Mcdonalds AD Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mcdonalds AD - Essay Example Probably the most common place that most people experience McDonald’s advertisements is the television. I have often seen McDonald’s advertisements on television that are aired between popular programs on various channels. Throughout the entire McDonald’s advertisement experience, the greatest presence is on television. Moreover, McDonald’s also utilises the radio. Both the television and radio advertisements campaigns are distinctly noticeable with the â€Å"I’m lovin’ it† catch phrase in each media. Similarly, McDonald’s has advertisements that are geared towards local newspapers and journals. These advertisements generally display new deals and discounts that are available in the local McDonald’s food chains. Another significant area where McDonald’s advertisement is noticeable are various billboards and signage that can be seen installed on both local roads as well as highways. The billboards on highways are fa r larger and are more distinctly noticeable. Other than this, McDonald’s often advertises itself through sponsoring various local, regional and international events. McDonald’s can be seen sponsoring Little League just the same as it sponsors the Olympic Games. The typical McDonald’s logo is highly noticeable in all these situations through the coolers of drink that they distribute on these events.

Components Of Disaster Management Management Essay

Components Of Disaster Management Management Essay The occurrence of such disasters has continued to increase in a rapid succession. More than three million lives were lost due to disasters in the last quarter of a century itself. This number does not stop as billions have been affected in some way or the other. The cost of rehabilitation from these disasters has run into thousands of billions alone. The increase in the population of the world only enhances the chance of disaster risk which could cause massive casualties and harm to the human life in large numbers. The six billion mark in world population was reached on the 16th of November in 1999. The annual growth rate was estimated at nearly 1.33 %( seventy eight million every year). There is a greater risk on account of the industrialization and vast urbanization since a lot of people are moving to urban areas which do not have sufficient health care and infrastructure in place. Energy is released after accumulation in the volcanic activity or geological faults which cause seismic waves to bring about movement of the crust which is known as an earthquake. Humans are able to only detect three thousand earthquakes from the total of five hundred thousand earthquakes that occur every year. 7 to 11 out of these 3000 earthquakes cause significant damage to property and human life though this figure has increased the past few years. The toll of death due to an earthquake can range from as less as five to higher than two hundred and forty thousand. One out of two cities in a developed country is susceptible to a natural hazard like earthquake. Seventeen of the twenty largest cities are situated in countries with low resources. Eighty percent of the population of the world will reside in developing countries by the year 2025 according to an estimate. The research on natural disasters is of a lot of significance in case of developing countries. What is a Disaster? Many definitions have been put forward regarding disaster. Samuel Henry Prince started the study related to disasters in 1971 in Canada during the worst disaster witnessed in Canada. The disaster in point is the ship explosion occurred in 1917 in the harbour of Halifax, Nova Scotia. His research and social exploration of the implications of the disaster paved way for further theoretical and empirical research that lasted through the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. This saw a change in the way disasters were perceived. The focus shifted from the primary physical agent to the description and definition of disasters related to the social impact caused by it. Various academic disciplines were dedicated to the study of nature and disasters during the 1960s and 1970s. The definition of a disaster can be classified between the national and international level. The working definition of a disaster is designed in way to suit the professional background of the place where it is defined and is closely associated to the studies, work and research that is carried out. The World Health Organization has defined disaster on the base of the resultant health implications post the disaster. They have made use of the terminology called as Health Action in Crises. The International Red Cross has taken into account the factors that cause interference in human life. IN simple words, floods, earthquakes and hurricanes only acquire the status of a disaster when they leave behind a negative and disruptive impact on the living force. Al-Madhari et al in 1997 studied if a universal definition for the term disaster is possible and came up with a definition that takes into account both the factors of economic and health implications. The definition was as follows- an event localized in time and space with one or more of the following consequences occur: 1) Ten or more fatalities, 2) Damage exceeds $1 million, 3) 50 or more people evacuated. This is the basic essence that is found in most definitions of disaster which may carry different views. All the definitions accept disaster as a situation that is beyond the cope of control of the local community which warrants the need of external help. The disasters maybe a result of naturally occurring phenomena like extreme changes in climate or weather, technological and man made threats. Psychological stages of disaster Heroic stage The heroic stage is shown by the community and the individuals within that direct the various levels of energy in the tasks of help, rescue, shelter, clean up and repair. This behaviour is carried out in the span of a few hours to even days if required. Honeymoon stage The optimism characterized by the people in the community is the showcase of this stage in spite of the losses that occur due to the disaster. There is a wide media attention and, flow of resources inwards, and reassurances by personal visits by high profile personalities that look towards the rehabilitation process of the community. They provide the hope and belief that life will return to normalcy and no traces of the disaster will be seen. These resources though tend to exhaust by the third week of the aftermath of the crisis, there is reduced media attention and the real problems in the rehabilitation program start to develop. The energy shown by the survivors in the community gradually starts to fade away and gives way to the next stage of disillusionment. Disillusionment The hard experiences, the lack of necessities and the work needed to be done to restore normalcy creeps up on the person which leads to disillusionment among the survivors. Survivors find that the various types of financial help being offered are in the form of loans instead of grant, home insurance was not the best available option and that politics played a bigger role in the decision making. Signs of disgruntlement is how by means of complaints related to abandonment, betrayal and injustice, incompetency and bureaucracy. Stress is a negative aspect that troubles the survivors which slowly disintegrates any hope that may be left. Recovery All the work for which the base has been setup starts to show results. The applications are passed, loans are approved, and reconstruction is started. The individuals start to work at their normal capacities. People start regaining the state of normalcy with a period of six months after the disaster. Some individuals might take up to thirty six months. There is an overall sense of appreciation to aspects like life, relationship and morale towards tackling problems all owed to the lessons learnt post the disaster. Stages of Disaster Response Preparation stage The main objective of this stage is to improve the healthcare system and the general system that can be improved to the extent that future disasters can be tackled with ease and efficiency. Quick Reponses Stage The main objective of this stage is to make sure that there is a prober health response in case of a disaster strike that may create some needs. Counselling is provided during this stage which is present in the current health system. There should be help sought from external sources to boost the resources that are available in case they are not sufficient to fulfil all the necessary needs. In many cases the local supplies may not be enough to meet the requirement of the community which is why the stock has to be filled with the help of some additional commodities obtained from other external sources. Recovery Stage This stage has to be worked upon continuously and lasts more than a month after the disaster takes place. This stage could go on for years depending on the resources that are available for rehabilitation and the impact and type of the disaster. The needs of the survivors are taken care of by the local providers in this stage. Federal funds may flow in case the disaster is declared as a Presidential Declared Disaster. The funding is given to those in need of individual help. Disaster Management Definition of disaster management A lot of definitions have been put forward by authors on the topic of disaster management. A lot of these definitions merely explain the meaning of the term rather than completely stating the terms of preparation for a disaster. Christopolis, Mitchell and Liljelund regarded efficient and effective abilities and result of disaster response as the main themes of preparation for a disaster (2001). Creating a local response system and providing early warnings is also a big part of preparation (Integrated Regional information Networks, 2005). The definitions by United Nations Development program, McEntire and Twigg have definitions similar in theme with their own take on the preparation for a disaster. The program by United Nations holds hazard easing as the central source for disaster preparation along with the inclusion of planning in the description (2004). Similarly, McEntire and Twigg also consider hazard easing as a crucial aspect in disaster preparation saying that it should be a p art of it (McEntire, 2003 and Twigg, 2002). McEntire talks about different factors relevant for disaster preparation as a local government function that includes vulnerability and hazard evaluation. The lesser highlighted aspects of disaster preparation are also very important. Izadkhak and Hosseni point out education to be the foremost media in the preparation of a community for disasters (2005). The emergency plans, storage of food, securing furniture to walls and creating inventories of storage commodities are a part of this level (Paton, Smith, Johnston, 2003 and Siembieda, 2001). Review of preparation literature The disaster preparedness aspect is basically dynamic in nature which keeps changing constantly. The researches find out new facts with the occurring of new disaster even with respect to the community. The disasters and crisis are consistent but the practises applied in its management still lack the capacity to provide necessary results. McEntire has worked towards some crucial points in disaster preparedness and emergency management in his study. McEntire, Fuller and Johnston and Weber (2002) published an article reviewing the emergency management and the methods related to it. The main concern in the 2002 research was vulnerability while McEntire also finished his research related to disaster preparedness. Dynes also provide his view on emergency planning. His views were based on research instead of military models. The problem solving methods of Dynes emphasizes cooperation and coordination as the key aspects. (1994). This concept has been used in developing many other models as opposed to the earlier practice of using military models and instead switching to a research based and discipline specific model. The best methods of disaster preparedness incline towards discipline specific objectives as in the case of emergency management. A valuable amount of work has been spent for the identification and evaluation of the concepts and principles that are used in disaster preparedness. Some contributions have been made to development of disaster preparedness with the aim of creating a theory based practise and practise based theory (Gillespie and Streeter, 1987). The contributions from most individuals are not aimed at the creation of a complete disaster preparedness technique but individual research has helped immensely in making contributions towards building a complete disaster preparedness plan. A case in point is the research by Kirschenbaum (2002) article based on disaster preparedness from the point of view of Israel. The inferences drawn from his study were found to be applicable in a general environment. Perry and Lindell (2003) based their study on disaster management on the principles of perspective and planning and were able to identify 10 guidelines that should be used in the process of planning. Lindell was more focused on the planning while Kirschenbaum gave more importance to localized applications and principles. Each on his own was able to contribute an important aspect that led to the creation of a comprehensive disaster preparedness plan although none of the studies focused on all the aspects on the whole. Components of disaster management Earthquake Risk The risk of earthquake is a seismic risk to the environment and its habitats. The earthquake risk is inversely proportional to the capacity of resisting it. Research based on social learning by May (1994) shows that the more knowledge that is available, the less is the worry and lesser in the rationale for prevention. Knowledge and the use of the knowledge in the best way are required to improve the safety measures today. There is a process known as Earthquake Risk Management that works towards the prevention of threat or danger from an earthquake, reducing risk or consequences of an earthquake. It also deals on topics like preparation for dealing with a disaster, responding to a threat due to natural disaster, capacity building and knowing the effects of the natural disasters. There are the basic points of evacuation, rescuing, relief, rehabilitate and reconstruct that are covered. The population in India was marked at over a billion in 2001 and is estimated to be doubled by the yea r 2050. This calculates to a population growth of 1.61% per annum. The risk of earthquake increases by leaps and bounds in such a scenario. The urban areas are been populated to the extent of being overcrowded and figure in the highest density in the world of 237 people per square kilometre. This only worsens the situation. People in thickly dense areas have no alternative but to live in conditions like low lying areas situated closely near the rivers. This makes it mandatory to keep a full time alert and be ready with a disaster preparedness plan. Gillespie and Banerjee (1993, pp.242) have proposed there is a 5 stage plan which spirals upward with more refined levels including avenues, assessment, knowledge, preparedness and practise. The central point in these levels is considered to be knowledge. As pointed by Srivastava et al (2007), the reduction in disaster risks can be brought about by the proper use of information. Disaster management planning for earthquake In the past few decades, a high level of importance has been attached to the effective and efficient management of information and its use as a key component of disaster management in the regions of Asia especially Pacific Asia. Disaster management information systems have been setup by a number of countries according to their own calculations and needs. The applications include early warnings, reduction of disaster risks and emergency planning. The information plays an important part in disaster management and it should be used wisely. The needs of the information related to disaster management can be classified in two activity categories Pre disaster activities like research and analysis, prevention, risk assessment and preparedness. Post disaster activities like rehabilitation, response and reconstruction. The data related to disaster can also be classified into two categories- Pre disaster data consisting of the risks and the country Post disaster data showing the impact of the disaster and the resources available to counter the effects. National Disaster Management Information System The main aspects of a disaster management information system is a database containing the following- Mapping of hazard assessment Vulnerability Assessment Distribution by Demography Lifelines, Infrastructure and Critical Facilities Transportation Routes and Logistics Material and Human Response Resource Communication Facility The use of Disaster Management Information System is based on three aspects- Preparedness planning Response and mitigation Recovery Earthquake activities Preparation and Planning Identifying areas prone to earthquake Identifying problems Identifying and using Resources Control and command Advance Preparatory Action Post earthquake activities The relief activities needed to be performed by the government are- Maintaining uninterrupted communication Endorsing disaster preparedness and relief measures through media like newspaper and AIR. Evacuating and movement of commodities of essence such as petroleum should be facilitated in transport. Making sure that essential commodities are available at a reasonable rate. Providing adequate supply of drugs, vaccine and medicine. Restoration and preservation of physical communication links. Providing infrastructure such as latrines, shelter, electricity, road etc. On a temporary basis by making the necessary investment. Mobilising financial resources. In addition to these aspects, there are certain secondary functions that are needed by the relief efforts of the State such as Military aid should provide relief, restoration and rehabilitation services to the civil authority. Backup plans for cattle preservation, crops and health measures should be put in place. Technological and technical inputs for providing drinking water. Providing technical assistance for water management, water budgeting and several other uses. Coordinating activities of the voluntary and state agencies. Knowledge Management The knowledge related activities are dealt taken care of by the knowledge management procedure (Wiig, 1997: Civi, 2000). These activities include organizations and creation of knowledge along with share and use of the knowledge. Knowledge management can be more appropriately defined as the strategies and processes of identifying, capturing and leveraging knowledge. This definition was provided by the American Productivity and Quality Centre. Knowledge management is a field on the rise which has been able to collect considerable attention especially from the industrial community. A large number of industrial organizations have taken to knowledge management programs which serve as proof of its widespread use. These programs are helpful in making the industries more competent and improving their organizational performance. It is only a matter of time when all the companies will adopt such a program and the only factor to be accounted for is the way in which it has to be implemented to m ake optimum use of knowledge management and managing it properly at the same time. Implementation of Knowledge Management The Knowledge Management concept has caught a lot of attention due to its importance but there are only a few industries that have been able to make optimum use of the knowledge management techniques by managing the knowledge in their respective organizations. Stoney and Barnett (2000) suggest that a major number of Knowledge Management steps are bound to fail. This is due to the fact that the implementation of Knowledge Management is not an easy task that can be carried out by an organization. Technological infrastructure needs to be in place for the implementation of Knowledge Management along with change in the culture of the organization and managing knowledge of different types. Organizations that have made use of the Knowledge Management without making certain of the necessary resources at their disposal have mainly failed due to improper infrastructure and implementation. Implementation of the Knowledge Management is a tough task for any organization as pointed out by Drucker (1993) who is known as the father of modern management theory. He stressed on the fact the biggest challenge faced by an organization is the building of a systematic framework for the management of knowledge. Hence, it is imperative to build a perfect prototype or framework which helps the organizations before the implementation of Knowledge Management. Framework definition According o the Oxford English Dictionary, (2003), the framework is defined as a structure composing of parts that are framed together especially designed for enclosing or supporting anything like a skeleton or a frame. Popper (1994) has defined framework as a set of assumptions or fundamental principles of intellectual origin that form the basis for action. In accordance with these definitions, framework can be said to be a framework or a structure formed using a set of specific instructions or principles that is required to provide a base for carrying out necessary activities and actions. Knowledge Management Frameworks According to Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001b), Knowledge Management frameworks are categorized as a mode of providing guidance in a specific discipline. This means that it shows the way towards the building of Knowledge Management in a specific discipline completely. Dale (1999) defines framework as a tool used for the development and laying out of plans, a guide that helps an organization to carry out a certain action that works best for their business needs at their own pace. The framework most importantly acts as a link between the practical and theoretical aspects of the Knowledge Management and eases its implementation during an emergency or disaster. Various Knowledge Management frameworks The frameworks that have been described in theory are made to focus on different parts of Knowledge management and achieving its various purposes. The most popularly known framework is the framework for knowledge creation created by Nonaka (1991, 1994) that explains the evolution and conversion seen between tacit knowledge (not easy to articulate) and explicit knowledge (can be easily put into words). This is not the perfect form of a framework since it is only concerned with the creation of knowledge which is nothing more than a part of the Knowledge Management. Another type of framework that is described in theory is the one that provides information on cyclic processes of the Knowledge Management. From the studies of Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a), it is evident that many of these frameworks only provide activities that stress on the knowledge cycle activities. They lay importance on phases of knowledge without providing supervision in the implementation of Knowledge Management. The examples of such frameworks are plenty including the framework by Bose and Sugumaran (2003) and many of the frameworks that were studied by Rubenstein-Montano et al. (2001a). A third type of framework is the one developed by researchers that is used to explain the performance of Knowledge Management in an organization. The framework provides reference to shoe the analysis, structure and evaluation of the Knowledge Management in various organizations belonging to different fields. They were developed by Apostolou and Mentzas (1998). Framework requirements The framework helps in understanding, improving awareness and gives the conceptual definition of the Knowledge management that informs the people about the processes involved in it. Al the components can be understood with the help of a framework and puts the Knowledge Management in perspective by providing the people with a clear and concise vision which helps in its implementation. Managers find framework as a beneficial and important tool since it helps to decide whether all the aspects related to the Knowledge management have been covered that may be easily overlooked without the framework. It also helps in enabling the implementation process and helps coordinate the efforts put in by the organization in a controlled and systematic way. System Approach Framework Holsapple and Joshi (2002) laid out a three layer framework which consists of three major building blocks known as knowledge resources, activities and influences. The resources pat highlighted the pool of the knowledge of the organization that can be classified into six main forms of resources namely participants knowledge, infrastructure, culture, knowledge artefact, strategy and purpose. The activities block represents the processes to be used by the organization for manipulating the knowledge resources. Holsapple and Joshi (2002) were able to identify 4 activities related to this aspect namely acquiring, selecting, internalizing and using the knowledge which means the generation and externalization of knowledge. The manners in which these activities are performed tend to be influence by a number of factors that can be seen in the next block called as knowledge influences. The implementation is greatly influenced by this block and is classified into three categories namely resource (human, financial, material and knowledge), managerial (coordination, leadership and measurement) and environmental (customers, competitors, suppliers, markets and other conditions). The three aspects when viewed collectively act as the main components in the operation of Knowledge Management. A framework was created with the idea of four stages namely review, concept, reflect and act by Wiig et al. (1997) in order to explain a number of Knowledge Management techniques and methods. Review is the first step and relates to evaluating and monitoring the performance of the organization to find out whether the desired results have been obtained. Conceptualize has two parts namely analysis of knowledge and inventory knowledge. The former is used to identify and assess the problems, weakness, strengths threats and opportunities related to knowledge. The latter is used to find out the state of knowledge in the organization by finding out the knowledge assets. TH reflect part is used for the following- Create teams for assessing. Find out the Knowledge management requirements. Collect knowledge by identifying. Design structure to knowledge in warehouse. Maintain technology. Test the technology again. Train the knowledge workers. Show the use of Knowledge management practises. Track the usage. Get the system to start. Measure the productivity and quality, measure Knowledge Management practices. Conduct assessment review of the processes. Hygoyo Protocol Framework of Hyogo The priorities, mission and vision of the National Framework were created in synchronisation with the Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) 1005-2015 that was agreed upon by all the nations in January 2005 in the city of Kobe, Japan during the UN-World conference held for Disaster Reduction. The expected result of the HFA after ten years is significant reduction in the lives and economic, social and environmental assets of the countries and communities. The following objectives have been adopted by HFA to attain the desired results- Better integration of disaster risk considerations and accordingly makes development policies. Planning at all the levels with focus on disaster prevention, preparedness, reduction and vulnerability reduction. The strengthening and development of institutes, capacities and mechanisms at all the levels especially at the community level that can help in building resistance to hazards. Incorporation risk mitigation approaches in the implementation of recovery programs, response and emergency preparedness that is used in rehabilitation of the affected communities. Scope This particular framework relates to provision of guidelines and direction to the national, local and provincial institutions. Aspects such as capacity building and vulnerability reduction are the crucial factors that help the communities and institutions to counter disaster risks. The strategies, policy implementation are taken care by this phase and programs for the parts of disaster are provided for. There are certain challenges that are recognized in the five major areas as follows- Governance- legal, organizational and policy frameworks. Risk identification. Monitoring, assessment and early warnings. Knowledge education and management. Reduction of risk factors. Preparedness to improve response and recovery. The Yokohama strategy concludes in its review the discussions in the World Conference on Disaster Reduction and the desired result that was decided can be described into five priorities of action as follows- Make sure disaster risk is a local and national priority with a very strong institutional base for execution. Identify, monitor and assess the disaster risks and identify early warnings. Use innovation, knowledge to build a safety culture which is strong at all the levels. Reduce the risk factors Make the disaster preparedness strong for better response. Case study of earthquake in Pakistan with respect to Knowledge Management The earthquake in Kashmir in 2005 was a massive earthquake with its epicentre in Pakistan controlled Kashmir close to the city of Muzaffarabad that affected the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilbit Baltistan province of Pakistan. It took place at 8:52:37 PST on the 8th of October. It was similar in size to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and 2001 earthquake in Gujarat with magnitude of 7.6. Tremors of this earthquake were felt in surrounding nations like western China and Tajikistan. Four people died in Afghanistan while close to fourteen hundred people died in India controlled Kashmir according to reports. The damage caused was blamed on poor construction and major up thrust. Infrastructure Network usage- the network usage was high throughout the phases of recovery. Data and voice communication was very good in Islamabad. The landline network was brought on track within a coupe of days in town hit by the earthquake and the cell network was extended post the earthquake. The areas that were hit the worst had no assistance and relief and were left with no communication. Some parts were wiped out entirely. The skills to manage the technology were available in Pakistan but the management was not properly planned. Network Availability- At first the network was very low during recovery and later was raised to a medium level. The inconsistency of connection was the main factor rather than low bandwidth. The connection would break consistently which proved to be disruptive. The limitations were known fully in the remote areas but the staff did not pay heed to the cell coverage problem. Cell phones are not adequate in such circumstances. Interoperability- This aspect worked at all times during recovery and it worked in the favour of national staff success. Communications technology staff had prior experience working for NGO and used their contacts in organizations to full effect. Data Information The information was inaccurate throughout the recovery. The situation reports were not reliable. The data was circulated internally and contained insufficient information related to needs such as fundraising, donors and advocacy. This resulted in various queries sought from the headquarters to the staff for more information. Another shortcoming was the information distribution. There was lack of communication with the UN that put the NGOs at a los since they did not know the plans put in place by UN and the problems they faced. The cluster approach by the UN shoed positive results in the initial four weeks for common approaches, joint analysis and programming. Some participants did not take part in the cluster group (Food, Water, Sanitation, Education and Health). The coordination was improved with the establishment of the District Relief and Recovery Committee with

Immanuel, Kant (1724-1804) Essay examples -- essays research papers

Immanuel Kant was born in 1724 in the East Prussian town of KÃ ¶nigsberg and lived there practically all his life. He came from a deeply pious Lutheran family, and his own religious convictions formed a significant background to his philosophy. Like Berkeley, he felt it was essential to preserve the foundations of Christian belief. Kant became Professor of Logic and Metaphysics at the University of KÃ ¶nigsberg in 1770 and taught there for most of his life. He was also greatly interested in science and published works on astronomy and geophysics. His three most significant works were published later in life. The Critique of Pure Reason came out in 1781, followed in 1788 by the Critique of Practical Reason and in 1790 by the Critique of Judgment. The Critique of Pure Reason is one of the most important works in the whole of philosophy. Unfortunately it is also one of the most unreadable - Kant himself described it as dry and obscure. Kant had generally been an outgoing and friendly man but towards the end of his life his mental faculties and his sight deteriorated badly. He died a shadow of his former self, aged 80. One of his most quoted sayings is carved on his gravestone in KÃ ¶nigsberg: "Two things fill my mind with ever-increasing wonder and awe, the more often and the more intensely the reflection dwells on them: the starry heavens above me and the moral law within me". IDEAS Kant believed that there are clear limits to what we can know. You could perhaps say that the mind's "glasses" set these limits. The philosophers before Kant had discussed the really "big" questions - for instance, whether man has an immortal soul, whether there is a God, whether nature consists of tiny indivisible particles, and whether the universe is finite or infinite. Kant believed there was no certain knowledge to be obtained on these questions. In such great philosophical questions, he thought that reason operates beyond the limits of what we humans can comprehend. At the same time there is in our nature a basic desire to pose these questions. When, for example, we ask whether the universe has always existed, we are asking about a totality of which we ourselves are a tiny part. We can therefore never completely know this totality. According to Kant there are two elements that contribute to our knowledge of the world - sensory perception and re... ...etimes you might only be kind and helpful to others because you know it pays off. It could be a way of becoming popular. But if this is your only motive you are not acting out of respect for moral law. You might be acting in accordance with moral law - and that could be fair enough - but if it is to be a moral action, you must have conquered yourself. Only when you do something purely out of duty can it be called a moral action. Kant's ethics is therefore sometimes called duty ethics. Kant also advocated the establishment of a "league of nations". In his treatise Perpetual Peace, he wrote that all countries should unite in order to assure peaceful coexistence between nations. He believed that man's "practical reason" would force the nations to emerge from the wild state of nature which creates wars, and make a contract to keep the peace. Kant recognised that this would take time to achieve but he saw it as our duty to work for the universal and lasting securing of peace. About 125 years after the appearance of Kant's treatise in 1795, the League of Nations was founded, after the First World War. After the Second World War it was replaced by the United Nations.

Internet Pornography: Solving Elusive Problem Essay

No one can deny the immeasurable benefits of the internet to the society as a whole. It is a limitless source of information that offers an array of helpful, constructive and educational material for people of all ages. However, like anything else, it does not come with benefits alone. Internet is highly susceptible to bring harm to users in general, and children and minors in particular, through its free and immense exposure to pornography. However small a content of the Internet on the whole this maybe, it is bound to bring a greater harm to the young minds as well as adult, than the benefits from the largely available advantageous information. This paper will examine the extent of this harm with support of latest research and literature, and the latest methods from a state and local level that are being used to combat the pervasiveness and easy access to the internet porn. Body of Paper The internet was originally built by the US military as a means of nuclear-assault-proof communication. The universities soon saw the value of a worldwide communication network and researchers from across the world began to distribute their work with contemporaries. But hackers began to break into the system so that eventually, for a small fee, it was decided to launch the network to all comers. Soon it was spread throughout the world at increasingly less cost and effort. The flow of information, knowledge and experiences thus shared was immense and of great value and benefit. However the information and content so readily available at this network has not necessarily been educational and enlightening. There is material sexually explicit in nature including pornography of all genders including children. The ironic part is that all such material is available freely without ant sort of restriction, in just a matter of keyboard punches. The internet users have a great number of children and minors who supposedly access to the internet for research and educational purposes. These children are conveniently exposed to such explicit materials, which harm their young minds and caste detrimental effects on their psychology. According to a study conducted by London School of Economics in year 2004, the children of age even as less as nine, are falling victims to the negative face of Internet every time they use it. The even more problematic element is the ignorance of parents of the risks associated with such a damaging issue. This study surveyed 1,100 children of ages between nine and nineteen and found that almost sixty percent of these regular Internet users frequently fell prey to the hurtful explicit material of pornography. Below are the key findings of this survey: ? â€Å"Nearly six in 10 have come into contact with online pornography. ? 38 per cent have seen a pornographic popup advert while doing something else. ? 36 per cent have accidentally found a pornographic website. ? 25 per cent have received pornographic junk mail by email or text. 10 per cent have visited a pornographic website on purpose. † (The Evening Standard, 2004, Pg. 6) In an article by Azy Barak and William A. Fisher (2001), the widespread porn on the internet and its progressive trend has been pointed out. â€Å"Current reports indicate variously that the online pornography industry will gross $366 million by 2001 (Spenger, 1999) or that it already grosses in excess of $1 billion (â€Å"Blue Money,† 1999), and reports indicate that a spectacular 69% of all e-commerce involves the purchase of sexual materials (â€Å"Blue Money,† 1999). Other sources report that 15% of all Internet users accessed one of the top five â€Å"Adult† websites in a recent month (Cooper et al, 1999), that sex is the most frequently searched topic on the Internet (Freeman-Longo & Blanchard, 1998), and that all of the top eight word searches on the Internet involve pornography (Sparrow & Griffiths, 1997). † (Barak and Fisher (2001)) The social and psychological effects of such ever more and cheaply accessible pornography on the minds of individuals, both adult and children is devastating. Such explicit images and videos contaminate the mentality and psyche leading towards appalling actions and exploitations. After engaging into extensive viewing of pornography, people get even more provoked and feel an even more intense need for sex. In order to satisfy such needs, people do incline towards forceful attempts, with both opposite genders and the same, even with children. According to an estimate, the attempts and incidents of rape in the United States rose substantially during 1995 to 1999. â€Å"This time interval is by all accounts a period of exponential growth in the availability and use of all forms of Internet sexually explicit materials (Cheney, 2000; Elmer-Dewitt, 1995; Freeman-Longo, 2000; Harmon & Boeringer, 1996; Mehta & Plaza, 1998; Rimm, 1995; Wysocki, 1998). † (Barak and Fisher (2001))

Shakespeare Greatest Playwright of All

William Shakespeare: Greatest Playwright of All William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was a British poet and playwright, he was well known as the greatest writer of all time, he was often called the â€Å"Bard of Avon†. Although many facts of his life remain unknown, his poems and plays are unique and have timeless theme that touch everyone’s heart, and are still widely studied and performed in today’s society. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, England enjoyed a time of prosperity and stability that led to a new era for England.Shakespeare’s works epitomize arts of the Elizabethan Epoch; through his uses of beautiful and poetic language, iambic pentameter is nearly always used in his style of poetry. Shakespeare wrote about timeless themes about the human nature surrounded themes of true love, revenge, power-lust, ambition, anger, war, etc, they are not only appealed to the people of Elizabethan England, but also provide a reference for life in his time for us to view the contemporary society. Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon Avon in Warwickshire and was baptized on April 26, 1564.His father was a wool merchant and his mother was the daughter of a landowner. The next documented event was his marriage when he was 18 years old to Anne Hathaway who was 26 years old at that time, and they had three children. There was another gap where some scholars referred to as â€Å"the lost years†, then he was working in a theatre in London in 1592. Shakespeare wrote his very first play, Henry VI, Part One in 1589-90, and in  1590-91, Shakespeare wrote Henry VI, Part Two and Henry VI, Part III. Shakespeare's poetry appeared before his plays, his narrative poems Venus and Adonis as his first ever publication in 1593.Then Shakespeare wrote plays began to be noticed by the public, and sooner became popular. During the Renaissance in Europe there was a great innovation of science; the Church had lost some of the corruptive power that once held over Europe, and people were again free to look back upon the pagan scholars and writers of Greece and Rome. Plays by playwrights such as Euripides, Plautus, and Seneca which were once banned by the Church were once again being read and performed. Likewise, the cultural stories of the people were once again being told in public, and playwrights, including Shakespeare, were widely performed.An good example would be Midsummer Night's Dream, Shakespeare used ancient Celtic and Greek mythological figures such as Puck, Oberon, Theseus and placed them in a different time and place, but with their original characteristics. Other plays, such as Romeo and Juliet make references to popular mythological figures like Queen Mab to make the story fit better into their world. Since people of all classes attended plays, playwrights needed to use stories, characters and words that would appeal to everyone.England in the time before the reign of Elizabeth I was under a state of religious turmoil . When Elizabeth I ascended to the throne, she banned the performances all religious plays and stories (except in Church) to help stop the violence over religion. Popular plays were   not longer be performed, and playwrights were now free to concentrate on secular stories. They still contained some elements of religion, as did everyday life in Elizabethan England, but it was not the primary focus, nor did it play a particularly important part of the story.Conventions from Medieval religious theatre found its way into Elizabethan Theatre, however, and Shakespeare made good use of them during their performances, such as using the trap door for the gravediggers’ scene in Hamlet. The Hellmouth and trapdoor, which had been a staple of Medieval Theatres continued to be used, and were built into the permanent theatre structures used in the performances of Elizabethan plays. Shakespeare’s histories, such as Henry V, were a tribute to the Monarch and to the country.Many playw rights and other artists paid homage to their patrons, including Shakespeare. By writing about the glories of England and her former rulers he was paying homage to Queen Elizabeth and England. Since the arts were kept alive by patrons, it was best not to anger one and lose your support. Shakespeare sometimes, such as in Hamlet, criticized the Monarchy, but in a way that would not be obvious or outwardly treasonous. He spoke his mind, but also paid lip service to keep money coming from his patron. Shakespeare was a very prolific writer, because his writings are not totally original.He had help with many of his plays from other writers and actors, such as Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), resulted people doubting that he himself wrote his plays. King Lear is based on a Celtic myth, and Hamlet is a retelling of earlier versions of the same story. Elizabethan plays use stock-type characters like those found in Comedia Del’Arte and Roman plays, and actors would specialize in specif ic types of roles. The English Renaissance Theatre played a significant part of Elizabethan theatre and Shakespeare's playwright career. The theatre has a proscenium-arch stage, and seatings on hree tiers (stalls, circle and balcony). Shakespeare first worked for Lord Strange's Men in The Rose, it is London’s most historic Elizabethan Theatre on Bankside and a home to many of Shakespeare’s and Marlowe’s first production. When the Globe was built, He worked for the Lord Chamberlain's Men, and was also part owner of the Globe itself. People in Elizabethan England were very concerned with the humour, which was a form of medicine and psychology. Shakespeare makes references to them all over in his plays. Hamlet is portrayed as being to Melancholic, with his humours out of balance, and one was dominant over the others.This is not psychology as we know it today, and was why the people from Elizabethan Era believed people were the way they were. Shakespeare used this b elief to make his characters not only believable, but also understandable to his audience. Shakespeare’s works are the greatest representation of art from Elizabethan England politically, economically, and socially. No other art form, including painting, could provide so much information about life in Elizabethan England, we can see the ideas, thoughts, languages, customs, etc throughout his plays. Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets and 37 plays in total, including tragedy, comedy, and history.The Four Great Tragedies were his greatest achievement as a playwright, and are greatly studied in English literature, performed in theatre, and made into several films; include Romeo and Juliet (1594), the timeless tale of young lovers whose names were synonymous with star-crossed romance; Hamlet (1600), the revenge drama centering on the introspective Prince of Denmark; Othello (1604), a story of gallant soldier and loving husband was undone by jealousy ; and Macbeth (1605), known as †Å"The Scottish Play†, concerning a nobleman's overweening ambition.These plays focused on powerful central characters with outstanding personal qualities, and the antagonists were their own strengths,   their family, and the society, which would not allow then to get what they wanted. For example, Romeo and Juliet sought for true love, but they were forbidden to love each other because their families were  mortal enemies, and the story ended tragically where Romeo drugged himself and Juliet stabbed herself with a dagger.Audience of all times are   appalled at this paradox and at the inexorability of his characters' fate in which because part of our human nature and the cruelty of our society, we don't always get what we desired deeply. Other tragedies include Julius Caesar (1599), King Lear (1604), Timon of Athens (1607), etc. Comedies include  Merchant of Venice (1596),  Midsummer Night's Dream 1595),  Twelfth Night (1599),  Two Gentlemen of Verona (1594), etc.H istory includes  Henry IV, Part I (1597),  Henry IV, Part II (1597),  Henry V (1598),  Henry VI, Part I (1591),  Henry VI, Part II (1590),  Henry VI, Part III (1590),  Henry VIII (1612),  Richard II (1595),  Richard III (1592), King John, etc. Iambic pentameter is meter that Shakespeare nearly used when writing in verse. The reason why Shakespeare's works are always extraordinary is because most of his plays were written in iambic pentameter, except for lower-class characters who speak in prose.Iambic Pentameter has ten syllables in each line, five pairs of alternating unstressed and stressed syllables. Some examples of Shakespearean Iambic Pentameter is â€Å"Two households, both alike in dignity. â€Å", â€Å"In fair Verona, where we lay our scene. â€Å", â€Å"But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? â€Å", etc. Shakespeare's influence continued to impact the society today, his  plays are being performed constantly throughout the world.Ever y day, one of his plays is being performed somewhere, and probably more than one place. More than 410 feature-length film and TV versions of Shakespeare's plays or adaption, have been produced, making Shakespeare the most filmed author ever in any language, including Romeo and Juliet (1968), Romeo+Juliet (1996), West Side Story (1961), Gnomeo and Juliet (2011), Othello (1965), Othello (1995), Macbeth (1948), The Tragedy of Macbeth (1971), etc.Some films used Shakespeare as a character, such as  Shakespeare in Love (1998) is a fictional love story about Shakespeare's romance with a noblewoman, at the time of writing Romeo and Juliet. Many universities offer courses on Shakespeare, such as Shakespeare Studies MA from University of Birmingham, Shakespeare special subject courses from University of Cambridge, Shakespeare and Films from University of Notre Dame, Shakespeare Studies from Boston College, etc.

Basking Shark Winter Migration

Basking Shark Winter Migration Shark scientists have questioned basking shark migration for decades since an article in 1954 proposed that basking sharks, which were hardly seen once cold weather hit, hibernated on the ocean bottom during the winter. A tagging study released in 2009 finally revealed that basking sharks head south in the winter, further than scientists ever dreamed. The basking sharks that spend their summers in the western North Atlantic are not seen in that area once the weather cools. It was once thought that these sharks might spend their winters on the ocean bottom, in a state similar to hibernation. Scientists finally got a handle on this question in a study published in 2009 online in Current Biology. Researchers from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries and their colleagues fitted 25 sharks off of Cape Cod with tags that recorded depth, temperature and light levels. The sharks swam on their way, and by wintertime, the scientists were surprised to find them crossing the equator - some even went all the way to Brazil. While in these southern latitudes, the sharks spent their time in deep water, ranging from about 650 to 3200 feet deep. Once there, the sharks remained for weeks to months at a time. Eastern North Atlantic Basking Sharks Studies on basking sharks in the UK have been less conclusive, but the Shark Trust reports that the sharks are active all year and during the winter, they migrate to deeper waters offshore and also shed and re-grow their gill rakers. In a study published in 2008, a female shark was tagged for 88 days (July-September 2007) and swam from the UK to Newfoundland, Canada. Other Basking Shark Mysteries Even though the mystery of where Western North Atlantic basking sharks go during the winter has been solved, we still dont know why. Gregory Skomal, the lead scientist in the study, said that it doesnt seem to make sense for the sharks to travel that far south, as suitable temperatures and feeding conditions can be found closers, such as off of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida. One reason might be to mate and give birth. This is a question that may take awhile to answer, as nobody has ever seen a pregnant basking shark, or even seen a baby basking shark.

A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Essays

A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Essays A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Paper A Comparison between the Devil and Tom Walker, and Macbeth Paper Comparison Essay As the reader or audience members read the book, â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker† and the play Macbeth , you tend to visualize the comparison between the two authors. The most common theme used by both Shakespeare and Irving is greed. In which Greed is the intense and selfish desire for something, such as wealth, food, power or excessively or inordinate desire for wealth, and profit. Throughout the book â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker† and in the play Macbeth you can see the theme of greed in which was the themes that both Irving and Shakespeare betrayed in their text. An example or display of greed was shown in the play Macbeth, William Shakespeare introduced the reader to this in act four, â€Å"And my more having would be as a sauce to make me hunger more: that I should forge Quarrels unjust against the good and loyal, destroying them for wealth†(Shakespeare 158). This piece of textual evidence from the play Macbeth was used to emphasize the theme of greed in the play, by basically stating that greed feeds on itself while in the process of achieving a certain desire. Malcolm is stating that he would become evil, and destroy the good and loyal to achieve success or wealth in life. Irving just like Shakespeare also used greed as a theme in his book entitled â€Å"The Devil Tom Walker. † Washington Irving presented the audience with the greedy character named Tom Walker, who showed signs of greed. The novel author states, â€Å"he had also a great folio bible on his counting house desk, and would frequently be found reading it when people came on business;occasions he would lay his green spectacles on the book, to mark the place, while he turned round to drive some usurious bargain† (Washington 5). Tom was a very greedy individual because he would read a bible and then in the process he would lay his green glasses down on the bible, so he could make a deal with a client. Tom Walker would close deals with the bible in his coat pocket. Also the green glasses used by Irving Washington symbolize the proper definition of the word greed, because green resembles money. He is trying to read the bible to find a loop hole in it so he can make a good bargain and that would allow him to make money, Tom would do just about anything to have the wealth of money. Even if that meant that he would have to be more evil or greedier than the Old Scratch. The theme greedy was very important to both authors Irving and Shakespeare, because it was used as a type of moral or theme throughout both the play and novel to portray the essential signs of greediness. As both authors demonstrate this, they also show how greed is an ongoing process that can’t be stopped, because it’s an uncontrollable desire for a particular want or need in life. In fact both authors defined the word greed very well in their pieces of work, by describing greed as a desire or want that an individual would forfeit all the good things in his or her life to commit to evil doings which in a sense is the process of being greedy.

The Pros and Cons of Teaching in Block Schedules

The Pros and Cons of Teaching in Block Schedules Education is full of ideas like year-round schooling, vouchers, and block scheduling, so its important for administrators and educators to look at the pros and cons of an idea before implementing it. Strategies for one popular idea, block schedules, can  help make the transition easier and more effective. In block scheduling- unlike a traditional school day that typically has six 50-minute classes- the school might schedule two traditional days a week, with six 50-minute classes, and three nontraditional days, with only four classes that meet for 80 minutes each. Another type of block schedule that many schools use is called the 4X4 schedule, where students take four classes instead of six each quarter. Each yearlong class only meets for one semester. Each semester class only meets for a quarter. There are pros and cons to block schedules compared to traditional school scheduling. Block Scheduling Pros In block scheduling, a teacher sees fewer students during the day, thereby giving him or her the ability to spend more time with each one. Because of the increased span of teaching time, longer cooperative learning activities can be completed in one class period. There is more time for labs in science classes. Students also have less information to deal with during each school day, but over the course of a semester or quarter, they can delve more deeply into the curriculum of four classes, instead of six. Because of the decreased number of classes, students also have less homework on any given day. The teacher is able to provide more varied instruction during class, and he may find it easier to deal with students with disabilities and different learning styles. Planning periods are longer, allowing educators to spend more time preparing for classes and doing the administrative work required for teaching, such as grading, contacting parents, and meeting with fellow teachers. Block Scheduling Cons In a block schedule, teachers typically only see students four times a week- such as Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday- which means that students lose continuity on the days they dont see a given teacher. If a student misses a day under the block schedule, he is actually missing the equivalent of nearly two days compared to the traditional 50-minute-class schedule. No matter how well planned, on many days, the teacher can end up with 10 to 15 minutes of extra time, where students often begin their homework. When all of this time is added up at the end of the semester, the teacher covers less information and curriculum. In the 4X4 schedule, the teacher has to cover all of the required information in one quarter. In an economics class at a typical high school, for example, if the quarter happens to be during football season and while homecoming is occurring, the teacher can lose valuable class time due to interruptions. In the 4X4 schedule, it is especially difficult to cover the necessary material for Advanced Placement courses in the time allotted. To compensate, many schools have to extend United States history so that it is a two-part course and lasts the entire year in order for the teacher to cover all of the required material. Strategies for Teaching Under the Block Schedule When used in the proper setting with the right students and a well-prepared teacher, block scheduling can be very useful. However, schools need to keep a close eye on such things as test scores and discipline problems to see if the schedule has any noticeable effect. In the end, it is important to remember that good teachers are just that; regardless of what schedule they teach under, they adapt. Though block schedule classes are longer than traditional class periods,  lecturing  for 80 minutes will likely cause any teacher to become hoarse over the course of a few days and possibly lose the attention of students, resulting in decreased learning.  Instead,  teachers should vary their instruction in a block schedule, using teaching techniques such as debates,  whole group discussions, role-plays, simulations, and other  cooperative learning activities. Other strategies for block schedule teaching include: Engaging Howard Gardners  multiple intelligences  and tapping into varying the learning modalities, such as kinesthetic,  visual, or  auditory. This can help a teacher keep up the interest and attention of students.Having two or three  mini-lessons  on hand to fill any extra time in case the lesson plan doesnt take the full block schedule period.Taking full advantage of the time allotted to institute projects that can be difficult to complete in shorter class periods.Doing a review of material from previous lessons. This is especially important in block schedule formats where students dont see the teacher every day. In a block schedule, a teacher need not feel he or she has to be the center of attention at all times during the class period. Giving students independent work and allowing them to work in groups are good strategies for these longer class periods. Block schedules can be very taxing on a teacher, and its important to use strategies to manage teacher burnout since educators are the glue that holds block schedules together.

Sprint Communications Vision Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Sprint Communications Vision - Term Paper Example The researcher states that the company’s red logo depicts the efforts and successes of its predecessors, including Centel, US Sprint and United Telecommunications. The company follows aggressive strategies as far as growth is concerned and offers a diverse range of products. In 1880’s the company became the leader in telecommunications sector and for the first time in U.S, provided a 100% fiber optic cable network; a service that was unimaginable previously. The merger of Sprint and Centel in 1993 gave the company an edge by providing wireless communication packages across long distances. The company was founded by Cleyson Brown in 1991. The company is centered on four main principles: integrity, honesty, creativity and commitment. The company’s mission is to create sustainable partnerships with customers on a long-term basis, based on trust and collaboration. There are four central tenets of its mission. Firstly, to provide high quality, out of the box solutions for customers to provide them with cutting-edge technology. Secondly, it provides strong communications platforms to enable customers to deal with day to day networking issues. Thirdly, it is responsible for accounting for managers who are loyal to the business and who truly understand the needs of the businesses and align their personal needs with those of the business. Fourth, providing highly responsive and interaction based service on a localized basis which is capable of being trusted and guaranteed to give ultimate peace of mind to the customer. The company has gone at lengths to ensure empowerment of not only its employees, but the community in general. It has a plan under the banner of â€Å"inclusion and diversity† which addresses the issue of corporate citizenship and allows minorities and ethnic groups an equal share in the operations of the company. The company proudly declares itself as a learning organization and offers merit-based advancement of its employees with extensive training programs to ensure their personal as well as professional growth. Under this strategy the company has created â€Å"employee resource groups† that comprise of self-directed work teams where constructive discussion and contribution is encouraged.

Lowe's vs. home depot Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Lowe's vs. home depot - Essay Example That is one of reasons that statistics show more sale revenue for Home Depot which is more accessible due to more branches! Lowe’s and Home Depot, being in the same business, have distinctly differentiated market strategy. Lowe’s is more focused to the needs and requirements of women and housewives who are more incline to buy dà ©cor accessories and unique products that can make a fashion statement for them. Home Depot, on the other hand, caters to the bulk buyers like contractors and retail customers, men especially, who are seriously into DIY (do it yourself) products. Home Depot has a better competitive image because they not only have more stores but they have also realized the need to improve on their quality and customer service. They are also thinking of expanding their product line to cater to wider customer base. Lowe’s, on the other hand, is just intending to improve on its customer service which is inadequate in the current scenario of recessive trend and highly competitive business

Opera property management system an evaluation report Assignment

Opera property management system an evaluation report - Assignment Example In the past few years information technology has brought a number of changes to almost all the industries. However, it has a serious impact on the hospitality industry. In fact, a large number of people from hospitality industry now consider that the implementation of latest and modern IT tools is necessary not simply to maintain and run hospitality-related functions but also to set up a bridge with potential customers. In this scenario, these varying IT trends in hotel industry force all kinds of hospitality firms to effectively take advantage of any innovative technology that can offer their firm’s substantial excellence in forms of superior customer satisfaction and employee competence. Up till now a large number of researches and studies have been carried out by various researchers to find out the positive effects of IT tools and systems on the hospitality industry. For instance, carried out a research in order to determine the impact of information technology supported sy stems in Australia, which demonstrated that the implementation of information and management systems can play a significant role in increasing the capability of hospitality industries.... The selection of a property management system heavily depends on the nature and size of the hospitality firm. This paper presents a critical review of an information system that is particularly designed for managing and dealing with property related operations. In this paper I am going to review a modern property management system known as Opera Property Management System. This paper will discuss different aspects of Opera Property Management System. Property Management System Before going into the depth of this property management system there is need to understand the importance of using these IT systems in the hospitality industry. As Opera Property Management System focuses on Wi-Fi usage so we will also discuss the use of Wi-Fi technology in the hospitality industry. In their research, (Pandey, 2010) discuss the importance of information technology for the hospitality industry. According to their viewpoint from dealing with guests and customers and developing and presenting food menus to keeping track of their employees, IT tools and systems have not only completely changed but also restructured the way the hospitality firms carry out their tasks in this information technology based era. In fact, the hospitality sector for all time thrash about to find out more ground-breaking tools and applications with the passage of time as they make changes to the format of the hotel and restaurant business (Pandey, 2010). In addition, a large number of researches and studies have concluded that IT tools and applications have turned out to be a key driver of economical growth for the hospitality industry in the past few years. In this scenario, extensive availability of easy to use and state-of-the-art tools and software applications for

HP at a Strategic Crossroad Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

HP at a Strategic Crossroad - Assignment Example But, the company was not able to take up the challenge thrown up by the rapid advancements in technologies and some of the competitors. Fiorina had proved herself at AT&T by bringing about a successful spin-off at its equipment and research branch. With such a legacy she joined HP and started her mission to refurbish the image of HP and implementing the requisite changes. For introducing changes in an organization and its functioning, the manager is supposed to take into confidence the team leaders, departmental heads and other support staff. The CEO will be able to plan and execute the strategies effectively if she had fullest support from other managers and the governing board. In this case it appears that Carleton Fiorina didn't believe in collaborative or democratic type of functioning. Instead she took pride in imposing her decision and carrying through her plan irrespective of what others have to say on that particular decision. She gained notoriety for placing her interest ove r the interests of the organization. This is a serious shortcoming for being an able and acceptable leader. To manage an organization, the manager has to manage the human resources, the machinery and the strategies. The leader will be termed as successful, if she is able to take active cooperation of the human resources in managing the machinery and planning & executing the strategies. But in this case Fiorina resorted to 'ambush marketing' from the very beginning. Without caring for the tradition or conventions at HP, she started imposing her plans. It can very well be argued that in this era of cut-throat competition, an organization has to plan out its strategies according to the demand from market, but expecting the change to take place overnight, proves detrimental for the health of the organization. This is exactly what Fiorina did after joining HP. It is said that, companies and organizations are made for people and by the people, and obviously their effectiveness depends on the behavior and performance of the people running these companies. Howard Good (2006), the former president of Highland Central School Board in Highland, NY, says, "Being board president brings power and prestige, but you must inspire and help others to be successful". A team leader therefore plays the central role in making or breaking the team. It is the team leader who can synergize the efforts or just wither away the advantage, with his actions. A team leader is supposed to delegate the powers and responsibilities amongst his/ her team mates, inspire the team members by being an example and motivate his team with appropriate motivating factors. A leader can synergize the efforts by; Eliciting the contribution from all concerned Organizing the team members by assigning them the responsibilities, and Developing an information system for monitoring and coordination activities. It can very well be argued that HP had become a bureaucratic type of an organization and was on the verge of loosing the status of being a leader in innovation. World's first scientific calculator was given to the world by HP way back in 1967. The company has been a market leader in printing and imaging business solutions since 1985. But somehow the company could not keep pace with the changing technology and the competitors like IBM and Dell overtook it. The revenue figures started declining. A dynamic leader

Carrefour's Misadventure in Russia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Carrefour's Misadventure in Russia - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that with a move to the globalized era, successful businesses and large corporations are continuously looking for the opportunities of international expansion. The last trends show that emerging economies, especially BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) become more popular destinations for business development purposes. While there are many examples of successful penetration and business establishment on these markets, there are also examples of failures and misadventures. Entry strategy of the France-based retail giant Carrefour to the Russian market has been unsuccessful, and the company’s sudden exit has raised many different opinions in this respect.   Below there is provided an overview of potential factors that might have its impact on the company’s failure continued with the further analysis of the Russian food retail market based on the Porters’ five forces model. While there was not clearly defined the rea son of why Carrefour has made a decision to exit suddenly the Russian market, there were mentioned some obvious factors that might have contributed to this decision. These factors include: social and cultural factors; legal factors; late entry decision; absence of sufficient organic-growth prospects and acquisition opportunities, and political factors. Such social and cultural factors that have been identified as the potential barriers to the Carrefour’s expansion in Russia included: bureaucracy, corruption, red tape.

Human resource management policies implemented by Watsons Engine Assignment

Human resource management policies implemented by Watsons Engine Components - Assignment Example However there are factors which resist effective management of human resource. In this study, theoretical frameworks have also been incorporated to better analyze HRM policies and functions. A critical perspective for human resource management helps in determining the need for strategic HR planning to enhance company performance. The report will even highlight certain recommendations for Watsons at the end which can be implemented to reduce problems observed within the organization. Various approaches of human resource management are outlined in this study and each of them has a significant impact on workforce productivity. Human resource management is an organizational function structured to maximize employee performance. The major objective of this function is to meet objectives of employer. Management of human resource is related to developing systems and policies for effectively managing workforce in an organization. The units and departments of HR are responsible for employee re cruitment, performance appraisal, training and development and even rewarding. HR is associated with industrial relations, or rather balancing governmental laws and collective bargaining regulations with organizational practices. In 20th century, human relations movement framed the concept of human resource management. Researchers worked on this concept and stated that strategic management of workforce can create competitive advantage for a business.

Carrefour's Misadventure in Russia Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Carrefour's Misadventure in Russia - Case Study Example This research will begin with the statement that with a move to the globalized era, successful businesses and large corporations are continuously looking for the opportunities of international expansion. The last trends show that emerging economies, especially BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) become more popular destinations for business development purposes. While there are many examples of successful penetration and business establishment on these markets, there are also examples of failures and misadventures. Entry strategy of the France-based retail giant Carrefour to the Russian market has been unsuccessful, and the company’s sudden exit has raised many different opinions in this respect.   Below there is provided an overview of potential factors that might have its impact on the company’s failure continued with the further analysis of the Russian food retail market based on the Porters’ five forces model. While there was not clearly defined the rea son of why Carrefour has made a decision to exit suddenly the Russian market, there were mentioned some obvious factors that might have contributed to this decision. These factors include: social and cultural factors; legal factors; late entry decision; absence of sufficient organic-growth prospects and acquisition opportunities, and political factors. Such social and cultural factors that have been identified as the potential barriers to the Carrefour’s expansion in Russia included: bureaucracy, corruption, red tape.

Crimes against Humanity in Tibet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Crimes against Humanity in Tibet - Essay Example In return, to the peaceful pursuit of their rights, a group faces negative pressure from their counterparts, which may be a strong force, far much, beyond what the first group has engaged to pursue their rights. The struggle is characteristic in some countries in the world, in which some perceived minority groups continue to suffer violent attacks and killings, from their counterparts. One of the most commonly recognised groups of people that have faced the struggle of this nature is the Tibetans in the hands of the dominant and majority Chinese community. For some time, there has existed a struggle between the Tibetans and the larger Chinese community because they have diverse belief systems. While the Tibetans would not like the form of life of the larger Chinese community, they experiences immense pressure each time they attempt to advocate for their rights as independent group. Through the killing of peaceful demonstrators from the Tibet side, the attacks have risen to a level of crime against humanity and therefore, it has attracted criticism from different people and institutionsi. Tibet is a region that has people who practise religious beliefs that are very different from the major Chinese community and this problem sparked crime against humanity. While people in the Tibetans practise Buddhist, the Chinese community practise Confucianism faith, a religious practise that is far different from the Tibetans’ religion. In an attempt to influence the Tibetans to follow the Confucianism, the Chinese Communists have used unnecessary force that is against the law to discourage the Tibetans from the Buddhist religion. Some of the notable incident in this case is when the Chinese communist destroyed the Buddhist monasteries so that they minimise the effects of the religion in the Tibet area. This was a calculated move to disintegrate the Tibetans from meeting together as a group of people solidified by religion. The rights that each individual in the world has to worship the way he or she could be willing and in the places they would like is contravened. Although the event has faced a lot of condemnation from the religious leaders of the Tibetans, the crime continues to suppress the place of the religion among the Tibetans. The injustice that does not only require local intervention but also requires to be addressed by international jurisdiction, which will help the Tibetans to reclaim their possession and have protection. Throughout time, the attempt of the Tibetans to pursue their rights to worship has been unfruitful with many processes of jurisdiction taking years to addressii. Chinese communist regime has advanced to curtail the freedom of the Tibetans when they are in the monasteries for worship to prevent the Tibetan Buddhists from advancing their religion. The Chinese communists focus on influencing the Tibetans to Confucianism but not to allow them to practise their religious rituals and they have regularly monitored the are as of worship. This has resulted to development of enmity between the religions of the two groups in which the Tibetans are the minority and the Chinese communists are the majority. Regardless of the outcry from the spiritual leader of the Tibetan

Analysing and Applying Business Process Reengineering

Analysing and Applying Business Process Reengineering In the first part of this assignment the meaning of business process reengineering (BPR) is analysed. In more details, it is outlined how business processes might be reengineered to improve company or organizational performance. The themes covered are: The importance of BPR in organizations The objectives of implementing BPR The specific techniques that can be used (like process mapping) The required training The possible problems in implementation (like resistance) As about the second part, a critical evaluation is made concerning the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. In this section of the assignment it is critically evaluated the proposition that BPR in fact does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them. ANALYSIS OF PART 1. The term of BPR Today the business world is characterized by unpredictable changes, under the global competition and the customers demands. To be successful in such an environment, a firm must operate with speed, flexibility, low overheads and a clearly defined customer focus. The term business process reengineering (BPR) refers to an approach that is used by organizations seeking improvements in their business performance (Anonymous, 2007). The importance of BPR There is a series of driving forces, which trigger companies to undertake reengineering projects. These are customers, competition, change, cost, technology and shareholders and they lead to a requirement of new organizational structures and an alteration of the traditional way of doing business. Organizations consider BPR as an important tool of organizational improvement, as it helps them achieve the radical change necessary for todays volatile business environment. Additionally, BPR stresses the importance of linkages within an organisation. Though its structure integrated processes are generated concerning the nature of peoples jobs and how people are grouped and organized in the working environment. What is more, through BPR peoples jobs become multidimensional instead of narrow and traditional task orientation. When the concept of process is promoted in the BPR, cross boundary teamwork is incorporated and process shifts the goal focus on performance measurement and managerial r esponsibility from a function or responsibility center to an activity derivative process concept. So, BPR defines process teams as an important element in the business environment where work becomes multidimensional, substantive and more rewarding (Anonymous, 2007). It can be concluded that the importance of BPR is found at the fact that it is a dynamic tool for improving operations. BPR provides a process view of the organisation and a way of improving processes. Using this approach a company will be organized based on processes. As a result, processes are simplified, flows are improved and non value added work is eliminated (Schroeder, 2000). BPR is a complete life cycle approach. This provides the scope for problem identification and also solutions to implement the successful business operations. BPR can significantly improve cost, quality, service and speed simultaneously, so important results are provided to customers (Thyagarajan and Khatibi, 2004). It can be supported that organisations should focus on BPR for three key reasons: Firstly, there is much to be gained by improving business process. Secondly, business processes can be controlled and finally business processes are comparatively more important than production processes (Anonymous, 2007). The objectives of BPR BPR is a fundamental element in improving business performance and profitability. The BPR objectives refer to: improved operational performance, by closing performance gaps improved competencies, by closing skill and competency gaps reduced costs and manpower savings, by application of management analysis tools and techniques improved customer services or employee quality of life increased customer satisfaction increased productivity in the workplace continuous improvement of services quality delivered quality goods at competitive prices in a timely fashion (Anonymous, 2010a). The technical tools used in BPR There are different improvement techniques that can be adopted to analyse the BPR. These techniques enable the organization to understand, simplify and improve processes that already exist, not only to meet, but also to exceed the expectations of customers and provide a coordinating discipline for overall performance improvement (Anonymous, 2007). The selection of technical tools for BPR depends upon: (i) the nature of decision areas, (ii) the nature of data to be analysed, and (iii) the background of users. Table 1. The specific techniques that can be used in BPR Areas to be reengineered Techniques used in BPR BPR strategies Decision support system and Knowledge-based models Business process system design Analytical models such as queuing and simulations models Project management PERT/CPM and Flow Charts Reengineering business process Activity-based analysis and workflow model including flow chart Design of information system for reengineering business process Object-oriented models and programming Understanding of the business process system IDEF Models, EFQM Models, Petri-Net Models (Gunasekaran and Kobu, 2002). Process Mapping is a technique known as Process Charting or Flow Charting and is one of the oldest, simplest and most valuable techniques for streamlining work. It is one of the fastest ways to lower errors, increase productivity and affect customer service. It generally follows these steps: Choose a process. Assemble a team. Map out the way work is currently done. Identify problem areas. Brainstorm solutions. Evaluate action steps. Assign responsibilities. Create a master plan. Follow through. (Anonymous, 2010b). Process Mapping is an important tool in examining work flow and customer supplier relationships, which is the foundation for appropriate improvements. Additionally, it is a cost effective training tool for everyone interesting in increasing the efficiency of their organization and improving communication. (Damelio, 1996). Many organizations use this technique as a part of their reengineering projects, as it provides a variety of benefits (figure 1). Figure 1. The main benefits of implementing process mapping technique (Image available at the website http://www.google.gr, accessed 8-10-2010) The BPR training Implementing successfully BPR in an organisations environment is not an easy task, as the appeared changes require changes in attitudes and deep involvement of workforce both in individual and team level. As a result, the fact that a major aspect of BPR is human factor, it makes obvious that appropriate training is required in order to implement successfully BPR in the business environment. Companies should ensure that their employees are suitably motivated and the technology required for training is available in implementing BPR. Training is one of the most frequently used approaches to changing the organisations mindset. A company might offer the suitable training programs so as to effectively implement BPR processes (Daft, 2006) According to White (2010) business process reengineering education and training can come in a variety of ways, including: Learning more about process design at a graduate level. Using online continuing education options for further education. Attending seminars that cover various aspects of business process reengineering. The possible problems in BPR implementation Various radical changes occur when BPR takes place. Hammer and Champy (1993, cited in Anonymous, 2007) have listed the various kinds of changes that occur when a company re-engineers its business process. A shift from functional departments to process teams Job change A reversal of the power relationship: from superordinate to subordinate empowerment . Today markets are characterized by a high flow of information and companies face competitive business environments. Under this reality, organizations must follow effective strategies concerning change management (Robbins, 2001). BPR has to do with improving company or organizational performance, so its implementation requires the changes mentioned above often in a rapid way of implementation in attitudes and deep involvement of workforce both in individual and team level. These changes often refer to redefinition of charts structure and/ or redesign of the workforces roles and responsibilities. The new situation can bring resistance to change, so managers should examine carefully the way BPR implementation will take place. Managers should support understanding and trust concerning the new situation and minimize uncertainty within the workplace. The suggestions for dealing with the possible resistance to change are the following: Determining the goals of BPR implementation. Establishing a clear view about the changes that will occur in the workplace. Applying a direct communication method between managers and employees Checking the procedures of re-engineering, so as to deal with possible problems and find solutions. Focusing on performance measures and compensation shifts Enhancing customer focus as about value change Showing an appropriate management behaviour, through control and supervision Under these suggestions the changes in the business process, lob and structures, management and measurement systems, values and beliefs will result in a flatter organizational structure. As a consequence all the aspects (people, jobs, managers and values) are linked together and the organization will become more responsive in BPR implementation (Anonymous, 2007). ANALYSIS OF PART 2. In this section it will be critically evaluated the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. In order to make this evaluation, it is essential to introduce the issue of hierarchical authority in an organizations environment. Hierarchical structures are present in most organizations today. Smaller organizations may have only two levels, while larger ones may have a vast number of levels. These structures are used as a method of communications and as the lines of authority. In an organizational environment, the hierarchy mainly apart of a singular/group of power at the top with subsequent levels of power beneath them. Members of such structures chiefly communicate with their immediate superior and with their immediate subordinates. Hierarchical authority structures are providing the opportunity for greater decision-making width for individuals and more flexible definitions of job activities. This is a challenge to existing organizational forms (Zhao, Rosson and Purao, 2007). In a hierarchical organisation employees are ranked at various levels within the organisation, each level is one above the other. At each stage in the chain, one person has a number of workers directly under them, within their span of control. A tall hierarchical organisation has many levels and a flat hierarchical organisation will only have a few (Anonymous, 2010d). At figure 2 a traditional hierarchy is given. Figure 2. A traditional hierarchy diagram (Hierarchical Organisation, available at the website http://www.learnmanagement2.com, accessed 18-10-2010) CHIEF EXECUTIVE MANAGER MANAGER MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER ASSISTANT MANAGER STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF It is obvious that hierarchies within control systems are a clear need for business environments. Without some form of hierarchy, a low level of control can create numerous problems in an organization. There ate two kinds of control systems: flat and hierarchical. Hierarchical architectures have a more indirect coupling of perceptions to actions through a hierarchical control structure. Both kinds of control systems have benefits, but hierarchical structure can support faster learning and a better way to deal with resistance to change (Digney, 1998) Control is a fundamental managerial function. It is the process of regulating organizational activities so that actual performance conforms to expected organizational standards and goals and ensures that necessary corrective action is taken. In fact, control is ensuring work accomplishment according to plans. It is a process of ensuring that activities are producing desired results. We can support that control is an executive function involving three elements, i.e., standards, evaluative and corrective action. BPR is the latest wave in a series of management initiatives to increase managerial control (Gupta, 2010). According to the issues covered in the analysis of part one of this assignment, business process reengineering is proved to be a revolutionary, radical change approach to improving organizational performance through transformation. BPR methodologies aim for a flatter organizational structure, promoting the development of empowered process workers who are encouraged to use information technology in radically new ways to carry out business operations. In BPR approaches, empowerment is inflicted by leadership changing worker values and through the use of information technologies enables managerial control. Empowerment through BPR does not necessarily release control but does change the way control is exercised. Authority is still enforced through hierarchical control of culture. The reengineering approach polishes the management of power relations, when attempts are made to change traditional power structures and everyday power relations through the flattening of the hierarchy (Sayer an d Harvey, 1997). The introduction of reengineering introduces a new relationship of power in the form of a discipline which the reengineering sustains through discourse control. In this new situation any discipline comes with its structures, its hierarchies, its inspections, exercises and methods of training and conditioning (Foucault, 1980, p. 158). BPR is an approach that supports transformation with the notion of producing the flatter organization. Hierarchy and control are still promoted and within BPR, the emphasis lies on changing the formal patterns and using mechanisms of control to change the informal (Sayer and Harvey, 1997). BPR is a strong tool of managerial control. Controlling is the fourth function of management process (the other functions are planning, organizing and leading). Through BPR managers can identify whether the organization is on target towards its goals and can make better corrections if necessary. In BPR, information technology is generally considered as playing a role as enabler of new forms of organizing and collaborating. New information technology can help managers provide needed organizational control without strict top down constraints. A representative example is that of Cisco Systems: By using information technology to coordinate and monitor several aspects of operations, the company keeps tabs on employee and organizational performance without maintaining daily authoritarian control over workers. Cisco employees have amazing freedom to make decision and take actions, but they also know that top managers keep a close eye on what is going on throughout the company (Daft, 2006). Most businesses try to take advantage of BPR concerning dealing with the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. BPR assumes radical redesign of business processes. Many processes simply can not be further improved in small steps and require a complete redesign in order to improve them in a major way. Hierarchical control is a fundamental element in this effort and managers who desire to organize around outcomes, have people processed their own information, put the decision point where the work is performed and build control into the process, should support the view that BPR can reinforce the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. BPR is a management system of forced, speedy culture change, highly linked to hierarchical control. In fact it does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them. CONCLUSIONS Business Process Reengineering includes changes concerning both structures and procedures defined in a business environment. Human, organizational, technological dimensions that characterize an organization can change through BPR. Using this approach, organizations can seek improvements in their business performance. As it was analysed at the first part of this assignment, organizations consider BPR as an important tool of organizational improvement, as it helps them achieve the radical change necessary for todays volatile business environment. Additionally, BPR stresses the importance of linkages within an organization. What is more, through BPR peoples jobs become multidimensional instead of narrow and traditional task orientation. In result, the importance of BPR is found at the fact that it is a dynamic tool for improving operations. BPR is a fundamental element in improving business performance and profitability. The main BPR objectives refer to improved operational performance, improved competencies, reduced costs and manpower savings, improved customer services or employee quality of life, increased customer satisfaction, increased productivity in the workplace, continuous improvement of services quality and delivered quality goods at competitive prices in a timely fashion. There are different improvement techniques that can be adopted to analyse the BPR. Among them, Process Mapping is a technique known as Process Charting or Flow Charting and is one of the oldest, simplest and most valuable techniques for streamlining work. It is a cost effective training tool for everyone interesting in increasing the efficiency of their organization and improving communication and is highly preferred by enterprises today. Implementing successfully BPR in an organisations environment is not an easy task, as a major aspect of BPR is human factor. So, companies should ensure that their employees are suitably motivated and the technology required for training is available in implementing BPR. Various radical changes occur when BPR takes place, so managers should carefully examine the strategies in change management so as to achieve the best efficiency and deal appropriately with the possible resistance to change that BPR will bring. The second part included a critical evaluation of the statement of McCabe (2004: 851): BPR does not challenge hierarchical authority, but instead attempts to reconfigure authority and power relations so as to obscure them through the language of consensus. According to the relevant analysis, within control systems are a clear need for business environments. Without some form of hierarchy, a low level of control can create numerous problems in an organization. Hierarchical structure can support faster learning and a better way to deal with resistance to change, so BPR supports the management initiatives to increase managerial control. . In BPR approaches, empowerment is inflicted by leadership changing worker values and through the use of information technologies enables managerial control. Empowerment through BPR does not necessarily release control but does change the way control is exercised. Most businesses should try to take advantage of BPR concerning dealing with the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control. This is because BPR is a management system of forced, speedy culture change, highly linked to hierarchical control. In fact it does very little to question the fundamental tenets of hierarchical control and in several important respects simply reinforces them.