Saturday, December 28, 2019

A Brave New World For International News - 1419 Words

JOUR2221 ASSESSMENT ITEM 2 CRITICAL REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON FOREIGN NEWS: Article 1 A brave new world for international news?: Exploring the determinants of the coverage of foreign nations on US Websites. H. Denis Wu. Introduction: With the introduction of the internet news consumption and peoples news consumption has changed significantly, as well as the way in which news organizations provide content to the public. The author of this study seeks to investigate the consumption methods of individuals, and compare the rate at which news is collected through the traditional print-based medium, and also the new online format. In order to do this they use the incredibly popular CNN.com as well as www.nytimes.com and their print-based counter parts to investigate determinants of international news reporting. Critical Review: Theoretical Frameworks Used: The author used the theoretical frameworks of economic interaction, presence of international news agencies, traits of a nation, and cultural and geographic proximity to the Unites States. The author elected to adopt these frameworks as they have been used previously in research in the same field. The author outlines their previous use as well as their inherent relevance to the current topic of study and uses them to analyze foreign news reporting. Literature Review: The author provides a wwritten review that analyses previous work in the field of study critically. The review was relevant as it discusses both online andShow MoreRelatedSuppression of Individuality in Huxleys Brave New World and Rands Anthem1686 Words   |  7 PagesFahrenheit 451, a Ray Bradbury book, possesses a stereotypical citizen named Guy Montag. Guy sees the world just the same as any other individual. No true happiness or emotion is ever evoked. In his society, Montag becomes aware that books and other censored items exist in the world, but their presence has no impact on him until a female character enters the story. Talking one afternoon, Montag becomes interest in this female’s opinions on society. He soon concludes that the government is repressingRead MoreBrave New World Essay1235 Words   |  5 PagesHuxleys work, Brave New World, is a book about a society that is in the future. This book contains many strange things that are generally unheard of today. Yet we see that some of the ideas that are presented in this book were already present in the 20th century. The idea of having one superior race of people can easily be seen as something that Hitler was trying to accomplish during the Holocaust. Huxley presents the society in his book as being a greater civilization. A totalitarian type of leadershipRead MoreWhat An Ideal Posthuman Model Of Moral Enhancement1742 Words   |  7 Pagesis a significant fear coming from the bioconservative ideology, which fears what a posthuman world could look like under a society where human enhancement is considered to be the norm. Prominent bioconservative writers like Francis Fukuyama and Richard Kass believe that a posthuman world with moral enhancement would be very much identical to the society that Aldous Huxley feared in his novel Brave New World. Kass describes the utter dehumanization moral enhancement would portray: â€Å"Homogenization, mediocrityRead More Aldous Huxleys A Brave New World Essay1452 Words   |  6 Pages Aldous Huxleys A Brave New World The New World, a man-made Utopia, governed by its motto, Community, Identity, Stability (Huxley 3). A man-made world in every way. Human beings fertilized in bottles. Identity, gender, intelligence, position in society, all predestined. Human beings classified in the order of precedence: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Epsilon. Every one conditioned to be a certain way. Every one works for every one else (Huxley, 74). All man-made to ensure social stabilityRead MoreThe Threat Of Human Nature1167 Words   |  5 PagesOrwellian or Brave New World Society Fukuyama believes that we must use the power of the state to regulate the capabilities of biotechnology and moral enhancement. Fukuyama goes further to state that biotechnology and moral enhancement cannot just be regulated on state levels, it must be regulated on an international base of standards. Despite the concerns that moral enhancement may create a totalitarian Brave New World society. Thinkers like Bostrom believe that those who predict a Brave New World SocietyRead MoreAnalysis Of Maxine Hong Kingston s The Woman Warrior 1547 Words   |  7 Pagesaffects Kingston. Her comparison of her life to that of Fa Mu Lan brings out the difficulties in her living in America while her mother had grown up in China. This hero myth allows her to connect to those values that Brave Orchid holds which make her so hard on her daughter. The telling of Brave orchid’s talk-stories in first person makes their events more relatable to Kingston, which makes the 4th chapter’s telling in the third person all the more jarring and thought-provoking. All in all, Kingston’s writingRead MoreWriting For A Penny A Word Is Ridiculous1496 Words   |  6 PagesL. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology once said, â€Å"Writing for a penny a word is ridiculous. If a man wants to mak e a million dollars, the best way would be to start his own religion† (Hubbard). Scientology is a relatively new religion compared to other religions that date back thousands of years. â€Å"Scientology is a religion that offers a precise path leading to a complete and certain understanding of one’s true spiritual nature and one’s relationship to self, family, groups, Mankind, all lifeRead MoreWomen Activists Essay example1126 Words   |  5 Pages1868-1870, she published a weekly paper called â€Å"The Revolution† whose motto was â€Å"Men their rights and nothing more, women their rights and nothing less† (â€Å"Susan Brownell Anthony†). She published this in New York City which was devoted to the emancipation of women (â€Å"Susan B. Anthony†). Susan was a brave woman for standing up for what she believes in. To test the application of the 14th and 15th amendments of the U.S. constitution, she casted ballots at the congressional and state election in RochesterRead MoreThe Representation of Children in the Media Essay517 Words   |  3 Pageschildren and how they portrayed them in general. In local papers there are usually articles of local news from around the area, items for sale and advertisements. Local papers highlight local stories and issues. Local papers usually have the scores or information about local teams in the sport section. The local papers are distributed to a specific area and usually contain news about the area and the people who live there. Reporters and journalists gather important storiesRead MoreI Am The Owner Of My Company1061 Words   |  5 Pagesto UK, Beijing’s new ambitious policy â€Å"one belt, one road† initiative and the challenge of renminbi to dollar’s dominance, I wonder what if rising power China became the next hegemonic state, what political consequences it would likely bring out and how that would impact global financial markets. All those questions make me want to probe how international politics and international economics interact with each other. Therefore, I am applying to the graduate study of international political economy

Friday, December 20, 2019

Effects Of Deprivation And Privation Of A Maternal...

This essay will look at research into the effects of deprivation and privation of a maternal attachment on orphans in both Romania and around the world. Attachment is the emotional tie to a parent that an infant experiences, giving the child security. It develops gradually to the primary care giver and is important for survival (Boyd Bee, 2009). In some cases children may experience a disruption of this attachment which is known as deprivation (Key Book Ref). Bowlby’s (1965) maternal deprivation hypothesis states it is essential for the mental health of an infant and young child to experience a warm, intimate and continuous relationship with the mother. If a child is deprived of its mother, or any consistent caregiver, between 6 months and 5 years, known as the critical period, then this would lead to serious cognitive, emotional and social difficulties later in life. Bowlby’s 44 Thieves Study (1944) supports the maternal deprivation thesis. It found that 32% of thieves were diagnosed as affectionless psychopaths with the majority experiencing separation for at least a week before the age of 5, illustrating that maternal deprivation can seriously disrupt healthy emotional development. Although, Rutter (1999) refute this and established that separation associated with illness was not associated with delinquency, but if separation was associated with stress, children were four times as likely to become delinquent, suggesting t hat Bowlby’s thieves had probably suffered fromShow MoreRelatedAttachment Theory 41928 Words   |  8 Pagess maternal deprivation hypothesis assumes that continual disruption of the attachment bond between the infant and primary caregiver would result in long term cognitive, social and emotional difficulties for the child. To what extent has research into deprivation and privation supported this view. Bowlby claimed that the role of a mother was essential to a child and without this essential mother figure it would affect the child’s psychological health. He called this theory the maternal deprivationRead MoreDiscuss the Evidence That Attachment Relationships in Early Childhood Can Have Positive and Negative Consequences.1591 Words   |  7 PagesDiscuss the evidence that attachment relationships in early childhood can have positive and negative consequences. Attachment is described as an affectionate reciprocal relationship between an individual and another individual. Much psychological research has been carried out into the types of attachments that infants form with their caregivers, and the results gained from these studies show how early attachments can affect children whether positively or negatively. Some psychologistsRead MoreThe Role of Attachment in Infancy Is Vital in Subsequent Emotional Development1223 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Attachment is a deep and enduring emotional bond that connects one person to another across time and space† McLeod (2009), as a core component of social and emotional development, the necessity and role of caregivers is a heavily researched area. Theories differ on the impairment that a crippled or complete lack of attachment causes to an infant in terms of social, emotional or intellectual development. These theories range from Harlow’s unethical work with infant rhesus monkeys to Chisholm’s studyRead MoreThe Importance of Attachment2694 Words   |  11 Pagesadapt to their surrounding and this will also impact on their ability to form positive relationships. For some children that are in care or from difficult families, their attachments may not be formed as easily as those who do not have the same circumstances. There are many theories that have evidence supporting bonding and attachment. Mary Ainsworth and her colleagues were interested in studying the reactions of babies when the parents/carers left and returned to rooms. They came up with three differentRead MoreLife and Work of John Bowlby2584 Words   |  11 PagesHe later said, I wouldn t send a dog away to boarding school at age seven.[2] Because of such experiences as a child, he displayed a sensitivity to children’s suffering throughout his life. However, with his characteristic attentiveness to the effects of age differences, Bowlby did consider boarding schools appropriate for children aged eight and older, and wrote, If the child is maladjusted, it may be useful for him to be away for part of the year from the tensions which produced his difficultiesRead MoreInvestigating Crime and Relevant Issues Essay7311 Words   |  30 PagesDifferences between such identical twins are taken to be produced primarily by environmental factors. Dizygotic (DZ) twins develop from the fertilisation of two eggs. They do not share the same genetic characteristics. By comparing the effects of environments on identical and non-identical twins it is possible to determine the extent to which hereditary features play a part. It is claimed by Christiansen (1977) who studied 3586 pairs of twins from the Danish islands that

Wednesday, December 11, 2019

The curious case of corporate tax avoidance- Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: 1. From your firms financial statement, list each item of equity and write your understanding of each item. Discuss any changes in each item of equity for your firm over the past year articulating the reasons for the change. 2. What is your firms tax expense in its latest financial statements? 3. Is this figure the same as the company tax rate times your firms accounting income? Explain why this is, or is not, the case for your firm. 4. Comment on deferred tax assets/liabilities that is reported in the balance sheet articulating the possible reasons why they have been recorded. 5. Is there any current tax assets or income tax payable recorded by your company? Why is the income tax payable not the same as income tax expense? 6. Is the income tax expense shown in the income statement same as the income tax paid shown in the cash flow statement? If not why is the difference? 7. What do you find interesting, confusing, surprising or difficult to understand about the treatment of tax in your firms financial statements? What new insights, if any, have you gained about how companies account for income tax as a result of examining your firms tax expense in its accounts? Answer: Answer 1 Financial statements provide the snapshot of the financial position of the companies, especially the balance sheet. Assets, Liabilities and Owners Equity are considered as three major items of balance sheet. The latest annual report of Boral Limited shows the presence of three major items under the head Equity; they are Issued Capital, Reserves and Retained Earnings (Cohen-Cole Martinez-Garcia, 2013). The 2017 annual report of Boral Limited shows a massive increase in the amount of issued capital; that is $ 4,256.1 million in 2017 and $ 2,246.2 million in 2016 (Boral.com, 2017). The main purpose of the issue of equity shares is to fulfill the capital requirement. The way to calculate issued capital is to multiply the total number of shares outstanding by the total number of shares. In Boral Limited, the number of issued shares in 2017 and 2016 are 1,172,331,924 and 743,599,437 respectively. In 2017, Boral Limited undertook an equity rising of $ 2,018.9 million with a net transaction cost of $ 38.9 million. Boral Limited issued the shares under three heads; they are 93,750,000 ordinary shares under Institutional Placement; 233,648,069 ordinary shares under Institutional Entitlement Offer; and 101,334,418 ordinary shares under Retail Entitlement Offer (Boral.com, 2017). The next equity item is reserve. Reserve in equity is considered as the extra amount paid by shareholders apart from the basic price of the shares. Massive decrease in the equity reserve of Boral Limited can be seen in 2017 as the amount decreased to $ 19.3 million in 2017 from $ 162.0 million in 2016. Four kinds of reserves can be seen in Boral Limited; they are Foreign Currency Translation Reserve (FCTR), hedging reserve, share-based payment reserves and other reserves (Boral.com, 2017). It can be observed that there is not any reserve under the head of other reserve in 2017. The last item under equity of Boral Limited is Retained Earning. Retained earnings refer to the total profit and loss of the companies from the formation time. Positive retrained earning shows the presence of more profit in companies than losses. There is an increase in the retained earnings of Boral Limited in 2017; that is $ 1,156.1 million in 2017 from $ 1,098.1 million (Boral.com, 2017). Answer 2 At the time of carrying on the business operations, companies have to incur different types of expenses like operating expenses, selling expenses, administrative expenses and others. Tax Expenses is considered as one of them. Tax expenses of the companies can be derived by multiplying the business tax by income before taxes after doing all the tax reconciliation (Burman Phaup, 2012). It is also mandatory for Boral Limited to make their tax calculation correctly and pay them on yearly basis. In this context, it is required to be mentioned that companies are required to pay tax expenses to the federal government and state government of the companies. The Australian Taxation Law has imposed a tax rate of 30% for the Australian companies. The latest income statement of Boral Limited shows the rise in the income tax expenses of the company. The income tax expenses in 2017 and 2016 are $ 51.4 million and $ 35.6 million (Boral.com, 2017). The main reasons for the rise in income tax expense s can be either the increase in tax rate or profit before income tax or both. The annual report of Boral Limited shows that there has not been any change in tax rate from 2016 to 2017. Thus, the main reason behind the increase in tax expenses in Boral Limited is the increase in profit before income tax; that is $ 301.0 million in 2017 and $ 281.1 million. In the statement of cash flow of Boral Limited, the amounts of tax expenses are $ 41.8 million and $ 69.4 million (Boral.com, 2017). Answer 3 The latest annual report of Boral Limited shows the companys profit before tax in 2017 and 2016 are $ 301.0 million and $ 281.1 million respectively and the company has an income tax rate of 30% in both the year 2017 and 2016. In this way, the tax expenses of Boral Limited should be $ 90.3 million ($ 301.0 million*30%) in 2017 and $ 84.33 million ($ 281.1 million*30%) in 2016. However, in the companys income statement, the reported amount of tax expenses is $ 51.4 million and $ 35.6 million (Boral.com, 2017). Thus, it shows a clear difference in the tax expenses for Boral Limited. The reconciliation of income tax expenses shows that several factors contribute to this difference in income tax expenses. The first factor is the difference between Australian and overseas tax rate (Marron, 2012). The tax expenses among the parent company and its subsidiaries in other countries due to difference in tax rates and $ 3.4 million has been deducted from the tax expenses. The next factor is non- deductable depreciation and amortization. In 2017, Boral Limited has deducted depreciation and amortization from tax expenses and thus, $ 0.4 million has been added with the tax expenses (Boral.com, 2017). In the tax treatment of Boral Limited, one deductible item is the realization of the losses of capital and income tax. For this reason, $ 20.4 million is deducted from the tax expenses. The next item is non-deductable asset impairment and write-downs. In-spite of non-deductable nature, the company may have deducted them and as compensation, $ 6.1 million has been added with the tax expenses. The next item is shares of associates net profits that should be deducted from the income tax expenses. For this reason, $ 28.5 million has been deducted from the tax expenses (Boral.com, 2017). The next item is tax benefits from the vest of share acquisition right. This is a deductable item from the profit of the companies. For this reason, $ 11.5 million has been deducted from the income tax expenses of the company. The next item is finalization of different tax matters that does not have any effect on the tax expenses of Boral Limited in 2017. There are some other non-deductable significant other items can be seen that are not required to be deducted from the tax expenses. For this reason, $ 3.7 million has been added to the tax expenses of the company (Boral.com, 2017). Answer 4 Deferred tax assets and liabilities are two important parts in the tax treatment of the firms. In some situations, companies use to pay extra amount of tax in the current year that is considered as asset in the coming years and it is called deferred tax assets (Harrington, Smith Trippeer, 2012). In some situations, there are differences in profit and tax-carrying value of the firms and it is called deferred tax liabilities (Gallemore et al., 2012). The latest annual report of Boral Limited shows the reporting of differed tax assets in the balance sheet; they are $ 128.4 million in 2017 and $ 237.4 million in 2016 (Boral.com, 2017). Thus, decrease in the deferred tax assets can be seen in 2017 as compared to 2016. The financial notes of deferred tax and assets show the presence of differed tax assets and liabilities in both 2017 and 2016. In Boral Limited, the deferred tax assets are receivables, inventories, PPE (property, plant and equipment) and intangible assets. Boral Limited ha s recognized all these substances as their deferred tax assets it is probable that future taxable profits will be available from all these assets. The situation is opposite in case of deferred tax liabilities. Boral Limited has recognized all these substances as their deferred tax liabilities as it is probable that there will be future outflow of cash or losses due from these items. There can be a major reason for Boral Limited for the reduction of deferred tax assets in 2017 from 2016 that is the overpayment of tax in 2016. Boral Limited had to pay less amount of tax in 2017 as they already paid overtax in 2016. Answer 5 In the process of tax treatment, current tax assets, current tax liabilities or income tax payable are seen as important factors. In 2017, Boral Limited has not mention any thing about the current tax assets of the company. However, the company has reported about current tax liabilities in their balance sheet; that is $ 64.1 million in 2017 and $ 36.6 million in 2016 (Boral.com, 2017). It can be observed that the amount of current tax liabilities has increased in 2017 from2016. From the annual report of Boral Limited, it can be observed that there is difference between the amount of income tax expenses and income tax payable of the company. According to the description provided by Boral Limited, current tax liabilities are the income tax payable for the year and it is payable in respect of the previous year (Laux, 2013). However, the situation is completely different in case of income tax expenses. Income tax expense is considered as the major liability of Boral Limited as it is calc ulated on the current years income of the company. Thus, it can be seen that, there are major differences in the concept of income tax payable and income tax expenses. It needs to be mentioned that Boral Limited calculate the amount of income tax payable on the income of previous year where the calculation of income tax expenses is done based on the income of current year (Dhaliwal et al., 2013). For all these reasons, the amount of income tax payable is not same as the income tax expenses of Boral Limited. Answer 6 Companies use to mention about their income tax expenses in the income statement as well as in the statement of cash flows. The same aspect can also be seen in Boral Limited. According to the income statement of Boral Limited, the company reported $ 51.4 million in 2017 and $ 35.6 million in 2016 as income tax expenses (Boral.com, 2017). As per the statement of cash flow of Boral Limited, the company reported $ 41.8 million in 2017 and $ 69.4 in 2016 as income tax paid (Boral.com, 2017). Thus, it can be clearly observed that Boral Limited has reported two different amounts of tax expenses in income statement and cash flow statement. Some specific reasons are responsible for this disparity. Cash flow from operating activities shows the amount of cash inflow and outflow from the increase or decrease in current assets or liabilities (Saad, 2014). Income tax payable or current liabilities come under current liabilities of Boral Limited. For this reason, Boral Limited reported only the pa yment of income tax payable in the statement of cash flows. This is one of the reasons. In addition, there are different kinds of deductable or non-deductable items that cannot be included in the statement of cash flows as their reconciliation is done later. For this specific reason, the amount of income tax paid in the statement of cash flows shows either more or less as compared to the income tax expenses reported in the income statement (Dowling, 2014). Thus, the above discussed two reasons are responsible for creating differences among the income tax reported in cash flow statement and income statement. Answer 7 The above analysis on Boral Limited shows that there is not any confusing factor in the companys tax treatment as Boral Limited has mentioned all the rules of tax treatment along with proper justification. It can be mentioned that Boral Limited has done their tax treatment in an interesting way. In the note of tax reconciliation, Boral Limited has clearly mentioned about all the factors creating differences in the tax expenses. The company has also shown the amounts of tax reconciliation. All these aspects of tax treatment by Boral Limited is interesting as these help in increasing knowledge in taxation. In addition, one can gain deep insight about the innovative tax treatment of Boral Limited by observing the reasons of differences between the income tax expenses reported in income statement and statement of cash flows. Apart from this, one can gain insight about the fact that tax rate of different countries affect the tax treatment (Atkinson, 2013). References Annual Report 2017. (2018).Boral.com. Retrieved 4 January 2018, from https://www.boral.com/sites/corporate/files/media/field_document/Boral-Annual-Report-2017.pdf Atkinson, A. B. (2013). Participation income.Basic Income: An Anthology of Contemporary Research, 435-438. Burman, L. E., Phaup, M. (2012). Tax expenditures, the size and efficiency of government, and implications for budget reform.Tax Policy and the Economy,26(1), 93-124. Cohen-Cole, E., Martinez-Garcia, E. (2013). The balance sheet channel. Dhaliwal, D. S., Kaplan, S. E., Laux, R. C., Weisbrod, E. (2013). The information content of tax expense for firms reporting losses.Journal of Accounting Research,51(1), 135-164. Dowling, G. R. (2014). The curious case of corporate tax avoidance: Is it socially irresponsible?.Journal of Business Ethics,124(1), 173-184. Gallemore, J., Maydew, E., Schipper, K., Shackelford, D., Wang, S. (2012). Deferred tax assets and bank regulatory capital.EBC Discussion Paper,2012. Harrington, C., Smith, W., Trippeer, D. (2012). Deferred tax assets and liabilities: tax benefits, obligations and corporate debt policy.Journal of Finance and Accountancy,11, 1. Laux, R. C. (2013). The association between deferred tax assets and liabilities and future tax payments.The Accounting Review,88(4), 1357-1383. Marron, D. (2012). How Large Are Tax Expenditures? A 2012 Update.Tax Notes. Tax Policy Center. Saad, N. (2014). Tax knowledge, tax complexity and tax compliance: Taxpayers view.Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences,109, 1069-1075.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Construction Management

Question: Development of thesis on Safety measures in India Vs Australia in construction field. I have the first assessment. Second assessment is all about developing the thesis more accurately and explaining everything about the thesis excluding the references and bibliography. Answer: Introduction Working on this project has been a great experience that could further help me in the academic career. I have gone through different topics that are related to risks associated with construction work. However, the topic of current research is partially different, which provides me an opportunity to gain new knowledge. I hardly knew about health and safety measures at the workplace but the current research helped me to gain a large amount of knowledge in required health and safety measures. In addition, the completion of the research increases my knowledge in research methodology. Moreover, I have developed my knowledge in different areas of research such as data collection, selecting of methodology, hypothesis testing, forming objectives, conceptual framework, and other areas. I have realized construction industry is one of the growing industries, which covers wide operations. While analyzing the existing literature I have understood that technological advancement is one of the significant requirements as most of the operations done in the construction industry are risky or hazardous and require plenty of human efforts. Thus, it is necessary for the organizations in the construction industry should focus on adopting new technology. Technology can do most of the risky operations. Another significant area, which should be considered carefully, is the risk assessment. The collection of data helps me to realize how employee turnover rate is comparatively in the construction industry than any other industry. I have also observed that a number of organizations that provide health and safety measures at the workplace in the construction industry are comparatively low. Thus, it is important to provide health and safety measures to workers of the construction industry. While collecting the secondary, I have observed that multiple types of researches have been conducted on the operations of the construction industry that cover the area such as the impact of risks, factors influencing the development and other factors. However, hardly any research is performed on the importance of health and safety measures at the workplace. Thus, it was necessary to conduct a research on health and safety measures. I have identified that by providing health and safety measures, the organizations in construction industry decrease the rate of employee turnover. The critical discussion made in the literature review indicates that the number of accidents and fatalities are gradually increasing. An increased number of workers every day are leaving the work due to potential risks associated with the construction work and poor health and security measures. The workers of the construction industry in India reported that a large percentage of the employees did not receive pr oper training. In addition, the work practices have hardly been developed. This results in increased number of injuries and fatalities. The research project on the current topic enhanced my knowledge in the different field. I must mention that I have the opportunity to develop my knowledge in construction management, which was entirely different field since I was not aware of the operations done in construction work. The secondary data help me to realize that construction industry should focus on their strategies in relation to the management besides risk management. There have been many cases, where the organizations where the organizations are seen to be implementing the risk management strategies very effectively; however, they fail to take appropriate managerial decisions. This is because the common fact that construction industry is one of the biggest industries, which usually deal with the risky and hazardous project. The authors have suggested different strategies to develop a risk-free work environment. One such strategy is the agile strategy, which is implemented by the most of the large organizations in the construction industry. Most interesting part of the research I should mention that the conduction of the study on the construction industry and its health and safety measures have been a great experience for me. One of the biggest reasons is, I have improved my knowledge about the operations generally done the in the construction industry. Apart from the knowledge of construction work, I have also enhanced my knowledge in research techniques. I mention that I was not aware of the research techniques that are usually implemented to conduct the research perfectly. However, after going through the books of research methodology I have gained an understanding about the research methodology. Thereby, I made the analysis of research techniques to identify the appropriate and suitable techniques. I have observed the selection of research methodology is one of the significant things as the outcome of the research largely depends on the selected research methodology. In such a case, I had to take help from my supervisor. My supervisor guides me to select the research methodology. With his contribution, I have designed the appropriate research techniques for my research. Initially, I was in the dilemma of choosing the data analysis in between primary and secondary. After making several attempts and experimentation, I have selected secondary research analysis. There are some particular reasons behind choosing secondary research analysis. I wanted to conduct the research intensively considering all aspects of construction industry such as work, operation, workers, growth, employee safety and security strategies. Thus, the analysis of those aspects might not have been appropriate for primary analysis. It was necessary to go in detail. Hence, the most interesting part of the researc h was to collect the data for secondary analysis. I have read multiple types books, journals, success stories on magazines, newspapers. I have discovered the aspects associated with constructions that are probably not known to all. There are many people hardly have knowledge about the aspects associated with construction work. I find this interesting as I discovered how the construction industry is managed. I was excited when I received all data for analysis. I have found that many authors have put their argumentative opinions on health and safety measure. The collection of data helps to learn the organizations in Australian construction industry have concerned with health and safety measures for the workers. I observed that leadership is one of the important things to deal with any challenge. Especially, in the construction industry, it is highly required as there is known fact that construction industry mostly experiences an increased rate of employee turnover. Workers are the major resource of an organization; thereby, it is important to retain the workers for the productivity of the organizations as well as for human development. Hence, leadership plays an important role in managing the workplace. I think leadership should also be merged with community development along organizational development. The role of leaders in social work could help people to understand the value of development. As a result, people end up putting more effort on their work. Hence, I realized that leaders need to be careful about the safety and security of the workers. The workers should e provided with required health and safety measures, as it is evident that workers in construction work mostly deal with risky and hazardous operations. The workers may leave the job due to the fact of poor health and safety measures. It is the responsibility of the organizations to implement the health and safety measures to save their workers accidents and fatalities. Thus, I mention that collection of secondary information immensely helped me to develop my own understanding regarding the segments of the construction industry. The collection secondary data also help me to realize construction industry is dynamic in nature, as the operations done in this field do not follow the existing trend for a long time. I think the organizations both small and large in the construction industry should pay more attention to their workers by considering them as the major aspect of the organizations. Besides, the collection of secondary data helps me to realize that the construction industry in India should focus on providing the necessary health and safety measures such personal protective equipment. However, in the data findings, I realized that there health and safety measures that are usually done by the organizations in the construction industry in Australia are implemented by the organizations in India as well. However, I realized that due to some influential factors such as the unstable economy, the unfavorable political environment the organizations in Indian construction industry are not able to implement the health and safety measures properly. Thus, with the help of secondary data, I found the distinctions between the construction industry in India and Australia. Apart from these two countries, there have been other developing countries such as China, UK and Hong Kong. Challenges I faced The successful completion of the project makes me remind the amount of effort I have put in the work. Initially, I felt hopeless regarding the execution of the project as I was lacking the appropriate source of data to work on the thesis. The construction industry is one of the broadest industries and this was lingering in the mind. I was dealing with the anxiety in my mind as I stuck in the middle of the research due to lack of confidence. At the first phase of the research, I was confused with certain things such research techniques, valid sources of data, the appropriate structure of the research. I increased the level of anxiety since I did have poor knowledge in the above-mentioned aspects. However, these aspects are extremely important to conduct as well direct the research towards a particular destination. Another significant challenge was the implementation of secondary research. It is evident that secondary research requires a high level of care and attention at it is usually a wide format. From the secondary source of information, I have realized that authors mainly focus on primary analysis. This is because the fact that the conduction of the search emerges with a comprehensive outcome if a secondary research is intensively conducted. However, in the case of my research, I have gone through the techniques of both primary and secondary research. After dealing with several dilemmas, I concluded that secondary research helps me to gain the desired outcome from the research. I have gathered the information from the secondary source of information but it appears to be difficult at the time of conducting the analysis. There have been multiple types of formats associated with the secondary data analysis. Again, I faced the dilemma of choosing the right format of secondary analysis. There was an anxiety in my mind, which was making me nervous. While delving into the secondary source of information I observed that many studies fail to acquire desired results due to improper selection secondary data analysis. This fact decreased the level of my confidence. On the contrary, at the time of discussing the results, I faced difficulties in linking the results with the prepared objectives of the research. In addition, while concluding the thesis, I had to represent the objectives along with the secondary information; there I was required to make a correlation among the data, objectives and findings. Since health and safety measures at the workplace are one of the important aspects, I have hesitation in providing the recommendation aligning with the data findings. Thus, I could not rely on the selected solutions that I was supposed to provide at the end of the thesis. However, after making sev eral attempt I ended up suggesting the solutions that I would elaborate in the next phase of the analysis How do I overcome the challenges? As I discussed above I faced multiple challenges at each phase of the thesis; thus, to deal with those challenges I have also applied certain strategies. In the introductory chapter of the research, I paid more the attention in preparing the rationale of the research, since I knew proper rationale could help me to prepare the aim and objectives of the research. The objective is one of the important aspects of the thesis, which required to be carefully managed. Thereafter, I prepared the research questions aligning with the hypothesis of the research. After preparing these aspects, I found it easy to form the dissertation structure, which indicates me how the research is going toward the desired direction. I also identified the research problems as the identification of the issues help to carry forward the research to the next stage, which was the review of the literature. While preparing the literature review I found different argumentative statements put forward by the authors in th e previous research. This helps me to deal with the research problems found the in the introductory stage of the thesis. I made the comparison in between the issues of my current research and the data findings provide in the previous studies regarding the health and safety measures in health and safety measures at the workplace in the construction industry. Thus, I have gone through multiple types of journals in relation to health and safety measures applied in the construction industry. I must mention that literature review plays a significant role in developing the role in conducting the secondary data analysis. I found out certain gaps in the previous studies that help me to conduct my current study. Moreover, by considering the gaps in the previous researches, I am able to meet the requirement of current thesis. However, I faced some difficulties in preparing the secondary research. My supervisor resolves the difficulties. My supervisor helped me to select the right format of secondary data analysis. Thus, I gain the meet all requirements of the research. The collected the journals and researched the validity of those data. Likewise, I emphasized on certain aspects of those journal regarding health and safety in construction work. Some significant aspects are such as compliance with the regulations, economical factor, and favorable environment that have the major influence in construction projects. The thematic analysis in the literature review helps me to conduc t the research more effectively with requirements. I believe that by performing a thematic analysis it is easy to point certain necessary aspect of the thesis rather conducting a secondary study. I believe while implementing a descriptive study one may not be able to cover all the areas of the research, as the descriptive research techniques are broad in nature and time-consuming. Another challenge was the selection of research methodology that gave several headaches, as the research methodology should always be proper and appropriate. The selection of research methodology helps to predict the outcome. However, I resolved the problem by going through each of the types involved in the techniques. I must mention the model of research onion gave me an idea regarding how I proceed with the techniques. With the help of research onion model, I selected the research philosophy, which suits the secondary research philosophy. Likewise, I went ahead with research approach, design and data collection. As I was sure about the sure about the secondary data analysis in the initial stage of the research, the selection of data collection did not give me much of the troubles. However, the ethical consideration was also a major concern in the research methodology. I had to go through certain n ethical issues such as confidentiality of data, organizations, and people involved in the research process. I had to take the permission from the management of the organization. However, it was not easy to convince the heads of the organizations as no organization prefers to be disclosed in public. Nevertheless, the approval form signed my professor of my university made them understand. In addition, I ensured that the data is only collected for the academic purpose. Thereafter, I also had to deal with the issues of data analysis, as it is evident that secondary analysis is an in-depth process. The secondary analysis requires time; thus, I had to hold my patience at the time of presenting the data in a comprehensive manner. I failed a number of times while presenting the data. After several attempts, I put the data with table and graphs. The representation of the dat a helps me to point out in certain areas of research that are further analyzed in the discussion. Based on the discussion made in the fourth stage I prepared the solutions against the issues found regarding health and safety measures at the workplace in the construction industry. However, I must mention there have been certain limitations that I had to consider while conducting the study. One of the major limitations I faced is the comparative study in between Australia and India. I could have conducted the research considering the scenario of other countries such as UK and China. Another limitation I dealt with was the selection of research data analysis. I had to choose either secondary data analysis or primary data analysis. However, I conduct the research including both primary as well as secondary data analysis; the outcome of the research would have been more appropriate and effective. Application of knowledge Again, I say the completion of the study gave a large amount of satisfaction since I enhanced my knowledge in both academic and management study. The knowledge gained from the completion of the research, I could apply in my course. There are certain aspects developed in the research such as time management could help me to prepare the study. I had poor knowledge in time management but I had to complete this research within a given deadline. However, this surely helps me to take further preparation to complete my course. In addition to this, research techniques used in the study could help me to prepare the further project of my study. I also developed my knowledge in decision-making skills. I had poor knowledge in taking the right decision for my life, my career. In the middle of this study, I was stuck with the data analysis. I could not select the research methodology. However, I decided after going into the details of both the methodologies I ended up taking the right decision. Thus, this technique could help me to take further decision. In addition, I must add that the selection of research methodology also increased my ability to judge the effectiveness of research techniques. Lastly, I mention that the current research immensely helped me to gain experience in different segments of strategic management. Reference List: Cheng, C.W., Leu, S.S., Cheng, Y.M., Wu, T.C. and Lin, C.C., 2012. Applying data mining techniques to explore factors contributing to occupational injuries in Taiwan's construction industry.Accident Analysis Prevention,48, pp.214-222. Cheng, E.W., Ryan, N. and Kelly, S., 2012. Exploring the perceived influence of safety management practices on project performance in the construction industry.Safety science,50(2), pp.363-369. Cheng, T., Migliaccio, G.C., Teizer, J. and Gatti, U.C., 2012. Data fusion of real-time location sensing and physiological status monitoring for ergonomics analysis of construction workers.Journal of Computing in Civil Engineering,27(3), pp.320-335. Cohen, L., Manion, L. and Morrison, K., 2013.Research methods in education. Routledge. Collis, J. and Hussey, R., 2013.Business research: A practical guide for undergraduate and postgraduate students. Palgrave macmillan. Creswell, J.W., 2013.Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage publications. El-Taher, A., 2012. Assessement of natural radioactivity levels and radiation hazards for building materials used in Qassim area, Saudi Arabia.Romanian journal of physics,57(3/4), p.726. Fernndez-Muiz, B., Montes-Pen, J.M. and Vzquez-Ords, C.J., 2012. Safety climate in OHSAS 18001-certified organisations: Antecedents and consequences of safety behaviour.Accident Analysis Prevention,45, pp.745-758. Fernndez-Muiz, B., Montes-Pen, J.M. and Vzquez-Ords, C.J., 2012. Occupational risk management under the OHSAS 18001 standard: analysis of perceptions and attitudes of certified firms.Journal of Cleaner Production,24, pp.36-47. Fink, A., 2013.Conducting Research Literature Reviews: From the Internet to Paper: From the Internet to Paper. Sage Publications. Gioia, D.A., Corley, K.G. and Hamilton, A.L., 2013. Seeking qualitative rigor in inductive research notes on the Gioia methodology.Organizational Research Methods,16(1), pp.15-31. Goulding, J., Nadim, W., Petridis, P. and Alshawi, M., 2012. Construction industry offsite production: A virtual reality interactive training environment prototype.Advanced Engineering Informatics,26(1), pp.103-116. Grote, G., 2012. Safety management in different high-risk domainsAll the same?.Safety Science,50(10), pp.1983-1992. Guo, H., Li, H., Chan, G. and Skitmore, M., 2012. Using game technologies to improve the safety of construction plant operations.Accident Analysis Prevention,48, pp.204-213. Hannigan, A. and Lynch, C.D., 2013. Statistical methodology in oral and dental research: pitfalls and recommendations.Journal of Dentistry,41(5), pp.385-392. Jensen, K.B. ed., 2013.A handbook of media and communication research: Qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Routledge. Leung, M.Y., Chan, I.Y.S. and Yu, J., 2012. Preventing construction worker injury incidents through the management of personal stress and organizational stressors.Accident Analysis Prevention,48, pp.156-166. Leung, M.Y., Chan, I.Y.S. and Yu, J., 2012. Preventing construction worker injury incidents through the management of personal stress and organizational stressors.Accident Analysis Prevention,48, pp.156-166. Lin, J.W., Chen, C.W. and Hsu, T.C., 2012. Fuzzy statistical refinement for the forecasting of tenders for roadway construction.Journal of Marine Science and Technology,20(4), pp.410-417. Liu, H.T. and Tsai, Y.L., 2012. A fuzzy risk assessment approach for occupational hazards in the construction industry.Safety science,50(4), pp.1067-1078. Manu, P.A., Ankrah, N.A., Proverbs, D.G. and Suresh, S., 2012. Investigating the multi-causal and complex nature of the accident causal influence of construction project features.Accident Analysis Prevention,48, pp.126-133.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

About Plato and His Philosophical Ideas

About Plato and His Philosophical Ideas Plato was one of the most famous, respected, and influential philosophers of all time. A type of love (Platonic) is named for him. We know the Greek philosopher Socrates mostly through Platos dialogues. Atlantis enthusiasts know Plato for his parable about it in Timaeus and other descriptions from Critias. He saw tripartite structures in the world around him. His social structure theory had a governing class, warriors, and workers. He thought the human soul contained reason, spirit, and appetite. He may have founded an institution of learning known as the Academy, from which we get the word academic. Name: Aristocles [dont confuse the name with Aristotle], but known as PlatoPlace of Birth: AthensDates 428/427 to 347 B.C.Occupation: Philosopher The Name Plato Plato was originally named Aristocles, but one of his teachers gave him the familiar name, either because of the breadth of his shoulders or his speech. Birth of Plato Plato was born around May 21 in 428 or 427 B.C., a year or two after Pericles died and during the Peloponnesian War. He was related to Solon and could trace his ancestry to the last legendary king of Athens, Codrus. Plato and Socrates Plato was a student and follower of Socrates until 399, when the condemned Socrates died after drinking the prescribed cup of hemlock. It is through Plato that we are most familiar with Socrates philosophy because he wrote dialogues in which his teacher took part, usually asking leading questions the Socratic method. Platos Apology is his version of the trial and the Phaedo, the death of Socrates. The Legacy of the Academy When Plato died, in 347 B.C., after Philip II of Macedonia had begun his conquest of Greece, leadership of the Academy passed not to Aristotle, who had been a student and then teacher there for 20 years, and who expected to follow, but to Platos nephew Speusippus. The Academy continued for several more centuries. Eroticism Platos Symposium contains ideas on love held by various philosophers and other Athenians. It entertains many points of view, including the idea that people were originally doubled some with the same gender and others with the opposite, and that, once cut, they spend their lives looking for their other part. This idea explains sexual preferences. Atlantis The mythical place known as Atlantis appears as part of a parable in a fragment of Platos late dialogue Timaeus and also in Critias. Tradition of Plato In the Middle Ages, Plato was known mostly through Latin translations of Arabic translations and commentaries. In the Renaissance, when Greek became more familiar, far more scholars studied Plato. Since then, he has had an impact on math and science, morals, and political theory. The Philosopher King Instead of following a political path, Plato thought it more important to educate would-be statesmen. For this reason, he set up a school for future leaders. His school was called the Academy, named for the park in which it was located. Platos Republic contains a treatise on education. Plato is considered by many to be the most important philosopher who ever lived. He is known as the father of idealism in philosophy. His ideas were elitist, with the philosopher king the ideal ruler. Plato is perhaps best known to college students for his parable of a cave, which appears in Platos Republic.

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Send this Essays

Send this Essays Send this Essay Send this Essay As we mark the four-year anniversary of the American-led invasion of Iraq, we must consider all the evidence before us and come to an educated conclusion as to the best course of action for America to pursue.   I believe strongly that America must withdraw from Iraq.   This paper will outline the many factors that I believe lead to this conclusion.It is not overly pessimistic to focus on the reasons for going to war with Iraq, because understand the beginning of a story can better illuminate its most ideal conclusion.   The actual reason for invading Iraq, however, is something that historians will attempt to articulate for decades to come.   Different people have very different perceptions of why we invaded Iraq, but all of the reasons start at a common point: 9/11.We know, as a matter of widely-accepted fact, that Saddam Hussein and his government played absolutely no role in the 9/11 attacks.   We know this.   We also know, however, that if it w ere not for 9/11, we would not have invaded Iraq.   How do we account for this discrepancy? There was no causality; Iraq did not cause 9/11.   There was, however, some sort of correlation, which held that Iraq had something, something to do with the terrorist threat as it was manifested by al-Qaeda on 9/11.The Bush Administration attempted to illustrate this alleged correlation by saying that Saddam Hussein was a terrorist.   Since the people who attacked us were also terrorists, they were somehow related.   In terms of evidence that Saddam Hussein had been involved in specific acts of terrorism against the United States, however, there simply was none.There was also the fact that Saddam Hussein was a secular dictator who had spent most of his career torturing and killing religious radicals and Islamist terrorists of the sort that attacked America on 9/11.   America and Saddam Hussein had a common enemy in radical Islamists.   That is why America supported Saddam Hussein for many years.In addition, it was alleged that Saddam had stockpiled vast quantities of chemical and biological weapons (WMD) since 1998, when United Nations weapons inspectors had left Iraq.   Again, however, there was no hard evidence of these assertions, only rumors and an understandable lack of trust in Saddam Hussein’s word.The case for war held that after 9/11, we must overthrow Saddam Hussein before he gives his WMD to terrorists.   The flaw with this case was that Saddam had nothing to do with 9/11, there was no evidence of his cooperating with Islamist terrorists targeting America, and there was no evidence that he had WMD.So, in terms of the threat that Iraq posed to the United States, the only case that existed rested on huge leaps of faith and logic.   The second component to the case for war was that Saddam must be overthrown due to his brutality to the Iraqi people and due to the lack of democracy in the Middle East.   It was assumed that a lack of dem ocracy caused terrorism.   Unlike the case for WMD or ties to 9/11, this case was very easy for the American government to make.   No reasonable person could deny that Saddam Hussein was one of the most murderous leaders of the late 20th century, a sadist and a thug who belonged in a prison rather than a presidential palace.This, in part, is how America got sucked into this war.   Even if one did not believe all of the president’s assertions about the threat that Saddam Hussein posed to the United States, the idea of overthrowing this mass murderer was very appealing to most Americans.   The problem was that there was very little attention paid to the job that America would have in Iraq after Saddam was overthrown.Broadly speaking, the reasons given for war were the destruction of WMD stockpiles, the crushing of alleged terrorist groups in Iraq, the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, and the democratization of Iraq.   With these goals in mind, we will assess how the Unite d States has fared at each one and what the best course of action going forward should be.As we discovered after invading Iraq, Saddam Hussein had actually destroyed his WMD stockpiles in 1991.   This should be a major cause of embarrassment and concern for America’s intelligence agencies, but it can also serve as a relief to us in some sense.   The WMD threat is gone.   Saddam destroyed that threat himself twelve years before we invaded to do it for him.   Mission accomplished.As for overthrowing Saddam Hussein, that also has been achieved.   Saddam Hussein has been overthrown, captured, and tried and executed by his countrymen.   By definition, whatever threat Saddam Hussein may have posed to the United States in now gone.   So, again, mission accomplished.   If our only goals in Iraq were the limited and pragmatic ones of removing Saddam and his weapons, we could have declared victory and withdrawn from Iraq years ago.   We have other goals, however.   Reference to the brief list above tells us that the two outstanding tasks in Iraq are democratizing the country and riding it of terrorists.We must weigh whether we should stay in Iraq against the possibilities of achieving these final two goals and the costs this will entail.   I believe that, for a variety of reasons, the costs involved in pursuit of these goals are far too great and uncertain to justify keeping the American military in Iraq.We know that the number of Islamist terrorists in Iraq has increased exponentially since the American invasion.   In four years, the American military has not been able to destroy or significantly weaken these groups.   The most well-known Islamist terrorist group in Iraq is Al-Qaeda in Mesopotamia, which did not exist prior to the American invasion.The fact that the invasion of Iraq created far more terrorists than it destroyed is not a reason to leave Iraq.   However, the fact that the American military has not been able to defeat th ese groups in four years of warfare makes it appear very unlikely that the American military has the solution to this problem.While the Islamist terrorist groups and the remnants of Saddam Hussein’s regime have killed thousands of American soldiers, most violence in Iraq is carried out by Iraqis on other Iraqis.   In other words, the war in Iraq is not primarily a war between terrorists and Americans; it is primarily a civil war between Iraqis.   In order to form a rational policy, Americans must understand that they are not at the center of this conflict; they are merely a side component to an Iraqi civil war.The rise of terrorist groups is directly related to the failure of democracy in Iraq.   After Saddam’s dictatorship was crushed, Iraq was opened to a flood of people and ideas, many of whom were hostile to the United States and to the idea of a democratic Iraq.   Again, the resistance to a democratic Iraq is not primarily driven by anti-Americanism; it is primarily driven by local factors.Iraq, like all Arab countries, was historically dominated by Sunni Muslims.   Since Iraq is the only major Arab state with a Shi’ite Muslim majority, a democratic Iraq by definition means an Iraq dominated by Shi’ites.   Many powerful forces in the Arab world, including most of Iraq’s neighbors, reject the idea of a Shi’ite-dominated Arab state.   This resistance does not revolve around anti-Americanism; it revolves around a split between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims that evolved a millennium before the United States existed.My goal here is to illustrate that the problems plaguing Iraq are local problems, with roots and causes stretching back centuries, that the United States neither created nor can hope to control.   Overthrowing a government and disarming a country are tasks that the American military can accomplish.   They did so swiftly and surely in 2003.   Changing the hearts and minds of millions o f Iraqis and convincing them to live peacefully together in a democratic state that is friendly to American interests is not a task for the American military; it is a task for the Iraqi people, or for nobody at all.Since our own military and political leaders have acknowledged that there is no military solution to the problem in Iraq, the American military presence there simply incurs escalating costs with little or no prospect of reward.   We will now examine those costs and see how they point to the logic of withdrawal.In terms of the human costs, we know with great precision what the toll has been on the American side.   Approximately 3,200 Americans have died, with about 24,000 wounded.   The Iraqi toll is harder to gauge and depends in large part on how the numbers are extrapolated.   There is no doubt, however, that the toll of Iraqi dead is at the very least ten times the American toll, and in all probability far, far greater.There are two considerations to bear in mi nd with these figures.   Firstly, while 3,200 military deaths is quite few compared to other American wars, it is far too many when one takes into account the most likely reward for these sacrifices.   In other words, when the point of the sacrifice is convoluted and ambiguous, the losses carry far more weight than they do when the goals are clear and the cause is just.Secondly, the scores of thousands of Iraqis who have been killed must weigh on the conscience of the United States.   While most of these Iraqis may have been killed by their own countrymen rather than the American military, the American military created the power vacuum that allowed violence to explode throughout Iraq.   Most of the Iraqi dead are not America’s enemies killed by America’s military; they are innocent people who the American military has for years been unable to protect.The financial cost has also been astronomical.   Unlike the Gulf War of 1990-91, American did not have many al lies when it invaded Iraq, so it has paid for the war itself.   To make matters worse, it has paid for the war with borrowed money, passing the bill on to future generations of Americans.   As the direct costs approach half a trillion dollars, one is awed by the fact that officials in the Defense Department speculated before the war that it would pay for itself via Iraqi oil sales.   Again, as with the human cost, the issue is not so much the figures as it is the gain.   What have we gained with our $500 billion investment?American reconstruction efforts have failed on a variety of levels.   One of the most important factors in winning the trust of an occupied population is to provide them with the everyday necessities and utilities needed to go about their lives.   Since the American invasion, oil output and electricity levels in urban centers are lower than they were under Saddam Hussein.   Unemployment is also rampant.   This is not to argue that America should no t try to fix the electricity; it is to argue that, after four years, why should we expect that they will suddenly be able to?As it became clear that the WMD stockpiles did not exist and that Saddam Hussein was permanently out of power, the original justifications for the war seemed to be evaporating.   Many came to feel that the WMD argument had been deliberately distorted; they felt they had been lied to.   For many Americans, however, there remained one satisfaction that it seemed impossible to reverse.   Whatever the mistakes made, the new Iraq could not possible be a worse place to live for Iraqi people than Saddam’s Iraq.   As we examine the costs that the Iraqis are paying, however, we can no longer be assured even of this.As noted above, Iraqis have less electricity now than under Saddam.   They are exporting less oil.   Under Saddam Hussein, the government had a monopoly on violence, which it used to brutalize and terrorize its own people.   However, the re was some semblance of order; one could walk down the street in Baghdad and not fear being blown up or beheaded while they shopped for groceries.   Now, although the brutal government is gone, Iraq is the most dangerous place on earth for the people who must live there.If there were no WMD, if Saddam is dead, if we have not improved the living standards or security of normal Iraqis in four years, and if Iraq is now engulfed in a civil war between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims, why is the American military still in Iraq?   The administration holds that the democratically elected Iraqi government must be defended against terrorists, but this is to vastly oversimplify the nature of the problem and America’s ability to influence events.The elected Iraqi government is dominated by Shi’ite Muslims but, as noted above, the minority Sunni Muslims largely refuse to accept their legitimacy.   To most Iraqis, the civil war is not about democracy versus terrorism.   I t is about Sunni versus Shi’ite domination.   By supporting the Iraqi government, the United States is effectively siding with the Shi’ites against the Sunni in Iraq’s civil war.There are several dangers to this course of action.   Firstly, the American military should not be used to intervene directly in foreign nations’ civil wars.   This was one of the lessons of Vietnam.   Secondly, by siding with the Shi’ites, the Americans anger many of its traditional Sunni allies.   Thirdly, we have every reason to believe that the Shi’ites of Iraq are far more loyal to Iran than to the United States.   This should not surprise us, but it should make us pause before supporting them blindly.The administration insists on referring to Iraq as the central front of the war on terror.   When doubt is cast on this assertion, officials point out that Osama bin Laden himself has made this claim.   This approach is damaging for several reasons.    Firstly, we should not allow Osama bin Laden to dictate the context of our actions and thereby create a paradigm whereby leaving Iraq means surrendering in the war on terror.   Secondly, it ignores the fact that the American invasion made Iraq a nexus of international terror groups.   Thirdly, it is incredibly dismissive and contemptuous towards the Iraqi people.If this war, called Operation Iraqi Freedom, is really about what’s best for the Iraqi people, then America has made a grave error.   Certain politicians may claim that it is better to fight the enemy in Baghdad than in New York, but what does this mean for Iraqis and other Arabs and Muslims, whose hearts and minds we must win in order to win this war?   The American invasion caused the implosion of the Iraqi state, the opening of its borders, and a flood of literally hundreds and hundreds of suicide bombers into Iraq.   If part of our â€Å"war on terror† involves creating a magnet for terrorist s in other peoples’ countries, is this really in our best interest?   Do we decrease terrorism by drawing the terrorists into the neighborhoods of people we claim to be â€Å"liberating†?   The American invasion and occupation has made Iraq a haven for terrorists; does this decrease or increase the chances that Iraqi-based terrorist will attack the United States?The American war in Iraq must be stopped on behalf of two constituencies: the American people and the Iraqi people.   Both have been the losers in this war.   America lost the trust of many long-time allies, the moral high ground in the war on terror, hundreds of billions of dollars, massive amounts of military equipment, thousands of men and women, and a great deal of prestige and respect.The Iraqi people undoubtedly gained something, in that they are now free from the tyranny of Saddam Hussein.   However, they have subsequently lost much more.   Their standard of living has not improved noticeably , their capital city is the most dangerous in the world, and their society is being torn apart by civil war.If this war is costing the American and Iraqi people so much with so little gain, it must be ended.   The aftermath of an American withdrawal would surely lead to more chaos and bloodshed in Iraq.   The only point is staying, however, is if America can positively guide the conflict to a resolution.   Unfortunately, we have four years worth of evidence that suggests that Iraq’s problems are far beyond the capabilities of America to fix.   Indeed, they may even be beyond the capabilities of Iraq itself.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Total Quality Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Total Quality Management - Essay Example TQM is based on the practice and assumption that problems should be dealt with at the point of origin itself. Each process in any business, like sales, marketing, operations, finance, production, planning, personnel, technical, have parameters of input. If the input is wrong, the output is bound to be wrong. Wang suggests that the correction should be made at the input level itself, which minimizes the chances of a wrong output. Silos also agrees that every aspect and every process of the business system should be involved so that all functions – vertically and horizontally across all levels are covered (1999 cited by Cannon, 2002). Although there have been modification to the adaptation of the TQM, the essential principles of this management philosophy remains the same. This paper will highlight how Marriott considered the TQM in their hotels. Marriott International has always been known as an employee-oriented family atmosphere organization. As service expectation of the existing customers and potential customers have gone up, and as TQM is a management philosophy based on continuous improvement, Marriott felt the need to consider TQM in their company to be able to deliver quality service and to sustain their image in the competitive market. To be able to consider TQM in their organization, Marriott first ventured to define TQM in their own style. To them, TQM meant: The philosophy of the founder of Marriott was â€Å"Take care of Marriott people and they will take care of Marriott guests† (Cannon, 2002). They were in essence attempting to satisfy both their internal and external customers by the TQM approach. They believe that â€Å"Hands-on managers† are absolutely vital to continuing the Marriott culture. The managers need to possess the people skills in being able to support, inspire, encourage, lead and listen to associates. Employees leave the organization or form unions when they are dissatisfied with the management. With the