Essay on Ikea, Ethics Issues and Business Practices

IKEA and Current ethical issues Introduction This report, shall attempt to create an understanding of the current ethical issues affecting Ikea. These issues will include the role corporate social responsibility plays in Ikeas decision making process, how it deals with cultural imperialism, the influences and attitudes of customers, suppliers and staff, be that in those countries where it manufactures its products or sources its materials. While Ikea is seen as the essential Swedish brand, it is a massive global company and is affected by the issues like globalisation. In later stages of the report we will see what schemes Ikea supports to counter act the negative connotations associated with their activities, for example their†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœÃ¢â‚¬â„¢We have set out to grow and develop IKEA in harmony with people and the planet.’’ Mikael Ohlsson, (President and Chief Executive Officer of the IKEA Group). http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_CN/about_ikea/press/press_releases/annual_report.html This section of the report will examine the work of Ikea in several key areas, corporate social responsibility, sustainability, the environment, employment and the work they do in the communities in which they are based. Ikeas goal historically has been cost effectiveness with the production of affordable furniture, today this goal remains however with the added tagline, to create a better everyday life for the many people’’ and ‘’We have set out to grow and develop IKEA in harmony with people and the planet.’’ (Ikea UK website, 2012). http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_GB/about_ikea/the_ikea_way/our_business_idea/index.html Ikea and CSR, Corporate social responsibility (CSR) CSR is a company’s sense of responsibility and involvement towards the community and environment in which it operates, with Ikea this can be in the area in which it sources material, has its factories or sells its goods. IKEAs mission statement highlights its goal to consider and integrate social and environmental considerations into its daily operations and promote the goal of sustainable production. These self-established corporate social responsibility policies, are primarily the result of Ikeas Nordic

The Relevance Of Nyerere s Philosophy Of Education Essay

Research Question 2 What are views on the relevance of Nyerere’s philosophy of education based on education for self-reliance and education for liberation towards academically oriented university education? Table 2 presents the distribution of responses on a likert scale on the perceived relevance of Nyerere’s philosophy of education based on education for self-reliance and education for liberation. The codes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 corresponded to Strongly Disagree (SD), Disagree (D), Neutral (N), Agree (A) and Strongly Agree (SA) respectively. From table 2, it is evident that all the items scored more than 50%. Aspects of cognitive domain such as; students should find out information from a variety of sources themselves (62.6%), lecturer being a guide (midwife) during learning (79.2%), encouraging problem solving approaches (66.2%) and lecture halls should be a place where ideas are freely expressed (59.6%) were agreed upon by respondents. Features of psychomotor domain such as; assessment to consider both academic abilities and the work done for the learning institution and community (78.6%), learners to be prepared for both white-collar and blue collar jobs (67.25%), Practical subj ects should be emphasized in the curriculum (70.2%), trained teachers to improvise some teaching media to make teaching more effective (62.6%) and education should be a liberating process that increases human freedom and make learners creators (66.6%) were also concurred with. Aspects of affectiveShow MoreRelatedNyerere Education Idea and It Aplication to Conteporary Education System5029 Words   |  21 Pagesimplications of Nyerere’s theory of education to contemporary education in Kenya Joseph W. Nasongo1* and Lydiah L. Musungu2 2 Department of Educational Foundations, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya. Department of Educational Planning and Management, Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, Kenya. Accepted 26 March, 2009 1 The question of relevance regarding education in human society is perennial. In the developing countries, education is considered to be a panaceaRead MoreDevelopment by Gustavo Esteva8857 Words   |  36 Pagesthe decade, the expression appeared occasionally in technical books or United Nations documents. But it only acquired relevance when Truman presented it as the emblem of his own policy. In this context, it took on an unsuspected colonizing virulence. Since then, development has connoted at least one thing: to escape from the undignified condition called underdevelopment. When Nyerere proposed that development be the political mobilization of a people for attaining their own objectives, conscious asRead MoreDiscuss the Importance of Non Verbal Communication to Education24125 Words   |  97 PagesInternational Fund for Agricultural Development Enabling poor rural people to overcome poverty * Rural Poverty Portal * Contact us * Employment scam * Site map * Copyright * Subscribe * What s new * Accessibility ------------------------------------------------- Top of Form Search Bottom of Form * Home * About * Operations * Development effectiveness * Evaluation * From the field * Partners * Topics * Newsroom * Events Read MoreService Quality and Customer Satisfaction in Public and Private Universities in Tanzania22790 Words   |  92 PagesRehema Kayita; there is nothing more wonderful in my life than being your son, May their souls rest in eternal peace. Abstract This study presents service quality as what customer says it is, as in the case of higher education because the â€Å"product† generated by higher education is not visible, tangible that cannot be held, analyzed and inspected for defects. The study offers insight on how universities in Tanzania have managed service quality and student satisfaction. A total of 102 respondents

Ceo Overpaid Free Essays

The topic of my report is the myth about American chief executives being overpaid. To start with, the idea that American bosses are obscenely overpaid dominates in the modern society. For instance, Among the true believers in this consideration are the NY times and Forbes who complain of fat paychecks awarded to CEOs who don’t deserve them. We will write a custom essay sample on Ceo Overpaid or any similar topic only for you Order Now What is the basis of this orthodoxy? Actually it rests on three propositions First and foremost – CEO pay just keeps on going up The second one – the fact that it is not tied to performance of the company and the last but not least – that boards are not restraining their appetite. Altogether these propositions in turn rest on a bigger argument: that CEOs are using their political power to tamper with the system. The article highlights Steven Kaplans opinion as recently he has published a research regarding the problem. Above all, it should be noted that he distinguishes estimated and realized pay. Estimated pay is t Estimated pay is the estimated value of the CEO’s pay, including stock options, when the board does the hiring. Realised pay is what the CEO actually makes when he exercises his options. In fact Steven Kaplan disproves practically all the arguments given above. First, He questiones the idea that CEO pay always goes up by providing data which shows that, it shot up between 1993 and 2000. But since then it has fallen. Average estimated pay for the bosses of SP 500 companies has declined by 46% since 2000. Furthermore, turning to relationship between pay and perfomance Mr Kaplan argues that CEOs are clearly paid for improving the performance of their company’s stock. Firms with CEOs in the highest 20% of realised pay generated stock returns 60% greater than those of other firms in their industries over the previous three years. Firms with CEOs in the bottom 20% underperform their industries by almost 20%. CEOs are also kicked out if they fail to perform well. Thus Mr Kaplan provides a valuable corrective to much of the rhetoric that surrounds this subject. But two questions remain troubling. One is about short-termism. Many critics of CEO pay argue that the problem lies not with the size of the pay packets but with the incentives that they create. Many bosses receive options that are worthless unless the company’s shares reach a certain price, but fabulously lucrative if they exceed it. This may spur them to take big risks to boost share prices in the short term, and then cash out. But if their bets go sour, other shareholders suffer. According to the author of the article, it would be better to pay bosses in restricted shares, which they must hold for a specified period rather than choosing when to sell. The second question concerns the political economy of inequality. It is one thing for CEOs to earn $10m a year when the economy is booming, but quite another when unemployment is 8%. For example, the CEOs of such companies as CBS, Oracle and Viacom all earned more than $50m in 2010. Bosses should not underestimate the risk that their riches could provoke a backlash against business. Nevertheless, there is no quick fix. Some fat-cat floggers want governments to regulate pay to reduce inequality within firms. Other reformers say the way to deal with high pay is to give more power to boards or shareholders. The Dodd-Frank law of 2010 required all public firms to hold an annual â€Å"say on pay† vote for top executives. However last year, despite a lot of noise by activists, shareholders voted to uphold 98% of pay proposals. Finally, The evidence suggests that CEO pay is determined mostly by supply and demand, not bad corporate governance. The thing is that Companies compete for scarce talent. They pay what it takes to woo the best bosses, and sack them if they stumble How to cite Ceo Overpaid, Papers

Feminist Ethics and Social Policy †Free Samples to Samples

Question: Discuss about the Feminist Ethics and Social Policy. Answer: The case study here is focused over a patient named Sam who is suffering from acute abdominal pain with previous medical history of drug-related psychosis. Self-harming, abusive and agitated behaviour of Sam has generated a threat towards the other fellow patients and healthcare professionals and these have compelled the medical team of the inner city hospital to put him under restrain. However, Camilla, the attending nurse of the Sam is against this procedure of restrain. She is of the opinion that restrain will exacerbate Sams agitation and will increase the tendency of self-harm. The following essay sheds light on the ethical issues and nursing conflict pertaining to this case. The essay also highlights professional code of nursing conduct and human dignity rights in relation to this particular case. Under Utilitarian approach or consequentialist approach, decision is taken based on the calculation of greatest amount of benefits over significantly larger group of individuals. Here the outcome has strong connection with the morality of the associated intervention. This approach could be harmful towards selected individual but the net outcome is of maximum benefit for the mass (Hsieh Kramer, 2012). Under ethical domain of Deontology, the morality of the action undertaken is solely inclined upon the nature of the action. This means that the possible harm is acceptable irrespective of the associated consequences. This concept was first introduced by Immanuel Kant, a philosopher and hence it is also popularly known as Kantian deontology (Gray Schein, 2012). As per Libertarianism, a collection of political philosophies and movements promotes liberty in the domain of the nursing approach. The libertarians, who believe in the concept of libertarianism, promote political liberty and autonomy for all. They also vouch for freedom of choice, speech and individual judgment. It also gives importance to voluntary association and self-ownership. According to Rawlss Principles of Justice, each and every person deserves equal rights to the extensive system of basic liberties prevalent in the society. The liberty is mostly restricted in two cases. One is a less extensive liberty known as possible liberty that strengthens the total liberty system for everyone. The second one is less than equal liberty and this is accepted for those who are affected (Woods, 2011). According to the Natural Law, morality and law have deep interconnection with each other. Morality here is the parameter that is used for judging what is right or wrong or comparison between good or bad. The natural law theorists state that the laws of the human beings are guided by the morality and not by the authority as defined by the government. The term natural law is derived from the basic thought of morality based on the concept that human comes from the Mother Nature. The sole purpose of human is to lead a healthy and happy life such that the actions which are against those two purposes are considered to be unnatural or immoral (d'Entreves, 2017). According to the Theory of Virtue, individuals character is of prime importance in ethics as it is one of the critical element upon which the overall ethical thinking is based. This element of Theory of Virtue stays ahead of the deontology and consequentialism. The three main virtues of ethics are eudaimonism (classical formulation of Virtue Ethics), ethics of care and agent based theories (Smith, 2011). The concept of Egalitarianism is popularly known as equalitarianism. This school of ethics prioritizes the equality among all the people residing in the society. It also abides by the concept that all human beings are equal as per the social parameters and fundamental worth. Egalitarian theory in nursing approach emphasizes equal access to certain goods but does not promote equal sharing of the available social benefits. However, critiques consider this model as insufficient to address willingness to pay or need efficiency (Buchanan, 2010). The concept of Feminism has been framed by the Feminist Ethics. It is an initiative to revise, rethink, and reformulate the traditional grounds of ethics to such an extent that it depreciates the womens moral experience. Feminists have frame different gender-centred approaches in the theory of ethics. These approaches address the traditional law of ethics that have neglected women. The feminist ethicists also emphasize political, legal, ideological and economic cause and effect of women with respect to their gender status. It demands equal rights irrespective of gender (Mahon Robinson, 2011). Analysis of ethical issues and conflicts The ethics in nursing care is concerned with the moral dilemmas that are originated out of the conflicts or obligation during the duty time and the other faced consequences. In case of Camilla, the major moral dilemmas faced by her are utilitarian approach and deontology. The statement of Julia (the nurse in the charge shift) is somewhat related with the ethical principal of utilitarian approach. Utilitarian approach claims that the benefit must be judged on the basis of the mass and deontology states that the morality must be solely judged on the basis of the situation irrespective of the future consequences. In case of Sam, his violent behaviour may harm the safety concerns of other patients and healthcare professionals and so he is being put under restrain to the betterment of the mass and the deontology states that the future consequences should never be considered and so the concern so Camilla is irrelevant here. However, the concept of Libertarianism states that everyone has a freedom of choice and speech which is against backed by natural law. It states that the purpose of the human is to lead a happy and healthy life and anything against is against the moral ethics. So restraining is going against the natural law as it is preventing Sam to lead to healthy and happy life. Moreover, the restraining is also going against the theory of egalitarianism as it is not giving Sam the equal rights to express his thoughts and grievances. However, the other fellow patients also have equal rights to get proper treatment and the agitation of Sam is creating a barrier against that creating an ethical dilemma further. Julia here is judging Sam as per his previous behaviour and the kid of life style he leads and hence not so considerate about his wellbeing or rather say the outcome of the restrain therapy. But Camilla on the other hand is thinking on the basis of the egalitarianism theory preach equality among all the human beings irrespective of their social status. Aga in on the other hand, she is also concerned with the safety of the other staffs or nurses and this is driven by the ethical concept of feminism that depreciates womens moral experience (Kontio et al., 2010). Discussion of professional codes The codes of professional codes for nurses in Australia have been framed in order to maintain a proper balance in the nursing profession. According to the professional code of conduct, nurses are required to practise in a culturally competent and safe manner while maintaining the standards of nursing profession and health care system. The nurses must also practise nursing according to the prevailing laws of nursing laws (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). The professional code of conduct of nursing also states that the nurses must respect the dignity, ethnicity and cultural values of the patients who are under their surveillance. Nurses are also required to maintain confidentiality while handling patients personal information and medical data. During the course of the disease treatment, the nurses are required to remain honest and accurate in relation to the information related to patients health and health care products. Here Camilla is also honest and diligent towards health and quality care of Sam. Here her ethical right of feminism is getting hampered as Sam is abusing her but still she is trying to provide maximum quality care to Sam. Nurses are also required to promote the concept of health and well-being of the patient via informing them about their current health status and also assisting them in the decision-making process. However, Sam is not in a state of decision making process because he is has drug related psychosis and hence Camilla is doing her best and vouching for withdrawal of restrain for Sams betterment. The Australian nursing code of conduct also preaches the proper preservation of trust among nurse and patient relationship and this will help to generate a confidence in patient and thereby promoting wellbeing. It considers the relationship shared between the nurse and patients to be inherent. Lastly they must practise in an ethically competent manner (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). The profession of nursing protects the inherent dignity of the patient and recognises the universal human rights of the people along. These acts are considered as their moral responsibility. The human rights in nursing profession include proper recognition, respect and protecting the civil, economic, cultural, social and political rights (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). This protection of rights is applicable to all the human beings. The scenario of human rights and dignity in reflection to this case lies in the fact that, Sam, the patient has been applied restrain. Though restrain was done to prevent him from self-harming but it is going against his human rights. Here Camilla is trying to trying to protect the human rights of Sam which is also the major reason of her concern apart from the her concern related to Sams health. But restraining is not critically acknowledging the relationship that exists in between the human rights and health. It believes that critical contribution in human rights can actually improve the health outcomes. But on the other hand, if Sam is set free, then his agitated activity will not only cause self-harm but also will harm other fellow patients who also have equal share of staying fit and well. Nursing profession actively promotes the process of safeguarding the rights of all the people the heath care domains too. Setting Sam free will also invite threats to the nursing staffs. The harm or injury of the nursing staffs will not only affect their human rights but also will indirectly hamper the well-being and quality care of the other patients (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). So retraining of Sam though unethical with respect to the human rights of Sam but is beneficial for the betterment of the global human rights of the other patients and health care professional. However, Sam is not answering Camillas question rationally and is causing self harm via pulling out his IV cannula. So, restraining Sam, it is actually promoting the human rights of Sam of getting quality care. But the statement of Julia is absolutely against the human right as she said patients like Sam are a waste of our time. Besides, we havent got enough staff rostered on today to be worried about him. The ethical principle of autonomy promotes individual freedom. The autonomy has two basic concepts, liberty (the right of self-determination) and agency (the freedom to make decision). So use of physical restrain in case of Sam is going against this principle of autonomy. Sam is not allowed to take his own decision and is put into restrain forcefully. This restrain is incompatible with the principle of autonomy. The act of beneficence on the other hand confers moral obligation upon the caregivers to act for the benefit of the concerned patient (Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). In case of Sam, the safety of other patients and healthcare professionals are being compromised and this justifies the restrain procedure. However, the act of beneficence must be constrained by the act of autonomy in order to prevent the rights of the patients from being subjugated to the concerned medical needs. The act of non-maleficence signifies no harm to patient hence; physical restrain can be treated as unethical. However, non-maleficence also means prevention of harm to others and to self so restrain over a 21 year old man with previous reported cases of drug-related psychosis can be considered to be ethical. As per the case study, Sam is pulling out his IV cannula so restrain can be considered as an act to prevention of self-harm. The concept of justice is a complex conundrum when the patients are forcefully detained against their will in order to prevent the risks to others (Mohr, 2010; Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, 2017). Here restraining is creating justice for the others and also to Sam as it is preventing self-harm. Proposals for professional practice The first and foremost recommendation which I want to highlight is an urgent requirement for the generation alternative technique for restrain which does not harm patients dignity and human rights. Moreover, I also feel that there is an urgent need for designing personalised and trauma-informed interventions for the patients. It would serve as an alternative for the current authoritarian medical practise. Another recommendation which I would like to cite is the dangers which are associated with restraint. Here in case of Sam, the restrain order has been taken with a one sided approach, it failed to consider the ethical complications on the ground of libertarianism and egalitarianism. Moreover, the act of restrain has increased the threat of self harm in spite to preventing the same. However, I feel that the statement of Julia is a breach of the duty of care. As per the ethical theory and code of professional conduct of nursing, every patient has equal rights to recover from the disea sed condition and to get a fair chance to lead a healthy life. Dearth in the ratio of patient: nurse can never be cited as an excuse of negligence towards any particular patient who requires extra attention or care. However, there still lies a conflict of interest issue between the wellness of Sam and the betterment of other patients (Mohr, 2010). Thus from above discussion it can be concluded that, the act of non-maleficence, beneficence must be critically considered while applying restrain to a patient. In case of Sam, restrain has been applied in order to prevent self-harm and the harm of fellow patients. However, keeping his drug-related psychosis in mind, such restrain though supported by the law of deontology, can impact patient negatively resulting a conflict between the theories of libertarianism and egalitarianism. But again the restrain is justified on the grounds of utilitarian approach. References Buchanan, A. (2010). The egalitarianism of human rights.Ethics,120(4), 679-710. Code of Ethics for Nurses in Australia. (2005) (2nd ed., pp. 1-6). Melbourne. Retrieved from https://www.nursingmidwiferyboard.gov.au/Search.aspx?q=code+of+ethics+nurses d'Entreves, A. P. (2017).Natural law: An introduction to legal philosophy. Routledge. Gray, K., Schein, C. (2012). Two minds vs. two philosophies: Mind perception defines morality and dissolves the debate between deontology and utilitarianism.Review of Philosophy and Psychology,3(3), 405-423. Hsieh, E., Kramer, E. M. (2012). Medical interpreters as tools: dangers and challenges in the utilitarian approach to interpreters roles and functions.Patient education and counseling,89(1), 158-162. Kontio, R., Vlimki, M., Putkonen, H., Kuosmanen, L., Scott, A., Joffe, G. (2010). Patient restrictions: are there ethical alternatives to seclusion and restraint?.Nursing ethics,17(1), 65-76. Mahon, R., Robinson, F. (Eds.). (2011).Feminist ethics and social policy: Towards a new global political economy of care. Ubc Press. Mohr, W. K. (2010). Restraints and the code of ethics: An uneasy fit.Archives of psychiatric nursing,24(1), 3-14. Smith, D. W. (2011). Deleuze and the question of desire: Towards an immanent theory of ethics.Deleuze and ethics, 123-41. Woods, M. (2011). An ethic of care in nursing: Past, present and future considerations.Ethics and Social Welfare,5(3), 266-276.

The Late 19th and Early 20th Century to Build Solidarity

Stalingrad was one of the most horrendous battles of World

Stalingrad was one of the most horrendous battles of World Stalingrad was one of the most horrendous battles of World War II. It was fought from August 1942 to February 1943, and approximately 1.5 million troops and civilians lost their lives in the battle. The Battle of Stalingrad was fought in and around the city of Stalingrad, Russia. It was a turning point in the war not only because it destroyed a major part of the German Army, but it also caused Germany to lose the initiative in battle, which it never regained. Nazi commanders, including Hitler, made numerous mistakes that allowed the Russians to take control of the battle. Although the Russian Red Army was very determined and heroic in their efforts, the battle was not theirs to win. German superiority in manpower, training, tanks, in the air, and guns should have added up to an easy German victory. As the Red Army was pouring men into Stalingrad, superior German troops and tactics resulted in ten Russians dying for every one German in Stalingrad.Paulus (left), and his aides Lt.-Gen. Arthur Schmi...

Limit switches Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Limit switches - Research Paper Example The theoretical understanding on how the sensor operates and achieves it roles is also adequately highlighted considering the glaring points and lastly there is a conclusion that considers all the possible developments that should be embraces in the sensors if they have to be dependable. Introduction It is important to understand that limit switches are the type of sensor that are used for the recognition of absence or presence. In this doing, limit switches as a form of sensors do have the arm, lever, plunger and knob that is either physically of mechanical activated to make contact with adjusted objects, with the contact existing between the objects and the switch’s actuator and moves it to the ‘limit’. With this kind of operation, it is possible to mount a limit switch in a remote location to enable its actuation by another object and not necessarily a human being. A limit switch plays the following roles; detecting the presence and absence, speed detection, co unting, detection of movement range, breaking of circuits when required due to unsafe situations (Zhang 57a). As a sensor, limit switches have various advantages and disadvantages alike, some of the advantages includes; it can sustain switches with high level current of up to 10A, it can also with stand most of the environmental conditions, finally, it is more precise and accurate coupled with its being economical in sensing (Zhang 49a). The weaknesses of the same system are that there has to be a physical contact for the sensor to operate and again, the mechanical parts of the sensor can always wear out. History of Sensor With the initial invention being that of the micro switch, there has been remarkable improvement in the development of the limit switches to ensure some of the most complicated controls are managed. The picture below illustrates one of the limit switches currently used in Moving parts of abridge Who invented the Sensor? The invention of a limit switch dates back t o 1932 when Peter McGall came up with the micro switch when he was employed by one of the battery companies, Burgess (Zhang 67b). From then, there has been development of a limit switch to the contemporary usage with the same application. How and where  is it Currently used in Industry Many industries use the application that is provided by limit switches, in food and beverages industries, there is intense freezing of food. In the freezing process, there is the use of the automatic pallet staking system that uses a wobble stick limit-switch for detection of the loading of pellets in the right position. The switch then sends the signals to the conveyor for the transfer of the load through the vertical door to the freezer for quick freezing (Zhang 77b). In most of the manufacturing industries, there is need for closing the doors in the fastest way possible in cases of contamination or fire, the doors are at times designed to close at a speed of six feet per second. The speed can res ults into breakages and destruction of the doors, there is then need that the doors slow when about to completely open or close, this is a achieved with the help of the limit switches. There are many other places where limit switches are used for the control of further damages. Theory behind Sensor/ how it works Limit switches operates on the simple fact that they switch on and off depending on the activity, that takes place. In this regard, for the limit switch to initiate a response there is obviously a

Organization Architecture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Organization Architecture - Essay Example Part of this is by making sure that Google feels like a small-business, no matter how large and successful the organization may be (â€Å"Jobs,† 2011). Google makes its employees number one by being open to anything that they may have to say. As employees can be a large part of any company’s success, it is important to take their views onboard tailor the workplace to suit their needs. Unlike other organizations, Google is a forward-thinking organization in that diversity is at the forefront of its employee recruitment policies. Google doesn’t just accept difference—they celebrate, support, and thrive on it so that their employees, products, and community can feel the feel effects of it (â€Å"Jobs,† 2011). Diversity in the workplace is becoming increasingly important in today’s modern business environment. Because Google is a well-recognized international organization that has business operations in a wide variety of companies, Google has to take a stand and be at the forefront of diversity in the workplace. Google is not just an equal opportunity workplace, but is rather an affirmative action employer (â€Å"Jobs† 2011). Google is one of the most open and transparent companies out there. Because of this, there is very little control in everyday business operations. Douglas Merrill, senior director of information technology at Google, commented: â€Å"We release a lot of products in beta because that’s the way we understand to interact with our clients† (Farber, 2005). This means that many Google products, when released, do not function as they should. One benefit of this is that Google users themselves can inform the company of any defects in any of their products. This way, Google does not have to employ anyone to check products before they are released to the market. One control that Google does use is their Project Database. This is not really a project tracking system, but rather a reporting sy stem that allows Google employees to check what work they themselves and other employees are currently doing (Farber, 2005). This system is run via an email posting that displays a list of bullet points (Farber, 2005). The good thing about this system is that other workers can check an employee’s output and detect any flaws that may be involved. However, this system is not fully perfect because much of the data that the system displays can be completely meaningless. According to the chief culture officer, Google’s culture focuses upon innovation and teamwork to produce the quality products. Stacy Savides Sullivan is one of the very few people who work at an organization with her position (Mills, 2007). Her main role is to make sure that the company’s distinctive culture is maintained while every employee feels satisfied. Google’s culture is based upon being a flat organization, very little hierarchy, and a collaborative environment (Mills, 2007). Google p romotes individuality among its employees and expects them to think quickly on their feet. Back in 2006, Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin decided that Google’s culture was slipping away from its traditional values. This was when they came up with the idea of a chief culture officer to manage all of the conflicts that occur in the workplace. Culture is a very important part of the success of Google, so it is vital that this

To be Determined Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words - 2

To be Determined - Essay Example In this concept, the literature written by Dante Alighieri entitled â€Å"Divine Comedy† is a humanitarian literary work in nature mainly because it expresses that writer’s opinion regarding after-life and spirituality concepts. This prominent literary work is considered to be a fictional expression of the writer regarding the fallacies and inadequacies of the prominent social and religious structure during his time. Because of this reason, the story itself becomes explicitly influenced and affected by external factors in the creative realm of the author thus making its ideas commonly applicable during those times. But from the time of its creation, society has already undergo many changes and influential development thus regarding most of the concepts highlighted in the said literature to be inapplicable and contradictory in its very intrinsic nature. Divine Comedy is mainly a fictional of illusionary expression of the author’s imaginative journey through the realms of hell, purgatory and heaven. In his travels to hell, he have explicitly illustrated its literal nature and narrative the common social icons he have encountered in the said place. Thus journey however is contextual regarded to be the expression of the author’s personal concept regarding the idea of sinful acts and its capital punishment. To clearly discuss the author’s concept regarding sin and the actions that are considered to be wicked, it is better that the people who are considered sinners at those times be identified according to how the author perceive them in terms of the degree of seriousness of their offensive nature as related through the different levels or circles in hell. First in the list is the unbaptized pagans which are also regarded to be sinners at the author’s times regardless of their life morals and their actions. Second are the lustful people in terms of sexuality without or with neglectful restrain of themselves and their desires. Third are the

The Positive Effects A Nuclear Reactor Politics Essay

The Positive Effects A Nuclear Reactor Politics Essay Providing incentives for energy efficiency and clean energy are the right thing to do for our future because the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy. And America must be that nation. (Obama) This was the endorsement made by the President of the United States in January of 2010 during his annual State of the Union Address of adding more nuclear power facilities around the United States. Nuclear power is the energy source of the future, and Louisa County is on the cusp of becoming one of the frontrunners in the nation in this aspect with its partnership with Dominion Power Electric Company to add a third reactor to its nuclear power plant situated on the shores of Lake Anna. Lake Anna was originally built to fuel the nuclear reactors that began commercial use in 1978 (Unit One) and 1980 (Unit Two). The lake is used to provide the water necessary to fuel this power station and its use and output will soar to new heights in the com ing years. Already armed with two nuclear reactors on its power plant, the addition of a third reactor will only bolster Louisa Countys already advantageous position in the alternative energy game. In adding a third reactor at the Dominion Electric Power Plant on Lake Anna, Louisa County will put itself in a position to be the benefactor of numerous Federal aides, it will also create more jobs to be added to the local economic structure, and spark an influx of new businesses opening in the Lake Anna region as a result of this jump in population. More people will be attracted to the area, and more money will be brought into the county as a result, all of which will benefit the area while the recreational value of the lake and surrounding area will not be harmed, as some residents are fearful will happen. All of these factors bode well for the local economy and the citizens of Lake Anna and Louisa County. In times where oil and coal are insufficient in appeasing worldwide energy needs, nuclear power is an efficient alternative. They are often constructed in times when oil is in short supply. The below chart depicts the growth and addition of nuclear power plants [NPPs] worldwide from 1950 to 1997. The near bell-curve shape of the chart and the nuclear boom from 1970 to 1990 can be attributed to a worldwide oil crisis, forcing countries to find alternative energy sources to compensate for their deficit of oil. Nuclear energy was also the hot new form of alternative energy and there was an arms-race of sorts to have the biggest and best fleet of nuclear performance. Nuclear growth proved to be cyclical as it dropped and leveled off at the turn of the Century. Number of Reactors In the coming years however, another spike in nuclear production will be seen as military tensions in the Middle-East reach new heights. The addition to the North Anna power station, when completed, will be one of the first plants to lead in this upward trend. It can be predicted that the growth will peak again around the year 2014 as the world settles into using nuclear power as a safe and reliable alternative to coal and oil. As Americans, we will soon see more and more nuclear bases around the nation, as it has been proven and endorsed by the government that nuclear is the way of the future for America. With the recent fuel crisis that has hit the United States, a concentrated effort has been put into discovering and fostering alternative energy sources. Hybrid cars was the first alternative venture in which American citizens began to alter their buying habits, but it has since spread into all facets of American society, including power supplies as a whole. Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the United States has allotted 2.4 billion dollars of Clean Renewable Energy Bonds [CREBs] to be given to local governments to fund mass projects that will promote or provide alternative energy for mass numbers of people. (Department of Energy, April 10, 2010) The funding Louisa County will receive through the Recovery Act will foot most of the construction bill for the reactor, leaving Louis a ready to profit off of the venture. Energy shortage is also hitting very close to home for Louisa County residents. The Commonwealth of Virginia itself is currently looking at an energy deficit that could reach 4,000 megawatts by year 2017. (Dominion Power, March 13, 2010) The demand for energy is heading in the opposite direction, growing by over 40% over the past ten years and can grow to almost 50% by the end of 2011. (Dominion Power, March 13, 2010) This can be accredited to growing populations and a large number of citizens that are not energy-conscious. The third reactor at North Anna Power Station is aiming to help appease these new demands while cutting into the deficit itself. With any great change will come those who are resistant, those who do not want to alter their ways from the status quo. There have been specific groups of people from the lake community who have been opposed to the expansion of the nuclear power plant. The Lake Anna Civic Association (LACA) is a group of lake residents who have served as the voice of the cautious opposition. Termed N.I.M.B.Y.s (meaning Not In My Back Yard) by colleagues in the area, this association stood in the way of county approval of the Dominion project by lobbying the local government and presenting reasons that the construction of the third reactor would be detrimental to the Lake. Though there are not many residents who feel that the extension of the nuclear power plant would be a negative addition to the lake judging by support for the project displayed at local governmental meetings, their arguments have been noted and studied by the authorities in charge of approval. They argued that with increased water m ovement and usage by the power plant will raise the water level an excessive amount. Though it is predicted by Dominion Power that the water line will rise two inches, it is expected that this will not affect property that shares a border with the lake by encroaching on the land. It has also been argued that some of the bridges that traverse the lake will be made unsafe for boat traffic due to the water level. This would be because the clearance would be lowered by two inches and boats with canopies or a second level may strike the bottom of the bridge when passing. Following a study conducted by the Lake Anna Advisory Committee that was presented on February 9, 2010 showed that the three bridges in question were already below safe boating conditions (the boat, operator, and passengers are not in immediate danger) even when the water was low. It was also argued that an increased water temperature will deter tourists from enjoying the lake and joining in water activities. Discussed e arlier, this slight temperature increase (two to three degrees) will not be physically troubling to lake-goers but will rather make it enjoyable for a longer period of time and will also not have any acute impact on the wildlife within the lake. Given Louisa Countys developmental support track record, a project with the magnitude that this one possesses would not be approved unless it was certain that it would not cause major harm to the environment or citizens around it. Those who oppose the power plant on the lake must remember that it was constructed in the first place to serve as a power resource for the power plant and it would not exist without it. In an interview with William Blount (telephone interview, January 4, 2010), a longtime resident and entrepreneur on the lake, when discussing the opposition, he remarked that complaining about the power plant would be like purchasing land near an airport and complaining about noise. Nuclear energy has been proven to be an effective and safe avenue for harvesting energy for a large number of people. Louisa County, through its construction and use of Lake Anna as a power source to fuel its nuclear combines, provides power to the city of Richmond and the Southwest region of Virginia, as well as other states both north and south of Virginia. President Obama has endorsed this method as being safe and logical avenue for providing power to a nation who has seen its population grow by 208 million people over the past 100 years [1900 to 2000] (U.S. Census Bureau, March 4, 2010). This is a significant step toward nuclear energy becoming more common and available. Being of the Democratic Party, this is a sign that the endorsement is no false advertisement because the Democrats have traditionally been the major stopping point for the implementation of nuclear power as a major source of national energy. Democrats, as well as millions of previously undecided citizens on the topic of nuclear energy are beginning to see nuclear power as a safe alternative to oil and coal, which there has been a recent shortage of, with no end in site as long as the war and associated long term conflicts in the Middle-East continue. With each crisis comes a solution and a benefactor; Louisa County will be a benefactor from our national oil shortage. In order to ensure and promote the further use of nuclear energy, a town such as Louisa County could be granted sums of money and credits reaching into the millions (U.S. Department of Energy, April 10, 2010) for using this energy source . The wealth accrued through these cuts can be spent on public utilities such as roads and offices, meaning the county as a whole will benefit and be more pleasurable for all citizens. Reputable people closely involved with the project feel as if it will be a positive for Louisa. Lifetime Louisa County resident and former County Administrator and Clerk of the Court Dean Agee feels as if the addition of the third reactor will only help Louisa County fiscally. The income from the projected boost in commerce and population will help to offset the cost of the influx of public school attendance this county has seen in the past decade. This was most recently illustrated with the construction of Moss-Knuckles Elementary school on Route 208 toward Charlottesville. Schools are being built to accommodate all of the new students being enrolled in Louisa County Public Schools each year, and funding is necessary to make this possible. A large portion of this money will come from County taxes on the construction projects and new businesses blossoming in the area. When discussing the economic benefits Louisa will experience, Agee revealed that the Board of Supervisors will increa se the value of the county to offset the State lowering its fiscal aid, which is taxing on its actual value, this will level off the overall fiscal value of the Countyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ combining that with the Federal incentives that we will receive, a substantial increase in overall value will emerge. The growth that will take place can be shocking. During the original construction of Lake Anna Mr. Boodgie Duke, a local businessman and prominent land owner in the area, was speaking to a construction official about the digging of the hole where Lake Anna was to go. He inquired about how such a massive amount of dirt was going to be displaced, and was told that over one hundred bulldozers would be utilized in the process, What? he exclaimed, There are only three bulldozers in the entire county! This is merely a small example of the growth that nuclear power stations can bring to an area. While the area has seen much greater growth since then, adding a third reactor will have similar effects. There will be an influx of new jobs created by this third reactor; construction, building parts for the reactor, shipping, workers, and security for the new component will be needed for completion and use. Different stages of the construction project will involve multiple businesses and contract ors, so exact numbers for each specific construction discipline will only be able to be seen with time. These jobs will not only attract workers, but also their families will move with them if they are to stay permanently, these numbers will add up quickly. To accommodate all of the new citizens and workers in the County, the local real estate market will also see a boost as it must provide both permanent and temporary housing for those working. Lake Anna Island has already taken measures of preparation for this by having a building project in the works to create over fifty new housing condominiums to complement the twenty it already has. This undertaking is projected to be completed by late summer of 2010, in time to advertise and sell to migrant workers who are helping in building the third unit. According to local businessman B.J. Blount, by completion of the project over 700 permanent new jobs will be brought in to Louisa County in addition to roughly 5,000 temporary jobs over t he next five to seven years, adding wealth and notoriety to the area. According to former Louisa County administrator and lifelong resident Dean Agee, Lake Anna is already by far the most powerful and wealthy market in Louisa County; it is projects and progressiveness such as the addition of a third nuclear unit that makes it such. With this influx of new jobs in the area, the arrival of a new reactor will establish the northwest area of Lake Anna as a jumping-off point for more businesses and development projects in the area. As is true with virtually all areas that feature a great density of corporate prosperity, there was a major project that served as a catalyst for the attraction of other businesses to establish themselves in the area. A prime example of that would be the Short Pump Town Center erected in 2003 in northwestern Henrico County, Virginia. As soon as that came to fruition, and even perhaps before, more businesses and companies were purchasing land and leasing buildings to establish themselves in and around. There are now over a dozen housing developments and apartment communities established in the general vicinity of the Town Center with more to come. The Short Pump area has also established itself as one of the main shopping and leisure areas in the state of Virginia and many high school-aged kids migrate there on weekends to spend time and money. There is a direct correlation of growth in population to growth in wealth in corporate areas, and this will occur in this region of Louisa County. When the tide comes in, all the boats rise; the growth of the nuclear power plant will serve as that tide in Louisa. More businesses will flock to the Lake Anna region to reap some of the benefits. An agreement has already been reached to have a Food Lion constructed on Route 208 in Louisa, located roughly five miles from the Dominion Power Plant. A grocery store such as this would not have signed on for development in the area without a projected growth in patrons that would shop there, so this would be a good indication of the projected growth in the immediate vicinity. Gary Griffith, owner of Dockside Realty, is developing Stonewall Town Center on Route 522 that will feature a restaurant and shopping opportunities. Lake Anna Island Realty was an early player in the race for position to attract business from the new growth. To go along with the covered boat slips that house the Lake Anna Island Yacht Club. Owner B. J. Blount and his partners have agreements and are in the process of building numerous other amenities on their property, located next to the 208 Bridge on New Bridge Road. There are b oat slips available for lease or rent for commuters or new residents to tie up their boats and access them at any time. As that project progresses, there is a potential for over 400 slips to be implemented, along with storage space for each purchased slip. There are the aforementioned housing units under construction that will be available for permanent or temporary use for specialized or contracted workers and their families. Buildings will be constructed to house a hotel and a restaurant, along with separate housing for a doctors office and two other separate restaurants. There is also now a houseboat available for rental on a weekly or weekend basis, with the opportunity for more boats to form a fleet that can turn into a steady source of income for the Realty. This is the sort of business plan and construction project that may well be seen blossoming in Louisa County with more regularity in the years to come. An effect the Power Plant will have on the environment will be the slight increase of water temperature on the lake due to the increased consumption of water by the actual units. It is predicted that the water temperature will rise by two to three degrees. While this is not a glaring difference from the norm, the newfound warmth can potentially extend the tourist season by an extra week. This is because the higher temperature will take longer to cool in the fall and the water will be warm enough for recreational activities for a slightly longer period of time. The increased amount of reactor output (predicted two to three inch water level increase) means that the larger amount will also take longer to cool. Though it is only one week, the collective wealth accrued by businesses of the area, be it restaurants, rentals or general boat activity will pay great dividends in the long run for the local economy. Multiple studies have been done to back up all of the claims made in favor of the third reactors positive impact upon Louisa Countys economy. From 1960 to 1976, sixty-four towns and cities that were located around any of four Northeastern U.S. power plants were observed and measured by their property market values. Positive growth trends in property value, listing and sale prices were seen across the board in these areas. (Downing, Gamble, Sauerlander, n.d.) Throughout the completion of the study the communities experienced positive growth. Furthermore, it was found that property market values increased at an inverse ratio to distance that they are situated from the nuclear power plants, possibly indicating that buyers specifically paid more to live closer to the plant. The municipalities that were in the general area of the plants also grew disproportionally to areas in the same state that were not near a nuclear plant. (Bezdek Wendling, 2006) In 1986, a study was conducted by a gr oup of college professors from Oakland University in Michigan that studied whether the federal policy to deter citizens from living near nuclear power plants had positive effects or not. In a study made of 204 local government that were situated within ten miles of any of the 49 functional nuclear power plants in the United States at the time, the governments were polled on their citizens feelings toward the plants and the physical plants public safety. (Folland Hough, 1999) The results showed that feedback was greatly in favor of living near the plants and it was suggested that governments should encourage migration toward the plants rather than discouraging citizens from living near them. Constructing a third reactor to add to the North Anna Power Plant in Louisa County will provide numerous benefits for everyone involved. Federal incentives will be sent the countys way, citizens will come pouring in searching for one of the multiple new jobs that will be created and numerous pre-existing and prospective businesses will be able to reap the benefits from all of this. All of these factors will culminate in making Louisa County a richer, more prosperous county. Resources Bezdek, R., Wendling, R. (2006). The Impacts of Nuclear Facilities on Property Values and Other Factors in the Surrounding Communities (Rep.). Retrieved January 10, 2010, from misi-net.com Dominion Power. (n.d.). Retrieved March 13, 2010, from http://www.dom.com Downing, R., Gamble, H., Sauerlander, O. (n.d.). Real Estate Economics: Community Growth Around Nuclear Power Plants (3rd ed., Vol. 8). John Wiley Sons. Folland, S., Hough, R. (1999). On the External Effects on Nuclear Power Plant: Further Evidence (Rep.). Rochester, Michigan. Retrieved January 14, 2010, from Gale Group. Nuclear Waste Disposal. (n.d.). Retrieved January 24, 2010, from http://www.nei.org Number of Reactors Being Brought Online Number of Countries Bringing Reactors Online [Chart]. (n.d.). In TVA. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Obama, B. H. (2010, January 27). State of the Union Address. Speech presented at State of the Union Address 2010 in U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C. United States, Department of Energy. (n.d.). Government Tax Incentives. Retrieved April 10, 2010, from http://www.energy.gov/government_tax_incentives.htm United States, Census Bureau. (n.d.). Retrieved March 4, 2010, from http://census.gov

Essay on Imagery and Symbolism in Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

The Scarlet Letter: Imagery and Symbolism In The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne utilizes imagery to convey that Dimmesdale can represent Puritan Society rather than the round character that can be seen on the surface level. This is seen through the imagery and symbolism of hypocrisy, Dimmesdale as a Christ figure, and the scarlet letter. First of all, Hawthorne parallels the hypocrisy of Dimmesdale to that of Puritan society. Hawthorne describes Dimmesdale as, "a viler companion of the vilest, the worst of sinners," even though Dimmesdale is seen as the most holy man in the Puritan community. Puritan society was supposed to be a utopian society and do away with their English traditions. Similarly, as Dimmesdale was supposed to be holy, yet they both were hypocritical. Secondly, Dimmesdale portrays the Puritan society by not initially taking his place on the scaffold, "Ye have both been here before, but I was not with you†¦ and we will stand all three together." The Puritans modeled Dimmesdale's hypocrisy, as they were supposed to be a "city on a hill" for the world to see while they ended up mixing up English tradition with their ideals. While Dimmesdale hid his sin at the first scaffold seen, so did the Puritans when they colonized America. The Puritans faults were not initially that obvious but as time grew on they appeared on their scaffold just as Dimmesdale does. Hawthorne writes about one of Dimmesdale's sermons that is, "addressed to the multitude a discourse on sin, in all its branches." In Dimmesdale's sermons, he spoke out against sin while at the same time he commits this sin, just as the Puritans committed sins that they condemned Dimmesdale's character models Puritan society in the way they treat religious persecution. The Puritans left England to flee from religious intolerance, but when they got to the colonies, they had no religious tolerance for people with different religious beliefs. Dimmesdale speaks out against adultery and commits it, the Puritans demand religious tolerance but refuse to give it. Dimmesdale symbolically portrays Jesus Christ in certain ways. For example, Dimmesdale's death marked the beginning of a new era, just as Christ's death marked a new beginning for all of those who believe in Him. Dimmesdale's death symbolically marks the beginning of American History and the end of colonial history, just as Christ's death marked the beginning of the Christian church.