XYZ Company

Introduction The effects of government policies on the functioning and a long-term plan of an enterprise are undisputable. The concept of free market economy is not devoid of a government mechanism that controls the operations from distance and in invisible ways. Government fiscal and monetary policies affect the operations of private organizations.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on XYZ Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More On the one hand, government’s actions have a strong effect on a pricing policy, an expansion decision, and other operational decisions undertaken by a private enterprise (Agenor, Izquierdo Jensen, 2009). Policies related to antitrust laws, fiscal, and monetary policies affect private enterprises directly. On the other hand, policies related to environment, trade relations, and international policies affect private companies indirectly. The sportswear market is a dominant form, which h as to expand and embrace globalization in order to remain competitive in a highly monopolistic market. This paper discusses the fictitious sports apparel company XYZ and the effect that government policies have on its expansion plans and long term investment decisions. However, the paper will begin with a discussion of the development of an inelastic pricing policy. An Inelastic Pricing Policy: Rationale Inelastic pricing policy of a product is carried out in order to have inelastic demand for the product. The aim of the inelastic pricing is to have a profit maximizing sports apparel brand. Gaining profit-maximizing is traditionally defined as setting the range of prices, at which the marginal revenue of the product is zero. Profit maximizing will ensure inelastic prices for a corporation (McEacherm, 2011). For instance, the marginal cost of the brand and association of the brand with the sports celebrities will double the effect of the appeal of the product to the customers. This w ill ensure an inelastic demand for sports, because apparel is not bought simply for the sake of the product itself but for the association of the product with the game or the sports personality. Hence, the price that the consumers are willing to pay is not for the product but the association of marginal talent that is related to the product. Hence, the sports apparel brand has to associate itself with the top talents in the industry to ensure that their pricing can be inelastic, for the price is equated not with marginal cost for profit maximization, but with marginal talent of the sportsperson. Effect of Government Policies on Production and Employment The process of recovering from failure of capital projects is through regrouping. Apart of assembling, all the key people involved in the planning process have to be regrouped to assess the failures and loopholes in the planning process and do a proper diagnostic check. Usually what companies do is trying to reduce cost and losses by getting back on schedule at the earliest.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More However, this is a knee-jerking response to the problem, and in doing so, companies usually do not detect the real reason of failure. Therefore, the best option is to put in quality time to evaluate the issue and address it. Complete transparency in the operational process and the implementation process is necessary. Further accountability is also important. Maintaining a complete and thorough audit trial is essential for the companies to ensure proper documentation of the project process. In addition, as it has been mentioned above, the cessation of a company’s monopoly reduces unemployment rates considerably. By opening new opportunities or other enterprises within the target market, government will provide more people with the chances to get a job. Thus, the unemployment rates will plummet. Effect of Government Policies XYZ Company In a retrospect, the effects that government has had on the XYZ Company are rather impressive. To start with, it would be wrong to claim that governmental regulation of the company’s processes can be defined as solely negative. Quite on the contrary, it seems that the XYZ Company can reach equilibrium between the marginal revenue and marginal cost curves. More to the point, seeing how the XYZ Company is defined as a monopolistic one, as well as that the company operates within a monopolistic market, the introduction of governmental regulation allows for setting the prices for the company’s services that will be considerably higher than the aforementioned marginal cost, therefore, increasing the company’s profit. However, the effects that the governmental supervision has on the XYZ Company’s processes are rather diverse; particularly, the fact that the government will reduce the company’s control over market price should be mentioned. Once the XYZ Company is unable to earn higher profit and remain the monopolist for the provided services, it will have to address a number of issues, including the means to fight the competitors efficiently, come up with the new means of attracting target customers, search for resources and information faster than the rival companies, etc. The aforementioned operations will demand impressive amounts of money, which presupposes that the XYZ Company will have to cut on several costs, possibly including the inbound and outbound logistics (the choice of the resource transportation methods should be reconsidered), as well as the current methods of marketing.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on XYZ Company specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Is Government Regulation Needed for XYZ Company/Industry? The information provided above shows clearly that the XYZ Company does not actually need the interfe rence of the government into its organizational, financial and production processes; in fact, knowing quite little about the specifics of the company’s key mechanisms, as well as inside and outside factors that affect its operations, the government will most likely do more harm than it will improve the organization’s performance (Forrest Yip, 2011). This, therefore, begs the question whether the governmental regulation should actually be encouraged for SMEs in general and the XYZ Company in particular. Seeing how the intrusion of the government bodies into the course of the company has been quite negative so far, one might assume that the idea of allowing the governmental bodies interfere with the company’s policy are entirely negative. Indeed, the state authorities know little to nothing about the XYZ Company’s operational processes, marketing principles and organizational culture. Therefore, their effect on the company’s ability to earn supernor mal profit may be deplorable. In addition, it will be harder for the XYZ Company to remain monopolistic once the state authorities will take control over most of its processes. However, when considering the aforementioned changes closer, one will notice that the governmental influence allows the XYZ Company to gain better competitiveness. Fairness of Government Policy Government policies have a strong effect on stimulating market demand and expansion of the market for organizations, as well as production and employment in private sector. The evidence of the positive effect on public capital investment, infrastructure and other developmental work in the specified afield is evident – with an increase in public spending, there is an increase in resources as well as an increase in the productivity of the existing resources available to the private companies. For instance, a new highway joining the industrial belts allows trucks to transport goods faster. The reduction in the time taken by truck drivers to transport the products implies less damage to the trucks and greater productivity by means of reducing wage paid to the drivers by the producers. Hence, government spending on construction of a highway has a positive externality on the total cost of production of the private companies. Further, government spending on education, sewers, hospitalization, etc. helps in creating a more educated and healthy workforce that helps private companies to increase employment. In other words, public spending helps increase the employability of the working age population (OECD, 2012). Major Reasons for Government Involvement in a Market Economy The agency theory has tried to explain the issues between the divergent interests of management and shareholders. The issues may be solved by usage of the firm’s strategic behavior, finding a convergence between management structure and shareholder contract, and signing a new shareholder and manager contract. Some areas of friction between shareholders and managers are entry-exit barriers, organizational inertia, and an inefficient organization structure (McGuigan, Moyer, Harris, 2014).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More In the agency theory, one of the most prevalent methods of conversing the interests is through ESOPs (employee stock options). Stock options given to employees introduce managers to the rank of shareholders, and, hence, help managers maximize shareholders’ wealth. Another method presupposes the enforcement of a bonding mechanism in the company. Thus, managers are responsible for the bonds and are accountable for them. In both the cases, the aim is to enhance the degree of dependability between managers and shareholders. These methods will ensure greater reliability and understanding between the managers and the shareholders, whose interests will become linear, and, hence, will fetch greater profitability for the XYZ Company. Further, the convergence of interest theory suggests that the firm’s valuation will increase once the company will be guided by the government (Peng, 2009). Convergence between the Interests of Stockholders and Managers The overall study shows that the presence of government control and a panoptic system to monitor capitalist market economy is essential in order to work as a cushion that facilitates the working and/or recovery of the firm. Moreover, it also works as a monitoring agency that ensures ethical conduct. Government intervention has been found to be profitable to companies entering the global market. Inelastic pricing policy may be adopted by maximizing profit, but in case of sports goods brands, maximizing talents is necessary. Government intervention is essential for the functioning of the economy, for an open credit environment will delve the economy in an unprecedented recession. Further, the essay presents that inefficient planning is to be blamed for failure of capital projects. The only method to elevate the problem of management and shareholder conflict of interest is through establishing managerial shareholding through employee share ownership. Conclusion Capital projects essentially mean expansion by acqui ring a large sum of money or capital for long-term growth. Capital project usually run the risk of failure due to the primary cause of cost overrun. One of the causes of cost overrun is insufficient planning at the initial stage of the project implementation. Further inadequate and poor project controls can also cause problems in capital projects. Other issues may include delays in payment, an ineffective decision-making process, the lack of control over the processes, unavailability of skilled labor, etc. Usually, capital projects are not caused by a single problem, but rather are triggered by a blend of two or more issues. Many projects end up badly because they were unable to begin at the right pace. Further, unregistered, or defined cost resulted in company’s deviating from the schedule of the project. A poor calculation of the project budget and an untimely delivery of the results, as well as missing the deadlines, are the primary causes of project failures (Venkataraman Pinto, 2011). Reference List Agenor, P.-R., Izquierdo, A. Jensen, H. P. (2009). Adjustment policies, poverty, and unemployment. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons. Forrest, R. Yip, N. M. (2011). Housing markets and the global financial crisis: The uneven impact on households. Northampton, MA: Edward Elgar Publishing McEacherm, W. A. (2011). Economics: A contemporary introduction. Stanford, CT: Cengage Learning. McGuigan, J. R., Moyer, R. C., Harris, F. H. deB. (2014). Managerial economics: applications, strategies and tactics (13th Ed.). Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. OECD (2012). OECD economic surveys: Slovak Republic 2012. Geneva, Switzerland: OECD Publishing. Peng, M. (2009). Global business 2009 update. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning. Venkataraman, R. R. Pinto, J. K. (2011). Cost and value management in projects. New York, NY: John Wiley Sons. This essay on XYZ Company was written and submitted by user MotherAskani to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here. XYZ Company

USS California (BB-44) during World War II

USS California (BB-44) during World War II Entering service in 1921, USS California (BB-44) served the US Navy for over a quarter century and saw combat operations during World War II (1939-1945). Dubbed The Prune Barge due to the large volume of the fruit exported by California in the early part of the 20th century, the battleship was the second vessel of the Tennessee-class and was severely damaged during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Raised from the harbors mud, it was repaired and heavily modernized. Rejoining the fleet in 1944, California took part in the Allies island-hopping campaign across the Pacific and played a central role in the Battle of the Surigao Strait. Though hit by a kamikaze in early 1945, the battleship was quickly repaired and returned to action that summer. Remaining in the Pacific through the end of the war, California later helped transport occupation troops to Japan. Design USS California  (BB-44) was the second ship of the  Tennessee-class of battleship.  The ninth  type of dreadnought battleship  (South Carolina, Delaware, Florida,  Wyoming,  New York,  Nevada,  Pennsylvania,  and  New Mexico) built for the US Navy, the  Tennessee-class was intended to be an enhanced variant  of the preceding  New Mexico-class.  The fourth class  to follow the Standard-type approach, which required ships to possess  similar operational and tactical attributes,  the  Tennessee-class was propelled  by  oil-fired boilers rather than  coal and employed an  Ã¢â‚¬Å"all or nothing† armor arrangement.   This armor scheme  called for critical  areas of the ship, such as magazines and engineering, to be heavily protected while less important spaces were left unarmored.  Also, Standard-type battleships were required to have  a  minimum top speed of 21 knots and a tactical turn radius of 700 yards or less. Designed after the  Battle of Jutland, the  Tennessee-class class was the first to utilize the  lessons learned in the engagement.  These included enhanced armor below the waterline as well as fire control systems for both the main and secondary batteries which were placed on top of two large cage masts.   As with the  New Mexico-class, the new ships carried twelve 14 guns in four triple turrets and fourteen 5 guns.  In an improvement over  its predecessors, the main battery on the  Tennessee-class could elevate its guns to 30 degrees which increased the weapons range by 10,000 yards.  Ordered on December 28, 1915, the new class comprised two ships: USS  Tennessee  (BB-43) and USS  California  (BB-44). Construction Laid down at the Mare Island  Naval Shipyard on October 25, 1916, construction of California advanced through the winter and following spring when the  US entered  World War I.  The last battleship built on the West Coast, it slid down the ways on  November 20,  1919, with Barbara Zane,  daughter of California  Governor William D. Stephens, serving as sponsor.  Completing construction,  California  entered commission on August 10, 1921,  with Captain Henry J.  Ziegemeier in command.  Ordered to join the Pacific Fleet, it immediately became this forces flagship. USS California (BB-44) shortly after completion in 1921. US Naval History and Heritage Command USS California (BB-44) - Overview Nation:  United StatesType:  BattleshipShipyard:  Mare Island Naval ShipyardLaid Down:  October 25, 1917Launched:  November 20, 1919Commissioned:  August 10, 1921Fate:  Sold for scrap Specifications (as built) Displacement:  32,300  tonsLength:  624.5 ft.Beam:  97.3  ft.Draft:  30.3  ft.Propulsion:  Turbo-electric transmission  turning 4 propellersSpeed:  21  knotsComplement:  1,083  men Armament (as built) 12  Ãƒâ€" 14 in. gun (4  Ãƒâ€" 3)14 Ãâ€" 5 in. guns2 Ãâ€" 21 in. torpedo tubes Interwar Years Over the next several years,  California  participated in a routine cycle of peacetime training, fleet maneuvers, and war games.  A high-performing ship, it won the Battle Efficiency Pennant in 1921 and 1922 as well as Gunnery E awards for 1925 and 1926.  In the former year,  California  led elements of the fleet on a goodwill cruise to Australia and New Zealand.  Returning to its usual operations in 1926, it underwent a brief modernization program in the winter of 1929/30 which saw enhancements to it anti-aircraft defenses and additional elevation added to its main battery.   Though largely operating out of San Pedro, CA during the 1930s,  California  transited the Panama Canal in 1939 to visit the  Worlds Fair in New York City.  Returning to the Pacific, the battleship took part in Fleet Problem XXI in April 1940 which simulated a defense of the Hawaiian Islands.  Due to increasing tensions with Japan, the fleet remained in Hawaiian waters after the exercise and shifted its base to Pearl Harbor.  That year also saw  California  selected as one of the first six ships to receive the new RCA CXAM radar system.  Ã‚  Ã‚   World War II Begins On December 7, 1941,  California  was moored at the southernmost berth on Pearl Harbors Battleship Row.  When the Japanese attacked that morning, the ship quickly sustained two torpedo hits which caused extensive flooding.  This was worsened by the fact that many watertight doors had been left open in preparation for an impending inspection.  The torpedoes were followed by a bomb hit which detonated an  anti-aircraft ammunition magazine.   A second bomb, which just missed, exploded and ruptured several hull plates near the bow.  With the flooding out of control,  California  slowly sunk over the next three days before settling upright in the mud with just its superstructure above the waves.  In the attack, 100 of the crew were killed and 62 wounded.  Two of Californias crew, Robert R. Scott and Thomas Reeves,  posthumously received the Medal of Honor for the actions during the attack. USS California (BB-44) after sinking on December 7, 1941. Naval History and Heritage Command Salvage work commenced a short time later and on March 25, 1942,  California  was re-floated and moved to dry dock for temporary repairs.  On June 7, it departed under its own power for Puget Sound Navy Yard where it would begin a major modernization program.  Entering the yard, this plan saw significant alterations to the ships superstructure, the trunking of the two funnels into one, improved watertight compartmentalization, expansion of the anti-aircraft defenses, alterations to the secondary armament, and a widening of the hull to increase stability and torpedo protection.  This last change pushed  California  past the beam limitations for the Panama Canal essentially limiting it to wartime service in the Pacific. Rejoining the Fight Departing Puget Sound on January 31, 1944,  California  conducted shakedown cruises  off San Pedro before steaming west to aid in the invasion of the Marianas.  That June, the battleship joined combat operations when it provided fire support during the Battle of Saipan.  On June 14, California sustained a hit from a shore battery which inflicted  minor damage and caused 10 casualties (1 killed, 9 wounded).  In July and August, the battleship aided in the landings on Guam and Tinian.  On August 24, California  arrived at Espiritu Santo for repairs after a minor collision with  Tennessee.  Completed, it then departed for Manus on September 17 to join forces massing for the invasion of the Philippines. USS California (BB-44), 1944. Naval History and Heritage Command Covering  the landings on Leyte between October 17 and 20,  California, part of Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorfs 7th Fleet Support Force, then shifted south to the Surigao Strait.  On the night of October 25, Oldendorf inflicted a decisive defeat on Japanese forces at the Battle of Surigao Strait.  Part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf, the engagement saw several Pearl Harbor veterans exact revenge on the enemy.  Returning to action in early January 1945,  California  provided fire support for the Lingayen Gulf landings on Luzon.  Remaining offshore, it was struck by a kamikaze on January 6 which killed 44 and wounded 155.  Completing operations in the Philippines, the battleship then departed for repairs at Puget Sound. Final Actions In the yard from February through late spring,  California  rejoined the fleet on June 15 when it arrived off Okinawa.  Aiding troops ashore during the final days of the Battle of Okinawa, it then covered minesweeping operations in the East China Sea.  With the end of the war in August,  California  escorted occupation troops to Wakayama, Japan and remained in Japanese waters until mid-October.   Receiving orders to return to the United States, the battleship shaped a course through the Indian Ocean and around the Cape of Good Hope as it was too wide for the Panama Canal.  Touching at Singapore, Colombo, and Cape Town, it arrived at Philadelphia on December 7.  Moved into reserve on August 7, 1946,  California was decommissioned on February 14, 1947.  Retained for twelve years, it was then sold for scrap on March 1, 1959.

Example of Argumentative Essay

Example of Argumentative Essay Example of Argumentative Essay Example of Argumentative Essay There are many topics for argumentative essay writing.   However, it is very easy to get lost in all peculiarities of academic essay writing.   As a result, many students end up copying free argumentative essays from the Internet.   What is the result?   They get an F because a teacher easily locates the source of copied essay.   Below is a good example of argumentative essay posted here with the sole purpose to assist you with writing.   Use it a source for ideas.   If you need individual help with writing argumentative essay, you should order customized essay writing service. Our argumentative essay writing services are inexpensive and you will definitely be satisfied with the quality writing. By the way, has a popular blog on writing with wealth of free samples and examples of essays on virtually any topic. Free Example of Argumentative Essay Rationalization theory is a powerful tool in putting long-range historical processes into perspective. The overriding ethos of industrial society-a cost-accounting mentality and the urge to build and control institutionshelps explain both the ethos of urban revivalism and the ethos of religious television. The ethos of both reflects the historical periods in which they developed. The ethos of revivalism and its use of appropriate means fits into an era dominated by industrial capitalism; the ethos of religious television and the notion of God's technology fits neatly into the postindustrial era, in which technology will "solve" all our social problems. As part of the business and entrepreneurial tradition, televangelists are businessmen for the Lord. They are eager to seize available opportunities to sell the gospel through mass communications. They pursue their goals of winning souls and building teleministries without hesitation, never questioning the appropriateness of using telev ision to do so. Neither are they encumbered by denominational deliberations. Rather, their concern is how to use television effectively. Schooled in pragmatism, televangelists know how to reach the individual Christian, offering hope and love to ameliorate fear and anxiety and, perhaps more importantly, offering membership into their television communities as a means of acknowledging the viewers' importance to them. In addition to the use of any appropriate means to win souls, members of the electric church value the dynamics of a free-market economy in modern life, including competition for religious beliefs. They believe that the free market will recalibrate the economic system and the religious system and, because of this strongly held mindset, they claim to oppose federal government regulation and intervention. Despite their rejection of Darwinism, they equate successful competition with worthiness and confidently compete with other religious groups and organizations. One way they compete is by reaching out to those evangelicals who are nonaffiliated or disenchanted with their congregations. Another is by competing for the same, already established audience, as illustrated by Oral Roberts fighting to maintain his top-ranked position but losing to Jimmy Swaggart, or the fortunes of Rex Humbard and James Robison waning, but those of Pat Robertson and Jim Bakker rising. Several related phenomena appear during such competition. First, the teleministries act like other institutions in similar situations. They try new program techniques. They hire new technical-professional staff. They contrive events to get their names in the papers and on television. They diversify their business activities by offering hotel facilities, special tours of their studios, schools for the children of viewers, and, in one case, a theme park. In short, they engage in the business of staying in business, and, in the process, lose their uniqueness and mystery. Argumentative Essay Writing Service Once again, I do not recommend copying the above example of argumentative essay.   If the topic cover in the example does not really suit your requirements or topic, you have an opportunity to request professional essay writing help at our site.   We are open 24/7 and we do not ignore your requests.   All students are helped. Our writing services are affordable and 100% confidential.

Has equality made America freer Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Has equality made America freer - Research Paper Example Due to this, a number of revolts of the slaves were recorded in the 18th up to the early 19th century. (Fede, p. 27) These revolts were caused by the injustices, discrimination and maltreatment to the slaves and to the black community. Due to these revolts, there were some states in the US that abolished slavery. The first state to abolish slavery was Rhode Island in 1774. This act of abolition intensified the hunger of the slaves and the black community for total eradication of the inequalities (Surname) 2 happening in the land. The abolition was followed by Vermont, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey which transpired from 1777 to 1804. Although the importation of slaves from other countries was banned, selling of slaves continued within the US. (Osborne, p. 11) In 1831, The Liberator, an anti-slavery newspaper was founded by William Garrison and soon thereafter, the American Anti-Slavery Society was formed. A movement of white anti-slav ery Protestants was based on the principles of the Second Great Awakening. Theodore Weld led the liberation of slaves. Caused by the fact that revolts had been here and there, the Congress got tired of the abolitionists. Slavery and discrimination went on even in States where slavery was not allowed. African Americans took on principal roles in the abolition which dominated most part of the South. Both Frederick Douglass (The North Star) and David Walker took part in the revolt against the white tyranny. The Underground Railroad helped slaves to escape from the South. (Fede, p. 43) This fight over equality by the slaves and the black community went on until the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863. President Lincoln thought that the proclamation would be seen as a temporary measure to the war. Immediately thereafter, in 1864, the Thirteenth Amendment was passed by the Senate followed by the by the House on January 31, 1865. This states that â€Å"Neither slavery nor inv oluntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.† (Sundquist, p. 32) (Surname) 3 This amendment was adopted on December 18 of the same year and completely abolished slavery. The US has indeed gone a long way towards the concept of equality which they fought for a tremendous amount of time. The seemed-to-be never-ending battle over slavery officially ended in the reign of the Former President Lincoln. The Thirteenth Amendment was followed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868 which stated that â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or prop erty, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.† (Sottiaux, p. 117) Two years after, the Fifteenth Amendment was adopte

Construction Engineering Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Construction Engineering - Assignment Example When the constructed facility is offered proper management and maintenance, the facility may last 100 years or more; the facility is also capable of serving different functions within the specified time. The actual lifetime of a property is dependent on a number of factors, including the quality of design, the durability of the materials used for the construction, the quality of the facility and the technology used (Edwards, Bartlett and Dickie 2-7). Other factors determining the lifetime of the facility include the local climate and the location, extent of use and the damage caused by human errors and natural disasters. The components of a project’s life cycle include the initiation phase, which entails the determination of the timing and the scope of the given project. The second component is the planning phase, where the detailed planning of the project takes place, and the actions aimed at the completion of the plan are started. The third is the execution phase, where the action items are implemented, and physical deliverables are delivered. The fourth component is the close-out phase, which covers the wrap-up of the project. It entails summarizing the lessons and the successes of the project to the different stakeholders (Edwards, Bartlett & Dickie 2-7). Qn. 2. The problems facing the Canadian construction industry include global climate change. With the increasing focus on the energy consumed, and the carbon dioxide released by different building models. For this reason, industry players are obligated to work hard, towards the renovation or the replacement of the buildings that don’t offer a minimal environmental effect. For instance, achieving carbon neutrality, while at the same time ending up with a considerable return on investment has forced industry experts to promote the reduction of fossil-fuel consumption (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). For these different reasons, industry leaders are forced to renovate existing facilities an d to develop new building models. The second challenge is the aging infrastructure, where buildings and other infrastructure like roads need to be changed, redeveloped or renovated, depending on their economic and environmental impact. For example, in some economies, statistics show that traffic congestion costs the economy, more than $67.5 billion a year, through fuel wastage and lost productivity. Further, construction industry leaders faced the challenge of replacing substandard bridges and roads, which are mentioned as factors contributing to highway accidents (Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure). There is the challenge of a shrinking workforce, noting that Canadian statistics show that, as of 2016, there will not be enough people to replace the retiring workforce. This is a challenge, because the reduction in the workforce will reduce the capacity of the industry to deliver the developments, and the changes desired. There is the challenge of a declining productivity of construc tion firms. This is mainly caused by the competitiveness required from industry players, which is forcing some to exit the industry. As compared with the productivity of the non-farm productive areas over the years, which has grown by about 200 percent, the

How Technology Advancement has influenced Computer Ethics Essay Example for Free

How Technology Advancement has influenced Computer Ethics Essay The 21st century has been dubbed †the digital age† because of the monumental achievements witnessed in the Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) fields, which have impacted every aspect of human life. The internet has become one of the most lucrative Information Technology (IT) tool which has made communication and exchange of information faster and efficient. Consequently, it has transformed how people consume information. In spite of its benefits, the internet has led to a severe decline in ethics among internet users (Salman, Saad Ali, 2013). The widespread use of internet has led to increased and sophisticated crimes, terrorism and wars (May, 2004). This essay will be based on a case involving hackers who hold Personal Computers (PC) hostage. It will outline the potential computer ethics issues associated with holding computers hostage. It will also highlight methods that computer users could use to prevent this type of attack. Moreover, it will highlight governmental legislations that could be enacted against this type of attack. Ethics is defined as the principles governing both right and wrong among free humans (free moral agents), whose actions are influenced by their freedom of choice (Soskolne, n.d). Advancement of technology presents both positive and negative impacts to a society. Technological advancements have led to a rapid decline in social and ethical issues regarding to security and privacy of personal information (Shieh Tanthuwanit, 2004). One of the major forms of social ethic violation includes hackers holding personal computers hostage, and hence infringing on both privacy and security of targeted computer users. This in turn compromises information security concerned with the protection of information confidentiality, availability  and integrity (Gordon Loeb, 2002) According to Perlroth (2014), cyber criminals have devised a new mechanism of freezing computers through malwares, and then demanding a steep ransom pay before unlocking them. Perlroth (2014) adds that computer owners throughout the world have fallen victims of this malicious attack, which denies them access to their personal computers and files stored on them. The hackers instead serve them with a â€Å"pop up† message demanding some ransom payment before their computers could be unlocked. Hackers holding computers hostage infringe on personal privacy, and gain access to sensitive information regarding online bank accounts, security passwords and other highly private information (Perlroth, 2014). Security systems and other general-purpose computers are also vulnerable to this kind of attack because, if these hackers can break into users’ accounts even from [GoDaddy] domains to create malicious subdomains through which they send mails to target clients (Perlroth, 2014), then every computer system is vulnerable to such attacks. This means that not only is the privacy of the computer users compromised, but also the security of their data and the general security of their computer systems (The Canadian Press, 2014). In order to prevent hackers from holding computers hostage, computers users should double check their domain names, user accounts or web addresses before responding to any email clicks. In line to this, Perlroth (2014) observes that: Hackers were breaking into GoDaddy users’ accounts with stolen passwords and setting up what is known as a subdomain †¦ hackers would set up the Web address†¦ then send emails to customers †¦ because it appeared to come from a trusted source – was more likely to lure clicks. Likewise also, users should either contact an IT professional to help them remove the ransomware incase infected, or they can wipe their computers clean through formatting them and reinstalling new Operating system as well (Perlroth, 2014). In addition, professional network security personnel should be consulted in order to ensure that passwords, firewalls, authentications and proxy servers among other security utilities are properly set and enhanced to fortify system security (French, 2012) Although the hunting, catching and eventual convicting of these hackers has not yet achieved substantial success (Perlroth, 2014), the government should enact privacy laws that pronounce higher penalty for perpetrators of personal privacy and security infringement so that their benefit is less in value when compared to pending punishment. Some of the active laws that have been enacted to curb this tragedy include the Computer Fraud and Abuse Acts which cover the use of malicious codes including worms, viruses, and other malicious programs intended to alter or damage data in a user’s computer (Title 18 U.S.C Section 1030). Another legislation that could counter this attack is the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act (NIIPA) which criminalizes the transmission of a command, program, or code with malicious intentions [like holding a compute hostage] (Colombell, 2002). In conclusion, when hackers hold computers hostage, they infringe on the personal privacy and security of personal information. During the period when the computers are held hostage, computer users not only risk having their sensitive information accessed and sometimes damaged, but they are also financially exploited in order to have their computers unlocked. Some of the feasible strategies of avoiding this attack include exercising a lot of care regarding the types of sites visited and clicked, and avoiding sending payments to hackers whenever a computer is hacked. Instead seek immediate assistance from a professional who will help you to manually get rid of the ransomware without paying the hackers off. References Colombell, M., R. (2002). The Legislative Response to the Evolution of Computer Viruses. 8 RICH. J.L. TECH. 18. Retrieved from http://jolt.richmond.edu/v8i3/article18.html French, A., M. (2012). A Case Study on E-Banking Security – When Security Becomes Too Sophisticated for the User to Access Their Information. Journal of Internet Banking and Commerce, 17(2). Gordon, L., Loeb, M. (2002). The Economics of Information Security Investment. ACM Transactions on Information and System Security, 5 (4), 438–457. May, M. (2004). Federal Computer Crime Laws. SANS Institute. Retrieved from http://www.sans.org/reading-room/whitepapers/legal/federal-computer-crime-laws-1446? Show=federal-computer-crime-laws-1446cat=legal Perlroth, N. (2014, April 22). Hackers holding your PC to ransom. Deccan Herald. Retrieved from http://www.deccanherald.com/content/297460/hackers-holding-your-pc-ransom.html. Salman, A., Saad, S., Ali, M., N. (2013). Dealing with Ethical Issues among Internet Users: Do We Need Legal Enforcement? Asian Social Science, 9(8): 3-8. Shieh, M., Tanthuwanit, K. (2004). Privacy and Security: Internet Hacking and Surveillance. Retrieved from http://www.ethicapublishing.com/CH16.pdf Title 18 U.S.C Section 1030, internet, http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/18/1030.html Soskolne, C., L. (n.d). Workplace Health and Safety Information: Ethical Issues. Retrieved from http://ilocis.org/documents/chpt19e.htm The Canadian Press (2014, April 14). Computer hacking expert says more bad news to come from Heartbleed. Edmonton Journal. Retrieved from

The Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Use :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Legalization of Marijuana for Medical Use Picture in your mind a young girl that is almost done with her freshman year of high school. These next few years are supposed to be some of the best years of this girl’s life. But instead of this young girl worrying about what clothes she is going to wear, or how she is going to style her hair, she has to worry about side effects of chemotherapy. Melinda has been diagnosed with Hodskins Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes, at age fifteen. When all the other fifteen-year-old girls are busy chasing boys and dealing will all the drama that comes with high school Melinda is in the hospital getting blood transfusions because the chemo has depleted her of necessary cells. The chemo that Melinda has transfused into her has many side effects that come with it. The chemo basically kills a person in order to kill the cancer cells. These side effects include nausea, intense pain and a loss of appetite. There is only one drug that exists today that has the potential to cure all of the above side effects, and that is marijuana. This drug is currently illegal, and doctors cannot prescribe it to patients. This issue affects college students because we are the ones that are going to play a role in this debate in the future. Many of us are going to become doctors, FBI agents, or United States Senators. That is why college students need to be informed about this complex issue. We are the ones that are going to be making decisions about this issue later on in our lives. The debate on legalizing marijuana for medical use is not just a simple pro/con debate. It is a very complex issue that has many different approaches to it, and in each of the approaches there are differences of opinion. Three main sides to this debate are the medical approach, government and enforcement approach, and the lawmaker approach. The medical approach consists of doctors that treat cancer patients, and cultural beliefs that since marijuana is illegal it should not be used at all. Some doctors and people of the public believe that marijuana should be used to treat side effects of chemotherapy, and other doctors and people of the public believe that it should not be used as a medicine.

Red Badge of Courage Naturalism

Naturalism in the Red Badge of Courage Naturalism is the belief that nature and fate is a far larger force than man. Another words, no one can control their fate because there are far larger forces than man. There were many examples of naturalism in R B O C. One example was on page 796 in chapter one where the union soldiers were waiting around in camp with absolutely no control over when they were going into battle. The reason this was considered naturalism is because the larger force was the generals and people in charge of the war. The soldiers could not attack the south until told to do so by there commanders. Another example that I found was when the tall soldier (Jim Conklin) dies. One of the reasons his death was so important was because it gave Henry somewhat of an understanding that war is not glorious and people die. Another reason his death was so important is because it basically tells everyone that life is unfair and even if someone such as the tall soldier is the notable soldiers in camp, when it is your time to die, you are going to die. The reason that this is an example of naturalism is because no one except god himself had control over the tall soldier’s death. The final example of naturalism is how nature completely ignores the war and what ever people are doing. In the beginning of the novel, Henry has the perception that war is glorious and will turn him into an instant hero. He had dreamed of dodging bullets, saving people, and doing things that no one else would do which is a highly romanticized version of how war really is. The reason this was thought of as a naturalistic element is because nature doesn’t care about the war, its colors are the exact same color and shades of brown, green, and other nasty colors, opposed to the colors that Henry imagined of royal blues, purples, reds, and gold’s, which hardly ever occur in nature.

Symbolism in the Chrysanthemums

Aliya Grayman Professor Gulliksen English 131 (D8) 24 October 2012 Your Inner Chrysanthemum How many people sit down and think about what symbolizes their lives? A symbol is a person place or thing that suggests something other than its literal meaning. In John Steinbeck’s â€Å"The Chrysanthemums† Elisa Allen lives on a ranch with her husband Henry in Salinas Valley. Henry is off talking to men about the livestock on the ranch while Elisa is tending to her garden. A tinker comes up to their yard and begins to talk to Elisa about his work and all of his travels.He tries to get Elisa to let him work, but she does not feel that she needs any work done. The tinker notices the garden of chrysanthemums, and tells Elisa that he knows a woman that wants to grow them. Elisa develops a short lived attraction to the tinker as she is offering him the flower and giving him careful instructions on taking care of them. Steinbeck uses symbolism throughout this short story. Things such as the wire fence around the garden, the changing of Elisa’s clothing, and the chrysanthemums themselves mean something beyond their literal meaning.Everyone has an item or person that symbolizes their life. Because the title of the short story is â€Å"The Chrysanthemums,† the chrysanthemum is an obvious symbol. Elisa’s beautiful garden of chrysanthemums is very important to the story. They are Important because the chrysanthemums are Elisa, meaning they represent her throughout the story. The chrysanthemums symbolize Elisa’s life. Like her they are unimportant to the men in her life. When the tinker asks her about the flowers Elisa brightens up. When Elisa offers a flower to the tinker, she offers herself as well.When the flowers are rejected it symbolizes society’s rejection to women being anything other than mothers and housekeepers. Both the Elisa and the chrysanthemums seem to be simply decorative, and add little importance to the world. The wire fence surrounding the garden of chrysanthemums shows how Elisa lives her life. Elisa lives a very guarded life. Elisa only tends to the garden inside the fence, never venturing out into the world of work on her ranch. Henry takes care of all of the business deals on the ranch. The fence represents the sheltered life Elisa has been living.The type of fence has significance as well. The wire fence shows that Elisa can look outside of her garden with ease; a wooden fence would keep everything out and in. Steinbeck gives great detail of Elisa’s clothing. In the beginning of the story she is wearing bulky gardening clothes and a man’s hat. After her conversation with the tinker, there is an abundant amount of detail as Elisa is preparing to go out to dinner with her husband. The description of what she chooses to wear shows her masculine persona becoming feminine.The sentence â€Å"When she had dried herself she stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom and looked at her body†(247), shows her new found sexuality. Everything has more than one meaning. When an object is a symbol of something else the meaning becomes much more important. Steinbeck meant for his readers to see the true beauty of a chrysanthemum, and by having them symbolize the main character in the story he did just that. Showing inner beauty and strength gives an inanimate object life. Everything has an inner chrysanthemum.

Levi Strauss Co Essays

Levi Strauss Co Essays Levi Strauss Co Essay Levi Strauss Co Essay Levi Strauss Co. (LSCO) is a privately held clothing company known worldwide for its Levis brand of denim jeans. It was founded in 1853 when Levi Strauss came from Buttenheim, Franconia, (Kingdom of Bavaria) to San Francisco, California to open a west coast branch of his brothers New York dry goods business. Although the company began producing denim overalls in the 1870s, modern jeans were not produced until the 1920s. The company briefly experimented (in the 1970s) with employee ownership and a public stock listing, but remains owned and controlled by descendants and relatives of Levi Strauss four nephews. Organization Levi Strauss Co. is a worldwide corporation organized into three geographic divisions: Levi Strauss Americas (LSA), based in the San Francisco headquarters; Levi Strauss Europe, Middle East and Africa (LSEMA), based in Brussels; and Asia Pacific Division (APD), based in Singapore. The company employs a staff of approximately 10,500 people worldwide, and owns and develops a few brands. Levis, the main brand, was founded in 1873 in San Francisco, specializing in riveted denim jeans and different lines of casual and street fashion. [2] Levis, under the leadership of Jay Walter Haas Sr. Peter Haas Sr. , Paul Glasco and George P. Simpkins Sr. , expanded the firms clothing line by adding new fashions and models, including stone-washed jeans through the acquisition of Great Western Garment Co. (GWG), a Canadian clothing manufacturer. GWG was responsible for the introduction of the modern stone washing technique, still in use by Levi Strauss. Mr. Simpkins is credited with the c ompanys record paced expansion of its manufacturing capacity from fewer than 16 plants to more than 63 plants in the United States from 1964 through 1974. Perhaps most impressive, however, was Levis expansion under Simpkins was accomplished without a single unionized employee as a result of Levis and the Haas families strong stance on human rights and Simpkins use of pay for performance manufacturing at the sewing machine operator level up. As a result, Levis plants were perhaps the highest performing, best organized and cleanest textile facilities of their time. Levis even piped in massive amounts of air conditioning for the comfort of Levis workers into its press plants, which were known in the industry to be notoriously hot. 004 saw a sharp decline of GWG in the face of global outsourcing, so the company was closed and the Edmonton manufacturing plant shut down. [3] The Dockers brand, launched in 1986[4] which is sold largely through department store chains, helped the company grow through the mid-1990s, as denim sales began to fade. Dockers were introduced into Europe in 1993. Levi Strauss attempted to sell the Dockers division in 2004 to relieve part of the companys $2 billion outstanding debt. [5] Launched in 2003, Levi Strauss Signature features jeanswear and casualwear. 6] In November 2007, Levis released a mobile phone in co-operation with ModeLabs. Many of the phones cosmetic attributes are customisable at the point of purchase. [edit] Company Background In 1853, Bavarian immigrant Levi Strauss founded Levi Strauss and Company which is now the world’s largest brand-name apparel marketers with sales in more than a hundred and ten countries. At present, there is no other company with an equivalent international presence in the jeans and casual pants markets. The company’s market-leading apparel products are sold under the brands of Levi’s, Dockers and Levi Strauss Signatures. It was in 1873 when the Levi’s jeans, the world’s first jeans, were born when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis, a tailor from Nevada, patented the process of putting rivets in pants to make it stronger. The Levi’s trademark is currently one of the most recognized in the world and is registered in more than a hundred and sixty countries. From a company with fifteen salespeople, two plants, and almost no business east of the Mississippi in 1946, the organization grew in thirty years to include a sales force of more than 22,000, with 50 plants and offices in 35 countries. 7] The company took on multi-billion dollar debt in February 1996 to help finance a series of leveraged stock buyouts among family members. Shares in Levi Strauss stock are not publicly traded; the firm is today owned almost entirely by indirect descendants and relatives of Levi Strauss, whose four nephews inherited the San Francisco dry goods firm after their uncles death in 1902. [16] The corporation s bonds are traded publicly, as are shares of the companys Japanese affiliate, Levi Strauss Japan K. K. After more than two decades of family ownership, rumors of a possible public stock offering were floated in the media in July 2007. [23] Values and Vision We are the embodiment of the energy and events of our time, inspiring people from all walks of life with a pioneering spirit. We are the embodiment of the energy and events of our times, inspiring people with a pioneering spirit. We believe that business can drive profits through principles, and that our values as a company and as individuals give us a competitive advantage. Empathy - walking in other people’s shoes? Empathy begins with paying close attention to the world around us. We listen and respond to the needs of our customers, employees and other stakeholders. Originality - being authentic and innovative? The pioneering spirit that started in 1873 with the very first pair of blue jeans still permeates all aspects of our business. Through innovative products and practices, we break the mold. Integrity - doing the right thing ? Integrity means doing right by our employees, brands, company and society as a whole. Ethical conduct and social responsibility characterize our way of doing business. Courage - standing up for what we believe? It takes courage to be great. Courage is the willingness to tell the truth and to challenge hierarchy, accepted practice and conventional wisdom. It means standing by our convictions and acting on our beliefs. Levi Strauss Co. has been innovating since 1873, the year we created the world’s first blue jeans. Throughout its long history it has inspired change in the marketplace, the workplace and the world. Its worldwide leadership team, which includes the CEO and 11 executives, sets the company’s overall direction and is responsible for all major strategic, financial and operational decisions. Its company leaders around the world aspire to create the most innovative and relevant products in the marketplace, while upholding its values of empathy, originality, integrity and courage. Levi Strauss Co. prides itself on growing talent from within, and many of its senior-most leaders have risen through the company ranks over the past two or three decades. But to maintain its lead in the fast-changing fashion industry its leadership team also includes executives who bring leading-edge expertise and new ideas from other consumer companies and other industries.

A Look At Rapunzel English Literature Essay

A Look At Rapunzel English Literature Essay There was a man and his wife who wanted a child for many years. They lived next to a witch, who had a garden that was surrounded by a wall. The wife wanted some lettuce so bad that her husband agreed to sneak into the witch’s garden and get some. The witch caught the man and made a deal with him. He could take the lettuce but when they had a child the witch would get the baby. When the couple had a baby the witch came and took the girl and called her Rapunzel. The witch put her into a high tower that did not have a door. It only had a small window at the top. The witch would come every morning and climb up Rapunzel’s hair to get into the tower. One day a Prince came by and heard Rapunzel’s song. He watched the witch and learned how to get into the tower. Later he climbed into the tower on Rapunzel’s hair. They became friends and decided to get married. The witch found out and cut off Rapunzel’s hair and took her to a desert. When the Prince came th e witch was waiting for him. The Prince fell into a thorn bush and he became blinded by the thorns. He wandered around for years until he found Rapunzel. Her tears fell into the Prince’s eyes and he was able to see again. They returned to his castle and were married. Discription This segment in the magazine shows how the media and society has downgraded us to the extent were don’t try to communicate to someone verbally or by a making quick phone call. Instead we resort to emailing or texting messages or paragraph conversations which go on for hours. This is leading us to loose our social roles in society and become to technologically dependent for our every entire daily needs. Abdullahi M Farah Rapunzel Are You Online? Day 1 Prince @ 4:01 â€Å"Hi I just seen you on facebook and I can’t lie to you, your singing is amazing† Rapunzel @ 4:26 â€Å"Thank you so much, I didn’t think that a lot of people noticed à ¯Ã‚ Ã…   â€Å" Prince @ 4:39  "np, I bet you parents are proud to have such a beautiful and talented daughter judging from you picture† Rapunzel 5: 09 â€Å"I would hope so but i’ve never reallyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ it’s a long story† Weeks later Prince @ 6:01 â€Å"Is it clear to come to your base gurl† Rapunzel @ 6:01 † The witch is getting up all in my face with dem poison apple sand things, she wont let me just chill but anyways xoxoxo I miss you so much

Constitutional & Judicial Review Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Constitutional & Judicial Review - Essay Example Al is a US citizen and cannot claim entry to another country as a matter of right, unless that country is willing to grant entry to him. Under the circumstances, the Home Secretary to UK is of the opinion that violent speeches and statements of Al against the ongoing war in Europe may create violent eruptions in UK society. His meeting in Washington DC has already resulted in unpleasant violence and arrests, and this incident combined with his earlier writings and statements led the Home Secretary to presume that his presence in United Kingdom might result in violence and clashes. Home Secretary is within his right to reject permission to enter UK1. Home Secretary need not give explanations to entry denial actions. A judicial Review action against the United Kingdom Home Secretary might not be very successful, even though Al's speeches in United States could not be termed as violence provoking. This charismatic leader belongs to an anti-war pressure group and it is not an offence to oppose a war. There is a lot of difference between an anti-war pressure group and a terrorism-provoking group. Anti Government sentiments are not exactly terrorist acts. Violence broke out because of pro-war protesters and it was a mere clash between the two groups that could happen anywhere. There was no bloodshed and the event did not leash out any anti government euphoria. Al can fight the decision by saying that condemning the war in Iraq is not exactly fomenting terrorism and he has a right to express his opinion2. But his rights to go to the European Human Rights commission are limited as he is neither a citizen of European Union, nor of one of its Member States. In the second case, Shoab, a Muslim clerk from Libya was given permission to stay in UK as postgraduate student till August 2003. He applied for indefinite leave to remain in United Kingdom. As Shoab is on student visa, it is difficult for him to get indefinite leave to remain even under normal circumstances. Usually student visas are extendable only during the period of study and it is never indefinite and Shoab's visa did not get extended. Home Secretary informed him that 'on account of your connections with Islamic terrorists groups, your deportation from the United Kingdom would be conducive to the public good'. Home Secretary believes that Shoab has connections with MAWI (Muslims against Western Imperialism), a group implicated in recent terrorist incidents in the West and had adopted a policy of seeking to deport all foreign nationals with links to MAWI. Home Secretary is also accused of gaining mileage and electoral support for government in the approaching election. At a hear ing of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC), the deportation order was confirmed. Shoab's barrister was however prevented from cross-examining witnesses and from knowing full details of the case against him. As Shoab is living in United Kingdom as a student he can approach European Union Human Rights Court against his deportation. He can go to the court and to Human Right Activists.