Wealth distribution a social injustice

Is Wealth Distribution Today Just? In current times we often observe that many members of our society receive less than other members regardless of whether they are no less deserving. In contrast, there are some who have ownership over assets and earn income that they may not be deserving of. The distributive balance is upset and wealth distribution today can thus be seen as a social injustice.This injustice that is becoming more noticeable as people start to become aware of the facts, as we can see through the start of the occupy wall street movements that, first started on wall street in America, have pread to other countries (one of which being Australia). As a consequence of how wealth is habitually distributed and the way in which governments are run, the wealthy continue to become wealthier while the poor in fact experience a reduction in their wealth, or at best maintain their low status.A number of different governmental and social structures exist in different countries resp ectively to ensure a Just community, and people have many different views on what the best approach to distributing wealth is; however it seems that in all forms of idealisms that ountries are run on a fair wealth distribution model is still yet to be truly attained. A social democratic view enacted by the Australian government strives, like other forms of idealism, to promote equality.The Australian government, advocating social Justice in light of human, civil and social rights, attempts to reduce economic disparity between what is known as the ruling class (the bourgeoisie) and the working class (the proletariat) first and foremost through a high tax rate. This allows the government to create and provide a welfare state, where the state plays a key role in he protection and promotion of the economic and social well-being of its citizens.In this way the government can give welfare checks to the unemployed and poverty stricken individuals and pay for vital social services such as h ealth care. Additionally under the heading of human rights, social rights, civil rights, and ultimately the advocacy of social Justice, there are in place government bodies to ensure labor rights and encourage a mixed economy, along with an extensive system of social security to ensure citizens against loss of income following illness, unemployment, or retirement.However, despite the multitude of measures taken to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth and opportunity, wealth distribution in Australia today is still seen as unjust as a large proportion of the countrys wealth is still tied up in a small percentage of people at the top end of the social spectrum. The general dissatisfaction arising from this situation is palpable in the occupy Wall Street movements, that are concerned with the injustice currently taking place with respect to wealth distribution.These occupy movements that began in America but have since hit other capitalist societies, are directed at economic and social nequity. More specifically, however, the people are indignant that the top 1% of the social spectrum continues to grow richer while everybody else becomes poorer, and for this reason the movement commonly chants the slogan â€Å"we are the 99%. † In America the movement has drawn attention to the fact that the richest 1% of Americans now own more wealt n than the poorest ot Americans combined, and the richest 400 Americans now have more wealth than the bottom 155 million Americans combined.It is therefore not hard to see reason for their protest. A similar situation currently exists in Australia, with large discrepancies in numbers in 2009-10 etween the wealthiest 20% of households and the poorest 20% of households. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the wealthiest 20% account for 62% of total household net worth, with an average net worth of $2. 2 million per household while the poorest 20% of households account for only 1% of total household net worth , with an average net worth of $31,829 per household.This can be at least partly attributed to a decrease in tax rate increments. The statistics draw on the selected income distribution indicators, which specify disposable household income (money that can be kept and spent for recreational purposes), show that those ndividuals in the high income bracket receive 40% of their total income while those in the low income bracket only receive 10%. Consequently, the net worth across households becomes even less matched as the rich not only have a considerably higher income, but are also able to save up much more.The discrepancies between the net worth in households are therefore exponentially larger than the discrepancies that exist in income, which reflects the previously mentioned pattern of people accumulating wealth through their working lives. The indignant attitudes posited by the movement can therefore be seen as Justified. However, thought it may be Justified, the movement seems to lack a focused goal -they demand that some change is needed so that the situation regarding inequality can be rectified, but their demands fail to offer articulated strategy as to how this can be done.Although economic and social distributions are still lopsided in Australia, exemplified by the movements that have recently hit, certain institutions are in place that attempt to minimize this inequality and give hope that equality may be some day attainable. In the spirit of much desired social Justice, our government advocates the rinciples of both equality of opportunity and equitable distribution of wealth, as well as public responsibility for those unable to avail themselves if the minimal provisions for a good life.As a result, welfare is available to whoever needs it, every citizen automatically benefits from health cover for serious illnesses, student loans from the government are not subject to interest and can be paid off in manageable amounts, our government is not in reces sion, and, ultimately we are for the most part well looked after. Such institutions and benefits that represent a positive step in the irection of equality are not always found in other countries.Statistics on wealth distribution in the United States of America for example, in theory a neo-liberalist country, portray an even more radical divergence between the bourgeoisie and the proletariat. Furthermore, the minimum wage in Australia is the equivalent of $14 USD, which far exceeds America's $7. 25. The Australian unemployment rate of 5. 2%, too, is more favorable to the rate of 8. 6% here. So, while the Australian wealth scheme is far from perfect, it is favorable to the current American model.Of interest is North Korea's, communist approach to wealth distribution. Their government restricts personal freedom, advocating that everybody must be of comparable status in all aspects in order to achieve social Justice. The system's scheme for economic equality is therefore simple; howeve r it too inevitably fails as it works against human nature . The result ot such idealism is that a tew end up taking power and all the wealth, as we can see when we consider Kim Jong IL's position.So, irrespective of the way in which governments try to disperse wealth, a large proportion of the countrys wealth will be held by a small percentage at the top. Some might argue that the current distribution of wealth is, on the contrary, a reflection of Justice because those that are rich are in fact rich because they work harder and are more deserving. This, while occasionally being accurate, is not always the case. Frequently those individuals in the top 1% are overpaid while people in the ‘low-income' bracket who are working harder for many more hours are fghting to support themselves.Here, we can appreciate a frustration that can arise, which supports one of Freud's suggestions as to how discontent with civilization can develop. The constraining effects of living in a civilized community, here manifested in an inability to achieve due to order and status, can fuel disgruntlement which can naturally lead to pandemonium, which is mildly observed in the occupy movements. Whether the existing economic inequality can be seen as a social injustice can be considered in light of Socrates assertions.Socrates believes in distributive Justice where things such as wealth are properly allocated; that is, wealth would be disseminated equally to all deserving, contributing members of a society. Indeed this seems to be a sound philosophy when we consider the consequences of the mproper allocation of wealth in our society today, being ubiquitous turmoil and the indignant protests of occupy movements to which inequality gave rise. This prompts a consideration of an egalitarian attitude; perhaps Justice can only exist within the coordinates of equality.Moreover, Socrates believed that the best way for people to live was to focus on self-development rather than on the pursui t of material wealth, which seems to be precisely where the wealthy have focused their efforts. It can be safely concluded that at present wealth distribution does not reflect social Justice. However, with incremental progressions like those that have been recently made in Australia, along with contemplation of such philosophical principles, we will come ever closer to reaching equity.

Frostbite Chapter 3

Three THE LOBBY OF MY DORM was abuzz when I sprinted downstairs to my before-school practice. The commotion didn't surprise me. A good night's sleep had gone far to chase away the images from last night, but I knew neither I nor my classmates would easily forget what had taken place outside Billings. And yet, as I studied the faces and clusters of other novices, I noticed something weird. The fear and tension from yesterday were still around, certainly, but something new was there too: excitement. A couple of freshmen novices were practically squealing with joy as they spoke in hushed whispers. Nearby, a group of guys my own age were gesturing wildly, enthusiastic grins on their faces. I had to be missing something hereunless all of yesterday had been a dream. It took every ounce of self-control I had not to go over and ask somebody what was happening. If I delayed, I'd be late for practice. The curiosity was killing me, though. Had the Strigoi and their humans been found and killed? That would certainly be good news, but something told me that wasn't the case. Pushing open the front doors, I lamented that I'd just have to wait until breakfast to find out. â€Å"Hath-away, don't run-away,† a singsong voice called. I glanced behind me and grinned. Mason Ashford, another novice and a good friend of mine, jogged up and fell in step with me. â€Å"What are you, twelve?† I asked, continuing on toward the gym. â€Å"Nearly,† he said. â€Å"I missed your smiling face yesterday. Where were you?† Apparently my presence at the Badica house still wasn't widely known. It wasn't a secret or anything, but I didn't want to discuss any gory details. â€Å"Had a training thing with Dimitri.† â€Å"God,† muttered Mason. â€Å"That guy is always working you. Doesn't he realize he's depriving us of your beauty and charm?† â€Å"Smiling face? Beauty and charm? You're laying it on a little thick this morning, aren't you?† I laughed. â€Å"Hey, I'm just telling it like it is. Really, you're lucky to have someone as suave and brilliant as me paying this much attention to you.† I kept grinning. Mason was a huge flirt, and he liked to flirt with me in particular. Part of it was just because I was good at it and liked to flirt back. But I knew his feelings toward me were more than just friendly, and I was still deciding how I felt about that. He and I had the same goofy sense of humor and frequently drew attention to ourselves in class and among friends. He had gorgeous blue eyes and messy red hair that never seemed to lie flat. It was cute. But dating someone new was going to be kind of difficult when I still kept thinking about the time I was half-naked in bed with Dimitri. â€Å"Suave and brilliant, huh?† I shook my head. â€Å"I don't think you pay nearly as much attention to me as you do your ego. Someone needs to knock it down a little.† â€Å"Oh yeah?† he asked. â€Å"Well, you can try your best on the slopes.† I stopped walking. â€Å"The what?† â€Å"The slopes.† He tilted his head. â€Å"You know, the ski trip.† â€Å"What ski trip?† I was apparently missing something serious here. â€Å"Where have you been this morning?† he asked, looking at me like I was a crazy woman. â€Å"In bed! I only got up, like, five minutes ago. Now, start from the beginning and tell me what you're talking about.† I shivered from the lack of movement. â€Å"And let's keep walking.† We did. â€Å"So, you know how everyone's afraid to have their kids come home for Christmas? Well, there's this huge ski lodge in Idaho that's exclusively used by royals and rich Moroi. The people who own it are opening it up for Academy students and their familiesand actually any other Moroi who want to go. With everyone in one spot, they're going to have a ton of guardians to protect the place, so it'll be totally safe.† â€Å"You can't be serious,† I said. We reached the gym and stepped inside out of the cold. Mason nodded eagerly. â€Å"It's true. The place is supposed to be amazing.† He gave me the grin that always made me smile in return. â€Å"We're going to live like royalty, Rose. At least for a week or so. We take off the day after Christmas.† I stood there, both excited and stunned. I hadn't seen this coming. It really was a brilliant idea, one that let families reunite safely. And what a reunion spot! A royal ski lodge. I'd expected to spend most of my holiday break hanging out here and watching TV with Lissa and Christian. Now I'd be living it up in five-star accommodations. Lobster dinners. Massages. Cute ski instructors †¦ Mason's enthusiasm was contagious. I could feel it welling up in me, and then, suddenly, it slammed to a halt. Studying my face, he saw the change right away. â€Å"What's wrong? This is cool.† â€Å"It is,† I admitted. â€Å"And I get why everyone's excited, but the reason we're getting to go to this fancy place is because, well, because people are dead. I mean, doesn't this all seem weird?† Mason's cheery expression sobered a little. â€Å"Yeah, but we're alive, Rose. We can't stop living because other people are dead. And we have to make sure more people don't die. That's why this place is such a great idea. It's safe.† His eyes turned stormy. â€Å"God, I can't wait until we're out of here in the field. After hearing about what happened, I just want to go tear apart some Strigoi. I wish we could go now, you know? There's no reason. They could use the extra help, and we pretty much know everything we need to.† The fierceness in his voice reminded me of my outburst yesterday, though he wasn't quite as worked up as I'd been. His eagerness to act was impetuous and na?ve, whereas mine had been born out of some weird, dark irrationality I still didn't entirely understand. When I didn't respond, Mason gave me a puzzled look. â€Å"Don't you want to?† â€Å"I don't know, Mase.† I stared down at the floor, avoiding his eyes as I studied the toe of my shoe. â€Å"I mean, I don't want Strigoi out there, attacking people either. And I want to stop them in theory†¦ but, well, we aren't even close to being ready. I've seen what they can do I don't know. Rushing in isn't the answer.† I shook my head and looked back up. Good grief. I sounded so logical and cautious. I sounded like Dimitri. â€Å"It's not important since it's not going to happen anyway. I suppose we should just be excited about the trip, huh?† Mason's moods were quick to change, and he turned easygoing once more. â€Å"Yup. And you'd better try to remember how to ski, because I'm calling you out on knocking down my ego out there. Not that it's going to happen.† I smiled again. â€Å"Boy, it sure is going to be sad when I make you cry. I kind of feel guilty already.† He opened his mouth, no doubt to deliver some smartass reply, and then caught sight of somethingor rather, someonebehind me. I glanced over and saw Dimitri's tall form approaching from the other side of the gym. Mason swept me a gallant bow. â€Å"Your lord and master. Catch you later, Hathaway. Start planning your ski strategies.† He opened the door and disappeared into the frigid darkness. I turned around and joined Dimitri. Like other dhampir novices, I spent half of my school day on one form or another of guardian training, be it actual physical combat or learning about Strigoi and how to defend against them. Novices also sometimes had practices after school. I, however, was in a unique situation. I still stood by my decision to run away from St. Vladimir's. Victor Dashkov had posed too much of a threat to Lissa. But our extended vacation had come with consequences. Being away for two years had put me behind in my guardian classes, so the school had declared that I had to make up for it by going to extra practices before and after school. With Dimitri. Little did they know that they were also giving me lessons in avoiding temptation. But my attraction to him aside, I was a fast learner, and with his help, I had almost caught up to the other seniors. Since he wasn't wearing a coat, I knew we'd be working inside today, which was good news. It was freezing out. Yet even the happiness I felt over that was nothing compared to what I felt when I saw what exactly he had set up in one of the training rooms. There were practice dummies arranged on the far wall, dummies that looked amazingly lifelike. No straw-stuffed burlap bags here. There were men and women, wearing ordinary clothes, with rubbery skin and different hair and eye colors. Their expressions ranged from happy to scared to angry. I'd worked with these dummies before in other trainings, using them to practice kicks and punches. But I'd never worked with them while holding what Dimitri held: a silver stake. â€Å"Sweet,† I breathed. It was identical to the one I'd found at the Badica house. It had a hand grip at the bottom, almost like a hilt without the little side flourishes. That was where its resemblance to a dagger ended. Rather than a flat blade, the stake had a thick, rounded body that narrowed to a point, kind of like an ice pick. The entire thing was a little shorter than my forearm. Dimitri leaned casually against the wall, in an easy stance he always pulled off remarkably well, despite being almost six-seven. With one hand, he tossed the stake into the air. It spun around in a cartwheel a couple of times and then came down. He caught it hilt first. â€Å"Please tell me I get to learn how to do that today,† I said. Amusement flashed in the dark depths of his eyes. I think he had a hard time keeping a straight face around me sometimes. â€Å"You'll be lucky if I let you hold it today,† he said. He flipped the stake into the air again. My eyes followed it longingly. I started to point out that I had already held one, but I knew that line of logic would get me nowhere. Instead, I tossed my backpack on the floor, threw off my coat, and crossed my arms expectantly. I had on loose pants tied at the waist and a tank top with a hoodie over it. My dark hair was pulled brutally back into a ponytail. I was ready for anything. â€Å"You want me to tell you how they work and why I should always be cautious around them,† I announced. Dimitri stopped flipping the stake and stared at me in astonishment. â€Å"Come on,† I laughed. â€Å"You don't think I know how you work by now? We've been doing this for almost three months. You always make me talk safety and responsibility before I can do anything fun.† â€Å"I see,† he said. â€Å"Well, I guess you've got it all figured out. By all means, go on with the lesson. I'll just wait over here until you need me again.† He tucked the stake into a leather sheath hanging from his belt and then made himself comfortable against the wall, hands stuffed in pockets. I waited, figuring he was joking, but when he said nothing else, I realized he'd meant his words. With a shrug, I launched into what I knew. â€Å"Silver always has powerful effects on any magical creatureit can help or hurt them if you put enough power into it. These stakes are really hard-core because it takes four different Moroi to make them, and they use each of the elements during the forging.† I frowned, suddenly considering something. â€Å"Well, except spirit. So these things are supercharged and are about the only non-decapitating weapon that can do damage to a Strigoibut to kill them, it has to be through the heart.† â€Å"Will they hurt you?† I shook my head. â€Å"No. I mean, well, yeah, if you drive one through my heart it will, but it won't hurt me like it would a Moroi. Scratch one of them with this, and it'll hit them pretty hardbut not as hard as it'd hit a Strigoi. And they won't hurt humans, either.† I stopped for a moment and stared absentmindedly at the window behind Dimitri. Frost covered the glass in sparkling, crystalline patterns, but I hardly noticed. Mentioning humans and stakes had transported me back to the Badica house. Blood and death flashed through my thoughts. Seeing Dimitri watching me, I shook off the memories and kept going with the lesson. Dimitri would occasionally give a nod or ask a clarifying question. As the time ticked down, I kept expecting him to tell me I was finished and could start hacking up the dummies. Instead, he waited until almost ten minutes before the end of our session before leading me over to one of themit was a man with blond hair and a goatee. Dimitri took the stake out from its sheath but didn't hand it to me. â€Å"Where are you going to put this?† he asked. â€Å"In the heart,† I replied irritably. â€Å"I already told you that like a hundred times. Can I have it now?† He allowed himself a smile. â€Å"Where's the heart?† I gave him an are-you-serious look. He merely shrugged. With overdramatic emphasis, I pointed to the left side of the dummy's chest. Dimitri shook his head. â€Å"That's not where the heart is,† he told me. â€Å"Sure it is. People put their hands over their hearts when they say the Pledge of Allegiance or sing the national anthem.† He continued to stare at me expectantly. I turned back to the dummy and studied it. In the back of my brain, I remembered learning CPR and where we had to place our hands. I tapped the center of the dummy's chest. â€Å"Is it here?† He arched an eyebrow. Normally I thought that was cool. Today it was just annoying. â€Å"I don't know,† he said. â€Å"Is it?† â€Å"That's what I'm asking you!† â€Å"You shouldn't have to ask me. Don't you all have to take physiology?† â€Å"Yeah. Junior year. I was on ‘vacation,' remember?† I pointed to the gleaming stake. â€Å"Can I please touch it now?† He flipped the stake again, letting it flash in the light, and then it disappeared in the sheath. â€Å"I want you to tell me where the heart is the next time we meet. Exactly where. And I want to know what's in the way of it too.† I gave him my fiercest glare, whichjudging from his expressionmust not have been that fierce. Nine out of ten times, I thought Dimitri was the sexiest thing walking the earth. Then, there were times like this †¦ I headed off to first period, a combat class, in a bad mood. I didn't like looking incompetent in front of Dimitri, and I'd really, really wanted to use one of those stakes. So in class I took out my annoyance on anyone I could punch or kick. By the end of class, no one wanted to spar with me. I'd accidentally hit Meredithone of the few other girls in my classso hard that she'd felt it through her shin padding. She was going to have an ugly bruise and kept looking at me as though I'd done it on purpose. I apologized to no avail. Afterward, Mason found me once again. â€Å"Oh, man,† he said, studying my face. â€Å"Who pissed you off?† I immediately launched into my tale of silver stake and heart woes. To my annoyance, he laughed. â€Å"How do you not know where the heart is? Especially considering how many of them you've broken?† I gave him the same ferocious look I'd given Dimitri. This time, it worked. Mason's face paled. â€Å"Belikov is a sick, evil man who should be thrown into a pit of rabid vipers for the great offense he committed against you this morning.† â€Å"Thank you.† I said primly. Then, I considered. â€Å"Can vipers be rabid?† â€Å"I don't see why not. Everything can be. I think.† He held the hallway door open for me. â€Å"Canadian geese might be worse than vipers, though.† I gave him a sidelong look. â€Å"Canadian geese are deadlier than vipers?† â€Å"You ever tried to feed those little bastards?† he asked, attempting seriousness and failing. â€Å"They're vicious. You get thrown to vipers, you die quickly. But the geese? That'll go on for days. More suffering.† â€Å"Wow. I don't know whether I should be impressed or frightened that you've thought about all this,† I remarked. â€Å"Just trying to find creative ways to avenge your honor, that's all.† â€Å"You just never struck me as the creative type, Mase.† We stood just outside our second-period classroom. Mason's expression was still light and joking, but there was a suggestive note in his voice when he spoke again. â€Å"Rose, when I'm around you, I think of all sorts of creative things to do.† I was still giggling about the vipers and abruptly stopped, staring at him in surprise. I'd always thought Mason was cute, but with that serious, smoky look in his eyes, it suddenly occurred to me for the first time that he was actually kind of sexy. â€Å"Oh, look at that,† he laughed, noticing how much he'd caught me off guard. â€Å"Rose gets rendered speechless. Ashford 1, Hathaway 0.† â€Å"Hey, I don't want to make you cry before the trip. It won't be any fun if I've already broken you before we even hit the slopes.† He laughed, and we stepped into the room. This was a class on bodyguard theory, one that took place in an actual classroom instead of the practice field. It was a nice break from all the physical exertion. Today, there were three guardians standing at the front who weren't from the school's regiment. Holiday visitors, I realized. Parents and their guardians had already started coming to campus to accompany their children to the ski resort. My interest was piqued immediately. One of the guests was a tall guy who looked like he was about a hundred years old but could still kick major ass. The other guy was about Dimitri's age. He had deeply tanned skin and was built well enough that a few of the girls in class looked ready to swoon. The last guardian was a woman. Her auburn hair was cropped and curly, and her brown eyes were currently narrowed in thought. As I've said, a lot of dhampir women choose to have children rather than follow the guardian path. Since I too was one of the few women in this profession, I was always excited to meet otherslike Tamara. Only, this wasn't Tamara. This was someone I'd known for years, someone who triggered anything but pride and excitement. Instead, I felt resentment. Resentment, anger, and burning outrage. The woman standing in front of the class was my mother.

A person career choice should be determined by his or her interest

Career choice is an important choice in our life. It may lead you success if you choose a right career, and it also may make you failure if you choose a wrong career. Even though most people think that career choice should not be determined by his or her interest, but I strongly agree that career choice must be determined by his or her interest because interest can lead his or her got a great motivation, and can develop strong sense of dedication. However, it is undeniable that a person choosing their career based on their interest is unrealistic. Interest can lead person got a high motivation. This is true because his or her got interest in their career, they will do whatever they can on their job without abandon. They will not complain or criticize their job when facing the problem, they only will try their best to find out the problem and solve it. Compare with whose do not have any interest in their career, they only will lazy, shirk responsibility and maybe will quit their job when facing problem. Having a high motivation can lead success in a person career. They may receive a merit from their employers or get promote to a higher level if employers realize they pay high commitment for the company. Another reason why a person career choice should be determined by his or her interest is because they can develop strong sense of dedication. If you are chose a job you’re interesting, you’re willing to dedicate yourself into the work. You’re willing to spend more time and energy to achieve the best result and outcome. For a person no interesting on their current work, they will loaf on the job and not willing to dedicate for the company. It may bring about they cannot get promote and having a block on their career. Some people think that a person choosing their career based on their interest is unrealistic. This is because majority of this type of job need to pay high commitment but having less in return. In this reality life, we must work for our life but not interest. However, I strongly disagree with all these views. If you are pay high commitment and fully dedicate into the work. You will be got high return in last. This maybe need wait for long time but the effort will never be wasted. It depends on how we are look upon the career choice. Having a job you’re interesting will be a wonderful thing on our life. In conclusion, career choice must be determined by his or her interest because interest can lead his or her get a high motivation, and can develop strong  sense of dedication. Therefore, we should have all positive views towards choose career based on their interest is a thing that may change our life to be more wonderful. What is more important, people must need to know what is their interest before his or her choosing their career. Having presented my arguments, I once again strongly agree on that ‘career choice must be determined by his or her interest’.

Software Piracy issues Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Software Piracy issues - Assignment Example Now a privacy policy covers the piracy aspect of software’s too, so if all the computer related work is done within the legal boundaries that have been set as a norm, all goes well for the organization and workflow is smooth. However when activities are not performed like this and limitations are crossed the repercussions are deadly (Wills, Globerman, & Booth, 1986). The unauthorized copying of computer software poses a significant threat to the computer industry. Despite progress being made in recent years to reduce software piracy the computer industry continues to face staggering losses worldwide worth millions. Managers need to be up to date with all the privacy policies or any sort of changes that have been made to software that are regularly used so that the company does not have to face lethal legal implications if software related boundaries are breached. Most software companies take serious action and implement strict fines on those organizations which do not care abo ut the results and continue to indulge in software policy breach and due to the increase in managerial ignorance. In these matters many hardworking people have to face hard punishments because of the apathy of certain individuals. Managers need to ensure that all employees are fully aware of all software policies and in case anyone has any doubts they need to clear them out beforehand, so that if an irregular step is taken the trouble can be fixed before it escalates out of proportion (OECD, 2002). What Are the Opportunities of Software Piracy? In the cyber world that we know today, software piracy is a serious crime yet a huge portion of computer users still pirate computer software on a daily basis. This can sometimes be used to the advantage of various types of companies. The companies that deal with logo designs and graphical work need software that is quite expensive and difficult to attain. If pirated that software can be used for free without any worries at all and can increa se productivity ten folds, not saying that is the right thing to do, but since everyone is in it to save money one way or another, this certainly helps aid that cause (Honick, 2005). Now since the beginning of the internet and information becoming publicly available at such a fast pace, a pace that was never seen before, some people have debated time and time about all the information available on the internet to be available to people for free without any charge at all. Because of the single factor that knowledge should be free for all they stand hard and fast by their rules against corporations that sell their software and since they cannot win wars against them in the courts of law or cannot challenge these Goliath companies because they simply cannot afford to. They develop their own software’s which have the same or more features as compared to these big corporations. Some of these free software’s are the operating system called LINUX or Ubuntu and Open Office whi ch are replacements for Windows and Microsoft Word respectively. Even though all the software that Microsoft produces can be pirated and used without abundance, legal licenses have and must be obtained if these are to be used in a business and this is where piracy comes in handy (Khosrow-Pour, 2000). Outline Thesis: The Importance for Managers to Be Aware Of Software Policies a. Managers should be

Cross-cultural barriers in marketing Article critique

Cross-cultural barriers in marketing critique - Article Example marketing I think the most affected part is communication and business leaders need to be prepared to deal with communication in cross cultural marketing (Burnett 1991). The research objectives include finding out what we know on cross-cultural marketing. What are the cultural differences that are barriers to marketing? The article by Simona Popovici is on what we know about cross-cultural marketing. The author focuses on the issues in cross-cultural marketing. He notes that the markets are influenced by cultures and traditions that tend to act as barriers to marketing (Popovici, 2011). The article is valid since the claims that the author has made are reasonable in the theoretical context. When the author claims that different communities have different habits and traditions that form their culture he is right (Pozehl 2014). In the society there is always what guides the people and this is what forms the culture. It is also true that in the business world, the businesses get offers from different communities and thus they have to interact with different cultures. The article stands up to scrutiny because the evidence used shows that the information given is relevant. There is no argument against the findings that the author has discussed (Navarro 2014). The study has been carried out from different cultural borders that have different experiences in marketing. The data that has been used is up to date because the author has used recent works from different researchers who have studied cross-cultural marketing. He has used other well-known researchers to support hi s ideas and findings (Bider 2009). The evidence measures the theoretical concepts that are being analyzed (Bala 2013). The theoretical concepts being analyzed in the article include the barriers that are faced in cross- cultural marketing. The article starts by reviewing the implementation of cross-cultural marketing and analyses the barriers that are faced in implementation (Bollen 2011). The author

Foreign Exchange Risk Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Foreign Exchange Risk - Case Study Example Another option to mitigate foreign exchange risk is the adaptation of foreign exchange services from a foreign currency exchange specialist. These specialists include the Canadian Forex and local banks in Canada. These experts will help reduce the risks associated with frequent transfers from Canadian dollars to the US dollar. This is done by entering into Canadian dollars earlier, and banks will only convert it during the payment period, so there will be no risk. The final and recommended option for mitigating risks is the purchase of foreign exchange contracts. In this case, Alliance will pay more cash than required to cover the costs of mitigation. This will cover any risk that may occur between the time when the money was deposited and the time of payment for the equipment to the supplier. For example, the price of equipment is $ 500,000, when the exchange rate is C $ 1.00 = U S 1.00. If the Alliance does not use the forward exchange contract and the payment time occurs when the exchange rate has moved by C $ 1.00 = 0.95 US dollars, then the Alliance will have to pay 526315 as the final price. This is $ 26,315 more than the original amount. But when the Alliance decides to buy a forward foreign exchange contract and which they decide with the bank to be one percent of the amount of Equipment, then the Alliance will have to pay 505,000. Therefore, the design concepts of the alliance will not worry about fluctuations in the exchange rate. They will save more than 21,000 US dollars.

Horizon Human Services Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Horizon Human Services - Essay Example So far it relates to funds for services in the areas of housing, they receive assistance from â€Å"US Department of Housing, Urban Development and the Arizona Department of Housing† (Community Housing, 2013). In addition, they also accept donations from the public as well as corporate entities. How Does the System Serve and the Services they Offer: Any person intending to avail the services of Horizon Human Services can call their office for an appointment with a screening specialist and once screening is completed, he or she will be sent to the intake specialist who will assess the individual and provide initial counseling to â€Å"help address the reason† for which services have been sought (Getting Started, 2013). People who seek services will have to produce their ID document, proof of income, social security, and any documents relating the problem they wish to address with the help of the organization. Major services, as per information on the â€Å"services† section of their site, include: Adult Residential Services: It is a program for mentally ill or substance abusing adults, by providing â€Å"clean and tidy† therapeutic â€Å"environment,† as envisaged in quality social work practices, which is free of substances (Malley & Fernandez, 2010, p.561). Community Based Services: This is also a program targeted to mentally ill, within the community to help them cope with the problem. The services include counseling and monitoring of medication apart from a variety of other services that the patient requires from time to time. Domestic Violence Services: This program extends assistance to victims of domestic violence and includes services such as counseling, transportation, case management, referral services, advocacy etc. Habitation Services: It envisages habitation of individuals with developmental disabilities in collaboration with other agencies and includes a variety of services. Horizon House: Services under this prog ram comprise vocational services, extending support for housing, counseling, and integrating the affected into the community. Psychiatric Services: Horizon provides a wide range of psychiatric services including diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring as well as planning treatment etc. In addition, they also provide outpatient and residential substance abuse treatment. DUI Services: Horizon also provides DUI clinical and educational services and facilitates DUI treatment after assessment and evaluation. Community Housing: This consists of the provision of housing for those in dire need and certified as homeless â€Å"under HUD guidelines† or substance abusers apart from helping people in securing housing assistance and â€Å"identifying available units† (Community Housing, 2013). In addition to the above services, Horizon also provides a wide range of other assistance, the details of which are available on their site under the link ‘services’ which is accessible to all members of the public. Accessibility to Services/Eligibility Requirements: The organization has different criteria for determining the eligibility conditions for the services being rendered by them. As befitting the objectives of social work

Strategic Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 4

Strategic Management - Essay Example This report analyses the industry as well as the company with the help of the various strategic tools like the SWOT Analysis, PEST, Porter’s Five Forces, Porter’s Generic Strategies as well as the Ansoff Matrix. These would provide an insight to the feasible strategic alternatives that are available to the company which would help the company survive in the long-run. Contents Contents 2 Introduction 4 Strategic review 5 Industry Competition 10 Suppliers 11 Buyers 11 New Entrants 11 Substitutes 11 The Generic Strategies 12 Conclusion and Strategic Options 13 Introduction Hutchison Whampoa Limited is a group of companies that has a number of operations across different countries of the world. The company is highly committed to the development of technology and innovation. The brand has international presence in almost 52 countries of the world. 260000 people comprise the human resource strength of the organisation. The company has a customer base of 23.5 million as on 201 2 which is experiencing and upward trend since its inception. The company is listed in the Hong Kong stock exchange and has a high market capitalisation. The six main areas where the company’s businesses are specialised are the telecommunications, infrastructure, property and hotels, ports and related services, retail as well as energy. In order to carry out the different businesses the company has to maintain proper business relations with the suppliers and the various dealers. The company strives to maintain a multicultural environment and therefore there is a wide range of mix in the human resources that drive the company towards its goals. The aim of the company is to maintain a very high standard of corporate governance which would ensure accountability and transparency in the process in which the work is carried out. These attitude and work cultures have won the company various accolades and honours. The vision of Hutchison Whampoa Limited is the attainment and maintena nce of the highest standard in the corporate governance which would suit the interests and the necessities of the company. At the same time the interests of the subsidiaries also have to be taken care of. Sound corporate governance would ensure that the equity holders of the company are getting the right value for the money that they have invested into the company. The company should strive at enhancing the interest of all the stakeholders of the company. The mission of Hutchison is to attain these agenda by ensuring that all the corporate governance principles have been applied. The board of directors should be of good quality who would exercise internal control in the most effective manner. The disclosure practices of the company should be carried out in the most stringent manner. The company should adhere to its values of maintaining transparency in the corporate practices which results from the accountability of Hutchison to its shareholders. The goal of the company is to improv e these practices in the most efficient manner. The company also intends to maintain a sustainable communities and business for a long run. Strategic review Hutchison Whampoa Limited operates in six different sectors which include telecommunication, energy, infrastructure, retail, ports and properties as well as financial services

The evaluation of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Coursework

The evaluation of Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust - Coursework Example Using post-investigation developments, this essay will attempt to draw lessons from this experience in the light of strategic business management principles in health care. The Trust Case MSNHSFT provides healthcare for 300,000 residents and targeted to deliver high level and culture of care by following regulations and aiding its staff to perform their duties responsibly and accountability. However, the last four years proved the institution’s failure to exhibit these themes and the increasing death toll of patients was appalling. A full independent investigation of MSNHSFT was done to hear, review, appraise and evaluate the capacity of administrators and its human resource about poor professional services, how it negatively impact to patients and eroded the institution’s credibility (Francis, 2010). Investigating team were mandated to look into the culture, systems, processes, or the general performance of management to understand how it miserably failed to meet the e xpectation of excellent service. The investigation gathered 966 persons and 82 staff of the Trust as respondents. Such encouraged review of the Department of Health (DoH) too and periodic monitoring since then. Recommendations were thereafter formulated for immediate actions (Francis, 2010 & Care Quality Commission, 2010). Investigation and recommendations The investigation covered reports relating to diagnoses and medication, health and sanitation, patients’ care and management, safety and risk mitigation in its facilities, nutrition and patients diet, cleanliness and infection prevention, reporting and documentation, as well as on its flow of communication (Francis, 2010 & CQC, N. and Care Quality Commission, 2010). The investigation’s results summarily pointed: failure in operations management, failures in business processes and failure in customer/patient handling aspects. a. Failures in Operations management—is illustrated with issues on (a) administrationà ¢â‚¬â„¢s so much focus on processes but not on outcomes; (b) gaps between management and staff which resulted to the latter’s exclusion in management; and (c) negligence to increasing figure of mortality rate of patients (Francis, 2010 & CQC, N. and Care Quality Commission, 2010). b. Failures in Business processes -- The institution failed to maintain professional standard in the absence of genuine performance appraisal, supervision assessment and professional development. MSNHSFT has weak management decisions and was not transparent on its accountability. It also relied on false guarantees from external assessments. (Francis, 2010 & and Care Quality Commission, 2010). c. Failures in Customer/patient handling aspects—The hospital staff failed to maintain professional standard as depicted in their (a) inability to fully listen diligently to patients’ complaints; (b) failure to respond to challenges on geriatrics care; and (c) absence of concern to increasing stat istics of patients’ who died while under care (Francis, 2010 & Care Quality Commission, 2010). Considering all of these problems, the investigating team and the DoH made 18 recommendations, on top of which is for the Secretary of Health to consider asking the Monitor to enforce its de-authorization over MSNHSFT, or if it will be sustained of its operation, to enforce professional standard managing this hospital foremost. Recommendations also demanded from the institution to live out professional leadership