Pollution of the worlds oceans and the impact on sea life Term Paper

Pollution of the worlds oceans and the impact on sea life - Term Paper Example Overuse of marine resources is based on the growing population at the coast which makes the situation worse and is the main reason for the population problem that has hit marine and marine life (Hofer, 2008). There are various marine pollutants such as sewage and other wastes that are released into the oceans yet there is no facility to counter these. This does not only put at risk marine life but also human and wildlife. Tourism is also affected in the situation thus, low incomes. The pollution could be chemical, physical or biological mainly caused by human activities. Developing industries are also a big involvement in the situation that has proved to be devastating. In some parts, knowledge of the marine life is limited therefore; they do not realize the dangers that are posed. The harm cause to marine ecosystems is an indirect or direct cause of human activity (Xhelilaj, 2010). When some nutrients are introduced in marines, they cause diseases that affect species all over the ec osystem. For some organisms, these are some of the factors that accelerate their growth. These pollutants then affect marine habitats adversely so that marine life is in danger. Some of these nutrients interrupt food chains within the ecosystems causing adverse danger to marine life. Construction of marines leads to the destruction of habitual life that is very important to marine life. This destruction then causes depopulation of fish in the ocean. Overfishing worsens the situation everyday. When power plants affect the temperature in oceans because of the heat produced in the process. This makes these area affected inhospitable and unfit for the marine environment. The species that are evolved there are then in danger because, they cannot survive in such an environment. Targeting particular species is also an environmental problem that leads to decreasing of the population in the marines. Many chemicals end up in the destruction of marine life. They are taken up by planktons and b enthos which are animals that are feeders within the ocean. This therefore destructs the life in these environments. This means that food chains will be interrupted. These chemicals introduce toxins to the marine life thus posing a danger through the feeding system. Pesticides also become quickly incorporated into food that is taken by marine life. This slowly poisons these animals because, these chemicals are slowly absorbed into the food webs within which they feed. Once in the food, they can cause mutations or even diseases that are dangerous to marine life. This is harmful to human life as well as to marine life thus affecting the whole food web. Toxic metals also introduced can cause biochemistry, unknown change to tissue matter or even affect the reproduction of these animals. Ships are also a source of pollution in marine life. This comes along when they spill oil in oceans thus causing devastating effects. They are toxic to, marine life and the effect could last a long perio d because, oils like crude oil are hard to clean (Katsioloudis, 2010). This means that the oil will last in the ocean for quite some time. Oil is also dark and opaque therefore, oil is blocks plants from sunlight. This denies them the ability to synthesize through population. Thick oil also sticks to some parts of sea animals thus making it difficult for them to perform some function. Sea birds are the most affected because, oil sticks to their wings which makes it

The Canons of Christianity Essay Example for Free

The Canons of Christianity Essay The 20-something year-old new employee bravely asked her new coworker, Are you a Christian? She had bee taught to be strong in her faith and to not have fear in asking such questions. The coworker replied, No, Im not a Christian. Im Catholic. To this answer, the young female apostolate had not been prepared with a response. She returned home that evening confused and questioning the understanding she had of Christianity. The word Christian means Christ-like, or having to do with the Christ (Random, 2006). The larger umbrella of Christianity centers on a faith which follows the life, practices, and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who is also called Jesus Christ; meaning Jesus The Messiah or anointed one (Rutgers, 2005). Unlike Judaism, which is segregated only by Orthodox Jews and non-orthodox Jews, Christianity has grown to be segregated into many denominations; all which follow the teachings of Jesus. Some of these denominations include Catholic, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, and many others. Because Christianity has been divided by denominations which each practice their faith in some differential manner, there has been many occasion for confusion or misconception. History The history of the Christian faith traces its beginnings back to the creation of the world in the same manner as Judaism. Both these faith traditions, as well as Islam, are monotheistic religions acknowledging one supreme being or deity. The historical background of Christianity is a shared history with Judaism. Many biblical scholars contend that Christianity began as a Jewish sect. Later, the followers of Christ became so numerous that the two faith followings completely severed connection to each other. The two main reasons for this separation are 1) Christianity came to regard Jesus as in some sense Gods presence in human form; a concept that was unacceptable to the Jewish law, and 2) Judaism is defined by a covenant made between God and the Jewish people. This covenant was solidified through the law. Jesus stated that he came to abolish the old law. Jewish faith believes that following the law is what leads to eternal redemption. Abolishing this set of laws would negate the entire foundation of the Jewish faith. In the New Testament scriptures, Jesus says that there is a new law; to love the Lord your God with all your heart, and soul, and strength. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it. You should love your neighbor as yourself (NRSV, 2006). This is the law to which the Christian faith adheres. God, The Creator Being a monotheistic faith, Christians believe there is one supreme deity; being God the Creator. The Genesis story of creation has taken on many interpretations including a very literal interpretation, as well as metaphoric interpretations. In either sense, Christianity believes God created all life. There are vast differences between how faiths view the concept of God. Some envision God as being omnipotent and omniscient and not requiring interaction with human beings. The other end of this perception spectrum would be revealed in pantheism; which does not make any distinction between God and the world. Christianity holds a middle ground in maintaining a necessary connection with the Creator. Another large distinction between Christianity and other faith traditions is the concept of the Trinity. While Christianity holds that there is one God, there is the belief that this one God is represented in the triune presence of God the Creator, Jesus the savior who is God in the physical flesh, and God the Holy Spirit represented as God with the human heart. This triune nature of God has been a concept of controversy for many years. There are believers who wholeheartedly believe in the Creator God, yet have difficulty understanding and accepting the Trinity. One scholar best explains this concept through the analogy of a human being. An individual, being one person, can be the child of their parents, sibling to their siblings, and parent to their own children. In this sense, the individual is parent, sibling and child, being only one person with three identities (Corkland, 2004). Jesus Jesus was born into the family lineage of the house of David; which is documented in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. The first five books of the Christian Bible, the Pentateuch, and the first half of the Christian Bible known as the Old Testament, are the same writings that make up the Jewish Torah. However, this is where the two faiths divide. While Judaism acknowledges the Jewish background of the man named Jesus, the Jewish religion does not acknowledge this man to be the messiah. The birth of Jesus fulfilled many of the prophecies of the Old Testament. Prophets from many years and ages had told of one who would be the promised one, the messiah, the Christ. Purportedly born in a stable because there was no room in the inn, and born of an immaculate conception, Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of the Old Testament. Little is mentioned of the young years of the life of Jesus. The scriptures make reference to the virgin birth, Jesus at an early age of around 12 years old, then the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. This event takes place when Jesus was beginning his earthly ministry; which lasted only 3 years. During this ministry, Jesus called 12 men to follow him and be his disciples. According to the scriptures, these men left their jobs, their homes, and their families and followed Jesus as he taught, until the time of Jesus death and resurrection. Conflict There are many incidents and occurrences within the Christian faith which create opportunity for conflict. Much of this conflict arises from the sacred texts of the Christian faith. Conflicts arise in determining the authenticity of the books of the Christian Bible as well as the authorship of the books. In addition to these conflicts, there is much controversy over the translations and transliterations of the sacred texts. Many scholars of the Bible texts have indicated that the translations from the original text into contemporary verbiage have created inaccuracies and inconsistencies which have allowed these sacred texts to be a source of love and support, as well as hurt, hatred and destruction. Episcopal Bishop John Shelby Spong writes, I had to face openly and admit honestly those things about which most Christians are neither knowledgeable nor aware. I had to document the evil that Christians have so frequently tendered to others in the name of our religion, including the way we have justified violence with biblical quotations (Spong, 2005). Generations have misquoted the Biblical texts to persecute people of specific groups in the name of Christianity and with the Bible being the supporting documentation. In the sermon words of Rev. Kenneth L. Martin, Any text taken out of context becomes someones pretext. Conclusion There are numerous religious traditions celebrated and practiced across the globe. Followers of each religious tradition, regardless of how old the tradition is, have specific foundations and guidelines being adhered to. The followers of each faith tradition believe their tradition is right and beneficial. While the sacred texts of a particular faith, such as Judaism or Christianity, can be back-dated for many years, there remains a contention of the validity of these texts in modern comprehension. There exists no person alive today who heard the spoken words of Jesus of Nazareth. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (NRSV, 2006). This is the basis of all faith traditions, and certainly is inclusive of the tradition of Christianity. References Corkland, J., 2004, The Nature of God, Bantam Publishing, Ch. 7, pg. 148 NRSV, 2006, Mark 12: 28-34, electronically retrieved on October 19, 2007 from http://www.biblebb.com/files/mac/sg2358.htm NRSV, 2006, Hebrews 11: 1, electronically retrieved on October 19, 2007 from http://www.biblebb.com/files/mac/sg2358.htm Random House, 2006, Random House Unabridged Dictionary, electronically retrieved on October 18, 2007 from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/christian Rutgers, 2005, What is Christianity, electronically retrieved on October, 19, 2007 from http://geneva.rutgers.edu/src/christianity/major.html Spong, J., 2005, The Sins of Scripture; Exposing the Bibles Texts of Hate to Reveal the God of Love, Harper Collins, Ch. 1, pg. 13

A literature review on corporate social responsibility

A literature review on corporate social responsibility Corporate Social Responsibility has earned much salience over the last decades in academic literature. The literature offers various interpretations of the concept of corporate social responsiveness. The concept is understood as a process or set of processes on the way a firm approaches its environment. It is argued that business and society are interwoven: society has certain expectations regarding business and therefore the firm has responsibilities towards society. Hence, being a steward of the needs of society is deemed to be a socially responsible, appropriate, and natural act. The first book acknowledged on CSR is the Social Responsibilities of the Businessman by Howard R. Bowen in the mid 1950s. But, the term CSR came in widespread use in the early 1970s. In fact, it owes its origin due to the globalisation which took place after many multinational corporations were formed. In brief, globalisation means an increase in international transactions in markets for goods, services and factors of production and a growth in institutions that straddle international barriers. All these developments have brought in force the corporate governance mechanisms to ascertain fairness and transparency as well as social responsibility. Thus, this is how CSR was shaped and came into existence in the corporate world. 2.1.1 CSR across Countries CSR, also known as corporate responsibility, corporate citizenship, responsible business, sustainable responsible business (SRB), or corporate social performance, is all but a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model where companies manage the business processes to produce an overall positive impact on society. CSR has been defined in various ways in different countries, of about being the capacity building for sustainable livelihoods from Ghana to about giving back to society from Philippines. Conventionally, in the United States, CSR has been presented in a philanthropic model whereby companies make profits and then they donate a certain share of the profits to charitable causes. It is seen as tainting the act for the company to receive any benefit from the giving. As such, according to Caroll (2003), The social responsibility of business encompasses the economic, legal, ethical and discretionary (philanthropic) expectations that society has of organisations at a given point in time. The European model is much more focused on operating the core business in a socially responsible way, complemented by investment in communities for solid business case reasons and voluntary interaction with the stakeholders. Ideally and broadly, the concept of CSR is a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby business would monitor and ensure its support to law, ethical standards, and international norms. 2.1.1 Views on CSR According to Hancock (2005), CSR can be viewed through 3 ways namely: Sceptic view According to this view, the notion of CSR is opposed to democracy and freedom, frustrating business focus on its purpose of wealth creation. Milton Friedman best defines this approach: Few trends would so thoroughly undermine the very foundations of free society as the acceptance by corporate officials of a social responsibility other than to make as much money for their stockholders as they possibly can. Utopian view A utopian view of CSR reflects the idea that companies have a prior duty to anyone touched by their activity, their stakeholders rather than their shareholders, and especially the vulnerable that may be exploited by the companys operation. This is based on the work of Evan and Freeman who are for the stakeholder theory where a corporation must recognise and respect the vital interests of each of its surrounding stakeholders. Realist view This view gathers the greatest following of an alliance model advocated by Patricia Werhane. It states that CSR is not simply about whatever funds and expertise companies choose to invest in communities to help resolve social problems. But, it is also about the integrity with which a company governs itself, fulfils its mission, lives by its values, engages with its stakeholders, measures its impacts and reports on its activities. 2.1.2 The Key Drivers CSR is seen by Porter and Van Der Linde (2000, p. 131) as a competitive driver that requires appropriate resources. CSR programmes, however, on their own, have certain main drivers which are as follow: Bottom Line Effect This is the most relevant driver of CSR programmes as it incorporates a socially responsible element into corporate practice. As John Elkington (1997) rightly underlined that many companies exhibit corporate citizenship through charity or philanthropy. Nevertheless, a new perspective evolved over time for some corporate stakeholders. Success of a corporation is now weighted and defined by evaluating businesses using a Triple Bottom Line comprised of its social, environmental and financial performance. Managing Risk An endeavour to adopt CSR programme has been the gain in market share, key personnel and investment which pioneering companies enjoy when they seriously address labour and green issues. In fact, corporations implement such a programme to manage risks and ensure legal compliance as denoted by Levine Michael A. (2008). They try to avoid investigation, litigation, prosecution, regulation or legislation. Influence of the Corporate Disasters There has been an increased perception of greed amidst senior business officials in the corporate world following corporate scandals affecting Enron, WorldCom and the like. CSR is important in counteracting allegations of corporate greed. As a result, as described by Hancock (2005) in his book, corporations are now shifting away from the philanthropic approach towards CSR and are moving towards the greater alignment of CSR with business strategy and corporate governance. Lower Equity Risk Premium Reputation Management Corporations can face economic damage when their corporate reputations and brands are assailed or sales are affected by consumer boycotts. As argued by some rating agencies, a comprehensive CSR programme will lower a companys equity risk premium. A direct correlation between reputation and financial outcome measures share price and credit rating (Hancock, 2005) has been illustrated through a model designed by the global public relations company Bell Pottinger. In fact, companies may face a variety of legal and reputational risks if they do not have adequate social compliance or corporate social responsibility/sustainability programs in place. Customer Loyalty In todays markets, companies have to focus on building and maintaining customer loyalty. As proposed by Zhou Y. (2009), this can be done through a CSR programme which builds loyalty with customers by offering a competitive advantage in a marketplace where consumers find ethically delivered or produced goods and services. Stakeholder Activism Investment Incentives As perceived by Visser, W. (2008), CSR is encouraged through the activism of stakeholder or pressure groups which often address the alleged failure of the market and government policy. The trend of socially responsible investment gives CSR an incentive where funds are screened on ethical, social and environmental criteria. Thus, this proactively encourages businesses to inform shareholders of potential risks and issues and it helps them to better understand their stakeholders, including shareholders. According to Hill Knowltown (2006), surveys have indicated that analysts place as much importance on corporate reputation as they do on financial performance. 2.2 Theoretical Review A theoretical framework can be constructed around the several theories that emerged to explain the reasons behind environmental reporting over the time. These are as follow: Operational Efficiency Theory Operational Efficiency occurs when the right combination of people, process, and technology to boost the productivity and value of any business operation, while reducing cost of routine operations to a desired level. In the context of CSR, operational efficiencies can be achieved through managing impending risks and liabilities more effectively and efficiently through CSR tools and perspectives by reducing costs; streaming information to stakeholders concerning the investment community for better transparency and by using corporate responsibility and sustainability approaches within business decision-making to result in new market opportunities, newly developed manufacturing processes that can be expanded to other plants, regions or markets. Social Contract Theory This theory dates from the classic period of history but it took its modern form between the sixteenth and eighteen centuries with the best known philosophers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke and Jean Jacques Rousseau who talk on social contract. Rousseau, in fact, conceptualised the individual-society relationship as a symbiotic situation whereby the two parties mutually confer some right to the state in order to maintain social order which makes human life and cohabitation better and to gain benefits of community and safety. In parallel to the social contract, the corporate social theory, pertaining to a firms indirect social obligations, has been advanced as a theoretical basis to explain the practise of CSR by corporations. Accordingly, businesses are bound by the social contract whereby they consent to perform various socially desired actions in return for approval of their objectives and other rewards. This ultimately guarantees its continued existence. Legitimacy Theory The theory is close to the social contract theory. Here, the corporations constantly seek to ensure that they operate within the limits and norms of their respective societies and the outside parties perceive their activities as being legitimate. Society grants legitimacy and power to business. In the long run, those who do not use power in a manner which society considers responsible will tend to lose it. This principle developed by Daviss (1973) is commonly known as the Iron Law of Responsibility. It expresses legitimacy as a societal-level concept and describes the responsibility of business as a social institution that must avoid abusing its power. Thus, this principle expresses a prohibition rather than an affirmative duty, and it applies equally to all companies, regardless of their particular circumstances. According to A.K.H. Khor, the legitimacy theory is fundamentally a system-oriented theory where organisations are viewed as components of the larger social environment within which they exist. Stakeholder Theory A key feature of CSR involves the way that a company engages, involves, and collaborates with its stakeholders including shareholders, employees, debt-holders, suppliers, customers, communities, non-governmental organisations, and governments. Companies can use stakeholder engagement to internalise societys needs, hopes, circumstances into their corporate views and decision-making. While there are many questions about how far a companys responsibilities extend into communities relative to the roles of governments and individual citizens, there is a strong argument that CSR can effectively improve a companys relations with communities and thereby produce some key features that will improve business prospects for its future. Agency Theory This theory comes to explain the relationship that exists between the owners/shareholders and the management. As such the latter is the agent which appointed by the principal (owner/subsidiary) and problems such as the potential moral hazard and conflict of interest are likely to occur. CSR comes as a middle way so that both parties can maximise their gains. As such, when CFP is strong, managers may reduce social expenditures in order to maximise their own short term private gains whereas when CFP weakens, managers will try to offset their disappointing results by engaging in conspicuous social programs, hence increasing their own wealth and that of shareholders as well, pursuant to the managerial opportunism hypothesis by Preston OBannon (1997). 2.2.1 Corporate Social Performance (CSP) In todays competitive market environment, business is confronted with a new set of challenges that are not only economics-related. To survive and prosper, firms must bridge economic and social systems. Maximising shareholder wealth is a necessary but by no means sufficient condition for financial prosperity anymore. A new performance measure called corporate social performance (abbreviated as CSP) is used to capture the performance of a business in the social realm allowing us to be more precise in thinking about corporate social responsibility. CSP defined as a business organizations configuration of principles of social responsibility, processes of social responsiveness, and policies, programs, and observable outcomes as they relate to the firms societal relationships (Wood, 1991), clearly shows that social performance is not limited to corporations only, but also applies to any firm and organisation. 2.2.2 Corporate Financial Performance (CFP) Most of the businesses operate with a view of yielding profits. The financial performance of a company is reflected through its policies and operations in monetary terms. These results are reflected through its return on investment, return on assets, value added, return on sale and growth in sales. Managers work in the best interest of shareholders to maximise profits. Financial performance is the most common, however, it cannot be considered as the only indicator used to measure a firms wealth. A broader definition of financial performance is accompanied by additional indicators such as short-term profits, long-term profits, market value, and other forms of competitive advantage, as noted by Jensen (2001). In todays world, for a firm to achieve a good and high level of CSP, it has to go beyond the limits of its own corporate strategies and adopt views of other stakeholders who may be directly or indirectly related to the company. 2.2.3 Corporate Social Performance and Corporate Financial Performance Since over the three decades, the study of the correlation between corporate social performance (CSP) and corporate financial performance (CSF) has gained much salience. Many studies conducted in this effect have yielded positive correlation, while others produced contradictory results with negative or non-significant different causal directions being found. In effect, there are several competing theoretical models which are proposed to explain three varying findings on the CSP-CFP link. Owing to these differing relationships, I.Y. Maroam (2006) proposes a unified theory of the CSP-CFP link that explain the different relationships that may be observed between CSR and CFP, thus basing itself on the parallels between the business and CSR domains. The concept of CSR instils in corporations the moral responsibility towards society that go beyond the goal of simply making profits for their owners and shareholders (Berman et al., 1999). As Freeman (1984) rightly pointed out that corporations should be socially responsible for both moral and practical (instrumental) reasons, by reflecting a socially responsible posture, a corporation can enhance its own performance. Thus, CSR activities can, inter-alia, be rewarded with more satisfied customers, better employee, improved reputation, and improved access to financial markets, all pertaining to improving financial performance and sustain the business. However, social accomplishments may equally involve certain financial costs which can effectively reduce profits and comparative performance. Hence, Vance (1975) came up with the trade-off hypothesis to show negative linkage between CSP and CFP whereby corporations displaying strong social credentials experience declining stock prices r elative to the market average. 2.2.3.1 CSP as Business Strategic From the above, it is clear that CSP can be used as a business strategy which can contribute to the competitive advantage of firms. A study by N.A. Dentchey (2004) on the effects of CSP on the competitiveness of organisations reveals that CSP should not be thought of an innocent adventure for executives. It is rather a strategy for achieving corporate strategies, which if not carefully implemented, may harm the competitive advantage of the firm. Competitive advantage, as seen by Porter (1996), denotes the ability of a company to outperform others from successful differentiation from rivals actions. This strategic fit between the outside environment and companies internal resources and capabilities (Hoskissoon et al., 1999) results in superior financial results, as indicated by various measures of profitability. Hence, as per Burke and Logsdon (1996), a strategic implementation of social responsibility brings benefits for all since it results in strategic outcomes such as customer loyalty, future purchases, new products, new markets and productivity gains. Arguably, CSP can be a source of competitive disadvantage for firms which regard CSP as an additional cost. Business contributions to social prosperity (CSP) are seen by Keim (1978, p.33) as an investment in public good which is consumed or enjoyed by a number of individuals disregarding the cost sharing. Thus, investing in CSP is likely to bear negative effects for the fir ms which are incurring costs that might otherwise be avoided or that should be borne by others, for example, individuals or government (Aupperle et al., 1985). 2.2.4 CSP, CFP and the Stakeholder Theory Following the above arguments, a new perspective of CSP, based on the stakeholder analysis, emerges to argue furthermore that there exists a positive relationship between CSP and financial performance. As such, S.A. Waddock and S.B. Graves (1997) propose that a tension exists between the firms explicit costs (for instance, payments to bondholders) and its implicit costs to other stakeholders (for example, product quality costs, and environmental costs). Therefore, a firm which tries to outweigh its explicit costs by increasing its socially responsible actions incurs higher implicit costs, resulting in competitive advantage. Thus, high levels of CSP are seen as indicators of superior management by Alexander and Buchholz (1982) which lead to lower explicit costs and enhanced financial performance. The stakeholder theory accompanies the concept of CSR by shedding more light on the issue of social responsibility. This theory is spread over three aspects (Donaldson and Preston, 1995) namely, descriptive, instrumental and normative. While the descriptive aspect describes and explains the theory, the instrumental aspect discloses the cause-effect relationships between stakeholder management practices and improving corporate performance. The normative aspect, on the other hand, as perceived by I.Y. Maroam (2006) emphasizes on the moral imperatives for practising stakeholder management, rather than the business benefits it may provide. A parallelism between the core business domain and the CSR domain will maximise a firms profitability. The stakeholder theory provides a framework for investigating the relationship between CSP and CFP by examining how a change in CSP is related to a change in financial accounting measures. In fact, the two concepts of CSR and stakeholder share the proposition that social responsibility affects financial performance in some way or other. This subject area has been so vastly explored that this trend is now seen as a natural progression which goes associatively with developments in the industrial and business world. There is an increasing concern and emphasize on humanity, environmental preservation and enlightened social consciousness. Thus, a new area of research began to pave its way within the field of business and society where the relationship between corporate social conduct, both toward the corporations stakeholders and the wider society, and the corporations financial performance was and is still being investigated across several countries. Over environmental issues, research h as revealed that businesses which are eco-friendly and demonstrate good CSR practices enjoy increased consumer purchase preference (Gildea, 1994; Zaman, 1996) and good economic performance (Al-Tuwaijiri, et al., 2004). A stakeholder group, as identified and defined by Freeman (1984), is one that that can affect or is affected by achievement of the organisations objectives, that is, which can be harmed as well as can help it to achieve its goals. Therefore, there is a growing need for firms to address the needs and expectations of the stakeholders to avoid negative outcomes and produce positive outcomes for themselves (Donaldson and Preston, 1995; Freeman, 1984; Frooman, 1997). Pursuant to the stakeholder theory perspective, CSP can be assessed in terms of a company meeting the demands of multiple stakeholders, ranging from cost minimisation to societal maximisation. Building on the previous mentioned definition of CSP, Wood and Jones (1995) propose that stakeholder theory is the key to understanding the structure and dimensions of the firms societal relationships. This theory thereby assumes that firms are responsible for honouring all the implicit and explicit contracts they hold with their variou s constituents. Therefore, the stakeholder theory provides a system-based perspective of the organisation and its stakeholders where it acknowledges the dynamic and complex nature of the interplay between them. The various stakeholders of the firms, such as the employees, shareholders/ financers, environmentalists, government, communities, customers and even competitors should be convinced by the management that it is working harder to satisfy them. The more important the stakeholders to the firm, the more effort the firm needs to put to uphold its relationship with the former. According to Clarkson, Donaldson and Preston et al. (1995), the stakeholder theory must place shareholders as one of the multiple stakeholder groups which managers should consider in their decision-making process. However, like the shareholders, the other stakeholders may have a say upon the firm, bestowing societal legitimacy. Notably, Bernadette M. Ruf et al. (2001) asserted that firms must address these non-shareholder gro ups demands otherwise they might face negative confrontations which can ultimately result in diminished shareholder value, through boycotts, lawsuits, protests and so on. Hence, firms have a fiduciary duty relationship not only to the shareholders, but to all stakeholders (Hasnas, 1998, p.32). So far, recognising a companys contractual relationship with the various stakeholders has been instrumental in better comprehending the relationship that CSP and CFP share. Stakeholders have expectations from the organisation. Nevertheless, these expectations may conflict with the firms limited resources leading the firm to evaluate its costs and benefits tradeoffs. Firms must thus come with measures representative of the various factors of CSP and stakeholders interests. Unlike neo-classical stockholders who were only interested in financial performance (Grouf, 1994; Shapiro, 1992), the major stakeholders of today, that is, the stockholders are more interested in the firms current and future financial benefits and social performance. 2.3 Empirical Review This section reviews the works done and methods used by researchers on the relationship of CFP and CSP. Empirical results on the correlation between these are mixed whereby some yielded in positive, some in negative or some in non-significant relationships. Basing on the stakeholder theory approach, several models on the CFP-CSP relationship have been proposed, where the largest number of investigations found a positive CSP-CFP relationship. Notably, different methods to compute indexes for CFP and CSP have been used since data on both cannot be possibly obtained in absolute figures. As such, using aggregated weights assigned to K dimensions of social performance obtained through questionnaire for CSP and using change in Return of Equity, change in Return on Sales and growth in sales as financial measures on a sample of 496 firms, Bernadette M. Ruf et al. (2001) came up with a positive relationship between CSP and CFP. They, in fact, regressed change in CSP on change in CFP. The results revealed a significant positive relationship between change in CSP and change in Return on Equity and change in Return on Sales in the long term but that with the Growth of Sales to be significantly positive only in year 0 and 1. The study suggests that improvements in CSP have both immediate and continuing financial impacts. A paper by S. A. Waddock and S. B. Graves (1997) also came up with positive linkage between CFP and CSP. An index for CSP was computed using eight attributes, rated consistently across the entire Standards Poors 500 by a rating service, which were related to stakeholder concerns. The firm financial performance (profitability) was measured using three accounting variables, namely, return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and return on sales (ROS) used to assess CFP by the investment community. Factors such as size, risk and industry which affect both CFP and CSP were taken as control variables. Used on a sample of 469 companies and using CSP as both dependent and independent variable, the results revealed that CFP does depend on CSP and vice-versa and also indicated the importance of controlling for industry in assessing such a relationship. To bring more integrity, M. Orlitzky et al. (2003) conducted a quantitative meta-analysis on the CFP-CSP relationship building on the hypothesis that CSP and CFP are generally positively related leading to competencies, learning, efficiency and reputation-building with its external stakeholders. Taking CFP as a companys financial viability through three broad subdivisions consisting of market-based (investor returns), accounting-based (accounting returns), and perceptual (survey) measures and constructing CSP through four broad measurement strategies, namely: (a) CSP disclosures (annual reports, letters to shareholders); (b) CSP reputation ratings; (c) social audits, CSP processes, and observable outcomes; and (d) managerial CSP principles and values (Post, 1991), the study suggests that corporate virtue in the form of social responsibility and, to a lesser extent, environmental responsibility can pay off, despite the CSP-CFP operationalisations can also moderate the positive associa tion. CSP appeared to be more highly correlated with accounting-based measures of CFP than with market-based indicators, and CSP reputation indices were more highly correlated with CFP than are other indicators of CSP. This meta-analysis establishes a greater degree of certainty with respect to the CSP-CFP relationship than is currently assumed to exist by many business scholars. According to Mahoney L. and Roberts R.W. (2007), there is no significant relationship between a composite measure of firms CSP and CFP. Using four years panel data of Canadian firms, they calculated a composite measure of CSP score by summing all dimension strength ratings, such as, community relations, diversity, employee relations, environment, international, product safety, and amongst others and subtracting all dimension weaknesses ratings. As concerned the CFP, following Waddock and Graves (1997a), return on assets (ROA) and return on equity (ROE) were used separately to measure a firms CFP. As CFP was expected to be positively related to CSP, a one-year lag between CFP and all independent variables (CSP, firm size, debt level, and industry) was used. Inconsistent with their expectation, they found no significant relationship between the composite CSP measure and either ROA or ROE. However, the use of individual measures of firms CSP regarding environmental and international act ivities and CFP resulted in a significant relationship providing mixed support for the business case for CSP. A study, using the Granger causality approach, by Rim Makni et al. (2008) reaffirms Mahoney and Roberts (2007) works on the non-significant relationship. However, there may also be a simultaneous and interactive negative relation between CSP and CFP, forming a vicious circle. Building on P. L. Cochran and R. A. Wood (1984) CSR-financial performance model where average age of corporate assets was found to be highly correlated with social responsibility rankings, D. J. Wood (1991) reformulated the CSP model to build a coherent, integrative framework for business and society research. The principles of social responsibility were framed at the institutional, organisational, and individual levels; processes of social responsiveness were shown to be environmental assessment, stakeholder management, and issues management; and outcomes of CSP were posed as social impacts, programs, and policies. The third part of the CSP model concerning the social outcomes was the only portion that was actually observable and open to assessment and any real performance, determined by stakeholders, existed. It was noted that stakeholders were likely to evaluate CSP differently, depending not only on their own interests, but also on their understanding and acceptance of social res ponsibility principles and their relationship to CSP. Building on this model, many researchers worked on finding the linkage between CFP and CSP. Using Wood (1991)s model, the results of a study conducted by P. A. and S.D. Stanwick (1998) showed that a firms CFP is indeed affetced by the size of the firm, and the amount of pollution emissions released. Where many numerous quantitative studies have been carried out to establish, largely in samples of multiple industries, the CSP-CFP relationship, M. Soana (2009) investigated this very linkage in the banking sector using a sample of national and international banks where social performance was proxied using content analysis, surveys, reputational measures, unidimensional indicators, ethical ratings and financial economic performance was proxied using market and accounting ratios. The eventual examination resulted in a no statistically significant link that could indicate any positive or negative correlation between CSP and CFP. The reason was that the majority of studies revised till now are also almost exclusively focused on the USA and UK markets. Corporate governance was also used as control variable, but it showed a non-significant and negative link with ROA and ROA. The study also confirmed the hypothesis that those banks that have the most transparent and efficient ownership st ructure are also the least profitable for shareholders.

Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment -- Papers Death Penalty Ar

Persuasive Essay Against Capital Punishment â€Å"Kill. (Verb) To make someone or something die.† Does anyone really think they have the right to take another person’s life? Apparently yes. Perhaps we should give the judge a knife and tell her that if she has decided that the accused is guilty, she should stab him herself. Perhaps then she would hesitate. But if many people (hundreds or thousands who operate the judicial system) are involved, it spreads, or even divides the feeling of culpability among many. They may feel less guilty, especially if they believe that they are representing the whole society of their country. What makes it seem more â€Å"humane† is the official perspective of it. Death here is a matter of paperwork, not actually a case of ending someone’s life. I am absolutely opposed to the death penalty. In this essay I will try to explain why I think society should not accept this barbaric punishment. The most common argument in favour of the death penalty is that it is a deterrent, i.e. someone who has murder in mind will think better of it when he realises that he could be facing death. However, I do not agree with this. When a murderer commits a crime he believes that he will not be caught. Numerous studies have tried to prove the deterrence factor, but have been unable to. A criminal dreads a lifetime prison sentence more than, or the same as, the death penalty in any case. There are two types of murders: crimes committed on the â€Å"spur of the moment† (i.e. passion crimes which have not been planned) and pre-meditated murder. If it is a crime of passion, the murderer is not thinking of the consequences at t... ... are then disbarred. They have little incentive to fight for the case when their salary may be under  £4 an hour. Finally, who are we to play with the lives of other people? Each person is just one life – how can one life be allowed to designate when the other must finish? Man is man, not God. Only God should have a divine right over a man’s life. Man is equal to man, and for him to take on the role of a superior being can only cause chaos. I believe that it is the duty of a system of justice to protect society from criminals, either by psychological rehabilitation or by imprisoning them for life if necessary; not by murdering them. Capital punishment is used to condemn the guilty of severe crimes. This means: to teach a criminal how to be humane, they must be killed inhumanely. Does this seem logical?

Application of Risk Management Essay

Application of Risk Management Scenario: YieldMore is a small agricultural company that produces and sells fertilizer products. The company operates through its headquarters in a small town in Indiana. Outside its headquarters, there are two large production facilities—one in Nebraska and one in Oklahoma. Furthermore, YieldMore employs sales force personnel in every state in the U.S. to serve its customers locally. The company has three servers located at its headquarters—Active Directory Server, a Linux application server, and an Oracle database server. The application server hosts YieldMore’s primary software application, which is proprietary program managing inventory, sales, supply-chain, and customer information. The database server manages all data stored locally with direct attached storage. All three major sites use Ethernet cabled local area networks (LANs) to connect the users’ Windows Vista workstations via industry standard, managed switches. The remote production facilities connect t o headquarters via routers T-1 (1.54 mbps telecomm circuit) LAN connections provided by an external Internet service providers (ISP) and share an Internet connection through a firewall at headquarters. Individual sales personnel throughout the country connect to YieldMore’s network via virtual private network (VPN) software through their individual Internet connections, typically in a home office. Task: I would have to say the most likely pairs of threat/vulnerability are location, equipment failure, social engineering, Denial of Service (DOS), and Mal ware. These threats seem to be the most problematic for this company. The first one is location; the servers are all housed in the company headquarters where if a natural or manmade disaster would cripple the company’s infrastructure. They need to distribute their servers to different locations. Another pair is equipment failure; each server has its own specific function that it handles and nothing else. It would help mitigate some of the risk that would happen if each server handled their own problems. Social engineering is a problem because it is dependent on the user which another person can hack the person for information that could get access to the organizations system. DOS is a problem because the public  systems are not protected by firewalls and anti-virus program. This makes service availability a loss. The final pr oblem is malware which is caused by the lack of anti-virus or out of date virus definitions. The impact of this is usually the loss of server or information depending on what the virus was originally intended to do. There are six risk management steps you can use to protect your company: 1. Determining the objectives of the organization, 2. Identifying exposures to loss 3. Measuring those same exposures, 4. Selecting alternatives, 5. Implementing a solution, 6. Monitoring the results. I would suggest using all six steps to insure that my company is protected. The primary objective of an organization growth will determine its strategy for managing various risks. Identification and measurement of risks are relatively straightforward concepts.

4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management

4 Tips for Effective Classroom Management Classroom management is simply the techniques teachers use to maintain control in the classroom. Educators employ a variety of strategies and techniques to ensure that students are organized, on task, well-behaved, and productive during the school day. A lack of effective classroom management can cause chaos and stress, which can create an unsatisfactory learning environment for students and an unsatisfactory work environment for the teacher. However, these tips will help you master classroom management and create a quality learning environment. Know Your Students and How They Learn Implementing successful classroom management strategies creates a positive learning environment for students and ensure that they successfully master the materials presented. How this is done can vary depending on student ages and personalities. By understanding the strengths and needs of students, you can better plan activities and lesson plans that allow for a cohesive and collaborative classroom. Teachers always want their students to succeed and thrive, but what that looks like for each individual might differ. Knowing student capabilities can greatly enhance your ability to help each individual succeed, and allows you to offer varied assessments and assignments that let students work at their own pace. This can be a challenge in larger classrooms, but versatility in the material is vital to ensure that everyone in the classroom is well-served. You can proactively plan for a wide variety of learning styles and personalities but plan to adjust your approach once you have a better idea of the students in your class. You might consider inviting students to be a part of setting goals for themselves and assessing how they learn best if age appropriate. If not, beginning the school year with a variety of activities and assessments can help you more easily determine what your class will need from you. Have a Strong Lesson Plan A key aspect of effective classroom management is knowing what youre going to do. The better your plan, the better your class will likely run. Map out your intended flow for the semester or year when planning, so you can ensure that you cover everything you need to get through. Its often easier to manage your classroom when you plan well in advance, and build in flexibility should you get ahead of schedule or behind. To help improve the collaborative aspect of your classroom, you might consider presenting the year-long or semester-long plan with students from the start, if age appropriate. This can often generate excitement and help students understand what they are working to overall. Have Clear Expectations for Students Students learn best when they know what is expected of them, and what they can expect from the teacher. While they tend to need daily routines, they also need to know how much they are expected to participate, what needs to go into presentations and projects, when tests might occur, and what their grading structure is like. They need to know what the teacher is looking for when assessing mastery of material and exactly how they will be assessed in their work and in their behavior. In terms of managing student conduct, outline what is considered positive and negative behavior in advance, and communicate with students quickly to warn them of inappropriate behavior. One middle school theater teacher in Virginia made up a clever series of hand signs representing a llama and her various moods. Depending on which lama sign the teacher aimed at the students, they would know that they need to pay attention, improve their behavior, and when they are really pushing the limits of proper classroom behavior. These signs helped students better understand how much they are positively or negatively impacting the class and were simple enough to allow the teacher to continue her lessons with minimal interruption, even while communicating with students on the fly. Her students embraced this system so much, that they asked for it to be used more often. Students need a variety of both routines and processes, as well as a balance of some free time. Its important to provide both the structured time and the free time to keep students engaged and feeling like they are part of the learning process themselves. Have Clear Expectations for Yourself Part of creating a positive learning experience and strong classroom management is ensuring that you have clear and realistic expectations for yourself. As the teacher, its important for you to have both routine elements, realistic expectations of student performance, and to know how to maintain your sense of humor when times get tough. There will absolutely days that wont go as planned, and remembering that this can be expected is vital to ensuring your own success. Managing a classroom is important to being an effective teacher, but it can take years to master classroom management skills. Younger teachers should actively look to more veteran teachers and administrators for advice and support when working to improve. Its important to remember that not every class will be a perfectly managed classroom, and how you learn from your mistakes and move forward is an important aspect of growing as an educator.

The French Expression Jarrive

The French Expression 'Jarrive' The French expression jarrive means Im on my way to wherever the listener might be (downstairs in the lobby, outside the building, at home, etc). Surprisingly, it can also mean Ill be right back, when youre already with someone and need to leave for a moment. In other words, it can be used whether or not youre actually face to face with the person youre talking to: both Im on my way there and Im on my way (back) here. Expression: JarrivePronunciation: [zha reev]Meaning: Im on my way, Ill be right there / down / out / backLiteral translation: Im arrivingRegister: normal Examples (Au tà ©là ©phone)- Salut Christophe, je suis devant limmeuble.- Daccord Hà ©là ¨ne, jarrive.(On the phone)- Hi Christophe, Im in front of the (your) building.- OK Hà ©là ¨ne, Im on my way, Ill be right out.(A linterphone)- Bonjour, cest le facteur. Jai un colis pour vous.- Merci, Monsieur, jarrive.(On the apartment entry phone)- Hello, its the mailman. I have a package for you.- Thank you, sir, Ill be right there/down.Houp, jai oublià © mon portefeuille - jarrive.Oops, I forgot my wallet - Ill be right back.A classic: you catch the waiters eye as he rushes past your table, and without slowing down, he says jarrive. While less common, its also possible to use other subjects, such asIl arrive - Hell be right here/there, Hes on his way.On arrive - Well be right there, Were on our way.

University of Redlands - Scores, Costs and Admissions

University of Redlands - Scores, Costs and Admissions University of Redlands Admissions Overview: Admissions at the University of Redlands are generally open; in 2016, around two-thirds of applicants were admitted to the school. Students with good grades and test scores within or above the ranges listed below are on track to be accepted. Interested students will need to submit an application, which can be submitted online. In addition, prospective students will need to send in official high school transcripts, scores from the SAT or ACT, and two letters of recommendation. For complete instructions and guidelines, be sure to visit the schools website, or get in touch with someone from the admissions office. Will You Get In? Calculate Your Chances of Getting In  with this free tool from Cappex Admissions Data (2016): University of Redlands Acceptance Rate: 75%Test Scores 25th / 75th PercentileSAT Critical Reading: 490 / 590SAT Math: 490 / 600SAT Writing: - / -What these SAT numbers meanSAT score comparison for California collegesACT Composite: 22 / 27ACT English: 22 / 27ACT Math: 20  / 26What these ACT numbers meanACT score comparison for California colleges University of Redlands Description: The University of Redlands is a private university with a liberal arts and sciences focus. The 160-acre campus is located in Redlands, California, about 10 miles from San Bernardino. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the primary college for residential undergraduate students, has a 12 to 1  student / faculty ratio  and an average class size of 19. For its strengths in the liberal arts and sciences, the University of Redlands was awarded a chapter of  Phi Beta Kappa. On the athletic front, the Redlands Bulldogs compete in the NCAA Division III Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC). Enrollment (2016): Total Enrollment: 5,071  (3,237 undergraduates)Gender Breakdown: 44% Male / 56% Female77% Full-time Costs (2016  - 17): Tuition and Fees: $46,570Books: $1,775  (why so much?)Room and Board: $13,480Other Expenses: $3,168Total Cost: $64,993 University of Redlands Financial Aid (2015  - 16): Percentage of Students Receiving Aid: 98%Percentage of Students Receiving Types of AidGrants: 98%Loans: 64%Average Amount of AidGrants: $27,469Loans: $8,334 Academic Programs: Most Popular Majors:  Biology, Business Administration, English, History, Liberal Studies,  Political Science, Psychology, Speech What major is right for you?  Sign up to take the free My Careers and Majors Quiz at Cappex. Graduation and Retention Rates: First Year Student Retention (full-time students): 82%4-Year Graduation Rate: 65%6-Year Graduation Rate: 74% Intercollegiate Athletic Programs: Mens Sports:  Baseball, Golf, Soccer, Tennis, Water Polo, Basketball, Football, Cross CountryWomens Sports:  Lacrosse, Soccer, Water Polo, Basketball, Golf, Volleyball, Tennis Data Source: National Center for Educational Statistics If You Like University of Redlands, You May Also Like These Schools: Chapman University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphPepperdine University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of La Verne: Profile  University of the Pacific: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of San Diego: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC San Diego: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUC Santa Cruz: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphCal Poly: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphUniversity of San Francisco: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphLoyola Marymount University: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT GraphWhittier College: Profile  UC Irvine: Profile | GPA-SAT-ACT Graph

Power, Authority and Force are Distinct Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Power, Authority and Force are Distinct - Essay Example Power, authority and force are three different aspects of an individual’s or society’s life. In a country, it is the government that is the sole authority and has the power to make decisions for the social welfare and wellbeing of the people. However, despite such power, the government cannot force or impose rules upon people if they do not wish to follow them and thus, there has to be some room left for liberal thinking or allowing the will of the people to persist. Power thus is the ability to get work done because of leadership skills; it is the capacity that a person may have in order to perform some work or carry out an action in an effective manner. Authority on the other hand is the supremacy or command that a person or a body has, to make decisions. Finally, force is the manner in which a person may impose upon another or coerce another in order to do something or carry out an action. In this manner, these three terms are distinct and will be discussed with vari ous examples during the course of this essay. (Merriam Webster Dictionary) All over the world, all the time, there are various examples of these three terms being combined and used in the same situation; where there is authority, there is power being wielded because only an authority on some matter has not only the full right but also the ability to exercise something; and sometimes, this exercising of power by an authority might turn out to be forceful upon a group of people that do not wish to follow it. Power is the ability to influence the outcome of events. It could be both correctly as well as incorrectly used and the incorrect use of power would lead to coercion or force upon people. Authority on the other hand is a very subjective term because it is bestowed upon people that seemingly do well in their respective fields; people who may be deemed fit in order to carry out a certain task. (Jovial Bard) For example, the president of the country is rightfully elected as the autho rity to carry out certain powers but they are not forced or imposed upon people. However, in some cases, like in countries where there are monarchs or countries like China that are completely republican in nature, the power wielded by the authority is forced upon the individuals and they have no choice but to follow the same. There are various views on this very subject; taking into account the reign of Saddam Hussein, the despotic leader, it may be understood that he assumed authority without commanding respect for the same. Thus, in the eyes of the rest of the world, especially the United States of America, he was deemed to be an illegitimate leader, who just assumed an authoritarian position. He had access to weapons of mass destruction which he threatened people all over the world with and thus this was an application of force on his part because of the high power that he held as the president of a country, as he imposed fear among the citizens and led them to a very terrifying and horrific way of life. (Bowen, D) Over the years, nonetheless, the power that the United States has over the rest of the world has been growing; especially because after the 9/11 attacks, the entire world held sympathy for the country and thus supported it with all their might. However, as the US has been

Management - Compensation Methods Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Management - Compensation Methods - Essay Example In this paper, we will discuss some major compensation methods/employee benefit programs, which a company can use to improve employee performance. Types of Compensation According to Menguc and Barker (2003), use of compensation plans influences all dimensions of organizational performance. Companies use different types of compensations to increase employee motivation. Some major types of compensation include bonuses, free meals, housing allowance, health insurance, company car, travel allowance, free patrol, promotion based on performance base pay, overtime pay, and commissions. In some companies, the compensations like bonuses and commissions are associated with the job responsibilities of the employees. Some jobs are of very difficult nature, so the companies put some rewards for the people associated with those jobs in form of bonuses in order to encourage them and make them dedicated to their jobs. Companies categorize different types of compensations into short-term and long-ter m programs. Mazin and Smith (2004) asserts, â€Å"Short-term programs are usually based on cash payments, while long-term incentives typically involve stock† (p.113). Short-term rewards include cash and stock bonuses, which a company gives to the employees when they achieve short-term goals, such as, increase in the company’s revenue. ... The basic purpose of short-term compensation programs is to increase employees’ performance and productivity over a specific time. Long-term rewards, on the other hand, are such rewards that a company gives to its employees when they increase the company stock’s value in the market. The stock value increases when a company maintains its product standard and quality for a long time. Good quality of products generates higher levels of productivity and revenues, which result in increasing the stock value of the company. Companies reserve long-term rewards usually for the employees who are at managerial posts. Calvin (2001, p.119) asserts, â€Å"In established firms, long-term incentives, such as stock options, are reserved for senior salespeople, national account managers, and sales managers†. Commissions and bonuses are two of the most useful types of compensations because they attract a large number of employees towards the companies, which offers such compensatio ns to the employees. Commission is a form of compensation that a company gives to its employees on achieving some targets. Commissions and bonuses play a key role in retaining talented and skilled employees for a company. Increase in salaries is also one of the most effective ways to retain key employees of a company. Employees do not want to leave the job when their companies reward them in terms of increase in their salaries. Compensation programs not only make employees work hard to achieve the incentives but also make the company achieve higher levels of profitability and productivity. Apart from increase in salaries, some other types of rewards also play a good role in increasing employee motivation. These rewards include foreign trip of

Entrepreneurship & Innovation Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Entrepreneurship & Innovation - Dissertation Example As of 2010, more than half a billion people have embarked on new entrepreneurial ventures. One of these extraordinary entrepreneurs is Arthur Lok Jack. Arthur Lok Jack is an entrepreneur who possesses the following characteristics: risk-taker; innovative; has foresight and vision; resourceful; persistent; ambitious, intelligent and knowledgeable; hard-working; realistic; adaptable; business savvy; and practices networking. Risk-taking Risk-taking among entrepreneurs involves taking calculated actions designed to control and minimize the risks involved, at the same time ensuring that goals are achieved. This behaviour sets entrepreneurs apart from gamblers who depend on chance and from individuals who prefer to â€Å"play it safe† (Joseph 2003). Risk-taking behaviour is viewed as beneficial, as revealed in the positive association between risk and output wherein a higher level of risk increases the likelihood of getting impressive results (Analoui & Karami 2003). Penrose (1959) asserted that entrepreneurship involves determining opportunities within the economic system, including those which entail a high amount of risk. Rauch and Frese (2007) attributed risk-taking behaviour on the entrepreneur’s propensity to make decisions on situations which show low likelihood of success. This behaviour makes entrepreneurs stand out compared to risk-averse individuals. However, risk-taking may have different interpretations. For example, ordinary consumers might view such behaviour as reckless. On the other hand, business owners consider risk-taking as a move to minimize risk when making business decisions. Innovativeness Entrepreneurs constantly strive to find ways to develop and introduce new and unique products and services. Innovation may come in five forms: (1) introduction of a new product or improvement in the quality of existing ones; (2) new methods of production; (3) opening of new market; (4) new source of supply or raw materials or half-manufacture d goods; and (5) new industrial organization (Joseph 2003). Schumpeter (1935) envisioned an entrepreneur as an economic agent capable of creating novel combinations of production factors in response to investment opportunities. An entrepreneur is viewed as an indispensable element of the capitalist economy who embodies the principles of capitalist change, as well as industrial and technological change. There is mounting evidence that entrepreneurial innovativeness is significantly correlated to success. This applies to innovation on a personal and organizational level. Organizational level of innovation reflects how innovative an entrepreneur is. The relationship between innovation and success can be predominantly observed on new technology organizations compared to traditional industries (Rauch & Frese 2007). Rutherford and Holt’s (2007) investigation on the link between individual and corporate-level innovativeness pointed out two important facts. First, innovativeness is b ased on a personal willingness to develop and introduce improvements and innovations in work process. Second, individual focus on innovativeness is suggested since entrepreneurial activities are created and implemented by individuals. Foresight and vision Entrepreneurs are visionaries, able to foresee where the company should be in the future. Gillespie-Brown (2008) describes how an entrepreneur envisions the: (1) future of existing products and services; (2) reinvention of the business; and (3) generation of opportunities in present markets. Bellini (2005) defined foresight

Constituent Parts of the Law on Contracts Article

Constituent Parts of the Law on Contracts - Article Example There is a high likelihood of the exercise of undue influence in certain relationships wherein one person  holds a substantial position of trust and/or authority over the other and has adequate control to influence the decision of others, such as the relationship between parent and child, doctor and patient, teacher and student, lawyer and client, husband and wife etc. Undue influence is alleged to be implemented or used in case of lack of adequate substantiation to the contrary, and hence it is customary for the third parties involved in such a transaction to advise their customers, clients to request autonomous legal counsel prior to entering into an agreement at the behest of the person who is deemed to be in an influential position owing to their particular relationship. Actual undue influence refers to a situation whereby one of the parties to the contract enters into a transaction owing to the inappropriate exercise of influence by the other party. To institute the existence and exercise of actual undue influence the party desiring to set aside the contract must establish that: While presumed undue influence, on the other hand, refers to incidences where one of the parties to a contract was influenced into entering into a contract by the other party and where there is a relationship of trust and confidence between both the parties to the contract. Such contracts may be set aside by the aggrieved party after they have adequately and effectively established that: In cases involving presumed undue influence, the court of law presumes the existence of a relationship of trust and confidence if the parties to the contract comprise of teacher and student, solicitor and client, doctor and patient, etc.

The Rise of the American Empire Between the End of the Civil War and Essay

The Rise of the American Empire Between the End of the Civil War and The Early 20th Century - Essay Example The first American acquisition is Alaska in 1867 from Russia for close to $7.2 million largely on the initiative of the secretary of state William Seward1. Although his purchase was sufficiently unpopular at the time, the small American population unlimited economic growth limited them to experience economic prosperity with external traders and missionaries. However, with the discovery of gold in Juneau early 1880 brought about economic prospectors.   Gold in 1896 found along the tributary of the Klondike River was also reported resulting into the massive gold rush in 1897-8. The majority of the Gold miners utilized the precious grains of dust are nearly all in Canadas Yukon Territory creating is inaccessible region from the Alaskan coast. The majority of the gold-diggers come from the USA increased their gold returns. During this same period the United States accidentally acquired extensive overseas responsibilities such as leadership roles that transformed their nation into a powerful empire.   The gradual American involvement with the Hawaii that was annexed as a US territory during the 1900s led to a more dramatic increase in the US involvement overseas increasing Spanish America Spanish war of 1986. Some of the territorial acquisition led to emergence of conflicts. Undertaken with extreme reluctance among the American government, is the Spanish atrocities in Cuba increasing Cuba’s independence. The establishment of new territories as well as proficient armed forces of the navy which enabled them to excel in the war.

My Ultimate Career Decision to Become a Surgeon Essay

My Ultimate Career Decision to Become a Surgeon - Essay Example This essay presents an author's application to college, where he desires to pursue a career of a surgeon. Author begins with a story of how his interest to medical surgery started. It was just another day in Anatomy and Physiology class when a teacher announced the commencement of the semester’s laboratory assignment. He gave the class brief instructions on what the assignment entails. As soon as he finished giving the instructions, pupils crowded around Morgue II and I; that houses the classroom refrigerators. Each pair of students was assigned a lab cat for the semester. Author's partner, Angel, and he were selected to keep â€Å"the grand prize†: a pregnant cat named Stinky. For the first few weeks, Angel and author arduously worked on skinning our cat. After every lab day session, they would wrap the skinned fur around Stinky and store her in Morgue I. However, one day, Morgue I was full, and they were forced to store Stinky in Morgue II for the night. The next day, Angel and author quickly retrieved Stinky from Morgue II and placed her on their lab station. As they began to remove the fur, author noticed that there was something wrong with Stinky. She had a more pungent smell than usual. Then Angel pointed out snowflakes that were blossoming on Stinky’s jet-black fur. â€Å"Stinky, our pregnant cat, is molding† author exclaimed. Author says that by use of a surgeon’s kit, a surgeon meticulously carry out surgeries that have given many people a new lease of life and great joy to families and communities. Standing up to the Challenge of ESL Class "Welcome to room 201: English as a Second Language (ESL) Class" would catch anyone's glimpse as he/she enters room 201. Room 201 was still, as usual, through the opened window, I could see the infamous Washington rain; my only time keeper, pouring down. My teacher, a plump lady with wild orange hair, was munching cheetos while flipping through her "People Magazine". I tried to ignore other students' lure stare and gaping mouths as I attempted to pass the time fruitlessly. When my family relocated to USA, we settled in a small city. I was enrolled in an elementary school called Endeavor Elementary. This is when I found myself as the only Korean immigrant in a school where majority of student population were white. Since,

Constituent Parts of the Law on Contracts Article

Constituent Parts of the Law on Contracts - Article Example There is a high likelihood of the exercise of undue influence in certain relationships wherein one person  holds a substantial position of trust and/or authority over the other and has adequate control to influence the decision of others, such as the relationship between parent and child, doctor and patient, teacher and student, lawyer and client, husband and wife etc. Undue influence is alleged to be implemented or used in case of lack of adequate substantiation to the contrary, and hence it is customary for the third parties involved in such a transaction to advise their customers, clients to request autonomous legal counsel prior to entering into an agreement at the behest of the person who is deemed to be in an influential position owing to their particular relationship. Actual undue influence refers to a situation whereby one of the parties to the contract enters into a transaction owing to the inappropriate exercise of influence by the other party. To institute the existence and exercise of actual undue influence the party desiring to set aside the contract must establish that: While presumed undue influence, on the other hand, refers to incidences where one of the parties to a contract was influenced into entering into a contract by the other party and where there is a relationship of trust and confidence between both the parties to the contract. Such contracts may be set aside by the aggrieved party after they have adequately and effectively established that: In cases involving presumed undue influence, the court of law presumes the existence of a relationship of trust and confidence if the parties to the contract comprise of teacher and student, solicitor and client, doctor and patient, etc.

My Ultimate Career Decision to Become a Surgeon Essay

My Ultimate Career Decision to Become a Surgeon - Essay Example This essay presents an author's application to college, where he desires to pursue a career of a surgeon. Author begins with a story of how his interest to medical surgery started. It was just another day in Anatomy and Physiology class when a teacher announced the commencement of the semester’s laboratory assignment. He gave the class brief instructions on what the assignment entails. As soon as he finished giving the instructions, pupils crowded around Morgue II and I; that houses the classroom refrigerators. Each pair of students was assigned a lab cat for the semester. Author's partner, Angel, and he were selected to keep â€Å"the grand prize†: a pregnant cat named Stinky. For the first few weeks, Angel and author arduously worked on skinning our cat. After every lab day session, they would wrap the skinned fur around Stinky and store her in Morgue I. However, one day, Morgue I was full, and they were forced to store Stinky in Morgue II for the night. The next day, Angel and author quickly retrieved Stinky from Morgue II and placed her on their lab station. As they began to remove the fur, author noticed that there was something wrong with Stinky. She had a more pungent smell than usual. Then Angel pointed out snowflakes that were blossoming on Stinky’s jet-black fur. â€Å"Stinky, our pregnant cat, is molding† author exclaimed. Author says that by use of a surgeon’s kit, a surgeon meticulously carry out surgeries that have given many people a new lease of life and great joy to families and communities. Standing up to the Challenge of ESL Class "Welcome to room 201: English as a Second Language (ESL) Class" would catch anyone's glimpse as he/she enters room 201. Room 201 was still, as usual, through the opened window, I could see the infamous Washington rain; my only time keeper, pouring down. My teacher, a plump lady with wild orange hair, was munching cheetos while flipping through her "People Magazine". I tried to ignore other students' lure stare and gaping mouths as I attempted to pass the time fruitlessly. When my family relocated to USA, we settled in a small city. I was enrolled in an elementary school called Endeavor Elementary. This is when I found myself as the only Korean immigrant in a school where majority of student population were white. Since,

Canadian cultural Essay Example for Free

Canadian cultural Essay In her article â€Å"I Am Half-Canadian,† Pamela Swanigan seeks to define Canadian cultural identity by comparing and contrasting it to the often highly regarded identity attributed to Americans. Born in the USA to parents of mixed racial origin and later immigrating to Canada, Swanigan offers a unique view on many of the common fallacies that come up when one envisions the culture of the United States. Contrary to the popular view, that depicts the United States as an all-welcoming â€Å"melting pot† of cultures and races, Swanigan contests instead that American culture is one of constricting self-definition and pigeonholing. She argues that American culture is neither open nor accepting of diversity, instead forcing people to strictly classify themselves into certain racial and linguistic categories- â€Å"everyone’s forced to pick one definition and stick to it. † Having personally experienced this phenomenon, as a woman of mixed race working in a traditionally male field (sports writing), Swanigan is extremely influential in presenting her case, offering a number of examples as to how Americans are boxed in to certain classifications and social expectations. She further goes on to remark on the close-minded nature of such a view, which leads many Americans to be suspicious and vaguely threatening- a stance that directly contradicts the traditional view of the United States as an open and accepting country. Swanigan contrasts this with the relatively fluid and undistinguishable collective culture of Canada, where a lack of strict individual definition leads to the misconception that Canadians have no culture at all. Instead the author seeks to dispel this myth by suggesting that this lack of identification is in fact the ideal that America claims to promote, which its neighbor to the north that has achieved.

The Gay Rights Movement And Freedom

The Gay Rights Movement And Freedom Gay rights movement helped a lot of people feel free to be them-selves. Even though gay people are often frowned upon, gay people are just like everyone else. They are human beings wanting to be loved and cared for by another. According to Stacy, It is also important to define the gay rights movement as a whole. Research shows that The gay rights movement comprises a collection of loosely aligned civil rights groups, human rights groups, support groups and political activists seeking acceptance, tolerance and equality for (homosexual, bisexual), and transgender people, and related causes (Shaneyfelt, 2009). Although it is typically referred to as the gay rights movement, members also promote the rights of groups of individuals who do not necessarily identify as being gay (http://www.aboutsociology.com/sociology/Gay_rights_movement). First of all, as you trace the history of this pivotal movement and devise a timeline, you might credit that the modern gay rights movement is considered by many critics to have originated with the Stonewall riots in New York City in 1969 (http://www.pbs.org/niot/get_involved/Guide2/study_guide_II_final_23.html). Please note how the Stonewall riots marked the most dramatic event in the history of American homosexuality The riots made a major statement in terms of law enforcement. Because police raids on gay bars were routine, the riots protested these selective actions, made it into national headlines and inspired resistance to such police raids in other cities This resistance caused more activism to stir (Shaneyfelt, 2009). According to Stacy, As you also look at why Stonewall was so vital for gay rights, please note how it also marked the first inter-generational gap in the homosexual community and the beginning of the break between gay society and lesbian society. Previous generations of homosexual men were more sexually conservative and preferred to keep their sexuality to themselves, the new generation was promiscuous and vocal. Lesbian society, like older gay male society, preferred to be more sexually conservative and private, so a gap began to emerge between the two groups (Shaneyfelt, 2009). As you then examine the other implications on life currently in the 21st century, you might claim how changes involve activist groups that are advocates for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, trans-gendered people, etc. Research shows that agencies and task forces such as the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF), founded in 1973, which has worked to combat anti-gay violence and to improve the legal status of gay men and lesbians in the United States (The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force). Besides advocacy groups, the gay rights movement of the 60s also impacts currently life in the legal realm. For example, important advances in gay rights have been made since the 1960s in term of legislation. Research shows how Several states have repealed laws that made homosexual acts illegal, despite the fact that in 1986 the United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of such laws. Several states have also passed laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, and other areas (The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force). As you further correlate how the sexual revolution in the 1960s in America played a role in empowering gay rights, you might look at how a change in the psychology of gay society had become gay militancy by 1969, much as the feminist and black movements had transformed (Shaneyfelt, 2009). Again, as you look historically and move beyond this event, you might suggest how In 1970, the gay power movement had reached such proportions that parades were held to commemorate the first anniversary of the Stonewall riots. In the meantime, the Mattachine Society had sponsored homosexual liberation meetings and the Gay Liberation Front had been formed. The aim of the new organization was not to meekly show that homosexuals were acceptable As a result, homosexuals became increasingly organized and concentrated in cities such as New York and San Francisco (Shaneyfelt, 2009). Similarly, research in sociology also asserts that A Gay Liberation Front was active in New York in the early 1970s. In the liberal political mainstream, gays and lesbians organized the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club in San Francisco in 1971 (Walls, 2008). Just as there are many effects today from the historical movement such as pride days and parades, the 1970s also saw these types of events. Research reveals that San Franciscos Gay Freedom Day parades drew large numbers in the late 1970s, and the first National March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights was held in October 1979 (Research in sociology also asserts that A Gay Liberation Front was active in New York in the early 1970s. In the liberal political mainstream, gays and lesbians organized the Alice B. Toklas Memorial Democratic Club in San Francisco in 1971 (Walls, 2008). Other sociological effects are still felt in lobbying efforts today. Please note how the 1970s also was a time when a set of national lobbying and legal defense groups as well as a political action committee (http://www.sonoma.edu/users/w/wallsd/glbt-movement.shtml) occurred. A major goal was getting sodomy laws repealed in about half the states (Walls, 2008). A major development in the movement also occurred in the 1980s. By 1980, most large cities had at least one predominantly gay neighborhood (Shaneyfelt, 2009). These details above could justify your sociological approach. However, since you need a psychological standpoint, you might also interject how The second most dramatic event in gay American history is the AIDS epidemic which began officially in 1981 (Shaneyfelt, 2009). Although physical in nature, psychological ramifications also intertwine because many gays had to modify their philately upon sexuality. They initially vehemently protested suggestions that they should curb their sexuality or use condoms until well into 1988. By that time, their lives and political position were in extreme danger (Shaneyfelt, 2009). When looking at other historical and psychological effects, research shows how AIDS became a symbol of oppression to gays, just as sodomy laws had been. To them, society had to put huge amounts of money into the disease or it was not adequately recognizing the needs of the gay community (Shaneyfelt, 2009). By 1990, the question of what caused homosexuality surfaced once again. The first theory is that it is cause either by a twist of genetics, a birth defect, or some sort of hormonal abnormality; in other words, it is biological. The second theory is that t something about a persons socialization leads them to choose a homosexual lifestyle (Shaneyfelt, 2009). Other implications of this event for life in the 21st century also include other aspects. Legally, the movement has been successful to repeal many sodomy laws were repealed in most American states, and those that still remained were ruled unconstitutional in the June 2003 ruling in Lawrence v. Texas. Many companies and local governments have clauses in their nondiscrimination policies that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. In some jurisdictions in the U.S., gay bashing is considered a hate crime and given a harsher penalty (About Sociology, 2010). Other sociological developments might also include same-sex marriages. Please note how The U.S. state of Massachusetts allows same-sex marriage, and the states of Connecticut, Hawaii and Vermont provide the civil union as an alternative to marriage. However, in many states, laws and constitutional amendments have been passed forbidding any recognition of same-sex marriage. Virginia law, the most far-reaching, forbids recognition of any benefits similar to those of marriage between people of the same sex (About Sociology, 2010). Gay adoption increases marks another area where you can apply psychological and sociological implications on modern life. The movement of the 1960s made these rights possible. Research shows that Recognizing that lesbians and gay men can be good parents, the vast majority of states no longer deny custody or visitation to a person based on sexual orientation. State agencies and courts now apply a best interest of the child standard to decide these cases. Under this approach, a persons sexual orientation cannot be the basis for ending or limiting parent-child relationships unless it is demonstrated that it causes harm to a child a claim that has been routinely disproved by social science research. Using this standard, more than 22 states to date have allowed lesbians and gay men to adopt children either through state-run or private adoption agencies (Overview of Lesbian and Gay Parenting, Adoption and Foster Care , 1999).

Essay --

It has been my constant endeavor to improve all the skills I have gained in 22 years of my life. Right from gaining good academic scores to participating in extra-curricular activities, I have given my 100% to everything I do. My new found passion in technology coupled with this tremendous endeavor has been a source of inspiration for applying to the Master’s degree in Information Systems Management. I have always been fascinated by Big Data and its implications in today's world, the IT strategies that different companies follow to optimize their operations and the way information access is changing the way we live and work. At this point in the development of IT operations, companies worldwide face a deluge of information, information that needs to be harnessed and deployed in a meaningful manner. It is this need and opportunity that I hope to address by pursuing a renowned techno-management course like Information Systems at a prestigious university like Carnegie Mellon. During my undergraduate course at SASTRA University, I had an opportunity to be exposed to various interesting subjects like Database management systems, Operating System concepts, networking etc. These subjects rekindled my passion for technology and IT. I also had an opportunity to take electives like Software Project Management, Organization behavior and Supply Chain Management. Exploring areas like Software Project Management and e-commerce made me realize how they can make or break a software company. My experience with these core subjects would help me in taking up the rigor of the curriculum in Info systems. I have got excellent grades all through my under grad life and also have been part of prominent clubs like GLOSS (Open Source community at my colle... ...o churn out better minds (Students) for uplifting the society. Carnegie Mellon is known to be the best in doing this and it would be great if I am admitted to this prestigious institution. I think with its wonderful faculty and facilities, CMU is a notch ahead of many other schools and universities. These things put together, make CMU my number one option for pursuing my higher studies and improve my technical and analytical skills. If admitted, I promise to be really up to all the challenges and would strive to achieve my goal through hard work and dedication. One quote that always lingers in my mind even today was the one Kevin Turner (COO of Microsoft) told us when we were in the US: â€Å"Hard work does not guarantee success but lack of hard work guarantees failure.† This will be the driving force if admitted to Carnegie Mellon and I really look forward to it. Essay -- It has been my constant endeavor to improve all the skills I have gained in 22 years of my life. Right from gaining good academic scores to participating in extra-curricular activities, I have given my 100% to everything I do. My new found passion in technology coupled with this tremendous endeavor has been a source of inspiration for applying to the Master’s degree in Information Systems Management. I have always been fascinated by Big Data and its implications in today's world, the IT strategies that different companies follow to optimize their operations and the way information access is changing the way we live and work. At this point in the development of IT operations, companies worldwide face a deluge of information, information that needs to be harnessed and deployed in a meaningful manner. It is this need and opportunity that I hope to address by pursuing a renowned techno-management course like Information Systems at a prestigious university like Carnegie Mellon. During my undergraduate course at SASTRA University, I had an opportunity to be exposed to various interesting subjects like Database management systems, Operating System concepts, networking etc. These subjects rekindled my passion for technology and IT. I also had an opportunity to take electives like Software Project Management, Organization behavior and Supply Chain Management. Exploring areas like Software Project Management and e-commerce made me realize how they can make or break a software company. My experience with these core subjects would help me in taking up the rigor of the curriculum in Info systems. I have got excellent grades all through my under grad life and also have been part of prominent clubs like GLOSS (Open Source community at my colle... ...o churn out better minds (Students) for uplifting the society. Carnegie Mellon is known to be the best in doing this and it would be great if I am admitted to this prestigious institution. I think with its wonderful faculty and facilities, CMU is a notch ahead of many other schools and universities. These things put together, make CMU my number one option for pursuing my higher studies and improve my technical and analytical skills. If admitted, I promise to be really up to all the challenges and would strive to achieve my goal through hard work and dedication. One quote that always lingers in my mind even today was the one Kevin Turner (COO of Microsoft) told us when we were in the US: â€Å"Hard work does not guarantee success but lack of hard work guarantees failure.† This will be the driving force if admitted to Carnegie Mellon and I really look forward to it.

Myth- Aliki, The Gods And Goddesses Of Olympics :: essays research papers

Myth- Aliki, The Gods and Goddesses of Olympics History 106-05 Nov. 27, 1996 Eng. 265-01 Oct. 1, 1996 Prof Janice Antczak Myth- Aliki , The Gods and Goddesses of Olympics , Harper Collins Publishers , 1994 . After reading The Gods and Goddesses of Olympus , my first reaction was that it was a wonderful and fascinating example of how Greek mythology explains the theories about life , death , and the wonders of nature . Although I enjoyed the book , I also wondered if it was a little too confusing to a young child , since many long Greek names were used and many characters interacting together became too complicated and involved. The story began with the creation of the earth , sky, all living things, and with the birth of the Gods and Goddesses that reigned on Mount Olympus . The author also took each of the twelve gods and goddesses and individually summarized their personality and duties and their purpose and connection to the world . The author who also illustrated the book , used brilliant and vibrant colors and also portrayed the personality visually by scenes and images that clearly showed the emotional side of the gods . This myth contained some violence , sinister and inappropriate behavior among the gods and cruel and even frightening illustrations that I thought might be too overwhelming for a young impressionable mind . An example of this would be when " Cronus married his sister Rhea , and they had many children . But Cronus was afraid that one of them might overthrow him just as he had overthrown his father . So as each child was born , he swallowed it ." Although Cronus eventually "throws up" the unharmed children in the end, I feel the initial reaction might be more lasting , as well as the fact that Cronus married his sister , which is an unacceptable taboo in society . There were other strong images conveyed , both verbally and visually dealing with death , jealousy , deceit , and deformities of man and beast . Although I enjoyed this book , I felt it should be read to an older audience that will not be negatively impressed by some parts of the story . Tall Tale : Kellog Steven , Sally Ann Thunder , Ann Whirlwind Crockett , Morrow Junior Books , 1995 In this tale , author Steven Kellog depicts the incredible story of a girl named Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind who has an amazing amount of strength, vitality and agility and who sets off for the frontier at age eight .

Paradise of the Blind

World literature two Statement of intent I plan to elaborate on the political aspects of Paradise of the Blind by writing a formal letter to the Vietnam government. The Vietnam government banned this book from the country because of the all encompassing political aspects included in the book. In the authors books all of the aspects of life are demonstrated and the total view was an unattractive image for the leaders. This book was banned because it went against what a government hopes to portray to their people.Duong Thu Huong worked for the Communist Youth Brigade at the age of 20 but was expelled from the communist party in 1989. She has been imprisoned numerous times for her outspoken support for human rights and democratic political reform and is no longer allowed to leave Vietnam. In Paradise of the blind, her fourth book written and her fourth book to be banned, she included government acts such as the effects of communists on the people such as the land reform act, and Ratific ation of Errors. The large political attraction and its effect on the people are a large part of her books but the cultural aspects are also prominent.I hope to convince the Vietnamese government to publish this book which would provide a better understanding for the people in and out of Vietnam. The reason I chose to do a letter it because it allows me to show the government’s large and influential part in the people’s lives and as well as discus the cultural aspects. The government banned the book in 1991 and I wanted to explore why it was important enough to ban and hopefully have an objective view on why it would be good to publish it. President Truong T? n Sang,Thank you for the honor of taking time out of your day to read my letter. I would like to address the Book Paradise of the Blind by Duong Thu Huong. Because it was banned from your country you might not be familiar with the work but I am sure you are aware of the author. She is well known for her writing an d political stances. Her book is a fiction with many real life situations and probable events for a person of Vietnam in the 1980’s. Because of this factor I found it interesting that it was banned from your country under the term of President (Insert name here).I write to you today in hopes that you will reevaluate president (insert name here)’s decision and allow this book to be published. The social conditions were not optimal in the book and I can respect the decision to ban it, but it was banned from the country but that was a different time and things have changed since then. Under the influence of many years the conditions and circumstances have changed. Publishing the book provides you with a good opportunity to portray an understanding for the people and your willingness to cooperate with their wants with little or no cost to you.Duong Thu Huong has spoken out about the government censorship numerous times and by allowing her book to be published now, it could allow the people to trust their government. The book showed a vulnerable time in Vietnamese history fraught with trials and errors on the part of the government. The fact that it revealed corruption in the government was a problem at the time but the government has improved since then. After the Ratification of Errors the land owners were allowed to prosper again such as â€Å"Aunt Tam† even though times were still difficult.Like the Ratification of errors after the land reform, by ending the ban it would show that you as a country are willing to accept the past and move on. As the governmental issues discussed in the book are not as prominent today it would be beneficial for the government’s reputation to show how far they have come. As I read the book I soon realized what insight it would provide an understanding into the lifestyle of the older generations. It would allow the students of today to better understand their countries history and how it affected the peop le’s lives.The insight that the book provided Americans into Vietnam could also be mirrored by the Vietnamese and a new appreciation for their culture could arise. By allowing the people to see the conditions back then they will realize the full extent of the improvements made and understand their parents and grandparents went though. The food in the book allows for a better understanding of the situation. At each time in the characters life, depending on their financial situation, the food varied. The fact that there is an emphasis on food would be understood and relatable to the public.They have the ability to compare condition then and now creating a bond that comes from true understanding. Thought this book good traits, situations, and food are juxtaposed with bad and the influence that they had on their surroundings is something that can be learned from. This book demonstrates a strong aspect of your culture in the submission of Que to her brother. When her brother told her to leave her husband she did even though she loved him. Her devotion to her brother demonstrates the characteristics of a good sister and later aunt.Que went to the tenement were her brother lived in order to care for her brother and his family. She put her brother’s needs in front of her own and her daughters. When her job was not acceptable in her brother’s opinions she reluctantly changed jobs. That selflessness in her endeavor to help her brother is something to be admired. Just as Que helped her brothers family, Hang was loyal to her mother. When her mother had her leg amputated due to a car accident and could no longer be an efficient worker, Hang hurried to help her. Hang quit school to go to Russia to work and support her mother.Tam also had admirable qualities in that she supported her brother’s child when Hang’s mother had practically abandoned her for her nephews. Tam supported Hang through school and gave her many opportunities to succeed. The traits in all three of these women are admirable and the general public could learn from their sacrifices. The hard work that they put in gave others the ability to live and do as they needed to survive. Paradise of the Blind is an interesting book that taught me a lot about your culture. It advocates many good qualities as well as change.Hang’s decision to progress into the future and leave her past behind when she decided to sell her Aunt’s house allows her to move on and create a new opportunity to better herself. By releasing the book the same opportunity would come for you and learning form the past would further strengthen yourself today. People could compare what is to what was and make up their opinion for themselves. The people will appreciate the freedom and respect you for allowing them the option. By leaving the book banned you lead people to believe that it is still true today when much change has occurred.