Both Dr Faustus and the pardoner share an obsessive greed Essay

Both Dr Faustus and the pardoner share an obsessive greed. For Faustus we are fascinated by his greed to rival God in terms of power and knowledge, but repelled by his methods in which to pursue this, which leads him to sell his soul to the devil. Why would one go to such lengths to have his â€Å"most desires[†¦ ]of power, of honour, of omnipotence†, it is this fact that repels us from Faustus as his methods are immoral. But we are fascinated by the disastrous effects it has upon Faustus, inevitably leading him to Hell, moreover, within the 24 years that he had to fulfil his desires, he doesn’t do the extravagant things he claimed he was going to do such as to â€Å"fill the public schools with silk† or â€Å"ransack the ocean for orient pearl†, highlighting that pursuing greed inevitably leads to a person’s demise. The same can be said in the Pardoner’s tale, in which three peasants find an old man who they mistake for death in which he leads them to a true where they find gold. There obsession can be easily connected to human nature which undermines our fascination to their situation, because it could happen to anyone. It’s common to want to be superior in wealth to others, competition drives advancements, so in that respect, we are not fascinated by the Pardoner’s tale. Another viewpoint would be that we are fascinated by the Pardoner’s tale because we can easily connect to it, the same being for Faustus. Furthermore, the Pardoner himself is a fascinating character because of his blatant contradiction. He openly tells the pilgrims that he sells â€Å"relikes† made of â€Å"cloutes and of bones†, rags and bones in which he deceives people to buy them. But the message of the tale is that the obsession of money leads to death, however the pardoner openly admits his obsession of money. Faustus is obsessed with knowledge. He would stop at nothing to gain all the knowledge in the world which is why he becomes depressed when Mephastophilis only presents him with one book which has the answers to his questions, â€Å"O thou art deceived†. Because Faustus is so fixated on acquiring all the knowledge there is to know, he doesn’t expect it to be all in one book. This repels us from Faustus because to acquire this knowledge he goes to extreme lengths, in this instance, selling his soul to the devil for 24 years. When the story was first published in 1604, the audience would of definiately been repelled by this because selling ones soul to the devil would be of been a serious sin. Modern interpretations would be more liberal to the fact that Faustus sells his soul, but in a country where around 80% are Christian, a modern day audience would still be repelled and deem it immoral to go to such extreme lengths. What fascinates us about Faustus is his greed to rival that of God, not the methods he does to acquire this, but the fact that he has this desire. He openly challenges God, yet openly praises God and heaven, â€Å"when I behold the heavens, then I repent[.. ]thou hast deprived me of those joys†. There is a constant battle with Faustus between his obsession with power and his religious beliefs. He wants to â€Å"go forward† in terms of knowledge but to an extent where he becomes isolated from God because he is so driven by his obsession. Christopher Marlowe highlights that following greed will inevitably lead to downfall and Faustus’s downfall was being too obsessed with power and knowledge which lead him to sell his soul in desperation for this. Also, for the 24 years that he had before his soul would be taken he could have fulfilled his desires, instead performing petty illusions for the emperor calling him â€Å"my gracious lord†, highlighting that even with immense power he still follows the social rules of life. Which in effect show the limits of man, as with so much power, Faustus is still limited to the restrictions of his mind. Also, being obsessed with greed will lead ultimately lead to failure, Faustus is blinded by short term gains, not taking into account long term implications, â€Å"do give both body and soul to Lucifer†, he sells his soul to the devil which is for eternity, not realising this, only to please himself for 24 years. The same can be said in the Pardoner’s tale, in which the peasants become obsessed with money when â€Å"they founde of florins fine of gold†. Earlier in the Pardoner’s tale, the Pardoner states that â€Å"Radix malorum est Cupiditas† – Love of money is the root of all evil. Foreshadowing grave consequences for the peasants who find the gold, in which their obsession for the gold leads them to kill eachother off, even forgetting their oath of becoming brother, â€Å"and ech of us bicomen others brother†. When blinded by greed, the three peasants only think about themselves, which highlights the damaging effects of an obsession for wealth. It’s our basic instinct to want to be better than others and the peasants are exhibiting this behaviour. Because it’s common for people to want to be wealthier than others, the message is not unique which undermines our fascination with the story. However the person telling the story is fascinating because he openly contradicts himself, he proudly tells of his schemes to exploit poor people’s fears for money which evidently works as he makes â€Å"an hundred mark†. Why he tells of his exploitative ways is fascinating, because he openly tells the other pilgrims without fear, but as seen, the bartender finds his methods bitter, â€Å"thou woldest make me kisse thyn olde breech, and swere it were a relik of a seint†, the host points out that the Pardoner would sell his old underpants and claim it to be a relic which is why we’re repelled by the Pardoner because his methods of acquiring such wealth is deemed wrong, even as a modern interpretation.

Golden Ratio in the Human Body

THE GOLDEN RATIO IN THE HUMAN BODY GABRIELLE NAHAS IBDP MATH STUDIES THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd 2012 WORD COUNT: 2,839 INTRODUCTION: The Golden Ratio, also known as The Divine Proportion, The Golden Mean, or Phi, is a constant that can be seen all throughout the mathematical world. This irrational number, Phi (? ) is equal to 1. 618 when rounded. It is described as â€Å"dividing a line in the extreme and mean ratio†. This means that when you divide segments of a line that always have a same quotient. When lines like these are divided, Phi is the quotient: When the black line is 1. 18 (Phi) times larger than the blue line and the blue line is 1. 618 times larger than the red line, you are able to find Phi. What makes Phi such a mathematical phenomenon is how often it can be found in many different places and situations all over the world. It is seen in architecture, nature, Fibonacci numbers, and even more amazingly,the human body. Fibonacci Numbers have proven to be closely rela ted to the Golden Ratio. They are a series of numbers discovered by Leonardo Fibonacci in 1175AD. In the Fibonacci Series, every number is the sum of the two before it.The term number is known as ‘n’. The first term is ‘Un’ so, in order to find the next term in the sequence, the last two Un and Un+1 are added. (Knott). Formula: Un + Un+1 = Un+2 Example: The second term (U2) is 1; the third term (U3) is 2. The fourth term is going to be 1+2, making U3 equal 3. Fibonacci Series: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144†¦ When each term in the Fibonacci Series is divided by the term before it, the quotient is Phi, with the exception of the first 9 terms, which are still very close to equaling Phi. Term (n)| First Term Un| SecondTerm Un+1| Second Term/First Term (Un+1 /Un)| 1| 0| 1| n/a| 2| 1| 1| 1| 3| 1| 2| 2| 4| 2| 3| 1. 5| 5| 3| 5| 1. 667| 6| 5| 8| 1. 6| 7| 8| 13| 1. 625| 8| 13| 21| 1. 615| 9| 21| 34| 1. 619| 10| 34| 55| 1. 618| 11| 55| 89| 1. 618| 12| 89| 144| 1. 618| Lines that follow the Fibonacci Series are found all over the world and are lines that can be divided to find Phi. One interesting place they are found is in the human body. Many examples of Phi can be seen in the hands, face and body. For example, when the length of a person’s forearm is divided by the length of that person’s hand, the quotient is Phi.The distance from a person’s head to their fingertips divided by the distance from that person’s head to their elbows equals Phi. (Jovanovic). Because Phi is found in so many natural places, it is called the Divine ratio. It can be tested in a number of ways, and has been by various scientists and mathematicians. I have chosen to investigate the Phi constant and its appearance in the human body, to find the ratio in different sized people and see if my results match what is expected. The aim of this investigation is to find examples of the number 1. 618 in different people and investiga te other places where Phi is found.Three ratios will be compared. The ratios investigated are the ratio of head to toe and head to fingertips, the ratio of the lowest section of the index finger to the middle section of the index finger, and the ratio of forearm to hand. FIGURE 1 FIGURE 2 FIGURE 3 The first ratio is the white line in the to the light blue line in FIGURE 1 The second ratio is the ratio of the black line to the blue line in FIGURE 2 The third ratio is the ratio of the light blue line to the dark blue line in FIGURE 3 METHOD: DESIGN: Specific body parts of people of different ages and genders were measured in centimeters.Five people were measured and each participant had these parts measured: * Distance from head to foot * Distance from head to fingertips * Length of lowest section of index finger * Length of middle section of index finger * Distance from elbow to fingertips * Distance from wrist to fingertips The ratios were found, to see how close their quotients are to Phi (1. 618). Then the percentage difference was found for each result. PARTICIPANTS: The people were of different ages and genders. For variety, a 4-year-old female, 8-year-old male, 18-year-old female, 18-year-old male and a 45-year-old male were measured.All of the measurements are in this investigation with the ratios found and how close they are to the constant Phi are analyzed. The results were put into tables by each set of measurements and the ratios were found. DATA: | Participant Measurement ( ± 0. 5 cm)| Measurement| 4/female| 8/male| 18/female| 18/male| 45/male| Distance from head to foot| 105. 5| 124. 5| 167| 180| 185| Distance from head to fingertips| 72. 5| 84| 97| 110| 115| Length of lowest section of index finger| 2| 3| 3| 3| 3| Length of middle section of index finger| 1. 2| 2| 2. 5| 2| 2| Distance from elbow to fingertips| 27| 30| 40| 48| 50|Distance from wrist to fingertips| 15| 18. 5| 25| 28| 31| RATIO 1: RATIO OF HEAD TO TOE AND HEAD TO FINGERTIPS Measure ments Participant| Distance from head to foot ( ±0. 5 cm)| Distance from head to fingertips ( ±0. 5 cm)| 4-year-old female| 105. 5| 72. 5| 8-year-old male| 124. 5| 85| 18-year-old female| 167| 97| 18-year-male| 180| 110| 45-year-old male| 185| 115| Ratios: These are the original quotients that were found from the measurements. According to the Golden Ratio, the expected quotients will all equal Phi (1. 618). Distance from head to footDistance from head to fingertips 1. 4-year-old female: 105.  ±0. 5 cm/ 72. 5 ±0. 5 cm = 1. 455  ± 1. 2% 2. 8-year-old male: 124. 5 ±0. 5 cm/ 85 ±0. 5 cm = 1. 465  ± 1. 0% 3. 18-year-old female: 167 ±0. 5 cm/ 97 ±0. 5 cm = 1. 722  ± 5. 2% 4. 18-year-old male: 180 ±0. 5 cm/ 110 ±0. 5 cm = 1. 636  ± 1. 0% 5. 45-year-old male: 185 ±0. 5 cm/ 115 ±0. 5 cm = 1. 609  ± 0. 7% How close each result is to Phi: This shows the difference between the actual quotient, what was measured, and the expected quotient (1. 618). This is foun d by subtracting the actual quotient from Phi and using the absolute value to get the difference so it does not give a negative answer. |1. 18-Actual Quotient|=difference between result and Phi The difference between each quotient and 1. 618: 1. 4-year-old female: |1. 618- 1. 455  ± 1. 2%| = 0. 163  ± 1. 2% 2. 8-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 465  ± 1. 0%| = 0. 153  ± 1. 0% 3. 18-year-old female: |1. 618- 1. 722  ± 5. 2%| = 0. 1  ± 5. 2% 4. 18-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 636  ± 1. 0%| = 0. 018 5. 45-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 609  ± 0. 7%| = 0. 009 Percentage Error: To find how close the results are to the expected value of Phi, percentage error can be used. Percentage error is how close experimental results are to expected results.Percentage error is found by dividing the difference between each quotient and Phi by Phi (1. 618) and multiplying that result by 100. This gives you the difference of the actual quotient to the expected quotient, Phi, in a percentage. (Roberts ) Difference1. 618 x100=Percentage difference between result and Phi 1. 4-year-old female: 0. 163  ± 1. 2%/1. 618 x 100 = 10. 1  ± 0. 12% 2. 8-year-old male: 0. 153  ± 1. 0%/1. 618 x 100 = 9. 46  ± 0. 09% 3. 18-year-old female: 0. 1 ± 5. 2% /1. 618 x 100 = 6. 18  ± 0. 3% 4. 18-year-old male: 0. 018/1. 618 x 100 = 1. 11% 5. 45-year-old male: 0. 009/1. 618 x 100 = 0. 5% AVERAGE: 10. 1  ± 0. 12% + 9. 46  ± 0. 09% + 6. 18  ± 0. 3% + 1. 11% + 0. 55% / 5 = 5. 48  ± 0. 5% ANALYSIS: The highest percentage error, the percent difference between the result and Phi, is 10. 1  ± 0. 12%. This is a small percentage error, and means that all but one of the ratios was more than 90% accurate. This is a good example of the Golden Ratio in the human body because all the values are close to Phi. Also, as the age of the participants increases, the percentage error decreases, so as people get older, the ratio of their head to feet to the ratio of their head to fingertips gets closer to PhiRATIO 2: RATIO OF THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE INDEX FINGER TO THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE INDEX FINGER Measurements Participant| Length of lowest section of index finger ( ±0. 5 cm)| Length of middle section of index finger ( ±0. 5 cm)| 4 year old female| 2| 1| 8 year old male| 3| 2| 18 year old female| 3| 2. 5| 18 year male| 3| 2| 35 year old male| 3| 2| Ratios: Length of lowest section of index finger Length of middle section of index finger 1. 4-year-old female: 2  ± 0. 5 cm/ 1  ± 0. 5 cm = 2  ± 75% 2. 8-year-old male: 3  ± 0. 5 cm/ 2  ± 0. 5 cm = 1. 5  ± 42% 3. 18-year-old female: 3  ± 0. 5 cm/ 2.  ± 0. 5 cm = 1. 2  ± 37% 4. 18-year-old male: 3  ± 0. 5 cm/ 2  ± 0. 5 cm = 1. 5  ± 42% 5. 45-year-old male: 3  ± 0. 5 cm/ 2  ± 0. 5 cm = 1. 5  ± 42% How close each result is to Phi: |1. 618-Actual Quotient|=difference between result and Phi The difference between each quotient and 1. 618: 1. 4-year-old female: |1. 618- 2  ± 75%| = 0. 382  ± 75% 2 . 8-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 5  ± 42%| = 0. 118  ± 42% 3. 18-year-old female: |1. 618- 1. 2  ± 37%| = 0. 418  ± 37% 4. 18-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 5  ± 42%| = 0. 118  ± 42% 5. 45-year-old male: |1. 618- 1. 5  ± 42%| = 0. 118  ± 42% Percentage Error: Difference1. 18 x100=Percentage difference between result and Phi 1. 4-year-old female: 0. 382  ± 75%/1. 618 x 100 = 23. 6  ± 17. 7% 2. 8-year-old male: 0. 118  ± 42%/1. 618 x 100 = 7. 3  ± 3. 1% 3. 18-year-old female: 0. 418  ± 37%/1. 618 x 100 = 25. 8  ± 9. 5% 4. 18-year-old male: 0. 118  ± 42%/1. 618 x 100 = 7. 3  ± 3. 1% 5. 45-year-old male: 0. 118  ± 42%/1. 618 x 100 = 7. 3  ± 3. 1% AVERAGE: 23. 6 ±17. 7% + 7. 3  ±3. 1% + 25. 8  ±9. 5% + 7. 3  ±3. 1% + 7. 3  ±3. 1%/5= 14. 3  ± 36. 5% ANALYSIS: With this ratio, 3 of the results come out with a

Better Major: Computer Science or Software Engineering?

Technology powers our world and is deeply embedded into nearly every facet of our lives. The prospect of working with computers as a career is becoming increasingly popular with high school and college students; the number of computer science majors is rising every year, and even younger students are getting involved with programming and building computer hardware. There’s a good reason for this rise in interest. Demand is high for qualified employees in technology fields , and some of those positions offer particularly high pay and other perks. Someone has to invent, build, and maintain all that technology we use on a regular basis, and in the future, you might be the one filling that role. If you’re interested in pursuing a college major involving computers, however, you might be confused by the variety of different programs with different names that are available at colleges across the United States. Mainly, you’ll find a difference drawn between programs that go by the name â€Å"computer science,† and those that are called â€Å"computer engineering† or similar names. As a high school student with minimal experience in the field, you’re likely wondering what distinguishes these two fields, and which major it’s better to pursue. Read on for ’s take on this popular field and its variations. Variations exist in how different colleges and organizations use these terms, so it’s always a good idea to research what a particular major involves at a particular school. You might also find additional variations on this theme; MIT, for example, offers four different undergraduate majors that include computer science. Variations aside, however, here’s how computer science and computer engineering are generally used as specific titles for undergraduate majors. In some contexts, computer science can be used as an umbrella term that covers many different intellectual and academic endeavors related to computers. When it’s used as a specific field, computer science is typically more theoretical than computer engineering. It addresses the ways in which computers think on a fundamental level, requiring you to get to the root of how technology solves problems and meets human needs. If you want to study computer science, you’re going to have to take a lot of math courses — you might be surprised at the amount of overlap between the two fields. Your math studies will be higher-level and more abstract than what’s covered in typical high school math classes. An undergraduate computer science degree can qualify you to become a programmer or software developer, which is a job you can perform in almost any field, from healthcare to government to cutting-edge technology. Eventually, some positions or career paths may require you to get a master’s degree, but even with a bachelor’s degree alone, your career and income prospects are strong. You’re more likely to find computer science as an option at a wide range of top-tier colleges than computer engineering. For example, all the schools in the Ivy League offer majors in computer science, but not all offer the ability to specifically major in computer engineering. Computer engineering is generally considered to be a more practical, less theoretical major than computer science. While you’ll still need to build a strong math background, if you study computer engineering, you’ll spend more time working with actual computer hardware and focusing on practical, hands-on skills for working with technology and solving real-world technical problems. Some computer engineering programs are specifically intended to teach you what you’ll need to know for a career as an information technology professional. IT professionals work in every industry to administer and maintain computer networks, manage an organization’s computer resources, and troubleshoot everyday computer issues. Generally, computer engineering programs fall under a university’s engineering department, and may be grouped with electrical engineering. You’re more likely to find computer engineering (or a similar title) available as a major at engineering-heavy colleges and institutes of technology, or at public colleges that offer a particularly long list of majors. Check with your college for more information. There’s no definitive answer as to whether computer science or computer engineering is the better major. Each has its pros and cons, and each approaches the subject of computer technology in a different way. Each major will prepare you for a slightly different career path, but neither path is â€Å"better.† Practically speaking, you’re likely to find a lot of overlap between these two majors when it comes to what you’ll study. The basics of programming will be the same, and though computer engineering tends to involve somewhat less theoretical math, you’ll still need to build a strong understanding of how the subject relates to technology and programming. Desirable companies like Google are notorious for including difficult, math-heavy programming tasks in their hiring process, even if you won’t have to do that kind of problem-solving on a daily basis in that position. At the same time, practical skills in working with computers are always beneficial when you’re planning to go into a technical field. Rather than asking which of these majors is â€Å"better,† ask which of these majors appears to be the better fit for you — your needs, your talents, and your career plans. If one of these approaches to technology is particularly appealing to you, gives you opportunities to use your talents in a satisfying way, and allows you to achieve your personal goals for your adult life, it’s likely the better choice for you as an individual. Finally, your choice between computer science and computer engineering as undergraduate majors may be less important than your overall choice of college. Choosing a college that’s a good fit for you across the board is tremendously important, and the presence of your preferred major may not outweigh the absence of other features you find important. If you’re worried about your future career prospects, keep in mind that many jobs aren’t tied to one particular college major, and you’ll have time to amass work experience and other qualifications that are equally important. Also, remember that if you attend a competitive and well-regarded college (especially in the field of technology), having that recognizable name on your diploma will reflect well upon you, regardless of the specific name of your major. You’ll also need to take into account the differences between specific computer-related undergraduate programs at specific colleges. Not all computer science or computer engineering programs are the same, and while a certain type of program might seem preferable for you in general, there may well be exceptions. (For example, you might be especially excited to work with a certain professor, and that might influence your college choice.) Besides the importance of fit, you’ll need to consider that your future plans may change after you arrive at college. This is incredibly common — multiple studies have shown that a strong majority of students, perhaps as much as 80%, change their major at least once. If you choose a school that’s an all-around solid match to you, you’ll be better equipped to handle these future changes if they come to pass. Estimating your chance of getting into a college is not easy in today’s competitive environment. Thankfully, with our state-of-the-art software and data, we can analyze your academic and extracurricular profile and estimate your chances. Our profile analysis tool can also help you identify the improvement you need to make to enter your dream school. You won’t always have a choice between computer science and computer engineering at a given college; many colleges only offer one or the other. However, as you incorporate your preferences regarding your major into your college choices, it’s wise to think about which path is a better fit. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help assess whether computer science or computer engineering is a better choice for you, generally speaking: Again, there’s a lot more to choosing a college than whether the school offers the best possible major for you. Don’t focus too much on your major — it will only be one facet of your college experience and preparation for the working world, and it may very well change later on. Make sure you do your research about what else each college has to offer, inside and outside the classroom. Teaching style, campus facilities, financial aid availability, and the general â€Å"feel† of the campus are all important factors. Visiting the school is a good idea if it’s possible for you to do so, and talking to current and former students provides valuable personal perspectives. Technology is a burgeoning industry, and many high school students today are interested in building a strong background in the computer field. If you’re one of these students, it pays to get started early in exploring this field. Check out these posts from the blog for more information about options you might find interesting: Looking for more help navigating the often-confusing world of college admissions? ’s experienced advisors are here to help you with every aspect of the process. We can even match you up with a current college student who’s interested in computers and can offer specialized advice.

The Shawshank Redemption and its Relation to Greek Mythology Term Paper

The Shawshank Redemption and its Relation to Greek Mythology - Term Paper Example Narrated by an older prisoner named Red, the film gives its viewer information about Andy primarily through the external perspective Red provides, and Red sees in Andy many reasons to pay close attention. Red’s way of telling Andy’s story is one of the first attributes of the film to hint at the possibility that Andy is a larger than life character of potentially mythic—and heroic—proportion. Since the film is set in the 1940s, the viewer instantly recognizes differences in the legal system as well as the treatment of prisoners from how those things are today. This remove from contemporary times serves to emphasize the mythical atmosphere of the film, so the viewer more readily accepts the ideas set forth. We quickly identify Andy as a person of uncommon qualities. Although he comes from a middle class background and has no prior criminal record, he maintains his composure during his transition into prison and his first overnight. As the more experienced inmates make bets about who will cry during their first night in prison, some put their money on Andy. They are disappointed to find that not only is he not the first to cry, but he does not make any sound at all. As soon as Andy arrives at the prison, he is subjected to cruelty, abuse, and even torture. Although he fights against the prisoners who torment him, he is outnumbered by them and can not protect himself. From this early point in the film, one can identify the features of the mythological hero in Andy. According to Campbell, the hero often finds himself in a world that suffers from a â€Å"symbolic deficiency,† and feels compelled to set it right (30). The deficiency can be spiritual, as in a fallen world, or it can be physical, as in a world of ruins (Campbell 30). It is undeniable that the world Andy descends into when he arrives at the prison is deficient. He has to pull a maggot out of his food during one of his first meals, he suffers physical abuse from prisoners and guards alike, and above all else he is serving a prison sentence for a crime he did not commit. Considering this, it seems his prison world’s deficiency is merely an extension of the greater societyâ €™s depravity. Despite the phenomenal abuse, Andy’s mind remains solvent and he maintains his ability to plan and strategize. When he overhears one of the prison guards, Captain Hadley, complaining about the money he is going to lose to taxes, Andy seizes the opportunity. Although it is an immense risk, he presents Hadley with financial advice that eventually results in the exchange of Andy’s financial services for goods provided by Captain Hadley. Andy does not ask Hadley for something for himself, but instead requests cold beers for all his workmates that were with him that day, a seemingly selfless action. This kind of selflessness and largesse is evident also in the actions of the hero figure in mythology. Wright describes mythological heroes as people who â€Å"through extraordinary actions, save the group, change the world,† and commit other meaningful acts (146). For example, Heracles of Greek mythology possessed incredible physical strength that gave him the power to change things in his environment for the better (Grimal 185). He defeated a beast that was causing problems for herders, and killed the Stymphalian birds that were destroying Arcadian crops (Grimal 187). Heracles used his physical abilities to engage in these selfless, world changing actions. Though Andy did not slay beasts in prison, he did devote energy toward significant and world changing activities. Buying beers for his friends was not the limit of Andy’s meaningful acts. Not long after he made the request for

The Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility Concept Assignment

The Principles of Corporate Social Responsibility Concept - Assignment Example Currently, it has become a focus for many companies due to its continuing commitment to help businesses contribute to economic development by being responsible to their respective stakeholders (Hancock, 2005, 12). The greater part of the CSR has helped manage or improve environmental and social impacts of the company. The increased use of CSR has encouraged the corporate sector to be more environmentally and socially responsible particularly at a time when the crisis has damaged consumer’s level of trust in the operations of the company. This coupled with the rise in transparency and social media has facilitated companies to begin taking CSR more seriously in order to help reduce their environmental impacts (Louche et al, 2010, 209). Corporate social responsibility has helped enterprises to contribute to the highly competitive social market economy and sustainable development. Responsible business conduct has helped many private sector operators to provide public services. For instance, they have provided employment opportunities, social amenities as well as sustainable, smart and inclusive growth (Mullerat & Brennan, 2011, 29).   CSR has facilitated engagement with both external and internal stakeholders thus enabling businesses to take advantage of societal fast-changing expectations as well as operating conditions. The enterprises have acted as drivers for the emergence of other markets and the development of real opportunities for growth. Companies normally commit responsible investment in various sectors of the economy to enhance the social welfare of their stakeholders. This results in economic growth thus improving the living standards of the stakeholders (Mullerat & Brennan, 2011, 89). Corporate social responsibility planning has come to the forefront for major companies’ future growth opportunities. Their increased investment in CSR initiatives, for instance, environmental initiative, has been very attractive in inducing economic stimulus of a country while at the same  time achieving solid CRS goals.

Strategic Management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Strategic Management - Assignment Example Its manufacturing division has 42 food plants and it operates in over 750 stores directly or through subsidiaries (Kroger, 2011). Vision, Mission & Values of Kroger The Kroger Co., one of the leaders in the retail industry has a strong vision and mission statement with people being the first priority in its business. The vision statement of the company should be ‘It’s all for the people’. The company’s main focus is serving the customer, the people of the society with different types of supports for the community. The core value for the firm is to do business with honesty and telling the truth to the associates and customers. With its integration of a mix cultured people in the workplace the company respect the values and opinions off all its employees (Kroger, 2011). To be the leader in the retail industry with its variety of services The Kroger Co. is also involved in social community activities because they believe that it’s the people for whom th ey work so they must respect and care for the community. Every year the company invests on hundreds of communities for various social causes for the betterment of the society. In the past 3 years the total investment is around $8 million in the areas of education, diversity, community needs, women’s health and fight against hunger campaigns. Kroger understands its importance as it is also beneficial for the business process. Kroger being one of the leaders who wants to be the top ranked retailer needs to be in the mind of the people with the positive impacts from its social activities served towards the community (Kroger-a, 2011, p.2). Internal and External Analysis SWOT Analysis SWOT is the acronym for the internal Strength and Weakness for the company and the external Opportunities and the Threats from other firms. Through this technique the company understands its situation in the market and its possible opportunities and the threats from the market. The company’s m ain aim is to maximize the strength and opportunities while minimizing the weakness and the threats. Kroger with about 2486 supermarket and multi-departmental stores over 31 states has a strong position in the US market. It mainly concentrates in the grocery and the food retailing sector. With its attractive location and variety of products and competing price, Kroger holds a strong market position. But the company faces intense competition from player in the retail market like Wal-Mart Stores, The Home Depot and Costco Companies. On the other hand the consolidation in the food market segment has a big competition in the US retail chain market and affects the market share and profit margin. Food contamination is another issue which can harm a brands image. Expansion of the company in different sectors like the finance market is a great opportunity for the firm. The personal finance brand of Kroger helps the people to avail an easy way to buy through grocery banking. As a threat the slowing economy and the higher level of inflation affecting the food industry as it increases the transport cost and thus affecting the price of food. Cost sensitive customers may shift to low cost food products which will affect the profit margin. Figure 1: SWOT Analysis (Source: Author’s creation) PESTLE Analysis Pestle analysis is the tool to understand the market scenario and the external

FDA policy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

FDA policy - Essay Example FDA policies regarding raising chicken FDA defines precisely how chicken should be raised in terms of the treatment given and the methods used to keep them. Its policies outline how antibiotics should be used or should not be used in poultry production. This is to slow down the development of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. The agency has trumpeted the policies as the beginning of termination of the misuse of drugs on chicken (Allport-Settle 30). However, the FDA missed the point. While the policies call for the end of using antibiotics to make chicken grow faster, they approve continuous use of such drugs to compensate for unsanitary and overcrowded conditions and prevent diseases at firm operations that produce poultry food. The prophylactic or preventive use of antibiotics resembles their use for growth promotion including similar low doses that are equally responsible in the antibiotic resistance. The FDA encourages the use of preventive drugs necessary to assure chic ken health. Left unaddressed is whatever that makes this use ‘necessary’. The use of antibiotics to make chicken grow faster seems to be in its last stages, though much will depend on how rapidly drug companies comply with the policies and whether the food poultry industry complies at all. According to the public health advocates, the fight now shifts to the use of such drugs to prevent diseases. This is a much steeper hill to scale; their misuse lies at the center of industrial food poultry production, yet the FDA has renounced its responsibility to stop it. In 2005, FDA banned the use of fluoroquinolone in poultry production in the US to reduce the occurrence of fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter. However, little is known regarding the potential effectiveness of this policy (Luangtongkum 72). A research was conducted with an objective of following temporal changes in the occurrences of Campylobacter among chicken from two conservative producers who declared their termination of fluoroquinolone use in 2002, only three years before the FDA’s ban. Another objective was the occurrence of this antibiotic disease in conventional chicken products to those from producers who do not use antibiotics. Chicken samples were collected from three antibiotic-free keepers and two conventional chicken keepers over the course of five months in 2004 and 15 weeks in 2006. Fluoroquinolone resistance rates were compared among Campylobacter isolates from the diverse producers. From the results, it was established that there was no major change in the percentage of fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter segregates from the two conventional keepers over the period of study. Further, Campylobacter strains from both producers were significantly more probable to resist fluoroquinolone compared to those from the antibiotic-free ones. Therefore, fluoroquinolone-resistant Campylobacter might be persistent contaminants of chicken products even after ceasing to use on-farm fluoroquinolone. The FDA’s ban on the use of this antibiotic in chicken rising may therefore be insufficient in reducing resistant Campylobacter in chicken products. FDA policies regarding genetically engineering corn For about two decades, FDA has been analyzing genetic modification methods for drug-biological growth as well as the development of new foodstuffs. The agency has carefully created policies to accommodate the evolving and changing world of biotechnology.

Nestle Infant Formula Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nestle Infant Formula - Article Example The mothers who were from an economically weaker section diluted the free milk samples provided in order to avoid buying the powder. In addition these people also used unsterile water to mix the milk. While these were the problems with the free samples sold, the advertisements shown by the company showed white women feeding the formula feed to their infants. This gave an impression that modern mothers only bottle-feed their babies and when the free samples were given to mothers immediately after the delivery they were more inclined to bottle-feed their infants. All these lead to reduced breast-feeding, malnutrition in the infants and also increased the mortality rate. I believe that the marketing technique followed by the company was in no way illegal and that a moral code of ethics was followed in the business of marketing their infant milk formula. In the present case I argue that the company was in no way morally inclined to change its marketing strategy. As a producer of infant foods the advertisements and sale of free sachets of milk powder was well within the ethical standards. Instead of blaming the company it would have been appropriate if more awareness was created on the importance of breast-feeding and the circumstances under which formula milk could be introduced to the infant. Such awareness is definitely required in developing countries such as Africa. Merely targeting the company would not solve the issue as it would not be of much help in preventing mothers from feeding formula milk to their infants as a substitute for breast milk. Having a frank and open-minded discussion would always help to arrive at an early conclusion. In the case of the Nestle Infant Milk Formula case my decision would comply with the marketing strategies adopted by the company as it is lawful and has followed a moral code of ethics. An open discussion about the possible methods

Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 8

Research paper - Essay Example They claim that consumers who have a traditional thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey increase the level of serotonin in their brain which reduces the chances of impulsive buying. In order to validate these claims 2 lab studies were conducted. The studies showed that participants who had had been given a tryptophan rich beverage preferred to buy the product through layaway financing than through credit card. Layaway financing allows the consumers’ time to actually consider whether the purchase is necessary and if they can afford it. The authors claim that this occurred due to increased amount of serotonin in the brain which is produced by a tryptophan rich diet. The authors claim that their research can make the consumers aware about the type of foods which should be consumed by them before going for shopping. This will reduce unnecessary purchases and reduce their credit card debts. The major critique of the article is the methodology which has been adopted by authors for their study. The study 1 was completely online and there was no way of verifying the authenticity of information. The participants were also asked whether they would like to by a DELL computer. The response provided online by the respondents may be completely different than how they actual react in the shop. Some of the participants may say they are very likely to buy the product as they didn’t have to actually spend the money at that time; others may have given guarded responses in the study. It has been well documented that answers given during a survey cannot be used to gauge the actual shopping responses. This puts a question mark over the validity of the study 1. Similar criticism can also be made regarding the leeway financing option which was given to consumers in the study 2.Although they may claim to go for leeway financing but consumers can behave differently on the shop floor under pressure from friends ,relatives ,shop owners, sales persons or even fellow

Concerns Regarding Both the Understanding and the Use of Culture Essay

Concerns Regarding Both the Understanding and the Use of Culture - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that the world economy has grown in recent years. International trade has been the motivating force behind it. But with the more recent technological developments as well as reduced trade blockades, growth in trade is definitely on the rise. Developing countries have also stepped on this bandwagon, extracting the best out of their own respective economies through trade internationally as well as locally - within the country. The integration of trade into the world economy has really proved helpful for the developing countries as they can promote economic growth, development as well as poverty reduction within themselves. Further, the companies which are ready to use upgrade their human resources regimes are thus the ones who have found success in all relevant quarters of their business. With this necessary incorporation, they have been able to look at the ethical side of things as well since the moral grounds have been set in a proper manne r and there are as such no apprehensions to state the least in the present times. A business can move from a position of stability to one of a complete unstable stance as it acquires different means of gathering the market and its driving factors that come along with it. The firm has to change its position with the changing times otherwise it will literally vanish away from its competitors and more so the customers, for which it actually exists.

James Beard Essay Example for Free

James Beard Essay James Beard was one of the most famous chefs of the 20th century. He was born May 5, 1903, and died January 21, 1985. Beard was well known for bringing French cuisine to the American middle and upper class population, and being the first to bring cooking to television. Julia Childs once described James â€Å"Beard was the quintessential American cook. Well-educated and well-traveled during his eighty-two years, he was familiar with many cuisines but he remained fundamentally American. He was a big man, over six feet tall, with a big belly, and huge hands. An endearing and always lively teacher, he loved people, loved his work, loved gossip, loved to eat, loved a good time. † This is what made him so renowned in the field of cooking, his love, passion, and willingness to learn as much as possible about culinary arts. James Beard will forever be in history though his 20 books, numerous writings, his personal foundation and the many awards and scholarships that go out named after him On May 5, 1903, James Beard was born in Portland, Oregon. His mother, Elizabeth Beard ran the Gladstone hotel, and his father, John Beard, was employed at the city’s customs house. Both his parents also had a love for cooking. The family spent many summers vacation at the beach in Gearhart, Oregon. This is where James was first introduced to the unique local foods of the North West. His family would fish, gather shellfish and wild berries, and then prepare their meals with whatever the found or caught in the area. Beards recalled his earliest memory of his interest in food was the Lewis and Clark Exposition of 1905, when he was only two years old. Beard reminisced in his memoir saying: I was taken to the exposition two or three times. The thing that remained in my mind above all others, I think it marked my life, was watching Triscuits and shredded wheat biscuits being made. Isnt that crazy? At two years old that memory was made. It intrigued the hell out of me. At only two years of age, Beard developed a love for cooking. When James was three, he got malaria and had to stay in bed. His mother and their Chinese helper took care of him and fed him. This gave him time to really enjoy the food. This is when he began to be influence by Chinese culture and there cooking habits, along with his mother’s cooking abilities. Both of these would help him later in life in culinary arts. Once he was out of bed he was back to his normal life, vacation at the beach, and spending time with his family. Another spot that James liked to go to was Seaside, a town only 3 miles away by train. There was an ice cream stand there, West’s Dairy, which was a popular hangout among the kids his age at the time. They had five cent milkshakes, and 28 flavors that included tutti fruity of course, along with cherry, wild blackberry, and blue huckleberry. Beard once said â€Å"It was probably the best five cents worth of anything I have ever had†. There were even times when James would walk the 3 miles so he could save his five cents on the train fare and use it for spending at the ice cream stand. Later on in his life, Beard went to college briefly at Reed College in Portland, from which he was expelled due to homosexual activity. Beards memoir states: By the time I was seven, I knew that I was gay. I think its time to talk about that now. † The James Beard Foundation said says in 1923 Beard went on the road with a theatrical troupe. † In the 1920’s, Beard briefly lived in France. There he observed French cuisine at their many bistros. He became a Francophile due to the influence the French culinary culture had on him. The James Beard Foundation said â€Å"he lived abroad for several years studying voice and theater, but returned to the United States for good in 1927. Initially training for being a singer and actor, for years Beard tried to get into the movie and theatre business but had no success. In 1935 he gave up and realized that was not the route he needed to take. This is when he and his friend, Bill Rhodes, decided that they need to capitalize on the cocktail party trend that was sweeping the nation and they opened their own catering company. In 1937, he opened up a small shop for his business, called Hors dOeuvre, Inc. † At that moment, Beard realized that his future was in culinary arts. This then led to the publication of Beards first cookbook in 1940, Hors DOeuvre and Canapes, a collection of his catering recipes based on cocktail foods. Then World War 2 came around, and rationing problems brought his business to a halt. Beard spent most the years during the war in Puerto Rico, Rio de Janeiro, Marseilles, and in panama with the United Seaman’s Service setting up sailors’ canteens. He also spent some of this time in cryptography. In 1945, Beard returned to New York City and completely devoted himself to his work in culinary arts. In 1946, James Beard starred in the first cooking show ever aired on television, I Love to Eat, on NBC, which began his rise to infamy. He started appearing on other television shows, and the radio. He started contributing the writing of many famous articles and columns such as Womans Day, Gourmet and House and Garden. He ran his own restaurant, and began consulting other restaurant owners and food producers. In 1955, he opened The James Beard Cooking School. For the next 30 years, he taught men and women the art of cooking. He didn’t only teach at his own schools in New York City and Seaside, Oregon, but around the world to culinary groups and other schools. The main lesson that he tried to instill in upcoming American chef was the preparation of truly good food using fresh American ingredients. James Beard died at the age of 82 on January 1, 1985. He was cremated and his ashes were spread over the beach at Gearhart, Oregon, where he spent his summers as a kid. Beard started out with nothing but a catering company and a love for food, and became one of the most famous Chefs in history. He was known as â€Å"The Dean of Cuisine† and â€Å"The Father of Gastronomy†, and the name James Beard will always be in culinary arts history.

“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath Essay Example for Free

â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath Essay The poem â€Å"Mirror† by Sylvia Plath is told from the point of view of a mirror hanging up on a wall. This mirror has, over time, been privy to the tears of a woman over who she sees in it, desperate grasps at moonlit lies, and the endless speculations of a pink with speckles wall. â€Å"Mirror† is a poem that probes into the corners of human nature, beauty, life, and death, reflecting back their truths to readers as good mirrors do. In this poem, readers can see the truth about themselves reflected among the words as though the poem itself is a mirror, too. Just as the poem reflects truths to readers, so the mirror in it reflects truths to the woman it sees every day. It is objective about everything it observes in the woman, for it can have no biases simply owing to the nature of its stature. The description the mirror gives of itself in the first few lines is that â€Å"I am silver and exact. I have no preconceptions./Whatever I see I swallow immediately/Just as it is, unmisted by love or dislike./I am not cruel, only truthful-/The eye of the little god, four cornered.† It is giving, true to its nature, a frank description of itself—nonjudgmental and unprejudiced of its admirers. Mirrors never have and never will pass any judgment on their gazers. They leave that for the gazers themselves to do, and they always do just that, as is human nature. The mirror prides itself on that same clear-cut honesty of the faces it regurgitates back for judgment. It is almost arrogant about it, refusing to falter in its own perfection for a moment, even as â€Å"she turns to those liars, the candles or the moon† which cast false shadows upon her face. It continues to reflect the woman honestly, even though she cannot see it, so that when she learns of the lies and turns back, there she is in all her self-perceived imperfection. Not one person, the woman of the poem included, has ever been judged by a mirror, but rather through it. It is because of it that the woman can see her outer self, so also because of it, she sometimes forgets her inner self. She forgets the pink behind the speckles on the wall of her face, seeing only that the speckles are marring the beauty of it. The mirror, however, does not see the destruction the woman sees, for she is the only one of the two who has the desire to judge. She was the only true master of herself, but she ended up caving in under her preconceived notions of society’s view of her. She became a slave to the mirror and her interpretations its truths. One of these truths is age. No one has yet achieved immortality, and so death is still a formidable foe. Mirrors  reflect the coming of this rival in the rivulets and creases found in a face of age, and many people obsess over this manifesting. In the poem, according to the mirror, â€Å"I am important to her. She comes and goes./Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness./In me she has drowned a young girl, and in me an old woman/Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† The woman in the poem â€Å"h as drowned a young girl† in her obsessions, aging her into â€Å"an old woman . . . like a terrible fish.† With each day, the manifestation becomes more pronounced because â€Å"Each morning it is her face that replaces the darkness.† She wasted away in front of that mirror so that now, death â€Å"Rises toward her day after day, like a terrible fish.† She hates the mirror’s honesty on the matter, but cannot turn away. She is unable to resist knowing that death is creeping ever closer every day. She lives her life, it seems, around that knowledge, convinced that she should not be as she is. She is, as the poem says, â€Å"Searching . . . for what she really is.† She is unaware that all around her, death is marking others down for capture with the lines of age. All she knows is that she has gone from â€Å"pink, with speckles† into a world of darkness that she disapproves of seeing in the mirror. She does not seem to under stand that in fact, no one will be left unaffected. â€Å"The eye of the little god† will seek out everyone from all four corners of the globe. In the end, her obsession kills her, the â€Å"terrible fish† having finally made it to the surface. The woman in the poem lives and dies within it, mirroring any and all readers’ lives in that. The poem offers up a universal reflection of a person for readers to judge themselves. After all, it is a mirror and that is what mirrors do.

The Problem of Grade Inflation

The Problem of Grade Inflation Grade Inflation: Is A the new C? Quinn, my 9-year-old stepson played on a little league baseball team. He attended most of the practices and played in all the games. I asked one day who won the game today? He looked to his father for the answer. I asked, doesnt he know if his team won? It seems that this little league bent the rules of baseball. Well, they didnt just bend the rules they made up their own rules making sure all the players played, no one struck out, five runs and the other team was up you get my drift. Then to top it off they held a party at the end of the season where everyone received a trophy. I was frankly appalled. Being rewarded just for participation. The prevalence of grade inflation is effecting students, professors and institutions. Students are receiving higher grades than earned. A has become the new C. If our educational system is failing to grade appropriately for attainment of knowledge that students supposedly are there to gain, then what does it all mean? It would seem suitable to compare it to giving every person on a sport team a trophy just for participating. It is a deceptive practice and ethically wrong to give a grade when it truly is not achieved no matter what the reason. The purpose of this argument on grade inflation is to convince students, professors, parents and institutions that the practice of grade inflation must stop. Everyone is affected by the strength or weakness and by the fairness or unjust attributes of our educational system. Grade Inflation has many repercussions. Students receiving higher grades make it difficult to discern the average student from the above average student from the exceptional student. Problem Analysis In my research, I have found educators agreeing that grade inflation is a problem. Over the past decades claims of grade inflation in American higher education have been ubiquitous, with ample evidence documenting its prevalence and severity (Arnold 2004; Summary Weber 2012; Carter Lara, 2016, p. 346). As stated by Rojstaczer 2003, The data indicate that not only is C an endangered species but that B, once the most popular grade at universities and colleges, has been supplanted by the former symbol of perfection, the A (p. A21) It is important to note the causes of grade inflation in the first place. As stated by Rojstaczer and Healy (2010), Faculty attitudes about teaching and grading underwent a profound shift that coincided with the Vietnam War (see graph below). Many professors, certainly not all or even a majority, became convinced that grades were not a useful tool for motivation, were not a valid means of evaluation and created a harmful authoritarian environment for learning. Added to this shift was a real-life exigency. In the 1960s, full-time male college students were exempt from the military draft. If a male college student flunked out, chances were that he would end up as a soldier in the Vietnam War, a highly unpopular conflict on a deadly battlefield. Partly in response to changing attitudes about the nature of teaching and partly to ensure that male students maintained their full-time status, grades rose rapidly. Then there seemed to be a lull in grade inflation until the 1980s when grades b egan to rise again. A new ethos had developed among college leaders. Students were no longer thought of as acolytes searching for knowledge. Instead they were customers (Rojstaczer Healy, 2010). Â   Note. Reprinted from Grade Inflation at American Colleges Universities, by Rojstaczer, S. Two of the more frequently cited sources of grade inflation are faculty status and faculty evaluations Hall (2011 p.146). Professors at some institutions are dependent on good evaluations from students. If the evaluations are not favorable and grades are low, then the teacher becomes suspect. Simply stated, the higher the course grade, the happier the student, and the higher the ratings on the faculty evaluations completed by those students Hall (2011). Motivating the student becomes an issue when the common grade is A. I found support that it becomes extremely difficult for professors to grade honestly because it can be viewed as a sign of poor quality education by the professor, his ratings go down and consequently enrollment in the institutions in future years will suffer. In an article by Stroebe (2016), he discusses grading leniency encouraged by universities. Evidence is presented that the positive association between student grades and their evaluation of teaching reflects a bias rather than teaching effectiveness (p. 800). This cyclic process has only resulted in more problems. Poor student performance in subsequent courses tend to become apparent. Stroebe, a professor in the department of social and organizational psychology, University of Groningen, the Netherlands deliberates the notion that grading leniency or grade inflation is likely to demotivate students. He presents that students overestimate the amount they learn based on the grade they receive. Institutions are at fault here as well and may be the one of the biggest proponents to perpetuating the vicious circle. As Hall (2012) explains in her article, institutional interests also tend to have a significant impact on the prevalence of grade inflation in higher education. With more and more cuts to educational funding, many colleges and universities find themselves struggling to balance their budgets. Students who are happy with their grades are students who are much more likely to remain enrolled thereby filling classroom seats and paying tuition fees (p. 147). An issue that has revealed itself in my research is academic entitlement. The attitude of many of the students today is that they have the right since they are the procurers. (Hall, 2012 p.148). Thought provoking questions are asked by researchers as to the reasons of academic entitlement. As Greenberger, Lessard, Chen Farruggia (2008) ask, What are the circumstances that foster the behavior and attitudes of academic self-entitlement: i.e., expectations of high rewards for modest effort, expectations of special consideration and accommodation by teachers when it comes to grades, and impatience and anger when their expectations and perceived needs are not met? (p. 1194). Rebuttal against grade inflation Then there are those with opposing viewpoints that grade inflation is nonexistent. As Kohn (2002) states, Even where grades are higher now as compared with then, that does not constitute proof that they are inflated. The burden rests with critics to demonstrate that those higher grades are undeserved, and one can cite any number of alternative explanations. Maybe students are turning in better assignments. Maybe instructors used to be too stingy with their marks and have become more reasonable. Maybe the concept of assessment itself has evolved, so that today it is more a means for allowing students to demonstrate what they know rather than for sorting them or catching them out (p. B8) My rebuttal is that over the years attitudes have changed not only of the students, the professors and the institutions. Institutions are not just interested in being the best in providing education, they are not interested in the education business, they are interested in the business of education. Simply put how to make the most money. Professors are interested in keeping their jobs by keeping institutions happy with them. If they give poor grades institutions will think that their teaching ability is poor and students, since they are paying for their education, feel entitled to get good grades or they may give their instructor an unfavorable evaluation. My interview was with a young physician who went to undergraduate school in 2001 then on to medical school, a residency program and an internship. She is currently a practicing physician in a large group practice. One of my reasons for the choice of interviewee is that in the line graph illustrated previously she falls in the time when A is the most popular grade given nationwide. I formulated my line of questions only to be side railed by the very first question; When you were in college, were you aware of grade inflation practices? Her answer was no. Well, I continued, there are quite a few articles written about grade inflation and how prevalent it has become. It has been steadily increasing over the last twenty years. Have you notice that your grades were inflated? She indignantly said, absolutely not! I worked my butt off for every grade I got! the conversation continued as I strove to gain some glimmer of grade inflation recognition. Have you noticed any fellow students getting As that did not put in an A effort? The answer was no all the students I was with were hard working and deserved the grades they received. After the unexpected denial or unawareness of grade inflation could my interviewee fit into the category of entitlement? I decided that it was a case of a hard-working student with drive, motivation and determination to receive the grades that she deserved. She grew up in a time of entitlement, and yes, she does exhibit some of those qualities but she works hard to this day. She may have grown up in the age of entitlement but she is a child of achievement. I would know since she is my daughter. Solution Hall (2012), Argues that in the fight against grade inflation what is lacking are the basic principles of instructional design. There is no framework in place in institutions for measures to prevent grade inflating propensities and actions. Anyone who investigates the sources of grade inflation will ultimately find themselves pointed in the direction of the students themselves. The attitude of many of the students today is that they have the right since they are the procurers. (Hall, 2012 p.148) My experience with attending Chamberlain College for Nursing is that the courses are set up to allow the professors to grade honestly. The grading rubric is beneficial to the student who now knows exactly what is expected of him or her. It makes it a more objective approach to grading. As Kelly (2017) describes, Here are three reasons why I find rubrics truly effective. First, rubrics save time because I can simply look at your rubric and mark off points. Second, rubrics keep me honest, even when Ive had a horrible day . I feel much more objective as I sit before my mountain of papers. More important than these two reasons, however, is that when I have created a rubric beforehand and shown it to my students I get better quality work. They know what I want. They can also see right away where they lost points (p. 1) Benefits I agree with Hall in her analysis of grade inflation. I can see that there are many facets that are all contributing to the problem. Solving one issue will not resolve the problem. Grade Inflating practices are fundamentally wrong. It involves a faculty member to award a grade that is higher than earned. Although it is recognized as being an issue, the inappropriate conduct continues. Hall not only describes the various causes and the rationale why grade inflation continues, but she offers a framework that consists of a different approach to combating the problem with specific objectives, instruction and assessment. It sounds very much like the grading rubric. According to Stevens and Levi (2005), At its most basic, a rubric is a scoring tool that lays out the specific expectations for an assignment. Rubrics divide an assignment into its component parts and provide a detailed description of what constitutes acceptable or unacceptable levels of performance for each of those parts (p.3 ) Conclusion In conclusion, with instructors lowering their grading standards, A has become the most ordinary grade on college campuses. Its like buying a dozen eggs with medium, large, extra-large and jumbo all mixed in one carton. With no true evaluation of students performance, you dont know what youre getting. Students have a sense of entitlement that parents and the environment we live in have fostered over time. Students expect an A with minimal effort. This can be demotivating and discouraging for students who truly give it their all. When there are no guidelines or enforced regulation of grades, the grades given in higher education will have less and less meaning. Its time to stop giving trophies just for participation. References Ad Hoc Committee on Grade Inflation. Final Report of the Ad Hoc Committee Task Force on Grade Inflation. American University, Washington, DC. (October, 10th, 2016).http://www.american.edu/facultysenate/upload/Senate-report-on-Grade-Inflation-Final-10-20-16.pdf. Arnold, R. A. (2004). Way That Grades are Set is a Mark Against Professors. Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles. Carter, M. J., Lara, P. Y. (2016). Grade Inflation in Higher Education: Is the End in Sight? Academic Questions, 29(3), 346-353. Doi:10.1007/s12129-016-9569-5 Caruth, D., Caruth, G. (2013, January). Grade Inflation: an issue for higher education. Turkish Journal of Distance Education. v.14, n. 1, p. 102-110. ISSN: ISSN-1302-6488. Fauer, J., Lopez, L. (2009, October). Grade Inflation: too much talk too little action. American Journal of Business Education. v.2, n.7. Greenberger, E., Lessard, J., Chen, C., Farruggia, S. (2008). Self-Entitled college students: contributions of personality, parenting, and motivational factors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence. (April 4th, 2008), 37:1193-1204. DOI 10.1007/s10964-008-9284-9. Hall, R. A. (2012). A neglected reply to grade inflation in higher education. Global Education Journal, 2012(3), 144-165. Kelly, M. (2017). Creating and Using Rubrics: Make Your Life Easier with Rubrics. About Education. (Updated February 03, 2017). http://712educators.about.com/cs/rubrics/a/rubrics.htm Kohn, A. (2002). The dangerous myth of grade inflation. The Chronicle of Higher Education. November 8th, 2002. 49(11). Rojstaczer S., Healy C. (2016). Where A is ordinary: The evolution of American college and university grading. 1940-2009. Teachers College Record, ID Number: 15928. http://www.tcrecord.org Rojstaczer, S. (2016). Grade Inflation at American Colleges and Universities. www.GradeInflation.com. (March 29, 2016). Rojstaczer, S. (2003). Where all Grades are Above Average. The Washington Post. January 28, 2003. A21. Stevens, D., Levi, A. (2005). Introduction to Rubrics: An Assessment Tool to Save Grading Time, Convey Effective Feedback and Promote Student Learning. Stylus Publishing, LLC. Sterling, Virginia. Stroebe, W. (2016). Why Good Teaching Evaluations May Reward Bad Teaching. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(6), p. 800-816. DOI:10.1177/1745691616650284 Summary, R., Weber, W. (2012). Grade Inflation or Productivity Growth? An Analysis of Changing Grade Distributions at a Regional University. Journal of Productivity Analysis 38.95-107.

Water Girl :: Original Writing

Anne stood on the beach, paralysed with fear. Around her she could vaguely hear the sound of her mother’s terrified screams. She knew there was something she had to do, but her mind was blank, and her legs wouldn’t move. Then, a memory filled her mind. A horrible memory... She was standing on another beach, a small, cold beach. Preparing to go into the water for a swim, when she heard a scream. Looking up, she saw her best friend, Amelia, wave her hand frantically, and then she went under. At first, Anne thought it was a joke. "Huh, just like Amelia to do something like this". But when her friend didn’t resurface, Anne started to panic. She started running, and then swam, for her friend’s life depended on it. The current was so strong. Anne’s mind was swirling. What was she going to do? The water kept pulling her back towards the shore. Then Anne caught a glimpse of Amelia, being swept away into the vast ocean†¦ A few days later, Anne was standing on the alter of St. Brigids church, reading a special poem that she had written in the memory of Amelia. As she was reading the second verse ,when a verge of tears suddenly washed over her, and she knew she couldn’t go on. She finally whispered, "I love you Amelia, please forgive me", before running off the alter... Anne’s little brother, Joe, was playing on the beach, building a sand-castle. Nobody noticed when he toddled off into the water. Suddenly, his mother started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Joe! Oh my God, Joe!" Every body looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, there was Joe, a good bit out from the shore. And he was in trouble. Suddenly, Anne’s memories of Joe came flooding back. His laugh, his little cheeky smile. She loved her little brother, with all her might .She had to do something! And fast! Anne raced towards the water. She swam with fast, powerful strokes. She could see Joe’s little face bobbing in the water. Then for a moment it disappeared. Finally she reached the spot where he went down. Water Girl :: Original Writing Anne stood on the beach, paralysed with fear. Around her she could vaguely hear the sound of her mother’s terrified screams. She knew there was something she had to do, but her mind was blank, and her legs wouldn’t move. Then, a memory filled her mind. A horrible memory... She was standing on another beach, a small, cold beach. Preparing to go into the water for a swim, when she heard a scream. Looking up, she saw her best friend, Amelia, wave her hand frantically, and then she went under. At first, Anne thought it was a joke. "Huh, just like Amelia to do something like this". But when her friend didn’t resurface, Anne started to panic. She started running, and then swam, for her friend’s life depended on it. The current was so strong. Anne’s mind was swirling. What was she going to do? The water kept pulling her back towards the shore. Then Anne caught a glimpse of Amelia, being swept away into the vast ocean†¦ A few days later, Anne was standing on the alter of St. Brigids church, reading a special poem that she had written in the memory of Amelia. As she was reading the second verse ,when a verge of tears suddenly washed over her, and she knew she couldn’t go on. She finally whispered, "I love you Amelia, please forgive me", before running off the alter... Anne’s little brother, Joe, was playing on the beach, building a sand-castle. Nobody noticed when he toddled off into the water. Suddenly, his mother started screaming at the top of her lungs. "Joe! Oh my God, Joe!" Every body looked to where she was pointing. Sure enough, there was Joe, a good bit out from the shore. And he was in trouble. Suddenly, Anne’s memories of Joe came flooding back. His laugh, his little cheeky smile. She loved her little brother, with all her might .She had to do something! And fast! Anne raced towards the water. She swam with fast, powerful strokes. She could see Joe’s little face bobbing in the water. Then for a moment it disappeared. Finally she reached the spot where he went down.

Essays on Rape -- Catharine MacKinnon Susan Estrich Essays

Essays on Rape Only Words, by Catharine MacKinnon is a collection of three essays; each essay argues her claim that sexual words and pictures should be banned instead of Constitutionally protected under the First Amendment as free speech. In her first essay, â€Å"Defamation and Discrimination,† MacKinnon takes the stance that pornography is sex, and should not be treated as speech, but as a sexist act. She claims that pornography is an action, just as, â€Å"a sign saying ‘White Only’ is only words, but †¦ it is seen as the act of segregation that it is.†(MacKinnon 13) MacKinnon claims that other action words, such as death threats, are banned, pornography should be banned as well. According to her essay, pornography rapes women. First, the photographers select already victimized women to be photographed, and thereby re-victimizing them. Then each man who views the pornography uses the ideas he attains from it to force his own sexual partner to perform the acts in the pornography. In the second essay, â€Å"Racial and Sexual Harassment,† MacKinnon states, â€Å"if ever words have been understood as acts, it has been when they are sexual harassment.†(MacKinnon 45) She explains how written words can have the same effects on a reader as an action. They can evoke the same fear and violation as a physical threat of rape. In her final essay, â€Å"Equality and Speech,† MacKinnon suggests that the words as actions that she has describes in her previous essays should be subject to a group defamation lawsuit. She states that the Constitution protects speech that promotes sexual inequality. She feels that the Fourteenth Amendment should cover the discrimination allowed in the First Amendment. Susan Estrich’s Real Rape is an essay preaching proposed changes in rape statutes. Estrich first describes, in great detail, the history of rape legislation in England. She follows pertinent cases through history, citing changes and analyzing the effects of those changes. Estrich bases her findings on summaries, dissents, and other legal documentation. She then describes the current law, and evaluates how it has changed the way in which the court views rape. Throughout her essay, Estrich makes a distinction between classic rape and simple rape. She defines the former as aggravated rape by a stranger, and the latter as rape by a date or acquaintance. Estrich focuses on simple ... ... although it can be used to hurt, it can also be used to bring aid and information to those in need. Imposing limits on freedom of expression would dampen our nation’s uniqueness and suppress the voice of the people. Her idea that pornography acts as sex and can therefore be banned because it is no longer speech is ludicrous and rash. The repercussions of such an amendment would change our society to one of ultimate government control. The examples that she gives to relate pornography to racism are limited in scope. She suggests that because Henri Matisse’s â€Å"The Blue Nude†(Matisse) portrays an unclothed female that a man may, in her words, â€Å"get off on,†(MacKinnon 58) it should be banned. The line between art and explicit pornography is not one that the government should be able to draw. The government should, however, protect victims from physical acts of rape as Susan Estrich describes. Bibliography: Estrich, Susan. Real Rape. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1987. MacKinnon, Catharine. Only Words. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 1993. Matisse, Henri. The Blue Nude. The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore, Maryland.

Selfish Ambition Frankenstein Essay -- Essays Papers

Selfish Ambition Frankenstein Selfish Ambition? The question â€Å"What makes us who we are?† has perplexed many scholars, scientists, and theorists over the years. This is a question that we still may have not found an answer to. There are theories that people are born â€Å"good†, â€Å"evil†, and as â€Å"blank slates†, but it is hard to prove any of these theories consistently. There have been countless cases of people who have grown up in â€Å"good† homes with loving parents, yet their destiny was to inflict destruction on others. On the other hand, there have been just as many cases of people who grew up on the streets without the guidance of a parental figure, but they chose to make a bad situation into a good one by growing up to do something worthwhile for mankind. For this reason, it is nearly impossible to determine what makes a human being choose the way he/she behaves. Mary Shelley (1797-1851) published a novel in 1818 to voice her opinions about determining personality and th e consequences and repercussions of alienation. Shelley uses the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau to make her point. Rousseau proposed the idea that man is essentially "good" in the beginning of life, but civilization and education can corrupt and warp a human mind and soul. In Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (hereafter referred to as Frankenstein), Victor Frankenstein’s creature with human characteristics shows us that people are born with loving, caring, and moral feelings, but the creature demonstrates how the influence of society can change one’s outlook of others and life itself by his reactions to adversity at â€Å"birth†, and his actions after being alienated and rejected by humans several times. In the first chapters of the book, Shelley describes a scientist who was obsessed with "doing something great" for mankind. Victor Frankenstein, an educated man of science, was completely involved with his work, which happened to be the creation of another living being with human qualities. Once Victor’s work was finally completed, he realized that he had created a â€Å"monster†, and he was terrified. Mary Shelley, supporting Rousseau's theory, definitely believed that people are born essentially with good intentions and feelings, and she shows this from the first few moments of the creature’s life. When Victor was lying terrified in his bed, the creature came i... ... good, but can be turned to evil by society’s narrow-minded view of what is normal, and the corruption of the mind through knowledge and education. The repercussions of Victor’s and others alienation of the creature turned a caring individual to an evil one. Shelley succeeds in bringing Rousseau's theory to life, that one is born good, but he can be turned to evil through civilization and education. This story still has a great meaning for us today. Millions of people are outcast by society, not only because of physical appearance, but also because of sexual orientation, social status, and religion. Once people quit looking so narrow-mindedly at one another, the world will be a much better place, and Frankenstein's "monster" will rest in peace! Works Cited Mellor, Anne K. Mary Shelley - Her Life, Her Fiction, Her Monsters. New York, New York: Routledge, Chapman, & Hall, Inc., 1989. p 136. Scott, Sir Walter. "Remarks on Frankenstein, or The Modern Prometheus; A Novel." Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine 1 April 1818. 26 April 2001. Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus - 1818 Text. Ed. Marilyn Butler. New York, New York: Oxford University Press, 1993.

Abortion: Legal or Illegal Essay

While abortions are viewed as immoral and should be deemed illegal, women should have the right to choose what happens to their own body because abortions can be chosen as a way of getting rid of an undesired pregnancy for a rape or incest victim, abortions can be spontaneous or not planned at times, abortions have been around for centuries and abortions can also be medically induced due to medical issues with the mother or unborn child. First, women should have the right to choose what happens to their own body because abortion can be a way for a rape or incest victim to get rid of an undesired pregnancy that resulted from the attack. According to Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network or RAINN (2009), in 2004 and 2005 there were a total of 64,080 women that were raped. According to medical reports, the incidence of pregnancy for one-time unprotected sexual intercourse is 5%. By applying the pregnancy rate to the total number of women who were sexually assaulted or raped that would m ean there were 3,204 pregnancies as a result of rape during that period. See more:  Perseverance essay Not all of these women are going to want to carry the pregnancy full term. Victims of rape and incest can suffer from low self-esteem, depression, guilt, feelings of being unclean or dirty and even a dislike for sex and the opposite gender. This is an alarming statistic. It can also be broke down into smaller figures. One out of every six women has been the victim of rape before in her lifetime (RAINN, 2009). If these women want to have an abortion they should have the right to be able to get it and not have to worry about what everyone else believe. Additionally, abortions can be spontaneous at times and as a result completely unplanned. Spontaneous abortion is better known by people as miscarriages. There are some who think that there are several different causes for this. These different causes range from chromosome problems, physical abnormalities and immune disorders. In cases of spontaneous abortions there is usually no warning it is going to happen, as a result the woman does not have a say in the matter. However, the outside world still looks at a these women differently when it occurs. Some look with pity and others look with disgust in their eyes for these women. Some women who seek an abortion and can not get one for some reason have at times tried doing things that would cause a spontaneous abortion. There are times when a spontaneous abortion happens and not all the tissue from the fetus is passed in which case there are then two choices for the woman. The first choice is surgery. The second option is to take medication to be able to complete the abortion. If the spontaneous abortion is left untreated it can cause harm to the woman that is carrying the unborn fetus. However, if a woman has had three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions then the medical field will label her a habitual aborter (Abortion, 2009). Third, abortions have been around in history for centuries for women. Back when the settlers first arrived in the United States abortion was legal. Once then Constitution was adopted abortions before quickening were legal and very widely advertised (NAF, 2010). The Japanese have records that date back to the 12th century of inducing an abortion on women who choose to have one. Back in the 11th century authors would put such knowledge into poetry. However, the herbs were not always without side effects. Some of the herbs used during that time frame have been found to be poisonous. In 1898, it was recommended to use a mixture of yeast and pennyroyal tea to naturally cause a spontaneous abortion and bring menses back (Abortion, 1984, 1992, 1998). By 1880, most abortions had become illegal in the United States, except for those that are necessary to save the life of the woman. But due to the knowledge and acceptance of women’s right to an early abortion was rooted deeply in the U.S. society by that time; abortionists continued to practice openly with the support of the public, and since it was illegal by that time the abortio nist would be taken to court and the juries would refused to convict them of any wrong doing. Women who do not want to be pregnant have though out history seeked abortions or have taken the matter into their own hands. This changed in the 20th century with the Supreme Court ruling in Roe v Wade. The Supreme Court ruled in favor of permitting abortion during the first six months of a woman’s pregnancy. The base for the Supreme Court ruling is that the unborn fetus is not protected under the 14th amendment like the pregnant woman is because the fetus is not a person. The most important reason that women should have the right to choose what happens to their bodies is because abortions can be medically induced due to health issues with the mother or the unborn child. There are times when it is dangerous for the woman to carry the pregnancy at all. It is during times like these that women need the right to be able to choose what is best for them. If abortions were illegal these women would be subjected to the choice of carrying the pregnancy with all the medical problems that will come along with it or seeking an illegal abortion. Illegal abortions can be very risky and can cause death from blood loss or even partial births were the woman ends up giving birth to a dead fetus later in the pregnancy. However, women should have the right to choose what is best for them and the unborn fetus. If the fetus would develop damaged in some way that it would not be able to sustain life outside of the womb then women should have the right to seek out an abortion if they want it. However, on the contrary the religious beliefs of some see abortion as immoral and would like to see it become illegal. These people view abortion as murdering a helpless little person who can not defend themselves. They believe that life starts at the moment of conception. The Roman Catholic Church stated that â€Å"the deliberate ending of a pregnancy† is never acceptable, even if it is to save the life of the woman (Abortion and Religion, 2011). Gwendolyn Brooks, famous poet, wrote in her poem â€Å"A Street in Bronzeville† back in 1945 that â€Å"Abortions will not let you forget, you remember the children you got that you did not get.†(Abortion, 2003) These are sound arguments against abortion. However, women have the right to say what happens to their own bodies. The unborn fetus is within a woman’s body. Therefore, the woman has the right to say if it should stay or go. To make women do something against their will, like being pregnant, is to take away their freedom to act in a way that is best for them. According to the Supreme Court, the unborn fetus is not a person. Therefore, since the unborn fetus is not a person it can not be considered murder. It is not murder until life begins and the fetus can survive outside the woman. Indeed, while abortions are viewed as immoral and should be illegal, women should have the right to choose what happens to their body. References Abortion. (1984, 1992, 1998). Our Bodies, Ourselves for the New Century. Retrieved from http://www.feminist.com/resources/ourbodies/abortion.html Abortion. (2003). In Propaganda and Mass Persuasion: A Historical Encyclopedia, 1500 to the Present. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/abcprop/abortion Abortion. (2004). In Encyclopedia of Women’s Health. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/sprwh/abortion Abortion. (2008). In The Columbia Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/columency/abortion Abortion. (2009). In Taber’s Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/tcmd/abortion Abortion and Religion. (2011, June). Retrieved from http://www.efc.org.uk/PDFs/Abortion%20and%20 religion%20leaflet%202011.pdf BBC. (2012, May 22). Abortion: Historical attitudes to abortion Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/ethics/abortion/legal/history_1.shtml NAF. (2010). National Abortion Federation. Retrieved from http://www.prochoice.org/about_abortion/history_abortion.html RAINN. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.rainn.org/get-information/statistics/sexual-assault-victims Trupin, S. R. (2007, June 20) Abo rtion – Types Preparation and Procedure Information. Retrieved from http://www.emedicinehealth.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=59088&pf=3&page=1

Accounting Principles and Health Care Essay

There are no formal accounting principles that apply to health care. However, there are five generally accepted guiding principles used in the management of the financial aspects of health care management (Cleverly, Song & Cleverly, 2011). Understanding the five guiding principles are important in understanding financial information and managerial accounting and how the principles relate to health care (Cleverly et. al. ). The five principles include, accounting entity, money measurement, duality, cost valuation, and stable monetary unit. Each principle and how it relates to health care is discussed in the following (Cleverly et. al. ). Accounting Entity An accounting entity is the business or corporation that performs clear economic activities, separate from any personal economic endeavors (Accounting Tools, 2010). An accounting entity requires financial records that define financial activities (Cleverly et. al. ). In health care, accounting entities can be hospitals, clinics, or other entities that are part of a larger corporation. See more: Social process essay Accounting is geared to measure and report the financial activities of the entities under consideration. Money Measurement Money Measurement is very simply, a way to keep count and records of the incoming and outgoing revenue of the accounting entity. This is not an easy task and involves consideration of various issues (Cleverly et. al. ). Resources and liabilities have to be considered and calculated to determine accurate money measurement. Resources are also referred to as assets. Scarce resources are things, supplies, money, and other things or resources that are needed by the company in order to generate money. These resources are limited and necessary to the entities operation (Cleverly et. al. ). This may include nursing staff for heath care organizations. Other scarce resources for health care organizations may include buildings, many different kinds of medical supplies, medications, and other supplies to care for patients and maintain the organization. Assets are the resources that the organization has and the money generated. Liabilities are resources that are owed for services, supplies and other things that the organization has acquired. The ideal goal of any business is for the assets to be greater than the liabilities (Cleverly et. al. ). Duality Duality is a simple mathematical equation or rather, it seems simple. The equation states, â€Å"The value of assets must always equal the combined value of liabilities and residual interest, which we have called net assets. † (Cleverly et. al. pg. 185 para. 1) This requires balancing reports about changes in either side of the equation. In health care, for instance, changes such as buying supplies, receiving payment for services, or paying the electric bill are all transactions that require balancing the books, so to speak, so that the equation is still equal. Cost Valuation Cost Valuation can be defined as choosing the right price for services, supplies and other things of value (Hutton, 2005). Choosing the right price may be based on the history of what the entity has paid that is reflected by money measurement or may be based on other measures of what a cost should be (Cleverly et. al. . Market value is a way to assess a cost value. This seems to be favorite way with many organizations. This method is not considered objective, however and can provide different opinions on what an item is worth, making costing difficult (Cleverly et. al. ). Replacement value is another way of choosing the right price. This gives the cost of how much money it would take to replace an item or service (Cleverly et. al. ). In health care for instance, when costing an expensive piece of medical equipment, replacement value makes more sense than market value. The organization may receive different quotes on market value but replacement value should be more consistent and reliable. Stable Monetary Unit The stable money unit is our country is the dollar. The dollar is used in money measurement and other principles that have money values attached. The dollar is always the dollar but the value can change based on the economy and inflation (Cleverly et. al. ). An example of how this might impact health care is, suppose the organization, based on replacement value, has allotted a certain amount of money to purchase an expensive medical devise. Before the purchase has been made, the dollar decreases in value or is unavailable and has to be imported. The value of the dollar has changed; the country from which the item is imported from may have experienced a decrease in the value of the United States Dollar. The dollar is still a stable monetary unit though there may be fluctuations due to inflation or other events. Conclusion There are no specific hard rules that govern accounting; the five guiding principles of accounting are used to help organizations keep track of the entity’s assets and liabilities.  The principles are not perfect but serve as a guide to costing and money measurement. The stable money unit in our country is the dollar. The dollar may experience fluctuations in value but is still considered stable and how the United States measure and pay for any expenses. The five principles seem simple and as one looks into each principle further, it is noted that there are complexities and problems that must remain in the forefront of the accountant’s mind when keeping up with the financial end of any organization.

Merits and Demerits of Globalisation Essay

Introduction Globalization or (globalisation) is the process by which the people of the world are unified into a single society and function together. Globalization is often used to refer to economic globalization: the integration of national economies into the international economy through trade, foreign direct investment, capital flows, migration, and the spread of technology. This process is usually recognized as being driven by a combination of economic, technological, socio-cultural, political and biological factors. The term can also refer to the transnational dissemination of ideas, languages, or popular culture. Globalization means increasing the interdependence, connectivity and integration on a global level with respect to the social, cultural, political, technological, economic and ecological levels. Effects of globalization:- ? enhancement in the information flow between geographically remote locations ? the global common market has a freedom of exchange of goods and capital ? there is a broad access to a range of goods for consumers and companies ? worldwide production markets emerge ? Corporations have greater flexibility to operate across borders ? Increased flow of communications allows vital information to be shared between individuals and corporations around the world ? Spread of democratic ideals to developed nations ? Greater interdependence of nation-states ? Reduction of likelihood of war between developed nations ? Workers in less developed countries should see an increase in wages and living benefits. If they do, their rising standard of living should help them consume products from developed nations. A virtuous circle can theoretically be created by a whole new middle class that didn’t exist. ? Peace should be easier to maintain between nations as no country would remain isolated in this new world order. The relationship of China and the United States has changed dramatically as their trade partner status has increased over the years. ? Globalization can help modernize developing countries faster. Modern ideas can be spread to the workers, who make up the social order. ? Products can be purchased much cheaper in developing countries, which increases the lifestyle of the people. As we pay less for simple common items, we have more to spend on big ticket items, which fuel higher paid manufacturing jobs in developed countries. Advantages of globalization in the developing world It is claimed that globalization increases the economic prosperity and opportunity in the developing world. The civil liberties are enhanced and there is a more efficient use of resources. All the countries involved in the free trade are at a profit. As a result, there are lower prices, more employment and a better standard of life in these developing nations. It is feared that some developing regions progress at the expense of other developed regions. However, such doubts are futile as globalization is a positive-sum chance in which the skills and technologies enable to increase the living standards throughout the world. Liberals look at globalization as an efficient tool to eliminate penury and allow the poor people a firm foothold in the global economy. In two decades from 1981 to 2001, the number of people surviving on $1 or less per day decreased from 1. 5 billion to 1. 1 billion. Simultaneously, the world population also increased. Thus, the percentage of such people decreased from 40% to 20% in such developing countries. Disadvantages of globalisation Disadvantages of globalisation are as follows:- ? Increased flow of skilled and non-skilled jobs from developed to developing nations as corporations seek out the cheapest labor ? Increased likelihood of economic disruptions in one nation effecting all nations ? Corporate influence of nation-states far exceeds that of civil society organizations and average individuals ? Threat that control of world media by a handful of corporations will limit cultural expression ?