Legal Issues Budgets and Administration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Legal Issues Budgets and Administration - Essay Example 2.) The Fair Labor Standards Act is a federal law which guaranteed worker's right to minimum standards laws. It has defined the 40-hour workweek, set out federal minimum wage, stated the requirements for overtime and placed restrictions on child labor. Hence, the major provisions of the Act are: a.) 29 U.S.C. Section 206 governing employees' minimum wage; b.) 29 U.S.C. Section 207 for number of hours of work; and c.) 29 U.S.C. Section 203 (1) in relation to 29 U.S.C. Section 212 pertaining to child labor. 3.) The Equal Pay Act of 1963 sought to abolish wage differentials based on sex. When the bill was passed, sex discrimination was denounced so that its key components are the following: a.) wages and living standards for employees necessary for their health and efficiency; b.) prevention of the maximum utilization of the available labor resources; c.) tendency to cause labor conflicts, which may impose burden, affect, and obstruct commerce; d.) burdening commerce and the free flow of goods in commerce; and e.) resulting to an unfair means of competition. 4.) Title VII of Civil Rights Act of 1964 simply prohibits discrimination in employment when based on national origin, sex, religion, color, and race. Title VII not only specifically identified specific acts which would constitute violation but provided for recovery of compensatory and punitive damages. In seeking for damages, it conferred jurisdiction upon courts to give injunctive relief in cases of discrimination in public offices and gave authority to the Attorney General institute suits to promote civil rights. 5.) The determination of pay discrimination for dissimilar jobs has become difficult. The usual query is what would be the basis or bases of discrimination when in fact an employee has different qualifications or simply into a dissimilar job from the rest. The fact that employees may have different jobs aside from their personal qualifications may become an issue of discrimination itself. In other words, should discrimination be prohibited when circumstances call for discrimination because of varying qualifications 6.) Not only that discrimination has created trauma in the society, it also created various social implications like earning gaps among sexes and/or races in workplaces. The society has been divided into thinking that women usually are limited as to what they could accomplish as opposed to men. The same is true of men and women of different racial origins perceived to be underachievers, of low intelligence and unproductive. 7.) Social Security is a very extensive government program to the point that people does not know how the program works or how it is financed. People have vague of the fact that they pay taxes to benefit them in the long run and that their benefits are connected to their income. This lack of awareness makes the people hesitant of the real benefits the people will have to receive by the time they needed social security benefits at the time of retirement. 8.) The management system affects the pay objectives in a manner that collection process may be affected due to varying or erratic management policies. 9.) The importance of controlling labor costs is that it gives the employer the idea and awareness of business expense which must match its projected growth and reserve capital. With such control, spending may go beyond the actual

Holder in Due Course Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 47

Holder in Due Course - Case Study Example In the case study, Talcott sent a check for $5700 on January 15th to Guarino, who presented it to Stuart Any Kind Store for cash. In this case, Guarino was the holder or bearer of the check. Upon confirmation of the validity of the check from the drawer, the check was approved for cashing of $5700 check. Any Kind cashed the Guarino’s check after deducting the service fee of 3 percent or a value equivalent to $171. In order for the holder to qualify as the holder in due course, they must have obtained the instrument in good faith (Mann & Roberts, 2013). In this case, Any Kind Store became the holder in due course of the $5700 check after paying the value of the check to the holder. Any Kind Store was the proprietor of a negotiable instrument which they had taken for value and in good faith. They had given a consideration equivalent to the face value of the check less a 3% discount charges to the holder of the check in accordance with the requirements for the holder in due cours e. When Guarino presented the second check for cashing to Any Kind Stores, the accountant called upon the person who had approved the first check in order to approve for the payment. They called Talcott the drawer to confirm the validity of the check. The drawer approved the $5,700 check for payment after which Any Kind cashed for the holder. In this regard, Any Kind became the holder in due course since they had exercised appropriate care to ensure the check was valid and without defect. However, they did not make an inquiry to about the validity of the $10,000 check of which they had already cashed for Guarino.

Dependence of man on the environment

Dependence of man on the environment The environment mainly consists of the earth and its surroundings which include the atmosphere. The life of man here on earth completely depends on the natural environment for its existence. It is from the environment that man ultimately obtains food or cash. Actually seventy percent of the earths surface is covered by water but due to mans activities; both domestic and industrial, most of this water is polluted. Actually it is true that out of all this waters covering the earths surface only 0.02% of this water is fresh. So as to control the impacts of water pollution which are hazardous to both human and marine life; several world environmental bodies have come up with lawfully regulated water quality laws based on its desired use. Changing the water sources designated purpose affects the allowed pollution levels in various ways. First one has to reason about the divergence between water for human consumption and water meant for agricultural usage such as irrigation or industrial utilization. This various water uses will require variable water quality standards. Water quality is observed by the water characteristics which may be biological, physical or even biological. Most frequently there are set reference of standards to assess the compliance of the water. The most used standards to determine water quality relate to water used for domestic purposes such as drinking and cooking, wellbeing of humans who get in touch with it and the safety of the marine life. A person contributes to water pollution when you flush a toilet, pour dirty water down the sink you are using water which has to be purified in a water treatment plant. Many countries do not have water treatment plants and merely pump the raw waste into the rivers or sea. Also agricultural runoff water which contains high amounts of washed off pesticides and fertilizer enter the rivers and streams resulting to pollution and distressing the local plant and marine wildlife. There are numerous benefits of the wind energy. First wind energy is clean and wind turbines generate electricity that does not release pollutants as compared to other energy sources. This means less environmental pollution thus combating with occurrence of environmental hazards such as acid rain and smog amongst others. Power plants contribute to air pollution by emitting a large amount of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides and sulphur dioxide resulting to global warming- this can be avoided by utilizing wind energy. In addition wind energy is renewable and has the less competitive cost as compared to the other sources such as natural gas. Also wind is readily available and it is in abundance thus it will not result to exhaustion of natural resources in the world. Moreover wind energy plants have a short construction period, involve minimal maintenance and require low operating costs as compared to the traditional power sources. Lastly wind power plants are very reliable as they genera te electricity all the time and are not affected by international conflicts making it defiant to supply troubles or price fluctuations (Global Wind report, 2008). In spite of this many pros about wind energy; it also has got some cons. The main disadvantage of the wind energy is the winds unpredictability factor. This is caused by the occurrence of too low wind strengths which cannot support the wind turbines. Also wind turbines generally produce less electricity thus requiring the construction of numerous turbines so as to generate an impact which leads to more initial capital cost. The wind turbines can be a source of noise pollution if they happen to be established close to residential areas. Thus there you got for yourself the pros and cons of wind energy and the extensive steadfastness of wind turbines (Clean energy ideas, 2008) REFERENCES Clean energy ideas, 2008; Energy articles- Solar, Wind and Geothermal, Retrieved May 25, 2010 From http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/ Global Wind Report, 2008; Adapted from information provided by the American Wind Energy Association, Retrieved May 25, 2010 From http://www.nrgsystems.com/AboutWind/BenefitsofWindEnergy.aspx Dependence Of Man On The Environment Dependence Of Man On The Environment An ecological footprint measures humanitys consumption of the natural resources. This technique is helpful because it shows how much of the natural resources human need for everyday life. However, the ecological footprint concept can be misleading as well. Ecological footprint does overlook renewable energy sources (sun, water) which reduce non-renewable sources (oil, coal). W. Cunningham and M. Cunningham (2008) add, These [renewable sources] increase the worlds carrying capacity for people [as well] (p. 79). 5. How might growing populations lead to solutions to societys problems? The only reason how population growth can be beneficial to societys problems is by creation and innovation. In other words, more people can lead to additional manufactured goods that serve millions. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ [more] people boosts humanà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦intelligence that will create new resourcesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 77) 8. In which parts of the world are populations declining? The parts of the world that populations are declining are North America, Western Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 79) Discussion Questions 1 and 6 1. Suppose that you were head of a family planning agency in India. How would you design a scientific study to determine the effectiveness of different approaches to population stabilization? How would you account for factors such as culture, religion, education, and economics? If I were the head of a family planning agency in India, I would want to know what type of birth control method is better for stabilization the India population. I would interview my clients to find out family size preferences and choice of desired birth control. However, to curb a fast growing population, I would offer a special incentive, such as higher education and/or cash for couples to wait a certain amount of time to have children. Since family plays an important role in India, I would still offer family planning alternatives to try to slow population growth. I believe this would be good start to stabilize population growth in India. 6. In chapter 3, we discussed carrying capacities. What do you think the maximum and optimum carrying capacities for humans are? Why is this a more complex question for humans than it might be for other species? Why is designing experiments in human demography difficult? I think this is a complex subject. Some people believe humans are considerably over their carrying capacities, which is the cause of poverty. While others say, our environment has the potential to carry humans despite of limited resources. Has the world reached its carrying capacity? I believe since the human population has a tendency to grow in an exponential way, the advancement of todays technology should increase our resources as well. [Some] believeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦technology and enterprise can expand the worlds carrying capacity [that would] allow us to overcome any problems we encounter (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 75). I also think this is a more complex question for humans than other species because humans have the advantage of reducing birth rates through family planning. Since demography is the study of a populations size and growth, experimentation may be difficult because according to (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008) every day [p]eople continue to be born and die (p. 79). Furthermore, I believe the purpose of a designed experiment is to rule out an estimation of human population. Unfortunately, due to some growing and shrinking populations, consistency will be impossible. Chapter 5: Text Practice Quiz Questions 1, 9 and 16 1. Why did ecologists want to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone Park? What goals did they have, and have their goals been achieved? Ecologists wanted to reintroduce wolves to Yellowstone Park because of the rapid growth of the elk and deer populations. Since the elk and the deer inhabitants damaged the trees and shrubbery in the park, ecologists needed to minimize the elk and deer growing residents. Therefore, wolves became predators, which minimize the elk and deer population and the Yellowstone Park was restored. W. Cunningham and M. Cunningham (2008) adds, while wolves preyed on the elks, the wolves population grew, the elk figures decreased and the park was recovered (p. 95). 9. Define biodiversity and give three types of biodiversity essential in preserving ecological systems and functions. Biodiversity is a diversity or assortment of organisms in a specific biological community. W. Cunningham and M. Cunningham (2008) state that [t]he three types of biodiversity essential to preserve ecological systems and functions are: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦genetic diversity (heritable measure of individual species), species diversity (description of diverse organisms within an ecosystem), and ecological diversity (a variety of species in diverse environments)à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (p. 108). 16. What is a flagship or umbrella species? Why are they often important, even though they are costly to maintain? A flagship or umbrella species is an appealing living thing used to protect its entire ecosystem. Even though it is costly to preserve flagship or umbrella species, a tiger for instance, will represent the entire feline environment. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦the protection of flagship or umbrella species would help more organisms in it ecosystem (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 121) Discussion Questions 1 and 5 1. Many poor tropical countries point out that a hectare of shrimp ponds can provide 1,000 times as much annual income as the same area in an intact mangrove forest. Debate this point with a friend or classmate. What are the arguments for and against saving mangroves? Mangroves advantage: A sheltered habitat for aquatic organisms such as fish, crabs, and shrimps. Since these organisms feed on the mangroves roots for nutrients, from a human perspective, fish, crabs, and shrimp can also offer economic benefits, which would lead to high efficiency. Mangroves disadvantage: Vulnerable to marine pollution such as oil spills and sewage leaks. W. Cunningham and M. Cunningham (2008) confirm the pros and cons of mangroves, Both marine speciesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦and terrestrial speciesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦rely on mangroves for shelter and food [however, mangroves] are also poisoned by sewage and industrial waste near cities (p.105). 5. Many ecologists and resource scientists work for government agencies to study resources and resource management. Do these scientists serve the public best if they try to do pure science, or if they try to support the political positions of democratically elected representatives, who after all, represent the positions of their constituents? I think since science involves experimentation and detection, ecologists would benefit by supporting the political council. In other words, I believe ecological science is a political process because the ecologists research focuses on societys concerns such as biodiversity extinction. Since there are some organisms in the biodiversity community that offer specific benefits such as medicines and food supplies, the political government would help the scientists serve the public by sustaining the biodiversity ecosystem. Chapter 6: Text Practice Quiz Questions 2, 3 and 10 2. What do we mean by closed-canopy forest and old-growth forest? A closed-canopy forest is [when] tree crowns cover most of the groundà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.a old-growth forests are those that cover a large enough area and have been undistributed by human activities long enough that trees can live out a natural lifeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 129) 3. Which commodity is used most heavily in industrial economies: steel, plastic, or wood? What portion of the worlds population depends on wood or charcoal as the main energy supply? Wood is a product used frequently in industrial economies. More than half of the people in the world depend on firewood or charcoal as their principal source of heating and cookingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008 p. 129) 10. What was the first national park in the world, and when was it established? How have the purposes of this park and others changed? According to W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008), The first national park in the world, Yellowstone National Park, was established in 1872. The Yellowstone National Park along will a few others were established to preserve natural scenery because of the disappearance of scenic beauty due to the land being sold to railroad and timber companies (p. 140). Discussion Questions 1 and 6 1. Paper and pulp are the fastest growing sector of the wood products market, as emerging economics of China and India catch up with the growing consumption rates of North America, Europe, and Japan. What should be done to reduce paper use? According to (W. Cunningham M. Cunningham, 2008), a couple of ways to reduce paper consumption is to: Recycle paper Instead of printing copies, email the data (p.136) For instance, instead of paying bills by mail, register with e-statements and pay bills online. In additions, instead of buying newspapers and magazines from the store, sign up for online subscriptions. 6. Why do you suppose dry tropical forest and tundra are well represented in protected areas, while grasslands and wetlands are protected relatively rarely? Consider social, cultural, geographic, and economic reasons in your answer. I believe dry tropical forest and tundra are well represented in protected areas because of its vast diversity of organisms and valuable resources such as paper and lumber. Therefore, conservation would avoid logging and extinction. In contrast, I assume grasslands and wetlands are rarely sheltered because of lack of lumber. However, the particular biome offers income to humans, such as grazing. In this case, minimum protection is required. Basically, tropical forests and grasslands are utilized by humans- tropical forest areas (benefits from lumber for fuel and paper products)-grassland areas (benefits of large herds of grazing animals).

Katherine Anne Porters The Jilting of Granny Weatherall :: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall

Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" was written by Katherine Anne Porter and first published in 1930. The story is of a women named Granny Weatherall who is on her deathbed. As she is surrounded by friends and family she remembers the life she has lived. She describes being jilted many times in her life, first by her husband-to-be and finally by death. The story was eventually made into a movie directed by Randa Haines. A major theme in the story is that of self-pity. As a result of Granny's wedding day jilting she feels sorry for herself throughout the rest of her life. She also has become suspicious of everyone. This is shown when the doctor is speaking to Cornelia in the beginning of the story, outside of Granny's room. Granny exclaims, "First off go away and don't whisper!" Granny was apparently under the impression that the two of them were speaking ill of her behind her back. Another common theme in many of Katherine Anne Porter's stories, including "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall", is that of death. Porter was captivated by death and dreamed of having a custom made wooden coffin after she saw a photograph taken at the funeral of one of her friends. After Porter and her nephew searched New York City; Katherine found an ad for a coffin maker in Montana and placed her order. The coffin arrived but was obviously too large for her and the large colorful flowers were not at all what she expected but regardless Katherine had her wooden coffin. Even after receiving her coffin she and her nephew discussed arrangements on several occasions. First she wanted to be buried in the wooden coffin wrapped in a linen bed sheet. Later she decided that she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in running water. Then she wanted her ashes buried next to her mother and by this time it seemed that the coffin was just a prop to amuse friends and reporters. These o bsessions with her own death may be the reason why many of her writings have themes of death including "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall". The main character Granny Weatherall is forced to evaluate how she feels about what her life has been as she lives her last day. Granny Weatherall seems to thrive on disillusionment and despair. Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall :: The Jilting of Granny Weatherall Katherine Anne Porter's The Jilting of Granny Weatherall "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" was written by Katherine Anne Porter and first published in 1930. The story is of a women named Granny Weatherall who is on her deathbed. As she is surrounded by friends and family she remembers the life she has lived. She describes being jilted many times in her life, first by her husband-to-be and finally by death. The story was eventually made into a movie directed by Randa Haines. A major theme in the story is that of self-pity. As a result of Granny's wedding day jilting she feels sorry for herself throughout the rest of her life. She also has become suspicious of everyone. This is shown when the doctor is speaking to Cornelia in the beginning of the story, outside of Granny's room. Granny exclaims, "First off go away and don't whisper!" Granny was apparently under the impression that the two of them were speaking ill of her behind her back. Another common theme in many of Katherine Anne Porter's stories, including "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall", is that of death. Porter was captivated by death and dreamed of having a custom made wooden coffin after she saw a photograph taken at the funeral of one of her friends. After Porter and her nephew searched New York City; Katherine found an ad for a coffin maker in Montana and placed her order. The coffin arrived but was obviously too large for her and the large colorful flowers were not at all what she expected but regardless Katherine had her wooden coffin. Even after receiving her coffin she and her nephew discussed arrangements on several occasions. First she wanted to be buried in the wooden coffin wrapped in a linen bed sheet. Later she decided that she wanted to be cremated and have her ashes scattered in running water. Then she wanted her ashes buried next to her mother and by this time it seemed that the coffin was just a prop to amuse friends and reporters. These o bsessions with her own death may be the reason why many of her writings have themes of death including "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall". The main character Granny Weatherall is forced to evaluate how she feels about what her life has been as she lives her last day. Granny Weatherall seems to thrive on disillusionment and despair.

Access to Education

For My Research paper, I would like to talk about Access to Education in world countries. This subject is important to me because I want to become a teacher someday.For most Americans, we usually have the typical ordinary lives, we go to school, get a job and work. Now-a-days most Americans, don't go to school but imagine not being able to go to school your whole life and just working from the age of 7. Now that's something to think about, for many world countries, it`s not easy to get access to education like it is for the people in America. For third world countries they don't get educated period, and we American are forced to go to school by the age of 16, we take it for granted. Could you imagine not going to school and getting an education? How would you feel if you didn't have supplies for class or a classroom to go to? These are just some questions to think about. Education is one of the most difficult things to get in third world countries because of lack of funding, un-trained teachers and also no classroom. Body 1 Education is one of the most difficult things to get in world countries because of lack of funding. According to https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/10-barriers-to-education-around-the-world-2/ one of the number one reason to having education in world countries is â€Å"a lack of funding for education†, from this article it says † the amount of total aid that's allocated to education has decreased in each of the past six years and education aid is 4% lower than it was in 2009.† Wow, the fact that education has decreased since 2009 is not a good sign, we should be going up higher but even in the united states there are children not wanting to go to school, they feel being a basketball player or singer is better.

John Constable

Constable, John – 1776–1837, English painter, b. Suffolk. Constable and Turner were the leading figures in English landscape painting of the 19th cent. Constable became famous for his landscapes of Suffolk, Hampstead, Salisbury, and Brighton. The son of a prosperous miller, he showed artistic talent while very young but did not devote himself to art until he was 23, when he went to London to study at the Royal Academy.Influenced by the 17th-century landscape painters Ruisdael and Claude Lorrain, his poetic approach to nature paralleled in spirit that of his contemporary, the poet Wordsworth. Constable's direct observations of nature and his free use of broken color were extraordinary in his day. He received but modest recognition in England, being tardily admitted to the Royal Academy in 1829. His work was more popular in France. In 1824, his View on the Stour (1819) and The Hay Wain (1821; National Gall. London) were exhibited at the Salon in Paris, winning gold medals . His work made a profound impression on the French romantics including the young Delacroix and Bonington. Later his painting influenced the Barbizon school and, more indirectly, the general course of French 19th-century landscape art. In the United States he is represented in the Metropolitan Museum and the Frick Collection, New York City, in the Mellon Center for British Art, New Haven, Conn. , and in the galleries of Philadelphia, Toledo, and Chicago.Splendid examples of his work are contained in the National Gallery, London and the Victoria and Albert Museum. See catalogue of the latter collection by G. Reynolds (1960); C. R. Leslie, Memoirs of the Life of John Constable (enl. ed. 1937); collections of his letters by P. Holmes (1931) and R. B. Beckett (1962); biography by B. Taylor (1973); studies by C. Peacock (rev. ed. 1972) and R. Gadney (1976). The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition Copyright © 2004, Columbia University Press. Licensed from Lernout & Hauspie Speech Produ cts N. V. All rights reserved.

Assess the success and failures of Thatcherism Essays

Assess the success and failures of Thatcherism Essays Assess the success and failures of Thatcherism Essay Assess the success and failures of Thatcherism Essay Margaret Thatcher and her time in British politics have had a profound impact upon not just Britain but on world politics too. Thatcher’s high profile of governance began from May 1979 and she continued to be the Prime Minister of Britain for eleven and half years. During her time in office, Thatcher had been the talk of Britain and the world. The reason being her strong public personality moreover she was judged in terms of her political, social and economic ambitions. Thatcher’s governance led to the political phenomena of Thatcherism. The term Thatcherism obviously derives from Margaret Thatcher but can be defined generally as the system of powerful political beliefs which were based on ‘monetarism and a belief in reducing the power and actions of the state in economy and society’, but also the promotion of the private sector. Thatcherism wasn’t only based around Thatcher’s policies but equally as important on her leadership style, for example the reference made by the Russians to the ‘Iron Lady’. However the concept of Thatcherism was deeply rejected and regarded as a failure by socialists and social groups. This essay intends to assess the two sides of Thatcherism, the success as well the failures. It will also examine Thatcher’s personality and politics, i. e. policies, which contributed to the formation of Thatcherism. The legacy of post-war Conservatism and Thatcher began when the Labour party’s time in office ended inevitably. This was highlighted under James Callaghan’s government. The Labour government faced immense difficulties such as inflation rise, British power cuts and especially in 1979, where the ‘Winter of Discontent’ was a key event. The Winter of Discontent subsequently led to a rash of strikes in crucial public services which deemed that the country was ungovernable. This led to the destruction of Labour’s party image and subsequently forced Callaghan to call an early general election, which paved way to Thatcher’s victory. Labour’s defeat also meant that it would allow Thatcher to ‘reverse the relative decline from which Britain was acknowledged to be suffering’. Furthermore to break from the ‘Post-war consensus’, which characterized Britain’s governing tradition since 1945. The first Thatcher government was probably the most pragmatic; she was elected with a working majority of 43. The early years of Thatcher’s governance, particular attention was paid to the economy. And the intentions of the Conservative government were transparent before they came into power but were particularly successful and appealing amongst the affluent worker social group in 1979, which was used as evidence for the ‘electoral preference for lower taxation rather than higher public spending’. The Conservative party manifesto also highlighted Thatcher’s pledges other than lower taxation which were to restore the health of Britain’s economy by ‘controlling inflation’, to encourage private enterprise and promote individualism. Therefore the period from 1979 was clearly an important one for economy policy as the government were faced with an exceptionally high annual inflation rate of 20 per cent. Furthermore, the economic forecasts of November 1979 highlighted that ‘output in the economy was expected to fall by 3 percent in 1980; unemployment to rise to 2 million by 1981†. This was the aftermath of Callaghan’s struggling Labour government, therefore there needed to be a serious restructuring of the economy. The Conservative’s economic aims were set by Geoffrey Howe, the first Chancellor of the Exchequer under Thatcher, whom introduced the tax-cutting budget of 1979. This programme was underpinned by the doctrine of ‘monetarism’, which is a school of thought based upon the control of the supply of money circulating in the economy and that aims of ‘monetary policy are best met by targeting the growth rate of the money supply’. As a result, her monetarist economic policies started by increasing interest rates to slow the growth of money and increases in various taxes to quell inflation. The battle against inflation was succeeded at reducing inflation from ‘20% to between 4 and 5% percent in the period 1983 to 1987†. It could be said that these monetarist policies and budgets distinguished her from previous governments. The reduction of inflation meant a success for the Conservative party but also a turning point for Thatcherism. Although Thatcher was successful at reducing inflation at the lowest level in 13 years; this was largely achieved by the mass closure of factories and recession. The world recession of 1979 – 81 was felt particularly badly so the rate of unemployment had risen 3 million in 1983. This highlights the impact of Thatcher’s governance had reached to epic proportions already in her first term and also a great failure. It could be argued that the issue of the Falklands war in 1982 led to a recovery in Thatcher’s popularity but more importantly she faced the most challenging crisis of her career. The war which lasted for 74 days for the control over the Falkland Islands was a result from the long running dispute between Argentina and Britain. This was over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. The invasion demonstrated Thatcher’s sheer toughness and strength. It could also be said that the liberation the Falklands was reckoned as a ‘personal triumph’ and was proved to be the ‘defining moment of her premiership’. The Falklands war and a distrusted divided opposition helped Thatcher win the 1983 general election. And one of Thatcherism’s innovations during her second term was the attitude towards the trade unions. Thatcher was determined to weaken the stranglehold labour unions held over the industries and government in Britain which resulted in enacting the trade union reforms. The main aims of Conservatives were to reduce the ability of the trade unions to challenge the government and stand in the way of economic change and reforms, which broke the traditional relationship with them. This could be highlighted by the uprising of the militant miners in 1984. The miners union and strike was led by Arthur Scargill for a year, with the stated aim of ‘roll back the years of Thatcherism’, as he needed a show of force with large numbers of pickets to stop coal being transported. And also Scargill needed to ensure that the strike held by ensuring that miners did not return to work. On the other hand Thatcher’s attitude throughout the strike was to hold firm and regarded it as ‘more a political insurrection than an industrial dispute; picket violence met police force’. This meant that Scargill’s flying pickets and his resolution to roll back the years of Thatcherism had ended in bitter defeat. The strike was a clear demonstration of the politics of Thatcherism, which were radical, uncompromising but very divisive. Two of the lasting legacies of Thatcherism were arguably the privatisation programmes and the government’s right to buy scheme. The Tories as a party have long upheld the policy of self-reliance from state and Thatcher believed strongly in the freedom of the individual. Therefore the government promoted the privatisation of public owned public services, with it being called â€Å"a crucial ingredient of Thatcherism†. The process of de-nationalisation of state owned industries meant the privatisation of gas, water, electricity and steel, which are a few to name. The privatisations helped to reinforce enterprise, small state, gave individuals the chance to buy shares and increase their wealth. As stated by Holmes, one junior minister thought that ‘the political advent of privatisation was a clear way of influencing the electorate – it was a sensible and popular policy’. Privatisation of council housing was another success of Thatcherism. The ‘right to buy’, as it was commonly called, the policy could be argued that it targeted particularly at non traditional Conservatives. The Thatcher government had foreseen the electoral prospects by the support of those who had bought their homes under the right to buy scheme and who would lose their home under compulsory purchase orders with the return of a Labour government. Inevitably the growth of party de-alignment and class de-alignment grew in the 1980’s as working class voters helped to return a Conservative government. This highlights the changing nature of British voting ethos which was influence by Thatcherism. Apart from the fact that inflation returned again in 1990 to destroy the economy, Thatcher’s implementation of the poll-tax was proving controversial and unpopular. The poll-tax was another classic piece of Thatcherism and it was aimed at exposing high spending Labour councils. It worked not by taxing properties but by levying a tax on the individual people within those households. Therefore, those at the top of the income scale paid little more than middle class and working class voters. These very voters that had voted the Conservatives soon opened revolt with the series of mass disturbances known as the ‘Poll Tax Riots’ in 1990. Thatcher defended the poll tax, which an opinion poll had found 12% favoured it. This highlights as perhaps one of the greatest failures of Thatcherism, which subsequently contributed to Thatcher’s downfall. Another reason to contribute towards Thatcher’s downfall and resignation was the discontentment within the party and also due to her unpopularity. It could be argued that during her years in office, Thatcher had the second-lowest approval rating, at just 40 percent and was consistently deemed as less popular than her party by polls. To support that statement, opinion polls in September 1990 reported that ‘Labour had established a 14 percent lead over the Conservatives’. However the resignation of Geoffrey Howe was fatal to Thatcher’s premiership later, with Michael Heseltine’s challenge for the leadership of the Conservative party had completely destroyed Thatcher’s ability to stay at 10 Downing Street. It could be said that the Thatcherism still had a profound influence on British politics after Thatcher left office, as John Major sought to build upon her legacy by attempting to secure her legacy whilst smoothing over the rough edges. And more notably, Tony Blair’s New Labour was built upon Thatcher’s reforms such as the privatisation programme was left intact as Labour itself carried out mini privatisations such as air traffic control. Furthermore business and enterprise had been courted by New Labour, corporation tax cut and employee rights were strengthened rather than the ties with the Trade Unions. As this essay has provided arguments for the successes and the failures of Thatcherism and the Thatcher government, it without a doubt, highlights the unique political style and political substance that was present for over eleven years. It could be said that Thatcherism radically departed from the norms and traditions of British politics, especially after the post-war consensus. The policy in regards to the economy from the period of 1979 demonstrated a significant shift from accepting previous government’s Keynesianism orthodoxy to Thatcher’s belief in monetarism. The contrast between previous Labour governments and Thatcherism could not be sharper. The Labour party’s incentive was to nationalize more whereas it was the Conservatives that privatized industries with the individualistic approach enacted effectively under Thatcher. However the arrival of Thatcherism marked something which could be claimed as revolutionary, as Blair strategy was based upon third way politics. It could be said that Thatcherism was a success as the school of thought is still applied to today’s politics however times are once again changing in British politics, so the success of Thatcherism in the future is yet to be decided.

The effect of talent management on business success in Nigerias telecoms sector The WritePass Journal

The effect of talent management on business success in Nigerias telecoms sector Summary The effect of talent management on business success in Nigerias telecoms sector CIPD documentation, where talent was considered to be the qualities â€Å"of those individuals who can make a difference to organisational performance either through their immediate contribution or, in the longer-term, by demonstrating the highest levels of potential†. Bearing these principles in mind, the literature can then go to consider the role that this approach would take within the emerging market of Nigeria and with particular reference to the telecoms industry. For example, Etisalat created a strategy plan that would span 2011 – 2016 called â€Å"Engage†, with the aim of inspiring staff and encouraging greater emphasis being placed on management and its ability to engage with the staff during a period of dynamic expansion (Etisalat, 2014). When looking specifically at the area of the telecoms industry, it is seen that Etisalat is one of the more pro-active talent management companies, with its own Academy providing learning and development opportunities for staff members in its central head office, in Dubai. As well as creating learning opportunities, there are is also an argument that the company has gained success by looking at the greater brand loyalty from the staff, with the wider perception of what is meant by talent management and how this can link with the emerging markets and companies, such as Etisala (Etisalat, 2014).   Gap in Literature A seeming gap in the literature which is to be dealt with as part of this research is that of understanding the role of traditional talent management will have on an emerging market and, in particular, the telecoms industry. Specific consideration needs to be given to the notion that there is likely to be an issue with the mobility of staff and the willingness of individuals to move either to or from the area, in order to sustain employment. Research Methodology Research design The proposed research method is deductive in nature, involving multiple different observations which ultimately provide an overall theory. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to undertake both primary and secondary research, to gather a rounded understanding of both theory and then its practical application. Data Sources For the literature review, the information will be primarily gathered from journals and reports surrounding the area of talent management, as well as from direct information from Etisalat. It is anticipated that this information will be gathered from free sources, as well as subscribed online journals such as Emerald Insight. Primary research will look at the opinions of HR staff, as well as those subject to â€Å"talent management† within the workplace. Data Collection / Analysis Techniques A total of 100 individuals will be contacted through the use of questionnaires, to determine the use of talent management and the perceptions of talent management within the workplace. Of these 100 questionnaires, a further 10 one-to-one interviews will be undertaken, to supplement and further the understanding gained as part of the wider questionnaires. This is based on availability and time constraints, as well as the desire to obtain a balanced view, overall. Sampling Techniques The selected individuals will be a mixture of HR professionals and staff members who are targeted as part of the talent management process. This split is thought to be approximately 80 / 20 and will allow both sides of the action to be considered alongside each other and research then undertaken into whether or not the perceptions of the staff differ from the perceptions of the managers implementing these agendas. Practical Considerations Ethical considerations A potential difficulty emerges with the primary research, in that it is asking employees about their perceptions of talent management within the organisation. This is because some individuals may be concerned that expressing honest opinions could have a negative impact on their own career progression. For this reason, as well as commercial confidentiality reasons, the data collected will be entirely anonymised and pass-worded, so that the answers cannot be directly linked to the individuals in question. Suggested Research Topics The overall topic is the link between talent management and business success; however, there will be several sub areas of research that will also be considered as part of this; for example, how can various initiatives impact on the role of talent management, the role of talent management from the point of view of recruitment, performance management and promotion. Consideration will also be given to the mobility of individuals within the emerging world and the political aspects that may be relevant. Project Plan The research will take place over one academic year and 10 months of total work. This is broken down as follows:    Month 1 Background research and delineation of questions and areas of research Month 2 Literature review and setting out the questionnaires for the primary research Month 3 Literature review and sending out of primary research Month 4 Collation of primary research and analysis Month 5 Collation of primary research and analysis Month 6 Review of literature based on findings of primary research Month 7 Review of literature based on findings of primary research, conclusions and summary Month 8 Conclusions and summary Month 9 Writing of report Month 10 Review and preparation of presentation This is a reasonably flexible time frame, with recognition that there will need to be a consolidation time period at the end, to revisit key areas.              Ã‚   Bibliography – suggested initial bibliography (to be added to during the research) Bersin Associates. (2012). New research finds UK talent acquisition spending rose six per cent in 2011. London: Bersin Associates. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2006). Talent management: understanding the dimensions. London: CIPD. Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2010). The talent perspective: what does it feel like to be talent-managed? CIPD, London. Available: cipd.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/95D2D604 -36C6-450A-996A-01F45F0B17C5/0/5262_Talent_Perspective.pdf (Accessed 18/09/12) Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. (2012). Talent management: an overview, CIPD, London. Available: cipd.co.uk/hr-resources/factsheets/talent-management-overview.aspx (Accessed 3/10/12) Cheese, P. (2008). The talent powered organisation: strategies for globalisation, talent management and high performance. Cornwall: MPG Books ltd. Etisalat (2014) Etisalat Strategu. Available at: tetisalat.com/en/ir/corporateinfo/etisalat-strategy.jsp McKinsey Company. (2001). The war on talent, McKinsey Company Inc, USA. Available: http:// autoassembly.mckinsey.com/html/downloads/articles/War_For_Talent.pdf Newman, E. (2012). What is the definition of CRM? Inside Talent Management Technology,   Available at:

College Valentines Day Survival Guide

College Valentines Day Survival Guide Valentines Day and college can make a fantastic or awkward mix. Make the most of your situation by enjoying yourself, enjoying the day, and if applicable enjoying the time with a significant other. Conversely, of course, you can find information on making the most of being single. Valentines Day doesnt have to be a celebration only for those already coupled up! If Youre Single Being single on Valentines Day doesnt have to mean being awkward or having a funky night. There are multiple ways to ensure you still have a great Valentines Day ​without a significant other.​​ If You Have a Crush on Someone Have a crush on someone? Not sure what to do about it? Valentines Day can be the perfect catalyst for moving toward something more. If You Have a Date Have a date for Valentines? Thought that was the difficult part ... until you tried to plan something? Check out these easy (and affordable) date ideas to help make sure your night is all you want it to be. If Youre in a Long-Distance Relationship Being in a long-distance relationship can be hard enough without things like Valentines Day reminding you of the distance between you and your significant other. Learn more about how to make the distance a little easier.

Education Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Education - Research Paper Example Education’s vital role in molding humanity makes it necessarily be accessible for all. All governments of the world are compelled to make education affordable for everyone. It is the obligation of the state to take necessary measures to promote, protect and avail their citizens the right to education. However, despite of the fact that education as a right is acknowledged universally, millions of people throughout the world had yet to enjoy this right. According to Global Issues, nearly a billion people entered the 21st century unable to read a book or even just sign their names. Meanwhile, UNICEF data reveals that there are 121 M children out of education worldwide. In 2005, about 72 million primary school ages, wherein 57 percent were girls, were not able to study. Aside from these problems, education is perceived to become more marginalized in the years to come as governments all over the world tend to reduce if not cut-off their budget to education to cope up with the globa l economic crisis. Given this situation, this paper will delve on the current situation of the educational system. How far have the governments of the world gone in making education accessible for the people? Or are measures being taken by the governments only aggravate the already serious data of lack of education? Salient Features of Education According to the CESCR, there are four salient features of education namely: availability, accessibility, acceptability and adaptability. For this paper, two major features will be elaborated. Availability means that there should be adequate numbers of educational institutions and programs existing within the jurisdiction of the State. These educational institutions should follow sound technical requirements to function effectively, from sanitation facilities to trained and well-compensated teachers. Another important feature of education is accessibility which means that education must be enjoyed by all without discrimination. Accessibility was further described by the CESCR with three interrelated aspects: non-discrimination which means that education must be served above all to the most vulnerable sectors of the society; physical accessibility which ensures that education is within a safe and well-located; and economic accessibility which ensures that education should be free for all, this also requires the State gradually commence free secondary and higher education (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights). Education in peril Despite of the numerous international conventions and obligations in securing education’s accessibility to all, state responsibility to education seems to have gradually diminished. Over the years, budget cut on education has been a world-wide phenomenon. In America, public school system is being assaulted with budget cuts. According to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, at least 43 states have cut assistance to public colleges and universities which reduced faculty and staff and consequently increased tuition fees. Budget cuts to K-12 education have also been implemented in at least 34 states plus the District of Columbia (Nicholas Johnson). To name a few: In Minnesota, around 9,400 students will lose

Different IT Systems used in Retail Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Different IT Systems used in Retail - Assignment Example It is notable that there are no two ERP vendors that are the same in the services they offer. The differences are noticed in their product executions based on the functionalities of their products. The applications may be similar in a number of factors that also display negligible exceptions in their developments. Most of the software applications are used to support different tasks as per the requirements of and objectives for which the application was designed. It is essential for the software vendors to establish the benefits of taking care of the business needs of the small and midsized companies. Oracle offers different modules from SAPs that are distinctive in terms of the needs and requirements of the applications being developed. This is seen in the ERP frameworks that the two vendors have to offer because the clients they deal with choose products that suit their business needs. Some of the common needs that companies grapple with include financial management, distribution management, and Personnel management. It is the duty of the vendors to narrow down on specific needs to offer the best services. It is essential for prospective clients to contact vendor before they can start developing solutions. Supply chain management software is essential for companies to have an advantage in the management of its supplies. They are meant to transform the usual supply chains into systems that are meant to bring substantial value to the company’s businesses. They provide an appropriate platform for the transformation of the company’s businesses there by changing the fortunes of the company. The systems bring about flexibility and reliability of company’s operations, which is likely to translate to increased profitability. Supply chain management systems ensure that organizations are able to scale up their operations because of the flexibility brought

The importance of corporate responsibility communication, strategies Research Paper

The importance of corporate responsibility communication, strategies for communication - Research Paper Example Introduction Over the years, corporate responsibility (CR) has gained increasing attention from practitioners and scholars alike. The programs intended to demonstrate corporate responsibility have led to significant findings, such as the belief that commitment towards CR activities and communication can improve the perceptions of various stakeholders. Thus, lack of social responsibility may lead to the weakening of stakeholder relationships. CR efforts that are characterized by global themes as well as execution tactics have emerged in the marketplace. Communication of CR in Europe and non-Western countries has reportedly becoming similar to activities in the United States with which reporting and communication are frequently articulated. This suggests that CR efforts, which proactively plan and implement programs that integrate social value with business activities and address problems perceived as part of an organization’s social responsibility, have considerably improved. T herefore, the current trends and evidence highly support the communication of CR activities and programs. Corporate Responsibility: An Overview Primarily, the social responsibility of organizations is to produce goods and services that are socially desirable (Becker-Olsen, Taylor, Hill, and Yalcinkaya. 2010). Furthermore, these companies have the social responsibility of adhering to ethical and legal standards that are viewed by the society as appropriate. This has been presented through a more comprehensive definition that described corporate citizenship as the extent to which firms take on the legal, ethical, economic, and discretionary responsibilities that their stakeholders oblige them to assume. One of the most noteworthy aspects of CR’s definition is the relevance attached to discretionary responsibilities that express the desire of the society to see companies become actively involved in the development and betterment of communities and perform beyond the expected sta ndards. Through previous studies, a number of CR practices have been identified that were categorized as moral or ethical practices, discretionary practices, and relational practices. Diversity, community support, employee support, involvement with the environment, and product manufacturing were considered. Fair treatment of employees, taking into consideration the rights of employees from foreign countries, fair competition with others, responsible actions toward the environment, and exemplifying of truth are all considered as moral or ethical practices in relation to corporate responsibility. Meanwhile, under discretionary practices, a number of procedures have been identified as well, such as the contribution of resources to increase social awareness regarding current issues, support for issues on family and children, support for public health programs, and contribution of cultural programs for the community. Finally, relational practices involve the attempts for establishing lon g-term relationships with consumers as well as the willingness to consider the views and constructive criticisms of stakeholders regarding business practices (Shum and Yam, 2010). The business benefits of corporate responsibility have been comprehensively examined and results have indicated that CR can generate moral capital among workers

Web Design Rationale Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Web Design Rationale - Essay Example The laundry business has long been a major source of income for many individuals (Yung, et.al., 2006). The industrial revolution has brought forth the use of washing machines, which has then led to businesses within the laundry services line (Yung, et.al., 2006). To date, this business has grown and expanded. In the current age of computers and the Internet, most businesses have now included online features for their clientele (Yung, et.al., 2006). Significant improvements in these online features have been added throughout the years, including the various options available for customers. This website features a description of the kind of basic services offered by the business, including the types of items which they can clean as well as the prices corresponding to each type of laundry. The website includes a phone number and the address of the laundry service. Other services including the repair of clothes would also be seen on the site. Additional features which would be included i n the website are the following: 1. What they offer. Additional features to be added would include wedding laundry, domestic laundry, restaurant laundry, and hotel laundry. These are distinct and specific types of laundry which often require different types of handling. Wedding laundry would likely include clothes for the bride/groom and the entourage. Items of this nature are delicate and require an enormous amount of care – more than what is usually needed for other types of laundry. The other kinds of laundry mentioned above would have qualities specific to their industry. Hotel laundry would likely include mostly linens; restaurant laundry would likely include items which may be stained with food items or grease and would require stain removal processes. Adding specificity to the website would immediately inform the clients about the possible options they have; it would also entice specific businesses involved, including hotels and restaurants and other institutions who e ncounter specific problems with their laundry (Burge and Brown, 1998). In effect, this added feature would identify clients, often making them feel entitled to specialised and personalised services. Posting these details on the website would also indicate who their target audience is. 2. Contact us. (Twitter, Facebook, email, phone). This feature taps into the social media and the connectivity of telecommunications. The fastest and most popular tool on the Internet these days is the social media, and this tool has become one of the most convenient means by which free and widespread advertising can be utilised (Stephanidis, 2011). Where these contact measures are made possible, greater accessibility is guaranteed. Adding the email and phone features helps cover all the possible options for communicating with the business, thereby ensuring that the clients would have the power to choose which contact means they would use (Stephanidis, 2011). 3. About us. This feature would describe th e laundry house, specify its features and options, and why it is the best choice to fit the needs of any customer seeking laundry services (Lee, 2004). It would also describe the exemplary quality of the laundry services, as well as the favourable reputation of the business (Lee, 2004). This feature would basically introduce the customer to the website and the laundry servic

Poems from Other Cultures and Traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Poems from Other Cultures and Traditions - Essay Example For both poets, nature plays a deceptive role in the landscape. In Roach's "Love Overgrows a Rock," the water's complement to the horizon creates tranquil scenery. The poet's vivid description of the landscape in the first three lines "Only the foreground's green/waves break in the middle distance/and to horizon the Atlantic spread," shows that he is captivated by the landscape (127). Though waves peacefully crash in the distance, shore water engulfs dreams. One area of the water performs one function, while another part of the water performs a different task that is completely unrelated to its counterpart's. Thus, the dual function of the water contributes to deception in the poem. The theme of deception continues in Roach's "The Curse of her Beauty" (145). In the midst of disarrayed and wind-battened trees, a beautiful woman appears. The woman's beauty seduces and blinds the poet from the realism of the less-desired landscape. The poet's intense attraction to the woman leads him to become better acquainted with her. Through greater acquaintance, the poet realizes that the woman does in fact resemble the land. However, that deferred realization results in a subsequent and dramatic heartbreak for the poet. Like Roach, Walcott includes nature's deceptive r... Night and its accompanying elements seem to aid the harbour's deceptive ploy. Walcott renames night as "an urger of old lies" (5)-one that covers truth. Moreover, the stars signal their part in the plot by winking at the night. With no need to question the conveniences of the harbour, fishermen continue rowing towards home. Unsuspectingly and calmly, the traveler takes advantage of the harbour's connection to further exploration. Though he hears small whispers of casualties, the deceptive surroundings continue to provide the traveler with a false sense of security that provides him with enough courage to continue his journey. Nature's deception represents struggles imposed upon Roach and Walcott. Both West Indian poets strained to come to terms with the crippling effects that post-colonialism had on their Caribbean countries. Being under the yoke of the English, French, and Spanish took a great toll on the Caribbean people (Breiner 113). In first eight lines of his poem "A Far Cry from Africa," Walcott uses nature to establish the brutal and deadly rule of the colonial authority, as it is opposed on the Mau Mau of Kenya (Trueblood 3): A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies, Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt. Corpses are scattered through a paradise. Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries: 'Waste no compassion on these separate dead!' Statistics justify and scholars seize The salients of colonial policy. (7) The first couple of lines refer to Africa as a dead animal lying in the wind. The next couple of lines show Africa's inner death-its people being bloodily fastened to the open grassy fields (veldts) by insensitive killers

Iegal concept working in restaurant Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Iegal concept working in restaurant - Term Paper Example It will seek to show what is legal under the law, the rights of the employee and the client under the law, and circumstances that can lead to claims from the customer. Basically, the Hospitality law encompasses a wide array of laws including the law of tort, contract law, real estate law, the law of anti-trust, among others (Barth, 2001). The degree to which this law relates to such laws has continuously evolved and changed accordingly to meet the dynamics of the hospitality industry. Nevertheless, this law is used greatly to set standards and guidelines that hospitality operators and employers use in offering goods and services to their customers. Typically, this law covers the history of how hospitality law came into being, the impact that state civil rights and federal laws have on the hospitality industry, and discussion of contract law such as how a customer enters into a contract with the restaurant employees or issues regarding reservations and overbooking (Langford, 2011). With the use of internet to make reservations and orders being on the rise, the Hospitality law has evolved to include such issues, as well. In addition, in the current world both the customers and the employees know their rights and the channels that they can use to launch complaints or make claims. In this regard, the Hospitality law has continually evolved as new and better knowledge keeps on emerging. In the recent past, cases of food poisoning and awareness of food illness have been on the rise with more people being interested in getting information about the restaurant that they eat from. This has brought the Hospitality law in restaurants at the front center of public conscience. In matters related to restaurant and food services, terrorists’ attacks against hotels have raised the importance of having hospitality law that will govern international affairs especially in the quest of protecting

Poems from Other Cultures and Traditions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Poems from Other Cultures and Traditions - Essay Example For both poets, nature plays a deceptive role in the landscape. In Roach's "Love Overgrows a Rock," the water's complement to the horizon creates tranquil scenery. The poet's vivid description of the landscape in the first three lines "Only the foreground's green/waves break in the middle distance/and to horizon the Atlantic spread," shows that he is captivated by the landscape (127). Though waves peacefully crash in the distance, shore water engulfs dreams. One area of the water performs one function, while another part of the water performs a different task that is completely unrelated to its counterpart's. Thus, the dual function of the water contributes to deception in the poem. The theme of deception continues in Roach's "The Curse of her Beauty" (145). In the midst of disarrayed and wind-battened trees, a beautiful woman appears. The woman's beauty seduces and blinds the poet from the realism of the less-desired landscape. The poet's intense attraction to the woman leads him to become better acquainted with her. Through greater acquaintance, the poet realizes that the woman does in fact resemble the land. However, that deferred realization results in a subsequent and dramatic heartbreak for the poet. Like Roach, Walcott includes nature's deceptive r... Night and its accompanying elements seem to aid the harbour's deceptive ploy. Walcott renames night as "an urger of old lies" (5)-one that covers truth. Moreover, the stars signal their part in the plot by winking at the night. With no need to question the conveniences of the harbour, fishermen continue rowing towards home. Unsuspectingly and calmly, the traveler takes advantage of the harbour's connection to further exploration. Though he hears small whispers of casualties, the deceptive surroundings continue to provide the traveler with a false sense of security that provides him with enough courage to continue his journey. Nature's deception represents struggles imposed upon Roach and Walcott. Both West Indian poets strained to come to terms with the crippling effects that post-colonialism had on their Caribbean countries. Being under the yoke of the English, French, and Spanish took a great toll on the Caribbean people (Breiner 113). In first eight lines of his poem "A Far Cry from Africa," Walcott uses nature to establish the brutal and deadly rule of the colonial authority, as it is opposed on the Mau Mau of Kenya (Trueblood 3): A wind is ruffling the tawny pelt Of Africa. Kikuyu, quick as flies, Batten upon the bloodstreams of the veldt. Corpses are scattered through a paradise. Only the worm, colonel of carrion, cries: 'Waste no compassion on these separate dead!' Statistics justify and scholars seize The salients of colonial policy. (7) The first couple of lines refer to Africa as a dead animal lying in the wind. The next couple of lines show Africa's inner death-its people being bloodily fastened to the open grassy fields (veldts) by insensitive killers

How an organisation communicates Essay Example for Free

How an organisation communicates Essay Introduction The aim of this assignment is to relate how an organisation communicates its core values and mission to the public, shareholders and employees. This is an objective that can easily get overlooked in the rush to master environmental analysis, strategic choice and outsourcing decisions. However it is important in practice and it is a challenge that many organisations take very seriously. Setting of organisational objectives is the starting point of managerial actions. An organisation’s end results for which an organisation strives is termed as mission, purpose, objective, goal, target etc. Many times, these terms are used interchangeably as all these denote end results. This unit is about providing direction to people in the organisation and enabling, inspiring, motivating and supporting them to achieve what the organisation has set out to do. It is expected to apply different styles of leadership appropriate to different people and situations. For the purposes of this unit, an organisation can mean a self-contained entity such as a private sector company, a charity or a local authority, or a significant operating unit, with a relative degree of autonomy, within a larger organisation. Task 1 Relate the organisation’s purpose, values and vision to people across the organisation (1.1, 1.2, and 1.3) An organisation’s mission is its basic purpose: e.g., what is it for? Why does it exist? A mission statement formalises the organization’s mission by writing it down. Johnson Scholes and Whittington define a mission statement as ‘a statement of overriding direction and purpose of an organisation’. Some companies refer to ‘vision statements’ instead of mission statements. Below is an example of Tesco’s mission statements; Tesco (a UK supermarket chain) their vision is to be the most highly valued by its customers. Their core purpose is to create value for customers to  earn their life time loyalty. This objective sits right at the heart of their business as one part of their values – ‘No one tries harder for customers.’ For Tesco to be considered a force for good, they must be a good neighbour and a responsible member of society. They know that if they look after their staff, they will look after their customers. Work can be a large part of their lives so people deserve an employer who cares. That’s why one of their values is ‘Treat people how we like to be treated’. They are committed to providing opportunities for their people to get on and turn their jobs into careers and across all of their markets they offer a wide range of competitive benefits. According to Michael Hyatt, the author of the New York Times bestseller, Platform; Get noticed in a Noisy World, it is crucial to translate the core values into behaviours that are easy to understand by your employees. He has identified 6 ways to communicate the core values to every member of the organisation. Living the values; leading by example is the best communication tool any leader possesses. A survey conducted by Deloitte has found that 70% of the employees who agree that their companies had performed well financially said their executive management team speaks to them often about the core values associated with the culture of the company.  Hiring new people based on values; recruiting people who already have values that are in alignment with the company’s core values. You can always easily train a person on how to do the job, but it becomes much harder to train a person to have the same values as your organisation.  Reviewing people based on values; incorporating core values as part of performance management process. Reviewing people based on values is interrelated with rewarding people for demonstrating the values.  Business objectives are the ends that an organisation sets out to achieve. A business creates business plans to enable it to achieve these ends – thus plans are the means to the ends. The objectives and plans that an organisation creates are determined by balancing the requirements of the various stakeholders in the organisation. The stakeholders are those individuals and groups that are affected by and have interest in how the business is run and it achieves. Every business has a range of stakeholders including: The  objectives that a company establishes are based on blending the various interests of these stakeholder groupings.  For example; an objective to be the market leader, will benefit all stakeholders because customers will receive high quality products, shareholders will receive high dividends, and employees will receive good wages and so on. Organisations create a hierarchy of objectives. At the top level, an organisation will often create a ‘mission’ setting out the purpose of the organisation. This will be followed by a set of objectives relating to such aspects as: Objectives about employee satisfaction Objectives about cutting pollution Objectives about customer satisfaction Objectives about market share Objectives about return to shareholders.  A business plan will then enable an organisation to achieve its objectives. The business plan must be set within a time frame and set out how the organisation and the various components of the organisation will work towards meeting required objectives. Responsibilities for delivering various parts of the plan will be allocated to key individuals and performance targets will be established which enabled the plan to be delivered. The business will create a series of polices, programmes and budgets to enable it to achieve planned targets. It is also essential from the outset to clarify how the plan will be evaluated on an ongoing basis. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) Motivation in Virgin Media, the word motivation could be defined as the driving force behind actions and behaviour. It leads individuals to take action to achieve a goal or to fulfil a need or expectation. Understanding what motivates employees at work ensures that a business not only has employees that have the knowledge, skill and ability to do the job, but who are also committed to achieve a high standard of work. There are much positive behaviour that indicates employees are motivated including taking responsibilities, helping colleagues, a commitment to achieving company targets and goals as well as interest and concern of the business. Virgin Media recognises that reward is one of the many motivating factors for a lot of its people and offers competitive salaries. It also offers bonus schemes such as it’sASPIRE field  pay and reward scheme. The scheme rewards every Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 9 or 10 with  £10. However, as a forward thinking business, it understands the importance of different motivational factors. It offers additional benefits including private health care, life assurance, company pension scheme and staff saving scheme. The opportunity to progress within the organisation is also an important factor. All virgin media technicians are managed through the ‘Your Story Framework’ for career progression. This includes regular meetings to discuss performance, review progress against set objectives to enable progression within the company. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) One theorist whose studies became influential is Elton Mayo. Mayo’s research concluded that motivating factors include recognition, a sense of belonging and involvement as well as social aspects of the workplace. In 1943, Abraham Maslow published his theory of a hierarchy of needs. Maslow identified that as individuals, we have five set of needs. At the first level, basic needs are those of food, water, warmth and shelter with wages that meet those needs. Safety needs include protection from danger, for example; health and safety at work as well as job security. Social needs include a sense of belonging in work teams. He identified esteem needs as those of self-confidence, feeling useful and needed by other people. Maslow proposed that having satisfied all the lower needs an individual would then be able to realise their own potential for self-actualisation. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) Task 2 Explain the skills necessary to provide support and advice to people during periods of setbacks and change. (2.1 and 2.2) Change is something that happens in businesses all of the time. Change can occur in an organisation’s internal or external environment. As a result, this process of change is constant. Effective managers are proactive in creating solutions to improve the organisations performance. They must then manage employees through the change process. Managers have to plan and drive change initiatives. This involves managing the change process and making it part of an organisations strategy. Strategies a business achieve its aims and objectives. This helps businesses to develop in a more focused way to the environment in which it operates, whilst facing new challenges with more certainty.  Organisations  require skilled and well qualified managers and leaders to drive change initiatives and effectively manage employees through the process. (businesscasestudies.co.uk) When business is booming, employee morale usually soars. It seems like everyone’s getting bonuses, hiring assistants and basking in the company’s success. But when bad news rolls in, the collective mood of employees can plummet. This can happen when the firm looses a big account, suffers a severe downturn or experiences regulatory of legal setbacks. Employees will then look to managers for guidance and reassurance. During trying times, the manager becomes more than the business owner. They must lead employees by setting an inspiring example. When managers’exhibit strength in the face of adversity, they assure the troops that they are able to steer the company through a rough patch and prevent it from sustaining lasting image. Managers must delegate freely to manage a fast-growth business. But boosting employees’ morale during tough times is one job no one can pass off. (Democratic Leadership style) Managers should make themselves visible when setback occurs. They should start attending staff meetings they normally skipped. Help clerks do filing, answer the phone alongside customer service representatives or relieve exhausted workers on the assembly line or loading dock. By pitching in with a positive attitude, they will lift everyone’s sprit. There is no single best way to build morale in the midst of organisational setbacks. While some employees will shoulder crisis without much complaint, many others will react negatively. Managers can customise behaviour to address those employees’ personality. Here’s one morale booster that will work for all employees; see out their advice and act on it. By soliciting their suggestions and implementing as many of them as possible you make them feel like problem solvers who can exert at least some control over an unpredictable situation. This in other word will be identified as the democratic leadership style which is also known as participative leadership. It is a type of leadership style in which members of the group take a more participative role in the decision-making process. (psychology.about.com) Example; if a country zoning board imposes a steep fine on your business, ask employees for ideas on how to cut costs. Approve even modest proposals  to save office supplies; this will help employees take ownership of the crisis and work together to outlast it.(edwardlowe.org) There are different types of support and advice people may need and this could be provided in many ways.(www.invo.org.uk) Personal/Professional Development; to review people’s progress and performance and provide positive feedback and encouragement and/or to see if they need any additional pointers to further develop their skills. For example, members of the public who take on research roles such as peer interviewing, may need feedback and guidance when they first put their skills into practice. Practical Support; to help people to familiarise themselves with a new research environment, for example, all research team members might need help with finding their way around a new location or building. Members of the public may need support with meeting their practical needs, such as payment of fees and expenses, making travel arrangements, parking, and assessing childcare. Emotional/Psychological Support; to help people to cope with any distress that arises as a direct consequence of being involved in research, for example, if they become upset after discussing a sensitive or emotional topic, or from hearing about other people’s bad experiences, or from returning to an environment that has been traumatic in the past. Some people may also be challenged by others about the benefit of public involvement in research and may be helped by being prepared to cope with professional or criticism. Emotional/Psychological Support is often as relevant to researches as it is to involve members of the public. On-the-job-Support; to allow people to let off steam or raise any concerns after a difficult meeting or frustrating experience. Some of these types of support can be provided through informal mechanism that develops organically as colleagues start to work together and form a team. Others may be better provided through a more formal approach that will need to be properly resourced. Communicate with Customers and Employees; do not be reluctant to confront bad news. Develop a strategy to disseminate information. It may not be customers you need to talk to, but suppliers and vendors. Managers also have to engage their employees. Listen to staff and address any specific challenges they face. ‘Keep them up to par with what is going on; even you don’t have all of the answers’. Conduct overall cost Analysis; as a manager, look at where you can reduce overhead. Negotiate with suppliers for a better price, find ways to save money. If the company has a bunch of products that doesn’t sell, cut back on inventory. ‘Companies think that because headcount is the biggest line, item on their budget then that is where they should cut costs. Getting rid of employees is the easiest strategy but it might not be the right one’. ‘Layoffs are generally a reaction versus a well thought out strategy. As a manager, you don’t want to cut so deep it hurts the company’. Empower Employees; find ways to increase moral and empower employees to be the best that they can be, their inputs and opinions should be valued. ‘Happy employees, take care of customers’. Employees are an important asset because they are in direct communication with customers. Motivated employees attract more satisfied customers which in turn, lead to increased profits’. Embrace Change; ‘Most people are not good at taking risks when they are threatened, we have a tendency to react by fright or flight’ says James.By becoming too defensive, it could reduce chances which could lead out a set of crisis situations. When face with a company setback, it is necessary to stay positive; look at what is working, be proactive, find new growth opportunities, preserve-hang in there and ride out the storm. (www.inc.com) Task 3 Analyse the need for integrity, fairness and consistency in managerial  decision making. (3.1, 3.2, 3.3 and3.4) Decision-making is a crucial part of good business. It is good information and experience in interpreting information. Decision-making increasingly happens at all levels of a business. The board of directors may make the grand strategic decisions about investment and direction of future growth (www.tutor2u.net) Often, association leaders must make decisions that members do not agree with but maybe greatly affected by. Members may feel they have little to say over the actions implemented by their leaders. Association staff members are often charged with implementing decisions made by leadership, including communicating the decisions to members and helping members understand that the decision will ultimately result in good. Recently, the Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) leadership increased annual membership dues. This change alone would help to fund the association better and also provide new opportunities and means for future development. This single alteration has expanded the parameters of this organisation dramatically. They are now considering additional functions, retreats, scholarships programs and resources etc.  It is no secret that economic times are difficult, we find ourselves suddenly in a world of hopeful get-rich-quick strategies, and ‘’extreme couponing’’ champions. Asking people to give more when they have less is not a decision that is considered to be popular. Although the actions and decisions of our leaders are sometimes confusing to others, we must have confidence in the leadership in place, and in the decisions that they make more times than not, members voted them into the position of leadership. (www.raybourn.com, 2012) I think that for unpopular decisions, the more personal the communications method, the better. The scale and geographic spread of an organisation will have a big influence, but the nearer one get to a face to face communication, the better. So, phone is better than email. Video conference is better than phone, in person is better than video conference.  It is useful to think about unpopular decisions from the point of view of the decision itself (unpopular outcome) the process of coming up with the decision (fair process), and the opportunity to deal with the consequences of the decision (work grounds).(www.changingorganisations.com) Different types of communication styles could be used to communicate difficult and unpopular decisions. In business world, communication is necessary for conducting business in an  efficient manner. Any business involves two types of communication; external communication that is directed to the actors in the business environment, and internal communication or organisational communication that is directed to employees. In addition, it is not possible to imagine organisational communication without conflicts. Conflicts are normal in any organisation, because people have different opinions. People communicate their thoughts, idea, knowledge and fears differently in conflicts situations. Managers and team members should know and understand these different styles of communications to avert conflicts. Oral communication is one common form of internal communication for example, in a group or one to one meeting. Nowadays, electronic communication is growing in importance. This can involve written communication, such as an email, text or tweet or oral communication via video conferencing. Intranet; enterprise has recently developed a new intranet system called ‘the hub’ this replaced a purely information based system. It enables input from employees at enterprise’s locations across Western Europe and North America. This channel of communication supports enterprise’s core values. When the outcome of a decision is not known with certainty, a manager faces a decision-making problem under either conditions of risks or conditions of uncertainty. A decision is made under risk when a manager can make a list of all possible outcomes associated with a decision and assign a probability of occurrence to each one of the outcomes. The process of assigning probabilities to outcomes sometimes involves rather sophisticated analysis base on the manager’s extensive experience in similar situations or on other data. An example of a decision made under risk might be the following; a manager decides to spend  £1000 on a magazine ad believing there are three possible outcomes for the ad, 20 percent chance the ad will have only a small effect on sales, a 60 percent chance of a moderate effect and a 20 percent chance of a very large effect. This decision is made under risk because the manager can list each potential outcome and determine the probability of each outcome occurring. Accommodation Style; people prefer to keep their emotions in control and to speak indirectly, using metaphors or other techniques to prevent a conflict from escalating and damaging the relationship. Discussion Style; most managers’ keep their emotions controlled but try to speak clearly and accurately about their disagreements  to the other person. Engagement Style; people in this group are more comfortable with feelings and express them openly. They try to be direct about what their concerns are and are often passionate in their conversations.(psychosocial.actalliance.org) There is no normal style of communication. It simply varies between people and cultures. Communication styles can vary between people in an organisation. As we work with people from different communities and countries, it can be expected we will meet people whose communication styles may differ from our own. It is therefore, important to clear up misunderstandings and misinterpretations early on and to be open to different styles of communications. In contrast to risk, uncertainty exists when a decision maker cannot list all possible outcomes and cannot assign probabilities to the various outcomes. When faced with uncertainty, a manager would know only the different decision option available and the different possible states of nature. The states of nature are the events or conditions that can influence the final outcome or payoff of a decision but cannot be controlled or affected by the manager.  My suggestion is to use the following as a starting point; Summarise the issues relating to the decision Outline the process you went through to arrive at the decision Say what the problem is   Provide opportunity for people to tell you the implications of the decisions from their perspective Ask them to identify possible action or solutions in response to the implications they raise.  Conclusion It is more powerful if top senior managers and directors in every work place get to their people (employees) before the decision is finalised, they need to tell workers what they are contemplating and ask them what the implications are from their own perspective. (Don’t assume you know what their perspective is, even if you know them well and used to do their job yourself). You can then problem solve with them about how to alleviate the negative implications they have identified. And you never know, they might identify some positive implications or opportunities the organisation has not thought of. Bibliography (n.d.). Retrieved March 4th, 2014, from businesscasestudies.co.uk: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/business-theory/strategy/business-objectives-planning-and-stakeholders.html#axzz2v2QsaooB (n.d.). Retrieved March 4th, 2014, from businesscasestudies.co.uk: http://businesscasestudies.co.uk/teacher-resources/#axzz2v2QsaooB (n.d.). (K. Cherry, Producer) Retrieved March 5th, 2014, from psychology.about.com: http://psychology.about.com/od/leadership/f/democratic-leadership.htm (n.d.). Retrieved March 5th, 2014, from edwardlowe.org: http://edwardlowe.org/digital-library/maintaining-employee-morale-during-setbacks/ (n.d.). Retrieved March 6th, 2014, from www.invo.org.uk: http://www.invo.org.uk/different-types-of-support/ (n.d.). (R. Bowett, Producer) Retrieved March 7th, 2014, from www.tutor2u.net: http://tutor2u.net/business/organisation/decisionmaking.htm (n.d.). (C. M. Brown, Producer) Retrieved March 8th, 2014, from www.inc.com: http://www.inc.com/guides/2010/10/7-tips-for-dealing-with-a-company-setback.html (Ducham)

Are Computers Making People Dependent On Technology?

Are Computers Making People Dependent On Technology? Technology comes in many forms and no aspect of our lives is untouched by some form of technology or another. Technology is defined as the practical application of science to commerce or industry. Technological development into present day has been meteoric to say the least. With the advancements of nearly every aspect of human life having some tie with technology, one might start to see a synergistic relationship between humans and technology. However, while some would believe this relationship has been beneficial for us, we believe there have been detrimental effects from our growing dependence on technology. Technology is changing our culture in such a way that we may be expected to be available and online at anytime of the day or night. The technologies that started out to provide assistance in completing our daily tasks have now become a vital part of survival. This paper argues that humans have formed a detrimental symbiotic relationship with technology in its many forms. This paper will investigate the changes that technology has affected, and show that we are becoming less dependent on ourselves and more detrimentally dependent on our technological accomplishments. The way society does business and commerce is very dependent on the reliability on technology and thus, technology failures will cause markets to stop and bring the whole economy to a halt. Vital banking transactions and services may stop and cause wastage in human resources and time. For example, even though the exact reason is still disputed, London Stock Exchange (LSE) had to stop trading on the 8th September 2008. The two main reasons were due to the network software issues that link data from many programs as explained by LSE while the other was due to buggy software upgrade as speculated by external professionals. This had left traders unable to conduct any business which intriguingly could have been one of the best days for markets around the world after a bail out of two large United States mortgage lenders. Reliability of technology cannot be guaranteed at all times. Technology crashes can also cause big companies to lose billions of dollars. An example event known as the Flash Crash (Nanex) on 6th May 2010 illustrates this point. Just hours before the market closed, the market plunged drastically by an average of 5.7% causing major markets around the world to go into a state of panic anticipating an imminent European financial crisis and caused great loses to companies. An investigation was done by Nanex (Nanex) stating that the crash may be due to a software design flaw in time-stamping procedures that accumulated to become a problem. Backlogged requests caused a long queue in the computer server and produced non consistent results to the requester. This further evidenced that such a dependency on technology is detrimental to the society as sudden reliability issues can create chaos all around the world or even cripple an economy. Research shows that people consume 12 hours of media a day, on average, and compared to just five hours in 1960. Rising income in the developed world has led to an increase number of peoples ability to afford personal computers, and connecting them to the World Wide Web (WWW). Rising incidences of internet addiction in one of the worlds largest growing economies, China, illustrates our point. Of the greater than 300 million internet users in China, there are over 40 million who play online games (Sheridan). That makes over 40 million young, impressionable youngsters in China online daily, playing games, mingling in chat rooms, replacing their reality with an online substitute. Communication and socializing becomes something which can be replaced by actions online. One can imagine how suggestible adolescents can find a life online to be appealing. Common adolescent angst from the real world can be replaced by a life online. Addiction is a term describing a physical or physiological de pendence on something habit forming. One may argue that this addiction, to computers in this case, may simply be a phase. However, it can be seen as a serious condition when one considers the fact that centres for dealing with this type of addiction are springing up, some of which are a sub-facility under centres that treat addictions which have long been accepted as severe, such as drugs and alcohol. If the treatment for this is similar to other addictions which are widely accepted as bad, why is this phenomenon not receiving as much attention? Multitasking is a skill often prized in todays fast paced society. However, studies have shown that our brain on computers operate differently from a natural brain. The attention of the present generation is often split between multiple information sources, and it seems vital to be able to be able to manage them all, be they instant messaging (IM), checking e-mails, reading the news, taking phone calls, and so forth. However, some scientists say that these short bursts of information, leading our attentions in many directions, are changing the way we think and operate. Research shows that people who are heavy multitaskers have problems focusing and selecting relevant information. Researchers claim that after prolonged exposure to this kind of operation, the brain is re-wired and the problems associated with multitasking, such as lack of focus are then carried into the natural state of the brain. In a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Ophira, Nass , and Wagner), a group of over 250 students were surveyed to study the effects of multitasking. The results clearly illustrated our point; that the lightest multitaskers were able to perform better than the heavy multitaskers in simple psychological tests. The tests highlighted the fact that multitaskers were less able to filter out unrelated information. Furthermore, other tests conducted showed that the heavy multitaskers continuously sought new information, instead of using older, more valuable information. Our reliance on technology has dramatically improved communication, making it more robust, efficient and informative. In the current times, the ease of communication has allowed vast amount of data and information to be transmitted all over world instantly. For example, soldiers fighting the war in the Middle East are able to call using Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol and webcam technology to communicate with family members. This has allowed families to be assured that their loved ones are safe especially when news of casualty can be broadcasted within minutes, 24 hours a day. However, with the current efficiency of instant messaging and social networking, more and more people are becoming overly dependent up to the point of addiction. Issues have been raised over employees spending up to 40 minutes per week on social networking sites during working hours, costing employers an estimated US$2.25 billion. The loss in productivity arises not only from the direct loss in the hours working but also from the reduced productivity of employees from social networking sites becoming an additional distraction. On the other hand, social networking sites are also becoming excellent resources for human resource manager as it offers revealing information of potential and current employees social activity. Furthermore, it has been linked to another issue of society becoming dependent on social networking and posting potentially sensitive personal information such as where one is at or what one is doing. The dependence on technology for communication in the society has also meant that humans are increasingly communicating through a device; which reduced human to human first hand interaction. The decrease of interpersonal interaction in turn reduces ones interpersonal skill which is one of the most basic and fundamental way of communication (Wheeler). Interpersonal communication cannot replace communication through emails, text messages and calls as 55% of the communication is conveyed through body language. Eye contact, gestures and facial expressions and the use of tone and inflections in voice communication are often lost through modern communication technology resulting in less expressive communication or miscommunication. In conclusion, we believe that we have presented facts which support our argument that we have grown detrimentally dependent on technology. We have explored the many facets of technological development which are firmly embedded in most aspects of modern life, and we have strived to analyze how the effects of these developments are detrimental on society. We maintain that the ramifications of our reliance on new medicine, social media, and technology in education, commerce and communication are a disservice to society. While we think that these bindings are detrimental, we do not support a complete disconnection from them. We conclude with the fact that while there are indeed benefits to be had from these advancements, but we, as a society should learn to harness the useful ones, instead of allowing them all to run our lives.