Acquisition Strategy Essay

In today’s market it is very important for company’s to remain competive in order to maintain an edge over its competitors. The days that a company can rely on its reputation to continue making profits are gone. Today, everyone is looking to save money by buying less expensive items like economy brands, considering that the diffrences between the two products are similar and the features that are not offered are of little value. This will make a consumer buy the less expensive item. Like consumers, companies are also looking to save money and maximize profit. One way of doing this is through acquisition strategies. Combining the operations of two companies is a very good option for companies that are looking to stregnthening the company’s competincies and competitiveness, this will ultimately open new market opportunities (Gamble/Thompson, p. 119). The benefit of this type of strategy, unlike alliances, they do not go far enough for the resources needed and a very important factor, ownership. In the following paragraphs, I will give two examples of two different companies in different industries and explain how they will stregnthen their market position through acquisiton, to include resources and competive capabilities. The first example I will use it Wells Fargo & Co. results from the acquisition of Wachovia Corporation. During the economic crisis Wells Fargo & Co. acquired Wachovia Corp in a bail out to keep the bank from going under. At one point Wachovia was Wells Fargo’s competitor. After the acquisiton it made Wells Fargo a banking giant absorbing its competion. Earnings from that acquisition have earned Wells Fargo Financial & Co. a 21% earnings since the acquistion, reporting record profits. This acquistion has allowed them to gain market share, this was mostly created by winning new customers. Mortgage loans was the top earner and low rates and prices of homes falling to record lows has allowed the company to grow even in these tough economic times. Additionally, the acquisition of Wacovia Corp. moves Wells Fargo as the second largest bank, second only to Bank of America. The strategy has allowed them to acquire a larger share of the financial market. The second company I will discuss is DuPont Nutrition & Health and Applied BioSciences acquisition of Danisco Corp. Once a long time partner of DuPont, is a very good and proven company, is a good fit because of their proven market science business and offers clear synergy for them. The acquisition will make them the clear leader in industrial biotechnology with inovations in global challenges in food production and fossil fuel. This effort will position the company ahead of all rivals addressing dramatic growth in human population in the years to come. Danisco is well established company that has research and application capabilities. This will create a more cost efficient operation of the combined companies. The applications do not need to be duplicated, meaning their buying power will increase, administrative functions do not need to be replicated, and will further create more cost savings by downsizing. This acquisition will also allow them to enter new product categories, for example 65% of Danisco’s revenue comes from specialty foods, product substitution items such as sweetners and enablers. This will allow them to enter renewable materials and addressing food needs. In conclusion, I have discussed Wells Fargo & Co. , and how their acquisition of Wachovia Corp has allowed the company to gain a larger geographic coverage has helped it create a more cost efficient operation by allowing to cut overhead costs by elliminating duplicate processes. Second, DuPont Nutrition & Health and Applied BioSciences acquisition of Danisco Corporation has allowed DuPont has made them the clear leader in industrial biotechnology with inovations in global challenges in food production and fossil fuel.

Virtual teams

Any team whose members are not all physically under the same roof can be considered to be virtual, as long as the participants have complementary skills and knowledge that produce greater value when they work together than if they worked separately. A virtual team can be local, national, or global, with members from one firm or many. Teams can be made up of full-time, in-house practitioners or full- or part-time contractors.They are enabled by technology, which allows members to work from anywhere in the world with phone, Internet, and wireless access as long as hey produce work that meets the firm's and the client's standards of quality, and the client's deadlines. Social changes in the workforce are leading more and more employees to demand more and more control over how, when, and where they work. The result, which is gaining increasing traction, is a rise in lifestyle-driven virtual teams. 2417? Running to Gate 9? Who needs them.Especially when forward-looking employers can accom modate the needs and wants of talented, ambitious employees by creating lifestyle-driven virtual teams. This author describes how professional services firms hat can make this approach work will make them employers of choice. In recent years, professional services firms have watched as more and more senior talent, especially women with children, have left their employ. Many of these valued practitioners are not Jumping to other companies or starting up competing agencies.Rather, they are walking away from their careers (and in many cases high salaries) because their employers are unwilling or unable to provide them with the flexibility they need to balance their work and family lives. The decision is rarely an easy one, nd many women would have welcomed the opportunity to remain in the workforce if truly flexible options had been available. To stem the exodus, keep top talent, and remain competitive, professional services today must meet an imperative: They must create new arrangeme nts to accommodate talented practitioners who need more choice when it comes to how, when, and where they work.They must consider ways to ensure that working parents (especially women) do not have to work long hours or travel extensively, but instead have the flexibility they need to raise a family or care for aging parents. And with Canada expected to experience a labor shortage that could begin affecting employers as soon as 2020, having these new work arrangements in place will become increasingly essential to the delivery of high- quality professional services. This article will examine how adopting a virtual-team model can help organizations attract and retain that top talent.The article will first define virtual teams and explain why they are on the rise. It will then outline the various benefits of virtual teams (for both employers and employees) and look at some of their unique challenges. Finally, the article will outline best practices for esigning and implementing new wor k arrangements. VIRTUAL TEAMS DEFINED VIRTUAL TEAMS ARE ON THE RISE The popularity of virtual teams is being driven by social change. Women now constitute nearly one-half of the North American workforce, and in nearly one-half of households, all adults are working.As well, more working adults are pursuing educational opportunities to advance their careers; they therefore need the flexibility that a virtual arrangement provides. [l] When I was in the process of building my PR agency in 2008, I witnessed this social change first-hand and realized many senior omen were caught in an unnecessary and intractable dilemma: how to pursue a fulfilling and meaningful career while meeting the demands of their personal and family lives. I spoke with dozens of senior women in the industry who were torn between the need to put in long, billable hours at their offices and the need to tend to matters at home.Some told me that they sacrificed family time by hiring nannies and placing their children i n daycare. Others made career-limiting moves such as working four days a week or turning down promotions that would mean longer hours. And some of them left the workforce entirely or switched to less demanding careers because they were unable to balance their work and personal lives. Many women also told me they wanted to avoid lengthy, stressful commutes because of the time they took away from time spent their families.They talked about scrambling for childcare when a child was home sick from school or they had to work later than expected, and described missing important school functions and other milestones in their children's lives. Some also said they were frustrated by the traditional approach o â€Å"flex-time,† whereby practitioners work four out of five days, at a reduced annual salary. With this approach, five days' worth of work is often completed in four, which can actually add to workplace stress rather than reduce it.Talent is everything in professional services, and successful firms know that flexible work arrangements make them more attractive to a wider range of professionals. Recent studies have shown that flexibility is a growing trend. A 2011 U. S. study showed that the number of employees who principally work from home grew by 61 per cent between 2005 and 2009. 2] Two years earlier, Aon Consultings Benefits and Talent Survey reported that 97 per cent of organizations either planned to increase or maintain their use of virtual teams. 3] AN EMERGING APPROACH: LIFESTYLE-DRIVEN VIRTUAL TEAMS Once considered a way for companies to reduce overhead, the popularity of virtual teams is now being increasingly driven by employee demand. This is especially true in professional services firms, where both full-time practitioners and part-time associates or consultants are becoming more vocal about their desire to have approach to flexible workplace arrangements – a lifestyle-driven one that rewards esults over face time, so practitioners ca n maximize the time they devote to their personal lives.These lifestyle-driven virtual teams may not be a realistic option for all industries, or even all professional services firms, for example, those consulting firms that require staff to travel or be on site to meet with clients. However, the model can work for most professional services firms because much of their work is knowledge- based and often performed by individuals. As a result, it can easily be transferred to a home office with the right planning, processes and project management in place.When implementing this model, firms must also remove the focus on billable hours, and instead focus on the number of hours each associate wants to work – while planning project resources and compensation accordingly. This differs from the traditional model in which each practitioner must focus on billable-hour targets. For practitioners, there is some risk involved in using the virtual model, as they are not guaranteed a regula r pay cheque. Experience has shown, however, that some part- time practitioners who are compensated hourly actually earn more than they did as alaried employees, even while working significantly fewer hours.This is particularly true of practitioners whose quality work and outstanding client service make them an obvious choice for recurring account management roles and back-to-back projects. VIRTUAL TEAMS BENEFIT EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES EQUALLY In a 2010 study, 80 per cent of respondents said they were part of a team based in various locations, while 63 per cent indicated that nearly half their team members were located outside their home country. 4] Supported by technology, practitioners are able to be as efficient and engaged as they have ever been while keeping far reater control over their work schedules and environments. The traditional billable- hour-driven agency model often requires practitioners to work 60 or more hours a week. However, the lifestyle-driven virtual model per mits practitioners to be selective about their hours and often their projects, naturally making for a happier, more satisfied, and less-stressed practitioner.A company that can offer this kind of flexibility will find itself with better options when it comes to hiring and retaining talent, especially individuals with specialized knowledge and skills. This arrangement, hich encourages true balance, will also create more well-rounded employees who will bring their varied experience to projects and who will be motivated to remain in the workforce. Many practitioners will also find the benefits of this model Just as important as incentives such as paid vacation time, health benefits, and pension contributions.Indeed, it is hard to put a price on this type of flexibility. With the ability to bring on skilled team members when needed, professional services firms are better able to handle peak workloads, project work, and short-term assignments. For any particular project, they can hand-pi ck key team members from their roster of talent, regardless of where the individual is based. This means they can usually offer clients their â€Å"A team,† not whoever happens to be available.With infrastructure in place for teleconferences and other online collaboration, travel and other overhead expenses are reduced, if not eliminated. Margins improve accordingly and, most important, firms are able to offer a more family-friendly structure that attracts top talent who want to add balance to their working lives and still have a fulfilling and erformance is crucial to securing future projects. As a result, everyone is motivated to do their best and to collaborate effectively with other team members to produce quality work and results.ATTRACTING AND RETAINING A MULTIGENERATIONAL WORKFORCE For many practitioners, particularly those who embrace the philosophy that â€Å"work is something you do, not somewhere you go,† the increase in virtual teams is a welcome developmen t. This applies to the future workforce, too. A recent study by Dr. Alison Konrad[5] of the Richard Ivey School of Business found that undergraduate business tudents in her class (most of them women in their early 20s) yearn for a meaningful career that allows them to contribute to business and society while maintaining balance in their lives.In the study, students were asked what an employer could do to make their chosen career more attractive. The most frequent responses were flexible hours, the ability to work from home, no face time, and a family-friendly culture. Surprisingly, these are many of the same characteristics sought out not only by working parents but also by people nearing retirement and wanting to slow down heir schedules. Professor Konrad's study shows that employers who most closely meet the lifestyle demands of a multigenerational workforce are in the best position to attract and retain the most desirable talent.Executives must fully support the virtual structure and be aware of the potential challenges of managing a virtual team. They should consistently monitor the team's progress to ensure deadlines are being met and budgets are on track. 2. Choose the right team members. Individuals should be selected with a view to forming a successful team. Not all practitioners will thrive in a virtual environment. Those who are self-reliant and self-motivated will fare best. 3. Set expectations from the start. Articulate objectives and define team member roles up front to avoid the possibility f overlooking or duplicating aspects of the work.This is especially important given the geographical distance between members of a virtual team. 4. Implement strict protocols. Establishing protocols will ensure that each team member knows when and how quickly to respond to action items, and will determine the steps to take when a team member fails to do so. Team meetings should be run by a strong chair. People should be prompted to give their opinions as oppos ed to volunteering them. Digressions should be discouraged as they tend to disengage other team members. Multitasking during meetings should be prohibited. . Use proven processes.Teams need processes that govern the way they work and how the work will get done, from being aware of individual responsibilities and decision-making procedures to the consequences of poor work or missed deadlines. Virtual teams have little margin for error when it comes to project management, as problems can go unnoticed and grow into major issues. 6. Manage timelines and budgets carefully. Often a project budget will dictate the number of hours that can be charged to a client. Because freelance practitioners are paid according to the time they take, budgets can easily e exceeded if not properly monitored. . Establish meaningful project milestones. Milestones should be implemented to chart a project's progress and act as checkpoints for the timeliness and quality of virtual team work. 8. Encourage interac tion. Leadership must ensure that team members have some mechanism by which to develop strong working relationships. They should also bring team members together by organizing social functions every few months to help them build rapport. 9. Communicate more efficiently. Virtual teams can be connected by various technologies, including phone, email, instant messaging, as well as video and eb conferencing.Use more than one of these options so team members can choose the technology theyre most comfortable with. In addition, more communications do not necessarily mean better communication. Too many emails can lead to convey only relevant information, and to do so clearly and consistently. 10. Minimize team conflict. Although conflict can lead to better ideas and solutions, conflicts within a virtual team should be dealt with immediately, because they can escalate quickly. Virtual teams do not build rapport as easily as other teams, and managers may have to become more involved in confli ct resolution.

The Bermuda Triangle Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

The Bermuda Triangle - Essay Example The essay "The Bermuda Triangle" talks about the Bermuda Triangle, an area of the Atlantic Ocean, which has a mythical value as it is associated with the inexplicable disappearance of numerous vessels such as ships and airplanes passing through or over the area. The name emanates from the fact that the area is marked by a triangularly shaped border which connects Bermuda to Miami and then to San Juan back to Bermuda. It is believed that this section of the ocean is always busy with traffic, with commercial ships sailing through to places such as Europe, Caribbean and other ports in America while tourists fly over from Florida to Bermuda and other Islands in the vicinity and back using light airplanes. This section of the ocean is said to have numerous cases of strong currents, storms, and hurricanes during certain times of the year and this has been termed as the real reason as to why notable disappearances of vessels have occurred especially before the advancement in communication t echnologies, which are important in acquiring real-time information on the whereabouts of vessels cruising through the ocean or flying through the air. However, this has not helped much in changing the mythical identity of Bermuda triangle. The earliest allegation in this area was in 1950 by one Edward Winkle, who reported that there were mysterious disappearances, which could not be explained inhumanly possible terms. The disappearance of a Navy aircraft, Flight 19, in 1945 is cited as one of the most important historical events.

Revised pieces 2,3,4,5,and structured Research Paper

Revised pieces 2,3,4,5,and structured - Research Paper Example Nevertheless, the actions of Capone did not allow this Act, to be effective with the numerous illegal beer breweries that he carried out. Capone’s money, power and glamour are accompanied by ruthless activities which he engages in be it murder, violence so long as his goals are achieved. His violence is clearly seen in the St. Valentine’s Day massacre becoming one of the most horrifying events in Chicago’s history. A lump sum reward will accorded to any person who brings in any invaluable information to the authorities. Contact the address at the bottom of the page. Piece 4 board games The following game is to be played by following rules and instructions Paying rent on a utility if you throw a dice and it falls on a utility owned by another player, you pay him thrice the value of the property. Timing and trading, this can happen any time, but only when you are playing. Buying a mortgaged property when buying a mortgaged property you can pay for it later in the g ame or pay for it immediately. The game includes ladders that will help you in climbing as you gain more and more wealth. Every time your dice ends in square with a ladder use to climb up The game includes jail card you will get a jail card if you fail to pay on time for rent or mortgaged property. Owners of a property are required to pay taxes failure to which they will be sent to jail. The tax will be 15% of the value of the property. The more properties you the more taxes is required of you Piece 5 how to gain and keep power Be ironic; never trust your friends too much, learn how to make use of your enemies just like AL Capone who expressed his good intentions towards his enemies by sending them flowers during their funerals. Learn to keep your intentions to yourself because you may never know who will use them against you. Get other people to do the work for you, but take the credit. AL Capone maintained his power by providing what was needed by the majority that is the poor who depended on alcohol to absorb their sorrows away. Always learn to win people by your actions, Al Capone was always there to help people who were in need and therefore despite the evil side of Capone people could care less of his criminal activities. Capone was an elegant person who valued family; he always played the part of a self-made millionaire, whose actions did not depict anything unusual that would brand him a social misfit. Although Capone died many years ago living behind a character that is emulated by script writers for various movies. Piece 6 tabloid article Al Capone’s illegal nature started way back when he was a teenager, when he joined a criminal organization by the name five point gang. After he moved to Chicago, Capone’s involvement with Colosimo, a criminal gangster led him together with Torrio to expand operations after his death. In the 1920s, he had a booming criminal; an empire that included beer breweries, night club gambling organization and a prostitution circle. Although he was a criminal, he was considered a successful businessman though the means by which he gained that fame is questionable, which is a benefit of cheating your way up to power. His fame was accompanied by admiration by those who regarded him as a business tycoon rather than a criminal gang. Often the society forgets the criminal nature of

Effect of Mad Cow Disease Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Effect of Mad Cow Disease - Research Paper Example The key events that formed the world meat market in the last decade include the change in trade policy regimes ushered in by the 1995 Uruguay Round Agreement in Agriculture, the macroeconomic crises in Asia and the Former Soviet Union in 1998 and the series of animal disease outbreaks in major livestock producing regions in Asia and the European Union. However, these challenges have aided in stringent policies and regulations in this industry.  Mad Cow Disease is the common name for Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) that was first recognized in the United Kingdom in the year 1986. In simple terms it the name "mad cow disease" came because it affects a cattle's nervous system. It is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system of cattle. The main culprit of the cause of this disease is the rogue proteins, known as prions that reproduce inside the brain of the infected cow. Once the disease progresses, the brain attains a sponge nature and hence it is al so termed as "spongiform". In fact, BSE is categorized to a group of progressive, degenerative neurological diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies or TSEs. The other disease in this group includes scrapie, which affects sheep and goats and has symptoms similar to BSE. As of now, there is no cure for BSE (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008).  If we look at how BSE can have an impact on human. In humans, this disease is known as variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease or in short vCJD. The scientific community has still not found a cure for this disease and is fatal in nature (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). In the food industry, this disease has posed a significant threat and could seriously affect both export and domestic markets for cattle and cattle products. Additionally, it is also possible that it can have a serious impact on jobs and businesses in the meat industry and its various support industries. It could also have a consid erable effect on the tourism and hospitality industries. Since there is no cure for this disease, the only options are slaughtering the affected animal. Since its initial outbreak, the food industry has formulated various policies (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). One of the major problems with this disease is the identification of the affected animals. Contrasting the Foot and Mouth Disease that spreads rapidly if not controlled, BSE spreads comparatively slowly. Besides it is found that both BSE and its human counterpart, vCJD, have an unusually long incubation period. In other words, if a human is diagnosed with vCJD, it might be the result of eating infected animal probably up to twenty years earlier. This makes tracking the disease source much more difficult (Department of Primary Industries and Water, 2008). Mad Cow Disease is possibly one of the most significant food-safety-related issues to have troubled the hospitality industry in recent years. In the Unit ed Kingdom, where the disease was first identified and had extensive effects, the consequence for this industry has been characterized as catastrophic-yet little experiential facts support this.

Economy of Pakistan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Economy of Pakistan - Essay Example Country also faces the problems of illiteracy, and charges of Fiscal ineptitude. But despite such decelerating factors, Pakistan is on the path of growth with the new government of President Musharraf continuing with a reformist economic agenda, assisted by support from multilateral institutions. Pakistan's economic performance appears to be improving gradually. A thaw in the relations with India is also helping the country in economic progress. In the 2007 country profile Country-Watch points out that Pakistan is a developing nation with agriculture accounting for about 25 percent of its GDP, employing about 45 percent of the people (101). In recent years agriculture is declining as a percentage of total output with other economic activities picking up as well, but still agriculture sector remains the primary economic activity in Pakistan. A high annual population growth rate of two percent not matched with equal rise in opportunities and resources for the country, is also proving t o be a big drain on its economy. Growth of economy and business prospects in a country depend mainly on., macroeconomic factors, political stability, economic liberalization, human resource development index and levels of corruption in the country. A stable business environment requires normalization of the fiscal position, with an increased tax base and a more transparent allocation of resources. A stable government helps in infusing confidence amongst investors. Recognizing the need for liberalization, Government of Pakistan is moving to increase the pace of privatization of state entities, and is removing a number of qualitative and quantitative import restrictions. Financial sector is also seeing a reduction in state involvement with the onset of more and more private banks (EIU, 31). Thanks to such efforts, after several years of declining economic growth, owing to political upheavals, Pakistan has registered good growth rate since 2002. GDP grew 5.5 percent in 2003, 7.1 percent in 2004, and 7 percent in 2005. Such sustained growth also resulted in developing the human resource index as well. Development in human resources is also critical factor in judging a country for investment purposes. Pakistan, a country with less than 50% literacy is still in the process of attaining the ratings that its neighbor India has already acquired. In fact lack of such development has prevented Pakistan from joining India in the lucrative software develop ment, BPO and ITES sector (Country-Watch, 101). The human resources index suffers on account of high unemployment rate. A big percentage of Pakistan, especially women is unemployed because. EIU Statistics (40) point out that in 2000, the unemployment rate for young women was about twice that of the rate for young men. In 2005 the overall unemployment rate was 7.7 percent. The labor force grew at an annual average rate of 4.5% during the 1990s, but growth slowed to less than 3% in 2000-05. At end-December 2005 the labor force stood at 47.7m and the number of employed at 44m, leaving 3.7m (7.7% of the labor force) as unemployed. In addition there's substantial underemployment i.e. there are sectors like Agriculture which employ more people than are actually required. The agriculture sector has been the least tax paying one in this part of the subcontinent, due to couple of reasons ranging from lack of

Negative Factors Involving Surrogate Parenting Research Paper

Negative Factors Involving Surrogate Parenting - Research Paper Example There has been ongoing debate on the legality of surrogacy, whether it should be allowed, or not (Hatzis, 2009). This essay seeks to delineate the negative factors involving surrogate parenting and hence advocating for its prohibition. To begin with, a majority of the developed countries have denounced the practice of surrogate parenting. They include countries like Germany, France, Denmark, Great Britain, Canada, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Norway, and Australia. Germany and the United Kingdom are countries in which impose incarcerations on anyone found practicing surrogate parenting. Other countries have also developed commissions that inquire on surrogate parenting as a social menace. However, the United States unlike other developed countries has no sanctions as pertains to surrogate parenting. Many researchers have attributed this to adulation of personage rights and the protective approach to families (Markens, 2007). Surrogate parenting is an act against humanity. This was evident in a TV talk show where the issue on unwanted babies arose. These babies were referred to as unwanted when they were born physically challenged. Neither the surrogate mothers nor the donor parents accepted the child as their own. This was not until DNA was carried out and determined the genetic makeup of the child was similar to that of the husband of the surrogate mother. This is an act against humanity since a child born physically challenged should be given the love that is accorded to a normal child. Surrogate parenting incorporate segregation of disabled children an act that is not morally right (Stephenson, 2009). Additionally, surrogate parenting is a health risk to the surrogate parents. This is because the surrogate mother increases her chances of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease from the donor in the process of insemination. This occurs in situations where the surrogate mother is inseminated with

Judicial Process Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Judicial Process - Research Paper Example This has lead to juveniles being punished under adult criminal sentencing guidelines, which is more severe than in juvenile courts. considerable research work on juveniles in adult criminal courts have been conducted throughout time with others focusing on their character in courts, punishment outcomes in adult courts and comparing them to the juvenile courts. Juvenile Punishments in Adult Criminal Courts There have been varying conclusions into the degree of severity of the judicial outcomes, although, most concluded that the degree were less severe to those melted out to adult offenders. Juvenile courts and adult courts are very different in functionality and as such, comparison of the courts would not bring meaningful conclusions. The most practical analysis, therefore, is to look into juvenile outcomes in adult courts and compare to similar cases amongst young adults with similar offences. Several research work on this has also produced diverse results, however, most studies conc ur that juvenile status toned down the severity of sentences in adult courts, but not the actual court process. Additionally, other research work indicated that there are juvenile penalties in adult court, which seem harsher compared to similar cases by young adults. These results show several research work conducted by different scholars applying different methodologies and within different judicial jurisdiction. Sentencing Guidelines Earlier sentencing structures were consistently based on rehabilitative notions that focused on personalized punishments that would suit each offence, terms of imprisonment were varied and this allowed for a degree of flexibility in their application. Policymakers and the public however, came to realize huge loopholes in such system, this lead to proliferation of sentencing guidelines in more than half of the states. Sentencing law represents ‘procedurally rational law’ contrasting sharply with ‘substantively rational law’ th e latter provides for punishments to be personalized to fit eccentric offender needs and considerations. These presents a conflict to the society, one of establishing order and the other of punishing individuals based on unique circumstances. However, the latter applicability has always been argued aids in seeking fair just and proportional outcomes for each individual case. The guidelines that have been promulgated have lead to containment of judges’ decision, explaining the reason why judges prefer their judgment on particular cases. The sentencing guidelines also differ on jurisdiction, for instance those in the state of Maryland are different from those in the state of Pennsylvania. In recent years however, most sentencing guidelines have been more flexible in their applicability, providing a wide range of alternatives for each offence. For instance, some states implemented â€Å"presumptive† guidelines and these legally mandated judges to sentence within guideline s ranges except in rare circumstances involving departures (Johnson and Kurlychek 2012). Other states implemented less restrictive â€Å"voluntary guidelines†, which provide judges with benchmarks for sentencing, but they do not legally require the judge to sentence within the guidelines recommendations. Cases involving juveniles in adult courts by definition are atypical, this is because juvenile status represents a unique offender considerations, it may play as

Social Psychology, What it would be like to be an African American Essay

Social Psychology, What it would be like to be an African American Male - Essay Example The African Americans are influenced by the common Americans as well as all those that live near them. The basic point to note here is that they are not being dealt in a fair manner. They are subject to the mercy of their superiors, which should not be the case in the first place. African Americans have left their African lands in search of a better living but what they find in American for so many years now is an attitude and treatment full of bias and malice on the part of the latter. The only manner in which a young African American gets to know more about his own self and his roots is through his ancestors as the country and its media do not project the Blacks in such a fashion as should be the case. His parents and other family members teach him what his upbringing is all about and what asked of them to migrate towards America. The development of this young individual is in the hands of the Americans, the Whites. Now it is up to them how they treat him and what sort of work they want him to do and for whom. Not only this, his character is built in such a way that he always feels under the rule of a White, which is a pure American. This man feels that he is impure and does not belong to the country as the White American does. Others think of the African American male as being an outsider, who has crept into the American lands either through some fraudulent tactics or other similar activities. Nobody is agreeable to his being there no matter what the circumstances are. The stereotypes related with him are that since he does not belong to the place, he will never be loyal with the nation, its values, customs and ethics. He will steal; commit forgery and other heinous acts which are considered derogatory in nature by all concerned. Other stereotype related with him is that since he is Black, he will always be kept at the position that is behind a pure White American. Concepts of attribution theory and confirmation bias

Top 10 Oil and Gas Companies of India Essay Example for Free

Top 10 Oil and Gas Companies of India Essay In the short story, â€Å"To Hell with Dying† written by Alice Walker, Mr. Sweet is a sick old man whose multiple ailments bring him often to the brink of death; the narrator’s father and the children would call him back from his deathlike state by calling â€Å"To hell with dying, man!† (Walker 1127), and surrounding him with affection. The â€Å"resurrections† in which the children participate hide from them the reality that death is permanent. Finally, when the narrator is away at college, Mr. Sweet gets sick again, and this time no one can call him back. After his death, the family celebrates him, and the narrator accepts the gift of Mr. Sweet’s guitar, which she plays in his memory. The central idea of â€Å"To Hell with Dying,† is death is inevitable, it comes to everyone. The main character, the narrator, is described in the story to look like a baby monkey when she was a child. For example, â€Å"†¦ around my hairline, which was rather low down, nearly to my eyebrows, and made some people say I looked like a baby monkey.† (1129). This shows that the narrator a unique hairline that resembled a monkey and other people noticed it. When Mr. Sweet is nearing death, the narrator is awakened in the middle of the night because she can bring him back with her love and affection. For instance, â€Å"For soon after we had gone to bed one of the neighbors knocked on our door and called my father and said that Mr. Sweet was sinking fast†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1128), and, â€Å"I was very good at bringing him around, for as soon as I saw he was struggling to open his eyes I knew he was going to be all right, and so could finish my revival sure of success.† (1129). This shows that the narrator has always been helpful. The narrator thinks that if she continues to help Mr. Sweet come back from dying, he’ll always be okay. For example, â€Å"It did not occur to us that we were doing anything special; we had not learned that death was final when it did come.† (1129). This proves that the narrator didn’t und erstand what death really was because Mr. Sweet had always came back to life. She takes action with going to see him before his death by leaving college. For instance â€Å"†¦could I please drop everything and come home.’ Of course I could.† (1130) This shows that the narrator cares so much that she drops her main priority of college to go help with Mr. Sweet. She feels lots of love toward Mr. Sweet and is saddened by his death. For example, â€Å"The man on the high old fashioned bed with the quilt coverlet and the flowing white beard had been my first love† (1131). This shows she realizes that Mr. Sweet was the first person to show her how being loved and given attention felt. The supporting character is Mr. Sweet; he’s a tall, thin, and old. He is always kind to his neighbor family, especially to the children. He is always drunk and sad but when he is with these children, he is happy and energetic and loves to play with them. Mr. Sweet has many near death experiences which he always overcomes with the love and affection of the narrator. Mr. Sweet represents the special bond that can be shared between loved ones. The main conflict in† To Hell with Dying† is that death is inevitable. The narrator struggles with the internal conflict of death. Throughout the story she tries to control death by â€Å"reviving† Mr. Sweet. However, she learns that she cannot control death when he eventually passes. She doesn’t believe in death until a beloved friend dies. Through Mr. Sweet’s death the narrator realizes that death is always there. For example, â€Å"that Mr. Sweet was really gone? He had never been gone before.† (1130) This shows that now the narrator is seeing death first hand and believing in it for the first time in her life. In the end of the story the conflict is resolved by the narrator accepting that death is a part of life and cannot be evaded.

Analysis of UK Adoption Law

Analysis of UK Adoption Law â€Å"Critically analyse the law relating to adoption.† Adoption in this jurisdiction is â€Å"entirely the creature of statute†[1]. It was introduced by the Adoption of Children Act 1926 and is currently regulated by the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (replacing the outdated Adoption Act 1976) which after a lengthy period of gestation and passage through Parliament received Royal Assent on 7th November 2002. While the basic principle of adoption endures (â€Å"the legal process whereby a court irrevocably extinguishes the legal ties between a child and the natural parents or guardians and creates analogous ties between the child and the adopters†[2]) the character of adoption has changed from being predominantly a mechanism for the care of orphans and the abandoned. Contraception, abortion and the reduction of the stigma of single parenthood has given rise to the contemporary situation in which there are relatively few â€Å"unwanted† babies and adoption is most frequently a means of relocating children who are at risk or otherwise disadvantaged by their circumstances. Adoption may therefore now be regarded as a species of social engineering. The law has developed to meet the challenges of this new role. In 2000, the Prime Minister declared the Government’s commitment to modernising adoption and commissioned a report from the Performance and Innovation Unit[3]. This led to a White Paper[4] and the current legislation. The 2002 Act toughens emphasis upon the welfare of the child. Whereas s.6 of the Adoption Act 1976 required that â€Å"first consideration† be given to the need to safeguard and promote welfare during childhood, s.1 of the 2002 Act provides: â€Å"[W]henever a court or adoption agency is coming to a decision relating to the adoption of a child the paramount [emphasis supplied] consideration†¦must be the child’s welfare, throughout his life.† The Performance and Innovation Unit (Op. Cit., Executive Summary, para.6) highlighted the concern that â€Å"the lack of adopters is a key constraint in achieving an increase in the number of adoptions and it is clear that more people with the right skills need to be encouraged and supported†. Controversially, this has led to the ability of unmarried couples to adopt. A similar acknowledgement of the changing social landscape is found in the manner in which modern legislation addresses transnational adoptions. The â€Å"shortage of babies† and legitimate compassion for the plight of children in poor or repressive regimes had led to a dramatic increase in adoptions of children from overseas giving rise to concerns that â€Å"baby-trafficking† and even sales of infants were occurring resulting in inappropriate placements. Accordingly, the Adoption of Children from Overseas Regulations 2000 introduced a strict control framework under which local authorities must be notified of the entry of such a child into the country within a prescribed period. The child remains the subject of a private foster placement and thus under the supervision and control of the local authority with the latter under a duty to investigate and report to the court prior to the granting of an adoption order. Another step-change in the development of adoption law is to be found in the contemporary approach to the maintenance of contact with birth families. Historically, adoption had been a secretive process involving the total severance of contact with natural parents. While the right of the child to obtain knowledge of his natural parents and even, in due course, seek contact has long been recognised, there has been a signal lack of a countervailing right on the part of such parents. Recent studies have recognised the legitimate need of parents to know that the adoption to which they consented was successful[5]. Accordingly, it is now established that adoption plans should include arrangements for maintaining links with birth families where appropriate[6]. Nonetheless, a tension remains: although courts are empowered when making an adoption order to make a contact order under s.8 of the Children Act 1989, this never occurs in practice where there is resistance from the adoptive parents. Essentially, therefore, the continuation of contact remains in the gift of the adoptive parents. Similarly, a more relaxed approach is taken to the issue of adoption by relatives. Traditionally, this had been opposed on the grounds that family relationships might become distorted and it was considered that a residence order would always be the better alternative. However, s.1(6) of the 2002 Act now requires adoption to be the better option and controls are introduced equivalent to those to which â€Å"strangers† are subject. The 2002 legislation has also further developed the principle of â€Å"freeing† for adoption. This means of eliminating distressing contests with birth parents was first enacted by s.14 of the Children Act 1975 but not in fact implemented until 1984. The 2002 Act abolishes the previous freeing regime and empowers agencies to place children for adoption with parental consent. It is now possible for effective consent to adoption to be given at an early stage and a court is now longer required to approve such consent before an adoption order is made. The role of agencies in this process is enhanced. The effect of consent to placement for adoption is analogous to the making of a care order: parental responsibility is not extinguished but its exercised can be controlled by the agency. The emphasis of the new regime is upon ensuring that agencies diligently carry out their duty of appropriately matching the child and establishing with care that adoption is the subject of an independ ent and fully informed decision by the birth parent. A corollary of this is that consent to placement and adoption must now be witnessed by a CAFCASS officer (s.104). In parallel with the development of adoption law is the use and consequent regulation of surrogacy as a means of alleviating the consequences of infertility. Profit-making arrangements for both surrogacy and adoption are illegal. Adoption law has a part to play in that the commissioning parents can only acquire the legal status of parent by a court order analogous to those made in adoptions or indeed by adoption itself. It appears inevitable that adoption law will further develop to encompass surrogacy: there is a particular need to regulate agencies in the latter field in the manner that adoption agencies are currently controlled. Thus adoption law, while â€Å"a creature of statute† is a living and constantly evolving being, ever adapting to the changing social circumstances and mores of the times. Bibliography Adoption: a new approach, (2000), Cm. 5017 Cretney, S., Masson, J. Bailey-Harris, R., Principles of Family Law, (7th Ed., 2003) Hale, B., Pearl, D., Cooke, E., Bates, P., The Family, Law and Society, Cases Materials (5th Ed., 2002) Howe, D. Feast, J., Adoption, Search and Reunion (2000) Performance and Innovation Unit, Prime Minister’s review of Adoption, July 2000, www. number-10.gov.uk/su/adoption www.dfes.gov.uk/adoption www.hmso.gov.uk 1 Footnotes [1] Cretney, S., Masson, J. Bailey-Harris, R., Principles of Family Law, (7th Ed., 2003), 23-001 [2] Ibid., p.791 [3] Performance and Innovation Unit, Prime Minister’s review of Adoption, July 2000, www. number-10.gov.uk/su/adoption [4] Adoption: a new approach, (2000), Cm. 5017 [5] Howe, D. Feast, J., Adoption, Search and Reunion (2000) [6] Adoption Standards (2001) Standard A11, C4, D7

Descent to the Underworld in the Aeneid by Virgil and the Odyssey by Ho

Descent to the Underworld in the Aeneid and the Odyssey I chose to compare the Odyssey written by the Greek poet Homer and the Aeneid by the Roman poet Virgil. I will focus my interest on Book 11 of the Odyssey and Book 6 of the Aeneid, since that is when both of the main characters make an educational visit to the underworld. The description of the underworld created by Homer's wild imagination, inspired Virgil eight centuries later. Virgil's masterpiece was planned as an imitation of Homer's poems, so one automatically starts comparing the creations of the two authors. They were separated by eight centuries and by the cultural differences of their people. These differences are reflected on the structure of their compositions. At first the reasons for Aeneas's and Odysseus's voyage to the world below seem similar. Both of them want to receive information from the people who have already died. This knowledge is necessary in order for them to continue a successful life in the real world, amongst the real people. Aeneas wants to ask his wise father Anchises for advise about the foundation of a new state - Rome. His father tells him about the future of his family. This prophecy includes the history of Rome all the way until the days of Virgil himself. What glories follow Dardan generations ====================================== In after years, and from Italian blood What famous children in your line will come, Souls of the future, living in our name, I shall tell clearly now, and in the telling Teach you your destiny.[1] The need for Odysseus to travel to the underworld doesn't seem to be motivated at all... ...not only the characters but also the poets who wrote the two outstanding compositions, on which all of the world's literature is based. Homer who glorifies the great value of a person and Virgil who glorifies the grandeur of the State - Rome. [IMAGE] Works Cited Fagles, Robert. The Odyssey. New York: Penguin Books USA Inc. 1996 Fitzgerald, Robert. The Aeneid. Penguin Books. --------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] Virgil Aeneid B.6 line 1015 [2] Homer Odyssey B.11 line 111 [3] Homer Odyssey B.11 line 129 [4] Homer Odyssey B.11 line 153 [5] Homer Odyssey B.11 line 614 [6] Homer Odyssey B.11 line 540 [7] Virgil Aeneid B.6 line 883 [8] Virgil Aeneid B.6 line 824 [9] Virgil Aeneid B.6 line 835 [10] Virgil Aeneid B.6 line 1230

St. Boniface Essay -- Christian saints

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  St. Boniface, originally named Winfrith, was an extremely studious man, a converted monk, priest, missionary and finally martyr. Born in 672, near Exeter, England, St. Boniface at an early age developed a desire to follow the path of God and live a monastic life. Through non-stop prayer and religious practices, he tuned his mind and body to reach beyond the obstacles and enticements of everyday life at his young adult age. He was a major influence on society during his life and affected the lives and history of Germany permanently. Often called the â€Å"Apostle of Germany†, St. Boniface was a strong believer in the principles of the Church and truly wanted to open any pagan believers minds to the knowledgeable and rewarding path of the Christian life.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In his youth, St. Boniface encountered many priests or clerics who traveled from town to town. Through these spiritual conversations, it became evident to St. Boniface that he wanted to pursue a life with God. Eventually, after continuos begging and his fathers fatal sickness, he was sent to the care of the Monastery of Examchester. (Appleton) It is here, that St. Boniface expressed to the Abbot at the time, that he wanted to live a monastic life. The father of the monastery, after council, granted him his wish. Here is where the saint began to prove his love for God, and could begin his journey of the Christian life. After exceeding all expectations and surpassing the knowledge of his teachers, he moved to a neighboring monastery, called Nursling, whereby he studied under the influence of Abbot Winbert.(St. Boniface Church) Here he gained vast knowledge of scriptures and the spiritual exposition of the Bible. Here, he gained such a reputation that men and women f rom far and wide traveled to study scriptures under his guidance. At the age of 30 he was humbly ordained a priest and yet another branch of his life was fulfilled.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  St. Boniface once again yearned to explore and travel. Through such ventures he could express the meaning of God to non believers and convert as many as possible. After continuos begging, Abbot Winbert gave in and Boniface’s petition was granted. During this journey, Boniface’s first obstacle appeared. â€Å"King Radbod, the King of the Frisians, and Prince Charles, the noble Duke of the Franks broke out in ... ...spread their religion and did not stop until their death. It is interesting to find out that there were people like that , that dedicated so much of their lives for a cause. I am sure other saints accomplished as much as St. Boniface, but to my knowledge, he seemed like the most active and aggressive. He not only prayed for change, he went out and made it happen. He took journey’s that lasted years, traveled aimlessly at times, from one ship to another converting pagans and spreading the word as he went along. He even went on these missions in his elder years, though dangerous for his age, he continued until his death. Work Cited Page   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Appleton, Robert. â€Å"New Advent.† St. Boniface. 3 November 2004 . Dunney, Joseph. â€Å"Church History, St. Boniface† Catholic Information Network. 20 March 2004   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  .   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Garnett, Ken. â€Å"Medieval Church.org.uk† St. Boniface . St. Boniface Church. â€Å"So-Who was St. Boniface?† St. Boniface Church. 2002-2003   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  . Talbot, C.H. The Anglo-Saxon Missionaries in Germany. New York: Sheed and Ward, 1954.

Fashion Trends in the Fifties Essay -- Fashion Retail Merchandising Es

Fashion Trends in the Fifties â€Å"It was different in the USA, where wartime restrictions had been quickly removed, and where the new ‘consumer society’ was forging ahead – helped by new developments such as the start of the credit card system in 1950. But these differing conditions produced a similar effect on fashion both in Europe and America – a tendency to prefer the safe and normal, a veering away from the radical and extreme. ‘Normal’ felt good, especially with the memory of the war still so fresh in many people’s minds† (Baker 6). Fashion is an important aspect to people’s lives, and is influenced by various parts of society. Sometimes there are practical reasons behind certain fashion trends, but there are some trends that have no apparent origin or purpose. Fashion can also influence other parts of popular or high culture, including music. â€Å"Rock n’ roll,† the music of the 1950’s, displayed young people’ s (17-25 year-olds) interest in clothes, as heard in such pop tracks as â€Å"White Sports Coat† and â€Å"Blue Suede Shoes† (Baker 12). Regardless of purpose or origin, â€Å"style [in the 1950’s] often meant super luxury, whether it was the use of lots of shiny chrome or lace, shimmering with sequins† (Baker 11). During the 1950’s, style was not only a portrayal of one’s sense of fashion – it was a portrayal of who you were. In the 1950’s, the role of a woman was to be in the home, and particularly in the kitchen. â€Å"Yet the usual media image of a housewife showed her not as a mother in comfortable trousers and sweater, or loose dress, suitable for such work, but as a doll-like figure dressed in rustling, full skirts, nipped waist and narrow-fitting bodice. Even her apron had deep frills and a heart-shaped top and pocke... ...er vests and chinos as leisurewear, then people were that much closer to being â€Å"normal.† Works Cited - Baker, Patricia. Fashions of a Decade: the 1950s. New York: Facts on File, Inc., 1991. An edition of a series that illustrates the most influential trends in twentieth- century fashion. Focuses on fashion as an integral part in the arts, technology, politics, and society. - Stott, Jon C., Raymond E. Jones, and Rick Bowers, eds. The Harbrace Anthology of Literature 2nd ed. Toronto: Harcourt Canada Ltd., 1998. An anthology of various literature, ranging from poetry, to prose, to plays. - Unknown Author. â€Å"Fashion 50s.† Yesterdayland Web Site. 2000. http://www.yeaterdayland.com/popopedia/shows/fashion/ (17 Mar. 2002). A web-site showcasing fashion trends throughout the decades of the twentieth-century.

Accounts Receivable and Blades

1. Assuming that banks in Thailand issue a time draft on behalf of Sports Equipment Inc. and Major Leagues Inc. , would Blades receive payment for its roller blades before it delivers them? Do the banks issuing the time drafts guarantee payment on behalf of the Thai retailers if they default on the payment? ANSWER: No, Blades would not receive payment before it delivers roller blades to Sports Equipment Inc. and Major Leagues Inc. if banks in Thailand issue a time draft on the retailers’ behalf. The usual time of payment under a time draft is the maturity of the draft, and Blades relies on the retailers to pay the drafts at maturity.No, the banks issuing the time drafts do not guarantee payment on behalf of the Thai retailers if they default on the payment. The draft merely represents Blades’ formal demand for payment from the buyer and affords Blades’ less protection than a letter of credit, since the banks are not obligated to honor payments on the buyerâ€℠¢s behalf. 2. What payment method should Blades suggest to Sports Gear Inc.? Substantiate your answer. ANSWER: Blades should suggest to Sports Gear Inc. that its bank issue a letter of credit on its behalf.In a letter of credit, the bank is substituting its credit for that of the buyers, and Blades would be assured of receiving payment from the issuing bank as long as it presents the necessary documents in accordance with the L/C. The issuing bank is then obligated to honor drawings under the L/C. On the other hand, Sports Gear Inc. does not have to pay for the goods until shipment has been made and documents are presented in good order. 3. What organization could Blades contact in order to insure its sales to the Thai retailers? What type of insurance do these organizations provide?ANSWER: Blades could contact the Export-Import Bank of the U. S. (Ex im bank), which provides insurance protection against the risk of nonpayment by foreign buyers. Under such insurance coverage, Ex im b ank will reimburse Blades between 90 and 100 percent of the insured amount, depending on the type of policy and buyers. 4. How could Blades use accounts receivable financing or factoring, considering that it does not currently have accounts receivable in Thailand? If Blades uses a Thai bank to obtain this financing, how do you think the fact that Blades does not have receivables in Thailand would affect the terms of the financing?ANSWER: Blades could use accounts receivable financing and factoring using its accounts receivable in the U. S. Using accounts receivable financing, Blades could obtain a loan from a bank that would be secured by an assignment of the accounts receivables. Using factoring, Blades could sell the U. S. accounts receivable to a factor. Either approach is probably available to Blades if it decides to use a U. S. bank. However, it could also attempt to conduct accounts receivable financing of factoring of its U. S. receivables using a bank in Thailand.Thai banks may consider the assignment of foreign receivables less attractive than the assignment of domestic receivables and may require high interest rates (accounts receivable financing) or discount the receivables heavily (factoring). 5. Assuming that Blades is unable to locate a Thai bank that is willing to issue an L/C on Blades behalf, can you think of a way Blades could utilize its bank in the U. S. to effectively obtain an L/C from a Thai bank? ANSWER: Blades could inquire whether its U. S. bank has a correspondent bank in Thailand. In that case, the Thai bank may be willing to accept a letter of credit issued by Blades’ U.S. bank on Blades’ behalf. 6. What organizations could Blades contact to obtain working capital financing? If Blades is unable to obtain working capital financing from these organizations, what are its other options to finance its working capital needs in Thailand? ANSWER: There are several organizations Blades could contact to obtain working capital f inancing. For example, the Ex im bank’s Working Capital Guarantee Program encourages commercial banks to extend short-term financing by providing a comprehensive guarantee that covers 100 percent of the loan’s rincipal and interest. Furthermore, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) will provide medium- to long-term financing to U. S. investors undertaking an overseas venture. If Blades is unable to obtain working capital financing from these organizations, it could ask its bank for a short-term loan that finances the working capital cycle that begins with the purchase of inventory and continues with the sale of the goods, creation of an account receivable, and conversion to cash.

Case Study Wilton Petroleum Jelly Essay

If you were Morris, and if Taylor had been a conscientious employee in all other areas, would you still have fired Taylor for committing theft? Why or why not? If I were Morris I would fire Taylor regardless if he might have been a conscientious employee within the organization. Even though Taylor had the proper knowledge, skills, and abilities that are associated for Wilton Petroleum Jelly he had a negative employee personality for the company. The fact that Taylor displayed unethical behavior by stealing gas and a ten dollar hammer he should be terminated. As in most companies there is a policy that states the theft of company property is grounds for dismissal. The behavior of Taylor determined that he could not be trusted in the company as an employee. Furthermore, the duty of a manger is to enforce the policy of the organization in relationship to its corporate culture. In addition, the fact that Taylor was a good employee for the company did not justify the reason that he committed a crime. Fortunately, Taylor should be glad that he got terminated from the company instead of facing fine or possible jail time. Also, the ten dollar hammer that was stolen validated the grounds for termination within the organization. Taylor tried to take the a hammer that was worth 10 dollars so he should be charge for the hammer along with the fees of the amount of gas that he stole from the company. There is no reason for Taylor to continue to work for the organization since he is clearly taking advantage of the company for his own personal gain. Employee theft is a problem in which a business can lose thousands of dollars per year. According to the authors Thomas, Kimberly, Jones, et al (2001) there was a relationship associated with employee theft and turnover rates in the restaurant industry. In some cases employees that were likely to steal, would to steal if they were leaving in two weeks than leave within a year of an organization. Equally important, in a company one of roles of an organizational psychologist is to try to understand employee behaviors. The knowledge of employee behaviors may eliminate employees from stealing in the future. Thus, Morris should discuss the incident about the theft to Taylor to find out the reason why Taylor stole from the company before terminating him. Next, do you think Taylor â€Å"got what was coming to him† in this case, or was he â€Å"set up† by Morris and thus was a victim of entrapment? Even though Morris did set him up within the company it did not excuse the fact that Taylor committed a crime at Wilton Petroleum Jelly. As in most companies the security department and managers are not capable of watching employees all the time. In some circumstances it is the employees that are the ones that report thefts that occur in most organizations. In the business Taylor knew he was committing a crime by stealing the gas in the company. Likewise, Taylor was not aware that he was being set up for entrapment which occurs in most companies, and there are notifications of video surveillance on the premises of organizations. Morris may have had an ulterior motive in which he was trying to get Taylor terminated. Equally important, Taylor was not terminated for taking hundreds of dollars’ worth of gas he was terminated for the theft of a hammer. Further, there is a possibility that Taylor might not have been terminated had he not stolen the hammer. Taylor was a victim of entrapment but that does not validate his actions of company theft. Taylor may want to argue that he was setup by Morris and he might have not stolen the hammer in the first place. The problem that Taylor would have to present would be his explanation for stealing company property on his own defense. In reference to the author Dekker (2004) in order to terminate an employee fairly and employer needs to have substantial evidence against the employee. The used of devices such as cameras, telephone tapping, are substantial for employee termination. There are companies that invest thousands of dollars on security systems to reduce employee theft within their organization. Therefore, even though Taylor was entrapped he still violated company policy be stealing from Wilton Petroleum Jelly. Also, do you think that spying on the employees with peepholes and cameras to detect theft or other crime violates an ethical business principle? Why do you feel as you do? The spying of employees with though there knowledge is an invasion privacy. On the other hand, there are circumstances where it might be necessary in order to capture employees that commit corporate crimes. In a company employees need to be aware that they are observed within the company. The process of using cameras is a good theft deterrent to save company cost and create a safer workplace environment. Further, ethics should be considered where to draw the line as far as employee surveillance. Unfortunately, in society there are many crimes that occur in the workplace that are more serious than employee theft. There are some organizations in which employees are searched when they come to work and before they leave the company. The organization should try to take all measures to prevent crimes from occurring ethically. The ethical business principles should be within the legalities of the law when it comes to video surveillance. An employee should not have to be viewed through peepholes without there knowledge. A policy needs to be developed in which all cases of surveillance are covered so the employee is well aware they are being watched. There are places that employees should never be observed such as in restrooms which would be considered unethical. The authors Crossen (1993) in most companies the solution to unethical behaviors is the monitoring of and searches of employees. The strategy may come at the privacy of the employee. Finally, the observation of employees should be ethical so that the employees’ rights are not violated. Too, what effect might Taylor’s dismissal by the company have on other employees? The effects of Taylor’s dismissals will cause employees to think twice about stealing from the organization. Taylor could be used as an example as to what happens when an employee steals from Wilton Petroleum Jelly. In a sense Morris tried his best to prevent stealing from occurring within the business by reporting the actions that happened. The actions of Morris can create a more ethical business because employees will feel as if their being monitored. Morris was determined to try every way possible to reduce unethical behaviors. There are some companies in which a personality test is given in regards to organizational theft. Unfortunately, there are some employees that have to follow the actions of others within a positive or negative manner. The dismissal of the Taylor would most likely be stated to new hires that they could get caught not matter how hard they try to conceal unethical behavior. According to the authors Victor, Trevino, Shapiro, et al (1993) the reporting of a theft by a peer that may have been associated with organizational responsibility, the interest of group associates, and perceptions of justice. Actual reporting of negative behaviors was more likely to occur when peers with retribution of justice. In conclusion, the example of the employee getting terminated from the company may cause prevention. The employees may feel as if they would get caught since they do not know when their being observed within the business. The example of Taylor is beneficial in the prevention of future employee thefts in Wilton Petroleum Company. References Crossen, B. R. (1993). Managing employee unethical behavior without invading individual privacy. Journal of Business and Psychology, 8(2), 227-243. Dekker, A. (2004). Vices or Devices: Employee Monitoring in the Workplace. S. Afr. Mercantile LJ, 16, 622. Thoms, P., Wolper, P., Scott, K. S., & Jones, D. (2001). The relationship between immediate turnover and employee theft in the restaurant industry. Journal of Business and Psychology, 15(4), 561-577. Victor, B., Trevià ±o, L. K., & Shapiro, D. L. (1993). Peer reporting of unethical behavior: The influence of justice evaluations and social context factors. Journal of Business Ethics, 12(4), 253-263.

Fleur Adcock: Analysis of Instead of an Interview Essay

‘Instead of an Interview’ by Fleur Adcock, is a poem essentially about the divided sense of identity she has inherited: from both family (or historical) emigrant experience and personal deportation. In the poem, the issue is complicated, as Adcock explores the loss and alienation that emerges from the choice of long-term separation from family. It begins with descriptive visual imagery, where Adcock attempts to familiarise herself with the childhood images of â€Å"The hills†, â€Å"water, the clean air†, and â€Å"a river or two†, â€Å"certain bays†, and â€Å"those various and incredible hills†. The description almost seems like a ramble, which evokes a fresh and exciting experience. Although we learn later on in this poem that she addresses England as her â€Å"home†, this stanza largely bears feelings of nostalgia. The â€Å"ah† in the last line of the stanza re-emphasises her expression of relief, relaxation and comfort, after her first visit back to New Zealand after 13 years. Through this poem, Adcock offers â€Å"snapshots† of her family’s past, and the struggles of family, marriage, and life. In the second stanza, we see Fleur warming up to the familiarity of New Zealand – the â€Å"streets I could follow blind†, and other â€Å"familiar settings†. There seems to be a sense of distress, as Fleur is engaging in parts of her past that she has tried to forget about. Coming back to her birthplace appears to be more overwhelming, than comforting. It seems like she had gone away because she hadn’t like it enough to stay. Whether good or bad, â€Å"the dreams (she’d) not bothered to remember† kept creeping back automatically as she passed â€Å"familiar settings†. She further relates this attachment with the atmosphere of the country: â€Å"ingrained; ingrown; incestuous: like the country. The elaborated vowel sounds enhance the warmth of the stanza, drawing the reader closer to Adock’s personal feelings. The semicolons serve as caesuras, creating dramatic pauses for emphasis. The slightly grotesque terms – â€Å"ingrained†, â€Å"ingrown†, â€Å"incestuous† – are used to emphasise the vividness of her hometown memories, as if they were carved into her thoughts. The three adjectives and the caesuras have a rapid flow, which then shifts to a lingering rhythm with â€Å"like the country†, composed of three words. This sudden change in rhythm brings about a grand atmosphere or aura, especially ue to the end-stopped line, since this breaks the flow and changes to a new stanza. The use of â€Å"country† enhances this importance – her memories and country complement one another, emphasising the size and enormity of these â€Å"ingrained†, â€Å"ingrown†, and â€Å"incestuous† memories. Another significant and extremely personal connection mentioned in this stanza is, â€Å"my Thorndon† – Thorndon being the capital city of New Zealand. The personal pronoun â€Å"my† emphasises a sense of belonging and possession, as though she wants to point out that this country is a significant part of her childhood. In the third stanza, Fleur is genuine to mention all the wonderful things ‘another city’ in New Zealand offered to her: â€Å"a lover†, â€Å"quite enough friends†, in terms of relationships. Her use of caesuras is evident once again in the third line: â€Å"bookshops; galleries; fish in the sea†. She is heightening the reader’s interest with her clever use of punctuation, once again emphasising the different and essential memories of her country. The reader is able to identify from this line Fleur’s many areas of interest. She seems to enjoy the company of nature – natural imagery is abundant in this particular stanza. The â€Å"gardens†, â€Å"fish in the sea†, â€Å"lemons and passionfruit† signify her love for nature. It is evident that these authentic memories are destroyed due to urbanisation; as she mentions in the earlier stanza – â€Å"half my Thorndon smashed for the motorway†. The trees and gardens were ruined over the years and replaced by synthetic and unnatural materials. Hence, her sense of possession has strengthened, with whatever piece of nature and memory that remains. ‘Instead of an Interview’ exposes Adcock’s sense of an identity split between New Zealand and Britain. This alternating change in culture evidently created confusion with Adcock identifying herself. Adcock explained to her niece, â€Å"home is London; and England, Ireland, Europe. â€Å"Perhaps she is entirely attached (maybe temporarily) to the British culture, since she has practically lived there her whole adult and professional life. After visiting her birth town, all the childhood memories came flooding in; perhaps she resisted them because she is still so confused about where she really belongs. The idea of ‘home’ being a â€Å"loaded word† re-emphasises her befuddled state of being. Adding to that, the poem ends with a question ark: â€Å"have I made myself for the first time an exile? † This use of punctuation leaves the reader puzzled, with plenty of questions, because the speaker herself is unsure about her identity. For the first time, Fleur feels she has made herself an â€Å"exile†, which is the state of being expelled from one’s native country. This is a serious dilemma and seems as though she wrote this poem in a slightly sentimental hangover from having visited New Zealand after 13 years. What is misleading is that the poem comes across as Adcock’s way of saying she does not like to talk or be interviewed but rather to show her emotions through her poems.

A virtual community and a social networking web site Essay

QUESTION 1. Write a paragraph to explain and distinguish between a virtual community and a social networking web site. In Social networks everyone has their own social network (whether online or offline). Everyone has friends, families, and people they are acquainted with. An online social networking site simply makes our social networks visible to others who are not in our immediate network. So the single most important feature that distinguishes a social network from a community is how people are held together on these sites. In a social network, people are held together by pre-established interpersonal relationships, such as kinship, friendship, classmates, colleagues, business partners, etc. The connections are built one at a time (i.e. you connect directly with another user). The primary reason that people join a social networking site is to maintain old relationships and establish new ones to expand their network. Some obvious examples of social networks are Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn. One interesting feature about people’s social networks is that they are extremely unique. It is actually very difficult to fake a Facebook or LinkedIn profile, because your friends (or who you connect to) will collectively identify you. Unlike social networks, communities (both online and offline) are more interesting from a social anthropological perspective, because they often consist of people from all walks of life that seem to have no relationship at all. Yet, as we’ve learned from history, communities are very robust social structures. So what is it that holds these communities together? Communities are held together by common interest. It may be a hobby, something the community members are passionate about, a common goal, a common project, or merely the preference for a similar lifestyle, geographical location, or profession. Clearly people join the community because they care about this common interest that glues the community members together. Some stay because they felt the urge to contribute to the cause; others come because they can benefit from being part of the community. In communities identity are easily forged. QUESTION 2. Identify a product that could be promoted using a social networking site such as Facebook. Explain why your chosen product would be a good candidate for a social networking-based promotion strategy. Amazon  products such as electronics and wears are definitely liable products for promotion on Social networking sites. Especially when discounted this products call for great awareness knowing that large amount of people or customers demand and are in search of these products in cheaper, available and from trusted companies. These products being available for sales online with sound delivery and trust (in returns and delivery) calls for great insight for people to generate interest, confidence and preference for purchase. Consequently, people or customers through the social networking sites creates vast awareness in conversations and sharing thoughts and likeness for such products or promotion. QUESTION 3. Describe 2 or 3 specific apps that could use a smart phones GPS capability. State the benefits of using the GPS in the app in each case. Find my phone Find My Phone is a GPS tracking application on android phones that makes it easy for you to track and locate a stolen phone. This phone tracker app includes a navigational feature and assistance and as long as the location app is running, it can help locate a stolen or lost phone quickly and easily. The app uses secure data from cell phone companies to track and display the phone location on the Find My Phone map. For this feature to function, the Find My Phone app needs to be installed on both your phone and the phone of the person you want to track or locate. Find My Phone uses state-of-the-art GPS technology to accurately locate phones. Note: For this feature to function, the Find My Phone app needs to be installed on both your phone and the phone of the person you want to track or locate Google Maps The Google Maps app for Android phones and tablets makes navigating to your desired location faster and easier. It enables you find the best spots in town and the information you need to get there. Google Maps includes various relevant features such as †¢ Comprehensive, accurate maps in 220 countries and territories †¢ Voice-guided GPS navigation for driving, biking, and walking †¢ Transit directions and maps for over 15,000 towns and cities †¢ Live traffic conditions, incident reports, and automatic rerouting to find the best route †¢ Detailed information on more than 100 million places  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Street View and indoor imagery for restaurants, museums, and more.

The organizational role of the safety professional Article

The organizational role of the safety professional - Article Example For this to be possible, the professional evaluates any existing safety measurers’ failure of which he introduces safety requirements into the organization. The safety professional also has the responsibility of checking out for any situations, which may compromise the safety standards within the organization. This should begin with setting up of a safety plan, which guides the employees on how to work without placing their lives and those of colleagues in danger (Walter, 2011). The safety professional also has the role of advising the management of an organization about the measurements to put in place for employees to have a safe environment for working. This takes aspects like advising the management on the importance of having a safety initiative in the organization. It is through the efforts of the safety professional that safety response plan, safety management plan and a safety protection plan can be designed for the best benefit of employees and the organization (Safety Leadership, 2011). The safety professional is also the one in charge of organizing safety trainings for employees. This is essential because employees are the ones most affected by poor working conditions. On some occasions, employees can never determine whether their actions are safe or not, and guidance helps them in knowing the right path of action (Safety Leadership, 2011). Through safety trainings, the safety professional takes employees through safety processes, which protect them within the organization as they carry out their duties. Still on training of the employees, the safety professional designs a safety curriculum suitable for the company depending on the industry. It also remains under the jurisdiction of the safety professional to review the safety plan for the organization on regular intervals. These can be followed up by conducting review trainings for employees, so they can have adequate skills on how to keep

Basis for Administrative Law ( Look At Assignment Criteria ) Essay

Basis for Administrative Law ( Look At Assignment Criteria ) - Essay Example The executive is authorized to assess the merits of certain cases following the legislatures laid down criteria. On the hand the legislature declares and enforces the legal boundaries of the powers of the legislature. The administrative law system thus ensures that both the people and the government are bound by law (Commonwealth of Australia, 2011). There are various courts and tribunals in Australia that support administrative law. The courts range from the high court that conducts judicial review as provided for under section 75(v) of the constitution. Others include the federal court systems such as Federal Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates court of Australia (Commonwealth of Australia, 2011). There are a variety of tribunals that support administrative law and these include the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) that reviews a range of administrative decisions made by ministers, officials, authorities and other tribunals such as the Australian Appeals Tribunal, copyright tribunal of Australia, council of Australian tribunals and the Defence Force Appeal Tribunal among others (Australian Government, 2011). The principal function of courts as laid down in the constitution is to resolve disputes about any matter that concerns legal rights and obligations. They help resolve conflicts that may arise between persons and in the government (Gifford, 1997). Tribunals on the other hand are bodies that are established under the Australian constitution to review the merits of administrative decisions. This is because most of the time government decisions affect private interests and those decisions at times are not lawful but are correct according to the interpretation of the executive. Therefore any person or body affected by such decisions submits there issues to the relevant tribunal (AM, 2006). The only similarity is that the two are used for solving disputes but at different

State Aid developments in 2013 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

State Aid developments in 2013 - Research Paper Example ings on issues are to be the preserve of the European Commission whilst the European Court is called upon as the court of last resort in these issues. Article 107(1) was interpreted significantly in the Doux Elevage case where it was found that in cases where government agencies and units are independent from government, their directives which seemingly favors some organizations cannot be classified as state aid. A ruling on the state aid claims and disbursement in France concerning the France Telecom and the French Government showed that in cases where the donation and/or investment into a given entity is seen as some kind of reorganization or a long-term change in the structures of the entity, it could be seen as something done outside the scope of the state aid restriction. And this could be permitted. Also, Article 107(3) (a) has been interpreted to be compatible with state aid allowances if they cover areas that are considered to be areas that need accelerated development and change. And this is typically allowed where the activity is within the scope and context of relevant rules and relevant limits set in the law of the com munity. The deminimis regulation was also reviewed in the current year under review. The ceiling remained at â‚ ¬200,000 for most aspects of the state aid system in spite of calls for an increase. The GBER and other frameworks are introduced, whilst the overall plans and objectives of the European Union has been moved to focus on the aviation industry. Numerous benefits and advantages are put in place to encourage the aviation industry. There are numerous rulings that occurred in the past year that has significance in the interpretation of European Union State Aid laws and regulations. Some of these cases provide further interpretation of the existing laws whilst others provided an insight into new circumstances and situations that were not expressly defined and stated in the European legal systems. The fundamentals of European law

Technopaegnia Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Technopaegnia - Essay Example Opatianus’s work inspired Hrabanus Maurus (c 784-856), Archbishop of Mainz, a Carolingian poet and theologian. His famous work, In Praise of the Holy Cross was the first printed figure poem which was published in 1503. Visual poetry, as is obvious from the nomenclature, is the arrangement of text, images and symbols to convey the intended message of the work. It speaks silently. It is often referred to as the concrete poetry, but views differ on this issue. Concrete poetry is clearly recognizable as poetry, it has purely typographic elements; visual poetry is dependent on the texts on a minimal scale. Texts relate to visual function only. Non-text imagery has the main role. â€Å"For various reasons, the critical response to visual poetry over the years has been disappointing. Although the genre has a long and varied history, from the technopaegnia, of the ancient Greeks to the latest experiments with concrete poetry, it has received relatively little attention until recently.†(Neohelicon, 1990) When we mention technopaegnia, in the renaissance, Fortunius Licetus (1577-164) figures first. He was an Italian humanist. He edited many volumes on the classical writers and his contemporary, a Hungarian writer; Albert Molnar (1574-1634) translated Psalms in Hungarian language. His work, Lusus poetici, Games of the poets (1614), an anthology of Latin technopaegnia is well-known in this genre. A poem is supposed to be ‘the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.’ The visual poem is the outward manifestation of the joyous expression of the inner world of the poet. It pictures the trials, tribulations, the joy, the duty and beauty of life through the various forms and moods of Nature. The ideas which apparently look silly are given life and color and one enjoys their simplicity. Bohn writes, â€Å"Thus the visual poem claims to abolish playfully the oldest oppositions of our alphabetic

Communication Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Communication Theories - Essay Example â€Å"Our approach focuses on differences of the perception of science by journalism, which affects organizational matters, that means that we distinguish programmes with regard to their relatedness to science and their up-to-dateness.† (Institute for Media and Communication Studies) The other approach is also important to consider, other approach is the science centered approach. The process of communication is not as easy as it seems to be, it is an intricate process. It is important to understand the structures of different media systems, these systems also help in understanding the process of communication. To conclude it is fair to say that the approach which best suits the students should be chosen, there is hardly any point choosing an approach which would not be liked by the students, it will fail to facilitate the process of learning. It will also affect the morale of the students which will be anything but

Central American Migration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Central American Migration - Essay Example War, persecution, and violence in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Nicaragua due to political upheavals spurred the mass migration of their citizens into the United States (Guierrez, 1960). The migration occurred in phases with the elites fleeing first followed by the professionals and the middle class and lastly the poor working class. Nicaraguan migrants went to the us in three waves with the first consisting of the overthrown Somoza family and their associates, wealthy business peoples and members of the National guard in 1970s followed by the middle class professionals and business people in the 1980s and lastly the poor workers and young men escaping recruitment in the contra war. Their flight unlike the Cubans was not welcomed by the American government who classified them as illegal aliens and used varied ways to try to stop their entry into United States. Even after conditions improved in their home countries many Central Americans did not return home due to a variety of reasons, the end of hostilities did not improve their security at home. In Nicaragua former contras and fragments of Sandinista army continued to fight especially in rural areas and in El Salvador and Guatemala death squads and vigilante groups also operated. (Guierrez, 1960). This coupled with increased crime rates reduced the number of immigrants willing to return home and led to many more Central Americans migrating to United States Depending on their social economic status, Central Americans used several strategies to survive in the harsh United States. Wealthy immigrants used their economic resources and business connections to buy assets in the United States on which they lived comfortably. Many exiles including the Somoza family transferred their assets to Miami banks in the; late 1970s and they moved into fashionable residences in key Biscayne and Brickell avenue where the invested heavily on condominiums in the suburban western edge of the city (Alenjandro, 1993). These were later t o be sold to Nicaraguan professionals and business people during the second wave of migration. This group experienced tough economic hardships on United States soil and the majority worked in unskilled trades to earn a daily living due to an uncertain future. The professionals gradually moved into their fields of work and some steadily advanced in professional capacity because of prior work experience in their country of origin. Professionals used existing friendships with Cuban Americans developed in school to get financing to start their own businesses (Alenjandro, 1993).The peasants and Nicaragua workers migrated chiefly due to war and economic hardships brought by war. Nicaraguan peasants and workers migrated because of the United States sponsored contra war and they became unskilled laborers in the host country. The decision by the United States to classify Nicaraguan immigrant’s illegal aliens exposed them to very many challenges because they did not receive any benefit s like their predecessors the Cubans despite their situations being the same. Finding jobs was exceedingly difficult and the few jobs available had very low wages. They had to

Storyteller Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Storyteller - Essay Example As the audience comprises of second grade students, both the story: Picking Peas and The Old woman and her pig, were one of the best materials that could be used in order to let the audience learn as well as participate in it. As for the setting, nothing can be better as the place, our own school, was the best setting one could have. It is because it's hard for the students to transfer to a different location plus the fact that the school can decorate the class with the help of the students so as to enhance and to encourage their cooperation in the storytelling. It also gives them a sense of belongingness that the event was theirs alone. - The proper gestures for the storytelling were present in Ms. Jones' act. She had the proper breathing, posture and eye contact enough to enrapture the crowd of second graders and enough to have the students listen and cooperate during the storytelling. Quality of voice: (a) volume, (b) pleasing inflection, (c) sense of excitement, energy - The quality of voice is excellent. There was enough inflection on it and the voice quality is superb. For every scene, there was a different voice projection and it followed that if the scene was sad, the voice was sad too and so on. You can feel the flow of the story just by listening to Ms. Jones' voice. - As stated above, if the voice quality is superb, it follows that the facial expr

Cafeteria Food Essay Example for Free

Cafeteria Food Essay Some people think that school cafeterias should be required to provide low-fat and/or vegetarian lunch options to accommodate the government’s nutritional guidelines, but all students do not eat the same. In my essay about cafeteria food, I will explain what students want in their food. I will also share the likes and dislikes in the food and what we can do to improve it. Cold pizza, undercooked hamburgers and brown lettuce sounds nasty. Many students from different states and districts have to deal with that every day at their schools. The food from the cafeterias used to be good, with a sweet flavor, but in the last few years the food had taken a different flavor, a flavor that cannot be tolerated by the students. The students need a better quality in their food, don’t they? It’s time for a change, a change to food, so students can be satisfied while their eating, a change to food that can be really worth it. As a matter of fact, we students pay money to the district every year and this is what we get? It’s time for a change. Everybody knows that eating healthy was from the past. However, now students and not necessarily just students eat fast food like McDonalds or Taco Bell. Now everybody does, which can be a good and a bad thing. The changes of the food’s taste has made many students to not eat at school, or even made students to bring lunch, and this as a matter of fact causes the school to lose money. In all actuality is the loss of money causing the school to give students poorly made food? If the schools would serve students food from places like Pizza Hut and Subway I can guarantee that most or all students would eat at the cafeterias and it would benefit to both school and students. These types of foods would be so great to have in schools, but unfortunately the district and the governments have taken action and unfairly, they have set down laws that prohibit these foods in the schools. They have settled these laws because they want us as students to eat healthy, but if they want to keep us healthy, why are they giving us food with a bad and nasty taste? Also, with these laws they keep students like me away from eating too much â€Å"junk† food because they can cause obesity. But do they keep on giving us food that is not even worth the amount of money our parents give to the government every year? If they were the ones who eat all of the nasty food given by the cafeteria they would of get tired of eating cold pizza and uncooked hamburgers with brown lettuce just like we the students do. In conclusion, we all understand what the government and the school system is trying to do with this healthy eating program. They want to promote healthy eating habits in an effort to prevent obesity. Although nutrition is important, students feel that there is a better way to have healthy food without ruining the taste. Therefore, in an effort to keep students healthy and leave with their stomachs satisfied we should all come together to realize that we are the ones that have to make it through the school day with the food.

Importance of Internet Banking Essay Example for Free

Importance of Internet Banking Essay From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about asymptotic stability of nonlinear systems. For stability of linear systems, see exponential stability. Various types of stability may be discussed for the solutions of differential equations describing dynamical systems. The most important type is that concerning the stability of solutions near to a point of equilibrium. This may be discussed by the theory of Lyapunov. In simple terms, if all solutions of the dynamical system that start out near an equilibrium point stay near forever, then is Lyapunov stable. More strongly, if is Lyapunov stable and all solutions that start out near converge to , then is asymptotically stable. The notion of exponential stability guarantees a minimal rate of decay, i. e. , an estimate of how quickly the solutions converge. The idea of Lyapunov stability can be extended to infinite-dimensional manifolds, where it is known as structural stability, which concerns the behavior of different but nearby solutions to differential equations. Input-to-state stability (ISS) applies Lyapunov notions to systems with inputs. Contents [hide] †¢1 History †¢2 Definition for continuous-time systems o2. 1 Lyapunovs second method for stability †¢3 Definition for discrete-time systems †¢4 Stability for linear state space models †¢5 Stability for systems with inputs †¢6 Example †¢7 Barbalats lemma and stability of time-varying systems †¢8 References †¢9 Further reading †¢10 External links [edit] History Lyapunov stability is named after Aleksandr Lyapunov, a Russian mathematician who published his book The General Problem of Stability of Motion in 1892. 1] Lyapunov was the first to consider the modifications necessary in nonlinear systems to the linear theory of stability based on linearizing near a point of equilibrium. His work, initially published in Russian and then translated to French, received little attention for many years. Interest in it started suddenly during the Cold War (1953-1962) period when the so-called Second Method of Lyapunov was found to be applicable to the stability of aerospace guidance systems which typically contain strong nonlinearities not treatable by other methods. A large number of publications appeared then and since in the control and systems literature.More recently the concept of the Lyapunov exponent (related to Lyapunovs First Method of discussing stability) has received wide interest in connection with chaos theory. Lyapunov stability methods have also been applied to finding equilibrium solutions in traffic assignment problems. [7] [edit] Definition for continuous-time systems Consider an autonomous nonlinear dynamical system , where denotes the system state vector, an open set containing the origin, and continuous on . Suppose has an equilibrium . 1. The equilibrium of the above system is said to be Lyapunov stable, if, for every , there exists a such that, if , then , for every . 2. The equilibrium of the above system is said to be asymptotically stable if it is Lyapunov stable and if there exists such that if , then . 3. The equilibrium of the above system is said to be exponentially stable if it is asymptotically stable and if there exist such that if , then , for . Conceptually, the meanings of the above terms are the following: 1. Lyapunov stability of an equilibrium means that solutions starting close enough to the equilibrium (within a distance from it) remain close enough forever (within a distance from it). Note that this must be true for any that one may want to choose. 2. Asymptotic stability means that solutions that start close enough not only remain close enough but also eventually converge to the equilibrium. 3. Exponential stability means that solutions not only converge, but in fact converge faster than or at least as fast as a particular known rate .