A Brief History of American Government essays

A Brief History of American Government essays Most Americans remembered and feared the harsh rule of the British king. It was cruel and unjust government. So, after the war the Articles of Confederation made it clear that the new government's power should not only be strong, but limited. It would prevent one man or one group from getting too much power. After the war, the people saw a need for a strong national government. At the same time, they did not want to take away all power from the states. This problem was solved by creating Federalism, which means that power is divided between the national government and the state governments. The people have the power to elect national and state officials. The national government has the power to deal with national issues. The states have the power over many local matters. As written in the Costitution, only the federal government can coin money or declare war. Also, it can regulate trade between states and with other countries. However, the states have the power over local governments and schools, to regulate trade within their borders, and they can decide who votes in state elections. Also, the Constitution says that powers not given to the federal government belong to the states. This happened to be a very useful law for the small states which fear federal government. Concurrent power s are shared by federal government and the states. It means that both can raise taxes, set up a system of courts, and the power to pass laws. In case of any dissagreements between the federal government and the states, the Constitution is the final authority. Also, to keep the government from becoming too powerful, the people came up with a new system called separation of powers. It meant creating three branches of government. Each branch would have its power. The first branch is called Legislative (Congress). It is made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Under the Constitution, voters in each state elect members of the House of Repr...

Diary of a convict Essay Example

Diary of a convict Essay Example Diary of a convict Essay Diary of a convict Essay After mouths of sailing on the never ending ocean, we could finally on this calm sunny morning see a coastline on the horizon Australia. Today is a day me and the rest of the prisoners aboard Providence II Have been looking forward to. Hope the guards arent serious about the torture and the one month life expectancy. May the 7. 1822 Its only been a couple of days since we docked on Manchuria Harbor prison, where we where introduced to our new cells and work areas quickly. It didnt take long before we could confirm some of the horrible myths the guards had been telling us on the ship. People where bound up to a tree with there hands so they had to stand on their toes to reach the ground while the more unlucky where set outside for days without food or water in a tiny cage so small that arms and legs hung out, and yes not many survived it, but thats one of the many punishments for getting caught trying the escape. So I might as well Just start getting comfortable here. May the 12. 1822 lb been here for a hole week now and its a lot worse than anyone ever could imagine, e work ours a day in the baking sun while getting wiped, we get one meal less every day because the ship witch was supposed to arrive few days after the ship I was aboard never showed up, probably hijacked by pirates or sunk in a bad storm, anyway we are staving. Really considering an escape. May the 16. 1822 Today at the work site I managed to sneak some tools back to my cell. Now I only need one last thing for my master plan to be complete, a map. Soon ill be out of this hellhole. May 20. 1822 As expected the guards have found out about the missing tools and are on a massive search to find them. Got to hold low key for a couple of days. May 27. 1822 Someone must have told on me because I have been in isolation the last week, incredible that a person who is sent down here by these people would help them for a cup of tea. The only good thing to happen this week is, that I got a few glints at a map while I was questioned in the lieutenants room. It seems like I am going to the northeast when I get out of here. Tonight I am going to make my move ill only get one chance to do this, but even if I make it out I have no idea how I am going to make it half across the island. It has almost been a mouth.

Strategic Human Resource Management. Performance-Related Pay Systems Essay

Strategic Human Resource Management. Performance-Related Pay Systems - Essay Example The paper tells that within a modern business environment, employers must balance the needs of the business with the requirements of the employees. Human Resource Management (HRM) is an important aspect of this, where employers organise and develop strategies for working with their employees. Many employees work inefficiently, as they have no desire to perform well for the company. This comes from the fact that what is good for the company is not necessarily the same as what is best for the employee. Businesses are generally aiming to make the highest profit possible, while employees are working for the money that they need to live. Performance-related pay is a system in which the company attempts to align the interests of the employees with the interests of the business, by providing employees with incentives to work hard. The exact form of the system differs substantially between different companies, with some offering commission-based pay, some paying employees a certain rate per unit produced and others paying based on team performance. There are many other variations of performance-based pay and it is a popular means of increasing overall output for a business. Performance-related pay is common in Britain and has been used for government employees as well as many large companies. However, despite the popularity of the system, current research is questioning whether performance-related pay is actually effective. Evidence suggests that this may be a mechanism that is useful in some circumstances, and counterproductive in others. The need for performance-related pay In the standard work environment, people work because they need the money, not because they have a strong loyalty for the company. While some individuals may strive to put in effort to make sure that they perform well and that they are an asset to the company, most are content with doing the minimum that is required of them. Because the success of the company does not directly affect their pay che ck, most people have no interest in how well the business does. Research suggests that compensation is the most effective driver of motivation, behaviour and attitude within the workplaces. While forms of compensation vary, money has been shown to be the most influential . Consequently, the money that employers pay their staff members plays a crucial role in maintaining relationships and the development of motivation. Pay is an essential component of the relationship between employer and employee. For the employer, it is an important component of the costs of the company and is used for bringing in new talent as well as maintaining the current labour force. For the employee, pay is used as a way of paying for living expenses, and also represents how valued he is by the employer. A person who receives a higher wage feels that what they do is important, and may put in more effort as a result. In contrast, people who feel that they are being underpaid often do not work hard, and tend t o have low morale which further decreases productivity. The traditional method of wage distribution has been non-performance-related, and pay increases have been related to a range of aspects, such as minimum wages, seniority, the cost of living or the need to retain staff. However, this system does not encourage skill development or employees to work at their maximum potential. Additionally, under this system pay rises were often associated with promotions. This can be difficult, as a person must be promoted in order to receive a pay rise and the number of positions present in a company is limited. Increasing an individual’s pay acts to reinforce positive behaviour, making it more likely that the behaviour will be repeated. Within a company, there are often many individuals that perform the same role, however they differ in terms of knowledge, experience and performance . For a business to remain competitive, it is important that their employees work to their maximum pot

The Shots of Goodfellas Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Shots of Goodfellas - Essay Example Goodfellas does not glorify the gangster lifestyle like The Godfather. The framing of the short tracking shot from a three-shot to the two-shot is vital for the psychological state of mind of the audience that must be willing to accept the perhaps fictional assertion that the man through whose eyes the story will be told was not as bloodthirsty and violent as those around him. The movement away from directly including Henry in this show to bringing Tommy and Jimmy together is a distancing device that subtly creates a sense of audience participation with Henry’s character. At no point in the editing of the incredibly violent opening sequence of Goodfellas is Henry Hill ever included in the finishing off the murder of the man in the trunk. The audience has no way of knowing who this man is or what part he will play or why he was killed. For the audience can’t possibly know he was a completely innocent witness to a crime rather than a wiseguy himself. Because this is the o pening scene that essentially introduces the audience to the main characters it is imperative that Henry is not only never seen taking an active role in the murder, but is seen to react to Jimmy’s nod of the head to open the trunk in the first place as Jimmy is his boss. The reaction shots of Henry responding to the brutality before him rather than taking part also serves to further intensify audience participation in part because of the murderous glee with which Tommy kills and the quick sneer that appears on Jimmy’s face before he shoots the corpse.

Asses the Claim that the Countries Using thr Euro Constitute an Essay

Asses the Claim that the Countries Using thr Euro Constitute an Optimal Currency Area - Essay Example This paper approves that Euro was considered as a stable currency before the late 2000s when economic crisis started to happen. The current sovereign crisis wherein many European countries are finding it relatively difficult to pay off their obligations on time therefore has created strong doubts over the sovereign debt crisis. Greece specially faced critical challenges in terms of paying off its debts and resultantly this has created strong pressure on Euro to decline against US Dollar in international market. This has also suggested that the Euro may not be an optimal currency region if it continues to perform in its current form. This suggests the absence of physical restrictions to travel and facilitate the free movement of the labor across the borders. It also requires the low cultural barriers as well as the institutional arrangements make it relatively easier for the labor to move freely. Labor mobility therefore is considered as a hedge against the adverse shocks when exchange rates are fixed or cannot be adjusted easily. It has been observed that the labor mobility within Euro area is relatively low as compared to the countries like US and Japan. This report makes a conclusion that Euro has to fulfill four important criteria before it can form into one of the cohesive and efficient single currency areas in the world. Apart from free capital mobility all other criteria suggest that the countries in the region may not be ready and hence countries comprising of the region where Euro is the single currency may not be constituted as an optimal currency area.... two models are based upon the concepts of stationary expectations as well as the International Risk Sharing.( Kenen, 1969) One of the key attribute of an optimal currency region therefore is based on the fact that it is often larger than a single country. The creation of Euro has been considered as an engineered attempt to provide a case study to test the theory of how to create an optimal currency region as individual countries in the region may not have been sufficient enough to form an optimal currency area. History of Euro Euro is the single currency in Eurozone comprising of the 17 of the 27 countries in the European Union area. Officially launched in late 1990s, over the period of time, Euro has become one of the most dominating currencies in the world. At the start of Euro as a currency, it was widely expected that the Euro will replace US Dollar as the most traded currency in the world. Backed up by the economic powers of the European economic powers in order to ensure that r egion is served by a single currency.( Richard; & Wyplosz, 2004.) Euro is officially administrated by the European Central Bank and the Eurosystem whereas the ECB has the sole responsibility to set the setting up the monetary policy for the region whereas the Eurosystem has the mandate of printing and minting currency notes as well as coins. Euro and Optimal Currency Area As discussed above, Euro was considered as a stable currency before the late 2000s when economic crisis started to happen. The current sovereign crisis wherein many European countries are finding it relatively difficult to pay off their obligations on time therefore has created strong doubts over the sovereign debt crisis. Greece specially faced critical challenges in terms of paying off its debts and resultantly this has

Democratic Peace Theory and Georgia

Democratic Peace Theory and Georgia Georgias decision to launch an offensive attack against Russian personnel occupying the contested regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia seems to contradict the theoretical underpinnings of the Democratic Peace Theory. However, further analysis of Georgias and Russias regimes reveals some of the criticisms of the theory itself and their impact on the Intelligence Communitys (IC) ability to provide warning in the region. The Democratic Peace Theory states that democratic states do not go to war with each other, or at least, are much less likely to. The basis of this theory is two-fold: first, that democracies are like-minded in fiscal and political polices and that democratic political culture makes going to war less likely, and second, that political constraints on leaders of democratic states discourage the use of force as a foreign policy option.[1] In his book, Democracy and International Conflict: An Evaluation of the Democratic Peace Proposition, James Lee Ray further describes the cultural and structural explanations of democratic peace: Disputes between states do not escalate to war because the leaders expect, on a basis of common culture, to be able to work out their differences, and that greater decisional constraints [i.e., political structure] on a leader produce a lower probability that a dispute involving the state will escalate to war.[2] Additionally, studies have argued that when dem ocratic leaders do choose to escalate international crises, their threats are taken as highly credible, since there must be a relatively large public opinion for these actions.[3] In August 2008, Georgia and Russia, both democratic countries, went to war over two disputed regions within the borders of Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, that had long been sources of conflict. South Ossetia and Abkhazia also have established, democratic governments, although Georgia does not recognize the government of South Ossetia as legitimate. Prior to the break-up of the Soviet Union, all had coexisted relatively peacefully under Soviet control. Conflict over the desire for independence by the territories and nationalism by Georgia had erupted after the break-up and had been simmering since then, with Russia quietly supporting the regimes in South Ossetia and Abkhazia in a covert attempt to assimilate first the population, then the territory into the Russian Federation.[4] The conflict impacts stability in the region, which has implications for the safety and control of major oil pipelines, roads and railways between Russia and Armenia and between Georgia and Russia through South Ossetia. Support to Georgia, as an emerging democracy in the region and a member of the coalition in Afghanistan, puts the U.S. at odds with Russia, which is counterproductive to stability in the region and even globally. Given the cultural and structural explanations of the Democratic Peace Theory, the conflict between two democratic states can be explained through criticisms of the theory. First, one of Dean Babsts four indicators of a democracy is the country must have been independent.[5] Georgia was part of the Soviet Union until gaining independence in 1991, and the status of South Ossetia and Abkhazia is not agreed upon by the international community. Georgia, despite its independence, is still in the process of establishing state sovereignty within an ethnically divided nation. Next, the vulnerability of democracy is a criticism of the theory.[6] President Mikheil Saakashvilis election in 2008 was hotly contested, and it threatens to unhinge the real progress Georgia has made towards institutional, democratic and economic reform from 2004.[7] Additionally, the leader of the Georgian Orthodox Church has proposed a constitutional Monarchy to guarantee stability.[8] Therefore, Georgias infant dem ocracy, after it spent years under a communist regime, is far from security. Finally, Spencer Weart stated wars have never occurred between well-established democracies.[9] However, he does not delineate what constitutes a well-established democracy. Georgia has operated as a democracy for almost two decades and fulfills Babsts other three indicators of a democracy.[10] While Russia is fundamentally structured as a representative democracy, Freedom House lists Russia as not free based on the Kremlins stage-managed parliamentary election campaign, Putins move to Prime Minister after two terms as president, and an alarming increase in state power over civil society.[11],[12] The point at which Georgia and Russia can be considered democracies that will not go to war with each other is vague. Therefore, the United States and the IC cannot apply the Democratic Peace Theory to the conflict in Georgia. In order for the IC to assess the threats to U.S. interests in Georgia, analysts must predict Georgias willingness to resort to armed conflict with Russia over the disputed regions. Georgia has troops in Afghanistan as part of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and they are politicking heavily to become part of the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).[13] In this sense, they are striving to become part of the international democratic community. If Georgia is part of the EU and NATO, then any action they take against Russia would require support on the part of other member nations. The United States assisted Georgia in their efforts against Russia, specifically through airlift. However, U.S. combat and combat support forces did not deploy to the region due to undesirable outcomes from United States combating Russian forces. While Georgia continues to present itself as a U.S. ally, the IC needs to provide warning to U.S. policy makers of any impending conflict in the Russian occupied regions. President Obama needs to use other national instruments of power to resolve the dispute or stabilize relations between Georgia and Russia in order to avoid going to war with Russia over a civil conflict within a sovereign state. The Democratic Peace Theory seems to be well supported when applied to states which have both the cultural and structural aspects of democracy. However, it falls short of establishing criteria to consider a country truly democratic despite giving indications of democracy. Georgia and Russia, both newly democratic states, cannot be viewed through the lens of the theory, especially in light of the recent trend towards authoritarianism by Russia. With Russia occupying regions in Georgia and declaring them independent states, the IC must continue to analyze relations between the two states and provide warning to policy makers in the United States. References James Lee Ray, Democracy and International Conflict: An Evaluation of the Democratic Peace Proposition (Studies in International Relations), p. 30, Columbia: Univ Of South Carolina Pr, 1998. Ibid. Democratic Peace Theory , Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_peace_theory (accessed November 30, 2009). The Georgia-Russia conflict: lost territory, found nation, Open Democracy, http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/the-georgia-russia-conflict-lost-territory-found-nation (accessed November 30, 2009). Ray, Democracy and International Conflict, p. 12. Ray, Democracy and International Conflict, p. 204. Robert Parsons, Mikheil Saakashvilis bitter victory. Open Democracy (January 2008), http://www.opendemocracy.net/article/conflicts/mikheil_saakashvili_bitter_victory (accessed November 30, 2009). Giorgi Lomsadze Time for a King for Georgia? Eurasia Net (October 2007), http://www.eurasianet.net/departments/insight/articles/eav 101207a.shtml (accessed November 30, 2009). Ray, Democracy and International Conflict, p. 35 Ibid., p 12. Russia, Wikipedia, www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia (accessed November 29, 2009). Freedom in the World Russia (2008), Freedom House, www.freedomhouse.org/inc/content/pubs/ fiw/inc_country_detail.cfm?year=2008country=7475pf (accessed November 30, 2009). Ambassador Batu Kutelia (lecture, National Defense Intelligence College, Washington, D.C., October 5, 2009)

Media vs. Parenting Essay examples -- Effect Cause Parents Impact chil

Media vs. Parenting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What impact does sex, violence, drugs, etc. in the media have on children? What can we do about it? How do we balance the tension between freedom of expression and the need to protect children? When you talk about the media and whether or not it is harmful on children, you must examine the whole industry and all aspects of its effects on children. It is that the media as a whole is not as harmful to children as some intense other can, but over exposure to certain aspects of certain types of media can be harmful. To say that all media can be harmful to children is a fallacy that must be avoided when examining this topic. Most people when analyzing this issue tend to focus on drugs, sex, and violence in terms of the television media. Although those are some of the main topics throughout the history of this topic, there are more important issues then just that as said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is an argument that should indefinitely point out the major impacts on young children. However this will be examining this topic in a much broader sense that will encompass the media as an entity and not focus only on the negative aspects but also the positive aspects of the media to show that the media is not in all ways bad for children. Media affecting children is increasingly rising, and is becoming a big factor among children’s behaviors, but other factors such as parenting will also participate to whether media is harmful to children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the formation of our Constitution, our forefathers had enough foresight to know that one of the most sacred freedoms that a society can have is freedom of the press. They, however, could not envision how many different forms of the press there would be in the years after the Constitution was written. During our nation's formative years, the term press was primarily restricted to media in terms of newspapers and books. Over the years with different courts, congresses, and presidents, we have seen an expansion of the term press. This has been made even more so with advancing technology and the global expansion of the media. Therefore when we examine the media we must take a contemporary approach to this issue rather than looking at the issue based on the past. The media has long been an easy target for the ills of society. If we go back to the times of the beginnings of World War II we can see how man... ...of game has little if any social benefit, to the contrary it in many ways teaches children that violence and objectifying women is ok, just as long as it looks cool. In the long run if games such as these remain popular among children and young adults, we will see a worsening of our already decaying morals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you can plainly see, we as a society cannot place the blame of the problem of today’s children on the media and saying that the media is harmful to children. True the media can be harmful, but if it is carefully monitor and parents use discretion before saying yes to what their children can play, read, or watch then this problem would be greatly lessened. If we blame the media without ourselves taking action then we are just as responsible because we are allowing the media to cause harm to our children with us just standing by and watching. It is true that the media as an industry must ensure that the products and programming that they are putting out is targeted to the proper markets, but in the end it is ultimately up to the parents to decide what is best for their children. It is the parents responsibility to determine what is or is not harmful to their children. Media vs. Parenting Essay examples -- Effect Cause Parents Impact chil Media vs. Parenting   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  What impact does sex, violence, drugs, etc. in the media have on children? What can we do about it? How do we balance the tension between freedom of expression and the need to protect children? When you talk about the media and whether or not it is harmful on children, you must examine the whole industry and all aspects of its effects on children. It is that the media as a whole is not as harmful to children as some intense other can, but over exposure to certain aspects of certain types of media can be harmful. To say that all media can be harmful to children is a fallacy that must be avoided when examining this topic. Most people when analyzing this issue tend to focus on drugs, sex, and violence in terms of the television media. Although those are some of the main topics throughout the history of this topic, there are more important issues then just that as said.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is an argument that should indefinitely point out the major impacts on young children. However this will be examining this topic in a much broader sense that will encompass the media as an entity and not focus only on the negative aspects but also the positive aspects of the media to show that the media is not in all ways bad for children. Media affecting children is increasingly rising, and is becoming a big factor among children’s behaviors, but other factors such as parenting will also participate to whether media is harmful to children.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  During the formation of our Constitution, our forefathers had enough foresight to know that one of the most sacred freedoms that a society can have is freedom of the press. They, however, could not envision how many different forms of the press there would be in the years after the Constitution was written. During our nation's formative years, the term press was primarily restricted to media in terms of newspapers and books. Over the years with different courts, congresses, and presidents, we have seen an expansion of the term press. This has been made even more so with advancing technology and the global expansion of the media. Therefore when we examine the media we must take a contemporary approach to this issue rather than looking at the issue based on the past. The media has long been an easy target for the ills of society. If we go back to the times of the beginnings of World War II we can see how man... ...of game has little if any social benefit, to the contrary it in many ways teaches children that violence and objectifying women is ok, just as long as it looks cool. In the long run if games such as these remain popular among children and young adults, we will see a worsening of our already decaying morals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  As you can plainly see, we as a society cannot place the blame of the problem of today’s children on the media and saying that the media is harmful to children. True the media can be harmful, but if it is carefully monitor and parents use discretion before saying yes to what their children can play, read, or watch then this problem would be greatly lessened. If we blame the media without ourselves taking action then we are just as responsible because we are allowing the media to cause harm to our children with us just standing by and watching. It is true that the media as an industry must ensure that the products and programming that they are putting out is targeted to the proper markets, but in the end it is ultimately up to the parents to decide what is best for their children. It is the parents responsibility to determine what is or is not harmful to their children.

Management: Questions and Answers for Midterm Examination

Identify and describe the three levels of the organizational hierarchy. Which types of Information systems serve each level? Answer: The three levels of the organizational hierarchy: Senior Managers Middle Managers Operational Managers Types of Information systems serve each level: Operational-level systems: support operational mangers, keeping track of the elementary activities and transactions.Management-level systems: serve the monitoring, controlling, decision-making, and administrative activities of middle managers. Strategic-level systems: help senior management tackle and address strategic issues. 2- List and briefly describe the major types of system in organization? Answer: Transaction Processing Systems (TIPS): are the basic business systems that serve the operational level of the organization. And it is also a computerized system that performs and records the daily routine transactions necessary to conduct business.Management Information Systems (MIS): serve the management level of the organization, providing managers with reports and often-online access to the organization's current performance and historical records and primarily serve the functions of planning, controlling, and decision-making. Decision-support System (ADS): also serve the management level or the organization. ADS help mangers make decisions that are unique, rapidly changing, and not easily specified in advance.MIS differ from SEES: MIS serve at management level and SEES serve at strategic level. 5- What are the characteristics for ADS? How do they differ from those of SEES? Answer: Characteristics for ADS: (Inputs: transaction level data; Processing: Interactive; Outputs: Decision analysis; Users: Professional and staff ADS differ from SEES: ADS revere at management level and SEES serve at strategic level and its characteristics are: Inputs: Aggregate data; Outputs: projections; Users: senior managers. – Describe the relationship between TIPS, MIS, and SEES. The relationsh ip between TIPS, MIS, and SEES: TIPS are typically a major source of data for other systems, data also be exchanged to MIS to produce reports, whereas SEES are primarily a recipient of date from lower-level systems. 7- List and describe the information systems serving each of the major functional areas of a business. Answer: Sale and Marketing Systems: SystemDescription Organizational Level Order processing Enter, process, and track orders Operational Pricing analysis Determine prices for products and services Management Sale and forecasting Prepare 5 years sales forecasts Strategic Manufacturing and Production Systems Machine control Control the actions of machines and equipment Production planning Facilities location Decide where to locate new production facilities. Finance & Accounting Systems Account Receivable Tracks money owed the firm Budgeting Prepares short-term budgets Profit planning Plans long-term profits Human Resource SystemsTraining and Development Tracks employee tr aining, skills, and performance appraisals Operational Compensation analysis Monitors the rang and distribution of employee wages, salaries, and benefits Human Resource planning Plans the long-term labor force needs of the organization 8- What is a business process? Give two examples of processes for functional areas of the business and one example of a cross functional process. Answer: Business process refer to sets of logically related activities for accomplishing a specific business result, and also refer to the unique ways in which organization and management coordinate these activities.Example for functional area of business process: (Finance and Accounting: paying creditors, creating financial statements and managing cash accounts); (Human Resources: hiring employees, evaluating employees' Job performance and enrolling employees in benefits plans) Example of a cross functional process: Order fulfillment process (Sales Department: Generate order and submit order; Accounting Dep artment: Check credit and approve credit and then Manufacturing & Production department: Assemble product and ship product, and finally Accounting Department: Generate invoice). Why are enterprise applications for organization-wide process integration? Answer: Organizations are trying to integrate their business processes because they want to enhance the performance of the organizations as a whole. The system takes advantage of corporate intranets and web technologies that enable the efficient transfer of information within the firm and to partner firms. And these systems are inherently cross-level, cross-functional, and business process oriented. The four key enterprise applications: Enterprise Systems, Supply Chain Management Systems,Customer Relationship Management Systems, and Knowledge Management Systems. 10- What are enterprise systems? How do they change the way an organization work? Enterprise Systems, also known as enterprise resource planning systems, provide a single info rmation system for organization-wide coordination and integration of key business processes. Information that was previously fragmented in different systems can seamlessly flow throughout the firm so that it can be shared by business processes in manufacturing, accounting, human resources, and other areas.

Social Anxiety and Autism Essays

Social Anxiety and Autism Essays Social Anxiety and Autism Paper Social Anxiety and Autism Paper In the journal Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities, Scott Bellini examines the prevalence of social anxiety in teenagers with autism and Asperger’s Syndrome in his study entitled â€Å"The Development of Social Anxiety in Adolescents with Autism Spectrum.† The author seeks to answer the question, â€Å"Does the combination of social skill deficits and physiological arousal make a significant contribution to the variance in social anxiety?†Ã‚   Basically, his thesis is that both a lack of social skills and a higher prevalence of physiological arousal does contribute in a significant way to the social anxiety levels of adolescents with autism and Asperger’s.   Specifically, Bellini asserts that adolescents with ASD do have higher levels of physiological arousal which makes is â€Å"more likely that the individual will become overwhelmed by interactions with others/† The author supports his thesis first with a discussion of other studies which have addressed certain aspects of his theses.   First, he notes that recent studies do show that people with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) do have higher levels of anxiety than people without ASD which can create difficulties in life.   These difficulties can approach debilitating in that they often produce fear, isolation, thoughts of suicide and substance abuse tendencies.  Ã‚   Another study found that children with autism scored higher on anxiety tests than children with other learning disabilities. The author defines social anxiety, then, as â€Å"an intense fear of social situations or performance situations where embarrassment may occur.† He goes on to identify two subcategories of social anxiety:   performance based anxieties and social interaction anxieties.   The author notes a study which found that children with ASD have a more difficult time regulating their own levels of physiological arousal in stressful situations and are more likely to be â€Å"adversely conditioned by negative social interactions. Many studies have asserted that the function of the body’s limbic system can contribute to this situation, specifically, the amygdale.   According to one cited study, the amygdale helps regulate the emotional impact of sensory input such as facial expressions and other types of cues.   If this amygdale is not functioning properly, then the person will be unable to react appropriately socially and emotionally.   This may cause him to avoid social situations. Studied forty-one adolescents, aged 12 to 18,   with ASD; nineteen had autism and sixteen had Asperger’s Syndrome.   Their IQs were all within the normal level.   Each participant was given measurements to assess their levels of social anxiety.   These included the Social Skills Rating System, the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, and the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children. They then measured physiological arousal, social skill deficits, and social Bellini found that the levels of social anxiety may begin with poor experiences with social interactions but that they are definitely exacerbated by physiological tendencies.   He says, â€Å"social anxiety may be the result of aversive social experiences, but the impact of these experiences may be mitigated by a combination of temperamental characteristics and the environmental supports available to the individual.† He closed by noting his own small sample size, but feeling that his study will be helpful to those that are seeking to continue the study of social anxiety in ASD patients. Bellini, S. (2006). The Development of Social Anxiety in Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorders. Focus on Autism and Other Developmental Disabilities 21(3), 138-145

Milton Friedmans Goal of the Firm

Milton Friedmans Goal of the Firm Milton Friedman’s goal of the firm is viewed by many people as one of the most senseless ideas that have ever been made in the business world. The idea, which made its first appearance in a New York Times’ article in 1970, would raise a lot of controversy as many entrepreneurs refuted it for various reasons.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Milton Friedman’s Goal of the Firm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In this popular statement, Milton Friedman had expressed his controversial stand that the only purpose behind business activities is to bring profit to shareholders (Carroll Shabana, 2010). Many people viewed this as a provocative statement that can be translated as a greedy perception. Myriad discussions were constantly raised as people in the business world continued to express their criticism on the matter, with majority of them arguing that there is more in business than just generating re venue for the shareholders. As a matter of fact, Milton Friedman’s goal of the firm does not apply to our understanding of the role of business in society. The truth of the matter, however, is that businesses have a large responsibility of taking care of employees, customers, and the society at large. Employees, who happen to be one of the most reliable assets that companies can ever have, deserve to be recognized and taken care of by the businesses they serve. Businesses also have the responsibility of paying tax to relevant government bodies, thus enabling the government to provide public services to the citizens. Companies also have the responsibility of ensuring that certain business essentials and requirements are fulfilled in order for them to thrive and survive in the market. This would have the meaning that the society today expects businesses to offer more than just focusing on maximizing profits and revenues for the shareholders. For example, consumers will always e xpect to see the best in terms of quality and value in everything that they purchase, and it is therefore the responsibility of businesses to ensure that these attributes are fully met.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More More importantly, it is also the responsibility of businesses to keep their working environments safe and clean. Some of the most effective ways through which this goal can be achieved is by manufacturing eco-friendly products and by ensuring that factory waste is properly managed. As a matter of fact, governments have a role to play in expanding the Friedman discussion. This way, people will get to understand that businesses do have numerous social responsibilities apart from just making profits for the shareholders (Hammond, 2005). If the sole role of business was to make profits for shareholders as Friedman points out, entrepreneurs will not find p urpose in focusing on any other social responsibility apart from maximizing revenues for their businesses. This, however, would bring serious implications on societies who have always benefitted greatly from the vast social responsibilities offered by businesses in the contemporary world. For example, businesses are arguably the largest source of government revenue, which in turn is used to support communities in various ways. Considering the importance of all these social responsibilities that tend to have a direct impact on people’s lives, there is a need for governments to expand the Friedman discussion. This, however, would serve as a platform to convince people that, unlike Friedman’s idea that profits are the sole purpose of all businesses, there are diverse social responsibilities that are played by businesses in today’s world. References Carroll, A. B., Shabana, K. M. (2010). The business case for corporate social responsibility: a review of concepts, r esearch and practice. International Journal  of Management Reviews, 12(1), 85-105. Hammond, J. D. (2005). Theory and measurement: causality issues in Milton  Friedmans monetary economics. England: Cambridge University Press.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Milton Friedman’s Goal of the Firm specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of Assignment

Compare and contrast the 7S and Mintzberg's configuration models of organisations - Assignment Example In this paper, emphasis is given on two, quite popular, theoretical frameworks: the McKinsey 7s Framework and the configuration model of Mintzberg. The elements and the role of the particular models are critically evaluated and analyzed referring to relevant literature. Between the two models, McKinsey’s 7s Framework is simpler and more flexible, a fact that makes it easier to be used when the time available for the evaluation of business performance is limited. On the other hand, when details need to be retrieved in regard to the potential transformations of an organization so that its effectiveness is increased, then the Mintzberg configuration model, that offers a clearer view on organizational processes, would be preferred. In regard to the above, current paper would be based on the following thesis statement: McKinsey’s 7s Framework and the Mintzberg configuration model are valuable models for measuring business performance. The former refers directly to the seven factors influencing business performance while the latter uses organizational structure as an indicator of business effectiveness. 2. McKinsey 7s Framework vs Mintzberg’s configuration model 2.1 Key characteristics of the above models In order to understand the differences and similarities of the two models, it is necessary to refer primarily to their characteristics and their role within modern organizations. In addition, the elements of each of the models need to be analyzed at the level that these elements can influence the models’ performance when used within a particular market. 2.1.1 McKinsey 7s Framework The McKinsey 7s Framework is commonly used for the evaluation of business performance. The Framework was first introduced in 1980s (Witcher and Chau 2010). It was only after two years, in 1982, that ‘Peters and Waterman included this model in their book ‘In search for Excellence’’ (Witcher and Chau 2010, p.248); it was through that book that McKinsey 7s Framework become popular worldwide. The McKinsey 7s Framework is based on the following view: the performance of each organization is influenced by seven factors/ variables (Witcher and Chau 2010). When having to evaluate organizational performance these variables need to be reviewed (Witcher and Chau 2010). The variables highlighted in the particular Framework are presented in Figure 1 below. A key characteristic of McKinsey’s 7s Framework is the following: the variables on which the framework is based tend to interact on a continuous basis (Witcher and Chau 2010). This means that the performance of each of these variables influences, necessarily, the performance of other variables (Witcher and Chau 2010). In addition, changes on one or more variables will also affect other variables (Witcher and Chau 2010). The relationship between these variables is made clear in Figure 1. On the other hand, the level at which each variable influences the other variables of the framework is not standardized, depending on the conditions in the organizational environment, the availability of time for analyzing organizational behaviour and so on. Figure 1 - McKinsey 7s Framework (Source: http://gs.utcc.ac.th/ceomba/mk/0%20Mar55/add/The%20McKinsey%207S%20English.pdf) In order to

BUY LOCAL FROM New Brunswick, Canada INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIRMS Research Paper

BUY LOCAL FROM New Brunswick, Canada INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FIRMS - Research Paper Example By the early 1990s companies identified the problem and thereafter they have been working to solve the difficulties of associated with retaining the talented employees (Mitchell, Holtom, Lee, T, & Graske, 2001). Internal Policies It is also important to note that management and usage of ICT systems are two different fields because the former function lies with the technical staff that has the duty and responsibility of keep the infrastructure up and running. Yet, the second function lies with the managerial staff that should have the ability of extracting and using information from the ICT systems to make effective business decisions. The companies are offering flexible timing, paid leaves, casual dressing and regular increase in the pay for core employees in every department of the organization. The organizations are also known to encourage employees to identify the need of enhancement in the current technology level that will help them in keeping up with the technological level of the industry (Brady, Brookes, & Fellenz, 1986). According to many researchers the technological advancements will define the leaders in the industry. In the light of above argument, it can be established that employees who have the ability to manage ICT systems and those who can use them to make business decisions will define the competitive advantage of the companies in near future (Eriksson, Niitamo, & Kulkki, 2005). Economic Incentives The companies that are currently engaged in the practice of acquiring advanced ICT systems are suggested to offer well to excellent incentives to the staff so that their tendencies to leave the job can be minimized (Doran, et al., 2006). Moreover, it would not be a bad idea to evaluate and analyze the ability of new recruits to understand and comprehend routine technological tasks. Additionally the companies are suggested to buy those ICT systems that are well aligned with the current technological awareness of the employees. The companies should a lso make sure that they do not initiate company-wide technology change more often. It is better to bring system changes within operational level to increase the productivity. The companies should buy those technologies that will help them in driving down the cost because in latest organizational strategy cost control is one of the most important facets. Finally it is necessary for the organizations to hire technology experts as employees because in this form of employment they can resolve the issues more swiftly than in the capacity of consultants. Technology consultants are also notorious for delaying the process of repairs that causes productivity of the entire organization to diminish. External Challenges As mentioned earlier that companies are facing the challenge of retaining employees therefore they have to keep the jobs interesting and on the other hand companies are required to pay excellent wages and salaries to the employees. The intelligent companies always ensure that th ey are paying higher compensations in comparison to the competitors because money and financial well-being is a noted method of growing organizational commitment in the staff. Another modern technique to enhance organizational commitment is to develop a participative model of decision making in the company so that everyone can feel as a part of the organization (Vroom & Jago, 1978). The companies are also anticipated to establish strong personality-