Saturday, January 25, 2020

Cryonics :: essays research papers

Cryonics   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  If you’ve ever seen the Austin Powers movie I’m sure you remember the part where they cryogenically freeze Austin and then thirty years later thaw him out to save the world. While we all know Austin Powers isn’t real, I’m sure you wondered if this freezing could be done in real life. Today we will look at what exactly cryonics is, what businesses claim to provide it, the procedure and its risks.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cryonics is the freezing of humans to preserve them for a later time. Yes, it is a possibility. In fact there are several businesses that offer these services. Two of these businesses are â€Å"The Cryonics Institute† and â€Å"The Alcor Life Extension Foundation.† Alcor Life Extension Foundation calls this process Cryotransport. The cryotransport process begins, according to their website, as soon as possible after legal death. The patient is prepared and cooled to a temperature where decay stops, and is then kept in this cooled state called cryostasis until medical science has advanced enough to bring the person back to life when life extension and anti-aging have become a reality. However, there is a lot of damage done to the body during this freezing, says Dr. Ralph Merkle, a professional in the field of cryonics. First there are fractures that form in the frozen tissues caused by thermal strain, if you were warmed up you’d fall into pieces as if cut by thousands of sharp knives. And Second, the Cryotransport is used as a last resort because legally the Cryotransport can’t even begin until the patient is legally dead. So when the patient comes out he is already sick and may have a hard time coming back from the injuries of being frozen. Even after knowing all this Dr. Merkle says Cryotransport will almost surely work. Why? He says because basically people are made up of molecules and if they are arranged right then the person is healthy, if not the person is either sick or dead. With technological advances he thinks we will be able to make and rearrange the molecular structure of the frozen tissue. In the future, we will be able to stack and uns tack these molecules like Lego blocks. Once the molecules are arranged correctly the person is healthy.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Death, once we have this technology, really won’t be the same. You couldn’t be truly dead unless cremated; torn apart or destroyed in some other way that there would be no way to tell where these molecules are supposed to go.

Friday, January 17, 2020

Operations Technology and Organization Structure: An Empirical Reappraisal Essay

Organizations are in constant states of change in structure, procedures, competition, and technological advancement and there is an ever growing desire to improve on performance and service delivery. For the successful integration of change, organizations must administer and implement processes that revolve around employees, process and structure. The sole reason for integration is because one cannot be changed without altering the other. If the integration proves to be difficult, then the organization has to break down and sometimes bits of it either crumble or become separate entities. This was the initial reason for the split of Intercos Asia Pacific from Intercos group. From the staunch differences in strategic planning as well as direction between management personnel, Intercos Group made it possible for the managers with different opinions to have a separate entity, Intercos Asia Pacific. Many companies validate the theory that organizations most often assume a linear progression from the time of its birth to that of its decline. This concept is based on the organizational life cycle. According to Hayes & Wheelwright (1979), as companies evolve, they are faced with both new challenges and opportunities and, therefore, they must adopt superior management controls and systems. On the other hand, according to Kilzer & Glausser (1984), the challenges faced by companies can be successfully managed through careful planning and growth timing, contingency and tactical planning, maintaining an operational budget and the equitable treatment of all stakeholders. Tice (2007) stated that in order for a business to be successful and remain in competition, then it must be adaptable, decisive, collaborative and self aware, thus fostering innovation and surgically executing the set strategy. Research collected from interviews conducted with management personnel at Intercos Asia Pacific reveals that there are several factors that companies like Intercos Asia Pacific should learn in order to remain competitive, command a sizable market and have the capacity for growth. The first major step would be to align the company’s goals with the internal and external environments of the company. Being a new business, Intercos Asia Pacific has to find its footing in the market, being a competitor of Intersco Group that has a big head start. Having to start building itself from the ground up is not an easy task for the company given that the market is already cut throat. Several drastic changes shall have to be implemented in order to become competitive and remain profitable as a separate entity from Intersco Group. Target Group for Research             The main reason why the interviews were conducted with the target being managers was because, at the time of interviews, the managers were not confined to specific departments. The managers involved understood the running of the business in general. Oliver (2004) pointed out that the main ingredients for organizational growth being â€Å"talent management† whereby the leaders are able conceptualize. In order to accommodate the challenges that come with growth as well as startups, managers at Intercos Asia Pacific have to develop their management skills, implement strategies at the right time and finally make sound adjustments to their attitude and character. Managers at Intercos Asia Pacific understand that change or transition entails them to have to adjust their personal goals, managerial abilities, operational and strategic abilities. If they are to remain competitive, they have to make the utmost use of their limited resources, because they no longer ha ve the vast resources provided at Intersco Group. However, their experience in Intersco Group should come in handy for the managers since they understand the market, thus not making them completely helpless. Great managers are always characterized as administrators, integrators and entrepreneurs and the degree in which they utilize these characteristics depends largely on the situation Therefore, the manager’s needs and those of the business have to be in synchrony in order for growth to take place and in the case of Intercos Asia Pacific, for a business to get started. Combating the problem of sales growth can be a tall order for a new business. However, being a small fish in a big sea can have its advantages such as easy maneuverability within the waters. Most large companies are more intent on preserving their reputation and so there is some clientele that they would rather keep away from. For a company like Intercos Asia Pacific such is not the case and this new market should be exploited with zeal and decorum. Although this business has to remain 100% legal, this new market can help Intercos Asia Pacific gain ground. The resources at the disposal of Intercos Asia Pacific may be limited, but this does not mean that that the company has to be a total failure. The business that this market provides can most likely end up being the major source of income for the company. Customer retention is another problem that Intercos Asia Pacific faces during its maiden days in the market. It is better to have ten loyal customers than to have fifty prospect clients because business can be snatched from the organization’s hands if it does not keep the customers satisfied. Osborne (1994) concluded that successful companies are not primarily based on the management’s competencies, credentials and experience alone. Success of Intersco Asia Pacific has been attributed to the company’s ability to generate income, its team of employees and its business concept. For this reason, retaining customers is a step in the right direction for Intersco Asia Pacific especially being a company dealing with cosmetics. This kind of business heavily relies on recommendations and consistent customers. For this reason, when Intercos Asia Pacific gains ground, it should strive to maintain the newly found clients who in turn shall be the stepping stones for the compa ny. Having to build Intersco Asia Pacific from the ground up shall help Intercos Asia Pacific understand the needs of the clients, the changing trends in the market and the new demand patterns. For this very reason, the company shall have a strategic advantage over Intersco Group who depend on the trends that they have become accustomed. The managers revealed that they were ready to work from the grassroots levels in order to have a customer base that has the services and products from Intercos Asia Pacific tailored for them. Transformation of Intersco Asia Pacific             According to Ford (2005), an effective transformation in any organization requires changes in the behavior of the workforce. Ford indicated that organizations have to train their employees to be ready to shift tasks in case this was needed of them. This strategy is best executed in line with the company’s vision and mission statement. When interviewed about this, the managers agreed that because of their limited resources at the newly formed company, employees had to serve different roles in different capacities, all for the successful running of the business. Sometimes, managers had to chip in physical effort, not just administrative effort. However, they also reiterated that the expected changes can only be achieved if understanding can be reached in terms of the vision and the strategies of the company. Strong leaders are able to communicate about their values and the values of the company, which in turn leads to improved company-level performance. Managers also made it clear that Intercos Asia Pacific requires its employees to attend work-related learning so that they can have their cognition, skills attitudes and behaviors sharpened. As per a study conducted by Hayes and Wheelwright (1979), it was decided that in as much as organizations have to keep up with market and technological trends, they also have to maintain a steady learning curve. The split between Intersco Group and Intercos Asia Pacific led to some major structural changes in both companies. This crisis point led to the loss of managerial personnel in Intersco Group and the formation of a company without enough managers in Intercos Asia Pacific. The managers in the course of the interviews indicated that they understand that for a company to thrive in any market, it has to develop strategies in the form of new systems and structures in order to accommodate the adverse effects of growth and crisis management. Previous research indicates that the company’s size often determines its structure. For example, a company that largely depends on other companies or social environments in most cases has a concentration in authoritative management. Intercos Asia Pacific being a small company with the potential of becoming a market contender has its focus on structure and coordination rather than authority and command. From the interviews conducted through the managers, it was evident that changes in the structure of management are the result of the company’s transition into growth from start-up and it is sometimes characterized by complexity, decentralization and in some instances, formalization. This was in line with the theory proposed by Olson and Tetra (1992). However, this theory is comparable to that proposed by Pugh that identified six years of company structuring that required specialization, formalization, standardization of control and workflow, configuration and centralization. According to Churchill and Lewis (1983), small companies like Intercos Asia Pacific are largely influenced by the availability of resources, workers, technology. On the other hand, the workforce in a large company like Intersco Group is influenced by the level of technology. From the research carried out on Intercos Asia Pacific, managers agreed that in order to record continuous development, managerial hierarchies, structures, processes, human resource developments and growth projections were essential and they had to be put in place. The managerial hierarchies that would be implemented in Intercos Asia Pacific would assist the company to match individuals to specific tasks and, therefore, facilitate the creation of value through specialization. When hierarchies are in place, then other benefits like creativity, morale and productivity can increase with measurable input (Jacques, 1990). The structure of tasks in a company largely depends on the technological advancement and the indu stry. Since Intercos Asia Pacific is just a small company still in its bare foundation stages, the technology and structure requirements are not as complex as they would need to be if the company was effectively and decisively rooted in the market. Restructuring of Intersco Asia pacific to suit the Market             After an extensive review of the information collected from the research at Intercos Asia Pacific, it is clear that for the transition to be effective in a company there is dire need for a restructure in behavior and the organizational systems in the company. The interviews conducted revealed some of the organizational changes that needed to be affected before a company can commence business. The company maybe undergoing the normal struggles of a small organization, but Intercos Asia Pacific has the advantage of having experienced managers who have worked in a bigger company. This advantage over other small companies shall boost Intercos Asia Pacific to new heights because their management system shall be firmly rooted and invested in the company. Being a company that deals with cosmetics, skin products and pencils, Intercos Asia Pacific has had to deal with some obsolete goods. It is for this reason that new market survey had to be carried out in order to determi ne what the new market requires of them. Being a small company with limited resources, Intercos Asia Pacific faces the problem of a large lead time in the delivery of their products. This problem is common to them because they cannot order in large quantities, which can be placed in a warehouse or stores. Unlike during the times in Intersco Group where orders and shipments were not a problem in terms of lead time, Intercos Asia Pacific has to deal with the small quantities that deplete quickly and sometimes there is a delay in the replenishment of their supplies. However, as soon as the company gains ground in the market, then the managers have implemented strategies to purchase products on credit in order to satisfy both the needs as well as the trends of the ever growing market of cosmetics and skin care products. Conclusion             In conclusion, the literature provided in the research indicates that there is a clear struggle during the startup of the company and Intercos Asia Pacific is no different. However, with experienced and dedicated managers all hurdles, potholes or bumps along the way can be effectively dealt with proper strategies, careful planning, division of labor, and employee education. When Intercos Asia Pacific split from Intersco Group, a major challenge was surviving in a market that already had market leaders and well rooted companies. However, the ability of a small company competing against market giants requires careful timing, strategic location, through research about the market and efficiency in service delivery. The managers interviewed were very cooperative in provision of information necessary to produce this paper. Their insight into marketing, running of the company and remaining competitive was invaluable in the writing of this paper. However radical or rash their decisions might have been at Intersco Group, the managers seemed to have done terrific work with Intercos Asia Pacific. Possible expansion and market dominance are in the horizon for the company and this is evident in their vision and mission statements. As leaders, role models and mentors, the managers believe that Intercos Asia Pacific is going to be the next big thing in cosmetics and skin care market. They might have had fallout with Intersco Group, but they strongly believe that their strategies shall keep Intercos Asia Pacific as worthy competitors for a long time to come. The managers acknowledged that the road might be tough for them, but it is only when the going gets tough the tough lace their boots and get going. References Baum, R. J., Kirkpatrick, S. A., Locke, E. A. (1998). A longitudinal study of the relation of vision and vision communication to venture growth in entrepreneurial firms. Journal of Applied Psychology, 83 (1), 43-54. Churchill, N. C. & Lewis, V. L. (1983). Growing Concerns: The five stages of small business growth. In D. E. Gumpert (Ed), Harvard Business Review, 30-50. Eggers, J. H. (1999). Developing entrepreneurial growth. Ivey Business Journal, 63 (4), 76-81. Retrieved May 2, 2014, from PerAbs_FT database (01831649).Fenn, D. (1996). Breakthrough leadership: Higher ground. Inc, 18 (15), 92-99. Ford, S. (2005). Making your organization change-ready. Harvard Management Update, 4. Greco, S. (1996). Replace yourself. Inc. Retrieved August 30, 2000, from AIB_INFORM database (01337440). Hayes, R. H., & Wheelwright, S. G. (1979). The dynamics of process-product life cycles. Harvard Business Review, 57 (2), 127-136. Hickson, D. J., Pugh, D. S., & Pheysey, D. C. (1969b). Operations Technology and Organization Structure: An Empirical Reappraisal. Administrative Science Quarterly, 14, 378- 396.Jaques, E. (1992). Managerial Accountability. Journal for Quality and Participation, 15 (2), 40-44. Retrieved September 4, 2000, from AIB_INFORM database (00725529). Source document

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Transcendentalism Essay - 617 Words

Transcendentalism is a movement that started in New England in the early to mid nineteenth century. It was created as a protest against the general culture at the time, straying away from the mindless doctrines of the churches. I think that Thoreau, Emerson, Whitman, and Dickinson did a good job of explaining what Transcendentalism is really about, which is that death is coming for everyone. Our Town stands out to me because it doesn’t use any props, and its strong symbolism that makes a point without being boring and difficult to understand. There is some question to what you can define the meaning as, however. Thornton Wilders Our Town reflects the ideas and ideals central to Transcendentalism. The musings of Emerson and Thoreau can†¦show more content†¦Gibbs finally accepts that her husband isn’t going to go on some fancy vacation out of town and stops worrying about it. While Our Town is obviously influenced by the idea of Transcendentalism, I do not think it does justice to the idea. Transcendentalism’s main theme is the beauty and glory of nature. What we as a society think is important means nothing to nature, and we as people are nothing compared to nature. Transcendentalism in my opinion is almost like Pantheism. God basically is the entity that is nature, and we already know God unknowingly instead of having some big spiritual ques t to find God. Our Town has little to nothing about nature or the ideas surrounding it. This is why I do not think Our Town really expresses Transcendentalism; you cannot have the idea without themes of nature. Regardless of what ideas Our Town is trying to explain, it is still a very successful and enjoyable play that is a great example of American literature. As much as I enjoyed watching it, I can’t comfortably call it a good example of Transcendentalism. Nature is too much of a central theme to be cut out from the idea, you could even say the focusing on society and the man made town goes directly against the ideas the Transcendentalism authors have created. Top of Form Bottom of Form help on how to formatShow MoreRelatedEssay on Transcendentalism1619 Words   |  7 Pages Transcendentalism nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Many people have theories and philosophies about life in general. There have been hundreds of thousands of books published by many different people on the ideas of people in the past and the present. Transcendentalism falls in amongst all of these ideas. There have been articles, essays, poems, and even books written about this subject. Transcendentalism has effected many people since the philosophy was first introduced. The idea was complex andRead MoreEssay on Transcendentalism vs. Anti-Transcendentalism778 Words   |  4 PagesIn the mid-1830s, Ralph Waldo Emerson created a belief called Transcendentalism. He wrote the essay, â€Å"Self Reliance† and Henry David Thoreau, another Transcendentalist wrote an essay called, â€Å"Walden.† Both works of literature focus on the Transcendentalism belief. In â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† by Nathaniel Hawthorne, Hawthorne reveals both Transcendentalism and Anti-Transcendentalism throu gh the attitudes of the characters. Therefore, â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil† can be compared and contrasted withRead MoreTranscendentalism Essay1866 Words   |  8 Pageswe will work with our own hands; we will speak our own minds† This message encompasses the whole ideology of transcendentalism. The transcendentalist were a group of individuals attempting to pave their own path in the world. Without them the progression of women’s rights, anti-slavery laws and various religious movements would slow tremendously. The American history of transcendentalism is often attributed to the struggles of a single man. In early 1831, Boston pastor, Ralph Waldo Emerson, who hadRead MoreTranscendentalism Essay1384 Words   |  6 Pagesis the condition of a consciousness. One answer to creating this essential growth in spirituality is Transcendentalism. Transcendentalism is the rebellion of one’s soul against the societal laws that humanity upholds. It is the integrity of a being and the healing of a scarred mind through nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson was a major figure in transcendentalist literature and wrote two separate essays, one being named â€Å"Self-Reliance†, and the other â€Å"Nature†. Spiritual growth of all kinds is motivatedRead MoreEssay on Transcendentalism945 Words   |  4 PagesTranscendentalism The highly religious philosophy of Transcendentalism developed as the response of a group of people who felt that it was unnecessary to practice a religion (and live a life) that was based on fear. 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From all the different literary movements we had to choose from Transcendentalism seemed the most revolutionary. It was an entirely new way of thinking for America back in the 1800’s. The Transcendental Movement started around 1835. The movement was all about individualism and spiritualism. The idea was that you could achieve true spirituality with god not through the doctrines of man but through communionRead MoreTranscendentalism Essay807 Words   |  4 Pagesis struggling to find their inner self can trust several of the ideas of transcendentalism. In fact, Thoreau and Emerson include the ideas of optimism, intuition, and originality in many of their pieces of literature. It is clear that a teenager who is struggling developing their character should connect with the transcendent ideas from Thoreau and Emerson. Students struggling with themselves can benefit from Transcendentalism articles in order to help them become more optimistic. Thats because theRead More Transcendentalism Essay563 Words   |  3 Pages Transcendentalism Back in the 1800s, people trusted in their innersoul. it was called transcendentalism. People like Emerson and Thoreau were transcendentalism. They didnt think with their heads. They do things like in their first impression. If they sees that a tree is violet, they will paint it violet. During that era, Romanticism was party of it too. Ideas of Romanticism with transcendentalism. In our everyday life, we use transcendentalism. We use our head to think and our hart to feelRead MoreEssay about Transcendentalism1367 Words   |  6 Pages Transcendentalism was an early philosophical, intellectual, and literary movement that thrived in New England in the nineteenth century. Transcendentalism was a collection of new ideas about literature, religion, and philosophy. It began as a squabble in the Unitarian church when intellectuals began questioning and reacting against many of the church’s orthodoxy ways regarding all of the aforementioned subjects: religion, culture, literature, social reform, and philosophy. They in turn developed

Tuesday, December 31, 2019

Discrimination in the Workplace Essay - 1523 Words

Discrimination in the work place towards women is extremely common and occurs in everyday life. You can prove this by explaining how women in the workplace get paid, get promoted and get treated based on their sex. Sex discrimination in the workplace comes with many different faces. In its most basic form, it involves outright exclusion of women, solely by reason of their gender. Even where women have gained access to the workplace, sex discrimination may persist in other ways. Examples include identification of particular jobs as â€Å"man only† or â€Å"woman only† or through the existence of a â€Å"glass ceiling† that ensures women will only go so far on the corporate ladder (Brayton). Discrimination of women in today’s society is often†¦show more content†¦The airline argued that under Title VII, saying that Southwest wanted to project a â€Å"sexy image and fulfill its public promise to take passengers skyward with love.† However, the federal district court rejected Southwest’s defense. Not only are women being discriminated against men but degraded among their own gender in a woman-only job (Brayton Law). Decades ago, women used to hear that it was because women weren’t as well-educated as men, hadn’t worked as long as men, didn’t work as hard as men, or really didn’t need the money because they were just working until they got married. In todays society that’s no longer true. For decades, women have been graduating from college at the same rate as men and have even surpassed men in recent years. Women work as hard as men. Women are often supporting children, and need the money just as much as men do. Often, married couples rely on both paychecks. So for discrimination to still be existent in a time period where women have accomplished much more than back then is not only wrong, but absurd. Women on average earn less money than men. But the women that do decide to get a high paying job, go to school and work as hard if not harder than a man, there are some statistics that compile to make this task difficult. The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics shows that women who work 40-44 hours a week earn 84.65% less than men working the sameShow MoreRelatedWorkplace Discrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1588 Words   |  7 Pagesothers with prejudice because of particular features they possess. Unfortunately, prejudice and discrimination occur even in places which, by definition, should be free of all personal prejudices – specifically, in offices and other business surroundings. This tragedy is called workplace discrimination; not every unfair behavior at work, however, can be assessed as discrimination. Discrimination in the workplace happens when an employee experiences unfair treatment due to their race, gender, age, religionRead MoreWorkplace Discrimination : Discrimination And Discrimination1205 Words   |  5 Pages Workplace Discrimination Employment discrimination manifests in a variety of forms. The most common scenario is when the employer unfairly treats job applicants and employees because of their gender, race, age, disability, nationality or familial status. Often, employment discrimination that emanates from familial status occurs because of events such as pregnancy. The employers usually take adverse and cruel actions against these employees or rather potential employees. Contextually, adverse actionRead MoreDiscrimination in the Workplace1265 Words   |  6 Pages Why does discrimination occur at workplace? There are multiple explanation for the issue. It can be ranged from generational differences, lack of diversity training, absence of good behavior modeling, and many other reasons. In every workplace, it is consists of different cultural, religious, and social backgrounds. There are different perspectives and conversations that take place at the workplace. An individual’s aspect on race, culture, sexual orientations, gender, and political views is disparateRead MoreDiscrimination at Workplace873 Words   |  4 PagesDiscrimination at workplace In the USA there has been the problem of discrimination at places of work against people with disability, based on race, sex, religion in almost all quarters and this has prompted quite a number of legislations and acts to be passed in a bid to guarantee the people the access and right to use and utilize all the public amenities as well as get the right and equal treatment as an American. Vivian Pearson (2012) notes that the federal law prohibits the employer fromRead MoreDiscrimination In The Workplace1211 Words   |  5 Pages While the world has unanimously advanced and is more accepting of change, the workplace continues to be a place of discrimination, prejudice and inequality. Discrimination is broadly defined to ‘distinguish unfavourably’, isolate; and is context based (Pagura, 2012). Abrahams (1991) described the workplace as an ‘inhospitable place’ where gender disparity and wage gaps persist (Stamarski Son Hing, 2015). Among other states and countries, the Australian government actively implements and passesRead MoreDiscrimination In The Workplace1423 Words   |  6 Pagesa challenge to the government and employers to find solutions in diversity and discrimination issues. Discrimination may be appeared to be prevalent, this may cause unemployment. Anti-discrimination policies have been employed to combat discrimination in the workplace, however nothing has been done to analyse the policy. This paper will examine whether the anti-discrimination legislation is effective in the workplace to provide a fair working environment. In Australia, it is considered unlawfulRead MoreDiscrimination in the Workplace2033 Words   |  8 Pages Despite popular belief, discrimination occurs every day worldwide. It occurs for different reasons, but is detrimental to any company or individual. The judgments that occur based on physical appearance, height, weight, gender, and race are affecting the potential professional careers of many. Many companies are limiting their full potential due to the fact that they are discriminating interviewees and employees based upon physical traits. It lessens the chances of developing a strong staffRead MoreDiscrimination in the Workplace1276 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 112 51-A September 27, 2010 Discrimination in the Workplace In today’s society, people claim to be so open minded and tolerant in regards to other people’s beliefs, lifestyles, and appearance. However, in reality people with tattoos are often discriminated against for the way they look. Visible tattoos have a negative effect on finding employment, as well as commission based occupations, and also jobs in the childcare field. PhysicalRead MoreDiscrimination And Discrimination Within The Workplace1633 Words   |  7 Pagestaken to assure that employees and applicants enjoy equal employment opportunity. Discrimination or harassment by any supervisory or non-supervisory employee based upon the protected conditions or characteristics listed above or any other legally-protected condition or characteristic is a violation of the Code of Conduct. An employee or applicant, who believes that he or she has been the subject of such discrimination or harassment, should promptly report the alleged incident to the Owner or CFO. ARead MoreDiscrimination And Discrimination Within The Workplace919 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction Discrimination is defined as making a distinction in favor of or against a person or thing based on the group, class, or category to which that person or thing belongs to rather than on individual merit (definition 2). Discrimination does not just relate to just one meaning but several, and it can be described in many ways. This action is not only offensive but hurtful as well. Denying any individual a job because of their race, sexual orientation, religion, or gender is an example of

Monday, December 23, 2019

Essay on Exploring Solutions to the Housing Crisis in America

Americans were willing to live beyond their means, and bankers were willing to finance the dream. The biggest problem with this easy money was the obvious lack of responsible financial regulation. â€Å"Stated income† allowed anyone to easily commit fraud for a home loan, and banks weren’t worried about the money they lent since the loan was ultimately backed by the government. Sub-prime borrowers were given the opportunity to get mortgages, and no money down allowed people to get a home loan without really having â€Å"skin in the game.† Second mortgages were only icing on the cake and people figured that as long as house prices kept rising, home equity could be used as an instant cash machine to live even further beyond their means. As long as†¦show more content†¦Foreign investors, local economies that rely upon housing tax revenue, and all other invested interests have suffered and are begging for a clear solution in sight. Solutions to alleviate the impacts of the foreclosure crisis are absolutely central to the health of our financial systems and the country’s economic stability. The foreclosure crisis is nowhere near an end as mortgages with â€Å"teaser rates† are expected to default in catastrophic numbers. The goal of foreclosure solutions must be to keep people in their homes with affordable monthly payments, while still leaving cash in their pockets to contribute to our heavily relied upon consumer based economy. Solutions do not lie in forgiving mortgage loans and billion dollar bank handouts, as this only sets a bad precedent for contract law and regulation standards by condoning financially reckless behavior. We must work with people directly and mortgage modifications must be dealt with on an individual basis. My solution is a multi-pronged approach that also includes regulations to ensure that this kind of situation never happens again. Firstly, we must establish 50-100 year mortgages making monthly payments affordable, thereby halting foreclosures. These 50-100 year mortgages would make monthly mortgage payments less expensive than rent for a comparable living situation. Obama’s refinancing strategy should include the conversion of existing troubled mortgages into 50-100Show MoreRelatedWashington Mutual Case Study4322 Words   |  18 Pagesthe courage to complete this report. We would like to express our special thanks to gratitude to our teacher, Sir Mohsin Adhi, who gave us the golden opportunity to work on this project of Financial Risk Management. This project has helped us in exploring and knowing several practical facts of Financial Risk Management. We are thankful to our parents and friends who helped us with their knowledge in completing our project within the limited time period. The purpose of this project is not only toRead MoreForeclosure: Mortgage and Real Estate Market3445 Words   |  14 PagesForeclosure – Individual Crisis That Depresses the Whole Economy Foreclosure – Individual Crisis That Depresses the Whole Economy Introduction 1. Foreclosure: past, reality or future. 2. Awareness can help. 3. Impact of foreclosure and lack of knowledge. Body 1. Process and statistic of Foreclosure A. Understanding what foreclosure is. B. Process of foreclosure. C. Different statistics between the states. D. Foreclosure case. 2. Reasons behindsRead MoreImpact Of The Neoliberal Era And The Structure Of The Modern Financial System3397 Words   |  14 Pages1982 Latin America, 1997 East Asia and 2008 subprime financial crisis had a profound impact on the regional and world real economy. two sentences about how big of an impact each of them had on the real economy. These crisis have also triggered off a very fierce debate about the impact of the neoliberal era and the structure of the modern financial system. From the neoclassical perspective each of these crisis required a new model to explain past events but it always viewed the crisis to be causeRead MoreThe American Travesty : The History And Evidence Behind The Veil Of Racism3348 Words   |  14 PagesDuring the 1700’s, America was one of several countries to embrace chattel slavery. Though slavery is no longer legal in the US, its effects have still rippled the waters of history. Today America stands on trial. It is guilty of failing to fulf ill its role as a government by promoting flourishing. Slavery and segregation in the United States have impeded the economic flourishing amongst Black American communities. History and literature will serve as evidence of this crime in exploring the impact ofRead MoreThe Kyoto Protocol and The Green Movement2768 Words   |  12 Pageseconomic. 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Sunday, December 15, 2019

To what extent is Congress the broken branch of American politics Free Essays

Introduction In recent years Americans’ opinion of Congress has reached historic lows (BBC News Online: 22.11.2011). We will write a custom essay sample on To what extent is Congress the broken branch of American politics? or any similar topic only for you Order Now It is this worrying indictment which has led Thomas Mann to assert that Congress is the broken branch of the US tripartite political system (Mann: 2006). Aside from this lack of confidence in the collective body of their elected representatives, which some Americans have condemned as wasteful and self-serving, there is also uncertainty as to whether it is fulfilling its constitutional role (Storey: 2007: 271). It was intended that it should operate alongside the other political branches – the executive and the judiciary – to enact legislation and keep in check the other component parts of government. Today its legislative role has largely been passed to the executive, though it maintains responsibility for revenue raising measures. This essay will argue that whilst some aspects of Congress might indeed by condemned as broken, it is still performing, with success, a variety of tasks that it has been charged with. In order to demonstrate this, the two reasons for Congres s’ supposed failure outlined above will be examined one by one and balanced against counter-arguments. This approach will suggest that in many ways it is functioning competently and in accordance with the role it has been assigned. When devising the Constitution the Founding Fathers bestowed upon Congress the task of ‘keeping the other branches of government within their constitutional boundaries’. Integral to this was the forging of new policies. As time has progressed it has become apparent that the executive branch of government is capable of performing this role far more effectively (Storey: 271). In contrast Congress has the reputation of inhibiting legislative progress because it has a complicated and time consuming method of processing bills (Mckay: 2009: 194). This issue stems from its practice of referring proposed legislation to its system of standing and select committees. These committees, consisting of a small number of Members of Congress who debate and investigate various specialist matters passed to them, are party-controlled and effectively set the policy agenda by having the power to bury bills. Less than 10% of bills submitted for their consideration make it to the next stage of the approval process (McKay: 194) In addition each bill has to be handed over to both the Senate and the House of Representatives with their own individual committees and votes for it to pass through before becoming law. The difficulties presented by this extensive process are compounded by the ascendancy of partisan politics which dominates contemporary Congresses and the committee system. Cross-party negotiation and deal breaking has become increasingly difficult and protracted because both the political ideology of the Democrats and the Republicans has polarized. (Mckay: 196,209) The impact of this on the legislative process was keenly seen during the Autumn of 2011 when the US Federal deficit threatened to exceed its $14t ceiling. Quick and decisive action was required to introduce cost-cutting measures but the stark policy differences between the Democrats and the Republicans meant that the joint-committee who had been assigned the task of recommending a solution to this pending problem failed to come to any agreement, placing their country on the brink of financial disaster (BBC News Online: 22.11.2011). Conversely, Congress’ limited influence the legislative agenda and the fact it makes lawmaking difficult is, Storey argues, constitutionally appropriate. This is because the Founding Fathers would approve of legislative barriers, as part of Congress’ constitutional role is to ‘limit the overall scope of the national government, including the influence of Congress itself’ (Storey: 271). It follows that the more laws there are, the more responsibilities the government acquires (if only to administer them). The fundamental purpose of the division of political power between the federal and state governments, and between the presidency, Congress and the judiciary, is designed to keep in check the authority of each one of these governmental components. Yet, it has been the trend for the federal government to expand in scope and this undermines the carefully designed, constitutional balance of the political system (Storey: 272) To label Congress ‘broken’ on the grounds of constitutional failings is, however, to overlook the role it plays in overseeing the activities of the executive. Storey champions this aspect of Congress which he believes has been effective (Storey: 277). There is certainly evidence to suggest that in recent years this is indeed the case. Following the 2006 elections and the new Democratic majority in Congress there was an upsurge in the number of investigations held into potential presidential abuses of power (Mann: 2010: 123). It is important though when putting this argument forward in defence of Congress’ ‘broken’ nature to recognize that oversight is task which has its own limitations. Congress still have difficulty obtaining from the Whitehouse the various documentation and witnesses they need to carry out their investigations thoroughly, and the number of hearings conducted is minimal (McKay: 200). Crucial in conditioning the low opinion poll results received by Congress is the view that it serves interest groups, lobbyists and members’ self-interest before the needs of the nation (Burnstein: 2009: 164). Additionally, earmarks, the allocation of funding for constituency-based projects, have soared. This is illustrated by the 2005 peak of 13,492 schemes which amounted to almost $16b worth of federal money (Mann: 125). Whilst the success most Senators have in directing funds towards their own districts indicates there is mutual interest in letting this practice continue, the perception held by many Americans is that this preoccupation with winning lucrative contracts is promotes wasteful spending (Storey: 272). This is because earmarks have a reputation for encouraging pointless expenditure, an example of which is the Alaskan â€Å"bridge to nowhere† (Mann: 125). However, this characterisation of Congress as a â€Å"market for legislation† and the notion that Members of Congress work on behalf of lobbyist is, Burnstein argues, fundamentally wrong. Whilst not denying that they do listen to the wealthy members of their districts, or that they hold talks with interest groups, they themselves are running Congress, not the people who attempt to sway them (Burnstein: 164-172). To support this assertion Burnstein cites the research of political science and economic academics which have repeatedly reached the same conclusion – that campaign contributions or lobbying has little influence on policy (Burnstein: 165). There are several likely reasons why this is the case including the fact that lobbyists have limited access to members of Congress who in fact generally vote in accordance with their own political ideology. Furthermore, even if lobbyists succeeded in bringing Congress men and women round to their cause, the number of swayed me mbers is usually too small to radically reshape the outcome of important votes (Burnstein: 66). Given these hurdles to buying policy decisions why do Americans believe Congress is so willing to be bribedFor Burnstein the answer is simple; ‘people tend to remember the egregious but atypical cases of apparent influence’ (Burnstein: 166). This certainly seems to be a viable assessment of the situation because Congress, in actuality, accurately reflects the mood and desires of the nation – a result of a close congressperson-constituency relationship (McKay: 208). Furthermore, Congress has taken marked steps to rid itself of the influence of lobbyists. After the Democrats won the Congress majority in 2006 they prioritized ethics, lobbying and earmark reform. The Democratic Party rule packages which ensued restricted use of corporate jets and privately financed travel, placed a ban on gifts and meals paid for by lobbyists, forced disclosure of the campaign finance activities of lobbyists and promoted earmark transparency. Two weeks later the Senate passed its own version of this rule package which was soon followed by a Bill in the House of Representatives. Therefore, to levy a charge of corruption against Congress is somewhat unjustified, though that is not to deny financial enticements are accepted on occasions and, as the pervasiveness of earmarks suggests, the self-interest of constituencies worked towards. Having outlined the dominant criticisms which surround Congress’ characterization as ‘the broken branch of American politics’, it is evident that it is neither as corrupt nor as inept as this statement first implies. Undoubtedly Congress does have its limitations. It is open to the influence of lobbyists and there is strong evidence that its members are keen to secure investment in their own districts at the expense of the federal budget. Its partisan politics inhibits the legislative process as policy agreement is hard to negotiate. On the other hand Congress has taken steps to rectify some of these issues, especially regarding its own ethical operation. Its role as overseer is one it takes seriously and this aspect of its constitutional assignment, though limited, is far from being broken. In general Americans have a very positive attitude towards their own members which implies that as representatives, individual Congresspersons are performing well (Mckay: 209 ). Where the real problem lies is in its deep and deepening political divisions. This renders Congress inept at functioning as a unified body and acting in the national interest, something which has a critical impact on its ability to respond to pressing situations. Bibliography BBC News Online, ‘US ‘super-committee’ fails to reach deficit deal’, 22.11.2011 accessed [26.03.2012] Burnstein, P., ‘Is Congress really for sale?’, in R. M. Valelly (ed.), Princeton readings in American politics, Princeton University Press, Princeton and Oxford, 2009 Mann, T., The broken branch: How congress is failing America and how to get it back on track, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2006 Mann, T., ‘Congress’, in G. Pelle, C. Bailey and B. Cain (eds.), Developments in American Politics 6, Palgrave Macmillan, Basingstoke, 2010 McKay, D., American society and politics, 7th ed., Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, 2009 Storey, W., US Government and politics, Edinburgh University Press, 2007 How to cite To what extent is Congress the broken branch of American politics?, Essay examples

Saturday, December 7, 2019

Organizations Royal Bank of Canada

Question: Discuss about the Organizations Royal Bank of Canada. Answer: Introduction: Oral communication is one of the fundamental approaches, required to narrow the miscommunication and increase the efficiency of the integrated system of any organization. Organizations like Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) have thousands of employees and deal with millions of customers; thus obtaining an uninterrupted oral communication is mandatory to maintain the continuous flow of the service (Hamilton 709). Moreover, if the employees of an organization get a verbal declaration of a particular activity it helps them to understand the procedures and requirement of the activity more clearly prior to the operation of that task. It is not necessary that oral communication should be maintained with between the supervisor and the staff of an organization. This is a pivotal approach that should be firmly adopted by the employees to hold a successful relation with their co-workers and clients. As the managers are required to communicate verbally with the employees to eradicate any confusion, the colleagues are also required to communicate with that particular co-worker to help him out from the crisis (Argenti 589). Apart from that, oral communication is the first approach towards a customer that reflects the quality of the service for an organization. If the employees fail to communicate with the clients then it can consequence to a non-functional and unsuccessful relation between the organization and the consumers. Hence, from these aspects, it can be said that oral communication is one of the pillars of an organization that makes its structure stable. Reference list: Argenti, Paul A.Corporate communication. McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2015. Hamilton, Cheryl.Communicating for results: A guide for business and the professions. Cengage Learning, 2013.