Monday, December 30, 2019

Smart Cities Big Data, Civic Hackers, And The Quest For...

â€Å"We live in a world defined by urbanization and digital ubiquity, where mobile broadband connections outnumber fixed ones, machines dominate a new internet of things, and more people live in cities than in the countryside.† –Anthony M. Townsend, â€Å"Smart Cities† Smart Cities: Big Data, Civic Hackers, and the Quest for a New Utopia was written by Anthony M. Townsend who is an American researcher who specializes in research on the implications of technology on cities and public institutions. His book provides incredible historical context and finishes off with well-grounded perspectives and recommendations about the future of our cities. From start to finish he gives us the historical layout of â€Å"smart cities† and the many failures that have shaped the notions of how technology can improve the lives of urban dwellers. Anthony M. Townsend brings together trends and patterns in technology and cities, arguing for divergent futures based upon the pat h taken, while also describes corporate and government efforts that work against citizen-based action. He tells a story about how technology will change city planning and management. The concept of the book felt more as, corporations are making advances on planning smart cities, but do not surrender the entirety of the projects to them, make space for organic innovation and integration of the average citizen. For Townsend to make his argument he combines his own substantial experience in government and technology with interviews andShow MoreRelatedOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesS.A. Van Gosse and Richard Moser, eds., The World the Sixties Made: Politics and Culture in Recent America Joanne Meyerowitz, ed., History and September 11th John McMillian and Paul Buhle, eds., The New Left Revisited David M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, HistoricalRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesothers who should know better) to trivialize this very problematic and challenging subject. This is not the case with the present book. This is a book that deserves to achieve a wide readership. Professor Stephen Ackroyd, Lancaster University, UK This new textbook usefully situates organization theory within the scholarly debates on modernism and postmodernism, and provides an advanced introduction to the heterogeneous study of organizations, including chapters on phenomenology, critical theory and psychoanalysisRead MoreFundamentals of Hrm263904 Words   |  1056 PagesAffirmative Action Plans 59 Demonstrating Comprehension: Questions for Review 80 Key Terms 80 81 HRM Workshop Linking Concepts to Practice: Discussion Questions 81 Developing Diagnostic and Analytical Skills 81 Case Application 3-A: Diversity Is the New Color This Year 81 Case Application 3-B: When Oversight Fails 81 Working with a Team: What’s Your Perception? 82 Learning an HRM Skill: Investigating a Harassment Complaint 82 Enhancing Your Communication Skills 83 DID YOU KNOW?: Suggestions for

Sunday, December 22, 2019

The Issue Of Sex Work - 1715 Words

Sex Work, the term is prevalent indeed and also an extremely controversial topic in our society today. It drives men to pay for it, and women to sell it. Sex work can include phone sex operations, exotic dancing, nude webcam modeling, escort services, adult film performances, nude peepshows, massage parlor work, brothel work, prostitution and many more. Sex work comes in different forms and has been a familiar practice since ancient times. However, there are constitutional challenges in every country regarding sex work. For example, Canada’s sex work laws are persistently being challenged. In week five, we discussed the Canada’s sex work laws in the court case regarding Bedford v. Canada and Lauren Sampson’s proposals for change. Sex work is a phrase that many groups prefer to use instead of the term prostitution as it carries a lot of social stigma. As Sampson reflects in his work, the possible options available for reform in prostitution law in Canada in the af termath of the Bedford case, I will further analyze the competing models proposed and reflected upon Sampson’s proposals for change and whether I agree with these approaches. Firstly, it is important to know the history and background of prostitution in Canada. Before the Bedford challenge, sex work in Canada was actually legal. However, what seemed disconcerting and contradicting was the fact that most of these laws showed that any activity related to prostitution is illegal. The stigma shown here discriminatesShow MoreRelatedThe Issue Of Sex Work Essay2586 Words   |  11 Pagesawareness of the details of sex work create this ongoing hate towards sex work, which continues to stigmatize sex workers. Regardless of changing laws, regardless of changing policies, why is it that sex workers are still afraid to proudly announce that their job is in fact the job of a sex worker? Unfortunately, it seems as though the idea of sex work that seems to be such a terrible one is not what bothers sex workers the most, it is the social misconception of what sex work is like that leads theseRead MoreThe Issue Of Legalizing Sex Work2819 Words   |  12 Pagesthe term ?sex work? in 1979. She said of this change from the term ?prostitute? as, ?[The] beginning of a movement? [the change to the term sex workers] knowledges the work we do rather than defines us by our status [as the pejorative ?prostitute?].? (qtd. NSWP, Leigh). A staunch advocate for decriminalizing prostitution Leigh stated on NPR in 2002, ? Whatever ills are attendant to prostitution, criminalization of prostitutes exacerbates the abuse.? (qtd. ACLU, par. 2). Legalizing sex work or decriminalizingRead MoreThe Legal Regulation Of Sex Work Essay1473 Words   |  6 PagesThe legal regulation of sex work has become a key issue for many governments in an attempt to tackle the many issues and harms of the industry, many partially or fully decriminalising the industry. Sex work is an intensely complex issue, and even the concept of sex work as a ‘job’ is a contentious issue. Some feminist academics perceive sex work as inherently violent regardless of any regulations and t herefore should not be legalised at all. However this in an idealistic notion as inaction and furtherRead MoreThe Legal And Social Implications Of Prostitution1039 Words   |  5 Pagesthe issue has been heavily debated, a proper answer to its legalization or criminalization has not yet been defined in many countries throughout the world. While some view that â€Å"sex work† is a justifiable occupation that should be protected under human rights, others argue that it’s legalization would do more harm than good. According to the Health and Human Rights Journal (2014), the Russian Federation has little justification for its criminalization of sex work, and the vulnerability of sex worker’sRead MoreQuantitative Critique On Female Sex Work And International Sport Events1532 Words   |  7 PagesQuantitative Critique on Female Sex Work and International Sport Events This paper is a quantitative critique on the article Female sex work and international sports events- no major changes in demand or supply of paid sex during the 2010 Soccer World Cup: a cross-sectional study, written by Marlise Richter et al. The article goes into detail on whether or not there is a true increase in the supply and demand of sex workers during the elicit 2010 Soccer World Cup that was held in South Africa (RitcherRead MoreThe Need For Sex Therapy929 Words   |  4 PagesThe Need for Sex Therapy As research suggests, sex therapy can be an effective mode of treatment for many issues in regards to sexual activity. From an outsider’s perspective, it may be hard to understand the process of sex therapy ad what it is used for. I would assume that people might think sex therapy is for pedophiles or rapist, trying to control their â€Å"urges†. However, sex therapy is more than just for that reason, it can be a healing process for those who have been abused or even a buildingRead MoreLegalization Of Prostitution And Prostitution1612 Words   |  7 Pagesand between jurisdictions within a country. Prostitution or sex work is legal in some parts of the world and regarded as a profession, while in other parts it is a crime punishable by death. In many jurisdictions prostitution is illegal. In other places prostitution itself is legal, but surrounding activities are illegal. In other jurisdictions prostitution is legal and regulated. In most jurisdictions which criminal ize prostitution, the sex worker is the party subject to penalty, but in some jurisdictionsRead MoreCommunication Methods For Hiv / Aids Prevention1336 Words   |  6 Pagesthe government pushes the â€Å"ABC strategy† (Ntseane, p. 17) for HIV/AIDS prevention. â€Å"ABC† stands for abstain from sex, be faithful, or always use condoms. The government tried to get Africans to follow through with one of these three choices. These communication methods reduce HIV/AIDS infection rates since it informs the citizens of the issues and on how to prevent infection. However, sex workers will disregard this information because they have no other choice. The government also tried supplyingRead MoreThe Laws That Sex Workers Really Want By Toni Mac1168 Words   |  5 PagesIn â€Å"The Laws That Sex Workers Really Want,† Toni Mac discusses the reality of legalization in regards to sex work and their effects. Mac’s purpose is to show the audience the four legal models that are being used around the world and demonstrate why they don’t work. Then, explain the model that sex workers themselves think would work best, decriminalization (â€Å"The Laws†). She shares her own stories and experiences to help make her argument and to add to the effectiveness of her use of the rhetoricalRead MoreShould Prostitution Be A Legal Occupation? Essay1146 Words   |  5 Pagesdrug-related and sex trafficking crimes, and new source of tax to help the country s debt. To begin, prostitution can be a very secretive and underground job, due to the prohibition on sex work. Workers are not receiving benefits such as a sense of security from police and health care. Prostitutes can often be raped and transmitted diseases, but because of the laws against this occupation the workers will never step up to receive the help they need in fear of backlash. Legal sex workers in other

Saturday, December 14, 2019

Pakistan’s War on Terror Up to and Beyond 2014 Free Essays

While Pakistan continues to be a frontline state in the global war on terror, it is simultaneously fighting domestic terrorism in a war that will seemingly continue well beyond 2014. In recent months, terror attacks targeting the Shia Hazara minority in Baluchistan indicate a transformation of the terror problem in Pakistan. The Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi present two different sides of Pakistan’s terrorism problem, however, the two organizations have increasingly converged operationally to the extent that Pakistan cannot eliminate one without simultaneously confronting the other. We will write a custom essay sample on Pakistan’s War on Terror Up to and Beyond 2014 or any similar topic only for you Order Now BACKGROUND: The September 11 terrorist attacks on the U. S. in which thousands of innocent lives were lost led Pakistan to join the U. S. -led global war against international terrorism in which Pakistan has over the years made an invaluable contribution. However, with the passage of time, Washington increasingly came to view Islamabad as part of the problem rather than the solution. Most U. S. and European policy makers believe that Pakistan is providing a safe haven for the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Western media is full of stories about a presence of the Taliban leadership in Pakistan, including of Mullah Omar’s alleged base in Quetta. Since the summer of 2008, U. S. military and intelligence agencies are sharing minimal intelligence with its Pakistani counterparts, instead focusing on drone attacks against suspected terrorist movements and hideouts. Pakistan is a signatory to the UN’s Palermo Convention. At the regional level, Pakistan has signed and ratified SAARC Regional Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism and the SAARC Convention on Narcotic Drugs Substances and the ECO Protocol against drugs. It has extradition treaties with 29 countries and bilateral agreements or MOUs on terrorism with 50 countries. Pakistan has played a major role in eliminating a number of terror networks such as the Al-Qaeda Anthrax network, the Alghuraba network, the UK-based Anglo-Pakistani group and Jundullah. Prominent targets captured include Khalid Sheikh Muhammad, Abu Alfaraj Alibi, Al Shib, Abu Zubaida, Abu Talha, Khalid bin Attash or Walid bin Attish, Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, Mohammad Naeem Noor Khan, Abu Laith al-Libi, Hasan Bana, Hamza Rabbi, Sharif Al Masri, Abu Mushab Masri, Jaffar Uttayyar Alkashmiri Yassir Al-Jaziri, and Abdul Rehman Al-Masri. Umar Patek was arrested in Abbottabad by Pakistani forces and may have provided important leads to Osama bin Laden’s whereabouts. Since 9/11, Pakistan has also become a victim of terrorism. The direct and indirect cost suffered by Islamabad in the war on terror has been around US$ 35 billion. There has been a constant increase in the number of terror attacks in Pakistan since 9/11 and a number of prominent Pakistanis have lost their lives in such attacks. These include the two-time Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto and the former head of the Pakistan Army’s Special Service Group, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Ameer Faisal Alvi. Most of the jihadists in Pakistan, especially the splinter groups of various organizations, are now operating under the umbrella of TTP, a Deobandi Sunni organization established in December 2007. TTP’s objectives include cleansing Pakistan of foreign, meaning the U. S. and overall Western, presence, implementing Sharia and establishing a Caliphate. Over the years, TTP has been involved in a number of suicide bombings, rocket attacks, remote controlled bombs, abductions, and beheadings. It has widened its area of operations beyond Pakistan’s tribal areas and targeted a number of government installations and organizations in the mainland, including the Federal Investigation Agency’s Lahore office, the Naval War College in Lahore, the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, the Wah ordinance Factory, the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, a police training school, the GHQ Rawalpindi and the Navy’s Mehran base in Karachi. It is also involved in kidnapping for ransom, bank robberies, forced taxes and drug trade. IMPLICATIONS: Since 9/11, the TTP has increasingly converged with the staunchly anti-Shia militant group Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. A number of prominent TTP operations were conducted by known Lashkar-e-Jhangvi operatives. In recent months, the Hazaras in Baluchistan are increasingly becoming a prime target of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. Both TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi consider Shias kafirs (infidels) and hence legitimate targets. Terrorist activities showed no sign of receding in 2012, indicating that after more than a decade of fighting terror, Pakistan is nowhere close to the finishing line in this war and the problem is taking an even uglier shape. According to various sources, Pakistan suffered more than 6000 casualties in different terror attacks in 2012. More than 450 terror attacks were recorded in 2012 in which at least 39 were confirmed suicide attacks. Another important development in 2012 was the increasing operational alliance between the TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, although the two groups have cooperated with each other also in the past, the group led by Amjad Farooqi in 2003-2004 being a case in point. However, in 2012 the two groups largely converged operationally in the sense that they declared a war against Shias. This convergence has resulted in the worst attacks to date against Shias, especially the Hazaras in Baluchistan. In 2012, Shias were targeted in 113 attacks in which 396 people lost their lives, indicating the increasingly sectarian features of Pakistan’s terrorism problem. So far, more than a thousand terror-related deaths have occurred in 2013. Apart from a closer alliance emerging between TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, TTP has also established Ansar Al-Aseerian (Helpers of the prisoners) in partnership with the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. According to media reports, Adnan Rasheed has been appointed the head of this group. The purpose of this group is to free all militants held in custody by Pakistani security forces and in various jails. TTP is also attempting to expand its activities and area of influence to Karachi, Pakistan’s major financial hub. Karachi, which is also considered to be Pakistan’s major Pashtun center, has been a preferred hideout for TTP, while some TTP and other jihadi activists have received medical treatment in Karachi. 2013 also witnessed two developments that will have long lasting effect on Pakistan’s war against terrorism. Firstly, Pakistan’s national Assembly unanimously passed the National Counter Terrorism Authority Bill 2013 on March 8, 2013. The establishment of a National Counter Terrorism Authority (NCTA) will play an important role in the efforts to combat terrorism. According to the mandate given to NCTA, it will â€Å"coordinate counter terrorism and counter extremism efforts in view of the nature and magnitude of the terrorist threat; and to present strategic policy options to the government for consideration/implementation by the stakeholders after scientifically studying the phenomenon of extremism and terrorism in historic and professional perspective. † Secondly, Pakistan’s army is taking a tougher stance and increasing its attention to the terrorism problem, as indicated by the decision of Pakistan’s army chief to treat the problem of terrorism as an operational priority. 013 is also an election year in Pakistan, with national and provincial elections scheduled for May 11, 2013. TTP has already targeted a number of political events in Khyber Paktunkhwa and especially the Awami National Party’s election campaign. The political party or parties that will form the next government will not only inherit a crisis in the energy and financial sectors but will also have to make hard decisions about the country’s war against terror. CONCLUSIONS: Developments in Pakistan suggest that the country’s terror problem will only increase in the lead-up to 2014 and Pakistan will have to fight its war on terror well beyond 2014, if concrete and decisive steps against TTP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi are not taken. Both organizations want Pakistan to be a Sunni state and are increasingly targeting Shias. The Pakistani people and armed forces have paid a huge price in people and material in this ongoing war. Unless Pakistan addresses the root causes of the problem, it will not only persist but also get worse. How to cite Pakistan’s War on Terror Up to and Beyond 2014, Essays

Thursday, December 5, 2019

Funding Models for Normative Pricing and Structure- myassignmenthelp

Question: Discuss about theFunding Models for Normative Pricing and Quality Structure. Answer: As Eagar et al. (2013) put, there are four funding models that are important in funding the healthcare system. The models include payment for performance (P4P) best practice pricing, normative pricing, and quality structure pricing models. However, this paper would focus on payment for performance, and it is applied in Australia. P4P or sometimes it is identified as safety and quality pricing operates on incentives and disincentives that a hospital gets depending on the outcomes of their services (Eagar et al, 2013). This model pays the institutions based on their practices or services and the areas of concern in this model are safety and quality. Hospitals whose services are easily accessible and their quality is commendable, get incentives, while those who do not, do get any incentives. The Australian public hospitals use the payment for performance model, to support their operational needs. To add further to the description of this model, its principal objective is to establish an express link between quality and safety and funding. If the patient outcomes are found to be good, definitely a hospital facility would be rewarded for the wonderful job done. Unfortunately, those hospitals that would have bad patient outcomes are likely to be penalized. In a nutshell, the model seeks to reward good quality and penalize poor quality (Lagarde, et al, 2013). In the Australian experience, there is a direct link between safety and quality and pricing and funding. Today, the Queensland Health, Australia is seeking to employ the normative strategies to introduce incentives ("Australian commission on safety and quality in healthcare", 2013). At the facility, the strategy is to incentivize case surgery conducted during the day, to reduce time spent at hospitals. Ideally, providing incentives for the day case surgery is to reduce stay at the hospital aims at improving performance. Thus, when incentives are offered due to excellent performance, definitely the funding model becomes P4P. Also, Queensland introduced a practice called CPIP (Clinical Practice Improvement Payment System) which seeks to provide incentives for better performance. Furthermore, it is reported that in 2007, Australia adopted a case-mix payment whose main objective was to achieve excellent performance. This is a confirmation that Australia is applying the P4P in its public hospitals to enhance their performance. In essence, to know that a country is applying the P4P model, the main focus should be to establish if there are incentives offered to achieve some desired performance. In Australia, there are efforts that are seeking to improve performance, by directing giving incentives to hospitals to achieve to improve their performance. Furthermore, in Western Australia, there are reports that between 2010 and 2011, WAHD (Western Australian Health Department), is implementing funding that is centered on activity carried out. For instance, is reported that health facilities handling in-patients cases that are acute received more funding, to boost their FOC (full operational capability). Ideally, there has been some significant increase in initiatives seeking to enhance safety and quality at Australian hospitals to bolster their performance for the benefit of patients (Norman, et al, 2014). Thus, due to the increased efforts in Australia to enhance the performance of their hospitals, it is imperative to state that they are employing the payment for performance model in her public hospitals. Manifestation of P4P Nevertheless, the payment for performance is likely to manifest in four areas that include: Pay-for- results, pay-for-transparency, gain sharing and pay-for-competence. For pay-for-results, this kind of initiative offers the healthcare providers some bonuses if they are able to serve their patients within a certain a short period of time so that they can go back to work. But, for pay-for-competence is where health providers, receive some excellent financial bonuses for having structured that are functioning to capacity, hence guaranteeing good performance (Mannion, Davies, 2014). In most cases, health service providers working at facilities that have achieved pay-for-competence are likely to be entitled to a better pay as compared to their counterparts in other facilities lacking the kind of structures they have in place. On the other hand, pay-for-transparency, is where those hospitals with proper documentation and processes are receiving financial bonuses, while those without are punished (Standard, 2012). Finally, gain sharing manifesting P4P, where healthcare providers are working in a complex system, where they are both striving to offer patient care, and in case they do a good job they share the incentives. On the other hand, if disparate providers fail to meet some desired performance they share the penalties imposed on them. National Efficient Price It is notable that NEP is activity-based. The concept of activity-based aims to determine how hospitals are funded depending on the activities they are carrying out. Thus, I am in agreement to the large extent that National efficient price is seeking to improve the health status in Australia, by having those hospitals that deal with more complicated disorders have a better funding than other hospitals. The idea perpetuated in this concept of NEP is that for public hospitals to achieve efficiency or desired performance then it is cogent to fund them depending on the activities they carry out. Furthermore, the NEP seeks to classify hospitals based on the services they offer so as to determine their funding (Downie, 2017). Hospitals that offer same services receive the same kind of funding and this to some level seeks to promote social equity (Downie, 2017). It promotes social equity in the sense that any hospitals across Australia receive same funding based on their services, so as to seal situations of funding variations that can be construed as discriminatory or injustice. Nevertheless, NEP in all probability seeks to improve the performance of public hospitals in Australia based on the services, they offer hence this kind of funding still falls under P4P. In conclusion, the main objective of payment for performance is to ensure that safety and quality are factored in determining the incentives or disincentives the hospitals receive. However, to some extent, the model does not give a model for growth, since it does not give room for improvement beyond a certain level (Merilind, 2016). Also, penalizing some hospitals due to their failure to meet some desired performance to some extent stifles them from performing well because of the demoralization that comes with disincentives. References Eagar, K., Sansoni, J., Loggie, C., Elsworthy, A., McNamee, J., Cook, R., Grootemaat, P. (2013). A literature review on integrating quality and safety into hospital pricing systems. Australian commission on safety and quality in healthcare. (2013). Retrieved 12 October 2017, from https://file:///C:/Users/ben/Downloads/Supplementary-Briefing-and-lit.pdf Standard, Q. I. G. (2012). Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Mannion, R., Davies, H. T. (2014). Payment for performance in health care. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 336(7639), 306. Norman, A. H., Russell, A. J., Macnaughton, J. (2014). The payment for performance model and its influence on British general practitioners' principles and practice. Cadernos de saude publica, 30(1), 55-67. Merilind, E. (2016). The impact of payment for performance on number of family doctors visits, specialist consultations and hospital bed occupancy. A longitudinal study. Quality in Primary Care. Lagarde, M., Wright, M., Nossiter, J., Mays, N. (2013). Challenges of payment-for- performance in health care and other public servicesdesign, implementation and evaluation. Downie, J. (2017). More than just activity: pricing and funding for quality and safety.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

MGST course outline free essay sample

Without question, you require expertise in a chosen field such as accounting, finance, marketing, or operations management, but knowing what to do and how to do it is not the same thing as getting it done. Your supervisor will judge your performance someday, not on what you know, but rather upon the basis of what you do. Getting things done in organizations requires excellent teamwork and interpersonal skills. Indeed, only when employees develop their people skills are they able to fully realize technical expertise in the pursuit of effectiveness and excellence.COURSE OBJECTIVES By the end of the course, students should develop a good understanding of elf-awareness, from which they gain insight about their own behaviors and the behavior of others. Students also should develop a good understanding of skills necessary for effective interactions with others, in such areas as communications, motivation, teamwork and conflict management. IMPORTANT: This class builds upon any junior course in organizational behavior that you may have taken. We will write a custom essay sample on MGST course outline or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The goal is to provide you with an opportunity to reflect carefully on a select group of B topics pertinent to working with people at work, and begin to develop associated skills in an experiential classroom environment. For this reason, we will only spend part of our time together discussing the concepts. A significant portion of the class will be reserved for experiential exercises to gain a more practical perspective on these B theories and concepts. As such, you are responsible for reading the assigned text chapters before class.Although I will usually provide a summary of key concepts and theories in class, you are expected to have a strong command of these materials (which will be assessed through the in class quizzes). REQUIRED TEXTBOOK AND/OR MATERIALS David A Wheaten Kim S Cameron. Developing Management Skills, 8th Edition; 201 1. In addition, Powering presentations will be posted on the Blackboard for your convenience. It is my practice to post many more slides than I actually use in class. This is to help summarize the material and prepare you for the quizzes and assignments.Please Bring Your Book To Class! Several class exercises and self-assessments are in the textbook. CONTACTING YOUR INSTRUCTOR Students requiring assistance are encouraged to speak to the instructor during class or during office hours. If you wish to meet with the instructor, lease email the instructor to make an appointment. Students should get into the habit of making and keeping business appointments. PROPER BUSINESS USE OF EMAIL Email is commonly used by students to communicate with their instructor.However, it does limit the effectiveness of the communications and may not be the best way for instructors to answer student questions, especially those requiring an explanation of concepts covered in this course or some personal concerns. Therefore the instructor may request a telephone call or personal meeting. INTERNET ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION DEVICES Any surfing of the Internet during lectures that is not directly related to and approved for class discussion is distracting and strictly prohibited. Additionally, the use of any electronic devices (e. G. , cellular phones) for e- mailing, text-messaging, etc. S not allowed. Please turn OFF your phone before the beginning of each lecture. Class Structure The first 30-60 minutes of class will begin with a brief lecture. The remaining time will involve participation in different activities, such as completing diagnostic questionnaires and experiential class exercises. GRADE DISTRIBUTION Three Take-home Assignments Quiz 1 Quiz 2 30% Group Project Presentation Research participation bonus credit [up to 2%] Total 100% Take-home Assignments There will be THREE take-home assignments two individual and one group assignment.Assignment 1 (10%) is a self-awareness exercise that involves 1) obtaining an outsider perspective on your personal attributes, and 2) comparing your personal attributes to those of a work colleague. Assignment 2 (15%) involves completing a group task outside of class and thereafter documenting key team member roles and team processes that occurred. Assignment 3 (10%) involves creating and executing a performance plan to motivate a colleague on a specific task of interest and reporting on the key findings thereafter. Group Project Presentation The group project presentation is a Movie Analysis Presentation (10% of the final mark).After watching a movie, the group will analyze the material by relating it to topics covered in the course. The list of the movies and topics related to the movies are provided at the end of this outline. The goal is to enhance your skillfulness at recognizing, analyzing, and offering commendations for dealing with practical work situations using management principles and theories. Also, you will practice your oral communication skills. Students will be randomly assigned into groups of 6 (this will be the same group of 6 that works on Assignment 2).It is up to the group to choose the movie and obtain approval by the instructor. Projects Presentation On the last day of class, your team is expected to share your movie analysis findings with your classmates. Aim for a 10 minute formal presentation and then lead a five minute informal discussion with their classmates, answering questions that arise (time permitting). The goal is to become more comfortable presenting ideas in a public forum, a vital skill in any company. You will prepare a 1-2-page summary of your analyses to share With your classmates, and also to assist me with grading your presentation.Your team will be evaluated on presentation skills AND content (I. E. , appropriateness of the analysis, demonstrated through effective application of B theories and principles to understanding the core events of the movie). Normally members of teams will individually receive the marks awarded to the team on this assignment. However, the instructor reserves the right to conduct peer evaluations in cases where a majority of team members believe that a member is failing to perform his or her assigned duties and/or attend team meetings.It is the responsibility of the team to bring problems of this nature to the instructors attention as early as possible in the course to permit corrective action (I. E. Not at, or near, the end of the course when it is too late to permit remedial action to alter the behavior of the individual). Peer evaluations are taken seriously and can and do result in individual students achieving a higher or lower (including failing) grade than other team members of the group. In class Quizzes There is no final exam in this course instead there will be two in-class quizzes. Quiz one is worth 25% and Quiz two is worth 30%.The goal of these quizzes is to test your knowledge and understanding of theories and principles covered in the assigned chapters in the textbook, as well as materials covered in class. As you are responsible for reading up on these materials on your own time, this is an opportunity for you to demonstrate that you have done so successfully. The exam questions will be in multiple- choice form, although the questions will typically require you to think critically (and not just regurgitate definitions). GRADE SCALE The Hackney School of Business endeavourers to ensure consistency of final grades across courses and sections.

Monday, November 25, 2019

The Second To Last Day Of Seventh Grade Essays

The Second To Last Day Of Seventh Grade Essays The Second To Last Day Of Seventh Grade Essay The Second To Last Day Of Seventh Grade Essay Essay Topic: 7th Grade I guess all the emotions started pouring out when the slide show came on. All the girls in my science class started to cry, and my friends Dawn, Mackey,Carlisle and I Just smiled and laughed at the pictures. When class was over, I went to meet up with some of my friends in my next class. I guess that in almost all of our classes all we did was finish any project we had left and hung out with our friends in the classrooms that we were in. In my sixth hour class, my teacher Ms. Eke instructed that we were allowed to go anywhere in the 7th grade hallway, so my friends and I definitely took advantage of hat opportunity. The first thing we did was go downstairs, we need to find Roman Allah insisted. Penny gave me a look saying that she was annoyed. I gave her a cheesy smile that said we should Stool so we didnt have to go and find Roman with Allah. Maid and Arians came running to catch up with us. Whered you guys go!? asked Maid with great curiosity. Arians asked where Chad was, all of us looked around the hall, maybe hes upstairs. said Penny. All of us decided to look for Chad, so we walked up the staircase in the seventh grade hall. As I looked up from walking the first case of stairs I saw y friend Japan, he smiled at me and poked my side. Owl I purpose to see what he would say. He Just smiled, and exaggerated on I smiled back, then I poked his arm, owe! You Minnie! he exaggerated too. Muff poked me first, youre a Minnie! we laughed, Rottener! Penny See you later I said, He smiled, and I walked up the called coming! I replied, last stair case. Ooh! said Penny, as she gave me a cheesy smile. I laughed and shoved her a little, then I walked back into Ms. Ex.s class. All of us sat in a corner and talked for the longest time, we talked about trance and random things like what we might do when we got older, who will live with who, how we would want to die! To you it might seem strange, but to our group, its a really funny thing to think about. When I die, at my funeral, I want you to get down on your knees at my coffin and say, I will avenge you!!! When Mr Young announced that it was time to go outside, my friends and I booked it. We were all very excited to go outside. Our group sat against a wall outside and after we each got a popsicle, we continued our strange conversation. Penny, and a few of my other friends pulled out their yearbooks and we darted going through them. My cousin Jose came and took Pennys yearbook out of her hands. I gasped. No one takes Pennys things! If you mess with Penny, then you get pounded! (l thought he knew that. ) Penny and I started chasing after Jose, when we finally tackled him, Penny grabbed her yearbook and beat the stupid out of Jose, I laughed. Now he knows not to mess with you! after that entertainment the bell rang, I went over to go say bye to Right my other friends, we all hugged and looked forward to tomorrow, and the next day, all looked forward to next year.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Socrates and Euthyphro Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Socrates and Euthyphro - Essay Example As Socrates and Euthyphro argue over the definition of piety, we will examine them to find out as to what facts are relevant in this dialogue of Euthyphro. Euthyphro, a priest comes to the court to prosecute his own father, on charges of killing the former’s servant. In this context Socrates (who is in the court because he has been accused of impiety) wanted to find out as to what is really meant by the term piety (or morally good), since Euthyphro, by his own version, is doing an act of piety by defying all conventions and prosecuting his own kin, his father. So Socrates starts by asking Euthyphro the definition of piety, to which Euthyphro says his very act of coming to the court to prosecute his father in order to fight for justice, is piety (first definition). However, Socrates disagrees and tells him, that the act is certainly pious, but does not define the term piety. To explain this in simpler terms we can say take any sentence as an example. When asked to define the term ‘bread’, the sentence ‘this basket contains bread’, may be a correct statement, but certainly does not define the term ‘ bread’. Realizing his mistake Euthyphro then comes forward with the second definition, where he says piety is an act loved by the gods. Here again Socrates intervenes, and tells him that there may be instances where the Gods may disagree amongst themselves. Then the act cannot be pious, since there is no clear consensus between the Gods. The third definition that Euthyphro then puts forward is that acts of piety are loved by all the Gods. After this definition, Socrates puts forward the question â€Å"Is what youre doing pious because it is loved by the gods, or do the gods love what youre doing because what youre doing is pious?†(Cahn, ibid). Here lies the dilemma, that is, if we accept certain act to be pious just because God commanded them to be so, then the distinction between good and bad becomes the

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

International Trade and Competition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

International Trade and Competition - Essay Example Thus organizations usually decide to globalize their operations when they foresee a sufficient profitability in assigning their limited resources to foreign market(s) higher than the expected rate of return from other marketing decisions. iii) The cost of entering the market. Cost may be monetary, time, energy or psychic costs and may arise due to differences in culture and value systems making the product and adaptation cost extremely high, due to the distance, due to high taxation levied by the foreign governments and imposition of tedious rules regulations and procedures by the government of a country thus creating high entry barriers. Countries may differ on their market attractiveness, entry barriers, proximity, culture, rules and regulations and risk factors hence the same organization may have to employ different entry and operation strategies for different countries, also the government policies in the same country may be different for different industries and some products and hence the strategies have to be varied accordingly . Organizations differ in their vision, mission, objectives, competitiveness (strengths and weaknesses), resources and hence the strategies they adopt to face a particular marketing situation. However studying a category of organizations and the international marketing strategies adopted by them helps arrive at few generalizations. The decision maker has to exercise caution in deciding where to generalize and where to discriminate while formulating strategies for the organization s/he is

Monday, November 18, 2019

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-unit 3, question #2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE-unit 3, question #2 - Essay Example Solar panels are made from special materials, which absorb the heat from the sun. For instance, solar panels have black bottoms, which absorbs heat at a faster and more efficient rate. This heat is used to boil the water that is inside a series of tubes within the solar panel technology, and this water basically traps the energy that lies within the heat(Wright, 2008). In simpler terms, solar energy is able to create energy by collecting heat from the sun, converting the heat into energy through the process of boiling water, and stores this hot water/energy in a tank for later use(Wright, 2008). This energy is then used for the same purposes as energy derived from fossil fuels, including heating a person’s home and running appliances. According to Wright, solar energy is an extremely good alternative to fossil fuels. â€Å"Just 40 minutes of sunlight†¦yields the equivalent energy of a year’s expenditure of fossil fuel†(Wright, 2008). Solar panels do not harm the environment like fossils fuels do because, unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is a natural source which does not trap high amounts of carbon within the environment. An added benefit to solar energy is that it will save money on electric bills for those who utilize it. This economic aspect makes it an attractive option for certain people. Solar panels and solar energy have become a lot more popular in recent years as people become more aware of its overall efficiency. In nations such as America, which uses a lot of energy and resources on a daily basis, utilizing renewable energy is a great way to cut down on humanity’s overall footprint on the environment. Although solar panels may be a bit pricey in terms of the setup, it essentially pays for itself in the amount of money saved on energy because of the fact that, as fossil fuels become more scarce, prices will continue to rise, but the Sun’s existence, on the other hand, is guaranteed for thousands of

Friday, November 15, 2019

Decision Making Processes in Firm Partnerships: Case Study

Decision Making Processes in Firm Partnerships: Case Study Summary of Case Charles Tollison was in the middle of an audit engagement when his managing partner told Charles that he was passed on for the promotion to and audit partner. This was not the first time that he had failed to be promoted to audit partner while at his firm. Charles has very little faith when his managing partner, Linton, said, promised that the following year he would vigorously campaign for Tollisons promotion and call in all the favors owed to him (Knapp, 2014). He was already passed on the position twice and had little faith he would ever get the position. One option Tollison had was to have a permanent position as senior manager with his current employer. The case states that Tollison was easily counted on to answer the more difficult issues that came across his department. One thing that Tollison was not good at was obtaining new clients for the firm. This seems to be a key factor of why Tollison was not promoted this year or even ever. Charles Tollison Qualifications of Partnership Position The methodology of determining if an accountant is qualified for a partnership depends on the firms way of evaluating the accountant. The methodology may be based on quality of work, ability to obtain new clients, or even have a specialized knowledge. The decision will also depend on what the firm needs at that point in time. These decisions are not always fair and the wrong person might be promoted. It seemed that Charles does have excellent quality work and he seems like the go to guy for difficult issues. I do not think personally that he was fully qualified for a partnership position. Quality of work is not the only quality that should be looked at when promoting someone to a partner. Tollisons Firm Fairness is not always possible in all situations, especially in situations where there are limited resources. In this case, the lack of promotion is unfortunate but I dont think unfair. I dont think he had all the qualities needed for this particular firm needed at that point in time. He seemed to be the go to guy for difficult issues that other people couldnt figure out. If he was promoted to a partner he would likely not be able to take on these difficult issues and not help the firm as much as a partner rather than a manager. Yes, it might seem unfair not to get promoted but you also have to think about what is best for the company over all. Evaluation Individuals for Promotion Some criteria that should be looked at when evaluating potential partners is quality of work, ability to obtain new clients, specialized knowledge, interpersonal skills, dedication and commitment to the firm, integrity, ethical behavior, success with difficult assignments, and professional reputation. In my opinion, larger firms main motivation is revenue and how partners can generate revenue with getting new client. I know my boss has told me stories about his friends at bigger Public CPA firms having a requirement to get a certain dollar amount of new revenue by obtaining new clients. If they did not reach this level or new revenue they would be terminated as a partner. To me this is obserb, I know I am not a sales person nor would I want to spend my time finding new clients. I would rather review audits and train the people under me to be good auditors. I think smaller firms would more likely look at dedication to the firm and maybe interpersonal skills. I am sure it is hard for a smaller firm to have constant partner changes so they would look for someone who would be there for the long run. Advantages and Disadvantages of Up or Out Supporters of the up or out promotion policy highlights the vitality created within an organization. Members of the organization are under constant pressure to innovate and improve on an ongoing basis. In theory, this pressure drives people to be better and in turn making the organization better. People who are against up or out promotion policy point out that the self-preservation and competition that up or out policy creates is not always in the best interest of the firm or their clients. That kind of policy may bring in employees that are only focused on the short term and may inadvertently force out employees with valuable skill sets that are important to the firm. I do not think that instilling fear into your employees is the best approach to improve themselves or improve the company.

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Gangs in America Essay -- Social Issues

Gangs are very dangerous to everyone in society. â€Å"Gangs are groups of people (mostly young males) who band together for protection and a sense of belonging. The U.S. Department of Justice officially defines a youth gang as a group of young people involved in criminal activity† (Gangs 1). There are about one million gang members in more than 20,00 criminally active gangs in the United States. Also, that group of about one million people, are accountable for up to eighty percent of our nation’s crimes. Since 2005, gangs have nationally added about 200,000 members (Targeting Gangs 1). This is why more action from the community needs to be taken to help with the growing gang-related crimes here in America. To start off, origins of gangs are unclear, but some researchers say that gangs came to America in the early 1800s. These first gangs were in New York and Philadelphia and members of these adult gangs were from the Irish, German, and Italian ethnic groups. Youth gangs did not start to form until after World War II (Opposing Viewpoints Gangs 109-110). Additionally, what kind of people are in gangs? Well first off, there are Latinos, which make up forty-nine percent of gang members'; African Americans, thirty-four percent; White, ten percent; Asian, six percent; and the other one percent is just the other category (â€Å"Facts About Gangs† 109). Also in 1996, according to the National Youth Gang Survey, the members of gangs were fifty percent under eighteen years old and fifty percent were eighteen or older. In that survey during 2006, the number of juveniles dropped to only being thirty-six and a half percent of member, on the other hand, the percentage of adult gang members consisted of sixty-three and a half percent of the gang pop... ...members have, we need to make it possible for them to get these personal benefits without feeling that it is necessary to join a gang. Of course, it's not possible for us to make them be able to get fast money like some of them want (or need) but other things like a sense of belonging or companionship are possible. Knowing about these benefits will make it easier for everyone to be able help out in the stop of gangs. As one can see, it may never be possible that gangs and gang violence will be stopped, but with our help from the community in every city and town it is possible to stop and decrease the large number of gang members and gang-related crimes. Remembering that there are many possibilities for decreasing the population size of gangs in America; such as better alternatives to being in a gang, educational programs, and arrest some hard-core gang members.

Monday, November 11, 2019

Health Improvement Essay

To address this challenge, the world’s governments committed themselves at the United Nations Millennium Summit to the Millennium Development Goals, including the overarching goal of halving extreme poverty by the year 2015. Yet, our planet’s capacity to sustain us is eroding. The problems are well-known – degrading agricultural lands, shrinking forests, diminishing supplies of clean water, dwindling fisheries, and the threat of growing social and ecological vulnerability from climate change and loss of biological diversity. While these threats are global, their impacts are most severe in the developing world – especially among people living in poverty who have the least means to cope. Is this environmental decline inevitable in order for poverty to be reduced? We argue not. Indeed, quite the opposite is true. If we do not successfully arrest and reverse these problems, the world will not be able to meet the Millennium Development Goals, particularly the goal of halving extreme poverty. As this paper demonstrates, tackling environmental degradation is an integral part of effective and lasting poverty reduction. The 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) provides the international community with a pivotal opportunity to redirect the global debate, and to forge a more integrated and effective global response to poverty and environmental decline. To succeed, we need to focus on the most important links between poverty, the environment and sustainable development. For many, ensuring sound environmental management means curtailment of economic opportunities and growth, rather than their expansion †¦ too often; it is viewed as a cost rather than an investment. Prepared as a contribution to the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development focuses on ways to reduce poverty and sustain growth by improving management of the environment, broadly defined. It seeks to draw out the links between poverty and the environment, and to demonstrate that sound and equitable environmental management is integral to achieving the Millennium Development Goals, in particular eradicating extreme poverty and hunger, reducing child mortality, combating major diseases, and ensuring environmental sustainability. Four priority areas for sustained policy and institutional change are highlighted: ?Improving governance for pro-poor and pro-environment policies, institutions and services, with particular attention to the needs of women and children; ?Enhancing the assets of the poor and reducing their vulnerability to environment-related shocks and conflict; ?Improving the quality of growth to protect the asset base of the poor and expand opportunities for sustainable livelihoods; ?Reforming international and industrialized country policies related to trade, foreign direct investment, aid and debt. Policy opportunities exist to reduce poverty and improve the environment The environment matters greatly to people living in poverty. The poor often depend directly on natural resources and ecological services for their livelihoods; they are often the most affected by unclean water, indoor air pollution and exposure to toxic chemicals; and they are particularly vulnerable to environmental hazards such as floods and prolonged drought, and to environment-related conflict. Addressing these poverty-environment linkages must be at the core of national efforts to eradicate poverty. Many policy opportunities exist to reduce poverty by improving the environment – but there are significant and often deeply entrenched policy and institutional barriers to their widespread adoption. The past decade of experience since the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio reveals some important lessons that help point the way forward. Three broad lessons are highlighted here: ?First and foremost, poor people must be seen as part of the solution – rather than part of the problem. Efforts to improve environmental management in ways that contribute to sustainable growth and poverty reduction must begin with the poor themselves. Given the right incentives and support – including access to information and participation in decision-making – the poor will invest in environmental improvements to enhance their livelihoods and well-being. At the same time, however, it is essential to address the activities of the non-poor since they are the source of most environmental damage. The environmental quality of growth matters to the poor. Environmental improvement is not a luxury preoccupation that can wait until growth has alleviated income poverty, nor can it be assumed that growth itself will take care of environmental problems over the longer-term as a natural by-product of increasing affluence. First, this ignores the fundamental importance of environmental goods and services to the livelihoods and well-being of the rural and urban poor. Second, there are many examples of how bad environmental management is bad for growth, and of how the poor bear a disproportionate share of the costs of environmental degradation. Ignoring the environmental soundness of growth – even if this leads to short-run economic gains – can undermine long-run growth and its effectiveness in reducing poverty. ?Environmental management cannot be treated separately from other development concerns, but requires integration into poverty reduction and sustainable development efforts in order to achieve significant and lasting results. Improving environmental management in ways that benefit the poor requires policy and institutional changes that cut across sectors and lie mostly outside the control of environmental institutions – changes in governance, domestic economic policy, and in international policies. Improving governance ?Integrate poverty-environment issues into nationally-owned poverty reduction strategies, including macroeconomic and sect oral policy reforms and action programmes, so that they can become national sustainable development strategies. Engage poor and marginalized groups in policy and planning processes to ensure that the key environmental issues that affect them are adequately addressed, to build ownership, and to enhance the prospects for achieving lasting results. Address the poverty-environment concerns of poor women and children and ensure that they are given higher priority and fully integrated into poverty reduction strategies and policy reforms – for example, the growing burden of collecting scarce water and fuelwood supplies, and the effects of long-term exposure to polluted indoor air. Implement anti-corruption measures to counter the role of corruption in the misuse of natural resources and weak enforcement of environmental regulations – for example, the destructive impacts of illegal logging and unregulated mining, or the preference for construction of new power and water investments over increasing the efficiency of existing investments. ?Improve poverty-environment indicators to document environmental change and how it affects poor people, and integrate into national poverty monitoring systems. This should be complemented by measures to improve citizens’ access to environmental information. Enhancing the assets of the poor ?Strengthen resource rights of the poor by reforming the wider range of policies and institutions that influence resource access, control and benefit-sharing, with particular attention to resource rights for women. This includes central and sub-national government, traditional authorities, the legal system, and local land boards, commissions and tribunals. Support decentralization and local environmental management – land, water and forest resource management, and provision of water supply and sanitation services – by strengthening local management capacity and supporting women’s key roles in managing natural resources. ?Expand access to environmentally-sound and pro-poor technology, such as crop production technologies that conserve soil and water and minimize the use of pesticides, or appropriate renewable energy and energy e fficient technologies that also minimize air pollution. This includes support for indigenous technologies, and the need to address the social, cultural, financial and marketing aspects of technical change. ?Promote measures that reduce the environmental vulnerability of the poor by strengthening participatory disaster preparedness and prevention capacity, supporting the formal and informal coping strategies of vulnerable groups, and expanding access to insurance and other risk management mechanisms. Reduce the vulnerability of the poor to environment-related conflict by improving conflict resolution mechanisms in the management of natural resources and addressing the underlying political issues that affect resource access. Improving the quality of growth ?Integrate poverty-environment issues in economic policy and decision-making by strengthening the use of environmental assessment and poverty social impact analysis. Improve environmental valuation at both the macro and micro level, in order to highlight the full cost of environmental deg radation for the poor in particular and the economy in general, and to improve economic decision-making. ?Expand private sector involvement in pro-poor environmental management to maximize the efficiency gains from private sector participation, while safeguarding the interests of the poor. This requires capacity within government to negotiate with the private sector – for example, to ensure that utility privatization benefits the poor – and to forge effective public-private partnerships that enhance the poor’s access to environmental services. ?Implement pro-poor environmental fiscal reform including reform of environmentally-damaging subsidies, improved use of rent taxes to better capture and more effectively allocate resource revenues, and improved use of pollution charges to better reflect environmental costs in market prices. Reforming international and industrialized country policies ?Reform trade and industrialized country subsidy policies to open up markets to developing country imports while avoiding environmental protectionism, and to reduce subsidies that lead to unsustainable exploitation – such as subsidies for large-scale commercial fishing fleets that encourage over-harvesting in developing country fisheries. . Make foreign direct investment more pro-poor and pro-environment by encouraging multinational corporations to comply with the revised OECD Code of Conduct for Multinational Enterprises, and to report on the environmental impact of their activities in line with the UN Environment Programme’s Global Reporting Initiative. ?Increase funding for the Global Environment Facility as the major source of funding for global public goods in the environment, such as a stable climate, maintenance of biodiversity, clean international waters and the protective ozone layer. These benefit the whole world as well as the poor themselves – so the rich world must pay a fair share for their maintenance. ?Enhance the contribution of multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) to national development objectives by strengthening developing country capacity to participate in the negotiation and implementation of MEAs (for example, to ensure that the Clean Development Mechanism promotes investments that benefit the poor). Also, improved coordination is needed between MEAs so that scarce developing country capacity is used most effectively. ?Encourage sustainable consumption and production – industrialized country consumers and producers through their trade, investment, pollution emissions and other activities affect the environmental conditions of developing countries. Making rich country consumption and production more sustainable will require a complex mix of institutional changes – addressing market and government failures as well as broad public attitudes. Enhance the effectiveness of development cooperation and debt relief with more priority for poverty-environment issues, particularly for the poorest countries where aid and debt relief continue to have a valuable role to play in helping governments to make many of the changes recommended above. Mainstream environment in donor agency operations through staff training, development and application of new skills, tools and approaches, and revisions to the way resources and budgets are allocated. Transparent monitoring of progress against stated objectives and targets is needed in order to hold development agencies accountable and to ensure that a commitment by senior management to addressing poverty-environment issues is put into practice throughout the organization. Conclusion This paper looks ahead with some degree of hope and optimism for the future – there are sometimes win-win opportunities, and there are rational ways of dealing with trade-offs. Environmental degradation is not inevitable, nor the unavoidable result of economic growth. On the contrary, sound and equitable environmental management is key to sustained poverty reduction and achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. There are significant policy opportunities to reduce poverty and improve the environment, but more integrated and pro-poor approaches are needed. The World Summit on Sustainable Development is an opportunity to focus on what is most important and to forge a coherent framework for action, with clear goals and achievable targets backed-up by adequate resources and effective and transparent monitoring mechanisms. There can be no more important goal than to reduce and ultimately eradicate poverty on our planet. PART 1 Why the Environment Matters to People Living in Poverty â€Å"Water is life and because we have no water, life is miserable† (Kenya) â€Å"We think the earth is generous; but what is the incentive to produce more than the family needs if there are no access roads to get produce to a market? † (Guatemala) â€Å"In the monsoons there is no difference between the land in front of our house and the public drain. You can see for yourself† (India) In their own words, the environment matters greatly to people living in poverty. Indeed, poor people’s perceptions of well-being are strongly related to the environment in terms of their livelihoods, health, vulnerability, and sense of empowerment and ability to control their lives. Figure 1 provides a simplified framework for understanding how environmental management relates to poverty reduction, and why these poverty-environment linkages must be at the core of action to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and related national poverty eradication and sustainable development objectives. Environmental management for poverty reductionDimensions of povertyDevelopment goals Part 1 of the paper focuses on the poverty-environment relationship by examining how environmental conditions in both rural and urban settings relate to three key dimensions of human poverty and well-being: ?Livelihoods – poor people tend to be most dependent upon the environment and the direct use of natural resources, and therefore are the most severely affected when the environment is degraded or their access to natural resources is limited or denied; Health – poor people suffer most when water, land and the air are polluted; ?Vulnerability – the poor are most often exposed to environmental hazards and environment-related conflict, and are least capable of coping when they occur. We also are concerned with the relationship between growth and the environment and how it affects the poor and efforts to reduce poverty. The environmental soundness of growth matters considerably to the poor, and countries with similar levels of income and growth can have quite different levels of environmental performance. While Figure 1 illustrates the main pathways between environmental conditions and dimensions of poverty, in reality these linkages are multi-dimensional, dynamic and often inter-connected: ?Poverty is now widely viewed as encompassing both income and non-income dimensions of deprivation – including lack of income and other material means; lack of access to basic social services such as education, health and safe water; lack of personal security; and lack of empowerment to participate in the political process and in decisions that influence one’s life. The dynamics of poverty also are better understood, and extreme vulnerability to external shocks is now seen as one of its major features. Environment refers to the biotic and abiotic components of the natural world that together support life on earth – as a provider of goods (natural resources) and ecosystem services utilized for food production, energy and as raw material; a recipient and partial recycler of waste products from the economy; and an important source of recreation, beauty, spiritual values and other amenities. The nature and dynamics of poverty-environment linkages are context-specific – reflecting both geographic location and economic, social and cultural characteristics of individuals, households and social groups. Different social groups can prioritize different environmental issues (Brocklesby and Hinshelwood, 2001). In rural areas, poor people are particularly concerned with their access to and the quality of natural resources, especially water, cro p and grazing land, forest products and biomass for fuel. For the urban poor, water, energy, sanitation and waste removal are key concerns. Poor women regard safe and physically close access to potable water, sanitation facilities and abundant energy supplies as crucial aspects of well-being, reflecting their primary role in managing the household. ?Environmental management, as used in this paper, extends well beyond the activities of public environmental institutions. In relation to poverty, environmental management is concerned fundamentally with sustaining the long-term capacity of the environment to provide the goods and services upon which people and economies depend. This means improving environmental conditions and ensuring equitable access to environmental assets – in particular land and biological resources, and safe and affordable water supply and sanitation – in order to expand poor people’s livelihood opportunities, protect their health and capacity to work, and reduce their vulnerability to environment-related risks. This broader conception of poverty and environment, and of environmental management, is essential to understanding the linkages between them and to identifying appropriate policy and institutional options for improving these linkages. There have been some impressive gains since the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment – the first global conference devoted to environment and development issues. There has been a proliferation of environmental policies and institutions at national and sub-national levels, and environmental issues are firmly placed on the agendas of governments, civil society and the private sector. Major global environmental agreements have been forged and global environmental organizations established. Environmental sustainability has become a core concern of bilateral and multilateral development cooperation, and billions of dollars have been spent on environment-related programmes and projects. Tangible progress also has been achieved ‘on the ground’, although the picture is usually mixed. For example, in the 1990s some 900 million people gained access to improved water sources. However, this was merely enough to keep pace with population growth, and about 1. 2 billion people are still without access to improved water sources, with rural populations particularly under-served (Devarajan et al, 2002). Another example is the productivity of soil used for cereal production, which increased on average in developing countries from 1979-81 to 1998-2000. However, it fell in some 25 countries, most of them in Africa, with land degradation being one factor behind the decline (World Bank, 2002c). Despite these gains, pressure on the environment continues to mount worldwide, posing major challenges to the prospects for poverty reduction and human development in developing countries, in particular the least developed countries.

Friday, November 8, 2019

Henderson Hasselbalch Equation Definition

Henderson Hasselbalch Equation Definition The Henderson Hasselbalch equation is an approximate equation that shows the relationship between the pH or pOH of a solution and the pKa or pKb and the ratio of the concentrations of the dissociated chemical species. In order to use the equation, the acid dissociation constant must be known. Equation There are multiple ways to write the equation. Two of the most common are: pH pKa log ([conjugate base]/[weak acid]) pOH pKa log ([conjugate acid]/[weak base]) History An equation to calculate the pH of a buffer solution was derived by Lawrence Joseph Henderson in 1908. Karl Albert Hasselbalch rewrote this formula in logarithmic terms in 1917. Sources Hasselbalch, K. A. (1917). Die Berechnung der Wasserstoffzahl des Blutes aus der freien und gebundenen Kohlensure desselben, und die Sauerstoffbindung des Blutes als Funktion der Wasserstoffzahl. Biochemische Zeitschrift. 78: 112–144.Henderson, Lawrence J. (1908). Concerning the relationship between the strength of acids and their capacity to preserve neutrality. Am. J. Physiol. 21: 173–179.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

Free Essays on Oedipus Vs Odysseus

Oedipus vs. Odysseus A true hero, and a cursed. How can one compare two people and call them hero’s without ever thinking about all the things that they have been through. Many people, time after time have argued that these men were just simple men, doing what they needed to do, to get what they wanted. I must mention that I disagree, because these men, although maybe not having any outstanding physical or supernatural characteristics, still endured, and lived through a hard and cursed time, where they were not liked, and someone was prosecuting them. Odysseus, with Poseidon, the god of the great oceans. And Oedipus, with the people of Thebes, and his own wretched destiny. Poseidon went against Odysseus, for his arrogance and his attitude towards the gods. The people of Thebes went against Oedipus, because he killed King Laà ºos (his own father), and he slept with his mother (and Laà ºos’ wife). His destiny followed him, because he was cursed from the moment he was born. The gods never gave him a chance, and when h e tried to run away from his fate, he ended up fulfilling it. Oedipus and his tragedy. Oedipus Rex was an orphan boy, who believed he was part of the Royal Family of Corinth, and he was granted the Kingship of Thebes, when he solved the mighty riddle of the Sphinx. This alone was not his main act of heroism and it could be argued that it doesn’t even get close to the tests that he had to endure in order to survive, after he faced his fate and his judgment. The god’s sadistically and childishly set Oedipus up to never have any good (long-term) chances in life. They only gave him 18 or 20 years of true peace, until he then killed his father and married his mother. Then the chaos was bottled, and held in until someday, the truth would be set free, and the outcome would hail the destruction of Oedipus. He was only a man, who was once abandoned, and mistreated by life who was raised to be a strong and perf... Free Essays on Oedipus Vs Odysseus Free Essays on Oedipus Vs Odysseus Oedipus vs. Odysseus A true hero, and a cursed. How can one compare two people and call them hero’s without ever thinking about all the things that they have been through. Many people, time after time have argued that these men were just simple men, doing what they needed to do, to get what they wanted. I must mention that I disagree, because these men, although maybe not having any outstanding physical or supernatural characteristics, still endured, and lived through a hard and cursed time, where they were not liked, and someone was prosecuting them. Odysseus, with Poseidon, the god of the great oceans. And Oedipus, with the people of Thebes, and his own wretched destiny. Poseidon went against Odysseus, for his arrogance and his attitude towards the gods. The people of Thebes went against Oedipus, because he killed King Laà ºos (his own father), and he slept with his mother (and Laà ºos’ wife). His destiny followed him, because he was cursed from the moment he was born. The gods never gave him a chance, and when h e tried to run away from his fate, he ended up fulfilling it. Oedipus and his tragedy. Oedipus Rex was an orphan boy, who believed he was part of the Royal Family of Corinth, and he was granted the Kingship of Thebes, when he solved the mighty riddle of the Sphinx. This alone was not his main act of heroism and it could be argued that it doesn’t even get close to the tests that he had to endure in order to survive, after he faced his fate and his judgment. The god’s sadistically and childishly set Oedipus up to never have any good (long-term) chances in life. They only gave him 18 or 20 years of true peace, until he then killed his father and married his mother. Then the chaos was bottled, and held in until someday, the truth would be set free, and the outcome would hail the destruction of Oedipus. He was only a man, who was once abandoned, and mistreated by life who was raised to be a strong and perf...

Monday, November 4, 2019

The Art in Parkour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Art in Parkour - Essay Example Belle began Parkour when he was fifteen, and claims it was inspired by the ideas of the French physician George Hebert, who promoted the 'methode naturelle' (Grimsley 1961) of medical treatment. This focused on the pure benefits of exercise over other methods like drug treatment for simple illnesses and injuries. Belle took these principles and used them in his own fitness regime, which turned quickly into something of a post-modern art form in itself (Gire 2006). Post-modern art takes many ideas on board, but the main feature of this art form that is embodied in Parkour is the aspect of realism through another medium: "Reality itself founders in hyperrealism, the meticulous reduplication of the real, preferably through another, reproductive medium, such as photography" (Harrison et al 2003). Post-modern art deals with new and fresh takes on the reality all around us in the world. The question with Belle and Parkour is simple; is freerunning actually an art or merely a sport that has been copied by followers across the world Van Esterik, Van Esterik and Miller describe an artist as someone who "may be revered and wealthy as individuals or groups, or stigmatized and economically marginal." (Van Esterik et al 2001). Overall, artists must use unique concepts or create new ideas from reality or already established forms of art; in this Belle certainly did succeed and can therefore be thought of as an artist and Parkour as the ultimate in post-modern art. Miles notes how the "forms and spaces of the city are at the heart of academic enquiry across a number of disciplines from architecture and planning to geography, sociology, cultural and media studies" (2000). People like David Belle and his followers have been enthralled by the stark reality that is the inner city, and this is what Parkour is based upon fundamentally (Pinch 2004). A similar remark can be made about skateboarding and its use of the city space in such a comprehensive, post-modern way. Iain Borden explains how skateboarders have taken a new l ook at their surroundings and discovered how to interact with them and take a real interest in all the elements of the city they live in. Borden challenges his readers to adopt the same way of thinking and to take a more hands on approach to the spaces in which they live (Borden 2001). Nevertheless, it must be noted that Parkour is a dangerous art form, and many of its practitioners have sustained injury from its execution; Josephson mentions reknown Parkour practitioner Cris Burden in this vein, since he was the type of artist not only to use Parkour to express himself but other forms of self harm that were thought life threatening and uniquely shocking to American society (Josephson 1996). In fact, Parkour seems to attract the sort of artists looking for innovative and entirely shocking ways of drawing attention both to themselves and their ideas about societal ills. To overcome these dangers, a freerunner must posses "a good pair of sneakers, cat burglarlike agility and a lot of courage" (Washington Times 2004). So what do freerunners feel they are getting out of Parkour The opinions are varied and very interesting to researchers like Western Mail writers who comment on how the art form is "graceful and strict" (2005) at the same time. Piers Hernu remarks that the jumps involved are difficult and dangerous, something

Friday, November 1, 2019

IBM Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

IBM - Essay Example The company and employees welcome change as the main driver of success and profitability. IBM has 32 leaders responsible for certain organizational activities and performance. Customers and technology are the primary driving factors in this arena. Customers want products that satisfy their needs or improve their productivity. IBM looks for ways to deliver these benefits at a lower cost, smaller size, and higher speed. Operating within an industry with this kind of rapid change presents several challenges for personal computer and notebooks, namely production costs, intellectual property owners, and monopolies. In general, IBM is one of the profitable Corporations today and, as predicted, in future (Bellis, 2001). Strengths of IBM Corporation include knowledge, relationships, selling and history. The challenges of the company are based on high quality of products and services. Direct sales force maintains a relationship. Among the weaknesses are high competition and rapidly changing technology market. The innovative PC technology is not cheap and that is why not all the potential customers can afford it today. IBM, in contrast to Dell Corporation, tries to maintain high standards of service proposing and selling (the most important) to its customers high quality products. Taking into account his vision of the company, it is possible to say that central planning and negotiating inputs from might have gone, but there remained the assumption that some other agency would solve the problems: an assumption the CEO himself appeared to share. All of this was taking place within a structure which remained hierarchical, with little involvement of junior management or the workforce, who believed that their product could only sell locally and clung to the assumption that they could sell everything they could produce. All of the IBM leaders participate in the change

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Briefly outline the court system in England and Wales, and in Essay

Briefly outline the court system in England and Wales, and in particular the role of the Crown Court - Essay Example The Courts of England and wales are made up of the following different courts namely, the magistrate’s courts, the country courts, the Crown court, the High Court of justice, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court which work in line with the European court of Justice and the European Court of Human Rights (Clarissa, 2004). These courts are subdivided in to three main divisions namely the senior courts, the subordinate Courts and the special courts. The senior courts include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Crown Court. The Subordinate courts include the magistrates’ court and the county courts while the special courts and tribunals include the ecclesiastical courts and the coroners’courts. These are smaller specialized courts dealing with various matters. The tribunals in England and Wales include the Employments Tribunal, Employment Appeals Tribunal and the first tier and Upper tribunals. The Employment tribunal and the Employment Appeal Tribunal are established to hear industrial disputes. The First-Tier and Upper tribunals have taken up most of the roles and functions that have traditionally been conducted by various tribunals. Other special courts are the Coroner court and the ecclesiastical courts which date back to over 1000 years ago (Richard, Amanda &Amanda, 2011). The coroner’s courts deal with causes of death for individuals who pass away in suspicious circumstances or in foreign countries. The Ecclesiastical courts are based on the Church of England’s legal system, which is the official state church. The court has jurisdiction over marriage and divorce matters, defamation and testamentary matters. The jurisdiction of the court has however narrowed down to the clergy men of the Church of England. These are subordinate local courts established to hear mainly criminal cases and some civil matters at the first instance. These courts are staffed by

Monday, October 28, 2019

Alchemy, Compare Paracelsus Essay Example for Free

Alchemy, Compare Paracelsus Essay Neither Francis Bacon nor Paracelsus claims to be a professional alchemist, however, they both portray a strong defence as to why it is imperative to divulge the mysteries of nature. Both readings assert alchemy as a way of discovering the true forms of things. Paracelsus uses alchemy as a reference point of the past in defence for his use of medicine, whereas Bacon asserts through inductive reasoning that this ‘art of logic’ is how ‘we conquer nature’ (Bacon 1620). What they both get right is their concept of alchemy as an art, and how it is seen as ‘the art of discovery’ (Dawkins 1999). f the divine power. Bacon has two readings that both discuss the matter of alchemy, however, in diverse ways. Firstly, let us acknowledge his insisting on inductive reasoning. Essentially, Bacon presumes through inductive reasoning several interpretations of nature; he chooses this argumentative approach because of his inferences of the unobserved patterns of the future from particulars observed in the past. He suggests an entirely new system of logic, which is based on induction, rather than on syllogism. In fact, Bacon rejects proof by syllogism as it ‘operates in confusion and lets nature slip out of our hands’ (Bacon 1620). Through alchemy, we can conquer nature; overcome the ‘difficult and dark things’ (Bacon 1620). What’s more is the role he suggests of observational experiment as prerequisites for the construction of scientific theory (Bacon 1620). Paracelsus, on the other hand, convinces us that alchemy is ‘nothing, but the art, which can separate the useful from the useless, and transmute it into its final substance and its ultimate essence’ (Paracelsus 1951). He deduces that, without alchemy, there would not be medicine. So we can conclude that when he defends alchemy, he defends medicine, rather than the revelation of the mysteries of nature. In his guide, Bacon discusses how we can teach our minds to be receptive to truth and how our minds can invoke illusions, perceptual illusions – idols of the tribe (Mulder 2000)that are inherent in the nature of the intellect itself. Our senses are how we inspect and analyse the nature of this real world (Bacon 1620), and it is within our subconsciousness that we devise things in certain ways. Our senses affect the way in which we perceive shapes, colours and metals. Whereas Paracelsus talks about physical changes, like from lead to gold. Did he then consider himself to be a ‘natural magician’, who explored the secrets of nature(Gal 2013)? Moreover, he notes the mysteries of nature and how alchemy attempts to reveal and ‘brings to light’ (Paracelsus 1951) what is hidden. There is physical transmutation, an experience, which leads to the unveiling of truth and disproves mystery. What we also should take into consideration is the role of God and how His influence has affected their respective analysis In Bacon’s The Making of Gold, he addresses the negative view on alchemy due to incorrect implementation. He notes that if done in a proper manner with axioms, then it would work and people would be more accepting of it. Similarly, Paracelsus believes his medicine is the only way to recognize and overcome diseases. ‘Physicians who say that the prescriptions (he) writes are poison’ (Paracelsus 1951), are lacking in understanding of natural forces. The mysterium of nature created by God is implemented through alchemy. As a consequence, are alchemists seen to be meddling with God’s creation? If they are, it is supposedly both futile and heretical, and we’ll say: dangerous. Indeed God tasks man with completing his natural creation, for ‘man is nature’s agent and interpreter’(Bacon 1620), however, can we say the transmutation of base metals to gold is a way for mankind to alter the ways of God’s creation, perhaps even replace God’s intentions? For example, the ‘spirit of metal be quickened, and the tangible parts opened’(Bacon 1627) leads to the revelation of gold, hence the alchemist reveals great virtues that ‘lie hidden in nature’(Paracelsus 1951). Here, Bacon presents us with two types of worlds in his Guide to the Interpretation of Nature; nature, free and unconstrained, and nature, confined and harassed when forced from its own condition by art and human agency (Bacon 1627). Essentially, Bacon argues that nature is more likely to reveal its full potential through the ‘harassment of art’, rather than in ‘her own proper freedom’(Bacon 1627). Although Paracelsus asserts that alchemy is indispensable, Bacon accepts the understanding of nature that upheld the theoretical principles of alchemy (Linden 1974). He embraced a similarity of sorts, but one divested in the tremendously complicated system of analogies (those referencing God, included) adopted by Paracelsus and the magicians.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

The Impact of a Third Party America´s Two Party Political System Essay

The Impact of a Third Party America ´s Two Party Political System   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For hundreds of years, the two party system has dominated the American culture, but many people are confused by what a two party system actually means. Although a two party system is defined as two parties that are bigger than the rest, third parties have greatly impacted elections for over a hundred years. Minor parties still continuously voice their opinions in issues, causing other candidates of either major party to adopt their philosophies. Furthermore, some parties, such as the Reform have actually been successful in obtaining a position, such as governor. Finally, third party candidates have actually taken away votes from a number of nominees over the years.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Third parties have become a necessity in this modern age with their ability to promote their beliefs onto other parties who advocate those policies in later elections. Therefore, it is obvious that the viewpoints of the Democratic and Republican parties have been affected by minor parties. Throughout American history, minor parties have adjusted and formed new parties concerning the issues, so the two major parties must switch their position as the issues change, allowing for the acceptance of many third party ideas.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For example, the Socialist Party is supposed to be responsible for President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, which greatly helped many Americans. This shows that many Presidents reflect on the ideas of other parties and adopt them during their tenure in office. In addition to the New Deal, minor parties Eugene Debs, who ran four times fighting for the factory workers, and Ross Perot, who endeavored to eradicate the national debt, both inspired Presidents to accept their policies. Warren G. Harding approved the ideas of Eugene Debs while Clinton actually turned the national debt into a surplus before leaving office. Factional parties, such as the Bull Moose Party have also influenced the major parties to change their views. The Bull Moose Party called for more attention to not only business regulations but also party reform. Theodore Roosevelt was nominated for President and the Republican Party was forced to make a strong reform in their usual policy. These various examples, throughout the years, prove how strong the minor parties were in impacting the presidential elections through other part... ...ile Lincoln received about 1.85 million of the popular vote. This shows how a split only causes losses while sticking together allows for victory according to statistics. Lincoln won only approximately 40 percent of the popular vote but still won presidency. Obviously, third parties have changed many presidential elections in our nation’s history.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Third parties have shown their mark on presidential elections throughout the United States’ history. Whether it was through other candidates adopting their policies, with their local success, or with their impact on elections, third party candidates have caused major change on various presidential elections. Minor parties will continue to impact other candidates and the rest of the country into adopting their views on certain issues. According to Nader, â€Å"The only difference between the Republican and Democratic parties is the velocities with which their knees hit the floor when corporations knock on their door.† Obviously third party candidates will continue to run and impact elections for years to come. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/vote2004/politics101/politics101_thirdparties.html http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h832.html

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Charles Schwab :: Business Essays

Charles Schwab Since opening in 1974 Charles Schwab became a well known name in households. The firm’s main goal was to differentiate and honor their customers with available research. In 1997 Charles Schwab exceeded in altering his marketing environment to improve the business as well as customer satisfaction, value and retention.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  By offering the online trading option Schwab was able to lure customers in with an exceptional value proposition as well as a value – delivered system unknown to investors. By placing the decision making and the convenience of trading in the customer’s hands, Schwab made this service exciting and cost effective to customers, thus making many investors satisfied Schwab customers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwab also created customer value. Analyzing the firm’s success I noticed that Schwab delivers outstanding quality in service. Schwab provides customers service online as well as in his branches. This service includes technical support as well as investment tips and investment education information for all existing clients as well as future clients.   Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwab also established a Value- Delivered Networks with many companies which offer customer discounts and promotions. They offer promotions and discounts such as reduced traveling trips, good mortgage rates, and free airlines tickets.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Schwab attracts its customers by advertising on a level of encouragement. In the beginning Charles Schwab advertisements consisted of real Schwab customers and employees. Later on, Schwab enlisted a celebrity spokesperson to advertise the simplicity and knowledge of online investing and investing principles. These advertisements attracted the average Joe and the average family. Schwab employed financial advisers in their branches who are able to educate, provide trading tips, and advice, along with other services, to customers. Aside from attracting its customers by providing top quality, simple, and reliable online trading service, Schwab retains its customers by keeping them satisfied.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In my opinion Charles Schwab effectively anticipated the needs of the market. He jumped on the internet craze of this decade and effectively succeeded. By offering Online Trading Charles Schwab attracted new customers, provided

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Comparative Employee Relations Essay

Employees relations is those policies and daily practices that are concerned with the regulation and management of individual and team relationships within the organization. Essentially, employee relations are cantered on the ability to resolve and prevent conflicts that involve either an individual or the teams in the organization which directly affect work situations and performance. Efficient communication ensures that information is passed to the employees in order to allow them understand better the company’s goals and objectives. Most employee relations managers uphold the responsibility of handling grievances, individual code of conduct while in the office, evaluation of employee performance and counselling programs. Sound employee relations are based on participation and effective communication for both the management and the employees. There are various management styles that cover the way employee relations must be conducted in order to achieve the best from the employees. These management styles are intended to teach employees the following, –  Ã‚  Applicable regulations and policies – Bargaining agreements – Grievance and appeal rights – Discrimination and protection of whistleblowers Employee relations have broadened its definition from the initial industrial relations to such aspects as employer-employee relations, personal contracts, workplace environmental safety, and socio-emotional factors. In developed countries, there is a growing trend of harmonization in almost all levels of government mainly because of the government commitment to enhance employee relations programs. Comparison of employee relations in Kenya and the United States Employee relations between different countries such as the United States, Japan, Brazil, South Africa, Europe and underdeveloped countries such as Kenya are far much varied because of issues such as; economic status, political will, policy creation and implementation, employee literacy standards, justice systems, type of company and management standards United States and Kenya are two different countries that have different views and perceptions on how they handle employee relations. In some issues however, they agree and others they don’t. Similarities – Both are members of the International Labour Association – They both have federal courts that deal with cases arising from employees – Both countries have trade unions that champion for employee rights – They have health and safety assessment policies – Both value equal treatment, opportunities and rights for the employees – Both countries have created and implemented policies and legal requirements that govern the conduct of both the employer and the employees – In both countries workplace malpractices occur – Both uphold human rights concerning employees – They both have turnover and retention concerns – In both workplace harassment is punishable by law Differences In the U.S, every State i.e. Washington, Texas etc have each Employee Relations Advisory Organization (ERAO) that is concerned with individual organizations dealing with employee relations[1] while in Kenya there is only one central organization that deals with the issues raised by its employees. Also, the U.S has an elaborate system of government that promotes the utilization of its staff members attached to the Employee Relations Advisory Board to monitor employee relations in various companies. In Kenya, the situation is different with no government body that is specifically assigned the duty of overseeing employee relations. In   the   U.S each organization including institutions have the privilege of getting the services of an employee relations officer but in Kenya, the companies find it difficult and expensive to hire an employee relations manager. The U.S also has well trained personnel that have the human resource skills to handle employee relations issues which Kenya does not. In addition, the U.S have a better economy that can support better pay packages, benefits, compensations and other incentives while in   Kenya employers pay poorly thus undermining the morale, motivation and performance of individual employees. Finally, in the U.S, the employees are from different parts of the world speaking different languages and diverse political, social, cultural and religious backgrounds making it difficult and tedious to the companies to ensure smooth harmonization in the company. While in Kenya, only a few internationals work in some companies with the majority being the locals making employee relations very easy to manage Third world countries like Kenya, are not economically capable of handling employee relations effectively. With an unemployment rate of 57%, most employers are arrogant to employees because they know that they can sack one employ another within a very short time frame. Since most companies due to financial weaknesses cannot afford the services of employee relations manager, then the work of handling employee issue are either left with the general manager or the human resources manager who have no skills to handle the sector. This will lead to unfair and costly consequences for the company such as failure to understand individual problems which will in turn affect his or her performance. Because of corruption in Kenya, very few cases of employee relations abuse have been so far settled while in the U.S the case is different with more significant cases being reported each year.