supposed to earn profits and revenue. Moreover, the mission statement of the firm does not provide a timeline but it just states the end-result. However, the mission statement of Google is very original and distinctive and very relevant, thus, it should not be altered. Google is an internet search engine. It enables individuals to get information that is kept in several other sites. The main product or service of Google is internet search; it also enables individuals using the internet to search for single words or word combinations. Other than being a search engine, Google also advertises the products and services of other firms, which is also another source of revenues. Besides, Google has a number of online productivity tools and some of them include Gmail, which is a free webmail and Google voice talk. The major source of  revenue for Google is its advertising services, AdSense, as well as AdWords. Advertising contributes to 99% of the total revenues of the firm; in this case, firms make payment to Google to put their AdWords on Google sites as well as in its affiliates.  

1) Do standardized tests measure your ability Essay

1) Do standardized tests measure your ability - Essay Example Standardized tests are common in USA and many other countries around the world. Standardized tests are administered to students mainly at mid-term and also at the end of the term. Despite the widespread usage of standardized tests, however, the question of the efficacy of the standardized tests in measuring the students’ ability is a highly controversial issue. A critical look at this debate shows that the use of standardized tests to measure students’ ability is not effective. This paper gives an argument to show that the standardized tests do not accurately measure students’ ability. To begin with, one of the reasons why the standardized tests do not accurately measure the students’ ability is that most of the time, the questions used in the standardized tests covers only a small portion of the syllabus. In other words, it is not possible for the questions used in the standardized tests to cover everything leant in the syllabus (Garrison, 2009). For this reason, it is possible for the questions used in the standardized tests to cover only the aspects of the syllabus that some students have not understood well or are not good at. For that reason, some students fail in standardized tests not because they are not intelligent, but because the aspect of the syllabus covered by the questions is the aspect that they have not grasped well or they are not good at. This fact shows that the use of standardized test to measure the students’ ability is not an effective way of testing the students’ ability. Secondly, the standardized tests do not take cognisance of the fact that some students may be poor in written exams but very good at oral exams (Popham, 1999). There are, of course, many bright students who fail their written exams, not because they are not intelligent, but simply because they are not good at written exams.

Current event speech about hospitality law Essay - 1

Current event speech about hospitality law - Essay Example As an enterprise in the hospitality industry, the ADA requires all the participants to provide these services to ensure fair and non-discrimination against the disabled (Gibbons n.p.). The discriminatory lawsuit falls under the Americans with Disability Act that requires all public premises to have designated parking for the disabled. In addition, this parking should be properly labelled to preserve it strictly for the target individuals. In addition, there should be a continuous path constructed to facilitate movement of the disabled. Furthermore, the hotel must have a lift and a Jacuzzi as well as other facilities that ease movement and enhance comfort for the physically handicapped (Gibbons n.p.). Therefore, the failure to provide these amenities, and meet the constitutional demands constitute to violation of the ADA compelling the plaintiff to take legal action against the hotels. Gibbons, Timothy. â€Å"Two Dozen Jacksonville Area Hotels Hit with Disability-discrimination Lawsuits - Jacksonville Business Journal." Widgets RSS. Ed. American City Business Journals, 3 Feb. 2015. Web. 4 May 2015.

Human Resources Management and Organisational Dynamics Essay

Human Resources Management and Organisational Dynamics - Essay Example n on existence for 23 years; now, it is acknowledged as the largest independent business process outsourcing (BPO) player in Asia, employing no less than 2,000 Filipinos. Its expanse of BPO services diversely cover medical transcription, data conversion / encoding and software support services, mainly delivered for Fortune 500 blue chip companies. One of the strategies of SPI is to find and select employees who have the right orientation towards work and productivity right at the onset. SPI advocates the idea of a right hire resulting to a quick start. Based on strategic objectives and plans, competency requirements are laid down on a per position - per level basis. These competencies then become the basis of all HR systems, linking these systems clearly and logically. These same competency requirements then become the basis for targeted selection, against which potential employees are behaviorally assessed. This implies that right at the start – at the first step – of hiring, that SPI employees blend well into the organization’s culture and business strategy. Competencies are general descriptions of the abilities necessary to perform a role in the organization. These are usually described in measurable terms. They differ from job descriptions – while job descriptions typically list the tasks or functions and responsibilities for a role, competencies list the abilities needed to conduct those tasks or functions (McNamara, 2005). Assessing an individual’s specific strengths and development needs as they relate to the success profiles across levels of supervisors, managers and executive is a key component to selection, development, and promotion decisions.  Information and data used to drive these decisions must be accurate and objective. Targeted Selection is a system designed to meet the needs of a diversified workforce, offers a solution to common selection problems. Targeted Selection takes a systems approach to selection decisions: All aspects

Fictitious Business Description Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Fictitious Business Description - Essay Example When choosing suitable HRIS, there are a lot of factors or questions to consider. The following are just few of the important factors to consider. One of the most important things to consider is to know the degree of flexibility and scalability that the HR information technology software provides. This should address if the software can import data from multiple Excel spreadsheets, databases, and paper documents and the level with which it can interface with all kinds of systems and data. Another factor to consider is if the software can accommodate the rules of the company and the benefit carriers as to make sure that each enrolment activity will be evaluated and necessary combination of rules can be applied. The next thing to consider is the ability to grow as the company grows with new employees, offices, benefit changes and rules. The capability of the software to integrate with other systems should also be considered. The company should also know who is responsible for implement ing or building the solution and must have a clear understanding of the level of training and expertise required and amount of time expected. The data should make sure that the data is owned by the Human Resources organization. Company should also take a look at the upkeep and maintenance required. There are still numerous questions to consider. ... Within the human resource management area, these decisions include recruitment decisions; job analysis and design decisions, training and development decisions, and employee compensation plan decisions. In a Tactical Information System, this type of information system includes Job Analysis and Design Information Systems, Recruitment Information Systems, Compensation and Benefits Information Systems, and Employee Trainings and Development Systems. The Job Analysis and Design Information Systems can help Mr. Morgan in his problem about answering questions and communicating with his employees. This information system is designed to take care of the information inputted to the job analysis from interviews with workers, supervisors, labour unions, government, competitors and other external sources (Types of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), n.d.). The output from this will provide Mr. Morgan the basis for strategic human resource decisions. The Recruiting Information Systems will be very helpful to Mr. Morgan. This information system will collect and process the information needed to create a plan which includes the list of vacant positions, with the corresponding responsibilities and requirements; list of employees for transfer, termination, retirement and even summaries for appraisal of employees (Types of Human Resource Information Systems (HRIS), n.d.). The other component of tactical HRIS is the Compensation and Benefits Information Systems which will help Mr. Morgan in taking care of the employees’ payroll. This information system will help the company when it comes to the payroll of employees by taking care of the information

The Black Hearts of Men Essay Example for Free

The Black Hearts of Men Essay John Stauffer, in his book The Black Hearts of Men sets out to make one simple point through four men. He aims to bring to light the unified and revolutionary goals of what he describes as â€Å"the only true revolutionaries† among antebellum abolitionists. These were John Brown, Frederick Douglass, Dr. James McCune Smith, and Gerrit Smith. By describing for the first time these personalities and their actions as a form of sociological struggle, Stauffer sheds new light on a dark moment in American history One of the goals that Stauffer is intent upon is proving that these important figures beliefs were more than just religion and reform but more specifically religion and class. This is an important distinction, because by attempting to prove this the author will show perhaps a bit more far reaching importance of their work. Rather than treat them as isolated agents of change, he treats them as representatives of a social construct. This then lends more credence to their ideals and the criticism of the society in which they lived. Stauffer does an especially good job in proving this in chapter entitled Glimpsing God’s World on Earth. Here, nearly contrary to the title he analyzes this view. Especially focusing on the better known John Brown (as compared to the others in the book), he shows that the struggles to change society were just that – an effort to change equalities of classes – and not just a blind attempt to change laws. Another important facet of Stauffer’s writing appears to be his rejuvenation of the history of Gerrit Smith. Despite the fact that the book features aspects of the very well known Douglass, and the infamous Brown, it is the focusing of narrative on Smith that sets this book apart from others on the subject. In this way, too, he restresses the vitality of his original point about the abolitionist movement being part of a greater class struggle, and therefore more important to America’s history than generally related. Each chapter returns to Smith in some way and with some new angle, to bring out the key figure’s integral part in the events. This in an unexpected thing, and again is successful. Chapter 5, Bible Politics and the Creation of the Alliance shows how this is accomplished. What is expected is a religious treatment on how everyone should be equal and loved. However, what is discussed is Smith’s vision: that the Bible is a socio-political tool that can be used not to justify merely universal love, but as a catalyst for social change. It is Smith that is given credit by Stauffer, and perhaps very justly, for the larger guiding principles of the movement. The third function of The Black Hearts of Men is to bring out into the open the unjust blindness the country has regarding Smith, Brown, Smith and Douglass. Even worse is the general ignorance of them shown by even their contemporary abolitionists as soon as 1874. According to Stauffer, the history of these men, their aims and their achievements began to fade as soon as their alliance was broken. Certainly Douglass’s fierce orations on the subject of slavery are remembered in textbooks today. Likewise, John Brown and his daring raid on Harper’s Ferry are also found in popular retellings of the Civil War. However, there is no mention neither Gerrit Smith, nor Dr. James McCune Smith. In point of fact, these latter two are not only unmentioned, but are completely forgotten throughout history in its popular sense. Perhaps worst of all, Stauffer implies, is that the connections between even the two remembered figures are severed. There is no sense of a joined movement or ideals between the two. They are just revolutionaries who are known for their behaviors and actions, not shared sense of a larger, social and class related revolution. They were out to form the perfect world – but are only known as abolitionist icons. John Stauffer’s aims of his book are far-reaching and accomplished. The Black Hearts of Men is successful because it accomplished the relation of its purposes. It brings to light the unified and revolutionary goals of what he describes as the true revolutionaries among antebellum abolitionists and their personal histories are properly rejuvenated. Most importantly, the book succeeds in showing just how much more there was to the abolitionist movement – not just revolutionary zeal, but agent for sociological change. ? BIBLIOGRAPHY John Stauffer. The Black Hearts of Men: Radical Abolitionists and the Transformation of Race. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 2001.

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation

Basics of collective bargaining and its effects within globalisation a. What may McDonalds have considered in order to establish their approaches to collective bargaining in both Germany and the UK? To answer the above question we first need to know about basics of collective bargaining where Collective Bargaining is defined as the process of turning disagreements into agreements in an orderly fashion. Collective bargaining is the process followed to establish a mutually agreed set of rules and decisions between unions and employers for matters relating to employment. This is a regulating process dealing with the regulation of management and conditions of employment. Collective bargaining is used as the negotiation process between employees and employers with unions acting as the representatives of employees. The entire process depends on the bargaining powers of the concerned parties. The process of collective bargaining is to settles down any conflicts regarding the conditions of employment such as wages, working hours and conditions, overtime payments, holidays, vacations, benefits, insurance benefits etc. and management regulations. Players involved in collective bargaining: Employees Management Corporate organization Unions In line with the above definition McDonalds may have considered the approach and settings of collective bargains as an important issue of employee relations. The German setting and approach McDonalds may have considered establishing their approaches to collective bargaining in Germany: The traditional collective approach to Employee Relations (ER) in German companies is deeply rooted in the particular configuration of the German Industrial Relations (IR) system. This is characterized by a high degree of regulation and a dense, encompassing institutional infrastructure that imposes a uniform set of institutional constraints on companies, but at the same time provides incentives for employers to accept institutional constraints (Lane, 1995; Soskice, 1994). McDonalds, to establish its approaches to collective bargaining this ER and IR framework may have been considered in first instance. In addition, the institutional structure is highly integrated with strong linkages, not only within the IR system, but also to the wider German businesses system. Key elements of the German model, to which the majority of German companies subscribe, are the centrally co-ordinated sector based collective bargaining system and employee representation at domestic level via the works coun cil system equipped with statutory participation and consultation rights. Food industry in Germany is not beyond this mechanism where McDonalds considerations regarding collective bargaining approach must have encompassed with statutory participation and employee consultation and codetermination rights. Indeed, German employers have to negotiate a densely structured institutional framework inside and outside the company level. The German approach to collective bargaining is also underwritten by strong labor market legislation and an elaborate welfare system. Despite growing interest in individual bargaining style direct employee involvement mechanisms, their uptake has so far been comparably modest in German companies (Sperling, 1997). Because of the wide ranging rights of information, consultation and co-determination in the German food industry, the use of individual voice mechanisms is relatively unimportant in the German setting where collective bargaining still has the paramount influence. Therefore, in the international context, McDonalds may have considered a propensity to support a collective approach to ER in their international operations by recognizing trade unions, engaging in collective bargaining and establishing strong workplace level employee representation systems. Nevertheless, the twin pressures arising for subsidiaries of McDonalds in Germany from heightened international competition and reunification, which have led to a tendency to erode some of the elements in the German system. As employers McDonalds may have considered demanding for a more flexible, deregulated and decentralized IR system, especially in relation to collective bargaining. It seems to have gradually weakened the consensus on the benefits of the traditional collective ER approach. Throughout the 1990s, a process of incremental internal reforms to the system has progressively broadened the scope for flexibility and strategic choice in companies. Yet, this has so far been accommodated within the parameters of the flexible adaptation potential of the current system in the form of regulated flexibility and centrally co-ordinated decentralisation, pointing to a path dependent trajectory of change. Emerging ER in German companies may perhaps be described as a flexible collective approach to ER. However, it seems not entirely clear at this particular juncture whether the growing pressures of international competition can be arrested in the future within the current system by the process of negotiated and consensual reforms, or whether these pressures will lead to the disintegration of the German model. In the latter case, the possible future ER approach in German companies could than no longer be described as flexible collectivism but may move towards the individualistic Anglo-Saxon approach. Indeed, trade unions and employers associations are already losing members, which starts to challenge the traditional structure of the organisational foundations of collective bargaining and hampers the achievement of unified strategies. Despite the recent reforms, there has also been a growing incidence of disorganised decentralisation, whereby employers tend to ignore the terms of collective agreements frequently in co-operation with works councils (often as a quid pro quo for safeguarding jobs). They establish pay provisions and working time arrangements which violate the collective accords, thereby contesting the adaptation potential of the system. Large German companies increasingly tend t o insert the strategic use of DFI and the threat of locational flexibility into their negotiations with works councils to secure such deals. As one of the major employers in German food industry McDonalds may have considered the above set of changing conditions. The UK Setting and the UK Approach to Employee Relations In contrast to Germany, the contemporary British system of collective bargaining is characterized by a weak regulatory framework and a thin, fragmented institutional infrastructure, which imposes relatively few barriers and constraints on labour relations practices. The fragmentation of the institutional structure goes hand in hand with weak linkages both within the IR system and in connection to the wider national business system which obviously includes food industry in the UK. Because of the relative permissiveness of the contemporary IR context, the UK seems to be a particularly suitable country for McDonalds, as subsidiary, to explore the country of origin effect in international operations, since home country approaches to ER can be transferred relatively unconstrained by host country institutional arrangements. However, to uncover the existence of possible ownership effects it is necessary to establish the differential space between the home and the host country ER approaches. Contrary to the German experience, no distinct stereotypical UK ER approach can be identified. Traditionally the cornerstone of labor relations was the pluralist workplace industrial rela tions system, which subsequently collapsed in the 1980s in the wake of the neo-liberal labor market policies under the Thatcher government. These reforms are most important issue to be considered in establishing collective bargaining approaches in the UK which have encouraged employers to dispense with collective labour relations and to individualise ER along the lines of US style HRM by end of the 1990s a collective approach to ER is no longer representative of the economy as a whole, but is increasingly confined to the public sector and a dwindling minority of private sector companies. In the private sector, trade union recognition collapsed throughout the 1980s and 1990s and with it the incidence of workplace level trade union representatives. The institution of collective bargaining dramatically declined. By 1998, two-thirds of private sector employees had their pay fixed by management decision without any union involvement. Non-union channels of interest representation, such as staff representatives of joint consultative committees (JCCs) (the weaker version of the German works councils), are relatively rare and also in decline. They have not filled the vacuum left by the dramatic decrease in union recognition and workplace level union representatives. There is large and growing representation gap in the UK and an absence of any kind of collective voice mechanism in the majority of firms. In those firms where a collective approach to ER still occurs, it takes place within a changed power balance between employers and collective labor actors and on a decentralized basis. With the retreat of the collective ER approach there has been much discussion and expectation that HRM style direct ER may become a major feature of British ER. Although direct employee involvement methods have become increasingly common among UK workplaces, various studies point to a rather ad hoc and sporadic adoption of such practices. Companies with comprehensive HRM involvement packag es are far from the norm. Furthermore, a large percentage of them tend to be firms with trade-union recognition (WERS 1998). The combination of the low incidence of a collective approach of ER and the high incidence of comprehensive HRM style employee involvement schemes found in firms with a collective ER approach, indicates that many companies have not developed a coherent alternative approach to collective labour relations, other than the unfettered reign of the management prerogative. Here, employees are neither represented by collective voice mechanisms, nor do they enjoy a comprehensive individual voice mechanism. In case of establishing McDonalds may have considered those conditions and changing mechanisms to establish their approaches to collective bargaining efficiently. National Legislation: National legislation must have been considered by the McDonalds in establishing their approached towards collective bargaining within the industry both in UK and Germany. In the UK legislation there is no specific preference regarding the mode of employee or industrial relationship for MNEs like McDonalds. So McDonalds is well known as anti-union giant in the UK and their approach towards collective bargaining is strictly negative. In Germany on the other hand, has a highly regulated industrial relations system which, in theory at least, provides considerable constraints on the employee relations practices of MNEs. As a result McDonald had to thing the statutory bindings and regulations constraints regarding approaches to collective bargaining. Codetermination and collective bargaining rights The McDonalds in case of both Germany and UK has considered these rights as a different approach. German workers enjoy a dual system of representation, collective bargaining rights and co-determination rights through the institution of the works council and the supervisory board. Together with codetermination and collective bargaining rights, these legally enforceable and constituted rights appear to provide German employees with significant power resources compared to UK employees. So McDonalds must have considered the issues of the both rights of the employees before establishing their bargaining approach. Size of Franchise: The McDonalds corporation established itself in the UK in 1974, in Germany in 1971. The corporation currently has well over 800 stores in Germany amongst approximately 65% outlets are franchisee where in there are a similar number of stores in the UK with some 20% franchisee with approximately 45,000 employees in each country. In this case being a fast-food market leader in both countries McDonalds have considered the size of franchise. The franchise aspect influence collective bargaining issues through local entity and regulations involvement. So size of franchise is also a factor that may have been considered. Unioin Membership: McDonald also may have considered Union membership. German unions are arguably better organized and have retained a position of relative strength compared to those in the UK. Union membership at McDonalds in Germany and in the German fast-food industry is very small at around 5 per cent. However, these low percentages are still higher than the percentage of union membership at McDonalds and the fast-food industry in the UK. So this issue is an important consideration in establishing Macdonalds collective bargaining approach. The increasingly anti-union climate: The increasingly anti-union climate in the 80s and early 90s has encouraged Macdonalds in the UK to withhold or withdraw union recognition, and discouraged employees from joining unions and posed difficulties for recruitment. In Germany, union membership remains at around 5 per cent at McDonalds. The findings suggest that it is only where a works council has been established where still there is better union practice than the UK. So this consideration may have been involved in planning McDonalds approach towards collective bargaining. Characteristics of Workforce and Nature of the industry: McDonalds have considered both the factors in case of both countries to design its approach towards collective bargaining. Redundancy and employee apathy: Redundancy and employee apathy amongst part-time, temporary, foreign or young workers undoubtedly play an important role in the low or non-existent levels of union membership. So this factor may have been considered in both UK and Germany. Strong corporate culture: Strong corporate cultures are seen as instilling appropriate behaviors and. This is essentially what is argued here with regard to the non-union approach of McDonalds in both the countries. McDonalds Anti-union belief: McDonalds is basically a non-union company and intends to stay that way. About unionization in the UK once McDonalds stated thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.. unionization has risen its ugly head over the years, but you know, we feel that we offer a good deal to people, all kinds of ways in which we can communicate, so that if there was a problem they can bring it to management, we feel that we dont need unions. But in Germany McDonalds never been outspoken like in UK about union. Public image Macdonalds has a big public image and brand reputation which may have been considered both in the UK and Germany to establish collective bargaining approaches. Employer Associations Employer associations in Germany are stronger than UK. So the MsDonaldS approach in the UK is different from that of Germany. b. How may McDonalds have considered individual bargaining as an alternative or additional approach in both Germany and the UK? What benefits and/or problems may this have brought in both countries? Individual bargaining: Individual bargaining is the process by which an employer and an employee negotiate an ndividual contract of employment, regulating the terms and conditions of employment. Differing Approaches to Employee Relations at the Collective and Individual Level: Managing the relationships between employees and employers grows more complex and more critical every year. You need a strong relationship between employers and employees to navigate the human resource minefields of sexual harassment, employee threats of violence, equal employment opportunity, executive compensation, plant closing and relocations, and downsizing and workforce restructuring. Basically, employees have a relationship with their employer/s, and the success of this relationship influences the success of the company. Collective and Individual relations refers to two of the main types of relationship between the two parties. Individual Bargaining: Advantages The main advantage of individual bargaining is it is a single voice and thus there is no conflict in matters Another advantage of individual bargaining is that it expresses the views and opinions of one person and thus there is no compromising Individual Bargaining: Disadvantages The main disadvantage of individual bargaining is that the manager will not take a lot of notice of just one persons views or opinions and therefore nothing will happen Thus there is not a lot of chance that individual bargaining will have an influence on company decisions and policies. Collective Bargaining: Advantages The main advantage of collective bargaining is that the manager will not take a great deal of time in deciding on what action to take on an individual level. The employees have greater influence in the final decision the manager will take. There is also a chance of the employees getting what they demand. Collective Bargaining: Disadvantages The main disadvantage of collective bargaining is that it is seen as depriving the individual worker of their individual liberty and voice. The major changes in the industrial relations in UK i.e. a shift away from collective bargaining towards individual argaining were in the favour of McDonalds own strategy. The turn down in the union membership in both UK and Germany also helps McDonalds to practice the individual bargaining in their organization. Benefits: Improvement in the relationship of management and workers within the organization as it is evident from the statement of John cooke McDonalds US Labour relations chief as: We feel that we offer a good deal to people, all kinds of ways in which we can communicate, so that if there was a problem they can bring it to management. As employees are generally unaware of their rights they can take advantage of the situation to save their costs. As example is given cleaning of uniforms. And also regarding pay, performance related pay, probation and notice for redundancy, paid leave. Individual workers can never be a threat for McDonalds where there may have a chance in the existence of trade union. Disadvantages: Loss of public image in Germany that subsequently decrease their sale growth in German market. Large compensation need to provide for violating employees rights in different work place. How may the approach to collective bargaining in Germany and the UK influence employee relations for McDonalds internationally? McDonalds opposition to trade unions is now well-documented; however, the extent to which it can operate without unions or can avoid or undermine collective bargaining with unions and/or statutory works councils varies considerably in different countries and over time. Consequently the ability of national unions and their GUFs to improve pay levels and conditions of work has been limited, variable and by no means static. This is nicely illustrated by McDonalds operations in New Zealand where the corporation responded pragmatically to changes in government and labour legislation, excluding unions from and then returning to collective bargaining ahead of law reforms aimed at strengthening unions in 2000, but continued to keep unions out of its restaurants wherever possible. Attempts to regulate McDonalds employment conditions are therefore an ongoing struggle in which without pro-union labour law, unions have little chance of organising workers and even less chance of establishing collective agreements. This may come as no surprise in countries such as the and Ireland where unions have had either no success or short-lived successes in gaining union recognition only to be denied before collective agreements can be established or enforced. However, even unions located in countries with more stringent labour legislation (e.g. Denmark, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Germany, Sweden and Norway) have had varying success in achieving some improvements in employee representation, pay and conditions of work and even where improvements have been achieved they are often under threat. Union attempts to increase the number of union-backed works councils and establish a company-level works council (Gesamtbetriebsrat) have completely failed, resulting from a number of sophisticated union-busting practices. Furthermore, despite some success in persuading McDonalds to accept collective bargaining in Germany in the late 1980s, McDonalds withdrew from collective bargaining in 2002 and has threatened to deal exclusively with a yellow union. In Denmark, where average union membership is much higher than Germany and labour law is equally stringent, McDonalds only agreed to bargain collectively after a year of conflict and boycotts involving other Danish unions and support from Finnish and Swedish unions in the late 1980s. McDonalds has tried to roll-back the basic terms of such agreements ever since. Nevertheless, in Sweden, Norway and Denmark, McDonalds workers do enjoy better conditions of work and higher pay than in other European countries and the USA itself. However, even in those countries it is very difficult to establish union representatives in the outlets, something which experience shows is essential if such collective agreements are to be properly enforced in. Despite these difficulties European unions have undoubtedly had some success in bringing McDonalds to the bargaining table, especially where sector-level bargaining is in effect compulsory and where labour law is more stringent and supportive of union rights and collective bargaining. What additional or alternative methods could support good employee relations for McDonalds? Consider the role an HR function could take? The HRM approach to employee relations can be described in terms of several prescriptions. An HRM model for employee relations focuses on a drive for commitment meaning that the focus of the organisation should be to win the trust, motivation and commitment to the organisation, participating in its development opportunities. Emphasis is on mutuality, meaning that employees share common goals, the vision and mission of the organisation. Communication within the organisation follows an established set of procedures that are agreed formally or informally and may include briefings, meetings with representatives, etc. HRM emphasises the shift from collective bargaining to individual contracts. Employee involvement is fostered and a number of techniques and approaches are followed to support their involvement. Total quality management aims at continuous improvement of quality. Another initiative is flexible working arrangements and focus on the life-work balance through harmonisation of conditions for all employees. Finally the support of employee communities of practice and team spirit are of high priority. Employee relations describe as in terms employee communication, employee involvement, employee rights and employee discipline. Armstrong has identified the elements of employee relations as follows: Formal and informal policies and practices of the organisation. The development, negotiation and application of formal systems, rules and procedures for collective bargaining, handling disputes and regulating employment. Policies and practices for employee communications. Informal and formal process regulating the interactions between managers and employees. Policies of the government, management and trade unions. A number of parties including state, management, organisations, trade unions, employees, etc. The legal framework. Institutions (e.g. ACAS) and the employment tribunals. The bargaining structures, recognition and procedural agreements enabling the formal system to operate. Employee relations processes Figure Reconciliation of interests between employers and employees According to the Industrial Relations Services there are four approaches to employee relations, namely: Adversarial meaning that employees are expected to follow the targets identified by the organisation. Traditional meaning that employees react on management proposals and directives. Partnership meaning that employees are involved in assisting the organisation and consensus is reached in decision making related to policies. Power sharing employees are involved also in daily management apart from policy making. Employee relations policies act to disseminate its preferred approach with respect to the relationship it wants to have with its employees and the empowerment of employees for certain activities. Employee relation policies cover several areas, including: Trade union recognition meaning decisions with respect to the recognition or derecognition of certain unions and preferences of the unions the organisation prefers to deal with. Collective bargaining meaning the identification of those areas that should be covered from such a negotiation. Employee relations procedures meaning procedures such as redundancy, grievance handling and disciplinary actions. Participation and involvement meaning the extent to which the organisation shares power and control with its employees. Partnership meaning the extent to which a partnership with employees is desirable. The employment relationship meaning the extent to which employment terms and conditions are controlled by collective agreements or individual contracts. Harmonisation meaning the harmonisation of terms and conditions of employment arrangements. Working arrangements meaning the extent to which unions are involved in the determination of working arrangements. Employee involvement is central to employee relations as Bratton and Gold discuss. Employee involvement can be described in terms of the form of involvement (whether it is formal or informal), the level of involvement in the organisational hierarchy and the degree of involvement. Across these three employee involvement dimensions several types of involvement can be rated from the lower ones in terms of empowerment, involvement and organisational level to the higher ones. The following situations are ranked in an ascending order in terms of all three dimensions of employee involvement: Communication -> Financial Involvement -> Problem solving groups -> Quality circles -> Cross functional teams -> Self directed teams -> Collective bargaining -> Worker directors -> Works councils. Employee involvement can be described as an involvement-commitment cycle, a communication cycle that builds an internal culture encouraging initiative, learning and creativity. The cycle consists of the following stages: Managers perceive the need for involving employees in decision making Introduce new forms, employee involvement and open communication mechanisms Greater autonomy and input into decision making Increased employee job satisfaction, motivation and commitment Improved individual and organisational performance. As a group of HR practitioners discuss different approaches to industrial relations and identify which one would be most suitable for an organisation that must resort to significant redundancies in order to survive an economic crisis and new entrants in its industry sector.

Causes of the American Revolution Essay -- Essays on American Revolut

There was no one event that started the American Revolution. This paper will address the problems that lead to the start to the American Revolution. The colonists believed that they should live democratically. Britain felt that they owned the American colonies and they could use their resources in any way that they wished. The colonists did not want to live being ruled by another country. The major events that led to the American Revolution were the French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and Lexington Concord. The French and Indian War was between the French and Indians, against the American colonies and English. This seven year war lasted from 1754-1763. During this time the French controlled the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as well. They began building forts in those areas. The French soon expanded their areas into the British territory. In 1754 George Washington was sent by the Governor of Virginia’s to evict the French Fort Duquesne (which was built where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers come together). Washington stumbled upon a French scouting party and had his men open fire. He ended up killing 12 French men and wounded 22. After this event the war was on. The first two years the French and Indians defeated the British. It began poorly for the British. The British army was led by General Braddock. He tried to capture Fort Duquesne but the French succeeded in defeating the British force and General Braddock was killed. The British sent more resources to America and they slowly started to capture the French Forts. In 1759 -1760 the British won the Battle of The Plains of Abraham, captured Montreal and thus completed the capture of Canada which effectively ending ... ...fire that was, by that time, unavoidable. The major events that started the Revolutionary War were French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and Lexington Concord. Works Cited â€Å"REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Birth Of A Nation.† www.historycentral.com .2000. MultiEducator, Inc. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/causes.html â€Å"The American Revolution (1754–1781)†. www.sparknotes.com. 2011. SparkNotes LLC. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/revolution/summary.html â€Å"American Revolution†. www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu. H.C.I.S.D. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu/coakhist/amrev.html#TOP â€Å"The Battles of Lexington and Concord†. www.theamericanrevolution.org. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=1 Causes of the American Revolution Essay -- Essays on American Revolut There was no one event that started the American Revolution. This paper will address the problems that lead to the start to the American Revolution. The colonists believed that they should live democratically. Britain felt that they owned the American colonies and they could use their resources in any way that they wished. The colonists did not want to live being ruled by another country. The major events that led to the American Revolution were the French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and Lexington Concord. The French and Indian War was between the French and Indians, against the American colonies and English. This seven year war lasted from 1754-1763. During this time the French controlled the Mississippi River and the Ohio River as well. They began building forts in those areas. The French soon expanded their areas into the British territory. In 1754 George Washington was sent by the Governor of Virginia’s to evict the French Fort Duquesne (which was built where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers come together). Washington stumbled upon a French scouting party and had his men open fire. He ended up killing 12 French men and wounded 22. After this event the war was on. The first two years the French and Indians defeated the British. It began poorly for the British. The British army was led by General Braddock. He tried to capture Fort Duquesne but the French succeeded in defeating the British force and General Braddock was killed. The British sent more resources to America and they slowly started to capture the French Forts. In 1759 -1760 the British won the Battle of The Plains of Abraham, captured Montreal and thus completed the capture of Canada which effectively ending ... ...fire that was, by that time, unavoidable. The major events that started the Revolutionary War were French and Indian War, Stamp Act, Boston Massacre, Boston Tea Party and Lexington Concord. Works Cited â€Å"REVOLUTIONARY WAR: Birth Of A Nation.† www.historycentral.com .2000. MultiEducator, Inc. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.historycentral.com/Revolt/causes.html â€Å"The American Revolution (1754–1781)†. www.sparknotes.com. 2011. SparkNotes LLC. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/revolution/summary.html â€Å"American Revolution†. www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu. H.C.I.S.D. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.harlingen.isd.tenet.edu/coakhist/amrev.html#TOP â€Å"The Battles of Lexington and Concord†. www.theamericanrevolution.org. Web 8 June 2015. http://www.theamericanrevolution.org/battledetail.aspx?battle=1

Piaget and Vygotsky: The Psychology of Cognitive Development Essay

This essay concerns the psychology of cognitive development. Cognitive development can be explained in terms of the acquisition, construction and progressive change in thought processes such as memory, problem-solving and decision-making that occurs from childhood to adulthood (in Smith, P.K., Cowie, H & Blades, M. 2003). Major pioneers in this area and whose work has been the foundation of much research in cognitive psychology are among Jean Piaget’s (1926) and Lev Vygotksy’s (1978). A common understanding between the two rest on the idea that cognitive development in children occurs through stages, however, their approach in identifying these stages highly differ (in Smith P.K. et al., 2003). Piaget’s account of cognitive development has been one of the many influential theories of time, receiving great recognition and popularity. According to Piaget children possess an innate capacity to learn human language and skills and are born with and acquire schemas (in Smith P.K. et al., 2003). Schemas are an internal representation of our surroundings which construct of a framework of cognitive processes that help us organise or interpret situations formal (in Passer, M., Smith, R., Holt, N., Bremner, A., Sutherland, E., & Vliek, M. 2009). Piaget proposed that cognitive development was restricted if schemas did not reach a threshold level (in Smith P.K. et al., 2003). In addition, Piaget further theorised that children actively construct their own world as a means of understanding their environment. The more actively engaged a child is with their environment, the more they will learn (in Smith P.K. et al., 2003). Along with this, Piaget contended that children need to be psychologically mature in order to understand the world a... ...ialisation (in Smith P.K. et al., 2003). Moreover, Siegler, (1986 in Passer, M. et al., 2009) argued that Piaget’s stages seemed to be incompatible with reality claiming that children are able to perform tasks that are ascribed to a specific stage in a different stage therefore not being consistent with Piaget’s assumptions. In conclusion, it is evident that both Piaget and Vygotsky acknowledge cognitive development in children as a process and view the child as an active learner. However, it is important that we distinguish between their different stages of development. Works Cited Smith, P.K., Cowie, H. & Baldes, M. (2003). Understanding children’s development. (4th ed.). Oxford: Blackwell. Passer, M., Smith, R., Holt, N., Bremner, A., Sutherland, E., & Vliek, M. (2009). Psychology; Science of Mind and Behaviour. (European Edition). New York.

Computer Addiction Essay -- Technology

Technology today is progressing at an exponential rate with new devices being released practically daily. With each new invention comes new and exciting possibilities as well as ever growing temptations and danger. One such pitfall many have fallen victim to is that of computer addiction. Computer addiction can be defined as the obsessive use of computers that interferes with daily life. This addiction has been shown through many activities over computers such as video gaming, chat rooms, and net surfing to just name a few. In order to truly understand what computer addiction is one must understand the symptoms and motivations that lead one to become addicted. Computer addictions have been found in every race, gender, and socio-economical class in America, and yet many still view it as pure laziness. While it is still widely disputed many psychologist recognize it as a valid mental disorder. Like many addictions the origins of computer addictions cannot be accurately identified as there are always many causes of such addictions. Some psychologists speculate that the origins lay in our increased reliance on computers. The majority of people are required to use computers in their professional lives and throughout their educations. This reliance coupled with increased time restraints may lead to individuals to spending longer periods of time on the computer. A recent study was conducted by Robert Kraut at Carnegie Mellon University in which one hundred and sixty nine individuals from ninety three diverse households in the Pittsburg area were monitored during their first two years of internet use. By using monitoring software and surveys Dr . Kraut was able to establish a direct correlation between the amounts of internet use to a... ...lcoholics Anonymous. Regardless of the treatment sought, professional help is needed in order for addicts to overcome the dependency on computer time. As technology progresses more and more people are drawn to computers for their professions and education. If caution and restraint is not maintained some will become addicted, and this will have a tremendous impact on their personal and professional lives. Many have fallen prey to computer addictions and some have paid with their lives. Works Cited James Fearing, Ph.D. Computer / Internet Addiction - Self Diagnosis. n.d. 25 April 2009. . Spaith, Judith. "Sony Online Entertainment: EverQuestor EverCrack?" Journal of Business Ethics 58 (n.d.): 3–6. Williams, Ian. Vnunet. 01 March 2007. 25 April 2009. .

Kizza, Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age Essay

CS 300 Week 2 Kizza Chapter 4 – Ethics and the Professions pages 65 to 96 Kizza, Ethical and Social Issues in the Information Age, 3rd. Edition, ISBN 978-1-84628-658-2. |Chapter Number and Title: 3 Ethics and the Professions | |Your Name: Brent Robles | |Today’s date: 02NOV09 | |Briefly state the main idea of this chapter. | |A continued discussion of ethics in a professional atmosphere. | |2. List three important facts that the author uses to support the main idea: | |The four themes discussed are evolution of professions, the making of an ethical professional, and the professional decisions making process, | |and professionalism and ethical responsibilities. | |3. What information or ideas discussed in this chapter are also discussed in readings from DePalma? List the Unit and Title(s) of the reading:| |De Palma – Reading #10 – Dilberts of the World, Unite! | |This article discusses how fast the white collar sector is growing and some of the issues involved. Microsoft is discussed in great detail on | |the treatment of their contracted employees. When it came to wages they were considered to be high-level computer professionals, thus not | |entitled to overtime pay. When it came to benefits, they were treated as temps unworthy of healthcare  coverage and stock options. So some | |individuals got together and worked to organize the workers. The article also talks about Microsoft hiring immigrant workers in the same | |positions as Americans and paying them considerably less. The unions worked with congress to oppose Bill Gates request for immigrant visas to | |be extended. There will always be a fight with these companies when trying to keep them hiring Americans. They are just trying to ensure that | |they can maximize profits. I chose this article because it discusses morals in hiring and paying white collar workers. I believe that it had | |ethical issues when dealing with professional issues like equal pay and benefits for immigrants. | |4. List and briefly discuss one of the questions at the end of the chapter. | |Are whistle blowers saints or blackmailers? I think that society has turned a saint into a blackmailer. By this I mean because of the fear of | |reprisal a whistle blower has to keep his mouth shut. But when he doesn’t he is considered to be a disgruntled employee and is trying to | |blackmail his supervision. It is hard to get issue resolved when dealing with a uncooperative management team, that is why employees have | |rights and protections, however there are only a few companies that protect the whistle blower, that is why when the whistle is blown the | |individual is considered to be a problem worker. | |5. List any examples of bias or faulty reasoning that you found in the chapter: Section 4.4.3 discusses guilt and making ethical decisions. | |On page 87 he explains actions that people experiencing guilt will go through. I think that this is a biased or faulty reasoning because not | |everyone goes through this process. I know that this article is a generalization, but there are people in society that make their decisions | |and move on with no remorse or guilt. The statement that guilt causes decision makers to agonize over decisions I think is only true for a | |select few individuals. Those individuals that are affected have to have some integrity and solid values. | |6. List any new terms/concepts that were discussed in the article, and write a short definition: | |Utilitarian – where decisions are made solely on the basis of their intended outcomes or consequences. | |Rights – where decisions are made based on the set of liberties the society enforces such as the Magna Carta and the Bill of Rights. | |Justice – which decisions are made so that they are fair, impartial, and equitable to all. |

Target Market

What is meant by â€Å"target market†? The focus of marketing effort is people. The goal is to reach a subset of the population who may be interested in your particular product. That group of people is your target market. The term target market is used because that market is the target at which you aim all your marketing efforts. The markets you are trying to reach are people with common characteristics that set them apart as a group. The more you know about a target market, the more precisely you can develop your marketing strategy. Describe the probable demographic characteristics of the target market for the following products (Measurable statistics such as age, income, or occupation): Jaguar: Definitely the wealthy, upper class or higher middle class people. Most likely an older, wealthier target market. Chevy Cobalt: Middle class people who are looking for an affordable car with good gas mileage. Age of the target market is probably mid-20s to senior citizens. McDonalds: From 5 years old to 95 years old. Lower Class, Middle Class, and even Upper Class people buy and consume McDonald’s products. They market happy meals for kids, late night snacks for young people, breakfast and coffee for older people. Ruby River Steak House: Aims their products at all age and classes as well. They advertise it as a family establishment with good food. I don't have one here in Louisiana but it is similar to our Outback Steakhouse which has that target market. Is it possible to identify a single market for two distinctly different products? Yes it is, there are many product combinations that can interest a single market. It builds sales in a business, and promotes other business as well. To understand the key sources of network value, it’s important to recognize the structure of the network. Some networks derive most of their value from a single class of users. An example of this kind of network is instant messaging (IM). While there might be some add-ons for the most popular IM tools, they don’t influence most users’ choice of an IM system. You pretty much choose one IM tool over another based on how many of your contacts you can reach. Economists would call IM a one-sided marketone-sided marketA market that derives most of its value from a single class of users (e. . , instant messaging). (a market that derives most of its value from a single class of users), and the network effects derived from IM users attracting more IM users as being same-side exchange benefitssame-side exchange benefitsBenefits derived by interaction among members of a single class of participant (e. g. , the exchange value when increasing numbers of IM users gain the abil ity to message each other). (benefits derived by interaction among members of a single class of participant). But some markets are comprised of two distinct categories of network participant. Consider video games. People buy a video game console largely based on the number of really great games available for the system. Software developers write games based on their ability to reach the greatest number of paying customers, and so they’re most likely to write for the most popular consoles, first. Economists would call this kind of network a two-sided markettwo-sided marketNetwork markets comprised of two distinct categories of participant, both of which that are needed to deliver value for the network to work (e. g. video game console owners and developers of video games). (network markets comprised of two distinct categories of participant, both of which that are needed to deliver value for the network to work). When an increase in the number of users on one side of the market (say console owners) creates a rise in the other side (software developers), that’s called a cross-side exchange benefitcross-side exchange benefitWhen an increase in the number of use rs on one side of the market (say console owners) creates a rise in the other side (software developers).. Example – IM is considered a one-sided market, where the value-creating, positive-feedback loop of network effects comes mostly from same-side benefits from a single group (IM members who attract other IM members who want to communicate with them). Video game consoles, however, are considered a two-sided network, where significant benefits come from two distinct classes of users that add value from cross-side benefits by attracting their opposite group. In the game console market, more users of a console attract more developers who write more software for that console, and that attracts more users. Game availability is the main reason the Sony PlayStation 2 dominated over the original Xbox. It is possible that a network may have same-side and cross-side benefits. Xbox 360 benefits from cross-side benefits in that more users of that console attract more developers writing more software titles and vice versa. However, the Xbox Live network that allows users to play against each other has same-side benefits. If your buddies use Xbox Live and you want to play against them, you’re more likely to buy an Xbox. ) Can you think of other product combinations that would interest a single market? Taking a closer look at businesses, you can actually see cases where a particular target market for one product is more likely to buy another. The example that was given for this assignment was consumers that prefer Apple products that drive Volkswagens. Another example of this would be the target market of 18 – 25 year old males. There are a number of products that this particular set of individuals are marketed to, ranging from stereo equipment to video games. The coalition between hip hop clothing (urban wear) and high tech music devices to me would be the strongest.

Preparing Financial Statement

Prepare a Set of Financial Statements Samson Company adjusted account balances as of December 31, 2005 are as follows (some noted balances are Jan. 1, 2005): Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1,200,000 Purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 810,000 Marketable securities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15,000 Purchase discounts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20,000 Purchase returns and allowances . . . . . . . . . . . 2,000 Extraordinary loss due to earthquake, net of applicable taxes of $15,000. . . . . . . . . . . . 35,000 Selling expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114,000 Cash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90,000 Accounts receivable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60,000 Common stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150,000 Accumulated depreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42,000 Paid-in-capital in excess of par . . . . . . . . . . 30,000 Inventory, January 1, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149,000 Inventory , December 31, 2005 . . . . . . . . . . . . 120,000 Accounts payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71,000 Salaries payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,000 Cash surrender value of life insurance . . . . . . 22,000 Patents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,000 Retained earnings, January 1, 2005 . . . . . . . . . 60,600 Interest expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13,000 General and administrative expenses . . . . . . . . . 160,000 Dividend revenue. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,000 Allowance for doubtful accounts . . . . . . . . . . . 3,000 Notes payable (maturity 7/1/07) . . . . . . . . . . . 105,000 Machinery and equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150,000 Income tax expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30,600 Treasury stock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,000 Dividends declared and paid . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,000 Prepare multi-step income statement: Samson Company Income Statement For the Year Ended December 31, 2 005 Sales $1,200,000 Cost of Goods Sold: Beginning inventory $149,000 Purchases $810,000 Purchase discounts ( 20,000) Purchase returns and allowances ( 2,000) ——- Net purchases 788,000 ——- Goods available for sale 937,000 Ending inventory 120,000 ——-Cost of goods sold 817,000 ——— Gross profit 383,000 Operating expenses: Selling expenses 114,000 General and administrative expenses 160,000 ——- Total operating expenses 274,000 ——— Operating income 109,000 Other income (expense): Dividend revenue 6,000 Interest expense ( 13,000) ——- Total other income (expense) ( 7,000) ——— Income before income taxes 102,000Income taxes 30,600 ——— Income before extraordinary item 71,400 Extraordinary loss due to earthquake, net of applicable taxes of $15,000 ( 35,000) ——– Net income $36,400 ======== Prepare a Statement of Retained Earnings: Samson Company Statement of Retained Earnings For the Year Ended December 31, 2005 Retained earnings, January 1, 2005 $60,600 Plus net income 36,400 Less dividends ( 8,000) ——- Retained earnings, December 31, 2005 79,000 ======= Prepare a classified Balance Sheet: Samson Company Balance Sheet December 31, 2005 Assets Current Assets: Cash $ 90,000 Marketable securities 15,000 Accounts receivable $ 60,000 Less allowance for doubtful accounts ( 3,000) ——- 57,000 Inventories 120,000 ——– Total Current Assets 282,000 Property, Plant, and EquipmentMachinery and Equipment $150,000 Less accumulated depreciation ( 42,000) ——– Total Property, Plant, and Equipment 108,000 Other Assets: Cash surrender value of life insurance $ 22,000 Patents 18,000 ——- Total Other Assets 40,000 ——- Total Assets $430,000 ======== Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Liabilities: Current Liabilities: Accoun ts payable $ 71,000 Salaries payable 5,000 —— Total Current Liabilities 76,000 Long-term Liabilities Notes payable 105,000 ——- Total Liabilities 181,000 Stockholders' Equity: Common stock $150,000 Paid-in-capital in excess of par 30,000 Retained earnings 79,000 Treasury stock ( 10,000) ——- Total Stockholders' Equity 249,000 ——- Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $430,000 ========

Business Research Methods Essay

1. Distinguish among the following sets of items, and suggest the significance of each in a research context: a. Concept and construct – A concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics that are concrete whereas a construct is image or idea invented for a particular theory or research problem; a construct is an abstract concept. To successfully perform a research, we must form common ground; hence, the need for concepts and constructs. b. Deduction and induction – a deduction is a conclusive inference while an induction is a conclusion from one or more pieces of evidence. c. Operational definition and dictionary definition – an operational definition is a definition based on measurement criteria that have empirical reference while a dictionary definition is based on synonyms. d. Concept and variable – a concept is a generally accepted collection of meanings or characteristics associated with certain events while a variable is value or set of values related to a property being studied. e. Hypothesis and proposition – A hypothesis is a is a declarative statement that states a belief while a proposition is a statement about concepts that may be regarded as true or false. f. Theory and model – a theory is a set of systematically inter-related concepts, definitions and propositions that are advanced to explain and predict phenomena while a model is a representation of a system that is constructed to study some aspect of the system. g. Scientific method and scientific attitude – The scientific method deals with rationalism and empiricism: formal structured proofs and observable, concrete data; the scientific attitude deals with curiosity 2. Describe the characteristics of the scientific method a. Direct observation of phenomena b. Clearly defined variables, methods and procedures c. Empirically testable hypotheses d. The ability to rule rival hypotheses e. Statistical justification f. Self-correcting process 3. What are the differences among the research approaches (and thinking styles) that guide the predominant kinds of studies done in operations research, marketing, finance and/or organizational behaviour? – There are six different styles of thinking: Postulational – rational and idealistic, Self-evident truth – fairly rational and idealistic, Method of authority – fairly rational and idealistic, Literary – informal and interpretative, Untested opinion – Very informal and fairly idealistic and finally, there is the scientific method which is empirical and rational. 4. Here are some terms commonly found in a management setting. Are they concepts or constructs? Give two different operational definitions for each. a. First-line supervisor – concept; person directly in charge of line workers; person reporting to unit manager b. Employee morale – construct; that which is measured by how an employee feels toward the job; that which is measured by how often an employee reports for work on time c. Assembly line – concept; area where the items are assembled; area where line workers spend most of their day d. Overdue account – concept; account balance that is past 30 days; an account where the amount owed is past 60 and less than 25% has been paid toward the balance. e. Line management – concept; person to whom all line supervisors report; head of each functional area f. Leadership – construct; quality defined by how many persons emulate this person; quality defined by a rating by asking persons how good a leader is the subject under study g. Price-earnings ratio – concept; the measure of how much an incumbent makes in reference to an average in the same job position; the amount someone makes in reference to others in similar jobs, having similar education and experience and within similar industries, in the same region. h. Union democracy- construct; the measure of how people say they have a say in the union; the measure of how the union heads have proceeded to do what the majority of the members asked. i. Ethical standards – construct; the value tha t an employee places on a variable; the untested opinion of how employees feel about the ethics within a company on a scale of 1-10. 5. In your company’s management development program, there was a heated discussion between some people who claimed: â€Å"Theory is impractical and thus no good†, and others who claimed: â€Å"Good theory is the most practical approach to problems†. What position would you take and why? – I would take neither side. Both statements have their value and can be argued at length. In support of the first statement: this falls into one of two categories: untested opinion or self-evident truth. Some say that theory is the opposite of fact and does not form a practical approach to problems, for solutions require facts. In support of the second statement: theory forms a systematic set of concepts, definitions and propositions that are advanced to explain and predict phenomena. Therefore, theory can be used as a good starting point for factual explanations. In my opinion, good theory and fact-based rationale are necessary; a good balance of both is required. 6. An automobile manufacturer observes the demand for its brand (DV) increasing per capita income increases (IV). Sales increases also follow low interest rates (MV), which ease credit conditions. Buyer purchase behaviour is seen to be dependent on age (IVV) and gender (IVV). Other factors influencing sales appear to fluctuate almost randomly (competitor advertising (EV), competitor dealer discounts (EV), introductions of new competitive models (EV)). a. If sales and per capita income are positively related, classify all variables as dependent, independent, moderating, extraneous or intervening. b. Comment on the utility of a model based on the hypothesis – DV depends directly on IV. MV is a secondary independent variable affecting the DV. The EVs are used to show variables that occur randomly or those that can be safely ignored. The IVVs are used to show variables that theoretically affect the DV, but have not actually been empirically in the study. 7. You observer the following condition: â€Å"Our female sales representative have lower customer defections than do our male sales representatives†. a. Propose the concepts and constructs you may use to study this phenomena – concepts and constructs: male definition; female definition; customer; customer defections (construct) b. How might any of these concepts/constructs be related to explanatory hypotheses? – the explanatory, or casual hypothesis, of female reps having lower customer defections than male reps can be tested by using research questions, built from concepts, constructs and definitions 8. You are the office manager of a large firm. Your company prides itself on its high quality customer service. Lately complaints have surfaced that an increased number of calls are being misrouted and dropped. Yesterday, when passing by the main reception area, you noticed the receptionist fiddling with his hearing aid. In the process, a call came in and would have gone unanswered if not for your intervention. The particular receptionist had earned a poor review for the last 3 months. Your inclination is to urge this 20-year employee to retire or to fire him. You know the individual is well liked and is seen as a fixture in the company. a. Pose several hypotheses that might account for dropped or misrouted calls. – the employee is too old to handle the load; employee cannot afford a proper hearing aid, the lack of which causes problems in directing calls properly, or answering calls in a timely manner; there is a problem with the phone routing system; there is a problem with the main phone at the call desk. b. Using the double movement of reflective thought, show how you would test these hypotheses – fact: calls are being misrouted; induction: why are calls not reaching their proper destination; hypothesis: any of the above; deduction: calls will be misrouted if the operator’s h earing aid is mal-functioning. 9. The Institute of Transport Engineers, a nationwide trade association with thousands of members, was dissatisfied with the way that State Farm arrived at its dangerous intersection list. a. If the ITE were to conduct a study of its own, what constructs and concepts would they define differently? – concepts and constructs defined differently: dangerous intersection; crash claim b. What hypotheses would ITE formulate to guide its version of the dangerous intersection study? – dangerous intersections have already been identified by engineers; dangerous intersections lack certain security features; dangerous intersections have a high volume of accidents 10. Identify and classify all the variables in the army’s â€Å"dud-shell† research – a. Dud shell (DV) b. Shell that explodes (IV) c. Persons coming into contact (EV) 11. What was Myra’s hypothesis for the army’s dud-shell research? What was the army’s hypothesis? – She believed that the dud-shell was incorrectly defined; she hypothesized that the dud-shells defined by the army were not all dud-shells, but were comprised of both dud-shells and shells that have a delayed exploding time; Myra’s hypothesis was: Civilians were coming in contact with potentially dangerous shells that could explode when manipulated. The army’s hypothesis was: shells that did not explode on impact were inert. 12. Graph your inductions and deductions in the following statements. If there are gaps, supply what is needed to make them complete arguments. a. Repeated studies indicate that economic conditions vary with – and lag 6 to 12 months behind – changes in the national money supply. Therefore, we may conclude that money is the basic economic variable. – induction: what causes economic conditions to vary; deduction: available money causes an alteration in economic conditions. b. Research studies show that heavy smokers have a higher rate of lung cancer than no smokers; therefore, heavy smoking causes lung cancer. – induction: does smoking increase the risk of lung cancer? Deduction: smoking does increase the risk of lung cancer. c. Show me a person who goes to church regularly and I will show you a reliable worker. – induction: what makes a reliable worker? Deduction: a regular church patron makes a reliable worker.

Animal Liberation Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Animal Liberation - Term Paper Example Singer equates treating animals lesser than human beings to other forms of discrimination like racism and ethnicity. Furthermore, Singer equates animals with human beings who have irreversible brain damage. The utilitarian views of Singer are opposed and refuted by Cohen. Cohen argues that rights can only be restricted to moral agents. To refute Singer’s argument that animals have equal rights to humans, Cohen proposes a definition of rights as claims. A right according to Cohen is a claim made against somebody else. Cohen further argues that an obligation to ensure animal welfare cannot constitute a right. To prove this Cohen clearly shows that rights entail obligation but obligation cannot entail rights. However, Cohen’s fails to show how humans without the ability to claim their rights can enjoy rights. These groups of humans include human infants and mentally handicapped persons. Cohen’s speciesist theory failure to explain how humans without the capacity to claim rights can enjoy moral rights assists Utilitarianism answer his criticism for their explanation of animal rights. The starting point for answering the question â€Å"Is there such thing as a moral saint?† always starts with an attempt to define the term. This is occasioned by the fact that any author who attempts to tackle the controversial question must have a standard of morality that the supposed â€Å"moral saint† satisfies. This approach is reflected in Wolf who starts his work by giving a brief description of what the moral saint is supposed to be. Wolf defines a moral saint as a person who strives to be as good as possible everyday and in every situation. Similarly, Carbonell in his work article Moral Saint Reconsidered also starts his exploration of the issue with a description of the term moral saint.

How Can Social Change Be Brought About, Especially in a Totalitarian Essay

How Can Social Change Be Brought About, Especially in a Totalitarian Society Like the One Nafisi Describes - Essay Example In order to break the silence or discover possibilities to exercise their free will, individuals must strive to resist to such pressures on individual level. If only people realize what a deadly solution silence is, they would never choose to resort to it. It is a manifestation of the weakness and inability of individuals to stand for their basic human rights. In order to fight the system, Nafisi had to create a little world of her own with a like-minded group of students in order to evade the restrictions of the totalitarian regime they were living in. The classic literary works they studied together opened new vistas for their inner struggles to break the silence and to stand for their rights and this is how they survived in such suffocating circumstances with little efforts. â€Å"†¦ like Lolita, we tried to escape and to create our own little pocket of freedom.† (Nafisi, 435) They developed a strong bond during their struggle to keep their spirits alive and to carve o ut a little space for themselves and also learnt how to handle unfavorable circumstances. This is what Gladwell says about the Power of Context: â€Å"†¦ the Power of Context says that what really matters is little things.†(242) If people wait for radical social changes to take place, they must start by taking the first little steps themselves. Nafisi and Gladwell argue that environment plays an important role in shaping human behaviors. People tend to think and act differently under different circumstances and they even develop different perspectives of life in different situations. It was for this reason that reading Lolita in Tehran became an altogether different experience. â€Å"This then is the story of Lolita in Tehran, how Lolita gave a different color to Tehran and how Tehran helped redefine Nabakov’s novel, turning it into this Lolita, our Lolita.†( Nafisi, 420) Gladwell also emphasizes upon the strong impact of environment on human actions. Our b ehaviors undoubtedly reflect our familial and educational backgrounds, mentalities, and genetics- but most importantly they are shaped and governed by the environments we live in. We pick up cues from the environment and act or react accordingly. â€Å"The impetus to engage in a certain kind of behavior is not coming from a certain kind of person but from the feature of the environment.† (Gladwell, 238) In totalitarian regimes, it is incumbent upon individuals seeking social change to voice their concerns. The environmental factors might be discouraging and disheartening, but it is within human powers how they behave in particular situations. It is important to have will power, voice and the determination to express yourself through sensible and methodological actions. Social change can be brought about on the grassroots-level of totalitarian societies by instilling a general awareness about free will and the right to exercise it through words and actions. Rampant and radical movements can be easily undermined by such political systems by force; however, awareness about basic human rights seeps in the deepest layer of societies over the years. Such changes evolve slowly out of the dire need of the citizens to express their free will. In a totalitarian society like the one Nafisi describes, individuals are forced to redefine their behaviors particularly in public. People are forced to practice such customs in which they do not believe in; and they are expected to act and behave like the tools of a totalitarian system. If given an opportunity to

Eliot's Poetry Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Eliot's Poetry - Essay Example Some poems had urban landscape as the backdrop; but mostly it is the inner landscape of the individual's mind that he tried to portray. His language focuses on the acute loneliness of the urban life that shows no sympathy to the individual. Isolation in the crowd is aptly expressed by his images, along with the ordinariness of life. His poetic forms could be termed as dreary compared to earlier poets; but he is depicting the depthless dreariness of modern life. He said: 'A large part of any poet's imagination must come from his reading and from his knowledge of history.' His poems had a sense of history, though he ventured into assessing modern society too often. The complexity of modern life has come across through his images. Glimpses of people who live in the impersonal modern world, spiritually exhausted, emotionally unsupported are shown in The Love song' The language shows the inherent confusion, feeble images, and unauthentic pretence that go through life. The culmination in a sense of defeat is almost predictable and the language could not have been clearer. In the same way, the image of the male observer in the Portrait of a Lady sounds acutely detached and unemotional while encroaching the lonely life of the woman without apology. Once again, almost in identical language, he visualises the mundane city life in Preludes. "To early coffee-stands. With the other masquerades That time resumes, One thinks of all the hands That are raising dingy shades In a thousand furnished rooms." (18-23). There is a definite sense of lack of time and difficult endeavours in the Rhapsody of a windy night. The division of hours and too many mentions of time brings it into acute focus. The same sense of rushing time comes across in the Portrait of a lady when her age is mentioned. The miserable lonely existence and the longing are portrayed alongside the mutilated life along with its acute lack of time for better things. Among the windings of the violins And the ariettes Of cracked cornets Inside my brain a dull tom-tom begins Absurdly hammering a prelude of its own, Capricious monotone. His poetic forms and language reflect the defeated and hopeless idealism. His images show that dreams and elegance are left behind. Eliot's images portray modern society's lack of idealism, emptiness and dangerous cynicism in the modern society. He portrayed the prostitutes as one of the uglier sides of city life in Rhapsody... " 'Regard the woman Who hesitates towards you in the light of the door Which opens on her like a grin. You see the border of her dress Is torn and stained with sand, And you see the corner of her eye Twists like a crooked pin.'" (16-22). It almost sounds inhuman and devouring. His language becomes cynically powerful when he depicts the hopelessness and emptiness of the present world. The images become oppressingly pessimistic and perhaps this is the result of the World War which saw horrendous destruction in Europe the signs of which exist

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research Essay

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research - Essay Example The medical professional is therefore within the confinements of ethical judgment that the individual autonomy is respected. Beauchamp and Childress (2008) highlighted the four main ethical principles as discussed below. Patients’ autonomy which entails their rights to be heard concerning their views on the treatment they are to be given must be considered. Even if the patients’ views may seem uninformed and unjustifiable in questioning a particular form of treatment that the medical professional is subjecting them to, they have a right to do so. The professional should go as far as possible to bear with the patient’s despite the possibility of the patient being unreasonable. For instance, a patient may resist the decision of the medical professional to apply an injection as a method of drug administration, without considerations on the options that the professional has for the same. But with the ethical considerations, autonomy exercised by the patient leaves some tolerance room on the part of the professional. Time should be taken to discern if the patients’ questioning of the decision to be injected has information of available options as well as the underlying reasons . Autonomy is uniquely possessed by different individuals as an element of independence in decision making. Self direction in decision making determines the level of autonomy that the individual exercises. Alternatively, human beings strive to be rational in making decisions that make their lives better. Every human being has an equal right of existence; hence autonomy is a measure of equality. An autonomous choice is allowed by medical professionals only to the extent that it do not endanger the life of the patient. This implies that if the patient does not make an informed decision when refusing the type of treatment proposed by the medical profession, the autonomy does not qualify. Human beings need to feel free in make decisions about their own lives but where issues arise on

Quality Improvement Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Quality Improvement - Assignment Example Quality Improvement lth care services have the ability of bringing about substantive changes in the health status of a particular patient target group. It is based on this perspective that this paper discusses the different aspects attributed to quality improvement and an analysis of quality improvement story covering the seven steps involved in quality improvement. It is a critical aspect that for organizations to achieve a new level of performance, then there are various aspects that would have to change and provide evidence for quality improvement. Despite having different programs in Quality Improvement, substantive evident results in the incorporation of the four basic principles including focus on patients, focus on working as a team, focus on the use of data, and the aspect that Quality Improvement operate through the means of processes and systems. In order to understand Quality Improvement effectively, one has to have a substantive idea on what attributes Quality Improvement story. Quality Improvement story refers to a seven-step process and procedure on the various ways through which business processes can be improved. All the seven steps towards improvement of performances integrate each other, ensuring a collective way of performance towards the realization of a common goal. In the first step, there is the selection of appropriate theme, which should ideally focus on the particular problem that requires solution of a particular opportunity that requires exploitation.