Understanding Contemporary Moral Issues from a Catholic

Understanding Contemporary Moral Issues from a Catholic Perspective Withdrawal of life-sustaining medical treatment'. â€Å"And the dust goes back to the earth as it was, and the spirit goes back to God who gave It†. (Ecclesiastic 12:7). In order for me to comprehend and discuss the moral Issue of withdrawal of life- sustaining medical treatment from a Catholic perspective, I needed to have an understanding of what Bioethics refers to. It is a shared reflective analysis and discussion of ethical issues in health care, health science, and health policies.It engages dialogue and thought from our society comprising of doctors, patients, scientists, politicians and the general public (What Is Bioethics? 2014). Using Bioethics as a framework to discuss withdrawal of life, It helps us to realism the position the catholic church has adopted In Its views and beliefs.. The catholic church wishes to trigger a deeper thinking regarding moral issues and offers practical help in moral deci sion making by encouraging us to think about the role of the Church in society from two distinct roles; that of Doctrinal and of Pastoral (Rev Dry.Joe Parkinson, personal communication, July 18, 2014). One of my duties as a teacher facilitating in a Catholic Education School Is not only to Identify what the Catholic Church doctrine upholds, but also to counsel and support those In need. The Catholic doctrinal view Is that there needs to be a prohibition on euthanasia, because society may create a sub-class if we approve assisted death and what the Church offers is a development when bringing about a change of society's mindset in which you offer palliative care and managed pain relief instead of looking at euthanasia as the only option (Dry.Joe Parkinson). The Church acknowledges that this Is a challenge In an aging society, but e need to promote an environment that upholds the dignity of the sick, vulnerable and the aged. From a pastoral approach, the Catholic perspective Is that d ecision making regarding values and morals is based on a process of identifying the options and choosing what is most important to us. The Catholic Church advocates discussion and examination of what is driving the decisions and what are the other values and factors at play.Saying this, the Catholic Church also realizes that the choices are often not perfect and one very Important point Is to emphasis that the Church will never abandon someone based on differences of viewpoint and acknowledges that individuals may have come to a decision, knowing that is the best that they can do, having balanced the ethical and moral decisions in their conscience. The Catholic Church appreciates that as human beings we are not remote controlled Catholics.However, the Church also recognizes it has to take a position regarding morality, a standpoint that asks us to recognize that we are responsible for our decisions and that they Impact the bigger picture In regards to Catholic Church teaches us to v alue life, promote and to protect life (Pontifical Council for Health Care Workers, 1995). The Church also promotes prayer and counsel to sits individuals in the decision making process and urges individuals to examine whether they feel the outcomes are acceptable before God.Saying this, the Church also understands that we need to be true to ourselves. Whilst our ethics, our reasoned choices, may often be intuitive, they allow us to make choices that make us accountable as individuals. These ethical choices expresses our values and our actions as well as our intentions, it essentially defines our values. In the issue of withdrawing life-support, it is quite possible to go about getting the right thing, but going about it in the wrong way.Morals and ethics challenge the thought that if it does not break the law; than it is acceptable. However, some lawful acts are not morally right. From a Catholic teaching perspective the primary objective and value is â€Å"To preserve the dignity of the person† and this remains its fundamental value. Unfortunately, it is often forgotten. The Catholic Church advocates that life is a gift and acknowledges that we are part of all creation and therefore, we are the stewards of the world, not the domination.The symbolism of the crucifix is a reminder to Christians that we understand and trust in Jesus, that there is eternal life and that e need to live through our mortal life. This viewpoint is that life is a gift and on that basis alone we have a responsibility to protect the weak, vulnerable, the young and the old. This is one of fundamentals of Christianity. Yet as human beings we experience illness, suffering and death and sometimes euthanasia may seem like the best choice. However, when we treat other human beings as expendable; we diminish our own humanity (Dry Joe Parkinson).The Catholic Church suggests that when we make moral decisions, we make these using a formula; a format for our moral decision-making, one in w hich we examine what the facts are and what is ally going on. A set up that asks the individual whether their core values are being respected, upheld and what the guiding ethical principles involved are. The rhetorical triangle (Image 1) is helpful to visualize how it is used by the Catholic Church for teaching and passing on the values of the Church. (Image 1 . The Rhetorical Triangle, reproduced from Google images).This type of plan will question who should be involved in the decision making and whether the decisions will and should be reviewed? This framework would also take into account what legal definitions need to be considered in terms of unwanted reattempt versus the decision of suicide, it will identify what the core values involving the patient are, who are the other relevant people involved and also the duty of care that affects the hospital staff, whilst still protecting the individual's autonomy (Euthanasia law is no cure-all for Dutch doctors, 2009).What is interestin g to note, is that the Catholic perspective is that life should not be preserved at all costs if it does not take into account the dignity of the individual and their decision on whether they wish to take part with treatment and whether they have been given the opportunity o think and discuss if the means of treatment is morally disproportionate, does not offer any reasonable therapeutic benefit, is overly burdensome or, in some given us intelligence to think things through, yet the Church will never advocate the taking of a human life (Dry Joe Parkinson).On the other hand, the law takes the view that duty of care is higher than the individual's autonomy. These laws impact on careers and hospital staff alike, as in the case of Christian Roister, a 49 year old man who was left quadriplegic after being hit by a car. A Western Australian landmark court decision ruled in favor of Mr.. Roister, stating that a patient had the right to refuse treatment and to choose not to receive nutritio n and hydration and any person or care group providing palliative care would not be criminally responsible (Physician-assisted suicide the same as euthanasia? 014). To safeguard the autonomy of the person, the Catholic Church endorses the use of Advanced Care Plans and appointment of an Enduring Guardian to ensure that the patient is treated and cared for respectfully and with dignity. In Christina Tone's report entitled ‘Assisted Suicide. How the chattering classes have got it wrong, 2010 ‘she writes about Debbie Purdue, who suffered from Multiple Sclerosis.Debby Purdue won the right to have the prosecution guidelines affecting those who assist suicide clarified and in 2010, the United Kingdom published guidelines that in no way pave the way for assisted suicide; but call for each case to be Judged on its own merits. These guidelines are imperative in protecting those working with the sick, disabled, aged or terminally ill and for those worried that if assisted suicide were to be introduced on compassionate grounds, it would lead to death on request or euthanasia without consent. Finally, as a teacher in a Catholic Education system.

Christian attitudes to Infertility Essay

Infertility is the inability for a couple to conceive a child by the natural processes or after a year of trying. This can happen for a number of reasons. One of the reasons could be stress. As we live in a society with high expectations for people to be successful it puts people under enormous amounts of stress which could cause them to become infertile. Another problem a couple could face is that either the man or woman could have been born infertile or one of them has an STD (sexually transmitted disease) . Another could be dieting , as some women and men diet excessively to reach size zero it causes the woman’s periods to stop which will in turn cause hormone imbalances which may make a woman infertile. Women could become infertile for a number of other reasons such as smoking, alcohol, age or being overweight or underweight . Men can also become infertile for a number of reasons such as alcohol, drugs, age and radiation and chemotherapy treatments for cancer. This makes life hard for married couples because the wish for a child is too strong. Although some couples can accept god chose for them not to have a child , some others will go to any lengths for a child. There are a number of different treatments for infertile couples. The most common is In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF).’In Vitro’ means ‘in glass’ in latin which is the way the egg is fertilised. It is a technique were an egg is taken from the woman’s womb and placed on a dish and sperm is taken from the man and used to fertilise the egg on the glass . Once the egg has been fertilised and has began to grow as a fetus it is implanted back into the woman’s womb where it grows for 9 months. The second is Surrogacy. Surrogacy is where another woman carries the baby for another couple who are unable to do so. An egg is taken from the infertile woman and a sperm from the partner and is fertilised then inserted into the surrogates womb where it grows and when the child is born it is given back to the couple. Another treatment is Artificial Insemination By Donor (AID) . This is a treatment where the sperm of a donor , who is usually unknown to the couple , is medically inserted into the neck of the woman’s womb where it fertilises the egg and grows into a child . The final treatment is egg donation . This is similar to AID ,only an egg from a donor who is usually unknown to the couple , is fertilised in a lab then medically inserted into the infertile woman’s womb to grow into the child . Georgia Allen AO2 Christian attitudes to infertility. Catholics have very strong views about infertility treatments which require research which are done on embryos which Catholics see and class as a human life. Catholics are completely against IVF as it leads to spare embryos being created and then are being used for experiments both scientific and medical. The embryos may even be thrown away , Catholics are against this because it is a life of a child and it has rights . Catholics are also against infertility treatments because children are supposed to be created through and act of love and infertility treatments interfere with what Gods plans for that couple and no body has the right to play God. Other Christians have opposite views about infertility treatments than catholics. They think infertility treatments are a good thing as it brings new life to the world and makes a couple happy. Some Christians might object to treatments where a donor is involved as some people class this as adultery because it involves somebody else in the marriage and that is wrong because it is in the ten commandments. They do agree with AIH as it involves no third party and is just between a husband and wife. Some Christians are against fertility treatments for unmarried couples or woman past the child bearing age and even homosexuals. As they think that it is not the way God planned it to be . Muslims agree to most treatments as long as they involve no third party and all natural methods of conception have failed . Muslims are completely against surrogacy and adoption . Muslims believe treatments such as AIH and IVF are ok because they use the sperm of the husband and no other person is involved. Islam is against AIH because it has been donated by another man and is seen as adultery .

Agriculture Revolution Essay Example for Free

Agriculture Revolution Essay The agriculture revolution occurred in the Eighteenth Century. It was the age of new inventions and methods which caused agriculture to boom and end the long problem of famine. The agriculture revolution also caused social and economic consequences. What are some of these methods, inventions an also, the downfalls and consequences of the agriculture revolution? In the eighteenth century it was important to improve agriculture to feed the rapidly increasing population. This meant they needed to make inventions to grow more food at a more rapid rate. This is about the time when they discovered crop rotation, which is rotationing the crop to refurnish the nutrients in the soil by switching the crops that used the nutrients in the soil with the ones that replaced it. This system gave farmers the opportunity to farm all their land at all times, instead of having to let some land set for a long period of time. Some of the important crops were peas, beans, turnips, potatoes, clovers and grasses. Other inventions like the seed drill, threshing machine, along with the enclosure of fields helped produce enough food for the growing population. The enclosure of fields was a new invention, which took a farmers scattered land and put it together in fenced in fields to farm a lot smarter and more efficiently. Not all the people of the eighteenth century went to farming in this new style, they were used to the traditional style and preferred to continue farming that way. The Low Countries and England were the main people that used crop rotation. New crops made ideal feed for animals, which meant farmers could increase their herds, which ultimately meant more meat and better diets for all. Some downfalls of the agriculture revolution meant that if a farmer wanted to experiment with new methods they would have to get all landowners in the village to agree. Enclosure didn’t seem to help the poor rural families; this meant that they couldn’t do the things they traditionally did. They liked using common pastureland to graze stock, forests and marshlands for firewood and berries, therefore the poor highly opposed the idea of enclosure and created allies with the wealthy land owners. The wealthy land owners were also against enclosure, because it required large risks and investments? The agricultural revolution had a very big impact on women; the new inventions and the machinery were much harder for them to handle. This meant women had to find another role in society, working at Cottage Industries or as Domestic Servants. The agriculture revolution was the start of a great stepping stone. The new inventions like Crop Rotation and Enclosure helped form the age we live in today. There were ups and downs to the agricultural revolution, as there is in any new ideas that are trying to be implemented. The revolution ended famine, the methods used caused distress with the poor and even the wealthy at times; they also wanted to keep the traditional ways of farming. The transformation and experimentation of new crops and systems of crop rotation was not completed until the nineteenth century. Agricultural revolution allowed farms to be more compact and increased investments. The agricultural revolution was an essential prelude to the Industrial Revolution. Agriculture Revolution. (2016, Sep 07).

See order instructions. It is one page discussion question. reference Coursework

See order instructions. It is one page discussion question. reference source within last 5 years thank you - Coursework Example Heart diseases account for 25% of the total number of deaths in the US. Obesity is another health problem that is very prevalent among the middle-aged adults. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 34.9% of the US citizens are obese (2009). However, the rate of obesity has been found to be higher in the African Americans. The third health problem that can be minimized by regular exercise is depression. Anxiety and depression are the most prevalent mental illnesses in the US today. Almost 40% of the middle-aged adults have been affected by these mental illnesses (ADAA, 2012). As a nurse I would carry out a health promotion on regular exercise that will help the society eliminate the aforesaid health complications. I would reach the targeted group through the available community based organizations and offer a practical teaching on exercise and healthy living. I will use pictures and videos as teaching aids. The middle-aged adults will be encouraged to involve themselves in activities such as walking and running to keep them fit. However, they should not overdo it; too much exercise might make them very tired and prevent them from doing their jobs

Outline the factors which influence mental health in later life and Essay

Outline the factors which influence mental health in later life and consider how social workers can contribute to the promotion of mental health and well-being amongst older people AND their carers - Essay Example This is considered the age when one becomes an older person. According to the World Health Organization (2007), there are three age groups that older people can be divided into. The first group is older workers from the age of 55 to 64. The second group is older people from the age of 65 to 79 years while the third group is 80 years and above. These older age groups are the most diverse in terms of education, attitudes, family background, social background, hobbies, preferences and political attachments. There are six main factors that influence mental health. These are financial security, life span experiences, and structural factors such as housing, employment, social support and individual coping skills. The mental health of older people as well as their well-being issues in older people are unique and have a greater relevance to them. Retirement is an issue that has great relevance to people who are 60 to 80 years age (National Institute for Mental Health in England 2003). As much as it means relief from responsibilities, retirement also mean a loss of status, less social relationships and a reduced role in life. This age group also suffers from health and physical deterioration, changing the environment from moving their home, loss of financial stability and a loss of sense of belonging. People aged 80 years and above are found to increasingly lose friends, family members and their spouses (Lehtinen 2008). They use their sense of purpose in life and their functional ability deteriorates. These people constantly deal with bereavement, death and the fact that their own life is ending. Not all of those older people are the same. They have different values, life experiences, health, economic status and culture. When planning the promotion of the mental health for older people, all of these factors should be put into consideration. A person’s continuity through life gives them a positive history filled with experiences. This continuity gives a person

Comparing Story to Real World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Comparing Story to Real World - Essay Example Oates revealed that a story she read in the Life magazine served as the main inspiration for her to write the short story. From the Life magazine, Oates became familiar with the increasing vulnerability of American adolescents in the hands of individuals who took advantage of their lack of experience. For this reason, Oates recreated the story in Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been. In the Oates story, she introduced Connie and Arnold Friend, who would take advantage of the innocent girl (Caldwell 316). A close analysis of Connie’s life reveals that she was only beginning to gain self-awareness at the tender age of 15. As common with many adolescents, Connie has a bumpy relationship with her mother (Caldwell 3). Worth noting is the fact that Connie’s mother had recognized Connie’s curiosity to explore the world. However, she did not give her the relevant warnings that would serve as guidelines in her life. Connie exhibited two different lifestyles. While at home, Connie played the role of an innocent and naà ¯ve girl. However, when Connie went to the shopping mall, she behaved like an excited teenager ready to seek attention from boys. A close analysis of Connie’s attitudes reveals that the emotional and physical changes that take place during adolescents had taken a toll on her. She craved for attention and love from the boys. Unfortunately, Connie was unable to handle such attention as the film Smooth Talk illustrates. During one of Connie’s visits to the shopping mall, she spotted a peculiar boy, who eventually turned out to be Arnold Friend. The peculiarity with Arnold Friend is that he is much older, but deceives girls by faking a younger age. Since Connie craves for attention from boys, she becomes highly predisposed for Arnold Friend’s tactics (Caldwell 6). As both the film and short story highlight, Connie’s thoughts have focused

Answer the following questions at a country of case study (your Essay

Answer the following questions at a country of case study (your choice) questions below,part of Energy and Environmental Security class - Essay Example Oil is their main source of energy. On average, current statistics place china as the largest importer of petroleum as well as other liquid fuels. China consumes its energy through oil production. It has the leading and most stable oil companies hence the efficiency in access. The oil prices keep shifting on the international market depending with China’s oil production. The country has seen to it that its large population consumes more of oil, as they produce it domestically and go further ahead to import more. The main sources of imported oil by china include, production from Russia, Kazakhstan and Myanmar. China has pipeline connection with those countries hence serve as one of their energy sources. Apart from oil, china is known to use coal as another of its primary source of energy. China is also world’s largest coal producer and consumer. Statistics and trends over the years indicate China as the country that consumes half the coal in the world. This is factual considering its large population over the years. Electricity in China is generated using coal as opposed to other countries that use renewable sources of energy for electricity. Among oil and coal as the leading energy producers for China, natural gas and several renewable energy plants are being employed in the country. Following the demand of natural gas, China opts to import it as it produces it in small amounts and has few sites for its production. Some renewable energy plants are underway in their set up using China’s deep waters. The reforms in energy productions are now being fronted by the government of China. China also uses Uranium and nuclear energy as some sources of fuel. The major trading countries of energy with China include India, The US, Europe and many other countries. India happens to be another populous country neighboring China. Being the two most populated countries, they both share trade in energy. On average they are the world’s largest energy

Pacifism and Violence Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pacifism and Violence - Term Paper Example Pacifists seek long life proactive moral commitment in their nonviolent moral commitment (Gould, 2010). Pacifists try their best to avoid war where it is warranted and even in the case of self defense. The critics of pacifisms have termed them as cowards because they fear violence and physical engagement in seeking justice and peace (Gould, 2010). On the other hand, those who seek violence in promoting justice argue that war is inevitable, and that peace is preceded by war. They argue that peace attained after war has value because it has costed lives. Western tradition and other civilizations have termed heroic courage which leads to violence as an embodiment of moral strength and, thus, as central to morality (Cheyney, 1994). In this essay, I argue that pacifism and violence are depended on the situation one is in and while it should be the last option; the extremes of both can lead to no moral commitment. The pacifists On 31st March 1968, the US President Lyndon Johnson delivered a historic speech ‘On Vietnam and Not Seeking Reelection’ (Lyndon, 1968). The speech was a response to the American concern about his mounting escalation on the bombardment of the northern Vietnam. The Americans were against the government’s decision to bomb North Vietnam in February 1965, and they were advocating for peaceful negotiations instead of violence. Most critics of President Lyndon and political analysis held that, at the time, the support of the war had seen popular and political erosion. In 1965, Alice Hertz had burned herself in protest against the Vietnam War, and she sacrificed her life so that the war might be stopped (Cheyney, 1994). In the same year, an ardent pacifist, Norman Morrison, traveled to Washington and burned himself to death at the Pentagon to protest against the escalation of Vietnam War (Sallie, 2000). On May 16, 1967, Nhat Chi Mai, allay disciple of Thich Nhat Hanh, burned herself to death outside Tu Nghiem temple in an effort to compel the US government to deescalate Vietnam War (Sallie, 2000). She wrote a letter to the US government stating that she offered her body as a torch to waken love among men and give peace to Vietnam (Sallie, 2000). These are just few examples of pacifists who gave the ultimate sacrifice during the Vietnam war, and the first was the venerable Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc who acted by burning himself to death on June 11, 1963, for the same cause (Sallie, 2000). For ages, it seems that pacifists are ready to give the ultimate sacrifice to pacify violence and seek peaceful options for conflict resolution. At this point, it will be somehow difficult to agree with Gould (2010) when he holds â€Å"†¦pacifists still suffers under the shadow of cowardice† (p. 19). The moral commitment in sacrificing oneself for the sake of others is valid provided the act is intended to awaken the humanity in the combating parties. However, Gould is right to argue that by placing themselves in the way of harm, these pacifists erode their moral commitment. Sometimes, their action bears no fruits and the war continues without them. At this point, there is no one to advocate for peaceful negotiations or de-escalation of violence. With regard to the pacifists actions demonstrated above, Gandhi in his contribution about Satyagraha asked: â€Å"Wherein is courage required? In blowing others to pieces from behind a cannon, or with a smiling face to

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores Essay

Program Improvement Status and Standardized Math Scores - Essay Example This chapter serves to the give the reader an overview of the comments received in regards to each of the seven interview questions asked during this study. An overview of each question will be given, followed by a thorough analysis of the responses as given by each of the members assembled to take part in the exploratory part of this study. Each of the participants serving on the research panel was either an administrator, teacher, or support personnel currently employed in an elementary school in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Each of the schools represented was also currently on program improvement status. No names were included in the published findings, however, so as to further ensure the confidentiality and anonymity of each participant. Individuals also had a minimum of five years of experience in their current field. The total time needed to conduct all interviews was four weeks and no participants opted to drop of the study. This resulted in a 100% interview respo nse rate. In total, 20 individuals were selected to be a part of the research panel for this project, based on their answers to the initial survey designed to determine each individuals qualification to provide substantive and meaningful insight about elementary schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District that are currently on Program Improvement Status. All of the interviews took place via telephone. As such, each interview was digitally recorded, with the permission of each participant, for later transcription by the researcher.

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay Example for Free

Corporate Social Responsibility Essay To what extent is Corporate Social Responsibility beneficial to a company’s performance? In the 21st century, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an important, if not essential, for businesses. In addition to basic law compliances, the focus of the consumers as well as the business world now include the impact the company has on the society and on the way they use recourses (Davis, 2010). CSR has become a contributing factor to a company’s financial performance. This is supported by the issued figures of sizeable direct contribution from CSR to a company’s profitability (International Corporate Social Responsibility Conference, 2006) from analysis of notable companies. CSR is believed to have assisted companies both externally and internally. 70% of European consumers express that they are ready to pay more on goods produced by socially responsible companies (CSR Magazine Europe, 2000). On the other hand, CSR is suggested to be one of the qualities employees would like to seek. As Copeland (2003), former CEO of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu has highlighted, the best professionals in the world want to work for companies that exhibit good corporate citizenship. This essay aims at advocating Corporate Social Responsibility as a beneficial policy to a company’s performance through improving customers’ perceptions and employees’ work performances, and thus, can possibly result in a boost of company’s performance, particularly financially. A company’s revenue is mostly generated from customers. The Service-Profit Chain stated that customer value is one of the two factors that will heighten a company’s revenue and hence the company’s profitability( Zeithamal Bitner, 2003). Therefore, a company’s financial performance is affected by how customers value a company’s products. CSR is believed to be a factor that adds value to the product as well as the overall reputation of a corporation. According to Cone Communication (2012), 82 percent of consumers state that they are more likely to purchase a product that clearly demonstrates the results of the companys CSR initiatives. Further more, in the survey conducted by Woolley (2012) that make comparisons between two similar products, the Coca-Cola and Pepsi Cola; over half of the respondents say that they would switch to the alternative provided if it offers more in terms of CSR. In fact, CSR influences consumers’ decision in a way that they tend to be in favor of their company than the competitors that are doing poorly in terms of social responsibility. This creates loyal customers. Hallowell and Schlesinger (2000) illustrated that customer loyalty drives company’s profitability by minimizing marketing and operating cost. Those are achieved through consumers’ confidence with the company’s products, word of mouth and familiarization of the company’s operation system. This results in a higher profit for the company. While the gain from maintaining a good reputation through CSR initiatives may not seem evident, the adverse effect by a socially irresponsible decision on a com pany’s revenue is much easier to observe. In 1980s, Nestle, the world’s largest producer of breast milk substitutes was boycotted because of its infant formula and way of unethical marketing, which contributed to the unnecessary death and suffering of infants in developing countries. The boycott was widespread globally and Buffle (1986, p. 13) estimates $770 million to $ 1540 million sales were lost. It shows that corporations who are being socially irresponsible may have to face severe consequences, including decrease in profits, damaged reputation and lower preferences. To conclude, CSR is likely to uplift a company’s image in customers’ perceptions, earn a higher preference and improve a company’s performance, which mostly will reflect directly from its higher revenue and profitability. CSR benefits a company not only externally but also internally; not only by increasing revenue but also decreasing costs across various aspects. Good CSR practices can help to attract new and talented employees. According to the research by the resourcing communication agency Tenney Clemons Saarelainen (TCS), 44% of employees express an organization’s CSR policy is likely or very likely to affect their decision to apply for a job within that organization. This may result in a lower advertising cost for hiring. Further more, cost of retaining staff can also be reduced by enhancing morale and hence commitment to the corporation. As CSR initiatives within a company includes providing employees’ a work life balance, a safe and more comfortable work place and being environmental friendly in the office, these require employees’ participation and team building. Sharma and Devi (2009) argued that it helps to build positive team spirit in the organization and creates a ‘winning’ environment at the workplace. The dedication from the directors will also result in improving employees’ satisfaction. This is reinforced by the investigation result by Rittippant.N, Tangthuttong.A, Sinyodyeam.J and Aurjongmanee.A (2011) which stated that there is a positive significant relationship between organizational’ members perception of CSR and organizational commitment, which is coherent with the previous studies. On the other hand, Heskett et al (1994) stated that satisfied employees are more productive and produce a higher service value. With more satisfied employees from the well-organized CSR initiatives, a company is expected to be more efficient and thus fewer wastage and errors. The improved quality of services is expected to delight consumers and increase their satisfaction, which can further enhance the value of products. Conclusion In order to heighten a company’s revenue and hence the company’s profitability, increasing revenue or cutting costs can be one of the solutions. Corporate Social Responsibility benefits a company in the way that it may achieve both options at the same time. On one hand, it is likely to be able to enhance the image of the company and increase customers’ preferences, and achieve higher revenue; on the other hand, it tends to reduce operating costs on advertising, retaining employees and wastage for corporates. The combination of increasing revenue and decreasing cost may result in a boost of the company’s financial performance. By analyzing how customers and employees react towards socially irresponsible behaviors by companies, it is observed that both customers and employees have become more and more engaged in CSR. According to Strandberg (2002), one of the top trends around which there is consistent agreement is the increasing importance of stakeholder engagement in the future of CSR. However, whether or not there would be a conflict of interests between CSR and marketing strategies, operating strategies or human resources strategies is yet to be explored.

International Accounting Standards: UK Financial Reporting

International Accounting Standards: UK Financial Reporting APC311 INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL REPORTING ASSIGNMENT (Word count: 3, 080) Introduction The growth of international activities has been rapid over time. These activities include areas of international trade, international investment, international bond and equity offerings, capital movements between countries and the number of multinational firms. Countries, entities and bodies who carry out these activities continuously seek to achieve growth and higher returns at lower cost of financing. This implies that there is often the need to consider international rather than national or internal alternatives of raising finance. The differences in accounting systems and principles that exist in different countries are a barrier to towards the comparability of financial information that is published by companies using different sets of accounting standards (Alexander, 2007). This led to ‘the pressure for international harmonization to regulate, prepare and use financial statements which are reliable, comparable and transparent (Nobes and Parker, 2000). This can only be achieved if countries employ the same accounting standards through the harmonization of accounting principles. International harmonization may be defined as a political process aimed at reducing the differences in accounting practices across the world in order to achieve comparability and compatibility (Hoarau, 1996). To achieve this feat, accounting regulators such as the IASB have attempted to advance harmonization projects in an attempt to minimize differences between different national accounting standards (O’Regan, 2006). As argued by Choi et al (2002), harmonization will make it more likely for users of financial statements to interpret the information correctly and make better decisions based on that information. It will also reduce drastically the information asymmetry between stakeholders and companies and hence save manpower, money and resources. The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB), issuers of International Accounting Standards (IASs) was established in 2001 and is the independent standard-setting body of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) Foundation, an independent, private sector whose principal objectives are to develop in the public interest, a set of high quality, understandable, enforceable and globally accepted international financial reporting standards (IFRSs) based on clearly articulated accounting principles. IFRSs are a set of high quality, understandable, enforceable and globally accepted Standards based on clearly articulated accounting principles. The need for International Accounting Standards The international investor The information age and the advent of high-tech computers makes possible the availability of massive amounts of international financial information. Institutional and individuals who are interested in making international investments can therefore benefit from the global harmonization of accounting standards. International Accounting firms The role of international accounting firms include providing auditing and consulting services in many countries. The absence of international accounting principles implies that they have to gain expertise in areas of domestic financial accounting principles and related laws. Gaining this expertise can substantially increase their operational costs. International intergovernmental organisations International intergovernmental organizations including the United Nation (UN), the European Union (EU) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) extend credits for projects to other countries. They are therefore interested in obtaining comparable financial information in order to evaluate the projects they carry out in the various countries.as the organization. This can be achieved only if there is harmonization of international accounting principles. Developing countries Developing countries often seek international financing sources for their development. It is important for their governments and accounting regulating bodies to adopt international accounting standards in order to make it easier for them to access international financing sources. Stock exchanges The use of international accounting principles can enable the internationalization of Stock exchanges which can in turn increase international financing activity. This essay will make particular reference to the UK equivalent of accounting standards i.e., the  Financial Reporting Standards (FRSs) to examine the different accounting treatments in the individual accounting standards of interest in this assignment. IAS 38 Accounting for intangible assets Definition: An intangible asset is an identifiable monetary asset without physical substance. An asset is a resource that that is controlled by the enterprise as a result of past events and from which future economic benefits are expected [IAS 38.8]. The objective of IAS 38 is to prescribe the accounting treatment for intangible assets that are not dealt with specifically in another IAS. The standard deals with: the criteria to be met before an enterprise can recognise an intangible asset; how to measure the carrying amount of intangible assets and the disclosures that needs to be made. Examples of assets that may qualify as intangible assets under IAS 38 are: computer software, copyrights, customer and supplier relationships, franchises, licenses, rights patents. The three critical attributes of intangible assets are: Identifiability: In order for an intangible asset to be identifiable, it must be separable and it arises from contractual or other legal rights, regardless of whether those rights are transferable or separable from the entity or from other rights and obligations. (IAS 38.12) Control (power to obtain benefits from the asset) An intangible asset must be under the control of the enterprise in order for it to have the power to obtain future economic benefits from the asset. Control will usually but not necessarily emanate from legally enforceable rights, in the absence of which it is more difficult to prove the existence of an asset. For example, control over technical know-how is deemed to exist only if it is protected by legal right such as a copyright or patent. Recognition and measurement: IAS 38 stipulates that an intangible asset should be recognised only if both of the following occur: It is possible that the future economic benefits that are attributable to the asset will flow to the entity, and The cost can be reliably measured. The cost of an asset must be reliably measured if the asset is acquired in a normal transaction. Also, the fact that a price has been paid for the asset, is a reflection of the expectation that future economic benefits will flow to the entity. Goodwill and brand image In order for goodwill and brand image to be classified as intangible assets and included as assets of the enterprise, they need to be identified separately. If goodwill and brands have been acquired externally, then their cost and existence can be identified and capitalised. As regards internally generated goodwill, it cannot be recognised as an asset because: it is not separable from the business it has not arisen form contractual or other legal rights, and its cost cannot be reliably measured (IAS 38). A reconciliation of the carrying amount at the beginning and the end of the period. FRS10, accounting for goodwill and intangible assets is the equivalent UK Financial Accounting standard to the IAS 38. The standard views goodwill arising on acquisition as not constituting an asset or an immediate loss in value. But it relates to the cost of an investment in the financial statements of the acquirer, hence the values are attributed to the acquired asset and liabilities in the consolidated financial statements. The standard is of the view that even though purchased goodwill is not in itself an asset, including it in the assets of the reporting entity rather than deducting it from shareholder’s equity recognises that goodwill is part of a larger asset whose investment the entity’s management remains accountable. Thus, the objective of the FRS10 is that it ensures that purchased goodwill and intangible assets are charged to the income statement in the periods they are depleted. A comparison of the different accounting treatment of intangible assets by the IFRS and UK GAAP can be seen in Appendix 1. Discussion The IAS definition for intangible assets has its limitations as many intangibles such as patents and related drawings do have a physical substance (Tiffin, 2005 p.67). However the real issue with intangible assets is that intangibles are difficult to value and as such, attempting to measure their impairment is plagued with problems Godfrey Koh, 2001). The uncertainty about asset values and their impairment renders them susceptible to creative accounting. Intangible assets can be generated internally by firms. But it is difficult to accurately identify and cost such assets. IAS38 states that ‘internally generated goodwill shall not be recognised as an asset’. Research and development are therefore considered to be different parts of creating an internally generated intangible asset. The research phase is defined by IAS 38 as ‘original and planned investigation undertaken with the prospect of gaining new scientific or technical knowledge and understanding’. This implies that research costs incurred are expensed when they occur. There is consistency in classifying what constitutes an intangible asset by the standard. Of course, this treatment of research is appealing as there is a probability that an initial research may not actually lead to any economic benefit. Accounting for leases (IAS 17) Definition: A lease is an agreement whereby the lessor conveys to the lessee in return for a payment or series of payments the right to use an asset for an agreed period of time. A lease falls under two main categories; a finance lease and an operating lease. A lease is classified as a finance lease if it transfers substantially all the risks and rewards incident to ownership. All other leases are classified as operating leases. Classification is made at the inception of the lease. [IAS 17. Thus, in order to accurately classify the type of lease, it is important to determine whether the risks and rewards associated with owing the asset are with the lessee or the lessor. An asset will be classified as a as a finance lease if the if the risks and rewards lie with the lessee. However, it will be classified as an operating lease if the risk and rewards lie with the lessor. As regards a finance lease, the concept of substance over form is applied. The substance is that even though the legal owner of the asset is not the lessee, the commercial reality is that the lessee has acquired an asset by obtaining finance from the lessor, this implies the recognition of an asset and liability. Other distinguishing factors of a finance lease include: The present value (PV) of the minimum lease payments at the beginning of the lease amounts to substantially all of the fair value of the asset. By the end of the lease, the lease agreement transfers ownership of the asset to the lessee. The option rests with the lessee to purchase the asset at a price expected to be substantially lower than the fair value when the option becomes exercisable. The leases asset must be of a specialised nature. A comparison of the different accounting treatment of intangible assets by the IFRS and UK GAAP can be seen in Appendix 2. Discussion Operating leases appear to be more popular as both the leased asset and liabilities can be effectively kept off the balance sheet with future lease obligations disclosed as footnotes. However, a finance lease, often treated as an ‘in substance’ purchase by the lessee and a sale by the lessor, is less popular as it requires both leased assets and liabilities to be recognized on the balance sheet. But the finance lease does produce a tax benefit because of a larger expense, interest plus depreciation, compared to an operating lease which only reports the lease payments as an expense. IAS 17 (IASB, 2008) allows managers to structure a lease in such a way as to avoid the reporting of lease assets and liabilities. In order to ensure a complete and transparent recognition of assets and liabilities arising from lease contracts on financial statements, the IASB decided to make no distinction between finance leases and operating leases and employ the ‘right-to-use assets’ and its lease obligations that is based on the present values of future lease payments using the incremental borrowing rate of the lessee at the inception of a lease. Capitalization of lease can impact negatively on earnings because of the increased cost due to the depreciation of the asset and interest expense. This will in turn affect expected profit margin, return on earnings (ROE) and return on assets (ROA) (Bradbury, 2003). IAS 37 Accounting for provisions, contingent liabilities, and contingent assets Definition A provision is a liability of uncertain timing or amount. IAS 37 ensures that a provision should be recognised only when there is a liability i.e. a present obligation resulting from past events. Contingent liabilities: Definition: A contingent liability is: a possible obligation that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence of events not wholly within the control of the entity; or A present obligation that arises from past events but is not recognised because it is not probable that an outflow of economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation; or A present obligation that arises from past events but is not recognised because the amount of the obligation cannot be measured with sufficient reliability. Disclosure An entity should disclose a contingent liability in a note, unless the possibility of an outflow of economic benefits is remote. Contingent assets A contingent asset is a possible asset that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the control of the entity. An entity shall not recognise a contingent asset. When the realisation of income is virtually certain, then the related asset is not a contingent asset and its recognition as revenue is appropriate. A comparison of the different accounting treatment of intangible assets by the IFRS and UK GAAP can be seen in Appendix 3. Discussion IAS 137 aims at ensuring that only genuine obligations are dealt with in the financial statements i.e. planned future expenditure even when authorised by the board of directors or equivalent governing body, is excluded from recognition. Appropriate recognition criteria and measurement bases are applied to provision, contingent liabilities and contingent assets and that sufficient information is disclosed in the notes to enable users to understand their nature, timing and amount. The standard seeks to ensure that for example assets are not overvalued. Accounts receivables may be overvalued if reasonable provision for bad debts is not made. This has the tendency to inflate earnings and in such instances the provision for bad debts will prove to be inadequate in future, whilst in the short term account receivables and earnings receive a temporary boost. Also, contingent liabilities which are obligations that are dependent on future events for the confirmation of the existence of an obligation. If companies fail to record a contingent liability that is likely to be incurred and subjected to reasonable estimation, it has the effect of understating their liabilities and overstating their net income or shareholders equity. The above examples are indications of how companies use creative accounting to manipulate their financial statements especially their balance sheets. Conclusion Accounting for intangible assets, accounting for leases and accounting for provisions, contingent liabilities, and contingent assets are all complex areas which are prone to manipulation in the form of creative accounting which is defined as â€Å" the transformation of financial accounting figures from what they actually are to what preparer desires by taking advantage of the existing rules and/or ignoring some or all of them† (Kamal Naser, 1992). Creative accounting in whatever form it takes is usually meant to overstate assets or understate liabilities. The collapse of a number of corporate giants such as Enron Corporation, Tyco International, World Com, Global Crossing, Arthur Anderson, Parlmalat etc. have not only destroyed investor confidence and shareholder values but it has also damaged the accounting profession. The situation is even made worse when there are different accounting standards that are used in preparing financial statements. This is made even worse when there are different accounting standards used in preparing financial statements. The adoption of one set of global financial reporting standard such as the international financial reporting standard (IFRS) that confers with investors, stock markets, accounting professionals and accounting standards setters will go a long way to reduce the practice. Arguably, accounting standards whether in the US, UK, Australia or the IAS will not have all the answers to accounting and financial reporting problems but it is hoped that it will largely reduce its occurrence. APPENDICES APPENDIX 1 Comparison of IFRSs with UK GAAP treatment of intangible assets Appendix 2: Comparison of IFRSs with UK GAAP treatment of Lease APPENDIX 3 Comparison of IFRSs with UK GAAP treatment of provisions, contingent liabilities, and contingent assets

NETWORK EFFECTS AND COMPETITION: :: essays research papers

In many industries, the network of consumers using compatible products or services influences the benefits of consumption. Positive network effects arise when the consumer utility of using a product or service increases with the number of users of that product or service. The telephone system is a widely used example since it seems clear that the value of being part of the network rises as the network sizes increases. Consumption benefits can also arise in markets where a large customer network leads to increases in complementary products and services, which in turn, leads to increased consumer utility (e.g., see Farrell and Saloner 1985; Katz and Shapiro 1985;1986). Prominent examples of industries thought to exhibit network effects include automated bank teller machines, computer hardware and software, videocassette recorders, video games, and Internet web browsers. Not surprisingly, network externalities and the implications of having a large installed customer base are receiving increased attention by strategy researchers (e.g., Garud and Kumaraswamy 1993; Hill 1995; Wade 1995). As noted by Majumdar and Venkataraman (1998), the literature related to network effects broadly tackles three categories of research questions: (1) technology adoption decisions (e.g., what factors are related to whether and when a new technology is adopted), (2) technology compatibility decisions (e.g., what factors influence a firm’s decision to seek compatibility), and (3) decisions among competing incompatible technologies (e.g., what factors are related to consumers’ choices among rival incompatible products within a single product category). While theoretical research has addressed all three of these categories, empirical research has been limited to the first and second categories of questions (e.g., see the reviews in David and Greenstein 1990; Liebowitz and Margolis 1994; Economides 2001). Empirical efforts supporting the existence of network effects for a single product technology show that a larger network size is related to higher minicomputer sales (Hartman and Teece 1990), higher likelihood of adopting a new telecommunications technology (Majumdar and Venkataraman 1998), and quicker adoption of a new banking technology (Saloner and Sheppard 1995). In addition, Gandal (1994; 1995) and Brynjolfsson and Kemerer (1996) use a hedonic price model to show that consumers are willing to pay higher prices for software products that are compatible with the dominant product standard, i.e., the product with the larger customer network. However, with the exception of a few industry case studies (e.g., Gabel 1991; Grindley 1995; Liebowitz and Margolis 1999), we are unaware of any published studies that empirically investigate the nature of network effects in an industry with multiple competing product technologies that are incompatible.

Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels :: Technology Science Literature Essays

Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels The rapid pace of technology and the advancement of scientific understanding in the past one hundred years are at the backbone for the distinctly twentieth century genre -- science fiction. Such rapid advancement in these fields of technology have opened up literally worlds of possibilities for the future. One hundred years ago the possibility of simply flying from city to city may have seemed nothing more than a distant futuristic dream to most. While a mere sixty years later the impossible was achieved -- a human being on the moon. Since technology has brought as much change as it has in the past one hundred years the next hundred should be entirely incomprehendable to us. Who knows what to expect? "The modern discoveries and applications of Science throw deeply into the shade the old romances and fanciful legends of our boyhood" (James 8) observes James. Technology has made what was once thought impossible, plausible and weather or not technology is directly incorporated into a science fi ction story as an obvious vehicle, the author knows that it is always present in the mind of the reader. It is this plausablilty of what conventionally should not be acceptable that has led to science fiction's increasing popularity over the years. As James explains, "much sf is concerned with the future and with the possibilities presented by scientific and technological change" (James 3). Truly, humans exploring and even colonizing other worlds, the plot of many a science fiction novel, has to many become inevitable. The successful series of Apollo moon landings in the 1960's and the knowledge that we already possess the technology to send humans to other worlds leads many to believe that it is only a matter of time. Even such a notably respectable news source as Newsweek has detailed the future maned missions to Mars (September, 23 1996). When I look forward to the future I can hardly imagine the changes that will occur as a result of new discoveries in science and new technologies. With so m any possibilities for the future, science fiction is able to capitalizes on this by showing the audience entirely new worlds and alternatives to our own. Technology presented in science fiction stories most commonly serves a very important role in the stories plausablilty to the audience. While this does not mean that technology is necessarily the focus of such stories it is often used as the vehicle for which such alternative and wonderous events occur. Without the advanced spaceship how could the Segnauts have gotten to the planet Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels :: Technology Science Literature Essays Advancement of Technology and Science and its Influence on Science Fiction Novels The rapid pace of technology and the advancement of scientific understanding in the past one hundred years are at the backbone for the distinctly twentieth century genre -- science fiction. Such rapid advancement in these fields of technology have opened up literally worlds of possibilities for the future. One hundred years ago the possibility of simply flying from city to city may have seemed nothing more than a distant futuristic dream to most. While a mere sixty years later the impossible was achieved -- a human being on the moon. Since technology has brought as much change as it has in the past one hundred years the next hundred should be entirely incomprehendable to us. Who knows what to expect? "The modern discoveries and applications of Science throw deeply into the shade the old romances and fanciful legends of our boyhood" (James 8) observes James. Technology has made what was once thought impossible, plausible and weather or not technology is directly incorporated into a science fi ction story as an obvious vehicle, the author knows that it is always present in the mind of the reader. It is this plausablilty of what conventionally should not be acceptable that has led to science fiction's increasing popularity over the years. As James explains, "much sf is concerned with the future and with the possibilities presented by scientific and technological change" (James 3). Truly, humans exploring and even colonizing other worlds, the plot of many a science fiction novel, has to many become inevitable. The successful series of Apollo moon landings in the 1960's and the knowledge that we already possess the technology to send humans to other worlds leads many to believe that it is only a matter of time. Even such a notably respectable news source as Newsweek has detailed the future maned missions to Mars (September, 23 1996). When I look forward to the future I can hardly imagine the changes that will occur as a result of new discoveries in science and new technologies. With so m any possibilities for the future, science fiction is able to capitalizes on this by showing the audience entirely new worlds and alternatives to our own. Technology presented in science fiction stories most commonly serves a very important role in the stories plausablilty to the audience. While this does not mean that technology is necessarily the focus of such stories it is often used as the vehicle for which such alternative and wonderous events occur. Without the advanced spaceship how could the Segnauts have gotten to the planet

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land †Can We Learn From the Past ? Essay examp

T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land – Can We Learn From the Past ? And he is not likely to know what is To be done unless he lives in what is not merely the present, but the present moment of the past, unless he is conscious, not of what is dead, but what is already living. --T.S. Eliot, "Tradition and the Individual Talent" When read for the first time, The Waste Land appears to be a concoction of sorts, a disjointed poem. Lines are written in different languages, narrators change, and the scenes seem disconnected, except for the repeated references to the desert and death. When read over again, however, the pieces become coherent. The Waste Land is categorized as a poem, but exhibited visually, it appears to be a literary collage. And when standing back and viewing the collage from afar, a common theme soon emerges. Eliot collects aspects from different cultures or what he calls cultural memories. These assembled memories depict a lifeless world, in which the barrenness of these scenes speak of a wasted condition. He concentrates on women, including examples of violence committed against them and the women's subsequent lack of response to this violence, to show how apathetic the world is. But The Waste Land is not a social commentary on the plight of women. Rather, the women's non-reaction to the viole nce against them becomes a metaphor for the impotence of the human race to respond to pain. Violence recurs throughout time, and as Eliot points to in his essay "Tradition and Individual Talent" in the epigraph, we can break this cycle of violence and move ahead only by learning from the past and applying this knowledge to the present. Form often follows function in poetry, and in this case, Eliot uses this notion whe... ...ing these fragments, he saw how asleep he used to be: I have heard the key Turn in the door once and turn once only We think of the key, each in his prison, Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison (412-415) These memories become his "key" to awken the rest of us who are still pretending. The reader is left with two choices at the end of the poem. S/he can either forget about the poem, and go back to living in a waste land, or s/he can stop repressing pain and feeling and leave the waste land. Eliot ends the poem with a man (maybe himself?) sitting on a shore, "[f]ishing, with the arid plain behind me" and asking, "Shall I at least set my lands in order?" (425-36) The man here, by facing his pain, has left the waste land, and is able to move ahead. Work Cited [1] Plato, Republic, in Great Diaologues of Plato (Mentor: New York, 1984), 313.

Resource Management Essay

Mattel is one the strongest manufacturers of toys in the world. It is the market leader in developing toys of highest international standards. But staying at the top is not easy for Mattel, as it is positioned in one of the most intensive natured markets in terms of competition. Mattel has over twenty-five thousand employees around the globe (Mattel, 2010). In fact, what makes Mattel No. 1 in the toy industry is its well trained and high skilled workforce. This paper will discuss the strategies implemented to enhance the productivity and skills of Mattel workforce. Question 1 The most important challenge for Mattel is to recognize and provide for the need of coordinated development. Development is an essential part of any organization. Mattel’s development programs were introduced by the CEO of the company. The first step was to develop broad based strategy. These development programs resulted in skilled and productive workforce. Secondly Mattel wished to integrate corporate culture, for which development facilitators met groups of 10 or 12 employees globally and supervised them how to implement the new culture. Mattel also introduced digital training centers, by which employees have access to more than 200 e-development courses. These measures have helped Mattel to convert its workforce as the most important assets of the company. As a result of all these actions, Mattel’s selection and recruitment strategies would likely improve and become more intense. The succession plan aims to retain HR talent, but as a result Mattel’s selection criterion would be more challenging. Apart from this, Mattel would wish to seek employees who are sociable and have good communication skills, as coordinated development efforts require employees from different departments to interact more. Further, Mattel might also judge the GK (General Knowledge), IQ (Intelligence Quotient) and EQ (Emotional Quotient) levels of new recruits as a part of enhanced selection strategy. (Mathis & Jackson, 2008) Question 2 There is no probability of the instance where the developmental efforts of Mattel would appeal to some employees more than others. The rationale behind this is that the coordinated development efforts were aimed to work for all employees of the Mattel industry. Most employees of Mattel are related to manufacturing process, even if they work in different departments. Since majority employees work towards similar goal (manufacture highest quality toy), their mental and developmental processes would almost be the same. Furthermore, the developmental efforts and programs aim to create skilled and productive workforce does not involve technical training in manufacturing a toy, hence these processes are developed such as to appeal all Mattel employees equally. Lastly, Mattel has recently implemented an integrated corporate culture. This culture acts as a niche for the Mattel employees where they interact with other teams and seek to pursue coordinated development efforts. Thus Mattel employees can be defined as ‘bees collectively working to produce honey’. In such instances, these development efforts appeal all employees the same. (Bratton & Gold, 2001) Question3 There can be several reasons for the ‘Barbie’ girls group and ‘Hot Wheels’ boys group not interacting with one another and working effectively together in the past. Firstly, Mattel requires its employees to feel the passion and become a part of what they manufacture. Hence, the Barbie girls group had all the instructions and manufacturing processes that coincided with Barbie’s feminine nature. While the Hot Wheels boys group reflected aggressive, daring and bold nature concepts in their manufacturing processes and instructions. Secondly, ‘Barbie’ and ‘Hot Wheels’ were brands of Mattel, and had different market segmentation and target markets. Hence the strategies designed to sell each brand was different and couldn’t have been merged. Barbie was targeted at teenage girls while Hot Wheels was targeted at teenage boys. Furthermore, the culture within which the employees of Hot Wheels and Barbie worked were completely different. There was nothing common in the cultural environment where both the brands were manufactured. (Montgomery, 1993) There are, however, several methods by which Mattel could reinforce the needs for these groups to work together. Firstly, the identity of both groups should be reinforced as a part of Mattel family rather than separate entities. Hence, the employees of both brands would realize that they are part of a Mattel family, and could interact with one another and share their secrets and strategies about skills, labor empowerment and employee dedication. Secondly, Mattel should more intensely implement a common corporate culture within the company which will create a common ground for Barbie and Hot Wheels manufacturers to work together. Thirdly, the need for coordinated development efforts should be emphasized upon by promoting teamwork and interaction to achieve goals (Mathis & Jackson, 2008). Furthermore, managers can also use succession plans for key positions. Thus they can use terms as ‘Boys need Girls, and vice versa’ to emphasize the reality that both Hot Wheels (boys) and Barbie (girls) are equally important part of the company. Conclusion Mattel has developed several strategies and techniques to empower its employees. The development programs aims to improve skilled labor, and succession plans aim to retain human resource talent. If properly implemented, these strategies, along with the new corporate culture could enhance the performance and efficiency of all employees. These methods would surely help Mattel to retain the No. 1 spot as market leader in toy manufacturing industry. References Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (2001). Human Resource Management: Theory and Practice. 2nd EditionNew York: Routledge Mathis, R. L. and Jackson, J. H. (2008). Human Resource Management. 12th Edition. New York: Cengage Learning Mattel (2010). Mattel Website. Accessed on August 23, 2010 from http://www. mattel. com/ Montgomery, B. P. (1993). Mattel, Inc. International Directory of Company Histories Vol. 7, pp. 304.

Alumni Essay

GENERAL BACKGROUND Information system (IS) is the study of complementary networks of hardware and software that people and organizations use to collect, filters, and process, create, and distribute data. The study bridges business and computer science using the theoretical foundations of information and computation to study various business models and related algorithmic processes within a computer science discipline. Computer information system (CIS) is a field studying computers and algorithmic processes, including their principles, their software and hardware designs, their applications, and their impact on society while IS emphasizes functionality over design. Any specific information system aims to support operations, management and decision making. In a broad sense, the term is used to refer not only to the information and communication technology (ICT) that an organization uses, but also to the way in which people interact with this technology in support of business processes. Some authors make a clear distinction between information systems, computer systems, and business processes. Information systems typically include an ICT component but are not purely concerned with ICT, focusing instead on the end use of information technology. Information systems are also different from business processes. Information systems help to control the performance of business processes. Alter argues for advantages of viewing an information system as a special type of work system. A work system is a system in which humans and/or machines perform work (processes and activities) using resources to produce specific products and/or services for customers. An information system is a work system whose activities are devoted to processing (capturing, transmitting, storing, retrieving, manipulating and displaying) information. As such, information systems inter-relate with data systems on the one hand and activity systems on the other. An information system is a form of communication system in which data represent and are processed as a form of social memory. An information system can also be considered a semi-formal language which supports human decision making and action. NEED OFINFORMATION SYSTEM Information systems help provide structure and access to information. Since libraries build, manage, and maintain information systems, librarians and LIS students are often propelled onto the front lines of interactions between library users and technology. But what do librarians need to know to best meet their patron’s needs? Information expert Ratzan uses plain language, humor, and everyday examples like baseball and arithmetic to make sense of â€Å"information systems† . He also explores their characteristics, uses, abuses, advantages, and shortcomings for your library. Fun exercises and appendices are provided to illustrate key points in the book and measure understanding. You can be a technophobe and still learn about systems and subsystems to represent, organize, retrieve, network, secure, conceal, measure, and manage information. This expert sourcebook addresses both theoretical and practical issues, and is complete with exercises, examples, terms, and charts that help clarify concepts to make your information system a success. ADVANTAGES OF INFORMATION SYSTEM Information systems have significantly transformed the way business is conducted. In today’s society it would be pretty difficult to find an organization that does not use some form of technology, automation or information system to help run its operational and daily transactional processes. Computer technology has become so highly integrated in the business environment it is often hard to remember a time when organizations operated without it. The benefits technology offers are very valuable and this is the primary reason why many businesses opt to invest in information systems. Increased Productivity When automation takes over some of the burden of the more mundane and routine tasks, the rapid speed increases productivity. In addition employees are free to work on other important tasks that require human thinking. The time computer information systems frees up also gives both management and their staffs the ability to have time to brainstorm and come up with new and innovative ideas since the burden of some of the everyday tasks are lifted. Less Redundancy and Better Data Integrity Computer information systems can be programmed to have amazing ability to eliminate duplicates, point out inconsistencies and merge data together to make it more manageable. This heightens the ability for higher degrees of accuracy and efficiency. Data integrity means the data is more reliable due to the capabilities of automation. Inputting data into information systems where it can be sorted, filed and processed is highly efficient. Long gone are the days of filing cabinets, missing papers, misfiled documents and other important details. If information is needed, all it takes is a few clicks of the mouse or a few works typed in and all the information immediately pops right up. Instead of having separated computer systems for different parts of a business, modern information systems allow systems to be streamlined. No longer do different staff members have to input and file the same information for their own purposes and needs. Instead data goes into one central place and IT personnel set up user privileges which are typically on a need to know basis and employees can access which areas of the information system they need to perform their jobs. Initially investing in computer information systems is a large investment, but when strategically planned through proper system analysis, the investment in information systems can pay off handsomely over the long term. The key is to think of the organization’s mission, objectives and overall business plan and ensure the implemented information system meets these goals. With proper planning a company can simultaneously maximize profit while decreasing overhead costs. The possibilities of using information systems in business are endless. While  there are some challenges to overcome when making the transition to new kinds of automation, with strategic thinking, good technical planning and an overall willingness to embrace change through technology, there are many terrific advantages of integrating information systems in any organization. ALUMNI INFORMATION SYSTEM Alumni information system is an example of web application which is under the information systems. It helps an academic institution in tracking its alumni. Also, it helps the alumni to communicate with the institution through the use of the internet. It also helps the alumni to get updated with the latest news and upcoming events of the institution. This application can easily be accessed through the use of the internet which will be very useful to the alumni because they can keep in touch with the institution even if they do not visit the school. This application can be very useful especially to those alumni who are now living abroad because they can still get connected with their fellowmen and the institution. Nowadays, computer has infiltrated all the aspects of our society. The computer is most likely one of the great technological mechanism for future change. It can now simply make our works easier and lighter. With this great thing it won’t be more useful without the computer’s software. Software is a generic term for organized collections of computer data and instructions, often broken into two major categories: system software that provides the basic non-task-specific functions of the computer, and application software which is used by users to accomplish specific tasks. SCOPE OF THE PROJECT WORK A website requires attractive design and proper arrangement of links and images, which enables a browser to easily interpret and access the properties of the site. Hence it provides the browser with adequate information and functionality about the organization, community, network etc. This sites use to view information of alumni, job vacancy details. The current happening information showing in the page. The alumni are old students are registering their information in the  department. Here the department organizing the any activities is inserting in the site. This web site is totally full of information and details of person joined with that institute. This project is to modify, add store data of each and every individual. ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION Introduction A to Z Computech is one of the foremost technical and well experienced Computer Institute. It offers Diploma Courses, Higher Diploma Courses, Post Graduate Diploma Courses, Certified Courses, Individual Courses, Project Works, Implant Training, Soft Skill Training, Web Designing, and Software Development in various streams and Aims to provide Quality Computer Education. The Institute was established in June 1996 in Chennimalai, headed by J. Senthil Kumar, The Managing Director, and a visionary with 18 years of experience in the Field of IT. The Institute was certified by International Standard Organization (ISO 9001:2008). A to Z Computech aim to provide superior Computer Education in convivial and artistic environment with disciplined, Dedicated and Corporate regulations. Vision Vision is to bring up the computer skills, Innovative ideas and talents of each and every individual student from rural area and make them to participate in team for the Development of our nation. By providing Quality, time bound and cost-efficient Computer Education. Mission [The ultimate goal of A to Z Computech is to have its own identity in the Computer Training industry as a most trusted trainer in all aspects and a one stop solution for high quality, time bound and cost effective Institute. A to Z Computech is committed to maintain 100% student’s satisfaction by certain values Deep Integrity & Ensuring Code of Conduct. Precious Timekeeping & Highest level of Training Potential Leadership with an Energetic Team Sufficient Infrastructure for anytime Expansion Continuous Growth & 100% Success Leadership and Team A to Z Computech are an Institute with diverse talents & skills. Our Institute offers a Job Oriented Courses, College Project Works (All UG & PG Courses), In Plant Training in which talented, creative & motivated students can be employed by us. A to Z Computech don’t just acknowledge hard work & achievements; A to Z Computech reward it & groom it. A to Z Computech have an experienced team of ambitious, vibrant, young professionals having ability to update with latest trends & requirements of students. A to Z Computech team’s passion is to take challenges and to deliver to Students expectations. ORGANIZATION OF THE PROJECT REPORT This project report is subdivided into six main chapters and some appendix. Chapter I â€Å"INTRODUCTION† includes the introduction about information system, need of information system, advantages of information system, alumni information system, about the organization and organization of the project report. Chapter II â€Å"SYSTEM ANALYSIS† includes description of the Existing System and proposed system. It’s employed to provide a systematic proposed method and principles to achieve the objectives of the report. Chapter III â€Å"SYSTEM SPECIFICATION† includes hardware and software requirements, front end and backend details. Chapter IV â€Å"SYSTEM DESIGN† includes system and data flow diagram, module description, database, input and output design. Chapter V â€Å"TESTING & IMPLEMENTATION† includes testing plan and schedule, implementation details. Chapter VI â€Å"CONCLUSION & FUTURE WORK† includes the conclusion and general evaluation of the project and suggestion of the future work.

The Fourth Amendment

Abstract This paper will investigate the fourth amendment, unlawful search and seizure, and will explain what is considered to be unlawful and what is not. This paper will also discuss the right of privacy that Americans are entitled to as citizens of the United States. Events that have marked history in regards to the fourth amendment will also be explored, explaining the nature of searches and the key components that coincide. The court ruling in the historic case of Arizona vs. Gant will be explored in detail.This court case set out to establish what was actually considered unlawful, and what guidelines must be followed to be considered lawful. The case suggests that because of probable case that a search would then in fact be lawful. But in this case it is discussed that even when probable cause is present, there is still factors that must be considered. Unlawful Search and Seizure Imagine being pulled over while driving on a suspended license; you are handcuffed, and placed in t he backseat of a squad car, while the officer searches your car, without your consent.There you are sweating profusely, nervous of what may and will be found, and then it is found, in the glove box a gun and drugs. What should be said in defense? What should be done? Was this in fact a situation where unlawful search and seizure had taken place? Did this go against your constitutional rights as a citizen? There was no consent, but there was probable cause because of the suspended license. Imagine driving with friends and you are speeding. You are then pulled over, the officer smells marijuana, and arrest everyone inside of the vehicle.He then returns to the vehicle, and searches it finding cocaine in a jacket coat pocket. Was this too an act of unlawful search and seizure? Did this go against your reasonable expectation of privacy? The Bill of Rights Many of us may struggle when it comes to knowledge about laws, and our constitutional rights as citizens. We want to protect ourselves from situations that may be unconstitutional, but may not be aware of our rights when unconstitutional behavior occurs. When The U. S.Constitution was ratified in 1788 and 1799 there were not many laws set in place in regards to the criminal justice system. â€Å"The Fourth Amendment was adopted as a response to the abusive search and seizure practices used by the British government during the American colonial period. The colonists were particularly concerned about broad, particularized searches performed under the authority of general warrants. General warrants authorized searches for persons or papers not named specifically in the warrant† (Josephson, 1996). The U. S.Constitution did not set forth the rights of individuals in enough detail; so ten amendments were added in 1791, and were called the Bill of Rights (Cole & Smith, 2011). According to Cole and Smith (2011), The Bill of Rights are the first ten amendments that were added to the U. S. Constitution to provide spe cific rights for individuals, including criminal justice rights concerning searches, trials, and punishments. Unlawful search and seizure is the fourth amendment, which is a part of the first ten amendments. Unlawful Search and SeizureThe Fourth Amendment states: the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated and no Warrant shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath and affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized (Cole & Smith, 2011). Unlawful search and seizure was made to limit the capability of law enforcement officers to search a person or property in order to obtain evidence.It is believed that law enforcement should not be able to pursue criminals at all cost. A search is a court document that gives law enforcement the authority to examine and hunt for evidence in or on a person or place in a manner th at intrudes on reasonable expectations of privacy (Cole & Smith, 2011). The reasonable expectation of privacy, that was developed by the courts, is normally from the government; but if there is probable cause law enforcement can receive an search warrant from a judge and search wherever the warrant states.A seizure is a situation in which police officers use their authority to deprive people of their liberty or property and which must not be â€Å"unreasonable† according to the Fourth Amendment (Cole & Smith, 2011). All types of things can be seized such as a person’s freedom, which is also called an arrest, and also even property. Law enforcement must ensure that there is probable cause because if not that is an infringement of that person’s right. Being unconstitutional can lead to fines, and law enforcement officers even losing their jobs, depending on the severity of the situation.Requirements of the Fourth Amendment There are requirements that law enforceme nt are expected to be knowledgeable of and have to follow, even while trying to catch criminals. The requirements are probable cause, affidavit, and describing the place being searched, and the persons or things to be seized (Cole & Smith, 2011). Probable cause is the amount of reliable information indicating that it is more likely than not that evidence will be found in a specific location or that a specific person is guilty of a crime (Cole & Smith, 2011).In order for search and seizure to take place there has to be probable cause. Affidavit is a written statement, which is supported by oath or affirmation, submitted to judicial officers to fulfill the requirements of probable cause for obtaining a warrant. The place or person to be searched or seized has to be described in detail to help establish if probable cause is reasonable. There are however, exceptions to the probable cause and warrant requirements.Some exceptions are investigatory detentions, warrantless arrest, searches incidents to a valid arrest, seizures of items in plain view, exigent circumstances, consent searches, vehicle searches, container searches, border searches, searchers at sea, administrative searches, and searches in which the special needs of law enforcement make the probable cause requirement impractical (Calsyn et al. , 1998). A warrantless search can be conducted if law enforcement believes that the evidence is imminent danger of being moved or destroyed.Also if there is belief that law enforcement may be in danger they may enter a dwelling and conduct a full warrantless search (Calsyn et al. , 1998). The Fourth Amendment does not require law enforcement to have a warrant when searching vehicles when they have probable cause. The â€Å"automobile exception† to the warrant requirement stems from both the inherent mobility of vehicles, which often creates exigent circumstances that make obtaining a warrant impractical, and the reduce expectation of privacy due to configurat ion, use, and regulation of automobiles (Calsyn et al. 1998). â€Å"In certain circumstances, law enforcement officers may lawfully arrest persons without an arrest warrant. Such arrests are permitted for any offense committed by the arrestee in the presence of a law enforcement officer and for any felony that an officer has probable cause to believe the arrestee has committed. After making a warrantless arrest, an officer must promptly secure a judicial determination of probable cause. The probable cause required to make a lawful warrantless arrest is identical to the probable cause required to secure an arrest warrant (Calsyn et al. 1998). According to Nolo (2012), the fourth amendment only applies to a search if a person has a legitimate expectation of privacy in the place or thing searched. If not, the Fourth Amendment offers no protection because there are, by definition, no privacy issues. For example, when the police look for and find a weapon on the front seat of a car, it is not considered a search under the fourth amendment because it is very unlikely that the person would think that the front seat of the car is a private place and expectation of privacy is unlikely.Even if the individual did, society is not willing to extend the protections of privacy to that particular location. On the opposing side, a person who uses a public restroom expects not to be spied upon and most people, including judges and juries would consider that expectation of privacy to be reasonable Therefore, the installation of a hidden video camera by the police in a public restroom will be considered a search and would be subject to the fourth amendment's requirement of reasonableness. However, the fourth amendment does permit searches and seizures that are considered reasonable.In practice, this means that the police may override your privacy concerns and conduct a search of you, your home, barn, car, boat, office, personal or business documents, bank account records, trash barrel, or whatever, if the police have probable cause to believe they can find evidence that you committed a crime, and a judge issues a search warrant, or the particular circumstances justify the search without a warrant first being issued (Nolo 2012). The Supreme Court has ruled that warrantless police conduct may comply with the Fourth Amendment so long as it is reasonable under the circumstances.The exceptions made to the Fourth Amendment's warrant requirement reflect the Court's reluctance to unduly impede the job of law enforcement officials. The Court has attempted to strike a balance between the practical realities of daily police work and the privacy and freedom interests of the public (FindLaw 2012). A warrant is a document issued by the courts allowing law enforcement to search your private property. All that is needed to obtain a warrant is probable cause, meaning there must be sufficient reason based upon known facts to believe a crime has been committed or that certai n property is connected with a crime.Also, as explained by The Lecture Law Library (1995-2012), the fourth amendment provides no protection for what a person knowingly exposes to the public. For instance a man's facial characteristics, or handwriting, his voice is repeatedly produced for others to hear. No person can have a reasonable expectation that others will not know the sound of his voice, any more than he can reasonably expect that his face will be a mystery to the world. These are simply a fraction of the examples as to when the fourth amendment of unlawful search and seizure does not apply.Courts use a two-part test established by the U. S. Supreme Court to determine whether, at the time of the search, a defendant had a legitimate expectation of privacy in the place or things searched. Evaluating whether or not the person actually expected some degree of privacy and if the person's expectation is one that society is willing to recognize? Also, if upon review, a court finds that an unreasonable search occurred, any evidence seized as a result of the search cannot be used as direct evidence against the defendant in a criminal prosecution, state or federal. This rule, established by the U. S.Supreme Court in 1961, has come to be known as the exclusionary rule. The exclusionary rule prevents the government from using most evidence gathered in violation of the United States Constitution. Many commentators criticize the exclusionary rule on the ground that it unfairly lets the criminal go free simply due to error. Adversely, the rule's supporters argue that excluding illegally seized evidence is necessary to deter police from conducting illegal searches. According to this deterrence argument, the police won't conduct improper searches if the resulting evidence can't be used to convict the defendant.In addition to being excluded as evidence against the defendant, evidence resulting from an illegal search may not be used to discover other evidence, under a le gal rule colorfully known as the â€Å"fruit of the poisonous tree† doctrine. The â€Å"tree† is the evidence that the police illegally seize in the first place; the â€Å"fruit† is the second-generation product of the illegally seized evidence; both tree and fruit are inadmissible at trial (Nolo 2012). Moreover, when the fourth amendment is broken there are consequences that are handled by the courts. The Knock-and-Announce RequirementThis requirement is meant to protect the security, privacy, and property interest of people in their homes (Josephson, 1996). â€Å"The knock-and-announce rule requires that police officers give notion of both their authority and purpose to the occupants of a residence to be searched. Before breaking and entering the premises to search, officers must also give the occupants a reasonable opportunity to voluntarily allow the police to enter† (Josephson, 1996). This rule has to be follow even if officers do have a warrant. Thi s rule also serves for protection for the officers that are entering a home owner home.Citizens have an expectation to privacy and with this rule it allows the occupants to give consent to enter. Arizona v. Gant This case was taken all the way to the U. S. Supreme Court, and is used as a guideline for what is considered constitutional in regards to Unlawful Search and Seizure. The facts of the case states that Gant was arrested for driving with a suspended license. He then was handcuffed and placed in the backseat of an officer car. While under arrest the officers searches his car. The officers find cocaine in a jacket pocket (The Daily Record, 2009, p. 1).Gant’s motion to dismiss the evidence was denied and he was convicted of drug charges. â€Å"Reversing, the State Supreme Court distinguished New York v. Belton, which held that police may search the passenger compartment of a vehicle and any containers therein as a contemporaneous incident of recent occupants lawful arres t on grounds that it concerned the scope of a search incident to arrest but did not answer the question whether officers may conduct such a search once the scene has been secured† (Justia. com, 2009). One major concern was of the officer’s safety if the occupant was allowed to be within the reach of the area being searched.This could be absolutely dangers for the officer and could endanger the public. Under the Gant ruling, if an officer wishes to search the vehicle of an arrested suspect, he or she may delay handcuffing the suspect until after the search is complete (NJ. com, 2009). This allows the occupant to be able to access his car while being searched. Conclusion The Fourth Amendment is the primary, essential limit on the power of governments in the U. S. to inquire into people's lives, arrest them, and take their property. It is also what prevents governments and their agents from invading citizens' privacy.In a society that both deplores crime and values liberty , there will always be a tension between law enforcement interests and the privacy of individuals. The tools and system of the fourth amendment are as followed: Is it governmental conduct? Does the defendant have a legitimate expectation of privacy? Will society protect the defendant’s expectation as objectively reasonable? And was a warrant issued? If any of the stated reason within the system of unlawful search and seizure hold true then there I no violation of the fourth amendment. The fourth amendment to the U. S. onstitution places limits on the power of the police to make arrests, search people and their property, and seize objects and contraband, such as illegal drugs or weapons. The amendment of unlawful search and seizure is one of ten amendments within The Bill of Rights and reads as follows: â€Å"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants sh all issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized (Nolo 2012). † ReferencesArizona v. Gant. (2009). Retrieved November 22, 2012, from http://supreme. justia. com/cases/federal/us/556/07-542/ Calsyn, J. D. , Hale, B. C. , Kranz, H. , Grossman, M. R. , & Kim, N. E. (1998). Warrantless searches and seizures. Georgetown Law Journal, 86, 1214-1288. Cole, G. F. , & Smith C. E. , (2011) Criminal Justice (6th ed. ). Belmont, California: Wadsworth. Josephson, M. (1996). Fourth amendment–must police knock and announce themselves before e. g. Microsoft Corporation (1995-2012). The Fourth Amendment [U. S. Constitution]. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www. lectlaw. com/def/f081. htm. (2012). The Fourth Amendment