Air pollution economic case for enviromental regulation

IntroductionEconomic development and prosperity takes place, several times, coupled with contamination of the urban environment. This situation is defined in economics as an externality, which is an effect from one activity which has consequences for another activity but is not reflected in market prices. When these consequences are the generation of external costs they are defined as negatives. This is the particular case of air pollution. For example, â€Å"Pollution represents an external cost because damages associated with it are borne by society as a whole and are not reflected in market transactions.†(Koomey and Krause, 1997)  Despite the fact that stricter controls were put into practice in the last years, and the observed reductions in pollution, air pollution remains as a common concern among countries.Externalities correctionsThere are four major measurable examples to correct this problem which are: Property Rights, Regulation, Taxes and subsidies, Marketable Per mits.  Although it works in few cases, small groups, if property rights are correctly defined it may avoid the problem, e.g. if a firm owns the right to clean air and can charge people for using it.  Air pollution regulations were strengthened by enactment of the Air Quality Act in 1967, which introduced a regional approach to air pollution control; and has been has been increasing in the last years, E.g., limits on vehicle emissions, controls on allowable factory emissions, smoking bans. The problem on this measure is that does not encourage change in technology uses or new technology developments.Taxes and subsidies, for example differential taxes on carbon emissions, has the benefit that the company that produces contamination â€Å"pays†, thus encouraging technology change and being more efficient.  At last, marketable permits are a number of permits issued according to a total limit of output pollution. They may be auctioned to the highest bidder, going to companie s that can not reduce pollution easily. The Clean Air Act is a well-known example of the application of the marketable permits technique.ConclusionControlling air pollution is a difficult task, plenty of trade-off decisions. Many measures have been taken to stop the problem, but many of them have proven to be inefficient. It seems that taxes and subsidies are the best measures but this might be introduced slowly into the market, thus giving time to firms to adjust their production methods. Hence is that marketable permits are a validate instrument to go together with taxes in the meanwhile.ReferencesNorberg, Johan. â€Å"In Defense of Global Capitalism†. Publisher: Cato Institute. Place of Publication: Washington, DC. Publication Year: 2003. Page Number: 229.Cherni, Judith A. â€Å"Economic Growth versus the Environment: The Politics of Wealth, Health and Air Pollution†. Publisher: Palgrave. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2002. Page Number: 1.Colls, Jeremy. â€Å"Air Pollution†. Publisher: Spon Press. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 2002. Page Number: 21.Arya, S. Pal. â€Å"Air Pollution, Meteorology and Dispersion†. Publisher: Oxford University Press. Place of Publication: New York. Publication Year: 1999. Page Number: 15.Koomey, Jonathan and Krause, Florentin. â€Å"Introduction to Environmental Externality Costs†. Year: 1997. Published in the CRC Handbook on Energy Efficiency. Energy Analysis Program. Applied Science Division. Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory.   

Clinical Psychology Paper Essay

The great evangelist D.T. Niles once said, â€Å"Christianity is just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread† (Niles, 2010). At its most basic level, clinical psychology is the enterprise of one educated, licensed person using his or her knowledge of human behavior to address, assuage, or otherwise moderate the troubles and concerns of another person’s life—whether they be relational, affective, or physiological. Strictly speaking, clinical psychology is, â€Å"the assessment, treatment, and understanding of psychological and behavioral problems and disorders† (Plante, 2011, p. 5). Clinical psychology is a scientific endeavor, utilizing the instrument of the scientific method to inform the practice, procedures, and treatments used to address human problems. There is an interplay that exists between treatment outcome research and psychotherapy in clinical psychology—the science informs the art and the art informs the science (Plante, 2011). The point of this paper is to catalogue and compare the history and evolving nature of clinical psychology as well as to consider the specific case of counseling within the framework of clinical psychology. History Hippocrates—the original author of the Hippocratic Oath—formed the first complete, if naà ¯ve, physiological explanation of disease and dysfunction (Plante, 2011). He proposed that imbalances in the mixture and quantity of four fluids: black bile, yellow bile, phlegm, and blood, caused several emotions and psychological maladjustment, such as sadness, irritability, and anger. It was not until the advents of Plato that it was conceived that the metaphysical realm of the soul could have an effect on the corporeal domain. However, it was to Galen that a holistic theory of medicine was formed that incorporated the physiological explanations of Hippocrates with the metaphysical explanations of Plato. Even though Galen’s ideas of bloodletting were flawed, it was a step in the direction of objective explanations of illness and disease. During the middle ages the work of Thomas Aquinas, Paracelsus, and Weyer shifted the discussion of psychology away from the metaphysical and toward physical explanations of mental illness, such as bodily causes, movements of the stars, and behavior. Furthermore, at the dawn of the Renaissance and into the nineteenth century the veil of shadow and secrecy behind the inner workings of the mind, body, and cell were ripped from his or her places and the mediums of scientific observation and laboratory investigation were instituted in the place of religion and mysticism as the sole explanation of illness. The works of Rush, Bernard, and Pinel during this period of history paved the way for more humane approaches to the abnormal and deviant—approaches that sought to alleviate psychological dysfunction rather than simply separate and restrain the dysfunctional. The birth of psychology proper came on the heels of the publishing of Wundt’s The Elements of Psychophysics in 1850 and James’ Principles of Psychology in 1890 (Plante, 2011). These publications, along with the institution of the first psychological laboratory by Wundt, culminated in the founding of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1892. The main drive behind the fledgling field of psychology was to measure empirically behavior to the end of understanding the subsidiary components of the mind itself. Hence, when clinical psychology first got on its feet four years later (1896), through the opening of the first clinic by Witmer, many psychologists frowned upon the application of the principles of human behavior to clinical situations. This was seen as a step away from a general understanding of human behavior and toward abnormal or dysfunctional psychology. Despite the initial tension between clinical psychology and mainstream psychology, the first formal classes in clinical psychology began in 1904 at the University of Pennsylvania and the first edition of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology was published in 1907. Evolving Nature Despite the disinclination of the APA to embrace an applied approach to psychology, clinical psychology grew rapidly in the beginning of the twentieth century (Plante, 2011). Going back to Plato’s contention of the metaphysical affecting the corporeal, Sigmund Freud postulated that unconscious conflict and strife could have a direct outcome on mental and physical illness. The work of Freud shaped and molded the direction of clinical psychology for many decades after his death. Even though it was not until the Boulder Conference of 1949 that the training guidelines for clinical psychology were mapped out and etched in stone, so to speak. One of the main tenets of these guidelines was that clinical psychologists should have a firm understanding of both psychological research and psychotherapy. It was not until the 1950s and on that Freud’s ideas of human psychology were exchanged for the alternatives of humanism, cognitive-behaviorism, and family systems approaches (Plante, 2011). The changes in psychological perspective were precipitated by the establishment of community mental health facilities and the introduction of psychotropic drugs as a treatment of abnormal psychology. Even though these advancements in conception and treatment offered alternatives to the traditional ideas of psychodynamics and behaviorism, no one theory of human psychology proved to explain the entirety of behavior, dysfunction, and cognition. To that end, parsimoniously eclectic approaches to psychology were adopted—such as the biopsychosocial theory—that incorporated many of the ideas and practices from the abovementioned perspectives. Current Issues The last century of clinical psychology has been characterized by an illness ideology that emphasizes the treatment or preventions of disorders (Maddux, 2008). Even though this approach has utility in the realm of psychotherapy it lacks the ability to enhance the quality of life for people who do not suffer from some type of mental illness. Maddux (2008) proposes that a shift toward positive psychology—a perspective that stresses human strengths and mental health—should be pursued. Positive psychology aims to, â€Å"†¦promote health, happiness, physical fitness, and pleasure, and personal fulfillment through the free pursuit of chosen and valued goals† (Maddux, 2008, p. 68). By shifting toward positive psychology the strengths of people can be used to promote mental health preemptively as well as combat mental illness. At the forefront of the implementation of positive psychology is the innovation of virtual reality (VR) as a means to allow patients to manipulate problematic situations related to his or her mental illness without the use of psychotherapy (Riva, 2009). By creating a safe and comfortable virtual environment patients can explore proactive ways to adapt and mediate his or her mental health problems. Research and Statistics in Clinical Counseling Psychology Rather than approach this section from a structuralist approach (e.g. the ancillary parts of clinical counseling psychology), it seems prudent to offer a specific example of how research and statistics are used and effect clinical counseling psychology. Bakar, Jaafar, Mohamed & Tarmizi (2009) sought to establish a correlation between counseling self-efficacy and trainee counselor performance. Their research found that indeed there is a positive relationship (r(100)=.312p

Law report case review Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Law report review - Case Study Example Judge Gordon J sites from Adam v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2003) 46 ACSR 68, that Mr. Schwartz needs to show sufficient evidence that he can honestly perform the duties as the director of the corporation with regards to the publics best interest. From the evidence presented to the Judge, his decision was that Mr. Schwartz did not present evidence as to who Babybelle deals with and why Mr. Schwartz was the only person able to serve in the director position. It is the recommendation of Judge Gordon that Mr. Schwartz’s application be dismissed. The Judge also concluded that the plaintiff could submit a new application with more detail and supporting evidence which further backs his character since his convictions. In addition, Mr. Schwartz could provide more in depth information on the company and its customers, thereby allowing the court to make a sound judgment as to the best interest of the public in allowing Mr. Schwartz to serve as director of the

International Business Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 24

International Business - Essay Example An international firm implements various strategies such as Geocentric, regiocentric and ethnocentric in addressing challenges faced by them in managing their diverse workforce. Many challenges are faced by MNCs in addressing global workforce management issues. These issues are found related to ethnocentrism, expatriation and poor knowledge transfer. MNCs are finding out ways to manage complex global structures in the context of international HRM and knowledge management. International human resource management (IHRM) wholly spotlights on controlling human resources in the global organizations. It is understood to be the process of performing HRM activities such as recruiting, compensating, organizational expansion, performance evaluation, employee motivation in the global context (Dowling, Festing and Engle Sr, 2008). IHRM is considered to be a complex procedure in many MNCs. The international operations of MNCs have many complexities which are often underestimated by the firms and hence it can be gathered that firms tend to overlook the relevance of IHRM. The failure of the business in global environment is a result of faulty human resource management practices. Increasing international competition among the organizations has led to the increasing importance of developing IHRM practices. There is a shortage of international managers which serves to be a problematic situation for the international firms (Quintanilla and Ferner, 2003). The MNCs fails to realise that the success and failure of the firm depends on how efficiently a firm applies its human resource management strategies. In order to achieve organizational goals, the MNCs need to fabricate integration among the human resource practices of its subsidiary firms located in different parts of the world (Tsai, 2001). The MNCs requires ensuring a considerable amount of flexibility in their IHRM

Engreeing desing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Engreeing desing - Essay Example Safe escape route are provided in all points of a building and directs people to a safe place without any assistance from the fire fighting team or from the people outside. The most important reason for performing fire test is to determine whether or not the fire suppression system meets the minimum requirement as set by different building codes and legislation. Tests are done by companies holding international accreditation and certification It is important to perform more than one experiment to actually proof that the installed product will not fail in times of fire. Conducting of one experiment may give conflicting results that may indicate that the product is ok but another test may reveal the fire fighting product will not work. This is the process by which the fire rapidly spreads or climbs up an inclined surface. The trench effects are caused by the flash over concept and the Coanda effect. The flash over effects is a condition that occurs when a fire spreads on a surface rapidly due to the surface emitting flammable gases hot enough to ignite themselves. The Coanda effect is the tendency of fast moving stream of air to deflect towards the surface nearby it. This is because the fast moving streams of air tend to experience a decrease in static pressure that creates a pressure difference between the areas far from the wall as well as the wall itself The flammability limit gives the proportion of combustible gases in a mixture between which the mixture is flammable. The flammability limit is also referred to as the explosive limit. There are two extremes defined by the lower flammable limit and the upper flammable limit. The highest flammable limit: this limit describes the richest flammable mixture. Adjustment is done to the flammable gases mixture to either increase the lowest flammable mixture or reduce the highest flammable mixture. Inert gas are used for flammability

Madeleine Leininger -transcultural nursing theory model Research Paper

Madeleine Leininger -transcultural nursing theory model - Research Paper Example major reason leading her to forming the theory was her clinical specialist caring experience with children who were mildly disturbed and came from varied backgrounds (Allauigan, 2011). Factors like lack of doctor support, inadequate training, work burden and severity of illness of patients lead to elevated stress levels of nurses, which in turn leads to improper care of patients. Positive attitude results from holistic nursing approach, older age, and support, but negativity results from the load of work on the nurse (Kluit & Goosesns, 2011). The research will add to the literature of nursing theories. The research will aim at understanding a direct relationship between high levels of stress at work environment and the elevated negativity of attitude due to the stress. Keeping the theory of Trans-cultural nursing theory, it will also address the correlation that the negativity of attitude from nurses has on the recovery of children. The research will aim at the effects that cultural diversity has on the recovery rate of children, allowing for nurses to cater for those factors to aid in recovery. Allauigan, D. (2011). Theory Development and Historical Background. Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care. Retrieved January 1, 2013. Available at: http://nursingtheories.blogspot.com/2011/07/leiningers-theory-of-culture-care.html Kluit, V.D & Gossesns, (2011). Factors influencing attitudes of nurses in general health care toward patients with comorbid mental illness: an integrative literature review. Issues Ment Health Nurs. 32(8):519-27. Available at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21767254. Abstract Retrieved at January 1, 2013. Sitzman, K., & Eichelberger, L.W., (2012). Madeleine Leininger’s Culture Care: Diversity and Universality Theory. Understanding the Work of Nurse Theorists, A Creative Beginning. Jones and Bartlett Publishers:

Consumer Behaivour Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Consumer Behaivour - Essay Example For an example, laptop computers have become necessity for the modern tech savvy people. The buying behaviour or an individual is controlled by many factors some of the major factors are price, quality, reputation and many more. Lifestyle is another major factor which influences the buying behaviour of an individual. It has been seen that many time a same person changes his or her buying attitude according to the lifestyle (O'Shaughnessy: 1995). The factors which influence the buying process can be categorised into two major factors and they are internal factors and the external factors. These two factors are closely related to each other. However, the external factors come from the market and these factors are created by the marketers with great marketing and branding effects. The internal factors are the behavioural traits of the individuals. I am clear about these factors which have forced or rather helped me to take the final buying decision. I have understood the behavioural tra its of my buying behaviour with the thorough study of the may last ten prominent buys. I have realised that most of the products which I have bought are all branded and high end products. Some of them are highly expensive and top of the line products. I have also realised that I take sudden decisions about buying while I love the product. For an example, I bought Tom Ford (Bois Marocain) Perfume from David Jones as I liked the perfume. The aroma made me obsessed about the perfume so I bought it in a sudden manner while I was not at all thinking of buying a perfume. This shows that I am not majorly influenced by the price factor but I am influenced by the emotion. The factor analysis: The personal behaviour and perceptions create a lot of sense at the time of buying process. The personal traits are the major factors to execute the buying decisions. The individual perceptions towards products vary due to many internal factors like attitude, status, perception, lust and many other fact ors. However, to identify my buying behaviour I would like to take the help of the factor analysis of my behavioural traits towards buying relations. Gordon Allport’s Trait Theory: Famous psychologist Gordon Allport (1961) realised that there are majorly three trait factors which help to understand the human nature or the uniqueness of the individuals. And these three factors are central traits, secondary traits and the cardinal traits (Pastorino, and Doyle-Portillo: 2008). The central traits: The central traits focus on the behavioural factors which can be treated as the general nature of an individual. For an example if a person is friendly in most of the situation then the friends would take his friendly behaviour as the central trait. Same way in case of buying the openness and price sensitive nature can make the central traits of the person towards the buying behaviour. In this case my central trait is to buy products which are upgraded in nature and branded offcourse. T he price sensitivity is not at all the central trait of my buying behaviour. From the VAIO notebook to the YSL bag, Bobby Brown cosmetics to iPhone 4 each of them are the top of the line products. The luxury is another primary trait which controls my buying behaviour. Raymond Cattell’s factor analysis: Raymond Cattell introduced the statistical technique to identify the different

Write about a time you felt like a stranger in a village Essay

Write about a time you felt like a stranger in a village - Essay Example He had brought with him not only the exterior changes vis-Ã  -vis new dress style but also the baggage of modernity where technology was fast replacing the personal touch. My friend was now smartly dressed in branded jeans and shoes that had brought the envy of youngsters. Lifestyle changes within him were also reflected in his way of interacting with his elders and old friends who had remained in the village. He did not like to discuss the farming problems nor was interested in playing with his old mates. He found those activities subservient to his new status; he was now a respected scholar; he was destined for higher things in life and not for the mundane life of a villager. His laptop had become more important for him than talking with his parents, friends and village elders who were looking forward to his return. So it was not surprising that soon, the rest of the villagers started treated him as stranger and he indeed started feeling like a

Clotel Analysis Essay Example for Free

Clotel Analysis Essay Clotel is an interesting piece of literary work by William Brown, as it exposes the depraved social conditions of Chattel Slavery and its effect on Marriage relations between slave and slave owner. Interestingly, I recognized the stereotypes that can develop from conditions of race and class in our society. More importantly, we see how race and class present higher priviledges to mulatto slaves (quadroons), than what William coins as the real negro. Undeniably, there is a stereotypical belief in todays society that light skin or fairer skin people have an esteemed privilege than that of dark skin people. Although fictional characters, Currer, Clotel, and Althesa are real-life representations of that belief because they were mulattos. One may imply that it is quite stereotypical to say that light skin people have a higher privilege that is not necessarily given to dark skin people, although many believe it to be true as a result of the conditions faced by non-mulatto slaves. However, others may not agree. Currer and her two daughters Clotel and Althesa are all protagonists in this literary work. Currer, a bright mulatto was a housekeeper for slaveholder Thomas Jefferson, upon which she beared Clotel and Althesa. Currer being of the higher class of slaves was permitted to hire her time for more than 20 years. Surely Currer wanted nothing more than to raise her daughters to attract attention in efforts that they might marry into their freedom. Compared to ordinary slaves, Currer and her daughters had once lived in luxury due to privileged conditions of being a mulatto slave. Nevertheless, they were still slaves, and often reminded that they were no different than ordinary slaves. For example, Clotel was only 16 when she was purchased by Horatio Green, son of a wealthy gentleman of Richmond whom promised to make her mistress of her own dwelling. She lived in luxury for a while, and even beared a child named Mary with Horatio. The time came that Horatio began to be involved with politics, and his success with politics being of greater importance proved his union with Clotel would soon end. Horatio took interest in the daughter of a wealthy man with whom he found a connect to success in politics. Horatio later married her, leaving Clotel to be sold to a slaveholder at the demand of his mistress. It is here that we discover that even the mulatto woman is not as esteemed with privilege as she was once perceived to possess. She is still a slave , born of that blood. She may have lived in luxury for a while, but it was very predictable that she would be sold again to the highest bidder, and for the latter purpose. What is so significant about not only Clotels character, but also for her mothers and sisters character is that they are symbolic of how mulatto slaves were used as an even bigger commodity during slavery. They were put on a pedestal to feel as though they had more privilege, only to discover that they really did not. Even more importantly, mulatto slaves knew the significance of having been mixed-bred, and how it could be used in attempt to free themselves, just as Currer had planned for her daughters from the very beginning. Mostly, the mulattos or quadroons were the house slaves, and occupied the best situation a slave could occupy. Most of the mistresses of the slave owners in the South sought to make the lives of quadroons intolerable, because they viewed them as rivals. For this reason, Mrs. Green had demanded that Clotel be sold out of the state. How soundly ironic that mulattos could be stuck at the center of the depraved social condition of marriage relations between slave and slave owner? And being of the higher class of slaves still be subject to the will of his master. Were they really of a higher class, or were they no better than an ordinary slave whom labored outside the masters house? Some people have their own prejudices toward blacks in general even in todays society. It is safe to say that some whites even still view blacks as slaves. No matter how fair or light the shade of their skin is, it still does not dismiss the fact that they are born of African descent. As William stated in his work, there was a depraved social condition that placed the slave under total control of his master from the very beginning no matter how light or fair their skin was. Therefore, the stereotypical belief that mulattos or light-skin people have an esteemed privilege over dark-skinned people is without a doubt, debateable.

Energy drink Essay Example for Free

Energy drink Essay Energy drinks should be regulated due to the fact that they cause health problems and the consumer is not aware because there are minimal, if any, labels. They claim to have some nutritional value in them said to give a â€Å"quick burst of energy. † In today’s market, there are so many different types of energy drinks that teenagers consume like Monster and Red Bull. Within these drinks there are numerous ingredients that may lead to some health risks. It has been requested from the Food and Drug Administration to regulate these energy drinks by enforcing stricter labeling methods of the ingredients and possible side effects (Farley 1). Since consumers do not know what they are consuming monthly, or even daily, they later face health problems like caffeine intoxication, which may lead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure (Farley 1). Energy drinks are composed of several different ingredients, but the main ones are B-vitamins, guarana, taurine and caffeine. The B vitamin, a ready source of energy, is added to the energy drinks to make up for a dietary deficiency. Guarana comes from the seeds of the guarana plant whose seeds contain high levels of caffeine. Guarana can contain â€Å"three to four times the amount of caffeine as coffee beans† (Sabbah 1). Taurine, an amino acid that the body produces naturally, is responsible for regulating your heart beat, muscle contractions and energy levels. When all of these ingredients are lavished, it causes great harm to the body and consumers need to know this. Few energy drinks include warnings about the possible health risks they might contain like caffeine intoxication. It can raise heart rate and blood pressure while dehydrating the body. When there is an excess of caffeine intake, an individual may notice disrupted sleep, dehydration, kidney damage, and high blood pressure (Sabbah 1). In addition to the overwhelming amount of caffeine in these drinks comes an absurd amount of sugar. An eight -ounce can of an energy drink contains thirteen tablespoons of sugar. Energy drinks are unhealthy because they can create long-term health problems for people when taken in large amounts.. College students are more prone to drinking energy drinks to due fact that they stay up late to study. A survey of 496 college students found that 51% of those surveyed regularly consumed more than one energy drink per month. Most of them said it was a common element consumed every week because of insufficient sleep and the desire to increase energy (Seifert et al. 516). It is highly looked upon energy drinks to help students stay alert and focused in their studies, but they need to know the effects of drinking too many of them. The FDA should require manufacturers to put warning labels on their energy drink cans, list their caffeine content on the cans, and limit the amount of stimulant they contain. The FDA has not done anything but impose limits because energy drinks are not classified as beverages, but are labeled as â€Å"dietary supplements† (Seifert et al.520). Therefore, companies have no restrictions on the amount of ingredients or even which ones they choose to place in their products. Consequently, the public cannot be assured of its safety. In order to emphasize the fact that these drinks are â€Å"healthy† for the consumer, the companies include ingredients such as vitamins, minerals, and herbs. They may not understand what the ingredients do to their body, but seeing the ingredient â€Å"vitamins† automatically makes them feel like it is good for their health. A vital part of energy drink advertising is the slogans they use which must be catchy and memorable. For example, Red Bull’s slogan is â€Å"Red Bull gives you Wings,† and Monsters slogan â€Å"Unleash the beast. † These slogans are obviously directed toward a younger crowd. Those teenagers seeking for acceptance will do anything possible to raise their popularity level, so they drink them constantly. Energy drink companies understand the psychological aspect of advertising, which is why they are becoming so successful. When caffeine is taken in moderation, it is not harmful. Caffeine is comparable to sugar in the sense that it will only cause harm when consumed in large amounts. That is just the problem. Energy drinks do not have a moderate amount of caffeine in them, they have way too much. The fact that young adults do not know moderation, leads them to drinking ten energy drinks just to impress their friends without knowing the consequences. Energy drink companies do not provide the public with enough information of what their products contain and do to the body. They manipulate customers into believing their drinks will help improve their life by saying vitamins and minerals are included. These companies do not tell their buyers about the possible long-term effects these drinks can have on their bodies. Energy drinks have absolutely no health benefits to a person’s body when taken in moderate amounts, but the potential dangers outweigh anything that might possibly be gained. They give a quick burst energy, which is quickly followed by a power lapse. In conclusion, FDA regulation in energy drinks should enforce labels to include ingredients, possible effects towards the consumers’ health, and health risks when too many of them are being consumed. Works Cited Farley, Kate. â€Å"Energy Drinks May Pose a Health Risk. † The Dartmouth; 13 January 2009: p1-2. Access World News. Web. 1 February 2013. Sabbah, Jessica. â€Å"Experts Say Energy Drinks Need Regulation with Increased Consumption. † The Northern Star; 13 April 2009: p1-2. Access World News. Web. 1 February 2013. Seifert, Sara M. , Schaechter, Judith L. , Hershorin, Eugene R. , Lipschultz, Steven E. â€Å"Health Effects of Energy Drinks on Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults. † Pediatrics; March 2011: p511-528, Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 February 2013.

The Impact Of Employer Brand On Recruitment

The Impact Of Employer Brand On Recruitment The human resource is a key resource available to an organisation and as such, recruitment and selection of the right candidates to join the organisation is a key factor in the success of the organisation. All possible strategies should therefore be applied to ensure that the organisation attracts, recruits and retains quality human resource. One strategy that employers can use is effective branding. This research proposal focuses on the perception of employer brand and the extent to which it can be used to enhance the recruitment and selection process. The important factors identified are the identification of perception of employer brand, the evaluation of the Impact on prospective employees of the organisation, and the extent to which the brand can be used to enhance the recruitment and of the right candidates to join the organisation. Research Objectives The general objective of the study is to determine the effect that employer branding has on recruitment and selection of employees. The specific objectives are; To establish the perception of Employer Brand among Employees and Potential Recruits. To determine the effect of employer brand on employees and potential recruits. To establish the strategies that employers can use to ensure that their brand enhances recruitment and selection. Literature Review Employer Brand Armstrong (2008) defines employer branding as the creation of a brand image of the organization for prospective employees. Armstrong (2008) thus suggests that employer branding implies employers reputation, image of the organization, employer value proposition and internal marketing. On their part, Barrow and Mosley (2005) view employer branding as the package of functional, economic and psychological benefits provided by employment and identified with the employing company. The main role of the employer brand therefore is to provide a coherent framework for management to simplify and focus priorities, increase productivity and improve recruitment, retention and commitment. Barrow and Mosley (2005) list the constituents of the employer brand as; the need for recognition of individual talents and capabilities, work-life balance, remuneration inequalities and inclusive culture. According to Martin et al., (2005) the employer brand is the image of the company seen through the eyes of its associates and potential hires, and is intimately linked to the employment experience of what it is like to work for the said organisations. The employment experience is a combination of tangible factors like remuneration and benefits and intangible factors like company values and culture (Martin et al., 2005). A complementary perspective to employer branding is documented in Pinkess (2008) as an organisations Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) agenda. From this perspective, organisations seen to engage in environment degrading activities, or dealing in products that are known to be harmful such as cigarette manufacturers face challenges of ethical concerns from potential recruits. Effect of employer brand on employees and potential recruits In the highly connected Global Village that is todays marketplace, people join brands and leave managers. Rosethorn and Mensink, 2007 argue that a brand offers a promise, and a customer buys that promise and if satisfied, continues to buy the product and speaks well about it. A good Brand delivers distinctively and consistently on this promise and the same would extend to Employer Brand; in this case the customer is the Employee or Potential Recruit (Rosethorn and Mensink, 2007). The customers of Employer Brand will therefore buy the promise as portrayed by the Employer Brand and choose to work for the Employer, and if satisfied continue to buy more by choosing to remain with the organisation, and speak well about the Employer Brand. Strategies to ensure employer brand enhances recruitment and selection of employees The future of Human Resources lies in increased awareness of Employer Brand as the War for Talent intensifies. The advent of the Web and easy access to considerable amount of information at, literally speaking our fingertips, has fundamentally changed how people seek insights and answers of where to work. This according to Saratin and Schumann (2006) defines how an organisation communicates to its current and future talent, the experience it offers as a workplace. The differentiator for many an organisation is not the mode of communication it chooses to depict itself, but the actual experience it conveys to Employees and Potential Recruits, and this reinforces that Employer Brand should be firmly rooted at the centre of the recruitment and selection process. Martin et al. (2005) expound that to attract the best talent, the organisation needs to ask itself, What is the compelling and novel story that we can tell people about working here? How do we tell the story to potential and existing employees in a way that convinces them of the reality of what we have to offer? (Martin et al., 2005). In identifying Strategies to ensure Employer Brand enhances Recruitment and Selection, Pinkess (2008) contends that there are four major steps or approaches undertaken to enhance the Employees and Potential Recruits view of the organisations Employer Brand. The first step, which is largely non-existent now, is the Do Nothing stage; in this case the organisations do nothing or the bare minimum in terms of CSR and Employer Brand Enhancement. The next stage Dont feel bad, in this the organisation is self-critical about its CSR, and has taken steps to address the concerns. This is followed by Feel Good stage, where CSR is sufficiently ingrained in an organisation resulting in pride and positive orientation of prospective recruits. At the peak of Employer Brand enhancement is the Its what we do stage, where the CSR agenda is fully integrated in the business model and employees accept it as part and parcel of their daily lives. Research Methodology The Research Objectives make it unpractical to categorically select either Qualitative or Quantitative method and as such, a hybrid approach will be adopted. This approach is explained by Saunders et al (2009) as Pragmatism that mixed methods, both qualitative and quantitative, are possible, and highly appropriate within one study (Saunders et al, 2009). Again given the nature of the Research Objectives, the research approach is necessarily hybrid, combining deductive and inductive approaches as is elaborated further in this section. Data will be collected by use of a questionnaire, where the first objective will be addressed by use of open ended questions. The second objective will make use of a likert scale and the third objective by a combination of open ended followed by scaled questions. This strategy of designing the questionnaire is based on the purpose of research as outlined by Saunders et al., (2009); that is largely explanatory, as opposed to exploratory. The Literature review has outlined the major factors in Employer Brand perception, this adds to the weight of choosing questionnaires as the preferred method of data collection. The population of the Study comprises of Employees and Potential Recruits. Given that the identification of those potential recruits who chose not to engage with the organisation as a result of their perception of the Employer Brand Communicated is not practically possible, the target population will be the Employees and Potential Recruits who have chosen to engage. The Data Collection Exercise is expected to be carried out by administering the Research Questionnaire to a random sample of Employees who have been recruited in the last twenty four months. The sample will be representative of Employees and Potential Recruits, by using Stratified Sampling of various Departments and Physical Locations. The time frame of twenty four months is selected to enable the Research address the extent of influence of Employer Brand on these recruits, in addition to considering the memory of the said recruits fading over time, and other factors clouding the recruits judgement having worked in the organisation for longer. A shorter time frame may not provide a sufficient sized sample to make the Research Meaningful. Objective 1: To establish the perception of Employer Brand among Employees and Potential Recruits. This Objective requires an Inductive approach to qualitative analysis, as expounded by Saunders et al., 2009. In this approach the research commences without a clearly conceived theory defining Employer Brand. The purpose of the Research objective is to establish the perception of Employer Brand. The theory is expected to emerge in the process of data collection and analysis. The Data thus collected will be analysed using Content Analysis. This process as explained by Adams et al. 2007 includes the identification and counting of Key Words and Phrases which are found in response to the perception of Employer Brand. The frequency of these is then tabulated for analysis. The data thus collected will be categorised into key emerging themes that define the employees perception of Employer Brand. This data will then be pictorially represented in a Histogram or Bar chart to identify the Key factors that identify the Employees Perception of Employer Brand. The process outlined above will have established the perception of Employer Brand among Employees Objective 2: To determine the effect of employer brand on employees and potential recruits. This Objective is addressed by means of scaled questions used to ascertain the impact of Employer Brand on Employees and Potential Recruits. The data collected is classified as Categorical Ranked (Ordinal) Data as described in Saunders et al. 2009. Since the relative position of each case is known, but the gap between consecutive ranks cannot be numerically precise. The Data collected will be pictorially presented in the form of Pie Charts to depict the distribution of each rank for easier visual representation. The Data collected under this Objective being non-numerical, would not be suited to the determination of the mean value, however the mode, median and percentiles would prove useful in summarising this type of data as proffered by Tharenou et al. 2007. The Data thus collected would then be tested for association between the Independent Variable (Employer Brand) and the Dependent Variable (Impact on Recruitment and Selection) by subjecting the values to a chi-square test. This test calculates the probability that the data could occur by chance alone (Saunders et al. 2009). Should the data collected, as expected, have a very low probability of occurring by chance, it would now be appropriate to test for Correlation. Correlation coefficients range from +1 denoting a perfect positive correlation to -1 denoting a perfect negative correlation. A coefficient of ZERO would denote absolute independence. (Saunders et al. 2009) However, in real life these values are seldom obtained. Values reflecting weak or strong, positive or negative correlations are obtained and the appropriate conclusion drawn therefrom. Given that the data collected under this section is Categorical Ranked (Ordinal) the appropriate test for correlation is the Spearmans rank correlation coefficient (Spearmans rho) would be applied to determine the correlation coefficient. The results of this test will have addressed the Objective of determining the extent of Impact of Employer Brand on Employees and potential Recruits. Objective 3: To establish the strategies that employers can use to ensure that their brand enhances recruitment and selection. This objective can be assessed only if the results of the Correlation testing of Objective 2 yields a reasonably strong Positive Coefficient. In the unlikely case that the analysis of the Data collected under Objective 2 yields either a Negative Correlation or Very weak correlation bordering on Independence then this Objective will be rendered redundant. There will remain no value in attempting to identify how (the perception of) Employer Brand may be used to enhance Recruitment and Selection, as the research will have intimated that Employer Brand has no positive Impact on Employees and Potential Recruits. However, under the Hypothesis that there is a correlation and the extent of this correlation is significant, the Research Questionnaire will be designed with a combination of open ended questions addressing the How and scaled questions to address the relative importance of each factor in the Recruitment and Selection process. The Data thus collected under this Objective will be subjected to Content Analysis for identification of the How as explained under Objective 1, and the scaled questions analysed in line with the Categorical Ranked (Nominal) Data Analysis steps outlined under Objective 2. This process will have addressed the Objective of identifying how (the perception of) Employer Brand may be used to enhance Recruitment and Selection. Ethical Issues As outlined by Saunders et al. 2009, ethical issues will arise across all stages of the Research Project and will affect all parties i.e. The Researcher, the Sponsor, the Gatekeeper and the Participants. The Sponsor has a right to useful Research, in this case the Sponsor will find use of the Strategies identified as part of Objective 3, that will enable the Organisation ensure the Employer Brand enhances Recruitment and Selection. In the context of this Assignment the Gatekeeper who controls access to the Participants is expected to be an integral part of the Sponsoring Organisation, and the rights are mutually served. The Researcher should not be subject to undue influence by the Sponsor at the Research formulation and design stages, where the Sponsor may have a predetermined conclusion to the research. The researcher also deserves unhindered access to Participants, without coercion from the Gatekeeper or Sponsor during the Data Collection Exercise. The access to participants as identified in the Research Design should not be restricted nor altered to include favourable participants, in order to produce unbiased results. Finally, in the Data Analysis and findings, the Researcher must be shielded from any sort of influence to interpret the perception of Employer Brand, the Effect of Employer Brand on Employees and the Strategies to enhance Recruitment and Selection. The Researcher correspondingly is obliged to analyse the Data and Report the findings without any bias and preference, and objectively present the findings i.e. let the Data collected speak for itself. Of overwhelming concerns are Ethical issues affecting the Research Participants, key among the issues are Privacy, Voluntary Participation, Consent, Confidentiality, Reactions, Effects and Objectivity. The Participants have a right to Privacy and non- intrusion in their participation. The participation in the Research has to be totally voluntary, with no coercion or influence for the Researcher or the Sponsor, and the option to withdraw from the Research remains at the jurisdiction of the Participant. The Participants also need to be assured of the anonymity of their participation, as the primary Data Collection Instrument is a Questionnaire. This ensures confidentiality of responses, and protection from any repercussion including but not limited to harm, embarrassment, discomfort or pain, for a response that may be deemed unsuitable. Finally, the Participants deserve to be treated with Respect, and with impartiality and objectivity by the Researcher, to ensure no bias or influence is experienced in the responses. Limitations The key limitation expected in this Research proposal is the access to those candidates who are not employed by the Organisation. The assumption is that the population of new employees will be representative of the total population of unselected recruits. A precautionary note needs to be made that the above assumption is countered by the fact that the Potential Recruits who choose not to engage with the Organisation will necessarily have a different perception of the organisations Employer Brand, and this data if captured will in likelihood have a considerable effect on the Final Results. Conclusion The Perception of Employer Brand, as observed in the various contributions of HR practitioners and Management Experts, plays an important role in the Recruitment and Selection of talent for an organisation. This Research is expected to produce a thorough and well documented analysis of the Perception of Employer Brand among Employees, the Impact of Employer Brand on Recruitment and Selection and the derivation of Appropriate Strategies to ensure that the Employer Brand enhances Recruitment and Selection. The Data collected and analysed as explained above will objectively enable the Organisation to draw appropriate and relevant conclusions.

Real Food for The Hungry Essay -- Food Science

How often do children who whine about eating their peas and carrots at the dinner table hear from their mothers, â€Å"You should appreciate the food on our table, there are starving kids in Africa.† Although parents use the preceding phrase as a guilt mechanism to trick their children into eating their veggies so they too can consume the vitamins and nutrients they need to grow, the reality behind the phrase is much deeper than most realize. People are starving in almost every part of the world and the solution to that problem has yet to be discovered. A solution that has been considered for some time now but recently has sparked more interest is the use of genetically modified foods to feed the hungry. Should genetically modified foods be trusted to be fed to the hungry? As in most arguments, there are two sides to the production on genetically modified foods. On one hand of the argument, scientists are trying to argue that GM foods are natural, grow faster, and yield a larger amount of crops during harvest. Whether or not genetically modified foods can provide more food for the hungry than a natural crop could, they come with a list of problems. Not only do they cost poor farmers a ridiculous amount of money, but they also have unsafe chemicals that affect their surroundings and, more importantly, the bodies they would be digested in. Therefore, I believe genetically modified foods are a danger to humans. Multi-national companies are pushing the engineering and selling of genetically modified foods consciously for the purpose of gaining profit. Food policy analyst Dennis T. Avery asserts that â€Å"the development of GE foods is not being driven by farmers, consumers or less-developed countries but by large multinational chemical comp... ... Modified Foods Are Not the Best Way to Feed the Hungry." Africa. Ed. Laura K. Egendorf. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Better Dead than GM-Fed?" Seedling (Oct. 2002). Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 14 Apr. 2012. Smith, Jeffrey M. "Genetically Modified Food Threatens Human Health." Humanity's Future. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2006. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Genetically Engineered Foods May Pose National Health Risk." www.seedsofdeception.com. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Apr. 2012. Union of Concerned Scientists. "The Safeness of Genetically Modified Foods Is Unproven." Genetic Engineering. Ed. Louise I. Gerdes. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints. Rpt. from "Risks of Genetic Engineering." 2007. Gale Opposing Viewpoints In Context. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.

My Typical American Family :: Traditions Cultures Cultural Essays

My Typical American Family What is a typical American? What is generally viewed as a typical American is that your family has lived here for years and years and you don't personally know who immigrated here. Along with this, your family has molded into this typical view with no "foreign" traditions and things. A lot of people in my class can talk about their relatives that speak another language or have immigrated here. I don't have anything like that so I'll tell you about mine. According to Blauner: Members of an ethnic group hold a set of common memories that make them feel that their customs, culture, and outlook are distinctive. My family doesn't pass down stories or anything. No real passed on customs, no immigrant stories. Takaki thinks everyone should be educated in all culture that makes America so diverse. I don't really have a culture. My family more or less assimilated to the traditional mainstream American. AS far as I know, I am Irish, German, and Native American. Where or when each came together, I don't know. Randall Bass says: Individuals derive their sense of identitiy from their culture, and cultures are systems of beliefs that determine how people live their lives. Well I have my own story. I'll start by talking about my mother's side of my family. As far as I know both my grandparents grew up and lived in Detroit. They raised my mom and Uncle there too. My grandma stayed at home while my grandpa fixed airplanes. It's kind of cool because he was in WWII also to fix the fighter planes. They were fairly well off and had a boat on the river. They're background is Irish and German. Although they never personally told me there was German,I'm taking an educated guess because the last name (Volkening) looks really German. My dad's side is German and Native American. I've been told I have relatives in Germany with the same last name although I've never met them or know their names. My grandma also stayed at home and my grandma worked in a factory. They too lived in Detroit and raised my dad and my two Uncles in a two-bedroom house. My dad slept in the laundry room next to the water heater because there wasn't enough room in the other two rooms. My parents both met in Detroit and lived there for about twenty years. Both my parents worked through college to help pay for each other's tuition.