An analysis of GSK and the pharma industry Coursework

An analysis of GSK and the pharma industry - Coursework Example This is for the period of the last two years. For example, the share prices of GSK as of July 2014 were 1,568 pounds, and this was an increase of 4 pounds from the previous share prices of 1564 pounds in June (GSK.L Historical Prices, 2014). It is important to explain that its stock price between the periods of September 2013 to May 2014 was fluctuating in nature. For example, in September 2013, the closing share price of the company was 1,557 pounds, while in December 2013 the closing share prices were 1,611 (GSK.L Historical Prices, 2014). It is important to denote that during this period, the share prices of the company were on a steady increase. However, during the months of January and February 2014, there was a significant drop in the share prices of GSK, with the closing share of the company in January standing at 1, 564, and in February the stock price increased to 1671. These fluctuating share prices were experienced during the periods of March to July 2014 (GSK.L Historical Prices, 2014). It is important to denote that the share prices of GSK between July 2013 to July 2014 was a significant increase from the previous share prices of GSK between July 2012 to July 2013. For example, the closing share price of the company in the month of July 2012 was 1,468 pounds; on the other hand, the closing share price of the company in July 2013 was 1,684 (GSK.L Historical Prices, 2014). This is a significant increase of about 216 pounds. It is important to denote that during this period of July 2013 to July 2013, the share prices of the company traded at very low prices, with the lowest closing price being 1,334 pounds. This was t he closing share price of November 2012(GSK.L Historical Prices, 2014). This was partly because of the medical scandals that affected the company. Despite these scandals, the share prices of the company increased steadily during these two years of

America’s Greatest Challenge in the 21st Century Essay Example for Free

America’s Greatest Challenge in the 21st Century Essay Throughout the 21st century, United States of America has been plagued by so many crisis and challenges that put the integrity and strength of its government on test. But perhaps the most harrowing ordeal the country has ever experienced was the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 which claimed more than two thousand lives, mostly innocent civilians. United States has considered terrorism, coupled with nuclear threats, its greatest challenge ever. Organized terrorists from hostile nations target America. Since the nation is very superior in conventional warfare compared to its adversaries, terrorists deviate from non-conventional warfare and resort to nuclear terrorism. Technology is helping these criminals to undertake their evil scheme. In nuclear terrorism, the terrorist use nuclear weapons, including radiological weapons, to cause massive destructions to humanity to attain their political or religious ideals. Terrorists pose great threats by utilizing or exploiting nuclear in a number of ways: 1) They can attack nuclear facilities for the purpose of melting down the nuclear reactor and releasing the toxic substance inside.  The power plant will cause radioactive contamination and will result into great casualties. Such incident my equal or exceed the catastrophe brought by the Chernobyl in 1986. 2) They can create dirty bomb which is loaded with radioactive materials and a conventional explosive. Upon detonation, it releases radioactive and highly poisonous particles in the air. Terrorists find this appealing since it is very successful in instilling fear and panic. Further, its contaminating effect is long-lasting. 3) They can create improvised nuclear device (IND). This bomb uses low-grade nuclear substance but the effect is still devastating. ) They can buy ready-made nuclear weapons in the black market. This way, all they have to do is read the manual, set the weapon and detonate it. Presto! Hundreds of civilians lie lifeless on the street. 5) They can create a full- blown nuclear bomb. This may not be highly probable, but it is still possible. Organized terrorists, including those who are supported by the hostile nations, have the technology, money and capability to design and fabricate a nuclear bomb. The danger is very clear: the spectre of nuclear attack on the American soil looms and it is getting clearer each day. Wrong hands are holding nuclear weapons; the wrong hands who desire nothing but to kill Americans and destroy American power. America is a powerful and rich country. It can easily build a nuclear weapon and bomb those nations who cuddle terrorists. † Fight fire with fire. † However, that is easier said than done. There are several and less violent, yet effective, ways for America to fight nuclear terrorism. First, all nuclear weapons, materials and facilities must be secured and well-protected. This way, it prevents any plan of the terrorists to attack, sabotage or steal these things. This includes the intensive drive of the government to eliminate or confiscate all nuclear weapons and materials held by unauthorized individuals and arrest anybody who is caught selling these deadly things. Second, stiff sanction must be imposed to any nation or country that sponsor any act of terrorism. America should be firm with this one. Without any sponsor and a base, terrorism and terrorist will surely cease to prosper. Third, investigating and counter-terrorism tools must be upgraded to match the sophistication of terrorists. Aside from that, the agencies must not keep the reports to themselves. They must share information not to the public but with the other agencies. They must have transparency to compare notes and information. Lastly, the American citizens must be educated about all kinds of terrorism. Information drive should be conducted. If possible, civilians should be given authority to make an arrest if necessary. This way, ordinary citizen can help distinguish any terrorism even before the act is committed. With knowledgeable civilians around, detection of terrorism will not be limited to the authority alone; thus the long arm of the law is made even longer and prevention rate of terrorism will be much higher.

Memory (SPEECH OUTLINE) -- essays research papers fc

Memory Specific purpose: to increase my audience's understanding of how memory functions and how it affects them. Central idea: Memory is a process of the brain which is prone to certain failures, although specific steps can be taken to guard against these failures. Introduction I. Memory problems can affect us in many ways. A. Some of you might have had problems finding your keys before you came to class. B. Some of you have certainly suffered from "What's Your Name Again?" syndrome. 1. We can remember attributes of people without being able to recall their names. 2. For instance, you may not know my name but you would be able to recognize me as being in your class. II. I will explain some of the basic ways memory can fail and how to take care of your memory. A. Memory can fail in numerous ways, from the common examples above to more devasting problems, like Alzheimer's disease. B. Fortunately, brain problems like Alzheimer's can be delayed or even prevented. C. In order to understand how human memory fails, we need a basic understanding of how it works. Body I. Memory is a complex process that takes place primarily in the brain. Cite: Cognition Lab @ NASA, website A. Short-term memory is the first memory formed. 1. Short-term memory holds memories that were created recently for a short period of time. a. includes sensory memory b. can turn into long-term memory B. Long-term memory stores memories created throughout our past that we may need at a future time. 1. For long term memory to be formed from short-term memory, three conditions must be met: a. attention b. repetition c. connection 2. There are two basic types of long-term memory: Cite: Dr. Eric Kendel in States of Mind, Columbia professor and director of Columbia's Center for Neurobiology and Behavior a. implicit &nbs... ...p; ii. seems to protect brain's central learning & reasoning regions from shrinkage b. All-around healthy diet is recommended. Conclusion I. Take care of your brain, because your memory is one of your most important assets. II. Keep in mind that your memory is imperfect. A. Memory is generally effective. B. People's memories can make errors such that they believe in a memory that is inaccurate. C. Even your memory can fail, so don't believe everything that you remember. Works Cited Begley, Sharon. "Memory's Mind Games." Newsweek 16 July 2001: 52-54. Conlan, Roberta, ed. States of Mind. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1999. Human Memory. 1998. NASA Cognition Lab. <http://eos.arc.nasa.gov/cognition/tutorials/ModelOf/Knowmore1.html>. Lemonick, Michael and Alice Park. "The Nun Study." Time 14 May 2001: 54-65. Loftus, Elizabeth, and Katherine Ketcham. Witness for the Defense: The Accused, the Eyewitness, and the Expert Who Puts Memory on Trial. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992.

Ethics Reflection Paper

Ethics Reflection Paper Ethics and social responsibility are key factors when planning one’s personal life or planning for the success of a business. When companies develop strategic plans, they must consider what role ethics will play and how social responsibility will affect the plan keeping stakeholders need at the forefront. If businesses and individuals are making a conscious effort to display ethical behavior, ethical perspectives and beliefs should evolve over time much like what has happened in the master’s of business administration (MBA) program. Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Strategic Planning Ethics are guidelines used to help management and employees conduct themselves according to the values and standards set forth by the company. To ensure employees understand the rules and make good ethical decisions, a company’s plan should embody the beliefs and values that the business and their employees view most important. These beliefs and values can be outlined in a company’s mission, vision, and philosophy statements which provide direction, purpose, and a clear understanding of an organization’s behavioral expectations and decisions made by the stakeholders. When adhered to, the mission and vision statements can be the baseline for goal-setting and strategic planning while keeping ethics at the core of all decisions. Pearson and Robinson (2004) stated â€Å"central to the belief that companies should be operated in a socially responsive way for the benefit of all stakeholders is the belief that managers will behave in an ethical manner† (p. 60). Even with a plan in place and ethical guidelines established, unethical behavior is always a possibility which could occur at a management or subordinate level. Too many top-level management and executives have acted inappropriately and have violated company policies. This was witnessed through events such as the Enron, WorldCom, and Bernie Madoff scandals where unethical behavior was called into question. Employees, specifically those in a management position, have an obligation to do what is right for the sake of their customers, the industry, and to help maintain the company’s image and reputation. When this fails to happen, the owners and board of directors must take the appropriate action to get rid of those individuals, not only to set an example but to make the point that unethical behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances. To minimize the possibility that similar atrocities will occur, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was instituted to mandate Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and Chief Financial Officers (CFO) to take responsibility for reports generated and to acknowledge that the information included in the reports are true and accurate to the best of their knowledge. If the information is not true or is fraudulent, both have a responsibility to report the findings to auditors. Like ethical behavior, â€Å"social responsibility is a critical consideration for a company’s strategic decision makers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pearson & Robinson, 2004, p. 23). Owners need to ensure that they hire managers who are going to carry out their wishes and be the voice in their absence instead of managers who will protect their self-interests. Decisions made by management have to be aligned with the beliefs of the owner and the company’s stakeholders to guarantee profitability and survivability. To encourage managers to make appropriate and ethical decisions, owners and executives should provide incentives through bonuses, appraisals, and recognition programs. Managers who do receive performance incentives will be held accountable by stakeholders. Stakeholders include stockholders who want a good return on investment, employees seeking job satisfaction, satisfied customers and suppliers, governments seeking law abiding companies, competitors seeking strong competition, responsible citizens and the public seeking a good quality of life (Pearson & Robinson, 2004). Outside of being accountable to owners and the business, managers also have to select the ethical approach that will ensure the consumer is getting the best service at a reasonable cost, jobs are being offered to those who need them, consumers do not have to fear product risk, and that they are taking care of their financial responsibilities to the government. Regardless of the approach selected, consistency is important as not to send a signal of injustice and consistency allows companies and individuals to reach their end-state goals without having to waste time and money. Ethical Perspectives At the start of the MBA program, ethics and ethical behavior were and still are a very important part of conducting business and in how others are treated and perceived. This program reemphasized the importance of the role of ethics and how people in society should work hard to create a personal and corporate culture that fosters accountability and ensures everyone conducts business in an ethical manner. Being a part of a team during each class was a very good test of ethics, beliefs, and the ability to display patience and understanding towards other people. Some team members had little respect and showed disregard for others or their feelings. Although assignment completion was the most important aspect, some members were written off because of a lack of effective writing abilities, communication, or personal skills. Although many of those decisions were based on personal preference, one still has to question if the decisions were right or wrong. A major source of failure in most team assignments as well as collaborative projects within an organization is usually caused by a lack of admiration for individual judgment. Respect for individual judgment was evident in the Assessment of Ethical Choices in the Workplace (2009). When teammates acknowledge the judgment of others, they encourage open communication, build trust, and promote cohesiveness that could potentially prevent unethical behavior from occurring. Having an ethical profile closely aligned with character is an asset when trying to judge others (University of Phoenix, 2009). Conclusion For businesses and individuals to remain successful there must be intent to remain ethical and socially responsible. The ethical and social decisions made have to support the better good of the organization or society and every effort should be made to call attention to and reject improper behavior. Although one might perceive his or her ethical concepts to be intact, improvement is always encouraged. References Pearson, J. A. , & Robinson, R. B. (2004). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (9th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethical choices in the workplace. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethics awareness inventory. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation. Ethics Reflection Paper When explaining the role of ethics and social responsibility in developing a strategic plan, the stakeholders need to be considered. So it’s not just customers and employees now you have these people who have invested in your company. â€Å"Each of these interest groups has justifiable reasons for expecting (and often for demanding) that the firm satisfy their claims in a responsible manner. In general, stockholders claim appropriate returns on their investment; employees seek broadly defined job satisfactions; customers want what they pay for; suppliers seek dependable buyers; governments want adherence to legislation; unions seek benefits for their members; competitors want fair competition; local communities want the firm to be a responsible citizen; and the general public expects the firm’s existence to improve the quality of life. † There are two kinds of stakeholders the inside ones and the outside ones, the issues are that they both look at the company mission for a social responsibility towards society and at the same time the financial interests of the stockholders. For example an outside stakeholder may demand that an insider would be subordinated for the well being of the society and vice versa. This starts to get complex by thinking you’re running a company that needs to make a profit to succeed but at the same time must answer to a social responsibility and particular ethics point of view. An example of a company being socially responsible while making a profit is Toyota. They make the top selling Prius which is the hybrid that leads in developing efficient gas-electric vehicles. There are four types of social responsibilities for which strategic planners must plan, which are: economic, legal, ethical and discretionary. In economic is assumed that the company is providing goods and services at a cost that’s reasonable. In legal responsibilities the company must adhere to the laws that regulate it. In ethical responsibilities the company must have a notion of right and wrong that’s well defined and most of all ethical. In discretionary responsibilities are those that voluntary and throughout those sometimes the company tries to enhance their image. Ethics â€Å"refers to the moral principles that reflect society’s beliefs about the actions of an individual or a group that are right and wrong. † The perception of ethics in business has currently hit a all time low, this could be due to the never ending recession and others. Throughout the program my view of ethics in the workplace has evolved and is no longer so black and white anymore. I have learned that the ethical perspective of a individual not necessarily is the same view of a organization. The company has to think about the whole company and also the impact on society. While the individual’s perspective come from him alone, and how he vies society. References: Casio, W. (2005). Managing Human Resources: Productivity, Quality of Work Life, Profits 7th Edition New York Mac Graw-Hill. University of Phoenix. (2010). InterClean Scenario [Computer Software]. Retrieved from University of Phoenix, Simulation, HRM/531 Mondy, R. (2008). Human Resource Management 10th Edition Prentice Hall. Ethics Reflection Paper Ethics Reflection Paper Ethics and social responsibility are key factors when planning one’s personal life or planning for the success of a business. When companies develop strategic plans, they must consider what role ethics will play and how social responsibility will affect the plan keeping stakeholders need at the forefront. If businesses and individuals are making a conscious effort to display ethical behavior, ethical perspectives and beliefs should evolve over time much like what has happened in the master’s of business administration (MBA) program. Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Strategic Planning Ethics are guidelines used to help management and employees conduct themselves according to the values and standards set forth by the company. To ensure employees understand the rules and make good ethical decisions, a company’s plan should embody the beliefs and values that the business and their employees view most important. These beliefs and values can be outlined in a company’s mission, vision, and philosophy statements which provide direction, purpose, and a clear understanding of an organization’s behavioral expectations and decisions made by the stakeholders. When adhered to, the mission and vision statements can be the baseline for goal-setting and strategic planning while keeping ethics at the core of all decisions. Pearson and Robinson (2004) stated â€Å"central to the belief that companies should be operated in a socially responsive way for the benefit of all stakeholders is the belief that managers will behave in an ethical manner† (p. 60). Even with a plan in place and ethical guidelines established, unethical behavior is always a possibility which could occur at a management or subordinate level. Too many top-level management and executives have acted inappropriately and have violated company policies. This was witnessed through events such as the Enron, WorldCom, and Bernie Madoff scandals where unethical behavior was called into question. Employees, specifically those in a management position, have an obligation to do what is right for the sake of their customers, the industry, and to help maintain the company’s image and reputation. When this fails to happen, the owners and board of directors must take the appropriate action to get rid of those individuals, not only to set an example but to make the point that unethical behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances. To minimize the possibility that similar atrocities will occur, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was instituted to mandate Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and Chief Financial Officers (CFO) to take responsibility for reports generated and to acknowledge that the information included in the reports are true and accurate to the best of their knowledge. If the information is not true or is fraudulent, both have a responsibility to report the findings to auditors. Like ethical behavior, â€Å"social responsibility is a critical consideration for a company’s strategic decision makers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pearson & Robinson, 2004, p. 23). Owners need to ensure that they hire managers who are going to carry out their wishes and be the voice in their absence instead of managers who will protect their self-interests. Decisions made by management have to be aligned with the beliefs of the owner and the company’s stakeholders to guarantee profitability and survivability. To encourage managers to make appropriate and ethical decisions, owners and executives should provide incentives through bonuses, appraisals, and recognition programs. Managers who do receive performance incentives will be held accountable by stakeholders. Stakeholders include stockholders who want a good return on investment, employees seeking job satisfaction, satisfied customers and suppliers, governments seeking law abiding companies, competitors seeking strong competition, responsible citizens and the public seeking a good quality of life (Pearson & Robinson, 2004). Outside of being accountable to owners and the business, managers also have to select the ethical approach that will ensure the consumer is getting the best service at a reasonable cost, jobs are being offered to those who need them, consumers do not have to fear product risk, and that they are taking care of their financial responsibilities to the government. Regardless of the approach selected, consistency is important as not to send a signal of injustice and consistency allows companies and individuals to reach their end-state goals without having to waste time and money. Ethical Perspectives At the start of the MBA program, ethics and ethical behavior were and still are a very important part of conducting business and in how others are treated and perceived. This program reemphasized the importance of the role of ethics and how people in society should work hard to create a personal and corporate culture that fosters accountability and ensures everyone conducts business in an ethical manner. Being a part of a team during each class was a very good test of ethics, beliefs, and the ability to display patience and understanding towards other people. Some team members had little respect and showed disregard for others or their feelings. Although assignment completion was the most important aspect, some members were written off because of a lack of effective writing abilities, communication, or personal skills. Although many of those decisions were based on personal preference, one still has to question if the decisions were right or wrong. A major source of failure in most team assignments as well as collaborative projects within an organization is usually caused by a lack of admiration for individual judgment. Respect for individual judgment was evident in the Assessment of Ethical Choices in the Workplace (2009). When teammates acknowledge the judgment of others, they encourage open communication, build trust, and promote cohesiveness that could potentially prevent unethical behavior from occurring. Having an ethical profile closely aligned with character is an asset when trying to judge others (University of Phoenix, 2009). Conclusion For businesses and individuals to remain successful there must be intent to remain ethical and socially responsible. The ethical and social decisions made have to support the better good of the organization or society and every effort should be made to call attention to and reject improper behavior. Although one might perceive his or her ethical concepts to be intact, improvement is always encouraged. References Pearson, J. A. , & Robinson, R. B. (2004). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (9th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethical choices in the workplace. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethics awareness inventory. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation. Ethics Reflection Paper Ethics Reflection Paper Ethics and social responsibility are key factors when planning one’s personal life or planning for the success of a business. When companies develop strategic plans, they must consider what role ethics will play and how social responsibility will affect the plan keeping stakeholders need at the forefront. If businesses and individuals are making a conscious effort to display ethical behavior, ethical perspectives and beliefs should evolve over time much like what has happened in the master’s of business administration (MBA) program. Role of Ethics and Social Responsibility in Strategic Planning Ethics are guidelines used to help management and employees conduct themselves according to the values and standards set forth by the company. To ensure employees understand the rules and make good ethical decisions, a company’s plan should embody the beliefs and values that the business and their employees view most important. These beliefs and values can be outlined in a company’s mission, vision, and philosophy statements which provide direction, purpose, and a clear understanding of an organization’s behavioral expectations and decisions made by the stakeholders. When adhered to, the mission and vision statements can be the baseline for goal-setting and strategic planning while keeping ethics at the core of all decisions. Pearson and Robinson (2004) stated â€Å"central to the belief that companies should be operated in a socially responsive way for the benefit of all stakeholders is the belief that managers will behave in an ethical manner† (p. 60). Even with a plan in place and ethical guidelines established, unethical behavior is always a possibility which could occur at a management or subordinate level. Too many top-level management and executives have acted inappropriately and have violated company policies. This was witnessed through events such as the Enron, WorldCom, and Bernie Madoff scandals where unethical behavior was called into question. Employees, specifically those in a management position, have an obligation to do what is right for the sake of their customers, the industry, and to help maintain the company’s image and reputation. When this fails to happen, the owners and board of directors must take the appropriate action to get rid of those individuals, not only to set an example but to make the point that unethical behavior will not be tolerated under any circumstances. To minimize the possibility that similar atrocities will occur, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 was instituted to mandate Chief Executive Officers (CEO) and Chief Financial Officers (CFO) to take responsibility for reports generated and to acknowledge that the information included in the reports are true and accurate to the best of their knowledge. If the information is not true or is fraudulent, both have a responsibility to report the findings to auditors. Like ethical behavior, â€Å"social responsibility is a critical consideration for a company’s strategic decision makers†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Pearson & Robinson, 2004, p. 23). Owners need to ensure that they hire managers who are going to carry out their wishes and be the voice in their absence instead of managers who will protect their self-interests. Decisions made by management have to be aligned with the beliefs of the owner and the company’s stakeholders to guarantee profitability and survivability. To encourage managers to make appropriate and ethical decisions, owners and executives should provide incentives through bonuses, appraisals, and recognition programs. Managers who do receive performance incentives will be held accountable by stakeholders. Stakeholders include stockholders who want a good return on investment, employees seeking job satisfaction, satisfied customers and suppliers, governments seeking law abiding companies, competitors seeking strong competition, responsible citizens and the public seeking a good quality of life (Pearson & Robinson, 2004). Outside of being accountable to owners and the business, managers also have to select the ethical approach that will ensure the consumer is getting the best service at a reasonable cost, jobs are being offered to those who need them, consumers do not have to fear product risk, and that they are taking care of their financial responsibilities to the government. Regardless of the approach selected, consistency is important as not to send a signal of injustice and consistency allows companies and individuals to reach their end-state goals without having to waste time and money. Ethical Perspectives At the start of the MBA program, ethics and ethical behavior were and still are a very important part of conducting business and in how others are treated and perceived. This program reemphasized the importance of the role of ethics and how people in society should work hard to create a personal and corporate culture that fosters accountability and ensures everyone conducts business in an ethical manner. Being a part of a team during each class was a very good test of ethics, beliefs, and the ability to display patience and understanding towards other people. Some team members had little respect and showed disregard for others or their feelings. Although assignment completion was the most important aspect, some members were written off because of a lack of effective writing abilities, communication, or personal skills. Although many of those decisions were based on personal preference, one still has to question if the decisions were right or wrong. A major source of failure in most team assignments as well as collaborative projects within an organization is usually caused by a lack of admiration for individual judgment. Respect for individual judgment was evident in the Assessment of Ethical Choices in the Workplace (2009). When teammates acknowledge the judgment of others, they encourage open communication, build trust, and promote cohesiveness that could potentially prevent unethical behavior from occurring. Having an ethical profile closely aligned with character is an asset when trying to judge others (University of Phoenix, 2009). Conclusion For businesses and individuals to remain successful there must be intent to remain ethical and socially responsible. The ethical and social decisions made have to support the better good of the organization or society and every effort should be made to call attention to and reject improper behavior. Although one might perceive his or her ethical concepts to be intact, improvement is always encouraged. References Pearson, J. A. , & Robinson, R. B. (2004). Strategic management: Formulation, implementation, and control (9th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethical choices in the workplace. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation. University of Phoenix (2009). Williams Institute: Ethics awareness inventory. Retrieved August 20, 2009, from University of Phoenix, Week One, STR 581 – Strategic Planning and Implementation.

Of Morality and Spirituality Essay

The moral sacred Philippines started from a dream, and now that it continues to progress it can be one good evidence that as long as someone believes in an idea, it can be possible. As long as its aim is for the goodness of the citizens, it can be a reality. This concept does not want to create a world of perfection but rather a world of morality and spirituality. That world is where we can clearly distinguish the right ones from the bad. It is where we can not only think about ourselves but also the community, the government, and the nation. This dream can all be possible if we just go and believe that the land where we stand can be a better habitat of mankind. From Genesis 1:27, God created mankind in His own image. This verse proves that each of us is spiritual at heart. We just have to go and find the path through our hearts. We are created in His likeness which gives us the realization that all living things have something good in the inside. If we believe, make something to make this work, the moral sacred Philippines will make sense. A. WRITING AS A SOCIAL ACT The event connects with how writing can be a social act. In the said event, one does not only think about himself but also for the people around him. As for writing, a writer does not only write for him or for him to understand but also for his readers and audience. You write alone, but you always write for others. Readers matter. Once a writer sets his or her thoughts to any medium, whether paper, blog, status update, there is the potential for audience interaction. Ideas and creativity are created outside ourselves. Writers can never be more creative without the experiences and thoughts the people have. They continue to interact with people. Writing is a social act. Writers choose to see the beauty and brilliance of the world around them. Writing is nothing without the world and mind that surrounds them. B. WRITING AS A MORAL ACT Morality and spirituality is what the event focuses on. As for writing, writers do not only write everything that flows from their thinking, he must be careful. Something that anyone who writes words of any kind would do well to remember. Words have their moral consequences. The responsibility is particularly great for writers who deal with spiritual issues. Every word they write leaves its mark upon their soul and upon the souls of those who read their work. Their words may become sacraments, visible signs of an invisible grace, or they may turn to poison and ashes. It may signify the abyss or nothing at all. Writers must strive against mediocrity in one’s work, aiming always higher for lucidity of thought and beauty of expression with still being careful with the words they use. Every piece they make has an effect in this world. They are part of our moral conversation as a society. They weigh in. The creation of literature worthy not only its high artistic calling but of his stature as a creature created in the image and likeness of God.

How Tobacco Advertising Influences Young People. Essay Example

How Tobacco Advertising Influences Young People. Essay Example How Tobacco Advertising Influences Young People. Essay How Tobacco Advertising Influences Young People. Essay How Tobacco Advertising Influences Young People. At the age of fourteen, I had my first puff of smoke. Even before that I knew a lot of cigarette brands due to advertising. Since then I started smoking and when I went to cafeterias and clubs the people who were promoting cigarettes would offer me a new brand to try and gave me free packs of cigarettes and a lighter with their brand. They didn’t mind how old I was, they just wanted to give them away and promote their product. But except this kind of advertisement, I had seen lots of tobacco advertisements on billboards which made me believe that everything is ok if I smoke. This is a false impression that tobacco advertisements picture to teenagers. Tobacco advertisements influence teenagers by glamorizing smoking. The World Health Organization blamed the advertisers for attracting young people, by representing cigarettes with being glamorous, energetic and attractive (BBC News 1). Except that, is how big the billboards are (see fig. 1 and fig. 2). Fig. 1. Photograph of a billboard advertising Peter Stuyvesant cigarettes Fig. 2. Billboard, featuring a man leaning against a boat and smoking, with the caption Slow Down. Pleasure Up. Even teenagers can see these big advertisements and they imitate what they see from different media which influences them into smoking. Although tobacco advertisers say that their advertisements are aimed for adults, yet this is not true because teenagers imitate those images . The glamorization of tobacco, the positive impression which teenagers get from tobacco advertising and the effects of advertisement are the main reasons why tobacco advertising attracting teenagers should be banned. Banning tobacco advertisements at places where teenagers are able to see them, means ban at all public places which leads to violation of companies’ rights. Young people go everywhere and since the advertisements are put everywhere the advertisers wont be able to advertise tobacco anymore. This means that the advertisers might lose their jobs. But there will be no violation of companies rights if they advertise their product in a different way. The cigarette expenses’ were replaced by advertising cigarettes with another way without profits or loss of the advertisers jobs. This has been tested in a number of European Union countries, which have banned tobacco advertising (Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship 2). They will still be able to advertise their product but only to adults. A way for the advertisers to do that, is to make a magazine advertising all the cigarette brands, in a way of attracting smokers. And this magazine be purchased only by adults over the age of twenty five years old and the salesmen should always ask for an identity. Another way to advertise cigarettes at adult smokers, is to offer them free packs of cigarettes at cafes and clubs. But also ask for an identity before giving them the free pack. The first main reason why tobacco advertising attracting teenagers should be forbidden is that the advertisers glamorize smoking. They use billboards, bus stops, the movies and kiosks (see fig. 3) to advertise cigarettes. Fig. 3. A new stand in Athens with a tent with a Davidoff advertisement. They present the Davidoff cigarettes with a sexy, successful, rich and smart man. Also they have put the slogan â€Å"the more you know† which gives the impression that smoking Davidoff will make you know more things or become smarter. They have glamorized their product in such a way for teenagers to believe that if they smoke Davidoff they will be successful, rich and smart. The advertisements create the image of smoking as cool, acceptable and popular among independent, active and fun-loving people. The advertisements at billboards and bus stops are presented in the same way. The bad thing with the bus stops advertisements is that they are placed not even a meter from the ground, where even a baby can see and touch them. But in the movies there is a big deference, because there are actors and actresses which are successful and well known and the glamorization effectiveness is bigger than in any other advertisement. The second reason why tobacco advertising attracting teenagers should be forbidden is the positive impression which teenagers get from tobacco advertising. When teenagers see a tobacco advertisement showing smokers who are pictured with lots of friends, they feel they want to be cool or successful socially. This is how the advertisements play into the natural insecurities of young people. Also when the teenagers see the Virginia Slims advertisements they get the impression that smoking will make them beautiful and thinner. But this is not true, because it destroys the beauty. The tobacco companies use this confusion that many young people think (KQED). The advertisements connect smoking with romantic relationships. Because many people want to feel emotionally secure and physically attractive advertisements create a false impression between smoking and finding the soul-mate. Another way to advertise their product is to put healthy, successful and thin role models to act in such a way to attract teens. A recent report from the National Cancer Institute strongly suggests that tobacco advertising and the depiction of cigarette smoking in movies can encourage teenagers to start smoking (Hayes 1). Also Hausa film Industry stars glamorize the smoking of cigarettes and the rate of this glamorization is very big. Young people imitate the actors and actresses, who are passing a fake message to young people, that smoking can bring success and popularity. Although it is an unreal message and young people should be aware of it because there are a lot of dangers if they believe it (Triumph Weekend 1). The advertisers try to convince teenagers that smoking is a mature adult activity creating them the feeling that if they smoke they will be as much mature as an adult. But nothing from the feelings they create is true because smoking can’t make people smarter, thinner, attracting, beautiful even more mature. The third reason why tobacco advertising attracting teenagers should be forbidden is the effect which advertisements have on young people. Young people imitate what they see from different media and children are influenced into smoking from tobacco advertising. Although the companies say that advertising is aimed for adults yet they know that younger teenagers imitate the older images of cigarettes which are shown (Donnellan 8). The teenagers who own a tobacco promotional item and could name a brand of cigarettes were more than twice as likely to become smokers (Benier 1). This is a fact that the tendency which teenagers have to imitate the advertisements of cigarettes leads to the bad habit of smoking. The more exposed teenagers are to advertising the most likely are to become smokers. And smoking leads to the bad effects of tobacco use. The boy or girl you like will go away if you smell cigarette smoke. But this is nothing in comparison to the effects of smoking on every organ of your body. The tobacco smoke harms the health of the person who smokes (Hazard 1). Concluding, cigarette advertisements targeting young people should be banned to protect the teenagers from this unhealthy activity. The call by the World Health organization for a ban on advertising of smoking was published in May, the day before the World No tobacco day. This is a part of a 2008 effort to prevent tobacco companies from making advertisements attracting young people to smoke. Because the more tobacco advertisements young people see, the most they are likely to smoke (Chan 1). â€Å"Advertising and Children’s Use of Tobacco’’. National Institute of Media and Family. 18 Nov. 2004. 16 March 2009 mediafamily. org/facts/facts_tobacco. shtml. Bronwyn, Lamay. â€Å" Busting The Tobacco Ads†. KQCD Education. 2001. 26 May 2009 http://uw. kqed. org/edresources/plan. . â€Å"Call To Ban All Tobacco Adverts†. BBC News 31 May 2008. 24 Apr. 2009 newsvote. bbc. co. uk/. Chan, Margaret. Who Calls for Banning all Tobacco Advertising, Promotion. Nations Health 38. 6(Aug. 008): 21. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Amer. Coll. of Gr. Libraries, Athens, Gr. 9 rill 2009 ;http://web. ebscohost. com;. Donnellan, Craig, ed. â€Å"Children and Smoking†. Smoking and your Health. Vol. 86. Ser. 362. 2. Cambridge: Independence, 2004. Hayes, Susan. â€Å"Smoke Screen†. NewsBank Popular Periodicals Jan. 2009: 16 Hazard, Andrea. †Å"It Stinks To Smoke†. NewsBank Popular Periodicals Nov. 2008:32 â€Å"Hausa Film Stars Glamorize Smoking Of Cigarettes†. Triumph Weekend 17 March 2007. â€Å"Industry Arguments†. Tobacco Advertising, Promotion and Sponsorship. Nov. 2008 8 June 2009. ; tobaccofreecenter. org;.

Back Titration in Chemistry

Back Titration in Chemistry A back titration is a titration method where the concentration of an analyte is determined by reacting it with a known amount of excess reagent. The remaining excess reagent is then titrated with another, second reagent. The second titrations result shows how much of the excess reagent was used in the first titration, thus allowing the original analytes concentration to be calculated. A back titration may also be called an indirect titration. When Is a Back Titration Used? A back titration is used when the molar concentration of an excess reactant  is known, but the need exists to determine the strength or concentration of an analyte. Back titration is typically applied in acid-base titrations: When the acid or (more commonly) base is an insoluble salt (e.g., calcium carbonate) When direct titration endpoint would be hard to discern (e.g., weak acid and weak base titration) When the reaction occurs very slowly Back titrations are applied, more generally, when the endpoint is easier to see than with a normal titration, which applies to some precipitation reactions. How Is a Back Titration Performed? Two steps are typically followed in a back titration: The volatile analyte is permitted to react with an excess reagent A titration is conducted on the remaining quantity of the known solution This is a way to measure the amount consumed by the analyte, thus calculate the excess quantity.

Zachary Taylor - US President Facts

Zachary Taylor - US President Facts Zachary Taylor (1784 - 1850) served as Americas twelfth president. However, he died after only a little more than a year. This page provides a quick list of fast facts for Zachary Taylor. For more in depth information, you can also read the Zachary Taylor Biography  or the Top 10 Things to Know About Zachary Taylor.   Birth: November 24, 1784 Death: July 9, 1850 Term of Office: March 4, 1849-July 9, 1850 Number of Terms Elected: 1 Term; Zachary Taylor died after serving a   little more than a year in office. Doctors believe his death was caused by cholera morbus contracted from eating a bowl of cherries and drinking a pitcher of iced milk on a hot day. Interestingly, his body was exhumed on June 17, 1991. There was a belief by historians that he might have been poisoned due to his stance against allowing slavery to extend to the western states. However, the researchers were able to show that he had not, in fact, been poisoned. He was later reburied in his Louisville, Kentucky mausoleum.   First Lady: Margaret Peggy Mackall Smith Nickname: Old Rough and Ready Zachary Taylor Quote: It would be judicious to act with magnanimity towards a prostrate foe.Additional Zachary Taylor Quotes Major Events While in Office: Zachary Taylor was renowned in the United States before becoming president as a war hero. He had fought in the War of 1812, the Black Hawk War, the Second Seminole War, and the Mexican-American War. In 1848, he was nominated by the Whig Party as their presidential candidate even though he was not present at the convention and had not put his name forward to run. Ironically, he was informed by letter of the nomination. However, he would not pay the postage due and did not actually find out he was the nominee until weeks later.   During his short time as president, the key event occurred was the passage of the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty between the United States and Great Britain.The treaty dealt with the status of colonization and canals in the countries of Central America. Both countries agreed that from that date on, all canals would indeed be neutral. In addition, both countries stated that they would not colonize any part of Central America.   Related Zachary Taylor Resources: These additional resources on Zachary Taylor can provide you with further information about the president and his times. Zachary Taylor BiographyThis article takes a more in depth look at the twelfth president of the United States including his time as a war hero. You will also learn about his childhood, family, early career, and the major events of his administration. Chart of Presidents and Vice PresidentsThis informative chart gives quick reference information on the presidents, vice-presidents, their terms of office, and their political parties. Other Presidential Fast Facts: James K PolkMillard FillmoreList of American Presidents

Thinking Through Religions 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Thinking Through Religions 4 - Essay Example This is because self isolation and being separate can lead to a mental state of renunciation. There is a perception that when men make vows, they tend to become spiritual men who state separate from the physical world (Merton, 1966). In a sense, this theory suggests that it is possible to subscribe to a personal ideology to the exclusion of the mainstream society (Braght & Sohm, 1987). The illusion theory assumes that men become separate by taking vows that cause them to belong to an interior life. The new reality suggests that while the interior world may be real, it should not lead to denial of physical world which is dominated by the secular (Merton & Bochen, 2000). The reality of the God does not denounce the existence of hatred and corruption in a physical world that has evolved through revolution (Ferch, 2012). The reality of the interior world and the secular world in which we live is brought about by the level of awareness. The new reality is that there are no strangers (Ward, 8). The level of understanding of how we appear in God’s eyes can alter the values of collective existence (Broom, 2003). A telling example would be destroying weapons after realizing the need for friendship and company. As members of the human race, God has designed us to be naturally interdependent. Question 2 Father Maximilian was arrested for aiding Jews and Polish underground. He with four others was deported to Auschwitz labor and death camp. According to the Camp Commandant, Fritsch, Roman Catholics had only one month to live while Jews were entitled to only two weeks. They would then be killed through a crematorium. He was tattooed with 16670 as his number and began hard labor. However, when a prisoner escaped five months later, officers from Kolbe’s bunker were paraded, ready to be taken to death chamber. Ten men were picked at random. One was a sergeant, Francis Gajowniczek. Father Kolbe offered to die of his behalf after listening to his desperate cry. In 1982, during a rescue operation, Lenny Skutnit dived into the icy waters to save a lady. Priscilla Tirado was too exhausted to hold the rope dropped from a helicopter as dozens of people watched, emergency service personnel included. The 30 feet swimming to the river show saved her life. Both men indicated their willingness to offer their lives on behalf of other people with actions as the evidence (Braght & Sohm, 1987). While one incident involved drowning, the other involved prison execution. Fath er Kolbe offered to offer his life for a person who could not reciprocate. These actions reveal that human nature can be moved to act on behalf of others without having a prior knowledge of their existence. The actions also reveal that human beings are naturally in need of each other. Human beings can act heroically on behalf of those in desperate circumstances or dire need of rescue. Question 3 Charles Roberts, 32 year old milk truck drivers killed ten girls before committing suicide. This occurred in west Nickel Mines School in Pennsylvania. The members of the community went through extreme moments of grief and mourning (Kraybill, 2007). However, hours after the shooting, an Amish neighbor had comforted Roberts’s family. The Amish community donated money to the widow and attended the burial ceremony of the killer. They showed love to Roberts’s family hours just a day after some of them had buried their own daughters. The members of the Amish committed offered uncondi tional forgiveness even when it was extremely difficult. The national society might have mistaken their kind acts to mean they were less affected. Many affected families

ACC Group Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

ACC Group - Case Study Example For Claire's Antiques, this order is very important because without they would not be profitable and would have to layoff many workers.The company now has to consider its alternatives, the main assumption that we have during this consideration is that Claire's Antiques cannot have a budget based on speculations of money that is not there yet.If a rebid is to take place, it could be possible for the competitors to lower their price, thus Claire's Antiques should clearly refuse the rebid. In this the consumer would have more time to think the decision through and compare the two companies.One thing that Claire's Antiques can do is to offer more services, such as after sales service. This would make their offer more interesting even though the price is higher. Claire's Antiques should find out what type of service is important to the customer and include them in their sales process. This would help validate the higher price being charged by them. A discount can be offered if the custome r is willing to pay cash or make the payment upfront, that is as soon as the goods are received or within a week of delivery.Every company has a weak point; Claire's Antiques should find out about the weak point of their competitors and use this to their advantage. There are many things that you need to consider before actually making the bid and once you have done so, you need to sit back and see how the competitors and the customer reacts.

Examine the role of Business Format Franchising in multinational Essay

Examine the role of Business Format Franchising in multinational businesses and define the effect of International Franchising on globalisation - Essay Example The franchisor-franchisee relationship is based on mutual support and trust. In this relational exchange, they share benefits and costs (Grunhagen & Dorsch, 2003). The franchisor provides support, technology and advice to the new franchisee and guarantees continued support. In exchange, the franchisee has to pay an entry fee and a continued royalty on sales and advertising fees for regular services (Inma, 2005). Franchising is different from other forms of business. The franchise owners try to assess the value they receive in exchange for the sum paid. They would remain in the relationship as long as they perceive that they receive a fair value for the payments made to the franchisor. In this relationship, the franchisor or the principal does not invest its own fund in the local service unit because the responsibility of maintenance, construction and management of the local operation lies with the franchisee (Fladmoe-Lindquist & Jacque, 1995; Welsh, Alon & Falbe, 2006). The business format of franchising was based on two dominant theories – the agency theory and the resource scarcity theory (Inma, 2005). Based on the resource scarcity theory, as the company anted to expand and resources were scarce, franchising became a means of obtaining capital. In addition, it also eased managerial constraints upon the growth of the medium and small-sized firms. The agency theory viewed franchising as a means of efficiently controlling the problems that could arise due to the difference between the agent and the principal. Thus, these theories are based on the view that it eliminates the constraints that a firm could encounter in expansion. Although franchising originated in France, today Australia is the most franchised nation per head of population in the world. A franchise organization is claimed to be a hybrid form and has complex contractual arrangements. However, the franchised system can have hybrid forms as well as hierarchy firms (Inma, 2005). This

CULTURAL METAPHORS and THE WEEKLY CULTURAL FOCUS SECTIONS (japan) Research Proposal

CULTURAL METAPHORS and THE WEEKLY CULTURAL FOCUS SECTIONS (japan) - Research Proposal Example of the culture is important not only to facilitate proper business transactions but also since total comprehension of a different culture gives room for appreciation of other cultures thereby promoting peaceful coexistence. Therefore, an understanding of the Japanese culture boosts my future career endeavors as an organization’s representative in international forums. Nonetheless, cultural studies require extensive research from different resources ranging from the internet to books among others. The Japanese culture has been covered by relatively many books that are dependable. As such, most of my research will be based on books through the guidance of the librarian on the best reference books. Additionally, I plan to use the internet since it proven to be a great resource especially for information on current issues such as through newspapers and journals. After picking the best at least five references, I will use them to come up with an annotated bibliography which is essential in drawing summaries for the final paper. With this I hope to not only have created an excellent final paper but also to have gained sufficient knowledge regarding the Japanese

Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis for Pho Phu Quoc Beef Noodle House Research Paper

Strengths and Weaknesses Analysis for Pho Phu Quoc Beef Noodle House - Research Paper Example The secondary data has been collected from journals such as â€Å"Use of qualitative research in foodservice organizations: A review of challenges, strategies, and applications†, â€Å"Quality in Service Sector†, â€Å"Perception Gaps in customer expectations: Managers versus service providers and customers† and â€Å"A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research†. Following this, relevant theories have also been incorporated from books namely â€Å"Managing Service Marketing†, â€Å"Principles of Marketing†, â€Å"Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods† and â€Å"Strategic Management and Business Analysis†. Correspondingly, relevant data has also been collected from websites such as â€Å"Yelp Inc.† After identification of the different problem areas of restaurant, a qualitative method has been used for maintaining the effectiveness of the system and enhancing the business prominenc e in the new market. According to the past record of restaurant and secondary data sources, it stated that this particular restaurant has faced a cultural difference issue, along with selection of foods and analyzing the threat of other existing restaurants. After analyzing these areas, paper was found proper problems in service, quality management, along with cultural differences. According to these situations, the findings were both development of the negative as well as positive aspects. Technically, the restaurant has been able to configure properly its negative angles with maximum consciousness as well as tried to resolve it with the help of its existing strengths i.e. the unique cuisine that it have been providing to its consumers. Pho Phu Quoc Beef Noodle House located in San Francisco. According to the name of this restaurant, it has been clear that it is based on the Vietnamese cuisine. The restaurant has its own blend of Asian flavors with various types of meats along with

CULTURAL METAPHORS and THE WEEKLY CULTURAL FOCUS SECTIONS (japan) Research Proposal

CULTURAL METAPHORS and THE WEEKLY CULTURAL FOCUS SECTIONS (japan) - Research Proposal Example of the culture is important not only to facilitate proper business transactions but also since total comprehension of a different culture gives room for appreciation of other cultures thereby promoting peaceful coexistence. Therefore, an understanding of the Japanese culture boosts my future career endeavors as an organization’s representative in international forums. Nonetheless, cultural studies require extensive research from different resources ranging from the internet to books among others. The Japanese culture has been covered by relatively many books that are dependable. As such, most of my research will be based on books through the guidance of the librarian on the best reference books. Additionally, I plan to use the internet since it proven to be a great resource especially for information on current issues such as through newspapers and journals. After picking the best at least five references, I will use them to come up with an annotated bibliography which is essential in drawing summaries for the final paper. With this I hope to not only have created an excellent final paper but also to have gained sufficient knowledge regarding the Japanese

International Business Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 2

International Business - Assignment Example In a contemporary world that is dynamic and full of opportunities, opinion and views held by a multinational company don’t just vary in the United States but throughout the world. My view of the multinational company is expensive, but I tie it broadly to the attitudes of the executive, internal structures, and operations. In a broader view, multinational companies should be the one that not only brings capital but use local talents to tap into the growth of the company. I hold a view that due to the diversity of cultures, taste and preference within a country vary. In my view, only local executives are able to understand the local’s needs much better than any other foreigner. Multinationals company goal is maximizing profits and through more involvements individuals identify more with the company. Polycentric basis offers the best approach to the understanding of multinational. It goes beyond the shallow view of multinationals. No single yardstick, such as the percentag e of investments abroad, the location of headquarters and equity proportion are generalized to give the context. The polycentric approach to can is preferred since it is host country oriented in other words loosely connected bunch of quasi-subsidiaries as centers. Unlike other approaches to the meaning of a multinational company. Polycentric which arise from beliefs that MNC may be tightly knitted by perfect financial controls. This is, in reality, is true as more often than not home office leaves subsidiaries ‘alone’.

Narrowing Down of Gender Biased Disparities in US Federal and Civil services Essay Example for Free

Narrowing Down of Gender Biased Disparities in US Federal and Civil services Essay Narrowing Down of Gender Biased Disparities in US Federal and Civil Services The early 1970s witnessed a male dominant workforce in all departments of civil and federal services in the United States. Authoritative positions were held mainly by men. ‘Sex Based Glass Ceilings in the US State Level Bureaucracies 1987-1997’ written by Margaret Reed et al. (2004) has relevant data from the US Government offices. The authors analyzed the data and concluded that this gap has narrowed down significantly with women breaking the impediments in the glass ceilings prevalent in administrative positions. According to him, the glass ceiling is not that pervasive in distributive and regulatory agencies but very less pervasive in the services of redistributive agency which will be discussed later in this paper. Mani (2004) in his ‘Women in the Federal Civil Service’, analyses more about the influence of veterans preference to see if it stands as an impediment to women’s career in the federal civil services. Lewis and Oh (2008) exclusively discuss about the male-female pay differences in their paper ‘A Major Difference? ’ They deal effectively with pay disparities. For this, they makes an in depth study of different major subjects in colleges that brings a change in salary and administrative positions. He uses samples of different races, whites and blacks, and Hispanics in his analysis and proves that there is no disparity among races in terms of salary or status. All the three papers propose a common positive trend in women’s education level, salary, status, higher positions in civil and federal workforce. Each paper is exclusive in describing a unique sub-topic with significance and data analysis. Women are close to men in almost all departments thereby bridging the gender gap between 1990 and 2000. All the three papers with data show the disparities and gender differences between 1970 and 1990 that gradually reduced and the percentage variation is insignificant in the year 2000. Reed et al. ’s (2004) paper can be considered as a main discussion of the topic where he touches upon women’s employment, pay disparities and impediments to glass ceilings. Reed (2004) brings about the discussion on glass ceiling and glass wall that existed in three different agencies. The other two papers: ‘A Major Difference? ’ and ‘Women in the Federal Civil Service’ can be considered as a supportive or additional research without much contradictory opinions though each paper touches upon distinctive subtopics distinctively. The data analysis in all the three papers almost arrive at the same percentage of variation between men and women in salary, education in civil and federal workforce. All the three essays borrowed data from government offices like U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission EEOC national (data set for Sex Based Glass Ceilings in the US State Level Bureaucracies 1987-1997’), US Office of Personnel Management (data set for ‘ Major Difference’) and US Office of Personnel Management (data set for ‘Women in the Federal Services’) This data is useful in performing analysis of employees by job category, functional policy areas, salary levels, sex, number of male-female veterans, and male-female non-veterans. This data is not available in the open. It has been provided to the authors on request by the respective universities. This data helps to conduct Significance Test, Logistic Regression tests, Chi-square test and t test to come up with statistical evidence supporting their statements. Reed et al. (2004) use this data to arrive at ceiling ratios while discussing about pay disparities between male and female. When we discuss about gender disparities, or women’s impediments to acquire managerial positions, a common opinion is cited as a drawback in women: they are lack of commitment to affirmative action, lack of developmental assignments, gender biased organization cultures and stereotypes, outright discrimination, assuming leadership roles and welfare composition (Reed et al. 2004). Mani (2004) is also of the same view when he discusses about the reason for gender wage gap. According to him, sex discrimination in hiring and promotions, shortcomings in public policies and social changes played a major role between 1970 and 1990. While discussing pay disparities and acquiring higher positions that remain in disfavor of women, we need to consider that women were in the habit of selecting arts and social subjects in colleges that relatively fetched lower salary and lower administrative positions compared to men who were in the habit of selecting computer science, business and other professional studies. The second factor is that women are mostly connected with familial tie-ups and involved in childbearing, preferring to travel less, etc. automatically kept them away from competing with men for parity in pay or the highest positions in administrative levels. In 1990s, the above-said factors did not stand in the way of women to keep them away from competition. Many women started choosing professional colleges and decided to work in areas where men alone where dominant. Education played a major role in bridging the gap between men and women in pay disparities and higher positions in administrative levels. However, reaching top most authoritative levels was decided on various other factors that led to the disappointment of women. The percentage of gap un-bridged can be considered as due to the shortcomings in public policies and social changes as suggested by Mani (2004). Lewis and Oh (2008) in his exclusive study on pay differences, also attributes the unexplainable gaps in pay disparities to sexual discrimination and difference in government treatment of apparently compatible men and women. All three studies agree that this kind of partial treatment to women has reduced significantly and women are well placed in terms of education, pay, and administrative positions in the late 1990s. The percentage of development in every decade from 1970 is shown through analysis of data. Mani (2004) analyzes the influence of veterans in the civil life to see if it stands as an impediment to women’s opportunity of becoming a top level managers. Earlier in 1970s and 1980s there was considerable reason to believe that veterans had the advantage in federal civil service over non-veterans. The case started reversing in the 1990s with non- veterans getting more salaries and more job advantages. This is because, the women came stronger in studies in all departments. The growing number of women in public and their demands were heeded and respected by the government. The impediments came to a halt with the implementation of Equal Pay Act. Besides, George Bush signed Civil Rights acts of 1991 which allowed women to challenge unfavorable decisions in the bureaucracy and in the courts. Mani (2004) has ultimately concluded his views on veterans and their changing state is in the civil society with time. He proves with the empirical data that veterans no longer remain as an impediment for women in obtaining success in the civil and federal positions. Reed (2004) raises the question of women and their under representation as institutionalized democratic practices when it comes to high level positions. He used two models (i) socio-psychological model that emphasizes the importance of organizational culture that exclude women, and (ii) the systemic model that focuses on the distribution of power and opportunities available to women. Unlike Lewis and Oh (2008), and Mani et al. (2004), Reed (2004) gets into details of three different agencies and the opportunities and positions held by women in them. Regulatory agencies such as police are considered to be a male dominant workforces. Obviously, the presence of glass ceilings is more visible here. The redistributive agency includes management of public welfare programs, rehabilitation, public health services etc that involve more service related jobs where women are appointed traditionally at various levels. The glass ceilings are less pervasive in top administrative positions in redistributive agency. These disparities stated by Reed (2004) are narrowed down in 1990s. Distributive agencies involve construction, repair and administration of bridges, community development, etc in which men use to be dominant. The authors clearly observe the presence of glass wall and an impervious glass ceiling to get into top level management positions. Lewis and Oh (2008) do not segregate in detail, the three agencies via regulatory, distributive and redistributive agencies and so failed to categorize women where their representation, for example departments like police protection, fire, dept, etc was minimum. Without these information, one does not get to know that women are doing fairly well to reach management positions in redistributive agencies. From all the three papers, we understand that there is an increase in percentage of women in all positions of workforce. The empirical data suggests that the percentage increase is gradual from 1970 through the years and in 1995, women were earning about 89% of salary compared to men. Women too started obtaining higher degrees from colleges. Their presence was seen in many upper management positions. However women have not advanced into the highest and most prestigious positions in organizations. According to Reed (2004), the government is becoming creative in implementing strategies to reduce the gender gap but these efforts are not uniformly distributed in all the states. Many women, about 3 million, as teachers, are not included in the data considered for analysis. This is a significant population that chose teaching profession for convenience and so the percentage of variation in disparities between men and women could have been improved if this work force is distributed in other civilian jobs. The proportion of women in various jobs determines various other factors. Mani (2004) has disclosed the veterans and their status in the civil services after the post Vietnam war. His paper helps to understand how the early veterans without much education levels happened to claim up the ladder in civilian positions. We also come know of the rigorous training the veterans possessed to meet the requirements once they come out to the civil life. However, at a later stage, the non-veterans had the advantage over veterans by virtue of their higher education, experience in civil environment and the change of law that preferred veterans in selection procedures. The transition is shown with the help of data available from the U. S. Office of Personal Management Central Personal Data File (OPM CPDF). Comparison among male veterans, male non-veterans, female veterans, female non-veterans with and without considering sex aspect give a clear picture of preferences and impediments over the decades. The scenario in 1995 shows that the disparities among all the four groups have been settled in such a way that one group does not hinder the prospect of the other group while competing for civilian jobs and in promotions. There was a significant difference in salary between men and women after all the analysis conducted by Mani (2004). Like in other papers, Mani (2004) too agrees with sex discrimination, the shortcomings in the public policies and social changes that impact women’s career. But his opinion is slightly different compared to the other two: after 1998, there was still occupational segregation and salary disparities between men and women. The other two papers showed that much of the gender gap is narrowed down around 1999, whereas Mani (2004) still shows differences that requires rectification from the government side. All the three papers with data and analysis reveal the changes in social and cultural changes through the history of United States. All the three papers used more or less the similar data borrowed from the government departments. This can be considered as a major drawback in the results obtained. If each paper used a different data from different sources to conduct statistical analysis, it would have been more appealing. All the three papers do not consider or omit a few factors evenly while doing the analysis. For example, the 3 million teachers (Reed, 2004) avoided in one paper is a wise decision which is not found in the case of other two papers. All the three papers are trying to arrive at showing the percentage of gap narrowing down in disparities between male and female without considering similar factors in the analysis. This cannot be taken strongly for absolute results. However, the data from the government sources and its utilization in analyzing the subject to provide with statistics at various levels certainly convince the readers that there is improvement in lessening of glass walls and ceilings, equality in pay and acquiring top level management positions in the civil and federal workforce. References Lewis, B. Oh, S. S. , (2008). A Major Difference? Fields of Study and Male–Female Pay Differences in Federal Employment. Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University, Atlanta. Mani, B. G. (2004). Women in the Federal Civil Service: Career Advancement, Veterans’ Preference, and Education. Reid, M. (2004). Sex-based Glass Ceilings in US State-Level Bureacracies, 1987-1991. Administration and Society.

Strategic management and business policy module

Strategic management and business policy module 1 There were a number of concurrent changes in the VSM Group in the period 1997-2003, is the VSM Group still the same company? No the company has changed a lot with the arrival of the new CEO, new things has been introduced as: More people were involved in strategic sessions New mission statement Companion strategy High involvement of employees on different level Purchase of competitors added production capacity to the firm Processes have been directed towards strengthening the linkages between functional areas in the value chain. The physical relocation of the RD and marketing departments to the same building New programs for educating the retailers and customers on sewing and using the machines. Integrating technology (mainly on line) with the innovation of the new machines. 2 How would you describe the strategic capability of Viking Sewing Machines in 1997? In 2003? In 1997: The Company brought their managers of their major national sales companies as well as the marketing vice president into the top management; also there were changes in their operating systems New mission and documents brought different level together which added a broader sight Bringing the technical expertise and marketers together to come up with new innovations that meet customers needs. In 2003: New and exclusive dealers had been added. Two strong brands, Pfaff as a high quality brand, and Husqvarna as the family and innovative brand. Brno added add capacity of production to the company, which was cost efficient and added capacity to the production. They have expertise in the product development of the sewing machines industry 3 Are the core competences in 2003 more robust than in 1997? Definitely yes; there were more focus in the strategy and direction in 2003 They have better product development capabilities. Two strong brands. An IT company to develop their own technology work, thus controlling the embroidery market. Building linkages within the value chain. 4 What are the important factors in the macro-environment that influence VSM and its industry? Political The political situation might be influenced by the trade agreement between the States and the European origin products. Also, manufacturing in the Far East might have some regulations and extra taxations since these markets are flooding the world with lower priced products. Economic The economic situation is affected by the difference in currency of the different origin or production and consumer markets. To raise quality they might need to shift the factors from Far East to another location with higher pays. Also, Sales of low priced simple machines have increased, while more advanced machines showed steady sales. Social Clothes became cheaper so no need for sewing at home. More social activities emerged and resulted in less time afforded to sewing hobbies Technological This had the major contribution here due to: The high development of the internet usages and its spread; The power and reach of the new software. Enhancement of the senses and computerized motors to give better functionality to the machines. People (Customers) are more technologically driven and are up to date with innovations thus request the new and complicated models. Environmental Natural crisis as Tsunamis are threatening the Far East which might result in a cut of production and disturbance to the manufacturing flow. Legal It will depend on new regulation for this industry or in the industrial market as a whole 5 What are the forces of competition in the sewing machine industry? Five Forces analysis Competitive rivalry Moderate since there are moderate product innovation, and no real competition in the market through prices and addressing resellers. Low number of competitors covering the same segment There are some product differentiations in the complete products that depend on innovation Entry barrier Low, with some concern regarding the reach to the distribution channels that work exclusively with the other companies. There are some capital investment and know-how but its not a major one. Buyer power Buyers have high bargaining power due to low switching costs between brands since the industry is mature and there arent a lot of product differentiations for the general products. Supplier Power There arent any concentration in the supplier side , and the raw material are mainly general materials and the production and the RD at the VMS are covering the other parts , thus we see this as weak Substitutes Mostly this market have good quality machines and a lower cost ones from east Asia , thus they differ in price and quality , and switching cost is low , thus it will increase the threats for the normal machines , while complex computerized machines are limited in the market. From the above we dont see the market as attractive for new entrant since people tent more to buy cloths outside and have very attractive and affordable prices of clothes rather than creating their own. 6 What are the next strategic issues Viking will have to address? What strategic options might be considered? They need to maintain their technical leadership and managing the value chain. Also they need to manage their brands and their recent acquisitions. As for their next steps it should be to protect and build on their current successful position. They should work on increasing their customer orientation, RD, production, marketing, distribution in all parts of their value chain. Where the retailers have a major role in reaching their customer, which needs concentration and follow up on their training and supporting them , this will also place a good part of the attention on marketing and customers relationship management and VSM has transformed with the help of the new CEO from a product orientated company to a market oriented one. They also started to focus on selected customer segment to cover their needs; this is shown with the different targeting technique from their VMS and Pfaff line of machines, were they need to work on the innovation of products and services. The company has good attention to the acquisition of Emnet and software engineers computing companies. Where they need to build on their traditional strength and benefit from their product development, and the use of the new technology to add an edge for them in this industry m where the production have to be met with an aggressive and smart sales force . 7 How does the strategy of the VSM Group match its strategic capability with its environment? How did it change from 1997 to 2003? They need to concentrate on their existing resource positions and building on their new resources to capture a position on their selected market. VSM had many important recourses and competences that help them with their initial strategy building on their RD process and innovative production which have highlighted their brand , here they missed the importance of marketing and its power to play with the environmental factors to bring more success to the firm . And since the market was declining the way to survive was to concentrate on differentiation products that are high computerized. And mainly focus differentiation and top of the line models ,which needed to reach the customer with exclusive retailers and at prime locations , and took keep the flow of the experience they had trained the retailers to a level that represent them and keep a good relationship with the customers . Here they also created training programs for their end users of the machines and train them on professional ways and patterns of using these machines. Problem with their earlier value chain and not being able to have the benefit reach their clients due to the lack of the marketing control over retailers thus the new strategy was to fix this cut in the link in the value chain, another issue they were facing is the lack of communication between their RN and their marketing department, which the new CEO brought these department physical near each other to enhance this channels. Their new acquisition of their competitor Pfaff added new resources and a strong high end brand to the group, the thing now is how to manage their two brands since they compete in the same markets knowing that the perceived value and prices are not the sole player in the market, here they benefited from their technological edge and their high quality products in a clear market communication process to reach their desired customers segments each one by its own without affecting the flow and the strategy of the other brand. 8 The case starts with the arrival of the new CEO. What role did Mr. Runnquist play in the transformation of the company? How important is he for the future of the company? The New CEO defiantly added a lot to the organization and did a paradigm shift to their working culture, such as collaboration of a bigger audience in major decisions of the organization, educating employees, retailers and end users . He was under press since the company was newly sold to a new owner that expected revenues to jump , which made him shift the organization from production oriented to market oriented one to capture all aspects and react on them . Here the need for a new mission, vision and strategic document of the organization emerged , where he have going the forces from different departments to participate and build them , this of course included different levels of the organization to jump in these activity which have added some sense of commitment and ownership among all levels . Another major issue he worked on is the harmony and good level of communication in their value chain, working from the RD, production, marketing, Sales, retailer to the end customers. This helped in having all these level at the same level of professionalism and updated knowledge to better understand the products to be able to sell or buy them. He is very important for the continuity and the future challenges that will face VMS, he need to continually have an eye open for new channels and treats and benefit from this firms resources and capabilities building on their experiences to capture opportunity and turn around weakness and treats to bring more success to the firm, this of course implies that he might have another paradigm shift if it is needed. 9 At two points in time, the CEO of the VSM Group opens up a broad discussion on the strategic issues. What issues are discussed and why does he involve a larger group of the management on these issues? The first one was in 1997, when he joined the organization and need all level to be part of the new paradigm shift and mind set of the firm and be a part in creating their new mission. The second one was in 2000, after the acquisition of other firms team from outside the higher management was brought again to discuss the future of the firm and to gain legitimacy for the strategy ahead. The importance of this part was also to set all minds to a focused set of actions to deal with the two competing rand so as not to confuse the market and employees so and not to lose their corporate identity. It is important to participate a good audience to create commitment to the new strategic moves and create some sense of ownership among different level in the firm and push hard for the future and targets.

Jonathan Livingston Seagull :: Jonathan Livingston Seagull Essays

Jonathan Livingston Seagull Jonathan was not an ordinary seagull. For a thousand years, seagulls have spent their whole life on scrambling after fish heads. But Jonathan saw something different. He thought that life should not be just eating and fighting, even seagulls should have a reason to live. For him, his meaning of life is to fly. We all wish that we could spend all our time on doing things we like, just as Jonathan spent all his time on his beloved flight. However, the success in finding his meaning of life didn't bring with him any honor, but caused him to be an object of shame and irresponsibility, and to be banished due to his neglect to finding food. After having been banished, Jonathan was full time practicing flying and made great progress. He thought he had found his own heaven, and wondered why there are so few seagulls enjoying themselves in the heaven; "heaven should be flocked with gulls!" Therefore, besides finding his own meaning of life, he eventually returned to the place that once had expelled him, and help the fellows there to find their purpose of life. This is what I like most in the story. "You don't love hatred and evil...you have to practise and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it themselves" Jonathan was unselfish and lenient. He wasn't hostile to those who forced him out of his homeland, on the contrary, he learned to love them and help them. To forgive and love your enemy is even more difficult than finding the meaning of life, but Jonathan, a little seagull, managed to act it out. While Jonathan carried on practising, he found out that" this world isn't heaven at all". Heaven is being perfect, is not limited by time and space..."there is no such place". So, heaven is somewhere that we can never step out foot in. Very often, people do their best longing for the best result, they like to be perfect and try their best to be perfect. They have an idea of heaven in their mind and are upset all the time because they can never achieve it, we all have too many flaws. Jonathan Livingston Seagull :: Jonathan Livingston Seagull Essays Jonathan Livingston Seagull Jonathan was not an ordinary seagull. For a thousand years, seagulls have spent their whole life on scrambling after fish heads. But Jonathan saw something different. He thought that life should not be just eating and fighting, even seagulls should have a reason to live. For him, his meaning of life is to fly. We all wish that we could spend all our time on doing things we like, just as Jonathan spent all his time on his beloved flight. However, the success in finding his meaning of life didn't bring with him any honor, but caused him to be an object of shame and irresponsibility, and to be banished due to his neglect to finding food. After having been banished, Jonathan was full time practicing flying and made great progress. He thought he had found his own heaven, and wondered why there are so few seagulls enjoying themselves in the heaven; "heaven should be flocked with gulls!" Therefore, besides finding his own meaning of life, he eventually returned to the place that once had expelled him, and help the fellows there to find their purpose of life. This is what I like most in the story. "You don't love hatred and evil...you have to practise and see the real gull, the good in every one of them, and to help them see it themselves" Jonathan was unselfish and lenient. He wasn't hostile to those who forced him out of his homeland, on the contrary, he learned to love them and help them. To forgive and love your enemy is even more difficult than finding the meaning of life, but Jonathan, a little seagull, managed to act it out. While Jonathan carried on practising, he found out that" this world isn't heaven at all". Heaven is being perfect, is not limited by time and space..."there is no such place". So, heaven is somewhere that we can never step out foot in. Very often, people do their best longing for the best result, they like to be perfect and try their best to be perfect. They have an idea of heaven in their mind and are upset all the time because they can never achieve it, we all have too many flaws.

Obsession of Perfection Essay

The relentless pursuit of human perfection has always been an intrinsic trait of human nature and science has been a mean to achieve it. This statement brings us to the main idea of Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"The Birth-mark.† It shows the story of a scientist who is obsessed with the removal of his wife’s birthmark, considering it a symbol of her human imperfection. â€Å"The Birth-mark† is possibly influenced by Hawthorne’s times where science began to gain knowledge about our world and was considerably glorified, through scientific experiment, humankind can discover, know, and do just about anything. As the narrator explains, â€Å"In those days when the comparatively recent discovery of electricity and other kindred mysteries of Nature seemed to open paths into the region of miracle, [†¦] in its depth and absorbing energy† (Hawthorne 209). The author’s story presents some critical issues about what it signifies to be human, how much science can tell us about the world, what happens when human beings attempt to subvert nature through science, and possibly more significantly, should we try to â€Å"play God† in this manner. â€Å"The Birth-mark† like other stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne provides us with moral allegories and much of the meaning is through Hawthorne’s use of symbolism that addresses the themes such as manipulation of science, humanity’s flaws, and obsession with perfection. Hawthorne uses an intriguing plot and unique characterization in order to teach lessons about the imperfectability of humans by examining at the misuse of science. Since Hawthorne is involved in the telling of a moral tale, it is appropriate to consider in this essay the ways â€Å"The Birth-mark† takes the moral to warn its readers about the dangers of science and obsession with perfection. Therefore, this essay will discuss the meaning of the more obvious lessons that Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"The Birth-mark† suggests, the imperfect nature of humankind, the limitations that science has, and the contentment that humans should have on what they already possess. The main character Aylmer, â€Å"a man of science ÃŒ ¶ an eminent proficient in every branch of natural philosophy† (Hawthorne 209), suffers from a blind obsession about a tiny red birthmark resembling the shape of a hand that his gorgeous wife Georgiana has on her cheek. As Aylmer declares: â€Å"Ah, upon another face perhaps it might,† replied her husband; â€Å"but never on yours. No, dearest Georgiana, you came so nearly perfect from the hand of Nature, that this slightest possible defect ÃŒ ¶ which we hesitate whether to term a defect or a beauty ÃŒ ¶ shocks me, as being the visible mark of earthly imperfection† (Hawthorne 209). He seeks to remove his wife’s birthmark, the symbol of necessarily flawed humanity, and make her perfect. Georgiana’s birthmark represents man’s imperfections, the very imperfections that make her human. The birthmark is deeply ingrained in her face. â€Å"It was the fatal flaw of humanity which Nature, in one shape or another, stamps ineffaceably on all her productions, either to imply that they are temporary and finite, or that their perfection must be wrought by toil and pain† (Hawthorne 211). We can assume that, symbolically, this passage implies that man’s imperfections are deeply embedded in his nature. â€Å"The Birthmark† illustrates the flaws of mankind, but its most significant declaration is that to be human is inevitably to be flawed. To struggle for perfection is to deny human’s own nature, to deny what makes us human, and to achieve such perfection is essentially impossible. It becomes clear when the narrator of the story describes Georgiana’s death â€Å"The fatal hand had grappled with the mystery of life, and was the bond by which an angelic spirit kept itself in union with a mortal frame. As the last crimson tint of the birthmark–that sole token of human imperfection–faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a moment near her husband, took its heavenward flight† (Hawthorne 222), by eliminating Georgiana’s imperfection, Aylmer also liberates her of her humanity. Once she is perfect, once she is no longer flawed, Georgiana can no longer live. Hawthorne’s message is that being imperfect is just part of being human. If you are not flawed, you are not human anymore. It seems then; that the central lesson and underlying moral message behind this passage is that trying to put a small mistake way up out of proportion, in attempt to create something perfect, only destroys a good thing and leave us  with the fatal consequences that come with senseless obsession of pursuing perfection. Another example of a moral lesson that Hawthorne’s short story â€Å"The Birth-mark† suggests is that science really does have its limitations. There are certain things that humans are not privileged to know or capable of doing. It is not only arrogant, the story seems to implies, but absolutely dangerous to try to play God. â€Å"Much as he had accomplished, she could not but observe that his most splendid successes were almost invariably failures [†¦] His brightest diamonds were the merest pebbles, and felt to be so by himself, in comparison with the inestimable gems which lay hidden beyond his reach† (Hawthorne 217). Aylmer cannot discover everything about Nature; he has failed in his past experiments and he will fail again with Georgiana. One of the many morals of the story is that Nature carefully protects her secrets and cannot be overcome or even matched by man. As we discuss in the introduction of this essay, Hawthorne wrote â€Å"The Birthmark† at a time when the scientific method was being glorified and people were starting to think science really could take us anywhere we wanted to go. â€Å"The Birthmark† is presenting Nature as the personified creator of all things, as a god. There are implications in the story about moral ethical issues as science tests new drugs in human beings for instance, or scientists playing to be god like in the case of human cloning. Finally, it delivers the moral about what happens when human beings attempt to challenge and alter nature that can and often will end in tragic consequences. Aylmer’s gorgeous wife, Georgiana is highly desirable because of her beauty. The narrator describes her, declaring: â€Å"Georgiana’s lovers were wont to say that some fairy at her birth hour had laid her tiny hand upon the infant’s cheek, [†¦] to give her such sway over all hearts† (Hawthorne 210). She is perfect in every way, except for one tiny flaw that Aylmer can’t accept. â€Å"At all the seasons which should have been their happiest, he invariably [†¦] opened his eyes upon his wife’s face and recognized the symbol of imperfection† (Hawthorne 211). Aylmer is more and more bothered by his  wife’s birthmark. He grows to find it utterly intolerable, and even describes it â€Å"as the symbol of his wife’s liability to sin, sorrow, decay, and death† (Hawthorne 211). The obsession with perfection blinds Aylmer to the true beauty and humanity of his wife, showing the struggle between accepting her true n atural beauty and man’s inability to perceive it and appreciate what nature has bestowed upon him. As the story revels through this important quote â€Å"Do not repent [†¦] you have rejected the best the earth could offer† (Hawthorne 222). Hawthorne’s critical lesson is that Aylmer didn’t recognize how lucky he was to have Georgiana. At the end of the story Aylmer is punished for being dissatisfied with a woman who pledged her love and entrusted her life to him, a woman whose inner and outer beauty he could not see and his discontentment snatch away the most perfect thing in his life, Georgiana. Contentment on what we have is the central lesson of this passage when sometimes; it is enough to just finish a task, even if it is not perfect because striving to make it perfect could end up spoiling many things in the process. At the end of â€Å"The Birthmark,† Aylmer both succeeds and fails. He succeeds in that he finally rid his wife of her birthmark. He fails in that†¦she is dead. Finally, this story involve man’s desire to prefect what is already perfect and the use of science as a flawed tool to attain this perfection. Sure, Georgiana dies right afterwards, but the fact remains that Aylmer does indeed succeed in removing the birthmark from Georgiana’s cheek. What does this say about man’s ability to conquer nature? â€Å"The end justifies the means.† You can use bad or immoral methods as long as you accomplish something â€Å"good† by using them. It is acceptable to do something bad in order to obtain something good? Works Cited Hawthorne, Nathaniel. †The Birth-mark†. Pearson Custom Library Introduction to Literature. Eds. Cain, Kathleen Shine, Kathleen Fitzpatrick, JN, et. al. Boston: Pearson Learning Solution, 2013. 209-222. Print.