Monday, November 25, 2019

Concept of Management Audit Essay Example

Concept of Management Audit Essay Example Concept of Management Audit Essay Concept of Management Audit Essay The Concept of Management Audit The management audit is more recent concept. It focuses on results, evaluating the effectiveness and suitability of controls by challenging underlying rules, procedures and methods. Management audits, which are generally performed internally, are compliance audits plus cause-and-effect analysis. Management audit requires some additional work. It is a systematic technique of evaluating the operation and effectiveness of the management of a firm. This audit is conducted by an independent auditor or auditing firm, who are experts in auditing. This is done yearly or periodically. The audit team collects as many facts and information from office records and personal interviews with the personnel of the firm. The team also collects data through questionnaires distributed among the personnel and customers and/or clients of the firm. The team shall submit recommendations to the management for future actions. Management may use these recommendations for controlling the performance and accomplishments of the firm. According to Ferlyn L. Suvillaga â€Å"it is a systematic assessment of methods and policies of an organization’s management in the administration and the use of resources and other more. † From the response of Loria Lyn M. Fernandez â€Å"management audit is audit itself but instead of in accounts, it deals with the management. As explained by Rancy Mendoza â€Å"it is the process of determining the individual or group performance in an organization or business. † Based on the statement of Ivey Anne Muncada â€Å"it is a systematic assessment of company’s organizational policies and administration. † After reading a very reliable references, the researcher finally realized that management audit is very important, whether to organization, company or firm. It also requires some additional work because without work we cannot perform such manageme nt audit.

Friday, November 22, 2019

The Japanese Genji Scrolls Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Japanese Genji Scrolls - Essay Example â€Å"Tsukuri-e† is a technique in which â€Å"dense, flat colors are applied over the undersketch† and then later the outlines are redone with fine black ink (Brodsky 9). The artist uses varied colors and highlights the prominent hues with the fine ink, thus creating an overall magical effect. The highlighted singularities go deep and thrust the intensity of the emotions the characters go through and thus, the ultimate feelings of the characters are exposed and conveyed to the viewers. The artist uses pastel colors to indicate the deep contemplation, longing as well as yearning that the characters are experiencing. This technique thus enables the readers of the Genji tales get more insight into the actual scene of the story with an increased realistic feel and then they can make comparisons with the scenes they had in mind when they read the story. The two main techniques used in the illustrations are the Fukinuki Yatai meaning â€Å"blown away roof† and Hikimi Kagibama meaning â€Å"line for an eye, hook for a nose† (Brodsky 9) The former relates with the background of the scenes and it depicts the interiors having â€Å"neither ceiling nor roof,† which makes the â€Å"upper sides of ceiling beams† visible, thus enabling the viewer to see things from a bird’s perspective (Brodsky 9). That is, the viewer of the picture can see the whole scene including the background and every detail it portrays. The latter relates with people and the main characters in the scene, which have been presented â€Å"in a very unconventional manner† (Brodsky 9). This technique is used to depict the facial expressions of the characters in which their faces appear to be â€Å"mask-like† and devoid of â€Å"obvious sexual differentiation†... This paper stresses that imaginative world that evokes mythical and aesthetic attributes compared to the real world and thus the artist employs this technique to make the characters appear unfamiliar, since the prominent figures in the story are not everyday characters. This report makes a conclusion that on the other hand, the architecture depicted in the scrolls is very similar to the one in the real world. This helps the viewers to relate to the story, the culture it expresses as well as the values that it depicts. The faces of the central characters are painted in a distant unfamiliar way so as to maintain the perception that the readers already had about these characters. The artist does not want to influence or change those valued perception of the viewers and thus he makes the characters faces identical and mask like, so as to maintain the integrity of the reader’s perspectives. Another feature that can be noticed in the illustrations, such as in the one given below, is that â€Å"both† the men and women in the pictures â€Å"wear voluminous robes† that â€Å"conceals† their sex. This again shows there is no sexual differentiation and it opens a new door of thought. Maybe the artists harbored a feeling of equality among the males and females and that might be a reason as to why there are no obvious implications of sex. Through the Genji tales, Lady Murasaki takes a very feministic approach and the artists have kept maintained the same approach in their execution of the illustrations. The feministic attributes also imply that females be given more significance and what better way to do this than not making them appear identical to men.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

The New age Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The New age - Essay Example Unlike many other religions that teach man is inherently a sinner unless cleansed, Scientology upholds that man is good. It teaches that man is his own soul that is immortal, and it is not a virtue that he possess, but rather, he is that virtue. Among the many appeals of Scientology is that the faithful believe what they please. It is also an applicable technology that answers questions on life, enabling people to have an insight of who they are (Lewis, 2007). Question Two The key contrasting aspect between religion and science is that religion presents statements that are absolute, while science develops from relative theories and truths of the forces and processes of nature. Religious statements can neither be proved right nor wrong, while scientific theories can bear their own evidence of falsehood or truth. Religion, unlike science, claims to have absolute knowledge on all arguments presented to it. While religious arguments are faith based, an authoritative, scientific theory wi ll demand evidence. It seeks to employ rational and realistic methods to gather information that helps to answer human curiosities and all its claims are open to criticisms that can prove otherwise. On the other hand, religion does not welcome criticism because of its faith foundation. It is mainly based on revelations from a divine being, and criticizing religion is considered a sin since faith does not seek proof. Question Three Globalization is the interaction and integration process between governments, organizations and people of different countries promoted by international investments and trade and encouraged by advances in information technology. It affects the culture, environment and economic trends of communities in the world, while also impacting political systems of all countries trading together. Technology and policy developments have led to tremendous increases in international trade volumes, making them cheaper and moving faster to more destinations. In the same sen se, the failures and shortcomings of humans are exhibited and exchanged among the trading partners because of the increased interconnectedness. In other words, atheism is spreading values that do not contribute towards the flourishing of human moral life. For example, technologies available can be used to sell pornography without easy detection. Human trafficking can also be conducted alongside trade as atheism poses long running challenges to freedom of cultures around the world. Demeaning and false ideas are spread faster than wholesome values and the poor, disabled and elderly become marginalized as atheism does not uphold the value of human life. Question Four Secularism can be viewed in two aspects. First, it is the government principle that gives the right not to be oppressed to any religious group by another one. Secondly, it is the separation of the state and its institutions from religious institutions and dignitaries. In the second sense, it thus implies that citizens are free from state imposed religions and the state takes a neutral stand on belief matters. Political activities of that state are not biased by religious manipulations. It is better for states to remain secular for the sake of practicing democracy. A country with mixed cultures and religion should be allowed to practice their preferred faith without being a nuisance or danger to the society. Question Five The Wicca Church’

Monday, November 18, 2019

Earthquake dangers and community preparedness Essay

Earthquake dangers and community preparedness - Essay Example Adapted from Geography: earthquakes, by BBC, 2012, Retrieved 26 November 2012 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/geography/natural_hazards/earthquakes_rev1.shtml. Copyright 2012 by Author. Reprinted with permission. A shift in these plates results in vibrations in the crust of the earth, a phenomenon referred to as earthquake. Patel and Revi (2010) define earthquake as a sudden movement of the crust of the earth due to volcanic activity or release of stress accumulated along faults. The logarithmic Richter scale measures the magnitude of earthquakes. The greatest magnitude measured to date has been 9.5 for an earthquake that rocked Chile, causing tsunamis and killing about 1,655 people injuring 3,000 others (US Department of the Interior, 2012). Dangers of earthquake to humans and the environment Indeed, these shifts of the earth’s crust referred to as earthquakes impact on ecosystems and habitats. The United Nations Environmental Program (2004) gives an example of the 1976 Sichuan earthquake that led to the loss of the habitat for the giant bear panda. The tsunamis that result from earthquakes could kill fish and other sea life with consequent disturbance of their habitat. For example, the 1964 Alskan earthquake uplifted the floor of the sea by 33 feet leading to destruction of calcareous marine organisms. Earthquakes destroy plant life. It is feared that in Northern California, a place of convergence of three tectonic plates, the occurrence of an earthquake would cause a massive loss of Redwood trees (Patel & Revi, 2010). As humans seek to construct temporary shelters, reconstruct and meet their energy needs, they could cause deforestation thus ecosystem depletion (BBC, 2012). Similarly, other risks such as quarrying for reconstruction could further negatively impact on the ecosystem. Wildlife also gets affected either directly or indirectly because of earthquakes. Some of these environmental effects of earthquakes affect human health. The waste disposal and debris resulting from an earthquake could negatively impact the environment and human health. The affected would have to look for appropriate ways of disposing off such waste so as to rebuild their structures. The aftermath of the 2008 Sichuan China earthquake saw agricultural fields turned into dumps with building materials (BBC, 2012). Water sources also got contaminated with the dumps. Therefore, it would be critical to ape Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts which after the 194 earthquake disposed off the rubbles appropriately (Patel & Revi, 2010). This would be important in seeking to lower contamination of the environment and disease to humans. Other than diseases, earthquakes could cause fires which burn down the assets of people, setting them back economically. In addition, the short term looting in the event of an earthquake would have similar devastative effects. Landslides could bury families under rubbles, with some bodies not being retrieved even after the disaster. The cost of rebuilding also adds to people’s financial burdens. Preparedness towards earthquake dangers The Seattle Office of Management (2012) suggests various ways to prepare one for an earthquake as an individual. The organization proposes anchoring of appliances and tall furniture that could fall. Homes should have emergency supplies known to every family member. The members should also have the necessary numbers handy to be used in case of separation

Saturday, November 16, 2019

The Boon Or Bane Of Global Warming Environmental Sciences Essay

The Boon Or Bane Of Global Warming Environmental Sciences Essay The stratosphere ozone (o3) is a product of billions of years of the photochemical process catlalyzed by the solar radiation . The ozone screen provides a shield for living creatures by filtering out dangerous ultra-violet rays from sunlight . ultra violet radiation causes sun burn , skin cancer , cataracts and can suppress the immune system . Since 1973 it has been increasingly recognized that the ozone umbrella is being ripped off by the industrial activities of man which release chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) The main problem with the CFCs is their long life in the atmosphere ranging from 75 to 125 years . Also one molecule of CFC can destroy 1,00,000 molecules of ozone . Also rockets which take off vertically carry ozone killers (Chlorine containing chemicals and nitrogen oxides ) Eg : The American Delta booster, the authors rate it as a second ozone killer which destroys 8 million tonnes of the earth shielding gas during every take-off SOLUTION Coming to the question of stopping launchings of space ships to obviate thinning of the ozone layer , the soviet experts are of the view the problem can be tackled by taking positive steps like minimizing production of ozone-killing chemicals , banning solid fuel fired rockets , and setting international restrictions for the frequency of launches . A BRITISH ORGANIZATION , Ozone Help (OH ) has come out with a programme to produce ozone in the upper atmosphere . A solar powered machine is carried to high altitudes by balloons over the antartica , where the ozone depletion has reached its highest . This ozonator is a simple electronic unit about the size of a large microphone and generates a charge of more than 15,000 volts . When this charge is emitted into the air , it produces a significant amount of ozone by converting the oxygen of the air. GLOBAL WARMING (due to greenhouse gases ) The large scale burning of fossil fuels in modern industry and transport systems increases the concentration of greenhouse gases such as CO2 , O3 , CH4, CFC3 and N2O in the atmosphere . These greenhouse gases allow suns rays to penetrate the earth surface but retard the return flow of the infra-red radiation. Thus the suns heat would be trapped near the earths surface, raising the earths surface temperature over a period of time. Among all the gases CO2 alone plays a major role in creating greenhouse effect. There are many reasons to be cautious about accepting CO2 as the causative agent if there really is warming. This is highlighted by 2 papers published in March 2008. Scafetta and West showed that up to 69% of observed warming is from the sun and Ramanathan and Carmichael show that soot has 60% of the warming power of CO2 The fluctuations in the composition of the atmosphere and changes in the temperature over the past two lakh years can be determined by analysis of tiny air bubbles trapped in ice that has accreted year by year in arctic and Antarctic. All scenarios on global warming show that significant climate change will occur over a period of time. There are many other issues of environmental concern too like radioactive fallouts , phenomenon of acid rain , large scale deforestation and large scale use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in modern agriculture and so on . Here are some ways for the prevention of global warming Clean or replace filters on your furnace and air conditioner Cleaning a dirty air filter can save 350 pounds of carbon dioxide a year.. Do not leave appliances on standby Use the on/off function on the machine itself. A TV set thats switched on for 3 hours a day (the average time Europeans spend watching TV) and in standby mode during the remaining 21 hours uses about 40% of its energy in standby mode Plant a tree A single tree will absorb one ton of carbon dioxide over its lifetime. Shade provided by trees can also reduce your air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. Encourage the switch to renewable energy Successfully combating global warming requires a national transition to renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass. These technologies are ready to be deployed more widely but there are regulatory barriers impeding them Try car sharing Need a car but dont want to buy one? Community car sharing organizations provide access to a car and your membership fee covers gas, maintenance and insurance. Is Global Warming Bad? The IPCC 2007 Reports Suggest There Will be More Losers than Winners with Warming. The IPCC process includes many unlikely scenarios. These worst-case estimates also have associated impacts, from benign to worst-case. Thus we get the 5% worst impacts that have a 5% chance of happening (a combined 0.25% likelihood) equally discussed with benign changes that are reasonable to expect. By the time summaries are written, and press releases, only the bad effects are presented.   This leads to a gross exaggeration of the problems. Global Warming Will Actually Have More Winners then Losers. Throughout the history of human life, the Earths livability has always been better when the climate has been warmer than cooler. Human populations have expanded the most when the Earth warmed and turned greener, whether during the middle ages or during the last 2 decades. Whether it is a   fish in the ocean, a shrimp in an aquaculture pond, or a bean on a   vine, it will grow faster when it is warmer, all things being equal. Humans will   be quick to take advantage of a warmer climate and to adjust if it gets too warm in an area. More crops grow where it is warm or hot than in frozen ground, and CO2 is a primary food of plants basic facts that   seem forgotten. Even now, NASA satellites show that the Earth has become 6% greener as the world has warmed over the past 20 years (In the laymans approach, ozone depletion and global warming is mostly the same thing . However if you take a closer look youll know they are completely different . Although the two are different, activities leading to one always have some impact on the other ) Read more: Difference Between Ozone Depletion and Global Warming | Difference Between | Ozone Depletion vs Global Warming http://www.differencebetween.net/science/nature/difference-between-ozone-depletion-and-global-warming/#ixzz1AiNbKbQO Facts about climate change This chart looks ominous until put into the context that the average temperature for 1901-2000 is 13.9C (57.0F), so we are talking about a change from about 13.5 to 14.3 C or 56.3 to 57. 7 F. Not only is Earths surface warming, but the troposphere the lowest level of the atmosphere, where weather occurs is heating up too, U.S. and British meteorologists reported The EPA is set to regulate greenhouse gases next year for the first time, after the Supreme Court ruled in 2007 that it could treat heat-trapping gases such as carbon dioxide as pollutants.EPA spokesman Brendan Gilfillan responded: The commonsense and transparent steps weve taken are already proving doomsayers wrong, as evidenced by the fact that 98 percent of states have stated theyre in a position to comply (times of india) Democrats established the committee in 2007, after taking control of the House. At the time, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, called global warming possibly the greatest challenge of our time, setting at risk our economy, environment and national security. Scientists across the globe are toiling to perfect newer sources of energy that would end reliance on fossil fuels and threat of global warming. Those at citybased National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (Neeri) have joined the pack. They have developed a process of producing biofuel from four different species of micro-algae (plants that cant be seen with naked eye). The climate is changing. The earth is warming up, and there is now overwhelming scientific consensus that it is happening .. With global warming on the increase and species and their habitats on the decrease, chances for ecosystems to adapt naturally are diminishing. Many have agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities in weather patterns. Climate change, in the absence of mitigation policies would in all likelihood lead to: 1 Possible disappearance of sea ice by the latter part of the 21st century 2 Increase in freqency of hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation 3 Increase in tropical cyclone intensity 4 Decrease in water resources due to climate change in many semi-arid areas, such as the Mediterranean Basin, western United States, southern Africa and north-eastern Brazil. 5 Possible elimination of the Greenland ice sheet and a resulting contribution to sea level rise of about 7 metres. Without mitigation future temperatures in Greenland would compare with levels estimated for 125,000 years ago when palaeoclimate information suggests 4 to 6 m of sea level rise. 6 Approximately 20 to 30% of species assessed so far are likely to be at increased risk of extinction if increases in global average warming exceed 1.5 to 2.5 degrees C. In Africa, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to water stress due to climate change, and in some countries yields from rainfed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. The impacts of climate change would be disproportionately severe on some of the poorest regions and communities of the world. My own analysis suggests that at least 12 countries are likely to tend towards becoming failed states and communities in several other states would show potential for serious conflict due to scarcity of food,, water stress and soil degradation. UN Summit on Climate Change, 22 September 2009 STATEMENT OF DR. R. K. PACHAURI Chairman, IPCC Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute Director, Yale Climate and Energy Institute Warming of the climate system is unequivocal as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global sea level, and that Most of the observed increase in temperatures since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic GHG concentrations. In the twentieth century average global temperature increased by 0.740 C while sea level rise resulting from thermal expansion of the ocean and melting of ice across the globe amounted to 17 cms. With this increase the Maldive Islands with land surface barely a metre or two above sea level, every storm surge and major upwelling of the seas represents a major danger to life and property. But this is not all. Climate change is already resulting in an increase in the frequency, intensity and duration of floods, droughts and heat waves. Precipitation has increased significantly in eastern parts of North and South America, north ern Europe and northern and central Asia, whereas it declined in the Sahel, the Mediterranean, southern Africa and parts of south Asia. Globally the area affected by drought has increased since the 1970s If we take no action to stabilize the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, then average temperature by the end of this century would increase anywhere from 1.1 degrees to 6.4 degrees C. The world is increasing its emissions at a rate that may take us to the upper end of the range projected, which implies a total increase in these two centuries of over 7 degrees C, that is, over 12 degrees Fahrenheit. Yet between 1970 and 2004 global GHG emissions increased by 70% and carbon dioxide by 80%. We must halt this unacceptable trend. It is heartening that the G8 leaders have recognized the broad scientific view of limiting increase in global average temperature to 2 ° C. But, we have clearly specified that if temperature increase is to be limited to between 2.0 and 2.4 ° C, global emissions must peak no later than 2015. That is only six years from now. And the 2.0 ° ceiling too would lead to sea-level rise on account of thermal expansion alone of 0.4 to 1.4 meters. This increase added to the effect melting of snow and ice across the globe, could submerge several small island states and Bangladesh. CONCLUSION Like Michael Jackson said Heal the world make it a better place for you and for me and the entire human race . There are people dying if we care enough for the living , make it a better place for you and for me While this is just the tip of the iceberg, many, many issues need addressing regarding the extinction of plant and animal species, polar bears and their natural habitat and as times of india has mentioned that the lakes are heating faster than the air There are many such questions that need to be answered. .It is more important now than ever before to pull heads out of the sand and make a change for the better to our mother earth before it becomes too late. The earth is something we borrowed from our future generation hence we must do what we can in our capacity to preserve it . where the question of global warming arises it is seen as a detriment to us hence we should take measures to counter its growth or to our peril .

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

The Coral Reefs Essay -- Sea Ocean Nature Wildlife Environmental Essay

The Coral Reefs Can we save â€Å"Tropical Rain Forests of the Ocean†? Anyone who’s ever scuba dived at a coral reef and seen the perfect handprint of dead coral can appreciate how fragile and delicate this ecosystem is. Coral reefs are not just rock, like some people believe, but are an animal. Corals are a type of animal called a polyp, the simplest of predators that eat meat in the form of drifting zooplankton†¦all corals have boarders, zillions of microscopic, one-celled plants called zooxanthellae that live inside the polyps and transform sunlight into oxygen, keeping the corals alive. As you will see, the corals need these algae in order to live, but too much is deadly. Coral reefs are limited to where they live. Most live in the narrow band of the equator, as they need light, the shallow near shore areas is where most coral reefs can be found. Their biological riches, though, hold value far beyond their beauty. After tropical rain forests, coral reefs may be the most biologically diverse ecosystem, holding a substantial portion of the basics of life on the planet. They form what is thought to be the most species rich ecosystem in the oceans, the crucible of life some 3,000,000,000 years ago. Covering just 0.17% of the ocean floor, an area the size of Texas, coral reefs are home to perhaps one –quarter of all marine species, earning them the title â€Å"the tropical rain forests of the Oceans.† Unfortunately, these beautiful and diverse ecosystems are in trouble from a large variety of sources. These sources being everything from natural water temperature fluctuations to being mined for building materials. One source of abuses to the coral reefs ... ...eefs helps, but does nothing to prevent runoff from pesticides and fertilizer. Many resorts educate divers about not touching the coral, but it is unrealistic to expect that the coral could not get accidentally bumped. One country could ban pollution, but if the next country doesn’t, what good does that do? It needs to be a global effort if we are to save these â€Å"tropical rain forests of the ocean.† Works Cited Butler,James N., et al. â€Å"The Bermuda Fisheries: a tragedy of the commons averted?† Environment Jan-Feb/1993/pg6+ Matsen,Bradford. â€Å"Travel to Exotic Foreign Lands! See Beautiful Coral Reefs! And Kill Them!† Mother Jones May-June/1998/:pg60+ Raloff,Janet. â€Å"Sea Sickness.† Science News Jan/1999/:pg72+ U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.www.coralreef.gov 4/23/00 Weber,Peter. â€Å"Coral Reefs face the Threat of Extinction.† USA Today May/1993/:pg62+

Monday, November 11, 2019

Child Support Enforcement: One Law Does Not Fit All

Single parents are becoming the norm these days and the government has stepped in to assist these custodial parents to make things fair. It takes two people to make a child so it seems only fair that two people support the child financially, right? I am a single mother. My daughter’s father, Donnie, and I were never married and weren’t together at the time of her birth. He wasn’t around to sign the birth certificate so I had to go through DFS to fill paperwork out to get support payments from him after our daughter (Nathalia) was born. When I filled out the CSE (Child Support Enforcement) paperwork the case was being handled by a caseworker in Jefferson City, MO. I gave the caseworker Donnie’s address about four months after our daughter’s birth. Nothing was done and I assumed they were having trouble getting hold of him. When Nathalia was five years old my case was moved to a caseworker in Columbia who called and got the information from me again and I received paternity paperwork within the month. The way it works is the noncustodial parent only has to pay from the time the paperwork showing paternity was sent. I had tried to contact Nathalia’s father to start visitation. He came around for one hour a week for about two months then just stopped. He paid the arrearage for support payments after facing criminal charges for non-payment of support payments, and being threatened with a year in jail if the support was not paid. I feel no sympathy. Now he is back to not making the payments. On the other hand I have a friend (Jessica, fictional name) who has a five year old daughter (Hannah, fictional name) whose father has been in and out of jail for child support non-payment. He has a relationship with Hannah and has care of her fifty percent of the time. The government wants to put him back in jail for arrearage on Hannah and two of his other children. Jessica has lost her health insurance due to not signing papers that would have him arrested. With these two cases the fathers are very different. One is an absentee father who quits jobs to avoid paying his support payments, the other a father who is very much in his child’s life and is a positive influence. Both fathers are being treated equally in the eyes of the State. But which father deserves the jail time? In an article by Jeff Minerd, â€Å"A Kinder, Gentler Look at ‘Deadbeat Dads’,† he states â€Å"In 1950, about 20% of children lived apart from their father; that figure is now approaching 50%† (8). This article was printed in 1999 so the percentage of children not living with their father has likely increased. The increase is due to many reasons. Some of the reasons may include death, divorce, and never-married couples. With the number of children who do not live with their fathers rising it only stands to reason that the number of cases the CSE (Child Support Enforcement) is handling is increasing as well. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Support Enforcement, one of their goals is â€Å". . . to emphasize that children need to have both parents in their lives. . . † (Handbook). If this is true then why is the father who is a positive influence and is present in his child’s life having to deal with the possibility of going back to jail for past child support non-payment, but the father who wants nothing to do with his daughter and doesn’t pay his child support as ordered gets off with a slap on the wrist? Child support enforcement should look more in depth at each case before taking actions against a non-custodial father. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Office of Child Support Enforcement states â€Å"Although the function of the CSE program is to collect and distribute child support payments, throughout the Handbook [sic]we hope to give the message that children fare best when both parents play an active, supportive role in their lives† (1). The government claims that the actions they take against non-custodial parents are to assist in getting families to work together to make children’s lives better. But according to Jeff Minerd, â€Å"Government enforcement of child support can have the effect of separating fathers from their children† (8). Minerd also states that it is more supported to go after the â€Å"low-income† fathers because it gets the mothers off of State welfare monies. With â€Å"middle-class† mothers it isn’t so supported to go after the fathers because it doesn’t help the State with the amount of money being paid out because they aren’t on welfare (8). So is their mission to help keep families connected or is it to get the money back that they are giving to the low-income families? The first reason CSE should handle these cases case by case is that if actions are taken that cause the father to be resentful it could harm the relationship between the parents and the child. Actions taken by the state can come between the custodial mother and the non-custodial parent. As Cindy Elmore states in her article â€Å"On and On, Over and Over: The Gender War in Child Support Enforcement Court,† â€Å"We’re all crowded together waiting for the courtroom doors to be unlocked, but the women don’t talk to the men, and the men ignore the women† (397). The line of communication between the parents is destroyed by feelings of resentment and arguments that arise from court dates and state demands. Arguments between the parents also harm the child. Even if the parents do not argue in front of the child, the child will still feel the tension and know something is wrong. Feelings of resentment toward being forced to do something may also disturb the relationship between father and child. If the father is arguing about how much to pay and how often with the mother it may cause the father to stop coming around the child. In my situation Nathalia’s dad, Donnie, got upset about the amount and when I couldn’t change it he just cut all contact. The way his support amount was determined was a paper was filled out on the amount of money it took to raise Nathalia. Then the amount I made and the amount he made were taken into consideration. Since I made more my percentage of responsibility was larger. Then they take the percentage left to raise her after subtracting mine and he is responsible for that. So there was nothing I could do to request they lower the payments. We had many arguments relating to this. Another was that he was afraid the State would go after property that he owned. According to the Handbook on Child Support Enforcement liens can be placed on property the non-custodial parent owns in the county (26) and can also take State and Federal Income Tax refunds to pay back child support (29). So it could happen but not if he pays his support payments on a regular basis. When I kept refusing to ask if his payments could be lowered he stopped calling Nathalia and stopped coming to visit her. Second, if a father is active in a child’s life and is a positive influence leniency should be given. Pushing a father to make payments higher than he can make then sending him to jail until it is paid, when he is active in the child’s life, will only harm the child. In â€Å"Child Support Enforcement and Father Involvement for Children in Never-Married Mother. Families† Chien-Chung Huang states, â€Å"Although there are no studies on changes in father-child contact for children in never-married mother families over time, studies find that about one-third of children saw their fathers at least once a month but another third of children had no contact at all with their fathers† (99). If there are such big chunks of the population receiving child support that have similar situations with the non-custodial parent, shouldn’t the different types have different ways of handling the cases? A father that is helping his child with homework every other week shouldn’t be held to the same treatment as a father who has no contact with his child by his own choice. Speaking from experience, I know that if I my daughter’s father was involved in my daughter’s life in a positive way and they had a healthy relationship I would not mind so much if there was a payment missed here or there. A child’s life can be so much fuller with positive influences from both the mother and the father figures in their lives. Third, if the system states that they are trying to get fathers more active in the child’s life through child support enforcement then if they don’t see what is going on before ordering something to be done, they won’t succeed. Jeff Minerd does not think that child support should not be enforced, â€Å"However, the harsh treatment of low-income fathers may make them hostile and resentful of the mothers, children, and government authority† (8). If a low-income father is ordered to pay what the CSE considers to be fair what happens if the father isn’t even making enough to make the payments? Is he to be held to the same standards as a father that keeps quitting his job to avoid making his payments? What if the father gets remarried? According to Hans and Coleman in the article â€Å"The Experiences of Remarried Stepfathers Who Pay Child Support,† â€Å"Remarriage magnified feelings of disempowerment and introduced additional complexities to existing child support arrangements† (613). When fathers remarry it adds more financial responsibility, especially if they have more kids in the new marriage or if there are stepchildren in the marriage. When the Child Support Enforcement Agency takes harsh actions against non-custodial parents it starts a chain of events that can destroy the relationship between the parents. The resentment the father feels for being forced to comply with what the state orders can cause a rift between the father and the custodial mother. In cases like mine it may have caused a rift so large that my daughter may never see her father again. She doesn’t understand why her father doesn’t come and see her any more. A couple of months ago she made up a reason of her own, it was because he was sick. Just last week a new reason came up. She told me he died and that is why he doesn’t come over anymore. I don’t know where she got this but I do know that it is her way of dealing with her feelings. I don’t know what to tell her when she says this. If I tell her that he is alive what reason do I give her when she then asks why he doesn’t see her anymore? Perhaps if the enforcement of the child support was handled differently she would still have a father that was active in her life.

Saturday, November 9, 2019

Organizations should be treated as an-ongoing concern

IntroductionOrganizations should be treated as an-ongoing concern. This is because; there are a lot of revisions needed whether it is through reengineering, information system or its workforce so that the organization would be able to stand against competition. Organizations are made up of people who are responsible for certain operations in different fields and are thus inherently complex. Since change or revisions are the basic things that are needed in the organization, it is imperative that leaders must understand that a change to one component will always generate a rippling effect on other surrounding components (Abraham et al, 1997). Therefore, decision making should be done carefully and accordingly.Sustainability can be thought of as a way of protecting the options that are present. Sustainable development actually needs a fundamental shift from the traditional or routinely activities involved within the organization to a circular approach of borrow-use return. It offers a c ompelling strategic paradigm for guiding business in contributing to the society’s desire for balanced progress towards economic prosperity, social justice and environmental quality.If sustainability is accepted by the organizations, they should be able to understand the need of exploration and innovation as much as prescription and planning is needed. It frees the creative potential of the human mind and maximizes the potential for deeper learning within the boardroom. As a part of the business strategy, it has the ability to help the business performance of your organization to be superior and prosperous.Currently, the world’s most popular chicken buckets restaurant is in hot water and being complaints by the animals’ activist called PETA for an inhumane method of killing chickens for their 850 million buckets supply of chicken. According to PETA, chickens are carelessly slaughtered everyday; chickens’ throats are slit and put into tanks of boiling wate r in order to be dressed while still alive and feeling the pain. KFC gets these slaughtered chickens from West Virginia slaughter house. Obviously, KFC is not taking the demands of PETA because after two years their promise to abide the animal welfare still remains as a promise (Curlee, 1994). Unlike, McDonalds, Wendy’s and other food chains serving chickens took the demands and followed by the book. According to PETA KFC should: ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Follow the â€Å"Animal Care Standards Program† Lessen the quantity of ammonia in the air of their factory farms, develop the living spaces and lighting in chicken sheds, stop starving the chickens deliberately and make sure that the chickens are given mental an physical encouragement. ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Stop the slashing of the chicken throats, ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Use mechanized chicken gathering.There is actually no best approach for sustainability because it would depend on the certain goal that would be rea ched by the organization. Rather, superiors involved in the organizations must make their own decisions which are based on varying cultural and environmental factors that are present. However, in this variability, there are common entrenched behaviors and thought processes that have to be changed which is necessary in order to embrace sustainability.AnalysisThe problem and complaints against KFC has two social issues to tackle, first, business ethics and second corporate social responsibility. In the first issue, since KFC is a multi-national company, seeking for profits globally and competitive advantage against their main competitors, there are a very huge demand of KFC’s chicken, and their current method is a very easy and fast way to cope up with this demand. The big question is, what will KFC do?In search of customers and suppliers, individuals in business face a lot of challenges when they shift beyond their own business practice and culture in search of customers and s uppliers.   One tough question is:   How do KFC resolve the conflicts between their business strategy and ethical principles and those of the country in which they are doing business?   What to expect from other countries’ views of business ethics to be?However, because of the demands of the ethical business conduct, more especially that some governments pass anticorruption laws and that more multinational corporations (MNCs) formalize ethic codes and programs to support their internal ethical climate, more companies’ managers are becoming aware of the risk of expensive legal entanglements caused by doing business with firms having lower ethical standards than their own. Ethical practices are evidently crucial to establish an ethical work climate in strong corporate guidelines (Farmer and Hogue, 1985).These guidelines set the ethical tone of the corporation and let the employees know that management considers ethical behavior an important part of its business ope rations. It can be communicated through conduct codes which outline the company’s main expectations. Management stratagem, accountability structures, organizational policies, incentive systems, training programs, and decision-making processes should all work as one to strengthen the firm’s fundamental ethical beliefs. However, in the government sector, giving of preferential treatment is through numerical hiring and promotion goals and ratios, to women and minorities, is a critical affirmative action (Friedman, 1970).Public managers must make a selection of ethical judgments and decisions in pursuing the policy tasks entrusted to them. The KFC management considers ethical behavior an essential part of its business operations and can be communicated through mission statements while the government sector on the other hand, some public employers may operate under legal obligations to permit preferential treatment, others may opt to do so. Both of the circumstances, prefer ential treatment require difficult and controversial ethical choices.How important is competitive intelligence in KFC? Generally, competitive intelligence (CI) is applied to the decision-making and planning processes to improve the performance of the company. CI is the process by which KFC must gather actionable information about competitors and the competitive environment. It connects evidently unrelated signals, events, perceptions, and data into patterns and trends concerning the business environment. CI can be simple, such as inspecting a KFC’s annual report and other public documents (Blenkhorn & Fleisher, 2001). CI has its vital role in the business organization like KFC and in the government area.There is no problem in focusing to profit and competitive advantage as long as moral ambiguities are going to remain because no one can formulate policies that are morally justified under all circumstances. Ambiguity in fact does not diminish the importance of the issue; the m oral aspect of governance corresponds to the quality of public service and governmental conduct. If not, how can the general public trust that their businesses are fairly managed and that they haven’t conceded rights and freedoms to an irresponsible administrative state? Competitive Intelligence (CI) has been performed by most of the organizations in today’s business environment. Most senior executives practice CI in their daily activities as they try to understand how to make better position in their organization’s products or services in the marketplace (Krizek and Power, 1997).Only few founders can obtain the needed financial resources to launch their firms without having done at least some environmental scanning and identifying potential competitive danger. Companies that lack the range of resources needed to launch and maintain complicated or automated CT networks, the fact that the chief executive officer and senior managers act personally and continuously on intelligence gives them a chance in the competitive market place.The second issue, their corporate social responsibility, they stick to their current practice of slaughtering the chickens or switch to a more humanitarian way of method and will not put all attention to profits and competitive edge in order to fulfill their responsibility? Corporate social responsibility can be defined as the duty of organizations to conduct their business in a manner that respects the rights of individuals and promotes human welfare (Farmer & Hogue, 1985). While the level of social responsibility exhibited by multinational corporations is said to be improving, perfection has hardly been attained. Governments and people around the world seem to have an increasing interest in scrutinizing the actions of global corporations, in effect forcing international companies to be good corporate citizens.According to Maclaren (1996), corporate responsibility is supported by the concepts of multidimensional d efinitions and social marketing. In the multidimensional definitions concept, the focus is on the major responsibilities expected from companies. These major responsibilities include economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic dimensions. These responsibilities must be performed in order to benefit not only the company operators but also their employees, customers, the community and the general public.Social responsibility in business has been debated for a long time, and several sides of the issue have been presented by ethicists. This debate has been extended in recent years to include the operations of multinational companies. Thus, it is important to view some of the changes in the attitudes and behaviors of multinational companies and their perceptions of corporate social responsibility in light of the evolving nature and composition of global competition (Friedman, 1970).Business culture has turned its focus when the businesses penetrate globally. There had been dispute, argume nt, confusion and debate towards the subject â€Å"social responsibility† in business arena. Many believed that it is a tool to change the business set up to promote a more well working environment. However, there are also cynical about the existence of social responsibility and its role in managing the business.Even so in history, the topic of social responsibility has received so much attention when it first came into popularity in the developed world. It became controversial because of its inconsistencies with the free enterprise system. However, whenever we view today’s scenario, there are indications that social responsibility has become an obligation for any business, and that it is permanent fixture on the corporate business scene (Karake-Shalhoub, 1999).In order for KFC to give the demands of PETA and social responsibility, the company may apply some methods in corporate social responsibility and this is sustainability-change-efforts. Change may start at all le vels of the organization. However, the presence of strong leadership is essential to guide the changing processes that are needed for sustainability to push through. This is because, without the presence of good leaders and governance system that may support the movement, sustainability will never be achieved.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become the standard euphemism for the right social values that corporations oftentimes has neglected in their day to day practices and has the need to strive harder to achieve so as to solve the problem of those whom they have affected by their policies and actions. Its idea is; either radical nor is it new. The core belief is that the corporation incurs responsibilities to the society beyond profit maximization. Huge companies has the power to manipulate and influence the quality of life employees, costumers, shareholders and residents of local communities have in which they operate.A single corporate decision may change the lives of t housands of people (Petrovich, 1994). Managers or people who are involved in the corporate world should always bear in mind that power also entails responsibility. Business responsibilities must include the known and foreseeable results of business dealings whether the results of their actions have been recognized by law or not. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is the continuing commitment of the business to be ethical and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of their workforce, company and including the society.The environmental demands are the ones that must not be overlooked. Every action that a corporation does always has consequences such as the cutting of trees for expansion. In this case, the corporate must reconsider and find different ways on how to manage this because it is very unethical and irresponsible of them to do this (Schwab and Brower, 1997).The hand of government would then be there to put a hold to any actions that the corporate do es which would be then considered to be harmful to the environment. Although many corporation disagree with the presence of the hand of government because for them it is not fair, it is quite appropriate if the corporation themselves would do a strategic analysis of what they are about to do because the government would never be tailing them if they have not done anything.ConclusionIn this respect, it is illustrated that businesses from different countries do not show the same level of dedication to being perceived as socially responsible. Moreover, it is also attested that firms across countries have variety of principles, processes and stakeholder issues to express that they are responsibly committed.   People expect firms not only to perform the traditional function of providing goods and services to all citizens who are willing to pay for them, but also to help society solve its problems. If these things are generally seen as desirable, and the firm does them, then it is socia lly responsible. If the firm does not, then some people may feel it is irresponsible.Moreover, incorporating and promoting increased public participation in dealing with plans and projects toward progress and development illustrates an efficient and effective measure to achieve more possible success of economic and social growth. Since the public is the foremost concern of every institutional and national improvement, it is very logical that public consultation will be highly incorporated as inputs to come up with sound policies that will reflect the preferences and general welfare of the society. Public participation will ensure developments that are in synch with the needs of the society and at the same time increase the likelihood of long-term and continuous growth for the whole country.Even though the issue is tackled in its complexity, it is no doubt that social responsibility has to play a great role in today’s business world. It may either contribute to efficiency, eff ectiveness, success or failure. What is important is that we are becoming more aware each day. No doubt that in this era, social responsibility should become every business’ obligation.Works CitedAbraham, M., Burgdorf, M., Dittoe, J., Scherf, H., Seydlitz, J. & Silver, B. Sustainable Development: Best Practices Manual. Cleveland: Build Up Greater Cleveland, 1997.Blenkhorn, D. L., & Fleisher C.S. Managing Frontiers in Competitive Intelligence. Westport, CT. Quorum Books, 2001.Curlee, R. Waste to Energy in the United States: a Social and Economic Assessment, 1994.Farmer, R. and Hogue, W.D. Corporate Social Responsibility. Lexington, Massachusetts: Lexington Books, 1985.Friedman, M.   â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business Is to Increase its   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Profits.† New York Trines Magazine, Sept. 13, 33, 1970.Karake-Shalhoub, Z. Organizational Downsizing, Discrimination and Corporate Social Responsibility. Westport, CT. Quorum Books, 1999.Krizek, K. J. & Power, J. A Planners Guide to Sustainable Development. PAS   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Report No. 467. Chicago: American Planning Association, 1997.Maclaren, V. W. Urban Sustainability Reporting. Journal of the American   Planning Association. 62, 2 (spring): 184-202, 1996.Petrovich, N. L. Introduction to Sustainable Development. Counties: Foundation for a Sustainable Future. Washington D.C.: National Association of Counties, 1994.Schwab, A. K. & Brower, D. J. Sustainable Development: Implementation at the Local Level. Land Use Law & Zoning Digest (April): 3-7, 1997.

Wednesday, November 6, 2019

A Moment Of Silence In Schools Essays - Prayer, School Prayer

A Moment Of Silence In Schools Essays - Prayer, School Prayer A 'Moment of Silence' in Schools In 1962 the Supreme Court decided that public schools did not have the power to authorize school prayer. This decision made public school in the U.S. more atheistic than many European nations. For example, crosses still hang on the classroom walls in Poland, and the Ten Commandments are displayed in Hungary. There are prayers held at the beginning of legislative and judicial sessions and every President has mentioned a divine power in his inaugural speech. In keeping with a spirit of religious freedom as stated in the First Amendment, there is no reason why students should not be allowed to have a moment of silence during the school day when they can pray or do as they choose. The case Engel v. Vitale in 1962 decided that school prayer is unconstitutional. With this case, it was pointed out that the students were to "voluntarily" recite the following prayer: "Almighty God, we acknowledge our dependence upon Thee, and we beg Thy blessings upon us, our parents, our teachers, and our country." The court ruled that this rule was unconstitutional according to the First Amendment's "establishment clause," which states "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion." In response to the Engel v. Vitale case some schools adopted a "moment of silence." In 1963, another case was brought before the court dealing with school prayer, Abington School District v. Schempp. The Schempp family challenged a law in Pennsylvania requiring the students to say ten verses of the Bible before school. These readings from the Bible were declared unconstitutional. Members of the board felt reading the Bible would give the children more moral values. The Schempp family strongly disagreed. Members of Congress attempted to find a compromise. From this effort came the adoption of the moment of silence, which is guaranteed by the First Amendment's "Free Exercise" clause. Six states now permit silent moments Georgia, Virginia, Maryland, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama. Silent prayer was ruled constitutional in 1985 as long as it had no religious intent or purpose. (Newsweek, October 3, 1994) Prayer has been banned in schools for thirty-three years. The moment of silence has been ruled constitutional, however. Every student fills a moment of silence in a different way: through song, a prayer, or a memory. - References Newsweek, October 3, 1994, vol. 124. U.S. News and World Report, December 5, 1995 Vol. 117, No. 22, pg. 8-9. The Case of Engel v. Vitale 370 U.S. 421 1962, p. 118-119. Abington School District v. Schempp 374 U.S. 203; 83 S. Ct. 1560; 10 L. Ed. 2d 844 1963, pg. 529-530.

Monday, November 4, 2019

WHAT CRITICS SAY ABOUT ROBERT MCKEES SCRIPT WRITING WORK Essay

WHAT CRITICS SAY ABOUT ROBERT MCKEES SCRIPT WRITING WORK - Essay Example Even movie directors seek advice from Mckee on very many issues. Statistics reveal that over 500,000 students have undertaken Mckee’s course in different cities of the world. Therefore, his movement and screenplay scripts have been well received by authors from various parts of the world. Notable actors have not been left behind in all these matters. This is because, they have also decided to undertake Mckee’s seminar so that they have noteworthy information about screen writing. In 2000, Mckee managed to win the International Moving Image Book Award for the book story, Regan Books/ Hypercollins. The book is currently a reading requirement for Harvard film and cinema schools. This further highlights the respect that has been accorded to the author and his words. Not many critics have come out and criticized his teaching on various aspects of screenwriting. All these factors show that no negative impact has been documented to criticize Mckee’s

Saturday, November 2, 2019

Annotated Bibliography for Africas Hunger Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Annotated Bibliography for Africas Hunger - Essay Example its failure to offer food security to its people, many people think that Africa unproductive, but it is an agriculturally productive continent, but lacks ways of managing its food production, and has poor farming practices and, therefore, the yields are minimal. "13 Million People threatened by Food Crisis in Africa" Telegraph.co.uk. 9 Mar. 2012. Web. 10 Mar.2012.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/9133915/13- million-people-threatened-by- food-crisis-in-Africa.html. This newspaper article highlights issues pertaining to the food crisis in Africa and its effect on the people of Africa. HIV/AIDS has resulted in deaths in the past years since it was discovered in Africa. This has affected the workforce. More people die and others become sick and cannot work anymore. This has made it impossible for some African countries because they lack personnel to work in industries for production of food. For this reason, the rate of poverty still goes high as people do not earn an income. HIV/AIDS has resulted further to deaths resulting in desperation amongst some Africans to the extent that they are discouraged to work and produce food. In the end, they die of hunger. The contents of this newspaper article give information on how this situation has become life threatening in Africa. This book was written following a hearing that had been held in 1984, on the basis of African affairs; inclusive of the hunger problem that had started to become a problem in the continent. They spoke of the unfair trade markets and how it affected the people’s trading of goods across continents. Unfair trade markets has also contributed to hunger in one way or another, the exportation of food crops has become very lucrative in Africa, but the problem arises because the crops being exported are being underpaid and the freight charges are high. This still hinders the growth of GDP. It contributes to hunger as it increases the rate of hunger in the population due to