Marianne Moore On “Bird-Witted” Essay

Born in Kirkwood, Missouri, Moore studied biology at Bryn Mawr College. After travelling in Europe with her mother, she taught at the U.S. Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Brooklyn, New York, where she worked as a librarian. Moore first published her poems in such little magazines as the Egoist, Poetry, and Others, later editing the Dial, a highly regarded modernist periodical. In part because of her extensive European travels before the First World War, Moore came to the attention of poets as diverse as Wallace Stevens, Hilda Doolittle, T. S. Eliot, and Ezra Pound and corresponded for a time with W.H. Auden and Ezra Pound. In her poetry Moore experimented with the stanza and strived to unite what she called â€Å"precision, economy of statement [and] logic† with complex rhyme patterns, syllable counts, and ornate diction. Her volumes include Poems (1921), Observations (1924), Collected Poems (1951), and Complete Poems (1967). On â€Å"Bird-Witted†About the poem:The American poet Marianne Moore wrote poems quite similar to fables in their use of animals and animal traits to comment on human experience. Composed in (1951) and published in her Collected Poems, Moores narrative poem Bird-witted can attain the quality of fable as its being a brief allegorical narrative where the characters are animals who act like people while retaining their animal traits. The poem is about a mother mockingbird struggling to feed its three fledglings or young birds when a cat approaches them to mark the transformation of the mother from a feeding and caring bird to dangerously defending and protective. The First StanzaMoore chooses animals or birds to replace the existence of the world of man, there is no human but animals working like humans yet keeping their animal traits. Moore constructs in this poem and many other poems, a positive portrait of feminine figure. One of the strongest is, not surprisingly, the mother, almost all of them in animal form, who appear in  Moore’s poems of the thirties and forties. Moore lived with her mother all her life until Mrs. Moore’s death in 1947, who was a mother of uncommon intellectual gifts as well as possessiveness and surely had that deep impact on her own daughter. The poem starts with locating the three young birds under the pussy-willow tree waiting for their mother. The three large mockingbirds with wide penguin eyes are standing in a row beside each other solemnly till they observe their no longer larger mother approaching with what will feed one of them before going back to bring more for them. The Second StanzaHere, the stanza starts from where the mother bird is, as while flying it can hear the irregular squeaking of its hungry young birds similar to a broken springs of a carriage as well as spotting them below so tiny like brownish coloured freckles. (To them the mother is no longer larger, to her; they are still tiny like freckles. A common but interchangeable concern between a mother and her children when claiming their growth and demanding their independence and knowledge while her enforcing her possessiveness and protection over them). When approaching them and landing, the mother bird puts a beetle in one of the little birds beak but as it dropped out the mother puts it in again. An image enforcing their helplessness and her caring yet, strong hold over them. The Third StanzaThis stanza shows the process, of which the young mockingbirds express how their hunger is satisfied. As they stand in the pussy-willow shade with their grey coloured coats, they spread tail and wings, showing one by one, the modest white stripe lengthwise on the tail and crosswise underneath the wing,. One must not forget that their squeaks or the accordion as described musically in the stanza, is closed again and now they set to test their skills of flying while the mother is away. The Fourth StanzaThe narrator has to express the quality of the mother birds melody as delightful yet its unexpected but rapid change as flute-sounds leaping from the throat of the shrewd grown bird coming from the remote unenergetic sunlit air when realising the brood leaving their place and testing their abilities to fly. And how harsh the birds voice has become as the narrator describes. Moore’s embodiment of maternal behaviour in animal figures not only affirms the instinctual nature of such behaviour in general but also reflects (and to some extent explains) the ever-present animal kingdom of pet-names by which the Moore family members expressed their attachments to one another. This spirit of maternal protection is placed in Moore’s female figures as they come into the full strength of their unyielding devotion. The Fifth StanzaThis stanza is devoted to a spotted cat described as approaching and impending danger. The cat is observing the little birds and slowly creeping toward them while naively and out of ignorance they pay no heed to it. While one of the birds is in midst of its attempt to fly, its dangling foot that missed the cats grasp is raised and finds the twig or branch on which it planned to rest on. This incident is not to be left alone as the sixth stanza shows closure of this poem. The Sixth StanzaThe movement of this stanza is quicker than the previous ones, depicting the angry mother bird as it darts from the sky down where the cat stands. Its fear for the safety of its own little birds had given it the strength and courage to involve in a deadly combat where the cat is almost killed by the spear like beak of the bird and its angry wings. The enemy in the final lines, the â€Å"intellectual cautious- / ly creeping cat,† brings about an interesting point of the narrative, which is the transformation of personality brought on not only by the approaching danger of the cat but also by motherhood itself as the â€Å"bayonet beak† and â€Å"cruel wings† of the bird defending her brood, produces a seriocomic scene that Moore intended. This distinction between protection and injury was clearly an important one to a poet living creatively within her mother’s house. Structure:-Later in her life, in 1967, Moore confessed that the sound of the verse was more important to her than its visual pattern. She remarked that it ought to be continuous, and that she had always wanted her verse to sound unstrained and natural as though she was speaking. At the time, she expressed her distaste for the common place that she wrote in syllabic verse, in which the line lengths of a repeated stanza pattern are determined  by the numbers of syllables, rather than stresses. She confessed her liking to see symmetry and regularity on the page. -Thus, in Bird Witted, as each stanza consists of 10 lines, all the six stanzas are alike in length of line but this poem has no rhyming pattern though some lines rhyme together-The pattern itself is repeated with each stanza though the count of syllables differs as in: The 1st, 2nd, 4th and 6th stanzas (the fourth line contains 3 syllables), the 3d and 5th stanzas (the fourth line contains 4 syllables). -Word breaking: as a word is split between the lines (sun/lit) in the 4th stanza and (cautious/ly) in the sixth one. -The fable like form, as animals replace human characters. -Assonance: in the repetition of the vowel sounds of (wide/eyes), (keyed/squeak), (their/pale), (crosswise/lengthwise)-Consonance: in the repetition of the final consonant sounds of (squeak/meek), (picks/puts)-Alliteration: as the (t) sound in (the trim trio on the tree-stem), (f) sound in (freckled forms), (p) sound in (planned to perch)

Dell Essay

4. Is Dell’s strategy working? What is your assessment of the financial performance that Dell’s strategy has delivered during fiscal years 2000-2008? Use the financial ratios presented in the Appendix of the text (pages 240-241) as a basis for doing your calculations and drawing conclusions about Dell’s performance. Selected Financial Statement Data for Dell Inc., Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008 (in million, except per share data) | February 1, 2008| February 2, 2007| February 3, 2006| January 28, 2005| January 30, 2004| February 1, 2002| January 28, 2000| Results of Operations| | | | | | | | Net Revenue| 61,133| 57,420| 55,788| 49,121| 41,327| 31,168| 25,265| Cost of Revenue| 49,462| 47,904| 45,897| 40,103| 33,764| 25,661| 20,047| Gross Margin| 11,671| 9,516| 9,891| 9,018| 7,563| 5,507| 5,218| Gross Profit Margin| 19.1%| 16.6%| 17.7%| 18.4%| 18.3%| 17.7%| 20.7%| Operating Expenses| | | | | | | | + Selling, general and administrative| 7,538| 5,948| 5,051| 4,352| 3,604| 2,784| 2,387| + Research, development and engineering| 693| 498| 458| 460| 434| 452| 374| + Special charges| -| -| -| -| -| 482| 194| Total operating expenses| 8,231| 6,446| 5,509| 4,812| 4,038| 3,718| 2,955| Total operating expenses as a % of net revenues| 13.5%| 11.2%| 9.9%| 9.8%| 9.8%| 10.4%| 10.9%| Operating Income| 3,440| 3,070| 4,382| 4,206| 3,525| 1,789| 2,263| Operating profit margin| 5.6%| 5.3%| 7.9%| 8.6%| 8.5%| 5.7%| 9.0%| Investment and other income (loss), net| 387| 275| 226| 197| 186| (58)| 188| Income before income taxes extraordinary loss, and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle| 3,827| 3,345| 4,608| 4,403| 3,711| 1,731| 2,451| Provision for income taxes| 880| 762| 1,006| 1,385| 1,086| 485| 785| Net Income| 2,947| 2,583| 3,602| 3,018| 2,625| 1,246| 1,666| Net profit margin| 4.8%| 4.5%| 6.5%| 6.1%| 6.4%| 4.0%| 6.6%| Earnings per common share: Basic| 1.33| 1.15| 1.50| 1.20|  1.02| 0.48| 0.66| Diluted| 1.31| 1.14| 1.47| 1.18| 1.01| 0.46| 0.61| Weighted average shares outstanding: Basic| 2,223| 2,255| 2,403| 2,509| 2,565| 2,602| 2,536| Diluted| 2,247| 2,271| 2,449| 2,568| 2,619| 2,726| 2,728| | | | | | | | | Cash Flow and Balance Sheet Data| | | | | | | | Net cash provided by operating activities| 3,949| 3,969| 4,751| 5,821| 3,670| 3,797| 3,926| Cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments| 7,972| 10,298| 9,070| 9,807| 11,922| 8,287| 6,853| Total assets| 27,561| 25,635| 23,252| 23,215| 19,311| 13,535| 11,560| Long-term debt| 362| 569| 625| 505| 505| 520| 508| Total stockholders’ equity| 3,735| 4,328| 4,047| 6,485| 6,280| 4,694| 5,308| Profitability Ratios | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Gross Profit Margin| 20.7%| 17.7%| 18.3%| 18.4%| 17.7%| 16.6%| 19.1%| Operating Profit Margin| 9.0%| 5.7%| 8.5%| 8.6%| 7.9%| 5.3%| 5.6%| Net Profit Margin| 6.6%| 4.0%| 6.4%| 6.1%| 6.5%| 4.5%| 4.8%| The chart shows the Profitability Ratios of Dell from 2000 to 2008. In general, from 2000 to 2008, the profit of Dell was quite stable. As we can see, Dell’s strategy is still working and makes a lot of money for Dell every year. However, there was no remarkable increase. The net profit margin has been about 5% during Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008. | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Return on total assets (ROA)| 14.4%| 9.2%| 13.6%| 13.0%| 15.5%| 10.1%| 10.7%| Return on Stockholder’s Equity (ROE)| 31.4%| 26.5%| 41.8%| 46.5%|  89.0%| 59.7%| 78.9%| Return on invested capital (ROI)| 28.6%| 23.9%| 38.7%| 43.2%| 77.1%| 52.7%| 71.9%| The chart indicates ROA, ROE and ROI of Dell from 2000 to 2008. From 2000 to 2008, ROA has been stable because Dell built a lot of manufactory. However, ROE and ROI had very impressive increase since 2000. In 2006, ROE reached the peak 89% and ROI reached the peak 77.1%. It proved that Dell has used the monetary capital invested in its operations and the returns to those investments very effectively. | January 28, 2000| February 1, 2002| January 30, 2004| January 28, 2005| February 3, 2006| February 2, 2007| February 1, 2008| Long term debt to capital ratio| 0.09| 0.10| 0.07| 0.07| 0.13| 0.12| 0.09| Long term debt to equity ratio| 0.10| 0.11| 0.08| 0.08| 0.15| 0.13| 0.10| The chart shows 2 leverage ratios of Dell: Long-term debt to capital ratio and long term debt to equity ratio. These ratios are quite important because they measure creditworthiness and balance sheet strength. As we can see, all the ratios were very low, under 0.2 which had very good effect to the creditworthiness and balance sheet strength. Besides that, they could also help Dell to borrow additional funds if needed. In conclusion: Through the analysis, we can say that Dell’s strategy is still effective. It helps Dell to earn a lot of money every year. However, although Dell has gained profit during Fiscal Years 2000 – 2008, there was no remarkable increase in profit and it seemed to be stable. Dell’s strategy has been very successful when it helped the company to control the cost very well and run the company very smoothly. 5. What does a SWOT analysis reveal about the attractiveness of Dell’s situation in 2008? Dell SWOT analysis Strengths: * World’s largest PC maker. * One of the best known brands in the world. * First PC maker to offer next-day, on-site product service. * Direct to customer business model. Uses latest technology. * Dell has remarkably low operating cost relative to revenue because it cuts out the retailer and supplies directly to the customers. * Dell’s Direct Model approach enables the company to offer direct relationships with customers such as corporate and institutional customers. * Dell’s direct customer allows it to provide top-notch customer service before and after the sale. * Each Dell system is built to order to meet each customer’s specifications. Reliability, Service and Support. * Dell boasts a very efficient procurement, manufacturing and distribution process allowing it to offer customers powerful systems at competitive prices. * Dell is able to introduce the latest relevant technology compared to companies using the indirect distribution channels. * Dell is not a manufacturer; Components are made by the suppliers and Dell assembles the computers using relatively cheap labor. The finished goods are then dropped off with the customer by courier. Dell has total command of the supply chain. * Dell turns over inventory for an average of every six days, keeping inventory costs low. * Dell is enhancing and broadening the fundamental competitive advantages of the direct model by increasingly applying the efficiencies of the Internet to its entire business. Weakness: * A huge range of products and components from many suppliers from various countries. * Computer maker and not the computer manufacturer, making DELL unable to switch supply. * Dell lacked solid dealer / retailer relationships. * No propriety technology * Not attracting the college student segment of the market. Dell’s sales revenue from educational institutions such as colleges only accounts for a merely 5% of the total. * Dell’s focus on the corporate and government institutional customers somehow affected its ability to form relationships  with educational institutions. * For home users, Dell’s direct method and customization approach posed problems. For one, customers cannot go to retailers because Dell does not use distribution channels. * Customers just can’t buy Dell as simply as other brands because each product is custom-built according to their specifications and this might take days to finish. Opportunities: * Diversification strategy by introducing many new products to its range. * Personal computers are becoming a necessity now more than ever. Customers are getting more and more educated about computers. Second-time buyers would most likely avail of Dell’s custom-built computers because as their knowledge grows, so do their need to experiment or use some additional computer features. * The internet also provides Dell with greater opportunities since all they have to do now is to visit Dell’s website to place their order or to get information. * Since Dell does not have retail stores, the online stores would surely make up for its absence. It is also more convenient for customers to shop online than to actually drive and do purchase at a physical store. Threats: * Competitive rivalry that exists in the PC market globally. * New entrants to the market pose potential threats. * The threat to become outmoded is a pulsating reality in a computer business. * Price difference among brands is getting smaller. * Dell’s Direct Model attracts customers because it saves cost. Since other companies are able to offer computers at low costs, this could threaten Dell’s price-conscious growing customer base. * With almost identical prices, price difference is no longer an issue for a customer. They might choose other brands instead of waiting for Dell’s customized computers. * The growth rate of the computer industry is also slowing down. Today, Dell has the biggest share of the market. If the demand slows down, the competition will become stiffer in the process. Dell has to work doubly hard to differentiate itself from its substitutes to be able to continue holding a significant market share. => Technological advancement is a double-edge sword. It is an opportunity but at the same time a threat. Low-cost leadership strategy is no longer an issue to computer companies therefore it is important for Dell to stand out from the rest. 6. Which company is competitively stronger—Dell or Hewlett-Packard? Use the weighted competitive strength assessment methodology shown in Table 4.2 of Chapter 4 to support your answer.

Capital Budgeting for Equator Ltd

Equator Ltd. is looking at expanding its operations into manufacturing tablet computers. The company has two options to consider from, one being Plant A which is highly automated and the other being Plant B which is more labour intensive. The cash inflow and outflow for both the options have been analysed using capital budgeting techniques, the results of which are presented below: Both the options have favourable results where the NPV is positive, IRR is more than the cost of capital and the payback period is within the project period. However, the company should go ahead with Plant A as it has higher NPV and IRR. Even though Plant B has lower payback period, but for mutually exclusive projects, the project with highest NPV followed by IRR is selected. Hence the company should go for Plant A. The cost of capital considered here is 13.35% as this the WACC used by the Computer tablet industry and hence is a better discounting factor as it takes into account all the risks associated with this project. The fixed allocation cost has not been considered in the analysis as it is not an incremental cost. The increased working capital is assumed to be recovered at the end of the project life for both the projects. There is risk inherent in a project because no one can accurately predict the future outcomes. It is due to the variability of the future cash flows of the project. Market risk – the economic growth rate is assumed to 5.5% for the project and the sales have been projected on the economic growth rate basis. However, if the economic growth rate does not take as projected, the analysis of the investment may go wrong i.e. if the growth rate decreases, the sales will decrease and the NPV will reduce (Drake, NA) Also there is a risk of a change in the inflation rate. An increase in the inflation rate may increase the operating costs, thus making the project less profitable. Project specific risk – The management may predict wrong cash flows for the project. If the prediction goes wrong, then the whole investment may go for a toss. Industry specific risk – an abrupt change in the industry specific regulations may increase the industry specific risk. Also technological advancement in the industry may increase risks. Like if a better product comes in the market than tablet computers, the market for tablets will decrease, thus causing loss to the company (Dontigney, NA) Company specific risk – this risk may arise due to company specific factors like change in the management of the company, any strikes or lock outs by the employees which may disrupt the operations of the company and thus the revenue might be affected. Efficient Market Hypothesis is a proposition that the stock prices in the market perfectly reflect the true value of the firm from the available information. The theory believes that no investor can gain from identifying undervalued stocks using technical and fundamental analysis. Any new information available in the market about the stock is immediately adjusted in the stock price and hence the stocks become accurately priced. Therefore all investors whether uninformed or experts will obtain the same rate of return (Malkiel, 2003). Also the theory believes that if any trader identifies a undervalued or overvalued stock, this will motivate the trader to undertake trading in order to make abnormal profits and in the process the prices of the stock will move towards the its intrinsic value, making the stock price efficient which reflects its fundamental value. Intrinsic value of a share is the present value of cash flows in the form of dividends and the cash flow from the sale of stock . There are three forms of capital market efficiency i.e. weak efficiency, semi strong efficiency, strong form efficiency. Under the weak form efficiency, it is believed the stock prices fully reflect all the past information of the security. Thus an analyst cannot make gains using technical analysis as it is based on past prices. Under semi strong form efficiency, the stock prices fully reflect all public information about the stock. Hence, traders with access to non public information can make abnormal profits. Under strong form of efficiency, the markets are very efficient and quickly react to the new information to adjust stock prices thus making it impossible for any investor to make excess profits. Capital markets are channels through which the idle funds of a potential investor are put into effective use. A company can raise funds through equity or bonds in a capital market. A company generally raises funds in a capital market for long term projects. It is very convenient for the companies to raise funds if the capital markets are efficient because efficient capital markets ensure the funds flow to the highest valued projects. The stock prices at which the stocks would be issued is determined by the market and the market ensures that the stock prices fully reflect the fundamental value of future cash flows. Thus, if the project of Equator Limited promises to maximise the shareholder value, the future value of all cash flows would be incorporated into the stock prices at which the company would raise the new capital. Also efficient markets enable the company to focus on long term projects instead of short term because the funds are easily available from potential investors for high value long term projects (Jones, Netter, NA) We see that tablet computer is a growing industry and hence the outlook for this industry is good. This will help the company in attracting capital easily as the investors would be willing to invest in an industry which has high growth prospects (Dudley, Hubbard, 2004). And moreover since the company is already an established player in the computer market, these will double the ease with which it can raise the funds. Drake, P., (NA), Capital Budgeting and Risk, accessed online on 22 nd January, 2017, available at https://educ.jmu.edu/~drakepp/principles/module6/cbrisk Dontigney, E., (NA), What Factors Increase the Riskiness of a Capital Budgeting Project? accessed online on 22 nd January, 2017, available at https://yourbusiness.azcentral.com/factors-increase-riskiness-capital-budgeting-project-26421.html Malkiel, B.G., (2003), The Efficient Market Hypothesis and Its Critics, CEPS Working Paper No.91 Jones, S.L, Netter, J.M., (NA), Efficient Capital Markets, accessed online on 23 rd January, 2017, available at, https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc1/EfficientCapitalMarkets.html Dudley, W.C., Hubbard, R.G., (2004), How Capital Markets Enhance Economic Performance and Facilitate Job Creation, Global Market Institute, Goldman Sachs

Community Assessment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Community Assessment - Research Paper Example v. Health Promotional activities undertaken in recent months vi. Whether the quality of health services is good vii. What are the major health problems viii. How many care takers are employed in the township ix. What is the level of depression x. How often the family members visit Senior Citizens xi. Whether the residents are emotionally happy xii. Which are the activities undertaken to keep them physically and emotionally happy 2. Nutritional Metabolic Pattern : (Survey dated 04.09.2007) The aim of this study was to find characteristic differences between nutritional habits of elderly people living in South Towne Ranch Retirement living . Method: 266 elderly people (109 men >65 years, and 157 women >60 years) were consecutively selected and questioned about eating habits , lifestyle and food frequency . Medical check-up, and laboratory tests were also performed. i. Whether the elderly people are well nourished ii. What are the nutritional habits of Senior Citizens iii. What is the average food purchased by each Senior Citizen iv. Whether the food stores are available nearby v. What are the food preferences among men and women living in this township vi. What is the average water consumption of each Senior Citizen vii. Whether water supply is adequate viii. What is the average weight of people living in this township ix. How many of them are obese 3. Elimination Pattern (Survey dated 05.09.2007) The purpose of this study was to evaluate the environmental health of South Towne Ranch township . The survey included healthy elderly members . Survey : i. Whether the Air is pollution free ii. What is the percentage of Carbon Dioxide in the Air iii. Whether the environment is...Major highways and shopping are right around the block. South Towne mall, Utah's largest shopping destination, with two levels of over 150 specialty shops and restaurants is only a half-mile away! Several 18 hole championship golf courses are nearby as well, including a number of signature courses designed by professionals. Some of the top skiing resorts in the nation, Snow Bird, Alta, Brighton, Solitude - are each only 45 minutes away. This location is also only an hour and a half from Park City - where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held ! The purpose of this survey was to describe the health status of the elderly in South Towne Ranch Retirement living .The participants were asked to rate their health. About 10.5% of the sample perceived that their health was excellent, 63.6% good, while 26% believed that their health was poor.When asked to compare their health to other people,51.7% believed their health was similar to others, 22.6% considered it to be better than others, 18.3% considered their health worse than others and 7.4% could not say. Method: 266 elderly people (109 men >65 years, and 157 women >60 years) were consecutively selected and questioned about eating habits , lifestyle and food frequency . Medical check-up, and laboratory tests were also performed. The survey was conducted among people aged between 60 to 85 to understand the sleeping habits and problems among th

Summary Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 187

Summary - Essay Example hat, there is need for him to be paid more since his talent has made the SiriusXM radio to increase its revenues to $1.4billion pre-tax income (Gillette, 1). Howard Stern’s talent of moving the audience, led to the growth of the audience listening to the SiriusXM up to 27.3 million in 2014. This kind of talent led to the assimilation of the XM Satellite. This is an indication of rivalry in this industry, where talent is the driving force of the economy. The managers of various satellite radios stations are compelled to pay more to attain a super class of talent like that of Stern. This brings us to the state of things as they may exits when Howard Stern exists. Stern’s staggering relationship with the management of the SiriusXM puts his career in a balance in this corporation and this leaves a vacuum if Stern decides to quit (Gillette, 1). In essence, the article asserts that talent is the single most element that is driving the world and this explicitly indicates that there would be no SiriusXM without Stern. The ever-increasing consumer base attributed to the SiriusXM immensely attributed to the commonly integrated audio service, which Sirius XM has capitalised and ensured that it is done in cars, Smartphone and computers. This aspect of product differentiation has made this corporation to stand out among other numerous competing companies. For instance, the Silicon Valley and Apple’s entry into the market indicates the nature of the stiff competition that is created and this needs superior marketing and talent to thrive well in the modern competitive market milieu (Gillette, 1). The directors of Sirius XM feel the heat of the competition in the Radio industry and this compels them to state that they would pay Stern any amount of money as long as he ready to work. This is an indication that solely talent drives the radio industry and it should be well paid for the corporations to make profits. In essence, Stern’s exit will see the SiriusXM loose

Proposal for Exec Hotels for Business Improvement Essay

Proposal for Exec Hotels for Business Improvement - Essay Example However, the costs associated with a new focus on tourism business are currently beyond the company’s capabilities. It has been determined that renewed local marketing is the best methodology to ensure revenue growth outside of the London centre of operations. 2. The business case Occupancy rates at hotels in Europe have seen stability in the last few years, with an average rate of 63 percent in London (Carlson Wagonlit, 2011). However, many European capitals are being hit hard currently with the economic global downturn, therefore the business should focus on its local business and presence (brand reputation) in the United Kingdom rather than expanding abroad. The company staff and executive leadership team are currently well-versed in local UK cultures, values and systems and by remaining in the UK for expansion, it will avoid the high costs of training and human resources restructuring for other European countries. The goal is to improve occupancy rates during the weekend where business is the most incapacitated, however the challenge to Exec Hotels is ensuring a method to fill weekend rooms without focusing on the new tourism market. This can be accomplished by staying true to the current values and operational know-how that currently exists in the UK marketplace. 3. The methodology for revenue improvements Competitive advantage for medium-sized hotels lays specifically in market innovation practices (Lin & Wu, 2008).

Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, AL Campus Police Research Paper

Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, AL Campus Police - Research Paper Example This essay will review the campus police department at the Jefferson State Community College Birmingham, addressing several factors about the police department. These factors include issues such as the jurisdiction that the department covers, the primary crime problems and measures taken to prevent them, the campus crime trends over the past five years, how the department interacts with other law enforcement agencies, qualifications of officers in the department, training and certification of the officers and campus statistics among other issues. Introduction Campus or university police in the US and other countries are sworn law enforcement agents deployed to colleges and universities with a view to provide protection in the campus and its environs, and persons who visit, work or live in it. In Jefferson State Community College, the Jefferson State Police Department is tasked with upholding law and order in the community. These officers are sworn personnel who work in collaboration with campus security officers to contain and prevent crimes and civil unrest problems such as riots and other unruly behavior by students in and around the campus premises. While campus police sometimes employ and train students to serve as escorts to other students, campus police in Jefferson State Community College have the ultimate task of ensuring overall security throughout the entire campus. Jefferson State Community College campus police have immeasurable merit in the performance of their duties within the diverse college community. Discussion Jurisdiction Covered by the Campus Police Department The Jefferson State Community College campus police has jurisdiction over all accidents that take place on campus grounds. The campus police are tasked with completing all the necessary accident reports necessitated by state and federal law. In addition, the campus police assist students who encounter vehicular problems while on campus grounds. In addition, the campus police departmen t entails the protection of life and property within the campus. This encompasses students and college faculty and the college’s property, as well as individuals’ property (JSCC, 2011). It is also within the campus police jurisdiction to keep up a successful and efficient parking system within the campus and maintain a viable traffic system that allows for easy movement in and around the college premises. The police also provide driving directions for those who work, visit, or live on the college premises. It is also the campus police department’s work to report serious crimes to law enforcement agencies and assist the latter in conducting investigations. Moreover, the campus police officers, who have fully-fledged arresting powers, ensure law and order by arresting disorderly and unruly members of the college community and presenting them to the school’s disciplinary committee. The Jefferson State Community College campus police are also mandated with th e response, investigation, as well as prosecution of criminal indignations that take place on campus grounds. Crime Problems and Preventative Measures The predominant crime problems within the campus are burglary, road accidents, possession and distribution of drugs, disorderly conduct and possession of firearms. In order to prevent the incident of in-campus road accidents, the campus requires that all students

(The Humanitarian Revolution) of Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Essay

(The Humanitarian Revolution) of Pinker's The Better Angels of Our Nature - Essay Example Body. First, the people prioritized understanding the other communities’ culture. Previously, the people’s priorities focused on imposing their culture on other communities or individuals. The cultures include banishing smoking offices and classrooms (Pinker 265). The governments opened up to learn the cultures of the different communities, practicing tolerance and cooperation among nations. The communities prioritized entering into economic partnerships, instead of war. The communities exchange educational information to help uplift the other communities’ economic and social status. First, the spirit of enlightenment reduced the war incidences. Steven Pinker shows pictures of different Middle Age torture methods. The laws ban such practices today (Pinker 212). Dubos emphasized that the Age of Enlightenment ushered in the spirit of reasoning. The age trained people to use philosophy concepts to explain everyday actions or non-actions. The people preferred to diss ect the reasons behind each activity. Consequently, the people use consequentialism concepts to explain why one activity is correct or not correct. For example, the people reasoned that a person’s actions or non-actions contribute to the outcome of one or more events. For example, the people reasoned that smoking contributes to the higher occurrences of lung cancer. Similarly, the enlightenment theories stated drinking too much brandy makes one drowsy. Consequently, the drowsy car driver will have higher chances of meeting traffic accidents. Likewise, the same Pinker enlightenment concept states that a person who drives slowly and carefully will have lower probabilities of being involved in a car accident. Second, the people’s priority to focus on laws reduced the tendency to prioritize torture, and other wars. 18th century England criticized the murders and tortures as cruelties that should be avoided (Pinker 231). The people preferred to file cases in courts. The cou rts would settle the differences between the two opposing parties. The people did not take the law into their own hands. The people are governed by laws and not by might. Consequently, the relied on the court judges to settle their grievances. Third, the people were more civilized. The people focused moral issues. In fact, Russia’s torture acts dropped to zero in 1850 (Pinker 234).The people preferred exchanges of ideas instead of physically maiming people of other communities. Being civilized includes controlling one’s animalistic instincts. The animalistic instincts include killing another person without remorse. Animalistic killing includes murdering an innocent passer-by just for the thrill. Animalistic killing includes hurting other individuals in order to abuse the rights of the innocent victim. A civilized society is one that is organized. Organized society includes democratic compliance with the statutes, policies, and other laws. A civilized society is one tha t has a clear cultural temperament. For example, the African Americans have their own unique culture. Third, the people’s penchant for education reduced the desire to maim or kill strangers or other communities. The books that were published during the 1800s reached an unprecedentedly higher 7,000 books (Pinker 269). The governments strived to educate their young to be peace loving individuals by publishing many books. The Pinker topic shows that groups focused on helping

Reflections on Styles and Context of News Reporting Essay

Reflections on Styles and Context of News Reporting - Essay Example This meant that events happening would take several hours or even days before becoming public knowledge. Presently, great changes have occurred and this reflective essay reviews these changes and advances in my own eyes and experiences. Reflections My experiences in journalism, news, and event reporting include using multimedia like video, photos and recorded voice to capture news, which I then send to the editorial office from whichever location through the world wide web and sometimes live via satellite television. The news is quickly edited before being relayed to audiences as ‘breaking news’. I have experienced live events being simultaneously shown to audiences through different media including television, cable and on the internet while the events are happening as happened during the Soviet revolution in the early nineties. I can use my mobile phone or portable to capture, edit, and send news all over the world via social networking through the internet and relay l ive pictures and commentary, occasionally just a few seconds behind the real event as Zahid (2010) avers. This is unlike the earlier days of journalism when reporting involved using notebooks and a camera or a video recorder with tape which was followed by sometimes a long journey to the main office, upload pictures (or develop them if taken on film), edit video using a long cut and paste process before compiling a news feature. Events occurring yesterday are reported as today’s news. Technology has changed all this, as I am now able to post news articles online, have a quick electronic version of the print newspaper posted on the news company’s web page where people can read the news and even post their own comments and views. So while in the olden days news reporting used to be a one way communication system (at least in the short term) where people just read what was printed and comments would take from days to weeks, presently readers can comment on news through bl ogging and comments on the web 2.0 platform. Watching and following the Egyptian revolution, I not only saw and experienced people power but importantly, but at a personal level experienced a new way in relaying information and following events that have forever changed my journalism practices. I can integrate news and information using the internet, mobile phones as well as traditional telephone and print media to distribute information, cheaply confirms Krotoski (2011). Through the Egyptian revolution, I have come to discover that not just governments and editors have control over what news and the public consumes information; the cost of distributing and sharing news has been greatly reduced thanks in no small part to technology and web 2.0. I can capture and share news with the world using only a cell phone with a decent camera. I have discovered that consumers of news, be it through print or electronic media, want news as they are happening and want to be able to easily alert f riends and other people instantly on what is happening so they can also view what is happening. The advent of the internet makes this possible; I could be relaying breaking news from the news site using my cell phone onto the newspapers’ or TV stations’ Twitter, Facebook or You tube page, and a reader logged in gets the news and tweets or chats with their friends about what is happening, all in just a few seconds. The news is transmitted so fast and in real

The Cost of Wal-Marts Low Prices Should Not Be Too Costly Essay

The Cost of Wal-Marts Low Prices Should Not Be Too Costly - Essay Example The essay "The Cost of Wal-Mart’s Low Prices Should Not Be Too Costly" analyzes the prices of Wal-mart. Wal-Mart helps the poor by providing low prices, but it can do better as an employer by offering competitive wage levels and benefits to its full-time workers, and promoting a culture of efficiency and equal opportunities, not unfair labor practices. Wal-Mart is good for the poor and the working class because it offers low prices and provides jobs, while being at par with other retailers in terms of Medicaid consumption. Wal-Mart, because of its sheer size, can maximize its economies of scale and scope to offer low prices every day. It is dedicated to driving down prices, so that it can pass its savings to consumers, and the effect is so large that Jason Furman of New York University compares Wal-Mart to a welfare program: â€Å"Wal-Mart's discounting on food alone boosts the welfare of American shoppers by at least $50 billion a year". The savings from shopping at Wal-Mart is significant enough, that consumers are saving billions of dollars every year. Aside from consumer savings, Wal-Mart is the world’s biggest retailer, so it is not surprising that it is the biggest private employer too. Olsson reports the extent of business and employment of Wal-Mart: â€Å"The company is the world's largest retailer, with $220 billion in sales, and the nation's largest private employer, with 3,372 stores and more than 1 million hourly workers†. The sales of the company enable it to hire millions of workers. ... Medicaid dependence is a concern for Wal-Mart too, but one which is not far from retailer companies in general. Mallaby reveals that 5 percent of Wal-Mart’s workers are on Medicaid, but this is a retail industry standard (357). The national average is 4 percent for all firms, so Wal-Mart’s effect on welfare usage is not worse than other firms. Considering these savings, employment, and use of Medicaid, Wal-Mart helps the poor and the working class. Despite these advantages, Wal-Mart has to work on its labor issues, in order to truly help the poor and the working classes, and the first step is improving wage levels and benefits to full-time workers. Olsson interviewed workers who revealed that Wal-Mart pays $16,000 to $18,000 a year (342). Jennifer McLaughlin, who works at Wal-Mart Supercenter #148, shares that her yearly wages reach only $16,800 (Olsson 342). Health benefits are not covered too. Wal-Mart provides the option of health insurance, but because it would â₠¬Å"deduct up to $85 from her biweekly paycheck of $550,† McLaughlin and numerous employees choose to rely on Medicaid (Olsson 342). McLaughlin is already with Wal-Mart for three years, and she deserves a more competitive pay and benefit package. Wal-Mart earns hundreds of billions of dollars every year, and it can use some of its millions to enhance the pay and benefits of its workers. Apart from low pay and poor benefits, Wal-Mart should be more concerned of the health and morale of its workers by not underpaying and overworking them. McLaughlin and other interviewed employees expose that some Wal-Mart managers force people to work overtime without pay (Olsson 345). Lawsuits are already filed against Wal-Mart for unpaid overtime. Wal-Mart cannot help the poor and the

IT Enters a New Learning Environment Essay Example for Free

IT Enters a New Learning Environment Essay It is most helpful to see useful models of school learning that is ideal to achieving instructional goals through preferred application of educational technology. These are the models of Meaningful Learning, Discovery learning, Generative Learning and Constructivism. Meaningful Learning If the traditional learning environment gives stress focus to rote learning and simple memorization, meaningful learning gives focus to new experience departs from that is related to what the learners already knows. New experience departs from the learning of a sequence of words but attention to meaning. It assumes that: ââ€"  Students already have some knowledge that is relevant to new learning. ââ€"  Students are wiling to perform class work to find connections between what they already know and what they can learn. In the learning process, the learner is encouraged to recognize relevant personal experiences. A reward structure is set so that the learner will have both interest and confidence, and this incentive system sets a positive environment to learning. Facts that are subsequently assimilated are subjected to the learner’s understanding and application. In the classroom, hands-on activities are introduced so as to simulate learning in everyday living. Discovery Learning Discovery learning is differentiated from reception learning in which ideas are presented directly to student in a well-organized way, such as through a detailed set of instructions to complete an experiment task. To make a contrast, in discovery learning student from tasks to uncover what is to be learned. New ideas and new decision are generated in the learning process, regardless of the need to move on and depart from organized setoff activities previously set. In discovery learning, it is important that the student become personally engaged and not subjected by the teacher to procedures he/she is not allowed to depart from. In applying technology, the computer can present a tutorial process by which the learner is presented key concept and the rules of learning in a direct manner for receptive learning. But the computer has other uses rather than delivering tutorials. In a computer simulation process, for example, the learner himself is made to identify key concept by interacting with a responsive virtual environment. Generative Learning In generative learning, we have active learners who attend to learning events and generate meaning from this experience and draw inferences thereby creating a personal model or explanation to the new experience in the context of existing knowledge. Generative learning is viewed as different from the simple process of storing information. Motivation and responsibility are seen to be crucial to this domain of learning. The area of language comprehension offers examples of this type of generative learning activities, such as in writing paragraph summaries, developing answers and questions, drawing pictures, creating paragraph titles, organizing ideas/concepts, and others. In sum, generative learning gives emphasis to what can be done with pieces of information, not only on access to them. Constructivism In constructivism, the learner builds a personal understanding through appropriate learning activities and a good learning environment. The most accepted principles constructivism’s are: ââ€"  Learning consists in what a person can actively assemble for himself and not what he can receive passively. ââ€"  the role of learning is to help the individual live/adapt to his personal world. These two principles in turn lead to three practical implications: ââ€"  the learner is directly responsible for learning. He creates personal understanding and transforms information into knowledge. The teacher plays an indirect role by modeling effective learning, assisting, facilitating and encouraging learners. ââ€"  the context of meaningful learning consists in the learner â€Å"connecting† his school activity with real life. ââ€"  the purpose of education is the acquisition of practical and personal knowledge, not abstract or universal truths. To review, there are common t hemes to these four learning domains. They are given below: Learners ââ€"  are active, purposeful learners. ââ€"  set personal goals and strategies to achieve these goals. ââ€"  make their learning experience meaningful and relevant to their lives. ââ€"  seek to build an understanding of their personal worlds so they can work/live productively. ââ€"  build on what they already know in order to interpret and respond to new experiences. LB#6: IT Enters a New Learning Environment. Effective teachers best interact with students in innovative learning activities, while integrating technology to the teaching-learning process. In Meaningful learning * Students already have some knowledge that is relevant to new learning * Students are willing to perform class work to find connections between what they already know and what they can learn. In Discovery learning Ideas are presented directly to students in a well-organized way, such as through a detailed set of instructions to complete an experiment or task. In applying technology, the computer can preset a tutorial process by which the learner is presented key concepts and the rules of learning in a direct manner for receptive learning. In Generative Learning Active learners who attend to learning events and generate meaning from this experience and draw inferences thereby creating a personal model or explanation to the new experience in the context of existing knowledge.Motivation and responsibility are seen to be crucial to this domain of learning. In Constructivism The learner builders a personal understanding through appropriate learning activities and a good learning environment. Learners: are active, purposeful learners. Set personal goals and strategies to achieve these goals. Make their learning experience meaningful and relevant to their lives. Seek to build an understanding of their personal worlds so they can work/live productively. Build on what they already know in order to interpret and respond to new experiences.

Briefly comment on the communication research report Essay Example for Free

Briefly comment on the communication research report Essay With rapid advancement of new communication technologies, people currently can freely and actively express their own opinions in the new media. For example, the Internet has dramatically changed the ways in which some individuals receive news and information, this is very big different from the traditional forms of communication. However, there are some correlation links between traditional mass communication ways and modern new technology ways(Kotcher,1992;Rubin, 1994). Roberts M, Wanta, W and Dzwo, T (2002) examined one aspect of the Internet: electronic bulletin boards (EBBs). The objective of this study is to investigate if traditional news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. In other words, the purpose of the study is to examine the agenda-setting process and the role it may play on the Internet. The reports dominant methodology is quantitative. As we know, it is a critical issue that appropriate methodology should be taken depending on different research topic. Quantitative approach and qualitative approach have their respective advantages and disadvantages (Fowler, 1993). Quantitative research, through surveys, gathers data about peoples knowledge, opinions, attitudes and behavior. Quantitative research approach is used to generate new knowledge for evidence-based practice. Attention will be given to the advantages and disadvantages of Quantitative research designs for large group research, the principles of reliability and validity, the value of descriptive and inferential statistics and the importance of ethical research conduct. For the topic, it belongs to sociology category, so I think the researchers have used appropriate research approach (quantitative research approach) even though the approach has some disadvantages. This is because quantitative research approach for this topic has the following advantages: Large members of people can be studies; the method is relatively quick and relatively cheap; the results are reliable, and representative of a much wider population than that directly investigated, the personal influence of the research on the results is slight and the data can easily be expressed in statistical form. This enables comparisons to be made between different groups and populations. For this study, the researchers use Internet, its main advantages are low/moderate cost to design; low cost to send; quick to analyse data; easy for respondent to complete and can attach brochures, images, etc. However, Every survey methodology has its weaknesses, and online surveys are no exception. Not sure who is answering the survey. Like mail studies, it is difficult to insure the desired person actually answers the survey. Not representative of the population. The Internet population has a slight bias towards younger, more computer literate users, though this is changing all the time and becoming more representative of the population. Long surveys are more difficult. The personalities of todays online users makes it difficult to coerce respondents into completing long surveys. Not a mainstream research methodology, yet. With more experience and comparative analyses of online surveys versus mail and telephone results, online surveys should reach the same level of acceptance as other methodologies. For this research, the researchers use EBBs which has the above weaknesses too. For the researchs method, the researchers use five steps (Roberts, 2002, P456-458): The first step imperative examines whether traditional news media sources have an agenda-setting impact on the discussions taking place on the EBBs. They ask Do individuals take issue information gained from news media and pass information about this issue online to other electronic bulletin board users? The second step is selecting the sample. The third step deals with defining categories, time frames, coding units, and context units. The fourth step is content analysis and the final and fifth step of content analysis process is to analyze and interpret the data. The five steps are typical research method that is used by many researchers (McMillan, 2000) and they are very similar with the quantities analysis approach (the Scientific Method) which includes seven steps: Defining the problem; Developing a Model; Acquiring Input Data; Developing a Solution; Testing the Solution; Analyzing the Results and Implementing the Results (Render, 1982). The researchers use an ARIMA model cross-correlational test showed EBB discussions of three issuesimmigration, health care, and taxes-correlated with news media coverage, with time lags varying from 1 day to 7 days. In my opinion, the method is appropriate method for the topic. This investigation looks for a more powerful effect than previous agenda-setting researchers. Because of the Internets dynamic characteristic of transmitting information from senders to receivers, researchers currently assume that our traditional theories of mass communication can directly apply to online communication (Wimmer, 1994). The researches have an accurate research questions or hypothesis that are: how will the new online communication forms affect the agenda-setting process? Can we assume that the transfer of salience still follows the original hypothesis? How does the condensed and compressed environment of online communication affect what we know about time frame effects? All these questions are explored in their study. By quantitative research, the researchers concluded: The results demonstrate the usefulness of examining the rule the Internet plays in the agenda-setting process. Media coverage apparently can provide individuals with information to use in their Internet discussions. As the Internet continues to become an important source of information, it also will become an important area for mass communication researchers. (Roberts, 2002, P464). The report also recommended future research should link other mass communication theoretical approaches with Internet usage. Despite the research has some definite problems; online research has many more advantages than disadvantages. When surveying populations, which mimic the demographics of online users, online research can be a primary means of information collection. With other populations, online research can be effective as a supplement to more traditional survey approaches or as a quick impression of your customers (much like qualitative approaches are used). For outlook, as the Internet continues to grow in popularity, investigations of the content of information being sent online similarly will increase in importance. The study takes an important step in linking the Internet to a mainstream mass communication theory. References Kotcher, R. L. (1992). The technological revolution has transformed crisis communication. Public Relations Quarterly, 37(3), 19-21. Rubin, R. , P. Palmgreen, and H. Sypher (1994 eds. ), Communication Research Measures: A Sourcebook, New York: Guilford. Roberts, et al (2002), Agenda setting and issue salience online. Communication Research, Vol. 29 No. 4, August 452-465. Fowler, Floyd J. , Jr (1993). Survey Research Methods, 2nd ed. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. McMillan, S. J. (2000). The microscope and the moving target: The challenge of applying content analysis to the World Wide Web. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly, 77, 80-98. Render, B and Stair, R. M (1982). Quantitative Analysis for Management ( The Second Edition). New York: Library of congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Wimmer, R. D. and J. R. Dominick (1994), Mass Media Research: An Introduction, 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

The Environmental Effect of the Meat Industry

The Environmental Effect of the Meat Industry One of the fastest growing industries in the world today is the meat/livestock industry. Meat is considered a normal good, which means that demand for meat increases as consumer income increases. Traditionally, meat has been regarded as an expensive food item in Western countries. As world population is increasing and as economies of the developing countries are getting stronger, demand for meat is also growing (Vinnari, 2008). Meat industry is one of those sectors that are one of the biggest contributors of global gas emissions and have big environmental and social impacts. The use of land, energy, water, and various emissions and wastes are all widely recognized by people and governments (Vinnari, 2008). According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, also known as the FAO, meat production is accountable for about a fifth of all greenhouse gas emissions. It is widely accepted in the scientific world that greenhouse gases like carbon and methane are c ausing rapid global climate change, environmental degradation and biodiversity loss. Yet, the meat industry business seems to be unperturbed by the state of the environment, inhumane treatment of animals, or the unhygienic conditions in which they are kept which leads to spread of diseases like bird flu in humans. Over the years, meat industry has adopted practices that are unethical. For example in many countries, primarily in the United States, most of the cattle are grain fed as opposed to grass fed. This is so that the cattle can grow bigger and fatter, faster. While it may very well be profitable for the industry, it is unethical in the sense that it is inhumane. There are also social implications as a large amount of grain is fed to the cattle when there are people dying from hunger all over the world. Unhygienic conditions of the feedlots question business practices of the industry. As a food industry, it owes a duty of care to its customers and has a responsibility of provid ing quality food that is free of bacteria or virus which can be very harmful to the human health. According to the FAO report, meat consumption is estimated to more than double by the year 2050 (McMichael, Powles Uauy, 2007). With depleting natural resources, such as water and land cover, it will become harder to meet the demands of the growing human population. In such a scenario, the industry will most likely adopt practices that are even more unethical than the existing ones. It is therefore, not only important for businesses to take on sustainable meat production practices but also imperative for us, the consumer, to study our meat consumption habits and make certain changes in our lifestyle. Since we utilize resources from this planet, our natural environment is our responsibility. Educating ourselves and changing our meat consumption patterns will definitely slow down and to some extent get rid of the problem that the meat industry has and is creating. In this assignment, I w ill be discussing the environmental and social implications of the meat industry and then analyze from the perspective of various ethical theories. Environmental Impact Analysis: As mentioned above in the introduction, meat production and consumption has many environmental and social implications. It is imperative for businesses and consumers to recognize the problem and work towards mitigating the impacts. For the purpose of this assessment, I will be considering the environmental impacts i.e. resource usage/depletion and global warming as well as the social impacts i.e. unequal distribution of food, inhumane treatment of animals and analyzing them using different ethical theories. I will also be providing recommendations to curtail the growing impact of the industry. Resource Depletion: Our natural environment provides important ecosystem services like food, recreational opportunities, disease regulation that human life ultimately depends upon. Overtime, humans have changed and altered the ecosystem by depleting it in order to meet the growing human demands of freshwater, timber and food. As human population is increasing, per capita demand for ecosystem services is also growing at a fast pace and how these demands are met will determine the future of ecology and economy of our planet. Meat industry poses a major threat to the ecosystem as human activities continue to clear forests in order to grow crops that will be fed to cattle and use water to rear cattle. It is estimated that food production will need to double by the year 2030 to feed the projected global human population of around 9 billion people. Water scarcity is already a problem in many countries as around two billion people suffer from the lack of it and it is estimated that the number of people facing water scarcity will double by the year 2030 (Bennet Balvanera, 2007). Livestock uses about a third of the worlds entire land surface which includes pastures and arable land that provides livestock feed. As Chinese, European and US farmers are running out of land to rear animals for meat and crop production, demand for meat is forcing intensive agriculture into tropical rainforests of developing countries like Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay (McMichael, Powles Uauy, 2007). Global Warming: Global warming is a widely accepted phenomenon and most of the impacts of global warming can already be seen across the world. Retreating glaciers, rising sea levels, thawing tundra, hurricanes and extreme weather conditions are increasing both in frequency and intensity and animals such as penguins, polar bears are struggling to survive. Many species are finding it hard to adapt to changing weather because it is becoming very unpredictable (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008 ). Most of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide (around 35 percent) are due to agriculture practices, primarily animal husbandry and land changes associated with the process of rearing animals for meat. Emissions from this sector are higher than the transport sector or the power generation sector. Two powerful greenhouse gases, methane and nitrous oxide associated with livestock production, contribute more to global warming than carbon dioxide (McMichael, Powles Uauy, 2007). An FAO report on the current and future effe cts of livestock production on the worlds environment and climate states that the livestock sector is growing faster than any other sector and most of this growth is going to happen in developing countries, i.e. in countries with low to middle incomes (McMichael, Powles Uauy, 2007). Livestock production which includes deforestation for grazing land and producing soy feed for animals, carbon lost from soil that is grazed, energy used for growing feed crops, for processing and transporting grains and meat, nitrous oxide released from the use of nitrogenous fertilizers, and gases like methane from animal manure and enteric fermentation all contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Nine percent of global carbon dioxide emissions, 30-40 percent of methane emissions and 65 percent of all nitrous oxide emissions come from this sector. Methane and nitrous oxide are known to have a greater warming potential than does carbon dioxide (McMichael, Powles Uauy, 2007). Production of fertilizers fo r feed crops requires burning of fossil fuels which releases about 41 million metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. These fertilizers are produced in factories that depend on fossil fuel energy. Animal populations in large and confined factory like settings have significantly increased and along with it has increased methane emissions from both the animals and their manure. These factory like landless facilities produce more manure than can be used as fertilizer on cropland. This manure is distributed to a landmass which usually results in soil accumulation and runoff of pollutants like phosphorous and nitrogen. Half of the energy produced from fossil fuel goes into heating, cooling and ventilation of these facilities and the other half goes into producing seeds, herbicides, pesticides and in the operation of farm machinery (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). Majority of the countries in Africa and Asia currently use pasture based methods to raise animals. However this trend is likely to change as countries in Latin America and some countries in Asia are starting to favor intensive farming methods like the one seen in developed counties like the United States (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). Forests and soils act as carbon sinks as they hold much of the carbon dioxide. Deforestation and degradation of land release much of this stored carbon gas back into the atmosphere thus increasing level of the gas in the atmosphere. Animal agriculture is a major reason for conversion of wooded land into cropland for feed production or grazing land, and deforestation emits 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. A big negative impact of the meat industry can be seen in Latin America which has seen the largest net loss of forests and greatest emission of stored carbon dioxide into the atmosphere (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). Theory Application: Knowing the impacts of meat production on the environment, various theories can be applied in favor of changing our production and consumption patterns. Utilitarianism, a consequentialist theory, states that an action is morally right if it results in maximum benefit for all parties involved. Utilitarianism evaluates right and wrong action by considering costs and harms and weighing them against benefits (Kunkel, 1996). Since this theory advocates maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain, it would support changing meat consumption patterns to curtail growing ill effects of meat production on the environment. If we compare the costs of meat production to the benefits, we will realize that the cost and harm is much greater than the limited benefits that are achieved. Limited benefits being employment, pleasures of taste, profits for industry, and harm being damage done to the environment. Intrinsic value of nature holds higher worth than all the benefits of the meat industry combined an d it deserves to be protected. Our natural environment provides many important ecosystem services that cannot be replaced if our environment is destroyed or our ecosystems are altered. Everyone on this planet depends on these ecosystem services and any irreversible damage will affect each and every one of us. Ethics of duty states that in order to be moral every person should have a realization of a sense of duty (Baron, 1985). I believe that since we use services provided by the environment and since the ecosystem services are so crucial to our existence and survival, we have a duty towards the natural world and we should preserve it to ensure live continues to flourish. However, the meat industry operates contrary to this belief. It degrades our natural environment by deforestation, water consumption, fossil fuel use, and adding to global warming through greenhouse gas emissions. If we consider the Islamic environmental ethics, it also states that humans owe a duty to the natural world. Islamic law (Shariah) states that conservation of the environment is based on the principle that the environment and everything it consists of is created by God and everything has a function in the natural environment. Just because humans make use of various environmental services, it does not mean that human use is the only reason for their creation. It thus states that all humans have a duty to preserve and protect it (Deen, 1990). Social Impact Analysis: Every business has its share of environmental and social impacts, and meat industry has some obvious impacts on the environment and the society within which it operates. As with the environment, meat industry also has numerous social impacts that are growing with time. Social impacts include humans as well as animals and contemporary methods of meat production tend to overlook these impact. Developing or poor countries are and will bear the brunt of consequences being brought about by climate change. Environmental degradation is a medium for current conflicts and instability in many areas of Sudan. With rising temperatures, and depleting water resources, farmers and herders are fighting with each other to gain access and control of these natural commodities. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) said that that two of the major problems in Sudan- land degradation and desertification are caused by an explosive growth in livestock numbers( Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). United Nations Secretary, General Ban Ki-moon also said that natural disasters caused by climate change will trigger war and conflicts around the world. As global temperatures change, infectious diseases spread more quickly and affect more people (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). Equitable distribution of food is also a major concern since half the worlds poverty stricken population goes to bed hungry every night. Excessive meat production consumes most of the crop production that could have fed millions of people around the world. It takes twenty pounds of grain to feed a cow which is to be slaughtered to produce one pound of beef protein. It only seems like a waste when those twenty pounds of grain that were fed to the cow could have been used to feed many people in that country (Shaw Newholm, 2002). It is usually the poor countries that suffer from climactic changes. Majority of human induced global warming is caused by operations of industrialized nations, and it is the poorer nations that suffer from such operations. Global warming most affects areas that are hot and dry. These are also the regions where infectious diseases spread rapidly. When a natural disaster strikes, people in these poor nations suffer the most because they have more difficulty in moving away from changes in climate and they also experience difficulties in buying food incase crop is destroyed or its productivity is affected (Mendelsohn, Dinar Williams, 2006). According to FAOSTAT, around 56 billion animals are reared and slaughtered for human consumption every year and this number is only going to increase over time, primarily in the developing world (Koneswaran Nierenberg, 2008). Inhumane treatment of animals is also a harsh reality of the meat industry. Thousands of animals are locked up in cramped, confined spaces and kept on high doses of vitamins and antibiotics to reduce the risk of diseases. In countries like the US, cattle are grain fed as so it can grow bigger faster. These unnatural conditions not only increase stress for the animal but also leads to higher occurrence of density-promoted diseases. Studies have found that crowding often includes cannibalistic attacks among poultry and pigs. Other practices that question meat industry practices include inflicting pain by castration, branding, dehorning, beak trimming, and inadequate stunning before slaughter. Deep muscle myopathy, fluid accumulation and skeletal disorders associa ted with accelerated muscle growth and restricted movement can be seen quite commonly in facilities where animals are mass produced for meat (Smil, 2002). Not only is the treatment of animals inhumane in most of these facilities, but also these facilities are not exactly hygienic and do not ensure that the meat produced is fit for human consumption. Waste water loaded with nitrate and animal excrement often seeps into groundwater. Mad cow disease was caused by feeding ground sheep brains to cows and unfortunately it is still widely used practice in animal husbandry. Between the years 1980-1996 over 750,000 head of cattle infected with this disease were slaughtered for human consumption in Britain. Other such cases include H5N1 avian influenza (bird flu) that spread from chicken and killed many people in Hong Kong (Smil, 2002). Meat packing is United States one of most dangerous occupations. In 2002, about 25 percent of employees in meat packing factories experienced nonfatal occupational injury or illness whereas serious/fatal injuries and illness were five times the national average, and frequency of repeated physical traumas such as back problems and tendinitis is 30 times higher than the private industry mean (Smil, 2002). Theory Application: Utilitarianism also justifies changing meat consumption patterns when taking into consideration the social impacts of the industry. Whether it is the inhumane treatment of animals, exploitation of natural resources which often leads to social unrest in poor countries, impact of human induced global climate change, meat industry both directly and indirectly creates and facilitates a number of problems in the society. . Utilitarianism focuses on creating maximum benefit for maximum number of people. It therefore supports reducing meat consumption as not only does production of meat require more land, water and energy usage than production of crops, it leads to inequitable distribution of food around the world. Utilitarianism can be argued on the grounds of animal welfare because we dont have a need for animal products and we can survive without. Our penchant for meat is only a matter of taste. Our interests in animals and animal products hold lesser value and cannot be more important t han animals interest in life and freedom from suffering (George, 1994). When we compare the benefits of the industry to the amount of harm or pain it brings to the society, the harm/loss clearly outweighs the benefits/pleasure supporting the premise of this paper that meat industry has very unethical and unsustainable practices and that we as consumers should rethink our consumption patterns and the industry should also change to reduce its enormous negative impact on the environment and the society. Ethics of rights states that every living creature is entitled to certain basic rights such as the right to life, security and freedom from harm. Just because cognitive abilities of animals are not as developed as those of humans, it does not suggest that they are incapable of feeling pleasure or pain and it doesnt give humans any reason to inflict pain upon them. In fact, having higher cognitive ability puts greater responsibility on humans to respect other creatures because we have a sense of morality and the ability to reason. Animals also are entitled to have certain natural rights, such as the right to life (Regan, 1980). Animals are part of the moral community and failure to acknowledge that is called speciesism. Speciesism is wrong and unethical in the same way that racism and sexism is wrong (George, 1994). Humans and animals are similar in that they both have similar interests in not being harmed or killed, and because we share that relationship, we should show more sensitiv ity towards other living things. Humans and non humans are subject-of-a-life and experience pain, suffering, and various emotions. Inherent value is contrasted with instrumental value that tools and other objects have. Just like humans, animals too are subjects-f-a-life and have an intrinsic value. Therefore, they should not be regarded as means to the end of others. They should not be treated as tools but should be respected for what they are. Because animals have rights, it is unethical to exploit them and kill them for our own pleasure or economic benefit (George, 1994). Animal welfare can also be justified on the grounds of ethics of care which states that a moral person is one who cares for others and is considerate of the other persons needs (Li, 1994). It puts an emphasis on values such as caring and advocates maintaining relationships with peace and harmony. If we consider religious ethics then Hinduism advocates practicing Ahimsa or non- violence with fellow creatures as it stresses acting with care. Ahimsa is quite similar to the western philosophy of ethics of care (feminist ethics) in that it also emphasizes having non-harmful intent in all actions and absence of enmity toward other people and animals. Ahimsa teaches acting with care towards others and being thoughtful of how your actions can affect those around you. It promotes love and non-hostility towards all beings and its goal is to eliminate violence from our nature (Corner, 2009). The meat industry works in contradiction to the concept of ahimsa and ethics of care. It doesnt have any regard for the environment, nor does it show empathy for animals that are slaughtered. The concept of ahimsa and ethics of care is the antithesis of the meat industry. Meat industry doesnt do anything to build a harmonious relationship with the environment or with the animals. We also see lack of care and concern for people who are affected by industrial practices. Most affected by the industry are poor people in developing countries who depend on resources being exploited by the meat industrys unsustainable practices. As meat industries are buying land in the developing world to grow feed crop, local indigenous people are losing the land that they depend upon for survival (Repetto Holmes, 1983). This again underscores the fact that practices of meat industry do not fit in with ethics of care or ahimsa. Conclusion and Recommendation: Meat industry has an egoistic approach in that it focuses on meeting short term interests of economic prosperity while ignoring the long term negative impact on the environment. The analysis above makes it quite clear that meat industry has severe long term environmental and social implications and that its unsustainable and callous practices are beyond the pale. Its not possible to shut down the meat industry completely as long as there are consumers. However, the best we can do as responsible and rational beings is to educate ourselves on the impacts, make lifestyle changes and rethink our meat consumption habits to mitigate the impact of the meat industry. It is equally important for the industry to take on sustainable meat production practices. As consumers we can make certain lifestyle changes such as switching to meat analogues or mock meat, and reducing our real meat consumption. Governments can play their part by transferring agricultural production away from meat production in countries where meat production is the highest (Vinnari, 2008). Governments should also remove subsidies and place higher taxes on meat products. By doing so, consumers will have to pay more for meat which will likely decrease meat consumption (Shaw Newholm, 2002). Technological advancements of product Ad campaigns can make a big difference by increasing consumer knowledge about animal rights, meat production, and its negative social as well as environmental impacts (Vinnari, 2008).

Individual Property Rights vs Eminent Domain Essay -- Government Publi

Individual Property Rights vs Eminent Domain These days there have been many issues surrounding the topic of private property and eminent domain. I feel that eminent domain is a good way to keep the needs of the community and each person’s individual property rights balanced. Even though I believe individual property rights are more important that the needs of the community, I also believe the government sometimes has to take that property away for the better good of the community. At the same time I also understand how people feel when they talk about â€Å"NIMBY† (not in my back yard), and also about their personal needs. Let me take you back into the history of the American land. After the 18th century, Americans turned their backs on the old ideas of the Puritans. The Puritans believed in the population acting within the religious ways of the times. These new settlers had a very different idea in mind. They were going to claim this land anyway they could. This brings us to Cronon’s argument in Bounding The Land. It is referring to the different beliefs on land ownership between the English colonists and the Native Americans. The English believed that the Indians squandered the lands natural resources and that they have no natural right to the land. Indians did not own the land, but only used, and lived off the land’s resources. They only owned what they made and grew, and that was enough for them. But it certainly wasn’t enough for the English. They wanted to control the land using the technique of â€Å"ownership or private property†. That was the problem with Indian pro perty rights. They didn’t consist of any ownership or sovereignty. They had largely different perspectives on the ownership by the community and the individual ownership. Because of these large differences the English decided to take full control of the land. When they came to colonize they basically took the land from the Indians. The only land that was rightfully the Indian’s was the land that was given to them by the English. What the English were doing bring us to the concept of eminent domain. Eminent domain is the moral groundwork by which government acquires private property through compulsory purchase. The idea holds that to advance the greater welfare of the public, government must be able to use land and other private goods to which it would not otherwise have access. It is de... ...y can be condemned, often by a wide variety of articles, as long as those articles are first given that authority by the legislative body. Second, private property may be taken for public purpose, a concept that has multiple meanings, so long as just compensation is provided to the private property owner. Third, private property owners are offered statutory protection from the random condemnation of property under principles of necessity and greatest public good with the least private injury. Finally, these cases provide a glimpse into the judiciary's interpretation of laws designed to protect the public. The courts have defined concepts governing public use, due process, necessity, and just compensation. They have also demonstrated their respect for legislative authority by recognizing and upholding the understanding that eminent domain is under control of the legislative body. Central to the evolution of the eminent domain statutes was the knowledge that condemning private prop erty for public uses still required compensation, still required a legitimate purpose, and still required adequate protections for private property rights. Foot Note 1. Encarta Encyclopedia Dictionary

Sociology and Disabilities :: Sociology Essays

â€Å"If the technology became available for the deaf to hear completely, would you want your deaf child to have this technology?† It is every parent’s dream for their child to grow up healthy and happy. There are so many children in the world that do not have the ability to hear, and it is a horrible thing. Many would think it wrong for a parent to not want to give their child the gift of sight. If I had a child that was deaf, I would do everything in my power to help them get their hearing. If the technology was there to fix this disability, why wouldn’t anyone want their child to have it? â€Å"840 babies are born with a permanent hearing loss every year.†(NDCS of UK). This is a horrible number to hear, that so many children will never be able to hear. If there was any technology able to restore a child’s hearing it would be a shame if the parents didn’t get it. â€Å"Deaf children face tremendous difficulties learning to read, write and communicate with the hearing world around them.†(NDCS of UK). Not only would you be giving your child the gift of hearing by using this technology, but you will also help child to be able learn on the normal level of other children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is also true that we can change and enhance our body features through elective cosmetic surgeries. Many people choose to undergo these surgeries because they are unhappy with their appearance. I feel that these procedures are unnecessary, and that you shouldn’t undergo surgery unless you need it for your health. I believe that people go through these procedures purely because they have low self-esteem. Society tells them that there is something wrong with their body, and they feel that they need to change it to fit in. I think that this is a way to see if someone is truly happy with themselves, as we all should. No one is perfect, so no one should try to be it. It’s just a waste of time and money on their part all so they can fit in, which I think is pathetic. It is always a risk to undergo surgery, and there is no reason to put yourself in unnecessary risk. I think that it is ridiculous to put yourself through something like that. If I had a ten year old dark-skinned African American daughter who wanted blue contact lens, have her skin chemically lightened, and straighten her hair, I definitely say no.

The Medias Influence On Society :: essays research papers

Unquestionably the media being newspapers, internet, radio and television, influence society. They can affect, have affected and will continue to affect the progression of life in this nation and around the world, as electronic technology continues to be the chosen mode of communication for a whole generation, offering direct, often anonymous influential information. The media presents "one minded" views that have the ability to reflect societies moods and influence the balance of power. - Death of Princess Diana on August 97 in a Paris Car accident is an example. - Australia t.v showed pictures of the car accident - which told the whole story - Public was influenced by this and felt sorry - The public layed 60 million floral tributes and gifts in her memory - mourners sharing grief - emotionally moving pictures during and after - funeral watched by millions - event which has become one of the most known in this century in history - Media influenced the public to love Princess Diana when the a survey showed by the Australia Bure of Stat showed the 50% of the Australian Population couldn't care much for the Princess before the accident, but after was mortified. - Proved my point The media can cause major shifting in public opinion in the role of authority. - Harry Knowles a journalist stated "it doesn't matter how much money, power or influence you have in today's world world, it can be undermined by the media through technology" - No longer do Hollywood celebrities or industrial giants take control over there future - Take for example US president George Bush - fell down stairs and was filmed on camera - Questions about health arose - and became an instant political issue with the media exploiting him - The image showed dazed Bush - this image did little for his campaign in the election - This collapse would have been brushed away by word of mouth but the probing camera transformed to the net, paper and so forth, shifted the view of the public with Bush for the election. - Prove argument - restate back to topic sentence. The media has progressed to a new public agenda with the advances of technology. - No media technology has ever transformed Australia's life as radically and as rapidly as todays technology - The media is driving the public agenda armed with satellites - 24 hour feeds - the potencial power of this new technology, backed by the media has been named the "global village", meaning the world as one

Ethics and Morality

â€Å"In philosophy we have a problem knowing the origin of right and wrong, there are various theories and ideas but we do not seem to have a definite answer to this question. † By Jamee Ford In life people are brought up in different homes, surrounded by different people and are taught different ways of life. As we grow up we are taught the difference between what is considered right and what is considered wrong, which is based on what is socially acceptable.We learn from a young age how we are expected to behave, the rules we have to abide by given from family and the morals we should have and grow up with. In this society it is difficult to find the origin of right and wrong for there are so many theories and ideas, but yet there is no definite answer. I believe morality comes from us citizens, the law, our feelings and our religion can give a certain indication to how we set our values, but I belive it is an objective fact that what is said to be wrong is wrong and what i s said to be right is right.A minority of people believe that morality comes from God. These people have a lot of faith and get their morals and understanding of right and wrong from their belief in god and their bible. For example in the Bible, there are the 10 Commandments, a list of what is acceptable and unacceptable according to God. But what if we don’t believe in god, where would our sense of right and wrong come from? If we can’t change people’s options and feelings on what is right and wrong just by saying that it is acceptable or unacceptable, then why is it okay to say God can.Without god, would their still be morality? Because if god made it acceptable to kill other people, that still wouldn’t make it okay, so I believe this theory is unproven and morality and our right and wrongs can’t come from this theory. Another theory that has brought to the attention of the origin of right and wrong is The ‘Feeling Theory’ and the â €˜Boo-hoorah’ theory. The feeling theory is an example of how morality does come from us. We make things right or wrong by approving or disproving of them. If a person has certain feelings about another person’s actions, it is saying something about them.If they disprove of an action, it is considered morally wrong to that person. This theory is people making a claim about what they think; they are claiming whether the action is right or wrong. The ‘Boo-Hoorah Theory’ is another example of how morality comes from us but involves expressing what we think is right or wrong rather than making a claim about it. Something is neither true nor false and according to this theory there is no fact of the matter just an expression of what the person observing thinks.The feeling theory and the boo-hoorah theory are both wrong for everyone is different and raised differently with different beliefs (everyone has different feelings). So technically one person can trul y believe that it is okay to kill while another says it’s not okay, these two people are contradicting one another which rules out both theories. Some children are brought up in an abusive home environment; does this mean that morally they think its okay to treat people differently based on how they were raised?All people are raised in a different environment, under different circumstances so if morality comes from us then morality would have to include a whole lot of different views. Another important theory is that morality and our right and wrongs come from the law. Morality and the law often correspond, our morals are what we consider right and wrong, While the law is what has been decided as right and wrong for us. Both murder and stealing are things we consider morally wrong and are also against the law. In the perfect world we all want the law to coincide with morality, but in reality most likely will never be like that.For example drugs are illegal and the law will no t accept any sort of behaviour involving drugs, but in some cases people justify that is morally acceptable to deal drugs use it for personal use because of financial situations and pleasure. So they morally justify it in their own head for it to be okay. Even though morality can be guided by the law, helping us understand the differences between right and wrong, morality can’t come from the law, for there are a lot of things the law accept but us civilians see it as wrong.As we can see morality cannot come from the above theories, for they all leave the question of the origin of right and wrong UN answered. I believe that morality comes from us and that things are right and wrong anyway. I believe G. E Moores theory of the extra fact (the six sense) that can detect wrongness. I truly believe this for it is true that there is that something inside of us, guiding us and helping us know what is right and wrong. We on’t necessarily have to be taught about all the wrongs i n life to just get that gut feeling that mugging an elderly person is just wrong, why do we feel that? Why don’t we do it? It is because it is something that is just there. Also everyone in the world is different, we all come from different backgrounds and everyone has been brought up differently, in different environments. So therefore we all have different feelings and beliefs, for someone can truly believe that stealing is acceptable, when another thinks it is wrong.Morality is based on how you feel and how you treat people, expecting the same in return; you wouldn’t want someone to hurt you, so why would you want to hurt them. There are no proven facts to where right and wrong comes from but it is something that is just there. It changes over time, and things that were once believed as right are now seen as wrong. So therefore we cannot place judgements for we don’t know what morality and right and wrong will be seen as in ten years time, it’s based y ou as a person.

Cultural Diversity in Organizations Essay

â€Å"Diversity† has arrived as a descriptive word for the American lifestyle in the modern world. With increasing immigration of people from many countries, many races, and many cultural backgrounds to the United States, the country has become a nest of diversity. Several factors shape the fact that the workforce is becoming increasingly culturally diverse: women represent an increasing percentage in organizations; the difference in age is becoming more evident on all levels; due to continuously changing demands organizations are employing more and more people with diverse professional and specialist backgrounds; there is a growing number of immigrants having different customs, religions and cultures and finally, the ongoing globalization is causing an influx of a large number of expatriates, who comes from various countries in the world, also contributing with different values and cultures. This increasing cultural diversity is both an opportunity and a challenge. Diversity brings with it a wide range of creativity and fresh thinking into the system. Diversity is here, in the population, in the workforce and in the marketplace. Racism, discrimination in the workplace, social stratification, and conflicts in social lifestyles are all negative byproducts of diversity. Thus cultural diversity in America is a highly debated issue because of the numerous problems arising due to it. One of the most serious and explosive issues in the United States today is meeting the business goals within an environment of multicultural diversity. When companies fail to create a culture of diversity and inclusion effectively, the costs can be high – costs arising due to ‘diversity training† and settlement of discrimination lawsuits. Many well-known companies have spent millions of dollars on â€Å"diversity training,† after settling discrimination lawsuits totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. Moreover, diversity also raises issues of interpersonal relations and communications among employees. This fact is underlined by increasing discrimination and class action lawsuits. Diversity impacts every person, every project, and every transaction in today’s business world. Some companies approach it in terms of the noticeable differences among people. What many fail to realize is that diversity is really about personal interaction and emotions, and creating a corporate culture that welcomes all kinds of differences. Managing Diversity: Managing diversity is all about approaching the issue proactively as a business opportunity. There needs to be a culture of diversity within the organization. One of the major obstacles in managing diversity is that many companies view diversity as a problem that needs to be solved. They just take a reactive approach. Supposing there is a lawsuit brought under the Equal Employment Opportunity Act, they just take an initiative that would solve the problem in the short run. Though this approach seems to be successful, in the long run, there is likely to be no impact on the corporate culture in a positive way. Such reactive approaches can negatively impact the workforce morale as they don’t appear to be a genuine commitment to diversity. The path to diversity is not always an easy one. One of the most common obstacles is resentment from white male managers who see diversity as threatening to them. â€Å"Since diversity is typically framed to be about white women and people of color, the focus is rarely on examining what it means to be white and male,† say Bill Proudman and Michael Welp, Partners at White Men as Full Diversity Partners LLC, a consulting firm based in Portland, Oregon. â€Å"White men, and sometimes others, thus conclude that diversity is not about them† (Goffney, 2005) Another obstacle that can arise in a multicultural business environment is resistance to change. When new diversity programs are introduced, it is essential that the employees view it as a genuine effort. Hence, these diversity programs should be tailored to meet the needs of the company’s workforce and integrated into the daily environment. Any diversity initiative should be tied to the company’s bottom line. Even though top management may make the commitment to diversity, if the initiative is not tied explicitly to the company’s bottom line, it does not become a priority for middle managers. The diversity initiative should be integrated into the tools and processes they use to manage employees, including orientation, training and education, and interpersonal communication. If not, existing employees will not accept the diversity initiative and new employees are likely to get disillusioned with a taste of it. Top management must ensure that the commitment to diversity has buy-in at all levels of the organization by making diversity an integral part of company success. Yet another obstacle to managing diversity is that the diversity initiatives might be restricted to training alone and is left as an ‘HR issue†. This narrow focus results relegation of diversity to a single department and companies thus miss out on opportunities to improve and integrate the diversity initiative into other areas of the company. Any corporate initiative should be feedback based, dynamic and flexible. Else, there is the danger that the initiative will remain static. Too often diversity initiatives begin and end with the first efforts undertaken. Diversity and inclusion are part of company culture, and like the culture, diversity must continue to evolve (Adams and Ruch, 2006). Managing all these obstacles require the ability to value a diverse world. This means there should be individual assessment of beliefs about work values. People from differing backgrounds having different experiences bring to work the biases and â€Å"veils† as well as the strengths that arise out of cultural differences. To work effectively with persons from diverse backgrounds, it is necessary to understand others– people from other racial, ethnic and cultural heritages, and people whose values, beliefs and experience are different. This involves learning to recognize when new competencies are needed, knowing how to develop the requisite new competencies, and implementing the competencies effectively. Companies need to assess their state of diversity: What is the state of diversity in our company? Are we making the most of diversity? Do we speak with one voice with respect to diversity? Companies that ask these questions on a continual basis, set strategic goals, measure their progress and evolve their programs in sync with their overall organizational change will be the ones to leverage the full potential of diversity (Adams and Ruch, 2006). Individual Reactions to Diversity: Diversity may be viewed positively or negatively depending on the individual reaction to diversity. In a culturally diverse workplace, there is likely to be prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination. This is because of self-fulfilling prophecies. The perceiver develops false belief about a person from a different cultural background. He then treats the person in a manner consistent with that false belief. Ultimately, the person responds to the treatment in such a way to confirm the originally false belief. Other negative reactions of individuals to diversity may include: tension among staff, distrust of anything new, gossip and rumor, open hostility or bullying, absenteeism, tarnishing of the agency’s reputation, low staff retention rates, lack of response to customers and falling standards of service quality (NSW, 2006). In the positive sense, diversity that brings with it community language skills and cultural competencies can be seen as valuable assets to an agency (MSASS, 2006). Customer service improves when employees are able to tackle customers from a range of backgrounds. When employees are encouraged to learn from one another, their skills and knowledge are also enhanced. Diversity can reduce skill shortages at specific times. In a business, diversity gives the advantage of utilizing the language, international expertise and cultural knowledge of staff to identify successful export opportunities. When employees are encouraged to work in their areas of strength and capability, they are happier, more productive and more likely to stay with the agency. Productive diversity is based on the concept that there are potential economic benefits to be gained from valuing different experience, perspectives, skills and the cross-transfer and integration of these into the agency and local economy. Productive diversity makes good business sense in an environment where local diversity and global interconnectedness play a critical economic role (Muhr, 2006). Diversity effects on groups and teams: In the context of working in groups or teams, diversity seems to cause contrasting goals, miscommunication or inter-group anxiety, thereby prohibiting teamwork creativity. Miscommunication and the lack of a common language make it difficult for team members to engage in an exchange of ideas and questions, an exchange, which is essential for effective teamwork (Nahapiet & Ghoshal, 1998). If individuals carry out negative stereotyping of outgroups it can prevent them from trusting and engaging with others and can threaten communication patterns within organizations. This is mainly due to a lack of common context and language usage. Anxiety in the team occurs when people identify themselves as placed among people belonging to different diversity categories. Thus, diversity will in this situation make it difficult for the individuals to identify with the team, since there is no unified perception of what values the team represents (Muhr, 2006). In a diverse work team, the values and perceptions of different diversity categories may be contrasting or even mutually exclusive, which is likely to bring about incongruence in goals. Incongruence in goals can limit communication, which is fundamental to the creation of interpersonal relationships and trust. Furthermore, goal incongruence may also prevent individuals from sharing and combining knowledge all together, if they are not able to reach agreement on common goals for pursuing such knowledge processes (Muhr, 2006). On the positive side, it has been shown that diversity in fact improves creativity by promoting variations, thinking out of the box and avoiding ‘groupthink’. Several analyses have shown that teams made up of people with different cultural and educational backgrounds, different personalities, different professional backgrounds and different skills are potentially more creative and innovative than relatively homogeneous teams. This is because diversity creates variations – variations in perceptions, values, ideas, opinions, and methods, which are highly essential for developing a stimulating creative environment (Mohr, 2006). Conclusion: In the global economy today, most companies operate globally. Diversity of thought, culture, geography, race, and gender enables companies to deliver the best solutions to their customers and markets. Diversity pays off both internally and externally. A company that embraces diversity can offer a challenging and creative work environment, and as a result, can attract and retain top talent with diverse backgrounds. There is also a connection between diversity and increased productivity. Diversity also fosters organizational creativity. But despite these benefits of diversity, work teams will not truly benefit from diversity unless sufficient communication, trust and openness are nurtured in the organizational climate. The powerful advantage of embracing diversity in organizations is best brought out by the words of Ted Childs, IBM’s vice president of global workforce diversity. In a recent issue of Fast Company magazine, in a feature article was entitled: â€Å"Difference is Power†, Ted Childs suggests that, â€Å"No matter who you are, you’re going to have to work with people who are different from you. You’re going to have to sell to people who are different from you, and buy from people who are different from you, and manage people who are different from you. This is how [companies] do business. If it’s (diversity) not your destination, you should get off the plane now† (Meisner, 2006). Bibliography: Adams, Brandon and Ruch, Will (2006). Diversity as a core business strategy. http://www. versantsolutions. com/knowledgecenter/EB_DiversityAsACoreBusinessStrategy2. pdf NSW (2006). What is Diversity? http://www. eeo. nsw. gov. au/diversity/whatis. htm Muhr, Louise Sara (2006). Openness to Diversity –Turning conflict into teamwork creativity. Paper submitted for the 10th International Workshop on Teamworking. http://www. mau. se/upload/IMER/Forskning/Diverse/Muhr%5B1%5D. pdf Nahapiet, J. , & Ghoshal, S. 1998. Social Capital, Intellectual Capital and the Organizational Advantage. Academy of Management Review, 23(2). MSASS (2006). Valuing a diverse World. http://msass. case. edu/downloads/academic/diverse. pdf Goffney, Phyllia (2005). Champions of Diversity. Essence. May 2005. http://www. findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_m1264/is_1_36/ai_n13660850 Meisner, Lora (2006). The American Quilt – Workplace Diversity. http://career. thingamajob. com/general-career. aspx/The-American-Quilt-Workplace-Diversity. aspx