My Best Kept Secret

For a year, we had something special. It wasn't big. It wasn't flashy. But it meant a lot to me. Welcome to JTOP: an arcane collectivity within the walls of Lower Merion High School. JTOP stands for Justin Timberlake Operation Project, an opaque title chosen to baffle anyone who might overhear us mention the organization. I was inducted as the fifth member in November of 2008, joining Maggie, Jake, Patricia and Sarah. At the time, I knew no one in this coterie but Jake, who provided me with little information.He insisted that I would find meaning in the group—that together we would be able to channel our restless frustration and curiosity into something worthwhile—but that I must first be sworn to secrecy. I was dubious, nervous, and excited. Okay. Okay. This is peculiar right? I'm not from Hogwarts, I'm not some top-secret CIA operative—I'm just a girl from a suburb of Philadelphia†¦ right? And what did â€Å"JTOP† even do? That question cannot be an swered so easily. JTOP was a chance for bright kids who love learning†¦to explore. Every meeting, every task, every debate felt like a new adventure.One day Maggie came home from school and informed us of hearing about trepanation, the practice of cutting holes into one's skull. This was creepy†¦ yet fascinating. Why would anyone willfully drill a hole into his or her head? What would that be like? So on a Wednesday night, after we finished our homework, we furtively gathered and watched a documentary that Maggie purchased entitled â€Å"Hole in Your Head,† all about the history of trepanation. Once we decided to make â€Å"circle poetry† for other students whom we admired throughout the school.Some of the students we didn't know personally—just respected from afar. Taking a black Sharpie and ripping out pages from The Philadelphia Inquirer, we began to circle words and letters creating personalized messages. I wrote a poem for Hannah, a girl I knew on ly through her insightful comments in English class. Hannah had lately been bemoaning that she was turning jaded by the stressful experience of junior year. I wrote that she shouldn't let the school system break her and that her infectious enthusiasm is too important to be replaced by cynicism.When we finished, JTOP looked up the recipients' addresses in the phone book, drove to the various homes and anonymously deposited the poems into each of their mailboxes. Once we all attended a school board meeting at which our district was considering proposed changes to the high school grading policy. I stood up and made a speech before the administrators, teachers and community on the defects of the proposal. Another time we found ourselves sitting in a coffee shop trying to figure out if we were stuck on an island which mix of 20 people from our school would we need along with us in order to survive.Another time we clandestinely met at an out-of-the-way Chinese restaurant (JTOP avoids loca tions where we could be likely spotted) and, over egg rolls, debated the merits of biological determinism. Patricia, a fierce advocate of Richard Dawkins, battled Maggie and me, advocates of environmental factors also playing a fundamental role in pushing genetic â€Å"limits. † We decided we needed an adult figure within our organization so we divulged the details of our club to Mohsen Ghodsi, our old 9th grade gifted support teacher, and asked that he serve as our mentor.He was enthusiastic in his support. He not only allowed us to hold JTOP meetings in his classroom during free periods but also supplied us with book titles and journal articles that he felt might interest us. We went creek-walking. We cooked homemade dumplings. We gave opera music a try. We debated the injustice of calling â€Å"shotgun† in the passenger seat of a car. Once, we decided to write â€Å"JTOP† on all the dollar bills we owned in the hope that some day, years from now, they might c ome back to us in currency recirculation. In June I decided to read Tom Wolfe's I Am Charlotte Simmons.The novel describes an idealistic young girl starting her freshman year at a prestigious university, who is recruited for an intellectual discussion club with an opaque misleading name—The Millennial Mutants. The resemblance between Charlotte Simmons' club and JTOP was uncanny. I realized though, it wasn't mere coincidence that Tom Wolfe described a society similar to JTOP. And, importantly, the parallels did not make me feel generic. To the contrary, they made me feel like I was a part of something much bigger. Something universal.It was exciting to think about people living â€Å"the life of the mind† elsewhere, in different schools and states and perhaps in secret clubs of their own. The notion that there are many people out there who band together in the free pursuit of ideas and experiences was comforting and validating. Maybe it all sounds trivial. Perhaps intel ligent students shouldn't be â€Å"wasting their time† writing acronyms on dollars and instead direct more focus to investing time into an internship or â€Å"getting ahead. † But I disagree. When I look back on my junior year I feel lucky to have received such a precious experience.Where is JTOP now you might ask? Well, we're all still friends, but the club definitely lost its fire over the summer, and I can't really predict what the future holds for it. But, that's okay. Just having been able to experience unfettered adolescent discovery, with people who have the same interests as I, is something that I believe really matters. And knowing that I'm not alone, and that others out there are also exploring—well that matters too. And knowing that I'll meet many more people in college who share the same passions, well that's the most exciting prospect of all

Banning Smoking in Public Places

Banning smoking in public places I’d like to talk about the banning smoking in public places. Generally, is known about smoking that can cause different types of cancer, yellow teeth and unpleasant smell. I think that smoking in public places represent a real problem, because smoking can lead to serious health problems for both the person who smoke and the sitting next to him. Nowadays, smoking is a leading cause of mortality in the world, but also a very profitable business for some companies.In general, when it comes to smoking, opinions are divided. While some people urge us not to smoke, others try to convince us that is not necessary to make so many problems and that smoking is not dangerous. First of all, issue of smoking in public places has become today a real reason for concern. So, governments all over the world have implemented bans of smoking in public places, to the joy of non-smokers and the dismay of those for whom a cigarette is a permanent extension of the lip s.Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, a gas, which, if is inhaled, can produce different types of pulmonary diseases, cancer. This action of carbon monoxide displays one great advantage of the ban on smoking in public places. People standing next to the smoker will, against their wishes, be inhaling the tobacco smoke emanating from the tip of the cigar or cigarette as well as that exhaled by the smoker. Thus, large quantities of carbon monoxide will be entering the â€Å"victim’s† blood stream, wreaking havoc with his red blood cells.Tobacco smoke has also been shown to contain certain carcinogenic compounds which have the ability to mutate the DNA of anyone who inhales them, leading to probable cancers of the lungs, mouth and throat, and also secondary cancers at other sites in the body. These effects present another case in favour of the ban on smoking in public. Unenlightened people standing next to the smoker will be increasing their risk of getting cancer tenf old. Tobacco smoke also contains nicotine, a chemical which produces the same effects as adrenaline in the body.Nicotine increases the breathing rate, heart beat and blood pressure of the person who consumes it. Increased blood pressure may lead to hardening of the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. Thus another advantage of the ban comes to light. Non-smokers who unwittingly inhale â€Å"second-hand† smoke are exposed to nicotine and its harmful effects. Apart from the evident medical and health advantages of the ban on smoking in the public, certain social advantages can be mentioned.It is a well-known fact that children, having impressionable minds, emulate almost everything they see their elders doing. The negative impact of seeing an adult smoking could ultimately lead these children to becoming smokers themselves. And the chances of such sighting increase manifold in public places where smoking is allowed. Countries which provide free medical aid for their ci tizens have an added advantage, a monetary one. Respiratory illnesses caused by inhaling tobacco smoke are on the rise, resulting in an increase in the amount of money spent on medical care by these countries.Most of the people suffering from these illnesses are non-smokers exposed to ‘second-hand’ smoke. By banning the smoking of any form of tobacco in public, the incidence of these illnesses is greatly decreased, thus saving millions which may be directed towards other projects. The only disadvantage of the ban that comes to mind is that the smoker finds himself unable to exercise his right to choose, his freedom as a democratic citizen, fully. It is certainly an infringement on the rights of the smoker, rights which are guaranteed to any and all citizens of a democratic country.But one feels it is unjustified. The smoker cannot and should not force his smoking upon anyone, he should care for the rights of others as well. The rights of so few cannot be given preferenc e over the rights of so many. All in all, the ban on smoking in public is a step in the right direction, towards a better future for us and the generations to come. All steps possible should be taken to discourage tobacco smoking, a potentially hazardous habit which may lead to death. We owe it to ourselves to do so. Banning Smoking in Public Places Banning smoking in public places I’d like to talk about the banning smoking in public places. Generally, is known about smoking that can cause different types of cancer, yellow teeth and unpleasant smell. I think that smoking in public places represent a real problem, because smoking can lead to serious health problems for both the person who smoke and the sitting next to him. Nowadays, smoking is a leading cause of mortality in the world, but also a very profitable business for some companies.In general, when it comes to smoking, opinions are divided. While some people urge us not to smoke, others try to convince us that is not necessary to make so many problems and that smoking is not dangerous. First of all, issue of smoking in public places has become today a real reason for concern. So, governments all over the world have implemented bans of smoking in public places, to the joy of non-smokers and the dismay of those for whom a cigarette is a permanent extension of the lip s.Tobacco smoke contains carbon monoxide, a gas, which, if is inhaled, can produce different types of pulmonary diseases, cancer. This action of carbon monoxide displays one great advantage of the ban on smoking in public places. People standing next to the smoker will, against their wishes, be inhaling the tobacco smoke emanating from the tip of the cigar or cigarette as well as that exhaled by the smoker. Thus, large quantities of carbon monoxide will be entering the â€Å"victim’s† blood stream, wreaking havoc with his red blood cells.Tobacco smoke has also been shown to contain certain carcinogenic compounds which have the ability to mutate the DNA of anyone who inhales them, leading to probable cancers of the lungs, mouth and throat, and also secondary cancers at other sites in the body. These effects present another case in favour of the ban on smoking in public. Unenlightened people standing next to the smoker will be increasing their risk of getting cancer tenf old. Tobacco smoke also contains nicotine, a chemical which produces the same effects as adrenaline in the body.Nicotine increases the breathing rate, heart beat and blood pressure of the person who consumes it. Increased blood pressure may lead to hardening of the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. Thus another advantage of the ban comes to light. Non-smokers who unwittingly inhale â€Å"second-hand† smoke are exposed to nicotine and its harmful effects. Apart from the evident medical and health advantages of the ban on smoking in the public, certain social advantages can be mentioned.It is a well-known fact that children, having impressionable minds, emulate almost everything they see their elders doing. The negative impact of seeing an adult smoking could ultimately lead these children to becoming smokers themselves. And the chances of such sighting increase manifold in public places where smoking is allowed. Countries which provide free medical aid for their ci tizens have an added advantage, a monetary one. Respiratory illnesses caused by inhaling tobacco smoke are on the rise, resulting in an increase in the amount of money spent on medical care by these countries.Most of the people suffering from these illnesses are non-smokers exposed to ‘second-hand’ smoke. By banning the smoking of any form of tobacco in public, the incidence of these illnesses is greatly decreased, thus saving millions which may be directed towards other projects. The only disadvantage of the ban that comes to mind is that the smoker finds himself unable to exercise his right to choose, his freedom as a democratic citizen, fully. It is certainly an infringement on the rights of the smoker, rights which are guaranteed to any and all citizens of a democratic country.But one feels it is unjustified. The smoker cannot and should not force his smoking upon anyone, he should care for the rights of others as well. The rights of so few cannot be given preferenc e over the rights of so many. All in all, the ban on smoking in public is a step in the right direction, towards a better future for us and the generations to come. All steps possible should be taken to discourage tobacco smoking, a potentially hazardous habit which may lead to death. We owe it to ourselves to do so.

Interview with Entrepreneur Essay

1. Why did you start your own business? Curt has always had a passion for engineering. When he was younger he work as a mechanical engineer through AMP. Then changed to metal engineering but decided he was tired of working for corporate office after 7 years and pursed his hobby into a career. Curt has always enjoyed boating and good seafood. For years before his founded business, he would enjoy being on the boat and catching good seafood which is when he wanted to bring fresh seafood to central Pennsylvania. 2. Is running your own business as hard as everyone says that it is? Yes and no. He’s states that there are pro’s and con’s to any situation especially in the business world. He views his pro’s would be to be able to set your own schedule and to him, he sees his â€Å"work† not so much as work but something that he enjoys and looks forward to waking up every day to. Some of the con’s he listed were that it’s hard to have leave time away from his business. He solely owns 2 local businesses; one located on Eisenhower Blvd., Harrisburg and the other on the Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, and an online business. The online shop (www.ilovecrabs.com) is ran out of his Carlisle pike location where fed ex comes daily to deliver next day shipment to anyone within the 50 states. His business has been very successful. 3. Do you believe the efforts and rewards for owning your own business are worth the sacrifices? Yes, Curt believes that he is very happy with the outcome of where his business is today. He says that he might change a few things looking back but nothing too serious. He says the business world is about risk and sometimes things work very well and sometimes they fail but it’s always good to know when to back out and when to leap towards something. 4. Did you always see yourself as an entrepreneur, or that you would in time, owning your own business? To a certain extent he has always wanted more. Between 16-17 years old, he seemed to be great at buying and selling different things. Even working as an engineer for 7 years, he would buy and sell anything really that he could make a profit on. 5. How did you finance your initial startup costs for your small business? He saved some money working but he also went to the bank for  part of it. His mother, Sharon Engle, helps with organizing his finances every Tuesday. 6. How do you market or advertise? What seems to have the most positive effect in bringing in profitable customers? Curt used to do the advertising himself but he has hired someone to do that for him to help take some load off. Most advertising is through their internet retail website (www.ilovecrabs.com), but their two local retail shops work with clipper magazine, or you could sign up with their crabsavers newsletter and save $10 off your first order and receive either text messages and or emails with coupons and special deals weekly. They used to advertise with the newspaper and yellow pages but he claims it’s becoming a dying trade. He uses organic advertising online with google now too. He also states the radio is a way to have local customers aware that he is bringing this fresh seafood in daily but not so much for sales and promotions, he sticks to his coupons and surplus sales.Teaming up with Obrycki’s from Maryland, Harbour house crabs now provides the Obryck’s famous seasoning along with their personal blends of seasonings. 7. What’s your greatest entrepreneurial achievement? That the business is still thriving after 15 years since being founded. His first retail shop boomed to the online business after about his first 2-3 years of opening. It became such a hit that in 2009 he opened his second retail shop and moved his online shop to process through the second shop due to size and area. 8. How do you identify business opportunities and what measures do you take to decide whether to invest into this opportunity? He says usually he will stick with his gut feeling but sometimes it’s a little more in depth then that he explains. After successfully launching his second store for 1  ½ years, he decided to partner up with Captain Bob’s restaurant. Unfortunately, it became a little too much to handle with the ordering of their products vs. what his small retail shop has to offer. So after 1 year, he gave back his part of the company to the owner of Captain Bob’s and still sells fresh crabs to the restaurant as they have always done before. 9. What’s the toughest feedback you’ve ever received and how did you learn or improve from it? â€Å"There will always be customers that you won’t be able to satisfy no matter how much you try to do for them in fixing the situation.† He said the first few negative comments he received was through his online  website and was taken personally. Curt had taken this hard because he wasn’t able to satisfy the customers, which is his company’s main goal when providing this fresh food. 10. What makes your business stand out from your competitors? â€Å"We stand out in quality and customer service.† He says, â€Å"We can’t control mother nature and there are certain variables that cause things to be difficult at times but when something happens, our team is encouraged to kill the customer with kindness but also with that have a strong backbone for the company, don’t let someone step all over you but be kind.† 11. How many hours do you work daily? How has this effected your personal or family life? Do you take time out to have fun? Well because Curt doesn’t have a partner, his phone is on him 24/7 and will answer from the time he wakes up until 10pm. He does have a home office and bases all his finances, strategies, and more at his home so it’s difficult sometimes to have to separate the two. He enjoys it to be near his family more but then again he walks away from a lot to take a business call. 12. What kind of culture exists in your organization? The culture that goes with my products are anyone who enjoys fresh seafood, someone or even a group wanting to get together to crack open some crabs and enjoy quality food with quality time given. Bringing friends and families together. 13. In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur. Challenging. 14. Who has been your greatest inspiration and why? His grandfather because in 1934 during the great depression era, his grandfather opened up a small business selling Engle equipment, originally type-writers. The business took off so well that Curt’s father and uncle took it over when his grandfather passed. Eventually Toshiba bought the company out and still sells equipment today! 15. Describe how you built a successful profitable customer base? Curt believes finding a service or product that the customers want or demand is the first step he took, then backing that up with customer service has what made this so successful. 16. What’s the best advice you’ve been given? â€Å"Never give up?† Curt explains to me that he tells his kids for example that  when they say something like â€Å"I can’t†, he will in return respond â€Å"Never say I can’t, that’s giving up before even trying, and you should at least always try whether you win or lose.† 17. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire most and why? Is it a product or service that draws you in? Amazon. He loves not only the products that are so easily obtained but he loves their fast and reliable service provided. 18. Knowing what you know now, is there anything that you would do differently? â€Å"I would†. There were a few investments Curt had but they weren’t worth the trouble. â€Å"It’s still an experience†, he says but it’s good to know when to leave. 19. If I were to want to open up a small business tomorrow, what would be the top priority on my to-do list? He suggests to write a business plan and take it to the business administration building so they can review it and approve your idea. It takes a lot of research to find all that you need but it’s the foundation of the whole project. He also says that looking back at his first business plan, it’s accurate but at the same time off from what it really was from his planning. 20. Do you have an exit strategy? Currently Mr. Engle is looking for an exit strategy because he didn’t really have one at the time of presenting his plan. He did but not what he is really planning now. Ironically as I asked Curt this question, he asked me about taking over the business but I also did work for him from 2005-2013 so I do know a lot about running the stores. I denied though because I have other plans.

Applicability of deterrence theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Applicability of deterrence theory - Essay Example Contrary to religious philosophers like Thomas Aquinas, Hobbes delineates people as neither good nor bad. Aquinas insists that men are ethical rather than evil. From Hobbes view, human beings chase their self-interests like material gain, security, and protecting their reputations. Consequently, humans pursue their interests in disregard of others. Therefore, they end up offending others and breaking the law. Hobbes argues that beings are reasonable enough to understand acts that lead to illegitimate behaviors and disagreements.   This situation can be avoided by getting rid of perpetrators of injustice for the betterment of the community at large. Hobbes termed this practice a social contract. The society gets into a social contract with the government in order to avoid war, misunderstandings, and crime. As a result, the state is supposed to implement the social contract. However, violation of the law may still occur in spite the state performing their roles. Ideally, punishments for crime should not outweigh benefits of criminal behaviors. Therefore, deterrence is the reprimand that people get for committing offenses. Important to say, theories of deterrence are premised on three fundamental principles: severity, certainty, and celerity. The higher the intensity of the punishment the likelihood of a rational human being desisting from engaging in such crime increases. Therefore, criminal laws should impose hefty penalties in order to discourage citizens from committing a crime.

The Philosophy Way to Solve The Black Dahlia Case Research Paper

The Philosophy Way to Solve The Black Dahlia Case - Research Paper Example Besides mutilating and dissecting Short’s body, the killer drained her corpse of blood and scrubbed it clean. The media extensively covered the case. A lengthy and in-depth investigation of the case by the L.A.P.D. revealed a series of false reports (Jeter & Keller, 2015). A witness in Black Dahlia’s murder case reported seeing a black car parked in the area in the morning hours but could not provide the police with credible information. Currently, Black Dahlia’s murder is one of the case files in L.A and it is the city’s most famous case (Latson, 2015). Therefore, there is the necessity for proficient philosophical techniques to establish or initiate utmost justice or solution to Black Dahlia’s case. Almost seventy years after the murder of Elizabeth Short, investigators currently think that they are on the verge of finding out who killed her. The cold murder of Black Dahlia that left detectives, writers and filmmakers perturbed, could be solved from the specimen obtained from Hodel’s father, Dr. George Hill Hodel (Stone, 2013). The young Hodel believed that his father executed Black Dahlia’s murder. A team of experts conducted an extensive search of the doctor’s home where the officers had initially detected the scent of human decomposition in most areas of the basement. Soil samples from Dr. Hodel’s home were taken and submitted for lab test. Significant evidence against the doctor according to his son, entails a recording between the doctor and an unknown person whereby the doctor stated that supposed he killed Short they could not prove it because his secretary was already dead. However, based on the 2006 film ‘The Black Dahlia’, it is perceived that Elizabeth was murdered in one of the empty houses of Emmett Linscott. Elizabeth Short is alleged to have been acting pornographic movies. Bucky and Lee, a police officer, decides to investigate the cause of

Organisational Change Management Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 1

Organisational Change Management - Dissertation Example The decision made, the way it should be implement and other aspects D2 will have to deal with, are analysed and explained with respect to the 5D framework. Although the decision and plan made seems to be a feasible one, its implementation and execution is of utmost importance. A regular and continuous feedback, assessment and if required, change of plan accordingly will be the key to survival of D2 Introduction This analysis is of a car components manufacturing company called D2. D2 is a France based company. It has many plants. Two are based in France, one in UK and additional plants in Spain. Since operations D2 has put in an extra effort to increase shareholder value and achieve a formidable return on its investments. This has been made possible by investing in new technology and encouraging innovation with respect to the manufacturing of products. D2 managed a competitive position in the market of manufacturing automobile parts while competing with even those manufacturing compan ies that were based in a low cost country. Ever since the economic recession has hit, the situation has changed drastically. The economic downturn has forced D2 to change it strategy and now produce fewer products and benefits from economies of scale rather than producing a whole variety of products. Secondly D2 is now more focused on cutting costs which may lead to plant closure and redundancy of staff. This is a major concern for both, the employees and management. However, the decision is yet to be announced. Appreciative Inquiry: The 5D approach Appreciative inquiry is a method of solving a problem. This was pioneered by David Cooperrider in the mid-1980s. from the Case Western Reserve University. This method can be best understood by understanding the meaning of both of the words The first word, Appreciation,  refers to the recognition of contributions or attributes of people and things that surround us. The second word, Inquiry, refers to  the act of exploring and discover ing. This reflects on the attitude of being open to any new possibilities. Combining both words together means that with the help of appreciating and acknowledging what is valuable and good with respect to the present situation. We may be able to discover the future in a positive manner. Using Appreciative Inquiry: The 5D Approach It is important to focus on the positives while applying such approach. A positive approach may help in building on ones strengths, just as conventional problem-solving may lead to minimizing ones weaknesses. Hence it is important to consider that the strategy under consideration by D2 is a feasible one. Below is an analysis of the situation of D2 with respect of the 5D framework. The 5D framework constitutes of five elements namely, Definition: the phase in which a problem is defined Discovery: the phase in which ways to solve the problem are found Dream: the phase in which a company sets up its future objectives Design: the phase that determines how thin gs should be implemented Destiny: the phase that sees the planning and implementation of the strategy Definition Before one can analyse a problem, the problem is to be defined. Economic downturn may suggest a precise definition of the problem faced by D2. It is important to understand what may happen to organisation when they face economic downturn or recession related problems. Many business analysts and researchers have narrated their views of such situations, a few of which are below. Zeidner,

Evaluation and Control on Network Acquisition Essay

Evaluation and Control on Network Acquisition - Essay Example process, the results of which are brought together into a status report, forwarded to the authorities responsible for the cost, budget, and schedule of the project. Risk mitigation strategies are used to analyze and report unplanned changes. Without effective risk mitigation strategies, a project will collapse or will lead to unexpected results because of the unanticipated changes (Royer, 2001, p.77; Adam, 2007, p.140). To handle change control issues, I plan to rank risks according to priority. Each risk should be ranked according to significance and likelihood (Dorian, 2011, par.3). I plan to take into consideration these common mitigation strategies: avoidance, acceptance, transference, and control. I would apply effective controls over risks if they are worth taking and are a part of my core project. To handle change control issues, I will measure the impact of the change in terms of my project’s cost, resources and schedule. I will accept or reject the change after reviewing what will happen if I do not allow the change to occur. I will document the change and will update the project plan

The Alibaba Group Business Ehincs Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

The Alibaba Group Business Ehincs - Essay Example The English-based site known as alibaba.com focuses on business-to-business kind of trading, especially for many international buyers who strive to contact sellers in China. The Chinese-based website known as china.com concentrates on business-to-business transactions within China, and finally, there is www.taobao.com, a consumer-to-consumer business site for Chinese clients. The Japanese-based website called Japan.alibaba.com mainly focuses on Japanese customers. At the moment, the Alibaba Group comprises the following subordinate-companies: Taobao.com, an online auction website for clients; Alipay, an online payments site, processing majorly payments emanating from China; Alisoft, a web services provider to China’s Small and Medium-sized ventures; Alimama, which is an online marketing exchange forum, that allows web publishers and advertisers to trade via online promotion inventory; China Yahoo!, which is a search engine; as well as Koubei.com, the largest communities in Chi na for exchanging essential life information including as food, clothes, travel and housing (Bidwai 2010). Importance of business ethics and their impact on the organization Ethics means a collection of moral principles, a perception of right and wrong, goodness and badness of dealings as well as the motives and repercussions of these actions. When applied to business context, ethics refers to the study right and wrong, good and evil, and just and unjust dealings of businessmen. It refers to the study of business circumstances, decisions and activities where issues of what is right or otherwise are addressed. It addresses not only commercial enterprises, but also government entities, not-for-profit organizations (NGOs), charitable institutions among others (Crane & Matten 2010). At Alibaba.com, ethics is very important to the company in general and the HR department to be specific, for the following stated reasons: Ethics tally to essential human needs. All men naturally desire to be ethical; both in private life as well as in business where. By being a manager man knows that his judgment may influence a countless number of employees. Furthermore, most p eople desire to be part of a company that they can both respect and also be proud of, given that they perceive its purposed activities are honest and also beneficial to the whole society. The Group’s HR managers aspire to respond to the said needs of their employees. On the other hand, the managers feel an equal requirement to be proud of the company which they are directing. These basic ethical necessities force the organization to have an ethical orientation (Crane & Matten 2010). Values establish credibility with the larger public. A company that is perceived by the general public to be ethical as well as socially responsive gets to be honored as well as respected even by clients with no intimate acquaintance of its actual operations. There will always be automatic bias in favour of its services or products, given that people believe that the business offers value in exchange for their money. Its public concern will attract an instant response. Given Alibaba’s CSR ( corporate social responsibility) comprehensive program, together with the existing code of business ethics, the company has been able to craft credibility with the general public it serves. Values confer upon the management integrity with its employees. Values are meant to be a mutual language to bring the company’s leadership as well as its people together. Company ethics whenever perceived by the employees as genuine enable the building of common goals, language and values. At Alibaba.com, the HR department has realized standing with its employees because it has been able to register

Strategic Management Accounting Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Strategic Management Accounting - Term Paper Example It does not really help the managers to assess what is best for the company (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). For example, the financial management of the company is able to indicate if it is appropriate to take more debt by considering the present liquid status of the company. The decision may not have any link with the short term or long term strategic objective of the company. Thus, financial management is not able to see beyond the limitations of the financial data. Strategic management on the other hand is equipped to see beyond and the cover the limitations of the basic financial management. The conclusion derived from the basic financial management techniques can be further modified if the same decision is taken in the light of the strategic objectives of the company. For example, the financial management indicates that the recourse to further debt financing is going to increase the debt burden f the company (Chrol, 2011). If the company considers going for a strategic alliance w ith another company then the financial condition of the company can improve. The revenue generation capacity will improve from the synergy gained from such strategic alliance. Strategic financial management considers these kinds of variables and factors to obtain the most optimal decision. Thus, though normal financial management analysis may conclude that the company should not use debt for financing the capital needs, though strategic management may recommend the use debt financing. The research paper discusses some of the uses of strategic management accounting like use of Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), for long term decision purposes and different types of transfer pricing techniques. Part A Critical evaluation of the statement â€Å"Both Return on Investment (ROI) and Economic Value Added (EVA), when used as performance measures in an organisation, encourage managers to be short-term in their focus and decision making† The managers have a tend ency of using both ROI and EVA for performance evaluation for short term purposes. Although when it comes to using the two techniques for long term decision purposes the managers face difficulties in doing the same. The two types of techniques are different from each other in various respects and thus both of them need to be discussed separately to indicate the way they can be used for long term decision purposes. ROI is actually a combination of two different accounting heads, one is the asset turnover and the other one is the return on sales (Clark and Mathur, 2011). Return on the sales is indicative of the fact of (that) how efficient are managers in generating revenue for every dollar and the ability of the managers to control the expenses and the increase in revenue generating capacity. While asset turnover indicates the ability of the company to generate profit for every dollar invested. In between the two accounting heads asset turnover and return on sales, the focus will be on asset turnover. If the managers are able to modify the asset turnover value then ROI can be used for long term decision purposes. In order to control the asset turnover value the managers need to re-evaluate the policies regarding the capitalization and depreciation. Both aspects like investments and income are affected by the choice of the asset life and the type of depreciation method

Envioronment assignment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Envioronment assignment - Essay Example The effect of this disease affects the most productive sectors of the society because it deprives the economy of scarce resources of skills, it leaves countless number of orphaned children, and a country lessened with people at their prime. HIV/AIDS have declined life expectancy in Botswana as it joined the ranks of seven countries in Sub-Saharan Africa such as Angola, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda and Zambia that have life expectancies below 40 years of age. Study showed of the ECA showed that by year 2020, among those aged fifteen to forty-four, there will be more men than women. There is an implication of increased HIV infection among younger women because there is evidence in the study that older men inflict younger women thru marriage (ECA). Impact of HIV/AIDS is hardest on the family, because as people die, they leave a struggling family both emotionally and financially. Poverty is enhanced because savings are spent during the period of illness. Due to death of parents, t he number of orphaned children left to government’s care also increases. The number of orphaned children in Africa is already in the range of thirteen to fifteen million children. In summary, HIV/AIDS destroys human capital, weakens the mechanisms that generate human capital formation and produces a chance for the children to contract the disease, thus making education less attractive to them. 4. Actions undertaken by Canada, the United States and other developed countries to lessen the impact of AIDS in Africa. The control of HIV/AIDS cannot be done alone by the government of Africa. They need concerted effort of the whole population, the government and help from foreign governments and institutions. African government can seek support from Canada, United States and other developed countries who are affluent enough to donate funds and resources for AIDS control. For instance, they could enlist assistance of the World Health Organization in the European Region that has set a program particularly intended for the region. Botswana can take advantage of several programs of WHO that has been designed to prevent transmission of AIDS, among which are: HIV testing and counseling, syringe and needle program, reduction of sexual transmission among men of same sex and thru sex workers; reduction of vertical transmission by mothers to babies, and access for treatment and care. The World Health Organization in Europe has 53 member states that put together their efforts and resources on the control while U.S. has devoted a sizeable amount of donation for the purpose. Part 2. The Precautionary Principle. There is a saying that goes â€Å"an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure†. This I believe is the principle that is considered in the precautionary principles of scientists. Precautionary measures are taken when it is believed that a certain activity would be harmful to human health or the environment because the cause and effect relationships are not scientifically proven. Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration firmly states: â€Å"that in order to protect the environment precautionary approach shall be applied by States according to their capabilities. When there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, lack of full scientific certainty shall not be used as reason for postponing cost- effective measures to prevent environmental degradation† (Rio Declaration). Precautionary measure is taken by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in a

Romeo and Juliet Essay Example for Free

Romeo and Juliet Essay Romeo and Juliet is a famous and legendary play written by the William Shakespeare around 1595. Romeo and Juliet stands as a great play in its own right. This is a tragic play about a pair of star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet. They both pursue their love for each other even though they were related from two power families the Montagues and the Capulets who have been feuding with each other for years. Romeo knew a good thing that he saw it in Juliet. It was the love at first sight. Shakespeare created a tension in a play by gathering Romeo and Juliet and it increases, as the hatred between the Montagues and Capulets continues. Eventually the play turns to tragic end because both, Romeo and Juliet die at the end and it brings tears to the eyes of the audience. There are many ways in which Romeo and Juliet can be directed. Every production is a right interpretation by the director, the actors and the audience. The director plays an important role in making a movie he/she has to visualise the scene in order to decide how and when a certain scene should take place, also its directors job to instruct the actors on how to bring the script to life. He also has to figure out that what kind of setting would create an atmosphere most suited for a particular scene. As a director, I will decide to give film adaptation to Romeo and Juliet act 2 scene 2, instead of staging it in theatre because Shakespeare created the setting that were blowing in the Elizabethan audiences mind. They lived in an aural society where that needed little visual source to understand, whereas we live in a modern society where television and film visual impact is what appeal to a modern audience. Also by giving the film adaptation, I could express my ideas more clearly with the help of camera and will be able to give special effects such as lighting and background music. Before to act the scene, director has to decide that whether he/she wants to modernise the scene or not, and this is why I have decided to keep the original language and change setting into modernise setting. Also I have decided to change the location of the play from the original setting but the theme will be the same. I have chosen Lahore (one of the city of the Pakistan) for setting of this scene because Pakistan is famous for its different cultures, traditions, different ethnic groups and arranged marriages. All theses characteristics of Pakistan will connect to the play when Romeo and Juliet would come from different ethnic groups and Juliet will be forced to marry Paris. Another reason why I selected Lahore as my setting is because in Lahore, balconies are very common and the way they have built are very nice-looking and attractive and act 2 scene 2 is the famous Balcony scene of the most renowned in all of Shakespeare. Another reason of choosing Lahore is because there are beautiful gardens, fountains and the moon and stars sparks very bright at night, which would provide an excellent background for the balcony scene. I will change the costumes of the actors to make the scene even more motivating. I would like Juliet to wear white blossom robe, as it is a symbol of her virginity. I will also change the clothes of Montague and Capulet; Montague will wear white shirts with grey coats and grey trousers, whereas Capulet will wear red shirts with blue coat and blue trousers. This will make clear to audience that who relates from which family. I will give some romantic music when Romeo sees Juliet come to the window because it will have a great influence on the audiences mind and will realise the excitement that will be felt by the Romeo for his love. When Romeo will be leaving to Juliet, I will make this part of the scene very romantic by making Romeo to kiss Juliet, also I will be shown light on them, which will raise the importance of their separation. Also I will make use of the modern props such as machine guns, revolvers, tanks, latest cars instead of swords and horses because it would keep the audience active and would create the effect of the modern world. The language used by the Shakespeare is very passionate, romantic and sexual. For example It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were! It shows the Romeo love for Juliet is becoming very powerful. O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art As glorious to this night, being oer my head As a winged messenger of heaven Unto the white-upturned wondering eyes Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds And sails upon the bosom of the air Here Romeo really believes that Juliet is angelic. An angelic is the glorious to the night because it appears in a glory a halo surrounding and emitting from its body. The angel moves with the effortless ease, lighter than clouds, more graceful than ship sailing on the swelling bosom of the ocean. And Romeo speaks of all this as though he has actually seen an angel and is now looking upon another. O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; These phrases are spoken by the Juliet. Of course shes not actually speaking to Romeo (she has no idea that Romeo is here), but she is so much in love with him and she doesnt really mean him to reject his name, she only desires to be with him. Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And Ill no longer be a Capulet Here Juliet is ready to sacrifice her family, if he will just swear loves her; she will give up the name of Capulet. Looking at the Shakespeares poetic, romantic, passionate language I have decided to keep the language same because it is very appealing to the audience and draws audience attention very rapidly. Act 2 Scene 2 illustrates the strength of the Romeo and Juliets love. In this scene they both express their love for each other and agreed to marry with each other. When they both agreed for married, Juliet was not even 14 years old but still she had an absolute quality of the language and thought. At that time, the head of the household was the sole ruler and decided where to marry his daughter or son. Many marriages were based on suitability, not on love. In conclusion, film is most attractive and romantic way to express the love of two younger, Romeo and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet tried so much to stay with each other but fate didnt allow them, and at the end they both died. This play is tragedy like others of Shakespeares such as Macbeth. Eventually after the death of two innocent lovers, two evil families Capulet and Montague decided not to fight ever.

Human Resources Policies Essay Example for Free

Human Resources Policies Essay Armstrong, (2006) defined Human Resource policies as continuing guidelines on the approach the organization intends to adopt in managing its people. In addition, it can also be defined as the philosophies and values of the organization on how people should be treated, and from these are derived the principles upon which managers are expected to act when dealing with Human Resource matters. Human Resource policies therefore serve as reference points when employment practices are being developed, and when decisions are being made about people. Mullins, (2005) highlighted that Human Resource Management must be committed to creating a working environment free from discrimination and where all employees are treated equally with dignity, courtesy and respect. This can be done by putting into place Human Resource policies that shows how people should be treated, and from these are derived the principles upon which managers are expected to act when dealing with Human Resource matters. The most common areas in which specific Human Resource policies exist are HIV and AIDS, discipline, employee development, employee relations, recruitment and selection, equal opportunity, grievances, health and safety, managing diversity, promotion, redundancy, reward, sexual harassment, substance abuse and work life balance and e-mails and the internet. Cole (1997) argued that this employment equity policy helps in preventing discrimination and promoting equality in the workplace. The equal opportunity policy should spell out the organization’s determination to give equal opportunities to all, irrespective of sex, race, creed, disability, age or marital status. The policy should also deal with the extent to which the organization wants to take affirmative action to redress imbalances between numbers employed according to sex or race, or to differences in the levels of qualifications and skills they have achieved. According to the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01),Section 5 states that no employer shall discriminate any employee or prospective employee on grounds of race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, gender, pregnancy, HIV/AIDS status or subject to the Disabled Persons Act (Chapter 17:01). Every manager must take steps to promote equal opportunity in the workplace by eliminating unfair discrimination in any employment policy or practice within their sphere of authority. All forms of unfair discrimination, whether direct or indirect, are prohibited and it is the responsibility of all employees to inform themselves about and refrain from perpetrating unfair discrimination. The sexual harassment policy is another policy which aims at preventing and managing sexual harassment in the workplace. Sexual harassment is unwanted and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment; or is used as the basis for employment decisions affecting such an individual. The company must prohibit inappropriate conduct that is sexual in nature at work, on company business, or at company sponsored events. This can be done by prohibiting comments, jokes, or degrading language or behavior that is sexual in nature, sexually suggestive objects, books, magazines, photographs, cartoons, pictures, calendars, posters or electronic communications and unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, or any sexual touching this is according to Armstrong (2006). Sexual harassment is prohibited whether it’s between members of the opposite sex or members of the same sex. All managers have a key responsibility in establishing and maintaining a workplace free from personal harassment and they are directly responsible for the conduct of their staff. Sexual harassment is regarded as gross industrial misconduct and if proved makes the individual liable for instant dismissal. Less severe penalties may be reserved for minor cases but there will always be a warning that repetition will result in dismissal. Therefore all employees are expected to comply with this policy and that it is the pers onal responsibility of each employee to ensure that inappropriate conduct does not occur, as stated by Armstrong (2010). Safety policies should reflect the employers commitment to safety and health at work and should indicate what standards of behavior are to be aimed for in safety and health welfare matters. The policy statement should be drawn to the attention of all employees. In practice this is achieved by issuing a safety policy document to all employees via their pay packets, or by issuing company handbooks which include details of the policy. The important point is that the employer should be able to show that he has done more than just pin up a notice in various parts of his premises, this is postulated by Mullins (2005). The HIV/Aids policy is also used and its purpose is to provide guidance on managing departmental responses to HIV/AIDS in a manner that complies with the National Aids Policy and applicable laws, eliminates unfair discrimination and enables the harnessing of each person’s full potential. Employees who know that they are infected with HIV will not be obliged to disclose the fact to the company, but if they do, the fact will remain completely confidential. There must be no discrimination against anyone with or at risk of acquiring AIDS. In addition, employees infected by HIV or suffering from AIDS must be treated no differently from anyone else suffering a severe illness. All human resources processes and practices should promote an affirming non-discriminatory environment that fosters respect for the dignity of all while ensuring the maximum productivity of each employee regardless of HIV/AIDS status. This will be done through a regular review of all human resources practices and processes to eliminate existing or potential direct and indirect discrimination on the ground of HIV/AIDS. A prospective employee will not be required to disclose his or her HIV/AIDS status, there shall be no pre-employment HIV/AIDS testing in respect of a prospective employee and both permanent and contract employees are not obliged to disclose their HIV/AIDS status, as subject to Labour Relations Act (chapter 28:01). Recruitment and selection policies are also used to ensure a work environment that is anti discriminatory, democratic, respectful of rights, mindful of dignity and legally sound or legitimate. The Human resource department must be committed to utilise recruitment and selection practices that are based on merit, equity, objectivity, fairness and the need to redress the imbalances of the past so as to achieve a department that is broadly representative. According to Storey (1995), the recruitment process should reflect the department’s employment equity values and goals. Moreover, all phases of the recruitment process must support the recruitment of suitably qualified men and women from diverse racial and other backgrounds with a view to giving them an opportunity to serve all the people with excellence and responsiveness. Considerations of affirmative action will inform the entire recruitment process. The policy on age and employment should take into account that age is a poor predictor of job performance. It is misleading to equate physical and mental ability with age. More of the population are living active, healthy lives as they get older. Therefore the policy should define the approach the organization adopts to engaging, promoting and training older employees. It should emphasize that the only criterion for selection or promotion should be ability to do the job; and for training, the belief that the employee will benefit, irrespective of age. The policy should also state that age requirements should not be set out in external or internal job advertisements. Armstrong (2006). Diversity management policy is a concept that recognizes the benefits to be gained from differences. A policy on managing diversity recognizes that there are differences among employees and that these differences, if properly managed, will enable work to be done more efficiently and effectively. This concept does not focus exclusively on issues of discrimination but instead concentrates on recognizing the differences between people. Maund (2001) express it, the concept of managing diversity is founded on the premise that harnessing these differences will create a productive environment in which everyone will feel valued, where their talents are fully utilized and in which organizational goals are met. The diversity management policy must acknowledge cultural and individual differences in the workplace, state that the organization values the different qualities that people bring to their jobs, emphasize the need to eliminate bias in such areas as selection, promotion, performance asse ssment, pay and learning opportunities and focus attention on individual differences rather than group differences. Mathis, (2003) is of the view that the disciplinary policy should state that employees have the right to know what is expected of them and what could happen if they infringe the organization’s rules. It would also make the point that, in handling disciplinary cases, the organization will treat employees in accordance with the principles of natural justice. It must be the policy of the company that employees should be given a fair hearing by their immediate supervisor or manager concerning any grievances they may wish to raise, have the right to appeal to a more senior manager against a decision made by their immediate supervisor or manager and have the right to be accompanied by a representative of their own choice when raising a grievance or appealing against a decision. Cole, (1997) highlighted that the reward policy must cover matters as providing an equitable pay system, equal pay for work of equal value, paying for performance, competence, skill or contribution, sharing in the success of the organization and the relationship between levels of pay in the organization and market rates. There must not be discrimination of employees in pay levels. This will encourage the optimum productivity from employees and ensures high level of quality output. A performance management system must be put in place so as to pay employees according to their performance and efforts. Armstrong (2006) is of the opinion that job evaluation must also be done in a fairly and equitable manner so as to have a free work environment. In conclusion, companies must be committed to providing a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. Human Resource policies must prohibit discrimination and harassment in the workplace, whether committed by or against managers, co-workers, customers, vendors, or visitors. Employees must work and develop in an environment that is anti-discriminatory, democratic, respectful of rights, mindful of dignity, legally sound and productive. Workplace discrimination or harassment based on an employee’s race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, citizenship, age status, sexual orientation, disability, marital status, or any other basis prohibited by law, must not be tolerated. REFERENCES Armstrong, M. (2006) Strategic Human Resource Management, (3rd Ed), London: Kogan. Armstrong, M. (2006) A Handbook of Human Resource Management Practice, (10th Ed), London: Kogan. Cole G.A. (1997), Personnel Management, Theory and Practice, London: Continuum. Labour Relations Act Regulations (1998), HIV and AIDS, Government Printers: Zimbabwe. Maund, L. (2001), An Introduction to Human Resource Management Theory And Practice, New York: Palgrave. Mullins, L. J. (2005), Management and Organizational Behavior, England: Prentice Hall. Storey, J.(1995), Human Resource Management: A critical text, London: Routledge.

An Analysis Of Huntingtons Theories Of Democratisation Politics Essay

An Analysis Of Huntingtons Theories Of Democratisation Politics Essay The course of modern democratization is actually far more difficult than Huntington suggests in his theory, the Third Wave of Democratization. In fact, this theory fails to elucidate very different explanations for democratization. First of all, it is required to make a separation as to the causes of democratization. Secondly, the wave approach takes for granted that there is now a global movement to establish democracy. This argument might be true to an extent, considering what is happening in certain countries all over the world, and especially in the Arab world. But, according to a more precise consideration, the number of stable and liberal democracies is actually growing very slowly.  [1]  Huntington presumed that more democracies were emerging because more elections were being held. However, holding elections, as mentioned in previous sections, does not necessarily indicate the implementation of democracy and democratization. In other words, if elections were taken as the o nly, or the main sign of democracy and democratization, then a country like Lebanon would be one of the most democratic countries in the world. Quite simply, social conflict theory has been pointed to in conventional studies as sparking the democratization process.  [2]  This theory, based on capitalism, is regarded as the classic method of analysing political reform. It states that the class structure was overturned by capitalism, which led to the formation of a middle class and thus an insistence on social and economic reform so that the new system could be maintained. Indeed, Seymour Lipset asserts that capitalism bread bourgeois and middle class professionals, who are essential for political reform and hence democracy.  [3]   Some researchers believe that democratization has its roots in the 1776 American Revolution. Dahl, for example, dates the process to the success known by the question of representation which brought about the Revolution and ultimately saw the birth of the United States. Other scholars, such as Huntington, equate democracy with individualism and consequently hold the view that its first wave began in the 1600s. The rapid spread of capitalism in the West and the fierce social conflicts that ensued should equally be considered. The non-elite or lower classes were increasingly empowered by growth in the economy, creating a situation where they came to recognize those rights that had so far been denied them. The process of democratization, therefore, resulted from social conflicts. Meanwhile, capitalism and its ensuing social conflicts resulted in the development of a modern and fairly independent state able to play a pivotal role in further social reform. In Europe, this new state enabled the advancement of socio-economic reforms which helped pave the way towards democratization.  [4]  In other words, socio-economic pressure played a key role in leading to democratization, taking into consideration the combination of this pressure with the development of a liberal state that was to some degree autonomous. We can see various different types of self-declared democracies in modern experiments with democratization. Certain countries have seen the emergence of a liberal democracy, while others have seen a degree of electoral change. But the overall picture is completed by the problems democracy faces in most Third World countries. It is thus imperative that we make a distinction between democracies with problems or part-democracies, and those that are secure and strong. In short, contemporary processes of democratization encompass failures and successes. The question raised here is: why do some democratization experiments succeed where others fail? The following is Grugels short answer to this question: Democracies are political systems comprising institutions that translate citizens preferences into policy, have effective states that act to protect and deepen democratic rights, and count on a strong participatory and critical civil society. A consolidated democracy is one in which this political order is routinised and accepted. Consolidation, then, implies both the deepening and stabilizing of democracy. In addition, the chances for consolidation are greatest in cases where favourable international circumstances are allied with state capacity and a growing, vocal and effective civil society.  [5]  133 Initially, the process of democratization started most powerfully in countries which were economically strong and well developed. In other words, stable democracy seemed to be a luxury only rich nations  could afford. But this form of democracy or this concept was not to succeed all the time as it was challenged in some capitalist and economically developed countries such as the former German Democratic Republic in the 1930s, which, although it distributed wealth relatively equitably and was officially dedicated to social justice, could hardly be considered democratic.  [6]  Also, in some authoritarian regimes democracy was replaced by fragile or semi-democracies. This implies that although capitalism is essential, it still does not ensure the emergence of democracy (e.g. semi-democracy in Malaysia). Meanwhile, democratic types of government continued to exist in some countries for considerable periods, even though economic development was slow and elitism was still in force. T his happened, for example, in the island nations of the English-speaking Caribbean, Venezuela and India. In summary, we should see the wave theory as a useful way of placing democratization in its global setting. However, it must be noted that it is not capable of including the various factors implicit in the process. It stresses the need to note that democracy has more chance of developing following social conflict at certain times in world history. But, as we have seen above, on a wider scale the application of wave theory is rather limited. Furthermore, it falls short of clarifying how democracy develops on a national level. With this in mind, we must examine theories of social and economic change and political action in order to gain an understanding of the matter. 2.2.2.2.2 The Process of Democratization It is not a matter of surprise if we find that the number of succeeded and thriving  democratizations is overbalanced by either had undergone failure or stalled experiments. Given that, in some countries around the world, problems like socio-economic imbalance and gender inequality means that democratization will keep on being slow and will remain a painful, and sometimes impossible, task. Since the Portuguese dictatorship was overthrown in 1974, the number of democratically ruled countries has dramatically increased. Prior to this, there were an estimated forty democracies word-wide; these were joined steadily during the late 1970s and early 1980s as a number of states made the transition from authoritarianism to seemingly democratic government. The late 1980s and the decline, and ultimate collapse, of the Soviet Union saw a significant boost to the pace of world-wide democratization. Consequently by the end of 1995 there were, as Larry Diamond has noted, between 76 and 117 democracies, depending on the method used to measure them.  [7]  This post-1974 period is what Samuel Huntington has termed the third wave of global democratic expansion; he demonstrated how important the effects of regional and international democratization were.  [8]   Undoubtedly, holding elections or toppling an authoritarian regime and replacing it with another, even if this receives the support of the people, does not permit a country to wear the badge of democracy. Huntington describes supplanting military regimes as the extremely important beginning to third wave democratization. However, he unwillingly skims over the underlying principal behind taking such action. He states that countries came to begin the process of democratization because of a huge growth in democratic discourse. But it was in fact a result of social and economic change at both the national and supra-national levels. Quite simply the old political system became unable to function in the context of accelerated change to socio-economic structures and had to be exposed and taken apart. It is possible to view democracy today as the culmination of a steady but important development in political thinking. Since the 1800s it has gradually taken root and grown across throughout the world, demonstrating its ability to spread modern values and beliefs. This development, however, was not straight forward and has faced challenges, but the reasons behind and the incentives involved in democracy have been different in space and time. In the nineteenth century, for example, change was spurred on by social class, whereas in the last two decades of the twentieth century it was carried forward by a complicated mixture of social conflict, state building, free global trade and external influences. There has been considerable effort made to provide an explanation for the expansion of democracy; the most convincing of these has been Huntingtons wave theory. With its wide ranging ability to include different issues, it argues that the causes of democratization in those countries to wh ich the wave is common are comparable. Huntingtons theory also makes note that reverse waves of authoritarianism have followed those of democratization. This viewpoint is backed up by his mention of those societies that have either been unable to secure lasting democracy or have seen its collapse. Huntington explains a wave of democratization as follows: A wave of democratisation is a group of transitions from nondemocratic to democratic regimes that occur within a specified period of time and that significantly outnumber transitions in the opposite direction during that period of time. A wave also involves liberalisation or partial democratisation in political systems that do not become fully democratic. Each of the first two waves of democratisation was followed by a reverse wave in which some but not all of countries that had previously made the transition to democracy reverted to non-democratic rule.  [9]   For Huntington, it was from the beginning of the nineteenth century until 1930 when the first wave took place. This was, as he argues, associated with the growth and development of liberal democracy in theory and practice. He continues by saying that the defeat of the Axis powers in 1945 was indicative of the Second wave. At that time, the coalition led by the Americans lead the process of democratizing the occupied territories of Germany, Japan and Austria. In his book, Huntington finally comes to the third wave of democratization which, he argues, started in Portugal in 1974, then spread to Greece and Spain, and after that, in the 1980s, reached some Latin American countries. This wave, according to Huntington, ended up in Eastern and Central Europe and the Soviet Union. One can argue that the profound need for economic growth and popular awareness about political developments contributed greatly to the smooth and painless integration of these countries into the democratic union. To sum up, adding to what Huntington demonstrated in his book, one can extend these three waves some other encouraging developments that have occurred in certain other developing countries which have showed a great desire for democratization. However, one should bear in mind that in many of these countries these objectives have been counterbalanced and outweighed by conditions that have rendered electoral democracy increasingly shallow, illiberal, unaccountable, and afflicted.  [10]  In other words, establishing some democratic institutions which are believed to be taken or filled by elected members from the public cannot, in itself, be seen as a proof of successful democratization. 2.2.2.2.3 Democratization and the State Democracy describes the system; democratization describes the process. This rule shows us the boundary between democracy and democratization. When discussing democratization it might be helpful to demonstrate its purpose. The purpose of democratization is the building of a democratic state. But the question is: How does this happen? The general consensus is that democracy entails more than simply holding elections. However, academics have so far been unable to agree on what exactly is necessary. We are aware that the state is, in the final analysis, a means of dominating society. In a democracy, then, hierarchies which act combining legitimate power, persuasion and bureaucracy tend to hold power. A further characteristic of a democracy is the existence of several bodies that hold authority and make decisions. In an undemocratic state, meanwhile, democratization makes the state apparatus its main target. Therefore, it is rather illogical to believe that an undemocratic state will itse lf try to carry out democratization. Overall, a democratic governments legitimacy is reliant on its ability to convincingly demonstrate it is truly representative of the people, acts in their interest, and can be held accountable by them. Therefore, a democratic government should adhere to these principles. Although democratic and capitalist states naturally work to a business- and profit-oriented agenda, it is more likely that they will answer demands for social and economic justice given that they rely on a healthy balance between this and economic prosperity in order to survive. With regard to force, it is widely agreed that the state can coerce and use violence. However, it is argued that in a democracy there is no need to resort to this unless it is to protect against outside threats or against criminals or those causing social disorder. Grugel has assessed some fundamental characteristics of a democratic state: I. Territorial integrity, either as a result of the belief that the state represents a nation or through negotiations and legitimate and binding agreements that make a multinational state possible. II. The rule of law, that is, minimal rights and duties of citizens are legally encoded and the parameters of state activity legally defined. III. A minimal use of legally sanctioned violence against its own citizens. IV. A popularly elected and representative government that is formally controlled by constitutional channels of accountability. V. A complex bureaucracy that can make claims to impartiality. VI. The existence of multiple centres of power. VII. The formal existence of channels of access to decision making, even for subordinated social groups, which are operational to some degree. VIII. Some commitment to social and economic justice.  [11]   In short and to end this section, the only way that leads to fully democratizing any state involves applying, to a degree, the following three conditions: Institutional change. Representative change. Functional transformation. These three steps create the path towards full democratization, regardless the fact of that in contemporary democratizations, most attention focuses on having and implementing institutional change.

Cassandra as a Tragic Figure :: essays research papers

Cassandra as a Tragic Figure   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cassandra is a tragic figure in Agamemnon. She is destroyed by a web of circumstances beyond her control, but not beyond her awareness. Cassandra has full knowledge of what is going to happen, yet she cannot change the tragic events. Cassandra’s tragic role is Agamemnon is best filled in three instances: as Cassandra is getting out of the chariot, during her dialogue with the leader of the chorus when she reveals her prophecy, and as she is approaching the doors to face her death.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cassandra is waiting in the chariot and the leader of the chorus persuades her to come out of the chariot. Cassandra is very hesitant to get out of the chariot because she knows what is about to happen: â€Å"God of the long road, Apollo Apollo my destroyer-you destroy me once, destroy me twice-â€Å"(145.1078.1080) Cassandra has already been destroyed by having true prophecy that no one will believe and once again she knows she is going to be destroyed by murder.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cassandra begins to have dialogue with the Leader of the chorus. The Leader does not understand what is being said so Cassandra finally says, â€Å"Agamemnon, you will see him dead.†(153.1259) At this point this Leader says, â€Å"Peace, poor girl! Put those words to sleep.†(153.1260) The Leader thinks that she is just imaging things and that what she says is not possible. Cassandra cannot do a thing to stop what is about to happen, yet she is completely aware of what is going to happen.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Towards the end, Cassandra walks toward the doors of the house to face her fate. She realizes that there is nothing left that she can do: â€Å"Well, I must go in now, mourning Agamemnon’s death and mine. Enough of life!†(157.1335.1337) Cassandra knows her death is closer now than ever before, but she does not try to fight it. She has no control over what happens.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Cassandra is a tragic figure in Agamemnon who is destroyed by a web of circumstances beyond her control, but not beyond her

Julius Caesar Essay: The Development of Mark Antony :: Julius Caesar Essays

Julius Caesar:   The Development of Mark Antony  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚      In the play Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare, the author writes the Character â€Å"Mark Antony† very well. In the beginning of the play Antony is a very good friend of Caesar and watches out for him. He treats Caesar as a father with great respect. Antony is very loyal to Caesar and he does everything in his power to make Caesar happy, for example while he runs the race in the beginning of the play, he touches Caesars wife so that she may be fertilized.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After Caesar is killed, Antony becomes very mournful and outrage by the treachery of the conspirators that killed Caesar. Antony asks for just to a speech at Caesars funeral and Brutus grants him that one wish. Antony is a very intelligent man and he has the ability to manipulate a crowd with his speeches. For example in Act 3 During Antony speech he says   But Brutus says he was ambitious;   And Brutus is an honourable man.   He hath brought many captives home to Rome   whose ransoms did the general coffers fill:   Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?   When that the poor have cried, Caesar hath wept:   Ambition should be made of sterner stuff:   Yet Brutus says he was ambitious;   And Brutus is a honourable man.      By this it shows that Antony is intelligent and has courage for he mocks Brutus and his accusations. And it shows how he can manipulate the crowd by telling of Caesars wonderful accomplishments.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Antony then shows his anger towards the conspirators by getting the mob to release their anger by rioting and going out and killing the conspirators. Antony then starts a war against the conspirators and when this war starts Antony changes from the people’s hero to just a normal greedy leader. His hate for Brutus grows over time and with that hate grows greed. Antony starts thinking more about his wealth then about the people that he is supposed to be caring for.   In Act 5 Antony expresses his feelings towards Brutus before they go into the battle that will decide who is the rightful ruler of Rome.   Villains, you did not so, when your vile daggers   Hack'd one another in the sides of Caesar:   You show'd your teeth like apes, and fawn'd like hounds,   And bow'd like bondmen, kissing Caesar's feet;   Whilst damned Casca, like a cur, behind   Struck Caesar on the neck.

Just War and Pacifism Essay -- War Pacifism Peace Essays

The question "Can war be justified?" plagued mankind since the first war. The Just War Theory holds that war can be just. The theory has evolved for thousands of years and modern theorists, such as Michael Walzer, author of Just and Unjust Wars, puts forth criteria for a just war, such as jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Jus ad bellum includes reasons for going to war, and jus in bello deals with the people who wage war. The criteria in jus ad bellum include; just cause, declaration by a proper authority, right intention, a reasonable chance of success, the end proportional to the means, and war as a last resort. Jus in bello includes keeping innocents outside the field of war, and limiting the amount of force used. Just War Theorists hold that all of these criteria must be followed for a war to be just. I will analyze The Just War Theories most debated arguments, self-defense, pre-emptive strikes, and the killing of innocents. In the second half of this paper, I will briefly explain Pacifism, and provide a counter argument for each Just War argument. Walzer includes self-defense in the just cause section of jus ad bellum. Walzer holds that states have the right of self-defense by making an analogy to individual rights. He contends that individuals have the right to self-defense. From this he infers that states also have that right of self-defense. Walzer's inference is based on the logic that the state is a collection of individuals. He reasons that individuals cannot defend against an invading army, the military is a tool that the state uses to defend itself and it's way of life. The right of self-defense for states also is justified by the premise that it is the duty of the government to protect the people. John Locke'... ...ve for a more perfect world rather than give up and accept hatred and death. Works Consulted Clark, Mark. The Paradox of War and Pacifism. ULeadership. 7 Oct 2002. <www.leaderu.com/socialsciences/clark.html> Holmes, Robert. On War and Morality. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. Moseley, Alex. Just War Theory. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 3 Oct. 2002. <www.utm.edu/research/iep/j/justwar.htm>. Moseley, Alex. Pacifism. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 3 Oct. 2002. <www.utm.edu/research/iep/p/pacifism.htm>. Orend, Brian. War. Stanford Enyclopedia of Philosophy. 5 Oct 2002. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/war/> Teichman, Jenny. Pacifism and the Just War. New York: Basil Blackwell, 1986. Walzer, Michael. Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations. New York: Basic Books, 1977. Just War and Pacifism Essay -- War Pacifism Peace Essays The question "Can war be justified?" plagued mankind since the first war. The Just War Theory holds that war can be just. The theory has evolved for thousands of years and modern theorists, such as Michael Walzer, author of Just and Unjust Wars, puts forth criteria for a just war, such as jus ad bellum and jus in bello. Jus ad bellum includes reasons for going to war, and jus in bello deals with the people who wage war. The criteria in jus ad bellum include; just cause, declaration by a proper authority, right intention, a reasonable chance of success, the end proportional to the means, and war as a last resort. Jus in bello includes keeping innocents outside the field of war, and limiting the amount of force used. Just War Theorists hold that all of these criteria must be followed for a war to be just. I will analyze The Just War Theories most debated arguments, self-defense, pre-emptive strikes, and the killing of innocents. In the second half of this paper, I will briefly explain Pacifism, and provide a counter argument for each Just War argument. Walzer includes self-defense in the just cause section of jus ad bellum. Walzer holds that states have the right of self-defense by making an analogy to individual rights. He contends that individuals have the right to self-defense. From this he infers that states also have that right of self-defense. Walzer's inference is based on the logic that the state is a collection of individuals. He reasons that individuals cannot defend against an invading army, the military is a tool that the state uses to defend itself and it's way of life. The right of self-defense for states also is justified by the premise that it is the duty of the government to protect the people. John Locke'... ...ve for a more perfect world rather than give up and accept hatred and death. Works Consulted Clark, Mark. The Paradox of War and Pacifism. ULeadership. 7 Oct 2002. <www.leaderu.com/socialsciences/clark.html> Holmes, Robert. On War and Morality. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1989. Moseley, Alex. Just War Theory. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 3 Oct. 2002. <www.utm.edu/research/iep/j/justwar.htm>. Moseley, Alex. Pacifism. The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 3 Oct. 2002. <www.utm.edu/research/iep/p/pacifism.htm>. Orend, Brian. War. Stanford Enyclopedia of Philosophy. 5 Oct 2002. <http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/war/> Teichman, Jenny. Pacifism and the Just War. New York: Basil Blackwell, 1986. Walzer, Michael. Just and Unjust Wars: A Moral Argument with Historical Illustrations. New York: Basic Books, 1977.

Why Did Charles I Lose the Civil War

Why did Charles I lose the Civil War? The English Civil War was 1642-1651 and was a series of battles and political conspiracies between Oliver Cromwell, the leader of Parliament and King Charles I the leader of the Royalists. The civil war set the supporters of King Charles I against the followers of Parliament, this resulted in the Parliament's victory and the King's execution. Cromwell's army was lead by Sir Thomas Fairfax who was one of the outstanding military commanders of the English Civil War.Fairfax is best remembered as the man who commanded the New Model Army at the Battle of Naseby in June 1645. Whereas, Charles' army was lead by Prince Rupert who was the foremost Royalist military commander in the English Civil War. Prince Rupert was very much a cavalry soldier and the Royalists may have lost the war a lot sooner had it not been for his military ability. Both Parliament and the Royalists had armies with little or no military experience, although Fairfax and Prince Rupert could be classed as professional soldiers.Until Parliament brought in a new creation called the New Model Army which was a military unit that was used to transform the English Civil War and was based on a person's ability rather than their position within society, It was also better trained and well armed, making them more formidable. The first proper use of this army was at the battle of Naseby. This was Parliaments' turning point and after that King Charles was never able to raise an army strong enough to win.Some historians believe that this was the main reason for Parliament winning the civil war. It could be argued, however that one of the other reasons cited for Charles losing the war was the lack of money. This was because the nobles and landowners who had sided with him didn't have any money to give him. With the support of wealthy merchants and traders, the parliamentarians had steady flow of money.Something Charles lacked and because of the lack of money, the King couldn' t buy new men and supplies for his army; therefore the army was smaller and less equipped. One of the biggest mistakes that Charles made was leaving London at the beginning of the civil war. Consequently, Parliament took control and Charles was not able to gain power again, although he tried. This was a big setback as it is hard to rule the country without controlling its' capital.Ultimately, the Royalist forces were extinguished, they had run out of money, they had lost control of the capital and their barely trained, small army meant that they had lost the upper hand that they were dealt many times. Parliament however, was a stronger force and Parliament’s control of the seas and richer areas of England, as well as their creation of a powerful, trained and disciplined New Model Army, meant that they had more power in the end. By Yasmin Rose 8z

Case for critical thinking Essay

1. What elements of the general environment would have most impact on Mercedes cars and Haines Signature boats? The general environments that would have had the most impact on Mercedes cars and Haines Signature boats are the technological and economic changes. As of being companies which sells/produce quality products, which are also expensive, they would struggle to sell is the economy wasn’t rising (ex. with a stronger and bigger middleclass through out the world). Technological conditions also have an impact. Their operating strategies can be different based on changes in the environment. In the manufacturing industry they are dependent on the general state of technology. 2. What do you feel the organisation cultures of these companies would be like? They are both similar. Both companies are very observable and core cultures. The cores at Mercedes Haines Signature are innovation, technical advances and high quality products. This along with the there understanding for their consumers’ needs and the way they are able to meet these. 3. What strategic and dynamic capabilities would you imaging these companies and the band possess in order to keep ahead of the competition and thrive in changing economic environments? The strategic and dynamic capabilities of Mercedes Benz, Haines Signature Boats and AC/DC are they see themselves above competitors. Mercedes and Haines Signature Boats have better technical knowledge, innovation and quality assurance then most other companies. These are their trademarks and are close to impossible for others companies to replicate. Haines Signature  Boats separate themselves from others by having better instruments and nicer aesthetic that have separated them from other boat companies. AC/DC are a global brand and have a trademark sound. They provide entertainment to all ages. 4. Why do you think the food outlets discussed in the case can’t accept that they have to change their staffing practices in the face of the mining boom? Fast food have not changed their staffing practice. They only attempt to attract different workers to suit the company needs. Because fast foods outlets are franchises and don’t need word of mouth recommendation to encourage consumers. It’s accepted in our society to go at a fast food restaurant to enjoy cheap and fast service/supper. It’s therefore smart of them to pursuit school aged students, as this can provide a job for young adults but at the same time keep the wages at a minimum.

Is the United States a melting pot or pluralist society? Essay

The melting pot is usually referred to homogenous groups living together in a way that their cultures and religions are mixed together as ingredients in a pot and lose their dinstict identities to a certain degree giving a final product that has a unique flavor and consistency completely different from its original ingredients. Pluralism does not create a different final product. It is more like a salad bowl where the different ingredients i. e. cultures and ethinicties retain their uniqueness and flavor. Pluralism accepts and affirm diversity of faiths, ideas, opinions of people. Factors such as Globalization, the internet, television, politics and schools have turned US into a melting pot with ethnicities and differences dying out and giving birth to a new breed of Americans. High levels of Immigration by Asians, Non-white Hispanics and Blacks have transformed United Stated from being a majority of European descendent English speaking Americans. California, Texas, Florida and New York have the most immigrants. The melting pot phenomenon also includes an intermarriage of ethnicities. The children of racial and ethnic intermarriages acquire different languages and attain different social, religious and economic backgrounds. These marriages are most common in European descendent groups. The most common are between Whites and Asians, Whites and Hispanics and Whites and African Americans. This is the important sign of assimilation. It is advantageous for the United States to maintain its â€Å"melting pot† status. There is nothing wrong with giving opportunities and a better way of life to life to people belonging to different countries, races and religions. This will lead to a more patriotic and nationalist society. References: Melting pot. (2007, May 4). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 08:31, May 4, 2007, from http://en. wikipedia. org/w/index. php? title=Melting_pot&oldid=128132858.

Critically assess Catholic Church teaching on IVF with particular emphasis on third party involvement

Moral theology includes concerns of a particular or special nature as well as those of a general or fundamental nature. There is thus a two-fold division in moral theology – fundamental moral theology (which we have been doing up to now) and special moral theology. They are intricately related. Special moral theology deals with concrete moral issues that relate to sexuality, medical practice, business relations, social ethics. Fundamental moral theology shows the ‘why’ behind the ‘what’ of special issues.Disagreement at the level of concrete issues often can be traced to different understandings of the foundational concerns of morality. One of the most high profile special issues at the present time is Assisted Human Reproduction (AHR). This lecture concerns what is perhaps the most well known technique in the treatment of infertility: In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). The First ‘Test-tube’ Baby On July 25, 1978, Louise Brown was born in Oldh am, England, using IVF. She was the first so-called ‘test-tube’ baby, the culmination of years of pioneering research by Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards.IVF is a gruelling, though relatively straightforward process. The ovaries are chemically stimulated to produce multiple eggs since pregnancy rates increase with transfer of more than one embryo. The eggs are recovered by laparoscopy, then coincubated with sperm for around 12-18 hours to allow fertilisation to occur. After an additional 48-72 hours, the embryo (or pre-embryo) is transferred to the uterine cavity by a catheter. If successful, implantation will occur in 2-3 days.Success rate is 20-25 per cent – approaches that of the natural process†¦.. much more expensive of course! Standard IVF: This is the simple procedure – sperm and ovum come from husband and wife, and the pre-embryo is implanted in the uterus of the wife. Church Teaching: Congregation For The Doctrine Of The Faith: â€Å"Instr uction on Respect for Human Life in its Origins and on the Dignity of Procreation† (Donum Vitae). 1987. The CDF rejected ‘simple case’ artificial reproduction (AIH and IVF) with the gametes of husband and wife.The analysis that led the congregation to reject IVF is as follows: â€Å"The Church’s teaching on marriage and human procreation affirms the inseparable connection, willed by God and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meanings of the conjugal act: the unitive meaning and the procreative†. The ‘unitive meaning’ refers to the union of two bodies in sexual intercourse; the ‘procreative meaning’ refers to the principle that all acts of sexual intercourse should be open to the possibility of procreation.Both the unitive and procreative meanings of the conjugal act are derived from the natural law. Just as contraception separates the unitive and procreative dimensions of sexual expression, so also, in an analogous way, do technological interventions such as in vitro fertilisation and artificial insemination by husband (AIH). Some moral theologians, notably Richard A. McCormick SJ, argue against the teaching of the CDF, basing their arguments on the reforms of Vatican II.The argument goes as follows: The centuries-old primacy given to procreation over other meanings of sexual expression was â€Å"publicly and definitively abandoned† by Vatican II. Another principal change is the criterion to be used in judging the rightfulness or wrongfulness of human conduct. The second Vatican Council shifted the criterion of moral judgement away from faculties and their purposes to a strong emphasis on the centrality of the person. It proposed as the criterion not â€Å"the intention of nature inscribed in the organs and their functions but the person integrally and adequately considered†.One must discover what is promotive or destructive of the person. The physical facul ties must not be considered in isolation from the person. McCormick argues that there is â€Å"an evolution of doctrine occurring with regard to the understanding of the unitive and procreative dimensions of sexuality.. †. Development of doctrine usually involves both continuity and change. The thread that yields both continuity and change is the notion of the inseparability of the unitive-procreative dimensions of sexuality.The continuity: the general validity of the insight. The change: a broadened understanding away from an act-analysis of this inseparability. Theologians argue that IVF is not a substitution for sexual intimacy, but a kind of prolongation of it, as well as a perfection of it in that it remedies infertility – it does not involve the total severance of the unitive and the procreative. The natural law principle can be upheld if the spheres of the unitive and the procreative are held together so that there is no procreation apart from marriage i. . , th ere is no procreation apart from the conjugal relationship as opposed to the conjugal act, and no full sexual intimacy apart from a context of responsibility for procreation. The inseparability principle is retained, but such inseparability is something to be realised in the relationship, and not the individual act. It must be stressed, however, that McCormick’s argument is not accepted by the magisterium of the Catholic Church:- cf. Vatican Council 2, Vol. 2, ed. by Austin Flannery (New York: Costello Publishing Company, 1982), p. 98, par. 3. Third party involvement: Third-party involvement in infertility treatment involves donor eggs, donor sperm, donor embryos, donor wombs.Pius XII in 1949 said â€Å"Artificial insemination in marriage with the use of an active element from a third person is †¦.. immoral and as such is to be rejected summarily. Only marriage partners have mutual rights over their bodies for the procreation of new life, and these rights are exclusive, nontransferable and inalienable†. Between the child and at least one rearing parent there is â€Å"no bond of rigin, no moral and juridical bond of procreation†. Karl Rahner agrees: argued that AID fundamentally separates the marital union from the procreation of a new person. Rahner also faults the anonymity of the donor, which represents a refusal of responsibility as father and an infringement of the rights of the child. Does 3rd party involvement (via gametic donation or surrogate gestation) infringe on conjugal exclusivity? Does having a jointly raised child justify such infringement? McCormick answers ‘Yes’ to the first question and ‘No’ to the second.The notion of conjugal exclusivity should include the genetic, gestational and rearing dimensions of parenthood. Separating these dimensions, except through rescue (as in adoption) contains a subtle diminishment of the human person. Where there is donor semen or eggs, there is a genetic asy mmetry in the relationship of husband and wife to the child, with possible damaging psychological effects. Third party involvement separates procreation from marriage in principle – decisively breaks the natural law unitive-procreative principle.The question of the freezing and destruction of embryos, the implanting of multiple embryos with the consequent high possibility of miscarriage and also the carrying out of ‘foetal reduction’. Genetic screening of embryos. The above are further important ethical issues that have arisen due to IVF. Resources: www. google. com Type in ‘Catholic Church teaching on IVF’, and ‘IVF’, etc. Catechism of the Catholic Church: pars. 2373-2379. The Catechism allows that homologous artificial insemination and fertilisation (standard IVF) are â€Å"less reprehensible† than those that involve third party donation of sperm, eggs or uterus.