Ibm Ceo Virginia Rometty

Female CEO Biography Virginia (Ginni) Rometty, IBM CEO Abstract IBM recently promoted Virginia (Ginni) Rometty to its top leadership position. Ms. Rometty will become the first white female chief executive officer in the company’s 100-year history and every move she makes will be carefully watched. Rometty has truly earned this position and has an impressive history with IBM to show it. There are challenges ahead but Ms Rometty’s education, experience and determination will suit her well in this new role. Female CEO Biography Virginia (Ginni) Rometty, IBM CEO On January 1, 2012, Ms.Virginia Marie Rometty took the helm as CEO of the 19th largest revenue generating company in the world and 5th largest in market value, IBM (Hempel, 2012). At age 55, she will earn a $1. 5 million salary to add to her current net worth of $25 million. Rometty began her ascent at Big Blue over 30 years ago and hasn’t looked back. Research into her background, education and experience p aint a picture of a woman who is the true embodiment of success. Rometty has paved her way up the corporate ladder using unparalleled determination and drive that can only be admired by career women (and men) worldwide.Born in July 1957 as Virginia Marie Nicosia, the IBM leader grew up outside of Chicago, IL. She is said to come from a close-knit family, the eldest of four and raised by a single mother who saw great potential in all of her children. Ginny and her siblings were pushed to aim high. Brother Joseph is a figurehead in the commodities trading world and recently stepped down from Allenberg Cotton after serving 30 years as the CEO. One sister is a partner at Accenture and another is a senior executive at Coca-Cola. In September of 1975, Rometty entered the McCormick School of Engineering atNorthwestern University on a General Motors scholarship (Waters, 2011). She went on to intern for the automobile giant during her junior and senior years and graduated in 1979 earning a B achelor of Science with high honors in computer science and electrical engineering, an area of study dominated by males. Upon graduating, she accepted a position at GM where she was responsible for application and systems development. It is also where she met her husband, Mark Anthony Rometty. They married in 1980. Rometty & Rometty have been married for 32 years and have no children.They live their personal lives as far out of the spotlight as possible. They own homes in New York and Florida and enjoy scuba diving, Broadway plays and golf. Ginni credits her husband with providing great strength, support and encouragement throughout her career; something critics have interpreted as sacrificing his own career in the process (The New York Times, 2011). This societal stereotype that women should stay at home (or have a less successful career) and men should be the primary breadwinners is detrimental to the advancement of women.Mark Rometty should be applauded for his self-assurance and not falling victim to this mainstream thought process. Shortly after her second year with General Motors, Rometty accepted a systems analyst/technical consultant position at IBM (Hempel, 2012). She spent the first 10 years working her way up through sales and management positions in a variety of industries such as banking and insurance and made headlines in 2002 when she was credited with leading the largest professional services acquisition in history. Bloomberg (2011) reports that the $3. billion acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting gained her the attention of then CEO, Sam Palmisano. Palmisano promoted her to senior vice president of Enterprise Business Services in 2005 and within 2 years of the move, she increased EBS’ profit by 42%. In 2008, she was made Managing Partner of the Business Consulting division and rose to head IBM global sales where she was responsible for IBM’s worldwide results exceeding $99 billion in 2010 (IBM, 2012). It was at this p oint she became recognized as one of the most powerful women in business and a potential successor to Sam Palmisano.A strong voice of women’s initiatives, Rometty has been instrumental in IBM’s Women in Technology Council and the Women’s Leadership Council. She has been named to Fortune Magazine’s annual â€Å"Most Powerful Women in Business† list for eight consecutive years and is also a regular on the presentation circuit speaking at industry and business conferences. She continues to serve on the Board of Trustees of Northwestern University and the Board of Overseers and Managers of the Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (Daily Finance, 2012).Her strategic approach, innovative mind and keenness toward risk-taking define her leadership style. Ginni Rometty has said, â€Å"I learned to always take on things I’d never done before† (Hymowitz, 2011). She admits to having an ever-present internal critic who judges everything she thinks and do es. She quite enjoys this process of objective analysis and believes â€Å"growth and comfort do not coexist† (Hymowitz, 2011). Rometty has a magnetic personality and has always been comfortable engaging people and forging lasting relationships.This strength helped her to be at the top of her game in a career she has spent largely courting big name clients. Ms. Rometty’s new role is a first in her career, a first for IBM and a giant leap forward for career women everywhere. However, all eyes will be focused sharply on Ms. Ginni Rometty. While many have high expectations and are watching in hopeful anticipation, it is understood that there are significant challenges ahead. Some believe Rometty is not up to this task and is only promoting her predecessor’s vision and strategy for the future of IBM.She has stated her goal of adding $20 billion in revenue growth between now and 2015, and has further confirmed she will be following a plan put in place by Palmisano to do it (Zolman, 2012). However, it should be noted that Rometty had significant input into this plan and has implicit faith and trust in its underlying principles. Rometty does not accept second best and would not take stock in any plan for the future that she did not whole-heartedly believe in. Another area of concern expressed by Zolman (2012) is the change in corporate culture at IBM.Skeptics are critical of the inefficiency and ineffectiveness resulting from the layers of management that have accumulated over the last decade. These layers slow the decision making process, hide true accountability and cost the company large sums of money to provide salaries to managers hiding virtually undetected within these layers. Further, IBM has changed from a hardware company to a professional services corporation. While this decision has served them well for the most part, the sales culture is quite possibly tainted in that their product knowledge is limited and their desire for higher and higher margins is criminal.Rometty will need to address culture issues to keep IBM ahead of its industry. While the challenges are many, there is no one better suited to lead this icon of corporate America into the second century. Her technological expertise along with her storied business and management success at IBM make her a top choice to lead IBM. Ginni Rometty is driven and unrelenting and will only accept the highest levels of achievement in her pursuit. At the same time, her feet are planted firmly on the ground. She knows this will not be a walk in the park, and she prefers it that way. pic] References Daily Finance. (2012). IBM Key Executives. Retrieved November 17, 2012 from http://www. dailyfinance. com/quote/nyse/international-business-machines-corp/ibm/key-executives Hempel, J. (2012, September 20). IBM’s Ginni Rometty looks ahead. CNN Money. Retrieved October 16, 2012 from http://management. fortune. cnn. com/2012/09/20/powerful-women-rometty-ibm/ Hymowitz, C . , & Frier, S. (2011, October 26). IBM’s Rometty breaks ground as 100-year-old company’s first female leader. Bloomberg. Retrieved October 19, 2012 from http://www. loomberg. com/news/2011-10-25/ibm-names-rometty-to-succeed-palmisano-as-its-first-female-chief-executive. html IBM (2012). Virginia M. Rometty Bio. Retrieved November 15, 2012 from http://www03. ibm. com/press/us/en/biography/10069. wss Stewart, J. (2011, November 4). A C. E. O. ’s support system, a k a husband. The New York Times. Retrieved September 30, 2012 from http://www. nytimes. com/2011/11/05/business/a-ceos-support-system-a-k-a-husband. html? pagewanted=all&_r=0 Waters, R. (2011, October 28). More than a

Apple Is a Good Investment Essay

Yes, apple would be a good investment? because it has stocks that are rising sky-high right now! Apple is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computers software and personal computers. The company’s best know hardware products include the iPod, and the iphone and the ipad. Apple software includes the Mac OS X operating system and the iTunes media Brower; The three reasons why I would invest in apple are because apple’s market share as a computer marker is on a strong up trend is now up 17.6 percent. Another reason why I would invest in apple is that apple retail stores are the best performing stores in the USA but last but not least I would invest in apple is because apple dominates the music download industry. Apple is a good decision? Because the following are the various reasons why investment in Apple Corporation is a good investment, the balance is one of the financial statements which help the investor in decision making in the company. The source of data is from the above balance sheet statement the other assets in the long term category of the above balance sheet have also increased which shows financial performance of the company is better. The total current liabilities have also decreased compared? The results compare to revenue of $7.51 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.05 billion or $1.16 per diluted share in the year ago. In March 28 2009 the company posted revenue of $8.16 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.21 billion or $1.33 per diluted share. Apple current liabilities from 2005 was 3,484,000 into 2009 11,506,000 in the apple’s balance sheet , which shows all of their assets, liabilities and their stockholder equity just about everything listed on the balance sheet is pretty important but for simplicities sale we’ll just go over cash receivables and inventory on the assets sides† pulse accounts payable on the â€Å"liabilities sides†

The history of South Africa Essay

The history of South Africa in the last hundred years before the coming of democracy has clearly reflected the trends of many countries throughout the world. In this essay I will use the United State of America as the chosen country because I believe that both African American people and Black South African people have suffered similar educational histories. For decades in both countries there was a desperate need and the creation of a fair and just society. In my essay I will critically analyse historiography based on research, evaluation and the application of this knowledge. I will further use my knowledge of historiography to explain the origin of South African Educational Historiography. I will also include how it has reformed our country from the past to the present days. I will further be looking at how USA has developed and changed in their educational system. In my essay I will explain how United State of America’s educational historiography has influenced South Afric a and how South Africa has also benefited from them. Lastly I will focus on why it is important as a future teacher to be educated on the history of education internationally and locally. I will also provide reasons as to how I as a future teacher can benefit from my findings. Historiography is the study of the methodology of the histories and the developments of history as a discipline. When studying historiography, you are not studying the happenings of the past directly but you are also studying the changing interpretations of those events. The subject of historiography is the history of the history of the event. I will use historiography to explain the way it has been written, the conflicting objectives pursued by those events that occurred over time, the way in which these factors shape our understanding of the actual event that was at risk. It is important for us to have to have learnt from the past in order for us to be guided because of the ethical dilemmas that we face today. The underlining sentiment of historiography is one of disbelieving. History is never truly unbiased but always presents the historians view of things. Now that we have a clear understanding of what historiography is I will now further interpret South African educational historiography. In South Africa before the white had settled, education was solely tribally based and there were no form of schools as we now know them in our present days. The children in the pre-colonial times learnt what they needed to know from their parents and their tribal leaders. Formal school education in South  Africa was gradually introduced after the whites arrived. The earlier progress that was made in the Cape where it was the British following their occupation in 1806, who got schooling underway on a meaningful basis. Education was not yet compulsory and many Dutch parents chose not to send their children to schools that we cast in the English mould and which solely taught through the medium of English. Social class divisions amongst Whites were also reinforced since secondary education unlike primary education schooling was not free. This became th e ideal of richer people. Thousands of slaves had been brought into the Cape as a source of labour. In 1833 slavery was established in an attempt to instil social discipline in the children of former slaves. The main aim was to teach basic reading, writing and arithmetic as well as obedience and the value of hard work so that such children could be drawn into society as wage labourers. The vast majority of African children received no schooling and when they did it was usually at the hands of the missionaries. They did not go further than the primary school phase. In the 1830’s groups of Dutch decided to become participants in certain quarters known as the great trek. The establishment of the provinces Orange Free State, Transvaal and Natal after the union of South Africa came into being in 1910. Once the Union of South Africa came into place, the four provincial education departments were sent to control and administer primary and secondary education. Higher education was the responsibility of the Union Department. Education expenditure strongly favoured whites with free an d compulsory schooling. Indians, Coloureds and Africans were inadequately catered for. Their schools were regarded as separate entities run by the missionaries and drawing only measly subsidies from the government. The Bantu Education Act was established in 1953. This Act was intended to make African education a central government function so that its direction and purpose could be more effectively manipulated by the apartheid politicians. The white teachers were withdrawn from African schools and were replaced by African teachers that were unqualified. The standard of education in South Africa suffered for African children. In 1975, the minister of Bantu Education declared that certain subjects in high school had to be studied in Afrikaans and others were taught in the medium of English. Africans objected to this on the grounds that they would have to learn three languages. To give to their anger towards the Bantu Education  Act, there was around 20 000 students that marched through Soweto on the 16th of June 1976. Peoples Education was adopted as a strategy by the mass based National Education Crisis Committee at two historic conferences in 1985 and 1986. The core of the policy of People Education under the specific conditions of Apartheid capitalism in the mid 1980’s, the creation of new education structures and the institution of new practices could contribute to a process of social transformation. The affairs deteriorated to a great extent and the black community was steadfast in its struggle to bring about the downfall of apartheid. Education was a strategic tool bringing about an end to apartheid. When the ANC came into power in 1994 the groundwork for the new policies in education for all the people in its nation had been laid. According to the CAPS document one of the core principles is social transformation ensuring that the educational imbalances of the past are redressed, and that equal educational opportunities are provided for all sections of the population. This new educational policy has effectively started the process of major change in this country in keeping with the principle of democracy that all people shoul d be given equal opportunities. In the United State of America, government had supported free and public education and it had thus been developed after the American Revolution. This occurred between 1750 and 1870 where parochial schools appeared as â€Å"ad hoc†. These schools were open mainly for Catholic children but also the Orthodox, Lutherans, Calvinists and Orthodox Jews. These schools focused mainly on the three R’s of reading, writing and arithmetic but also history and geography. In the 19th century American education is often referred to as the â€Å"common school period†. It went from being ultimately private to being available to the common masses. The common schools movement was not until the 1840’s did an organised system exist. This common school system was created by Henry Barnard and Horace Mann. This was focused on seeking for inner opportunities for all children and creating a common bond among increasingly diverse population. They argued that education could preserve social stability and prevent crime and poverty. Free elementary education was funded by public funds. In 1986 the Supreme Court established that there will be separate schools for black and white students. This decision deprived an African American learner of many educational benefits and it had put them at a disadvantage. They had to make  do with whatever resources that they could acquire because they were clearly under financed and parents could not afford to pay the fees. This had out them at an unfair weakness in terms of learning and education. An influential group of educators known as the committee of ten was established in 1892 recommended that children should receive 12 years of schooling that consists of 8 years of elementary education and was then a further 4 years of secondary education. As the 19th century was the progressive era, the 20th century was inclusivism and the idea of free education for all. The State had controlled free public education and it was the rule. Public schools did not force parents to use pu blic schools. Parochial schools and other private schools were viable options. The struggle for fair and equal education for the African Americans was long and hard but a lot of progress had been made through the efforts of the NAACP who pushed for fairness in the education system. In America, schools were desegregated in 1954 and even though the system still struggles to find its common ground with issues relating to fair education for African American education. The nation has come a long way since the founding of the first â€Å"coloured schoolhouse† in 1890. The USA was seen as a beacon of democracy where the constitution allowed for equal rights to all the people but yet up until 1950 education and other social aspects of life had remained to be segregated. This was a clear divide between African and White American schools. The American constitution stated that schools will be equal but separate as it was clearly evident in the South African American children received an inferior education as to the white counterparts. The scenario had duplicated itself in South Africa where the gap became bigger with each passing years. In line with the Bantu Act, there was less money given to each African learner per school. The African children received an inferior education where they were merely educated enough to take up a job in the semi-skilled and the more skilled. They could become the scientists and doctors that they wanted to become as they were not allowed to have big and beautiful dreams. They were not given any opportunities in society and especially at school. These two countries had both been influenced in terms of racial segregation where Africans were not allowed to be attending the same school as whites. They were labelled as the inferior group and were given a very poor education just enough so that they could take up their role in the labour force. As  radical changes were beginning in the USA and education had become integrated, South Africa was moving in the opposite direction. It seemed o f the day in the 1950’s was more resolute in implementing Bantu Education. It is important for me as a potential teacher to study the history of education as it will enhance my capacity to understand and appreciate the challenges in education in Post-Colonial Africa, it will also guide me to establish the linkage between the educational theory and practice in national and global systems with emphasis on Africa. It will also help to understand the importance of education in the development of society since the time immemorial. The history of education is important for the formation of identity and personality of a nation. It helps us to discover things that were unknown to us before. We as a society or nation may not know who they are and how they became today without knowing the history. There are many ways in which history can help to benefit a teachers, history shows that in the past that education was not equal for all the learners of different ethnic groups that is why the future generation needs to realise that education is seen as a privilege and not a right. Education wasn’t accessible to everyone and that is where our issues lie in today’s world. Children nowadays are just aiming to make that 30%. There is no drive or determination because they are taking their education for granted. They do not realise the struggle their grandparents and parents went through. The hardships that many people had to endure during the colonization and apartheid period, they can never begin to understand. Without education, there is no foundation for a better life. When you are learning the history of education it drives teachers to take more pride and initiative in the way that learning is incorporated in the classroom. It also brings a non-judgemental approach because as teachers they are the people their learners look up to for guidance and inspiration. That is why it is important for teachers to set a good example in the classroom judging from the experiences in the past and how unfairly some learners were treated. The history of education is a foundation for all teachers and it is in this way they can use their knowledge in order to change and make education better for our future generations. Today we are fortunate to live in a country which constitution expresses equal rights because of this principle our education system is a starting point in an equal and free education for all.  As shown to us in both American and South African history there is only one group that stands to benefit when education is segregated. In the study of the historiography of both South Africa and America, we must be able to take away and learn that segregation is both morally and ethically unacceptable in any facet of life. In South Africa today we need to learn from this. Education cannot be separated on the basis of race or social economic group. Yet in South Africa this is happening still where the rich goes to more expensive schools and the poor goes to the school where they are closest to which in most cases are the rural schools with no proper infrastructure. Schools such as, the ex model c schools are given more power and they are seen to deliver better results. While under resourced and poorer schools are still battling to collect even a percentage of school fees. Our past has left us with this legacy but we need to bridge this gap and not make it worse. Through the study of historiography it is clearly evident that our past practices in education policies has impacted on how we need to bring about important and vital changes so that education can be positively reflected of our democratic principles of free and equal education to all South African people. References 1. African Virtual University, Retrieved 20 April 2014, EDU: 110: History of Education: www.avu.org/Teacher-Education-Professional-Courses/edu-1101-history-of-education.html 2. Historiography, Retrieved April 15 2014: qcpages.qc.cuny.edu/historiography 3. Historiography, Retrieved April 15 2014, From Wikipedia-the free encyclopaedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historiography 4. The history of Education in America, Retrieved 15 April 2014: www.chesapeake.edu/Library/EDU_101/eduhist.asp&sa 5. University of Education, Faculty of Education, School of Education Studies (2012) Education and schooling in South Africa: An introduction for undergraduate students, 8-34

The Cliff Dwellings of the Anasazi Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Cliff Dwellings of the Anasazi - Essay Example However, regardless of the taxonomical ways in which current scholars debate the issue, the fact of the matter remains that a thriving civilization once existed in the Four Corners region and regardless of how it is called or classified, exhibited many of the same indicators that are currently attributed to the Anasazi people. As a function of better understanding this level of classification, this brief essay will seek to introduce the known facts, briefly discuss some myths and stories that exist with relation to these people, and settle upon a preliminary understanding of whether or not such a people group existed. One particular fascinating aspect of the myth and reality that has defined a further understanding of the Anasazi people is the evidence that archeologists and historians have recently uncovered with relation to the complex network of road systems that seemingly were built during this particular period of civilization within the Americas. The road system has long been discussed as part of Pueblo mythology and was not believed to actually exist (Kloor 22). However, due to recent studies and archeological research it has been proven that the road system does indeed exist. The root reason for this road system is still a topic of dispute due to the fact that many scholars believe and argue that the road system was economic in origin; as with almost all road construction that has taken place since the dawn of time. However, others indicate that the road system may have had the purpose of providing a way for the lost souls of ancestors to find their way back and forth between ceremonial c elebrations and other important events (Anasazi Culture 1). Although the debate is ongoing, there is a level of evidence from current Pueblo mythology that lends the most credence to the secondary interpretation alongside the fact that the true nature and level of development of the Anasazi economy are not known to a well enough degree to indicate that such an

On the instruction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

On the instruction - Essay Example This problem can be solved through parental, guardian as well as educators’ intervention so as to be in a position to educate children about the constructive use of the internet. It should be everyone’s responsibility to provide internet safe education to the children so that they become aware of the risks they are likely to encounter through the use of the internet. The other solution that can be implemented in order to deal with this particular problem is related to empowerment of the children so that they can become masters of the destiny in as far as internet use is concerned. There are different ways of implementing these measures which are likely to provide a long solution to the problem that is related to adverse impacts of the internet on children. According to the Internet Society, â€Å"the most effective way to deal with perceived problems arising from Internet use is to empower children and young people so they know how to safeguard themselves against the a dverse effects of using the internet.† Whilst other strategies are used by different governments such as filtering or blocking websites that are thought to contain malicious information to children, it can be seen that these techniques have their own shortfalls. A holistic approach that is people centred should be implemented in order to address this problem. Empowerment of children with regards to the use of the internet is very effective since this strategy is designed to produce positive benefits of using the internet. There are different empowerment techniques that can be used such as teaching the children about appropriate language to use as well as imparting knowledge to them about their respective communities’ social, cultural and ethical norms that shape their behaviour. Every person belongs to a culture that has norms and values and these create the identity of the people living in that particular area. The culture of people also shapes their identity hence it is the role of the parents in particular to impart knowledge about their cultural values to the children. This can help the children to distinguish between something that is good from bad. Children who are aware of their cultural values are likely to maintain them throughout their lives. These values also help them to know the things they are allowed to do as well as things they are not allowed to do in their society. Morally upright children often display positive traits about their culture and this can redeem them from behaving badly when they are using the internet. It is also important for the parents as well as the educators to educate their children about the positive benefits that can be derived from using the internet. As stated by the Internet Society, it can be observed that the internet is not evil since it has significantly improved our lives in various ways. There are more benefits that are likely to be obtained from using the internet than the negative aspects such as the ones mentioned above. Essentially, parents and the educators should always strive to educate their children to be in a position to make a distinction between something that is bad from good. Whilst the parents and teachers spend most of the time with their children, it can be noted that they cannot control their behaviour all the

Virtual Team Management & Success Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Virtual Team Management & Success - Essay Example Naturally, while this method of team management worked in the past, that was largely because there was no other way and people learned to adapt. With modern technology, making virtual meetings a reality, productivity can increase and much more can be gained through virtual teams in a focused amount of time (Benson, 2013). With this virtual method of teamwork now a distinct possibility for many organizations around the globe, there is a renewed interest in the concept of virtual team management. It is always important to maximize the resources of a team, and this becomes increasingly true when the majority of the team members are not physically present to bounce ideas off of one another and collaborate in a personal manner. As such, this paper is dedicated to the discussion of what it takes to build a high performance virtual team, and what goes into effectively managing them to result in a profitable and effective work environment. There are a plethora of communication tools available today that is enabling enterprises around the world to have the ability to create project teams that literally include valuable team members from around the globe. In order to build such a high performance virtual team, however, one must fully understand how to effectively integrate team members from various cultures and background to fit together in a virtual environment. There is little room for error, as the assigning of an important task to the wrong person or group can result in costly delays and project overruns. A virtual work team has been defined as the building of a group of people with complementary skills who are equally committed to a common purpose and objective. They are also committed to the development of a set of performance goals and are focused on a task-oriented approach to completing a project, by which team members are individually responsible for their own roles or tasks that are designed to contribute to the common core

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) - Assignment Example This paper aims to identify major causes of CVD and key steps in CVD management from cohort study designs, as well as to develop leading questions on CVD mitigation for the local health department. Moreover, the paper will also present a rudimentary protocol for disseminating CVD information to local community leaders, while also making recommendations for prevention of CVD in the workplace. There are numerous causes and risk factors of CVD with some like age, ethnicity, and family history being non-modifiable, while others can be changed or treated, such as hypertension, tobacco exposure, physical inactivity, obesity, high cholesterol, harmful alcohol use, and unhealthy diets. Berry et al (2012) found that hypertension is a significant cause for CVD, especially stroke and heart attacks, while abnormal lipid levels in blood including low levels of HDL cholesterol, high levels of LDL, high triglyceride levels, and high total cholesterol also cause CVD, especially stroke and heart attack. In addition, Huxley and Woodward (2011) also find that the use of tobacco over a long time, whether by smoking or chewing it, increases an individual risk of developing CVD, especially where one began to smoke as a young person, is a woman, or smokes very heavily. It was also found that passive smoking causes CVD. Physical inactivity and type 2 diabetes mellitus are identified by Appleto n et al (2013) as major causes of CVD with the former increasing CVD risk by 50% by increasing risk of obesity and subsequent diabetes that, in turn, predisposes individuals to strokes and coronary heart diseases especially in pre-menopausal women. Finally, Van Dierren et al (2012) find that diets with high fat saturation increase CVD risk, while abuse of alcohol damages heart muscle and subsequent CVD and specific medicines like hormone replacement therapy and contraceptive pills

Competition and Competition Policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4500 words

Competition and Competition Policy - Essay Example As the essay discusses Blue Beer plc is an important producer of beer in Newcastle. Statistics shown that Blue Beer plc accounts for some 12% of all beer sold in the United Kingdom but that its Bluelite plc is especially successful and accounts for 40% of all non-alcoholic beer consumed in the UK. Blue Beer has been negotiating with County Beers Ltd with a view to merger. County Beers is the principal other producer of non-alcoholic beers and after merger the new company, British County Blue, will control 65% of the market in non-alcoholic bee. According to the paper findings the overall policy of the European Union of competitive practices is as follows – â€Å"In a free market, business is a competitive game. Sometimes, companies may be tempted to avoid competing with each other and try to set their own rules for the game. At times, a major player in the game may try to squeeze its competitors out of the market. The European Commission acts as the referee to ensure that all companies play by the same rules. This discussion stresses that markets started being highly competitive and this forced businesses to pursue ways and means to survive and grow. Price cutting, mergers and acquisitions, and formation of cartels began to be accepted as a way to keep away competition. Monopolies or monopolistic tendencies began to be seen in the market creating unfair competition for smaller players.

Managing resource within a changing economic climate (CX airline) Essay

Managing resource within a changing economic climate (CX airline) - Essay Example In keeping with the global recognition and its continuous striving efforts in the airline industry, Cathay Pacific significantly performs streamlined operations, which enables the organisation to build substantial economic growth. In recent times, it is observed that the financial performance of the organisation is rapidly increasing due to its exceptional business strategies. Currently, the airline operations of Cathay Pacific involve two major divisions i.e. Airlines Business Division (ABD) as well as Non-Airline Business Division (NBD) that substantially provide a major support to the overall business performances of the organisation. Moreover, the company also operates its effective airlines operations through Dragon Airlines (Dragonair), a major subsidiary division of Cathay Pacific which incorporates different airline services such as aircraft engineering and handling, aircraft catering as well as infrastructure management [2] (Cathay Pacific Airways Limited, 2011). Based on the different operational services and a range of airline services of Cathay Pacific, the aim of this report is to provide a clear assessment of financial performance of Cathay Pacific in the prevailing global economic environment. Moreover, the discussion of this report would further encompass the process of developing recruitment, selection along with retention plans for Cathay Pacific in the global airlines industry. According to Cathay Pacific’s annual report of the year 2011, it has been observed that the organisation was considerably affected due to the instability as well as uncertainty of the global economies. The most affected area of Cathay Pacific during the year 2011 was its cargo business which has been observed to be quite diminishing at the last three quarter of the year. The cargo business of Cathay Pacific was affected due to the

No subject Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

No subject - Essay Example On the other hand, baby girls prefer nurturing, cooperative, and dolls play. In school, most boys excel in math and science subjects while girls in art and literature. Girls read, write, and talk earlier than boys do. Girls are also more empathetic and emotional with other people than boys. However, boys are physically active and more aggressive than girls. According to Kimmel (22), the hormonal and genetic factors define gender differences. This research assumes that biological sex determined behavioural differences. This research shows that, the variation in gender is explored in the definitions of femininity and masculinity. Biologically, men carry different levels of testosterone and brain structure than women. This explains why most men are sex driven than women. It also explains why most women are more emotional, moody, and sensitive than men. Still, newborn girls are sensitive to sound and touch than newborn boys. They also show more interest in holding eye contact and communi cating with others than boys. Girls with CAH, which is an enzyme deficiency that produces male hormones in girls’ foetus, may show interest in sports activities and become more muscular in future. However, other studies reveal nature plays a crucial role on gender stereotypes. ... In most cases, girls are more pampered than boys and this makes them to be more emotional than boys. Children learn some behaviour from the media. For instance, the media portrays female characters as emotional, romantic, and fragile. On the other hand, the media portrays male characters as more bold, enterprising, and active. Most commercials for boys are loud and stimulating while those for girls are quiet and soothing. With this in mind, children who watch more TV shows exhibit more gender stereotypes about boys and girls. At a tender age, the child begins to understand how he or she should behave in the society as dictated by nature. In the society, certain human traits are socially specialized of only one sex. For instance, boys are expected to be muscularly strong while girls are not. Girls are also expected to be emotional, sensitive, caring, loving, and submissive. In some instances, the society expects women to nurture, cook for their spouses, and go for shopping. It is impo rtant to note that, culture plays a vital role in gender differences. In most cultures, women perform household chores and responsible for child care. However, most cultures demand men to provide for their family. In African countries, men are more empowered than women. With this, it is evident that traditions and social customs contribute to the gender ideologies and differences. Most muscular men participates more on body building competitions while women participate more in the public sector because of the nature of performing child care duties. Several theorists have attempted to explain gender inequality and division of labour. For instance, Kimmel (56) points out that, the impact of property owning, the demand of winning in the war, and the

Child Devlopment Essay Example for Free

Child Devlopment Essay Cognitive Development consists of imagination, sequencing, problem solving and memory, all these are featured in the boy I observed, Aaron King who was the little boy I chose to observe. He is a four year-old preschooler at the above named learning center. I started observing Aaron at the beginning of their circle time. During the circle time, Aaron amongst other fourteen kids in his classroom, sang the popular American Song: â€Å"IF YOU ARE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, CLAP YOUR HANDS†¦. † While singing this song, the children’s voices were up and loud which indicated that they enjoyed singing songs. Aaron’s participation was great, he was so excited about the choruses, clapping stomping of his feet. All the children in turn repeated and imitated all the actions of the teacher; as she needed the audience and focus of the kids for easy understanding of the wordings including choruses of the song. Aaron standing close to two other kids, a boy and a girl sang the song with seriousness while clapping their hands stomping their feet at the same time. The teacher taught the Safety signs briefly. The children’s literacy is very high while learning safety signs as they were very interested in the emphasis laid in the safety signs. In order to ensure that the children understood what they were taught, the teacher asked Aaron what a particular sign stood for which he answered correctly. For example, stop sign is signified by a red color while â€Å"no bicycle† sign is signified by a cross on a bicycle, so on and so forth. The teacher taught the kids about â€Å"Me† book which described the parts of the body, however, she asked Aaron to touch his hands, elbows cheek which he did correctly. After singing the clapping song and some other songs, the teacher changed the activity to coloring books. Meanwhile, Aaron moved from one place to another. He jumped and hopped around the classroom showing excitement. At a time, the teacher had to sit him down â€Å"Aaron sit down and do your coloring † He sat down to color while another boy watched him doing the coloring. Bryan Joy who sat together sharing the same table with Aaron were also coloring; they also talked to one another in friendly manner while looking at each other’s work. Aaron was as excited as he was coloring his book. He finished his coloring using nice colors to color different animals indicating that he had a good taste. He also made a ship with legos, I asked him why he made a ship, and he told me that he would like to be an architect. Aaron amongst others was able to write their names and figure out pictures on the paper. For example, the letter Bb for ball and drew a line to join the letter to the picture of ball. He was able to do that for all the alphabetic letters to compliment individual pictures on the paper. Soon, Aaron stood up to go to the library; as he got to the place where the inscription of â€Å"Quiet Zone† was, another boy ran towards him and pushed him together with the book that he just picked â€Å"Alphabet adventure†. He staggered, but he immediately got control of himself while he looked so surprised that he was pushed without doing anything. He reported the matter to the teacher â€Å"Ms. Patty, Josiah push(ed) me † then the teacher told Josiah to say sorry to Aaron which he did, then they both hugged one another. Thereafter, he went to sit down quietly in the library corner to read his book. He opened up the book so fast as if he knew where to read, then he stirred at a page that really caught his attention and started reading quietly. In summary, Cognitive Development is a very important outcome of learning for preschoolers as they always have their brain developed through creative arts. This consists of imagination, sequencing, problem solving and memory; all these are featured in the boy I observed. Acting drama is acting another character by putting on the costumes – for example, acting as a professional doctor or a lawyer or a nurse can be an eye opener to the preschoolers on what profession they may aspire to be in the near future; Aaron wants to be an architect, he says he likes to put up beautiful buildings. A good imaginative skill is very important for preschoolers to become smart; similarly, sequencing – doing things in an orderly manner is also a good learning skill. Ultimately, Aaron Kingsland has all these qualities. Child Development 201 A Preschool Language Literacy Development Observation Child’s Name: Aaron Kingsland (An imaginary name) Date: October 7th, 2011 Time: 9:00am – 11:30am. Observer’s Name: - Location:Early Creativity Learning Center Classroom LANGUAGE LITERACY DEVELOPMENT OBSERVATION OF A PRESCHOOLER 4 YEARS OLD. My observation of language and literacy in a preschool classroom for children of four and five years old was interesting. Aaron Kingsland (four years old) was the preschooler at the above named learning center whom I chose to observe. I started observing Aaron at the beginning of their circle time. The kids in the classroom were seventeen in number – eight girls and nine boys. I observed Aaron in particular in the class for two and half hours from the beginning of the circle time till the end. The primary language used by the teacher was English; Aaron also speaks same language as well as the whole class. Language is said to be a means of communicating ideas, feelings. There are four basic developmentally appropriate practices and clear language outcomes in the preschool classroom I observed. They are Literacy Development, Intellectual, Physical, Social and Emotional Developments. Literacy is a very important developmental appropriate practice. The four basic skills which young children need are Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading. These were ultimately displayed by Aaron in the circle time activities performed that morning. During the circle time, Aaron amongst other seventeen kids in his classroom, started to sing the popular American Song: â€Å"IF YOU ARE HAPPY AND YOU KNOW IT, CLAP YOUR HANDS†¦. † If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands } Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, then your face will surely show it †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. } If you are happy and you know it, clap your hands } If you are happy and you know it, stamp your feet †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦} Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, nod your head †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ } Thrice. If you are happy and you know it, do all three †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. } Thrice. While singing this song, the children’s voices were up and loud which indicated that they enjoyed singing songs. Aaron’s participation was great, he was so excited about the choruses, clapping stomping of his feet. All the children in turn repeated and imitated all the actions of the teacher; as she needed the audience and focus of the kids for easy understanding of the wordings including choruses of the song. Aaron standing close to two other kids, a boy and a girl sang the song with seriousness while clapping their hands stomping their feet at the same time. The teacher taught the Safety signs briefly. The children’s literacy is very high while learning safety signs as they were very interested in the emphasis laid in the safety signs. In order to ensure that the children understood what they were taught, the teacher asked Aaron what a particular sign stood for which he answered correctly. For example, stop sign is signified by a red color while â€Å"no bicycle† sign is signified by a cross on a bicycle, so on. After singing, the teacher changed the activity to coloring books. Meanwhile, Aaron moved from one place to another. He jumped and hopped around the classroom showing excitement. At a time, the teacher had to sit him down â€Å"Aaron sit down and do your coloring † He sat down to color while another boy watched him doing the coloring. All the Children talked and cooperated with one another in friendly manner. Bryan Joy who sat together sharing the same table with Aaron were also coloring; they also talked to one another in friendly manner while looking at each other’s work. Aaron was as excited as he was coloring his book. He finished his coloring using nice colors to color different animals indicating that he had a good taste. Soon, Aaron went to the library and sat close to the place where the inscription of â€Å"Quiet Zone† was hanging. He picked a book â€Å"Alphabet adventure†. He went to report a boy who pushed him on his way to the library to his teacher, he said â€Å"Ms. Patty, Josiah push(ed) me † The teacher took an appropriate action by telling Josiah to say sorry to Aaron and he did, then they both hugged one another. Thereafter, he went to sit down quietly in the library corner to read his book. He opened up the book so fast as if he knew where to read, then he stirred at a page that really caught his attention and started reading quietly and studiously. In summary, Language and Literacy development is the use of words to communicate ideas, listen and comprehend others’ ideas. Reading, talking and expressing what they do and following directions go a long way for preschoolers Through reading, Aaron amongst other peers has book knowledge, comprehension and appreciation of what he read. More importantly, literacy goes a long way in our society and even in the world.

IKEA Global Strategy Essay Example for Free

IKEA Global Strategy Essay Introduction: A network that covers a broad area (i.e., any telecommunications network that links across metropolitan, regional, national or international boundaries) using leased telecommunication lines. Related terms for other types of networks are personal area networks (PANs), local area networks(LANs), campus area networks (CANs), or metropolitan area networks (MANs) which are usually limited to a room, building, campus or specific metropolitan area (e.g., a city) respectively. If you have a large campus network using routers and dynamic routing protocols and an internal infrastructure, you do not necessarily have a WAN. A wide area network (WAN) is a computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area. If your network uses a network infrastructure that is owned by your service provider, implementing WAN technologies, you have a WAN. Computers connected to a wide-area network are often connected through public networks, such as the telephone system. Body: The distinguishing features of a WAN: Sending data long distances Although distance is not a true criterion for determining whether your network is a WAN, most WANs do span a great distance, and the technologies used in the WAN depend a great deal on the distances involved. If your WAN spans only a single city, across town is a long way; nevertheless, your carrier may choose different technologies for that distance than they would if your network spanned a state, country, or continent. Although long distances are not criteria for defining a WAN, commonly, WANs do span substantial distances. Implementing routing protocols Routing protocols are also not true criteria for a WAN definition. A WAN can either use manual routing or implement a routing protocol such as RIP or EIRGP. Although larger, more complex networks like a national WAN may be  easier to manage when implementing a routing protocol, their use does not dictate that you have a WAN. A large corporation could have a single (but large) building or a campus of several buildings that causes the network to have several routers. To make life easier on the routing front, you could choose to implement one of the many available routing protocols. So, although most WAN environments make use of routing protocols, not all networks that implement routing protocols are necessarily WANs. Using carrier equipment Means the equipment from your telephone company that allows you to connect your network to the backbone of its network. These network connections can be digital subscriber line (DSL), frame relay, fiber optic, broadband cable, or another technology used by your telephone company or network provider. This component really turns a network into a WAN, allowing your traffic to travel between your locations while traversing another provider’s network, mainly your ISP or telephone company. In some cases, this traffic may cross several providers’ networks. If you are connecting two offices and they are in different countries, you may be crossing networks owned by a regional provider, which connects to a national provider and then crosses borders and travels across the other national provider to another regional provider before finally reaching your other branch office location. It is this use of other people’s networks that really defines use of a large LAN versus a WAN (LANs are covered in the next section). So, a WAN is not related to the size of your network, or to your choice of routing protocols, or to any other factors. Consolation: However, in terms of the application of computer networking protocols and concepts, it may be best to view WANs as computer networking technologies used to transmit data over long distances, and between different LANs, MANs and other localised computer networking architectures. This distinction stems from the fact that common LAN technologies operating at Layer 1/2 (such as the forms of Ethernet or Wifi) are often geared towards physically localised networks, and thus cannot transmit data over tens, hundreds or  even thousands of miles or kilometres. This could be to facilitate higher bandwidth applications, or provide better functionality for users in the CAN. A CAN, for example, may have a localised backbone of a WAN technology, which connects different LANs within a campus. The textbook definition of a WAN is a computer network spanning regions, countries, or even the world.

Models of Strategic HRM: British Airways Case Study

Models of Strategic HRM: British Airways Case Study Strategic human resource management may be observed as an address to the management of human resources that furnish a strategic framework to sustain long-term business goals and outcomes. The approach is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. Comparison with the Model: Fiedler Contingency Model Bath People and Performance Management Leadership membership Relationship which is the most important variable in determining the situation favourable (Accept and respect by followers) The development and successful implementation of high performance work practices, partially those concerned with job and work design, flexible work resourcing (recruitment, Selection and Talent Management), employee development (increasing skills and extending the skills base), reward and giving employees a voice; The degree of task structure which is the second most important input into the favourableness of the situation(structured task) The formulation and embedding of a clear vision and set of values (the big idea) The leaders position power obtained through formal authority which is the third most important dimension of the situation.(Great deal of Authority and power are formally attributed to the leader position) The provision of support and advice to line managers on their role in implementing HR policies and practice. Reason for the importance of HRM in Organisation: Human resources are great significance to organizations in 10 specific areas, to extent from strategic planning to company goodwill. HR practitioners in a small business who have well-balanced expertise equip a number of services to employees. The areas in which HR maintains control can enhance employees perception of HR throughout the workforce when they believe HR considers employees to be its internal customers and renders services with that in mind. There have ten importance of Human Resource Management in the organization. Strategy Compensation Benefits Safety Liability Training and Development Employee Satisfaction Recruitment Selection Compliance Strategy HR improves the companys bottom line with its knowledge of how human capital affects organizational success. Leaders with expertise in HR strategic management participate in corporate decision-making that underlies current staffing assessments and projections for future workforce needs based on business demand. Compensation HR compensation specialists develop realistic compensation structures that set company wages competitive with other businesses in the area, in the same industry or companies competing for employees with similar skills. They conduct extensive wage and salary surveys to maintain compensation costs in line with the organizations current financial status and projected revenue. Benefits Benefits specialists can reduce the companys costs associated with turnover, attrition and hiring replacement workers. They are important to the organization because they have the skills and expertise necessary to negotiate group benefit packages for employees, within the organizations budget and consistent with economic conditions. They also are familiar with employee benefits most likely to attract and retain workers. This can reduce the companys costs associated with turnover, attrition and hiring replacement workers. Safety Employers have an obligation to provide safe working conditions. Workplace safety and risk management specialists from the HR area manage compliance with U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations through maintaining accurate work logs and records, and developing programs that reduce the number of workplace injuries and fatalities. Workplace safety specialists also engage employees in promoting awareness and safe handling of dangerous equipment and hazardous chemicals. Liability HR employee relations specialists minimize the organizations exposure and liability related to allegations of unfair employment practices. They identify, investigate and resolve workplace issues that, left unattended, could spiral out of control and embroil the organization in legal matters pertaining to federal and state anti-discrimination and harassment laws. Training and Development HR training and development specialists coordinate new employee orientation, an essential step in forging a strong employer-employee relationship. The training and development area of HR also provides training that supports the companys fair employment practices and employee development to prepare aspiring leaders for supervisory and management roles. Employee Satisfaction Employee relations specialists in HR help the organization achieve high performance, morale and satisfaction levels throughout the workforce, by creating ways to strengthen the employer-employee relationship. They administer employee opinion surveys, conduct focus groups and seek employee input regarding job satisfaction and ways the employer can sustain good working relationships. Recruitment HR recruiters manage the employment process from screening resumes to scheduling interviews to processing new employees. Typically, they determine the most effective methods for recruiting applicants, including assessing which applicant tracking systems are best suited for the organizations needs. Selection HR professionals work closely with hiring managers to effect good hiring decisions, according to the organizations workforce needs. They provide guidance to managers who arent familiar with HR or standard hiring processes to ensure that the company extends offers to suitable candidates. Compliance HR workers ensure that the organization complies with federal state employment laws. They complete paperwork necessary for documenting that the companys employees are eligible to work in the U.S. They also monitor compliance with applicable laws for organizations that receive federal or state government contracts, through maintaining applicant flow logs, written affirmative action plans and disparate impact analyses. Explanation and analysis of an HRM framework Explanation of an HRM Framework: External Context (Fixed Effect) Labour Law Labour Market Condition Characteristics of labour supply. Factory Specific Characteristics Location, size, age, capital investment, product, vertical integration, buyers and work place philosophy. Defect Rate, Employee Turnover, Absenteeism and Production efficiency. Productivity Output , Sales, Profits. Explanation of the HRM process and how strategies are developed Human Resource Management Process There could sub functions in the HRM Process in practice. The key areas of HRM Process are Human resource planning Attraction also called as recruitment Selection Directing Training and development Performance appraisal Promote, demote or transfer regarding to performances The HR Strategy development process should contain the following steps: HR Information Gathering The team has to complete the information about different HR Processes, their performance and their impact on the profitability of the organization. The profitability can be difficult, but the team can always make a good estimate about the impact of the process to the results of the organization. Organizational Development Information the information about the development of the organization in the past and its current status. Each organization has several stages in its organizational lifecycle and some trends in the organization are healthy and some trends are extremely dangerous and can impact the future profitability. HR Workshops when the input information are gathered the HR Team has to organize the workshops inside Human Resources, where the piece of the new HR Strategy can evolve. The teams should discuss the findings one by one and all the ideas should be gathered as they can impact the overall HR Strategy. HR Managerial Workshops the information from the previous HR Workshop with employees should go to the next level and the HR Managers should talk about the trends and the topics, which should be included in the HR Strategy and what is the impact on the whole organization and the HR team. The results of the HR Managerial Workshops have to be recorded and the priorities of different parts of the story have to assign. Preparation of the HR Strategy a dedicated HR sub-team has to prepare the story of the HR Strategy from the approved outcomes from the HR Managerial Workshops. The story has to be strong and appealing for the audience and HR employees. HR Strategy Feedbacks the HR Management Team has to present the pre-final version of the HR Strategy to the fellow managers in the organization and their feedback has to be appreciated and fully and honestly discussed with the managers. The same session has to be organized for the HR employees as they can say their feedback to the HR Strategy Story. HR Strategy approval the HR Strategy has to be approved by the top management as they are the final customers of Human Resources and they should fully agree with the way, the HR wants to operate in the organization within several years. An Assessment of the Roles in Strategic HRM HRM is central to a firms strategic management policies. For starters, the business cannot implement its operating strategy, however astute, without the full cooperation of its personnel. Consequently, corporate leadership makes sure to get employees buy-in before rolling out operating tactics. HRM also enables organizations to take a peek at what rivals do and what personnel management strategies they use to trump others. Another HRM advantage is that it allows a firm to ensure regulatory compliance in its operations, which is generally a money saver and reputation builder. Assignment Two British Airways Human Resources (HR) strategy a. Human Resources Management (HRM) models There are many HRM models out there (Harvard, Michigan, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦) but there are mainly three different approaches (Torrington, Hall and Taylor 2008) to achieve competitive advantage through HRM. The universalist approach described by Guest (1989) as a one size fits all i.e. derived from the best practices philosophy also supported by other academics e.g. Delery and Dory (1996), Pfeffer (1994) but some others are also questioning how easy it may be to shift focus of the organisation (Whipp 1992) and even to achieve the goals (Purcell 1991). The fit or contingency approach that can be found in Fombrun et al (1984) is based on both internal and external fit and focus on selection, appraisal, development and reward. This model has been criticised mainly because of its one-way relationship with organisational strategy. The resourced-based approach (Boxall 1996) is built on attributes of resources. To achieve competitive advantage, resources should be Valuable, Rare, Inimitable and N on-substitutable (VRIN). B. British airways HRM aspects: To define the HR model used by British Airways, we should first analyse the main aspects of its HR Management: creating motivation and commitment of all employees which continue to play a major part in the success of the company. some of HR measures are clearly designed to improve and support employees motivation (British Airways Plc. 2010). a remuneration scheme with profit sharing and encouraged share ownership, this is an effective way for employees to feel more involved in the companys results (British Airways Plc. 2010), training and development are instrumental to ensure resources will be able not only to feel valued in the company but also will be able to enable business objectives achievement (British Airways Plc. 2010) diversity and inclusiveness is seen as a key aspect in the recruitment strategy, this includes genders, ethnicities, religions, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ (British Airways Plc. 2010) c. HRM model used by British Airways: The aspects depicted in the previous paragraph show that the internal resources are linked (KPIs, ownership, etcâ‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦) including the human resources. As described above we also realise that human values are in the middle of British Airways strategy. As quoted page 236 of the 4th edition of Managing Change (Burnes 2004), Hax and Majluf (1996 p. 10) state that: The essence of the resource-based model â‚ ¬Ã‚ ¦ [is] that competitive advantage is created when resources and capabilities that are owned exclusively by the firm are applied to developing unique competencies. Moreover, the resulting advantage can be sustained due to the lack of substitution and imitation capabilities by the firms competitors. British Airways used a Resourced Based Model to achieve above average profitability by developing VRIN (Value, Rare, Inimitable, Non-substitutable) resources (Barney 1991). To substantiate this (Parker 1999), let us go back to the mid-nineties when the group started a portfolio analysis and defined the level of criticality of its operations. Based on this review, decision has been made to outsource resources (including human resources) that are not key to the core business. As other major corporations, they retained the strategic components (VRIN) and outsourced the routine activities. This decision helping the group to achieve outsourcing goals i.e. costs reduction, higher quality of services, agility and better focus on core business to meet the business objectives as defined in the introduction. d. Limitations of the Resource-based model There is no perfect model, or else there would only be one. But what are the ones of this model used by British Airways? Burnes (2004) mentions the lack of empirical support and also the complexity and ambiguousness of the resources definition. By design, the model is more focusing to the internal resources than on the external competition e.g. there is no link with the product markets, it may be difficult to find VRIN resources. There is also little evidence that many firms have adopted the model. http://sdbplus.wordpress.com/2012/01/02/british-airways-hr-management/ Task 2: British Airways merged with Iberia in 2011. Analyse the impact of the merger on strategic HRM at British Airways. This MA briefing note provides an overview of the merger of British Airways and Iberia which led to the formation of a new firm International Airlines Group (IAG) Background BA and Iberia had developed strong links over many years: BA acquired a 13% stake in Iberia in 1998 BA Iberia started co-operation and route-sharing in 2003 BA first made a bid for Iberia in 2007 Impact of the continued economic downturn led to the resumption of merger talks in 2009 The Deal The initial announcement: Merger of British Airways and Iberia announced in November 1999. BA shareholders get 55% of the new company; Iberia shareholders get 45% BA and Iberia to  continue  their existence as airline brands New company called IAG plc, with shares listed on both the London and Madrid stock markets IAG initially estimated  £349 million of annual cost savings by the fifth year after the merger A quarter of the cost savings to come from IT and back office efficiencies + savings on maintenance and purchasing Implementation cost of the merger estimated at  £350 million. The final merger agreement Definitive (legally binding) merger agreement finally signed in April 2010: Merger details took two years of complex and often strained negotiation Creates Europes third-largest airline group: behind Lufthansa (90 million passengers p.a.) and Air France-KLM (70 million passengers p.a.) Combined scale would have an aircraft fleet of 408 planes, carrying more than 58 million passengers a year Willie Walsh (previously CEO of BA) to become the new CEO of IAG On the day that the shares of IAG first traded (Jan 2011), the market capitalisation of the firm was  £5.6bn Key motives and  drivers  of the merger: Very much a merger that looks to the long-term. Industry consolidation a process that has already begun and is expected to continue over the next 10-20 years 2010: combined airline losses (whole industry) of almost $3bn in 2010 BA and Iberia seen as well-matched businesses that complement each other BA strength: North American Asian routes and destinations; Iberia strength: Latin America BA gains better coverage of key routes in Latin America Structure designed to allow IAG to participate in further consolidation (i.e. more takeovers) Further takeovers by IAG would be judged on whether they could meet or enhance a target of 12 per cent return on capital. What happened next? IAG takeover of British Midland International (BMI) Announced November 2011 BMI a loss-making subsidiary of Lufthansa (losing approx  £160million per year) Deal subject to  clearance  from the Competition Commission and the European Union Significant opposition from  Virgin  Atlantic   the main competitor affected by the deal Main rationale BMIs extensive landing  slots  at Heathrow which will be used to add British Airways flights to destinations in emerging markets A possible short-term drawback to IAG: the takeover adds to the groups capacity at a time of weak demand for air travel The main risks facing IAG Unforeseen external events (e.g. disruption to travel caused by volcanic ash) Industrial relations a constant thorn in the side of management at BA Iberia BAs pension fund liability a shortfall of  £3.7bn The global economy demand and profits closely linked to the global economic cycle Key quotes relating to the merger Prof Peter Morrell (Cranfield University): Theyve come up with various cost savings that they can get out of the merger of the companies. These are on things like procurement, IT, maintenance. These are the things they can get from a merger which arent really available from alliances. Ashley Steel, head of transport at KPMG: the creation of IAG heralds the start of an exciting era of airline consolidation, with further marriages of convenience as pressures on costs and revenues continue to increase. Willie Walsh on the day the merger was confirmed: Our goal is for more airlines-but, importantly, the right airlines-to join the group. Today is the first step towards creating a multinational, multi-brand airline group. http://www.tutor2u.net/blog/index.php/business-studies/comments/6-essential-ma-cases-ba-iberia-merge-to-form-iag, 23/12/2012, 20:46 PM Impact of Merger in British Airways: British Airways and Iberias stock stopped trading Friday as the BA-IB merger officially took effect, to be replaced in both the London and Madrid markets by International Airlines Consolidated Group stock on Monday. Based on combined passenger count, IAG is now Europes fourth largest carrier group after Lufthansa Group, Air France KLM Group and Ryanair. Both airlines shareholders approved the merger in late November (ATW Daily News, Nov. 30, 2010). The carriers will continue to be separately branded. The commencement of IAG was clouded Friday by Unite unions notice that BA cabin crew voted overwhelmingly to take further strike actions, the latest salvo in the long-running dispute between the airline and its flight attendants (ATW Daily News, Dec. 22, 2010). Surely BA management must now wake up and listen to the voice of their skilled and dedicated employees, Unite stated.This dispute will be resolved by negotiation, not litigation or confrontation, and it is to negotiation that BA management should now apply itself. We are ready. The union said 75% of 10,220 eligible voters cast ballots, with over 78% voting in favor of more work actions. http://atwonline.com/airline-finance-data/news/ba-iberia-merger-formally-takes-effect-ba-flight-attendants-vote-strikes-0

Ancient Philosophy :: essays research papers fc

As Aristotle viewed the world around him, he observed that things are moving and changing in certain ways. Aristotle discovered that certain things cause other things, which in turn cause something else. Aristotle believed that an infinite chain of causation was not possible, thus, a prime mover of some kind must exist as the first cause of everything that changes or moves. The first evidence that Aristotle viewed was the world around him. He observed that everything is in motion, and that one motion causes another motion and so on. Much like billiard balls on a pool table. One ball hits another ball, that ball moves, hits a third ball, and the third ball moves. Like A causes B to move causes C to move etc. After careful observation, Aristotle noticed that everything is in motion, even the planets, and thus, there was a chain of causation. Aristotle believed that something can not come from nothing, that is, a thing can not pop in and out of existence, thus, there must either be an infinite chain of causation or a first cause/prime mover. Aristotle dismissed the possibility of infinite causation and instead attempted to prove that there is a prime mover or first cause. Aristotle also believed the universe was situated in a certain way. Aristotle believed that the heavens began just above the bottom of the moon and the everything above the lower portion of the moon wa s the heavens. In the heavens, Aristotle observed that everything was in a cyclical motion, and that the planets moved about each other in circles. If the planets moved about in circular motion then there must have been a cause to bring about their motion, thus, there must also be either an infinite chain of causation for heavenly bodies or a prime mover/first cause of the heavenly bodies. For Aristotle ‘local motion is the primary type of motion and the primary type of motion is circular motion' For Aristotle this means that everything is moving, and the best form of movement is movement in a circular motion because a circle is the perfect form of movement. It has no beginning and no end, it is continuous and everlasting. Aristotle saw this motion in everything, even the human existence is that of a cycle. We are born, reproduce and die, in a continuous existence just as the heavenly bodies begin at one point and move around until they are at the beginning point again.

Five-Finger Discount Essay -- Shoplifting Stealing Security Retail Ess

Five-Finger Discount Every day, prices of products that we need continue to go up and up. Simple things like bread and tea go up for reasons that at first seem unknown. These High prices make it hard for many families to make ends meet. At the root of this problem there are many factors like inflation, over priced mark-up, and quantity of the product. But the one thing that should not lead to higher prices is shoplifting. Shoplifting is a plague that is sweeping this nation. Because shoplifting has become such a problem, stores are forced to raise prices to make up for lost sales. This is not their fault, however, few people put the blame where it belongs. The thieves that plague our economy are to blame and the stores have every right to try to stop these people at all costs. Many stores have gone to great lengths to stop shoplifters. Many install cameras to watch the store. That is what the black bubbles are on the ceiling in some of your favorite stores like Wal- mart and Biggs. They are continuously monitoring you and everything that you do. This is an attempt to watch people as they shop, in hopes that someone will be stupid enough to shoplift in front of a camera. There are many problems with cameras. For one thing there is always a blind spot in the system. A blind spot is an area in the security system that is not constantly being observed. This term usually refers to an area where the security camera can’t see. Big stores like Meijer and Wal-mart don’t ev...

Spender And Sankichi: Two Views Of Disaster :: essays research papers fc

Stephen Spender's "Epilogue to a Human Drama" and Toge Sankichi's "Dying" are poems detailing the destruction of two cities, London and Hiroshima, respectively, during or after World War II bombings. Spender wrote "Epilogue to a Human Drama," hereafter referred to as "Epilogue," after a December air raid of London during the Battle of Britain, which ravaged and razed much of England from Summer 1940 until Spring 1941. Sankichi wrote "Dying" from his vivid recollections of the surprise atomic bombing of Hiroshima, which decimated the Japanese city in less than a second. Both the Battle of Britain and Hiroshima were horrible, senseless, and vicious incidents that exacted gave tolls on innocent victims. Spender endured the Battle of Britain, and Sankichi experienced the horror of Hiroshima. The poets' responses differ greatly in style and perspective, but each work clearly defines the ramifications of atrocities such as those committed a gainst Spender, Sankichi, and the populations of London and Hiroshima. England's Royal Air Force battled Germany's Luftwaffe from August 1940 until May 1941. During that conflict, England was subjected to air raids day and night. When Hitler finally withdrew his birds of war, four hundred thousand British citizens had been killed, forty-six thousand had been seriously wounded, and one million homes had been leveled. After one raid, a relief team helped a woman who had covered been covered in powdered brick and plaster and was bleeding profusely. As they aided her, she repeated four words continually in a tone of quiet terror: "Man's inhumanity to man†¦Man's inhumanity to man†¦" (Jablonski 148). Stephen Spender was in London for the duration of the bombings. He saw the demolition of surrounding buildings. He heard the droning of approaching bombers. He smelled the smoke of raging infernos. In his autobiography World Within World, Spender describes his mental condition during the raids as a "trance-like condition" and describes how he forced himself to think of places and things as merely mental concepts in order to avoid losing mental control (285). Hiroshima's destruction came without warning. Japanese High Command, which was located Hiroshima's ancient castle, was alerted early to the approach of the Enola Gay by an observation post on the island of Shikoku. The High Command elected to sound no air raid warning because they considered it senseless to disrupt work in local armament factories due to a single plane (Bruckner 98). At precisely 8:15 AM local time, the fuse was lit inside the descending bomb.

Beanstalk: The Real Story

Last October 3, 10 and 12, 2012 it was a hot afternoon when we watch a movie entitled Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story, this movie was related to our last topic in management 5. Instead of having a formal meeting in our subject in Social Responsibility and Good Governance, we need to watch because after that we need to have a reaction paper regarding the movie. In the beginning, the story makes me feel bored of watching and listening because the audio and the cast of the movie speak very fast and I don’t understand what they saying.And another reason is somebody caught my attention or maybe I’m not used to watch a movie at noon. However, the last day of the movie story, I had the opportunity to listen carefully to the thoughts and moral lessons of the movie I realized it was interesting. Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story is just one of the many versions, where the setting, time and place may be different, but they have one similar scope and ending. In this ca se, the giant dying, and Jack running away with the giant’s riches.It was directed by Brian Henson, the cast includes Matthew Modine as the modern day inheritor of Jack, Mia Sara as a mysterious woman attempting to bring him to justice for the murder of a giant, Jon Voight as the descendant's greedy manager and Vanessa Redgrave an elderly relative of the inheritor etc. The story begins in a wealthy businessman Jack Robinson with no time for anything but to work. His building a new casino on the site of the family castle in England. During the construction, the workers discover the skeleton of a giant.A mysterious young woman called Ondine appears and accuses Jack of being â€Å"a thief and a murderer†. The man goes to the old Jack’s house and sees an old woman whom Jack recognizes as a great-aunt who he believed was dead. The old woman tells him the traditional version of the â€Å"Jack and the Beanstalk† in which the giant is portrayed as a selfish. Beca use of the doubt, Jack decides to go to another world where all is revealed to him along with the story of his ancestor, the original Jack and the Beanstalk. All the people in the magical world believe that he is the one who steal the goose and harp they want Jack to die.In order to save his own life, Jack must right the wrongs of the past and return the magical harp and goose that lays the golden eggs to their rightful home. With the return of the Goose and Harp, the Giants' world is restored. After returning to his world, Jack saves the company's reputation and he decides to support the project of genetically-engineered plants that he previously rejected. At the end, Ondine returns to Jack, where she is allowed to spend one Giant week (seven years in our world) with him and they lived happily ever after.The story has been changed from the traditional Jack and the Beanstalk. The giant has been transformed into a good giant, and Jack has been transformed into thief. I think this is the best part of this new version when Jack returned what his ancestors have stolen from the giant; he not only restored a world’s riches. He also earned for himself a new meaning of life. Jack Robinson corrected his ancestor’s faults after how many years. In our case as people, if we want our future to be better, we must right the wrong of the past.Question, are you ready to face the truth and the consequences of your past actions and decisions? Of course, it takes time to even accept the truth but with acceptance comes joy and peace and with the two, comes the right decisions and actions. Yes, it takes time, but it will be worth it for sure. And lastly the movie or let say the beanstalk is trying to tell us that to reap life’s riches, we need to grow up, climb and do the work. Life is full of harmonious and fateful encounters. Dream it and embrace possibilities!

Rose

Lee is unafraid to show emotion, especially when writing about his father or his wife. The images Lee finds, such as the rose and the apple, can refer to the life-span off human. Life (on the tree branch), falling off tree (Life- span), then how death Is portrayed by using the ground as the end of life. Even his father's blindness and death can become beautiful. From what I gathered from the poems in Rose, was Lee grew up in a strong tight-knit family environment.He is not afraid to describe is feelings with colorful adjectives, and has a powerful relationship with his mother and father throughout his poems. It is clear that Lee grew up in an atmosphere where there is a certain level of humility, love of speech, from where he also searched for wisdom understanding. Lie-Young Lee's poems are very beautiful and meditative. The way that Lee captures love & longing, subtle forms of love, nuances of parental relationships, and the sadness and reflection that makes it meaningful and though t provoking to the reader.Lee draws on his own life experience in such a way that readers will wonder if he is ring to extract those experiences from his inner self. While these poems are deeply personal, they are also universal in their appeal. Like a child who possesses a sensual, adult relationship with the world, Lie-Young Lee shines with an open gentleness and delicate Iverson 2 sensitivity. Nothing escapes his keen eye and, as he so greatly illustrates, the greatest art is all around us. Lee's poetry results in a clarification or awakening of feelings that summon the reader's desire to examine his or her feelings, and by examining them, express them.Therefore, by reaching into our own self-awareness, we are able to eek redemption. We forgive ourselves. Young Lee's poetry is lucid in the way he captures the details of living with accuracy and tenderness, it moves the reader to awe . Lee reveals the way our families create who we are in a manner that heals the reader and makes u s examine our own lives. Lee often writes about his father and his own attempt to understand his connection to him and the heritage bestowed on him. Lee also uses many forms of symbolism throughout his work. For example, in â€Å"Dreaming of Hair,† the hair is an evil thread of death.This Lee sees the simple image of his father braiding his mother's hair. Lee's work is filled with these varying symbolic representations of the ordinary. This is one of things that make his work so unique and interesting. The poetry of Lie-Young Lee consists of simple forms that create a natural and earthy feel for the reader. The symbolism and imagery in his work comes from the deep well of experience and Lee writes in a style that gives the reader a sense of his urgency – almost as if Lee is trying to purge himself from what lies within him. Because of this, Rose is a very interesting and thought provoking read.

Critically examine what is meant by natural moral law Essay

The doctrine of natural law has its deepest foundations from Greek philosopher Aristotle but upholds the strongest dictation in the writings of Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274). The underlying ethical basis of Roman Catholicism also stems from his writings based around the premise that God created all things ‘good’. This includes man, the highest aspect of his creation of whom he made in his own image; â€Å"Then God said: â€Å"let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, let them (man and women) rule over the fish in the sea the birds in the air, over livestock, over all earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground†. One of the major aspects of natural law is the concept that everything and everyone is made with a predetermined purpose. And the starting point of all advocates of natural law is to work out this purpose akin to human life. Following ones rationale, Aquinas claims, leads us to a realisation of our ‘purpose’- reason is used to find out Gods intention and the purpose of human existence and this will enable one to arrive at the principles of natural law. Focusing firstly on the word ‘natural’, it is synonymous with reason. Contrary to what one may assume ‘natural’ does not mean our natural predispositions or inclinations but rather mans ability to reason. In fact natural law is founded upon mans ability to reason. Aquinas considered that natural law was the moral code which humans are naturally inclined towards. In his work Aquinas established three ideals that should govern our moral principles it is comprised of precepts of the eternal law that govern the behaviour of beings possessing reason and free will. The first precept of the natural law, according to Aquinas, is the somewhat vacuous imperative to be good and avoid evil. Here it is worth noting that Aquinas holds a natural law theory of morality: what is good and evil, according to Aquinas, is derived from the rational nature of human beings. Good and evil are thus both objective and universal He argued that mans first priority laid down by natural law was self preservation and that on the basis of this first axiom man puts forward the ideal that life is to be preserved. Thus man has an empathic desire to respect and preserve life beyond his own. If man gives in to non-rational desires or ‘apparent goods’ as Aquinas so calls them then one becomes imprisoned. According to Aquinas if we follow our rationale it would lead to a perfect moral state†¦ which lives up, not only to one of the bibles most salient features, but a principle which Christ himself promulgates in his teachings, â€Å"Love your neighbour as yourself†. It upholds what one can identify as natural virtues- prudence, temperance, and justice. Procreation is the second ideal of which Aquinas quotes so strongly as a moral code. This way of thinking corresponds well with the teachings of St Paul. It is not merely sex to make children but the whole ethical side that goes with it. For instance it is not promiscuity that they denote but monogamy. They believe that it is the only successful way of procreation of the species. Otherwise there would be a generations of dysfunctional relationships. It leads to an ordered society. St Paul exhorts the Corinthians, â€Å"†¦Each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfil his marital duty to his wife and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way the husband’s body does not only belong to him but to his wife.† (Corinthians ch6 v 2-4) Lastly the significance of faith in God has considerable significance in his writings. Unlike some philosophers that share similar ideas to Aquinas, he did not consider that human nature was totally corrupted. He suggested that the ultimate function of reason leads us to postulate the existence of a creator i.e. God. To find completeness one must listen to ones reason where one will find a spiritual union with God. This will naturally project all things moral. Having identified the three main functions that Aquinas establishes within natural law it would be of importance to go on to identify other key aspects. Firstly I would be inclined to recognize what Aquinas referred to as ‘apparent goods’. Apparent good is a term given to an action, which on the face of it appears to be a ‘good’ action but actually isn’t. Reason enlightens man of the peculiarity between good and evil. Man is subject to temptation because of our ancestral history; Adam and Eve. From this we as a human race can be seduced by ungodly desires (apparent goods). An apparent good can pervert reason. For instance, one may feel good taking drugs and drinking heavily but really it is self destructive and perverted from reason, which tells us that it is not good to take drugs or drink heavily. Reason links in well here; good intentions stem from good will and good will is the product of mans reason. If we listen to our reason it exemplifies that good outcomes cannot be the gilding light to morality†¦if we concentrate on good outcomes it may lead to the perusing of apparent goods. An example could be a bomb that’s about to explode. Does one torture the terrorist captured to save the lives of a whole community or stand by the premise of the rule not to torture? Torturing the terrorist is an example of an apparent good or a secondary ideal (a primary ideal being the three ideals established at the beginning of essay). It promises an immediate benefit, but the act itself is degrading an immoral. Natural law would dictate that torture is irrational and goes against the first ideal to preserve the lives of others. One can start to picture the difficulties with natural law- does one let a whole community die for the exception of the torture of one man? Mans purpose is not follow apparent goods! The ironic concept is, is that natural law claims if one follows one reason and purpose at all times then it will achieve a morally just world! This is because if purpose isn’t reversed then there is no chance of apparent goods. Examples could include abortion, euthanasia or even homosexuality (!) Which all go against one of the three ideals. Previously mentioned was that of the word ‘purpose’. Purpose to Aquinas was the assumption that everyone has a divinely devised purpose in life. According to Aquinas reason can illustrate this but only faith assures man of his choices. God did not make man like robots to merely choose the ‘right’ thing but if he listens to his reason, there will be an unavoidable tendency towards goodness. â€Å"All beings tend towards the actualisation of the potentialities of their natures† Simply, if we follow what reason dictates we will, ‘strive to fulfil are particular gifts’. St Paul in his letters to the Romans stated also that we have particular gifts and that we should follow them. He uses the idea of prophesising; if ones gift if prophesising then let him use it in proportion to ones faith. If ones gift is to teach then teach†¦.and so one. The problem is of course what happens when one thinks their eschatology is that of an ‘ apparent good’? They might consider that their personal goals are that of power or like the suicide bombers think that their eschatology is to end their live ion aid of attacking the enemy. Obviously here we have a perversion of ones eschatology. Natural law claims that reason illustrates to us their limitations. ‘Apparent goods’ are destructive to one and others and disgrace or degrade man. So the question arises that why do so many of us follow an ‘apparent good’? Aquinas would argue that it is in opens weak nature that it is far easier to follow what one desires and gets pleasure out of, and once tempted, one is stuck in the intoxication. 2) analyse and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of natural law as a definitive ethical theory. The premise of natural law states that morality is based on reason alone, but surely if we look around us it is actually based on our emotions? David Hume (1713-1776) was a philosopher that disagreed with the notion that morality is based on reason alone. As we have seen, Aquinas believed that natural law was synonymous with mans reason; Hume powerfully argued that if this is so then why do people have such a diverse perception of what is right and wrong, good and bad? Surely if morality is reason based then we would all have the same ideas of what is good and bad? If, as Aquinas believed, morality is based on reason then why is it that in a moral predicament we actually act on our emotions? For instance if one is in a crash and one has an option to save ones child or a doctor that is about to crack a cure for cancer, which is one likely to choose? I would say that 99% of mothers and fathers would go against what reason dictates and save the life of their child. I would also question the fact that if morality derives from reason then it should comprise of a set of ‘a prori’ rules that should be completely universalised. Why is it then that we invent these ‘rule’ and find excuses to break them or even feel it is moral to break them? For instance, if we have a rule or a secondary ideal as Aquinas would put it, that is ‘do not steal’ should it be applied even when it seems hell of a lot more moral to break it. If there is an axe murderer who is going to use his weapon to kill someone, to break the rule ‘does not steal’ to get his weapon seems totally incoherent. According to natural law however, the rule ‘do not steal’ should be universalised and therefore never broken. Aquinas did come up with an idea of proportionalism. Proportanalism states that when there is a proportionate reason to break a rule i.e. to get the weapon off an axe murderer then it is ok to do so. I feel as though this is a complete cop out. In effect he is coming up with a set of rules that have to be universalised and they are based on reason, and then comes up with a set of excuses or exceptions when it doesn’t work! Natural law assumes that we have a ‘uniform’ human nature, â€Å"god made man in his own image’ Genesis 1:27. Basically, this conjures up the supposition that if we humans were all created in the same way then realistically we should all therefore be able to identify what our purposes are. Our sexual organs are formed for procreation, thus, homosexuality becomes unnatural. The question is who is Aquinas to delegate what is purposeful? One could go as far to say does man as a whole have a purpose? Philosophers such as Neitche or Sartre that would greatly disagree with Aquinas and human nature. Their ideas are governed by existentialism, which entails that there is no fixed human nature that man has no purpose, life has no broader meaning. The only reality is the chooses that we make; indeed, these choices are spontaneous and individual. They do not delve into the concept any of these choices are rules that should be universalised. If one looks at society today it really has been influenced by such proposal, and we are unsympathetic to the idea that we have a fixed human nature and fixed purposes. Because there is this idea of no human nature there can consequently be nothing unnatural, so inevitably homosexuality and such like is not a problem. Aquinas is compelled with the idea that we are made from a purposeful creating benevolent creator. He presupposes that faith in such being will lead to utter moral peace and satisfaction, and will lead to a perfect moral society. The problem is, is that in contemporary society the popular assumption is that there is no god or it is questioning such conceptions. We are broadly agnostic. Many people’s lives run without orientation to god or religion, thus emasculating the natural law theory. Essentially what is being said is do we necessitate god to feel moral or spiritually whole. Can we be moral without religion? According to many, indeed we can. Aquinas postulated that we can exist morally without god but would lack the assertion of his moral choices prone to doubt and temptation. Whether morality requires god is inconclusive from a reason based argument. There is a predicament also with Aquinas’s idea of purpose. For instance he postulates that that the main function of genital organs are for procreation and therefore denounces homosexuality, masturbation or even the enjoyment of sex! However, in observation bodily organs generally have many a function. Mouths are not just for eating but also for kissing, talking†¦they are limitless. So why does he adopt a denunciation to the sex between homosexuals? It seems contradictory and inconsistent. Thus, I would say that he is imposing his desires and claiming that these are the basis of morality or these are what reason dictates to us. His views on purpose are limited and could be completely different to what he considers- all in all why does he hypothesize what our purposes is. When looking at the strengths of the natural law approach one finds that they seem to be born from the limitations of the weaknesses. Firstly there might actually be human nature despite existentialist beliefs to the contrary. For instance, we are all filled with horror at murder or child abuse. Of course there are always exceptions to the general rule such as suicide bombers who kill themselves and others but what one stating is that human nature is an open question. Some humanist’s may believe in human nature like Dawkins or Russell who say we all want to belong to a ‘herd’. It suggests that we have something in common we interact with others. Aquinas said that spiritual completeness is only synonymous in union with god. Although a large percentage of the population are secular, I would say that it is true that most of us still don’t like to think of the end as being nothingness. There is a desire to believe in something beyond bodily death. The existence of so many religions seem to prove this point. It could be looked upon like this; are we, as Sartre says condemned to be free, or does existence really have an underlying purpose and meaning? Like I mentioned earlier, we now live in a secular age. However we cant seem to get away from ‘god’ or ‘gods’. We basically invent gods like science and medicine. Surely this seems to indicate that our existence requires some foundation beyond our own means? In regards to ‘apparent goods’ Aquinas claims that they are self destructive despite the ‘miracle’ cures of modern society. The questions arises that will society ever create an earthly paradise where all pleasures are catered for. Will we ever make the ‘paradise’ that temps us away from reasoning or will we find that it’s not enough. It would be that if paradise can never be created then it reinforces the idea of ‘apparent goods’ In conclusion I would be inclined not to follow natural law. Although it raises many valuable and appraisable points (after all it does strive for what’s moral) I feel as though it is far too orthodox and strict for my liking. It seems to have too much of Aquinas’s desires and seems irrelevant for today’s society. As a definitive ethical theory I suggest that it doesn’t uphold what I would determine or expect a definitive ethical theory to be. I feel it has too many gaps that have un suggestive answers, the fact that it hasn’t made me feel as though I can relate to it as a moral theory says it all.