Saturday, August 31, 2019

Literature and Life

The magic of reading is that it brings you to another place and feeling. At times it can make you smile with character, and other times make you cry with him. Sometimes it may even allow the reader to identify with the characters. Reality can often be a lot like a piece of literature, in that a person may be going through the exact same thing, or something similar, and be feeling the same way. It is effortless to view the tough and unspoken racism demonstrated in Nadine Gordimer’s â€Å"Country Lovers† as well as how the girl feels in Patricia Smith’s What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (For Those of You Who Aren’t).In both readings you get a sense of the hardship the characters faced because of racism, the things that people may do or allow to happen because it is so hard. Racism is something that we see, hear about, and maybe even experience in our everyday lives. It may be something that we do not speak about, just like in the short story â€Å"Co untry Lovers. â€Å" The main characters Paul us and Thebedi were raised together since they were kids, Paulus was a white boy and Thebedi, a black girl. They played together and spent most of their childhood days with one another.As time goes by and they begin to grow up and the distance between the two also grow apart. However, the bond created between them as children is still there. Both Paulus’ and Thebedi’s parents never forbad them from seeing each other but there was always this unspoken knowledge that they knew it was wrong because they always seemed to be hiding the fact that they did spend time together. An example of this would be when Paulus came home from school and brought Thebedi a gift â€Å"She told her father the missus had given them to her as a reward for some works she had done-it was true she sometimes was called to help out in the farmhouse.She told the girls in the kraal that she had a sweetheart nobody knew about† (Clugston, 2010). Bot h Paulus and Thebedi know that it is not okay to hold on to the relationship they had as kids. But they cannot help the feelings that have grown for each other over the years. â€Å"The schoolgirls he went swimming with at dams or pools on neighboring farms wore bikinis but the sight of their dazzling bellies and thighs in the sunlight had never made him feel what he felt now when the girl came up the bank and sat beside him, the drops of water beading off her dark legs the only points of life in the earth-smelling deep shade.They were not afraid of one other; they had known one other always† (Clugston, 2010). They had strong feelings for one another and consummated them by having sexual relations. This went on for a while, and eventually Thebedi became pregnant. At this point her hand was asked for in marriage by Njabulo, since they had already had sexual relations her now husband did not question her being pregnant. â€Å"The infant was very light and did not quickly grow dark as most African babies do. Already at birth, there was on its head a quantity of straight, fine floss† (Clugston, 2010).When Paulus found out that Thebedi had a baby, and that it was his, he didn’t want anyone to find out. â€Å"Don't take it out. Stay inside. Can't you take it away somewhere? You must give it to someone—† (Clugston, 2010). Because in the time period interracial relationships were looked down upon, and were unacceptable, Paulus felt like he had to do something before anyone found out the baby was his. When Paulus came to see the baby the next time Thebedi stayed outside as he killed their baby. The authorities came because they had heard there was a white looking child that was killed and brought charges against Paulus.There was not enough evidence to convict but the fact of the matter is that he killed his child and Thebedi did nothing to stop it. Thebedi could have prevented the baby’s death but seems to feel powerless agains t Paulus. I believe there is also a part of her that feels this way is better for everyone, this way they don’t have to deal with the reality of their baby and how socially unacceptable it is. At the same time, I can’t imagine it being easy knowing her baby, with the man she had extreme feelings for, is now dead and he is the one responsible.I believe even women today sometimes feel powerless against their men. I don’t think it would be taken to the extent of killing a child, but some men dictate the relationship and how things should be. Even though interracial relationships are more socially acceptable nowadays, it is still difficult sometimes for people of different races to be together. Another instance of racism is shown in the poem What It’s Like To Be a Black Girl (For Those of You Who Aren’t) by Patricia Smith. Although this one is shown in a different way.In the poem the author describes what a girl has to do to be acceptable in the world as a black girl. â€Å"Its dropping food coloring in your eyes to make them blue and Suffering their burn in silenceâ€Å" (Clugston, 2010). Because she is a black girl and in certain periods in time white people seemed to reigned supreme she tried to make herself look more socially acceptable, even at the cost of injuring herself. This poem shows the girl desiring to be white and to fit in to that life, where she an walk around without being judged and looked down upon. It's popping a bleached white mophead over the kinks of your hair and primping in front of mirrors that deny your reflection† (Clugston, 2010). Just another example of putting yourself through pain to feel more accepted and not even wanting to see yourself the way you are because you feel ashamed. At the end of the poem, the young girl seems to feel more accepting of the fact she is black, even though she does not feel it is any easier at that point. â€Å"it's flame and fists and life according to Motownâ €  (Clugston, 2010). She has accepted that her life is following the way of her culture.It is not easy though and she must keep her guard, and her fists up. The poem, to me shows the struggles of a young girl because of societies view of people. It makes her life harder than it should be because of peoples ignorance about race and what everyone should be like. Racism is ugly and sometimes makes people feel like they need to change themselves to be accepted. The girl was trying to lead a different life, one in which she was not judged and everyone would accept her. In both of these readings the authors showed the struggles people face because of racism.There are many different ways racism affects people’s lives, in the first story â€Å"Country Lovers† it was in a horrible way where an innocent child was murdered so no one would find out the love two people shared because it was socially unacceptable for the time. In The poem by Patricia Smith, the girl also injured herself to make herself acceptable. Both of these stories show the horrible things people do because of racism. It is not fair that an innocent child, who never knew any better had to die or that a young girl must physically hurt herself to change in order for things to be okay.There are times where life imitates literature, maybe the author used real experiences of people or situations that have happened or what they believe can happen. I am sure that when racism was extremely prevalent people did try to change themselves, all while hurting themselves or others. Nowadays racism is still around, maybe not to the degree of what the readings spoke about but t is definitely here and horrible things happen because of it. Things such s hate crimes and murder, as well as people having procedures to change their appearance. I am sure we will see these things until the day everyone accepts each other the way they are.

Friday, August 30, 2019

Friendships in “Of Mice and Men” Essay

Throughout life, one establishes friendships to better ensure their future. The novel Of Mice And Men, written by John Steinbeck, is about a group of traveling labor workers and the hardships that they overcome. The friendship between George, one of the main characters, and Lenny, a retarded man and of Candy, a crippled man, and his old dog, although different, they each share many of the same feelings toward each other. Also, by establishing these friendships, each partner is benefited and is given life motivation. However, all good things must come to an end, and when each partner is separated from their companion, their significant bonds are broken. Because of their established friendships, George, Lenny, Candy and his dog are able to live happy lives filled with joyous and exciting times. Throughout the book, many feelings are expressed between the relationship of George and Lenny and of Candy and his dog. Ever since they had lived together, George and Lenny loved and cared for each other every waiting day. Because [they] [had] each other, George and Lenny became more loving and compassionate, not just towards themselves, but also towards others (104). Unlike the other traveling workers who journeyed alone, George and Lenny were together, fighting off the hardships of The Great Depression with a loving relationship. This bond kept each others hearts pure and refrained them from turning bitter. Ever since Candys dog was a puppy, he and Candy had shared a trustworthy connection filled with loyalty for each other. In Candys younger years of life, when his partner was a good sheep dog, they had started a trusting relationship, which they carried out throughout the rest of their lives (24). Since Candy had his pup ever since it was born, Candy was its only master. Because canines are extremely loyal to their master, this loyal bond was able to flourish. Finally, because Lenny has been with George all his life, he feels a bond of trust between them and is completely loyal to George. During their early years, when George wasnt so kind to Lenny, he could have told Lenny to walk over a cliff and over hed go (40). Although George never did something this cruel, he did do some grueling things. He even got Lenny into fights. However, as time went on, he too became loyal and a trusting relationship grew. Even though these partners are very different, they still share many of the same feelings towards each other. In the relationship of George and Lenny and of Candy and his dog, each partner gains something and this is the motivation for the friendship. Because of Lennys mental state, as he travels with, and becomes friends with, George, he benefits by having a guardian to follow him around and keep him safe. Ever since they were young, Lenny just come along with George, and from that day forward he benefited from Georges safety (40). Lenny is retarded and his mind cannot process enough useful information to allow him to live a successful life, contributing to society. If George had not allowed Lenny to travel with him then Lenny would either end up homeless, in prison, or dead. In addition, because Candys dog is now useless, he benefits off Candy by receiving a guardian to protect him and guide him through the rest of his life. Although he had been an excellent canine in his day, because he aint no good to anyone now, his life would be futile if he did not have a guide for his remaining years. However, Candy did not care for him entirely out of kindness, he too benefits from their relationship. Because Candy is a cripple, he wants to feel like he is needed, and having someone that depends on him, allows Candy to live a joyous life. Although Lenny does not have much to give, George still benefits off their friendship by receiving a loyal companion to accompany him on his journeys. Because [they] travel together, George does not have to be burdened with the loneliness that could drive a man insane. George observes the other traveling labor workers become hard and lonely because they have nobody to converse with on their journeys. Although he benefits from their relationship, George pays dearly with his guardianship over Lenny. By establishing these relationships, each partner is benefited and given life motiv ation. Both the friendship of George and Lenny and of Candy and his dog lose their significant bonds when the partners are separated. Because Candy and his dog provide companionship for each other, when his dog dies Candy is left alone and unstable. Once his dog had been put up for the death sentence, Candy was left alone, pondering their wonderful memories together as he lied rigidly on his bed and stared at the ceiling (48). Candys purpose in life was now over, for he had no one that depended on him. Now the only thing that drove  him was the hope that Georges dream would come true, and that George, Lenny and he would get their own little plot of land. After George kills Lenny, although this was an act of kindness, George loses his purpose as a guardian. After he had pulled the trigger, George shivered and looked at the gun, for he knew that his guardianship was now over (106). George understood that it was his responsibility to kill Lenny. Although this act of kindness will burden him for the rest of his life, George still did the honorable thing. When Lenny died, George loses his dream of having a place of their own. By now, the dream had spread to more than just George and Lenny and when Lenny and their little place die away George becomes miserable and hurt (94). The time that followed this tragedy was the first time of Georges adult life with out Lenny. Also, up till now Georges purpose in life was to care for, and keep Lenny safe. With Lenny dead, George feels that his life had no purpose, for he could not keep Lenny from dangers grasp. When each friendship becomes separated, the still living partner feels no more purpose for life. Because of their established friendships, George, Lenny, Candy and his dog are able to live happy, joy filled lives as they overcome the hardships of The Great Depression. Although their significant bonds are broken when the partners are separated, when they are together, the partners benefit and share many feelings towards each other. Some say opposites attract, and buy using this scientific law to create friendships with different people; our society would be a friendlier and overall better place. Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck New York : Covici-Friede, 1937

Thursday, August 29, 2019

Corporate Governance in Australia After Hih Essay

In the light of various corporate scandals, regulatory bodies and corporate governance were placed under pressure by shareholders and stakeholders to form a tighter grip in governing corporation’s conduct. The obligations, roles and responsibilities of company’s stewards are under scrutiny of Corporations Act, listing rules, country’s code of corporate governance, ethics as well as social standards. At the same time, advocates of market forces as a replacement to regulations and legislation continue to pursue for market deregulation and liberalisation based on the believe that government intervention will only distort resources allocation and hinder market growth. The collapse of Australian company HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) in 2001 was analysed in terms of its conduct and compliance to the Corporations Act, listing rules as well as code of corporate governance as released by the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council (CGC). Reforms in regulations and the Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations 2007 by ASX CGC were used to recommend best practices in corporate governance that should have taken place in HIH. Lastly, the effect of globalization and challenges to good corporate governance resulting from globalization were discussed from the perspective of national government, regulatory bodies as well as the corporation itself. Justice Neville Owen, The Royal Commissioner in the HIH Royal Commission Report described corporate governance as the framework of rules, relationships, systems and processes within and by which authority is exercised and controlled in corporations, and the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) Corporate Governance Council added that corporate governance relates to and influences how the objectives of the company are set and achieved, how risk is monitored and assessed, and how performance is optimized (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003; ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). The meaning of corporate governance has evolved over time but, in the strictest sense, is linked to the legislation that allows its existence. The law sets forth a company’s rights and responsibilities but this can differ from country to country. However, it is generally accepted that corporate governance extends beyond the law to include a consideration of best practices and business ethics (Birt, Chalmers, Beal, Brooks, Byrne, & Oliver, 2008). The structure of corporate governance as put forth by Farrar (2005) and represented in the figure below illustrates the relationship within the corporate governance structure: Figure: The structure of corporate governance (Farrar, 2005). The issues surrounding the rights and responsibilities of corporations are complex and ever changing as financial markets become more global, corporations become larger and more powerful, and society’s perception of the corporate role changes. A school of thoughts advocates for market forces to be the regulator of the financial market. The neo? liberals assume that factor markets work efficiently without government intervention if property rights and competition are guaranteed. They considered government interventions as less efficient than market? based solutions and stresses that government interventions hamper private sector development and that government should concentrate on improving the enabling of business environment through deregulation (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, & Ogechukwu, 2010). Neo-liberalism challenges the conventional structuralist orthodoxy of government intervention by highlighting the negative effects of â€Å"financial repression† on economic growth and development. They refer financial repression to be the set of government legal restrictions preventing financial intermediaries in the economy from functioning at their full capacity. The distortion of domestic financial markets through rules and legislation is claimed to have negative impact on economic growth. In essence, corporations should be relied on in the main to self? regulate in the critical aspect of business activities. Neo-liberalism has prompted many countries to implement liberalisation and deregulation of their financial markets on the recommendations of the World Bank and IMF (Emeseh, Ako, Okonmah, Obokoh, & Ogechukwu, 2010). The significant role of market forces in contributing to good corporate governance and strong corporate performance has for some time been emphasised in economic literature on the corporation and corporate law. In fact, advocates consider the influence of market forces to be an effective substitute for formal legal regulation (duPlessis, McConvill, & Bagaric, 2005). However, through-out the last two decades, legislation reforms and corporate governance has also grown rapidly, particularly since the collapse of Enron Corporation in 2001 and the subsequent financial problems of other companies in various countries. As financial scandals continue to emerge, there will be continued attention placed on corporate governance issues, especially relating to transparency and disclosure, control and accountability, and the most appropriate form of board structure that may be capable of preventing such scandals occurring in future (Mallin, 2007). In pursuance of good corporate governance, an area of interest would be how directors’ conduct and decisions should be in the best interest of the company, its shareholders and other relevant stakeholders. In this context, the agency theory is a very suitable framework that can describe the problems associated with the principal-agent relationship caused by separation of ownership and control between shareholders (the principal) and directors (the agent) in corporations. Information asymmetry, moral hazard, difference in attitude towards risk and difference in interest between shareholders versus directors are common agency problems that would usually be at the expense of shareholders (Mallin, 2007; Rahman, & Salim, 2010). For example, directors may have a wider range of economic and social needs (such as to maximize compensation, security, status and to boost their own reputation), while shareholders are interested only in maximizing return on investments. Furthermore, as directors are usually contracted to the company on short term basis, they may be eager for short-run payoffs within their contract term, whereas shareholders’ interest would be based on long-term success. Australian companies have a unitary board structure and the regulatory framework for corporate governance and directors’ duties is governed by (i) Statute (notably the Corporations Act), (ii) Common law rules (for example, cases relating to directors’ duties), (iii) The company’s constitution, and (iv) Guidelines issued by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) (Dibbs Barker Gosling Lawyers, 2003). ASIC plays a vital role in enforcing and regulating company and financial services laws to protect Australian consumers, investors and creditors. It acts as Australia’s corporate regulator and administers various legislations including the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, etc. (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010a). By the Corporations Act, general duties imposed on directors and officers of companies are stated as (i) the duty to exercise their powers and duties with the care and diligence that a reasonable person would have which includes taking steps to ensure they are properly informed about the financial position of the company and ensuring the company doesn’t trade if it is insolvent, (ii) the duty to exercise their powers and duties in good faith in the best interests of the company and for a proper purpose, (iii) the duty not to improperly use their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company, and (iv) the duty not to improperly use information obtained through their position to gain an advantage for themselves or someone else, or to cause detriment to the company (Australian Securities ; Investments Commission, 2010b). Beyond their legal duties and obligations, directors are also expected to meet commercial expectations in th e interest of stakeholders, which include, but are not limited to, shareholders. These commercial expectations essentially require directors to drive the bottom line and provide appropriate shareholder returns. Taking it a step further, many directors of today are challenged to embrace triple bottom line reporting and consider the economic, social and environmental ramifications of their corporate activities (Lucy, 2006). While the scope and laws governing the conduct of directors are wide and many, intentional and unintentional breach has shocked the financial market and public numerously. Till today, HIH Insurance Ltd (HIH) that went into liquidation in early 2001 is well remembered by almost every Australian as a collapse caused by mismanagement of the company, and various board members were brought to court on charges including giving misleading information with the intention of deceiving other board members and the company’s auditor. As one of Australia’s largest insurers, the company ran into debts of over AUD$5 billion and subsequent to the collapse, the government carried out an expensive exercise to underwrite many of the failed policies (Mallin, 2007). According to the HIH Royal Commission Report on the failure of HIH, it was concluded that investigators did not find fraud or embezzlement to be behind the collapse. The failure was more the result of attempts to paper over the cracks caused by over-priced acquisitions (notably FAI Insurance Ltd) and too much corporate extravagance based on a misconception that the ‘money’ was there in the business. The primary reason for the huge loses was that adequate provision had not been made for insurance claims and past claims on policies had not been properly priced. HIH was mismanaged in the area of its core business activity (Bailey, 2003). In chorus, the HIH Royal Commission report fundamentally states that the main reasons for the failure of HIH was poor management and greed characterised by (i) a lack of attention to detail and skills, (ii) a lack of accountability for performance, and (iii) a lack of integrity in the company’s internal processes and systems (Nicholson, 2008). Justice Neville Owen further commented in the report on what was the essence of good corporate governance: â€Å"The governance of a public company should be about stewardship. Those in control have a duty to act in the best interests of the company. They must use the company’s resources productively. They must understand that those resources are not personal property. The last years of HIH were marked by poor leadership and inept management. Indeed, an attitude of apparent indifference to, or deliberate disregard of, the company’s underlying problems pervades the affairs of the group. † (The HIH Royal Commission, 2003). The above comment can be loosely translated to say that the directors of HIH have failed their duties. Notably, in April 2005, Mr Ray Williams, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HIH, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail with a non-parole period of two years and nine months. Mr William’s sentencing follows ASIC’s successful civil penalty proceedings on the three criminal charges which Mr. William pleaded guilty to. The three criminal charges were (i) that he was reckless and failed to properly exercise his powers and discharge his duties for a proper purpose as a director of HIH Insurance Limited when, on 19 October 2000, he signed a letter that was misleading, (ii) that he authorised the issue of a prospectus by HIH on 26 October 1998 that contained a material omission, and (iii) that he made or authorised a statement in the 1998-99 Annual Report, which he knew to be misleading, that overstated the operating profit before abnormal items and income tax by $92. 4 million (Australian Securities & Investments Commission, 2005a). ASIC’s HIH investigation also led to criminal prosecutions of 9 other former senior executives, including directors of FAI, HIH and associated entities on 31 Corporations and Crimes Act charges. Of high public interest was Mr Rodney Adler, a former director of HIH and the majority owner of FAI was sentenced to four-and-a-half years’ jail, with a non-parole period of two-and-a-half years, on four charges arising from his conduct as a director of the HIH group of companies in 2000. ASIC’s chairman, Mr Jeffrey Lucy, in his public statement said, â€Å"Mr Adler was in a position of trust as a director of HIH but he put his own financial interests before the interests of HIH shareholders† (Australian Securities & Investments Commission, 2005b). Mr Adler was sentenced after pleading guilty to four criminal charges: (i) two counts of disseminating information on 19 and 20 June respectively, knowing it was false in a material particular and which was likely to induce the purchase by other persons of shares in HIH contrary to s999 Corporations Act 2001, (ii) one count of obtaining money by false or misleading statements, contrary to s178BB Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), and (iii) one count of being intentionally dishonest and failing to discharge his duties as a director of HIH in good faith and in the best interests of that company contrary to s184(1)(b) Corporations Act 2001 (Australian Securities & Investments Commission, 2005b). HIH’s disastrous business ventures in U. K. , U. S. , acquisition of FAI Insurance Ltd. nd the Allianz joint venture were identified as what ultimately brought HIH down. These instances of poor decision-making were caused by and reflect a poor corporate governance culture. Corporate governance issues identified included (i) an over-dominant CEO whose decisions were never questioned, (ii) an ineffective chairman who failed his responsibility to oversee the functioning of the board, (iii) an ineffective board who failed to grasp the concept of conflicts of interest, and was unable to monitor and does not question management performance, (iv) inappropriate conduct in remuneration setting and performance measurement (mostly made by Mr. Williams who, although not a member of the committee, attended all meetings by invitation), (v) an ineffective audit committee who showed no concern with risk management and internal control, and (vi) compromised auditor independence (the auditing company was Arthur Andersen and HIH’s board had three former Andersens partners – one of them was the chair of the board yet continued receiving fees under a consultancy agreement. Andersens also derived significant fees from non-audit work which gave rise to a conflict of interest with their audit obligations) (Lipton, 2003). Subsequent to HIH’s collapse, The Corporate Law Economic Reform Program (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Act 2004 (commonly known as ‘CLERP 9’) came into force on 1 July 2004. CLERP 9 incorporated a number of recommendations made in the HIH Royal Commission Report. Reforms were made relating to (i) disclosure of directors’ remuneration, (ii) financial reporting, (iii) au ditors independence, (iv) continuous disclosure, and (v) enhanced penalty provisions. CLERP 9 also deals with accounting standards, expensing of options, compliance controls, and encouragement of greater shareholder participation at meeting – all of which represents a significant development in the corporate law framework (Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, 2005; Alcoc, & Bicego, 2003). Prior to CLERP 9 coming into force, advocates of corporate governance were delighted with Australian Stock Exchange Limited (ASX) release of the â€Å"ASX Corporate Governance Council’s (CGC) Principles of Good Corporate Governance and Best Practice Recommendations† in March 2003. ASX CGC adopted the same ‘principles based’ approach as taken in the UK Combined Code which governs entities listed on the London Stock Exchange. ASX listed entities are at liberty not to comply with the recommendations, but if they do not, they must explain why not. The Guidelines were built on the belief that one size does not fit all companies. The Guidelines contained 10 ‘essential’ Corporate Governance Principles (Principles) and 28 Best Practice Recommendations (Recommendations) which was later revised in August 2007 as â€Å"Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations† (Guidelines) comprising of 8 Principles and 26 Recommendations (Farrell, Harding, ; Spilsbury, 2003). The Guidelines also reflect ASX CGC’s emphasis in continuous disclosure by listed companies. Each Principle has a ‘Guide to reporting’ about the Recommendations at the end of the ‘chapter’ discussing what should be disclosed and where. Under ASX Listing Rule 4. 10. 3, companies are required to provide a statement in their annual report, disclosing the extent to which they have followed the Recommendations in the reporting period. Where companies have not followed all the Recommendations, they must identify the Recommendations that have not been followed and give reasons for not following them – the â€Å"if not, why not† approach (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). In relation to HIH’s case, a number of the Guidelines’ Principles provide fairly extensive coverage of corporate governance issues identified in HIH earlier. Principle 1 highlights the need for companies to establish and disclose the respective roles and responsibilities of the board and management. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 1. 2 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of senior executives (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). This Principle serves to provide disclosure in relation to HIH’s situation of an over-dominant CEO and ineffective chairman and board. Where HIH was highlighted to have a board that was ineffective and failed its duties, Principle 2 states that companies need to structure the board to add value with an effective composition, size and commitment to adequately discharge its responsibilities and duties. Recommendations in the principle placed importance in having a majority of the board and the chairman being independent directors to ensure independence in board decisions and prevent conflict of interest. Recommendation 2. 4 suggests that companies should establish a nomination committee to ensure appropriate selection and appointment practices in the company. This Recommendation also provides resolution in relation to HIH’s case whereby the board was mostly made up of directors hired by Mr. William, including the former Andersen partners. In the 2007 edition, the Guidelines added the Recommendation 2. 5 for companies to disclose the process for evaluating the performance of the board, its committees and individual directors (previously this was part of Principle 8 in the 2003 edition, titled â€Å"encourage enhance performance†). This Recommendation helps to ensure directors are given access to continuing education to update and enhance their skills and knowledge that are necessary in performing their duties (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Principle 3 discusses how companies should promote ethical and responsible decision-making. Beyond legal obligations, directors are expected to make decisions that satisfy not only the company’s shareholders but other stakeholders as well (this principal includes amalgamation from Principle 10 of the 2003 edition Guidelines which was to â€Å"recognize the legitimate interests of stakeholders†). To achieve this, Recommendation 3. 1 encourages companies to establish and disclose their code of conduct pertaining to integrity practices, legal practices and handling of unethical practices. Aligned with this, Recommendation 3. 2 promotes the establishment and disclosure of company’s policy concerning trading in company securities by directors, senior executives and employees (ASX Corporate Governance Council, 2007). Relating to Principle 3 and Principle 7 titled â€Å"recognize and manage risk†, HIH has been considerably questioned of its various business decisions, mostly of which contributed to huge loses and ultimately the company’s insolvency. Criticized decisions made by the company are many, and on top of the list include (i) the acquisition of FAI Insurance (majority-owned by Mr. Adler who later became a member of HIH’s board of directors) for A$300 million which FAI was later estimated to be worth just A$100 million, (ii) re-entering the California market in 1998 and failure to take the difficult decision to exit the market when it proved unprofitable, and (iii) the decision to enter a sector (insurance and re-insurance of film-financing) that has proved problematic for many market participants in London (Cagan, 2001). The lack of risk management within HIH was apparent and Mr. Adler’s unethical conduct was evident with his imprisonment. In view of the importance of risk management, Recommendation 7. 1 urges companies to establish policies for the over sight and management of material business risks (that is financial risks and non-financial risks) and disclose a summary of those policies while Recommendation 7. 2 call for the board to require management to design and implement risk management and internal control system to manage the company’s material business risks and report to it on whether those risks are being managed effectively.

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

CONTRACT MANAGEMENT - Essay Example For instance, during the post period of World War II, various political agreements were formulated and implemented with the intention of reducing or eliminating trade barriers amid nations. In this respect, General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) was recognized to be the most effective trade policy for the US towards increased trade opportunities in the global periphery (US Department of State, 1999). It was also in this period that development of technology became quite apparent and swerving as it was perceived to minimize the distance among countries as well as reduce geographical constraints; thus, facilitating better trade in the international context (Schmidt, 2001). The progress in telecommunication technologies also facilitated with better communication opportunities for better exchange of goods and information amid countries. The advancement of technology was also identified to improve the transportation services between countries for effective conveyance of goods throu gh international trade. ... Moreover, the discussion will also emphasize on the impact the changes in trade and technology have on contract management even in the current era. Changes in Trade and Technology after the World War II which are affecting US Corporations In the post World War II period, it was observed that trade agreements have been formulated by policymakers with the intention of minimizing or eliminating trade barriers amid countries. Apparently, there was rapid development in trade activities and technology since the post period of World War II. Since then, the US has been committed towards the achievement of free trade opportunities with the objective of developing its economic stability and political growth. The open trade activities were further expected to facilitate the country in developing its economy as well as building healthy relationship amid nations. It was also observed in this context that the US was more concerned about trade liberalization with the aim of conducting trade activit ies with minimized barriers among countries. In order to acquire a liberalized trade policy, the US further formulated GATT with the intention of reducing trade barriers which was signed by 23 countries in the year 1948. The ‘Free Trade Agreement’ also initiated after World War II, i.e. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) again facilitated the US corporations to perform their business operations in worldwide market segments with minimized trade restrictions. As a consequence, the rapid expansion of international trade activities increased market competition among corporate sectors of the US minimizing the inflation pressure for protecting the domestic

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Starting a Business in Aqua-Pure Company Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Starting a Business in Aqua-Pure Company - Essay Example Another source of financing I may utilize is borrowings from my relatives or friends who would be willing to lend me some money, which I could repay once the business is making a profit. Moreover, I may seek potential business partners who have the financial capability to answer the capital needs of the small company. As such, they may become co-owners, thus, be entitled to receive a portion of the earnings of the business. Aside from these, I may also utilize external financing sources to address my capital requirements. In this regard, I can resort to borrowing funds from banks and other financial institutions2 that specialize in dealing with business entities and implement special lending schemes for start-up enterprises. In addition, I can borrow from specific government development agencies that support small-scale industries or apply in organizations that give out business grants for creative entrepreneurs3. It should be noted that borrowing, deemed as a long-term loan, from external sources entails risk exposure, therefore, this option is usually a major decision for small businesses. Given this, I should ensure that the company has the ability to service this loan including interest and that the loan terms are not burdensome to meet for small business owners like me. It would also be used for the construction of a small water treatment facility and purchasing or leasing the land where this would be located. Moreover, the capital would be allocated for the company's pre-operating expenses like promotions and launching as well as initial operating expenditures including salary, power, water expenses and other fees. 4. Government agencies and regulations to be dealt with by business owner As a small business engaged in the man the manufacturing and selling of bottled mineral water, I, as the business owner, would have to initially deal with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), particularly the Compliance Department. This is because this agency would first have to ensure that I am complying with their regulations. For instance, the FDA would inspect my equipment and products to find out the bottled water to be sold meets the standard set in the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Â  

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

Human Factors in Aviation Safety Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Human Factors in Aviation Safety - Article Example This is illustrated using organization conditions such as effective communication, supervision and omissions that were attributed to the changes in the company. Having gone through this report, I would like to express my satisfaction with it. The examples given here are typical of how influential human factors are in aviation industry. It is true that the performance of employees in aviation sector heavily relies on the supervision levels given to them, their qualifications and professionalism. This is what can be attributed to the causes of MRMs as recorded in the report (Shappell, 1997). The errors made here clearly shows that human factors are so influential because they play very important roles in determining the out put and productivity of the aviation staff. Therefore, factors like employee motivation, training, safety and health should be taken seriously at all times. They can determine the successes of an organization. So, management should not be relaxed because it can result into errors and mistakes that can negatively impact on the overall performance and success of the

Monday, August 26, 2019

Racism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Racism - Essay Example Racial discrimination is treating people differently on the basis of race. In famous case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka,* by overturning its earlier rule the United States Supreme Court, declared that the establishment of separate public schools for black and white students inherently unequal. This victory paved the way for integration and the Civil Rights Movement. The same decision was repeated in the Bolling v. Sharpe's** case also. Racism produces its effects through segregation, socioeconomic stratification, and marginalization as well as through the individual experience. Institutionalized racism produces discriminatory effects on health through public policy, the physical environment, social and medical services and preventive health policy. Perceived inequity and frustrated goals combine with policies that make the urban environment physically or psychologically hazardous to affect the family, sense of self and sense of community. This affects social buffers and supports while increasing the chance of experiencing a life event. Decreased social efficacy combined with a decaying physical environment promotes "alternative" lifestyles and economies, these can overcome the resilience of a community and undermine their buffering effects. The impact of racism on the individual, family, community and physical environment may --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Brown Vs Board of Education of Topeka 347 US 483 (1954)** Bolling Vs Sharpe 347US 487 (1954) 2 lead to psychological and physical harm to children and so produce a future generation of problems. The US government has formulated a number of programs for tracing the racist elements which is deep rooted in the society and to find out the solutions to eradicate this ever going problems. Department of Behavioral Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston *conducted a research and found out that racism is the one of the fundamental cause for the racial disparities of health commonly founds in people. According to their opinion the physiological changes which occur when African-Americans encounter everyday racism are thought to lead to poorer health in the long-term. The association between experienced racism and ill health is modified by social status and personal coping strategies. A wider conceptualization of the processes through which racism is linked to ill-health demands an understanding of the effects of racism at a political, socioeconomic, community, and family level. Such effects are as pertinent to illness rates as the experience of the individual. From the above discussion a question naturally arises. It is true that the segregation of the people as per their color

Sunday, August 25, 2019

Property Tax Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Property Tax - Essay Example Assuming that David is having more than property in UK, assuming that David new property at 12, Mudchute Court is second property owned by him or one of the many properties he owned, then, for reducing his capital gain tax, he can claim the following as a deduction from the capital gains earned on the disposal of 12, Mudchute Court namely fees paid to solicitors, all professional fees paid to estate agents, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and expenses incurred for improving the property. Further, as David lived in the new property bought for few weeks, he can term it as â€Å"principal private residence† to avail exemptions between properties he owned as he is planning to sell it after two years. However, David has to establish some corroborations that he lived there for some time albeit even it is for short-term. If David resided in that house even for some weeks in the new property which should be his second or one of the many properties owned by him, which facilitates him to write off the past three years of capital gains when David decides to sell it after two years. Thus, David should elect the new property as his residence and should inform the Income-Tax Authorities within two years of purchase of 12, Mudchute Court. It is to be noted that the choice can be changed by the David if he wants to select some other property he owned. If he fails to inform about his â€Å" principle private residence â€Å" to tax authorities , then , he would be losing hi s chance to claim exemption from capital gain taxes under the above scheme4. It is to be noted that just living in the property for avoidance of capital gain taxes can prove to be costlier to David as held in Court of Appeal in HRMC5 case where the defendant employed an intricate chain of derivative transactions to minimise capital gain tax on  £10.7 m. The court opined that any

Saturday, August 24, 2019

LEGAL FRAMEWORKS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT Essay - 1

LEGAL FRAMEWORKS IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT - Essay Example The paper, based on a case will explore applicable legal principles and case laws with the aim of advising a party on its rights, liabilities, possible defences, and remedies based on the case. The rules of law that are applicable to the case involve principles that relates to both trespass and nuisance. The general definition of tort, as a wrongful act, in breach of an agreement or an expected responsibility and which attracts damages, institute rights, and obligations over use of land. The scope of trespass includes unlawful entry into a person’s property, illegal stay within the property or interference with a person’s rights to enjoy rights in his or her property. Trespass can relate either to land, person or property. The legal definition of trespass to land involves â€Å"entering upon land, remaining upon land, or placing or projecting any object† on the piece of land without legal justification or authority from the owner of the land. Some of the elements that constitute trespass to land therefore include entry into the plaintiff’s land or any other property in land such as house or office without consent or legal authority, continuing t o remain in the property without justification, and performing an act that interferes with the plaintiff’s possession and enjoyment of the piece of land. Throwing objects into a person’s piece of land or using an accorded right of entry into a person’s piece of land for any other reason apart from the grounds for which entry is granted also constitutes trespass to land. The core element of trespass to land, that also identifies it from other torts is its direct impacts on the plaintiff’s rights. Based on the definition of land that includes the earth’s surface, and the space above and below the ground, trespass can arise from interference of a person’s right of enjoyment of resources on the surface of the piece of land, above the surface and below the surface (Harpwood, 2008, p. 232). Legal

Friday, August 23, 2019

Comparative Literature Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 1

Comparative Literature Paper - Essay Example People from all over the world wish to embark the â€Å"land of milk and honey†, only to find out that there are still enormous challenges they have to face to obtain that elusive â€Å"milk and honey†. More than stories about poverty, their ugly house and their families, A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros are similar in many ways as these weave tales about strong women (both immigrant women of color) as they confront their lives in the US together with their families. They will show their courage and forge enormous strength to conquer the challenges they have to face. They will have to prove something, not just for themselves, but for their families as well. Comparing the two essays, we could almost smell the characters’ well-being as they are bound to resolve the various conflicts that they face. In the past twenty five years, the field of women’s immigration history in the United States has transformed itself from a minor disciplinary field to a major way of understanding one of the largest 20th century topics for the social sciences in general: the mobility of people and its impact upon the relationship of genders. In fact, the study of women immigrants has also served as a major connector between traditional disciplines and fields of inquiry in the United States (Schneider, 2003). The two stories by Hansberry and Cisneros, incidentally by women too, weaves a showcase of what immigrant women have to face living in the US. The common thread that binds these tales is the challenges they face as minority women in America as they look for their own place in an unknown country; and seek the liberation and freedom from lives slowed down by bondage. Not only these women demonstrate the assorted hostilities many women face as they are viewed as the inferior sex, but they also seek to supersede the discrimination caused by the color of their

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Notes on Anil Essay Example for Free

Notes on Anil Essay However, he sees people outside and discovers the Headman’s brother, Marimuthu hanging a woman, at which he is traumatised. The next day, the body has been taken down and we learn that it is Marimuthu’s wife. However, Marimuthu is pretending that his wife has commited suicide. Anil tells the village the Headman that he saw Marimuthu kill the woman and the Headman goes off to talk to Anil’s father about him. In the next section, we learn that Anil is being sent to school (a great opportunity) but it is so that the Headman can cover up his brother’s actions as a murderer. At the end, both father son explore their decisions and whether they made the right/wrong choice given the consequences. The last scene shows the Headman his brother, the Headman smiling at his brother and the brother showing relief that they got away with it. Form †¢ †¢ Omniscient narrator – allows us to learn the feelings of each of the characters – an overview of the story. Short story bildungsroman: shows the character growing up/maturing when he learns the nature of good/evil and something about morality, â€Å"I will never forget this town and the sin that it buries today. As a child, we believe in right wrong and that sins are punished. However, he learns that there is not always justice in the world, and in fact sin is metaphorically buried. †¢ Epiphany: as above: â€Å"I will never forget this town and the sin that it buries today. † (line 216. ) Structure †¢ †¢ Lines 93-95- powerful visual- cinematic description of the body shocks us- climax shocking so early in the story. Lines 41- 60- the boy’s fears are presented: father, fear of the dark, mosquito, ghosts- writer uses one word lines to reflect the tension, ‘They. Peyi. Pesase. Ghosts. ’- also ‘Dare he? ’- the omniscient narrator draws us into Anil’s mind. Lines 159-160- the second section is used to describe the aftermath where Anil finds himself accusing the murderer, ‘You killed her. ’ We are left on a cliff-hanger as we wonder what the consequences will be, ‘ about this son of yours. ’ See epiphany is form. Lines 198-202- we are now given Ragunathan’s perspective and the writer presents his confused shame as Anil is sent away. †¢ †¢ †¢ Language †¢ Lines 1-14 (opening paragraph): heat is emphasised to create a claustrophobic and confined setting, ‘hot, sweltering’- contrasts with the image of the star Anil watches, ‘a small star shone ’ as his dreams set him apart (omniscient narrator allows us to see Anil’s perspective and draws us to him. ) Lines 21-31- physical details of mother reinforce the heat and discomfort/pain of the setting and their lives, ‘wet patch layers of fat’- a child’s view amuses us ‘Wheee the fly slid down’ but is mixed with the accepted pain/violence/abuse ‘the bruisewhere Appa had hit her. ’ Lines 69- 74- symbolism of the tree- from childish view ‘ a tree that ate little children. ’ To shocking reality ‘They were hanging a woman. Lines 222- end- the worm simile used to describe how Marimuthu views the train/the truth within Anil reflects the relief he feels at having escaped justice- the heat of his wife’s injustice distorts the train and makes the image sinister, but even more sinister to the reader is the ‘shadow of a smile’ which hints that all is under control again. †¢ †¢ †¢ How to use PETER for analysis: P- The writer uses a star at the beginning of the story and after the climax of the murder to highlight Anil’s innocence and isolation, E- ‘silencing the sobs that wracked his little body, as a star shimmered above. ’ T- The repeated symbolism of the star as well as the alliteration of ‘silencing the sobs’ and ‘star shimmered’ E- draws our attention to his vulnerability and perhaps loss of innocence as he witnesses such a crime. R- We cannot help but feel pity for Anil’s character as we share his pain and terror. O- create your own other interpretation here.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Example for Free

Recruitment and Selection Strategies Essay Over the past five weeks, work was completed on an employment compliance plan, compensation, and benefits strategies plan, performance management strategies suggested, advise given on training plans, and this week, we will provide recommendations on recruitment and selection strategies. Within these suggested strategies, the importance of implementing the following will be highlighted, the goals for Bollman Hotels, anticipated demographic changes, analysis of projected workforce needs, objectives of workforce diversity, branding of the organization, methods for recruiting, screening, and selecting candidates. Organizational Goals Bollman Hotels has net revenue of $100,000,000 with a 15% growth expected within the first year. A workforce of 25,000 employees with plans to increase by 20% with the expansion to India and the current employee turnover is 5%. Based on this information and the stage of their business development, they will need to enter the Indian market fiercely, but with as little interruption to the tourism industry as possible. Therefore, Bollman will have to be competitive and establish a premier hotel chain that will lure international travelers seeking the exotic, heterogeneous, and lavish experience by offering elitism while on business or pleasure (Incredible India, n. . ). It is recommended that the goal of Bollman Hotel’s in India is to open and operate at a five star deluxe status and be competitive with hotels such as Taj Falaknuma Palace, ITC Hotel Kakatiya, Park Hyatt, Hderabad, and The Ashok, just, to name a few (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, 2013). Therefore, Bollman Hotels will be a premier chain while aligning itself with the Government of India’s to urism and hotel requirements (Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, 2013). Forecasted Demographic Changes Bollman Hotel’s entrance into the Indian market also means a shift in the demographics. Affluent international clients visiting Bollman hotels will bring notoriety to the region that they are located resulting in an economic boost. A thriving emerging economy means Indian Nationals (both men and women) experience a socio-economic change with an increase in jobs and income in that region. Additionally, with the increase in birthrates, the candidate pool has increased and Bollman will help to provide these well needed jobs (Chua, 2012). Five-Year Workforce Plan Based on the organizational goals and demographic changes, it is recommended that Bollman adopt a three-step plan to analyze its present workforce. This will help to identify the needs over the next five years (Analyzing Your Workforce, n. d. ). First step includes a supply analysis – evaluating current resources and includes the number of persons performing specific job functions in Minnesota, how many are supervised by one person and is it sufficient. What is the current pay rate in Minnesota and what will work best in India and what are the areas that contribute the most to the current 5% turnover rate and what will decrease it (Analyzing Your Workforce, n. d. ). Second step recommended is a demand analysis that will evaluate the future needs of Bollman Hotels. This analysis will determine the jobs necessary for optimum service, the jobs that can be combined or eliminated, the possible technological changes to operate best and the areas that can be performed more economically and effectively (Analyzing Your Workforce, n. d. ). The final recommended step is a gap analysis that will identify a projected need that has not been met or an excess. This is done by comparing the supply and demand results. Based on the results received from the gap analysis, solutions such as additional training, increased staff, and more efficient recruitment and hiring processes can be done over the next five years (Analyzing Your Workforce, n. d. ). Workforce Diversity Objectives Diversity is the variations that exist in an organizations based on age, gender, educational background, ethnic groups, culture, and working customs (Lai, 2013). Workforce diversity helps to manage the change that has taken place in the workforce from a manufacturing to a service industry that Bollman Hotels provides (Cascio, 2013). Second, market globalization is another factor and with Bollman’s move into an international market, it is important that they understand their internal market its customers to operate best (Cascio, 2013). Third, many businesses are requiring increased teamwork (Cascio, 2013). Bollman has experience with this demand in Minnesota with peak operating seasons and have had to increase the number of personnel that work at once. The same will apply in India. Fourth, there are increased mergers and strategic international alliances (Cascio, 2013) and with Bollman’s international move, there will be a difference in the corporate culture. Therefore, it is recommended that diversity training is provided. Finally, India is an evolving economy and with an expected increase in diverse workers such as women it is imperative that Bollman Hotel workers understand that the aim is to provide quality service to everyone (Cascio, 2013). Organizational Branding Organizational branding is essential at this point of the recommendations to Bollman Hotels. With a goal to be known as a five start deluxe hotel, it is important to put the name Bollman Hotels in the Indian market and among the local areas in the United States and Europe known for international business travel. It is recommended that this is done through traditional advertisements in local papers in the language of each country and most important and relevant to these recommendations, through hiring diverse employees (Cascio, 2013). This will ensure that Bollman is known to help create a boost in the Indian economy and the demographics as previously mentioned, hence, causing more word-of-mouth marketing internationally. Also, the service standards and five star statuses will also be something to rave about. Methods for Screening Candidates It is important that Bollman Hotels has a process for screening candidates; therefore, recommendations will be made for interview methods, testing procedures, and interview process considerations, all of which will cover the screening process. Interview Methods Employment interviews allow organizations to have an idea of the skills and personality traits that a candidate possesses (Cascio, 2013). It is therefore recommended that Bollman Hotels interview team have interview questions built on-the-job analysis done. Create general questions for all candidates, use thorough rating scales with descriptions of desired behaviors as scale points and recording notes focused on the behavior of the candidate. It is also recommended that several interviewers are used with a diverse number of them and that vast training is provided on how to conduct interviews. Interviewers are also encouraged to wait until all interviews are complete prior to discussing any candidates and finally, use statistical information and overall views of the candidates to decide (Cascio, 2013). Interview Process Considerations To ensure that the interview is a fair process, it is recommended that the panel focuses on-the-job competencies, assess resumes and applications by concentrating on specifics in line with the job requirements. Consider things that identifies if a candidate meets the requirements and skills that they possess from precious employment that are applicable (Cascio, 2013). Use open-ended questions to stimulate elaboration on topics and use questionnaires that will highlight how well someone will perform and overall fit. It is also recommended that scenario type questions are used as this will give an idea of how they will handle specific situations (Cascio, 2013). Finally, given this is a US company going into India, it is recommended that interviews are done in relaxed environments. This will allow candidate to be more open and relaxed with their responses also giving the interviewer a chance to note both verbal and non-verbal responses (Cascio, 2013). Testing Procedures Employment testing is necessary for Bollman hotels, not only based on the location, but also to protect them and to ensure they are hiring suitable employees. The tests recommended are work-sample tests, leaderless-group discussions, personality measures, and integrity test. Bollman Hotel’s goal in India is to be a premier chain; hence, service delivery is important. So, job fit is important and an integrity test will help to outline the attitudes of prospects toward stealing, dishonest behavior, violence, and drug abuse. This it done through overt integrity test clear purpose esting and personality-based measures disguised -purpose test (Cascio, 2013). Employees will have access to guest rooms and information, so ensuring that Bollman has an idea of their tendencies, could help with selection. Another testing method is the work-sample tests used to analyze an applicant’s ability to perform a job task (Casco, 2013). Placing an employee in a hotel ro om or situation based on the job they applied for will show the interviewer if he or she can perform this task, such as spreading a bed according to Bollman Hotel standards for example. Leaderless-group discussion is another method and entails placing several candidates at a round table and giving them a job related topic to discuss. Each person will naturally approach this based on his or her abilities and personalities. This is recommended for Bollman as it will help to determine persons suitable for supervisory roles or otherwise. Finally, the personality measure test is recommended as it will help to identify personality characteristics such as neuroticism that is the level at which an individual is insecure, anxious emotional or calm, and self-confident. Extroversion looks at how an individual is gregarious, assertive, and sociable. Openness to experience looks at how an individual is cooperative, and warm, and conscientiousness looks at how hardworking, organized, and dependable someone is (Cascio, 2013). Personality measure is recommended because it will give an idea of persons most suited for jobs where they will interact with guest the least or the most based on their personalities. Methods for Selecting Candidates The candidates chosen for the jobs at Bollman Hotels in India will have to be in tuned with the culture of prestige and superb customer service. To do this, it is recommended that all the persons involved in the interview process are gathers and each will give their thoughts on each candidate and narrow the candidate pool. The process can be repeated until the desired number of employees has been reached (McNamara, n. d. ). The interview results and subsequent selections can be coupled with test results to make decisions as well. Job Offer The job offer is another important step in the employment process. The following are recommended when presenting the job offer to a successful candidate. Prepare a letter stating how thrilled the company is to offer them the job, outline the exact compensation offered, and outline the benefits him or her is entitled to. The letter should have a signature line for them to indicate their acceptance of the job within a specified time and the contact information for the Bollman Hotel’s personnel office if the need arises (McNamara, n. d. ). A three month probation period is recommended in addition to orientation for one week and on-the-job training for four weeks. This should also be outlined in the letter in addition to a copy of the job description (McNamara, n. d. ). Impact of Organizational Diversity on Organizations Diversity caused organizations to grow and operate more efficiently in global markets as they understand the need to relate to their customers. This also creates a competitive advantage when customers see an active effort to embrace diversity. Diversity also effects an organization by building brand equity for companies that choose to invest in multicultural advertising. They become known globally (Cascio, 2013). Organizations are also seeing that diverse employees need to be embraced to retain productive talent. Corporate image is also a factor and is increased as organizations known to employ diverse employees are more attractive to job seekers and companies seeing alliances (Cascio, 2013). It is recommended that Bollman capitalizes on the impacts of diversity as they are entering into a diverse and global market-place. Laws to Consider for Recruitment Selection It is important that Bollman Hotels remembers that employee and future employees have specific rights under specific laws. Consent is needed for background checks to be done on applicants, and this is covered under the Fair Credit Report Act and is necessary for checks done by a third party. Also, if references are provided on an applicant, they have the right to petition to see this reference under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Cascio, 2013). Conclusion In this final recommendation prepared for Bollman Hotels, the following were effectively addressed. The organizational goals, forecasted demographic changes, five-year workforce plan, workforce diversity objectives, organizational branding, methods for screening candidates using highlighting the interview methods, interview process considerations and testing procedures. Recommendations were also made for methods for selecting candidates, the job offer, impact of organizational diversity on organizations and recruitment selection laws to consider.

Features Of An Effective Presentation

Features Of An Effective Presentation A presentation is a tool for communicating opinions and ideas of the speaker in front of the group of people. Presentation is very important for any profession like in a business to spread the information about any product launch etc., in teaching and training or so on. Being able to speak efficiently is an asset for any profession. The success of presentation depends on the confidence and capability of a speaker. Anybody can give good presentation just by practicing and preparing for presentation. A can be given in so many ways i.e. it can be oral, PowerPoint presentation, multimedia etc. Good presentations contain these elements: Content : it is the very important element because it contains the information which is needed for a presentation Structure: it is another main element of a presentation because a presentation should have the proper structure i.e. logical beginning, middle and proper end. FEATURE OF AN EFFECTIVE PRESENTATION PURPOSE OF PRESETATION: It is useful to make sure the exact purpose of the presentation. A presentation usually has 4 basic functions: To inform To encourage To persuade To entertain Audience research: Every communication must be in form and style which suits the audience. The tone and the matter of the speech depend upon the nature of the audience. In analysing the audience, age group is very important factor. Different age group respond differently to the presentation. High school children like to be treated as adults they can appreciate sincerity and are not very critical. Visual aids are effective Children love to listen to stories and they appreciate dramatic presentation emotions of joys and sorrows can be aroused through stories. Preparation of the text of the presentation: In any presentation the subject matter of the presentation is very primary concern because the subject and the matter is very important for any presentation without the matter of the presentation any presentation cant be successful. Structuring the subject matter : A presentation has 3 parts the introduction, the main body and the conclusion. Structuring of the text helps the presentation in following ways: Establishing the relationship among ideas Developing the complete arguments Tightening the text as per the time constraints Providing the audience a grip on the subject matter Emphasizing the significant ideas of the theme Stimulating the audience to learn what he or she thinks Registering the important concept with the audience Language and style : The style of the oral presentation is different from the written presentation in any language the difference must be kept in mind while drafting a presentation the style of the presentation must be simple and direct as the conversation. Timing for speech in an oral presentation: The efficient speaker arranges the text of his speech in such a way that till the end of the presentation the listener do not get restless. Also the time of day affects the audience. The afternoon hours hardly make any listener interested to listen to a presentation. But yet an efficient speaker may try to make that session interesting. For keeping to time an efficient speaker takes care of the concentration problem that the audience has with regards to time. Environment for speaking while making presentation: For effective speaking the venue or the place of delivering the speech plays a very important role. The speaker must be aware of the size of the room where he or she has to deliver the speech for an oral presentation. Sometimes the rooms are large and echoing. Speaking in such rooms require less resonating sound. The voice should be a little muffled showing the lower notes. However, it should have the required power. For the acoustically treated rooms the resonance of the speech in an oral presentation has absolutely different kinds of impression on the audience. The speaker should also check his or her voice in the rooms; find it out on his or her own, whether it reaches the last listener sitting at the back row. He or she should also find out how the delivery of the voice is. Has he or she practiced with the microphone? The room should be well-ventilated and well-illuminated. There should not be any distractions to both the speaker and the listeners. The distractions like noise and any other interruptions should not be entertained. The seating layout also determines the voice flow, voice reverberation. Every seating arrangement has its merits and demerits. There is various seating arrangement available. When the audience sits in rows like that in a theatre, there is difficulty in eye contact between the speaker and the listener. The environment is very formal. The horseshoe pattern of seating arrangement is more informal and it helps in increasing participation. The curved rows too hinder proper eye contact. People sitting around tables make it very informal unless the Audience is divided into groups for formal intercourse. INTRODUCTION OF STEVE JOBS STEVE JOBS full name was STEVEN PAUL STEVE JOBS, he was the American entrepreneur. He is known as the co-founder, chairmen and chief executive officer of Apple Inc. apart from that Steve jobs also co-founded the Pixar Animation Studios. He became the member of board of directors in The Walt Disney co. in 2006. Steve jobs founded next a computer platform development co. C:UsersparulDesktopsteve-jobs-quotes-4.jpg STEVE JOBS WAY OF PRESENTATION As everybody knows that the Steve jobs way of presentation is very unique because he not only conveys the information but he inspire the audience he sells the product and sizzles at the same time. Setting the theme of the presentation: Steve jobs always start his presentation by setting the theme like there is something in the air today by saying these words Steve jobs sets the theme of the presentation. Every presentation needs a theme but its not compulsory to give it in the start last year Steve jobs sets the theme about 20 min into his presentation once you set the theme make sure to deliver it several times in the presentation. Demonstrate enthusiasm: Every time when Steve jobs gives the presentation he shows his passion for the computer design. During his presentation he uses the words like cool extraordinary and amazing because always remember the wants to be wowed they dont want to get bored. In giving a presentation always remember to inject your personality into it if you think a particular feature for your product is the awesome because if you are not enthusiastic about your product then how a can a customer shows interest in that product. Provide an outline: Providing the outline to the presentation is again very important. Steve jobs outlined the presentation by saying there are 4 things I want to talk about today. So lets get started. Steve jobs followed his outlines by verbally opening or closing each of the section. Make the list and offer your audience the guide post along the way. Make numbers meaningful: When Steve jobs announced that the apple had sold the 4 million phones, he did not simply leave the number out of context. Instead he says that 20000 phones every day on an average. Numbers do not mean much unless they are placed in context. Try for an unforgettable moment: Unforgettable moment is the moment in your presentation that everyone will be talking about in every Steve jobs presentation the unforgettable moment is always their. Create the experience: Plan and create your ideas in analogy before you starting your presentation. Answer the one question that matters in the listeners mind. Have a clear sense of purpose of presentation. Develop- twitter like headlines. Use the rule of three to create a road map the listener can follow. Always identify your enemy who are against you. Always take intermission in every ten minutes. Deliver the experience: Make your visuals simple, highly visual and completely engaged. Bring statistics to life by providing a contextual framework people can use. Create interested and memorable words in your presentation. Share the stage with your partners. Use props and actual product demonstrations. Have one definitive moment in your presentation. Never forget your second intermission. Refine and rehearse: Never forget how you say something is just as important as what you say . Rehearse and then rehearse some more until you can make it worthless. Dress the convey the impression you are trying to make. Your speech become polished whatever you speak to the audience not your slides. Always have fun- even when things go wrong. Always end with a bang- have an encore which is legendary like one more thing! These all are the secrets of presentation of Steve jobs. The presentations of Steve Jobs are very much like a dramatic play- a finely crafted and rehearsed performance that informs, entertains and inspires. If you are passionate about your topic, you are 80% closer to developing the magnetism that Jobs has. Do not let your ideas die because you failed to present them in a way that sparked the imagination of your listeners. Use Jobs techniques to reach the hearts and minds of everyone you hope to influence.

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Hope in The Lesson, by Toni Cade Bambera Essay -- The Lesson

After reading Toni Cade Bambara's, The Lesson, the reader is left with a sense of hope for the first person narrator Sylvia and her friends. Following her and her friends from the slums of New York, to a Fifth Avenue F.A.O. Swartz, one gets an idea as to the kind of environment they came from, the type of education they received, and the sense of economic imbalance they bear witness to. Through this the antagonist, Miss Moore, is able to let the children evaluate for themselves the difference between the Fifth Avenue world and the one they are from, at an age where the impression made upon them might generate a spark of desire to find out how they might achieve the same rewards Fifth Avenue has to offer. The story is told from the point of view of the protagonist, first person narrator, Sylvia. Sylvia is a preteen African American girl, strong willed, intelligent, and the obvious leader of the pack. The story's plot involves a college educated black woman who comes back to an economically disadvantaged neighborhood on weekends and takes the local children on field trips of a sort. On this particular trip she lets the children experience their first ride in a taxicab to a toy store in Manhattan. It is played out through a chronological series of events from the time they leave their neighborhood, until the time they arrive back there. The exposition introduces the reader to, Sylvia, Miss Moore, Sylvia's friends, and the neighborhood. Sylvia's friends consist of a number of round characters, such as Junebug, Mercedes, Fat Butt, and Rosie Giraffe, as well as the stock characters Sugar, Q.T. and Junior. The setting is what seems to be a 1960' circa slum. As the story develops the reader gets a glimpse of Sylvia's â€Å"street smar... ...lack of proper education in the poorer areas of the country, the need for parents to stand up and take responsibility for their children, and the inequality, and huge gap that exists between the rich and the poor in the United States today. The use of Sylvia as the protagonist gave the story a real quality to it. The world as seen through the eyes of a pre-teen, streetsmart kid, and the realization that there was still a lot to learn in an unfair world. Every character was well defined, and seemed to have a life of their own. It was a very easy to comprehend story which I believe should be a staple, if not requirement, in every urban public school Work Cited Bambara, Toni Cade. â€Å"The Lesson.† Literature and society: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, Nonfiction. Pamela J Annas and Robert C. Rosen. 4th Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J 2007. P. 647-653

Monday, August 19, 2019

Eve’s Speech to the Forbidden Tree in Milton’s Paradise Lost

Eve’s Speech to the Forbidden Tree in Milton’s Paradise Lost In Book IX of Milton’s Paradise Lost, Eve makes a very important and revealing speech to the tree of knowledge. In it, she demonstrates the effect that the forbidden fruit has had on her. Eve’s language becomes as shameful as the nakedness that Adam and Eve would later try to cover up with fig leaves. After eating the forbidden apple, Eve’s speech is riddled with blasphemy, self-exaltation, and egocentrism. The first part of Eve’s speech contains the most blatant blasphemy. In it, she turns the forbidden tree into an idol, or a false god. She promises that â€Å"henceforth [her] early care, / Not without song each morning, and due praise / Shall tend [the tree]† (ln 799-801). The long sounds of the spondees in â€Å"not without song each morning, and due praise† add to the deliberateness of Eve’s blasphemy. The tree replaces God in her eyes, and begins to receive the praise that she had formerly reserved only for God. Besides being blasphemous, this is also ironic. In her foolishness, Eve ends up praising the very thing that will ultimately prove to be her undoing. Eve considers the tree a great gift. However, because of the influence of the serpent, she does not consider it a gift from God. The serpent has caused her to believe that God did not give the tree to Adam and Eve because it was not his to give. Therefore, Eve supposes that God must â€Å"envy what [he] cannot give: / For had the gift been [his], it had not here / Thus grown† (ln 805-7). In other words, she argues that if God had had possession of this tree, he would not have left it where it is. Therefore, according to Eve’s manipulated reasoning, God must not have the knowledge that the tree bestow... ...d â€Å"Adam† in line 831. The last two lines of this speech are very dramatic. Eve has such a great love for Adam that she could endure anything as long as he would be by her side, but she would be nothing without him. However, this creates a paradox. One may ask, if Eve loves Adam as much as she professes to, then why put his life in jeopardy just to make her own suffering more bearable? The answer, of course, goes back to the selfishness that has pervaded her entire speech. These lines stand out because of the spondees at the end of both of them. Eve’s language is drastically altered when she partakes of the forbidden fruit. It becomes permeated with blasphemy, self-praise and selfish words. Works Cited: Milton, John. Paradise Lost. in The Norton Anthology of English Literature, M. H. Abrams, ed. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1993. 1594-5.

Sunday, August 18, 2019

Patriot Essay -- essays research papers

Martin, a veteran of the French and Indian War, thinks of himself as a battle-weary peacenik (his eldest son joins the army against his wishes), but if he believes in liberating the colonies from the tyranny of King George III, he believes even more fervently in smiting the holy bejesus out of the soldiers who have torn his family apart. That these aristocratic oppressors happen to be the same redcoats who are fighting to quash the American Revolution is, shall we say, a matter of the highest moral convenience. Written by Robert Rodat (''Saving Private Ryan'') and directed by the heavy-tromping blockbuster maestro Roland Emmerich (''Independence Day,'' ''Godzilla''), ''The Patriot'' is set in fields, forests, homes, and backwaters, and there's something at once canny and reductive about the way that it personalizes the bloody birth of a nation. The filmmakers know that the last thing contemporary audiences need is another square-shouldered Classics Illustrated lecture that regurgitates the righteous and idealistic mythology of Why We Fought the British. At the same time, I'm not sure that I want my history dragged into the colonial trenches by a filmmaker like Roland Emmerich. ''The Patriot'' has some fierce and exciting moments, and it's held together by Gibson's haggard slow-burn charisma (he talks in his ''low'' voice), but the movie is also demagogic and crude. It's a fife-and-drum ''Gladiator'' without elegance -- the Revolutionary War turned into a big, hammerheaded s...

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Bad Samarians

Ha-Joon Chang is a Cambridge heterodox economist, who specializes in development economics and the abject poverty of the Third World countries. Trained at the University of Cambridge, he has served as a consultant to the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, and various United Nations agencies. Since 1992 he has also served on the editorial board of the Cambridge Journal of Economics, he is the author and contributor of many researches in economics.The objective of this essay – to review his views described in his controversial new book â€Å"Bad Samaritans: The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism,† and to compare it with the more traditional views where it possible. Bad Samaritans Mostly in his book Ha-Joon Chang appeals to his opponents, orthodox economists, and generalists in particular. Ha-Joon Chang has wide personal experience because he was born in the country that was one of the poorest on Earth that time. The new book starts with the des cription of economic downturn in Korea after the Korean War.It is hard to believe, but the famous Samsung Company that time was subsidized by sugar refining and textile enterprises. Another big company, Pohang Iron and Steel Co. , or POSCO, which now is the third largest steel company in the world, was state-owned and couldn’t get the support from the World Bank. Analyzing the development of other economics in the 1960s, the author notices that Japanese government refused to follow the politics of free trade that time and this decision had a positive impact on Japanese car manufacturing industry.In other case modern famous Japanese companies could be the filials of Western companies, and nothing more. This thonking leads the reader to the concept of what Ha-Joon Chang calls the â€Å"Bad Samaritans. † As the author described, â€Å"people in the rich countries who preach free markets and free trade to the poor countries in order to capture larger shares of the latterà ¢â‚¬â„¢s markets and preempt the emergence of possible competitors. They are saying ‘do as we say, not as we did’ and act as Bad Samaritans, taking advantage of others who are in trouble.† Chang divides â€Å"Bad Samaritans† into two groups: first are the leaders working in the â€Å"unholy trinity† of global financial organizations: World Bank, World Trade Organization and International Monetary Fund, and second are the ideologues – â€Å"those who believe in Bad Samaritan policies because they think those policies are ‘right,’ not because they personally benefit from them much, if at all. † The common feature of both groups is the adherence to a doctrine called â€Å"neoliberalism†, which is dominating in the global economy from 1970s till nowadays.The worst in this doctrine, according the opinion of the author, is the fact that those countries that propagate this doctrine all over the world reject its implementati on in their own economical systems. The key characteristics of neoliberalistic economics were called â€Å"Golden Straitjacket,† which is the only root to economic success according its advocates, like â€Å"unholy trinity†. They actively implement this economic policy in poor and developing countries.As it known from the Nobel-awarded researchers of orthodox economists, the Golden Straitjacket policy struggle for trade liberalization, reducing corruption and state bureaucracy, privatization of state-owned enterprises and pensions, balancing the national budget, intellectual rights protection and other trends and policies which are intended to guarantee the stable economic growth. In real life the implementation of these policies in developing countries leads to creation of economical dependence from global financial organizations.At the same time the most developed countries don’t implement the Golden Straitjacket policy. Ha-Joon Chang writes: â€Å"Practicall y all of today’s developed countries, including Britain and the US, the supposed homes of the free market and free trade, have become rich on the basis of policy recipes that go against neo-liberal economics. † Rich countries protect their manufacturer from the foreign investments and use subsidies and protections to protect their industries. The WTO sanctions are considered by rich countries as the lesser evil.Chang enumerates prominent men from different countries whose economic solutions became the basis of their countries flourishing. All of them struggled for the development of the national production and used protectionists’ politics. Chang notices out that nowadays the most developed countries do the same, especially the USA. He claims the Third World War has already begun and the USA tries to maintain its position as global hegemon. There are already conquered sides in this war, and one of them is the African countries. As the result of neoliberalism poli cy,The living standards in Africa are falling within the recent thirty years, because IMF and World Bank run most of African economies virtually. All the features of neoliberalizm described above were implemented in African countries. As the result the struggle with corruption ruined the system of communities existed before, the struggle with bureaucracy left courtiers without the perfect executive power branch, the intellectual property protection prevented the development of sciences, and pension privatization left the elder people to the poverty.Chang criticizes the struggle with the corruption because, according his words, â€Å"Most of today’s rich countries successfully industrialized despite the fact that their own public life was spectacularly corrupt. † Another object of sharp critics of the author is the concept of cultural influence on the economical performance of the country. The popular idea tells that the culture if the country defined the business metho ds of its people and thus their economic success. First this idea is an intolerant and chauvinists’ one, second, cultural differenced fail be the main explanation for economic success.He claims that the culture of the country is the result of economical development and not the cause. Using the chapters describing the mechanisms of economical development in different countries Chang proves that cultural explanation is just the screen to mask the real reason: the richest countries are afraid of competitors from below and do their best to annihilate the possible competition in the moment of origin. Generally, Chang writes, the policy of protectionism is absolutely normal, because it exists for ages. The problem is in hypocrisy surrounding â€Å"free trade†.According to Chang, â€Å"Belief in the virtue of free trade is so central to the neo-liberal orthodoxy that it is effectively what defines a neo-liberal economist. You may question (if not totally reject) any other el ement of the neo-liberal agenda—open capital markets, strong patents, or even privatization—and still stay in the neo-liberal church. However, once you object to free trade, you are effectively inviting ex-communication. † Analyzing the existing situation on the global market, Chang concludes that the golden straitjacket fits the healthy countries only.This policy allows production distribution between countries, and poor countries are forces to specialize in the sector s that â€Å"offer low productivity growth and thus low growth in living standards. This is why so few countries have succeeded with free trade, while most successful countries have used infant industry protection to one degree or another. † Thus, the free trade, according the Chang, is a fiction and the tool for rich countries and â€Å"unholy trinity† for redistribution of wealth. ConclusionThe views of Ha-Joon Chang to the development of global economy nowadays are contradictory a nd don’t correspond to the mainstream in the economical science. However there are many writers and scientists with the same mind who share Chang’s ideas that the ideology of free trade and its implementation are two different things, and the first of them can be used as the powerful tool of economical influence. Reference Ha-Joon Chang. 2007. Bad Samaritans:The Myth of Free Trade and the Secret History of Capitalism. Bloomsbury Press

Friday, August 16, 2019

Public Communication Essay

Unlike many of the other writing assignments done thus far, this paper will be providing brief synopses for several essays on issues involved with the study of public management. Although it might be possible to state that the ideas and theories presented in these texts are either true or false, it will be the goal of this writing to take the simple approach and focus on the thoughts that are presented are still relevant in modern practice of public management. However, it is first important to point out that even today there is no aggregated view for weighing or measuring the success of public managers. This is because in part due to the various ways in which the agencies manage themselves, for example whether or not they chose to follow national performance review (NRP) response or a total quality management (TQM) method. Another problem is that often times today a management policy that has been set up and successfully tested for the private sector is either grafted to the, or imposed over the management policies of a public enterprise. The issue that this brings up is that, depending on the agency, that there is no clear idea on who the ‘customers’ are, nor what ‘product’ is that the public agency is trying to appease. Meanwhile, the management theories that are being imposed on to them, are based on a quantifiable examination as to rather they are successful or not. Simply put, there is no easy or standard way for researchers of the field of public administration to be able to clearly differentiate between the successful management styles of one public administrator to another. In fact, researching this problem is the very thing that our first author is calling for in his essay. Graham T. Allison attempts with his article, â€Å"Public and Private Management: Are They Fundamentally Alike in All Unimportant Respects? † to both collective and summarize the prevailing ideas on public management at the time (1979). In addition, he highlights several areas in which the academic thinkers were struggling with and arguing over. Allison point out everything from the similarities of â€Å"How are Public and Private Management Alike? ,† to charting out the functions of general management, and to the ‘current’ research being done to answer several questions that these topics have been brought up since Woodrow Wilson now canonized first article on the subject (1979,p 397) (1887). Allison’s call for research in this field is still greatly needed and sought after today as we shift from one management style to another, seemingly distinctive, in today’s public agencies. One example of the reason that this research is needed can be found in comparing the resent style swing to the NPR, from the more ‘traditional’ management style outlines in Louis Brownlow, Charles E. Merriam, and Luther Gulick essay, â€Å"Report of the President’s Committee on Administrative Management† (1937). In their essay, they were working under the assumption that the management side of public administration could be, and was, separate from the political decisions and policies that directs the public service sector. Under this assumption, they crusaded for more power and control over the public management process, on the behave of the executive branch. Some of their ideas included allowing the president to hire powerless, sector concentrated, secretaries that would assist the president with gather necessary information from the public bureaus under their area of concern and to pass back the decisions that the president makes back to the effected agencies. These authors go on further to state that all major decisions on the functions of personnel, fiscal, organizational, and planning management should be given directly to the sole control of the president (1937, p 94). The first problem is that fiscal management falls under the authority of the congressional branch of government. In addition, with the shifting towards NPR, and other acts of congress, we see congress taking a greater role in the personnel management of public administration. The biggest fallacy in this article is the assumption, that the management of public departments is separated from the politics and decisions that are made in Washington. In fact, everything about the various departments falls under the control of the very people who the authors are trying to separate them from. Now with a slight deviation from the previous topics on public management, let us take a look at the trend in public administration that involves the movement of bringing traditionally public sector jobs into the private sector. The Privatization Movement, once simply a group of scholarly outsiders, has come of age† (1987, p 469). Our look into privatization will be through the work done by, Ronald C. Moe and his essay, â€Å"Exploring the Limits of Privatization† (1987). Moe’s essay explores several cases like McCulloch v. Maryland, Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), and the entities like ‘Freddie Mac’ that fall under the Federal Home Bank Board, to point out the various issues that are involved with the privatization of public offices. While the issues range rom the organizational and budgeting management, to the legal and authority problems that these privatized companies face, Ronald Moe hones in on the latter two issues as to the reasons why privatization will not work with the public sector. The government of the United States has the right, as a sovereign power, to impose taxes, fines, and laws on its citizens. The issue that Moe in concern with is does this, and should this sovereignty be passed along to a governmental contracted company that does not necessarily fall directly under the direct control of the government? Moe listed several attributes that are inherent to a sovereign government to help his claim; these, summarized attributes are, sovereign possesses the legitimate right to use coercion to enforce its will, â€Å"only a sovereign may legitimately go to war with another sovereign,† â€Å"sovereigns can do no wrong,† â€Å"a sovereign is indivisible. A sovereign cannot assign its attributes to a private party and remain a sovereign,† a sovereign has the right to set forth rules for the protection and transfer of property, and finally a sovereign can disavow but not go bankrupt with its debts. (1987, pp 473 – 474). The turn of the century fall of ‘Freddie Mac’ and other banks and the subsequent ‘bail-out† of these privatized firms would be an example of a major problem with the concept of privatization of a public sector firm. Are these banks private property and therefore fall under the state and federal rules for bankruptcy? or are do they belong to the public sector and fall under the attribute that protects the government from going bankrupt? Moe correctly claims that by not specifying where this very fine line fells leads to the kinds of corruption and miss-appropriation of public funds that we saw with the resent collapse of the housing market. Finally, he calls for a review to be done on identifying the differences between the private sector and the public sector firms before contracting our government duties to a private interest. However, this involves assigning some sort of value to the how the public service works, which is the topic of the next article. In his essay, â€Å"Creating Public Value: Strategic Management in Government† Mark H. Moore discusses the problems in nailing down a single method of measuring the output of public managers and their agencies (1995). One of these problems is as simple as the fact that public agencies are involved in not one public program, but instead they are usually involved in several different programs that may or may not intersect with one another. This being the case, than why not just take the average? Because these programs, like the money that is used to fund them, are designed and supplied by not the managers themselves, like you would see in a private venture, but rather, these things are handed to them by the political process and the managers are there simply to see that the job gets done. In the private sector, one can use the financial success of a firm to determine if the manager for that firm is successful or not. For example, if their product has value to it than the customer will buy it and the company will show a profit (1995, p 549). However, since the ‘customers’ of many of the public agency are either compelled to use, and/or they do not pay for the service at the time of use, than this type of assessment is not a valid way to judge the value of the public management styles, nor are they very useful for analyzing the programs themselves. According to Moore, often what is done is that some type of cost-benefit analyses is done either before and/or after the program is started and this information is then compared to a similar service in the private sector to determine the effectiveness of the management style. The two problems with this approach is that, first it only show the effect that the program that the political leadership has implemented and not that of the management itself, and second that comparing an often vague value system to a very finite one is not easy task. An analogy of this problem would be in using data from a 30 meter image and then merging the information with the visual effect of a 1 meter image. One might be able to get the information into the smaller image, but so much of the data is skewed and lost that it becomes worthless for any kind of analyses. The same thing happens with the data from this type of public sector analyses. You do not just get the effect of just the manager on the project; you also get the public officials that draft the project, the reaction by the public to the project, and the result of the project into one aggregated value set. This set of values is simply too diluted to be useful as a measurement against the values from the private sector. Instead, Moore suggests that research in a cost-effectiveness approach may be a solution to this problem (1995, p 553). All of these essays end up with the same major issue concerning measuring the successful public management style, from one that is not successful. In one form or another both Moore and Moe have called for research in finding some standard in analyzing the public sector. In any analysis standard, the effects that politics has in its creation cannot be ignored. If as Woodrow Wilson claim is true, and the goal of these public administrators is to find the most cost-effective and the most efficient method to implement the political oriented policies; then why not come up with a measurement on the efficiency and cost-effectiveness to be used for passing judgment on them?