Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Week5 Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words
Week5 - Article Example In this article, the author argues that public representation is a worthwhile aim of public policy because public service has always been a driver of social mobility for groups that have been excluded in labor market. Further, it means a symbolic commitment equal access to authority or power. In addition, the author argues that bureaucracy should be more reflective of the economic status of citizens than elected officials since it has an influential role in the policy making process. Active representation is also significant because the operations and policies of diverse institutions will appear distinctively from what they would be if the institutionââ¬â¢s employee were homogeneous (Selden, 2006). The United States has always been on the forefront in search of a diverse workforce via an emphasis on affirmative action policies and equal opportunity. To some proponents, moving away from affirmative action as the main tool for bringing both active and passive representation in the U.S would go against the constitutional principles of the U.S constitution. They argue that it is irrational to ignore the ugly remnants of ethnicity, race, and gender in the recruitment, promotion and retention decisions in the private, non-profit and public agencies of the U.S. Research conducted by Gallup in 2005 showed that through affirmative action, minority rights and relations were defended since affirmative action calls for the rights of racial minorities. To some opponents, affirmative action is viewed as an equally division model of reverse biasness or discrimination that is not required because of the progress that has been made in the antidiscrimination area. I agree that to some extent, affirmative action has at least tried to address the issues of ethnicity and race based on the ethnic composition of modern population (Selden, 2006). In sum, from the article, it can
Sunday, October 27, 2019
Challenges Walmart Faces Expanding Their Territory To China Management Essay
Challenges Walmart Faces Expanding Their Territory To China Management Essay Business operations across national borders are becoming the trend in the current era. And this trend continuously grows because of globalisation and multinational operation. In response to this globalisation issue, multinational corporations like Wal-Mart tend operate in other countries to have excellent advantage. According to Amponsah (2001) globalisation and the eagerness of a certain business organisation to operate across borders involves two dimension i.e. change in economic operations of various countries, and change in the participants of global economic operations. Several people believe that the globalisation of economic activities of every country would hasten the fight against poverty (Macarov 2003, p. 103). But like other companies that are operating in local scale, Wal-Mart a multinational company also faces different opportunities and challenges in the foreign market. With this, this paper will be discussing the opportunities and challenges that Wal-Mart faces in venturing the Chinese territory. Opportunities A business venturing to a foreign market creates good opportunities. As for Wal-Mart venturing in China, a new foreign market like China might provide opportunities for new growth. Aside from this, Wal-Mart uses global expansion to lower costs of goods, accelerate speed to market, improve quality of products and of course to cut their overhead costs considering that China is a low cost country whereas the labour is cheap compared to other countries in the West (Walmartstores, 2010). Most MNCs are establishing subsidiaries in other nations to reduce costs, mainly through the use of cheap foreign labour in developing countries. Like other MNCs, Wal-Mart can hold down costs by shifting some or all of its production facilities abroad. Although Wal-Mart are not claiming that they using the opportunity of global expansion to escape the protectionist policies of an importing country, it is remains the motives of most MNCs. Through direct foreign investment, a corporation like Wal-Mart can b ypass high tariffs that prevent its goods from being competitively priced. For example, when the European Common Market (the predecessor of the European Union) placed tariffs on goods produced by outsiders, U.S. corporations responded by setting up European subsidiaries (Multinational Corporation 1998). Venturing in China is also a good opportunity for Wal-Mart to prevent competition. The most certain method of preventing actual or potential competition from foreign businesses is to acquire those businesses ((Multinational Corporation 1998). Despite of the opportunistic feat of global expansion, Wal-Mart holds that they create employment, create wealth, and improve technology in countries that are in dire need of such development. Critics, however, point to their inordinate political influence, their exploitation of developing nations, and the loss of jobs that result in the corporations home countries. Challenges Cultures Maddox (1993) claims that going global require transformation of managerial skills learned at the home office to enable the managers to function cross-culturally. Business firms must focus on selecting and training managers to become more attuned to different cultures, particularly in the culture of their country of assignment. In the case of Wal-Mart, their Board of Directors should have identified economy, politics, religion, value systems, and frame of reference of the Chinese consumers regarding the products and services that they offer as the primary areas that posed distinct challenges in their expansion to China. Thus, the same aspects merit the attention of the leaders of Wal-Mart who will be assigned at the companys branch in China. The Chinese culture and lifestyle are different from those of the Wal-Marts home country i.e. USA and other Western nations where the company operates. Thus, the success of operation in China relies on the ability of the leaders to facilitate bus iness operations in the midst of cultural diversity among the employees and distinct cultural characteristics surrounding the company such as laws, social norms and business practices. In evaluating the culture of China as part of Wal-Marts business operation, Hofstedes dimensions culture was used. Actually, Geert Hofstede is a Dutch organisational anthropologist who divided culture into four dimensions at culture level-power distance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and uncertainty avoidance (Dahl, 2004). It is important to be aware and comprehend these cultural dimensions for these have an influence on the internal and external workings of organizations that operate on an intercultural level. Power Distance. Power distance is described as the extent to which the less powerful members of institutions and organisations within a country expect and accept that power is distributed unequally (cited in Hofstede 1991, p. 28); more simply, it is concerned with how equal, or unequal, the people are in a specific society or nation. In China, they have high power distance i.e. 80 PDI, this means that there is significant amount of inequalities in power and wealth within China. As a result, it is quite likely that that society employs a caste system and does not permit significant development for its people (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). In the corporate-oriented context, firms with a high power distance employ a tall organizational structure because there is greater and higher rigidity in terms of hierarchy. Also, there is a large proportion of managerial employees to the overall human resource population, high job ranking for white-collar work, large compensation differentials, and low requirements for entry-level positions (Earley, 1997, p. 147). Individualism versus Collectivism. Individualism is how a society perceives achievement and personal relationships, may it be individually or collectively. Furthermore, according to Hofstede (1991), individualism is a set of values that concern the relationship of a person to his or her collectivity in the society (as cited in Earley, 1997, p. 144). In China, the individualism was low i.e. 20 IDV which indicates that China is a nation with low individualism and has a collective nature wherein close bonds exist among the people (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). Moreover, collectivistic people also perceive themselves in relation a societal and cultural context. This is a great challenge for Wal-Mart considering that their mother country United States has high collectivism as can be observed through the nature of their families. People who reside in such locations live in nuclear families, as oppose to highly collective Asian individuals who normally live with members of their extended families. Masculinity versus Femininity. Masculinity versus femininity refers to the gender differentiation, or more specifically, the extent of how a society applies the traditional perception of man as a model of success, control, and authority. In nations with high masculinity, men control a major part of the society and power structure, while females are restrained because of such male supremacy (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). In China, they have high masculinity i.e. 66 MAS. Actually this is important for Wal-marts operation since it relates to achievement, industrial strife, high growth, aggression, work stress, and conflict. To be more specific, firms that are more masculine are fast-paced, aggressive, and focus more on development and growth over harmony and stability (Earley, 1997, p. 164). On the other hand, a feminine-oriented company is more concerned on the social interaction and operations among human resources. Moreover, such firm has a considerate and nurturing natur e, which means that there is more focus on interpersonal functioning and harmony over personal gain (Earley, 1997, p. 164). Hence, the employees welfare is the foremost concern, because this results to the companys ability to establish the capability of an individual to contribute to interpersonal welfare in the organization. Uncertainty Avoidance. As was defined by Hofstede, uncertainty avoidance is the extent to which the members of a culture feel threatened by uncertain or unknown situations (cited in Hofstede 1991, p. 113). As seen in the index, China has low uncertainty avoidance which indicates that the country was less rigid when it comes to change, could handle risks, and have less rules and regulations, since they could effectively endure diverse opinions (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). For Wal-Mart, uncertainty may come from the internal and external environment. An organizations response to such ambiguities, through the use of rules, rituals, and technology, affects its image of high or low uncertainty avoidance. This could be a great challenge for Wal-Mart since China wont easily embrace the change they would bring in the country. A Fifth Cultural Dimension. After additional studies which were mainly focused on Chinese managers and workers, Hofstede introduced a fifth cultural dimension, which is the long-term orientation. This focuses on how nations apply, or do not apply, long-term devotion to conventional, forward thinking principles (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). Countries with high levels of long-term orientation recommend a strong work ethics and anticipate long-term rewards as a consequence of todays hard work. Thus, long-term commitments are emphasized and traditions are respected (Geert Hofstede cultural dimensions 2010). This is a great challenge for Wal-Mart since they came from countries with low levels of long-term orientation that are capable to experience change because long-term customs and behaviours are lessened, and change is no longer hindered. Political The primary difference in the economies of West and China is the orientation. Most of the west countries economy is affluent while the Chinese economy adopts the economic style of Soviet Union wherein most of the economic activities are centrally planned by the government. In China, the local officials have immense authority although the economy is open to foreign investment and trade. The regulations state that Chinese firms should have at least 51 percent ownership and control of joint ventures with foreign investors (Economy of China 2010). Ramsay (2003) reports that it generally takes two to three months to register a business in China with the government putting limits on the companys business scope (p. 8). The difference in the economic orientation of China and Wal-Marts home country USA poses certain challenges to the leaders of said company. These leaders are accustomed to a free market in the USA economy wherein investors, consumers and producers transact free business and d etermine the flow of economic activities. In China, they would encounter restrictions in the various operational activities of the company such as production and marketing of certain types of products because the Chinese government pursues the interests of Chinese business organizations. Secondly, Chinas transitional economy as cited by Alon Shenker (2003) since the mid-1970s has fostered a tremendous opportunity for international firms to establish operations in the country and made international joint venture as a primary mode of foreign direct investment. However, managing joint ventures sometimes leads to cultural conflicts between Chinese managers and foreign managers. Wal-Marts leaders are more Western and their approaches to management clash with the Chinese management approach. Chinese managers rely on interventions from the extended network outside the company to manage risks and threats rather than following the budgets and plans established in advance that are expected t o guarantee success. The Chinese managers prefer particularistic and pragmatic solutions to organizational problems by analyzing causes of problems and soliciting outside intervention in problem solving while Western managers like Wal-Marts managers have the tendency to act in reference to a belief in an underlying principle that provides a ready matrix into which current reality and present existence can be fitted. As an American, Wal-Marts managers believe that future circumstances can be integrated into the ready matrix which serves as an analytic model to guide decision making processes (p. 147). Considering these differences, the Western leaders who will be assigned to China may encounter conflicting management styles with their Chinese colleagues. Thirdly, USA and China differ in religious beliefs. USA follow Christianity, especially Protestantism, and believe that good works are gifts of hardwork and Gods grace in the life of His believer and not by interventions of outside f orces (Christianity-Protestantism 2010). Chinese are more fatalistic and believe that humans must follow their destiny by living in unity with the world of nature and pursuing social conformity (Religion in China 2001). Hence, Western employees would perform their duties based on their personal judgments and decisions while their Chinese counterparts would consistently attempt to abide by the rules and seek opinions of other employees as they are more inclined to seek conformity. These differences in idea of independence would make the leaders of Wal-Mart consider the outcomes and motivations of their manpower. Western employees would be motivated to perform well if they are given sufficient freedom at work while Chinese employees may prefer to work in teams and have access to constant supervision. Fourthly, the Western value systems relative to interpersonal relationships are in conflict with those of the Chinese. Western people as cited by Alon Shenker (2003) value personal relat ionships with colleagues and supervisors but organizational hierarchy does not dictate their relationships. They equally communicate and relate to all members of the organization. Chinese employees, on the contrary, prefer a system in which coordination is hierarchical wherein the key institutional values underscore loyalty and submission to a leader whose right is to establish the goals of the group. Accordingly, the leaders of Wal-Mart who would be assigned to manage some operations of China have to practice special care in dealing with their Chinese subordinates and fellow supervisors. They may encounter Chinese colleagues who would constantly consult them before they perform their responsibilities. These leaders have to recognize that the Chinese culture places much reverence to leaders while Western people prefer to work independently most of the times. Conclusion The best way to measure success in international business is through constant monitoring by the mother company. Through monitoring, the head company can gauge expatriate failure or success, and cross-cultural competence of expatriates. Wal-Mart must be able to implement consistent monitoring measures in their operations and the performances of the employees and managers sent to China. Venture failure is oftentimes associated with lost opportunities, reduced productivity, and damaged relationships while expatriate success connotes the accomplishment of the opposite. Furthermore, cultural competence is measured if the manager assigned at a foreign location possesses a strong personal identity, has knowledge of and complies with the beliefs and values of the culture of the country where he is assigned, demonstrates sensitivity to the affective processes of the culture, communicates clearly in the language of the country of assignment, displays a degree of culturally-sanctioned behavior, nurtures active social relations with the people and authorities of the country, and negotiates the institutional structures of that culture. Basically, the leaders should be able to adapt quickly to the Chinese culture, comply with its requirements while performing their responsibilities, and gain appreciation of the unique processes of doing business in the country.
Friday, October 25, 2019
How to Start a Community Service Project :: Community Service Essays
A continuous community service project involves many pieces that have to fit together perfectly in order to complete the puzzle. The first step is to determine your idea for your project. Then you have to find a way to sponsor your funds. Next is the step where you pinpoint which organization your community service project is going to benefit and all the event details. Finally, it is time to put your community service project into drive. Your community service should be one to benefit the people of a community. To start off, you need to come up with an idea for your community service project. Try looking in books for ideas or search your community for answers. Ask yourself, "What could my community benefit from?" Is there something your past family could have benefited from if someone has implement a community service project for them? If you are a club president wanting to start a community service project, ask your fellow members what ideas they have. Another source is elder care home and non profitable organizations. You could also ask those places if they need any help or if there is any community service project ideas they want someone to perform for them. Is there a certain concern you have for your community and would like to help out? You can always do something someone has don before and continue their project. These are all things to help you think of an idea. There are so many places you can look in order to find an idea. The ideas are innumerable and there is always s omeplace and someone who needs help. Some examples may help you understand the ideas of what to do for your project. Once example is starting a bingo night at an elder care or children's home. It is an easy task that many people do and that all people love. If someone in your family was in a orphanage, you could as a local orphanage how you could help. Tragedies are always occurring, and you could help raise money for a relief organization. If you are starting a community service project for a club at school, you could always do an activity within the school like monthly teacher appreciation or a weekly tutoring session. There are so many paths you can take when building a trail of community service projects.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Customer benefit package (CBP) diagram for Goldââ¬â¢s Gym Essay
Goldââ¬â¢s Gym International, Inc. is an American chain of international co-ed fitness centers (commonly referred to as ââ¬Å"gymsâ⬠). Each gym features with a wide array of exercise equipment, group exercise classes and personal trainers to assist clients. So the primary services of the Gyms is to provide a wonderful and professional environement for people who want to do bodybuilding and physical education. It is considered a landmark in the bodybuilding subculture. Goldââ¬â¢s Gym locations are equipped with cardiovascular and strength training equipment and offer group exercise classes such as group cycling, pilates, Latin dance, yoga and stretching through the company GGX (Goldââ¬â¢s Group Exercise) program. Many gyms also offer basketball, swimming pools and boxing studios so these are Goldââ¬â¢gymsââ¬â¢s peripheral service. 2. The mission of the Goldââ¬â¢gyms is to help people find their inner strengths to achieve goals. No matter what your fitness level is. Anything is possible when coming to Goldââ¬â¢gyms. 3. The strategy of the Goldââ¬â¢Gyms is to provide the best facilities for trainers and also bring benefits to membership. They focus on 4 ââ¬Å"Pâ⬠. Product : Equipment and training programs for health and fitness vary among facilities Certified staff and employees. Price: Membership fees and plans range depending on gymà $34.99 for a two-year commitment to $569 for a one-year membership that includes group sessions. Promotion: Goldââ¬â¢s Gym have their own website so we can easily find infortmation, searching for training progames and applying the a training course, also they have Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter Goldââ¬â¢s Gym Spotter App and Commercials. Everything is public so it gets closer to customers. Place : with 600+ gyms in 37 states and 30 different countries. Goldââ¬â¢gyms are gaining more and more customers every single year. 4. The competitive priorities of Goldââ¬â¢gym are: Currently have the 3rd largest market share. Has 600+ gyms in 30 countries. Have a history of being a body-building gym Recognizable logo. Large line of products in store. The favorite place for many celebrities. 5. The core competencies of Goldââ¬â¢gym is :à They encourage people to define their own strength no matter what their fitness level is. 6. The strategy that they used to win customers is : Providing the best environment for people who want to do bodybuilding. With their reputation, the Gyms always provide most professional space for trainer. With well-trained staffs and employees. Goldââ¬â¢s gyms have built their own images without any kind of lobby or PR. 7. Two key perfomances matrix which could be useful are : Full body analysis : This will help the Gyms to what will be the best method to people to train in the whole body. The body will be trained in fully and healthiest way. Focus on the 18-34 year olds : When people reach to 18, and from 18 to 25 years old: bonds and body structure are built quite good so it is the best time for them to do a professional bodybuilding, in additional, they also have many free time than others. From 25 to 34: They already have jobs so the pressure of job may effect their body so they really need to practice to relax and become healthier in order to work better. If the Gyms can focus on these two things, I believe that they can even gain more profits and become the best fitness centers in the world
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
ââ¬ÅMany Scientists Have Concluded That Human Activities Are Acting to Raise Global Temperaturesââ¬Â
Introduction Climatologists (scientists who study climate) have analyzed the global warming that has occurred since the late 1800's. A majority of climatologists have concluded that human activities are responsible for most of the warming. Human activities are throwing our natural greenhouse gas effect out of balance (Norby & Luo, 2004:282). Basically, we are surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere which has kept the temperature on earth just right for centuries (Climate and Society).Just as the glass in a greenhouse holds the suns warmth inside, so the atmosphere traps the suns heat near the earths surface and keeps the earth warm. We call this the natural greenhouse effect because it makes the earth a perfect planet for growing and living things. Because of this blanket, for hundreds of years the earths atmosphere has changed very little. It has kept the right temperature for plants, animal and humans to survive quite comfortably (Norby & Luo, 2004:282). Greenhouse gas ses are both natural and manmade. These gasses are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCââ¬â¢s) and Nitrous Oxide (Miller, 2005:475).This following essay will detail various human activities as well as other forces that are affecting the natural greenhouse gas effect. Furthermore, it will address the issue of global warming as well as outline some of the many consequences of global warming. Global Temperatures The main human activities that contribute to global warming are the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and the clearing of land. Most of the burning occurs in automobiles, in factories, and in electric power plants that provide energy for houses and office buildings (Juery Rohrer, 2007).The burning of fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide, whose chemical formula is CO2. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that slows the escape of heat into space. Trees and other plants remove CO2 from the air during photosynthesis, the process they use to produce food(Miller , 2005:475). The clearing of land contributes to the build up of CO2 by reducing the rate at which the gas is removed from the atmosphere or by the decomposition of dead vegetation (Juery Rohrer, 2007) The emissions of CO2 have been dramatically increased within the last 50 years and are still increasing by almost 3% each year, see graph below:Graph 1 (Juery Rohrer, 2007) The carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere where it remains for 100 to 200 years. This leads to an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which in turn causes the average temperature on Earth to rise (Miller, 2005:475) (see graph on next page). Graph 2 (Juery Rohrer, 2007) A small number of scientists argue that the increase in greenhouse gases has not made a measurable difference in the temperature. They say that natural processes could have caused global warming. Those processes include increases in the energy emitted by the sun (Norby & Luo, 2004:282).But the vast majority of climato logists believe that increases in the sun's energy have contributed only slightly to recent warming. Global Warming Continued global warming could have many damaging effects. It might harm plants and animals that live in the sea. It could also force animals and plants on land to move to new habitats (McCright & Dunlap, 2000:517). Weather patterns could change, causing flooding, drought, and an increase in damaging storms. Global warming could melt enough polar ice to raise the sea level. In certain parts of the world, human disease could spread, and crop yields could decline (McCright & Dunlap, 2000:517) .Some details of the damaging effects include: â⬠¢Harm to ocean life Through global warming, the surface waters of the oceans could become warmer, increasing the stress on ocean ecosystems, such as coral reefs. High water temperatures can cause a damaging process called coral bleaching. When corals bleach, they expel the algae that give them their colour and nourishment. The cor als turn white and, unless the water temperature cools, they die. Added warmth also helps spread diseases that affect sea creatures. â⬠¢Changes of habitat Widespread shifts might occur in the natural habitats of animals and plants.Many species would have difficulty surviving in the regions they now inhabit. For example, many flowering plants will not bloom without a sufficient period of winter cold. And human occupation has altered the landscape in ways that would make new habitats hard to reach or unavailable altogether. â⬠¢Weather damage Extreme weather conditions might become more frequent and therefore more damaging. Changes in rainfall patterns could increase both flooding and drought in some areas. More hurricanes and other tropical storms might occur, and they could become more powerful. â⬠¢Rising sea levelContinued global warming might, over centuries, melt large amounts of ice from a vast sheet that covers most of West Antarctica. As a result, the sea level woul d rise throughout the world. Many coastal areas would experience flooding, erosion, a loss of wetlands, and an entry of seawater into freshwater areas. High sea levels would submerge some coastal cities, small island nations, and other inhabited regions. â⬠¢Threats to human health Tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue, might spread to larger regions. Longer-lasting and more intense heat waves could cause more deaths and illnesses.Floods and droughts could increase hunger and malnutrition. Conclusion Human activity definitely have had a noticeable and documented effect on the steady rise in global temperatures, but there are also arguably other factors that contribute to overall global warming. Either way the argument should not be about who or what to blame for global warming but rather how to slow it down and repair the damage that is being done. Reference list Juery Rohrer. (2007). Time for change. Retrieved April 12 2010 from http://timeforchange. org/CO2-cause-of-glo bal-warmingMcCright, A,M. , & Dunlap, R,E. (2000). Challeging global warming as a social problem: An alalysis of the conservative movements counter-claim. Journal of Social Problems, 47(4), 500-522. Climate and Society. The earth institute. Retrieved April 12 2010 from http://www. earthinstitute. columbia. edu/about/about. html Miller, G,T,JR. (2005). Living in the Environment, 14th ed, Thomson Brooks/Cole. Norby,R,J. , & Luo, Y. (2004). Evaluating ecosystems responses to rising atmospheric CO2 and global warming in a multi-factor world. New Phytologist, 162(2), 281-293. ââ¬Å"Many Scientists Have Concluded That Human Activities Are Acting to Raise Global Temperaturesâ⬠Introduction Climatologists (scientists who study climate) have analyzed the global warming that has occurred since the late 1800's. A majority of climatologists have concluded that human activities are responsible for most of the warming. Human activities are throwing our natural greenhouse gas effect out of balance (Norby & Luo, 2004:282). Basically, we are surrounded by a blanket of air called the atmosphere which has kept the temperature on earth just right for centuries (Climate and Society).Just as the glass in a greenhouse holds the suns warmth inside, so the atmosphere traps the suns heat near the earths surface and keeps the earth warm. We call this the natural greenhouse effect because it makes the earth a perfect planet for growing and living things. Because of this blanket, for hundreds of years the earths atmosphere has changed very little. It has kept the right temperature for plants, animal and humans to survive quite comfortably (Norby & Luo, 2004:282). Greenhouse gas ses are both natural and manmade. These gasses are Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCââ¬â¢s) and Nitrous Oxide (Miller, 2005:475).This following essay will detail various human activities as well as other forces that are affecting the natural greenhouse gas effect. Furthermore, it will address the issue of global warming as well as outline some of the many consequences of global warming. Global Temperatures The main human activities that contribute to global warming are the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and the clearing of land. Most of the burning occurs in automobiles, in factories, and in electric power plants that provide energy for houses and office buildings (Juery Rohrer, 2007).The burning of fossil fuels creates carbon dioxide, whose chemical formula is CO2. CO2 is a greenhouse gas that slows the escape of heat into space. Trees and other plants remove CO2 from the air during photosynthesis, the process they use to produce food(Miller , 2005:475). The clearing of land contributes to the build up of CO2 by reducing the rate at which the gas is removed from the atmosphere or by the decomposition of dead vegetation (Juery Rohrer, 2007) The emissions of CO2 have been dramatically increased within the last 50 years and are still increasing by almost 3% each year, see graph below:Graph 1 (Juery Rohrer, 2007) The carbon dioxide is released to the atmosphere where it remains for 100 to 200 years. This leads to an increasing concentration of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere, which in turn causes the average temperature on Earth to rise (Miller, 2005:475) (see graph on next page). Graph 2 (Juery Rohrer, 2007) A small number of scientists argue that the increase in greenhouse gases has not made a measurable difference in the temperature. They say that natural processes could have caused global warming. Those processes include increases in the energy emitted by the sun (Norby & Luo, 2004:282).But the vast majority of climato logists believe that increases in the sun's energy have contributed only slightly to recent warming. Global Warming Continued global warming could have many damaging effects. It might harm plants and animals that live in the sea. It could also force animals and plants on land to move to new habitats (McCright & Dunlap, 2000:517). Weather patterns could change, causing flooding, drought, and an increase in damaging storms. Global warming could melt enough polar ice to raise the sea level. In certain parts of the world, human disease could spread, and crop yields could decline (McCright & Dunlap, 2000:517) .Some details of the damaging effects include: â⬠¢Harm to ocean life Through global warming, the surface waters of the oceans could become warmer, increasing the stress on ocean ecosystems, such as coral reefs. High water temperatures can cause a damaging process called coral bleaching. When corals bleach, they expel the algae that give them their colour and nourishment. The cor als turn white and, unless the water temperature cools, they die. Added warmth also helps spread diseases that affect sea creatures. â⬠¢Changes of habitat Widespread shifts might occur in the natural habitats of animals and plants.Many species would have difficulty surviving in the regions they now inhabit. For example, many flowering plants will not bloom without a sufficient period of winter cold. And human occupation has altered the landscape in ways that would make new habitats hard to reach or unavailable altogether. â⬠¢Weather damage Extreme weather conditions might become more frequent and therefore more damaging. Changes in rainfall patterns could increase both flooding and drought in some areas. More hurricanes and other tropical storms might occur, and they could become more powerful. â⬠¢Rising sea levelContinued global warming might, over centuries, melt large amounts of ice from a vast sheet that covers most of West Antarctica. As a result, the sea level woul d rise throughout the world. Many coastal areas would experience flooding, erosion, a loss of wetlands, and an entry of seawater into freshwater areas. High sea levels would submerge some coastal cities, small island nations, and other inhabited regions. â⬠¢Threats to human health Tropical diseases, such as malaria and dengue, might spread to larger regions. Longer-lasting and more intense heat waves could cause more deaths and illnesses.Floods and droughts could increase hunger and malnutrition. Conclusion Human activity definitely have had a noticeable and documented effect on the steady rise in global temperatures, but there are also arguably other factors that contribute to overall global warming. Either way the argument should not be about who or what to blame for global warming but rather how to slow it down and repair the damage that is being done. Reference list Juery Rohrer. (2007). Time for change. Retrieved April 12 2010 from http://timeforchange. org/CO2-cause-of-glo bal-warmingMcCright, A,M. , & Dunlap, R,E. (2000). Challeging global warming as a social problem: An alalysis of the conservative movements counter-claim. Journal of Social Problems, 47(4), 500-522. Climate and Society. The earth institute. Retrieved April 12 2010 from http://www. earthinstitute. columbia. edu/about/about. html Miller, G,T,JR. (2005). Living in the Environment, 14th ed, Thomson Brooks/Cole. Norby,R,J. , & Luo, Y. (2004). Evaluating ecosystems responses to rising atmospheric CO2 and global warming in a multi-factor world. New Phytologist, 162(2), 281-293.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
The Dog That Will Not Die!
The Dog That Will Not Die! Free Online Research Papers In this world there are several things I dislike, but most of all I dislike my roommateââ¬â¢s dog. He drives me crazy. I have several reasons not to like this dog; it is old and grumpy, it stinks, and it thinks it can sleep on anything in the house. There are so many more reasons for me not to like this animal. I ask myself everyday why will this dog not die or just go somewhere else and stay out of my life. First off, this dog isnââ¬â¢t a cute little puppy; itââ¬â¢s an eight year old Chihuahua from the depths of hell. His owner, Brooklyn, named him Simon for some reason, but I call him Satin. He has this hideous tan fur that is turning white like an elderly man and huge, bulging eyes that look in separate directions. This animal is so grumpy, every time we have company over it attacks them like they are an escaped prisoner being attacked by the k9 unit. Brooklyn says he is so aggressive because of all the medications he is on. I disagree, I think he is just stupid and doesnââ¬â¢t realize what he is doing. Every time I hear this dog bark, which is anytime anyone moves, I clinch my fists and mumble profanity under my breath. If animal cruelty wasnââ¬â¢t a crime I would beat this animal until he obeyed, which I doubt will ever happen with that dog. Another thing that bothers me about this dog is its horrible dog odor. This creature smells like it sleeps on road kill. He goes to the groomer all the time, but it obviously does no good. Everything this dog sits on stinks. He also sheds his fur on our furniture. It drives me crazy. I hate getting it on my clothes when I sit down. I just donââ¬â¢t understand why he canââ¬â¢t stay outside like all animals should. My parents didnââ¬â¢t allow animals in our house back home, so Iââ¬â¢m not used this. This dog obviously isnââ¬â¢t fit for being a house dog. Iââ¬â¢m surprised he doesnââ¬â¢t use the bathroom on the floors. He does everything else wrong so why not? His owner thinks he is so perfect. I tell her everyday how much I just want to punt it out side. Lastly, this beast thinks he owns the house. Last time I checked he wasnââ¬â¢t paying any rent. He gets mad if anyone walks by his bed, sits close to him, or even makes a loud sound. He acts like this is his territory and everyone else are intruders. I cannot even have company over without locking him in his room. It makes me so angry. I feel like Iââ¬â¢m not welcomed in my own house because I get attacked every time I come home. This dogââ¬â¢s behavior is so ridiculous. It is pretty bad when you want to move to get away from a dog. In conclusion, this dog drives me insane. I cannot stress enough how this dog makes me feel. It stinks up our house, attacks everyone and just ruins my day. Itââ¬â¢s not like Iââ¬â¢m an animal hater or I havenââ¬â¢t tried to make things better. Iââ¬â¢ve had many talks with my roommate, but it is no use. She always has an excuse for its behavior. Iââ¬â¢ve given up on trying to make peace with this dog. I guess I will never be able to enjoy living on my own while heââ¬â¢s around. I doubt he will live much long, but right now it seems like he will never die. Research Papers on The Dog That Will Not Die!Comparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoThe Spring and AutumnUnreasonable Searches and SeizuresHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayPersonal Experience with Teen PregnancyCapital PunishmentThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsHip-Hop is ArtGenetic EngineeringThe Hockey Game
Monday, October 21, 2019
Poseidon Essays - Mythology, Greek Mythology, Fiction, Poseidon
Poseidon Essays - Mythology, Greek Mythology, Fiction, Poseidon Poseidon Poseidon, according to Greek mythology was the god of the sea, earthquakes, and horses. He also held his own appointed position among the great gods on Olympus. Although he was officially one of the supreme gods of Mount Olympus, he spent most of his time in his watery domain. He was master not only of the sea but also of the lakes and rivers. In a sense the earth belonged to him, since his waters sustained it and he could shake it at will. He was the son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea, and the brother of Zeus and Hades. Poseidon was the husband of Amphitrite, who was one of the Nereids. They had son who they named Triton. Poseidon also had numerous other lo ve affairs especially with nyps of spring and fountains. He was the father of several children famed for their cruelty and wildness, among them the giant Orion and the Cyclops Polyphumy Poseidon and the Gorgon Medusa were the parents of the famous winged horse, Pegasus. Poseidon was a national god of the Ionians of the Peloponnese, who brought him with them when they immigrated from Asia, and was particularly worshipped in this part of Greece. In Spart a he was even called Genethlios meaning the creator. His worship was spread throughout Greece, especially in maritime towns. The horse, the symbol of gushing springs, and the bull were sacred animals to Poseidon. In classical artwork, Poseidon very much resembles Zeus. He has a similar majesty with his bare chest, grasping his trident. He also has a long beard and is usually pictured with a dolphin at his side. Poseidon had a prominent part in numerous ancient myths and legend s. When Zeus fought the Titans a nd the Giants, Poseidon fought at his side and the giant Polybutes by hurling at him a fragment of cliff torn from the island of Cos, which became the islet of Nisyros. After the victory the heritage was divided into three parts, Zeus took the vast heavens, Hades took the murky u nderworld. Also , A famous story of Poseidon involves the competition between him and the goddess of war, Athena, for the city of Athens. To win the people of the city over, Poseidon threw a spear at the ground and produced the Spring at the Acropolis. However, Athena won as the result of giving the people of Athens the olive tree. In his anger over the decision, Poseidon flooded the Attic Plain. Eventually, Athena and Poseidon worked together by combining their powers.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
A Beginners Guide Tenses of Latin Verbs
A Beginner's Guide Tenses of Latin Verbs Latin is an inflected languageà where the verbs include a lot of information about the sentence. Sometimes the verb is the only word in the sentence. Even without a noun or pronoun, a Latin verb can tell you who/what the subject is. It can also tell you the time frame, interval, or tense. When you parse a Latin verb, you deconstruct these and other facets of the Latin. When you parse a Latin verb, you list the following: Meaning/translationPersonNumberMoodVoice (active/passive)Tense/aspect Tense, as mentioned, refers to time. In Latin, there are 3 simple and 3 perfect tenses, a total of 6, and they come in both active and passive forms. Moods in Different Tenses The Indicative Mood is the most common and thats what this page is about. You need to make note of the mood when parsing a verb. Most statement sentences use the indicative. In English, we generally contrast indicative with conditional sentences, although English has the Latin moods (Indicative, Subjunctive*, and Imperative**). Present Tense The first of the simple tenses in the Indicative Mood is the present tense. The present tense in the Indicative Mood has both Active and Passive voices. The present tense shows action that is happening now. I walk - ambulo Latin Imperfect Tense The next tense is the imperfect, which conveys incompleted action in the past. Imperfect means incomplete or unfinished. When translating an imperfect verb, the simple past tense sometimes works. Other times, was plus an -ing ending on the verb or used to plus the verb will convey the incompleted past action. I was walking - ambulabam The imperfect tense in Latin is used for both continuous and habitual actions in the past. Latin Future Tense The third tense is the future tense. A verb in the future tense conveys an action that will happen in the future. The customary auxiliary verb denoting the future tense is will. He will walk - ambulabit The 1st person singular future ambulabo is translated I shall walk technically. Most people in the U.S., if not in the rest of the anglophone world, would say I will walk. The same is true of the 1st person plural ambulabimus: technically, its we shall walk, but in custom, its we will walk. In the second and third person, its just will without qualification. Latin Verb Endings Active Singular -o, -m-s-t Active Plural -mus-tis-nt Passive Singular -or, -r-ris-tur Passive Plural -mur-mini-ntur Perfect Active Endings Singularà -i-isti-it Plural -imus-istis-erunt (sometimes -ere) Past Tenses Past or perfected tenses are used for completed actions. There are 3 such tenses: Perfect,PluperfectFuture perfect. Latin (Past) Perfect Tense Generally simply called the perfect tense, this tense refers to an action that has been completed. Either a simple past tense ending (e.g., -ed) or the auxiliary verb have conveys the perfect tense. I walked - ambulavi You may also translate it: I have walked. Latin Pluperfect Tense A verb is in the pluperfect tense if it was completed prior to another. Usually the auxiliary verb had signifies a pluperfect verb. I had walked - ambulaveram Latin Future Perfect Tense Future perfect is used to convey an action that will have been completed prior to something else. Will have are the customary auxiliary verbs. I will have walked - ambulavero *à More advanced:à In the Subjunctive Mood, there are 4 tenses, both active and passive: Present,Imperfect,Perfect, andPluperfect. ** There is ordinarily one Latin tense in the Imperative Mood, with both active and passive forms.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Performance management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Performance management - Essay Example Impact of organizational culture however depends on its pervasiveness within an organization whether it is widespread, or shared among the members of the group. 2. Can the culture of an organization be changed to increase performance?à To better answer, culture must be first placed in proper perspective of what it is really all about and what it does so that any attempt to determine whether culture can be changed to increase performance will be properly grounded. Culture, is the shared philosophies, ideologies, values, assumptions, beliefs, expectations, attitude, and norms that knit a community together. All of these interrelated psychological qualities reveal a groups agreement, implicit or explicit, on how to approach decisions and problems: ââ¬Å"the ways things are done around here.â⬠(Kilmann, 1986). Culture is manifest in behavioral norms, hidden assumptions, and human nature, each occurring at a different level of depth. ââ¬Å"At its deepest level, culture is the co llective manifestation of human nature ââ¬â the collection of human dynamics, wants, motives and desires that make a group of people uniqueâ⬠(Kilmann, 1986). Culture is the behavior and mindset that animates the organization to stay in a competitive environment. ... And ââ¬Å"whether a given culture can be changed depends on how deep-seated the culture is and whether multiple culture exist. The deeper the level at which culture change is required and the more cultures there are in the organization, the more difficult and time consuming the culture change process. When culture change involves changing surface-level behavioral norms, it can occur with relative ease because members can articulate what behaviors are required for success today in contrast to those required yesterday. In addition, closing the gap between actual and desire norm is easier if the desired norms are essentially the same throughout the organization ââ¬â if the environment is homogenous. Even when multiple cultures exist, requiring different changes in each work group, change is still easier to effect when the focus of culture change is on behavioral norms rather than hidden assumptions or hidden nature (Kilmann, 1986). 3. As a senior leader in an organization what can you do to change the culture and in turn increase performance of the business?à As a senior leader in an organization, culture can be changed on a top down when ââ¬Å"one single corporate culture exists (and those at the top thus could be accurate in their view of their desired culture) and if the focus is on changing norms and not assumptions. ââ¬Å"This is however may be difficult to sustain, even though such changes may be easy to bring about; top-down approaches generally result in overt compliance to what is mandated, not covert acceptanceâ⬠(Kilmann, 1986) So that, a participative approaches to changing underlying assumptions, although difficult and time-consuming to
Friday, October 18, 2019
Reading Assignment #3 Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Reading #3 - Assignment Example mation may be in the form of several ways, and people may not be aware such as kindness and offering comfort to a relative of the dying person (Hawkins, n.d ). Transformation is therefore by those who are very close to the dying person or their relatives, and it is necessary to give it out when desired. Transformation can occur to the person trying to provide care and compassion rather that the one suffering especially when one opens his/her heart to those that are in the greatest need for comfort. Humans have the mandate to provide the quality care that can transform the worst moments into tolerable ones or make a person accept a loss. In addition, suffering can be turned into peace through transformation. The case of the Pope John Paul II was a form of transformation as during his last moments his caregivers and health providers kept the rest of the world hoping that the Pope would recover. In fact, they gave him the best care and attended to every change in his health trying to keep him alive. They never reported that the Pope was dying yet his condition was very serious. When he finally did all tests to confirm death starting with the medieval and the modern medicine through an electrocardiogram were carried out. The Popeââ¬â¢s medical team could have informed the world that the Pope was dying instead of describing his conditions with such words as serious, grave, or
Discussion 2 Week 5 Cost Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
Discussion 2 Week 5 Cost Management - Assignment Example Accordingly, ââ¬Å"The costs associated with cleaning up an oil spill are strongly influenced by the circumstances surrounding the spill including: the type of product spilled; the location and timing of the spill; sensitive areas affected or threatened; liability limits in place; local and national laws; and cleanup strategy. The most important factors determining a per-unit amount (either per-gallon or per-tonne) cost are location and oil type, and possibly total spill amountâ⬠(Etkin, 1999, p. 1). On the other hand, hiding the culpability now could mean deferment of the mentioned costs but would mean paying more in the future in terms of legal expenses associated with the chemical leak, especially to lives and properties that were affected. In addition, the negative image that the incident would generate for the organization could cost them their reputation and would even cause a significant loss in the financial condition of the organization. The fact is corroborated, as asserted: ââ¬Å"those who have been affected by chemical leaks and spills, whether residents of the area or local business owners, may be entitled to financial compensation for the harm they have experienced. The at-fault industrial plant, oil company or other corporation may be held liable for the injuries and property damage the incident has causedâ⬠(Toxic Chemical Leaks & Spills, 2012, p. 1). Therefore, the delay in admitting the fault could cause greater damages which would be more costly for the organization in the long run because the same cleanup cost elements would be incurred, in addition to legal expenses and the damage to the reputation of the
Multicultural Research Project education Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words
Multicultural Project education - Research Paper Example Many researchers explains that cultural diversity at workplaces is not very good for the faster growth as it tends to increase intercultural conflicts among the diverse personnel (Martin) . When culturally diverse individuals are put together to perform a given task, the difference in norms, perception of things culture, religion, opinions and other variables may hinder the development of unity. This problem does not just stop at there, difference in language brings a communication barrier. However, this difference in culture brings in a difference in how people see things. Different cultures have different ways of thinking and thus can analyze a matter at hand from different angles (Martin). This variation in experiences is beneficial to the organization as it provide a diverse base of knowledge to the organization. Secondly, as the business expands, the temptation to go across the border increases with availability of market. The diversity will help to overcome the language barrier. This gives the company an upper hand in capturing the available market (Martin). Going by these arguments, it is quite clear that the reasoning surrounds the overall effects on the organization performance resulting from the effect of diversity. It is for this reason that this research will try to investigate a fresh the demographic characteristics that contributes positively to the success of the organization and which ones are negative. I did a quick survey of five organizations with culturally diverse workforce and five others with relatively less diverse labor force. The organizations selected were from different countries but are in the same industry. Out of the five less diverse organizations, three admitted that they are experiencing problem in expansion to other countries because of their state and were considering diversity while one had already initiated the process of diversifying their labor force, the
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Research philosophies and principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Research philosophies and principles - Essay Example The postmodern moment (1990-1995) 6. The postexperimental inquiry moment (1995-2000) 7. The methodologically contested present (2000-2010) 8. The future moment (2010-). In each of the eight moments, different things are included in the definition of qualitative research (Jessor, Colby and Shweder, 1996, p. 129). However, it is customary to offer a generic definition of the qualitative research here: Qualitative research is a kind of research that is ââ¬Å"based on a relativistic, constructivist ontology that posits that there is no objective reality. Rather, there are multiple realities constructed by human beings who experience a phenomenon of interestâ⬠(Krauss, 2005, p. 760). Researchers commonly adopt the qualitative methodology when they want to alter things for the better or want to bring a change. Therefore, advocacy and empathy are two of the most essential elements of the researcherââ¬â¢s lifestyle (Stake, 2010, p. 14). This paper evaluates and compares the research philosophies and principles of four research papers related to tourism. All of the research papers are based on qualitative research but have different research paradigms. 1. Visiting death and life: dark tourism and slave castles by Rasul A. Mowatt and Charles H. Chancellor Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) selected Ghana for their research since this country has most number of West African Slave Castles i.e. 36 out of the total 52 that have remained. Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) used interviews, photo elicitation and analysis of the touristsââ¬â¢ narratives in their methodology. The study involved 14 African descents eight of whom were females and six were males. All of them were from the US. The researchers agreed upon the non-generalizability of the research results. ââ¬Å"As such the results from this study are not generalizable. A second sample could have yielded a confirmation or divergence in responses and behaviors with this sampleâ⬠(Mowatt and Chancellor, 2011, p. 14 28). Research carried out by Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) is an exploratory research wherein the researchers donââ¬â¢t come with preconceived notions about the touristsââ¬â¢ motivations. This research was a mix of the modernist, critical representation and blurred genres moments of research. In course of their research, Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) found that although there is a lot of disparity in the ethnic identities of the aboriginal Africans and the African Americans that have been away from their indigenous place for centuries, yet they still relate to one another and shed away all their time-bound differences when they make a visit to the Ghanaian Slave Castles. The researchers found a special bond between the tourists and the Castles, which had remained unaffected despite their distance from their native land or change in their social identities that has occurred over the time. The factor of symbolic interactionism reflects in the touristsââ¬â¢ discomfort with the W hite people in the post-visit stage. It suggests that the tourists consider the slavery a racial matter in which the Black race has always been oppressed by the White. The fact that the researchers made use of photographs as a means to achieve the research objectives in addition to conducting the in-depth interviews with them and studying their ethnography makes this research relate to the blurred genres moment of research. Also, the researchersââ¬â¢ personal or intellectual biographies donââ¬â¢t show up in the research which further promotes the blurred genre
BLOGS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words
BLOGS - Essay Example Raci is faced by the challenge of having to take hormone shorts off the street, and at times this seem to affect her class attendances which seems to be worrying her professors. Another transgendered student is a Master candidate in Student administration at Michigan university who is faced by a challenge of having to one day make his family who considers her a female understand that she is a male. In episode five, he is faced by the challenge of getting romantically involved with another student (Simmons, 2005). Gabbie, a student pursuing Computer Science at the University of Colorado has to cope with the challenge of being the youngest candidate to undergo a gender reassignment surgery. Will he later be accepted by her family as being female and not male? It is evident in Episode five of the documentary, which not all of this transgendered and transsexual student have been accepted and loved in the single sex colleges that they opted to join. Just as in the YouTube video clip on lo ve and acceptance, single-sex colleges should handle such students with love and acceptance because they were created so by God. Therefore, to help them in their transition to being a male or a female, love and acceptance would suffice (TBCvideoATL, 2010). Lack of acceptance and love has made Lucas a Neurology Senior at the Smith College feels so alienated. The society, her family, and some of her college mates consider and see Lucas as a female, but she wants to liver her life as a male. Lucas is faced with a challenge of defending his thesis in Episode five of the Transgeneration documentary (Simmons, 2005). A transgendered or transsexual student would want to attend a single-sex college just as gay partners, or lesbians would want to attend the Tabernacle Baptist church ââ¬â they want a place where they would feel loved and accepted. It is natural that attending a
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Research philosophies and principles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words
Research philosophies and principles - Essay Example The postmodern moment (1990-1995) 6. The postexperimental inquiry moment (1995-2000) 7. The methodologically contested present (2000-2010) 8. The future moment (2010-). In each of the eight moments, different things are included in the definition of qualitative research (Jessor, Colby and Shweder, 1996, p. 129). However, it is customary to offer a generic definition of the qualitative research here: Qualitative research is a kind of research that is ââ¬Å"based on a relativistic, constructivist ontology that posits that there is no objective reality. Rather, there are multiple realities constructed by human beings who experience a phenomenon of interestâ⬠(Krauss, 2005, p. 760). Researchers commonly adopt the qualitative methodology when they want to alter things for the better or want to bring a change. Therefore, advocacy and empathy are two of the most essential elements of the researcherââ¬â¢s lifestyle (Stake, 2010, p. 14). This paper evaluates and compares the research philosophies and principles of four research papers related to tourism. All of the research papers are based on qualitative research but have different research paradigms. 1. Visiting death and life: dark tourism and slave castles by Rasul A. Mowatt and Charles H. Chancellor Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) selected Ghana for their research since this country has most number of West African Slave Castles i.e. 36 out of the total 52 that have remained. Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) used interviews, photo elicitation and analysis of the touristsââ¬â¢ narratives in their methodology. The study involved 14 African descents eight of whom were females and six were males. All of them were from the US. The researchers agreed upon the non-generalizability of the research results. ââ¬Å"As such the results from this study are not generalizable. A second sample could have yielded a confirmation or divergence in responses and behaviors with this sampleâ⬠(Mowatt and Chancellor, 2011, p. 14 28). Research carried out by Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) is an exploratory research wherein the researchers donââ¬â¢t come with preconceived notions about the touristsââ¬â¢ motivations. This research was a mix of the modernist, critical representation and blurred genres moments of research. In course of their research, Mowatt and Chancellor (2011) found that although there is a lot of disparity in the ethnic identities of the aboriginal Africans and the African Americans that have been away from their indigenous place for centuries, yet they still relate to one another and shed away all their time-bound differences when they make a visit to the Ghanaian Slave Castles. The researchers found a special bond between the tourists and the Castles, which had remained unaffected despite their distance from their native land or change in their social identities that has occurred over the time. The factor of symbolic interactionism reflects in the touristsââ¬â¢ discomfort with the W hite people in the post-visit stage. It suggests that the tourists consider the slavery a racial matter in which the Black race has always been oppressed by the White. The fact that the researchers made use of photographs as a means to achieve the research objectives in addition to conducting the in-depth interviews with them and studying their ethnography makes this research relate to the blurred genres moment of research. Also, the researchersââ¬â¢ personal or intellectual biographies donââ¬â¢t show up in the research which further promotes the blurred genre
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Negligent misstatement is based on a special relationship being Essay
Negligent misstatement is based on a special relationship being proven. By discussing relevant case law, explain how this - Essay Example Special Relationship in negligent misstatement Special relationship in law is regarded as a situation in which a party relies on a professionalââ¬â¢s skills and experience of a professional to undertake certain actions or omissions. It is worth noting that professionals are people with impeccable knowledge and skills on myriad of issues depending on their area of expertise. Charlesworth (2008) says that due to their unique skills and experience, majority of people usually depends on their input before they act. Whenever one seeks the services of another in a professional capacity, the professional has a duty of care and as such should offer his advice or act with caution. In court proceedings where the subject matter is negligent misstatement, the court considers several factors in order to determine if there is any form of material misstatement. In fact, the courts consider three critical elements whenever they are dealing with the issue of special relationship in the context of negligent misrepresentation. One such factor is that the plaintiff relied on the skills and judgment of the defendant to make certain acts or omission. The other element is that the defendant ought to be aware or was aware of the fact that the Plaintiff was relying on him to make certain acts or omission. ... The court of appeal established that the case qualified for negligent misrepresentation by the defendant and that there existed special relationship between Dick Bentley Productions and Harold Smith. The case, therefore, satisfied all the requirements of material misrepresentation, which include the fact that the plaintiff, Harold Smith Ltd, relied on the skills and judgment of the defendant, Dick Bentley Productions, to make certain the decision of purchasing the Bentley. The other element is that the defendant, Dick Bentley Productions, was aware of the fact that the Plaintiff, Harold Smith Ltd, was relying on him to make certain acts or omission. Finally, the circumstances reasonably alluded to the fact that the defendant was aware that the defendant was relying upon his advice. The defendant was a dealer in Bentley and as such; he was in a better position to tell the correct mileage of Bentley because he was a dealer in Bentley. For the special relationship to hold in court proce edings involving negligent misstatement there is need to prove that, the defendant was a professional who had the knowledge, experience, and judgment on the subject matter. In Oscar Chess Ltd v Williams (1957) 1 WLR, the defendant had falsely stated the age of the car to the dealer in a part exchange transaction. The court held that although there was a statement, the defendant was not in a position to tell the true age of the car to the plaintiff since the former was not a professional in the field. The statement of the defendant was therefore held to be representational. In his judgment, the judge alluded to the fact that the plaintiff could have at least bothered to verify the details that were
Monday, October 14, 2019
The personality disorders | Analysis
The personality disorders | Analysis Personality or personality traits are the basis of what makes a person who they are. When expressed in a healthy way that is beneficial to a person, they are described as an enduring pattern of our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They are how we think, feel, make decisions, and take actions (Barker, 1995). They are determined both by a persons genetic makeup and environmental factors and are a determining factor as to how a person lives their life. When a personality trait becomes rigid and dysfunctional, where it significantly hinders healthy thoughts and activities and harms the person who has them, this may be the basis for a personality disorder. According to the DSM-IV a personality disorder must show a lasting pattern of behavior and inner experience that markedly deviates from norms of the persons culture (James Morrison, 2006). This could include personality patterns that are normal in some people, but are exaggerated or accentuated in those with a personality disorder. In order for a person to be diagnosed with a personality disorder, the symptoms must show a lifelong pattern of manifestation. This means that the disorder is typically identified in late adolescence or early adulthood and persists throughout a lifespan. Another requirement for the diagnosis of personality disorders is that the negative behavior patterns must have a pervasive effect on all areas of a persons life; this includes employment, intimate relationships, social functioning, and family. The behavior must routinely causes problems or dysfunction, and cannot be attributed to any other sort of mental or physical illness (James Morrison, 2006). An indi vidual with a personality disorder will show maladjustment in all aspects of their life and the disorder will be reflected in the ingrained, rigid, and dysfunctional patterns that they present throughout their lifetime. According to Frances, personality disorders usually produce ego-syntonic behavior, or consistent with the ego integrity of the individual, and, therefore, are usually considered appropriate by the individual. This may cause the negative behavioral patterns to be inflexible and tough to change. (Frances, 1999) The treatment of personality disorders is usually difficult and often has limited results. In the DSM-IV there are three groups or clusters that each of the 10 personality disorders fall into. People with cluster A disorders are characterized by odd or eccentric behavior, abnormal cognitions or ideas, strange speech or actions, and difficulty relating to others (Frances, 1999). People diagnosed with personality disorders are more frequently diagnosed with an Axis I disorders as well (James Morrison, 2006). Frequent co-morbid diagnosis for cluster A personality disorders are: agoraphobia, major depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and substance abuse (Frances, 1999). Type A disorders include paranoid, schizoid, and schizotypal personality disorders. Paranoid personality disorder, the first of the cluster A disorders, is characterized by extreme or unnecessary paranoia, suspiciousness, and a general mistrust of organizations, groups, and others, is found in 0.5%-2.5% of the population, as a whole and occurs more commonly in males (Frances, 1999). A person with paranoid personality disorder often thinks, without reason or cause, that others are exploiting, harming, or deceiving them, which inhibits them from developing close relationships. According to Dobbert, The delusional belief that others are disloyal and untrustworthy precludes their ability to confide in others. The afflicted person believes that the information that they provide in confidence will be later utilized to bring them harm (Dobbert, 2007). People with paranoid personality disorder also tend to hold grudges and become angry for seemingly benign perceptions of insults or injuries. These grudges can be long lasting and based out of perceived threats or insults. Even if the intention to harm or defame the person is not present, due to the constant expectation that others are trying to hurt them, an individual with a paranoid personality disorder creates a threat and will then hold malice toward another person for an exaggerated amount of time. This malice will evoke anger and hostility that will eventually lead to the alienation and isolation (Dobbert, 2007). The second of the cluster A disorders is the schizoid personality disorder, it is characterized by a general detachment from social settings, a restricted or muted range of emotions, and need for solidarity. It is found in 3% of the general population and affects women more commonly then men (Frances, 1999). A person with schizoid personality disorder neither desires nor enjoys close or intimate relationships. According to Dobbert, Persons afflicted with schizoid personality disorder find no interest in initiating, developing, and maintaining close relationships. It is not uncommon for these persons to lack the interest or desire to be considered a part of their biological family (Dobbert, 2007). These people do not find inclusion in groups or social settings particularly interesting or desirable and work to avoid such settings. A person with schizoid personality disorder is described as appearing introverted, but not shy, and seems to prefer their own company instead of seeking relationships with others. This often leads the person showing little if any interest in sexual or intimate experiences, preferring acts of self-gratification and sexual fantasy over personal contact. (Dobbert, 2007) Due to the indifference of intimate relationships, the person with schizoid personality disorder develops limited interest in activities they enjoy and does not seek to share these activities with others. They would prefer to focus their attention on a few activities and interests of a solitary nature and to obsess about those interests with little regard to the perceptions of others. They also seem to be unaffected by the acceptance, praise, or criticism of others involving their actions and isolation. It becomes obvious to those around them that a person with schizoid personality disorder does not care what others perceptions are and they often seem cold, detached, and unemotional, presenting a bland or blank expression to the world (Dobbert, 2007). The final disorder in cluster A is the schizotypal personality disorder which is a condition characterized by distorted thoughts, behaviors, and functioning. Magical thinking, relationship difficulties, severe anxiety, and poor social skills are also common. (James Morrison, 2006) This disorder affects 3% of the general population and is diagnosed slightly more in females then males. (Frances, 1999) People with schizotypal personality disorder perceive things in an odd or unusual way. Their interpretation often differs from that of others and is specific to themselves (meaning nobody else shares similar perceptions and thoughts), but is not based out of delusional thought or differing cultural norms. Many of these people believe that that they have extrasensory or magical powers and attribute their odd perceptions to this ability (Dobbert, 2007). The belief in clairvoyance, mind control, the sixth sense and other forms of magical thinking often lead others to view these people as odd which strains social and work relationships. To compound this, many people with schizotypal personality disorder have a reduced ability to understand other peoples actions and respond to them inappropriate and in a socially unacceptable manner. Having few successful experiences with others often leads to social anxiety, suspiciousness, and paranoid ideation. Dobbert states rather than examining ones self to determine the source of others avoidance, people with schizotypal personality disorder believe that the others are conspiring against them. Due to the inability of self-introspections, the afflicted person withdraws deeper and further isolates themselves, leading the person to further fall into their delusional thinking (Dobbert, 2007). People with cluster B disorders are characterized by dramatic, unpredictable, and destructive behaviors as well as difficulty with impulsiveness, the violation of social norms, and being self-abusive and hostile to others. It is common for these disorders to share co-morbidity with eating disorders, social phobias, somatization disorder, pathological gambling, substance abuse, and post traumatic stress disorder (Frances, 1999). Included in cluster B are antisocial, borderline, histrionic, and narcissistic personality disorders. According to the DSM-V, the first of the cluster B disorders is the antisocial personality disorder, which is a pervasive pattern of disregard for, and violations of, the rights of others (James Morrison, 2006). It is characterized by failure to conform to social norms, deceitfulness, impulsivity, aggression, irresponsibility, and lack of remorse. It affects 3% of men and 1% of women, and is distributed evenly throughout all races (Frances, 1999). People with antisocial personality disorder act against social norms and show little respect for lawful behaviors. They are often arrested or commit acts that could lead to confrontations with law enforcement. According to Dobbert, people with this disorder dont just violate social normsbut, perform behaviors that are significant violations of the criminal code (Dobbert, 2007). This indicates that people with antisocial personality disorder are capable of committing the most heinous of crimes including rape, armed robbery, and murder. This diagnosis had been applied to many of the documented serial killers such as Ted Bundy, Jeffery Dahmer, and John Wayne Gacy. (Dobbert, 2007) The level of deceptiveness that is involved in antisocial personality disorder has been directly linked to the intelligence of the individual. While all people diagnosed with this disorder pathologically lie, as intelligence increases the use of aliases and conning operations also shows an increase. Deception contributes to the notable involvement with law enforcement and is often utilized in criminal acts (Dobbert, 2007). As displayed by criminal and deceptive acts, a lack of impulse control is noted for those diagnosed with antisocial personality disorder. This impulsivity often leads to the disregard for personal safety and the safety of others. In the ever increasing need for heightened stimulation, those with antisocial personality disorder do whatever gives them the feeling of power over others (Dobbert, 2007), this may include hurtful, violent, and aggressive acts done with little regard for other peoples feelings or of the consequences of their actions. The second disorder in cluster B, borderline personality disorder, is stated by the American Psychiatric Association as pervasive pattern of instability of interpersonal relationships, self-image, and affects and marked impulsivity (James Morrison, 2006). It is characterized by identity disturbances, self-damaging behavior, feelings of emptiness, anger regulation problems, and stress related paranoid ideation or dissociative symptoms. Affecting more females than males at a rate of 3-1, it is found in 2% of the general population (Frances, 1999). Dysfunctional relationships are the key area that defines borderline personality disorder. Dobbert states that persons afflicted with borderline personality disorder are obsessed with the potential for rejection and abandonment. Their perception of the environment and persons response to them influences their feeling of self-worth and image (Dobbert, 2007). They often misconceive common circumstances and situations as rejection. This then manifests itself in anger, resentment, and feelings of abandonment. In order to tailor themselves to a relationship, the person with borderline personality disorder will illustrate a sudden change in self expression and perception. These changes may include sudden changes in the style of clothing, attitude, and social preferences of the individual and may also encompass hobbies, interests, and activities. If an individual is rejected by the object of that relationship, they will change themselves again to distance themselves from their past relationship and attract a new one (Dobbert, 2007). In order to manipulate others and stage off real or perceived abandonment, a person with borderline personality disorder will threaten or attempt suicidal behavior, and self-mutilation. Threatening self-injury or suicide allows the individual to control the other person in the relationship and allows them to postpone the abandonment that they so fear. While attempts are made on the part of a person with this disorder, many of them are half-hearted and not meant to be successful; they are simply utilized as a device evoke a desired reaction from another person. Histrionic personality disorder is the third of the cluster B disorders, and is described as pervasive and excessive emotionality and attention-seeking behavior (James Morrison, 2006). It is characterized by sexual promiscuity, rapidly shifting and shallow expression of emotion, self-dramatization, and suggestibility. It is found in 2-3% of the population and is diagnosed more often in women (Frances, 1999). Typically, people with histrionic personality disorder exhibit a compulsatory need to be the center of attention. When they find themselves being ignored or not admired they feel anxiety and identify confusion. These people are very socially motivated and expect to be noticed and envied by others. In order to gain attention many people with histrionic personality disorder focus intensely on appearance or act overdramatically in hopes of creating a scene to gain attention. Seductiveness and overtly sexual and provocative behavior is another way for people with histrionic personality disorder to gain attention. Flirtatious and intimate behavior is often used, even in inappropriate settings such as work, to gain attention. A conflict surrounding this inappropriate behavior, instead of inhibiting the behavior, only works to reinforce it as the center of attention again shifts to the disordered person. Narcissistic personality disorder, the final disorder of the cluster B sub-type is characterized by exaggeration of achievements, preoccupation with success and power, excessive need for admiration, a sense of entitlement, exploitation, envy, and arrogance (Frances, 1999). The DSM-V states that narcissistic personality disorder is a pervasive pattern of grandiosity, with a need for admiration, and a marked lack of empathy (James Morrison, 2006). Of the general population less than 1% of the population suffers from narcissistic personality disorder and it is diagnosed 3-1 in males over females and is commonly classed the male ego disorder (Frances, 1999). Those who suffer from this disorder are prone to overinflating or creating achievements in order to brag about or prove their superiority to others. They often daydream about unlimited success and about the admiration that it will bring from others. They may also suffer from delusions that allow them to believe that they are entitled to act in any way they want, despite the effect it has on others. Because they view themselves as superior, the narcissist does not feel that they should be concerned themselves with the feelings of others. They will often defame and exploit others for their own self promotion. This marked lack of empathy is a dominate feature of narcissistic personality disorder and is brought about as a defense mechanism to protect their grandiose ideals about themselves. Cluster C disorders, including avoidant, dependant, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders are characterized by fearful and anxious behaviors, as well as avoidance of social situations and feelings of loss of control (Frances, 1999). Typical Axis I co-morbid diagnosis are: social phobias, anxiety disorder, adjustment disorder, myocardial infraction, and obsessive compulsive disorder. Treatment- (Dingfelder, 2004) Individuals at this end of the continuum commit rape, murder, and genocide. Will a person afflicted with antisocial personality disorder start at the lease serious end of the continuum and move to the far extreme? Recovery Conclusion Works Cited Barker, R. L. (1995). The Social Work Dictionary. In R. L. Barker, The Social Work Dictionary (p. 104). New York, New York: NASW Press. This source is reviewed and published by the NASW press, a division of the National Association of Social Workers, which is a leading scholarly press in social science research field. The information used gives a broad and comprehensive definition of the role that a personality plays in the life of an individual. This definition of personality and personality traits was chosen because due to its association with social work and because of its encompassing definition. This definition is used as a contrast point for the explanation of personality disorders. Dingfelder, S. (2004). Treatment for the Untreatable. Monitor on Psychology , Vol 35, No. 3, p. 46-48. This article, found in a peer reviewed scholarly journal, discusses the effectiveness of treatment for personality disorders. It states that many practitioners have had difficulty in treating personality disorders, which continue to present a pervasive and persistent pattern of dysfunction despite many treatment methods. It also discusses some effective treatment options and the hope for recovery from personality disorders. Frances, A. M. (1999). Your Mental Health: A Laymans Guide to the Psychiatrists Bible . In A. M. Frances, Your Mental Health: A Laymans Guide to the Psychiatrists Bible . New York: Scribner. Written by one of the authors of the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, this book provides general information about diagnosis of personality disorders and other mental health problems. It gives more detailed information on the cluster groupings (A, B, and C) for personality disorders than the DSM-IV Made Easy, as sited below. It also gives descriptive character traits that are associated with each of the personality disorders and discusses Axis I co-morbid diagnosis that are often found with personality disorders. James Morrison, M. (2006). The DSM-IV Made Easy. In M. James Morriosn, The DSM-IV Made Easy (pp. 461-495). New York: Guildford Publications, Inc. This book, containing information released in the DSM-IV, released by the American Psychological Association, is a stripped down, simplified version of the original DSM_IV. It provided detailed information on each personality disorder as well as diagnostic criteria for personality disorders. It also provides classification information and Axis diagnosis. The information in the source is considered to be extremely accurate and is therefore used to give a thorough and comprehensive information in relation to each personality disorder. Mayo Clinic. (2010, April 6). Personality Disorders. Retrieved April 6, 2010, from MayoClinic.com: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/personality-disorders/DS00562 This source, written by the psychological staff at the Mayo Clinic, is retrievable online. The Mayo Clinic, an internationally renowned medical practice and research group, has given a general overview of personality disorders and discussed some treatment options that are available for the disorders. The information for treatment is not found in the above references, and the idea of using psychotherapy and medication to treat personality disorders is discussed. Women Discrimination In Business: Walmarts Case Women Discrimination In Business: Walmarts Case Ethics has consistently been a part of our society. It has continuously played a crucial role whether in the professional world or in our normal daily lives. According to the well known sociologist Raymond Baumhart, ethics consists of the guidelines based on the basis of what is right and wrong and people are expected to follow the right path. A few examples such as honesty, trust and equality fall under ethical behavior and it is required in order for all of us to have a peaceful environment. (Baumhart, 1987) Importance of ethics in the business world Ethics is equally essential in the business world because it highlights the responsibilities, the principles and the standards that business people along with its organization should follow permanently. Any business organization that lacks or ignores the ethical principles is expected to fail and may harm the companys image in several ways. For example unethical behavior such as employees coming to work late frequently will reduce the productivity level for the company and this may also intervene with their profit which for many firms is the sole purpose. It is the top management levels duty to ensure that all the current working employees in their company are aware of the ethical guidelines regarding acceptable behavior in order to prevent acts such cheating at work, socializing at some networking site rather than giving priority to your work, discriminating against an employee etc. Ethics is also considered one of the corporate social responsibilities along with economic, legal and philanthropic and they should be considered majorly important. It should be dealt with seriousness because it covers human resource issues which refer to discrimination at workplace and it is extremely vital for the managers at top level to not differentiate between their employees based on how they appear or any other reason for that matter. Fairness is another part where the managers have to make sure that they are treating their employees with equality without any biased decisions taking place. Besides these reasons there are many more which just proves the point that ethics is really important for management to succeed in achieving their goals. Women Discrimination Gender Discrimination Discrimination in todays world can be defined as the à ¢Ã¢â ¬Ã ¦treatment or consideration of, or making a distinction in favour of or against, a person or a thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs rather than on individual merit. (Dictionary.com, 2010). Discriminatory behaviours are of many different kinds but they mainly entail some form of exclusion or rejection. One form of discrimination that has been seen from generations till today is gender discrimination where either of the sex is considered weaker than the other. Women Discrimination in society In most societies and developed countries like the U.S. girls are usually given the freedom and encouraged to create their own lifestyle, since childhood. They are made to believe in themselves and that they can be as successful as boys in every work of life. However, the case is not the same for girls from other societies which are mostly from developing countries. They are brought up to believe the opposite where they are constantly reminded of the things they are not allowed to do. In most of the developing countries sons are regarded as insurance and hence their birth is celebrated with great joy. Whereas, when a girl is born she is considered as another expense and liability for the family. Since childhood, they are trained to do household activities and stay indoors, isolating them from the rest of the world. In some parts of India, a tradition prevails to greet the family of newborn girl by saying The servant of your household has been born. Women from such societies face issu es like emotional and physical abuse, inferiority, having their families and society limit their opportunities and restricting them from living life up to their full potential. Discrimination against women is a very demoralizing reality that still exists resulting in millions of individual tragedies. Studies show that a countrys attitude towards women is directly proportional to its social and economic progress i.e. if one part of the country gets affected then the result of the affect is suffered by the whole country as well. Sadly, women fall weak and are not able to defend themselves in situations where they are being discriminated. For example many women have to face problems like dowry, negligence, infanticide and sex-selective abortion, physical abuse and labour and sex trafficking (Mullins, 2010). Gender lines are drawn early in womens life and they face exclusions from childhood and continue facing it through out their adulthood as well. This perspective of women and false belief that women do not belong in the high corporate world has risen as a result of women discrimination. There has, over time been a stereotype thinking that women are only suitable for restricted professions like teaching or best suited to be housewives. Studies show that during elementary school teachers give more attention and importance to boys in Maths and Science while girls are paid attention by teachers in subjects like Language and Art. This is because Maths and Science subjects are more academically challenging and to be taken in the field of medicine, engineering and architecture which are considered to be male professions. Studies also show that girls in middle and high school are discouraged to participate in extracurricular activities like sports or join debate clubs. Instead, they are encou raged to participate in after school volunteer work, social programs and more inert activities. Also, when making career choices, girls are pestered by parents into pursuing clichà ©d female-oriented professions like teaching, nursing, care giving, retail and office administration. Studies carried by the Department of Labour 2007 statistics show that more women are starting businesses than men, more women are in the employees than men, and the majority of degree-holders are now women and yet they are only still dominating fields and industries that are considered suitable for female (Wolfe, 2009) Women discrimination is not always seen in developing countries alone but can also be noticed in developed countries. For example, one of the largest sex discrimination case seen in the history on the U.S. is the law suit filed against Wal-Mart. This suit was filed in the year 2001 by six female employees and by April 2010 it was reported to include more than a million females costing the retailer billions in damages. The women who filed the case claimed that they faced systematic discrimination at work. The Wal-Mart industry It is an American retailing industry founded by Sam Walton in1962 when he launched its first branch in Arkansas. His main strategy which found him early success in his life was to keep prices relatively low which lead him to earn a ranking as the richest man during the 1980s. According to the Forbes magazine, it became the worlds largest corporation by revenue. Walmarts women discrimination case Wal-Mart is being criticized for paying its female employees less than its male employees and also provide smaller salary raises to women and fewer promotions. It was reported that women at Wal-Mart were being steered away from management positions into lower-level jobs without much possible chances of progress like cashier jobs. Moreover, a woman who came looking for a job opportunity as a manager was reported to be told that she was not qualified for the management position as she was not able to stack 50 pound bags of dog food. It was also reported by The New York Times that around 33% of the women at Wal-Mart are companys managers whereas the rest 65% consist of women working as hourly employees. Wal-Mart was account to be biased towards males (Goudreau, 2010). Wal-Mart has around 700,000 working women that form its back bone and make it one of the largest private sector employers of women in the U.S. However, these employees face discrimination at work on advancement opportunities, job assignments and receive unequal pay. This discrimination towards women has been seen in all levels of the company i.e. from hourly working employees to senior management. Women earn 40cents less than what they should be earning equal to the other hourly male employees even though they have longer seniority and higher merit ratings than their male co-workers. A woman manager earns around $5,000 per year less compared to a male manager who earns $23,175 per year. Women executives also do not find themselves safe from discrimination at Wal-Mart. Women face systematic denial of advancement as men dominate the management ranks. They are stuck in the low paying jobs consisting of 92% cashiers and 76% sales associate. Wal-Marts competitors in the past have had more women managers than men compared to Wal-Mart. (UFCW, 2010). Walmarts case from Kants perspective Wal-Marts case casts light upon the ethical considerations of women discrimination in the work environment. Whether it is illegal is still under trial, however, it is clearly an ethical issue. Businesses often face such ethical issues which occur due to many reasons even if they are unintentional. The market fluctuations, competition and profit-making orientation lead business owners and managers into behaving unethically without conspicuous intentions. The issue of women discrimination can be analysed and evaluated using ethical theory. Ethical theory is generally based upon moral philosophy and may be classified on many different dimensions, however, there are several basic types of moral philosophy which are used in business ethics, such as egoism, utilitarianism, deontology, rights and relativism (Bartlett, 2003: 224). Egoism and Utilitarianism are examples of consequentialist philosophies whereas, deontological approaches such as that of Immanuel Kant are an example of non-consequentialist philosophies. Kants theories are often associated with the duties, moral rights and respect of an individual. His theories say that each person has both the right to expect to be treated according to universal moral laws and the corresponding duty to behave according to that law (Bartlett, 2003: 224). Kants theory proposes a categorical imperative which is the particular moral law according to which people should act. It states that one should act as if the maxim of thy action were to become by thy will a universal law of nature (Kant, cited in Bartlett, 2003: 224). This means that an action can be set as a categorical imperative making it a universal law and applying it to the maximum population to see what the result of that action would be if it became common behavior of the world. The morality of an action can be judged by applying the deontological approach which considers the rights, duties, truth and respect of an individual according to universal moral principles. It focuses on doing the right thing. Sex discrimination or discrimination of women in particular can be evaluated using Kants theory. Applying the theory, the categorical imperative or the universal rule can be set as It is okay to discriminate women in business practices. If this rule is applied universally, the effect of this action on the society or the whole world would be highly negative. Firstly, men would continue to view women as the weaker sex due to which they will not give them opportunities to work at all. If women dont work they will have low motivation and high emotional stress which can affect their family lives. If all families became unhappy and stressed the whole society will be affected and may not prosper. Secondly, the household incomes would decrease drastically as women will not be able to support their husbands. Furthermore, if women will have no career opportunities, they will stop their education and the literacy rate would go down. Labour supply in the market would decrease which would lead to a surplus in labour demand thus, creating a need for high wages and salaries which can become a major issue with employers. The overall employment rate would also decrease; affecting the world economy. The result of discriminating women and discouraging their participation in work practices universally can cause serious harm to the society and the whole world overall. It questions womens rights and respect along with mans duty towards equality and fairness in the world. Thus, the universal rule will be contradicted and negated leading to the conclusion that, as analyzed through this theory and the deontological approach, sex discrimination is unethical. Walmarts perspective On the contrary, when considering the case from Walmarts perspective, it is important to understand that it is the senior managements duty and responsibility to take every measure to ensure they assign jobs to employees who are most suited to do them and hold the capabilities required to accomplish the job. For example, Walmart has been criticised for refusing one woman a management position because she was unable to stack 50-pound bags of dog food hence, unqualified for the job. While many have protested against this act, it must be highlighted that there has been always a stereotype image of women as being the weaker sex and this incident helps illustrate that. Walmart managers understand that the business involves tasks that cannot be easily accomplished by women as compared to men. Also, giving women tedious jobs might be considered unethical by some customers and this could affect Walmarts reputation as being harsh towards women and making them do jobs they are not fit for. More over, Walmart may have been scandalised by its competitors who are looking for ways to show the company in a negative light as it is successful and poses serious threat to smaller businesses who are unable to compete on the basis of price due to the exceptional low prices Walmart provides hence, looking for other methods of causing damage to their competitor. Target Corporation and its ethical practices One of the greatest competitions faced by Walmart is from Target Corporation; after Walmart, Target is the second largest discount retailer in the United States. Walmart and Target do business in quiet similar manner and have both very wide-ranging ethical and environmental policies in place. However in terms of practices, Walmart has solicited much more criticism than Target for breaching its ethical policies, the company has poor employment benefits, exerts pressure on suppliers, eliminates waste into the environment and as discussed earlier, practices gender discrimination to great extent. However, Target refuses to tolerate workplace discrimination and tries to create an environment in which everyone recognizes the value of diversity. According to national statistics the average company across the United States employs a staff that consists of forty-eight percent women; fifty-nine percent of Targets workforce is women. In part with this statistic and the treatment of their female employees, Target has been honored as an organization with multiple national awards recognizing their commitment to gender diversity. In 2005, Target was named one of the Top 30 Companies for Executive Women, by the National Association for Female Executives. As well as in 2004, they were named one of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers, by the magazine, Working Mother. Therefore similar to Target, Walmart should also adopt policies against gender discrimination to avoid lawsuits which spoils the image of the company.
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