Stock Market of China and USA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Stock Market of China and USA - Essay Example For 20 years America has been borrowing unprecedented quantities of money to play its stock-market casino. Even after the latest falls, the US stock market is worth 120 per cent of GDP, compared with 40 per cent for much of the 1980s, and far above its previous peak of 72 per cent in 1972. Meanwhile, the US trade deficit stands at a record 4 per cent of GDP; no country has ever been able to sustain a deficit on this scale for long. The US currently absorbs 64 per cent of all global capital flows to finance its deficit. Capital has been sucked out of the rest of the world, including many developing countries, to enable America to indulge itself. It is no coincidence that Citicorp, the giant US bank, has its largest branch outside New York in Buenos Aires. For years Americans deluded themselves that they were actually making this money rather than borrowing it. With the ever-rising stock market fuelling the illusion of wealth, they embarked on an orgy of personal spending, building up an average credit-card debt of $7,000 per household and allowing the proportion of their incomes saved to fall below zero for the first time since the 1920s. But now the casino has closed for business, and America finds that it has run out of chips. And then there is China. This year its economy will grow by 8 per cent, and with the vast majority of its GDP dependent upon domestic trade, it remains well insulated from the downturn in the global economy. Moreover, earlier this month China joined the World Trade Organisation, a momentous event utterly eclipsed by events in America.

Recycling problems in Kazakhstan Essay Example for Free

Recycling problems in Kazakhstan Essay According to Suleimen and Edil (2014), in Kazakhstan, there is no enough convenience in order to recycle waste and other used materials. Only one percent of waste is reprocessed and there is no any progress to improve this situation. The figure shows that quantity of waste is 1,000 for each of our 17 million residents. This is mainly because Kazakhstan is a very large country comparing with European country and there is no shortage of space. Another reason could be industrial waste – much of it toxic is simply dumped or buried. Recent statistics show that more than 22 billion tons of waste have been accumulated in Kazakhstan. Annually, up to 400 million 3 tons of industrial waste are generated and up to 20 million meters of household waste. Moreover, there is the absence of a culture to collect garbage and to throw trash to right place among the population of the country. (Saliqjanova, 2016). The main causes of littering are ignorance, laziness, people don’t realize the effects of littering and in other words, there is no any container for each recyclable product (e.g. paper, plastic, and glass) in the streets of Kazakhstan. Therefore, people continue to throw mixed household waste which takes time to separate them into certain material as well as it would be hard to send directly recycling enterprises. Growing of the world population have been affecting on waste problems meaning that new packaging and technological products are being developed, in fact, much of these products contain materials that are not biodegradable. For example, according to statistics, plastic bags  take  10-1000 years to decompose, while plastic bottles can take  450 years or more. (LeBlanc, 2017). In such cases, recycling is essential as waste has a huge negative impact on the natural environment. Firstly, poor waste management and recycling lead to increasing landfill waste and these landfill waste contain many hazardous, chemical substance. â€Å"Methane is a very potent greenhouse gas, up to 20 times more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide,† according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (as cited Newton, 2017). Therefore, methane emissions from landfill sites can potentially exacerbate  climate change particularly global warming. Second effect of landfill waste is considered to be air and water pollution. According to Beisenova (2010), most part of Kazakhstan’s water supply has been polluted by industrial runoff and waste, for example, approximately 35-40 percent of Syr-Darya river is contaminated with industrial and communal wastewaters. Third effects of poor recycling and waste management detrimentally impact on biodiversity. The Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests informs that the growing of a landfill site means the loss of approximately 30 to 300 species per hectare. (as cited Newton, 2017).Therefore, many species of animals such as mammals birds had decreased last recent years. In order to refute this situation, all of the country on the planet should take serious measures. https://waste-management-world.com/a/kazakhstan-better-waste-management-infrastructure-regulations-needed In Kazakhstan, only one percent of waste is reprocessed and it is a figure which is scarcely rising. http://vtorothodi.ru/utilizaciya/problema-bytovyx-otxodovhttp://carecnet.org/assets/images/1_28_Information booklets on municipal waste.pdf Our country, in fact, has practically no facilities for processing recyclable material. Industrial waste – much of it toxic is simply dumped or buried. The amount of waste is now equivalent to 1,000 tonnes for every one of our 17 million citizens. https://www.greenchoices.org/green-living/waste-recycling/environmental-impactshttps://www.nap.edu/read/10240/chapter/15https://www.earthsfriends.com/why-recycling-important/ https://www.thebalance.com/how-long-does-it-take-garbage-to-decompose-2878033 stsssThe Effects of Landfills on the Environment By John Newton; Updated April 25, 2017

Loss of Innocence in Frankenstein :: Frankenstein essays

Loss of Innocence in Frankenstein In the novel "Frankenstein," Victor Frankenstein is the creator of a "monster." Because of his thirst for knowledge, he goes too far and creates a huge monster, which he immediately rejects. This rejection plays a major part in the monster's hatred for humans. The author, Mary Shelley, supports the theme, loss of innocence, through plot, setting and characterization. This paper will explain the many ways that the characters lost their innocence throughout the novel. The plot deals with the conflict that is inside Victor Frankenstein, who produces a monstrous creature. Victor is disgusted at the site of the creature he has created. "I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived"(43). After Victor rejects the monster, he meets a family that brings out his sensitive side. When these people reject him, the creature destroys everything in sight. "I was like a wild beast that had broken the toils, destroying the objects that obstructed me and ranging through the wood with a staglike swiftness"(121). The innocent Justine is accused of a murder, committed by the creature, and dies, therefore increasing Victor's feelings of guilt and his need for revenge. Victor makes it his mission to destroy the monster, who has been ruining his life. The monster threatens to be there with Victor on his wedding night. Vic tor interprets this as a threat against his own life, but instead finds his wife, Elizabeth, murdered. "She was there, lifeless and inanimate, thrown across the bed, her head hanging down and her pale and distorted features half covered by her hair"(179). The next paragraph discusses how loss of innocence was portrayed through setting. When Victor is seventeen, he leaves for the University of Ingolstadt, where he spends six years. He creates the monster in an old deserted house in this city. It is when he rejects the monster that he begins to lose innocence. "I did not dare return to the apartment which I inhabited, but felt impelled to hurry on, although drenched by the rain which poured from a black and comfortless sky"(44).

response to Naomi Wolf :: essays research papers

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What modern society dictates women should look like has had a great impact on commonplace women and how they feel they should look and act. I have no doubt a huge problem exists in society as a result of this. I think it has resulted in women being put to the side in terms of advancement. It also evokes a sense of low self-esteem. Little girls everywhere are brought up in front of an image they can never achieve. A truly ideal woman is one who has the confidence in herself to know that she is beyond that image. The key word there is confidence. Unfortunately, the magazine cover industry breaks confidence with its portrayals of thin, tall women. The ideal magazine cover woman is an unattainable fallacy. However, there is no guilty party to be blamed for this fact. Faulting the companies putting that image to use is unjust. The idea that women are subjected to an unfair amount of pressure as a result of the fashion world and other media outlets is hardly new, but Naomi Wolf takes this claim to a new and absurd level. Her essay is as unorganized as it is impractical. Her ideas are presented in a smorgasbord of flawed logic. Particularly disturbing is what she calls the â€Å"beauty myth.† What I disagree with is the word myth. According to Wolf, women in magazines and advertisements have approximately 20% less body mass than that of the average woman, creating an unattainable standard. This fact in no way supports her claim of a â€Å"beauty myth.† The existence of a myth suggests something to be untrue in nature. Magazine companies and advertisement agencies are not in the business of showing an average woman. They are in the business of selling a product. Of course they are going to use beautiful people. These companies completely regard the fact that most women do not in fact look like t his, but they know that their product would be less appealing if they displayed average or unattractive women. Therefore, they do not deserve scrutiny over the fact that they do not present a typical woman. They in fact do the same for men. Wolf says, â€Å"The beauty myth is not about women at all. It is about men’s institutions and institutional power† (page 485, first new paragraph). How does one begin to say how warped this impression is?

Ap World Midterm Study Guide

1. Hinduism- Caste System, Enlightenment, no holy book, no single founder, India, polytheistic, Buddhism- India, no caste system, egalitarian, Siddhartha Gautama, missionaries, Nirvana, Eight fold path, four noble truths, Enlightenment Christianity-Monotheistic, Jesus, Bible, Jerusalem, Missionaries, Heaven and Hell 2. Domestication of Animals, Complex societies, Specialization, Cities, Government, Religion, Record Keeping, Social Classes, Technology 3. Located near rivers, Agriculture, irrigation, Rulers, social hierarchy, 4. Development of Agriculture and Domestication 5. Democracy, Representative, voting, Senate, ruler 6. Buddhism- Zen Buddhism, Filial Piety, Hinduism-not syncretic Christianity-Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Lutheran 7. Size, Bureaucracies, Emphasis on Family, Roads, Religions, Han-Confucianism, Rome-Christianity, 8. Nomadic, Clans, Wars over oasis, no central religion, Chiefs of clans, 9. Pray every day towards Mecca, Alms giving, Hajj to Mecca, fasting, Declaration of Faith 10. In Arabian peninsula spread through trade and missionaries, contagious 11. Sense of Unity, peace among the clans, sacred texts were stored 12. Housewives 13. Each invasion caused the capital to move north 14. LEFT BLANK 15. LEFT BLANK 16. Missionaries 17. Started to decline 18. Many were animistic, salt as a substitute for gold 19. Christian, rich due to slaves 20. United the people 21. Arabian Peninsula, Red or Black sea, 22. Barter 23. Major trade routes influenced Kiev Russia 24. Structures, law codes, bureaucracy 25. Patriarch held power, rituals, priest celibacy, orthodox priests could marry, excommunication each other in 1054 26. Similar to china, emperor ordained by god, head of church and state, practiced lay investiture, women eld imperial throne (exe Empress Theodora and Zoe), byzantine bureaucrats recruited from all classes, recruited troops, empire depended on Constantinople 27. Lost land, economic decline, Constantinople fell 28. Social examination, formal 29. Used to regain the holy land, last crusade sacked Constantinople, pope ordered it, increase of trade, established religious capital 30. Lords and vassals, serfs, relied on agriculture, fiefs, 3 field system, technology advancements 31. Religious Leaders- Pope, Bishops, Priests, Pope Urban II, Gregory IV, Literary Leaders- Chaucer, Machiavelli, Thomas Aquinas Philosophical Leaders- Saint Clare, Saint Francis 32. Trade increase, manufacturing, territorial gain, 33. both had slaves, West Africa relied on Hunting and gathering, South America had agriculture, 34. Disease, gunpowder 35. Peasants, kings 36. Wars, trade, military 37. Indians, hunter gatherer 38. Aztecs conquered the toltecs 39. Anti-Buddhist, rejected 40. Status of women decreased 41. Unification by Wendi, ended famine, lowered taxes, Yang Di overworked peasants 42. Better examination system, paper money, plow, grand canal, junk ships 43. Male dominance, revival of Confucianism 4. Both had a bureaucracy and examination exam, Chinese had a dynastic succession, Europeans had a fight for power, in china empresses are possible, 45. Peasants reduced to serfdom, over worked, 46. Yi, Koryo, Silla 47. Manorial System, everyone had an important society, 48. Military Elites eventually became part of the imperial court 49. Dynasties, all modeled after Chinese except for Vietnam 50. Women w ere almost equal to men, herded a lot, warlike 51. Golden Horde-affected Russia Empire of Kublai Khan-China Ilkhan- Persia Djagatai –central Asia 52. Mongols cut Russia off, inhibited culture and technology, Mongols destroyed the Islamic heartland 53. Tumens 1k cavalries 54. Harsh, no prosperity, short-lived, smaller conquests 55. Clothing, Arabians spread religion to Indians, Arabs spread technology to Europe, Europeans wanted to trade with India 56. Peasant uprisings, high taxes, abuse of power, Mongol threat, economic decline 57. Increase trade, conquest, Portuguese freed Ethiopians from Islam 58. Increased influence through the arts, Enlightenment, Literature by Machiavelli and others 59. Disease, slave trade, fall of many civilizations 60. Technology, Animals, Leadership, Conquest 61. World Trade, Slaves 62. Decreased population, Inflation, Competition 63. Guns, Boats, Technology 64. Core Area-main area of power in country, Dependent Zone- are dependent on core areas 65. Australia, 66. God doesn’t influence life, people control their own life 67. Based on scientific findings, god wasn’t involved 68. Against sacraments, against priest celibacy, protested against the Catholics, 30 years war, more conflicts, 69. Sell more than you buy, everyone tried to sell their wares 70. Louis the XIV suppressed the nobility, gained all the power, spread around 71. Russia had a smaller economy, Russia was technologically limited, Russia was bigger, exerted more power 72. Tsar suppressed the local nobility 73. Westernization, too much imports, not enough exports 74. Brutal, overworked, not advanced in technology, 75. Serfdom in Russia, Slaves in Western Europe, absolute monarchies in both 76. Militaristic, White, strong leadership, imperialistic 77. Discovery of gold and silver, inflation 78. Plantations, slaves, 79. Imaginary North to South line, separates Spanish and Portuguese colonies 80. Based on plantations, silver mining, slave trade 1. Replaceable, easy to attain, cheap, complimentary industries flourished 82. Gun slave trade, internal strife, dominance, War for slaves 83. Set up ports, applied own rules, controlled coast, supplied arms, 84. Common sense 85. Decrease in males, increase in polygamy, decrease in labor 86. Powerful, lots of land, Good government, 87. A bigot, 88. Internal strife, Isma’il took power 89. Under safavids treated poorly, under the ottomans treated well 90. Cared less about the dynasties progress and more over the arts, 91. Difference-religion, Similarity- education and learning,

Business Environment Example

Business Environment Example Business Environment – Coursework Example PESTEL on the behavior of VAA or Virgin Atlantic Airlines Political factors Like other private airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airlines is subject to numerous government regulation for political, economic, and safety concerns. For instance, Air passenger tax by government results to increase in air travel prices and such price increments could discourage passengers from opting to travel. As a result, the airline is directly impacted. The impact is that airline industry functioning and the universal policies on environmental emissions are violated. Further, some nations offer unfair benefit and charge lower than market situation.Economic factorsFuel policies result to increased fuel prices that affect the airline industry including fuel supply thereby affecting airline sustainability (Halpern and Graham 55). Other factors economically affecting airline industry include terrorist attacks, and environmental restriction in terms of security and insurance costs. However, globalization is expect ed to continue boosting long term air traffic especially in growing markets like East Asia and China. For Virgin Atlantic Airlines, expanding into these markets will boost profitability.Technological factors Virgin Atlantic Airlines value technology in its airplanes and its engineers ensures that the best technology is used to improve security, entertain passengers waiting for arrival, including video entertainment through individual screens for every seat. According to Doyle and Bridgewater (64), innovation in marketing has played a key role in marketing the company’s launch of new products and system innovation especially through the company’s webpage and social media. Additionally, the company’s onboard entertainment offers numerous video and audio channels leaving the passenger to choose. The company also uses e-marketing, and internet marketing for online bookings and information.Social factors Since Virgin Atlantic Airline operates in numerous regions in t he world, the company is keen to keep in touch with different cultural aspects, customer attitudes, seasons and cuisines (Halpern and Graham 55-57). For each region, social factors represent variable attitudes which the company uses to price and shape its services. For instance, holidays seasons result to increased passenger traffic and VAA has to be aware of and ready to serve its customer base.Doyle, Peter and Susan Bridgewater. Innovation in Marketing. London: Routledge, 2012.Fleisher, Craig and Babette Bensoussan. Analysis without paralysis : 12 tools to make better strategic decisions. Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Press, 2013.Halpern, Nigel and Anne Graham. Airport Marketing. London: Routledge, 2013.

FLOOD PLAIN ETHICS THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN UTILITARIANISM AND ALDO LEOPOLD8217S LAND ETHICS essays

FLOOD PLAIN ETHICS THE CONFLICTS BETWEEN UTILITARIANISM AND ALDO LEOPOLD8217S LAND ETHICS essays This paper will discuss the conflicts between the utilitarian ethical theory and the ethical theory put forth by Aldo Leopold known as The Land Ethic. The question chosen to express the philosophical differences central in the two theories is, what should we do with flood plain land use? The land use issue in general requires careful consideration. The flood plain land use issue illustrates the utilitarian and Aldo Leopolds Land Ethic philosophical conflicts. Utilitarianism derives from: 1) Actions which result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people. 2) Promote efficiency by comparing actions. 3) of Our judgments are universalizations (Van DeVeer, 1998). An example is the laws passed that try to please everyone which result in confusion. The first doctrine evaluates options based on whether their consequences produce happiness or unhappiness. That is, we judge what actions give us the most happiness with the least pain the utilitarian calculus. We sum the goods, positives and then the bads, negatives. Then subtract the negatives from the positives. This result must have a net good for the action to be considered right, however, this is not without weaknesses. A principal weakness is that by concentrating on consequences in the interest of broad human welfare, individual human rights can be trampled. Another weak point to this theory is, that in order to properly maximize happiness, we need to have a way to qu antify the amount of happiness produced by an act and a way to compare those results with the happiness produced by other possible acts (Griffin, 1998). "How do we measure pleasure? We connect enjoyment with preference fulfillment and associate this with the capacity to purchase those preferences in the marketplace. Measuring the fulfillment by the dollar amount used obtaining the preferences. In addition, the defining of happiness may be impossible. This ...

Affirmative Action Programs in the Hiring Process

Affirmative Action Programs in the Hiring Process Affirmative action programs used in the hiring process can be discussed as the policies which are developed to promote and maintain the equality among the employees according to their gender, race or the national origin. From this point, the hiring process which is based on the affirmative action program is effective for contributing to the workforce diversity within the definite company (Taylor, 1991).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affirmative Action Programs in the Hiring Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Should the hiring officials who are oriented to the affirmative action programs hire minorities to balance diversity at workplaces? Although the principles of the affirmative action programs are actively argued with references to the issue of discrimination and its effects, basing on the data collection and qualitative studies, it is possible to state that it is necessary to hire the representatives of th e minority groups to realize the affirmative action program completely. The developed affirmative action programs worked out in companies can be successfully used in the context of realizing the strategy in relation to the workforce diversity when employees are hired in spite of their race, color of skin, gender, and status (Dixon, Roscigno, Hodson, 2004). The workforce diversity is the symbol of the modern business which develops according to the ideas of globalization and multiculturalism (Brady Collier, 2004; Kellough, 2006). Nevertheless, the problem of affirmative action is more controversial in comparison with the general question of the workforce diversity. The aspects of the issue are traditionally examined with the help of the data collection method and qualitative or mixed methods. The data collection method in association with the usage of the affirmative action program is based on collecting the necessary data about the advantages and disadvantages of the policy and th e quantitative characteristics of the process. The hiring officials and HR managers should organize their work depending on the results of the data collection according to which it is possible to concentrate on the information about the employees’ gender, race, ethnicity, and disability.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This information is significant for forming the necessary affirmative action database to regulate the associated issues and workforce diversity. From this point, hiring officials should hire the representatives of minorities with references to the affirmative action programs as the important part of the diagnostic analysis of the workforce and potentials (Tomasson Crosby, 2001). However, qualitative or mixed studies are also important for developing the affirmative action program and for its further realization. It is the employers’ responsibility to follow their affirmative action programs, but the employees’ attitude to the process can be examined with references to the results of the qualitative studies (Axinn Pearce, 2006). For instance, the qualitative methods based on interviews can reveal the tendency to discuss the ineffective affirmative action programs as the representation of a quota system which is beneficial only for employers, but not for employees (Griffin Museus, 2011, p. 83). Interviews and observations are also significant for making conclusions about the potential of the affirmative action programs to overcome the issue of discrimination, for instance, in relation to gender and, as a result, parent status (Correll, Benard, Paik, 2007). The efficiently developed affirmative action programs with references to the required data collection and qualitative methods are effective for employers to follow their hiring strategy. The accents on the affirmative action programs can be also prese nted as the employers’ rejection of any kind of discrimination at the workplace in relation to the workers’ definite qualities and characteristics. Thus, the issue of affirmative action is closely associated with the question of hiring minorities. References Axinn, W. G., Pearce, L. D. (2006). Mixed method data collection strategies. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Affirmative Action Programs in the Hiring Process specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Brady, H. E., Collier D. (2004). Rethinking social inquiry: Diverse tools, shared standards. Lanham, MD: Rowan Littlefield. Correll, S. J., Benard, S., Paik, I. (2007). Getting a job: Is there a motherhood penalty? American Journal of Sociology, 112(5), 1297-1339. Dixon, M., Roscigno, V. J., Hodson, R. (2004). Unions, solidarity, and striking. Sociological Forces, 83(1), 3-33. Griffin, K. A., Museus, S. D. (2011 ). Using mixed methods to study intersectionality in higher education: New directions in institutional research. USA: John Wiley Sons. Kellough, J. E. (2006). Understanding affirmative action: Politics, discrimination, and the search for justice. USA: Georgetown University Press. Taylor, B. R. (1991). Affirmative action at work: Law, politics, and ethics. USA: University of Pittsburgh Press. Tomasson, R. F., Crosby, F. J. (2001). Affirmative action: The pros and cons of policy and practice. USA: Rowman Littlefield.Advertising Looking for essay on public administration? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More

Contact allergy to cinnamon case report Assignment

Contact allergy to cinnamon case report - Assignment Example nickel, palladium, gold and mercury used in dental amalgam may also cause contact stomatitis. Allergic contact stomatitis is classified as type IV hypersensitivity reaction and prone to people who have previously been sensitized to the allergen. Its reaction falls under â€Å"delayed hypersensitivity reaction† as it several hours or even a day for the antigen reaction to become evident. The allergic process occurs in two phases namely the induction phase and the effector phase. In the induction phase, the allergens which have infiltrated and bound themselves to epithelial protein thus forming complexes are phagocytised by macrophages, specialized cells. The cells then move to regional ganglia stimulating production of the memory T lymphocytes. These lymphocytes are responsible for keeping memory of the antigen so as to trigger a more rapid immune response in the event of subsequent occurrences of the antigen. The effector phase is characterised with the activation and production of T lymphocytes (CD4 cells) by the cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8 cells) produces in the fi rst phase. The cytotoxic T lymphocytes bind to the epithelial cells causing the death of cells that present the complexes. There are two basic reasons as to why this condition is not common despite high rates of exposure to the allergens: first, saliva ensures constant cleaning of the mucosa thus minimizing contact time with the allergen; and, second, the high degree of vascularisation of the mucosa increases the rate of antigen absorption, reducing further prolonged exposure to these substances. Contact stomatitis manifest in a number of symptoms which include tissular edema, erythema, cracking, ulcerative areas, hyperkeratosis, desquamation, and vesicles. They manifest in the area that is exposed to the causal agent and may be with or without pain. Its appearance is determined

Guidelines for Risk Assessment Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Guidelines for Risk Assessment - Research Paper Example The result will be the ability to proceed into a business that can expand and overcome dangers of the business without accruing loss in the company. Since Cisco is a security based company for technology, most of the tangible risks are based on the ability to match security threats that occur through technological components. Security vulnerabilities that come from those that are attacking online portals are some of the strongest risks that are incorporated into the company. IT organizations and technological components are both at a risk because of specific technology architectures as well as the main way in which the hardware and software performs. This ranges by the method of attack that occurs on the system, usually which includes new and improved methods that can overcome older attacks while causing damage to the company’s technological components. This is furthered by day zero threats, which include changes in technology that enhance the attacks on technology without responses that can be completed by corporations (Bharania, 2010). The security vulnerabilities through technological attacks are not the only tangible problem within the corporation. There are also other problems that lie within the internal environment of the company, specifically through employee mistakes and unknown factors. Working in the IT industry is also dependent on innovations and new components that can be added into systems for implementation. AS this is done, it increases the amount of risk in the market. Even though there are end to end strategies, meaning that employees have to move through several levels before completing a product, there are still problems that may reach end users. The security, development and innovations that are completed will then have fewer demands and will cause the company to move into a lower rating with offering new securities. Since Cisco is known as a service provider

Major Events in our Country Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Major Events in our Country - Essay Example ople left displaced and unemployed as a result of the hurricane posed a major economic strain on the government, which was forced to come up with tax relief measures for the affected population. Hurricane Katrina did not have positive effects on anyone, although oil and gas producers may have benefitted from the increased prices of the two commodities. The United States economy has in both negative and positive ways, been affected by the influx of illegal immigrants into the country. On the positive side, illegal immigrants as Jacobe writes, expand the American economy by accepting low wages, paying taxes, and spending money (1). However, critics of illegal immigration, according to Jacobe are of the opinion that the government loses a lot of expenditure in providing basic services to these immigrants (1). This is because the taxes paid by the latter are not enough to cover the costs of their basic services. There is also the notion that illegal immigrants take up the jobs originally meant for Native Americans, the reducing the total wages of the latter group. Illegal immigrants arguably get the most benefits, considering the free public services given to them, regardless of the minimal taxes paid by this group. The rate of high school dropouts in America is at an all time high, with data showing that the graduation rate stood at 52 per cent as of 2008 (Fields 1). The effect of this high dropout rate on the national economy is that there are fewer people joining the workforce, hence reduced tax revenue. According to Fields, if the number of high school dropouts was reduced by half, the United States would collect approximately $45 billion in tax revenue per annum (1). The dropouts also suffer economically, in terms of a significant reduction in their lifetime earnings. According to Fields high school graduates have approximately 40 per cent more lifetime savings than their dropout counterparts (1). In this case, therefore, both the federal government and the

Lnk between Literacy and Unemployment Research Paper

Lnk between Literacy and Unemployment - Research Paper Example A five step hypothesis test of data pertaining to the selection will be carried out and a description of the results will be carried out to answer the research question. Research question To what extent does the literacy level in a country impact on its unemployment rate? The sample is obtained from global demographics data about different countries and this information is provided. Since the crux of the report is to establish the link between literacy and unemployment rates in different nations, two countries namely Switzerland and Algeria have been chosen for this study to test the hypothesis. For instance, Switzerland has the lowest unemployment rate while Algeria has the highest rate of unemployment. Therefore, a critical analysis of this raw data will be carried out to test these statistics obtaining on the ground in view of the literacy rates of the respective countries. Formulation of the hypothesis As aptly stated by Struig & Stead (2001), a hypothesis depicts the relationshi p between two or more variables. In some instances, there is no relationship between the variables in a particular research. In this case, the null hypothesis is: There is no link between the literacy level and unemployment rate in a country. ... Hypothesis testing Step 1: The null hypothesis suggests that there is no link between literacy and unemployment rates in a given country and this is represented by H0: ?a= ?b. On the other hand, the alternative hypothesis is of the view that there is a correlation between literacy and unemployment rates in a given country and this is represented by H1: ?a ? ?b . Step 2: It is assumed that the probability of unemployment rate is higher when the literacy level of that particular country is lower. As going to be shown numerically below, the raw data presented is going to be calculated in order to establish if this assertion is true with regards to the stated question in the research problem above. Step 3: Test static value from the sample data provided from the two population proportions namely Switzerland and Algeria is going to be obtained through calculating the mean variance of the data. The table below shows the mean variance of the data between the two countries. Name of country L iteracy rate percentage Switzerland 99% Nigeria 57.1% Mean 78.05 From the statistics obtained from the table above, it can be seen that the mean static value is 78.05% and this is going to be used to evaluate the static. Step 4: The evaluation of the static is based on the mean obtained from the data provided about these two countries. The mean average static is 78.05 and it can be observed that from the raw data about the unemployment rates in the population proportions given, Switzerland has 1.9 % unemployment rate while Nigeria has 28 %. In terms of literacy rate, Nigeria has 57.1 % and is below the mean static of 78.05 % while Switzerland is above the mean static with 99 %. Step 5: from the results obtained above, it can be noted that the null

Audience Analysis Memo Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Audience Analysis Memo - Assignment Example Offering these descriptions have considerable influence on the completion of the presented project since these descriptions provide the focus points. The primary audiences are decision makers of the senior level who include CEOs and other executives involved in global business. The secondary audiences are the middle management that usually facilitates communication between the senior management and workers without management roles (Adebi, 2008). Other audiences may comprise of business players in the industry and regular workers. The audiences have profound educational backgrounds and their job responsibilities may include change management, eradicating barriers and creating an organizational culture (Adebi, 2008). The age ranges between 25-65 years with the gender being well distributed throughout the company’s positions. The audience possesses diversified ethnic background with most being from China, which serves as the host country. The religious beliefs ought to be considered due to the diversity of the employees (Didier, 2002). The audiences have little knowledge concerning the topic and, therefore, require deep training regarding the matter. The audiences have considerable interest regarding the topic and offer positive attitudes towards the topic. The audiences require cross-cultural knowledge, since they have to cope with individuals possessing diverse cultures in China. Therefore, the audiences expect to acquire knowledge concerning cultural diversity, and ways to avert bias at the

Lnk between Literacy and Unemployment Research Paper

Lnk between Literacy and Unemployment - Research Paper Example A five step hypothesis test of data pertaining to the selection will be carried out and a description of the results will be carried out to answer the research question. Research question To what extent does the literacy level in a country impact on its unemployment rate? The sample is obtained from global demographics data about different countries and this information is provided. Since the crux of the report is to establish the link between literacy and unemployment rates in different nations, two countries namely Switzerland and Algeria have been chosen for this study to test the hypothesis. For instance, Switzerland has the lowest unemployment rate while Algeria has the highest rate of unemployment. Therefore, a critical analysis of this raw data will be carried out to test these statistics obtaining on the ground in view of the literacy rates of the respective countries. Formulation of the hypothesis As aptly stated by Struig & Stead (2001), a hypothesis depicts the relationshi p between two or more variables. In some instances, there is no relationship between the variables in a particular research. In this case, the null hypothesis is: There is no link between the literacy level and unemployment rate in a country. ... Hypothesis testing Step 1: The null hypothesis suggests that there is no link between literacy and unemployment rates in a given country and this is represented by H0: ?a= ?b. On the other hand, the alternative hypothesis is of the view that there is a correlation between literacy and unemployment rates in a given country and this is represented by H1: ?a ? ?b . Step 2: It is assumed that the probability of unemployment rate is higher when the literacy level of that particular country is lower. As going to be shown numerically below, the raw data presented is going to be calculated in order to establish if this assertion is true with regards to the stated question in the research problem above. Step 3: Test static value from the sample data provided from the two population proportions namely Switzerland and Algeria is going to be obtained through calculating the mean variance of the data. The table below shows the mean variance of the data between the two countries. Name of country L iteracy rate percentage Switzerland 99% Nigeria 57.1% Mean 78.05 From the statistics obtained from the table above, it can be seen that the mean static value is 78.05% and this is going to be used to evaluate the static. Step 4: The evaluation of the static is based on the mean obtained from the data provided about these two countries. The mean average static is 78.05 and it can be observed that from the raw data about the unemployment rates in the population proportions given, Switzerland has 1.9 % unemployment rate while Nigeria has 28 %. In terms of literacy rate, Nigeria has 57.1 % and is below the mean static of 78.05 % while Switzerland is above the mean static with 99 %. Step 5: from the results obtained above, it can be noted that the null

Demonstrate understanding of the events, circumstances, causes, and Essay

Demonstrate understanding of the events, circumstances, causes, and effects of the significant events of U.S. History Since 1877 - Essay Example One of the events that shaped America history is the 15th amendment that prohibited discrimination or denying the right to vote by American on the excuse of race or colour. This event happened after the whites had passed a legislation that disallowed people of black origin not to vote in elections. Black human rights activists, who put pressure on the government to amend the legislation opposed this move. As a follow up to the 15th amendment, a 19th one was made on the constitution that allowed women to vote in national and local elections. These amendments were made under the congressional reconstruction, which saw the southern states divided into military districts. Under this period, Andrew Johnson was impeached for violating the tenure of office act by removing Staton but the main reason was his defiance for reconstruction of the congress; 18th amendment was also enacted in 1930’s , and it banned production and sale of alcohol in United States of America. Although this ame ndment received huge support from the masses, there were not enough police officers to enact it, and therefore the leaker takers found a way to brew their own beer. With time, the authorities found out that prohibition of production and sale of alcohol contributed a lot to law breaking, this led to the abolishment of the regulation. During the period from 1877 to 1913, United States grew in terms of industrialization to become the leading industrial nation with well-organised railroads, labour and industries. The income of non-farm workers grew by about 75 per cent by 1900 and grew further by 33 per cent by 1918. The first industrial revolution that occurred in America saw production move from artisan to factories, while the second revolution saw the expansion of the factories to in terms of size, coordination and organisation to industry level, which was facilitated by advancements in technology and improvements in transport networks1. New technologies in iron and steel manufacturi ng such as Bessemer process and open-hearth furnace combined with other new technologies in other areas led to increase in productivity. In order to finance these large-scale businesses corporations, mergers, joint ventures of competing firms which created monopolies were a common practice. This period of industrialisation also led to emergence of powerful industrialists such as john Rockefeller, Jay Gould and Andrew Carnegie among other industrialists. The period after 1877 is also referred to as the Gilead age, which was enjoyed by a large number of American elites after the recovery from the 1873 panic, which threatened the industrial revolution in the country. This period was characterised by a massive transfer of wealth, which led to changes in the social organisation in the society as it created a class of super-rich individuals, who controlled the industry and whose networks of business, family and friends ruled the Anglo-Saxon white protestants2. Some reformers started to ar gue that the Gilead age had created corrupt and powerful parties and encouraged voters to participate in the elections. This was evident in voter enthusiasm in elections of 1882 where almost all persons allowed to vote participated in the elections where the main issues were modernization, money, corruption and railroads. Immigration of people from other areas of the world characterised this period up to 1918. It is estimated that about 27.4 million people moved to United States of America in this period with 89 per

A Problem Critical to the Education in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

A Problem Critical to the Education in the 21st Century Essay In the 21st century I believe that inequitable opportunity is the most critical education problem. Inequitable opportunity impacts people of different racial backgrounds in various ways. It limits the knowledge a student receives, the rate at which they learn, funds available to the school, the students ability to succeed in the workforce upon graduating, it even affects the knowledge or lack of knowledge a student learns at home. Though this may affect the teaching staff in ways, minorities from a lower income family are the ones impacted most. These students often fail because they are not prepared for success. Students from a lower social class have fewer resources available to them; therefore they do not make it to the top. Schools in poverty stricken areas receive less funding, and this severely impacts the students. The school is unable to provide students with up to date technology, and the resources needed to compete with their peers from more privileged backgrounds. The school will not be able to provide ESL classes for Latino students. Students will more than likely drop out; the ones who actually manage to graduate will probably be less qualified to perform essential job duties. These students will not be as knowledgeable because they may be using outdated texts, and they are not able to learn how to fully utilize technology needed to survive in today’s workforce. Schools that are in a low income neighborhood do not have modern buildings, the school buildings are very out dated. The air conditioning and heating may not be working properly creating a very uncomfortable learning environment. This may discourage students from wanting to go to school and it definitely does not attract quality faculty. Another issue that impacts the student severely is the lack of parent participation in the education process. This is crucial to the development of the child from a very early age; it is imperative that a parent be involved in preparing their child for life, as well as reinforcing things learned at school. Education starts at home and moves to the public arena where social interaction, behavior skills and knowledge are enhanced. Poor parent participation may be the result of work schedules, transportation issues, language barriers, or suitable clothing. Once again children from low- income families suffer the most. Both parents may have to work just to pay the bills, and in some situations there is just one parent, forcing some students to help care of siblings at after school when they should be focusing on homework or studying. As the child ages less attention will be paid to the individual as class size increases, the number of teachers increase with diverse classes, and overall s ize of the school grows. At this point the child will need extra help completing assignments and requiring encouragement to continue the education process consistently and for the duration through some college. The parent is not exempt from the learning process because of inadequacy or exempt because of poor education. As briefly mentioned earlier, in this setting the teaching staff is likely to be under qualified, once again this impacts the student. By the teaching staff not being qualified the type of skill the students will learn will not be up to par. Classroom Managers should also be aware of how they are engaging their students. They should have high expectations of all of their students. There seems to be a lot of racial stereotyping in minority communities. Teachers should know that all Asian students aren’t smart and that all African American students inferior learners. If teachers establish a high expectation of learning from all of their students and expect all of their students to do well then those expectations will be seen by the student. Students are then able to work at their highest potential and are not limited; a teacher should believe that all students are capable of learning at a higher level. The teacher of the 21st Century need to be more culturally responsible and they need to be more aware of what is going on in the classroom. Educators need to be trained in a way that is going to be more beneficial to the educational process as a whole. For example if a teacher has a classroom where the majority of the students are not being successful then that teacher and/ or teaching techniques should be reevaluated. The classroom is not a place where a student is just given work to perform and the teacher is detached, the classroom of the 21st century needs to be an interactive classroom where teachers and students comes together to share ideas, and engage each other in the learning process. Unless a Teacher can step out of the conventional box and begin to assess themselves and what they actually bring to the classroom, it will not evolve. Teachers should interact with students on a more personal level in the classroom and get to know their students as individuals; some children can get lost in the classroom for a number of reasons; including personal problems at home, and learning disabilities. By being involved more with the student’s teachers are better to adapt to a student that is having problems because they are unable to read well, or a student that is simply having problems seeing the board. Without establishing some type of a relationship with the children it is very hard for a teacher to recognize the problems students are having and how to effectively deal with these problems. Just because a student is unable to keep up with fashion, technology receives free lunch does not mean that this student does not have the ability or the will to learn. There are successful people that grew up in poverty, and have gained success through hard work and education. Everyone should have the same opportunity to receive quality education. Students are taught that education is the key to success, so how can one succeed when the education is not equal to their peers, the ones they will be competing against for their spot in the future. Education is the poor man’s dream to a better life. With minorities and Latinos making up a large amount of students in school the effects of inequitable opportunities has a larger impact on them. Students who come from an inferior social-economic level are just as motivated as students who come from a higher social class. You have Latinos who hardly speak English and are attending schools that are incapable of accommodating them; therefore they do not earn a degree and are forced to take a low paying job. â€Å"Status† may have an impact on a student in a social environment, but in the educational system this should not be a factor. The students from a lower social class are being prepared for failure, while the students from a higher social class are being prepared for success. In the 21st century I believe that inequitable opportunity is the most critical education problem. Recognizing the problem is the first step, however we as a society need to find solution on how to better level the playing field in the educational comm unity in order to make schools work for everyone. One thing we can to is to not only encourage proper funding for schools in low income areas but to also make sure that this funding get appropriated to do what is needed in order to make sure that the children have a proper learning environment. Bills and referendums continue to be passed in education s in order to make sure that schools are up to par but sometimes this money does not get to the prosper schools. Some schools get new buildings and a/c systems while other schools just get paint. We need to come together to demand to our elected officials that something be done about the conditions of certain schools. We need to make sure that these school schools have the materials that they need in order for them to produce successful students. Books need to be provided to every student not only in class but also at home as a reference for homework and studying. Computers need to be provided in these schools so that the students don’t fall behind on technology and become inferior to their peers. We elect these officials and we need to demand that they begin to look out for the betterment of our schools. We should go online and see how they are voting on the issues that affect us. If they are not pushing the type of educational reform that we need in our communities and in our school then we need to elect someone who will. Parents need to become more involved in their students learning. We must understand that a lot of parents are working, and most low income households are being led by a single parent; we need to find a way to get these parents involved to help their children so that they don’t continue to fall behind. Even if it’s just educating them on the process of following up with their elected officials and making sure they vote and their vote counted and is heard. Opening up the schools for parent participation and PTO and PTA meeting on a weekend rather than on a school night would make it easier for parents to become more involved. Also, schools could try social networking, and sending up dates to parents Facebook or Twitter pages to keep them up on what’s going on in the schools. This is a new era and the American household has changed and the educational sytem needs to keep up in order to keep these parents involved and up to date on what’s going in their child’s school. Teacher also need to be developed in the classroom and become more responsible for what is going on and have high expectations for all of their students. This will ensure that all student as are working to their best ability to learn. This can be done by giving existing teachers additional training and giving new teachers the training they need to be successful in the 21st century classroom.

16 And Pregnant | Analysis

16 And Pregnant | Analysis Imagine youre a parent of a 16 year old daughter and one day she comes to you and tells you she is pregnant. How would you react? How would you handle this situation? If you were able to go back in time before this all happened, how would you try to prevent it? Would you ever consider making your daughter watch the hit show on MTV called 16 and Pregnant? Now what if you are the teen who is pregnant, or you are the one responsible for getting your girlfriend pregnant? How do you tell your parents and family? If you were exposed to the reality of having a baby would you have maybe rethought your actions? New research shows that the hit TV show 16 and Pregnant just might be the key to aiding in the prevention teen pregnancy. MTV is known as an entertaining TV station and its shows have been entertaining viewers since 1981. MTVs hit show, 16 and Pregnant first aired in June of 2009 as a new twist to entertainment television. Geared towards teens, the shows popularity caused MTV to release a spin-off called Teen Mom. Teen Mom showcases four teen mothers, off of 16 and Pregnant, who continue their lives with the challenges of being teenage mother. 16 and Pregnant was an instant hit with teen viewers and has been a popular show since it aired last year. It is because of the label entertainers that MTVs new hit TV show 16 and Pregnant has come under public scrutiny. Critics and parents feel that 16 and Pregnant is glamorizing teen pregnancy This show should be defended against public scrutiny because it is proven to help influence teenagers in a positive way. 16 and Pregnant not only shows the hardships of teen pregnancy but also challenges teens to think about the risks of engaging in sexual activities. Hopefully, in the long run the number of teen and unplanned pregnancies will decrease as a result from of teen pregnancy related shows. The show became popular because it was directed to teens from teens.(need to clarify) Mike Rosst, a journalist for The National Campaign, states that the show shares the personal stories of teenage girls who are dealing with pregnancy and parents (Real Life Lessonsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦).   MTVs 16 and Pregnant is the first show of its kind on television. It hasnt been any longer than in the past five years that teen pregnancy hasà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦..not true been exposed as acceptable on TV. Not only has teen and unplanned pregnancy become more acceptable in society, it is now a pop-culture staple. Cathy Gulli proves this point by saying movies like Knocked Up and Waitress, and celebrity moms like Nicole Richie and Jessica Alba, are part of a trend thats sweeping teen cultureà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (Suddenly Teenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Womens Studies Professor at York University, Andrea OReilly, also agrees saying that as an idea, teen pregnancy is more socially accepted (Suddenly Teenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Gulli writes that even Greys Anatomy had a teen pregnancy storyline last year, and just last week so did Gossip Girl (Suddenly Teenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). For once a show is putting into perspective what being a teen mom is like by showing them [viewers] the true goings on of raising a child th rough the first few months, it also helps bring to light the unpleasant parts of pregnancy and childbirth ( Maji 16 and Pregnant). Since this show is about teens and trying to help its viewers, who are mostly teens, teens are able to relate. Ambriel Maji feels that the show portrayed the teen girls in many different lights (16 and Pregnant). Its because the show portrays girls from different parts of the country, different family settingsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦some supportive and some not so much, and different beliefs which every teen can find something to connect with develop ideas further!!! Parents and other critics of the show have come to blame 16 and Pregnant for glamorizing teen pregnancy. They feel that it is wrong that these young teen mothers have become popular for being pregnant. Jo Piazza, writer of I Took a Nap and the Teen Moms Became Celebrities? wonders how she missed out on the moment that teenage moms turned into famous people (16 and Pregnant Sobering for Many Teens). If it werent for 16 and Pregnant these girls would just be ordinary teenage mothers. However, because of the show they are now in the lime light of pop culture. Since the teen mothers have become stars, critics feel that MTV is telling teenagers get pregnant and you too could have your own TV show (The Controversy). It is because of these factors that MTV is seen as glamorizing teen pregnancy. Since the producers of the show cram the stages of pregnancy, childbirth, and the first few months of parenting into one hour, how can the show, 16 and Pregnant, even be beneficial? 16 and Pregnant starts out with the soon-to-be teen mothers nearly ready to deliver the show, then displays twenty-some hours of labor in a few seconds of pencil animation (Lowry). The teen mother never talks about whether or not she considered abortion or how her parents reacted when they found out, the show just goes straight to the action (Lowry). How can teen viewers get the full idea of being a parent when MTV doesnt show the whole truth? Lastly, MTV is criticized for creating an acceptance of teen pregnancy. By creating a show about pregnant teens, the shows creators may be sending the message to teens that it isnt a big deal if they become pregnant. It is proven that teens are often influenced by TV. Actually, according to a study conducted by The National Campaign most teens (79% of girls and 67% of boys) say that when a TV show or character they like deals with teen pregnancy, it makes them think more about their own risk of getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy and how to avoid it (Teen Pregnancy). Parents feel that the popularity of 16 and Pregnant will allow teens to think that teen pregnancy is acceptable. The National Campaign states that research has found that the sexual content in media can influence teens attitudes about sex and contraception and may also influence their sexual behavior (The National Campaign). It is because of this statistic that MTV is teaming up with the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy to create viewing guides on 16 and Pregnant. The 16 and Pregnant viewing guides will hopefully allow parents and educators to start discussions with teens encouraging them to make the right decisions when dealing with their sexual health. These criticisms are all reasonable and valid to some extent. I do believe that the teen mothers on 16 and Pregnant are becoming famous due to their controversial pregnancies. If it werent for the show they would just be a group of 16-year-old girls who got pregnant. Along with becoming famous over being pregnant, 16 and Pregnant does not display to viewers everything that goes on when being pregnant. MTV crams the pregnancy, delivery, and aftermath all into an hour. How can a teen get the real idea when so much is left out? However, the majority of research done on this show proves that despite these criticisms, MTVs 16 and Pregnant is beneficial to its teenage audienceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.interpret the quotes First of all each episode takes an intimate look inside the challenges of being a pregnant teenager. Each episode starts out with a new teen mother starting from the second trimester and follows through the first few months of the babys life. Mike Rosst, writer for Pregnancy Pause, says that the show shares the personal stories of teenage girls who are dealing with pregnancy and parents (Real Life Lessons). Its because of how personal and intimate 16 and Pregnant is that MTV press writer Melissa Barreto, states in her article with statistics showing that three in ten girls in the U.S. will get pregnant before the age of 20, each episode will take and intimate look inside the challenges of being a pregnant teenager(MTV Press release). With statistics showing that 16 and Pregnant is beneficial to its teen viewers, the show could possibly be used as a new way of sex education. Barreto states that 79% of females and 67% of males, report that shows dealing with teen pregnancy make them think about their own risks of getting pregnant or causing pregnancy (MTV Press Release). With that high of a percentage of teenagers being influenced by the show why not try to use it as a way to influence teens to make the right decisions about sex? Barreto also says that in partnership with MTV, The National Campaign will continue to create viewing guides for each episode so educators, key organizations and individuals can use discussion around sexual health and pregnancy with teens(MTV Press Release). Cherly Wetzstein, writer for The Washington Times states that these stories are so heart-rending that one could make the argument that these are the best teen-pregnancy prevention public service announcements ever made' (qtd. Bill Albe rt) 16 and Pregnant can be used to decrease risky sexual behavior and promote healthier decisions among teens. Bill Albert, who is the chief program officer for The National Campaign, states in his article that 16 and Pregnant makes them [teens] think more about their own risk of getting pregnant or causing a pregnancy and how to avoid it (Is Media Glamorizingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). The National Campaign director of research, Katherine Suellentrop, writes in her article that research has found that sexual content in media can influence teens attitudes about sex and contraception and may also influence their sexual behavior which leads to her point that media might also have positive effects by, for example decreasing risky sexual behavior and promoting healthier decisions among teens (Evaluating the Impactà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). The major issue with this show is that it is criticized for glamorizing teen pregnancy but, Wetzstien states that 16 and Pregnant is gritty, not glamorous; sobering, not salacious (MTVs 16 and Pregnantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦). Rosst agrees with this statement by saying in his article that the show [16 and Pregnant] shows the hardships these girls go through every day and every step of the way through their entire pregnancy (Pregnancy Pause). Sonja Sharp, journalist for the MotherJones site, states that 16 and Pregnant shows the true cost of teen pregnancy, the aftermath in an up close and personal way (16 and Pregnantà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦)

Ecopsychology Essay -- Religion Ecology Papers

Ecopsychology You do not have to be good. You do not have to walk on your knees for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting. You only have to let the soft animal of your body love what it loves. Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine. Meanwhile the world goes no. Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of rain are moving across the landscapes, over the prairies and the deep trees, the mountains and the rivers. Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air, are heading home again. Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, the world offers itself to your imagination, calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting- over and over announcing your place in the family of things. "Wild Geese" by Mary Oliver Mary Oliver's (Clinebell, 1996, p.188) poem has a lot to say about the relatively new approach to conservation called ecopsychology. Ecopsychology combines the human element from psychology, with the study of how biological systems work together from ecology. A more in depth explanation of ecopsychology is that it seeks to help humans experience themselves as an integral part of nature (Strubbe 1997). When this is accomplished, humans can proceed to commit to "helping heal the earth, as well as healing ourselves" (Strubbe 1997, p. 293). In the past, environmental action has consisted of scaring and shaming those who over consume or do not recycle, which proved to be quite ineffective. Ecopsychology, in contrast, attempts to create positive and affirming motivations, derived from a bond of love and loyalty to nature (Bayland, 1995). Before tackling the principles, religious aspects, therapy, actions and education included in ecopsychology, it is essential to unde... ...ting a more earth-friendly human nature. Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame Press. Mander, Jerry. (1991). In the Absence of the Sacred. San Francisco: Sierra Book Club. Miller, D. Patrick. (1994). The Voice of the Earth. The Sun, 220, 6-10. Roszak, Theodore (1995). Ecopsychology: Restoring the Earth, Healing the Mind. New York: Sierra Press. "My Shrink, My Sequoia" Self, September 1994. Spilner, Maggie. (1997). Connecting with Nature. Walker's World, 128-132. Strubbe, Bill. (1997). The World as Self, The Self as World. World & I. [Online], 12 (6), 12 pages. Available: http//insite.palni.edu/WebZ/FETCH:fulltext.html [1998, September 10]. Tarkan, Laurie. (1997). Nurtured by Nature. Shape, 16 (7), 32. White, Jonathan (1994). The Unreturning Arrow. In Talking on Water: Conversations about Nature and Creativity. San Francisco: Sierra Club Books.

Helpful Hypnotism :: Short Stories Hypnosis Court Papers

Helpful Hypnotism I sat in amazement as the opposing lawyer went into a lecture about hypnosis. He was obviously very informed in the area and had a lot to say. All the members of the jury followed the lawyer back and forth with their eyes as he spoke his final words. Hypnotism is what I had based my entire defense on for the last month and now this scrub lawyer was schooling everybody in the courtroom. â€Å"What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word hypnosis? For most people it’s the crazy genie with a watch swinging back and forth in someone’s face, controlling their every action, and making them do things they normally wouldn’t. But this is far from the truth of what real hypnotism is. Hypnosis is a well-accepted method of alternative medicine (Alman). â€Å"Many psychologists and other doctors study and use hypnotherapy with their patients. This type of hypnosis is completely different than the one with the genie holding absolute power. In fact, there are many misconceptions about this type of hypnosis. Yes, there is a hypnotist that talks to a subject in a soft voice and says things to get a number of different reactions. But any person in their right mind wouldn’t run around bucking like a chicken and not know what is going on. Things like being unaware under hypnosis or the only one who can take you out of a trance is the one who put you in are not true. Truth is that many times people are more fully aware under a trance and anyone including yourself can get you out (Brenman 55). In fact many doctors don’t use the word trance when describing the relaxed state because the person is so aware. They feel that the word trance implies a different mind level or mental lapse and sends out the wrong idea to peop le who don‘t know the subject (Brenman 55). The lawyer paused for effect and took a sip of his drink. I went through a scenario in my head of me getting up and crow-hopping him in the jaw. The cocky bastard continued†¦ â€Å"To be hypnotized a person is often told to close their eyes to reduce distractions.

Western & Native America Medicine

In such a situation, I would first create a good rapport between Mr. Wolf, his wife and I. I would start by thanking them for visiting the health care centre and for allowing me to run some tests on Mr. Wolf. I would then advise him that it is a good thing to look after our health as this is the only way that we will be able to live to see tomorrow. As Broome, B. & Broome, R. , (2007) says, the Native Americans value their traditions very much. It is therefore necessary to act as one of them or rather to respect these values and demonstrate to them that they are important. By doing this, I will be able to prescribe some new medication and at the same time, I will be certain that Mr. Wolf will respect and adhere to the directions that I would give him. After examining him, I would give him the antibiotics that he is supposed to take. I would try to educate him on the importance of these drugs as they would help him to regain his health. I would do this by explaining the consequences of prostatitis and the effects or damage that it might have if it is not treated. I would not discourage him from taking his herbal medicines that he was prescribed. Instead, I would thank him for visiting the healer or the health counselor or advisor. I would encourage him to continue taking the herbs as they were directed by the healer or the health counselor. In addition, I would also advise him to take the medications that I have administered to him without fail. This way, he will feel that I am supporting him and at the same time I am respecting his culture. According to Cohen (2003), American Indians or the Native Americans value their tradition very much. This means that if at all I will act as if I am not respecting this fact, there are chances that he will not follow my directions and therefore he might not get well at all. Alternatively, there are some herbal medicines that are not likely to do well with the hospital medicine. I would therefore ask him to go home with the medicine that I had administered to him and make sure he takes them. I would explain to him that there are some herbal medicines that would counteract with the hospital medicines that we are taking. I would advise him to come with the herbal medicine that he is taking so that we can see if they have any content that might react with the antibiotics. This way, we would be able to prevent any further reaction in his body. When they bring the medicine, I would analyze it and assess whether it has any reaction with the antibiotics that I would have given him. If there is a reaction, I would change the antibiotics, alternatively, I would try to advise him that there is a serious reaction that might take place if he took both the medicine that I administered and the herbal medicine at the same time. I would then try to explain to him that the diseases that he is currently having is very serious and therefore he need to give it a first priority. According to Moses, L. & Wilson, R, (1985), Native Americans are known to speaking in parables. I would therefore try to formulate a story about a patient who had such a disease and who defied or rather who refused to take the medication that I had given him and chose the herbs. He only stayed for five months before succumbing to the illness. This would be in the aim of convincing Mr. Wolf to give the antibiotics the first priority and stop taking the herbs for some time. I would advise him that he can immediately go back to the herbs onces the antibiotics are over.

Amanda Wingfield in “The Glass Menagerie” Essay

The Character of Amanda Wingfield in â€Å"The Glass Menagerie† supplies an example of a complex individual whose communication and actions convey a slightly irritating and lonesome mother. Scene IV of â€Å"The Glass Menagerie,† demonstrates these unique characteristics of Amanda. The scene takes place at about seven am the day after Tom and Amanda get into a major argument. From this scene we can reveal that Amanda’s obviously an overstressed and psychotic single care taker with insufficient mothering skills. Amanda’s stubbornness and complexities always irritates her son Tom (the narrator of the play). Although Amanda is hysterically stuck in her past, she is a woman of great liveliness. Amanda’s past experience with her husband has made her bitter, and that bitterness is what motivates her to make her children become something. Her foolishness, stubbornness and selfishness makes her cruel to her children without the intention. Amanda, Tom, and Laura all fantasize and have their own individual ways of escaping from their realities. In this case, Amanda escapes reality by fantasizing about the gentleman callers she had in the past, however she denies the fact. She doesn’t tolerate her children’s fantasizing, which makes her blindly hypocritical. Amanda loves her Children dearly and she wants them to be happy and have good fortune. Tennessee Williams illustrates Amanda’s attitude in scene IV, while she’s talking to Tom after he apologizes to her. She takes the blame so she can pamper him into finding Laura a gentleman caller. This makes Amanda seem very selfish because she uses Tom for her own desires. Amanda, expects Laura to fulfill the dreams Amanda once had for herself which rushes Laura into doing things she’s not prepared to do. Amanda has hope in her crippled, (that she refuses to admit) and shy daughter whom isn’t capable of fulfilling Amanda’s dream. Amanda goes on to pasteurizing Tom about finding someone for Laura, yet small things like this irritate Tom and make him want to leave and never come back. This small scene gives the reader an image of Amanda and how she  contributes to the play. Her attitude and her values shape the other characters as well. In retrospect it is understood that one of the main reasons Tom left in the end of the play was because of his mothers selfishness, her constant nagging, and the many desires Amanda had for her children that Tom didn’t want to put up with.

Criminal Law Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Criminal Law - Assignment Example The court is expected to carry out three different kinds of tests such as objective test where the particular court imputes the elements of mens rea based on the fact that any of the reasonable individuals that possess the same kind of abilities and knowledge as is possessed by the person that is accused in this case is expected to have such kind of elements. The second test is the subjective; in this test the court is expected to make an establishment as to what the person accused was thinking of at the time he caused the actus Reus. Finally, another test is the hybrid that involves both objective and subjective tests (van den Haag, 1978, p 27). These arguments was advanced by Dori Kimel in his case comment, ‘Inadvertent recklessness in criminal law’ (2004) LQR 548, where she analyses and critically evaluates the decisions of the House of Lords in R v G [2003] UKHL 50; [2004] 1 A.C. 1034 and R. v Caldwell (James) [1982] A.C. 341. This paper will therefore briefly identi fy the key arguments advanced by Kimel in her analysis of the two cases. Further, it will discuss whether Kimel’s critical evaluation of the two decisions is persuasively argued. Arguments advanced by Kimel in his analysis The facts of the case was that there were two boys who were aged 12 and 11 years, they are reported to have been camping without any particular permission by their parents when they decoded to go to the backyard of a nearby shop in the morning, they had newspapers that they had lit. The newspapers that they had lit are reported to have caused fire in nearby bin that was located against the wall of the shop, the fire immediately spread up the wall and eventually onto the roof. The fire caused an estimated damage of $1m. The two children made an arguments that they were expecting the fire to eventually burn itself out and did not give any thought to the risk that could be caused incase the fire spread (Kimel, 2003, p 21). In the judgment of the House of Lords , Lord Bingham actually saw the need of modifying the definition of Lord Diplock in order to ensure that infancy of the defence was accounted for which was containing the mischievous discretion notion. This rule required the various courts to make a consideration of the extent the children who were aged from eight or more years could be able to have a clear understanding of the differences that existed between wrong and right. Therefore, the test that was stipulated by Diplock of obviousness was expected to actually operate in unfair manner for the two children incase they were eventually held to the same particular standards the reasonable adults were held to. The courts finally held that the defendant must be clearly shown to have indeed subjectively appreciated a given risk to the property and health of the other party but eventually carried on any particular event before they could actually be said to be completely criminally culpable. This ruling abolished the historical object ive reckless test that had been previously recognized under the famous R v Caldwell (Kimel, 2004, p 548). Dori Kimel has indicated that recklessness is actually the particular critical mental element that exists within the Critical Damage Act of the year 1971. However, ten years following the enactment of the particular legislation, the House of Lords in the context of R v Caldwell made a controversial interpretation of the recklessness objectively as well as

Customer Service-Customer Friendly Website-discussion Personal Statement

Customer Service-Customer Friendly Website-discussion - Personal Statement Example in order to attract customers and make them stay and shop. The website should have good navigation which actually means simple and not overloaded navigation (Singh). First, Shirts Shop website has simple color scheme in white and navy with no violent colors, thus the content on the website is rather readable. The company’s logo is also rather simple and laconic. When coming to the website’s home page, the customer sees the popups demonstrating and drawing attention to the most interesting propositions to date. The navigation is very simple with the main goods’ categories located in the line in the upper part of the page. The goods offered on the website are supplied with comprehensive description and high-quality photos (including demonstration photos of aprons on models). All the contact information of the company is put at the bottom of every page. Moreover, to my thinking, the website is accessible for every user, the fonts are highly readable, and the speed o f its operation is rather high. Taking into account these characteristics, this website can be claimed to be

Practicum nursing service administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Practicum nursing service administration - Essay Example ANA is a professional organization that represents interest of registered nurses in the US. The standards of professional performance by ANA describes the behavioral competency in the role of the profession in activities that commensurate with quality while providing care; education; and appraisal of performance among many others. It has its constituents that such as state nurses association and other affiliate organizations that aid in its practices. It promotes nursing profession by advocating for high level or standard practices in nursing; ensuring that the rights of nurses are catered for at the work place; and liaising with regulatory agencies and as well as the congress on issues concerning healthcare that affect the public and nurses. Nurses have an obligation to integrate ethical conducts in the different facets of their practices. There are ethical codes that guide these practices such as interpretive statements for nurses. Furthermore, the nurses in the profession have a m andate not only to establish and maintain professional therapeutic and patients and nurse relationship but also discharge health care in such a way that the patient’s dignity, autonomy and rights are upheld. They are also required to make ethical decisions while at work; report cases that are incompetent and illegal; and maintain and ensure patients on confidentiality within the boundaries of regulations and legal requirements. The sole commitment of a nurse is the patient irrespective of individuals or groups of individuals. It is a nurse responsibility to be accountable for nursing practices and evaluate ideal and correct task delegation mechanisms that are consistent with their duties to provide maximum care for the patients (ANA, 2010). The codes of ethics also stipulate that nurses have self obligations or duties which entail having the responsibility of upholding integrity and preserving safety; and

Cybersecurity Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cybersecurity - Coursework Example The convict individuals are known as hackers. Generally, hackers hack others computers with the help of internet for stealing organizational and personal information without any authorization in order to cause certain mental or physical harm to the victim in present or in future. In recent years, the role of cyber security has become quite prominent as has been identified by different nations and organizations throughout the world. Cyber security can play a vital role in order to identity the attempt of any such malicious activities by the cyber criminals and also to stop cybercrime from taking place by devising appropriate security measures. Furthermore, it is also observed that for identifying and punishing cybercrime offenders, government of the United States (US) has enacted certain laws which include â€Å"Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act† (CALEA), Computer Software Privacy and Control Act, Digital Millennium Copyright Act and Electronic Communications Pr ivacy Act among others (Global Legal Resources, 2012). With due consideration to the aspect, the paper intends to state about the motivation of the actors i.e. cyber criminals along with the role of cyber security to prevent cybercrime. ... spect of hacker culture represents the relationship between the hackers and modern society which discloses cultural attitudes about the relationship between the people along with technology (Thomas, 2003). Along with this motivational factor, there are also two factors which include intrinsic and extrinsic motivation further which also motivate hackers to take certain criminal steps. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation can be defined as the type of motivation in which an individual performs for enjoyment or interest rather than for gaining rewards (Woo, 2003). In relation to this aspect, it can be stated that hackers at times hack others’ systems in order to pass their time and to enjoy the situation while hacking. Generally, this influence arises from own-self than that of external influences. Moreover, extrinsic motivation can be defined as the external influences which help to meet the self-esteem. This motivation is devolved by individuals intentionally in order to win certa in rewards such as status, name and money among others (Woo, 2003). It can be observed that for making money, name and status, external motivation can influence hackers to commit such offences that are punishable by law by utilizing their skills in wrong direction. This is because hackers compete with their peers and rivals to earn more money and name. Contextually, it can be stated that the motivation of hackers/actors differ from situation to situation. There are certain factors which motivate hackers to hack others computer which include monetary gain, intellectual challenges, self-expression and peer recognition along with mischief among others. Monetary gain is one of the major causes which motivate cyber criminals to hack accounts prevailing in the banks. It is recognized that at times

Position Arguments on Immigration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Position Arguments on Immigration - Essay Example According to Johnson (138), however, another portion of these analysts resist the free trade point of view affirming that it is subdued by agencies and regulated by international alliances which include the International Monetary Fund in conjunction with North America Free Trade Agreement and hence resulting in greater deal of imbalance and interference in the Latin American nations economy. They assert that this economic depression results after enormous agribusiness bodies own large tracts of Mexican farming lands and hence force the destitute to relocate. The displaced individuals then end up seeking asylum in the developed nations such as United States of America. Analysts too have scrutinized the significant contributions played by emigrants’ remittances dispensed back to their own developing nations and hence take part in elevating their homeland Gross Domestic Product. However, a portion of these analysts content with this affirming that the most considerate option is to enlighten the developing nations to boost their economy through reinforcing education and generating more employment opportunities (138). Johnson (139) affirms that, analysts have evaluated the range in which the vast emigrants in the host countries should be granted the liberty to alter the authentic culture amongst the natives in the host countries. Nations such as the European Nations has emphasised on the need of adopting multicultural systems which stipulate segregation among the emigrants and natives in the host countries. Other persons including President Nicolas Sarkozy affirm that emigrants should master and absorb the prevailing heritage and customs thriving in their host nations. However, a portion of the analysts’ content with this perspective affirming that it portrays racism and intolerance. These group of analysts urge the natives to consider incorporating unity amongst the

Cross-cultural communication Essay Example for Free

Cross-cultural communication Essay Cross-cultural communication is an art which cannot be practiced without verbal and non-verbal communication. Interacting with people of the same culture requires certain skills so interacting across different cultures is a task ahead. Every culture doesn’t only have its own language but also has a unique set of codes and customs; this makes verbal and non-verbal communication both important. With over 3000 languages and many dialects spoken in the world today, it is impossible for everybody to learn all of them. This humungous variety that is available creates problems for the cross-cultural communication. Apart from this the way words are uttered; the accents used add to the problem. In this case, the standard language makes cross-cultural communication easier. For instance one form of Arabic language is most common so it is widely used; Modern Standard Arabic. The same way an official language is given preference when interacting with people of different cultures. A country having many provinces synchronizes on a national language. Every province may have a different language but there is one language which is common to all. The same way the standard language for communicating across countries and continents is English. It is the most widely spoken language in the world and helps to overcome many ethnic differences. The reason that English is proved helpful in breaking barriers is that it is derived from other languages so many cultures can easily relate to it. Language is especially important when the interaction is not on face to face basis. In this type of interaction one cannot get the aid of body language and communication is solely dependent on words. Etiquettes over here emphasize the importance of verbal communication. People should take care of their words; they shouldn’t offend others while speaking. A word which means something good in one language might mean something totally appalling in the other. Care must be taken while selecting words for cross-cultural communication. Slang language especially should be avoided. While the importance of verbal communication is obvious and can be easily seen, the importance of non-verbal communication comes through experience and knowledge. The value of non-verbal communication is in fact greater than that of verbal communication across cultures. When the verbal communication is weak, non-verbal communication is relied upon. Gestures, eye contact, physical appearance, touch, expressions, silence and behavior speak a lot when we fall short of words. Majority of French people don’t understand English language and only communicate in their own language. When tourists visit their homeland it gets difficult for them to communicate. This is where non-verbal communication becomes very important. Actions help in communicating and letting people of different cultures interact without language. Some gestures are world widely same, others may show one thing in one culture and another in another culture. (Reisinger, 2009). Personal space or physical proximity is also an important non-verbal communication element. In some cultures, people dislike standing too close and maintain some distance between them while in others people stand pretty close while talking and consider it rude to stand apart. To make cross-cultural communication easier people are learning more languages but it is also very important to research other cultures and understand their non-verbal communication. Even if language skills are not appropriate, messages can be conveyed if body language is used correctly. It is said that non-verbal communication makes the first impression because even before a person opens the mouth to utter a word, an impression is made. (LeBaron, 2003). Non-verbal interaction is important during face-to-face communication. It can occur through the sensory channels- sight, sound, smell, touch or taste. Listeners process the non-verbal communication apart from the verbal one. Charles Darwin was the first man to conduct a study of non-verbal communication. His book â€Å"The Expressions of the Emotions of Man and Animals was published in 1872. In this writing he argued that animals show emotions on their faces so they communicate a lot without speaking (Davis, 1999). It is said that verbal communication is more important in public speaking and non-verbal communication is very important in interpersonal relationships. Also it is considered more polite is ideas are conveyed by non-verbal cues rather than verbal, especially in embarrassing situations. There are five primary functions of nonverbal bodily behavior in human communication: †¢ Express emotions †¢ Express interpersonal attitudes †¢ To accompany speech in managing the cues of interaction between speakers and listeners †¢ Self-presentation of one’s personality †¢ Rituals (greetings) Another important thing is that during non-verbal communication it is easier to catch someone who is not speaking the truth. Facial expressions and hand movements tell a lot. This also helps the interviewers when people go abroad in search of jobs. An interesting point of view of non-verbal communication is that it is rich in beauty. Cultural dance competitions are held and different cultures perform their own dances. Without speaking a whole story is formed and the message is conveyed. This is the beauty of non-verbal communication (Storti, 1994). It is important to address issues of both verbal and non-verbal communication. It is because in this competitive age those who have an edge over others and are good at everything are successful. References: Storti, C. , 1994, â€Å"Cross-Cultural Dialogues†, Available at http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/cross-cultural/book/crosscultural-dialogues. html [ Accessed May 12, 2010] Davis, L. ,1999, â€Å"Doing Culture: Cross-Cultural Communication in Action†, Available at http://www. kwintessential. co. uk/cross-cultural/book/communication-action. html[ Accessed May 12, 2010] LeBaron, M. ,2003, â€Å"Cross-Cultural Communication, Available at http://www. beyondintractability. org/essay/cross-cultural_communication/ [ Accessed May 12, 2010]

SM Prime Holdings (SMPH): Internal and External Analysis

SM Prime Holdings (SMPH): Internal and External Analysis Introduction Organizations are dynamic nowadays. One reason for this is the complexity of the environment they belong to and the need to constantly respond to this intricacy. Environment consists of various factors that affect how organization operates. These components include both internal and external factors that can either make or break the companys success. In addition to this, they have to react to various trends in which they are subject, for example the emerging environmental awareness of the public. To put all of these into perspective, one company will be used to illustrate how these factors influence the operations of the company. SM Prime Holdings (SMPH) is the mall operations arm of SM Investments Corporation which is todays one of the Philippines biggest conglomerates, occupying a dominant position in most of its lines of business, namely shopping malls; retail merchandising; banking and finance; and property. It all started with a simple vision of its founder and chairman, Mr. Henry Sy, to sell shoes to every Filipino (SMIC, 2009). Today, SMPH is the Philippines largest mall operator that owns and runs world-class malls over the country, providing millions of square meters of floor area for a fully integrated shopping, dining, and entertainment experience (SMIC, 2009). Moreover, it manages the parking area and the amusement facilities of the mall such as SM Cinemas, SM Ice Skating and SM Science Discovery Center. As of December 2008, there are 36 SMPH malls 33 here in the Philippines and 3 in China and this year it is expected that three new SM malls are opening. By the end of 2009 the total gross floor area (GFA) of all SM malls would total to 4.5 million square meters, a 5% increase from 2008s GFA. Above all, SMPH recorded a good financial performance year last year as it delivered a seven percent increase in net profit to Php6.4 billion, from a 12% growth in revenues worth Php17.8 billion (SMPH, 2008). Overview of the Internal Environment Every organization differs from one another. Each has its own unique characteristics that contribute to the over-all success of the company. These unique characteristics are often called the internal environment, which is composed of elements within the organization. These elements include employees, management, and corporate culture (Cliffs Notes, 2009). Out of all of these elements, there are two distinctive attributes that are vital to a company and these are its structure and culture. These two provides background on how the company operates. SMPHs Internal Environment For SMPH, understanding how their internal structure and culture operates allows them to organize, to take advantage of their strengths, to improve their weaknesses, and to develop an environment that breeds and encourages success among its employees (Organizational Culture 101, 2007). Moreover the success of the whole SM Group is attributed to its founder, Mr. Sy, whose determination and passion is considered exceptional. His influence has remained strong and visible both in its organizational structure and culture. Organizational Structure According to Drucker it is the correct design of structure which is of the most significant in determining organizational performance (Mullins, 2005. p. 597). In SMPH, they made sure that the structure is well-defined so that it will lessen confusion for their employees as it limits and controls what they do, for the organization is structured around high levels of formalization and specialization. Also the company has a strict adherence to chain of command that helps employees to identify their position in the company. Lastly, it is highly centralized wherein all decisions have to be made by higher ranking officials (Robbins, 2003, p. 575). In other words, the organizational structure of SMPH describes the management philosophy of Mr. Sy which is conservative yet with fine tuned instincts. Organizational Culture Like every individual, organizations also have their own personality that set them apart from others. In case of SMPH, their work ethics is prominent. For them everything is a serious business. Furthermore, they are guided by traditional Confucian values which are highly influenced by Mr. Sy who is an immigrant from mainland China. Hard work, frugality, discipline, love of study, self-sacrifice for the family welfare and harmonious social relationships are the Confucian values integrated to the company. These are the anchor values of SM Group which are the building blocks of their success (Flores, W. L., 2007). Overview of the External Environment Aside from managing its resources, organizations operate in a larger scale called the external environment. But unlike their internal resources wherein they have a full control of, the external environment suggests otherwise and in some cases may be considered as a threat. The number of the external environment factors is virtually unlimited for there are many macro factors that could impact organizations productivity. The only distinction between these factors is the degree of its impact to the company (NetMBA, 2007). SMPHs External Environment: PESTLE Analysis of SMPH SMPH, being the number one mall operator in the Philippines, regularly reviews its external environment. In their perspective, understanding the environment they belong is vital to the planning function of management for it influences the companys success rate. They identify and analyze the key trends, forces, and phenomena having a potential impact on the formulation and implementation of their strategies. In effect, the environmental assessment attempts to prepare the organization to acclimatize to environmental changes to take advantage of opportunities and to minimize the adverse effects of threats (Appelbaum, 1991). (P)olitics The Philippines is a democratic republic with an elected bicameral legislature, and a multiparty system. Filipinos exercised their right to vote every three years and despite the rumors to the contrary that the current President, Ms. Arroyo would not step down from office; there would be an election next year (US Department of State, 2007). This issue is important for the business sector as the next countrys leader may affect the operations of their organizations. This can influence them due to the reforms the new public officials would take. For SMPH, the results of the upcoming election would greatly affect them because it may affect the stability of the country and may undermine their confidence in their expansion plans. (E)conomics The countrys economic system is mixed economy wherein most of the companies are owned privately; however, government can control when the need for it arises. One of the features of the Philippine economy, it is consumer driven and the sales at the countrys biggest malls have been a gauge of trends in consumer spending. Almost 70% of the countrys gross domestic product (GDP) is contributed by consumer spending. Moreover the 30% of this total consumer spending happens inside malls, and two-thirds of this slice of the pie is accounted to SM alone (Balea, 2009). But according to the Fitch Ratings Inc. the countrys GDP is predicted to be at its lowest at 2.5%, which is lower than the 1998 Asian Crisis (Burgonio, 2009). Given this forecast, this can predict how SMPH would perform this year. This economic downturn will most probably affect the company and would be visible in its financial statements. (S)ocial-Cultural One social-cultural factor that affects organizations is the consumer buying behavior. Consumers are the source of profit of the company and that is why they are researching in great detail to learn the buying behavior of their consumers in order to track consumer trends and respond to it. Understanding the purchasing patterns answers what consumers buy, where they buy, how much they buy, when they buy and why they buy (Kotler Armstrong 2007. p. 129). In a recent survey conducted by the global market research firm Synovate, it revealed that during the six month stretch of December 2008 to April 2009, 92% of residents in Metro Manila, which is comprised of all social brackets and where malls are concentrated, have cut their spending, while 61% did less impulsive buying. Moreover 55% said theyve focused on food and other necessities and spent less on recreation as well as luxury items. In short, Filipinos are still spending but they are spending for the cheaper and basic things (Balea, 2009). Although SMPH may not be directly affected by this buyer behavior, this may affect its tenants total sales. Since tenants rental fees are determined through a percentage of their income or through a fixed monthly rent basis, SMPHs total revenue may squeeze (Narciso, 2009). (T)echnology The continuous improvement of technology has dramatically changed every organizations process; for example new marketing channels were introduced like the internet. Here in the country, internet penetration is still low. As of 2008, only 14.6% of the Philippine population is internet users; however it is forecasted to record a 23% growth annually. If this trend continues it will revolutionize the way Filipinos live. A good example of this is e-commerce, wherein markets, which were once unreachable because of distance and costs, are now open through cyberspace (Internet World Stats, 2009). Although e-commerce is still an unfamiliar territory here in the country wherein only 3% in National Urban Philippines made online purchase, it has a strong promise especially in the coming years due to the increasing accessibility of the internet, greater PC penetration and enactment by the government of appropriately strong e-commerce legislation (Internet World Stats, 2009). With this implication SMPH may find a new competitor by means of the so-called e-malls. This can be a serious threat for the company since this brings many advantages to consumers such as convenience, accessibility, interactivity and immediate response. (L)egal The current legal system of the Philippines is based on the 1987 Constitution but there is an on-going movement that is aimed to revise the current system. According to several lawmakers the business sector would be the number one beneficiary of the constitutional change as the proposed amendments include creation of a more efficient and competitive business environment among others (Rubio, 2009). SMPH is highly subjected to this change. If this would push through, all corporate laws may be altered which would affect how the SMPH operates taxes may rise, new labor codes may be enacted, ownership act may be amended. (E)co-Environment The Philippines is a developing company and as a result of this is the degradation of the natural environment. That is why theres environmental legislation and provision that protects welfare of the environment. Hence these should be followed strictly by both the private and public business sectors. For SMPH, this is very much applicable since they are mall developers. They have to be in compliance with the rules and standards or else they would be penalized (Kirk, 1998, p. 83). A particular example of an environmental legislation that should be followed by SMPH is to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) during the conceptualization stage of their expansion plans. Getting an ECC certifies that the project under consideration will not bring about an unacceptable environmental impact and the proponent has complied with all of the environmental legislation preventing and controlling water, air and land pollution. Securing an ECC is important for SMPH because if they fail to do so all their expansion plans will be put on a halt (Kirk, 1998, p. 83). Competition Here in the Philippines, malls have become a huge phenomenon in the country. Most often than not, whether for recreational, dining or shopping purposes, Filipinos go to mall. With this high demand for shopping malls, this translates competition for SMPH and as of now there are three primary players in the shopping mall industry and these are Ayala Land, Robinsons Land and of course SMPH. Although the industry seems attractive with only 2 competitors for SMPH, the rivalry is still high since both Ayala Land and Robinsons Land are also expanding and has its own loyal customers. But an advantage being in the mall operations business is that it has high barriers to entry due to the huge capital needed to start up a mall, to find strategic locations and to attract reputable anchor tenants. With regards to SMPHs stand against its competitors, SMPH, with a 51 year experience under its belt, is still the mall of choice for tenants since they can enjoy heavy consumer traffic with almost 2.5 million foot traffic. This enormous number of SMPHs customers is due to their malls convenience, affordability and diversity, and these translate to high customer power. But theres also threat for substitutes like no-fuss shopping complexes (e.g. Tutuban Centermall, Greenhills) that is becoming a serious peril due to its cheaper prices. Knowledge Management In our daily lives, knowledge is considered as power. Same goes in businesses. But knowledge management is not merely gathering all the data, for it is more involved in processing all these information into a cohesive knowledge. Being efficient with the sourcing, analyzing, dissemination and storage of knowledge can be a source of competitive advantage for a company. With the case of SMPH, knowledge management is essential especially during times of expansion wherein they gather all information demographics of the area, spending capacity, competitive environment level of commercial and retail activities in the surrounding area and distance from other SM malls that will aid them in decision-making (SMPH, 2008). Financial Management The entire worlds economic system depends upon the exchange rate. The currency exchange rates effect global businesses like a thermometer, it measures the health of global economics (JD Files, 2009). Last year the Philippine Peso (php) was one of the worst performing currencies in Asia, closing at 47.52 php to a dollar. This is a 15% decline from the 2007s 41.29 php. (James, 2008) This can affect SMPH, since most of the Overseas Filipino Workers remittances are spent by their beneficiaries in shopping malls, tourism and entertainment. If the peso weakens, it increases the value of dollar remittances and this translates to more OFW beneficiaries spending in their malls. International Market Entry Many companies successfully operate in a niche market without ever expanding into new markets. However, some businesses could achieve increased sales, brand awareness and business stability by entering a new market (My Business, 2009). For instance, the company could review new geographical market to serve and at this time of globalization, many companies try to penetrate the international market as a source of their growth. Relating this to SMPH, the company expanded internationally through an acquisition of three SM shopping malls in China through a share swap agreement. This move allowed SMPH to gain a foothold in Chinas fast-growing economy and use this as a platform for long-term growth outside the Philippines where it is clearly the dominant player in the mall business (SMPH, 2007). Ecology According to Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, ecology means the scientific study of the processes influencing the distribution and abundance of organisms, the interactions among organisms, and the interactions between organisms and the transformation and flux of energy and matter. (n.d) In other words, ecology is about environmentalism. Today, one of the biggest issues in ecology is the increasing effect of global warming. Global warming as its name suggest is the gradual increase in the temperature here in earth. This is caused by carbon dioxide (CO2) and other air pollution that is collecting in the atmosphere like a thickening blanket, trapping the suns heat and causing the planet to warm up (NRDC, 2009). Major sources of CO2 emissions are deforestation and burning of fossil fuels. This global concern is alarming for it may bring about natural disasters that may affect peoples health, bring ecological imbalance, rise in sea levels and change in crop and food supply. Here in the country, the effects of global warming are now being felt. According to World Wide Foundation (WWF), â€Å"The Philippines is extremely vulnerable to the ravages of climate change. Food and freshwater shortages, receding coastlines and an increase in political and economic turmoil are the bleak picture that climate change paints for the country.† (Burgonio, 2007) With these consequences organizations have taken additional measures to respond to these impending catastrophes since they have the leverage to start the change and besides they are also the biggest offenders. In addition to this, various pressure groups, like WWF, are negotiating the companies to adopt energy-efficient saving measures in their operations to help in the global effort to cut CO2 emissions, the leading cause of global warming. (Burgonio, 2007) Ecology and SMPH SM CARES aims to unify and integrate all SMPHs CSR initiatives that are geared towards caring their shoppers and nurturing Mother Earth. Under SM CARES, the company has therefore taken an aggressive stance in protecting the environment through four major initiatives: Solid Waste Management, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, and Air Quality Efficiency. Below are some of SM CARES programs (SMPH, 2008). SM Cares Activities Solid Waste Management SM Supermalls holds Trash to Cash, a recycling market every first Friday and Saturday of the month in all SM Prime malls in the country. Here, the public can convert their recyclable trash into cash. To date, Trash to Cash has generated over Php10 million in recyclable items and is estimated to have saved nearly 11,000 seven-year-old trees. Mall tenants are also educated on the benefits of waste segregation. As a result, solid waste in the malls garbage depots has been reduced by as much as 20% a month and two tons of garbage per mall is diverted away from landfills every week. Water Conservation Since its inception a few years back, SM Supermalls now saves about 2.4 billion liters of precious water every year through tertiary treatment plants that recycle water for use in the cooling towers of the malls air-conditioning systems, toilet flushing, and landscape irrigation. Add to that, the use of waterless urinals in mens toilets save another 315 million liters of water annually. Energy Efficiency SM malls control their air-conditioning systems through the Focus Enterprise Building Management System. This computerized process closely monitors the building temperature to optimally balance supply versus demand for cool air. As such, mall areas that are full of people are made cooler while those less congested are left a bit warmer. The system saves almost 50 million kilowatt hours of electricity per year. All tertiary treatment plants mentioned earlier utilize a device known as a sequential batch reactor that saves up to 500,000 kilowatt hours annually. To reduce the use of light bulbs during the day, the new SM malls are designed to have glass walls and ceilings to light up the mall with sunlight. Lighting has also been replaced from fluorescent to energy efficient bulbs and has saved the malls a considerable amount of kwh annually. SM CARES also avidly supports Earth Hour, an annual global movement that encourages households and establishments to shut down a ll power sources for an hour, thereby heightening awareness for energy conservation. Air Quality Efficiency SM strictly enforces the no-smoking policy inside the malls, and requires all public utility vehicles entering and parking in its mall terminals and depots to present certificates of having passed smoke emission testing. They also encourage the use of bicycles by providing safe parking spaces for them. Green Bags Pioneering efforts to promote eco-shopping in the Philippine retail industry, SM Supermalls recently unveiled the new SM Supermalls Greenbag. The SM Supermalls Greenbag enables shoppers to participate in the global cause to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags. The SM Supermalls Greenbag which is available in all SM malls is made from 100-percent polypropylene (PP) material. It is recyclable, non-toxic, allergy free and nonreactive to human skin. The Greenbags size is equivalent to two regular SM Supermarket shopping bags and has an estimated life span of two years. It is very light, handy and can be folded into a small pack. The SM Supermalls Greenbag comes in four exclusive designs by world-renowned artist Manuel Baldemor, turning this utility item into a prized art piece. Another contribution of SMPH to ecology is through green architecture. Early this year SMPH unveiled their first mall to turn â€Å"green†, the SM North EDSA via the Sky Garden. It uses roof gardens that help in neutralizing global warming for roof gardens are known to reduce the effects of ‘urban heat islands and are energy efficient that cut down up to 20% air-conditioning costs. It also catches rainwater, which will be released into a storm water infrastructure that is subsequently recycled for landscaping and car park maintenance. Lastly roof gardens also lessen the plumbing design and systems expenditure. With all of these green features, the Sky Garden is an example of how a large-scale property developer can contribute to the improvement of the environment (The Philippine Star, 2009). Policies and Decision Making Since SMPH is a mall developer, ecological factors like global warming are always part of their discussion. As a matter fact preserving the environment is part of SMPHs objectives and that is to ensure environmental sustainability through various programs on energy, water and air conservation. For them more than just complying with the legal standards (e.g. environment legislation), they also have the responsibility to the community since their company is in the position to make a difference (SMPH, 2008). The management regularly holds meetings to discuss their effect to the environment as well as to discuss the effectiveness of their programs and their up-and-coming activities. One situation wherein SMPH considers the environment in their decision-making is every time they expand and open new malls. During the conceptualization stage, SMPH constantly explores breakthrough architectural models for its malls that are environment-friendly. The Sky Garden at SM City North EDSA, which is a first in the Philippines, is a noteworthy showcase of the companys innovative thinking. Utilizing the latest in green architecture, the Sky Garden brings their customers closer to nature and at the same time contributes to environmental conservation (The Philippine Star, 2009). To stress even more SMPHs integration of ecology in its company, they held a conference on Sustainability, Energy, and Green Design Initiatives. The conference was aimed at providing a fresh view on how green design initiatives can influence sustainability and promote environmental preservation. Some of the countrys seasoned architects and engineers shared their views on the subject with SMs executives to bring more awareness on how these timely subjects can impact their mall operations (Manila Bulletin, 2008). Through this conference, the management reassessed its policies concerning the environment and recognized the link between a healthy economy and a healthy ecology. Evaluation and Recommendation With all these initiatives on responding to the ecological issues, it seems that SMPH is reacting well but actually they are kind of late already. Their competitor, Ayala Malls, has been the pioneer to this trend and is successful in incorporating ecology programs in their system. Ayala Malls was the first to retrofit the existing structure of their malls to a more eco-friendly one. Furthermore all of their malls show a close-to-nature effect; in contrast to SMPH wherein most of their malls look like a concrete jungle. As a recommendation, SMPH may restructure all of their malls. But this could be done little by little so it will not interrupt the malls activities. Another precaution is that this can be very costly but if SMPH is really determined to be environment-friendly in all their malls this is the best means to show it. An alternative method is to put more in-door plants and garden to make their malls at least appear as eco-friendly. Another first by Ayala Malls is their integration with its mall tenants by means of â€Å"Greenology† that bolsters the malls environment awareness campaign. Through Greenology, Ayala Malls mark the trend of being an eco-friendly and eco-chic establishment by showcasing remarkable events that aims to capture the hearts of concerned mall patrons and environmentalists (Ayala Land, 2008). Although SMPH also has their own mall-wide activities such as Trash to Cash and their Green bag, they do not have monthly activities like the Ayala Malls. In addition to this their tenants do not actively participate as much as those in the Ayala Malls. A likely proposal for SMPH is to create an earth-friendly philosophy encompassing all mall activities that are related to conservation of the environment. Then make an apt title to it so that it will create awareness to the people, like the Ayala Malls Greenology. SMPH should also communicate to its tenants to support and participate in the activities. Together they can brainstorm and come up with ideas that are appropriate with the objective. For example, every month all the mall tenants would feature a product that would help in preserving the environment or are made with environment-friendly materials. But the good news for SMPH is that even though they are not proactive in responding to ecological factors, what matters most is that they are trying to keep up and do all their best to preserve the environment. All of their programs are actually well-thought of and practical. Their advocacies for Solid Waste Management, Water Conservation, Energy Efficiency, and Air Quality Efficiency are properly executed. As a matter of fact, SMPH has received some accolades for these activities including an Outstanding Achievement in Energy Efficiency and Conservation from Don Emilio Abello Awards for Energy Efficiency and Conservation Best Practices for Buildings (SMI, 2008). However with all of these good strategies what is lacking to SMPH is publicity. They do not create so much buzz about their environmental concern and activities that makes the public think that they are not doing anything for the sake of the environment. That is why Ayala Malls remains to be the top of mind of the customers when it comes to being eco-friendly mall. To counter this SMPH should make use of public relations to show their plans in connection to greener lifestyle. They should utilize the different kinds of media to create awareness that they are good corporate citizen. Also they can sponsor events such as the yearly celebration of Earth Day to show their support for nature as well as to use this event to promote the earth-friendly facilities of their mall. All in all, SMPH has been sound with all its action plans towards the emerging environmental awareness and it would probably have a 65% marking since theres still a room for improvement. Conclusion Through the years, SM malls has become synonymous to the phrase one-stop shopping. You can ask any Filipino about what mall comes first into their minds and without batting an eyelash, they will respond and say SM. This is how great the impact SM has to the Filipinos. It is more than just the shopping, dining or entertainment experience it is part of the culture already. But before SM became an icon in the country, it started like any other rags to riches story. Its success can be traced back to its founder, Mr. Henry Sy. Even at his age, Mr. Sy is still very hands-on with the business. The countrys shopping mall magnate is a contrarian who not only survived but prospered after every political and economic crisis in the last five decades. This is because he studies the environment very well and handles every downturn as a challenge to seek new opportunities. These work ethics of Mr. Sy is visible in the company and are the main drivers for the continuous achievement of SM. (Tan-Co, 2001) Also contributing to the accomplishment of SM Group is its response to ecology. Although it is still lagging behind its competitors, SMPH is doing its share to conserve Mother Nature. They have opened their first green mall and have conducted various activities to counter their enormous carbon footprint. All these efforts towards being environment-friendly, shows the commitment of SMPH to be the mall of choice that cares to preserve the nature.