Mayor and the Greater London Authority

Mayor and the Greater London Authority The 2012 London Olympics is scheduled to be one of the most spectacular games in addition to being held in one of the world’s best cities. The Olympics is undeniably one of the greatest sporting events on earth. In order to ensure that the visitors are treated to the arrays of entertainment and eventful sporting event in addition to bringing benefits to the Londoners, the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority (GLA) has put in place measures and priorities to develop London in readiness for this event. Among the most important items on the planning agenda is environmental sustainability (Stallone, 2005). An independent body, Commission for a Sustainable London 2012, has already been established to monitor and assure the sustainability of the 2012 Olympic Games. The 2012 Summer Olympics plan for the environment is designed and focused on four main areas. These include waste management, reduction of carbon emissions, promotion of environmental awareness, and biodiversity. Other environmental measures include being committed to minimizing the construction effects to both individuals and the community. These duties and responsibilities lie at the hands of the Greater London Authority (GLA) and the Mayor of London. Powers and Responsibilities of the Mayor and the GLA The Greater London Authority is a strategic administrative body that is vested with powers and responsibilities aimed at the development of London. The GLA has responsibilities that are categorized in three distinct areas that include social development, improvement of the environment, and wealth creation through economic development. These powers and responsibilities cover a range of areas that include economic development, fire and emergency planning, metropolitan policing, and transport and the GLA has four functional bodies to enable it execute its responsibilities (Greater London Authority, 2011). The GLA is headed by an elected executive mayor who is charged with the responsibility of proposing policies and budgets for the Greater London Authority. The Mayor is also for executing primary responsibilities such as appointing strategic executives to functional bodies such as the London Development Agency and the Transport for London. The Mayor of London is majorly involved in man aging and running the city of London (Borris, 2010). His functions include the setting of improvement strategies, creating visions, designing policies, provision of funding, and harnessing the resources to ensure that the city of London is among the best cities on Earth (Borris, 2010). As earlier mentioned, the GLA has four functional bodies to enable it execute its functions and responsibilities. The functional bodies are the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA), the London Development Agency (LDA), the Transport for London, and the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority (LFEPA). The LFEPA handles and coordinates emergency responses and planning in addition to administering the Fire Brigade of London. The MPA is responsible for overseeing metropolitan police functions and provides the city of London with policing services (Greater London Authority, 2011). The LDA manages economic development across the Greater London. The final functional body is the Transport for London is charged with the responsibility of dealing with majority of aspects relating to the system of transport in London and this covers a wide range of perspectives that include the provision of public transport, management of traffic, maintaining main roads, and the administration of Congestio n charges. The powers and responsibilities of the Greater London Authority were reviewed and documented in 2005 and further responsibilities were added. The GLA was awarded the responsibility of managing wastes, and house planning. Under the planning obligations, the GLA coordinates the proper use of land in London whereby the Mayor of London designs a strategic plan that is submitted to the 32 Boroughs of London for compliance (Mayor of London, 2010). Additionally, the Mayor is capable of overriding the planning decisions decided upon by the Boroughs if He believes that the decisions fail to conform to the interests of developing the city of London (Mayor of London, 2011). The low-carbon emissions is among the major objectives to be realized during the London 2012 Olympics and hence, the Mayor has designed the Energy strategy to give him the blue prints for reducing the levels of carbon emissions. London is known for contributing nearly 7% of the total carbon emissions in the United Kingdom and majority of these carbon emissions come from commercial and housing premises, industries, and transport systems. The Mayor of London is so committed to achieving these environmental sustainability objectives and has created several agencies to aid in the realization of these objectives. These are London Energy Partnership, the London Climate Change Agency, and the Climate Leadership Group for large cities (Mayor of London, 2010). In order to ensure that majority of houses conformed to the low-carbon emission requirements, all new constructions should to be constructed using carbon-neutral materials using building techniques that consume zero energy. Environmental Literature Review The Mayor of London (currently Boris Johnson) possesses the executive powers of the Greater London Authority and is responsible for defining policies and work programmes to majority of the employees at GLA. Other responsibilities include the preparation of budgets for the GLA and consolidated and components budgets for the GLA groups. As such, his visions are developed to be the major issue in the work programme of the GLA. Additionally, the achievement of his ambitions will see London becoming the biggest city in the world. Majority of the Mayor’s ambitions are related to the attainment of environmental sustainability and these includes climate change issues, biodiversity, waste disposal, and air quality (Borris, 2010). The energy policies and Climate change programmes instituted by the Mayor were at aimed at the reduction of the total percentage of London’s contribution to climate change, addressing the problems of fuel shortages, and the use of decentralized renewab le and low carbon technologies (Edwards, and Miller, 2008). The London draft replacement contains proposals that should be followed to ensure the realization of Zero carbon emissions and the building of zero residential buildings. These are contained in Policy 5.2 of the draft replacement London Plan (Greater London Authority, 2011). The objectives contained in this plan should be addressed according to a specific hierarchical order. First, the type of energies used should lean; in the sense that the forms of energy utilizes less energy. Second, the types of energy should and be capable of supplying efficient amounts of energy. Lastly, the source of energy and the energy should be green and this will entail the use of renewable sources of energy. The overall objectives of the London Plan should be targeted towards the realization of low-carbon emissions and all the necessary would be taken to ensure that zero-carbon developments are made. The Mayor also has an ambition providing the dream of a renewed London whereby the Londoners would have an experience of living in a cleaner and more sustainable environment. This ambition entails the development and implementation of policy objectives that provide cleaner and sustainable living conditions to the Londoners. Additionally, the Mayor’s Great Spaces initiative will see more money being channeled towards the creation and improvement of public spaces (Borris, 2010). Finances and resources will be approved through the Local Implementation Plan Programme to enable Boroughs to fund their transformation initiatives. London is well known for its diverse transport network and the mayor aims to transform it to be well suited to the support of green transport choices characterized by zero pollution vehicles. As such, the Mayor has instituted policies and measures whereby millions of resources are invested in the transport sector to deliver a variety of minimized travel choices characterized by low emissions. The range of travel choices includes electric and hybrid cars, hydrogen buses, and motor bikes in the hire scheme. Other policies included in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy is the support of public transport, promotion of unprecedented walking levels and investment in cycling, and lastly, the promotion of efficient energy measures on buses and the London Underground system. The Mayor has also embarked on waste management initiatives that are aimed at transforming London’s environmental look in addition to improving the quality of life. A range of programmes is being implemented to achieve a litter-free and green city. Other waste management initiatives include reduction of pollution levels through rubbish reduction, careful use of waste materials, and making the city more energy efficient. The waste management initiatives are implemented to help in making the city of London to utilize its resources efficiently, minimize the levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and above all, saving money and resources for future use. The Low Carbon Employment and Skills Programme were designed by the mayor to enhance low carbon economy initiatives and as well to deliver job opportunities to Londoners. Such job opportunities would enable Londoners to benefit from the economic and environmental benefits associated with the realization of a low carbon economy (Edwards, and Miller, 2008). This has seen the creation of a Green Enterprise District, which is an area whereby priority is given to those investing in low carbon enterprises. The Gap between Policy and What has been delivered The Mayor has managed to achieve some of the objectives identified in his ambitions and policy objectives with respect to the environmental sustainability of London. These objectives includes the creation of a greener London environment, creation of safer public spaces, installation of energy efficient equipment, low carbon zones, energy efficient transport systems, and waste disposal initiatives among others (Miles, 2010). First, the realization of a greener London began with the proposal to plant 10,000 trees on various streets of London. By 2010, nearly 4,000 trees had already been planted showing a positive progress towards the targets of creating a 25% forest by the year 2025. Second, the creation of cleaner, safer, and entertaining outdoor environment depends with the objective of creating public spaces. The Mayor has already invested  £225 million that was directed towards the creation of 50 public space projects targeted at the creation of a great outdoor environment. For instance, the Trafalgar Square has been transformed into one of the best and loved spaces. An energy efficient lighting system has been installed in the Trafalgar Square to minimize the higher amounts of expenses that go towards light provision.  £6 million has been directed towards the improvement of 11 parks in various regions across the city of London. The completion of the upgrade of these parks is scheduled to be completed by 2012 (Greater London Authority, 2011). On the other hand, the capital growth initiative was created into to transform 2,102 land pieces into food growing regions. These initiative targeted community groups and schools in will help Londoners to have regions to expand their food growing capacities (Mayor of London, 2010). In the transport sector, the Mayor has managed to install greener traffic lights (energy-bursting LED) in more than half of the total traffic lights in London. Additionally, in addition to the promotion of cycling through the bikes for hire initiative, the Mayor has built the electric vehicle revolution. The Mayor aims to ensure that the number of electrical vehicles in London and is committed to reducing the levels of carbon emissions. The RE: NEW program has already been developed to improve the levels of water and energy efficiencies to almost 100,000 homes in London (Greater London Authority, 2011). The GLA has already retrofitted 42 of its buildings to save energy. Ten Low Carbon Zones have also been identified in the city of London and are aimed at showing Londoners the exact manner on how the levels of emissions can be reduced particularly from older buildings in the city. Other achievements include waste management projects whereby the draft strategy was created with objectives of saving  £90 million annually inform of managing and reducing wastes. This entails the use of recycling materials and improved and efficient use of resources. The cleaning up of the air also falls under the cleaner and greener initiatives. This objective was included in the Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy that included the introduction of hybrid vehicles, promotion of the recycling revolutions. Despite the realization of the above objectives, still other policies and objectives are yet to be achieved by the Mayor of London and GLA. For instance, majority of initiatives in many policies are targeted to the 2012 London Summer Olympics, which are a year away but it seems that it would be possible to achieve such objectives within this time. A low carbon London is the mayor’s 2025 vision of making the city one of the biggest and greenest cities on Earth. Currently, the city is still relying of carbon and fossil fuels and therefore the low carbon ambitions are far from being realized. The current transport system might be efficient but it is yet to be fit-for-purpose for the environmental conservation. The realization of a strong, diversified, and resilient economy characterized by job delivery and efficient transport system might take time to be realized. A survey of Opinions regarding Mayoral Policies The Mayor’s ambitions, visions, and strategies targeted towards the realization of a greener London have received varied interpretations and opinions from different members across the globe. Many have believed that the strategies that have been put in place by the Mayor will indeed facilitate the objective of reducing the contributions of London towards the Global climate change and promote economic development. The GSM students believe that the plans and objectives outlined by the Mayor will indeed bring real and long-term benefits. The Mayor has set five ambitions giving priorities about the key areas that need reformations. Furthermore, each of these ambitions has strategic plans detailing how the objectives will be realized. These are described as plans from vision to reality (The Greater London Authority Strategic Plan 2010-2012). The rules and responsibilities of the Mayor cover a range of responsibilities such as economic development, transport, development and plannin g, and environmental issues and climatic change issues. The functions of the Mayor includes the determination of budgets for GLA and GLA groups and therefore, the Mayor has outlined objectives for each group, the rate of budget, and a timeline from which the objectives will be achieved. The Mayor has even gone to an extent of identifying partnerships to enable him fund the initiatives. Many believe that the Mayor has all it takes to transform his ambitions and visions to make London among the friendliest and greenest cities in the world. The Mayor consults with the local Londoners in the promotion of opportunities and equality towards the development of London (The Greater London Authority Strategic Plan 2010-2012). The plans undertaken by the Mayor of London have also been believed to be the blueprint that will enable the city to contribute positively to the sustainability and development of London. Conclusion The GLA and the Mayor of London have been responsible for creating visions, policies, and strategies for the development and improvement of the City of London. With the 2012 Summer Olympics being underway, London is on the world map and is expected to provide an entertaining and spectacular atmosphere for holding the games. The GLA and the Mayor, among other priorities, have identified the environment as being a crucial factor that needs improved in order to enable it to achieve its objectives. Among the most important items on the planning agenda is the objective of realizing environmental sustainability. Through their powers and responsibilities, the Mayor of London and the Greater London Authority have managed to achieve effectiveness in the implementation of the planned strategies and policy objectives. For instance, the GLA uses the four functional bodies to enable it execute its functions and responsibilities. Other objectives that have since been achieved by the GLA with respect to environment include attainment of environmental sustainability on measures such as climate change issues, biodiversity, waste disposal, and air quality. The energy policies and Climate change programmes instituted by the Mayor are aimed at the reduction of the total percentage of London’s contribution to climate change, addressing the problems of fuel shortages, and the use of decentralized renewable and low carbon technologies. The Mayor’s ambitions, visions, and strategies have enabled him to achieve a number of measurable results that includes the creation of a greener London environment, creation of safer public spaces, installation of energy efficient equipment, low carbon zones, energy efficient transport systems, and waste disposal initiatives among others. The Mayor has even gone to an extent of identifying partnerships to enable him fund the initiatives. Many believe that the Mayor has all it takes to transform his ambitions and visions to make London among the friendliest and greenest cities in the world. The Mayor consults with the local Londoners in the promotion of opportunities and equality towards the development of London. Finally yet importantly, the

Is There One True Religion Or Is Religion Man Made

Is there one true religion or is religion man made? In a nutshell, religion is a composed gathering of convictions, social frameworks, and world perspectives that relate humankind to a request for presence. Many religions have accounts, images, and hallowed histories that expect to clarify the importance of life, the beginning of life, or the Universe. Subsequently, these religions may have sorted out practices, ministry, a meaning of what constitutes adherence or participation, blessed spots, places of worship and sacred writings. The act of religion may incorporate customs, sermons, celebration or love penances, celebrations, wedding administrations, or different parts of human society. Religions might likewise contain mythology. The†¦show more content†¦The changes in these generations have not destroyed the religion per say but enhanced continuity and relevance of the religion to the status quo. Preservation of Christianity is based on the core principles such as dogma that is a set of rules that are universally believed to be incontrovertibly true. My Christian background and beliefs, however, have been based on faith rather than rational hypotheses. Is what I believe all a figment of my imagination? In his article, Matt Slick asserts that Christianity is the one true religion (Slick). That is what Christians believe and uphold to the truth despite the lack of plausible evidence to support the hypothesis. Christianity and two other monotheistic religions, Islam and Judaism all refer to Jerusalem as the Holy City (Fraser) but they don’t differ in the ways of worship. Thinking about it, if there is indeed one God, why the difference in religions and ways of worship. Additionally there also inter-religious differences within religions such as Christianity. The debate on the existence or non-existence of a true religion for that matter, in inseparable from the origin of religion. Religion is intended to center the general population s consideration and vitality on a solitary, perpetual, uncompromising and imperceptible preeminent being. The supreme being professedly made a sub-par human race only for some additional brotherhood and affection for himself and afterward

Hca 322 Week 5 Assignment Free Essays

A Deeper Look into Ethics and Laws Regarding Surrogacy HCA 322: Health Care Ethics and Medical Law A Deeper Look into Ethics and Laws Regarding Surrogacy When one or more persons contract with a woman to gestate a child than relinquish that child after birth to the person or couple is known as surrogacy. It is a course of action that goes outside of natural reproduction. For some, it is the only method of having children, extending family. We will write a custom essay sample on Hca 322 Week 5 Assignment or any similar topic only for you Order Now Surrogacy has been stirring up many controversies over the years. Ethics, morals, laws, religious views, etc. ave played a major role in the issues that follow the topic of surrogacy. Laws and regulations pertaining to surrogacy vary from state to state. Some states have no enforceable laws towards surrogacy, while others only permit surrogacy contracts that are uncompensated arrangements and gestational agreements (Trimarchi, 2011). Some states prohibit same sex couples from entering into any form of surrogacy contracts. In this paper, I will be address the legal and ethical issues involved and other aspects of surrogacy. History of Surrogacy and Case Study Surrogacy was assumed to have been around since the Babylonian times. Alternatively, the most credible records to date allocate managing legal passivity and the public responses during the middle of the 20th century. Surrogacy did not become public in 1976, when Attorney Noel Keane negotiated the first ever surrogacy agreement (â€Å"History of surrogacy,† 2011). Attorney Noel Keane and Dr. Ringold created the first ever fertility clinic (surrogacy clinic) in the United States. Many laws and regulations were not implemented until the case of Elizabeth Kane and the case of Baby M. Elizabeth Kane was the first woman to enter into a compensated surrogacy agreement in 1980. She was to be compensated with $10,000. She, however, was unwilling to leave the surrogacy agreement without the baby. It was the decision of the court to not grant custody of the child to Elizabeth Kane due to her signing a legal contract. This is the case known for starting the implementation of some laws in some states. In 1986, Mary Beth Whitehead (surrogate mother) and the Stern family entered into a surrogacy agreement. This is the notorious case of ‘Baby M. ‘ It was agreed that Whitehead would receive $10,000 if the child were born healthy, and the surrogate maintained the guidelines and restrictions stated in the contract. However, if there was a case of miscarriage or still born, Whitehead would only receive $1,000. Also, once the child was born Mrs. Stern could legally adopt the child. Once the child was born, Whitehead decided she did not want to give custody of the child to the Sterns. She fled the state and was soon taken into custody. Judge Sorkow, ruled that custody of Baby M would be given to the Stern family, enforcing the surrogacy contract. Whitehead was also deemed an unfit mother. Mrs. Stern was given permission to adopt Baby M. Whitehead appealed the court’s decision. New Jersey’s Supreme Court overturned Judge Sorkow’s ruling, invalidating commercial surrogacy contracts as a disguised form of baby-selling (Tong, 2011). Whitehead was granted visitation to baby M. Cases like ‘Baby M’ assisted in triggering some but not many regulations on surrogacy. Ethics and morals, and forms of discrimination against women arose after the case of ‘Baby M. ‘ Some believed that the ruling was justified, whereas others felt that it exploited financially unstable, young, minority women searching for an easy way to earn cash (Tong, 2011). The case of ‘Baby M,’ had some thinking that if Mrs. Whitehead were financially stable, like the Stern Family, she would’ve been granted full custody of the child. On the other hand, those favoring the decision stated that most surrogacy advocates chose women who are 20-30 and have had a child. They also noted that majority of surrogates chosen are Caucasian women. Surrogate agencies now seek women who are unselfish and are financially ready to be the role of a surrogate. Legal Issues A contract is considered to be an agreement, written or verbal, outlining terms and conditions (legally binding obligations) between two parties. Contracts are legally enforceable. In regards to surrogacy, contracts are drawn up with terms and conditions for the surrogate as well as the intended parents. While a majority of the population feels this is a legally enforceable contracts others see the contract as null and void. Due to the close resemblance of ‘baby selling,’ which is illegal in every state, there has been, and still is a bit of a divide on decisions in legislation in regards to surrogacy. â€Å"Court decisions and legislation in the United States are split on the issue of whether or not to prohibit surrogacy contracts† (Pozgar, 2012). The surrogacy field has some regulations, such as the use of contracts, which are considered to be law binding, as of right now. The topic of surrogacy is a topic, with much needed deliberation. Before any couple may move forward with the surrogacy process, there are certain factors that must be considered. This includes: Is surrogacy permitted in the state? Are surrogacy contracts permitted? Is there the option to transfer parental rights (adoption)? Once one has these questions answered, they have to determine other factors. Such as: costs for both surrogate (if any) as well as intended parents, contract agreement, testing procedures, medical expenses for the surrogate, etc (â€Å"What are the,† n. d. ). If an agreement has been reached, and all aspects of the surrogacy are agreed to, a surrogacy contract can be entered into without any issues developing. However, this does not mean no issues will arise later in the surrogacy. Some aspects may have been over looked, or the surrogate could develop issues once the child is born, hence the case of ‘Baby M. ‘ There is nothing in federal legislation in regards to surrogacy. Laws regarding surrogacy vary from state to state. As of this moment, several states prohibit acts of assisted reproductive technologies. In those states any surrogacy contracts are unenforceable, proclaiming all contracts void (Hansen, 2011). Some of these states consider acts of surrogacy a crime, punishable by law. While some states allow surrogacy by only to married couples or to couples where one of the intended parents is related to the child. A majority of the states allow surrogacy to take place. In fact they have allowed the surrogacy field to prosper (Hansen, 2011). These states do not have any regulations on surrogacy. Surrogacy contracts are binding just as any other drawn up contract. When entering into such a potentially controversial contract, lawyers should be present to discuss any issues, and to witness the agreement. All parties involved in surrogacy have legal rights. Ones that should not be over looked. For instance, all parties involved in surrogacy have a right to confidentiality. The right to privacy and confidentiality should be underlined in the contract drawn. The intended parents of the child as well as the surrogate mother must keep all information private. While information between the surrogate and the intended parents may be shared, a third party (surrogacy agency) tries to keep all information to a need to know basis. For example, the intended parents may want to know of any mental or physical issues of the surrogate. Otherwise, all information should be kept private. Both parties in the surrogacy contract have the right to an attorney. Due to high risks of controversies, all parties should have legal representation. Lawyers can assist in explaining the contract. They can also give legal advice if the other party has a ‘change of heart. ‘ With legal representation comes attorney-client confidentiality. The attorney hired must keep all information private. Ethics Morals Surrogacy raises many ethical issues. All too which must be evaluated before entering into a surrogacy contract. The biggest ethical issue pertaining to surrogacy is the mental and physical displacement the surrogate mother endures. The surrogate mother must be capable of releasing the child once she has completed labor. In a surrogate situation, the gestational mother is the woman who carries the baby to term. This can be a very taxing process both physically and emotionally – and unique in that after the surrogate mother physically carries the baby throughout the pregnancy, she needs to physically and emotionally detach herself from the child once it is born† (The ethical issues,† n. d. ). For some women this issue is effortless, they simply see their body as a temporary home for the child, a ‘womb for rent’. While others form an attachment with the child while in the gestational period. This attachment presents difficulty for the surrogate mother once the child is born. â€Å"After the child is taken, the surrogate mother may be negatively impacted as her feeling of isolation is felt along with the reality of the sale of her body † (Pozgar, 2012). This, in the long run, could cause more negative impact for the surrogate mother than positive. Women’s values in liberty and autonomy need to be weighed against other values like exploitation, health and welfare. When entering into a drastic contract, the fear of infidelity weighs heavy on all parties. Trust in one another is a major characteristic that must be displayed. â€Å"It is easy to praise a successful arrangement in retrospect, but the danger always exists that an arrangement one is planning would cause moral harm to the surrogate and/or the commissioning parents† (van Niekerk ; van Zyl, 1995). If the surrogate mother were to change her mind after the child were born, it could cause an emotional impact on all parties, including the child. In the case of ‘Baby M,’ Whitehead grew attached to the child. At first, she was considered to be unfit as a mother and lost all rights. However, she continued her efforts to custody of the child. After two years, she was awarded visitation to the child, and the intended mother was unable to adopt the child. The emotional devastation felt had to have been overwhelming. The child was subject to the custody battle and confusion of ‘who is my mommy? ‘ While the Stern family (intended family) had to endure in sharing a child too which they would have full custody. What about the rights of the child? This is a question stirring around controversy. The child is usually never considered when people decide assisted reproduction technologies. The child is not given the option of knowing his/her gestational mother, or of any other details pertaining to her (unless otherwise stated, like in the case of ‘Baby M’). The child is also denied the ability to know if his/her biological parents (if sperm donation and/or egg donation is used). â€Å"Transferring the duties of parenthood from the birthing mother to a contracting couple denies the child any claim to its â€Å"gestational carrier† and to its biological parents if the egg and/or sperm is/are not that of the contracting parents† (â€Å"Surrogacy: A 21st,† ). Also, the baby may have identity issues upon being informed of the nature of his birth, that is if the intended parents decide to disclose this information to the child. Awkwardly, there has been deliberation that surrogacy is close to resembling prostitution. Commercial surrogacy (paying a surrogate mother for gestation of a child) is said to be considered a form of prostitution because the woman is selling her body for someone else’s contentment. Although surrogacy is not for intimate purposes, people feel it is the same concept. They feel it is immoral. However, those favoring surrogacy argue that ‘we live in a society where physical labor is compensated with money or material items. ‘ They feel that this argument is invalid (van Niekerk van Zyl, 1995). . Lastly, ‘baby-selling’ is the issue surrounding surrogacy. Selling a child is illegal and unethical in any state. Infertility clinics and surrogacy agencies are growing more popular in the United States. These clinics and agencies do take a portion of the money involved in the surrogacy. This little fact gives more power to the argument of ‘baby-selling. The agency or clinic is considered to be the third party in the process, assisting with finding probable surrogates for intended families, drawing up a contract, what each party is responsible for throughout the gestation period of the child. An infertile couple pays an agency $10,000 to find a surrogate, and another $10,000 to the surrogate for any expenses she made covered while carrying the child. The infertile couple also pays the medical expenses, prenatal and postnatal care. So some like the state of Michigan, this is unethical and illegal. It is classified as ‘baby-selling. ‘ However, if a woman who bears a child gives the child to a infertile couple for free, this is completely legal and ethical. In my opinion/ Conclusion In the future, the topic of surrogacy will still be controversial. However, with technology becoming so advance, I foresee a solution to infertility for couples coming to an end. States have their different opinions on the subject, and because of those opinions laws and regulations have been placed on surrogacy. Some states laws will change, as the issue of surrogacy arises. † As surrogate/contract parenting arrangements are normalized and routinized, the U. S. public will probably press federal and state authorities to pass clear legislation governing surrogacy† (Tong, 2011). Woman are given the gift to bare children. However, some are incapable due to some form of medical issue. If a family wants to extend their family by having children (legally) that is their given right. Of course this varies from state to state. Surrogacy does cause many ethical and legal issues. However, these are issues that all surrogate mothers and intended families take into close consideration before pursuing. It is important that all parties involved weigh in liberty, autonomy, fidelity, ethical and moral values against all other standards and values. Many issues are bound to arise when entering into such a highly drastic contract, but with close monitoring, fidelity and understanding, the contract should be capable of being carried out with no issues. References Hansen, M. (2011, March 01). As surrogacy becomes more popular, legal problems proliferate. Retrieved from http://www. abajournal. com/magazine/article/as_surrogacy_becomes_more_popular_legal_problems_proliferate/ History of surrogacy. (2011). Retrieved from http://www. findsurrogatemother. com/surrogacy/information/history Pozgar, G. (2012). Legal and Ethical Issues for Health Professionals (3rd ed). Jones ; Bartlett Publishers. Retrieved from http://online. vitalsource. com/books/9781449685065/id/ch02lev1sec10 Surrogacy: A 21st century human rights challenge. (n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. cbc-network. org/issues/making-life/surrogacy/ The ethical issues of surrogacy. n. d. ). Retrieved from http://www. modernfamilysurrogacy. com/page/surrogacy_ethical_issues Tong, R. (2011). Surrogate parenting. Retrieved from http://www. iep. utm. edu/surr-par/#H4 Trimarchi, M. (2011). Surrogacy overview. Retrieved from http://health. howstuffworks. com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/fertility/surrogacy3. htm van Niekerk, A. , ; van Zyl, L. (1995). The ethics of surrogacy: Wome n’s reproductive labour. Journal of Medical Ethics, 21(6), 345-345. Retrieved from http://search. proquest. com/docview/216336102? accountid=32521 What are the How to cite Hca 322 Week 5 Assignment, Papers

Impact of Oil and Gas Industry on Environment

Question: Describe the impact of oil and gas industry on environment. Answer: Overview of Oil and gas in our life: Oil and gas are used widely in our day to day life. The modern lifestyles and modern economies are nothing without the oil fuels which are used in cars, trucks and planes. The plastics and other chemicals or the various lubricants like tars, waxes etc are produced by the byproducts of the oil refining. Many pesticides and various fertilizers are made either from the oil or the byproducts of the oil. On the other hand electricity is (Institute (2012))provided by gas and also gas is normally used for cooking, heating water and heating building and houses. Various industrial operations are fueled by the oil which includes aluminum, nickel smelters and other manufacturing industries. The fertilizers are produced by gas. Gas can also be used in the form of CNG of LNG. Oil and gas are the most important energy sources in the world. Currently 90million barrels of oil are required for various other purposes other than using it for transport or energy as a fuel. Currently the future of fuel i s not clear as the end of gas and oil production is not yet in sight. But the fact that the reservoirs will be depleted at some point of time is already known because oil is being consumed four times that is being discovered in the reservoirs. Hence we shall try to use the resources sensibly. This is the reason that the oil heating is replaced by the other sources of energy. Along with this oil remains a crucial raw material for the industry such as the chemical industry. As the gas and the oil industry is global due to various operations conducted in every corner of globe it cannot be said that oil industry does not harm the society in general. There are various ecological side effects of the exploitation of gas and oil reserves.(Raymond Leffler (2006)) Overview of oil and Gas exploration and production process: There are two parts of which the oil and gas industry is comprised of one is the upstream and the other is the downstream. (Richard. (2000))Upstream is mainly the production and the exploration sector of the industry whereas the downstream sector is the sector dealing with the processing and the refining of the crude oil and the gas products and distribution of the same. The various principle steps in the production of oil and gas are as follows: Exploration surveying: There were major sedimentary basins identified in the process of hydrocarbon bearing in the rock formation. A field geological method is used to know more detailed information. For measuring the variations a magnetic method is used which reflects the character of the rocks which are present. One of the most common methods of assessment is seismic survey it is used to identify the geological structures and the sound wave properties.(Mariano (2010)) Exploration Drilling: After identification of the promising geological structure the exploratory holes are dug in order to know the intensity and thickness of the reservoirs internal pressure. The wells that are dug to discover the hydrocarbons are known as the exploration wells. A pad is constructed on the site that is chosen for the land based operations. Appraisal: After the successes of exploratory drilling more wells need to be drilled so that the extent and the size of the field is determined. Appraisals wells or out step wells are the wells which are drilled to quantify the hydrocarbon reserves. The size and the nature of the reservoir is determined at the appraisal stage.(UNEP (2012)) Development and production: The production and development wells are the wells which are drilled after establishing the size of the field. During the appraisal wells one or more small reservoir may be developed. For drilling larger wells additions production wells are required. (Goal.Lumban Chaxzko (2014)) Factor impacting of the oil and gas exploration on Environment: Oil and gas industry is not free from hazards. This industry holds the major hazards for the environment and further impacts the oil, water and soil in different levels. One of the most hazardous consequences of oil and gas industry is pollution. Pollution is caused by almost all the activities which are carried on by this very industry. There are about 800 different chemicals which are generated during the process of drilling, transportation, refining and production of oil and gas. Some of the other environmental impacts included in the list of this industry are acid rain, contamination of the ground water, poor water quality and the intensification of the green house. There is the loss of biodiversity as well due to the oil and gas industry more over it contributes to the destruction of the ecosystem.(Looney (2012)) There is a proper documentation of the impacts of the oil and gas industry on the environment. Still it is very important to protect the environment from the impacts of these industries by taking important and suitable measures. The major polluters to the environment are the oil refiners as they consume large amount of energy and water and produces large waste waters and further releases hazardous gases. Though the oil industry affects the society in the negative way still it plays a positive role in the environment as well as by creating different job opportunities for the people and generating tax revenues and royalties for the government.(Devold (2013)) Impact of oil and gas Production on Environment The oil and gas industry impacts the environment to a great extent. Some of the effects of this industry are included below: Human and cultural Impacts: There may be changes in land use patterns, logging, hunting etc Changes may occur in the socio economic systems as there will be new employment opportunities , inflation, differences in per capita income(Kao (1998)) The socio cultural systems may change like there might be change in the organization structure, practices and beliefs. Changes might take place in the planning activities. Aquatic Impacts: The impacts of the oil and gas industry on the aquatic life include the following: The industry contaminates the water by discharging various effluents in to the water and hence renders the water unsuitable for drinking. The inorganic salts which are discharged in to the water without appropriate treatment also contaminate the water. These industries create thermal pollution by discharging the effluents whose temperature is higher than the water bodies in which these are being discharged. The oil spills which are discharged by the oil and gas industry contaminates the water. The ocean discharges affect the benthic organisms through the hydrocarbon levels which rises up to 800 meters.(Spooner (2012)) Ecosystem Impacts: During the production and refining processes carried out in these industries many particulate emissions are discharged by them which contaminate the environment. During the refining and production process the sulphur and nitrogen gases are emitted which are very harmful for the environment. These industries often release a hazardous material occasionally which contaminates the environment to a large extent. Various solid wastes are disposed of by these industries which contaminates the soil and the ground water. Potential Emergencies: The industries often use machines which are very noisy and hence they create noise pollution. There are various accidents caused by these industries like fire, oil spill This often causes war and sabotage There are chances of leaks and explosions on the plants. At times there are oil and gas well blow outs Measures which can take to minimize the impacts above are: The impact of the oil and gas industry is very harsh on the environment so it is required that proper measures are taken from time to time to overcome these issues. Some of the measures which can be taken are as follows: It shall be taken care that no waste waters are discharged in to the river, lakes till these water wastes are treated properly. In order to remove the contaminants from the water the water shall be well treated by evaporation, oil and grease separation, aeration, reverse osmosis etc which depends upon the type of contaminates to be removed from the water. Whenever there is liquid discharge in to the water bodies these discharge shall comply with the laws and standards which are adopted in different countries. There shall be proper drainage system where the materials that may seep due to rain can be stored in order to avoid contamination of rain water. The areas where the products and the raw materials are to be stored shall be water proofed and there shall be proper drainage system so that there shall be proper treatment of wash water and spills. The equipment like cyclones electorate precipitators, bag filters can be used to particulate the emissions. Water scrubbers can be used to control the acidic emissions like sulphur and nitrogen oxides. Water sprays can be used to control the dust emissions from patios and outdoor areas. Carbon absorption and wet scrubbers can be used to control the gas emissions. In order to prevent the occasional leaks of oil and gas preventive maintenance of equipment is required along with the proper storage tanks. Dikes and catch basins can be used to prevent hazardous material storage tanks. Before disposing the solid wastes finally which cannot be recycled properly shall be treated properly. Possible methods shall be used for the treatment depending on the nature of waste which includes controlled landfill disposal, chemical immobilization, burning in cement kilns or incineration. If the treatments of treating the waste are unavailable then the waste can be treated in other plants where the treatment facilities are available in which there shall be special care in case of transportation of the water. In case there arises a issue where the waste cannot be treated then the wastes shall be stored in the plant sites and facilities shall be made for the same. In order to reduce the impacts and the risks of the accident the system conditions of the roads shall be accessed properly during the feasibility study. The buildings which hold loud equipments shall be sound proofed so that there are less chances of noise pollution. Measures shall be taken to prepare emergency response plans in case there are any kind of emergencies these plans can be implemented. Environmental Protection Measures: Implementation at the site: There should be adequate personal and financial resources in order to ensure that the environmental protection measures are implemented properly. The objectives and the policies of the company shall be displayed on all the sites of the organization. Each site shall develop its own objectives and shall take care that those objectives are fulfilled. The site manager shall initiate different strategic objectives for different sites. (Water (2013))The implementation manager shall take care of his roles and responsibilities. There shall be sufficient representatives with sufficient knowledge at each site. There is a wide variety of documentation which is required to describe the functions and responsibilities of the management system.(Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing (2011)) Monitoring at the site: Monitoring takes care that the plans are met and commitments are met. For this direct measurement of the information gathered is required. Monitoring means measuring the actual performance with the planned though surveillance, inspection and analysis. Proper follow up of the plans and in case there are non compliance of any planned actions corrective measures shall be taken in to consideration. There shall be proper audit and review procedures that shall be established by the company from time to time to check any kind of deficiencies. Proper care shall be taken that the procedures and instructions are followed at all levels. Relevant environmental protection measures shall be taken so that in case there are any chances of loss of environment that shall be known earlier only. Recommendations: It has been seen that oil and gas industry poses different threats on the environment but it has also proved to be profitable for the environment in many different ways so it is very important to take different measures to save the environment from the hazards of the oil and gas industry so that the production can be carried in such a way that is only profitable and not hazardous to the environment. Bibliography Devold, H (2013), Oil and Gas Production Handbook. Goal.Lumban Chaxzko, Z (2014), Advances in Intelligent Systems: - Page 26, illustrated edn, WIT Press, 2014. Institute, AP (2012), Energy API, viewed 15 March (2016), https://www.api.org/Oil-and-Natural-Gas-Overview. Kao, C-K (1998), Environmental Regulation of Oil and Gas - Page 306, Kluver Law International Limited. Looney, R (2012), Handbook of Oil Politics - Page 21, Routledge, New York. Mariano, B (2010),.eolss.net, viewed 14 March (2016), https://www.eolss.net/sample-chapters/c08/e6-185-18.pdf. Office of Legislative Drafting and Publishing (2011), National Environment Protection Measures (Implementation) Act 1998, viewed 16 March (2016), https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2011C00281. Raymond, M Leffler, W (2006), Oil and Gas Production in Nontechnical Language, Amanda Seiders. Richard. (2000), Overview of oil and Gas exploration and production process, McGrawHill. Spooner, A (2012), Dummies.com, viewed 14 March (2016), https://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/what-is-the-environmental-impact-of-petroleum-and-.html. UNEP (2012), UNEP industry and environment, viewed 14 March (2016), https://www.ogp.org.uk/pubs/254.pdf. Water, FSCOEA (2013), National Environment Protection Measures (NEPMs), viewed 16 March (2016), https://www.scew.gov.au/nepms.

Health Promotion among Diverse Populations Essay Essay Example

Health Promotion among Diverse Populations Essay Essay In discoursing wellness publicity among diverse populations. this writer has selected the Latino population to demo wellness position in respects to the national norm. Harmonizing to the U. S. Census Bureau. as of July 2013. their estimation is that there are around 54 million Hispanics that live in the United States. This represents 17 % of the entire U. S. population which makes them the largest cultural minority. It is estimated that by 2060. they will turn to around 128. 8 million ( 31 % ) of the U. S. population. Harmonizing to the U. S. Census Bureau in 2012. the Latino population of which 23 % were in either simple or high school ; and merely 6. 8 % were in college. Besides. merely about 29. 1 % lacked wellness insurance. We will write a custom essay sample on Health Promotion among Diverse Populations Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Health Promotion among Diverse Populations Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Health Promotion among Diverse Populations Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Spanish americans were 43 % more likely non to hold wellness coverage than that of 13 % of non-Hispanics who lacked wellness coverage. Harmonizing to the CDC ( Center of Disease Control ) . when measuring the wellness position that this group perceived themselves by 10. 3 % of being in carnival or hapless wellness. Mortality rates were hard to compare as the coverage on the cultural group was non ever set on the decease certification. However. the decease rate from Diabetes is 40. 5 per 100. 000 for Blacks. which is dual that for the white population which 19. 9 is. The rate for Hispanics is 27. 7. Health Disparities/ Barriers Harmonizing to the CDC. wellness disparities are spreads in wellness results or determiners between sections of the population. â€Å"Many wellness disparities are related to societal determiners of wellness. the conditions in which people are born. turn. unrecorded. work and age. Designation and consciousness of differences among populations sing wellness determiners and wellness results are indispensable stairss toward cut downing wellness disparities. † ( CDC Health Disparities and Inequalities Report-U. S. . 2013 ) . We need to be cognizant of the disparities of our patient population in order to be able to supply the instruction and resources needed to better wellness publicity and bar for them. Some of the disparities among the Latino population are instruction. cost. linguistic communication. and bar. In respects to instruction. a larger per centum that of non-Hispanics did non complete high school and hence many are unable to read and compose adequately to acquire the information that they need. Besides. a high per centum don’t speak English and they are unable to pass on with wellness givers. particularly if there is no 1 to interpret. Since a big per centum has non graduated from high school. they are in low income a occupation which puts them in less than the federal poorness degree. and are more likely to be in bad places. Besides. Spanish americans are more likely to be unemployed as compared to non-Hispanics. Due to their low-income. Hispanics are less likely to seek medical attending because of cost. They will supply medical attention for their kids foremost and themselves last. Many usage place redresss handed down through the coevalss. With respects to blood force per unit area control. which could be regulated in a clinic visit. merely a little per centum had blood force per unit area control as compared to non-Hispanics. Barriers to these disparities need to be assessed and intercessions need to be developed and implemented to better wellness for these populations. Some of the barriers noted were linguistic communication. income. educational degree and cultural beliefs. There are interlingual rendition tools ( phones. transcribers ) available ; we merely necessitate to use what is available. By using these tools. persons will be more likely to travel to the physician. since they will be able to understand the information given. However. we as wellness suppliers need to be non-judgmental and accepting of these persons. Financial concerns are a large portion. most province that they can non afford interventions. medicines. supplies. and dietetic alterations. This is due in portion that most are below poorness degree. By measuring their demands. so researching what plans are available for them. There are medicine aid plans available. some from the infirmaries and some from the pharmaceutical companies. Many pharmaceuticss now have $ 5 and 10 $ medicines for 30 to 90 yearss. This can be a major aid. Transportation system can besides be a barrier ; if they don’t have a manner to acquire to assignments so they don’t acquire the appropriate followup. Puting up clinics in the community is a manner to increase patients doing it to assignments. Besides. in some communities. public transit coachs will travel and pick up patients from their place and take them for assignments and convey them back place. Education is another barrier. with most non completing high school. they are non able to read and compose good or non at all. or non in English. When developing an educational plan for these persons. we need to take into history how they learn and what types of media do we necessitate to utilize. Approachs to Health Promotion There are three attacks to wellness promotion/ bar: primary. secondary and third. Primary is considered wellness publicity and specific ways to forestall unwellness such as immunisations. Secondary is describes as early diagnosing and intervention. And third is focused on reconstructing wellness and rehabilitation if needed. While primary would be good. this writer believes that the focal point should be on secondary bar. Supplying testing activities such as wellness carnivals. for these persons can and will take to early diagnosing. We need to guarantee that the Latino population are respected and supply them with the tools needed to advance health. Due to high cost of wellness attention and with many non holding insurance. most wait till they need to travel to the exigency room for attention. This pattern most likely leads to placing unwellness at a ulterior phase and therefore necessitating more intense therapy to obtain degree of health. In decision. there needs to be trust established partnership in the attention between patient. household and wellness attention suppliers. Besides. disparities need to be taken off or at least reduced to be able to supply the best preventable and early attention as possible to all. Mentions Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Office of Minority Health and Health Equity. November 26. 2014. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol ; //www. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. gov/minorityhealth/index. hypertext markup language Centers for Disease Control/National Center for Health Statistics: July 14. 2014. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. gov/nchs/fastats/hispanic-health. htm Centers for Disease Control 24/7: Salvaging Lifes. protecting people. October 28. 2014. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Center for Disease Control and Prevention. gov/minorityhealth/populations/REMP/hhispanic. html Summary Health Statistics for the U. S. Population: National Health Interview Survey. 2012. Critical Health Statistics. Series 10. Number 259. December 2013 Center for Disease Control: Health Disparities and Inequalities Report- U. S. 2013. Retrieved from hypertext transfer protocol: //www. Cen ter for Disease Control and Prevention. gov/minorityhealth/CHDIReport. html Edelman. Kudzman and Mandle ; Health Promotion throughout the Life Span. edition 8. 2014. Chapter 1.

Knowledge vs. Experience Essay Example

Knowledge vs. Experience Essay Example Knowledge vs. Experience Essay Knowledge vs. Experience Essay Essay Topic: Siddhartha Woman On the Edge Of Time The celebrated Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti one time said. There is no terminal to instruction. It is non that you read a book. base on balls an scrutiny. and finish with instruction. The whole of life. from the minute you are born to the minute you die. is a procedure of larning. ( whale. to/a/krishnamurti ) Krishnamurti is turn toing larning as a procedure in which an person attempts to derive certain cognition for foreordained intents. He clearly believes that rote memorisation is inferior to larning from experiences. Academic cognition through text editions can learn persons theories about life. Life. nevertheless. perverts from theory often. The lone manner persons are traveling to cognize about these divergences is when they experience the battles and fruits of life on their ain. [ Similarly. in this compelling novel by Herman Hesse. Siddhartha learns that enlightenment can non be reached through his 7 instructors because it can non be instilled in an individual’s head -enlightenment comes from the inner ego and through the experiences in which 1 must obtain wisdom from. ] he said it can be a small better In the gap of the novel. Siddhartha is influenced by outside instructions in his hunt for enlightment. His male parent and his associated community ideally want him to go a successful Brahmin. alternatively of fall ining the Samanas. Everyone else around him still has non reached enlightenment. and Siddhartha feels that shacking with them will increase his wonder sing his presence in life. ( Siddhartha to himself ) [ He had begun to surmise that his worthy male parent and his other instructors. the wise Brahmins. had already passed on to him the majority of their wisdom†¦ his psyche was non at peace. ( 3 ) ] Siddhartha craves to better admit the innermost kernel of ego and its connexion to the universe in a society. The cognition passed on to him nevertheless does non explicate this. which is why Siddhartha speculates the beginnings of the universe and his topographic point in it. When Siddhartha departs on his journey to accomplish enlightenment. he joins the Samanas and accustoms rapidly to their lifestyle because of the endurance and subject he learned in the Brahmin rites. H e learns how to liberate himself from the mercenary universe he was populating in. losing his desire for ownership and dress. However Siddhartha is still unsated. The way of self-denial does non supply an constituted solution for Siddhartha. He comes to the realisation which is this: the Samanas have been merely every bit unsuccessful as the old counsel he has encountered. Siddhartha’s thirst for cognition has merely increased. as he tells his good friend. I suffer thirst. Govinda. and on this long Samana way my thirst has non grown less†¦I have ever thirsted for cognition. ( 15 ) Buddha is still funny. therefore Govinda convinces him that they both should go forth the Samanas and seek out the Buddha. During Siddhartha’s quest for enlightment. he and Govinda are looking for Gotama’s whereabouts. As they are taken in. Siddhartha is informed about a instruction called the Eightfold Path and the four chief points in order to accomplish the lasting solution of abstaining from the pleasances of the universe. However. while Govinda is wholly influenced by these instructions. Siddhartha is still non satisfied. ( Gotama to S iddhartha ) [ The learning which you have heard†¦is non to explicate the universe to those who are thirsty for knowledge†¦its end is redemption from the agony. ( 27 ) ] Siddhartha is still unsated. and desires to grok the significance of life’s intent in the universe in an complete manner. Like the Samanas. Buddha’s followings escape from world without linking to it. Most significantly. Siddhartha feels that he can non accomplish enlightment from an external beginning such as a instructor. He grounds that in order to make enlightenment. one must larn merely through experience and instructions by other wise mans. Wisdom is gained through experience. while cognition is taught. This is the ground he can non accept Buddha’s instructions. At this point of the novel. Siddhartha knows he will hold to go his good friend behind to get down a hunt for the significance of life which will be based on experience. instead than spiritual instructions. Siddhartha determines to put out on a life abstaining from speculation and to alternatively come in the stuff universe to research the physical pleasances of his organic structure. In this new universe of his. Siddhartha encounters a friendly ferryman. populating his free life to its fullest. After traversing the ferrymanà ¢â‚¬â„¢s river. he arrives to a metropolis where a beautiful kept woman named Kamala mesmerizes him. He believes she would be the most worthy one to learn him about the physical facets of love. but Kamala will merely teach him until he proves he can suit into the mercenary universe. With her counsel. Siddhartha takes up the way of the merchandiser and engages in concern with a adult male named Kamaswami who taught him how to merchandise. While Siddhartha achieves the wisdom of the concern universe and experiences how to make concern in the material universe. Kamala becomes his lover and teaches him about every physical facet of love. [ She taught him that lovers should non divide from each other after doing love†¦so that no feeling of devastation arise nor the horrid feeling of misusing ( 54 ) ] Siddhartha renounces the religious way and exchanges the hunt for Atman to see physical pleasances. However. Siddhartha and Kamala are both incapable to give and have existent love at this phase in the novel. Siddhartha has eliminated himself from the universe wholly and is non influenced by what the universe has to offer him. Since both these external ushers are unable to learn him wisdom. he knows he must now accomplish wisdom on his ain. This consciousness itself comes from his inner ego. Siddhartha starts his way to seek enlightenment go forthing the Brahmins. the Samanas. Gotama. and the stuff universe because he fe els unhappy with himself. As Siddhartha leaves the corrupted stuff universe. he approaches a river and considers what way his life has taken him. Ironically. the same ferryman whom he met old ages before introduces himself with the individuality as Vasudeva. Siddhartha senses interior peace and wisdom within this adult male. and motivates him to obtain it every bit good. Finally Siddhartha resides and works with Vasudeva until he comes to cognize his boy was born. With his boy. Siddhartha eventually experiences love. but since love is a connexion to the universe. it threatens to deflect Siddhartha from his hunt for enlightenment. It’s non until now when Siddhartha has gained wisdom on his ain without any mercenary influences. therefore the love he expresses for his boy becomes a trial of this wisdom. ( Siddhartha to himself ) [ It is a good thing to see everything oneself†¦as a kid I learned that pleasances of the universe and wealths were non good†¦ but I have merely merely experienced it now†¦ ( 80 ) ] Siddhartha implies that the Buddha’s instructions or any beginning of external counsel do non d o one enlightened ; they merely transfer cognition to the society around them. Siddhartha is cognizant enlightenment can merely be reached if he will be able to accept love. and every bit hard as it might be. to even accomplish Nirvana. Successfully. Kamala and his boy influenced him to a great extent and because of them. Siddhartha learned and experienced how to love the universe and accept it as a whole. Siddhartha encounters many instructors of wisdom during his journey. but each fails to take him to his end: to seek enlightenment. The ferryman nevertheless. is successful and shows Siddhartha how to happen enlightenment within him by barricading out all exterior counsel. [ Vasudeva will non merely state Siddhartha what he should cognize like the others. but a usher who will take him where he wishes to go. ] After go forthing the material universe. Siddhartha seeks for cognition from the river he crossed and Vasudeva ushers Siddhartha to listen to it for a better apprehension of what the river communicates. Vasudeva does non state Siddhartha what the river will state. but when Siddhartha discloses what the river has expressed to him. Vasudeva clearly admits that he excessively has received the same wisdom on his a in. Now. Siddhartha realizes that he himself becomes the ferryman after making enlightenment. ( Siddhartha talking to himself ) [ The river is everyplace at the same time†¦ Siddhartha the male child. Siddhartha the mature adult male. and Siddhartha the old adult male [ are ] merely separated by shadows. non through world. ( 87 ) ] The river is compared to Siddhartha as it is considered uninterrupted but yet ever changing within. deeper below the organic structure of H2O. Siddhartha now belongs to everything environing him alternatively of being classified to a peculiar group. At the terminal of the novel. Govinda returns to the river. still seeking enlightenment. and asks Siddhartha to learn him what he has learned. Siddhartha explains that neither he nor any other single can learn the wisdom to Govinda. because spoken accounts are definite and can neer pass on enlightenment as a whole. ( Siddhartha to Govinda ) [ When person is seeking †¦he is unable to happen anything†¦because he is obsessed with his end. ( 113 ) ] Govinda is confused merely like he was when they met near the river after Siddhartha had considered suicide. This means he still does non understand the significance of life because he hasn’t experienced the universe. staying a follower to Buddha. Therefore. Siddhartha’s ultimate attainment of Nirvana does non come from external counsel pass oning the wisdom to him. but alternatively by sing an internal connexion with the river. which encompasses the whole existence.

Market Structure Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Market Structure - Research Paper Example (Eaton, Diane and Douglas, 2002 pp.93) The firm is in equilibrium if it maximizes profit defined as the difference between revenues and costs (** = R-C). The equilibrium point is where the firm produces the output that maximizes the difference between TR & TC curves as shown below. In the short term the firm will either be making excess profits or losses depending on the position of an AC curves i.e. if the AVC curve lays below the price the firm is making excess profit as shown below. It is only possible for the firm to be equilibrium. The short run without necessarily breaking even point. However, in the long run the firm will either make neither losses nor excess profit i.e. the break even point will be the equilibrium point for the firm as shown below. The supply of such a firm may be derived by the points of intersection of MC curve with the successive demand curve. Assuming that the market prices increase gradually the demand curve will tend to shift upwards. Given the slope of the MC curve is positive each higher demand curve cuts the given MC curve on a point which lies to the right of the previous intersection. This implies that the quantity supplied by firm increases as the price increases. (Eaton, Diane and Douglas, 2002 pp.85) Changing from perfect competition to a monopoly that changes a single price will have associated implications to the firm. This is because as a monopoly market the market structure will consist of one single firm that will deal with products that have no close substitute, there will be no free entry of into the market and the firm will be a price maker meaning that the amount sold in the market will depend on the price Q = F (P) The monopolist will have a normal demand curve Q = a - b P with an option of making either of the following two decisions: (1) the price - in this case the quantity will be determined by the customer (2) the quantity- in this case the price will be determined by the future of demand and supply in the market The demand is equal to the average revenue (P = AR) for the monopolist since: Q = a - b P b p = a - q P = a - Q or a - 1____ ____ ____ Q b b b TR = P Q but P = a - 1____ ____ Q b b AR = TR = (a/b) Q - (1/b) Q2 = (a/b) - (1-b) Q thus P = AR ________________ Q They all have a common intercept (a/b) with the MR curve being twice as steep as the AR or the Demand

The Invisible Man written by H.G. Wells Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Invisible Man written by H.G. Wells - Essay Example After his initial surprise, Kemp settles, gives Griffin his word he will not betray him, and gives him food and clothes. His better judgment, however, makes him write a letter to Colonel Adye, in Port Burdock. On the next day, listens in complete astonishment to Griffin’s story. It is a long one: how Griffin made himself invisible, after experimenting on a cat, and the trouble he got himself into as a result. Towards the end of Griffin’s long recount, the reader senses that Kemp gives dry answers. Doubt has entered his mind about his old college acquaintance’s sanity. He agrees cursorily with Griffin’s suggestions, but he is somehow unconvinced and not as reassuring as the previous day. The doctor shows his uncertainty to Griffin: Kemp is now certain that Griffin is insane. Trying to lock Griffin up is unsuccessful, and Kemp is beaten up just as Colonel Adye, the chief of police, arrives to see him being tossed about as if by some invisible force. Why did Kemp betray his friend, and break his promise that he would not let him down? In the days that this book was written, an Englishman’s word was his bond. Personal morals and standards were high, and nothing short of death would get a man to betray a friend to whom he had given his word. This betrayal of Kemp’s must be seen in the context of this ethic. In normal circumstances nothing would have persuaded Kemp to inform on Griffin. The doctor, however, had deliberated over the situation for a long time, smoking three cigars. The situation was anything but normal, and Griffin was not sounding very rational to him. His morning recount of killing animals, robbing stores, and taking a man’s gold was enough for Kemp to be glad he had sent to note off to Adye. Griffin was a danger to himself and others. He was talking of going off to Algiers, where people did not know to look out for a swaddled man. His desire was to start a reign of terror. This was enough for

Homeland Security Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Homeland Security - Assignment Example Each support annex identifies a coordinating agency, as well as assisting and cooperating agencies. In some instances, two departments or agencies share coordinating agency responsibilities (US Department of Homeland Security FEMA, 2009, p. 3-7) A plan is said to be achievable when the organization is able to achieve the main aims and objectives of the plan given the resource and time constraints placed upon the project. In every plan, a certain amount of resources are allocated and they are later monitored through the use of different statuses. The available resources of a project consist of the internal assets within the organization and even those that the organization is able to attain through agreements (US Department of Homeland Security FEMA, 2009, p. 4-17) U.S. Department of Homeland Security FEMA. (2010). Developing and maintaining emergency operations plans: Comprehensive preparedness guide 101, Version 2.0. Retrieved from

Are Automotive Manufacturers more Socially Responsible?

Are Automotive Manufacturers more Socially Responsible? To what extent are car manufacturing firms operating in a more socially responsible manner when designing environmentally friendly cars? Abstract Social responsibility is one of the key differentiators between modern corporations, and is seen by many analysts as an antidote to the past few years trend towards the demonisation of corporate institutions. The recent economic crisis, in particular, has led many observers to argue that corporations that fail to address issues of social responsibility will struggle to survive. However, other observers question whether this phenomenon is anything more than a superficial consumer trend, and whether the world economy in general can seriously contemplate a corporate system in which the profit motive is subservient to the need for corporate social responsibility. This dissertation examines social responsibility in terms of the car manufacturing industry, and looks in particular at the question of whether or not the move towards environmentally friendly cars is anything more than a passing phase in an industry that is extremely sensitive to public opinion. Ultimately, the aim of the disse rtation is to determine whether or not corporate social responsibility within the car manufacturing industry is a genuine change, or whether it is simply a superficial response to a passing public trend. Introduction The concept of corporate social responsibility has been one of the dominant themes of the past decade, with consumer recognition of a corporations social responsibility being increasingly seen as a lucrative phenomenon. In the west, in particular, increasing levels of affluence have led to a trend that has seen more customers show willingness to pay more for products that are designed according to theories of social responsibility., and this shift has been nowhere more apparent than in the automobile manufacturing industry. This trend has inter-cut with a recognition (in some quarters) of the need to ensure a more environmentally-friendly approach to industrial production and consumption, and a number of corporations have secured dramatically enhanced public images through a focus on affordable but socially responsible products. However, critics argue that since the primary aim of these corporations is to increase their profits, the appearance of social responsibility has been more o f a cosmetic change than a substantial alteration of core business practices; many critics believe that corporations have, in most cases, merely become better at packaging their products as a more socially responsible, environmentally friendly alternative. Despite the recent financial crisis, the automobile manufacturing industry remains a bellwether for the global economy, and any genuine global industrial changes regarding social responsibility will likely be evident in the automobile industry at an early stage. This dissertation will examine the behaviour of car manufacturing firms and will ask whether they have genuinely become more socially responsible when designing environmentally friendly cars, or whether this is merely a superficial smokescreen designed to generate improved public exposure without leading to genuine changes in design and production philosophies. In particular, the difference between the industrys approach before and after the onset of the recent economic crisis will be examined, and these differences will be used to determine whether or not the move towards social responsibility represented a genuine change to production systems or was merely an attempt to capture the early twenty-first century zeitgeist. Furthermore, the dissertation will examine the extent to which social responsibility and environmental awareness have affected not only above-the-line (i.e. visible to the public) areas of the industry, but also below-the-line (i.e. internal corporate) systems; the d issertation will argue that firms can only be said to have adopted a greater level of social responsibility if their attempts to tackle this issue extend to below-the-line activities. The dissertation will use a series of core examples in order to determine both the hyperbole (i.e. the claims made to the public) and the core below-the-line changes that may, or in some cases may not, reflect the car manufacturing industrys more socially responsible, environmentally friendly approach to business and production. Literature Review Corporate Social Responsibility Social responsibility has been one of the key growth areas in recent years. Crane et al. (2007) define social responsibility, in the corporate context, as a companys ability to put aside the profit motive in order to perform tasks that have a beneficial effect not on the company itself in terms of capital but in terms of an entirely separate social group (Crane et al., 2007, p. 6). In this context, social responsibility can be seen as something that companies are expected to do unbidden, in much the same way as many people choose to donate their time and volunteer to help charities. In some ways, therefore, social responsibility can be seen as an attempt to anthropomorphise corporations by rendering them indebted to a cultural belief that they should act in a more ethical and moral manner. This is in some ways a cultural corrective to the idea of corporations as solely capitalistic, profit-orientated organisations. May et al. (2007) suggest that corporate social responsibility is a popular construct that seeks to imbue corporations with humanistic traits regardless of whether those traits are present or not (May et al., 2007, p. 118). In order for public recognition of these traits to be tangible, there must be a relative relationship between different corporations, so some must be seen to be exercising a great deal of social responsibility, while other must be seen to be doing very little. This is, in effect, the classic polar relationship between good and bad, and it allows consumers to associate themselves with positive, socially responsible companies purely by making certain purchasing decisions. Both sides therefore have a vested interest in social responsibility: consumers feel good if they reward socially responsible companies with their custom, and can use such purchases as a form of status symbol; corporations, meanwhile, can try to generate a larger, more loyal customer base. While some critics argue that social responsibility is a trend that will wax and wane according to various social and economic factors (May et al., 2007, p. 119), others believe that the emergence of social responsibility as a major business factor in the past decade is in fact a permanent change. Crane et al. note that growing awareness of environmental issues has led many people to recognise the importance of social responsibility (Crane et al., 2007, p. 10), and although the recent economic crisis may have led many to hold back on the spending that they would otherwise have directed towards socially responsible corporations, there still appears to be a broad consensus that social responsibility is one of the most important factors in modern business. Consequently, many companies have sought to strengthen their social policy credentials. Environmental Policy One of the key elements of social responsibility is the environment. For more than twenty years, there have been warnings about the effects of global warming. Many corporations choose to exhibit their social responsibility through one of a number of environmentally friendly policies: Reducing the environmental cost of production distribution. Reducing the environmental cost of consumption. Reducing the environmental cost of disposal. Using more environmentally-friendly materials. Reducing packaging and other superfluous elements of a product. Instigating specific environmentally-friendly technological elements. Funding research and education programs. Carbon and pollution off-setting. All of these options and more are regularly employed by companies that want to emphasise their environmental credentials. Large companies tend to focus on methods that require little more effort than throwing money at the problem, e.g. by funding research or off-setting their carbon emissions. However, some other companies are far more inventive, and genuinely try to reduce their environmental impact. Social Responsibility Aside from the environmental factors noted above, companies have found a number of ways of demonstrating their corporate social responsibility: Funding education programs. Providing services, e.g. transportation for school and disabled groups. Promoting volunteerism among their own workers. Donating money to charities. Working to eliminate abuse in the chain of production. The globalised corporate environment makes it more difficult than ever for companies to hide practices that might be unpopular in their domestic markets. For example, if a company seeks to use cheap labour in third world countries, it can make a short-term impact but will usually be exposed eventually. In other words, companies find it increasingly difficult to hide any non-socially responsible behaviour. The Car Manufacturing Industry The vast majority of manufacturers are global in terms of production facilities. The leading US and Japanese manufacturers, for example, tend to have dozens of factories, with at the top five companies all having at least one factory in each of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. As such, the industry can be said to be truly global in terms of both customer reach and production. Furthermore, companies often experience great success in non-domestic markets, e.g. Japans Toyota also sells many cars in the US, and Germanys BMW is extremely popular in the UK; the only major exceptions to this rule are two of the three big US companies, General Motors (GM) and Chrysler, both of which have been criticised for their focus on the US market. The Impact of the Economic Crisis on the Car Manufacturing Industry All the worlds car manufacturers have in recent years suffered from the global economic downturn. In the US, the big three manufacturers Ford, Chrysler and General Motors (GM) have all come close to bankruptcy, and GM has been forced to file for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Around the world, companies have suffered similar problems, although in most cases not to the extent of the major US companies. In Japan, both Honda and Toyota have suffered heavy losses and have been forced to reconsolidate their core business areas. As a result, the automobile industry has been undergoing a period of immense uncertainty, and this has led many consumers to believe that they can no longer rely on the continued presence of the big names. Apart from the well-publicised problems for the big three US companies GM, Ford and Chrysler, almost every other major car manufacturer around the world has suffered a slump in profits in the past two years, and many have incurred legacy debts during this period that will impact upon their performance for decades to come. Toyota reported a massive $1.7bn loss (Fackler, 2008) and, like most other manufacturers, was forced to re-focus activities on core revenue streams. As one of the key figures in the green car revolution, Toyota had been investing heavily in environmentally-friendly cars, and had been happy to make such investments since it believe there would be massive financial benefits in the long run. However, the financial crisis crippled Toyotas ability to consider the long term implications of its current activities, and forced the company to focus on its core business. As Satoshi Hino notes, Toyota has long been one of the more adventurous companies when it comes to placing substantial industrial bets on future changes in the automobile market, but these have always been backed by strong performances in the companys core activities (Hino, 2005, p. 41). The companys move into electric and hybrid cars seen by many as a key element in the push towards greener automobiles has largely been financed by success in core diesel machines, with the pay-off for this front-end investment expected to arrive between 2010 and 2015. However, with the core business model threatened by double-digit year-on-year sales drops, Toyota was forced in 2009 to consolidate its activities and re-focus on the most profitable elements of its production line. This decision by the company served as dramatic proof that while there was clearly a high degree of confidence in terms of the potential for socially responsible cars to provide a significant pay-off in the medium to long term, this confidence was not strong enough to allow the company to rely on such vehicles during a time of economic crisis. Clearly, therefore, market forces are not yet dictating the need for social responsibility in sufficient numbers, or with sufficient support via purchasing decisions . Research Methodology Research Approach The research will take two key approaches: a questionnaire will be used to conduct primary research into consumer awareness of the question of social responsibility in the car manufacturing industry, and two case studies will be used to determine how two of the worlds biggest manufacturers GM and Toyota deal with this issue. In order to assess the impact of the social responsibility policies of both GM and Toyota, the questionnaires will be designed to measure the impact of such policies (or the lack of them) and the degree to which they change public opinion and have the effect for which they were designed. These questionnaires will be vital in terms of bridging the gap between the theory and reality, and will expose the limitations inherent in this approach. In order to increase the likely response rate, and to comply with ethical considerations regarding privacy, the questionnaires were left anonymous and respondents were told that they could ignore any individual questions that they would prefer not to answer. The secondary research will focus on two case studies, one looking at the leading US car manufacturer (General Motors) and the other looking at the worlds leading car manufacturer, by sales (Toyota). These companies have been chosen for specific reasons. General Motors (GM) has had a difficult economic history over the past two decades, almost filing for bankruptcy in the 1990s before going on to enjoy considerable success with a series of non-environmentally friendly cars (SUVs) while professing to hold social responsibility as a key philosophical point, and then suffering a massive collapse that resulted in the company filing for the fourth largest bankruptcy in US history (see chapter 4). Toyota, meanwhile, has made a name for itself with a series of advanced hybrid cars, but has also suffered during the recent financial crisis (see chapter 5). In other words, GM is seen by many as one of the worlds least socially responsible manufacturers, and Toyota is seen by many as one of the worlds most socially responsible manufacturers. By comparing and contrasting their approaches and fortunes, it should be possible to develop a clear understanding of the extent to which major car manufacturers have been socially responsible in pursuing an environmentally friendly agenda. Research Questions The research is based on the following key questions: To what extent do car manufacturing companies act with a high degree of social responsibility when designing environmentally friendly cars? How important is consumer behaviour to car manufacturers interest in social responsibility? Do consumers drive companies behaviour, or vice versa? What different approaches to the subject of environmentally friendly, socially responsible cars have been taken by different companies? How has the recent economic crisis affected manufacturers interest in social responsibility? Is social responsibility progressing according to narrative trends? Is this a major change to business, or merely a passing trend? Research Limitations Any research project contains inherent limitations. If these limitations are ignored, they do not go away; rather, they linger and negatively impact the reliability of the overall project. Consequently, the best approach is to recognise these limitations from the start and to work to ensure that they are factored out of the equation as much as possible. As Saunders et al. note, its only by recognising the limitations of any research program that the problems that always affect any research project can be brought into the open, addressed and contextualised and, in some cases, turned into positives (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 51). The research limits of this project are as follows: Social responsibility is an inherently subjective matter. Something that is socially responsible in the view of one person may be socially irresponsible in the view of another. Many of the relevant subjects, such as global warming, are not universally recognised. Its therefore important to reflect the fact that there is ongoing debate. There is insufficient time and space to analyse the entire market. Therefore, key examples must be selected for the case studies. As noted in 3.1, the subjects for these case studies were chosen for very specific reasons. Questionnaires must be brief and simple to understand, yet they must also focus on the key points. Persuading respondents to fill in questionnaires can be difficult. All these limitations can be overcome, to various extents. The subjectivity inherent in the research subject is in fact relevant to the continuing social, cultural and political debates regarding the extent to which car companies should, and can, adopt socially responsible roles; some critics argue that this can only be achieved if consumers adopt socially responsible approaches to their purchasing patterns, which will inevitably force corporations to adapt to face this trend. Similarly, the continuing debate over global warming although settled in many peoples view continues to cause debate in many parts of the world. Finally, the limitations of time and space mean that the case study subjects must be analysed extremely closely, and the choices of company must be made carefully. Results Analysis Response 200 questionnaires were sent out. The expected response rate was 40-50%, as per the suggestion by Saunders et al. that any questionnaire-based research project that prompts between a third and a half of targets to respond can be said to have performed averagely (Saunders et al., 2009, p. 102). In the event, 81 questionnaires were returned, representing 40.5%, which is just within the expected range. This gives a statistically relevant sample group. Demographic Information Demographic details are important in research concerning attitudes to consumer activity and the environment, since both of these factors can impact upon an individuals view of these issues. Question 1 concerned the age of the respondents: How old are you? The majority of respondents were in their teens and twenties, with a total of three quarters being under 40. This makes the questionnaire more relevant in terms of analysing the attitudes of younger people. The second question concerned the occupation of the respondents. It was decided to provide broad categories rather than to request specific details. For one thing, this emphasised the confidentiality and privacy of the research, and for another it allowed for easy and effective categorisation of answers: What is your occupation? Around two thirds of the respondents were employed, self-employed or in part-time work, with the rest being students, retired or unemployed. Awareness of Social Responsibility among Car Manufacturers The next question asked respondents if they believed the car manufacturing industry, as a whole, to be socially responsible. A brief explanation was appended to this question, defining social responsibility as an awareness of their impact on society, including the environment, and their efforts to ensure that this impact has a positive rather than a negative effect: How responsible do you think car manufacturers are? An overwhelming majority (67.9%) considered car manufacturers to be either not very or not at all responsible. Breaking these results down according to age and occupation gave the following results: Appreciation of manufacturers social awareness, broken down by age range Clearly, levels of appreciation appear to be at least partly linked to age, with these levels peaking for individuals in their fifties. There are numerous possible reasons for this, including: Media exposure: different age groups are exposed to very different media forms and sources, each of which will likely carry very different stories concerning manufacturers levels of social awareness. Learned behaviour: older respondents will have spent longer living in a time when many of the relevant issues, particularly environmental impact, were not considered. Environmental awareness: some of the answers may be influenced by a lack of belief in the various arguments concerning the environment and, in particular, the car industrys contribution to global warming. Clearly, therefore, awareness of social responsibility is a dynamic factor that reflects a number of different viewpoints, and this factors is by no means viewed the same by different age groups. The clear correlation between age and awareness indicates that manufacturers must ensure that they operate multiple simultaneous social responsibility programs if they are to reach all these groups. However, the next question sought to determine whether or not it was strictly necessary for the manufacturers to try to appeal to everyone, and asked how important social responsibility is to purchasing decisions. First, in terms of the overall response, the result was as follows: How important is a manufacturers social responsibility for you when choosing what car to buy? Almost half (48.1%) claimed that social responsibility was either very or quite important, with just over half (51.9%) claiming that it was not very or not at all important. Given the relatively small sample group for this research project, the difference is small enough to be statistically irrelevant, and broadly indicates a 50-50 split in terms of opinion on this subject. However, looking at the results in terms of an age-related breakdown results in a very different set of results: Importance of social responsibility of manufacturers, by age The data shows a clear depreciation of the importance of social responsibility for older consumers, although there is evidence of an increase for consumers in their 50s and above. In order to determine a link between awareness of social responsibility in the industry and the importance of social responsibility in purchasing decisions, the results from figures 4 and 6 were then combined: Importance, and awareness, of social responsibility in the car manufacturing industry There is clearly an inverse relationship between awareness of social responsibility as a factor in the industry, and belief in the importance of social responsibility. For example, younger people are most likely to believe that social responsibility is an important factor when making purchasing decisions, but are the least appreciative of any efforts that have so far been made. To an extent, this can be seen to be a matter of perception, but theres also clearly a problem for the industry in terms of persuading parts of the consumer base that its intentions are genuine. In order to measure the degree to which various manufacturers have succeeded in their aim of seeming more socially responsible, respondents were next asked whether they thought the industry had become more socially responsible over the past decade: Do you think the car industry has become more socially responsible over the past decade, less socially responsible, or it has stayed mostly the same? The vast majority of respondents believe there has been no real change, strongly suggesting that either the message from the manufacturers has not got through to the public, or that there is a deep level of cynicism in terms of whether the public believe that the rhetoric has translated into genuine action. Finally, respondents were given a range of options and were asked to indicate which they believed were most important in terms of social responsibility. They were asked to tick two or three options, with the aim being to allow them to indicate the elements of corporate social responsibility that were deemed most important: Most important elements of social responsibility Clearly, the vast majority of consumers overwhelmingly equate social responsibility with environmental issues. The only other factor to come close to this in terms of relevance was making donations to charitable causes, which to an extent also involves the environment. Social responsibility is not purely about the environment, and encompasses a range of other activities that can improve society. However, for the consumers canvassed for this research project, environmental issues were by far the most important, and its therefore possible to argue that the environment has overtaken all other elements of social responsibility and has become the single most important issue. Although manufacturers could fight against this perception and attempt to focus attention on other factors, the best approach might be to accept that when it comes to social responsibility, most consumers overwhelmingly focus on the environment. Case Study 1: General Motors (US) Background General Motors (GM) is the largest US car manufacturer, and the second largest in the world (after Toyota) (Trott, 2009). The company relies heavily on four key brands: Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. Each of these brands has a distinctive presence in the US market, but critics have argued that GM has lacked focus on the non-US markets, leaving it particularly vulnerable to domestic turmoil and economic volatility. In 1994, GM came close to bankruptcy following a $4.5bn loss, but cost-cutting measures and management changes ensured its survival. The company was one of the key instigators of the huge rise in sales for sports utility vehicles (SUVs) in the 1990s, a trend that was highly lucrative for GM but which resulted in criticism from environmental campaigners. Between 1998 and 2001, GM and Ford vied for the top spot in the US market, primarily through massively increasing sales in the SUV market. However, the downturn which followed the September 11th 2001 attacks saw GM suff er particularly hard, even compared to Ford, with the latter at least having a strong European heartland on which to rely during difficult trading conditions in the US. Nevertheless, GM bounced back and by 2005 was recording strong sales figures and was eyeing major expansion into overseas markets. However, the recent economic crisis virtually crippled GM, as well as its two key domestic rivals, Ford and Chrysler. GM lost $38.7bn in the 2007 fiscal year (Wearden, 2009), and an almost 50% drop in sales. The following year, GM predicted that it would run out of money in mid-2009 without a substantial re-financing program, and called for government help. In November 2008, the company joined with Ford and Chrysler in formally requesting help from the US government in order to stave off bankruptcy. Even in the context of the financial crisis, this move was massive, since it represented the genuine possibility of the USs three major car companies going bust almost simultaneously. Although the US government, under outgoing president George W. Bush, was initially reluctant to provide money at a time when many other businesses also had legitimate claims for government help, in December 2008 a bridging loan was finally offered. Despite numerous attempts to cut costs and reorganise the co mpany over the next six months, in June 2009 GM filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. After Lehman Brothers, Worldcom and Washington Mutual, this was the fourth largest bankruptcy filing in US history. Eventually, on July 10th 2009, the US government helped to finance a new company, NGMCO Inc., that took on the majority of the old GM assets. The old GM changed its name to Motors Liquidation Company, and the new Vehicle Acquisition Holdings company changed its name to General Motors Company, thereby bringing GM back to life. The new version of GM is mostly owned by the US government, while the old GM Motors Liquidation Company continues to go through the process of the bankruptcy filing. Social Responsibility Both the old and the new GM have been involved in programs to emphasise their social responsibility. Since 1996, GM has financed the Safe Kids USA Buckle Up program, designed to encourage children to use seatbelts. The company has also contributed to a consortium that has donated over $1.2bn to fund education for engineering graduates, a scheme that has recently been extended worldwide. GM has also donated more than $200m in the past decade to charitable causes, and has supported both Democratic and Republican presidential candidates often simultaneously. The companys more recent philanthropic activities include a new global aid program (GM, 2009) and a number of smaller, local community projects designed to improve provisions mostly for children in areas surrounding the companys main factories. These projects have, for the most part, been maintained despite the continued financial uncertainty and the chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings that took place in mid-2009. GM has also launched a major program called I Am GM, designed to showcase the companys strong workplace diversity policies. The program involves placing adverts in newspapers and magazines, and on television, in which GM employees from different ethnic backgrounds talk about their pride in the company. As well as reinforcing the idea of GM as an equal opportunities, ethnically diverse employer, the campaign is designed to show how GM works towards engineering a higher degree of diversity in society. Linked to this program is the companys renewed focus on safety, which has seen not only improvements designed to help children in the event of an accident, but also high-profile campaigns to reinforce the companys vehicles in order to make them withstand bigger crashes. The Buckle Up program has been maintained, and GM has expanded this campaign since 2008 by taking the message to schools around the US. The company claims that corporate responsibility is about more than just words its an acknowledgement that our actions shape our reputation (GM, 2009). Environmentally-Friendly Technology During the 1990s, a number of scandals saw the company accused of poor environmental management, including an accusation that sediments have been stored in unsafe conditions. In 2006, GM was one of a number of manufacturers from around the world named in a suit brought by the State of California over the issue of pollution. The case was dismissed a year later, but the damage to GMs reputation had already been done. In 2008, the Political Economy Research Institute (PERI) ranked GM 18th on its list of the USs worst polluters, giving the company a toxic score of 73,248, set against the no. 1 polluter, E.I. du Pont de Nemours, which scored 285,661 (PERI, 2008). Meanwhile, in the same year, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) ranked GM 7th out of the worlds largest car manufacturers Managing Communications | Research Proposal Managing Communications | Research Proposal Taversha O’Connor Consulting Firm Business Profile Gilzene’s Consulting firm was founded in the year 1996 by Mr Desmond Gilzene who taught that the industry was lacking in a proper consulting firm. It is a Jamaican-based consulting organization specializing in business development, analysing existing and start-up businesses, creating solutions to problems, and helping small businesses to develop effective plans for meeting their goals. Our mission is to help people create innovative solutions and make informed choices to improve their lives. We motivate and encourage others to achieve their own personal and professional fulfilment. Our main aim is to cater to addressing our client’s issues in the most effective and efficient manner, we believe that our clients’ success is our success. Our consultants have proven experience in executing different projects in organization in the small business environment in Jamaica, some of such businesses includes; Denise Catering Services, Yanique’s House of Styles, Sherine’s Stocking depot, Jody’s Beauty Salon and many more. We offer our valued service for fifty four hours per week and operate from two branches in the rural and urban environment. Business profile Ramà ³n Fancy wear opens for business in the line of supplying the latest fashion in clothing and shoes. Our mission is to provide the most current and unique clothing from top designers around the world. Ramà ³n Fancy Wear is open for business from Monday to Saturday 9am-6pm. This store is located at 45 King Street Linstead where a total of twenty employees is employed in which five are cashiers; three are maintenance worker, eight sales representatives, two supervisors and two managers. Ramà ³n Fancy Wear provides the latest fashions in men, women and children clothing and footwear. However, with so many other similar businesses in the area it was noticed that the business sales profits are declining. Objectives This project seeks to: To understand how to assess information and knowledge To be able to create strategies to increase personal networking to widen the involvement in the decision-making process To develop communication processes and improve systems relating to information and knowledge Methodology Up on conducting this research, various methods will be used. These methods include; qualitative, quantitative, primary and secondary research methods. A quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematical based methods (in particular statistics). With quantitative research it gives a degree of accuracy and more specific answer can be provided (Muijs, 2011). This method will be used when conducting the questionnaires for this research. This research will also take a qualitative approach. According to Hennink et al (2011), a qualitative research is an approach that allows you to examine people’s experiences in detail, by using a specific set of research methods such as in-depth interviews, focus groups discussions, observation, content analysis, visual methods, and life histories or biographies. The main distinctive feature of a qualitative research is that the approach allows you to identify issues from the perspective of your study participants, and understand the meaning and interpretations that they give to behaviour, events or objects. The research will also operate from a secondary method as well. Secondary information consists of sources of data and other information collected by others and archived in some form. These sources include government reports, industry studies, archived data sets, and syndicated information services as well as the traditional books and journals found in libraries and the internet as well. Secondary information offers relatively quick and inexpensive answers to many questions and is almost always the point of departure for primary research. Literature Review Communication is the process of transferring information from a sender to a receiver with use of a medium in which the communicated information is understood by both the sender and receiver. It is a process that allows organisms to exchange information by several methods (what is communication, 2004). From a business perspective, effective communication an absolute must, because it commonly accounts for the difference between success and failure or profit or loss. It has become clear that effective business communication is critical to the successful operation to modern enterprise. Every business person needs to understand the fundamentals of effective communication; it is the most critical component of total quality management. It has been proven that poor communication reduces quality, weakens productivity and eventually leads to anger and a lack of trust among individuals within the organization (Sanchez, 2014). Knowledge has a strong effect on the organization. According to Denning 2009, knowledge is the ideas or understandings which an entity possesses that are used to take effective action to achieve the entity’s goals. Knowledge management is the process through which organizations generate value from their intellectual and knowledge-based assets. Most often, generating value from such assets involves codifying what employees, partners and customers know, and sharing that information among employees, departments and even with other companies in an effort to devise best practices (Levinson, 2014). Improving information management practices is a key focus for many organizations, across both the public and private sectors. This is being driven by a range of factors, including a need to improve the efficiency of business processes, the demands of compliance regulations and the desire to deliver new services (Robertson, 2005). Problem solving and decision-making are important skills for business and life. Problem-solving often involves decision-making, and decision-making is essentially important for management and leadership. There are processes and techniques to improve decision making and the quality of decisions. Problem-solving and decision-making are closely linked, and each requires creativity in identifying and developing options, for which the brainstorming technique is particularly useful. Good decision-making requires a mixture of skills: creative development and identification of options, clarity of judgement firmness of decision, and effective implementation (problem –solving and decision-making, 2010). References what is communication. 2004.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.only-effective-communication-skills.com/what-is-communication.html. [Accessed 15 February 14]. nick sanchez. 2014.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.web.njit.edu/~lipuma/352comproc/comproc.htm. [Accessed 15 February 14]. steve denning. 2009.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.stevedenning.com/knowledgemanagement/what-is-knowledge.aspx. [Accessed 15 February 14]. meridith Levinson. 2014.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.m.cio.com/article/40343/knowledge_management_definition__and_solutions. [Accessed 15 February 14]. james robertson. 2005.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.steptwo.com.au/papers/kmc_effectiveim/index.html. [Accessed 15 February 14]. prolem-solving and decision-making. 2010.n/a. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.businessballs.com/problemsolving.html. [Accessed 15 February 14].