Introduction of Marijuana Essay Example

Introduction of Marijuana Essay The use of marijuana has been an active past time for thousands of years, however, it did not reach the United States until around 1912. A wave of Mexican immigrants was entering the country in the effort to find work; with them came marijuana. The use of marijuana was a normal custom among the Mexican people, but the White Americans in towns bordering Mexico saw the use of this particular plant in a different light. Fueled with racism and frustration associated with the lack of work for the American people, whites proclaimed that the smoking of marijuana gave the Mexicans super-human strength and transformed those who smoked it into violent murderers. With the increase in rumors of bloodshed and mayhem brought about by Mexicans on marijuana-rampages, the city council of El, Paso, Texas passed a law, the El Paso Ordinance of 1914, banning the possession of marijuana (Grass: The History of Marijuana). As a result, the regulation not only provided a way to control marijuana, but Mexicans as well. THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF NARCOTICS AND UNIFROM STATE NARCOTIC LAW Meanwhile, those Americans who did not reside in states bordering Mexico were quite unfamiliar with the use of marijuana, and were much more concerned with the then current war on opium, morphine, cocaine, and heroin addiction plaguing society. In the early 1930’s the United States government decided that these public health issues of addiction could be handled by the United States Department of Treasury, who in turn established the Federal Bureau of Narcotics (R. We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Introduction of Marijuana specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer J. Bonnie, 1970). Harry J. Anslinger was assigned as the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. Anslinger was an alcohol prohibitionist who believed that â€Å"progress can only be achieved by controlling the deprived impulses of the masses†; he believed that if laws implemented in society were strict enough and if enough people were punished for partaking in prohibited acts, the public would steer away from wrongdoing. Anslinger believed this same philosophy would work in America’s war against dope. However, Anslinger found it hard to regulate drug use in all 48 states; he was only one man and during the Depression, it was difficult to find financial backing for such a feat. Anslinger sought the solution to his problem among the forty-eight states of America; he aimed to influence each state to individually control drug use and trafficking among its citizens. Anslinger planned to do this by getting each state to sign a joint agreement that would commit a portion of each state’s resources to the drug control, the Uniform State Narcotic Law. However, only nine states agreed (New York, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and Indiana), the other states believed that the agreement allowed the federal government to interfere with state affairs (Grass, 1999). Meanwhile, New Orleans was a major port city that trafficked marijuana into the United States by way of West Indian sailors. It was known as muggles, tea, or reefer on the streets of New Orleans, and grew extremely popular among the jazz crowd in the city due to the proclamation that music sounded notably better after a â€Å"reefer stick†. Musicians began to bring marijuana from New Orleans to cities farther north up the Mississippi River, increasing the drug’s popularity in larger cities of America. With this growing popularity and awareness, Anslinger saw targeting marijuana as the means to his end; he concluded that if he could convince white America that marijuana was an absolute menace, the frightened voters would push their state legislature to agree to his Uniform State Narcotic Law (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). The media was Anslinger’s primary weapon in leading all Americans to believe that marijuana was the most dangerous social issue that had ever faced the country; the use of marijuana was tied to the likes of murder, insanity and death; mothers were told to protect their children from becoming slaves to the drug and movies were made linking the smoking of marijuana with immediate insanity, murderous rage or committing suicide (Grass, 1999). The negative propaganda eventually obtained a firm grasp on the minds of the American people, one by one, each state signed the Uniform State Narcotic Law; Anslinger’s method of exaggeration and manipulation went according plan. THE MARIJUANA STAMP ACT A frightened America demanded that society be protected by the threat of marijuana, and sought relief within the power of the federal government. On June 14, 1937, the Marijuana Tax Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt without any â€Å"public debate, scientific inquiry, or political objection† (Grass, 1999). The act prohibited the possession of any marijuana unless one also possessed a marijuana tax stamp which was provided by the Department of Treasury, however, in order to obtain a stamp act, one had to present to authorities his or her amount of marijuana, which was illegal in and of itself. Through this extremely misleading form of legislation, the Department of Treasury effectively made marijuana possession illegal, and subsequently lead to hundreds of arrests. LA GUARDIA VERSUS ANSLINGER The enactment of the Marijuana Stamp Act brought with it skepticism from many white Americans, especially in the northeast region of the country. Those who opposed the Stamp Act believed that its implementation brought with it the return of prohibition, an aspect of legislation they did not want to see in existence again (R. Dietch, 2003). Fiorello La Guardia was the mayor of New York during Anslinger’s relentless crusade against marijuana’s use and possession, and he too was against prohibition and the criminalization of marijuana. La Guardia was skeptical of the claims that were made by the federal government in relation to the effects the use has on the mind, and consequently lead a committee of 31 impartial scientists in the investigation of the physical and mental effects marijuana use has on a human being. The La Guardia Committee Report was conducted for five years (1939 – 1944) in which it concluded that the effects of marijuana use did not agree with the perception of the Commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics; a perception forced upon and used to frighten the people of America. The report stated that the use of marijuana did not â€Å"lead to violent or antisocial behavior, did not cause uncontrollable sexual urges, and did not alter a person’s basic personality structure† (Grass, 1999). Also, unlike the claims made by the federal government, the information provided by the La Guardia Committee Report, entitled The Marihuana Problem in the City of New York, was supported by scientific evidence and testimony from marijuana users (R. Deitch, 2003). In response to the threat of his credibility, Anslinger had the report discredited and destroyed all copies that he was able to obtain; he labeled the authors as â€Å"dangerous men† and referred to the evidence in the report as â€Å"giddy sociology and medical mumbo-jumbo† (M. Booth, 2005). The determined Anslinger did not allow the plights of science to diverge from him from his course; he targeted the degenerate moral influence of actors and musician in the entertainment industry, â€Å"the missionaries carrying its evil gospel to the world† (M. Booth, 2005). Anslinger obtained control not only over movie contracts, but pilot and book contracts as well; he gained control over the film industry and spent $220 million in the production of films that supported his views in relation to the dangerous effects marijuana could have on one’s life. Musicians were also targeted, especially black jazz musicians; he believed black jazz musicians were the source of this reefer evil, and white marijuana smokers were merely corrupted by black influence through their mainstream music (M. Booth, 2005). RED CHINA AND THE NARCOTIC CONTROL ACT OF 1956 With the approach of the 1950s, the number of heroin addicts was increasing, especially among young teens. Crimes of theft were high among these strung out teenagers who turned to illegal acts in an effort to support their drug habit. Anslinger and the federal government saw an opportunity in this new heroin craze, and deemed marijuana use the reason for the increase in heroin addicts; â€Å"if you smoke it, you will become a heroin addict† (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). With the new fabricated association between marijuana and heroin, tougher laws and greater penalties were demanded by the public for all drug offenses. Anslinger was quick to play on the growing fear of communism among the American people; he began to proclaim that behind every narcotics drug peddler was a communist â€Å"ready to overthrow the government† (Grass, 1999). Anslinger cleverly linked China as the direct source of the opiates that so many American people were becoming addicted to; it was believed by the public that â€Å"Red China† was trying to infiltrate America via the heroin needle (L. Sloman, 1998). In an effort not to appear nationally weak in the midst of a cold war and during the threat of the Red Menace, and without any physical proof that the Chinese were behind the rise of opiates in the United States, Truman signed the Boggs Act of 1951 which implemented mandatory minimum sentences for all drug offenses. THE DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARIJUANA The passing of the Boggs act was followed by the passage of the Narcotic Control Act of 1956, which placed marijuana in the same category as heroin; the mandatory minimum sentence for possession of marijuana could result in 2 – 10 years in prison (R. J. Bonnie, 1970). Some states placed even harsher punishments for the possession of narcotics; in Missouri a 2nd conviction could place the defendant in prison for life. Anslinger’s ruthless campaign against the criminalization of marijuana finally came to an end in 1961 under the administration of former President John F. Kennedy in which he warned his successor that â€Å"the impending drug revolution is an assault on the foundation of western civilization†. Between the years of 1941 and 1963, the federal government spent $1. 5 billion on the â€Å"war against marijuana†. The use of marijuana was a new craze among college campuses in the mid 1960s, many of those who smoked marijuana no longer held the view depicting it as a dangerous substance, but as a way of declaring their independence. The new commissioner of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics, Henry Giordano, began to publicize that the use of marijuana will make one an â€Å"unmotivated, dysfunctional loser† (Grass, 1999). Nixon continued to focus on drug crimes by pouring significant amounts of money into the training, equipping, and educating local policemen in recognizing evidence related to marijuana use. Minorities were not the only individuals being convicted for the possession of marijuana; those who were being arrested for marijuana charges consisted mainly of middle-class, white, American teenagers. As a matter of fact, the number of convicted young people was so high that the public began wonder if the legislation against marijuana was too strict; the laws were then seen as the problem in society, not marijuana. The passage of the Controlled Substance Act of 1970 officially reduced the penalty for possession of marijuana (L. Sloman, 1998). Between 1964 and 1969 the amount of money used in the control of marijuana use and possession was estimated to be $9 billion. As Nixon continued spend millions of dollars in the establishment of the Drug Enforcement Agency, many American citizens began to seek the decriminalization of private use and possession of marijuana. This sudden public desire for the decriminalization of marijuana could be tied to its use no longer being a youth phenomenon; middle class adults had begun smoking marijuana during social activities and the push for the legalization of marijuana began. The Ann Arbor City Ordinance of 1972 placed marijuana possession to a minor offense, comparable to a traffic ticket. The control of marijuana use is still significant today, though the laws and regulations for the possession and use of marijuana have become notably less strict in comparison to the laws that were implemented during the 1920s. Between the Jimmy Carter Administration and throughout the Regan Administration, the United States of America spent approximately $290 billion in its efforts to control the drugs on the streets of the country (Grass, 1999). THE WAR ON DRUGS America’s need to abolish the use of marijuana stemmed from the racial prejudice against Mexican immigrants and African Americans, and was fueled by false proclamations and loosely associated consequences. The War on Drugs resulted in a grand total of over $300 billion spent; this battle is surely to go down in history as one of the most lengthy and costly wars this nation has ever experienced with no end in sight.

EFL Instructors

Writing Skills Teaching Guide for ESL/EFL Instructors Writing competence in a foreign language tends to be one of the most difficult skills to acquire. This is true for English as well. The key to successful writing classes is that they are pragmatic in nature targeting the skills required or desired by students. Students need to be personally involved in order to make the learning experience of lasting value. Encouraging student participation in the exercise, while at the same time refining and expanding writing skills, requires a certain pragmatic approach. The teacher should be clear on what skills he/she is trying to develop. Next, the teacher needs to decide on which means (or type of exercise) can facilitate learning of the target area. Once the target skill areas and means of implementation are defined, the teacher can then proceed to focus on what topic can be employed to ensure student participation. By pragmatically combing these objectives, the teacher can expect both enthusiasm and effective learning. Overall Game Plan Choose writing objectiveFind a writing exercise that helps to focus on the specific objectiveIf possible, tie the subject matter to student needsProvide feedback through correction activities that call on students to correct their own mistakesHave students revise work Choose Your Target Well Choosing the target area depends on many factors; What level are the students?, What is the average age of the students, Why are the students learning English, Are there any specific future intentions for the writing (i.e school tests, job application letters, etc.). Other important questions to ask oneself are: What should the students be able to produce at the end of this exercise? (a well-written letter, basic communication of ideas, etc.) What is the focus of the exercise? (structure, tense usage, creative writing). Once these factors are clear in the mind of the teacher, the teacher can begin to focus on how to involve the students in the activity thus promoting a positive, long-term learning experience. Things to Remember What will students be able to do after the exercise?Keep the focus on one area of English writing skills Having decided on the target area, the teacher can focus on the means to achieve this type of learning. As in correction, the teacher must choose the most appropriate manner for the specified writing area. If formal business letter English is required, it is of little use to employ a free expression type of exercise. Likewise, when working on descriptive language writing skills, a formal letter is equally out of place. Keeping Students Involved With both the target area and means of production, clear in the teachers mind, the teacher can begin to consider how to involve the students by considering what type of activities are interesting to the students; Are they preparing for something specific such as a holiday or test?, Will they need any of the skills pragmatically? What has been effective in the past? A good way to approach this is by class feedback or brainstorming sessions. By choosing a topic that involves the students the teacher is providing a context within which effective learning on the target area can be undertaken. Correction The question of which type of correction will facilitate a useful writing exercise is of utmost importance. Here the teacher needs to once again think about the overall target area of the exercise. If there is an immediate task at hand, such as taking a test, perhaps a teacher-guided correction is the most effective solution. If the task is more general (for example, developing informal letter writing skills), maybe the best approach would be to have the students work in groups thereby learning from each other. Most importantly, by choosing the correct means of correction the teacher can encourage rather discourage students.

Capital Account Convertibility

Capital Account Convertibility. Should India adopt full convertibility? Capital Account Convertibility-or a floating exchange rate-is a feature of a nations financial regime that centers around the ability to conduct transactions of local financial assets into foreign financial assets freely and at market determined exchange rates. It is sometimes referred to as Capital Asset Liberation or CAC. CAC is mostly a guideline to changes of ownership in foreign or domestic financial assets and liabilities. Tangentially, it covers and extends the framework of the creation and liquidation of laims on, or by the rest of the world, on local asset and currency markets. Current account convertibility allows free inflows and outflows for all purposes other than for capital purposes such as investments and loans. In other words, it allows residents to make and receive trade-related payments receive dollars (or any other foreign currency) for export of goods and services and pay dollars for import of goods and services, make sundry remittances, access foreign currency for travel, studies abroad, medical treatment and gifts, etc. Capital account convertibility is considered to be one of the major features of a developed economy. It helps attract foreign investment. It offers foreign investors a lot of comfort as they can re-convert local currency into foreign currency anytime they want to and take their money away. At the same time, capital account convertibility makes it easier for domestic companies to tap foreign markets. At the moment, India has current account convertibility. This means one can import and export goods or receive or make payments for services rendered. However, investments and borrowings are restricted. But economists say that Jumping into capital account convertibility game without considering the downside of the step could harm the economy. The East Asian economic crisis is cited as an example by those opposed to capital account convertibility. Even the World Bank has said that embracing capital account convertibility without adequate preparation could be catastrophic. But India is now on firm ground given its strong financial sector reform and fiscal consolidation, and can now slowly but steadily move towards fuller capital account convertibility. CAC has 5 basic statements designed as points of All types of liquid capital assets must be able to be exchanged freely, between any two nations, with standardized exchange rates. The amounts must be a significant mount (in excess of $500,000). Capital inflows should be invested in semi-liquid assets, to prevent churning and excessive outflow. Institutional investors should not use CAC to manipulate fiscal policy or exchange rates. Excessive inflows and outflows should be buffered by national banks to provide collateral. Prior to its implementation, foreign investment was hindered by uneven exchange rates due to transactions, and national banks were disassociated from fiscal exchange policy and incurred high costs in supplying hard-currency loans for those few local companies that wished to do business abroad. Due to the low exchange rates and lower costs associated with Third World nations, this was expected to spur domestic capital, which would lead to welfare gains, and in turn lead to higher GDP growth. The tradeoff for such growth was seen as a lack of sustainable internal GNP growth and a decrease in domestic capital investments. When CAC is used with the proper restraints, this is exactly what happens. The entire outsourcing movement with Jobs and factories going oversees is a direct result of the foreign investment aspect of CAC. The Tarapore Committees recommendation of tying liquid assets to static assets (i. e. investing in long term government bonds, etc) was seen by many economists as directly responsible for stabilizing the idea of capital account liberalization. The Reserve Bank of India has appointed a committee to set out the framework for fuller Capital Account Convertibility. The Committee, chaired by former RBI governor S S Tarapore, was set up by the Reserve Bank of India in consultation with the Government of India to revisit the subject of fuller capital account convertibility in the context of the progress in economic reforms, the stability of the external and financial sectors, accelerated growth and global integration. Economists Surjit S Bhalla, M G Bhide, R H Patil, A V RaJwade and Alit Ranade were the members of the Committee. The Reserve Bank of India has also constituted an internal task force to re-examine the extant regulations and make recommendations to remove the operational impediments in the path of liberalisation already in place. The task force will make its recommendations on an ongoing basis and the processes are expected to be completed by December 4, 2006. The Task Force has been set up following a recommendation of the Committee. The Task Force will be convened by Salim Gangadharan, chief general manager, in- harge, foreign exchange department, Reserve Bank of India, and will have the following terms of reference: Undertake a review of the extant regulations that straddle current and capital accounts, especially items in one account that have implication for the other account, and iron out inconsistencies in such regulations. Examine existing repatriation/ surrender requirements in the context of current account convertibility and management of capital account. Identify areas where streamlining and simplification of procedure is possible and remove the operational impediments, especially in espect of the ease with which transactions at the level of authorized entities are regulations are consistent with regulatory intent. Review the delegation of powers on foreign exchange regulations between Central Office and Regional offices of the RBI and examine, selectively, the efficacy in the functioning of the delegation of powers by RBI to Authorised Dealers (banks). Consider any other matter of relevance to the above. The Task Force is empowered to devise its work procedure, constitute working groups in various areas, co-opt permanent/special invitees and meet various trade ssociations, representative bodies or individuals to facilitate its work.

Service marketing 7 P for JetBlue Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Service marketing 7 P for JetBlue - Essay Example However, the problems associated with service delivery and brand sentiment requires that JetBlue offer more discounted package and travel options as a means of reinforcing their price differentiation and satisfying their value proposition. Product is reflected by its provision of travel vacation packages on reputable sites such as Priceline and Travelocity, as well as JetBlue Getaways, a self-managed website offering custom-designed packages (JetBlue, 2010). As with the pricing consideration, JetBlue should expand these product offerings to illustrate the depth of its value proposition and value consciousness. Place is satisfied by having many fleets and routes established throughout the nation, thus adding convenience to the consumer experience. However, the majority of revenues come from New York and Florida, as Jet Blue has the most presence in these locations. The business should expand its market presence and capacity to improve place availability that can be used in promotions. Promotion is lacking at JetBlue. The company relies heavily on social media to create relationships with customers and promote its value (JetBlue, 2011). Social media is not effective in all markets, thus the business should invest additional capital in promotion to fully advertise its value proposition and gain more market attention. The expanded dimension of physical layout is somewhat restricted by its low cost model, as improving physical layout requires less overhead or more budgeting in this area. However, by offering customers more airport-based facilities and improvements on-board will improve its competitive position. In terms of people, the business requires more cultural development to ensure a culture of service excellence, something significantly damaged in reference to the Jet Blue brand. Finally, the business needs to change its

Prep 15 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prep 15 - Essay Example In this case, variations in these isolated populations will be more as a result of genetic drift compared to natural selection. The molecular clock is a methodology in molecular evolution that uses rates of molecular change and fossil constraints to determine the time in geologic history when two species diverged. The technique is used to approximation the duration of occurrence of events called radiation or speciation. The molecular statistics used for such computations are usually for DNA sequences or amino acid sequences. It is possible to tell that the molecular clock is working because its principle of working is based on Charles Darwin theory of ev0lution. In addition, the concept of DNA sequence has been integrated in modern fossil dating techniques. In this case, the result obtained from molecular clock techniques are usually compared with those of other methodology. The molecular clock techniques yield desirable results when the species generations are not changing from time to time. The population size has to be sizeable to reduce the effect of genetic drift and the nature of protein studied requir es being stable. The neutral evolution theory, according to Sittyr (2009), is used for null hypothesis since it holds that the molecular evolutionary changes and other variation within species is not as a result of natural selection but by random drift of neutral mutant alleles. The concept is used to detect natural selection since it works to explain that genes do not experience natural selection but are affected by genetic drift. In this case, if the hypothesis of neutral evolution is not proven, then the national selection has taken place. When a synonymous, also referred to as silent mutation, occurs the change is frequently assumed to be neutral. This means that the ration of the organisms that are not affected by the mutation shows fitness of the individual with the new gene to reproduce and survive. Inbreeding is the production

The Reward-Award System and the Suffocating Aspect of Expectations Essay Example for Free

The Reward-Award System and the Suffocating Aspect of Expectations Essay Education is considered as a very important aspect of our lives. It is through education that a person is able to learn various things which are needed later on in his or her life. While some may argue that that there are some things that education does not need to teach like Chemistry or Physics when a person wants to be a writer or fashion designer in the future, no one can argue that it is the discipline which those subjects or the whole aspect of the academic itself which is proven to be very useful later on. No one can deny the fact that the knowledge accumulated within the four walls of classroom is imperative, just as the experience of the whole thing within the years of being educated is important. The relationships that will be formed within the walls of the school can sometimes even surpass the connection that families have within their homes. In fact, sometimes, the people within the school are those who are considered as the very family of a person. However, what is really most focused on while in school is the aspect of academics, and while academics are really important, a person can believe that the stifling obligations and duties that come with it can be very difficult, most especially if a family or a community strongly believes that a person is worthy or should succeed. The expectations which come with the whole thing can be horrifying and appalling. In many countries, there are news reports of very young people committing suicide or killing each other because of the burden which is brought by these expectations. Why is it that many adults are pushing their children to the best schools, to have the best grades, to be the best in everything? Perhaps, a person should look into the basis of what is exactly the concept of being the best. The best is known as the number one — a person who receives the awards and medals and becomes famous for either being beautiful or being smart. Any person in between can be considered as an average person. Thus, this paper will point out the belief that the award-reward system is actually not a good thing and it should be improved or changed. Many companies in the future always ask or want a sense of accomplishment and an achievement. Going through school without getting into trouble and finishing it is a great accomplishment in itself, and yet people still yearn for more. People yearn for a physical evidence of an accomplishment and an achievement. In a family, when a member comes home with a medal or an award, the whole family celebrates and applauds for that person. That is after all, a sense of achievement — an evidence of hard work. However, in the corner or in the room upstairs, the sibling is hiding and feels so worthless since he or she cannot give his or her parents that same sense of satisfaction. So where does the problem lie exactly? Are parents too demanding and pushy that children are left to be so burdened with books and fulfilling the dreams of their parents? That is indeed sometimes the case, is it not — the children are left to fulfill a dream of a parent who is unable to fulfill his or her own dream? Who is at fault though? Who are the ones who are to blame for this kind of rewarding system? This system believes that the only means of achieving success and satisfaction is by means of an award. Genuine compliments and words of praises are then considered as inferior when compared to those awards. The awards system can be even traced back into far as the ancient Greece and ancient Egypt. Those who are concluded as the best and strongest during battles or matches are rewarded with medals, shields, or the head of the leader of their enemy. It is not surprising then why this kind of thinking is still present today. What is it about this kind of system that still make academic and non-academic institutions follow it? It important to look at the pros and cons and determine once and for all, why the reward system is more than discouraging — it is outright a mistake to even exist in the first place. The Advantageous Aspect of the Award System It is through the awards and such things that a person wants to work hard and strive to be the best. Because of this particular system, people are being non-mediocre and making efforts to put their best foot forward. It is a matter of having a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. The shining moment when a person goes up the stage or when everyone starts to acknowledge the person and the efforts which he or she has done is beyond exhilarating — it is a moment of pure bliss which will be imprinted in his or her memory for years. The Suffocating Aspect of Expectations As what the numerous paragraphs of this paper suggest, there are so many things which the award-reward system is telling society. One is that parents push their children to such great extent that it is sometimes suffocating. The burden of having to prove oneself to other people by means of an award is far ridiculous — it is beyond discouraging. Conclusion In conclusion, the reward-award system which has been the practice for many years should be changed for another system that exercises fairness and considers all the implications that the system is bringing. After all, the proof of a job well done does not rely merely on medals and on awards — hard work and determination is also a proof, and medals and awards would not be able to mirror or reflect those.

Kotter Model Essays -- Narrative, Change, Organization

Narrative Essay The second semester of the Sergeants Major course covers a lot of material on Organizations, Leaders, Power, Influence, Stress, Ethics, Vision, Culture and Climate. The knowledge gained from block (s) L103, L105, L107 and L109 are important to future Operations Sergeants Major because; we will be able to assist the commander through the process of changing the climate and culture and enabling the unit to become stronger as a team. Kotter Model The Kotter Model comes from the L103 block it is an eight stage model that helps avoid mutual issues that plague the smallest change attempts in an organization. Organizations leaders will lead their organizations through this process in order to have a positive and long lasting effect. A leader cannot prematurely hurdle, bounce or make a serious mistake inside a step by doing any of those would have a destructive effect on a successful accomplishment of change. The stages of the Kotter Model are: (1) establishing a sense of urgency (2) creating the guiding coalition (3) developing a vision and strategy (4) communicating the change vision (5) empowering a broad base of people to take action (6) generating short-term wins (7) consolidating gains and producing even more change (8) institutionalizing new approaches in the culture. This Model guides leaders through the process of attempting to change the climate and culture of an organization; I will explain each stage briefly. In stage one it is vibrant the leader institutes a sense of determination by showing the rewards and significant of change. The second stage leaders must organize and support the adjustment development. By building a resilient support team based on belief and common understanding will encour... ...uraging actions necessary to carry out the vision; and continue to take the organization to a higher level. As we think about visions remember the Army’s vision and how it has changed a few times over the years and to support the change they came up with Slogans. A vision builder must ensure if you use a slogan it must have meaning, do not use an empty one just to have one. Remember a vision is a key used by Leaders to move their organizations successfully into the future. Conclusion In conclusion I have given details of what I erudite and was taught in the second semester of the academy. The knowledge gained from block (s) L103, L105, L107 and L109 are important to future Operations Sergeants Major because; we will be able to assist the commander through the process of changing the climate and culture and enabling the unit to become stronger as a team. Kotter Model Essays -- Narrative, Change, Organization Narrative Essay The second semester of the Sergeants Major course covers a lot of material on Organizations, Leaders, Power, Influence, Stress, Ethics, Vision, Culture and Climate. The knowledge gained from block (s) L103, L105, L107 and L109 are important to future Operations Sergeants Major because; we will be able to assist the commander through the process of changing the climate and culture and enabling the unit to become stronger as a team. Kotter Model The Kotter Model comes from the L103 block it is an eight stage model that helps avoid mutual issues that plague the smallest change attempts in an organization. Organizations leaders will lead their organizations through this process in order to have a positive and long lasting effect. A leader cannot prematurely hurdle, bounce or make a serious mistake inside a step by doing any of those would have a destructive effect on a successful accomplishment of change. The stages of the Kotter Model are: (1) establishing a sense of urgency (2) creating the guiding coalition (3) developing a vision and strategy (4) communicating the change vision (5) empowering a broad base of people to take action (6) generating short-term wins (7) consolidating gains and producing even more change (8) institutionalizing new approaches in the culture. This Model guides leaders through the process of attempting to change the climate and culture of an organization; I will explain each stage briefly. In stage one it is vibrant the leader institutes a sense of determination by showing the rewards and significant of change. The second stage leaders must organize and support the adjustment development. By building a resilient support team based on belief and common understanding will encour... ...uraging actions necessary to carry out the vision; and continue to take the organization to a higher level. As we think about visions remember the Army’s vision and how it has changed a few times over the years and to support the change they came up with Slogans. A vision builder must ensure if you use a slogan it must have meaning, do not use an empty one just to have one. Remember a vision is a key used by Leaders to move their organizations successfully into the future. Conclusion In conclusion I have given details of what I erudite and was taught in the second semester of the academy. The knowledge gained from block (s) L103, L105, L107 and L109 are important to future Operations Sergeants Major because; we will be able to assist the commander through the process of changing the climate and culture and enabling the unit to become stronger as a team.

Implant tractable ID chips in newborn babies Essay

Our company’s idea to implant tractable ID chips in newborn babies offers a revolutionary approach to effectively combat the high incidences of abductions of newborns and children, a menace against which eve police forces are finding themselves helpless. Once the chip is placed within children, their every movement can be traced to exactitude using the GPRS technology, making their abduction and subsequent hiding a practically impossible task. Apart from this, these IDs would act as a database for these children, containing their relevant medical, physiological and personal details, with provisions of constant upgrades. Thus doctors needs to only access children’s ID to know their history of previous medical complications and treatments, police officers can easily trace parents of a lost child and parents can keep constant vigil on the movement of their children even from their workplace. However, there are many exacting complications in successful rollout of this idea. It can be safely assumed that this concept would come under severe moral, ethical, and religious censure through the entire world. Many, if not all, would form organizations and international groups to canvass on social and legal platforms against our proposal to ‘tag’ human infants, and doubts would be raised on even our integrity, commitment and sanity. Moreover, the thrust of objection and criticism is likely to come from our own scientific intelligentsia, religious and spiritual gurus, intellectuals and similar eminent personalities. These estimated objections and criticism are hardly a surprising possibility, given world’s historical anathema against every new scientific invention or discovery, any path-breaking medicinal technology, or even against any idea that appeared contrary to its set of framed ideas and concepts. History is replete with evidences that from the time of Archimedes to modern day age of cloning, people have always approached every major scientific and technological breakthrough with skepticism, incredulity and more than often, downright hostility. We can see how strong the sentiments ran when Copernicus presented the theory that its Sun that is at center of solar system, and not moon and that world is sphere shaped, against what world had been led to believe (Hall, 1954). Later Galileo was humiliated by Roman Church on the same issue. We further see the way almost entire educated western society rose against Charles Darwin for his theory of evolution through natural selection and the stringent social and religious criticism he was subjected to (Hall, 1954). Even Einstein, one of the greatest human brains of all times, was not spared from hostile criticism and rejection when he denied the existence of gravity in his general theory of relativity (Hawkins, 1988). Technological innovations and many scientific inventions were treated with similar aggressive denial and denunciation. Whether it was construction of railway locomotives, invention of telegraphs and telephones, constructions of dams, introduction of vaccination techniques, advent of contraceptive pills, gene therapy or subject of cloning and stem cell research, a significant section of society always protested and rejected the concept on plethora of supposedly ethical and moral grounds (Thomas, 2005). It is futile to say that each of these innovations contributed to further advancement and growth of human society. The reason of this persistent fear of new technological innovations is that they defy and sometimes even break the existing concepts, perceptions and notions. Often these concepts and perceptions are embedded part of a social culture, and therefore their rejection is construed as a planned attack by scientists and technicians on the very foundation of the culture (Lyne, 2005). We cannot flippantly dismiss their fears, and overlook their arguments just because they happen to contradict our idea. Instead, we need to reach out to people, address their every valid question and dispel their remotest of the doubts related to implant of IDs in newborn babies. My own understanding of the issue says that we should move ahead with project because when people are presented with rational arguments and valid answers to their queries, their gravest arguments turns in staunchest of the support. Indeed, one of their first objections we are likely to face is ethical as well as medical propriety of inserting an unnecessary foreign object in the fragile body of a newborn. But as we maintain, this implant is done for children’s own security and safety. Further, the chip is especially designed in such a way that its implant would cause minimum distress for child and the implant can be done by any surgeon through a very superficial incision. The presence or location of the chip may very well remain unknown to child unless specifically told. Of course, implanting a foreign object in human body in itself is no more an ethical issue, especially after advent of pacemakers and artificial limbs. Rather a valid query may concern the possible radiation effect of the chip on child’s developing body, and whether that this radiation would impede or in any way alter hormonal or chemical composition of the growing child. But as our repeated lab tests and years of experiments have shown, the chip does not interfere with human bio- chemical growth in any way. It stays in the body like a neutral object, deactivated unless recalled for. Even upon activation, the signals emitted by chip are no more harmful than the fields of electromagnetic radiation surrounding us every second of our life. The final debate around our proposed chip would center on moral and ethical issue of tagging children. Is it right to tag children like animals are tagged in zoo and safari and then observed? Further, when these children grow up, they might become uncomfortable with the idea of being watched or remotely tracked for their every movement, and may very likely treat this an infringement of their privacy. But in my opinion, these objections are specious, and deviating from our main issue- that of stopping crime and providing a safe and secure world for children. Parents, and later on Children, may be given the option to remove or manually deactivate the chip, when they start to feel that it is more a burden than as a benefit. However, for that time that it is there, it is the best way to ensure infants are secure, safe and sound under their parent’s, physicians and teacher’s constant observation. It is the best way to completely eliminate the threat of organized abduction industry, and certainly it is the surest way to ensure that no child goes every lost or missing. I would reiterate therefore we should confidently move ahead with this revolutionary idea and usher in the new era of human-technology integration.

Child Labour in Pakistan Essay

Children are the flowers of heaven. They are the most beautiful and purest creation of God. They are innocent both inwardly and outwardly. No doubt, they are the beauty of this world. Early in the morning when the children put on different kinds of clothes and begin to go to schools for the sake of knowledge, we feel a specific kind of joy through their innocence. But there are also other children, those who cannot go to schools due to financial problems, they only watch others go to schools and can merely wish to seek knowledge. It is due to many hindrances and difficulties; desperate conditions that they face in life. Having been forced to kill their aspirations, dreams and other wishes, they are pressed to earn a living for themselves and for their families. It is also a fact that there are many children who play a key role in sustaining the economically life of their family without which, their families would not be able to make ends meet. These are also part of our society who have forgotten the pleasures of their childhood. When a child in addition to getting education, earns his livelihood, this act of earning a livelihood is called as child Labour. The concept of child Labour got much attention during the 1990s when European countries announced a ban on the goods of the less-developed countries because of child Labour. The International Labour Organization (ILO) defines child Labour as: 1- when a child is working during early age 2- he overworks or gives over time to Labour 3- he works due to the psychologically, socially, and materialistic pressure 4- he becomes ready to Labour on a very low pay Another definition states: â€Å"Child Labour† is generally speaking work for children that harms them or exploits them in some way (physically, mentally, morally or blocking access to education), United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund(UNICEF) defines â€Å"child† as anyone below the age of 18, and â€Å"child Labour† as some type of work performed by children below age 18. (UNICEF)Child Labour is an important and a serious global issue through which all and sundry countries of the world are directly or indirectly affected, but, it is very common in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

Accounting report Essays

Accounting report Essays Accounting report Essay Accounting report Essay Thus, indicating an inefficient cost management and a weak pricing strategy adopted by Codex. Liquidity appears to be a challenging issue for Codex and Compass. Both companies, clearly, are undergoing a competition of growth through acquisition of subsidiaries which had a negative impact on the liquidity in both companies. Nevertheless, Codexs long trade receivables settlement period has even worsen the companys liquidity. Seeking a better image visit- ¤-visit its rival Compass, Codex has increased its dividends pay out on the account of its liquidity, thus, relying on borrowing rather than operating activities. This is explained by the high financial gearing ratio that has not en translated to an increase in the companys profitability, a short sighted strategy that should be reconsidered by the board. Recommendations: 1 . Focus on maximizing profit from operations, 2. Reevaluate the entire trade receivables strategy that appears to be performing inefficiently, 3. Maintain a correlation between the amount dividends pay out and the operating profit margin. This report compares Codexs performance to that of its peer Compass based on the financial ratios, profitability, efficiency, liquidity, financial gearing and investment. In addition to that, it emphasizes on the areas that appear to be in need of improvement. Appendix 1 gives an overview for all the ratios where Appendix 2 details all the ratio calculations in addition to the assumptions considered to calculate them with highlights on the most relevant ratios to the purpose of this analysis. The report assumes the validity and accuracy of all the financial figures offered in the annual reports offered by Codex and Compass. 3. ANALYSIS The financial ratios provide the evaluation and the quantification metrics to measure the performance of businesses. Codex and Compass are roughly the same size and eave roughly the same geographical split. In this competitive environment, Codex must consider its performance in relation to that of the other firms operating in the same industry where success depends on the ability to achieve a comparable level of performance. 3. 1 PROFITABILITY Codex announced sales revenues of  ¬mamma in the 12 months ended August 31 , profitability analysis revealed that this revenue has not been translated into real profit. The Return on Capital Employed ratio, that expresses the relationship between the operating profit and the long terms funds (equity and borrowings) invested in the equines, has declined for Codex from 13. 89% in 2009 to 12. 4% in 2010, whilst for Compass, the same ratio has increased from 19. 15% 2009 / 19. 6% 2010. Codex has reported a flat profit margin in 2009 and 2010 (5. 1%), a figure that is almost one-quarter lower than of Compass whose margin has grown from 6. 5% 2009 to 6. 8% 2010. The operating profit margin measures how much of a companys revenue is left over, before taxes and other indirect costs, for paying the variable costs of production. The low operating margin indicates an inefficient cost management and a weak pricing strategy adopted by Codex. Its operating expenses increased to  ¬14,mom in 2010, as compared to  ¬13,mom in 20093. Codex should definitely consider the improvement of its profitability figures in order not to lose investors to its rival Compass that enjoys a much more profitable image. 3. Efficiency The efficiency ratios measure the efficiency by which particular resources are used within the business. Codexs average settlement period for trade receivables has increased from 67. 82 days in 2009 to 74. 56 days in 2010 where the same figure for its rival Compass has slightly increased from 45. 16 days in 2009 to 46. 7 days 2010. Thus, Codexs average settlement period for trade receivables is almost 63% higher than that of its peer Comp ass. It is obvious from those figures that Codexs is being inefficient in its trade receivables management. A long trade receivable average settlement period would have a negative impact on the companys cash flow and decreases its profitability on the long run. The Sales Revenue to Capital Employed ratio that relates the sales revenue generated during a period to the capital employed in the business puts Compass (2. 96 times in 2009 / 2. 88 times in 2010) well ahead of Codex (2. 3 times in 2009 / 2. 52 times in 2010). Aligned with the Return on Capital Employed ratio mentioned in the section above, Codex appears to be less efficient. 3. LIQUIDITY The Acid Test ratio measures the ability of a company to use its available cash to retire its current liabilities. The higher the ratio the more the business is considered to be. Both Codex and Compass have maintained an acid test ratio below one in the past two years, thus, creating a worrying situation for their short term claimants. This liquidity problem could be explained by the fact that both companies have been The Cash Generated from Opera tions ratio, provides an indication of the ability of the business to meet its maturing obligations. The analysis of this ratio puts Compass in a better position ahead of Codex confirming an alarming decline in the Codexs ability to meet its obligations from its operating cash flow. 3. 4 FINANCIAL GEARING Codex appears to have a higher financial gearing ratio compared to that of Compass. 2010, Codex: 54% / Compass: 38. 72%. In effect, this shows that Codex is more dependent in its growth on borrowing than on its shareholders investments, unlike Compass that appears to favor a low leverage for growth. Some investors might, however, believe that Codex with its slightly higher leverage will benefit more from the global economic growth. Looking at the interest cover ratio, that determines how easily a company can pay interest on outstanding debt. It is quite obvious that Compass generates more operational profit to interest obligations than Codex. Codexs low interest cover ratio (5. 07 times in 2009 and 5. 47 times in 2010) compared to that of Compass (7. 84 times in 2009 and 13. 11 times in 2010). This gives Compass a more robust image, ND less burdened by debt expenses than does Codex. . 5 INVESTMENT Looking at the dividend yield ratio that compares the cash return from a stock to its current stock market value. Codexs dividend yield has significantly declined from 3. 26% in 2009 to 2. 57% in 2010 where that of Compass has slightly declined from 3. 45% in 2009 to 3. 3% in 2010 maintaining a higher value than that of Codex. Nevertheless, in order to satisfy its shareholders, Codex h as maintained a slightly higher dividend payout in the past 2 fiscal years, around 50%, than that of Compass, around 38% for the same period. CONCLUSION In the light of the analysis above, it is clear that Compass has a higher profitable image than Codex. It is also clear that Codex is less capable of generating cash from its operating activities would have negative consequences on the companys ability to pay back its shareholders on the long run. Clearly, both companies are undergoing a competition of organic growth through acquisition of subsidiaries which has created a liquidity problem in both companies, where Compass appears to be more capable of generated cash from its operations than does Codex. Codexs long settlement period for trade receivables even worsens its liquidity. Pay out on the account of liquidity by relying on borrowing rather than paying from its cash generated from operating activities. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS The analysis and the conclusions stated above require the board of Codex to consider the following recommendations: Operating Profit Margin efficiency of its cost management and the strength of its pricing strategy. Receivables Codexs notable long settlement period of the trade receivables requires its board to reconsider the companys overall receivables management strategy.

How Has the Management of People Evolved In Recent Years Essay

How Has the Management of People Evolved In Recent Years - Essay Example In response, welfare officers performed the paternal role of caring for injured employees and advocating for better treatment among women and children. Further research into the management of labour discovered abuse of managerial power and resources at the height of bureaucracy, which showed no concern for the welfare of workers (Haston n.d. p.3). For this reasons, a humanistic perspective demonstrated the need to understand human behaviour and recognise control among workers as opposed to managers. This approach demonstrated increased productivity in institutions that treated their employees better. Trade unions were formed to serve as a bridge between workers and the management where representatives negotiated terms of services in the organisation. Unionism revolutionised interactions between industrial organisations and their employees by providing a united front against poor working conditions by negotiating for improvements (Edwards 2009, p.227). Similarly, trade unions advocate d for policy adherence and a standard compensation model for workers. In 1970s, the existence of a consistent set of regulations governing organisations’ relations to their employees provide an essential framework termed as personnel management (Aswathappa 2005, p.18). This aspect of management is charged with the responsibility of selecting and recruiting workers, training, offering compensation and rewards, employee welfare, and facilitating employee transition. However, personnel management was not without criticism where critics refer to the ambiguous nature that based on emphasis on workers’ welfare with little gain to the organisation (Watson n.d, p.1). Critics argue that personnel management should be reverted line managers who are familiar with... This report stresses that following globalisation, there has been marked increase in competitiveness across business organisations, which demands a strategic approach to the management of human resources. Strategic planning is illustrative of a methodical and structural process through which an organisation identifies direction, and develops an approach to allocate resources. This process is geared towards identifying and prioritising short-term as well as long-term goals in order to maximise efficiency and profitability. Presently, management of human resources adopts a strategic perspective in order to be aligned with the goals of the organization and to be integrated into the organization’s needs. This paper makes a conclusion that while personnel management and human resource management appear similar, there exists differences that are of significance to the success of an organisation. Personnel management is based on short-termed goals and addresses immediate concerns while on the other hand, HRM involves strategic planning of the institution’s workforce in a long-term perspective. Also, the personnel management approach illustrates the psychological contract as compliance and adherence of workers to the demands made by the employer. On the other hand, HRM subscribes to the idea that employees indicate commitment and willingness to participate in fulfilling the mandate of the organisation without authoritarian specifications.

Compare and contrast analysis essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Compare and contrast analysis - Essay Example Other research studies on the subject revealed diverse perspectives noting the popularity that hip hop has gained from the time it originated and spanning a global audience. In this regard, using the two discourse: Chang’s It’s a Hip Hop World and Kiwana’s Erasing Blackness, the current essay hereby aims to present a comparative analysis of these literary works through a closer examination of the following elements, to wit: point of view, character, theme and experiences. There are similarities in terms of presenting both literary works from the third person point of view. Both Chang and Kiwana used the formal essay structure by using narrative and descriptive format and style with examples noted from actual life experiences. The disparities lie in presentation of the literary work, as Chang’s presentation could be deemed more effective in enticing pathos or emotional appeal through the use of carefully selected photographs the break the monotony of a long line of discourse (â€Å"Asian art: Graffiti is one of the original elements of American-style hip-hop that Chinas urban youth have made their own† (Chang 60); â€Å"Cant stop: A South Korean b-boy tears up Seoul with his acrobatic moves† (Chang 61); â€Å"Revisiting roots: Senegalese hip-hop artists tackle themes of poverty and oppression† (Chang 62)). Kiwana relied solely on narrative and descriptive prose with only very minimal sub-headings that assist the readers in defining a well-crafted enumeration on the arguments supposedly supporting white kids as hip-hop’s primary audience. Thereby, it could be deduced that Kiwana used logos as the rhetorical appeal through persuading the readers using logical reasoning. The theme is obviously unified as both focused on the subject of hip-hop. The contrast lies in thrust or focus of discussion. As brief noted, Kiwana’s discussion on the chapter aimed at