Criminal Justice Authority Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Criminal Justice Authority - Essay Example Individuals ought to obey the law and ensure that they do not go against the rules set by the state. Criminal justice authority needs to conform to the provisions of the law before administering the law (Government of Alberta, 2011). Impunity in the practice of duties should be shunned for it causes mistrust amongst the citizens. There is a need to have a procedure of carrying out activities which offer protection to the citizens from the criminals. The civilian oversight committees play a very pertinent role of balancing the powers of the criminal justice authority (Terrill, 2009). Despite the fact that the criminals are evil doers, they need to be protected from the coercion of rough law enforcers. Discretionary authority can create opportunistic moments whereby coercion of criminals or suspects is upheld (Bruce, 2002). Introduction Criminal justice system practices act of upholding social control, mitigating and deterring crime. Criminal justice is used in sanctioning the individu als who go against the laws set by with rehabilitation efforts and criminal penalties. People accused of crime have protections against abuse of prosecution and investigatory powers. Law is a system of rules enforced through a number of societal institutions (Bruce, 2002). The law serves the purpose of maintaining order in the society by the provision of set of rules which govern the conduct. There is criminal and civil law used in the practice of law in society. Civil laws are the rules and regulations which control grievances and transactions between the citizens in a society while criminal law concerns dangerous actions to the society (Jernigan, 2007). In criminal law, prosecution is pursued by the state rather than individuals. Criminal law provides definitions for crime and possible prescriptions for sentences for the committing of the crime in question (Government of Alberta, 2011). Discretionary authority personnel Discretionary authority entails that there is open authority practice over the criminals. If this authority is not checked, it has its excesses because many people become victims of torture and harassing from the law enforcers. There is a need to have civilians who are non-aligned to forces as a check to the measures in the manner justice is delivered to the victims or criminals. It is not in orders to delivery justice by bending the law because it would spoil the image of the law (Bruce, 2002). The civilian oversight committee helps in affirming confidence to the police departments to the public. They are the check elements who represent the citizens in ensuring that the police follow the law in performing their duties (Terrill, 2009). Civilian oversight committee Civilian oversight committees play a great role in ensuring that the police are fully investigated in case they commit crime sin prevention of the same crime. The term oversight means an ongoing practice whereby each police is held accountable for his or her actions. The committee focuses on achieving accountability by division of power within the law enforcing organization for the purposes of close monitoring. This committee brings forth a democratic society which responds to the concerns of the majority (Government of Alberta, 2011). There is accountability between the oversight bodies and policing departments. The measures

Game scrabble Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Game scrabble - Essay Example Unfortunately for him, he did not know that he will also become deeply engrossed into the game just as other hard-core players. This paper begins by giving a general overview of the book before focusing on individual characters and analyzing their distinctive features relative to the game. Their lives outside the game are also explored and their roles within the text. Stefan Fatsis, author and character in Word Freak, used to play a reasonably mean game of Scrabble-according to what he thought, until that moment when he chose to investigate the game both intensively and extensively for an article he was due to publish. In a twist and turn of events, Fatsis sooner than later found himself obsessed with the game just as other hard-core players he sought to interview. The book revolves around the characters of G.I. (that is from gastrointestinal) Joel Sherman, Marlon Hill, a fervent youthful black nationalist, and Matt Graham, the pill-popping funnyman. These characters spent a great chunk of their time in dictionaries and other sources just to familiarize with new words to use while playing scrabble tournaments. Something what noting is that they all earned their livelihood through the income and prizes from these events. While some of them loved words for their own selves, others did this just as a means to an end. It because of these that Fatsis takes an issue and warns anyone contemplating engaging in competitive Scrabble to come to terms with the fact that it may require them to learn words that may lack outside utility. Eventually, the game demands for mastering the rules of the game, which for this case are the words. Joel Sherman, also called G.I. (from gastrointestinal), is described as a Walking Manual of physical sicknesses. Among the many maladies associated with him include asthma, postnatal drip, and allergic to lactose. Another funny bit about him is that he uncontrollably belches during tournaments

The Importance Of Email Communication

The Importance Of Email Communication Email communication is important type of written communication. Today, communications are conducted among business firms, organizations and companies mostly via emails. This is not only the cheapest but also the most reliable means of communications. The companies and organizations communicate with other companies and organizations for business purposes through emails. The orders are placed through emails; the enquiries are placed through emails; the picture samples of being imported/exported things are sent via emails as attachments. Moreover email provides most authentic and secure means of communication. The records of past emails can be retrieved very easily in moments. Nowadays, email communications has extended to more than business among employees, which opens doors to many ethical and technological complications. In some cases employees tend to spread rumors about other staff or organizations, disclose information or data to unwanted parties, use offensive language in their communication which conflict the ethical practices of an individual in organizations. Furthermore, employees tend to send large amount of attachments, movies and sound clips to one another or to large group of people. Thus, unwanted network traffic, increase of unrequired email storage Some of the employees behaviors are as follows are as follows Employees use there office emails to receive newsletters from their favorite e-magazine, or use their office emails in website such as Facebook or LinkedIn or etc. which opens many doors of junk and spam attacks! Employees use their office emails to stay in touch with their families and friends Employees receive personal mails i.e. their credit card details, bank statements or sometimes medicals histories etc. Instead of using companys intranet to for announcements and memos, People send heavy attachments to huge number of people from their emails The aim of this research is to understand how emails are being used in organizations, what is the outcome of in-proper usage and then conclusion of what needs to be done to properly use emails and other communications channels such as intranet (MS SharePoint) telephones. also, what policies and procedures the organization should put in practice to increase users awareness on email usage and provide control over the information within it Part Two: Literature Review Emails in general, what the importance of it (2 paragraphs) Effective communication plays vital role in the success of an organization. Every organization, great or small, uses different forms of communication to make its links stronger with other both inland and overseas organizations. The purpose of all types of business communications is to impart and convey information and messages through different communication media. Jennifer M. George and Gareth R. Jones in their book Contemporary Management, comment about richness of information: The amount of information that a communication medium can carry and the extent to which the medium enables the sender and receiver to reach a common understanding. There are many types of communication that exists in business entity, yet there are four major types of Business communication, which are common and extensively used. They are Face-To-Face Communication, Telephone or Voicemail, Personal Written Messages and Impersonal Written Messages. Of all the forms of communication, email is the most significant. The small organizations communicate with other organizations on small scale depending upon its business needs. Larger organizations deploy its specific departments to deal with huge number of emails and online communications. These greater organizations business depends to a great extent upon emails. To cope with this challenge, they employ special IT staff to manage and maintain the availability of this communication media. Other means of communications (2 Paragraphs) Apart from emails, organisations also have other means of communication medias available such as telephones. Telephone is the most important form of communication for exchange of ideas, information and solving various issues promptly and urgently. This mode of communication is effective when parties are exchanging their ideas with same language and they can understand. So telephone is the best form of communication, but it is convenient for short and important discussions. When both the parties belong to different countries and they speak different languages, it is feared they may misunderstand each other. Sometimes, when the organisation conveys a message or announce new product or service to selected or multiple group of staff, they use the following channels Business Letters Annual and Monthly Meetings Publications Notices and Manuals Advertisements Declarations Publications Memos Frequent Meetings Campaigns Declarations Press Releases Journal Articles Facsimile Of all the modes of communication that has been mentioned so far, email is has attained the most important place in the world of business. Without email, the promotion and development of the business is almost impossible. This is why business communications and correspondence are carried out mostly through email. Every flourishing business organization receives hundreds, even thousands of emails daily from all over the world. In 2003, the Radicati Group conducted a digital research after studying fifty companies worldwide; typical corporate user receives an average of 81 e-mail messages per day and sends 29 e-mails per day. That daily total of 110 messages represents growth of about 80 percent compared with last year. Most of the increase is not spam-related, according to the study. The average size of e-mails with attachments is also rising, another research by the same group indicates, Daily global e-mail volume of 210 billion messages will double by 2012. Radicati Group research indicated a remarkable growth of emails received by corporate user in 2006, 55% increase of email volume received since 2003. If users spend an average of one minute to read and respond to each message, this flood of e-mail traffic will consume more than a quarter of the typical eight hours workday with no guarantee that users actually read the messages that are most important. Additionally, if e-mail traffic continues to increase at this rate, the average corporate e-mail user will spend 64% of the workday managing e-mail messages in 2010. As shown in figure 1 Figure 1: Percent of work day spent in managing emails While, number of emails inclines throughout the day, using emails adequately can increase the staff productivity or it may be a time wasting source of communication media if not managed properly. Higher the volume of unread emails get the more chances of delay in email response, decision making and sometimes creating misunderstandings between coà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ workers, vendors or customers and may cause financial or reputational impact. Such incidents are result of 3 main issues. The top 3 problems of emails (3 paragraphs) Research methodologies (2 Paragraphs) The ten commandments of emails (3 Paragraphs)

The American Within :: essays research papers

The American Within! Many people believe that if you were born in a certain country you will be forever labeled as a citizen of that country for the rest of your natural born life. We as humans should be able to express ourselves freely without the risk of being harmed. Americans are not necessarily born they are created at heart. Unlike many other countries, America has established a separation between church and state to give everyone the choice of what they want to do with their life. I believe an American should take advantage of what the country has to offer, benefit the country in a way you see fit, and also follow the guidelines that has been set forth by our founding fathers. America is known for their unlimited opportunities, and these opportunities were meant to be taken advantage of by the American citizens. Citizens are given many freedoms other third world countries do not even consider releasing to the public. In most cases, countries outside the United States have governments that take action on those who choose to speak freely or participate in a different religion. Freedoms such as freedom of religion, free speech, the right to assemble, etc. are all characteristics of an average American. If someone doesn't have the right to perform any of those just listed then they are obviously not an American. All of these freedoms and rights are not only allowed, but they are strongly encouraged. It is what this country fought so long and hard for. Normally, people who were not born in America come here for the labor. People of America are raised to get an education and a job, and to find some way to benefit the country. That's how America is economically and financially supported. Taxes are what keeps our country on its' feet. You are morally and legally obligated to pay these fees issued to you by the government. If you don't pay your taxes you're not supporting the country that gave you liberty and justice, and by not paying taxes your just committing a selfish act. We would not be here today if everyone in America did whatever benefited themselves. Everyone in this country puts together what they can to improve their country, we are united! Hence the name United States. Like any other country, the government is what keeps everything in place. The government is not there to make your life miserable, at least not in America.

Dystopian Essay (Essay of Definition) Essay

Dystopian Essay (Essay of Definition) Ultimate Goal: 1. Define, in your eyes, what makes a dystopian society 2. Use our 3 novels, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, and at least 2 scholarly articles to influence your concept of dystopia According to the New World Encyclopedia, â€Å"dystopia† is defined as follows: A dystopia (from the Greek ÃŽ ´Ãâ€¦ÃÆ'- and Ï„ÏÅ'πΠ¿Ãâ€š, alternatively, cacotopia, kakotopia, cackotopia, or anti-utopia) is the vision of a society that is the opposite of utopia. A dystopian society is one in which the conditions of life are miserable, characterized by human misery, poverty, oppression, violence, disease, and/or pollution. While there have been actual societies which have experienced most if not all of these characteristics, the term dystopia is largely a literary term, referring to a class of literary works that serve as cautionary tales against some form of totalitarianism of the left or right. Some academic circles distinguish between anti-utopia and dystopia. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four is a dystopia because its leaders do not aspire to or use the rhetoric of utopia to justify their power. Orwell’s Animal Farm is a classic anti-utopia, in which the pigs come to justify their leadership in the name of creating a utopian society. The literature of dystopia draws on the human experience of the failure of states and ideologies to create the utopias, or even the more modest aims of good governance, often abridging human freedom in the name of some ideal that leads to authoritarian, even totalitarian consequences. Yet, what other elements are included in a dystopian society? Based upon our readings of â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†, Fahrenheit 451, Anthem, and Animal Farm, you need to come up with a working definition of a dystopian society. You will need to consult 2 other academic, informational, scholarly articles/sources to better inform your knowledge of dystopias. Based upon class discussions, we can determine that the following elements are/can be part of a dystopian society: Chose one of the above (or come up with your own). This will be your working definition of a dystopia (it might help if your definition has more than one requirement to meet). Using the 3 novels, â€Å"Harrison Bergeron,† and the 2 articles as sources, prove that your definition is an accurate description of dystopia. Requirements: Sources: Must use a total of 6 sources (3 novels, â€Å"HB†, 2 articles) Citations: Must cite from each novel at least twice (that’s 6 citations).6 Must cite from the other sources at least once (that’s 3 citations). +3 An additional citation (any of the 6 sources) (that’s 1 citation). +1 TOTAL =10 I. Introduction: The Definition A. You will use this paragraph to explore the history and different takes on what makes a dystopian society/novel. This is where your 2 academic, informational citations will be mentioned. Throughout this paragraph, you will whittle down the information until you’ve narrowed the concept down to your working definition. B. Thesis: This is where you tell us that the books are dystopias because they meet requirements A, B, & C. II. Requirement A How do the novels meet this first requirement? (Not every novel need demonstrate this requirement, but it would make a stronger argument if they did.) III. Requirement B (see above) IV. Requirement C (see above) V. Conclusion How does your definition of a dystopia offer something new, something different? Please do not just restate your thesis and topic sentences. Brief Outline #2 Organized according to each novel/story I. Introduction: The Definition a. You will use this paragraph to explore the history and different takes on what makes a dystopian society/novel. This is where your 2 academic, informational citations will be mentioned. Throughout this paragraph, you will whittle down the information until you’ve narrowed the concept down to your working definition. b. Thesis: This is where you tell us that the books are dystopias because they meet requirements A, B, & C. II. Book #1 (Animal Farm) a. How does this book meet all of your requirements for a dystopia? You are only required to use 2 quotes from the book, but make sure you address all of the necessary requirements mentioned in your thesis. III. Book #2 (Anthem) (See Above) IV. Book #3 (Fahrenheit 451) (See Above) V. Short Story (â€Å"Harrison Bergeron†) *Since you are only required to cite from this story once, you may want to incorporate this paragraph / information with one of the above* VI. Conclusion How does your definition of a dystopia offer something new, something different? Please do not just restate your thesis and topic sentences.

Economic system Essay

In our present time , there are many speculation spoken by different people, regarding the implementation of the new Curriculum , K to 12. There are many question still hanging on ,Is it the solution to our poverty , underemployment and unemployment.? Does K to 12 curriculum basically enhance our students knowledge? Does this curriculum eliminates at lessen poverty in our country. Our DepEd Secretary, Bro. Armin A. Luistro, FSC, starting whenhe became an Education Secretary, He is trying to change the traditional way of teaching, trying to resolve different problem, control and motivates the teachers, students , parents and government officials to cooperate in order to help our students to be competitive enough. In his Declaration of State of Philippine Education, he emphasize the trend and issues in Education System in: a. Philippine Education is under in Chronic Illness b. Regression in Access c. Bureaucratic Melee d. Appropriations allotted I n Education e. On the need of Reform f. The Join Forces of 3 Agencies in Government. The DOLE, TESDA, and CHED. g. The Idea of EFA 2015 and Millennium Development Goals, 1. The Philippine Education is under in chronic illness He said that our country is under the chronic illness , it is because the system in our country is suffering from different crisis, not only come from economic problem, but most probably in political system. In this country, Our governmentalways change our curriculum from time to time, for them we must faced the reality and we must adapt the changes but the  mere fact is , they don’t even support that particular in terms of facilities, tools, books and other school materials, that’s why our curriculum is only a Trial-Error set up. Inother aspects the reason why we still in the last in terms of Education it is because of corruption and political problems. 2. Regression in Access The main problem in our country is the lengthof Basic Education in Elementary and Secondary, this is only 10 years, unlike to other country which is 12 years. This is the reason why Filipino did not get the appropriate job on other country, 3. Bureaucratic Melee In this case, we can say that the cultural aspects of the society are the big problem. Despite of financial and economic crisis happen in our country, they questioned some people or other non –government organizations if school receive donations, For them it is a form of corruption ,but the reality is some government officials is the one who is the corrupt one. We must face the reality that government funds is not sufficient to support different schools that’s why we need support from other agencies. 4. Appropriations for Education Department of Budget and Management or DBM allocatesfund for a certain school whether it has autonomy or not. These budgets were divided depends on the numbers of enrollees per school. Government also allocates fund for the Teachers tools, equipments, lesson plan, and classrecords , salaries and bonuses and incentives. Education is free, according to the Deped Memorandum. They allocated fundsfor Education but the big problem is, the higher ranking person did not distributed that funds to different divisions, instead of they corrupt that funds. That’s why DepEdis number2 in Corruption 5. On the Need for Reform Our Educationsystem needs a reformation, in order to make our graduates be competitive enough. Reform will start on the top down to the lower ranking position. Reformation willlead us tothe better world, better society and better graduates. Reformation not only in Educational system but also in the society, most especially in our government presently. Reform in policies, avoid corruption, because new ideas, new curriculum, and helpus tobuild mind of a graduates professionally growth.

Solutions to Mass Media Censorship Essay

Solutions to Mass Media Censorship Essay Solutions to Mass Media Censorship Essay Solutions to Mass Media Censorship Essay Censorship is the repression of information and ideas that flow from society. The Communist Party of China (CPC) is the known body that mandates censorship in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) (Guo Feng, 2012). In this regard, China offers a captivating case study for students, particularly on the relations between political processes, actors, and organizations. Currently, the People’s Republic of China is apprehensive with issues of supremacy, political and economic value, including authority and legitimacy that focus on leadership (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). Since communication processes affect these matters, it is not surprising that the state devotes considerable attention to the operation of the media. Additionally, the international websites, chat rooms, discussion groups, and newspapers published outside of China provide an immense amount on the need to be pessimistic. According to MacKinnon (2008), there has been a trend in the dismissal the Chinese journalists, beating them, or imprisoning them. This matter follows the forced closure of the newspapers because the media have argued against the philosophical position of the Great Firewall that blocks access to the World Wide Web for the information-starved Chinese. For instance, critics were behind Southern Weekend in 2001 for publishing detrimental reports to the government as such a publication led to the dismissal of the chief editor (Shirk, 2007). Forms of Censorship However, there are implications that the media are prepared to challenge the central censorships over their work following the recent reports that suggest the outbreak of a guerilla war between journalists and the communists. As a result, thirteen veterans of politics and propaganda in China (PPC) responded by publishing a letter (Tai, 2014). In the correspondence, the leaders called for easing of censorship and new laws to protect press freedom. This paper discusses censorship in the mass media sector and the possible solutions for the control, focusing on all the major forms of suppression in the mass media Political Censorship One of the forms of Censorship witnessed in China is political censorship. This type is viewed as an initiative to ensure the continued rule of the Communist Party (Lorentzen, 2014). In addition, it helps to avoid unapproved reformists from organizing their activities and disseminating their ideas. Furthermore, the censorship inhibits the Chinese people from learning more about the past and current problems facing the CP, which is likely to spur anti-government rebellion (Tai, 2014). In the same context, measures such as hindering access to websites of foreign governments may deny the citizens access to substitute governance forms. The Chinese Internet politics follows a different ideology that is beyond historical experiences with the external encroachment of the territories during the century of humiliation (MacKinnon, 2008). Moral Censorship This category of censorship is primarily utilized to avert political conflicts from occurring in the context of China’s social environment (Tai, 2014). In most occasions, the citizens have the freedom to discuss affairs of state on the internet; however, particular websites containing information that criticizes the administration are blocked for access. Moreover, there is some censorship occurring in China that upholds morals such as limitations on pornographic content and violent films (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). Corporate censorship Guo Feng (2012) define corporate censorship as the process by which editors in corporate channels disrupt the process of publishing the information that portrays business partners negatively. The process also intervenes to avoid alternate offers from reaching civic exposure. In the Chinese mass media, this kind of censorship takes the pre-production stage that outlets segments and information before reaching the public (Shirk, 2007). Cultural Censorship The Chinese authorities adopt the use of this censorship to safeguard the development of the citizens and the whole country. In the course of the Cultural Revolution, overseas artistic works and literature, religious texts, and relics of the antique Chinese art were considered backward-looking; thus, they were slated for destruction (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). The destruction of foreign cultural artefacts continues in present day China, whereby, although China has improved in terms of cultural freedoms, foreign cartoons are being banned on primetime television. In addition, the country has placed restrictions on foreign films screening. These are manifestations of cultural censorship in China (Guo Feng, 2012). Religious Censorship Religious censorship has influenced the ban of several religious manuscripts, pamphlets and materials containing religious content in the PRC. As a result, foreigners are proscribed from preaching in PRC. Moreover, the availability of information regarding the manner in which some religious groups operate is limited. According to Lorentzen (2014), the spiritual movement is being subdued in China, as it is evident by banning religious materials and information belonging to the group together with the torture and incarceration of its followers. Nevertheless, the printing of Christian Bibles is permitted albeit on a limited scale (Tai, 2014). Economic Censorship This suppression is used for fiscal protection. Furthermore, the formal rejection of most foreign films barely has an impact on the Chinese. Such films can be obtained in copyright illegal downloads, permitting the Chinese to watch such films in an affordable way, while at the same time ensuring that the money remains in their economy. According to Tai (2014), the Chinese prohibition on social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube took place with an aim of granting the Chinese websites competitive advantage over other rival foreign websites. Similarly, China has been criticized for applying double standards for its ban on Google on grounds of obscene content, while the same content can also be seen in Baidu, which is Google’s competitor in China (Lorentzen, 2014). Preproduction Censorship Preproduction topic approval is also another form of media censorship witnessed in China that involves the government censors segments and information prior to its distribution. Preproduction censorship in China is prevalent in all forms of media, including print, television, and film industry. For instance, scripts for television drama and films must be approved prior to their production (Lorentzen, 2014). Possible Solutions Technological Approach One of the possible solutions that should be considered is coming up with a framework for implementation of due processes for dealing with internet dissidents (MacKinnon, 2008). For that reason, there has to be compliance with the law where the structure must be acknowledged under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Therefore, the amendment of the International Telecom Regulation has to occur to reduce media governance. The flow of information changes rapidly because the Chinese state employs more sophisticated controls to curb these barriers (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). Concerning the subject of discussion, the internet is the newest form of information dissemination that has caused a threat in the view of CCP. Consequently, as the evolution of the information technology is on the rise, the state authorities develop innovative solutions to counter the rapid spread (Tai, 2014). For example, there is the need for a constant state presence through the vigilance of cyber police i n supervising the internet and its chat rooms. On the same note, the introduction of regulations designed to restrict online content can be helpful. Such regulations require website operators that keep content records and user identities. Legal and Institutional Approach to Censorship The state exercises several legal and institutional methods to provide a solution that can lead to effective control of the flow of information and to restrict the independent operation of the media. The constitution of China guarantees various freedoms to the citizens. However, the same law sets the pretext for suspension of the named freedoms through liberal act more so during the violation of the rights (Shirk, 2007). More to say, the state exercises the multitude of criminal and administrative regulations to consolidate its power. The media has to take into consideration that any information can be classified as state secret if the regulatory body determines it to be harmful to the nation’s interest. In fact, journalists have to seek permission from a government related agency prior to publication if the subject concerns the government personnel and institutions (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). This solution can lead to control and delay of information by the regulatory bodies . Another solution that the government considers in suppressing the media is the use of structure and organization of its media regulatory bodies (Guo Feng, 2012). In this manner, the Central Propaganda Department has the responsibility of promoting the party’s ideologies and legality projects. This organization manages three major media organizations such as the State Press and Publication Administration, the State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, ant the Ministry of Information Industry (MacKinnon, 2008). The Chinese government owns all these media production companies. Through this ownership, the country has the power over the media market. The department, therefore, requires members of the press to undergo re-education on the role of CPP leadership, socialism, and media regulations. Economic Approach to Censorship The Chinese state employs economic solution over the media to maintain its power. Since the economic changes, the state no longer subsidizes the media. Instead, the country has urged the industry to focus on marketing that may generate profit for the sustenance of the company’s operations (King, Pan, Roberts, 2013). Just like other organizations, the press industry needs to set up the mission, vision, and the aims of the organization. For example, The Party’s Making Media Big and Strong policy of January aims at promoting the creation of powerful and profitable domestic media that are ready for global competition (Shirk, 2007). Moreover, the print media at the city, provincial, and central levels should be reorganized into media groups to strengthen the press industry financially and to consolidate leadership politically. The success of the CPP’s media controls is caused by the fact that freedom of information claims its power and legitimacy. Information is the significant control of the political reforms because it gives the masses the knowledge of their conditions and the evidence of the state’s efforts to interfere with that information. Knowledge can lead to political mobilization and regime change. The party recognizes susceptibility of its position in the face of truth; therefore, it devotes mass energy and resources to control information. In China, the state develops vital censorship mechanisms that aim to regulate freedom of information through legal, political, technological, and economic channels. The state generates a repressive legal environment for the media and constructs an oppressive political habitat for official and self-censorship through ownership of the nation of the media and financial incentives. To conclude, the state increases its reach into cyberspace with an e xplosion of the internet as a medium for information dissemination.

Is It a Good Idea to Hold Good Stocks Even if the Overall Market Is Assignment

Is It a Good Idea to Hold Good Stocks Even if the Overall Market Is Assignment Is It a Good Idea to Hold Good Stocks Even if the Overall Market Is Overvalued – Assignment Example The paper "Is It a Good Idea to Hold Good Stocks Even if the Overall Market Is Overvalued" is a delightful example of an assignment on finance and accounting.Keep holding and do nothing. The current stock seems to be doing great and against the earlier projections in the market over the years. Leaving the company would mean leaving the market one is well aware of, and that has grown drastically over the years. Since overvaluation of shares is measurable using a range, then where the ceiling range remains not bleached, holding is necessary. The implication of holding is that one is not required to pay the capital gains taxes, and the long-term investment could result in higher returns in the future. However, where the companys long-term potential does not offset the overvaluation, the stocks will crash down, and investment money will be lost. Where the competitors rise to surpass or shatter the planned development by the company, it would damage the company to reach points where it co uld fold, and investors would lose money (Kolodovoski, 2014). Take some profit off the table by disposing of some of the stock and paying the capital gains tax. Selling some of the stock and holding some would work as a lever to offset any shocks in the market. The competitors are getting stronger, and that could damage the company where its share price would fall. The company could also remain on its successful path, and the stock value would increase. To ensure that the investor is shielded from both a partial sale to offset the initial investment is necessary. Selling a quarter of the stock at $45 having purchased them at $12 means that the initial investment gets almost catered for, and future decrease in the stock wont make the investor lose money. Maintaining some stock prepares the investor for the future success of the company (Kolodovoski, 2014). An outright total sale of the stock and payment of the capital gains tax. Overpriced Shares and the continuation of that trend me ans that the range is growing bigger with time. Letting go of the stock protects the stockholder from the future collapse of the company. The investor would make massive profits by selling at the current market price of $45. The implications of an outright sale would be losing in big if the company were to make successful decisions and the share price increases. The other implication is being protected from the folding of the business if the future investment does not work as required (Kolodovoski, 2014).

Accounting Rules and Joint Ventures in Europe

Accounting Rules and Joint Ventures in Europe Bridging the GAAP The International Accounting Standards (IAS) was supposed to be a unifying conceptual framework which would bring accounting practices of various firms and industries under a single umbrella of standards. No matter if it is a Greek shipping magnate or an Italian fish processing plant, the EU envisioned that they would work within a single standard to better facilitate trade amongst various nations. Indeed, the EU attempted to achieve this through the means of directives, which were soon abandoned. Directives, aimed at forcing compliance with EU accounting standards and practices were discarded because of complaints such as those voiced by the 2003 Report on the Observance of Standards and Codes with regards to the Czech Republic that â€Å"The wording of primary and secondary legislation suggests that the Czech Republic’s real priority is compliance with EU directives, rather than adoption of IAS.† Indeed, these two seemed to be not only different goa ls, but mutually exclusive ones- companies could either sate the directives issued or the requirements of the IAS, but rarely both, especially in Eastern Block nations where both concepts were fairly new. Now, however, a new complication is on the horizon in the form of bilateral trade with the U.S. and U.S.-E.U. joint ventures. Obviously the directives, which have been scrapped in any case, would have no force of law in U.S. courts. But nevertheless, there has been considerable movement on this issue as of late. In 2006, the IASB issued a paper called â€Å"A Roadmap for Convergence between IFRSs and US GAAP- 2006-2008 Memorandum of Understanding between the FASB and the IASB†. The memorandum, based upon work done during a 2002 meeting between the FASB (U.S.) and the IASB, as well as subsequent meetings in 2005, stated that â€Å"the FASB and the IASB reaffirmed their commitment to the convergence of US generally accepted accounting principles (US GAAP) and International Fi nancial Reporting Standards (IFRSs).† Nevertheless, this is bound to be a complicated venture because it can not be resolved by boards or government agencies. As the memorandum itself recognized, â€Å"the ability to meet the objective set out by the roadmap depends upon the efforts and actions of many parties—including companies, auditors, investors, standard-setters and regulators.† In other words, bridging the gaap is not merely a matter of ironing out a combined framework of accounting practices. It is a matter of a company in Los Angeles following the same accounting standards and practices that a company in London would. It is also a question of training assessors and auditors in this new standard so that they can ensure compliance with it. For these reasons, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission recently put forth a proposal which would allow U.S. listed companies to choose between IFRS and the U.S. GAAP. While some in Europe and the U.S. fear that a llowing companies to make this choice would hinder the process of converging the two systems (Johnson, 2007) it is nevertheless a practical solution which should be given serious thought and consideration. The European Union, an offspring of NATO, was fifty years in the making. The idea that uniform standards can be achieved on both sides of the pond between thousands of individual companies is fanciful. As a pragmatic matter as well, people are often leery of change- especially change that is being forced upon them, which was another reason the Directives approach previously discussed failed. While the ultimate goal of uniformly adopting the IFRS may well be desirable, it is certainly not something that can or will happen overnight. Allowing a choice between GAAP and IFRS for U.S. companies should not be viewed as an effort to â€Å"halt or slow the convergence process† (Johnson, 2007) but rather as an acknowledgement of the real world difficulties inherent to any large-scal e transitions.

Essay 4 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

4 - Essay Example The reading reminded Muslims that their religion was revealed by God through the prophet Muhammad. The five pillars of Islam, which are ritual duties that that must be observed by all Muslims, were also mentioned and these pillars are: confessing their faith, observing the five daily prayers, paying alms to the needy, fasting during the month of Ramadan and pilgrimage or hajj to Mecca ((Ellwood & McGraw 374). The authors also explained the importance of the hajj to Muslims and the significance of the mosque as the main place of worship to the Muslims. Several religious rites that are also practiced by Muslims were also mentioned in the book. The spread of Islam from the Middle East to North Africa were also discussed in the reading (Ellwood & McGraw). The two largest branches of Islam, Sunni Islam and the Shi’a Islam were also mentioned in the reading. The Shiites believed that the descendants of Ali, (Muhammad’s son-in-law) were divinely ordained by God and they are called Imams. On the other hand, the Sunnis believed that it was Muhammad’s intention for the Muslims to choose a successor amongst themselves by agreement and they are called caliphs. The difference between the Sunni and Shi’a Islam were made clear in the reading. Islamic mysticism was also explained in the reading and the tensions that it had with mainstream Islam. Islamic mysticism was explained as a factor that has deepened the life of Muslims. The role of Islam in politics was also explained in the reading in the history of Islam and their role in modern politics, especially in the region of the Middle East. The concept of jihad, a ‘holy war’ was also explained in the reading as Muslims actually see it as a means of converting Non-Muslims and drawing their hearts to God. The reading actually relate to my experience in the sense that, it expands my knowledge on the little understanding I have about Islam. The day to day practices of Muslims that were highlighted in the reading

Analysis on the Organizational Structure of Oman Air Essay

Analysis on the Organizational Structure of Oman Air - Essay Example The Sultanate of Oman’s Civil Aviation founded the Oman Air, which began its operation in 1993. Prior to that event, in the year 1970, the Oman International Services was inaugurated. It was followed by the establishment of Oman Aviation services on 1981 with an aim to expand its services offered to other airlines such as in cargo handling and ground handling. With the operation of Oman Air, this company was responsible for creating a traffic hub in Muscat, which led to the growth of the tourism industry, commercial, and industrial. The company first offered direct flights in Colombo and Dubai, then succeeded by Trivandum, Kuwait, Karachi, and Sri Lanka from 1993-1994. In 1995, it started to open direct flights in India, Bangladesh, and Dhaka. The destination offered expanded, but it started to limit its operation since 2003. In 2005, it commenced to offer other destinations until it expanded internationally. Oman Air was introduced as the new identity of Oman Aviation Service s (SAOC) on April 21, 2008 (Oman Air, 2012e). The company commits itself in providing quality services to its target markets, which is construed by 28 awards they received from the independent sector. The company was recognized as the Best Airline Worldwide 2011 based on the survey conducted by the travel magazine (Oman Air, 2012f). SWOT Analysis Strength Oman Air has monopolized the airline industry since it is considered as the national carrier within the country. There is no competition involved because the government owns 99.825% while others have a percentage of 0.175 (Oman Air, 2012a). The government is primarily bounded in its marketing campaign, which will increase the tourist in Oman. Since it is the flag carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, it has been widely known in the country. The market presence of Oman Air is relatively high. Moreover, Oman is notable for its hospitality. The company desires to render comfort for customers while they travel across the countries. Furthermore, Oman Air leaves an impression of their services based on the international standards with emphasis on quality and safety. Oman Air was the first airline that offered satellite telephone and internet connection. The investment in green technology strengthened the brand name of Oman Air because modern facilities and aircraft reduced carbon emission. Weaknesses The internal structure of Oman Air reflects its weakness. Due to the poor performance of every department, the profitability of the company is affected. The large organizational structure of the company needs good leadership and management. The departmentalized structure divides the attention of the CEO, which weakens the interdepartmental communication. The poor management of HR resources in recruiting technical and administrative tasks leads to the poor performance of every department. It results to the staged strike by the Oman Air employees, which aim for higher wages (Pollack, et al., 2011, p.181). The conflict inside the Oman Air is influenced by politics regarding on poor management and corruption. The strike reminds the employers to provid e opportunities for employees. Lastly, the culture of Oman Air has not yet altered despite the deviation in the cultural background of its staff. Opportunities Monopolization in the airline industry provides opportunities for the business operation of Oman Air. This company is the only air carrier that offers services globally. When there is no competition, the company can be secured of its profitability and sales. Oman Air has no apprehension on the prices of air fare. Thus, Oman Air caters to the large market of travellers in its country. According to Rajasekar and Moideenkutty (2007, p.128), the population of travellers in Oman is about 800, 000. Furthermore, modern facilities such as â€Å"new passenger terminal, a brand new cargo terminal, new engineering facility, and in-flight catering facility† can elevate the profitability of Oman Air. The customers’

Report analysis on braintree Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Report analysis on braintree - Essay Example Users usually sign up using their installed app or in Venmo website where they find friends who have created an account. Venmo account can be linked to users’ bank accounts, debit cards, or even credit cards (Moorthy, 2015). The leadership of Braintree Company encourages its employees to work towards achieving the goal, vision and mission of the company. The command creates a friendly environment for the employees through conducting performance appraisals and rewarding the best accordingly and also ensuring that their social needs are met, for instance, through recreational services (Hertz, 1999). Braintree encourages teamwork amongst the employees when doing their daily activities, and this promotes excellent performance. In addition, creativity, innovation, and invention are key qualities required of the employees (Hertz, 1999). In this area, the company focuses on outdoing its immediate competitors in the industry through the use of creativity, extensive training of employees as well as the use of the best technologies (Hertz, 1999). Payment wall supports payment options like credit cards, debit cards, landline payments, mobile payments, ATM payments, prepaid cards, kiosk-terminal payments, bank transfer as well as direct billing. Payment wall entered into the partnership with Alipay of China in 2011. This partnership has caused massive competition to Braintree (Moorthy, 2015). Stripe was founded in 2010, accepts payments online, and has expanded internet commerce by easing online business transactions and management as well. The stripe is developed for creators and makers, as it believes enabling more transactions is a problem rooted in code and design rather than in finance. Blue Snap It has optimized and reinvented and optimized the checkout experience by combining frictionless one-click checkout, intelligent payment routing, cross-border payments, multiple integration options, award-winning Smart

Case Study Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case Study Project - Essay Example Essentially, the sovereign country should have inbuilt mechanisms of fighting crimes, however, it may seek international assistance where the threat is significant and worries the state security. The implication is that, each state has to build a strong and reliable coordination with other countries, whose help becomes essential during war. Therefore, one can argue strongly that sovereignty should not bar the state from forging strong relationship with the other countries. In addition, inappropriate use of sovereignty would mean protecting the self-interest at the expense of the citizens. Therefore, this report is a critical evaluation and description of issues relating to sovereignty, as contained in The UN Secretary-General Report â€Å"Implementing the Responsibility to Protect† (2009). Key Catalysts Some of the key catalysts to sovereignty include the political will, need for international integration and ethnic co-existence. Fundamentally, the leadership will and peaceful co-existence ensures that the sovereign state remains peaceful and coherent. In addition, it would enable the state to build a proper relationship with other states, thereby, being in a position of getting international assistance during emergency. Furthermore, this would enhance international integration among different countries. ... In the contemporary society, Jackson acknowledges that there are State powers that do not use their sovereignty for the good of the people (Jackson 21). For example, some developing states literally misuse sovereignty to achieve personal or ethnic gains, with disregards to the public. Indeed, the theory of balance of power explains the misuse of state sovereignty resulting from the differences in power factions within the country (Brown 9). The theory suggests that those differences cause civil unrest, when the leaders test their power and dominance. In the UN report, some states, especially with dictatorial regimes, inflict violence on the people with impunity due to the powers that the Head of State has on the subjects. Often, there are silent state machineries that such countries use to fulfill the mission, such as, illegitimately organized gang supported by the state security organs (Krasner 673). In such cases, the state does not use its sovereignty in protecting the people as t he international law requires. Therefore, the United Nations may be forced to intervene and restore peace in the country. Notably, most countries, despite their fight for sovereignty, have failed to protect their citizens against war crimes. For example, the mass killings of the ordinary citizens in Rwanda, Cambodia, Srebrenica and Darfur show that, the states have failed in their protective responsibility, thus, their sovereignty is questionable. Sometimes, the crimes are committed when the Security Council and the UN peacekeepers are watching, as was the case in Rwanda and Srebrenica (UN report 4). As a preventative measure to the occurrence of such crimes, the UN should take the leading role in cautioning the states on negligence, not regarding the states’ sovereignty as a

Information Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Information Technology - Essay Example The telephone, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an instrument for reproducing sounds at a distance. In the process sound is converted into electrical impulses for transmission. According to Anderson and Johannesson (2005), the telephone evolved rapidly due to its instant nature. The predecessor of the telephone, the telegraph is hardly present or even heard of today, but the telephone has persisted for more than a hundred years. This is due to the fact that the absence of intermediaries made the two parties easily exchange information in real time without much delay, just by talking on both ends of the line as compared to the telegraph. For the later part of the 20th century, the telephone has come a long way. From originally being connected in a wired network, the originally analogue system of transmitting signals in telephone lines became digital, to accommodate more customers. Also, since the data being received and sent are rather bulky, high-speed transmission is important, which needs the digitizing of data being exchanged (Lee, 1997: 3-4). Due to the perceived promise of the telephone technology in accommodating and innovating its functions to fit the continuously improving information technology system, it became one of the key elements in the present era of communication. The mobile phone’s origins can be traced from the mobile two-way radio, which were used in fire trucks and police cars. Soon, mobile telephony for the general public grew, and eventually a system of using transmitters that covered small patches of land that could hand off transmissions as a user moves around became the forerunner of cellular technology (Anderson & Johannesson, 2005:24). Eventually, the use of analogue frequency modulation became replaced by digital telephony, by the introduction of GSM, or Global System for Mobile communications. There are numerous technologies along the line of these

Rivalry between the Two Online Shopping Companies Assignment - 1

Rivalry between the Two Online Shopping Companies - Assignment Example The researcher states that China has become one of the most attractive (in terms of profitability) international markets for making FDIs, and hence, many foreign companies have already entered in this market and other new entrants are trying to enter. However, the domestic Chinese companies have realised market potential considering the performances of the foreign companies in China. Online trading in China has come a long way. The start of China’s online or E-tailing revolution was slow because of several key issues. The political, Legal and social structure in China had many internet based companies question the profitability of setting up e-business in China. Lack of proper infrastructure also delayed the entrance of e-business in China. China lacked technological and financial backing to enter the e-business market. The main reason which made companies avoid China for their e-business was the uncertainty about the policies that the Chinese government will devise to attract foreign industries. China had an extremely low internet penetration. A very selective elite percentage of Chinese population had access to computers and internet. The legal framework regarding the laws and policies governing e-business were not stringent. Buyers often after bidding something online would back out on payment. Such casual approach discouraged many e-businesses from entering Chinese market. The buyers were often not provided with the product they had ordered for. These trends had made the buyers in China very sceptical about the credibility of online purchase. A survey conducted in 2002 by China internet network information centre (CINIC) showed that 13.9 percent of buyers in China did not receive their ordered products.

Information Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Information Technology - Essay Example The telephone, as defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is an instrument for reproducing sounds at a distance. In the process sound is converted into electrical impulses for transmission. According to Anderson and Johannesson (2005), the telephone evolved rapidly due to its instant nature. The predecessor of the telephone, the telegraph is hardly present or even heard of today, but the telephone has persisted for more than a hundred years. This is due to the fact that the absence of intermediaries made the two parties easily exchange information in real time without much delay, just by talking on both ends of the line as compared to the telegraph. For the later part of the 20th century, the telephone has come a long way. From originally being connected in a wired network, the originally analogue system of transmitting signals in telephone lines became digital, to accommodate more customers. Also, since the data being received and sent are rather bulky, high-speed transmission is important, which needs the digitizing of data being exchanged (Lee, 1997: 3-4). Due to the perceived promise of the telephone technology in accommodating and innovating its functions to fit the continuously improving information technology system, it became one of the key elements in the present era of communication. The mobile phone’s origins can be traced from the mobile two-way radio, which were used in fire trucks and police cars. Soon, mobile telephony for the general public grew, and eventually a system of using transmitters that covered small patches of land that could hand off transmissions as a user moves around became the forerunner of cellular technology (Anderson & Johannesson, 2005:24). Eventually, the use of analogue frequency modulation became replaced by digital telephony, by the introduction of GSM, or Global System for Mobile communications. There are numerous technologies along the line of these

The Jews a History Essay Example for Free

The Jews a History Essay Research Problem 1 1. Discuss the different types of interests and the IRS rule related to the deductibility of each type for tax purposes. Interest is a fee paid by a borrower of assets to the owner as a form of compensation for the use of the assets. There are different types of interests, including investment interest, qualified residence interest, student loan interest, and personal interest, which are either deductible or nondeductible. Personal interests are interests on car loans, credit cards, loans for appliances and furniture and interest on loans made by one person to another. Personal interest is nondeductible. If interest is paid on a qualified student loan, taxpayers may be able to deduct the interest as deduction for AGI. Generally, the allowable amount for student loan is lesser of $2,500 or the amount of interest taxpayer actually paid. Investment interest is interest paid on money borrowed to purchase or hold investment property. It is tax deductible on income tax return up to the amount of the net investment income. However, if the interest is incurred to produce tax exempt income, it cannot be deducted. Investment interest is not any qualified home mortgage interest or any interest taken into account in computing income or loss from a passive activity. The qualified residence interest is interest taxpayer pays on a loan secured by one’s main home or a second home. The loan may be a mortgage to buy primary home, a second mortgage, a home equity loan, or line of credit. The main home is where taxpayer lives most of the time. A second home is other residence taxpayer owns and treats as a second home. If the second home is rented, taxpayer must also use it as a home during the year for more than the greater of 14 days or 10% of the number of days it’s rented, for the interest to qualify as qualified residence interest. Home equity loan interest usually is nondeductible unless the loan is used to buy, construct, or substantially improve the taxpayer’s qualified residence. 2. Discuss the section of the IRS code that the IRS will use to support its position of disallowing the deduction. According to Publication 17 (2010), Your Federal Income Tax for Individuals, part 5-23, personal interest is expense that is considered not deductible. Personal interests are interests on car loans, credit cards, loans for appliances and furniture and interest on loans made by one person to another. Because Donald did not have $600,000 to pay Marla, he agreed to have the whole amount payable over 10 years at 8% interest. IRS considers the amount as a personal loan that Marla lends to Donald. The interest of the loan falls into categories including in personal interests. Therefore, IRS disallows the interest deduction that Donald claimed as investment interest. 3. Discuss the support that Donald will need to defend his position that the interest is investment related and should be deductible for tax purposes. As agreement between Donald and Marla after divorce, they divided their property equally based on the fair market value of property. As a result, Donald had corporate stock, a commercial building, and a personal residence. In return, Marla got other property. However, Donald’s property had the higher value compare to Marla’s. Because they did not sell their property, Donald believed that all the property owned by him or Marla is considered either investment property or qualified residence. In addition, the amount of $600,000 is the fair market value of their property. Hence, its interest is considered one of his investment interests. As a result, Donald deducted the interest on this Federal income tax return. 4. As a tax expert, recommend a strategy for Donald to use in resolving this difference with the IRS Donald needs to prove that the amount of $600,000 is not the loan that Marla lends him. He can show the property settlement between him and Marla. $600,000 is the difference amount between his and her property value. He, in fact, owned the property which had the higher value. Donald used the interest he made from that higher value’s property to pay Marla every year. Therefore, Donald can file and deduct the interest as his investment interest.

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay

Problem Diagnosis Using Organisational Behaviour Concepts Business Essay There are several significant concepts which are used when managing the workplace in changing business environment. The workplace environment becomes more complex in which the complexity of interactions, relationships and processes often makes difficult to understand. In the organization, managers are required to be effective in organizing, decisive, and maintain good relationship with employees (Kimball 1997). According to the case analysis, practise of empowerment is used as the new tool by Becker for the hotel to be more effective and implement the capacity of employees to make decisions and to be innovative in the working environment. On the other hand there are certain situations where employees were not familiar with change in the management. Focuses on issues and problems of implementing empowerment within the organization. Motivation refers to the forces acting on and coming from within a person that account, in part, for the wilful direction of ones efforts towards the achievement of specific goals (Dennis Michael) According to the case, in the past Regency Grand Hotel was one of the most prestigious hotels in Thailand and the employees enjoyed working. Example: The hotel provided good welfare benefits and good salary rates to the employees. End of the year employees were given a salary increment regardless of the hotels overall performance. This could be due to personal relationships to build a more close relationship with the employees. Employees were motivated and they enjoyed working with the current general manager. Motivation theories are very important in the corporate world. Primarily motivation theories are divided into two types. (Dennis Michael) Theory 1: Content theory This focuses on identifying the specific factors that motivate people internally which contributes to strengthen and direct the behaviours of employees within the organization. (Dennis Michael) Content theories focus on specific factors that motivate people. McGregors Theory X and Theory Y and Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory will be discussed linked to the case. 3.1 McGregors Theory X and Theory Y Douglas McGregor proposed two different motivational theories. Managers tend to believe one or the other and treat their employees accordingly.   Theory X states that employees dislike and try to avoid work, and must be coerced into doing it. Most workers lack ambition and value job security more than anything else. According to the case the employees were rewarded with a yearend bonus regardless of the hotels overall performance, may be due to lack of motivation which the manager saw in his subordinates to work within the organization. Due to that we can identify that employees were satisfied and job security was ensured and also for it to become a prestigious hotel the efficiency of the fellow employees would have been a reason. 3.2 Herzbergs Motivation-Hygiene Theory According to Herzberg, job satisfaction and dissatisfaction exist in the corporate world. Hygiene factors could cause an employee to become unhappy with their job. Lack of motivation could bring out job dissatisfaction such as pay, job security, and physical work environment. On the other hand Motivation can increase job satisfaction by providing recognition for their achievements and more responsibilitys. Change Internal and external factors affect the organization towards the complexity and changing situations. Mostly, people do not accept and understand the benefits in changing the management. Organization needs to consider the internal and external factors in implementing a new strategic management. It is important to develop strategy to help employees learning about the change (Cameron Quinn) Managers are also required to develop good communication within its employees since people may come from different cultural background, skills, age, and gender (Holden 2001). These differences will create barriers in communication based on different values and perceptions. The effective management of workplace in organization requires an understanding of leadership and motivation in managing the workplace on performing the job and being motivated to do so. (Holden 2001) In the case with the change of ownership there will be a change in the organizations business practises. Its important that the existing employees are aware of the change and that they should adopt according to the change. For that there should be trainings, workshops organized by the management in order to make them understand about the change. Without effective diagnosis, managers may believe that the problem is significantly different than it is, and the change alternative may be ineffective in resolving the problem. (Dennis Michael) In organizational development one should recognize; The need for change Diagnose problems Develop change alternatives Implementation of change Reinforcement of change Evaluation of change Implementing further change actions 4.1 Delegating authority When delegating authority Becker did not explain properly what are the responsibilities of the employees. As stated in the case he did not give a criterion to differentiate minor and major issues which arose in the organization. Proper organization structure was not implemented. 5. Culture   According to the case the Regency was able to merge with a large American chain that was very keen on expanding its operations into Thailand. With the new ownership the current general manager decided to take early retirement. There is nothing more valuable than local knowledge or understanding culture of a particular organization when merging with an organization. It is important to be aware of the culture and business practices especially when changing ownership with a different country. Organizational culture is referred to, a code of attitudes, norms and values and the way an individual thinks. It determines how we see ourselves and how we see the world. Culture can be either right or wrong inherited about individual behaviour. Organization culture affects the way strategy is determined, how goals are established and how the organization operates. (Marie Roger, 2008) With the retirement of the current general manager a new general manger from the US was appointed to the Regency. According to the case, John Becker the newly appointed general manager has 10 years of management experience in the hotel industry and was selected because of his previous success. The case states that in his previous achievements he took over organizations with poor profitability and poor morale and managed to succeed in achieving desired objectives. Organizational culture can be different from one country to another. The success of an organizational culture has to do with external and internal factors (Marie Roger, 2008). With the change of the ownership one should identify the cultural variations from one organization to another or from country to country. Considering the culture in Thailand and in the US the business practices can be completely different there can be a cross cultural affect within the organization. Cross culture explains the behaviour of people in organizations around the world and describes and compares organizational behaviour across countries and cultures seeking to understand and improve the interaction of its subordinates (Adler, 2002: 11). Identifying organizational culture 6.1 Corporate Culture in the US The worlds third largest country both in size and population, the United States is a nation moving forward rapidly and successfully with its unique cultural diversity. Today, the US is considered to have the strongest and most technologically powerful economy. (Communicaid Group Ltd. 2009) In the US people are more work oriented where individualism and equality are two main important aspects in the US corporate culture which has a significant effect on their business etiquettes (Cameron Robert). In the US performance is more important and individuals will be rewarded according to their achievements this is why individualism is important in the US. American business culture is task oriented. Paying attention to guidelines and rules dictated by business policies, laws and procedures is important in the US. 6.2 Corporate Culture in Thailand Thai people are mo re relationship oriented when doing business. International business practices are widely accepted for Thai business person. In general, Thais are naturally friendly and open-minded; however, there are some practices and values to be considered (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) Thai business people can accept new ideas quickly. Thai people are calm and quite. Thais take confrontation extremely seriously. In the west you loosing temper may be familiar and accepted where in Thailand its not accepted. There is nothing worse than an upset, impatient employer who is making demand on Thais. Acting this way will serve no purpose other than alienate. (Thailand Business Guide, 2010) 6.3 Cross Culture (United States Thailand) According to the research carried out its clear that from one country to another their business practises diverge. Culture in one country can be different from one another. What is suitable in the US will not be applicable in Thailand. Certain practises used by Becker will not be applicable in Thailand. His success in previous organizations can be a failure in the Regency. Understanding organizational culture at all levels is important because the culture points out both appropriate and inappropriate behaviours of the employees. According to the case Becker wanted his employees to think out of the box. He expected the employees to be creative, innovative and to make judgments to satisfy guest needs. Throughout my research I identified that being innovative and creative will help to achieve organizational goals. The culture Becker previously worked is a culture based on innovation and creativity. With his new placement in a different country (culture) he implemented the same theory assuming he will succeed. Contrary to the culture in Thailand and the US, the existing employees were used to a different organizational culture from the culture Becker worked previously. According to the case, under the previous management the responsibilities of the employees were to ensure that the instructions from their managers are carried our diligently and conscientiously. Innovation and creativity were discouraged. Indeed, employees were punished for their mistakes and discouraged from trying out ideas that had not been approved by management. As a result, employees were afraid to be innovative and to take risks. This can be due to the normal organizational culture carried out in the industry in Thailand. We assume that they were more task oriented. Team work was not encouraged and individual achievement was encouraged. An organizations culture also determines the way in which employees are rewarded. (Business Management Group, Inc) But without considering the performance of the employees everyone was rewarded with a yearend bonus. Because of this there can be dissatisfaction and un-equality among employees. Management tends to focus on a dominant source of motivation, such as pay, status, or opportunity for personal growth and achievement. The accessibility of management and the ways in which decisions are made are reflections of an organizations culture as well. (Business Management Group, Inc) Empowerment Empowerment can be defined as a term used to express the ways in which employees can make independent decisions without consulting their superiors. Employee empowerment can begin with training and converting a whole company to an empowerment model. Conversely it may merely mean giving employees the ability to make some decisions on their own (Murrell   Meredith) According to the case Becker is a strong believer in empowerment. He believes empowerment increases employee motivation, performance and job satisfaction. He expects employees to go beyond guidelines and make work more effective. According to Becker employee empowerment has always been a successful tool for him in the corporate culture. He believes that by introducing empowerment to the new organization will replicate his previous success in the industry. Implementing empowerment might not work in the new place where it will be difficult to change ones perception and employees will not like to deviate from his/her believes, attitudes and routines. Since empowerment is new to the existing employees they might not understand what Becker is expecting unless he should provide certain trainings to educate his subordinates. On the other hand empowerment will encourage the employees to be innovative, creative and make judgments. Managers believe when they delegate jobs, they are empowering their employees; empowerment is more than simple delegation. It is giving the employees the authority, training and resources to make decisions within defined boundaries. Through these actions, employees gain the power and potential to both grow and strengthen the company  (Weiss, W. H.) Existing employees at Regency had to go through administrative control which result more bureaucratic procedures in the organization. The front-counter employees needed to seek approval from their manager before they could upgrade guests to another category of room. The front-counter manager would then have to write and submit a report to the general manager justifying the upgrade With Beckers implementation of empowerment, the employees will have to follow his instruction if not there will be a contradictory between the employees and the general manager. In the previous management employees were punished for mistakes and they did not have the freedom to be innovative or creative or make decisions on their own. With Beckers new plan the employees might hesitate to adopt directly according to the change if relevant training and briefing isnt done appropriately. So Becker should communicate fully in order to build confidence among the fellow employees. 7.1 Advantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Gives more freedom for the employees to be innovative, creative and make decisions End output will be more effective More flexibility within the organization Motivated employees creates a good working environment 7.2 Disadvantages of implementing Empowerment at the Regency Fear about job security when the lower level employees in the organization have power/authority the existing managers will have a fear of losing their jobs. Employees might use the power un-necessarily There will be more people involved in the decision making process which might take more time and disagreement will rise resulting divergence. (Murrell   Meredith) Problems and symptoms Employees had lack of confidence High employee turnover rates within the organization due to delegation of authority With the implement of the new plan Becker did not monitor the progress of the new plan implemented Becker did not have alternatives if the plan of implementing empowerment failed Becker failed to identify/study the corporate culture of Thailand didnt study the culture before implementing new tools to the organization he is not a good consultative leader Assumptions were made without any prove based on personal judgement Employees who displayed initiative and made good decisions in satisfying the needs of the guests rarely received positive feedback from the superiors Becker did not take in to account the feedback he got from several managers the body language (nodding their heads) meant a disagreement to some extent Delegated authority without considering the impairment which will occur within the organization Proper organization structure was not implemented employees didnt know to whom they should report. Lack of organizing, planning and controlling Solutions 9.1 Having alternatives Empowerment is not the only tool to motivate employees in the corporate world.   By using performance appraisals, superiors can praise and recognize the employees at Regency who displayed good innovative and good decisions to satisfy customers. Employees like been appreciated and like to hear the superiors say that they have done a good job. Reward systems for their accomplishments such as incentives, salary increments, yearend bonus for good performers and promotions can be used to motivate employees rather than only using empowerment. A manager should always be transparent and should not be biased when evaluating ones performance. 9.2 Conduct research When implementing a new plan one should always study the culture and identify the need for change. According to the case, Regency was a profit making organization and the need for change was not necessarily important. Without studying the culture Becker implemented empowerment in to the organization based on his personal judgements. To motivate employees at Regency, Empowerment was not the appropriate tool. If prior research was conducted Becker would have introduced different tools to motivate employees. Its very important understand that corporate culture can vary from one country to another. 9.3 Conduct Trainings With the implementation of empowerment employees at Regency was not aware of what exactly they should do and was afraid to be innovative and to take risks due to the bureaucratic procedures conducted by the past management. In order to build confidence in employees, trainings, workshops such as Employee Performance Management trainings can be conducted to educate them about how important empowerment is to succeed in the corporate world. 9.4 Observe the employees By observing the employee superiors can identify what employees should stop doing, what employees should continue doing and what employees should start doing and write reports about relevant employees in order to be more effective and achieve desired goals. 9.5 Have a proper organization structure Becker had lack or planning, organizing and monitoring. He did not monitor after implementing the new plan. Once a new plan has been implemented its important to monitor the progress to see whether it has been effective throughout the organization structure. Close relationship with the employees According to the research Thai people are more relationship oriented so its important that Becker should have a more close relationship with the subordinates. Having meetings at least twice a week is important in order to build up a good relationship. Its important to listen to your subordinates. Active listening guarantees that the other party understood him or her. It is a necessary part of any exchange to motivate employees. 9.7 Decrease employee turnover To decrease employee turnover in future superiors existing should consult ex-employees and discuss the reasons for leaving and make decisions to avoid turnover in future and try to maintain a lower number of employee turnover within the organization. Implement better hiring decisions to fill in the existing gaps. 9.8 Keep employees up-to-date Its important to keep the employees informed about all changes that may affect them. When implementing tools within the organization its important that you make them aware about every single rule and regulation in order to avoid stress and un-efficiency. Recommendation Considering the above solutions the most appropriate recommendation is to first identify the difference between organizational cultures and when implementing new business practises its important to train and provide sufficient information to the employees in an organization. Conclusion The purpose of this report was to diagnose the problems in this case using organisational behaviour concepts and recommend solutions to overcome or minimise the problems and symptoms in this case. There are several solutions identified in order to minimise the problems and symptoms occurred during the implementation of empowerment at the Regency. Using several organizational behaviour concepts to diagnose the problems at the Regency, such as motivation, organizational culture, employee empowerment, crosses cultural effect and change. The report found out that what may be applicable in one culture will not always be applicable/suitable in a different organizational culture. Empowerment was not effective in Thailand though it was effective and gave excellent results in the US. There are a number of contradictory findings among different authors and therefore due to a lack of clear findings at this stage it is not possible to definitively state whether empowerment is the only method of motivating the workforce. Monitoring the progress once a new plan is implemented will greatly increase efficiency and productivity within the organisation. Having alternatives will have a great deal to do with the organizations progress and how it handles the various unexpected situations such as employee turnover and low profitability. Planning, organizing and monitoring the organization are important tools in order to succeed.

Overall Basis :: essays research papers

On an overall basis, total assets increased from a projected balance of $115MM on January 1, 2002 to $159MM on December 31, 2002. The investment securities portfolio is anticipated to be $19MM as of December 31, 2002. Projected loan volume increase during 2002 is from $92MM to $127MM. Cash and Cash Equivalents Due From Banks – With the loan portfolio increasing by nearly $35MM and total deposits projected to increase by $27MM, a larger cash letter is anticipated. Due From Banks – Int Bearing – These funds are primarily FHLB deposits. The budget reflects a decrease in the balance by $100M per month during the entire year. The decrease is due to servicing interest on the advances netted against security interest payments. Fed Funds Sold – Plug. Pending Loan Disbursements – With the increase in loan production for 2002, the % of PLD to total cash and cash equivalents is anticipated to double from 14% at 1/1/02 to 28% at 12/31/02. Investment Securities With the exception of Equity Securities, each security type retains its pro rata share of the entire portfolio at both the beginning of the year and at year end. No assumptions are made for called securities. Each security type reflects the maturing schedule as provided by HFW. Securities are added to the portfolio randomly. Equity Securities are increased when a new FHLB advance is added. Loans Commercial Loans – The total C/L portfolio reflects new loan volume of $23.5 million during 2002. This growth is reduced by an anticipated prepayment rate of 21.28%. Consumer/H.E. Loans – Growth in this area parallels the growth in total assets (39.13%). Mortgage Loans – The total M/L portfolio reflects new loan volume of $42MM during 2002. Again, this growth is reduced by an anticipated prepayment rate of 21.28%. Mortgage Loan Pools – One new pool ($300,000 per pool) is added to the portfolio from April through December. In addition, the prepayment rate of 21.28% applies. Other Loans and Overdrafts – Growth in this category parallels the growth in total assets (39.13%). Reserve for Loan Losses – Computed at 1.5% of Gross Loans. Fixed Assets & Other Assets Bank Premises & Equipment – Monthly activity reflects a $40,000 increase reflecting beginning of year purchases. Subsequent purchases are slated in April, June, September, and December at $10,000 for each quarter. Monthly depreciation is estimated at approximately $15,000 per month. ORE – Other Real Estate is calculated at 2% of net loans. Interest Earned not Collected – The monthly balance is a percentage of gross loans.

Actors and Actresses of the 50s: Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon B

In the 50s, several things happened to shock and awe the entertainment business; such as the invention of the teleprompter, TV’s first soap opera, â€Å"The Little Rascals† TV show, and the â€Å"I Love Lucy† TV show. But the most important thing about the entertainment in the 50s was the actors and actresses. Through out the 50s there were hundreds of actors and actresses. To name a few Vivien Leigh, Audrey Hepburn, Marlon Brando ,Grace Kelly, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Burt Lancaster, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Dandridge, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Doris Day. Each of these performers have received Oscars nods for their played roles. Audrey Hepburn was born on May 4, 1929 in Belgium. Hepburn was a cosmopolitan from birth as her father was an English banker and her mother a Dutch baroness. In the movies she appeared as a delicate adolescent, a look which remained until her last movie Always (1989) directed by Steven Spielberg. Her career as actress began in the English cinema and after having been selected for the Broadway musical "Gigi" she debuted in Hollywood in 1953. With Roman Holiday (1953) she won an oscar; her favorite genres were the comedies like Sabrina (1954) or Love in the Afternoon (1957). At the end of the sixties she retired from Hollywood but appeared from time on the set for a few films. From 1988 on she worked also for UNICEF. Born Marlon Brando, Jr. on April 3, 1924 in Omaha, Nebraska to a calcium carbonate salesman and his artistically inclined wife Dorothy, "Bud" Brando was one of three children. An enigmatic superstar widely regarded as America's greatest actor, Marlon Brando has been a Hollywood icon since the early 1950s. Brando was by all accounts "difficult" even as a youngster, having been expelled from sev eral schools, including a military academy. Upon being prodded by his father to find some direction for himself, he chose to follow his muse to New York. Brando made his debut on the boards of Broadway. Brando was invited by talent scouts to screen test for the studios they represented, but it came to naught as he refused to be bound by the then-standard seven-year contract. Brando made his screen debut in The Men (1950), studying for his part as an embittered paraplegic by lying in bed for a month at a veterans' hospital. The following year Brando reprised his characterization for the adapt... ...ied eight times. Taylor is considered one of the last, if not the last major star, to have come out of the old Hollywood studio system. And not just any studio, the top of the heap: MGM. Her early movies, as a child in the early 1940s, starred such Hollywood luminaries as Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy. She quickly grew up, however, and by 1950 was, if not starring in, assuming major responsibilities for the success of motion pictures she appeared in. Then with major roles onscreen, came worldwide attention off-screen, most notably due to a succession of famous and/or rich husbands and a series of health crises throughout her life. To put it simply, Elizabeth Taylor has lived a life far more exciting and dramatic than any movie she's ever appeared in and probably most any other movie you could name. She's known internationally for her beauty, especially for those violet eyes, with which she captured audiences early on in her youth and has kept the world hooked on ever since. She's won the Oscar twice and she's earned her place in and out of the sun. These actors and actresses are just a few of the many remembered and celebrated talents in the entertainment business of the 50s.

Laocoon and His Sons

This essay is an attempt to address the marble sculpture commonly known as Laocoon and His Sons, and why exactly I believe it to be a work of high art, of great value and significance to the species. Laocoon and His Sons is a marble sculpture representing a scene that is a part of the tale of the siege and invasion of Troy. Laocoon was the protagonist in a play by Sophocles that is now lost. He was also written about by Virgil.The statue itself is one of the most famous sculptures of Greek and Roman antiquity, its subject is Laocoon, a Trojan high priest, who, along with his two sons, is – according to legend – attacked and killed by two snakes, or sea serpents. The tale is known as myth, but its content may have symbolic roots in actual historical happenstance. No one is quite sure as of yet how much of that myth may or not be so. The scene depicts Laocoon, the chosen priest of Neptune for the city of Troy, and his sons, in their death throws, overcome by an enormous s erpent. Cursed by the gods for either impiety – 3 ccording to Sophocles – or for warning the Trojans of the danger of the Trojan horse – according to Virgil, the serpents were dispatched to do away with Laocoon ‘I tell you there are Greeks hiding in here, shut up in all this wood, or else it is a siege engine designed for use against our walls, to spy on our homes and come down on the city from above, or else there is some other trick we cannot see. Do not trust the horse, Trojans. Whatever it is, I am afraid of Greeks, even when they bear gifts. ’ (Virgil, 2003, p. 26) The scene depicted is the wrath of the gods in action.The turmoil of the scene, the hopeless agony on the faces of the figures, is so charged with emotion that the forms seem truly alive. This is the first time this caliber of realism is reached in Greek art, in all known human sculpture up to this point in history; and many would submit that it has never been surpassed. The action a ddressed in this sculptural scene animates it to the point that one forgets that this is apparently an idealized figure born from myth. The despair and pain in Laocoon’s eyes seem to be a pleading to the very gods that doomed him – in his final moments, asking ‘Why have you forsaken me? Achieving this sort of beyond-human realism through the sculpting of marble is particularly remarkable, as marble is known as a notoriously difficult medium to deal with, especially considering the simple tools the artists would have at hand to form this creation. But, the medium, once utilized correctly by skilled hands, is like no other, and has a powerful tone to it. Marble is slightly radioactive, and with statues like Laocoon and His Sons, that radiation can truly be felt. This piece is indeed a testament to Greek craftsmanship, and to the classical Greek culture that is ensouled in this piece.In Pliny the Elder’s Natural History, Pliny describes the sculpture and rete lls of his experience of seeing it in Rome some time during the first century CE. However, Pliny doesn’t give an exact date for the creation of the statue – which is unknown. He mentions it was in the palace of the Emperor Titus, and 4 describes it as Laocoon and his children being strangled. From his point of view it was a far superior piece of art to anything else made; paint, bronze or stone. It may have been originally bronze and the marble version a copy, but this is unclear.Pliny states that it was carved from a single block of marble; by Agesander, Polydorus, and Athenodorus of Rhodes. But, it is pretty clear that the sculpture is not made from one single piece of marble. Does this sully Pliny’s account? Was there another version which he was referring to? History is hearsay. We can’t be sure. One of the pieces defining characteristics, what makes it such a marvel, is how the physique is anatomically perfect. This speaks of a highly developed cultu re, with an intricate understanding of anatomy and physiology. But, also of a culture that privileges physical strength and beauty.The Greeks of the time were either artists or warriors, or often both, so strength and beauty were central in their world. Laocoon and His Sons is a much more naturalistic piece than earlier Greek works; in which the figures were often idolized; lacking luster, life, emotion, humanity. Cleobis and Biton, a set of sculptures from the Archaic Period, exemplify this quite well; posing, rigid, golem like figures; lacking the humanity they are supposed to represent. The Hellenistic baroque style of Laocoon and His Sons gives us a much more true-to-life representation in comparison to earlier works.This work has inspired artists and regular humans alike down through the centuries, one of whom it is particularly well known to have influenced greatly was Michelangelo; as can be seen in some of his pieces; e. g: The rebellious Slave. I summation, I think this pie ce is truly of note to art historians. Above, I have highlighted some reasons I think this is the case. Bibliography: Virgil, (reprint) 2003. The Aeneid. London: Penguin Classics. Pollitt, J. J. 2006. Art in the Hellenistic Age. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 5 Pliny, Natural History XXXVI. iv. 37

Impact of International Trade in Nigeria Essay

Several countries have achieved growth through an export–led strategy. Small economies in particular have very little opportunity to achieve productivity and efficiency gains to support growth. Without tapping into larger markets through external trade, Nigeria’s relatively large domestic market can support growth but alone, cannot deliver sustained growth at the rates needed to make a visible impact on poverty reduction. Hence Nigeria has continued to rely on foreign markets as well (World Bank, 2002). Many economists generally agree that openness to international trade accelerates development. The more rapid growth may be a transition effect rather than a shift to a different steady state growth rate. Clearly, the transition takes a couple of decades or more, so that it is reasonable to speak of trade openness accelerating growth rather than merely leading to a sudden one time adjustment in real income (Dollar and Kraay, 2001). Economic growth means an increase in the average rate of output produced per person usually measured on a per annum basis. The relationship between trade and growth is envisaged through an export – led growth strategy, following the theory that sustained trade is the main engine of economic growth.

Skills audit

Level use the following scale to rate the skills checklist, Please fill In the sheet as accurately as possible so as to get the maximum benefit from the exercise; Your skill In the area 1 unskilled 2 very poor 3 poor 4 passable 5 adequate 6 satisfactory 7 good 8 very good 9 excellent 10 outstanding Importance In vocational area Irrelevant 2 unnecessary 3 a little relevant 4 relevant 5 of some use 6 useful 7 beneficial 8 very beneficial 9 valuable 10 essential Interpersonal skills My skill Importance Difference In ratings Able to Interact successfully with a wide range of people.Knows how to interpret & use body engage 9 7 10-1 -3 10 Oral communication skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Presents information & ideas clearly with content & style appropriate for the audience. Presents opinions & ideas in an open & objective way 107 +3 Counseling skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Responds to what others have said in a non-judgmental way. Builds trust & opennes s in others 9 10-1 Teaching & training skills My skill Importance Difference In ratings Able to help others gain knowledge & skills.Able to create an effective learning environments 6 Gives feedback in a constructive way. Helps others to increase their knowledge or kills 9 10-1 Financial skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Able to keep accurate financial records. Able to manage a budget 6 10-4 Persuading skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Communicates effectively to Justify a position or influence a decision.Able to sell products & promote ideas 8 9 -1 Care giving skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Able to empathic with others; able to give sensitive care to people who need it 9 10-1 Computer skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Able to use a variety of software programs; knowledge about social media, desk top publishing or web design 106 +4 Customer service skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Able to build a relation ship of mutual trust with clients.Able to handle complaints & concerns in a sensitive way 10 100 Planning skills My skill Importance Difference in ratings Able to plan projects, events & activities; able to establish objectives, needs & options. 108 +2 Research skills skill Importance Difference in ratings Knows how to find & collect relevant information; able to analyses data, summaries findings & write a report 8 8 0 Write down the skills where you have the highest negative scores: Able to keep accurate financial records. Able to manage a budget. (6) Able to help others gain knowledge & skills.Able to create an effective learning environment. (7) Knows how to find & collect relevant information; able to analyses data, summaries findings & write a report. (8) Which THREE skills are the most important to address for your vocational area? 1 Able to interact successfully with a wide range of people. Knows how to interpret & use body language. 2 Communicates effectively to Justify a po sition or influence a decision. Able to sell products & promote ideas. 3 Able to build a relationship of mutual trust with clients. Able to handle complaints & concerns in a sensitive way.How are you going to improve? For skill 1 – I will connect instantly with someone I. E shake hands. I will also show agreement, mirror expressions and postures. For skill 2 – I will Develop a listening strategy. Overall, I can personalize my sales points, preferences and needs. For skill 3 – I will practice empathy. Putting myself in the position of another person will allow me to see things from a different perspective. When people feel understood, they tend to be less combative, leading to greater understanding and unity.