Issue Management at Gap Inc. Essay

Introduction Gap Inc. : Low Morale and Absenteeism Low morale and absenteeism of are serious problems of Gap Inc. that cuts across industry. On a distinctive day between 2 and 4% of employees at Gap Inc. fail to show up for work, which does not sound like a high rate of absence, but more time is lost for the reason that of low morale and absenteeism than through strikes and lockouts. The yearly costs of low morale and absenteeism in the United States are estimated to be $29 billion and a change of 4. 99% in the national absence rate changes the gross national product by $10 billion. (London, 2003) A great number of studies are done to identify the determinants of low morale and absenteeism. Many variables are found to be considerably related to indices of absence, the results appear to be unstable across situations and time. The Way Incentives Work Every incentive program is based on a formula for enhancing motivation that engages four fundamental variables: effort, performance, outcomes, and satisfaction. The logic behind these programs goes something like this: employees at Gap Inc. will put in the accurate quantity of effort to meet performance hopes if these part time employees at Gap Inc.obtain the types of outcomes that include pay raises and promotions which will provide part time employees satisfaction. In simpler words, Gap Inc. should provide its employees what they want, and employees will work hard to get it. Effort => Performance => Outcomes=> Satisfaction Conversely, the problem with most incentive programs like of Gap Inc. is that they centre exclusively on the submission of outcomes and overlook the three beliefs that are the key to making the motivation solution work: †¢ Can one do it? †¢ Will outcomes be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Will outcomes be satisfying to one? The first conviction compacts with the relationship between employee effort and performance. The second compacts with the relationship between performance and outcomes. And the third compacts with the relationship between outcomes and satisfaction. These three beliefs form the basis of the belief system of motivation and performance. Accepting that these beliefs are decisive preconditions for motivation helps to explain why incentive programs generally yield such lacklustre results like in case of Gap Inc. Since employees do not always hold these beliefs to be true, attempts to improve motivation by using incentives cannot make the grade, even when the incentives are highly desirable ones. Types of Motivation Problems One cannot do it Motivation problem: Lack of confidence Associated feelings: Self-doubt Anxiety Frustration Outcomes are not tied to one’s performance Motivation problem: Lack of trust Associated feelings: Scepticism Disbelief Mistrust Outcomes will not be satisfying to one Motivation problem: Lack of satisfaction Associated feelings: Anger Rebelliousness Low Morale and Absenteeism At Gap Inc. a major transformation attempt only makes difficult the situation. If any of three beliefs are shaky to begin with, organisational change at Gap Inc. can weaken them even further. The result is often serious motivation and performance problems, at a time when organisations can least afford them, and a resultant surge in the negative emotions associated with change. When an employee believes ‘one cannot do it’ for example, one may develop a lack of self-confidence and begin to experience many of the unpleasant feelings that go along with it: self-doubt, anxiety, and frustration. About a year into the change effort, one manager portrayed the inner turmoil one went through by comparing the restructuring to building a ship at the same time one is trying to sail it. (Mele, 2003) Worker beliefs that ‘outcomes are not tied to one’s performance’ can also escort to noteworthy motivation problems, especially lack of trust. This is normally accompanied by feelings of scepticism or disbelief; precisely the emotions that another manager felt when one was told early on change effort that power would be allocated differently. Employee beliefs that ‘outcomes will not be satisfying to one’ often escort to a third major problem, chronic dissatisfaction, and to feelings of anger, rebelliousness, low morale and absenteeism. (Miner, 2002) Like as the negative emotions allied with change can often go undetected, the motivation and performance problems that cause them frequently remain hidden and unresolved. Due to this, managers who lead change are sometimes frustrated in their efforts. They fail to realise that it is not enough to appeal to the intellect of their workers. So managers must also win employees’ hearts in order to implement change successfully. The reason behind why are motivation problems so difficult to uncover is that employees are afraid to speak about them or even admit that they exist like at Gap Inc. Though most employees know when they have a motivation problem, many feel that acknowledging it is tantamount to admitting failure, and, naturally, they do not want to appear weak or incompetent to their manager. The belief system approach is practical method that can help manager at Gap Inc. resolve these problems effectively. It takes the guesswork out of the search for motivation problems and alerts managers to the three principal types: †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of confidence. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of trust. †¢ Motivation problems caused by a lack of satisfaction. The approach is based on the expectancy theory of motivation and on the research of Yale University professor Victor H. Vroom. In conducting Vroom’s analyses of why motivation improvement so often fails, Vroom came to the conclusion that motivation at work depends on certain employee expectations or beliefs: that effort will lead to performance, that performance will lead to outcomes, and that these outcomes, when received, will be satisfying. (Thomas, 2004) Like other expectancy theorists, Vroom maintained that the tendency of people to act in certain ways depends on the strength of the expectation that their actions will be followed by certain outcomes and on the perceived value — or â€Å"valence† — of those outcomes. This combination of expectation and valence is what determines people’s behaviour, Vroom and colleagues argued, and unless both expectation and valence are present to some degree, there will be little or no motivation to act. For example, if a person wants a certain outcome but doesn’t feel it can be achieved through one’s efforts, then that person won’t be motivated. Similarly, that person will also lack motivation if one believes that a certain outcome can be achieved but is undesirable. The application model relies on structured, facilitated meetings between managers and their direct reports to find the answers to the three basic questions that uncover motivation problems: †¢ Does the employee believe that one’s effort will lead to the expected performance? †¢ Does the employee believe that outcomes will be tied to one’s performance? †¢ Does the employee believe the outcomes will be satisfying? Preconditions for Employee Motivation AT Gap Inc. managers have to note that an employee is motivated to perform when †¢ The employee believes that effort will lead to performance. †¢ The employee believes that performance will lead to outcomes. †¢ The employee believes that outcomes will lead to satisfaction. AT Gap Inc. once a manager has recognised a specific motivation problem, one can then work with the employee to find its cause and develop an appropriate solution. There are several reasons that this model performs far better than managers expect such as: †¢ This model prepares managers and employees for solving motivation problems by getting them to think about these issues before they meet. †¢ This model promotes effective change by clarifying expectations, uncovering hidden agendas, and managing emotions before they escalate. †¢ This model relies on the cooperation and involvement of the one person who knows most about the problem and what may be causing it: the employee. (Caruth, 2001) By gently forcing an accurate diagnosis of problems and their causes, the belief system model increases the prospects of finding good solutions to performance shortfalls. After all, it takes information to solve problems, and the goal of the belief system model is to uncover critical information about performance and motivation and to guide managers and employees in applying it productively. The model works to generate an environment in which managers and employees divide the responsibility for solving performance problems, and it fosters the kind of communication that helps managers maintain the critical preconditions for employee motivation: confidence in their ability to meet performance expectations, trust in others to tie outcomes to performance, and satisfaction with their job and the outcomes that they receive. Works Cited Butkus T. Raymond, Thad B.Green, (1999), Motivation, Beliefs and Organisational Transformation. Quorum Books. Westport, CT. Cameron Judy, Pierce W. David, (2002), Pay and Motivation: Resolving the Controversy. Bergin & Garvey. Westport, CT. Caruth L. Donald, Handlogten D. Gail, (2001), Managing Compensation (And Understanding It Too): A Handbook for the Perplexed, Quorum Books. Gorman Phil, (2003), Motivation and Emotion. Routledge. New York. Hanlan Marc, (2004), High Performance Teams: How to Make Them Work, Praeger. London Manuel, (2003), Job Feedback: Giving, Seeking, and Using Feedback for Performance Improvement, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Mele R. Alfred, (2003), Motivation and Agency, Oxford University Press. Miner B. John, (2002), Organisational Behaviour: Foundations, Theories, and Analyses, Oxford University Press. Thomas Neil, (2004), The Concise Adair on Teambuilding and Motivation, Thorogood. White Geoff, Druker Janet, (2000), Reward Management: A Critical Text, Routledge. New York.

Organizational Behavior at My Company Essay

To understand how the concept of organizational behavior can be applied and described through the work environment of My Company, I will first explore a general definition of what Organizational Behavior is and then relate how the individual components apply. According to Stephen Robbins, author of our Organizational Behavior textbook, â€Å"Organizational behavior is a field of study that investigates the impact that individuals, groups, and structure have on behavior within organizations for the purpose of applying such knowledge toward improving an organization’s effectiveness†(9). The first component of this definition is to see the impact that the individuals have, followed by the impact of the groups, and then finally the impact of the structure. I will expand on each of these areas and relate them to the current practices within My Company. It is probable that the single most prevalent aspect of organizational behavior through the eyes of an employee would be the impact that they personally have on the company. What this implies, is that when I try to describe the impact individuals have to the company, it will be solely from my perspective as a non-managerial employee. Had my perspective been from that of an employee in a management-level position, it would most likely differ. From the experiences that I have had in the two and a half years that I have worked at My Company, it seems to me that individuals are encouraged to take the initiative to make their work as productive as possible. I have been part of many changes that have been initiated by non-management level employees to try and streamline and improve efficiencies within the company. This has led me to believe that one of the ‘in-use’ espoused values is that of empowering all levels of employees with the ability to make changes that will directly affect their particular areas. When evaluating the group component and how that relates to the My Company environment, I am going to make the assumption that a group is the equivalent of a department. These departmental segregations help to increase internal accountability and define what each group will be responsible for. Each group has its own independent structure and operates a little differently depending on the style of the individual manager. Many of these groups (departments) can be broken down into subgroups to further delegate  components of work. The outcome is that within each department or group there is a hierarchy where you will find different forms of leadership. Some of these subgroup leaders lead by being experts in their fields rather than having a title of being a manager. Within my group there is a distinct leader that I work for. I have found that if I am struggling with a project or if I cannot define the scope of a job that I am working on often times I can rely on help from the leader of my group to help achieve the desired results. If for some reason components (individuals) within my subgroup started to perform poorly, the outcome could have serious consequences to the productivity of our entire department. Conversely, if we were able to drastically improve performance metrics for our areas of responsibility, we would then be able to offset some work from other areas within the group. This interdependence of the subgroups has helped our group to have more control of the aspects that will impact how productively the company will continue to be going forward. Through the process of defining the groups within My Company, I have made reference to the internal group structure. Instead of rehashing this same information and tying it back to the structural component mentioned in the definition of organizational behavior, I am going to relate how my manager is able to structure her team to be as effective and productive as possible. Looking through the four essential management functions (Robbins 5) defined in our reading material, (planning, organizing, leading and controlling) I am able to see how my manager struggles to constantly apply these ideas in her day to day responsibilities. Our group organizes weekly meetings where we try to plan what tasks we would like to undertake in the near future. My manager is responsible for keeping these meetings in focus so that overall group objectives are met. Through controlling and delegating within these meetings, she has shown the ability to lead our group and utilize different strengths of individuals to maximize our effectiveness. Being able to take more of an observational role in this situation has helped me to understand the different idiosyncrasies that exist within our company and department. By identifying these ‘quirks’ I feel that I am able to better understand how many of the different internal components and people must work together in order to achieve desired results. This has helped me to recognize, at least  at the group level, how one can utilize many of the resources to maximize efficiencies within My Company. Works Cited Robbins, Stephen. Organizational Behavior. New Jersey: Pearson, 2001.

Salvation in Hinduism and Christianity

INTRODUCTION Salvation is a common belief for many religions despite the difference in their Supreme Being or Beings, which they seek deliverance from. In this research, a comparison between how salvation is viewed by Christians and Hindus will be examined so a conclusion can be formed. What is Christianity? Christianity is God’s revelation of himself and purpose to mankind. And his revelation was designed to bridge the gap between a rebellious world and a caring God. Christianity is found in most parts of the world, with in the region of one hundred million followers and could be the world’s largest religion.There are many branches of Christianity, namely Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant churches. There are many Protestant Churches called denominations. They include Lutheran, Baptists, Presbyterians, Methodists, Pentecostals and many others. Protestant churches stress the importance of reading and understanding the bible. The members of these de-nominations are called Christians. Christians are described as people who follow the teachings and example of Jesus Christ. Christian teaching is written in the bible, which is divided into two parts called the Old and New Testaments.The bible is also used by Christians during worship, and it serves as a guideline on how to live their lives. Christian Beliefs Christians has many beliefs, some of which will be mentioned below. Christians believe that the universe was fashioned by God. According to the scriptures God created the heaven and earth in six days, and rested on the seventh day. They also believe that it is wrong to act against God’s laws, for example; killing and stealing. Any action against God’s law is referred to as a sin. The bible teaches that Jesus, who was without sin, came to earth and sacrificed his life for the sins of the world.Christians believe in life after death, because Jesus was raised from the dead. They also believed that Eternal Life is a gift from God. Christians believe that there will be a judgment, when Jesus will judge the living and the dead. Christians believe in a God who offers salvation to all who wish to take it. But there is a cost, and that is for people to accept God as rulers over their lives, their thoughts, motivations and actions. What Jesus’ Death on the Cross means to Christian The most commonly used Christian symbol is the cross.The cross is also important because his death on the cross mended the broken relationship between God and humanity. Christians used the word atonement to describe Jesus’ death on the cross. They also believed that Jesus redeemed mankind when he died on the cross. He paid the price for their sins. Jesus Christ died in our place, so that we will not suffer eternal death but become partakers of the life that he offers, we should have paid the penalty of eternal death ourselves since, we are the guilty ones. But the Saviour was willing to take our place.That w as what happened at the cross. â€Å"The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was given to commemorate the great deliverance as a result of the death of Christ. The Lord’s Supper is the Christian’s Passover. The bread is a symbol of his broken body and the wine signifies his spilt blood which is shed for many for the remission of sins. In scripture Paul wrote â€Å"For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come’ (1 Cor. 11:26). It is God’s grace that will bring about the change we need in our daily lives which will enable us to do â€Å"good† works.This race is free. It cannot be earned. It is undeserved favour from God. Satan is real, the battle is real, and only at the Cross was he defeated and his destruction made certain. Christian ways of Salvation Chris Wright in his book Beliefs, Questions and Issues stated that Christians are sometimes described as people who follow the teachings an d examples of Jesus Christ. They believed that by looking at Jesus, a person can see what God is like. Christians worship the Creator of heaven and earth the Father the son of God Jesus Christ, who is the Creator of all things.Most Christians believe in the second coming of Jesus Christ, to judge the living and dead. They believe that through Jesus’ death on the cross, salvation became possible as his death on the cross mended the broken relationship between God and humanity. This relationship was broken when humanity rebelled through sin against God. According to Oxford School Dictionary and thesaurus, salvation is the act of saving from loss or damage. This is a general view of the term. In the religion Christianity, salvation is saving souls from sin and its consequences.Salvation is achievable by first accepting that a mistake was made and so the feeling of sorrow and guilt is experienced. This is the act of repentance, the sin is then confessed, and the act of forgivenes s is desired. When this is done, the sinner’s desire is to forsake the sin. This is a combination of step two and three. The fourth step in the salvation process is justification. According to the book Growing in Christ, in justification the sinner is forgiven, acquitted of the charges of sin and reckoned righteousness. This act brings about the assurance of the believers acceptance. It also brings the joy of being united with God. † Sanctification is a result of true repentance and justification. The word sanctification means holiness or consecration which is a result of what God does in us. The blood of Christ for many Christians brings forth transformation. The believer becomes a new creation; the old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Why do Christians need Salvation and how is it Achieved Christians need salvation because of sin, which is the transgression of the law.The sin problem refers to the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, which brought to the earth the Great Controversary between good and evil. And it is God’s action to rescue his people from the destruction of sin, which brings about salvation. The consequence of sin is death. Human beings live their lives every day with the reality of sin and its effects. The effects of sin were so great that without a divine solution, there would be no solution. We should all be grateful that the solution was given. It is called â€Å"the plan of salvation† and its purpose is to solve the problem of sinOnly through Jesus Christ can one experience salvation, â€Å"for there is no other name under heaven given among men which we must be saved† Acts 4:12. The experience of salvation involves repentance, confession, forgiveness, justification and sanctification. Sins have to be confessed and repented of before it can be forgiven. Sin does not only have to do with wrongfully committed acts. It also includes the desire and fantasizing about things that we know are wrong. There is also a category of sin that usually referred to as â€Å"sins of omission. This is the willful neglect of duty; a conscious refusal to do something one knows ought to be done. As sinners who have violated God’s law, we can do nothing to make ourselves right with God. The only way to save us was for Jesus to pay the penalty in our stead and then offer us the perfect righteousness, which we claim by faith. We cannot earn our salvation; it is a gift of grace. The Origin of Hinduism Hinduism has its root in the interrelationship of two basic religious systems of the ancient civilization residing in the Indus Valley from the third millennium B. C. nd the religious beliefs brought to India by the Aryan people who began infiltrating the Indus Valley sometime after 2000 B. C. Most Hindus believe in one supreme Spirit, Brahman which is unchanging and eternal. He is also described as â€Å"Ultimate Reality† and the ‘Absolute’. Hindu s worship a total of three hundred and thirty three million deities. For Hindus, these gods and goddesses are different aspects of Brahman, however the trimurti which is made up of Braham, Vishnu, and Shiva. Together they represent and control creation, preservation and destruction. Hindu BeliefsFor Hindus, death is not the end but merely the separation of the soul from the body. They believe that the body dies and the soul continues its eternal journey. Hindus believe in re-incarnation that the soul is re-embodied according to the law of Karma. The cycle of death and re-incarnation continues many times. Their ultimate goal is to attain moksha. Hindus cremate their dead, since they believe that this releases the soul to continue its journey. Hindus believe that every thought and action has consequences. This is the law of Karma. The goal of Hindus is to achieve moksha that is, to be free from that cycle.To achieve moksha, it is important to follow the right path in life. The right p ath is called yoga. There are many forms namely: karma yoga is doing service for humanity; raj yoga is practicing self-control and meditation; bhakti yoga is the path of loving devotion; and jnana yoga is the path of knowledge and understanding through study and discipline. Hindus practice the spiritual exercises of meditation and yoga as ways to help them centre their thoughts on God. Hindu ways of Salvation In the religion of Hinduism, there are four aims of life.They are Dharma – the aim to carry out ones duty, Artha – the aim to make an honest living, Kama – the aim to enjoy the pleasures of life and Moksha – the aim to become free from the cycle of rebirth. In Hinduism salvation is known as the fourth aim of life Moksha. Moksha is when an enlightened human being is freed from the cycle of life and death (the endless cycle of death and reincarnation) and comes into a state of completeness. He then becomes one with God. There are four ways to Moksha: T he way of Action: This involves carrying our certain religious ceremonies, duties and rites.The objective is to perform works without regard for personal gain. The Way of Knowledge: This requires using your mind and philosophy to come to a complete comprehension of the universe The Way of Devotion: Salvation is reached through acts of worship, based upon the love for a God (there are thousands of gods in Hinduism). The Royal Road: The use of meditation and yoga techniques. This method of reaching salvation is typically only used by wondering monks. Each of these ways to salvation in Hinduism requires that a person do certain things. Salvation is through what a Hindu does.However, many Hindu believe that this salvation is only achievable by the caste system which is associated with reincarnation. According to Hindu teaching, there are four basic castes or social classes (and thousands of sub-groups within the castes). Each has its own rules and obligations pertaining to nearly all fa cet of life. At the top are the Brahmins or priests. Second in rank are the Kshatriyas or warriors and rulers. Third are the Vaisyas or merchants and farmers. Below these are the Shudras or laboring class. Salvation is possible only for the top three castes, which are called the â€Å"twice born. Outside the caste system are the untouchables or the outcastes. Though outlawed in India in the late 1940’s, many in the countryside are still considered outcastes. Conclusion Hindus are correct in their recognition that all is not right with the world and with human existence in it. They are correct as well in suggesting that the ultimate to the human dilemma is spiritual in nature. However, there is little common ground between Christianity and Hinduism. We will now look at a few more important areas. First Hinduism lacks any understanding that God created the world for a good purpose.Also lacking is a conception of God as infinitely holy and righteous and as the one to whom we as humans are accountable for the way we conduct our lives. Another area of contrast between Hinduism and Christianity is the conception of human nature and of the source of our estrangement from God. According to Hindu teaching, man is divine at the core of his being. He is one with God. According to the biblical teaching, however, the source of our alienation from God, is not ignorance of our divinity, but our sinful rebellion against God and his purpose for our lives.This now leads us to our final point—the way of salvation. According to most Hindu teaching, salvation from the cycle of reincarnation is achieved by our own efforts—whether through good works, meditation, or devotion to a deity. According to the Bible, however, our spiritual need is for deliverance from God’s judgment on our sin and for restoration to a life under his direction and care. This salvation can be provided only by God’s gracious and undeserved action in our behalf It is true tha t in certain Hindu groups there is a similar emphasis on God’s grace (probably as a result of past Christian influence).But even here, there is a major distinction. The Hindu teaching about grace sees no need for atonement for sin, but simply offers forgiveness without any satisfaction of the judgment on sin required by a holy God. In contrast, the Christian gospel is this: God the Son became human, died a sacrificial death on the cross, making real forgiveness of sins against the real God possible to those you place complete trust in Christ. All who do so can experience true forgiveness, know God and his purpose for their lives, and have the assurance of Eternal Life with Him.

Beach Wedding Dresses Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beach Wedding Dresses - Article Example The researcher states that Sabino points out the fact that it is important to select a beach wedding dress with care. She explains that a long flowing wedding dress is not very practical for a bride who aspires to have a wedding on the beach. Instead, a comfortable hip dress that will exactly fit just right for the casual romantic wedding taking place with waves dancing near the beach, the sun setting on the horizon, and on golden sands would be a perfect choice. In view of the fact that a beach wedding is more informal as opposed to a traditional church wedding, one should choose a style that agrees with the ambiance. While selecting a beach wedding dress, one should not compromise on glamour but should keep it stylish and sleek. This also applies for the groom as well as their party – for a beach wedding, an informal affair is usually the best because of the sun, tuxedos and the sand do not match with formal attire. They should, therefore, go for light-weight natural fibers. As Reilley advises, one can choose a dress with a halter neck, strapless top or spaghetti straps. These are ideal for tanned shoulders’ show off. Alternatively, one can settle on flowing sleeves to provide shelter from the heat. Another option ideal for a beach wedding would be a simple sundress in soft chiffon or linen embroidered with classic or embroidery beads. Making a wedding dress elegant and simple works wonders for a beach wedding. One can choose a-line pattern or a low waist style. If one chooses a very much informal style, she can choose simpler beach wedding dresses in tropical or floral prints. If one is more audacious, she can even go for a bikini and accompany it with a dressy sarong. Since climates at the beaches tend to be windy, one should ensure that the beach wedding gown and hat are secured properly. White, the traditional attire for brides, is appropriate - it blends well with surf and the sand. In place of conventional tiaras, one can go for floral gar lands or head wreaths.

The Ethics of Food Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

The Ethics of Food - Term Paper Example Ethical considerations with respect to the food industry are a maze of complex questions that pin moral responsibility on any number of different sources, whether consumers, producers, the media, the government, or scientists. In the increasingly intricate food production process, there are many steps in the process where things could be positively changed and such positive changes could be introduced by any of these ethical food sources. Ethics is the philosophical study of moral values and rules. Applied to food, this means a study of what values and rules ought to be embraced as the norm for the production and consumption of food through each step of the process. An ethics of food is particularly important because food is essential to human life. For instance, to deny a person food for any prolonged period will inevitably lead to that person’s death. Although the denial of a specific person food for a time is not subject to ethical debate, millions of people each year die o f hunger that could be prevented in theory. Here, we will examine the sources of ethical duty within the food production process, starting with governments and ending with scientists. This analysis depends, in large part, on an overview of theory with a great deal of empirical application and comparison to real life. When dealing with an applied ethical issue such as the ethics of food, it is particularly important to bear in mind that one’s philosophical conclusions have very real and widespread effects on human life. Sources that serve as a general introduction to the ethics of food often take the form of a series of questions, of which there are always more than there are answers. All of these questions have something to do with the distinction between an ethical and an unethical act. For instance, a question might be â€Å"Is buying ‘local’ food always better for the environment?† (Prince, et al., 2007, p. 2). This question implicates food consumers mo st directly, but also food producers. The explicit moral value is the environment; namely, how does one best achieve what is best for the environment, which is taken to be morally superior to an act that degrades the environment. The moral duty implied for consumers in this question revolves around the issue of how one goes about helping the environment, and an answer to this question (if it exists) would make this moral duty more clear. Additionally, the question presumes some role of producers in helping the environment: namely, that by producing and selling foods locally, food producers can help the environment in ways that previous generations of producers have not been able to. Accordingly, every question posed in the ethics of food should be addressed in this manner: first, identifying to what or to whom the question implies we have a moral obligation to, secondly identifying the nature of that moral obligation, and thirdly specifically who bears that moral obligation. An addi tional preliminary comment is that moral obligations about food choices bear weight. The objection that food choice, or the ethics of food, does not really matter will not work. The majority of Americans deal with obesity, which affects the American workforce, healthcare costs, and a degraded environment. Unhealthy food choices lead to decreased brain function, developmental problems in children, and malnutrition from a lack of vital nutrients. Environmentally, poor diets compromise our resources by increasing the need for pesticides and fertilizers that corrupt lakes, streams, and oceans, creates disease in livestock, and releases greenhouse gases that cause irreversible damage in terms of global warming. At current trends, this kind of diet will lead to even more significant social problems in the future (Young & Leehr, 2009). In this sense, one cannot claim that food choices do not matter, or that ethics does not have a role in which direction Americans take. At this point, as Yo ung and Leehr (2009) contend, it does not matter which side of the debate between agri-business

International Human Rights Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

International Human Rights - Essay Example Responsible social behavior could have minimized the scale of the recession; businesses have to learn that maybe, the only thing that is important is the bottom line, that there is an interconnectivity with other factors within and beyond the business environments (Amnesty International, 2008). International co-operations have been accused of gross human rights abuse when they are established abroad more so in third world countries where poverty levels are high. This is because poverty drives workers in these countries to work extremely long hours for minimal wages under deplorable working conditions. This is exploitation at its worst and the governments tend to turn a blind eye because they benefit from the presence of such companies (Amnesty International, 2008). A group that has fallen prey often times to exploitation by corporations are illegal migrants and refugees. Rooted from their own homes in foreign lands where they cannot rely on the government for assistance, these are a vulnerable group. Their only target is survival and since most live in abject poverty, they are willing to work for extremely low wages just to help them get by. This is most unfortunate because migrant populations do contribute to the economies of the countries where they are hosted. Hence, equal working rights for migrants and fighting other discriminations of migrants should be made a priority (UNOG, 2008)2. Another challenge to upholding human rights where transnational corporations and other business enterprises are concerned is the dire poverty mostly inexperienced in third world countries where poverty drives people to accept any kind of work. It is known that multinational corporations that are involved in labor intensive industries choose to do locate their factories where wages are much lower for unskilled workers. Furthermore, those living in countries where there is extreme poverty also do without basic human rights

Humane Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Humane Society - Essay Example Local groups handle the actual care giving process such as looking after animal housing, the animal adoption process and even euthanasia when it is required as an act of mercy (Wikipedia, 2008). 3. Relating to the audience: Even in our neighborhoods and cities, shelters are provided for animals and these shelters include municipal and private shelters which provide a wide variety of facilities. From life time care facilities for animals that are without homes to the temporary homes for animals. However, a municipal shelter is run by the government and it is funded by taxpayers such as you and me. The employees of such shelters are civil servants. Their basic function is defined in municipal codes, which means to pick up wandering and irritant animals and then reunite them with their owners. 5. Private shelters: work with funded from private donors and provide a safe home for lost and misplaced animals. Their basic task is to find homes for such animals. Employees of these shelters work as volunteers and may even be professional vets who go about caring for such animals. Many of the private shelters do wonderful work by placing animals in good homes. However, some may have to kill the animals that cannot be adopted since there is never enough room in such places. The animals that have to be euthanized often are those who have constant health situations e.g. diabetes, or a disability which makes them difficult to offer for adoption. 6. These are called â€Å"no kill† Shelters. No Kill is a widespread movement for animal shelter improvement. It is advocated by Winograd with a simple policy of not to euthanize animals. Such kinds of policies are known as â€Å"no kill.† The phrase No Kill is distinct by practices whereby an animal may be killed in order to ease the suffering of the animal or if the animal is unmanageable. However, animals are not killed just because there is not enough room in the shelter (Encyclopedia Britannica,

EVALUATION OF RESOURES Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EVALUATION OF RESOURES - Essay Example Considering the potential impact of ICT in the learning activities of the students, educational researchers have been consistently studying how ICT can be used as a pedagogical tool in improving the learning ability of the students. (Pearson, 2003; National Research Council, 2000) For this study, the researcher will determine the contribution of the following learning resources: digital cameras, Alphasmart key guard, Microsoft PowerPoint presentation and Microsoft Word towards the learning activities of the mainstream and special educational needs (SEN) students by conducting a short literature review. Prior to the conclusion, the researcher will conduct a quantitative and qualitative survey analysis in order to evaluate the impact of these learning resources with the Science learning activities of mainstream and SEN students. In relation to the learning activities of mainstream and SEN students, technology can be used as a teaching and learning tool that enables the school teachers and students to become co-learners by collaboratively constructing knowledge. (Reed & McNergney, 2000) For instance, the use of digital cameras enable the school teachers and students to record educational trip or a specific learning experience to enable both parties to review the learning process on a later date. In line with this matter, technology behind digital cameras make it possible for school teachers and students to experience a real-world examples of ‘learning by doing.’ Depending on the learning ability of these students, students could easily make a school report by recording certain learning events using the digital camera for the purpose of a group or individual class presentation. (Wellington & Wellington, 2002) In the process of being able to make a class presentation using digitalized visual materials, the students will be able to build self-confidence with their work since these materials could enable them to capture

PTSD and Fluid deficit Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

PTSD and Fluid deficit - Essay Example Nursing intervention therefore should include frequent explanation of treatment and treatment outcome to the patient, involvement of patient in some decision-making, detection of both behavioral and psychological changes in patient and administration of mild sedatives to help patients cope. Healthcare givers should also be ready to listen and talk to the patient and encourage the patient to talk about the stress factors or the burn experience which would enhance adjustment capability to the trauma. Severe burn cases have a great risk for fluid deficit. Most burn case patients die because of burn shock. During the first 2 or 3 days fluid and electrolytic balance is lost and the cardiac output is extremely low such that only fluid resuscitation can help prevent such shocks. This deficiency is mostly causes by fluid loss from unconventional sources, less fluid intake or enhanced need of fluid (eNurse Care Plan,2014). Health care givers need to primarily concerned about hydration and restoring the lost balance of fluid. Interventions need to include proper monitoring of vital signs and Central Venous Pressure, observation of urine output in terms of color and measure specific gravity, estimate losses from wound and detect any other physiological abnormality. The patient also needs to be weighed on a daily basis since hydration depends on individual weight and a record also needs to be maintained regarding the amount and type of fluid given to the

Psychiatry and Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Psychiatry and Mental Illness - Essay Example According to the report findings  the very definition of a specialist infers that the individual has an in-depth understanding of what particular aspects of medical knowledge. The underlying reason for specialists existing in the first place has do with their ability to quickly understand the roots of a particular issue and seeks to address it in a timely manner. Whereas it is true that medical science of the past century was oftentimes constrained with regard to technological shortcomings, one of the main reasons for why disease was oftentimes misdiagnosed or under-diagnosed and do with the fact that the existence of specialists was significantly lower as compared to the current time.As the paper declares  the role of the specialists, whether a psychiatrist or another type of medical specialists, is not able to be earned unless the individual graduates medical school and spends a particularly long period of time interning and performing a residency within a specific field. Furth er, additional requirements oftentimes demand that on-the-job training exist for a period of years after a doctor completes these prior aspects of the medical training.  A further reason behind why psychiatrists should have a monopoly on treating mental illness has to do with the fact that these individuals already know which questions to ask.  Another rationale that must be considered is with reference to the multiplicity of different pharmacological drugs that currently exists.