Practical Wisdom

First Book Review Schwartz, B. , & Sharpe, K. (2010). Practical Wisdom: The Right Way To Do The Right Thing. Riverhead Books. New York. Summary Schwartz and Sharpe present an interesting array of examples of how there has been a demoralisation of the medical, legal, educational and financial institutions. Where efficiency, accountability and profits become the driving force of organisations, the authors argue this causes a corruption and demoralisation of practitioners where they become discouraged from getting the balance right.The authors suggest we take refuge in rules however the rules keep us from understanding what we are doing. They share how some conscientious professionals who no longer find it possible to practice their profession following the rules and incentives set, have practically applied their knowledge to facilitate a more humane way of practicing which the authors label as practical wisdom. Review The authors refer to what Aristotle named â€Å"phronesis† (p ractical wisdom) which is obtained through learning from experience and applying to new situations. Rules and incentives, sticks and carrots† will not create wisdom. Finding practical ways to apply contextualised knowledge takes courage to question conventional thinking or practices. Practical wisdom as highlighted by the authors is like an antidote to both rules and incentives: it appeals to good judgement and responsibility. This cannot be taught but gained through experiences where these experiences increase awareness and promote critical thinking: encouraging one to examine and assess for themselves â€Å"the right way to do the right thing. In the book an example is given whereby a cleaner was accused of not cleaning the hospital room by a patient’s father even though he had done so. The cleaner chose to not engage in an argument and exercised wisdom about the consequences of holding onto his â€Å"rights† and he just went and re-cleaned the room . Knowing when to exercise this wisdom is at the heart of what the author’s discuss. The author’s encourage you to self-reflect and think more consciously about what you do.Reading some of the examples in this book where practical wisdom was exercised, reminded me of something I once heard: â€Å"in any situation you can choose to be right or kind†. This comment had a visceral impact on me and gratefully comes to mind at times where I am reminded about the way in which I can choose to act in a given situation. I believe this is what the authors are encouraging. I did not learn anything new from this book but it was a great reminder of wanting to be a ‘good person’ in all relationships and encounters and encouraged me to be more mindful of my choices and the impact of my actions.

Sec.22

SEC. 22. The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indigenous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and development. Rights of Indigeneous cultural communities. As used in the Constitution, the term â€Å"indigenous cultural communities† refers to non-dominant groups in our country which possess and wish to preserve ethnic, religious or linguistic traditions or characteristic markedly different from the rest of the population. Section 22 recognizes constitutionally the existence and rights of the indigenous cultural communities.It directs the State to promote their rights within the framework of national unity. Thus, the State is bound to consider the customs, traditions, beliefs and interests of indigenous cultural minorities in the formulation and implementation of State policies and programs. In a multi-ethnic society like ours, the above provision is necessary in promoting the goal of national unity and development. (see Art XVI, Sec. 12) Under provision, the government may even enact the laws especially for them taking into account their customs, traditions, beliefs and interests. H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution 2005, pp. 67-68) SEC. 23. The State shall encourage non-governmental, community-based or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation. Non-governmental, community-based or sectoral organizations The State is required to encourage these organizations because recent events have shown that, under responsible leadership, they can be active contributors to the political, social and economic growth of the country.It should refrain from any actuation that would tend to interfere or subvert the rights of these organizations which in the words of the Constitution are community-based or sectoral organizations that promote the welfare of the nation. (Ibid, p. 68) This topic is discussed at the length under Article XIII (Social Justice and Human Rights), Sections 15 and 16 which categorically state the role an d rights of people’s organizations as vehicle to enable the people to participate and intervene meaningfully and effectively in decisions which directly affect their lives. (Ibid. p. 68) SEC. 24.The State recognizes the vital role of communication and information in nation-building. Vital role of communication and information in nation-building. Communication and information, as used above, include not only print or broadcast media (radio and television) but also motion pictures, advertising, cable, telephone and telegraph. Those means of communication designed to gather and convey news or in the formation to the public are called mass media because they reach the mass of the people. (see Art. XVI, Sec. 11[1]. That they play a critical role in nation-building is very obvious. 1) Formation of an enlightened citizenry. – Mass media shape people’s thoughts and beliefs, their attitudes and values. In a country like the Philippines composed of people with diverse cul tures, they can be an effective instrument in promoting national integration and preserving Filipino values and traditions. By educating the citizenry on important public issues, they also help create a strong, vigilant and enlightened public opinion so essential to the successful operation of a republican democracy. (2) Promotion of effiency and economy in government and business. Information and communication can be used to link our geographically dispersed population an effect faster delivery of educational, medical and other public services in remote areas of the country. In any organization, ready information maximizes internal efficiency. Particularly in business, it reduces cost of production and services. (3) Development of society. – On the material side, it is difficult to imagine a progressive country, in today’s world of high-tech computers, internets, cyberspace and information highways, with antiquated ommunication and information structures. In the last few years, the world has witnessed a steady stream of a technological progress in the field. The Philippines must keep abreast of communication innovations but at the same time be selective and discriminating to insure that only those â€Å"suitable to the needs and aspirations of the nation† (Ibid. : Sec. 10) are adapted. Utilized and managed wisely and efficiently, communication and information are very useful tools for the economic, social, cultural and political development of society. (H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution, p. 9) Sec. 25. The State shall ensure the autonomy of local governments. Autonomy of local governments R. A. 7160, known as the Local Government Code, enacted on January 1, 1992 covers all matters concerning local governments and political subdivisions. Sec. 26. The state shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service, and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law. Equal access opportunities for public service This topic discuss ed under Article VI Legislative Department, Sections 4, 5, and 7 and Article X (Local Government), Section 8.Additionally: (1) Limitation of terms of office. – The provisions limiting the terms of office of elective officials (President, Vice President, Senators, Representative and local officials) enhance equal access to political opportunities although they may not completely do way with evils spawned political dynasties that proliferated in the country in the past. With his political and economic resources, an elective official can have a close kin or follower run for the latter.Hence, the need for a declaration expressly prohibiting a political dynasties. (2) Prohibition of political dynasties. – The constitutional policy on the prohibition of political dynasties expresses a national commitment to democratize election and appointment to positions in the government and eliminate a principal obstacle to â€Å"equal opportunities for public service†. It is not uncommon to have the most of the top elective positions in a province (or city) down to barangays occupied by one family and close relatives of the family members.Politicians form husband-wife teams, or father-mother, son-daughter teams and hold to elective positions for decades. The dominance of political families in the past not only kept more deserving but poor individuals from running or winning in elections; it also enabled powerful and affluent politicians to corner appointive positions for their relatives and followers as it they alone are gifted with the ability to serve the country. (3) Prohibition constitutionally mandated. The law implementing the constitutional policy shall define what constitutes political dynasties, having in mind of evils sought to be eradicated and the need to insure the widest possible base for the selection of elective government officials regardless of political, economic and social status. Note that the State is expressly mandated to prohibit â⠂¬Å"political dynasties†. Congress has no discretion on the matter except merely to spell out the meaning and scope of the term. (deLeon,2005,p. 0). Sec. 27. The State shall maintain honesty and integrity in the public service and take positive and effective measures against graft and corruption. Honesty and Integrity in public service (1) The perennial problem of graft and corruption. – In the Philippines, every new administration since the postwar period has made a pledge to eradicate graft and corruption in government. The popular perception, however, is that this baneful ill has become more rampant and sophisticated through years.To be sure, the above provision was incorporated in the Constitution because of revelations of â€Å"unprecendented magnitude† of graft and corruption allegedly perpetrated by officials in the highest circle of the government during the previous regime. (2) Ways to attack problem. – The malady of graft and corruption must be e liminated or at least minimize to a tolerable degree because of the staggering amount of public money that has been lost through it.What is needed is moral leadership by example on the part of the top officials in the government and a continuing, the public service which have considerably slowed down the socio-economic progress of our country. Having the honest Presidents with the best intentions is not enough to reduce corruption to minimal proportions. This perennial problem cannot be solve by mere empty promises and congressional inquiries, but by prosecuting without the fear or favor and putting behind bars so-called â€Å"big-fishes† found to be involve as concrete examples of the government’s determination to achieve decency in the public service.Any campaign against the scourge of society will be made more effective if accompanied by a morality crusade. (3) Need for honesty and integrity in public service. – The fulfillment of the constitutional mandate w ill go a long way in strengthening the peoples trust in the government and its leaders. It will also ensure the efficient use of the meager resources available for national development. (deLeon,2005,pp. 71-72) Sec. 28.Subject to a reasonable conditions prescribed by law, the state adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its transactions involving public interest. Full Disclosure by the State of all it’s transactions. 1. Duty of the State – Sec. 7 of the bill of rights guarantees the people’s right of information on matters of public concern and access to records pertaining to official transactions of the government. In the other hand, Sec. 28 requires the State to make public it’s transactions without demand from individual citizens.It stresses the duty of the State to release the information. 2. Transaction covered – The policy covers all State transactions involving public interests, i. e. , transactions which the people h ave a right to know particularly those involving expenditures of public funds. The law, however, may prescribed reasonable conditions for the disclosure to guard against improper or unjustified exercise of the right. The policy will not apply to records involving the security of the State or which are confidential in character. (H. de Leon, Phil. Constitution, pp. 64-72)

Medical Profession Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Medical Profession - Personal Statement Example Currently, I am working with multi-disciplinary healthcare teams. This job enables me to experience the many facets of nursing care in nine different wards, including Accident & Emergency, Stroke, Respiratory and Cardiac Units. My duties revolve around holistic nursing care system which requires and allows me to: Furthermore, I am well-versed in using MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Being a computer literate, I can file and sort patients' medical records systematically. As a professional, I am deeply aware that all information is to be regarded as strictly confidential, whether it appears important or otherwise. My excellent report writing skills and experience in presenting information to others can also be tapped by your office. During my free time, I attend training programs, symposia and seminars to improve my ability to: All of these valuable tools, I believe, are instrumental in making me an effective and valuable member of any medical team and I am confident that I will continue to learn and develop my skills as a health service provider, particularly as I provide care to a diverse patient population. With the above-mentioned training and experience not to mention my innate leadership skills, I am confident that I can be a valuable member of the National Health Service. I can adjust to new environment and would be happy to work hand in hand with the best minds in the medical profession. As such, I do not see any obstacle in carrying out my duties and responsibilities that include settings priorities and scheduling work as well as attending to the care, welfare and daily routines of client groups including adults with learning disabilities in a variety of residential settings. These tasks are very similar to the hospital environment which I am familiar with especially that I had a prior experience similar to this field at Queen Mary's Hospital where I assisted on the Reeves Ward and cared for predominantly elderly people with dementia and respiratory

Science Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Science - Essay Example eaning and inference that the researchers draw upon can be easily verified, computed, and weighed as a function of how greatly they relate back to the concepts that the author(s) is attempting to get across to the reader. In this way, this particular student has chosen the following paper to analyze as a function of how well the scientific and mathematical information related within it help to reinforce or weaken the arguments that the authors make: â€Å"Neurotoxicity of Penicillium crustosum secondary metabolites: Tremorgenic activity of orally administered penitrem A and thomitrem A and E in mice†. For purposes of analysis, one can quickly infer that the authors of this particular article have performed due diligence with reference to the use of mathematics and scientific research as a means to prove their point. Firstly, the introduction relates to the reader/researcher that the authors are highly familiar with the area of focus and the preceding literature and studies which have been performed. In this way, the authors are able to draw a firm line of understanding and scientific advancement based upon the research that has preceded this particular study. Although this is a nice touch to note, it should be further noted that the authors rely heavily on the results of three specific studies to set the background for their analysis. As such, the rigor of the study is called into question somewhat. I found that this lack of inclusion of other studies and resources significantly weakened the baseline from which the reader enters the research from. Furthermore, had a more rigid an alysis of prior and existing scholarship been performed, the starting point for the reader would be advanced and a need to accept some of the results printed within the study would have been reduced; thereby allowing the reader or researcher to focus on the most important points of the research that has been presented. To the author’s credit, the study does pay careful attention

Dealing with a Nuclear Iran Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Dealing with a Nuclear Iran - Essay Example Thinkers such as LaFranchi (2006) as well as Carter (2006) have made it clear that some nations may be responsible enough to possess nuclear bombs but others may have to be prevented from gaining access to such technology. In this regard, nuclear proliferation becomes an international problem when countries such as Iran and North Korea generate different opinions on how they should be handled. While the case of North Korea is more or less settled, Iran remains and issue and there are several methods given by expert analysts which show that the nuclear intentions of Iran can be handled in several ways. The basic reason for why Iran is seeking nuclear armament is because Iran wants to make itself regionally secure. The need for security is reflected in the history of Iran since in 1941, the Allies wanted to find a path through the country to support the Russian front against Germany. The King of Iran, Reza Shah was suspicious of the motives of the allies and was thus removed from the throne. This was a basically a misunderstanding between the allies and the Iranian people but it turned them away from the allies in historical terms (Kilgore, 2007). The troubled history of Iran and the west continued through the revolution until in recent years, Bush made Iran a part of the ‘Axis of Evil’. In these circumstances, Iran can clearly see that America does not attack a nuclear capable North Korea while it continually threatens a non-nuclear Iran (Kilgore, 2007). Iran wants to avoid the fate of Iraq which was attacked for allegations of having weapons of mass destruction while it had none (Jackson, 2006). The false charges brought by the American government caused the Iraqi people a lot of misery and even though Saddam was a cruel ruler, the methods used to remove him and the timing was less than ideal (Kilgore, 2007). In fact, Kilgore (2007) suggests that it is the manipulation of the Israeli lobby which is causing fingers to

Product Liabilities Cases. Confidential Business Information Essay

Product Liabilities Cases. Confidential Business Information - Essay Example Though product liability is a valid legal requirement, the Supreme Court pushed the limits too high that many manufactures have shied away from the market. The Supreme Court denied the fact that in some cases, though a supplier may be certain of the functionality of a product, systems may go haywire lidding to unforeseen damages or fatalities. Though consumer activists explain that such products liability suits would make manufactures more responsible on the threat of product liability, the fact is that such suits are hurting the manufacturing sector and preventing thousands of innovations from getting into the market (Andre & Velasquez, 2010). Increased product liabilities cases lead to increased cost of goods to the consumer, which implies that the cost of the litigations outweigh their benefits to the society. Andre & Velasquez (2010) explains that the high cost of litigations in many companies, making up to 60% of litigation expenses is making cost of doing business to increase s ubstantially; as the cost of liability suits increases, the company passes the increased burden to customers in terms of high product processes. Therefore, such litigations by a few will hurt many customers in terms of increased prices. In some extreme cases, companies have been forced to scale dozen their operations due to the high costs of such litigations. This results to thousands of job losses. For example, a Conference Board report recently revealed that 15% of companies were forced to undertake massive downsizing, while another 8% were forced to close down plants due to such litigations (Andre & Velasquez, 2010). In addition to losing jobs, such a move hurts the economy as productivity and investments are forced to close as a result of litigations. Moreover, more companies with ingenious products fear introducing such products in the company. The above report revealed that up to 39% of companies delayed introducing new products in the market due to fear of litigations. In fac t, withe such litigations, vaccines to some diseases such as AIDS may never be realized as manufacturers shy away from the market due to such litigations. This hurts the overall economy and society in general. DQ 2 Every business has to abide to some legal agreements that are protected under the law. In order to act ethically, a business has to ensure that all information held about their clients is confidential and is not to be disclosed to any other party under any case, unless a court of law orders such information to be presented. According to British Law (2012) a confidentiality agreement or any non-disclosure agreement is a legally binding contract, with owner of the information disclosing such information to a third party; the third party is legally required to keep such information confidential and not disclose such information to any other party. According to IPR Help Desk (2012), trade secrets are any confidential information held by a business, which makes a business to a chieve an economic benefit that translates to competitive advantage. Such a secret is largely unknown to competitors due to the strategic efforts by the holder of such information to keep it a secret. Client contacts give a business a competitive advantage over its competitors in that a business with more clients will have more profitability and performance compared to others, which is form of competitive advantage. Customer emails are part of customer information that has to be confidential and

Short Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 1

Short Paper - Essay Example The female characters, on the other hand, are wives to the male characters and they play unofficial roles in the unearthing of the murder. The thoughts, feelings, and reactions that one gathers while reading the play range from empowering to inspiring, considering the critical roles that women play in the story and in the society at large, particularly when it comes to their forensic knowledge. As one reads the story, some of the ideas that emerge are the role of women in driving key agendas of the society. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale, though lacking official roles in the play, offer insightful ideas on the case and help the investigation take a logical course. The clumsy looking kitchen described by the playwright is a depiction of the condition under which the Sherriff and the County Attorney were living under, together with their wives. The farmhouse that Susan Glaspell describes as having been recently abandoned shades more light about the setting of the story and one cannot agree more about the plight of the investigators. It is hard to deviate from the thought of the perfect setting for investigation but again one will understand that the story was set based on a 19th century incident. One would expect the investigation to have taken place at the actual crime scene, which was the bedroom. Perhaps the officers investigating the murder of Margaret Hossack’s husban d did not want to interfere with the evidence at the crime scene. When it comes to the feelings, reactions, and responses to the story, it is worth noting that the setting of the play is rather unique, considering that the storyline is a murder investigation. It is quite weird for a murder investigation to take place in a domestic setting. One would expect the collection of evidence to take place at the crime scene before the investigators proceed to the forensic lab for further

Smoking-Legal Studies Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Smoking-Legal Studies - Essay Example view of the statement above outline, briefly, the current legislation relating to the smoke free environment in England and consider whether it is effective and in line with an individual’s human rights. Government plans to tackle the issue of smoking and to try to encourage people to quit led to the introduction in July 2007 of 6 relevant pieces of legislation aimed at businesses and public places1. The Health Act 2006 gives a definitive list of all those places that are covered by the No Smoking Ban and describes in detail the definition of public places so as to give clarity to all persons that the Act applies to. Penalties for anyone in breach of the new regulation are in the form of fixed penalties notices. Payment of the fixed penalty will mean that the person issued with the notice can avoid having the conviction entered against them. If the person refuses to pay or tries to prevent the officer from carrying out his duties then a summary conviction will follow2. Where an individual is caught smoking in a smoke-free place they could receive a fixed penalty notice for  £50 or a fine of up to  £200 and a summary conviction. The ban on smoking applies not only to public places but also to vehicles that are used for business uses such as company cars, taxis or business vehicles including delivery vans3. Although the level of compliance is high many still feel that this is an infringement of their human rights and that the government are wrong to enforce the ban on people4. Data published by the Department of Health in August 2007 after inspections had been carried out around the UK revealed that 97% of those inspected were smoke free within 2 weeks of the legislation coming into force5. In a report published by the NHS in November 2007 they report 98% compliance and 75% of adults supporting the ban6. The Minister of State for Health, Dawn Primarolo had predicted that the level of compliance would be high based on similar results when the ban was enforced in

Internet and Security Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Internet and Security - Coursework Example He notes that the precise tools that are used for flattening the world (technology) are the same tool that can be used to unflatten the world. Responsible use of technology builds the universe while the selfish use of the same technology destroys the world and keeps societies distant. The other security concern is the economic security of the American people. The author expresses concerns that the American place as the economic powerhouse is threatened because of the attitude of the citizens and the government. The government spends mindlessly on wars and neglects the fundamental economy of the states. The citizens, on the other hand, idolize ideas and opinions that cannot bring economic growth to the nation. They, for example, idolize Britney Spears while their serious competitors idolize the resourceful Bill Gates (Friedman, 32). Social injustice in the global economic system: Thomas notes that the flattened world has caused a caste-like system where wealthy states are getting rich er while the poor countries are languishing in more poverty. Trade is focused between rich states while the poor countries are sidelined. The concern is that populations in poor nations will languish in perpetual poverty. Misuse of borrowed technology: The author loves the rate of labor transfer and the numbers of people coming from other countries in quest of knowledge in the USA. He regrets the misuse of this acquired knowledge, for example, in the 9/11n attack. The mastermind of the attacks, Osama, received his education in the US. The third ethical question insinuated in the story is unlawful labor outsourcing. It creates jobs for some but breeches professional ethos in some areas. By the time of publication of the book, there were no stringent laws regulating the business. An example is the online writing of assignments for some students by others.

KATIE'S CUSTOM ENGRAVING LOGOS Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

KATIE'S CUSTOM ENGRAVING LOGOS - Case Study Example The e-commerce business expands the consumer market beyond local. Katie is anticipating a huge opportunity of making money and is quite enthusiastic about establishing this business. Katie determines all costs associated with the establishment of the business. This business is very localized and independent with hardly any competitors or the dominant industry players. Katie considers her financial sources for investment in the business and seeks further knowledge. Her uncle tells her that at 876 images a year, Katie would have a break-even point, though selling 1000 images a year would lend her a substantial profit and payment. Although she is capable of producing over 1000 images a year, yet she is unsure about the size of the market for the custom images as well as the market share she needs to break even. Katie thinks upon the way to determine her venture’s market potential as well as of making a realistic estimation of the market share that results from that

Solar Energy Essay Example for Free

Solar Energy Essay |The increasing cost of energy and the reality of almost-depleted oil resources have driven man to discover alternative sources. And now, the human race has turned to the basic elements of nature by harnessing energy from wind, water, and the sun. Solar energy is a renewable form of energy and has been a major focus as an alternative source.   It offers promising potentials as a clean renewable form of energy but it also has its limitations. Sun, as our closest star, is practically an indirect and direct source of available energy here on Earth.    But it was only until recently that the potentials of solar energy appealed to society as it has been greatly improved through research and study. The sun’s energy originates from the nuclear reactions at its core where temperature reaches 15 millions  °C.   It reaches the Earth’s surface in form of light and heat and can be gained at 1Kw/ m2 under optimal conditions.   In order to use solar radiation there has to be a way to capture the energy.   Solar panels are invented to collect the sun’s energy and can de converted directly or indirectly  ¦to other forms of energy, such as heat and electricity.   Applications of solar energy can be for heating/cooling, electricity production, and chemical processes such as in solar detoxification technologies for cleaning water and air. There are many advantages of solar energy over other conventional forms.     As a renewable form of energy, the primary benefit of this is that it will never run out.   The sun provides unlimited supply of solar energy, and is virtually free after the user recovers the initial cost of installation.   The use of solar panels in homes does not need fuels and produces no waste or pollution.   The Clean Energy Ideas website further presented on the advantages of solar power that the only pollution that could be associated with this is may be during the production of the cell and transportation to ones home.   But by the time that it is installed, this solar power system has the total lack of pollution given off. Solar energy also has the ability to harness power in remote locations.   It has an advantage to bring electricity in the remote places on earth as long as the sun contains enough energy in that location. Mountain communities, for example, could benefit a lot from the electricity powered by solar energy as constructing conventional power lines in these places will be very difficult or near impossible due to expensive cost it would incur. Solar energy power system can be stand alone structures that do not require connection to power or natural gas grid. A major limitation of solar energy is its ability to collect and store energy so there is a constant power supply.   Since it cannot function at night when the sun’s power is not available or in places where the sun is not able to provide enough energy for the amount of energy needed for use, there are times that back up energy source is needed.   The irregular and variable manner that solar energy arrives on earth limits the use of this form of energy.   Large areas are also needed to collect it at a useful rate. In the United Kingdom, for example, where the country experiences not a very sunny climate, solar power is use only for low power application.   Jesse Ausebel of the of the Rockefeller University in New York in his article for the Indersciences International Journal of Nuclear Governance, Economy and Ecology, claims that renewable energy is not always green (Inderscience, 2007). He criticized solar power since a â€Å"photovoltaic solar cell plant would require painting black about than 150 square kilometers plus land for storage and retrieval to equal a 1000 MWe nuclear plant†. Since this form of   renewable energy involves vast infrastructure, such as concrete, steel, and access roads, Ausebel further added that As a Green, one of my credos is no new structures but renewables all involve ten times or more stuff per kilowatt as natural gas or nuclear, (Inderscience, 2007). The initial cost of installation of solar panels or building solar power stations can be very expensive, discouraging some of the could-be users of solar energy.   It has appealed mostly to the affluent members of society and environment advocates because buying and installing solar power equipment can cost $15,000 for an average-size home before any current starts to flow a John Greenwald wrote in his article for Time magazine (Greenwald, 1993). Advance studies and research, however, are trying to lower the cost of installation so that this could be accessible to more people.   The technology in harnessing the potentials of solar energy is getting better and cheaper with the passing years.   The price of photovoltaic cells that convert sunlight to electricity has fallen from $500 a watt in the 1960s to about $4 in the 1990s and companies are still finding ways to reduce the cost for residential use (Greenwald, 1993). As the technology is getting better, support from the federal government are also coming in.   Jimmy Carter earlier created tax breaks to spur solar development but this was later scrapped by Ronald Reagan who viewed this as meddling in the energy business, which impeded the development of renewable energy for about 10 years (Greenwald, 1993). With the current situation of our environment, however, the government and the society in general recognizes the need and benefit from developing and improving solar energy. The use of solar energy for electricity is not a farfetched idea as the technology has gone through vast improvements.   Researchers believe that solar energy is soon going to play a major role in electricity generation for the masses.   Production of this on a larger scale are being studied and improved. Budget allocations for these research and studies are being increased in countries around the world signifying that people are finally recognizing the advantages of this renewable form of energy. Energy is needed to spur human activities.   Solar energy indeed poses promising potentials in a society where conventional sources of energy are near depletion.   Undeniably, the solar energy has its limitations, but these are slowly and surely overcome with technological advances and it will not be for long when this energy form will be produced in a larger scale and cheaper rate accessible for homes around the globe. WORKS CITED:    Clean Energy Ideas. http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/solar_panels.html Greenwald, John. Here Comes the Sun. 18 October 1993. Time magazine. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,979413-3,00.html A Brief Introduction to Solar Energy. My Solar Power at Home. http://www.mysolarenergyathome.com/ Natural Resources Canada. Renewable Energy. http://canren.gc.ca/tech_appl/index.asp?CaId=5PgId=121 Renewable Energy Wrecks Environment, According To Researcher. Inderscience Publishers. 25 July 2007 http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/07/070724160209.htm

The role of the European Parliament

The role of the European Parliament INTRODUCTION The division of powers among an executive, a legislature and a judiciary (Montesquieus tripartite system, The Spirit of Laws, 1748) is the common feature of the national democratic systems. The Parliament/National Assembly as a voice of the people can be considered as the institution that legitimizes system as a whole. Every country has its own parliamentary system, recognized and identified by the citizens. The European Parliament as the EU level legislature was created on the model of its counterparts. However its perception is significantly different. One can compare the internal organization of both, national and European Parliament, status of their members or party system but what undermines all the comparisons is the context in which these bodies are placed. The role of the European Parliament is determined by the nature of the EU and its sui generis character ‘a political system on its own right. It decides on the role of the institutions, division of competences and in ter-institutional relations that differ from those at the national level. Lack of traditional government has a significant impact on the position of the European political parties within the system. There is no executive to identify with nor to oppose to. The European party system is based on two competing principals that posses different resources to shape behavior of ‘their MEPs [agents]- national parties and the European political parties. EU is very often contested because of the lack of the legitimacy. The importance of the European elections is diminished because of the lack of electoral connection with the public and dominance of the national issues (second order elections). The internal procedures as well as decision making process are too complex to be entirely understood by an average citizen. As a consequence there is a different environment for the parties to operate in at the national and the EU level. It generates diverse level of cohesiveness, abilities to control, sanctions and rewards. All these factors decide on the way political parties organize at each level collectively or individually and what are the incentives that determine their choice. Are they in fact weaker in the European Parliament if compares to those in the domestic parliaments in Europe? If it is the case what are the main reasons that make them weaker? Which of the lsquo;principals has more influence? I will argue that due to the different constitutional structure of the EU lack of government performance of the European parties is less apparent than those at the national level. As a consequence the incentives for collective party organization can be indeed considered weaker than it is a case for the domestic parliaments. However evaluation of these incentives cannot be oversimplified. These two levels are interlinked and mutually dependent. Growing cohesiveness within the political groups can be a merit of both: national and European party levels. Importance of the EP (especially after the Lisbon Treaty) draws more and more attention to what does happen in the EP. Its growing power provides national parties with additional incentives to organize collectively at the supra-domestic level in order to maximize effectiveness of their actions. Firstly I will emphasize the main features of the European party system, its structure, mechanisms and levels of collective organization. The first part will be divided in two sections: brief presentation of the nomenclature used in the context of the European parliamentary system and theory of two principals the system is based on. Secondly I will present common incentives for collective party organization, that can be found at both levels. In the third part, I will focus on European dimension of these incentives. Forth part will contain a comparative analysis of two levels: national and European presenting the main differences. Given to the information, presented in the prior chapters, in the fifth one, I will answer what determines voting behavior of the MEPs and internal-party cohesiveness. In the last, sixth part, I will come to concluding statements. I. EUROPEAN PARTY SYSTEM STRUCTURE AND MECHANISMS Structure of the party system in the European Parliament is characterized by its multiplicity of organization levels and actors involved. First of all there are national party delegations which join the European political parties (transnational parties or Europarties) which then create European political groups. These two first levels may result in third although less official one at which political groups cooperate together in order to minimize the influence of other political groups or to build a common front against the other EU institutions such as the Council or the European Commission. Thus one could describe internal organization of the European Parliament as two and a half or three level transnational party system (see Figure 1.1). I.1. DEFINITIONS The European party system is characterized by the complexity of nomenclature which needs to be clarified in order to understand the party organization. Starting from the first component of the structure. National party delegations can be defined as entities within the transnational parties in the EP consisting of MEPs from the same national party. Transnational parties are the group [s] of representatives within a given institution that typically come from the same party family. According to Lindberg et al., in the EP, these transnational parties are also commonly referred to as (transnational) party groups. However, it has to be mentioned that these transnational parties, albeit they create transnational political groups, they are not the equivalent of the latter. In most cases political groups are composed of more than one political party. Not every MEPs belongs to the party that creates the group unaffiliated members. Political groups are not allowed to take part in the campaign for the European elections and cannot be established if the proposed membership consists of MEPs from only one member state. Functioning and organization of the European parties has its legal basis in the Regulation (EC) No 2004/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 4 November 2003 on the regulations governing political parties at European level and the rules regarding their funding. I.2. TWO PRINCIPALS THEORY The principal-agent theory is frequently used by the scholars to describe the relations among the actors involved in the EU policy-making process, namely: institutions and members states. The central problem analyzed [in this theory] is that one actor (the principal) needs to delegate tasks and resources to another actor (the agent) who will take action on behalf of the principal but who has interests and objectives of his or her own. Agent cannot observe the actions of its principal, thus its control abilities are very limited. It creates a serious incentive problem and a necessity of the sanction mechanism to ensure expected outcomes. Principal-agent interaction applies also to the European Parliament. There are two party principals that possess specific resources to shape the behavior of their MEPs. Quality of these resources determines the influence and efficiency of the principals. National parties (principal 1) can use their control of candidate reselection and their control of the process of European elections to influence whether an MEP is elected to the parliament in the first place. European parties (principal 2), in turn, can use their control of resources and power inside the parliament to influence whether an MEP is able to secure his or her policy and career goals once elected. What does the two-principal theory mean for the effectiveness of the European party system? What does it say about the interactions within the system? According to David Marquand, European party system, in order to be fully democratic and effective has to be based on Europe des partis where politics is structured through a party system, and not on Europe des patries where politics is structured around national identities and governments. It would guarantee a higher level of internal cohesiveness and secure the policy objectives. In the European Parliament, there is however a significant pressure from the national parties which may have a strong impact on the final decisions of one MEP or another. When the power of the EP is at stake, MEPs have strong incentive to vote together to acquire more power relative to other EU institutions , to ensure a counterbalance. However, the national parties may be encouraged to exert more influence over their MEPs because of the growing legislative power of the EP. Hence, it can be argued that there will be an increased intervention by national parties to control the activities of their European re presentatives. The functioning of the EP depends to a great extent on the interactions between two principals and the influence of one or/and the other. These interactions are, in turn, determined by a lot of factors. Among the others one can mention: issue covered, circumstances, institutional context and strategies applied by the particular groups. Different incentives offered by them evoke different behavior. Incentives for collective party organization can be common for both levels: national and European, separate or may create a sort of   toolbox of the incentives that are taken out of the box, when there is such a need. II. COMMON INCENTIVES FOR COLLECTIVE ORGANIZATION Collective organization is one of the concept which can be applied to a lot of spheres of political and social science. It refers to the logic of collective action of Mancur Olson and its theory of groups. The main purpose of the collective organization is to reduce transaction costs of what can be achieved by joining the group whose members share the same interests. The most evident form of collective organization in political parties context is the coalition-building. According to John H. Aldrich, political parties are institutional solutions created by rational utility-maximizing legislators to reduce the transaction costs of collective decision-making and solve the internal collective action problems they face in the legislature. There are two main common incentives for collective organization: reduction of transaction costs and solution for collective action problem. Building a coalition is a very time-consuming and demanding process that includes the costs of putting together a proposal, identifying coalition partners and forging a compromise acceptable to a sufficient majority. Going through all these stages every time a party looks for an ally is too risky and does not guarantee sufficient level of influence after all. The existence of political parties reduces these costs by allowing the actors concerned to ‘pre-pack like-minded legislators and form more stable coalition patterns. Coalition-building solves also the problem of collective action in decision making process. Through organizing themselves into a majority party, legislators can receive a higher pay-off in terms of policy then they could achieve as individual legislators. Being a part of a majoritarian coalition is the only way to have enough influence in order to pass a legislation that would secure the policy objectives. Every coalition, once built, has to be cohesive, otherwise it will not play its expected role. Voting behavior of the coalition members determines its power and effectiveness. Transnational character of the political groups, however, can easily impede the internal cohesiveness. There two groups of the reasons that can be mentioned. First one, having its sources in systemic differences as to the political culture, traditions, habits, mentalities, political scene stability (bi- or multipolar), level of dependence on national authorities, attachment to domestic parties, importance of national issues etc. Second one concerning individual features such as personality, knowledge about the issues concerned, language barrier which can hinder the access to informal source of information as well as the informal inter-MEPs relations. The list of the reasons is not exhaustive one. It shows, however, the importance and influence of the national system on the behavior of the MEPs who have been brought up by each particular system. The question arises what can be done in order to ensure a satisfactory level of cohesiveness? What are the instruments that can be used to control voting behavior? The EU party system does not have such an advanced sanction mechanism as it is the case in the domestic parliaments in Europe. Therefore, establishing party leadership seems to be the most effective, if not the only one, solution to compensate this deficiency. There are two possible scenarios that can be applied by the parties. According to the first one, parties can establish a transnational party together with like-minded legislators in order to reduce transaction costs of legislative decision-making. There is no centralized party group leadership and collective action problem of maintaining party unity can be solved through repeated actions. Alternative option assumes the establishment of party group leadership with monitoring capabilities and disciplinary power. These two scenarios give the legislators incentives to fo rm transnational parties at the European level in order to increase their influence over policy outcomes. Apart from having influence on policy-making ‘policy seeking incentive, scholars distinguish two others: ‘re-election and ‘office-seeking. Together, they form a sort of the incentives triangle which defines the collective party organization (see Figure 2.1). It depends on the particular system which incentive is more likely to be used. In the domestic parliamentary system ‘re-election is particularly important one due to a great impact of national parties on future career of their MEPs. It has to be born in mind, that this incentives triangle is characterized by mutual dependence on the one hand and inequality on the other. According Thorsten Faas, their relations can be described ‘clear lexicographic order. He underlines importance of re-election goal as the one that decide on the existence of the two others. ‘Without re-election, there is neither office, nor policy. It confirms the importance of the domestic parliamentary system and preliminary incentive it offers. Once, however, re-election is achieved, it creates further incentives that can be applied at the EU level. III. INCENTIVES FOR COLLECTIVE PARTY ORGANIZATION AT THE EU LEVEL ‘Transnational parties are (†¦) a product of national parties, who created and sustain the transnational parties to serve their own policy goals in the European Parliament. Thus, it is in the national parties interest to ensure the cohesiveness in once created supranational platform. ‘Each national party is unlikely to obtain its policy objectives by acting alone. They need an access to transnational level which would open a ‘window of opportunity through which they could pass their goals. Transnational parties ‘help national parties and MEPs, structure their behavior. These two levels of party organization are characterized by interdependence based on mutuality of interests and benefits. National party as an essential subcomponent of transnational party on the one hand. Transnational party as a useful platform and a source of behavior structure on the other. Apart from these inter-related incentives, falling partially in Principal 1 and Principal 2 resources, one can mention other, reserved only for MEPs once they have been elected (See: II.2. Two principal theory; Principal 2). The most important one is allocation of leadership position within the EP. Party groups ‘control important assets within the EP such as committee positions, rapporteurships for writing legislative reports, and plenary speaking time. ‘The most salient reports are allocated to the most loyal MEPs. Another incentive, however less important, is the control of the parliamentary agenda by the MEPs. They do have an influence on what can be included in the agenda, but they cannot decide on whether one issue or another can be kept of the agenda. The larger party group is, the greater influence on allocation of leadership position and agenda control it has. Using the allocation position power as well as (limited) agenda control one can argue that European poli tical groups are able to ‘enforce party line and mobilize its members to unified voting. While analyzing incentives for collective party organization at the EU level, institutional context has to be mentioned. Behavior of the institutions and their members is to a great extent determined by inter-institutional competition. Each of them seeks to preserve its position on the institutional arena and ensure its influence on the issues concerned. In other words, the inter-institutional competition system is based on counterbalance mechanisms that help the institutions prevent the dominant position of one of them. This is the case also for the European Parliament, whose power has been systematically enforcing by the treaties, moving the EP form its position of purely consultative body (Treaty of Rome) and to the one of an active player the decision-making process (veto power). The ordinary legislative procedure introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, entered into a force in 2009, makes the role of the EP even more significant. Collective organization within the EP as well as voting c ohesiveness help the EP to reduce the importance of two other institutions, namely the Council and the Commission. Another level of the competition which is very present in the EP concern party groups. Inter-party group competition determines voting behavior within the groups increasing cohesiveness. It is in the interest of the political groups to ensure a strong position vis à   vis other groups. Following the general rule bigger can more, creating bigger and more influential platform enables the groups to be more competitive and to constitute a counterbalance to the others. As S. Hix et al. argue, ‘the incentive to form and maintain powerful transnational party organization is fundamentally related to political competition inside the European Parliament (†¦) It pays to be cohesive because this increases a partys chance of being on the winning side of a vote and thus to influence its final outcome. IV. DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INCENTIVES IN DOMESTIC PARLIAMENTS IN EUROPE AND IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS Among the consequences of the distinct nature of the nation state on the one hand and the European Union on the other (see: Introduction, pp. 1-2) one can find differences between incentives for collective party organization accessible at both levels. The reasons maybe divided into groups which touch upon different aspects: nature of the European election, re-election capabilities, sanction instruments, constitutional structure and general perception of political parties performance at both levels. Domestic parliaments are perceived as the ones that offer their deputies more incentives than it is the case of the European Parliament, where ‘the role of the political parties is much less apparent.Reif and Schmitt coined the term of ‘second-order national elections to underline the importance of the national issues in the election campaigns in Europe. One can also mention very low turnout, ‘weak electoral connection between citizens and European legislators, no ‘brand name at the EU level ‘since candidates do not use a common European label, but the label of their national party. Taking into account these factors, ‘the nature of elections does not [seem to] provide an incentive to act within a cohesive party group that is as strong as in genuine national election. Internal functioning of the EP shows an important role played by the national electoral systems as well as strong a ‘connection between the MEPs and their national parties. The national parties constitute ‘the main aggregate actors in the European Parliament. There are lots of aspects justifying this statement. These are the national parties that nominate the candidates to the European elections. They decide also ‘which of their MEPs will be returned to the European Parliament. ‘National party leaderships have a dominant influence on the future career prospects of the MEPs, both within and beyond the EP. National parties decide which of their MEPs they will support for key committee position and offices inside the parliament and also whether MEPs will be chosen as candidates for national legislative and executive office. There is a clear list of incentives and goal that may be achieved. The most important one is ‘re-election. The lack of this particular incentive to offer at the EU level weakens significantly the position of transnational parties in comparison to their national counterparts. Level of the voting cohesiveness determines the effectiveness of the transnational groups once they are established. It decides if they are able or not to ‘ensure political accountability and consistent decision-making.Domestic parliamentary systems have at their disposal greater sanctions for the behavior contradictory to the party lines. Taking into account what national parties can offer, there is too much to lose if one decide not follow their instructions (cost and benefits analysis). One of the relevant instruments available at the domestic level is the confidence vote attached to a legislative proposal. It can be used by the governmental party or coalition in order to ensure (party) voting cohesion.On top of that, ‘the cabinet, with its prerogatives in the legislative process, is formed along partisan lines and the portfolios are distributed by party leaders. It shows that political parties ‘are crucial at all stages of the making of public policy. The sanctions mechanism within the European Parliament is developed enough to exert an effective influence on voting behavior of the MEPs. There are two instruments which has to be mentioned. Political groups can control their members through ‘whips or by ‘group coordinators in case of the committees. The second one at the disposal of the political groups is ‘the ultimate sanction of expelling an individual MEP or national party delegation from the group. However, political groups make use of this possibility only in extreme cases.Decision of the expulsion ‘has to be supported by a majority of all MEPs in the group and is only credible if expelling the party would not weaken the political group compared with its opponents in the parliament.Importance of the available instruments is limited by their rather theoretical dimension. If we assume that the transnational parties are responsible for the growing cohesiveness within the political groups, the threat of us e of the sanction itself should be sufficient in order to ensure an obedience of the MEPs. However, if these are the national parties which determine the voting behavior, these sanction instruments lose their raison dà ªtre and should be regarded as rather simple provision. Differences between two levels concern to a large extent the constitutional structure. The one of the EU ‘does not (†¦) resemble the structure of a parliamentary system.First of all, there is no traditional government to support, discredit, refer to: identify with or oppose to. No executive ‘which can enforce party unity via a vote of confidence.Only possibility at the EPs disposal is ‘the power to vote the European executive (the Commission) through vote of no confidence. However, the necessary majority (two-thirds majority of the votes cast, representing a majority of the component MEPs, art. 234 TFEU) is very difficult to achieve. Furthermore, the Commission ‘[is not] recruited from a majority coalition within the EP.It has no power to dissolve the Parliament, even for the budgets rejection which would normally have happened in the national systems. One can say that both positive and negative incentives from the part of the ‘executive are very li mited. Nothing to be afraid of and nothing to strive for. Performance of European political groups is weakened by limited abilities of agenda control (in comparison to the domestic parliaments). ‘No transnational party can use agenda control powers in order to keep policy issues which divide the party from arising in the legislative decision-making process (†¦) even if [this particular party holds] a sufficient majority of votes'(see Section III, p. 7). It is the European Commission that has an exclusive right to initiative. The European Parliament can only submit the proposal for legislative act, which then is considered by the Commission. The same applies to the transnational parties in the Council. Thus, Lindberg et al., argue that ‘partisan control of the legislative agenda is only possible if a political camp dominates all three legislative bodies in the EU, namely: the Commission, the Council and the Parliament. Table 1 Party effects on legislative decision-making National parties Transnational parties Electoral arena Selection of representatives European Parliament Yes No Council Yes No Commission Yes No Legislative arena Legislative organization European Parliament Mixed Mixed Council No No Commission No No Intra-institutional decision-making European Parliament Yes Yes Council Mixed Mixed Commission No No Intra-institutional decision-making Mixed Yes (preliminary evidence) Source: B. Lindberg, A. Rasmussen, A. Warntjen, ‘Party politics as usual? The role of political parties in EU legislative decision-making, Journal of European Public Policy, Volume 15, Issue 8, 2008, p. 1114. V. DETERMINANTS OF THE VOTING COHESIVENESS INSIDE THE EP Different factors that determine the voting behavior inside the EP refer us to the theory of two principals mentioned in the second part (see pages 3-4). Which of them has a greater impact on how the MEPs vote: national parties of transnational groups? What does prevail: national loyalty or partisan alignments? Do they necessarily oppose to each other? One can assume that MEPs take their decision being well informed and fully aware of the context of the decisions, their content as well as their consequences. However, a significant part of them are being taken without this knowledge and rationally based analysis. Instead of it, other factors influence the MEPs and their final decision. Three of them seem to be the most important. First, personal relations among the MEPs established as a result of socialization. It concerns especially those first-time elected deputies who are not very familiar with organizational structure of the EP. They are often forced to rely on somebody else while taking the decision. Somebody who, for different reasons, they decide to trust while taking decision. Second, content of the issue discussed and its impact on a vote. If the outcome of the decision is particularly important from a countrys perspective, one could expect that MEP to be well informed about the issue. Then probability that he or she will vote in accordance to the national party line is higher, either. Third, time the decision is taken. One can argue that MEPs are more likely to vote in line with their European party/political group when the leadership positions have not been allocated yet. In other words, it is difficult to apply the well know rule of ‘stick and carrot if the carrot does no longer exist. ‘Despite frequent criticism of the lack of strength of the EP party groups, it is shown that they achieve relatively high and rising levels of cohesion.However, there is no clear answer on ‘whether it is mainly the transnational or the national parties that act as the principals of the MEPs.At least three observations can be made to show the relations between them. First, ‘national political parties make up the European parties strategically choose to vote together and impose discipline on their MEPs even when their preferences diverge. Doing so, they want to secure their ‘long term collective policy goaland not necessarily ‘the immediate outcome of particular vote.Second, MEPs rarely vote against the European party line. Mostly because a ‘high level of consensus between European political groups and national parties rarely forces them to make that choice. Third however, if the conflict between two principals appears they will chose the national on e. One can say that ‘MEPs are ultimately controlled by their national parties rather than European political groups. Importance of the national actors in determining the cohesion of the European parties depends on ‘how closely [nation parties] follow Parliamentary debates and how often the offer guidance to their own members. The national parties are more likely to be directly involved ‘when they are opposed to the group vote or when the issue is of particular national concern.Voting against the majority within the political group does not simply pay if the rate is not high enough. The same applies for the roll-call voting where votes (Yes, No, Abstain) are published in the parliaments official minutes.Votes that are usually taken by roll call concerns decision of rather political nature (not technical one). It gives an extra incentive to ‘show loyalty to the European political groups. Existing studies of roll-call voting confirm this statement showing that ‘MEPs are likely to vote along transnational party lines than national lineswhen such a method is applied. ‘Though the Parliament is organized

Success Of The Coca Cola Company

Success Of The Coca Cola Company This report is to investigate Coca Cola Company. On this coursework I will look at the company on all aspects from their business functions, organisational structures to the companys objectives. I would have to look at the departments within the business and the functional areas within these departments, also look at the different management styles within the business, looking at the organisational structure, the communication used within the business, and the impact of ICT on the organisations communications. The Coca-Cola Company is the worlds leading manufacturer, marketer and distributor of non-alcoholic beverage concentrates and syrups. Along with Coca Cola, the worlds best known brand, The Coca Cola Company markets four of the worlds top-five soft drink brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta and Sprite. Throughout the world, no other brand is an immediately recognizable as Coca Cola. With operations in more than 200 countries, a diverse workforce comprised of more than 200 different nationalities, communicating in more than 100 different languages, The Coca Cola Company is part of the fabric of life in each of the communities they serve throughout the world. It operates as a local business partner, providing quality in the marketplace, enhancing the workplace, preserving the environment and strengthening the community. Coca-Cola is the most popular and biggest-selling soft drink in history, as well as the best-known product in the world. Coca-Cola was invented in May 1886 by Dr. John S. Pemberton in Atlanta, Georgia. The name Coca-Cola was suggested by Dr. Pembertons bookkeeper, Frank Robinson. He kept the name Coca-Cola in the flowing script that is famous today. Coca-Cola was first sold at a soda fountain by mixing Coca-Cola syrup with carbonated soda in Jacobs Pharmacy in Atlanta by Willis Venable. During the first year, sales of Coca-Cola averaged nine drinks a day, adding up to total sales for that year of $50. Since the years expenses were just over $70, Dr. Pemberton took a loss. Today, products of The Coca-Cola Company are consumed at the rate of more than one billion drinks per day. In 1893, Coca Cola was registered in the United States and then further investment was put into it to expand the business. To handle the enormous capacity of its business, the Coca Cola Company has divided up into six operating units: Middle and Far East Groups, Europe, The Latin America Group, The North America, The Africa Group and The Minute Maid Company. The Head Quarters is situated in the United States. The country that Im going to be concentrating on is the United Kingdom and how the company works in the U.K. Action Plan I drew up this action plan as a guide to prioritise what information I need to complete this report. The method of research I will use the most on this report will be secondary research such as the annual reports, etc. Coca Colas Ownership ===================== The Coca Cola Company is a public limited company . They offer shares to the general public through the company. It is mainly larger companies such as Coca Cola that are public limited companies. The advantages of a public limited company are: * Shareholders have limited liability * The sale of shares enables larger sums of money to be raised * While the company has this money permanently, the individual owners can recoup their money by selling their shares to others * Directors may be brought in as experts in certain fields * Produce goods at lower unit cost * Due to their size they can benefit from economies of scale, e.g. bulk buying, cheaper borrowing The disadvantages of a public limited company are:  · There are a number of legal requirements to fulfil in setting up a company  · Regulations mean that a company is more expensive to set up than a sole trader or partnership, although the cost may be as little as  £100, and some already registered companies can be bought off the peg  · The accounting of a company is less private than for other forms of organisation  · The company could become to large resulting in poor labour relations  · There could be a conflict of interest between shareholders and the Board of Directors  · Possibility of takeover or merger because shares can be bought by anyone Coca Cola also have limited liability as they are a public limited company. A limited company is owned by its shareholders. There is no legal maximum to the number of shareholders. There are two forms of Limited Liability Company in the UK, the Private Limited Company (Ltd) and the Public Limited Company (Plc). The essential difference, between the two, is that the Private Limited Company can not legally offers its shares to the general public, therefore this form of company is usually associated with family run businesses. Whilst the Public Limited Company can sell its shares to the general public on the Stock Exchange, providing the potential for far greater finances to be raised. The owners of a limited company are referred to as its members, or shareholders. An individual can become an owner of the business by purchasing shares in that business. When the profits of the business are distributed to shareholders, they are distributed in the form of a dividend. The value of the dividend is decided upon not by the owners, but by the Directors of the business. Some shareholders had invested their life savings and not only lost their money, but their homes, limited liability was designed to protect shareholders from this mistake, but the key motive was to ensure that large projects could continue to raise capital. Coca Colas Objectives of the Company Mainly all companies objectives are to survive, maximize their profits and to expand their business, however, from when Coca Cola had started, over the years they had achieved these objectives. So the company have come up with six strategic objectives to provide the company with a framework for the companys success. In 2003, every function of The Coca-Cola Company integrated these priorities into their business plans. And this year, they will continue to establish these priorities, and their benefits into every aspect of the business. Coca Colas Six Strategic Priorities ==================================== 1. Accelerate carbonated soft-drinks growth led by coca cola Coca Cola leads with their strengths. Carbonated soft drinks remain their most profitable business and Coca Cola is the most popular brand in the world. This strategy paves the way for growth. 2. Selectively broaden our family of beverage brands to drive profitable growth Enormous opportunity exists in categories such as juice and juice drinks, bottled water, teas, energy drinks, coffee and more. 3. Grow system profitability and capability together with our bottling partners Coca Cola is a company of relationships, and one of our most important relationships is the one we share with our bottling partners. In 2003, those relationships became more profitable and productive. 4. Serve customers with creativity and consistency to generate growth across all channels We will continually strive to increase growth for the customers businesses, helping create a context for the companys growth. 5. Direct investments to highest-potential areas across markets Coca Cola tailor their business approach to the individual marketplace based on its stage of development. In this way, we direct our investments in a way that makes the most business sense. 6. Drive efficiency and cost-effectiveness everywhere By leveraging technology, creating alignment across business units and achieving economies of scale, we are able to operate with more efficiency. To maximise profits enables the company to enhance the business, to expand the business, allow business to take over another business, buy new machineries, and pay more dividends to the shareholders. Enhancing the business means to upgrade the business in a sense that a business buys new Computers, new office equipments, new furniture, expand the office, employee more labor etc. These six objectives are just not the businesses objectives but they provide the framework for the companys success. They achieve these goals very successfully by striving for carrying out against a crystal clear strategy for success, and by doing so with an unwavering commitment to quality. Departments of Coca Cola Every organisation is made up of different departments, each of these departments help Coca Cola achieve their objectives. As Coca Cola is a large multinational company, the amounts of departments are huge. Each country has their own Head Office and departments. Coca Cola is geographically split into five geographic operating segments, also known as strategic business units (SBUs). The five SBUs are North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Eurasia and Middle East and finally Latin America. If all these departments perform in the correct way then that will continue the success of Coca Cola. There are 6 functional departments within Coca Cola, these are:  · Marketing  · Finance  · Packaging  · Sales  · Research and development  · Administration Marketing The Coca Cola marketing department at the Atlanta Headquarters develops core strategies for company brands to ensure that all communication is consistent in every market.With this cohesive effort, the Coca-Cola system maximizes its resources for market leadership and profitable growth. The marketing departments are responsible for marketing the products and advertising the products and promoting the products. If all these departments perform their duty firmly then the objectives of The Coca-Cola Company will meets. Finance The finance department of the Coca Cola Company is responsible for financial record keeping. This involves keeping records of money received and paid out. The financial records will be used to produce the annual reports for the shareholders so that they can see the company performance. The Finance department is also responsible for the management accounts of the business like marketing etc. The Coca-Cola Company finance department is also responsible for making budget of the company and for each department like marketing department or research and development department. They will also be involved in the planning process like taking over or any major decision. Packaging The packaging department of The Coca-Cola Department is responsible for the packaging of the products. They have to make the packaging attractive so that that product meets the eyes of the consumers. Bringing new products package is their responsibility. It works with the companies bottling partners to produce an attractive combination. Sales The sales department of the Coca Cola Company is to coordinate the selling program. They also have to make the distribution methods, etc. Also, decide how much to sell and how much to store in the warehouse and to choose the transporting method which is the most cost efficient and the quickest way. Research and development This department has their budget given by the finance department and their responsibility is to investigate new products. They work closely with marketing by looking at marketing research findings. They have to bring new products in the market for the change because the consumer cannot stick with the same old products. If necessary then they also have to improve the quality of the products. The Coca-Cola Company research department has done a lot of research and recently they have launched many new products like Diet coke with lemon, Fanta Tropical, Minute maids, Fanta raspberry, Fanta blue berry etc. Administration This department is essential for keeping the business going. They act as a help support of the company, it is not the central purpose the business but every business organization would need this department. Most businesses rely on administration to be organized. They deal with enquiries, give messages produce documents and give information to any customer. The complaints that this department will get would be transferred to the research and development department to make the product better or fix the problem that the consumer is having. These departments are the most important department of The Coca-Cola Company because they helps the company to meets the objectives of The Coca-Cola Company i.e. surviving, customer satisfaction and make more profits. As I said that the help desk department satisfies the customer by providing the information they needs and taking the complaints and passing to the research and development departments who improves the products. Management Styles There are four main types of management styles that each business would use. Coca Cola have four principles of citizenship that they would have to incorporate into the management style: * Provide quality in the marketplace * Enrich the workplace * Preserve the environment * Strengthen the community A management style is an overall method of leadership used by the manager. The Coca Cola Company use the following management styles, but each one in different departments. There are three main types of management styles used in businesses: Autocratic Where the leader makes all the decisions, there is no negotiation and is very prescriptive and there is little job satisfaction. However, the job gets done quickly and there is less conflict between different ideas. This style is hardly used among the company as they believe that the lack of input could lead to poor results. Autocratic does save a lot of time as quick decisions can be made and there is no time wasted on discussion resulting in the business saving time and money. Democratic This emphasises on group agreements to generate new ideas. There are two types of democratic management styles; democratic and consultative democratic. Democratic is where all the managers, junior managers and employees are involved in the ideas and final decision process. Out of all the workers, no-one has a higher level than the others n this management style. Consultative democratic This is where the managers allow the employees to make the ideas but the ideas are forwarded to the executives or the manager consults their team to make the final decision. Coca Cola applies consultative management style to the company more as there can be less conflict for what the final decision is. The advantage of this is that it helps to motivate staff as they are aware that they have a say in the company to some extent. The disadvantages of this that the process is very time consuming and effort will be needed by a manager to do this. Management encourages employees to set goals in line within the organization aims. There are reviewed regularly in performance appraisals. The advantages of this style are that it will increase efficiency of individuals and help to motivate them and train them so they are productive. The disadvantages of this are that it needs to be well organized and will not work in highly structured jobs. Democratic style is the management style that Coca cola adopts. This sort of management style involves empowerment. In this management style individuals and teams are given responsibilities and decisions to make, usually within a given framework. If anything wrong happens then the individuals and teams are then held responsible for the decisions that are chosen. With this type of management style it allows the manager to feel comfortable with other people in the organization making some of the decisions. Democratic managers will often want feed back from their employees on decisions being made. Democratic leaders listen and act on the opinions of the group. This type of management is good as it makes the employees happy and productivity is high. This is a very good method because employees thoughts and suggestions are listened to by the business. This makes the employees seem as if they are respected and that their thoughts are valid. Coca Colas Management by Objectives Management by objectives is a process of management that emphasises the role of leadership and communications in the organisation and control of the business. It is a method of managing managers rather than the workforce at large. The following shows how Coca Cola is managed, by the three basic elements in management that Coca Cola uses by the objectives:  · The identification of agreed goals by a manager and a subordinate  · The definition of the subordinates responsibilities in terms of agreed results  · The use of agreed goals and responsibilities to control the progress of the business Cultures Every business is made up of different cultures and the cultures that are present within the business depend on the management style and the organisational structures that are used. The different types of structures are: Role Culture- This is best suited to a hierarchy organizational structure. This type of culture works best by every employee playing the role that he or she has been predetermined and corresponds with the rules and regulations of the business Task Culture- This culture encourages people to work as a team; this works best in a star structure. Power Culture- This works well in a matrix structure. It is based around one dominant individual/leader. Person Culture- this culture focuses on providing administrative help and support and close attention to one person in the organization. Role culture is the culture that Coca Cola adopts. This is where all members have a defined job or role to carry out. Role culture is normally split up into a number of functions that are organized in a hierarchical way. Coca Cola would divide themselves into various functions like accounts, marketing and production. These also have hierarchical ordering of office examples of these are production director, production managers, supervisors, technicians, operatives etc. This type of culture works by logic and rationality. Role culture is mainly used in large organization. In this culture position in the main source of power and rules and procedures are the main source of influence. They also use task culture s the employees from the I.T department might have to work together to teach their goal or target Management style of Coca Cola. If the culture of the business is not good, it can affect the number of absenteeism and punctuality. This means that if Coca Cola had a hard and unfriendly culture it can force their staff not to come to work because they might be picked on every day by other staff members, or they might not like the work they are given so they either come in late or take a day of work. This would result in the business losing out on work, and have less time to call in for a replacement. The culture of Coca Cola could have an affect on industrial relations, between managers and workers. So if Coca Cola didnt have a warm and genial culture it would cause more disagreements between staff and managers and staff would not be motivated to work, for example, staff may have to cut down on rest days, this could cause arguments as all staff would be tired from working everyday and would not have time to recover or spend it with their family. However, if the company had a warm culture then the managers and staff would get very well as staff would have less stress to compete with and would have a friendly environment to work in without having someone constantly shout out at staff. Organisational Structure Every business works using an organisational structure, this means that the organization has its staff organized in a certain way depending on the staff, their responsibilities and whom they must report to. Cultures and management styles play a massive part in organizing the structure. As the Coca Cola Company is a large multinational company, it is made up of many organizational structures, these are broken down into the different units that are located around the world, which are; North America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Eurasia and Middle East and finally Latin America. Each unit is then organised into their own organisational structure. The following structure shows the Coca Cola Company in the Great Britain. Then each of the different departments has their own structure. Marketing Organisational Structure The structure of the marketing department is quite simple and is equally spaced out. It is a formal structure, which means that it has limited communication channels, the arrows show the flow of communication, it is mainly vertical flows of communication. You can easily see no problems in this structure as the span of control is spaced out and can easily be managed. Measuring Coca Colas Success Measuring Cola Colas success can be easily done. Their success can be seen by the quality of its product and its sales figures. At the current day, Coca Cola lead by having the most popular and most consumed soft-drinks in the world. The information that the company can use to measure their success can be many of the following:  · Sales figures In 1984, 77 of Coca Colas operating income came from soft drinks. Today the figure is 97. * Market share Coca Cola, in 2000, took up 20.3% of the following drinks. The chart shows that 89% of sales come from soft drinks, 50% of the soft drinks sales come from Coca Cola. Market Share of 2000 Coca-Cola Classic 20.3% Pepsi 13.9% Diet Coke 8.6% Mountain Dew 7.1% Sprite 6.5% Dr. Pepper 6.2% Diet Pepsi 4.9% Seven-Up 2.0% Minute Maid Orange 1.5% Others 29% Total 100%  · Questionnaires questionnaires can be used to ask people their views on Coca Cola and their products. The various that can be asked is about the prices of the product, the quality of it, etc. this information then can be assessed to see if the company is doing it. The Company delivered solid results in 2003. They continued to work hard to re-activate the Companys considerable historical advantages: Our geographic reach, our wonderful brands, our range of packages, our financial strength, our ability to make connections, our marketing and our innovation capabilities The company is never satisfied, but they always make solid progress. In 2003, the company grew profitable carbonated soft-drink volume, led by Coca-Cola branded beverages. They had expanded the range of juices and juice drinks, teas, sports drinks, waters and other noncarbonated beverages that they offer around the world. Also, they had improved their focus on building brands and working with customers and bottling partners worldwide. The Coca-Cola system is working more effectively today, for consumers, customers, bottlers and our share owners, than it has in a very long time. Use of ICT in the business Internal ICT Communications used by Coca Cola Coca Cola use ICT to communicate both internally externally. This includes communication with:  · Employees Fax will be used to contact the employees because most employees will have a fax machine in their office or wherever they will be working  · Management If management need to be contacted then pagers would probably be the alternative to contact them, fax machine could be a factor as well.  · Customers The only ICT communication used by Coca Cola to contact customers could be E-mailing, they could E-mail customers different products or new sales etc.  · Distributors of Coca Cola They would probably be contacted by Video conference because the distributors are very likely to be from other countries rather then the country the business is trying to consumer the products from. Internal ICT Communications that Coca Cola use are: E-mail E-mail will save a lot of time within the business if everybody would start emailing instead of calling a meeting. Coca Cola staff has programs installed on their computers, which tells them once they have received E-mail. This lets them communicate quickly with one another. Staff within Coca cola has access to a computer where they can E-mail. The disadvantage of this type of communication is that it is quite expensive, as it would have to be on all day long. The advantage of this is that it is fast and information can be passed on quickly. They can avoid the disadvantage by having broadband where you pay a certain sum for unlimited access. Fax Faxing allows people to have copies of documents they may require. Faxing is similar to emailing. But you do not receive the messages on a computer but a fax machine. Messages can also be sent via fax to tell employees of urgent messages, meetings, memorandas, newsletters and import notices are amongst things that can be sent by via tax. The advantage of this is that import documents can be received quickly but the disadvantage could by that not everyone within the business would actually have a fax machine to use, or they may not look at it very often. these people to receive information wherever they are at whatever time. Pagers, in general are a good thing as it allows people to receive information on the move. A disadvantage of this would by that you cannot send long messages, all messages must be short, and this could lead to misunderstanding of messages. Words may be shortened and this may lead to more of confusion.

Human Gene Therapy Essay -- Genetics Science Biology Essays

Human Gene Therapy Imagine this, you have just married your college sweetheart this past summer. You have now been happily married for over a year and you find out that the two of you are going to be parents. So as the typical soon to be mom and dad so commonly do, the two of you start going to the doctor for checkups to make sure the pregnancy is running smoothly. Early in the pregnancy you hear the worst, your baby has a fatal disease. The two of you are terribly heart broken over the situation. You tell your doctor that abortion is out of the question because you do not believe in it. On the other hand the doctor hits you with the question, "What about gene therapy?" Unfortunately you and your spouse look dumbfounded at each other because you have no idea what the doctor just said. So, what exactly is Human Gene Therapy? Well, in the next couple of pages I am going to cover some of the basic ideas of human gene therapy, discuss some of the public debates, and wrap things up with my personal opinion. Gene therapy is basically genotypic pharmacology. This involves the use of factors which modify the genetic composition of a given cell or group of cells. As a result of the idea for human gene therapy, a new technique of treatment for many human diseases has been developed. The factors that contribute to the treatments are either gene products, or are capable of interacting with gene products, or have the ability to interact with gene products in an individual cell or a group of cells. The interactions of contributing factors to gene therapy success are extremely capable of regulating particular genes, which either directly or indirectly, leads to the cure of a disease. As a result of this interaction an eventual cure of th... ...e lifespan and population. So, I am going to leave you with these few words. Maybe the human race should be thankful for what we currently have and the limited time we have left on earth. To me a basketball game with no final whistle would have no meaning. So would immortality. References Rehmann-Sutter, Christoph "The Ethics of Human Gene Therapy." The Hastings Center Report, May 1999, v.29, 3, 43 Begley, Sharon. "Designer Babies. (altering unborn babies through gene therapy)" Newsweek, 9 November 1998: 61 (1) Friend, Tim. "Patient gets first MD gene therapy." USA Today 3 September 1999: A1 10/15/1999:http://www.boil.tsukuba.acjp/~macer/Papers/GTN95A.html 10/15/1999:http://piebald.princeton.edu/mb427/1997/students/therapy/main.html 10/15/1999:http://www.med.upenn.edu/ihgt/info/whatisgt.html 10/15/1999:http://www.med.upenn.edu/ihgt/info/topic1.html

World War II Essay -- History, War

World War II brought peace and economic prosperity to the Allied nations, which allowed for the fertility rate in North America to increase. This caused an explosion in the population of the U.S. especially, with around 78 million babies born by the end of the 1940s-1960s, according to Colombia Dictionary. Similarly, Canada experienced a surge of 479,000 babies following the 1950s (Henripin, Krotki 1). A large population amounts to a shift in demographics, and subsequently the social system of North America started to change gradually in order to adapt to the new baby boom generation. As a result of a new economic affluence in the continent, North American society became materialistic and consumerism seized a big part of the economy (Owram 309). Children became an important demographic for companies, leading to the toy industry benefitting and expanding (Gillion 5). Technology advanced considerably, too: in the 1950s, the television became a ground-breaking medium that helped people spread ideas, see what was going on in their country and the rest of the world, much like what the printing press did for the Renaissance. Although the post-WWII baby boom only occurred in a few countries, namely the U.S. and Canada, this time period transformed the West and the world immensely—the areas of life that were affected during the baby boom went on to greatly influence later generations and decades due to the change and reform it yielded, which replaced the outdated and unethical traditions of the old West and the world. Prevailing social and political attitudes of the baby boom were much more liberal than they were in the pre-war decades. Numerous social issues found their way into the spotlight, such as women's rights and the sexual rev... ...ame needs as an effect of consumerism on the baby boom generation. The same materialism of the 1950s conceived a new consciousness in the 1960s, equating to new values for the baby boom generation, such as self-actualization, social consciousness and tolerance. During the 1950s, the U.S. achieved the highest standard of living in the world, metamorphosing the working class into the new middle class (Monhollon xvi). The richest generation in North American history and the 21st century has left behind a plethora of valuable lessons that will not be forgotten soon. In conclusion, the baby boom, which lead to a long cycle of prosperity and growth in the post-WWII years is crucial because it redefined the traditional and rigid values people wrongfully harbored in the past and spearheaded dramatic change on a global level, bringing the West and the World closer than ever.

Fraudelence Personified :: essays research papers

Fraudulence Personified   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Pardoner is the best representation of an allegorical character in â€Å"The Prologue† of Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales. The Pardoner is the perfect personification of fraudulence. He shows this in three basic ways: his appearance, speech, and actions. If one just glances through the reading of the Pardoner than one will think that he is a good religious man, but if one look further into it than he will find the small double meanings that he is the exact opposite. Chaucer likes to use an allegorical style to add some comedy and sophistication to his writings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The comedy is most heavily used in the Pardoner’s description than in any other part of The Canterbury Tales. For example (page 135, line 712) â€Å"There was no pardoner of equal grace/ For in his trunk he had a pillow case.† When the words â€Å"no pardoner of equal grace† are used you are lead to believe that the Pardoner is a great man, but if you look back in the reading you will find totally different things. He is a dirty, immoral man that really does not have much grace. Another example of the sarcastic comedy is (page 135, line 727) â€Å"In church he was a noble ecclesiast. How well he read a lesson or told a story! But best of all he sang an Offertory, For well he knew that when that song was sung He’d have to preach and tune his honey-tongue That’s why he sang so merrily and loud.† Again the text seems to be saying he is a â€Å"noble ecclesiast† and that he likes to preach the word of God to others. If one looks at it closer one will find out that calling him a noble ecclesiast is a joke and that he only preaches and sings so that he can take the tithes for himself.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  There are quite a few examples of the Pardoner’s actions being the personification of fraudulence throughout lines 608-734. For instance (page 135, line 705) â€Å"He’d sewed a holy relic on his cap:/ His wallet lay before him on his lap,/ Brimful of pardon come from Rome all hot.† The relic sewed on his hat showed that he thought of himself as a righteous holy man, and that is one thing he was not. The wallet and the pardons was the most disturbing of his acts. Since he was holding his wallet on his lap, it shows that he is very interested in money.