Distracted Driving

I do it; you do it, that guy over there definitely does it. What do we all do? We drive! When the automobile was first produced in 1885 it was designed to get people from one place to another. However, their purpose has evolved- now we use them as a beauty parlor, a lunchroom, or home office location. But however you use it approximately 115 people will use their cars as a death bed everyday. Distracted driving has become one of today’s largest transportation issues.On a daily basis distracted driving puts millions of drivers and passengers in danger. So today we will look at what distracted driving really is, what the consequences of driving while distracted are, and what people can do to drive more safely. We all know we have been at fault at some point; we do it without thinking about it. When our phone rings our first instinct is to answer it, when we pick up McDonalds we eat it, we see a pimple we cover it.Most of us don’t think about the consequences that are to c ome along if we do them while driving. According to studies released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80% of crashed and 65% of near-crashed involves some kind of driver distraction. Driving with distractions has become one of today’s leading causes of death for 16-20 year olds. Distractions while driving includes texting, note taking, applying makeup, eating, and much more. Distracted Driving I do it; you do it, that guy over there definitely does it. What do we all do? We drive! When the automobile was first produced in 1885 it was designed to get people from one place to another. However, their purpose has evolved- now we use them as a beauty parlor, a lunchroom, or home office location. But however you use it approximately 115 people will use their cars as a death bed everyday. Distracted driving has become one of today’s largest transportation issues.On a daily basis distracted driving puts millions of drivers and passengers in danger. So today we will look at what distracted driving really is, what the consequences of driving while distracted are, and what people can do to drive more safely. We all know we have been at fault at some point; we do it without thinking about it. When our phone rings our first instinct is to answer it, when we pick up McDonalds we eat it, we see a pimple we cover it.Most of us don’t think about the consequences that are to c ome along if we do them while driving. According to studies released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, 80% of crashed and 65% of near-crashed involves some kind of driver distraction. Driving with distractions has become one of today’s leading causes of death for 16-20 year olds. Distractions while driving includes texting, note taking, applying makeup, eating, and much more.

Managing Time Essay

The topic of my final research paper is managing time as an adult learner. I feel that this is an important topic to research because a lot of adults do not completely manage their time as an adult learner should along with being employed and raising a family. Although some adults have to manage their time more carefully because some adults either are not employed or do not have children to raise and sometimes even both. The first step to wisely managing your time is to set boundaries. You should manage your energy wisely. It is important never to overwork yourself because you can become stressed and overwhelmed and even begin to stray away from what you are supposed to be doing. It is also important that you make sure you always respect your limits that you have set for yourself. If you cross these limits, you could find yourself in a world of trouble. Disrespecting your personal set limits can cause you to feel completely overworked and that can be unhealthy. The second step to managing your time wisely is to stay motivated. You must make sure to keep yourself on track. If you allow your mind to wander off track of what you need to be doing, it is very likely that what you need to be doing will not get done on time or even at all. It is a good idea to try to have fun while working at the same time, so make your experiences fun. Some people may find it easier to get their work done and get through the day if they make a fun experience out of everything that they do. You should reward yourself after every task that you accomplish successfully. Doing this can even in fact make you feel better about yourself. Another step to managing your time as an adult learner is choosing your study surroundings. You should choose a quiet study area where you are able to go to study. This place can be somewhere throughout your home or even in a public library. You should as your study area all the time. It is also important to choose a good study time. When choosing your study time you should always keep in mind when the place is the quietest and when it will be the easiest for you to concentrate without a lot of distractions. It is also important to avoid any kind of distractions. With that being said, it would not be smart to choose a study area where there is a television, a radio, or a lot of people. These things can be a huge distraction to someone who is trying to concentrate on something important. One last step to remember when managing your time as an adult learner is to take breaks as much as needed. If you are doing work and you begin to get frustrated, simply put your work away and take a break for a while. It is extremely important not to overwork yourself because if you do you can become overwhelmed, frustrated and stressed out. Lastly, it is important to balance out your routine. It is not healthy to try and do too much work at one time. Space put your work so that you are still able to take breaks throughout your day. The very last step to managing your time as an adult learner is to not spend all of your time on school work. If you have a family then you have to make sure that you set aside a decent amount of time to spend time with your family so that they do not feel neglected because you dedicate all of your time to your school work. Your family needs to know that just because you are a college student now, they are still important to you. They should be the number one reason why you have chosen to go to college. It is important that they know this, so you should tell them often so that they do not forget. This concludes my research paper. I have described to you the steps that it takes to managing your time as an adult learner. These steps are as follows: setting boundaries, staying motivated, choosing your study surroundings, and taking breaks. Thank you for taking the time out to read this paper, I hope you enjoyed it

Strategies for Promoting Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Essay

Strategies for Promoting Ethical Decision Making in Health Care Organizations - Essay Example Moral sensitivity and ethical awareness raises sensitivity to the details of the situation, case, or scenario, and promotes the professional to raise questions in order to justify the right and good, just and fair, respect for individual human dignity, benefits, and burdens. It signifies that ethical decision making a complex process with multiple angles with mainly social implications that tends to analyze factors such as ethical principles, social and interactional aspects, and situational and contextual factors. It is important to remain aware that all these factors need to be considered while making a decision in clinical practice. Taking the example of the issue of autonomic "right to die", this is common issue in clinical practice, especially in the critical care nursing practice. However, practically the issues surrounding death and dying is no longer simple for its legal implications and technological advances that can sustain life for unimaginable duration of time. In these situations, the nurses face dilemma for allocating resources to these patients, and this often enters into the decision making process. The patient's wishes and concerns of the family also impact decisions. For nurses, these ethical situations become more crucial due to invariable conflicts between professional duties and obligations and ethical responsibilities. This means the nurses are faced with the conflicts between the duty to meet the needs of the patients and the obligations to follow hospital policy in that particular issue, implying they are obligated to comply with doctor's orders and legal implications of various interventions and patient-related actions even though the ethical principles do not permit them. In the current scenario, the critical ethical principles will be examined in a critical manner based on this preamble and evidence for current policies would be sought as it is relevant to practice and clinical decision making (Vanlaere, L. and Gastmans, C., 2007). Case: This is the story of a 67-year-old man, who lost control of his vehicle and had struck a guardrail in a single-vehicle collision. He was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected through the windshield and sustained severely traumatic closed head and chest injuries. He was brought to the trauma center via helicopter and was admitted to the neurological intensive care unit. The staff provided support to the patient as per medical advice, and he was receiving mechanical ventilation and was unresponsive. Obviously he was surrounded by multiple invasive catheters and equipment. The trauma team briefly met the patient's daughter who was the only family present, soon after the admission, and they explained the grave prognosis of her father to her. This patient's care was complex, and the nurse preceptor along with a junior postgraduate nurse was administering the care. The investigations revealed that the patient had severe internal hemorrhage in the brain and in the chest, and some tra uma to the heart could not be ruled out. The patient was on mechanical ventilation through intubation, was in deep coma, was nil orally until the consciousness was restored. The other parameters that were being monitored did not show any sign of improvement, and the patient could not be stabilized to the required degree so as to be able to perform

Overview 25 Years in the Technology Industry Essay

Overview 25 Years in the Technology Industry - Essay Example While technological change is an ongoing process, there are periods during which technological progress is especially rapid, resulting in new products and falling prices of existing products that have widespread uses in the rest of the economy. Such periods are generally identified with all-purpose technological revolutions. Earlier examples include textiles production and steam power in the industrial revolution, railroads in the nineteenth century, and electricity in the early twentieth century (the automobile could also be included, but its development was relatively gradual). The effects of such revolutions have generally occurred in three (often overlapping) main stages. First, technological change raises productivity growth in the innovating sector; second, falling prices encourage capital deepening; and, finally, there can be significant reorganization of production around the capital goods that embody the new technology. The growth of the information technology sector (IT) in the 1980s was an important development for the economy, but it spurred relatively little policy or media interest. True, IT was recognized as a driver of comparative advantage for the US and there were a few initiatives involving industrial policy and military preparedness, IT was of interest primarily to specialists. In the 1990's, however, things changed dramatically when the Internet became a topic of intense public discussion. Suddenly computers were not only a way to manipulate information, but also a way to communicate information. This led to a dramatic rise in the public and political awareness of the importance of information policy issues such as intellectual property, privacy, and security. A unique confluence of forces certainly came together in the 1990s: rapid technological advances in the information technology sector; widespread recognition that computers could be used to communicate information as well as process it; the rapid spread of a simple, inexpensive, and powerful wide-area computer network based on non-proprietary standards; and financial institutions ready to fund investment in advanced technology. These forces led to very rapid growth of the Internet. As firms and consumers flocked to the Internet in large numbers, it became evident that information policy issues, including importantly intellectual property, security, and privacy, required serious attention. Employment Statistics From 1993 to 2000 the number of workers in IT industries in the U.S. increased by close to 50 percent, almost two and a half times as fast as employment in non-IT producing industries. By 2000 there were some 5.4 million IT workers in the U.S., representing 4.9 percent of private sector employment. Number of Technology Firms Created The major companies that commenced operations during the boom period are listed below: Venture Capital The United States has the oldest and most developed venture capital industry in the OECD. Several successful high-technology companies in computers and communications, as well as in health-related sectors and services, were venture backed. Young high-growth firms also benefit from a continuum of complementary finance from business angels,

Property Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Property Economics - Essay Example The homeowners who planned to sell the properties were unable to sell due to a massive fall in prices that led to â€Å"upside down" mortgage. Notably, the mortgages were greater than the property resulting in reduced incentive for homeowners. The graph below indicates the trends in housing sector prices (Sanders, 2008). The housing sector experienced the bubble leading to the eventual collapse of the subprime mortgage market. The subprime mortgages are provided to homeowners with below-average income (Christopher et al., 2008). With the trend in the housing sector, there was a need to engage in more subprime mortgages. Consequently, this led to mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures that caused the devaluation of the housing-related securities (Sanders, 2008). Therefore, there was the reduction in business investment and household spending. Notably, these experiences were dominant in regions with high household debt and highest housing price decline (Immergluck, 2011). The increase in interest rates resulted in global investors reducing their purchases of the mortgage-backed debt while the securities found it risky to continue with the lending (Sanders, 2008). Subsequently, the mortgage crisis was a major factor that worsened the effects of the Great Recession in America (Christopher et al., 2008) . Immergluck, D. (2011). The Local Wreckage of Global Capital: The Subprime Crisis, Federal Policy and High-Foreclosure Neighborhoods in the US. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research,

What parts of Catholicism did Martin Luther keep after the Reformation Essay

What parts of Catholicism did Martin Luther keep after the Reformation - Essay Example The Catholics and those who protested mutually demanded reforms; however, the manner that they struggled for the reforms differed in a great manner. The reformation commenced at the end of October in the year 1517, when Martin Luther who was a German monk inadvertently ignited an uprising (McGrath 11). With the aid of the Ignatius, Metto and associates of the Trent Council, the Catholic Church established a rather flourishing response. Nevertheless, the splitting up of the entire Catholic Church would be the definitive hardship that the original Catholics had to tolerate because of this development of novel ideas. The scuffle to dominate populace’s values and belief’s would generate a civilization of religious pluralism, as it is currently recognized (Ferguson 57). The protestant way was centered at diminishing the Catholic religion economically, opinionated and publicly, while pressure from those protesting made the Catholics into frequent fights to boost their own acc usations and develop their corrupt nature. Faith and trust are the means of grace and god himself is the Supreme Being who awards this to human beings. The Lutheran Church and the Catholic Church have similarities that are the basis of both religions. The conventional Catholic Church was selling lenience for the aim of getting money, corrupt funds that were employed to perform endeavors that interested them (Baker, Robert and John 199). For instance, they sold Jubilee lenience just next to the Witten burg Castle with the aim of generating money for Saint Peter’s situated in Rome. Martin Luther became perplexed and angry at the Church’s activity of selling the indulgences. Thus, he retorted to his individual loathing of this observation by posting a directory of complaints opposing the Catholic Church. The list of complaints was termed as The Ninety-Five Theses (Luther and Stephen 47). Therefore, he began a religious upheaval that was later recognized as the

Transnational Negotiation Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Transnational Negotiation Experience - Essay Example There is a very tight competition in transnational banking markets. Due to the market competition, many people consider that one of the best ways for managers to be able to compete in the market is to increase their negotiation skills not only when dealing with clients but also with a large group of employees. Given the fact that I have been employed in a local bank for a little more than four years, I intend to describe two of my personal negotiating experiences with bank clients and a bank manager I dealt with several years ago. In the process of discussing my personal negotiating experiences, strategic ways I have applied when dealing with a client and a group of employees will be tackled. Eventually, the outcomes of each negotiating processes will be analyzed. For several years, I work in a local bank as a teller. As part of a teller’s main tasks, it is my job responsibility to provide the clients with competitive quality customer service at all times. One way to ensure that clients are given good quality customer service is to ensure that each client receives an efficient and accurate banking transaction processes. Aside from giving them quality service, part of our job is to sell the bank’s newly offered products and services to our customers each day. In many cases, I have come across dealing with clients who are planning to open new personal accounts. The most common queries I have received from clients is where to put their money to earn the biggest interest rate for their savings. Normally, I would discuss with them several bank products such as a normal savings account which they can easily open with a minimum deposit of US$200 which comes with a passbook and an atm card aside from the time deposit option of 30, 60, and 90 days which gives more interest rate than a normal personal bank account. Upon presenting the bank products they can choose from, I would intentionally inform them the advantages and disadvantages of

Physical and Chemical Properties of Methylene Chloride Essay

Physical and Chemical Properties of Methylene Chloride - Essay Example The term â€Å"hazardous substance† means any substance or mixture of substances which is toxic, corrosive, an irritant, a strong sensitizer, is flammable or combustible, generates pressure through decomposition, heat or other means, if such substance or mixture of substances may cause substantial personal injury or illness during or as a proximate result of any customary or reasonably foreseeable handling or use, including reasonably foreseeable ingestion by children.2 According to the Occupational Safety and Health Standards of the United States Department of labour, employees exposed to methylene chloride are at an increased risk of developing cancer, adverse effects on the heart, central nervous system and liver, and skin or eye irritation.3 Possibly hazardous short term degradation products are not likely however, long-term degradation products may occur. The products of degradation are more toxic. There is no disturbance or aerobe purifying process at concentrations less than 200 mg/l. Methylene chloride is a stable and non-corrosive chemical in the presence of glass. It is combustible at high temperatures, with an auto-ignition temperature of 556 oC (1032.8 oF). When using methylene chloride, avoid the following: strong acids, alkali metals, and oxidizing agents. In case of fire, use water spray, fog or foam. Do not use a water jet. Fire may liberate toxic and corrosive vapours. In case of skin contact, immediately flush skin with plenty of water. Cover the irritated skin with an emollient. Remove contaminated clothing and shoes. Thoroughly wash and clean shoes before reuse. If it is serious skin contact, wash affected area with disinfectant soap and cover with anti-bacterial cream. Seek medical attention immediately If ingested, avoid inducing vomiting, unless directed to do so by medical personnel. Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. If large quantities have been swallowed, call a physician immediately. Loosen tight clothing such as a collar, belt or tie.

Personal Values Development Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 13250 words

Personal Values Development - Essay Example For employees to be productive in an organization, they need to hold positive attitudes toward the elements of organizational life. For example, one should view such factors as work, authority, taking risks in decision making, the need for control, and the need for change in a positive way. I try to avoid a negative attitudinal posture toward these factors because they will keep one's job satisfaction continually low as well as stimulate considerable resistance to many normal organizational processes and activities. Someone with the wrong attitudes shies away from high effort because the performance it yields is not perceived as worthy. It is not "real" performance from the viewpoint of the employee (Langan, 1994). Personal values develop during a long time and are influenced by work environment and communication. I pay a special attention to understanding of my colleagues and effective communication, high standards of work performance and personal growth. Strong ethical principles help me to solve problems of daily life and behave morally in difficult situations. Problem-solving skill is the ability to identify, define, and resolve difficulties. One with this skill has an inquisitive mind, an ability to reason, and a desire to search for truth. These employees know how to investigate and analyze a problem situation and to diagnose sources of trouble. This skill also involves creative ability--ability to generate novel ideas and to derive multiple ways of attacking a problem (Mayer, 2000). Problem-solving skill is in part manifested in one's capacity for critically evaluating potential solutions to problems and for making decisions. Many employees simply do not understand how to make a quality decision. Indeed, many fear making decisions because of the risk of choosing the wrong course of action. The quality decision maker knows how and does not shy away from the task. He or she has likely mastered the scientific method as applied to problem solving and, because of this, likely has a high measure of self-confidence relative to decision making. Problem-solving skill is critical for every employee at every level in an organization. Every employee faces problems daily. Machine operators need to diagnose causes of breakdown and then get their machines fixed. Department managers may need to diagnose why customers may be disgruntled and then attempt resolution. Top-level managers have to diagnose such things as the causes of declining sales, poor employee performance, and flaws in organizational communications systems. A strong sense of duty guides my behavior and decision-making. My actions are guided by judicial action based on the Judeo-Christian teachings that are the foundation for most of the moral and ethical direction of business and government. In the meantime in the moral-ethical area, more emphasis is being placed on psychology and the philosophies (everything is relative; nothing is absolute; everything is constantly changing, so set your own morals and ethics based on the times). Broad issue orientation has given way to sharper focus not only on issues but on social awareness, social responsiveness, and on social responsibility implementation of these issues. I agree that employees need to hold values compatible with organizational life. Strong economic,

Modern Education Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Modern Education - Essay Example Such reservations against the concept of personal autonomy is rooted in the thought that the idea of personal autonomy is laced by the threats of masculinist implications (Friedman, Autonomy, gender, politics, 2003), thus making them feel uncomfortable with such a notion. Over the years and especially in the past decade, those who felt such apprehensions had to face the overwhelming circumstances that place a needed sense of value to the concept of personal autonomy in terms of its critical and constructive aspects (Benson, 2005). With this, feminists have come to adhere to the concept of personal autonomy although particular aspects of the idea have to be qualified to suit the â€Å"tastes† of different groups. While the acceptance of the notion of personal autonomy may remain debatable for certain groups, there is no doubt that the feminist movement, together with much of the members of modern civilization, considers education as among the greatest endowment for women in soc iety that provides them with a sense of equality with men. Along these lines, this paper will provide a discussion based on personal autonomy being a goal of education. Specifically, this discussion will be centered on a feminist view, emphasizing education in terms of a liberalist context. First, the concept of personal autonomy will be discussed, briefly outlining its history and highlighting the views of different theorists and, in particular, of contemporary liberals on the concept. The paper shall then proceed to discussing the concept of autonomy rooted on feminist views. Finally, the paper shall highlight how personal autonomy may be advanced by education, using a feminist context. 2.0 The Concept of Personal Autonomy â€Å"A person is autonomous to the degree, and it is very much a matter of degree, that what he thinks and does, at least in important areas of his life, are determined by himself.† Dearden, Autonomy and education, 1975, p. 343. The concept of personal a utonomy traces its roots to the ancient Greek philosophy of Plato and Aristotle. Both men proposed that the rational part of the soul is its most important part and the ideal for humanity is associated with self-sufficiency and being non-dependent on other people (Backus, 2003). Kant later developed the idea of moral autonomy as having authority over one’s actions and soon thereafter, the idea of autonomy in learning has become a part of a wide range of educational philosophies and has been identified recently in educational policy to be crucial to the development of learning (Honderich, 2005). Autonomy simply resided on morals in its early years, but then views about this began to change in the 21st century. For Dworkin ( 1988 ), the concept of autonomy includes one’s overall point of view towards how one lives one’s life. He points out that each individual, whether the most learned or the most carefree, conforms to his or her own personal view of what makes li fe valuable (Dworkin, 1988). Thus, Dworkin is actually saying that each person reveals how he or she conceives goodness or the good life through his or her behavior. For Raz (1988), the concept of personal autonomy is much more specific as he emphasizes that the individual is responsible for whatever happens to his or her life. As such, an individual with personal autonomy is identified not only by his actual choices in life but by the presence of choices themselves (Raz, 1988). Therefore, an individual can really just be

To Build a Fire Essay Example for Free

To Build a Fire Essay Part 2 After you have read the original version of To Build a Fire, answer the following questions: 1.What is the setting of the story? It was on the Yukon Territory on a very cold day. 2.What is the central conflict of the story? What is the source of the struggle? The real conflict is Tom versus Hypothermia, but does to the lack of experience he has trouble. 3.What happens to Tom Vincent at the end of the story? What does he learn? He learns pride is really a man’s worst enemy, and he dies. Part 3 After reading the last three paragraphs of the second version of the story, answer the following questions: 1.What happens to the central character at the end of the second version? He builds a fire and limps off to safety. 2.Which one of these endings do you think more clearly meets the conventions of naturalism? Be sure to consider the concept of determinism as you list your reasons. I think that the version where he dies does, simply because it is survival of the fittest, and if he were to win that would be showing the wrong idea, prideful people get cut down, they do not succeed you must be humble to prosper. Part 4Â  For homework, write an essay addressing the Focus Question: How does To Build a Fire illustrate the elements of naturalistic literature? As you write, consider the story as a whole, the conventions of naturalism, and the philosophies that influenced Jack London. As I see it this novel is a piece of naturalistic literature because it shows man’s pride, his struggle to prove it and how he plans to survive. It breaks humanity down to a basic level, male dominance and basic survival instinct. Nothing is more natural than a man and his dog in the wilderness fighting to live. The outcome is also naturalistic because it shows how man’s pride can get him cut down; in his case he lost his life, that’s why I think this book shows naturalism.

Dell Business Information Strategy

Dell Business Information Strategy XECUTIVE SUMMARY The business information strategy helps a business in identifying ways and means of sharing information across the organization and across all the departments of the organization. This report highlights the business information strategy at Dell, a well known computer manufacturing company. The industry has been led by the major players like IBM, Compaq, Intel, Lenovo, HP, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Sony, Samsung, LG, etc. The top two manufacturers of computers apart from Dell are Apple and Microsoft and they pose a stiff competition to Dell and the market is led by the top two to three manufacturers. After comparing the financial performance of Dell, IBM and Apple Inc, it can be said that the level of operations of Dell is much lower as compared to Apple Inc and IBM. Some of the recommendations made to the companies in the manufacturing industry are as follows Focus on quality of products, adopting innovative manufacturing processes, improved customer support, competitive pricing, improved supply chain, etc. The strategy for Dell would be to adopt an innovative manufacturing process thereby helping it to stay competitive by bringing in a change and by manufacturing technologically advanced products. This technological change will have an impact on almost all the aspects of Dells business, like management, information needs, business locations, staffing requirements, employee training, etc. INTRODUCTION The strategy in a business organization plays a key role, be it a business strategy, marketing strategy, HR Strategy, or business information strategy. The business needs information at all levels and the success of the business can be directly attributed to the level of information that can be accessed by the employees of any business. A business should strive hard to provide information to the employees, as it is likely to improve the performance of the business as a whole. The business information strategy helps a business in identifying ways and means of sharing information across the organization and across all the departments of the organization. This report highlights the business information strategy at Dell, a well known computer manufacturing company. INDUSTRY SECTOR ANALYSIS Computer manufacturing industries differs somewhat from other manufacturing industries in the way of production and mostly workers make up a relatively very small proportion of the workforce. Computer manufacturing industry is considered as most innovative industry. With the moving trend, improving technology and increase in technological innovation, this industry creates its own identity and drives much of the industrys production. This industry is also considered as a place for technological as well as innovative advancements. This is the only manufacturing industry which requires maximum number of engineers, technicians, and many other technical assistants who can take the research and development work further. In addition to manufacturing, it also requires promotion of products manufactured by the different segments of the industry that requires more eligible marketing as well as sales executives or workers. U.S companies in this industry manufacture as well as assemble the compo nents manufactured in foreign countries, in order to take advantage of lower cost of production and regulatory and favorable environments. Most of the electronic products include different intermediate components that are needed to be purchased from various manufacturers. So these companies that produce intermediaries and goods mostly locate themselves nearby to industry so that the companies can receive their intermediate products in very less time in order to lower down their inventory costs. Most the computer manufacturing companies in this industry are very large and many are relatively small. The computer manufacturing industry has also had its share of impacts of the recent financial crisis. The computer manufacturing industry was also going through a transformational crisis. The sales of the major players have decreased considerable and the profits have also declined. In fact, some of the manufacturers have incurred losses from their operations during the crisis. Moreover, the industry has been very competitive in the recent past with more and more medium level manufacturers entering the global markets. The low cost computers manufactured by the Indian and Chinese manufacturers have increased the level of competition in the industry. There have been various influences on the computer manufacturing industry over the last few years or so. The influences were due to the increase in the number of computer manufacturers, use of latest technologies, rapid decrease in the cost of manufacturing mainly due to the outsourcing of components manufacturing ton countries like India a nd China. Overall, it can be said that there are various challenges faced by the computer manufacturing industry and it is likely that the future is going to more challenging for the manufacturers, as they compete hard in order to attract and retain the market share. Market Leaders The Computer manufacturing industry has experienced an increase in the number of computer manufacturers over the last five years or so. But the industry at large has been led by the major players like IBM, Compaq, Intel, Lenovo, HP, Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Sony, Samsung, LG, etc. The top two manufacturers of computers apart from Dell are Apple and Microsoft and they pose a stiff competition to Dell and the market is led by the top two to three manufacturers. In spite of the top manufacturers holding larger shares in the market, the market is wide open for all the other manufacturers. So, the open market makes it all more important for the manufacturers to adopt effective strategies in order to achieve competitive advantage and sustain the competitive advantage with a view to increase the sales revenues, profits, market share, and also to increase the wealth on the investors. The competition in the industry has been very stiff and thus it made the computer manufacturers to increase their product line and also to adopt innovative manufacturing processes to come up with latest and innovative products. The computer manufacturing industry or market leaders have also adopted innovative strategies to stay competitive and increase the market share, thereby leading to the organizational success. The important point to remember here is that Dell is also one of the market leaders in the computer manufacturing industry and it also poses stiff competition to the other competitors in the industry. Comparative Performance of Competitors The comparative performance of some of the major computer manufacturing industry leaders gives us an insight into the level of competition that exists among the top competitors and also the position of Dell in the overall computer manufacturing industry. The revenues of Dell for the year 2009 were $61.101 Billion and its operating income was $3.190 Billion, whereas its Net Income was $2.478 billion. The Net income, Operating Income and also the revenues have all shown an increase as compared to the year 2008, which shows that there has been an improvement in the performance of Dell over the last one year or so. The revenues of IBM for the year 2009 were $95.757 Billion and its operating income was $17.012 Billion, whereas its Net Income was $13.425 billion. The Net income, Operating Income have increased and the revenues have shown a decrease as compared to the year 2008, which shows that there has been an improvement in the performance of Dell over the last one year or so with respect to the profitability, but it has lost some part of its market share, as compared to its performance during the year 2008. The revenues of Apple Inc for the year 2009 were $42.91 Billion and its operating income was $11.74 Billion, whereas its Net Income was $8.24 billion. The Net income, Operating Income and also the revenues have all shown an increase as compared to the year 2008, which shows that there has been an improvement in the performance of Apple Inc, over the last one year or so. Revenues ($ bn) Operating Income ($ bn) Net Income ($ bn) Dell 61.1 3.19 2.48 Apple Inc 42.91 11.74 8.24 IBM 95.76 17.01 13.4 The above table shows the financial performance of Dell, Apple Inc and IBM. The above graph shows the financial performance of Dell, Apple Inc and IBM. After comparing the financial performance of Dell, IBM and Apple Inc, it can be said that the level of operations of Dell is much lower as compared to Apple Inc and IBM. So, it suggests that Dell has to adopt innovative strategies in its operations at all levels in order to compete with its competitors. The positive that goes with Dell is that it has been improving its performance and the rate of growth is much better than some of the other industry leaders. Current Technology used in the Computer Manufacturing Industry In the past, the computers used to be so big, even bigger than the refrigerators, but now-a- days, the computers are as small as a PDA, which can fit into a palm of human beings. So, this has been possible mainly due to the advanced technology and continuous advancements of technology that has been adopted in the computer manufacturing industry. The latest technology has reduced the size of the computers, hard disks, etc, without comprising on the quality, in fact with better quality and durability for the customers. These computer manufacturing companies have their own research and development departments, so as to continuously look for new ways of manufacturing the computers. The technology plays a key role in the success of any product and computers are no different. The better technology helps the manufacturers in manufacturing latest computers. The technology used by the computers has been so much helpful for the people. The technology used in computer manufacturing has been helpful in other industries as well. These latest technologies made it possible to use computer in almost all the aspects of human life. Future Technology that can be used in the Computer Manufacturing Industry The future of the technology and the advancements in the technology looks to be more effective, as there is a lot of scope for improvement and advancements in the technology. The future technology can make it possible to produce much smaller computers with better features, and better performance, as compared to the performance of the computers manufactured today. With the advancements in technology, almost anything is possible. The things that look impossible today are becoming possible and a reality tomorrow. So, with the advanced technology anything is possible. The technology is surely going to play a key role in the computer manufacturing industry. If one company adopts a latest technology then the other competitors must adopt it or come up with something innovative on their own, otherwise, they will lag behind and may not be able to compete in the industry. So, the continuous changes in the technology keep the computer manufacturers on their toes, to make quick decisions and adopt effective and innovative strategies to produce high quality computers, mostly a low costs. (Buzzel, 1987). Recommendations for the companies in the Computer Manufacturing Industry based on the Sector Analysis to stay competitive in the industry Innovative Manufacturing Processes The companies in the computer manufacturing industry needs to stay competitive and they can do so, by adopting innovative manufacturing processes. The old and out dated manufacturing processes are not going to help the companies in staying competitive. With a view to achieve competitive advantage, most of the companies are adopting innovative strategies. The competitive advantage once achieved needs to be sustained in order to stay competitive. The competitive advantage can be achieved and sustained by adopting innovative manufacturing processes. (Parker, 1989). Focus on the Quality The companies should always look to improve the quality of the products at all times. The low quality products will not be helpful in staying competitive for long. In order to attractive in the market and also stay competitive, a computer manufacturer needs to focus on the quality of the products regardless of the internal issues. A low quality product will survive for long in the market. (Swan, et.al, 1976). Improved Customer Support The customer support and after sale service by the companies can be helpful in staying competitive. If the questions of the customers are not answered properly, then it is likely that the customer will be attracted by other companies with better customer service. So, in order to stay competitive, the companies should look to improve their customer support service. (Gale, 1992). Competitive Pricing Gone are the days, when the manufacturers were the price makers, now-a-days, in fact, the customers are the price makers. In other words, the customers look for the prices from various manufacturers and finally purchase a product from the manufacturer with the most economical price, so if a manufacturers pricing is not competitive, then the manufacturer will not stay competitive. So, the companies should price their products competitively. (Gale, 1992). Improved Supply chain for Quick Delivery The supply chain often helps a company in staying competitive in almost all the industries and the computer manufacturing industry is no exception. The effective supply chain ensures quick and efficient delivery of products to the customers, whereas, an ineffective supply chain is the main reason for the failure of any company to stay competitive. Thus, an improved supply chain can help a company stay competitive in the market. (Parker, 1989). BACKGROUND OF DELL The company selected is Dell and it deals with the manufacturing of computers and its components, and it comes under the computer manufacturing industry. Computer manufacturing companies are mostly considered as electronic manufacturing companies and these companies produces products like computers, its peripherals, equipments related to communications, and many more products similar to these products. These products can be used at many places like offices, schools, industries, colleges, as well as homes. These products are also used for military as well as government establishments. In addition to all this different computer peripherals or different components are built in into many industry products. Dell has been a well known manufacturer of Computers, mainly Desktops, Laptops, Notebooks, and PDA. Dell has emerged as one of the largest manufacturers of computers. Dell competes with the industry leaders and with the best in the industry. Dell grew as a computer manufacturing company in the year 1980s and 1990s, and it also became the largest computer manufacturer at one point of time. Dells core business was to sell Desktops, Laptops and Servers, etc. Dell also sells some other electronics products, which it acquires from its suppliers around the world and sell them under the brand name of Dell. The operations of Dell have increased significantly over the last few years and have been competing with the best in the business. CURRENT SITUATION ANALYSIS The current situation analysis of Dell helps us to analyze the situation and also the various factors that affect the operations of Dell. Following are the components of situation analysis. Customers Dell serves a wide range of customers ranging from individuals, small business to large multinational companies. Dell also supplies computers and other devices to the government organizations in various countries. Its customers are spread all across the world, making it a truly global company. The global customers of Dell also points out the presence of Dell, which all across the world. So, it is satisfying a large base of customers and thus there is lot of scope for increasing the customer base of Dell Costs The costs of any company play a key role in the profitability and success of any company. Higher costs lead to low income or losses in some cases, so it is always better to reduce the cost of manufacturing and also the other indirect costs. Dell manufactures most of the products on its own and it also acquires some of the products from suppliers around the world, with a view to reduce costs. This helps it in pricing its products competitively, thereby helping it to stay competitive in the market. Competitors Some of the competitors of Dell are well known companies around the world. The competitors of Dell include Microsoft, IBM, Apple Inc, HCL, HP, Sony, LG, Samsung, etc. These competitors are well known companies with a wide range of products and a wide base of customers, which also helps them to mark their presence all over the world. The competition is very stiff in the computer manufacturing industry, with the presence of these popular global brands. STRATEGY FOR DELL The strategy for Dell would be to adopt an innovative manufacturing process thereby helping it to stay competitive by bringing in a change and by manufacturing technologically advanced products. Change Required Dell needs to bring about a major change in the size of its desktops and laptops. Dell can manufacture sleek laptops like Apple, Inc, and thus would be able to compete with Apple Inc. It would also give Dell an advantage over its competitors. Moreover, it gives Dell an opportunity to increase its market share by serving a new base of customers with its sleek products. This can be achieved only by adopting a technology like Apple Inc, or even a better technology than Apple Inc. Impact on Management This change is likely to impact the management at Dell. The impact of the technological change would require dell to bring about a change in the way the management at Dell operates. There may be a need to include a new of level of management or to remove an existing level of management positions based on the requirements. With a change in the organisation with regards to the structure or the technological changes, the management also needs to change, as per the requirements. So, it can be said that the change in the products to be manufactured, is likely to bring about a change in management. Thus, it can be said that there is an impact of this change on the management. Impact on Business Location Dell might need to start its manufacturing units to manufacture sleek products, or else it can use the existing manufacturing facilities to manufacture such products. With a change in the computer manufacturing technology, Dell has to expand its operations by starting manufacturing units in new business locations. Dell might need to change it business from location to another considering its impact on the operations. Most of the manufacturing companies are starting their manufacturing units in countries like India and China, so Dell might consider India and China, as a proposed location to start its manufacturing units to manufacture sleek laptops, and small sized desktops. Impact on Information needs of management The management needs an upgraded information system, so as to provide an accurate and updated information at all levels, as and when required, (Malhotra, 2008). The information needs of the management at Dell are also likely to change, with a change in the technology and operations of Dell. So, depending upon the information needs, the information system should also be upgraded, so that it provides required information to the management at all levels, which could ultimately help in achievement of the objectives of Dell. Impact on Staffing Plan As discussed earlier, Dell might need to hire additional people to manage its new processes of manufacturing sleek laptops. The staffing plan is also likely to change with a proposed change in the technology. Some employees might need to be transferred from one position to another, and some others might be needed to be hired, depending upon requirement. The proposed technological change at Dell is also likely to impact the staffing plan at Dell; therefore, a new staffing plan has to be developed, considering its operations. Impact on Training Dell also needs to provide adequate training and education to its employees with a view to upgrade their skills and improve the productivity and efficiency. The training and development of employee should be given highest priority, as the highly developed employees enhance the productivity and performance of the organisation as a whole. With a technological change, there will impact on the training provided at Dell. There are likely to be new training programs, to suit the needs of the new business development i.e. incorporating the proposed technological change. CONCLUSION Finally, it can be concluded by stating that the business information strategy plays a key role in the success of an organization. It also plays an important role, when an organization intends to bring about any change in its operations, because, a major change is possible only with the free flow of information. Dell can manufacture sleek laptops, by bringing about a technological change and also a change in its manufacturing process. The impacts of such a change can be seen on the current management, business locations, information needs of management, staffing, training, etc. The strategic level of management needs to adopt innovative strategies to achieve the objectives of Dell. The strategic management plays an important role in the success of any organisation, so the key policy changes or developments take place at the strategic level of management. The tactical level of management needs to follow the policies developed by strategic level. Finally, the operational level is responsible for implementing the policies and achieving the final objectives.

Studying the big five personality traits

Studying the big five personality traits Nowadays personality trait test becomes more and more famous in recruitment and personal assessment, it is aiming to predict possible academic success and work performance in different settings. Although there are many academic theories attempt to conceptualize and generalize individual differences in the personality research field, such as psychoanalytic theory, psychodynamic theory, phenomenological theory and cognitive theory. (B.R. Hergenhahn, 1994). Each theory contributes a lot on the understanding and conceptualizing of human individual differences. No matter what theory the investigator chose they all had the common goal to build a structured model to describe and explain personality trait. From Sigmund Freuds Id Ego Superego model to R.B.Cattells 16 personality factors model, we can see that every famous trait-orientated psychologist would put forward one personality model. However, by analyzing those personality models it is easy to find out that there were huge differenc es about the number and nature of factors. Since 1980s, trait-orientated psychologists/researchers reached a consensus about the description mode of personality and they have suggested that there are five major personality factors which also called as the Big Five Personality Trait model. (Arnold J et al, 2005) The five dimensions of this model was not presenting or deriving from any of the particular one theories above, but obtained from the daily common words that people used to characterize others and themselves. Instead of displacing all the existing theories, the Big Five Personality Trait model works multifunctional because it is able to represent various personality trait theories in the same framework. (John and Srivastava, 1999)In recent decade, the Big Five personality trait model has made remarkable progress, and also demonstrated and supported by many research studies, most psychologists regarded it as the best personality model so far (MBA LIB. 2010). The Big Five Personality Trait model highlighted the universality of every dimension in this model. These five traits include (Arnold J et al, 2005): Openness to experiences. This trait describes people, who are interested in many things, appreciation for art, emotion, fantasy, aesthetic, feelings, actions, ideas. Conscientiousness. This trait describes people have a tendency to show their self-discipline, act orderly and dutifully, and personal achievement striving. Extroversion. This trait describes people who treat others warmly, actively, excitement seeking, maintains positive emotions and tends to seek simulation when companying others. Agreeableness. This trait describes people tend to trust others more, being straightforwardness, modesty, tender-mindedness and cooperative with others. Neuroticism. This trait describes people who tend to feel anxiety, angry hostility, depression, self-consciousness etc easily. When assessing a psychological theory or model whether to be successful or not, there are few essential aspects should taken into account. First, when establishing a new theory or model it is important to consider its compatibility with other existing psychological theories. Eysenck derived his PEN model from Cattells 16-factor model and within the same factor analytic psychological model however, they are not contradicted, McMartin proposed the structure of personality is best conceptualized as consisting of five major traits, rather than Eysencks 3 types (McMartin, 1995) (Nathan C. Popkins, 2010) Therefore it is clear to see that the Big Five Personality Trait model is coherent with other factor-analytical models and all these models should not conflicts with each other directly. Some psychologists have assessed the Big Five Personality Trait model by using the Trait Descriptive Adjectives (TDA) and found highly internal consistency and reliabilities, and their factor structure is easily carried out with same method and procedure. (John and Srivastava, 1999.) In recent years, some research studies also showed that the five-factor model is also compatible with other psychological personality models. Some psychologists attempted and already discover the correlation relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits and Freuds famous psychoanalysis theories. (Huey and Weisz, 1997) Although they only found out the relationship between some elements of Freuds psychoanalysis theory and some elements of the Big Five Personality Trait, it also helps for proving of the compatibility and adaptability of the Big Five Personality Trait. Secondary, a successful psychological theory or model should also be capable to apply widely such as in clinical and organizational field, and it also needs to maintain in a high degree of consistency. McAdams suggested that the Big Five Personality Trait model is more like a list with five dimensions which is helpful to specify and classify personality traits than a psychological theory (McAdams, 1992). To apply the model into academic field to find its effectiveness, Digman (1990) claimed that the Big Five Personality Traits model provides a useful view of broad dimensions that characterize human individual differences. These dimensions can be measured with high level of reliability and impressive validity. (Digman, 1990, page 436) Digman had summed up that the Big Five Personality Traits model applies well for providing the personality traits structure. (Digman 1990) As its advantages of being simplified and systematical, it has been agreed by many researchers. As Jianan Zhong and Jinyun Duan (2004) indicated that they thought the Big Five Personality Traits is a well established model for describing personality traits. For a long time, researchers have realized that the number of major personality traits is actually less the Catells 16 factors and Eysencks 3 factors, therefore 5 factors seemed to be a reasonable choice. At the meanwhile, there are some criticisms raised. First, it is a non-explainable descriptive model, it cannot be said that there is only 5 factors to identify human personality traits (Eysenck, 2001). Second, the Big Fives advocates assumed that the five variables are independent to each other; however the situation is not always so (Eysenck, 2001). Third, there are still arguments among the meaning of these five variables, it has been limited by the different adjectives in different language systems thus the compatibility of t he model has been questioned. Fourth, many different ideas on how many should we number for the factors appears, there are 3, 4, 6, 7 factors separately. And finally, the Big Five Personality Traits is not capable and suitable for all cultural backgrounds; apart from the United States, researchers should carry out their own local studies (Boies K et al., 2001) (Ashton M C et al., 2000.). Is there any ways to measure our five personality traits? In 1985, Costa and McCrae brought up a questionnaire to measure the Big Five Personality Traits NEO-PI (Costa P T, McCrae R R. 1985, 1989). After that, they came up with the new edited version NEO-PI-R and NEO-FFI. They made this personality model becoming measurable; however, there are also criticisms. Frame of reference effects (Schmit M J, Royan A M, 1993) is one of the concerning, a reliable result will gain from some of the volunteer respondents, for those are not volunteers, such as a job seeker, they might be truthful on the description of themselves, they will characterize themselves as being reliable, hard-working and organized etc to get the job position. Therefore this may lead to the raising of general ideal-employees. Despite the inadequate aspects, the Big Five Personality Traits model still has advantages. It provided an integrated theory framework; it is simple which is consistent with economic principles. For this reason, there are huge amount of application researches about industry and organizational psychology in recent years. Since the research carried out about the correlation relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits model and the job performance, there is an agreed conclusion that this personality traits model can predict job performance, especially contextual performance (Goliath. 2010.). In these five major traits, conscientiousness is the most effective predictor. A research in 2000 (Gregory M.H et al., 2000) has demonstrated the above conclusions in advance, it also took into account of various job type and diverse performance criterion, and the findings showed that the agreeableness has the better prediction to the service job, openness to experience has the better prediction to the managerial job type, conscientiousness works the most effectively to predict different job types and different performance criterion. Jeffrey et al. (2001) carried out a research study to measure 276 students personality dimensions by using NEO-PI-R. The subjects were placed in a group decision-making scenar io to observe the task performance and contextual performance, and the contextual performance has been divided into cooperative behavior and voice behavior. The so-called voice behavior refers to the creative and constructive communicational behavior for the purpose of improving the environment, change the orientation. Detailed content includes providing constructive suggestions to the organization, such as how to improve the organization; how to perform the task; persuade others to accept new ideas, advices and guidance etc. The results showed that agreeableness is significantly positive correlated to the cooperative behavior; however it is significantly negative correlated with voice behavior. The research findings also supported the point of view of dividing the contextual performance into cooperative behavior and voice behavior. In order to investigate the interactional relationship between agreeableness and conscientiousness to the task performance, Witt (2002) use the personality questionnaire with 120 items to measure five factors in seven companies with different job types, it used higher assessment as main method to assess the task performance. The findings showed that, there are 5 out of 7 indicated that the staff with high conscientiousness but low social ability is ineffective especially in the situation where the cooperation with others is essential. In another word, among these work situations, the correlation between conscientiousness and task performance is influenced by agreeableness. Higher agreeableness works better than low agreeableness. It is easy to see that the Big Five Personality Traits model is able to predict task performance well and in particular the contextual performance. Jennifer et al. (2001) gathered 149 staff with different job types to carry out the research study about the relationship between openness, conscientiousness and creative behavior by using the questionnaires. NEO-FFI was used to measure openness and conscientiousness, the creative behavior was assessed by higher assessment. The result showed that, when the environment allows the personality to express, openness will accelerate the occurrence of creative behavior, whereas conscientiousness will block it. This seems to be contradicted to the above research findings of conscientiousness is a predictor of good task performance, the key issue here is the environment is also an important factor. It is valuable to conduct further research to stimulate staff with high conscientiousness but low openness to reach their potential of creativity. Costa and McCrae (Li Wang et al. 2000) also suggested that when dealing with the life stress events, people with higher openness would like to use a variety of coping strategies effectively. Because when facing the new environment, people with higher openness tends to be patient to discover, therefore they feel less tense when dealing with changes, they can manage to cope with the changes within the organization. The Big Five Personality Traits model can also be applied with the research about job satisfaction. Timothy (2002) gathered 334 relevant data among 163 dependent samples about personality traits and job satisfaction to do the meta- analysis. The findings indicated that openness and conscientiousness are significantly negative correlated with job satisfaction. Besides, David et al. (2002) conducted the research between the Big Five Personality Traits model and self-respect. The result showed that the self-respect is significantly negative correlated with neuroticism and is significantly positive correlated with extroversion, whereas there is no significant correlation with openness and agreeableness. Piers (2002) did the investigation on the relationship between the Big Five Personality Traits model and self well-being. The findings showed that neuroticism is significantly negative correlated with self well-being, however openness is positive correlated with self well-being, whereas there is no significant correlations between other factors and self well-being. Openness and job satisfaction, self-respect and self well-being all positive correlated, however, neuroticism is significantly negative correlated with all of these. In other words, neuroticism and extroversion are closely related with the life functions. To sum up the above applied research of the Big Five Personality Traits model, we can conclude that despite the consideration of cognitive and intellectual factors, this personality traits model can be used as a predictor during the selection and employee allocation. General speaking, conscientiousness has the better prediction to the task performance. For service work, agreeableness is an excellent predictor. For creative work, for instance, strategy planning, advertisement, art, literature etc, openness predicts better than other dimensions. For managerial work, extroversion predicts better than other dimensions. Besides, Barry and Stewart (Yufan Liu et al, 2002) also found out that within a group of people, the team performance carried out the best when the proportion of openness is adequate. Too much or too few openness people would not be conducive to the improvement of team performance. Unstable neuroticism has a negative impact on individuals in many ways; hence we should control our emotion wisely to improve individuals emotional stability. In a larger sense, the Big Five Personality Traits model provides us a reference to understand and shape our personality traits. Every positive outcome such as stable emotions, openness or agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion will help people to build a relatively perfect self.

Working Capital Management Assignment :: Business Finance

Working Capital Management Worksheet Concept Application of Concept in Scenario Citation of Concept in Reading Personal Experience in your Organization Short-term financing plan: • Bank loan Ââ€" borrowing from the bank. • Stretching payable Ââ€" putting off paying its bills. Due to the situation that Lawrence has put the company into, in which Lawrence had borrowed from the bank and deferred payment to Gartner by a week. Brealey, 2005, p. 852 In order to meet the liabilities of deferred tax payment and the company's payable obligation, my company has applied for a revolving credit line by our lender. So for the short-run, my company where I am working for has managed to make payment on time. Financial budgeting: • Cash inflow. • Cash outflow. The task imposed on the CFO of planning cash inflow and cash outflow to retain at least a minimum of $50,000 each week while keeping the loan burden to the least level required a careful financial budgeting. Brealey, 2005, p.849 At my company, a budget for expecting expenses associated with a particular property will be planned. Improvements on the property and projected cash inflow will be assessed in order to have the needed cash handy for the upcoming month. Credit Management: • Accounts receivables. • Accounts payables. Regarding the task required based on the scenario in the simulation, the CFO has to negotiate short-term payment and collection arrangements with its business partners for keeping the amount of cash the company needs to borrow as low as possible. Brealey, 2005, p.814 Property managers are told to collect rents from tenants as much as possible each month. To put forth this effort and encouraging them to really make the attempts, special bonus is paid out if a certain percentage on total rent for the property has been reached. Working Capital Management Worksheet Concept Application of Concept in Scenario Citation of Concept in Reading Personal Experience in your Organization Cash: • Offering liquidity. • Being better prepared in case of cash shortage. The requirement of retaining at least a minimum of $50,000 on cash applies to the concept that cash has more liquidity to offer. Also having enough cash on hand increase the chance for the company to survive for unexpected event as illustrated in the scenario where additional liabilities were due because of poor packaging and handling about the shipped equipments. Brealey, 2005, p.821 This concept can also be observed in the company where I am with. Besides the weekly check cut to meet our obligations, additional cash has been put aside by our controller. Once it has reached the set level, surplus will be distributed to other properties that have funding shortages for planned projects.

American Citizenship and Immigration Essay -- Immigration Citizenship

Today the Society is split into three separately minded groups. In no specific ordering, the first is determined to believe that any one person born in the United States is a citizen and which means their parents should become citizens along with them. These are the ones whom obtain â€Å"birthright citizenship† (Raul). The second are firm believers in the only ones that should be citizens are the ones who go through the proper process of becoming a citizen and according to the article in â€Å"USA today,† it states that illegal immigrants are â€Å"having babies as a way to obtain citizenship,† which too many Americans â€Å"cheapens the whole idea of being American†. The last group is the â€Å"other† the ones whom are completely neutral or believe in the beliefs of the first or second group but not down to the word. Possible if they believe the child should get birthrights but not the parents, only the child and mother should get them, or if the y believe that they should get them but still have to work through the proper process to receive them to their full extent. The effects that â€Å"anchor babies† have on society are characterized by how it has changed, how it is misinterpreted, what it takes away from the citizens today, how the supreme court is responding to the effect, and how we as United State citizens can change the outcome of the effect. â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the United States† is part of section one of â€Å"the 14th Amendment†(Walpin). The amendment was adopted in the United States in eighteen sixty-eight. When this was first adopted, according to the fourteenth amendment website, it was done so during â€Å"Post-Civil War reforms focused on injustices to Africa... ..."The Debate Over 'Anchor Babies' And Citizenship." Talk of the Nation (NPR) (n.d.): Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. . Raul, Reyes. "Not very American: 'Illegal by birth'." USA Today n.d.: Middle Search Plus. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. . Walpin, Gerald. SPECIAL TO THE WASHINTON TIMES. â€Å"14th Amendment neer meant for illegals.† Washington Times, The (DC) (2010): 1. Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web 10 Nov. 2010. THE WASHINGTON, TIMES. "Anchor babies away." Washington Times, The (DC) (2010): 2. Newspaper Source. EBSCO. Web. 16 Nov. 2010. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=nfh&AN=4KB5201008160421 04610016&site=src-live&scope=site.

Free Speech -- Freedom of Speech Essays

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to find truth to anything, one must make multiple suggestions, ask many questions, and sometimes ponder the unspeakable. Without doing so, there would be no process of elimination; therefore, truth would be virtually unattainable. Now, in our attempts to either find truth, express our beliefs and opinions, or generally use the rights we are given constitutionally, we are often being criticized and even reprimanded. Our freedom to voice our opinion(s) is being challenged, as critics of free speech are taking offense to what seems like anything and everything merely controversial and arguably prejudice. As people continue to strive for a nation free of prejudice and discrimination, where everyone is equal, safe and happy, they overlook the outcome of creating such an environment. Without different beliefs, theories, opinions and controversy, we will never advance as a people. All we would be left to do is think and speak the same, and be lieve the same beliefs. Our minds will no longer be able to run wild with brilliant, and sometimes controversial, thoughts; though, even if they did, we wouldn't be able to vocalize any of it. Although it is comforting to think that there will come a time when nobody will say or do anything offensive and prejudice is diminished, the reality is that a nation without the freedom to voice anything controversial, opinionated , and even prejudice, is hardly desirable as we will be deprived of intellectual freedom and truth.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It is easy to wonder whether there really is such a thing as free speech; better yet, complete free speech. (â€Å"Free† meaning unrestricted and without consequences) Sure, the majority of us say whatever we want, when we want, to whom we want, but there are some cases where our speech is hardly free. There has been many instances where complications and debates have risen over borderline comments, words, etc. People are being told that they have the ability to say whatever they want and believe in; however, many people are facing lawsuits and even consequences for doing so. With that said, one could wonder whether there is inadequacy in our constitution that is allowing people to be reprimanded for practicing their rights. However, it is not always citizens who are being challenged by the government for abuse of free speech. In his essay, â€Å"In Defense Of Prejudice†, Jonathan Ra... ...solution is to ask which is more important: prohibiting language that could provoke or offend people (and thus prohibit any sort of opposition) or allow people to think out of the norm and different than what is considered morally acceptable? Conforming to censorship can only lead to silencing our voices and ultimately narrow our thoughts and minds. To risk hearing powerful voices in society because of who they may offend isn't worth it. It seems that people are being offended by comments that they allow to penetrate their self esteem and self respect. Being secure enough in your personal beliefs and yourself is the best way to handle what may be considered offensive speech. Allow people to feel, think and speak differently; for there is surely a time when we have said or will say something inciting to someone, regardless of whether it was purposeful or mistaken. We cannot allow such instances to constrain our right to voice our opinions. Censoring speech may prohibit citizens fr om speaking of unacceptable and provocative issues; however, those feelings and beliefs will still linger. Although they won't be expressed verbally, they will inevitably be expressed one way or another.

Is America a Christian Nation

â€Å"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. † Thomas Jefferson wrote those words to express the emotions of a nation that desired freedom, and to shake the foundation of the British Empire. However, this simple, but eloquent phrase has sparked one of the greatest debates in American history. Is America a Christian nation? One question has divided the nation and its politicians since the founding and forming of America.This fiery debate has sparked more controversy than any other debate in modern politics. When the facts are analyzed and examined it points to the side that America was not, and is not a Christian nation. It is not a Christian nation because the Founding Father’s ideas for this country were no meant to be entangled with a national religion. There are clear and precise arguments on both s ides, but one must put aside all biases and see that America’s founders had no intention of making America into a nation that was centered on one religion.Through their own writings, letters, and actions the founders have shown that creating a government that protected the rights and liberties of the people was the primary and fundamental goal. The War for American Independence was not fought because the colonists wanted to separate from England, which already had a national religion, to create another nation based on a religion. It was fought in order to free themselves from the tyrannical monarchs that lived hundreds of miles away. In order to discover the solution to this debate the founding of this nation must be analyzed in detail.Furthermore, it is important to look at this history because this debate deals directly with the founding principles, rather than the evolution of American government. The first question that must be asked is why the founders would be opposed t o a national religion (or Christian nation) if that is what they had before. For instance, one battle cry of the revolution was, â€Å"Give me liberty, or give me death! † It was not, give me religion or give me death, so it was clear to see that the people in America were not revolting because they felt their freedom of religion was in danger. It was an important part f their history though. As a matter of fact, the fear of religious persecution was not far removed from their memories. The men that had come to America had witnessed firsthand the results of a corrupt national church. They had come from the Anglican Church, which was created solely because Henry VIII wanted to divorce his wife. Many came to the colonies of America because the corrupt church was challenging their beliefs and not allowing them to worship as they saw fit. These men and woman realized that having a national religion did not give more rights or promote religion, but simply corrupted it.The founders believed that religion should be left up to the people to carry out how they see fit, without interference from any type of government. Those who claim that America was a Christian nation often point to the phrase in the â€Å"Declaration of Independence† where Jefferson invokes the name of the â€Å"Creator. † Even though this seems like a valid point, the truth is that Jefferson and many of the other Founding Fathers were not Christians, but rather Deists. This worldview states that a higher power created the universe and all those in it, but then left it alone and does not care or pay attention to his creation.Jefferson may have been referring to god, but it was certainly not the Christian God of the Bible. Like many of the prominent statesmen of that day, Jefferson knew who he was addressing. In the colonies, the majority of people would be considered Christians. Whether or not Jefferson or the other founders believed in the Christian God, they knew they had to se cure the support of the people. People, would certainly be more likely to follow a plan to take on the greatest empire in the world if they believed their cause was supported by God.Secondly, when supporters of the Christian nation idea point to the Declaration as proof they fail to realize something. The Declaration is not law. Nothing in the Declaration legally guides the way American government or its people function. Even though it set up the foundation for this new nation, it cannot be regarded as any type of legal document that would give evidence of a Christian based nation. However, even if someone were to look at the Declaration as proof, there are more misconceptions. The idea in the Declaration of a government that derives its power from the people is adically different from the theory of divine rights that is seen in the Christian kingdoms of the past. The founder’s idea of a government by and for the people completely rejects the idea of a government where man de rives the right to maintain power from a divine being. Moreover, if the founders had wanted to remain in that type of society than they could have used much simpler terms, rather than using the confusing, vague terms such as â€Å"Creator. † Since the Declaration is not in fact a law, one must look at the actual document that guides the way American government is supposed to act, the Constitution.If the founders had intended to create a Christian nation, then it would follow that their laws would follow in that way. However, this is not the case. In reality, it could not be further from the truth. For example, in Article VI section 3 of the Constitution it states that will be no religious test for public office. If the founders intended for a national religion, then why not make influential, political figures be held to some religious standard? Once again, the evidence points to the founders trying to avoid the route of so many of the nations that came before them.In yet anot her attempt to make sure there was no national religion, the 1st Amendment to Constitution states that, â€Å"Congress shall make no law respecting the establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. † Clearly, the founders knew that establishing a national religion would result in the persecution of any other religion or belief system. Also, the establishment clause has been interpreted to mean there is a wall of separation between church and state, according to the Supreme Court. Even though this â€Å"wall† is not in the Constitution, it is implied through the 1st Amendment.Finally, the laws and fundamental beliefs were based off the ideas of John Locke and Greek philosophers. The argument that states that common law and the natural rights of man came from any type of religious belief system cannot be used. Therefore, the foundation of this country was not based on Biblical (or any other religious) standards, when it came to the policies and fun ctions of the US government. If the laws and history of the founders point to a rejection of national religion, what about how they lived out these policies? What did their actions and writings say about how they intended to run America?When one looks at the founder’s polices and laws, it is obvious that they never intended for America to have an established religion. Firstly, in 1779 Thomas Jefferson presented the â€Å"Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom† to an assembly in Virginia. This statute would greatly influence the 1st Amendment in that it was concerned with the corruption of national religion and the persecution of those who think differently. â€Å"Whereas, Almighty God hath created the mind free; that all attempts to influence it by temporal punishments or [burdens] or by civil incapacitations tend only to beget habits of hypocrisy and meanness. Clearly, the founders were aware of the eminent dangers that would follow creating an establishment of relig ion. Moreover, this statute was supported by James Madison, who is considered to be the author of the Constitution, and a group of Baptists that had been largely persecuted when there was an established religion. Furthermore, before the Constitution was ratified there was much debate over what type of government to have. â€Å"The Federalist Papers† were a series of essays defending the Constitution and a more powerful federal government than that of the Articles of Confederation.One of the main fears of the Federalists was the creation of factions. This meant groups, most likely political parties gaining control and causing a tyranny of the majority. Under the pseudonym â€Å"Publius† James Madison argued that even religious sects could become tyrannical when he wrote, â€Å"A religious sect may degenerate into a political faction in a part of the Confederacy; but the variety of sects dispersed over the entire face of it must secure the national councils against any danger from that source,† Obviously, this is an argument for a Union rather than a confederacy, but it clearly shows the founders fear of a national religion.They believed, like they had seen in the past that an established religion would be nothing more than a corrupt, political faction. Moreover, the most glaring, apparent proof that the founders did not want a national religion was when they were dealing with foreign nations. After the War for American Independence, the former colonies had to deal with the Barbary pirates themselves as they no longer had protection from England or France. Therefore a treaty was signed at Tripoli, in order to ensure peace and friendship between the two battling sides.This document was signed and ratified by President John Adams and was unanimously voted through by the Senate. Article 11 of the treaty states that, â€Å"As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion; as it has in its elf no character of enmity against the laws, religion, or tranquility, of Mussulmen; and, as the said States never entered into any war, or act of hostility against any Mahometan nation, it is declared by the part that no pretext arising from religious opinions, shall ever produce an interruption of the harmony existing between the two countries. Even though this was a treaty it showed what the founders truly believed about the nation that they had created. Furthermore, according to Article VI section 2 of the Constitution all treaties made by Congress shall become the supreme law of the land. There is the idea that this article was merely added to please the Muslim nation, which is a valid point. However, because it was a treaty it became law after it was ratified by the Senate. Why would the founders make such a bold statement that would become the supreme law of the land if they did not really mean it?It is apparent that the founders were clearly stating, in this treaty, what the y had already considered to be true. The study of history is important because it allows people to learn from the mistakes and errors of those in the past. The founders were some of the most intelligent men that have ever walked this earth and were certainly scholars of history. Therefore, they saw the corruption and persecution that was brought upon by the establishments of national religions.In no way were the founders hostile towards Christianity, Judaism, Deism, or any other religious beliefs. If anything, when the arguments are analyzed the founders were trying to protect religions and peoples religious beliefs more than anything else. By not allowing the establishment of religion they ensured that, for example, Christianity would be handled by the different churches and denominations of that religion, and not by a unitary government figure.Through their actions, writings, and policies it was evidently clear that America was never meant to be a Christian nation. In order to mai ntain the principles of liberty, the founding fathers had to create a nation where religion could flourish without the flaws and corruptions that come with combining a source of power with religious belief. If they had not done this, history would have surely repeated itself and the corruption of the church and government would have been much greater.

Disorder Analysis

â€Å"Me Myself and Irene† is a movie about a Rhode Island State Police trooper named Charlie Baileygates who has a mental disorder. The disorder that can be evidently seen in the movie almost creates the whole essence of the story. Charley Baileygates' (Jim Carrey) is found to have a Dissociative Identity Disorder or more commonly known as multiple personality. In the movie, Jim Carrey's character changes from Charley to Hank, who is the other personality, that somehow is the complete opposite of Charlie.During the course of the movie, this Dissociative Identity Disorder of Charley terrorizes his condition and his interaction with other people, especially with Irene (Renà © Zellweger). As the movie assessed Charlie's condition, it showed that this disorder was caused by the anger that has been kept inside for years due to other people who took advantage of him. Raising three African-American kids that are sons of his wife and a black dwarf limo driver, who eventually stole h is bride, Charlie accepted it but has kept this unconscious anger deep inside him.This eventually led to Hank, who is the other personality inside his brain. Hank is the rude, violent and cocky persona that is completely the opposite of Charlie.DISSOCIATIVE IDENTITY DISORDERAs defined by the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), â€Å"Dissociative Identity Disorder is a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a condition in which a single person displays multiple distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment.†(American Psychiatric Association, 2000).The requirements of the diagnosis suggests at least two personalities consequently gaining control with regards to a person's demeanor and actions. With regards to its possible causes, epidemiology, appearance across cultures, and existence, this disorder is controversial. Interaction of several factors are c auses that lead to Dissociative Identity Disorder. Possible symptoms that suggests a demonstration of Dissociative Identity Disorder ranges with wide variations during the course of time.Symptoms that can be included are distortion or loss of subjective time, depersonalization, depression, amnesia, headaches and other body pains. People with this condition may even suffer auditory hallucinations with regards to the two personalities' discussions and might even result to misdiagnoses that may falsely conclude a psychotic issue. People with DID often display an array of indications that can match those of other mental health disorders and many physical disorders as well. Chronic and potentially disabling or fatal, patients with Dissociative Identity Disorder are prone to harming themselves.There are various treatment methods to cure this disorder such as Psychotherapy, medications and behavioral treatments. A psychiatrist or psychologist may use specially designed interviews such as t he SCID-D and personality assessment methods to evaluate an individual with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Integrating the personalities into a single personality is the main goal of treatments. Drug therapy can alleviate some particular symptoms but does not heal the disorder itself. Psychotherapy on the other hand is emotionally painful and difficult.In general , two or more psychotherapy meetings a week for at least 3 to 6 years are essential. Helpful also may be Hypnosis.CONCLUSIONAs seen in the movie, this condition is not actually a psychotic disorder. But despite this, there is danger among people with this condition, as seen in Charlie and Frank's battles, if not properly treated. Integrating the personalities might be hard, but keeping them in tune and coexisting might help. Psychotherapy is the best option for treatment of DID.

Are Violent Video Games Bad for the Youth

In recent discussions of violent video games, a controversial issue has been whether violent video games are bad for youth or not. On one hand, some argue that video games do not affect the youth at all. On the other hand, however, others argue that violent video games affect the youth tremendously. According to media violence researcher Craig Anderson, Chair of Iowa State University’s Department of Psychology, â€Å"in a violent video game, you rehearse the entire aggression sequence from beginning to end† (Hoerrner & Hoerrner 2). According to [his] view, he is saying that â€Å"you have to be vigilant, looking for enemies, looking for potential threats; you have to decide how to deal with the threat, what weapon to use, and how to use it; and then you take physical action to behave aggressively within the game† (Hoerrner & Hoerrner 4). The issue is whether violent video games are bad for eight, nine, or even ten year olds. My own view is that violent video games are indeed bad for young children. Though I concede that whether a child’s parents choose to allow their children to play these violent games is up to them, I still maintain my view that violent games are bad. A perfect example reassuring a parent that their child is not participating in playing these violent games is to check the ratings on the video games to make sure there is no violence in them. Although it might be objected that parents do not have time to check the ratings on their kid’s games, I reply that it is, once again, an option guaranteeing their children are not being exposed to violence. All in all, the issue is important because these violent video games are affecting children’s behavior, making them more aggressive, as well as more violent. Allowing kids to play violent video games changes the way they act towards their peers by causing them to become more aggressive. They no longer seem to have compassion towards one another, but instead coldness towards each other. This was proven when the American Psychological Association concluded that â€Å"playing a lot of violent video games is related to having more aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Furthermore, playing violent games is also related to children being less willing to be caring and helpful toward their peers† (Junior Scholastic 1). Therefore, when children experience more aggression, they are going to feel that their aggressive manner is fine. This age group is not going to take a second look at their negative actions since they see it as â€Å"just fun and games† (Junior Scholastic 1). In essence, by allowing kids to play what they want and not setting boundaries for the kids, parents are not doing any justice to their offspring; instead, parents are saying that it is alright to treat others in an aggressive manner as long as it is just in fun and games. Another perfect example of how violent video games cause children to become more aggressive towards their peers would be the afterschool program I work for — LA’s Best. There I see how these games affect the kids due to how they act towards each other. They are always play-fighting with each other and having fun in their eyes, that is, until someone comes to me or my other staff members crying. When we ask them why they were play-fighting to begin with, they all have the same similar respond-‘that’s how they fight in Mortal Kombat. ’ Mortal Kombat is a popular series of fighting games that contain high levels of blood and gore. So to see our kids reenact what they see on their video games is upsetting because it shows us, the staff, that our kids version of playing together is hitting and tumbling around with each other until someone gets hurt. The eight to ten year olds no longer see playing together as participating in a friendly game of soccer, but instead, a vicious way to kick those who they despise. Therefore, by allowing our kids to involve themselves in these vicious games, changes their definition of the meaning of ‘fun’. They now see fun as hitting and kicking each other until someone is down in pain since they see this type of act of violence in their video game. Lastly, not only do kids experience aggressive behavior through video games, but also criminal violent behavior. This is due to the high rating of violence in the kid’s games. These games make it seem okay to shoot and kill people because the young children can always restart the game and play again. However, in reality, the only thing that these games do for children is actively train them to kill. Take for instance, Retired Lt. Col. Dave Grossman who â€Å"argues that children learn to use weapons and become sharp shooters through simulated games the same way soldiers use simulations to improve their shooting precision. Just as children can improve their phonics with Learn to Read with Winnie the Pooh, they can learn to shoot with deadly accuracy, playing Doom, Splinter Cell, Hitman, and other first-person shooter games† (Hoerrner & Hoerrner 2). Although many would question what Grossman is saying, it actually was proven to be accurate â€Å"in [the] 1997's high school shootings [in] Paducah, Kentucky, [when] the 14-year-old who opened fire on a before school prayer group landed eight out of eight shots on eight different targets. Five of those were headshots† (Hoerrner & Hoerrner 2). Keep in mind the â€Å"teenage shooter had never held a real gun before his shooting rampage†¦ however, spent long hours playing first-person shooter games that simulated killing with the same weapon he used that morning† (Hoerrner & Hoerrner 2). To sum it up, the violence in video games does lead to violent behavior. Video game interaction leads kids to think that using violence is acceptable, causing them to choose their fist over rationality. In conclusion, violent games do indeed lead to aggressive and violent behavior. Not only do these games cause children to be aggressive towards one another, but they also lead to the physical pain of others due to the high content of violence. This is due to children having the entire aggression sequence from beginning to end imprinted in their mind. This therefore, leads them having to seek potential threats while having to figure out which physical action will have the best outcome. This is why every parent should watch the levels of violence in video games as well as set boundaries to what their children can and cannot play.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, A Story of a Little Girl, Mary Frances Nolan

Betty Smith isn't well known for her many works, but the one book that almost everyone has heard about, is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. In this novel she shows herself to be an author of great depth and knowledge; she gives us a peek into the complex human soul. This book gives great insight into life; it shows why many people strive to become someone better and how some people are able to move up to a better station in life even though there are tremendous odds and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn touches everyone's' hearts. It is about a little girl, Mary Frances Nolan (also known as Francie), growing up in the poorer part f Brooklyn with a drunken, singing waiter for a father. This father somehow always makes her feel so special and â€Å"normal†. She lives with her severely realistic mother, her father, and a brother(Neeley) who is privileged as the â€Å"favorite child†. Francie is treated poorly throughout school because she is so different and independent. Francie always kept to herself and was the silent studious type, which deepened the division between herself and the other of the At a very young age Francie learned how important money is as well as the division in society caused by money as well as education. Because of this division and Neeley's favoritism, Francie becomes the sole provider for the family after the her father's death. She goes to work straight after graduation from grade school and never gets to have the pleasure and luxury of a high school diploma, but that doesn't stop her from her dreams. Her dreams of moving up in the world, to a place were you don't have to worry about where your next meal comes from; a place where money doesn't necessarily make you rich. This may sound like a ridicules dream considering that today a high school diploma is mandatory for veryone. At this point in time; however, very few people, without wealth, were able to get a higher education or even be able to go to high school. Yet nothing can stop Francie from completing her dream. This wonderful book cuts right to the heart of life. It show the true American dream; the dream of higher education and a better and equal way of life for everyone. The novel tells this dream through one special girl who realizes that she can be and do better. If you don't read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn you will be denying yourself a rich experience of the true American dream.