Anti African American Racism

The end of the civil war with the surrender of the Confederate forces in 1965 brought an end to the institution of slavery. However the white majority of the South was unwilling to grant African-Americans the full rights of citizenship. Many African-Americans decided to move from the rural areas of the South, to the urban areas, especially those of the North, where they expected to find a more egalitarian social order. However a sudden increase in the African American population of cities exacerbated racial tensions.Riots, lynching and racist legislation by local and state governments became commonplace. From the 1890's to the 1920's, the United States underwent a dark period of racist violence and hatred in what has been termed the â€Å"nadir of race relations in America†. Disenfranchisement of Blacks Many of the influential whites of the South believed that denying all political power from African-Americans was crucial in order to maintain their economic superiority. Southe rn states and local governments continually aimed to undermine federal laws that guaranteed voting rights to African-Americans.A Mississippian writing to the Chicago Inter Ocean newspaper said: â€Å"It is a question of political economy which the people of the North can not realize nor understand and which they have no right to discuss as they have no power to determine. If the Negro is permitted to engage in politics his usefulness as a laborer is at an end. He can no longer be controlled or utilized. The South has to deal with him as an industrial and economic factor and is forced to assert its control over him in sheer self-defense. † (Love, 2009)African-Americans were in the majority in the Southern states of Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina, in several other states they formed a sizeable minority. The dominant white minority in those states fought the hardest to deny African-Americans their right to vote under one pretext or another. The mechanisms for denying African-Americans their voting rights were many, some were legal and others extra-legal. Legal artifices for denying African-Americans the vote included the levying of taxes and the requirements of passing certain tests (Klarman, 2004).Poll Taxes Several Southern states made payment of a poll tax; a fixed amount of money levied upon each person, a requirement for voting. State laws often required the payment of the tax, month before the election. Voters who fell behind in payment of the tax were denied the vote unless they paid all the cumulative tax they owed at once. As a result thousands of African-Americans, who were largely poor and lower class whites were disenfranchised (Love, 2009). English Literacy/Comprehension RequirementsSeveral states passed legislation requiring voters to be able to read and write in English, most African-Americans, poor whites and recent immigrants were disenfranchised through these laws. Other tests included oral comprehension tests, one such test, e nacted by the state of Mississippi, required voters to be able to understand parts of the state’s constitution. These tests were often administered in an unfair and arbitrary manner by local voting registrars who had absolute power to declare whoever they wished competent or incompetent to vote in the elections (Love, 2009).In order to prevent the disenfranchisement of their white supporters, white people were often exempted from the requirement of passing literacy/comprehension tests or paying poll taxes, this was done through the use of ‘Grandfather Clauses’ which automatically granted voting rights to a person whose grandfather had the right to vote. The enactment of the ‘grandfather clauses’ allowed poor whites to vote but blocked first or second generation freedmen (Logan, 1957). Residency RequirementsMany urbanized states, frightened by the appearance of large numbers of African-American immigrants from the rural South, enacted legislation requ iring voters to establish their residence in the state for an extended period of time before they were allowed to vote in the elections (Love, 2009). In order to prove an extended period of residency, voters had to show their tax records or other documents which necessitated at least some literacy, so the residency requirements worked much the same way as literacy tests (Logan, 1957).Printed Ballots The introduction of the modern printed ‘Australian’ ballot proved to be an impediment to the enfranchisement of African-Americans. Prior to its introduction, each political party printed its own ballots. Party workers would enter the polling stations with their own ballot papers which they would hand to their supporters. The handing out of the new ballots to voters was put in the hands of government officials, mostly linked to the Democratic Party and hostile to African-Americans.The ballot itself presented great difficulty to illiterate people, who were unable to correctly select the party of their choice and made mistakes which led to their votes being rejected (Love, 2009). White Primaries The voting rights laws were aimed primarily toward the national and local government elections. It was argued that political parties, not being government agencies were not required to extend the right to vote in their primary elections to African-Americans. The state of Texas, for example, passed legislation in 1923, forbidding blacks from voting in Democratic primaries.Since the Democratic Party had a virtual monopoly on the government in many Southern states, blocking African-Americans from the primary had, in real terms, the same effect as blocking them from national elections (Love, 2009). Bullying and Violence In addition to the legal artifices, several extra-legal methods were adopted in order to prevent African-Americans from voting. These included physical violence and threats of physical violence to induce African-Americans to stay away from the polling booths. Several white militias existed which had their roots in the former Confederate army.These militias often engaged in violence during election days. Republicans sought to counter the threat of violence by extending the voting time to several days and by seeking to allow voters to vote at any polling station within a precinct, while Southern Democrats would often seek to restrict the window of time available for voting and the location for casting a vote in order to increase the threat of violence in the minds of the African-American voters (Logan, 1957). The end result of all these legal and illegal tactics to prevent African-Americans from voting was that African-American voting numbers dropped sharply.In the state of Arkansas, for example, the voting participation rate for African-American voters dropped from over two-thirds to around one-third (Klarman, 2004). Segregation of Housing Several states and counties passed legislation preventing African-Americans from residing in certain localities which were deemed to be the exclusive preserve of Whites. In the famous Buchanan v. Warley (1917) case, the United States Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional a city ordinance in Louisville Kentucky which enforced racial zoning of residential areas (Klarman, 2004).Even after residential segregation was deemed unconstitutional, the use of restrictive covenants prevented African-Americans from residing in several areas, the property owners of a location would simply refuse to sell or rent out their properties to African Americans (Logan, 1957). In other areas the threat of violence and harassment from the public and the police kept African-Americans out. Many small towns had unwritten rules, commonly termed the â€Å"Sunset Laws† which required all African-Americans to leave the town before sunset (Mann, 1993).Segregation of Schools Traditionally, it was common for there to be separate school facilities for African-American children, these schools w ere frequently underfunded and lacking in the facilities given to schools for white children. Educationally ambitious African-American parents would often seek to enroll their children in normal schools and not school built especially for African-American children, sometimes they would encounter sympathetic school administrators who would agree to enroll their children (Klarman, 2004).Many white parents did not want their children to interact with African-American children. In many localities laws were passed to prevent white and black children from studying in the same schools. The Kentucky legislature passed such a law in 1904, titled â€Å"An Act to prohibit white and colored persons from attending the same school. † Kentucky Democrat Carl Day, who introduced the legislation, justified it on the grounds that it would prevent the white children of Kentucky from being ‘contaminated' (Klarman, 2004).Segregation of the Means of Transport African-Americans were often prev ented from travelling in the better compartments of railway cars, in many localities segregation of White and Black passengers was made compulsory under law. Louisiana’s Act 111 passed in 1890 mandated separate accommodation for Blacks on railway cars. In Plessy v. Ferguson (1896) the Supreme Court of the United States upheld the constitutionality of this law encouraging other states to enact similar laws (Klarman, 2004). Anti Miscegenation LegislationA large number of White people, feared the wished to ‘preserve the purity of the White race' by putting an end to racial mixing between Whites and all other races. Several localities instituted laws forbidding marriage. In the 1883 Pace v. Alabama case, the US Supreme Court upheld the Alabama laws against racial mixing as constitutionally valid (Spiro, 2008). In 1924, Virginia passed a comprehensive anti-miscegenation law called the Virginia Racial Integrity Act which defined a person as non-White even if a single great-gr andparent was non-White and classified intermarriage between Whites and non-Whites as a felony (Hashaw, 2007).A Maryland law imposed a sentence ranging from 18 months to 5 years in prison on a White woman who got pregnant as a result of ‘fornication with a negro' (Hashaw, 2007). Anti-miscegenation laws were enacted in most states at one time or another (Spiro, 2008). Anti-Black Rioting With the arrival of large numbers of unskilled African-American workers from the rural south, the supply of laborers often greatly exceeded the demand. Lower class urban Whites faced a new challenge in the form of the newly arrived African-Americans and other immigrants, who were often willing to work for smaller wages (Takaki, 1993).This conflict produced a number of violent, destructive and deadly riots throughout the cities of the United States. The White rioters would target not only the Black workers but also attack the white businesses and homes where Blacks found employment. In the 1908 r iots in Springfield Illinois, the Mayor received threatening letters demanding that he fire all Black policemen, firemen and janitors, several local businesses reported receiving letters threatening that their properties would be set on fire if they did not fire all Black employees or stop doing business with Blacks (De la Roche, 2008).Racism and White Identity During the years following the reconstruction, many European immigrant communities formerly rejected due to their religion or national origins were accepted into the fold of the White majority as a result of their joining the anti-Black cause. One such community were the Catholic German Immigrants to the South. Many German Catholics had volunteered to join the Union out of a disgust at the institution of slavery (Strickland, 2008). The Germans also had considerably less prejudice against intermarrying with Blacks and several such marriages have been recorded (Strickland, 2008).Prior to the Civil War, one of the reasons the Ge rman immigrants were regarded with distrust by the majority community was due to their practice of trading with Black slaves and selling them alcohol. However in the aftermath of the Reconstruction, the German Immigrant found that the best way to get accepted into the White majority was to adopt White supremacist and anti-Black rhetoric (Strickland, 2008). Lynching Despite their emancipation from slavery, the White majority expected Blacks to behave in subservient and deferential manner toward them.Any perceived lack of respect on the part of African-Americans would be met with violence. Often White mobs would attack Blacks who dared to try to vote or to own and farm their own land (Klarman, 2004). About a third of the lynchings were carried out against Black men accused of being insufficiently respectful or sexually expressive toward White woman or were alleged to have raped a White woman. The fear of Black males sexually assaulting White females reached had assumed the form of mas s hysteria (Dorr, 2004). Racist Militias and the Klu Klux KlanThe withdrawal of most of the troops from the South at the end of the reconstruction era allowed confederate veterans to form terrorist militias and engage in anti-Black violent activities. The most famous of these militias was the Klu Klux Klan which was aggressively prosecuted and suppressed by the Federal government in the 1870’s, other militias included the White League and the Redshirts. In the mid 1910’s a new surge in militia violence occurred, the Klu Klux Klan was reformed in 1915 and at the height of its popularity in the 1920’s claimed nearly 5 million members (Turner & Williams, 1982).The 1890’s – 1920’s era was a horrible period in American History. Anti-Black sentiment faded as anti-Nazi sentiment grew, and much of the ‘scientific racism’ that was used to justify anti African-American policies came to be associated with Hitler and Nazism. The full-fledge d participation of African Americans in the two world wars led to the desegregation of the military in 1948 which paved the way for the later general desegregation of society. References De la Roche, R. S. (2008). In Lincoln's Shadow: The 1908 Race Riot in Springfield, Illinois (2nd ed. ). Carbondale, IL: SIU Press. Dorr, L. L. (2004).White women, rape, and the power of race in Virginia, 1900-1960 (2nd Edition ed. ). Chapel Hill, NC: The University of North Carolina Press. Hashaw, T. (2007). Children of Perdition: Melungeons and the Struggle of Mixed America. Macon, GA: Mercer University Press. Klarman, M. J. (2004). From Jim Crow to civil rights: the Supreme Court and the struggle for racial equality. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, US. Logan, R. W. (1957). The Negro in the United States: a brief history. Princeton, NJ: D. Van Nostrand Co. Love, L. J. (2009). The Disfranchisement of the Negro. Charleston, SC: BiblioLife. Mann, C. R. (1993).Unequal justice: a question of colo r (2nd Edition ed. ). Indianapolis: Indiana University Press. Spiro, J. P. (2008). Defending the master race: conservation, eugenics, and the legacy of Madison Grant. Lebanon, NH: UPNE. Strickland, J. (2008). How the Germans Became White Southerners: German Immigrants and African Americans in Charleston, South Carolina, 1860-1880. Journal of American Ethnic History , 52-69. Takaki, R. (1993). A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America. Boston, MA: Little, Brown and Company. Turner, J. J. , & Williams, R. (1982). The Ku Klux Klan, a history of racism and violence. Allentown, PA: Klanwatch.

Human Nature †Are Humans Naturally Good or Evil? Essay

What is thought of as immoral to one person can be seen as ethical to another, and vice versa. This is due to the difference in the way humans perceive things, which is part of the intricacy of mankind. â€Å"During the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that conditions called war; and such a war, as if of every man, against every man. † (Hobbes) Hobbes states that Humans are naturally evil and need a powerful government to control them. Is it true? Rousseau thinks otherwise. â€Å"In reasoning on the principles he (Thomas Hobbes) lays down, he ought to have said that the state of nature, being that in which the care for our own preservation is the least prejudicial to that of others, was consequently the best calculated to promote peace, and the most suitable for mankind? man in the state of nature is both strong and dependent involves two contrary suppositions. Man is weak when he is dependent, and is his own master before he comes to be strong. † (Rousseau) The issue of good and evil is brought up in â€Å"Lord of the Flies† by William Golding, when innocent boys find themselves on a deserted island attempting to create a society similar to ours. What circumstances occur to them? How do past influences affect them? Are their actions good or evil? The actions of the boys were not a matter of being good or evil, but were actions for survival. A person’s environment does not draw him towards good or evil, nor is he or she born with it inside. Humans have instincts that are not affairs of good and evil, but of survival. By natural instinct, humans will do what is best for them especially for their survival. Animals, much like people, kill when in need. For instance, if they feel they are cornered, they would attack. If they need food, they will kill to eat. In â€Å"Lord of the Flies†, Ralph was being hunted by Jack’s tribe, and in a desperate attempt in his defense, thrusts his spear through a crack at the inspecting savages. Ralph attacked someone of his own kind for his own survival. It can be believed that man is the derivative of others animals, and as such, they have certain instincts that were instilled from birth. The boys later began to simulate the behavior of animals. â€Å"At once the crowd surged after it, poured down the rock, leapt on to the beast, screamed, struck, bit, tore. There were no words, and no movements but the tearing of teeth and claws. † (Golding 153) William Golding’s description of this scene leads a reader to believe that these boys acquired animal like qualities. Do you know of any human who tears with teeth and claws? The boys mistake Simon for their beast and result in ruthlessly killing him. In their state of mind of savagery and hunting, they saw themselves in danger of this â€Å"beast† and their first instinct was to kill anything in sight that had the possibility of being it. Humans, like animals, have a natural instinct to protect themselves in case of danger, like attacking when cornered. Instincts are inherited, but indistinct characteristics such as good or evil are not. The significance of moral values do not apply to actions in situations for survival. Instincts are not about being moral or immoral, because the issue of being good and evil is undefined. Whether an action or situation is good or bad depends on who it is and how it is being perceived. This makes this issue uncertain due to the way it is viewed from person to person. Since the way it is seen will differ, man cannot be exclusively evil or exclusively good. Consider the following example: A dog constantly jumps on the window of a door in an attempt to get the attention of the family inside. He is doing this in hopes to be let back inside the house. Someone inside the house could view this as being evil, which would be different from the view of an animal lover. They would not consider this evil and would claim that the dog had not caused physical harm and just didn’t know any better. The dog doesn’t believe that it is evil because he is only obeying environmental charge. He’s been inside before and knows that it is much nicer than outside, and wants the attention that is inside. The dog has tried to jump on the door before, and had received the attention of someone who thus let him in. This leads the dog to believe that what he is doing is the â€Å"right† thing to do. After all, he just wants in, right? So the dog is evil because someone inside says he is, but then he is not evil because he doesn’t think he is. The opinions on what is evil and what isn’t disagree with each other because of how it was perceived by each side. In â€Å"Lord of the Flies† there is a situation that deals with Piggy’s glasses, which is the key to fire on the island. The glasses were stolen in the middle of the night that leads to a fight in the dark among the boys. The fact that the glasses were stolen, and they were Piggy’s only aid for sight, can be seen as evil, but what about Jack’s side? Jack acts upon his devoir to light a fire in order to cook the pig he killed with his tribe to fully enjoy their prize. Ralph and Samneric engage in a fight with whosoever they can touch first, without an attempt to reason. Which is evil in this situation? Humans are simply complex animals that respond to complex impulse, and their behaviors are influenced or are a product of everything that they learn starting from the day of their birth to the day of their death. Society sets a mold for the â€Å"good† and â€Å"bad† conditions that humans are learning from day to day. The role of society in being good or evil is that it acts as this guideline for that long lived dream of acceptance. It’s where what’s good gets you in, and what’s evil is what will make you repulsive. The ideas of power and the abuse of that power are not learned from the environment. The environment is used as a resource to abuse that power. Jack manipulates the boys into joining his tribe and sets up his territory on the island. He threatens people to join his tribe, and hunts those that refuse to. Jack’s tactics are an example of how he abuses power by using the environment and how he sets the society guidelines of acceptance. A society could not exist where people are brought up to know what they define as right or wrong, and could stick to that without problem. â€Å"We decide things. But they don’t get done. † (Golding 79) On the island, the civilized rules of having drinking water, shelters, and having a spot for a lavatory are not followed. The boys were brought up having rules like these, but they did not stick to them due to the problem that they didn’t have a strong enough authority figure to instill them. Society acts as this necessary component to life, and if it’s not there then it needs to be made. The creation of society begins with people who have the power to set the rules of acceptance, and they are the ones who establish what is good and what is evil. Society may manipulate others into believing what is good and evil, but those that manipulate society create that belief. In conclusion, Hobbes and Rousseau are both, in a sense, right and wrong. Hobbes said that human nature is evil and need to be controlled while Rousseau said human nature is good and need to govern themselves. It’s not that humans are innately good or evil, it’s their natural instinct that drives them to do immoral or ethical deeds based upon what society leads them to believe. People cannot exclusively be good or evil because the state of good and evil is undefined. People are born with an instinct that drives them to do what is necessary in extreme measures. This instinct overtakes any other preceding thought and becomes the need for survival. In Lord of the Flies, it wasn’t whether or not the inhabitants were evil or good, it was their human reaction and instinct in the case of survival. Golding, William. Lord of the Flies. New York, NY: Putnam Group, 1954. Hobbes, Thomas. Leviathan. Ed. J C A. Gaskin. Oxford, NY: Oxford UP, 1998. Rousseau, Jean Jacques. The Social Contract and the First and Second Discourses. Ed. Susan Dunn. Binghamton, NY: Vail-Ballou P, 2002.

A View of How Elizabeth Cady Stanton Was Instrumental In Pushing Forward the Right for Women to Vote

A View of How Elizabeth Cady Stanton Was Instrumental In Pushing Forward the Right for Women to Vote Women’s rights movement is the most important event that happens a long time ago since the day all men take over in every area such as decisions, jobs, the stands in society, etc. Many activists have stood up for their own rights such as the women’s rightssuch as Susan B. Anthony, Alice Paul, Lucy Stone, and Ida B. Wells. Elizabeth Cady Stanton is one of those who stand up for the war of women’s rights. Shewrites a draft, â€Å"Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848,† to providethe limitations women face during that time; she feels women deserve those rights. Afterwards, the women’s rights have been approved, but many wrongs have yet to be addressed since the 19th Century such as denying women the right to vote, denying women the right to work in profitable employment by monopolizing jobs and banning women from working in theology, medicine, and law, and creating and perpetuatinga system of dependency that causes wo men to lose self-respect and confidence different moral codes for both men and women in her arguments. Elizabeth Cady Stanton points out how men and society reject women to vote. She writes a list of many wrongs to women in the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848, which takes place in New York, on Nolo website with the article, â€Å"He has never permitted her to exercise her inalienable right to the elective franchise.†Elizabeth Cady Stanton is one of the very first activists for the women’s rights. She involves in the women’s rights movement from 1815 to 1902. She writes the Declaration of Sentiment and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848, as a draft to the Government seeking approval to amend the United States of America Constitution. No one sees anything wrong with a female stands up and speaks out loud about her thoughts or vote and elect whomever they want for any of the elections. Denying women the right to work in profitable employment by monopolizing jobs and banning women from working in theology, medicine and law is the second point in the abuse lists that Elizabeth Cady Stanton throws out for proving the most significant defections such as this following statement in her Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848, â€Å"He has monopolized nearly all the profitable employments, and from those she is permitted to follow, she receives but a scanty remuneration. He closes against her all the avenues to wealth and distinction, which he considers most honorable to himself. As a teacher of theology, medicine, or law, she is not known.†Historically, women’s roles include maintaining the entire household, but in modern day times, women deserve the right to work as men because they born equally and work with their strongest power as men. Women find the right rights to earn or receive and gain back everything as men in wor k places. Base on an article of Victor Tembo in Linked in website, he says: â€Å"The EU has attempted to provide leadership on issues of Gender by making gender equality as a primary objective in the various projects. Sadly, in 2012, only 28 percent of new EU project proposals had gender as a primary or significant objective, far below the target of 80 percent for 2015. Luckily however, consensus is growing around the need to demonstrate more sturdy leadership to ensure that gender equality and women’s empowerment stay visible and high on the agenda.† He also states out: â€Å"I have a vision that one day, the world especially in the developing countries, will look at women as significant contributors to the GDP of a country and to the well being of not just their families but society as a whole. I have a vision that within 5 years from today, there shall be a significant improvement in the numbers of women leaders at various levels (a situation which can be guarante ed if the rights of women are properly institutionalized within policies of organizations). My belief is that the attitudes and expectations surrounding gender roles are typically based not on any inherent or natural gender differences, but on stereotypes, or overgeneralizing about the attitudes, traits, or behavior patterns of women or men. Its admirable how the western countries have developed in all fields of life. Their education system, their health care system, information technology etc., are in the highest rankings. In western countries men and women are working shoulder to shoulder in the same pace and both are contributing and playing their parts equally in the developmental processes. They are given basic education as well as fundamental and higher education without any restrictions from the society. Early pregnancies or early marriages that are prevalent in Africa and have stopped many African girls becoming relevant in society are unheard of. That is why the West is tha t much developed. They are educating and encouraging both the sexes equally without discriminating or neglect of the girl child. In this way,there is competition and where there is competition there is invention and invention leads to massive development in one way or another.† The last point that Elizabeth Cady Stanton mentions is about creating and perpetuatinga system of dependency that causes women to lose self-respect and confidence different moral codes for both men and women in her Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Convention, 1848. Therefore, these next following statements speak up the full meanings of how the society and men treat women back in the days in every area: â€Å"He has created a false public sentiment by giving to the world a different code of morals for men and women, by which moral delinquencies which exclude women from society are not only tolerated but deemed of little account in man.† And, â€Å"He has endeavored, in every way that he could, to destroy her confidence in her own powers, to lessen her self-respect, and to make her willing to lead a dependent and abject life.† If men can do it, then women can do it, too. He, or no one needs to calculate or spend time to do any separations or compar isons in every situation between men and women. According to the Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions, Seneca Falls Conventions, 1848 of Elizabeth Cady Stanton writes as a draft in New York for fighting for the women’s right movement to get the approval from the United States of America Constitution for being one of the amendments. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony are the founders of the Women’s Loyal National League in 1863 and they initiate the American Equal Rights Association in 1866, which campaign the rights for women and African Americans. They post the newspapers about the Women Suffrage and fight for them in years after that. Elizabeth Cady Stanton talks about how women get treated by men and society as non-human with no voices and choices since 1800s to the 19th Century. It seems women do not deserve anything like that. Why does the society make women live in no voices, choices and stay under men’s? Women are born equally as men. So, they deserve everything as men do. That means, they deserve the rights to vote, to speak, to work, to do anything they want as men, even for awhile much has changed for women since the 19th Century, many wrongs have yet to be addressed such as such asdenying women the right to vote, denying women the right to work in profitable employment by monopolizing jobs and banning women from working in theology, medicine, and law, and creating and perpetuatinga system of dependency that causes women to lose self-respect and confidence different moral codes for both men and women in her Sentiments to the Government and the world out there to stay on the right side.

Finance and Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Finance and Management - Essay Example With the use of the budgets, businesses will produce different management reports to the various stakeholders. The reports will be important in the evaluation of the business performance and act as a motivation to the employees. Product cost can be defined a s the total costs that is incurred in the manufacturing of goods or the provision of servicers. Various cost elements are involved in the process of producing a product. These include material cost, labor costs, overhead costs, and other expenses (Polimeni, 2000). The sum of these costs constitutes product costs. Material costs are labor costs are direct cost that are associated with the goods and are easy to determine when determining the cost of products (Epstein & Lee, 2001). Material costs can be determined from the purchase receipts that are made. Labor expenses are also determined from the salaries and other allowances that are paid to the workers and other experts that are involved in the production of goods and services. The last component of product costs that includes the overhead expenditure poses a challenge to cost accountants on how to incorporate them in the product costs (Horngren, 2009). There are different cost accounting methods that can be used to allocate these costs to the products to determine the total costs of the products. Product costs are necessary for decision-making and for external purposes. Product costs can be determined using the following methods. First, marginal costing system can be used in calculating the product cost. In this method, only the variable costs are used in arriving at the product prices (Polimeni, 2000). The organization will therefore use these costs to make decisions. Fixed costs and sunk costs are not included in the calculation because they are past costs which cannot influence the future managerial costs. Product costs determined in this manner will only be important in making internal deci9isions and not for external uses. The second cost methodology that can be used is the total costing or absorption costing method. In this method, the prices of products are determined by adding all the costs incurred in production including the fixed costs and other overhead costs (Epstein & Lee, 2001). All the costs are considered relevant because the management incurred the cost in the process of making the product. The method of should be used in determining the selling price that is charged on the products because it incorporates all the costs involved in the process (Lucey, 2002). The prices can therefore be determined by adding a desired margin on the cost of the goods. Moreover, the product costs can also be determined by the use of activity based costing. Activity based costing assists in the allocation of overhead costs that are then summed up to the variable costs to arrive at the total product costs. In this method, the overhead costs are allocated to the various cost centers and using the cost drivers. The method helps in charging costs to the various activities. This method has been used widely to control the costs of activities and make managers do away with non-essential activities that do not add value to the product manufacturing. Through the elimination of the dummy and redundant activities, the management will be in a position to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in the process. The last costing methodology that can be employed is the throughout costing. This method is criticized by the accountants and is

Human Resource Management, Causes of a problem Case Study

Human Resource Management, Causes of a problem - Case Study Example These systems were very successful regarding the Chinese culture of management but since the company wants to increase its global installed base there is a question on how it is going to achieve it by following the same human resource management practices. These are the following: increase of employee internal competition by implementing an internal ranking of employees. Employees are judged by all performance dimensions and they have to complete their tasks the same day and have continuous self-assessments. Each employee is almost an independent profit center so entrepreneurship is developed. Managers are also continuously appraised like employees and both are given chances to improve their performance by providing abundant training. A talent pool inside the company is also created. Haier has followed a product diversification strategy i.e. it has expanded to 86 different product categories. It is doubtful if Haier can pursue the same following strategy since product expansion requires heavy investment. Then a second part of its strategy was product innovation to niche markets i.e. developing products for specific market segments. Under careful consideration this is a strategy that can be pursued at the current moment. Globalization which is the third component of the strategy is expanding to other countries in all aspects i.e. production, alliances etc. Globalization can also be limited for the time being since it requires heavy financial investment when it comes to building new factory sites that can be quite risky at this period of time. Globalization demands also understanding foreign cultures so it requires further research on this issue. The fourth component was marketing initiatives that emphasized product quality and market research. Sending a message of quality is a right strategy when an organization wants to establish a successful brand name but there is a question on how Haier in the current economic crisis can keep on holding high product prices. The last component of Haier's strategy is the innovative human resource management practices. This has been proved successful for Chinese standards but there is a question on how these strategies are going to be successful in other countries and cultures. 2) Possible Solutions. A solution cannot be suggested without taking into consideration the global macroeconomic environment. In this case there is a global economic crisis the duration of which cannot be predicted. The global crisis has affected investments, consumers' purchasing power, belief in the stock exchange and the banks, banks provide loans to businesses by following very strict lending criteria and as a result of the above businesses limit their expansion plans, their profit margins are reduced and in many occasions they fire people. The consumers on the other side are in a psychological "trap", they feel insecure about their future therefore they reduce and change their consumption habits. They have become more conservative. Taking all the above mentioned into consideration, Haier has to limit its product diversification since it requires heavy investment in production and marketing and sales. The product innovation to niche markets requires usually an investment in R&D. Haier has to study carefully all its R&D expenses and do a very

Software Piracy Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Software Piracy - Assignment Example hical means 4: Government Government must provide the autonomy to each stakeholder about the use of software for their interests Government must ensure that pirated software does not harm the interests of the original creator as well as other stakeholders It is the duty of government to tell the truth about software piracy The Dilemma (Software Piracy) Software consists of programs that are designed to perform specific tasks for the different classes of users. Today, software applications are widely being used by individuals, government and business organizations for a variety of purposes. The software programs’ utilities are numerous in certain areas such as hospitals, banking education and space studies. Software programs can be purchased from software vendors. Eventually, certain general purpose software programs are available on internet, as freeware and shareware. However, the freeware and shareware software do not have much capabilities that are owned by the retail softw are packages (University of West Florida, 2012). Software piracy can be defined as the illegal copying, distribution or in general the illegal use of software. In other words, software piracy can be described as copying of software programs by individuals or business organizations either with profit motive or to harm others. The advancement in technological systems and tools has not only a favorable impact on the society but has also contributed immensely towards software piracy throughout the globe. Software piracy has serious impacts both on national economy as well as on the software producing organizations. The software producing companies spend millions of Dollars on their research activities for inventing particular software. Unfortunately, a few individuals and organizations take negative advantage of the technological advancements bothering less about the nation’s economy and software producing organizations which results in the form of pirated software (Ohio Literacy Resource Centre, 2001). Consequently, such factors have attracted the interests of many researchers to choose software piracy as one of the largely debated ethical issues. Three Principles The three principles selected for the matrix include Autonomy, Non-maleficence and Veracity. Autonomy can be described as freedom of an individual to take his/her own decisions. Every individual is free to use genuine or pirated software which is solely based on the conscience of an individual to consider it as ethical or unethical. However, the decision an individual takes should not harm any other individual or group or it should be non-maleficence. At the same time, the decision should not violate the rules and the laws established by the state or federal government. The truth related to incurrence of any act in relation to software piracy should be brought into limelight so that any such occurrence of piracy in future can be prevented. It can also benefit to create awareness about software pi racy and the harm that it can create to the

PUBLIC LAW Master Essay Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of 8 to 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights - Research Paper Example In doing so, it reifies the level of the protection of the individual's rights. Meanwhile, even though state parties can file cases against other states, this rarely happens. The Convention takes into consideration numerous human rights. This paper shall discuss the rights safeguarded by Articles 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the Convention. These are, respectively, the right to respect of private life, the right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, the right to freedom of expression, right to freedom of assembly and association. Salient to this paper's discussion would be the extent of the state's ability to control or interfere in the aforementioned rights, as provided by the Convention. Each of the three articles will be stated, and then discuss in detail. 2. There shall be no interference by a public authority with the exercise of this right except such as is in accordance with the law and is necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, public safety or the economic well-being of the country, for the prevention of disorder or crime, for the protection of health or morals, or for the protection of the rights and freedoms of others. This article evidently protects the right of the individual against unlawful searches, against constant surveillance, as in phone taps, or going through electronic mails and physical letters. The first provision clearly asserts that an individual, his family, and his friends should not be monitored. But the second provision provides conditions that are very vague. In a sense they could account for a lot of things, depending on the situation and circumstances. For example, "in the interest of national security" pertains clearly to individuals and groups that may be considered threats to the state. But this can encompass a multitude of people. There might be cases of people being judged in a bad light on the basis of their ideological and political leanings, without them actually being actual threats to the state. Even the term "state" can take on a myriad of interpretations, depending on who's speaking, and for what reason. Protecting the interests of the "state" can mean preserving the present regime. In a sense, these political terms can be used to the disadvantage of individuals in question. Â  

Construction Industry in the UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Construction Industry in the UK - Essay Example Issues discussed include the condition of the industry and where it needs to go from here. In the end some recommendations such as, the government trying to stabilise the economy will help the industry prosper in the upcoming future, the industry focusing on not only building structures but diversification and more research and development. The theme that I have chosen from the leadership module is communication. Communication is the process through which we can assign and convey meaning to create shared understanding. It is basically exchange of thoughts and ideas from one person to another. The built environment/construction industry sector is a vital part of our economy. Human beings need houses to live in and that need to be built or constructed. Houses or structures have evolved through time. Today the structure of a building is more contemporary than. The industry is divided into three main sectors: the construction of building, heavy and civil engineering construction contractors and specialty trade contractors. The construction industry in the UK is quite large; it employs 2.2 million people and is Britain's largest industry. The industry is quite dangerous to work inn because of the large number of accidents that take place in the working environment. The industry accounts for 5 per cent of the UK GVA i.e. Gross Value Added. UK has the second highest level of construction value added per capita. The industry is worth 65 billion per annum and its total output in 2002 was 81.9 billion. It comes in the top ten construction industries in the world. The industry is skewed towards small firms, but these firms contribute a small share to the output and employment of people. Apart from all of this, the construction industry in any part of the world not only UK, is highly dependent on the business cycle. Any change in the environment affects the industry and decisions related to the industry. Thus, the better the economy is doing the better the environment for the construction industry to thrive in. Aims/Objective In this paper we will discuss the construction industry and we will see how the communication theme of the module affects the industry. Also, communication is a vital part of any industry or business environment, we will see the part that it plays in this particular industry. Literature Review The name of the literature is mentioned in the bibliography, but I will give a brief overview of all the literature that I went through in this section. According to the Fatal statistics released by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for 2006/07 show there was a 28% increase in the number of fatal accidents to workers in the construction industry. Tragically 77 workers lost their lives in construction up from 60 in 2005/06, which was the lowest figure on record. (HSE Construction: Live Issues). Thus there are many health hazards in the industry. Corruption is also an issue even though the people involved in the sector have differing views about it making the problem very complex. A council has been developed to represent the professional bodies, research organisations and specialist business associations within this industry. This council is the Construction Industry Council (CIC). Internet has made a profound impact on the business communication in the construction industry. Free flows of information, open collaboration and diminishing international

Skechers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Skechers - Essay Example Online buying of products have been made possible with the establishment of the company's website. Starting in 2003, the company expanded its product portfolio to include branded apparel such as sportswear, underwear, sleepwear, socks and swimwear. Annual revenues in 2007 amounted to $1,394,181 which slightly increased to $1,440,743 in the fiscal year of 2008. The expectation for 2009 is slightly lower and is seen to amount only to $1.3 Billion Dollars but is still seen as quite remarkable considering the global crisis and the cut-throat competition in the retail industry. a. Return on equity (ROE) ratio relates earnings to shareholder equity. It gives people a measure on whether the company is an asset creator a cash consumer. Simply put, ROE refers to the amount gained for a unit of amount invested. If the ratio is 0.5 then that means that for every dollar invested, 50 cents is additionally created. We can see from the table that the ROE is diminishing signifying a decrease in profitability which may be a result of the global slump. b. Current ratio provides a measure that indicates the ability of an entity to settle its near-term obligations. It is given by dividing Current Assets with Current Liabilities. A high result indicates a greater probability that the company can pay on time. From the values above, we can see that for the quarter ending June 2009, current assets were 3.55 times larger than current liabilities. c. Inventory turnover is the ratio of net sales over total assets which measure the ability of an entity to use its assets. A high figure indicates that there is efficient management of assets to produce a good sales number. We can see that that net sales is 3.79 times larger than total assets which is indeed remarkable. d. Accounts Receivables Turnover and Days of Collection - Accounts Receivable is the ratio between net sales and average accounts receivable. This ratio is a measure of how much sales are quickly turned into cash. Days of Collection is defined as 365/accounts receivables turnover and average number of days the company's receivables are outstanding which is defined between the credit sale and collection of cash. e. Debt Ratio - this ratio is defined as debt/total assets. This indicates how much of the capital of the company is provided by borrowing. 3. Analysis The principal goal of Skechers U.S.A in the design of its products is "to generate new and exciting footwear in all of our product lines with contemporary and progressive styles and comfort-enhancing performance features". The focus is on "new styles to be fashionable and marketable to the 12 to 24year-old consumer" while expanding operations to also include lines that "appeal to the broader range of 5 to 40year-old consumers, with an exclusive selection for infants and toddlers". Skechers, while producing shoes with some performance features, "generally do not position our shoes in the marketplace as technical performance shoes". Designers determine lifestyle trend information by "the review and analysis of modern music, television, cinema, clothing, alternative sports and other

Separation Strategies for Isoprenoids from Aqueous Solutions Term Paper

Separation Strategies for Isoprenoids from Aqueous Solutions - Term Paper Example The simplicity, cost and energy efficiencies as well as the separation capability of solvent extraction, make it the best among these techniques. Introduction Found in all classes of living organisms, isoprenoids are the largest and a diverse group of biomolecules. Also known as terpenoid, isoprenoids are derived from five-carbon isoprene units (2-methyl-1,3-butadiene) assembled and modified in thousands of ways (Encyclop?dia Britannica). In isoprenoids, two to thousands of the isoprene units, through one or neither of its double bonds, are linked into larger molecules to form linear or ring structures. As biomolecules, isoprenoids play a wide variety of roles in plant and animal physiological processes and as intermediates in the biological synthesis of other important biomolecules. The flavors, fragrances of essential oils and other plant-derived substances are due to these molecules. Geraniol, an isoprenoid, is a contributor to the fragrance of rose perfume. These molecules are al so extracted from plants or chemically synthesized to be used as pharmaceuticals (e.g. taxol, bisabolol, lycopene, artemisinin), animal feed supplements and food colorants (various carotenoids) For instance, lycopene is the red pigment in tomatoes while carotene, an isoprenoid and precursor of vitamin A, is responsible for the pigment in carrots. Given the biological importance and applications of these molecules, numerous chemical techniques have been developed for their isolation from their natural sources, which inevitably contains some amount of water. Conventional separation techniques such as distillation, fractional distillation, stream distillation, crystallization, solvent extraction, enfleurage, and chromatography are used. The chemical and physical properties of the compound as well as its abundance and distribution in nature, influenced the choice of technique. For instance, while volatile and plentiful isoprenoids such as turpentine are isolated by distillation of oleor esins, extremely rare compounds such as insect’s hormones are separated from the substrate by chromatography. Currently, fundamental research has been directed towards extraction of these molecules from their natural source by bioaccumulation in microorganism, from which these isoprenoids can be extracted (Clark, Maury and Asadollahi 29). This article seeks to discuss the various conventional and emerging separation techniques used for the separation of isoprenoids from aqueous substrate. This discussion will include overview of the underlying principle involved in the process, design considerations with respect to the technique, fundamental challenges associated with the technique and suggestion of the best technique with respect to performance, safety, cost, and energy efficiency. In addition, specific applications of the best technique will be given. Conventional separation techniques for the isolation of isoprenoids Conventional technologies employed include, simple disti llation, fractional distillation, stream distillation, vacuum distillation, solvent extraction, crystallization, and chromatographic techniques. Simple distillation Distillation involves the conversion of a liquid into vapor and the subsequent condensation of the vapor to back to liquid form. Distillation, as performed in the industry or laboratory is based differences in their volatilities (boiling point) of the mixture. Thus distillation is a physical separation process, and not a chemical reaction.

The Significance Of The Creatures Speech Essay Example for Free

The Significance Of The Creatures Speech Essay Frankenstein: The Significance of the Creatures Speech. Hideous monster! You wish to eat me and tear me to pieces! You are an ogre. Victor Frankenstein has created life. Out of nothing he has constructed a being that can think for itself, make decisions for itself and sustain itself as if it were any of gods creations. When the creature confronts its maker it clearly presents an autobiographical narration of its life, it is this speech that raises several significant issues. These many issues can best be categorised into three broad areas, the development of the creatures basic capabilities and desires, the acquisition of morals and their further development and finally the duties that a creator has to those upon which it bestows life. A strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, felt heard and smelt, at the same time Children rely on the first few years of life to develop their senses and their ability to survive on their own; they are cared for and raised by adults and those that are completely abandoned die. Frankensteins creation, in many ways similar to a new born child, in its age, lack of education and inexperience in the world, is totally abandoned and survives. It is during his speech that this significant issue of self-sustainment, even from birth, is raised. Frankenstein gives life to an inanimate object, this object however, from the first instant of life is capable of thought and well within its first week is able to sustain itself. When the creature gets hungry it finds food and seeks shelter, a most basic instinct, but how far do these instincts go? Does one from birth desire language, and companionship? The creatures speech answers many of these. Frankensteins creations rate of self-education far outstrips a human child who in the same situation would almost certainly perish. (Many Greek, Roman and Jewish stories involve children surviving on their own for certain periods and it is quite possible that Shelley has been influenced by the stories of, Oedipus, Romulus and Moses. Upon awaking in the woods on his second day of existence natural instinct takes over and the creature sets about procuring food and shelter. These are the most basic impulses for a creature and given an infant mind in a very apt, physically capable frame, his story gives a detailed insight to the extent of what knowledge and desires a new being has from birth. Several changes of day and night passed when I began to distinguish my sensations from each other Given no education other then what he can teach himself the creature sets about the task of mental development and survival. On its first night of existence the monster feels cold and damp from night, not understanding what these are it weeps in despair. Without any concept of what pain is other then first hand experience the creature knows nothing of how to end it, only upon the discovery of fire is the pain of cold abated. This important discovery however, as with the discoveries of Victor and the mythological Prometheus, have negative effects, all three tampered with the unknown, and all three suffered. Sweeter then the voice of the thrush or the nightingale Another issue focusing around basic instincts that is raised is the question of what a being is born with and what it acquires during life. The above quote indicates the creature, from the early stages of its life was able to compare and make decisions based upon, two entirely different things. It also soon develops the desire for the mastery of language and writing, which is very symbolic of how mankind for many thousands of years has relied upon writing and speaking to convey thoughts and desires form person to person, generation to generation. The creature also, from the first time it views its reflection refers to itself as hideous, having never been educated in beauty and deformity the creatures statement implies that all self-aware beings are born with a concept of beauty. I learned from the social life which it developed, to admire their virtues and depreciate the vices of mankind.

Human - Meaning of life Essay Example for Free

Human Meaning of life Essay ?I really have to give credit for my religion beliefs for my search on the meaning of life. I’m a fully baptized Catholic, and a part of God’s Church. 17 years of being a Catholic and in search of the meaning of life, I have always thought it is about the Call to Holiness. My religion taught me that being a part of God’s Church is no accident, but because God wanted to share in His own blessed life, and in doing so He wanted me to desire serve Him freely by following His will. And by following his will, God will grant me eternal happiness which will lead to my salvation. All Catholics knew that God sent His son, Jesus, to set an example for us. Jesus showed the perfect example answered the call to Holiness. He showed us that we should love our neighbors as God showed His love for us; and that is what the Call to Holiness is. In search for the true meaning of life, it will take plenty of years, but for now I plan to stick with what my religion has taught me. Carl Rogers Carl Rogers emphasized focused on self-actualization. He believed that a person should develop his/her potential to the fullest, and in good condition. In doing so, the environment of a person should be inherently good. A person will only stop developing if constraints block the development. A fully developed person shows that he/she achieved the highest level of being a right fully-functioning human being. Mahatma Gandhi Mahatma Gandhi, which means â€Å"great soul,† was an ideologist during the Independent movement of India from the British. As an ideological leader he believed violence should never be an answer to fight for his people’s rights, and should never take discrimination. He also believed that harmony, truth equality exists between all religions. With these 2 influential personas, I have noticed similarities between them. They both talk about human beings having a common good inside of them. They emphasized that all humans were born good, but because of destructive environment, they tend to turn their backs on what is right. Sources: http://www. simplypsychology. org/carl-rogers. html http://www. ask. com/question/what-were-gandhi-s-beliefs.

Example Answer On Multinational Corporations And Complexity

Example Answer On Multinational Corporations And Complexity Multinational corporations (MNCs), in their effort of globalisation normally face complexity that caused by multiculturalism and geographic dispersion. There are three characteristics of complexity in globalisation. 1) Multiplicity reflects the need of MNCs to be responsive to different viewpoints, public opinion concern and government rules and regulations. 2) Interdependence will means all operation and business activities are interrelated that can not be treated alone. 3) Ambiguity means the lack of information clarity that will lead to difficulty in interpreting events and people. Complexity in the international operating environment will then lead to various global challenges. It is difficult for MNCs to achieve organizational effectiveness and sustainable competitive advantage locally as well as globally if it is operating without an efficient and systematic HRM practices that align with the business strategy. Paine Co. which is building its international presence is facing some HR issues and challenges that typically will happen in MNCs. From the case study, the following main HR issues had been identified. TABLE 1: MAIN HUMAN RESOURCE ISSUES FACED BY PAINE CO. A. Communication Do not have a clear view of the corporate mission statement and vision set within the group. Lack of communication channel between the management and the employees. Do not have get-together among staff for idea exchange and employees feedback sessions. B. Recruitment, selection and retention Decentralised recruitment policies. Do not have good image branding and company reputation. C. Performance management and reward system Do not have well designed performance review and appraisal system. D. Training and development Do not provide staff intensive training for all new employees. Do not have further on-job or off-job training for improvement of skills and knowledge. Do not have interchanging of staff between subsidiaries. Communication being one of the most important components in human life is also the key of success for HR management. Effective communication is essential throughout an organization to ensure transpire of all information and knowledge sharing can be achieved. Communication is also vital for the organizational objectives setting. Effective communication between the employer and employees can lead to a greater understanding in achieving organizations goal. Study by Lindholm, N. (2000) found that it is important to communicate the company goal and job objective clearly to the host-country employees in MNCs to increase their job satisfaction. Jack Welch, the CEO of General Electric Co. (GE) had introduced the informal culture across the company. The Informal by Jack Welch means violating the conventional chain of command, creating communication across all layers of the organization and everyone can talk to the boss. During his tenure as GEs CEO, Jack Welch organized a lot of corporate events that provide opportunities to all the employees to get-together and at the same time the management can communicate the company values and vision effectively to the employees. Besides that, Jack Welch also made unexpected visits to plants and offices abroad as well as scheduled luncheons with his managers to achieve good leading, guidance, and influence the behaviour of complex organization. The weakness in communication within Paine Co. can be seen in a few contexts. The communication problems started from their international expansion with some of the subsidiaries running on decentralised basis. There are no common strategies and objectives been set and communicate across all subsidiaries in the overall business operation. There is also no interchange of people between subsidiaries which can help to promote knowledge sharing and team spirit. Collecting workplace feedbacks from employees can facilitate in creating two-way communication which is important in an organization. Annual staff opinion survey is one of the methods that can be introduced to collect feedbacks from employees. In Paine Co., the occasion that consultants from France made direct complaints to their MD bypassing their local manager had shown the lack in proper channel of communication within the organization. Besides that, Ferguson as the MD of Paine Co. did not emphasize on knowledge sharing and t eam work but only see personal results and performance as the key factors of determining the business success. Therefore, overall synergy can not be achieved for a greater sustainable competitive advantage. Human assets are important for service industry as their people are core part of the source of services that have direct visibility from a customer point of view. Stringent recruitment and selection processes must be implemented to ensure the right people are to be engaged. Employers reputation and corporate branding are other crucial factors that will affect the recruitment and selection process. Highly talented people are always looking for their employer of choice in seeking their job for better career advancement. Singapore Airlines (SIA) for example had been the employer of choice for many educated young people due to their reputation as a service leader in the airline industry. On the other hand, SIA adopts a highly rigorous and stringent selection process which the applicants are required to meet various criteria from outlook appearance, age ranges, academic qualifications as well as physical attributes. The stringent selection process is to ensure the right people bee selecte d for the right job and at the same time improve the service quality of the organization. In this case, Paine Co. failed to carry out the best-practice in the recruitment and selection strategies. The company has had problems in developing a brand with a good company image in Germany, both for clients and staff. While facing the problem in recruiting good staffs, at the same time it also fails to retain the talented young employees. These have affected the efficiency and smoothness of the project and business operation and at the same time will incur higher cost for recruitment purpose. As recruitment and retention of employee is another challenging task in IHRM. Employers need to select the right people and put them to the right jobs, as well as managing their performance effectively and at the same time retain the quality employees from leaving the organizations. Only the right people will take the organization where they need to go. Hadhiphanis (2010) highlighted three issues that need to be considered by management when recruiting employees: Value of experience and s kills for the proposed position; behavioural and technical competencies based in making hiring decision; and pre-screen candidates before interview. While for retention of staff, Hadhiphanis (2010) again suggested that three strategies need to be carefully implemented in order to ensure the company provide better value to their employees as compare to their competitors. Options of remuneration, fringe benefits and rewards system to employees. Clear in communicating expectations and ability to gauge the performance against expectations. Rotational assignments, career development and planning as well as financial support (job-related and non-job related) to employees. The implementation of good staff recruitment and retaining strategies will not only build good employees capability for today but also for the future. Paine Co. should identify the needs of their employees and should not assume employees in every country having the same needs. Most of the time, the employees needs are reflected in the social-economy and culture of the country. Besides that, employees needs will not be the same all the time and review should be carried out periodically to ensure the HR practices are being implemented correctly to suit the current conditions. As for the performance management and reward system (PMRS) in Paine and Co. Although employees bonus and rewards are performance based, the final decision still subject to the senior management discretions without going through a proper appraisal and performance review system. Therefore their bonus system is not well-regarded. Performance management (PM) was defined as a HRM process involving constant evaluation of individual and corporate improvement progress against the predetermined objectives which are correlated to the company business strategy (Dowling et al., 1999 cited by Lindholm, N., 2000). The extrinsic and intrinsic motivations, understanding of job task and job satisfaction of the employees are mainly influenced by PM practices of a company (Lindholm, N., 2000). PM that is properly planned and implemented will also help in the objectives setting, reducing job errors as well as maximizing employees satisfaction and motivation in achieving not only individual job objective s but also align with the companys business strategy in achieving organizational goals. Evidence from research had shown that cultural differences among countries will affect the elements in implementing PM. PM practices will not be successful if MNCs implement and standardize their PM policies at both home country office and the overseas subsidiaries without consideration the cultural differences among the countries. Hofstedes cultural dimensions theory had been applied by researchers in their studies in relationship between the cultural differences and the transferability of PM as well as job satisfaction in MNCs. Lindholm, N. (2000) suggested that PM system should be modified to suit to the culture of host-country. Modular type PM system that can suit to different cultures in different countries can be developed to improve the job satisfaction and performance of host-country employees. Besides that, the design and implementation of a fair performance evaluation system by taking host-country employees feedback into consideration is crucial to create job satisfaction o f employees in MNCs. IHRM issue is one of the greatest challenges for all MNCs. Even world class companies like General Electric Co. and Black Decker Corp. will face some challenges in managing HRM issues when it first going global. Mendenhall, M.E et al, (2003) had identified the following Big Five global HR challenges for MNCs. Enhancing global business strategy Aligning HR issues with business strategy Designing and leading change Building global corporate cultures Developing global leaders The implementation of good IHRM practices has become very crucial in the success of all organization regardless their sizes and industry (Ulrich, 1997, cited by Nicolaou, N. and Costea, E.S). The fit of this type of culture HR system shall be given more attention in order to create an effective organization. In todays highly competitive globalization business environment, human resource become the main assets of an organization and therefore the implementation of IHRM strategy is the key to the success of the organization and its continuous competiveness in the global market. ANSWER FOR QUESTION 2: Barlett and Ghoshal (2000, cited by Harzing, A.W and Ruysseveldt, J.V., 2004) highlighted the three types of strategic objectives for MNCs are: meeting the challenges of global efficiency; multinational flexibility, and worldwide learning. Porter (1990, cited by Truong, et al, 2010) pointed out that the most significant source of competitive advantage for an economy is a skilled, flexible and well-educated workforce. While Heneman et al. (2000, cited by Truong, et al, 2010) stated that HR is important for all types of organizational sustainability. Many companies had realised the importance of strategic HR practices but only a few can implement it strategically in conjunction with the business strategy to gain competitive advantage (Schuler R.S MacMillan I.C, 1984). The following table shows the core components of HR practices that had been identified and the proposed HRM strategies in order to help Paine Co. in building their corporate business strategy to gain long-term competitive advantage. TABLE 2: CORE HRM COMPONENTS, CURRENT STATUS AND PROPOSED STRATEGIES FOR PAINE CO. HRM Core Components Current Status Strategies Recruitment and Selection Recruitment and selection procedures not regulated or standardised Do not have clear and stringent criteria in selection To use value-based hiring method To carry out proper job analysis and description Specification of minimum criteria in selection Standardisation of recruitment and selection procedures (i.e. interview, psychometric test and social test) Compensation and Benefits Remuneration system not standardised or according to industry standard To carry out industry remuneration review To introduce profit sharing scheme Performance Management and Reward System Do not have proper appraisal review system Rewards do not reflected on the individual performance No relationship between reward policy and corporate business development strategy To carry out KPI as PMRS To create link between goal-setting and performance achievement Training and Development Do not have proper training and development program To have intensive training for new staff To provide continuous training throughout employment Retention of Talents Lack of support from management to staff Lack of communication between employer and employees Lack of motivation Do not have succession plan To create multiple channels for information sharing To rewards the staff with innovative ways To carry out employees satisfaction survey To develop career advancement plan for employees Schuler R.S and MacMillan I.C (1984) suggested two ways for HRM practices to help in gaining organizational competitive advantage: by helping themselves and by helping others. They also clarified that good HRM practices should be first be targeted within the company before implement to the external parties (i.e. customers, suppliers, distributors). Strategic HRM practices should be ideally integrated with the business strategy of an organization in building long-tern competitive advantage. Wirtz, J., et al, 2007 believed that The wrong people are liability. Recruitment and selection is an important process in HRM that will decide whether the right person will be doing the right job at the right place. Value-based hiring method can be utilised by Paine Co. in their recruitment and selection process. A detail job analysis and job functions description should be carried out before determining the selection criteria in their recruitment exercise. Other than qualifications and experiences, criteria like physical attributes, social and emotional competency should also be considered when selecting their consultants who are the front-line staff that serve their clients. Therefore, other than structured interviews, psychometric tests and social competency tests should also be included in the screening process to ensure high quality consultants are recruited. By having stringent selection criteria, the uncertainty of hiring the right applicants with the expected qualities will be reduced. In long run, the cost for recruitment and selection process can be reduced due to the increased in efficiency of recruitment and selection process. Besides the selection and recruitment process, Paine Co. also facing problems in managing their compensation and benefits as well as PMRS. It is suggested that profit sharing scheme to be introduced to the consultant advisers and senior consultants. This will encourage employees to be part of the business partners and increase their commitment towards the company performance. While for PMRS, Paine Co. should implement the Key Performance Indicator (KPI) system to ensure fair evaluation of performance review and structured appraisal throughout the whole group. Implement of KPI system will not only guarantee fair treatment to all staff but also make the objectives setting and performance management process more effective. Training is one of the key components of success for service industry like Paine Co. For organizations that are seeking competitive advantage through HR, Khandekar, A., and Shama, A. (2005) suggested that they should design their HR systems so that human resources can be utilised efficiently and enabling knowledge been used by employees to maximize their organizational competitive. In this situation, Paine Co. is suggested to plan and provide an intensive training program to all its new employees before they carry out their duties. Intensive training programs are effective HRM tools because it can help the newcomers to master their jobs which probably causing fewer anxieties among them. Besides that, company values, objectives and the expectations from the employer can also be clearly communicated across to the new staff through intensive training. Subsequent off-job and on-job trainings should be planned and provided regularly throughout the employment period to improve knowledge and skills of employees. The training and development program is part of the strategic HR management that is essential for Paine Co. to obtain sustainable service excellence and long-term competitive advantage in the industry. Last but not least, the talents retention is another area that needs to be strategically implemented. Tobia, P.M (1999) mentioned that lowering turnover of staff will increase profits of a company. Besides that, only employees who are motivated and satisfied with their working conditions are able to produce good services and products for better competitive advantage in the industry. Many young consultants in Paine Co. left the company by joining the competitors proofed that its employees are not satisfied with their working conditions as compare to the competitors. Paine Co. need to improve the provision of resources to the employees in carrying out their duties. Implementation of some long-term retention programs such as innovative and fair PMRS; people friendly policies and carry out employees feedback survey will definitely help in reducing staff turnover rate. Opportunity for career advancement is another determinant of retention success. Succession plan and career path plannin g is important to retain talented employees and increase productivity. By implementing all the above proposed HRM strategies will not guarantee the ultimate success of the company in achieving the long-term business competitive advantage if there are no continuous reviews and improvement plans on its strategies. Besides a good HRM systems, products and brand differentiation; focus orientation; global thinking; a sensitive radar system; perpetual spirit of innovations; social and environmental responsibilities are some of the other criteria for MSCs to become a real World Class Company and achieve long-term business competitive advantage. All the above mentioned criteria will need to link people with the strategic needs of the business as people is the most valuable asset of an organization. If the business needs of an organization can be clearly identified and be integrated effectively with the HRM practices, long-term sustainable competitive advantage will not be far from achievable. REFLECTION Planning and formulating the HRM practices with business strategy for competitive advantage will be meaningless if the management do not understand the basic needs of their employees. Therefore, communications play an important role in the analysing and understanding the employees behaviour so that the right HRM practices can be strategized. All employers know what the company goals are, but not everyone is able to articulate their products or services with the market-place effectively to determine the types of employees needed. The needs-matching process to get the right person to do the right job is another great challenge in HRM. Another concern will be the consistency in the implementation of the best HRM practices in an organization. Only long-term consistency in the practices can bring great results and achieve sustainable competitive advantage instead of just short-term success. Commitment from the top management is an important factor that will determine the success. Total organizational commitment can not be achieved without starting from the top and working down. If the top management started to demonstrate good practices, concern and commitment to their job and products, the employees will also begin to follow the same practices and further synergizing their contributions to perform for sustainable competitive advantage. END ABBREVIATIONS GE General Electric Co. HRM Human Resource Management IHRM International Human Resource Management KPI Key Performance Indicator MD Managing Director MNCs Multinational Corporations PM Performance Management PMRS Performance Management and Reward System SIA Singapore Airlines

Social Security :: essays research papers

Just having a Social Security number is no longer a symbol of adulthood, the numbers use is no longer confined to working and paying taxes. Government agencies, business and schools rely on Social Security numbers to identify people in their computer systems. Many people receive their Social Security numbers when they start their first job. It is the first step into becoming an American citizen and, to pay taxes. Since the beginning, in 1935, the Social Security number has become more and more important, to make even the simplest purchase, to have to supply one. However many people are not comfortable with handing over this valuable asset. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has become aware of this growing concern through the years, but unfortunlly there is no law prohibiting their use by business and government. Banks and other financial institutions use this number to report interest earned on accounts to the IRS. Other government agencies use these numbers in computer matching operations to stop fraud and abuse. Although you can't prevent others from asking for the number, it does not give the use the right to access you Social Security records. The privacy of these records is guaranteed, unless by use of the government for health or welfare programs. Each Social Security number comes in 9 digits, and has 3 parts. The first three digits indicate the state shown in the mailing address on the original application. The lowest numbers were assigned to the New England states, and the number grew higher in the south. But, in recent years, this relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate numbers out of sequence as state populations change. The middle two digits do not really mean anything, but serve to break numbers into blocks. Social Security :: essays research papers Just having a Social Security number is no longer a symbol of adulthood, the numbers use is no longer confined to working and paying taxes. Government agencies, business and schools rely on Social Security numbers to identify people in their computer systems. Many people receive their Social Security numbers when they start their first job. It is the first step into becoming an American citizen and, to pay taxes. Since the beginning, in 1935, the Social Security number has become more and more important, to make even the simplest purchase, to have to supply one. However many people are not comfortable with handing over this valuable asset. The Social Security Administration (SSA) has become aware of this growing concern through the years, but unfortunlly there is no law prohibiting their use by business and government. Banks and other financial institutions use this number to report interest earned on accounts to the IRS. Other government agencies use these numbers in computer matching operations to stop fraud and abuse. Although you can't prevent others from asking for the number, it does not give the use the right to access you Social Security records. The privacy of these records is guaranteed, unless by use of the government for health or welfare programs. Each Social Security number comes in 9 digits, and has 3 parts. The first three digits indicate the state shown in the mailing address on the original application. The lowest numbers were assigned to the New England states, and the number grew higher in the south. But, in recent years, this relationship has been disrupted somewhat by the need to allocate numbers out of sequence as state populations change. The middle two digits do not really mean anything, but serve to break numbers into blocks.

Big Brother is Watching: Get Over It! Essay -- essays research papers

Big Brother is Watching: Get Over It!   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In George Orwell’s book, 1984, the very existence of every person is scrutinized by their form of government called the Party. The main character, Winston Smith, is constantly monitored throughout his daily life by the telescreen, â€Å"an oblong metal plaque like a dulled mirror† (1), placed strategically so that it can see and hear everything that is going on around him. In America society today we are seeing a movement that can be classified as â€Å"Orwellian† as it relates to this very subject of surveillance, the Internet. The similarities between the telescreen and the free access of the Internet cannot be ignored and as our country is dealing with terrorism, we must be willing to endure some lose of independence that we have gained through the World Wide Web.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  One similarity easily noted between the telescreen and the Internet is that they both can not be turned off. The telescreen â€Å"could be dimmed, but there was no way of shutting it off completely† (2). On the other hand, you may think that you are turning off the Internet when you shut down your computer, but in fact it stays on twenty-four hours a day. They are both viewed through a monitor, whereas the telescreen is forcibly two-way where you can be seen and heard, the computer gives you a choice. Some people invite others into their homes via the internet with the use of webcams, cameras that are attached to your computer and...

Fredrick Douglas Essay -- essays research papers

In Douglas Monroy’s essay â€Å"The Creation and Re-creation of California Society,† the thesis is that studying history of California is not just about changes in state’s political concerns but is more about relation with human existence. First, he talks about land and liberty and how Californians settled at the landscape. Second, Douglas explains about the life in present day California. Last, he talks about Californios and Indios. Douglas Monroy’s purpose in writing this essay is to inform readers of how California and the inhabitants were in the 1800s by showing detailed life style. The author provides a couple of interesting evidences about land and liberty in California. The first thing that I found interesting is a story about Governor Echeandia and his administration. He arrived in California and formed study groups back in 1825. This actually got some young men involved and excited about the ideas of liberty and equality. An ironic fact is that male children born to original settlers and presidial soldiers maintained control over the concerns in California, which in today’s society is hard to believe. The life on the Ranchos was perhaps the most interesting out of all, because of how one family took care of Sonoma area, Mariano Vallejo, which husbanded twenty-five thousand cows, twenty-four thousand sheep and two thousand horses. It is unbelievable to a present day Californian like me. There was one sentence that actually surprised me. I thought that boys were more impo...

My Sister’s Keeper Essay

In My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult weaves a gripping tale of pathos, humor, and love. As thirteen-year-old Anna Fitzgerald struggles to define herself as a person apart from her sister Kate, Picoult exposes the universal truths of human relationships. Life is full of choices and consequences. Love demands risks and sacrifice; self-examination and sharing. As the characters unfold, in their own words, the importance of communication emerges as a unifying theme. Kate Fitzgerald is dying of acute promyelocytic leukemia. A kidney transplant is her only hope. Anna’s parents assume without question, that she will offer her kidney. Aware that she was conceived to be a genetic match, and ongoing donor for Kate, Anna wants a chance to live her own life. Though she loves her sister dearly, Anna retains Campbell Alexander, seeking medical emancipation, knowing that without the surgery Kate will die. Thus begins the saga of seven lives intertwined in ways none could ever have imagined. Anna forces a legal confrontation that compels each character to examine the relationships in their lives. Sara Fitzgerald has focused obsessively on Kate’s medical needs, unwittingly ignoring the needs of other family members. Brian, a firefighter, finds respite from his family’s ills on the job, and in the stars, which become a metaphor for life. Jesse, eighteen, is the family misfit. Unable to help Kate, he is wracked by guilt. A rebel, he becomes an unlikely healing force. As the court proceedings swirl around Anna, all involved are forced to reckon with the ghosts of their pasts and the paths they have chosen. Picoult addresses the ethics of the situation only tangentially. The ending is superbly crafted, literally pulling the reader into the text. This is a cosmic tale about relationships and endurance, and the ability of love to change lives forever.

Analysis of Listener’s Wooden Heart

He says he built his own heart out of wood, and placed it inside himself (the iron ship), as he sails through the struggles in life (blood red seals and finds his place in life. He's not letting the struggles in life (waves) destroy his hopes and dreams. He says he believes in both anchors and saviors a line apart, so I'm assuming they are synonymous. His life is falling apart, but he still believes in whatever anchor is in his life, while he's â€Å"sinking†. When he says he is pulling the rotten wood out of his heart, he means he's letting go of the emotional baggage in his heart, so he can pursue his reams. We are all made out of shipwrecks, every single aboard washed and bound like crooked teeth on these rocky shores† That line is saying that we are all the person we are today because of our mistakes, and we're all barely making it through life by ourselves. At this point in the poem, he starts referring to a community making it through together, rather than sailing through life Just by himself. The line â€Å"we only have what we remember†, that repeats several times throughout the poem, states that if we didn't have what we remember, we would Just repeat the mistakes that we Dade in our past. L am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made It. † this line is basically repeating the very first line of the poem: â€Å"We're all born to broken people on their most honest day of living. †If we hold on tight we'll hold each other together, and not Just some fools rushing to die in our sleep† they need to go through this together, because they can't do this alone. â€Å"All these machines will rust I promise, but we'll still be electric, shocking each other back to life. † Waves can take down a ship, but water can't destroy electricity. Their ship may sink, but if they're electric, they can live through the storm. â€Å"Because our church is made out of shipwrecks, from every hull these rocks have cla imed. † A church is a congregation. A place where you can find other people to hold on to, and do life with.

The Two Species of Elephants

In the present day there exists two species of elephants. These two species have many relatives that have come before them and died out. Several of these species are Paleomastodon, Deinotherlum, Gompotherium, Prlmelephas which Is a direct ancestor to the modern day elephant, Stegadon, American mastodon, and wooly mammoth. All of these species are considered Proboscidea which are mammals that have trunks â€Å"proboscidea encompasses the trunked mammals† (J.D. Illiger). Within the probosciedea family there consists the elpephantidea, which elephants would be considered. There are many dfferent types of elephants due to where the species was located and the types of plants in which they ate. The earliest common ancestor of all elephants was the Paleomastodon which originated in Africa about 36-35 million years ago. It was a small mammal that had a trunk and it evolved into the many different species of elephant.One of the first species that adapted from the Paleomastadon was the Delnothenum which lived In Africa and had tusks that pointed downward which helped it scarpe of bark from a tree. It also had a small brain which scientist believe Is responsible for Its extinction ue to lack of intelligence compared to other species. Gomphotherium is another species ot elephant that lived in the Americas, Europe, Delgrosso 2 and Asla and originated about 13 million years ago. It lived in swampy lake areas and marshes.This species had long tusks and a short trunked which was adapted to help It dig through mud to find aquatic vegetation. Stegadon which was the largest of all the species of elephants grew to its size to due to abundance of food that it would find in the parts of asia in which it lived. Most of them died out hundreds of housands of years ago except for a subspecies that lives in Indonesia on an Island of flores. This subspecies was smaller than the other species since it was secluded on an island and did not have access to as much food.The American Ma stadon was found in the Americas and was a fur covered species of elephant, to help protect it from the colder climates, that was hunted Into extinction by humans about 10,000 years ago. Primeelephas is a direct genus to the modern day elephant and originated in Africa about 23 million years ago. It evolved Into three new species the Wooly mammoth, African elephant, and Asian elephant. The wooly mammoth lived in most places In the northern hemisphere and was covered In a coat of fur due to the cold climates in which it lived.It lived through the last ice age and died out at the end of it due to hunting and the quick climate change. The two living species of elephant left are the African elephant or loxodante and the Asian elephant or elephas. These two species are very similar except that the Asian elephant has an arched back while the t Of2 KS OT tne ATrlcan elephant. Delgrosso 3 ATrlcan elepnants DacK Is relatlvely stralg an tne longer tus All species of animals must adapt to surv ive. It is through these adaptations that ifferent species arise.

Have We Become too Dependent? Essay

â€Å"As cities grow and technology takes over the world belief and imagination fade away and so do we.† This is a quote I found written by Julia Kagawa the author of the book, The Iron King. What does this quote say about society? The advancement of technology has helped us progress technologically, but has forced us to regress socially. Before we had the use of advanced technology tools, I remember t the only way of communicating with your friends and family members was to be visiting with them in person or hand writing letters to those distant relatives or friends. Letters and anything sent through â€Å"snail mail† would take weeks to arrive at that person’s house. Previous ways of communication have now been replaced with modern day digital technology. From computers, to Apple Products, and cell phones. Over the past decade, our ways of living have changed drastically. Computers have found their way into our everyday life activities. We trust our computers to help us with our jobs, school work and even with communication. As a society we rely on computers and other available devices to help us get through our everyday life. The question has to be asked are we becoming too dependent on computers and other technological devices? Is this beneficial could it eventually hurt us? Even though in this era advanced technology does benefit us, I think in the long run these technologies will end up inhibiting our progress as a society. Computers have made our lives much easier. They help us manage tasks with their digital calendar feature, budget our monthly spending with finance programs, and communicate with friends and family much more efficiently. Computers have made it easier for someone to communicate with just a click of a button through email. Email is the modern day version of writing a letter. Instead of writing your thoughts, you type them and it gets to its destination in minutes rather than days or weeks. Read more:  Society Dependent on Technology When working in an office setting instead of getting up and talking to someone you can simply tell them through an email, and save the time walking ten feet around the corner. Not only can you send information quicker than ever but technology continues to improve; and there are ways we can communicate face to face while being thousands of miles away. The modern day web cam allows us to communicate with friends around the world; you simply hook up your web cam and download a program such as Skype to help you communicate face to face. Who would have thought that with advancements in technology you would be able to look at your computer and have a face to face conversation with someone miles away? Computers now have built in webcams, making it easy to communicate face to face for many different reasons. For example, students who are sick or are unable to attend school for a long period of time now have opportunities to sit in on instruction from home. With a built in webcam students can Skype their teachers and listen to instruction as they teach. This is extremely beneficial in the educational world. In the work world Skype has also changed many things. Since the webcam enables us to communicate face to face by simply looking at a computer screen employment opportunities have changed. For example, if an applicant lives out of state an employer can do a Skype interview, instead of them flying in and possibly not getting the job. There are also online virtual conferences you can attend via Skype. Computers have changed our ways of communication forever. Not only have computers changed our lives, but another device that we depend on is a cell phone. Cell phones now play a huge role on in our lives. We can communicate with a quick phone call or sms messaging. According to the university of Alberta students report using cell phones for different ways other than communication, like an alarm clock, games for boredom, Picture sending, address book, and mobile entertainment. [ (Nurullah, 2009) ] Sms messaging is a great way for us to communicate with the use of cell phones. We use text messaging when we are too busy to talk, with the family, in class, or even to have a difficult conversation that would be uncomfortable face to face. People use their cell phones to text anywhere anytime it is an easy way to communicate, just with the simple movements of your thumbs. â€Å" Teens from ages 13-17 average 231 phone calls and 1,742 text messages a month† [ (Anita Gurian, 2011) ] The usage of cell phones also allows us to place reminders about school assignments for students, birthdays, appointments on their calendar’s, which is a positive aspect of cell phone use and our technologies. William Ogburn had theories of social change his theories include invention, discover, and diffusion. When relating my social change topic to inventions, it relates to the invention of technology and how it affects the social life on relationships to teens. When Ogburn identified discover he said â€Å"Discover is a new way of seeing reality, as a second process of change.†(Henslin 2010) As you can see the way we communicate today has been a huge social movement. It really makes you realize how our means of communication have drastically changed, due to developments in new technology. In diffusion the invention of technology has spread all over the world. The technologies that we have today do benefit us in this era, but there are also a number of arguments agains t them. For example, â€Å"An effect on Children’s Education† an article I read, states that â€Å"Computer use will replace the time that children and students should be spending doing activities for brain development† in the early years younger children learned using hands on and creative play to develop qualities. When using computers it mainly shows symbols, computers can portray the five senses however children need interactions to actually feel and experience the senses hands on. Another way that technologies are disrupting learning environment is that a lot of school work is done with the use of computers for example quick short assignments are being typed out when they could easily be hand written, this is an issue for kids that are in elementary school learning how to read properly and write. Handwriting is a skill that is absolutely nesecessary for us to have. When a child has to spend a little more time writing information is more easily retained. Computers in the school should only be suitable for long assignments, older adults, or an actual computer learning classes. Furthermore the use of cell phones is having a slight impact on teen education, instead of participating in class you see a lot of students text messaging, listening to music, searching the web ect. With the use of phones in class rooms students can now send pictures of a quiz for example to another student, or instead of passing notes they can message each other answers. Not only have cell phones become a distraction for student during school but they are drastically limiting their social skills. Teenagers prefer to tell their friends something via text rather than in person. It makes it easier to tell someone something difficult through a text because you never have to see them face to face. This is a dilemma in our world because when the younger generations are adults, how are they going to be able to handle face to face communication? This is where the use of cell phones is majorly inhibiting the human race socially. When technologies become the main attraction in a person’s life they have a recognizable change in behavior. Some become lazy and may become antisocial and sometimes one can feel lost without their devices at hand. I have seen this first hand when working as a child care provider with children being able to watch television, play video games, using their phones, or on the computer too long, when it came to that time that they need to stop they throw temper tantrums. With relying on our technology devices too much it is not only a change in behavior but it can also take a toll on their health as well. The human eye is not designed to look at one particular object for hours. When a person is stuck watching there tv, video game, computer, or phone your eyes can become an infected with blurred vision, irritation, eye strain which can lead to an infection. Other effects that can affect your health when using these technologies is weight gain, back problems and also headaches, However it can be argued that these health problems is the fault of the person rather than the technologies. One of the most persuasive argument, nonetheless, is the issue of safety. Stolen information is tremendous issue when using computer devices; apart from sharring personal information such as full names address ect. In society, today people save personal information on their computers and even their phones. There are people who can gain access to your personal files by hacking it in numerous ways. You might be thinking to yourself that I do not save any personal information on my devices, however unknowingly if you ever shop online or loose your phone it is possible for a hacker or someone to gain access to your financial information. Why do we depend on these technologies so much? Not only are there computers or our cell phones, but we use them in the checkout stand at the grocery store, we pay with our credit cards, we use atms to pull money out, even some of our cars use computer chips to run. What is the world going to do if one day something goes wrong and we are then again without technology? Is the world going to know how to function? It is obvious that computers make our everyday life easier, but as we get more remarkably transformed to rely on them we are putting ourselves at risk for the future. In this era we do need the use of computers, but we should learn to not be so much dependent on them as it causes threats for human kind. Works Cited Anita Gurian, P. (2011). Texting and talking: Kids and Cell Phones. Retrieved March 7, 2012, from www.aboutourkids.org: http://www.aboutourkids.org/articles/texting_talking_kids_cell_phones Henslin, J. M. (2010). Sociology A down-to-earth-approach. Allyn and bacon. Nurullah, A. S. (2009). The cell phone as an agent of social change . Alberta : David pierce .