Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Should people convert to Vegetarianism - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 739 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2019/06/24 Category Health Essay Level High school Topics: Vegetarian Essay Did you like this example? People eat meat and think they will become strong as an ox, forgetting that the ox eats grass Pino Caruso. In the United States around eight million adults have converted to vegetarianism; removing meat, fish and poultry out of their diet. Some vegetarians do eat eggs and dairy products depending on how extreme they want to go considering vegetarian diets. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Should people convert to Vegetarianism" essay for you Create order Vegan a total vegetarian remove any animal byproducts from their diet while pescatarians (partial vegetarians) avoid meat but still eat fish. Reasons for converting range from weight loss, morals, to anatomy. When following the diet and continuing a healthy lifestyle it seems like a better alternative. As of recent, researchers have been able to back up that vegetarianism promotes healthy weight, delivers complete nutrition, and human anatomy has evolved to support a primarily vegetarian diet. In many different studies vegetarians have been seen as healthier without the meat and a proper diet; eating fruits and veggies instead of an abundance of unhealthy snacks. In an Oxford University study, out of 37,875 healthy men and women (ages 20-97), 5.4% of meat eaters were obese compared to 3% of vegetarians (Procon.org). In the study it continued to include that the people who ate meat had 8.3% higher BMI then the vegetarians. There is an obvious health shift when eating like this; Americans who struggle with obesity or weight in general could solve their problem by converting. Some argue that removing meat from ones diet could cause a lack of necessary nutrients; however, there are many plant based alternatives to meat that can give the same nutrients. Nuts, beans, dairy, and legumes are some healthy high-protein based foods that can substitute for meat. The American Dietetic Association stated, [all] appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits (Harvard Health). Emphasizing on appropriately planned; when converting to vegetarianism, you cannot remove meat from your diet and not replace the nutrients you are missing from meat. If you cannot become a complete vegetarian it is still good to be aware of how much meat you are consuming and trying to utilize available alternatives. However, always remember that this diet is not impossible and can be done while still getting the necessary vitamins, fats, proteins etc.. Another common argument between meat-eaters and non-meat eaters is whether or not human evolution was meant for humans to consume meat or for a plant-based diet. Many people who refuse to take meat out of their diet claim that humans have been eating it for hundreds of years, why stop now. Some say that a dense form of nutrients and protein that, when combined with high-calorie low-nutrient carbohydrates such as roots, allowed us to develop our large brains and intelligence (Procon.org). When looking at our teeth and length of guts they do not quite fit the bill for carnivores or herbivores therefore we look to our closest ancestors; apes and monkeys and they stick to a plant based diet with an occasional piece of meat. Some theorists think that going back and sticking to a plant based could be our next evolution. That we should only eat meat if it benefits it now. The the important question is how it impacts out bodies today (Newman). Completely converting an entire country into vegetarianism, let alone state, is impossible and would without a doubt would affect our economy. However, when it comes to a person wanting to better themselves and become a healthier person, then one person at a time is a good start. Being vegetarian is not impossible and depends on each individual person how much they believe it will affect them. Continuing a healthy lifestyle and making better choices when it comes to consumption are all part of vegetarianism and the different sub-diets within it. Taking out meat from your diet and replacing it with nuts or beans would benefit a persons health tremendously all while still fulfilling their nutritional needs. Society seems to be afraid of removing meat out of their diet because they could never live without it when evolution and humanity around you tells you the complete opposite. Stay openminded to new concept as this world continues to evolve. Works Cited Vegetarian ProCon.org.ProConorg Headlines, vegetarian.procon.org/. Harvard Health Publishing. Becoming a Vegetarian.Harvard Health, 2008, www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/becoming-a-vegetarian. Newman, Tim. Are We Supposed to Be Vegetarian?Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 15 Nov. 2017, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320047.php.

Monday, December 23, 2019

Immigration Reform Of Hispanic Immigration - 1987 Words

Immigration of Latinos has long caused cultural conflict, especially when it comes to the illegal immigration of Latinos. Unfortunately, the issue has long been debated and there seems to be no clear cut answer on how to resolve the problem. Many Americans often overlook the struggles that Latinos endure and place stereotypes upon this group of people that are untrue. Furthermore, most Americans are misinformed or uninformed about the other side of this hot issue. The purpose of this essay is to give the reader a better understanding of Latino immigration from a cultural perspective and what these immigrants, both legal and illegal experience when relocating to a new country as well as a brief discussion on the issue of immigration reform. According to U.S. Census Bureau population estimates as of July 1, 2013, there are roughly 54 million Latinos living in the United States, representing approximately 17% of the U.S. total population, making people of Latino origin the nation s larg est ethnic or race minority. About 11.7 million immigrants are living in the United States illegally, a population that has not varied much over the last three years, but has been recently increasing again, according to new estimates (United States). Immigration from Latin America and the growth of the nation s Latino population are two of the most important and controversial developments in the recent history of the United States. Latinos are destined to continue to have an enormous impactShow MoreRelatedImmigration Policy Of The United States And Its Effects On Hispanic Immigrants1541 Words   |  7 PagesMHS_ForeignLanguageWritingAssignment Tanya Meinecke-Smith SPAN_2311_MHS 06 December 2014 Immigration Policy in the United States and its Effects on Hispanic Immigrants Whether with a cold shoulder welcome or a open arm embrace, the United States has constantly received a range of global immigrants, over half whom originate from Latin America (migrationpolicy.org). Largely driven by the prospect of the â€Å"American Dream,† the Latino immigration movement began in the 1840s and has fluctuated with new policies, includingRead MoreThe Issue Of Immigration Reform Essay1401 Words   |  6 Pages Immigration Reform Tony Smith HSE 430 November 17, 2016 Nick R. North Immigration Reform Introduction Public Opinion The American public seems to be aware of the issue in general, but is short of the details. There has certainly been a healthy amount of media coverage of immigration reform, but as the coverage itself is unclear as to how best to frame the problems, it mostly informs about the existence of the issue rather than informing about the issue itself. As such, there is conflictingRead MoreReforming Immigration Reform732 Words   |  3 PagesReforming Immigration Reform Problem Definition In what could arguably have been the shot heard around the world during the 2012 election year, President Obama in June issued an executive order suspending deportations of low-priority undocumented immigrants under the age of 30 (Office of the Press Secretary, 2012). The order targeted young Hispanics who had been brought to the United States by their parents years ago, the so-called Dreamers. During the rest of the campaign, Obama spent considerableRead MoreIllegal Immigration in America Essay857 Words   |  4 PagesIllegal immigration at the U.S. - Mexico border is a growing problem, and the death toll is rising as more people are attempting to illegally enter the United States. As a result of an increasing number of people trying to enter into the United States illegally, the border is now being guarded by an increasing number of border patrol officers. The United States implemented different laws and operations to prevent more illegal immigration from Mexico into the United St ates. The ‘Operation Gatekeeper’Read MoreImmigration Reform1221 Words   |  5 PagesImmigration Reform is a serious and current issue in politics, in government, and in the lives of millions of people. Immigration reform is a term used by the American government and in politics. It refers to the changes to the current immigration policies in the United States. â€Å"Reform† is defined as a â€Å"change into an improved form or condition, by amending faults or abuses.† So, in a nutshell, Immigration Reform means the improvement of the law regarding how we, the United States, handle immigrationRead MoreThe Immigration Law Of 140 Years925 Words   |  4 Pagesenslavement; the approval of â€Å"Gay† marriage and more, yet immigration still remains untouched. Now that is clearly an exaggerated statement, but The fact that the immigration law of 140 years ago is still not seen as a type of repression and the American current civilization is still in denial of it, is what makes it ever so severe. From the first immigration policy: the Page Act of 1875, to the Immigration reform and Control Act of 1986 the immigration policies have remained the same. Both acts, amongRead MoreThe Presidential Election And Caucus903 Words   |  4 Pagesthe most debated topics during the primary elections and caucus season was the issue of immigrants and illegal immigration. During this time, current Republican front runner Donald Trump declared accusations towards the Mexican and Hispanic community as being part of the American downfall. While making vulgar remarks earned the GOP candidate publicity and support from anti-immigration reform holders, Trump’s remarks also brought forth the argument into the light. Today, different sources estimateRead MoreImmigration Is Not As Black And White1456 Words   |  6 PagesDemocratic and Republican Parties don’t see eye-to-eye on what the optimal solution for immigration would be, and in fact members within each party have differing opinions, they both agree that our current system is not ideal and it calls for a great amount of work. In a recent gallop poll taken in June and July of 2015, the public responded to the question: â€Å"In the United States, in your view, should immigration be kept at its present level, increased, or decreased?† 40% responded saying that it shouldRead MoreImmigration Is One Of The Most Popular Topics Today1591 Words   |  7 PagesProfessor James Leary English 101 [DR] 23 February 2016 Immigration is one of the most popular topics today. Over 4.4 million illegal aliens are on the waiting list to be documented. Many U.S. citizens have been in an outrage over legalizing immigrants. But what many people fail to realize is that immigration has several advantages that far exceeds the negative concerns. Immigration brings several economic advantages to the United States. Immigration also has a huge influence on American culture. DespiteRead MoreImmigrants From Latin America s Annexation Of Mexico Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages Historically, Latinos have struggled against ethnic labeling, immigration as well challenges surrounding education. This can traced back to mid-19th century when according to Harvest of Empire America’s annexation of Mexico which gave the United States Texas, California, and the southwest. â€Å"Mexico’s territory was cut by half and its mineral resources by three-quarters. These appalling numbers help explain so much. In fact , you can arguably lay Mexico’s poverty and loss through emigration right

Sunday, December 15, 2019

The Media’s Effect on Women’s Body Image Free Essays

The Media’s Effect on Women’s Body Image September 1, 2010 While women have made significant strides in the past decades, the culture at large continues to place a great emphasis on how women look. These beauty standards, largely proliferated through the media, have drastic impacts on young women and their body images. Arielle Cutler ’11, through a Levitt grant, spent the summer evaluating the efficacy of media literacy programs as a remedy to this vicious cycle. We will write a custom essay sample on The Media’s Effect on Women’s Body Image or any similar topic only for you Order Now Put simply, the beauty ideal in American culture is: thin. Large populations of ‘average’ girls do not demonstrate clinically diagnosable eating disorders—pathologies that the culture marks as extreme and unhealthy—but rather an entirely normative obsession with body shape and size,† Cutler said. â€Å"This ongoing concern is accepted as a completely normal and even inevitable part of being a modern girl. I think we need to change that. † Anyone who is familiar with American culture knows that many of these cultural standards are established in the media. â€Å"We are constantly surrounded by all sorts of media and we construct our identities in part through media images we see,† Cutler remarked. And the more girls are exposed to thin-ideal kinds of media, the more they are dissatisfied with their bodies and with themselves overall. The correlation between media image and body image has been proven; in one study, among European American and African American girls ages 7 – 12, greater overall television exposure predicted both a thinner ideal adult body shape and a higher level of disordered eating one year later. Adolescent girls are the most strongly affected demographic; â€Å"More and more 12-year-old girls are going on diets because they believe what you weigh determines your worth,† Cutler observed. When all you see is a body type that only two percent of the population has, it’s difficult to remember what’s real and what’s reasonable to expect of yourself and everyone else. † As women have become increasingly aware of the effect of media on their body images, they have started media literacy programs to make women and girls more aware of the messages they are inadvertently consuming. â€Å"Media literacy programs promote an understanding of the effect media has on individual consumers and society at large. These programs aim to reveal the ideologies and messages embedded in the media images that we encounter on a daily basis,† Cutler said. Advertising, she asserts, draws on people’s insecurities to convince them to buy a product, and few populations are as insecure overall as adolescent girls—which is why media literacy programs are so important for them. In programs such as that designed by national organization Girls, Inc. , girls learn how to look behind the scenes and messages that advertisements are producing in order to reconcile their own bodies with the view of â€Å"perfection† presented by the media. The programs already in place have been found to be very effective; â€Å"College-age women have been the main focus, but 10-11 year-old girls are the most important target so that they can have these [critical] processes going on before internalizations of messages have really started,† Cutler explained. But what sorts of standards do the media portray for women who are not white and not upper class, and how does this affect the body images of women in these groups? This question, Cutler has found, is one that is not always well addressed in the scholarly material she has read. I realized at some point in my research that I had been universalizing the experience of a particular set of girls privileged by their race and, even more so, socioeconomic background. It did not help that this blind-spot was reflected back to me in some of my research,† Cutler said. While she asserts that certain standards of beauty are universal throughout the country and across all demographic s, Cutler believes that media literacy programs should take racial and socioeconomic backgrounds more into consideration. Different groups have different issues and concerns, she said. For example, overeating is a real issue as an eating disorder, especially for lower-class women. How does this fact change the women’s relationship to the beauty ideal? Cutler is reading studies about the body image problem among women in the U. S. as well as evaluations of media literacy programs. She recommends greater sensitivity to the concerns of non-white, non-upper-class groups in order to increase the effectiveness of media literacy programs. How to cite The Media’s Effect on Women’s Body Image, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Should Sex Ed Be Taught in Schools free essay sample

Sexual education is very important for children with a developing body and for teenagers with questions about sex. Sexual education in schools can be very beneficial for children and teenagers. Knowing about the inevitably changing body may help the process. Sexually active and potentially sexually active teens should be educated on contraceptives, STDs, and abstinence. This is why our group thinks that sexual education should most definitely be taught in schools. Sexual Education is taught throughout the United States. Only 3 states require consent before the school may give any sexual education to the children and 35 states allow the parents to opt out for their children. There are two major kinds of sexual education: abstinence based education and a comprehensive based education. The abstinence based sexual education focuses on abstinence and not having sex before marriage. The comprehensive sexual education may start as early as 5th grade and covers the topics like proper use of contraceptives, STDs, safe sex practices, sexuality and masturbation. Some schools may even teach both practices. 37 states are required to include sexual education instruction and 11 require only that it is included somehow in the education. In 2009 the CDC conducted a survey and reported that almost 50% of high school students said they had sex. 14% of those students had 4 or more partners. Although the teen pregnancy rate has declined, it is still the highest of all developed nations at 68 per 1,000. Canada’s teen pregnancy rate is 27 per 1000. Most teens are getting education on abstinence, STDs, HIV but are not learning how to properly use contraceptives. Any many teens have not been taught how to properly use any contraceptives before their first sexual encounter. Approximately 65% of high schools teach their students about condoms and 39% of schools taught their students how to use them. Sex education is taught widely across the US, yet the positive and negatives are still being debated. Many people as well as education systems think that sex education is a positive thing, that it should be embraced by schools. In 2004 a poll by NPR, the Kaiser Family Foundation, and Harvards Kennedy School of Government found that only 7 percent of Americans say sexual education should not be taught in schools. Some of the positive effects of sexual education on students are socially related, in that they are learning this often embarrassing information at the same time as their peers and they do not feel left out of the loop if other students are talking about something that they do not understand. It makes learning about this sensitive subject easier for the students if they know that they are not alone in learning about sex. Also it makes having â€Å"the talk† easier for both parents and their children if there is already a foundation of knowledge about sex and the available contraceptives. Some students may live in single parent homes or with other relatives and my not feel comfortable learning about sex from them. Also parents may not be aware of all the information about sex and safe sex that the school system teaches. Having sexual education classes in schools ensures that the students are getting correct and factual information in a structured way, in a less awkward environment. Sexual education classes cover in depth information about STDs and other sexually transmitted diseases that show students the importance of safe sex. Sexual education teaches about available contraceptives and ways to practice safe sex. Students are also more likely to pay attention and retain more information from class, in which they are provided resources, than if taught by parents. Other positives can be seen in the numbers; the CDC announced in 2011, that the US teenage pregnancy rate has hit a record low. The study[-gt;0] looked back at all the teenage birth statistics from 1991 2009 and found that the latest results reveal a 37% decrease. One of the reasons is thought to be better Sexual education classes and teachings about sex. Although, there is a lot of rather persuasive information on the benefits of sex education in schools, there are always two sides to a story. The benefit of informing young adolescents about sex also comes with an immediate disadvantage, which is, that you are projecting thoughts and ideas about sex into the minds of children who never considered it to begin with. Many critics of sex education in schools make this case. They point out that it is unwise to teach someone about a behavior you do not want them to engage in. This is analogous to explaining the inner workings of how a bank functions to the public; obviously, banks do not reveal this information freely and it if they do, it is on a need to know basis. Psychoanalytically, it is true and proven that people will naturally try something they are curious about or have never experienced; especially, when the outcome is associated with pleasure. Many Americans agree that pre-teens and teens should be taught sex to varying degrees; despite this, statistics reveal that most disagree on how to approach the issue of contraception or if it should even be approached in the first place. Some factions believe in only abstinence, rebuking the thought of using contraception. There is a tendency for people to think it is ok to educate with constraints, akin to riding a bike with training wheels; unfortunately, education cannot be contained in this manner. If the medium is going to be taught, it should be unleashed without inhibition in order to be fully understood; otherwise, you will end up with a generation of youngsters who only have bits and pieces of the story and must fills in the gaps for themselves. The issue of sex education will always be controversial. Some will always view anything in this arena to be invalid and unacceptable in the classroom; whereas, others will feel the opposite. There is a trend for people to forget that they were once children, making it difficult to view this matter with the same scope as the people it is meant to benefit the most. The facts tell us it is a good thing to have this subject matter in the classroom. Sex education has lowered the national teen pregnancy rate and, even though, it is impossible to know how many STD’s have been prevented from transmission, it is it safe to say it could have had a similar impact. Education is informative, enlightening, and empowering, but not always appreciated by all interpretations, which is fine. It is what the individual does with the new found knowledge that matters the most.

Friday, November 29, 2019

Three Common Small Group Networks

The type of group network can influence the collective sensemaking. The interaction between members of group predetermines types of networks. The first type is based on the notions of similarity and stability. The second type is connected with workflow independence. The third network is an informal social network (Morrison and Milliken 715-716).Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Three Common Small Group Networks specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The effectiveness of groups based on principles of similarity and stability is low as far as the organizational silence is more likely to appear among individuals who share the same opinion. The network of workflow independence is efficient because employees have to share their views. It may lead to further discussion and expression of views. Informal networks are the strongest, and there is the largest possibility of the development of organizational silence and a high level of collective sensemaking. The type of group based on workflow independence works efficiently in any context as far as it engages the sharing of opinions and not just adaptations to points of view of others. Works Cited Morrison, Elizabeth and Frances Milliken. â€Å"Organizational silence: a barrier to change and development in a pluralistic world.† Academy of Management Review 25.4 (2000): 706-725. Print. This case study on Three Common Small Group Networks was written and submitted by user Kaeden Rhodes to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Free Essays on Boeing Case Study

, did not adapt itself to 21st century. Public was thinking of Boeing as a traditional company which does not promote its public image as other similar corporation does. Business Week’s survey suggested that Boeing received no rank among top best 100 companies by public in year 2000. In order to catch up with global growth, Boeing started its branding campaign a bit too expansive and no body predicted such a disaster on septer11, 2001, which caused lots of problems for this company. Goals Boeing moved for right track. They decided to compete with other global brands in terms of public image and goodwill. As Phil Condit, Boeing CEO and chairman, announced at Farnborough air show in 2000, this company goals are focusing on: running healthy core businesses, leverage the company’s strength into both new... Free Essays on Boeing Case Study Free Essays on Boeing Case Study Summary William Boeing founded the Boeing airplane company in early 20th century. After strings of acquisition and mergers, this company grew and became the current largest world aerospace industry. Followed by previous reorganizations in 19990s, this company decided to start its branding campaign in May 2001. This campaign was consisting of lots of effort and structural changes for the first time in this corporate history. The media was showing the initial success of this campaign just after its beginning. Few days after the grand opening of the new headquarter in Chicago, which was part of campaign, the world shocked by the act of terrorism. On September 11, 2001 terrorist used this company’s product as weapon of mass destruction to massacre innocent people. Four Boeing airplanes used by terrorist caused a great concern for this company about its swinging campaign. Some serious decision needed to be taken about branding process. Problems Although Boeing’s top management considered this company as a top global brand, critics believed this company did not make adequate changes in regard to its growth, in other words, did not adapt itself to 21st century. Public was thinking of Boeing as a traditional company which does not promote its public image as other similar corporation does. Business Week’s survey suggested that Boeing received no rank among top best 100 companies by public in year 2000. In order to catch up with global growth, Boeing started its branding campaign a bit too expansive and no body predicted such a disaster on septer11, 2001, which caused lots of problems for this company. Goals Boeing moved for right track. They decided to compete with other global brands in terms of public image and goodwill. As Phil Condit, Boeing CEO and chairman, announced at Farnborough air show in 2000, this company goals are focusing on: running healthy core businesses, leverage the company’s strength into both new...

Friday, November 22, 2019

American Corporations that has outsourced jobs Essay

American Corporations that has outsourced jobs - Essay Example "Global access to vendors, falling interaction costs, and improved information technologies and communications links are giving manufacturers unprecedented choice in structuring their businesses. Through outsourcing, companies can now dump operational headaches and bottlenecks downstream, often capture immediate cost savings, and avoid labor conflicts and management deficiencies" (Doig, Ritter, Speckhals, & Woolson 2001). However, outsourcing has its drawbacks as well. When companies choose to farm out high capital manufacturing assets to overseas or other outside entities, they may also unknowingly be giving away those skills that have helped them to stand out in the marketplace. For instance, consider the company Gibson Greetings, which is the oldest greeting card maker in the United States. The company began to face hard times in the 1990s as it started to run out of cash. At that point in time, the company's management team chose to outsource its manufacturing. It was not very long before the company started to run into supplier-management problems. These problems caused the company to lose its place at large retailers. "In the meantime, its competitors had been investing in more efficient printing and production technologies. Ultimately, one of those competitors acquired Gibson. The final nail in the coffin was that Gibson got out of the manufacturing business and started outsourcing." Gibson Greetings is a NASDAQ publicly traded company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The company has 4,600 employees and enjoys annual sales of $546.2 million. Gibson was incorporated in 1895 and, at that point in time, was known as The Gibson Art Company. It belongs to two industries: greeting cards and converted paper products. Coming in just behind Hallmark and American Greetings Corporation, Gibson is the third largest greeting card manufacturer in the United States. Gibson also makes gift wrap, gift bags, boxes of cards, calendars, party favors, and the related. Subsidiaries to the business are located in Memphis, Tennessee; Mexico; and the United Kingdom. "As Gibson readied itself for the 21st century, the company with the industry's hottest licensed properties, strategic alliances, and ethnic market leadership would have to overcome prior losses of customers and mismanagement of finances in order to reach its goal of becoming the leader in the social expression industry" ( About.com 2008 and American Greetings 2007). This is not to say that the choice to outsource always ends in this fashion, but it definitely can. If it is done properly, it can really turn a company around by lowering costs and, therefore, boosting their bottom line. However, it is necessary for each and every company that considers outsourcing critically analyze the pros and cons of doing so before taking such a big step. Simply assuming outsourcing will work for just anyone can be a fatal mistake. Memo To: Whom It May Concern From: Your Name Date: 2/15/2012 Re: Outsourcing Gibson Greetings The purpose of this essay was to identify an American company that had outsourced and to discuss that company in terms of its nature, size, and power, as well as how it presents itself to both stockholders and the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research Essay

Autonomy-in regards to decision making in healthcare and research - Essay Example The medical professional is therefore within the confinements of ethical judgment that the individual autonomy is respected. Beauchamp and Childress (2008) highlighted the four main ethical principles as discussed below. Patients’ autonomy which entails their rights to be heard concerning their views on the treatment they are to be given must be considered. Even if the patients’ views may seem uninformed and unjustifiable in questioning a particular form of treatment that the medical professional is subjecting them to, they have a right to do so. The professional should go as far as possible to bear with the patient’s despite the possibility of the patient being unreasonable. For instance, a patient may resist the decision of the medical professional to apply an injection as a method of drug administration, without considerations on the options that the professional has for the same. But with the ethical considerations, autonomy exercised by the patient leaves some tolerance room on the part of the professional. Time should be taken to discern if the patients’ questioning of the decision to be injected has information of available options as well as the underlying reasons . Autonomy is uniquely possessed by different individuals as an element of independence in decision making. Self direction in decision making determines the level of autonomy that the individual exercises. Alternatively, human beings strive to be rational in making decisions that make their lives better. Every human being has an equal right of existence; hence autonomy is a measure of equality. An autonomous choice is allowed by medical professionals only to the extent that it do not endanger the life of the patient. This implies that if the patient does not make an informed decision when refusing the type of treatment proposed by the medical profession, the autonomy does not qualify. Human beings need to feel free in make decisions about their own lives but where issues arise on

Monday, November 18, 2019

How to make money selling drugs (the movie) Essay

How to make money selling drugs (the movie) - Essay Example The paper also makes use of a discussion regarding the manner in which the subject of attitude towards the drug war and the attitude towards the United States and the government in terms of drugs. Also, the benefits of selling drugs and the skills needed to sell drugs all over are discussed in this paper. The increase in drug selling has been addressed in the film with the help of statistical mapping and figures that indicate the measure of people that is escalating dramatically over the years. It should be noted that there has been a number of media productions that have indicated the aspect of drug war in America. However, the film under review has a new dimension to look at the war on drugs in America. The film shows that practitioners are in the law and enforcement agencies. These people are responsible for making sure that the issue of drug dealing is controlled at its source (Cook, 2014). They play an important part in forming an understanding of the drugs network and how different participants play their role in it. As a matter of example and analysis of the film, it can be said that the character of Ricky Ross is a very good representation of people who were concerned about the deepening critical issue of drug dealing in American society. Another arena to the debate or discussion of drug dealing in America has been presented in the film by stating that more and more money is being poured at this side of the lawmaking institutions. In addition, it can be said that the same amount of money could have been used in any other service or institution of America. Through the help of this viewpoint, the director has been extremely successful in reflecting upon the attitude of the government towards war on drugs. (Cook, 2014) The benefits of selling drugs are yet another significant aspect that can be noted in the film’s plot. It can be said that the director has highlighted the benefit of

Saturday, November 16, 2019

Tools and Techniques for Interactive Website

Tools and Techniques for Interactive Website M2 you must write a report to explain the tools and techniques you used in the creation of your interactive website. I used Adobe muse to create my website because of the flexibility and usefulness of the software. I have used this because it is very simple to use and to add any text, images or any tools to the website easily. When creating my website there were many tools and techniques I used to create my website and making it interactive. Adding a search bar: Search bar is really important and websites need to have a search bar as it makes it easier for the users to find something quickly. In order to create a search bar in adobe muse you will need a Google account. Then you can easily create a search engine and also you can edit it as well and when you done just click on get code .You will get a code and you need to go back to the website and just paste the code and it will occur a search bar like this. Navigation bar: Navigation bar is very useful as it helps the user to navigate the site easily; it makes the site look more professional and attractive so it can attract the audience to view the page. To add a navigation bar you need to click on Widgets library then it will appear a small window and you just need to click on Menus. Its up to you if want a horizontal or vertical menu just click on it and it will come up like this . Slideshow: Slideshow is a really useful tool to organise and compress information. By using a slideshow you can easily showcase images and can show much more information and it allows accessing the information quickly. This is a good tool to make the website more appealing and eye catching. To add a slideshow you will need to click on Widgets library and it will appear a window showing different tools. You just need to click on Slideshows and it will show you different options. You can choose any from the list and then click on it. It will come up like this. Insert image- This tool is used to insert any kind of image file on the website. This is a very important tool as it helps to make the website visually engaging by catching the users attention and makes it a bit more interactive and interesting. In order to insert an image, you need to click on File and then just click on place and it will take you to the image file where you have saved all the images and just select the image and click on open . It will come up like this. If you have more images to add just repeat this step. Hotspot: Hotspots work almost the same as links. This is useful as it helps the users to access the website quickly. Too add hotspot on the slideshow you just need to click on the image first, then on the top you need to click on the arrow and it will show you a drop down menu like this. Link: This tool is used to link all the page and media together. So the user can navigate through the website hyperlinks are put in place to help the user to get from one page to another. I have linked all of my pages together by using the hyperlinks, also I have made sure that all of the text that I have written is easy to read and easy to get to as well as the visible links to navigate each of the hyperlinks within my website. I used hyperlinks to allow the users to navigate around the website. To add hyperlinks on the text you will need to highlight the text first and then click on the hyperlinks arrow and it will show you a dropdown menu and this will allow you to add the hyperlinks on the text. Html: I used HTML coding when creating the website. I used it when copying the embed codes for the search bar and radio button list and using the code feature of adobe muse  to add these to the website so that users are able to see research the product . To insert an html code you will need to find the suitable Rollovers: Rollovers are buttons on a website that change when the cursor moves over it. Rollovers make the website look better and make it easier for the users to use the menu bar. This is because the button can changes the colour to make the website more exciting. The rollover shows that user that it is a button and that it is hyperlinked. In order to do this you can just need to click on the label and it will show you few options and then you need to click on Rollover The widgets library is really useful as you can see in the screenshot you can use different tools from to create different thing. So if you can click on the buttons it will allow you to add buttons, if you click on the menus it will allow you to add menus on the page and also if you click on the social you will be able to add different social media widgets. Master Page: A master page is like a background that you can quickly apply to many pages. If you add any objects on a master page on all pages with that master applied. Adding extra pages: I have added extra pages because they work very well for giving users a visual map of where to go. To add extra pages you just need to click on the small plus icon and it will show you a blank page and to add more pages just repeat this. I have also used some of these tools. The first tool I have used from the tool bar is the Selection tool to move objects around like images, texts etc. I have also used the text tool to create text frame and typed inside it and the last tool I have used from the toolbar is the rectangle tool and which allows drawing rectangle boxes. So you can use these tools to make the website layout professional. I have also used text tool to make the texts more visible and easy for the users to read. I have used different fonts as the font on a website is very important as it shows the style of the website I have made the texts big enough for the users so they wont have any problem understanding the text. I have also used colour to make the website looks more appealing and eye catching, so by using these tools you can easily modify I have also used the color tool to colour the texts, boxes etc. and also to make it more visible and noticeable for the users to notice. In order to add colour just click on the colour tool and it will allow you to add colour into anything. Animation: I have also used animated slide in text to make the website looks more professional. To do this you just need to go to internet and find the Html code and then insert the code into the box and click ok. The plan mode: There are four different plan modes. I have used the plan mode; the plan mode is the structure of the site or the site map. The design mode where you can edit the pages and add different tools. So if you click on the Design it will allow you to add tools on the pages and make some changes etc. Also the Preview mode allows you to review the page and you can see what you have done and it allows accessing the tools you have used on the pages. The last is the publish mode I didnt use that mode, it allows you to upload the website to the business catalyst and can easily view it on online. Microsoft PowerPoint: I have used Microsoft PowerPoint to remove the background of the images. To make it fit with pages I had to use PowerPoint because you can easily remove the background of the image in a PowerPoint and its much faster than Photoshop and its very easy to do it. Structure Diagrams: The stricture diagram for website shows how website will linked webpages are access and stucturesd. The websites usually only uses three different structures: linear, hierarchical and matrix. Structure diagram helped me to plan how I wanted the pages to be structure. The structure diagram helped me to get started fast and I have made the website in a hierarchical way because it is structures with each web page and linked with a number of different pages. The hearicaial is a good way for the user to access the website; as the hierarchy gets higher, the content is more refined by the user is trying to locate. Story Board: Before even construct my website a plan was needed in order to make sure I knew what was to be put on the website. After this, through the use of a storyboard it made it easy to construct a website based on the designs. From the story board and planning of my website. I finally came to the end of the website and I realised that at first it seemed like a very long process when I started making the website it helped a lot as I could easily reference to make sure that my initial ideas we all included. Mood boards: Mouldboard also helped a lot when I was constructing the website. This helped me to make sure what colour, texts and images would be the best for the website and would make it look professional and eye catching. Through the use of mood board I made the website looks professional.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Federal Reserve - Its Time to Put an End to Central Bank Independence :: Economics Monetary Policy Feds Restraint

The Federal Reserve - It's Time to Put an End to Central Bank Independence If "taxation without representation" could rally the colonists against the British Crown in 1776, tight money and ruinous interest rates might be cause for populist revolt in our own day. Federal Reserve monetary policy also has severe social burdens, measured by huge changes in aggregate output, income, and employment. The imperious Fed, much like the English Crown two centuries ago, formulates and carries out its policy directives without democratic input, accountability, or redress. Not only has the Fed's monetary restraint at times deliberately pushed the economy into deep recession, with the attendant loss of millions of jobs, but also its impact on the structure of interest rates and dollar exchange rates powerfully alters the U.S. distribution of national income and wealth. Federal Reserve shifts in policy have generated economic consequences that at least equal in size and scope the impact of major tax legislation that Congress and the White House must belabor in public debate for months. Popularized studies of Federal Reserve performance in recent decades convey the image of the Fed seated in its Greek temple on Constitution Avenue, with Chairmen Volcker and Greenspan elevated to the realm of the gods. From centers of economic power around the nation - Wall Street, Capitol Hill, the White House, and corporate boardrooms - the classical Greek chorus intones its defense of Federal Reserve independence. On the surface, central bank independence seems an eminently reasonable, appealingly simple solution for an agonizingly complex and muddled process of making economic policy in this postindustrial, electronically linked, and computerized global economy. The independent central bank is an institutional concept that complements well the counterrevolution now underway in U.S. budget policy. Washington's fiscal policy is locked into a deficit-cutting mode for the near future, while Congress is determined to retreat from all discretionary spending, regulatory intervention, or measures to improve equity in the distribution of national income and wealth. With the federal fiscal policy on automatic pilot, the Fed's monetary policy could be removed entirely from the inefficiencies and confusion of the democratic process. But this deceptively simple conception poses profound questions for the process of democratic representative government in the United States as it pertains to managing the nation's economy.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants Essay

The code provides a conceptual framework approach to the application of the fundamental principles of professional conduct: 1. integrity Honest and trust. Accountants must not be associated with outputs that: contain materially false or misleading statements contain info furnished recklessly omit or obscure information where such would be misleading 2. objectivity Must be impartial, honest and free from conflicts of interest Intrinsically linked to independence, professional independence is seen to be a subset of integrity and objectivity. 3. professional competence and due care Maintain professional knowledge and skill Apply diligence 4. confidentiality 5. professional behavior the conceptual framework approach adopted in the Code is principles-based, setting forth the principles as well as rules of conduct. Threats Self-interest threats Self-review threats Advocacy threats – promoting a position or opinion that compromises objectivity Familiarity threats: a close relationship where one becomes too sympathetic to others Intimidation threats : actual or perceived and is a deterrent from acting objectively An intimidation threat to an account’s objective or competence and due care may arise where the accountant is  pressured by a client. Normative theories of ethics Normative theories of ethics Normative Theories of ethics Teleological consequential Right from wrong is determined from results or consequences of a decision or action Identify consequences (costs and benefits) for each alternative course of action Compare the ratio of costs and benefits (both economically and morally) Make a decision Deontological non-consequential and rule deontology †¢ Consequences are irrelevant †¢ The important is the intention to do the right thing or the motivation to behave appropriately flowing from a sense of duty. One dose the right thing simply because it is the right thing to do regardless the consequences Egoism †¢ A right or acceptable decision is one that maximises net positive benefits to oneself. †¢ Can be restricted if self-interest is pursued within the law and fair competition †¢ Utilitarianism †¢ Does not focus on oneself †¢ A right decision is one that produces the greatest to the greatest number of people Rights †¢ A decision will only be ethical if its intentions do not often the rights of stakeholders †¢ Rights include legal, contractual, special, particular, natural and constitutional rights †¢ Process: Identify the rights particular to the stakeholder Ensure the decision is consistent with respecting such rights Justice †¢ Focuses on distributive justice which refers to the fair and equal distribution of benefits and burdens †¢ Process: Identify the benefits and burdens Assign the benefits and burdens to the various stakeholders Decide whether the destruction of benefits and burdens is fair and equal Aristotle on justice – â€Å"Equals should be treated equally and unequal’s should be treated unequally.† M 3 Types of directors Directors †¢ Board of directors: Not involved in day-to-day decision-making (AWA ltd v Daniels) Must ensure procedures are in place to ensure major operational issues are brought to its attention, Directors ï ¼ dependent Non-independent directors †¢ Can be executive directors Independent Directors †¢ Free from any influence which would bias the decisions †¢ Free from any connections †¢ Should not been paid according to performance achieved †¢ Not involved in the business on a day-to-day basis †¢ Still required to demonstrate a duty of care, however may not equal to an executive director with professional qualifications Executive directors †¢ Occupying and hold an office as an executive in the company †¢ Will never be independent †¢ Can be paid on performance base Non-independent non-executive directors †¢ Should not been paid according to performance achieved Duties of directors (4.62) †¢ Avoid conflicts of interest and where these exist, ensure they are appropriately declared and, as required by law, otherwise managed correctly †¢ Act in the best interests of the corporation (the nominee director must always act in the best interests of the corporation and use their power only for proper purposes when making a decision on board to which they have been appointed as a director)   †¢ Retain discretionary powers and avoid delegating the director’s responsibility   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Exercise powers for proper purposes (act within their power; do not abuse their power)   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Act with care, skill, and diligence (the standard of care will be different for a director with professional qualifications and a non-executive director)   Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Be informed about the corporation’s operations Committees of the board 3.19 Purpose: Enhance the effectiveness of the board, and particularly of non-executive directors. Enable the distribution of workload to allow a more detailed consideration to be given to important matters Provide an independent perspective in relation to issues which involve conflicts of interest It do not reduce the responsibility of the board as a whole and care needs to be taken to ensure that all concerned understand their functions The board of directors is still unlimitedly responsible for decisions made by subcommittees The delegation of duties enables examination of issues in greater detail and discussion of issues in the absence of management Requires written terms of reference for each subcommittee and procedures for reporting to the full board Except for certain situations where audit committees are compulsory, it is up to boards to determine whether to have the committees and, if so, which committees are established. Committee Key role(s) Membership Risk management Ensure certain risk is assessed, understood and appropriately managed OECD dose not make specific recommendations about committees Nomination Recommending the succession procedures within an organization Appropriate to include executive directors Majority of independent directors ( UK FRC CGC) Remuneration Deal with remuneration-especially for senior executives Preferable to not include executive directors For large companies, at least 3 independent non-executive directors (UK FRC VFV) Audit Financial reporting and audit matters Oversight of internal control Only non-executive directors, with majority being independent, independent chair, at least 3 members Only independent directors (Sarbanes-Oxley Act) For larger companies, at least 3 independent non-executive directors and at least one member with recent and relevant financial experience (UK FRC CGC) Reports on Corporate Governance Report Key focus Country Cadbury (1992) Best practice recommendations for board and committee structures â€Å"comply or explain†: if a company chose not to comply with a governance recommendation, the company had to identify the noncompliance and then explain it to shareholders UK Greenbury (1995) Directors’ remuneration Additional recommendations designed to enhance transparency in relation to directors’ remuneration UK Hampel (1998) Replaced the Cadbury and Greenbury work â€Å"supercode†, adopted into the listing rules on the London Stock Exchange UK Higgs (2003) Non-executives directors UK Smith (2003) Audit committee UK COSO 3.35 1994 Internal control: a process designed to provide resonable assurance regarding the achievement of objectives CalPERS (pension fund investor) Describe the type of governance it expects to see from companies US Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) Strengthened audit requirements, increased financial disclosures and requires mgmt certification of internal controls US  Hilmer (1993) Improving board governance to enhance company performance AUS Bosch (1995) Corporate Practices and Conduct, a report of the committee chaired by Henry Bosch AUS Ramsay (2001) Produced by a committee chaired by Ian Ramsay Examined the adequacy of Australian legislative and professional requirements regarding the independence of external auditors and made recommendations for changes Did not recommend a ban on the provision of non-audit services to audit clients. Instead, he recommened that the disclosure requirements be enhanced. AUS Harris (1997) 3.43 Four guiding principles that should be employed to achieve more effective governance by boards in the public sectors. AUS Uhrig (2003) 3.43 Considered the existing governance arrangements for statutory authorities finding a number of opportunities for improvement. The report also found a lack of effective governance for several of the authorities due to a range of factors.’ Lack of board experience and expertise, together with the potential for conflicts of interests, are impediments to good performance. Limited powers of the board to a statutory body when compared to the private sector. AUS Audit reform: Prohibit auditors to perform certain non-audit services Rotate of audit partners after 5 years Corporate Accountability Each company must establish an audit committee drawn from members of the board of directors. The members of the audit committee must be independent. CEOs and CFOs must certify that the financial reports filed with the SEC do not contain untrue statements or material omissions Financial disclosures and loans: Certain personal loans by a corporation to its executives are prohibited Annual reports filed with the SEC must state that mgmt is responsible for the internal control structure and procedures for financial reporting, and include mgmt’s assessment of the effectiveness of those internal control structures and procedures CalPERS An institutional investor which uses its considerable power as a provider of capital to force corporate governance improvements as it deems appropriate. Minimum standard to which markets throughout the workd should adhere in order to attract its funds. Public Sector Australia – 2003 ASX CGC Recommendations (revised in 2007 and 2010) â€Å"If not, why not† principle, and requires existence of audit committee in Australian top 500 listed companies. – 2004 Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (CLERP) 9 Key changes include audit reform and financial reporting. – ASX CGC Principles and Recommendations 2010 (â€Å"If not, why not† principle) In 2003 ASX produced a list of â€Å"best practice† principles and recommendations on corporate governance and updated them in 2007 (when the term â€Å"best practice† was removed from the title) and 2010. ASX CGC 2007 recommends audit, remuneration and nomination committees. These are therefore subject to the â€Å"if not why not† rule. Audit committee is mandatory for top 500 companies in Australia. For top 300 companies, composition of audit committee is also defined in mandatory terms – minimum 3 members, all non-executive directors, majority to be independent, and independent chair who is NOT Board Chair. Principle Key aspects Lay solid foundations for management and oversight Role and responsibilities of board and management should be established and disclosed Structure the board to add value Composition and size of board to discharge its responsibilities and duties Promote ethical and responsible decision-making Establishment of a code of conduct and diversity policy Safeguard integrity in financial reporting Audit committee to safeguard the integrity of financial reporting by the company Make timely and balanced disclosure Disclosure of all material matters affecting the company Respect the rights of shareholders Facilitate the effective exercise of shareholder rights Recognize and manage risks Risk oversight and management systems; internal controls Remunerate fairly and responsibly Level and composition of remuneration; link to performance 4) International – OECD Principles of Corporate Governance Feb 2010 OECD commentary noted the importance on issues of remuneration, risk management, board practices and exercise of shareholder rights, given the catastrophic performance observed from GFC. BRT 2010 Principles and the US practice are perhaps part of the reason for OECD’s lack of any imperative statements on the issue that chairman and CEO should not be the same person. International perspectives on corporate governance Market based system of governance Emphasises competition and market processes Relationship-based system of governance Emphasise cooperative relationship and consensus Most established: the US and the UK Have great influence on the rest of the world Historical strength of the US and UK capital markets Growth of their investment institutions Adopted by Australia and New Zealand Relies on the representation of interests on the board of directors Long-term large shareholders give the company a degree of protection from both the stockmarket and the threat of takeover Widespread equity ownership among individuals and institutional investors, with institutions often having large shareholdings Institutions including insurance companies, pension funds, and mutual funds. A supervisory board for the oversight of management, where banks play an active role, inter-corporate shareholdings are widespread and, often, companies haves close ties to political elites Shareholder interests as the primary focus of company law An emphasis on minority shareholder protection in securities law and regulation Insider groups monitor management that often acts under their control Stringent disclosure requirements Disclosure based market since numerous investors depend on access to reliable and adequate information flows to make informed investment decisions. The agency problem of the market-based system is much less of a problem in the relation-based control The role of the banks is less central Corporations often have arm’s length relations of equity markets Corporate finance in such countries is highly dependent upon banks, with companies having high debt to equity ratios Banks often have complex and long-standing relationships with corporations (can be debtors and shareholders at the same time) The market-based system assumes full disclosure of information, strict adherence to trading rules and a liquid stock market. The insider system is based on a deeper but more selective exchange of information among insiders It is hard for institutional investors to sell their shares when they are unhappy with the management or board, they become more engaged with companies they are investing in. US Market The board of directors is entrusted with an important responsibility – to monitor the company on behalf of shareholders. It is common for the chair of the board and the CEO to be the same person Committees: Purpose: to enhance the oversight function of boards and limit the powers of CEOs. Tasks: the remuneration of executive directors Nomination of new board members Key decisions in respect of auditing Many large investors closely monitor the corporate governance practices, however, in practice, shareholder in the US possesses limited power to appoint or remove directors Differences among European countries Company law is embedded in different and often unique political cultural and social traditions. Different groups of people have the right to elect the members of the supervisory board. Articulate the purpose of corporate governance in different ways. Laws and regulations relating ti the equitable treatment of shareholders including minority rights in takeovers and other transactions, vary significantly among countries. Different corporate board structures exist. Variations in disclosure requirements and the resulting differences in information provided to investors are a potential impediment to a single European equity market. Germany Relationship-based nature in which all interested stakeholders are able to monitor corporate performance France France and Italy are the European countries with the smallest ownership of company shares by financial institutions. The majority of shares traditionally have been owned by non-financial enterprises, which reflect and elaborate structure of cross and circular ownership. In France, half the firms are controlled by one single investor who owns the absolute majority of capital. Asian approaches of relationship-based systems Significant national differences in corporate governance policy and practice, and many countries are still engaged in a process of institutional development Government-controlled organisations: perform roles that are consistent with the broad social aims of the government, and their governance structure and processes reflect heavy government influence and control. Most companies in Asia either have a majority shareholder or a cohesive group of minority shareholders who act together to control the company. Companies with widely dispersed ownership are rare in Asia, therefore it is difficult to protect the rights of minority shareholders. The boards of directors of companies in Asia often serve a nominal and sometimes superficial role. Disclosure and transparency are often minimal, making it more difficult for regulatory authorities to take action. The lack of institutional shareholders and fund managers reduces the extent of external monitoring by powerful institutions. All countries concerned are committed to a reform of corporate governance due to the 1997 Asian financial crisis. Japan The formal legal features of the Japanese corporate governance system resemble those in most other advanced industrial countries (Corporate law in Japan was modelled on the German System). In Japan, the board plays a more strategic and decision-making role, and is drawn from the ranks of management who are employed by the company. Thus, in the West, the board members are outsiders representing the shareholders; in Japan, the board members are insiders leading management. As a result, the role of Japanese boards may be considered superficial both in supervising the executive management and in responsibility for the company. Problem: there is a tendency for the size of boards to grow as more managers need to be rewarded. Ownership structure: â€Å"keiretsus†: essentially sets of companies with interlocking business relationships and shareholdings. The major keiretsus are centred on one bank. Each bank has significant control over the companies in the keiretsus and acts as a monitoring entity and as an emergency bail-out entity. Advantage: minimise the incidence of hostile takeovers Disadvantage: corporate control being restricted Case studies of governance failure Enron Asset-lite companies: unencumbered by physical assets and heavily dependent on their intangible assets. SPEs: allow the main Enron business to apparently expand without incurring increasing on-balance sheet debt. HIH Failure: inadequate corporate governance checks and balances; lack of financial and managerial diligence and control; and a misconceived and complacent strategy Weaknesses apparent in different cases: The risk management systems have failed in many cases due to corporate governance procedures rather than the inadequacy of computer models alone. Boards had approved strategy but then did not establish suitable metrics to monitor its implementation. Company disclosures about foreseeable risk factors and about the systems in place for monitoring and managing risk have also left a lot to be desired. Accounting standards and regulatory requirements have also proved insufficient in some areas leading the relevant standard setters to undertake a review. Remuneration systems have in a number of cases not been closely related to the strategy and risk appetite of the company and its longer term interests. UK FRC CGC Section A: Leadership A.1.1 The board should meet sufficiently regularly to discharge its duties effectively. A.1.2 The annual report should identify the chairman, the deputy chairman, the chief executive, the senior independent director and the chairman and members of the board committees. A.2.1 operationalises the A.2 principles by stating that the CEO and chair should not be the same person. Main principles application: comply or explain Section B: Effectiveness B.1.2 Except for smaller companies, at least half the board, excluding the chairman, should comprise non-executive directors determined by the board to be independent. A smaller company should have at least two independent non-executive directors. B.2.1 states that there should be a nomination committee which should lead the process for board appointments and make recommendations to the board. This committee should have a majority of independent directors, and it apparent that executive directors may be on this committee. The committee should be chaired by an independent director or the board Chair. B.2.3 identifies that non-executive directors should be considered carefully after they have completed six years’ service on the board. B.3 Directors should be able to spend enough time to do the job properly and that appointment procedures should identify the expected commitment. B.4 Directors are appropriately informed upon joining the board through a proper induction program and by provision of appropriate ongoing training. B.5 Directors who make decisions without adequate information are in breach of their duties. (Company Secretary and the Chair, as well as all directors) B.6 The board is responsible fro evaluating its own performance and the performance of the comm ittees. B.7 Controversially, regular re-election to the board for all directors should, in large companies, be conducted as frequently as annually according to B.7.1 Section C: Accountability C.1 The board should present a balanced and understandable assessment of the company’s position and prospects. C.2 The board must select and define the â€Å"risk appetite† of the company, and it must plan strategies and operations accordingly. C.3.1 An audit committee should be formed and that its membership should meet the requirements. 1. members should be independent no-executive directors 2. for smaller companies, there should be at least two and, for larger companies, at least three, independent directors on the audit committee. 3. in smaller companies, the board chair may be on the audit committee but may not chair the committee. 4. At least one member of the audit committee should have recent and relevant financial experience. C.3.2 The main role and responsibilities of the audit committee should be set our in written terms of reference. C.3.4 Audit committee is the means by which â€Å"whistleblowing† is correctly managed – although the term is no t used in the code C.3.5 The audit committee should ensure appropriate decisions are made about internal audit functions. Section D: Remuneration D.1 Remuneration should be sufficient to attract the right people to be directors but should not be excessive. Recommendations regarding the remuneration directors, and especially the performance-related remuneration of executive directors, is key work to be undertaken by the remuneration committee. D.1.4 Remuneration committee should carefully consider remuneration commitments related to early termination and poor performance. D.2.1 The board should establish a remuneration committee comprised of independent non-executive directors. Must comprised of at least two persons fro smaller companies and at least three for larger companies. D.2.4 Shareholders should be invited to approve new executive incentive schemes and changes to existing schemes D.2.3 Non-executive remuneration should be determined by the board or by the shareholders. If permitted by the company constitution, the board may delegate this work to a committee which might include the CEO. Section E: Relations with shareholders E.1 Dialogue should lead to mutual understanding of objectives. E.2 Boards need to make sure that all shareholders are informaed about annual general meetings and have proper information and the proper opportunity to vote. M 4 Shareholder concept The principal focus of our discussion in this module is on the Anglo-American derivative duties approach to stakeholders. Competitors are treated as stakeholders, stakeholders can also be environment. Agency theory and delegated powers Agency relationship: a contract under which one or more persons engage another person to perform some service on their behalf which involves delegating some decision making authority to the agent. If both parties to the relationship are utility maximisers, there is good reason to believe that the agent will not always act in the best interest of the principal. Assumptions underlying agency theory: All individuals will act in their own self-interest. With potential conflict of interest between the principal and the agent, the agent will tend to act first in ways that will maximise their own personal circumstances Agents are in a position that allows them to further their own interests including at the expense of the principals, as a result of the decision-making power they have been granted and the fact that agents have better access to and control of the information. Delegation Delegation is available unless the corporation’s constitution provides otherwise. It is common practice for boards to delegate day-to-day operational powers to the CEO but not extensive strategic decision-making powers. Agency theory costs Residual loss: any loss or cost or under-performance arising from theses decisions or actions by the agent, represents a residual loss of value to the principals. Overconsumption of ‘perks’ (perquisites or perks are incidental benefits gained in addition to income) Def: the use of such benefits in ways that exceeds expected levels. Effect: reduce both profitability and cash flow available for distribution to shareholders. Empire building Def: acts by management to increase their power and influence in a company for reasons associated with personal satisfaction, including, but not limited to, large financial rewards for having a â€Å"bigger job†. Effect: such personal aggrandisement may have little or no congruence with company profitability or success. Risk avoidance Def: minimise the downside risk that may affect their continued employment. Effect: the organisation may therefore underachieve, with higher returns forgone, representing a loss of value to the shareholders. Differing time  horizons Any management approach that is inconsistent with shareholders’ interest will demonstrate a lack of interest alignment or goal congruence. It can be caused by managers’ self-interest (only current year performance or performance during fix duration), or misunderstand between shareholders and managers. Monitoring Costs Incurred by principals. Compulsory: annual reporting and external auditing Discretionary: construct and analyse activities according to a strategic or Balanced Scorecard Bonding Costs Fully borne by the agent, not the principal. Many costs may be conceptual rather than dollar costs. Restrictions on freedoms are bonding costs borne by agents. Remuneration issues Both payment for work undertaken and for additional rewards that, in agency relationship, ideally will relate to identified superior performance that recognises and encourages goal-congruent behaviour by the agent. Non-executive directors Should not be paid according to performance achieved. Executive directors: Key focus of the non-executive directors who form the remuneration committee New regulation came into place after the Global financial crisis to ensure that remuneration committees should not have executives as members. Has an important role in ensuring that agents are correctly remunerated for their performance and to motivate them to achieve goal congruence. Remuneration structure should not be designed so that self-seeking executives could damage corporations Executives should receive performance payments that are carefully structured. Disclosure and transparency Employees and Consumers New Australian Consumer Law protections against â€Å"misleading potential employees. Whistleblower laws and rules that are becoming very important internationally Laws that prevent legal and other damage to employees (and others) who appropriately del with suspicions of wrongdoing inside organizations Precise rules must be followed if protection is to apply to the whistleblowers. In Aus, the Corporations Act protects an employee if: They report to the right (listed) people only; They are not anonymous; and They are not acting maliciously. Consumers and customers Unconscionable Conduct Protect customers and business consumers where powerful parties to a contract use that power in ways that are sufficiently unfair as to be recognized as unconscionable. Parol evidence: additional words between the parties could not change the clear meaning of a written and signed contract. Dowsett v. Reid (1925) 15 CLR 695: the parol evidence should not apply because of the overall unfairness in the case. Commercial Bank of Australia v. Amadio (1983) : Relief on the ground of unconscionable conduct will be granted when unconscientiously advantage is taken of an innocent party whose will is overborne so that it is not independent and voluntary, just as it will also be granted when such advantage is taken of an innocent party who though not deprived of an independent and voluntary will, is unable to make a worthwhile judgment as to what is in his best interests. Tests for unconscionable conduct: Bargaining power Were the conditions imposed on the consumer reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the corporation? Was the consumer able to understand any of the documents used? Was any undue influence or pressure exerted on, or were any unfair tactics used against, the consumer? Was the amount paid for the goods or services higher, or were the circumstances under which they could be acquired more onerous, when compared to the terms offered by other suppliers? Where a person uses inside information for their own or a related party’s benefit and/or discloses inside information to somebody whom they ought to have foreseen may use the information inappropriately. Identifying whether the information has been disclosed in such a way that it is available to investors in relevant market Identifying whether a person who understands markets would buy or sell a security were they to know that information. A person who possesses inside information must not use it or disclose it, as such use or disclosure is what actually comprises insider trading. Competition and protecting markets for goods and services Mergers and acquisition In many jurisdictions, regulations are in place that prohibit or limit mergers and acquisitions unless they are formally approved. Abuse of Market power The prohibition on misuse of market power is aimed at preventing powerful entities from taking advantage of that market power for the purpose of disadvantaging weaker org Main principle: Market power Misuse of that power (used that power to eliminate a competitor or prevent a competitor from entering or properly competing in the market). E.g.: predatory pricing, the supply of goods or services below cost over a period of time. It is prohibited because the likely real ambition is for the company to eliminate competitors who cannot sustain the ongoing losses of selling below cost. ACCC Agreements between competitors – Cartel Conduct Tests: 1. Has there been a contract, agreement or understanding 2. Has this occurred b/t competitors 3. Is the arrangement for the purpose of collusion Competitor collusion has a specific term: cartel, which including: Output restrictions Apply restrictions on output what will cause shortages in markets and thus result in price rises Allocating customers, suppliers or territories Dividing up markets, customers or regions b/t competitors Bid-rigging Competitors who are asked to tender or bid for work collude Price-fixing Competitors collude to create common prices (parallel conduct and price-following are legal) Midland Brick case 4.36 Both company and a seinor manager are order to pay civil penalties .International airline pricing cartel Unilateral restrictions on supply (exclusive dealing) A single corporation decides to deal only with certain customers or geographic regions. This type of conduct is generally permitted, but prohibitions may exist if it is shown to lessen competition substantially. 3 characteristics that applied: It is not cartel conduct. The unilateral refusal to deal will be unlawful if there is a â€Å"substantial lessening of competition in a market†. Third-line forcing: a supplier forces a customer to also purchase another item from a third-party. Case: Ku-ring0gai Cooperative building society ltd (1978) 36 FLR An attempt by a building society to force a would-be borrower to take out mortgage insurance with a nominated insurer was in breach of the law. Resale price maintenance A supplier stipulates that the goods it provides must only be resold at or above a certain minimum price. Two tests: Has the supplier specified a minimum price? Has the supplier taken action or attempted to enforce this minimum price? If a reseller sell the product below cost, it is legal for supplier to withhold supply in order to prevent the reseller from ‘losing leading’ with a supplier’s products. Proof, penalties and redress – Criminal and civil Criminal penalties v Civil penalties Criminal cases are always carried out by agencies of the state and never by individuals or corporations. Any aggrieved party can bring an action for a civil case.  For civil case, the standard applied is a proof based on the balance of probabilities rather than proof beyond reasonable doubt as in criminal cases Neither parties will be punished by jail or fines in a civil case, as these apply only in criminal cases. The court may award damages to the injured party may apply injections and make other orders such as rescission of contracts in civil cases. Even third party dropped the case, ACCC can still proceed against wrongdoers on civil or criminal grounds. Redress and penalties for anti-competitive breaches Redress is the ways in which wrongdoers can be required to correct the harm they have caused. Penalties are different from remedies as they are meant to punish a wrongdoer, thus, penalties goes beyond simply redressing wrongs. In Aus, criminal breach of cartel provisions may lead to individuals being fined hundreds of thousands of dollars, and up to 10 years’ jail. Fines for corporations can be as high as $10 million. M5 CSR REPORT Why choose to provide specific information about CSR-related information (Voluntary process) Ethically motivation (Accountability-based) †¢ Organization owns an accountability to various stakeholders †¢ Driven by concerns that stakeholders’ rights to know are being fulfilled Enlightened self-interest (managerial-based) †¢ Economically focused motive to use social and environmental reporting to protect or enhance shareholder value The reason an entity choose to report will in turn inform the decision as to whom it will be directed Will seek to address the information needs of a wider range of stakeholders who might be most impacted by the operations of the entity The target recipients of reports will in turn inform what information will be disclosed and what issue the social and environmental reporting should report †¢ Information to demonstrate accountability for those aspects of the operations for which they are deemed to be accountable, such disclosures would arguably be more objective †¢ Normative theory: prescriptions or shoulds, ideals †¢ Such disclosures will lead to community support and potentially positive financial implications †¢ Stakeholders who are regarded as more important or with more influence will attract additional effort and attention from managers (reporting information to inform the powerful stakeholders) (details in 5.23) Limitations of traditional financial reporting Australia’s current conceptual framework (AASB framework for the preparation and presentation of financial statements) Embrace a shareholder primacy perspective with a narrow notion of accountability The practice of discounting future cash flows Encourage us to shift problems of an environmental nature onto future generations. If we discount future obligations, then, in the current period, they may not be considered to be material Definition of the elements of FR Asset (must be controlled by the entity) The usage of assets which are not controlled by the entity will not be recognized as expenses (usage of public goods which are not exchanged in market transactions) Expenses Based on the definition of asset, use of clean air and water will not be recognized as expenses unless fines are imposed. Examples: Retrenchments in response to the global financial crisis (did not count the expenses of people who lose their jobs) Reserve Bank of Australia increase the interest rate in 2010 to increase profit (did not count the plight of those people who lose their homes) Just-in-time approach Increase the traffic congestion, and pollution Results: Environmental cost is borne by the community. Provides a disincentive for investment in clean technologies. Issues of reliable measurement and probability Environmental cost can not been measure as normal liability since because of the probability issue Many companies used the issue of â€Å"measurability† in number of situations as a rationale for non-disclosure, for provisions. Thus, the related parties would not know the true extent of the organisations’ environment-related obligations. The entity assumption Require the entity to be treated as an entity distinct from its owners, other org and other stakeholders. Externalities caused by reporting entities will typically be ignored Performance measures are incomplete from a broader societal perspective. Key point of import reports (Module 5) Legitimacy Theory (BHP WESTPAC) An organization will take action to manage community perceptions in order to  survive Try and convince stakeholders that it is acting with an acceptable level of ethical and moral conviction whilst pursuing its main objective Legitimacy itself is considered to be a resource on which an org is dependent for survival The theory relies on the notion that there is a social contract b/t the org and the society in which it operates Org must appear to consider the rights of the public at large, not merely those of its investors Legitimacy is assumed to be influenced by community perceptions (which can be influenced by disclosures of information), and not simply by (undisclosed) changes in corporate actions Org will be penalized if they do not operate in a manner consistent with community expectations Meeting the expectations of the community can protect or enhance profitability CSR report could be a central strategy to maintaining corporate legitimacy BCA report about the regulation of CSR report In favor of no regulation needed for CSR report All drivers analysis by the BCA are tied to maximizing the value of business The motivation are tied to managerial reasoning rather than border ethical considerations’ Suggest freely operating markets will lead to the resolution of many existing social and environmental problems PJCCFS 2006 the final report regarding the CSR in 2006 Adopted the same position as that promoted by BCA In favor of not supporting the introduction of legislation With an interpretation of current legislation, the enlightened self-interest is the best way forward for Australian corporations The Brundtland Report Empirical evidence consistent with legitimacy theory Patten (1992 if the Alaskan oil spill resulted in a threat to the legitimacy of the petroleum industry, and not just Exxon’s, then legitimacy theory would suggest that companies operating within that industry would respond by increasing the amount of environmental disclosures by the petroleum  companies for the post 1989 periods, consistent with a legitimization perspective. This disclosure reaction actually took place across the oil industry Deegan and Rankin (1996) Australia study Public disclosure of proven environmental prosecutions has an impact on the disclosure policies of the firms involved Deegan, Rankin & Tobin (2002) Positive correlations b/t negative media attention for certain social and environmental issues and the volume of disclosures on these issues Islam and Deegan (2010) For industry-related social and environmental issues attracting the greatest amount of negative media attention, corporations react by providing positive social and environmental disclosures Current regulations for CSR Reporting National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007 (NGER Act) Who are regulated: Ultimate Australian holding company of a corporate group is required to apply if its exceeds one or more of the four thresholds (5.42) What need to be reported: Greenhouse gas emissions Energy production Energy consumption Other info specified under NGER legislation Requirements embodied within the Corporations Act and accounting standards S 299(1)(f) of the Corporations Act Requires that in the directors’ report, which must be included in the annual report, directors must give details of the entity’s performance in relation to environmental regulations â€Å"if the entity’s operations are subject to any particular and significant environmental regulation under a law of the Commonwealth or of a State or Territory† S 299 A of the Corporations Act Listed companies are required to include in the director’s report any information that shareholders would reasonably required. (operations, financial position, and business strategies and prospects for future financial years) However, no specific requirement to disclose financial  impacts. Obligations relating to environmental performance could be considered to be included in either â€Å"provisions† or â€Å"contingent liabilities†, depending on the circumstances. However, many entities choose not to disclose such information due to the probability and reliable measurement issues. Contamination to land caused by the construction of particular plant shall be included as part of the total cost of the property, plant and equipment, with an equivalent amount being included in the liability provisions of the entity National Pollutant Inventory Designed to generate political and economic incentives for industry to move towards cleaner productions Requires industrial facilities operating in Australia to estimate emissions of 93 substances exceeding a specified threshold amount Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 2006 Encourages large energy-using businesses to improve their energy efficiency by requiring business to identify, evaluate and report publicly on cost-effective energy savings opp

Saturday, November 9, 2019

An essay on the play Romeo and Juliet Essay

In the play we do not meet Romeo until after the fight in the street between the Montague’s and the Capulet’s, Shakespeare shows the audience the feud between the two families before he introduces the main character, Romeo. The first impressions we get of Romeo are that he is a loner and prefers to be on his own, rather then spending time with other people. Shakespeare shows this by making him seem solitary and distant, he also uses darkness to portray Romeos feelings, he does this when Montague describes Romeos actions â€Å"Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out and makes himself an artificial night†. Montague talks to Benvolio about Romeos troubles and describes his condition as an illness, Shakespeare shows this when Montague says â€Å"as willingly give the cure as known† this shows that Montague describes Romeo as being ill as he refers to a â€Å"cure† being able to help him. When Benvolio promises Montague to â€Å"know his grievance† the audience meets Romeo for the first time already with an idea about his character, that he is a loner and is depressed. When Romeo first appears he has a conversation with Benvolio, this tells the audience what is wrong with Romeo. Romeo tells Benvolio that his current state is because of unrequited love. Shakespeare shows Romeos emotions using a paradox â€Å"O brawling love, O loving hate† (the theme of love and hate is reoccurring through out the play) and â€Å"Feather of lead† these are examples of oxymoron’s (a paradox reduced to two words), they show that Romeo is in a confused and perplexed state, this could mean that Romeo does not fully understand his love for Rosaline and is bewildered by it. Romeo tells Benvolio that the love he feels for Rosaline makes him feel like some one else and he admits to loosing his grip on reality â€Å"I have lost myself; I am not here, this is not Romeo, he’s some other where. † This shows that Romeo is self absorbed and infatuated by Rosaline, this gives the idea that Romeo loves the idea of being in love. Although because his love is unrequited it makes him feel ill and depressed â€Å"sick man in sadness† this shows that Romeo is a romantic character who wants to be in love. Romeo seems to be suffering with his love for Rosaline â€Å"out of her favor I am in love† this shows that Romeo understands that Rosaline will never love him, the thought of this makes Romeo suffer which shows that his attitude to love is idealistic. Romeo seems to be enjoying the fact that he is in love and he would rather be unhappy in love then not be in love at all. Benvolio then tries to help Romeo with his feelings for Rosaline by counseling Romeo. Benvolio tells Romeo he will teach him â€Å"be ruled by me; forget to think of her† this shows that Benvolio cares about Romeo and wishes to help him, he also tries to instruct him to â€Å"examine other beauties† he says this to try an make Romeo fall in love with another person who may return his love. Romeo rejects these ideas this shows that he likes the idea of being in love and does not want to give it up. Benvolio tries to teach Romeo to forget about Rosaline by using a several proverbs â€Å"one fire burns out another’s burning† this means that he will forget all about Rosaline if he finds some one else to love. For this Romeo ridicules Benvolio by telling him simple cures for a simple wound. Romeo then goes on to describe the torment of unrequited love â€Å"shut up in prison, kept without food and whipped† this shows how Romeos unrequited love is making him feel, the pain that Romeo describes seems to have been exaggerated which shows that Romeo is obsessed by his own suffering. During their conversation one of the Capulet’s servants asks them to read out a party invitation as he cannot read. Romeo only goes to the party from heavy persuasion by Benvolio and the thought of seeing Rosaline. The thought of seeing her also cheers Romeo up. On his way to the party Romeo continues to show that his love for Rosaline is never ending, as he protests about having fun at the party because the pain from love is to much â€Å"Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling being but heavy I will bear the light† This shows that he does not want to partake in the dancing or have fun and he also refuses to be cheered up further (in the time this was written bearing the torch meant that the person would not have to dance). Romeo uses puns to describe how he feels about dancing at the party â€Å"With nimble soles; I have a soul of lead† this shows that Romeo is still showing the pain he feels. He claims that he will not be hit by cupid’s arrow which shows that he does not think he will love anyone else. When Romeo reaches the party he meets Juliet for the first time. He falls in love with her when he first lays his eyes upon her, this makes the audience feel that Romeos love for Rosaline was not true but what he feels for Juliet might be, at this point Romeo forgets all about Rosaline this shows Romeo is fickle in love. Romeo then uses images of light and dark to describe how she stands out from the rest of the people at the party â€Å"She hangs upon the cheek of night, as a rich jewel† Romeos language no longer seems forced but genuine this shows that he is a romantic person who has truly fallen in love. Romeo and Juliet share a sonnet the first time they meet, Romeo describes him self as a pilgrim worshipping a shrine which symbolizes Juliet, â€Å"this holy shrine, the gentle sin is this. My lips, two blushing pilgrims† this shows the true love that the two feel for each other. At the end of the sonnet Romeo kisses Juliet, but before they kiss again Juliet’s maid takes her away to Lady Capulet (Juliet’s mother), when this happens both Romeo and Juliet realize that their families are enemies. Romeo then states that â€Å"my life is my foes debt† this shows that his life is now in Juliet’s hands and is out of his control, this again shows that Romeo is truly in love with Juliet as he is going to wait and let Juliet control him. In conclusion Shakespeare reveals Romeos attitude to love in many different ways he shows that he is ruled by his emotions and is not rational when it comes to love. He also shows that Romeo is fickle in love; he also seems to like the idea of being in love and enjoys the suffering he feels from unrequited love. He shows that Romeos love is unpredictable as he forgets about Rosaline all too quickly; this shows that Romeo may be genuinely falling in love for the first time. I think Shakespeare has portrayed Romeos character well as he shows a number of different emotions and uses different techniques portray his ideas of the character Romeo.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

How to Further Your Writing Name

How to Further Your Writing Name Its simple. Each and every single day you promote yourself. For instance: 1) Write a guest blog post and pitch it. 2) Leave deep, well-written, intelligent replies on other blogs demonstrating who you are and how personable you are. 3) Do a signing anywhere (if you write books). 4) Post on social media something related to your brand or writing. 5) Find mentors on social media and connect with a post. 6) Send review copies (if you write books). 7) Connect with a local bookstore (if you write books). 8) Connect with a library. Join the Friends of the Library. 9) Attend a library event. 10) Volunteer an event at the library (regardless what you write). 11) Attend someone elses signing and give them (just them, not the audience) your book or business card. 12) Join the Chamber of Commerce and send them an ad. 13) Attend a writers group. 14) Attend a Chamber or public event and give out your card. 15) Start a biweekly or monthly newsletter. 16) Create an email signature block about your writing. 17) Host a book party at your home. 18) Connect with an area book club and send a copy of your book. 19) Write a feature for the local paper. 20) Write a feature and pitch it to a local magazine. 21) Write reviews for other authors, emailing them with a copy of the review and a thank-you for writing the book. 22) Attend a writers conference and connect with ten authors. 23) Never leave home without your business cards. Give one out per day. 24) Ask a school if you can make a presentation. 25) Contact your local community center and ask about making a presentation. 26) Send postcards to your community make them simple and professional. 27) Send a press release to your local television station  to the specific journalist who does human interest pieces. Make the press release about a topic other than the fact you write or have a book. 28) Be seen writing. 29) Write AUTHOR in any place that asks for your profession. 30) Tell someone you are an author, and have answers for those standard questions of What do you write?, Where can I buy your books?, and How can I become published, too? Do not waffle. Own being an expert. Keep a calendar. Each day you promote yourself in any way, cross it off with a big red X. Be honest. And when you dont, leave it blatantly blank. Develop the habit of self-promotion. The point is to become that person everyone recognizes as that writer, not just someone who sometimes writes.