Analysis Paper

Justice Waite Professor Cherry Eng 111 Analysis Final Draft Can squirrels really plot? Have you ever been driving down the road and have something bad happen to you that you have to slam on the breaks? If you have, then maybe you can relate to the following commercial. Even if you have never had this happen to you, you still might be able to relate to it. The basic idea of the commercial is that no matter what happens in life, that you should always be prepared for what to do next. GEICO is not just car insurance, but they can be your friend.First of all I would like to start of this essay by telling you what my commercial is about. The commercial that I chose to write my paper on was a GEICO commercial. There are lots of commercials out there for car insurance, but I think this one is the best. When we first see this commercial on the television, they start it off by showing you a squirrel sitting on a tree stump. This stump is by the side of the road near the woods. The squirrel is also eating a nut, while we hear the birds chirping. About half way into the commercial, the squirrel jumps down from the stump and tries to cross the road.As the squirrel crosses the road, he sees a station wagon coming down the road. He than stops in front of the car and just stands there and waits for the car to hit him. Instead of the car hitting him, it swerves off the side of the road. As we hear crashing sounds from the car, another squirrel comes onto the road next to the other squirrel. As the car is crashing the two squirrels start pounding their fists together as if he made the car crash on purpose. Then the narrator says â€Å"Accidents can happen anytime. That’s why GEICO is here 24 hours a day, every day. By looking closer at what this commercial is really saying, then we can understand it better. Because this commercial was on the USA channel, during the new episode of White Collar it can help us better to figure out who GEICO is really trying to target with it. Seeing as how all Americans watch the USA channel, it is best to assume that GEICO is trying to target people in their late twenties and above. We can assume this because a majority of American families watch this channel. By looking closer at what this commercial is really saying than we can understand it better.Because this commercial was on the USA channel, during the new episode of White Collar it can help us. By putting this commercial on during a well watched television series is a great way to promote a product. This commercial is also very funny to some people. By making it this way, GEICO hopes to attract people with great personalities, and that are rather funny to be around. Comedy is always a great way to promote a product. Because GEICO references that these two squirrels are buddies, they make this commercial very entertaining to watch.Everyone knows that squirrels run across the road into traffic all the time, that is why this commercial is so great to watch. GEIC O makes it seem like all that squirrels do all day is plot how to get cars into accidents. Even though what they really do is try to gather nuts all summer for winter time. Then GEICO makes it seem like once they actually achieve this scheme of making the cars go off the road, that they are happy and pound it with each other. This makes it fell like when two young kids are playing together.If they are both boys, then we can definitely assume that they are up to no good and trying to plot to do something very bad. When they achieve what they are up to, then they both are happy and pound each others fists. Even though we all know that squirrels cant really plot with each other, the idea of it just makes it simply funny and easier to sell car insurance. I've already told you what I think this essay is about, and who the targeted audience is, so now it's time to talk about the overall idea of this commercial.In my opinion the overall idea of this commercial is that, no matter where you are or what happens, you should always be prepared for the unexpected. You could be driving down the road just like the guy was in this commercial, and have the same thing happen to you. If you are not prepared though, something bad could very well happen to you. Like going off the side of the road (in this guys case) and crashing your car. If you don’t have car insurance in this case, then you are going to be screwed.Or take for example something else like, you are on your way home for work after a long night and your house is on fire. What do you do in this case? You can't run inside of this flaming building and expect to get all of your things back. That is why you need to always be prepared and ready in case anything like this would ever happen, like having home owners insurance. Not everything though in life is always about insurance. It is just better to prepared for the unexpected than be screwed when it happens.In conclusion, car insurance is not just another thing th at you need to buy just because it is the law. Car insurance can be helpful in the most unexpected situation that will ever happen. GEICO tries to tell us this by basically using a metaphor. That they can be your friend when you need them the most. Just like a real life friend, but they use squirrels and a station wagon to get this point across. I hope by the time that you read this last sentence that you will understand this commercial better now. The way that I do, maybe you might even laugh a little bit like I did.

Need for Accounting Standards Essay

Critically evaluate the need for accounting standards and the need for a set of principles on which they are based. Accounting Standards Accounting standards contain a set of rules and governing practices for the treatment of all financial transactions. The main objective of accounting standards is to establish recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure requirements dealing with financial transactions and key events which are important in the financial statements of companies. These financial statements give end-users important information, as well as an in depth understanding about an organization’s performance, position and cash flow. Some examples of users of financial statements include potential investors, employees, suppliers and government agencies. As such, accounting standards provide the basic framework for financial statements to be presented in a fair and credible manner, such that it reflects the true overview of the financial status of an organization. These standards also help to present financial statements in a standardized and coherent manner, so that end-users worldwide are able to extract information and make decisions based on them. Advantages of Accounting Standards One advantage of having accounting standards is that it helps to ease the understanding of financial statements. What this means is that with accounting standards, financial statements reflect the financial position and status of an organization in a clear and coherent manner. With the need to publish financial statements in accordance to accounting standards, it also improves the credibility and reliability of the information present in the financial statements. End users, such as potential investors, top management and stakeholders, are able to make more informed decisions with greater confidence based on the information extracted. Accounting standards also provides guidance for accountants in their line of work. When financial reporting issues arise, accountants may refer to published accounting standards to determine how to publish an event. Some examples of these issues include new accounting transactions and new actions incorporated by an organization. Since accounting standards serve both as a reference and a guideline to accountants, this reiterates the transparency, reliability and credibility of financial statements when they are published based on a common accounting framework. Disadvantages of Accounting Standards A disadvantage of using accounting standards is in its inflexibility. For example, an accountant working in an organization which complies with accounting standards might find himself having a hard time in his line of work. This is because he has to make the organization’s unique experience fit into the guidelines laid out in published accounting standards. Another disadvantage of accounting standards is in its cost to comply with the standard. When a company decides to comply with the new standard, it must first consider the requirements of the standard, and what actions the company must take to implement the standard and the cost to do so. In many cases, this proves to be very costly as implementing and complying with a new standard would require system upgrades and employee training. Principle-based Standards Principle-based standards (PBS) is a framework of generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) which accountants use for financial reporting. Some examples of the guidelines found in PBS include regularity, consistency, sincerity, prudence, continuity, periodicity and good faith. In PBS, an accountant follows these simple key objectives which help to ensure good reporting. The rules and guidelines set out in PBS only serves as reference and guide the accountant when he is doing his financial reporting. Advantages * Flexible, its broad guidelines allows it to be used in various circumstances * Allows companies to produce financial report using a method that best suit them Disadvantage * Lack of guidelines could lead to variation in financial reporting, making it difficult in terms of comparability Rules-based Standards Rule-based standard (RBS) refers to a list of detailed rules that must be followed when preparing financial statements. The list of rules serves as a checklist when accountants prepare financial statements at the end of a company’s fiscal year. This approach is more favoured by accountants because in preparing the financial reports by following the RBS checklist, it reduces the possibility of being brought to court if their judgements of financial statements are found to be incorrect. Advantages * Having a defined list of rules in preparing financial statement allows standardization, improving consistency which allows comparability between different companies * Easier to audit for compliance purposes Disadvantage * Having to follow a detailed set of rules results in rigidity, each transaction is accounted with respect to each rule. * Accountants have to comply to the rules set forth in RBS or face penalties for non-compliance. Conclusion In conclusion, there is a necessity for accounting standards when companies prepare their financial reports. Financial statements prepared based on accepted accounting standards not only gives users a detailed overview of the financial position of a company, but also assures users that the information they had obtained is reliable, credible and transparent. Question 2 The International Accounting Standards Board’s Framework for the Preparation and Presentation of Financial Statements requires financial statements to be prepared on the basis that they comply with certain accounting concepts, underlying assumptions and (qualitative) characteristics. Five of these are: Matching/accruals, substance over form, prudence, comparability and materiality. Briefly explain the mean of each of the above concepts/assumptions. IASB Framework The International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) framework is drawn up and used in preparing and presenting financial statements. The framework was drawn up and approved in April 1989 and published in July 1989. It was adopted by the IASB in April 2001 and later in September 2010; the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting 2010 was approved by the ISAB. (Deloitte, 2012) The purpose of the framework is to lay down guidelines to help ISAB shape the preparation and presentation of financial statements for end users. The IASB Framework acts as a guideline to the Board in establishing future frameworks and as well as a guide to solving accounting issues that are not addressed directly in an International Accounting Standard or International Financial Reporting Standard or Interpretation. The scope of the framework includes the objective of financial report, the qualitative characteristic of useful financial information, the elements of financial statements and the measurement of the elements of financial statements. The focus would be on five of the many qualitative characteristics present in the IASB Framework. The five qualitative characteristics, namely matching/accruals, substances over form, prudence, comparability and materiality would be further discussed in detail as follows: Matching/Accruals Concept Accruals concept is an accounting method that measures the performance and position of a company by journaling economic events regardless of when cash transactions occur. According to this concept, the revenues and expenses are recognized when they are earned or incurred and not when actual money is received or paid. The matching concept is an extension of the accruals concept, whereby revenue earned by the company and the expenses incurred by a company to earn that revenue has to be accounted in the same accounting period. For example, a business records its utility bills as soon as it receives them and not when they are paid, because the service has already been used. The company ignores the date when the payment will be made. Substance over Form Substance over form is the concept that the information shown in the financial statements and accompanying disclosures of a business should reflect the underlying realities of accounting transactions, rather than the legal form in which they appear. This would result in a true view of the affairs of the entity to be presented. Substance over form is critical for reliable financial reporting, particularly in cases of revenue recognition, sales and purchase agreements. For example, a lease might not transfer ownership to the leasee but the leasee has to record the leased items as an asset if it intends to use it for major portion of its useful life or where the present value of lease payment is fairly equal to the fair value of the asset, etc. Although legally the leasee is not the owner, so the leased item is not his asset, but from the perspective of the underlying economics the leasee is entitled to the benefits embedded in the use of the item and hence it has to be recorded as an a sset. Prudence Concept The prudence concept, also known as the concept of conservatism, refers to be cautious when it comes to the recording of business transactions. It is stated that under the prudence concept, the amount of revenues recorded should not be overestimated; neither should the amount of expenses be underestimated. One should be conservative in recording the amount of assets, and not underestimate liabilities. (Steven Bragg, 2011) In terms of profit and loss, anticipated profits cannot be recorded down as profits until they materialize. Some examples of exercising prudence is when company’s inventory should be valued ‘at cost or market price, which is less’, and a provision should set up for an allowance for doubtful accounts. Comparability Concept Comparability is one of the key qualities which accounting information must possess. Accounting information is comparable when accounting standards and policies are applied consistently from one period to another and from one region to another. The characteristic of comparability of financial statements is important because it allows us to compare a set of financial statements with those of prior periods and those of other companies. Financial statements of one entity must also be consistent with other entities within the same line of business. This should aid users in analyzing the performance and position of one company relative to the industry standards. It is therefore necessary for entities to adopt accounting policies that best reflect the existing industry practice. For example, a company which sells mobiles phones values its inventory based on First In First Out (FIFO) method previously, it must continue to do so in the future so as to preserve consistency in the reported inventory balance. A switch to other methods may cause a shift in the value in the inventory, which results in lack of basis of comparability. Materiality Concept It is stated that information is material if its omission or misstatement could influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of the financial statements (IASB Framework) Materiality therefore relates to the significance of transactions, balances and errors contained in the financial statements. Materiality defines the threshold or cutoff point after which financial information becomes relevant to the decision making needs of the users. Information contained in the financial statements must therefore be complete in all material respects in order for them to present a true and fair view of the affairs of the entity. For example, the government of the country in which a company operates in working on a new legislation which would seriously impair the company’s operations in future. Although there are no figures involved, but the implication on the company would be so great that it would be material for this information to be made known to parties it may concern. References IASB Framework, 2012, http://www.ifrs.org/current-projects/iasb-projects/conceptual-framework/Pages/Conceptual-Framework-Summary.aspx (Cited 23 December 2012) Deloitte IAS Plus, History of IASB Framework, http://www.iasplus.com/en/standards/standard4 (Cited 23 December 2012) Steven Bragg, 13 March 2011, What is the prudence concept in accounting, http://www.accountingtools.com/questions-and-answers/what-is-the-prudence-concept-in-accounting.html (Cited 23 December 2012)

Peace Building in West Pokot

Abstract Peace and stability are significant components of development in all spheres across the globe. These necessitated the emergence and growth of peace building and conflict management efforts world over. However, conflict related challenges continue to threaten the survival and continued existence of many groups, communities, states and regions in the world.In Kenya, an analysis of West Post Sub-county reveals the existence of multiple intervention efforts by the Government and several stakeholders In peace building and conflict management. However, little has been achieved so far as a result of these efforts. This study therefore examined peace building and conflict management programs In West Post Sub-county wealth the Republic of Kenya, and the residents' perceptions on the effectiveness of these programs In the Sub-county.Its Justification was based on an argument that West Post conflicts have had far reaching consequences to the residents of this study area and country at large. This study further focused on the Post-Turban conflicts and the subsequent peace building and conflict management initiatives in the area. Based on the outcome of this study, there were several peace building and conflict management programs in West Post Sub-county, many of which were carried out concurrently.Disarmament program was found to be unpopular with majority of respondents expressing disapproval due to its involvement of force and brutality, while the peace committee model was highly rated with most of the respondents approving it as largely inclusive. In conclusion, the Government should adopt a holistic approach that incorporates all approaches and stakeholders, especially the local communities. In addition, the Government should also address social issues that escalate conflicts.

The Geography Case Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Geography Case Analysis - Essay Example With Weiner as the storyteller, the street to euphoria is undoubtedly going to be a bit bouncy, yet it is distinct to be very interesting. Most readers love when a phenomenon is explained to them in details as out of their understanding they tend to put together pieces of information being relayed and get the intended meaning without unnecessarily straining to achieve this. This essay is a critical analysis of the Half-overseas dealings speech, half comedy, and half-twisted guide by blending tour, psychology, and humor to explore not what happiness is, but where to find happiness among Swiss residents. In my opinion, the writer should not have not negatively represented the Swiss people in his book since those who are not residents upon reading the book develop a negative mentality or attitude towards all residents of Swiss in spite of some not being terrible as depicted in the book. Writer’s personal hatred for Swiss people should not be a reason for the readers to read their negative aspects instead of the positive ones. â€Å"Damn them, I thought at the time, damn the efficient, competent Swiss to hell (28)† Swiss individuals were not generally the most loved individuals on the authors rundown. He was on a trip to discover the purpose behind their bliss, and he began it by recognizing their great things. By and by, condemning them in the meantime, much the same as when he composed " â€Å"And, goodness, the air is clean. The streets are about spotless. Whats more, given us a chance to not overlook the chocolate, which is tasty and ample, however upbeat? (29)† I saw no satisfaction on the characteristics of the decently tented Swiss couple in Africa but peacefulness. The author was searching for their reason of bliss yet overlooking the easily overlooked primary things like how they did their daily activities. In the meantime, he could have abandoned the inclinations of critically assessing a situation. Writer’s negative biases towards

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) Assignment - 1

Nutrition for Health and Social Care (DISCUSSION) - Assignment Example The sugars that compose carbohydrates are called monosaccharide, and can combine to form very complex carbohydrates. The structure of a simple monosaccharaides is shown below. Digestion of carbohydrates initiates right from the mouth. The food is mixed with salivary amylase which breaks down the polysaccharides in the food. The saliva also assists in moistening of the food to allow it go down the stomach easily. From here the food is moved down to the stomach and is referred to as a chime. Here the stomach produces acids that kills bacteria in the food and stops the action of salivary amylase. In the pancreas and the small intestine, in the duodenum the pancreatic juice/amylase is added to the chime so as to break the polysaccharide to a disaccharide. In the small intestine, lactose, sucrose and maltose are produced to further break the food into a monosaccharide. These can therefore be absorbed into the lower parts of the small intestine by the villi into the blood system. In the colon, other carbohydrates that were not digested are partly digested by intestinal bacteria n\and the rest excreted as feces (DUGGAN, WATKINS & WALKER, 2008). Carbohydrates are essential since they provide energy for the body. They are therefore essential for the functioning of the central nervous system, circulatory system and other essential systems of the body. Fats and lipids are a wide group of compounds that are soluble in organic solvents and others in the water. Although there is no definite structure of fats, most of them belong to the triglyceride class, which assumes a three fatty acid glycerol backbone bond. The image of their structure is as shown below. The major issue to be considered in the digestion of fats is solubility. The digestion of fats is aided through emulsification. Their digestion begins in the stomach where hydrochloric acids, mucus and gastric enzymes are combined to form gastric juice.

Entry Strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Entry Strategy - Essay Example The economic and political factors are inter-related and it becomes difficult to identify only the economic or only the political factors separately (Altinay, 2005). The micro-environment is the internal environment which comprises of the corporate goals and objectives, the corporate strengths and weaknesses and the service factors. In addition to these, the location is equally important (Ekeledo & Sivakumar, 1998). Zhao and Decker (2004) contend that size of the firm, the technology transfer if required, the cultural distance, the market size, risks and uncertainties, sectoral barriers, and the international experience also influence the entry strategy. Taking these factors into account, the market entry strategy for ABC in India and Ireland would be recommended.   While market entry is generally through exports, licensing, joint venture or opening of wholly owned subsidiaries, in the hospitality sector the mode of entry is different. In this sector direct ownership or any form of equity partnership is not preferred in countries with high economic or political risks, and of the level of economic development is low (Altinay, 2005). If the risks are high entry modes with low resource commitment is preferred. Franchising and management contracts are the most preferred modes of entry in the hotel sector in international expansion. In both these formats capital-intensive assets and knowledge-based assets can be separated.  Service firms may enter foreign markets using a variety of modes but control is the most vital factor.

Hofstede's cultural dimensions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Hofstede's cultural dimensions - Essay Example come to terms with the cultural differences that the employees bring with them and hence it gets frustrating at times to get the work done in a cohesive manner. (Jackson, 2004) One should believe that what Geert Hofstede preaches through his cultural dimensions is quite accurate since little effort is paid to the fact that diverse set of employees actually bring about successful results for the organization. In essence, the organizations are also not in agreement with this logic at all, which at the end of the day is quite appalling. However on the part of Geert Hofstede, one should believe that the cultural managers and leaders present within the organizations under the auspices of international business know about these problems and they are pretty much in knowledge of the happenings on the global front as far as the shortcomings of the employees from different cultural backgrounds is concerned. Business leaders have a huge role to play in this situation since they must understand the problems associated with the different employees having backgrounds from varied cultures and regions of the world but what they seem to miss out is the aspect that they are more focused on the short term goals rather than the long term objectives of the management. (Lawrence, 1995) They get angry on the employees not understanding the language and work ethics and thus pose problems for all and sundry. It would be wise to support the employees during this crunch hour so that the long term productivity levels are successfully attained. These cultural dimensions bring out the valuable statements from the employees who seem to do their best yet fall short on the organization’s expectations due to cultural hindrances. Business leaders and managers have skepticism in their minds when they assign task jobs and delegate work to the culturally foreign individuals since they believe these workers would not be able to deliver beyond expectations let alone on them. This brings in an issue

Salvador Dali and Surrealism Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Salvador Dali and Surrealism - Research Paper Example The paper "Salvador Dali and Surrealism" highlights the meaning of Salvador Dali's art and his influence in surrealism. Salvador Dali is one of the greatest abstract artists of all periods. The Persistence of Memory is considered as the masterpiece of Salvador Dali. Salvador Dali is a well known Surrealist artist. Surrealism is a typical artistic movement that made researchers, thinkers and artists explore the expression of the unconscious. Surrealism attempted to establish a new social order, giving a new definition for mankind. Surrealism is an artistic style and a cultural movement. It makes use of the visual imagery hidden in the subconscious mind to prepare art works that is not associated with logical comprehensibility. Surrealism is related to the psychoanalytical works of Sigmund Freud and Jung. Giorgio de Chirico, Renà © Magritte and Man Ray are few of the famous artists who were part of the Surrealist movement. Salvador Dali is the advocate of Surrealism. His works like Th e Persistence of Time and Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee Around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening are typical examples of his works. The Persistence of Time is a celebrated painting of Salvador Dali. This seminal work of surrealistic art was created by Dali in 1931. The Persistence of Time is deemed as one of the most recognizable icon of the Surrealist movement. This painting is an excellent exhibition of the artist’s deep thoughts on hardness and softness, which was the topic of his works during those periods.

Corporate Performace Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 7500 words

Corporate Performace - Coursework Example McDonald's Corporation was also analyzed under the lens of SWOT Analysis, BCG Matrix and Porter's Competitive Forces. These techniques help us assess the various policies and strategies that the business is following. Furthermore, they are also a snap-shot of business as a whole and tell us at a glance, whether the business is doing well or not In the end, the current performance of McDonald's Corporation is compared with its past performance and its future prospects are discussed in great detail. The future prospects are based on the strategies that McDonald's Corporation is planning to implement. The report ends with some suggestions that McDonald's Corporation could adopt to help them further improve their condition and could help them reach new heights. McDonald is perhaps the most successful corporation of the world. There's no magic formula to it, but the company believes that its success has come due to their insistence on their values and because of their belief in truthfulness and honesty. "At McDonald's, success has always involved a not-so-profound formula involving one-part inspiration and four-parts perspiration. Our founder, Ray Kroc, coined the phrase "grinding it out" to characterize the determination and attention to detail that is required to be successful in our industry. "Grinding it out" was his way of saying the restaurant business is, and always will be, a labor intensive operation. It was hard work and determination that built McDonald's - and today, those same qualities drive our success." (McDonald's Corporation Annual Report, 2008). The above statement clearly indicates that hardwork and determination is the most followed principle in this corporation. They also believe in their past values and think their success has come about due to the value given to the organization by their founding father Ray Kroc. McDonald's Corporation gives a lot of importance to their customer choice. It has recently added new product in line with what customers want. These additions have become instant hit, which is not only good for the business, but has also given increased weight to the McDonald's menu and increased the choice as they now offer variety of products. "Whether you prefer beef or chicken, salads or sandwiches, breakfast or desserts, there's something for every appetite and occasion at McDonald's. In every country, our menus balance classic favorites with new tastes and local flavors. We're also a beverage destination with offerings such as sweet tea, juices and McCaf coffees." (McDonald's Corporation Annual Report, 2007). According to Richard L. Daft, in order assess the success of an organization, you do not look at only the financial figures of the company, but you also

History of Economic Thought Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

History of Economic Thought - Term Paper Example These colonies after annexation could only trade with its colonizers. Policies such as export subsidies and tariff trade barriers further promote biased foreign trade. In essence, the aim was to encourage exportation and explicitly discourage importation (Murphy 2010, p.288). However, capital equipment or tools that would benefit foreign countries could not be exported. Nonetheless, governments supported exploitation of raw materials within the countries boundaries. Other states supported the growth of home industries by use of incentives such as exemption from tax or earning of pension for successful industries. Even immigration of competent laborers to foreign countries faced restriction to maintain competitive advantage (Harris 2004, p.3). Undoubtedly, governments saw this as a sure way of making their countries rich. As such, this theory spread quickly and lasted for over 200 hundred years as the dominant guideline to foreign trade. However, Vaggi (2003, p. 16) argues that mercan tilism rose in relation to the existing problem rather than a school of thought. The Renaissance period in Europe saw by far the greatest influence of this theory. Between the 15th and 18th century especially, governments embraced this doctrine that extended up to the early modern period. Countries such as France, Britain, Germany and Italy are some of the examples of countries that utilized this theory. These periods marked the decline of the feudal systems in Europe (Murphy 2010, p.289). There was tension within and outside Europe states as a result of wars mostly resulting from resistance to colonization and political aggregation caused by territorial expansion. The measure of wealth was in terms of precious metals, for instance, gold and silver and as such government sought out these metals with valor. The wars fought during this period aimed to acquire more gold and silver or alternately to prevent from losing gold and silver (Vaggi 2003, p.16). The main advocate for this theor y is the French man Jean-Baptiste Colbert. During his reign as the finance minister for France, he implemented many policies that endeavored to support this theory. For instance, foreign vessels received higher port duties while French vessels did not pay port duties. This theory in regard to Colbert’s policies took on a monopolistic structure. This is because the aim was to ensure that the state is the sole producer and hence supplier of products. The state also had complete control of the prices for both suppliers and consumers. In England, the most noted mercantilist was Thomas Mun. This form of trade had its advantages, and it helped the economy of those nations to grow considerably within that period. Case in point is the considerable reduction of the price of products within the economy because the state creates economies of scale. However, this is only realistic in regard to a purely competitive market structure. Economies of scale arise from the states ability to make abnormal profits from its trading activities. Secondly, industries are not afraid to take risks because the government supports them. This theory led to the growth of local industries and trade. Local companies became international trade powerhouses for instance former British East India Company. In regard to politics, this theory is by far the greatest advocator of Nationalism because its survival depended on it (Harris 2004, p.5). While the most noted influence to the decline of the

Pharmacogenetics in Cancer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Pharmacogenetics in Cancer - Essay Example Various problems have been realized during the cancer therapy using the conventional chemotherapy. This is because to attain reasonable efficacy, a considerable degree of toxicity is needed and hence severe side-effects. Most oncologists are faced with the major challenge of the variability of the treatment responses as well as narrow therapeutic index for the anticancer drugs. Therefore, there is no doubt that the developments in molecular biology and molecular genetics, and of the associated methods have had considerable effects on the comprehension of drug action. Therefore, drawing on a variety of sources the paper will discuss pharmacogenetics in cancer. Cancer is a very unusual disease because it emanates from the accumulation of several gene mutations within the cell, thus disrupting normal cellular function as well as normal checks. Therefore, cancer cells have definite genetic profiles. As result, pharmacogenetics is helpful as a cancer therapeutic since is focuses on the genetic profiles and a person’s interaction with the drug. Pharmacogenetics can be described as the interaction between the drug and individual traits, and is very helpful in cancer therapeutics. Therefore, it is based on the clinical efficacy observations as well as tolerability profile of a drug in a person (Licinio and Wong 129). The most common challenge in cancer treatment is the related to the anticancer drugs. The pharmacogenetics can assist in the discovery, development, and individualization of the anticancer drugs.

Disaster in Franklin County Essay Example for Free

Disaster in Franklin County Essay Section A. The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) has a large Chain of command. At the head is the EOC Commander, who receives information from the other parts of the chain, and is responsible for relaying that information to other agencies, and also the Homeland Security agency (formerly Federal Emergency Management Agency). The Safety Officer is in charge of making sure safety policies are followed, and also for relaying what safety equipment might be needed. This person also keeps track and investigates injuries reported as a result of rescue operations. The Liaison Officer answers questions and provides briefings for the other agencies during this emergency. This person is the main point of contact for other agencies. This role takes the pressure off of the agency commander, diverting attention and questions to the liaison officer. The Public Information Officer gathers together the proper health information needed and ensures that the public is informed of pertinent health information specific to the emergency. This person also ensures that everyone has the same information and is aware of which information is to be disseminated to the public. The Legal Officer will ensure that the legal aspects of emergency operations are followed. This will include following and enforcing the contractual obligations of several different agencies involved in this emergency event. The EOC coordinator will coordinate all of the command staff, and ensure that each one is performing adequately, and assisting each unit as necessary in obtaining or completing required tasks. The next tier of command includes the Operations Chief, the Logistics Chief, the Financial/administrative Chief, and the Planning/Intelligence Chief. The Operations Chief will develop, organize, and carry out the incident objectives. Such objectives will include which areas to search, or survey, and which assets and field resources are utilized. The Operations Chief will supervise each team and area, utilizing the resources effectively. Theà ‚  Logistics Chief does exactly that, takes care of logistics. This can consist of finding equipment needed for health workers, emergency personnel, or finding space to put refugees and pets. The Finance and Administrative Section Chief plays an important role in tracking finances, expenditures and tracking both resources on hand and resources that have been distributed during the emergency. This enables the department to be aware of supplies that are low and allows for the department to request needed items from outside sources. This section also ensures that proper contractual processes are in place. The Planning Section Chief gathers information, analyzes the information, and then manages the information gathered, ensuring that all of the sections of the incident responders are informed of everything happening with each section of the response. They then compile the Incident Action Plan. The last tier of the EOC group is the individual Public Health Organizations. This includes the Community Services Branch Director, the Medical/Health Branch Director, the Fire Branch Director, the Public Works Branch Director, and the Law Enforcement Branch Director. Each director forms their own Chain of Command similar to the EOC chain of command for their own department. Each director is in essence the EOC commander for their particular department. The Public Health Nurse serves under the direction of the Medical/Health Branch director (United States Department of Labor, n.d.). Section B. Public health personnel played several different roles in this disaster scenario. The command structure is the incident commander on the first tier, the public information officer and the liaison officer on the second tier, and the third tier consisting of the operations chief, planning chief, logistic chief and finance/administration chief finishing out the third and last tier. The Public Health Nurse is not listed on the departmental command structure. The Public Health Nurse will analyze the incident and apply nursing judgment to public health needs for the incident. In the disaster scenario, the nurse needed to be aware and ask for needed resources such a s potable water and sanitation, as well as vulnerable populations in need of home oxygen, needed medications for various co-morbidities such as hypertension and diabetes, and environmental hazards brought about by the natural disaster, such as the possibility of typhoid, cholera, possible mold exposure. The Public Health Nurse will also conduct interviews with the affected population, access and populate  information to be relayed to the Public about direct and/or possible health hazards and safety hints/tips to help keep the population safe. This may include public information sheets, information fairs, public meetings, and media interviews. The Public Health Nurse should also be aware of possible environmental hazards and which supporting agencies to contact in regards to the possible environmental hazards (University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2006). Section C. The community health nurse has many resources available to enable them to deal with situations outside of the community health nurse’s scope of practice. These include the Public Works department, for sewage, water, road management, building inspection, and environmental services. This department also has resource information available to the nurse for companies in the private sector. The public nurse will also have available to them the Fire and Police departments, which also include the State and County Police. The Fire department and Police departments have search and rescue teams available, which can include water, mountain, and land rescues. The Health Department also has resources for the Community Health Nurse, such as environmental inspectors, food inspectors, and resources available such as the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Available through Community Services Department are work crews, interpreters, and public buildings to be used as shelters (University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2006). Section D. The nurse utilized the resources available at the time to arrange for environmental health specialists to inspect residences and assist community members. The nurse also arranged for transportation to shelters, provisions and medications for those sheltering in place. The nurse also relayed information regarding hazardous waste cleanup and education concerning combustions engines and inadequate venting. The nurse was able to get information on the needs of the community at large and relay that information to the EOC task force to enable education and interpretative needs to be fulfilled (University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2006). Section E. The community health nurse was able to advise residents on depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) signs and symptoms, and was able to make referrals to community services for treatment of the possible depression and PTSD. The nurse was able to take the information gathered from the phone calls to facilitate news flyers for distribution to the community and churches on  what symptoms and behaviors to look for, and resources to help the affected residents. The nurse was also able to educate community members on health and mold issues, and to refer and send out a specialist to inspect potential hazards. The nurse notified 911 in response to a reported injury from a chemical spill that had been reported contained and cleaned up. The nurse then notified environmental specialists about possible contamination and chemical exposure near public parks and recreation sites. By facilitating the emergency response, the area was secured and helped prevent other possible injuries (University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2006). Techniques used to comfort, calm and educate the people consisted of empathy and an open approach. Active listening, non-confrontational empathetic concern relayed to the people that their fears were normal and were valid concerns. This approach made the people feel comfortable and facilitated open conversation between the nurse and the community members (University of Minnesota, School of Public Health, 2006). Section F. Nursing personnel can be prepared for large scale disasters by joining the National Nurse Response Team (NNRT). The National Nurse Response Team is a specialty team used in any scenario requiring hundreds of nurses to assist in chemoprophylaxis, a mass vaccination program, or a scenario that overwhelms the nation’s supply of nurses in responding to a weapon of mass destruction event (Public Health Emergency, 2009, para. 1). Nurses can also be better prepared for disasters by being prepared at home, as well as attending continuing education classes on disaster preparedness, as well as large scale disaster training and scenarios. References Public Health Emergency. (2009). http://www.phe.gov/Preparedness/responders/ndms/teams/Pages/nnrt.aspx United States Department of Labor. (n.d.). https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/ics/what_is_ics.html#Information University of Minnesota, School of Public Health. (2006). https://cpheo1.sph.umn.edu/fcs/index.asp

Relationship Between Entrepreneur Human Capital and HR

Relationship Between Entrepreneur Human Capital and HR 1. Introduction 1.2 The research topic In modern economies the majority of firms are small firms, and these firms make a considerable contribution to the development of the socio-economic and political infrastructure (Matlay, 2002). Unfortunately, small firms also have a high failure rate. Fifty to eighty percent fail during the first five years of existence (Baumback, 1988). One of the main reasons for this high failure rate appears to be a lack of emphasis on the management of human resources in small firms (McEvoy, 1984). A range of studies indicate that effective management of human resources is one of the most critical challenges small firms face (e.g., Mazzarol, 2003; Deshpande and Golhar, 1994; Marlow and Patton, 1993; Hornsby and Kuratko, 1990). Especially as it relates to the management of HR issues. Managerial incompetence in handling HR issues is a major source of small firm failure (Dun and Bradstreet, 2001; Baron, 2003; Hornsby and Kuratko, 2003), and the way entrepreneurs handle HR issues in an early stage severely impacts downstream success of business (Cardon and Stevens, 2004). However, Cardon and Stevens (2004) did a literature review on HRM in small and emerging firms and concluded that despite the importance of HR issues to small and emerging firms our understanding about these issues is limited. While we have begun to understand when small firms experience varying levels of HR issues (e.g., Kotter and Sathe, 1978; Rutherford et al, 2003), and what these issues are (e.g., Horsnby and Kuratko, 2003), literature lacks much of the theory necessary to understand the role the entrepreneur plays with regard to HR issues in small firms. Given that entrepreneurs play a dominant role in determining how human resources are managed in small firms (Matlay, 2002; Klaas and Klimchak, 2006), it is likely that certain personal characteristics of entrepreneurs play a more significant role in determining HR issues in small firms. Surprisingly, this relationship has received very little attention in literature. This research study will address this gap in literature by focusing on the relationship between human capital characteristics of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms. Particularly, the relationship between prior education and experience of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms. Education and experience are generally regarded as key factors influencing small firm survival and development (Storey, 1994), and a range of studies show they are positively related to small firm performance (e.g., XXX). Given that HR issues are the main cause of small firm failure (Dun and Bradstreet, 2001; Baron, 2003; Hornsby and Kuratko, 2003), and that they have a strong negative effect on small firm performance (Cardon and Stevens, 2004), this could imply that somehow education and experience are related to HR issues in small firms. Since we do not know if that is the case, this research study will make a first attempt at getting a better understanding about this relationship. 1.3 The research objective According to Saunders et al. (2003, p.96-98) a research study can be done either to explore, describe or explain a particular phenomenon. They argue that exploratory research is done to seek new insight into a phenomenon, to ask questions and to approach a phenomenon in a new way, that descriptive research is done to get an accurate description of events, situations or persons, and that explanatory research is done to explain the cause and effect relationship between given variables. Malhotra (1996, p.99) argues that in some cases more than one research type (exploratory, descriptive or explanatory) is used in a single study to achieve the objectives. This research study will be of an exploratory nature, as there have been few (if any) attempts in literature at getting a better understanding about the relationship between human capital of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms. The objective of this research study is to more precisely define the variables that are in play in this relationship, by making a very first attempt at developing a conceptual framework linking human capital characteristics (education and experience) of the entrepreneur to HR issues in small firms. 1.4 Contribution to the literature The contribution of this research study to the literature is threefold. First, by focusing on HRM in small firms, this research study focuses on a neglected group of firms and responds to several appeals for more research at the intersection of the human resource management and entrepreneurship fields (e.g., Barret and Mayson, 2006; Baron, 2003; Katz et al, 2000; Heneman and Tansky, 2000). Second, by looking at the role human capital of the entrepreneur plays in determining HR issues in small firms, this research study offers a new and different perspective on HR issues in small firms. Last, by making a very first attempt at developing a conceptual framework linking human capital of the entrepreneur to HR issues in small firms, this research study provides a foundation and stimulus for future research into the links between human capital of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms. 1.5 Key concepts Bygrave and Hofer (1991, p. 15) argue that â€Å"good science has to begin with good definitions†, and Marlow (2006) states that â€Å"if basic concepts are not clarified or defined, then it becomes extremely difficult to develop coherent and comparable research endeavors that build understanding of a particular field of study†. Therefore key concepts will briefly be explained and defined in order to make sure that the reader fully understands the topics under investigation in this research study. Small firms Storey (1994, p.8) states: â€Å"there is no single, uniformly acceptable, definition of a small firm†, and defining the small firm seems to be complex and somewhat problematic (Wilkinson, 1999). First, there is the issue of size. There is no consensus as to what is actually meant by â€Å"small† with regard to the number of employees in this category. In literature the number of employees in firms classified as small range anywhere from 1 to 500 employees depending upon the study. The same problem exists with various statistical agencies across the world. CBS (Dutch statistics) defines firms having less than 100 employees as small, whereas in the European union Eurostat uses a threshold of 250 employees, and the Small Business Administration in the United States even defines firms with having less than 500 employees as small (Flanagan and Deshpande, 1996). Second, there is also the issue of heterogeneity. Wilkinson (1999) argues that the danger of defining small firms lies in the assumption that there is a homogenous small firm sector and that all small firms within it have similar characteristics. He argues that while size may be a factor, it alone is not sufficient to explain patterns of employment relations, because a variety of influences (both internal and external) explain behavior (Wilkinson, 1999). This is in line with the view of Hornsby and Kuratko (2006). They argue that it is not a case of small versus large firms, as there are small established firms, small start-up firms, and small high growth firms, and these firms vary in ownership based on family ownership, ownership by founder, and some type of privately held stock ownership. Cardon and Stevens (2004) argue that co-joining small firms all into one overall category is problematic as the management needs of established and emerging firms, or firms with 1, 10, 50, 250, a nd 500 employees are significantly different from each other. This makes summarizing and providing generalizations of research findings in literature on small firms somewhat problematic. However, despite the fact that there is no uniformity of approach to defining the small firm, for this research study a practical definition of a small firm is needed. Therefore a small firm is defined as: â€Å"a privately held firm with fewer than 100 employees in which the entrepreneur is responsible for the day-to-day management and decision making in the firm†. Entrepreneur There is an ongoing debate in literature about the differences and similarities between owner-managers and entrepreneurs. According to Carland et al. (1984) the critical factor that distinguishes entrepreneurs from owner-managers is innovation. They argue that entrepreneurs are characterized by a preference for creating activity, manifested by some innovative combination of resources for profit, and that owner-managers establish and manage a business for the principal purpose of furthering personal goals. In line with this Freel and Robson (2004) state that entrepreneurs initiate change with the aim of challenging the status quo whilst maximizing profit and generating new employment, and that owner-managers focus on firm durability and sustainability, limiting operational reach of the firm, either because of market constraints or by personal choice (Freel and Robson, 2004 as cited in Marlow, 2006). However, this research study will make no distinction between an â€Å"owner-manager† or an â€Å"entrepreneur†. The most important characteristic for this research study is the dominant role the individual plays in the firm, and not whether the individual is engaged in innovative activities or not. Given that both terms represent an individual generally solely responsible for the day-to-day management and decision making in the firm (Cooper et al, 1994), this research study will treat them the same, but uses the term ‘entrepreneur to address this individual. This research study defines the entrepreneur as: â€Å"an individual who independently owns a small firm and is responsible for the day-to-day management and decision making in the firm†. Human capital Human capital can be explained as the skills and knowledge gained by a worker through education and experience. Human capital theory (Becker, 1964) is based on the idea that people acquire individual resources to increase or enhance their productivity, and that these acquisitions are related to prior education or training, as well as prior work experiences (Brush and Manolova, 2004). In this research study the focus is on human capital of the entrepreneur and how it influences the day-to-day management and decision making in the firm. Education In this research study education is defined as: â€Å"formal college education, together with received specialized training†. Training is defined as: â€Å"†¦the process by which managers acquire the knowledge and skills related to their work requirements by formal, structured or guided means† (Deloitte, Haskins, and Sells, 1989, p.3). Experience According to Lee and Tsang (2001) experience consists of three main components; entrepreneurial, industrial and managerial. Entrepreneurial experience refers to â€Å"the number of previous new venture involvements and the level of the management role played in such ventures† (Stuart and Abetti, 1990, p. 151 as cited in Lee and Tsang, 2001). Industrial experience refers to experience in the industry the firm is in, and managerial experience is the total experience in management regardless of the industry (Lee and Tsang, 2001). However, for this research study experience will not be divided into three components. In this research study experience is defined as: â€Å"accumulated knowledge of practical matters in the past† (Wikipedia). Human resource management (HRM) Storey (2001) states there is considerable confusion among researchers whether HRM â€Å"†¦is a generic term, simply denoting any approach to employment management†¦(or) as one specific and arguably minority form of approach to employment management† (Storey, 2001 as cited in Marlow, 2006). This confusion becomes clear from the many explanations and definitions of HRM in literature. For example, Bratton and Gold define HRM as â€Å"the part of the management process that specializes in the management of people in work organizations. HRM emphasizes that employees are critical to achieving sustainable competitive advantage, that human resources practices need to be integrated with the corporate strategy, and that human resource specialists help organizational controllers to meet both efficiency and equity objectives† (Bratton and Gold, 1999). Armstrong defines HRM as â€Å" the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organizations most valued as sets the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business† (Armstrong, 2006). Boselie states HRM â€Å"involves management decisions related to policies and practices which together shape the employment relationship and are aimed at achieving individual, organizational, and societal goals† (Boselie, 2002). And last, Schermerhorn (2001) defines HRM as â€Å"the process of attracting, developing, and maintaining a talented and energetic workforce to support organizational mission, objectives, and strategies†. In this research study HRM is considered a generic term, simply denoting any approach to the management of employees, and therefore a practical definition of human resource management is needed. Schermerhorns definition of HRM is the most practical, and fits best with the informal, flexible, and ad hoc approaches associated with HRM in small firms. Therefore HRM is defined as: â€Å"the process of attracting, developing, and maintaining a talented and energetic workforce to support organizational mission, objectives, and strategies† (Schermerhorn, 2001, p2400). HRM activities and HRM issues Rutherford et al. ( 2003) argue that in literature the distinction between HRM issues and activities is not always clear. Therefore it is important to define what is meant by HRM issues and what is meant by HRM activities. Rutherford et al. (2003) define HRM issues as â€Å"people-related issues or concerns perceived by the entrepreneur or managers in the firm† and HRM activities as â€Å"specific human resource management practices used by the firm†. They explain the difference by saying: â€Å"HRM activities are (formal) practices that are put in place to deal with HRM issues† (Rutherford et al, 2003). Guest et al. (2004) make a further distinction within HRM activities between HR practices and HR techniques. They argue that for every HR practice (e.g., â€Å"recruitment†), there are several different techniques (e.g., â€Å"newspaper ads†, â€Å"online ads†, â€Å"head hunters† etc.), or for example (e.g., â€Å"selection†), and (e.g., â€Å"interviews†, â€Å"assessment centers† etc.). This research study follows the definitions of HRM activities and issues by Rutherford et al. (2003), and acknowledges the distinction within HRM activities between HR practices and HR techniques as described by Guest et al. (2004). 1.5 Main research question and sub questions In order to be able to complete the research objective as stated in paragraph 1.3, the main research question and several sub questions have been formulated. The main research question states: How is human capital of the entrepreneur related to HR issues in small firms? In order to be able to answer the main research question, several sub questions have been formulated: How do HR practices and techniques differ between entrepreneurs with varying levels of human capital? How do HR issues differ between entrepreneurs with varying levels of human capital? How does the perceived importance of HRM and HRM issues differ between entrepreneurs with varying levels of human capital? 1.6 Conceptual model Although this is an exploratory research study, some variables have been identified in literature that could play a significant role in explaining the relationship between human capital of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms. These variables are shown in this preliminary conceptual model This research study builds upon ‘upper echelon theory and ‘human capital theory to explore the relationship between human capital characteristics of the entrepreneur and HRM issues in small firms. Upper echelon theory (Hambrick and Mayson, 1984) states that everything that goes on in a firm is a reflection of its top managers. It found that the nature of managerial processes and organizational outcomes are partially predicted by managerial background characteristics of its top managers. While originally applied to large firms, this theory seems to be even more applicable to small firms, given that small firms are generally build around the entrepreneur who is often primarily responsible for management and decision-making in small firms (Cooper et al, 1994). Therefore the entrepreneur can be seen as the upper echelon in small firms. Human capital theory (Becker, 1964) states that people acquire individual resources to increase or enhance their productivity, and that these acquisitions are related to prior education or training, as well as prior work experiences (Brush and Manolova, 2004). Cooper et al. (1994) argue that education is presumably related to knowledge, skills, problem-solving ability, discipline, motivation, and self-confidence, and it enables owner-managers to cope with problems and thereby be more successful. In line with this Lee and Tsang (2001) argue that in general education has a positive effect on the growth of the firm, because education equips an individual with the analytical and technical skills essential to managing a business. Furthermore, according to Cooper et al. (1994) owner-managers who have started or managed a firm prior to launching the current firm would perform better. They argue that prior experience would better prepare them for the wide variety of problems confronting new firms. Within small firms human capital theory is concerned with the knowledge and capabilities of entrepreneurs acquired through education and experience, which influences the way these firms are managed. With regard to HRM in small firm, prior studies indicat e that human capital characteristics impact the nature of HR practices and techniques in small firms (e.g., Mazzarol, 2003; Maes et al, 2004; De Winne and Sels, 2006). Link A B The presumed direct link between human capital and HRM issues is based on findings by Tocher and Rutherford (2009). They found that entrepreneurs with more human capital (higher educated and experienced) were more likely to perceive HRM issues as their firms most critical concern. Whether these firms actually experienced HRM issues or that it was only the perception of the entrepreneur remains unclear. However, given that results in this research study come from the individual lived experiences of entrepreneurs, their perception of HRM issues in their firm must be regarded as ‘the truth, and therefore a direct link might exist. Link A B C Based on the link A B, it might be the case that entrepreneurs perceive that they have a lot of HRM issues, and that as a result they implement more HRM practices and techniques (reactive). Link A C B There is evidence that human capital characteristics of the entrepreneur impacts the nature of HR policy and practice within small firms (Mazzarol, 2003; Maes et al, 2004; De Winne and Sels, 2006). It might also be expected that human capital equips entrepreneurs with knowledge about a range of HRM practices and techniques, which they will put in place in order to avoid or overcome HRM issues. It is expected that more use of HRM practices and techniques leads to less HRM issues. Link A D C B It is expected that more human capital makes entrepreneurs more aware of the value and importance of HRM and HRM issues to small firms. If entrepreneurs acknowledge the importance of both HRM and HRM issues to their firm, it is expected that they will put more emphasis on HRM and implement a range of HRM practices and techniques pro-active rather than reactive in order to avoid HRM issues. This is expected to lead to less HRM issues. 1.7 Methodology This exploratory research study uses a two-tailed multiple case study method design. Cases were divided into two groups of extremes. One group with two cases of highly educated and experienced entrepreneurs, and one group with two cases of low educated entrepreneurs with limited or no experience. This two-tailed multiple-case study method makes it possible to use direct replication of findings within the two groups, and also to find possible contrasting situations between the two groups. For this research study interviews are chosen to acquire case study evidence, following the general interview approach by Patton (2002). In this approach topics and issues to be covered are specified in advance in an outline form, and the interviewer decides the sequence and wording of questions in the course of the interview. For this research study I have taken several steps before I started doing case studies in order to be well prepared. The steps taken were: Extensive literature review on the topics under investigation Two interviews with entrepreneurship experts to get a better understanding about the research topics from a practitioner point of view The design of a case study protocol Conducting a pilot case study A total of four entrepreneurs (two in each group of extremes) actively involved in running their business were selected via non-probability sampling using the REACH database. The entrepreneurs were first contacted via a generic email, and later after being selected by telephone to make the appointment. The interviews were held face-to-face at the offices of the entrepreneurs, at convenient times, in silent and comfortable rooms. The interviews were tape recorded. In order to be able to triangulate data, I also interviewed an expert on human resource management and human resource issues in small firms. The interview was held in exactly the same way as with the entrepreneurs. 1.8 Thesis outline In order to be able to answer the main research question, the sub questions, and to meet the objective of this research study, this research study will first look at relevant literature and theories in chapter two. In chapter three the methodology used in this research study will be presented and explained. Chapter four shows the results and within case analyses of the four case studies and of the interview with the expert. In chapter five these results will be analyzed using cross case analyses. And finally chapter 6 will contain the conclusion, limitations, and implications of this research study 2. literature review There is an abundance of literature on HRM in general. Therefore it would be impossible to do a complete literature review on HRM within the time constraints given for this research study. Since the real issue discussed in this research study is the relationship between human capital of the entrepreneur and HR issues in small firms, only prior research that is relevant from this standpoint will be discussed. It must be noted that due to definitional problems in literature on both small firms and HRM, providing generalizations of research findings is somewhat problematic. However, given that all researchers in the field are confronted with these definitional problems, I follow the approach of DAmboise and Muldowney (1988). They reviewed all studies and papers in which the author â€Å"claimed† to be writing about small firms or any variation thereof (e.g., entrepreneurial firm, SME). In this review of the literature, I do the same. 2.1 HRM in small firms While there is an abundance of literature on HRM, the majority is based on HRM in large firms (Wilkinson, 1999). Heneman et al. (2000) reviewed over 400 articles on HRM and found that between 1984 and 1999 only129 empirical studies focused specifically on HRM in smaller firms. Only 17 of these studies applied quantitative methods to analyze results. According to them â€Å"the literature appears to be rich in prescriptions, limited in sound descriptive surveys, and sparse in analytical research†. Similarly, Hornsby and Kuratko (2003) found that â€Å"in spite of the considerable volume and diversity of HRM research, relatively little is understood regarding the HRM-related needs, practices, behaviors, and outcomes of smaller ventures†. More recently, DeKok and Den Hartog (2006) stated that even though research on HRM in small firms has increased lately, the majority of researchers still tends to ignore small firms. Heneman et al. (2000) argue that â€Å"the deficiency of research regarding HRM in small firms is problematic for theory, research, and practice†. When looking at literature on HRM in small firms, it seems that for long it has polarized into the ‘small is beautiful or ‘bleak house perspective (Wilkinson, 1999). According to Wilkinson (1999) the ‘small is beautiful scenario facilitates close and harmonious working relationships with good communication, greater flexibility, and low levels of conflict, and in the ‘bleak house scenario firms are dictatorially run with employees suffering from poor working conditions (Wilkinson, 1999). However, according to Ram (1991, as cited in Wilkinson, 1999) â€Å"workplace relations in SMEs may be ‘complex, informal and contradictory rather than simply either harmonious or autocratic†. Indeed, by now we know that â€Å"small firms are complex, varied, and influenced by a range of factors† (Loan-Clarke et al. 1999; Carrol et al. 1999; Wagar, 1998; Mazzarol, 2003, as cited in Kotey and Sheridan, 2004). A number of studies indicate that small firms are characterized by informal, flexible and ad hoc approaches to HRM. Barret et al. (2007) explain this by saying: â€Å"the practices used to recruit, select, manage and appraise employees performance are not written down (for example, a list of skills and qualifications for each job), regularly applied (for example, yearly performance reviews) or guaranteed they take place (for example, employer sponsored training)†. For example, Hornsby and Kuratko (1990) studied 247 smaller firms in order to establish the progress in developing HRM practices and policies in small firms. They found that firms with less than 50 employees had very little formal HRM practices in place, and similar HRM practices were found in firms with 50 to 100 employees and firms with 100 to 150 employees. A little over a decade later Hornsby and Kuratko (2003) did a replication and an extension of their 1990 study and found evidence that suggests that human reso urce management practices in small firms in all three size categories has generally stagnated and even regressed in some areas over the decade. Similarly, Kotey and Slade (2005) conducted a survey of 371 small growing firms in Australia in order to establish the rate of adoption of formal HRM practices with increasing firm size. Their results showed that micro and small firms are indeed characterized by informal HRM practices, but the adoption of formal HRM practices increased with firm size with a move toward formal practices early in the growth process. In contrast, there are also studies showing there is a greater level of sophistication of HRM practices in small firms than would be expected. However, it must be noted that these results are often derived from case studies with very small samples. For example, De Kok and Uhlaner (2001) studied 16 firms with between 10 and 41 employees and found that some of these firms used HRM practices that were more formal than expected. In line with this Duberley and Walley (1995) did a comparative case-study with sixteen organizations in the United Kingdom to study the extent to which HRM has been adopted in small firms. Although the majority of the studied firms (13) did not adopt a strategic approach towards HRM with an integrated set of policies related to corporate strategy, they found that three of the firms did indeed approximate quite closely to the model of strategic HRM. Barret et al. (2007) state that while an informal and ad hoc approach to HRM may work for some small firms, in periods of growth the sustainability of that approach can be problematic. In line with this Arthur (1995) states that if growth is to be sustained, formal HRM practices and policies are necessary to cope with the increasing complexity as a result of greater number of employees. A study by Kotey and Slade (2005) on the rate of adoption of formal human resource management practices in 371 small growing firms in Australia indicated a move toward hierarchical structures, an increase in documentation, and more administrative processes as the firm grew. Similar results were found by Barret and Mayson (2007) when they conducted a survey of 600 small Australian firms. Their analysis showed that growth-oriented small firms were more likely to use formal HRM practices than non-growth small firms. Roberts, Sawbridge, and Bamber (1992, as cited in Wilkinson, 1999) explain this by saying : â€Å"when a firm employs more than 20 staff, the limits of informality become apparent: informal networks of recruitment dry up; informal styles of management communication are stretched; and ad hoc responses to personnel issues create problems†. In line with this Jennings and Beaver (1997, as cited in Bartram, 2005) state that when the entrepreneur becomes over-extended because the firm has grown above a certain size, the management of human resources needs to be professionalized and delegated. However, there are also researchers like Wilkinson (1999) and Welbourne and Cyr (1999) who state that putting an emphasis on formal rules and procedures in small firms is outdated, because entrepreneurs operate in an environment where they have to make rapid decisions in order to be able to respond to market changes. They argue that ‘bureaucratic HRM may reduce flexibility and increase firm inertia. Similarly, Hill and Stewart (1999, as cited in De Kok, 2003) argue that small firms should be more flexible and informal to be able to cope with higher levels of environmental uncertainty. 2.2 HRM activities in small firms According to Barret and Mayson (2007) the most commonly found HRM activities in small firms reflect operational needs and pragmatic concerns. For example, record keeping, staffing activities (recruitment and selection), and to a lesser extent motivation and retention activities (compensation and reward practices). Cassel et al. (2002) conducted an empirical study on HRM activities in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), and found that there is a considerable diversity amongst SMEs in relation to their use of HR practices and techniques. They stated it appeared that â€Å"key managers within SMEs, rather than taking a coherent, strategy based approach to the implementation of HRM, are taking a more ‘pick and mix contingency approach†. â€Å"Which practices are chosen, and the extent to which they are used and formalized is based on a number of characteristics about the SME and the current business climate within which they find themselves† (Cassel et. Al, 200 2). Although there is no generally excepted list of HR practices and techniques used by smaller firms, attempts have been made to identify practices and techniques commonly used in smaller firms. For example, McEvoy (1984) studied small business personnel practices in 84 small businesses with 25 to 250 employees located near a Midwest metropolitan area. A thirty-six item questionnaire was administered and filled in by an interviewer interviewing the person responsible for HRM in the firm. The questions focused on the usage of HRM practices like HRM structures, policy and planning, staffing, performance evaluation, employee motivation, job satisfaction and turnover, and compensation and unionization. Important findings relevant for this research study are that when firms reached an average of 73 employees the management of human resources shifted from one person (often the entrepreneur) to a newly formed separate personnel department. About 80% of the firms sampled used written personnel

The Moral Acceptability Of Passive Euthanasia

The Moral Acceptability Of Passive Euthanasia This paper will discuss the moral permissibility and acceptability of passive euthanasia, especially with regard to active euthanasia. The aim of the paper is to argue for the thesis that passive euthanasia is morally acceptable under certain conditions. I will present a defense of this thesis by defining its terms, distinguishing the various forms of euthanasia, especially between active and passive, as well as voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia. I will cite concrete cases and also consider various factors that may affect the euthanasia decision, such as the pain and suffering of the patient. The arguments will be evaluated from utilitarian perspectives, taking into account the views of Kant and Aristotle. Strictly speaking, the term euthanasia refers to actions or omissions that result in the death of a person who is already gravely ill. (Moreno). There are two important features of euthanasia. First, that euthanasia involves the deliberate and premeditated act, of taking away a persons life; and, second, that it is an act of mercy, which is taken for the sake of the person whose life is unbearable from pain or has an incurable disease. This notion of mercy distinguishes euthanasia from most other forms of taking life. Euthanasia is a controversial concept, which evokes heated moral, medical, legal, and social debates. The term has both positive and negative connotations: the fundamental idea is, that a suffering person will be relieved by means of an act of mercy, but at the same time there are numerous abuse cases where people have been killed or murdered under the euthanasia pretext. There are various forms of euthanasia. Although the topic of this paper is the discussion of moral acceptability of passive euthanasia, it is important to distinguish between active and passive forms of euthanasia: actively causing a person to die (for example by intentionally giving some medication) or passively allowing them to die by withdrawing or withholding their treatment, or taking away something they need to survive. Typical examples of passive euthanasia are switching off life-supporting machines, such as feeding tubes, respirators, or not carrying out life-extending operations and treatments or not giving life-extending drugs. Another categorization of euthanasia is along voluntariness or by consent: voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia are both in the patients interest, freeing him/her from unbearable suffering. The difference between the two lies in the patients ability to make the decision. In the case of voluntary euthanasia (which is also often referred to as assist ed suicide) the terminally ill patient is mentally competent and makes the decision about terminating his/her own life. In the case of non-voluntary euthanasia (which is also often referred to as mercy killing) the patient is not mentally competent to make a decision about his/her fate (for terminal brain damage or coma, for example) and a proxy, the guardian or physician makes the decision on his/her behalf. Finally, involuntary euthanasia though not in the focus of this paper needs to be mentioned as a conceptually different form of euthanasia. In this case euthanasia is administered without the consent, and against the will of the person. In the following I will compare and contrast passive and active euthanasia, discuss whether there is a moral difference between them, and mount a defense of the thesis, that in most cases there is no real moral difference between helping someone die and letting someone die. I will also argue that there is a more profound moral difference between voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia, and there need to be clear guidelines to ascertain that no one gets killed against his/her wishes. By explaining that there is, in fact, no relevant moral difference between omissions and acts, I will prove that active euthanasia is not immoral and is fundamentally no different than passive euthanasia, and in some cases passive euthanasia is more moral than active. The utilitarians emphasize that when deciding an acts morality we should only consider the consequences (Mill). To validate this point, first, we may argue, that it is not exactly correct to say that omission is a non-act (Rachels). Letting t he patient die is also an act. There is an active decision of not to perform certain other life-saving actions. However, whether it is considered an act or not, the outcomes are the same, thus regarding morality they should be approached in the same way. From a moral perspective pulling the plug of the respirator, withdrawing the feeding tube or withdraw a life sustaining treatment is an act itself, which means, that omission is also an act itself. Thus passive euthanasia is subject to moral appraisal in the same way that active euthanasia, a decision to directly act would be subject to moral appraisal. Since utilitarians are only concerned with the consequences of an action, not with the motives or the action itself, there does not seem to be any reason to distinguish between active and passive euthanasia, since they both lead to the same ultimate conclusion (the death of the patient). If we consider the amount of happiness or pain that either form of euthanasia creates, however, o ne may even argue, that withholding a treatment (passive euthanasia) may take the patient longer to die, and so lead to more suffering, than if more direct actions would be taken (active euthanasia). This suggests, that from a utilitarian perspective once an initial decision not to prolong the patients life and agony has been made, active euthanasia would actually be preferable to passive euthanasia, because it would decrease overall pain. If we examine the difference between passive and active euthanasia from a deontologists (Kants) point of view we can come to a similar conclusion. One of his basic insights is that morality is a matter of motives and intentions, and not a matter of consequences (Kant). If we accept that the intent of an action determines morality rather than the effects, omissions would be subject to the same moral evaluation as acts, since the underlying motives would be similar (to end the patients suffering). This argument also suggests that there is no morally relevant difference between act and omission, that is, between active and passive euthanasia. In fact, if we proceed with this argument and develop the logic that morality is a matter of intentions further, we can conclude, that passive euthanasia leads to more suffering rather than less, and is contrary to the motivation that prompts the initial decision of not to prolong the patients life and agony. Thus, active euthanasia is not only not morally inferior to passive euthanasia, but may indeed be preferable. (Current) So far we have looked at the possible differences between the various forms of euthanasia and came to conclude, that, although there are some valid arguments from the causality perspective, and also the current practices worldwide might allow passive euthanasia, but not, or only very rarely allow active euthanasia, we see no major moral distinction between the two forms. From a utilitarian perspective they both lead to the same conclusion, and we even terminate that in some cases active euthanasia may be preferable to passive form, because it brings less suffering to the patient. We have, however, came to conclude that there is a more significant distinction between voluntary and non-voluntary euthanasia, since in the latter the patients will may or may not be carried out which can lead to potentially killing someone who either wouldnt have wanted to be killed in this way. The subject of euthanasia is filled with room for interpretation. In the analysis above we have proved that there are various and contradictory approaches, and it seems to be difficult to come to a conclusion about the moral rightness of euthanasia. A different approach could be to study the concept of euthanasia case by case and determine the ethical values and the major factors that need to be considered in an attempt to establish some criteria for moral acceptability. In the next part of this paper I will discuss the various factors that influence the euthanasia decision through some concrete cases and evaluate their moral acceptability. Human life itself is commonly taken to be a cardinal good for people, often valued for its own sake. But when a competent, terminally ill patient decides that the best life possible for him/ her with treatment is of such bad quality that it is worse than no further life at all, than continued life is no longer considered a benefit. Human life should not be degraded by reducing the quality of life for the sake of artificially extending the quantity of life. When a person has no quality of life any more because of unbearable pain, then they should not be forced to live, they should be able to choose to die, because at one stage continued attempts to cure are not compassionate any more. However a deontologist would disagree with this argument. Kant emphasizes that it is persons duty to live, even if you have an untreatable illness. You have to act from duty and not give in to the easier path and chose euthanasia. The following example shows how it is possible to think this way and deny euthanasia: I no longer accept this enduring pain, and this protruding eye that nothing can be done about, Chantal Sebire 52 years old French schoolteacher said. I cant take this anymore. I want to go out celebrating, surrounded by my children, friends, and doctors before Im put to sleep definitively at dawn. When she was offered the possibility of passive euthanasia she objected: that passive form of euthanasia was neither dignified, humane, or respectful of me or my children. From these lines we can see how Sebire insists that she stays alive, since it is her duty. In this context euthanasia should be a natural extension of patients rights to life allowing them to decide the value of life and death. Through the next example we will see some difficulties we can come across when trying to enforce non-voluntary euthanasia. Current medical ethics seem to implicitly legitimize or legally accept passive euthanasia in many parts of the world with the moral argument of letting nature (the underlying disease) take its course, and accepting that human active (medical) intervention would simply lengthen this process unnecessarily (Moreno, 1995). This seems to be acceptable if that is what the patient wants (voluntary) or would have wanted (non-voluntary). Of course, the case of voluntary euthanasia is more straightforward: the patient is conscious and can actively give consent and confirm his/her wishes. In the case of non-voluntary euthanasia, however, when the patient is unconscious and incompetent, the decision makers must rely on former statements or comments of the patient where they had indicated they would not want to live hooked up to a machine or when it is hopeless. An example is the well known and much debated Eluana Englaro case. The Italian woman had been in coma for irreversible brain damage that she had suffered in a car accident at the age of 20. For 17 years she was in a vegetative state, while her father, ultimately successfully, fought for passive euthanasia (having her feeding tubes removed), saying it would be a dignified end, and this is what her daughter would have wanted. His argument was that her daughter had visited a friend in coma before her own accident, and stated à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¾she did not want the same thing happen to her if she was in the same state (CNN.com, 2009). In absence of such former statements, the consenting proxy (guardian or physician) must rely on their own judgments and that has the possibility to lead to as it is called slippery slopes. This also brings up the problem of involuntary euthanasia, when euthanasia is administered without the consent, and against the will of the person. In our example how can we be sure th at the father is telling the truth? Or is he only saying this to help his own suffering? It is also important to see how the physicians role is crucial. It is them who know the patients condition well, who have access to drugs who have specialized knowledge or appropriate methods, and it is also them who can provide emotional support for the patient and the family. Equally importantly, it is also the physician who has been directly and intimately connected with and responsible for the persons care, and who the patient typically trusts. The physicians role is controversial too. One approach is that euthanasia is fundamentally incompatible with the physicians role as healer. This is one of the main arguments of the anti-euthanasia movements, which often cite the Hippocratic Oath, that clearly states: I will neither give a deadly drug to anybody who asked for it (Hippocratese) This explicitly forbids killing patients. However, we must understand that Hippocrates did not explicitly say that doctors must preserve life at all costs. Also, we may argue the real word-by-word rel evance of the Oath to modern medicine and to the current rights of patients and doctors. The Oath can also be interpreted as a duty of the physician to alleviate pain and suffering. If there is no other option, the doctor, in fulfilling this duty, should be allowed to actively end the patients life. Throughout this essay we have had a look at the different types of euthanasia, and how different moral approaches accept them. We managed to conclude that morally there is no difference between passive and active euthanasia, and in some cases active euthanasia would even be advantageous. We also saw how it is hard to come up with a universal law how to judge euthanasia, since each case is extremely different and there are a lot of perspectives that have to be considered. Therefore when deciding on the moral acceptability of euthanasia we have to view each case separately and then with regard to each theory decide on its morality.

Ancient Celtic Mythology: A Vision of Gods and Goddesses :: Religion

Ancient Celtic Mythology: A Vision of Gods and Goddesses Upon investigating the supernatural reality that the Celts endured, it is necessary to somewhat overlook the myths to see what lies behind them. It is essential to find when and from where the myths originated and how true the storytellers, or narrators, really are. The Celtic gods and goddesses, in such an early mythological time defined as a period when beings lived or events happened such as one no longer sees in our days (Sjoestedt 1994: 2), require much analysis. A diverse collection of documents, literature and archaeology pave the way to our understanding of the ancient mythology of the Celts. However, these traces lack a sense of closure, leaving the investigation into the nature of these gods and goddesses raw and incomplete. The evidence of the Celtic deities exists in various forms, but the information that we have collected leaves unanswered questions. For instance, in analysing the recorded documents left behind by the Greeks and Romans, we are called to cast some doubt on how closely the Celtic religious rites paralleled those of their classical neighbours. We survey recorded religious practices with apprehension, as we are not truly sure that the Celts too worshipped family gods and a mass of deities who covered all aspects of life.1 How do we know that we are not just reading materials reflecting the Graeco-Roman myths? Is it not plausible that these Greek and Roman writers installed some bias, leaning towards their mythological ideas, within their testimony? The speculation surrounding all of the varied pieces of evidence is just. From the abundance of evidence, though, we can be sure that the Celts believed in a multiplicity of deities. It is apparent that the existence of gods and goddesses in Celtic society was quite a serious affair and an everyday business. However, when focusing on the exact nature of such gods and goddesses, it seems only fair to attempt to construct an overview of the character of each deity. Reconstructing the evidence might be too hopeful because the conclusions would come from mere ignorance and be partially based on what we still do not know. From here we can only address the different types of evidence that piece together the very nature of the Celtic gods and goddesses, but the mixed and slightly unreliable evidence is certainly not easy to sort. The literary evidence for the existence of deities in Celtic religion is one source that reveals the character of the individual gods and goddesses.

The Utopia of Orwell and Foucault Essay -- Panopticism 1984

The Utopia of Orwell and Foucault â€Å"Two ways of exercising power over men, of controlling their relations, of separating out their dangerous mixtures. The plague stricken town, transversed throughout with hierarchy, surveillance, observation, writing; the town immobilized by the functioning of an extensive power that bears in a distinct way over all individual bodies-this is the utopia of the perfectly governed city† (Foucault, 6) This quote extracted from the Essay Panopticism written by Michel Foucault perfectly describes in detail the controls put on the citizens of Big Brother’s Oceania in George Orwell’s 1984. Through control of relation, surveillance, and separating out their dangerous mixtures Big Brother obtains a government system, which is described by Foucault as a â€Å"Utopia.† The Utopia relies upon more than one method of control as noted by Foucault, but the far most significant method is surveillance. â€Å"The telescreen received and transmittes simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, about the level of a very low whisper, would be picked up by it; moreover, as long he remained within the field of vision which the metal plaque was commanded, he could be seen as well as heard† (Orwell, 6). In Orwell’s 1984 the surveillance is achieved by the distressing, constant presence of the telescreen. No individual was free of the thought that the vigilant telescreen would catch you in some undefiable act, which would lead to unquestionable vaporization. â€Å"This enclosed, segmented space, observed at every point, in which the individuals are inserted in a fixed place, in which the slightest movements are supervised, in which all events are recorded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Foucault, 5) The panopticon in Foucault essay is stressing exactly the sa... ...e knew he would be before his ideas were heard. Big Brothers cleverly organized, and cynical government silenced Winston’s ideas. He used the methods of control presented to you in Michel Foucault’s essay Panopticism, which are: surveillance, control of relations, and separating out their dangerous mixtures. The telescreen’s presence altered Winston’s way of life. Control of relations changed Winston’s outlook on the people in his life. Separating the dangerous mixtures is what killed him. He joined a mixture which was separated, separated by killing him. The ironic similarities within the two works are mind boggling and intriguing, but the truth in it all is what is truly remarkable. Works Cited Foucault, Michel. â€Å"Panopticism.† Discipline and Punish. New York: Vintage Books, 1979. Orwell, George. 1984. New York: The New American Library Inc., 1983.

Knowledge Is Virtue Essay

We define knowledge as the state or fact of knowing, familiarity, awareness or understanding, gained through experience or study and virtue as the moral excellence and righteousness. All of us have knowledge but not all the knowledge we have is the same, same with virtue. All of us have virtue but not all is practicing it. All of us have knowledge because it is a gift from God that we can keep and share to others. Through knowledge, one is also given the knowledge of understanding one’s self and what surrounds him. One can be taught about life through knowledge. Having knowledge is also having the ability to know what is right and what is wrong. With knowledge we can also do change or improvements. For instance, the knowledge of sickness, the more we know about our sickness, the more we know that it can be cured and by that, life our life is improved. We can make improvements through knowledge physically and mentally. We can identify problems and find solutions because of knowledge, but these problems is not caused by knowledge itself but from the individuals’ use of knowledge. By having simple knowledge about these problems, it already creates vision of solutions. Knowledge is a virtue that we should know what is good for us. Virtue is something that is good or something that is right. If we have done something that is not right, for example, if the knowledge of power is used improperly, it is not because of the mere knowledge already. It is because of the emotions that caused him to do that. If that’s the case, he doesn’t possess virtue. Knowledge is like the other virtues that we should keep and be reminded of always. We should use it not to seek advantage over others but to share it and make them a better individual. Through knowledge, we know how to understand and we know how to act right. We just have to use knowledge justly so we will know about virtue. Thus, knowledge is the creation of virtue. Knowledge is virtue.