The Reasons For The Fall Of Socialism/Communism And The Troubles Essay

The Reasons for the fall of Socialism/Communism and the Troubles of Starting the New Democratic System in the Russian Federation "Let's not talk about Communism. Communism was just an idea, just pie in the sky." Boris Yeltsin (b. 1931), Russian politician, president. Remark during a visit to the U.S. Quoted in: Independent (London, 13 Sept. 1989). The fall of the Communist regime in the Soviet Union was more than a political event. The powerful bond between economics and politics that was the integral characteristic of the state socialist system created a situation that was unique for the successor states of the Soviet Union. The Communist regime was so ingrain in every aspect of Soviet life that the Russian people were left with little democratic tradition. Russia faces the seemingly impracticable task of economic liberalization and democratization. This is combined with the fact that the new administration must address human rights issues, such as living conditions and the supply of staple goods in this new form of administration makes the prospect of a full democratic switch seemingly impossible. To fully understand the scope of the transference of governing power in the Russian Federation, one must first look at the old Socialist/Communist regime, to see the circumstances under which it fell gives a good view of why this transference is almost impossible. In the beginning Communism seemed to the people of Russia as a utopian ideal. The promise of the elimination of classes, of guaranteed employment , "The creation of a comprehensive social security and welfare system for all citizens that would end the misery of workers once and for all." Lenin's own interpretation of the Marxian critique was that to achieve Communism there would first have to be a socialist dictatorship to first suppress any dissent or protest. Through coercive tactics this new government seized power and in 1917 Lenin came to power. Under his "rule" the Soviet Union underwent radical changes in it's economic doctrines adopting a mixed economy which was termed the New Economic Policy also referred to as NEP, this economy called for some private ownership of the means of production, but the majority of industry was made property of the people, which meant the majority of the means of production was controlled by the government. Lenin's government made many achievements. It ended a long civil war against the remnants of the old Czarist military system and established institutions in government. During this period, and in fact throughout the majority of the Communist rule, censorship and the subordination of interest groups such as trade unions was imposed to stop dissension and increase conformity to the new governments policies. Lenin died in 1924, and was quickly followed by Joseph Stalin as head of the Soviet Communist Party, the oppressive reforms started by Lenin were continued and at length became completely totalitarian. Stalin became the most powerful man in Russia. He controlled to bulk of all the political power and with that he started a ruthless campaign of removing all opposition to the Communist rule. During this period called the "Great Purge" Stalin systemically executed anyone who stood in his path. Millions of people were arrested and either harassed or killed. The economic status of the Soviet Union was yet again changed and the entire system became controlled by the government. All private ownership ended. A mass program of industrialization was commenced, and the strength of the Soviet Military was substantially increased. The citizens during this period endured great hardship. Agricultural production output diminished resulting in food shortages, these shortages were enha! nce by the mass exportation of food, this was done to pay for industrial imports. Stalin also put the production of what he called production goods such as manufacturing machinery over basic consumer goods such as clothes and other staples. During this period the Second World War broke out and drained most of what was left of the already impoverished state. Yet after the war national unity was strengthened as well is the Soviet military machine. The Soviet Union became a super power, the U.S. being the only country more powerful than it. After the death of Stalin in 1953 Nikita Khrushchev became First Secretary of the Communist party. Stalin's death marked the end of supreme power for the head of the party, and Khrushchev condemned Stalin's actions as unnecessary and harmful to the process of moving the Socialist government to it's goal of pure Communism. During this period the public was given a say in the government, albeit an extremely minor one, and the judicial system eased it's aggressiveness allowing a defendant a better chance of defending themselves. Khrushchev concerned himself with

American schools Essay Example

American schools Essay Example American schools Essay American schools Essay American schools operate on two systems of assessment internal and external. A number of studies on the benefits of these have been carried out which generally indicate that external system when over emphasized can reduce the opportunities to learn while internal system when systematically delivered can provide better learning and improve teaching. Portfolio based systems on the whole provide ownership for the student and support the teacher in teaching students to achieve learning goals and develop interests. The article relates to a study which was carried out in alternative assessment system in Charles Ruff Middle School in Northern California. There were primarily two groups, one was based on an alternative assessment system and was issued with report card grades which were given by the external examination committee of local English teachers, while the second group was with customary assessment where grades were determined by individual classroom teachers. The study used a rigorous methodology including quantitative and qualitative assessments based on the grounded theory method of ethnographic research. Data was analyzed using three mixed model analysis of variance with dependent variables measured repeatedly. The qualitative and quantitative findings were matching. The results have indicated that in reading achievement, the alternative assessment was more favorable while in writing achievement there was no significant difference. The key variation was seen in levels of learning goal orientation in which students of alternative assessment scored higher while no differences were seen on scales in measuring advancement and goal approvals. The impact of portfolio based teaching on reading and motivation was the major aspect which has provided the critical difference of this system of assessment. Since grades were important, caring about grades rather than portfolios was never a problem and students appeared to harmonize both. However the school despite considerable advancement shown in implementation of portfolio system did not utilize it fully due to lack of adequate conviction amongst the teaching staff and resources.

Hamlet Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 4

Hamlet - Essay Example The significance of the castle helps us to remember that we are dealing with characters of royalty. Other significant settings include a theater in Elsinore where Hamlet exposes Claudius for murder and the scene in the graveyard where Hamlet discovers that Ophelia is dead. The primary theme of Hamlet is revenge followed by indecision and uncertainty as close second and third. These themes work together to create superior tension in the play. Death is also a theme in the play in that the play begins and ends with it. Everyone in the play is touched by death in some way or another and it fuels human emotion from one end of the gamut to another. Revenge is what drives the action of the play in that Hamlet is prodded by the ghost of his father to avenge his death. The ghost is persistent and while Hamlet knows what it is he should do, he encounters difficulty doing it. The theme of indecision emerges as Hamlet tried to find reason to believe the ghost is that of his father, which brings us to the theme of uncertainty. At first, Hamlet believes the ghost to be evil and calls it a â€Å"goblin damned† (Shakespeare I.iv.44); however, not long after saying this he calls the ghost, â€Å"King, father, Royal Dane† (I.iv.50). Death becomes a theme in the play and it is something that hamlet cannot escape. He meets in at the beginning of the play and is deeply affected by it. His melanholy mood causes him to wish his â€Å"sullied flesh would melt, / Thaw, and resolve itself into a dew† (I.ii.33-4). Here he is so distraught, he thinks it might be better to be dead. His attitude is also impacted by his father’s death. He states, â€Å"How weary, stale, flat, and unprofitable / Seem to me all the uses of the world! (I.ii.137-8). Here we can see how Hamlet’s attitude is reflected in his worldview. Hamlet is the protagonist in this play and his objective is to avenge his father’s death. The ghost makes this known early in the play.

Identify the selection process of the federal judiciary. Explain the Research Paper

Identify the selection process of the federal judiciary. Explain the role of the federal judiciary in lawmaking. Should the judiciary be active or passive in interpreting the law Why - Research Paper Example This is followed by the nomination of the candidates and the list is forwarded to the senate judiciary committee for scrutinization. The members of the committee send all the nominees questionnaires before they come for hearings. After which, the committee makes its recommendations for approval by the senate through voting. The list of the best judges is given to the president for approval and they become judges (Posner, p. 13). The competence of the judiciary is evident in law making. It distributes legislative power between national and state governments by defining the policies and bills brought forward by the lawmaking bodies such as the national assembly. Therefore, jurisdictional power to rule and oversee the respect of the constitution is the main role of the judiciary in law making. The judiciary must be active in interpreting the law since it is the only independent body with the mandate. Given that the constitution is complex to interpret, the judiciary stands in as the only body that can interpret the laws to the citizens. That is why it must remain relevant and active in policy making and interpretation of the

Art history Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Art history - Essay Example The museum can be used for academic purposes for major academic resources to reinforce data and documents on relevant subjects. Thus, its importance lies in the fact that students, teachers, professors, art enthusiasts, archaeologists, and historians can utilize the museum for some exploration of knowledge that would aid research. The museum can likewise provide entertainment and knowledge to tourists who decide to visit it. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is located in New York City and was designed by Richard Morris in 1895 after being founded in 1870 by a group of civic leaders, philanthropists, and artists. The conception of the museum began in 1866 when a group of Americans gathered at a restaurant in Paris, France to celebrate the American Independence Day on that Fourth of July. They came up with a proposition to establish a national institution and gallery of art and convinced American civic leaders, art collectors, and philanthropists to participate in the project. In 870, the Metropolitan Museum of Art was finally established which was housed in two different locations in New York City. The first was in 681 Fifth Avenue which was later moved to 128 West 14th Street.1 It includes European paintings on display, an unparalleled Egyptian gallery, and Asian art, sculpture, photography, and armory in its more than 1.5 million square feet of exhibition space. More than 2 million works of art are kept in the museum, spanning 5,000 years of culture from different parts of the world and from different historical periods.2 The aim and thrust of the museum is to educate the public and cultivate a high standard of artistic taste. The museum does not merely aim to establish a great collection of art objects, but to pursue and develop the study of the fine arts. The inspiring thought it carries is â€Å"Art for humanity’s sake.†3 The New York City owns and

Surveillance Technology And Monitoring Criminology Essay

Surveillance Technology And Monitoring Criminology Essay Post 9/11, it seems many people are content to accept increased monitoring, surveillance and incursions into their private lives to support what is sold as enhanced safeguards to individual and national security. Yet, there are lurking dangers in such tacit acceptance. Critically analyse with illustrations, contrasting different criminological viewpoints in your answer. Surveillance technology and monitoring has been increasing, especially in the wake of 9/11, however it has two faces,  [1]  on the one hand providing safety and security to protect the public and aiding national security, but on the other hand it provides an intrusive interference into peoples private lives and it can curtail rights, creating a division within society. There has been a change in criminological ideologies and the way that crime is dealt with. We now live in what is called a surveillance society.  [2]  In Discipline and Punish,  [3]  Foucault wrote about the brutal system of punishment, which focused on the infliction of pain on the body that existed in the 1700s, which was replaced by the prison, eighty years later.  [4]  This was seen as an efficient way of punishing as it is based on the technology of power. Foucault referred to this as discipline based around surveillance, which uses a variety of subtle techniques to control and manage the offender in ever more finely graded ways.  [5]  Foucault used Benthams panopticon prison design as a metaphor, to describe the role that surveillance played inside the prison. The circular prison design, featuring a central guards tower from which a guard can see into every single prison cell while themselves remaining hidden, separates out the prisoners, thus helping control order in the prison, but also generates knowledge and practices relating to the prisoners through facilitating study of them as individuals.  [6]  It was thought that this constant visibility would bring about a sense of vulnerability in the prisoners, which, in turn, would lead them to control themselves and progressively the exercise of power over the inmate should become unnecessary as they exercise self discipline.  [7]   A contemporary example is provided by Shearing and Stenning,  [8]  in relation to control within Disney World, which they termed instrumental discipline. The control structures and activities have other functions which are highlighted so that the control function is overshadowed. For example, employees wish visitors a happy day and a good time from the moment they arrive as well as maintaining order, so that the control and surveillance is unnoticed but its effects are ever present. Potential trouble is anticipated and prevented by the surveillance of omnipresent employees who detect and rectify the slightest deviation. As a consequence the control becomes consensual, effected with the willing co-operation if those being controlled, which allows coercion to be reduced to a minimum, much like Foucaults description of Benthams panopticon. It is an extraordinarily effective form of control where people conform due to the pleasures of consuming the goods that corporate power has to o ffer. Surveillance is pervasive and it is not in the form of the Big Brother state, it is defined by private authorities designed to further the interest of the Disney Corporation than a moral discipline which shapes and sustains a particular order. Within Disney World the control is embedded, preventative, subtle and co-operative and requires no knowledge of the individual, therefore it is not intrusive or invading peoples privacy as they continue to enjoy the time spent at Disney World, without realising that they are subject to control. Since the 1970s fear of crime has come to be regarded as a problem quite distinct from actual crime and victimization, and distinctive policies have been developed that aim to reduce fear levels, rather than to reduce crime.  [9]  Foucault was concerned about knowledge-production,  [10]  which is now more readily available and more easily accessible through news on the television and the internet. This has given rise to an information society,  [11]  which led to an increase of fear but also earlier and accurate predictions of current and future criminal behaviour and methods in order to safeguard against them as crime has been re-dramatised in the media. Media may construct groups who are feared and seen as outsiders e.g. paedophiles and terrorists and not only does their exclusion increase their insecurity but also everyone else feels more insecure because of the risk they have been told these groups pose. The rest of the population needs to be protected from these dang erous people who should be controlled by fairly strong authoritarian State action.  [12]  This is how and why surveillance is sold to consumers by governments and commercial organisations as benign and in society best interest and it is why  [13]  there is a lack of resistance to and largely complacent acceptance of, surveillance systems by society in general. During the twentieth-century there was a shift from normalising individual offenders (post crime) to pre-crime  [14]  management by reducing opportunities of risks posed by actual and would-be offenders. This was represented in Feeley and Simons New Penology,  [15]  which concerned actuarialism and anticipating the future and assessed risks to prevent crime. A range of risk calculation techniques that underpin crime control policies which seek to identify and manage groups of people according to their assorted levels of dangerousness  [16]  were developed. Within the theory of managerialism, developed a practice of targeting resources (on crime hot-spots, career criminals, repeat victims, and high risk offenders); gate-keeping to exclude trivial or low-risk cases (except where these are deemed to be linked to more serious public safety issues); and a generalised cost-consciousness in the allocation of criminal justice resources.  [17]  This was seen as economic, effic ient and effective within the public sector, where strategies were employed by police organisations including the increased use of surveillance, proactive targeting of people and places, and the rise of problem-oriented policing and intelligence-led policing,  [18]  which was prominent with the application of scarce resources for the worse risks. A modern example of this is the airport security system, which now uses biometric sensors to obtain various measurements of biological features unique to each individual, such as iris pattern, fingerprint or handprint, and comparing this data to previously recorded data of the same type in a database.  [19]  These screening techniques are then used to identify typical offender characteristics, where it is important to maintain security and to flag-up certain passengers as being high risk based on simple calculations. Passengers scoring above a certain threshold can be searched, questioned or investigated further, or discretely put under surveillance within the airport terminal.  [20]  Another example includes the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), which works by scanning passing vehicle registration plates and checking them against various relevant digitised databases, to ensure that the vehicle has insurance and to check any document irregularity with the driv er. This form of surveillance is more intrusive than foot-traffic by closed-circuit television (CCTV) that normally leaves those observed anonymous.  [21]   Critics of such risk checklists claim that this can lead to social sorting,  [22]  which may involve stereotypes of race, religious faith, nationality and gender, for example, to be aggregated to define target markets and risky populations, which can have far reaching impact on life chances, and of social exclusion and discrimination.  [23]  It could be argued that the aforementioned are only present in poorly researched and implemented screening systems, and that properly researched, evidence-based screening systems that have been properly evaluated and revised as necessary are a useful additional tool.  [24]  However, the airport security system relates back to Benthams Panopticon as individuals are being watched but do not know the extent to which they are being watched, if at all, but may modify their behaviour nevertheless. This disciplinary surveillance manifests in all areas of social life, including health and medicine, education, the military and factories.  [2 5]  Advanced security and surveillance technologies may help to curtail feelings of insecurity amongst the public but the degree of interference should reflect the level of the risk or dangerousness that the surveillance is monitoring and trying to prevent. This intrusion may seem to be justified within airport security due to recent dangers relating to terrorism, importing and exporting of illegal drugs and illegal immigration. Protecting the public has become the dominant theme of penal policy.  [26]   Deleuze  [27]  points to electronic tagging of offenders rather than being detained in a prison, thus todays society is able to punish and control even while setting free. Today, many offenders being electronically monitored are not in fact offenders whom a court has so sentenced, but are actually prisoners who early conditional release from their medium-term prison sentences who would be monitored at home for the remainder of the time that they would have been in prison.  [28]  Tracking tags, like electronic access cards, can permit/disallow or warn against entry to a particular zone or place, possibly at a particular time or day. The first generation of electronic tags did not have any capability of tracking an individual tagged offenders movement.  [29]  In recent years, a second generation of electronic tags, look set to supersede and replace the earlier generation tags. The GPS technology enables the tag to identify its exact geographical position, while the mobile cell phone technology enables the tag to relay this positional data back to a monitoring centre. Tags and key cards leave a little digital record in an archive each time they are used which can be used as a way to reconstruct events should something go awry. Tags can modulate a given offenders daily routine, thus there is potential to combine this mass of stored data to build up a picture of a persons activities, communications, interests, financial transactions, and so on.  [30]  Cohen  [31]  talked about a blurring of boundaries so that it is sometimes difficult to tell where the prison ends and the community begins, due to the use of custody and electronic monitoring. This type of technology is extremely intrusive on part of the offender and may seek to segregate them from the community and also affects the family of the offender. However, it does not seem to affect the public at large. Jones  [32]  points out that intelligence agencies use of surveillance practices (i.e. spying) and their use of ongoing monitoring systems designed to alert them to certain circumstances of interest or concern. CCTV can also be combined with facial recognition software to match facial image data stored on databases of known individuals.  [33]  Even though this may be seen as intrusive, there would be a reason behind why the suspects image was held in the first place. This would flag-up known offenders which, would make it a simpler task for police investigation if such technologies existed. The inescapability of surveillance and compliance with it is something that many people find objectionable for many reasons, such as, loss of privacy, autonomy, trust or control and may thus actively resist or seek to subvert it. However, it is more accepted if the information obtained is recognised as being legitimate.  [34]  If cameras are pointing in the correct direction and images are being recorded then a visual record of the offence is made which could be used to apprehend the offender and/or secure a conviction in a court, as it may be available in evidence, thereby justifying the use of CCTV. Poor image and recording quality seem likely to become less significant as technology improves.  [35]  However, this may not act as a deterrent as crime may be displaced so that offenders simply commit crimes where there are no cameras. There was belief that CCTV would deter people from committing crimes, however, research shows that CCTV schemes were not as effective at crime reduction as hoped. Welsh and Farrington  [36]  found that improved street light was more effective in reducing crime in city centres, that both were more effective in reducing property crimes than violent crimes, and that both measures were far more effective in reducing crime. They also noted that in Britain city centres CCTV cameras generally appear popular with the public. In 1991, Foucault  [37]  concentrated on the art of government where conduct was not controlled or governed by the criminal justice system alone but through a plethora of organisations, many of them private and many with a central role in other spheres such as commerce.  [38]  These include local authorities, health services and voluntary agencies.  [39]  Individuals are also expected to take responsibility for their own security. Each of these adds to the process of responsibilisation which has become part of modern control of crime and disorder.  [40]  Foucaults discussion of governmentality  [41]  included the rise of neo-liberalism, which recast the ideal role of the State from one as guarantor of security to one in which rule is progressively undertaken at a distance from the State. Cohen  [42]  talked about dispersal of discipline and stated that boundaries have also been blurred between the public and the private as the private sector comes to play an e ver-larger role. Privatised ownership of data raised anxiety of expandable mutability  [43]  and function creep,  [44]  which are concepts meaning that technology designed for one purpose can take on other functions, and data collected for one purpose can migrate for use in other ways that have potential to be deployed in broader contexts.  [45]  An example of this is where Transport for London will allow bulk data from its ANPR cameras used to log vehicles for congestion charging purposes to be viewed in real time by anti-terrorist officers of the Metropolitan Police for intelligence purposes.  [46]  The sharing of intelligence information between agencies could well be liable to unauthorised leakage  [47]  and potential abuse of data sharing. This may lead to breaches of the data protection, human rights and the erosion of privacy, as the public are unaware that data collected in relation to them is being used for unknown purposes, even though they may be legit imate. One way the law has sought to deal with this is through the Data Protection Act 1998, which requires that those who operate CCTV systems (data controllers) and who record images from which individuals can be identified, must register with the Information Commissioner and ensure that the system is operated in accordance with the data protection principles, however this legislation does not apply for intelligence purposes as described above. To conclude, procedural safeguards included surveillance cameras have come to be a routine presence on city streets and the risk of unrestrained State authorities, of arbitrary power and the violations of civil liberties seem no longer to figure so prominently in public concern.  [48]  Corbett  [49]  argues that increased surveillance is defensible if the data collected is used strictly for state security purposes, crime prevention and crime detection, to promote deterrence and encourage compliance of potential offenders, and when this fails, sanction them in the hope of future individual deterrence. For the time being, surveillance technologies are here to stay; it is the price that people need to pay in order to have improved national security for the safety and security of the mass population. However, is the State surveillance going too far with the form of surveillance on the roads, where cameras are permitted to reach into the private interior space of vehicles to photo graph a driver as a safeguard against penalty point fraud or where proposals have been made for mandatorily fitting cars with black boxes that can locate them in the event of a road crash?  [50]  A balance needs to be struck so that the State does not abuse its power, otherwise it will be accountable to Article 8.  [51]   Word count: 2, 498 Bibliography Question 2 Books Garland, D. 2001. The Culture of Control: Crime and Social Order in Contemporary Society, Oxford University Press: Oxford. Hale, C., Hayward, K., Wahidin, A., Wincup, E., 2005. Criminology, Oxford University Press: Oxford Newburn, T., 2007. Criminology, Willan Publishing: Devon. Williams, K.., 2008. Textbook on Criminology, 6th edition, Oxford University Press: Oxford Articles Corbett, C. 2008. Techno-Surveillance of the Roads: High Impact and Low Interest, Crime Prevention and Community Safety, 10, 1-18 Shearing, C. Stenning, P. 1987. Say Cheese! The Disney Order that is not so Mickey Mouse, Private Policing, Newbury Park, CA: Sage. PP.317-323

Lears Relinquishment of Power in Shakespeares King Lear Essay

Lear's Relinquishment of Power in Shakespeare's King Lear King Lear is an actor who can only play the king. Thus, after he has abdicated his throne, passing the authority to his posterity, he still demands respect and power, which he is unable to claim from any of his former subjects, even his daughters. And as a king with no kingdom, he is an actor with no role to play, the most loathsome of all conditions. Lear himself realizes this, and in scene 4, he cries: "Why, this is not Lear" (4.204). And later in the same speech, he says: "Who is it that can tell me who I am?" (4.209). Lear is stuck in his role as king, unable to act in any other manner and powerless to provide for himself, causing the ultimate downfall of he and his family from their status of authority. As the play opens in the first scene, King Lear uses his authority to divide the kingdom. However, this is a power that not even the king possesses; no one may divide the kingdom. Per the divine right of the king, Lear is in control and must remain so; he cannot pass the powers of the throne to anyone, save his heir, and then only following his death. Yet, Lear contradicts his divine right and divides the kingdom. In this action, "authority is not destroyed but split between those with the greatest claims to land and wealth" (Spotswood 280). The authority transfers to Goneril and Regan, as Lear no longer has a claim having resigned his reign. But even though he has no claim, Lear still wants to play his kingly role. So then, the major problem of King Lear is that after he has relinquished control of the kingdom, he still desires to rule in principle, though not in deed: Only we still retain The name and all th... ...rature 40 (2000): 241-60. Righter, Anne. Shakespeare and the Idea of the Play. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press, 1962. Spotswood, Jerald W. â€Å"Maintaining Hierarchy in The Tragedie of King Lear.† Studies in English Literature 38 (1998): 265-80. Squire, Sir John. Shakespeare as a Dramatist. London: Cassell and Company, 1935. Stevenson, William B. â€Å"A Muse of Fire of a Winter of Discontent?† Journal of Management Education 20 (1996): 39-48. Weimann, Robert. â€Å"Mingling Vice and ‘Worthiness’ in King John.† Shakespeare Studies 27 (1999): 109-33. Zamir, Tzachi. â€Å"A Case of Unfair Proportions: Philosophy in Literature.† New Literary History 29 (1998): 501-20. Note—all Shakespeare text is quoted from The Norton Shakespeare. In the case of Lear, all quotations are from The History of King Lear which contains scene numbers, but no act numbers.

Organizational Behavior Assignment

Since this business has been around and owned by my family for over 40 years, we still have leadership harries from 40 years ago that has kept them going for so long. We have adapted new leadership theories from the times changing but most of them have stuck. The owner in our business it not really a leader, since she is retired from her other job, it is up to the manager to lead the employees in the right direction. Some of the aspects of leadership that has stuck with the business over the years would be, what the main focuses are (the customers), the training process and how the manager interacts with the employees.In this business it is like a family so there is a close relationship between the anger and the employees. I believe the theory that best goes along with this family business would be a combination of traditional and contemporary. We have many factors of the traditional but also contemporary because we are always trying to keep up with what is going around us but we als o are stuck with the old leadership from 40 years ago that has gotten us this far in the business. Overall, each leadership will work but for different businesses. You need to find the one that will work the best for you business.Working at a family business creates a lot of stress for not only the family UT the employees also. Since there is only five employees it is hard to get off or call in sick at times; this causes stress between the employees and we have been able to figure a way out to create less stress. We have a sheet where people can list when they need off and another list that people can sign up for the hours that are going to need to be filled. It is almost as if the employees have control but we just put the outline there. Next there is the job roles, each and every person does everything, not just one part.This causes stress sometimes because the employees are not sure what to do first hen there is so much work to get done. We recently fixed this problem, making a l ist of priorities. So when there are many tasks to get done they know what to do first and then they can work their way down the list Also we have made it so if they do not get something done, that list gets passed down to the next shift. I have noticed that this has lifted a lot Of stress Off of all the employees because they have some type of structure and order. The one good aspect that I have noticed in this business is that there are great working conditions.Customers and employees have mentioned that they love working here because of the working conditions and they feel safe and their moods are brought up. The next part of stresses would be within each worker themselves. This honestly has been a hard one to overcome with this business. The top one would be type of personality; the manager here has the type of personality that it is their way or no way. That is good that they have a strong head on their shoulders but that is not always good for a business. When she is around ev erything gets done but all the employees are extremely stressed out when she is here.We have tried to fix this problem but it has not been successful. This is why family business can be hard to work for sometimes, each family member has their own personality and sometimes it clashes and it would be hard on the family if you had to fire them. Other than the type of personality, the individual stresses are not really an aspect at this business. Overall, stresses are a huge part in a business and the faster you catch it the easier it is to fix the problem or work with it to work around it. Group work is a large part in any business.For Franks Beer Stein, it makes up the whole business; since there are no specific tasks dedicated to any specific person, it all takes teamwork to get everything done. We have many steps to make sure everyone is working together; the top one would be everyone's mood that day. We have a policy that you leave your problems at the door unless it deals with wor k itself. If you have a problem with work you can either call the manager or the owner to talk about the problem. This has seemed to work so far, and there has been a huge turn around while everyone is working together.Next would be make a list of what needs to get done and you assign people to do a certain task so everyone knows what each person is doing and does not get frustrated when you do not know where everyone is. Finally, like mentioned before, if the list is not completed by the time your shift is over, that is k, you hand it off to the next shift and so forth. This way it relieves the stress of having to get everything done and rushing instead of taking your time and doing it correctly. Overall, that is not many steps but being a small business it has seemed to work wonderful here ND could possibly work at other companies.There are many potential sources of conflict within a group; these link with the five conflict management styles. The first one is competing; this would be when the workers are competing to either finish first or do a better job. Either way the work is not going to be done the way it should on one of the sides. Also, this would not be working together in a group but working against each other, which from experience does not turn out to be good. Next there is compromising; this would be where to parties would not agree and end up owing to an agreement which they would fall short on each side because they had to come to an agreement.I have never experienced this at my work but if it came to that no one would be making progress so there would have to be changes. Then there is avoiding which I have seen many times and it always has ended horribly. When two or more people would avoid someone because of either they did not get along or they are avoiding a problem that is going on. This overall is not a good thing if you are avoiding something or someone that means something is not getting done at your job and it could urn out with someon e getting fired just because of not facing the problem but rather avoiding it.Next there is accommodating; when you are doing things the way someone else says and it could be working against your full potential. Finally there is collaborating this could be good and it could also be bad. This would be teamwork but two people coming together to work on both of your tasks. This could take up more time because you both are working on one task at a time but it also could make sure you are doing everything correctly because you have two eyes on what you are working on.Overall, most of these management styles are huge conflicts but some can also be good at times to. There are many barriers in communication but there is always a way to fix it. One barrier would be cultural; this is when Someone knows their own culture but not another persons, this could lead to them understanding something differently then one another. This could highly impact teamwork because if a task is said and they mea n one thing but the other person heard it differently, this could impact the relationship and business.The one person would think hat they did it wrong but they could have done exactly what they heard and understood. One way of addressing this would be writing things down and showing at the same time. This will make sure they understand because they will see what you said and physically see what to do, this will limit a lot of problems with cultural barrier. Another barrier would be biases; this would be if someone does not talk to another person because they think that they will not understand or agree with us. This aspect is very common and could effect the teamwork.If you are working with a couple people and you always talk to the same person because in your conscious you know that they are most likely to understand you the most, other employees could see this and it could cause a problem. I have personally seen this happen is my work, with different ages and different genders of the employees. Other employees might get mad or think that you do not like them which would create a whole different situation. A way to solve this would be try' to see who you talk to the most and try and talk to everyone else instead, equally.It would make everyone feel like they are involved and that you do not just favor one person over the rest. Overall, most businesses have these communication problems and there are many different ways to work around them and fix them. But if you do not fix them when they first start happening it could grow into a much larger problem and would be so much more stress on the whole company. Furthermore, there are many problems and conflicts that can come across in every business. Many people thin their lifetime will see most of them and might not even realize what the true problem is.

Cultural and Ethical Dilemmas Within the Colourful Corporation Essay

The aim of this business report is to analyse the ethical dilemmas arising from daily business operations, and to determine whether Colourful Corporation was ethical in its decision making, and to provide solutions for the management of future ethical issues. Having an established international base, Colourful Corporation conducts business transactions in both developing and developed countries. In doing so, Colourful Corporation is exposed to a wide range of ethical dilemmas which are the result of differing cultural values and norms. Segon (2011) proposes variable determinants of culture including religion, political and economic philosophy, education, language and social structure. Different cultural values and norms account for opposing perspectives regarding what constitutes ethical behaviour. The complexities in this ever-evolving business environment have brought attention towards corporate business ethics as research has found that business ethics is closely linked to an organisation’s well-being (Svensson & Wood 2011, p.21). This has highlighted the importance of ethics education for employees of the company as education will lead to the development of ethical practices among individuals in the company as well as the corporation as a whole. Furthermore, according to Hill (2011), pressure from senior management to meet unrealistic performance goals can be an incentive for employees to engage in unethical practices. It is concluded that: business operations continue to be conducted in both developed and undeveloped countries, where ethical issues may arise as a result of differing culture views, consideration must be given; the Corporation must act ethically when dealing in its global business operations; the risk of undertaking unethical activities as a result of unrealistic performance expectations increases; a program should be adopted to support local communities where it is conducting business operations in order to fulfil its ethical and moral responsibility in line with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); a need to provide education and training to its employees on corporate business ethics in order to promote a strong corporate ethical culture; and the senior executive made the correct decision, by following corporate policy. It is the corporate policy that must be adjusted to include ethical considerations, assisting future business decision making processes. Subsequently, this may potentially prevent sim ilar tragedies occurring as a result of Colourful Corporation’s actions. * It is recommended that Colourful Corporation: adopt the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) framework ,which is the most widely used reporting framework for performance on human rights, labour, environmental, anti-corruption, and other corporate citizenship issues; encourage the needs of ethical behaviour within and by the corporation to the employees; contribute to charity in the form of providing facilities such as, schools and orphanages for the poor and unfortunate children in the developing country ; update the corporate policy to include ethical considerations required for each business making decision; create an ethical culture within the corporation by embracing the commitment to ethical standards; and engage with a reputable company to provide holistic business ethics training program for all levels of employees to increase ethical sensitivity and develop healthy organisational culture. Introduction The Colourful Corporation has established a foreign entity within business operations, one which consists of a foreign subsidiary within a developed nation. Cognisant of good operational management, regular trips are carried out by executives to inspect and ensure that correct protocol and company policies are being adhered to. A few years ago, an executive of the Corporation was visiting and noticed that a subsidiary had employed a 12 year old girl. This was is in strict opposition to the Corporation’s own ethical code, and the 12 year old was replaced. Tragically, the 12 year old and her younger brother both died in their desperation to find food and survive. This tragic story found its way to the CEO of the Colourful Corporation, instigating the development of this business report. This report will evaluate whether the correct initial action was taken, and if a similar action would have been taken should the final story be known to the Corporation. There have b een no limitations presented within this report. Aim of report The aim of this business report is to analyse the ethical dilemmas arising from daily business operations, and to determine whether Colourful Corporation was ethical in its decision making, whilst providing solutions for the future management of ethical issues. Issues Cultural Value and Norms According to Segon (2011), values and norms are core determinants of culture. These norms and value systems are affected by many variables, including religion, political philosophy, economic philosophy, education, language and social structure (Figure 1). Different variables can account for the perspectives and views across diverse cultural communities. Ethical issues and dilemmas may arise from business decisions depending on what the value and norms the organization is operating in, and accustomed to. Whilst different perspectives arise from varying cultural systems and bring diversity in the economic environment, the occurrence of ethical issues arising from business operations must be considered. As proposed by Park & Voigt (2008), it is suggested that ‘values and norms have both a ‘direct and indirect impact on economic development.’ While a certain culture may impose certain working standards and conditions upon its workers in conducting its business operations, it’s important to consider the potential ethical issues surrounding these decisions. It’s vital the Corporation maintains ethical business practices in line with Australian standards. The visiting executive has acted in accordance with appropriate due care by their avoidance to use child labour in the procurement of producing goods and services. Ethics The ethics dilemma presented, personal and business, must be afforded due consideration. ‘Business ethics are not divorced from personal ethics, which are generally accepted principles of right or wrong governing the conduct of individuals’ (Hill, 2011, pp.141). Hill (2011, pp.142) states that ‘several studies of unethical behaviour in a business setting have concluded that businesspeople sometimes do not realise they are behaving unethically, primarily because they simply fail to ask, â€Å"Is this decision or action ethical?†(Messick & Bazerman,1996)’. A process must be developed within the Colourful Corporation’s corporate policies, ensuring that each business decision considers the ethical impact that the decision may have on the community and its people. Figure 2 (Hill, 2011, pp.141) provides a number of generalisations, highlighting the complexity of ethical dilemmas, and that no one answer can truly be considered correct. However, consid eration of each component will help to improve ethical behaviour. As stated within the Californian Management Review (1999), there is differing advice from many academic sources. However, an important fundamental of ethics worth considering comes from the ’10 Guidelines for national corporations’ postulated by DeGeorge (1993), with the 2nd guideline stipulating that ‘every company must â€Å"produce more good than harm for the host country†Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ (DeGeorge, 1993). Unrealistic Performance Expectations The pressure from senior executives of the parent company to meet unrealistic performance goals that can only be attained by acting in an unethical manner (Hill et al 2011) is a factor that will result in unethical behaviour. There is a high probability that the local manager will make a decision that could potentially violate their own personal ethics and engage in unethical behaviour. The Colourful Corporation’s senior executive demanded that the local manager to replace the under-aged girl with an adult. The local manager followed the direction dutifully, replacing the under-aged girl, even though it may have violated his own personal ethics. Such unethical behaviour of the senior manager may affect the culture of the corporation as they set an example that other employees follow. Colourful Corporation can motivate and improve ethical behaviour by reinforcing a corporate policy that includes ethical considerations. Hill (2011) referred to how Hewlett-Packard (HP) reinforced ethical values of their employees through what they call the ‘HP Way’. The ‘HP Way’ stresses the need for confidence in and respect for people, open communication and concern for individual employees. Education In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift towards corporate business ethics. Consequently, ethics education in corporations is of significance because the lack of anticipation and preparations in practical terms as well as philosophically by corporations may result in the company becoming vulnerable to public scrutiny (Morris & Wood 2011, p.275). This is because research has found that ethical issues have asymmetric relationships across an organisation, suggesting a need to define appropriate corporate policy, and measures with emphasis on the ethical perspective of the company’s business operations (Svensson & Wood 2011, p.21). In line with this, employees of the company should therefore be provided information on the company’s corporate policies in order to align individual business ethics with the corporation business ethic. The following may be achieved by engaging with a reputable company-endorsed should be engaged to provide holistic ethical training program for all levels of employees within the corporation (Morris & Wood 2011, p.275). The author further emphasise that ethics training is able to inculcate ethical practices and behaviour within employees of the company by introducing critical awareness for moral dilemmas. The increase sensitivity among employees has developed a platform for a healthy ethical culture in the company. Hence, it is likely that the company can better manage stakeholders’ interest, as well as incorporating the idea of socially responsible behaviour in the company’s strategic actions (Sisaye 2011, p.277). Moral Obligations Moral obligations, also known as corporate social responsibilities, refer to ‘a concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis’ (EU Commission 2002, p.5). The economic and political transformations affecting the lives of young people are varied and complex. Researchers have also argued that the issue of child labour is contentious not only because many children work illegally, but also because their work concurrently involves interdependent realities of survival, participation, abuse and exploitation (Abebe & Bessell, 2011). Furthermore, Brekke and Nyborg (2005) stated that corporations with low social responsibility profile could be driven out of business. Therefore, it is important for corporation to consider moral obligations as a part of corporate policy.

Drafting an Academic Plan of Study for Student Growth

Drafting an Academic Plan of Study for Student Growth An academic plan of study is a way to provide more accountability to students who are struggling academically. This plan provides students with a set of academic goals tailored to their needs and provides them with assistance in reaching those goals. An academic plan of study is best suited for students who may lack the motivation necessary to succeed academically and needs some direct accountability to keep them in check. The motivation lies in the fact that if they do not meet their goals, then the student will be required to repeat that grade the following year. Developing an academic plan of study gives the student an opportunity to prove themselves rather than retaining them in their current grade which could have an overall negative effect. The following is a sample academic plan of study that can be modified to fit your specific needs. Sample Academic Plan of Study The following plan of study takes effect on Wednesday, August 17, 2016, which is the first day of the 2016-2017 school year. It is effective through Friday, May 19, 2017. The principal/counselor will review John Student’s progress at a minimum of a bi-weekly basis. If John Student fails to meet his objectives at any given check, then a meeting will be required with John Student, his parents, his teachers, and the principal or counselor. If John Student has met all of the objectives, then he will be promoted to the 8th grade at the end of the year. However, if he fails to meet all of the listed objectives, then he will be placed back into the 7th grade for the 2017-2018 school year. OBJECTIVES John Student must maintain a 70% C- average in each class including English, reading, math, science, and social studies.John Student must complete and turn in 95% of their classroom assignments per class.John Student must attend school at least 95% of the required time, meaning they can only miss 9 days of the total 175 school days.John Student must show improvement in his reading grade level.John Student must show improvement in his math grade level.John Student must set a reasonable Accelerated Reading goal for each quarter (with principal/counselors assistance) and meet that A.R. goal every nine weeks. Assistance/Action   John Student’s teachers will immediately let the principal/counselor know if he fails to complete and/or turn in an assignment on time. The principal/counselor will be responsible for keeping track of this information.The principal/counselor will conduct bi-weekly grade checks in the areas of English, reading, math, science, and social studies. The principal/counselor will be required to inform both John Student and his parents of their progress on a bi-weekly basis via conference, letter, or telephone call.John Student will be required to spend a minimum of forty-five minutes for three days a week with an intervention specialist specifically focused on improving his overall reading level.If any of John Student’s grades drop below 70%, he will be required to attend after-school tutoring at a minimum of three times per week.If John Student is failing to meet two or more of his grade requirements and/or two or more of his objectives by December 16. 2016, then he will be d emoted to the 6th grade at that time for the remainder of the school year. If John Student is demoted or retained, he will be required to attend a Summer School session. By signing this document, I agree to each of the conditions above. I understand that if John Student does not meet each objective that he may be placed back into 7th grade for the 2017-2018 school year or demoted to the 6th grade for the 2nd semester of the 2016-2017 school year. However, if he meets each expectation then he will be promoted to the 8th grade for the 2017–2018 school year.    __________________________________ John Student, Student __________________________________ Fanny Student, Parent __________________________________ Ann Teacher, Teacher __________________________________ Bill Principal, Principal

Explore the importance of the WTO for international business Essay

Explore the importance of the WTO for international business - Essay Example The World Trade Organization (WTO) is a modern international association constructed as an enduring body. It is meant to perform the role of a regulator in the scopes of exchange in goods, exchange in services, external investment, and academic property among others. This essay will present the importance of the WTO for international business. WTO and its importance for international business During the late 1990s, a lot of the disputes over globalization concentrated on the World Trade Organization. The WTO was started in 1995 to ease international trade and solve disputes between countries. Geneva was its headquarters, and it had 135 member countries by 1999, majority was developing countries. According to Simmons (2005: 45) the organization helps the developing nations’ interests by easing trade development, providing a system for settling quarrels, reinforcing the integrity of trade changes, and endorsing clear trade systems that lower operation costs. After it was started , the WTO turned out to be a lightning pole for disagreement over globalization (The WTO after Cancun, 2003: 98). The WTO is a compassionate United Nations of Commerce, with enough implementation powers to support countries work out their dissimilarities (Bates, 2007: 76). However to some the WTO is a terrorizing, trade controlled world management of trade in which the statutory body and the law court operate separate the analysis of anyone who is not a regime leader or business lawyer (Morrison, 2009: 67). From this perspective, the organization's influence to arbitrate trade quarrels also provides it the power to dominate national laws, as well as environmental safeties. In that, it entails the independence of its member countries (Correa, 2000: 44). The Doha was the modern trade negotiations between the WTO members (Laeven, 2000: 78). Its purpose was to attain major improvement of the worldwide trading method through the institution of lower tariffs, free services, and trade faci litation. It is also recognized as semi-officially, and the Doha Development Agenda as a central objective is to advance the trading outlooks of developing states (EUROPA-Rapid-Press, 2006). More on Doha is going to be covered later on in the essay. The World Trade Organization was developed because of negations between parties in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) formed at the end of the Second World War. The GATT was developed in 1947 to govern the post-second world war (Caroline, 2004:77). The International Monetary Fund (IMF), the United Nations, and World Bank were also developed in the years of 1944-1945, as the international leaders believed that the international institutions were capable of assisting the economic and social disasters during that time. The institutions would also prevent the global climate from worsening to the point of conflict (Caroline, 2004:77).The organization of the WTO is governed by its supreme authority, and the Legislative Conferenc e, which constitutes of all the WTO members. They meet at least twice a year and can make decisions on all issues concerning the joint trade treaties (Biadgleng, 2008: 45). The task of WTO in worldwide trade as specified in the Agreement incorporates: Aiding the application, administer allowance and procedure and promoting the objectives of the accord creating it and other Mutual Trade Unions and specifying the framework for the application

Factors contributing to Greece Financial crisis Dissertation

Factors contributing to Greece Financial crisis - Dissertation Example There was a wide margin of money supply circulated in the economy versus the available increases in money supply that remained in banks. Another major discovery was a wide gap between importations and exports. Imports exceeded exports by the billions of dollars each year. Yet the ECB, EU, and IMF did not recommend drastic reduction in the importations. Instead, these financial organizations recommended retrenchments of government employees. The budget defitis could have been drastically reduced by simply cutting down substantial imports of goods that people in Greece can readily produce. But the financial system needs reforms in the sense that entrepreneurs with feasible business projects should be given priority over Investment Banking activities of banks. This dissertation recommends further impartial investigation into the banking operations in terms of the loans or funding of businesses in order to eliminate the public’s doubt over the banking system of withholding substan tial funds from the needed productivity of the country. Retrenchment of employees should be the last option in finding ways to fix the budget deficit annually. At this point in time, excessive importations valued at 200% of all exports, would be the first priority for the cutting of dollar outflows. And the top positive step should be development of probably profitable businesses such as those beind supplied by other countries into Greece. It is not conclusive that the root causes of the Greece financial crisis is overspending of government, overstaffing, and excessive debt servicing. This is because of the lack of transparency of banks in terms of disclosing where the substantial funds were loaned and how much they earned or lost. Table of Contents Introduction A. Overview of the Greece Financial Crisis B. Problem Statement C. Hypothesis D. Research Limitations Aims, Specific Objectives, & Purposes Significance of the Study Literature Review Methodology Findings Discussion & Analys is of Findings Conclusions Recommendations Appendix References Introduction Overview Greece financial crisis as of the present had just experienced a substantial debt default in March 2012 and a redemption from that default through a debt sale via bidding in August 2012. Mead and Paris (2012) reported the successful auction of bonds representing debts to the ECB wherein $ 5 billion was raised â€Å"to redeem â‚ ¬ 3.1 in bonds held by th ECB† (equivalent to less than $ 4 billion). The Bank of Cyprus had been buying Greek bonds for years with undisclosed or mysterious reasons, according to Kambas et. al. (2013). That redemption from debt default is far from solving the many aspects of financial crisis of Greece, which has lasted for over a decade up to the present. This dissertation looks into the many difficult economic situations of Greece – annual budget deficits, heavy indebtedness, very high unemployment rates, low industrial productivity, low consumer confidence , and more – making the country very popular as a poor performer among members of the European Union. Greece Problem Defined What brought about the financial crisis of Greece over the years? How did the nation get to be heavily indebted with nearly half a trillion dollars worth of bonds payable to some countries, mainly France,