Hobbies: Video Games

Many people have hobbies, game nights, video games, friends, animals, the list goes on. These are all just the small things people have that help them through their lives. They are the small things they do to have fun. These things keep time moving fast and keep life lively. Then there are the other things that make things easy, and help people get through the week or even the day. The little things I like to do are just enough to keep me going. These things I do are easy, difficult, fun, relaxing, and soothing. One of my favorite things to do is play video games. I have played video games my entire life. These games help me cope with and small problem I have. They help me forget what was happening before I started playing. My favorite game is Call of Duty, while playing I am able to vent, get mad at people, release some pressure that has been built up throughout the week. Another little thing I like to do is bowl. I bowl every Saturday morning on a league with my friends Connor and Nick. We have a great time and compete against kids from other schools. I like to go ice fishing in the winter with my father. This is a great way me and my dad spend time together. Other things I like to do in the winter is go snowboarding. Snowboarding helps me relax and have a good time outside. Also I like to go horseback riding with my sister. We have ridden horses since we were about 8 years old. It’s the only way we are able to find time to hang out. I also enjoy watching the television series Axe Men with my sister and my brother in law. It is a very fun show and I like spending time with them. It reminds me of what my father and I do a lot. My father and I are always in the woods cutting down trees for our new house. It releases a lot of build up tension and stress that I have from home and from school. Another one of my many hobbies is playing sports. I have always found time in my life to play sports. Even as a younger kid. Growing up I have always played baseball in the spring. I have been very successful in baseball. Playing in an All Star team for many summers and being the pitcher on that team. In the Fall I play soccer. I have been on the Varsity soccer team for the past three years. In the Winter I play basketball on the team at school. Our basketball team has never been very successful but it is still fun to play and to be on a team. I spend a lot of my time playing sports. I have always kept my grades up so I could play sports so I think it has been a good hobby because of that. It gave me more initiative to keep my grades up. I like to spend time at home and hang out with my family. My mother is always trying to make cooking one of my hobbies but I do not enjoy cooking. I enjoy eating what she cooks but I do not enjoy cooking it Most of all, my favorite weekly hobby is writing essays. In my lifetime I have had a lot of hobbies come and go. Most of my hobbies have stuck with me throughout my life though. Playing sports has been my main hobby. My second main hobby is playing video games. All of my hobbies throughout my life have kept me sane. Without all of my hobbies I would not be the same person I am today. They keep me grounded. I am actually very thankful for all of the hobbies I have been able to keep and pursue throughout my lifetime.

Benefit of watching television Essay

Many people think television has mostly a negative impact on their lives because television displays a lot of violence, gossip, and erotic things. They think watching TV will waste their time, disorder their thinking, and give bad demonstrations to their child. Actually, most people hold the wrong views about watching TV; it is beneficial to watch TV. Here are the reasons why. First of all, there is the information that I can absorb from television. Daily news, for example, has a lot of information that I never know about and reports a lot of incidents which happen around the world such as America sends army and air force to Iraq and catches its president, by the way, we can learn not only information but also about different societies, cultures, and customs I can not learn from news such as some strange traditions of a small city that I have never heard in China or another small country in the corner of the earth. Although I spend my time on television but I get something more valuable and helpful than what I consume. Secondly, there is the excitement that I can get from television when I am bored. There are many exciting movies on HBO, for instance, â€Å"Terminator I, II, and III† are very good movies to cheer me up. Many parents think that kind of exciting movies are too violent for their children to watch because they blame the movies for their children’s behavior rather than tell their children what is right and what is wrong; furthermore, parents and adults can watch â€Å"RoboCop† by themselves and they can enjoy the movie without worrying about their children learning bad things or violent behaviors from it. Last but not least, there is the stimulation that I can bring to my brain from the television such as the show – Super Millionaire. This program is very popular not only in America but also in my country – Taiwan because people can join the game in their homes with the participants at the television station, and this can stimulate my brain by thinking about and answering the questions even I can’t really get the bonus if I got the correct answer. Moreover, I can call in the show to win the prize if there is no winner today; this kind of television program suits both children and  adults; there is no bad influence or side effects. To sum up, it is in terms of absorbing information, getting excitement, and stimulating my brain so that television has no negative but only positive impacts on my life. If I want to learn or know something by another way instead of television, I truly believe that I will spend more time and more money to reach my goal.

ACADEMIC ESSAY Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

ACADEMIC - Essay Example One of the major drawbacks that has come as a result of climate change is lack of water. The increased dry spells have changed the rainfall patterns as well as the way people used to get the basic commodity in the cities. As indicated with most of the people living in the urban areas, a lot of water is needed to sustain them. Another major problem that is seen in the urban areas is increased cases of mutation. The changes in climate change have been attributed to the increased use of unsustainable methods by humans as they try to make it in life. In the urban areas, there are many industries that may release their gaseous effluent to the atmosphere. The increased number of vehicles also adds to the gaseous waste. These gases react with the Ozone layer exposing the people to UV radiation hence the increased reported cases of cancer such as skin cancer. One of the secrets behind having a robust and a well-established economy is having a large population. In the beginning of the past century, Australia was embarking on increasing its population to aide in the elevation of its economy. This was done by increasing life expectancy and reducing mortality (Hugo, p. 4). With the problem solved, people in the urban centers increased rapidly threatening the same environment that they have to thrive on. The climatic changes being seen are some of the long term effects of industrialization upheld by the government in the past century. Currently the changing climatic conditions have been manifested in the extreme events being witnessed with the projected temperature rise bound to hit the country by 2070. It is estimated that in about 55 years to come, the annual average number of days above thirty five degrees Celsius in Perth would rise from the current twenty eight to about sixty seven. The rise in temperature comes with other adverse effect s which range from

Problem solving questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Problem solving questions - Essay Example It includes also an incorporated limited partnership. Once a partnership is formed, every partner becomes the agent of the firm and other partners in relation to the business of the firm. Thus, every act of partner for the purpose of business except in the case of incorporated limited partnership shall bind the firm and other partners provided the partner acts within his authority to act for the firm in specific cases and the person whom the partner is dealing with believes him to be the partner having authority. In other words, if the person dealt with by the partner knows that the partner has no authority, his acts cannot bind the firm nor other partners. The same holds good in respect of a general partner vis-a-vis the firm and other general partners. Section 13 (1) of the Act lays down that all partners except in the case of an incorporated limited partnership are liable jointly and severally for the liabilities of the firm that have risen whilst being partners. S 13 (2) if the p artner who is an individual dies, his/her estate is severally liable for the liabilities of the firm after satisfaction of his/her separate debts. Same holds good in case of incorporated limited partnership for a deceased general partner. The general partner of an incorporated limited partnership is liable only in respect of unsatisfied liabilities of the firm or more as per the partnership agreement. ... As the partnership business is in common, the partners should disclose material facts that affect their partnership failing which it would amount to misrepresentation on the part of those who fail to do so. Further, a retiring partner can by a condition of restraint of trade be prohibited to start a competing business within the locality for a pre-determined period. Further, a partnership contract cannot be assigned (Gilles, 1988). Application In view of the above important provisions governing partnership business, Jody whose capital will be at stake must have the partnership agreement reduced to writing. And Jody must be entitled to a proportionately higher share of profit and reserve to herself the right to take important decisions in day to day management. This does not mean the other partners are not liable to loss that may occur due to Jody’s decision making. Conclusion Jody can enter into partnership with Mike and Sarah keeping in view of the limited capital or no capit al Mike and Sara may bring in and also have an agreement in restraint of trade on the retiring partners including Jody herself. Consequences The proposal to enter into partnership agreement among Jody, Mike and Sarah will be viable subject to the above conditions therein. 2. Tort- negligent misstatement Issues: Whether Amy can sue Betty for her wrong advice tendered to Amy as a result of negligent misstatement? Law and cases: In order to prove negligence on the part of defendant, claimant should satisfy three conditions. That defendant had a duty of care to the claimant; this was breached by the defendant; that the damage caused by the breach of duty was

Phosphorus, Nitrogen & Microbiological based water pollution from Essay

Phosphorus, Nitrogen & Microbiological based water pollution from municipal sources - Essay Example Water pollution usually occurs when a water body gets contaminated by different materials which are usually not present in it and which are harmful in nature. So in such a situation the water body is no longer useful for its intended use and hence is termed as polluted. If we consider the case of pollutants, there are two variants of water pollution. They are called as point source and non point source. Point sources of pollution happen when harmful substances are emitted directly in the water body and non point sources are those which deliver pollutants indirectly usually through environmental effects. It is generally regarded that water pollution which arises from non point sources are usually difficult to deal and ironically these are the ones which account for a majority of the contaminants in water bodies like streams and lakes. In order to understand the whole scenario clearly lets give a brief introduction to causes of pollution. We all know that there are many elements which cause pollution. Some of the important ones are sewage and fertilizers. These are dangerous because they contain nutrients like nitrates and phosphates. The main problem is that these nutrients stimulate the growth of aquatic plants and excessive growth of these organisms clogs the waterways. They also block light to the deeper section of the water body and this affects fish and other living organisms.   Pollution is also caused when silt and other suspended solids, such as soil, construction and logging sites, urban areas, and eroded river banks when it rains. Normally, lakes, rivers, and other water bodies undergo Eutrophication, an aging process that slowly fills in the water body with sediment and organic matter.   When these sediments enter various bodies of water, fish respiration becomes impaired, plant productivity and water depth become

Social Welfare Policy in the US Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Social Welfare Policy in the US - Assignment Example There was also an indication of the growth of private employment in a period of 54 months after the enactment of the Recovery Act by Obama and the Congress in February 2008. The second part looked into the effect of the recession on the economy, and it was notable that the GDP was far below what the economy was potentially able to produce. Job losses were never known before. With the recession ending in June 2009, the unemployment rate in August was still at 6.1% confirming high rates of unemployment. The distribution of jobs in the population fell to levels that had not been witnessed since the 1980s. The recession also caused a long-term unemployment rate rise to levels never witnessed in six decades with levels of 1.9% in August 2009. The labor market was considerably affected by the unemployment rate reaching 12.0 percent in August 2014. Job seekers exceeded job opportunities at times with seven people seeking employment for a single job opening. The last part considers evaluating the extent of damage of the recession if the financial stabilization and the fiscal policies adopted were not used. It has been recorded that the GDP would have decreased with the absence of the recovery act and at the same time, the rate of unemployment would have increased considerably an estimation of 0.1 to 0.4% higher in 2010 if the recovery plan was not adopted. The Strength of this policy is that it offers the employed with financial protection thereby making sure that they are not financially exploited. The policy helps maintain financial levels that can effectively better the lives of citizens through better incomes. The policy sets a minimum amount wage for other state governments and thereby universally protecting the citizens from poor pays. The Weaknesses of this policy is that employees may be compelled to raise their prices to customers in order to cover the high wages  making the policy less effective.  

Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Sexual Harassment at the Workplace - Essay Example Mary makes the right decision to report the matter to the HR manager. Had she had reported the case to other authority directly; the outcome would cause a tainted reputation for the company. The HR manager has an obligation of investigating the case and investigate the occurrences. Reporting to the HR is helpful in gauging the impact of the case considering Bobby and Marry had a relationship at one time. The HR manager has an obligation to ensure a resolution of the matter in the best manner. The best resolution, for this case, maybe mediation. Mediation is the most suitable form of conflict resolution for this case because the company has a reputation to uphold to the public. If Bobby is guilty, the HR manager should ask Marty to report the matter to the authority, just in case there are future complications between the conflicting parties. The HR manager also needs to restore between Mary and Bobby for a healthy working environment. The HR department is in charge of regulating ethi cs at the places.

The basic guidelines that are specially relevant for aggressive equity Essay

The basic guidelines that are specially relevant for aggressive equity investors and conservative equity investors for investment decision - Essay Example In the need to understand these investment plans, this paper is aimed at evaluating the basic guidelines that are relevant for aggressive equity investors and conservative equity investors for the purpose of decision making. To begin with, aggressive equality investors actively play the game of equality in a vigorous way. Most of the time is spent in managing their portfolio than their consecutive counterparts. They are subjected to high risks; the calculations are in albeit manner aimed at earning big return rates (Chandra, 2009). For the aggressive equality investors, the following general guidelines are relevant in their investment plans for appropriate decision making. The first guideline is to focus on investments that one understands to play their own game. According to Prasanna Chandra (2009, p. 670), â€Å"an investor should always know about the specific company they are investing in, more than the current market does in order to successfully manage their investments.† Therefore, an investor must clearly make a decision on what to focus on. Therefore, decision making is the main key to successful investments. The choices of making decisions are diverse. They include deciding to concentrate on growth, value, multinational companies, small companies, public sector companies, high grade bonds, or low grade bonds. In choosing any of these strategies an investor should be mindful of the basic rules. These rules include being thorough, tough minded, being flexible in knowing the deal about any company one is buying into, and buying when the company is not understood by the existing market is a fundamental idea to keep in mind (Chandra, 2009) . As argued by Candara, one should play the game that one is best in, advocating that an investor should do things as an analyst who is best in doing something. For instance, if an investor can foretell the most important development in the

Business Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 24

Business Law - Essay Example If there are intensions to incorporate the business then one has to confirm with the state filing office whether the name has already been claimed or it’s in use. The companies can share a name if the other businesses offer different services and goods and also located in different regions (Minniti, 2008). The name of the business should be rich in words which reflect the business functions. In the social media the name of the business should be claimed early enough in the naming process. Registering the business name should involve the process which is known as DBA trade name or name. This process does not provide the protection of the company’s trademark but it allows the government to record that the business is done as a name other than a personal name (Minniti, 2008). As the company’s owners we should apply for trademark protection since the name is the most valuable asset in any business. The company should comply with the food laws regarding the manufacturing of ice cream in the U.S. The company is based on the FDA food code 2009: chapter 3 which states that all food should be unadulterated, safe and honestly presented (Curtis, 2013). The American law also states that milk products such as ice cream should comply with Grade A Standards, the law specifies that frozen milk products like ice cream should be obtained pasteurized and this is specified in 21 CFR 135- frozen desserts. The law as well states that the food packages should be in excellent condition in order to preserve the integrity of the product and ensure that the contents are not exposed potential contaminants and adulteration. The company will also comply with the consumer protection and food allergen labelling act of 2004 which stresses all the ingredients of the products to be stated clearly in normal names that are well known to customer to

Descriptive Statistics Commentary Essay Example for Free

Descriptive Statistics Commentary Essay In Condition A, participants were told to look at a list of words whilst listening to music, they were then asked to match the pairs with the music turned off. In Condition B the music was kept on whilst participants were matching the pairs.  The mean average for Condition A is 4.8 pairs whilst the mean average for Condition B is 4.15 pairs.  The median average for Condition A is 4.5 pairs compared to Condition B that is 3 pairs.  The modal average for Condition A is 4 pairs, whilst the modal average for Condition B is 2. Additional Graphical Description of Results  Descriptive Statistics Commentary  The highest amount of words learnt in my line graph was 11 and the lowest was 0. The graph shows that people who got low recall in Condition A, also got low recall in Condition B. Only one participant got all eleven pairs matched correctly on both conditions. Almost none of the participants got any incorrect and this is shown on the graph.  There is one piece of extreme data on my line graph, where the participant matched all the pairs correctly in each condition. There is also a lot of overlap between the two conditions and this shows that the outcome for each condition was very similar. The difference in each condition is difficult to explain.  Relationship of Results to Hypothesis  My results show that people did not learn more words with music on, in fact they learned less. Only one participant matched all eleven pairs in both conditions. The overall result shows that the music didnt act as a cue as it did not aid learning or recall.  The results do not relate to my hypothesis, as I did not prove that music aids learning. Therefore I must accept my null hypothesis. The averages for both conditions were 4.8 for Condition A and 4.15 for Condition B, this is very close and there is not a significant difference.  Discussion  Validity  In this experiment I manipulated whether or not music was played to the participants. A problem with the experiment is that it lacks in ecological validity. In real life people do not pair words, memory does not work in the same way as an experiment, we do not think in lists. This experiment is trying to look at something that is not true to life. Suggestions for improved validity  Ways of improving validity could be to do a field experiment, do longitudinal studies or to keep a diary case. Participants could learn in a classroom what they have to learn and then sit the exams in the same classroom. This may help them to remember.  A case study would provide insight however you cannot generalize.  A field experiment is good as you can also get rid of demand characteristics but you cannot control extraneous variables and you cannot generalise. Reliability  Experiments are generally reliable because it produces quantitative data and it can be replicated. You can generalise and you can also control extraneous variables.  When the experiment took place participants, copied off each other, they shouted the answers out and there was generally a lot of noise in the room. There were also more girls than boys. Participants didnt want to ask questions about the task, so it is possible that they may not have fully understood what to do, they are responding to demand characteristics. Opportunity sampling is also very limited and I was only allowed to experiment on English classrooms.  Improving Reliability  Having a special room to do the experiment in would help improve reliability. Also maybe getting the participants to take us more seriously would help.  Maybe not giving the participants as long to look at the words would also improve reliability or having a person in authority be present.  Implications  My background information like Tulving and Godden and Baddeley suggest that cues help recall. I used music as a cue in my experiment and that did not appear to help recall. The difference in the two conditions was very narrow. This may indicate that the experiment was wrong in some way. Generalisation of Findings  The experiment was done on 20 17-19 year olds who are studying AS or A2 levels. You cannot generalise to the rest of the population as students are trained to remember as they have been in education since the age of 5.  You could therefore only generalise on 17-19 year olds in full time education. It did not tell us about age or gender.  A sample of 20 is far too small to generalise from, as 20 people cannot account for everyone in the rest of the population.  Application to everyday life  In many situations cues can be very helpful. Students use cues to help them to revise for exams and the examiner can use a stimulus to help the student to remember in exams. E.g. after revising for psychology, students could use Tulvings ideas to create categories of information to make the work more manageable and easier to remember.

Corporate Culture Case Study: BMW

Corporate Culture Case Study: BMW Introduction In the mind of every person, emotions, thoughts and possible actions form a pattern which has developed during his or her childhood. Once rooted in the mind, these patterns must be forgotten before anything new can be taught. A common name for these patterns is culture. Culture is important. It is what founds confidence. The concept of culture is broad and abstract but still a crucial part of everyones environment and something that can be found anywhere. It takes form in symbols, heroes, rituals and customs. The core, the essence of culture is values. Our basic values are founded in the beginning of our lives, while as we grow older we tend to focus on consciously learning new customs. The choices we make during this process determine our self-image how we look upon the others. There are countless definitions of the word culture, each one claiming to be unique. But in fact this only goes to show that the concept is far too abstract to be clearly defined, Bang states that it signifies what we at every specific moment want it to signify. We see this as the strength of the subject; it is what makes it so interesting to study. You can end up anywhere, and there is no right or wrong. Many connect culture with art and theater, but the concept is nowadays far more widespread and can be applied to many more areas, corporations being one of them. A popular and simple definition of the expression corporate culture is made by Deal and Kennedy: Culture is the way in which we perform something here at ours  [2]   The term culture originally comes from social anthropology. Late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century studies of primitive societies-Eskimo, South Sea, African, Native American-revealed ways of life that were not only different from the more technologically advanced parts of America and Europe but were often very different among themselves. The concept of culture was thus coined to represent, in a very broad and holistic sense, the qualities of any specific human group that are passed from one generation to the next. The American Heritage Dictionary defines culture, more formally, as the totally of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought characteristics of a community or population  [3]   It is helpful to think that corporate culture has two levels, which differ in terms of their visibility and their resistance to change. At the deeper and less visible level, culture refers to values that are shared by the people in a group and that tend to persist over time even when group membership changes. Those notions about what is important in life can vary greatly in different companies; in some settings people care deeply about money, in other about technological innovation or employee well-being. At this level culture can be extremely difficult to change, in part because group members are often unaware of many of the values that bind them together. At the more visible level, culture represents the behavior patterns or style of an organization that new employees are automatically encouraged to follow by their fellow employees. We can say, for example, that people in one group have for years been hard workers, those in another are very friendly to strangers, and those in a third always wear very conservative clothes. Culture in this sense, is still tough to change, but not nearly as difficult as the level of basic values. Each level of culture has a natural tendency to influence the other. This is perhaps most obvious in terms of shared values influencing a groups behavior-a commitment to customers, for example, influencing how quickly individuals tend to respond to customers complaints. But causality can flow in the other direction too-behavior and practices can influence values. So, How Do We Define Culture? Culture is a pattern of shared tacit assumptions that was learned by a group as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feeling relation to those problems.  [4]   What really drives daily behavior is the learned, shared, tacit assumptions on which people base their view of reality as it is and as it should be. It results in what is popularly thought of as the way we do things around here, but even the employees in the organization cannot, without help, reconstruct the underlying assumptions on which their daily behavior rests. They know only that this is the way, and they count on it. Life becomes predictable and meaningful. If you understand those assumptions, it is easy to see how they lead to the kind of behavioral. Three Levels of Culture The biggest danger in trying to understand culture is to oversimplify it. It is tempting to say that culture is just the way we do things around here, the rites and rituals of our company, the company climate, the reward system, our basic values and so on. These are all manifestations of the culture, but none is the culture at the level where culture matters. A better way to think about culture is to realize that it exists at several levels and that we must understand and manage the deeper levels. The levels of culture go from the very visible to the very tacit and invisible.  [5]   Artifacts Visible organizational structures (hard to decipher) Espoused Values Strategies, goals, philosophies (espoused justifications) Underlying  Assumptions Unconscious, taken for granted  beliefs, perceptions, thoughts and feeling (ultimate source  of values and action) Classifying Corporate Culture G.Hofstede Hofstede demostrated that there are national and regional cultural groupings that affect the behaviour of organizations. Hofstede identified four characteristics of culture in his study of national influences: Power Distance The degree to which a society expects there to be differences in the levels of power. A high score suggests that there is an expectation that some individuals wield larger amounts of power than others. A low score reflects the view that all people should have equal rights. Uncertainty Avoidance reflects the extent to which a society accepts uncertainty and risk. individualism vs collectivism individualism is contrasted with collectivism, and refers to the extent to which people are expected to stand up for themselves, or alternatively act predominantly as a member of the group or organisation. masculinity vs femininity refers to the value placed on traditionally male or female values. Male values for example include competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions. Long vs short term orientation Deal and Kennedy Deal and Kennedy defined corporate culture as the way things get done around here. They measured organisations in respect of: Feedback quick feedback means an instant response. This could be in monetary terms, but could also be seen in other ways, such as the impact of a great save in a soccer match. Risk represents the degree of uncertainty in the organisations activities. Using these parameters, they were able to suggest four classifications of organisational culture: The Tough Guy Macho Culture. Feedback is quick and the rewards are high. This often applies to fast moving financial activities such as brokerage, but could also apply to policemen or women, or athletes competing in team sports. This can be a very stressful culture in which to operate. The Work Hard/Play Hard Culture is characterised by few risks being taken, all with rapid feedback. This is typical in large organisations which strive for high quality customer service. They are often characterised by team meetings, jargon and buzzwords. The Bet your Company Culture, where big stakes decisions are taken, but it may be years before the results are known. Typically, these might involve development or exploration projects, which take years to come to fruition, such as could be expected with oil exploration or aviation. The Process Culture occurs in organisations where there is little or no feedback. People become bogged down with how things are done not with what is to be achieved. This is often associated with bureaucracies. Whilst it is easy to criticise these cultures for being over cautious or bogged down in red tape, they do produce consistent results, which is ideal in, for example, public services. Charles Handy Handy (1985) popularised a method of looking at culture which some scholars have used to link organizational structure to Organizational Culture. He descibes: a Power Culture which concentrates power in a few pairs of hands. Control radiates from the centre like a web. Power Cultures have few rules and little bureaucracy; swift decisions can ensue. In a Role Culture, people have clearly delegated authorities within a highly defined structure. Typically, these organisations form hierarchical bureaucracies. Power derives from a persons position and little scope exists for expert power. By contrast, in a Task Culture, teams form to solve particular problems. Power derives from expertise so long as a team requires expertise. These cultures often feature the multiple reporting lines of a matrix structure. A Person Culture exists where all individuals believe themselves superior to the organisation. Survival can become difficult for such organisations, since the concept of an organisation suggests that a group of like-minded individuals pursue the organisational goals. Some professional partnerships can operate as person cultures, because each partner brings a peculiar expertise and clientele to the firm. Elements of the corporate culture: The Paradigm: What the organization is about; what it does; its mission; its values. Control Systems: The processes in place to monitor what is going on. Role cultures would have vast rule books. There would be more reliance on individualism in a power culture. Organizational Structures: Reporting lines, hierarchies, and the way that work flows through the business. Power Structures: Who makes the decisions, how widely spread is power, and on what is power based? Symbols: These include the logos and designs, but would extend to symbols of power, such as car parking spaces and executive washrooms! Rituals and Routines: Management meetings, board reports and so on may become more habitual than necessary. Stories and Myths: build up about people and events, and convey a message about what is valued within the organization. These elements may overlap. Power structures may depend on control systems, which may exploit the very rituals that generate stories. Selecting a Company I decided to focus my research on the BMW Group ,because it is a one of the worlds top automobile manufacturers with long history of successful technological achievements and thousands of employees and I believe ,it will be a great example for a successful corporate culture. The company produces motorcycles and engines, as well and it also own and produces the Mini brand and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. As one of the great car manufacturers with subsidiaries on each continent and since the automobile industry has been strongly influenced by the social environment, I believe that studying the BMW Group corporate culture is an effective means for understanding the corporate cultures of European companies. To present the BMW group corporate culture ,I will analyze how the BMW corporate culture works and what are its core values. BMW Group Overview BMW History BMW is an acronym for Bayerische Motoren Werke AG- or, in English, Bavarian Motor Works  [6]  . Whatever you call it, the German-based company is one of the worlds most respected automakers, renowned for crafting luxury cars and SUVs that offer superior levels of driving enjoyment. Founded in Munich, the company began in the early 1910s as an aircraft manufacturer. BMWs current logo, designed to represent white propeller blades against a blue sky, reflects these origins; its blue-and-white color scheme also references Bavarias blue-and-white checkered flag. It wasnt until 1928 that production began on the first BMW automobile, the Dixi. The car proved tremendously popular, and its success helped the manufacturer weather the Depression. BMWs best-known pre-World War II vehicle was the Type 328 roadster, a supple two-seater that racked up over 120 victories on the motorsport circuit between 1936 and 1940. Postwar BMW cars maintained this tradition, winning several racing, rallying and hill climb victories. The early 1950s saw the launch of the BMW 501, a roomy, voluptuous sedan that was resplendent with all of the hopefulness of that era. It was soon followed by the 502 which was powered by the worlds first light-alloy V8, foreshadowing BMWs ongoing commitment to developing new technology. The best-selling BMW of that decade was the Isetta, a petite two-seat microcar typically powered by a 12- or 13-horsepower engine. The mid-50s also saw the debut of the limited production and breathtakingly beautiful 507 sports car which had an alloy body and used the 502s V8 for propulsion. In the 1960s, BMW sales strengthened significantly, thanks in part to the immense popularity of the 1500, a sporty family sedan.   [7]   By the 1970s, BMW was establishing itself as a full-fledged car company. It was a pioneer for many emerging technologies, including turbocharging and advanced vehicle electronics. BMW of North America was established at this time, and consumers who coveted both sports and luxury cars became loyal Bimmer owners. The 70s also saw the birth of BMWs three-tier sport sedan range consisting of the compact 3 Series, midsize 5 Series and large 7 Series cars and the creation of its performance M division. Though the 3 Series could be had with four-cylinder power, it was the companys inline-6 engines that developed BMWs reputation for spirited, yet highly refined performance. At decades end, the limited-production, short-lived M1 supercar debuted. Throughout the 1980s, BMW became the unofficial poster car of yuppies, as the brand ostensibly signified ones financial success as well as a passion for driving. The elegant 6 Series coupe debuted and the latter part of the decade saw the high-performance M division working its magic on various production models. The early 1990s saw BMW replace the 6 Series with the powerful (V12-powered at first) but heavy 8 Series grand touring coupe while later that decade the Z3 roadster bowed. The company also opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the latter half of the 1990s. The 2000s brought a midsize SUV (the X5) as well as a compact SUV (the X3) as BMW joined the hot-selling segment. Since then, BMW has replaced the Z3 with the Z4, introduced the compact 1 Series, produced hybrid versions of a few models and debuted the X6 fastback crossover. The company has also expanded its empire to include Mini and Rolls-Royce and continues to build motorcycles, something it has done since the 1920s. The automakers famous advertising slogan describes each of its vehicles as the ultimate driving machine, and its not mere hyperbole. Over the past couple of decades, BMWs have become the standard for performance and luxury in most of the over $30,000 segments. With family-friendly wagons, crisp sedans, distinctive coupes, nimble sports cars and spacious SUVs offered, BMWs model roster is diverse. But its luxury vehicles all share a common characteristic: the ability to make drivers feel gloriously connected to the road.  [8]   The automobile industry in Europe  [9]   The auto sector is often credited as the engine room of Europe. The European Union is the homeland to a competitive and innovative automotive industry that generates activity throughout the economy from materials and parts supply, to RD and manufacturing, to sales and after-sales services. Manufacturers have trained and developed a highly-skilled workforce, producing quality products for home and international markets. Vehicle manufacturing supports over 2 million European jobs with an additional 10 million citizens employed in associated industries. Exports are valued at over  £70 billion annually. The automotive industry has also established itself as a partner in sustainability. Technological advances have brought real solutions, driving down harmful emissions from industry products and production sites. Manufacturers have spearheaded significant improvements in vehicle safety and embraced social responsibility goals. Annually, the industry invests  £20 billion in RD, more than any other private sector. Its drive towards sustainable mobility remains an ongoing commitment. BMWS Group Corporate Culture The BMW Group is one of the worlds leading car and motorcycle manufacturers with more than 100,000 employees in over 100 countries. With the brands BMW, MINI and Rolls Royce,BMW operate very successfully in the premium segment of the automobile and motorcycle industry. In order to consistently maintain the quality standards, BMW seek employees who possess team spirit and personal initiative, as well as an uncompromising desire to constantly further their knowledge. Because they are convinced that those who cease to improve have already ceased to be be good. High-efficiency culture. It is not only the technical know-how that makes BMW stand out considerably from other companies. In keeping with the quality standards of products, BMW corporate culture is a consistent high-efficiency culture. BMW constantly incite each other employee to become even better, to offer even better products. This is only possible through a pronounced team spirit. Critical reflection and self-critical advancement are only possible within a well-functioning team. Because they approach each other with respect and esteem, the employees have a strong team spirit the decisive prerequisite for success within a team. Satisfied and motivated employees are an invaluable competitive advantage to our company.   [10]   Basic principles: During the next decade BMW aim to secure a position as the worlds leading manufacturer of premium automobiles. For this reason all of companys strategies including the corporate culture are conceived on a long-term basis and are constantly target-oriented. BMW wish to utilise new chances and achieve a new level of efficiency,they aspire to create an atmosphere of optimism from which to draw the energy for necessary changes. The following principles of the BMW Group form the basis of this long-term and target-oriented action  [11]  : Customer orientation. Our customers decide whether or not our company is successful. Our customers are at the centre of all of our actions and the results of our actions must be judged from a perspective of their benefit to the customer. High efficiency. We aim to be the best. Each of us has to rise to this challenge, meaning that each employee must be prepared to achieve a high degree of efficiency. We aspire to belong to an elite, but without being arrogant, because it is the company and its products that count the most and nothing else. Responsibility. Each BMW Group employee bears personal responsibility for the success of the company. This also applies within a team, where each individual must be aware of his or her responsibility. In this respect we are fully aware that we all work together in achieving corporate goals. For this reason we also work together in the interests of the company. Effectiveness. Only sustainable and effective results are of benefit to the company. When assessing management, it is only the effect of performance on results that counts. Adaptability. In order to achieve continuous success we must adapt quickly and flexibly to new demands. Therefore, we regard change as a chance and the ability to adapt as the prerequisite for making use of this chance. Disagreement. In the search for the best solution everyone has the duty to bring to light any disagreement. The solutions found are then resolutely implemented by all involved. Respect, trust, fairness. We treat one another with respect. Management is based on mutual trust, trust is based on calculability and fairness. Employees. Business enterprises are made by people. Employees are our strongest factor of success. Consequently, personnel decisions belong to the most crucial decisions. Exemplary function. Every executive has an exemplary function. Sustainability. We regard sustainability as a lasting and positive contribution towards the economic success of the company. This is the basis of our ecological and social responsibility. Society. We consider awareness of social responsibility an inseparable part of our corporate self-conception. Independence. We secure the BMW Groups entrepreneurial independence through sustainable and profitable growth. Equality of opportunity BMW Group employees work in different countries on different continents. They are as diverse as is usually the case in our globalized world. It goes without saying that all of our employees are treated equally according to their qualifications and granted equal opportunities. So diversity is perfectly normal in our working lives. Diversity The diversity of the BMWs employees is one of their special strengths. It enhances the companys innovative capability and helps to gain ground in new markets. It broadens the pool of BMWs talents and competencies. Human diversity is therefore a key to the sustainable success of the BMW Group. Hence diversity is an important issue of the future. Human diversity also influences the cultural horizon within the company. As a result it becomes constantly broader, providing BMW with new aspects and perspectives. This enables to perceive new needs and trends far earlier and above all to understand them and to live with diversity. Sustainability management We have set ourselves the goal of integrating sustainability throughout the entire value chain and its underlying processes creating an added value for the company, the environment and society. Key elements of BMW Groups sustainability management include an environmental radar that is regularly extended to cover additional ecological and social aspects; ongoing dialogue with stakeholders; the inclusion of sustainability criteria in all decision-making processes; and a holistic approach to the entire value chain. The BMW Groups basic principles form the foundation of the companys long-term alignment. They establish, among other things, that being a good corporate citizen is an integral part of how the BMW Group defines itself as a company. Furthermore, sustainability is regarded as making a positive contribution to the companys economic success. According to the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes, the BMW Group is currently the worlds most sustainable carmaker. The company was named industry leader in these important global sustainability indices for the fifth consecutive year in 2009. Numerous other ratings and awards also confirm the companys lead role in the field of sustainability. But for the BMW Group this is only the beginning. It is obvious that sustainability is set to play an even bigger role in defining premium mobility of the future from environmentally-friendly drive trains and resource-friendly production processes to new, sustainable services in the field of individual mobility. In the future, premium will inevitably comprise the concept of sustainability. The manufacturer with the more efficient and resource-friendly production, who offers the most visionary solutions for eco-friendly individual mobility, will have the competitive edge. BMW position At the BMW Group, sustainability is not just the responsibility of one particular department. All employees are called upon to implement elements of corporate sustainability in their area of responsibility. Here the members of the Board of Management of BMW AG discuss how their individual divisions define corporate sustainability. The BMW Group and its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands epitomise joy, passion and success. The aim is to actively shape the future. To achieve this, we are making sustainability an increasingly integral part of our value chain. Sustainability should be the defining principle of how we design our processes and procedures. Our company has been changing its approach over recent years. The revision of the BMW Groups sustainability strategy was the next logical step and an important milestone. But there is still some way to go. Economics  [12]   The BMWs corporate Strategy Number ONE is creating the best conditions for long-term value creation and sustainability. Our vision is to be the worlds leading provider of premium products and premium services in the automotive industry. As we see it, this also means being a leader in the field of sustainability. From an economic point of view, issues such as compliance, anti-corruption and risk management form the backbone of corporate responsibility. In late 2007, the BMW Group presented its new corporate Strategy Number ONE. The vision: To be the leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility. To reach this goal, the company needs to focus consistently on growth and profitability; to constantly develop new technologies; to guarantee access to relevant customer groups; and, most importantly, to actively shape the future. These key fields of action are the four pillars of Strategy Number ONE. Everything BMW do is based on the twelve basic principles the Board of Management defined in Strategy Number ONE: Customer orientation The customer and benefit for the customer are at the heart of everything the company does. Peak performance -The company and all its employees aim to be the best. Responsibility Every employee shares the responsibility for the companys success. Effectiveness Only results which have a lasting effect count. Adaptability Flexibility as a crucial prerequisite for success. Dissent As we strive to find the best solution, we are frank with each other. Respect, trust, fairness The basis of successful cooperation. Employees The strongest factor in a companys success. Leading by example Every manager has to be aware that he / she is a role model and should act accordingly. Sustainability Acting sustainably is an element of our corporate responsibility and a contribution to value creation. Society Social responsibility is an integral part of our corporate self-image. Independence Sustained profitable growth secures the corporate independence of the BMW Group. Based on these principles, the BMW Group has established a focused approach to master the current crisis. Priorities are to secure the companys sound financial footing and its liquidity as well as to develop attractive, trendsetting products. Over the past five years, the company has invested a total of over 21 billion euros in its future, an amount that also reflects the BMW Groups technological expertise and the pace at which innovations are developed. With its corporate Strategy Number ONE, the BMW Group is setting the course for tomorrows dynamic growth. For more detailed information on the financial year and our latest figures please refer to the current Annual Report. Employees-Basic principles During the next decade we aim to secure our position as the worlds leading manufacturer of premium automobiles. For this reason all of our strategies including our corporate culture are conceived on a long-term basis and are constantly target-oriented. We established this prerequisite when we launched our Strategy Number ONE. The Vision: to become the worlds leading provider of premium products and premium services for individual mobility. To this end, the BMW Group concentrates on profitability and sustained value creation. The companys four strategic pillars also include growth, shaping the future and access to technologies and customers. The following principles of the BMW Group form the basis of this long-term and target-oriented action:  [13]   Customer orientation Our customers decide whether or not our company is successful. Our customers are at the centre of all of our actions and the results of our actions must be judged from a perspective of their benefit to the customer. Peak performance We aim to be the best. Each of us has to rise to this challenge, meaning that each employee must be prepared to achieve a high degree of efficiency. We aspire to belong to an elite, but without being arrogant, because it is the company and its products that count the most and nothing else. Responsibility Each BMW Group employee bears personal responsibility for the success of the company. This also applies within a team, where each individual must be aware of his or her responsibility. In this respect we are fully aware that we all work together in achieving corporate goals. For this reason we also work together in the interests of the company. Effectiveness Only sustainable and effective results are of benefit to the company. When assessing management, it is only the effect of performance on results that counts. Adaptability In order to achieve continuous success we must adapt quickly and flexibly to new demands. Therefore, we regard change as a chance and the ability to adapt as the prerequisite for making use of this chance. Dissent In the search for the best solution everyone has the duty to bring to light any disagreement. The solutions found are then resolutely implemented by all involved.

terror :: essays research papers

1.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are many definitions of terrorism. Some of them are: Brain Jenkins said that terrorism is the use or threatened use of force designed to bring about political change. While Walter Lacqueur said that terrorism constitutes the illegitimate use of force to achieve apolitical objective by targeting innocent people. Yet another definition comes from Edward Herman, who said that terrorism should be defined by terms of state repression, such as the corrupt Latin American governments. Still another view of terrorism comes from Alex Schmidt, who said that there is no true or correct definition, because terrorism is an abstract concept with no real presence. A single definition cannot possibly account for all potential uses of the term. The final definition that is covered here is the official definition of terrorism issued by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They state that it is the unlawful use of force to intimidate a government to further political or socia l goals. Though these are only a few of the definitions of terrorism, they provide a good cross-section of the term terrorism. 2.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Martha Crenshaw said that terrorism means socially and politically unacceptable violence aimed at an innocent target to achieve a psychological effect. She also sited three criteria to make it a terrorist attack. The first is that there must be military methods used. Second there must be a millitary target involved, and finally there must be some chance of victory. 3.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  J. Bowyer Bell stated that there are six types of terrorism, and each part has a purpose. The six are; psychotic which attempts to achieve psychological gratification. The second is criminal witch attempts to profit the terrorist. Next there is the vigilantly type of terrorism witch attempts to achieve retaliation for some act, fourth there is endemic terrorism; witch is an internal struggle of some type. The fifth type of terrorism is authorized terrorism, which deals with state repression of a group. Finally we have revolutionary terrorism, which changes a behavior through fear. 4.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One of the many types of terrorism, according to Bell, is revolutionary terrorism. Here are some of the forms of revolutionary terrorism. One form is organizational which is meant to maintain discipline in a terrorist group. The next is allegiance which attempts to achieve public support for a given terror group. Thirdly there is functional revolutionary terrorism, which attempts to accomplish the missions of the terror groups. Another form is the proactive type, which incites governments to repression of a group of people.

Descartes Essay -- essays research papers

Descartes is famed by is familiar notion, “I think therefore I am (Cogito, ergo sum.).'; It is a conclusion he has reached in his second meditation after much deliberation on the existence of anything certain. After he discovers his ability to doubt and to understand , he is able to substantiate his necessary existence as a consequence. What we doubt or understand may not ultimately correspond, but we can never be uncertain that we are in the process of thought. This idea is a major component in Descartes’ proof of the external world.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  He relies on the existence of a non-deceiving God to ensure that an external world exists after calling it into doubt by the invocation of the dream argument. In this argument, Descartes suggests the possibility that none of our ideas are caused by external objects and therefore, such objects may not exist. He also raises the idea of a demon that may deceive us and allow us to perceive what is not really there. Although he assures himself of his own existence by his modes of thought, he remains uncertain of the reality of an external world. He doubts whether there is anything of material substance that provokes thought within him rather than it being conceived in his mind completely independent of anything else. Descartes then considers those reasons that have inclined him to believe these material things exist in the past. “I know by experience that these ideas do not depend upon m...

An Article I Wrote for the High School Paper :: Personal Narrative Essay Example

An Article I Wrote for the High School Paper Philip Emeagwali, a man of immeasurably high intelligence, spurns the description people most often attach to him: genius. "I don't like that term. People think it only means genius in the mathematical sense or that it refers to a select group of people," Emeagwali, 44, told about 50 parents last night at a public forum on schools. "But I think every one of us has the power to be a genuis. I was not born a genius; it was nurtured in me by my father." When he was 10, growing up in western Nigeria, Emeagwali was drilled daily by his father to solve 100 math problems in one hour. There was no time to write solutions on paper -- he had 36 seconds per problem. So Emeagwali did them in his head. "People later called me a mathematical genuis, but you would be a genuis, too, if you had to do 100 math problems in an hour," he said. In the last two days, the man who has been called "one of the greatest intellectual giants Africa has produced" has been taking his message -- the importance of homework, cultivating encouragement at home, and surmounting obstacles -- to a school district that has been mired in problems. Standardized test scores here sank to such lows in recent years that the state placed the district in a special monitoring program. And even as the roofs of the town's school buildings crumbled, taxes soared. Not that Emeagwali didn't have his own trials to overcome. When he was 12, Emeagwali lived underneath ceilings that crumbled from rocket shells. From 1967 to 1970, Nigeria fell into civil war, forcing schools to close. Emeagwali had finished only seventh grade. "We ate only once a day. Some days we had nothing to eat. We were among the poorest families in the world," Emeagwali told students at a high school assembly earlier in the day. "Growing up poor and overcoming several obstacles made me a stronger person. I became more determined to succeed in life." Studying on his own from 6 a.m. to midnight, Emeagwali passed entrance examinations to the University of London with top grades. In 1974, he immigrated to the United States, obtaining degrees in several subjects.

Is Management an Art or a Science Essay

One of the enduring questions in the field of management is whether it is an art or a science. In order to be able discuss whether management is an art or a science we need to define what ‘management’, ‘art’ and ‘science’ are. Management is a set of activities (including planning and decision making, organizing, leading, and controlling) directed at an organization’s resources (human, financial, physical, and information) with the aim of achieving organizational goals in an efficient and effective manner. In general an art defines as â€Å"skill in conducting any human activity† and science as â€Å"any skill or technique that reflects a precise application of facts or a principle. † Management as a science would indicate that in practice, managers use a specific body of knowledge consisting of principles, generalizations, approaches and concepts to apply in certain situations. That is, when faced with a managerial problem, the manager who believes in the scientific foundation of his or her craft will expect that there is a rational and objective way to determine the correct course of action. The principles of management have been developed and formulated on the basis of observation, research, analysis and experimentation and also based on relationship of cause and effect like other sciences. Another proponent of the management as science, many early management researchers subscribed to the vision of managers as scientists. The scientific management movement was the primary driver of this perspective. Scientific management’s emphasis on both reducing inefficiencies and on understanding the psychology of workers changed manager and employee attitudes towards the practice of management. These are the basic characteristics that can be proved management is a science, but not exactly. Management as an art requires no specific body of knowledge, only skill. Conversely, those who believe management is an art are likely to believe that there is no specific way to teach or understand management, and that it is a skill borne of personality and ability. One more reason for considering management as an art is that in many situations, practicing managers are unlikely to believe that scientific principles and theories will be able to implement in actual managerial situations. Instead, these managers are likely to consider a broad range of social and political factors, and likely to take different actions depending on the context of the problem. And application of management knowledge calls for innovativeness and creativity. In this case managers go on discovering new ideas, relationships and more efficient ways of doing things. Both views of management, as a science or as an art, can provide ample evidence to support heir viewpoints, and they all seem correct and reasonable from their perspective. But an efficient manager has to acquire a theoretical knowledge of management and subsequently, use it to develop it and, gather experience. Robert Hilkert has beautifully explained that â€Å"In area of management , science and art are two sides of the same coin† Thus, in my opinion I think that management is a combination of both science and art, because managing as practice is an art and the organized knowledge underlying the practice is a science.

Political socialization and how women define politics and power Essay

There are various types of political socialization, and these have various effects on political participation. The traditional sex role socialization involves the integration of traditional roles performed by men and women into the political scene. This form of socialization has the effect of exclusion of women in political participation and dominance of politics by men. This effect has been in existence for a long time; like for instance, until 1975, exclusion of women from jury duty could be granted on ground of interference with domestic chores. According to Lawless and Fox (8-11), another type of political socialization involves the masculinized ethos, and this is the type of political socialization which relies on political institutions during campaigns. Since most of the institutions are dominated by men, then an ethos of masculinity is developed. This form of socialization is reinforced by the lack of legislature which advocates for inclusion of female participation in policy agendas. This form of socialization also serves to alienate women from positions of power and political participation. The gendered psyche is a form of socialization which ensures male domination of the political activities through infusing a culture which relegates women to the periphery in political participation. Women are made to feel valued, protected and secure, which makes it be viewed as normal for men to engage in politics but not reasonable for women to engage in it. This is a situation which is seen in the corporate scene. A large number of women normally downplay achievements in business, which makes them qualify for much lower salaries compared to men with similar or even lesser achievements. This form of socialization encourages political participation by men and discourages political participation by women. However, despite all these challenges, some women such as Latina women still manage to play very important roles in politics (Cohen & Jones 224-230). Part B How women define politics. Latina women in Boston Massachusetts play important roles in the political scene. They are involved in protest marches, community events, voter registration, election campaigns, workshops, community forums and social and political change. They play very crucial roles in the development of society and most of the women who were surveyed wanted to get involved in politics (Cohen & Jones 223-231). These women experience certain stages of development which encourage them to join politics. These stages involve the questioning of conditions where they live and searching for solutions from other people and themselves. However, some women recognize the need for change and grab the opportunity to do what they believe in. Socialism, independence and statehood are the main motivators in joining politics for some women. Other women are motivated by problems which they experienced such as poor housing, school dropout and AIDS in the community. There are also other women who believe that socialization in the family is a major determinant of joining politics. There are different perspectives of politics according to the Latina women, with some viewing it as involving giving support, and helping others in fulfilling their obligation. This is an aspect of politics which is derived from the family social setting. It can be traced to the fact that most Latinas from political supportive families, view sharing as the goal of working with other people. The Latina family traditions advocate for helping, giving or sharing and forms the basis of political activities. Women who are socialized according to this perspective aim at empowering the people in the community and sharing the resources which are available. Another perspective of politics according to the Latina women is escape from oppression. Since many Latina women have faced oppression at one point in their lives, either from the system, their husbands or fathers, they identify with this cause and believe that politics is a solution from oppression. These above perspectives capture how most Latina women define politics. Part C How women define power. According to Lawless and Fox (1-5), most women do not have the confidence to seek positions of power despite having excellent credentials and qualifications. A survey was performed and targeted four qualified career people who had high credentials, in a bid to find out their chances for running for a position of power. These people were Cheryl, Tricia, Randall and Kevin. Cheryl is an accomplished lawyer with excellent credentials while Tricia is a professor in Sociology in a large University. Randall is also a college professor while Kevin is a partner in a law firm. The survey revealed that unlike men who are ready to grab the positions of power, women did not even consider running for the same positions. Cheryl and Tricia would not consider running for a position of power, while Randall and Kevin said they would grab the opportunity immediately. This is a situation which is replicated in the political scene. Women are not ready to run for public office irrespective of the fact that they are highly qualified. Since there are no obvious obstacles in campaigning for office for the female gender, it is clear that the lack of interest in running for power plays a major role in the dominance of political scene by men. However, there are people who are of the opinion that when men run for office, the vacant seats which emerge are occupied by women, and this ensures that they still have power. This may be true, but the fact is that women are not interested in running for political and power positions. According to (Cruz 424), if women do not adopt a strategy of helping one another, they will not succeed in politics. Further research should be carried out on the topic to unmask the reasons behind this lack of interest. Works Cited. Cohen Cathy & Jones Kathy. (1997). Women transforming politics: An alternative reader. New York: New York University Press, p220-240. Cruz, Takash P. 1993. Breaking Barriers to Representation: Chicana/Latina Elected Officials in California. Journal of Urban Anthropology, p 420-430. Lawless, J. L. & Fox, R. L. (2005). It takes a candidate: Why women don’t run for office. New York: Cambridge Press, p1-13.

Has Devolution worked?

Abstract The purpose of this essay will be to consider whether the process of devolution in the United Kingdom since 1999 has been successful and consider some of the points of convergence and divergence, which have occurred in terms of policy development in the region, as well the impact which the austerity measures introduced by the Coalition government have had on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Introduction The process of devolution is one that can be considered as a response to widespread processes of restructuring in the forms of governance in the Western world and also a part of a global phenomenon (Rodriguez-Pose and Gill, 2005; Williams and Mooney, 2008; Keating et al. 2009). In the context of the UK, the process of devolution should be understood as the process of granting semi-autonomous legislative powers to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly on behalf of the UK parliament (Gov.uk, 2013). Devolution in the UK specifically should be considered as a phenomenon of the political climate which existed in the second half of the 1990s. The process of devolution itself can be considered as an alternative to the policy adopted by successive Conservative governments in both Scotland and Wales (Trench, 2007). In addition, it was aimed to challenge the agenda set by more nationalist parties in the UK, whose political ideas and manifesto s gained popularity at the time (ibid.). Even though the newly established governing institutions had their predecessors in the past, which exercised similar legislative functions, the fact that they were now recognised as autonomous and sovereign was a major historical precedent (Rose, 1982). As a result of referendums taking place in September 1997 in Scotland and Wales, the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh National Assembly were established. In Northern Ireland, as a result of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement and following a national referendum in May 1998, the Northern Ireland Assembly was established (Birrell, 2009). In line with these developments in UK governance, the following essay will examine the impact which the process of devolution has had in terms of successful policy implementation. The impact of Devolution In the UK specifically, there are four different models of devolution, all reflecting the asymmetrical nature of the process and the different politics which characterise the different regions (Hazell, 2000). The Scottish parliament, for example, has a responsibility of developing policy in tackling the majority of domestic affairs without interference on behalf of the UK parliament. The Northern Ireland Assembly, on the other hand, has the capacity of passing legislation related to a wide range of issues; and the Welsh National Assembly has an elected assembly, which has been granted legislative powers following a referendum in 2011 (Gov.uk, 2013). In the rest of England outside London, where an elected mayor and assembly were established, the changes in administration were quite marginal and were reflected in the creation of Regional Development Agencies and unelected Regional Assemblies which have subsequently been abolished by the Conservative–Liberal Democratic Coalition Government. As this indicates, UK devolution is a process rather than an event (Shaw and MacKinnon, 2011). As a result of the implementation of UK devolution acts, the legislative competence over devolved matters and democratic representation and authority was transferred to the newly established devolved parliaments. Basing devolution on the functions previously exercised by the territorial departments served to reduce conflict over the distribution of powers and resources in the short-term, but at the expense of any long-term resolution of territorial imbalances and tensions (Jeffery, 2007). While Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own devolved institutions, England is governed centrally by the UK parliament, meaning that UK and English political institutions have effectively become fused. One of the unique features of UK devolution is reflected in the limited autonomy of the regions to raise their own taxes and be responsible for their re-investment (Gov.uk, 2013). T his contrasts with many other devolved or federal states in which the national and sub-national tiers share responsibility for both the raising and distribution of revenue (MacKinnon, 2013). Arguably, this could have a negative impact on the overall performance of the devolved regions, as it puts them in a subordinate position to the UK parliament in terms of financing and self-sufficiency, a policy problem which in the occurrence of the global recession has affected all three of the devolved regions. Devolution has important repercussions for public policy (Greer, 2007; Greer, 2009; Jeffery 2007; Keating, 2002; Keating 2009). In effect, the process of devolution has allowed the newly established governments to design and implement policies which take into consideration the specific economic and social conditions of the regions, thereby presenting localised solution to localised problems (Jeffery 2002). Despite the differences which exist among the regions, some commonalities in pol icy development can also be observed, namely in the provision of health care and tackling public health problems. The common economic challenges, combined with a tight fiscal policy means that the convergence of healthcare politics in all the devolved regions are likely to the preserved for some time (Smith and Hellowell, 2012). With the ongoing debates of more financial independence of the regions, however, it appears more likely than not that in the near future a more pronounced divergence in healthcare policy could happen in the nearby future (ibid.). To summarise this section, the process of devolution can be considered a success, as it has enabled the devolved regions to take the initiative of developing and implementing tailored policy decisions which take into consideration the specific conditions and challenges which exist in every one of the regions, despite the austerity measures and the impact of the economic recession. Devolution has also brought with itself a political reconsideration and reprioritization equality and human-rights in compulsory-phase education and how these are promoted, following the government’s commitment to mainstreaming (Chaney, 2011). With the different dimensions which devolution has in the UK, it appears plausible that the priorities of one government will not necessarily coincide with the priorities of another government. Moreover, within the different contextual settings, it is more than likely that different definitions of equality will be used (ibid.). Although there is still a long way to go in terms of promoting equality and human rights, devolution in the long-term could be the ground upon which more equal societies could be built. However, this is a fragile and slow process, and which, despite the progress achieved in the previous phase, largely associated with the policy of the New Labour, has come under threat by the politics of the Coalition Government, as the next few paragraphs will show. The process of devolution can be characterised by two distinct phases (MacKinnon, 2013). The first phase of UK devolution between 1999 and 2007 was characterised by common Labour Party government at the devolved and UK levels, stable inter-government relations and substantial increases in public expenditure (ibid). Over the period, the budgets of the devolved governments rose substantially between 2001/2002 and 2009/2010, (61.5% in Scotland, 60% in Wales and 62.6% in Northern Ireland) as a result of spending decisions taken by the Labour Government in London (HM Treasury 2007; 2011, as cited in MacKinnon, 2013). A new phase of devolution and constitutional politics has become apparent since 2007, defined by three distinguishing features (Danson et al., 2012). First, nationalist parties entered into government in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast in 2007 as either minority governments or coalition partners. Second, there is the changed context of UK politics following the defeat of Labour in 2010 and the formation of a Coalition Government between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Third, the economic context has changed radically following the financial crisis of 2007–2008 and the ensuing economic recession. In response, the Coalition Government adopted a programme for reducing public expenditure by ?81 billion by 2015–16, thereby eliminating the UK’s structural deficit (Lowndes and Pratchett, 2012: 23). This has meant that the introduction of austerity measures designed to address the UK’s budget deficit by the Coalition Government since 2010 has also had significant implications for the devolved governments, reducing their budgets and requiring them to administer cuts locally, although they have been vocal in their opposition to austerity and support of alternative policy approaches such as increased capital expenditure (McEwen, 2013). In this climate, the devolved governments have reaffirmed their commitment to social justice and solidarity (Scott and Mooney, 2009), with the Scottish Government, for instance, arguing that the UK Coalition Government’s welfare reform agenda threatens the social democratic values of ‘civic Scotland’ (McEwen, 2013). In summary, despite the fact that the process of devolution has been successful in several aspects, all associated with granting a certain level of autonomy to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, this could all prove in vain unless more revenue-raising responsibilities are given to the regions. Conclusion The aim of this essay was to review the impact which the process of devolution has had in the UK. As it was noted, the nature of UK devolution should be considered as a long-term evolving process, rather than a single even. Economic and political conditions have changed markedly since the establishment of the institutions in 1999, particularly in terms of changes of government at devolved and Westminster levels, the onset of recession from 2008 and the introduction of a new politics of austerity. The underlying asymmetries of UK devolution have become more pronounced with the tendency towards greater autonomy for Scotland and Wales contrasting with greater centralisation and the abolition of regional institutions in England. These contradictions raise some fundamental questions about the territorial integrity of the state and the possible dissolution of Britain (Nairn, 2003) in the context of the Scottish independence referendum which is to be held in September 2014. As this essay ha s demonstrated, the process of devolution has achieved some notable successes in terms of public health, education policy and promoting equality, though it is impossible to predict what the future might hold in terms of further developments. Bibliography Birrell, D. (2009). The impact of devolution on social policy. The Policy Press. Chaney, P. (2011). Education, equality and human rights: Exploring the impact of devolution in the UK. Critical Social Policy, 31(3), 431-453. Danson, M., MacLeod, G., & Mooney, G. (2012). Devolution and the shifting political economic geographies of the United Kingdom. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 30(1), 1-9. Greer, S. (2007) ‘The fragile divergence machine: citizenship, policy divergence, and intergovernmental relations’ (pp. 136-159), in Trench, A. (ed.), Devolution and power in the United Kingdom. Manchester University Press. Greer, S. (ed.) (2009). Devolution and Social Citizenship in the UK. The Policy Press. Gov.uk (2013) Devolution of powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/devolution-of-powers-to-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland Hazell, R. (Ed.). (2000). The state and the nations: the first year of devolution in the U nited Kingdom. Imprint Academic. HM Treasury (2007) Public expenditure statistical analyses 2007, Cm 7091. London: The Stationery Office. HM Treasury (2011) Public expenditure statistical analyses 2007, Cm 8104. London: The Stationery Office. Jeffery, C. (2002). Devolution: Challenging local government. Joseph Rowntree. Jeffery, C. (2007). The Unfinished Business of Devolution Seven Open Questions. Public policy and administration, 22(1), 92-108. Keating, M. (2002) ‘Devolution and public policy in the United Kingdom: Divergence or convergence’ (pp.3-21), in Adams, J., & Robinson, P. (eds.), Devolution in practice: public policy differences within the UK. Institute for Public Policy Research. Keating, M. (2009) The independence of Scotland: Self-government and the shifting politics of union. Oxford University Press. Keating, M., Cairney, P., & Hepburn, E. (2009) Territorial policy communities and devolution in the UK. Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 2( 1), 51-66. Lowndes, V., & Pratchett, L. (2012). Local governance under the Coalition government: austerity, localism and the ‘Big Society’. Local government studies, 38(1), 21-40. MacKinnon, D. (2013). Devolution, state restructuring and policy divergence in the UK. The Geographical Journal. doi: 10.1111/geoj.12057 McEwen, N. (2013) Independence and the territorial politics of welfare The David Hume Institute Research Paper No. 4/2013. Edinburgh: The David Hume Institute. Available at: http://www.scotlandfutureforum.org/assets/library/files/application/Research_Paper_4-McEwen.pdf Nairn, T. (2003). The break-up of Britain: crisis and neo-nationalism. Common Ground. Rodriguez?Pose, A., & Gill, N. (2005). On the ‘economic dividend’of devolution. Regional Studies, 39(4), 405-420. Rose, R. (1982). The Territorial Dimension in Government: Understanding the United Kingdom. Chatham House. Scott, G., & Mooney, G. (2009). Poverty and social justice in the devolved Sc otland: neoliberalism meets social democracy. Social Policy and Society, 3(4), 379-389. Shaw, J., & MacKinnon, D. (2011). Moving on with ‘filling in’Some thoughts on state restructuring after devolution. Area, 43(1), 23-30. Smith, K., & Hellowell, M. (2012). Beyond Rhetorical Differences: A Cohesive Account of Post?devolution Developments in UK Health Policy. Social Policy & Administration, 46(2), 178-198. Trench, A. (ed.). (2007). Devolution and power in the United Kingdom. Manchester University Press. Williams, C., & Mooney, G. (2008) Decentring social policyDevolution and the discipline of social policy: A commentary. Journal of social policy, 37(3), 489.

Analysis of “The Lorax” Essay

The story, â€Å"The Giving Tree,† is a book written by Shel Silverstein that is about the relationship between a tree and a boy. In the beginning of the story, the boy and the tree spend a lot of time together having fun. For example, they would play hide and seek, the boy would play on the branches, and the boy would play king of the forest with the leaves of the tree. The tree would be very happy because she was interacting with the boy. Throughout the story, the boy would spend less and less time with the tree. As a result, the tree would become sad. Once in a while the boy would come back, asking for certain things, and the tree would be happy to help the boy because she loved the boy so much. Through the story, â€Å"The Giving Tree,† Shel Silverstein relates a lesson of how giving is more important than taking. In the story, the boy takes advantage of the tree by taking everything that the tree has. The tree gives freely without complaining because the tree loves the boy, and wants him to be happy. In the end, all the boy wanted to do was to spend time with the tree once again. If the boy did not continuously take advantage of the tree, the boy did not have to miss, and become unhappy about the old tree that loved him so much. The tree’s love for the boy is a perfect example of what people should be like: giving freely, and unconditionally. If everyone was like the tree, there would be very little unhappiness in the world, and the world would be a better place. If countries started to give freely to one another, there would be fewer wars, there would be no more sadness and devastation, and there would be world happiness and peace. The message from Shel Silverstein is to not be like the boy who ultimately becomes unhappy by taking from the tree. In summary, Silverstein uses the story to expound on the idea that giving is more important than receiving. The story also has a slight reference to the relationship between mother and child. The tree (the mom) was willing to give anything to the boy (the son). The tree sacrifices herself in order to make the boy happy, which any mom would probably do for her son. In the beginning, the tree wanted to sacrifice its time just to play with the boy. This is similar to a parent, which sacrifices time to interact with and provide for their kids. Towards the teenage years, the tree gives up her apples so that the boy could have money. Likewise, many parents sacrifice money to have their children enjoy their teenage years: movies, cars, trips, etc. When the boy becomes an adult, he takes the branches and trunk of the tree away to build a house, and a boat. All of these examples exemplify the ways in which moms make so many sacrifices to make their children happy, but some kids just take them, run with them, and never think about how much it cost their moms. As depicted in the story, the boy never expressed any gratitude to the tree. The boy rarely went back to visit the tree, but only visited the tree to take something away for his own personal benefit. Furthermore, moms also show sadness when their children leave them for college, and adulthood. When the boy does not come back to see the tree for years at a time because of his own issues, the tree becomes sad. In short, Silverstein illustrates the interaction between mother and child by showing the selfless acts of parents and the selfishness of children. The book, â€Å"The Giving Tree,† can strongly connect to our relationship between the environment and humans. Currently, there is an evident problem of global warming. This recent dilemma is caused because of our selfish taking from the environment. The tree can strongly resemble the earth on which we live, and the boy can resemble humans. We constantly take from the Earth, and rarely give back to the environment. For example, during the 20th century, industries took advantage of the Earth without replenishing resources: deforestation, driving animals to extinction, and over-fishing. Furthermore, since global warming has become such a big problem now, we want to go back to live on the lush, non-polluted earth. Likewise, after the boy takes everything away from the tree, the boy wanted the tree to be like it was before. Ultimately, the book elucidates the way in which humans abuse the environment just like how the boy misused the tree. A question that can come to mind when reading Shel Silverstein’s story is, what is the reason for writing the story. Silverstein might have written the book for young children, but it was to teach everyone of the â€Å"give not take,† principle. Moreover, another question can be what is the reason for allowing the boy not to think about his selfishness? Perhaps Silverstein wanted to portray the fact that people are sometimes selfish. Finally, throughout the story, why is the boy referred to as a boy even though he becomes a man. Maybe Silverstein was writing in the perspective of a mother because a mom always calls his son her boy.

Statistic Analysis Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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The papacy of Pope Francis Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

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Architecture of a structure in Abu Dhabi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

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Health Care Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

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