Running Head: Organization Staffing

Steps to be undertaken by an organization that is committed to shattering the glass ceiling; An organization that is committed to shattering the glass ceiling should carry out the following steps:There should be Communication targeting women and science; women should participate in silence low women employees is a wastage on human resources.   It also limits the diversity of   research and development.   Women should participate in research / science at all levels.   Women should be appointed at different committee, as advised and man agreement team.   The proportion of 40:60 needs to be achieved.Women participants should be at the center of research policy. Gender equality should be emphasized.   Scientific research should be made accessible to ladies.   Conferences should be called for to focus on women and science.   Change should be visible.   The scientific mindset is also being changed.   Policies should be good for women in sciences men should not only cons ider fellow men.2.The most common discretionary and contingent assessment methods include:(1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Simulation exercise:   To stimulate is to do or make something, which looks read but is not real.   The members of staff are put in a situation this assumes the real workplace and the staff are supposed to do vital dimension for the real job.(2)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Sample of past work:   The staff members are supposed to sample an attitude that they carried out to some successful completion some times backs.   In assessing the capability to write, the candidate is supposed to bring a letter, report or even an article that he did in a current for period of job.(3)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The interview:   Questions analyze   hypothetical work related call and focus is on relevant qualification.   Answers are based on expected perform once.   Questions can be sometime questions or probing or prompting.   Situational questions referees t o questions form the staff history and will enable prediction of his exported performance in the current job.   Probing or prompting questions are normally assessing the candidate’s ability to make quick decision to avoid memorizing expression for the interview.   Herbert (2005)(4)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Written tests:   Various qualifications can be tested.   This is a screening criterion for a large number of applicants.   They can be knowledge tests, skill tests, thinking or conscious metal tests, knowledge tests relate to job performance knowledge before appointment.   Skill test relate to clinical skills, which include typing, coding, reading and filing.   Cognitive ability test measure verbal reasoning, solving a problem and the memory including quantitative reasoning.  Both written tests and interviews:   reduce the interview time where in the time is taken but test results can be used in evaluating the expected performance.Differences between wr itten tests and interviews:Written tests are good when the number of candidates is large which interviews may be time consuming given that candidates need to express themselves better.Written tests guarantees privacy where by answers   given are not spread to everybody while interview whereby the panel is large, diffusion may occur whereby other word parties may know the result.3.Initial Assessment methods:The initial assessment methods for starting my own business would include;Interviews: for a starter in business, interviews will focus on hypothetical cases whereby the applicants will be expected to replay what they could do given a real job situation.   Interviews also nationalize because questions are based expected performance compared to the actual performance probing questions will be very helpful because applicants may have had a leakage of the questions sudden tests the applicants ability to make sudden decision.Written tests:   This will enable the new recruits to b e tested on their qualification and can be used for screening to shortlist applicants.   Written taxes will enable me to test the applicant’s knowledge based on special skills required for job performance.   The clerical staff will also be tested on their ability to perform.   Verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning and solving problem capability will also be determined.4. Investigation of validity for the verbal and computational skills test rating and assessment:To investigate the criterion related validity of verbal and computational skills would include;  Ã‚  Due to the severe hiring pressure all the applicants were hired regardless of their test scores.   Expected response is determined in advance for every qualification.   Asking similar questions ensures fairness and equality for all candidates.   All factors of verbal and computational skills are determined by the questions for the rating and accessing.   Expected answers all given some markers, which may be good, fair and poor as 8 – 10, 5 – 7, and 1 – 4 respectively.   Every one of the employed expected to meet one of the ranks.   Every individual is assessed to determine his or her verbal and computational ability.5.The use of a new predictor:This is what I would advise my boss regarding the new predictor;The validity coefficient is high for the current predictor.   It will be very necessary for the base rate to be low so that at least some of the candidates can qualify due to the low selection ratio.   This low base rate based on the sample chosen will capture some of he applicants.6.GUIDELINES FOR ORAL AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATION SKILLS:If I were the HR staffing for an organization, I would recommend the following regarding oral and written communication with the job applicants by members of the organization;  There should be some uniform calculation:   questions asked should be similar to allow uniform evaluation and this will also help in ma ny sing responses.  Oral and written communication skills should have limited lane allocations to ensure some for all questions is enable the interviewees and respondents express and excrescent questions in the right manner.  The content of oral and written communications skills evaluation that is functional or scientific to ensure relevance and problem solving with definite answers.Incase many question are to be asked written tests must be used so that applicants can have time to respond.  Incase confidentiality and privacy is required, written tests are more applicable to ensure that the written answers remains to those relevant ones.  Substance is very necessary to ensure that answers target the job performance7.ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES TO THE SALES APPROACH IN THE PRESENTATION OF THE JOB OFFERS:ADVANTAGESSales approach ensures relevance in relation to the response given by the respondents.   The applicants normally answers as if they have the job (in hypothesis) an d this is good for determining the expected performance.  Sales approach also reduces the amount of time and the responses can be evaluated for selection of successful applicants.   An analysis of responses can be made easy because expected answers are used as guidance.DISADVANTAGESSales approach in the presentation of a job offer does not allow adequate and sufficient screening of applicants because questions asked are normally guiding and does not allow the respondents to think and this may be helpful in determining the applicants capability is make urgent decision and choices.8.LEGAL STAFFING REQUIREMETNS:The legal requirements of staffing system management and steps I would take to ensure that managers in my company engage in legal staffing actions would include;  Formality the quality of being good and deserving praise aspect of the staffing system should have these values:  Competency:   positive factors which ensure that all applicants are quite qualified to the exp ected functions.   The management should only require those who are qualified with skills ability and knowledge to perform.Non – partnership:   New members of staff should be recruited and promoted with an objectives   view.   There should not be political or unnecessary bacchantic patronagesFree and fairness:   objectivity should be part of decision pertaining recruiting there should be no nepotism, tribalism, realism, politics or unnecessary pride cures.   Practices should reject a fair and true treatment of all complies candidate applicationsEquity:   there should be no unnecessary barriers limiting people to access employment.   Advertisements for job vacancies should be open Herbet (2004).9.COST AND BENEFITS FO VOLUNTARY TURNOVER MOST LIKELY TO VARY ACCORDING TO THE TYPE OF JOB:The following costs and benefits of voluntary turnover are most likely to vary according to the type of job;  Due to light numbers more interviews will be needed and this may req uire outsourcing which may be expensive for a small business entity.  Selection criteria may be fume consuming with huge volumes of both oral and written interviews, the education of answers as compared to the ranks given will need a lot of accuracy, devotion and specialist.  Voluntary number will enable all those who fail like they can contribute to the company’s human capital to them up and may be secure a place to prove their capability.   In staffing consideration have to be made regarding to ability, experienced and knowledge that is job related.  Ã‚  Vulnerary over is recommended by legal staffing requirements as may be dieted by the labor laws (Act.)10.POTENTIAL PROBLEMS WITH DOWN SIZING:The potential problems with downsizing as an organization’s first response to a need to cut labor costs include;  Comparison between related cost and employees ability to perform some of the people to be sacked may be old but still capable of productivity more than you ng qualified staff. Old staff may have accumulated high monitory salaries but their monthly contribution towards the company’s productivity may be incomparable due to accumulated expenses.  Retrenchment benefit will cost the company a lot in the short run.   These are payments to standard staffing as per law.   Those retrenched may sue the company if not paid fast enough.   Court cases will also be expensive to the company at there are no related benefits.  Downsizing may lead to a restriction of job descriptions whereby those few employees left may be expected to work more than before and this may result is go slow which might need more salary increments which it not affected may reflect in resignationsReferences:Herbert G.   And Timothy A (2005) Staffing Organizations 5 ED. PG 60 – 111.University of Wisconsin. MadisonHerbert G. (2004) Staffing Organizations 5ED. Pg 30 – 61 University of Wisconsin.Madison

Financial Analysis of PepsiCo and Coca-Cola

PepsiCo and Coca Cola are two major companies that manufacture beverages. They compete to be the number on manufacturer and distributor of beverages in the world. These two companies are very identifiable in this market and you know them as PepsiCo and Coca Cola. These two companies have undoubtedly dominated the markets worldwide that they both receive universal recognition for their different products. Although, there are many other manufacturers and distributors of beverages these two are the major competitors.Not only do they produce soda drinks, they also produce flavored water, spring water, and some energy drinks. PepsiCo, best known for Pepsi and Coca Cola best known for Coke have great marketing anddue to this they are able to target all income brackets. Their marketing and reasonable prices make iteasy for the people to buy their products in all income brackets. I will be examining both company’s income statements and balance sheets to disclose thefinancial condition of these companies in relation one to another.I will also perform vertical andhorizontal analysis from their annual report of financial data. There are a vast amount of manufacturers and distributors in this market, but Pepsi and Coca-Cola have managed to stay in the number one spot for a couple of decades. These two companies have not only dominated the market domestically they have dominated the worldwide market. They followed a plan that kept them above and beyond the market of soft drinks. They have overcome obstacles that allowed them to manufacture and distribute globally. (The Coca Cola Company, 2009).These companies compete with one another for the same customers. When one company comes up with a product the other company comes out with something very similar to it; this is called the â€Å"follow up strategy,† and while doing so they live the other companies behind dazed and confused, wondering what just happened. (www. PepsiCo. com, 2009). Being successful does not come without a price, both of this companies has had to deal with legal issues, precedents, and politics. These two companies are the best examples on how leadership is the power of influence.They design their product geared towards a certain taste and to appeal to a certain population and make look as though they are subjected to certain ethical and moral practices. Their influence in this market is so powerful that they drive out and shut down any other competitor in this market. I would like for you to keep in mind that all financial data of these companies are shown in millions so if you see a figure of 200 that means 200 million and if you see 5,000 it is in the billions. We will start with a vertical analysis of these companies. The vertical analysis comes from each company’s financial statements.The total assets for each company will be the starting point of this analysis. Coca Cola’s total assets in 2004 were $31,441 and its 2005 total assets were $29,427. Pep siCo’s total assets for 2004 were $27,987 and its total assets for 2005 were $31,727. (Weygandt, Kimmel, & Kieso, 2008). The total asset of each of the figures relates to items from each company’s balance sheet. The cost of sales for PepsiCo during 2004 was $12,674 yielding a ratio percentage of 45. 3% of total assets and for 2005 the cost of sales was $14,167 yielding a ratio percentage of 44. 7% of total assets.Coca-Cola’s cost of sales in 2004 was $7,674 yielding a ratio percentage of 24. 4% of total assets and in 2005it was $8,195 yielding a ratio percentage of 27. 8% of total assets. PepsiCo experienced a 5% increase within a one year span and Coca Cola experienced a 3. 4% increase during the same span. This does not mean that this increase is a positive analysis since the single figure does not reveal whether the increase is a positive measure. A higher cost of sales may not be offset by higher revenues matching or exceeding the increased cost. The next th ing we are going to look at is net income.Pepsi had in 2004 a net income of $4,212 and this yielded a ratio percentage of 15. 1% of total assets and in 2005 their net income was $4,078 yielding a ratio percentage of 13. 2% of their total assets. This is a 1. 9% decrease in their net income between 2004 and 2005 and they also show a decrease in the cost of sales during the same period. Coke on the other hand had a net income of $4,847 in 2004 yielding a ratio percentage of 15. 4% and in2005 their net income was $4,872 yielding a ratio of 16. 6% of their total assets. This shows and an increase of 1. 2% between 2004 and 2005.Although they experienced an increase it is not entirely an offset of their income overall, making this a negative indication for Coca Cola. Now the breakdown of each company’s consolidated balance sheets to compare current assets and current liabilities to their total assets for each year considered. Pepsi’s total current assets in 2004 were $8,639 which yields a ratio percentage of 30. 9% of total assets for that year. Pepsi’s total current assets in 2005 were $10,454 which yields a ratio percentage of 32. 9% of total assets. This shows a 2%increase in current assets.In contrast coca Cola current asset in 2004 were $12,281 yielding a ratio percentage of 39. 1% and in 2005 current asset were $10,250 yielding a ratio percentage of 34. 8%;which show a major decrease in their current assets. Although, there was a significant decrease in their current assets it was accompanied by a decrease in their current liabilities, which would be a positive indication for Coke instead of a negative one. Looking at the horizontal analysis of each company will give us more information. Horizontal analysis is also called â€Å"trend analysis† because of its ability to show financial data compared over a period of time.There are two different formulas that can be employed to teach this information. The first one uses the current yea r amount and subtracts from that the base year amount. The second formula divides the current year amount by the base year amount. The year 2004 is the base year for both companies in this analysis. Pepsi’s total current assets for 2004 were $8,639 and for 2005 were $10,454. In the first Pepsi had an increase of 121. 01% of total current assets; over their 2004 base year figure. The second formula yields a 21. 01% total current assets from the base year. Coke’s total assets in 2004 were$12,281 and $10,250 in 2005.As you can see Coke’s total current assets dropped between 2004 and2005 without performing the formulaic calculations. All the analysis shows that PepsiCo and Coca Cola both experienced lower net profits in 2005than in 2004. They showed an increased operation expenses which resulted in a lower net profit. Both has had a higher operating expense in 2005 than in 2004 and need to modify their operations to reduce their expenses so their profit margins can increase so they will not keep experiencing a decrease in profits. I have analyzed two well-known companies in this paper.These two companies are PepsiCo and Coca Cola. These two companies have been around for a long time and have stormed the market. We have seen in my vertical and horizontal analysis that their financial data reveals somewhat a different picture of each company’s financial status. Both companies have experienced a moment were they were not profitable and a moment when they were profitable. During this exercise made me realize that although these companies appear to be profitable the analyses showed that these two companies performance were very different from one another in the years 2004 and 2005

Case Study About Frauds in Information System Essay

1. Compose a summary of the case. Include how the fraud was perpetrated, the characteristics of the perpetrator(s) who committed the fraud, the role the auditor(s) had in the case, and the direct and indirect effects the incident had on the organization’s stakeholders (customers, vendors, employees, executive committee, and board of directors). Comerica is being sued by Experi- Metal’s for a $560,000 phishing attack to their bank account. Experi- Metal, a custom auto- parts maker, was hit by phishing criminals in January 2009. The fraud was perpetrated when the bank’s vice president received a phishing email telling him to fill out online paperwork to perform scheduled maintenance. The e-mail appeared to have been sent from the bank. The email was sent from phishing criminals) Once the president sent over his credentials the attack was started. Experi- Metal accused Comerica of failing to take immediate action that could have eliminated some of the loss. The bank processed over a million dollars in wires from the companies account. The attack was done in a matter of hours. Criminals tried to move millions of dollars to an Eastern Europe account. Comerica learned of the attack within four hours of the fraud. J.P. Morgan Chase contacted Comerica to report suspicious activity in the account. The criminals were funding money into the Chase Accounts to move it overseas to Russia and Estonia. Comerica shut down the scam but it was after the business lost money. Comerica shut down the account but still processed 15 wires after finding out about the scam. Comerica filed suit against the bank for the phishing attack and to try to recoup some of the money that was paid out through the phishing attack. The characteristics of the perpetrator are usually people from abroad and the emails have spelling errors. The attacks come from abroad and the emails will contain misspelled and transposed letters. The attackers send out thousands of emails trying to get an individual to respond. The emails are intended to trick users into clicking on the link and entering their personal information. The email will impersonate a company such as a bank. The email will state there is a problem and need the individual to verify their information. It will include a cause of action prompting the user to respond or delete. The direct and indirect effects on the organization’s stakeholders were the bottom line would be understated because of the lost of money. â€Å"Phishing scams deceive you into revealing your personal, banking, or financial information through links in email that refer your browser to a look- alike fake website that requests your personal, banking and/ or financial†.(Roddel, 2008, pg. 93) The board of directors would need to put something in place with the bank to make sure this doesn’t happen again. This is a lack of internal controls because the vice president should have verified the email before providing his credentials. The direct impact is to cripple the company and its availability of funds, breach confidentiality, and safety. Phishing has a negative impact on a company’s revenue which is a direct impact on the stakeholders. The direct effect could include legal fees, and additional marketing expense to recapture lost revenues. An organization should communicate with its stakeholders when a phishing attack happens to eliminate the stakeholders losing confidence in the organization. An indirect effect to stakeholders is responding to media inquiries, and delivering messages to parties affected. 2. Suggest the fraud classification(s) the case can be categorized into (based on the data processing model). Include your rationale for the classification. â€Å"By far the most common form of corporate identity theft used by fraudsters is ‘phishing’. Phishing involves fraudsters sending e-mails under the guise of a bank or other reputable company, which appear authentic, to customers or users of that particular company. The emails invite them to log on to the company’s website and verify their account details, including their personal identification details† (Simmons & Simmons, 2003, pg. 8). The controller of Experi-Metal’s received an email that appeared to be urgent. The email stated the bank needed to carry out scheduled maintenance on its banking software. It instructed the controller to log in to the website via the link in the email. The email appeared to come from Comerica’s online banking site. The site asked the controller to enter a security code. The website was fraudulent and was used to get the information to process the fraudulent wires. 3. Suggest the type of controls that may have been in place at the time of the violation. The goal of any organization is to prevent or limit the impact of phishing attacks. The company probably had an in house phishing plan in place. Corporate organizations have policies and procedures to help deter phishing attacks. This should have included training of employees to avoid a phishing attack. The controls in place at Experi-Metal probably included a preventive plan that consisted of employee training and e-mail filters. There needs to be more effective controls in place to prevent this from happening in the future. The controller should never have given his personal information out online without verifying through the bank. Management has to be made aware of the types of phishing attacks through education and an effective policy needs to be in place to cover these types of attacks. The system did not fail it was the actions of the controller which led to the phishing attack. 4. Recommend two (2) types of controls that could be implemented to prevent fraud in the future and additional steps management can take to mitigate losses. â€Å"Avoid emailing personal and financial information. If you get an unexpected email from a company or government agency asking for your personal information, contact the company or agency cited in the email, using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or start a new Internet session and type in the Web address that you know is correct† (McMillian, 2006, pg. 160). A variety of efforts aim to deter phishing through law enforcement, and automated detection. One thing that should be stressed at Experi- Metal is never follow links in an email claiming to be from a bank. Bank institutions never ask you to verify your online banking username and password. The controller should have contacted the bank and verified the information before he entered the code. The motto is trust no email or web site. The business should have in place controls to keep this from happening going forward. Second, Experi- Metal should install a good Anti-virus and firewall protection software and adjust the settings to tighten up web security. Any customer or business that has an excessive amount of wires the bank should place a stop on the account and it needs to be verified before anymore wires are processed. Experi-Metal could have positive pay on the account and this would eliminate any wires from being processed without their approval. Additional employee training should be offered to help employee’s be able to notice fraudulent emails. An individual should never respond to any emails asking for personal information. The bank should follow policy to protect and inform customers about fraudulent activity. 5. Judge the punishment of the crime (was it appropriate, too lenient, or too harsh) and whether the punishment would serve as a deterrent to similar acts in the future. The court ruled in favor of Experi- Metal in the case. Comerica was held liable for over half a million dollars stolen from Experi-Metal. The punishment was not hard because Comerica failed to act in good faith when it processed over 100 wire transfers in a few hours. The bank should have stopped the wire transfers and contacted the company. A customer is holding a bank responsible to keep their money safe. Most of the money was recovered but the judge ruled in favor of Experi-Metal based on the fact the bank did not respond quick enough in stopping the wire transfers. Banks are doing a better job at spotting fraud because of this case but there is still room for improvement. This was a major case because it put pressure on banks to strengthen their security posture. The judge is holding the banks responsible to the safe keeping of a company’s money.

Learning Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Learning Theories - Essay Example Activities in the lesson plan are already aligned with principles of Cognitivism. Cognitivism is concerned about making students fully understand the concepts (Casas, 2011). Contrary to Behaviorism, which relies on memorization for mastery of the subject (Arizona State University), Cognitivism relies on higher thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis and evaluation. Therefore, to incorporate principles of Cognitivism in the current lesson, one should focus on making students use higher thinking skills in mastering the concepts that will be taught. The first means of instruction is to use visual and verbal content at the same time. It entails the use of visual aids in the explanation of the story to better facilitate expedient learning on the students. The use of pictures is important because it appeals to the visual sense of the students. It is not enough to just mention Mississippi to engage students. Pictures will aid in making them imagine what they can find in the setting of the story. Also, instead of making students read the story right away, it will help students to understand the story more if the teacher presents vocabulary words used in the story. The short story makes use of the setting to highlight the theme. Therefore, for the main task, students are assigned to construct the timeline of the story. In making the timeline, they are expected to base their work on the events of the story. Making the timeline will challenge their analytical skills as they cut out Grandma Phoenix’s trail. Likewise, the visuals they will make will help to strengthen their knowledge of the plot, hence lead them to a deeper understanding of the story.

Organizational structure and design Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Organizational structure and design - Essay Example Organizational structure refers to the division of labor and the methods of coordination, communication, work flow, and power-sharing that exist in an organization. It is the formal arrangement of jobs within an organization. An organizational structure reflects the organization's culture and power relationships. Organizational design is the process of creating and modifying organizational structures. Organizational structures are frequently used as tools for change. Structures establish new communication patterns and align employee behavior with the corporate vision. The two fundamental processes or ingredients in organizational structure:Coordination: When groups divide work among themselves, it is required to co-ordinate their efforts towards the same objectives. Coordination is achieved through various mechanisms like informal communication, formal hierarchy and standardization.Span of control refers to the number of employees who can be effectively and efficiently managed by a s upervisor. The span of control has an inverse relationship to the number of layers of hierarchy. The presence of informal communication and standardization can widen the span of control by reducing the need for direct supervision. A wider span of control is ideal when employees perform similar tasks or when the work teams are self-directed and possess specialized knowledge. It helps in reducing overhead costs and puts the top management in direct contact with the needs of the customers. Larger organizations that depend on hierarchy for coordination develop taller structures. 2) CentralizationCentralization is the concentration of decision-making activities around a particular location, generally the top management. In a small organization, the founder takes most of the decisions himself but as the organization grows, organizations tend to become decentralized and decision-making authority is spread throughout the organization. 3) Formalization Formalization is the degree to which jobs within an organization are standardized and the extent to which employee behaviour is guided by rules and procedures. A low degree of formalization means that there are fewer restrictions on how employees do their work. Formalization exists in old companies and large organizations, and is encouraged by external influences like government safety regulations and strict accounting practices. Formalization increases efficiency but may reduce organizational flexibility in case of a non-routine situation which requires customized action. Mechanistic and organic structures McDonald's has a mechanistic structure, which means that it has a rigid and tightly controlled structure, and is characterized by a narrow span of control and high degree of formalization and centralization, and hence all tasks are well defined and can only be altered with the permission of the top management. A company with an organic structure is highly flexible and adaptive, which is characterized by a wide span of control, decentralized decision making, little formalization and an open communication network. An organic organization has a fluid team-based structure, in which the tasks vary according to the needs of the situation. Thus, a mechanist structure is only suitable in stable environments with routine tasks. 4) Departmentalization Departmentalization, also called the organizational chart, specifies how employees and their activities are grouped together. Hence, it is the process of grouping activities into departments. Division of labour creates specialists who need coordination. This coordination is facilitated by departmentalization. There are five types of departmentalizati

Is Deterrence Still a Useful Concept in the Post-Cold War World Research Paper

Is Deterrence Still a Useful Concept in the Post-Cold War World - Research Paper Example In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, international policymakers became increasingly preoccupied with the potential ramifications of nuclear warfare in creating an imbalance within the world political order. After the nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Stalin asserted that â€Å"A single demand for your comrades†¦ Provide us with atomic weapons in the shortest possible time. You know that Hiroshima has shaken the whole world. The balance has been destroyed. Provide the bomb – it will remove a great danger from us1†. From a historical perspective, the Cold War phase following the Second World War led to what has been termed the â€Å"First Nuclear Age†2. This phase highlights how nuclear weapons’ programmes were rooted in the need of both superpowers to assert power in the arms race3. Moreover, Walton & Gray submit that the demise of this superpower rivalry has re-ignited the nuclear proliferation question in arms control measures within the world political framework4. This in itself highlights that the stability of international relations and the political balance at the international level is inherently dependent on the axis of nuclear control. Therefore, whilst the deterrence theory undoubtedly plays a central role in the relationship between nuclear war programmes and international relations, the inherent weakness of the theory is the failure to account for the changing global political climate, whereby nuclear strategy and proliferation is shaped by a correlation of complex, mu ltifarious.

Total Quality Management in Hospital Pharmacy Term Paper

Total Quality Management in Hospital Pharmacy - Term Paper Example Despite these many different functions being discharged by the pharmacists, hospitals find it difficult to recruit pharmacists (Smith). At the same time many of the hospitals take initiatives like staff reductions due to lower patient concentration, reorganization of the hospital facilities, carrying out recommendations of external consultants, implementing automation in drug distribution and mergers and acquisitions of hospitals. In this context, a methodological review of the operations of a hospital becomes necessary for improving the efficiency and functioning of the healthcare settings. One of the recommendations is to apply Total Quality Management (TQM) for improving the performance of pharmacies in the hospitals. Although TQM has been practiced in manufacturing industries for quite some time, it is relatively a newer concept in the healthcare industry. Interest in the idea of TQM in healthcare settings started to take off during late 1980s. Even though all the hospitals that introduced the system of TQM have not proved successful many of the institutions could streamline their functions applying the concept (Zablocki). In this context this paper describes the application of Total Quality Management in the hospital pharmacies to improve the performance of the pharmacies as well as the overall performance of the hospitals. No other sector than the healthcare is best suited for the a... Another issue that healthcare industry is facing is the deterioration in the service quality with numerous complaints from the patients and other stakeholders. In addition employee turnover and shortage of nurses and pharmacists is a major concern at most large and medium sized hospitals. This situation leads to more number of deaths which otherwise could have been avoided with proper systems and procedures in place to deliver quality medical service to the patients (Institute of Medicine). This makes the healthcare industry to respond with an appropriate mechanism to ensure an all round improvement in the efficiency of operations and to provide better and efficient healthcare service to the patients. Since hospital pharmacy happens to be an important constituent of any healthcare setting, revamping the department with the introduction of newer systems and procedures has become imminent. One of the suggested techniques to improve the performance of hospital pharmacies is the Total Qu ality Management that is applied to meet/exceed customer satisfaction. Most of the hospitals have established quality improvement programs and departments, in order to implement and follow up the quality initiatives not only in the hospital pharmacies but in every department of the hospitals. The quality initiatives taken by these specialized departments have been found to be successful in increasing the awareness of the employees about the customers and patients of the hospital, and the initiatives also helped in error reduction and improving patient satisfaction (Herzlinger). Even though the methods employed focused generally on improving the care, they do not address the issue of improving the organizational systems in total and therefore are not responsive to the needs of the

Reciprocal Teaching Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Reciprocal Teaching - Essay Example Reciprocal teaching has two major features: instruction and practice of the four comprehension strategies-predicting, question generating, clarifying, and summarizing and a special kind of cognitive apprenticeship where students gradually learn to assume the role of teacher in helping their peers construct meaning from text. Much of schoolwork at al educational levels is mental in nature. Children in 6th grade class belong to the stage of development called late childhood. In this stage, children already prefer books and children's magazines tat stress adventure and in which they may read a heroic person with whom they can identify. Students at this level are at Piaget's stage of concrete operations in thinking, a time when the vague and nebulous concepts of early childhood become specific and concrete. Children associate new meanings with old concepts on the basis of what they learn in school. As children read textbooks in schools and consult encyclopedias and other sources of information, they not only learn new meanings for old concepts but they also correct faulty meanings associated with old concepts. Because older children's experiences are more varied than those of preschoolers, it is understandable that their concepts change in different directions and become increasingly more varied. However, certain concepts are commonly found among older children in the American culture today. The reciprocal teaching strategy is very much applicable for children in 6th grade level because they have already develop understanding and have already build up their vocabulary and reciprocal teaching can be done in groups and group belonging is an interest developed in late childhood. With increased interest in group belonging comes an increased interest in desire to communicate with group members. Children soon learn that meaningful communication cannot be achieved unless they understand the meaning of what others are saying to them. This provides the necessary incentive to improve their comprehension. Improved comprehension and prediction are also aided by training concentration in school. Throughout late childhood, children's general vocabularies grow by leaps and bounds. From their studies in school, their reading, their conversations with other, they build up vocabularies which they use in their speech, writing and comprehension. Describe how you would apply the strategy with you 6th grade reading class. First, I will select a well-structured text selection for the exercise then distribute the copies of the selection to the class. I would choose a poem or short piece of fiction or nonfiction that I have annotated that models all four strategies of Reciprocal Teaching. It is advisable to start with very short pieces of literature or short sections of a larger work (a chapter or section of a novel, biography, etc.). This will allow my students to practice and hone their skills before moving on to longer readings. Explain the four reading skills

Network Security Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Network Security - Research Paper Example Secondly, internal and physical security will discuss human threats, physical access to server rooms and servers, sensors and sprinklers etc. Moreover, protecting accidently shutting down system will also be discussed. After evaluating vulnerabilities associated with these three domains, controls will be proposed and justified accordingly. Furthermore, incorporation of Scilly University network architecture will also be utilized for better insights. 2 Research Methodology and Literature Review We will utilize Scilly University in our research as a basis of our discussions. Moreover, we will focus on qualitative research on information security, tools, assessments and statistical data in some cases. It has been concluded by some experts that the year 2012 is considered to be the worst year in terms of computer network security breaches (Schirick, 2012). Likewise, the year that has not even passed the half year mark, some of the foremost companies were sufferers of network security bre aches resulting in massive losses (Schirick, 2012). However, the news buzz only highlights Sony and Citibank to be victims of network security breaches, as these companies are popular among the public. The other sides of the picture highlights organizations of all sizes are affected by the consequences of network security breaches. Likewise, it can be concluded that network security risks are continuously evolving, modifying and growing at a rapid pace. Organizations normally install a firewall and even intrusion detection systems that triggers alerts of any suspicious activity, as these two components only covers the technical domain and not the human and physical domain. The current network scenario is utilizing a Virtual Private Connection that is connecting one or more sites. However, the VPN connection is also entitled to allow internet traffic on the same dedicated line from the Internet Service Provider. Moreover, the current network only utilizes a single firewall that is lo cated at the main campus of the university. It concludes that the rest of the two remote sites are only protected via a simple Network address translation function that is incorporated in a DSL modem. Moreover, there are no advanced security appliances such as Intrusion detection systems for analyzing and monitoring any suspicious activity that may possibly become a threat to the University’s computer network. Moreover, there is no patch management for updating security patches in the workstations connected to the network. There are no indications of hardening servers for instance, email server, application server, centralized server and database server must be hardened and needs physical protection as well. The network security vulnerabilities will be accessed in three categories i.e. logical security, internal security and external security. As far as logical security is concerned, we can see that the fig 1.1 demonstrates a firewall, Microsoft Internet Security and Accelera tion (ISA) server and a domain controller with Microsoft Active Directory. The three categories for network vulnerabilities are categorized as below: 2.1 Logical Vulnerabilities The current logical controls for protecting information assets within the network are Microsoft Active directory, ISA server and a Firewall. The Microsoft active directory is not primarily a security control, as

Types of Introductory Paragraphs Essay Example for Free

Types of Introductory Paragraphs Essay According to world statistics, the level of air pollution has been steadily increasing throughout the years. Though the result is not alarming, it is important for us to take measures in controlling activities that lead to air pollution. Only by doing so, will we be able to have better quality air. Therefore, the first thing to do is to find out what causes air pollution and its outcomes. Based on my observation there are two major causes and effect of air pollution. Type: Anecdotal Topic 2: Arguments I used to live next door to a couple who always argued. They argued over even the smallest matter. Sometimes, they argued the whole day, and sometimes the argument even continued to the next day. After sometime, I learned to ignore the shouting and name calling that they used to do to each other. Sometimes, just for fun, I would listen to their arguments and made up my own refutations; my own answers to their accusations. When I was older and began to understand more, I started thinking about the reasons why people argue. From what I have heard from my neighbours, arguments can be caused by two main issues; money and jealousy. Type: General to Specific Topic: AIDS According to Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is an illness which attacks the body’s ability to resist infection. It is a lethal disease that everyone fears. However, in some countries where sex trade is rampant, this deadly disease is unavoidable especially for those directly involved. Why is AIDS deadly and how does it affect the victims? Based on scientific researches done, there are two deadly outcomes of AIDS. Samples of Concluding Paragraph : Causes and/or Effects Essay Topic 1: Air Pollution In summary, air pollution is caused by increase in population and industrial activities. Due to these reasons, the world is suffering from global warming as well as higher lung diseases. In my point of view, more preventive measures must be taken in order to improve the air quality in our nation. Only by doing this, will we be able to see healthier population and better environment. Topic 2: Arguments In a nutshell, arguments can break out at anytime and anywhere. The main reasons why people argue are usually because of financial difficulty as well as personal feelings towards each other. I think, it is wise for people to find time to talk about things that are causing these arguments in a mature manner or else, they will create animosity instead of unity in their relationship. Topic: AIDS To cut it short, people who suffer from AIDS will experience lower immunity as well as public criticism. In order to protect ourselves from AIDS, we need to educate our generation and future generations about the dangers of having unprotected sexual intercourse, taking drugs and to increase their awareness of general health.

Stereotypes And The Tourist Role Tourism Essay

Stereotypes And The Tourist Role Tourism Essay Introduction of tourism industry The hospitality and tourism industry is the worlds largest industry that has been growing significantly in the last few years. The noteworthy augmentation of the industry is attributed to many factors such as development of easy modes of transportation, changing demands of the people to visit various destination places, increasing need for exploring adventurous and artistic places worldwide and creation of tourist destinations in numerous countries for making the tourism industry an integral part of their economies (Bender, Gidlow Fisher, 2013; Wang, 1999). Since the tourism industry has gained huge importance, it has become a major area of study of the leading scholarly researchers. These specialists are doing extensive studies on the industry, the factors impacting its performance and the impact of tourist role on the destination images created by the tourism authorities in each country (Lim, 2007; Prentice, 2004). In order to study various aspects of the tourism industry, one school of thought is focussing on the socio-demographic characteristics and needs related to the specific styles of vacations or tourist roles (Cohen, 1974; Kim, 2009; McCabe, 2005). For instance, Yiannakis and Gibson (1999), cited by Nicoletta and Servidio (2012), established that the tourist roles preference is linked to the place where a person lives in his/her adult life. On the other hand, second school of thought is analysis the impact of stereotyping of tourist role on the discriminatory practices that are created by the authorities in the destination places (Lee, Law Murphy, 2011; Jacobsen et al., 2012). Hence, there is an enormous collection of work on the tourism industry, tourist role and the challenges faced by the players of the industry. Contribution of researchers in tourist studies In order to study the tourist role in the tourism industry, the researchers have utilised the anthropology study to generate an extensive body of theory that can provide assistance in defining and delimiting the object of study i.e. tourist. The classical theorists such as Cohen (1979), Horne (1992), Kadt (2001), Pearce (1982) and Smith (1978), cited by Heimtun (2007), have ascertained the relationship that exists between guests and hosts which means that they are created by developing a series of dichotomies such as locals/foreigners, stability/transience, production/consumption and work/leisure. Although these dichotomies do exist in the sector but it is important to conceptualize the role of tourist that has been mainly treated by the researchers in a negative way (Caru Cova, 2003; Frankin, 2003); the primary purpose is to make some beneficial contributions can be made in the field of research. The foremost aim of the studies related to tourists is not to defend them and close the eyes towards the negative aspects of the tourism but it should also highlight the positive aspects of the tourism and address the challenges that are encountered by the tourists during their visits in the destination places (Selstad, 2012). Various roles of tourist as depicted by researchers For decades, the tourists have been portrayed as the second-class citizens (Burner, 2001); this feeling of being considered as a dumb or unimportant person has been impacting the treatment of tourists worldwide. According to Jack and Phipps (2005), the local residents at destination places used to believe that tourists activities are lazy, dumb and fatuous. However, these conventional views about tourist behaviours have been challenged and many researchers have successfully revamped the tourist roles in the destination places and the shift has been made on studying the tourist experience (Dann, 2000). Uriely (2005) gave a review on the conceptual development of an excellent tourist experience that has received huge appreciation by the concerned authorities in the tourism industry. The researcher identified four developmental phases of the tourist roles: The tourism should be viewed as a separate activity from everyday life routine. There is a shift from the portrayal of tourists as homogenous people as a general form to multiplication of the depictions that are captured while tourism experience. A shift in focus for the objects displayed by the industry towards the negotiation of meanings in subjective way for determining the level of experience. A significant move from the decisive and contradictory academic information flow such as experience as moments of truths to harmonizing and virtual interpretations. The main problem in theories about the experience of tourist was that they lack focus on the term tourist role. Hence, the modern theorists started studying the tourist attitudes and behaviours that were depicted by their experiences in the destination places along with the stereotypes that were created among the tourist groups belonging to similar ethnic groups, religion, race, culture and etc. (Iverson, 2010). Stereotyping and prejudiced views of tourist role Since many researchers classified the tourist roles on the basis of their analysis, they created certain stereotypes about the tourist roles so that the tourist studies can be flourished. For instance, Cohen (1979) classified the tourist roles into four categories i.e. the explorer, the individual mass tourist, the drifter and the organised mass tourist. Jafari (2003) emphasised that the better classification of tourist roles can be stereotyped by adding behavioural characteristics such as takes photos, visits well-known places, pleasantly purchases souvenirs, tries local food, stays for some in one location and explores numerous destinations privately. From the studies of contemporary researchers, it is evident that they defined the role of tourists in accordance to their purpose of tourism; when there was increased focus on the tourism, there was less emphasis on treating tourist an individual. Cohen (1979) classified tourists into four broad groups such as recreational type, experimental type, existential type and experiential type. In each mode of tourism, the tourist wants to have some time off from everyday routine so that the energy can be revitalised and explore the culture and aesthetic offerings of the other countries that have distinctive norms, values and societies (Chok, Mcbeth Warren, 2007). The postmodern theorists have emphasised that the tourist roles have to be studied from the negotiated and subjective characteristics rather than rigid and reductionist perspectives that were done by contemporary researchers; their entire focus is on the tourist roles, meanings, attitudes and experiences. The recent terminology coined by Jacobsen and Munar (2012) is anti-tourist attitude which shows that the tourists want to be viewed in the role of tourist but want to keep a power distance when in this role. According to these researchers, the conception of anti-tourist role seems to challenge the tourists sense of individuality and identity; the role distance becomes of utmost importance to them as they want to maintain a feeling that each individual has different experience that can be entirely distinctive from all other players and occupants of the role (Litvin, Goldsmith Pam, 2008). It is believed that each tourist will have different sense of feelings in varying situations as each one of them has distinctive values, beliefs, preferences, attitudes and behaviours (Yang Wall, 2009). Most of the researchers have challenged the concept of stereotyping the tourist role on the basis of cultural differences or nationality because sometimes they often lead to misconceptions about tourist groups. For instance, it is believed that Japanese people cannot speak English and the tourist guide has to provide them assistance when communicating among the local residents; it is untrue in many situations as there are many Japanese people who can easily communicate in English. Likewise, there is a belief that Asian people like to eat their food items and dont prefer to try out the local food items of the destination place; it is a myth as well because there are many people who are looking forward to try out the new food items of the destination place (Selstad, 2012). Hence, the tourist roles should not be confined to the limited set of observations as every tourist has distinctive features and prefers to be treated in accordance to the individual personality possessed by the person. Rethinking the tourist role With the robust growth and development in the field of Internet, the tourist roles have changed to a great extent as the tourists have become information seekers and proficient in developing their own travelling packages. As they have easy access to the extensive range of details about various destination places, they ensure that they select the places in accordance to their own choices so that they have a marvellous time during their complete tourism (Selstad, 2012). The concerned authorities have to ensure that they even make proper use of the advertising mediums so that right message is communicated to the tourists. One key point that has to be given adequate attention is that the tourists should be treated as individual beings and they should be presented many alternatives so that they can have a sensational travelling experience. Conclusion From the studies of a wide array of theorists and researchers, it is evident that the tourist roles cannot be stereotyped as the tourists prefer to be treated as distinguished individuals and they avoid being viewed as aliens or strangers in the destination places. The tourism industries have to ensure that they offer the most astonishing experience to the visitors and offer them unlimited opportunities for carrying out their activities within the ethical boundaries of the country in accordance to the Law. Hence, the stereotypes have immense impact on the tourist role and it should be changed so that the tourists are willing to visit the place on repetitive basis and any conflicts in their views about tourism in the respective place are tackled properly.

The Philosophy of Religion

The Philosophy of Religion INTRODUCTION Philosophy refers to the study of the meaning of existence, thought, and knowledge (Blackburn, 1996). One prevailing view amongst philosophers is that philosophy is essentially a method of enquiry, a means of understanding the world, and human nature. Within this domain emerged a philosophy of science, a view that the world can be understood through quantification and experimentation, characterised by rigour, control, objectivity, and replication (Krige Dominique, 2003). It has evolved over time, shifting away from an emphasis on theory falsification (scientific realism) towards a requirement for explanation and prediction. Fundamental to science is positivist philosophy, the idea that only phenomena which can be measured and quantified are worthy of scientific inquiry (LeGouis, 1997). Thus, phenomena such a God, spirits, and the ‘afterlife’ aren’t worth studying. Religion refers to a set of commonly held beliefs and customs, concerned with supernatural phenomena , notably the existence of a divinity, god, or higher ‘power’ or ‘entity’ (Lindbeck, 1984; Jones, 2005). It represents a particular world view characterised by faith, spirituality, holiness, doctrine, and reverence, and often shapes a persons entire life, reasoning, and culture. Thus, it generally follows from this that science, and its associated philosophies, are generally incompatible with religion. But what are the precise sources of this tension? SOURCES OF TENSION Origin of Life Where did life come from? Evolutionary theorists, notably Charles Darwin, argued that species evolve over millennia through a process of ‘natural selection’, whereby only the fittest are able to secure mates, reproduce, and hence ensure the survival of their particular genetic footprint: the weak, by contrast are unable to compete, and ultimately become extinct, in a kind of evolutionary ‘dead-end’ (Darwin, 1852, 1869, 1872). Scientists take the view that life may have emerged ‘spontaneously’, through purely accidental but favourable biological conditions, whereby basic molecules notably amino acids combined to form more complex elements, like carbon dioxide, water, and ammonia (Martin Russell, 2002; Hazen, 2005). These biochemical events were triggered accidentally, for example by random cosmic events (e.g. meteorite/comet activity, hot-springs), as the earth formed (Russell, et al, 1988; Fernando Rowe, 2007). Religion offers a completely dif ferent account. God or some other deity, created life (Dawkins, 2006)! For example, in Christianity the earth was created by God, in six days. Scientists completely reject this view however (Dawkins, 2006). In science, notably astronomy and nuclear physics, the earth and universe are the result of a ‘big bang’, whereby all the matter we observe around us today emerged suddenly in a rapidly expanding fiery explosion of matter emanating from a single point (Peacock, 1999). Before the big bang, there was nothing, no time or matter. Although science fails to account for events preceding the ‘big bang’, the notion that it may be ‘created’ by a supernatural entity is regarded with scepticism. Faith A major feature of religious beliefs is faith (Harris, 2006). To have faith is to have trust in an appropriate divinity, notably God, and also to believe in this divinity or deity without question or reason. So, for example, in Judaism there is considerable emphasis on the notion of Emunah (faith), Christians view faith as an essential aspect of worship, while Muslims have faith – known as Iman – in the prophet Mohammed and his teachings. Faith is also an important element in Buddhism, where it is known as Saddha, meaning to have a conviction in or be determined about something. The requirement that one believes in God without asking any questions, or requesting a reason or justification is utter essential in most religions. It means that even when there is evidence to the contrary, such as an apparent failure of God to answer a prayer, the belief and trust in the divinity must be unshaken. In science by contrast, faith is a highly undesirable and hence discouraged conc ept (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). It is virtually non existent amongst scientists. In medical science for example, rather than having faith the effectiveness of a new treatment procedure, there is a universal requirement for evidence-based practice (Tonelli, 2001). Faith is also anathema amongst philosophers who believe in rational thought, the notion that any position or argument must be justified, that is, backed up by reason or evidence (Bonjour, 1998). The truth, rather than been accepted unquestioningly according to religious teachings, is entirely based on the soundness of reasoning or evidence that accompanies it (Kenny, 1986). Doctrine Religion is governed by doctrine, a set of shared beliefs, faiths, teachings, guidelines, and practices, that people adhere to unquestioningly, and which dictate how they live their lives. Thus, for example, religious dogma promoted by the Christian church, such as Christian Trinity (God is one entity simultaneously incorporating the father, the son, and the Holy Spirit) (McGrath, 1987), and virgin birth (the birth of a child by a woman who is a virgin, as in the case of Mary, mother of Jesus) (Spong, 1994) are examples of religious doctrine. By contrast, science and philosophy aren’t governed by any particular doctrine, other than ethical principles which govern research and practice (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Admittedly ‘teachings’, or ‘movement’s do exist in science and philosophy, in the form of ‘schools of thought’ promoting one particular way of understanding phenomena. Good examples in philosophy are rationalism, empiricism, realism an d psychoanalysis. In science, there is for example theory or relativity in physics, or the biopsychosocial model perspective in health, medical, and behavioural science (Borrell-Carrio et al, 2004). However, philosophers and scientists aren’t required to adhere to any particular set of principles. In general, scientific movements gain greater acceptability as the body of supporting empirical evidence expands (Krige Dominique, 2003). However, scientists are free to pick and choose what school of thought they belong to, without violating their scientific of ethical principles. Quantification Positivist philosophy, a movement developed by the great philosopher Auguste Comte (Pickering, 1993), and on which much of modern scientific experimentation is based, promotes the notion that any phenomena which cannot be observed, measured, and quantified, isn’t worthy of scientific study (LeGouis, 1997). This ‘scientific ideology’, which implies that all true knowledge is scientific and quantifiable, is incompatible with religion, in which true knowledge is divine in nature, and based on holy scriptures (Boyer, 2001). Truth in religion is arguably unquantifiable – one cannot measure the existence of God, the effectiveness of prayer, the strength of ones faith, or the presence of the Holy Spirit, for example. Scientists generally avoid investigating religion and religious concepts, much in the same way as they side-step researching issues like UFO citings, and abductions: scientific journals with prioritise research papers on religion are few and far betwe en (Potter, 2005), reflecting the positivist attitude that anything which can’t be measured doesn’t represent the truth. Consider the practice of medical science in the UK. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is a body set up in England and Wales, in 1999, to determine what medical treatments are considered worthwhile. Decisions are based primarily on empirical (scientific) evidence, and economic cost-effectiveness analyses (Rawlings Culyer, 2004). Alternative therapies with religious underpinnings rarely receive approval, largely due to the lack of empirical verification (Franck et al, 2007). Objectivity In science there is an emphasis on objectivity, an ability to remain unbiased. This relates directly to the scientific requirement for verifiability and replicability. By suppressing personal feelings, biases, preferences, and prejudices, and adhering strictly to standard protocol, the work of one scientist can be evaluated and reproduced by another scientist, completely independently (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Objectivity also has philosophical underpinnings, dating back to the nineteenth century with renowned philosophers like Plato, Gottlob Frege, and Immanuel Kant (Rorty, 1991). The basic philosophy is that the truth, knowledge, and reality must exist independent of the mind. Plato for example made a specific distinction between objective knowledge and personal opinion, the latter denoting an unacceptable subjectivity that does not offer an accurate description of reality (Taylor, 2001). In religion, the emphasis is on getting physically, emotionally, and spiritually proximal to ones divinity, rather than maintaining an intellectual distance (Boyer, 2001). Indeed, people are encouraged to wholly immerse themselves in their religions, such that it dictates their entire lifestyle (Boyer, 2001). Thus, the distinction between religion and culture often becomes blurred, such that a religion (e.g. Judaism) becomes highly intertwined with culture (e.g. being an Israeli) (Norris Inglehart, 2007). Religion is generally ingrained in a person’s personal belief system. Thus, whereas a scientist tries to separate his personal views from scientific knowledge, in religion, personal opinions and religious teachings merge. Authority Whereas in most religions authority is solely and ultimately in the hands of a transcendent and supernatural deity, God, or divinity, in science, scientists themselves are their own authority. They are answerable to no-one (other than the particular ethical standards of the professional bodies to which they belong), and may publish their findings at will, helping to expand, and shape, knowledge, reasoning, and general philosophy in their particular field. For this reason, scientists (especially medical doctors) are often accused of ‘playing God’ by religious activists or sympathisers (Hayles, 1999; Stock, 2002), especially with regards to issues like abortion, cloning, and morality. This is known as the transhumanism and hubris argument (Fukuyama, 2004). Philosophers are also their own authority. They take credit and criticism for and whatever philosophy they advocate. Thus, the likes of Plato, Kant, and other greater philosophers are their own authority. In religion by contrast, God or some other deity is the one sole authority, and all worshipers are ultimately answerable to this divinity (Lindbeck, 1984). Religious leaders, such as Imams, Priests, Vicars, and Buddha’s, are merely ‘messengers’ whose primary role is to spread religious teachings: they are ultimately answerable to God, any divine authority they have is extremely limited. So, for example, it can be argued that a Pentecostal priest who purports to execute miracles on particular members of his congregation is in fact merely acting on behalf of God, serving as a ‘channel’ through which God performs his miracles. JUSTIFICATION Are the tensions between religion, science, and philosophy justified? Several arguments are presented below which suggest that the answer to this question is an unequivocal ‘no’. Firstly, the idea promoted by positivist philosophy, and hence modern day science, that religion and religious subjects can’t be studied scientifically is incorrect. Although religious concepts (e.g. God, faith, sin, worship) are generally unobservable, and hence difficult to quantify, scientists do study religion, using scientific methods (e.g. Smith et al, 2003; Myers, 2007). Furthermore, religion offers quantifiable and testable predictions that make it amenable to scientific research. For example, the notion that God exists and/or answers ones prayers can easily be measured and evaluated scientifically (Dawkins, 2006). Secondly, the supposed tension between religion and science appears odd given that science actually emerged from amongst Christians, who were seeking new ways of seekin g out the ‘truth’ about the world, and humanity (Jaki, 1996). Thus, the very scientists and philosophers who embraced notions such as quantification, objectivity, and experimentation were themselves God worshipers, imbued with faith, and adhering strictly to religious doctrine (Godfrey-Smith, 2003). Thus, despite their devotion to scriptures as their main source of truth about reality, many religions allow for the application of scientific theories to everyday problems (Migliore, 2004). So, for example, there is no apparent contradiction if a clergy advices a sick member of his congregation to seek medical treatment, in addition to relying on their faith and asking for divine intervention. Thirdly, science, philosophy, and religion, do actually converge in certain areas, notably metaphysics and cosmology. Metaphysics refers to a philosophical movement concerned with understanding the meaning of reality, existence, and the world (Lowe, 2002; Loux, 2006). It addresses issues beyond the physical world, including questions such as ‘what is reality’, ‘why are we here?’, ‘does God exist’, and ‘Is there a soul?’ Metaphysicists have historically considered these legitimate scientific questions, especially prior to the eighteenth century before the development of modern scientific concepts such as empiricism, and quantification (Lowe, 2002). Yet, it is these very questions that religion and religious teachings are often concerned with. One of the best known fields of metaphysics is theology, the study of God (Migliore, 2004)! The word ‘theology’ means the ‘study of divine things’. In Europe, the Chris tian church, notably the Protestant Church and Roman Catholic Church trains their ministers in Christian theology, for example in Seminaries, or even universities (Woods, 2005). Thus, this begs the question that if religion and science are so incompatible, why would religions, for example Christianity, support academic study and scientific inquiry amongst its clergy? All in all it can be argued that there is no qualitative distinction between religion, and the philosophy of metaphysics (Hazen, 2005). Granted, the answers provided by each perspective may differ wildly. Indeed, certain questions (e.g. ‘does God exist?’) may be inappropriate in many religions. Nevertheless, the overlap between religion, theology, and metaphysics seems obvious (Hazen, 2005). Cosmology refers to the scientific (mathematical) study of the universe, and the role of humanity in it (Hawley Katerine, 1998). Thus, by definition, cosmology and religion are concerned with the same subject matter. C osmology appears to occupy a position between religion and modern science, posing arguments about the relationship between God, humanity, and the physical universe. A sub-branch of cosmology, known as religious cosmology specifically aims at explaining and understanding the universe based, in part, on religious teachings (Hetherington, 1993). Many religious cosmologists accept that God created the universe, but yet recognize the findings of modern science, notably Astrophysics, that the universe was created in the ‘Big Bang’ for example. These two positions aren’t necessarily incompatible; God may be considered to have created the Big Bang! CONCLUSION This essay considers the tension between religion, science, and philosophy, and whether this conflict is justified. Substantial differences exist between religion and science/philosophy: for example, religious notions like faith, God, and unquestioning adherence, are generally incompatible with classic scientific tenets. Similarly, traditional scientific requirements like quantification, and philosophical concepts such as rationality and empiricism, don’t ‘fit’ well with religious practice. Yet, perhaps the magnitude of these differences may be exaggerated. Religion, philosophy, and science, in fact overlap considerably, and the best evidence for this lies in the existence of fields like metaphysics, cosmology, religious cosmology, and theology. These disciplines generally involve scientific inquiry, but yet address religious concepts, and are studied by religious clergy, ministers, and other religious leaders. All in all, any conflict between religion and science /philosophy may be more myth than reality. REFERENCE Blackburn, S., Ed. (1996) The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford, Oxford University Press. Bonjour, L. (1998) In Defense of Pure Reason. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Borrell-Carrio, F., Suchman, A.L. Epstein, M.D. (2004) The Biopsychosocial Model 25 Years Later: Principles, Practice, and Scientific Inquiry. Annals of Family Medicine, 2, pp.576-582. Boyer, P. (2001) Religion Explained: The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Thought. New York: Basic Books. Darwin, C. (1859, 1861, 1872) On the Origin of Specifies by Means of Natural Selection, of the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life (1st edition). London: John Murray. Dawkins, R. (2006) Why there almost certainly is no God. The Huffington Post, August 18. Fernando CT Rowe, J (2007). Natural selection in chemical evolution. Journal of Theoretical Biology 247, pp.152-67. Fukuyama, F. (2004) The Worlds Most Dangerous Ideas [online] in Foreign Policy. http://www.mywire.com/pubs/ForeignPolicy/2004/09/01/564801?page=4 [Accessed August 16 2007]. Franck, L., Chantler, C. Dixon, M. (2007) Should NICE evaluate complementary and alternative medicine? British Medical Journal, 334, p.506. Godfrey-Smith, P. (2003) Theory and reality: an introduction to the Philosophy of Science. Science and its Conceptual Foundations. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Harris, S (2006) Religion, Terror, and the Future of Reason. Blackstone AudioBooks. Hawley, J.F. Katerine A.H. (1998) Foundations of Modern Cosmology. Oxford University Press, Oxford. Hayles, N.K. (1999). How We Became Posthuman. University of Chicago Press Hazen, RM. (Dec 2005) Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life’s Origins. Joseph Henry Press Hetherington, N.S. (1993) Cosmology: Historical, Literary, Philosophical, Religious, and Scientific Perspectives. New York: Garland Publishing. Jaki, S. (1996) Bible and Science. Christendom Press. Jones, L. (ed) (2005) Encyclopaedia of Religion. 2nd ed. Detroit: Macmillan. Kenny, A. (1986) Rationalism, Empiricism and Idealism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Krige, J. Dominique, P. (eds) (2003) Science in the Twentieth Century. Routledge. LeGouis, C. (1997). Positivism and Imagination: Scientism and Its Limits in Emile Hennequin, Wilhelm Scherer and Dmitril Pisarev. London: Bucknell University Press. Lindbeck, G.A. (1984) Nature of Doctrine. Louisville: John Knox Press. Lowe, E. J. (2002). A Survey of Metaphysics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Loux, M. J. (2006). Metaphysics: A Contemporary Introduction (3rd ed.). London: Routledge. Martin, W. Russell M.J. (2002). On the origins of cells: a hypothesis for the evolutionary transitions from abiotic geochemistry to chemoautotrophic prokaryotes, and from prokaryotes to nucleated cells. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences 358, pp.59-85. McGrath, A.E. (1987) Understanding the Trinity. Eastbourne, UK: Kingsway Publications Migliore, D.L. (2004) Faith Seeking Understanding: An Introduction to Christian Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. Myers, D. (2007) The Science of Subjective Well-being. Guildford Press. Norris, P. Inglehart, R. (2007) Sacred and Secular, Religion and Politics Worldwide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Peacock, J. (1999). Cosmological Physics. Cambridge; Cambridge University Press. Pickering, M. (1993) Auguste Comte: An Intellectual Biography. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Potter, R.L. (2005) Religious themes in medical journals. Journal of Religion and Health, 32, pp.217-222. Rawlins MD Culyer AJ (2004) National Institute for Clinical Excellence and its value judgements. British Medical Journal, 329, pp.224-227. Rorty, R. (1991) Objectivity, Relativism, and Truth. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Russell MJ, Hall AJ, Cairns-Smith AG. Braterman PS (1988). Submarine hot springs and the origin of life. Nature 336, p.117. Spong, J.S. (1994) Born of a Woman: A Bishop Rethinks the Virgin Birth. San Francisco: Harper Collins. Stock, G. (2002). Redesigning Humans: Choosing our Genes, Changing our Future. Mariner Books Taylor, A.E. (2001). Plato: The Man and his Work. Courier Dover Publications Tonelli, MR. (2001) The limits of evidence-based medicine. Respiratory Care, 46, pp.1435-1440. Woods, J.T. (2005). How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization. Regnery Publishing.

Is Global Warming a Hoax? Essay -- environmental issues, climate change

Is global warming a hoax? Anyone who listens to the news for sure very often comes across a news anchor stating how the Earth’s climate is changing. Global warming is a term that creates fear among many. But with all the open and uncensored media out there how do we know that this is not a lie or cover-up? So what does global warming actually mean and is it really true? If global warming is such a big deal why are we taking our time to act? The climate of the Earth has been changing way before the industrialization era began; way before we started to dig up fossil fuel, burn it and put carbon into the air. So if this has been happening for a long time, what is the huge fuss about it? Many believe this is just a fuss. Looking at the financial perspective, many beneficiaries have popped up due to the investment in green-friendly materials. One of the notable people who made sky rocketing financial gains after his investment within the green-industry riches is Al Gore, an American politician, advocate and philanthropist, who was the 45th Vice President of the United States, under President Bill Clinton. Larry Bell states: In 2004, Gore co-founded London-based Generation Investment Management (GIM) with Senator Feinstein’s husband, former Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. Managing Director David Blood to invest money in businesses that were â€Å"going green†. Public filings show that GIM raised profits of nearly $218 million between 2008 and 2011, split among 26 partners. By 2008 Gore was able to put together $35 million into hedge funds and private partnerships through Capricorn Investment Group, a Palo Alto company founded by his Canadian billionaire buddy Jeffrey Skoll, the first president of EBay Inc (Bell). One main blow comes from the co... ...ources Defense Council (NRDC), â€Å"Four global warming impacts alone—hurricane damage, real estate losses, energy costs, and water costs—will come with a price tag of 1.8 percent of U.S. GDP, or almost $1.9 trillion annually (in today’s dollars) by 2100† (Akerman 4). Climate change or global warming is neither today’s nor tomorrow’s problem. It is a long term problem that has been affecting us, is affecting us, and at an even much higher rate will affect us. Works Cited Ackerman, Frank, and Elizabeth A. Station. â€Å"The cost of Climate Change: What We’ll Pay if Global Warming Continues Unchecked.† nrdc.org. Natural Resources Defense Council, May 2008. Web. 26 April 2014. Bell, Larry. â€Å"The Greening of Gore’s Bank Account.† Forbes. 21 May 2013. Web. 25 April 2014. United States Environmental Protection Agency. Future Climate Change. Epa.gov. n.d. Web. 25 April 2014.

Gabriel Garcia Marquezs Love in the Time of Cholera :: Essays Papers

Gabriel Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez, author of Love in the Time of Cholera, depicts his characters by having them act in certain ways, in ways of love and care towards others. Each character acts certain ways to certain people, either to gain respect, love, friendship or hatred. Marquez’s character Florentino Ariza, is desperately in love with Fermina Daza, a beautiful young lady (early in the novel), who promises him her hand in marriage then breaks that promise by marrying Dr. Juvenal Urbino. Although heartbroken Ariza’s love for Fermina would still continue over many long years, thus showing how much he was in love with her. Over the years Ariza would do many things to attempt to woo Fermina back into his arms, none that would prosper. All of the acts he committed, he committed for the love he had for her. Most of the actions she would never know of, for he would never show nor tell her about such things. It seemed almost daily Marquez had Ariza writing Fermina a poem, a song or some sort of letter. Most which would never make it into her hands. Florentino Ariza’s love for Fermina Daza went beyond just loving her. He was truly IN love with her. People can love many people, but I believe that there can truly only be one person you are IN love with. Ariza would sacrifice so much throughout his life to attempt to have her attention. He would quit jobs, and move to be near her or to even just see her for a split second, like he would do when he went to the park to see her walk past. Ariza would finally work hard and become prosperous and wealthy, again trying to impress Fermina. Ariza’s love went beyond the childish love that most of us have endured. He waited fifty-one years to be with the woman that he considered his soul mate. This truly shows a great deal of self-determination and love for another human.

The Hunters: Phantom Chapter 19

â€Å"Honestly, Elena,† Aunt Judith said, shaking her head as she adjusted the car's rearview mirror. â€Å"I don't know why these kinds of things always seem to happen to you, but you find yourself in the strangest situations.† â€Å"Tel me about it,† Elena said, slumping down in the passenger seat of her aunt's car and resting her head in her hands. â€Å"Thank you for picking me up, Aunt Judith. I just felt too shaky to drive after being at the hospital with Caleb and everything.† She swal owed. â€Å"I'm sorry I missed Margaret's dance recital after al .† Aunt Judith patted Elena's knee with one cool hand without taking her eyes off the road. â€Å"I told Margaret that Caleb got hurt and you had to take care of him. She understood. Right now I'm worried about you. It must have been a shock to find him like that, especial y when you realized it was someone you knew. What exactly happened?† Elena shrugged and repeated the lie she'd told the police. â€Å"I just found him lying there when I went to visit Mom and Dad.† Elena cleared her throat before continuing. â€Å"The hospital's keeping him for a couple of days. They think he's got a bad concussion and they want to watch and make sure his brain doesn't swel . He woke up a little bit in the ambulance but was real y groggy and didn't remember what had happened.† Which was lucky, Elena thought. What if he'd said he was attacked by Elena Gilbert's boyfriend, who had something weird going on with his teeth? What if he'd said her boyfriend was a monster? It would be last fal al over again. Aunt Judith frowned sympathetical y and shook her head. â€Å"Wel , Caleb's lucky you came along. He could have been lying there for days before anyone went looking for him.† â€Å"Yeah, lucky,† said Elena hol owly. She rol ed the bottom of her T-shirt between her fingers and was startled to realize she stil had her bathing suit on under her clothes. The picnic that afternoon seemed like it had taken place a mil ion years ago. Then something Aunt Judith said struck her. â€Å"What do you mean, he could have been lying there for days before anyone looked for him? What about his aunt and uncle?† â€Å"I tried cal ing them after you cal ed me, but it seems that Caleb's been fending for himself for quite a while. When I reached them, they were out of town on vacation, and frankly they didn't seem like they were too concerned about their nephew, even when I told them what had happened.† She sighed heavily. â€Å"I'l go visit him tomorrow and bring him some of the flowers from our garden he's been working so hard on. He'l like that.† â€Å"Huh,† said Elena slowly. â€Å"I thought he told me he came here to stay with his aunt and uncle because they were so upset about Tyler being missing.† â€Å"Maybe so,† Aunt Judith said dryly, â€Å"but the Smal woods seem to be doing pretty wel now. They said that in their opinion, Tyler wil come home when he's good and ready. That boy was always a little out of control. It sounds like Caleb is more worried about Tyler than they are.† She pul ed into the driveway of their house, and Elena fol owed her inside to where Robert was reading his newspaper at the kitchen table. â€Å"Elena, you look exhausted,† he said, folding the paper and looking up at her in concern. â€Å"Are you al right?† â€Å"I'm okay,† she said numbly. â€Å"It's just been a long day.† She thought she had never made more of an understatement in her life. â€Å"Wel , Margaret's gone to bed, but we saved you some dinner,† Aunt Judith said, making a move toward the refrigerator. â€Å"It's a chicken casserole, and there's some salad. You must be starving.† But suddenly Elena felt sick. She'd been suppressing al her feelings about Stefan and his attack on Caleb, keeping the images tamped down so she could get on with the business of dealing with the police and the staff at the hospital and her own family. But she was tired and her hands were shaking. She knew that she couldn't keep everything under control for much longer. â€Å"I don't want anything,† she said, backing away. â€Å"I can't†¦ I'm not hungry, Aunt Judith. Thank you, though. I just want to take a bath and go to bed.† She turned and hurried out of the kitchen. â€Å"Elena! You have to eat something,† she heard Aunt Judith cry exasperatedly behind her as she hurried up the stairs. The solid-sounding murmur of Robert's voice broke in: â€Å"Judith, let her go.† Elena ducked into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She and Margaret shared the hal bathroom, and she busied herself with emptying Margaret's bath toys from the tub, keeping her mind careful y blank: a pink rubber ducky, a pirate ship, a stack of gaily colored plastic cups. A goofily smiling purple seahorse looked up at her with painted blue eyes. Once the tub was empty, Elena ran the water as hot as she could stand and poured in a generous dol op of apricot-scented bubble bath from a bottle that promised to soothe her spirit while rejuvenating her skin. Soothing and rejuvenating sounded good, although Elena had her doubts about how much she could reasonably expect from a bottle of bubble bath. When the tub was ful and frothy with a thick layer of bubbles, Elena quickly undressed and stepped into the steaming water. It stung at first, but she eased herself in bit by bit, gradual y getting accustomed to the temperature. Once she was comfortable, she lay back in the water, her hair floating out like a mermaid's, the sounds of the house muffled by the water over her ears, and let the thoughts she'd been avoiding come at last. Tears overflowed her eyes and trickled down her cheeks to join the bathwater. She had believed that everything was going to be normal now that they were back home, that things were going to be good again. When she and her friends had gotten the Guardians to send them back and to change things, to reverse the deaths, to fix the broken, to make everything the way it would have been if nothing dangerous had touched the little town of Fel ‘s Church, she had thought that it would make her life simple and easy. She would have her family, her friends, her Stefan. But it wasn't going to work, was it? It wasn't ever going to be that way, not for Elena. As soon as she'd come back to town, the very first day she'd stepped outside into the sunshine of a Fel ‘s Church summer, something dark and evil and supernatural had started stalking her and her friends. And as for Stefan†¦ God†¦ Stefan. What was happening to him? When she closed her eyes, she saw Caleb flying through the air and heard that horrible, final-sounding crack that Caleb's head had made as it connected with the marble of the mausoleum. What if Caleb never ful y recovered? What if this cute, innocent guy, this guy whose parents had died and left him like hers had died and left her, was broken forever because of Stefan? Stefan. How had he become the kind of person who could do something like that? Stefan, who felt guilty about the animals he took blood from, the doves and rabbits and deer of the forest. The Stefan who she knew at the deepest level of her soul, who she thought kept nothing from her – that Stefan would never have harmed a human being like that. Elena lay in the bathtub until the water got cold and her tears had stopped. Then she got out, drained the tub, dried her hair, brushed her teeth, put on a nightgown, cal ed good night to Aunt Judith and Robert, and climbed into bed. She did not want to write in her diary. Not tonight. She switched off the light and lay flat on her back, staring into the darkness – the same blackness, she thought, as Damon's eyes. Damon had been a monster, she knew – he had kil ed, although not as blithely as he pretended; he had manipulated people and enjoyed it; he had haunted and hated Stefan for hundreds of years – but she had also seen the lost little boy he kept locked inside him. He had loved her, she had loved him, and he had died. And she loved Stefan. Desperately, devotedly, undeniably. She loved the sincerity in his eyes, his pride, his courtly manners, his honor, and his intel igence. She loved that he had rejected the monster that lurked inside him, the one that had driven so many vampires to terrible acts. She loved the sorrow he held – for his past, for his hatred and jealousy of Damon, for the terrible things he had seen. And she loved the hope that always sprang up in him, the strength of wil Stefan possessed that al owed him to keep fighting back the darkness. Beyond al that, she loved Stefan. But she was afraid. She had thought she knew him inside and out, that she could see clear through to the innermost reaches of his soul. That wasn't true, not anymore. Not since the Guardians had stripped her powers, severing their psychic connection and reverting her back to a normal, human girl. Elena rol ed over and buried her face in the pil ow. She knew the truth now. No matter what the Guardians had done for her, she would never be a normal girl. Her life would never be simple. Tragedy and horror would fol ow her forever. In the end, there was nothing Elena could do to change her destiny.

Corporate Culture and Its Influence on the Development

â€Å"CORPORATE CULTURE AND ITS INFLUENCES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT CONSULTANCY AND BUSINESS SOLUTION JOINT STOCK COMPANY† INTRODUCTION ************ 1. Rationale of the study The term â€Å"Corporate culture† has appeared in the world and become a hot topic of many researches since the late 20th century. When the business environment faces a number of unpredictable changes and challenges resulting from integrity process and economic crisis, enterprises from any size and any country must recognize the important role of corporate culture to their survival.However, corporate culture is truly concerned only in big groups and corporations and some medium-size companies. In Vietnam, the number of enterprises that have a proper strategy to develop their own culture is nearly insignificant. It is the fact that each company has its own culture may be without recognizing and controlling it. In the simplest way we can understand corporate culture as the environment within a company in which all staff and workers communicate and work together.Hence, if we pay a certain attention, we can easily see that corporate culture has a strong affect on the cooperation between all employees, the productivity in particular and the development of the company in general. Moreover, in consulting companies, the reputation plays a key role in the company development for it influences the number of customers trusting in and using their consulting service. However, the reputation of a company is contributed from the professionalism that is reflected through the working environment or, in other word, the corporate culture of the company.Therefore, it is necessary to study corporate culture and its influences in real consulting companies in Vietnam like Management consultancy and business solution Joint stock Company. In conclusion, such researches about corporate culture like the one being conducting in this study somehow will be highly appreciated by businesses. Especia lly in 2013, the economic outlook is considered to be worse than that in 2012. That is the reason why each company has to find out a developing strategy which can make them outstanding from others.Therefore I would like to choose â€Å"Corporate culture and its influences on the development of Management consultancy and business solution Joint stock Company† as my thesis in this study for its huge value and meaning to our economy. 2. Aims of the study The primary aim of this research is to study about the corporate culture of MC&BS JSC and its impacts on the development of the company. Then the author will give some recommendations with the hope that they can help MC&BS JSC find out their comprehensive strategy for further development. 3. Scope of the studyBecause of the limitation of time, this research will not cover all components of the corporate culture. It will just analyze some important and prominent factors which have significant effects (both positive and negative) on the development of MC&BS JSC. More importantly, the research does not look at the corporate culture of MC&BS JSC from the foundation up to now but in the two recent years (in 2011 and in 2012) for the reason that when the economic shows a sign of downturn corporate culture becomes more and more meaningful to the lifespan of its owner. 4. MethodologyData analysis is the most frequently applied method in the study. Besides, the author also conducts surveys by using questionnaires in order to get more information. In concrete, in the first stage lasting two weeks, the researcher collects data from various sources: media, employees and internal files†¦Then, the researcher carries out some surveys to have more specific and precise information in two later weeks. Lastly, in the four following weeks, data analysis method will be adopted to produce final conclusions. 5. Organization of the study The study is divided into three parts:The first part is the introduction dealing with th e rationale, aims, scope, method, organization and significance of the study. The second part is the main part with three chapters: * Chapter 1 is the literature review which provides readers a general review of what corporate culture is, its components, and how it affects the company development. * Chapter 2 refers to the research methodologies. This means that it will describes in detail sources of data, methods applied in the research and their progresses as well as their outputs. * Chapter 3 is the main part of the study which consists of some discussions.This chapter will point out strengths and weaknesses of the current corporate culture in MC&BS JSC. Then, the author will suggest some actions that could be done in MC&BS JSC in order for them to develop a proper corporate culture. The last part is the conclusion that summarizes the content of the paper and gives some suggestions for further study. 6. Significance It is hoped that this research will be a helpful reference paper for the management of MC&BS JSC in specific and for businesses in general to build up their most appropriate corporate culture. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION 1.Rationale of the study1 2. Aims of the study2 3. Scope of the study2 4. Methodology3 5. Organization of the study3 6. Significance4 CHAPTER 1: LITARATURE REVIEW 1. 1 Definition of corporate culture 1. 2 Components of corporate culture 1. 1. 1 Structure and roles 1. 1. 2 Espoused mission and goals 1. 1. 3 Rules, regulations and procedures 1. 1. 4 Formal codes of behavior 1. 1. 5 Informal codes of behavior 1. 3 Influences of corporate culture on the development of a company 1. 1. 1 Influences of a positive culture 1. 1. 2 Influences of a neutral culture 1. 1. 3 Influences of a negative culture . 4 Assessment of a company culture and phases to develop the desired one 1. 1. 1 Criteria to assess a company culture 1. 1. 2 Phases to develop the desired corporate culture CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 2. 1 Study of structure in MC &BS JSC 2. 2 Study of the company rules, regulations and procedures 2. 3 Study of the interactions between management and employees and between employees themselves CHAPTER 3: DISCUSION 3. 1 Strengths of MC&BS JSC’s corporate culture 3. 2 Weaknesses of MC&BS JSC’s corporate culture 3. 3 Recommendations to improve the company’s corporate culture

AIDS in the World

AIDS is the fast becoming and the worst human disease disaster the world has ever seen. It is clear that in the next ten to fifteen years, AIDS will claim more lives than any other epidemic. As a matter of fact, every year and a half, it claims more human lives than the Holocaust. Nothing can be compared to the drag that AIDS has caused to human life.There is just no human suffering and devastation as worst as it is. In the year 2002, there have already been 28 million recorded deaths due to AIDS and that is only the paltry beginning. The United Nations Security Council has labeled AIDS as a global security threat.According to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, terrorism is not the most serious problem faced by the world today, but the AIDS epidemic. It is more than anything else destabilizing the entire planet (Hunter 2003).History of AIDSThe Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or commonly known as AIDS was first observed in 1981. When it was first observed, it gained little attention as an infectious disease among experts. Accordingly, the first report was by Dr. Michael Gottlieb from the University of California Los Angeles. It was nothing from the AIDS that we know today. He described it as a rare form of pneumonia among homosexual men.At the same time, there were also other reports referring to the same disease saying it was a rare kind of cancer (Conner et al 2007). Furthermore, the most mainstream case would be what happened in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention where they publish an article entitled â€Å"Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report†.In this article, experts described the case reports of five young men at three different hospitals in Los Angeles. All five of them were sexually active and gay. Also, all five of them are suffering from a lung disease.Furthermore, there were also case reports on 26 young homosexual men from New York and California that were diagnosed with Kaposi Sarcoma that was on the extreme level accompanied w ith skin and mucous membrane lesion.It is observed that most of the victims were homosexual men so scientists asked what practices the homosexual community is engaged in that made them contract the disease. They postulate that a drug called amyl nitrate used by homosexuals to increase sexual pleasure may be the culprit.There is also a theory that there are certain organisms in the homosexual body that caused the disease. By 1983, aside from the United States, there were already 16 countries that reported AIDS cases alongside more than 1000 Americans that were positively diagnosed (Weeks and Alcamo 2006).This situation is often compared to that of the story of the six blind men and the elephants that is familiar to all of us as children. The elephant was the disease and the six blind men were the scientists and doctors that were grappling with its emergence.They still do not have a clear idea what AIDS is, so they were treating the epidemic piecemeal. What physicians observed was tha t patient’s immune system was literally suppressed but they do not have any idea it was the very cause of the disease. Before 1984, the situation worsened.There were no clear definition for AIDS, no test available to affirm the diagnosis, and certainly no cure was in sight (Weeks and Alcamo 2006).Despite the pessimisms among the people, researchers were beginning to unravel the mysteries of the disease that soon they call AIDS.   The observed symptoms were then later on labeled as AIDS or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome mainly because the symptoms were consistent with damage to the immune system among healthy people.Furthermore, it was also learned that the disease was not congenital nor was it inherited but acquired from an infection of a virus. As of the present, the disease has become a prominent fixture in everyday language as its common name AIDS (Conner et al 2007).Basic research on AIDS was primarily done in the United States by two of the leading governmental in stitutions: the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Health (NIH). There were also studies conducted in Western Europe by Pasteur Institute.The Pasteur Institute was famous for their specialization in virology because it started out as center to combat rabies, the most horrible of all viral diseases. Prior to this, scientists in this institute has also done other viral discoveries such as that of Constantin Levadati who discovered the polio virus, Amedee Morrel who studied animal onco-viruses, and Felix d’Herelle who discovered bacteriophage.They are part of the team who had will soon develop the field of molecular biology and soon understand the biological strategy of the AIDS virus (Grmek et al 1993).The Pasteur virologists first encountered AIDS during a controversy about the Institute’s production of hepatitis-B vaccine. The process required a massive amount of human plasma. In 1981, they purchased around 2, 500 liters of plasma from the United States blood banks.A third of these were mixed to European plasma in order for them to prepare vaccine. When the product was tested to the chimpanzees, one of them developed hepatitis, and another died out of arbovirus infection (Grmek et al 1993).In September 1982, Jacques Leibowitch, a physician working at the Raymond Poincare Hospital in Paris had been convinced that AIDS is caused by an exotic virus of African origin that affected T4-cells transmitted by blood.The description of the virus was similar to that of HTLV retrovirus. He gave a seminar at Cochin hospital and informed the French task force about it. The French Task Force was pretty much convinced that the retrovirus might be the probable cause of AIDS. They were also –persuaded that it could be transmitted through blood (Grmek et al 1993).Other scientists believe the agent came from a virus that causes African swine fever since the same virus can result to immune suppression of pigs. Others believed that i t was cause by a slow virus, one that is multiplying at an extreme low rate that it only affects and manifests itself in the body after a few years.Another group believes that the agent is a vital escapee from a genetic engineering laboratory. There was also speculation that says that it came from a failed biological war against Cuba (Grmek et al 1993).In the United States, the group of Robert C. Gallo identified a virus in the blood of 48 patients with virus. They named the virus HTVL-III. They have published their works on the Science. In a few months that followed, there has already been a rivalry between the American and French experts each claiming that they were the first one who isolated the virus.They contested that they should be one who’ll receive international awards, research grants, and millions and billions of dollar patent rights. Until, they have settled after some time that the virus that they have been examining were of the same type. The United States for i ts part have a