Deaf Culture Paper

To better appreciate what Deaf culture is, let's go to an opposing view and take a look at what Deaf culture is not. There are those who insist there is no such thing as Deaf culture. Some people will argue that deafness is nothing more than a disability, a disability that must be fixed. Getting this disability â€Å"fixed† may involve repeated visits to an audiologist, getting fitted for hearing aids, attending numerous speech therapy sessions, or even undergoing surgery to get a cochlear implant.This is what's called the pathological approach to deafness. It focuses on what's wrong–the inability to hear–and utilizes numerous technological and therapeutic strategies to solve the problem. The success of this approach varies from individual to individual. For many hard of hearing or late-deafened people, technology may be a welcomed addition that allows them to continue functioning in the world of their choice. â€Å"Deafness is a disability that is so unique, it s very nature causes a culture to emerge from it.Participation in this culture is voluntary. † There have been numerous Deaf publications over the years, such as Silent News, DeafNation, SIGNews, Deaf Life, and more. There are also catalogs chock full of books written by Deaf authors covering a wide range of topics. Some of these books include fascinating accounts of Deaf history and folklore. We've been blessed with numerous Deaf performing artists such as Clayton Valli, Patrick Graybill, Bernard Bragg, Mary Beth Miller, Freda Norman, Gil Eastman, Peter Cook, C.J. Jones, Nathie Marbury, Evelyn Zola, The Wild Zappers, Rathskellar, and many more. In hearing culture, it is rude to stare. However, in Deaf culture, staring is necessary. If you break eye contact while a person is signing to you, you are incredibly rude. That's like plugging your ears when someone is speaking to you. In hearing culture, facial expression is very limited. If you move your face or body a lot while you are talking, you can be seen as â€Å"weird† (and nobody wants to be weird).However, in Deaf culture, facial expression and body movement is required for ASL. It's part of ASL grammar. It's OK to be â€Å"weird† in Deaf culture†¦ it's normal! And absolutely necessary. In hearing culture, you normally introduce yourself by your first name only. Deaf people, however, introduce themselves by their full names, and sometimes even what city they're from or what school they went to. By city, I mean the city you grew up in, not what city you are currently residing in. And by school I usually mean a residential school you attended.The Deaf community is very small, and Deaf people like to find those specific commonalities with each other. Men are more likely to develop hearing loss or complete deafness than women. About 20% of Americans have reported some degree of hearing loss. 2-3 children out of 1,000 are born deaf every year. 9/10 children with a degree of hearing loss are born from hearing parents. 1 out of 5 people who’d benefit from hearing aids; actually wear them. About 4,000 cases of sudden deafness occur each year. 10-15 percent of sudden deafness patients know how they lost their hearing.

Boon Rawd Brewery Company Essay

Throughout the years, Boon Rawd has diversified into an award-winning brewer and beverage maker, exporting its globally recognized products worldwide. The key to success and also be a mission statement is â€Å"Transparency! We do the right things. We live as a good citizen and don’t cut corners.† This principle is one of many that have helped Singha obtain the largest market share for beer in Thailand. Domestically, the company sees strong growth in the beer segment dominated by Singha. It expects local demand to grow 6 percent next year to 1.2 billion liters by inaugurating a new facility in 2009. Aside from Singha, Boon Rawd sells other beer varieties, soda water, drinking water, ready-to-drink fruit juices, ready-todrink coffee and tea beverages under various brands, such as Thai Beer, Leo, Moshi and B-ing, a flavored vitamin functional drink. Although Boon Rawd got many awards in â€Å"beer capitals† such as Brussels, Osaka, America, Australia and New Zealand but in the word of president â€Å"you have to dare to challenge the outside world† which makes them still not to  stop expanding their market and find new opportunities over time. Consequently, we decide to analyze and evaluate them for the purpose of getting insight in their international management plans, their competitive advantages, and their human resource management. Besides, this study is also included with countries analysis, industry analysis, and international market too. For the courses of action, we begin with SWOT analysis of Boon Rawd including with providing the company background. Then we do the countries analysis such as GDP, population size, inflation and business environment in those countries. Next, we also find the information that can be fit to Boon Rawd products by studying from primary and secondary sources and do PEST analysis. Lastly, we would examine the marketing strategies of Boon Rawd such as how they trained their employees, how they developed their products, how they could make and retained the international customer relationship in order to penetrate those international markets and find the best way that can make them success in long-term future. Corporate BackgroundWhich industry or industries is the firm operating in?†¢Define the company ´s industryBoon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd. is the largest and the oldest brewery in Thailand. It was established in 1933 by Boonrawd Srethabutra, on whom HM King Prajadhipok Rama VIII bestowed the aristocratic title of Phraya Bhirom Bhakdi. In that time Thailand was called â€Å"Siam† until 1939 it was changed to Thailand. Nowadays the brewery is still under the Bhirom Bhakdi family management. At first the company produced and sold only beers like Singha, Leo and Thai beer, which Singha is the most famous and popular beer. Later when the company had grown to produce over 800 million liters of beer they started to producing soft drinks as well. They are producing drinking water, soda water, ready-to-drink juice, ready-to-drink green tea, B-ing â€Å"lifestyle functional drink† and some other soft drinks also. So The Boon Rawd Brewery specialized to Brewery and soft drinks industry. Today they have over 2000 employees in nine factories across the Thailand. They produce annually over  one billion liters of beer and much more other drinks. Who are the customers?†¢Identify and segment target customersThe Company has a versatile range of goods and that ´s one of the reasons to succeed. They sell necessary product like simply drinking water and everybody has to drink water to stay alive. Beer is also popular among adult and young adult nations and they have both quality and cheap beers so they can reach most of the customer, who drinks beer. Juice and that kind of soft drinks are for everybody as well, but especially children and teens like to drink juice a lot. Green tea and coffee are more for adults. So they can sell products to huge part of the population. Where does the company serve?†¢Define company ´s geographic scopeThe company primarily operates in Thailand, where it is headquartered in Bangkok. Network of The Boon Rawd Brewery Co. includes three breweries and six soft drinks factories all over the Thailand. Other factories located in strategic regions across The Thailand, in Chiangmai, Khonkaen, Singburi, Ayutthaya, Pathum Thani and Surat Thani. The Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Ltd. owns two breweries in German. The first one located in the town of Mittweida, that brew Mittweida beer and the second one brews Gerand Hartmanndorf beer in the town of Gerand Hartmanndorf. Nowadays their products are exported to over 25 countries around the world. The largest export country is neighbor country Cambodia; followed markets are in United State, United Kingdom, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan. In addition they sell their product to China, Philippine, Laos and Vietnam. Sometimes they sell product to some other neighbor countries as well, but sales are sporadic. What needs are being satisfied by the company ´s goods or services?†¢Define the company ´s core products/servicesBoon Rawd brewery has regained its market leader of beer in Thailand. Singha beer is the leading product of the Boon Rawd Brewery Co. Singha beer has been Thailand’s most popular beer for many years. Leo is also famous beer brand, but they have another strategy with  Leo, when Singha beer is high quality, good and nice beer, Leo is cheap and less quality beer. The company sells Thai beer as well, and lot of different soft drinks, like ready-to-drink juices, ready-to-drink green tea, drinking water, soft water and something like that. What are the company’s distinctive competencies?†¢What resources does the company have?†¢What capabilities does the company possess?As previously was mentioned, Boon Rawd Brewery has 2000 employees in 9 factories in various parts of Thailand. This eases the distribution in the country internally, but it also facilitates the company to respond to the already widespread demand throughout the world. If the demand will grow even further, it is necessary to add resources so that supply will keep up with demand. Boon Rawd Brewery has a ready customer base and especially Singha has been received positive welcome also widely outside of Thailand. Thus, if the company desires to internationalize to the wider world, it is a smaller problem, because it is already well underway and the groundwork for potential follow-up measures have already been made. Boon Rawd Brewery provides and offers different kind of products to different kind of customers and their needs. As previously mentioned, the Boon Rawd Brewery has a wide range, which includes various drinks from beers to juices and from energy drinks to soda water. This kind of range, which has planned with widely thinking, provides a more stable support for the company’s activities. So, if the company’s some of their individual product’s sales might drop surprisingly, the company is not so vulnerable. Which generic strategy in currently used by the company?†¢Based on the value-chain analysisCurrently, Boon Rawd Brewery invests to the visibility of company and making products more familiar among consumers. The company also makes its share of supporting important societal issues. It invests to sport, culture and environmental. It has brought to use A Waste Water Management System, which is designed to minimize the environmental impact on the Chao Phraya River. Boon Rawd Brewery has its own factories in Thailand and in addition, it currently owns 2 other factories in Europe. The company is expanding slowly but with certainty around the world. So far, customers are widely from different parts of the world, so it seems to be only a matter of time before the company decides to buy or set up new factories in other countries. The fact that the company has won several awards over the years in relation to the quality of beer, says that the company invests a lot of resources in the actual beer making process. Country analysis and attractiveness assessmentBrazil PEST analysisPolitical:1.Brazilian citizens are free to relocate throughout the country. In addition, all citizens are free to engage in any business activity, as long it is a legitimate activity. It’s a positive policy for us to take a share of Brazilian market. 2.Citizens or non-citizen, are allow owning private properties in Brazilian territory. Governmental offices issue a title of property, which guaranty one’s ownership of a real, personal, or intellectual property. The process of issuing a property title can be somewhat time consuming; however, when the process is due, the owner is protected by laws, and enforced by judicial system. In addition, some Southern cities had successfully settle negotiations over public land in order to help low income citizens to own a private property. This kind of law and political environment can ensure the safety for our intelligent property of beverage and ownership for brewery and all the assets we owned. 3.Brazil has no yet achieved institutional stability. Government, courts, school, business, and specially law enforcement are struggling to bring solid bases of stability for Brazil. Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president, did a good job in recognizing the state’s responsibility for the injustices during dictatorship. On the other hand, violations of human rights still an issue in Brazil, Inflation seems under control for now, but Brazilians had experienced inflation as high as 5,000 percent a year, during late 80’s. Most recently, the revocation of rules, and addition of new  provisions are still happening in Brazil. Therefore, skepticism is among Brazilians, and international observers. 4.The banking system in Brazil has been improving over the past few years; however, more than 50% of the Brazilian population has no means to ever get a bank loan, neither open a bank account. The first problem is that millions of Brazilians have low income. The second problem lies on the credit bureau, which has a deficiency on tracking one’s credit history. Most Brazilians prefer to use the direct financing system, in other words, a store finances one’s purchase, breaking it in small monthly payments, and charging very high interests. If the individual do not pay his or her bills, then the store can confiscate the product, and report his or her name to the credit bureau. 5.Brazilian legislators are far from calling themselves effective in work. Brazilian economy still has non-satisfactory fluctuation, more than 40% of the population lives in total poverty, infant mortality is high, transportation and educational system have big issues to be solved, and crime and corruption are a huge problem. After Fernando Henrique Cardoso, former president, first year in office, several denounces came about some Brazilian legislators being involved in scheme and corruption scandals. Such news did not surprise most Brazilians, except for the fact that someone had the courage to speak out. 6.Brazilian government has a long history of resisting the increase of minimum wages. Its main reasons are: a) if minimum wages increase the Brazilian government will not have enough money to pay for all the social security pensions, and governmental employees; b) factory companies say that if minimum wages are increased it would be catastrophic for the companies growth, since their budget for wages and benefits will increase tremendously. In addition, companies claim that if the minimum wages are increase some companies will be force to file for bankruptcy with leads to lay-offs, and increase of national unemployment rates. Our company should be much careful about this. 7.Brazil has some of the most strict environment protection laws in the world; such laws are design to protect citizens, the fauna, and flora of Brazilian territory. Despite of the governmental efforts, the process of reinforcing such laws has not been successful; part of it is due to the inefficiency of some governmental agencies. For example, the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renovaveis (IBAMA) is an the governmental agency responsible for the formulation, coordination, execution, and reinforcement of environmental laws. 8.Any country must protect and promote national enterprises; however, Brazilian government is being over protective. It causes an unbalance cycle of dependency among Brazilian enterprises, which have more to lose because free market would promote competition, and consequently it promotes the development of new technology and money flow. Brazilian government has a long history of being over protective toward its national enterprises. The means in which the government uses as protection strategies vary and it changes time to time. For example, Brazil has an extended list of shipping requirements for imported goods; these requirements cause a difficult time to foreign enterprise, and the process of shipping a nightmare. In addition, the import taxes are high, restrictions on foreign-produce advertising is a strict, and complex bureaucratic process–all make foreign enterprises less capable to compete with Brazilian enterprises in Brazilian territory. Economic:1.Brazilian government requires that all business transactions be made in Brazilian currency (reais), and all foreign currencies must be converted before any business transactions. 2.Brazilian government requires that only one currency be use inside the country, and the Brazilian currency is called the â€Å"real†. However, many businesses will accept dollar or euro as form of payment for good or services. Many Brazilians will save the foreign bills as form of investment because they believe that such currencies will rise in value, and if they not, at least it will not devalue as reais would. In addition, some fortunate business people prefer to be paid in dollar because it, later, will be transported outside the country. 3.Brazilian government has been consistently causing a budget deficit in its domestic budget. In other words, the Brazilian government has been spending more than it collects from taxes each year. 4.Many Brazilian citizens dream with the idea of opening their own business; however, due to high taxation, and labor benefits Brazilians are skeptical about the risks of opening a small or median enterprise. Nerveless, Brazilians citizens welcome new business enterprises because it generates jobs for the citizens. On the other hand, there is a popular believe that if one opens a business enterprise he or she must dodged taxes. Brazilians often avoid paying taxes, as much and as long as they can, because they not believe in the socialist system. 5.Between the years of 2001 through 2003, Brazil shows minimal signs of vulnerability to outside forces. Brazil’s foreign trade impact ratio was gradually increasing during the period from 1999 to 2008. It is likely that Brazil could create more wealth to its citizens by increasing its foreign trade impact. Social:1.In Brazil, one’s ability to create wealth is filled with barriers, especially for low background citizens. It is important to say that if one’s will is strong, he or she might have a chance to advance economically; however, such dream is not a reality to millions of young Brazilians. First, Brazilian education system does not embrace the minority groups. Ironically, the public universities, free education, are primarily composed of elite youth, and private universities are composed of poor or middle class youth. Several philanthropic entities focus on helping Brazilian kids to develop some kind of skills, in order to help them to get a job, but these entities mistakenly forget to encourage and educate kids to pursue an academic life. In general, Brazilian society believes that if one has born poor, he or she will never make a good living. 2.Crime rates in Brazil have been increasing, and many are not reported. This perception frequently can compromise one’s decision of opening a small or  media enterprise. Police fails to assure safety for citizens as well for business. Into the large corporations such fear is reduce due to fact that large companies can afford to pay for an team of security guards. These are what our company should focus and pay a attention to what will hurt our line of business. 3.Protection of public health and safety in Brazil is quite bad, because infant mortality and mal-nutrition are the leading reasons fo1r death among children between ages one to five. Mal nutrition still kills children and adults in Brazil. In addition, the Brazilian government has poor management of waste, and food inspections. The Brazilian government has a long way to go before infant mortality rate decreases to worldwide standards. Technological:1.Brazilian communication system is good. Cities and countryside are equipped with many means of communications (phone, cell phones, fax, television, radio) with exception of computer. The use of computers as a mean of communication is a process that has been growing in Brazil, but due to the high cost of computer hardware it stills a slow growth. The most popular mass communication is television, and Brazilians love soap opera. TV networks strategically start the TV news between the hours of the most popular soap opera, seven to eight p.m. In addition, house and cell phones became more affordable for Brazilians since the Brazilian government had privatized its telecommunication corporation. There is a real potential growth for computer in Brazil. It is believe that soon, the Brazilian government will facilitate and lower taxes for import of computers, which will make computers much affordable item to Brazilians. These infrastructures can ensure that our local communication and promotion can be done efficiently and effectively. 2.Brazilian transportation system is reasonable; it has some good and bad sides. Brazil has roads, rail, air, and ships, but not all works efficiently. Brazil is fortunate because it has south to north regions connected by the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, the navigation system is good for transporting large volume of goods throughout the Brazilian coast, but it is not good for transporting people due to long journey. The Brazilian  air system excellent, and recently it is becoming more affordable to Brazilians, but still not cheap to many. The railroad system is, with exception of urban rails, in precarious condition. It requires a great amount of capital investment, mostly for repairs of rails, newer and faster trains, more employees, and newer distribution of rails throughout the country. In similar situation are the roads of Brazil. Highways and interstates are in great need for repair and expansion. Many enterprises have difficulties in transporting goods among states because the highways are very dangerous. Brazilian highways and interstates are filled with dangerous fissures on the road, not enough roads, and damaged bridges. To make things worse, highway pirates are a big problem in Brazil. Often, the news channel announces the robbery of a loaded truck, and the death of the truck driver. High rates of lost, employees and goods, forces enterprises to reevaluate the company’s expansion due to high costs and risks of transporting goods. This base can help us to which transportation tools we should focus and which we should avoid to use. India PEST analysisPolitical:1.slow-down in government decisions due to political instability2.adverse changes or unpredictability on foreign investment, import, ownership, pricing or tax issues3.unexpected delays and cost-overruns due to overlapping governmental jurisdiction4.In recent years, successive Indian Governments have sought to improve the performance of these programmers by decentralizing their administration, vesting village governments with greater responsibility for their monitoring and oversight. An academic literature hypothesizes that socioeconomic divisions within villages and the weak political strength of the poor reduces the effectiveness of decentralized programmers since, under these conditions, elites are able to ‘capture’ funds intended for the poor. This paper argues that the effect of administrative decentralization of poverty programmers and local public goods on the magnitude of benefits to the poor depends not just on their political strength but also on the incentives the non-poor have to improve the welfare of the poor. The design of policy pays insufficient attention to such incentive issues. Empirical analysis provides support for this belief. The regression analysis of the paper reveals that welfare receipts affect the labor supply decisions of the poor and that the  implementation of welfare programmers under control of village governments takes these effects into account.

Demonstrative Speech Fitness Program

TOPIC: â€Å"Mission H. A. R. D. Body† My Exercise Program GENERAL PURPOSE: Persuade SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To persuade my audience to perform my quick workout program for the amazingly fast and effective results CENTRAL IDEA: My workout program consist of a 15 minute morning and night exercise schedule, focuses on all the major muscle group areas, and includes a simple diet plan that leads to a lean, muscular, and sexy body, fast! INTRODUCTION I. Fellas envision your self with a toned six-pack and muscular physic grabbing all the ladies attention while at the beach. II.Ladies envision yourself looking like this, and think of all the jealous and envious girls who will hate on you because every guy breaks their neck when they see you. III. Hi, my name is Pierre Earlington, and Today I will be talking about a simple diet and exercise program, that will get you in shape, healthy, and sexy as ever in no time. IV. I am an athlete and model that is currently studying to become a personal trainer and have learned the incredibly quick and easy secrets to a sexy and healthy body. V. I will first talk about†¦ a. The scheduling time to perform the workout, . Next I will describe the workout activities to be done, c. And finally I will explain a simple way of dieting to keep your body fatless and looking good. BODY I. Many of us live extremely busy lives racing constantly against time and an increasing To-Do list that seems to never end, leading us to believe that we have no time to fit exercise in our schedule. a. What makes my exercise program so amazing is that it is broken down into two segments, Morning and night. Taking only 15 minutes in each segment, it can fit into anyone's schedule. i.You start by simply setting your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier than you normally awake in the morning ii. And going to bed 15 minutes later than you normally do at night 1. As soon as you awake in the morning. Before you even head to the bathroom to brush your teeth, roll ov er on to that floor, and perform my workout. 2. When you end your day, right before you go to sleep. Hit the floor again and take 15 minutes to do the workout. Think of it as a nightcap. iii. Routinely done your body and mind will get use to this morning and night exercise program, and it will become a habit that you wont even think twice about it. Transition: Now here comes the fun part) II. In my exercise, we are targeting three sections of the body. b. The upper body, which consists of the arms chest, and upper back. c. The mid section, which consists of the abdominals and lower back. d. And finally the lower half of the body, your legs. iv. Now for the upper body we will perform Push-ups. Three sets of three different types that shred the fat from your upper body and leave you ripped. 3. First Set, Regular push ups 4. Second Set, Diamond push ups 5. And the Third set, Wide push ups v.Now the for the mid section and getting that tummy tight 6. First set Crunches. This targets the upper AB section 7. Second set, Leg lifts. This targets the lower AB section 8. Third set, Side crunches on both sides. Love handles, â€Å"Poof be gone. † vi. Finally the lower half, Legs. 9. First set: Lunges 10. Second set, Squats – Fellas this gets the Hamstrings right and ladies this gets that butt tight 11. The final set, Toe raises – This works out those beautiful Calves vii. Guys perform 20-25 reps of each exercise, and increase as desired. viii.Ladies perform 15-20 reps of each exercise, also increase as desired (Transition: Now that you’ve worked so hard for that beautiful body, you want to keep it don’t you? So lets talk dieting) III. There are many questionable diets and theories out there. This Here is the most simplest and effective way to diet. e. Cut out Carbs and excess sugar. ix. Carbs are things like bread, pancakes, doughnuts and etc†¦ 12. Carbohydrates turn into sugar when consumed in your body. 13. Sugar is then converte d into fat. (Transition: I know this may seem like an impossible task since we all love to please our taste buds, but its not that bad. f. Especially because my workout comes with a cheat day. x. One day out of the whole week you are free to eat all the sugar and carbohydrates that you want. You pick the day! (Transition: Your body will still be on the path to becoming marvelous. ) CONCLUSION I. In conclusion, I showed how my workout can fit into anyone’s schedule, II. Described the specific exercises to perform, III. And explained a simple diet to keep you in shape. IV. So ladies and gentleman follow these easy steps, break everyone’s neck, and lets get sexy for the summer.

The Importance of Management Control on the Organisation Research Paper

The Importance of Management Control on the Organisation - Research Paper Example This paper illustrates that management control was defined as â€Å"the process by which managers assure that resources are obtained and used effectively and efficiently in the accomplishment of the organizations' objective". The twin objectives of efficiency and effectiveness are obvious and as to which should be given importance between is silent on the definition and this is one of the issues that this paper will tackle. It may be seen in the definition that the accomplishment of both effectiveness and efficiency are necessary if management control is to be considered as such. Accomplish both objectives are easier said done. Effectiveness may refer to getting things done but in so doing the same may result in inefficiency as the latter concept has something to do with cost-effectiveness or doing something at the least cost. The need therefore to strike the balance between the two objectives becomes necessary. Just like any other concept which evolves over time, management control ’s definition was later found modified in the light of the bigger role that it plays in organization management by connecting the control systems within implementing strategy. Thus, after about three decades after the definition made earlier, management control was defined as â€Å"the process by which managers influence other members of the organization to implement the organization's strategies." One cannot discuss therefore the concept of management control without regard for the correct organization’s strategies. Strategies, of course, may have its basis from external and internal environments of the organization. By dealing with strategies it would, therefore, expand the traditional or limited definition of management control. Management control necessarily connotes measurable objectives to attain and therefore accounting information which is quantitative in character and therefore measurable should be easily accepted as part of the concept of control.

Risk and Complexity in Social Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Risk and Complexity in Social Work - Essay Example entails the collection of the patient’s facts, the demographic data, the current presentation, and the history and in particular the recent scenes of violence. The facts gathered are evaluated according to a certain formula and a particular number is arrived at; this figure or number offers the predictive value which can indicate a likelihood of violence in the future. The approach has a disadvantage in that so many facts have to be collected in order to ascertain the individual’s clinical judgment. For example, the grading or the rating of the severity, the content, and the presence of delusion; the difference the delusion makes if it is a section of a systematized collection of delusional beliefs, and how systematized the delusion is. It is not likely that this type of psychopathology can be quantified unless it is done in crude terms (Ronald Manual Doctor 2003, p9). The clinical approach is viewed as a method that is informal and not open to quantitative assessment, and it usually leaves all the authority to the clinician. The clinical approach often results in an evaluation that is hard to quantify due to the fact that external validation lacks. As a result, the employment of organizations such as social work agencies and health trusts are incapable of managing the risk in an auditable and coherent manner. Thus, they are unable to take medico-legal responsibility that is meaningful in regard to the actions of the clinician. As such, the risk assessment model and the management are supposed to take into consideration the reality that every clinical situation is distinct. It is also necessary to have a formal structure that can be understood and it is repeatable (Ronald Manual Doctor 2003, p9). The implementation of the Child Act 1989 was done in 1991. The act aimed at revolutionizing proceedings and practice that concerned the welfare of the children in Wales and England. The act began from the principle that the basic responsibility in the upbringing of

Liberty or Equality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Liberty or Equality - Essay Example The work of Tocqueville titled Democracy in America will be used to vividly identify exactly what his perspective is. Democracy in America is an important book for historians both in and outside the United States. On the other hand, no particular work of Jefferson will be used as many of his works are a revelation of what his position is as they are primarily concerned with issues on liberty. The papers of Thomas Jefferson are an attempt made by him to keep a balance in his correspondence. This attempt, of course, reflects his opinion is on liberty. As it may have been observed, both thinkers have made very valid points—points that are very difficult to counter. If it were the case that one of them backs negativity and the other backs positivity, it would have been much easier to choose between sides. However, even though the points made by both Jefferson and Tocqueville are positive, there are still junctures where they disagree. The disagreement is given vent to by the fact that one of the two concepts – liberty or equality – is a constituent of the other. The argument is also urged on by the premises on which both men build their points. Drawing from their arguments, the existence of one – liberty or equality – will automatically lead to the existence of the other. If there is equality in a system, it will automatically bring forth liberty. In the same vein, if there is liberty in a system, it will bring forth equality. Reality however teaches further that liberty can only come into fruition in situation in which there is equality. Liberty, on the other hand, does not automatically lead to equality. That people have the liberty to do whatsoever they want does into mean that they will be treated as equals with others. In a situation in which there is liberty without equality, such liberty is automatically cut short because it will largely be useless. From the foregoing, it is very obvious that Tocqueville’s position o n equality is superior to Jefferson’s on liberty. Tocqueville (2000) says â€Å"Equality leads men by a still more direct path...† Right from the beginning of Democracy in America, it is very obvious that the stand that will be supported by the author is that equality wherever it exists is universal. De Tocqueville (2000) posits that â€Å"the gradual development of the equality of conditions  is therefore a providential fact, and it possesses all the characteristics of a divine decree: it is universal, it is durable, it constantly eludes all human interference, and all events as well as all men contribute to its progress.† What he basically succeeds in doing is to compare the way equality can be found in different countries using the Unites States as the reference point. By so doing, Tocqueville is able to show the ways each society has reveals how equality is in operation. De Tocqueville thinks that equality can only be attained in a situation in which †Å"all the prerogatives of birth and fortune are destroyed, when all professions are open to all, and when one can reach the summit of each of them by oneself, an immense and easy course seems to open before the ambition of men, and they willingly fancy that they have been called to great destinies† (2010). However, most times, the same society that makes citizens dream of a bright future is often the one that ends up drawing them back. Tocqueville think

Nventory Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Nventory Management - Essay Example il industry has its core competency in the efficient supply chain system; it has developed a highly integrated and IT enabled logistics structure so that the demand and supply of its offerings is efficiently managed. Once the level of any product reaches a pre-determined level, the IT system automatically places an order at the supplier location. The supplier ensures that the goods are delivered within the agreed time period so that the problem of shortage is completely eliminated. Similarly, UPS, the leading postal carrier service provider ensures that it implements the direct-to-store approach effectively. In this approach, the step of distribution center is completely eliminated and the inventory is moved directly from the manufacturer to the consumer; there is no need of warehousing the stock and the holding and warehousing costs are completely eradicated from the supply chain (Muller, 2011). With the help of IT-enabled supply chain frameworks, the supplier-manufacturer relations have strengthened and the orders are fulfilled on time with shorter lead times and excellent level of the operational efficiency is attained. In order to ensure that the appropriate inventory management system is in place, the companies have made it mandatory that the best inventory management technique is implemented. For instance, Continental Airlines has ensured that it has the most efficient Materials Resource Planning (MRP) system within its business operations so that the in-flight services related to food and beverages are efficiently performed. As a result, its cost has reduced by US$40 million on yearly basis. With the help of this system, the inventory is adequately managed and it has been able to enhance its levels of proficiency and customer expectation by a significant amount (Wild, 2012). The Internet-enabled links between the partners of supply chain (inbound logistics, operations, outbound logistics and distribution) have enhanced the collaboration and coordination

Anguil Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Anguil - Research Paper Example The company won the prestigious United States Chamber of Commerce award which s fitted to the best managed company in a given year. The company underwent major changes in its leadership structure in the year 2008 with Gen Anguil retaining his CEO positions but with fewer responsibilities. Chris Anguil who at the time was the Vice President in charge of Sales and Marketing became the President of the company while Deb Anguil who until then served as the Vice President of the Operations became the Chief Operating Officer. The company is being driven by its slogan which states, â€Å"Committed to Cleaner Air† that has motivated it over the years to develop a complete understanding of the processes of each customer as well as acquisition of a thorough knowledge on the application of the regulatory requirements. As a company dealing with thermal and catalytic oxidizers, the company offers a wide range of technologically advanced air pollution control products which are used in the abatement process of industrial emissions. Various forms of industrial emissions include Volatile Organic Compounds, odors and Hazardous Air pollutants. The company engages in the manufacturing of equipment, their installation as well as process analysis. In order to promote good customer relations, it ensures a 24 hour post sale service so as to ensure that their products operate effectively to the satisfaction of the customers. In offering industrial energy and heat recovery solutions, the company offers a unique blend of time-tested means of energy regulation as well as modern innovative approaches to such initiatives. The company designs manufacture as well as install energy recovery systems. The systems are geared towards reducing the operation costs of the customers, lowering their energy consumptions as well as maximizing on their revenues. The readily available energy recovery and heat transfer systems include air to steam exchangers,

The value of Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The value of Life - Essay Example There is a challenge in addressing issues such as killing for the societal good. The case of the drug peddler avoiding police arrest and continues creating havoc creates a serious challenge especially when eliminated in non-legal manner. The difference between the non-legal manner and the legal approach is handling the matter creates a minimal difference in the society. In the case of the drug peddler, the taking of the law into their hands by the headmaster presents a challenge for the case when ethics and law is compared. Personal ethics is governed by a personal code of conduct which stipulates how a person will relate to each other. Personal code of ethics contains ten main aspects that must always be looked into so as to have a perfect relationship with the society. Honesty is a value with utmost importance because it will encourage the development trust of the society on the individual. It will also help in the creation of identifiable character of a person. The creation of int egrity will be associated with the image created on issues such addressed by the person. Responsibility is a virtue that must be present in every individual, because it creates harmony on the activities undertaken by individual by associating him with the activities and activities undertaken. ... As seen in the action of the police, the society developed distrust in the police. Trust is a value that is built over time but indispensable in the harmony of the society because it gives freedom to the individuals within the organization. It is vital that one does not change who he is, because others want him to, but create a personal image that will be appreciated by others. However, it times of crisis such a drug problem in the society, individuals in the society can view the solution taken by the Head teacher is the best. The support given to the Head teacher and the admission to the teacher on the matter makes the situation complex. In fact, even after accepting the responsibility, the lawyer has adamantly stated that the clients not guilty of the murder. Legal environment offers a challenge to the ethical belief of the society. The society teaches of honest and truthful as the virtues essential in maintaining harmony. However, telling the truth in such a case will lead to seri ous imprisonment for the Head teacher. Telling the truth is a value in the personal ethics that help in understanding of the prevailing conditions of every situation due to the truth shared in the context. The action of the Head teacher is justified through the action of the society. The society appreciates the involvement of the teacher in solving the perennial problem of drugs within the society. Initially, the society had experienced peace and tranquility until the arrival of the bad apples in the society. The appreciation of the harmony and tranquility witnessed in the past indicated the level of personal ethics and social responsibility of the society. Appreciation is a value in personal ethics paramount, in relationship building, because it will influence

Research topic related to intelligence collection Paper

Topic related to intelligence collection - Research Paper Example Proper intelligence is an inevitable component of the defense system of all governments in the world to evaluate the threat by external as well as internal elements and to protect their countries from exposure to attacks by terrorists. In this context, the development of technology is a crucial factor for enabling nations to monitor and exercise surveillance over the activities of various organizations that sponsor and promote terrorism and other subversive activities. Intelligence collection is a process of â€Å"collection, processing, integration, evaluation, analysis and interpretation of available information concerning foreign nations, hostile or potentially hostile forces or elements or areas of actual or potential operations† (Forcese 2011, 181). For obtaining such intelligence and to ensure the safety of their citizens, countries deploy modern technology. The effective collection of intelligence by the US government through Unmanned Aircraft System has enabled the cou ntry to attain a high level of operational success in the global war on terror. Human history, right from its initial stage has evidenced the use of human intelligence for the purpose of obtaining the movements of their enemies for preparing for offensive tactics in wars. Similarly, in order to fight terrorism, countries also need to collect intelligence on various terrorist organizations and evaluate their strategies for offensives to properly counter the problem of terrorism. In his message to war fighters, Joseph Reynes Jr., Major General USAF, states that proper surveillance can facilitate the â€Å"prediction of an adversary’s behavior and the formulation and execution of preemptive activities to deter or forestall† offensive attempts by such adversaries (Commander’s Handbook for Persistent Surveillance 2011). This handbook has been developed with an intention to provide an overview of the present systems of surveillance as well as discusses future needs for

Leadership & Ethics for Managers Research Paper

Leadership & Ethics for Managers - Research Paper Example Often organizations go through processes that redefine the way a company operates. The CEO of the company has the vision and the strategic plan to transform the organization. Companies in the 21st century do not longer seek individualism in the actions of its employees. Teamwork and cooperation have become a hot trend in the business world. The current approach and strategy of the CEO of the organization is to move to a team environment and to push many of the decisions to the lowest possible levels in order to achieve a team based empowered organization. The most valuable resource of any organization is its people because of the ability of humans to think, communicate and use judgment (Feinberg, 2012). The CEO is facing some resistance to change from the rest of the managerial staff of the organization. It is the duty of the leader to find a resolution to the problem. The first step towards finding an alternative solution to the dilemma is to open the lines of communication between the workers and the managers of the firm. The new plan that the CEO of the company wants to implement should be assessed by the entire organization. The managers should listen to the input of the workers about the proposed plan. Two concepts that many people visualize as similar, but in reality differ a lot are leading and managing. One of the purposes and visions of leaders is to inspire groups of people in organizations to aspire to achieve common goals (Entrepreneur, 2002). Leading involves motivating others to achieve a higher level of performance. Leadership can come from any person in an organization which implies that leadership abilities are not limited or exclusive of a managerial position. Sometimes companies gain the benefit of having strong leaders among the floor employees. Good leaders have excellent communication skills and are active listeners. Being an active listener can help an employee enhance his productivity and it improves a person’s ability to influenc e, persuade, and negotiate (Mindtools, 2012). One of the key differences between leading and managing is that managing entails complying with the basic managerial functions. Some of the basic managerial functions are planning, staffing, organizing, and controlling. Another difference between the two concepts is that managers are responsible for the actions of their subordinates. The CEO is trying to manage instead of leading this change initiative. Evidence that the CEO is using a managing approach is that the leader created a plan and provided a layout of the work structure that he expects the employees to follow. The managerial mandate of the CEO is to implement a team based work structure. One of the mistakes made is relying too much on managing instead of leading change. To lead change the corporate executive must convince others of the benefits of the change instead of imposing his will and vision on others and making unilateral decisions. The managers of the organization at fi rst glance did not like the plan of the CEO. It is highly possible that the managers felt threatened by the change management initiative because they felt their power and control would be diminished by the move. The CEO of the firm has to start a direct dialogue and negotiation process with the managerial staff. The use of formal meetings is a method that can be used to interchange ideas and opinions

Various Definitions of Hegemony and Pax Americana Essay Example for Free

Various Definitions of Hegemony and Pax Americana Essay The politics of hegemony is an important area of political science. During the Pax Americana period – that is, after WWII – the United States is known to have helped the world establish economic order (Samuelson, 2006, p. A31). Moreover, the U. S. is known to have assisted other countries with economic aid and in reconstruction efforts, for example, with the well-known Marshall Plan (Hogan, 1989, p. 1-25). Heardon (2002) describes the United States as an architect of a new world order during the Second World War. Hence, it is important to comprehend the power of the U. S. in the light of various definitions of hegemony. The word, ‘hegemony,’ is known to have its roots in the Greek verb, â€Å"hegeisthai,† meaning â€Å"to lead† (â€Å"What is Hegemony,† 2007). In the ancient Greek civilization the term applied to leaders that were able to influence and exert a tremendous amount of control over groups of people. The hegemons had to be supported by at least one dominant group so as to keep the common people from rebelling against established leaders (â€Å"What is Hegemony†). Watson (2002) refers to two meanings of hegemony in International Relations: â€Å"One has to do with the distribution of power in a system. Not merely military force, but also technical and financial strength. The other meaning is the dominance of a particular idea or set of assumptions, such as economic liberalism and globalization (p. 1). † Certainly the second definition of hegemony in International Relations cannot be applied to a country that influences other countries, for example, the United States since the beginning of the Pax Americana period. The first definition of hegemony in International Relations, on the other hand, may aptly describe the power of the British Empire in the mid-nineteenth century, and of the United States during the period known as Pax Americana (Pigman, 1997, p. 186). Watson writes that the first definition is a â€Å"material condition† enabling a â€Å"great power, or a group of powers, or the great powers in a system acting collectively, to bring such great pressures and inducements to bear that most other states lose some of their freedom of action de facto, though not de jure (p. 1). † Also according to the author, the Western world’s hegemony in our times, and especially that of the United States, has aimed to alter the â€Å"internal behaviour† of other countries as well as societies (Watson, p. 1). The implications of change of â€Å"internal behaviour† induced by powerful countries combine the two definitions of hegemony in International Relations (Watson, p. 1). As an example, if the Western world, and especially the United States, manages to convert a large number of countries into believers in economic liberalism as well as globalization – these ideas proposed by hegemonic societies would be considered the dominant ones. Likewise, the Western world has its own ideas about human rights in addition the environment and the â€Å"standards of civilization,† which happen to be prominent today seeing that the world media is by and large controlled by the Western civilization (Watson, p. 1). All the same, the world at large has not adopted these ideas as their own, which suggests that the second definition of hegemony in International Relations cannot really be applied in our time. According to Ferguson (2003), hegemony of the United States during the period referred to as Pax Americana was based on four pillars. The first pillar was entirely economic, as the economy of the United States outperformed most of its competitors in the twentieth century. The second pillar of U. S. hegemony related to the country’s â€Å"power to advance multilateral, mutually balanced tariff reductions under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (later the World Trade Organization) (Ferguson). † During the Kennedy Round negotiations of 1967, reductions in tariffs were achieved mainly due to pressures from the United States (Beck, 1970, p. 33-36). Pressures were exerted through â€Å"conditionality,† that is, the terms that the International Monetary Fund, based in Washington D. C. , applied to grant loans (Ferguson). The third pillar of U. S. hegemony may be understood by the way the U. S. dollar was presented by the U. S. government as a â€Å"key currency,† both â€Å"before and after the breakdown of the Bretton Woods institutions (Ferguson). † This allowed the U. S. to be â€Å"less restrained† than other nations as far as foreign investment and strategic policymaking were concerned (Ferguson). Subsequently, the world experienced the hegemony of the U. S. dollar, granting extensive privileges unto the United States (Ferguson; Paul, 2006). The fourth pillar, according to Ferguson, was the maintenance of hegemony by the United States through its ability to formally constitute an â€Å"alliance of states† – in other words, NATO – which was committed to the â€Å"containment of two rival superpowers (Ferguson). † In fact, the chief responsibility assumed by NATO has been to secure Europe and the United States against military attacks (â€Å"Frequently Asked Questions,† 2008). If we were to believe that Pax Americana continues to this day, the conventional definition of hegemony in International Relations is enough to help us understand the period since 1945. After all, the United States has maintained its leadership position among the countries of the world by using its military power as well as economic and technological strength, despite the fact that its use of military force has been disapproved by many nations. (The very meaning of ‘Pax’ is ‘Peace’). Furthermore, even the recession of 2008 has not given the world a new leader dethroning the United States. Noam Chomsky believes that the current recession is not expected to end U. S. hegemony in any case (Rattansi, 2008). All the same, Antonio Gramsci’s definition of hegemony cannot explain the position of the U. S. from 1945 to 2008, seeing that this definition may only describe a leading nation that is respected by the subordinate groups for all its decisions (â€Å"Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks†). The fact that the United States’ decisions during the Vietnam War were not supported by the American public and the world at large confirm Wallerstein’s (2002) hypothesis that Pax Americana must have ended during the Vietnam War. Foster McChesney (2004) write that the end of the Vietnam War was the time when the mask of the American Empire was lifted. The period called Pax Americana was â€Å"revealed as imperialism pure and simple (Foster McChesney). † This is because the president of the United States could no longer explain the foreign policy of his nation as based on the â€Å"liberation of man† and the â€Å"survival of liberty (Foster McChesney). † Hence, Gramsci’s definition of Pax Americana may only explain the period between 1945 and the Vietnam War, when the United States was considered a helper and facilitator rather than a hostile imperialist nation. According to Gramsci, hegemony refers to political power flowing from moral, intellectual and political leadership as well as consensus or authority instead of military force. Thus, a ruling class may form as well as maintain hegemony in a civil society by the creation of political and cultural consensus using political parties, unions, media, schools, the church, and various other kinds of voluntary organizations that exercise hegemony over social groups in addition to â€Å"allied classes (Hainsworth, 2000). † These organizations of persons, the media, as well as information that flows from them control the behaviour and thinking of the people by presenting them with â€Å"dominant ideologies,† thereby creating â€Å"a state of domination (Hainsworth). † Moreover, the leading class may hold greater power over the people than the government, according to Gramsci. Besides, all decisions made by the leading class must be democratic in nature. In particular, the subordinate groups should agree with the leading class in matters of economic development as well as legislation, seeing that the people are significantly affected by decisions in these areas. The leading class is allowed by the people to use force against hostile groups. Just the same the force used by the leading class should not exceed the consent of the people (â€Å"Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks†). The work of the United States during the period, 1945 to the Vietnam War, may definitely be understood in the light of Gramsci’s definition of hegemony. U. S. financiers and corporations along with the U. S. government formed the leading class, with the financiers and corporations playing a major role and the government simply voicing their interests through new plans and negotiations with the rest of the world. The role played by the U. S. government on behalf of the ruling class, that is, the financiers and corporations, is comparable to the present role of the media. All the same, it is obvious that the functions of the United States during Pax Americana – if it is believed to be the period, 1945-Vietnam War – were entirely democratic. As a matter of fact, the ideologies of the United States during this period were almost entirely accepted by the rest of the world. The U. S. continued to foster enmity with the Soviet Union. Even so, the subordinate groups did not disagree with this stance of the United States. As the U. S. promoted anticommunist ideologies, subordinate classes preferred them to communist ideologies. Thus, the United States had managed to dominate almost the entire world with its moral, intellectual, and political ideologies. References Beck, R. H. (1970). The Changing Structure of Europe: Economic, Social, and Political Trends. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota Press. Ferguson, N. (2003, Sep-Oct). Hegemony or Empire? Foreign Affairs. Foster, J. B. , McChesney, R. W. (2004, Sep). The American Empire: Pax Americana or Pox Americana. Monthly Review. Frequently Asked Questions. (2008, Jun 11). North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://www. nato. int/issues/faq/index. html. Hainsworth, S. (2000, May 17). Gramsci’s Hegemony Theory and the Ideological Role of the Mass Media. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://www. cultsock. ndirect. co. uk/MUHome/cshtml/contributions/gramsci2. html. Hearden, P. J. (2002). Architects of Globalism: Building a New World Order during World War II. Fayetteville: University of Arkansas Press. Hegemony in Gramsci’s Original Prison Notebooks. Retrieved Dec 10, 2008, from http://socserv2. mcmaster. ca/soc/courses/soc2r3/gramsci/gramheg. htm.

The annual budgeting process has been criticised

The annual budgeting process has been criticised The annual budgeting process has been criticised as a cumbersome process which occupies considerable management time; concentrating unduly on short term financial control; having undesirable effects on motivation of managers; emphasising formal organisation structure. Introduction A budget is a quantitative measurable long term plan with specified corporate goals set to be achieved within a specific time period. The annual budget is usually divided into sub-plans usually quarterly and is based on an annual strategic business plan. It is formulated by following a process that requires careful analysis and evaluation of organizational objectives, alternatives, strategic options, decisions and actions and implementation of objectives as well as monitoring of results. The comprehensive nature of the budgeting process thus require participation of managers and executives who are responsible for the planning of actual operations, coordination of activities, communication of plans to responsibility centres; motivate managers to achieve budget goals; controlling activities; and evaluating performance. In all of these processes and activities, one notices the conflicting roles of budgets that involve planning, motivation and performance evaluation (Drury 2004). Due to these conflicting roles of budgets, in the recent years critics are of the opinion that the annual budget process is merely a waste of resource and a burden to management rather than enabling them to control their management environment. In the following discussion the researcher shall discuss the factors concerned and offers some recommendation for improvement of the annual budget process. Discussion a. Management time consumption Conventional annual budget process is a quantified plan prepared and approved to define the course of action and activities to be carried out during a specified time period utilizing certain amount of resources to achieve given objectives (Drury 2004). The process deals with projection of activities, contingencies, strategies and interaction of processes within an organization. Budgets are also controls in the planning process to ensure the organization does not deviate from its financial and operational goals. These activities and processes require extensive analysis of organizational processes; plans for targets to be achieved by individual departments and by the overall organization; and results expected to be achieved etc. Consequently, one observes that the annual budgeting process is a complex and tedious process that requires top management directives and participation of lower management and staffs. Not only this but according to Jeremy Hope and Robin Fraser (2003) the tradit ional budget process require four to five months for completion and efforts of 20 to 30 percent of the manager's time. Furthermore, traditional budgeting is based on incremental budgeting whereby expenditures or revenue estimations are based the increments on the previous outcomes, and does not necessarily reflect the need of the environment in which the firm operates resulting in unachievable targets and undesirable outcomes. To resolve modern day organizations are focussing more on rolling forecasts and driver based budgeting models which are concentrated on participation and usage of drivers that operate the organization (Hunt 2003). b. Short financial control Another aspect of the annual budget process is that it is divided and based on quarterly objectives and results. Whether the organization is segmented into profit centres; cost centres; revenue or investment centres, the basic premise is that each of these centres are responsible for the designated outcome set by the annual budget. The overall outcome is estimated based on the quarterly results. The objective for quarterly results is to enable management to estimate expected results at the end of the year and also to use budgets as financial controls to counteract deviation, if there are any before the situation proliferate out of hand. Yet this very factor not only takes up a lot of management time but it also forces managers to dedicate significant time to target achievements, financial objectives and compliance with the process therein instead of concentrating on management excellence. c. Undesirable effect on manager motivation The pressure to deliver as Hope and Fraser (2003) note force managers and their teams to concentrate on sales targets; customers order of goods whether they want it or not; and achieve financial objectives. There is less and less time for managers to concentrate on team building; motivation; performance level; evaluation; or even time for designing effective and productive departmental structure to achieve better results. For this reason budgeting process tend to motivate managers to set their objectives to financial objectives and deliverables rather than on working as a team. The managers are thus the gatekeepers while the team members are forced to become dissociated from the organization's structure. d. Emphasis on formal organizational structure Given the emphasis on extensive and detailed planning at the departmental level, it is imperative that organizations have formal structure so that budgeting process can be integrated into the forecasting and goal achievement activities. Formal organizational structure is also required for building and approving budgets through communication and coordination. Managers are therefore expected to align day to day activities with organizational strategies and budgets in order to achieve the desired objectives. Without a formal organizational structure, it would be difficult for the management to have a control over operational activities and financial consequences therein. Conclusion Given the above discussion, the researcher deduce that the annual budgeting process is a tedious process that eats up the time of management and lower staff alike without much productivity. The reason for this low productivity despite well planned budgeting is because of the long process that entails and the nature of the budgeting process. Budgeting from a top down approach is usually an imposition rather than participation. In modern day organization participation of team members, managers and supervisors with the top management is imperative for efficient operation. Dictated objectives and plans do not help in this regard. For this reason many organizations are changing their approach to budgeting by focussing on operational outcomes and inputs to fixate targets reinforced by incentives rather than outlined targets to be achieved without any motivation. As McGregor indicate in his Theory X/Y human beings are liable to work better if their desired motivation are in place (2005) and they are satisfied. Similarly, effective organizational planning in the form of budgets should be based on firm's ability to respond to change and more importantly on the satisfaction of those who are responsible for carrying out the plans. Increased participation not only encourages responsibility but also makes accountability easier as individuals feel they are responsible for the operational outcomes. They are not bogged by the imposed accountability (Hunt 2003). References McGregor, D. 2005, The Human Side of Enterprise, Annotated Edition. McGraw-Hill. Drury, C., 2004, Management and Cost Accounting, London: Thompson Business Press, 6th Edition. Hope, J. and Fraser, R. Feb 2003, Trash The Budget. Optimize, Issue 22. Hunt, S. Aug 2003, Budgets Roll With The Times. Optimize, Issue 22.

History Of Mobile Banking

History Of Mobile Banking Mobile banking is known as M-banking or SMS Banking. The european company called PayBox supported financially by Deutsche Bank, in 1999 started mobile banking.  [i]  SMS was the earliest mobile banking service offered. It is an emerging field in the banking segment. However, older phones had limited functionality. Mobile phones, palm PCs and PDAs were lacking hardware and software support. The higher cost of data plans and the slower network speed were also limiting factors in the growth of mobile banking. It has been improved with the advancement of the technology, the hardware and software. The cost of mobile devices has been reduced drastically and is still reducing. Network speed is much better than before and data plans are not as costly. All of these changes have provided necessary raw materials for the growth of mobile banking and the numbers of people using mobile banking is increasing day by day. Users, who were using computers/laptops for online banking, are moving towa rds mobile banking because of ease of use and fast access. In the USA, mobile banking was introduced in 2006 by Wachovia bank.  [ii]  In Sep 2007, Aite group predicted the mobile banking users in the United States would reach 1.6 million by the end of the year 2007 and will rapidly increase to 35 million by the year 2010.  [iii]  The report indicated the growth potential for mobile banking. However, the security issues are the major concerns for mobile banking service providers and the users. As mobile banking systems mature, more users will start using mobile banking, which will draw the attention of the hacker community to target mobile banking customers mostly for financial gain. Safety and security of the personal and financial information stored and managed in the devices are the key factors for users, banking organization and the security community. The purpose of this paper is to gain basic knowledge of mobile banking, explain the different kinds of architecture used in mobile banking and identify the different security attacks and its countermeasures. Mobile banking in US compare to other countries Wachovia bank was the first to announce mobile banking services to their customers in Sep 2006 and re-launched in March 2007 followed by a few other banks.  [iv]  They developed their own banking product with ATT. Bank of America started mobile banking services in March 2007 in collaboration with four major wireless carriers, which reported 500,000 users within the first 6 months. Initially, the services offered were funds transfer, bill payment, branch and ATM locations, account balance, etc. Since then there has been huge progress in mobile banking services. In 2009 and 2010 respectively, San Antonio, Texas-based USAA launched their new application for the iPhone and Android platform that is capable of remote deposit capture allowing users to take a photo of the check and deposit electronically.  [v]  In the middle of 2010 Chase bank also introduced the mobile RDC application for the iPhone.  [vi]  In Nov 2010, U.S. Bank and Visa announced a mobile payment system for th eir customers.  [vii]  They offer the service via use of the MicroSD card, which fits in most existing mobile devices. A month before that, U.S. bank launched a full suite mobile banking solution for prepaid cardholders with bill pay capabilities. Even though the US based banks provide different kinds of mobile banking services, they are still far behind of their counter parts in the world. 7Many banks in the world have offered mobile banking and financial services for years. European and Asian countries have been offering mobile banking services for years that vary for banking related services to the mobile proximity payments. Japan and South Korea are the world leaders in adopting mobile banking technology. Before 2004, the Internet was the only way of using mobile banking in Japan, which enabled customers to browse the merchant website through a web browser. However, customers still had to use their credit/debit cards for payments. In 2004, NTT DoCoMo started using FeliCa contactless IC chips developed by Sony for mobile devices, which can carry personal and financial information that facilitated remote payments and substituted mobile devices for cash and cards at merchants points of sale. In 2005, KDDI and Vodafone also adopted FeliCa. 7In 2002, SK Telecom and KTF launched their proximity payment programs in South Korea, which used an infrared technology. These prog rams were not successful because of number of reasons. In 2003, LG Telecom started South Koreas first IC chip based mobile banking service, which significantly increased the market share of LG Telecom. The other carriers also adopted IC chips following the success of LG Telecom. Also, Visa and MasterCard have successfully operated in South Korea since 2006. Since then mobile banking services have come a long way in other countries of the world. Difference between mobile banking and online banking/credit/debit card banking At present, mobile banking provides almost the same kind of services as online, credit/debit card banking. When mobile banking services first started, the mobile devices were not able to support all mobile banking services and they were lacking hardware and software support. The initial mobile banking service offered was the SMS banking; while online banking was very well developed and was offering all kinds of banking services. Credit/debit card systems are also fully developed and people were able to use their cards at merchants point of sale and online for payments. However, technological advancements in mobile devices have enabled users to use mobile banking related services via SMS, web browser and mobile web applications. Currently available mobile devices have the same processing power as computers and they are still evolving. In some countries, mobile banking was started in the early 90s and now offer a full suite mobile banking solution, which has features of online banking and credit/debit card banking. People are using their mobile devices to replace cash and cards. However, mobile banking services in the USA were started at the end of 2006. Most USA banks are still not offering full mobile banking solutions to their customers. U.S. banks recently announced proximity payment systems in 2010, which has been in use for a long time in other countries. Some of the features of online banking and credit/debit card banking are not available for mobile banking systems. So mobile banking systems in the US are less developed compared to online, credit/debit card banking in terms of services. However, as number of people enrolled in mobile banking increases and banks offer more services with a full range of solutions in the US, the line between mobile banking and online/credit/debit card banking will get thinner and, in the future, mobile banking will provide a combination service of online and credit/debit card banking in the US. In terms of security, mobile banking is as secure as online banking and offers the same security features and protections. However, there is less number of users for mobile banking than online/credit/debit card banking, which reduces the risk of security threats. The hacking community is more targeted towards the online/credit/debit card banking for financial gain. A large number of antivirus, antimalware/spyware etc. available for online banking are not widely available for mobile banking. But with the increase in number of users for mobile banking, these software are also increasing. Mobile banking also carries the risk of some attacks called Vishing, SMishing and spoofing that are only possible in mobile devices. The security features and countermeasures for them differ from online banking. However, mobile banking provides the same security protections as the online banking, as most of them are derived from the experience with online banking. Mobile banking services 5Mobile banking systems allow users to perform bank related transactions like balance checks, account transactions, bill payments, fund transfers, credit/debit card management, etc. through mobile telecommunication devices like mobile phones or PDAs (personal digital assistants). Mobile banking can be divided in three different concepts based on an academic model: (1) Mobile accounting, (2) Mobile brokerage and (3) Mobile financial information services. 6Mobile accounting services can be divided into account operations and account administration. Account operations include fund transfers, bill payments, etc. and account administration includes ordering checks, updating profiles and personal information, managing lost or stolen cards, etc. Mobile brokerage is related to buying and selling of stocks, securities, and obtaining current information about securities. Mobile financial information divides into account information and market information. Account information includes informati on on branch and ATM locations, credit/debit cards, statements, alerts, balance inquiries, etc., while market information includes products and services, currency exchanges, interest rates, etc. Mobile banking advantages disadvantages Mobile banking offers many advantages to both, users and service providers. It is fast and easy to use and saves time. For online banking, an internet connection is an essential which is a major problem in developing countries. However, many individuals can find mobile connectivity at places where internet connection cannot be found. Mobile banking is cost effective for providers as cost of mobile banking is much less compared with onsite banking. Various kinds of banking services and transactions can be performed with mobile banking. However, mobile banking has many disadvantages too. Security issues are the major concern. Phishing scams, viruses and Trojans and physical loss of the mobile device are some of the security issues that affect mobile banking. The cost of the mobile devices, which are compatible with the mobile banking application and still quite high. Mobile requires a data plan and text messaging services, which is an added cost to the user. Some providers charge for s oftware and mobile banking services as well. Different types of mobile banking architecture 5There are three types of architectures available for mobile phones to enable mobile banking. Up until 2010 most of the mobile banking was performed by SMS or mobile web. With the advancement in mobile phones and following the success of Apples iPhone and other operating system based phones, mobile banking is increasing through the special client applications. These different architectures are further discussed below: SMS or MMS based mobile banking Mobile website Mobile client application SMS or MMS based mobile banking architecture SMS based mobile banking was the first mobile banking service offered. It is based on plain text message interaction. 6,11SMS banking works in two different modes. Pull mode and push mode. Pull mode is a one-way text message system where the bank sends a text message to the users informing them about certain account situations. It can be used to promote other mobile banking services. Push mode is a two-way message system where users send text messages to the bank requesting specific transactions or services with predefined request codes and the bank replies with specific information pertaining to the transactions or services through plain text messages. 6,11There are two different kinds of text messaging systems: SMS and MMS. SMS is a short form of short message service, which includes sending or receiving plain text messages from the bank. It has a limitation on the number of characters can be included in a message. MMS, known as multimedia messaging service, is the second type of messaging service, which can carry larger text messages and works on the same platform as SMS. To use message based mobile banking, a customer has to enroll his/her cell phone to the bank and the bank sends a text massage with a onetime password. Each bank has its own SMS banking number and commands for mobile banking. The message based system has some advantages. It is cost effective and familiar technology, virtually available in each and every cell phone regardless of manufacturer, model or carrier. It provides two-way communication between the bank and the user, so either the bank or the customer can initiate communication. It does not transmit or sto re the confidential information in the mobile device. However, SMS cannot carry a larger message and account information. SMS has to be limited to certain number of characters which limits its use. Mobile website based mobile banking architecture 6,11This architecture includes the use of the internet browser of the mobile device to access the banks internet banking website. Users can connect to the internet via a wireless network or their carriers internet service. The biggest advantage of this architecture is most of the processing is done at a remote server at the bank and much less information is stored in the mobile device. On the other hand, it doesnt require the installation of special software and most of the phones today are capable of using an internet browser. 6,11WAP (wireless access protocol) was created in 1999 and made internet access possible through mobile devices. WAP is an industry standard for wireless applications for mobile devices. It provides the same kind of user experience to the customer as the Internet banking and it does not require the installation of a special mobile banking application. However, it has some disadvantages also. Banks have to create mobile websites that are mobile friendly and can be accessed through the small screen of mobile device. It does not work with all kinds of phones and requires smart or PDA phones. There is an added cost for data plans and only customers can initiate communication. This system is more prone to attack as mobile devices are not capable of running firewalls or antivirus protections. Mobile client application based mobile banking architecture 6,11This architecture requires the download and installation of a mobile client application to the mobile device. With the help of the application a bank can provide a wide range of services to their customers. Although this approach has some advantages and some disadvantages. First of all, users have to learn a new application. The application has to be customized to different phones which increases the development cost to the banks. The applications are also susceptible to attacks and only customers can initiate communication. The older phones are not capable of running this application because of technical limitations. The use of internet requires a data plan that increases the cost on the part of customers. (A data plan requires to use client application based mobile banking architecture, which increases the cost on the part of customer.) Some of the banks charge an initial fee for downloading and installing the mobile client application. Mobile banking security requirements Confidentiality Authentication integrity non-repudiation Security attacks/threats Mobile banking is an emerging technology and the number of mobile banking subscribers increases day by day. With the increase in number of users, the concerns for security also rise. Different kinds of security attacks are as follows: What kinds of attacks are more on which types of architecture model? Vishing12 Vishing is a social engineering attack over the telephone system. It is a type of phishing and it is a combination term of voice and phishing. Mostly it uses features facilitated by Voice over IP (VOIP), to gain access to private, personal and financial information from the public (information of the users). It is used to get the authentication information of the user mostly for financial gain. 13Phishing Phishing is an another kind of social engineering attack in an electronic communication to acquire sensitive information like usernames, passwords and credit card details by redirecting unsuspecting users to a fake website with the use of an authentic looking email. It can also be carried out by instant messages. 14Smishing Smishing is also a social engineering attack similar to phishing. The name is derived from SMs phiSHING. It uses the text message system of the phone to get private, personal, and financial information of the user. A web site URL embedded in the text message may act as a hook. However, the phone number that connects to the automated voice response system has become more common. 15,16Spoofing Spoofing is an attack where a person or program successfully masquerades as another with falsifying data. A spoofing attack causes the telephone network to display a number on the recipients caller-id-display. This number is familiar and looks like it came from a legitimate source, which is not an origination source actually. 6Lost and stolen phones This is one the biggest threats for mobile banking. Mobile phones are small and portable and could be easily lost or stolen. Authentication, authorization and confidentiality are the areas to be considered when mobile devices are lost or stolen. 19In 2001, 1.3 million devices were lost or stolen in the UK. 17In 2006, over 1 billion phones were sold worldwide. Of those 80 million were smartphones, which have operating system and can store all kinds of information. 18A survey found that 34% users didnt even use a PIN. This threat increases with the increase in the number of phones. 6Cracking and Cloning Cracking a mobile device means modifying its software to gain control of that particular mobile device. Attackers find the ways to break or crack the software and once cracked the attacker has the access to the data stored in the device. An IPhone cracked by an ISE is an example of phone cracking. Attacker found an exploit in the iPhones web browser, deployed a fussing attack and injected invalid data into a program looking for the buffer overflow. With cracking, the software attacker can also view SMS logs, call history, etc. or send that data to their machine. Bluetooth is also vulnerable to phone crack attack. 17If Bluetooth is on, any Bluetooth device can connect to the phone within a 30 foot range. An attacker can use bluesnarfing and download, upload or edit files on a device without the owners permission. Default setting can be change by attacker.(Even once a Bluetooth device connected with phone, attacker can change the default setting also.) 20One survey in London found that 379 out of 943 phones had their default setting on and 138 out of 379 were vulnerable to attack. Making identical copies of anything is known as cloning. Cloning of a mobile device creates a second device, which has the same identical information as the original device. Cloning new phones is difficult while older phones were easy to clone with some basic equipment. 17Cloning of GSM phones is much more difficult in comparison to cloning of CDMA phones. Cloning of CDMA phones only requires a phones electronic serial number and mobile identification number. A few ALLTEL customers had their phones cloned during their visit to different places. Cloning can affect all carriers and all kinds of phones if they are left on. 21With less than $2000, any attacker can build a cloning device that can capture the signals from a mobile device. It can capture the signals sent out by the phone from up to a mile away and get the codes that identify the phone. Cracking and cloning are active threats to mobile banking. Cracking can be used to get sensitive data from the phone or to install malware w hile cloning can duplicate all information from the phone and an attacker can get about half of the information to identify the phone. 6,22Man-In-the-Middle attack(MIM) MIM is considered a threat to the confidentiality and integrity of people. It is a form of active eavesdropping in which attacker makes independent connections to victims by positioning him/herself in between two victims to take control of communication between them with the intention of interception and alteration of information and relays it to others, making them believe that it came from the other person and not from the attacker. The attacker must be able to intercept all messages and alter them while it is transit. It is also known as active wiretapping or traffic intercepting. The chances of this kind of attack increases with the use of wireless connection compared to other more secured connections. Viruses, malware and malicious code 24Malicious code is a software in the form of viruses, malware or worms. These kinds of software can be inserted into a system without the knowledge of the user. The primary intent of inserting the software is to gain private personal and financial information of the user and compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the system. It affects the victims private data, applications, operating systems or sometimes just annoys the users. 23Mobile browsers are susceptible to the same kind of security risks as home or office computers. Mobile browsers are little safer at this point compared to computers. With the increase of mobile banking, the numbers of these kinds of software will increase. However, at present, the increasing number of viruses and Trojan horses is the biggest concern to mobile banking security. 25The mobile devices running windows operating system are a favorite target for the hacker community. 26The first generation viruses were proof-of-concept viruses. The Commwarrior virus spreads over Bluetooth and MMS. SymbOS.skulls is a Trojan horse that affects symbian phones and changes all the application icons to skull icons. In 1994, the Cabir worm spread as an infected SIS package called caribe.sis. It spread via open Bluetooth connections and affected Symbian Series 60 phones. Timifonica virus infected PCs in 2000 and sent harmless text messages to cell phones. There are also software that infect mobile devices and look for personal information like stored password or other sensitive information. Some Trojans can steal address book information and send that information to hackers via SMS or MMS. 6Bluetooth can be used easily to spread these viruses. Most digital phones available today are Bluetooth enabled and any Bluetooth device can be infected within range. In Finland, a mobile malware was spread from Bluetooth to Bluetooth device during a soccer game. However, while Blueto oth is the easiest way to spread viruses it is not the only way. Malware have been written that use Internet and cellular networks to spread. SMS and MMS can also be used to spread viruses and malware. Therefore, this threat is a recent major concern for banks and users. Vast number of attacks can be launched with use of viruses and malware. Security countermeasures Security of mobile banking is an important and a crucial issue. In addition to that, wireless communication increases the vulnerability of the system. Therefore, more robust security system is necessary to protect the private personal and financial information of the users. Following are some of the countermeasures discussed in the paper. What kinds of countermeasures are more required and more available for which types of architecture model? User authentication 27Authentication is process of identification of something or someone as authentic. There are three different ways by which someone can be authenticated. These three categories are based on the factors of authentication: what you know, what you have or what you are. Each of these factors have a range of elements. Research has suggested that for better security at least two or preferably three factors be verified. If two elements are required for authentication it is called as two-factor authentication while two or more than two factors authentication is known as multi-factor authentication. 6FFIEC requires banks to use multiple forms of authentication for electronic banking. All mobile banking systems need to use at least two-factor authentication for user identification. 6Authentication techniques based on what user knows including a combination of the pin number, the username, the password and the onetime password for mobile banking. Research has shown security concerns with this technique as users use weak passwords, write it down or share with others. 28Therefore, to increase the protection of the mobile device pin protection or distributed pin verification scheme has been suggested in which one-half of the pin is stored in the mobile device and rest of the half is stored in a remote machine in the network. So the attacker can get only half of the pin from the phones memory. 6Another technique uses what user has. This includes ID card, cell phone, credit card etc. Use of any of the above forms is not a reliable technique as the user must have the physical possession of them. 6Biometrics is an another form of authentication that includes face, voice, fingerprint, DNA sequence etc. 18Clarke and Furnell found in a survey that 83% of populations were in favor of using biometric system for authentication. 29A report on biometric security for mobile banking in March 2008 discusses the different issues of the mobile banking and suggests use of biometric system for more robust security with the help of a users fingerprint as a biometric element. 6Behavior analysis can also be used as a security measure where users are granted or denied access based on their previous behavior. A robust system uses multiple forms of identification before and during use of an application and if necessary asks for more accurate form of identification. If the user fails they are locked out. Encryption 30Encryption means changing or transforming the information in an unreadable form to anyone with the help of algorithm. A key is required to make the information readable again. This process is called decryption. Encryption addresses the confidentiality issue. Encryption can be used to protect data at rest and in transit. There are vast numbers of incidents reporting data interception in transit. 6There are two different ways to protect the data on the phone. (1) Encryption of information stored in the phone and (2) Encryption of the information during communication. 31The current encryption technique is AES and ECC. The wireless data is encrypted with AES and the encryption key uses ECC to encrypt this data. They increase the speed of encryption and decryption and currently they are the most powerful technology available for encryption. 6CellTrust uses AES and micro clients to protect the SMS messages and send encrypted SMS messages. ClairMail recommends the use of SSL and HTTPS during communication. TPM is another tool that can help with encryption and protection of mobile devices. It is an embedded chip in the motherboard that can work with mobile devices or security smartcards. It can store keys, passwords, digital signature and certificates. 32TPM chip has a unique RSA key embedded in it during production. So it can be used to perform platform authentication. For example , to verify mobile devices seeking access for mobile banking. Digital signature 33Digital signature is an electronic signature that can be used to identify the authenticity of the message of the document. It is also known as digital cryptographic signature. It can be used with encrypted or unencrypted message. A valid digital signature indicates that the message or document was sent by a known person and it was not altered in transit. Digital signature also represents non-repudiation. Therefore, ones the message has been sent and digitally signed, the signer cannot deny that he/she did not sign a message. 6With the help of Digital signatures customer can sign the document and does not have to visit branch office. In mobile banking, adding a digital signature to the transaction proves that a customer authorized the transaction. 31At present digital signature technology uses RSA algorithm and ECC algorithm. Because of higher security level, low calculating processing speed, small storage space and low band-width requirement ECC will be more suitable for mobile banking. WPKI technology 34PKI (public key infrastructure) is a security mechanism for wireless internet and uses public key cryptography and certificate management for communications. It provides all four of the security feature for e-commerce: confidentiality, integrity, non-repudiation and authentication. 35WAP (wireless access protocol) is developed by WAP forum to provide a common format for internet transfers for mobile devices. The WAP stack includes five layers: WAE, WSP, WTP, WDP and WTLS. WAP consists of WIM, WTLS, WMLScrypt and WPKI. 31Wireless application protocol PKI is an extension of traditional IETF PKI standards used in wired network. It is mainly used in wireless network. WPKI applications have to work in a restricted environment like less powerful CPUs, less memory, less storage space, small displays etc. Therefore, WPKI must be optimized like the other security and application services within WAP environment. WPKI uses a public key system based on ECC algorithm for encryption and decryption. With the help of this system the information can safely reach to its destination. In the presence of other security protocols like WIM, WTLS and WMLScrypt of WAP, WPKI can fulfill all four security requirements for mobile banking: confidentiality of data, identity and authentication, integrity and non-repudiation. Conclusion The number of people use mobile devices is rising rapidly. Advanced technology in mobile device field has overcome the limitations of the older phones. Newer phones have a wide range of functions and improvement in hardware and software support, which enabled users to use mobile devices as substitute for computers. These mobile devices are capable of performing complex functions, which enabled users to manage their finances through mobile devices. There are three different kinds of architecture for mobile banking. SMS based system works in almost any mobile device. Web based systems are similar to internet system and they are more popular in the USA. The client application system offers robust solution to mobile banking. However, all of these systems have security issues those need to identified and addressed in a proper fashion. Confidentiality, authentication, integrity and non-repudiation are the most important security requirements for any mobile banking system. Authentication of the user and encryption of the data presents serious challenges to the mobile banking system. Implementing the various types of authentication and encryption technology can improve the mobile banking security, which reduces customers fear against security issues and increase

Indigenous Health Care Essay -- Sociology, Australian Ancient Aborigin

Introduction In this essay the writer will discuss the colonisation of Australia, and the effects that dispossession had on indigenous communities. It will define health, comparing the difference between indigenous and non- indigenous health. It will point out the benefits and criticism of the Biomedical and sociological models of health, and state why it is important in healthcare to be culturally competent with Transcultural theory. The case study of Rodney will be analyzed to distinguish which models of health were applied to Rodney’s care, and if transcultural theory was present when health care workers were dealing with Rodney’s treatment plan. Discussion Ancient Aboriginals were the first people to set foot on the Australian continent, over 40,000 years or more before Colonization (Eckermann, 2010). They survived by hunting and gathering their food, worshipping the land to protect its resources, and ensuring their survival. The aboriginal community had adapted to the environment, building a strong framework of social, cultural, and spiritual beliefs (Eckermann, 2010). Colonisation of Australia began in 1788, when Englishman Captain Cook claimed the land as an empty, uninhabited, continent giving it the classification Terra Nullius and leaving it open to colonization. Eckermann (2010), stated that the English failed to recognise the aboriginal tribes as civilized, co-inhibiters of the land, feeling they had no right to a claim. Major settlements occurred after the nineteenth century. The British had quickly out-numbered the Aboriginal community, leaving them powerless to the changes or the invasion. The belief systems of the Europeans overpowered the aboriginal’s way of life, pressuring them to conform to the... ...ans, is especially crucial in the health care setting in order to build a relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and to break down communication barrier’s. To provide Indigenous people with adequate health care emphasis needs to be placed on understanding indigenous beliefs and the social detriments Indigenous communities are faced with. Applying a suitable model of health to each individual situation will provide the best outcome. This was evident in the case study discussed in the essay. Rodney’s experiences within the medical world ended with a positive and desirable result, but if the appropriate transcultural care was not given, that positive result would have created a negative outcome, which could have been detrimental to Rodney’s future health. This shows the significance that health care workers can have on patient care.