John Stuart Mill’s Viewpoint on Interrogation and Torture Essay

In the world today there have been many controversial topics including topics such as euthanasia, the death penalty and gay marriage. One that has always stood out in particular is the controversy over torture and interrogation techniques for terrorists in US custody . Ethically you can argue for or against these torture and interrogation techniques but what would John Stuart Mill’s viewpoint be on this highly debated topic? Before we go into John Stuart Mill’s Utilitarianism Ethics it is imperative that we talk about his background and when/where he lived to more accurately describe his mindset. John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher who was born in Pentonville, London, England in 1806 and died in France in 1973. John Stuart Mill was the eldest son of a Scottish philosopher James Mill and had a very rigorous upbringing shielded from peers from his own age studying the ins and outs of philosophy. His father’s goal as a follower of Jeremy Bentham was to create a genius intellect to carry on Utilitarianism after he and Bentham died. The intensive study his father put him through caused severe mental health issues on John Stuart Mill causing him to have a mental breakdown at age 20 which he claimed to be caused by the great physical and mental demands that suppressed any feelings he should have developed in his early childhood. John Stuart Mill as a Utilitarian philosopher, which is a form of teleological (goal based ethics) / consequentialism (moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome), believed that ethical/moral decisions or actions should be made on the basis of the greatest good for the greatest number. That meaning maximizing pleasure, satisfaction and well being while minimizing negative affluences commonly referred to as ultimate importance. Utilitarianism can also be compared with deontological ethics, which do not take in the consequences of the account being a determination. John Stuart Mill’s rule Utilitarianism is much more relative then â€Å"text book† Utilitarianism in which he encouraged people to do acts that are pleasurable to them as long as they do so to the â€Å"higher pleasure†. Although his definition of higher pleasure can be questioned as an absolutist since he is absolute in what he defines as â€Å"higher pleasure.† Now begs the question; what would his opinion be on enhanced interrogation techniques or torture on terrorists in US custody be? After the 9/11 attacks  and the United States war on Iraq in the media non-stop over the last decade we here much of terrorists in US custody in places such as Guantanamo Bay being interrogated and tortured for information. It can be concluded from an Utilitarian standpoint that these individuals are less than one percent of the US & World population and if anything can be done to these individuals to benefit or protect the rest it would be justifiable by any means. Thus, it is obvious that John Stuart Mill would whole-heartedly agree with these actions and more than likely encourage it. I agree with Utilitarianism and John Stuart Mill on the viewpoint of interrogating or torturing actual terrorists to protect United States soil but unfortunately the term â€Å"terrorist† for the United States is loosely defined and anyone disagreeing with United States policies can be defined one way or the other as a terrorist. I disagree with Utilitarianism as a whole because there is an obvious flaw with an individual’s interest vs a greater sum of lesser interests meaning that the legal system would punish behavior that harmed others but that would not punish in a situation where one can personally ga in and no one would be harmed. Also one person could propose something would would maximize self-interest that conflict with means supported by another. Thus, self interest causes them to compromise with another to avoid interference; the means advised may accidently correspond with those by utilitarianism but the fundamental ethical imperative would not be utilitarian. Utilitarianism itself is somewhat a paradox when it comes to actual real life use but sounds wonderful in theory if the world was really black and what / end all be all but of course as we know it is not. John Stuart Mill would of course agree with enhanced interrogation techniques or torture but his utilitarianism justification would never be accepted by the United States masses.

Modeling and Remodeling Theory Essay

Nursing as a discipline follows certain rules or general procedures in their practice. Usually, the nursing process involves five phases starting with the assessment of the patient’s condition, followed by a diagnosis meant to identify the health problem of the patient. Afterwards, a planning phase would ensue wherein the nurse and the patient would discuss the possible course of action with respect to the patient’s condition. When an agreement was made, the process would proceed to the implementing phase in which goal/s would be set and achieved. The final phase known as the evaluation phase happens when the goals are being achieved to identify whether the plan was successfully followed or to identify why the goals were not achieved in case of failure. Overall, the whole nursing process had been known as ADPIE. It was regarded as a step-by-step approach in the nursing profession aimed at solving the patients’ problem (Keogh and Richards, 2008). Nursing, like other body of knowledge, encounters several forms of knowledge. Haynes and colleagues cited Carper’s fundamental patterns of knowing to summarize what knowledge are incorporated in the nursing process. According to Carper, it involves empirical knowing which is observable and uses scientific data, information and processes. Next on Carper’s list was aesthetic knowing, which reflects the claim about nursing as a form of art that involves empathy, care and compassion (Haynes and colleagues, 2003). Another type of knowing is ethical knowing, that deals with decision-making regarding morality such as what the right thing to do and what must be done? The last type was personal knowing which involves the personal values and beliefs that can help nurses grasp meaning and create decisions required in their profession. When Erickson and colleagues devised the Modelling and Role Modelling Theory of nursing, they took into consideration what nurses do and how they do it (Haynes and colleagues, 2003). They incorporate various philosophies and approaches into their theory which results into a more integrative approach. It resolved the conflict between nursing as a science or an art by infusing them into a single paradigm. The MRM theory was affected by prominent thinkers such as Maslow who identified human needs, Piaget with his idea of psychosocial development, Erickson, Winnicott and colleagues and their concept of loss and Selye and Engel who identified the individual’s responses to stress and its causes. From their ideas, Erickson and colleagues came up with the Adaptive Potential Assessment Model or APAM (Alligood and Tomey, 2006). In this model, nurses would first engage in modeling the client’s world by understanding the client’s experiences through the client’s perspective. This will be followed by role-modeling wherein the nurse would create plans and design possible interventions depending on the client’s unique needs. Role-modeling requires the â€Å"acceptance of the client while promoting development based on the client’s own model (Alligood and Tomey, 2006)†. Adaptation concerns how the client reacts to stressors. The APAM model distinguished three states in the process of adaptation: arousal, impoverishment and equilibrium. The APAM model helps the nurses to predict the â€Å"client’s potential to cope and mobilize self-care resources in response to stress (Alligood and Tomey, 2006)†. Self-care, typically involves making use of the patient’s â€Å"knowledge, resources and action† to improve his condition (Alligood and Tomey, 2006). MRM theory makes use and reflects Carper’s fundamental patterns of knowing. It promotes the role of the nursing as an art while utilizing scientific and social theories that expand the role of nurses by giving them authority to interpret and analyze the patient’s condition based on personal knowledge. The plan and implementation depends on the nurse’s relationship, acceptance and impression of the client. Overall, the MRM theory modified the nursing process by assimilating the patient’s needs and reaction into the nursing process.

Family Diversity

Reasons being there has been an increase in divorce over the past 30 years. Also, the growing proportion of household that are composed of 1 person. 2) Allen & crow- identified 2 key points for single parent families. -increase in divorce -significant rise in the number of never married women. Beanpole families are long and thin. These are multi-generational families where there is more intergenerational contact (grandparents and grandchildren) than intergenerational contact (cousins). 1) Brannon- sees them as being like a beanpole. Reason for less intergenerational ties. Gig divorce rates causing breakdown of contact between extended families – falling fertility rates couples having less children, so there will be fewer relationships. Reason for more intergenerational ties. -grandparents live longer provide extra care e. G. (babysitting) 2) Grungy & Henrietta- uses the concept of ‘sandwich generation' to refer to women aged between 55 and 69 who offer assistance between their needy parents and their own children. Research shows a growing number of women will be in this position. An extended family contains kin beyond the family.This could be through vertical extensions with additional family members from a 3rd generation (grandparents) or horizontal extensions (wife's sister). 1) villains- showed how working class peoples live that lived in east London was still dominated by the values and traditions of extended kin. 2) McConnell- used survey findings and discovered that in the 1 ass's contact with relatives was still frequent. Extended family was an important source of support, for practical support such as helping with jobs. E. G. Times of illness and financial tasks. A reconstituted family is when families merge together and form a new Emily.For example a couple with children split up, the children remain with the mother who forms a new family with a new partner and who also has children. National statistics 2004, an estimated 10% of all famili es were reconstituted. 1) Smart – researched children experiencing co-parenting, found that children value having both parents in their lives. By moving from houses as a routine since young age. Some religious people are more likely to have children living with them than others. Religion can also influence the way that children are socialized in families.

Discuss the role of the laboratory in the diagnosis, classification Essay

Discuss the role of the laboratory in the diagnosis, classification and monitoring of the Myelodysplastic syndromes - Essay Example The main pathophysiology in this condition is that the hematopoietic stem cells do not mature in a proper fashion to healthy erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets resulting in low counts of mature cells and abnormal morphology. Thus there are many immature cells which do not function in a proper manner leading to several complications. MDS an be primary or secondary. Secondary MDS can occur due to several causes like exposure to radiotherapy or cytotoxic chemotherapy for another cancer, intensive pretreatment for patients with autologous bone marrow transplants, viral infection, genetic predisposition or exposure to chemicals like benzene (Emmanuel and Woermann, 2009, Nguyen, 2009). Exposure to heavy metals like lead and mercury can also result in this condition (National Cancer Institute, 2010). 80-90 percent of cases occur in those who are above 60 years of age (American Cancer Society, 2010). The incidence is men in at least 2 times more than in women (Emmanuel and Woermann, 2009). The condition is found worldwide and affects all races and ethnic groups (Emmanuel and Woermann, 2009). The condition is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. More than 30 percent cases of MDS transform in acute leukemia (National Cancer Institute, 2010). Survival following the diagnosis of MDS is variable and dependent on the prognostic factors (Stone, 2009). The survival can occur from months to years (National Cancer Institute, 2010). In children, the course of the disease is more aggressive and the mean survival is less than 10 months (Tilak et al, 2008). In many patients, MDS is often detected late due to absence of early symptoms. In some others, routine hematological examination may reveal the condition. Those who have advanced disease present with signs and symptoms related to the cytopenias like shortness of breath, pallor, easy fatigability, easy bruising, uncontrollable bleeding, frequent petechiae, fever and frequent infections (National Cancer

The importance of marketing in travel and tourism Essay

The importance of marketing in travel and tourism - Essay Example There are several factors that impact the image of a company: advertising (any paid form of performancing the ideas, production and services); personal selling (the advertising for one or several potential clients which takes place while negotiations and aimed to have long-term realtionship between the companies); sales poromotion (stimulating arrangements selling the pruducts and services); public relationship (development of the relatiuonship between the companies with the help of creating a good reputation). (Peter D. Bennet) As for air companies, it should be mentioned the the way of creating an image is the quality of the services they produce. Product is the indicator of the organization. So a great attention should be paid to the quality of products and services. According to the marketing concepts, the companies achieve the competative advantages by working out the proposals which meet the needs of the comsumers more that the competative companies do. The companies can gain the competative advantage by reducing the price, and better quality of the production. The companies should consider not only the consumers’ needs but the strategies of the competitive companies. The first step in this direction is competitor analysis – the process of defining and evaluating the competative companies. The next step is working out the competitive strategies, that would help to have a good position at the market and gain the competitive advantage. (Leslie de Chertony). In order to achieve success and just to survive companies should change their philosophy. To win a good position at the contemporary market the companies should be consumer oriented. It is impoartant to know everything not only about production but about the creating the customer value orientation. It is very important to satisfy the customer’s expectations and to define the level of satisfaction. Usually the

Business leadership Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business leadership - Essay Example Its object is to point out weaknesses and errors in order to rectify [them] and prevent recurrence.† The main focus of the controlling function is to make sure that everything is going according to plan and whatever is not going according to plan is fixed up as soon as possible. Modern day function of controlling has become very advanced; the managers are required to have the skill of foreseeing the events which are going to take place; on the other hand the function of controlling was only brought into effect after the problems were detected before the introduction of the modern functions of controlling. When a Manager adopts the method of controlling, he/she should make sure that it is done on a regular basis because controlling is a continuous process and should be carried out on a regular basis in any organization. Another important feature of controlling is that it is closely interrelated to Planning, under the process of planning, the goals are set for an organization and the function of controlling makes sure that those set goals are achieved in this way these two functions are interrelated. This paper will also throw light upon the ten principles of complexity and a conclusion that will sum up the discussing presented in the paper will be arrived upon. Management is quite a complicated task and involves a lot of innovation. The tricks taught in business schools, is flawed and this will be proved in this paper, a comprehensive understanding of â€Å"The Manager’s Job† written by Mintzberg will be presented in this paper. This article explores the different functions of a manager namely, coordinating, planning and controlling. Mintzberg is pretty convinced that the most basic functions of a manager is coordinating, planning and controlling but if a person observes a manager, it will be found that none of these three pivotal aspects of management are actually carried out by a manager. The same is proved with the help of

Finance Paper 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Finance Paper 2 - Essay Example This allocation is mainly to meet the cost of the games preparation. When the central funded elements are included, the total cost to the public purse is estimated to be 9.3 billion pounds. The total budget of the London Olympic organizing committee who is directly responsible for staging the games is estimated to be 2 billion pounds. This is for covering all operational costs. These operational costs are will be met from revenue coming from sale of broadcast rights and ticket sales. The London committee will not finance any sort of capital expenditure. The international Olympic committee requirements necessitate an undertaking that the government is the ultimate guarantor for funding the Olympic Games. The Olympic delivery authority which has been established for ensuring the physical infrastructure has an overall budget of 8.1 billion pounds. However it has been anticipated that the final costs will be around 7.3 billion pounds only. All these budgets are financed by the national l ottery which amounts to 2.2 billion, the GLA Olympic council tax percept amounting to 0.6 billion. Other London 0.3 billion and the central government 6.2 billion pounds. The Olympic village which was to be built using public finance is to be sold off after the games. By June 2010 almost three quarters of the required finance was collected by the committees (Berman). . The Olympic movement of the world consists of large global multifaceted organizations with the IOC as its head. The IOC is not a governmental or United Nations organization. Initially the IOC which was run by wealthy people funded the games from its own pocket. But the growth and popularity and increase in the value of broadcasting rights created independent sources to run the games. One of the significant revenues consists of broadcasting rights sale which has grown rapidly during the century. It was around a million dollars in the Rome Games of 1960 and touched 1700 million dollars during the 2008 Beijing games. The growth has been dramatic since the 1960 games. The key element to the increase was the advent of satellite broadcasting which enabled to beam the television signals to homes instantly. It is to be noted that the broadcasting rights for the Olympic Games are totally owned by the IOC and not by the games organizers.

Parliament and policy making Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Parliament and policy making - Essay Example However, recent studies in this field show that parliamentary lobbying and pressure group activities are on the rise in the past two-three decades, both in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords. Moreover, both chambers of Parliament are viewed by pressure groups not only in the light of institutions of last resort but also as â€Å"access points† which play an important role in the entire process of influencing political and governmental decisions. Thus, during and after the rule of the Conservative governments of Margaret Thatcher, Parliament became more important for pressure groups not only as an institution of last resort but also as a place to express their views and to influence the overall decision making process. Traditionally, British MPs were depicted as the ’major channel of communication between the government and the governed’ (Wright 2000). On the other hand, the presence of a parliamentary government in the British political tradition means a form of government ’in which the executive is drawn from and is constitutionally responsible to the legislature’ (Rush 2005). In this respect, Rush explains, this is a government through parliament but not government by parliament (2005). Therefore, many theorists observed that in the UK the largest proportion of pressure group activities is focused towards senior government officials and ministers, in particular, the power-holders in the British system of government. On the other hand, Parliament possesses powerful tools to influence both cabinet ministers and legislation they are trying to pass through Westminster. In the case of legislation proposed by backbenchers themselves, the Parliament has the final word on bi lls; hence, it is really the institution of last resort to which pressure groups are turning. Moreover, UK Parliament has a monopoly to recruit cabinet ministers as opposed to the US where those seeking political posts could pursue their objectives also

Morbibity and mortality by race in US by agesexand location Essay

Morbibity and mortality by race in US by agesexand location - Essay Example The report from CDC presented detailed 2005 data on deaths and death rates according to a number of social, demographic, and medical characteristics. The data provided information on mortality patterns among residents of the United States by such variables as age, sex, Hispanic origin, race, marital status, educational attainment, injury at work, state of residence, and cause of death. Information on these mortality patterns is important for understanding changes in the health and well-being of the U.S. population Mortality data in their report can be used to monitor and evaluate the health status of the Nation in terms of current mortality levels and long-term mortality trends, as well as to identify segments of the U.S. population at greater risk of death from specific diseases and injuries. Differences in death rates among various demographic subpopulations, including race and ethnic groups, may reflect subpopulation differences in factors such as socioeconomic status, access to medical care, and the prevalence of specific risk factors of a particular subpopulation. Based on the statistics as of 2005, there were 2,448,017 deaths were reported in the United States according to the death certificates state agencies received and filed. Life expectancy at birth remained the same as in 2004- 77.8 years. Age-specific death rates decreased fo

Racial Segregation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Racial Segregation - Essay Example However, the co-existence of these different races has not been smooth sailing. They have experienced racial discrimination, mostly from white Americans, who felt threatened by the increasing influx of the ‘foreigners’ in America. Following Ronald Takaki view in his book ‘A different mirror’, this essay tries to explain the nature of discrimination the slaves, Mexicans and the Irish experienced from the white American people. It captures events that happened before the civil war in relation to racial discrimination, and how the affected groups responded to such actions. Discussion The African American race was first introduced in America as servants. They were remarkably few in number and served the white masters who were the Anglo Americans â€Å"†¦rather, like most of the white laborers, they were probablyindentured servants† (Tikaki, 2008). Later on as their numbers increased, most of them were transformed to slaves. It is not clear though how and when this transition took placeNonetheless, in the nineteenth century, there was uproar by the citizens over the abolishment of slavery. It is this uproar that resulted to future civil rights movements and affirmative action that has been associated by the African American people. ... However, a sizable number of immigrants walked to El Norte in search of greener pastures in America. As usual, they were treated with hostility by Anglo Americans and resorted to doing blue collar jobs. Their settlement in El Norte, however, has enabled them to transform the culture to date due to the large number of Mexican settlers in that city. The Irish people arrived in large numbers than most immigrants in the states. Their immigration was fueled by neighboring England’s conquest of their territory, which occurred before the colonization of America. It is for this reason that they migrated to America in search of greener pastures. Their reception, however, was not so welcoming, despite their similar complexion to the Anglo Americans. This was many because their catholic belief was not welcome since most Americans came from protestant backgrounds. The Americans believed that the Irish were trying to spread their catholic practices to the Americans. As such, they were segr egated and mainly did casual jobs like construction. It was only after passing the naturalization law that the Irish got some reprieve. Their near complexion to the Anglo Americans enabled them to get blue collar jobs to the disadvantage of African Americans and the Chinese. They took advantage of this opportunity to promote their ethnic background, and also to secure political power. Conclusion Racial discrimination by the Anglo Americans was spread across all races as described in the discussion above. The Anglo Americans were keen to protect their ethnicity and culture, and as such did not provide avenues for the other races to prosper as they did. Instead, they strived hard to show their

Literature Review Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Literature Review - Coursework Example The current study aims to examine and evaluate various practices and policies on performance appraisal systems and procedures as revealed by diverse authors whose researches have been published in peer reviewed academic journals. This literature review hereby aims to proffer relevant issues that emerge in the subject of performance appraisal. The determination of organizational effectiveness which is the degree to which objectives of an organization are achieved is a cardinal task of management. The contribution of each employee in attaining these objectives is the extent to which one has achieved. Therefore, performance evaluation is the assessment of achievement of objectives. Longenecker and Nykodym (1996) examined the potential benefits of performance appraisals and revealed that the appraisal process serves as a communication tool, a means to increase motivation and productivity, an arena for discussion of future career prospects for growth and development, as a basis for wage a dministration, and as a framework for decision making process relative to human resources concerns. Brown, Hyatt and Benson (2010) likewise validated the ability of performance appraisals in increasing employee performance and productivity through â€Å"greater employee identification with the commitment to objectives of the organization (Brown, et.al, 2010, 377); financial incentives which are contingent on performance (ibid, 378) and through encouragement of retention. Likewise, Eremin, Wolf and Woodard (2010) acknowledged the critical role of performance appraisals in merit based pay system. While eminent advantages are presumed to be realized from performance appraisal systems, some research have divulged the presence of biases due to various factors, to wit: favoritism and politics (Heneman, 2003) and issue of fairness and equity, lack of trust in management, and lack of resources or money for rewards (Eremin, et.al, 2010). On the other hand, supervisors expressed difficulties in handling poor performers as revealed from appraisal reports due to the need to exercise objectivity in identifying performance problems (Daley, 2008). Management support was likewise another factor stated by Daley (2008) as precluding plans for performance improvement. Further, the time consumed to address performance problems tend to neglect other pressing responsibilities. The need for performance appraisals and evaluation, despite issues of biases and difficulties in application and in addressing poor performers, was deemed relevant and worthy by both managers and employees (Longenecker & Nykodym, 1996). The challenging issues that face organizations is designing an appropriate and effective performance appraisal system free from biases and serves clearly identified goals. Brown (et.al, 2010) is a function of both performance appraisal procedures and treatment focusing on four indicators: clarity of role and purpose, extent of communication and flow of information, level of t rust the employee has for their supervisor, and fairness throughout the process. As suggested by Eremin (et.al, 2010), biases could be addressed through a closer evaluation of current performance evaluation systems and by increasing the training of evaluators. Longenecker & Nykodym (1996) presented both managers’ views and subordinates’

Communication in an Organisation Essay Example for Free

Communication in an Organisation Essay It is not possible to have human relations without communication. However, good and effective communication is required not only for good human relations but also for good and successful business. Communication is the activity of conveying meaningful information. Communication requires a sender, a message, and an intended recipient, although the receiver need not be present or aware of the senders intent to communicate at the time of communication; thus communication can occur across vast distances in time and space. It requires that the communicating parties share an area of communicative commonality and the communication process is complete once the receiver has understood the message of the sender so communication must include both the transfer and the understanding of meaning. I think that effective communication is needed within a business for both the manager’s and the organization’s success because it is required for the day to day running of the business. Effective communication is required at various levels and for various aspects in an organization so that there can be manager and employee relations. Effective communication of information and decision is an essential component for management-employee relations. The manager cannot get the work done from employees unless they are communicated effectively of what he/she wants to be done so therefore effective communication does not take place within an organization then employees will not know how to go about achieving company goals. Managers should also be sure of some basic facts such as how to communicate and what results can be expected from that communication. Most of management problems arise because of lack of effective communication. Chances of misunderstanding and misrepresentation can be minimized with proper communication system. When there is ineffective communication it leaves room for mistakes and sometime projects and reports have to be revised or done over thus causing resources to be squandered and may cause employees and managers to be frustrated. Finally, communication between management and employees can help the management better address concerns the employees may have, reassuring the staff and helping management to remedy potential problems facing the organization. Motivation can also arise from effective communication and this can make employees more productive which in turn will ensure the success of the business. When employees are able to easily communicate to their employers their opinions and problems they tend to be productive on the job and intent on working to best of their abilities. On the other hand manager can tell employees that they are doing a great job or ask for their opinions in the decision making process. Effective communication in the workplace plays a prominent role in developing long lasting employee motivation and one of many positive benefits gained from well-established organizational communication is improved relationships. Improving relationships between management and staff is quite important and is often overlooked. Things will go smoothly when everyone is on the same page, understanding of goals and the direction a company is going. The best process of communicating here is well thought out emails that follow the chain of command and face to face interactions. A company also uses communication as a way to maintain control over employees and their work environment. Written human resources policies and procedures dictate how employees are permitted to act in the workplace. Job descriptions outline the parameters of an employees job functions. Performance reviews control whether an employee receives a raise or attains a promotion. Communication allows employees to interact with customers and each other. A customer service department communicates with customers to help them resolve issues. A business letter can be used to introduce a company to a potential customer. Communication is essential for employees who work together on a project or during the training process. Employees may interact socially both at work and outside the workplace. Every organization offers a service or good so there needs to be an effective line of communication between the organization and its customers. Those organizations need to be able communicate about what they are offering with the consumer base they are targeting. Effective communication with consumers provides two benefits. First, it lets consumers know about what is being offered and why the organizations offers should be preferred over the competitions. It also allows the organization to gain feedback from consumers so they can alter either their communication tactics or their offers to make sure they are appealing to the largest amount of consumers possible. Communication is necessary to effectively function, both inside an organization and when dealing with the outside world. The above inferences attest to the importance of effective communication within an organization if it is intent on both the manager and business success. Effective communication is not only important within the organization but also information should relay to stakeholders in order to guarantee the organizations attainment of its goals.

The Population Of Azerbaijan Cultural Studies Essay

The Population Of Azerbaijan Cultural Studies Essay I was born and raised in Azerbaijan and currently I live in Texas, United States. Geographically Azerbaijan is located where East meets West, therefore it is not surprising that the culture in Azerbaijan has been influenced by Western and Eastern set of values. Ive always believed that Azerbaijan has a very unique culture compared to other countries that share the same demographics and religion with it. To the outside world the Azerbaijan culture may seem very modern and Westernized however if one spends considerable amount of time living in Azerbaijan they will realize that the culture in this country is rather conservative. The culture in Azerbaijan has been considerably shaped due to globalization especially during the last two decades. The population of Azerbaijan consists of one racial group leaving very little space for diversity. People that are different race that reside in Azerbaijan are from foreign countries and speak a foreign language. Therefore Azerbaijanis are not very open minded and are not used to being around people that are different than them. Discriminating different races or cultures is considered something acceptable due to lack of exposure to other cultures. In addition to the social circumstances of Azerbaijan acts as a major influence on Azerbaijani society, morals and values. Islam is practiced by 90% of the population and controls every aspect of a persons life. Market exchanges and great religious associations integrate the social system of Islam, and although Islam is the core influence on the life of Azerbaijanis. I was born into a Muslim family and I still practice Islam. I believe the reason behind the conservative nature of Azerbaijani culture is that religion is still taking very seriously in this area. Every culture has negative and positive aspects to it. One of the positive aspects of my culture is that families are very close to each other and are always there for each other. I like and admire this about my culture. However, there is a downside, which is that there is a very little sense of privacy. Everyone always wants to know everything about each others personal life and they feel that they are entitled to know whats going on in other peoples personal lives. In other words there is no respect for privacy and I find this to be quiet embarrassing about my culture. Living in the United States has exposed me to a lot of new things including different social norms. One thing that I really admire about the culture here is how people are professional and organized. I believe being able to deal with all kinds of circumstances in a professional manner shows good manners. I also like how people are organized; it helps society to function better and more efficiently. Most of the people in Azerbaijan are racist towards black people, simply because they have never really interacted with them. A couple of years ago Azerbaijani soccer teams started recruiting African soccer players. This resulted in a number of African soccer players living on my native hometown Baku. Unfortunately they were not very welcome by the local population. People would stare at them, laugh at them and make rude remarks about them. I made friends with couple of them and would hang out with them on regular basis. During these times people would often stare at us and make rude comments. I would always make sure to stand up for my friends and explain that it is wrong to act this way towards them. A few years earlier we a had a class project regarding Geography and everyone was free to come up with a creative idea that involved some foreign country. Every stood in front of the class one by one and explained their project. When it was turn for one of my classmates he opened a map of the world with Middle East and North Korea crossed out in it. He then explained that he would drop a nuclear bomb on North Korea and Middle East and kill everyone that lives there. No one in class said anything including the teacher. I was shocked and wanted to say something but kept quiet. If this incident happened today I would definitely stand up and let him know that he was being ignorant and offer him more information about Middle East. In addition to the social circumstances of Azerbaijan, religion acts as a major influence on Azerbaijani society, morals and values. Islam is practiced by 90% of the population and controls every aspect of a persons life. Market exchanges and great religious associations integrate the social system of Islam, and although Islam is the core influence on the life of Azerbaijanis. The moral value system of Islam is based on the absolute equality of man, irrespective of race, wealth or lineage. The only distinction in Islam is based on piety. I believe that Azerbaijans reaction to westernization has been a negative one due to the fact that previous Western culture has failed to penetrate it. The reason for the Azerbaijans rejection of globalization is because of their social circumstances. Socially, Azerbaijani culture is the opposite of what the fundamentals of globalization are. In Azerbaijan people are interdependent individuals, highly family oriented and they think analytically. In addition, Azerbaijani people do not base their activities on a timeline and are far more lenient in terms of tardiness or leaving a business setting to converse with a friend. Azerbaijani people embody the idea of putting someone else needs before their own as well as choosing to do business amidst their own social circles. The culture of Azerbaijani people to not do business with a stranger is one of the core reasons why globalization does not work there. In order to give a better understanding of how people there view doing business with in their own social circle Id like to tell a story of man whose friends frequent his uncles taxi company and would rather walk if there are not taxis available opposed to calling upon the services of another company. In order to sum up how culture influences each generation differently Ive divided them into three categories. 1-Those who reject westernization as the highest stage of imperialism and cultural invasions based on the idea that it is designed to dominate, intimidate and destroy a cultures heritage. 2-Those who welcome the scale of globalization as the age of modern science, advanced technology, global communications and knowledge-based information. This second group of thinkers debate that its people can no longer remain confined to the boundaries of their heritage 3-Lastly, the third group does not agree with the idea of globalization nor does the group disagree with it. It can be described as a group that is positive neutrality and has a variation of attitudes when it comes to globalization. The reaction of westernization depends of which group of population it is affecting. It seems the first group mentioned above is that of the elderly group around the age of grandparents. This group is made up of individuals who still hold on to tradition and religion allowing it to determine every aspect of their life. With this group Islam is the practiced religion and the traditions of Islam go against the idea of westernized globalization. The third group is made up of those who are middle aged, who at the moment feel indifferent about the idea of globalization. These people still allow specific parts of religion and tradition to dictate their lives yet they still entertain the thought of allowing the change to take place. It is safe to say that this group agrees with Frank Griffel who quoted, Instead of rejecting globalization, the Islamic world is finding its own way of globalization. The two processes use the same means and the same tools and are indeed inseparable. Lastly, the second group is primarily made up of the younger generation. The younger generation is a lot more respectable to the change of things merely because that is the age in which he or she was born and raised in. Since the third group entertains the prospect of utilizing everything good in globalization, that is the idea the middle aged (parents) are passing on to the second group (children of the third group). To the first group the religion of Islam plays a major role in how globalization is reacted upon, however, the way the world is changing and the younger the generations, globalization will soon outweigh the power of religion.

Relationship Between Business and IT Strategies at PRASA

Relationship Between Business and IT Strategies at PRASA 1 Introduction 4.1 BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH PROBLEM For almost three decades practitioners, academics, consultants, and research organizations have identified â€Å"attaining alignment between IT and business† as a pervasive problem, Luftman and Kempaiah (2007). Gutierrez,Nawazish,Orozco,Serrano and Yazdouni (2007) add that despite the wide acceptance of strategic alignment (the strategic use of Information Technology), there is no consensus on how to achieve alignment and with few references that detail the process, there is no common agreement on the term alignment. Terminology such as linkage Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) harmony, integrated, linked, and synchronocity Luftman and Kempaiah (2007) have been suggested and used. Steiner (1979b) points out that there no consensus as to the meaning of strategy in the business world. An example of the definitions which he uses include the following Steiner (1979a): Strategy is that what executives do they that empower the organization. Strategy is the direction the organization takes which is aligned with it’s purposes and missions. Strategy consists of the important activities necessary to realize these directions. Strategy answers the question: What should the organization be doing to achieve success? Strategy answers the question: What are the means to end? Mintzberg (1994), says that people use strategy in several different ways, the most common being: Strategy is a plan, a how, a means of getting from here to there. Strategy is a pattern in actions over time; for example, a company that regularly markets very expensive products is using a high end strategy. Strategy is perspective, that is, vision and direction. Strategy is position; that is, it reflects decisions to offer particular products or services in particular markets. Porter (1998) states that strategy positioning attempts to achieve sustainable competitive advantage by preserving what is distinctive about a company and that strategy, is the creation of a unique and valuable position, involving a different set of activities, requires that trade-offs be made in competing, to chose what not to do and involves creating â€Å"fit† among a company’s activities. Fit has to do with the ways a company’s activities interact and reinforce one another. To improve the strategic management of information technology, Henderson and Venkatraman (1993), developed a framework which they called the Strategic Alignment Model (SAM). This model was defined in terms of four fundamental domains of strategic choice namely business strategy, information technology strategy, organizational infrastructure and processes and information technology infrastructure and processes. The model is defined in terms of two fundamental characteristics of strategic management namely the strategic fit (the interrelationship between external and internal components) and functional integration (integration between business and functional domains). Luftman (2001) improved on the Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) SAM model by developing the Strategic Alignment Maturity Model (SAMM). The model measures IT–business alignment maturity. Six interrelated components for assessing alignment maturity are identified. These are communications, value, governance, partnership, scope and architecture and skills. The scores an organization achieves for these six components of maturity are then compared to a five-level maturity model to denote the organization IT-business alignment maturity Luftman (2001).The levels range from level one to level five where level five is the highest level of maturity. A higher alignment maturity correlates with higher firm performance measures Luftman (2001). Tying performance measures to strategic goals is a critical step Fonvielle and Carr (2001). A tool to measure performance and to align strategic goals within organisations is the Balanced Scorecard (BSC). The BSC was developed by Kaplan and Norton (1992) to overcome the business’s reliance on financial measures. They contend that reliance on only financial measures does not give a complete overview of the organisations measures. The BSC provided a framework to look at strategy, used for value creation from four different perspectives these being financial, customer, internal business process and innovation and learning Kaplan and Norton (1992).One of the principles recommended by the authors, is that for an organization to be focused on strategy, there needs to be alignment among departments to the strategy of the organisation. The alignment sequence recommended by Kaplan and Norton (2006) starts when the corporate headquarters articulates enterprise value proposition that wil l create synergies among operating units, support units and external partners. This sequence includes aligning IT strategy with the business strategy. 4.1 STATEMENT OF RESEARCH PROBLEM Business and IT strategies at PRASA need to be better aligned. 4.1 What is passenger rail agency of south africa (PRASA)? Appendix A, gives a comprehensive overview of the historical context and the introduction of PRASA taken from the companie’s business plan. Following is a summary of the key issues PRASA was created by Government to advance its agenda for the transformation of the public transport system into a vibrant, efficient one, As part of its strategy, PRASA (2009), to secure the future of its business, PRASA will focus its resources and energies during the current medium term expenditure framework (METF) on the following three Strategic Priorities: Service Excellence within Metrorail, Shosholoza Meyl and Autopax Property and Asset Development, and Technology Upgrade or Modernization of its key transport systems The key objectives identified by Government in addressing the challenges of passenger rail transport moving forward PRASA (2009) are as follows: Sustainable passenger rail service delivery; Improved performance of passenger rail services in terms of the quality and levels of services to passengers; Improved efficiency in the delivery of services; Improved effectiveness of asset management; Effective targeting of subsidies to achieve desired socio-economic transport objectives; Improved oversight by Government; and Improved accountability to the users. 4.1 Why prasa? PASSENGER TRANSPORT CHANGE IMPERATIVES 1..1 The Public Transport Challenge After many years of neglect, the existing commuter transport system, inherited from the apartheid past, has reached saturation levels and is unable to satisfy passenger demands while its infrastructure is not able to meet the requirements of a rapidly changing and modern society. The dysfunctional institutional arrangements have meant poor accountability in the provision of public transport services, which were found to be largely disempowering. Government’s socio-economic and transport policies could not be supported adequately by such institutional arrangements. The country is seeking to move away from the current commuter-based transport provision into a more integrated public transport system that meets growing and changing passenger demands in an efficient, effective and sustainable manner. The twin challenges for public transport is to simultaneously transform through meaningful integration whilst at the same time enhancing capacity through upgrading and modernization to meet long-term need PRASA (2009). 1..2 Inadequate Passenger Service Provision Passenger rail in South Africa faces many challenges as a result of a long history of inadequate investment in rail rolling stock, infrastructure and operations as well as the loss of appropriate managerial and technical (engineering) skills within the industry. The shortage of such critical skills has a direct negative impact on the delivery of services. In the urbanising metropolitan areas the provision of new rail corridors has not kept pace with the rapidly changing urban landscape resulting in limited coverage in key areas of urban expansion with the consequential loss of significant market share. Over time, commuter rail services have continued to fail to respond adequately to changing passenger demands PRASA (2009). 1..3 Customer-Centric Delivery A dynamic and customer-centric public transport system is required where passengers contribute to and shape the service delivery agenda. The need for a Passenger or Quality Charter and the emergence of strong, vibrant structures championing both the interests of passengers and public transport transformation are vital to the development of a public transport system that will effectively respond to the travelling needs of passengers. The past few years has seen the emergence of vibrant, community-based structures championing public transport transformation and demanding quality services from Government and transport service providers. This movement seems to be growing and shows the determination of South Africans to participate in the construction of a transport system that will effectively respond to their demands PRASA (2009). 4.1 PRASA Vision, Mission Values Vision A provider of integrated public transport solutions for improved mobility Two fundamental principles underpin the vision:- Integration – PRASA should facilitate integrating individuals and communities, enabling a better quality of life through access to socioeconomic opportunities Mobility Solutions – PRASA should connect individuals and communities through the provision of public transport solutions that are founded on an integrated network of mobility routes PRASA (2009) Mission Sustainable Public Transport Solutions through Service Excellence, Innovation and Modal Integration PRASA (n.d.) The mission reflects four key intentions:- Service excellence – superior performance that is safe, reliable and affordable, that makes a lasting impression, and builds brand loyalty – both internally (employees) and externally (customers) – that adds benefit to the passenger. Sustainability a focus on sustainable development in business that considers not just the financial ‘bottom line’ of prosperity and profit, but also the other ‘bottom lines’ of environmental quality and social equity. Mobility solutions – reframing the basis of business delivery, favouring innovation, integration and partnerships Integration – safe, seamless dignified travel experiences across all modes of public transport, PRASA (n.d.) Values The values that will guide PRASA, which will underpin the performance ethos of the organization derived from and are guided by the fundamental and progressive human values of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa:- Service Excellence, Participation, Integrity, Fairness and Innovation, PRASA (2009) 4.1 OPPORTUNITY FOR Passenger Services 1..1 Commuter Rail Services The provision of efficient and affordable public passenger transport services is integral to Government’s drive to create employment opportunities, stimulate economic development and reduce levels of poverty. Enhanced mobility will facilitate greater access to socio-economic opportunities for the urban and rural poor whilst contributing to an efficient transport system to the benefit of all South Africans – highlighting the need for a vibrant public passenger transport network to support sustainable growth and development PRASA (2009). Commuter rail has the potential to be the most efficient, affordable and safe mode of travel. It plays a significant role in key Metropolitan areas such as Cape Town and has the potential to become an important public transport player in all metropolitan areas, significantly contributing to an efficient and reliable public transport system in these areas. Despite the acknowledged increase in the growth of car-ownership and usage, public transport and walking continue to dominate the mobility needs of the majority of South Africans and this is likely to continue for the next decade. Metropolitan areas in South Africa are experiencing rapid urbanization. Rail is in a unique position to facilitate greater integration between land use planning and transport infrastructure provision, and providing security, to private and public sector investment, of stable long-term public transport provision. This is vital to creating sustainable communities where peoples access to economic and social o pportunities is improved. In this context, railway lines need to be positioned, located, aligned with evolving spatial developments and formalised within the statutory planning processes undertaken primarily by local government. The creation of PRASA and the integration of rail and road-based transport services will, over time, provide the user with public transport choices – moving away from a market of captive users to one where dignified travel choice is a real option PRASA (2009). 1..2 Inter-City / Regional Passenger Services Historically, long distance rail and road based services have not received the attention required to make them demand responsive in key market areas including migrant workers, students, tourists and occasional travellers. The Department of Transport’s Public Transport Strategy Action Plan notes that: There is a significant potential for the growth in migrant worker long distance public transport provision. The dominant generators of migrant movement are Gauteng and KZN The increase in tourism provides opportunities for segmenting the market that build upon the strengths of both long distance rail and coach operations. Rural areas in South Africa are undergoing a process of economic and social restructuring with a shift in emphasis towards rural trade and agro-processing. These factors reinforce the need for a public transport service sector that responds to the emerging needs of these rural / regional development nodes since transport links between the rural trade areas and t he rural regions (hinterlands) remains unreliable, rendering access to services and emerging economic opportunities extremely difficult. This lack of access will continue to trap many in the poverty cycle. Government’s decision to consolidate passenger rail entities and road-based long distance bus services into a single entity, PRASA, reporting to the Department of Transport are underpinned by a number of key drivers. The recognition by Government that rail consolidation was required to deal with the under-performance of rail passenger services as well as the historical under-investment in the passenger rail business. Institutional arrangements did not promote efficiency and accountability and significant change was required to overcome the inherent institutional dysfunctions that had been created. Confusion existed between the contractor and regulatory functions implicitly embodied in the SARCC/Transnet relationship PRASA (2009). The critical need for sustainable funding to reverse the decline in commuter rail levels of service being experienced by commuters has been identified. This funding profile was captured in the National Rail Plan, which was accepted by Cabinet in December 2006, where the funding and investment requirements were identified for passenger rail over the following ten years PRASA (2009). 4.1 PRASA Objective PRASA (n.d.) primary objective is: To ensure that at the request of the Department of Transport, rail commuter services are provided within, to and from the Republic in the public interest; and To provide, in consultation with the Department of Transport, for long haul passenger rail and bus services within, to and from the Republic in terms of the principles set out in section 4 of the National Land Transport Transition Act, 2000 (Act No.22 of 2000)†.. 4.1 Strategy of prasa PRASA (2009) objectives are supportive of the Board of Control’s (BOC) key performance areas as seen in figure 2 below Figure 2 Key Performance Area and Strategic Objectives 4.1 CHALLENGES FACING PRASA 1..1 Consolidation / Turnaround / Restructuring The sequential amalgamation, in quick succession, of the SARCC, Metrorail, Shosholoza Meyl and Autopax bring with it the normal challenges that are posed when merging disparate organizations in related but different operational arenas. A key driver in Government’s decision to consolidate these entities into a single delivery arm of the DOT was to effect operational and asset â€Å"turnaround† of what were acknowledged to be declining businesses, albeit, some with the potential for growth. Linked with both these processes is the need to internally restructure the various businesses to align them with the new mandate given to PRASA through the amendment to the Legal Succession Act that was promulgated on 23 December 2008 PRASA (2009). 1..2 Sustainable Funding The ability to provide the requisite level of funding (substantial) to address both the investment capital and rapidly expanding operational requirements to affect the mandate is fundamental to the successful performance of PRASA. The integrated passenger transport plan requirements will need to be developed. Fully motivated funding requirements, covering both operations and investment capital, in line with the 5-year financial plan requirements of the various Integrated Transport Plans (ITPs), will be developed to begin to align the funding requirements with statutory plan requirements. The approved funding base makes no provision for two key activities that need to be accommodated: The incorporation of Autopax, an operating company that is currently materially dependent upon Transnet Limited for funding to re-capitalize and sustain the business going forward. The acquisition of new rolling stock. Analysis has indicated that the rolling stock refurbishment and upgrading programs are not maintaining pace with the requirements to buy time before the inevitable purchasing of new fleet becomes unavoidable. While the profile reflects a rising trend in investment funding support, the allocation of these funds to the different asset classes (Rolling Stock Infrastructure) will need to be reviewed. A careful balance needs to be struck to ensure that the sustainability of the asset base is not compromised PRASA (2009). 1..3 Ageing Rolling Stock and Infrastructure PRASA (2009) reports that the prolonged under-investment in passenger rail of almost thirty years is manifestly experienced in the deterioration of the general rail asset i.e. Rolling Stock and Infrastructure (Signalling and telecommunications, electrical systems, perway). This has resulted in a situation where services are experiencing continued decline, primarily due to poor availability and reliability of rolling stock and ageing infrastructure. The lack of investment in the asset base has also had a negative impact in the skills base of the passenger rail industry over a period of time. For example, the average age profile of commuter coaches is 40 years and has been left behind by international advancements in rail technology over the past few decades. The life expectancy of railway rolling stock is of the order of 54 years. The railway industry norms are that the coaches will be upgraded at half life (27 years) and overhauled every 9 years, so as to ensure the structural and su b-systems integrity is not compromised by metal fatigue, age, wear and tear or environmental condition. Thirty-three percent (33%) of the commuter rail fleet is already above 36 years and therefore would be uneconomical to upgrade. 1..4 Human Capital Development Human capital development is generally understated and under-rated in supporting the development of an organization. It is a multi-faceted process that requires clear understanding to enable human capabilities to be built that will support the key performance drivers of the business and ultimately the business results that can be expected from that performance. The key challenge for PRASA is to formulate human capital development processes that facilitate and fast-track the appropriate human capital capabilities at all levels within the organization that will enable delivery on the key drivers of which, in the case of PRASA are : increased productivity (operational efficiencies), improved service quality (service excellence), customer focus and innovation in the provision of integrated public transport solutions The nature of the various operational divisions, while related and providing synergistic opportunities for service co-operation and delivery, are by their very nature, different business environments, each requiring a specific set of human capabilities to perform optimally. PRASA needs to provide guidance in the process framework that delivers this requirement PRASA (2009). 1..5 Change Management The finalisation of the PRASA consolidation process, the turnaround and restructuring necessitate that a number of parallel change management processes are undertaken. Numerous change management processes will be identified that are needed to combine the five organizations into a consolidated organization. The very ability of PRASA to ensure effective implementation of such processes becomes critical as is the capacity of the organization (including divisions and subsidiaries) to manage them successfully PRASA (2009). 1..6 Leadership Skills Development There is currently an acknowledged shortage of key skills as well as a lack of depth of skills in critical areas within the organization. For PRASA to meet the expanded mandate of supporting government’s socio-economic and transport objectives in both urban and rural contexts, the organization will need a focused approach to human capital development, on leadership development, talent management and the progressive training of a strong base of key skills that will lay the foundation for sustaining rail passenger transport sector PRASA (2009). 1..7 Rail Technology Development PRASA, of necessity, will need to become a technology based organization that blends best practice policies with intelligent asset management philosophies to leverage organisational productivity and efficiency gains to provide shareholder value. PRASA recognises that technology upgrade is critical to the modernisation of South Africa’s railways and is well aware that the capacity for technology upgrade may not be immediately available in South Africa or the African Continent as a whole. Technological obsolescence is a major factor that will inhibit PRASA from delivering on its mandate. A rail technical strategy that guides technological renewal, upgrading, replacement and development over the next 30 years is a critical requirement. The average age of the metropolitan rail commuter networks/system in South Africa ranges between 60 80 years and still supports 1940/50’s technology. The system in SA is showing serious age related condition decline with increasing systemic risks and technological obsolescence. Railway systems are designed for an extended economic life, but it is acknowledged that the current ad hoc investment flows into the ageing system in South Africa are not productive in terms of future demand, operational performance requirements and escalating maintenance costs. Global technology advancement in rail has moved beyond the limited application of heavy rail, regional and long distance passenger rail. Various new rail based technologies of alternative applications have evolved globally to ensure the competitiveness and attractiveness of rail solutions. If South Africa is serious about ensuring environmentally friendly and energy efficient transportation for its cities to counter growth in private vehicle travel, congestion and spiralling cost of fossil fuels, a selective conversion of appropriate new and improved rail based and mass transit technologies needs to be evaluated, introduced, and established in South Africa ensuring that these take their place in the hierarchy of public transport service provision. The technological needs of PRASA over the next 30 years need to be clearly articulated and incorporated into PRASA’s long-term planning if passenger rail is to be sustained over the longer-term. The development of a rail technology strategy, together with the appropriate migration requirements over this period will assist in guiding decision-making in much critical technology upgrade or replacement areas within the organisation. The phased implementation of the strategy will be captured in each of the Business Plans roll-outs over time PRASA (2009). 4.1 RESEARCH AIM, QUESTION, SUB-QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES Research Aim The aim of this research is to understand to what extent alignment between Business and IT strategies exists, at the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA). Research Questions The research question derived from the problem statement is What can PRASA do to improve business and IT strategies, alignment? The sub questions to answer the main question are: What are business and IT strategies? What is alignment between business and IT strategies? What factors contribute to an alignment gap between business and IT strategies? What factors contributes to an improved alignment between business and IT strategies? Objectives of the research Based on the sub questions the objectives of the research are to 1. Analyse the Business’s and IT strategy 2. Carry out a literature review on the alignment between Business and IT strategies. 3. Analyse the factors that contribute towards Alignment Gap 4. a. Establish strategic alignment best practice. b. Formulate a methodology for aligning Business and IT strategies. c. Propose recommendations to improve PRASA’s Business and IT strategies alignment. 4.1 CURRENT STATUS OF THE RESEARCH AREA The literature review will be based on the research into alignment of business and IT strategies. There is a plethora of research available on the alignment of business and IT strategies. Chan and Reich (2007) have carried out comprehensive research on this topic. 4.1 Business and IT strategies 1..1 Business Strategies Croteau and Bergeron (2001) define business strategy as â€Å"the outcomes of decisions made to guide an organisation with respect to the environment, structure and processes that influence it’s organisational performance†. Hambrick (1980) states that business strategies may be textual, multivariate or typological. Henderson and Venkatraman (1993) architects of the SAM model, view strategy as involving both strategy formulation (decisions pertaining to competitive, product market choices) and strategy implementation (choices that pertain to the structure and capabilities of the firm to execute it’s product market choices).The SAM model presents two business strategy perspectives where business strategy is the driver namely strategic execution, and technology transformation. figure 3 presents the key attributes of these perspectives. Figure 3 Attributes of Business Strategy perspectives (Henderson Venkatraman 1993) One of the six components of the SAMM Luftman and Kempaiah (2007), is partnership which includes IT’s role in defining the business’s strategies. Both of these models (SAM and SAMM) are about aligning business and IT strategies and can be criticised because it does not define what business strategy is. Kay (1996) says that there is much debate on the substance but that

Knowledge, Confidence, and Deceit in Descartes and Shakespeare :: Philosophy William Shakespeare Religion Essays

Knowledge, Confidence, and Deceit in Descartes and Shakespeare â€Å"Knowledge is power,† the English philosopher Francis Bacon once said1. It seems obvious then, that knowledge is something to be sought after, and of course it is sought after in everyday life, in thoughts, and in fiction. However, there is danger in this. Bacon’s quote no doubt refers to true knowledge, as power rarely comes from being misled. Yet, we are misled, deceived, and betrayed when in the pursuit of knowledge. A challenge then arises: how to continue in the pursuit of knowledge, something obviously necessary in life, while verifying that we are not being led astray. It seems a well thought out process for collecting knowledge is in order. Any pursuit of knowledge must begin with either an observation by the senses, or a piece of information supplied by a third party. This starting point must be verified, and then the process must move forward using a combination of Aristotelian logic, further observations and third-party information. Whenever observations or third-party knowledge is used, it must be verified carefully before proceeding. This process seems satisfactory, yet is much more complicated than it reveals on its skin. To further clarify the issue, some of the terms that have just been thrown around must be more specifically defined for their context. What is Aristotelian logic? This is simply the process of deducing truthful statements from other truthful statements. The main point here is that only a truth can imply a truth. Any findings based on a string of logic beginning with or including a false assumption cannot be trusted. This can lead to tricky situations in which the logic itself can be perfect and yet still yield a false result. What does it mean to verify something? This is where things get difficult. Since it is very hard to know if we actually know anything, we can never verify something completely. This concept is well out of the scope of this paper, but it is important to understand that complete verification is impossible, and endlessly inefficient, so we must be satisfied with a c ertain amount of verification. This wildly subjective statement poses a great problem. What is a good amount of verification? There is no answer to this question, because in fact, it differs for every situation, and even within a single situation, two people may apply different levels of verification.

Frankenstein Relationships :: Essays Papers

Frankenstein Relationships Many stories have progressed enough to be the topic of conversation from time to time. The novel, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus has different relationships to many other topics. The author of the story, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley who was born almost 200 years ago bringing with her the age of horror (Edison 5), used biographical strategies to write Frankenstein. Also, as time progressed, Frankenstein became a well-known story. It was turned into many different films that depicted the time period that it happened to be from. One final relationship that Frankenstein has happens to be the way that everyone can draw morals from the story, no matter what the reader’s age, or how the reader’s life has evolved. Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley used biographical strategies to write her well-known novel. Frankenstein has plenty of tragedy included to form the storyline. Many women passed away throughout the entire novel. Perhaps the reason for these mishaps was because Shelley watched many women and children die all through her life. For instance, her mother died after giving birth to Shelley. Also, only one of Mary’s children survived infancy. Mary herself almost died after a miscarriage. Percy Shelley’s wife, Harriet, committed suicide. (Percy married Mary after his wife took her own life.) Shelley also demonstrated a bond between specifics such as names, dates and events. For example, the letters that form the narration of the novel were written to Margaret Walton Saville (Whose initials M.W.S are those of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley). These letters were written not only during the time that Mary was going through her third pregnancy, but also during the time when she was writing the novel itself. It appears that Mary tries to be a silent person in her story. Most of the important scenes revolve around her in some way. Certain dates had a large enough impact on Mary’s life that she integrated them into her novel. â€Å"Mellor discovered that the day and date on which Walton first sees the creature, Monday, 31 July, had coincided in 1797, the year in which Mary Shelley was born. This fact and other internal evidence led Mellor to conclude that the novel ends on 12 September 1797, two days after Mary Wollstonecraft’s death.

The Effects of Drug Abuse

The Effect of Drug Abuse Jason Russ The Effect of Drug Abuse Many people do not understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. It can be wrongfully assumed that drug abusers lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop using drugs simply by choosing to change their behavior. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, and quitting takes more than good intentions. In fact, because drugs change the brain in ways that foster compulsive drug abuse, quitting is difficult, even for those who are ready to do so.Through scientific advances, we know more about how drugs work in the brain than ever, and we also know that drug addiction can be successfully treated to help people stop abusing drugs and lead productive lives. Today, thanks to science, our views and responses to drug abuse has changed dramatically. â€Å"Groundbreaking discoveries about the brain have revolutionized our understanding of drug addiction, enabling us to respond effectively to the pr oblem,† (Volkow).Addiction is a developmental disease that begins in infancy and adolescence and is influenced by a combination of factors involving genes, environment, and an individual’s age at first drug use. The genes that people are born with in combination environmental influences of their addiction defenselessness. To addition that, gender, ethnicity, and the mental disorders may influence risk for drug abuse and addiction. â€Å"Scientists estimate that genetic factors account for between 40 and 60 percent of a person’s vulnerability to addiction, including the effects of environment on gene expression and function.Adolescents and individuals with mental disorders are at greater risk of drug abuse and addiction than the general population†, (Volkow). Few weakness genes have been found for alcohol dependence and nicotine addiction. Alcoholism is a genetically inherited disease. There are several evidences proving that â€Å"Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine conducted a genome-wide association study in 2006 and identified several novel genes involved in nicotine dependence.In 2004, researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found a protein, called Arc, which may be a culprit in drug addiction. The protein helps the brain retain memories for longer than an hour or two†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). â€Å"In 1994, scientists at the Oregon Health & Science University were the first to clone the mammalian gene for the D2 dopamine receptor. Dopamine is a brain neurotransmitter that is thought to be essential to the brain’s response to drugs like opiates and psycho stimulants,† (Association of American Medical Colleges). Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine researchers reported in 2006 that men’s brains show evidence of up to three times the amount of the brain chemical dopamine as women’s brains when exposed to amphetamines. This is the first clinical study that explains why more men than women abuse amphetamines and could lead to tailored treatments for drug abuse and neurological diseases†, (Association of American Medical Colleges).On the other hand, many people believe that â€Å"Addiction is a choice†, meaning anyone can stop or moderate their use of addictive drugs anytime they want to by just going to Meditation, Yoga, Exercise, Acupuncture and Counseling. However, drug addiction is a certain disease because one of the main reasons is called dopamine. â€Å"Addictive drugs trigger the release of the brain chemical dopamine, which in turn creates a reward circuit in the brain. This circuit registers that intense experience as â€Å"important† and creates lasting memories of it as a pleasurable experience.Dopamine changes the brain on a cellular level, commanding the brain to â€Å"do it again,† which heightens the possibility of relapse even long after the behavior (or drug) has s topped. Dopamine also helps to explain why intense experiences can be just as addictive as drugs,† (Smithstein). A person’s environment includes many different influences, from family and friends to quality of life in general. Factors such as peer pressure, physical and sexual abuse, stress, and quality of parenting can greatly influence the occurrence of drug abuse and the growth to addiction in a person’s life.Many people today do not understand why some become addicted to drugs or how drugs change the brain to foster obsessive drug abuse. Parents who abuse drugs or engage in criminal behavior can increase children’s risks of developing their own drug problems. Use of substances by parents and their children is strongly correlated; generally, if parents take drugs, sooner or later their children will also. Teenagers who use drugs are more likely to have one or more parents who also use drugs. Children who depend on illicit drugs usually have poor social skills or academic failures. In 2004, researchers at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA used structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computational brain mapping to reveal structural abnormalities in the brains of chronic methamphetamine users†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). â€Å"A 2005 study at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine showed that functional MRI might be used to predict relapse in substance-dependent individuals. A simple two-choice test correctly predicted 20 of 22 subjects who did not relapse and 17 of 18 subjects who did†, (Association of American Medical Colleges). In one study, 41% of addicted parents reported that at least one of their children repeated a grade in school, 19% were involved in truancy, and 30% had been suspended from school†, (National Association for Children of Alcoholics). People, who believe that drug addiction is not a disease, claim that have nothing do with the environm ent. But the scientist says that a people were influenced by a combination factors including genes and environment increased drug abuse. â€Å"In 1995, nearly 3. 1 million children were reported to child protective services as abused or neglected. Approximately one million of these reports were substantiated.Substance abuse was found to be a factor in a majority of these cases†, (sparkaction. org). Behavioral treatments help engage people, modifying their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse and increasing their life skills to handle complicated, stressful life circumstances and environmental cues that may trigger intense cravings for drugs. Additionally it can enhance the effectiveness of medications and help people remain in treatment in the longer term. The combination of genetic and environmental, factors with serious developmental stages in a person’s life to affect addiction vulnerability.Even though taking drugs at any age can lead to addiction, the ear lier that drug use begins, the more likely it will progress to more serious abuse, which teenagers will suffer more. Because their brains are still developing in the areas that choice, and self-control, young people may be especially prone to risk-taking behaviors, including trying drugs of abuse. Babies may be born premature and underweight were exposed to legal and illegal drugs in the womb. This drug exposure will damage and slow the child’s intellection and behavior later in life. Adolescents who abuse drugs often, do poorly academically, and drop out of school.They are at risk of unplanned pregnancies, violence, and infectious diseases. Adults have problems thinking clearly, remembering, and paying attention because the drugs damaging their brain cells. They often develop poor social behaviors as a result of their drug abuse, and their work performance and personal relationships suffer. Parents’ drug abuse often means chaotic, stress-filled homes and child abuse a nd neglect. â€Å"Such conditions harm the development of children in the home and may set the stage for drug abuse in the next generation. It is a proven fact that substance abuse is the leading cause for people to commit crimes.Drugs and alcohol can mess with a person’s mind and cause them to do stupid things, as in robberies, murders, become violent, etc. Drugs such as alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, narcotics and non-narcotics (prescription pills), opium, ecstasy, and mushrooms can all lead to psychological effects on a person’s mind. â€Å"Amphetamines and cocaine increase wakefulness, alertness and vigilance, improve concentration, and produce a feeling of clear thinking (Barton R&M, 2008). There is generally an elevation of mood, mild euphoria, increases sociability, and a belief that one can do just about anything. Depending on the drugs that are being used and the way they are being used, depends on how long the effects from it will last. Some can last from a few minutes to a few hours. Usually the prescription pills last for hours and cocaine effects last for only a few minutes. Any drug can lead to problems with a person’s brain; it can make one mentally disabled. It can also lead to regular nose bleeds, loss of smell, swallowing problems and inflammation of nasal septum. This can occur if one abuses drugs by snorting it through their nose.The abuse of prescription drugs are the second most abused drugs in our Nation, with Marijuana being first and Cocaine being third, heroin fourth, and methamphetamine fifth. This list will give an idea of exactly how serious this type of drug addiction is to our Nation today and how it will impact our future. According to the National Health Institute about 20% of people have used prescription drugs for non-medical issues (National Institutes of Health). When you are prescribed pain medication for an injury you may be told to take one pill every 4 hours but you feel that one is not work ing so you take two this is prescription drug abuse.You may not think that it is that big of a deal but studies say that if you abuse it once you are more at risk of abusing prescription drugs again. Although most people who abuse prescription drugs abuse pain killers there are other types that are abused also. Drug addiction is a chronic yet preventable. According to NIDA-funded research, they have shown that prevention programs relating families, schools, communities, and the media are effective in reducing drug abuse. Although many actions and cultural factors affect drug abuse trend, when people recognize drug abuse as harmful, will stop taking drugs.Thus, education is key in helping people and the public understands the risks of drug abuse. Teachers, parents, medical and public health professionals must keep sending the message that drug addiction can be prevented if one never takes drugs. References: Barton R&M 2008. , â€Å"Mexico's Drug-Related Violence,† Congressiona l Research Service â€Å"Drug Use and Abuse: Fighting the Destructive Grip of Addiction† Kirst-Ashman, K. (2011). Human behavior in the macro social environment (3rd ed. ). Brooks Cole.ISBN: 9780495813651. Kolar, A. F. , Brown, B. S. , Haertzen, C. A. , & Michaelson, B. S. , CHILDREN OF ADDICTED PARENTS: IMPORTANT FACTS. National Association for Children of Alcoholics, 1994 Nora D. Volkow, Science of Addiction. National Institutes on Drug Abuse, April 2007 Samantha Smithstein, Dopamine: why it's so hard to â€Å"just say no†. Psychology Today, 19 August 2010

Are women better rulers than men? Essay

This argument on the question; are women better rulers than men? Will focus on the example of Elizabeth I compared to the average of male rulers. It mostly depends which era you live in, in modern times it would really not make much of a difference as both genders are considered equal. But in the Tudor era, looking at it from the present, a female would definitely have had the upper hand, but from the common perspective of people in the Tudor times a female would have been considered lower, for a number of reasons, the main one being, female rulers were supposed to have a husband to make the decisions for them, while the queen got on producing a male heir. Because it was lady-like in those times. The definition for lady-like then was to be quiet, sit in a corner be submissive to males and not be able to do any thing for themselves. That really did challenge Elizabeth in the start as her parliament kept pestering her toThere were a number of traits that Elizabeth also had that made her more successful than others. One of them was she was fluent in 6 languages; her native English, French, Italian, Spanish, Greek, and Latin. Later she came to terms with a bit of german. They became very useful to her in foreign plolitical situations such as when shemade an alliance with France. The St Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, in which thousands of French Protestants (Huguenots) were killed, strained the alliance but did not break it. Elizabeth even began marriage negotiations with Henry, Duke of Anjou , and afterwards with his younger brother Franà §ois, Duke of Anjou and Alenà §on. Another was that she was a just ruler and upheld the law, when she wanted, she could be ruthless (such as when the earl of essex plotted to overthrow her she had him executed immediately)but at times she can be merciful (like when she captured her half sister mary she kept transferring her from keep to keep for 18 years until she ordered her execution. Although some say this was because she was waiting for enough evidence to execute her; if she executed her too early a lot of people would view her as a martyr). She was also very brave; at the beginning of the sapnish armada, when she was 55, she deleivered a speech to her men on horseback wearing light armour, with no guard or royal escort, only her pages. (some saw this as foolery)  She was also trained partially in fencing, as part of her fitness. Women didnt usually participate in any physical activity.she could also be very rude to noblemenShe also never married and is commonly called the virgin queen (there is some speculation about this) many say that not marrying was the key to her success, it meant that she had no loyalties to anyone but the people of england, but she did have the loyalties of many men who she kept flirting with letting them think they were all in with a chance of marrying her and so did almost everything she asked. This proved she was a talented manipulater. It is also said that she never married because she was mentally scarred from the treatment of her fathers wives and how he had beheaded hers and feared that the same might happen to her. Others say that she never married because she was deeply passionate about Robert Dudley and she could not marry him for a number of reasons cheifly because he was extremly unpopular with the parliament because his family was a long line of rogue nobles. Over all I think that elizabeth proved that women are very much better rulers than men as there is no other monarchs time of reign that was called THE GOLDEN AGE[1]. Bibliography http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabeth_I_of_England

Emotions & the monster Essay

Acceptance is very important in society, and the same perceptions apply just as much today as they did in the 1800’s. It is part of human nature to make instant judgments, and to form first impressions of a person before you know what they are really like, and this is what happened to Frankenstein’s monster in this book. Although it is almost impossible to avoid making these snap decisions, they can almost always be changed later on, and put right once you get to know the person. Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are, regardless of appearances or stature, however this is not always the case. This can be related to the treatment the monster receives upon meeting other people. He is not â€Å"the norm†, and is undoubtedly ugly to look at, but that does not make him a bad person. Shelley manages to show this in such a way that the reader feels sorry for the monster, but we can see that it is something that is unlikely to change, as it is a normal part of society and human nature. Shelley shows her disgust at this harsh treatment through the monster’s feelings, which are shared with Victor later on in the book, and it is as if the author is pouring out her emotions, rather than the monster’s. The hideous figure, the disfigured stature of this monster is the first thing noticed by Victor Frankenstein. â€Å"His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles. † This reference to the monster’s yellow skin depicts the same behaviour conducted in modern day racism. The colour of one’s skin does not dictate the intelligence, attitude and personality of a person. Regardless of the yellow skin of the monster, which would repulse and overwhelm most people, there is no need to carry over that emotion to judge the monster’s intellectual side. The mind and body are two very different things; human beings have yet to distinguish that fact. Mary Shelley clearly feels very strongly about this unfair prejudice in place in society, and has tried (very successfully) to show her readers just how unjust it really is. However, until people actually do something about it, it is just a part of society which we will probably never be entirely without. We may feel that it is wrong, but it will always be there, and it is something people have learnt to deal with in society. The novel, â€Å"Frankenstein†, actually reflects quite badly on the society in which Mary Shelley lived. It suggests that this type of behaviour was carrying on back then towards â€Å"different† people and was accepted as part of every day life. Humans have always and will continue to be scared of the unknown. Some might say that what you don’t know about can’t hurt you, but there is a sense of mystery and darkness behind unidentified things. This fear is ever increasing alongside the amount of horror films and novels, by which the general public is heavily influenced – maybe sometimes too heavily. The public has always been influenced by the media, which is created by society, and with an increasing amount of stories and films out with the intention of scaring the audience, people are getting more and more prejudiced towards the unknown. Luckily this is counteracted by an increasing knowledge of other cultures and races, but Shelley lived in a society where people were still very ignorant about other people, and automatically assumed the worst. Although it is not shown outright, in â€Å"Frankenstein†, the monster actually experiences this fear as well as the villagers when he comes into their town. Their fears were of the same thing – the unfamiliar; however their reactions were completely different. Some villagers threw rocks, and were trying to drive the monster away as if it was a worthless piece of society; others simply ran away in shock, screaming and scared. This is not justified by anything except his demeanor. The monster, on the other hand, did not reply in a violent manner at all, he just tried to hide from all people from then on. This just goes to show how much people are affected by small things in their life. One incident such as this could ruin an entire life, and the villagers did not realise just how selfish they were being. They did not think about his feelings, and left him to support himself, poor and defenseless. The public do not realise how much little things they may pass off as unimportant affect others, and in this case, society ruined the monster’s life. From that moment and for the rest of his existence, the monster knew not to interfere with human beings, for their nature was clearly different to his. The monster, like all human beings, wanted to be accepted for his intellectual abilities and personality, and both him and humans have it in their nature to be afraid of the unknown, yet the villagers had an unmistakable advantage over the monster – the monster was still innocent and nai ve, unsure of the world around him and ignorant of human nature. He was not accepted by anyone, purely because of his appearance. This fact is obvious as no one as yet had even had the chance to get to know the monster’s personality, not even the monster himself had had this opportunity, because he could not speak and did not know anything about society. Therefore human nature plays an incredibly important role in the novel, because without it the villagers would probably have accepted the monster, and he would never have turned out how he did.

Goal and Career Action Plan

University of Phoenix Material Professional Career Action Plan Outline Complete this professional career action plan outline after viewing the Career 101 workshop link on the student website. You may need to research specific careers or companies to answer all of the questions. A professional career plan details career goals, rather than personal goals. This plan will look at your professional strengths and weaknesses, the type of company you wish to work for, any knowledge gaps that exist, and your professional resume.Create three to five professional goals (for example, â€Å"I want to get a job in a health care facility in the emergency services department†), and then complete this outline with those goals in mind. 1. Goal #1 2. Goal #2 3. Goal #3 I. Self-Awareness a. Professional strengths i. ii. b. Personal strengths i. ii. c. Professional weaknesses i. ii. d. Personal weaknesses i. ii. e. Write 4 to 5 sentences, using the strengths and weaknesses above, to describe yours elf to a potential employer. II.Ideal Next Objective (or position) – based on your self-assessment, where will you go next? a. Required competencies i. ii. b. Compensation requirements i. ii. c. Company culture i. ii. d. Compromises i. ii. III. Gap analysis, plan, and execution – these are skills you already have a. Credentials i. ii. b. Responsibilities i. ii. c. Accomplishments (personal and professional) i. ii. d. Career management gaps (lacking credentials) i. ii. IV. Personal marketing a. Resume (include) b. Cover letter (include) c.Networking – what do you do to network? i. ii. d. Interviewing techniques and skills i. ii. V. Periodic career audit a. How often will you evaluate career plan? b. What influences or affects career plans i. ii. Professional Career Action Plan Outline Complete this specialized career action plan outline after watching the Career 101 workshop link onthe student website. You may need to investigate precise careers or companies to a nswer all of theinquiries. A professional  career  plan specifics  career  objectives, rather than personal objectives.Thisproposal will look at your specialized fortes and faintness, the kind of business you wish to work for,any knowledge gaps that exist, and your expert recommence. Create three to five objectives professionals (e. g. , â€Å"I want to get a job at a health center in the unitof emergency services†), and then thorough the picture with the objectives in mind. 1. Goal  #12. I would  get a job in a  supported living community  as a health manager. 3. Goal  #24. I love to finish my  education with a  DrPH. 5. Goal  #3I excelsior’s link program for paramedic’s. I.Self-Awarenessa. Professional fortesi. Communication  talentsii. Written abilitiesb. Personal fortesi. People  expertiseii. Trust  worthyc. Professional  weaknessesi. Computer skillsii. Typing skillsd. Personal  faintnessi. I over-extend myself  ii. e. Wri te  4 to 5 sentences, using the  fortes and faintness above, to describe you  to apotential company. I am a very outbound and optimistic thinking individual with brilliant leadershipskills. I am a instigator and very honest and trust worthy. I must declare I need toprogress my computer and typing talents