Monday, September 30, 2019

Succesful Business Man

Different businessmen have different ways to build their own careers. When faced with the decision of what some of qualities of a successful businessman are, each person has his/her own opinion. From my point of view, I consider that common sense, specialized knowledge, and good communication skills are the qualities of a prosperous businessman. The primary characteristic which every entrepreneur needs to have in order to do well is common sense. It is defined as an ability to make judgments on the issues, which he/she encounter in every day situations.A good common sense often called as practical intelligence empowers he/she act more quickly and wisely, especially in many complex issues. Successful businessmen are always able to be aware of the dangers surrounding him, anticipate and make sensible decisions. The second most significant quality is specialized knowledge about his/her fields. The entrepreneur who is incompetent at his job will never become profitable. Worked out ambiti on and money invested are not enough to make the business an effective and flourishing one; he must always accumulate his needed knowledge before jumping into business world.What is more, it is indispensable to accomplish success without communication skills. Being able to gain customers’ confidence is an absolute art and entrepreneur who can do it is bound to be successful. Furthermore, good communication methods can lay an intellectual foundation for strong relationships with colleagues partly lead to succeed in business. A prosperous businessman is must not only an affluent person, but also a prestigious person whose advice is always regarded by the others.In a word, to be a successful businessman is not an easy thing, but with a lot of effort, each entrepreneur can reach up to the success from day-to-day. From what I have stated above, I truly believe that common sense, specialized knowledge and good communication skills are the qualities of a successful businessman. A bu siness man is someone taking risk in a certain company for the purpose of producing revenue from a combination of human, financial, or physical capital. An entrepreneur is an example of a business man. Sometimes it can mean someone who is involved in the management of a company, especially as an owner or an executive.A successful business man must apply certain strategies in order to achieve different goals. So, what are the strategies that must be accomplished? First of all, to become a successful business man an entrepreneur should possess the basic business skills in order to adopt a winning business strategy. For example a business man in Fattal company is very organized always plan his business in every step and analyze it by writing a business plan to achieve the goals of the company properly this what make fattal one of the succeed company.So, a business man should always evaluate himself before taking any decision in business. Secondly, a business man must be an intelligent communicator who can gain confidence of others and a good listener to run the business easily. However, when I was doing my training in Pharma Group a medical company I really did appreciate the boss because he had the art of a good communication by being clear about what he was trying to explain whether he was informing or negotiating with us.In this case, the business person should be fluent in languages to be an expert in communication. Thirdly, Entrepreneurs need to deal with customers and suppliers with honesty to build a better reputation and must deliver the product or the service that add value to the business by focusing on the customers’ needs. Actually, Apple Company does have a good reputation because of the sincerity of the entrepreneur dealing with customers and buying them an efficient product that may satisfy their needs.

Sunday, September 29, 2019

How are Transnationalism and Europeanisation transforming the political geographies of nation-States? Discuss, with examples.

Abstract Transnationalism and Europeanistaion is the concept of downloading the structures of the European Union (EU) to the domestic level.When implementing such structures, however, the changes that are made within State territories are extended to include shared beliefs, rules, discourses, identities and policies. This, in effect, seems to be a two way process which provides territorial States with greater control over the political geographies of their nation States. Although this affects the attainment of a fully integrated EU, the same structures are still being employed which demonstrates the overall impact Europeanisation has upon nation States. This study will examine the effect Transnationalism and Europeanisation has upon the political geographies of nation States and a demonstration as to how the political geographies of these States are transformed will be given. Introduction Transnationalism refers to the transborder relations and interactions that exist between individuals, firms, institutions and groups. In doing so, the cultural and political characteristics of nation States combine, which in turn leads to Europeanisation (Featherstone and Radaelli, 2003). Europeanisation is defined as; â€Å"an incremental process of re-orienting the direction and shape of politics to the extent that EC political and economic dynamics become part of the organisational logic of national politics and policy making† (Howell, 2002: 6). Overall, Europeanisation is the downloading, to the domestic level, of European Union (EU) regulations, directives, regulations and institutional structures. Transnationalism and Europeanisation are therefore concerned with the inter-relationships between individuals, States and territories, which transforms the political geographies of nation-States. This study will demonstrate how Transnationalism and Europeanisation transforms th e political geographies of nation-States by reviewing relevant academic literature within this area and providing applicable examples of how Transnationalism and Europeanisation transforms the boundaries, divisions and possession of States. The difficulties with attaining completing EU integration will also be discussed, followed by a review as to whether the current processes are effective or not. Overview of how Transnationalism and Europeanisation are transforming the political geographies of territorial States Political geographies of territorial States are defined by borders, despite the fact that the EU intends to establish a fully integrated system. Transnationalism and Europeanisation impacts the political geographies of such States by making a distinction between State sovereignty and European integration and subsequently abrogating State sovereignty (Jacobsson et al; 2013: 70). The understanding of Transnationalism and Europeanisation has, nonetheless, been extremely complex for some time, although Europeanisation is generally considered a paradigm of Transnationalism (Maria, 2010: 1). Transnationalism and Europeanisation therefore describes the two way process of policy change that occurs between the EU and domestic governance structures. This is different from European integration, which relates to the one way process of the EU’s impact upon Member States. Distinct structures of governance are thus created through Europeanisation (Cowles et al, 2001: 1) and consist of  "formal and informal rules, procedures, policy paradigms, styles, shared beliefs and norms† (Featherstone and Radaelli, 2003: 30). The development of these distinct structures of governance has, nonetheless, been considered to generate â€Å"adaptational pressures† that are conditioned upon the ‘goodness of fit’ between EU and national policies (Cowels et al; 2001: 2). Accordingly, Europeanisation is a process of change whereby domestic structures are influenced by the processes of the EU system of governance. These are then used to shape the policy outcomes of domestic actors (Dyson and Goetz, 2003, 20), which is said to remove the borders of geographical territories within the EU. Regardless, borders are still important in helping to develop territories that are divided by State boundaries and in analysing modern political geography (Nelles and Walther, 2011: 6). Boundaries also form part of an ideology and are effective in demonstrating the limits associated with territorial ownership and control (Herrschel, 2011: 173). Borders are therefore necessary in distinguishing between territorial States. Since the Revolutions of 1989 overthrew the communist States, however, significant transformations have been made to the borders contained within the EU. The concept of Europeanisation has had a significant effect upon nation States, though at the same time it has developed multifaceted contours. This is due to the fact that it is such a contested notion and is resultantly extremely difficult to define. It has, however, recently been described as a â€Å"social act having politico-geographical motivations† (Marciacq, 2012: 1). Whilst there are many different conceptions of Europeanisation, it cannot be said that they are all equally sound. This causes controversy within the political geographies of territorial States and as argued by Driver (1991: 268); â€Å"what was once considered a moribund backwater is now fertile ground for original research and lively debate.† Nevertheless, Europeanisation is the transnational flow of people, ideas, practices and customs across all EU borders (Ydesen, 2013: 172). Not only does Europeanisation have an effect upon Member States, but it is also has an effect upon Non-Member States. T his occurs as a result of the EU’s co-operation with third countries and as expressed by neo-institutionalists; â€Å"the analysis of the organisational field of the external dimension of EU migration policy reveals interorganisational dynamics that are likely to impact on the policy output in non-Member States and shape Europeanisation processes† (Wunderlich, 2009: 22). Development of the Argument Europeanisation has transformed the political geographies of many territorial States and has had a positive impact upon the conflicts that occur between Member and Non-Member States, through integration and close association (Featherstone and Radaelli, 2003). Nevertheless, as Germany and Poland have failed to integrate fully, much confliction still exists between the two territories (Kratke, 2007: 1). The German side of the border is detrimentally affected, whilst the Polish side of the border has improved economically (Nelles and Walther, 2011: 6). One of the main objectives of Europeanisation was to ensure that States became fully integrated, yet many barriers still exist. This has been described as an â€Å"unnatural and dysfunctional unit† (Ohmae, 1995: 42), though it is unclear whether such borders will ever be fully opened up (Mingus, 2006: 577). If the EU is to become fully integrated, this will be a necessary requisite although it is likely that many States will be rel uctant to become borderless for fear that sovereignty will be undermined. In addition, borders are now being used in order to resolve many underlying issues that arise within the EU, such as immigration, crime and environmental problems. As a result, borders are being recognised as having significant importance and although it is important that the EU becomes fully integrated, it is also necessary for effective controls to exist (Gabbe, 2010). Cross-border co-operation will be capable of allowing for â€Å"the discovery and furtherance of common interests and the acknowledgement of differences† (O’Dowd, 2010: 32). Arguably, it is clear that divides continue to exist within the EU and it is questionable whether these can be overcome given the cultural and political differences that exist within territorial States. Provided that State co-operate with each other, effective Europeanisation will be ascertained; â€Å"cross-border co-operation helps lessen the disadvantages of the border, overcome the periphery status of the border regions and imp rove the living standards of people in the area† (Gronau, 2011: 3). Therefore, if territorial States, such as Poland and Germany, co-operate with each other and embrace the changes that are being created by Europeanisation, the problems that currently exist will be overcome. Cross-border boundaries produce many difficulties for the attainment of a fully integrated EU, yet it has been suggested that boundaries are actually â€Å"fading away in the post-modern, globalized world† (Passi, 2010: 678). Therefore, although Transnationalism and Europeanisation are transforming the political geographies of territorial States and establishing an integrated EU, territoriality still exists. It remains to be seen whether this will ever be any different given that boundaries are a symbol of sovereignty. Furthermore, because Europeanisation still has an impact upon Member and Non-Member States alike, it is questionable whether a borderless world is in fact needed since the structures of the EU are still being adopted regardless (Gabbe, 2010: 3). Consequently, it appears in view of this that closed borders are primarily required to tackle immigration, crime and environmental problems and that as a result of Europeanisation, territorial States are adopting the str uctures of the EU regardless as to whether the borders are open or closed. Therefore, whilst a fully integrated EU would be advantageous, it cannot be said whether the drive for this exists as a real entity or a mere political entity. Transnationalism and Europeanisation have evidently transformed the management of borders both inside and outside the EU by striving for integration and co-operation. However, many believe that the ‘Fortress Europe’ notion still exists (Willem, 2006: 13). Since the Schengen Agreement was entered into in 1995, however, the EU has become even more integrated. This has been considered one of the â€Å"greatest achievements of the EU† (European Commission, 2013: 1). The Schengen Agreement provided the EU with an area that exists without internal borders, which provides individuals with the ability to circulate freely without being subjected to border checks. Whilst this makes it easier for citizens within the internal borders, tighter controls are placed upon the external borders to ensure the protection of those within the Schengen area (Alscher, 2005: 126). This effectively creates a Fortress Europe on the external borders whilst creating a free Europe on the intern al ones. Whilst Europeanisation transforms the political geographies of nation States, it is internalised differently and depends entirely upon the territorial States willingness to change. Therefore, whilst Europeanisation does strongly influence integration, it has been pointed out that the process is â€Å"uneven at both the domestic and regional level† (Anastasakis, 2005: 77). This is because at the regional level differentiation and diversity continues to persist amongst countries and at the domestic level there is a constant battle between reform and reaction. Europeanisation is simply a process that territorial States are to adopt in order to achieve economic integration and create a set of ideals that are being conformed to by all EU Member States. Yet, the workability of this will depend entirely upon the willingness of territorial States. Co-operation amongst States should therefore be encouraged in order to overcome any problems that arise with regards to cross-border relations and to provide adequate protection to citizens. It is unlikely that this will be achieved with ease given the lack of co-operation that currently exists in territories such as G ermany and Poland, yet provided that nation States have a common set of goals, any sensitivity that exists will be dealt with accordingly. Conclusion Overall, Transnationalism and Europeanisation transforms the political geographies of nation-States by establishing common goals and desires that are to be adopted by all States within the EU. Whilst Europeanisation generally seeks to achieve an integrated Europe, territorial States are still being defined by borders. However, in spite of this Transnationalism and Europeanisation still impacts the political geographies of nation States by distinguishing between State sovereignty and European integration. Borders of geographical territories are said to be removed by Europeanisation, yet many borders still exist in order to maintain control and securitization. Europeanisation has, nevertheless, transformed the political geographies of many territorial States by positively impacting the conflicts that transpire between Member and Non-Member States. This is achieved through integration and close association, yet not all States have successfully integrated. This is due to the reluctance o f States to abrogate sovereignty. As a result, divides continue to exist within the EU, despite the attempts that have been made to the adoption of Europeanisation. Hence, it is questionable whether these divides can be rectified given the cultural and political differences that exist within territorial States. The attainment of a fully integrated EU seems to be affected as a result of this, yet the same structures of Europeanisation are still being incorporated regardless of the fact that cross-border boundaries are still being maintained by some States. Thus, because Europeanisation still impacts upon Member and Non-Member States, it is unclear whether a borderless world is needed given that borders help to tackle immigration, crime and environmental problems. Still, it is manifest that Transnationalism and Europeanisation does transform the political geographies of nation-States as a whole. References Alscher, S. (2005) ‘Knocking at the doors of â€Å"Fortress Europe†: Migration and Border Control in Southern Spain and Eastern Poland’, The Centre for Comparative Immigration Studies, University of California, Working Paper 126. Anastasakis, O. (2005) ‘The Europeanisation of the Balkans’ Brown Journal of World Affairs, Volume 12, Issue 1. Cowles, M. G., Caporaso J. A. & Risse Th. (eds.) (2001), Europeanisation and Domestic Change, New York: Ithaca. Driver, F. (1991) ‘Political Geography and State Formation: Disputed Territory’ Progress in Human Geography, Volume 15, Issue 1. Dyson, K. & Goetz, K. H. (eds.) (2003), Germany, Europe and the Politics of Constraint, Oxford; Oxford University Press. European Commission. (2013) ‘Schengen, Borders and Visas’ Home Affairs, [Online] Available at: http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/index_en.htm [17 February 2014]. Featherstone, K. & Radaelli, C. (eds.) (2003), The Politics of Europeanisation, Oxford: Oxford University Press. Gabbe, J. (2010) ‘Legal Status of Cross-Border Co-Operation Structures – Past, Present and Prospects’ [Online] Available at: http://enpi.interact-eu.net/downloads/40/AEBR_Factsheet_Legal_Status_of_Cross_Border_Cooperation_Structures_Past_Present_and_Prospects.pdf [17 February 2014]. Gronau, A. (2011) ‘European Charter for Border and Cross-Border Regions’ [Online] Available: http://www.aebr.eu/files/publications/110915_Charta_EN_clean.pdf [17 February 2014]. Herrschel, T. (2011) Borders in Post-Socialist Europe: Territory Scale Society, Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Howell, K. (2002). ‘Developing Conceptualizations of Europeanisation and European Integration: Mixing Methodologies’ ESRC Seminar Series / UACES Study Group on the Europeanization of British Politics, Research Unit for Institutional Governance. Jacobsson, B. Laegreid, P. and Pedersen, O. K. (2013) Europeanisation & the Transformation of States, London, Routledge, Political Science. Kratke, S. (2007) Metropolisation of the European Economic Territory as a Consequence of Incerasing Specialisation of Urban Agglomerations in the Knowledge Economy, European Planning Studies, Volume 15, Issue 1. Marciacq, F. (2012) ‘The Political Geographies of Europeanisation: Mapping the Contested Conceptions of Europeanisation’ Journal of Contemporary European Research, Volume 8, Number 1. Maria, A. (2010) ‘Approaching the Euopreanisation process from a cosmopolitan perspective’ [Online] Available at: http://www.idec.gr/iier/new/Europeanization%20Papers%20PDF/Angelopoulou%20-%20Approaching%20the%20Europeanisation%20process%20from%20a%20cosmopolitan%20perspective.pdf [17 February 2014]. Nelles, J. and Walther, O. (2011) Changing European Borders: From Separation to InterfaceAn Introduction, Journal of Urban Research, [Online] Available: http://articulo.revues.org/1658 [17 February 2014]. Mingus, M. S. (2006) Transnationalism and Subnational Paradiplomacy: Are Governance Networks Perforating SovereigntyInternational Journal of Public Administration, Volume 29, Issue 8. Nelles, J. and Walther, O. (2011) Changing European Borders: From Separation to InterfaceAn Introduction, Journal of Urban Research, [Online] Available: http://articulo.revues.org/1658 [17 February 2014]. O’Dowd, L. (2010) The Changing Significance of European Borders, Regional and Federal Studies, Volume 12, Issue 4. Ohmae, K. (1995) The End of the Region State: The Rise of Regional Economies. London: Harper Collins. Paasi, A. (2010) Boundaries as Social Practice and Discourse: The Finnish-Russian Border, Regional Studies, Volume 33, Issue 7. Willem, P. (2006) ‘Freedom of Movement within Fortress Europe’ Archive of European Integration, Biennial Conference 2005. Wunderlich, D. (2009) ‘Governance Networks in the External Dimension of EU Migration Policy: Europeanisation Through the Grapevine?’ [Online] Available at: http://aei.pitt.edu/33165/1/wunderlich._daniel.pdf [17 February 2014]. Ysden, C. (2013) ‘Europeanisation Education: Governing a New Policy Space’ Journal of Education Policy. Best Foot Scrubber available at: http://bestmakeuplooks.com/beauty/best-foot-scrubber/

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Book fair

BOOK FAIR- 2012 WHEN E-BOOKS MEET THE MANGO PEOPLE†¦ It was a fine sunny morning when I with my bunch of my classmates went to the 18th annual Delhi book fair on 6th September 2012 at Pragati Maidan. It was  a nine-day affair featuring discussions on proliferation of e-books and interaction with authors, apart from availability of vast number of books on divergent genres. We were supposed to report for a radio show as per our curriculum and were told to reach Pragati Maidan at 10 in morning. Getting up early and witnessing the bumpy metro ride I reached Pragati Maidan at 10.30 am. All are group members waited for the respected teachers to give us the gadget. The time we waited for the teachers to come we discussed about the theme of our radio show. As soon as we got the recorder we tightened up our belts and went to hall no. 8 from where the book fair commenced. We chose children’s book as our theme for radio show and decided to take the bites of all the students and children. First of all we went to the information desk to know about the number of stalls that were based on children books and educational games. We found that out of 235 stalls 40 to 45 stalls were dedicated for the children of all ages. We also came to know that the theme of the book fair this time was e-books. We started with the school children of classes 3rd to 5th of New India Modern Public School and recorded their experience at the book fair. Also we talked to their teachers who told us about the books they preferred for their children. Then we all went to the group of school girls who came all the way from Himachal Pradesh along with their teachers to explore Book Fair 2012 as it was a part of their training program to learn English. They told us that it was their first visit to book fair and how it helps them in their training program. We also talked to the parents and children and different stall owners and recorded their aims and aspirations from the book fair this year. After we got the required bites we handed over the recorder to the other group and I went to look for different books especially the e-books. The new theme e-books influenced me a lot personally. The idea of saving trees by omitting paper for e-books was quiet paramount. I really liked the concept and especially the material that it offered. It was one of the easiest and environment friendly ways that makes reading and learning fun. I also went and saw many books by national geography and saw the epical photographs that were printed in them. Over all it was a nice educational expedition that was accompanied by fun and new learning ventures. VINAYAK VERMA SEM III-B

Friday, September 27, 2019

Aviation Aircraft Investigation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Aviation Aircraft Investigation - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, aviation accidents do occur. Between 1999 and 2008 there were 370 aviation accidents, resulting in 4,970 fatalities. Commercial passenger airlines are the least likely of all flights to be involved in an accident (www.1001crash.com). The causes for aviation accidents are varied, but can be categorized into three groups: the physical environment, mechanical failure and human error. Specific issues within each of these three groups are the root cause for all aviation-related accidents. Accidents caused by the physical environment occur from Mother Nature herself. Things such as lightening, wind, ice, rain, etc. are all physical causes. In these cases, it is important for accident investigators to rule out any human error when reacting to physical causes. An airplane sliding off of an icy runway would be one example of an accident caused purely by the physical environment. There is nothing a flight crew could do in this situation to avoid it. Mechanical failure is the next category of accidents. Examples of mechanical failure include complete engine shut down, rudder failure, wheel structure malfunction, etc. Again, there has to be care taken to ensure that human error is not at play in mechanical failure. Investigators have to research carefully to make certain that the failure was completely related to the physical part of the equipment and not the maintenance or lack of. Over the past 20 years, accidents relating to mechanical failures have been steadily declining when compared to other accident causes. Accidents caused by mechanical issues are easier to determine and fix as compared to human errors and the physical environment. When there is a mechanical error, it can be analyzed and improvements can be made in the mechanical structure to avoid the same problem happening again. This isn’t the case for human error (Wiegmann & Shappell, 1997). The remainder of this paper will focus

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Ethical Leadership is Mostly about Leadership Integrity Essay

Ethical Leadership is Mostly about Leadership Integrity - Essay Example It has been determined that very ethical leaders lead the most successful organizations in the world and these leaders have steered them towards this path. Those organizations which have been seen to collapse or are on the verge of collapsing recently have been led by leaders who have turned out to be very unethical in their practices and these practices has led to the mistrust of their leadership both from within their organizations, and also from the public which the organization has to serve. The lack of confidence in an organization due to the unethical practices of its leaders leads to a mistrust from those who receive the services of such an organization and in the process, the customers of such an organization may choose to look for alternative organizations that provide the same services and have a more credible leadership. Scandals that arise due to matters of ethics within an organization are very difficult things to deal with and they not only affect the leadership of such an organization but they also affect the employees or subordinates and their families. It is therefore best for leaders within every organization in the world to ensure that they maintain the highest standard of ethical leadership that can be achieved within the organization (Sama and Shoaf, 2008, 39 - 46). It is a fact that the integrity of the leadership within an organization is what determines its following of ethics (Perles, 2002, 59 – 66). If the leadership is corrupt, then the practices of the organization will more likely than not be corrupt because the leaders will not be working for the organization’s best interests but for their own interests.  

Tanunda winery Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Tanunda winery - Case Study Example The alternatives available, recommendations, and action and implementation plan for Tanunda Winery. Introduction The Tanunda Winery, one of the leading mid-sized wineries in Australia, was located in the Barossa Valley of South Australia. A young Australian-trained winemaker, Colin MacIntosh had started it in 1976. The Tanunda Winery started producing a range of red and white wines that were speedily gaining acceptance in the marketplace by 1985. The company had established a solid reputation in Australia as a consistent manufacturer of high-quality premium table wines. The company was known for its marketing skills. The company had been successful in generating revenues domestically but did not succeed in the international markets due to lack of an export strategy. There existed an ample opportunity for the company to enter the international markets. Problem Statement The main area of concern was to find way into the International markets so that Tanunda Winery could sell their qual ity table wines and increase their volumes. It was difficult to find which markets to precisely target. In the given case, the marketing manager of Tanunda Winery had been given an assignment to evaluate the feasibility of launching a major export drive. Key Issues The Tanunda Winery was successful in Australia but did not achieve success in international markets. The reason being it is an Australian company producing quality table wines and people worldwide hardly know about Australia as a producer of wine. The senior management group decided in a strategic meeting held in early 2000 that a substantial growth opportunity existed in export markets and therefore George Steen, the marketing manager started preparing for a feasibility study for the next strategy meeting. On forecasts of a very positive environment in several export markets by the Australian wine industry report, George found it as an opportunity to enter foreign markets in a big way. The major concern of Bruce Clark, t he general manager, was about the ability of entering worldwide markets and making profits because of severe competition from the old-world countries such as Italy, Spain, and France who are experts at producing well-recognized wines with huge volumes and value-pricing. Their main concern was to catch up with which markets to sell large volumes of wine. The recognition could be done via the Olympic Games to be held in Sydney. The marketing efforts led to increase in profits but the rate of increase was declining as well as the average returns which is measured by profits as a percentage of sales. In the previous two years, Tanunda was a passive exporter that is it did not make much effort in drawing wine importers and did not have any export strategy. The domestic sales which also marginally and an unpredictable sales pattern in the bottled table wine market was also an area of concern for Tanunda Winery. Ageing population in Australia led to stability in the wine markets domestical ly. The stability in the Australian markets was also a concern which pushed them to expand their international markets. Rising mergers and acquisitions in the early 1990s was a growing concern or issue for the mid-sized companies. The small companies joined hands with bigger companies and therefore increase the bigger companies’ portfolio of products. It was becoming difficult for mid-sized companie

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Psychology project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3250 words

Psychology project - Essay Example Sternberg goes on to elaborate that compassionate love consists of liking without sexual desire. He traces compassionate love to humanities biological heritage. The extreme helplessness of a human infant who cannot even hold his/her head upright for the first five months and needs the support of an elder care giver who nurtures his life guided primarily with the feelings of compassionate love for the completely vulnerable and helpless organism that man is at birth. So the perpetuation of the species to a large extent is dependent on the compassion and care our older care givers gave us to enable us to survive. Sternberg states that compassionate love results from both intimacy and commitment - (minus the passion). Compassion is an unconditional love rather like the love God has for humanity or like the brotherly/sisterly love shared by homeless people who share a deeper caring for each other even though they are not related. By its very definition compassionate love in my view is important as it will act as an anti-dote to fight terrorism and the senseless hatred of people who are different. More then any other kind of love, compassion is the one type of love that will facilitate a perpetuation of the species because, the more compassion we have for each other, the less likely we are to bump each other off. Robert Sternberg's triangular theory of love states love has three components- 1) Intimacy 2) Passion 3) Commitment. Various combinations of these result in different types of love. For example, a combination of intimacy and commitment results in compassionate love. According to Sternberg compassion is a more durable form of love as it is based on the two elements of commitment as well as intimacy, while love that is based on a single element, like say, passion is more likely to fizzle out with time. In this paper we will examine various theories on love to try and better understand the nature of love in general and compassionate love in particular. Biology of Psychology Here is the idea- 'Natural selection' offers the advantage of survival and so is more likely to be practiced by future generations. Darwin states, "can we doubtthat individuals having any advantage, however slight, over others,would have the best chance of surviving and of procreating their kind On the other hand, we may feel sure that any variation in the least degree injurious would be rigidly destroyed. This preservation of favorable variations and the rejection of injurious variations, I call Natural Selection."(Darwin, 1859, Natural Selection, The Origin of Species,) It could be that when we fall in love

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

God sees everything Discuss the importance of vision and blindness in Essay

God sees everything Discuss the importance of vision and blindness in 'The Great Gatsby' - Essay Example This paper will particularly discuss the importance of the concepts of vision and blindness in the novel. The Great Gatsby presents a complex vision of the interrelation between impulses, and its final meaning resides in an understanding of the nature of that relationship. This brings us to the fact that in the novel, women are portrayed as the object of such impulses and therefore, a key to understanding such thesis. According to Judith Fetterly (1978), the American literature in regard to the romantic nostalgia set store on the sense of wonder, which is intimately and expectedly paired with a sense of loss and that women are usually used as counters to these emotions. (p. 75) Fitzgerald’s vision of lost America is widely regarded as the same with Gatsby’s vision of Daisy. In the male mind, which is collectively those of Gatsby, Carraway and Fitzgerald’s, the impulse to wonder is instinctively associated with the image of woman, and the ensuing gambits of the romantic imagination are played out in female metaphors. What this means for us is that in the novel, Gatsby is the incarnation of the American visionary and his story is the chronicle of the quintessential â€Å"American dream† with Daisy herself as America, like the old island that flowered once for the Dutch sailor eyes - the freshest green breast of the new world. (Fitzgerald p. 140) She was the conscious and subconscious focus of Gatsby’s visions and actions. The â€Å"green light† in the novel further provided insight in this regard. At the end of Chapter I, Nick Carraway, lingered on the lawn for sometime, under the stars, and became aware that Gatsby was there, too: I decided to call on him†¦ But I didn’t†¦ for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone – he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, as far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward – and distinguished nothing except a

Monday, September 23, 2019

Software engineering and implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 5000 words

Software engineering and implementation - Essay Example It has a close relationship with a large number of other disciplines such as mathematics, physics and computer sciences (ACM, Inc., 2006). Basically, software engineering provides a wide variety of principles, practices and tools for software engineers throughout the software development process. However, the software development process is followed through a software development life cycle. In this scenario, a software development life cycle is a conceptual framework or a map, which defines the stages of a software development process. Basically, a software development life cycle divides the software development process into a number of stages. Additionally, each stage of a software development life cycle is aimed at achieving a particular objective (Rouse, 2009). Up till now, a large number of software development process models have been developed taking into consideration the objectives of a particular software. For instance, waterfall process model, spiral model, iterative models, agile models and so on. Though, each software process model is based on a specific ideology. However, the basic objective of all the software process models is to support the software development process by dividing the development effort into a number of stages. In this scenario, each software development model divides the software development process into different stages such as: requirements analysis, system design, coding, testing, implementation and maintenance. In addition, the execution of these stages depends on the requirements of a particular software (Kumar, Zadgaonkar, & Shukla, 2013). However, the execution of these stages flows in a sequence from upper to lower stage. This paper presents a detailed analysis of two most important stages of a traditional software development life cycle, these stages are: requirements analysis and software

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Debate on School Uniform Essay Example for Free

Debate on School Uniform Essay Today we are seeing that the younger generations are becoming more preoccupied with fitting into the latest fashion trends. School administrations have noticed that dress code violations could be an attribute to the lack of performance in the classrooms. Public schools across America are searching for answers to enhance a better learning environment for the students. Taking all this into consideration, school uniforms would be a great idea to alleviate some of the negativity kids face due to societies apparel obsessions. In addition to what has been mentioned, studies have shown positive results with the use of public school uniforms. If it means that the schoolrooms will be more orderly, more disciplined, Mr. Clinton said, and that our young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside instead of what theyre wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms (Mitchell, 1996). I believe a requirement of school uniforms should be implemented in all public elementary and middle schools. Read more: Should uniforms be mandatory essay In the name of putting â€Å"discipline and learning back in our schools† President Clinton instructed the Federal Education Department today to distribute manuals to the nation’s sixteen thousand school districts advising them how they can legally enforce a school uniform policy. If it means that the schoolrooms will be more orderly, more disciplined,† Mr. Clinton said, â€Å"and that our young people will learn to evaluate themselves by what they are on the inside instead of what they’re wearing on the outside, then our public schools should be able to require their students to wear school uniforms† (Mitchell, 1996). â€Å"It’s a fashion trend that’s spreading from Los Angeles to Louisiana, from Maryland to Miami, public schools are discussing, and in many cases adopting, the old private school idea. School uniforms are designed to help kids focus on algebra instead of high-tops; to make students compete for grades rather than jackets (www. pbs. org). In 1987, the first public school Cherry Hill Elementary in Baltimore, MD instituted a school uniform policy. Later in 1994, the Long Beach Unified School District in California adopted a mandatory uniform policy in some of its schools, making it the first urban district to do so. Before long there was a considerable increase in the use of uniform. For example, ninety-five percent of New Orleans’ public schools require uniforms, eighty-five percent of Cleveland, eighty percent of Chicago, sixty-five percent of Boston, sixty percent of Miami, and fifty percent of Cincinnati’s public School changed to uniforms (www. education. org). New York City, which is the largest school district in the US, has adopted the school uniform policy. The largest school district in the U. S. has adopted school uniforms. Over a half-million elementary-school students in New York City will have to adhere to a dress code by the fall of 1999. The president of the school board said the policy is â€Å"important to diminish peer pressure and promote school pride,† but that it’s not â€Å"an act of magic to transform schools overnight†¦ It isn’t going to replace a good teaching, good principals, and small classrooms. †(www. pbs. org). The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) conducted a phone survey of seven hundred and fifty five principals in 2000, which revealed that twenty one percent of all public schools had a uniform policy (www. education. org). Another reason that schools have decided to conform to uniform policy is because some students arrive at school in T-shirts that bear slogans or graphics promoting drugs and alcohol, or that display a variety of messages that conflict with values the schools are trying to promote. Others may swagger around the halls in gang-related garb. Also, others may show up in sexually provocative clothing. These issues, as well as a desire to minimize socioeconomic tensions between the â€Å"haves† and â€Å"have not’s†, have spurred some schools to adopt more stringent dress codes or to require students to wear uniforms. As the Department of Education’s Manual on School Uniform notes, â€Å"Uniforms by themselves cannot solve all of the problems of school discipline, but they can be one positive contributing factor to discipline and safety† (Lumsden, Miller, 2002). Some authors contend that uniforms lessen emphasis on fashion, reduce the financial burden of low-income families, and promote peer acceptance, school pride, and learning. In a ten-state survey of elementary and middle school principals conducted two years ago by the National Association of Elementary School Principals and the clothing company Lands’ End, eleven percent of respondents said that their schools mandate uniforms, and another fifteen percent were considering such a policy. Others recent survey indicated that support for uniforms are growing among parents as well. In one survey, fifty-six percent of parents said they would support a school uniform policy (Lumsden, Miller, 2002). School uniforms also take the pressure off students to pay top dollar for clothes, according to Reginald Wilson, a senior scholar at the American Council on Education in Washington, D. C. I think it does lower the cost of clothes, and kids dont emphasize clothes as much when theyre all wearing the same thing, Wilson said. Certainly the competition to wear the best shoes or the best sweaters and so forth has been prevalent in school ever since I was in school, and the poor kids felt inferior (www. pbs. org). Deborah L. Elder wrote about an evaluation of school uniform policy at John Adams and Truman Middle Schools for Albuquerque public schools. In the beginning in the fall of 1998 under a policy started by parent’s students at John Adams and Truman Middle Schools in Albuquerque were required to wear tuck-in polo shirts and khaki pants or skirts. Elder reports on an evaluation of this policy that used interviews, focus groups, and surveys, along with data on discipline referrals and numbers of students achieving honor-roll status. During the first semester of the 1998-1999 school year, both schools experienced a clear improvement in student conduct from the previous year. At John Adams Middle School, discipline referrals fell from one thousand five hundred and sixty-five during the first semester of the previous year to four hundred and five. At Truman, referrals dropped from one thousand one hundred and thirty-nine to eight hundred and fifty. Students, teachers, and parents stated in interviews â€Å"uniforms place all students on an equal level,† Elder writes, â€Å"Students who may be immediately labeled by peers and staff no longer stand out. † Survey data showed that seventy-five percent of parents and eighty-nine percent of staff supported uniforms and believed they decreased violence, theft, and gang activity, Although only fifteen percent of students supported uniforms, fifty-nine percent agreed that â€Å"school uniforms help school officials identify trespassers on campus. † Concerns about school violence have led to increased interest in and acceptance of uniform policies. In the wake of school shootings, communities and schools are much more willing to embrace uniforms as well as a number of other strategies to enhance student safety. Curbing gang-related violence was the primary goal of the Long Beach (CA) Unified School District when, in 1994, it began requiring students in all its elementary and middle schools to wear uniforms, In the Dysart Unified School District outside Phoenix, Arizona, eliminating some of the stigma associated with clothes was the main motivation behind the adoption of uniforms. Even before the recent series of school shootings, a survey of principals conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals found strong support for uniforms. In addition to having a sense that uniform may aid in violence prevention, many administrators believe that uniforms will reduce discipline referrals, while improving attendance, achievement, self-esteem, and school climate. A study of middle school students in the Charleston (SC) School District fount that school uniforms did appear to alter students’ perceptions of school climate. Students attending district schools that required uniforms viewed their school climates more positively than did students enrolled in schools where uniforms were not mandatory. Additional benefits credited to school uniforms include improved discipline, increased respect for teachers, increased school attendance, fewer distractions, improved academic performance, increased self-esteem and confidence, lower overall clothing costs, promotion of group spirit, reduction in social stratification and fashion statements, improved classroom behavior, lower rates of school crime and violence, and easy identification of nonstudents (Lumsden, 2001). Many opponents believe that dictating what students wear to school violates their constitutional right to freedom of expression (Lumsden,Miller, 2002). People oppose uniforms point to unnecessary violations of students First Amendment rights, authoritarian regimentation, extraordinary expenditures on special clothing, an environmental tone that is harmful to education and learning, and cosmetic solution to deeper societal problems. Students First Amendment right to freedom of expression, and whether it is being abridged, is one of the fundamental issues raised, Several legal challenges have asserted that students freedom to select what to wear to school is a form of self-expression that schools are not entitled to interfere with (Lumsden, 2001). In a recent case, Littlefield v. Forney, parents challenged a school uniform policy adopted by the Forney, Texas school board. The policy required students to wear polo shirts, oxford shirts, or blouses in any of four specified solid colors, with blue or khaki pants, shorts, skirts, or jumpers. Denim, leather, suede, vinyl, and spandex were off-limits, as were baggy clothes and specific types of shoes. The parents claimed that the district’s policy violated â€Å"the right of parents to control the upbringing and education of their own children. † The plaintiff also argued that the policy interfered with students’ freedom of expression and forced them to express ideas with which they might disagree. In addition, they also declared that the procedures for opting out of the policy violated their religious freedom by allowing school officials to assess the sincerity of people’s religious belief. The federal district court dismissed the suit without a trial, but the plaintiffs then appealed to the 5th Circuit Court, where the ruling of the lower court was upheld. In its decision, the 5th Circuit Court indicated that students’ free-speech right to select their own clothes is â€Å"not absolute,† and that this right must be balanced against a school board’s stated interests in adopting a dress code or uniform policy. To decide whether a specific uniform or dress code policy is permissible under the Constitution’s free-speech clause, the court used a four-pronged test it had previously applied in another school uniform case, Canady v. Bossier Parish School Board. The court looked at four criteria: the school board must have the power to make a policy, the policy must promote a substantial interest of the board, the adoption of the policy must not be an attempt to censor student expression, and the policy’s â€Å"incidental† restrictions on student expression must not be greater than necessary to promote the board’s interest. In this case, the 5th Circuit found that all four criteria were satisfied and that the district’s school uniform policy therefore did not violate students’ right to free expression. The court also ruled that parents’ rights to control their children’s upbringing, including their education, cannot override school rules that are considered â€Å"reasonable† to maintain an appropriate educational environment. In this case, the court concluded that the uniform policy was â€Å"rationally related† to the interests of the school board in â€Å"promoting education, improving student safety, increasing attendance, decreasing dropout rates, and reducing socioeconomic tensions among students. † The parents’ argument that the opt-out procedure violated religious freedom because if gave school officials the authority to judge the sincerity and content of families’ religious beliefs was also rejected by the court. Their decision was based on the policy not containing any religious goals; they did not have the effect of advancing or hindering any particular faith over any other; and did not excessively â€Å"entangle† school officials in religious beliefs (Lumsden, and Miller, 2002). Public schools that have already put uniform into place have seen improvement. Kids are less focus on what they are wearing, and more focus on schoolwork. Kids are not focused on what they should wear the next day for school and you won’t have kids up early looking for clothes to wear to school. Elementary and Middle Schools will see significant change once uniforms are put into place. School uniforms are a great way to preserve the level of social equality amongst the students. The thought of knowing the social background is prevented. It makes kids treat each other equally; not judging by what clothes they wear. Students will learn to respect each other on the foundation of how they get along and not how sexy they look. Humiliating or bullying other kids will decrease or stop altogether. The level of distraction is considerably reduced. Since students will be dressing in similar clothing, which will be distinctive to the school, the students will build up a sense of belonging and loyalty to the school. School uniforms will help avoid incidents of complicated situations (inferiority and superiority). Students will not be known by what they wear, but by how they perform. Kids can build team spirit. When you wear specific colors, a sense of unity can be developed. Similar clothing promotes team spirit. School uniforms encourage a sense of ownership and discipline. Therefore, I strongly believe school uniforms should be a requirement for public school students in the elementary and middle schools. Overall, implementing school uniform in elementary and middle public school will be beneficial, as I have mentioned above. Kids may not be happy about it at first, but they will eventually catch on. I personally work with middle school kids who go to public school and wear uniforms. They did not like it at first, but what they all agree on is how they don’t have to decide on what to wear. References Lumsden, Linda and Gabriel Miller. Dress Codes and Uniforms. 2002. National Association of Elementary School Principals, Alexandria, VA. 19 6 2012 . Lumsden, Linda. Uniforms and Dress-Code Policies. Eugene, May 2001. Mitchell, Alison. New York Times: Clinton Will Advise Schools on Uniforms. 25 February 1996. 23 June 2012 . Public School Uniform Statistics. 2012. 19 6 2012 . School Uniforms. 21 6 2012 .

Friday, September 20, 2019

Assessment and Accountability in Nursing

Assessment and Accountability in Nursing Mentors have responsibility to assist students to develop their clinical skills and knowledge on placements. As well as developing clinical skills, students also develop their interpersonal skills and as a result of this experience gain maturity. (NMC, 2008) .To determine students have achieved the professional standards or competence, mentors must make assessments while their placement. This is vital to protect the public from unsafe and incompetent practitioners. Assessment is an essential role of a mentor. A good assessment process gives the students valuable feedback, it helps them to identify where they are, highlights, deficits in their learning ,identifies what they need to do and enables them to set realistic future goals.(Danny Walsh 2010). A good assessment process help us to predict future behaviour of the nurse we train. However we can cut down the risks by ensuring that the assessment processes itself meets certain standards and criteria which are considered best practice. Proper assessments of students are essential because, they are the future nurses are responsible for protecting the public in patient care, (Necklin and Kenworthy, 2000:108).Through assessment mentor can identify the strength and weakness, knowledge and practical skill of a student. According to (Walsh 2010) student nurses are assessed for variety of reasons in their clinical practice. Examples of this; to monitor the students’ progress to give feedback, to discover learning needs, to encourage students, to monitor their progress, to assess students level of competence, to assess knowledge, skills and attitudes, to measure the effectiveness of the teaching and to safeguard the patient and protect the public. As students work alongside with mentors, need to encourage students to perform patient care through instructions, guidance and supervision. While they are caring the patients mentors can observe and give feedback, this means while student is learning she is being assessed. Managing the process of assessment and feedback is hugely important. Students fail their placements for a wide range of reasons, but certain key factors can help minimise this happening. The student needs to feel welcomed and wanted to be able to perform into the placement quickly and so get on with meeting their competencies. Duffy (2003) cited several reasons for students failing and the key aspect was the lack of a good mentor/student relationship. Mentors must be meeting with students regularly can identify the problems or deficits the students going through. Learning needs should then be identified and action plan must be put in place. Mentors and assessors have the right and responsibility of making professional judgements about the performance of their student. (ENB and department of Health, 2001).Students needs to be respected while maintaining their professional standards, it is important to recognise the rights and to be supported to succeed in clinical practice. Monitoring progress is about finding the students quality and quantity of learning and any difficulties students may experiencing that can be identified and action plan to be applied. There are different methods of assessment like observation of patient care, questions and answers, reflection, briefing, self assessment peer assessment, testimonies, portfolios.(Stuart 2003). Duffy and Hardicre (2007) identify the reasons of a failing student are lack of insight, lack of interest poor communication or interpersonal skills, personal issues, being over confident. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC2004a) states that nurses are accountable for their own practice. The public has a right to expect competence from the qualified professional in healthcare. With the purpose of assessment as a form of quality control for the healthcare professions, assessors should be able to identify failing students and provide enough support and resources to overcome the difficulties. As Maria was a first year student the initial priority was observations of the patient. At the beginning, I asked the questions about blood pressure ,heart rate(pulse) ,respirations, oxygen saturations ,pain scores etc†¦Then explained to Maria the theory, significant changes and if she notice any changes who to inform, then I demonstrated how to check observations and how to enter in a patient track or observation chart. The procedure was repeated in many situations under supervision which made her confident and also Maria received constructive feedback from other staff. A high level of a motivation and assessment is necessary for learning, (Gipps1994). During mid interview it was identified that student has achieved the skills to do the observations by using dyne map or manually, and also able to understand the significant changes and to report to the staff nurse. The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC 2006a) specifies the responsibility and accountability of NMC registrants who supports and make summative assessment decisions are referred to as assessors. As part of summative assessment (Stuart 2003), I arranged final interview with Maria on last day of her placement. I reviewed all her progress and evidences recorded in her practice book. Maria’s portfolio, feedbacks from other colleagues and Maria’s behaviour while her placement in the unit, attitude towards the patients and colleagues, knowledge , skills and performance in order to determine whether, she is fit for practice without supervision. Constructive feedback has an impact not only on the teaching/learning process but also gives messages to students about their effectiveness and self esteem (Gipps1994).Feedback sessions should be designed to help students grow in their clinical skills and professional competence. It is not possible for the named assessor to work with the student on enough occasions to monitor the progress of students with validity and reliability, so that it is important that the mentor seeks the views of other practitioners who have worked with the student. The assessment activities of working alongside the student and observing practice, discussion with the student and examination of the student’s portfolio, discussion with other assessors are done both informally and formally to monitor progress (Phillips et al 2000). Lifelong learning is the term used to refer to the planned or unplanned learning occurs throughout the life ,usually the working life ,of an individual (Hinchliff1998).The mentor is advised not to give all the answers ,which deprive the student of the opportunity of carrying out some of the problem –solving and decision making activities (Stengelhofen1993).These cognitive processes foster deep learning ,and thus help the student extract more meaningful learning through experiences.Dreyfus model (Benner 1989) describes the five levels of proficiency the students pass during their placement .They are novice, advanced beginner competent, proficient and expert .The author believes that this model can be applied in assessing the students in placement area because this will help students to access frequent feedbacks that can help to improve clinical skills and become more self- aware. Every good placement should be gathering feedback from the student’s inorder to improve the student experience and enhance learning opportunities. Accountability involves responsibility, knowledge and being able to justify actions. It is always challenging for mentors to deal with failing student’s .However if planned in advance and strategies in place, it can be overcome without too much pressure on the student .In the mid-interview, if the student is not performing up to the standard it’s important to provide the student more support and inform the personal tutor. It is essential to note that few students unable to meet the criteria whatever the circumstances are, the mentor should act appropriately in order to fail the poor performing students rather than the fail to fail situation which may affect the public (Duffy2007). To succeed in placement assessments and achieve competencies the student cannot afford to leave it until later in the placement .It is the responsibility of the mentor to ensure that they give the student regular reviews and feedback to ensure that they keep on top of meeting their learning objectives (Walsh2010).Mentors needs to evaluate students time to time and it is important to provide constructive feedback .Mentors should focus to create a safe learning environment for the students and it is their accountability. When Maria started placement in my unit I ensure she has done all the mandatory trainings like moving and handling, fire training, health and safety, infection control. If Mentor takes the decision to fail a student, it should not come like a surprise to the student. Students who are not progressing or failing their placement mentors need to identify the learning needs and support them with available resources. Discuss any issues or concerns with the student and inform university tutor, and also make sure student understands the problem.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Of Mice And Men In the masterful story Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck there is a looming theme of loneliness. This theme is told to you through the words and actions of the characters in the story . This story is told through two characters Lennie and George. The setting is 1930’s America. The story involves traveling ranch workers that live only for the one purpose to get paid and waste their money on a few drinks and some pleasure. These men are consumed with loneliness. The care for nothing but themselves. They are very unlike George and Lennie who have each other and a dream. Lennie is a big man with the brain of a child. Lennie never meant to hurt anybody but managed to get himself and his only true friend George into trouble. George is a small smart man who has known Lennie all his life and knows to well that Lennie could not survive on his own lets him travel with him as a favor too Lennie’s aunt Loneliness is defined as Without companions; lone. I will use this definition to describe different aspects of Steinbeck’s treatment of loneliness in this novel. Steinbeck’s use of loneliness is in this novel is very noticeable in some of the dialogue like when Lennie accidentally stumbles into Crook’s home in the stable and they talk. "You got George. You know he’s goin’ to come back. S’pose you didn’t have nobody. S’pose you couldn’t go to the bunk-house and play rummy ‘cause you was black. How’d you like that? S’pose you had to sit out here an’ read books. Sure you could play horse shoes til it got dark, but then you got to read books. Books ain’t no good. A guy needs somebody-to be near him. ‘He whined : ‘A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody. Don’t make no difference who the guy is, long he& amp;#8217;s with you. I tell ya,’ he cried , I tell you a guy gets lonely an’ he gets sick." This shows Crook’s view of the world and how he feels about what his life is about. He feels as though nobody cares for him which is probably true from the quote above. George and Lennie feel they are not alone they have a dream. This dream is what pushes them on. They are often talking of the land they dream of.

Micheal Redkin and Math Basics :: essays research papers

In order to create a graph such as the one Ms. Redkin uses to calculate the depreciation of her rental house, first it must be determined which part of the information given is the dependant variable and which is the independent variable. In this case the independent variable is time (in years), and the dependent the value of the house. Next create a graph with the given data, the independent variables on the x-axis and the dependent on the y. Graph and label the given data as points (4 yrs, $64000) and (7 yrs, $52000), allow the graph to represent the house’s value from when it was new to 10 years after its purchase. Graph a line from these two points, now you may follow the line to find the approximate value of the house at certain years of depreciation. In order to find the value of the rental house after ten years, follow the line previously graphed to 10 on the x-axis. The y value you should receive should be 40,000, and if you were searching for the value of the house when it was new, the graph shows $80,000 at 0 years. Another example of how this graph may be used is in finding which year the house reaches a certain value. In order to find out which year the house’s value becomes 55,000 follow the graphed until you come upon the value of 55,000. The x value associated with the value 55,000 is 5 years, so the answer is the rental house will depreciate in value to 55,000 at 5 years. The slope of the line will be required to find many other answers to questions you may have concerning the house and its depreciation. To determine the slope of the line, use the given points of (4,64000) and (7,52000) in the equation (y2-y1)/(x2-x1), that is determine the change in y divided by the change in x which is the slope. (52000-64000)/(7-4) is the specific equation we will need for this line, the solution, -4000 is the slope of the line once simplified. One way to use the slope is to formulate an equation which will relate the value of the house to the number of years depreciated. Let V stand for the value, and t stand for the number of years it has been depreciated. To complete this equation we will also need to know the y intercept so we may use the

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Fearful Wishing The Monkeys Paw Essay examples -- essays research pa

Fearful Wishing "The Monkey's Paw" What if in this world there is an item that can grant anybody any three wishes? There may even be serious and dangerous consequences to every wish. The strange thing about the ability to get any three wishes that one wants is that it's true."The monkey's paw" written by W.W. Jacobs uses the well known story of being granted 3 wishes but puts a twist on the story creating a horror type story. In the small parlor of Lakesnam Villa a visitor comes named Sergeant Major Morris. The Sergeant Major visits the house of Mr. and Mrs. White and their son Herbert. The sergeant pulls out the monkeys paw and talks about its magic before throwing it in the fire where Mr. white takes it out so that he could keep and use the monkey's paw. One should work for what he wants not wish for it but if one does then be careful what you wish for. If the wish is free then there must be a consequence because nothing is truly free. Mr. and Mrs. White are sitting there at their piano and Mr. White wishes for two hundred pounds with the monkey’s paw. The next day Edward got caught in the machinery and died leaving his parents compensation money. His dry lips shaped the words, "How much?" "Two hundred pounds," was the answer (Jacobs 7). Mr. White wished for 200 pounds and it took a day but he got it at the cost of his son's life however. No matter how harmless the wish sou...

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

African Americans jazz Essay

Many believe that jazz is a music that African Americans played together with the Creole musicians during the 19th century in New Orleans, Louisiana in United States that bind the race together, black and white Americans. This is also considered as the ancient and most distinguished musical genres in North America and known as â€Å"America’s classical music. † Based from the quote of Gerald Early, a lecturer and a writer of African – American studies, he emphasizes that America will be known from three things: in the Constitution, sports (baseball), and in jazz music, since these are the most captivating things that they developed. Jazz is a type of lyricism that reflects on the Great American promise and expresses hope for freedom in slavery. It is also illustrated by the exceptional attribute of collective improvisation and should be performed with the right feelings about it. According to Louis Armstrong if you will ask, you’ll never know. He discovers the secret behind the jazz music, that’s why he became known as one of the successful musicians and leading stars in the whole world. The early jazz musicians create a great impact to the life of many as they change their point of view towards music. Although, jazz music is originated from the black, who are considered outsider but living in America, wherein they use this as a passage to be accepted in the society, still America truly owns this music. I prove it accurate because the New Orleans jazz musicians improve, develop, and patronize this music until the whole world has known it. One more thing, jazz has a big role to the history of America. This music becomes the expression of freedom because way back in 1970, it played a major role in the life of African American culture. Their longing for freedom is emphasized as they sing. I also believe that jazz eliminates the discrimination between the white and black people, that’s why I strongly agree that jazz belongs to America because the whole history of this country is the song itself. The history of jazz is deeply rooted in America and until now the musical tradition lives here. Works Cited The Importance of Jazz in American Culture | Jazz & More† http://jazz. learnhub. com/lesson/6809-the-importance-of-jazz-in-american-culture#ixzz0ESyZePQV&A The Importance of Jazz in American Culture http://jazz. learnhub. com/lesson/6809-the-importance-of-jazz-in-american- culture#ixzz0ET3vi6Uc&A A History of Jazz http://www. historyjazz. com/ The History of Jazz Music http://meltingpot. fortunecity. com/zaire/721/introframe. htm Jazz Music http://www. smallsjazz. com/

Monday, September 16, 2019

Marriages And Families

The formation of a family conventionally starts with the union of two persons through marriage. In a marriage, the couple shares responsibilities in many aspects — child rearing, properties, home utility bills, taxes, and the likes. They also share responsibilities in resolving various problems encountered during the relationship. To most couples, this sharing of responsibilities is what they call commitment to the relationship, a commitment to their spouse. However, many couples around the world experience troubles in handling these responsibilities. Such experiences sometimes lead to their disillusion to the commitment they vowed to revere when they entered into the married life. In many cases, these couples end up filing a divorce. Divorce, which is sometimes referred to as the dissolution of marriage, â€Å"is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse. † Divorce is common in many developed countries such as the United States, South Korea, Canada, as well as in countries within Europe, except for Malta where civil divorce is banned. Marriage, being a legal act, should also be dissolved through legal action. In some cases, prenuptial agreements or postnuptial agreements, when applicable, are given importance in determining the terms of divorce. These terms refer to the rightful partition of the responsibilities which were supposed to be carried out within the marriage. In a divorced state, the couple is still liable to hold those responsibilities, this time through their individual efforts. A recent survey of matrimonial lawyers in the United Kingdom revealed that the main causes of marriage meltdown are: extra-marital affairs, abuse (physical and/or mental), boredom, lack of sex, financial disagreements, alcohol/drug abuse, debt, workaholism, and hobbies (Wikipedia). Religious affiliations of married couples also have implications on divorce. For Muslims, divorce may be granted, but it is discouraged. Judaism, on the other hand, has regarded divorce as a fact of life. It generally preserves its principle that it is better for a couple to live separately, through divorce, than live together in a life of distress and strife. The Roman Catholics believe that marriage is permanent during the life of spouses. Although it allows divorce, it does not approve of remarriage after a divorce if the other spouse is still living. This rule, however, is not observed in the Eastern Orthodox Church and many Protestant churches, where remarriage of divorcees is allowed even with a surviving former spouse, but under certain conditions. Meanwhile, Dharmic Religions are not cognizant of the concept of divorce. Divorce in the Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland is mostly populated by Catholics. In their 1937 Constitution, divorce was not allowed. However, in their more recent regulations, divorce in Ireland became possible under certain circumstances. Divorce in Ireland follows the rules stipulated in the 1996 Family Law Act . It involves a process where the following conditions should be met first: the spouses should have lived apart for at least four years of the preceding five years; there is no reasonable prospect for reconciliation; and there is proper provision for the spouses and dependent children. The spouse who initiated the filing of divorce is called the applicant, and the other is the respondent. The applicant should have a solicitor who, before the divorce proceedings begin, will discuss with the applicant the possibility of reconciliation or judicial separation as an alternative to divorce. If the court sees that there is really no possibility of reconciliation, trials and hearings will proceed to discuss the terms of the proposed divorce. During the trial period, the court may issue orders relevant to the 1996 Family Law (Divorce) Act which include: a safety order, barring order, temporary barring order or protection order; an order for the custody, access or maintenance of a dependent child; an order to protect the family home, its contents or any money from its sale. The court may also order either spouse to pay maintenance for the other spouse and any dependent children, the terms and conditions of which, the court will decide. After the divorce is granted, the court is authorized to decide on the terms and conditions for the payment of maintenance of the spouse and any dependent children, giving consideration to certain conditions. The court also decides on the partition of assets as well as on disputes and claims on properties. Child custody of any dependent children under the age of 18 will also be subject of court decision. Divorce in New York, USA The Divorce Law of New York initially deals with residency and filling requirements. Divorce in New York may be maintained only when: â€Å"the parties were married in the state and either party is a resident thereof when the action is commenced and has been a resident for a continuous period of one year immediately preceding; or the parties have resided in this state as husband and wife and either party is a resident thereof when the action is commenced and has been a resident for a continuous period of one year immediately preceding; ort he cause occurred in the state and either party has been a resident thereof for a continuous period of at least one year immediately preceding the commencement of the action; or the cause occurred in the state and both parties are residents thereof at the time of the commencement of the action; or either party has been a resident of the state for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the commencement of the action. † Under the Divorce Law of New York, the spouse who initiated the filing of divorce i s called the plaintiff while the other is the defendant. The grounds for divorce are also spelled out in the Divorce Law of New York. This include: â€Å"the cruel and inhuman treatment of the plaintiff by the defendant such that the conduct of the defendant so endangers the physical or mental well being of the plaintiff as renders it unsafe or improper for the plaintiff to cohabit with the defendant; the abandonment of the plaintiff by the defendant for a period of one or more years; the confinement of the defendant in prison for a period of three or more consecutive years after the marriage of plaintiff and defendant; the commission of an act of adultery, provided that adultery for the purposes of articles ten, eleven, and eleven-A of this chapter, is hereby defined as the commission of an act of sexual intercourse, oral sexual conduct or anal sexual conduct, voluntarily performed by the defendant, with a person other than the plaintiff after the marriage of plaintiff and defendant; the husband and wife have lived apart pursuant to a decree or judgment of separation for a period of one or more years after the gr anting of such decree or judgment, and satisfactory proof has been submitted by the plaintiff that he or she has substantially performed all the terms and conditions of such decree or judgment; and the husband and wife have lived separate and apart pursuant to a written agreement of separation†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Spousal support in a New York divorce is not an automatic obligation of either party; it is rather provided on a case-to-case basis which may be agreed upon by both parties, or upon the discretion of the court. The court is also authorized to decide on the child custody and support to any dependent child of the divorcees. Computation for child support is based on the Income Share Model, in which child support is divided proportionally based on each parent’s income. Under the New York Divorce Law, guidelines have also been set with regard to the provision of child support. Ireland and New York Divorce Laws: A Comparison Considering the fact that Irish people are mostly Catholics, divorce is relatively difficult to obtain in Ireland than in New York, which is predominated by Protestants. It may be noted that the Irish Divorce Law specifically mentions of processes that need to be undertaken to possibly settle the couple for reconciliation. As mentioned earlier, Catholics believe that marriage is permanent during the lives of the spouses. Perhaps working within this premise, the Irish court instills in the legal process of divorce actions that should be taken by the State in order to preserve marriage, and consequently the family. This attempt on the possible reconciliation of the husband and wife has no mention in the New York Divorce Law. While both laws discuss in detail the rules to abide by in the partition of assets and properties, as well as of responsibilities, certain conditions differ. One highlight is on the provision of spousal support. The Irish court obligates spousal support while the New York court does not. This ruling may be attributed to the fact that the United States of America is a developed country while the Republic of Ireland is still in its developing stage. This implies that in the United States, both spouses are assumed to have stable incomes and thus do not require financial support from each other. Irish couples, on the other hand, them being in a developing country, would mean needing of spousal support should their marriage be dissolved so that the spouse with less income can cope with the responsibilities left to him/her by the other. However, these two laws seemed to have dealt more on the partition of properties than on the rules on determining child custody. In both laws, child custody is to be decided upon by the court, but no guidelines on the court’s basis of its decision on the issue were discussed. It is noteworthy to mention that in most, if not all, divorce cases, the couple’s children are the ones most affected. A recent study showed that children of divorced parents have higher potential of having behavioral problems compared to children in intact families (Wikipedia). Various studies further revealed that the following are most of the time observed in people from divorced families: higher rates of alcoholism and substance abuse; occurrence of clinical depression attacks; and commission or attempt to commit suicide (Wikipedia). Though studies have been conducted on the effects of divorce to children, no remedy has been proven to be effective enough to lessen the incidence of such behaviors from children of divorced parents. This brings us to another observation that the laws of Ireland and New York on divorce do not present steps to be taken to ensure the protection of the children’s best interest. Conclusion Divorce laws vary from one country or state to another. In some parts of the world, the issue of divorce is still a topic of debate — whether to approve granting of it or not. For married couples who have become unhappy in their marriage, divorce is seen as an answer to end their distress. To others, it is viewed as a way to turn backs against marital problems. Many other arguments have cropped up about the issue of divorce. Depending on a person’s beliefs and biases, these arguments may be valid to some, while to others they are not. The varying rules of Ireland and New York on divorce have been put into law based on the needs and beliefs that each state deem are applicable to their respective people. It is good to note that both laws have particularly specified various scenarios that may occur after during divorce proceedings and after the divorce has been granted, and have spelled out how issues and disputes will be resolved. However, the laws have focused more on the resolution of disputes over assets and properties. Issues on child custody and support also need to be discussed in a more in depth manner so that the children’s welfare is also given equal importance. In fact, children’s welfare should have been given highest priority since the greatest effects of divorce is manifested in the behavior of affected children. Although it has been said that the child custody and support will be decided upon by the court, it is also imperative that specific rules be spelled out on what the court will give primary considerations to with respect to these issues. It may also be useful, though not yet scientifically proven, to include rules on procedures that the children will have to undertake to be able to cope with the aftereffects of divorce. We do not question the authority and integrity of these courts in their decisions on child custody and support. What is being sought is the clear definition of the law on how child custody is decided upon. In addition, it is also better to see in these laws the specific measures that the court may order for implementation that will lessen, or possibly prevent, the occurrence of adverse behaviors of children whose parents have divorced.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Global Nursing Shortage and Impact on Health Care Environment

In recent years international health care organizations are more and more recognizing the impact of nursing shortages in every aspect of health care delivery. Many health care delivery systems are increasingly recognizing the threat recurrent shortages of registered nurses impose on the health care system (Krall & Prus, 1995). This trend has become increasingly apparent from about the mid 1980s through the present, with concerns over nursing shortages leading many health care specialists to explore â€Å"the dynamics of the nursing labor market using neoclassical labor market analysis† (Krall & Prus, 67). Using this approach many suggest that chronic nursing shortages in the global market result from depressed wages and excess demand, and that hospitals tend to command â€Å"monopsonistic power† when it comes to nursing management (Krall & Prus, 1995). Under this line of thinking hospitals have traditionally resulted to substituting less skilled nursing personnel in place of RN's when the need arises to cope with nursing shortages, potentially decreasing the quality of care afforded patients and customers of the hospitals. One thing is certain; the future of the modern global health care organization is uncertain in light of chronic labor shortages among qualified nursing staff (Epstein, 1999). Many health care organizations are seeking alternative methods to provide patients with the quality care they need despite nursing shortages. Many are resorting to more emphasis on preventive care while others are branching out into the community in an attempt to identify community resources that may promote more support for patients in the health care environment (Epstein, 1999). Heirich (1998) notes that it is vital that health care organizations rethink the health care delivery system in order to provide the innovation necessary to accommodate the rapidly changing world economy and global health care environment. Old formulas for funding health care no longer work; health care costs continue to rise. Many organizations are focusing on cost control, which may include budget shortfalls when it comes to compensating nursing staff. More and more however health care organizations are also realizing the need to focus on adequate compensation and attention to nurses and nursing shortages. New business and health coalitions are forming in major metropolitan areas to help control costs and also attract more qualified personnel, stimulating physicians and nurses as well as other providers to work together to improve service delivery in light of new health care challenges (Heirich, 1998). Future of Workforce Design and Organization As health care organizations are changing in response to chronic nursing shortages so too are organizations re-evaluating workforce designs and organizational development within the health care setting. More and more the emphasis within the health care community and organization has been creating more flat organizational structures and global enterprises that encourage cross collaboration or multi-disciplinary approaches to health care delivery (Heirich, 1998). Chronic labor shortages of nurses in the global workplace have encouraged healthcare organizations to adopt new strategies for attracting qualified personnel. In Britain for example, long standing labor shortages among nurses has resulted in dire efforts to recruit migrant nurses from other countries (McGann & Mortimer, 2004). Other organization's including the Illinois State Association are considering recognizing various grades of nurses, including nurses with twelve months vs. urses with twenty seven or more months of training, in an effort to provide more and lower cost nursing care for patients (McGann & Mortimer, 2004). Nursing workforce design is increasingly taking on an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, with more nurses and health care staff trained in a diverse array of services (Clark & Drinka, 2000). More health care systems are developing teams that consist of a nurse, doctor, nurse practitioner, social worker and other community members that provide a mix of services to patients (Clark & Drinka, 2000). Such efforts may help relieve some of the burden associated with nursing shortages while still ensuring that patients are cared for and offered the highest quality services possible in the health care setting. Health care organizations are also working to involve nursing staff more in decision making processes in an attempt to increase job satisfaction and promote reduced turn over and greater loyalty among qualified staff, as many nursing shortages have been attributed to overworked nurses and lack of job satisfaction (Clark & Drinka, 2000). More and more workforces are designing systems that allow nurse practitioners to provide feedback and work in an environment that is more supportive even in light of chronic over scheduling or nursing shortages. Impact Nursing Shortage on Education and Training Educational facilities are increasingly realizing the need to cross train staff to work in a variety of settings to cope with nursing shortages. Additionally more and more educational institutions are promoting team building skills training to promote greater collaboration among nurses and among other health care professionals. The chronic global nursing shortage has affected the future of nursing education, encouraging more training program development with emphasis on training nurses in other skill areas including stress management to cope with increasing burdens associated with under staffing and increasing job demands (McGann & Mortimer, 2004). Mosley (1998) suggests that the health care delivery and training model is shifting to move from more individual patient care to care in an integrated environment or system that affords a continuum of services . In this environment accountability for the health and well being of patients moves from a single nurse or care provider to multiple members of the health care team. This wellness model is increasingly promoted in educational facilities where potential health care providers and nurse trainees are taught to include community organizations, family, physicians and individuals as part of the health care team working to promote the health and well being of patients. The new model for educating nurses includes more diversity training so nurses are capable of working with diverse patients from diverse backgrounds (Clark & Drinka, 2000). It also includes an interdisciplinary approach to training that cross-trains nurses and other health care staff members to work in various settings and under dynamic conditions. Despite these efforts chronic shortages still exist with regard to attracting and retaining competent staff. Many educational facilities are realizing decreased enrollment in nursing programs, in part because many perceive the field of nursing to be one that is over taxing (Clark & Drinka, 2000). Educators will have to work diligently at highlighting programs that provide potential nursing students with the skills necessary to face the new challenges associated with working in a global nursing environment.

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Case Study for Final Exam Essay

Green Cabs is an environmentally friendly taxi company in New Zealand which was founded in late 2007 by Callum Brown and three other partners. Green Cabs now operates a multi-million dollar business in three main centres of New Zealand – Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The company is also contemplating expanding into other areas with its distinctive bright green taxis. Callum Brown is the primary inspiration behind Green Cabs. However, you could argue that Al Gore provided the initial spark for Callum to start thinking about being more environmentally conscious personally. Callum is in his 30s and has spent 10 years working in information technology for various government departments and private sector companies as a business analyst. He grew up close to nature and enjoyed activities such as surfing and tramping. All these things kept Callum close to nature. Despite his love affair with nature, Callum was quite sceptical of climate change. He explains: I thought – how can you tell that there is global warming when we’ve only been taking recordings on temperature for the past whatever, how many years. Hence, it could be seen as fairly surprising that Callum founded a green business! This personal awakening was a direct result of watching Al Gore’s documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Little did he know at this stage that a major business opportunity would come from his new environmental consciousness. The impetus for the business idea came when Callum was at work. He travelled extensively for work and consequently found himself catching a lot of taxis. It was on one such overnight trip to Auckland that he became aware of the huge amount of carbon emissions he was generating through travel. He elaborates: I sat there watching all the taxis come and drop people off and thought about the emissions and everything they were producing; there’s got to be a better way than this. Why is there no eco-friendly option and that was the light bulb moment, and saying, ah, why not? Following this light bulb moment, Callum contacted a former colleague who was  also a taxi driver. Together the pair set about establishing an environmentally conscious taxi service with two other partners. They struck the New Zealand taxi industry at what they called a lucky time. The government had just tightened legislation to make it consistent for all operators. The Land and Transport Authority was supportive and helpful in making sure everything the emerging Green Cabs did was in line with the new legislation. The Authority too was excited by what Green Cabs was hoping to achieve. Once started, Green Cabs experienced rapid growth and within six months had approximately 85 cabs and self-employed drivers and employed 15 support staff (mostly in its 24-hour call centre). Callum never had aspirations to become an entrepreneur, nor any experience in business ownership, but his extensive work background as a business analyst made him feel he was well equipped to investigate whether the Green Cabs idea would be successful. In fact, prior to coming up with the business idea Callum felt afraid of the risk involved in having his own business. However, once he had the idea, these risks vanished: I was so passionate about Green Cabs, once I had the idea, there were no perceivable risks for me. That was how strong the drive was to do it . . . It’s like I’ve never doubted for a moment that Green Cabs was going to succeed. It has. Any concerns Callum had about risk were dissipated when he took on a number of business partners to share the risk. These business partners all understood and were sympathetic to the worsening state of the environment and to Callum’s vision for the company. Callum’s vision resulted in a company which entered the taxi industry with the goal of achieving much more than a traditional taxi firm. Green Cabs wanted to force change, to preserve the environment and inform the public about climate change. This meant a whole new way of thinking about business and the principles of the business founders were intertwined with the business model. Green Cabs offers the same basic service as any other taxi company. The key difference is that it is an environmentally conscious company. The main means of the company being environmentally friendly is that its vehicles are hybrids (Toyota Prius). There are substantially fewer ongoing running costs in providing the service. Green Cabs passes these savings onto consumers and is therefore able to offer considerably lower prices than its competitors. It already is forcing change in the taxi industry with many competitors rapidly switching to hybrids  because they can see they will save on emissions a nd fuel costs. The difference between these competitors and Green Cabs is that those changing due to lower running costs do not necessarily have environmental concerns at the forefront of their decision making as does Green Cabs. Indeed, sceptics could argue that the competition is switching because it is losing market share to Green Cabs and is attempting to imitate the service. Therefore, Green Cabs has been successful in changing behaviour in the industry to being more environmentally friendly, but this has come at a cost to the business, as Callum explains: I have had such an impact on the market that I had planned, that they (competitors) are now switching. Now, from an environmental point of view, it’s fantastic that I could have that impact, but from a business point of view it’s not good. However, competitors are still failing to offset their carbon emissions whereas Green Cabs prides itself on being carbon neutral. To achieve this Green Cabs drives only the Toyota Prius, the car it considers to be the best option for lessening the impact on the environment. The remainder of its carbon emissions are ‘paid for’ by providing funding for trees to be planted (predominantly in the developing world). Green Cabs donates to ‘Trees for the Future’, an organisation that has already organised the planting of 50 million trees, which retrieve approximately a million tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere annually (www.greencabs.co.nz). Green Cabs also ‘pays off’ its carbon debt prior to its accrual. That is, it calculates its future carbon footprint (down to the number of squares of toilet paper used) for the next year and funds the planting of sufficient trees to offset this before it emits the carbon. Although this is one of the key environmental strategies Green Cabs carries out, it actually is sceptical of buying carbon credits. This is because this carbon strategy essentially dispatches the problem to someone else; it does not help reduce the carbon in the atmosphere. As such, Green Cabs aims to both reduce carbon and offset before it accumulates. The business model of Green Cabs is based on the premise that the customer has a greater connection with the product or service. By using Green Cabs customers will feel part of a greater commitment to the environment and they will choose Green Cabs product over the competitors. As Callum notes, the  business model is win-win for both consumers and the environment: It is cheaper, it’s eco-friendly, it’s quieter, you’ve got a pleasant driver, we do a whole lot of feel good stuff as well. Give me a reason why you wouldn’t take a Green Cab. Green Cabs target market is the corporate sector and government departments. However, they pay tribute to the ‘grassroots’ support they have received. This is from people who have seen what Green Cabs are doing and even if their company has no agreement with Green Cabs, when they take a taxi they want it to be a Green Cab. Callum has also noted that younger people are more environmentally aware and appreciate the choice they are being offered in Green Cabs. One future development is for Green Cabs to install roof signs on their vehicles to promote the environment. These will not be advertising signs for businesses but to say something individuals can do for the environment. Green Cabs intend to use advertising space on their vehicles to promote the environment, not fizzy drinks or the like! FINDING BALANCE BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENT AND PROFIT ‘For me anyway, it’s not just about turning a profit.’ – Callum Brown Finding a balance between profit and the environment can be a difficult one. To be successful in Callum’s view, you have to understand and have faith that doing things and sticking closely to the set of values that the company started with is what is going to bring success. Too much compromise for business then you will compromise the overall success of the business. The business might still be profitable but will not captivate the public into changing their behaviour regarding the environment. These environmental values are held firm by Green Cabs and are an underlying part of their distinctive business model. Callum elaborates: If we compromise on those values then that put us at risk of just being like any other taxi company out there and doesn’t set us apart. Following through on their commitment to the environment easy for Green Cabs and they suggest that other should look at the environment differently in their businesses. For example, Callum is frustrated by talk about how much it costs to offset carbon emissions. He suggests people fail to see that the whole process is a cost saving exercise. In becoming sustainable, businesses look at ways of reducing  electricity, travel and so forth. All of these areas can reduce a company’s carbon footprint while also reducing their overall costs. Their commitment to the environment is one side of the equation in Green Cab’s business model. The business must be sustainable and there are investors, franchisees and employees who expect returns from their input into the business. Callum is conscious of this need to make a profit, but he has some boundaries: I want to make some money but at the end of the day, I don’t even need a million dollars a year to live on . . . I really like my life in New Zealand, I like the things that I do and the things that I do don’t cost a lot of money. Callum has found that as the business has grown, more investors (such as potential franchisees) are becoming better aligned with his personal views on the environment. However, that is not necessarily the case for all employees of the company, as Callum notes: I have people working for me who don’t have necessarily the same value set. I mean they’ve got good values and wouldn’t be here if they didn’t but to the degree where mine are – no, they’re not anywhere near there. In April 2009, Green Cabs has grown to 16 employees and 104 drivers. The business has many opportunities to grow their business into other location and other services (e.g. courier services). As the business continues to grow Green Cabs are looking towards carbon neutral certification, and implementing ISO 14001 and 14064 certifications. The ongoing financial success of the company is also attracting more interest from other investors who are not necessarily focused primarily on the environment, but see Green Cabs as a solid investment opportunity.