Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Response Paper on August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean Essay
Response Paper on August Wilson's Gem of the Ocean - Essay Example ‘Gem of the ocean’ is a play written by eminent American playwright August Wilson. The plot of the play is set in the year 1904 and the main characters are Aunt Tyler, Citizen Barlow, Solly two kings, Black Mary, Caesar Eli and Selig. Aunt Tyler is the central character of the play and is a former slave who is now a soul cleanser. Prompt I: African American History & Gem of the Ocean: The end of the nineteenth century saw a radical transformation and the blacks got more rights as compared to the previous decades. African Americans experienced huge mental trauma especially during post slavery era and the US laws were less significant in reducing the effect on the African Americans. Even though there had been a number of US legislations, yet Slavery seemed to be an inborn part of the African American. There were no more options available to an African American other than being either forced into Slavery or becoming the servant of whites. The blacks completely resisted Slav ery and treated it to be the most dreadful act that a person could face in his life. Evidence Supporting Point: Citizen Barlow’s dialogue in the book in page number 59 which states that â€Å"making the people owe is worse than slavery and Solly’s dialogues of Ain’t †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.ground†Citizen Barlow states that slavery is better than making the people owe to you but Solly emphasizes that Slavery is the most dreadful crime committed on a human. Evidence Supporting Point: The blacks had separate sleeping places and could not become an eminent part in the society and were treated differently. Black Mary’s dialogue: â€Å"He probably goes down under the Brady Street Bridge to sleep. They got a whole bunch of people sleeping down there.†In page 10 in the book, there is a clear indication of how badly the Africans were treated. Black Mary refers to the African Americans, who are usually assigned separate sleeping p laces and in this play they usually sleep under the Brady Street Bridge. Prompt II: Aunt Ester: One of the most interesting things about the play is the characters. When I read it, the first thing that strikes me is the age of the main character Aunt Ester, who holds 285 years of experience with her. I think that the author did this to talk effectively about the background of the African American when they were slaves of the white people. Aunt Esther used to be a troubled soul but her years of experiences turned her into a wise person. She holds on to the memories of the entire history of the Africans in America, â€Å"People say you crazy to remember. But I ain’t afraid to remember. I try to remember out loud. I keep my memories alive. I feed them. I got to feed them otherwise they’d eat me up. I got memories go way back. I’m carrying them for a lot of folk†(Walseth par. 1). The age of Aunt Esther may be unreal for many readers but I feel that it is ver y effective to make others remember about the slavery days and how the Africans were treated in those days. It also illustrates the fact that they have come from a long line of abuse and hardships which continues till the 1904’s. Aunt Esther represents the old traditions while Black Mary, her successor represents the forward thinking African American. She likes to do things her own way, â€Å"It’s been three years now. I can’t do nothing to satisfy you. I may as well lay down somewhere and forget about it†¦
Monday, October 28, 2019
Intentional Torts, Negligence, Nuisance Essay Example for Free
Intentional Torts, Negligence, Nuisance Essay A tort is a legal injury resulting from a violation of a legal right which arises independent of contract and for which restitution may be had in a civil action for damages. Generally, there are three kinds of torts. They are: first, those which are based on fault or negligence; second, intentional torts; and third, those where the element of negligence or intent does not enter as an essential element.            The first kind refers to the fault or negligence of a person who, by his act or omission, causes damage to another, to whom he is not bound by any contractual relation. In some civil law jurisdictions, this tort is popularly known as quasi-delict which is of French origin comprehending a common law concept of negligence. In actions based on quasi-delicts, to recover damages, an injured party must prove the fault or negligence of the defendant, the damage suffered and the relation of cause and effect between the defendant’s negligence and the damage or injury he has suffered. The immediate cause which produces the injury must not be intermitted by any intervening cause. In cases where both parties are negligent and proximate cause cannot be directly attributed to either party, the humanitarian doctrine provides that the party who had the last chance to avoid the accident but did not do so, shall be held accountable for the consequences of the act. Intentional torts are acts causing injury to persons or property committed with intent to cause damage to another.  This is covered under provisions on human relations. An example of this type is trespass to land, whether such violation of property right causes improvement or damage to the land. This is an actual invasion to other person’s possession without consent. A good example of the third kind is nuisance. This is sometimes classified as intentional tort. Nuisance is any act, omission, establishment, business, condition of property or anything else which injures or endangers the health or safety of others or annoys or offends the senses or shocks, defies or disregards decency or morality or obstructs or interferes with the free passage of any public highway or street, or any body of water or hinders or impairs the use of property. As to injurious effects, nuisance may be classified as public nuisance or private nuisance. A public nuisance affects a community or neighborhood or any considerable number of persons, while a private nuisance affects only a person or small number of persons. The remedies against nuisance are abatement brought by an agency of the government and damage suit or relief by injunction by private individuals whose enjoyment of a right has been impaired. In tort cases, the doctrine of res ipsa loquitor is applied. The doctrine requires that the accident must be of a kind that does not ordinarily happen without defendant’s negligence. It affords reasonable evidence, in the absence of explanation by the defendant that the accident arose from want of care. The accident must have been caused by an agency or instrumentality within the exclusive control of the defendant and not due to any voluntary action or contribution on the part of the plaintiff. Strict Liability and Product Liability             Strict liability in tort is a concept where the plaintiff need not prove the negligence of the defendant in order to recover damages caused by defective products. . Consensual contract is not necessary to prove liability of the defendant. Strict liability is enforced against the manufacturers who are responsible for committing the products in the market. Liability rests on the protection of the consumers with the aim of securing that the costs of harms brought about by defective products are donned by the manufacturers. In product liability case, the burden of proof is shifted from the plaintiff to the defendant.  The plaintiff must only prove that he suffered injuries by the defective product and that said defect already exists at the time the goods departed from the manufacturer or retailer as distinguished from recovery due to negligence, where the plaintiff has yet to prove that the defect was caused by defendant’s failure to act with prudence. Strict liability applies only where there is physical harm or damage to other property. Economic loss such as consequential loss of income or cost of repair/replacement brought by defective product is recoverable under the Uniform Commercial Code. If a product exists different from what is intended by the manufacturer or differs from the same manufacturer’s product, it is said to be defective. However, the manufacturer is not liable if the injury is caused by unanticipated use or misuse of the product. Wrongful Death and Survival Tort Action            When through negligence a person is  killed, wrongful death happens. Damages may be recovered by the decedent’s survivors or beneficiaries. Survivors need not prove the exact amount of damages which fall under two classes: economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages include funeral and burial expenses. If the survivors are receiving financial support, it has to be included, computed based on the life expectancy of the decedent. The value of household services that could have been provided by the decedent to his beneficiaries had he survived shall also form part of the economic damages. In addition, gifts and other benefits the decedent could have contributed to the survivors shall also be included. Economic benefits shall be reduced to current value. In deciding for the noneconomic benefits which includes loss and sufferings, no fixed standard exists.            In survival action for tort, it is the estate of the decedent that can claim for lost earnings, punitive damages and medical expenses incurred by the deceased before to his death. It means that, it is the successor-in-interest that has the right to file such claim, subject to testate or intestate proceedings under a probate court. Both wrongful death and survival tort action are subject to prescriptive periods under the Statute of Limitations. Wrongful death has to be claimed within two years from the death of the decedent.  In survival action, the time limit for the action commences from the date the claim actually passed to the deceased. In deciding these cases, the scale of justice is slightly tilted in favor of the plaintiff where only clear and convincing evidence is required. Immunity, Release and Contribution, Indemnity            State political subdivisions such as hospitals enjoy immunity from suits for negligence or intentional torts under state law. However, under federal preemption law, they may be sued under the EMTALA or Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act. Regarding state immunity statute, where a conflict arises between state law and federal law, state law must yield under the supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution. Under the Communications Decency Act of l996, providers or users of interactive computer service are entitled to immunity. Legislators also enjoy immunity from suit while in Congress in the exercise of their legislative functions. In personal injury suits, there are cases where there are two or more tort-feasors who are jointly and severally liable for the injury caused to the plaintiff. Joint tort-feasors are entitled to right of contribution and pro-rata share of the money judgment provided the common liability for damages has been satisfied in full. The right to contribution is granted only to a tort-feasor who has not willfully caused the injury. Payment by one of the whole liability extinguishes the others and entitles one to recover contributions from the other tort-feasors. However release of one by the injured party does not necessarily release the other tort-feasors unless provided for in the release, but the claim shall be reduced proportionate to the amount in the release. The party to whom release is granted is exculpated from all liability for contribution to the other co defendants. The proportional degree of fault or negligence of the tort-feasors shall determine their pro-rata share in the liability. However, this issue of proportionate fault should have been litigated and decided in the same action for damages by way of cross-complaint.  In case a defendant has paid the whole obligation or more than his share in the claim; he is entitled to indemnity by filing a cross-claim against a co party. Where a tort-feasor is entitled to indemnity, the right is for indemnity and not for contribution. Workers’ Compensation, No-Fault Auto Insurance            Workers’ compensation is an option to the tort system. Firms self-insure or purchase workers’ compensation insurance as mandated by the state law for the benefit of the workers who sometimes are injured in the performance of their duties. The insurer pays the worker medical expenses and average wage while under recovery. The only requirement to avail of this benefit is that the injury must be work-related. It does not matter whether there is negligence on the part of the employee or employer. Under this alternative, there is guaranteed income, and because of this, the employee waives his right to sue his employer for work-related injuries sustained.            The problems of long and costly court cases to determine who is at fault led to the enactment of the no-fault auto insurance laws that provide for the payment of policy holders irrespective of fault and also limits the right to sue. This is known as personal injury protection or PIP first party coverage. This is also an alternative to the tort system.  Motorists are allowed to sue only under certain thresholds involving grimness of injury. The law intends to reduce vehicular accidents cases clogging the courts, limiting payment for losses and restricting recovery for non-economic damages thus, reducing premiums on auto insurance. Defamation, Injurious Falsehood, Invasion of Privacy Defamation is one of the dignitary torts which refers to the issuing or publishing of a false statement to a third party about another person, resulting to another person’s injured reputation which entitles him to damages. Defamation in print is called libel. Oral or spoken defamation is slander. To have one’s reputation remain untarnished is one of the rights of a person under the civil law system. The burden of proof lies with the defendant to prove his innocence. The plaintiff does not need to prove intent to besmirch his reputation and the actual damage suffered. However, the requirement to prove damage is not totally abstracted in all slander cases. The Ontario Libel and Slander Act of Canada still requires proof of damage in cases where the damaged reputation of the plaintiff resulted to loss of business contract.            The tort of injurious falsehood or slander of goods applies where a person’s goods are discredited resulting to economic loss, usually made by dissatisfied customers or dismissed employees. Monetary loss must to be proved to obtain recovery for damages. The elements for this tort are: a statement about the goods; that there is falsity in the statement which was published maliciously and that the plaintiff suffered damages. To establish slander of goods, the statement must cause a reasonable person to believe that the statement is true. The defendant need not mention the product or name of the plaintiff to be liable. It is enough that an implication be drawn by the public that the defendant’s derogatory statement refers to the goods in issue where for example there is only but two products of same sort in the industry.            Invasion of privacy is another form of dignitary tort. This is a right also protected by the Constitution under the Fourth Amendment, for a person to be left alone by himself free from interference or abuses of the government. This includes the right to property against unreasonable search and seizure. Invasion of property by private individuals is dealt with under private tort law. Four categories are set forth under this tort. One is intrusion of solitude which arises when a person presents or displays another to unjustifiable promotional material or publicity. Another category is public disclosure which is revealing of private information though conforming to truth is appalling to a sensible person. The third category is false light which places another person before the public in a false light through misrepresentation of a person’s character, beliefs and activities and the last of the categories is appropriation which involves using the person’s identity or visual representation without his consent for the benefit of another person. Invasion of privacy entitles an injured person to compensatory damages and punitive justice. Misrepresentation            Any averment or expression conducted in any manner that is not in accord with facts is misrepresentation. It is a civil wrong and creates civil liability if monetary loss ensues. A person making misrepresentation to be held liable, the misrepresentation must be relied upon by the recipient or taker of the falsified statement and the maker knew of such fact. Misrepresentation creates liability whether committed intentionally or unintentionally. In a contract, misrepresentation bestows a person a valid ground for the rescission of contract. An insurance policy contract may be cancelled due to material misrepresentation made by the insured or the insurer may refuse a claim. An opinion that is not a true statement is not a misrepresentation of fact. However a promise which the maker has no intention of carrying out that induces another person to enter into an agreement is an actionable tort. Interference with Economic Relations            Interference with economic relations is an economic tort the purpose of which is to protect people from intervention with their commercial or business relations thus maintaining contractual stability. It has been held in a number of cases that an accomplice or accessory to breach an existing contract is liable for economic loss sustained by a party to the contract. In an action for interference with economic relations, it is necessary that the plaintiff must prove the existence of a contractual relation between him and a third party; that the defendant has knowledge of such contractual relation; and that defendant intentionally, with malice did disturbed said contractual relation. Damage must be proved, but it is presumed when it is a direct consequence of the disturbance and ultimately the breach of contract. Interference may include also inducement or persuasion to a person not to continue with a prospective business relation or preventing a party not to enter such a relation. Interference with a pre-contractual business relation is however considered lawful unless wrongful means are employed. Several factors have to be looked into in deciding impropriety of the means used to interfere. One of these is the motive of the party interfering. Another consideration is the interest of the parties involved in the unlawful interference. To determine whether interference is proper, industrial ethics and practices are substantively necessary. The interference or economic tort does not only protect contractual interest but also ethical and legal interest thus upholding contract as a legal instrument in promoting trade and competition. Unjustifiable Litigation            Unjustifiable Litigation also commonly known as malicious prosecution, an intentional tort has been securely instituted in law. An action for malicious prosecution is a remedy for recovery used by victims injured by unwarranted judicial proceedings. The underlying principle of this tort is an effort to equalize conflicting interests. Plaintiffs have the right to access to courts without concern of inculpation. Public policy requires that defendant’s interest be also protected against unmeritorious litigations through this remediation. Sometimes people, prompted with malice come to court even without probable cause only to harass other people. In a cause of action for malicious prosecution, the plaintiff must establish that the prior action was filed at the behest of the defendant and that it was terminated in his (plaintiff) favor; that it was initiated without probable cause and was brought with malice. However, malicious prosecution cases filed on the basis of absence of probable cause usually do not lie or prosper because it is for the court to determine the existence of probable cause as it is a legal question. Legal authorities said that malicious prosecution deters claimants to institute criminal proceedings for fear of facing excessive litigation after the initial action has been decided not in their favor. In a case, the Supreme Court settled that it is not sensible to desert or loosen the restrictions on malicious prosecution (Sheldon v. AO). Reference Supreme Court of California (l989, January 12). Sheldon Appel Co. v. Albert Oliker, Cite as: 47 Cal.3d 863, 765 P.2d 498, 254 Cal.Rptr. 336. Retrieved on September 16, 2007 from http://www.casp.net/oliker-1.html
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Stricter Rules for Hockey Parents :: essays research papers
Stricter Rules for Hockey Parents      The sport of hockey has a long proud history of being one of the best sports in the world. Great excitement for the fans and great fun for the players, but lately there has been too much emphasis on winning in the lower levels. It is very hard for children now days to play hockey for the fun of the game.      It is not the children themselves, or even the coaches that put this pressure to win on them. It is the parents of the children who create this pressure. Hockey parents have made winning so important that they sometimes lose sight of the reason that they are there in the first place. Hockey may be a fast paced, high adrenaline sport (you see more fights in hockey than any other team sport), but parents should leave the body contact to the players. Fortunately, physical abuse is still not very common in arenas but every year there are more reports of enraged parents assaulting referees or other players due to mishaps that took place during the game. Winning is not the only reason that some parents become upset. There has also been a growing dilemma with parents becoming outraged with coaches for factors as small as the amount of ice time their child receives during a game. There is a growing ambition among parents for their child to succeed in hockey and become a professional even before the child reaches adolescence. Although very serious, physical abuse is still not a common sight in arenas, but it is a serious problem which needs to be corrected. Verbal abuse however, is very common in arenas all over Ontario. Names and threats can be heard coming from the stands at any caliber of hockey at any age. This is also a significant problem which needs to be stopped.      The best defense against this kind of behaviour would be to create stricter penalties for anyone parents who get out of control. Anyone who is verbally abusive to officials or coaches should be given fines which increase for each infraction. If the abuse continues after three fines then the person should be banned from arenas for a specified amount of time depending on the severity and the frequency of the instances. If not abuse persists even after the ban the parent should be banned from all minor hockey games for life.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Counselor Confidentiality and Disclosure
The counseling process consists primarily of self-disclosure and self-confrontation on the part of the client, facilitated by interaction with the counselor. In order for counseling to take place, the client must disclose personal material to the counselor, who in turn tries to understand the client’s world in a context of what he or she knows about how people respond to life situations. Counselors are aware of their influential positions with respect to clients, and they avoid exploiting the trust and dependency of clients.Everyone has a primary obligation to maintain the privacy of both current and former clients, whether living or deceased, and to maintain the confidentiality of material that has been transmitted to them in any of their professional roles. Reasonable differences of opinion can and do exist among counselors with respect to the ways in which values, ethical principles, and ethical standards should be rank ordered when they conflict.Ethical decision making in a given situation must apply the informed judgment of the individual counselor and should also consider how the issues would be judged in a peer review process where the ethical standards of the profession would be applied. This paper adopts the main thesis that the clients’ confidentiality ranks number one in this ethical issue. By developing an oath of confidentiality, ethical considerations are not relegated to a secondary status, after business matters nor are they noted as afterthoughts.Without a clear directive, ethical oversight of the actions chosen through the strategic planning process lack this input. Counseling Values Values are enduring. They motivate behavior. Judgments about right and wrong or good and bad are moral judgments based on values. In the course of human interactions, there are many situations in which it is difficult to make a decision because values come into conflict. Values must be clarified if moral decisions are to be reached.These values are e asily seen during the counseling activity. While clients may reveal significant personal materials in their non-verbal behavior, the primary medium for counseling communication is verbal. Clients reveal their thoughts and feelings to a perceptive counselor by what they say, the affect with which they say it and by what they choose to obscure in their verbal material. The more fully self-disclosure takes place, the more fully the counselor can serve to help the client discover new ways of coping.Ethical practice may be defined as providing a helping service, for which one has been appropriately trained, with care and conscientious effort, Unethical practice occurs under three conditions: when the professional helper becomes involved with clients whose problems are beyond the scope of his or training; when the helper exploits his or her position to collect fees or salary for incompetent service; and when the helper fails to understand his or her obligation to respect a client’s rights to privacy and to free choice. It is fundamental for counselors to provide competent counseling service to clients.It is this trust that allows the client to share his or her personal concerns in a way that goes beyond casual conversation and which makes effective helping possible. As with all professions, it is a violation of trust to offer a service wherein one is incompetent to deliver or to exploit the public by offering less than the service one knows the children need. Some of the more practical solutions in maintaining confidentiality of the client’s background by the counselor are the following: I. ) Limiting Personal Information from Client’s FilesRespecting a client’s rights to privacy includes the maintenance of a confidential relationship within which the client is free to reveal important personal information as he or she is ready to do so. The client who hears his or her private thoughts revealed to another by his or her counselor has been betrayed, unless the nature of the words suggests a credible threat to life or limb. A child or the parents who is manipulated by a counselor to reveal information he or she is not yet ready to reveal has also been the victim of an invasion of privacy.The line between facilitative leading by the counselor and prying into personal matters can be a fine one, and the distinction is often in terms of timelines and context. Respecting a client’s right to choose freely is also troublesome to some counselors. If one begins with the assumption that rational persons will ultimately arrive at the same set of conclusions about a given problem or circumstance, it is easy to conclude that the client who does not arrive at an answer that the counselor values is thinking irrationally.At times that may be true, and the disagreement serves as evidence that help has not yet been carried to an appropriate termination. In other instances, the disagreement may signify that the client has values t hat differ from the counselor’s own set of values, and perhaps from those of the society at large. In such instances, the counselor can help the client to understand the logical consequences of the view he holds to be certain. In the case of information that is readily available, there must also be a limit to the information about the client that would be made available to counselors.There is a need to enforce an oath of confidentiality. At the Children’s Aid Society in Canada, there is not always a committee to decide on matters regarding ethics. Therefore, the middle ground approach must be taken. This involves the requirement that a counselor signs an oath of confidentiality. The organization’s philosophy statement may not be specific enough to guide the day-to-day making processes. The use of a combined mission-philosophy statement can lead to this problem. Alternatively, a written oath of confidentiality could be very specific but cover a limited scope of p otential circumstances.Indeed, every profession consists of human beings or individuals with objectives or goals for the attainment of specific purposes. These purposes may either be personal, profit oriented, or imbued with some public interest. In the attainment of every profession’s objectives, certain standards are observed, to ensure that the individuals play fairly and act with honest and sound independent judgment. Standards are also observed to make sure that the people within a profession observe proper ethics in terms of behavior, both in doing their work and in dealing with other people, in the course of the performance of their job.However, despite the rigid standards, set by law or regulations of the organizations where these professions are practiced, certain unethical behaviors are shown by various counselors. In an article entitled Clergy’s Image Recovering since Scandals, published last December 4, 2003, a survey reveals that in 23 different profession s, the nurses were ranked high or very high as to honesty and ethical standards. Doctors, veterinarians and pharmacists were next to the nurses, in said order, as the professionals who exemplified ethical behavior in the practice of profession.Those who were ranked lowest were the car salesmen, HMO managers insurance salesmen and advertising practitioners. The members of the clergy ranked higher than the previous years, but still behind policemen and engineers, though ahead of psychiatrists and bankers. What could be the reason behind the results of the surveys? It is the type of ethical or unethical behavior, which the professionals exemplify in their practice that leads to the results of the surveys (Denenberg, T. et al. ). Problem-solving processAs the conditions for therapy are established, a cooperative problem-solving process is conducted which results in more self-enhancing attitudes and behavior patterns and the development of the basic social competencies needed to build an d maintain cooperative relationships (Johnson and Matross, 1977). Objectivity refers to one’s ability to assess a situation based on its own merit and not based on personal biases or other influences external to the situation. Thinking and acting objectively pose challenges because preconceived notions influence a person’s judgment.In addition, humans are more emotional than they are rational in acting upon any given situation. All the more, a balanced outlook of confidentiality needs to be done by the counselor. What is confidentiality? Confidentiality involves the protection of sensitive information given by one person to another. It is based upon mutual trust between the giver and receiver of information. Protecting information about a person is important because its disclosure can make that person vulnerable.Because of this sensitive responsibility on the part of counselors, they must make sure that sensitive data is not recklessly divulge unless the patient allows the disclosure or if there is a need that this data be revealed for the benefit of the client (Code of Ethics). Accountability means being answerable to consequences of one’s action or inaction. This is not limited to big responsibilities but a daily occurrence that happens in day-to-day situations whenever one is given duties to perform. Counselors must take this view as they undertake counseling sessions, whether menial or complicated.These tasks are important components of a larger process. Counselors must take ownership of what they do and do not pass on to others this relevant but confidential information (Code of Ethics). Empowerment in counseling situations Empowerment, as a counseling concept, is considered an important tool to make an individual or group adapt to social change. It involves the principles of interaction with people and their right to self-determination. Empowerment requires that helper identify an individual’s strengths, share power and contro l with him, and motivate him to learn and to participate in a group.Both the counselor and the client must work together by allowing each other to contribute to the counseling process. Empowerment means acknowledging an individual’s capacity to face his problems and to make decisions on his own. The counselor’s role is to help an individual identify his strengths that he can use to help himself and make him feel that he is in control. Counselors also need to be of their clients (Empowerment). Empowered individuals can stand and decide on their own even after the supervision of the counselor is done.Empowerment is real because an individual draws his strength from within him, his uniqueness, his personal experiences, his values and beliefs. Counseling is not comparable to charity because of the concept of empowerment. Counseling does not only feed an individual but empowers him so that he may be able to feed himself. Purposes of Helping Most adult clients are self-refer red, that is, they arrive at the helper’s office with the hope that they may somehow improve their lives through involving themselves in counseling.More often than not, they have tried to sort out why they do not feel satisfied with their lives, but they have found themselves unable to control those things that create distress for them. Schlossberg (1976) stated succinctly that the purpose of counseling with adults is to return to them the locus of control over their own lives. It is true, of course, that many clients arrive at the counselor’s office convinced that their lives will be improved only if significant others or specific sets of circumstances are changed.It is important to remember that it is the client himself or herself who must change if counseling is to succeed. External circumstances may indeed be difficult, but if they are to change, it is most often the client who is in the best position to engender those changes. The adult who does not like his or he r job can decide how to improve it or how to seek a different job. The adult who is burdened with the care of an aging parent can seek help in bearing that burden. An adult who is angry at his or her children can learn to understand this anger and find more productive ways of accomplishing his or her goals with the children.A part of being in control involves not only being able to hold information in confidentiality but also in knowing what one wants and needs and being able to be satisfied with what one can reasonably attain. Being in control is being motivated by what is meaningful, not being driven toward undefined goals. Interactive Process Counseling with any individual will involve an interactive process based on certain fundamental principles of counseling. The content of counseling with adults will differ in certain respects from the content of counseling with children or adolescents.The adult client has more experience and typically is in a life position where there is gre ater pressure to assume responsibility for decisions, actions and interpersonal behavior. He or she would also be more cautious about the information given out for fear of being judged. The interactive process with adults can be based on a genetic model of helping such as that of Egan (1975). His model for counseling includes three stages wherein the client is expected to begin with self-exploration, move to deeper levels of self-understanding, and finally to develop a plan of action.Emphasis in the helping process will be related to the client issues identified and classified in the diagnostic process. A client who is experiencing a concern that is primarily situational will move fairly rapidly through Stages I and Stages II and will devote the majority of counseling time to considering the workability of various alternative ways of coping with the situation. Counseling is usually short term. The client whose coping skills are adequate for normal living may still experience stagnat ion in his or her development.In that instance, counseling will focus very heavily on Stage II, so that reachable new goals may be identified, and Stages I and III serve their usual functions of getting the problem defined and the development of strategies for implementing the new goals. Trust in a counseling environment Trust is not given but earned. In recognition of this, I strive to be worthy of other people’s trust by behaving in a proper manner and exhibiting good conduct at all times. I try to honor my commitments at all times and refrain from making promises that I cannot actually deliver.Trustworthiness is consistent with the principles of social work. One of the core values of social work is integrity. Integrity lies in the ethical and responsible conduct of a social worker in dealing with clients and in representing his organization to society. Counseling is a professional undertaking that requires discipline and a broad understanding of human relations and social dynamics. Counselors must be passionate about helping others. Counselors find strength in the areas of problem solving and human relations. Precepts of the American Counseling Association (ACA)According to the American Counseling Association, counselors need to respect the right of the client to privacy. It is important that they do not indulge in unwarranted disclosures of confidential data. The Section B1 of this right to privacy states that the only exception is when there is danger posed in the life of the client such as information that confirms that a client has a communicable disease and thus, the information needs to be relayed to a third party, who because of his close relationship with the client, may be at risk of getting that disease. (ACA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, American Counseling Association).
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Drinking Age
Kaitlyn Turner Fall 2010 CA 110 Mr. Foutz Introduction Attention-Getter: How many of you are 18? For those of you who are, 18 years old you are considered adults in nearly all aspects of the law, including voting rights and the ability to join the military, yet the United States still treats you as minors when it comes to drinking. Establishment of Credibility: According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 7,000 teenagers under the age of 16 have already had their first sip of alcohol. Teen alcohol) According to the Century Council 10 million teens from the ages 12-20 admit to consuming alcohol in the past 30 days. 2% of 12 year olds drink, 22% of 16 years olds drink, and 56% of 20 year olds drink, and these percentages are steadily increasing. (Underage drinking statistics) Thesis/ Purpose: During my speech today, I will talk about how alcohol is ever-present in today’s American society. I will also talk about how alcohol is present all around people under 21 who ar e not allowed to consume it, but in reality most people under 21 drink alcohol and abuse alcohol.Throughout this speech I will try to persuade you to believe that the United States should lower their drinking age to 18, and begin educating teens on consuming alcohol responsibly. Preview of Main Points: First, I will discuss the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries. Then, I will discuss the effects that the current legal drinking age has on America. Finally, I will talk about the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. ,, Body Main Idea 1: (Transition) Now, I am going to tell you about the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries.A. United States 1. According to Alcohol Problems and Solutions legal drinking age in the United States is 21. i. Alcohol Problems and Solutions states, â€Å"The minimum drinking age of 21 in the U. S. appears to be not only ineffective but actually counter-productive. Although it was passed wit h the best of intentions, it has had some of the worst of outcomes. †2. Legal drinking ages in the United States are under control of the states, which means the states get to decide how old they want their residents to be before being able to consume alcohol. . National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 ii. According to the Alcohol Policy Information System the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984 required that states prohibit persons under the age of 21 from purchasing or publicly possessing alcohol beverages as a condition of receiving State highway funds. B. In Other Countries a. According to Alcohol Problems and Solutions countries legal drinking ages vary from zero-21. i. Some countries with no drinking age Jamaica, Viet Nam, and Morocco. ii.Some countries with a 16 year old legal drinking age are Germany, Greece, Norway, Poland, and Spain. iii. Some countries with an 18 year old legal drinking age are Belize, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Ireland, Mexico, Russia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. (Transition): Now that I have told you about the current legal drinking age in the United States and other countries, I will discuss the effects of the current drinking age. Main Idea 2: The United States legal drinking age of 21, has many negative effects on those who are under age. A.Alcohol is considered a, â€Å"Forbidden Fruit†. Alcohol is considered a forbidden fruit because prohibition increases the harm that it is supposed to reduce. a. Because the United States as such a high drinking age, teenagers are driven â€Å"underground†to drink alcohol. i. According to Parade. com Since teenagers are not allowed to drink openly in public, teens take their drinking to dorm rooms, isolated areas, or at unsupervised house parties. At these gatherings teens usually binge drink, because they are scared their party may be stopped. (Flynn) ii.Also according to Parade. com when teens come about a problem, such as someone drinking too much alco hol at these parties, or assaults, they are less likely to call for help because they are scared of getting in trouble. (Flynn) B. High Rates of Alcohol Abuse and Addiction b. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention binge drinking plays a huge part in Alcohol Abuse. Binge drinking is excessive drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to . 08 percent or above. iii. Men – 5 drinks in two hours. iv. Women – 4 drinks in two hours. v.About 90% of the alcohol consumed by youth under the age of 21 in the United States is in the form of binge drinks. Main Idea 3 (Transition): Now that I have told you some of the negative effects of underage drinking, I will tell you about the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. A. Potential Benefits of a Lower Drinking Age a. Young people will learn to drink alcohol more responsibly. i. According to the group Choose Responsibility, if the drinking age is lowered to 18, everyone will be requ ired to take an alcohol education class before they turn 18 to inform them on the dangers of alcohol. . Would lead to less alcohol abuse and addiction ii. Since alcohol would no longer be considered a forbidden fruit, teens could drink in more open environments such as social events and bars where their consumption could be monitored. iii. Some teens may also feel as if they have a more freedom; therefore, they would make more responsible decisions when it comes to consuming alcohol. Conclusion Signal the End: Today I have hopefully persuaded you to believe that the United States should lower their legal drinking age.Review of Main Points: I have told you about the United States and other countries legal drinking ages. What the current legal drinking age does to American teens. Also, the potential benefits of a lower drinking age. Closing: Now that I have told you reasons to lower the drinking age I hope you agree that by lowering the drinking age, the United States can begin to rai se more responsible drinkers, who will not be as prone to alcohol abuse or addiction as today’s Americans are.Works Cited â€Å"15 Reasons Why Drinking Age Should be 18. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Alcohol Policy Information System. â€Å"The National Minimum Drinking Age Policy of 1984. †Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Binge Drinking. †Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2009. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Choose Responsibility. †2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. Flynn, Sean. â€Å"Should the Drinking Age be lowered? †Parade. 2007. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Minimum Legal Drinking Ages around the World . †2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Teen Alcohol†2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010. â€Å"Underage Drinking Statistics. †2010. Web. 29 Nov. 2010.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Definition and Examples of Exonyms and Endonyms
Definition and Examples of Exonyms and Endonyms An exonym is a place name that isnt used by the people who live in that place but that is used by others. Also spelled xenonym. Paul Woodman has defined exonym as a toponym bestowed from the outside, and in a language from the outside (in Exonyms and the International Standardisation of Geographical Names, 2007). For example, Warsaw is the English exonym for the capital of Poland, which the Polish people call Warszawa. Vienna is the English exonym for the German and Austrian Wien. In contrast, a locally used toponym- that is, a name used by a group of people to refer to themselves or their region (as opposed to a name given to them by others)- is called an endonym (or autonym). For example, Kà ¶ln is a German endonym while Cologne is the English exonym for Kà ¶ln. Commentary Europes second-longest river is the Danubethe English exonym for Donau (in German), Dunaj (in Slovak), and Duna (in Hungarian).Berber derives from the ultimate exonym (i.e. a name given by outsiders): the Greek word barbaroi, which mimicked the foreignness of a language by rendering it as something akin to blah-blah. From it, we get barbarian, as well as Barbary (as in Barbary Coast, Barbary Pirates, and Barbary apes). In current usage, many exonyms can be considered insensitive (Gypsy, Lapp, Hottentot) and preference is given to the endonym (Roma, Saami, Khoi-San).(Frank Jacobs, All Hail Azawad. The New York Times, April 10, 2012) [T]he English language exonym Mecca has been shown to be unacceptable to many Arab experts, who are uncomfortable with any alteration to the toponym of the holy place Makkah.(Paul Woodman, Exonyms: A Structural Classification and a Fresh Approach, in Exonyms and the International Standardisation of Geographical Names, ed. by Adami Jordan, et al. LIT Verlag, 2007) Reasons for the Existence of Exonyms - There are three main reasons for the existence of exonyms. The first is historical. In many cases, explorers, unaware of existing place names, or colonizers and military conquerors unmindful of them, gave names in their own languages to geographical features having native names...The second reason for exonyms stems from problems of pronunciation...There is a third reason. If a geographical feature extends over more than one country it may have a different name in each. (Naftali Kadmon, Toponymy- Theory, and Practice of Geographical Names, in Basic Cartography for Students and Technicians, ed. by R. W. Anson, et al. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1996)- English uses relatively few exonyms for European cities, especially ones it has come up with on its own ( not borrowed); this may be explained by geographic isolation. This could also explain the low number of exonyms that other languages use for English cities. (Jarno Raukko, A Linguistic Classification of Eponyms, in Exonyms, ed. by Adami Jordan, et al. 2007) Toponyms, Endonyms, and Exonyms - For a toponym to be defined as an exonym, there must exist a minimum degree of difference between it and the corresponding endonym... The omission of diacritical marks usually does not turn an endonym into an exonym: Sao Paulo (for So Paulo); Malaga (for Mlaga) or Amman (for Ê ¿AmmÄ n) are not considered exonyms. (United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names, Manual for the National Standardization of Geographical Names. United Nations Publications, 2006)- If an important topographic feature is located or contained entirely within a single country, most good world atlases and maps print the endonym as the primary name, with the translation or conversion into the language of the atlas either in brackets or in smaller type. If a feature transcends political boundaries, and especially if it carries different names in the different countries, or if it lies outside the territorial waters of any one country- exonymisation or translation into the target language of the atlas or map is almost always resorted to. (Naftali Kadmon, Toponymy- Theory, and Practice of Geographical Names, in Basic Cartography for Students and Technicians, edited by R. W. Anson, et al. Butterworth-Heinemann, 1996) Further Reading Name That -nymNationality WordOnomasticsProper Name
Monday, October 21, 2019
Free Essays on Deforestation
Environmental issues effect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. The reason for this is simple. A single disruption in the Earth’s delicate balance can mean certain destruction of the very place that cradles the lives of many species. What is not so simple is finding alternatives to the now dangerous and confronting acts of planet degradation that have been afflicted on the planet over recent years. One such issue that requires consideration is deforestation. Trees have been or are being cut down at increasingly high rates. If this is not stopped many unfavorable side effects could result. Why Trees Matter To understand why deforestation is such a pressing and urgent issue, forests must first be given credit for what they bring to global ecosystems and the quality of life that all species maintain. Tropical Rainforests presently give a place to call home for 50% - 90% of all organisms, 90% of our relatives, the primates, and 50 million creatures that can live no place but the rich rainforests (World Rainforest Movement 16). Not only are other species at risk, but the human race also benefits from what the trees give. From something as minor as the spices that indulge food to life giving medicines, the rainforests amplify and save lives. According to the World Rainforest Movement, 25% of medicines come from the forests (28). This is a number that does not do justice to all the cures that have yet to be discovered or that have been destroyed. The forests give life, not only to other species, but they help to prolong the human race. The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees improve the quality of the air that species breath by trapping carbon and other particles produced by pollution. Trees determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. As more water gets put back in the atmosphere, clouds form and provide another way to block out the sun’s heat.... Free Essays on Deforestation Free Essays on Deforestation Environmental issues effect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. The reason for this is simple. A single disruption in the Earth’s delicate balance can mean certain destruction of the very place that cradles the lives of many species. What is not so simple is finding alternatives to the now dangerous and confronting acts of planet degradation that have been afflicted on the planet over recent years. One such issue that requires consideration is deforestation. Trees have been or are being cut down at increasingly high rates. If this is not stopped many unfavorable side effects could result. Why Trees Matter To understand why deforestation is such a pressing and urgent issue, forests must first be given credit for what they bring to global ecosystems and the quality of life that all species maintain. Tropical Rainforests presently give a place to call home for 50% - 90% of all organisms, 90% of our relatives, the primates, and 50 million creatures that can live no place but the rich rainforests (World Rainforest Movement 16). Not only are other species at risk, but the human race also benefits from what the trees give. From something as minor as the spices that indulge food to life giving medicines, the rainforests amplify and save lives. According to the World Rainforest Movement, 25% of medicines come from the forests (28). This is a number that does not do justice to all the cures that have yet to be discovered or that have been destroyed. The forests give life, not only to other species, but they help to prolong the human race. The forests have global implications not just on life but on the quality of it. Trees improve the quality of the air that species breath by trapping carbon and other particles produced by pollution. Trees determine rainfall and replenish the atmosphere. As more water gets put back in the atmosphere, clouds form and provide another way to block out the sun’s heat....
Sunday, October 20, 2019
Dividing a Word When Writing or Typing
Dividing a Word When Writing or Typing Sometimes it is necessary to divide a word at the end of the line because there is not enough space for the completion of the word. These days many computer programs automatically take care of this problem for you. However, if you are using a typewriter or handwriting on stationary it is useful to know these rules. In order to divide a word add a hyphen (-) typed without a space immediately after the first part of the divided word at the end of the line. For example ...The matter of job compen-sation is extremely important... Rules for Dividing Words Here are the most important rules to follow when dividing a word By syllable: Divide the word by syllables or units of sound. For example, important, im-por-tant - important has three syllables; thinking, think-ing - thinking has two syllables By structure: Divide the word into the smaller units of meaning from which the word is constructed. It may have a beginning (a prefix) such as un-, dis-, im-, etc., (im-portant, dis-interested) or an ending (a suffix) such as -able, -fully, (as in desirable, desir-able). By meaning: Decide how each part of the divided word is best understood in order that the word is easily recognized from the two parts. For example, compound words such as houseboat made up of two words combined to make a single word, house-boat. Here are six further rules to help you decide when and how to divide words. Never divide a word within a syllable.Never divide an ending (suffix) of two syllables such as -able or -fully.Never divide a word with an ending of two letters such as -ed -er, -ic (exception -ly)Never divide a word so that one of the parts is a single letter.Never divide a word of one syllable.Never divide a word of fewer than five letters.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Business law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3
Business law - Essay Example After its establishment, Enron had adopted along with executed certain unethical accounting techniques with the specific objective of hiding its liabilities and other loses during the growth of its stock price. During this time, various experts of the US already provided warning to the company about its increasing debt, but Enron avoided this and moved on to the development of its business by making substantial investments. The financial collapse of Enron was a lesson for the other business houses prevailing in the US1. With this concern, the assignment focused on broadly discussing the unethical accounting practices conducted by Enron that made the company to face bankruptcy. The various responsibilities of the account practitioners in the company have been revealed in order to verify whether they are liable for leading the company towards facing bankruptcy or not. The prime objective of this paper is to determine that the conduct of unethical accounting practices had eventually mad e financial collapse of Enron. Case Background Enron had made a rapid growth since its formation. By the year 2001, it became the seventh biggest natural gas and electrical company in the entire region of the US. The scandal of Enron can be noticed for the reason of its increased level of earning business reputation and gaining substantial profits. After several years, Jeffery Skilling, the new CEO of the company appointed numerous skilled executives who were capable of hiding outstanding amounts that to be presented in the financial statements by using the methods of poor financial accounting. The company filed for bankruptcy in the year 2001 after experiencing a long-run loss in its business. It has been viewed that an increment in the annual revenue of the company was only US$ 9 to US$ 10 during the period of 1995 to 2000. This represents the loss that suffered by the company while conducting its business. It can also be viewed that the stock price of the company had a drastic fa ll from $90 per share to $1 from the middle of the year 2000 and lasted up to 2001 which created a great loss for the shareholders. After this incident, Enron checked its financial statement for the last five years and came to realize a total loss of $586 million2. Due to this heavy loss, Enron filled bankruptcy on December 2, 2001. It can be apparently observed that several problems faced by the company and its shareholders after the bankruptcy. In this regard, most of the employees of Enron were accused with charges and had been imprisoned. Enron lost a huge figure of customers due to bankruptcy and also for a case which was running in the US Supreme Court. The court ordered to pay back the customers with partial return. Being unable to overcome all these losses and negative reputation, Enron failed to restore its previous position in the market where it operates. In relation to the case of Enron, it can be affirmed that there were several reasons for which the company had experie nced bankruptcy. One of the major causes was the practice of unethical accounting practices that prevailed within the company. In this similar concern, the company adopted certain unplanned measures of financial reporting in order to hide the
Friday, October 18, 2019
Enhancing Correctional and Rehabilitation Results in Prision Research Paper
Enhancing Correctional and Rehabilitation Results in Prision - Research Paper Example In hindsight, in the 1970s, it was viewed that inmates who undergo rehabilitation are being left off easy and advocating such rehabilitations were seen as naivety. It is interesting to perceive that as society has been evolving through the years the propensity for criminal activities have also increased. But through the years, society changed its perception that indeed prisons must prepare the inmates in their re-entry to the community and not just serve as establishments to lock them up and serve their due time. Omar (2001) stated that â€Å"it is the general consensus that the fundamental objective of corrections is rehabilitation, whether such institutions are prisons, juvenile centers and other types of correctional institutions†. He added that the treatment process is directed towards the eventual return to the community of the inmates as law abiding and socially productive citizens. It is therefore the ultimate goal of correction facilities to reduce recidivism. Gaes et al. (1998) establishes that education, vocational training, and prison labor programs have decent effects on not only reducing criminal recidivism but also increasing positive behavior in prison. Although it was concluded that sex offender interventions proved to have been the most problematic. Treatments and rehabilitation practices should be adjusted and fitted to specific offender deficits. It is also worth noting that juvenile interventions yield better and stronger results than adult rehabilitations. Gaes et al. (1998) focused on four domains of adult intervention; 1) cognitive skills training, 2) intensive in-prison drug treatment, 3) educational instruction, vocational, and industrial training, and 4) sex-offender treatment. Based on meta-analyses, qualitative analyses, and reviews of component elements of successful programs, it was established that the most success in terms of criminal recidivism was achieved through emphasis on cognitive and skill building techniques. This approach is able to correct impulsivity by teaching consequential thinking, fatalistic thinking by practicing assessment of the role their thinking has affected their actions, antisocial behavior by teaching them skills for them to be prosocial, and social adjustments by teaching self-control techniques (Gaes et al., 1998) Aside from behavioral deficiencies, it is also an established fact that individuals under the influence of illegal drugs have greater tendency to commit crimes, and Gaes et al. (1998) notes that the level of crime is dramatically amplified by the use of drugs. It is of then a necessity in correctional facilities to incorporate drug rehabilitations for the inmates so as for them not to regress back to using such substances once they are released to society. While this approach is successful in reducing drug relapse of the criminals for up to 18months upon release, proper monitoring and probationary status must also be implemented to avoid recidivism. Gaes et al. ( 1998) also cites that prison education and work programs improve the inmates’ institutional behavior and promote prosocial activities after the release. By increasing the inmates’ functional literacy, the chances of having a lawful job opportunities also increases. Such an approach also promotes the maturity of the individuals, equipping them with better decision-making skills that are vital for them to keep them away from crime after release. Gaes et al. (199
Governing global business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words
Governing global business - Essay Example Contrary to the globalization critics, the embracers of globalization have suggested or reported huge reduction of poverty levels in their respective states, which has led to huge economic growth and produced the leading world economies, such as China and India. It is therefore sound to state globalization as both effective and affective, in the sense that it has led to the growth of economies and led to the interference of many lives around the globe. There has been a rapid and enormous growth in global trade since the end of World War II, in the terms of rampant international trade due to the increased interactions and relations amongst regions and states. The communication sector has seen a huge reduction and improvement in the terms of costs, which have declined intensely and improved the communication networks. The reduction in the communication costs has facilitated the relationship between nations, and thereby facilitated international trade. The growth in international trade has led to the rampant growth in the global trade, with cheaper communication through the use of the web, telephones and other mobile devices, and the outsourcing and innovation in the information and technology sector. Globalization has impacted on the trade sector of the economy, especially on the international trade that has affected direct foreign investments and the larger international capital flows. The process of high interdependence among states and their citizens, due to globalization, during the global economic downturn has proven to have negatively affected many economies that have been struggling to get back to an economic on-toe. Many state economies are affected by the poverty levels, which demand the implementation of strategic economic policies. Poverty reduction strategies must be employed in order to facilitate sustainable poverty reduction indices, which are raised by economic growth. Economic growth requires policy frameworks to be able to counter the unpredicta ble global economy. The responsibility of economic policy in the developing states or countries is rested upon the respective governments, with critical international trade relations playing vital roles in the development and sustenance of international trade, and the global trade at large. The development of the international trade mainly depends on the governments of the developing countries, the determinants of the global intellectual climate, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and individuals (Claes & Knutsen, 2011). The economic globalization has resulted from the increase in international trade, especially involving manufactured foods and other products, the increase in the international financial flow, in addition to the increase in the flow of labor (Sweeney, 2005). There has been intensively growing research on globalization and the global economy to unearth the impacts of globalization on the global economy since the end of World War II. After World War II, t here was the establishment of the international financial order to facilitate the resolution of the global trade volume and maintain a steady economic growth (Mcandrew, 2009). The occurrence of the global economic downturn due to the war, known as the Great Depression, affected global trade, with states employing
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Budget Finance Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
Budget Finance - Research Paper Example The author of the essay "Municipal Budget" makes the deep analysis of New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans Louisiana is a relatively small city, although the largest in the state, with a rank of only forty-six in terms of the United States’ most populous cities. It encompasses five districts with one city council person each and two at large councilmen with the current mayor being Mitch Landrieu. The budget then encompasses some 565 pages and is pretty much detailed and informative, with graphs and comparisons to similar sized cities such as Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia. It tells where revenues come from, what money is spent and where, whether there is going to be a surplus (yes with a 2011 surplus of $500K), and whether there are to be any cuts in city services. The budget also addresses two other difficult areas. One is the situation faced by municipalities all over the country, that of the nationwide recession begun in 2007-08 and continuing today. New Orleans has its share of unemployment woes; at 8.3% it is slightly higher than the national average. With the unemployment comes hundreds of foreclosures and other abandoned buildings. Added to that is the fact the city is still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which only adds to the blighted structures and a good portion of the city’s budget is devoted to placing liens and demolishing these b uildings. So yes, the current budget does give a very adequate overview of New Orleans’ financial position.... The budget then encompasses some 565 pages and is pretty much detailed and informative, with graphs and comparisons to similar sized cities such as Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia. It tells where revenues come from, what money is spent and where, whether there is going to be a surplus (yes with a 2011 surplus of $500K), and whether there are to be any cuts in city services. The budget also addresses two other difficult areas. One is the situation faced by municipalities all over the country, that of the nationwide recession begun in 2007-08 and continuing today. New Orleans has its share of unemployment woes; at 8.3% it is slightly higher than the national average. With the unemployment comes hundreds of foreclosures and other abandoned buildings. Added to that is the fact the city is still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which only adds to the blighted structures and a good portion of the city’s budget is devoted to placing liens and demolishing these b uildings. So yes, the current budget does give a very adequate overview of New Orleans’ financial position. By far and away, the biggest expenditures from New Orleans’ budget are public safety, fire, police, and other emergency services. For the 2012 budget, when taken from the Adopted General Fund Expenditures public safety accounts for over half of that budget, sixty per cent. Even when considered as part of the entire budget (general and non-general, public safety still accounts for thirty five per cent. Of the divisions within that department, the police have the biggest slice, budgeted for 2012 at almost $119 million, an increase of nine per cent over 2011.
The economic benefits of Sustainability Reports Dissertation
The economic benefits of Sustainability Reports - Dissertation Example The procedure is termed as sustainability report. This feature is developed and used extensively in order for companies to strike a balance between them, the society and the environment (GRI, 2012). The people, planet, and profit are the three elements which are considered while studying the elements of sustainability report. Emphasis is given to the stakeholders rather than the shareholders as they are the ones who are mostly directly or indirectly influenced by the activities or the action of any company. The sustainability reporting provides a platform for communication between the company and the stakeholders. This paper presents a detailed analysis of the use, importance, barriers and the economic benefits of using the sustainability report by a company in the daily practice. This allows the society to understand and judge how well an organization or a company is performing. The need of the hour is to make sustainability report a mandate and common practice to benchmark performance. Sustainability reporting – application within organizations Sustainability refers to the ability of maintaining an outcome over time without causing an ecological imbalance or exhausting the resources on which the result would depend. There are various theories and models of sustainability which are studied and considered. Some of them are the economic, ecological, political models etc (Jenkins, 2009). Sustainability reporting enables a company to communicate openly, positively and effectively with its stakeholders. This is crucial for maintaining and meeting the financial goal or the profitability of the company. The stakeholders, on the basis of the reports, can compare and analyze the performance of the company with others and to check on their own performance. Those organizations, which succeed in tailoring their communication with the stakeholders, to present a detailed analysis can convince them as to the fact that their company is working in tandem with the social, economic and environmental practices for long term growth. The success lies in a clear understanding of the true values of reporting and the issues associated with the making and execution of the sustainability reporting (KPMG, 2008). The management and the senior officers want to get the green label for their company, which is self explanatory by itself, that is it would prove that there is perfect alignment in t he company’s sustainability strategy, the environmental impacts and the social implications, as well. Sustainability reporting has now made its place in almost all sectors of business. Three out of Australia’s four largest banks publish annual sustainability reports (KPMG, 2008). Here, the reporting is considered as TBL (triple-bottom-line) business accountability. People, planet, and profit are taken into consideration while evaluating the reporting practices (vivodepot, 2008). Sustainability reporting involves a series of guidelines or a set of rules and regulations to be followed by the companies. As the aim is to deliver in accordance with the social,
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Budget Finance Paper Research Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words
Budget Finance - Research Paper Example The author of the essay "Municipal Budget" makes the deep analysis of New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans Louisiana is a relatively small city, although the largest in the state, with a rank of only forty-six in terms of the United States’ most populous cities. It encompasses five districts with one city council person each and two at large councilmen with the current mayor being Mitch Landrieu. The budget then encompasses some 565 pages and is pretty much detailed and informative, with graphs and comparisons to similar sized cities such as Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia. It tells where revenues come from, what money is spent and where, whether there is going to be a surplus (yes with a 2011 surplus of $500K), and whether there are to be any cuts in city services. The budget also addresses two other difficult areas. One is the situation faced by municipalities all over the country, that of the nationwide recession begun in 2007-08 and continuing today. New Orleans has its share of unemployment woes; at 8.3% it is slightly higher than the national average. With the unemployment comes hundreds of foreclosures and other abandoned buildings. Added to that is the fact the city is still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which only adds to the blighted structures and a good portion of the city’s budget is devoted to placing liens and demolishing these b uildings. So yes, the current budget does give a very adequate overview of New Orleans’ financial position.... The budget then encompasses some 565 pages and is pretty much detailed and informative, with graphs and comparisons to similar sized cities such as Portland, Oregon and Atlanta, Georgia. It tells where revenues come from, what money is spent and where, whether there is going to be a surplus (yes with a 2011 surplus of $500K), and whether there are to be any cuts in city services. The budget also addresses two other difficult areas. One is the situation faced by municipalities all over the country, that of the nationwide recession begun in 2007-08 and continuing today. New Orleans has its share of unemployment woes; at 8.3% it is slightly higher than the national average. With the unemployment comes hundreds of foreclosures and other abandoned buildings. Added to that is the fact the city is still trying to recover from Hurricane Katrina in 2005 which only adds to the blighted structures and a good portion of the city’s budget is devoted to placing liens and demolishing these b uildings. So yes, the current budget does give a very adequate overview of New Orleans’ financial position. By far and away, the biggest expenditures from New Orleans’ budget are public safety, fire, police, and other emergency services. For the 2012 budget, when taken from the Adopted General Fund Expenditures public safety accounts for over half of that budget, sixty per cent. Even when considered as part of the entire budget (general and non-general, public safety still accounts for thirty five per cent. Of the divisions within that department, the police have the biggest slice, budgeted for 2012 at almost $119 million, an increase of nine per cent over 2011.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
The closing reading of Diving into Wreck Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words
The closing reading of Diving into Wreck - Essay Example During this time, the women’s movement was increasing in momentum, as it influences American literature and other fields, as well as society in general (Milne 1). Rich showed interest in feminism in the 1970s, and saw it as a â€Å"heroic quest,†similar to plunging into the wreck of an old sunken ship (Milne 1). She wanted to oppose and question traditional beliefs and values about gender and sexuality through an inner exploration (Milne 1). Since the publication â€Å"Diving into the Wreck, †Rich showed her search for the truth about gender and the widespread activities of second-wave feminism (Milne 1). The poem is an example of free verse writing that has no evident rhymes, which is significant in narrating the journey through a firsthand account and helping readers focus more on the subtle structure of the poem and its meaning. The poem follows a conversation style. Rich does want to alienate anyone, so she talks as if she would in real life: â€Å"I put o n/ the body-armor of black rubber/ the absurd flippers†(4-6). Her words portray the process of what is happening, so that readers will feel like the poem is an ordinary conversation. In addition, the poem’s free verse enables readers to emphasize the subtle structure of the poem. ... Stanzas are also broken to indicate changes in the perspective of the speaker. An example is the shift of perspective from stanza 7 to stanza 8. The speaker ends stanza 7 with: â€Å"among the tentative haunters†(70). She is only one of the many who dive into the wreck. Stanza 8, however, merges the speaker and the mermaid: â€Å"We circle silently/ about the wreck/ we dive into the hold†(74-76). The merging of two identities signifies the unity of the writer with her inner self. Furthermore, the free verse writing helps stress enjambment in the poem. The pauses in these lines say something about the actions of the speaker: â€Å"Rung after rung and still / the oxygen immerses me†(23-24). The speaker seems to be nervous as she slowly goes down the boat, where the enjambment creates a sense of both preparation for the next stage of exploration and the need to reflect on every stage. Thus, the free verse has significance to emphasizing the meaning of the structu re of the poem and its narrative style. The poem has numerous enjambments that aim for structural purposes of helping readers visualize the poem. The speaker says: â€Å"I put on/ the body-armor of black rubber/ the absurd flippers†(4-6). The speaker uses enjambment to put emphasis on her actions. The readers can better understand what is happening if the sentence is broken down to images and action words. In addition, the speaker uses enjambment to introduce changes in experiences and to sharpen their visual images. She says: â€Å"Rung after rung and still/ the oxygen immerses me/ the blue light/ the clear atoms/ of our human air†(23-27). The enjambment is a way of putting the reader into these experiences slowly, as if they are going down the ladder
Monday, October 14, 2019
The Progressive Era Essay Example for Free
The Progressive Era Essay The Progressive Era began in the mid 1890’s and continued through World War I. It was a time when individuals were beginning to have concerns with the state of society and how government was going to handle the problems. It also brought about a belief in human compassion and how new innovations along with scientific investigation could somehow show what the problem was with ways of solving the problems. Two prominent figures during this era were Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson who were both national spokesmen for the movement.  The sediment it spread changed society to what we know today, â€Å"it affected large numbers of people and expressed at many levels the excitement of progress and change†(633). Muckraking was a term used for a journalism style of that time. Theodore Roosevelt coined this term in 1906 to â€Å"describe the practice of exposing the corruption of public and prominent figures†(632). This journalistic voice spread progressivism and the ideals associated with this movement very fast and to a large audience.            Progressivism was enmeshed in all parts of society. In the political arena it called for reformation of problems that involved city, state and nation. Intellectually, â€Å"it drew on the expertise of the new social sciences and reflected a shift from older absolutes of class and religion to newer schools of thought that emphasized physiological explanations for behavior, the role of the environment in human development, and the relative nature of truth†(633). It brought about a cultural change that included expression in dance, film, painting, literature, and architecture. It became the attitude and a movement that society as a whole embraced fully.            The appeal of this movement involved a wide variety of individuals that included the middle class, laborers and farmers. In the business community it gained a large following with ideals of expansion and money. The leaders were young educated men and women that had experience in â€Å"law, medicine, religion, business, teaching, and social work†(633). With these young leaders came the ideology of an improved society using their expertise. There was not one single cause to unite the group, but their one single goal and that was to help create a better world in helping people to achieve this. Their belief was strong â€Å"the high compliment of believing that, once they knew the truth, they would act upon it†was said by the social reformer Florence Kelley an active participant in progressivism.  Knowledge was an important key in this movement and formed a bond between people bringing them together instead of dividing them and pulling disheartened groups together in an effort to improve the well-being of everyone in society.            Where Populism came out of rural America, Progressivism gained support across the whole country. Its starting ground came from cities with individuals that were feeling the pressures of urban living and factory life. This social justice movement had its attention on the national need for housing laws, better child labor laws and better working conditions for women. Individual groups of reformers were also able to pressure municipal agencies â€Å"for more and better parks, playgrounds, day nurseries, schools, and community services†(636). These reformers wanted a cure to suffrage rather than using charity as a bandage. Instead of individual needs they wanted to focus more on scientific analysis of neighborhoods, occupations, and classes of people for a change to better society as a whole. This group was most successful in passing state laws limiting the work hours for women and their right to vote. Another doctrine to come from this era was pragmatism. A psychologist, William James had a view on the role of environment and its effect on human development along with the role humans had on the environment. This doctrine became the main mindset for Americans from 1890’s to World War I. He believed there were no abstractions to truth, â€Å"True ideas are those we can assimilate, validate, corroborate and verify. False ideas are those we cannot†(639). Everything was pretty much black and white at that time.  John Dewey applied this doctrine to education reform and the theme to emerge was that â€Å"thought evolves in relation to the environment and that education is directly related to experience†(639). This revolution in education addressed the needs and capabilities of the children. Not only was this theory applicable in education it could be applied to law. Because law reflected the environment that it shaped, this was throwing away the old concept that law was universal and unchanging. It was understood that variables in the environment affects the actions of humans. Reformation of city’s and states was another accomplishment of this era. Municipal governments were desired that would tighten its grip on corporate activities, helped to widen utility regulations and to restrict city franchises. Efficiency and results were the theme and it was a generation of the belief in civil service. Though this thought was micro a macro theme was needed and it was understood that government beyond the city limits would need to become universal for society as a whole to get along . State government during the 1890’s to 1920 worked to stiffen laws that regulated â€Å"the labor of women and children, create and strengthen commissions to regulate railroads and utilities, impose corporate and inheritance taxes, improve mental and penal institutions and allocate more funds for state universities, the training ground for the experts and educated citizenry needed for the new society†(642). During these years the industrial system had great changes employing thousands of workers and equipped with assembly lines to produce large numbers of any product that they were producing. Results and efficiency was required to expand the company and managerial skill of the business world be used to achieve this goal. The innovation of the model T and using the assembly line system was the seed for success of businesses today.   This was a time when big business was swallowing up the small business.  With this huge growth of business came the debate over trusts which influenced politics throughout the Progressive era. Mass production enabled industry to create bigger, better and more products. Yet this also is the time when jobs were very dangerous and unchecked. It wasn’t until a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Company that killed over 500 men and women immigrants that attentions on unsafe working conditions were recognized. Union membership was founded and striking became a way to change how the companies handled their employee who worked for them. This created more leisure time for employees giving room for play and enjoyment of the arts. Past time games of football created the fans and movie theaters opened to audiences during this era. When thinking of the reforms of this era you can’t forget the changes to how Americans spend their leisure time or for that matter just having leisure time.  Dancing, music, and even literature the director of the New York Metropolitan Museum said in 1908, â€Å"There is a state of unrest all over the world in art as in all other things, it is the same in literature, as in music, in painting, and in sculpture†(654). This and all that is what came out of the Progressive Era. Works Cited Divine, R.A., Breen, T.H., Fredrickson, G.M., Williams, R.H. (1987). America Past  and Present 2nd. Ed. Illinois: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Organisational Culture Analysis of BP
Organisational Culture Analysis of BP Title: What is the role of Organisational Culture in British Petroleum at Lancashire County? Contents: Literature Review Research Aims, Objectives and Limitations Research Methodology Research Methods Analysis Results Recommendations and Conclusions Introduction Organizational culture is the set of shared values, beliefs, and norms that influence the way employees think, feel, and behave in the workplace (Schein, 2011). The purpose of this dissertation is to explicate the impact of organizational culture in British Petroleum towards achieving the business objectives and capabilities of employees roles and subsequent role behaviours. I propose that four types of cultures (clan, entrepreneurial, market and hierarchy) exert different and at times competing pressures, thus, creating distinct role schemas regarding the range of expected employee behaviours, which in turn, guide distinct forms of employee role behaviour (e.g. helping, innovation, achievement and compliance). Literature Review Organizational culture has the potential to enhance organizational performance, employee job satisfaction, and the sense of certainty about problem solving (Kotter, 2012). Organizational culture has received ample attention both in the popular and scholarly press as an important factor predicting organizational effectiveness by inducing employees to behave effectively (Cooke Rousseau, 1988; Schein, 1985, 1990). Knowing the culture of an organization allows employees to understand both the organizations history and current methods of operation. Organizations can achieve effectiveness only when employees share values. For instance,Eliot Jaques provides the following description of the culture of a factory: The culture of the factory is its customary and traditional way of thinking and of doing things, which is shared to a greater or lesser extent by all its members, and which new members must learn, and at least partially acceptà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ Culture is part of the second nature of those who have been with the firm for a long time. (1951: 251). Organizational culture, through its norms, serves as a control mechanism to channel behaviours toward desired behaviors and away from undesired behaviours. This can also be accomplished by recruiting, selecting, and retaining employees whose values best fit the values of the organization. Aim The aim of the study was to present and discuss the preliminary culture model to indicate the culture performance within the British Petroleum and proposing a model for assessing organisational culture towards achieving business objectives. Objectives Approach of organisational culture allows access to the dynamics of the social system in all its complexity, and then it leads to the concept of corporate identity (Strategor, 1995. The main objectives of organisational cultural and capabilities to achieve the aim are, Analysing the present and future Business plan Staff employment and their internal relationship Knowledge sharing and Decision making Plans for business process and implementation Rational of the research An Organisations culture determines the organisations ability to complete projects successfully that can encourage a culture in their business that aligns with their objectives and makes employees more likely to succeed in reaching their objectives. Even though two businesses have similar structures, the impact of effectiveness can be different because of differences in their cultures. So the research about comparing the present model of organisational culture of the selected organisation with the competitors provides ample of knowledge and new understanding about employing staff, kind of work assignment, communication plans and their in-house relationship provides understanding which enhances the knowledge for assessing organisational culture towards achieving business objectives. Scope The scope of the study will contribute to the extant research on organizational learning, culture, and identification, the literature on these constructs remains mostly prepositional. There is a wide scope for continued quantitative and qualitative research on each one of the latent variables included in this study individually and collectively. This research studies could be applied for the findings of research to multiple organisation at various geographic locations, in order to determine commonalities and differences across various business sectors and localities. Different combinations of culture and learning variables influence organizational identification at different levels like low, medium and high. Limitations Money and Time Costs: When the basic data are subjected to frequent changes, incorporating them into the Organisational research models is a costly affair. Moreover, a fairly good solution at present may be more desirable than a perfect solution available after sometime. Implementation: Implementation of decisions is a delicate task. It must take into account the complexities of human relations and behaviour internally. Research Methodology Data collection and analysis methodology is to be carried out throughout this research which should be chosen to match the particular evaluation in terms of its key evaluation questions (KEQs) and the resources available. Impact evaluations should make maximum use of existing data and then fill gaps with new data. Some common data collection methods include observations, interviews, focus groups, surveys, and the use of secondary data such as test scores. I have choose to carry out Qualitative data methods and analysis which is allows to find out the reasons. This may be beneficial to an organization in bringing out the required changes to create a culture that can facilitate better learning opportunities. The research will be both deductive and inductive in nature and will be anchored in grounded theory. Methodological problems predicted which may arise while carrying out this research are Voluntary participation, because in most cases, permission is needed from people before involving them in any primary research. Confidentiality and anonymity as participants may reveal embarrassing or potentially damaging information such as racist comments, unconventional behaviour and Researcher bias. I will be using both primary and secondary sources for this research such as primary sources like questionnaire, personal and group interviews and observations and secondary sources like internet, journals, articles, magazines and books. The validity of the proposed model will be tested by a few case studies. In order to measure current and expected organisational culture capabilities, it will adopt the maturity-level techniques which is being able to measure the organisational readiness (Galliers Sutherland, 2003; Salleh Alshawi, 2006). The gap between the current and expected levels could be identified which also is known as the Readiness Gap(Salleh Alshawi, 2006). TASK 1 part 2: Plan and procedures for the agreed research specification (AC1.5); Research objective By when Resources to be used (2.1) Milestones (when do you know this objective is achieved) Review dates (which is after the by when to ensure that you have actually achieve the objective ) How will you monitor this objective is being achieved? method of monitoring Analysing the present and future Business plan 21/12/16 Gathering information on good make better sense of your market research. 5/1/17 8/1/17 By constant evaluation after gathering the required resources Staff employment and their internal relationship 25/12/16 Online survey, questionnaires, Journals, 28/12/16 31/12/16 By gathering data in regular basis about the employee culture in the organisation Knowledge sharing and Decision making 5/1/17 Articles about franchise buyers, books and related web link 11/1/17 14/1/17 By getting answer to the questions How much knowledge does the average employee has in terms of decision making Plans for business process and implementation 7/1/17 The proper and effectively business plan and implementation 11/1/17 13/1/17 Employee works in a happy atmosphere and the productivity will more and growth of the company 2.1 Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis I focused on the effects and implications of the conceptualisation and operationalization of organization culture and formulation of the research problem of a grounded theory study. The research formulation implications discussed above are the research design considerations that I reflect on analysing the present and future Business plan, internal relationship of staff, decision making, business process plan and implementation. I used methodology of direct survey questionnaire as a main instrument, observation ad interviews. Each of these methods were unique and useful in their own way. By the end of the research, the results from one method were more useful than from the other, and some of these methods did not even work 2.2 Undertake the proposed research investigation in accordance with the agreed specification and procedures Data Collection and Analysis I use observation, documentation review, surveying and questionnaire method of data collection which I believed effective and the research was conducted by means of a direct survey. Questionnaire was the instrument of data collection which consists of 20 to 25 questions with a mixture of Likert-scale and closed-ended questions with one answer was developed. A five-point Likert scale was employed to gather responses, 5 indicating maximum agreement and 1 no agreement. The survey was sample-based. Non-random sampling was applied and advantages and disadvantages specific to this method of sampling were considered. A small group of those surveyed does not authorize to make generalizations, but allows the identification of the specific mechanisms and formulation of questions and conclusions. Tested on a larger sample, they will make it possible to formulate more documented and certain, useful theses on a larger scale. Analysis method I used here is predictive analytics and machine learning to anticipate important events and continuous tuning of analytic platform using feedback. Advantages I could see see directly what people is relying on rather than what they say they do. With Questionnaire method covered large geographical area. Capable of collecting data from a large number of respondents I found to ask numerous questions about a subject, giving extensive flexibility in data analysis With survey software, advanced statistical techniques can be utilized to analyze survey data to determine validity, reliability, and statistical significance, including the ability to analyze multiple variables A broad range of data was collected (e.g., attitudes, opinions, beliefs, values, behavior, factual). Disadvantages The challenges I faced in data collection methods are, its much time consuming, information is often incomplete, couldnt get a proper and careful feedback as the wordings biasing the responses. Also I felt couldnt get the full story and surveys are in need of sampling expert. 2.3 Record and collate relevant data where appropriate. I used questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interview schedules, gathering of observational data and analysis of documentary data method because of the limited number of senior staff, it may not be possible to conduct pilot semi-structured interviews with them, as this will preclude them from the final data collection. According to the model based on the basic underlying assumptions the description of the current culture was made. The questionnaire was used because of its advantages (little time required and low costs) and because the team wanted to get a general impression of the mood in the company as quickly as possible. The questionnaires were distributed personally by the heads of the departments, and a very good return ratio from approximately 40% was reached. In 2011 BP a 10-point plan had been put forward that outlined what could be expected from BP over the next three years. During 2012 work had been done towards the milestones that had set out for 2014. Their plans are refined and communicated further information on our longer-term strategic objectives beyond 2014(BP.com, 2012). Bp has been identified as an organization that adopts differentiation strategy over the years due to the proper utilization of the companys competences or capabilities. It has different brands such as BP, Ampm, Arco, Castrol, Aral and Wild bean cafe (www.bp.com), and also diversification into development and production of alternative sources of energy(BP.com, 2011). With the collected relevant data I found if BP wants a safety culture, it must implement massive changes throughout every aspect in their organization that are guided by that safety focus. More than re-structuring or changing incentives and rewards it must do more because, so many problems are due to a focus on profits over safety? Repeatedly, a focus on growth at the expense of safety or quality leads companies on a dangerous path that affects human lives. The causes are described as systemic issues. Examples include: Flaws in BPs management and design procedures Failures to appreciate risks Lack of communication and training about lessons learned from prior problems Government regulators lacking the authority, necessary resources and technical expertise Using time-saving and cost-saving measures When major quality or safety issues are exposed to the public, by either a disaster or a recall, the changes in the culture are often systemic-its not an isolated error but a change in values. The changes must start at the heart of the culture at its core, where employees stop for a moment to reflect on the values that are important and together create a shared view. If safety is whats valued over profits, then employees should not be over-worked, and faulty equipment and poor maintenance should not be allowed. Employees should be hired not only for competency but also because they personally value safety. It should be the role of each employee to enhance the safety culture. Administration of the questionnaire and analysis of questionnaire data are done to provide material for the interviews and interviews are conducted concurrently. Numerical data were analyzed, which was also enabled the responses from sub-groups of the organization which was separated for analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using protocols of content analysis. TASK 3: Be able to evaluate the research outcomes 3.1 Use appropriate research evaluation techniques For the study conducted, there was a requirement of the resources which would assist to identify key constituents that have been undertaken for the purpose. In order to achieve this target, the focus of the study was on the various types of strategies of management that undertaken by British Petroleum. The British Petroleum operates worldwide and in diverse population. For example, the European market, people can be divided into various sub-cultures and consumer behavior is also different (Ford Jeffrey, 2009, 105). The outcome of the research shows the true analysis of BPs organisational plan, leadership, staff relationships and organizational decision making of sources of internal information collection and organising the duration of data project and sources of usage of collected data for business process implementation and development. The research finding has a valid and reliable data to achieve the aim and objectives of the research. Depending on factors like the goals of the data collection project, the organizations size, resources and time, data may be gathered about many sub-sets within a broader group of interest (e.g. youth service users who cannot read and who speak English as a second language). According to Dr. Mustafa Ozkan Karatay (2013) the benefits of the research conducted includes data collection about a group of interest that shares characteristics and the Leadership enhancements that are essential to avert comparable occurrences in BP which consist of: A solo overall project leader. Clear communications to every individual functioning on the project. Greater safety trainings linking past experiences and crisis analysis. 4.Hiring employees with the essential skills to complete tasks competently and securely It is also important to recognize that based on their unique combination of identities, people exposed to particular forms of discrimination. Bp has under gone major restructuring under the new management of the new CEO Robert Dudley, Dudley said that BP was to re-structure its upstream segment from a single business into three separate functional divisions; exploration, development and production, which would carryout a detailed review of how the group managed third-party contractors in order to reinforce accountability for risk management. The company is doing this because of the findings of an internal report; it stated that the breakdown in communication was one of the contributing factors to the BP disaster. 3.2 Interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original research specification. The following chart represents the BPs Organisational structure from the top level management from where different business models are distributed throughout the different geographical area in the globe. Organization Structure The political influences made a notable difference in BPs strategy which has been changed in general possible to observe two main tendencies. First, BP attempts to hedge political risks in the oil producing countries by means of partnership and deals with the governments. For instance, BP signed a contract with the Russian state-run oil company. It is reported that the company started producing solar panels after the acquisitions of Lucas Energy Systems (1980) and Amoco (1998)(Saud M. Al-Fattah, 2013). Furthermore, it is reported that BP invested more than $6 billion in wind and bio-fuel energy projects during the period from 2005 to 2010 (BP.com, 2011) BP also runs a series of development programmes notably known as Managing Essentials to help managers apply the leadership framework in their own teams. I t also runs three specialist development programmes designed to build excellence in the 3 important functional areas of operations, finance and human resources. The Operations Academy, set up in partnership with MIT, provides BPs senior managers with a systematic and rigorous approach to managing safe and efficient operations. The overall statistics of British Petroleums business and turnover is found below. Countries of operation :Over 80 Number of employees :85,900 Sales and other operating revenues :$375,765 million Cash flow :$20.5 billion Replacement cost profit :$11.4 billion Proved reserves :17,000 million barrels of oil equivalent Retail sites :20,700 Refineries (wholly or partly owned) :15 Refining throughputs :2,354 thousand barrels per day Detailed and structured questionnaire was designed where the survey was undergone with a sample of 50 employees in BP. The methodology developed was Primary and Secondary research. The questionnaire was designed to get information from staffs about their satisfaction and overall opinion about organizations and its structure. Some sample of the questionnaire is showcased below. Here most of them gave multi answers for questions. In what way are individual positions, units and so on clustered within your organization unit? a) By Function c) By product e) By place b) By target group d) By service f) By project The graph shows the way how individuals position is clustered within the organization. It shows like it depends mostly on the project individual involved with and the service given by them along with the target group. 2. Is the content of job changed for the employees during last two years? a) Work autonomy c) Co-operation with management b) Specialization d) Multi-tasking e)Weight upon technical qualifications According to the answers of staffs the above graph shows that the content of the job has been changed in past two years with the cooperation with management and also for the individuals who do multi tasking. 3. Does your company use any of the following ways of organizing work? a) Quality circles / groups b) Delegation of responsibility c)Planned job rotation d) As per resource availability e) Integration of functions f)Specialization g) Incentives based upon quality of results It shows that the company is preferably using the quality circles as more than 50% answered such for organizing the work and 40% said that the incentives are based upon the quality of results they obtain. 4. How the Knowledge management has been benefiting your company Contemporary technologies processes b) Efficient management of information c) Increasing customer satisfaction d) Fosters innovation e) Increasing productivity It clearly shows with the above graph that the most of them answered(80%) as the company use knowledge management which increases the customer satisfaction and 60% answered as efficient management of information. Upto 40% answered that contemporary technologies and processes and increase in productivity. 5. How much freedom of action has, in your opinion, an executive within the organization to vary his leadership with regard to directing and collaboration? a)None c)Complete e)Much b)Little d)Not much For the question arised about the freedom of action for an executive within organization to vary his leadership most(80%)of them answered as complete freedom has been given and very less percentage(5%) said as no. So it shows a positive sign for employees to execute their ideas and work in a hassle free environment. 6. People here try to make friends and to keep their relationships strong. Low Medium High LOW MEDIUM HIGH 2 3 45 4% 6% 90% The above graph shows that 90% of the people say, they make friends and to keep their relationships strong. 7. People here do favours for others because they like one anther Low Medium High Low Medium High 4 4 42 8% 8% 84% The above graph shows that 84% of the people say, they do favours for others because they like one anther. 8. People in our group often socialize outside the office Low Medium High Low Medium High 8 3 39 16% 6% 78% The above graph shows that 78% of the people say, they often socialize outside the office 9. When people leave your group, stay in touch one another Low Medium High Low Medium High 7 6 37 14% 12% 74% The above graph shows that 74% of the people say, they stay in touch one another when they leave their group. 10. People here often confide in one another about personal matters Low Medium High Low Medium High 1 3 46 2% 6% 92% 3.3 Make recommendations and justify areas for further consideration. BP Companys project, is a significant step toward the growth of the company, but the Chief Executive officer should ensure that the established Centralized Developments organization enhance the integrity in the project implementation process. While considering their present, future business plan and implementations they should establish a body of expertise in greenhouse gases in order to reduce emissions that may hinder the attainment of the project goal. The other recommendation I am keen to insist is that BP should invest much on renewable energy sources like wind power, solar panel and bio-fuels which is because they present little or fewer risks on people health and environment. There is also a need for the BP Company to consider reorganize its 4 Ps of marketing viz. product, price, promotion and placement so as to secure a competitive advantage over the other six competitors in the industry. BPs weaknesses led it to engage in excessive cost-cutting and to take disproportionate risks with respect to the environment, worker safety, national security and its own profitability. I analysed also about BPs problematic ethics which despite being hailed by the financial media for its corporate citizenship, its rhetoric and deeds about social and environmental responsibility were diametrically opposed. Furthermore I recommend that the company should increase expenditures on infrastructure maintenance and employee safety. It should also conduct employee training. It is recommended that BP should use the diversification strategy as a future strategic option in order to continue responding to the environmental challenges. The company should diversify its product range associated with the production of solar and wind energy for individual and corporate customers. It is expected that these products will be popular in the emerging markets such as India and China where incomes are not high, but
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