How to Say Nothing in 500 Words

?In Paul Roberts essay â€Å"How to Say Nothing in 500 Words† he gives us nine tips that we can use to be a more productive writer. The first is to â€Å"Avoid the obvious† in which we should make a list of the things that immediately come to mind and not use them in your writing. Second he says that you should â€Å"Take the less usual side† which most people will avoid. He also mentions that trying to predict what the teacher wants is not a good way to choose a topic. Third is to â€Å"Slip out of abstraction† by not using vague topics but to go into detail instead.Number four says to â€Å"Get rid of the obvious padding† by beginning with more real content so you don’t have to add fluff. The fifth is â€Å"Call a fool a fool† meaning that you should get to the point and not be apologetic. The sixth is to â€Å"Beware of pat expressions† which are common phrases that everybody uses. Next is to use â€Å"Colorful words† to paint a picture or cause an emotion. In number eight he says to use â€Å"Colored words† which have associations either good or bad that are common to us from past experiences. Finally he warns against using too many â€Å"Colorless words† which have been utilized so much that the meanings have been diminished.I agree with what Paul has written because I have made each one of these mistakes, especially trying to find as many words as possible to fill up a page. I found that he used examples in a way that made his points clear and easy to understand. The text is a little dated but well written with the exception of some spelling and grammar mistakes. In one sentence that stood out to me, he used every one of the â€Å"colorless words† that he had listed, which was barely understandable. I plan on using the ideas from this essay in my future writing in hopes that I will not get a grade of â€Å"D. †

Management Info Systems Midterm

Jacqueline Soto Midterm Information Systems I 1) A 2) A 3) B 4) A 5) A 6) C 7) D 8) C 9) C 10) C 11) B 12) D 13) D 14) B 15) A 16) A 17) C 18) D 19) A 20) D 21) B 22) C 23) B 24) B 25) A Essay Questions 26. You work for an auto manufacturer and distributor. How could you use information systems to achieve greater customer intimacy? You could create a website that allows customers to built their car to their satisfaction.You could also implement a forum where customers could communicate with other customers about any questions or concerns they may have and also talk to support personnel. You could also create an automated system that reminds customers about scheduled maintenance routines and such. 31. What do you consider to be the primary ethical, social, and political issues regarding information system quality? Privacy, Accuracy, Property & Accessibility. 32. How do you think our government should handle the political issue of Internet decency and access limitations?In my opinion, the Internet is way too extensive to try and manage or regulate. There are always going to be ways to share copyright information and breach access limitations. The Internet has definitely gotten way out of hand when it comes to music videos, music, software, ect. I think they should just stop trying to limit the users because they will find one way or another to share new material. 33. What are the functions of management? Briefly ExplainFunctions of management are to make decisions and to formulate actions plans to solve organizational problems. They also have to make sure the company is efficient. 34. What is the difference between a risk and an issue? A risk is a future event that may have an impact on budget, scope, and schedule. An issue is a current problem that is not a risk because it has already happened and has influenced the budget, scope, and schedule. Bonus Question What are the keys to managerial effectiveness and how does IT support them?Give an example of each. Effi ciency – Doing the right things. IT supports by automating routine tasks. (Scheduling a backup of exchange on the server every Monday at 6:00pm) Effectiveness – Doing the right things right. IT helps managers identify opportunities. (Make sure the backup ran properly and test to see if the backup is complete) Transformation – Using IT to change the way you do business. Transforming the product or service being delivered. (You can do the testing remotely by using rdp)

Role of Family System And Business In Family Business Sustainability Essay

Role of Family System And Business In Family Business Sustainability - Essay Example the family system’s contribution to business enhancement include financial management practices, family functioning style, additional family income, and subjective measures such as functional integrity of the family, satisfaction with the family’s quality of life, and success in achieving the most important family goal. Similarly, other criteria related to family systems that help to improve business processes are reducing family tensions, living in a multi-generation family, undergoing sleep deprivation for devoting additional time to the business, hiring temporary help during hectic periods are other factors that will be taken into consideration to examine their impacts on business revenue. Olson, Zuiker, Danes, et al (2003) state that the family has a greater effect on the business than the business has on the family. The Family Business Research Group developed the Sustainable Family Business (SFB) model which equally recognizes the family and the business, and the dynamics between the two factors in achieving sustainability for both, state Heck, Jasper, Stafford et al (2000). The SFB model of empirical research portrays business system success as a systemic phenomenon. It includes research on several areas including â€Å"business performance, business strategy, subjective measures of business success and effects of the family on business performance† (Olson et al 2003, p.645). The research results will indicate the impact on business success by business characteristics, business owner attributes, and distinguishing features of the family system. Review of Literature The family system performs a â€Å"key integrating role for the business and at the same time meets the needs of the family† (Fletcher 2002, p.11). In this dynamic relationship, the family goals... This report stresses that Family and business are the two subsystems with their inherent and distinctive needs, â€Å"role requirements, rules, values and cultures†. Both subsystems are crucial in determining the extent to which sustainability of family business is achieved. Family types have been identified by characteristics including how a family communicates, resolves conflict and organizes itself, style of leadership and decision-making, and importance of traditions and values†. This paper makes a conclusion that the family system performs a â€Å"key integrating role for the business and at the same time meets the needs of the family†. In this dynamic relationship, the family goals are the most important, and influence business and family decisions. There may be a conflict when a family member’s behaviour calls for firing the person from the business system, yet the person continues to be accepted by the family system. Few family businesses consider firing a child, or other relative. Within family and business systems, individuals have different roles with specific expectations for behaviour. Thus, a child taught in the family system not to argue with the father, may have difficulty in expressing conflicting viewpoints in the business system when as a manager the individual is required to deal with the parent. â€Å"The confusion of roles such as parent/ founder/ owner/ child/ manager/ owner/ non-operating family member/ sibling, and the carryover of roles from one system to the other† are considered as critical sources of tension in the family business.

English Research Paper #3 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

English Research Paper #3 - Essay Example The existing psychological studies seem not to cover the true extent of its possibility as a variety of criticisms and analysis of this nature focused on the psychological interpretation of the fiction mainly treating them as unconscious manifestation of the writer's own problems. However, it is possible to undertake a more detailed psychological reading of his fiction, reaching beyond the conventional psychological analyses, in order to identify the author's awareness of the unconscious processes and imaginative powers. Thus, a detailed psychological analysis of the fiction by Poe, especially the major short stories such as "The Cask of Amontillado," reveals that the author was unusually aware of the often incomprehensible mental unconscious processes and also that he possessed tremendous understanding and control of the mental make up as Poe was blessed with a conscious theory of the mind and in this paper we undertake such an analysis. It is the author's skill in developing the ch aracter along the psychological path, completely understanding the way a character should act in similar situations, what helps him in creating characters of great recognition. A profound analysis of the story "the Cask of Amontillado" proves this great mastery of Poe in characterization. To have a closer understanding of the biography and literary career of Edgar Allen Poe, before we proceed exploring the psychological analysis of "the Cask of Amontillado," we may state that the short career of the great American literary genius which came to a sudden tragic end due to drug abuse and consumption of alcohol was enough to carve an everlasting literary monument of prose and poetry that reminds the generations of the master craftsman. This great literary genius was born on January 19, 1809, in Boston as the son of David, Jr. (a lawyer-turned actor) and Elizabeth Poe (an English actress) and was blessed with a good literary background. He acquired fame as a novelist, critic, short story writer, and poet and worked in various literary magazines such as Burlington Gentleman's Magazine, Evening Mirror, and Graham's Lady's and Gentleman's Magazine. Significantly, Poe "was far ahead of his time in his vision of a special area of human experience--the "inner world" of dream, ha llucination, and imagination." (Edgar Allan Poe, Bibliographical Essay, 2004). Poe has numerous poetry collections such as Tamerlane and Other Poems: By a Bostonian (1827), Al Aaraaf, Tamerlane, and Minor Poems (1829), Poems (1831), The Raven and Other Poems (1845), and Eureka: A Prose Poem (1848), stories like Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840), Prose Romances: The Murders in the Rue Morgue and The Man That Was Used Up (1843), and Tales (1845) etc to his credit. It is most significant that "Poe's stature as a major figure in world literature is primarily based on his ingenious and profound short stories, poems, and critical theories, which established a highly influential rationale for the short form in both poetry and fiction." (Edgar Allan Poe, Sidelights, 2004). Most remarkably, "there is a psychological intensity that is characteristic of Poe's writings, especially the tales of horror that comprise his best and best-known works. These stories--which

Supply chain management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 4

Supply chain management - Essay Example The supply chain is defined as the activities linked with the movement and alteration of commodities from the lowest stage to the consumer’s stage. Supply chain does not have much difference hence this made the organizations start the tendency of depending fully on suppliers to enable them execute their duties efficiently. However, any organization can fit to be part of supply chain. Supply chain management needs a clear management hard work by the involved organizations in supply chain. For supply chain management to be successful, the companies involved must implement on the enterprise-to-enterprise perception (Mentzer, 2001). Top management is the most significant constituents when one or many companies is attempting to inject a new idea in the market, for example, a new product or a program. Because top management are essential in SCM and they have the ability to identify crucial resources that fit supply chain ventures, due to these, the company has the power to restructure and create policies to help both organizational objectives. Recent research specified that top management often acknowledge the existence of SCM, and the commitment features only once in three organizations. Hesitation to SCM commitment may arise when the top management uncomfortable with its client’s strength in the supply chain, these factors lead to their success in the market. What creates these difficulties are the challenges in global supply chain which include economic differences, technological differences, cultural, logistical and spatial differences, these factors have their different impacts hence globalization supply facing difficulties. For instance, global supply chain expounds into longer and are more unpredictable, there might be delays during shipment, which creates increment of the client’s demand, for example, what

Cognitive Development and Cognitive Views of Learning Essay

Cognitive Development and Cognitive Views of Learning - Essay Example Children in the concrete operational stage of development accept the rules and seldom deliberately move outside them. According to Piaget's theory, children from age 7 to 11 move from preconventional to concrete operational where these children have experienced interaction with others in a school setting and have begun to care what others think about them. Children in the 7-11 age group have the most potential for establishing a positive moral behavioral base. Morality becomes an issue for this age group because this is a time when children move from how a situation will affect them personally to how their behavioral choices will affect someone else. However, throughout this stage, conflicts occur that create moral dilemmas and children in this age group are influenced by so many ideas about what is or is not moral that it is easy for them to make some wrong choices. It is important for a teacher to stress the fact that it is all right to make mistakes because that is how we learn. It is the positive or negative result of the choice made that will help them determine right or wrong in future dilemmas. In other words, they first learn the rules, then how the rules affect behavior, and finally, whether trying to follow the rules might create a moral dilemma while breaking the rule would seem to be the proper choice. Appropriate strategies to use to teach the selected topic One problem with trying to teach morality in the classroom is that different children have different concepts of the rules of behavior when it comes to moral issues. However, by creating different moral dilemmas and setting up discussion groups within a classroom, individual students can present a dilemma and its possible resolution, and other students can debate or accept the resolution. The result of this is that the class can establish a moral code of behavior that they can accept. Once that has been accomplished, a further situation could be presented through a children's book that discusses morality, such as The Complete Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault (1993) newly translated by Neil Philip and Nicoletta Simborowski from Perrault's original collection, or in a book such as The Children's Book of Virtues (1995) by William Bennett. Bennett offers what he considers conventional role models for young people while the fairy tales present characters with debatable morals that can gen erate discussion within a group. Over the years, well-known fairy tales have evolved into versions that are influenced by changing moral concerns within society. In keeping with today's moral breakdown, Sleeping Beauty's story in its original format doesn't end when the prince awakens her. In a passage from Marjorie Allen's discussion of the translation (1999) her life continues: She marries him in secret and has two children-a boy and a girl. But she and the prince do not live happily ever after as king and queen, at least not for quite some time, because the queen mother happens to be part ogre

Discounting and Present Value Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Discounting and Present Value Analysis - Essay Example Since I am the investor in this situation, I would perceive a certain required rate of return based on my own understandings and estimates of current market inflation, risk-free rate, expected rate of return of the market and other risk factors. Thus, it would be my choice to choose an appropriate required rate of return (RRR) keeping in view the above things. In this case, 8% is my RRR and at this rate I would sell the project for $281,893. C. Price and discount rate go inversely while inflation has a direct relation with the interest rates. If inflation increase, interest rates will rise too and since price goes inversely, it will fall. This would cause me to choose a higher RRR. This in turn, will cause the discount factor in the formula to increase, which would then cause the present value to decline. Thus, the prices I would charge currently will be lower that the previous case. D. If the inflation or interest rate rises in the market, it would cause me to choose a higher rate of return because of the increased risk. In other words, keeping the risk-free rate constant, my risk premium that I demand for a particular investment would rise. Since in this case, the goldmine is located in a third world country, my choice would be to charge a higher price in the wake of higher uncertainty regarding risk factors like inflation risk, interest rate risk etc. The right choice between the two bonds will correctly ... The right choice between the two bonds will correctly be based on bond ratings of the two companies issued by genuine credit rating agency. An authentic source would be ratings by Standard & Poor or Moody's. During the previous fiscal year, General Motors already declared a huge loss and much lower profits than previously projected. According to news, GM's bond rating was cut to junk status by S&P quite recently. This is a step taken keeping in view the highly unstable state of earning it has shown over the previous period. Moreover, S&P said clearly that GM is in a risky financial position for some time to come. The company has been losing market share to Asian rivals Toyota, Honda, Nissan and Hyundai, even as the overall number of new vehicles purchased each year in North America has hovered at record highs. Rising interest rates could keep the market from growing much more, the ratings agency said, and any reduction in demand would be a traumatic event for GM.1 On the other hand, Standard & Poor's Equity Research emphasized on a "strong buy" rating on Cisco Systems. The company also occupies a strong ranking among other forums like the Fortune 500. The decision here would be to pay a lower price for the bonds of General Motors than that of Cisco Systems. Even if Cisco Systems were not rated among the AAs, it would still be preferable because of the risk factors attached to General Motor's current status in the automobile industry and an uncertain future due to increased competition from Japanese manufacturers and particularly because of a highly low rated junk status assigned by S&P to its bonds. In other words, Cisco system bonds require a higher price to be paid today with a lower discount rate than GM. Work Cited GM, Ford Bond Ratings

CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

ASSIGNMENT - Case Study Example In Mary Kay, it would seem that there was not an evident breach between the roles of entrepreneur and owner-manager (Underwood 2003). Mary Kay embodied the traits of both roles and appears to have been able to comfortably slip into one role or the other depending on circumstances. For instance, as an owner-manager, Mary Kay exhibited a very strong internal locus of control. Essentially, she was able to encourage herself to embrace new roles. She was actually motivated by her own ability to believe that she could make her business a success just by making the most of her god-given traits. In addition, she exhibited great courage in her ability to take risks in order to develop her business while also aiming to be the best in her chosen field. There were also situational factors that helped Mary Kay to success after she launched her business. Her demotion in her place of work at a time when she was supposed to be promoted merely served to spur her into launching out on her own. While it may be seen as a disadvantage, the absence of women from the workplace may actually have helped Mary Kay to reach the level of success that she did. If there were more women in the Beauty industry, the competition would have divided the market and forced Mary Kay Inc. to be more innovative in order to win clients (Underwood 2003). Mary Kay’s religion also played a major role in her life. She believed that God wanted the best for her, and this belief spurred her into action even when she faced rejection. Mary Kay launched a business with just nine employees and hardly enough capital at a time when the majority of women in America tended to focus on making homes for their families. She faced discrimination on the basis of her gender when she approached financial institutions for huge loans. She did not have enough money to launch her operation, but did it anyway. Mary Kay’s ambitiousness showed

Separate Peace Essay Example for Free

Separate Peace Essay Gene has a huge ego. His life revolves around competition. Everyday life is transformed to a constant war with everyone around him. He sees everyone he encounters as his rivals and enemies. He says about sports, â€Å"It was as though football players were really bent on crushing the life out of each other†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦as though even a tennis ball might turn into a bullet†. (Knowles pp. 84) Gene sees matters of life and death in harmless games of sports. Gene is never comfortable with his own identity. He is envious of those who are better than him and treat them as enemies. He grows extremely jealous of Finny for his athletic talents and ability to flout the rules. He cannot bear to feel inferior to anyone, even his friend; they are all his enemies. He is determined to be better than Finny in academics, in order to not feel inferior to Finny. Being the best in academics would equate Gene with Finny, who was best in athletics. Gene imagines that Finny is no less selfish than him and that they both hated each other in their rivalry. He imagines Finny is only pretending to be his friend to sabotage him. Gene interprets all of Finny’s actions as made in rivalry to him. Finny actually thinks of him as his best friend and never saw him as an enemy. Gene’s later discovery that Finny genuinely wants him to do well destroys the balance of his world, in which they both are enemies competing against each other. So Finny is better not only athletically but as a good person. Always feeling inferior, Gene is jealous and envious to the point that a codependent relationship is made possible. Lacking an identity and enviously seeing only Finny’s superior morals and talents, he would give anything to not feel inferior to Finny. Gene is in a position hat he desires Finny’s identity so much that he would enter into a codependent relationship with Finny to obtain his identity. Gene wants the qualities of Finny that he lacks. At the same time, Finny struggles with insecurity after his fall. Having shattered his leg, he cannot help but feel insecure about himself. His identity is shattered by the reality that he can no longer continue being the s tar athlete he was and achieve his dream of being a soldier. Being unable to carry out his dreams in his own physical body, he is forced to carry them out through the medium of Gene as an extension of himself. Throwing himself into a codependent relationship is Finny’s way of ridding himself of his insecurity and living a normal life through Gene. It would be as if the accident had never occurred. Finny needing to live his former life through someone and Gene’s desire to take on Finny’s identity makes way for a codependent relationship to form. Codependency becomes an obstacle to the creation of a separate identity. Finny’s fall provides the perfect time for the codependency to start. Both sides have something they want and can give in return. Gene wants Finny’s identity for the qualities that he admires in Finny but lacks himself. Finny wants to be able to live his life as an athlete through someone who acts as extension of Finny. Gene and Finny can satisfy each other’s desires. Since both people are receiving what they want in a codependent relationship they are content and happy with their life. There is no need to look inwards and examine oneself or improve oneself. After putting on Finny’s pink shirt, Gene says, â€Å"When I looked in the mirror it was no remote aristocrat I had become, no character out of daydreams. I was Phineas, Phineas to the life. I had no idea why this gave me such intense relief, but it seemed, standing there in Finny’s triumphant shirt, that I would never stumble through the confusion of my own character again. † (pp. 62). Gene feels happy that he has completely taken on Finny’s superior identity and escaped from who he is with all his issues. A false feeling of completeness and contentment prevent Gene from forming his own identity. Only after codependency is broken, can an individual identity emerge. Gene and Finny’s codependency is ended after Finny’s sudden death. Gene starts to re-examine himself, his thoughts and his emotions. Finally Gene puts things into perspective (Slethaug). Gene’s life from the start of his friendship with Finny has revolved around Finny. Everything he did, felt, thought about regarded Finny. His goal of becoming best in the class, and his envy were the result of Finny. Finny was the column, the foundation that supported and shaped his life. The foundation crumbles away with Finny’s death and Gene’s life comes crashing down. He can no longer depend on Finny to dictate his emotions, his thoughts and to serve as an idol he must surpass. With Finny gone, Gene now sees the foolishness and illusion he had been living in and the reality of life. He realizes that many of the enemies he had seen were the product of his own fear. He knows that Finny was a genuine and true friend who meant the best for him. Gene realizes that fear of everything had led to his seeing enemies in friends and that it was harmful. He sees that his fear had led him to feel threatened by a fearless Finny and his jealousy. His fear had made him feel that everyone was out to get him. Most importantly this fear had led him to seriously cripple Phineas and in the end led to Finny’s death. His guilt at having had a direct role in Finny’s death leads to him seeing the illogicality of fearing the world, the unknown, the imaginary enemy. He has escaped from his fear of the world, and matured into an adult in the process. Only now when he no longer fears anything or anyone, can Gene focus on himself and forge an identity. Only now when he does not see in everyone some quality that he lacks can he truly sees his own strengths and vulnerabilities and take them lightly. Gene can focus on forging his own identity when he other people’s identities no longer interest him. Phineas teaches Gene that in this world there is more than just evil, and war but also peace and good. Everyone is capable of good and evil. When Gene discovers that he like Finny is capable of good, he can overcome his guilt about his sin and find lasting peace within himself. Gene realizes that his hatred and jealousy is â€Å"something ignorant in the human heart† and is within him and also brings about wars. Only by reconciling himself with the fact of the existence of this evil within him can Gene realize that his own true enemy is not someone like Finny but in fact himself. He knows now that he had been seeing himself in everyone else. By coming to know his evil, he can come to know himself and his own identity. Gene by coming to know this evil within him can understand now the ideas of peace and love and the true value of friendship. Gene says of his time at Devon, â€Å"my war ended before I ever put on a uniform; I was on active duty all my time at school; I killed my enemy there. † (pp. 204) Gene has killed the hate, the evil, the fear within his heart that often causes wars. By killing the fear within him, he has defeated his own private demons. Gene has come to see that this enemy never comes from without, but always from within. He knows, moreover, that there is no defense to be built, only an acceptance and purification of oneself through love. (Ellis) Gene has matured and discovered his own identity after his codependent relationship is forcibly severed. In A Separate Peace, the author first shows how the codependency between Gene and Finny is formed. Later the author shows how Gene finally finds his own identity after the codependency is broken. Works Cited Knowles, John. A Separate Peace.

Case study of yellow auto company Essay Example for Free

Case study of yellow auto company Essay Kelly and two other westerners working in Japan on the JET program had a dispute with their Japanese supervisor over sick leave. This report aims to analyze the decisions and issues in the case study from a personality and values perspective. The key decisions identified are in relation to recruitment, contract and training. The JET program did not require the ALT candidates to have any knowledge of Japanese. The salaries received by the JET participants were  considered unfair by their Japanese colleagues. The contract received by the JET participants were ambiguous and imprecise. In addition, the Japanese employees in the host institution expected the foreigners to work like the Japanese rather than following the terms of their contract. The program provided pre-departure training for JET participants, but did not provide the same level of training for Japanese employees on how to work with foreigners. Based on Hofstede’s Framework, it is found that the weaknesses of the decisions were mainly due to the differences in values of Japanese and western cultures. Japan is a society with high power distance, extremely high uncertainty avoidance, strong collectivism, strong masculinity and a long-term vision, whereas western societies have almost the opposite values. The seniority-based salary system, lifetime employment, the expectation to conform to social norms, dedication to work, loyalty to the employers and a male-dominated workplace are all features of the Japanese management system that the JET participants were unaware of. It is recommended that the JET program reassess its recruitment policy to include Japanese as a compulsory requirement for candidates, and adjust the salary package to reflect the seniority-based culture. It is also recommended to draft a rigorous contract to avoid any ambiguity. In addition to making the pre-departure training compulsory, Japanese employees should receive the same level of cross-cultural training. Moreover, better Personality-Job fit and Person-Organization fit may be achieved if applicant’s personalities are taken into account in the recruitment process. ​- 7 1. INTRODUCTION Kelly, Mark, Andrea and Suzanne, all in their 20’s, were hired by the JET program to work in Japan. During their placement, there was a bitter dispute between them and Mr. Higashi, the supervisor of the foreign JET participants, over sick leave. This report aims to explore the critical  decisions and issues in this case from a personality and values perspective. Firstly, the critical decisions regarding recruitment, contract and training will be analyzed. Secondly, there will be a discussion of the issues in national culture, values and personality. Finally, recommendations will be provided to facilitate future improvement. 2. CRITICAL DECISIONS 2.1 Key Decision 1 Recruitment The JET program made the decision of hiring native English speakers to assist in foreign language teaching in Japan. The positions of Coordinator for International Relations (CIR) and Assistant Language Teacher (ALT) both required the candidates to have a university degree and an interest in Japan. CIRs were required to have a functional knowledge of Japanese, but ALTs were not required to do so. The above recruitment decision recognized the importance of native-speakers in foreign language teaching and the educational background of the candidates, however, the lack of Japanese language requirement for ALTs was a fundamental flaw in the recruitment decision. This language barrier caused difficulty in communication between the Japanese employees and JET participants. In addition, Mr. Higashi had to act as an interpreter because he was the only person who could speak English. Kelly, Mark, Andrea and Suzanne were young and inexperienced, yet they were paid the same salary as Japanese supervisors in the host institution. According to Adhikari (2005) and Hofstede (1993), Japan has a unique culture in which employees’ salaries are based on seniority rather than position. It is therefore unsurprising that the Japanese employees, all worked for more than 20 years in their career, felt uncomfortable about the salary of the JET participants. 2.2 Key Decision 2 Contract All the JET participants in the office had a standard North American contract which set out the working hours, number of vacation days and sick leave they were entitled to. However after Kelly, Mark and Suzanne fell ill, they were  forced to use 2 paid vacation days rather than sick leave, which caused a serious tension between the JETs and Mr. Higashi. The strength of the contract was that it stated a set of rules for the JET participants to follow, but the weakness was that it was not rigorously written. Shaules (2008) argues that western contracts are explicit and detailed, whereas Japanese contracts can be flexible and open to interpretation. This cultural difference is reflected in the contract received by the JET participants. The definitions of â€Å"paid leave†, â€Å"paid holidays† and â€Å"special holidays† were ambiguous and they seemed to be used interchangeably within the contract. Section 1 of Article 11 says that the JET participants are entitled to 20 paid holidays, but Section 3 of Article 12 says that the special holidays (including sick leave) are paid holidays. Depending on the interpretation of â€Å"paid holidays† and â€Å"special holidays†, these two clauses either contradict with each other or repeat themselves. Apart from the wording of the contract, the ability to honour the contract was also problematic. Although the JET participants acted within the terms of their contract, their Japanese colleagues still expected them to stay past 5pm on weekdays and work on Saturdays. The contract said that a doctor’s certificate was only required if the JET participants took three or more consecutive days of sick leave, but Mr. Higashi asked Kelly to bring in the note even though she only took 2 day’s sick leave. 2.3 Key Decision 3 Training The Conference of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) provided the JET participants with lots of information about working and living in Japan, and offered pre-departure training sessions about life in Japan and its potential problems. The strength of the above decision was that it recognized the cultural differences of Japan and western countries and the challenges faced by those JET participants working in Japan. The weaknesses of the decision were that  it did not make the pre-departure training sessions compulsory, and it did not offer similar training sessions for Japanese employees on the cultural differences and problems of working with westerners. The consequences of the above weaknesses were that Kelly found herself in unfamiliar and difficult situations because she had no experience or knowledge of the Japanese workplace. Had she attended the training sessions, she would have been better prepared for the difficulties of working in another country. Similarly, due to poor knowledge and understanding, the Japanese colleagues disapproved the lack of commitment of the JET participants, and did not know how to deal with them in an effective and harmonious manner. If the Japanese employees had received training on working with westerners, they would have had a better working relationship with the JET participants. 3. ISSUES 3.1 National Cultures and Values The weaknesses of the key decisions discussed in Section 2 mainly rooted from the differences in national cultures and values. Hofstede’s (1980, 1983, 1991, 1993, 2001) Framework for Assessing Cultures provides a theoretical ground for cross cultural management and research. The framework identified five value dimensions of national culture: power distance, uncertainty avoidance, individualism/collectivism, masculinity/femininity, and long/short-term orientation. The GLOBE Framework (House, et al., 2001; House, Javidan and Dorfman, 2002; Javidan, et al., 2005; Robbins and Judge, 2007) further extended Hofstede’s Framework to include assertiveness, in-group collectivism, performance orientation and humane orientation. Because the JET participants in the case study came from Canada, Great Britain and United States, the western cultures and values discussed below will refer to these specific countries. According to Hofstede’s (2001) findings, Japan has a higher power distance than western cultures, although the difference is not significant. However, Japan ranked notably higher in  uncertainty avoidance, collectivism, masculinity and long-term orientation. 3.1.1 Power Distance Japan has a seniority-based promotion and reward management system and a highly hierarchical society in general (Adhikari, 2005; Oishi, et al. 2005; Shaules; 2008). This is mainly influenced by the Confucian values which emphasize hierarchy and harmony. Mr. Higashi acted more like a father than a manager, because in a traditional Confucian family, the father is the head and always at the top of the hierarchy. Unaware of these Japanese values, the JET participants constantly challenged the authority of their supervisors. As a result, the Japanese employees working at the senior level were annoyed that these inexperienced young foreigners were hired to tell them how to do their jobs. Moreover, paying a manager-level salary to these young foreigners were also against the Japanese norm of a seniority-based salary system. 3.1.2 Uncertainty Avoidance Adhikari (2005), Brightman (2005) and Shaules (2008) all agree that Japanese culture expects everyone to conform to social norms and discourages individualism. This confirms the high uncertainty avoidance in Japanese society as claimed by Hofstede. Uncertainty avoidance was the reason why Mr. Higashi insisted to deal with the foreign JETS in the Japanese way. Because Mr. Higashi had lived all his life in Japan, the belief of conforming to social norms was deeply rooted in him. Shaules (2008) asserts that Japanese prefer to resolve conflicts in an indirect and mediated manner, whereas westerners tend to adopt a direct rule-based approach. This explains why the JET participants clearly referred to the contract and tried to resolve the sick leave issue with Mr. Higashi in a direct manner. On the other hand, even though Mr. Higashi was extremely agitated, he still chose to resolve the matter through the accountant rather than clarifying it there and then. 3.1.3 Collectivism Various literature (Adhikari, 2005; Brightman, 2005; Javidan et al., 2005; Lucier et al., 1992; Oishi et al., 2005; Shaules, 2008; Wang et al., 2005) claims that Japan is a highly collective society, which means that the needs of a group are always viewed as more important than individual needs, and  individuals are expected to sacrifice their own needs if there is a conflict between them. On the contrary, western societies tend to encourage individualism (Hofstede, 1991; Javidan et al., 2005). Scholars believe that the strong level of collectivism in Japan is due to the influence of Confucian values, which emphasize group orientation, relationships between individuals and showing respect (Fang, 2003, Wang et al., 2005; Yan, 2004). This explains why Japanese employees are so dedicated to their work and have great loyalty to their employers, whereas the JET participants prefer to use every single day of their holiday and fulfil their personal goals. 3.1.4 Masculinity Japan ranked No.1 in masculinity in Hofstede’s (2001) findings. Women often leave their work to look after the family after getting married, therefore, very few women work at the senior management level in Japan (Adhikari, 2005; Kei et al., 2010). This was the reason why all senior Japanese employees in the JET program were men. This also explains why Mr. Higashi kept asking Kelly to sign up to flower arranging classes or tea ceremony, as these were traditionally considered women’s activities. 3.1.5 Long-term Orientation Japan has a long-term oriented culture whereas western cultures tend to be short-term oriented (Lucier et al., 1992; Fang, 2003). One of the key characteristics of Japanese-style management is lifetime employment (Adhikari, 2005; Lucier et al., 1992). This was why the Japanese employees and supervisors all complained that the JET participants were never long enough to become part of the team, as they viewed the organization as a long-term family. On the other hand, Kelly had a short-term aim to make money, see the other part of the world and improve her Japanese. With this mismatch between the goals of the Japanese and western employees, neither of them could understand each other. 3.2 Personality The Big Five Model identified five factors of personality: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience (Robbins and Judge, 2007; Roccas et al., 2002). It was clear that the JET participants and the Japanese employees had very different personalities. For example, Mark is an introvert who prefers to work alone, whereas most  Japanese employees tend to be extroverts who enjoy social gatherings after work. Mr. Higashi and other Japanese employees are highly conscientious whereas the JET participants are less so. The JET participants have lower emotional stability because they tend to get angry and distressed easily. In order to increase employee job satisfaction and reduce turnover, Holland (1996) and Gardner et al. (2012) promote the theory of Personality-Job fit and Person-Organization fit. This means to fit an individual’s personality with the characteristics of the job and the organization. The JET program should learn from the issues identified in this report and aim to increase the Personality-Job fit and Person-Organization fit in its future recruitment process. 4. CONCLUSION This report analyzed the critical decisions and issues in the case study from a personality and values perspective. The analysis was mainly based on Hofstede’s Framework, together with the Big Five Model, GLOBE Framework and Holland’s Person-Job Fit theory. It has been identified that the weaknesses of the decisions were mainly due to the lack of mutual understanding in culture and values. Different personalities also affected the harmony of the work relationship in this case. The next section will list the recommended actions in order to overcome the weaknesses identified in the analysis. 5. RECOMMENDATIONS The JET program is advised to take the following actions: 1. to introduce Japanese language requirements for all JET participants; 2. to assess the applicants’ personality in order to increase Personality-Job fit and Person-Organization fit; 3. to revise the remuneration package of JET participants so that they receive less salary than the Japanese supervisors; 4. to appoint a lawyer experienced in employment contract to draft a detailed and rigorous contract; 5. to make pre-departure training and orientation a compulsory requirement for JET participants; 6. to provide cross-cultural training to Japanese employees; 7. to consider extending the  maximum term of the JET participants’ contract or even consider offering permanent positions. ​- 7 REFERENCES Adhikari, D. R. (2005) National Factors and Employment Relations in Japan, Japan Institute of Labour Policy and Training, Tokyo. Available from [accessed: 30/10/2013]. Brightman, J.D. (2005) Asian Culture Brief Japan, National Technical Assistance Centre, 2(6), available from [accessed 31/10/2013] Fang, T. (2003) ‘A critique of Hofstede’s fifth national culture dimension’, International Journal of Cross Cultural Management, 3(3), pp.347-368. Gardner, W.L., Reithel, B.J., Cogliser, C.C., Walumbwa, F.O. and Foley, R.T. (2012), ‘Matching personality and organizational culture: effects of recruitment strategy and the Five-Factor Model on Subjective Person-Organization Fit’, Management Communication Quarterly, 26(4), pp.585-622. Hofstede, G. (1980) Culture’s Consequences: International Differences in Work-related Values. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage. Hofstede, G. (1983) ‘Dimensions of National Cultures in Fifty Countries and Three Regions’, In: J.B. Deregowski, S. Dziurawiec and R.C. Annis (eds.) Expiscations in Cross-cultural Psychology, pp. 335-355. Lisse: Swets and Zeitlinger. Hofstede, G. (1991) Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind. London: McGraw-Hill. Hofstede, G. (1993) ‘Cultural Constraints in Management Theories’, Academy of Management Executive, 7(1), pp. 81-94. Hofstede, G. (2001) Culture’s Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and Organizations across Nations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Holland, J.L. (1996) ‘’Exploring careers with a typology: What we have learned and some new directions’, American Psychologist, 51, pp.397-406. House, R., Javidan, M.,Hanges, P. and Dorfman, P. (2001) ‘Project GLOBE: An Introduction’, Applied Psychology: An international Review, 50(4), pp.489-505. House, R., Javidan, M. and Dorfman, P. (2002) â€Å"Understanding cultures and implicit leadership theories across the globe: an introduction to project GLOBE†, Journal of World Business, 37, pp. 3-10. Javidan, M., Stahl., G.K., Brodbeck, F. and Wilderom, C.P.M. (2005) â€Å"Cross-border transfer of knowledge: Cultural lessons from Project GLOBE†, Academy of Management Executive, 19(2), pp. 59-76. Kei, K., Koichi, T. and Miwako, H. (2010) The survey of Japanese value orientation: analysis of trends over thirty-five years, NHK Broadcasting Studies, Japan. Lucier, C., Boucher, M. White, J. Cangemi, J. and Kowalski, C. (1992) ‘Exploring values of Japanese and American management systems’, Education, 112(4), pp. 487-498. Oishi, S., Hajm, J., Schimmack, U., Radhakrishan, P., Dzokoto, V. and Ahadi, S. (2005), ‘The measurement of values across cultures: a pairwise comparison approach’, Journal of Research and Personality, 39, pp.299-305. Robbins, S. P. and Judge, T. A. (2007) Organizational Behaviour, 12th Ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Roccas, S. Sagiv, L., Schwarts, S.H. and Knafo, A. (2002) ‘The Big Five personality factors and personal values’, PSPB, 28(6), pp.789-801. Shaules, J. (2008) ‘The deep culture of Japanese values’, tcworld, available from [accessed 30/10/2013]. Wang, J., Wang, G.G., Ruona, W.E.A. and Rojewski, J.W.(2005), ‘Confucian values and the implications for international HRD’, Human Resource Development International, 8(3), pp.311-326. Yan, J. (2004) ‘The influence of Confucian ideology on conflict in Chinese family business’, International Journal of Cross Culture Management, 4(1), pp. 5-17.

Employee Involvement in Decision Making

Employee Involvement in Decision Making McCabe and Lewin (cited in Dundon et al., 2004) termed employee voice as a way of   expressing complaints or grievances or dissatisfaction and the participation and involvement of employees in decision making process of organization. During the last two decades, revolutionary steps that have been initiated to facilitate the high performance working mainly focused on increasing the ways of joint consultation, which attracts both employers (who demand better business results) and employees (who demand recognition and protection of employee rights) (CIPD, 2009). Employee voice is a very important factor in the success of an organization. Dundon et al. (2004) argues that successful voice regimes not only positively affect the performance of employees in terms of quality and productivity but also help to negate the issues which might explode otherwise. Opportunities of Employee voice are believed to be associated with the employee turnover. According to (Spencer,1986)employees will   show more interest in staying with the organization if they have more opportunities to express their dissatisfaction, grievances and to change the unsatisfactory work conditions. Collective bargaining and joint consultation have been the main spotlight of industrial relations as far as employee voice is concerned According to Boxall and Purcell (2003) in the industrial relations, the main focus for representation of employee voice has been on the collective bargaining and consultation. Freeman (1976) defined unions as the institutions of collective voice in the labour market. He further asserted that collective forums, for voicing employee issues are more effective in some situations as they help strengthening worker communities and provide a direct mean of communication between them and management; but Addison and Belfields (2004) findings tend to negate these arguments as according to them more formalized union structure may create a communication gap between workers and management, because they have to deal with their issues through a third party. Freeman and Medoff (1984) argued that union plays a vital role in minimizing turnover rate as they provide employees with the voice mechanisms through which they can rectify the work related problems and can negotiate higher compensation packages . Their arguments are supported by Batt, Colvin and Keefe (2002), who believes that employees in union set-ups are expected to have higher compensation than they could earn in similar jobs in non-union set-up and secondly unions strengthen employees, by providing them with a voice in determining policies that reduce the pay inequality, grievance and arbitration procedures for appealing managerial decisions Employee voice refers to the two dimensional dialogue between management and employees which allows employees to give their feedback and express their concerns and griefs relating to matters affecting them. Employee voice is not a one-off phenomenon as employees like to put their   suggestions for improvements and express griefs on a continuing basis. (Landau, 2009) Employee voice not only helps employees to improve performance but it is good in principle (Wilkinson 2001). It is a fundamental right of each employee to know the information regarding the financial and organizational performance of the organization   and express their concerns about the work conditions or feed any ideas which they feel will be beneficial and helpful in achieving the long term goals of the organization. Employee involvement (EI) and employee participation (EP) have been given much importance in the employee relations literature for a long time. Employee involvement is normally initiated by the management and it takes place at lower levels of organization sharing information at the shop floor on matters that effect their day to day working not allowing them to give their opinion about the higher lever decision making., on the other hand ,employee participation is driven by indirect means of representation like unions and advice councils etc and its aimed at higher levels of the organization concerning matters of long term importance (Ackers et al,2003). Employee voice plays an important role in increasing commitment. Sensitive financial and organizational information is shared with employees. These symbolic gestures can make them feel they are trust worthy and being treated fairly and openly and they are an important asset for the organization. (Marchington,Wilkinson, 2005 pp77). This commitment can lead to improved performance as committed employees put extra discretionary effort in to the work. Landau, 2009 concludes that employees who express their voice and their voice is accepted and appreciated are more committed,more likely to stay in the organization, have good attitudes about their immediate managers and feel more secure as compare to those who speak up unsuccessfully. Downward communication takes place in almost all the organizations, different kind of mediums are used to brief employees about the current issues faced by the organization. Employee voice can pave a way for more conducive and open work environment to work in.(Wilkinson,2004)   Financial participation not only helps employee to contribute towards the success of the organizatioan but also help them take their fair share of company profits. (Marchington,2005) It is argued that employees will be more likely to accept decisions in which they involved. Employees will be in a right /better position to perform if they know what is expected from them and what is the situation of the organization. Participation can lead to less conflict and increased team work spirit. There is compelling logic in favour of effective employee involvement.regular provision of relevant information to employees together with consultation on management proposal on issues, promotes a shared commitment to the objectives of an organization, this in turn maintains a positive climate in which employees are motivated to contribute to business success which benefits both employer and employees alike. Direct participation: direct participation means that the employees themselves express their opinion and say over matters affecting them on the contrast, indirect participation means that a third party e.g trade union or advice council represents the right of the employees (Guest, Fatchett, 1974). In top down problem solving, workers may feel that they are being lectured and not listened to ,where as in bottom up approach,employees may feel that management is using their ideas and suggestions without giving them any reward. A feeling of powerlessness decreases loyalty and commitment in employees, it is important to tap new ideas and suggestions from lower level employees as there are more close to the customer the workplace. There are more chances of having more satisfied employees if they genuinely being involved. Transformational leadership encourages their subordinates to give suggestions or report grievances or anything they are dissatisfied with because of their natural instinct towards improvement rather than just maintaining the status quo. These initiatives help the employees to perceive/discover their value for the organization and results in more committed and enthusiastic work force which is fundamental to the achievement of long term goals and objectives (Detort, 2007) References Derek Rollinson ,2005 pp56 Organizational behaviour and analysis, an integrated approach,3rd edition,prentice hall publishers. Wilkinson, A.(2001) Empowerment, in M. Warner (ed.)International Encyclopaedia of Business and Management(London:ineternational Thomson Business Press) Dr. Tony Bennett, 2007 The significance of employee voice mechanisms in the workplace: Employee participation in the new global economyPaper for submission to the Work, Employment and Society Conference held at Aberdeen University September 12th to 14th September Peter Ackers, Mick Marchington, Adrian Wilkinson ,Tony Dundon,2003 .Partnership and Voice, with or without trade unions: changing UK management approaches to organizational participation. Research series Paper 4 Peter Ackers, Mick Marchington, Adrian Wilkinson ,Tony Dundon,2004 Changing Patterns of Employee Voice: Case Studies from the UK and Republic of Ireland Mick Marchington, Adrian Wilkinson, ,2005 Human Resource   Management at Work, third edition,CIPD Jacqueline Landau, 2009, When Employee Voice is Met by Deafears, SAM Advanced Management Journal ,pp 4 -12 James R.Detort,2007 Leadership behaviours and employee voice,Is the door really open,Academy of management journal,Vol 50,no 4, 869-884 David Guest,Derek Fatchett 1974 ,Worker Participation: Individual Control and Performance ,institute of personnel management ,pp13 Mick Marchington,2005 ,Employee Involvement: Patterns ans Explanations ,Participation and Democracy at Work, essays in honour of Harvie Ramsay, pp27 palgrave macmillan CANNEL, M., 2009. Employee Voice [online]. CIPD. http://www.cipd.co.uk/subjects/empreltns/comconslt/empvoice.html DUNDON, T., WILKINSON, A., MARCHINGTON, M., and ACKERS, P., (2004) Changing Patterns of Employee Voice: Case Studies from the UK and Republic of Ireland The Journal of Industrial Relations, Vol. 46, No. 3, pp. 298-322 SPENCER, D.G., (1986) Employee Voice and Employee Retention Academy of Management Journal, Vol. 29, No. 3, pp. 488-502.

Admissions Essay - Yo Soy El Chinito! :: Medicine College Admissions Essays

Admissions Essay - Yo Soy El Chinito! The following is an account of a day in my life. It begins with a dream: "Andale, es todo," I say (All right, that's it!). "The medication is bringing your blood pressure back to normal. You'll be fine. By the way, how are the kids?" I pat my patient Pancho, a farm laborer, on his brawny shoulder and escort him down the hallway of the Mendota Clinic. I wake up. Lying in bed, I contemplate how vividly my dream depicts the future I aspire to: administering primary care in Mendota, a small farming community in central California where I grew up. Mendota is populated mostly by Hispanics. I remember how everyone called me "el chinito" (the little Chinese), and knew my family because we were the only Chinese family in town. In high school, I observed many physicians come and go at the Mendota Clinic where I volunteered; those departed did not speak Spanish or have extensive exposure to Hispanic culture. Moreover, I was saddened because I saw many people, particularly migrant farm workers, succumb to preventable diseases. In spite of persistent signs of illness, most of them went without treatment because they lacked health insurance or were unwilling to visit a doctor for fear of what they might discover. Members of underserved communities, such as Mendota, require more than a well-trained physician if they are to receive the health ca re they need. They need a physician who is also trustworthy, affable, and understanding of their plight: a friend. I yearn to be that person serving in Mendota. After brunch, I go to the gym, although today I do not plan to work out. Winston, a wheelchair-bound 45 year old who suffers from cerebellar myoclonus, awaits me to assist him with his workout and shower, as he has for the past four years. Winston's neurological disease, since its onset during his college years, has prevented him from properly coordinating his movements and fully contracting his voluntary muscles. Over time, the disease has progressively robbed him of the physiological functions which most people take for granted in daily life--such as the ability to see clearly, pronounce words accurately, and walk. Seeing Winston's favorite blue plaid shirt invokes my recollection of our first encounter. I was working out when I saw Winston slip from one of the weight machines. Admissions Essay - Yo Soy El Chinito! :: Medicine College Admissions Essays Admissions Essay - Yo Soy El Chinito! The following is an account of a day in my life. It begins with a dream: "Andale, es todo," I say (All right, that's it!). "The medication is bringing your blood pressure back to normal. You'll be fine. By the way, how are the kids?" I pat my patient Pancho, a farm laborer, on his brawny shoulder and escort him down the hallway of the Mendota Clinic. I wake up. Lying in bed, I contemplate how vividly my dream depicts the future I aspire to: administering primary care in Mendota, a small farming community in central California where I grew up. Mendota is populated mostly by Hispanics. I remember how everyone called me "el chinito" (the little Chinese), and knew my family because we were the only Chinese family in town. In high school, I observed many physicians come and go at the Mendota Clinic where I volunteered; those departed did not speak Spanish or have extensive exposure to Hispanic culture. Moreover, I was saddened because I saw many people, particularly migrant farm workers, succumb to preventable diseases. In spite of persistent signs of illness, most of them went without treatment because they lacked health insurance or were unwilling to visit a doctor for fear of what they might discover. Members of underserved communities, such as Mendota, require more than a well-trained physician if they are to receive the health ca re they need. They need a physician who is also trustworthy, affable, and understanding of their plight: a friend. I yearn to be that person serving in Mendota. After brunch, I go to the gym, although today I do not plan to work out. Winston, a wheelchair-bound 45 year old who suffers from cerebellar myoclonus, awaits me to assist him with his workout and shower, as he has for the past four years. Winston's neurological disease, since its onset during his college years, has prevented him from properly coordinating his movements and fully contracting his voluntary muscles. Over time, the disease has progressively robbed him of the physiological functions which most people take for granted in daily life--such as the ability to see clearly, pronounce words accurately, and walk. Seeing Winston's favorite blue plaid shirt invokes my recollection of our first encounter. I was working out when I saw Winston slip from one of the weight machines.

The American Diet and Its Effects Essay -- Nutrition

The American Diet and Its Effects Today, we have many people suffering from various diseases, most of which are diet related. Basically, these complications are either as a result of increased intake of specific foods, or due to deficiency of some major nutritional components. What this means is that the health of human beings can only be assured by making sure the right foods and dietary compositions have been consumed (Swinburn & Waters, 2010). This approach can therefore make sure majority of diet-related diseases and complications will be addressed. This is because good diet is the beginning of good life. The American diet is a dietary habit that is highly associated with the high consumption of red meat, sugary desserts, foods high in fat content, as well as refined grains. A distinct characteristic of this diet is the fact that these foods are consumed as fast foods and they are characterized by ingredients that are either preheated or pre - cooked. Most of the American diet consists of products with high cholesterol levels associated with obesity and diabetes, secondly the sodium salts and sugars in the diets have negative effects on health where they progress blood pressure, heart diseases and stroke. Since our bodies factually depend on sugars, moderate glucose content is effective for normal functioning, but unlike glucose, fructose found in most American diet is metabolized differently from glucose. High Fructose levels in the liver increases uric acid which inhibits normal functions of nitric oxide cycle, a process that keeps blood vessels open or vasodilated.High sugar levels are also characterized with hyperinsulinemia and production of VLD Lipoproteins which elevates risks of heart diseases. American diet... ...case, I totally believe that obesity has become a major problem in our country (Swinburn & Waters, 2010). An obese person is at a higher risk of developing threatening health conditions such as stroke and other cardiovascular risks. Most obese children suffer from eating and sleeping disorders which interfere with the developmental stages of the child. Because of the poor diet compositions in our nation, obesity has thus remained a major problem. This calls for new approaches to deal with the situation before it gets out of hand. Works Cited Farber, L. & Blustein, J. (2007). Handbook of health care ethics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Hills, J. (2005). Childhood obesity: prevention and treatment. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Swinburn, B. & Waters, E. (2010). Preventing childhood obesity: evidence policy and practice. New York: John Wiley and Sons.

“Consumer Banking” Compliance Assessment Essay

â€Å"Consumer Banking† Compliance Assessment Introduction Part One            The business entities have evolved tremendously over time. Among the many advancements made in the business industry is the issue of the creation of different operating units. One of the most important operating units is the compliance unit. Each operating unit is accorded its own mandates and terms of references. This way, each unit is made somehow independent to the extent that it operates within the requirements of the entire organization’s goals. In addition, each operating unit is charged with its responsibilities. This is in line with the purpose of the creation of the unit in the first place. The number of the operating units depends on the classes of functions that are identifiable in the entire organization. Furthermore, all the operating units must be able to link with one another. This is because they are all operating in the best interest of the entire organization. If one fails, all the others are affected. Therefore, none can work in solitude. It is also important to note that all the units should have a proper reporting procedure to the management and finally to the board of directors. This is because they are answerable to the board. Understanding the nature of each business unit is therefore very important. Identification of the elements that constitute the business unit is also important. In this way, we can appreciate the role of each business unit, how they link to each other and ultimately how they contribute to the success of the entire business.            Compliance unit is a very special unit in the financial industry. It is special because its functions are not business activities but giving advice to other business units on how to improve compliance with the rules and regulations. Just like any other operating unit, the effectiveness of the compliance unit in discharging its duties is affected by factors such as terms of reference, authority, reporting responsibilities, accountability and the quality of the staff. All these factors together will see that the unit is successful in its operations or it fails. If it is successful then it is relevant to the entire firm because it will provide the much needed assistance. If it fails, the entire firm will likely fail because the compliance risks will ultimately catch up with it while unaware. It is therefore important to look critically at the factors that ensure that the established compliance unit is effective.            First and foremost, the terms of reference for the compliance unit predict the effectiveness of the unit. The terms of reference spell out the specific task that the unit is mandated to carry out. The task should be stated clearly with no ambiguity. For instance, in the case of the compliance unit, the task is to advise the business on how to comply with the set rules, regulations, laws and standards. In addition, the compliance department monitors the business activities to find out whether they are within the regulations set out. The department also monitors the conduct of employees to identify actual violations or potential violations of rules, procedures, policies, regulations and standards that are guidelines in the industry. In a nutshell, the duty of the compliance department is to create programs that support the firm’s compliance. It is the duty of the senior management and the business line supervisors that ensure ultimately that there is firm comp liance with laws and the regulations. Furthermore, in the terms of references, the objectives of the compliance unit must be stated clearly. This way, the department will have the backdrop for measuring its performance just like any other business unit. The objectives of the department may be with regard to how many trainings that will be done at a given time, how often surveillance will be conducted, how often policies will be reviewed among others. Lastly, the purpose of existence of the department must be clearly understood if the department has to be effective in discharging its duties. For instance, the department should be made aware that its main purpose is to assist the management in identifying compliance risks, assessing them and advising on what should be done to avert their repercussions as well as their recurrence. There are set guidelines that dictate the operations of the compliance unit. They stipulate the boundaries of the operations of the department and the limits of its mandate. If these guidelines and the instructions are adhered to, the effectiveness of the compliance unit will be realized in the firm. There will be no conflicts of interest between the compliance unit and the management responsibilities.            The other important factor that influences the effectiveness of the compliance department is the authority. The authority of the compliance department should be clearly stated out. To ensure monitoring of the business activities and the conduct of the employees, the compliance staff should be given unlimited power to access all the information in all the business units in the firm. The compliance staff should be answerable to the board and the senior management alone. For instance, suppose the business unit in a bank in charge of loan processing is about to commit a crime with respect to the regulations that govern the operations. A client comes to the office of the business line manager in this business unit. It happens that the client is a friend of the manager. According to the set regulations governing advancing loans, the client does not meet the criteria. The manager maneuvers and bends the rules in favor of his friend to get the loan. This is an issue that t ouches on compliance. Without enough authority on the part of the compliance staff to investigate the conduct of the manager in this business unit, then it would be impossible to unearth such a misconduct. Perhaps it could end up undetected. To this extent, the compliance department would be deemed to have failed, but only because it had no authority over such circumstances.            How the compliance staff report their findings is also very important if the department is to be effective. In order of hierarchy, the board of directors is at the top. The senior management is the second. The board gives instructions to the senior management staff. The senior management gives instructions to the business line managers who in turn command business unit supervisors. The supervisors give orders to the employees. The compliance department does not play any direct role in the business, it is therefore termed as a non-business department in the firm. The board and the senior management ultimately enforce compliance with the rules and the regulations starting with the business line managers and the business unit supervisors. Then the supervisors ensure that the employees toe the line in matters that regard laws, rules, regulations, procedures and the standards of the firm. The compliance department is involved identification of the possible violations of the compliance. If such violations are identified, they should be communicated to the right person. The head of the compliance department reports directly to the board and senior managers for an appropriate action to be taken. This is because, as we have already mentioned above, it is the responsibility of the board and the senior managers to ensure full compliance in the entire firm. The fact that the compliance department can report directly to the board makes it possible to avert a possible crisis that could result from misconduct of employees.            Another factor that influences the effectiveness of the compliance unit in a firm is the quality of the staff members. The staff should be well educated in matters that regard the state laws that affect the firm. In addition, they should have a good understanding of the rules, regulations, procedures and standards of that firm. This knowledge will help them in making proper decisions when carrying out their duties. This is because it is impossible to tell when a violation has happened or is about to happen if one does not know what was supposed to done in the first place. The issue of quality of staff arises also in business units that are involved selling process. It is important for the compliance officers to know the line of products that are being sold and the suppliers who supply them. This is because some business entities enter into agreements with certain suppliers.For instance, in a certain business entity in Singapore that sells electronics from Samsung C ompany, the following violation of the compliance was committed and went unidentified. In this particular instance, the manager in charge of sales decided that he could order some electronic devices from Sony Company without informing the rest of the management team.. The reason why this manager decided to do such a thing oblivious of its consequences to the entire business was because he thought that Sony products sold more than Samsung products of the same line. One junior compliance officer was inspecting the products in the business stock. He noticed both Sony and Samsung products but did not question. This is because he did not know that there was a deal between the business entity and Samsung Company and that presence of Sony products meant that the manager was not compliant. Part Two            The regulation of the financial services sector requires a delicate balance being maintained between over-regulation on the one hand and under-regulation on the other. This is because financial services are delicate matters that are sensitive to any external changes and the impact of any external force is significant in the survival of the financial industry. Regulation of financial industry emanates from two levels. These levels include external and internal levels. External regulations are the most significant because they essentially target satisfaction of the consumer of the services and not necessarily the well-being of the financial industry. They are meant to make the financial institutions disciplined in terms of their services to their consumers. They are made by external bodies that oversee how the financial institutions operate with respect to the quality of services that the end user receives. For instance, the consumer requires to know the truth about the services that they are about to purchase. Therefore, they require information that is not misleading. If left to the financial institutions, they would not care the truthfulness of the information they give but the quantity of the sales. They would give misleading information that is only aimed at convincing the consumers to like their services. Internal regulation is aimed at maintaining the survival of the business in the world of competition. It ensures that the business shapes its niche and maintains its reputation. This way, it ensures that the business maintains the competitive atmosphere. Too much external regulation would have catastrophic effects in terms of survival of financial institutions. Too little regulation would lead to suffering of the consumers. A balance is therefore paramount to be maintained.            In Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), besides being the Central Bank, itis the institution that is charged with the responsibility of regulating all financial institutions including the banking and insurance sector. The MAS uses many instruments to regulate financial institutions. First and foremost, it uses Acts of Parliament to regulate financial institutions. These Acts constitute the laws that if broken or violated culminate to a severe penalty. Among the most important Acts are the Banking Act 1999, the Financial Advisers Act 2005 and the Insurance Act 2002. Another instrument that the MAS uses is directives. They directives spell out the legal requirements of the financial institution. Notices are also issued to certain class of financial institutions to impose certain requirements that are legally binding. Moreover, the MAS applies guidelines as an instrument to regulate financial institutions. Guidelines dictate the best practice standard s that govern the conduct of the specified institutions. Codes are also applicable because they set out the rules governing the conduct of financial institutions with regard to the performance of certain activities. Examples of codes are those that govern how Takeovers and Mergers can be done. Practice Notes are used to guide the financial institutions on administrative procedures that pertain to the matters of licensing, reporting and compliance. Circulars are also very useful. They are documents sent to specified financial institutions to pass particular information such as changes that can be anticipated in the near future. Finally, the policy statements of the MAS give more information on the expectations of the MAS on the financial institutions.The MAS has immense powers to regulate all the financial institutions. Among its powers is the power to approve financial institutions and to control their operations.            The MAS strives so hard to maintain the balance in the regulation matters to avoid over-regulation and under-regulation. Over-regulation hinders the creativity and innovations of the companies. The insurance personnels would feel restricted in the way they respond to the external demands if the MAS monitors the company’s every move. On the other hand, if the insurance companies were to be left unregulated or under-regulated, the consumers would suffer greatly. This is because the insurance companies would use any means, whether ethical or unethical to gain an advantage over the competitors at the expense of the consumers. According to the Insurance Act 2002, Cap 142 has several provisions that dictate how insurance companies should be created and operated. For instance, it is only a person who has been licensed by the Authority under the Act who can carry out an insurance business in Singapore. This provision ensures that all the insurers are recognized by t he state of Singapore and that there is no chance that a consumer may be conned by a fraudster. According to the Act, anyone who claims to carry out insurance business while unregistered is liable to a criminal offense. The Act also gives guidelines that pertain to how Take-overs should be done in the insurance companies. Without proper Take-over procedures, the consumers may suffer. The authority also dictates how shareholding to the insurance companies is done. This way, the rights of the shareholders are maintained and their confidence in the insurance companies to which they have shares is boosted.            The MAS has also issued circulars to the insurance companies to convey important messages . An example of the circular issued to the insurance companies Chief Executives is that dated 18 November, 2013. It required all the insurers to submit their assets and liability exposures. As already stated, guidelines are another important tool through which the MAS regulates the insurance companies. An example of a guideline that is dated 1st April, 2013. It was a guideline on the use of internal models for liability and capital requirements for life insurance products containing investment guarantees with non-linear payouts. Also, on 17th May 2013, a guideline outlining the criteria for the registration of an insurance broker was issued. It requires that the applicant be a company among many other requirements. On 6th September 2013, a guideline was issued to all the financial institutions guiding them on how to safeguard the integrity of Singapore’s financial syste m. It categorically stated that MAS would not tolerate the use of the financial system to conduct illegitimate and criminal activities. Therefore, all financial institutions were required to uphold the integrity of the financial systems. Notices have also been issued on several occasions by the MAS the insurance companies. An example of the notice is that issued on 29th November 2013 with regard to the unsecured credit facilities to individuals. This notice provided requirements that an insurer has to comply to when granting unsecured credit facility to an individual.            All the above are illustrations where the MAS has regulatory authority over the insurance companies. We have seen that it regulates all the steps of the operations of insurance companies from establishment to matters of takeover and mergers. It is imperative that such a state body like the MAS should have control over financial institutions. The MAS is known to enhance open operations in the financial institutions in order to promote competitiveness and spirit of innovations. This way, the MAS fulfills our argument that financial institutions should not be over-regulated. On the other hand, the MAS ensures that transparency,accountability and integrity principles are upheld in the operations of these financial institutions. It ensures transparency because the consumers need to know what kind of services they are about to purchase from a financial institution. Again, these financial institutions are to be held accountable for their operations when they lead to posit ive or negative results. As already mentioned, all the financial institutions are supposed to uphold the principle of integrity by not carrying out their operations to advance criminal and illegitimate activities. In this manner, the MAS is fulfilling our argument that financial institutions should not be under-regulated. Part Three            The need to escalate â€Å"Non-routine and Complex Matters† to a designated officer would not arise if all the officers are properly trained in dealing with such issues. This statement simply means that escalation of non-routine and complex matters is done because the officer who detects such an issue is not trained adequately to handle it. This also happens when a compliance officer identifies an issue, but then his or her authority is limited to escalating it to a supervisor or manager.            First and foremost, it is important to know which are these non-routine and complex issues that can arise in matters of compliance. According to the Financial Industry Competency Standards for Compliance, the following issues constitute non-routine and complex matters. They include issues such as intentional breaches of regulations, guidelines and policies; insider dealing; misconduct; misrepresentation; sign-off new product; sign-off advertising and promotional materials by the insurance institution among others. These are issues that are not covered by the existing policies on how they should be handled in case they happen.            A compliance officer has no power to reprimand an employee. He or she has no power to fire an employee on the grounds of misconduct. If this is the case then, issues such as intentional breaches of regulations, guidelines and policies need someone who can resolve them so fast to avert any compliance crisis. The power to deal with the complex and non-routine matters is in the hands of the supervisors and the executives of any firm. The compliance officer is left with an option to escalate such matters whenever they arise. This process of escalation takes time because the compliance officer has to document all the steps involved as well as the action taken by the appropriate person to whom the matter has been reported starting with the head of compliance department.            There are certain things that can be done to empower compliance officers to be able to deal with these non-routine and complex matters. First, these compliance officers need proper training to make them aware of possibilities of occurrence of such matters. Moreover,they need to be equipped with adequate skills to cope with such issues when they occur in order for them totake appropriate and rational steps. Although they may not be given powers to demote or fire a disobedient employee, they can be given a means through which they can address such matters to the board as a matter of urgency. In addition,when these compliance officers are trained adequately and are competent, supervisors may delegate some functions to them. Such functions may include the power to demote and to fire misbehaving employees. However, it is the responsibility of these supervisors to conduct a follow-up and review to ensure that the delegated functions are performed properly. Most important is the fact that the supervisor remains responsible for such delegated activities.            In short, if the compliance officers are adequately trained so that they can adequately handle the non-routine and complex matters, the wastage of time in averting possible compliance crisis would not occur. This wastage of time occurs especially if the supervisors don’t take the necessary action to handle such issues. This requires that the matter should be escalated to the board of directors. Before the board sits to discuss the issue, it may be too late to avert the crisis and enough damage would already have occurred. Moreover, the process of escalation is very lengthy. It starts with the Head of Compliance. A complete brief need to be prepared explaining the issue and giving any relevant background information and the impact or the implications for the involved business unit, the personnel and the entire organization. Where possible, possible recommendations and alternative courses of action should be provided and their possible implications. All these steps cause unnecessary delays at could be detrimental to the organization in the long run. Therefore, training compliance officers as well as empowering them can help save the reputation of the firm in time. In addition, this could also help save an imminent collapse of the firm like in cases when employees decide to disregard the set regulations in the operations. References Scanlan, A. and Purdon, C. 2006. Compliance Program Management for Financial Services Institutions in Today’s Environment. Bus. Law., 62 p. 735. MAS Annual Report 2011/20 (www.msa.gov.sg) Source document

Noli Me Tangere by Jose Rizal Essay

PURPOSE OF THE TEXT: Jose Rizal wrote Noli Me Tangere during the time of the Spanish occupation in the Philippines. The novel is a reflection of what the Filipinos were going through during that time. He wrote it to open the eyes of the Filipinos to the reality that they were being oppressed. Rizal’s book persistently unmasks contemporary Spaniards in the Philippines of every kind. He exposes corruption and brutality of the civil guards which drive good men to crime and banditry. He focuses on an administration crawling with self-seekers, out to make their fortune at the expense of the Filipinos, so that the few officials who are honest and sincere are unable to overcome the treacherous workings of the system, and their efforts to help the country often end up in frustration or in self-ruin.The Noli is Rizal’s exposà © of corrupt friars who have made the Catholic religion an instrument for enriching and perpetuating themselves in power by seeking to mire ignorant Filip inos in fanaticism and superstition. According to Rizal, instead of teaching Filipinos true Catholicism, they control the government by opposing all progress and persecuting members of the ilustrado unless they make themselves their servile flatterers. STYLISTIC FEATURES: Rizal exaggerated a bit, as in his portrayal of characters like the friars Damaso, Salvi, and Sibyla; the two women who were preoccupied with prayers and novenas, and, the Espadaà ±as but, on the whole, the novel follows the basic rules of realism. Humor worked best where a more serious presentation of the general practices of religion during that time (and even up to present time) would have given the novel a darker and pessimistic tone. Rizal’s description of the lavish fiesta showed the comic antics at church and the ridiculous expense for one day of festivities. TONE: The superstitious and hypocritical fanaticism of many who consider themselves religious people; the ignorance, corruption, and brutality of the Filipino civil guards; the passion for gambling unchecked by the thought of duty and responsibility; the servility of the wealthy Filipino towards friars and government officials; the ridiculous efforts of Filipinos to dissociate themselves from their fellowmen or to lord it over them–all these are ridiculed and disclosed. Nevertheless, Rizal clearly implies that many of these failings are traceable to the misguided policy of the government and the questionable practices of the friars. TITLE: â€Å"Noli me tangere† is a Latin phrase that Rizal took from the Bible, meaning â€Å"Touch me not.† In John 20:13-17, the newly-risen Christ says to Mary Magdalene: â€Å"Touch me not; I am not yet ascended to my Father, but go to my brethren, and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.† STORY/CONTENT: The first of two canonical 19th-century novels, Noli Me Tangere revolves around Crisostomo Ibarra who, after a seven-year stay in Europe to study, comes home to his town of San Diego, brimming with the desire to contribute to the development of the townspeople. More specifically, as a reformist, he aims to make education accessible to more people. His idealism, however, cannot bear fruit because of insidious forces bent on destroying him. Ibarra learns that his father, Don Rafael, had been embroiled in a conflict with Padre Damaso, who eventually causes his humiliation and death. It is not only political power that the friar wields; he has also used power to seduce the mother of Maria Clara, Ibarra’s sweetheart. Ibarra has another enemy in the person of Padre Salvi, who lusts after Maria Clara. It is also Padre Salvi who almost causes Ibarra’s death at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the school. Things come to a head when Ibarra is implicated in a failed uprising instigated by Padre Salvi. The young man is imprisoned but is eventually rescued by Elias, whose life Ibarra has saved in the past. As the novel ends, the thoroughly disillusioned Ibarra sees a bleak future. CHARACTERS: * Juan Crisostomo Ibarra, the main character, is a young illustrado who has been studying in Europe for 7 years according to the wishes of his father. Influenced by his father, his studies and his observations of other countries, he has developed patriotic and progressive ideas which he wishes to put into action in his country. He is very much like Rizal himself. Quoted as saying that to achieve liberation, they need the â€Å"catuiran ng lakas† , or the use of force. * Marà ­a Clara de los Santos is Ibarra’s faithful, pure and modest sweetheart. She is the portrait of an ideal woman, partly drawn perhaps from Rizal’s love Leonor Rivera. * Padre Dà ¡maso was once a good friend of Ibarra’s father. He was, until the start of the novel, the domineering and condescending curate of San Diego, where the property of the Ibarra family is located, and continues to be a powerful figure in San Diego. Biological father of Marà ­a Clara, as he takes adva ntage of Doà ±a Pia, mother of Marà ­a Clara and wife of Capità ¡n Tiago * Padre Salvà ­ is the new parish priest of San Diego, who lusts after Maria Clara. * Elà ­as, a common laborer whose family has suffered much, dreams of revolution. He may be said to represent another side of Rizal. * Pilosopong Tasio is an old man who received an excellent education in his youth but was persuaded into discontinuing his studies, which he was told would lead him away from his faith. The character is based on Rizal’s older brother, Paciano. * Sisa is the mother of two young boys who disappear. With her mother love, her grief and her frustration, she is thought to represent the suffering motherland. * Crispà ­n- brother of Basilio. Dies at the hands of the â€Å"sacristan mayor† and Padre Salvà ­. * Basilio- brother of Crispà ­n and son of Sisa and Pedro. Last person to see Elà ­as alive. * Capità ¡n Santiago de los Santos – also known as Capitan Tiago, he accepts Marà ­a Clara as his own daughter. * Doà ±a Victorina is a native woman who desperately tries to look like a Spaniard. She was so determined to marry a Spaniard that she was willing to settle, late in life, for a toothless stuttering man. She convinces him to pretend to be a doctor to raise their status and society. * Don Tiburcio is a former customs official who pretended to be a prestigious medical doctor in town as his bread and butter. He is the lame, stuttering husband of Doà ±a Victorina. * Doà ±a Consolacià ³n is the muse of the cuartel. She is the violent wife of the Alferez and has treated Sisa cruelly. * Alfonso Linares is the godson of Padre Damaso and a distant cousin of Don Tiburcio from Spain. He is hard pressed to be Maria Clara’s fiance instead of Ibarra. * Padre Sibyla is a Dominican friar who is the curate of Binondo. His character is a stark contrast to that of Padre Da maso. PROBLEM: There was a cancer in the time of our national hero Jose Rizal that he elaborately depicted through his novel â€Å"Noli Me Tangere,† metastasized in every fiber of Philippine society back then, having its roots in the prolonged oppression of the Filipinos by our Spanish colonizers. Today, we see cancer in the Philippines again, and our people and environment have shriveled badly from this cancer, which is on its terminal stage. What is the main problem with the Philippines? Put in another way, what is Philippine society’s cancer today? The main problem with the Philippines can be seen from the perspectives of different sectors; and thus, there can be many answers to this question. From the point of view of the citizens, the main problem is the dirty politics of traditional politicians. There is no end to election fraud and accusations of election fraud. Then there are also politicians in power who bicker and accuse endlessly. Some even kill their political opponents, and the murders they commit to keep themselves in power are barbaric. Thus, our nation is in a constant mode of being destabilized from all sides – from those in power and those who are not in power. From the point of view of entrepreneurs or the market, the main problem is graft and corruption in government offices. It has become abnormal not to pay â€Å"under-the-table† to get a business permit or a government clearance. From the point of view of politicians, the main problem is a personality-based politics, wherein celebrities without any platform nor preparation for public service win by a landslide at the polls and end up mismanaging their public office and the public funds. From the point of view of public administration employees or civil servants, the main problem is their low pay such that they need to earn extra from extortions and sideline-selling to adequately provide for their families. From the point of view of the Church, the main problem is the Government’s interference on matters of faith as it pushes bills that undermine morality and one’s religious beliefs, although advocates of those bills see them as timely remedies to socio-economic problems. Just like the Indian tale of â€Å"The Blind Men and The Elephant,† wherein not one of the six blindmen saw the elephant, but rather one claimed it was a wall, another a spear, another a snake, another a tree, another a fan, and the last one a rope, because each of them experienced only a part of the elephant and not its entirety, so also each sector of our society see but facets and symptoms of the cancer that has kept us way behind the nations that used to learn at our heels. What is our cancer? What cannot we touch? Rizal’s writings and martyrdom sparked the hearts of the Filipinos towards a fight for freedom from our foreign oppressors. But ironically, whereas our people’s struggles before were against foreign domination, our modern-day â€Å"Noli Me Tangere† is about the Filipinos’ struggle against fellow Filipinos entrusted with the role to lead and serve the nation. This is our cancer today: Filipinos are against fellow Filipinos. MESSAGE: Noli Me Tangere or Touch Me Not†¦ was the a controversial novel of Rizal aside from the predicaments he encountered just to publish this novel. He did it to ridicule the friars and let the Filipinos be awoke of the oppression and learn to fight. It contained all the immoralities of the spaniards. So I think the messege we can get from it is learn how to fight in a peaceful manner, fighting doesnt need a bolos, a sumpit or lantakas but it can also be possible using your pen, your wisdom. As a Filipino we should learn to be united in deeds and be educated and learn to argue rationally.

Following are excerpts from a speech made by Frederick W. Taylor in 191 Essay

If any of you will get close to the average workman in this country—close enough to him so that he will talk to you as an intimate friend—he will tell you that in his particular trade if, we will say, each man were to turn out twice as much work as he is now doing, there could be but one result to follow: Namely, that one-half the men in his trade would be thrown out of work. This doctrine is preached by almost every labor leader in the country and is taught by every workman to his children as they are growing up; and I repeat, as I said in the beginning, that it is our fault more than theirs that this fallacy prevails. While the labor leaders and the workmen themselves in season and out of season are pointing out the necessity of restriction of output, not one step are we taking to counteract that fallacy; therefore, I say, the fault is ours and not theirs. 1.Do you think Taylor’s position is equally applicable today? Be prepared to justify your answer. †¢I don’t believe Taylor’s position would be equally applicable in American business today, as it did in 1911. Since the end of World War II, it’s more apparent in American business culture for more short term employment. Some examples include contract maintenance where specific skills are required for a specified time or project completion. There are government agencies with Directors and Administrators who are filling a senior management position for as long as the current President serves. Businesses today are finding that through outsourcing some of their responsibilities to teams of highly skilled employees specializing in the needed field, this will alleviate some of the financial liabilities needed in if they were to maintain their own permanent team. The founder and chairman of APQC (formerly known as the American Productivity and Quality Center) in Houston, C. Jackson Grayson, warned several years ago that if management and labor cannot make their relationship less adversarial, â€Å"then we won’t get the full, long-term kick in productivity  that we desperately need.† 2.Looking at Taylor’s and Grayson’s remarks, which were made approximately 73 years apart, one has to wonder what we have learned. Many similar comparisons could be made. Why do you think managers don’t seem to learn as much as they could from the past? †¢Traditional relationships between management and labor looks nothing as it did 100 years ago, especially when it pertains to unions. Being the only industrialized country with its infrastructure mostly intact after World War II, the United States basked in economic superiority with American industry. However, management in the past rarely included employees in the decision-making process. There was a disconnect between management and labor which union leaders were utilized to close gaps and ensure fairness in areas such as pay and benefits, but more importantly, where safety is involved. In American businesses today, with government regulations and restrictions, differences in American and global markets and customs, outsourcing and contract services, and improvements in technology have changed the relationships between management and labor. According to an article written in Governing.Com, relationships between management and labor can be minimized by forming a joint process improvement committee (PIC), who are focused on driving organizational efficiencies. The committees are formed which enables both sides to pursue their interests with mutual respect and communication (O’Leary, 2010). Although there is no quick fix with regards to management and labor relationships, one thing is still very clear, there is still a significant divide. References Huebsch, R. (2014). The Evolution of the Labor-Management Relationship. Houston Chronical. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/evolution-labormanagement-relationship-36056.html Leslie W. Rue, L. L. (2009). Management kills and Application. McGraw-Hill/Irwin. O’Leary, J. (2010, September 8). Labor Pains: Repairing the Manager and Union Relationship. Governing. Retrieved from http://www.governing.com/blogs/bfc/repairing-management-union-relationship.html