The process of departmentalization - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 7 Words: 2160 Downloads: 3 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Argumentative essay Did you like this example? Organizational structure consists of the activities such as task distribution, management and coordination which are directed toward achieving the goals of the organization. It can be a mode through which organization operates and perform. Actually it is the activity in which organization deals how to manage its task, supervision and how to coordinate common task or common things which each other. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The process of departmentalization" essay for you Create order How to assemble common things to bring effectiveness. What kind of decision making should take place? Organizational structure effects the organizational action by providing the foundation on which operating procedures and routine rest and it determines which individual get to participate in the decision making. There are six key elements that managers need go through when they are designing organizational structure. Following are the six elements: Work Specialization If we first just look into a word specialization, what first come in our mind is that some thing we can do perfectly. A general meaning of specialization can be a complete knowledge about one`s job which he is performing. So we can get a clear meaning of work specialization that work is sub divided into separate job according to the one`s specialization. The one who can perform any one task perfectly, he will assign to do that task only. For example: The task is to stitch a T-shirt. In stitching a T-shirt, it goes under a process. This process is divided into different steps like stitching of sleeves, cutting of T-shirt, making of neck and etc. So instead of stitching one whole T-shirt by a single person, the tasks divided. Sleeves are stitched by one person; another person is cutting the T-shirt and so on. The steps are divided into different individuals. Doing one task again and again not only makes the individuals perfect in performing it but also save time. Repetition of task increases the speed of the individuals. For Example: Considering the same example of stitching a T-shirt, if one person is stitching only sleeves, his speed will be increase because of repetition of task. He will stitch sleeves quickly. So due to work specialization, speed is increases and task can be completed more rapidly. Work Specialization is beneficial for organization because training for specialization is more efficient. It is easier and less costly to trained employees for specific task rather than a whole task. For Example: Taking again the example of stitching of a T-shirt, instead of training how to stitch whole T-shirt to each and every individual, it is more easier to teach them only one step of stitching of a T-shirt. But in certain cases, organizations have to suffer from human diseconomies from specialization. Reason behind human diseconomies can be boredom, fatigue, stress, low productivity, poor quality, increased absenteeism and high tur n over. Productivity can be increased by enlarging the scope of job activities rather than narrowing it. It is found that productivity can be increase when employees are given with a variety of activities to do, allowing them to perform the whole task, and putting them into teams with compatible skills. In some organization, it is preferable and in some organization it is not. Consistent use of work specialization can create problems. So after some time, we should assign another job to the individual. Departmentalization When many individuals are performing common jobs in the organization, they need to coordinate with each other. So on the basis of common jobs, individuals are grouped together. Grouping of individuals are called Departmentalization. There are five traditional methods for grouping work activities: Departmentalization by Functions Functional Departmentalization is grouping activities by functions performed. The function here means the nature of the business. The advantage of this type of departmentalization is obtaining efficiencies from putting similar specialties and people of common skills, knowledge and course together in common units. So when people of common skills will work together, they can generate more ideas and the work can be more efficient due to which organization can also achieve economies of scale. It can be practice in all types of organization. For Example: In XYZ organization, there are several departments like Human Resource, Accounting, Information Technology, Marketing, Finance and etc. Departmentalization by Products Departments in organization can be made according to the products they produce. Task can be grouped according to the specific products that`s mean placing all the activities related to a product under the one manager. Manager`s are specialist and responsible for everything related to the product line. Due to this it increases the accountability for product performance. For Example: In XYZ organization, they manufactured many products like detergents, shampoo, soaps, butter, ice cream and etc. These products are placed into different departments under one manager. Departmentalization by Geographical Regions It is grouping the activities on the basis of territory. If an organization have its customers geographically dispersed, it can group jobs on the based on geography. For Example: In XYZ organization, the sales of its product are geographically dispersed in Pakistan. It has departments by provinces, like Sindh, Baluchistan, N.W.F.P and Punjab. Departmentalization by Process Grouping activities on the basis of product, services or customers. Process departmentalization allows homogenous activities to be categorize in which each process requires different skills. For Example: When we go to hospital for surgery, first we go to reception for admitting process, then undergo a procedure in surgery, receive operative care, and then get discharge. This process of surgery is divided into different departments. Departmentalization by Customers Grouping activities on the basis of common customers or types of customer. Different departments are made to serve the common type of customers. The assumption is that the customers of each department have common problems or need which is fulfilled by the departments. These departments are under supervision of the specialist who meet the problems and needs of the customers For example: In XYZ organization, sales activities are broken down in different departments according to the customers. Departments can be retailers, wholesaler and departmental stores Chain of Command Chain of command is the authority, communication and responsibility along which orders are passed in the organization. We can say that the order from top management to the lowest rank is the chain of command. This order should be followed by every employee in the organization. The orders flow downwards in the chain of command whereas accountability flows upwards. For Example: If the manager of the company gives the order that every one should come at 8:00 am sharp and the break will be at 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. One who don`t follow the rules and regulations of the organization will have to pay fine of Rs.500. Then every one in the organization should follow it. There are two concepts in chain of command: Authority and Unity of command. Authority is that managers have right to give orders. Each manager of the organization can give orders to meet organizational goals and orders should be obeyed by the employees. They are responsible towards all the managers. But due to several superiors, employees might have to face conflicting demand. For Example: Manager A is giving orders to increase the sales 5% as compared to last year and Manager B is giving orders to reduce cost per unit. So the orders of both managers should be obeyed. Unity of command is that one and only one person has right to give orders in the organization. The orders of that person should to obey by every one in the organization. All the employees are directly responsible to him. For Example: There is only one manager in the organization who has right to give orders. According to his orders, sales should increase by 5% as compared to last year. This is the only order which should be followed by the employees. But nowadays, chain of command is rarely practiced in the organizations because of advancement in the technologies and trend towards empowering employees. Employees are given rights to take decision so that production can be more effective and efficient. Through advanc ement of technology, employees can communicate any where easily. Designing of new structures, there is need of many bosses in which unity of command is not possible. But still some organization found that chain of command can be productive. Span of Control Span of control is that a manager can handle how many employees in organization efficiently and effectively. Manager is how much capable enough to direct the employees. Whether employees are following his command or not. Span of control determines number of levels and managers organization has. Span of control can be categorized into two types; wider span and narrow span. In wider span there are less levels and less number of managers. Wider span is better because division of work become easy and organization became more efficient. Due to less number of managers, organization have less salary expense so it means it is more efficient in terms of cost but is not effective. As the span is wider, and less number of managers, it is difficult for manager to supervision them. They are not able to manage employees because the numbers of employees are greater. For Example: In XYZ organization, there are 1000 employees working in the organization where there 3 levels of manager; top ma nager, middle manager and lower manager but the productivity is not effective because managers are not able to handle the employees. They don`t have time to supervise them because the span is wider. In small span, there are fewer numbers of employees working under the head of one manager. But the disadvantages of small span is that it is expensive because fewer employees are working under one manager, and more the manager more will be the salary expense. Secondly, communication in organization is difficult. As manager is supervising attentive, employees are not able to communicate. And thirdly overly strict observation of manager on employees, employee get discourage that organization dont trust them, they are keep eye on them. For Example: In a restaurant, there are 100 employees and 10 supervision which means uniformly 10 employees will be control by one supervisor. Centralization and Decentralization Centralization refers that decision making in the organization can be done by only top management. It is the formal authority that top management will give decisions which will be followed by every one without any changes. When only top managers make decision without any opinion of lower level employees, the organization is centralized. In simple words, top managers has right to take decision without any view of lower level of manager is called centralization. For Example: Top management decided that the medical facility of the employees will not be provided for six month because company is suffering from loss for 2 years. It is the decision which is taken by only top management without any recommendation of lower level of employees. Decentralization refers that decision making is not only restricted to top management. Decisions are also made by lower level employees because they are more towards the action of performance. They can quickly solve the problem and more people are involved in giving decision. Decentralization make employees feel that organization is trusting on them and giving right to make decisions. For Example: The problem is that company is suffering from loss for 2 years. The employees concluded that as the factory is closed for 5 to 6 days per month in a year due to strikes in the country, productivity of the organization is low. So to achieve the productivity, employees will do over time. Today in modern world, most of the organization is following decentralization. It makes organization more flexible and responsive. Lower level employees have more knowledge as they are more close to the actions, so they can take better decision than top management. Formalization Standardization of job within the organization is called formalization. The rules and regulations within the organization are strictly followed. It is very clear that what is to be done, when it is to done and how it is to be done. There are no changes in the job of the employees. Employees have to produce same input in exactly the same way. The work process is strictly defined with rules and regulation is called high formalization. There is disadvantage of high formalization is that the work is already define to the employees so they don`t think or try to do work with there own self. The input of employees is low. As the work is already describe so they also don`t think for alternatives. For Example: Organization had strict rules and regulation. Every one should be on their desk at 8:00 am sharp and salary will be deducted Rs 200 on every absent who ever has more than 3 absent in a month Whereas work process is not strictly defined or non programmed, they has freedom to d o what ever they want to do. They can makes amendment in the work process as it is desire. When jobs are not strictly described to the employees, it is called low formalization

The Scarlet Letter, By Nathaniel Hawthorne - 1510 Words

Although Hawthorne goes back two hundred years to create a romantic setting for his famous novel The Scarlet Letter, he also envisions a hopeful future for women in which â€Å"sacred love should make [them] happy† (166). However, our present setting tells us a different story. We are presented with the problem of â€Å"slut shaming†: a subtle, yet deadly transfiguration of a woman’s passion and â€Å"sacred love† into moral frailty and opprobrium. As a male, I do not have the same authority to speak on this topic as someone who has experienced it firsthand would. I am a part of the problem, but so is our patriarchal society, and if everyone is part of the problem, then who should begin the inevitable discourse? The Scarlet Letter embodies the idea of exaggerated ignominy placed upon women who desire just to be a normal woman: someone of passion and caring. One would expect that with the one hundred and fifty years Hawthorne alots us to appreciate and resp ect a woman’s â€Å"sacred love,† we would have at least made strides to do so. Yet, it seems our society today has only embraced the shame that Hawthorne tried so hard to dismantle. The Scarlet Letter approaches modern day â€Å"slut shaming† by helping us clarify its subtle and cowardly nature. When Hester Prynne emerges from the portal that is the prison door, she is described as â€Å"tall, with a figure of perfect elegance on a large scale. She [has] dark and abundant hair, so glossy that it [throws] off the sunshine with a gleam† (40). TheShow MoreRelatedThe Scarlet Letter By Nathaniel Hawthorne1242 Words   |  5 PagesLYS PAUL Modern Literature Ms. Gordon The Scarlet Letter The scarlet letter is book written by Nathaniel Hawthorne who is known as one the most studied writers because of his use of allegory and symbolism. 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Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution †Free Samples to Students

Question: Discuss about the Cultural Variation in Conflict Resolution. Answer: Introduction: The report shows that the company is doing all it can to ensure that its management practices are in line with the desired goals. By looking at the way the company has performed on the fourteen principles of management, it is apparent that the company is embracing the Australian Engineering Capabilities(Daft, R., Marcic, D., 2016). This is evident by looking at the areas that the company is doing and some of the capabilities in Australian engineering Capabilities. For example, the Australian Engineering capabilities call for an organization to understand the needs of the clients. The requirement is in line with the principle number 12 which calls for an organization to know the value of the customer. In this specific principle, evidenced by the survey, the company has scored 5, and that is a sign to show the commitment of the company. Based on the survey results, the company needs to look into distributed leadership aspect. In the modern day, Leaders need to approach issues in a more diverse way (Argenti, 2015). The junior employees are the most significant stakeholders in an organization. This is because they implement the strategies laid down by the management. With this in mind, there is a need to engage them in the process of drafting and implementing the strategies. Therefore, the company needs to take distributed leadership to the highest level. By so doing, the company will enjoy increased productivity from the employees who will feel valued and part and parcel of the organization. Aztec has a program established for the sole purpose of providing employees with training on awareness of cross-cultural policies. The program is well defined with different stages of training that offers skills in dealing a culturally diverse workforce by understanding and appreciating the diversity of the human race. The training encompasses all varieties of cultures including training on indigenous Aboriginal Australian culture. From the survey, there is a need for the management to come up with a framework that makes sure job allocations and promotions are given fairly and that every culture is represented. The strengths of the company are associated with how good the company has scored on some of the principles. If the company has scored the highest, then it becomes apparent that on that specific principle, the company has demonstrated strength. When it comes to integrating others into the processes and functions of the company, Aztec has performed well. The company does not only give rules; but it also makes sure that it involves others in the process of making decisions and that makes all employees feel as part and parcel of the organization (Barney, 2014). The company has done well on matters affiliated with standards and practices. The company makes sure that is on the frontline in making sure that high standards are practices are observed in the processes of the company. When it comes to short-term and medium strategies and issues, the company tries to maintain balance. Some organizations pay much attention to only long-term issues, but that is not the case in Aztec. Management and utilization of time are one of the aspects that the company takes seriously. This is a strength because management of time has positive effects on the processes and operations of any given organization. When it comes to sharing information with the employees, it is apparent that the company has done extremely well. This is a strength because of numerous reasons. When a company shares information crucial to the growth of the company, the company experiences growth. At the same time, when the employees realize that the company does not hide anything from them, they feel as part and parcel of the organization. When employees feel as part and parcel of an organization, they are motivated to work tirelessly towards attaining the goals of the company (Barney, 2014). The company has value for its customers. Customer value is one of the most significant principles. The reason why the company is in place is to meet the needs of the customers. Therefore, if the company fail to do so, it stands a chance to be kicked out of the competitive market. Scoring highest on customer value is a strength. The strength depicts the management as value-oriented and visionary. The last strength that has been depicted by the company in line with the fourteen principle survey is micro to macro. Micro to macro entails making sure that the employees are aware of their contribution to the company. The companys management has done all within its power to appreciate and honor the employees. As a result, the employees know what impact their efforts have on the processes and operations of the whole company. Company weaknesses Harsh climate in most of the Australian continent is one of the weaknesses affecting the company in its operations. According to the survey, this weakness puts the company in a disadvantageous position as far as smooth operations are concerned. Fluctuating economic times also make the market unpredictable. As a result, planning and budgeting for the company operations become a challenge. The organization has a score of 4 in regards to alignment. Alignment involves the coordination of all employees behaviors with the organizations values and directions. The entity needs to improve regarding aligning personnel objectives with those of the entity. At the same time, there is a need to ensure that all values and morals, as well as directions, are respected in this principle (Barney, 2014). Distributed leadership is also a weakness in this organization. In every business, there is a need for individuals to work in teams and deliver as per the requirements. Decision making and performance improvement need to be boosted, for the sake of increased efficiency. The fifth principle is also a weakness for the organization. The organization has not yet achieved efficiency when it comes to the balancing of short term and medium term issues and requires to enhance integrity and openness in its business activities. The entity requires improvement to be upfront.' Other weaknesses of the organization include; bias for action, learning focus and discipline, which are related to principles 8, 9 and 10. Regarding bias for action, the organization is not good at implementing ideas and strategies. Regarding learning focus, everyone in the entity is not actively involved in the learning and development programs, which needs to be corrected to increase efficiency. Discipline, as the tenth principle, needs to be highly considered. The entity should step up and invest in policies and procedures, as well as standards which will lead to the application of strong business systems (Barney, 2014). Finally, capability creation is a major weakness in the organization. The organizations capabilities are not defined priority areas, which needs to be corrected for development and investment purposes. Conflicts in organizations is a common occurrence that in most cases makes people so uncomfortable that they choose to suppress it as opposed to dealing with it. According to the survey, suppressing conflicts doesn't bear any positive fruits and may even cause more problems(Wallensteen, 2015). Conflicts can, however, at times be a good thing as they can arise from valid reasons. Good managers need to understand the causes, types and ways of managing and resolving conflicts at the workplace. The Australian Engineering competencies present useful strategies which may be of help to the process of resolving conflicts. Conflicts occur when different people's beliefs, priorities, and interests clash(Autesserre, 2014). Other factors that cause conflict within the organization based on the survey results include; When companies are faced with stiff competition, employees are put on the pressure to perform. If the goals and objectives allocated to these employees are communicated, conflicts could arise. Managers need to vividly address their requirements to their employees while encouraging them to seek clarification on matters not comprehended. Correct information is critical to organizations, especially along production lines. Passing of incorrect information down a production line can cause conflicts within the supply chain. For example, if the production manager sends the wrong information about the quantities to be used in a manufacturing process, the suppliers could end up having a shortage or a surplus in goods to supply. If a problem has occurred within an organization and theres nobody taking responsibility, there could be conflicts until the situation is resolved. Managers can solve this situation by having every employee that comes into contact with a document to sign and add the date of signing as a paper trail could be used to find employees responsible for a mishap in the organization. Types of Conflicts Task conflicts occurs when two parties disagree on the facts of a situation, such as company policies and procedures, task completing methods or distribution of resources, due to opposing behaviors, needs and attitudes(Mesmer-Magnus, J., Doty, D., 2013). Interpersonal Conflicts this is a conflict between two people or groups that is caused by the difference in opinions, personalities, value, and beliefs. Procedural Conflict this type of conflict occurs when every member of a team or group agrees on the goals to be achieved but disagree on the methods, process, and means of achieving the said goals(Vachon, F., Tremblay, S., 2014). Affective conflict this type of conflict occurs when collaborating parties disagree by interpersonal prejudices such as strong political, racial, ideological or religious differences. Great managers need to possess certain qualities such as decision-making skills, management skills; negotiation skills, leadership skills, observation skills, time management skills and most importantly they should possess workplace communication skills if they are to manage conflicts and disputes within the organization successfully. According to the survey, with the aid of these qualities, the manager should utilize the following strategies to manage workplace conflicts effectively; Hardly is the case that situations are honestly presented during a conflict. Most often than not, facts are usually exaggerated or underrated especially when presented by others. based on the survey results, it is therefore wise for a manager to first adequately investigate both sides of the story before making any decisions or judgments(Cummings, T., Worley, C., 2014). Heated arguments bring about strong emotional reactions, and the people involved usually result in their natural defense mechanisms fight or flight hence logical thinking takes the 2nd place. It is therefore crucial for managers to understand how to decode facts from emotional reactions so that they can logically deduce solutions for the conflict. Consider views from all the involved parties It is a common occurrence for dialogues to be halted when a person or group in a conflict is rendered wrong. A great manager should listen and consider views from all the involved parties even if some are wrong(Kerzner, 2014). This will foster teamwork as employees will feel that their opinions are appreciated regardless of their correctness. Managers need to keep a keen eye out for re-occurring conflicts as they might be a manifestation of underlying troubles within the organization either on the ground or the management level. Great managers understand that everybodys opinions matter regardless of their personalities. A particular employee could be perceived by the rest as a trouble-maker, but that doesn't mean that they don't have legitimate problems and opinions(Mayer, 2015). Great managers can opt to implement regular open sessions with the sole intention of brainstorming on the procedures that are working and the ones not working. This provides the employees with a platform to air their opinions freely thus mitigating future conflicts on the same issue. One of the ways to prevent future conflicts is to have every member help in creating a conflict resolution protocol, and chances are they will respect the code as they are the authors. A good manager should have his employees adopt and agree or clear, official communication channels(Cahn, D., Abigail, R., 2014). Having unacceptable and counterproductive means of communication can bring about misinformation hence causing conflicts within the organization. The role managers play in engineering institutions and organizations is key to the proper functioning of the organization as they are tasked with economical and effective planning responsibilities(Nicholas, J., Steyn, H., 2017). Essentially, based on the results obtained from the survey, the role of managers is to predict and plan, to organize, to direct and to control. Top managers are the senior-most managers in an organization. As a business grows, there come legal and operational needs to divide the roles into several top-level management sections to conscientiously actualize functions that are getting more intricate. The chief executive officer (C.E.O) is the highest-ranking manager in an organization and only reports to the board of directors. The CEO is responsible for advancing the comprehensive goals and strategies for the enterprise(Dale, 2015). The chief operating officer (C.O.O) is often the 2nd highest-ranking officer and reports directly to the chief executive officer and can act as an arbitrator between the CEO and other top-level managers. The chief operating officer is responsible for overseeing all daily operations. Next in hierarchy is the chief financial officer (C.F.O) who is responsible for superintending the companys finances, book-keeping and ensuring that the companys financial controls are in line with all federal and tax regulations. The chief financial officer is followed by the chief information officer (C.I.O) also known as the chief technology officer. This manager is responsible for managing the technological needs of an organization about the implementation of computer and information systems(Argenti, 2015). Planning is the function of management that entails having managers set goals and determines the course of action for attaining these objectives. It requires managers to be always aware of economic and financial conditions affecting the organization and forecasting future trends(Arends, 2014). Strategic planning Top managers oversee conducting strategic planning. This type of planning involves assessing the organization's strengths and weaknesses to analyze competitive possibilities and threats and then discerning means of putting the organization in an effectively-competitive position in the business environment(Barney, 2014). It is usually a long process that can take more than three years. Tactical Planning this is the intermediate-range within which middle-level managers can take 1-3 years to establish relatively substantial means to aid in the implementation of the strategic plan(Haines, 2016). Operational Planning this is short-term planning (1 year) that focuses subunit and organization-wide goals. It is usually overseen by 1st line managers who are responsible for creating specific frameworks to aid in the facilitation of tactical and strategic plans(Johnson, 2014). This function of management involves establishing an organization structure and ensuring human resources are allocated to facilitate the accomplishment of objectives(Scott, W., Davis, G., 2015). The organizations structure acts as the framework for effort coordination. Senior managers agree on organizational design decisions and present the structure by an organizational chart with a graphic depiction of the organizations hierarchy(Daft, R., Marcic, D., 2016). The managers also determine the duties and responsibilities of individual and how well to cluster or departmentalize jobs for effective effort coordination. This function of management entails ascertaining that performance does not stray from standards(Goetsch, D., Davis, S., 2014). Managers perform these functions using the following steps; Establishing performance standards. Performance standards are usually measured in monetary terms, for example, costs, revenue or profits. Contrasting actual performance against standards and This function is conducted by managers from all levels of the organization. The control function does not mean that managers should control juniors in a manipulative way, but rather it entails having the managers play their role in taking the required and appropriate action toward the accomplishment of company goals and objectives. There are two traditional techniques used controlling; Budget Audit provides information on the organization's progress and position about plans and budgets(Shatri, Y., Hashani, S., 2016). Performance Audit tries to determine whether the information given in the budget report reflects actual performance(Skrbk, P., Christensen, M., 2014). This function requires managers to be good leaders to direct effectively. Directing is an inter-personnel aspect of management which involves managers dealing directly with subordinates in supervising, guiding, motivating and influencing them towards achieving set objectives. It involves the following elements; Supervision the act of overseeing by watching and directing work Motivation encouraging, inspiring and stimulating subordinates with the zeal to work. Leadership guiding and influencing work to the desired direction Communication sharing of information, opinion or experience within the working environment Recommendations Aztec should invest more on information intelligence especially in the finance departments to come up with strategies for dealing the ever-changing financial times. Financial investment goes a long way for most organizations, especially where success is the main priority for most firms. Aztec should take into consideration all required Australian engineering principles for the sake of boosting its success and public relations in the organization. Basing consideration on the survey results, Aztec as a firm needs to step up and ensure that information intelligence is not shunned. This way, it will acquire a competitive edge in the market, and more so, be known for its quality, professionalism and effective service delivery. Engineering practitioners in Australia are governed by the code of ethics. Therefore, I would recommend that these principles be highly adhered to. There is a need to keep in mind the knowledge and skills of this profession for the sole benefit of the community. The major aim is to create engineering solutions, to realize a sustainable future. In future, the organization needs to strive to serve the community. Conflicts of interest need to be put behind professional interests. A code of conduct should be followed and made known to every person. The engineering profession in the country should not be tarnished, but this can only be achieved where discipline is emphasized. Thirdly, Aztec should consider opting out of internalization processes and venture out of its comfort zone by trying to outsource. Dealing with the shortage of skilled labor will require Aztecs management to consider reinventing themselves by thinking outside the box and broadening the scope of hiring skills. Instead of just focusing on individuals with engineering knowledge and skills, the company can try hiring people with other skills and expertise such as analytical experts who would come in handy in all areas of management. Analytical skills are highly sought after in the business world, and individuals who possess these skills could help in human resource, finance, and inventory services. It is everybody's responsibility to conserve the environment and Aztec should spearhead the campaign by pursuing means of developing alternative sources of energy. Most of the equipment involved in the construction industry use petroleum products for fuel, and this ends up having a detrimental effect on the environment. Aztec should be actively involved in developing other sources of energy such as solar, wind and biomass fuels. It is the desire of every organization to achieve profitability in the long term, and more so, be at par with all industry concepts, processes, and procedures which enhance overall success. Aztec, just like any other organization, needs to deal with relevant principles, required aspects, and professionally set standards to ensure the Australian engineering aspects are not shunned. All these elements should be emphasized at the organization level, for improved efficiency in general. The bottom line to adhere to set engineering standards, remain efficient, produce at high quality and have the best, reliable and competent professionals to work in the organization. Service to the community is of utmost importance as well. Challenges and how I overcame them The challenges in making this report are associated with connecting leadership and the effects it has on the organization from diverse perspectives. The connection between the management of an organization and the Australian engineering capabilities also came in handy. However, the whole process was educative in different ways. One of the ways is related to the Australian Engineering Capabilities. I was able to know that the capabilities play a big role in helping a company to be effective in leadership as well in conflict resolution. The capabilities are rich in ideas that do not only help an organization to grow but also helps an organization to deal with its internal affairs without affecting the leadership structure. Researching more about the company used was also educative because from the survey, I was able to understand why the capabilities would be of so much help to the company. I was able to overcome the challenges by conducting an in depth research. Some of the lessons learned are associated with management and leadership in an organization, and strictly from the results of the survey. I learned that an organization cannot be effective if it does not implement leadership plans in its strategies. I was able to identify how the Australian Engineering competencies can be effective in an engineering organization. This was through the interview and also by just going through the competencies and looking at different ways in which the organization has med sure that it is effective in its management. Attempting to run a project without the proper project management tools and techniques is like trying to correctly put together a tool with lots of disconnected parts without the aid the products instruction manual. Engineering projects most often than not involve a lot of interdependent and interconnected tasks, ergo engineers need to set up predominantly acceptable instructions that serve as guidelines when rolling over new projects. Project management tools and techniques come in handy especially for engineering tasks with different possible outcomes and where there are risks of encountering failures and problems, ergo, project managers require skills in organizing resources and activities and planning and assessing options in order to achieve successful results(Babcock, D., Murthy, M., 2014). According to the survey, the project management processes outlined below have proved to yield successful results; Precise project specification also known as terms of reference,' project specification involves agreeing on a precise and fact-based description of the goals aimed to be achieved, benchmarks and flexibilities involved regarding scope, sources, parameters, outputs, range and timescales(Lock, 2014). Project planning - this entails arranging the sundry stages and activities in the project. Involving the whole team in brainstorming for ideas can be helpful. One utilitarian tip is thinking back from the end product and determining things needed for different stages then working your way back to the end. Fishbone diagrams come in handy at this stage as they help in figuring out missed items(De Roo, G., Porter, G., 2016). Communicating project plan to team this involves keeping the team in the loop about the project and is essential in obtaining the necessary agreement, commitment, and support in the project Delegating project actions persons responsible for each activity should be identified during the planning process. With the help of the SMART acronym, project managers can ensure that only the right individuals are delegated for project actions(Sims, R., Quatro, S., 2015). If some duties are allocated to groups, the Jamari Window Model can aid in reviewing the framework for group activities. Review project performance this involves checking and measuring the progress of project activities against the original master plan. It aids the project managers and planners in regularly reviewing the project's performance and adjusting the plan where necessary(Schwalbe, 2015). Project completion at the end of the project, a review meeting should be held to assess the whole process. A report should be written detailing the reflected successes and failures and making observations and recommendations. Follow up this stage is crucial, especially if the project has relatively low visibility and meaning to stakeholders, as it involves a follow-up to measure the projects viability and efficiency. Poor profitability and productivity This is the worst challenge facing the construction industry in Australia. The limitations to entry into the construction business are currently low hence creating a flooded market with fierce competition. The heavy competition dwindles down profit margins thus curbing crucial reinvestment in advancing business practices. Aztec stays afloat by maintaining fair rates on services offered with no compromise on product quality. Project complexity increases proportionally to the growth of opportunities in the construction industry. Sudden necessary changes to the production system could wipe out profits for the entire organizations as companies are already struggling with thin profit margins. We try to always stay ahead of the game by having a resource information technology department. Surveys conducted have shown that 75% of managers in national engineering companies and organization feel that there is an acute shortage of skilled construction personnel such as engineers, supervisors, and estimators. There seems to be a rift the old generation of engineers that is gradually fading away and the new boom of millennial engineers that some feel is not adequately experienced. Aztec has old generation' experts who work hand in hand with the younger professionals in coaching them on the values of great performance. References Arends, R. (2014). Learning to teach. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Argenti, P. (2015). Corporate communication. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Autesserre, S. (2014). Peaceland: conflict resolution and the everyday politics of international intervention. London: Cambridge University Press. Babcock, D., Murthy, M. (2014). Managing engineering and technology. Boston: Pearson. Barney, J. (2014). Gaining and sustaining competitive advantage. New York: Pearson Higher Ed. Cahn, D., Abigail, R. (2014). Managing conflict through communication. New York: Pearson. Cummings, T., Worley, C. (2014). Organization development and change. Boston: Cengage Learning. Daft, R., Marcic, D. (2016). Understanding management. London: Nelson Education. Dale, B. (2015). Total quality management. New York: John Wiley Sons, Ltd. De Roo, G., Porter, G. (2016). Fuzzy planning: the role of actors in a fuzzy governance environment. London: Routledge. Forsgren, M. (2015). Managing the Internationalization Process (Routledge Revivals): The Swedish Case. London: Routledge. Fry, D., Bjorkqvist, K. (2013). Cultural variation in conflict resolution: Alternatives to violence. Athens: Psychology Press. Goetsch, D., Davis, S. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. New Jersey: Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Haines, S. (2016). The systems thinking approach to strategic planning and management. New York: CRC Press. Johnson, P. (2014). Purchasing and supply management. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education. Kerzner, H. (2014). Project management: a systems approach to planning, scheduling, and controlling. New York: John Wiley Sons. Lock, M. (2014). The essentials of project management. New Delhi: Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. Mayer, B. (2015). The conflict paradox: Seven dilemmas at the core of disputes. New York: John Wiley Sons. Mesmer-Magnus, J., Doty, D. (2013). Moving beyond relationship and task conflict: Toward a process-state perspective. New York: John Wiley and Sons. Nicholas, J., Steyn, H. (2017). Project management for engineering, business, and technology. London: Taylor Francis. Schwalbe, K. (2015). Information technology project management. Boston: Cengage Learning. Scott, W., Davis, G. (2015). Organizations and Organizing: Rational, natural and open systems perspectives. London: Routledge. Shatri, Y., Hashani, S. (2016). Impact of time budget pressure on audit quality case study: Albania and Kosovo. The Eleventh International Conference on Economic Sciences, pp. 3-21. Sims, R., Quatro, S. (2015). Leadership: Succeeding in the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. London: Routledge. Skrbk, P., Christensen, M. (2014). Setting a Performance Audit Agenda: The Danish National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee Tango. Management Accounting and Control,, 28-48. Vachon, F., Tremblay, S. (2014). Background sound impairs interruption recovery in dynamic task situations: Procedural conflict? Applied Cognitive Psychology, 28(1), 10-21. Vachon, F., Tremblay, S. (2014). Background sound impairs interruption recovery in dynamic task situations: Procedural conflict?. Applied Cognitive Psychology, , 28(1), 10-21. Wallensteen, P. (2015). Understanding conflict resolution. Boston: Sage.

Starbucks Introduction of Kind Bars free essay sample

â€Å"A Small Player Breaks Into Starbucks,† Starbucks has recently started a campaign to provide more healthy products to its consumers. This is considered quite the change since coffee, Starbucks primary product, is not necessarily thought of as healthy. To help start of this campaign it has agreed to start selling KIND bars, which are â€Å"combinations of dried fruits and nuts bound together by honey (NY Times). KIND bars seem to fit in great with the direction Starbucks is going, but they did not always. It took Daniel Lubetzky, owner of KIND, over five years of promoting his product to Starbucks to even get his foot in the door. 2. ) SWOT Analysis-Starbucks Strengths Coffee industry market leader * Customer satisfaction and strong brand loyalty * Free Wi-Fi available for customers * Innovative operations and a strong financial position * Strong product diversification Weaknesses * Although a diversified company, still strong reliance on coffee products for profit * High operating costs Downsizing * High prices on products * Competition is rising in their growing market Opportunities * Coffee Beans to be sold in stores * Brand Extension * Expansion to South Asian Markets * Provide more cost-and health-conscious products Threats * Competition * Rising number of health-conscious customers * Corporate giant image * Resistance in foreign countries due to political and cultural issues * Variation in coffee price in developing countries 3. We will write a custom essay sample on Starbucks Introduction of Kind Bars or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ) Identification, Evaluation and Analysis of Alternatives KIND bars are not the only thing Starbucks is going to be offering in its new campaign. They plan to revamp the menu, introducing a variety of lighter and healthier foods such as salads, smoothies and fruit muffins. So why did Starbucks choose to introduce the KIND bar when it could of chosen Clif bars or SOYJOY bars, both more established than KIND. Clif is currently the market leader in nutrition bars and SOYJOY is widely international with distribution from Singapore to Belgium. It could be due to Mr. Lubetzky’s determination, or maybe because of KIND’s marketing mix. 4. )Recommendations and Conclusions KIND would be very appealing to Starbucks consumers for numerous reasons and this makes it obvious to Starbucks that it will be a good investment. KIND donates five percent of its profit to the PeaceWorks Foundation, â€Å"which strives to bring peace to Middle Eastern countries by building commercial food ventures (NY Times). † This makes the consumer feel good about their purchase because they feel as if they are contributing to a good cause. Also, Yale did a pilot study indicating that two KIND bars a day can help consumers lose weight. This is attractive to buyers due to the fact that around two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese. KIND also promotes there products to be, â€Å"a brand of delicious, natural, healthful foods made from wholesome ingredients you can see amp; pronounce ®(KINDsnacks). † In a world where it seems that everything you consume has preservatives and who knows what else in them, KIND stands out in the crowd. Finally, with the price of $1. 5 at Starbucks, the deal cannot be beat, especially compared to relative prices of coffee at Starbucks. With all these advantages there is no question that Starbucks made the right decision in choosing KIND. This collaboration with to help offset Starbucks threats such as the rising number of health-conscious consumers, which is the basis of its campaign. An additional threat that may be counterbalanced is its image as a corporate giant because of their acceptance of a small business. Source Links: http://www. nytimes. om/2009/07/01/business/smallbusiness/01snackbar. html? ref=marketing http://www. kindsnacks. com/kind-store/buy-kind-bars Periodical Exercise 1. ) Problem/Decision Statement According to an article in BusinessWeek in 2012, titled, â€Å"Taco Bell introduces Doritos taco shell†, on March 8th Taco Bell introduced Doritos Locos to over 5,600 stores nationwide. Doritos Locos are like regular crunchy tacos but, it has a shell made with nacho cheese Doritos. This is considered one of the biggest product launches in the history of the company. Taco Bell has already confirmed their budget of $75 million to promote their new launch (BusinessWeek). This is over three times more of a budget than for previous new products. Doritos Locos is just the latest of many things Taco Bell has been trying to do to improve their menu. But the question is whether or not this is the right time to be taking on such a big market introduction, with the recent bad publicity caused by lawsuits attacking the quality of their beef. 2. ) SWOT Analysis- Taco Bell Strengths * Huge popular brand name and high brand loyalty Adopted a healthy trans-fat free formula which is a key competitive advantage over other competitors who has not yet switched to the healthier recipes. * Has the acknowledgment as the best Mexican style fast food restaurant in the U. S. * Owns over 5600 restaurants across the nation and 250 outlets internationally * Strong parent company, Yum! Brands, owns Pizza Hut and KFC as well * Open very late Weaknesses * High fat and high calorie food not good for health conscious people * Lost goodwill when customers were hospitalized due to traces of E. oli bacteria * Bad publicity due to lawsuits against quality of beef * Also lost goodwill for human rights protest in ’05 and rodent problem in ‘07 Opportunities * New flavors and recipes should be introduced especially focused on more health conscious ingredients in their menus * Introduce home delivery * Venture into new markets such as India, like Pizza Hut and KFC, that has a growing consumption of fast food Threats * Research and the raised awareness among consumers about the harmful health impacts of fast food consumption. The trans-fats, sugars, oils and salts which are ingredients of the fast foods being offered, are thus consumed in low proportions by the aware and educated consumers * Highly labor intensive which increases the subjectivity involved in the delivery of services * Threats from competitors of Taco Bell such as McDonalds and Subway 3. ) Identification, Evaluation and Analysis of Alternatives Since the Frito Lay Corporation is obviously the market leader in any type of corn chip, tortilla chip or any chip for that matter, there are not really any big alternatives that would be better than Doritos. Even if Taco bell would have gone with Tostitos or Santitas, other tortilla chip brands, instead, it wouldn’t have made much of a difference because they are still owned by Frito Lay. An alternative that Taco Bell should have considered is the Baked Doritos in place of regular fried Doritos. For the reason that many empty calories and trans fat comes from â€Å"hidden† oil and Baked Doritos might help with Taco Bell trying to gain an edge on the competition through the health conscious route. 4. ) Recommendations and Conclusions Doritos Locos would be very appealing to Taco Bells consumers for numerous reasons and this makes it obvious to Taco Bell that it will be a good investment. Honestly I believe that Taco Bell’s decision to launch Doritos Locos is an incredible idea for many reasons but at the same time it does have some drawbacks. Doritos are one of America’s top favorite snacks and to combine that with Americas top Mexican style fast food restaurant just seems like the great idea never before had. Doritos come in many flavors and so should Doritos Locos, such as Cool Ranch, Smoky Chipotle BBQ and Fiery Habanero (Frito-Lay). This new rollout may also shift consumers focus from the negativity of the recent lawsuits and bad publicity to the positivity of this inevitably delicious and profitable collaboration. Then again, because of the large percentage of overweight and obese Americans and a strong desire to switch to health smart ingredients, Doritos Locos may just be perceived as another fattening product line put out by the gluttonous fast food industry.

Answer Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem

Answer Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips A lot of readers of The Crucible have the same question: why has Reverend Hale returned to Salem in Act 4?This is a short article detailing the reasons behind Hale's decision to return.If you're confused about what his motivations are and what he hopes to accomplish, read on for a complete explanation. Why Is This Question Tricky? At the end of Act 3, Reverend Hale quits the court in Salem out of frustration because he sees that irrationality and hysteria have taken over the proceedings. However, in Act 4, we learn that he has returned to Salem to speak with the prisoners and convince them to confess. This is a bit confusing - why would he return to Salem to convince people to confess if he believes that they're innocent? As I'll explain in the next two sections, Hale has shifted his moral compass slightly to accomodate his own guilt. Guilt and its counterpart, concern for reputation, are both common themes in The Crucible, which makes understanding the answer to this question important for an effective reading of the play. Short Answer Hale has returned to Salem in Act 4 because he recognizes himself as the original instigator of the ultimately unfounded witch hysteria, and he doesn’t want to end up with the blood of innocent people on his hands (or at least innocent people who are widely respected like Rebecca Nurse and John Proctor).His goal is to persuade the condemned prisoners to sign their names to false confessions. Hale has managed to convince himself that lying is a lesser evil than throwing away one's life for the sake of maintaining a spotless record of integrity. This is a somewhat selfish viewpoint, although it's the only one he can accomodate psychologically. If he gets the prisoners to save their own lives, his positive self-image will not be marred by their executions.He fails to fully consider the negative impact a confession would have on the self-image of the confessor, which is why no one responds to his efforts. Long Answer Reverend Hale’s purpose in returning to Salem is to speak with the condemned prisoners and convince them that they should give false confessions rather than martyr themselves.He chooses to do this because he is tormented by guilt.When Danforth asks Hale directly why he has returned, Hale responds, â€Å"Why, it is all simple. I come to do the Devil’s work. I come to counsel Christians they should belie themselves. There is blood on my head! Can you not see there is blood on my head!!† (Act 4 pg. 121). Note that when Hale says he comes to do "the Devil's work," he is being sardonic. He knows that what he's doing is technically not befitting of a man of God, but he feels that promoting lies is better than the alternative of allowing innocent people to go to their deaths because of him. He feels responsible for the way things played out in Salem since he was the original â€Å"expert† called on to investigate the witchcraft rumors in Act 1. He lit the fuse by pressuring Abigail to answer leading questions about her activities in the woods (pg. 40), prompting her accusations against Tituba.He then ignored Tituba’s protests that she never called the Devil (pg. 41) and insisted that she name the names of other people she’d seen with Him (pg. 44).He had all the authority in that situation because of his supposed superior knowledge of witchcraft (pg. 37), and he used it to intimidate people into confessing. This initial storm of confessions and ensuing hysteria eventually led to the condemnation of people he knew to be innocent.He signed seventy-two death warrants (pg. 92), including that of Rebecca Nurse, based on what he now believes was false evidence.The only way Hale thinks he can make up for this is by returning to Salem and convincing the accused to save their own lives, even if they must lie to do so.He’d rather advocate lying than be responsible for the deaths of innocent people.He does not consider that signing a confession is essentially the same as death to someone like Rebecca Nurse, whose whole identity is based on her integrity and piousness. Hale is ultimately only looking out for his own peace of mind and spiritual wellbeing. And God did say unto Reverend Hale, "#yolo." Summary:Why Has Reverend Hale Returned to Salem? Here's a short bullet point recap of the answer to this question: Hale returns to Salem to convince the condemned prisoners to confess to witchcraft. He does so because he feels responsible for the miscarriage of justice that led them to their current situation. He knows it's too late for them to be pardoned, so persuading them to give false confessions rather than hang is the best way to clear his own conscience. What's Next? So what actually happens in Act 4? What does the ending of the play mean? Check out our full summary of the last act of The Crucible. If you want to back up a little bit to the heightened courtroom drama of Act 3, you can also read our full Act 3 summary, complete with key quotes and thematic analyses. Another tricky question that comes up in The Crucible is why Elizabeth wants John to go to Salem in Act 2. Read our answer and explanation. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Generating Bankable Story Ideas for Film and Television

Generating Bankable Story Ideas for Film and Television So, you’ve finally decided to try your hand at screenwriting. You’ve read  Syd Field’s Screenplay  cover to cover. You’ve bought the latest version of Final Draft. You’ve set aside time each night to write three pages knowing that in a month you’ll have a first draft of your 90-page opus. You’re pumped! There’s just one small problem. You have no idea what to write. I mean, you know what topics you’re passionate about, but that doesn’t necessarily make for a sellable screenplay†¦ does it? Where and how does one generate those great story ideas that make it from script to screen? The good news is there’s no magic formula, no hidden secret, no play- Look at What’s Hot Critics often pan Tinseltown for its plethora of derivative works. But there’s a very simple reason why the same kinds of movies and TV shows get made over and over: they work. If audiences keep tuning in, why stop? Look at the type of content that’s doing well with audiences right now and how long it’s been that way. If it’s been a few years with no signs of abating, there’s a good chance producers want more of it. Figure out what hot content you enjoy and then come up with your unique spin on it. Consult an Expert Experts are everywhere. Producers, script consultants, distribution execs, sales agents. And while they may not have a crystal ball, their position in the industry means they likely see what’s selling and what’s making money. Moreover, they’re often desperate for writers willing to eschew personal passions in favor of writing what’s marketable. So, where do you find these experts? Attend networking events, film markets and festivals, join a professional writers’ group, or ask friends who have connections. Open a Newspaper Some of the best ideas hide in plain sight. Newspapers, magazines, and blogs are rife with human interest stories and current events that might make for strong movies or TV shows. How do you know which ones? First, look at how popular the story is. Have you seen it in numerous publications? Is it a front-pager? Has it been getting tons of hits? And second, is real drama there? Real adversity? Something that’s almost too amazing to believe? If readers are responding, audiences probably will, too. It Really Is Who You Know Movie-goers love true stories. And while newspapers are filled with them, it may be challenging for a frosh screenwriter to secure a subject’s life rights without significant money involved. (A true story is essentially worthless to a screenwriter without a life rights option in place.) Instead, look at people you know who have highly peculiar, unique, or exceptional life stories. They may just be the hidden gem you’ve been searching for, and they’re more likely to option their life rights to you for cheap. Adapt Preexisting Material The Academy doesn’t offer a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for nothing. Preexisting material is fertile ground for new story ideas. And it doesn’t have to be some book on the New York Times bestseller list either. In fact, it doesn’t have to be a book at all. Novellas, short stories, poems, comic books, graphic novels, blogs, even advice columns have all found second lives as movies or TV shows. Consider whether the material is topical and relevant to today’s audience, and you may just have a winner on your hands. Partner Up Producers who are having trouble finding specific types of material may be willing to partner with you if you write on spec. Both sides put in sweat equity – you write the material, and they guide the process, develop the material, and eventually shop it. If it gets sold, everyone gets paid. If the producers can at least offer basic story direction or lay out their investor’s parameters, you can start

Business opportunities in the leisure goods and activities industry Essay - 5

Business opportunities in the leisure goods and activities industry - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that leisure goods and services are one of the sectors with the fastest level of growth in the UK. However, Business Link further points out that spending on recreation and leisure is discretionary, varying in line with disposable income, and that the sector responds quickly to recessionary pressures. It is for this reason that expenditure in the industry is highest where consumers are able to devote time and money to leisure activities and goods. Business Link also indicates that the key drivers for this sector include: inexpensive air travel; the aspirations for higher lifestyle and increasing disposable incomes Increasing opportunities in countries experiencing increases in disposable incomes but where the sector is still in the developmental stages, for example, Eastern Europe. This industry has the ability to increase employment, attract revenue and therefore drive domestic development in the UK. The paper indicates that the total expenditure increased every year over the six-year period. However, the percentage increase varied. The total expenditure increased by 3% in 2003, 4.2% in 2004, 3.7% in 2005, 2.5% in 2006, and 4.1% in 2007. The food and drink the sector with the highest expenditure accounting for 41% of the total expenditure in 2002 and 2007. This sector was followed by family outings and holidays with 23% in 2002 and 25% in 2007. The culture sector was the sector with the lowest expenditure showing a mere 4% in 2002 and falling to 3.5% in 2007.

Reflection - 21st century skills Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Reflection - 21st century skills - Essay Example Students are encouraged to learn by doing, which increases their global skills highly needed in the 21st century. The portal also focuses on leadership, and collaboration between teachers and students. However, teachers seem to be focusing more on the digital recording of the grades rather than on the core content of the subjects. The portal system is not appropriate for early year students, since they cannot use the digital technology properly. The teachers of early year students still need to come face-to-face with the parents to communicate effectively. Also, the system seems to be discouraging the traditional way of teaching subjects. Students will slowly forget the conventional classroom environment. Hence, besides promoting global skills, the core content also needs to be focused upon. Students must also learn how to communicate in person while being good at

Obesity is a disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Obesity is a disease - Essay Example With increased viewing of TV and computer today, the energy generated by the flight of the imagination keeps the physical responses from getting expressed. This increases aggression and lethargy in children as well as making them obese. This paper aims to accomplish an understanding about what hazards obesity brings with it. The paper argues that obesity is a disease both for children and for adults. Let’s first ponder upon the reasons why adults and children are getting more and more obese these days. The biggest reason is unhealthy food. People have got busier lives in this competitive world, so they have less time to spend in the grocery store buying cheap but healthy food and in the kitchen over lengthy cooking processes. Thus, they prefer looking for a quick and easy, already prepared, meal that they can grab at a nearby fast food corner. Fast food, also known as junk food, is increasingly becoming an all-American choice, both for adult and for children. When we compare expensive fast food with cheap healthy food, all nutritionists agree on the fact that healthy food is not only cheap but also gives the body all essential nutrients that it needs to stay healthy and active; while, junk food is not only expensive but also deprives the body of important nutrients, thus making people frail, fatigued, inactive, and obese because of empty calories. Another problem is the u se of exaggerated statements and images. For example, when an advertisement says: â€Å"XYZ Fried Chicken, the tastiest and healthiest meal you ever ate!†, it means a lot for children as they are going to believe that the junk food is the healthiest food in the world. Hence, they consume unhealthy food and become obese, which leads to many problems in their later lives such as high blood pressure, diabetes, lethargy, increased cholesterol, and heart diseases. Han, Lawlor and Kimm (2010, p. 1737-1748) assert that disastrous impacts of childhood obesity include type 2 diabetes and

Custodial Deaths and Human Rights Issues

Custodial Deaths and Human Rights Issues Whenever we go through daily newspapers or news on broadcast media or internet, one of the most common topics we can find is deaths in custody. This is something that we get to hear about most often from people surrounding us, and it has been happening for quite a long time, not only in a particular country or region, but in the whole world. However, many people is dying in custody each year. The deaths while in custody remains a very controversial topic as it is believed that the main reasons of these deaths are kept in darkness from the world.  [1]  These deaths could be a regular subject for the ones in charge of the custody, but bring a major issue in the limelight which is the gross violation of human rights. According to the Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR), When the state takes away a persons liberty, it assumes full responsibility for protecting their human rights. The most fundamental of these is the right to life.  [2]  As we go through this paper, we will dis cuss more about custodial deaths and its impact on international law and human rights. Custodial deaths are referred to those deaths, while in custody of the police, prison service, or other authorities. The causes of these deaths or we can say that the custody authorities are often accused of abuse, cover-ups, racism and neglect.  [3]  Some examples of custodial deaths are Operation Clean Heart by the government of Bangladesh where a minimum of 32 people died; death of about 100 prisoners in United States custody in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2002; and at least 650 people were killed in Jamaica by the police officers in 1999 which were all unlawful killings, but none of them were convicted since then.  [4]   Human Rights: Human rights are rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled.  [5]  These rights protect us from severe political, legal, and social abuses. A few examples of human rights are the right to freedom of religion, the right to a fair trial when charged with a crime, the right not to be tortured, the right to engage in political activity, and the right to life.  [6]  All these rights are protected by law for the wellbeing of a society. These rights, if violated, can lead to severe consequences or penalties if proved guilty to the sovereign authority. Human Rights against Custodial Deaths: The most fundamental part of human rights is the right to life.  [7]  This type of human rights which protect people detained by the State falls under the law of Human Rights Act 1998. A death penalty or even custodial deaths violate these rights according to many human rights activists from around the world. A state ensures protection of its people enforced by law. They have more responsibility about a persons protection when they take them into custody in doubts of unlawful acts. Therefore, whenever a person dies in custody, it raises a major human rights issue. Besides people who are serving whole-life sentences, many others die in custody. These custodial deaths maybe caused due to natural causes or diseases, attacks by other prisoners, self-infliction, third-degree tortures while in remand, and many other reasons. Many of those people who die in custody are held on remand in either police custody or prison for doubts of unlawful acts, and are convicted of no criminal offence. These are serious violations of human rights as every individual has the right to life, which is protected by the State and these deaths are not enforced by law. Custodial Death and Human Rights Concerns around the World: In Bangladesh, a huge battalion of Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) killed more than seventy army officers and others dead in February 25 and 26, 2009. After that, most soldiers of Bangladesh Rifles were held in prisons as suspects for the massacre. More than a thousand soldiers including twenty civilians were detained, and the others are still in the police custody. From a statement of the Bangladesh Rifles on April 23, 2009, it was said that Sixteen detainees have died in custody four from suicide, six from heart attacks, and six from other diseases.  [8]  But Brad Adams, Asia Director at Human Rights Watch  [9]  , said that he couldnt find a solid reason for which the detainees have committed suicide, and thus, he has urged the government to take immediate actions to stop such deaths in custody. From credible sources in Bangladesh, reports were found by the Human Rights Watch on torture of detainees while they were in custody. One of the suspects told that he was tortured with electric shocks for seven days by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)  [10]  . After the death of another suspect, a family member said that he was in good health before taken into custody and has no reason of sudden death. In a medical report of a dead suspect, wounds of torture were inflicted, which the authority denied by saying that the wounds may have been caused while they were trying to escape following the rebellion. Adams said that these explanations are not credible and that torture is a regular investigation technique in Bangladesh and killing of detainees in custody is an endemic problem. The detained suspects have been denied access to family and lawyers in most cases. In Vietnam, Human Rights Watch reported that they have received nineteen documents of brutality cases in twelve months till September 2010, which resulted in deaths of fifteen people. Deaths in custody were reported from major cities in Vietnam which has provoked the public protestant in the country and raised serious concerns. In a few cases, the detainees died due to massive beatings while in custody of the police or civil defense force, and in other cases, people died in public areas where the police used excessive forces. In many cases, detainees are taken into custody and killed for minor violations of law. In June 30, 2010, a person died in police custody after being detained following a dispute with his mother. In another case, which was on July 23, 2010, a man was arrested for riding a motorbike without a helmet. He was then taken is custody for questioning and hours later, it was reported that he died. This has raised serious concerns in Vietnam for such a custodial death. In all these nineteen incidents in just twelve months time, not a single involved police officer was convicted by the local court for their actions. There have been major protests by the media as the government has high restrictions and control over their local press. Only a few police officers have been detained or suspended, which was caused due to media exposure of the incidents and severe protests from the public. Unless the government shows serious concerns regarding such human rights issues, it is very uncertain that such killings can ever be stopped. In Afghanistan, a soldier named Jamal Nasser died in March 16, 2003 while in custody of the United States Army.  [11]  After eighteen months of his death, it was reported that his death attributed to a kidney infection. Later on, investigations found that the cause was just a fiction. According to Senator Patrick Leahy, The detainee, Jamal Naseer, died in March 2003, allegedly after weeks of torture by American soldiers. Because the  Special Forces  unit that reportedly controlled the detention facility failed to report the death, it was never investigated. This incident is very troubling on its own, but, like so many other incidents we have discovered, it points to a much larger problem. The  U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command  received a tip about Naseers death earlier this year, but could not investigate the matter due to a lack of information.  [12]  An army detective at Bagram Airbase told the LA Times that there are no records for which they werent able to conclude the investigation process. Human Rights Law: There are many human rights law assigned by the sovereign authority for the well being of a society by ensuring the safety of every individual. The law which concerns with the deaths in custody is Article 2 of The European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), The Human Rights Act 1998, which states that: 1. Everyones right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law. 2. Deprivation of life shall not be regarded as inflicted in contravention of this Article when it results from the use of force which is no more than absolutely necessary: (a) in defence of any person from unlawful violence; (b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; (c) in action lawfully taken for the purpose of quelling a riot or insurrection.  [13]   Article 2 clearly provides that the state should not deprive you of your life, except in very limited circumstances.  [14]  According to the article, whenever someone is killed by a police, army or prison officer, the incident will always link to right to life. In such a circumstance, investigations will be called and a failure in the investigation at the hands of a state official is likely to be a breach of Article 2. Conclusion: Many people have been killed and are still being killed while in custody of the state officials in almost every country. The state is responsible for the protection of its each and every single individual and the ones violating laws shall be detained or punished after the consequences has been sanctioned by the higher authority. But any kind of custodial deaths are unlawful as every human has the right to life, and they cannot be punished unless they are proved guilty. Custodial deaths fall under the Human Rights Act 1998, Article 2 which states that custodial deaths should be investigated and if not done, then it would be a breach of law. After studying this paper, we are able to conclude that custodial deaths have become a global human rights issue and these deaths are gross violation of Human Rights. The state must take all necessary steps in order to prevent deaths in custody, ensure that every individual is well protected by law, and only the ones proved guilty are punished or d etained. Success in preventing will lead to the well being of the society.

Impact of Revolution on women and slavery Essay -- essays research pap

The American Revolution caused a change in America that was far greater than just the forming of an independent nation. In the years after the revolution, a government had to be set in place. The new nation was greatly influenced by models of previous governments, including Great Britain and ancient Greece and Rome. Despite the great change in political structure, aspects of social culture were influenced by the revolution as well, especially in the areas of slavery and the status of women.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ideology of the revolution can be looked at as a positive step in the area of slavery. The years following the revolution saw a larger opposition towards the whole principal of slavery. The North during the late 1700’s saw a slow decline in slavery, to the point where it was being ended. Vermont was the first colony to fully abolish slavery in 1777, and Massachusetts soon followed. Emancipation laws were implemented by Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well, and in New Hampshire no slaves were present by 1810. The South did not show as much generosity to the issue of slavery, however many colonies did change laws that restricted a slave owner’s right to free their slaves. The only colonies that refused to implement these laws were South Carolina and Georgia. The years subsequent to the revolution saw a large jump in the number of free African-Americans. Despite all these advancements for African-Americans, whites still did not recognize them as equa ls. In th...

Hume: Morality Is Based on Sentiment

Hume: Morality is Based on Sentiment This paper will attempt to give a detailed breakdown of David Hume's take on morality, and how some of the other philosophers would critique his stance. I will first speak about why Hume believes reason and passion don't contradict each other. Then I will give Aristotle’s and Aquinas' view on this conclusion of his. Next, I will speak on how Hume argues that moral judgments aren't grounded in reason. Afterwards, I will discuss what he considers that moral judgments are founded on. Finally, I will give a critique of Hume's theory from Hobbes' perspective.Hume's take on human morality is a very interesting one indeed to contemplate. His main argument on the topic is that the morality of humans is totally derived from sentiment, and in no way has anything to do with reason. He first defines sentiment and reason. He says that the former refers to passions such as emotions, feelings, appetites and desires. Then he also goes on to categorize the passions as being either calm or violent. And according to him, it is our passions that lead us to action. He also states that passions can neither be true nor false, they're â€Å"original existences† (Hume 42 column 2 paragraph 3).Then he defines reason as, what we can say, are ruminations of the mind, which includes beliefs, thoughts, conclusions of arguments, etc, and declares that these can be true or false. It is with these definitions in mind that Hume goes on to make the statement that passion and reason cannot oppose each other. Because passions are original existences, they are neither reasonable nor unreasonable though they are the dominators of our actions. Reason, however, can be put to true/false evaluations and are actually derived from our passions.Reason cannot contradict passion because this would be an internal disagreement of ideas, which are considered as copies of the object which they represent, i. e. the particular passion. He states though that a pass ion can be called unreasonable if it is founded upon a false supposition or chooses insufficient means for the required end (Hume 43 column 2 paragraph 2), but when one perceives that the supposition is false or the means are insufficient, then the passion yields to reason without any opposition whatsoever (Hume 43 column 2 paragraph 2).This is because willing an action follows upon the supposition that the action brings about a proposed effect, but as soon as it's found that this supposition is not true there is no more desire to will that action. He also says that reason can have an indirect impact on passion. For example, when one considers jealousy, it can be seen that it’s a passion that’s based in human belief. Aristotle’s view is based on a system of virtues of which, if they’re done well, would cause one to lead a happy life. He also states that there are actually two categories of virtues: those that are intellectual and those which are moral.Int ellectual virtues refer to those characteristics that lead one to think or reason well, and demands experience and time. Moral virtues, on the other hand, are those characteristics that perfect our character and are acquired through habit (Aristotle 54 column 1 paragraph 4). These habits are the basis of actions, thus determining what one does in particular situations. Taking a look at how Hume’s actions derived from sentiment can be compared with Aristotle’s moral virtues that come through habit, the parallels in the theories can be immediately seen.The same can be said about Aristotle’s intellectual virtues bettering one’s thinking when compared with Hume’s reason being composed of ideas, beliefs and the like. Hume’s definitions of sentiment and reason can be seen as analogous to Aristotle’s virtues. Seeing that these two classes of virtues too function in wholly different ways to Aristotle, being that they target different aspects of the human, he would agree with Hume’s view that passion cannot oppose reason.The same can be said for Aquinas as was said for Aristotle. Aquinas' statement â€Å"Whatever a human being seeks, it seeks under the aspect of the good and if it does not seek it as its perfect good, which is its ultimate end, it must seek it as tending to that perfect good, since any beginning is ordered to its culmination† (McInerny 200 paragraph 3) can be interpreted to mean that all the things attracting the human will are perceived as being good.He then goes on to say that there is a distinction between the thing sought, which would be the trigger of Hume’s passion, and the reason for seeking it, which would be the available facts leading to the belief that the object is worth being sought. Here is where he can be compared to Hume who says that passions are original existences that cannot conflict with reason, which is based in facts as known by the human.Aquinas also states th at humans can be mistaken about the good in a particular instance of action, but if a person is enlightened that â€Å"not-A rather than A† contributes to their happiness, they â€Å"have the same reason for doing not-A† that they thought they had for doing â€Å"A† (McInerny 201 paragraph 4). He is saying here that whenever the human discovers that something sought for happiness (and thus is thought to be morally good) doesn’t fulfill the requirement, the human then has the same reason now for not seeking that thing anymore, whether it be a particular action or object.This supplements Hume’s theory of the only situations where he thinks passions can be thought of as â€Å"unreasonable†, though said passions would immediately yield to reason when the supposition is perceived to be false (Hume 43 column 2 paragraph 2). Aquinas clarifies this thinking even further when he says an act is not called rational because it’s an act of reason, but because it (the action) can be influenced by reason (McInerny 203 paragraph 1).Unlike many other philosophers, especially the classic ones, Hume disputes the claim that morality is founded on reason. He proposes this isn’t possible since â€Å"reason is the discovery of truth or falsehood†, which is related to ideas and matters of fact (Hume 44 column 1 paragraph 1). Since passions, volitions and actions are original facts and realities which are complete in themselves, and thus cannot reference each other, â€Å"it is impossible [for them to] be either contrary or conformable to reason†.Since our actions, which can be evaluated as being morally laudable or blamable, cannot be produced or prevented by reason, moral judgments cannot be derived from reason. To determine what Hume believes morality is derived from, there is a need to define facts and values, and to see how these fit into the spectrum of his conclusion. Facts are things known and can be describ ed. However, values are subjective feelings about the facts. So there is a huge difference between what each of them refers to.Using these definitions, Hume argues that there are no facts about good/evil and right/wrong. No matter how you may examine a morally wrong action, at no time can you ever find a matter of fact which you call vice. As long as you consider the object itself, you will never find that which is called vice. It is only when you reflect within that you find a â€Å"sentiment of disapprobation, which arises in you, towards this action†. That thing which arises in you is a fact, but it is an object of feeling, not reason (Hume 44 column 1 paragraph 3).Basically, Hume is saying that there is no way to say that an action willed by someone can be called factual, since there is nothing true or false about it, but it is the way someone feels about that action within themselves that gives the action moral value. So it can be seen how Hume concludes moral right/wron g is not deducted from reason, but how one feels about things. And human nature comes equipped with the basic sentiments of sympathy or benevolence toward humankind in general, and this is what leads us in making moral judgments.Hobbes would completely disagree with Hume on his theory that morality is based in sentiment. Just looking at the title of his work tells us that he believes morality is completely based on reason. He believes that humans are inherently selfish creatures and wouldn’t be much more than the lower animals if there was no society. He reasons that humans typically have a natural right to everything, even other humans, if they discern it that thing a means of advancing their own survival.He sees humans as existing in a state of nature where there is only a â€Å"war of everyone against everyone† (Hobbes 5 column 1 paragraph 1) arising from competition, fear and vanity. He posits that in this war, the concepts of right or wrong, justice or injustice, etc. have no place (Hobbes 4 column 1 paragraph 4), and hence there is no morality. However, they need to make peace with each other in an attempt to preserve their own lives. So humans force themselves to make covenants with each other to give up their fundamental right to all things for this security.Justice is derived from these covenants, and one is said to be unjust when they fail to â€Å"perform their covenants made† (Hobbes 5 column 2 paragraph 3). But there is also no trust among humans, since there is no way to be certain that the others will adhere to their agreement, so a further step is taken to establish what is called a commonwealth, in order to provide a â€Å"coercive power† that will â€Å"compel men equally to the performance of their covenants† through the fear of punishment worse than any benefit they get by breaking the covenant.It is through this sequence of occurrences that Hobbes arrives at his natural laws which are summed as â€Å"doi ng to others, as we would be done to you† (Hobbes 6 column 2 paragraph 3) which can be seen as morality. Thus, Hobbes would say instead that morality comes from the formation of covenants and commonwealth, and not sentiment as Hume says. Works Cited Aristotle. â€Å"Nicomachean Ethics† John Arthur and Steven Scalet. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social and Political Philosophy.Hobbes, Thomas. â€Å"Leviathan: Morality as Rational Advantage. † John Arthur and Steven Scalet. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social and Political Philosophy. Hume, David. â€Å"Morality is Based on Sentiment. † John Arthur and Steven Scalet. Morality and Moral Controversies: Readings in Moral, Social and Political Philosophy. McInerny, Ralph. â€Å"Ethics. † The Cambridge Companion to Aquinas. pages 200-206.

Golden Toad - Facts and Figures

Golden Toad - Facts and Figures Name: Golden Toad; also known as Bufo periglenes Habitat: Tropical forests of Costa Rica Historical Epoch: Pleistocene-Modern (2 million-20 years ago) Size and Weight: About 2-3 inches long and one ounce Diet: Insects Distinguishing Characteristics: Bright orange males; larger, less colorful females About the Golden Toad Last seen in 1989and presumed to be extinct, unless some individuals are miraculously discovered elsewhere in Costa Ricathe Golden Toad has become the poster genus for the mysterious worldwide decline in amphibian populations. The Golden Toad was discovered in 1964, by a naturalist visiting a high-altitude Costa Rican cloud forest; the bright orange, almost unnatural color of the males made an immediate impression, although the slightly larger females were much less ornate. For the next 25 years, the Golden Toad could only be observed during the spring mating season, when large groups of males would swarm over less numerous females in small ponds and puddles. (See a slideshow of 10 Recently Extinct Amphibians.) The extinction of the Golden Toad was sudden and mysterious. As recently as 1987, over a thousand adults were observed mating, then only a single individual in 1988 and 1989 and none thereafter. There are two possible explanations for the demise of the Golden Toad: first, since this amphibian relied on very specialized breeding conditions, the population could have been knocked for a loop by sudden changes in climate (even two years of unusual weather would have been enough to wipe out such an isolated species). And second, its possible that the Golden Toad succumbed to the same fungal infection that has been implicated in other amphibian extinctions around the world.