Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can Essay

Figure 1 below shows the price of Tin over the past five years. It can be seen from Figure 1 that the price of tin has fluctuate - Essay Example The pricing of tin in three different periods of 2008-2009, 2009-2011 and 2011-2013 will be studied. The correlation between the housing and construction industry with the tin industry will be analyzed to reach the conclusion. The supply curve concept and its implication on the tin industry will be discussed in the essay. Tin Prices: 2008-2013 The following graph shows the prices of tin in the time period under study. Figure 1: Tin prices from 2008-2013 (Source: London Metal Exchange, 2013) 2008-2009: The chief reason for the fall in the price of tin in 2008 began with excess supply. The year began on a cheerful note when, in April 2008, prices of tin touched the highest mark of US $2600 per ton (Asian Metal Ltd, 2008). The movement in the price of the currency also determines the pricing of commodities. An appreciation in the price of dollars stimulates a fall in the price of dollar denominated commodities. This was particularly true in case of agricultural products and prices of ba se metals (Losoncz, 2008). The prices had been low mainly due to the subprime lending crisis in America and heightened during the period of September 2008. As tin is one of the most important requirements in housing and construction industry, so a fall in the demand for houses in that period had led to a decrease in the demand for tin, which resulted in excess supply in relation to demand, thereby lowering the prices. This can be explained with the help of a supply curve. Figure 2: Supply Curve (Source: Gillespie, 2001) The graph above is that of a supply curve which shows that whenever there is an excess supply, the prices of the commodities tend to fall (Gillespie, 2001). The arrows imply that the prices tend to fall when supply exceeds demand. The subprime lending crisis left the economy with vacant houses and no one to buy it. The banks stopped giving loans for housing constructions (Bianco, 2008). All these lowered the consumer demand for tin, a basic metal in construction and therefore, the prices fell. 2009-2011: The price of tin began to recover with the onset of 2009. The rebound in prices could be attributed to the weakening of dollar against other currencies (Lenzer, 2009). Deprecation in the price of dollars triggers the price of commodities in dollars and this caused the tin prices to rise. Another factor which leads to the rise in tin prices was the rising imports of tin from China. The growing demand of tin from overseas market was also responsible for the rise in the price of tin. Even the improving economical and financial outlook contributed to this rise in the prices. In the aftermath of the global financial crisis, the demand for tin already crashed in 2009 as per the records of World Bureau of Metal Statistics (Burns, 2012). The rise in price of tin during this period was somewhat paradoxical considering the other pressing issues at hand then. The industrial demand for raw material had fallen to a great extent in the advanced European coun tries. The consumption of tin in America alone rose from 4% to 6% when other industries felt the heat of the financial crisis. This happened mainly because of the rising production of tin to meet the rising production demands of steel cans (U.S. International Trade Commission, 2001). The reaction from the supply side followed quickly after the global crash in demand. This was evident from the fall in the production of tin from the miners and smelters. On the global level, the cuts in supply could partially

The Authorship Controversy Essay Example for Free

The Authorship Controversy Essay Another contender for the authorship of Shakespeare’s works is Francis Bacon. One of the major reasons for this belief is the existence of a document which bears the names of Shakespeare and Bacon. The Northumberland Manuscript consists of list of speeches and other manuscripts which have been signed â€Å"By Francis William Shakespeare†. Bacon has been known to highlight aspects of a hidden or disguised life. In â€Å"The Essay of Friendship† Bacon writes: There be some whose lives are as if they perpetually played a part upon a stage, disguised to all others, open only to themselves. In a letter written to his friend John Davies, Bacon writes: So desiring you to be good to concealed poets, I continue, yours very assured, Fr. Bacon. Francis Bacon’s vocabulary has been found to be extremely similar to each other. Another reason why several scholars believe that Francis Bacon is actually the author behind Shakespeare’s work is the fact that Bacon never directly mentioned Shakespeare’s name or quoted anything from Shakespeare’s plays. Moreover, many believe that when comparing the writings of most contemporary authors, no one comes close to Shakespeare’s style of prose and verse as Bacon. In fact a large number of words and phrases that are found in Shakespeare’s books can be attributed to Bacon’s notebook â€Å"Promus† which consists of hundreds and thousands of words and phrases that appeared for the first time in the English Language. (BBC UK) However, those who have argued that Bacon could not be Shakespeare have done so on the basis of the fact that Bacon himself has such a large collection of his own works, it is difficult to imagine that he would have had the time or the need to write under a different name. (Shakespeare Resource Center) The third contender is Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford whose work has shown similarities to that of Shakespeare. His early verse and letters have been known to contain words and phrases similar to that of Shakespeare. Moreover, the content of Shakespeare’s plays and poems indicate an in-depth knowledge of key persons in Elizabeth’s court and events related to them. De Vere was known to posses this information. De Vere has been strongly advocated to be the true author of Shakespeare’s plays. Several scholars have highlighted the similarity between De Vere’s guardian William Cecil and the character of Polonius in Hamlet. (Shakespeare Resource Center) Similarly, De Vere once wrote s poem and a letter to introduce Cardamus Comfort, a book by Thomas Bedingfield and one of the most important source book for Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Another coincidence is the character of Malvolio in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night which shows a striking resemblance to Christopher Hatton, a key enemy of De Vere. Thus, in many of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets, one can find characters and events similar to De Vere’s real life. In fact, the plot and characters of Hamlet are so similar to De Vere’s life that some scholars have even gone so far as to say that the play is practically an autobiography of De Vere. (Shakespeare-Oxford) Although no play can be attributed to De Vere, his verse and letters show a distinct similarity to Shakespeare. Although no one has been able to give any definite proof of who out of the many contenders was indeed the true author of Shakespeare’s work, nevertheless this debate has been one of the most extensive in literary history. Whoever wrote Shakespeare’s works had to have extensive knowledge on a large variety of subjects including law, music, foreign languages, classics, sports, aristocratic manners etc. Nothing that is known about William Shakespeare indicates that he possessed all this information and knowledge. Similarly, Shakespeare’s connection with the theater was never clearly established and there was nothing to document his career as an actor such as any past roles or any plays that he might have performed in. Moreover, there are no clear and legible signatures that can be attributed to Shakespeare. Historically, there are six practically illegible signatures, each different from the other and each of them from the latter period of his life i. e. three on his will, one on a deposition, and two on some property documents. Not a single signature has been seen with any of his literature. (The Beginner’s Guide) Stratfordians have been consistently downplaying these debates and believe that since so many contenders have been considered to be the true Shakespeare, the notion is absurd to begin with. There cannot be so many possible candidates to substitute one person (approximately eight Elizabethans have been considered for this role) and thus there really is no logic for this premise and none of the so-called contenders are Shakespeare. (The Beginner’s Guide) Overall, there are several arguments which assert that Shakespeare did not write the plays and sonnets that have been attributed to him. He did not have the background or breeding to do so; did not have the education to write such lyrics and prose; did not have the depth his plays possess which only a University educated individual would have. Moreover, his name is spelt Shaksper on his birth certificate and the authenticity of his signatures has also been questioned. There is no reasonable explanation as to why he retired to Stratford at the peak of his career. There is also no logic of why he was not painted during his lifetime or the fact that his death entry in the registry lists him as a Gent instead of a dramatist, playwright or poet. The debate has never been concluded and one cannot be sure when or how it will. (The Authorship Controversy) Bibliography 1. Information about Shakespeare from the Shakespeare Resource Center. Available online at http://www. bardweb. net/debates. html 2. Gross, John. Will the Real Shakespeare Please Stand Up? Commentary, Vol. 119, March 2005

Intelligence and Character Essay -- Careers Teaching Education Essays

Intelligence and Character â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up?† Everyone has been asked this question at some point in their life. In fact, I am still being asked this question during this time in my life. Although the questions are in a more mature format, such as, â€Å"What are you majoring in?† and â€Å"What are you going to do with your life?† I have always answered this question with the same response. I want to be a teacher. Throughout my entire life I have respected and looked up to all of my teachers, as well as admired my parents, who are both educators. However, during my lifetime of playing â€Å"teacher† I have never actually thought about my personal educational philosophy. Yet, I can look back now on my schooling experiences to see what has been important to me and to identify the major concepts and beliefs I posses in order to form my own teaching philosophy. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, â€Å"Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.† I believe this single statement reflects my entire philosophy of education. I do not believe that any student can gain intelligence and a true character without being introduced to a variety of teaching philosophies and styles. Education, at any level, needs to encompass the needs and learning styles of all students; therefore, I intend on incorporating certain elements into my classroom from three main educational philosophies: Essentialism, Existentialism, and Progressivism. First and foremost, I will definitely use parts of Essentialism in my teachings. Because my goal is to become a secondary English and Language Arts teacher, I know it will be necessary to use this philosophy in order to teach classic... ...r in secondary English education and English, I plan on obtaining my Masters degree so that I can be the best teacher possible for myself and my students. I want to have the main role in my classroom at times, but I also want my students to feel as if they have an important voice as well. Combining parts of each of these methods will successfully make my classroom both a teacher and student oriented classroom. The students will of course learn their English skills and increase their intelligence, but they will also have a feeling of independence and respect, which will lead to the development of or addition to a personal character. Throughout this philosophy statement I have stressed the importance of accomplishing intelligence and character training in the classroom, and according to Martin Luther King Jr., my students will gain a true education in my classroom.

Great Expectationsâ€Parents Molding Children After Their Own Expectations Essay

Dickens’ Great Expectations portrays the lives of different people throughout various levels of society and how they all react to their own condition. The past is always haunting the characters’ lives and, in most cases, it even determines the course of their future existence. It is inevitable to see in the story how some characters, playing the role of parents, define the lives of others, especially children, causing indelible consequences. Thus parents must not mold children after their own purposes and expect them to be someone different from whom they truly desire to be. This is one of the major mistakes we see in the novel made by characters such as Miss Havisham and Magwitch, who pretend to outline the lives of others. Pip’s life has always been influenced and affected by various people. Some want the best for him and others the worst. His parents died since he was very young and this forced him to live with his aunt and uncle. The fact that he lived most of his life without his biological parents is important because it allowed other people to raise him up. Eventually, his life was completely transformed when someone decided to expect great things from him. First of all, we meet Mrs. Joe, an oppressive, unaffectionate, self-righteous woman who is always congratulating herself for having taken care of Pip and for being the only responsible one who â€Å"brought him up by hand† (Dickens 27). We could assume that this term refers to the difficulties she encounters as she fulfills the role of being a mother to Pip. It was not an easy job, especially because Mrs. Joe didn’t have any other children and so didn’t know what motherhood really was. It is very probable that Mrs. Joe was also beaten up as a child and brought up by hand. As a result she is doing the same thing with Pip instead of learning from the past and improving the next generation. Thus since the beginning of the novel Dickens shows us how some adults are molding children after their own purposes and bringing then up as they were once brought up. As Pip grew up the opportunity of going to Satis House opens a new chapter in his life. Mr. Pumblechook and Mrs. Joe decided for him due to the fact that they never asked him if he wanted to go. Once more we may see hoy the life of this child was determined and shaped by those around him. When he goes to Satis House, both the narrator and the reader, meet one of the most important characters of the story, Miss Havisham. She is a mad, vengeful, and wealthy dowager. We would expect from her a lavish lifestyle, but the truth is she lives in an ancient rotting mansion and wears an old wedding dress all the time. The reason for this is that her life is completely altered when she was rejected and abandoned by Compeyson on what should’ve been their wedding day. From that time on, Miss Havisham determines herself to remain in that depressive and melancholic state, and never go beyond her heartbreak. It is this unfortunate event in Miss Havisham’s life that ignites her evil desire of obtaining revenge from men. Thus when she adopts Estella the opportunity to fulfill her execrable purposes opens up. As a result, with obsessive cruelty, she takes care of Estella and raises her as a weapon to achieve her own personal revenge on men. She doesn’t care if Estella’s life is ruined or if she ends up breaking noble hearts, such as Pip’s. All she wants is to get even with men because of that one man who broke her heart. Yet is it moral for a parent to destroy his child’s life in this way? Is it correct for parents to decide what type of life their children should experience for the rest of their existence? Should parents desire to live out their own purposes in their children’s lives? We may see that Miss Havisham answered positively to all of these questions and ended up destroying her future and Estella’s. Likewise, Pip’s future is not determined by himself, but by someone else. When Mr. Jaggers arrives with the news that Pip has a benefactor who wants to make him a gentleman, all expectations change and Pip departs to build up his new life. However, he made several mistakes and misspent most of his money. As a result he entered into debt and began to live an unsustainable lifestyle. We can see that this is the effect of never being taught how to administer money and spent it correctly. Later on when Pip meets the convict, Magwitch, after a long period of time since the marshes, he realizes who his benefactor truly was. All those years Pip had thought that Miss Havisham was his benefactor in order for him to marry Estella. However, Pip discovers the truth through Magwitch and feels embarrassed of it. We can thus comprehend that Pip’s future is not a consequence of his own actions, but it is the result of someone else’s desire to make him a gentleman. What is fascinating is that the night Pip meets the convict again, he realizes who truly had great expectations for him. Magwitch declares, â€Å"Yes, Pip, dear boy, I’ve made a gentleman on you! It’s me wot has done it†¦I own a gentleman†¦I’m your second father. You’re my son – more to me nor any son† (Dickens 293).

Enhancing the Quality of Education in the Philippines Essay

Enhancing the quality of basic education in the Philippines is urgent and critical. Due to that, one of the discussions of DepEd which incurred last October 2010 is to enhance the basic education program of the country in a manner that is least disruptive to the current curriculum, most affordable to government and families, and aligned with international practice through the K-12 policy. The poor quality of basic education is reflected in the low achievement scores of Filipino students. Many students who finish basic education do not possess sufficient mastery of basic competencies. One reason is that students do not get adequate instructional time or time on task. This quality of education is reflected in the inadequate preparation of high school graduates for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education. High school graduates also do not possess the basic competencies or emotional maturity essential for the world of work. 1 While the availability of economic opportunities contributes to this, it also illustrates the mismatch in the labor and education markets. The World Bank Philippines Skills Report in 2009 reveals, based on a survey of employers, serious gaps in critical skills of graduates such as problem-solving, initiative and creativity, and, to a lesser extent, gaps in job specific technical skills. The enhanced K-12 program, or the Department of Education’s (DepEd) proposal to overhaul the basic and secondary education curriculum by adding two more years to the system is arguably one of the most drastic and controversial programs of the Aquino administration. The program is proposed to start in school year 2012-2013 for Grade 1 and first year high school students with the target of full implementation by SY 2018-2019. According to SEAMEO Innotech 2011, which is considered as the preferred education solutions provider in Southeast Asia and also an ISO 9001: 2008 Certified, the Philippine is the last country in Asia and one of only three countries in the world with a 10-year pre-university program. The K-12 model to be implemented in the country is an educational system for basic and secondary education patterned after the United States, Canada, and some parts of Australia. The current basic education system is also an archetype of American schooling but with a 10-year cycle. DepEd reasons that it is high time to adopt a K-12 system, attributing the low achievement scores and poor quality of basic education to the present school setup. Following wide protests over the proposal, the department released its official position defending K-12. 2 â€Å"We need to add two years to our basic education, those who can afford pay up to fourteen years of schooling before university. Thus, their children are getting into the best universities and the best jobs after graduation. I want at least 12 years for our public school children to give them an even chance at succeeding. † quoted from the statement of His Excellency President Benigno S. Aquino III. K-12 has been met with criticism from youth and student groups, teachers, parents and the academic community. The DepEd, for its part, appears determined to enact the program with its proposed budget catering mostly to preparing the grounds for its eventual implementation. The DepEd argues that the K-12 program will be the solution to yearly basic education woes and the deteriorating quality of education. Critics, however, counteract that the education crisis needs to be addressed more fundamentally and adding more school years would only exacerbate the situation. With the proposed policy K-12 program, various arguments and criticisms were formulated. Different conditions generate different assumptions, which in turn create different policies. The success of any policy depends on the correctness of its policy assumptions. 3 Taking this fact into consideration, questions take place, should policy assumptions be made based on current realities? Or should policy be based on policy conditions as expected to happen, but which may not exist by the time the policy implementation was started? The below mentioned problems are just some of the queries where necessary answers are in need to be sought in order to satisfy uncertainties with regards to the implementation of this educational changes provided in K-12 Policy. PROBLEMS 1. What is the status of the country’s educational resources as to: * teaching force; * facilities and equipments; * learning materials; and * budget? ; 2. What are the provisions of the policy to the following direct entities? * family; * manpower;? and instructional apparatus**? ; 3. What is the level of preparedness of the concerned implementing stakeholders e. g. DepEd, CHED as to the execution of this educational reformation? and 4. What is the level of acceptance of the following affected stakeholders: * teaching staff; * parents; and * students? 5. What is the level of capability of the following affected stakeholders? * teaching staff; * parents; and students? OBJECTIVES The formulation of policy for the K+12 Education System requires rigorous systems analysis. Many patchworks of issues, opinions and statistical analysis have already been presented by so many sectors in so many meetings and consultations. But what is more important to see now is the entire picture, the whole tapestry of Cause-Effects and Costs-Benefits that the policy, if adopted, will create. The following are the main objectives of the K-12 policy as stated in their guiding principles4: 1. To enhance the curriculum of the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program as the central focus. The curriculum enhancement will be designed in line with the desired competencies and skills of a K+12 graduate. The Department of Education will constitute a body to review the current basic education curriculum and detail the implementation plan. 2. To develop tracks based on different competencies and/or student interest as an integral component of the program. Basic education program should develop tracks based on competencies to meet the country’s varied human capital requirements, and to prepare students for productive endeavor. The SHS curriculum will offer areas of specialization or electives. 3. To enhance the basic education curriculum being undertaken hand in hand with the vigorous efforts to ensure adequacy of inputs as part of the bigger basic education reform,  Expanding the education program (additional years of schooling) will be pursued mindful of the need to address the input shortages – teachers, classrooms, desks, water and sanitation, and quality textbooks. DepEd already included a provision for substantial physical requirements for 2011 budget, and is looking to introduce in subsequent years a budget that will constitute a significant increase not just in nominal terms but also in real terms. 4. To alter change in two-fold: curriculum enhancement and transition management. The intention of K+12 is not merely to add two years of schooling but more importantly, to enhance the basic education curriculum. DepEd is preparing a carefully sequenced implementation plan to ensure smooth transition with the least disruption. 5. To have an open and consultative process to be adopted in the promotion of the Enhanced K+12 Basic Education Program. In accordance with the â€Å"Tao ang Boss† principle, an open and consultative process will be adopted to ensure the successful development and implementation of the K+12 program. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE. Many of us believe that in order for a person to achieve his success, he must have a good background in education and the attitude of a survivor. A great education begins with the desire to learn (Osterberg, 2004). Education is important in everybody. It gives us knowledge about the world around us, strengthens our perspective in life and helps build opinions and have points of view in everything about life. Education is really important in bringing our dreams to reality. It opens up doors to every opportunity that would give success in one’s life (Oak, 2010). In our country’s case, the Philippine government offers only 10 years in basic education (6 years for elementary and 4 for high school years), which is the lowest as compared to 12 years in many countries in the world (PCER, 1999). The poor mastery of lessons is common due to the congested curriculum and to the great number of population in public schools. High school graduates of 10-year basic education curriculum are also believed to lack basic competencies and maturity. They cannot legally enter into contracts and are not emotionally mature for entrepreneurship / employment (DepEd, 2010). According to the National Framework Plan for ICTs in Basic Education (2010), the poor performance of students across our country shown in recent national and international achievement tests, and the great number of dropouts both in elementary and secondary levels, pushes the government to add 2 more years in the basic education curriculum or also termed as the K+12 education program. The K+12 program means Kindergarten and the 12 years of elementary and secondary levels. Kindergarten refers to the 5-year old cohort that takes a standardized kinder curriculum. Elementary education refers to primary  schooling that involves six or seven years of education. Secondary education refers to high school (DepEd, 2010). According to the official gazette by the Department of Education (DepED, 2010), the model that is currently being proposed by DepEd is the K-6-4-2 Model. This model involves Kindergarten, six years of elementary education, four years of junior high school (Grades 7 to 10) and two years of senior high school (Grades 11 to 12). The two years of senior high school intend to provide time for students to consolidate acquired academic skills and competencies. By the time that the issue in K+12 program was once again brought up to public, there has been lots of comments and opinions made by those who agree and disagree about it. The pro-K+12 said that the need for enhancement of the quality of education is urgent and critical and that the congested curriculum only burdens the students by the time they pursue their tertiary level. The government also stated that by adding two more years in our curriculum would increase the GDP growth by 2%. While those who disagree said that the families would have to shell more money for transportation, food and education of their children. Many have also stated that the government does not have the money to spend for another two years in education since it does not have the money to fully support today’s ten years (Cruz, 2010). METHODOLOGY The paper presented elucidates what the K-12 policy is all about, the rationale of formulating it, the target stakeholders and beneficiaries. Further, it tackles also the current situation and the adaptation scenario as it was going to be implemented this coming school year. Various facts, criticisms and assumptions from different reliable sources were asserted in order to substantiate details needed for the best understanding. The presenters wanted to obtain information as to the queries being questioned in the above stated problems in order to have a bird’s eye view to the content and specifications of the said policy. Since the policy is soon to be implemented, the discussion presented is more on the assessment of the provisions and guidelines stipulated in the educational reform in relation to the affected stakeholders. The come up of the following options were based from the personal assessments from the presenters out from the ideas and thorough discussions gained from the varied reliable sources. Further, some contents of this part contain documentation of issues and problems base from the current news and information cited from different reliable sources. Moreover, the views and opinions of the presenters do not necessarily reflect the contents or discussion of the neither class nor stand point of the subject instructor, thus all the generated opinions are purely coming from the presenters. 1. Eradicate and impede the implementation of the policy. Constraints and limitations are highly contradicting the concerned K-12 policy, not to mention the unwillingness to embrace the pro’s and con’s brought by this. 2. Suspend the realization of the policy and reschedule for the next succeeding years. Government and direct implementing agency are not well prepared for the changes to be incurred. Further trainings and seminars, strengthening of the workforce are hereby in need as well as deep penetration to the students and parents for the better understanding and acceptance. 3. Put into practice the K-12 policy this coming school year. The country needs to improve the standard of the educational system in order to keep in line with the paces the other country is pacing. The long term outcome of the said implementation would serve as a positive outcome that will uplift the morale of the society thus bringing noticeable growth to the citizens specifically and to the country as a whole. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 1st Option: Eradicate and impede the implementation of the policy. It is remarkable and inspiring to see that Philippines is now progressing economically and as such, to sustain and possibly prolong this stream, targeting the Education sector of the country is a must. But, unpreparedness, poor educational participation and development will surely yield to negative outcomes. The biggest issues the K-12 Education System must address are its requirement educational inputs and processes. If these are not given solution, the K-12 Education System policy is already ruined from the very start. In view of Sarah Katrina Maramag’s idea, â€Å"the crisis of the Philippine education system, in all levels, is stemmed not on the superficial, in this case the number of schooling years, but rather on the conditions and foundation on which it subsists. Unless the government addresses in earnest poor public spending, high costs of schooling, the predominance of a colonial curriculum, lack of transparency and accountability amid widespread corruption within the sector and the development of the country’s science and technology for domestic development, all efforts will remain on the surface and neither 10 nor 12 years would make much of difference. † To relate with the statement of President PNOY â€Å"to achieve something out of this move to K-12, we need to have a realistic set of plans† and reality check, the plan doesn’t coincide as to the current situation. Though implementing K-12 would be possible, these paradigm changes would be harder for the public system for them to cope up with the rapid changes. Why? Let us settle to the article of Junifen F. Gauuan, firstly, the budget for the education sector of the Philippines is, compared to other Newly Industrialized Countries (NICs), relatively low (for example, difference of almost 5% GDP with Malaysia and Brunei – 3. 1% GDP Philippines). Secondly, the infrastructure of the state schools are not conducive enough to admit more students (picture students taking double-shifted school time i.e. 7am-1pm + 1pm-7pm – is that good for students to not meet in a one-off-one-time schedule? OR even cram 50 students in one class? ). To correlate demand and supply, more demand = more supply. With the current shortage of teachers, as claimed by ACT (Alliance of Concerned Teachers) there is no capacity for the public system to admit more students, even more to prolong the year of study. Finally, financial constraints, millions of people in the Philippines (to be exact 23 million under the Asia-Pacific poverty line) are still living below the poverty line. Are those parents belonging to that line can really afford another 2 years extra in education? Ideally, the long term goal which can be brought by the policy is good, but reality wise, the road in reaching the target is under construction, not yet completed thus so far behind. 2nd Option: Suspend the realization of the policy and reschedule for the next succeeding years. It is the belief of some educators that the K+10 Education System failed because it lacked 2 more years of study. We can consider that as one reason. But to the idea of the presenters, the bigger reason why K+10 Education System failed is because of poor educational resources such as classrooms, lack of teachers, facilities and equipment in short budget. Now, though greater budget is allocated to the reform of the educational system in the country but unfortunately what hinders most is the present situation of the affected stakeholders such as parents, students and teachers not to mention the unavailability and lacking of the educational resources. There is a need of empowerment to the part of the teaching force since it is a great change which requires greater understanding and preparation. It can’t be denied the fact that the country has great teachers worth to be proud of, but with the change of educational pattern which they will experience, a further training and seminar is indeed a need for them to be fully equipped. Aside from that, the acceptance of pursuing the reformed educational system must have to start from them since they are considered to be the initial medium that will mediate and enlighten the process of the changes both to the students and the parents. To the part of the parents, it would be a sudden change that will greatly affect their economic standing in terms of the added financial obligations added also the uncertainties and queries about the changes wherein not all of them are aware. Further enrichment for them to have a better understanding about the policy is a must and it will surely take some time. It is a considerable way to enlighten the parents since they are the first in hand who can motivate and guide their children. To the implementing agency, the country cannot attempt a trial and error outcome out of this policy. They must have to consider this not an experimental thing to be tested and evaluated. Beforehand, all of the possible consequences and preparations to counter any of those must be well handled and planned already. An evaluation of the educational resources, a budget plan for the teaching force – a long term plan of all of these including the construction of some additional facilities and equipment must be comprehended. To the part of the presenters, they assumed that those implementing agency are not well interacted to the possible instances that may come up and the way to respond in case any unhanding occurrences will arise. As will as the parents and students, together with the current situation of the country connotes unpreparedness for the implementation of the policy. Pursuing the policy without having some intervention with the direct stakeholders and considering the factors affecting the outcome of the policy would obstruct sustainability. 3rd Option: Put into practice the K-12 policy this coming school year. The government is in to it, the policy was recommended to be implemented, government agencies relating to the educational reform took already an action and somewhat due to the media interaction the society can be said as informed about it. The vision is to uplift the educational standards of the country, the mission is to implement procedures and processes provided in the policy, regardless of all the comments and criticisms since government already spent money for it, then like it or like it very much it should be implemented. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION. Initially, the DepEd justifies the K-12 model by saying that the present short basic education program affects the human development of Filipino students. Ultimately, regardless of whichever â€Å"model†, what the youth and country direly needs is for the development and establishment of an education system that caters to the needs of the Filipino youth and the society in general. Unfortunately, data shows the current situation that the country is facing in terms of the educational system that might obstruct the implementation of the said policy. But then, the policy is soon to be implemented this coming school year. To make a recommendation as to the presented options is a mind boggling duty that the presenters could ever come up. But just to satisfy the means of having this paper the end is, the presenters chose the second option, 2nd Option: Suspend the realization of the policy and reschedule for the next succeeding years. The presenters select option two as the best option not due to the fact that the Philippines is the last country in the region to adopt a K-12 basic educations system because it is not all about the trending basis but checking in accordance to the â€Å"reality†. During the assessment done by the prestigious organization Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), they conclude that the problem about the present curriculum in squeezing 12 years of basic education into just 10 is that students are overloaded with subjects which resulted to poor quality of basic education as reflected in the low achievement scores of Filipino students. International tests results like 2003 TIMSS rank the Philippines 34th out of 38 countries in HS II Math and 43rd out of 46 countries in HS II Science; for grade 4, the Philippines ranked 23rd out of 25 participating countries in both Math and Science. In 2008, even with only the science high schools participating in the Advanced Mathematics category, the Philippines was ranked lowest. This quality of education is reflected in the inadequate preparation of high school graduates for the world of work or entrepreneurship or higher education. It is not the question of teaching force because internationally we can say that the country is equipped of well trained educators capable enough for the learning needed by the students in our country. In fact, teachers in our country are highly demanded and most preferred to be hired and work in other country. But it is the matter of the educational system that we have which is designed to teach a 12-year curriculum, yet it is delivered in just 10 years. Though some criticizing it as a way only to realigned as to what is the trending educational system to must have, then why not follow it if it will sustain the development of the educational system of our country and there is nothing wrong with it. As to the question of the consequences that will be brought by the policy, surely there will be many of those and it’s a part of the changes. Better because the government exists to uplift the standard of education in the country and not just sitting down to their respective offices and waiting what will happen to the future of the students experiencing the current system. The policy exist with provisions of program to be administered for the sustainability of it, thus to relate it with economic hindrances it should be another story that is worth to be reflected and should not serve as a hindrance for the development of one system in our country (education). To reach the development wherein the citizens are wanting, admitting the fact that it couldn’t be happening simultaneously is the first step. But, out of the advantages that can be given by the policy, what is now to be considered as constraint is the time. There is a need to develop to the part of the teaching force, the facilities and the equipments the country presently have, further evaluation and thorough analysis as to the whatever outcome that can be brought by it. Implementing programs that will lead to the positive realization of the policy and usage of media is a help to penetrate the minds of the parents and making them realized the long term output that the policy can give by. In short, a more prepared country is in need for the advancement to incur in the educational system. REFERENCES PDF files: Batomalaque, Antonio. Basic Science Development Program of the Philippines for International Cooperation. University of San Carlos. ; Marinas, Bella and Ditapat, Maria. Philippines: Curriculum and Development. UNESCO International Bureau of Education International Engineering Alliance. The Washington Accord. http://www. washingtonaccord. org/Washington- Accord/FAQ. cfm (Accessed 11 September 2010) Mullis, I. V. S. , Martin, M. O. , Robitaille, D. F. , & Foy, P. (2009). Chestnut Hill, MA. Trends in International Mathematics and Science Advanced 2008. National Center for Education Statistics. Highlights from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2003. December 2004 Seamo-Innotech. Additional Years in Philippine Basic Education: Rationale and Legal Bases. Presentation to the Department of Education on 25 August 2010. Presentation notes of Dr. Isagani Cruz, 28 September 2010. Articles/ Journals: Jane Uymatiao. Why we need DepEd’s K-12 Program, Sunday, 22 January 2012. Retrived from http://www. thepoc. net/commentaries/14612-why-we-need-depeds-k-12-program. html (Accessed 15 March 2012) Joe Padre. Pros & Cons in the K+12 Basic Education Debate, October 14, 2010. Retrived from http://mlephil. wordpress. com/2010/10/14/pros-cons-of-the-k12-debate/ (Accesed 14 March 2012) Jonathan Plucker. Problems as Possibilities: Problem – based  learningforK-12education. Retrievedfrom http://findarticles. com/p/articles/mi_hb6470/is_1_22/ai_n28742235/ (Accessed 11 March 2012) Junifen F. Gauuan. K+12 Policy Framework: Pessimistic, Optimistic or Realistic? , March 26, 2011. Retrieved from http://www. aldersgate-college. com/news/high-school/k12-policy-framework-pessimistic-optimistic-or-realistic/ (Accessed 6 March 2012) K-12 Challenge to Philippine Tertiary Education. Retrieved from http://rodrigo75. wordpress. com/2011/04/19/k-12-challenge-to-philippine-tertiary-education/ (Accessed 29 March 2012). Sarah Katrina Maramag. Proposed K12 Basic Education System in the Philippines, Is the K-12 model good for the Philippine Education System? , via Philippine Online Chronicles. Retrived from http://blogwatch. tv/2011/05/proposed-k-12-basic-education-system-in-the-philippines/ (Accessed 10 March 2012) Virnads. K12 in the Philippines: A Reform or Deform. Manila Philippines, June 13, 2011. Retrieved from http://www. allvoices. com/contributed-news/9379822-k12-in-the-philippines-a-reform-or-deform (Accessed 12 March 2012).

Environmental Issue in the Philippines Essays

Environmental Issue in the Philippines Essays Environmental Issue in the Philippines Paper Environmental Issue in the Philippines Paper Currently, the Valetudinarianisms of Environmental and Natural Resources has been busy tracking down illegal loggers and been spearheading projects to preserve the quality of many remaining rivers that are not yet polluted. The Philippines is the country of beauty and breath taking views,but time past and a lot has changed. We were IRRESPONSIBLE,NEGLECTFUL, and INSENSITIVE.. There are few signs today of the Philippines once sprawling rainforests. With a growing trend in human population, it is hoped that the countrys environment will not suffer the same fate. Overfeeding and destructive fishing The Philippines ranked 1 lath among the top fish producing countries in 2003 with the production of 2. 63 million tones of fish, crustaceans, mollusks and aqua plants. As an archipelago state with over 2. 2 million km of highly productive seas, the Philippines has vast fishery resources, and the most biodiversity marine area in the world. However all the countrys main fish pieces and marine organisms are showing signs of overfeeding. The main species fished are small pelagic, tuna and other large pelagic fish, demurral fish and invertebrates. The tuna fisheries became the largest and most valuable fisheries in the Philippines in the sass, and the country became the number one producer of tuna in southeast Asia in the sass. However, as the catch began to decline, Filipino fishing companies began fishing in international waters. The state of demurral stocks in Filipino waters is a real cause for concern. The main reason is over-capacity in he fishing fleet but, although concerns were raised as early as the 1 9605, a lack of control has meant that many species have been virtually eliminated. The deep-sea fisheries resources are in many case uncharted and unknown and are relatively unexploited; however, the one deep sea fishery that has been exploited, the dogfish shark fishery, has seen the collapse of the species, so there is a clear need for proper protection and management of these areas. The authorities have made real efforts to crack down on illegal fishing by both Filipino fishers and foreign fishers (mainly Chinese), at the national and regional levels. Illegal fishing in the Autobahn Reef National Marine park has been highlighted by global conservation groups during 2007 . Problems faced by the authorities include persistent cyanide fishing, corruption by local officials, and links to serious crime, which have resulted in a number of murders of those enforcing the laws. However, some regions have seen dramatic falls in illegal fishing activities as a result of tighter controls. Fishers in the Philippines are increasingly coming home with pitiful catches. Of a number of factors which have led to this situation, one stands out: over-fishing in many areas. According to thespian Development Bank (DAB), there has been a drop of 90% in the quantity of marine organisms that can be trawled in some traditional fishing areas of the Philippines. This sinusitis a question of declining fish stocks and biodiversity, but also of social impacts and economic losses. Mismanagement of fisheries resources is estimated to cost SIS$ 420 million annually in lost revenues. At the root of the overfeeding problem is weak fisheries management, ineffective policies and poor enforcement of fishery laws-Philippine seas supply food for the whole country and livelihood for millions of people. Fisheries are economically, culturally, socially and ecologically important to all Filipinos. These resources are in crisis as evidenced by the declining fish catch, size and species composition around the country. The current condition of fisheries in the Philippines and worldwide is bleak. Overfeeding, illegal fishing and habitat destruction combined with increased demand for fish and population growth continue to drive fisheries production into a deeper abyss. Seemingly impossible just 20 years ago, protein deficiency among fishing communities is now increasing at an alarming rate CORE PROBLEMS CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ; Loss of marine biodiversity ; Declining fish stocks ;Loss of revenues and benefits from fisheries and coastal resources Overfeeding ; Illegal and destructive fishing ; Coastal and habitat degradation ; Isolation and pollution ; Post-harvest losses ; Inefficient marketing Inequitable distribution of benefits from fisheries and coastal resource uses I Open access ; Inter- and intra-sector conflicts ; Low awareness and participation in management Lack of employment/poverty among municipal fishers ; Population growth Low awareness of the implications of overpopulation and food security ; Lack of delivery mechanisms for reproductive health programs in rural coastal communities I ; Inconsistent policies and programs for sustainable fisheries Continued investments in production-oriented programs ; Conflicting and fragmented national policies ; Weak institutional and stakeholder capacity to plan and implement fisheries management Absence of a vision for institutional change to supp ort sustainable fisheries ; Inadequate technical and financial support to LOGIC fisheries management initiatives ;Weak and inadequate law enforcement Inadequate interagency coordination mechanisms for fisheries and coastal source management ; Coastal infrastructure development Coastal zone development has been particularly damaging to the Philippines marine environment, especially to coral reefs, mangroves, and grasses. As populations have increased, so have their needs for construction materials and living space. Excavation, dredging and coastal conversion to accommodate coastal development have seen corals being extracted for reclamation and construction, especially in coastal villages. Mangroves have particularly suffered from coastal development, notably at the hands of the aquaculture industry. In the Philippines, aquaculture has reduced mangrove stands to only 36% Of 1900 levels. The evolution of the present regulations governing fisheries can be traced as far back as the Spanish Law on Waters in 1866, which recognized the right of the public to fish from the shore and granted rights to Spanish registered seafarers and merchant sailors to fish from boats in maritime coastal zones. The Spanish Law on Waters was extended to the Philippines by a Royal Decree in 1 866 (Penn 1997). The decree declared that the shores, coasts and coastal seas were part of the national domain, though open to public use. As early as 1598, Antonio De Morgan demanded that a regulation size net be prescribed for use and complained that fishing with too closely-knit nets was killing small fry (De Morgan 1 971 Fisheries regulation remained relatively unchanged during the Spanish period-Fishery laws in the Philippines did not change until the Congress enacted the Fisheries Code of 1998. While it contains more specific provisions on sustainable development of resources, it has not changed the orientation of the law in emphasizing exploitation. The new code emphasizes food security, personalization of local fishers in the allocation of reveilles and benefits and sustainable development, among others. It provides for limiting excessive resources through quotas, closed seasons, restrictions on the use of destructive fishing gear, understanding fishery reserves and sanctuaries. A significant change in the new code is the devolution of management to local governments. Municipal waters, extending up to 15 km offshore, are under the control of municipal and city governments. The national government retains control of waters beyond the municipal jurisdictions. This is in line with the general principle of devolution ender the LLC, which was passed seven years earlier. The LLC transferred to local governments broad powers of environmental protection, but especially control over the coastal areas within their jurisdictions. The LLC, however, focused on permits and fiscal matters. Now, with the Fisheries Code, general management and development powers are given to the local governments. A few months before the enactment of the new Fisheries Code, Congress passed the FAME, which focuses on food security and global competitiveness in the agriculture and fisheries sector and ensures the equitable sharing of benefits among stakeholders. The act aims to provide financial and technical support to the agro-fisheries industry in its modernization effort. Urban Development and Waste Disposal Settlement includes shelter and all other necessary infrastructures such as roads, water supply,energy sources, transportation, community buildings and other facilities. To date, population density haciendas tremendously from 64. 1 in 1948 to 228. 7 in 1 995 (NCSC 1996). Over 60% of the total population resides in some 10 000 coastal Barings, including some larger urban centers (COPE 1997). A number of subdivisions are situated in coastal zones. Some foreshore areas are being reclaimed to house residential, commercial and industrial establishments in order to address the increasing demands of arbitration. A recent development is the practice of building resorts, factories and buildings right on the shore, even abutting the sea, in clear violation of mandatory easement rules. Together with the increase in the number of coastal communities is the need for transportation facilities. Natural land forms influence the major road networks of the countrys coastal provinces. Roads run along the coastlines which branch out as minor arteries leading inland. The government should make more action regarding this issues,specially the people in squatter areas they always do improper disposal of waste. The problem of waste disposal is especially acute in urban areas.

Scarlett Letter - Repentance essays

Scarlett Letter - Repentance essays Laws and regulations in the mid 1600's were greatly influenced by beliefs and philosophies of the Puritan religion. In the novel, The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne attempts to convince the reader of the superiority of repentance in dealing with sin. The humiliations and punishment endured by Hester, the protagonist, is often cited as a classic victim of overzealous, Puritanical punishment. Rather, the underlying theme actually expresses the notion that public repentance and acknowledgment of sin acts as a catalyst in helping the sinner cope with and eventually overcome the emotional and mental stress that results from sin. In The Scarlet Letter three separate but related scaffold scenes are used to illustrate this point. The scenes are tied together by a common sin, an adulterous affair between a young woman, Hester Prynne, and her minister, Reverend Dimmesdale. Each scaffold scene is different in terms of two key aspects of true repentance; is the sinner confessing freely of h is own volition and is the confession made publicly. In each case of public confession on the three scaffolds the sin is the same, the adulterous affair between Hester and Dimmesdale. In the first scaffold scene, Hester standswith natural dignity and force of character? (49), but soon the stares from the crowd cause her to 'turn her eyes downward?(56). While this so-called act of repentance is made publicly, certainly it is done unwillingly. Even so, while the next seven years are truly difficult times her demonstration of repentance at the scaffold seems to free her of much of the guilt and emotional turmoil caused by her sin. Conversely Reverend Dimmesdale, guilty of the same adulterous affair, isovercome with a great horror of mind, as if the universe is [staring] at the scarlet token on his naked breast?(136). Having literally branded a scarlet letter on his chest Dimmesdale lives the next seven years suffering alone through the inner turmoil and u...

New Love Quotes

New Love Quotes Love, whether it strikes at sixteen or sixty always brings with it a rush that is hard to capture in words. Despite this, many authors, writers, and celebrities have tried to express the magic of new love. Here are some new love quotes that represent attempts to articulate the experience of new love. Friedrich Nietzsche There is always some madness in love. But there is also always some reason in madness.D. H. Lawrence I am in love - and, my God, it is the greatest thing that can happen to a man. I tell you, find a woman you can fall in love with. Do it. Let yourself fall in love. If you have not done so already, you are wasting your life.Antoine de Saint, Exupery Perhaps love is the process of my gently leading you back to yourself.Alice Walker I have learned not to worry about love; But to honor its coming with all my heart.Soren Kierkegaard Dont forget to love yourself.Fred Allen It is probably not love that makes the world go around, but rather those mutually supportive alliances through which partners recognize their dependence on each other for the achievement of shared and private goals.Anonymous A good marriage is like a casserole, only those responsible for it really know what goes in it.Reinhold Niebuhr Forgiveness is the final form of love.Peter Ustinov Love is an act of endless forgiveness, a tender look which becomes a habit. Marcus Aurelius Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.Mickey Rooney Women like me because I make them laugh. And what is an orgasm, except laughter of the loins?Saul Bellow The body, she says, is subject to the forces of gravity. But the soul is ruled by levity, pure.Boris Pasternak Love is not weakness. It is strong. Only the sacrament of marriage can contain it.Leo Buscaglia Love is always open arms. If you close your arms about love you will find that you are left holding only yourself.Antoine de Saint-Exupery For true love is inexhaustible; the more you give, the more you have. And if you go to draw at the true fountainhead, the more water you draw, the more abundant is its flow.

Beginning a business - Gyro Grill Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beginning a business - Gyro Grill - Essay Example Even if an individual has unique culinary skills, he or she needs correct guidance to start a business, which has the probability to evolve in the long-term. This section of the paper attempts to examine various factors that need consideration, when starting a new business. Formulation of a business plan is imperative. For the Gyro Grill to start, an individual will need a rental space, some start up financial help in the form of loan from the bank and employees to work in the restaurant. Unless a proper business plan is not formulated, the bank will not consider giving a particular business a loan. A written business plan is essential, which lists down the aims and the objectives of the business, the amount of growth the business may experience in the coming years and the talents of the people, belonging to the family (Miller, 1978). Since Gyro Grill is a family business, an individual can state the number of people in the family who have gotten a culinary diplomas, the number of youngsters who have done proper business planning while studying and old people with an experience and knowledge of the business settings. It is also important to state which type of food Gyro Grill will serve, especially the specialty foods, which are necessary (Miller, 1978 ). If the business plan lives up to the bank’s requirements, then the family business will easily get a loan from the bank. However, Gyro Grill should not completely depend upon the bank for a loan. It must have its own financial resources, in the form of accumulated savings of the family. Initially, the business can employ people from the family, since it will have a smaller group of customers. The business needs registration with the law, as well. The Gyro Grill may act as an independent business, instead of a franchise from another restaurant. Therefore, the business will need effective marketing tools to spread the word of a new

Recent developments in the treatment of asthma Essay

Recent developments in the treatment of asthma - Essay Example Asthma is known to have caused by various factors. These include allergens, irritants, and other factors. The signs and symptoms of asthma are unpredictable and vary from one person to another. The four levels of asthma identified depending on the symptoms are: mild intermittent asthma, mild persistent asthma, moderate persistent asthma, and severe persistent asthma. Asthma is diagnosed by spirometry, allergy testing, peak flow meter, chest x – rays and electrocardiogram, and tests to determine how airways would react to exercise, presence of gastroesophageal reflux disease, and presence of sinus disease. Patients must work together with their health care providers in order to achieve the goal of asthma control. The two types of medicine used to control asthma: Quick relief medicines and Long term control medicines. Asthma is a poorly understood, highly complex disease whose main cause remains unknown (Steinke et al, 2001). The pathogenesis and susceptibility of asthma involves interplay between genetic and environmental factors that are complex in nature (Laprise, et al, 2004). Butz et al. (2000) noted that asthma is the most common long – term childhood disease. Laprise, et al (2004) and Kips (2001) stated that the interaction of cytokines regulates inflammation of the airways and process of remodeling that are present in milder form of asthma. These govern the appearance of asthma as well as the severity of symptoms of airway responsiveness (Laprise, 2004). Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease affecting the airways. In asthma, the airways become swollen making them sensitive and react to various allergens and lung irritants. As a result, the airways react by becoming narrower making the air flowing to the lung tissues decreased. Consequently, symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, tightening of the chest, and breathing difficulty especially at night and early morning are manifested (Jeffery, et al., 2006; Courtney, et

Cash Flow Problems Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Cash Flow Problems - Coursework Example The company could also not afford to generate sufficient income to pay the salaries and wages of its employees. Consequently, the business had to close down altogether (Wires, 2011, p.14). Having been established in 1950, the company eventually closed down after 61 years of its operation in the automobile markets Cash flow problems are known to cause 70% of businesses to fail within their first year of establishment, making cash flow problems the major reason for business failure. (Wires, 2011, p.13). The dangers associated with cash flow problems cannot be predicted most of the times. Thus, even the well-established businesses falls into this risk. Although cash flow problems are the reasons for the business failure of the company, there are other various reasons as to why the company could not revive. Due to a lack of goodwill and not a so good reputation, the company could not access credits. Consequently, any means through which the company could improve its operations and head b ack to the path of profit making was blocked by a lack of access to credit (Howard, 2011, p.21). The size of the company is another factor that contributed to its failure. The company is small sized, thus it becomes difficult to compete with other large automobile companies in the industry. The small size is in terms of both its asset base and the market niche that the company has effectively curved. Another problem that forced the company to close down is its dependence on technology from other automobile firms. The company lacks the ability to develop or purchase production technologies of its own, and have thus been dependent on other companies for the provision of such technologies. With such dependence, it means that the company cannot effectively compete with the companies that are providing it with production technologies (Zeitch, 2011, p.9). Low sales have however been the main reason as to why the company could not meet its required cash generation to cover its expenditure. Having projected to sell between 50,000 and 60,000 vehicles in the year 2010, the company only managed to sell 31,696 cars. However, the problems of the company increased when general Motors blocked the rescue attempt of the company by two Chinese automobile firms, arguing that such actions would hurt the company’s markets in the US (White, 2011, p.2). Most significant of the causes of the cash flow problems of the company is the time difference between when the company’s payments were received and the costs incurred. While the costs were incurred continuously due to staff salaries and supplies of materials from the suppliers, the time duration it took to produce the cars, sell, and receive payments was relatively longer. This meant cash flow problems, since revenues could not come in at the same time as the costs went out. Under investment is another cause of the company’s business failure. While the company was, still a part of GM (General Motors), the owners did not invest sufficiently in the company. As a result, the company has not been able to meet its other obligations such as developing production technologies of its own. This has served to create dependency of the company on other automobile companies for technology provision (Howard, 2011, p.21). This notwithstanding, the production portfolio of the company was too small. The company did not manage to address this problem in good time. With such low production, the company could

Managing Organisations, People and Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Organisations, People and Self - Essay Example Hole in the Wall is an organization that seems to be performing dismally. The organization’s problems are deep rooted from the testimony of the proprietor, John Barker. One of the main problem facing the organization is low motivation among employees. Another problem that the organization is facing is poor management. Yet another major problem that the company is facing relates to the lack of cooperation amongst employees. This paper will discuss the main problems facing Hole in the Wall and will present recommendations on how the problems can be solved. Employee Motivation One major problem that is hampering the progress of Hole in the Wall is low motivation among employees. From the testimony of Barker, it is evident that the employees working for the organization have low morale. This is evident from the fact that the level of employee absenteeism is quite high. Sally, the receptionist, has been absent from work for the last five days without the manager actually knowing th e reason behind her absenteeism. Yet another pointer to the low morale that the employees are facing is the high turnover. The business proprietor notes that one of the fitting teams has quit. This means that the company has lost two valuable employees. There are several reasons behind the low motivation that the employees of Hole in the Wall are experiencing. One of the factors behind the low motivation may relate to low pay. The employees mostly earn on commission without a monthly salary. Yet another reason for the low motivation that the employees experience relate to the management style being applied by the company’s proprietor. Barker seems not to be concerned about the welfare of his employees. This is evident in the fact that when some of his employees come to report the problems that they are facing, he dismisses them without giving an ear to what they have to say. It is said that highly motivated employees are more productive than demoralized employees are. Abraham Maslow noted in his hierarchy of needs theory that people are motivated differently. According to Maslow, what motivates one employee may not necessarily motivate another employee (Keller 2013, p. 38). This is because the needs of individuals differ from one person to another. Therefore, in managing employees, a manager needs to understand the needs of its workers in order to motivate them accordingly. Managers can use a variety of methods to maintain a motivated staff. One of the most effective ways of motivating employees is by creating a hospitable working environment for employees (Keller 2013, p. 40). Most employees are motivated when they work in an environment where employers understand them and fulfil their needs and desires. Managers can motivate their employees by creating an environment in which employees are free to discuss their issues with the management. Employers can also motivate their staff in the workplace by offering rewards for exceptional performance. Stein (2 010, p. 30) argued that a good manager is one who is able to recognize the achievement of his or her employees and reward accordingly. The reward may be in the form of salary increment, promotion, or gifts. For instance, researchers have found that employees with higher need for a salary increment are highly motivated

Entrance to High school should not be automatic Essay

Entrance to High school should not be automatic - Essay Example It is in High School where teenagers begin shaping their minds with a clear focus of what they want to be in life. Students experience more independence as seen in their choice of elective subjects. High School plays a key role in shaping Self-esteem and Self-Efficacy, which are indispensable skills in the search and attainment of opportunities in the society (Iversen, J. 2006). However, not all students enrolled for High School become a success. There are innumerable cases of gangster groups formed in High School. A study also shows that most narcotics users began practicing the same while in High School and moreover, the number of High School dropouts keeps increasing daily. Jago (2000) ascribes the enrollment of ill-equipped and lazy students as the main cause of failure and indiscipline among high school students. Most 9th graders soon find themselves in a new, dynamic environment. If the elementary program did not prepare them for the environment, catching up is a race against t ime. Many of those who cannot measure up for this â€Å"play the fool and cover up for what they do not know.† However, it is also true that most of these students develop laziness after they join high school and not before it. A student who comes from a background of strict observation will relent from his duties in the absence of the observer. Again, most private schools base their enrollment on a competitive application and interview process, leaving the applicants to wait nervously for an opportunity in these schools. This means that the school administration is aware of both the weaknesses and strengths of their young students before they join the school. It also implies that private schools enroll a group of students who can learn and grow sufficiently in them. This is not so in Public Schools, where one only needs to have the grades to qualify for the school. However, Automatic enrollment in High Schools brings about a diversity of behavioral patterns, making the schoo ls more dynamic and challenging than private schools. Automatic admission also means that the chances of a student attending his school of choice are 1 out of 12. The process of admission requires that an applicant identifies 12 schools, and the schools' board selects the most suitable school for them. The criteria for selecting the school range from geographical location to the capacity for specialized programs (Jago, 2000). The implication of these is a roaming mindset that there is no need to work hard in elementary school since a place is assured, no matter what. Hence, to enroll the appropriate in every school, we may consider introducing a more intensive selection process. Jago (2000) also identifies students who are genuinely not interested in High School. She states that their lack of interest in high school education contributes significantly to the D's and F's observed throughout their 4 years. She proposes an alternative 2 year program where these students join apprentice ship before High School. In such a scenario, those interested in High School will work hard to qualify while those not interested will find an alternative program, instead of going through the four years as failures. Reflecting on this debate, a decisive response to several questions can be drawn accordingly. 1. The arguments against â€Å"Automatic Enrollment to High School† are inexhaustible thus; this is the explanation many

Managing Organisations, People and Self Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Managing Organisations, People and Self - Essay Example Hole in the Wall is an organization that seems to be performing dismally. The organization’s problems are deep rooted from the testimony of the proprietor, John Barker. One of the main problem facing the organization is low motivation among employees. Another problem that the organization is facing is poor management. Yet another major problem that the company is facing relates to the lack of cooperation amongst employees. This paper will discuss the main problems facing Hole in the Wall and will present recommendations on how the problems can be solved. Employee Motivation One major problem that is hampering the progress of Hole in the Wall is low motivation among employees. From the testimony of Barker, it is evident that the employees working for the organization have low morale. This is evident from the fact that the level of employee absenteeism is quite high. Sally, the receptionist, has been absent from work for the last five days without the manager actually knowing th e reason behind her absenteeism. Yet another pointer to the low morale that the employees are facing is the high turnover. The business proprietor notes that one of the fitting teams has quit. This means that the company has lost two valuable employees. There are several reasons behind the low motivation that the employees of Hole in the Wall are experiencing. One of the factors behind the low motivation may relate to low pay. The employees mostly earn on commission without a monthly salary. Yet another reason for the low motivation that the employees experience relate to the management style being applied by the company’s proprietor. Barker seems not to be concerned about the welfare of his employees. This is evident in the fact that when some of his employees come to report the problems that they are facing, he dismisses them without giving an ear to what they have to say. It is said that highly motivated employees are more productive than demoralized employees are. Abraham Maslow noted in his hierarchy of needs theory that people are motivated differently. According to Maslow, what motivates one employee may not necessarily motivate another employee (Keller 2013, p. 38). This is because the needs of individuals differ from one person to another. Therefore, in managing employees, a manager needs to understand the needs of its workers in order to motivate them accordingly. Managers can use a variety of methods to maintain a motivated staff. One of the most effective ways of motivating employees is by creating a hospitable working environment for employees (Keller 2013, p. 40). Most employees are motivated when they work in an environment where employers understand them and fulfil their needs and desires. Managers can motivate their employees by creating an environment in which employees are free to discuss their issues with the management. Employers can also motivate their staff in the workplace by offering rewards for exceptional performance. Stein (2 010, p. 30) argued that a good manager is one who is able to recognize the achievement of his or her employees and reward accordingly. The reward may be in the form of salary increment, promotion, or gifts. For instance, researchers have found that employees with higher need for a salary increment are highly motivated

DIVORCE AND CHILDREN Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

DIVORCE AND CHILDREN - Essay Example Divorce is already commonplace in the United States. This is the case across all relevant demographics: regardless of the social class, age, religion and ethnic membership, divorce is prevalent. For example, recent estimates reveal that between 40 percent and 50 percent of recent first marriages are likely to end in divorce (Lamanna and Riedmann, 474). Statistics also paint a grim scenario. In 2009, the Census Bureau reported that the marriage rate in America is 7.5 marriages per 1000 people and the divorce rate is 3.6 per 1000 people (Andersen and Taylor, p.326). The high incidence of divorce highlights the degree of impact on all parties involved as well as the society in general. Because the experience involved is recognized as painful and difficult. The adults – the husband and wife – undergoing this process encounter tremendous stress and pressure. An expert on the subject explained that this is a commonality across all divorcing partners. The story, wrote Antunes, often went like this: After months or sometimes years of discussions, hurtful arguments, destructive behavior, indifference, tears, betrayals, false hopes, starting over, forgiving, counseling, praying and doing everything we can think of in order to â€Å"fix† our marriages, we arrived at the Crushing yet defining moment when we knew our relationships were over (ix). If the process is an ordeal for the husband and wife, one can only imagine the toll it will claim on their children. As depicted in the above account, divorce seemed like a battle and children are most assuredly caught in the crossfire. This is one of the most compelling reasons why divorce can be considered bad. It adversely affects the hapless children. Adverse Effects on Children It is common sense to claim that there are only rare cases when children do not feel sad about their parents’ divorce. The fact is that they are often torn by conflicting loyalties: who should they side with in the conflict? In addition, feelings of fear, loss and anger are also common, along with desires for reconciliation (Andersen and Taylor, 327). The psychological impact of losing parents to this process is significant. In the short term, children experience feelings of confusion as well as the feeling of being betrayed as they helplessly witness how their family unravel and torn apart before their eyes (Clarke-Stewart and Brentano, 106). Also, as their parents tangle between themselves and embroiled in their own troubles, children are also in danger of being neglected. Because of these variables, children’s lives are negatively affected in the long term. For instance, a study revealed that 70 percent of children living with divorced parents had lower levels of well-being in comparison with children raised in intact families (Clarke-Stewart and Brentano, 106). In addition, these children can also display violent and antisocial behaviors especially when the divorce is typified by high conflict. Poor performance in school and poor adjustment skills are also accepted outcomes especially when research indicates that families on the verge of breakup have been found to be typified by â€Å"less intimate interparental and parent-child relationships, less parental commitment to children’s education, and fewer economic and human resources, resulting in more academi c, psychological and behavioral problems† (Goldstein, 197). So, all in all, the process for divorce is a crisis for children. This is critical because there are just numerous variables involved and that these tend to accumulate, leading to a much bigger problem, amplifying the estimated severity and pathology of psychological and emotional disturbance, changing the children’s behavior and character in the process. It is important to note that children are created by society. Morton explained this circumstance when he argued that â€Å"children are assigned to social groups by lottery† and that â€Å"once they are in a group, they remain there for life†. These arguments are aligned with the philosophical school

The KBR Swindon Essay Example for Free

The KBR Swindon Essay INTRODUCTION The KBR Swindon warehouse facility is responsible for the receipt, storage, maintenance and out-loading of equipment in support of KBR global contracts. It is also the long-term storage and logistic facility for UK KBR based projects. The Warehouse Manager has overall Health and Safety responsibility for all the projects working out of this facility. The Swindon Safety Management System is based on BS OHSAS 18001:2007 certification. As part of KBR Management System review, the Swindon Warehouse completes quarterly Project Status Review (PSR) to feed information in to the overall KBR management system review. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this report is to ensure that all projects working in this facility are in compliance with the KBR Health and Safety management system and is meeting legal requirements. This report will also provide an opportunity to review the effective communication and cooperation between different projects sharing one facility and identify the effectiveness of the management system, conclusions, recommendations and an action plan if improvements are required. METHODOLOGY The methodology of this audit is to review the policies, objectives and management system of the KBR Swindon warehouse facility for the safe receipt, storage and maintenance of equipment. This will entail reviewing the implementations of risk assessments, communications between the management and the workforce which includes compliance with current legislation, KBR Instructions and Procedures, various safety meetings and the KBR Safety Policy. The documentation that will be used in the audit will include: The warehouse Health and Safety plan to ensure that there is management commitment to health and safety in the warehouse. Emergency procedures to ensure suitable and sufficient procedures are in place in case of an emergency. Minutes of meetings to review whether Health and Safety concerns are being discussed and review the outcome and corrective actions. Accident records to assess whether there are any trends and significant near miss incidents. Risk assessments to ensure that all risks has been assessed and that mitigation measures put in place is suitable and sufficient to control the risk as low as reasonably practicable. Method statements to ensure that the tasks are being conducted in a safe manner. Training records to ensure that all employees and visitors are aware of the Health and Safety arrangements. DESCRIPTION OF THE ORGANISATION The building is a large 240,000ft2 open-plan warehouse containing two-storey offices on the North end of the warehouse. The warehouse also has 2 integral two-storey offices, welfare and canteen units. The warehouse is a rented facility and the Warehouse Manager has regular meetings with the landlord representative to deal with issues regarding the fabric of the buildings, services and surrounding hard standing within the tenanted estate. The occupancy of the warehouse consists of six KBR staff including the warehouse manager. Approximately five agency employees are used dependant on the activities scheduled for the week. Main work patterns for the warehouse staff are to move the equipment in to the testing area, test the equipment,  clean and fix any defective equipment to ensure the readiness for deployment. The main risks to the warehouse staff include forklift truck operations, manual handling and mechanical hazards working with power tools. In addition, the offices at the warehouse are used as a call centre which is completely separate from the work being conducted in the storage facility. This is a secure access area and is set up in an open-plan office environment with approximately 30 desks. This call centre is manned 24 hours a day and will always have a minimum of 2 occupants. However, occupancy could increase to 30 for training days, interviews and meetings. The main risks to the call centre operators are Work Related Upper Limb Disorders as a result of poor ergonomics and lone working hazards. LEGAL ENVIRONMENT There is no Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or Environmental Agency (EA) censures or improvement notices placed on the site by the HSE or EA. Pertinent hazards addressed by risk assessments at this facility are categorised below. There is a duty on the Warehouse manager to ensure that adequate arrangements are in place for work equipment as described in The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). A lot of different types of machinery will be used in the warehouse area which the warehouse manager will need to ensure complies with the PUWER before they are commissioned for use. Regulations 4 to 10 sets out the management duties of PUWER covering the selection of suitable equipment, maintenance, inspection, specific risks, information, instructions and training. Seeing as the equipment has been bought second hand, it will need to be inspected by a competent person, producing a risk assessment and providing information, instruction and training to all warehouse staff on the use of the machinery. Regulations 11 to 24 of PUWER cover guarding of dangerous parts of work equipment, the provision of appropriate stop and emergency stop controls, stability, suitable and sufficient lighting and suitable warning markings or devices. The inspection of machinery will identify dangerous parts of the equipment  and the warehouse manager will need to ensure that the guards are fitted to the machines before the machines are commissioned. The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) apply in relation to all work activities undertaken by KBR where lifting equipment and operations as defined by the regulations are used. This legislation expands on the general requirements of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and complements the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER). KBR has a duty under these regulations in situations where lifting equipment is used by employees at work, to ensure that the lifting equipment and associated lifting operations are carried out safely. In addition, persons who have any control of lifting operations, or who supervise or manage the use of lifting equipment also have a duty under the Regulations, but only to the extent of their control. LOLER requires the Warehouse manager to conduct a risk assessment on the forklift trucks which will be used inside the warehouse and the measures needed to eliminate or control the ris ks. Regulation 6 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and its supporting Approved Code of Practice (ACOP) provides the warehouse manager with general requirements about ventilation of the warehouse and equipment used to ventilate the warehouse. Regulation 7 of The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) requires the warehouse manager to prevent or control the exposure of employees to substances hazardous to their health. Compliance with this Regulation is particularly important as incident reports from the warehouse has indicated a near miss incident where an employee took receipt of a delivery and spilled a chemical due to poorly packaged bottles. If any of the risk assessments identifies that personal protection is required, then the Warehouse manager will need to ensure that personal protection equipment (PPE) is provided in accordance with the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992. The Warehouse manager needs to ensure that a stock of PPE is available for visitors and employees who do  not have the right PPE when entering the warehouse. The Warehouse manager also has a duty under The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 (RRFSO) to conduct a suitable and sufficient Fire Risk Assessment and to ensure that Fire safety arrangements are in place to elimination or reduction of risks from dangerous substances. The warehouse manager faces the challenge to manage both the warehouse and the call centre employees during an emergency. Under the same regulations the Warehouse manager should ensure means are available for fire-fighting and fire detection and that there are adequate emergency routes and exits from the warehouse. KBR will have generally assessed fire evacuation routes, means of detection and raising the alarm at all of its sites. Details of these arrangements are usually contained in the fire risk assessments kept at each site. KBR managers are required to do the following to maintain fire prevention measures: Ensure that a suitable fire risk assessment is in place. Ensure that any actions arising from external inspections are acted upon in an appropriate and timely manner. Often this will mean monitoring improvements to be carried out by the client, and in all cases will require the addition of information to local health, safety and environmental plans. Carry out regular housekeeping checks to ensure that items are not being stored inappropriately, especially near hot or electrical equipment, that escape routes are not blocked and that fire safety equipment has not been interfered with. Ensure employees do not increase the fire risk at an office or similar by using faulty electrical goods, smoking in a non-designated area or storing refuse inappropriately. Ensure that records are completed whenever there have been any checks or maintenance of fire safety equipment/fixtures using Fire Equipment Inspection Sheet. Ensure fire prevention measures are communicated to staff, contractors and visitors. The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996 (HSCER) requires the Warehouse manager to consult employees on the information required about risks to their health and safety and preventative measures in place. All management and staff in a working environment need to follow the KBR FIRST AID guidance as a minimum standard in order to ensure the health, safety and welfare of KBR employees and other persons who may be affected by our undertakings. First Aid at work covers the initial management of any injury or illness suffered at work. First Aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones. Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (as amended 2009), all workplaces must make provisions for first aid, to be readily available at appropriate times. The Control of ASBESTOS Regulations 2012 requires KBR to prevent the exposure of its employees to asbestos so far as is reasonably practicable. To achieve this KBR must ensure perform suitable and sufficient assessments in accordance with HSG 264 Asbestos: the survey guide that determines whether asbestos is present on the premises. This was arranged by the premises owner prior to KBR occupying the premises and Asbestos areas were identified within the warehouse. KBR must ensure that the warehouses owner: †¢ Determines the risk from the asbestos. †¢ Prepares a written plan identifying the area of the premises concerned and the measures necessary for managing the asbestos risk. †¢ Implement the measure in the plan. †¢ Record the measures taken to implement the plan. These measures should include adequate means for: †¢ Monitoring the condition of any asbestos or suspected asbestos. †¢ Maintaining the asbestos or its safe removal. †¢ Providing information identifying the location and condition of identified asbestos to any person likely to disturb it and making this information available to the emergency services. The Control of NOISE at Work Regulations 2005 will need to be considered for a backup generator placed inside the warehouse where Warehouse staff will be working during their normal working day. The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 places the following duties on to the Warehouse manager: †¢ Carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk to the health and safety of employees who are liable to noise exposure at or above any Lower Exposure Action Levels. †¢ Record the significant findings of the assessment and ensure that it is reviewed regularly and revised as required. †¢ Record any measurements taken. †¢ Ensure that the risk assessment has been carried out by a competent person. †¢ Reduce noise exposure to as low as is reasonably practicable, by means of organisational and technical measures other than personal hearing protectors, where any employee is likely to be exposed above any Upper Exposure Action Levels. †¢ Hearing protection is to be available on request for any employee exposed above the lower exposure action value, and must be provided to any employee exposed at or above the upper exposure action level. †¢ Designated areas where employees are likely to be exposed to or above the upper action level as hearing protection zones. †¢ Ensure that no employee enters designated hearing protection zones unless they are wearing ear protectors. †¢ Provide employees with information, training and instruction about risks, control measures, hearing protection and safe working practices. Warehouse staff will be conducting manual handling activities during their normal working day so the warehouse manager will need to ensure compliance with the MANUAL HANDLING Operation Regulations 1992. The Warehouse manager need to ensure a suitable and sufficient assessments of all such manual handling operations are undertaken and have taken into account all foreseeable risks. In addition to the legal environment in the warehouse, the Warehouse manager needs to ensure compliance with The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 to minimise to eliminate or reduce possible eyesight or musculoskeletal disorders due to the effects of continual display screen equipment use. REVIEW OF THE HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM The KBR Swindon Safety Management System is based on BS OHSAS 18001:2007 Standard and follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology. DESCRIPTION The general requirement of the Planning stage is to define and document the scope of the management system. This information is captured in the KBR Corporate HSE Policy which is a global document and is written in a very general and broad manner in an effort to comply with all possible projects on a global level. The management system has a process in place for hazard identification, risk assessment and determining controls covered in various  work methods. The HSE Risk Assessment work method provides guidance on the specific duty placed upon KBR to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of all risks to the health and safety of employees and others, arising at or from a work activity. The Identification and Evaluation of HSE Legislative and Other Requirements process map identifies relevant HSE legislative requirements applicable and is recorded in the HSE Requirements Register. The KBR Swindon HSE Plan contains an organisation charts which clearly identifies roles, responsibilities and accountability for everyone working at the warehouse. KBR needs to ensure that everyone working in the warehouse is competent and experienced for the work that they are doing. The KBR Swindon Training Strategy contains a Training matrix to ensure appropriate level of competence at different levels of authority. The HSE Management system is available to all employees on the KBR intranet and regularly reviewed, updated and communicated via the intranet. KBR operates a three-tiered emergency response procedure whereby all projects and locations will ensure a Local Emergency Response Plan (LERP) is in place to manage low level emergencies. The KBR warehouse can then escalate the emergency to a Level 2 Incident Commander if it is deemed necessary and the Level 2 Incident Commander can escalate to a Level 3 global status in severed circumstances. KBR operates an integrated management system so the Audit Management System process required by the Quality Management System is used to conduct audits to determine the effectiveness of the controls in place. Health and Safety performance is measured using incident and accident statistics and completing monthly project reviews. Each project is set a target, usually a 10% reduction from the previous years incident rate, and is monitored against this target. This information is then discussed in a management review meeting on a quarterly basis.

Moral Responsibility in Business

Moral Responsibility in Business Moral responsibility Moral responsibility is the voluntary attributable responsibility ensuring that acts knowingly and intentionally carried out by rational human beings dont cause injury to other individuals. Wilmot (2001) contrasts the theories that from a business perspective, moral responsibility can be described as the quality of corporate behaviour by which the responsible corporation displays such characteristics as wisdom, prudence and moral fortitude, however from another perspective can be held to mean forcing corporations to account for their actions much as one would an individual. According to Constantinescu and Kaptein (2015), moral responsibility for outcomes in corporate settings can be ascribed individuals within the corporation, the corporation itself, or both, defining these as individual moral responsibility, corperate moral responsibility and Summative Corporate Moral Responsibility. There is a common held traditional belief that the product itself doesnt denote responsibility itself and that it is the user who has ultimate responsibility however this has been distorted over time to incorporate products liability and the effects thereof. According to Federwisch (2015), an individual or party is morally responsible for an event as long as three premises are met, namely if they caused the event to occur, they acted within the bounds of reason and they could have prevented the event from occurring. An example of this is the Perrier scandal in 1992, when a US production site discovered bottles containing the toxic chemical benzene. Perrier was arguably the market lead with over 60% sales derived from overseas exports. Having no contingency plan for product recall, the managements initial response was to pass the event off as an isolated incident, however when benzene was identified in Perrier globally, this was identified as an untenable explanation. In order to attempt to maintain reputation, a product recall of 160 million bottles from 120 countries was instigated at a cost of over $250m. Unfortunately, there was a delay in action from the company and poor decision making along with poor communication led to a loss of reputation among consumers (Caesar-Gordon., 2015). Subsequently, Perrier effectively went out of business, being brought up by the Nestlà © cooperation. This can be contrasted with the earlier effects of the Johnson and Johnson Tylenol event when in the eighties, packets of the pain killer Tylenol were deliberately contaminated with cyanide and placed upon the shelves resulting in several deaths. Immediately, the management body at the manufacturers made an ethical decision in accordance with their ethical perspective and halted the advertising campaign from the product, recalled 31 million bottles- Tylenol accounted for 17% of the companies net income, causing a cost of $100 million. Ultimately, the decision proved to be highly successful. Whilst initial losses were apparent, and stock prices in the firm dipped, public confidence in the firm was restored by the action and within two months of the event, the stock prices recovered and the company regained its market position (Benoit, 2012). There are however, examples in which the conditions become a grey area, notably in the manufacture of products that are designed to cause harm, creating a paradox in the subject of moral responsibility. Constantinescu and Kaptein (2015) posed the question, is there any point in discussing the morality of organizations when this could be rendered redundant in light of existing legislation-as such, do ethics transend law. Comparative morality suggests they do in that a firm may be acting within the bounds of legality, yet still perform unethical actions. An example of this is the production of armaments. Guns are designed to kill. They may not be employed as such as they can be used for certain non-lethal sporting practices e.g. target, filed and skeet (clay pigeon) however that dos not detract from the fact that the primary rationale for the design of a gun is to have the ability to kill. As such it becomes difficult to prove that the product was misused relative to its design specifi cation whilst maintaining that the action met with the conditions outlined earlier that denote responsibility. According to Kurtzleben (2015), it is not true that gun manufacturers are not liable for their goods, however, they have specific legal protections against liability that very few other industries can share, namely the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act of 2005-this doesnt absolve arms manufacturers from liability pertaining to defects in the construction of the item however it does provide the mechanism by which use of the device within its intended purpose cannot de facto be classified as misuse thereby, if such a weapon was used to cause harm to an individual, then it is performing as it was intended and a case cannot be bought against the manufacturer. If conversely during the process, the weapon self-destructs and harms the user then the manufacturer is liable. Wilmott (2001) raises the question that the application of corporate responsibility being aimed at the organisation rather than the actions of an individual arises because the probability of ascertaining guilt amongst a complex organisation is unlikely therefore the outcome is questionable. This leads to examination of the nature of punishments incurred by the relative organisation which may often appear complex and disproportionate, however this can reflect upon the nature of the punishment being control or deterrence, and can be compounded by the effect of reputation and image in light of a positive outcome. References Benoit, A. (2012, November 11). Johnson and Johnson: Recalling, Reassuring, and Reviving. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://bizgovsoc4.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/johnson-and-johnson-recalling-reassuring-and-reviving-2/ Constantinescu, M., Kaptein, M. (2015). Mutually enhancing responsibility: a theoretical exploration of the interaction mechanisms between individual and corporate moral responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics: JBE; Dordrecht129.2 (Jun 2015): 325-339. Caesar-Gordon , A. (2015). Lessons to learn from a product recall .Retrieved March 04, 2017, from http://www.prweek.com/article/1357209/lessons-learn-product-recall Federwisch, A. (2015). The Ethics of Product Usage. Retrieved March 11, 2017, from https://www.scu.edu/ethics/focus-areas/business-ethics/resources/the-ethics-of-product-usage/ Kurtzleben (2015), http://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/10/06/446348616/fact-check-are-gun-makers-totally-free-of-liability-for-their-behavior Wilmot, S., (2001). Corporate moral responsibility: What can we infer from our understanding of organisations? Journal of Business Ethics: JBE; Dordrecht30.2 (Mar 2001): 161-169