Sunday, December 29, 2019

Lorraine Functional Life Skills Teacher Completed Basc IIi...

Brittany Functional Life Skills teacher completed BASC III scales. The BASC III measures a student’s emotional, behavioral, and adaptive functioning. The score that is used for the scale is the T-score. The T-score indicates the distance of a score from the norm group mean. The BASC II has a mean T-score of 50 with a standard deviation of 10. Scores ranging 60 to 69 are considered to be in the At-Risk range. The T-scores that are 70+ are in the Clinically Significant range. On the Adaptive Scale portion of the BASC II, the T-Scores that are from 30 to 39 are in the At-Risk range. The T-scores that are below 29 are in the Clinically Significant range. There were three categories that Brittany’s teacher rated her in the Clinically Significant range (Hyperactivity, Aggression, and Depression). Brittany s T score on Hyperactivity is 84. Brittany s teacher reports that she engages in a high number of behaviors that are adversely affecting other children in the classroom. Brittany is reported as often being restless and overactive, and she may have difficulty controlling her impulses. Brittany s T score on Aggression is 82. Brittany s teacher reports that Brittany displays a high number of aggressive behaviors and may be reported as being argumentative, defiant, and/or threatening to others. Brittany s T score on Depression is 79. Brittany s teacher reports that Brittany is withdrawn, pessimistic, and/or sad. There were six areas that Brittany’s teacher rated

Saturday, December 21, 2019

The Great Day Of My Life - 1395 Words

Roosevelt once described his service in the Spanish-American War as â€Å"the great day of my life† (www.nps.com). Roosevelt’s incredible leadership ability was first put to the test and demonstrated during the Battle of Las Guasimas as he braved a hail of enemy fire from horseback and led his men to a flanking position that broke the back of the Spanish forces and sent them into retreat. Following this action, Col. Wood was promoted to General, and Roosevelt was promoted to Colonel, giving him command of the 1st Volunteer Cavalry Regiment. Las Guasimas was a defining moment in Roosevelt’s life; however the greatest of these moments was no doubt at the Battle of San Juan Heights. Pinned down by heavy enemy fire, Roosevelt mounted his horse and cried â€Å"Are you afraid to stand up, when I am on horseback,† (www.artofmanliness.com) as he charged headlong into the fire and up Kettle Hill. After taking the first hill, Roosevelt saw that the American effort o n the adjacent San Juan Hill was faltering, and he once again rallied his men for one final assault on the Spanish position. The following description of Roosevelt’s action is from his Medal of Honor citation, which was awarded posthumously in 2001. Lieutenant Colonel Theodore Roosevelt distinguished himself by acts of bravery on 1 July 1898, near Santiago de Cuba, Republic of Cuba, while leading a daring charge up San Juan Hill. Lieutenant Colonel Roosevelt, in total disregard for his personal safety, and accompanied by only fourShow MoreRelatedNarrative Essay About Heartbroken1076 Words   |  5 Pages Heartbroken As a young child, my great grandparents were my world. They cared for me, they took me places, they showed me love and affection and mostly they just admired my existence. 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Especially after losing someone you have cherished, loved and looked up to over the years. April 17, 2016 was one of the worst days of my life. I lost a great women who inspired me to be a better me and follow my dreams; my grandmother. She wasRead MoreValues and Crossroads of Life734 Words   |  3 Pages5.4 Values and the Crossroads of Life—Work File After reading the course resources, answer questions 1-10. (10 points each)†¨Please take time to answer each question completely. 1. Think of a person who has positively influenced your life or for whom you have great admiration. Write down the characteristics that person has/had that you would like to develop. The person that I have great admiration for is my mother. She has such a great quality of love, forgiveness, sincerity, helping othersRead MorePersonal Statement : Diving Into Motherhood951 Words   |  4 Pagesmyself as an individual, as well as my beliefs. Becoming a mother made me realize what is really important in life, while some days will be better than others, without a doubt my children will always have me wrapped around their fingers. I have always wanted kids; however, I never planned to have them so young. I guess life does not always go according to plan though. For me, motherhood began in September of 2013, my son David was born. He completely changed my world, as well as everything in itRead MoreMy Trip On My Vacation867 Words   |  4 Pagesflew out to America, my friends and I went on a trip. It was the greatest time in my life. It is the day that I will never forget in my life. My friends and I were so close and we love each other. When I told them I got a visa to go to America, they were so sad. Because the did not want to leave me. So they decide to have unforgettable day before I fly to america. That s why we decided to go to trip on that day. In the morning, before we go to the trip, we started our day by eating breakfast together

Thursday, December 12, 2019

News Article on Bally Total Fitness Can use for a Essay Example For Students

News Article on Bally Total Fitness Can use for a Essay Public Relations class Bally Total Fitness is the largest and only nationwide commercial operator of fitness centers in the United States, with approximately 4 million members and 320 locations in 27 states and Canada. There are currently 5 in the Baltimore area. (Bally p.1) Bally Total Fitness claim is to be committed to offering its members the best resources to help them achieve their personal fitness and health goals at an affordable price. Their diversity is apparent in the multitude of features they offer. Bally clubs offer swimming pools, racquetball, aerobics, indoor tracks, extensive cardiovascular and free weight machinery and daycare. In such a large corporation of both members and staff, Bally Total Fitness has regimented methods in which they handle public relation situations. The first of which are media relations. Media relations entail any situation in which the media interacts with any of the clubs. A good example of this is when a club or staff member is injured in a facility and the print or television media wants to do a story on the accident. In this scenario the club staff are not allowed to interact with the media until a media release form is given. This means no video or still pictures are allowed to be taken inside the club, nor is the staff allowed to comment about the incident until this procedure is satisfied. The director of public relations for Bally Total Fitness is Mr. Jack Sells. He is the person responsible for initiating the media release form, which he would then fax to the club for a media event. Mr. Sells must approve all press releases before they are released. Mr. Sells works out of Chicago, Illinois where Bally Total Fitness central corporate office is located. From a public relations perspective, Mr. Sells identifies himself as the expert prescriber in PR for Bally total fitness. He operates as a consultant to define the problem, suggest options, and oversee implementation. But there are two men underneath Mr. Sells. Frank Rizzo who is the regional supervisor, and Sol Rosenberg who is the club manager. Frank Rizzo would be defined as the problem solver process facilitator. He partners with senior management to identify and solve problems and Sol Rosenberg, would be the communication facilitator, because he is the person on the periphery between the organization and the environment who keeps two way communication going. During the interview Mr. Sells informed me about some of the campaigns that he is working on now and some campaigns Ballys has done in the past. Right now Bally Total Fitness has a community-healing fund for Littleton, Colorado. For each donation given Ballys will provide matching funds for a portion of the donation collected. This campaign is part of Ballys stronger communitys campaign in which they support community service organizations in the communities in which they operate. According to Mr. Sells, in the past year Ballys stronger communitys campaign has contributed more than 6 million dollars in cash and donations to inner city schools, boys and girls clubs, and police and fire departments. Bally Total Fitness will also be the title sponsor of the 12 city USTS triathlon series. Triathlons are a great test of personal fitness and that is why we are proud to be the prime sponsor of the event, said Mr. Sells. Another integral part of Ballys success is advertising. I conducted an interview with the sales manager at the Greenbelt Ballys location, Simon Says. Mr. Says attributes much of Ballys success to the clever advertising promotions that Ballys uses. Mr. Says claims Ballys gimmick is to get everyone to walk in through the door in order to see the product, regardless of age, gender, or financial demeanor. Bally Total Fitness saturates the television, radio, and newspaper markets with their advertising. These frequently run ads commonly offer low down payments to start a membership, such as $O to start, $1 to start, or $5 to start. It is this approach that is appealing to potential health club members. It is estimated that every incoming phone call regarding membership pricing costs the Company $100. .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .postImageUrl , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:hover , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:visited , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:active { border:0!important; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:active , .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u35afc48aba3c7aa742ac9f2a47fdb06d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Adam Smith Essay On Language00 to generate because of the costly spending on advertising, claims Mr. .

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Essay Deepth Perception free essay sample

An experimental design was used in which a sample of 20 participants were asked to judge which of two identical pens was closer to them on a 10cm depth scale. The independent variable was whether participants were in the binocular or monocular condition and the dependent variable was the accuracy of depth perceptions. Correct or incorrect responses were recorded on a response scale. The results showed that participants in the binocular condition produced more correct answers than participants in the monocular condition, supporting the experimental hypothesis. This corresponds with previous research. The Effect of Monocular and Binocular Vision when Judging Depth Perception Depth perception in relation to physical stimuli comes from the study of psychophysics. Depth perception is the ability to see the world in three-dimensions and the distances of objects. The retina receives information in only two-dimensions, but the brain elicits information about depth so that we can perceive the world in three dimensions. It does this via visual and oculomotor cues. Some depth cues only require input from one eye; these are known as monocular depth cues. They include motion parallax; when moving forward, the way objects move past you can inform you as to how far they are, aerial perspective; objects become clearer the closer they are to you, relative size; if there are two objects that you know are the same size, the smaller one must be further away, interposition; if one object overlaps another you can judge which object is closer to you, texture gradient; the texture of an object is more difficult to see the further away it is, elevation; objects appearing higher in the visual field are perceived as being further away, shading, shadows of objects can help the brain determine how far away they are, and linear perspective; the perception that parallel lines angle towards each other as they recede into the distance (Schiffman, 1997). However, some sources of information require input from both eyes; this is known as binocular depth cues. These include binocular disparity; using two images of the same scene from slightly different angl es. And convergence; the movement of eyes turning inwards, depending on the distance of the object your observing. The ability to perceive relative depth using binocular vision is known as stereopsis. Oculomotor cues derive from the act of muscular contraction, either from the focus of the lens or the position of the eyes (Sekuler, 2002). Oculomotor cues include convergence and accommodation. Accommodation is the process of your eyes adjusting to keep an object in clear focus. But why do humans have two eyes? Some animals, such as herbivores, have eyes on the side of their head. Evolutionary psychologists would argue that this enables them to notice the approach of predators and ensure survival. However, most predators need binocular vision and therefore have eyes in the front of their head enabling them to judge distances when looking for pray. Previous research has found that binocular depth cues provide more accurate information about depth. Mckee and Taylor (2010) investigated monocular and binocular depth cues when judging a pair of metal rods in a natural setting either in isolation, or surrounded by other objects, and found that the presence of objects and textures improved monocular judgements; however, binocular judgments were still more accurate. Similarly, Barlow, Blakemore and Pettigrew (1967) investigated monocular and binocular vision by recording the action potentials of neurons in the primary visual cortex of cats, and found that the retinal images of an object must be correctly placed in both eyes to elicit the most accurate response, as opposed to one eye. However, it could be said that the experiment may not be generalizable to humans as it was conducted on cats. Although many studies show support that binocular vision is more accurate in judging depth than monocular vision, some studies show support for how monocular judgements are just as important. Bruno and Cutting (1967) investigated monocular depth cues; relative size, elevation, interposition, and motion parallax, on computer generated stimuli. The results showed that perceivers use monocular depth cues to judge relative depth, and the more cues there are, the more depth is revealed. The findings from this study illustrate the importance of monocular depth cues, however, computer generated stimuli cannot generalise to real world stimuli. Based on previous research, this experiment aimed to investigate the effect of binocular vision and monocular vision when judging which of two objects is closer in humans and in real life objects. The current study had one hypothesis: two eyes would be better than one eye when judging depth perception. Method Design The study was an experiment. It used a between participants design. Participants were allocated to one of two conditions, monocular vision or binocular vision. The independent variable was whether participants used monocular or binocular vision to judge the depth of the objects and the dependent variable was the accuracy of depth perceptions. Participants The participants included an opportunistic sample of students from Southampton Solent University and friends and family of the experimenters. Participants were recruited on an opt in basis and were all over 18 years of age. 20 participants were recruited. Materials The researchers completed an ethics form (appendix A) before the study. The participants were given an information sheet (appendix B), including brief and consent, and a debrief (appendix C), which they received after completing the experiment. A 10cm depth scale (appendix D) with a gap of 1cm was used and results were recorded on a response scale (appendix E) which consisted of correct or incorrect responses from each participant for each trial. The objects used consisted of two identical pens. Procedure Participants were given an information sheet, briefing them on the experiment, and asked to sign their consent. The experimenter then read the standardised instructions to the participant. Participants were assigned to one of two conditions; monocular vision and binocular vision. Each participant was asked to judge which of two objects was closer to them from at a 2m distance. The objects consisted of two identical pens which were placed on the 10cm depth scale. Psychophysical techniques used included Just Noticeable Difference (JND) and the stimuli were kept constant. The order of trails was randomised. The experiment was counterbalanced with half of participants using their left eye, and half using their right eye in the monocular condition. Results were recorded on a response scale which consisted of correct or incorrect responses from each participant for each trial. This is known as a 2 adjustment forced choice procedure (2AFC). After the experiment, participants were debriefed and explained the aims and hypothesis of the study and inviting questions. Ethical Considerations An ethics form was completed and approved before the experiment took place. Participants were briefed on the experiment, given a consent form and then debriefed after the experiment. Participants’ right to withdraw from the study was indicated on the information sheet, as well as being reminded verbally by the experimenters. All participants were recruited on an opt in basis. No names or participant data were collected. Responses were therefore anonymous. Results Hypothesis: two eyes are better than one when judging depth perception. Mean and standard deviation was calculated for each experimental condition: monocular vision and binocular vision, as shown in table 1. Raw data can be seen in appendix G. Table 1 The mean and standard deviation according to each experimental condition Experimental Condition| Mean| Standard Deviation| Monocular vision| 15. 70| 2. 58| Binocular vision| 19. 30| 1. 34| Table 1 shows that the mean (19. 30) for binocular vision was higher than the mean (15. 70) for monocular vision. This indicates that participants in the binocular vision experimental condition had more correct answers than participants in the monocular vision condition, supporting the hypothesis. Calculations from the output can be seen in appendix F. Figure 1. Mean total scores of correct answers. Figure 1 shows that the mean total scores of correct answers were higher for participants in the binocular condition than participants in the monocular condition. Having used a between participants design, an unrelated t test was conducted to test the directional hypothesis. The output from the calculations can be seen in Appendix F. The results were as follows: t(18) = -3. 912, the significance of the t value equals . 0005, meaning that plt;0. 01. This means that the results were significant to 1% and thus participants in the binocular condition had significantly more correct answers than participants in the monocular condition. Discussion The results of this experiment do support the predicted hypothesis that two eyes are better than one when judging depth perception. Participants in the binocular condition had more correct answers and were able to judge which of the two pens was closest to them than participants in the monocular condition. These findings can be explained by binocular disparity; each eye has a slightly different perspective of the same image, due to the eyes being slightly separated. The brain then combines information from the two eyes into one three-dimensional image, and obscures the differences (Sekuler, 2002). The brain uses binocular disparity to get depth information and judge the distances of objects. Figure 2. A diagram of binocular disparity. Figure 2 demonstrates how the left and right eyes have different visual views of the same image. If the object is far away, the disparity of that image will be small, if the object is close, the disparity will be large. Therefore, participants in the binocular condition used the images in their left and right eye, to determine the disparity of the objects and thus judge which pen was closest to them. In the monocular condition, the use of Just Noticeable Difference (JND), the smallest change in the physical stimuli, made it more difficult for participants to use the monocular depth cue of interposition to judge which pen was closest to them. The closer the objects were to each other (e. g. 5 and 6 on the depth scale), the harder it was for participants to judge which one was closest to them. This is because when the objects were further apart from each other on the depth scale, one would overlap or block the other, and the fully exposed object was perceived as being closer to the participant. However, when the objects were closer to each other, neither object concealed the other and the ability to use interposition was eliminated, therefore producing incorrect responses. One possible limitation of this study is that it used a between participants design. This may have reduced the validity of the study as participants may have had different visual abilities. For example, people with ocular conditions, such as amblyopia, have poor stereo vision and thus perform worse in depth discriminations (Thompson amp; Nawrot, 1998). This may have confounded the results and therefore further research should use a within participants design testing the same participants in both conditions to see if the findings are consistent and if different visual capabilities affect the ability to perceive depth. Furthermore, it could be said that judging which of two pens is closer to you in experimental conditions with high control may not generalise to real live situations. It can be concluded that binocular vision is better than monocular vision when making depth perceptions. It may be valid to conclude that the results from this study are only valid within the context it was conducted and that further research should look into people with visual impairments to see if their depth perceptions are affected. References Schiffman, H. R. (1997). Sensation and Perception: an Integrated Approach. (pp. 215-227). New York: Wiley Sekuler, R (2002).

Thursday, November 28, 2019

The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Review Essay Example

The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Review Paper Essay on The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Selection of stories seemed quite strange. There was a nepriyanye stories that do not carry a personal light, it is assumed the book idea. There is a very cute, catchy stories about the everyday. There is politics, childhood, love, death. Then try to write at least a little about each of the presented works. Boris Akunin. Hunting for Ulysses (novel excerpt) Erast Petrovich Fandorin come to Yalta in an unusual quality. He a member of the Commission on Chekhovs heritage, which is to prepare the event to mark the 10 anniversary of the writers death. But his fame brilliant detective serves him a disservice he is forced to take part in the hunt for terrorists. The beginning of the novel, published in this book is a humorous character. The author briefly mentions the Bolshevik leader Lenin and other historical figures. At the end of the fragment indicated that the full story will be published by the publishing house Zakharov ». We will write a custom essay sample on The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Review specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The book, for which united writers, which it is impossible to combine Review specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Vladimir Voinovich. Roman (tragedy) Short (2.5 pages) joke about writers and their work Andrew Gelasimov.. Jeanne a terrible and very true story about a 18-year-old single mother of 2 year old child. About the urban slums, no unwanted children, betrayal, love, and the last hope. Boris Grebenshchikov. A brief history of amateur on the ships of the pirate fleet Caribbean, the first half of XVII-th century the name is longer than this work of trying to create a theater on a pirate ship Eugene Grishkovec.. Tranquility almost every one of us at least once in a lifetime spent the whole summer in the city. What to do in this summer, and how to treat a person chooses himself. Victor Yerofeyev. Rehabilitation Dantes a Russian refused to spit on Dantes grave, killed our all? And learn about the last conversation Pushkin and Dantes, held shortly before his death, Dantes? Quite an interesting version of the story, thats only in the story there is inappropriate, in my opinion, obscene language. Alexander Kabakov. Refuge He is still in a hurry, earned, I spent, lost, and made up, not for one minute did not doubt that the only way to live that other life does not happen, and there is only more or less successful kind of life. And then he was asked a question that made him think Eduard Limonov. There was one story reminded anecdote about a dragon who ate my mom and dad and crying that he was now an orphan. Reflections of a former prisoner, politics and villain, who came to his mothers funeral. Vladimir Makanin. One-day war Quite true, but it is very dismal prognosis immediate political future of the Earth Marina Moskvina.. Green mountains and white clouds Very piercing story of love, carried through life. They met at work Durovs corner, we have worked together for life, and together they could not be. Victor Pelevin. childhood ontology a very dark story about how we grow. Although only plan I could not appreciate because hardly understand Pelevin. Ludmila Petrushevskaya. Joe Juan Pretty dingy the story of Casanova in the Soviet town of scientists Zakhar Prilepin.. Grandmother, wasps, watermelon Same story about memories of childhood, adulthood, the loss of something important Dina Rubina.. White dove Cordoba (excerpt from the new novel) Hero charming adventurer, paintings expert, holds a very exciting one day Dunya Smirnova.. Either way what a woman thinks when stroking? About anything Either way Vladimir Sorokin. Black horse with a white eye an ordinary day in the village during mowing. An ordinary family on the field. Only the child may notice something surprising in the eye of a stray horse. Tatyana Tolstaya. Yellow flowers (an excerpt from the new book) Mimoza salad recipe, generously laced with memories Ulitskaya.. Retired love The same story of love, carried through life. Only heroes could even sometimes be with each other, in spite of the terrible circumstances. Max Frye. Krakow demon Attraction Krakow Silver demon also wants to find the time to do their business, but can not throw cranks who really need it Alexander Khurgin.. Earplugs lived in the world a young woman Nelia Java. She had no sense of humor, but it was in excess of the sense of beauty. And enjoy the beauty of it prevented external noise. Leonid Yuzefovich. Storm. 1987 After this story just remember school. Compulsory lecture about the rules of the road in September, sometimes pursued by cops, who does not know how to communicate with children. Strict head teachers, bustling teachers, classmates laughter. released book on white, but strongly translucent paper. On the flyleaf of the book the authors statements about hospice, death, and mercy.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

The U.S. Governments Role in Protecting the Environment

The U.S. Government's Role in Protecting the Environment The regulation of practices that affect the environment is a relatively recent development in the United States, but it is an excellent example of government intervention in the economy for a social purpose. Since the collective rise in consciousness  about the health of the environment, such government intervention in business has become a hot topic not only in the United States but also across the globe. The Rise of Environmental Protection Policies Beginning in the 1960s, Americans became increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of industrial growth. Engine exhaust from growing numbers of automobiles, for instance, was blamed for smog and other forms of air pollution in large cities. Pollution represented what economists call an externality- a cost that the responsible entity can escape but that society as a whole must bear. With market forces unable to address such problems, many environmentalists suggested that the government had a moral obligation to protect the earths fragile ecosystems, even if doing so required some economic growth to be sacrificed. In response, a slew of laws was enacted to control pollution, including examples such as the 1963 Clean Air Act, the 1972 Clean Water Act, and the 1974 Safe Drinking Water Act. The Founding of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) In December 1970, environmentalists achieved a major goal with the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through an executive order signed by then-president Richard Nixon.  The creation of the EPA  brought together several federal programs charged with protecting the environment into a single government agency. The EPA was founded with the  goal of protecting human health and the environment by enforcing regulations passed by Congress. Responsibilities of the EPA The EPA sets and enforces tolerable limits of pollution, and it establishes timetables to bring polluters into line with standards, an important aspect of its work since most of these requirements are recent and industries must be given reasonable time, often several years, to conform to new standards. The EPA also has the authority to coordinate and support the research and anti-pollution efforts of state and local governments, private and public groups, and educational institutions. Furthermore, regional EPA offices have the power to develop, propose, and implement approved regional programs for comprehensive environmental protection. While the EPA delegates some responsibilities such as monitoring and enforcement to state governments, it retains the authority to enforce policies through fines, sanctions, and other measures granted by the federal government. The Impact of Environmental Policies Data collected since the EPA began its work in the 1970s shows significant improvements in environmental quality. There has been a nationwide decline in virtually all air pollutants. However, in 1990, many Americans believed that still greater efforts to combat air pollution were needed. In response, Congress passed important amendments to the Clean Air Act that were signed into law by President George H. W. Bush. The legislation incorporated an innovative market-based system designed to secure a substantial reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions, which produce what is more commonly known as acid rain. This type of pollution is believed to cause serious damage to forests and lakes, particularly in the eastern part of the United States and Canada. In the years since, environmental policy has remained at the forefront of political discussion, especially as it relates to clean energy and climate change.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

The Moral Instinct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Moral Instinct - Essay Example However, the author points out that there are no clear avenues of reasoning and rationalization of the moral behaviors as different societies have different views concerning behavior, as much as people know that some behaviors are wrong and does not meet the standards of morality in the society, others don’t understand and can not justify them in this case. The article further elaborated on the different genealogy which also influences our moral behavior in the society as they were ranked depending on the perceived consequences that are likely to be displayed. The above concepts will be the key focusing point in this essay. Concepts/Claims The author argues that morality is universal having experienced a number of situations for its justification. He states that people are born with universal grammar, which makes them understand the speech structures without any conscious awareness about the rules in the play. He further states that by analogy, human beings are born with unive rsal grammar of morality which helps in analyzing the human actions in-terms of morality with little awareness (Compley et al 433). In this aspect, the author admits that human beings are born with morality part with them, and it can not be distinguished from them. Anyone who does not want to exercise morality does so because of his or her personal conscious. The author asserts that the moral sense is instinct in the design of the human brain, and it is very difficult to distinguish the morality in us from our everyday behavior. To justify the above concept, the author collected a list of universally accepted moral concepts and emotions. The collected moral concepts included distinctions between right and wrong, empathy, fairness, prosecution of murder, rape, admiration of generosity, shame taboos and sanction from wronging the community. The findings reveal that people are emotionally attached to the moral behaviors. The morality concepts start in early childhood as toddlers help t heir fellow by giving them toys and also comforting distressed persons. A four year old school going knows very well the dressing codes required in school and the dangers of hitting a fellow for whatever reason. The interviewed school children had the same response in regards to morality from the asked questions. From the above result from research conducted, morality is instinct and people are born with it making it universal phenomenon that everyone has to practice. Similarly, children are nurtured with morality when it is reinforced in them since it will stick and be part of them despite the external factors which might influence them. The second concept that the author puts forward is that morality is a psychological state of mind that can be put on and off. He argues that when the state is put on, the mind controls our thinking, which latter influences our actions in deciding what is wrong and right. The conscious mind, which is put on brings different hallmarks which are assoc iated with morality as being perceived to be universal. Rape and murder are universally immoral which are accepted in different societies hence universally warranted. Similarly, people feel that those who do wrong or exhibit immoral behaviors should be punished. This is not only to inflict pain on the offenders but also as a show that it is not allowed in the society (Comley et al

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Goodwill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Goodwill - Essay Example "Pooling of Interests" or "Purchase Accounting Method". Under the first method, the Goodwill acquired on account of merger and acquisitions use to get amortized in equal installments over a period of 40 years. Under the second method, the Goodwill was considered as a permanent asset, which would not reduce in value with the passing of years, thus enabling the companies to test the same for impairment on an annual basis in order to ensure that fair value of the Goodwill was equal to its book value. Apart from the annual review, the impairment could also be exercised in instances where it indicated that the carrying amount of Goodwill needs reassessment. The process of assessment of impairment consists of two steps. Firstly it involves comparison of the intrinsic value of a business with its carrying amount including the Goodwill. Incase the book value exceeds the fair value, then nothing needs has to be done. On the other hand, if the fair value is lesser than the book value, impairment would be carried out. Under the US GAAP, the fair value of Goodwill is calculated by allocating fair values to unit assets and liabilities. In the case of impairment of Goodwill, same should be charged to the Profit and Loss Account. The International Accounting Standards also followed the footsteps of US GAAP concept. The basic difference between the UK and the International Accounting Standards is that in the former the Companies were allowed to opt either of the two op

Monday, November 18, 2019

Cool Moose Creamery Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Cool Moose Creamery - Essay Example In the new franchisee, a new product will added with the existing product line up of this company. This report is about the financial assessment of the overall business plan. This financial analysis report is related to the feasibility of this new franchisee development by four partners who are willing to invest equally for this business. So, this financial planning assessment determines the feasibility of this business according to the current demand of the product and growth of the parent company Cool Moose Creamery. In this report a qualitative analysis has been made by supported by facts and data from the Cool Moose’s business. The new franchisee of this company will be taken and set up by total four partners among one has already invested $10,000 for developing new product and other three are interested in this business who will equally invest $10,000 each in cash this business. The amount they are willing to invest is $10,000 in cash each. One of the partners already dev eloped a new product related to the product line up of this business. The name of the product is Snofroze which is confectionary food like frozen snacks. The partners have decided that this product will influence the demand of itself as well as the existing products of the company whose franchisee will be taken. The partners agree to take a quarter of the new business each in return of $30,000 each. The partners will set up a shop where they will set up the franchisee business of the company. Actually the main aim of them is to get a brand name to include their developed product in the existing product line up of the brand. For developing this shop the company need to buy fixtures and fittings for the shop and other machineries. One of necessary machineries, the company need buy is single-head soft-serve machine. The partners have decided to take bank loan for buying the necessary fixed assets and initial cost for setting up the ice cream shop. Apart from, purchase of fixed assets r elated cost the company need to pay a flat fee upfront for taking up the franchisee. For all these initial expenses the partners have decided to take bank loan of $20,000. They are expecting to payback this amount in monthly instalments basis to the bank within a maximum payback period over 3 years. Total investment for this business is $160,000 which will be invested by the four partners equally and each of them will be getting a quarter stake of the company and also the selling writs of the new product Snofroze. Another $20,000 will be added in the total initial investment that will be taken from bank loan. So, total initial capital is $180,000. The company has decided to break even this initial investment from the total profit of 3 years. So, in the first three years the company needs to earn an average profit of $60,000 per year. If the company only focus on selling the product Snowfroz then it needs to sell total 60,000 pieces of the Snoforze and approximately 167 pieces daily if the profit per unit of the product is assumed as $1. So, the competitive price of a single Snowfroz is assumed as $2 and the cost of sells is assumed as 1 which includes production cost and other contributed cost per unit. 360 opening days of the shop is considered in this analysis and 5 days is deducted for closing of the shop regarding any issues. So, if the company can 167 unit per day at a assumed price of $2 per unit then the company can breakeven in next three years from the starting of its operation. The company will sell the products in the shop and also they will distribute in the many restaurants in the city. The product will get a good demand in the market as it is a confectionary snacks product. So, the company will do business selling also apart from retail

Friday, November 15, 2019

A Study On Change Management Commerce Essay

A Study On Change Management Commerce Essay Accepting change is considered the biggest paranoia in todays world. Organizations both business and non-business confront a challenging world. Some of the challenges that are faced by managers today include competition from other firms, globalization, and technological changes besides others. Let us consider a small example that can set the stage for discussing the effects of change. Daily life in a modern society is like a routine, where we wake up in the mornings, have breakfast, go for work, have lunch, come back from work, eat dinner and then sleep again. It has become a scheduled life, or so to say, we conform to structure in our lives. This structure provides us the necessary security. But, if we were to live in a world full of anxiety and unexpected mechanisms, it may leave us feeling uneasy and apprehensive. If this is the condition of individuals, a large-scale change in an organization can surely transform its people into anxiety, exasperation, frustration, depression or even fatal incidents. To curb this, organizations practice what is to be referred to as Change Management. Change Management is a process whereby, the individual, team or the organization develops a planned approach towards any sort of an alteration. The objective is to capitalize the benefits for the people and lessen the risk of failure of implementation. Change management entails thoughtful planning and sensitive implementation, and most importantly, consultation with the people who are going to be involved in the process. This task studies how organizations have evolved to accept change. But let us first look at the drivers that affect organizational change: Ø Inadequate Financial Performance the 2008 economic slowdown can be well quoted as an example for this. Companies failing to reach their financial benchmarks, have to undergo change. Competitive organizations can cannibalize their market share, provided they enter with cheaper labor or superior technology. Failure to maintain the market share can force companies to rethink their opportunity cost and also the deployment of resources. Ø Changes in Strategic objectives many companies shift their focus from being product-driven to being customer-driven or even process-driven. To enable this, restructuring and re-orientation of processes, people are required of in the organization. Ø New Technology companies that neglect the new trends in the market are set to suffer a setback, and, therefore, should adapt to the changes in technology. Ø Mergers and Acquisitions when companies merge and consolidate their operations, people and the culture, re-engineering takes place. The streamlining of the operations, infrastructure and the structure of the two organizations into one centralized theme is a huge part of the change management process. These, could be defined as the drivers of change that evolve businesses and markets. Organizations, today, have learnt to adapt to change. In this era of globalization, fast-moving lives and business-centered organizations, people and the processes have accepted the transformation. For instance, a lot of investment banks had to undergo transformation during the economic slowdown. Citigroup Inc. restructured its banks and other affiliates during the recessionary period, to acclimatize with the new environment. And it did happen. The management has to ensure that a smooth shift occurs, and for this it adopts a number of organizational theories as a basis for effective change management. Some of them are listed in the next few paragraphs. The central challenge of changing peoples behavior and making them susceptible to change remains to be a huge challenge. John Kotter and Dan Cohen, discuss in their book The Heart of Change: real life stories of how people change their organizations discuss highly-successful organizations embark large-scale change. They say it moves through eight stages: What people do and what is to be done for them, requires systematic thinking and planning on the part of the management. It is necessary to build upon a sense of urgency in the people by inspiring them with the need that has arisen to undergo change. This could be done with relevant people in the organization first and then go onto include others. These could be referred to as the Change Agents. These agents can then create a team with the credibility, reputation and formal authority that can inspire change leadership. The visions, strategies and goals of the employees and the organization could be uplifted in this process but communication of these is of utmost important. The right communication can get the change process on an easy path. Every path has some definite barriers to action, and it is imperative to remove these as they would prove harmful. Empowering the people to act on their vision could lead to easy transition. Change cannot be brought about in a jiffy. It requires a lot of patience and observation on part of the organization, and therefore, small waves of change can lead to a bigger, better ocean of possibilities. When the change management process is nearly done, the new culture should remain stagnant until, the next change process comes around. This eight-step process of change would help to slide organizational change smoothly into organizational processes and functions and would bring about a new culture. The next theory of change is Kurt Lewins Three-Step Change theory. This theory is considered to be systematic and planned in its approach. It talks about three steps namely: The first step says to unfreeze or to change the existing behavior. This is necessary to overcome the strains of individual resistance. Some activities that can assist in this step are motivating the employees, building trust and recognition and letting the employees participate in brainstorming sessions and other group activities. The second step talks about taking the level of the employees to a new target level. In this stage, the employees are encouraged to work together, look at the changes from a new perspective, and support the change agents and the leaders in the process of change. The purpose of refreezing is to stabilize the new equilibrium and ensuring that the changes implemented are followed by the employees. There are many other theories that can catapult an organization into accepting change, namely, 7-S Framework by Mckinsey, Cultural Dimensions by Hofstede, Managerial Grid by Blake-Mouton, Causal Model of Organizational Performance and Change by Burke-Litwin, besides others. Organizations, today, understand the relevance of inclusion of its employees in the process of change management, and, therefore by implication of various models and theories, involve their people with full intention of their benefit. The Cognitive theory states the importance of understanding the thought processes of human beings, and this theory aids in the development of the theories and the models used by organizations for engaging their employees in the change management process. The next task studies the strengths and weaknesses of a Bureaucratic Organization. Task (b) Max Weber gave the concept of bureaucracy at the turn of the 20th century. For him, the ideal bureaucracy was defined by the terms efficiency, impersonality and rationality. The employees are subject to published codes of rules i.e. the ones that are available in writing. The structure of the organization is a continuous hierarchy where every level has authority on the level below it. Job holders have no rights to a particular position. Responsibilities are delineated within each level, which has its own sphere of competence. Technical competence is the basis for appointment to an office. The strengths and the weaknesses of the bureaucratic organization are described as below: Strengths : Increased control and monitoring of the upper level management More control over the employees with set rules and regulations Reporting relationships are clear and well-defined Centralized system, where all the decisions are monitored Weaknesses: Lack of innovation due to the set procedures and processes Employees are not motivated because of lesser employee participation and involvement Communication has to go through many levels, which gets distorted Encourages politics in the organization These are the strengths and the weaknesses of the bureaucratic organization. The organization chosen is BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke which is headquartered in Munich, Germany and came into being in 1917. It has become one of the ten largest car manufacturers in the world. Long-term thinking and cornerstone thinking has been the reasons for their success. The prime objectives of their corporate strategy include striving for ecological and social sustainability, taking full responsibility for their products, and giving commitment towards their resources. It is for these objectives, that BMW has been the sector leader since the last five years, according to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices. BMW holds the privilege of having some of the best brands in the world, to be their creations. These are the BMW Series, MINI and the Rolls Royce. These automobiles represent the finest and the most luxurious segment of the cars in the world. Along with the automotive concerns BMW is also employed with other services such as: Motorcycles BMW is also engaged with the development, production and the marketing of motorcycles. These motorcycles are set in standard with technology, environmental protection and outstanding customer pre-sales and after-sales services. Financial Services an extensive product portfolio is offered by BMW that supplies expert information and advice for situations and questions in relation with the finance sector. As stated in their Annual Report 2009, BMW is clear with their mission for 2020 where they are the worlds leading provider of premium products and services for individual mobility. More driving pleasure and less of emissions the BMW group is implementing on this principle, unlike the other automobile manufacturers by working on Efficient Dynamics technology. In 2007, BMW adopted the Number ONE strategy that focused on long-term value growth and profitability. The four pillars of this strategy are Future, Growth, Customers and Profitability. This strategy revolutionized the BMW group and put them on the path to success.BMW has about 24 production and assembly plants in 13 countries. The sales distribution network of BMW stands strong at 41 company-owned subsidiaries and more than 3,000 dealerships. The next task discusses and compares the ways of organizational development and aligns it with BMW. Task (c) Organization development consists of the activities that intervene in the interactions of the people and the systems, i.e. in the work culture and in the organizational design in order to increase the efficiency using a variety of applied behavioral sciences. Richard Beckhard in what is Organizational Development?, mentions that it is â€Å"an effort (1) planned, (2) organization-wide, and (3) managed from the top, to (4) increase organization effectiveness and health through (5) planned interventions in the organizations ‘processes, using behavioral-science knowledge.† The intervention techniques focus on four categories- the Interpersonal, team or group, intergroup and then the overall organizational intervention. Each intervention revolves around these four categories. Some of the important organization development interventions include: Survey Feedback is a part of intervening in the total organizational system. This methodology believes in taking feedback from the managers in the form of a survey conducted. The data is collected, the results are analyzed and then the means are developed to correct the situation. Process Consultation a behavioral effort, this intervention aims at the teams or the intergroup activities, where through interaction, the problem is resolved. Coaching and counseling are the means of influencing change. Goal setting the goals of every division in the organization is set. This aligns with the overall organizational objectives. This is an inter-group activity. Managerial Grid it consists of group and individual activities with a view to developing the managerial style, interpersonal competence and group effectiveness. Management by Objectives this tool developed by Peter Drucker, where the managers at different levels and their subordinates work together to establish and then achieve their goals. Re-engineering a radical redesigning of the people, processes and customer satisfaction that would obtain drastic changes in the performance. These are some of the ways in which organizational development is encouraged in the organization. The automotive industry undergoes structural changes in an uncertain economic climate. Manufacturers face a new set of challenges to their business models, designs and ultimately, their cost structures. Automotive companies have to ensure that their designs are fuel-efficient, light-weight, are cheap to produce and are desirable. In this era of globalization, where the consumer has become a think-tank and is conscious of its status and upbringing in the society, BMW as an organization has always believed in identifying demands, reflecting on the challenges and investing in the future. The group understands that success and sustainability belong together. The Sustainability Board at BMW continuously evaluates progress and determines the suitable strategic directions. Every employee at BMW is called upon to help implement the goal of sustainability and responsibility. Of the ways of organizational development that have been discussed above, the intervention of Re-engineering would suit the framework of BMW. This organizational development intervention would seek to radically transform all the processes and gain quantum leaps in the processes. This model would look at the overall improvement at BMW and would even make amendments in the separate divisions. The level of changes that can be implemented in BMW would include: Structural changes change at the level of the structure of the organization. Inclusion of new members in the committee. BMW continuously evaluates its board members and members of the supervisory board. Also, mergers and acquisitions could bring about a hefty change in the organization. Technical changes hybrid and fuel-efficient cars are the demands of the environment and the industry today. BMW faces the challenge of promoting social and ecological aspects as resource-friendly and effective alternatives on the supplier markets. This is the ecological change that BMW needs to apply in its operations. One of the objectives of BMW is reduce the resource consumption and emissions by another 30% as compared to the 2006 level. BMW is already exercising these options by way of applying the Efficient Dynamics Technology. Changes in the Human Resources people are the most important element in any organization. BMW ensures that its employees are satisfied and that they meet the targets of their Strategy Number ONE, as discussed before. In fact, for any organization, organizational development for its employees is of utmost importance. And that is why, BMW holds its members as the strongest pillar in its Strategy Number ONE. With the help of the Balanced Scorecard method, BMW ensures that its members achieve their targets which are also in view with achieving the company-wide objectives. The human resources department attracts mainly the high performers with the highest competencies. Also, cross-functional training, ideal job description are some of the ways in which the employees are encouraged to challenge the changing environments. One of the powerful programmes of BMW is called â€Å"Drive† for the young professionals with only up to three years of experience. The next part deals with the development of systems for understanding and involving others in the process of change. PART II Task (a) In todays fast paced business environment, companies need to have flexible and planned business operations to facilitate radical change. Change to company processes requires dedicated planning, and its become imperative to align resources and employees to the companys objectives and goals. Adopting long term-change, strategic planning in the business units, building performance metrics, management-encouraged ideas, employee training and development are some of the critical success factors that would help infuse change in the organization. Of these, the most important is the Stakeholder Analysis. This analysis helps in creating and documenting those policies that would be in the interest of the stakeholders. This analysis would help in aggrandizing the process of change management of the organization. Stakeholder Analysis is a process of gathering and analyzing qualitative data in relation to those to whom the interests of the organization are worthwhile. This data is taken into account while deciding upon a particular policy or a program to be implemented. Stakeholders are the persons or organization with vested interest in the policy being promoted. These stakeholders can be the international donors, national/political figures, public agencies, labor, civil society and the users/consumers. There are eight major steps that are involved in this process: Kammi Schmeer provides these eight steps in Stakeholder Analysis Guidelines, and regards this information to be useful for other analyses as well. This system would help in developing and in introducing change in the organization. When this analysis would be conducted before the policy is implemented then, the policy makers and the managers can act to prevent any potential misunderstanding or opposition. This would enable the program to succeed most likely. BMW already exercises good stakeholder engagement policies in their organization. It believes in the principle of ‘Listen, understand and act. In 2009, BMW hosted its first Stakeholder Roundtable where experts from various environmental, societal and organizational concerns were present. They discussed the issues relating to product strategies and lessen the resource consumption across the value chain. BMW regularly holds stakeholder surveys, employee surveys and commits to sustainability initiatives. Task (b) After developing the system for engaging the stakeholders in the implementation of change, the organization is still most likely to receive resistance. In the light of transitions, it is almost natural for stakeholders to resist change. The most affected in the changing circumstances are the employees. Humans have a desire for perpetual stability, especially in their jobs and roles. And hence, the urge to resist is dominant. Many processes recognize and tend to overcome resistance in an organization. Some of them are: Individual Interviews these would help in determining the exact thought processes that are prevailing in the minds of the stakeholders Commitment Plan- all the stakeholders and the members of the organization should be committed to the change plan. And this would majorly succeed, if the top-level management inspire leadership and help create a conducive environment to change Communication of decisions as soon as the decisions are taken, they should be intimated to the stakeholders. The same should be done with care and honor for the stakeholders, respecting the past traditions and describing the advantages of a changed future. Input every stakeholder that is going to be affected by the change plan should be given a chance to express the views, but in a defined and composed manner. A systematic plan should be developed. Rewards successful implementation and cooperation should be credited with compensatory rewards. Evaluation after the necessary changes have been implemented, the organization should evaluate the strategic changes on continual basis. This evaluation is of utmost importance to the stakeholders, as then the effects of the new policy or programme would be known to the policy makers. This would help in making amendments and improvising further. PART III This part deals with the plan that would be required to implement ongoing change in the organization. Task (a) Every organization needs to gain competitive advantage in todays world. Taking a holistic approach towards the process can assure the company to adopt the right mindset from the first go. There are various models for implementation of change management in an organization. Some of the models that would aid in proper change management especially in BMW are described as below. 1. ADKAR Change Model by Prosci This a goal oriented change model that allows the management teams to focus their activities on the business results. This acronym is characterized by the words Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement. There should be Awareness for the need for change; a Desire to participate and support the change; Knowledge of how to change; Ability to change on a day-to-day basis and Reinforcement to keep the change in place. This model can be used to: Ø Diagnose the resistance of employees to change Ø Help the employees in accepting the transition Ø Create a successful action plan for personal and professional management Ø Develop a change management plan This model helps in identifying why the changes are not working and what could be done to implement the changes. 2. The 4-D process of Appreciative Enquiry This model by David Cooperrider talks about the change interventions that can take process via the 4-D way: Ø Discovery mobilizing a whole system enquiry Ø Dream envisioning the impact Ø Design co-constructing the future with the stakeholders Ø Delivery Sustaining the Change Organizations, says this theory, are centers of human relations and thrive only when there is an appreciative eye. Kurt Lewins Three-Stage model has been discussed before is a powerful tool in bring about the necessary changes in an organization. BMW, as an organization has learnt to adapt flexibly to any new situation. There are some recommendations that need to be applied by BMW in its organization to foster easy change acceptance by the employees. These are: Temporal Flexibility in this module, the employees should be able to take advantage of flexible work time models. They can work part-time or even full time. In motion- geographically and professionally not only geographical expansion, BMW should ensure that it does not exceed the head count of its employees. It is necessary to have skilled labor in order to survive new technologies and new markets Staff-oriented leadership the staff should be meant to lead the way into the organization. Active Participation BMW should encourage innovation and improvement culture by giving its staff numerous opportunities to have a share in the companys future. They should have the right to give in suggestions and ideas. Co-evaluate staff surveys should be held regularly at BMW to evaluate the effects of change in the organization Total Quality Management the quality at BMW should be enhanced and maintained at all levels. Care should be taken to avoid any mistakes. BMW is a technology-driven organization, and therefore, should apply the above given recommendations. If these are implemented practically, then it would be easier for the stakeholders to accept the new policies which would be based on successful past data. Task (b) In order to ensure that a correct change management plan has been implemented, a plan needs to be developed. This plan is divided into three phases that has been developed by ages of research by Prosci: Phase 1 Preparation for change Phase 2- Managing the change Phase 3 Reinforcing the Change Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 There are various possible outcomes that an organization would experience after successful implementation of the plan. These are: Greater organizational effectiveness Improved work quality and morale Enhanced cooperation and collaboration in work Better customer service Increased ROI Reduced time to implement change This plan can be implemented in BMW by operating not only horizontally but even in the vertical structure. Every division of BMW should exercise this plan and work upon it in making the recommended changes. This effective plan would be able to result in fruitful changes in BMW, and help them in achieving their Strategy Number ONE with ease. Reference List Books 1. Handy, Charles, (1990), â€Å"The Age of Unreason†, Harvard Business School Press, United States of America 2. Kotter, John; Cohen, Dan, (2002), â€Å"The Heart of Change†, Harvard Business School Press, United States of America 3. Weber, Max , (1947), â€Å"The Theory of Social and Economic Organization†, Collier Macmillan Publishers, London PDF files 1. Schmeer, Kammi, â€Å"Stakeholder Analysis Guidelines†. http://new.paho.org/hss/documents/policytoolkitforstrengtheninghealthsectorreformpartii-EN.pdf 2. Beckhard, Richard, â€Å"What is Organizational Development?†. http://media.wiley.com/product_data/excerpt/64/07879842/0787984264.pdf 3. â€Å"Prosci Change Management Series† http://www.prosci.com/prosci_change_series.pdf 4. BMW Annual Report 2009 http://www.bmwgroup.com/annualreport2009/_downloads/BMW_Group_2009.pdf 5. BMW Sustainability Value Report 2009 http://www.bmwgroup.com/e/0_0_www_bmwgroup_com/verantwortung/publikationen/sustainable_value_report_2008/_pdf/SVR_2008_engl_Gesamtversion.pdf

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Abraham Lincoln Essay -- essays research papers

Lincoln   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  No president of the United States ever assumed office under more difficult conditions than Abraham Lincoln. By the time of his inauguration day, a large portion of the South had already seceded as soon as they heard of his election. Nor did he have the support and confidence of a large portion of the North either. To most Americans, Lincoln was a relative unknown and his homespun image and penchant for humor often led both his opponents and his staff to underestimate him. General McClellan dismissed his commander-in-chief as a buffoon while the abolitionist Wendall Phillips described Lincoln as a ‘first-rate, second-rate man’ who was always ‘waiting like any other servant for the people to come and send him on any errand they wish.’   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Such estimations show that Lincoln’s true intelligence and political acumen were widely misunderstood, perhaps owing to the fact that he was a complex and very private man, not readily given to sharing his inner thoughts with even his closest advisors. He also appeared on the surface to be a man of great contradictions. He was anti-slavery and yet he hesitated to free the slaves. He was a staunch believer in the Constitution and yet he suspended the writ of habeas corpus.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The answer to these seeming contradictions lies in Lincoln’s character. He was both a man of high ideals and a pragmatist. His paramount goal was the preservation of the Union. W...

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Responses to Question 1 and 4 on “Two Ways of Seeing a River” on page 481 of Model for Writers

1. The method of organization that Twain uses in this selection is time order because he described the way he saw and experienced the river in a sequence as they occurred. In addition, he stared an essay by telling an event in the past and ended it in the present. That is the time order organization. He might have used the comparison and contrast method as the alternative methods because he compared two different ways of seeing the same river. The knowledge and the experience would have been gained or lost. 4. Yes, Twain feels he has â€Å"gained most or lost most†. He has gained the knowledge and the experience when he looking at the river. At the first time he saw it, he was inspired by its calmness, its smoothness and its beauty. However, after lots of time looking at that river, he became less impressed in it. While he lost his emotional connection to the river, he lost the connectedness of it to his live. That’s what he has lost. Reponses to Question 1 through 6 on â€Å"Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts† on page 493-494 of Model for Writers 1. In paragraph 10-12, Catton discusses what he considers to be the most striking contrast between Grant and Lee. That different is that while Lee saw himself defending only his region, a static society that did not want to change, Grant was fighting for a growing, expanding nation. In addition, Grant was â€Å"the modern man emerging,† while Lee stood for the past, for traditions that originated in the age of chivalry. . The similarities that Catton sees between Grant and Lee are tenacious, daring and resourceful. Most important, according to Catton believes, is that both of them had the ability to turn from war to peace because it helped the two sections to become one nation again. 3. 4. Catton organizes the body of his essay paragraph 3-16 by using time order and logical order pattern. He introduces the background of Grant and Lee and their view of soci ety by contrasting them. Then he uses transitional paragraph from contrast to comparison. 5. 6. Catton constructs clear transitions between paragraphs. The transitional devices he uses are using comparison and contrast words to link the paragraphs (yet, on the other hand), using addition words such as furthermore, and, and using time transition (lastly). Because of these transitions, they help me read easily to know the main idea of the whole essay and to join the various parts of an essay together.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Diversity in the Workplace Essays

Diversity in the Workplace Essays Diversity in the Workplace Essay Diversity in the Workplace Essay Age, physical and mental ability; chapter thirteen and fourteen Union Institute University 1 . What possible effects could a large proportion of people aged 45 to 64 and a smaller proportion of people under 45 in the current workforce have on organizations ability to attract and retain a competent and motivated workforce? How might discrimination against younger and older workers combined affect employers, given the shifting age distribution? In the corporate world, some managers and supervisors do not want to hire older workers and others do not want to hire younger errors, complex, expensive, dysfunctional recruitment and selection could result. The shortage of younger workers and the aging of the population make employment fairness toward both groups of workers critical to employers ability to attract and retain an adequate supply of workers in the future. Moreover, the importance of fairness to young workers, their future careers, and future influence on diversity issues should provide organizations with sufficient motivation to treat younger workers fairly, even in the absence of legislation requiring it. However, this coordination is likely to affect the employer since the worlds population is aging, and older people are working longer than ever before. Because these older workers often have more corporate memory and experience than others, organizations that fail to recognize the value in providing opportunities for older workers will be disadvantaged. In addition, there are fewer younger workers entering the workforce than in the past, and younger workers are more diverse in race and ethnicity than ever before (Bell, 2012, pig 401). 2. In addition to the suggestions provided in this heaper, what other things might organizations do to counter employees age-based stereotypes. These existing stereotypes and misconception both older and younger workers has lead to discrimination and unfair treatment at work and can reduce organizational function. In order to avoid this organization should identify the potential problems within the organization. This will enable you to know what you want in terms of the human resources and go for it. The organization should offer trainings to enable the employees to get awareness on discriminatory practices. In hose, training the employees should be given the open forum to participate actively. They should also be given the responsibility to speak up when they encounter any form of discrimination practices and harassment. When it comes to promotion, the employer should do it in terms of a reward to a performance tenure, whereby they are rewarded in form of promotions because of their value to the organization but not age. However, the importance of fairness to young workers, their future careers, and future influence on diversity issues should provide organizations with sufficient titivation to treat younger workers fairly, even in the absence of legislation requiring it. With or without widespread federal protections against discrimination, young workers should be assured of fair organizational treatment, freedom from harassment and discrimination, and recourse if it does occur ( Bell, 2012, pig 429). 3. How might the lack of broad federal legislation prohibiting age discrimination against younger workers contribute to their experiences of discrimination and harassment at work? The federal laws are designed to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, both younger and older age discrimination. Young people have a right to be treated fairly and have the same opportunities as everyone else. Many employers without any laid legal channels to protect this vulnerable group, take advantage of this since there will be no any lawsuits against them. There are cases of indirect discrimination occurs when a requirement, condition, or practice used for all parties negatively affects people of a particular age or age group. For example, it is unlawful to require strength and agility tests that disadvantage older applicants or employees when the levels of strength or agility are not prerequisites to successful Job performance. Bell, 2012, pig 429). Most employers preferred to work with older people aged 45 to 64 this is because young population will is always considered unsuitable to occupy the executive position within the corporate industry. Since the executive positions are left for the old aged generation because of their competency in handling the corporate affairs. They are considered to have corporate memory and experience than others therefore competent for the Jobs. Most employers take advantage to the age range of 14 to 17, who are always vulnerable to sexual harassment than the older workers. They take advantage of their lack of proper professional conduct to assault them. 4. Many Midriffs programming chief at the Weather Channel reportedly stood by a diversity poster as he made disparaging age- and gender-related comments about the appearance of women anchors. What signal does this send about the genuineness of the Weather Channels commitment to diversity? The weather Channel is not committed to diversity this because they treat the female workers with a lot of prejudice and discrimination at work. The negative statement of appearance of female anchors shows they perceive the women workers with contempt. They are only attracted to the attractiveness of these women rather than their Journalistic education, skills, and experience. They choose people with certain looks to read the news and believe attractiveness is based on age. This is the main reason for the preferences of hiring younger and male workers. This has severely disadvantage older women, many of whom may desire. (Flint, 2005). Chapter 14 Questions 1 . What are reasonable accommodations? How does a company determine what is reasonable and what is not? Reasonable accommodation is when a change can be implemented to enable a qualified person with a disability to perform essential Job unctions without unduly burdening the employer. A company is capable of determining what is reasonable or not reasonable when the process of providing an accommodation require significant difficulty or expense relative to the employers size, financial resources, and/or the nature and structure of the organization, then the employer would face undue hardship and would not have to provide the accommodation. (Bell, 2012, pig 438). A reasonable accommodation is reasonable when it results in benefits to other employees and the organization in many ways. Accommodation that is economical to the organization. Therefore, the managers can enable people with disabilities to work without thought or fanfare. For instance allowing an employee who is a student to tailor his or her work schedule around classes is a reasonable accommodation. They can also allow the employees to take time off to study for exams and make up the time on weekends or after the school, term is an accommodation. These employees would then come back to bring new skills to the organization. 2. What similarities exist between perceptions about the competence and performance of workers with disabilities and older workers? The errors with disabilities and aging population are perceived as unproductive in the labor markets. The employers always perceived disability as am obstacle to development in an organization since it impedes performance. They always take a prospective employee with a disability as unable to perform adequately because of the disability. Another similarity is that aging and disability are both acquired. Because some disabilities are acquired, some employers and employees discriminate and fail to accommodate them as before. An aging population, a greater propensity to acquire a disability with age, and working longer make the employment experiences of people with disabilities an increasingly important issue for organizations. (Bell, 2012, pig 432). 3. Accommodation for Ms. Barrios for inability to respond rapidly to an emergency evacuation is very simple, the management needs to move her office to a room closer to the emergency exit or incase of a storey building some meters away from the elevator. They should also improve on their emergency alarming system promptly any emergency cases. The benefit of this is that the organization will be able to respond promptly to emergency cases hence safeguarding the lives of its employees in any case of emergency. The case was not resolved before Ms. Barrios termination since the DuPont has a long history of hiring people with disabilities. Another reason is that DuPont has also conducted surveys to assess their performance, attendance, and safety records. In Equal to the Task II, DuPont reported that workers with disabilities had above-average or average ratings of performance, attendance, and safety in 90%, 86%, or 97% of cases, respectively (Bell, 2012, pig 449). . How can recommendations for employment equity for people with disabilities be helpful in ensuring equity for other non-dominant group members? Once overall training has been conducted, organizations should ensure all human resources functions are free of barriers. The first requirement is a valid, written Job description prior to advertising and interviewing for p osition, which makes clear what the essential and marginal functions are. Such a Job description can help decision makers avoid discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities or the non- dominant group members (Vance, 1976 pig 445). The organization should also use Job description and structured interviews when selecting applicants who are capable of successful Job performance, with or without seasonable accommodations. This means even the non-dominant group shall be considered on equal grounds. They should also be given equal and same opportunities for training and development as those without disabilities. Finally, Managers and coworkers with hiring responsibility should be trained about stereotypes and misconceptions of people with disabilities. The fact should be made clear that the performance and rates of absence from work of those with disabilities are comparable and sometimes better than those of people without disabilities are (Bell, 2012, pig 456). Execute Action Chapter 14 Conduct library or Internet research on the positive effects of work on peoples health and well-being. Discuss the applicability of employment to the health and well being of people with disabilities. According to the research people in work tend to enjoy a happier and healthier life than those who are out of work. Quite a number of people with physical disability like frequent muscle and Joint pain who have been advised by their health officers and medics to return to work tend to enjoy better health since there is a reduction in the level of pain, and an adequate improvement in the function and quality of life than those who stay off work. There are people who are sick and disabled that have remained in or return to work as soon as possible because its therapeutic, working helps to promote recovery and rehabilitation, and reduces the risk of long-term incapacity. The medics have also found out that being out of work for long periods was generally bad for your health, resulting in: more consultations, a continuous use of drugs and medical consultations and at times higher hospital admission rates than for the average population. Moreover well- being on the other hand has a positive impact to the production of a given company nice it has been confirmed that theres a strong business case for having a healthy workforce. Healthy staff is more productive and thats good for the bottom line of an organization.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemEssay Writing Service

Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemEssay Writing Service Essay on Policy-making in the Federal System Essay on Policy-making in the Federal SystemToday the U.S. government plays a significant role in finding solutions to various public policy-related issues, involving conflicting crosscurrents. Besides, popular government’s responsibility to solve various problems caused by public policy often exceeds the capacity of state and local authorities to respond effectively. Public policies developed at the national level may fail to address the key issues influenced by the great diversity of interests at the local level. Moreover, the effectiveness of the policy is debatable in terms of the constitutional framework of federalism. Obamacare is a public policy that deserves special attention because its effectiveness is debatable. Thesis statement: Obamacare is a new public policy, the effectiveness of which is debatable in terms of the principle of federalism.Obamacare: background information  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Obamacare is one of the federal policies that pr ovide support to Americans in the field of health care. The policy raises the issues of federalism because it requires national, state, and local interaction and invites tension across different levels of government.The key elements of the policyThe problem Obamacare is supposed to solve is the problem of uninsured, poor American citizens. Although the majority of Americans use the benefits under Medicaid, the so-called working poor Americans do not have health care insurance. This group of American citizens involves those people who â€Å"make too much to meet income threshold for benefits but not enough to reasonably afford health care† (Obamacare Simplified, 2013, p. 24).The history of the policyObamacare, or the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, was signed into law by the U.S President Obama in 2010. Today this federal statute represents an important regulatory tool of the U.S. health care system. The policy raises issues of federalism because it is based on the argument that â€Å"the law’s expansion of Medicaid violates the principle of federalism embodied in provisions such as Tenth Amendment† (Foley, 2012, p. 36).Evaluation of the various pros and cons about the policyObamacare as a federal policy is a controversial one. The debate about the effectiveness of the policy involves both pros and cons.The main pros of the policy include: the affordability of health insurance, the expansion of insurance coverage, the use of tax credits by employees, saving money by millions of senior Americans on Medicare insurance programs, gaining access to women’s health services by millions of American women, etc. (Skousen, 2013).The main cons of the policy include: opting out of Medicaid expansion plans, creation of new boards or agencies, establishment of new programs, changes in the insurance of employees by firms, which may lead to fines, damage to employment opportunities, violation of religious principles in case of increased c ontraception rate, considerable increase in the tax rate, etc. (Skousen, 2013).Actually, the pros and cons can be evaluated from two different perspectives.The policy’s effectivenessThe term â€Å"policy effectiveness† refers to a public policy, which provides the opportunities for achieving the desired outcome. Effectiveness can be measured by assessing the policy performance criteria. Obamacare provides the opportunities for increasing the affordability of health insurance through the considerable reduction of the uninsured rate and expansion of public and private health insurance coverage. The costs of health care services for Americans and the government should be reduced.The policy’s consistency with the constitutional framework of federalism  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   American federalism’s constitutional framework stands for enhancing democracy through the established laws and regulations. Under the constitutional framework of Ameri can federalism, the states can be viewed as sovereign entities, which have their own powers based on the Constitution, and which cannot be transgressed by the federal government. The federal government cannot use the constitutional power in order to force the states to implement certain federal policies (Ferrara, 2012).The federal policy discussed in this paper is not consistent with the constitutional framework of federalism. According to recent studies, â€Å"Obamacare transgresses state sovereignty and violates the constitutional framework of federalism† (Ferrara, 2012, p.1). In other words, the policy’s expansion of the Medicaid program violates the Tenth Amendment.Conclusion  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Thus, it is necessary to conclude that Obamacare involves conflicting crosscurrents. The policy creates certain problems caused by its inconsistency with the constitutional framework of federalism, although the effectiveness of the policy is promisin g. Obamacare promises to reduce health care costs through more effective health care delivery plan.

Monday, November 4, 2019

America a Concise History Presidents Clinton and Bus Essay

America a Concise History Presidents Clinton and Bus - Essay Example It is a common issue to come across many nations making policy recommendations on how to structure tax system to ensure the government operates efficiently. There was the raging debate of effecting tax cut on the middle class so that the economic burden may be lifted on this section of the economic and social stratification of US population. This was a critical reform which was running parallel with the promise of reducing the budget deficit to ensure that US was in the right trace for economic prosperity (Henretta & Edwards, 2012) . This was fairly tricky as the small factions of former soviet were forming states and required support which would consolidate US power in better parts of Europe and parts of Asia. The Middle East problems had equally began to boil and Clinton had to come up with the best approach to prove to the world American’s effort towards stabilizing the region against the backdrop of the growing tension and impending economic explosion. What are key features of George W. Bush’s presidency during the 2000s? Unites States situation in respect of social, economic and political policies faced several hurdles during the 2000s under the presidency of George W. Bush. It is during this time that the world had begun to put US on focus regarding its international policies on socio-economic and political policies. Bush inherited several challenges that were left unresolved by the past regime and he stood the test to bring confidence to the US citizens. His greatest policy concerned international relations o cement the power of US in dictating the economic direction of the entire world against increasing opposition from the discontented Middle east leaders like Saddam Hussein of Iraq. Bush administration was overwhelmed by the spirit of effecting globalization across the world to boost the overall welfare of the Americans and influence several decisions of the US congress on foreign policies (Henretta & Edwards, 2012). One issue that cover the better part of media reports during Bush leadership wa s the Middle East crisis and threaten economic problem this situation meant for the US. Bush is considered one of the ferocious and courageous leaders in US history who made radical decisions on how to tame the issues in Middle East and this was commenced by hunting Saddam Hussein and capturing him in a bid to plant sober political structure in Iraq. A solution to Iraq problems which was assumed to be emanating from inhuman

Friday, November 1, 2019

Reflection Paper Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection Paper - Case Study Example A good instance is a person who is avoiding members of a certain religious group that is affiliated with certain beliefs and acts. A Christian may avoid or depict an Islam based on the acts of terrorism that are linked to Muslims. The notion of reference group is significant in appreciating conformity, socialization, and how individuals take in and assess themselves (Koch 56). A reference group offers a setting of reference that has a positive or negative effect on the attitude and conduct of a person. These groups also carry out a comparable role by playing the role of a standard figure against which persons can do self-evaluation and other people (Sheehy 127). The reference group is likely to be different due to a different culture or a different society. For instance, a person who was raised in the Middle East countries in the Islam religion and teachings is likely to have a different reference group from an individual who has been brought up as a Catholic Christian. A reference group plays the primary source of self-evaluation and attainment of certain goal in life. An individual who decides to become a lawyer starts to be categorized with that reference group due to their goals and

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Strategic Analysis and Choice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words - 2

Strategic Analysis and Choice - Essay Example Once the company’s products have been identified and measured within the matrix it is then possible to determine the following objectives which are the framework for strategic management within an organization. Cash Cows: This part of the matrix represents the products that generate more cash than they require to operate. They will have a high market share, but exist in a low-growth market. As they generate cash they can be utilized in other parts of the business. Problem children (or question marks): These require cash inputs and function in a growing market where their market share should be maintained or increased. These products have a low market share but need cash subsidies to enable the market to build up and increase and make these products viable profit engines in the future. Stars: This element of the matrix exists in the fast growing market and has high market shares. They are the high achievers, but need constant cash injections in order to sustain the position they are in. After a time they will move into another area of the matrix. But whilst in the position of star they need continual harvesting. Dogs: Exist in the low growth market and have a low share of the market. They are often seen to have little purpose within an organization except to drain funds and are generally at the stage where they need to be divested or fall into liquidation. The tremendous impact this company has had is largely a result of its continued pursuit of low prices, for the benefit of retailers, manufacturers, the culture of shopping, the shape of our communities, and ensuring wages and employment costs are kept low. Wal-Mart is the largest company in the history of the world. Americans spend on average $26 million almost every hour at Wal-Mart, every day of the year. Because they sell at such low prices Wal-Mart is estimated to save US shoppers $10 billion a year. Although it must be added

Monday, October 28, 2019

Guitar Salon International Essay Example for Free

Guitar Salon International Essay The instrument I have chosen to research is the guitar. The history of the invention and manufacturing of this instrument can be traced as far back as 400 A. D, when Spain was occupied by the Romans. The guitar is seen as a direct descendent of the Roman tanbur or cithara; drawing influences from the Arabic ud and undergoing a number of modifications to finally become the acoustic or electric guitar that we see being used by some of today’s biggest artistes. The following two websites contain information about the history of the instrument and the manufacturing process: Guitar Salon International (www. guitarsalon. com) Fender Guitars (www. fender. com) The influence of the guitar on music performance is perhaps most evident in the evolution of rock n roll and blues. The music movement that began with Bo Diddley and gradually separated into myriad styles like grunge, pop rock and punk that have dominated the last fifty years or so of popular western music is heavily dependent on the guitar. Although the list of famous performers is an exhaustive one, the two names that really stand out are Jimi Hendrix and Buddy Guy, for their innovativeness and their lasting impact on pop culture. The creativity of the two artistes might be rooted in the fact that neither received any formal training. The following two websites contain all the relevant information from the artiste’s biography to the details of his releases and performances: www. jimihendrix. com www. buddyguy. net Music 2 Apart from the famous performers like Hendrix and Guy who revolutionized guitar playing, the instrument has also been utilized quite often by composers. Given the tonal range of the instrument, from the delicate acoustic sound to the raw, driven electric guitar sound, composers often write pieces intended to be performed on the guitar. Once again, if we look at the realm of pop culture, where cross medium interaction is abundant, two guitar pieces jump to mind for their resonance with the other content; the Top Gun theme and the guitar piece from Tarantino’s classic, Pulp Fiction. Harold Faltermeyer, the composer of the former is best known for his work in Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop. The version of the Greek wedding song, Misirlou used in Pulp fiction was composed and performed by Dick Dale, the iconic guitar player who pioneered the Surf Rock movement. Detailed information on these two composers can be found on the following websites: www. dickdale. com www. haroldfaltermeyer. net The sheer volume of guitar pieces that have been composed over the years makes it near impossible to list the five most famous ones, but based on popular demand, here are the five that have captured the minds of listeners. Stairway to Heaven- Jimmy Page Eruption- Van Halen Free Bird- Allen Collins and Gary Rossington Eric Johnson- Cliffs of Dover Stevie Ray Vaughn- Texas Flood Music 3 The following two websites contain detail lists of the greatest guitar pieces of all time: www. guitarworld. com www. mahalo. com