Ethical Management Essay

This essay seeks to identify the study of ethical management on a broad scope, and to specifically sieve out the issues which are common within the banking sector. This would include a case study on UBS and ethical problems which UBS have faced. As ethics cannot be divorced entirely from the study of sustainability and corporate social responsibility, this essay will also feature a look at banks, and their decisions which might be been unethical. The Study of Ethical Management While there might be many reasons why unethical behaviour happens, this essay would be looking at three of them in particular: 1) Personal Gain, 2) Strong Organisational Identification, and 3) Personality. . To examine the relationship between organizations and why ethical issues occur within them, we first define the term â€Å"Business† and â€Å"Businessperson†. The book, â€Å"Business Ethics†, written by William(2008), states that a business can represent and range from a start-up venture by some students, to a multinational corporation. Businessperson might be a sole proprietor running a business for themselves, or a CEO responsible for a multinational corporation. To take a broader view, we view the businesspeople under the personal point of view, and couple them with the other individuals who are within the organization. This would allow us to see why unethical behaviour can derive not only from the top management, but from every aspect of the organization. To expound on the individual, we refer to the book written by Schminke(2010), â€Å"Managerial Ethics†, where he identified â€Å"four individual decision-making styles†. The first belongs to an individualist mentality, this mentality ignores the stakeholders. The second mentality is altruistic, where the benefit of others is of the essence. The third group is the pragmatists, and lastly, the idealist, whose decisions are governed by principles and rules. Common Ethical issues faced in the Banking sector 1) Insiders Trading Insider trading, defined by Cornell University Law School, is when company’s stocks or other securities are traded by individuals who have access to undisclosed and confidential information. These individuals are known as insiders. To better comprehend the concerns of insider trading, we refer to the paper by Yulong & Huey-Lian(1998). Two things must first be addressed. First, who do these insiders refer to? Secondly, how is insider trading illegal? By definition from the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission(S. E. C. ), insiders are, â€Å"chairmen, directors, officers, etc. , and principal shareholders with 10 percent or more of their own firm’s common stock†. People in these positions are likely to be able to gain access to the firm’s undisclosed information. However, not all insiders trading are illegal. For example, managers of firms can often purchase its own firm’s stocks to increase their own individual share and voting power within the firm. This train of thought also believes that the more stock of the firm the manager holds, the greater their ownership and thus a higher work morale is derived from it. Insiders are still allowed to purchase its own firm’s stock, if they truly believe that it is a good investment. Insider trading becomes illegal however, when trades are made by insiders with the prior knowledge of an announcement for the investor’s personal gain. When an act as such is committed, insider trading becomes illegal. This action is deemed unethical as it is unfair to investors who do not possess the material information. Other transgressions can include the handling of undisclosed firm’s information from a firm’s insider to a public investor. For a trade to occur under the basis of the privileged information, and for the recipient to have personally gained from the trade, both parties can be charged under the S. E. C. ’s regulation of Fair Disclosure. An example of illegal insider trading within banks can be seen from as recently as January 16, 2014, where David Michael Gutman from J. P. Morgan colluded with Christopher John Tyndall from Meyers Associates. As â€Å"long time close personal friends†, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority(FINRA) discovered that Gutman had shared material, undisclosed information with Tyndall over a span of 19 months. This information included pending corporate mergers and acquisition transactions, which allowed Tyndall to make informed, no-risk trading using personal and family accounts. Quoting from Cameron K. Funkhouser, he said, â€Å"David Gutman had the keys to the kingdom through his position at J. P. Morgan as a gatekeeper.. †, we can see to how unethical behaviour driven by an individual in the position of power, can taint the image of the firm. Enforcements have been put in place to prevent and to deter insiders from carrying out such behaviours. The SEC has instituted new rules, 10b5-1 and 10b5-2 under the code of Federal Regulations, and the enforcement of these regulations being made global just recently in 2013 after the insider trading inquiry regarding the acquisition of H. J. Heinz Company. 2) Profits before Ethics The relationship between business ethics and profits can be complicated at times. Profits values will sometimes conflict with ethical values which will lead to unethical business behaviour in the manager’s bid to raise profits within the firm, consequentially affecting the firm’s stakeholders. Watkins (2011) brings about the argument that for those who ethics concerns, the chase of pecuniary values creates a potential compromise between social ethics and profitable opportunities, a factor that links to the Goldman Rule. The rule states that the greater the profitable opportunities, the higher the opportunity cost for the firm to consider ethical behaviours. This is further described by Weber (2006), as he states that companies are not evaluated on their success based on â€Å"their reputation for ethics†, but on the basis of profitability. It is plausible now to see why banks are driven by a sole concern for profit and to raise the value of their stock. With that in mind, what are some ethical boundaries a bank could trespass upon? As a corporation whose sole objective is to increase profit, they carries the potential turn a blind eye to internal ethics; explained in the book by Reynolds (2011) titled, â€Å"Ethics in Investment Banking†, which defines internal ethics as ethical considerations in regards to their employees’ welfare and the considerations in the use of the shareholder resources. These transgressions can range in forms of overworking employees, to an audit coverage of losses to portray a higher stock market price. As individuals looking for greater profits either for self or the firm, especially under the investment wings of banks, individuals can turn rogue and make unauthorised transactions which goes beyond the risk limits of the banks in hope of a greater profit. Jerome Kerviel’s case in 2008; where even the hierarchy turned a blind eye to his risks due to the profit he was generating, and Nick Leeson’s famous collapse of Barings Bank in 1995 are two such examples. Investments in environmentally harmful industries Environmentally harmful projects have been a major factor against Global Warming Awareness efforts. Such investments are being funnelled by banks who are less ethical in the area of sustainability. There have been numerous campaigns to counter banks from investing into unethical projects, some of which protestors even boycotted such banks. Citigroup the world’s largest project finance bank has been known to grant loans to these projects, which are harming the environment. Citigroup was indirectly related to the Camisea pipeline in Peru which has at least 5 spillages along the pipeline to date. Which not only damages the local ecosystems, but also detrimental to the livelihood of people around the world and threatens the well-being of mankind via climate change (Hogue, 2002). A glimpse of such unethical activities reveals something prevalent. It destroys our natural environment, by means of deforestation and the release of harmful gases from the burning of fossil fuels. However, Citigroup has yet see that their funding of major oil drilling and pipe laying companies not only worsens the global warming situation but also encourages environmental insecurity. Several other big-scale European banks, such as Dutch Bank and ABN Amro, came up with a policy which prevented funding of these industries. According to (ABN Amro’s) sustainability policy, â€Å"limited to financing of companies or projects related to timber, paper, agricultural plantations, mining and/or oil and gas. The bank would consider exceptions only â€Å"when extractions are delicately prepared, and holds responsibility on issues of national forest management. † A positive example of how banks can fund environmentally friendly projects can be seen from analysing the Banking Environment Initiative (BEI), it aims to lead the banking industry in directing bank investments towards environmentally and socially sustainable economic development. The objective of the BEI is to also unravel ways to invest in clean energy and soft commodities. As quoted from (CPSL, online), â€Å"the group, currently comprises of 10 global banking institutions which stretches across Asia to Europe, the United States and Latin America. † The best way of creating a united force amongst them was if they were acting on behalf of their clients. Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) has the intention to eliminate deforestation from their supply chain. As such they would prefer to form alliances with banks and work together to counter and ultimately eliminate deforestation. Banks have got to find ways to come up with a significant source of funding to finance the journey to sustainability. 4) False Accounting Frauds False accounting fraud, defined by the United Kingdom’s police, is the practice where a business, works in tandem with an accounting firm to overstate or understate company’s asset or liabilities with the intention of making the business appear financially stronger or healthier than it really is. As there are a multitude of reasons to commit false accounting fraud, we will not be listing all. False accounting allows for a corporation to gain higher credit ratings, report unrealistic profits, and hide losses to appeal to potential shareholders with an inflated share price. Some extraordinary cases which occurred regarding the falsification of accounts are such as the Enron scandal in 2001; where the audit and accountancy firm, Arthur Andersen was involved and convicted of assisting in audit fraud and subsequently dissolved. Enron was declared bankrupt and new laws were instituted to increase the accountability of firms who are auditing to remain independent of the clients whom they audit. Didn’t the code of conduct promise proper handling of UBS’s assets? He first began his illicit deals in late 2008, doing it for personal gains while covering his tracks with false accounting to the back office. This led to the back office being ignorant of the unauthorised trades as the regular books did not show it, instead, the profits were filed into a secret account called his Umbrella. Adoboli’s desk colleagues admitted to being in the know of the secret accounts, and his two bosses did not enquire into the suspicion despite the daily trading maximums being exceeded. This breakdown in corporate beliefs at the managerial level led to the unethical trading arising within the ranks of the department, and it going by unnoticed. While the integrity of the individual must be questioned, the work culture of UBS could be a factor to encourage the individual to behave unethically. Since the incident, UBS has taken a few measures to facilitate the new risk management practices. Firstly, the bank has taken step to refrain from proprietary trading. A bank would engage in proprietary trading as it benefits firms to make extra revenue. However, the disadvantage of engaging in this form of trading is that with high returns, often comes high risks. Conclusion In summary, how ethical management is derived has no hard and fast rule. However, implementations such as a Code of Conduct, or a company policy helps in setting the tone right within an organization. Through the paper, it is seen how ethical dilemmas can arise on an individual level or an organizational level. If one were to follow the many trains of thoughts regarding ethical management, they would get lost in the plethora of unions and activist fighting for ethical beliefs.

Critical Analysis Of The Character Of Edward Rochester English Literature Essay

Edward Rochester does non resemble a hero portrayed in faery narratives, characters who remain inactive throughout the secret plan. He is instead a dynamic and circular character that changes notably. He has values that are far from freedom, regard, and unity. In his behavior to Jane, one can detect dramatic alterations. First of all, his being passionate, guided by his senses instead than his rational head, drags him to get married an insane adult female. The state of affairs of being married to a huffy adult female, and farther being lied to by his ain household for money affairs, makes him an castaway despite of his high societal position. He feels trapped and all the prevarications Rochester believes shortly organize a sense of misgiving, and do him turn more and more distant from society. Second, Rochester is a misanthropic Rebel who refuses to accept and give to the orders of society. It is merely when he meets Jane, a adult female who is intellectually equal to him and morally superior than him and who understands his true nature, that his sensitiveness is revealed. He wholly fails to detect his societal rank and ignores other ‘s sentiments, and clearly falls in love with Jane. Rather than keeping appropriate category boundaries, Rochester makes her feel â€Å" as if he were my relation instead than my maestro. † ( 242 ) He loves Jane in a physically field but in a mentally deep manner which shows that he is non shallow. However, his unfortunate matrimony to Bertha Mason becomes an obstruction to his brotherhood with Jane.This clip Rochester, A intentionally outcasts himself from his former enchained life with Bertha in hunt for a existent opportunity for true love. A great trade is written and discussed about Rochester ‘s matrimony and character which comes along with a batch of inquiries. Even though Rochester did n't cognize his married woman was insane, can he be blamed for the matrimony to a adult female he barely knew? Under English jurisprudence at the clip, a adult male whose married woman became insane could non acquire a divorce. But is Mr. Rochester ‘s manner to cover with this job by concealing his huffy married woman off the right thing to make? And does the fact that he thinks he deserves happiness give him the right to lead on the adult female he loves? It is true that he is frantically in love with Jane, yet the fact remains that his attack to win and procure her as a married woman was incorrect for Mr. Rochester was really inconsiderate of the world. He did non care about what sort of a place it would set the others when he got what he wished, get marrieding Jane. Rochester was determined to get married her and he did non believe about the immorality of the matrimony sing he was already married to Bertha Manson even though one can think it would be lay waste toing for Jane. However Jane brings out the best in him particularly as the narrative advances toward the terminal, their differences causes the enlightenment. Bronte uses Jane as a visible radiation to cast on Rochester ‘s character. In the terminal he becomes a new adult male, his dark secrets and qualities ceases to be a portion of his life. As I mentioned in the beginning, the footing of Rochester ‘s blemished life was his dark secrets, and by along with a dirt or wickedness. And all these go excusable merely when the existent circumstance is revealed and when all the concealed facts are lightened. He is the first individual in the novel to offer Jane enduring love and a existent place. Although Rochester is Jane ‘s societal and economic higher-up, and although work forces were widely considered to be of course superior to adult females in the Victorian period, Jane is Rochester ‘s rational equal. Furthermore, Jane proves to be his moral higher-up after the fact that Rochester ‘s matrimony to Bertha is revealed. Prior to run intoing Jane his character was wild and unprompted. Jane helped him mend his lesions and confront with himself. Keeping secrets about himself and his yesteryear could make nil good for him but merely promoted dishonesty and destroyed his relationship with Jane. And merely whe n he could interrupt the ironss from his yesteryear could he be free and go a new adult male. Towards the terminal of the novel, Rochester grows and develops from his enduring leting the two characters to travel on and happen felicity together. He eventually pays for his wickednesss, he becomes a appropriately soft hubby for Jane, who morally ushers and corrects him at novel ‘s terminal.

Business Negotiation Skills Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Business Negotiation Skills - Research Paper Example This essay stresses that the opposition to the project had begun with the filing of suit against Enron in the Indian High Court. Opposition political powers at the state made this a huge issue in the approaching Maharashtra assembly elections and with the change of government; the contract was annulled by the MSEB causing daily loss of US$250,000 to Enron and its partners. The contract was further renegotiated at the behest of Enron with the new state government. After agreeing to new terms and conditions stipulated by the MSEB, and the 1st phase was completed and second phase of producing electricity started but the MSEB failed in paying back the agreed tariff rate. By the same time, Enron also filed for bankruptcy. As the report declares Enron signed a contract with the Maharashtra Sate Electricity Board (MSEB) by putting its and its partner companies’ stakes in Dabhol Power Project. The negotiations for the project began primarily with the two stakeholders from the Indian government, one was the Indian state of Maharashtra and the other was MSEB. The project proposal of making a 2015 megawatt power plant with the proposed investment of US$3 billion was cleared initially. On its side, Enron was not the sole company; it had made and entered into joint initiative with the investment of 10% each by General Electric and Bechtel. It required Liquefied Natural Gas to power the plant, which it arranged from another of its joint venture in Qatar, 1200 miles away from the plant location in Dabhol.

How does the social shaping perspective help us to understand the Essay

How does the social shaping perspective help us to understand the social and organizational implications of technological change - Essay Example The paper tells that the thesis that each technology is working if its creator had made successful preparations in already arranged social and political context, is defended from two perspectives. On the one hand, the analysis shows that the role of advertising, political conditions, and gender relations is crucial in the given and other cases of technological development. On another hand, the role of certain choices made by agents of technological change emerges in any case of the struggle for becoming a popular technology. Thus, the presented critics of technological determinism prove the necessity to investigate social and organizational circumstances of any technology entering the market both in retrospective and in the contemporary world. At the very beginning of his analysis, Cowen discusses the role of technology in changing of families in general and women’s position in particular. In fact, he states that technological revolution in the household had already happened a nd changed our daily lives â€Å"in somewhat unexpected ways†. In this context, he draws his core argument from the insufficiency of standard view on Industrial revolution. To put it in author’s words, â€Å"it will be necessary to know more than we presently do about the impact of industrialization on families of similar classes and geographical locations†. After defining this, he presents an analysis of several basic shifts in American society caused by Industrial revolution. Firstly, completely electrified apartments replaced popular gas usage. Consequently, physical (or hand) power became outdated. Supporting the key ideas of technological determinism, in his another work Cowen recognizes technological inappropriateness as the core reason of long entering of electronic devices in the daily consumption market. Then, the appearance of new household utilities had modified the life of ordinary Americans.

Country Comparisons Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Country Comparisons - Assignment Example The GDP (purchasing power parity) of U.S.A in Billion $ is 14660 while that of Japan is 4310 in the same currency. These statistics are for the year 2008. Both countries are industrialized; however, Japan’s government seems to have a smaller population to plan for as compared to the U.S.A. The GDP growth rate of Japan is 3.9% and that of U.S.A is 2.8%. This may be due to the smaller population that Japan has to plan for (Indexmundi, 2011). India is one of the most densely populated countries; however, with a population of 1,189,172,864, this is slightly lower than the population of China which stands at 1,336,717,952. India’s population grows at a higher rate 1.34 percent, as compared to China’s 0.49 percent. Still considering the two countries on the aspect of economy, India posts a GDP of 4,060 in Billion $, on the other hand, China has a GDP of 10, 090. However, both countries GDP grows at an almost similar rate with India having a GDP growth rate of 10.4% and China 10.3%. This is probably due to the two countries differences in GDP (Indexmundi, 2011). Another country that is in focus is Saudi Arabia which has a population of 26,131,704 people. This population grows at the rate of 1.54 percent which is the highest compared to that of the United States, Japan, China and India. The GDP of Saudi Arabia in the year 2008 was 622 Billion $, signifying a growth rate of 3.7 percent (Indexmundi, 2011). Mexico, a country neighboring the United States has a population of 113,724,224 which grows at the rate of 1.1 percent. Looking at the economy of the country, it has a Gross Domestic Product of 1,567 in Billion Dollars; the countries’ economy grows at the rate of 5.5 percent, which is the highest of all the countries discussed (Indexmundi, 2011). Despite the fact that Japan has a lower GDP compared to the United States, its economy is growing at a faster rate than the United States, with 3.9

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC - Essay Example The headquarters of the company is situated in Edinburg. The company was founded by Sir, Bill Gammel who also happens to be a former rugby player. The initial operations of the company were in USA. However, after the listing of the company on London stock exchange in 1988 the company expanded nationally and internationally into Spain, China, Vietnam, Australia, Bangladesh, Albania, Nepal, Tunisia and Papua New Guinea. The average oil produced by the company is 33,000 per day (approx). However the largest operations of the company are in India as the company has been able to make over 20 discoveries in the state of Rajasthan. This includes one major discovery in Mangala. The main products produced by the company include natural gas, Petroleum and petrochemicals. ... mmunication of performance and strategy Organizational Structure Group Structure Divisional Structure External Environment Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political The government have been very involved in the production and exploration of oil and gas. The geopolitical violence and developments in few countries have lead to a less than suitable and highly risky for foreign investments in production and exploration of oil and gas. Economic The global economy is looking to make a comeback from the economic downturn in Europe and USA. Add to that the western oil and gas market has become extremely competitive. Therefore companies are looking to invest in some of the emerging economies of the countries in the eastern region. Companies also enjoy favourable corporate conditions, tax breaks and relatively low labour rates the market has also witnessed an energy crisis. The crisis has mainly occurred changes in demand and supply side limited resources for production leading to increase in costs o r production. Also the oil prices are decided by the supply and demand factors. Due to the fluctuations in these two factors has lead to instability in the prices. This actually posses a major risk in the times of low oil prices (Henry, 2008, p.201). Social Change in climate has led to a change a change in the lifestyle of the people. This also led to a change in the mindset of the people towards Carbon emission mainly in the developed countries. Due to such developments the corporate social responsibility has become an integral part of the marketing strategy of the companies to develop long relationships with environmental activists and local communities. Technological Innovative drilling technology and exploratory techniques like the 3d seismic processing, improved plant design and 3d

Enterprise Resource Planning Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Enterprise Resource Planning - Case Study Example The suite of integrated applications in this tool assists the business in collecting, storing, managing and interpreting data from a range of business activities including sales and activities, payment and shipping, inventory management, cost and product panning as we as manufacturing and service delivery. ERP in organisations offers an effective and integrated view of most of the core business functions and processes that in most instances happen to be in real-time. It uses common databases that are maintained by an effective database management system. The ERP system is effective in tracking business resources, which comprise of raw materials, production capacity as well as cash among others. It also explores the actual status of the business commitments and how they can be used for the growth and success of the business. This paper examines how the ERP system can be used to enhance effective work practice and performance for Oxfam, an international confederation that comprises of organisation that work to eliminate poverty and social injustices in the world. The world as a social environment comprises of people working and living together for achievement of various goals and objectives. While some people achieve their goals in life, others are often hindered by among other things, poverty and social injustices. This is where Oxfam now comes in, to ensure that poverty and other kinds of social injustices are alleviated and eliminated completely. Oxfam is actually an international confederation comprising of approximately 17 organisations that work in about 94 countries across the world in order to find and affix solutions to poverty and various kinds of social injustices across the world. In all its work and activities, Oxfam’s ultimate goal remains has always and continues to be enabling people in exercising their rights and managing their lives effectively. In

Minimum Wages Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Minimum Wages - Essay Example The workers who are having relatively more expertise in a certain job than the unskilled ones are categorized in semi skilled market. (A) With the use of diagrams illustrate and explain the likely effect of the introduction of minimum wage legislation on labor markets over time. Answer: The rates of minimum wage can vary across jurisdictions. The concerned authorities are entitled to set the minimum amount of wage for the workers. The indicators that minimizes the loss of jobs as well as maintains international competitiveness is used to set the initial minimum wage. The general economic conditions like real and nominal rates of gross domestic product, the supply and demand of labor force, and the level of inflation existing within the economy, the different terms of employment and costs of labor and business operation, the standard of living are taken into consideration as well. In a perfectly competitive labor market many firms are in competition in hiring workers. The firms lack t he power to set wages and the wage rate is determined by the market. If a firm deviated from that wage it losses by paying higher and gains if it pays lesser. In employer dominated labor markets there is a collection of some small local markets. Some firms enjoy the dominant position and a major employer has the capability to set the wage rate for the workers without the fear of competition from other firms (Flinn, 2010, p. 3).. In both the cases there are large numbers of workers and each of them has a reservation wage. The worker may not work if the wage rate is below his reservation wage. The relationship between the participants in the labor market and the market wage is regarded as labor supply and denoted by the upward sloping curve. The effect of the introduction of minimum wage legislation depends on the type of labor market. The employers’ power on wage decisions is dependent on whether the market is competitive or not. Two scenarios can be taken under consideration. The diagram below shows two market structures. Bothe panels have the supply and the demand curve for labor. The wage rate is depicted on the X-axis while total labor force N is depicted on the

Terry vs ohio Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Terry vs ohio - Research Paper Example Ironically, this chance presented itself in form of a case, the Terry versus Ohio case. Many other cases have taken place in federal and Supreme Courts, and the Terry versus Ohio case, which took place over 40 years ago, is applied. Some people argue against the terry versus Ohio outcome. This work, therefore shall give a detailed account of what led to the arrest, who was involved, the charges, the outcome of the case and thereafter look at several issues that arise and can be seen from this case. Background The events of that case began on the afternoon of 31ST October, 1963.A law enforcement officer in his civilian dressing making his afternoon tour, spotted two men from a distance. In his testimony, the officer, Mr. Martin McFadden told the court that he spotted two men in Euclid Avenue. He took keen interest in them as he had never seen them before, not that he knew everyone in that town, but he just took keen interest in them. For him, they appeared to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He took his time to study them and that is when he realized their questionable actions and movements.3 These two men talked briefly, and then one of them walked along the corridor, stopping for some time to look through the windows of a particular and specific store. After this, the man went back to his company, and after some time, the other man did the same thing, walked along the corridor and stopped at the same store. This further increased the curiosity of the officer. After around six times of this repeated routine, the two men were joined by another man. More talking was done and then the newly arrived man left. The law enforcement reported to the court that after this man left, the two men who were there earlier continued with their earlier suspicious routine. They did this for about fifteen minutes and then left, following the direction that the other man had taken. This further increased the curiosity of the officer, who had been watching them from a close enough distance. According to him, he suspected that they were ‘casing a job’. He followed them and found them in the company of the man who had left earlier. After all, as he said in the court, McFadden had enough experience to tell when something wrong and suspicious was cooking. In his 39 years of service, dealing with pickpockets and shop breakers, the officer had learnt to read the signs of such people.4 Officer McFadden approached them and produced his identification. He asked them what their names were, but they officer did not comprehend what they said. They mumbled incoherently. They officer had a strong suspicion that these three men were up to no good, and that is when he grabbed one of the men, Terry and spun him round. He felt a gun in Terry’s overcoat pocket, but could not reach it. He ordered the three men to enter into the nearby Zuckers store and face the wall. The officer removed Terry’s overcoat, from which he recovered a 38 caliber revo lver.5 He also patted the other men’s outer clothing. He recovered a pistol from Chitton, the man with whom Terry had done the routine walks with. On the other man, Kartz, there was no weapon found. The two men

Informaiton System Essay Example for Free

Informaiton System Essay Assess the advantages and disadvantages of using a Web-based compensation tool versus a client-server based or stand-alone PC-based system and then give your opinion on which system would provide the most value to an organization’s stakeholders. Include three (3) facts to support your opinion. e-Compensation represents a web-enabled approach to an array of compensation tools that enable an organization to gather, store, manipulate, analyze, utilize, and distribute compensation data and information. The advantages of using a Web-based compensation tool versus a client-server based or stand-alone PC-based system include the automated approach that replaces tedious manual processes to make any compensation program easy to manage and virtually error free. Web-based compensation tools do not require installation and updating which saves a lot of administration work and can be access from anywhere with the Internet. The data in Web-based compensation tools is stored remotely and requires little disk space. It also becomes more important that Web-based compensation tools are cross-platform and work on different Operating System. Whereas using a client-server based or stand-alone PC based system would need an administrator to administer, maintain, develop and implement policies and procedures for ensuring the security and integrity of the client/server database, and also resolving any database issues. However, Web-based compensation tools have some serious disadvantages. The most important problem is their poor user experience, because of the performance problems and browser limitations. Another disadvantage of the Web-based compensation tool is that the remote server could be compromised disclosing private information. The fact that the Web-based compensation tool requires Internet connection can also be a limitation. Although Web-based compensation tool seems to have more advantages than a client-server based or stand-alone PC based system, in my opinion, client-server based would provide value to an organization’s stakeholders. Three things initially attract people to web-based over client-server: they are easier to deploy and upgrade, demand less IT support, and require less hardware. While it is true that web-based deployment and upgrades are easier, client-server technology actually delivers far superior benefits and long-term cost savings. Client-server software affords a richer, crisper user interface that outperforms browser- or web-based software in terms of the number of clicks and the ease of use. The client-server based provides set-ups and can be altered without disturbing the clients, while the other two systems require accessing every peer in the network (www.client-serverbased). For example, the client server arrangements aid security requires efforts, because there are fewer servers, limiting the number of persons with access to them and increasing security features of the servers. The two-tiered model enables file sharing between the client and the users. Justify the use of e-Compensation tools in the job-evaluation process from the perspective of HR, management, and the employee. Through e-Compensation tools organizations can adapt to shifting demands for information. e-Compensation tools enhance the practice of designing and administering compensation programs in a dynamic and competitive environment in three key ways. First e-Compensation tools can increase access to critical compensation information without the need for sophisticated or dedicated IT staffs and sophisticated technology infrastructures. They can simply access key information electronically on an as needed basis. Second, e-compensation tools enable round-the-clock availability of meaningful compensation information to senior managers, HR managers, and employees. Third, e-compensation tools can streamline cumbersome bureaucratic tasks through the introduction of workflow functionality and real-time information processing. Job evaluation is the process of methodically establishing a structure or hierarchy of jobs within an organization. This is based on a systematic consideration of job content and requirements. The purpose of the job structure, or hierarchy, is to provide a basis for the development of a wage structure. The job structure, however, is only one of the determinants of the wage structure, with other factors becoming increasingly more important. Job evaluation develops a plan for comparing jobs in terms of those things the organization considers important determinants of job worth. e-Compensation tools enhance the practice of designing and administering compensation programs in a dynamic and competitive environment. HR views the use of e-Compensation tools in the job-evaluation process as a means to streamline their processes and reduce administrative burdens. HR can electronically distribute them to target employees or managers via a corporate intranet. From management perspective e-Compensation can assist in reducing HR administration and compliance costs, help compete more effectively for global talent and provide real-time metric to allow decision-makers to spot trends and manage the workforce more effectively – managers can review a list of proposed merit increases for his or her direct reports. Managers and employees have access to key information to make completing a job analysis or job evaluation project relatively easy. Employees are able to gain access to data which is improved by utilizing e-Compensation to make critical decisions. The use of the e-Compensation tools empower employees with a collaborative employee compensation application that shows their complete compensation package in an intuitive format and provides the tools they need to plan their financial futures. Evaluate three (3) benefits and three (3) drawbacks of a centralized approach to managing merit pay programs compared to a more decentralized approach. Merit pay refers to the process of determining employee compensation (base salary or bonuses), in part, on the basis of how well each employee performs at work. A centralized approach bases an employee’s pay rate on the value of the job/role held, the degree to which the employee has mastered that job/role and how well the employee has performed over time. The most apparent advantages of centralization are an organizations ability to closely control operations, provide a uniform set of policies, practices and procedures throughout the organization, and better use the knowledge of centralized experts. Companies also adopt different approaches to compensation administration responsibilities. Some rely on a centralized approach where the design and administration of compensation programs are performed by a single company department. Some rely on a decentralized organizational structure that allows faster decision-making and better adaptability to local conditions and context. In the decentralized approach managers across the organization forecast the pay increases they expect to recommend in the coming year to retain their key employees and to remain competitive. The decentralized approach can make it difficult to transfer employees from one department to another and may bring about a lack of internal consistency. The drawbacks to the centralized approach are that a compensation program may suit general corporate needs, but not individual department needs, communication between different computers is not easy, resulting in configuration problems, and it does not provide built-in knowledge management capability that would guide or empower managers to make their own decisions. Suggest three (3) types of integrated analytic features that are needed for compensation planning and decision support in e-Compensation systems. Integrated analytics brings together information from a companys ERP, customer relationship management, human resources, financial management, supply chain and e-business systems, and enhances it with advanced analytics, empowering the company to react more quickly to a rapidly changing business environment. Integrated analytics better integrates an organization’s information assets across the value chain, delivers role-based business intelligence to the information consumer in a personalized manner, and includes advanced analytical models focused on decision making. Many human resource information systems, however, do not yet provide integrated analytic features needed for compensation planning and decision support, such as the ability to also see related real-time competitive market salaries. Some integrated analytic features needed for compensation planning and decision making are analytic engines for data enrichment and analysis, analytic applications such as Budgeting, Planning and Balanced Scorecard, and integrated analytic applications that provide process-specific analytics and allow the developers to add more features based on user needs. In order to survive and win in todays market, ERP vendors have recognized that they must have improved information delivery and analytics as core components of their products. The rapid flow of information has increased the need for executives and managers to keep their fingers on the pulse of their companies and to be able to easily access timely, accurate information. It is clear that the market is moving away from the realm of custom and nonintegrated applications and into pre-delivered products that are closely linked to ERP systems. Assess the barriers that prevent organizations from realizing the potential of Web-based internal equity tools and propose three (3) approaches to overcome those barriers. Internal equity refers to establishing the relative worth of jobs inside the organization. It is hard to determine the value of the information before you pay. Organizations can find free web-based services such as HR-Guide’s job evaluation tool. There are several factors that hamper organizations from fully realizing the potential of web-based internal equity tools. First, most of the tools are not generally integrated across software programs in the market that support the design and maintenance of internal equity policies and practices, relatively few are currently both integrated and web-enabled. Second, the challenge facing organizations in implementing these e-compensation tools is that these tools are only as good as the data they access. Third, proper training is required to ensure user acceptance and competent use of the technology. Fourth, some users find data entry tends to be slower and less flexible using web applications than client-server-based software, particularly with nonlinear processes. Finally, while web-based software tools increase access to and distribution of information, the quality and efficiency with which decisions are made still remain ultimately with the manager. There must be organizational commitment to gather, manage, and maintain accurate and relevant data. Organizations need to obtain an integrated web-based compensation software solution that automates and integrates internal equity and external equity software applications and can be used stand-alone, over an intranet, or over the web on an outsourced basis. Lastly, organizations need to implement software and invest in training programs. Recommend three (3) strategies that HR managers can use to evaluate the quality of market data (surveys, benchmark salary studies, etc.) that they receive from outside sources. Paying people fairly is good for business. Underpay, and employees will eventually look for a better offer. Overpay, and the payroll budget and profitability will suffer. That is why companies use market data to research the value of their jobs. HR managers use the latest market data to get accurate data relevant to positions within their organizations expertise. Gathering background information is critical in building a pay structure from scratch to articulate the compensation philosophy, clarify concepts that define the fundamental beliefs about the structure, and design and develop the strategy. To determine the prevailing rate for a job, organizations can benchmark jobs against compensation surveys that are detailed and specific to the organization’s industries and regions. A good compensation survey uses standard, proven methods of data gathering and statistical analysis to determine how much companies pay for a specific job in a specific industry. Commercial and association surveys, Pg 458 Use at least four (4) quality academic resources in this assignment. Note: Wikipedia and other Websites do not qualify as academic resources. http://www.humanresources.pro/index.php?option=com_contentview=articleid=50Itemid=73

What is attributes are required in HR department.

What is attributes are required in HR department. 1.Introduction This report will cover my findings on what is attributes are required in HR department. I particularly choose HR because I see myself in this occupation in the future and this assignment would give me a head start. I am going to look at different types section in HR and see what is best fitted to me. By looking at six organisations, I want to find out what are their requirements to have perfect candidates. With this knowledge I will go on and compare my skills and attributes to the requirement of the organisations. This is going to tell me what skills I lack and to make a plan on how to gain those skills. 2.Occupational Research 2.1 Terms of research The research and report is based on what is required to become a graduate in HR. the research will came across sectors that make HR. (See appendix 1) the information, will give a better insight of Human Resource manager this will help in the decision making process as it would give a better idea on what is required to work in a HR sector. The outcome of the research will be to see what skills are needed to become a HR manager. 2.2 Methodology The target, in this section was to get the latest information on the six organisations. The focus would mostly be on large organisations due to the current credit crunch. The credit crunch has affected many businesses and the small business would have been affected the most. This would also mean that, those businesses would not be able to expand in the near future, which would affect the graduates. Internet sources would provide the opportunity of getting up to date information. It is a good chance to review the latest information about the organisation through looking at sites like BBC, or any news article that was relating to the six organisations which would provide sufficient information on the current state of affairs. The advantage of using internet is that similar information can be access online rather than having to look at newspaper articles which are time consuming. Another advantage is if any query came up they would be easily accessed via email. 2.3 Main Findings Organisation one is, Royal mail. The profits have been surprisingly high, considering the economic situation. The high profit has resulted in nearly 2500 post offices closing down. (See appendix 2) This meant that many staff was redundant. This will have a major impact to the hiring of graduates. On the other hand this would an ideal opportunity to hire graduates as they would start on a low salary and work as hard as other employees In the role of HR Royal mail would offer a graduate a chance to build on their general and specialist HR skills. The program will give the graduate a chance in experiencing in number of HR areas; this would be an opportunity to find out where you want to grow your career. To help you to identify which roles are most suited to your experience and interests. The graduate will have experience on various roles including recruitment, learning, reward and recognition, corporate social responsibility and advice and support. (See appendix 10) The requirement for this role see (bottom of appendix 10). The application process see appendix 11. Second company is Shell, they are getting stronger and stronger in terms of their profits the current crisis has had little or no effect on the organisation (see appendix 3). Oil is the most actively traded commodity. This is shown in terms of the increase in profits. The increase in profit means that the company put vast amount money into their recruitment process. Shell encourages students and graduates to come to their recruitment days, and they would help you to make career choices. (See appendix 4). Shell will have the graduate focusing on recruitment, performance management, learning and development or another specialist area. Shell require their graduates to be able to able to absorb information, analyse problems, make objective decisions and come up with ideas of their own. You also need sensitivity and influencing skills to work as part of a team. (See appendix 12) The organisation has three ways of which to recruit staff and you have to choose a path during the application process. (see bottom of appendix 12) Nestle is the third organisation. Nestle is a controversial organisation, pressurised by trade unions, governments and by the press, but they cannot take away the fact that they are a very successful company. The career options for graduates is very well organised and give a sense of welcome into the organisation. (See appendix 5). Nestle are creating jobs in New York (appendix 6) this is good news as the credit crunch is causing other organisation to cut jobs. Even if the jobs are in New York, there is a good chance that the trend is going to continue in to the UK. For graduates there is a two year two-year programme designed to give you an overall perspective in HR they will be working in areas such as Recruitment, Learning Development, Information and Advice (see appendix 13). Nestle are looking for graduates who has a HR degree or Masters they have other needs see appendix 13 for rest of them. Also in appendix 13 there is the application process. Forth company is Marriot, this is a big hotel chain specialising in hospitality. The economic crisis will have a major impact on the organisation because people are looking to save money. To save money they are cutting down on luxury and Marriot hotels fall under this category. In terms of working the Sunday Times named them in the top 20 best Big Company to work for in 2008. (See appendix 7). Marriot offers graduates to a get an insight on how the HR side of the business works. They are looking for graduates who are innovative, guest-focused way of thinking. (See appendix 14). In appendix 15 shows the application process in which a graduate must go through. The fifth company is Lloyds TSB. Lloyds are going through a tough period the credit crunch has hit them hard and they are on the verge to be taken over by HBOS (see appendix 8). The plan could result in job losses, but on the other hand this would ensure the organisation save millions of pounds. And in the future Lloyds would look to hire staff with a low starting salary to ride out the crisis. And this could be a great opportunity to hire the graduates who would bring fresh ideas into the organisation together with great challenge and commitment to help the company out of the sticky situation. Again similar to other companies Lloyds will help the graduates to see what HR is all about. The difference lies in the organisation helping graduates towards your chartered institute of personnel development (CIPD). They break the programme down into three section first is the generalist placement duration: 9 months, second is, front line placement duration: 6 months, finally generalist/spe cialist HR placement duration: 9 months. They require the graduates to bring excellent judgement, drive, influence and the ability to successfully deliver and exceed even your own expectations (see appendix 16). They have a section on educational criteria which you can view in (appendix 17). This shows what the requirement to become a graduate at Lloyds is. Furthermore in appendix 18 shows, the process in which the graduates will be chosen. The sixth company is British Airways. BA profits have declined due to the credit crunch, looking at the positive they are hoping to make some profit in the financial year. (See appendix 9). The future looks bright as they have opened a new terminal and are expecting high profit from this. The new terminal would require more staff and to save money they could hire graduates. They have recently created a programme in which the HR graduates can benefit see appendix 19. They are very clear on who they are looking for in graduates which is Personal Credibility, Delivering Results, Customer Service, HR Mastery and Business Mastery. (See appendix 20). They have clearly stated the requirements i.e. 2:1 Honours Degree in any discipline. The application has to normally be completed on line, if successful you would be going through tests like psychometric tests personality questionnaire, a group discussion, work related exercise and interview. (See appendix 21). 3.Personal Reflection In this section I will be analysing my skills and relating it to the skills which is required by the six organisations. Through using tools such as Gap analysis and Action Plan. 3.1 Personal Analysis I have gained valuable skills through various activities, whether it is during Cricket, group work or individual. My coaching badge has enabled me to implement and improve various skills such as communication skills and leadership skills, as well as acquiring new ones such as adaptability. I was given a chance by Stanmore Cricket Club to implement these skills. I was able to coach different groups such as under 14s, as well as manage the under 10 year olds. Individual and group work in both college and university has enhanced my ability to communicate and work as a valuable team member. Currently I have grasped the skills like Adaptability, Leadership, Organisational skills, and Communication Skills and Excellent time management. 3.2 CV and Covering Letter See appendix 22 and 23 3.3 Gap Analysis In appendix 24 I have set out what all the companies require the skills their graduates should have. I am going to compare those skills to my current skills which are on appendix 25. I have a skill gap in areas, such as the ability to absorb information and experience. The areas I am deficient are Analyse problems, Make decisions, Presentation, Knowledge of HR, Interview skills and Numerical skills. (See appendix 26) 3.4 Career Action Plan (CAP) My career action plan has various activities that I need to address. Firstly I need to improve on my interviewing skills. Interviews are used as a mean of selection by the six organisations which I have looked at. The action that I will be taking is by arranging an appointment with the placement office to practice my skills, in which they will sit with me and rehearse the interviewing process. I will be also using my friends to practice the process. I am planning to do this as soon as possible. Secondly I need to improve on my numerical skills, again all six organisations will require men to give an numerical test, I always lacked this skill and after finding out that there is a maths drop in sessions I will be attending those classes as soon as possible. To deal with experience I need to get a part time job in a HR department this would give me valuable knowledge of how the department is run. This would also give me an advantage over other candidates as this could mean the difference between me getting a job or not getting the job. I will search for the job using newspaper, job offices on the internet and going to universitys placement office. To improve my presentation skills first step is to book an appointment with UHSU and attend workshops i.e. training sessions in presentation skills. In which they will give me good information on how to present from planning, preparing, helping me on how to use visual aids, using PowerPoint, using graphs and charts, help me practice and assist me on non-verbal communication. I am planning to achieve this by the end of the course. To gain a 2:1 I need to do the basics right i.e. attending all the lectures and seminars. This would not be enough because to further my knowledge I need to ask for help more often by attending various classes or talking to lectures if I am stuck. In my action plan I have not included my weakness of absorbing information and analysing problems because I feel that by following the action plan this would automatically be addressed. (See appendix 27, for the summary of the action plan) 4.Conclusion I have learnt a lot both about myself and about the requirements of the organisation in the HR position. This assignment has made me think about aspect of employment which previously had eluded me for example made me think long and hard about my future. Whereas before my idea of a job in HR, was purely based on paper work and staying in a office and now realising that there is more to it i.e. meeting new people having various tasks to do, it has increased my desire to work as a HR manager. Now knowing the skills that I lack, encourages me to put the CAP into action.

Of Mice And Men :: essays research papers

Of mice and men is a novel about two men, George Milton and Lennie Small, who go to work on a ranch in California together. Lennie is a massive man with incredible strength but has a child's mind. George is a fairly sized man who is not incredibly brilliant but has good common sense. The two men travel from town to town and job to job to just get by and survive. But they dream of saving up enough money to someday get a place of their own where they "won't have to answer to no one" and "live off the fatta the land" Lennie dreams of having rabbits of his own that he can take care of all by himself. The ranch they go to work at is in Soledad, California. When they arrive, they go to their bunk house, where they meet Candy. Candy is an old, weathered man who has been working on the ranch for years. He befriends George and Lennie and they confide to him their dreams of having their own place. Candy tells them that he has saved up a descent sum of money and asks if he can tag along in the adventure if he pays his share. Another man on the ranch, Slim, gives Lennie a puppy to play with but Lennie, feebleminded and sweet attempts to love even the gentlest of creatures, but, as he only has a childlike understanding of his enormous strength, the results are often tragic. Curly is the boss's son, and sensing Lennie's simple mind, he attempts to intimidate and antagonize him not anticipating his strength. He hits Lennie because he thinks Lennie is teasing him. Lennie tries to resist fighting as long as he can but after suffering many blows to the face from Curly, he grabs Curly's hand and squeezes it so hard it breaks every bone in it. Curly's wife is a beautiful woman who is always lonely and attempts to receive "love" through the attention of other men. In Curly's seductive wife, Lennie sees a beautiful and innocent creature, like the small animals he attempts to love. Though she seeks to take advantage of his innocence, she cannot know that his strength coupled with his naivete is, for her, a dangerous combination. She comes into the barn one day when Lennie has just killed the puppy given to him by Slim because he played too hard with it.

Acid Rain :: essays research papers fc

Acid Rain INTRODUCTION: Acid rain is a great problem in our world. It causes fish and plants to die in our waters. As well it causes harm to our own race as well, because we eat these fish, drink this water and eat these plants. It is a problem that we must all face together and try to get rid of. However acid rain on it's own is not the biggest problem. It cause many other problems such as aluminum poisoning. Acid Rain is deadly. WHAT IS ACID RAIN? Acid rain is all the rain, snow, mist etc that falls from the sky onto our planet that contains an unnatural acidic. It is not to be confused with uncontaminated rain that falls, for that rain is naturally slightly acidic. It is caused by today's industry. When products are manufactured many chemicals are used to create it. However because of the difficulty and cost of properly disposing of these products they are often emitted into the atmosphere with little or no treatment. The term was first considered to be important about 20 years ago when scientists in Sweden and Norway first believed that acidic rain may be causing great ecological damage to the planet. The problem was that by the time that the scientist found the problem it was already very large. Detecting an acid lake is often quite difficult. A lake does not become acid over night. It happens over a period of many years, some times decades. The changes are usually to gradual for them to be noticed early. At the beginning of the 20th century most rivers/lakes like the river Tovdal in Norway had not yet begun to die. However by 1926 local inspectors were noticing that many of the lakes were beginning to show signs of death. Fish were found dead along the banks of many rivers. As the winters ice began to melt off more and more hundreds upon hundreds more dead fish (trout in particular) were being found. It was at this time that scientist began to search for the reason. As the scientists continued to work they found many piles of dead fish, up to 5000 in one pile, further up the river. Divers were sent in to examine the bottom of the rivers. What they found were many more dead fish. Many live and dead specimens were taken back to labs across Norway. When the live specimens were examined they were found to have very little sodium in their blood. This is typical a typical symptom of acid poisoning. The acid had entered the gills of

Divorce in the United States Essay -- Divorce Marriage Relationships E

Divorce in the United States Divorce involves the recognition that a marriage has hopelessly failed and that at least one of the partners has no desire to continue the marital relationship. Divorce legally dissolves a marriage, and permits the partners to remarry if they choose. Divorce differs from an annulment, which declares a marriage invalid because of some flaw in the contract. The early American settlers brought with them three different views on divorce: 1) the Roman Catholic view that marriage was a sacrament and that there could be no divorce; 2) the English view that divorce was a legislative matter; and 3) the Protestant view that marriage and divorce were secular matters to be handled by the civil authorities. The Constitution of the United States did nothing to limit the rights of the states to enact their own laws governing marriage and divorce. Despite several efforts to amend the Constitution, to allow Congress to pass federal legislation on divorce, to this day the states retain separate laws. Because divorce laws vary from state to state, the "migratory divorce" developed: couples would move temporarily to a state where divorce was easier to obtain than at home. For example, a couple living in New York State, where until 1967 the only grounds for divorce was adultery, would establish residence in Nevada - - a procedure that took only 6 weeks -- and file for divorce on grounds of mental cruelty. Popular attitudes toward divorce changed as the United States became more urbanized and less religious. The increasing acceptance of divorce was reflected in court interpretations of existing laws and in new legislation enacted by the states. Two tendencies merged, making possible the establishment of new and easier grounds for divorce. The focus of state divorce, which previously concerned itself with specifying legal grounds for divorce, shifted to criteria concerning the breakdown of the marital relationship. This could be seen in conditions that allowed divorce for alcoholism, drug addiction, or nonsupport. Another tendency permitted divorce if both parties gave of voluntarily separating and living apart for a specified period of time. For example, in 1967, New York allowed divorce for couples who had been legally separated for 2 years, eliminating the search for a guilty party. In 19... ...lo parenting, and stepfamilies / Genevieve Clapp. PUBL.: New York : Wiley, FORMAT: xv, 377 p. ; 23 cm. DATE: 1992 Myers, M. F., Men and Divorce (1989); AUTHOR: Myers, Michael F. TITLE: Men and divorce / Michael F. Myers. PUBL.: New York : Guilford Press, FORMAT: xv, 286 p. ; 24 cm. DATE: 1989 Splinter, John P., The Complete Divorce Recovery Handbook (1992); AUTHOR: Splinter, John P. TITLE: The complete divorce recovery handbook : grief, stress, guilt, children, co-dependence, self-esteem, dating, remarriage/ John P. Splinter. PUBL.: Grand Rapids, Mich. : Zondervan, FORMAT: p. cm. DATE: 1992 Walzac, Yvette, and Burns, Sheila, Children and Divorce (1984). AUTHOR: Teyber, Edward. TITLE: Helping children cope with divorce / Edward Teyber. EDITION: 1st pbk. ed. PUBL.: New York : Lexington Books ; Toronto : Maxwell Macmillan Canada; New York : Maxwell Macmillan International, FORMAT: ix, 221 p. ; 24 cm. DATE: 1994

Kinds of research data Essay

The basic classification of research data is in terms of quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative research entails examination of numerical data by using mathematical models and statistical procedures. (Morgan, 2000). Qualitative research involves use of analysis and opinions to explain interviews and documents and understanding the phenomenon. The study requires a qualitative and some quantitative approach rather than a purely numerical one. Data Collection Approaches Data collection approaches can be primary and secondary. Both primary and secondary approaches will be utilized Extensive research will be carried out in the Library as well as on the World Wide Web. Qualitative Research Methodologies Qualitative methodology focuses on â€Å"quality† a term referring to the essence or ambience of something. Qualitative methods are used to understand complex social phenomena. In the present situation, literature survey along with interviews and questionnaires will be the key techniques used for data collection, collation and analysis. Case-Study Research Methodology. Case study in the primary research methodology employed in this study. A case study is an enquiry which uses multiple sources of evidence. It evaluates a contemporary phenomenon in real life context within the boundaries of the phenomenon and when the context is not clearly evident. Potter, (1996) has defined case study as a â€Å"realistic† methodology, which deals with solid and specific questions. Case study translates research objectives into more researchable problems, and provides rich examples, which are easy to comprehend. The significance of case studies is its revealing the meaning of a phenomenon. A peer group case study approach is considered best suited than other techniques to implement this research, as it will concentrate on an empirical, contemporary problem. It will also enable answering the questions as, â€Å"why† and, â€Å"how† to understand the underlying motivations. It will generate empirical data and interesting information specific to the phenomenon under study. Research cases offer a unique tool to testing theory by examining phenomena which are beyond the traditional statistical approaches. (Potter, 1996). Case study research is useful to the aims because the degree to which a case study produces valid and credible information is generally higher than qualitative research in a more general survey. An analysis of the Chinese and UK banking systems is proposed to be carried out with reference to the case study of Bank of China and HSBC, London. Limitations of Case Study One of the limits of case studies is the difficulty of generalizing their findings. If the case design is sound and if the researcher is careful to be explicit about the phenomenon and the context of the study, then results can be generalized.(Potter, 1996). Another limit of case studies is that they generate a lot of information that needs to be logically handled to strengthen the argument presented in order to develop credible conclusion. Research Instruments Primary data is collected for the research study to answer a specific question. Ways of collecting this kind of information includes surveys, observation or controlled experiments. Surveys are one of the most common ways to collect data, where the subject can be contacted through mail, telephone or directly in personal interviews. (Veal, 2000). It entails sending questionnaires, interviews and non-formal enquiries made to people. By carrying out interviews of a significant number of individuals a broad perspective can be provided. This research will collect data by essentially the method of interviews and questionnaires. Data Collection Method Questionnaire Survey Surveys are frequently used to obtain information about social issues. Jones (1997) has described that survey needs planned strategy to gather data. Surveys can be conducted in many ways, over the telephone, by mail or in person. Questionnaire surveys are ideal for providing complex information. Questionnaire involves a sample of the population which can range from few hundreds to few thousands depending on the research study (Veal, 2000). Questionnaire technique has been used in the study. Limitation of the questionnaires On an average the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, but a key drawback is low response rate. This will result in low level of confidence and distort the analogy of statistical information. Another weakness of questionnaire is the fact that it is a structured format and allows little room for flexibility with respect to reply by the respondents. Interview Interviews will form an interactive part of this study and will be carried out after the secondary research is done in combination with the questionnaire. When doing these interviews it will be important to keep a neutral view of the research topic, where the actual behavior instead of an intended behavior needs to be identified. Veal (2000) has described interview as a strategy to find out from people about the things, which cannot be observed directly.

A Piece of Peace Essay

The terrorist attacks on September 11th affected more than just the lives of those in people who were the direct victims of the attacks. An entire nation was victimized and the whole nation grieved for those who suffered in New York City. As the attacks occurred I sat in my high school English class and while the teacher taught I day dreamed. It was a typical Tuesday morning and to be truthful I did not ever hear her the first time she explained the tragic events that had taken place just moments ago. I heard the word â€Å"terrorists† and the fragments of statements like â€Å"hundreds died this morning when†. Then, I could only hear my heart beat in my ears. I watched my teacher turn on the TV. She flipped through several stations. I don’t remember what I saw but I can remember what I heard. It was the sound of people crying. Over the next few months, as a nation, we followed the story as did the world. I can remember President Bush attempting to comfort the United States and telling us America would be going to war for reasons that weren’t clear to me then and certainly aren’t clear to me now. Somewhere between the night of September 10th, when I was plotting how I was going to avoid school the next morning and the night of September 11th, I grew up. When I look back on that time in my life I am left with a single haunting thought – It is the pursuit of peace which leads to destruction. Even today, years after the terrorist attacks, people still talk about how that day changed everything. I agree, in some ways. It changed me and I became something new. It changed my family. It changed how American view other Americans and how we view the rest of the world. Americans have since the birth of the nation believed that their way was the best way. Americans were shocked to find out that people hated them enough to want to kill them. September 11th forced America’s to reflect on the military, social, and political actions of America and how they effected people of other countries. Perhaps American’s are not always in the right. For example, President Bush I gave weapons to the Afghan people to win a war against Russia. When the Afghan people defeated the Russian, Afghanistan was completely destroy. American promised them they will help rebuild but they did not. That is why the terrorist were able to come into the country and making a terrorist breeding ground. I don’t think that September 11th effects the way Americans conduct their lives daily. People who say it does are feeling the pressure of guilt. Society says we must not forget, and as Americans say we won’t. As a nation the citizens learned that there is a fine line between terrorist and freedom fighter- we are just afraid to admit it and seem unamerican. Those men who ran planes into building, killed Americans and killed themselves wanted only one thing – peace. They wanted freedom from the western world and choose to die. Just as we wanted independence from England centuries ago. In looking for peace they destroyed lives, families, and shook the protected ground the United States sat on. It made the country stronger but not smarter. I am anxious over the global discord and the cultural ignorance that seems to grow between the United States and the rest of the world. The problems in Iraq foretell and may spark future clashes with a number of civilizations in the future. Just recently I drove home from work and I flipped through different radio stations. I caught the end of Bob Dylan’s â€Å"The Times They Are A-Changing†. It’s funny because that is my mom’s favorite song and I had forgotten it existed. I still can hear her sing, â€Å"Come gather ’round people Wherever you roam / And admit that the waters Around you have grown /For the times they are a-changin’†, while she tinkered around in the kitchen way before anyone else got up. I don’t know that I ever really listened to the words before. Dylan knew and my mom knew things I was just beginning to. Dylan and my mom knew â€Å"there’s a battle outside And it is ragin’† and September 11th did shake our â€Å"windows† and rattled our â€Å"walls†. As a nation it’s citizens have no right to â€Å"criticize What we [you] can’t understand† and our â€Å" sons and [y]our daughters Are beyond our [your] command† (Dylan). Our soldiers fight a war for reasons no one really knows for America that would rather criticize them then help in country that does not seem to want peace. Dylan sings about the injustice in war and that we should not be afraid to speak our minds: Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who That it’s namin’. For the loser now Will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’. (Dylan) Bush wants peace but for his own reasons and through those reasons American soldiers are dying, and so are the Iraqi people. It is ironic that while those terrorists die nobly but ur soldiers die in such a cruel way. McKay writes in his poem, â€Å"If We Must Die,† that people should not die for nothing or by doing nothing. That death is inevitable, especially in war, but all people must fight for the things we want in this world and hold on to life and liberty as long as we can: O kinsmen we must meet the common foe! Though far outnumbered let us show us brave, And for their thousand blows deal one deathblow! What though before us lies the open grave? Like men we’ll face the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! (Claude McKay) In the summer of 2001 I was lying in my hammock and I could see a butterfly in my backyard. I remember as a child learning that caterpillars itch and go into cocoons to find peace from that. Change in a way is a form of destruction. To be able to be someone new people have to give up their old selves and move past who they used to bee. When a child develops into an adult, he must give up his toys, his childhood beliefs like believing in Santa Claus. His childhood fantasies must be destroyed if he is to move on. In the years that followed September 11th I could feel myself â€Å"adapt to my new surroundings† (White Line 2). White, through the use of nature explores the scary nature of change: I have to shed my skin again Adapt to my new surroundings become another version of myself. The change within me does not happen overnight but through the evolution of my life (White) I was filled with American’s sense of patriotism and unity. The new American was like â€Å"the first fish that grew tiny legs† (White Line 8). Christine White’s poem, â€Å"Molting† reminded me that it was not just me that grew up, the United States did too. White’s point of view is that change is not a bad thing and is inevitable. Nearly every person around the country joined together as one united entity to pay tribute and homage to all the fallen heroes. There was a sense of harmony and peace. In way I think America, even those the terrorist attacks were tragic, knew that such an event was needed if we were going to â€Å"shed our [my] skin† (White Line 1) and become a stronger nation. As time goes by and my bad memories fade I remember America in it’s full glory. Watching the cumulative effect of humanity shining through the fire and smoke. I remember how many people spoke about the importance of peace and understanding. I wonder if there can be peace if Americans are divide both support and protest our soldiers in Iraq. The war over there caused a war here between Americans. It is the protesters protest protesters on both sides of the issues – each wanting peace in their own way. People who do not want our soldiers fighting in Iraq believe that they would be peace if America stopped butting into everyone’s business. People who are for the war in Iraq believe peace will only come after the destruction of all terrorists. In the end these protesters (on both sides) are destroying the morale and lives of people fighting in the Iraq war and are disgracing the memories of those that died. The price of peace is extremely high especially because Americans do not know if we can ever have it. I do know that â€Å"The line it is drawn The curse it is cast / The slow one now Will later be fast / As the present now Will later be past† (Dylan). I do know that America must hold her ground against the terrorists. Americans will not be tyrannized and forced to live like cowards. Even when we face â€Å"the murderous, cowardly pack, Pressed to the wall, dying, but fighting back! † (McKay Line 14). The American fight for freedom and peace has also managed to destroy our economy. Oil prices increased, the value of the American dollar decreased, and the stock market bottomed out. When Clinton was President the stock market was well over 10,000 after 9/11 it drop well under 8000. President Bush spent the Clinton Surplus on military, and it is just now in 2006 that the stock has become stabilized. I think that our economy will emerge from this disaster and become strong once again like it was before the attacks. In the pursuit of peace and destruction, people in Americans have finally understood their place in society and were back â€Å"in the sun† (White Line 10). Not as a not as a bystanders but an active and willing participants. Americans realize that there needs to be a great deal of change and those changes have started. American citizens encourage our â€Å"senators, congressmen Please heed the call / Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall† (Dylan). And governmental officials are making changes. I think our nation needs to help a new generation of people realize that aftermath of that day when humans lives were lost and America’s unique humanity and independence was demonstrated. This generation’s hearts were opened and turned around in the wake of airplane crashes. On September 11, 2001 many people lost their lives because men were seeking their own personal peace. Daily our soldiers are destroyed one by one for the goal of peace. The American economy struggles because of the war for peace against terrorism. Americans fight Americans over whether we should be in Iraq or not which tears apart soldiers’ pride. Before that Tuesday in September, I never thought about life and death. I never considered the consequences of war and the denial of freedoms. Now that I am older, I realize that September 11, 2001 was not just pivotal point for me but America itself. Not since Pearl Harbor had the United States been unexpectedly attacked on it’s own land. Just as families pulled together so did the United States as a whole. As a nation we cried together and we healed together. To actually witness the attacks was life changing but to be part of the healing process was life affirming.

Black People Essay

Tar Baby Toni Morrison’s novel might for some be a novel of cultural awakening. One also might at their first reading and perhaps also by reading the different studies made on Tar Baby, restricted to an interpretation that sees Jadine, Morrison’s protagonist, as woman who has, consciously or unconsciously, lost her â€Å"ancient properties† (305) and internalized the values of a white culture. Jadine has totally disconnected herself from her racial identity and cultural heritage. This reading is supported by the fact that Jadine has got her education in Europe with the financial assistance of Valerian Street (her aunt’s and uncle’s employer). Paraphrasing Marylyn sanders Mobley – the characterization of the protagonist, Jadine, draws attention to a fundamental problem as one that Morrison wants to affirm the self-reliance and freedom of a black woman who makes choices for her own life on her own terms. She also seeks to point out the dangers that can happen to the totally self-reliant if there is no historical connection. While the conflict in Tar Baby is undoubtedly â€Å"between assimilation and cultural nationalism represented by the sealskin coat Ryk has given her and the pie table† (Rayson, 94), the limiting categories which Jadine is continually forced into do not come from the white characters but primarily from the black community in which she finds herself because she (Jadine) has embraced white stereotypes along with white culture. While Valerian is portrayed as the traditional master-figure in the novel, it is actually Son, Sydney and Ondine, and the folk past represented by the different women in different places that try to conquer and dominate Jadine, who retain and represent their culture in the very colour of their skin. On the other hand, one could argue that it is as a result of Jadine’s university education in Europe and her career that further draws her away from her culture and identity and therefore (paraphrasing Mobley in Toni Morrison critical perspectives past and present) contributes significantly to the emotional and spiritual uncertainty that plague her as well as the many different roles that are imposed upon her by her aunt and uncle as well as the ‘society’ that caused her to seek upward social mobility. Sydney and Ondine, Jadine’s uncle and aunt in the novel can be seen as representative of one of the tar pits for Jadine. They do not accept all black people equal in the community in which they live because they employ racial hierarchies. Ondine sees herself as the only woman in the house (209), while Sydney notes more than twice that he is a Philadelphia Negro, â€Å"the proudest people in the race† (61). They seem to have a clear vision of what they want for Jadine their niece. As the story progresses, though, it becomes clearer that it is not actually a question of what they want for Jadine but what they want of her or expect her to do. In addition to them wanting Jadine to provide them safety and credit for their race, Ondine admits by the end of the novel, â€Å"maybe I just wanted her to feel sorry for us [†¦ ] and that’s a lowdown wish if I ever had one† (282). Jadine understands that Sydney and Ondine â€Å"had gotten Valerian to pay her tuition while they sent her the rest† (49) and Ondine keeps reminding that she â€Å"would have stood on her feet all day all night to put Jadine through that school† (193). Ondine sees Jadine as her â€Å"crown† (282), and she and Sydney are continually â€Å"boasting† (49) about Jadine’s success to the point that Margaret calls Ondine â€Å"Mother Superior† (84). In return, they seem to want Jadine to offer them safety for the rest of their lives as Ondine claims that â€Å"Nothing can happen to us as long as she’s here† (102). They are not comfortable with the idea of Jadine marrying Ryk, who is â€Å"white but European which was not as bad as white and American† (48), but they are terrified of her running off with a â€Å"no-count Negro† (193) like Son. Although their views on racial hierarchies seem to alter from time to time, on the outside they seem to want what is best for Jadine. Jadine refute Ondine’s views of black womanhood when she tells her some of the things that are expected of her from society Jadine tells Ondine that: â€Å"I don’t want to learn how to be the kind of woman you’re talking about because I don’t want to be that kind of woman† (282). This, according to Rayson (1998), might be interpreted as Jadine’s â€Å"rejecting the roles of mother, daughter, and woman to stay the tar baby† (Rayson, 95), however it marks her becoming aware of what kind of woman she is by the end of the novel. Jadine‘s inclination toward upward social mobility leads to her separation from the Afro-American roots and the tar quality that Morrison advocates. This kind of flaw in Jadine effectively disqualifies her as a black woman capable of nurturing a family and by large the community. Jadine‘s perception of an ancestral relationship from which she is estranged occurs when she sees an African woman in a Parisian bakery. When she is celebrating her success as model evidenced in her appearance on the cover of Elle, Jadine becomes nervous or perhaps uncomfortable by the African woman in yellow attire. She triggers an identity crisis in Jadine at the moment when she should have felt more secure with her professional achievement assured by beauty and education. In his African woman, Jadine catches a glimpse of beauty, a womanliness, an innate elegance, a nurturer, an authenticity that she had never known before: ? That woman‘s woman – that mother/sister/she/; that unphotographable beauty? (p. 43). By calling the African woman ? that mother/sister/she,? J. Deswal (online source â€Å"Tar Baby- Shodhganga) claims that â€Å"Morrison presents a threefold definition of womanhood which can thrive within the confines of family and community only. The three eggs she balances effortlessly in her ? tar-black fingers? (p. 44) appear to Jadine as if the woman were boasting of her own easy acceptance of womanhood†. Wendy Harding and Jacky Martin in A World of Difference: An Inter-cultural Study of Toni Morrison explain the importance of the African woman‘s presence as such: â€Å"Whereas Jadine has just been rewarded for her conformity to Western ideals of feminity, the African woman suggests a more powerful version of black womanhood. Like some fertility goddess, she holds in her hand the secret of life. She is the mother of the world in whose black hands whiteness appears as something as easily crushed as cared for (71). When Jadine measures herself by the idea of black womanhood that she sees in the African woman the insecurities of her rootless condition surface in her mind. The women in yellow makes Jadine confront her female role and her sexuality†. Jadine sees ? something in her eyes so powerful? (p. 42) that she follows the woman out of the store. The writers also claim that â€Å"As a symbol of repudiation of Jadine‘s westernized lifestyle, the African woman ? looks right at Jadine? (p. 43) and spits on the pavement†. Jadine hates the woman for her spitting, but what she cannot do is escape feeling ? lonely in a way; lonely and inauthentic? as she tells the readers on page 45. When the sense of self is based on the denial of one‘s ethnic roots, one is certain to experience mental chaos and alienation. So, the woman‘s insult to Jadine had the powerful effect of challenging Jadine‘s choices: her white boyfriend, her girlfriends in New York, her parties, her picture on the cover of Elle and the way she lived her life. One can say that it is as a result of the African woman that Jadine desided to visit her aunt and uncle on the island. Jadine is confused and even questions her plans to marry Ryk, her white boyfriend: I wonder if the person he wants to marry is me or a black girl? And if it isn‘t me he wants, but any black girl who looks like me, talks and acts like me, what will happen when he finds out that I hate ear hoops, that I don‘t have to straighten my hair, that Mingus puts me to sleep, that sometimes I want to get out of my skin and be only the person inside – not American – not black – just me? (p. 45) It is through Son, however, that Morrison offers Jadine the ultimate opportunity to ‘redeem’ herself to her heritage, adapt it and revive her womanhood. Son picks up from where the African woman left off in a sense by making Jadine confront her inauthenticity. Jadine and Son enjoys their stay in New York because it is the place where Jadine feels at ease. She feels loved and safe: ? He ‘unorphaned’ her completely and gave her a brand-new childhood? (p. 231). In turn, Son is encouraged by her need and by his apparent ability to redefine Jadine culturally and emotionally. Son insists that he and Jadine goes to Eloe his hometown where Jadine will see how Son is rooted in family and cultural heritage. He attempts to rescue Jadine from her ignorance and disdain for her cultural heritage, trying in a sense to mould Jadine into the image of his black female ancestors. Son assumes that a relationship with Jadine will mean that they will have children together. He presses claims for family and community: ? He smiled at the vigour of his own heartbeat at the thought of her having his baby? (p. 220). Thus, he wants Jadine to love the nurturing aspects of home and fraternity. He is fed on dreams of his community women. The dreams of ? yellow houses with white doors? and ? fat black ladies in white dresses minding the pie table? (p. 119) are nourishment to Son. Sandra Pouchet Paquet (The ancestors as foundation in their eyes were watching god and tar baby) observes: ? In Son‘s dreams of Eloe, the African-American male ego is restored in a community of black man at the center of a black community. But however appreciative Son is of the beauty, the strength, and the toughness of black women; his vision is of male dominance; of the black women as handmaiden? (511). The image feminity that Son cherishes – of the black woman taking passive role as a nurturer of the hearth – is flagrantly opposite to Jadine‘s perception of the modern black woman. This terrifies Jadine and narrows the possibility of their forming a family. The modern, educated black woman seems to snivel at the aspects of traditional female- specific role as the nurturer of hearth and home. Decadent white values and life style thwart the black woman’s vital roles of building families and raising children. The modern black woman cannot be a complete human being, for she allows her education to keep her career separate from her nurturing role. The black woman is increasingly becoming able to define her own status and to be economically independent. She tries to seek equality in her relationship with men. Robert Staples gives an insight into the faltering dynamics of modern couples: ? What was once a viable institution because women were a subservient group has lost its value for some people in these days of women‘s liberation. The stability of marriage was contingent on the woman accepting her place in the home and not creating dissension by challenging the male‘s prerogatives? (125). The black woman‘s intrinsic quality of ? accepting her place in the home? is Morrison‘s tar quality. However, in advocating the tar quality Morrison does not admonish the educational and professional accomplishments of the black woman. In fact, the black woman is expected to achieve a balance between her roles in the domestic and professional fields. â€Å"It is the historical ability of black women to keep their families and careers together. In an era where both the black male and female seek to fulfill individual desires, relationships falter and, consequently, the prospects of the propagation of a family are not too bright. Jadine‘s tar quality is submerged by the white-like urge for freedom and self-actualization. As a result, she finds the conventions of black womanhood antithetical to her own value system†. At Eloe, Jadine is determined to resist rigid male-female role categorization. Jadine cannot ? understand (or accept) her being shunted off with Ellen and the children while the men grouped on the porch and after a greeting, ignored her? (p. 248). While at Eloe, Jadine is provided with yet another chance to attain certain qualities that is for black women. She is accustomed to living an upper-class white lifestyle so she finds the people of Eloe limited and backward. Their stifling little shacks are more foreign to her than the hotel-like splendor of Valerian‘s mansion. She stays in Aunt Rosa‘s house where she feels claustrophobically enclosed in a dark, windowless room. She feels ? she might as well have been in a cave, a grave, the dark womb of the earth, suffocating with the sound of plant life moving, but deprived of its sight? (p. 254). It is in this very room where Jadine and Son were having sex that she had a second awakening vision, which is more frightening than the one she had in Paris about the African Woman. Here, Older, black, fruitful and nurturing women – her own dead mother, her Aunt Ondine, Son‘s dead wife, the African woman in yellow and other black women of her past – become a threatening part of Jadine‘s dreams: I have breasts too,‘ she said or thought or willed, I have breasts too. ‘ But they didn‘t believe her. They just held their own higher and pushed their own farther out and looked at her,? (p. 261) and ? the night women were not merely against her†¦ not merely looking superior over their sagging breasts and folded stomachs, they seemed somehow in agreement with each other about her, and were all determined to punish her for having neglected her cultural heritage. They wanted to bind the person she had become and choke it with their breasts. The night women? accuse Jadine for trading the ? ancient properties? (p. 308) of being a daughter, mother, and a woman for her upward mobility and self-enhancement. All these women are punishing Jadine for her refusal to define herself in relation to family, historical tradition and culture. As they ‘brandish’ their breasts before her eyes, they mock and insult her with their feminity. Jadine finds these women backward and sees no self-fulfilling value in the roles that they serve. However, she is constantly haunted by dreams of the black female image that she seems to have lost throughout life. Ondine express shame and disappointment over her lack of concern for her family, the African woman, at the Parisian bakery, spits at her in disgust and the night women, in the vision at Eloe taunt her with their nurturing breasts. Having refuted her own black culture and heritage, Jadine face the consequence of a divided consciousness and a mental death. Her decision to end the love affair with Son— ? I can‘t let you hurt me again? (p. 274) is an evidence of her shunning womanhood and losing her Afro- American roots as she chooses Ryk her white boyfriend over Son who refused to become the person or image that Jadine wants him to be . Jadine is compelled to make her choice and she decides that it is in Paris, away from Son, where there are prospects of financial success and personal independence. She doesn‘t want what Son and Eloe have to offer: To settle for wifely competence when she could be a beauty queen or to settle for fertility rather than originality and nurturing instead of building? (p. 271). Jadine makes it clear to the reader that she is self-sufficient and independent of men, family and community.

Sport Fans

Although many people like sports and watch them on television, few people actually have a strong pride in a team, or really care about how a team does on a competitive game to game basis. To me people can be categorized in three different fan groups. One type of fan is a fair weather fan. They jump from team to team, most likely to which one is winning. Another type of fan is a part-time fan. They really do not care much about any one team, and just watch whoever is on. Finally, there is what I like to call die-hard fans. These fans never miss a game, and route for their team in good and bad times.The first type of fan that I mentioned is a fair weather fan. These are the kinds of fans that never really jump on board with one specific team. They cheer for whichever team might be winning at the time. These fans will usually say that they are routing for whoever the sports critics say will win the championship in that specific season. The next type of fan is what I like to call a part- time fan. These fans really do not have a favorite team, or even like sports period. They will watch a game only if there is nothing else on that they would rather watch.They really do not care who wins or loses. Most of the time these fans do not really know much about the sport that they are watching, or know much about sports in general. The final type of fan that I mentioned is a die-hard fan. These are the fans that truly have a favorite team, and really care about how their team does throughout the season. You will never hear a die-hard fan cheer for any team other than his or her favorite. Die-hard fans are the ones who are tailgating at the games at eight o’clock in the morning, when the game does not start until five or six o’clock at night.They will be the ones that you will see on television with their chests painted in weather that you cannot even imagine being outside in, much less with your shirt off. They truly feed off how their team does throughout the season, if the team is having a good year then these people will rarely ever be unhappy, but if the team is having a bad year then you do not want to cross paths with them. In conclusion, there are many kind of supporter but the truly supporter is die-hard support fans.