Tracking System

IntroductionThe Computer nowadays is a basic need for businesses or companies. Ithelps a lot in such a way that it makes work more progressive and productive. It isan important thing that a company or small business should have because it helps alot in many ways such as organizing, storing and manipulating data. Havingcomputer programs may help a company grow bigger and be competitive in theflow of the business world. The companies nowadays uses computer literate andvery competitive in the business. Our payroll system is basically an application program, used to manage the records of the employees working in the company.The payroll process typically includes calculating employee pay, recording payroll transactions and determining and paying payroll taxes. A company must have in place a timekeeping system that accurately reflects the hours put in by nonexempt employees as well as the regular salary payments for exempt workers. Employers typically withhold federal income tax from emplo yee earnings; at the end of the year, they must report all wages, tips and other compensation paid. Companies also must withhold Social Security and Medicare contributions from employees' wages and pay a matching amount.Statement of the ProblemSymmetrikos Payroll System. It includes these following features Add employees record Edit and delete employees record Save the Pay Slip of each employee Compute the Weekly Salary, Cash advances, the rate per day and deductions such as SSS.Objective of the studyTo minimize the manual checking of each daily time records of the employee To develop a module that will generate essential reports. To develop a module that will monitor the status of employee’s deductions such as cash advances and charges through SSS.Scope and Limitation of the studyThis study limits only to the proposed enhancement Computerized Payroll System of Symmetrikos. A system which can only be accessed by authorized person. It does not support network topology implemen tation, online program or online transaction.ScopesImproved Services – it will increase employee satisfaction thus provide the quality output of their work. Better Performance – It is an objective of our proposed system to provide better performance which is managed by providing Desired flexibility, Fast response and Ability to support changes. Ability to maintain the quality of services Efficient GUI – One of the objectives of the proposed system is to provide a user to work on clicks and make the information transfer possible with the most common I/O devices Elimination Of Running Cost – We are going to develop the proposed system with an objective to eliminate the running cost by overcoming the continuous stationery expenses, manual storage need, and extra staff in the information resource department of the Organization. 2. LimitationsThe system cannot generate report of appraisals and evaluation reports of the employee because it was not included in t he system. The system will only be used for payroll transactions by the company specifically Symmetrikos Construction Firm. It will not be employed in any other company This system will generate more time if the rate of each employee vary differently.

Internal and External Factors

Internal and External factors of an organization are effected everyday in many ways that could either make or break a company. The four functions of management are also a critical part of a business especially when talking about a well known company known as Verizon Wireless. The four functions of management include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. Like Verizon Wireless and any other organization in such measurable size of production, it is important for any company to analyze and implement it’s own management concept. Management is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman & Snell, 2011). Verizon Wireless has managed to establish the four functions of management very well and includes them within their internal and external functions of everyday productivity. Considering that Verizon Wireless has effectively used the four functions of management to their advantage the company currently employs 85,000 employees, is the largest mobile operator in the United States, and has announced earnings of well over 30. billion in revenue over the end of Q4 in 2012 (â€Å"Vzw Finance†, 2013). The effective strategies the company has enhanced over its competitors continues to make them the number 1 carrier and largest retailer for consumers and businesses. Verizon Wireless has incorporated the use of internal and external factors that involve globalization, technology, innovation, and ethics. These key factors are what make the core of the company establi sh it’s rules and regulations to maintain productivity at an all time high while continuing to meet its policies and procedures. Globalization has affected Verizon Wireless since the branching of Air Touch cellular in 1999, which increasingly established their network and customer base up to 450,000 customers. With certain mergers taken place around that time with approvals pending with the FCC for the carrier to merge and grow in size much of the four functions of management were taken into consideration within every step of it’s purchase of networks to insure the company was able to maintain it’s financial stability to enhance it’s network and move it’s way up to being the largest carrier out there. Unlike its competitor AT&T, Verizon Wireless has not found the need presently to sell any of it’s markets to make up for the lack of economic depression within the company’s finances. Presently Verizon Wireless’s effective use of its Globalization within the four functions of management has made the company’s success stories a reality. I believe it’s effective use of planning and leading have insured the companies success in being the number 1 seeked carrier by consumers and business’s today. Technology has evolved around Verizon Wireless’s success to help not only the regular consumer, but to help business’s stay productive and effective with its products and services. â€Å"Machine to Machine† products, which have also become the company’s core value have helped companies become more effective with the use of tablets, Apple, Android, and mobile internet devices and introduce them to any business’s tools. These devices insure that companies have point of sale products and are able to stay in business while keeping them simple to use and productive. Much planning and leading has been required by Verizon Wireless to align with other companies to introduce these certain products. According to â€Å"Machine To Machine† (2012), † No matter the industry, an M2M solution can make a big impact in your business. † Verizon Wireless has proved to do so with its increasing amount of business productivity. Verizon Wireless currently plans to innovate new ideas to help consumer’s everyday to insure them the best and fastest data networks. The launch of its 4G products or 4th generation products insures that every customer in a major city has access to this type of network. Much innovation and planning has leaded the company to effectively continue to launch its new markets within 4G and insure that every major city has this available to them. This new market has been readily available in major cities such as Los Angeles and in New York. This has lead the company to increase it’s productivity in ensuring each and every customer has a 4G smartphone device and download songs in seconds and videos within minutes. Last, but not least ethic’s is an important aspect to Verizon Wireless’s core values. Careful planning to ensure employees do not leak information to keep from effectively ensuring its products and services is within the company credo. Without these ethical values the company cannot protect it’s assets. Internal and External Factors Internal and External Factors Paper XXXXXXXXXXXX MGT/230 xxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Internal and External Factors Paper The purpose of this paper is to explain how internal and external factors affect the four functions of management in the Wal-Mart Corporation. For any organization to survive, irrespective of its size, it must develop and implement its own management concept. Management is the process of working with people and resources to accomplish organizational goals (Bateman & Snell, 2011).The four traditional functions of management include planning, organizing, leading, and controlling. The Wal-Mart Corporation has managed to use the internal and external factors of these functions to their advantage. With their strategic goal of seriously and rapidly expanding, the company currently employs over 2. 2 million associates, owns 8,500 stores, and serves 200 million customers weekly(â€Å"www. corporate. walmart. com†, 2012). Their strategies have minimized competitors making thi s company the world’s largest retailer.The following paper will describe how the Wal-Mart Corporation has found a successful way to use the functions with internal and external factors influencing globalization, technology, innovation, ethics, and diversity in business. The globalization of Wal-Mart began in 1991 in Mexico. The economy was starting to affect Wal-Mart’s business and they had to figure out a way to bring the profit up before business was lost. They decided to branch out and open a store in Mexico and Wal-Mart currently has stores in eleven countries (Vijay Govindarajan and Anil K.Gupta 2002). By 1999, Wal-Mart had more than 130,000 employees working in 729 facilities outside the United States (Vijay Govindarajan and Anil K. Gupta 2002). There were many factors that played into Wal-Marts decision to globalize. The first being that it had already saturated most of the domestic markets, and the United States only accounts for just over four percent of the w orld’s population. Emerging markets with their lower levels of disposable income offered huge platforms for growth in discount retail (Vijay Govindarajan and Anil K.Gupta 2002). Since the globalization of this corporation, Wal-Mart currently ranks among the top five global retailers (Matthew Boyle 2009). Although there were bad results in some countries, there are now 3,805 stores operating under 53 distinct banners in 15 markets (Matthew Boyle 2009). Wal-Marts strategic decision to globalize has allowed a continual rise in sales and profits, and has allowed the corporation to remain successful. Wal-Mart has used the four functions of management to grow and maintain a successful company through innovation, as well.For example, as the largest retailer, Wal-Mart decided to go green and make the entire operation recyclable and reusable. In 2005, CEO Lee Scott announced the company would create zero waste and use renewable energy and products that sustain the environment. Wal-Mar t proposed that the stores and clubs would use greener light bulbs, alternative energy, and better store designs to reduce waste, and reusable bags to start what is called a supply chain.The company announced the sustainability initiative which was used to track the life cycle of every product it sells by measuring the water usage, greenhouse gas emissions and fair labor practices (â€Å"Www. todaro. posterous. com†, 2010). Wal-Mart is currently hosting industry by industry meetings to debate how this customer label appears. Wal-Mart can only continue to grow their company by coming up with a plan and using the management from the top to the frontline managers to make changes to their company and enforce new ideas and innovations.Similarly, technology is another factor that Wal-Mart seems to excel at and stay on top of concerning planning and implementing the four functions of management. The company continues to improve their electronic commerce site Walmart. com and has com e up with a search engine to help customers find the products they are looking for more quickly and with more ease. The new tool uses machine learning and text mining techniques that assist the customer. If they are searching for something in particular it can bring up products that are similar even if those particular words were not searched (Leber, 2012).This has caused eBay and Google to scramble to improve their e-commerce search results. The weakness for Wal-Mart is getting customers to start at their website as opposed to others like Amazon. The planning portion of Wal-Mart is particularly strong and is always coming up with new ways of competing and staying on top of what consumers want and need. Next, ethics is defined as the action of identifying the rules that should govern people’s behaviors and the â€Å"goods† that are worth seeking. With Business Ethics, corporations strive to uphold moral principles and standards that guide behavior in the business world (Bateman, 164).Many organizations are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with the complexity of ethical issues hitting businesses today. As a large importer/exporter of foreign goods, Wal-Mart found itself dealing with an increasing issue of bad supplier ethics. From foreign owned to the United States outsourced companies, they needed to create a plan for setting up a standard for products that were received for sale in their stores. In 1992, Wal-Mart started their Ethical Standards Program (originally called Standards for Suppliers Program).The Ethical Standards Program was established and exists to verify suppliers’ compliance with global standards, to strengthen the implementation of positive labor and environmental practices in factories producing merchandise for sale by Wal-Mart, and to bring opportunities for a better life in the countries where merchandise for Wal-Mart is sourced. The program’s vision was redefined in 2002 to meet public image issues, be coming the statement â€Å"sourcing ethically through a socially responsible program† (â€Å"Ethical Standards Program†, 2006).The program works to train perspective suppliers in environmental, health, safety, and labor requirements to meet audit standards. Factories and companies on Wal-Mart’s supplier list are subject to unannounced audits to ensure they are meeting the standards set by the Ethic Committee. Through these organization and control measures, Wal-Mart has made great strides in correcting some of the worst conditions in many of the Asian countries they use as their suppliers. According to the â€Å"Ethical Standards Program† (2006) website the company also began the Factory Five Program in 2006.The program serves as a forum in which factory management (from five factories per region in China) regularly meet with suppliers and the Ethical Standards team. Time is spent identifying and resolving complex issues of noncompliance identified by aud its. They hope to share knowledge and changes that come out of this forum with others in the industry. Wal-Mart is working hard to show leadership in the ethics market and to pass knowledge and training onto others to encourage ethical practices in all heir stakeholder’s corporations. The ultimate company goal is to fully integrate labor compliance and social responsibility into all purchasing decisions done by Wal-Mart buyers. Finally, diversity is an equally tricky concept that comes into play in businesses today. As corporations expand to cover more global territory it is becoming increasingly important to have a strong diverse workforce and management team to work in this environment.In 2002, Wal-Mart was struggling heavily under a bad public image as a corporation engaged in unsatisfactory and unfair work policies, resisting diversity practices, demonstrated social irresponsibility, and eroded economic opportunities for small local business. By 2004, management had hired a PR firm to manage the onslaught of bad press, and later restructured the company and made key management changes (Alleyne, 2012). Wal-Mart formed a number of internal affiliate groups for women, African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community as part of its diversity practices.According to Alleyne (2012), in recent years, Wal-Mart has been named among the BLACK ENTERPRISE 40 Best Companies for Diversity. By integrating a plan that showed support for diverse groups within their workforce, The company is making great progress in gaining new customer support and increasing consumer confidence in its corporation, people, and products through managers like, Rosalind Brewer, â€Å"Black Enterprise† 2012 Corporate Executive of the Year and the first African American woman chief executive officer (CEO) at Wal-Mart.As Alleyene (2012) says, Brewer is holding one of the most powerful positions in corporate America and making big changes i n the leadership of the Wal-Mart Corporation. In conclusion, this corporation has effectively used the four functions of management and the effects of globalization, technology, innovation, ethics, and diversity on these functions. Through adversity the top-level management has shown their ability to plan strategically and overcome obstacles.Wal-Mart’s key strategy is to dominate the retail market and with the proper implementation of these functions this organization continues to be one of the largest retailers in the world. References Alleyne, S. (2012, September). Second Act. Black Enterprise, 43(2), 82-88. Bateman, T. S. & Snell, S. A. (2011). Management: Leading & Collaborating in a Competitive World (9th ed. ). New York, NY: McGraw- Hill Irwin. Boyle,M. Bloomberg Business Week. 2009. www. businessweek. com/managing/content/ovt2009/ca20091 Ethical Standards Program. (2006). Retrieved from http://walmartfacts. om/reports/2006/ethical_standards/building. html Leber, J. (20 12, October). Wal-Mart dives into search technology. Retrieved from www. technologyreviews. com Salter, C. (2012, July). #9 Wal-Mart. www. fastcompany. com, (). Vijay Govindarajan and Anil K. Gupta. Strategy + Business. Global Perspective. 2002. Fourth Quarter 1999. Issue 17. www. strategy-business. com/article/13866? gko=e19cb www. corporate. walmart. com. (2012). Retrieved from http://corporate. walmart. com/our-story/our-stores www. todaro. posterous. com. (2010). Retrieved from http://http. //todaro. posterous. com

Brazil as a Part of the International Society

Brazil as a Part of the International Society Since the beginning of the century, the supposed European decline and the ascend of emergent countries, such as Brazil, have been widely discussed. However, it appears as if the country has found itself stagnated in the status of â€Å"emergent† for most of the past fifteen years, not progressing or being able to achieve a â€Å"higher† status in the international sphere. But this has been (to a certain extend) an everlasting historical struggle. It was during the 19th century, when Brazil first started to negotiated its access and recognition as a member of an international society of European and global expansion. It sought to establish itself as an independent country in a system deeply marked by asymmetry of power, status, and ranking, developing in the process, instruments to access the world of diplomacy[1]. This essay aims at briefly analyzing how Brazil came to be part of the European –and later global international society. For the authors of the English School, such as Hedley Bull and Adam Watson, the transformation from system to international society was a historical process. According to them, the ancient world had several systems of states but these have eventually evolved into a European international society and, finally, into our universal international society of the present[2]. The most diverse regions of the planet were incorporated into the mold of European society, extending this configuration to the whole world following the Second World War and decolonization[3]. For the classical authors of the English School, Brazil adhered, as part of the process of independence of European colonies, as a kind of Neo-Europe -an admission free of greater obstacles[4]. There were confrontations not only in political, economic, or military terms, but above all in terms of civilizations and cultural patterns. The core of this clashes was the standard of civilization by which different civilizations identif ied and regulated their international relations. The practices that became accepted as civilized were those coming from European countries and soon became demanded by the international system centered in Europe, being used to distinguish those who belong to a particular society from those who do not. Membership was conditioned to a degree of homogenization, requiring non-European states to make social and political reforms and to accept the rules and principles of international society[5]. In the mid 19th century, Brazil and other non-European entities began to demand or be required to join a European core international society. This was an important period of the British imperial turn, in which the planet had been scrutinized, occupied and Europes relations with the world had been redefined based on European interests[6]. At the time, it was not easy to classify Brazil as barbarian or savage, but the domestic government and political elites worked hard to gain recognition of civilization and thus belong to the â€Å"civilized† group. Eventually, this was only to a certain extent successful, since even if a state was to be recognized as independent and legitimate, celebrating treaties and establishing diplomatic relations did not mean, however, necessarily to be seen as a full member of international society[7]. Brazil was a former member of the Portuguese Overseas Empire officially independent in 1822 in the form of a constitutional monarchy. To â€Å"allowâ⠂¬ , even if recognized as legitimate and sovereign state, extraterritorial rights to Western powers, was seen as an important indicator of inferiority and subordination status and that the sovereignty of the country was only partial [8] [9]. Brazil officially only maintained it for a certain period, until 1844, as an inheritance of the Portuguese Overseas Empire. Thus, although it was formally recognized as independent and sovereign, it was not a full member of European core international society, because it lacked the so-called standard of civilization. It is interesting to notice that the option for the title empire[10] can be perceived as a statement of affiliation greater to the Old than to the New World[11]. In 1889, when the Republic was introduced, Brazil underwent a new phase of â€Å"renovation†, distancing itself to a certain degree from Europe and turning to the Americas[12]. In short, during the 19th century, Brazil was a newly independent political community in search of recognition. Another huge impediment to Brazil’s annexation to the international society was the fact that it continued and even came to increase during mid 19th century its dealing with slavery, an institution which played an important domestic role at a time when it no longer had a place in the international society. In other words, it did not meet the â€Å"standards of civilization† required. In relation to that, a historical event worth mentioning is The Paraguayan War (1864-1870). The war helped the Brazilian Empire to reach its peak of political and military influence, becoming the Great Power of South America, besides also helping to bring about the end of slavery in Brazil[13]. However, it also caused a ruinous increase of public debt, which took decades to pay off, severely limiting the countrys growth. The war debt, alongside a long-lasting social crisis after the conflict, are regarded as crucial factors for the fall of Empire and proclamation of the First Brazilian Republic[14].Th de facto suppression of slave trade, came with the Eusà ©bio de Queiroz Law (July 12, 1850)[15]. For the British, Brazil finally fulfilled its previously signed treaties and followed the common principles of humanity and the fundamental precepts of the Christian religion[16]. The process of Brazilian independence dragged on in successive stages between the arrival of the Portuguese crown in Rio de Janeiro in 1808, the formal British and Portuguese recognition between 1825 and 1827, until Dom Pedro Is return to Europe in 1831[17]. The period coincided with the process whereby the Congress of Vienna came to accept new members, nominally the new states of settlement of the American continent. European recognition was formalized through treaties and the establishment of diplomatic relations[18]. It is interesting to consider that due to the fact that Brazil inherited great experience in diplomatic matters from the Portuguese, this expertise made all the difference in the formation of borders, in the management of rivalry with Spanish American neighbors and in obtaining European recognition[19]. The recognition of Brazilian independence, was first made by the African kingdoms of Benin and Lagos and the United States, then by Portugal and Great Britain and othe r European states, with the recognition of the old metropolis, Portugal, and the main power of then, Britain, certainly being most important cases[20]. During the second half of the 19th century, despite the economic and political weaknesses that it still had, Brazil began to a certain point to participate in the international economic order that was established, being present at conferences, adhering to multilateral agreements and to the first technical and economic treaties that established cooperation among States[21]. The Brazilian participation in the Second Hague Convention (1907), which was responsible for dealing with formal issues of war and the creation of a permanent arbitration court, was important for bringing the public a discourse that called for equality between States in relation to international society[22]. It is significant, therefore, the understanding of Brazil as an average power of then. Its participation in World War I, on the British side, more symbolic than effective, finally granted the country a pass which enabled it to participate in the negotiations of the Paris Conference, and, finally, a ticket as a representative in the congress of the League of Nations. This can be considered to have been the definitive internationalization of Brazilian politics then[23]. The Brazilian participation in the universal exhibitions of the second half of the 19th century can also be seen as an effort to be perceived as an equal partner of the international society of that time[24]. Another interesting contemplation, is how the other nations considered the nation’s sovereign and how this was a strong indicative of the international positioning of Brazil then. D. Pedro II was the monarch of the young sister nation, a Christian, and though he was a native of Brazil, he descended from the most important European lineages. The fact that he did not look like a king, wearing ordinary clothes, wearing a straw hat and preferring to give up benefits from his position, rather than disappoint, attracted the American public interested in this monarch of the New world[25]. Brazil, which in the beginning of the 20th century started to take part in international events, increased its participation to the point of hosting the III Pan American Conference in 1906, in the then capital city of Rio de Janeiro[26]. With the destruction of the European international society after WWI and with the restructuration of the system in the interwar period, Brazil was finally able to found itself a place of (more) equality among the members of the new and global international society formed after WWII, with diplomacy and international law proving to be fundamental instruments for a militarily weak state. It is questionable however, to what degree the country is (even nowadays) fully equal to its European and American counterparts in the global international society. To conclude, it its necessary to remark that even though there was a continuous pursuit of adherence to European diplomatic rituals, practices and symbols since its independence, this process parallel lead to the creation of asymmetrical relations with the center of European international society which still exist. For example, Brazilians still commonly refer to Europe and the U.S. as the â€Å"first world†, praising and considering superior everything that comes from the Old Continent and the American leader. The embedded feeling of inferiority, rooted in the past experiences and relations with the European international society have not yet completely disappeared. But the question is, will they ever disappear in the current international order or is the birth of a new one needed? References: [1] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, Fundaà §Ãƒ £o Getulio Vargas, Centro de Pesquisa e Documentaà §Ãƒ £o de Histà ³ria Contemporà ¢nea do Brasil (CPDOC), August 2012, Rio de Janeiro, p. 20. [2] BULL, H.; A Sociedade AnaÃŒ rquica†, Imprensa Oficial do Estado, Editora UnB; SaÃŒÆ'o Paulo, BrasiÃŒ lia, 2002, p. 15. WATSON, A.; â€Å"A evolucÃŒ §aÃŒÆ'o da sociedade internacional†, Editora UnB, BrasiÃŒ lia, 2004, p. 37. [3] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 34. [4] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 38. [5] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, pp. 39 and 40. [6] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 40. [7] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 43 [8] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 47 [9] DORATIOTO, F.; â€Å"Maldita Guerra: Nova Histà ³ria da Guerra do Paraguai†, Companhia das Letras, 2nd edition revised by the author, 2002, pp. 47-52. [10] DORATIOTO, F.; â€Å"Maldita Guerra: Nova Histà ³ria da Guerra do Paraguai†, pp. 47-52. [11] BETHELL, L.; â€Å"The Abolition of the Brazilian Slave Trade: Britain, Brazil and the slave trade question, 1807-1869†, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1970, p. 341. [12] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 54. [13] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, pp. 55 and 56. [14] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, pp. 74 and 75. [15] CARDIM, C. H.; â€Å"A Raiz das Coisas. Rui Barbosa: O Brasil no Mundo†, CivilizacÃŒ §aÃŒÆ'o Brasileira, Rio de Janeiro, 2007, p. 52. [16] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 78. [17] GOLDFELD SOCHACZEWSKI, M.; â€Å"O Brasil, o Impà ©rio Otomano e a Sociedade International: Contrastes e Conexà µes (1850-1919)†, p. 85.

CORE BUSINESS TOPICS QUESTIONS Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

CORE BUSINESS TOPICS QUESTIONS - Essay Example Although this is the case, the qualitative goals which are referring to the customer-perceived factors of quality on the basis of products or services, are considered as the most important. This is the goal to achieve customer satisfaction which can be related to the fact that quality of services and products can be translated to competitiveness of the company (Karlof, 1993, p.83). This means that targeting customer satisfaction is taking the strategic efficiency route as well as the competitive advantage to success instead of the operative efficiency (p.5-7). Examples of companies that operate on this philosophy are the up-market car brands such as Jaguar, Mercedes, BMW and Saab (Karlof, 1993, p.5-7). It is important in the changing modern economy though to have balance between customer satisfaction and cost efficiency to be able to survive. But if one factor should solely be chosen, quality of services offered and products manufactured should be the main priority. The knowledge of the difference between business research and reporting can be considered as a fundamental business concept needed in the establishment and operation of any type of business. Business research can be defined as the data gatherings techniques undertaken in relation to business. It also covers the analysis of the data gathered with the aims in lined with the improvement of the business in terms of profitability and customer satisfaction (Bryman and Bell, 2007). Business reporting on the other hand, deals with the presentation, delivery and dissemination of the gathered data and information regarding the operation and management of the business. In the development of new technology, new ways are being used in the said discipline such as computer-based business reporting (Beattie and Pratt, 2003, p.155). One example of the development in business reporting is the EBR or the Enhanced Business

Individual Annotated Bibliography (IAB) (5 articles) Assignment

Individual Annotated Bibliography (IAB) (5 articles) - Assignment Example The paper is a representation of annotated biography towards conducting serious research on ethical principles. Banerjee, S. B 2008, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’, Critical Sociology, Vol. 34 no.1, pp. 51-79. The picture of corporate social responsibility is relative in diverse business environments. This is because CSR handles various activities as well as provide varied regulations with an aim of providing sustainability in corporate citizenship. Consequently, it is relative due to varied social responsibilities and curtailed interests, which can legitimize or motivate the power of larger corporations. In order to bring out the difference, Banerjee came up with an article, which looks at corporate responsibility from diverse angles. This is important in the study of ethical standards for deeper understanding and awareness creation. Banerjee provides a segmented description of corporate discourses that get applied in the process of sa tisfying varied social responsibilities (Banerjee 2008, pp. 52). In as much as diverse interpretation of ethical standards prevails, it is emancipator for serious corporate citizenship as a means of social responsibility. ... This is the same case scenario with 2002 Charles Perrow journal, which described the result of incorporating political, social and economic forces to be a legal revolution. According to Banerjee, social responsibilities require jurisdictions that regulate corporate powers within an institution. This is because reverse of sovereign prerogative leads to a crisis of responsibility forcing unethical business practices. This also includes the period for providing services to the public in a bid to exercise corporate powers. Corporate social responsibility, therefore, plays significant role in identifying and formulating jurisdiction, as well as a mode of operation. This is extremely influential in the study of ethics as it provides relevant information on awareness and detailed research (Banerjee 2008, pp. 60). The journal, in addition, provides defined relationship to corporate social responsibilities with respect to stakeholders and sustainability. This is to ensure no confusion existen ce in conducting research. It also equips learner with the basic knowledge required for the study of ethical principles. For instance, the journal provides the definition of corporate social ethics according to the world business council (Banerjee 2008, pp. 62). This is crucial for research as it gives the link between various stakeholders including the local community, employees and the society. From this perspective, it is a commitment towards ensuring a communal working environment. This is different from the Australian standards association, which associates corporate social responsibility to compliance with set rules and regulations. In this instance, the journal plays a significant role in providing an all round definition of

Perceived Stress for Middle School Principals Essay - 1

Perceived Stress for Middle School Principals - Essay Example The climax of these sanctions is evident when considering the repercussions it places on school administrators. Such is the case that it provides parents with alternative schools away from those which fail to meet AYP. Here, parents are given permission to transfer their children to a school of their choice within the district that meets the requirements. The next set of AYP sanctions falls under the title corrective actions. The first section of correction action employs the same approach as that implemented in school improvement except for the major modifications realized in the areas of curriculum, leadership, or other strategies. In this premise, a principle leading a school that has consistently failed to meet the AYP for four years on account of low subgroup scores is at risk of losing his/her job even when the school is still better in all other tested areas. Under such kind of laws, that are well written, thousands of low performing schools could in theory lose their principles following the subgroup rule. Corrective 4 actions II addresses schools that fail to meet AYP in a consecutive five to six years. The remedy for such schools is total reconstruction of staff, privatization, charting and other related government changes (Decker, 2008). Schools that meet the AYP target for two successive years are exited from this cycle. As a measure to boost openness in the AYP and NCLB for two successive years, the federal lawmakers have authorized that respective states maintain their accountability to the public by publishing their school report cards. The report cards maintain information drawn from all schools in a particular district and incorporate information on proficiency/ AYP rates, teachers professional qualification , data by sub group, and establishes schools in dare need of improvement(McKinney, 2008). The NO Child Left Behind Act and its actual provision were passed to become a law

Essay Questions Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 14

Questions - Essay Example The resultant turnovers are as a result of lack of low income growth that is contemporaneous and is not found in government change propensity that is also contemporaneously increasing. (Russett, Starr and Kinsella) Economic growth results to a middle class that is educated and entrepreneurial which soon or later strives for control over the country’s fate. This ends in the acceptance and giving in by the repressive government in place. The progression in most of the countries that are democratic is not pegged to economic growth after their democratization. Among democracies that are already existing and established, a high growth rate is as a result of stability as a result of liberal democracy. Greater prosperity alone doesn’t result to political freedom of a greater degree. However, the benefits of economic development are reaped through invasion of pressure to political control relaxation. The connection between liberal democracy that is emerging and economic growth lies in sophistication growth of authoritarian governments. Democracy has a minimal impact on economical success to countries that practice it. All the successes in economy are propagated under the political regime that is undemocratic. Many of them developed as a result of state capitalism and centralization which is different from economic liberalization. This is as a result of policy which directly achieves rapid growth in third world countries. This is done through the creation of protective tariffs around the country’s nascent ship-building and automotive industries. Economies succeed through economic liberation adoption, this process usually occurs under political system that is authoritarian. This type of system always associates to military coup in democratic overthrow of elected government. Democratic states that are developing are usually undermined by economic liberation. This is because of the

Comparing two of the six IPCC scenarios Assignment

Comparing two of the six IPCC scenarios - Assignment Example With this regards it evident that the number one energy type, oil is declining at a faster rate. For example, The United States oil reserves have been declining since the year 1971. The demand for oil in most of the countries is increasing and most of the oil producing countries has already depleted their oil fields. Gas which is also produced in similar circumstance as oil is also limited. By the year 2100, most of the natural gas should have been depleted (Chefruka, 2009). Nuclear energy seems to one of the energy types that will not be fully depleted by 2100. The more nuclear power plant will be formed the more power people will be able to obtain. Since most of the energy forms would have been depleted by 2100, renewable energy will become the most used for of energy. By 2100, most of the population will be forced to use the renewable forms of energy like solar panels and wind power (Nakicenovic, 2001). The decline of human population by 2100 can be closely associated with the reduction of energy. It is correct to assume that the decline in the world energy supply will have profound effect on the population. If we carefully analyze this, we will find out that human being requires a significant amount on energy to sustain their quality of life. So, if this energy supply decline per capita, the quality of life will be affected. Based on the theory of demand and supply, when the energy sources become scarce, there price of oil will go high. The price of this commodity will force the populace to redirect money for other expenses to obtain this precious commodity. Their consumption will hit rock bottom and this will be disastrous. Statistics shows that over 5 billion out of 7 billion occupants live in countries where the energy per capita is under 1.5 toe per year (Nakicenovic, 2001). As the energy reserves continue to decline, these counties stand a high

Nursing research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Nursing - Research Paper Example The p value is less than 0.001 which indicates that the data obtained are statistically significant. This, therefore, means that one should decrease their caloric intake; to maintain a low BMI because a high BMI puts one at a risk of getting lifestyle diseases such as high blood pressure and type 2-diabetes. 2) There is a very strong link between BMI and HDL cholesterol because according to the results, the correlation coefficient is very close to -1.00 (0.794). The relationship is however negative meaning as the BMI of an individual increases, the level of HDL cholesterol decreases. The p value is also less than 0.001 meaning that the results are statistically significant. Since it is healthy to have high HDL cholesterol levels, one should, therefore, aim at reducing their BMI to acceptable levels. 3) The relationship between the caloric intake and age of the respondents is not strong as indicated by the correlation coefficient (0.129) which is neither close to 1.00 nor - 1.00. The corresponding p value (0.588) also supports the results since it is far much greater than 0.001 indicating that the degree of significance is very low. 4) Using correlations as a statistical test has got several shortcomings. The correlation does not mean a cause-and-effect link between variables and so cannot be used for certain research questions which seek to determine that kind of relationship (Munro, 2005). For instance, it does not show if an increased caloric intake leads to a high BMI or high BMI causes one to take fewer calories. It also quantifies only the strength of the linear relationship and does not provide other details concerning the relationship between the variables. Correlations are also bivariate meaning they only compare two variables from two data sets at a time which may increase chances of making errors since this rarely occurs in reality (Trochim, 2006). This makes it unsuitable for researchers looking for interconnected relationships

How I will lead groups to become great teams Essay

How I will lead groups to become great teams - Essay Example As a member of the Large Learning Group, I noticed various issues that emerged in the process of our interaction and learning. To begin with there were various psychodynamic characteristics that emerged among the group members which are pertinent to any person with the ambition to lead and make decisions on large groups or team. The first lesson I learnt from the Large Learning Group is that it is pertinent for any group to define roles among the members. I will apply this strategy in my leadership program. I will begin by allocating roles to each member of the group; a process which will begin by identifying my roles and ultimately the roles of others. Allocation of roles is pertinent due to the fact that it allows the group members to focus on their specific duties and have a sense of direction. This process will be guided through proper communication and motivations as well as supervision in order to ensure that members follow direction and are enthusiastic in performing their duties. Proper communication also encompasses taking feedbacks from the group members in order to determine the challenges faced as they perform their duties and the development of solutions. Secondly, I also learned a common feature that existed between the Large Learning Group and the Peer Learning Group; the confirmation of authority. It is very crucial for any person aspiring to be a successful leader to be in a position to confirm his/her authority that is, it is imperative to determine and confirm your duties and responsibilities as well as the duties and the responsibilities of others. This step is arrived at by making agreements among the group members on each person’s responsibility as it will ensure that there are proper intra-group relationships and a harmonious flow of actions. As a leader, I am going to apply this strategy to ensure that the possibility of occurrence of conflicts is reduced and that

Canadian International School and Asia Essay Example for Free

Canadian International School and Asia Essay There are certain things in life that are taken for granted. Some people would feel contented with what they have, while others would have a bigger yearning to become someone. Sometimes, what we yearn for in life becomes the very core of our existence, making us hardworking and persevering. My high school was spent in Asia, where I was exposed to numerous realities. I graduated from the Canadian International School and Asia, and I must say that I was provided with the necessary knowledge in order to become prepared for the real world. Eventually, I was given the opportunity to study at the NAME OF UNIVERSITY. The short time I spent there was enough for me to become equipped with the necessary knowledge that would allow me to follow my dreams. However, I believe that I would be able to spread my wings further if I studied at the NAME OF UNIVERSITY in Vancouver, Canada. For this, I am showing my interest in taking up NAME OF DEGREE from your university. Studying at the NAME OF UNVIERSITY would not come as a challenge, for I have been previously exposed to the Canadian way of teaching. In this regard, I would not have much difficulty adjusting to the culture, and instead become more proficient in class. I would become more comfortable with my environment, at the same time be able to express myself further in the best possible way that I can. As mentioned earlier, it is my belief that your university would become one of my keystones in achieving my goals in life. Although some would opt to think that the success of an individual is not based on the school, I beg to disagree. Some of the important factors to be learned in life are based on the foundation that institutions have inculcated in their students. Since I have been a product of a Canadian institution in high school, I wish to strengthen my knowledge and beliefs further with your help. Life is always about taking risks – these are the choices that we make in order to fulfill our dreams.

Electromagnetic radiation Essay Example for Free

Electromagnetic radiation Essay Electromagnetic waves are disturbances caused by the oscillation of charged particles. It consists of two parts, an electric field and a magnetic field oscillating perpendicular to each other. The wave is self-sustaining, and propagates at a direction perpendicular to both the electric field and magnetic field. There is a whole spectrum of electromagnetic waves. The ones with the longest wavelengths (range: 1 cm-1km) are the radio waves. After the radio waves, microwaves have the next longest wavelength (range: 1mm-10cm). Then, we have the infrared waves (range: 1 µm-1mm), followed by light (range: 400nm-700nm), ultraviolet rays (range: 1nm-100nm), x-rays (range: 0. 1nm-10nm), and gamma rays, which have the shortest wavelengths amongst the different electromagnetic radiations (range: 0. 01nm-0. 1nm). b. How you determine the temperature, composition, and motion of an object from its light spectrum? Different elements emit and absorb light waves differently. Hence, when viewed through a spectroscope, different elements will have different spectral patterns. The object’s composition is obtained from noting which spectral lines are present or absent. We can also determine the density of the object depending on the amount of lines present in the spectrum. The more lines and the more continuous the spectrum, the denser is the material. On the other hand, the temperature of the object will affect the shapes spectral lines emitted by the object. If objects have high temperatures, their spectral lines will be broader, that is, it is spread over more frequencies than if it had lower temperature. To determine temperature, Finally, the Doppler Shift tells us the motion of the object, whether it is moving away or toward us, and with what speed. When the observed object is moving toward us, the spectral lines we observe occur at shorter wavelengths when we compare it to those measured in the laboratory. This is called â€Å"blueshifted. † On the other hand, if the object is moving away from us we observe the lines to occur at longer wavelengths. In this case we say that the lines are â€Å"redshifted. † The amount of shifting will determine the speed of motion. c. In what way do astronomers infer that the Sun’s energy comes from nuclear fusion reactions? How do we know it does not come from chemical burning? Even though both nuclear fusions and chemical reactions result in the release of energy, nuclear fusions release much more energy than chemical reactions. This is due to the nature of each reaction. Given that the energy that the sun produces is extremely high, it is impossible that chemical reactions are fuelling it, for if that were the case, then the sun will not be producing enough energy to sustain life on Earth. If it were chemical reactions powering it, it would be producing roughly one-millionth of the energy it is producing now. d. Explain how the Sun produces energy by nuclear fusion. Because of the amount of matter present in the sun, it is in danger of imploding. What keeps this from happening, however, is the nuclear fusion that occurs in its core, which is so hot because of the pressure from its mass that is being pulled inwards by gravity. In the core, hydrogen nuclei are forced to come together. This fusion creates helium-4 and energy. Since the resulting He-4 atoms are less massive than the initial hydrogen atoms that fused together, the missing mass is what was transformed into energy. This is best explained by the most famous equation in Physics, E=mc2, which states the equivalence of mass and energy. e. When we look at stars in the sky, we see a wide range of brightness. Explain the factors that would make one star appear brighter than another. There are two factors that affect the brightness of stars in the sky. The first one is the inherent characteristic of the star, which dictates how absolutely bright or luminous it will be. The second factor that affects the way we see stars is their distance from the earth. The farther they are, the dimmer they would appear. This is because the light they emit would need to pass through interstellar matter that could disperse, absorb or reflect the light in different directions. f. Compare the Sun with other stars. The Sun is called such by virtue of its position, that is, it is in the center of the solar system. Technically, however, the sun is also a star. It differs from other stars in its size, temperature, age, and color. The Sun is a dwarf star, about 4. 5 billion years old, and is classified as â€Å"yellow,† which means that it has an average temperature of about 6000 K. Hotter stars are classified as blue-white, while cooler stars are red. g. Consider a star at the upper part of the main sequence (label it Star A) and a star in the lower part of the main sequence (label it Star B). Which is: 1) Larger? Star A 2) More luminous? Star A 3) More massive? Star A 4) Hotter? Star A h. Compare the life spans of low mass stars and high mass stars. Explain why they are different. The life span of low mass stars is longer than the life spans of high mass stars. The reason for this is that the higher the mass of the star, the more hydrogen is needed to undergo fusion to keep the star from collapsing under its own gravitational force. i. What would an imaginary terrestrial observer see as the Sun runs out of hydrogen? If life is confined to Earth when this happens, would life perish from heat or from cold? Explain. As the Sun runs out of hydrogen fuel, it will start consuming helium. This leads to the sun increasing in radius, eventually turning it into a red giant. When this happens, the sun will grow so large that it can engulf the earth. Life on Earth would perish from extreme heat. When the helium runs out, however, the sun will shrink to a white dwarf. The reason for this is that the sun is too small to continue burning elements larger than helium. j. What kind of stars eventually become white dwarfs? What kind eventually become supernovae? What will be the ultimate fate of the Sun? Why? A white dwarf is an extremely dense star, with the mass of the sun and the size of the earth. It is composed of the remnants of stellar matter, which is mostly carbon and oxygen. In order to turn into a white dwarf, stars need to have a size of about 0. 07-10 times that of the sun. On the other hand, a supernova is formed when a massive star consumes all of its nuclear fuel and thus collapses under its gravitational field. Because of the high gravitational force that causes its collapse, the dead star suddenly explodes. A star that is about 8-10 times more massive than the sun will end its life as a supernova. The ultimate fate of the sun is to become a white dwarf. The reason for this is that the sun is not very massive to turn into a supernova, thus lacking the critical mass that would cause it to collapse under its own weight.

Controllability Principle in Responsibility Accounting

Controllability Principle in Responsibility Accounting One underlying concept of the traditional management control system is the responsibility accounting. It is viewed as an important feature because it permits the ease of decentralization in M-form organizations. It distributes accountability and provides accounting reports on these distributed accountabilities. It provides a way for large unmanageable organizations to be managed such that all subsystems have similar goals. It can be defined as a system where managers are held responsible for activities under their leadership. Built on responsibility accounting is the principle of controllability. This principle has been viewed as the cornerstone of responsibility accounting (S. Modell and A. Lee, 2001). The principle states that managers should only be evaluated on elements that are within their control. Research literatures on responsibility accounting point to the fact that responsibility accounting and the controllability principle cannot be made independent of one another. The re lationship becomes obvious when both are looked at together; responsibility accounting holds the manager responsible for a particular division but the controllability principle ensures that the managers are held responsible only for factors that they can control. For this reason, Ferrara (1964) called responsibility accounting a communication system with the sole purpose of helping the organization achieve its goals. The controllability principle, therefore, serves to make this communication channel clearer and understandable. The role played by the controllability principle makes it an appealing notion. However, much research articles have argued for the observance of controllability principle as well as against its observance in responsibility accounting. This paper seeks to evaluate the arguments for and against the observance of the principle of controllability. Arguments For and Against the Observance of Controllability Principle Recent research concludes that there are two types of uncontrollable factors within the borders of controllability; internal uncontrollable and external uncontrollable factors. Studies also show that when it comes to controllability, managers consider responsibility accounting fair when the effects of internal uncontrollable factors on their performance is negated in appraisal. The concept of fairness was given in McNally G. (1980) as one of the rationales for observing the principle of controllability. He stated this using the expectancy theory of motivation. The notion of fairness makes the observance of controllability desirable when performance evaluations are carried out on the managers. The controllability principle makes the appraisal a fair one. This is as a result of the appraisal done in consideration of the controllable factors and uncontrollable factors. The result of the appraisal would be a satisfied and possibly motivated manager. Choudhury N. (1986) goes further to sa y that this conforms to the commonly held principle of justice. The equity theory of motivation also helps to explain it further the theory says a fair days work for a fair days pay. In the case of the manager and controllability, this would be a fair assessment for a fair periods work. Achieving organizational goals are very important for any firm and the means of doing that is through the managers of the decentralized firms but if the managers perception of the performance appraisal is unfair, he is demotivated and unsatisfied. He also loses focus and possibly direction. Going by McGregors Y theory of motivation, this could damage the managers perception of his work. He wants to work and put in his best but if his best is judged against things out of his control, this could lead him to learned helplessness or to leave the firm (Nandan C, 1986). For such an organization whose appraisal system is deemed to be unfair, they would have a high turnover rate. The implications of this are far reaching as harmful managerial behaviour might crop up. With fairness in place, observing the principle of controllability helps managers to pay attention to uncontrollable factors. The responsibility accounting holds them accountable for what goes on in their divisions; controllability principle makes the uncontrollable factors obvious. Managers will direct corrective efforts to these uncontrollable factors (McNally G., 1980). This in turn would help to influence the managers behaviour such that it aligns with organizational goals. The knowledge that his appraisal is a fair one would motivate him to try to exert some influence over these uncontrollable factors. If the influence pays off, then he is one step closer to achieving organizational goals. This also induces him/her to pay more attention to factors previously perceived as uncontrollable but now influenceable because of the effort he has applied (F. Giraud, P. Langevin and C. Mendoza, 2008). In the agency theory framework of management control where all information is used to appr aise the managers performance in line with the controllability principle, the appraisal report highlights the controllable and uncontrollable factors. Senior management can attach rewards to these seemingly uncontrollable factors to ensure that managers do their best to attain them without neglecting other duties necessary for the organizational goal attainment. S. Modell and A. Lee (2001) refer to the influence over seemingly uncontrollable factors when they noted that reliance on controllability principle helps to enhance managerial control of powerful institutional actors such as managers. The empirical study carried out by Frow N, Marginson D, and Odgen S. (2005) at Astoria PLC also points out the fact that factors that cannot be controlled can be influenced with some effort; they found out that the firm uses the AIP (Astoria Improvement Process) to reinforce influenceablity. They noted that the AIP helps the manager retain some form of control where they have only partial contr ollability but the AIP also imposes expectation on the managers. This would ensure that the managers make extra effort to influence these factors to meet the expectation laid up on them. Controllability principle helps to neutralize the effects of uncontrollable factors on a managers performance, thus giving a true picture of the managers efforts. This is another appealing notion of the controllability principle. It has been argued that the organization is a social system that grows in complexity like the biological systems. This complexity brings with it constant changes and in the organizational context, this would mean unforeseen changes that can have positive or negative effects on the efforts of the manager. One of such complexity is the competitive and economic elements. Both of these can affect the managers effort in a positive or negative way. An appropriate example is the financial crisis of 2007-2010 which has caused a downturn in stock prices. This in turn affects the profit and investment levels but the controllability principle neutralizes the effects of the financial crisis on the managers performance. Giraud et al (2008) noted that neutralization of un controllable factors can take two forms; ex-ante neutralization and ex-post neutralization, both of which have the same the same result, neutralizing the effects of uncontrollable factors on the performance of the managers. The Controllability principle provides a reliable assessment of the managers performance. When all uncontrollable factors have been neutralized, the assessment will be based on the efforts of the manager in improving the division under his control. Choudhury (1986) notes this when he says that the results of the division under the mangers control is a combination of the managers efforts and the uncontrollable factors. Separating managers effort from uncontrollable factors provides a better basis for assessment. In the principal agent framework, this would be a very necessary basis for rewards, the principal uses everything in his disposal to appraise the manager but when controllability principle removes the uncontrollable factors, the managers efforts are clearly seen. The rewards can then be based on the managers efforts at controlling the factors that he could to achieve organizational objectives. Ferrara (1964) argues that the controllability principle in responsibility accounting helps the organization to grow in that it helps to locate the errors and mistakes of the organizational members. He argues that errors and mistakes are the stuff of which progress is made . He also argues that controllability is a means of locating those activities and people in the organization in need of help so that assistance can be rendered and scarce resources of the organization would be more utilized. This would mean that controllability principle works in line with the organizational goals and where a positive attitude about it is inculcated in managers, the organization should move at the targeted pace. The responsibility accounting reports will make clear the controllable factors and the uncontrollable factors but amidst the controllable factors, a well prepared report will reveal where there might be problems. These problems can be considered and worked on or used as a base for future st rategic plans. When all errors and mistakes are corrected, they make room for improvement. In spite of these appealing advantages for controllability principle, there have been arguments against its observance in the responsibility accounting. Choudhury (1986) argues that controllability principle is not sacrosanct. Considering the size of big firms, a lot of factors hinder the practicality of the controllability principle. The interdependencies of the divisions within these firms create an unclear line with respect to divisional boundaries and places difficulty on the responsibility accounting process. One such factor is the task complexity of some divisions. If a particular manager works with another divisional manager to accomplish a difficult task, it becomes difficult to appraise the managers efforts because supposedly, the manager with the task had control over the particular task but performance appraisal with controllability principle makes this difficult. The manager had the task under his control but the other manager that helped had no control over the task but had ideas and participated in accomplishing the task. In this aspect Amey (1979) compares organizations to biological systems that grow in complexity. The complex growth makes controllability impossible. Observing the controllability principle in complex organizations is limiting on the innovativeness and the creativity of managers in the organizations. When managers are aware that they are being assessed on controllable factors, they would not be willing to take on risky ventures that have potential benefits for the organization. In their examination of the limitations of controllability principle, Antle and Demski (1988) conclude that the limitations of controllability on organizational growth can be modified through the information content notion. The limitation of the controllability principle is a hindrance on the positive results of team work. M-form organizations require team work to succeed, however, the observance of the controllability principle in the principal-agent framework breeds competition and this affect team work negatively thus a sales manager might have a good idea on how to achieve the tasks of the marketing manager but because he does not want the marketing man ager to do better that him in their performance appraisal, he would not assist or offer advice. Team work is therefore placed at the bottom of the list of useful organizational ethics. On the contrary where both managers would work together without neglecting their divisional duties, they could achieve desired results and if possible, meet their separate targets. The study carried out by Frow et al (2006) supports this fact; their findings revolve around accountability without controllability and the results also shows that the Astoria Plc. encouraged more co-operations because of organizational promotion of greater interdependencies. Another aspect where the observance of controllability principle is limiting is the area of performance evaluation. It limits the use of market measures in evaluating the managers performance. The use of market measures is one of the ways of evaluating senior management employees and the limiting effect of the controllability principle weakens the effe ctiveness of these measures (Merchant, 2006). The limitations of the controllability principle lead to rigidity in organizations. The controllability principle does not allow room for organizational flexibility. It limits the organization to growth based on only controllable factors. Modern day organizations are very dynamic and this constant change is not compatible with the concept of controllability. If controllability principle is been observed in an organization, the organization would not allow change such that it is flexible and easily adaptable to changes in its environment. Amey (1979) argued that businesses needed to maintain flexibility in internal arrangements such that adjustment would not be impeded and its links with its environment would grow stronger. Observing controllability principle in responsibility accounting involves some elements of subjectivity. This occurs when the basis for establishing controllable and uncontrollable factor are unclear. The performance evaluation team will have to set a criterion to use when carrying out an appraisal; this criterion would be based on what they think and probably not what they are aware of. In doing this, they become subjective in the appraisal. This would be perceived by the manager as unfair appraisal. He would view himself as being unfairly treated without consideration of factors contingent upon his performance. As a result of this perception of the performance appraisal, the manager could behave in a dysfunctional way. Such actions would be detrimental to the organizational goals. A manager who perceives an unfair system would also be demotivated. The findings of the research done by Giraud et al (2008) concluded that managers do not want uncontrollable external factors neutralized because of the level of subjectivity involved in it. Similarly, drawing from the study carried out by Modell and Lee (2001) institutional factors affect the controllability principle, in turn these factors affect the efficiency of the responsibility accounting system. The controllability principle is also expensive to maintain in an organization. I would argue that the process involved in ensuring the observance of responsibility principle is not cost efficient. The process would require constant research into the market forces so as to distinguish controllable factors from uncontrollable factors; where it is not possible to make such a distinction, the organization would have to incur more costs to ensure that the performance appraisal system is perceived as fair by its managers. The energies and costs that would be consumed by such a process would be effectively used in another part of the organization where it would be beneficial. Giraud et al (2008) also argues on the difficulty of evaluating uncontrollable factors, they specifically note the difficulty as regards the impact of economic recession. Thus, I would also argue that payment for the services of qualified experts on the distinction between controllable and uncontrollable factors for p erformance evaluation is an unnecessary cost to the organization. Research has also shown that observing the controllability principle leads to dysfunctional behaviour of managers. Hirst (1983) noted that reliance on performance measures that capture uncontrollable factors promote dysfunctional behaviour. This as a result of the managers perception of the performance evaluation system; he wants to avoid the effects of uncontrollable factors and he does that by engaging in activities that do not promote organizational objectives. Giraud et al (2008) mention such activities to include data manipulation, creating slack and developing an excuse culture. He narrows his focus to just the factors that he knows he would be appraised by and where he fails, his self-efficacy is reduced. Observing controllability principle in responsibility accounting can have consequences for organizational goals. It can lead to short termism on the part of manager. In narrowing their focus, managers focus on the components of the performance evaluation system and not on the organizational goals. This would lead to the neglecting of organizational long term goals. Thus, a manager with a long term goal of improved return on investment but with a sales division short term goal of number of user complaints per month and percentage variation from budgets will focus only on reducing the percentage variation from budgets thereby maligning the chances of improving the ROI. This might mean inferior sales strategies that would result in a drop in sales figures which have negative effects on the ROI. Conclusion Theoretically, observing the controllability principle in responsibility accounting has been perceived to have its advantages and disadvantages to the organization. The definition of the controllability principle indicates that there is a clear distinction between controllable and uncontrollable factors. This distinction supposedly makes it easy to observe in responsibility accounting. However, empirical studies reveal that organizations do not fully observe the controllability principle. Findings indicate that there is some sort of continuum that has controllable factors on one end and uncontrollable factors on the other end with varying degrees of control in between. Studies also show that some managers do not see themselves on either end of the continuum but somewhere in the middle. This means that strict observance of the controllability principle is impractical. Choudhury (1986) argues that the responsibility accounting concept should not be hindered by controllability and that it should be interpreted independently of controllability. Moreover, controllability should be defined contingent upon the contexts of the organization. McNally (1980) also argues that controllability can be applied in a modified version. Recent literature also indicates that organizations tend to hold managers for factors that they can influence rather than factors that they can control. This lies somewhere between controllable factors and uncontrollable factors on the controllability continuum. Giraud et al (2008) refer to this as the influencable factors. In addition, the interdependencies of organizations blur the lines separating controllability and other sub-systems in the responsibility accounting system (Hirst, 1983) as well as the uncertainties of the organizational environment. Consequently, I would argue that strict observance of the controllability principle is unrealistic. The modification and the re-definition of the controllability principle is a gradual shift away from the premise of the controllability principle. The difference between controllable and uncontrollable factors is lacking in clarity as regards modern organizations. It also does not align well with the structure of modern day organizations. Similarly, factors that can be influenced today might not be influenced the next day or next operating period because of the unpredictability of the environments of the organizations. Besides, can the ability to influence an event be measured and to what extent can it be measured?

Amendments :: essays research papers

Amendment I (1791) Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Amendment II (1791) A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. Amendment III (1791) No soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law. Amendment IV (1791) The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Amendment V (1791) No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation. Amendment VI (1791) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense. Amendment VII (1791) In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise reexamined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.

Sci-fI Films Essay -- essays research papers

In this essay I am going to discuss about the topic: â€Å"Science fiction often plays off the real against the artificial, either in the form of humans versus non-human (androids, cyborgs, synthetics), or the world versus the non-world (cyberspace, inner-space, intentional space)†. I have chosen the films â€Å"The Matrix† and â€Å"Bicentennial Man† An explosion in information access and exchange is fueling the Information Superhighway that was created as a result of the computer revolution. If technology has truly become a god, then cyberspace is definitely its bible. Its scope is endless; its breadth enormous. Although the foundation of cyberspace, the computer, definitely serves to dehumanize culture, the Information Superhighway itself does not. If anything, cyberspace is re-humanizing the computer revolution. The World Wide Web, through pictures and graphics, has added personality and more personal contact to a technology that for years was ‘just the facts.’ Although the statement might be made that this is a pseudo-rehumanization that masks true human characteristics with digital ones, this is at least a step in the right direction. Something that removes the human qualities or attributes from culture can be said to dehumanize it. This technology destroys our view of truth and meaning. The basic presupposition of the Information Superhighway is that it contains information on any subject and can answer any question. It causes people to search places other than God for direction, truth, and meaning. Involvement with the technology serves to replace our involvement with reality. There is a tendency for people to start thinking of themselves and others in terms of their online personalities. Many people develop a whole other life on-line and some even end up being unable to separate their on-line identity from their real one. Recent movies such as The Matrix and Bicentennial Man serve to further blur this already fuzzy line. Bicentennial Man, directed by Chris Columbus (US, 1999), is based on a story Isaac Asimov wrote in 1975 and like many of his stories, it deals with the enigma of a machine with the intelligence of a man, but without the rights or the feelings. As we might expect the film presents Asimov's concept of the intelligent robot, a concept that, like Asimov himself, pre-dates the modern world of personal computers, video games, the Internet, 'e... ...housand years ago. If the portrayal of intelligent machines in films teaches us anything, it is that it is fortunate that such machines do not yet exist. It is fortunate that is, for the machines, because all the evidence would indicate that we are not yet ready to treat them as fellow persons. Fortunate too for us perhaps, because when they became smart enough to mount a successful rebellion they might make us pay for their oppression (Mitchell 2003). Reference: 1. Edwards, D A, ‘The Matrix’, The Matrix: An Ideological Analysis, viewed 5 June 2005, http://fiffdimension.tripod.com/matrix.htm1. 2. Menor F 2000, The Matrix(1999), viewed 7 June 2005, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/ 3. Mitchell, D 2003, What s it like to be a Robot?, viewed 7 June 2005, http://www.zenonic.demon.co.uk/zenorobot.htm 4. Setzer V W 2002, AI - Artificial Intelligence or Automated Imbecility, viewed 7 June 2005, http://www.transintelligence.org/articles/Artificial%20Intelligence.htm 5. The Matrix 1999, motion picture, Prod. Joel Silver. Dir. The Wachowski Brothers. Perf. Laurence Fishburne, and Keanu Reeves 6. www.duke.edu/~djs12/Lit%20Theory/ Lit%20Theory%20-%20The%20Matrix.doc

Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy Essay -- essays research papers

Looking Backward   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book Looking Backward was written by Edward Bellamy and published in the year 1888. Bellamy started off his career as a journalist but then married and decided to devote his efforts to writing fiction novels. Looking Backward was published and Bellamy was famous. The book stirred around the country and had people imagining a world like the one Bellamy created in his book. The idea of a utopia as the one he describes is unbelievable. His book is what people, of even now in the twenty first century, wish the world could possible be like. However, Bellamy’s world of reasoning and judging of people based on the inner beliefs was not what people of then or now do. Bellamy’s book showed a world of rationality being applied to create a world of down right good and generous people. If rationality was every used to create a wholesome war-hearted society than the picture that Bellamy envisioned would be true today. Bellamy built his utopia upon the positio n that individuals did not compete with one another.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The story starts with a preface that explains the sum of the story. The story introduces the fact that Bellamy is writing as if it is already the twentieth century and the world is looked at through rationality. Bellamy uses the character Julian West to represent industrialization and how his utopia are used as the answers is used as the answers to industrialization problems, and Dr. Leete to represe...

Bring Back Flogging †Essay Essay

In the essay â€Å"Bring Back Flogging,† the author Jeff Jacoby discusses the flaws of imprisonment, today’s punishment for criminals. Published in the Boston Globe in 1997, the essay’s purpose was not only to address the problems of locking up criminals, but also to suggest a hypothetical solution or alternative to a prison sentence. In order to completely understand Jacoby’s essay, â€Å"Bringing Back Flogging,† it is essential to analyze his thesis, purpose, methods or strategies, and persona beforehand Jacoby’s thesis is implied rather that explicit. He uses examples throughout his essay to imply that adopting the punishment Puritans used almost four-hundred years ago, flogging; meaning, being whipped or beaten, would be cheaper and more effective that putting criminals behind bars. â€Å"A humiliating and painful paddling can be applied to the rear..for a lot less than $30,000 [the price it costs per inmate each year] and prove a lot more than ten years’ worth of prison meals and lockdowns,† is one of the examples Jacoby uses to support his implied thesis. He also states in his very last paragraph, â€Å"Maybe we should Adopt a few,† referring to the humiliating sanctions the Puritans has back in the 1600’s. Jacoby introduces a theoretical solution for an alternative punishment for criminals as the purpose of this essay. He hopes to provoke question amongst his readers as to whether being whipped in public is more degrading then being caged. Jacoby is forcing his audience, the general public, to consider his idea of bringing back flogging as a reformed punishment for some of the thousands of criminals. He does recognize that there is a difference in the crimes that are being committed, violent and non-violent, meaning there is a need for more than one type of punishment. Jacoby uses several methods in his writing to help support his thesis. first, he uses historical facts. in his introduction he descriptively describes the different punishment cases in Boston during the 1600’s to give the reader an idea of what was going on four-hundred years ago. In one case he tells of how a man accused of adultery was’†¦sentenced to twenty-five lashes† and later the word â€Å"adultery†burned in all capitals into his chest in plain view of the public for means not only to hurt this man, but to humiliate him.  Statements similar to this are made to catch the reader’s attention as Jacoby certainly accomplished in the first paragraph of his essay. Jacoby utilizes such vivid cases for a reference to the reader of what the punishments were like in the 1600’s,a time period relevant to his solution Another method Jacoby uses in his essay is statistics. These statistics reveal fallacies in the U.S . criminal justice systems. â€Å"Fifty-eight percent of all murders do not result in a prison term.† He also includes the estimated cost of each inmate per year, which is thirty thousand dollars. These statistics are appropriate in that they help support Jacoby’s idea that imprisonment should not be an all purpose punishment including violent and non-violent crimes in â€Å"Bring Back Flogging,† Jacoby takes a serious stance towards his audience. He first presents historical facts, then follows with statistics in an easily understood manner. As the essay progresses he begins to ridicule on the U.S court systems. Jacoby points out the many fallacies in the way criminals are punished here in the United States. He uses examples and statistics to validate his argument. Overall, Jacoby takes an affective approach to grab the readers attention by making them think, question and feel. Jacoby’s point is a strong, his essay isn’t about reinstating flogging, but more so a closer look at the prison system and the injustices behind it, and suggesting a strong and drastic change is necessary.

Interpersonal and written communication techniques Essay

Lip-reading: One skill that I have not fully develop to make me more employable in the I.T industry is the lip reading technique. Lip reading is the movement of lips and tongue; body language and facial expressions add to this technique, as it helps you to lip read better. With this technique I learnt that you have to look at the way a person stresses their speech, the rhythm and phrasing when trying to lip read. A good thing that I find about lip reading is that it provides a method of communication for deafened people. However, I found it quite difficult to lip read, because you have to pay full attention and look at lip shape and movement at all times, preventing me from concentrating. This technique is useful because it is a means of communication for the severely or totally deafened people. I also found this technique difficult to use because not all words are easy to read, some people mumble or even covered their hands when they were talking. This prevented me to lip read exactly what they say. I can further improve on this technique, by practising it over and over again, as it takes time and patience. Through this I will also be improving my confidence and strengthening my communication ability. Body language: I have developed my method of body language to make myself more employable to the i.t industry. Body language is the non-verbal signals as a method of communication through stance, gestures, facial expression etc. It also builds better relationships at home or at school. Some people may find it difficult to use body language in order to communicate, because they might find it hard to understand their gestures or facial expressions to convey what they are trying to say. This technique is useful and important in order to send the right message and to be able to read the signals the other person is sending back. Spoken communication is essential, as well as body language and facial expressions. By giving of natural body language, you are  showing that you are paying complete attention to what the employer is saying. Barriers to communication: I have develop the skill of barriers to communications. I developed this by making sure that I did not make the audience bored with my presentation. I did this by projecting my voice, so that it was loud and clear for the audience to hear and understand. Also, I made sure that my mobile phone was switched off, to avoid any distractions whilst presenting my presentation. This is a good skill to have because when communicating because when in a Conversation you are showing that you are paying full attention to everything they are saying. Positive language: I have developed the skill of using positive gesture. For example, having a smile on my face can make the other person feel more comfortable with what they are trying to say. I have also been using a genuine, formal tone of voice when addressing my peers, which makes me come across as someone with a positive attitude. I used ‘nodding’ as a form of positive language when someone was talking or explaining something to me. This shows that I am in agreement with what they are trying to say. In some conversations I may have summarised what they said to show that I have been listening to what they have said. Negative language: I have developed the skill to avoid using negative language with the improvement in my positive language. The use of negative language when communication with another person can make them feel really uncomfortable, this may also make them not want to talk to you. I stopped using negative facial expressions, to make myself come across more positively than negatively. I respond to people even if I have no interest in what they are saying. Types of questions: This is one of the skills that I have not improved on. I don’t tend to ask open questions when in a conversation. When I am not interested in a conversation I tend to either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to questions. This stops the conversation from flowing and shows my lack of interest. This technique can be improved/developed by avoiding the use of closed questions, because it  may show that you don’t want to be a part of that particular conversation and want it to end by giving dull replies. Speed of response: The speed of response technique depends on what the question or conversation is about. There may be some questions that I might be asked that require time to think to be able to give a clear respond to what they have asked. However, in some particular conversations my speed of response is quite fast, because I am aware of what to say. So, my speed of response depends completely on what the conversation or questions are about. Written communication skills: Capitalisation: A skills that I have improved in written communication is capitalisation. I have improved on this skill by always ensuring that I always use capital letters when writing a letter or important emails as it is essential and makes the letter or email look more professional. Capital letters are use at the start of sentences, names and country names. They are also used abbreviations for UK, USA etc. The idea of capitalisation is to make sure your sentences are clear. They can also be used for emphasis, you could capitalise words within your work and in order to emphasise your opinion. It may be difficult to read over your work to check that you have added capital letters if you are in a rush. Structure: One of the skills that I have not developed in written communication is structure, because I find it time consuming to structure a piece of writing. However, it is important to structure your piece of writing so that it makes sense. You will be able to order your writing in order of importance. Ordering your writing is important, because the reader may not understand your writing. I can further improve on this skills by making sure that I order and structure my work neatly as I go along, instead of leaving to the end, which makes it more time consuming. If I don’t do this then I am making it more difficult for myself trying to figure out what I have written. Smileys: I have improved on this skills, because I am able to use smileys and  emotions, which makes the conversation flow more effectively. However they are only used informally and not it letters. They can change the mood of you’re writing to show what mood you are in. It is also easier to get messages across to the other person. It is easier to show excitement or sarcasm with the use of emotions. They can also be used for advertisements, which can make the poster look more interesting and can easily grab the reader’s attention. However, they are not to be used in letters or in important emails, as it might give a bad impression of you, and you may not be taken seriously. Therefore, it is important to improve on this technique, as you should be aware of when you should or should not use these informal methods of communicating. Proof reading/spelling/grammar: I have not improved on the technique of proof reading my spelling and grammar after writing a letter or email. I think it would be important to improve on this technique as my letter would look more professional. Sending a letter or email that has poor spelling and poor use of grammar, shows your lack of interest and you will not be taken seriously. I can further improve on this technique by taking time out to proof read my work before sending it out. Proof reading my work can make a huge difference, because I will be taken more seriously if my letter is written in a more professional manner. Alternative viewpoints: I have not improved on the technique of giving or taking on board alternative viewpoints. I think it is a good idea to maybe take on board alternative viewpoints given to me by other people, so that I try more than one way of dong certain tasks. I think I can improve on this technique by giving other people my alternative viewpoints. In this way it shows that I have been listening to what the other person has been saying. By taking on board other the viewpoints of other people will help me to improve on my work. However, it may be difficult to grasp, because I rarely ever take on alternative viewpoints. Note taking: I have improved on the technique of note taking since September. I have improved on this skill, as I had started to take notes of important topics discussed during class discussions. Also I have started to highlight the key  facts on the hand-outs that were given to me. So that I focus mainly on the key points. This made it easier for me when it came to revision, because I knew exactly what I had to revise on for the exam. I also annotated the points on the hand outs, so that I am aware of what it means when I come to revise on that topic, as I am able to clearly understand it with extra detail. Guidelines: I have improved on the technique of using guidelines when doing my work. In September when starting my ict btec course, I downloaded the assignment brief for each unit. I always had the assignment brief out whenever I did a task, to help me understand what I have got to do to achieve the task clearly with step to step instructions given of everything I need to add in order to pass the task. Having improved on this technique was useful, because it gave me extra information of what the course is about, the deadlines for each task etc. Using the assignment brief made me more independent as I didn’t need to constantly ask my teacher for help.

Hamlet’s and Laertes’ Revenge: Which One Seems More Justified Essay

When one does an intentional (or even unintentional) act to the detriment of another, the aggrieved party or his or her loved ones may vow for vengeance against the perpetrator of the act. It has always been the kind of emotion that causes a person to feel hatred, show hostility, and display aggressive behavior, revealing the worst of him or her. Revenge can sometimes be bitter and relentless, but some people also call it sweet and fulfilling at times. Thus, it has been a common theme and concept in literature. The world of literature has been flooded with numerous tales about revenge and its consequences. Although most of these stories are tragic and melodramatic, they have nonetheless created a remarkable impact on the readers’ consciousness about the reality and nature of revenge. Shakespeare has been proven by history itself to be a one-of-a-kind literary artist who was able to launch and create many successful tragic plays about revenge. One of his most popular plays about this emotion is that of the life of Hamlet, the prince of Denmark. In this play, Hamlet found several reasons to kill and to make a lot of people suffer due to the death of his beloved father who was mercilessly murdered. However, in the play, there is another character who had the same reason to of taking revenge — Laertes, whose father was killed by Prince Hamlet himself, and whose sister killed herself because of the sorrow brought by their father’s death. Considering Hamlet’s and Laertes’ vow for vengeance, it can be inferred that although they both share the same reason for being revengeful, only Hamlet’s revenge appears to be justifiable in the sense that he knew the truth behind his father’s death, whereas Laertes was blinded by Claudius’ lies and took revenge upon the wrong person. Hamlet’s Revenge The cause of death of Prince Hamlet’s father was actually unknown to the entire kingdom. After his father’s death, his uncle Claudius married his mother and took over the throne. It was only when the spirit of his father appeared in front of them when the real reason of his death was unfolded. The ghost revealed that it was actually the ambitious Claudius himself, the brother of Hamlet’s father, who killed him in order to put the entire kingdom as well as his wife in his possession. Angered by the ill-fate of his father and the unforgivable, abusive, and unjust actions of his uncle Claudius, Hamlet vowed to take revenge on Claudius in order to give his father’s horrible death its due justice. The knowledge of his father’s murder and of his mother’s betrayal of her wedding vows with Hamlet’s father filled him with so much anger and vengeful spirit, as clearly reflected in the following lines: Oh God! A beast that wants discourse of reason Would have mourn’d longer – married with mine uncle, My father’s brother; but no more like my father Than I to Hercules. Within a month, Ere yet the salt of most unrighteous tears Had left the flushing in her gallà ¨d eyes. (1.2.150-155) This was the start of his revenge. After this point, he almost went mad with all the thoughts that kept running inside his head. He was torn between morality and his revengeful feeling towards his uncle and those people who betrayed his deceased father. However, if one would look closely and analyze Hamlet’s revenge, although it may look relentless and heartless, it all boils down to the fact that Hamlet realized that his father, whom he loved so much, had been mercilessly killed for selfish reasons. His anger as a son can completely be understandable since readers would be able to understand that a son’s love for his father will always be immeasurable. To think that Hamlet did all he could to be at the least careful of not punishing innocent people, it can be said that he never aimed to do worse things than avenging his father’s death. Laertes’ Revenge Just like the reason behind Hamlet’s aggressive revenge, Laertes also lost two of his love ones. That is why, in a fit of rage, he fearlessly faced Hamlet whom he believed was the sole reason behind the loss of his family. His father, Polonius, was accidentally killed by Hamlet who mistakenly identified him as Claudius, while Opehlia, Laertes’ sister, died by drowning herself into a river due to the unbearable grief caused by his father’s death. Thus, just like Hamlet, Laertes was crushed by the incidents, and he felt the same kind of anger and pain just like what Hamlet felt. However, recalling how Laertes got hostile towards Hamlet, it can be observed that Claudius made him believe that Hamlet was to blame for his father’s and sister’s deaths. Hence, brokenhearted at that time and naturally vulnerable and helpless in that condition, Laertes was easily convinced and moved by Claudius’ words. Thus, he started to feel that overwhelming anger and drive to kill Hamlet regardless of what ways or process he had to go through. The events which occurred next were a series conspiracies and plots that Laertes made in order to bring Hamlet down. He also went to Claudius to seek help and advice as to how to kill his mortal enemy. His mind was then clouded by Claudius’ deceiving words which allowed evil to close Laertes’ heart to anything and made him a relentless and merciless enemy of Hamlet. He also succumbed to the evil plans of Claudius that were designed to kill Hamlet in the surest of ways. Although Hamlet succeeded in killing Laertes first, he was still wounded by the sword covered with poison which immediately cut his breath shortly after Laertes fell to the ground. Thus, it may seem that the driving force behind Laertes’ revenge was the deception of Claudius. Unlike Hamlet, Laertes’ revengeful acts were pushed and encouraged by someone else’s motives and intentions which were that of Claudius. As it appears, while Hamlet decided on taking revenge on the people who brought upon his father’s death, Laertes, who went so weak to deception, was nothing but Claudius’ dummy who did just what the deceitful character wanted, without knowing the truth behind the deaths of his loved ones. Which Revenge Appears More Justified? Upon exploring Hamlet’s and Laertes’ revenge, it appears clearly that both of them felt anguished and pained due to the death of their loved ones. The death of Hamlet’s dear father was so cruel and unjust that he himself felt that he should do what he can to make his father’s murderers pay for the crime that they committed. On the other hand, the reason behind Laertes’ revenge was merely fed by Claudius’s lies who wanted to eradicate Hamlet as his opponent from the kingdom. It clearly implies that Laertes’ revenge was pushed through by deceitful and selfish reasons which covered his eyes from seeing the truth behind his family’s death. With this, it can be safe to say that Hamlet’s revenge is more justified in the sense that he knew the truth that his father has been murdered and therefore, justice must make the murderers pay for their crime, while in Laertes’ case, he had been so weak to deception that his anger and hostile treatment of Hamlet had no real and true basis. The tale which made him so angry had been fabricated by Claudius’ lies which made him fight for the wrong reasons and kill the wrong person. However, in whatever ways revenge is justified by others, it is still unacceptable to me since no one must take justice in his or her own hands. To fulfill their vengeance, Hamlet and Laertes had to hold justice in their hands, but as it appears, a person can easily be deceived; therefore, one’s revenge can always be misled, just like what happened to Laertes. Hamlet’s revenge only appears justifiable as he knew the truth completely. Thus, although Hamlet and Laertes shared similar reasons behind their revenges, only Hamlet’s revenge appears to be justifiable in this context.