Russia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 3

Russia - Essay Example The Prime Minister heads the government, which the president appoints but at the parliaments approval. The crafty use of democratization agenda in the post-Cold War world has evoked a backlash against the whole notion of the expected transition to democracy. Democratization is also in question here as the ground reality has prompted rethinking because much of the post-Soviet region appears trapped between authoritarian past and a murky future. The experts use the term of managed democracy for the Russian system of government. The rise of political authoritarianism or managed democracy is an object of fascination for the West. The geopolitical realities such as Russian oil and gas reserves make sure that these Western interests remain engaged in evolution of the Russian democracy. It is hard to conclude whether Russia is still a democracy or not. But one thing is certain that it represents a unique version of democracy which is considerably

IT Business Outsourcing Essay Example for Free

IT Business Outsourcing Essay Outsourcing basically means a process of constricting to another party. It is done at the outsourcing client’s location under their supervision. There are many essential factors which are needed to decide whether to outsource the information process or not. First major factor is the activity or the process itself. Main concern should be the process, whether it’s really needed to be outsourced (Loh et. al, 1992). If it is core job to that organization, then its better not to outsource it. If the task really requires highly efficient skills which is not available in your organization, then it’s better to outsource it. Second most important factor is the financial strategy. While deciding whether to outsource, main goal of company is to save money. It’s essential to verify, what will be the total cost in both the cases, if the task to be performed within the organization or outside. Hence, the main factors for deciding why to outsource are outsourcers cost, their capabilities and the potential end product which ultimately will reduce the risk and increase organization profit. Influence of Risk Assessment on the decision making process when seeking to outsource information processes Risk is always associated with the process of outsourcing. Many organizations who went for outsourcing, failed and few of the reasons are like cultural misalignment, end product not as per the quality and deadlines or delivery times missed. There are mainly two types of risk associated with the process of outsourcing: external risk and internal risk. Read more:Â  Essay on Business Process Outsourcing External risks are those risks which occur outside the organization and upon which organization do not have any control. these risks includes a search of outsourcer who will offer the required skills in a cost effective manner, an exchange rate fluctuation that can impact the cost savings, lack of ability to guard organization intellectual protection property and physical location of outsourcer which includes economic and political risk as well (Aubert, 1998). Internal risks are those risks which occur inside the organization while outsourcing. Language is the most targeted risk if outsourcing happen between two different countries where English is not the primary language and the ability of communicating to outsourcers in a remote location where technology is not so updated. Influence of change management requirements on the decision making process when seeking to outsource information processes One of the key factors for a successful outsourcing is the organizations effective change management policy. Organizations who failed to manage the changes effectively suffer a lot. Within an organization, the most important change management program is to create such a reliable communication strategy, so that the employees don’t feel scared about the job security. There should be proper redeployment and retention plans for all employees to make them feel secure. Proper training should be provided to make them understand how to deal with outsourcers. Few change management factors during this process are good leadership quality, crystal clear procedures, strategy safeguarding stakeholder’s interests, communication strategy and a change-over course of action for every step (Wullenweber et al, 2008). Inclusion of different entities by business when making decisions on the processes to outsource and the third party entity to outsource to Businesses include entities when time comes to decide whether to go for outsourcing or not. When an organization needs a process to be outsourced, decision of top level (CEO or a Director) is essential. Without their confirmation, company can’t think of moving ahead. After the confirmation, now its middle management turns to check whether all the important factors are going in favor of outsourcing or not. Here come different entities like finance, Hr, marketing, quality and third party. Finance department will check outsourcing in terms of cost saving, while HR will check if the company really needs outsourcing staff or it has its own (DiRomualdo et. al. , 1998). Marketing people will do a survey to acquire a list of best outsourcing companies and quality will judge whether the decision is anywhere hampering the quality and how to improve it in future. Third party will also play a vital role as their location, cost of doing outsourcing and few other factors will also effect the decision (W. McFarlan et. al, 1995).

Endangered Species - Causes of Endangerment :: essays papers

Endangered Species - Causes of Endangerment The term endangered is used by international and national organizations to define plants and animals currently in danger of becoming extinct. Although the term endangered is universally used, the definition of an endangered species is greatly varied. In most cases, the factors causing an organism to become endangered are human- related. When discussing the causes of endangered species, it is important to understand that individual species are not the only factors involved in this dilemma. Endangerment is a broad issue, one that involves the habitats and environments where species live and interact with one another. Although some measures are being taken to help specific cases of endangerment, the universal problem cannot be solved until humans protect the natural environments where endangered species dwell. Back in the fall of 1973 Congress passed the Endangered Species Act, the point of which was to identify the plants and animals in the most trouble and come up with plans for saving them. The effort has probably been as controversial as it has been successful (Institute of Advanced Studies 39). Of the more than 1,400 species designated as endangered, only 18 have recovered to the point where they've been taken off the list. Upon signing the Endangered Species Act on December 28, 1973, President Nixon stated "Nothing is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed" (Environmental Protection Agency). And now that scientists have cloned the last surviving member of a rare breed of cow, some fear that the public's sense of urgency regarding vanishing species might fade. Why not just clone more owls, the thinking goes; but that, say wildlife experts, would be only a quick fix. "Cloning would provide us with individual animals but not the home to introduce them to in the wild," says Jeff Flocken, endangered species outreach coordinator at the National Wildlife Federation. "Whate ver's causing a species to decline, whether it's exploitation or destruction of a habitat, would continue to put that species at risk of being exterminated" (National Wildlife Federation ). Today there are currently 1246 species of plants and animals that are either on the endangered or threatened list in the United States and 1804 worldwide. Of the 1804 endangered species worldwide, only 975 of them have approved recovery plans (Endangered Species Coalition).

Ethics and Compliance Paper Essay

Starting in Seattle with one store, Starbucks has grown across the country and has become a household name delivering one of the best tasting coffees in existence. The first Starbucks opened in 1971, serving fresh roasted coffees. â€Å"Today, more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries, Starbucks are the premier roaster and retailer of specialty coffee in the world† (Starbucks, para. 7, 2010). The organization has been successful because of excellent managerial skills and implementing sound business decisions. Starbucks mission statement reads as follows: â€Å"to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup and one neighborhood at a time† (Starbucks, 2010, p. 1). The company values its relationships with communities, its stores, business partners, shareholders, and employees. Responsible ethical character and compliance helps the Starbucks brand protect its reputation. This paper will explain the role of ethics, procedures, Securities and Exchange Com mission (SEC) compliance, and evaluate the financial performance of the Starbucks organization. Ethics and Compliance Policies A successful organization builds its reputation on honesty and trust displayed to customers and business partners. Starbucks conducts business in an ethical manner that protects reputation and supports its culture by unceasingly striving to do what is right. Starbucks has a commitment to company values that successfully employs a Business Conduct Helpline and a Business Conduct Web-line for questions and guidance. Starbucks has incorporated an Anti-Retaliation Policy and does not tolerate retaliation against anyone reporting misconduct. The organization is an equal opportunity employer and use best practices in the hiring process. Business practices include and are not limited to accurate and truthful business transactions and comply with laws and regulations in any country the company operates in, and encourage partners to understand and adhere to the rules. Starbucks has an outside agent who facilitates and ensures an honest and ethical relationship with government officials throughout the international arena. Partners associated with the Starbucks brand must practice ethical conduct in sales, services, and promote fair competition. Matters dealing with conflicts of interest, gifts and entertainment, and securities are also addressed and implemented by the company. The company closely monitors proprietary information such as new ideas, company records including financial and audit details. Starbucks explains the Ethical Decision-Making Framework to identify ethical issues, give any possible solutions, pursue ideas from others, and take the best approach to resolve unethical matters and follow-up on results. The aforementioned framework empowers each Starbucks associate and affiliate to take responsibility to help maintain Starbucks ethical and honest reputation. â€Å"Ethical behavior is doing the right thing, and ethical dilemmas are everywhere in finance† (Keown, Martin, Petty & Scott, para. 1, 2005). Securities and Exchange Commission’s Regulations According to Ethisphere.com, (2010), Starbucks is one of the most ethical companies in the world for 2010. One of the key points to being an ethical business is to file reports for investors, government bodies, and the public to view. Starbucks complies in one way with the ethics policies set in place by the directors and organization by providing accurate data. The financial records of Starbucks are available to the investors, public and government in a timely manner via the website. The requirement set by the Securities Exchange Committee for a public business is to provide accurate reports in a timely manner. Starbucks publishes an annual report to the Starbucks website for anyone to find via the Internet. The annual report contains cash flow statements of income and expenses. The reports show that Starbucks is performing well even during a tough economic time. The annual report also contains a statement of Starbucks critical accounting policies. Starbucks believes that critical accounting practices are important. Starbucks considers its policies an asset impairment, stock-based compensation, operating leases, self insurance reserves and income taxes to be the most critical in understanding the judgments which are involved in preparing the consolidated financial statements, as stated in the annual report on Starbucks website, (2010). Financial Ratios for the Past Two Years Starbuck’s financial records allow investors, the government, and the public to have a firsthand look into the financial stability of the company. The financial records are available for several years; this allows the long-term financial success of the company to be easily accessible and available anyone wanting to know about the company. As an investor with interest in expanding into Starbucks there are several things the investor should look for. The current ratio allows investors the ability to measure how well a company can pay back short-term debt (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). Starbucks ability to pay back debt in 2009, increased over 2008. In 2008 Starbucks closed several unprofitable locations (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009) resulting in the decrease of overhead costs for those locations; allowing for additional funds and increasing the ability for Starbucks to pay back short-term debt. This increases the stability of Starbucks. The availability of extra funds allows Starbucks the opportunity to invest those funds in profitable time value investments. The funds could be invested in the company for improvements or costs for innovate new products. The extra funds could also pay necessary expenses outright. This allows the company to have lower amounts of outstanding credit or loans. The lower the amount of outstanding loans and credit allows for lower credit fees and lower costs. *Current Ratio 2009 2008 Current AssetsCurrent Liabilities 599.81581.0 269.82189.7 37.93% 12.32% Investors can also look at the Debt Ratio of Starbucks. The debt ratio shows the amount of debt a company carries in relation to their assets (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). Companies must carry some debt to do business effectively. However, the company does not want to carry too much debt. Starbucks has expenses that must be paid for; some of these can be paid using credit. However, the company should ensure they are not charging unnecessarily. Starbucks must also show they are paying off their debt. Starbucks debt ratio decreased from 56.08% in 2008 to 45.38% in 2009 (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009). Tends in the Ratios This shows a positive financial trend. The company had larger debt in 2008 and was able to repay a good portion of the debt without increasing debt somewhere else in the company, ultimately lower the overall debt of the company. This positive trend will increase the credit status of Starbucks. This will allow the company to have credit available if needed in the future. *Debt Ratio 2009 2008 Total DebtTotal Assets 2531.15576.8 3181.75672.6 45.38% 56.08% Investors can also look at the Return on Equity Ratio. The Return on Equity Ratio measure the amount of net income returned as a percentage of shareholder equity (Keown, Martin, Petty, & Scott, 2005). The main reason investors invest into companies is to make money!! If the investor does not make a sizable return on their investment, they may take their money and decide to invest elsewhere!! The investor wants to have confidence the company is going to make solid decisions that will increase the profitability of the shareholders. Starbucks has seen a decrease in Return on Equity. In 2008 Starbucks Return on equity was 21.10% and in 2009 it fell to 19.64% (Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release, 2009). This is a negative trend for Starbucks. Investors do not want to lose money! The decrease was minimal, yet it was a decrease. Overall the company has solid financials. This one negative issue can become a major problem if Starbucks continues to make decisions that allow shareholders equity to decrease. *Return on Equity 2009 2008 Net Income Common Equity 598.23045.7 525.82490.9 19.64% 21.10% *All numbers are in millions Conclusion In conclusion, Starbucks has proven itself to be a good investment for any investor. The organization has been in the business for 30 years and has showed substantial growth throughout. The organization started out with one location and has grown to over 15,000, which are located throughout the globe. The organization as a whole strives to uphold ethical behavior, not only set by the SEC but as well as for them. Not only does the organization uphold a high ethical behavior for them but as well only does business with those who have the same mentality. This was proven by being ranked one of the most ethical places to work and this was according to Ethisphere.com. Even though there was a small decrease in the return on equity from 2008 to 2009, which consequently could be because of the recession that most businesses have been affected by, Starbucks has still proven strong that the organization is still a good investment. The organization has shown an increase in profit and a decrease in debt. All and all, Starbucks is a good investment for anyone who is interested in getting into the business, which the organization has shown through good business decisions and ethical behaviors. Reference Keown, A. J., Martin, J. D., Petty, W. J., & Scott, D. F. (2005). Financial Management: Principles and Applications. Pearson Prentice Hall. Retrieved online on November 22, 2010 located at https://portal.phoenix.edu/classroom/coursematerials/fin_370/20101109/. Starbucks Investor Relations- Financial Release. (2009, 11 4). Retrieved November 20, 2010, from Starbucks: http://investor.starbucks.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=99518&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1492291&highlight= SEC. Gov, (2010). The Investor’s Advocate: How the SEC Protects Investors, Maintains Market Integrity, and Facilitates Capital Formation. Retrieved on November 22, 2010 online located at http://www.sec.gov/about/laws/sea34.pdf Starbucks. (2010). About Us. Retrieved online on November 22, 2010 from http://www.Starbucks.com Starbucks website, (2010). Investor relations. Retrieved on November 22, 2010 from Starbucks website http://www.starbucks.com Starbucks website, (2010). Annual Report. Retrieved from Starbucks website on November 20, 2010: http://www.starbucks.com

Key issues facing my organization over the next five years

Amwal was formed in 1998 as a financial planning firm for the women of Qatar under the patronage of HE Shiekha Mozah, the wife of the Emir of Qatar.   As a result of Amwal’s success and reputation it was transformed into a fully licensed investment bank in 2005.Amwal, like most of the investment banks and asset management firms in the region, has benefitted from the unprecedented economic growth, high oil prices, and surplus wealth. The GCC countries are expected to grow over seven percent in the next five years. Qatar is one of the top GCC countries in economic performance.   As such, Qatar’s economy is expected to grow 13% in 2008 as a result of sustained oil prices and the country’s ambitious gas industrialization initiatives.Following Russia and Iran, Qatar has the world’s third largest gas reserves. In terms of energy, these reserves are expected to last for more than 200 years. This growth is not temporary in nature and is expected to continue ov er the long run. During former U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s recent visit o Jeddah, he was quoted saying that the oil boom would â€Å"go on forever†.All of these factors have resulted in a mushroom effect on the growth of different kinds of financial institutions in the region.   Existing banks are expanding rapidly, new banks are being set up, and many international players from US, Europe, and Asia are setting up shop in this region. In the last two years nearly 280 financial intuitions have surfaced in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).In the current market scenario, I believe that Amwal will face the following challenged as it strives to become a world class investment bank:  Carving its own identity and differentiating from its regional peersAmwal has a very strong shareholder base that includes prominent local and regional organizations.   For this reason Amwal’s identity sometimes is overshadowed by affiliation with one of i ts shareholders in the multiple   transactions that Amwal actually facilitates.   As a new investment bank Amwal leveraged its shareholder base to its benefit.   However as we grow it is imperative that we carve out our own identity that will build a strong brand recognition in the region. This is important because it will help Amwal to differentiate itself from its regional competitors, who often operate on similar grounds and similar strengths.   This will occur over the mid   to long range period as Amwal builds on successful deals, takes steps to increase social responsibility, and invests in its employee resources.Competing with global names such as Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley and Goldman SachsDue to economic growth and initiatives to develop the capital markets, GCC countries have been successful in attracting global names such as Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Barclays etc. This presents a unique challenge for a local bank like Amwal to remain compe titive due to its relative inexperience as compared to the multinational investment banks. GCC countries have embarked on a major capital expenditure initiative, developing their infrastructure and other major projects. Qatar alone will spend over $100 billion(U.S.) over the next five years.   This will help to position Amwal as a local expert with global capabilities.Hiring and retaining key staffDue to the spur in new market entrants, banks are competing for the best human resources and often find themselves short of a healthy bench-strength. This has been mainly due to the high turnover, shortage of seasoned professionals, and a general preference to employ western educated professionals with regional experience. This problem is more prevalent for local banks with limited resources.These local banks are rely heavily on key staff such as the senior manages of investment banking and asset management. Amwal is not immune to this problem and has recently developed a policy of retai ning good employees and encouraging its staff to develop further expertise by sending them for training and allowing time off from work for academic studies.   Amwal will face a key challenge of retaining staff and hiring more professionals due to circumstances beyond its control including regional factors such as increased competition and the higher cost of living.Need for a better corporate governanceAnother challenge is creating the right balance of power and accountability between the board of directors, senior management, shareholders,   and internal operating departments.   Amwal has grown tremendously over the last few years and is now planning for its own Initial Public Offering (IPO) early next year to support its current growth and future goals. During the initial years of operation, Amwal’s management style was very centralized with authorities and powers limited to a few key individuals. While this is very common among most local and regional institutions li ke Amwal, this structure usually leads to a financial and strategic gap upon the exit of these key individuals.Amwal has come a long way since its transformation into an investment bank and have developed business policy principles, guidelines, internal and external regulations and monitoring mechanisms. However, as we continue to grow, expand our global reach, and prepare for the IPO, I believe these measures would need to be constantly reviewed and enhanced as they are critical for conducting proper corporate accountability and enhancing business prosperity. Another prevailing impediment is the lack of proactiveness of the local governing bodies that need to substantially enhance the regulatory framework, develop stricter industry guidelines, and encourage transparency.   As an industry leader, Amwal is in a unique position to have a positive effect on the creation of the regulatory industry in the region.ConclusionThese observations are not only unique to Amwal.   Since we ar e in a constantly changing environment it is critical that local and regional institutions identify these challenges and develop a strategic plan to respond to them.   I believe that Amwal is well placed and uniquely positioned for this challenge with its sound business model and comprehensive long range strategic plan.

New York Passes a Married Womens Property Act, 1848

New York Passes a Married Womens Property Act, 1848 Enacted: April 7, 1848 Before married womens property acts were passed, upon marriage a woman lost any right to control property that was hers prior to the marriage, nor did she have rights to acquire any property during marriage. A married woman could not make contracts, keep or control her own wages or any rents, transfer property, sell property or bring any lawsuit. For many womens rights advocates, womens property law reform was connected to suffrage demands, but there were supporters of womens property rights who did not support women gaining the vote. Married womens property law was related to the legal doctrine of separate use: under marriage, when a wife lost her legal existence, she could not separately use property, and her husband controlled the property.   Although married womens property acts, like that of New York in 1848, did not remove all the legal impediments to a married womans separate existence, these laws did make it possible for a married woman to have separate use of property she brought into marriage and property she acquired or inherited during marriage. The New York effort to reform womens property laws began in 1836 when  Ernestine  Rose  and Paulina Wright Davis began to gather signatures on petitions. In 1837, Thomas Herttell, a New York city judge, attempted to pass in the New York Assembly a bill to give married women more property rights. Elizabeth Cady Stanton  in 1843 lobbied legislators to pass a bill. A state constitutional convention in 1846 passed a reform of womens property rights, but three days after voting for it, the delegates to the conventions reversed their position. Many men supported the law because it would protect mens property from creditors. The issue of women owning property was linked, for many activists, with the legal status of women where women were treated as the property of their husbands.   When the authors of the  History of Woman Suffrage  summarized the New York battle for the 1848 statue, they described the effect as to emancipate wives from the slavery of the old common law of England, and to secure to them equal property rights. Before 1848, a few laws were passed in some states in the U.S. giving women some limited property rights, but the 1848 law was more comprehensive. It was amended to include even more rights in 1860; later, married womens rights to control property were extended still more. The first section gave a married woman control over real property (real estate, for instance) she brought into the marriage, including the right to rents and other profits from that property.   The husband had, before this act, the ability to dispose of the property or use it or its income to pay for his debts.   Under the new law, he was not able to do that, and she would continue her rights as if she had not married. The second  section dealt with the personal property of married women, and any real property other than she brought in during marriage.   These too, were under her control, although unlike real property she brought into the marriage, it could be taken to pay debts of her husband. The third section dealt with gifts and inheritances given to a married woman by anyone other than her husband.   Like property she brought into the marriage, this also was to be under her sole control, and like that property but unlike other property acquired during marriage, it could not be required to settle her husbands debts. Note that these acts didnt completely free a married woman from economic control of her husband, but it did remove major blocks to her own economic choices. The text of the 1848 New York Statute known as the Married Womens Property Act, as amended in 1849, reads in full: An act for the more effectual protection of the property of married women: §1. The real property of any female who may hereafter marry, and which she shall own at the time of marriage, and the rents, issues, and profits thereof, shall not be subject to the sole disposal of her husband, nor be liable for his debts, and shall continue her sole and separate property, as if she were a single female. §2. The real and personal property, and the rents, issues, and profits thereof, of any female now married, shall not be subject to the disposal of her husband; but shall be her sole and separate property, as if she were a single female, except so far as the same may be liable for the debts of her husband heretofore contracted. §3. Any married female may take by inheritance, or by gift, grant, devise, or bequest, from any person other than her husband, and hold to her sole and separate use, and convey and devise real and personal property, and any interest or estate therein, and the rent s, issues, and profits thereof, in the same manner and with like effect as if she were unmarried, and the same shall not be subject to the disposal of her husband nor be liable for his debts. After the passage of this (and similar laws elsewhere), traditional law continued to expect a husband to support his wife during the marriage, and to support their children.   Basic necessaries the husband was expected to provide included food, clothing, education, housing, and health care.   The husbands duty to provide necessaries no longer applies, evolving because of an expectation of equality of the sexes.

Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis

Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis Introduction Nowadays, privacy in the workplace has become a prominent concern for many organizations. The issue of privacy has become a subject of concern as a result of an increased rate of employees monitoring in the workplace. The high rate of electronic monitoring of employees has caused a conflict between the rights of employers to safe guard their business, versus employees privacy.Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Technology, Privacy, Accounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The legal rights of employees as well as rights of the employers’ varies from one state to another which affects the strategies that firms adopt in enforcing the monitoring rights. Nonetheless, most federal and state laws support employees monitoring which has made many firms to adopt employee monitoring systems. Employees monitoring is very controversy as it goes beyond legal rights to encompass moral obligations of employers and employees which are difficult to differentiate (Hartman DesJardins, 2011). Employers versus Employees Rights Employees monitoring in United States of America was legalized as early as in 1986 with the enacting of Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA). The act allows employers and system administrators to monitor activities in their computer systems. The enacting of ECPA allowed employers to have legal rights to monitor employee’s activities in the workplace. Generally, an employer is mainly the owner of workstations, phones, servers, software and communication devices that employees use. The employer provides these devices in order to facilitate business operations. Therefore, an employer has an interest to monitor activities on these systems for liability and security reasons. An employer can opt to monitor employees telephone conversations, emails as well as non-personal telephone calls made on business phones without giving prior notice to employees, unless in the State of California where employees’ monitoring is highly regulated by the government. Whereas the enacting of ECPA protects employers from insecurity and liability associated with illegal use of employers electronic systems such as pirating, fraud or sale of company trade secretes. The act also provides protection for employees’ privacy. The act does not allow monitoring of employees personal communications that are made over the company systems.Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In addition, the act does not allow employers to monitor conversations of their employees that are made though the employees cell phones. Thus, the act is very effective as it tries to safe guide employers’ rights as well as the rights of employees in ensuring that employees’ personal affairs are not interfered with (Hartman DesJardins, 2011) How Does Technology used at Daimler Affect Employees Privacy Daimler corporate has a very efficient and effective technology that ensures privacy of its employees who use its systems. The company has installed its servers, as well as users workstations with appropriate password and other security measures to safeguard information that is received or transmitted over its systems from unauthorized external access. To enhance the protection of employees’ privacy, its systems encrypt personal data that is transmitted over public networks. Private and application-related access protection has been installed in order to safe guard personal data in Daimler corporate database. These protection measures have been adopted by the organization as its strategy to ensure safe data management, which controls responsibilities and authorization to safe guard the privacy of employees. How Daimler Protect Employees Personal Information At Daimler Corporation, i t is only its authorized personnel that are allowed to collect process or use personal data. Authorized personnel monitor emails, voice mails and telephone conversations that are transmitted over the companys systems, for those employees it suspects to wrongly use the companys systems. However, the company does not allow its system administrators to use employees’ personal data for private purposes, transmission of such data to unauthorized people, or making available of such data to unauthorized persons. Accounting Principles Financial performance of an organization is considered as a significant part of an entity as it is responsible for determining how other departments and processes within the organization are run. In U.S., Organizations are required to abide by the General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) that were enforced in 2002 through the enacting of Sarbanes- Oxley Act (SOX).Advertising We will write a custom assessment sample on Technology, Privacy, A ccounting, Finance, and Governance Values Analysis specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The act requires companies to report specific data in their financial annual reports. In being compliant in honoring SOX act, Daimler Company has been consistent in disclosing its internal controls, audit committee structures as well as codes of ethics and conduct. In order for Daimler to be SOX compliant, its CEOs and CFOs sign an attestation that make them liable for any financial data reported. Signing of this document verifies that its officers have reviewed all financial data reported and verified that it is correct. Signing of this document makes the officers to be responsible for any internal controls that have occurred. This requirement is contained in section 302 of the act (Taylor, 2012). On the othe4 hand, section 204 of the act requires organizations to monitor how overall financial processes are run. This entails how organizations information sys tems are run and secured. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (PCAOB) is the body that helps external auditors decipher if an organization they are auditing is SOX compliant. Those companies that have reported false data are penalized and declared as incompliant. Thus, that is why it is imperative for employers to electronically monitor employees’ activities to avoid any liability or insecurities as a result of their employees’ misconduct. Conflict of Interests Many organizations are concerned about conflicts of interests for their corporate board members and executives. Board members should concentrate on the concerns of their companies and not on outside interests. Therefore, board members should not let their personal interests surpass the decisions they make as directors (Murray, 2012). Executive Compensations The Federal law requires clear disclosure about compensations of CEOs, CFOs as well as three other high ranking officers. The company should disclose a mount and type of compensation given to CEO, CFO as well as three other most highly paid officers. In addition, the company should disclose the criteria it uses to come up with executive compensations as well as the degree of relationship that exist between executive compensation practices versus corporate performance (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 2012).Advertising Looking for assessment on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Legal and Ethical Responsibilities of Board Members Board members in Daimler Company are required to abide in honoring the duty of care that requires them to discharge their duties in good faith and in a manner that they believe to be of maximum benefit to the company. They are also required in honoring the duty of royalty. Board members should avoid using their positions or the assets of the company in a manner that will result to their monetary benefits or monetary gains of their family members. Lastly, the board members should honor duty of obedience. Board members ought to make sure that they follow the companys governing documents while exercising their powers and duties. They should ensure that the companys assets are used lawfully. They should also make sure that they comply with the states laws that dictate how business should be run (Levy, 2012). Areas of Compliance and Improvements Daimler Company is compliant in accounting practices according to SOX, executive compensatio ns, Legal and Ethical responsibilities of board members, but the company will require enforcing its management of conflict of interests by adopting a conflict of interest policy and make every director to sign and abide by it. Conclusion Employers should ensure that they monitor electronic activities of employees in order to protect themselves from any liability and security problems associated with illegal use of electronic systems. The employers should ensure that they have a policy that regulates employees monitoring process that all employers are aware of before, even before being hired. The employers should avoid intruding in private matters of their employees, but limit their monitoring to work related issues. Daimler has a very effective internal and external control that effectively manages the various stakeholders who are involved in its business transactions. However, the company requires adopting a conflict of interest policy. Reference List Hartman, L. DesJardins, J. (2 011). Business Ethics: Decision Making for Personal  Integrity and Social Responsibility (2nd ed.). New York :McGraw-Hill. Levy, J. (2012). Ethical and Legal Responsibilities of Board Members. Web. Murray, J. (2012). What Should a Conflict of Interest Policy for My Corporate Include? Web. Taylor, C. (2012). SOX Compliance- Regulatiting Accounting Standards. Web. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. (2012). Executive Compensations. Web.

Diaz Surname Meaning and Origin

Diaz Surname Meaning and Origin The surname Diaz comes from the Latin dies which means days. Although it is a common Hispanic surname, Diaz is believed to have Jewish origins, predating the Hispanic world. It is related to the Spanish surname DIEGO; numerous historical examples point to the use of Diaz as a patronymic of Diego (son of Diego). DIAZ is the 14th most popular Hispanic surname and the 73rd most popular surname in the United States. Surname Origin:  Spanish, Portuguese Alternate Surname Spellings:  Dias Famous People with the Surname DIAZ El Cid (born  Rodrigo Dà ­az) - medieval military leader and hero of SpainPorfirio Diaz - Mexican general; president from 1876 to 1911Nate Diaz - American MMA fighterNick Diaz - American MMA fighter; brother of Nate DiazJunot Diaz - Dominican-American author and Pulitzer Prize winner Where Do People With the DIAZ Surname Live? According to surname distribution data from  Forebears, Diaz is the 128th most common  surname in the world, ranking as most prevalent in Mexico and with the highest density based on population in Puerto Rico. Diaz is the 4th most common last name found in Chile; 7th most common in Peru, Cuba and the Dominican Republic; 8th in Panama; 9th in Venezuela and Argentina; and 10th in Colombia and Puerto Rico. Within Europe, Diaz is most frequently found in Spain, where it ranks as the 14th most common surname. It is most frequently found in the northern region of Asturias, as well as the Canary Islands. Genealogy Resources for the Surname DIA 100 Common Hispanic Surnames Their MeaningsGarcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 100 common Hispanic last names? How to Research Hispanic HeritageLearn how to get started researching  your Hispanic ancestors, including the basics of family tree research and country-specific organizations, genealogical records, and resources for Spain, Latin America, Mexico, Brazil, the Caribbean and other Spanish speaking countries. Diaz Family Crest - Its Not What You ThinkContrary to what you may hear, there is no such thing as a Diaz family crest or coat of arms for the Diaz surname.  Coats of arms are granted to individuals, not families, and may rightfully be used only by the uninterrupted male line descendants of the person to whom the coat of arms was originally granted.   GeneaNet - Diaz RecordsGeneaNet includes archival records, family trees, and other resources for individuals with the Diaz surname, with a concentration on records and families from France, Spain, and other European countries.

Justin Martyr Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Justin Martyr - Research Paper Example Introduction Justin is one of the most significant Greek apologists of the second century. No one actually knows his exact date and place of birth. The Apologies (the First and the Second Apology) and Dialogue may indicate his time and place of birth. Most people indicate that he was born around 100 AD. However, his place of birth is not clearly known, some indicates that Justin was born of pagan parents in Palestine around 100 A.D. and died as a martyr in 165 A. D. Others indicate that he was probably born in Flavia Neapolis (Nablus) around the same time. In the Dialogue, he narrates of his conversion to Christianity. This is after he had experimented with several Greek philosophies such as the Pythagorean, Peripatetic, and Stoic1. As a Christian, Justin continued to travel as an itinerant teacher. He was devoted to defend Christianity during his travels. Upon arrival in Rome, Justin established a school there. However, he was denounced by his adversaries and martyred in 165 along w ith other six companions. It is important to note that only three of Justin’s have survived despite the fact he was a creative writer. These works include his Dialogue with Trypho (the Jew) and his two Apologies against pagans. The Dialogue with Trypho is the most ancient apologetic against the Jews, and it was written after the two Apologies. However, a portion of the introduction has been lost2. Life Justin Martyr’s life, birth, and death details are relatively sketchy and obscure. Any understanding of Justin’s life must be assessed from various sources such as his works (the first apology, the second apology, and the dialogue with Trypho) and from ancient writers (Tatian, Irenaeus, and Eusebius) who mention Justin in their works3. Justin was born probably around 100 CE in Nablus (a Roman colony established when the Second Temple was destroyed near the Shekhem’s ruins). In the Dialogue, he asserted that he was of Samaritan origin; however, he might have been probably indicating his geographical roots. This is because he indicates in the First Apology that he belonged to one of the countries that did not get the revelation given to the Samaritans and the Jews. He also asserts that he was educated and raised as an uncircumcised pagan in the Dialogue4. Justin sought truth in four main philosophical schools (Peripatetic, Platonist, Pythagorean, and Stoic), and he was very much convinced that Christianity led to unambiguous and complete truth. After he was converted, he established an influential school in Rome. He became a devoted educator and defender for Christianity5. In the Dialogue with Tryphon, he states that he first placed himself under the Stoic. However, after sometime he recognized that he did not learn anything about God, and that his master did not have anything to teach him on the subject. The Peripatetic man welcomed him but after a while, he requested for a fee; this scenario proved to him that the man was not a philos opher. The Pythagorean man declined to teach him anything; Justin had to learn first astronomy, music, and geometry before anything else6. Finally, the Platonist delighted Justin for some time. These accounts

Chipotle Mexican Grill Financial Position Case Study - 1

Chipotle Mexican Grill Financial Position - Case Study Example This shows an improvement in the company’s performance, as it is indicates an increase in the rate of return on the shareholders equity that is going up steadily over the years. More than often, the return on assets ratio gives a measure of effective and efficient utilization of assets in order to produce net profit. It therefore, allows the management an opportunity to enhance the utilization of resources around the company. Chipotle Mexican Grill return on assets in the year 2008 indicates a ratio of 0.3788 and thereafter an increase in the 2009 as the return on assets ratio rose to 0.4987 and a further increase in 2010 to 0.5094, indicating that there was an increase in the returns on the net profit from the assets, as they were effectively utilized (Grant, 2009). As a restaurant that offers Mexican food, Chipotle Mexican Grill is considered to be the leading among its competitors in the United States market. This attributes are related to its ability to offer services that have got high level of integrity. More so, the services of Chipotle Mexican Grill is accredited as one that is of high quality and has outstanding reputation as a result, the company outshines the rest of its competitors who offer Mexican dishes as it is followed by Baja fresh Mexican grill (Allen, 2011). On the other hand, Taco Bell remains low in its operations because it offers lower food quality as compared to its competitors even though its menu remains favorable. The liquidity ratio of Chipotle Mexican Grill indicates the profitability measure concerning how effectively and efficiently the firm’s performance is accredited in terms of the current ratio (Grant, 2009). A good liquidity ratio gives creditors more interest in transacting with the company, as it determines the overall liquidity of a company in terms of business short-term solvency thus, its ability to pay back its debts as it runs its business

Office furniture ksf Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Office furniture ksf - Research Paper Example One of the concepts that can enhance flexibility in the production of office furniture is the adaptation of the flexibility manufacturing systems that further enhance flexibility. However, such systems require high capital investments to install as well as operate such systems therefore; most of the small as well as medium companies may not be able to install such systems (Dima, 2013). Some of the benefits of the Flexible production processes include maximization of production and hence more profits. Keeping in mind flexible production processes such as the utilization of the FMS enhance the quality of the goods been manufactured. Consequently, such systems reduce the labor cost since fewer workers will be required to run the systems. This is because the production process in such cases involves the use of machines rather than the use of the conventional methods that necessitate more workers. Moreover, such systems increase the speed of production. New Product development is very important in the manufacturing of office furniture. This is due to the high competition in the market. This process may entail the innovation of new products or the development of the existing products. New products are very essential for survival especially in a competitive market. However, the innovation of new product must be followed by marketing strategies that push the products into the market (Dima, 2013). Moreover, furniture manufacturers need are forced to innovate new products due to the change in consumer wants, therefore increasing completion as well advances in technology. Moreover, a furniture manufacturer can engage in the production of new product in order to capitalize on new opportunities. For the manufacturer to capitalize on new opportunities they must understand thoroughly the customer wants; as well as develop new products that

Personal essay for pharm cas Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal for pharm cas - Essay Example that my parents are not omniscient healers: the ability of their diagnostic and therapeutic skills to defeat disease is almost totally dependent on the tools at their disposal, and these tools are predominantly drugs. The miracle of medical science itself is undoubtedly founded on the preparation and accurate dispensation of drugs. It is pharmacy which is medical science’s fighting arm. My fascination with pharmacy dates back to this realization and has slowly, but surely, led me to a point in my life at which I am absolutely confident that pharmacy is the career path I want to follow. My choice of pharmacy as a career has been reinforced by my deep admiration for my aunt, who is a renowned pharmacist in Jordan, where I spent the major part of my childhood. Pharmacies in Jordan are run along the lines of traditional community pharmacies, in which the pharmacist plays a major role as counselor and friend to her customers. The pharmacist is urged to independently prescribe drugs for sundry aches and ailments, dispenses advice as well as drugs and strongly influences the customer’s choices. I spent some time assisting my aunt and was deeply impressed by the warmth of her personality, combined with her disciplined approach to the use of drugs. She has become my role model. My personal background has made me aware that impeccable educational qualifications are a prerequisite to any career. My family has also impressed on me the relevance of a work ethic which combines hard work with the efficient organization of time, but still retains some space for compassion. This has made me a dedicated student with a good academic record. At the same time, my love of interpersonal interaction has involved me in the community and student life of my school. I am particularly involved in the student government and tremendously enjoy my role as student instructor. I think that academic success is the result of hard work and also a passionate belief that the subject one has chosen

Future of more energy efficient planes Research Paper

Future of more energy efficient planes - Research Paper Example (Coogan 41) The robust demand for commercial and air transport drives the current intensive research and development of energy efficient planes. As a matter of fact, the modern aircraft today has decreased in energy consumption significantly compared to old planes. According to Ngo and Natowtiz, with occupancy rates on the order of 70-80% the fuel consumption of recently built planes is on the order of 5L/100 km per passenger and that this means flying over a given distance as about the same in terms of energy consumption and CO2 emissions per passenger as driving the same distance with a car. (333) It must be underscored that technological innovations in the history of mankind, especially in the area of transportations, has been less energy efficient than the technology it replaced. In this regard, the use of supersonic air transport could reverse the trend for air transport. The engine of these supersonic jets are expected to beat all other current aircrafts in the area of energy efficiency because its technological designs optimize such items as fuel/air mixture, engine temperature and airflow velocities. (Siuru 155) A future supersonic transport could travel at speeds of Mach 2.7, making a trip from Los Angeles to Tokyo in a little over three hours. (Siuru 155) Some market projections anticipate a fleet of some 300 to 1,200 commercial supersonic jets in service in the next 10-30 years. Another interesting area in the supersonic jet technology, which makes it the most energy efficient aircraft of the future, is the so-called oblique-wing airliner concept. It supposedly eliminates the conventional fuselage by having passengers ride inside the wing. Siuru pointed to the computations that show how an oblique-wing airliner could fly at Mach 1.6, twice the speed of the Boeing 747, while consuming no more than a subsonic jumbo jet. Here, the level of fuel efficiency is achieved through the oblique wing’s very high lift-to-drag ratio and, subsequently,

Personal essay for pharm cas Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Personal for pharm cas - Essay Example that my parents are not omniscient healers: the ability of their diagnostic and therapeutic skills to defeat disease is almost totally dependent on the tools at their disposal, and these tools are predominantly drugs. The miracle of medical science itself is undoubtedly founded on the preparation and accurate dispensation of drugs. It is pharmacy which is medical science’s fighting arm. My fascination with pharmacy dates back to this realization and has slowly, but surely, led me to a point in my life at which I am absolutely confident that pharmacy is the career path I want to follow. My choice of pharmacy as a career has been reinforced by my deep admiration for my aunt, who is a renowned pharmacist in Jordan, where I spent the major part of my childhood. Pharmacies in Jordan are run along the lines of traditional community pharmacies, in which the pharmacist plays a major role as counselor and friend to her customers. The pharmacist is urged to independently prescribe drugs for sundry aches and ailments, dispenses advice as well as drugs and strongly influences the customer’s choices. I spent some time assisting my aunt and was deeply impressed by the warmth of her personality, combined with her disciplined approach to the use of drugs. She has become my role model. My personal background has made me aware that impeccable educational qualifications are a prerequisite to any career. My family has also impressed on me the relevance of a work ethic which combines hard work with the efficient organization of time, but still retains some space for compassion. This has made me a dedicated student with a good academic record. At the same time, my love of interpersonal interaction has involved me in the community and student life of my school. I am particularly involved in the student government and tremendously enjoy my role as student instructor. I think that academic success is the result of hard work and also a passionate belief that the subject one has chosen

Philosophy - Human Freedom Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Philosophy - Human Freedom - Essay Example The essay "Philosophy - Human Freedom" states the human freedom. However, this formal agreement known as the law or the legal system and it is steadily and constantly developing and changing as the new circumstances and situations arise. (Sections of this law, normally those that deal with human rights, are actually less changeable and some times are referred to as constitutions.) Therefore, our constitution is defined and supported by the legal systems. A general fallacy the regard freedom is to automatically believe that it is a by-product of the modern democracy. The only freedom practically bestowed by democracy on its members is that they have the right, that is, every few years to cast their votes for one of a set of the representatives who will administer or run the nation on their behalf. Whereas modern democracy is an essential basis for free societies, it necessarily doesn’t guarantee freedom. The fact that job falls to the legal system, which isn’t greatly in fluenced by the periodic voting, is the reason why freedom campaigns always involve legal challenges. According to Wolf, nevertheless, democracy can only be considered an agent of freedom if grants the people meaningful voting choices, that is, not just a choice of two or three political parties which only have cosmetic differences, but if it ensure that the citizens have the undistorted and evenhanded information that is necessary in making a choice that is in their interest (similarly, a mass media and educational system. that is free from undue corporate and government influence. Sometimes, people may want to use their democratic rights in restricting freedom (for instance, in the places of gun ownership, GM foods, stem cell research, fox hunting or war against terror and pedophilia. This is due to the fact that freedoms normally conflict with each other: what freedom means for an individual or group of individuals is always a restriction for another. For instance, the freedom to breathe fresh air depends on the restriction of freedom for the factories to generate or produce as much pollution as the wish. Thus, the freedom support is usually a balancing act between the combined long-term interests and the short-term interests of individual or group people. Under law, we find that corporations are considered individual people and hence are afforded many of the same rights. Today, we are living in democracies that are greatly hostile to long-term and common freedom. The choice of political party during election time is rather restrictive, though still essential, and the mass media is nearly wholly corporately owned and thus influenced, which consequently opens up to influence by the government, recompense for political favors to those organizations. This implies that the people’s mind is strongly being manipulated in making voting choices that aren’t really in their best interest, but in the short-term interest of the corporations and politician s. Moreover, the other thing that tends to manipulate the people’s mind into undervaluating freedom is the fact that the adults much of their working hours working in the corporate environment. I don’t really think corporations are democratic organizations, but instead, they are dictatorial

Universal Preschool Essay Example for Free

Universal Preschool Essay In the Spring of the 2006/2007 school year, Hillary Clinton made a stop to a Miami Beach elementary school where she tool student and the press that, â€Å"As president, I will establish universal pre-kindergarten education†¦so that every four-year-old child in America can attend a government-funded preschool† (Miller, 2007, p. 48). Although this proclamation may seem somewhat odd given all of the challenges currently facing America’s public education system, the reality is that support and momentum for universal preschool programs has increased dramatically in recent years while more political and community leaders pushing for government sponsored universal preschool programs. With the realization the universal preschool programs have become such an important issue for the development of American public education, there is a direct impetus to examine the current reasons for such notable changes in attitudes toward these programs. Using this as a basis for investigation, this research seeks to provide a more integral understanding of the reasons for universal preschool programs and the benefits and drawbacks of these proposals. This research concludes with a discussion of who should pay for these preschool programs and what steps should be taken to ensure that they are uniformly implemented in all school districts. Literature Review Reasons for Universal Preschool  Although the push for the development of universal preschool is not new, a critical review of the current interest in the type of schooling suggests that there are a myriad of reasons as to why policymakers and educators are aggressively pursing policies to develop these programs. With this in mind, it is important to provide a comprehensive review of the current literature by examining the wide range of reasons that have been offered for the development of these programs. By examining the reasons behind the current push for universal preschool programs, it will be possible to demonstrate why these programs have become so popular in recent years. Ashford (2007) in her review of the popularity of universal preschool programs argues that these programs have become so important in recent years because of consistent data which suggests that notable achievement gaps in the current education system continue to persist. As reported by this author, â€Å"The growing recognition that efforts to reduce the achievement gap must start way before children enter kindergarten is driving a renewed interest in universal preschool† (p. 22). Ashford goes on to report that the achievement gaps that manifest in the early levels of elementary education often persist over the course of the child’s education. Thus, alleviating these gaps is essential for improving outcomes for student achievement and educational success. Dellinger, Osorio and Hybner (2007) in their review of universal preschool programs also report that educators are now widely supporting the mover toward this educational paradigm. As reported by these authors, â€Å"Claiming that its needed to help boost early test scores to meet NCLBs testing requirements, [teacher’s] unions are urging states to provide costly preschool programs, pushing more toddlers into classrooms† (p. 17). Dellinger and coworkers go on to report that the mandates set forth in under the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation have placed so much pressure on educators to ensure learning outcomes for students that many educators now believe that universal preschool is the most salient means to help bolster learning outcomes and provide the support needed for students to perform well on NCLB assessments. In addition to the fact that educators now believe that universal preschool is imperative for improving outcomes of standardized tests required under NCLB, Dellinger, et al. (2007) further report that current data on academic outcomes for children enrolled in preschool programs suggests that these programs can have significant ramifications for improving long-term student achievement. According to these authors, studies demonstrate that â€Å"four-year-olds benefit from high-quality preschool programs, since those who attend preschool are less likely to need special-education classes or to drop out of school, and they are more likely to graduate from high school† (p. 9). Thus, providing universal preschool programs will have marked benefits for ensuring the long-term success of all students enrolled in the public school system. Additionally, Zigler and Finn-Stevenson (2007) report that current problems with the American education system have been traced to the lack of quality and uniformity in preschool programs that are currently in place in the US. As noted by these scholars: A major national problem is that we have no system in place o oversee the learning environments of young children before school entry. Rather, we have a mix of fragmented services, some providing part-day preschool and others all-day, year-round child care for children whose parents are working. Multiple funding streams support the programs, and a variety of provider contexts exist†¦ Of significance is the general lack of quality that characterizes this nonsystem and the fact that the majority of preschool children attend child care programs that are of poor or mediocre quality (p. 176). What this effectively suggests is that with no uniform standards in place, children are not receiving the same quality of preschool education. The development and implementation of a universal preschool program would help alleviate many of these disparities. Further, Tucker (2007) argues that the impetus to develop and implement a universal preschool system stems from the global changes that are occurring in the context of the job market. According to Tucker, the US is currently not able to compete with other countries such as China and Japan when it comes to well educated workforces. Given that labors must compete for jobs in both a national and international context, providing students with the education competitive advantage that they need to secure jobs is essential not only for the well being and livelihood of the individual, but also for the successful development of the US economy. Thus, providing universal preschool would provide students with a competitive advantage for workforce development which would enable the US to compete more uniformly with other industrialized nations. Other scholars have also considered the importance of preparing students to compete in the modern workforce. In particular one author reports that the achievement gaps between students in the US and students in foreign countries continue to grow because the US education system does not provide the right tools and supports for ensuring that students have the skills needed to compete with students from other countries (Preparing today’s†¦, 2007). While this author reports that there are a host of changes that must be made to improve the quality and context of education offered in the US, the development and implementation of quality universal preschool programs is viewed as a central tenet for ensuring better outcomes for American students (Preparing today’s†¦, 2007). Benefits of Universal Preschool  With a basic review of the reasons spurring the development of universal preschool programs provided, it is now possible to consider the overall benefits that have been reported through the use of these programs. One scholar examining a recent study released from the Economic Policy Institute reports that a study of uniform preschool programs for 3 and 4-year-olds provide cost benefit outcomes that can be seen in less than 10 years after implementation (States reap†¦, 2007). These programs will in turn save states, not to mention the federal government, billions of dollars spanning several decades† (p. 7). The Economic Policy Institute further found that the turn around time for benefits is much faster in some cases; in universal preschool programs developed in Connecticut for example, the program pays off immediately, within one year of implementation (States reap†¦, 2007). Hoff (2007) also attempts to provide some insight into the financial benefits that can be garnered though the development and implementation of universal preschool programs. As reported by this author, â€Å"The nation would reap more than twice the cost of wide-scale adoption of effective pre-K-12 educational interventions, resulting in a gain of $45 billion from increased tax revenues and reduced social costs over the lifetime of high school graduates†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (p. 5). Although this data makes it difficult to quantify the specific returns that could be acquired through the implementation of new pre-Kindergarten programs, this data does indicate that when comprehensive pre-Kindergarten are included in public education, the total cost savings for educational services across the entire scope of public education can be markedly reduced. Another potential benefit of universal preschool that has been reported in the literature is the ability of these programs to help alleviate long-term social and economic problems for children. Specifically, Duncan, Ludwig and Magnuson (2007) argued that for disadvantaged children, preschool programs can provide the support needed to reduce the impact of poverty. As reported by these authors, the preschool environment is one that is typically positive and markedly different from the one that children from poor, urban neighborhoods experience. This positive experience during early childhood, when the cognitive, behavioral and social development of the child is taking place can have a marked impact on the child, creating a solid foundation for academic success. Students living in poverty that experience this type of success in education will be more successful and less likely to perpetuate the cycle of poverty over the long-term. Drawbacks of Universal Preschool Despite the fact that there is ample evidence which suggests that both financial and academic benefits can be garnered from the development and implementation of universal preschool programs, Buchanan (2007) notes that there are some notable drawbacks when it comes to securing the funding for these programs. As reported by this author the cost of development universal preschool programs can be quite expensive, especially for school districts whose budgets are already stretched thin. In an effort to deal with this issue, Buchanan reports that 23 of the 42 states the currently have lottery programs in place have earmarked lottery monies for the development of new educational programs. While this gamble can provide needed funding for the development of new preschool programs, Buchanan asserts that utilizing lottery funds represents a notable gamble and there is no guarantee that the funding source will remain stable over the long-term. In addition to the funding challenges that exist with respect to universal preschool programs, Jacobson (2007) reports that current efforts to understand the long-term impact of preschool programs indicates mixed results overall. Specifically, this author notes the results of Goldwater Institute study which demonstrated that â€Å"reading and math scores for 3rd graders who had been in preschool or full-day kindergarten were higher than those for students who had not been in such programs. But by the time the children who had attended full-day kindergarten or preschool reached 5th grade, their scores were comparable to those of other students† (p. 3). What this effectively suggests is that while universal preschool may provide some short-term gains for academic achievement, there is no evidence which suggests these gains will be maintained over the long-term. Finally, Miller (2007) argues that developing universal preschool programs will not resolve the current educational gaps that are prevalent in America’s system of public education. According to this author, â€Å"On recent standardized language tests, fourth graders finished north of the 70th percentile, topping their peers in 26 of 35 countries† (p. 48). Miller asserts that while this clearly suggests that there is room for improvement, larger gaps in education occur later in the educational system, suggesting that improving middle and high school education programs would have move value for effectively reducing the achievement gap. Miller asserts that early elementary education in the US does not need further support for achieving improved academic outcomes for students. Funding for Universal Preschool The final issue that must be addressed in the context of this investigation is funding for universal preschool. A cursory overview of the current data on funding for universal preschool suggests that efforts to providing funding in this area should come from state and federal governments. Levin and Schwartz (2007)in his review of current preschool education programs notes that there are two segments of the population that currently receive support for preschool education: wealthy students whose parents can afford preschool education and children that live below the poverty line and qualify for federally funded preschool programs such as head start. For families that have incomes that fall within the national average (approximately $42,000 annually) access to affordable, quality preschool is not possible. Thus, providing funding for all children through government programs appears to be the most salient means to ensure that all students have access to the uniform, quality preschool. Due to the fact that the development of universal preschool programs would require the incorporation of these programs into existing school districts, state governments would bear the most financial responsibility for these programs. However, as reported by Ashford (2007) the federal government could provide grant monies to offset the costs of universal preschool programs and ease the financial burdens that these programs may place on less affluent states. Similar funding structures are currently in place for Children’s Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) which provide free or low-cost health instance for children and teenagers. Although this type of funding scheme has been widely supported by proponents of universal preschool, other methods of funding for these types of preschool programs have been proposed as well. Witte (2007) in his review of the specific programs that should be used for funding universal preschool argues that a voucher system should be used in order to ensure that children from low income and middle class families have access to and can receive a quality preschool education. Under this proposed voucher system, Witte notes that students that are unable to afford preschool would be given vouchers by the state to attend the preschool of their choice. This type of program would help ensure that the state and federal governments could reduce the overall cost of burden of developing and maintaining universal preschool programs for all students. Additionally under this program, families from higher socioeconomic backgrounds would be required to help defray the costs of their child’s preschool education. Conclusion Synthesizing all of the data provided in this investigation, it becomes evident that the push for universal preschool has been supported by educators, policymakers and parents all across the United States. Despite what appears to be widespread support for these programs however, research does indicate that there are some notable drawbacks which continue to limit the efficacy and development of these programs. In addition to the fact that universal preschool programs carry with them considerable costs, research on these programs suggests that the benefits of universal preschool may be significantly limited over the long-term. Given the concrete barriers that exist when it comes to developing universal preschool programs, it is easy to understand why these programs have not become part of federal policy on public education. The challenges that modern students face in terms of both meeting educational standards and competing with students from other countries clearly warrants changes to improve public education. While current research suggests that universal preschool may provide some support for improving overall educational outcomes, the reality is that only time will tell if these programs are able to maintain their popularity. As costs increase and funding for these programs becomes an issue, policymakers, parents and taxpayers will have to make critical choices about the efficacy of these programs and their importance for improving public education.

Google Internal Environment and PESTEL Analysis

Google Internal Environment and PESTEL Analysis ABSTRACT The purpose of this project is to strategically analyze a multinational company of our choice. Our case study is Google Inc. which we will analytically break down, using various sources. We chose Google because we found really interesting due to the fact that not only it is the biggest internet search engine to date, but also a pioneer in its industry. Based on existing literature and web references, will try to analyze its internal and the external environment. INTRODUCTION Google has occupied the dominating position in its industry since the beginning due to its unique product which is a result of its unparalleled working environment. It has gone on to attain the largest share of the online search engine market as it provides its users with a product that is difficulty substituted even though there are numerous competitors. By analyzing the internal and external environment of the corporation, it is evident that Google is running a well oiled machine, paying attention to even the least significant detail in order to ensure that it provides a prompt and reliable product to its customers. History Google was founded around 1995 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were still university students. The idea was based on pages PhD research project called Backrub. This involved mathematical properties of a link structure on the internet. Having indexed over 50 million web addresses, Google was formally incorporated by 1998.it has such significant influence that a company could either greatly benefit, or be seriously harmed depending on the search rankings. Besides being the top search engine, Google features other functions such as Gmail, Google Earth and Google Docs. Moreover, Googles extreme success and constant expansion and development are due to their unparalleled working environment which not only aims to keep everyone happy, but successfully does so. (Google, 2011, Keller et al, 2008) INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT Resources Capability Theory Sources The combination of sources and capabilities, defines a good strategy of a company. Google achieved to combine ideally its sources and capabilities, as we can see that its strategy, is working. Ones company resources can be separated to tangible, intangible and human. Referring to Googles tangible resources are the financial sources from advertising companies, raw materials, mechanical equipment, modern facilities, innovative design of homepages and hardware. As for the intangible resources they are, high technology, worldwide reputation with users and suppliers , strong brand name , huge data-base, patents like Google Earth and eco friendly Blackle. Another important intangible factor is the business culture of Google which does not only care about the service of users but also cares about vast working environment. Moreover as for the human resources, Google has a large amount of high-skilled and capable staff. Furthermore, another important factor of Googles success is its know ho w which cant be imitated by any other rival firm. In addition all employees are experienced in the market of information based services. Google has strong leadership combined with training which resulted in loyal staff. (Christodoulou, 2010, David 2007) Capabilities The combination of sources, tangible, intangible and human resources create the appropriate capabilities. Capabilities separated as marginal capabilities which cannot easily imitated and fundamental capabilities which can. By combining its resources, Google creates some very effective capabilities. Flexibility, quick response and speed of distributing the information are produced by the combination of huge data base with the highly advanced software. These capabilities are fundamental because they cannot be copied easily. Another fundamental capability of Google is innovative and effective human resources management. This is also a result of good leadership with highly skilled and specifically trained staff. Furthermore, the combination of human resources with the software and innovations has the result of design capability, which is imitated. The right transmission of information between leadership, employees and the culture of Google results in good communication, as a fundamental capability. The combination of the right organization in human resources with the program system creates the fundamental capability of quick responsiveness to customers. (Christodoulou, 2010, David, 2007) Competitive advantage Value Google provides a high value product which satisfies its consumer needs, whatever they may be, quickly and efficiently. A costumer can use its search engine when looking for information on literally anything as well known, or not, that would be. This is what keeps it in its market dominating position as the leading search engine as it provides such a rare product. Furthermore, Google uses a program call AdSense which is vital I order for businesses to generate income. This is due to the fact that there is more traffic, hence more exposure, which consequently leads to an increase in sales. (Morrow, 2009, Thompson and Strickland, 1998) Rarity Googles rarity can be seen even on its homepage which is unlike any of the rival companies. There is a 28 word limit policy for the homepage, meaning that it is the only one that which is completely clutter free, letting customers focuses on what they want to use the product for without any distractions. This in turn shows that Google inc. wants to provide a high quality product that meets consumer needs, rather than trying to gain profit from annoying advertisements .Furthermore, the relevancy of the results of the search engine make it evident that Google succeeds and reaches its aim to provide a product of the highest quality for each customer. Compared to its competitors, yahoo and Microsoft, it is the most efficient and accurate when providing a consumer with the result. (Morrow, 2009) Imitablility Googles unique homepage has not been imitated by its competitors due to the fact that they are more interested in what consumers need to feel relaxed using this search engine, rather than profiting from advertisements. In addition even if competitors try to imitate Googles results, they would require an enormous database, extremely fast computer memory, and servers all around the world. Furthermore, Google try traces what you search each time and in a way gets smarter in order to provide you with the most relevant results each time you search. It basically can tell what you are looking for even the word which have been used has more than one meaning. (Morrow, 2009) Substitutability The fact is that Google has substitutes, such as Yahoo, Microsoft, Ask and Bing however it continues to dominate the market as it provides the best product and therefore gaining strong customer loyalty. (Morrow, 2009) Value chain Due to the fact that Google provides information based services, which is a nonphysical product, its value chain differs from the traditional form. Their raw materials are the web users who use Google to search. The same users are then directed by text advertisements into their advertising partners websites where the sales occur, which is also the finished program. Furthermore, the search engine works in such a way that it keeps record of the users previous searches in order to provide more relevant results in future searches, which in turn means that web users are directed to websites where there is more probability that purchases will occur. In addition, due to highly skilled and qualified staff, the dependency of primary activities on human resource is quite high and so causes an increase in costs. Operations, sales, distribution and services are conducted with the aid of Googles servers and its internal software, all of which contribute to the value chain as they increase the fir ms profit. It also spreads its operations globally in order to be constantly aware of changes which in turn help Google maximize its profit. (Morrow, 2009) Mission Statement To organize the world information to make it universally accessible and useful From this statement we can see that Google Inc is not interested in profit maximization but strives to meet the needs of its customers with a high quality product. Also Google states that sharing information and giving access to it, so that every person in the world could find whatever he needs from a source of his preference. (Morrow, 2009) EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT PESTEL Political As for the political environment, Google has few political restrictions. Firstly, one of the political problems that it faces is with the Department of Justice, due to the fact that there are plenty of inappropriate content and classified documents. Secondly, it has problems with the Chinese Government, because of censorship of searching results. Google tries not to have problems with censorship globally, because of its cooperation with the U.S Government and the protection of personal privacy. For this reason, it has created privacy terms on its homepage, where users can find information. In addition, many countries of Asia have limitations on what can be searched, but generally the majority of countries around the world do not have restrictions. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Economical Nowadays, there is an economic crisis all over the world witch significantly affects global sales. Furthermore, one of the countries that have been hit the most are the United States, where Google is located. However, this crisis has not affected Google, because it does not sell direct products, but services which are funded by advertisements. Also, the free provision of Google leads to an increase in its popularity, which in turn maintains its good relations with advertising firms. Finally, its excellent knowledge of the market allows Google to be able to respond to any kind of crisis. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Social Googles great advantage is that there are no social restrictions, because its services can be used by everyone despite age, religion, nationality and living conditions. Another advantage is that is not a seasonal company, for the reason that its services are always desired. Also, the development of technology and the trend of using Internet through computers and mobile phones have increased in the last years, impacting Google expansion all over the world. Google has no geographical dependence because the technology of internet is widespread worldwide. An example of geographical power is that more than 115 countries use Google, many of which are not economically developed. Googles social environment is global, meaning that is a Multilanguage society. For this reason, Googles services have been translated into numerous languages. Furthermore, it allows access to sites which may be inappropriate or appropriate. However in many countries there is a prohibition to them due to cultural and religion differences. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Technological The technology is always advancing, so this phenomenon makes Google expand rapidly. For this reason, it has to be updated constantly in order for it to follow its revolution. New technology in computers systems may aid Googles services to work faster and better, so it has to prevent its opponents from taking this new technological knowledge. Another advantage of technology for Google is that the costs are decreasing, while the quality of the services that it offers is improving and the innovation are strengthened. It also improves the speed of information, the ways of communication and transportation. These reasons help Google to expand and more important to survive. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Legal The legal environment is an issue that concerns everyone who uses the Internet. Copyright is an issue that exists in legal environment because of the ability that third party persons and companies can copy pictures and steal information from others. As a result, Google has created a page with copyright information about what is legal and what is not. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Five Forces As always analyze of five Porter forces play very important role for the study of business elements and contributes to develop the right strategy to be able to survive and become more competitive. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Entry Barriers Regarding the search engines, they have accumulated a large amount of information on customer service. Therefore, Google updates its material, in order to compete with other online search engines. For a newly introduced company it is necessary to serve and meet its customers expectations and the services should be provided at high speeds with flexibility in search. When Google was established around 1998, there were other similar companies like Yahoo, AltaVista and Excite, which had big influence in the market place but Google achieved to dominate. The web environment of search engines is more enriched, compared with the past years and its more familiar for users. As a result, the entry of new firms is not such a big threat for existing companies, especially for Google. (Morrow, 2008) Suppliers The main suppliers of Google are advertisements of companies, which expect to be popular in the world, so this factor contributes to the direct profit. Therefore, the negotiating power of suppliers is relative low, because Google is the pioneer of searching services. Over the years, technology evolves rapidly and because of it, Google achieved to install new software in mobile phones. But in this case the negotiating power is very high, because there is other companies software, like Microsoft with more experience in the market place. (Morrow, 2008) Competitors The main target of Google is to be able to face the competitiveness and become dominant company in the world of search engines. The main source of income is based on advertisements, due to reliable information that is collected daily. Since 2007, Google noted an upward evolution with annual profit rate at 110%. The main competitors of the company are Microsoft and Yahoo which have significantly lower profit. For the achievement of their profits, trademarks like MSN and Live-search played very important role. The companys high market share gives it the advantage to improve the quality of information and make the search easier. As a result, Google creates successful advertisements rapidly in comparison with its competitors. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008) Customers Since 2007, almost entirely, the profits of Google come from advertisements. The strategy of the company is to obtain new and more advertisements, of which the profit is maximum 3%. So it accumulates the profit from many small advertisements. Many firms want to advertise themselves and users have the opportunity to find them through keywords. Then, the percent of profits increased, because it is considered as an extra service. This attracts many companies which results in Google buying power in low levels. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008, 1999) Substitutes In recent years the world of Internet is the first option for the users, who search direct information. Due to the uniqueness and immediacy, there arent specific substitutes for data search. In order to Google to serve the users and become more competitive, with the help of some tools, classifies the data by date. The leading position of Google and the possible future entrance of competitors depend on the satisfaction of customers and shareholders. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008, 1999) Complementary The complementary goods are directly connected with services of Google and depend on them as these are portable computers and mobile phones. Generally, it is an industry with restricted amount of complementary goods. (David, 2007, Morrow, 2008, 1999) SWOT analysis Strengths There is a wide range of functions offered such as Google docs, Google earth, Gmail, Google translator and Blackle, besides its main operation as a search engine. Good reputation and strong brand name Loyal customers Google has developed very well its know how, Googles efficient and prompt results Pay high attention to the users Unique product-service Friendly working environment Does not distract its users by flooding the homepage with advertisements Weaknesses The requested search does not always coordinate with the results You cannot always find the information that you want in the fullest extent The information is mostly in English Hackers create many dummy site with spam Whoever is interested in using Google for advertising purposes does not have a clear idea where it would be more profitable to place their advertisements as the cost or click charging is very confusing There is a lot of useless and invalid information Opportunities Google can expand by merging Using higher value context on the web Can increase the internet usage Can local vendors advertisements on every local search It can provide more hand-held devices to capture a larger share of the market It can increase the advertising spending online Threats There are a lot of competitors and rivals Censorship A lot of legal trials due to users invasion of privacy The confusing policy for advertisements may disappoint the potential clients and Google may start losing them If it decides to follow its competitor by changing it minimal user friendly interface it may lose a lot of its users Privacy issues regarding the contents ownership It can lose its brand loyalty if it merge with other large firms (David, 2007, Thomson and Strickland, 1998) FINANCIAL Google is a company that has increasingly become popular since 2004. In recent years it has achieved to increase its incomes that helped it become a profitable company. Googles revenue is 99% from advertisement, because the products that it sells are free to use. According to the financial statement, Google is better than its main competitor, Yahoo because, it has 2.4 times more of its revenue. Additionally, Google is more profitable than Yahoo as it manages its debts better. In recent years, Google has slowed down the sales growth, income growth, assets growth, the profit Margin and the return of assets as we can see in table 1. However, it is still at a good level and it does not declare to be in a downward path, because it is still first in sales. This is a result of its steady growth, as know that no company can achieve an upward course. Googles revenue is increasing annually, even if it is not at the same rate as previous years, however, it has never been less. (Morrow, 2009) CONCLUSION To sum up, throughout its progress, Google has kept its dominant position over its competitors in the information based services industry. Furthermore, it is very important to note that Google has not only been consistent when it comes to providing a product of the highest and quality, but is also constantly developing, adapting, but more significantly revolutionizing the industry. In addition, what makes Googles product so unique in comparison to its competitors is the attention that it gives to consumer needs in order to provide a reliable and difficultly substituted product rather than focusing on maximizing its profit with every given chance which may compromise the quality of its search result; its product. Having analyzed the corporations internal and external environment it is evident that Google pays attention even to the smallest detail to ensure that it will be the leading company amongst the numerous other online search engines and has been able to create loyal customers t hat are constantly increasing. SOURCES-BIBLIOGRAPHY Morrow, B. (2009)Internal Analysis of Google Inc., 22 February, 2009. Available at: http://www.benmorrow.info/research/internal-analysis-of-google-inc [Accessed: 5 January, 2011] Morrow, B. (2008) External Analysis of Google Inc., 15 October, 2008. Available at: http://www.benmorrow.info/research/external-analysis-of-google-inc [Accessed: 5 January, 2011] Google (2011) Company Overview Corporate Information. Christodoulou, I.P. (2010) Strategy Strategic Management Perspectives. [PowerPoint slides] Lecture handouts. University of Hertfordshire.22 December, 2010 Keller, K.L., (2008) Strategic Brand Management. A European Perspective. 1st edn. England: Pearson Education Limited David, F.R., (2007) Strategic Management Concepts. 11th Ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall Thompson, A. A. Jr and Strickland, A. J III (1998) Strategic Management Concepts and Cases. 10th Ed. USA: Irwin/McGraw Hill (International Edition)

Mental Illness Essay -- essays research papers

Unfortunately there are people who are born less fortunate than other's. Some are slower than others, and there are some who pick up. Sadly some are made fun of because of the condition. This is when mental retardation comes into place. In my report I will be talking about mental retardation and the different kids of mental illnesses. Mental retardation is often thought of a disease ( Mental retardation 1 ). Disease would be the wrong term. Mental retardation is a term for wide range or conditions ( Mental retardation 1 ). The meaning of mental retardation depends on what society demands of the individual in learning skills, and social responsibility ( Mental retardation 1 ). Mental retardation is most often appeared in children under the age of 18 ( Mental retardation ). A person is considered mentally retarded if they have an intellectual functioning level below average and significant limitations in two or more adaptive skill areas ( Mental retardation 1 ). The IQ score for mental retardation is below 70-75. Mental retardation occurs in 2.5-3% of the general population, and about 6-7.5 million mentally retarded individuals live in the United States alone ( Mental retardation 1 ). Mentally retarded children learn to walk and talk much later than the general population ( Mental retardation 1 ). The symptoms may appear at birth or later in childhood ( Mental retardation 1 ). About 85% of the mentally retarded population is in the mildly retarded category, their IQ score ranges to 50-75, they often can reach up to a 6th grade level ( Mental retardation 2 ). They can live independently with community and social support ( Mental retardation 2 ). About 10% of the mentally retarded population is considered moderately retarded, with the IQ scores that range from 35-55, they also carry communication skills as a child, they function okay, but need to be with the community in a supervised environment such as a group home ( Mental retardation 2 ). Also about 3-4% of the mentally retarded population is severely retardation with IQ scores of 20-25. They may be able to develop self-care and communication skills with the support and training, and they need a high level of supervision ( Mental retardation 2 ). People who are mentally retarded often live with family or members of the family. People ... ...ips Retardation November 20,1999. April 4, 2001 http://www.galenet.com/servlet/SRCHealth/ "Gentics." Worlf of Health. Gale Group, 2001. Reproduced in Student Ressource Center--Health Module. Farmington Hills, Mich.. Gale Group 2000. Http://www.galenet.com/servlet/SRCHealth/ Gravitz, Herber. "Psychology Today" The Binds That Tie And Heal: How Families Cope With Mental Illness March 2001. March 2001. April 4 2001 Http://www.galnet.com/servlet/SRCHealth/ Keigher, Sharon. "Health and Social Work " Emerging issues In Mental Retardation. August 2000. April 4, 2001 http://www.galnet.com/Servlet/SRCHealth/ Bowker, L " Deling with Offenders Who Are Mentally Retarded ." FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin 1994 July : Sirs Researcher. Madera High School Lib., Madera, Ca. 4 Apr.2001 http://researcher.sirs.com. "Mental health." Gale Group 2000. Reproduced in Student Center--Health Module. Farmigton Hills, Mich..Gale Group 2000 http://www.galenet.com/Servlet/SRCHealth/ "Mental Retardation." World of Health. Gale Group, 2000. Reproduced in Student Resource Center--Health Module. Farmington Hills, Mich..Gale Group 2000.