Monday, September 30, 2019

Informative Speech on Leukemia Essay

Hope, denial, anger, fear, and worry are words that come to mind when we think of the word cancer. Cancer is a word we never want to hear. I’m sure at some point in your life, everyone in here knows someone who has been affected by cancer. On September 19th of this year, not even a month ago, I did one of the hardest things I was ever faced to do†¦ I attended one of my best friend’s funeral. Kali suffered from Leukemia since the young age of 10 and fought her battle until the age of 24. This topic is so dear to my heart because it was not until after she passed away that I found out exactly what she suffered from. So today, I would like to inform you about Leukemia’s symptoms, treatments, and who can be affected by it. So, what exactly is Leukemia and what are some symptoms to be aware of? Leukemia is characterized by an increase of abnormal white cells in the blood and bone marrow. In lamer terms, â€Å"Cancer of the blood cells.† If you have Leukemi a, the first thing affected are your white blood cells that fight infections. If you have Leukemia, your white blood cell count becomes almost non-existent making it extremely difficult to fight any infection. A simple cold would feel like pneumonia to a Leukemia patient. Kali told me that her immune system was equal to a 6 month old baby. In addition to your white blood cells, your red blood cells are also affected. Red blood cells help carry oxygen from your lungs throughout your entire body. If you lack red blood cells, you will most likely experience shortness of breath. This explains why at times Kali would speak very slowly in order to catch her breath. Lastly, your platelets are affected. Platelets help control bleeding and bruising on the body. When affected you are more likely to experience excessive bleeding and easily bruised. When the oncologist, a doctor that specializes in cancer, suspects that you have cancer he or she will question your symptoms. Common symptoms include fever, paleness of the skin, fatigue, pain in the bone and joints, weight loss, discomfort in the abdomen, and night sweats. Furthermore, the oncologist will perform a bone marrow biopsy. If the patient is not put to sleep, this procedure can be extremely painful. They take a 12 inch needle, stick it into your hip, and extract the bone marrow. The bone marrow is then tested to determine if you have Leukemia and wha t type of treatment is best for you. This brings me to my next point. Medicinenet states there are three major types of treatment: Chemotherapy,  steroid therapy, and stem cell transplant. With the stem cell transplant, doctors use high dosages of chemotherapy and basically remove your entire immune system and replace it with someone else’s. This person can be a related or unrelated donor. If it is a related donor, this person is usually someone very close to the patient such as a parent, sibling, or close relative. Kali was given the stem cell transplant and had new blood in her body. She informed me that her childhood vaccine shots were no longer in her bloodstream and she could not get them again because they could work against her in a negative way sort of putting her between a rock and a hard place. Like Kali, once a patients transplant is complete, they are given lots of medicine to help support the body and pain in hopes of preceding with a normal life. This brings me to my final point. Are you at risk? Can you be affected? According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma society, approximately every 3 minutes someone in the United States is diagnosed with a blood cancer and approximately every 10 minutes someone dies from a blood cancer. There were an estimated 310,000 people living with or in remission from Leukemia in th e United States. In this year alone, roughly 52,000 people were diagnosed and 24,000 are expected to die- 14,000 males and 10,000 females. While there is no known ways to prevent Leukemia, the National Cancer Institute states that developing Leukemia increases with several factors such as: smoking cigarettes and air pollution. Why should this be important and relevant to you? According to the Washington Post, Louisiana has been given the name â€Å"Cancer Alley† because of the 150 petrochemical companies and 17 refineries that line the Mississippi River from New Orleans to Baton Rouge releasing dangerous levels of toxins in the air we breathe in every day. We live in a state where cancer rates are to the roof. Leukemia is most frequent in Caucasian males than in any other population. Kali was an African American female. This lets me know, no one is susceptible. I’m sure after listening to me, you are more knowledgeable about Leukemia, its symptoms, treatments, and risks. Although it may not affect you directly, I encourage each and every one of you to get regular check-ups, stay healthy, and give to those who are affected. I’ll leave you with this quote by John F. Kennedy, â€Å"When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two components, one represents danger, the other represents opportunity.†

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Discrimination at the Workplace Essay

Discrimination is described as an illegal treatment because of prejudices based from a number of factors, such as gender, sex, religious beliefs, disabilities and many more (Goree, 2007). In the case of Julie’s friend, Bandu, the prejudice and discrimination given to him was based on his ethnic roots, being an Indian-born in an American region. The application was then rejected without him being called for an interview or a test of some sort. For someone like Julie, an employee who knows the capabilities of her friend, her boss’s decision is something that is unethical and inappropriate for the present day of the employment world. But there are many factors that should be considered before deciding the appropriate action for a case like this. There are two sides, that of the employer and the about-to-be employee that should be understood and thought over. Each has their own points and thesis that must be incorporated to get a win-win situation. Firstly, Julie should be as professional as possible and not be biased just because the rejected applicant is her friend. There should also be no trace of favoritism on Julie’s side, because that would just add another unethical instance. Favoritism happens when a certain advantage is held by someone having an edge because of certain factors (Goree, 2007). Bandu is Julie’s friend, and even though Julie is not the employer, there is still that possibility that she might influence the decision of her boss in favoring her friend. This potentiality of favoritism can be avoided by marking the line between referencing and heavy influencing. References are people which the employer can call or talk to ask information about the employee (Doyle, 2008). In the case of this event, the connection is strictly professional and the information relayed would be useful in deciding whether the application would be rejected or given a chance. For the company, it is obvious that they must start to be open to diversity and begin to embrace the thought of hiring people from minority groups. To do this, they must first learn more about the advantages of diversity. These concepts, such as friendly competitions between employees, exchange of ideas or information, and total growth of the company have been proved by many researchers (Goree, 2007). It is therefore something worth trying for a company that hasn’t got any bad feedbacks from this technique. The employers can then begin by accepting applications from any group and giving equal chances to all. If the company’s employing division is really that picky, then they could schedule pre-interviews to applicants. Additional interviews or pre-tests can then be administered to further filter down the applicant. The important thing is all applicants, regardless of gender, race, or affiliations, must be allowed to join the preliminary screening procedures that is of course once they reached the required qualifications. One possible problem that Julie’s company might experience is the difficulty in hiring employees of a minority group because they haven’t done it in a long time. Referencing, as discussed above can be a lot of help in here. The information taken from the listed references must be included in the criteria of selecting new applicants, not just their background race. In order to be effective, the company must also demolish any style of stereotyping based on races, or any variables that could affect the connotation of a group of people. This would ensure that there will be no discrimination in the workplace itself, not just on the application and hiring process. The rest of the employees must accept each other freely and avoid negative outlooks on the newly hired minority workers. By following these steps, one can guarantee a healthy workplace, where diversity becomes a great help in improving the company as a whole.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Event Handling and Web Forms Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Event Handling and Web Forms - Essay Example An event takes place whenever the user performs an action. The user’s causes an event and when the web page reacts to this event true interactivity between the web page and the user is born. The start of event handling took place when Netscape version 2 browsers were launched; this browser supported JavaScript and hence also supported events. Netscape 2 supported only a few events. Mouse over and Mouse out were two events which became famous with this browser. The Netscape 2 browser was also able to detect the submission of a form, the resetting of form and the time when the page has completed loading (Jackson, 2007). However the problem started with the advent of browser wars between Netscape and IE. Both of them created completed incompatible event models. Thus at present we have to deal with three event models – the Netscape navigator 4(NN4), Internet explorer 4 and the most recent one – W3C model. The first step to ensure cross browser compatibility is to reg ister the event handler. There are four main ways of registering the event handler – inline, traditional, W3C and Microsoft. The best method is to use the traditional method as it is completely compatible across all the browsers and will not cause any problem in any of them. After registering the event; the actual script writing takes place. ... The area where the browser computability is the least is reading out the properties of the event. In this we have to ensure that very detailed object detection is used. The first step should be check if the property exists in the browser and if it does only then should the value be read out (D Flanagan, 2011) The last thing to be decided is the event order. The code –writer has to see if he wants the event to bubble up and if that is not the desired result; the propagation of the event should be stopped. The compatibility between different models is a problem; however if we take in to account the precautions mentioned above a workaround can be easily found for all the platforms. DQ 2 Web Forms Since their inception in the early 1990’s, Web forms have become the essential interface of the transactional Web. They are a central component of e-commerce applications and are use to collect business critical information. It has also been said that Web forms are changing the pa radigm of Business workflows. Do you agree with this? Discuss this in relation of Business workflows and data collection at various points of these workflows. Any company that is engaged in e-commerce has to deal with information at three stages – ordering of a product, processing of that order and shipping the product to the customer. Different information needs to be available at these three points and also needs to be transferred from one point to another. Web forms are one of the most exciting innovations of modern times. They allow the business to interact directly with clients, prospective customers and even the employees of the organisation. With the advent of web forms business workflows of

Friday, September 27, 2019

Child Sexual Abuse Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Child Sexual Abuse - Essay Example Thousands of crimes including homicide, rape, felony, robbery, fraud, embezzlement and others are committed in almost every region of the world on daily basis; child rape and molestation is also included the list the most challenging crimes committed on the face of the earth leaving indelible and incurable affect and impact behind it. Theorists define various reasons behind child sexual abuse, which has direct relationship with structural-functional and social conflict theoretical frameworks. Before embarking upon the topic under analysis, it would be advisable to define child rape. Child rape simply means the sexual victimization and harassment of innocent children and pre-pubertal adolescents generally at the hands of their seniors or adult members of society. It includes rape of minor and defenseless girls and boys, who have not reached the age of puberty. â€Å"Abuse of a child is anything that causes injury or puts the child in danger of physical injury, which can be physical, mental, sexual, or emotional.† (International child abuse network) However, sexual abuse includes touching of child’s private parts, incest, exhibitionism, stripping, pederasty and intercourse etc. The reports reveal that thousands of children become victim of rape and sexual assaults, though only few cases are reported at the police department. â€Å"The National Victim Center estimates that only 16 percent of rapes in the United States are reported each year. This low reporting rate can be attributed in part to the cold, impersonal reporting process†. and the ra pe victim's fear of appearing at the trial of the suspect.† (The legal Dictionary) The reasons behind not reporting the cases on the part of children include the sense of shame and humiliation, fear of punishment from family and threats from the offender; and hurt of ego and of prestige, lack of resources, absence of evidence and fear of enmity as well. Thus, a large proportion of the mishaps took place in the life of children remains concealed from the knowledge of society and law enforcing agencies. â€Å"There were 103,297 substantiated cases in 2003 across Canada (excluding Quebec), a 125% increase in documented child abuse since 1998. This increase is considered a result of improvements in reporting and investigative methods for child abuse, as well as enhanced awareness and understanding of child abuse, not necessarily an increase in the amount of abuse.† (Canadian Incidence Study of Reported Child Abuse and Neglect) It has aptly been observed that sexual assaults and harassment adversely tell upon the weak and feeble nerves of innocent children, and it takes several years in their complete convalescence from the trauma caused in the wake of the mishap took place in their life. Sexual attacks not only inflict physical harm to the victims, but also destroy the soul and mind of the poor children. Consequently, they are unable to come out of the shock after many months and even years after the rape. â€Å"Severe child abuse, are re-experienced later in life on a sensory level, due to the fact that those brain and psychological systems responsible for directing the encoding and early organization and processing of explicit, narrative memory material may be flooded by overwhelming emotional input during severe abuse or trauma -- resulting in less integrated, primarily sensory recollections upon exposure to trauma-reminiscent stimuli.† (Briere, 2002:4) The studies also exhibit that a large majority of the victims of child sexual abuse turns out to be

Thursday, September 26, 2019

OSHA violations for a hospital Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

OSHA violations for a hospital - Assignment Example However, in the United States of America, it has been proved that some organizations or facilities do not satisfactorily comply with the health and safety standards indicated in the Occupational Health and Safety Act (1970), (Singh, D. 2010). In March, 2013, an employ filed a complaint at the OSHA offices against the Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center in Englewood, New Jersey for a serious Sharps Safety Violations. Upon a thorough inspection by the OSHA officials, the facility was found to have seriously violated safety and health regulations. It was concluded that it has failed to adequately protect their employee from exposure to bloodborne pathogen hazards which had occurred as a result of the surgical procedure done within the facility. Besides, the organization was found to be liable for other violations including failing to have a written procedure, not involving non-managerial staff in the rescue process and failing to conduct a blood test on the staff member immediately after the incident. These were indeed, serious violations which would have resulted into death or serious physical bodily harm on the victimized staff. Because of this, Health East Ambulatory Surgical Center was fined a total of $68,000. I would like to emphasize that this was a very intentional occurrence. It would have been prevented if the management had strictly complied with the stipulated occupational heath and safety standards. For instance, if the employee would have been immediately attended to just after the accident, he would have been saved. However, the management never demonstrated any concern. Instead of collaborating with other staff members to offer immediate assistance to the employee, nothing was done so far thus, putting the life of this particular worker in danger. This was a high degree of negligence which had to be severely

Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Ethical Dlemma Invovling the Bombing of Hiroshima Essay

Ethical Dlemma Invovling the Bombing of Hiroshima - Essay Example This happened at a time when the intensity of air raids between the two countries had escalated thus leading to war strategies that had to be adopted to defeat the enemy. Although the Japanese had been militarily defeated by the United States army and were considering surrender the United States officials went ahead with the test of the atomic bomb at New Mexico and saw the deadly results. The officials’ in charge took charge and the then president Truman allowed the bomb to be released at Hiroshima. It became the among the world’s deadliest bomb attack that ruined lives and properties. The first ethical debate concerning the bombing of Hiroshima, and the subsequent bombing of Nagasaki, is the fact that the war could have been won without the bombing. From an analysis of the views of people n the era, it is evident that the bombing was not supported by the majority of people. Winnacker (26) states that Professor Albert Einstein remarked leading physicists in the era urg ed the American government not to drop the two bombs that effectively ended the world war. Einstein stated that the War Department was convinced that, with the casualties suffered by the Japanese, their ultimate surrender was not long in coming, therefore, the bombing was not necessary. ... Using the theory of consequentialism, America’s action in the bombing of Hiroshima can be condemned by stating that the government used the principle of personal egoism. The principle of personal egoism states that an individual should always act in his own long-term interests and disregard the interests of any other individuals. In this regard, the United States only considered the interests of its soldiers, in which case they decided to kill innocent civilians in order to end the war. An analysis of the statements of the Secretary of State when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima indicates that the government had taken into consideration the views of scientists and war analysts on the issue in Japan (Bruce 42). The government had been advised that the total surrender of Japan would be a matter of a few weeks, and the bomb did not need to be dropped. However, Secretary Simpson stated that the best way to totally end the war was through a ‘complete and utter’ destru ction of Japan’s military might. Secretary Simpson went on to state that despite the efforts of the Japanese government to surrender the war, the United States government still had to take its own interests before the interests of the Japanese government. The Secretary stated that the Japanese government had gone as far as to approach the Soviet government in a bid to start negotiations with the Allies on the end of the war. This fact can be analyzed using the utilitarianism argument, which states that the best act is the one that produces the highest ratio of good to evil in every action. Using the utilitarianism debate, the United States would be ethically justified for their actions in bombing Hiroshima and

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

What do you see as Maryland s biggest transportation issue and how Essay

What do you see as Maryland s biggest transportation issue and how would you solve it - Essay Example Majority of these citizens have to use their personal cars due to the limited public transportation systems incurring very high gas expenses. Research by the Bureau of Labor estimates that households use 20% of their income on transportation expenses (Cardin). The commute from rural, Southern Maryland to the urban, Northern area takes a toll on many forcing them to opt for cheaper, unlimited housing opportunities in neighboring states such as Virginia. Congestion on Marylands highways costs the state a lot of money. Many spend productive working hours stuck in traffic. In a survey done by the U.S Census Bureau, traffic volume increased exponentially in a span of 10 years (1998-2008) to 17.2%; however, transport infrastructure expanded only by 7% (Cox, 2009). This meant that the infrastructure is unable to meet the high demand leading to congestion. In conclusion, unless state officials find lasting solutions to the transportation crisis, the states economy will plummet. The high expenses incurred from gas expenditure for personal cars, and the loss of productive time on congested highways is among the challenges state officials must

Monday, September 23, 2019

Company analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Company analysis - Essay Example Safety While on plant tour, it could be observed that Gretchen’s manifests genuine care for the employee’s safety. A few first aid kit boxes were strategically located and some fire extinguishers in every room are positioned in easy to reach places. As part of the safety regulations, company policies encourage every employee to undergo the proper training on how to handle the machines to be used. Concurrently, employees receive proper information on the product itself to enhance awareness on the best quality of the foods provided to the customers. Security and theft protection are definitely entrenched for both the employees and the facility, especially for the employees working at night. The company is equipped with restricted entry and security cameras around the facility. Each different door is color coded so that the employees will avoid bumping onto one another and different rooms are appropriately labeled. Diverse work stations in the facility have personnel donni ng respective uniforms: such as, white coats for those who handled the foods or prepping the raw materials. The pathways are clear so that employees can move freely without cramping or bumping onto shelves and other office equipments.

Sunday, September 22, 2019

Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co - Essay Example This is because; there are laws that explicitly spell out the obligation of corporate entities in ensuring public safety and the responsibility these entities are to be charged with, when these standards are not met. One of the most significant law of tort cases in the US is the Palsgraf v. Long Island Railroad Co., 248 N.Y. 339, 162 N.E. 99 (N.Y. 1928). The case can aptly be described as significant since its effects shaped and established the concepts of the scope of business liability, the relevance of proximate cause and the limits of negligence. A Brief Summary on the Case At the heart of the case is Mrs. Helen Palsgraf who was waiting on a Long Island Railway train platform, until two men approached running after a train. As a security officer helped one of the men get on board, the man dropped his package. Since this luggage contained explosives, an explosion of a very powerful scale resulted there-from. This resulted in Palsgraf’s injury. Mrs. Palsgraf entered a person al injury lawsuit against the company, Long Island Railroad. The two main issues that emerged from the case are: the manner of determination of the duty of care; and the person to whom the party owes its duty of due care. In this case, the Court of Appeals ruled against the favor of Mrs. Palsgraf. The court maintained that there was no direct relationship between the guard’s action (of pulling the second passenger on board) and Palsgraf’s injury. The crux of the matter is that there has to be a direct nexus between the guard’s action and Mrs. Palsgraf’s injury, in order for liability to be cited. The Senior Judge Benjamin Cardozo, while writing for the three-judge bench, maintained that the guard in no way was aware of the presence of the explosion in the package. Therefore, by shoving the passenger inside, he was not aware that an explosion would ensue. Cardozo continued that even the most cautious mind could not guess the presence of danger in the packa ge. Moreover, there was no way the soldier’s action of pushing the passenger into the train directly affected Mrs. Palsgraf. Cardozo affirmed that not only was the harm emanating from the guard not willful, but his act was also not in itself dangerous. This is to the effect that the act of pushing the passenger into the train was not in violation to Palsgraf’s rights (Cross, 2011). Personal Opinion about the Case and How It Relates To What Is Being Learnt On personal grounds, the case was justly ruled by Senior Judge Cardozo and the three-judge bench. Palsgraf’s claims in her personal injury legal suit against Long Island Railroad are not sustainable, on several grounds. Lessons that have been drawn from classroom context underscore this standpoint. One of the lessons gleaned from the classroom lectures is that of the limitations of negligence. Generally, to find negligence, there must be a total finding of an instance where a particular duty owed was breached. In respect to the foregoing, to find negligence with Long Island Railroad, evidence must be produced on the side of the company’s personnel. There is no clear relationship between the guard’s action and Mrs. Palsgraf’s injury so that he can be accused of negligence. In a closely related wavelength, the limitations of liability require that the injury or liability sustained must have been avoidable, should the defendant have acted responsibly. This aspect of making harm avoidable is only applicable in light of knowledge.

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Texas Constitution Essay Example for Free

Texas Constitution Essay The Texas Constitution of 1876 is very detailed and affects the citizens of Texas in several ways. In many ways I think that the Texas Constitution is more reliable, and in a sense, better than the U. S. Constitution. There are less accessible loopholes in the Texas Constitution and it seems to be more specific in its laws and regulations. It puts rights first and deals with local and state matters not covered in the U. S. Constitution. The state of Texas has had six constitutions. The constitution that took effect on February 15, 1876 is the one that is still currently used today. The Texas Constitution is the second longest constitution in the United States, and one of the oldest still in effect. Since the constitution has been adopted it has been amended 439 times and consists of seventeen amendments. This constitution replaced the current constitution of 1869 and was meant to decentralize the state of Texas. They wanted all officials elected for shorter terms and lower salaries, abolition of voter registration, local control of schools, severely limited powers for both the legislature and the governor, low taxation and state expenditures, strict control over corporations, and land subsidies for railroads. The government had now been split up into three branches; the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch. The Texas Constitution began with a Bill of Rights. This is another thing that I like about it because unlike the U.  S. Constitution it puts the rights of the people first. The Bill of Rights declared that Texas was a free and independent state, subject only to the Constitution of the United States, that all free men have equal rights, and that the writ of habeas corpus could not be suspended or unduly delayed. It forbid religious tests for office, unreasonable searches, and imprisonment for debt. It also guaranteed liberty of speech and press, the right of the accused to obtain bail and to be tried by a jury, and the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. Many people will argue that the Texas Constitution is too lengthy and has too much detail to it. Well maybe it is lengthy, maybe it does have a little too much detail on certain rules and regulations but its lasted this long and nobody has yet to successfully change it so there must be something right about it. Several changes have been made to it though seeing how many changes in technology have advanced the way we live. The original Texas Constitution was based around a farm economy and was meant for and to protect the rights of the rural citizens seeing how that was what Texas was known for in that time.

Friday, September 20, 2019

Impact of the Stressors of Undercover Operations

Impact of the Stressors of Undercover Operations The present paper has three purposes: (a) to discuss undercover operatives and the stressors inherent to undercover operations based on literature review, (b) to outline the proposed research project, (c) and to examine the expecting findings, conclusions, limitations and relevance for policy and practice of the proposed research project. Keywords: undercover officer, police, stress, personality test It is almost impossible to turn on the news or to watch prime time television without a reference to a takedown or a main character on a sitcom who is an undercover operative. Society is fascinated and romanticizes undercover operatives. These operatives are often portrayed in high risk situations which they usually take on and survive triumphantly. Nevertheless, what most of these news headlines and sitcoms miss is the very complex and difficult work that make up most successful undercover operations. In fact, the public rarely if ever hears or reads about the impact that undercover operations have on the operatives and their personal lives. With the increase in the numbers of Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents working undercover, in 1979 the FBI administration became concerned with the detrimental aspects of the personal commitment required for undercover operations. In 1980 a study was conducted to determine the nature and extent of the stressors being experience by undercover operatives in order to devise methods of reducing their negative effects. The current study will replicate the analysis conducted in 1980. In addition, the present study will further examine the stressors inherent to undercover operations and will focus on undercover operatives negative emotions, reactive behaviors and coping strategies. Problem Statement Undercover operations impact not only the undercover operatives professional life but their personal life as well. There is very little research that addresses this impact or the strengths and limitations of undercover work. The empirical research on police stress in general and undercover stress specifically is limited by quantity, how current and relevant the results are, and the methods employed. The current study seeks to fill this gap in the literature by examining the stressors inherent to undercover operations and determining an undercover agents coping strategies (personality, psychological and social) when dealing with these stressors. Relevance of the Problem As the numbers of FBI agent and task force officers conducting undercover work continue to increase, so do the numbers of psychological assessments being conducted by the FBI Undercover Safeguard Unit (USU). Currently, many of these undercover operations include the infiltration of terrorist and extremist groups. These types of operations have successfully prevented planned terrorist operations in Portland, WA and Baltimore, MD. Nevertheless, the literature has little to offer on the stress brought on by issues such as dual betrayal which is inherent in these types of operations, and represents one of a number singular stressors involved in undercover operations. It is important to examine dual betrayal and other stressors inherent to undercover work in order to determine the risk factors as well as the protective factors that can contribute to the psychological well being of an undercover operative. Implications for policy and/or practice Based on the results of this study recommendations can be made on selection, supervision and administrative procedures designed. These recommendations will seek to minimize the extraneous forms of stress which may negatively impact an undercover operative. In addition, the outcome of this study should help to sensitize the undercover operative and their supervisors to the most destructive forms of stress and to identify the warning signs which indicate that these forms of stress have reached a dangerous level. Lastly, the result of this study can be used to develop new and innovative investigative approaches and techniques in psychological assessments and counseling that would address the undercover employees psychological well-being and operational readiness to engage and/or continue to function in covert or day to day investigations. Literature Review Law enforcement officers (LEOs) are faced with very unique and stressful situations. These situations may include face to face encounters with violent offenders as well as crime scenes with diseased and injured offenders and victims. Many times these law enforcement officers are rejected by the same community they have taken an oath to protect. There are communities which lack respect an admiration for an institution they deem as cruel and corrupt. Therefore, law enforcement officers must effectively mediated and counteract the inherent job related stressors as well as those stressors which are unique to their identity as police officers (Noblet, Rodwell, Allisey, 2009; Adams Buck, 2010; Shane, 2010; McCarty, Zhao Garland, 2007). Many LEOs are unable to successfully incorporate adaptive strategies for mediating occupational stressors. Unfortunately, some of these LEOs succumb to traditionally maladaptive coping mechanisms. This in turn negatively impacts their personal and professional lives which results in more stress and unfavorable outcomes. There are particular segments of the law enforcement community that are exposed to greater number of systemic stressors than others. These LEOs often have workloads that significantly impact their opportunity and ability to utilize coping strategies and to minimize the effects of experienced stressors (Waters Ussery, 2007; Gersho, Barocas, Caonto, Li Vlahov, 2009). Undercover operations attract LEOs who are highly conscientious and have performed well and reliably under stressful and demanding circumstances. Undercover operations are sought out by agents/taskforce officers and their supervisors alike. These types of assignments are often viewed as a stepping stones to professional advancement and personal achievement. There are LEOs who excel in undercover assignments; these officers successfully adapt potentially harmful distress changing it into beneficial stress (eustress). Nevertheless, a review of the literature indicates that LEOs who have healthy coping mechanism are the exception and not the rule. Undercover operations impact the LEO as well as those who surround them. Long-term undercover operations in particular required excessive amounts of time and dedication that are at times inconsistent with the perception and ideologies of many experienced officers (Cuttler Muchinsky, 2006; Cochrane, Tett, Vandecreek, 2003). Long-term operations require the development of a unique relationship with the target. Additionally there is a different relationship between these undercover operatives and their supervisors which at times can intensify an undercovers feelings of isolation and abandonment. These undercover LEOs role playing requirements can be confusing and distressing which in turn negatively impacts their social relationships. Many times the unspecified but understood requirements of undercover operations can end in the downward spiral of a brilliant career, resulting in dysfunctional relationships, personal hardship, a loss of self-esteem and self-respect, and mental and physical damage (Noblet, Rodwell, Allisey, 2009). Several factors can contribute to this downward spiral. Lack of adequate training, lack of effective supervision, unrealistic work demands and an under covers constant need to succeed in an operation are some of the factors that have been observed. Unfortunately, undercover operatives who do not succeed in their respective operations as perceived by the undercover or their supervisors succumb to feelings of shame and embarrassment, become withdrawn, irritable, at times lashing out against the target due to fear, frustration or displaced anger. Undercover operations would seem to heighten the emotional stressors already present in the law enforcement community. Nevertheless, those undercover operatives who acknowledged the negative effects of stressors and reach out for assistance are likely to be ridiculed and ostracized by their colleagues and supervisors. These officers are at times labeled as weak, untrustworthy and/or damaged goods (Cuttler Muchinsky, 2006). In order to understand the impact of stress on law enforcement operatives, it is important to examine stress from an individuals perspective. This examination should include the detrimental and beneficial impact of undercover operations on the professional, personal and social environment of an operative. Most individuals seek to minimize stressors and maximize the rewards (psychological at times) in order to carry on their everyday lives. The sense of purpose from successfully performing an assignment at work and at home can be one such reward. An individuals occupation can provide a source of pride, accomplishment and personal achievement. Nevertheless, this same occupation can be embedded in a stressful environment that fosters frustration causing mental and physical harm. LEOs are constantly exposed to dangerous situations, emotional distress by others, threats to personal safety and life altering split second decisions. This may be compounded by the lack of respect from the public, frustration with the criminal justice system and accumulated experiences of critical incidents. This leaves the LEO susceptible to chronic stress. This is considered a unique trait of the law enforcement profession (Swenson Plebanski, 2009). Additionally, an undercover operatives self expectations and demands from the law enforcement subculture can add to the experiential stressors and behavioral responses. Unique coping strategies in dealing with these stressors have been observed within the law enforcement community. The literature has examined the maladaptive coping strategies that are utilized and the impact that these strategies may have on undercover operatives personal, professional and social lives. These maladaptive coping strategies include but are not limited to; emotional detachment cynicism, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity, and high risk behavior (McCarty, Zhao, Garland, 2007; Shane, 2010) . The impact that these maladaptive coping strategies may have on the undercover operatives life has not been succinctly analyzed or discussed in the literature. The empirical research indicates that work assignment can be related to levels of experienced stress within the law enforcement community and can contribute to the subsequent use and acceptance of alcohol as an attempt to mediate levels of stress. Coping strategies that are utilized to address the issue of work related stress are serious concerns for all LEOs; however, some assignments within the law enforcement community may be seen as more stressful than others and may be more pertinent for examination of both work related stress and coping strategies (Gershon, Barocas, Canton, Li, Vlahov, 2009). Undercover assignments, for instance, have been identified as one of the most stressful duties within the law enforcement community. Consequently, further examining the impact of undercover assignments on LEOs can provide a valuable contribution to the literature on police stress (Krause, 2008; Varela, Boccaccini, Scogin, Stump, Caputo, 2004). The psychological problems that can be encountered by a LEO in undercover operation include but are not limited to paranoia, isolation, nervous tension, depression, fear, and anger. Furthermore, more serious personality disorders appear common among officers, both during and after the completion of undercover operations. These disorders also may involve depression, anger-hostility, differing phobias, paranoia, psychotic ideation, and interpersonal insensitivity (Adams Buck, 2010; Carlan Nored, 2008). Overall, the level of suspicion that many officers encounter, and cannot effectively deal with, may cause problems in all areas of their professional and personal lives. In addition to the inherent stressors of undercover work, officers also can experience levels of alienation from society, as well as from their colleagues. The anger and resentment experienced by undercover officers may lead to a self alienation, which exacerbates previous feelings and contributes to the stressors being experienced by the LEO (Carlan Nored, 2008). Finally, undercover assignments can place additional, and sometimes overwhelming, pressure on the personal lives of those involved in such operations. Partners of those assigned to undercover operations are subjected to odd working hours and unpredictable schedules. They are faced with days and even weeks of the officer partner being away from home, and they may experience continual concern for the safety of the LEO. Additionally, operatives engaged in undercover operations are often involved in a role that requires late night partying, the consumption of alcohol, and interactions with members of the opposite sex with whom the officer is attempting to gain trust and confidence. In this setting, the officer may undergo changes in personality and lifestyle as a result of the role, which becomes apparent to the significant other. These stressors represent only a number of the issues that most undercover operatives must effectively deal with day in and day out. Research Strategy Undercover law enforcement officers are dealing with a number of stressors such as divorce, psychological disorders and suicide. In some cases undercover law enforcement officers, given these and other stressors, have been involved in criminal behavior, corruption, and espionage. It is important to determine the nature and extent of the stressors inherent with undercover work and to devise methods of reducing their effects. The purpose of this study is to: Identify those stressors inherent to undercover assignments within federal and local LEOs and to determine the relationship between specific personality, psychological and interpersonal relations orientation styles and the ability to cope with stressors prevalent in undercover operations. The questions being examined are: Is there a significant correlation between personality styles (independent variable) and an undercover law enforcement officers ability to cope with stressors prevalent in undercover assignment (dependent variable)? Is there a significant correlation between psychological characteristics (independent variable) and an undercover law enforcement officers ability to cope with stressors prevalent in undercover assignment (dependent variable)? Is there a significant correlation between interpersonal relations orientation (independent variable) and an undercover law enforcement officers ability to cope with stressors prevalent in undercover assignment (dependent variable)? The research questions will be addressed through the use of validated and reliable psychometric tests. A quantitative research design consisting of psychometric test administered to LEOs assigned and formerly assigned to undercover operations, as well as those who never have been so assigned, will be utilized. Recognizing the impact of undercover assignments on the individual officers involved can assist in addressing the bigger issue of the impact on the law enforcement community. This research has implications for law enforcement agencies concerned with the emotional and professional welfare of officers assigned to undercover duties, and it provides some understanding of the effects of such operations on officers at the individual, social, and professional levels. Furthermore, the results of this study can provide valuable insight into the human toll of undercover operations and allows for the examination of this issue from a holistic and concerned perspective. Data Independent Variable The independent variables will an under covers personality style as measured by the 16PF or 16 Personality Factors test. An under covers psychological characteristics as determined by the MMPI-II, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. Lastly an under covers interpersonal relations orientation will be analyzed with the FIRO-B, the fundamental interpersonal relations orientation assessment. Dependant Variable Ideally, measuring the stressors inherent to undercover operations and the coping strategies used by undercover operatives would address the research questions. Thus, the dependant variables measured will be the inherent stressors of undercover operations and coping strategies used. Sample The sample of participants will be a representative stratified sample. The focus will be on undercover law enforcement officers. Ideally, there will be a total of approximately 100 participants in the control and three experimental groups in order to conduct an adequate statistical analysis. This would be a total of 400 participants. Methods Approximately 400 undercover law enforcement officers will be separated into four categories: No experience (control group)- No actual experience as an operative although may possess considerable experience in undercover operations as a contact of back up. Occasional experience (experimental group)- Occasional assignment as an undercover operative for short periods of time (2 days or less). Frequent experience (experimental group)- Frequent assignment as undercover operative but not extended or continuous undercover role requirements (30 days or less). Long term experience (experimental group)- Long term or deep cover experience with extended or continuous role requirements (in excess of 30 days). Execution Procedure: The undercover law enforcement officers will be administered the following test during regularly scheduled safeguard assessments: 16 PF: 16 personality factors a personality assessment (APPENDIX I.) MMPI-II: Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is test is used to assist in identifying personality structure and psychopathology (or SCL-90R, Millan Instrument MCMI-3) (APPENDIX II.) FIRO-B: Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation (FIRO) is an assessment for interpersonal relations (APPENDIX III.) The Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale: The Holmes and Rahe stress scale is a list of 43 stressful life events that can contribute to illness. (APPENDIX IV.) The Coping Strategies Inventory: is an assessment designed by Rory C. Reid, MSW, Provo Counseling Center. (APPENDIX V.) Anticipated Data Analysis Plan The researchers plans on using Structural Equation Modeling in order to test and estimate causal relations (between personality traits, psychological characteristics, interpersonal relations orientation and an UCs ability to cope with stressors) using a combination of statistical data and qualitative causal assumptions. Expected Findings and Conclusions I expect to identify the stressors inherent to undercover operations. In addition, to determining the specific personality, psychological and interpersonal relations orientation needed to effectively cope with the stressor inherent to undercover work. Expected Relevance for Policy and Practice Research focused on police stress and undercover operations has provided important, but limited insight into the impact of undercover operations on the professional, personal, and social lives of the operatives. There is a lack of empirical research addressing the positive values of undercover assignments from the individual perspective. Therefore, further research is required to identify the impact that undercover assignments have on the lives of those who function in this capacity. Such an understanding is required for efforts to prevent the psychological and physiological damage that can result from continual and high impact stressors faced in undercover operations, and reduce the maladaptive coping methods utilized to counterbalance such stressors. Limitations of the Research The results of this study can only be generalized to the undercover law enforcement population. The researcher also understands that sample size will also determine the genralizability, validity and reliability of this study results to the undercover community. In addition, the operational definitions for four categories of undercover officer, coping strategies and inherent stressors to undercover operations can create bias and may affect the end results of the study. Relevant IRB Issues The IRB will be concerned with determining and assuring that the information obtained on the undercover operatives is recorded in such a manner that the operatives cant be readily identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the operatives; and any disclosure of the operatives responses outside the research could reasonably place the operative at risk of criminal or civil liability or be damaging to the operatives financial standing, employability, or reputation. Given the fact that the study will use historical data currently stored at the Undercover Safeguard Unit (USU), the IRB will further be concerned with making sure that the collection or study of existing data, documents, and records is recorded by the investigator in such a manner again that operatives cannot be identified, directly or through identifiers linked to the operatives. Lastly the IRB will ensure that the approvals of academic and professional department or agency heads are obtained.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

George Orwells Animal Farm :: Animal Farm Essays

Pigs walking on two feet, horses and sheep talking. This is how George Orwell satirizes human nature in his classic novel Animal Farm. Animal Farm is an allegory of the Russian Revolution of 1917. The title of the book is also the setting for the action in the novel. The animals in the story decide to have a revolution and take control of the farm from the humans. Soon the story shows us how certain groups move from the original ideals of the revolution to a situation where there is domination by one group and submission by all the others. The major idea in this story is the political corruption of what was once a pure political ideal. Orwell uses satire to ridicule human traits in his characters such as Napoleon and Squealer. There are several different characters in the novel utilizing animals as symbols of people in real life during the Russian Revolution. Napoleon is the leader of the pigs that ultimately come to dominate the farm. The characteristics that we associate with pigs , lazy, greedy, and pushy are meant to symbolize the characteristics that the leaders of the Russian Revolution exhibited. Napoleon is admired by all of the animals because he is their leader. All of the animals believe that their leader wants to fulfill all of their needs. They also are convinced that Napoleon’s decisions are made the best interest of the animals. Napoleon’s piglike qualities are shown throughout the story. He exhibited greediness when he sold the dying horse, Boxer to a slaughterhouse for money so that he and the other pigs could purchase whiskey. Orwell ridicules human nature through Napoleon in the sense that he is trying to show how the greedy and power hungry eventually end in corruption. Squealer is short, fat and nimble. Just the image of a pig. Squealer is so persuasive that he could turn black into white! This is just what he does again and again throughout the story. Every time that the pigs take more power and money Squealer persuades the animals to think that the decisions are being made are absolutely necessary for the well being of all. When things are scarce, he proves that production has increased- with figures that the animals can not read of course.He is also the one who makes the changes in the Seven Commandments. The characteristics that Squealer has in his personality are not admirable in a human being because Squealer is accurately portrays the propaganda agent that he represents.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019

J. Robert Oppenheimer Essay -- biographies bio

â€Å"There must be no barriers to freedom of inquiry. There is no place for dogma in science. The scientist is free, and must be free to ask any question, to doubt any assertion, to seek for any evidence, to correct any errors. Our political life is also predicated on openness. We know that the only way to avoid error is to detect it and that the only way to detect it is to be free to inquire. And we know that as long as [we] are free to ask what [we] must, free to say what [we] think, free to think what [we] will, freedom can never be lost, and science can never regress.† J. Robert Oppenheimer A man who is almost synonymous with the development of the atomic bomb as well as with the conflicts between the desires of the government and the demands of the conscience, J. Robert Oppenheimer is one of the most influential physicists of our time. J. Robert Oppenheimer was born to a wealthy Jewish couple in New York in 1904. His father Julius Oppenheimer was a textile importer and his mother Ella Friedman was a painter. In his early years, he was interested in mineral collection and began to start sending letters to the New York Mineralogy Club. At age 12, the club asked him to present a paper unaware of his youth. He was successful in school, and his early education was done at the Ethical Culture School in New York until he graduated in 1921. After his high school education, a case of dysentery postponed his entrance into Harvard until 1922. He studied mostly math and science, showing a preference for chemistry saying that it was â€Å"at the heart of things.† He also showed a great affinity for learning languages and throughout his life he would pick up a language quickly in order to read a text in its original form. Finally,... ...ed privileges. It quickly degenerated into humiliation of Oppenheimer’s stance on the development of the H-bomb as â€Å"un-American.† He was attacked for being soft on Communism. He made little effort to defend himself, seemingly uncaring as to his own fate. In the end, the committee voted 4-1 against reinstating him, stating that he was a risk due to â€Å"fundamental defects in his character.† Oppenheimer returned to collegiate life, taking a post at Princeton. He spent most of the rest of his days in relative obscurity, publishing a series of articles on ethics and morality near the end of his life. He had seemed to lose his fire for scientific work with his denouncement. The scientific community was shocked and torn on what had happened to Oppenheimer, and he remains one of the most significant victims of McCarthyism. Oppenheimer succumbed to throat cancer in 1967.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Within a Dolls House Essay example -- Literary Analysis, Henrik Ibsen

â€Å"A women’s place is in the kitchen† is believed by a majority of male Creekview students and most of the world’s male population. Within A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen, Nora, the main character, saves her husband’s life by securing a loan to get the money to take a trip to Italy without his consent. In this time period, the1800s or later, it was unheard of to do something without the husband’s consent. This is similar to the views of the relationship between men and women in Antigone by Sophocles. Antigone is about the house Laius and its curse, with Antigone, the protagonist, burying her brother, Polynices, when it was forbidden by Creon; this crime is punishable by death. She defies man law; going against everything she ever learned, being a rare person to stand up against the man dominated society. Both of these authors, Sophocles and Ibsen, show glimpses into a world that still exists into today’s society but a world that is much different with women’s capabilities, relationship towards men, and individual rights. In both plays the main characters have different capabilities that are unique to each of them. For instance both show strong will that many women are afraid to show. In Antigone the characters show many different capabilities, Antigone included, with these certain characteristics giving her the ability to bury her brother. As she simply says â€Å"Antigone: Guilty. I did it, I deny it not† (Sophocles, pg 189-190). This shows how Antigone is proud of what she is doing, standing up to Creon and his ways with unmoving motivation. As well as showing her true commitment to burying Polynices and being proud of doing so. Plus, Antigone displays this strength of commitment more than anyone else in this play. As Ismene and Ant... ... over time, though in these two plays the hope for change shown bright, but generally women were considered weak and therefore had no such powerful rights. To sum it up both of these plays share the same broad message conveyed throughout the entire play. Which includes, women have the capabilities to do more than they show and are allowed to do. As well as the relationship men and women share is not constant, or the same, there are many different views on the relationship they share and many different variations that change as time progresses. Furthermore the rights of women also change with much time, and hard work by many women who have worked hard for their rights and future rights of all women. Some of this can lead to these two plays, giving new, bold ideas that were frightening for many during their times but helped for the push for a better tomorrow.

Monday, September 16, 2019

Piano Industry, Prp

Porter Five Forces: The piano industry. Threat of substitute products or services: LOW A portable keyboard can be regarded as a substitute but those interested in buying a piano are interested in superior sound, better performance, good looks and elegance. The keyboard has none of these. It is complicated to sell a piano and move it in order to put a keyboard. Threat of new competition: MEDIUM-LOW The capital investment in a piano factory is very high. The market already is filled with competitors that dominate the global market. Brand recognition is also a hard asset to aquire in the piano industry. Pianos are a luxury product that could make an entrant suffer a lot in the even of an economic downturn. Other local Chinese piano manufacturers could potentially become significant competition. Bargaining power of customers: HIGH A piano is a high end product with many different brand offerings. Customers have a large bargaining power driving the margins down. PRP has made this clear by driving prices down by offering a good product at a better price. Bargaining power of suppliers: LOW The suppliers hold no proprietary materials that the piano makers require. Most of the materials are commodity products such as wood and those that are more developed like keys are becoming easier to manufacture in house due to the drop in ease and cost of the machinery required to do so. Intensity of competitive rivalry: HIGH The entrance of companies such as PRP is evidence of the incredibly competitive market the piano industry is. New drastic tactics and strategies like sponsored players that can only use their products in their performances or manufacturing outside their usual territories into asian sites also shows the competitive nature of the business.

Sunday, September 15, 2019

Black Death in Europe Essay

European people faced great hardship during the years 1347-1352 suffering from the effects of the Bubonic Plaque. Prior to this epidemic hitting Europe the population of Europe was growing faster than the food supplies could keep up with and economic crisis was beginning to take place. Once the Bubonic Plaque started spreading it took center stage and over population would not be an issue of concern any longer. The Bubonic Plaque, also referred to as the Black Death, was caused by a bacterial infection found mostly in rodents and their fleas. The infected fleas would come into contact with humans and death would occur in less than a week. Humans suffered from high fever, aching limbs, and lymph nodes would swell and turn black. Humans also contributed to the spread of the plaque by non-effected people coming into contact with the body fluids of an effected person. As the plaque spread the people of Europe found themselves shifting from community and family to worrying about survival of the individual. Men who worked with animals contracted the plaque and died. Women that contracted the plaque that survived could no longer carry a child and were abandoned by their husbands. Children found themselves fighting to survive as their parents were taken by the plaque. Families that did have children would abandoned their children who became infected, the plaque would kill children within hours of contraction if not immediately. In attempt to escape the plaque people that lived in the cities often traveled to the country and most often taking the plaque with them only cause more death. Europe lost roughly one third of the population due to the Bubonic Plaque. The economy during this time also saw a great shift from the twenty five million people lost due to the plaque. Feudalism, which was strong before the plaque, weakened as European people realized that they could work and survive on their own. Many of the farm workers died leaving the land in bad shape which meant poor crop return and a declining food supply. The famers and workers that managed to survive the plaque were able to demand more wages from the knights, baron, or king that owned the land they worked. The cows, goats, sheep, and other live stock that were used for food supply were often shared among communities but as people feared for survival these animals were brought inside homes to prevent exposure only causing more death from spread of the plaque and other diseases. Lastly the economy  suffered from lack of trade with other counties. The Bubonic Plaque’s massive death toll left other countries fearful of trading goods adding to the already hard economy. While the Bubonic Plaque did not completely vanish until late in the fifteenth century the effects on life and economy during the peak of contamination was dramatic. In a five year span Europe experienced entire towns and villages being left lifeless from the Bubonic Plaque. The bacterial infection spread without regard to social and economical class, killing both adults and children. Those that did survive the plaque found new opportunities through negotiating and rebelling.

Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (a)

For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI Harvard Business School9-700-115 Rev. November 21, 2007 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) In April, 1986, the upstart Irish airline Ryanair announced that it would soon commence service between Dublin and London. For nearly a year, the new airline had operated a 14-seat turboprop between Waterford, in the southeast of Ireland, and Gatwick Airport on the outskirts of London. The founders of Ryanair, brothers Cathal and Declan Ryan, felt that service on that first route had developed well. They knew, however, that the Dublin-London route would pose new challenges.For the first time, they would face Aer Lingus, British Airways, and other established competitors on a major route. European Aviation The environment in which the Ryan brothers launched their fledgling carrier had long been shaped by Europe’s national governments. 1Privately owned, commercial airlines sprang up in Europe following World War I. Soon, however, the governments of Brita in, France, Germany, and other countries began to amalgamate the first, small airlines into national â€Å"flag carriers. † Each of these airlines literally carried the flag of its nation on the tails of its aircraft.Figuratively also, each airline carried the flag, serving as an international emissary. Predecessors of British Airways, Air France, Lufthansa, and others gradually became owned by, and subsidized by, their national governments. The route structures of British, French, Dutch, and Belgian flag carriers developed to serve the colonial aims of their respective governments. For instance, the aircraft of British Airways’ predecessor, the aptly named Imperial Airways, were familiar sights in India, South Africa, Australia, and other British outposts by the 1930s. Service focused on international routes from each nation’s capital to colonies, other areas of national influence, and the capitals of other European countries. Intra-country service was sparse, largely connecting provincial cities to the capital. Fares on domestic routes were often kept high to subsidize international service. World War II brought advances in aviation that made air travel widely economical for the first time. The aftermath of the war also brought the threat of American dominance in air travel.Had free competition been permitted on international routes, the efficient, privately owned carriers of the United States would likely have won the lion’s share of the market. 3A set of multilateral and bilateral agreements averted this outcome. The International Air Traffic Association (IATA), essentially a government-endorsed cartel of the major airlines, emerged to set international fares. Governments negotiated bilateral agreements that regulated all aspects of air travel between pairs of countries. In Europe, â€Å"pooling arrangements† became common.Under pooling, the routes between, say, France and Italy would be given strictly to Air France and A litalia. The two flag carriers would Professor Jan W. Rivkin prepared this case as the basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright  © 2000, 2007 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. To order copies or request permission to reproduce materials, call 1-800-545-7685, write Harvard Business School Publishing, Boston, MA 02163, or go to http://www. hbsp. harvard. edu.No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of Harvard Business School. This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 1 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI 700-115Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) pool their capacity an d revenue, then divide the proceeds in an agreed-upon manner.Carriers were banned from flights that did not begin or terminate on their national soil; Air France, for instance, could not fly from Rome to Frankfurt or Milan. Intra-country service was also regulated strictly. To varying degrees, domestic fares were set by government authorities, and entry by new airlines was discouraged. The collapse of European empires and the advent of jets capable of crossing the Atlantic economically led virtually all European flag carriers to refocus their international efforts on routes across the North Atlantic in the late 1950s.Heavy and growing demand for transportation to and from North America made such routes highly profitable, at least initially. Europe’s system of regulation soon came under pressure. A late-1950s attempt to unify the flag carriers of France, West Germany, Belgium, and Italy collapsed under the weight of disparate national interests. By 1960, the Economist magazine bemoaned the state of the heavily regulated, fragmented airline industry. â€Å"The basic trouble,† it concluded, â€Å"remains that the world has too many airlines, most of them inefficient, undercapitalised and unprofitable. 4Though the IATA introduced some forms of restricted, discount fares in the 1950s, consumers grew dissatisfied with high prices. European regulations applied largely to regularly scheduled service between destinations. To bypass these regulations and to tap pent-up demand for leisure travel, charter airlines appeared and grew rapidly during the 1960s. These start-ups, funded in part by shipping companies, offered holiday makers cheap fares on non-scheduled flights and â€Å"inclusive tours† that bundled flights with lodging.Charter holidays proved especially popular among British and Irish vacationers, who used them to escape the North Sea for sunnier climes. By the mid-1980s, charter flights would transport 60% of all European passengers. 5Fla g carriers responded to the independent charter airlines both by establishing new discounts within the IATA structure and by starting charter subsidiaries themselves. The 1970s took airlines around the world into financial straits (Exhibit 1). The introduction of wide-bodied aircraft such as the Boeing 747 increased capacity on the North Atlantic route dramatically.The OPEC oil embargo raised the price of jet fuel, and the ensuing recession cut demand for air travel. These events hit Europe’s flag carriers, with their heavily unionized staffs and high fixed costs, especially hard. Exhibit 2 compares the staff productivity of European and U. S. airlines in 1978. In 1978, the U. S. Congress approved the thorough deregulation of the domestic U. S. airline industry. Pricing, route scheduling, entry, and exit were freed up dramatically. Prices plunged rapidly as airlines competed vigorously for marginal customers.Twenty-two new, low-cost carriers entered the market between 1978 an d 1980. 6Most of the new airlines soon failed, however. Established players such as American, United, and Delta used hub-and-spoke route structures and computerized reservation systems to spur a new wave of consolidation. Following consolidation, prices and profitability remained low and unstable. Strong U. S. airlines reached out for new routes into Europe. The U. S. experience brought calls for European deregulation from consumer advocates and supporters of competition.A 1984 memorandum from the European Commission proposed the abolition of pooling arrangements, price fixing, and government subsidies. Trade unions and flag carriers allied to defeat the proposal. In 1986, the Single European Act called for the creation of a unified European market by the end of 1992. The market was intended to â€Å"comprise an area without internal frontiers in which the free movement of goods, persons, services and capital is ensured†¦. †7 Industry observers expected new proposals for the liberalization of the European airline industry to follow.This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 2 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A)700-115 British Aviation and British Airways While Europe as a whole remained dominated by state-owned carriers with government- mandated monopolies or near-monopolies, individual countries moved to liberalize their domestic airline industries and to push for international deregulation on a bilateral basis with individual countries. The United Kingdom was among the most aggressive in doing so. As early as 1971, Britain’s airline regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, encouraged the establishment of British Caledonian Airways (BCal) as a â€Å"second force† to compete with the dominant, state-owned British Airways (BA). Labor Party governments, however, subsequently protected BA from BCal’s incursions. Though independent airlines such as BCal and British Midland operated in the U. K. during this period, momentum for airline deregulation picked up only after the election of the Conservative, market-minded Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1979.An early Thatcher bill required, for the first time, that regulators give the interests of consumers equal weight to the interests of operators when allocating licenses for new routes. A hallmark of Thatcher’s government was the privatization of state-owned enterprises, and a centerpiece of her privatization programme was a proposed flotation of BA on the stock market. The state of BA in 1979, however, precluded a rapid privatization. The cost structure of BA and its predecessors had been high at least since the end ofWorld War II, when the flag carrier was expected to â€Å"find a job for every demobilized member of the [Royal Air Force]. †9In 1977, the U. S. carrier Delta transported 30. 7 million p assengers with 31,000 employees while BA’s staff of 54,300 moved 14. 5 million passengers. 10After thin profits in the late 1970s, BA suffered a loss of UK? 102 million on revenue of UK? 1,760 million in 1981. A new chairman, John King—a self-made millionaire with experience in the ball-bearing industry—was brought in to revive BA and prepare it for privatization.With generous severance packages, King reduced BA’s staff to 38,000 by 1985. Loss-making routes were surrendered to competitors, and maintenance stations and training colleges were shuttered. King soon yielded the reins to Colin Marshall, a former executive of car rental agency Avis, who began to improve customer service. Marshall paid particular attention to satisfying full-fare business customers. By 1984, BA was earning record profits (Exhibit 3), and its privatization was being planned for 1987. Deregulation slowed during the period of BA’s turnaround.A Civil Aviation Authority proposa l to shift some of BA’s routes to BCal, for instance, was defeated in 1984, largely because the Treasury Ministry opposed the plan. In 1986, BA operated one of the world’s most extensive airline route networks, serving 145 destinations in 68 countries. 11No airline carried more international passengers. International journeys accounted for roughly two-thirds of the seats that BA sold and nine-tenths of its revenue. Nearly 80% of passengers passed through London’s main airport at Heathrow, one of the world’s busiest transportation hubs.Plying the network was a fleet of 163 aircraft, ranging from 44-seat turboprops to Boeing 747s with room for nearly 400. Since 1980, BA had invested roughly UK? 700 million to purchase 55 new aircraft, mostly for service within Europe. The company was beginning to upgrade its intercontinental fleet. In the United Kingdom and New York, BA provided its own passenger and ground services (e. g. , for passenger check-in, baggage handling, and aircraft cleaning). Elsewhere, it hired contractors to perform such services.BA catered its own flights from Heathrow, but contracted out all other catering. The company performed most of its own maintenance from a base at Heathrow and had engineering capabilities at three-quarters of the airports it served. BA sold tickets over the telephone and in 171 retail shops worldwide, where agents also sold package vacations. In addition, 49,000 independent travel agents had the ability to book tickets on BA via computerized reservation systems, including BA’s own system. Such agents accounted for 83% of the company’s scheduled passenger revenue.BA pitched its services to a wide range of This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 3 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI 700-115Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) business and leisure travelers. Accordingly, i t offered a spectrum of ticket prices with varying restrictions and the full range of classes of service—from first class to economy. Especially among business travelers, BA was known for its improving in-flight amenities. Exhibit 4 shows BA’s revenue and operating cost per scheduled passenger.The 6. 9% operating margin shown there reflects BA’s entire route network. In Europe alone, the carrier earned a 4. 4% margin. Irish Aviation and Aer Lingus As a country with a small population, limited land mass (roughly 250 kilometers across and 400 long), and no colonial possessions, Ireland did not lend itself naturally to commercial aviation. 12 Yet in 1936, a mere 15 years after Ireland’s initial political separation from Britain and 13 years before full independence, government and private interests in Ireland came together to form Aer Lingus, a flag carrier for the emerging state.Government support proved crucial in the airline’s early days. Annual lo sses in the 1930s and 1940s commonly ran between 20% and 100% of revenue. Not until the early 1950s did the airline earn a profit in consecutive years, and then only for a short period. Early on, passenger traffic focused on routes between Ireland and Britain, where a large population of Irish emigrants resided. To develop these routes, the Irish and British governments struck an unusual arrangement in 1946. Through BA’s predecessors, the British government took a 40% stake in Aer Lingus, leaving 60% in the hands of Ireland.Aer Lingus was granted monopoly rights to routes over the Irish Sea. BA’s predecessors gained the valuable right to land at Shannon Airport on Ireland’s west coast, refuel, and continue on across the Atlantic. (Aircraft ranges at the time required such a refueling stop. ) In exchange, Aer Lingus was allowed to land in Manchester, take on passengers, and continue to continental Europe. Such â€Å"onward rights† were rare in Europe and m arked the beginning of relatively liberal bilateral agreements between Britain and Ireland.The British partnership continued for a decade until Aer Lingus’ desire to develop its own trans-Atlantic routes, to reach the large ethnic Irish populations in New York and Boston, created a rift. Amicably, the British government reduced and eventually relinquished its stake in Aer Lingus. The predecessors of BA and independent carriers such as British Midland began to fly routes between Britain and Ireland. Problems on the North Atlantic corridor in the 1970s hit Aer Lingus especially hard. Compared to other carriers on the route, Aer Lingus drew its passengers especially heavily from the ranks of tourists.Tourist passengers actively sought promotional fares, created erratic peaks of seasonal demand, and largely stayed at home during the recession of the mid-1970s. The Irish government insisted that Aer Lingus continue to fly the North Atlantic corridor despite losses on the route. 13 Aer Lingus first published its objectives in 1971 and had, by 1986, reviewed and ratified the statement a number of times. The statement called on Aer Lingus to provide an air transport service that was â€Å"safe, efficient, reliable, and profitable. The airline touted the many benefits it brought to the Irish community: national development, promotion of tourism, employment, a contribution to the balance of payments, and educational, social, and cultural services. 14 Losses in the 1970s prompted Aer Lingus to seek new sources of revenue and profit. â€Å"We perceived that an airline with a limited home market, limited financial resources and a cyclical product would have to diversify,† reflected one of Aer Lingus’ chief executives. 15Aer Lingus began to offer maintenance service and engineer training to other airlines.Successful introduction of its computer reservation system led Aer Lingus to offer computer consulting and data processing services. The company also entered the hotel business in London, Paris, and New England. By 1986, This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 4 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A)700-115 so-called ancillary businesses include hospital management in Baghdad and an investment in robotics. In 1984-85, air transportation, irline-related services such as maintenance, and non-airline businesses provided Aer Lingus operating profits of 0. 5 million Irish pounds (I? ), I? 12. 7 million, and I? 17. 1 million, respectively. 16Within air transportation, Aer Lingus’ domestic and European routes earned a modest operating profit while its trans-Atlantic flights sustained operating losses for the sixth time in seven years. 17During the coming decade, Aer Lingus faced tens of millions of pounds of investment to replace aging jets in its fleet. Government officials were conte mplating the sale of part of the company to finance the capital expenditures.Ryanair Cathal and Declan Ryan had essentially grown up in the airline industry. 18Their father, Tony Ryan, had long worked for Aer Lingus. As the flag carrier’s aircraft leasing manager, the elder Ryan struck innovative deals to lease excess capacity to other airlines. From 1973 to 1975, for instance, he arranged for an Aer Lingus 747 and its Irish crew to ply Air Siam’s route between Bangkok and Los Angeles. 19In 1975, Tony Ryan co-founded Guinness Peat Aviation, which quickly became the largest aircraft leasing company in the world.Tony Ryan’s 10% stake in Guinness Peat Aviation gave him sufficient wealth to invest a million Irish pounds in his sons’ efforts to launch an airline. Both sons were in their 20s when Ryanair initiated service in 1985. At first, Ryanair used a 14-seat turboprop aircraft to run a scheduled service between Waterford in the southeast of Ireland and Gat wick Airport, one of London’s secondary airports. This initial service was intended to prove the company’s ability to operate a scheduled airline successfully. In 1986, Ryanair gained a license to operate between Dublin and Luton, another of London’s secondary airports.Aer Lingus and BA already operated on the Dublin-London route, which was reputed to be quite lucrative for both carriers. Indeed, Aer Lingus’ Chairman noted that â€Å"Dublin-London is the only route on the Aer Lingus network that has the volume of business to allow of itself a reasonable return on capital. †20Aer Lingus’ and BA’s least expensive, unrestricted round-trip fares on the route were priced at I? 208 (equivalent to UK? 189 at the time). Discount fares as low as I? 99 were available, though they had to be booked one month in advance.Observers felt that the figures shown in Exhibit 4 were typical of Aer Lingus’ and BA’s average revenues and costs for a Dublin-London round trip. Ryanair managers believed that the flights of Aer Lingus and BA were typically 60-70% full. According to airport authorities, half a million round-trip passengers flew the route each year. The total number of air passengers on the route had been stagnant for ten years. Roughly three-quarters of a million round-trip travelers opted to use rail and sea ferries rather than aircraft. The journey took nine hours by rail and ferry and one hour by air.Prices of round-trip rail-and-ferry tickets fell as low as I? 55. 21 On their new Dublin-London service, the Ryan brothers intended to run four round trips per day with a 44-seat turboprop. They did not have permission to fly larger jet aircraft on the route, but hoped to get permission soon. Ryanair would offer meals and amenities comparable to what Aer Lingus and British Airways provided. The company would distinguish itself from the flag carriers in two ways. First, its employees would focus intently on deli vering first-rate customer service.Second, the company would charge a simple, single fare for a ticket with no restrictions. In announcing its Dublin-London service, Ryanair publicized a fare of I? 98. This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 5 700-115 Exhibit 1 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) Composite Profitability of All Major, Scheduled European Airlines 10 5 0 -5 Introduction of wide-body jets First oil crisis Second oil crisis -10 Introduction of jetsSource: Association of European Airlines, 1994 Yearbook, p. 19. Exhibit 2Staff Productivity of U. S. and European Airlines, 1978 Airline U. S. carriers: American Eastern Pan American TWA United European carriers: Air France Alitalia British Airways KLM Lufthansa Staff 40,134 35,899 26,964 36,549 52,065 32,173 17,040 54,645 17,812 29,400 Passengers per staff memberStaff per aircraft 762158 1,099156 358355 665156 657156 333314 374279 308264 231326 460320 Source: House of Lords Select Committee on European Air Fares, 1981, 185-7, European Air Fares, Air Transport Users Committee, Civil Aviation Authority, 1978.Cited in P. Lyth and H. Dienel, â€Å"Introduction† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), p. 8. This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 6 Profit after interest as a percentage of total costs 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) Exhibit 3British Airways Performance, 1977-85 For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI 700-115 Revenue (mm UK? ) Operating profit before taxes and interest (mm UK? )Passengers (mm) Staff (thousands) Available ton-kilometers (mm) T on-kilometersused(mm) Load* (%) 197719791981 1,073. 91,403. 31,760 95. 876 . 0(102) 14. 515. 817. 0 54. 355. 953. 6 6,2337,1647,930 3,6074,4164,812 586261 19831985 2,0512,905 169292 16. 318. 4 45. 938. 1 7,2087,837 4,4615,267 6267 * Load = portion of available ton-kilometers used, a measure of capacity utilization. Source: British Airways Annual Reports. Cited in P. Lyth, â€Å"Chosen Instruments: The Evolution of British Airways† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), pp. 2, 74. Exhibit 4British Airways Average Revenue and Cost per Passenger, 1986 UK? Revenue 151. 3 Operating expenses Staff32. 4 Depreciation & amortization7. 8 Fuel & oil28. 9 Engineering and other aircraft costs8. 9 Selling16. 4 Aircraft operating leases3. 1 Landing fees and en route charges10. 6 Handling charges, catering, & other15. 1 Accommodation, ground equipment & other17. 7 Percent of I? Revenue 166. 5100. 0% 35. 721. 4% 8. 65. 1% 31. 819. 1% 9. 85. 9% 18. 010. 8% 3. 42. 0% 11. 77. 0% 16. 610. 0% 19. 511. 7% Subtotal 140. 9 Operating profit10. 411. 4Source: Case writer calculations, based on British Airways Prospectus, February 11, 1987. This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 7 155. 193. 1% 6. 9% For the exclusive use of J. SICINSKI 700-115Dogfight over Europe: Ryanair (A) Notes 1 This section draws especially on P. Lyth and H. Dienel, â€Å"Introduction,† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), pp. 1-17. 2 P. Lyth, â€Å"Chosen Instruments: The Evolution of British Airways,† in H.Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), p. 50. 3 P. Lyth and H. Dienel, â€Å"Introduction,† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmilla n, 1998), p. 3. 4 â€Å"Unfree as the Air,† The Economist, May 28, 1960. 5 P. Lyth and H. Dienel, â€Å"Introduction,† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), p. 7. 6 N. Donohue and P. Ghemawat, â€Å"The U. S. Airline Industry, 1978-1988 (A), HBS Case 390-025. A. P. Dobson, Flying in the Face of Competition (Hants: Avebury Aviation, 1995), p. 192. 8 This section draws especially on P. Lyth, â€Å"Chosen Instruments: The Evolution of British Airways† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), pp. 50- 86. 9 P. Lyth, â€Å"Chosen Instruments: The Evolution of British Airways† in H. Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), p. 65. 10 P. Lyth, â€Å"Chosen Instruments: The Evolution of British Airways† in H.Dienel and P. Lyth, eds. , Flying the Flag: European Commercial Air Transport Since 1945 (London: Macmillan, 1998), pp. 72-73. 11 The following description of British Airways in 1986 draws on the company’s February 11, 1987, prospectus. 12 This section draws especially on M. O’Riain, Aer Lingus, 1936-1986: A Business Monograph, 1987 and B. Share, The Flight of the Iolar: The Aer Lingus Experience, 1936-1986 (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1986). 13 H. Carnegy, â€Å"Turbulent Times for Aer Lingus,† Financial Times, June 3, 1986. 14 Aer Lingus Annual Report, March 31, 1986. 15 Extract from M. J.Dargan’s address to the 50th Anniversary Banquet of Aer Lingus in the Royal Hospital, Kilmainham, 27 May 1986. Quoted in M. O’Riain, Aer Lingus, 1936-1986: A Business Monograph, 1987. 16 H. Carnegy, â€Å"Turbulent Times for Aer Lingus,† Financial Times, June 3, 1986. 17 Aer Lingus Annual Report, March 31, 1986. 18 This section draws especially on interviews conducted with Ryanair personnel between February 10 and February 17, 2000, including Michael O’Leary, CEO; Declan Ryan, founder; Charlie Clifton, Director of Ground Operations and Inflight; and Kevin Osborne, Director of Purchasing and Administration. 9 B. Share, The Flight of the Iolar: The Aer Lingus Experience, 1936-1986 (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan, 1986), pp. 203- 206. 20 Aer Lingus Annual Report, March 31, 1986. 21 J. Fagan, â€Å"Air Price War Hits Sea Route Traffic,† Financial Times, September 24, 1987. H. Carnegy, â€Å"UK-Irish Air Route Challenge,† Financial Times, April 24, 1986. This document is authorized for use only by Jan Sicinski in Strategic Management IBP 10-11 taught by Dr. TOMASZ LUDWICKI from October 2010 to April 2011. 8

Saturday, September 14, 2019

Advancing Technology

Maintaining the Role of Technology Technology has been and will forever be advancing. It plays an important role in everyone's life, and can be found anywhere. Whether it's a six year old child playing with an IPhone, or an 80 year old lady reading a book on her kindle. There is Just no hiding from it. But with the advancement of technology, is society advancing with it, or Just becoming robots? To succeed in not being taken over by technology people must be true to themselves, set limits, and detach from it. Now a days, almost everyone has some sort of social media network.It could be a Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. That is what makes the internet such a dangerous place. While on the computer anyone could put anything as themself. They could make fake profiles or give false information about themselves, and the only person who would know is them. Someone could be talking to who they believe is a cute 20 year old girl, who they want to meet up with and date, but in reality it co uld be a 30 year old trucker playing a Joke. It is easy for people to hide behind a computer screen and that is why they do it so often. A prime example of this can be found from the T. V show â€Å"Catfish. What happens in the show is, two people end up talking to each other nline; they start talking for a while, and then they fall in love without ever seeing each other. Then the hosts of the show go to one of the people and help them meet the â€Å"love of their life. † But out of the 24 aired episodes, only two people have actually been who they really said they were. But there are many more people who aren't being who they really say they are. So while using technology people should be who they really are, and Just because they can hide behind a computer screen, they should still be true to themselves. Hiding from technology is not an easy task.Some people actually need technology or important things, so they can't Just throw it away. So instead of shutting out technolog y completely, people should Just set limits for themselves. The limit is up to them; either hardly using technology and Just going outside and enjoying the great outdoors, or cutting back to a certain amount of hours they use it. When setting these limits, take into account the time that you really need it. For instance, for work, checking important e-mails, or even school. People should cut back and use it when they actually need to, instead of using it all of the time when they have nothing better to do.Using technology for entertainment is alright, Just try to cut back and set limits so that it isn't over used. Just because someone doesn't check their Facebook every minute, or stare at their phone while their Twitter news feed goes crazy doesn't leave you out of the loop. And that is the key to not being taken over. A big problem that people get is that they feel that they must constantly check their things so they don't miss something important. The problem is that they are miss ing out on what is happening right now and not focusing on the current. They could be driving and get an urge that they'll miss a party invite, so they must check.Or if they are at a family get together and they are bored, they will Just go on Facebook and think that, that is a better way to spend their time, but they actually shouldn't be using their phone, and instead making the best of should detach from technology and the virtual world. No matter the age, no matter the gender, everyone uses technology. It helps people get through their everyday lives. It could be used for business or Just entertainment, but no matter what the reason is people should always look out to not be used by technology. To do so they should remember to be true to themselves, set limits, and to detach from technology.

Friday, September 13, 2019

Case Study of The Deepwater Horizon Disaster Essay

Case Study of The Deepwater Horizon Disaster - Essay Example decision makers have to consider several tensions; for instance, individuals against profits, or short against long term rewards, so as to account for the various decision points of the diverse stakeholders. The management of BP illustrated that the company the development and also safety of the societies in their areas of operation. Safety is achieved through aiming for minimal accidents and harm to individuals, and also minimal environmental damage. Present companies generally explain that they serve the best interests of stakeholders. The companies stress the â€Å"triple bottom line† illustrating people, planet and then profits. These companies also emphasize good corporate citizenship in their societies, and ensure sustainability through safeguarding long term assets like environment and employees. But, this desired rhetoric cannot be achieved without the formulation of strategic decisions which reflects corporate social responsibility. Decisions illustrates where company rhetoric is transformed into practical reality, through implementation. Ethical decision making entails less complicated processes. Organizational structures or routines can develop organizational culture that render activities common sense, require less or no decisions. Company decisions are mainly among competing â€Å"goods† like short term against long term interests, proven systems against innovation, and reducing different categories of risks. This 2010 case study that analyzes deepwater horizon and Macondo well explosion, illustrates good example of ethical decision making complexities (Liu, 2011). On 20th April, 2010, leaking gas and oil from the Macondo exploratory site reached the overhead deepwater rig, and resulted in an explosion, and eventually the well blowout. The explosion resulted in the death of 11 individuals, the injury of 16 people, and traumatizing experience of 99 survivors. The blowout discharged approximately 5 million oil barrels for more than 87 days. Several

Thursday, September 12, 2019

Scenario Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Scenario - Essay Example Furthermore, it forces one side to feel oppressed and correct, while the other feels guilt. Bringing up such tension simples show how racism is easy to rekindle and divisive even in its resolutions. In Ms. Williams’ place, I would present situations in foreign countries that show the devastating results not only of racism, but of counter-racism. More important than simply raising awareness about how racism has subsided nation-wide is to show the damage cause when groups do exactly what the students are doing—coming together as a race to stand against, rather than unite with, another. I would show immediately the most basic case, which is how anti-Semitism developed in Nazi Germany as a result to a pro-white movement. This would illustrate how too much pride in one’s own race can devastate. I would go on to give them harsh realities of genocide. One example is the Armenian genocide committed by Turkey, where European people suffered at the hands of another race. I would also mention that blacks in Africa are not only the oppressed, as they were in 20th Century America, but also have been violently oppressive. In the end, this would give the students a dose of reality rather than idealism. It would be a warning that conflicts have no victors, and that racism divides can divide into even smaller grudges which can end not only in hurt but in shocking loss of human life. This would be a lesson for all, and it would end with a reminder of why America gives us opportunity to live together—because our fathers and grandfathers managed to come to

Wednesday, September 11, 2019

Public Broadcasting Service Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Public Broadcasting Service - Essay Example The lingering question is how can PBS best position themselves to compete with broadcast networks and non-premium cable channels. With the rules of corporate underwriting having changed and with the public funding of PBS slashed with the arrival of Republican control of Congress and the White House, public broadcasting finds itself moving toward the acceptance of standard advertising techniques. The demographics of those who watch PBS strongly suggest that there will always be sponsors who wish to exploit that high end buying power. All of this does not mean that PBS needs to position itself to act like other TV selling organizations, however. Viewers of PBS are accustomed to a minimum of advertising and a prime selling point is the lack of interruption of those programs except for the semi-annual fundraising drives. To venture PBS toward a situation in which a Masterpiece Theater production of a Dostoyevsky novel is interrupted for commercials for tampons or beer would be to risk losing a primal attraction for the very audience seeking out that kind of prestige programming.