Islam And The Muslim Religious Experience - 1365 Words

All through its history, Islam has been seen as a religious convention which began in (seventh) century Arabia with the prophet Muhammad who lived between 570-632. He got the heavenly divine revelation that is recorded in the Quran. This is still trusted today in the cutting edge Islamic convictions. In any case, it is most imperative to understand that Muslims don t see Islam as another religion. Muslims trust that Allah (which truly signifies The God in Arabic) is the same God who uncovered himself to Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. In this manner, Jews, Christians, and Muslims are all supporters of the same living God—cousins in a typical family with a typical predecessor, Abraham. Muslims trust that the Quran is the last and finish disclosure of God to all individual The focal reality of the Muslim religious experience is Allah. The God of the Quran is one and otherworldly, inventor and sustainer of the universe, and the mind-boggling worry of the adherent. Islam signifies accommodation; a Muslim is one who submits to God, one who is a worker of God. This is not a simple lack of involvement; rather, it is accommodation to the Divine Will, an obligation to acknowledge effectively God s will ever. Accordingly, the Quran shows that God has given the earth to man as a heavenly trust and that it is a man s obligation and mission, as God s operators, to endeavor to understand God s will. The Muslim s celestially ordered business is public and person. The IslamicShow MoreRelatedMuslim World Cosmopolitanism1699 Words   |  7 Pagesearth, can we talk about â€Å"Muslim† world cosmopolitanism? That is just how Allah or His prophet, Muhammad (570-632), from day one, viewed Islam, whether anyone liked it or not, as the religion for entire humanity. Listen to its first revealed injunction â€Å"Read in the name of thy Lord, Who created Man from congealed blood; Proclaim that thy Lord is Most Bountiful, Who taught with Pen; Taught man that which he knew not.† (Quran, 96: 1-5). In this first proclamation of Islam, Allah reveals HimselfRead MoreUnderstanding Islam1309 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Understanding Islam† by Kenneth Jost, pg. 172 – 176 Islam is an ill-perceived religion throughout most of the Western world. Once known as a quiet and peaceful religion, the general perception of people from other religions and most of the world upon Islam is quite distorted. Ever since the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, an influx of discrimination and prejudice towards Islam and Muslims has spread throughout the world. In â€Å"Understanding Islam,† by Kenneth Jost, an article aboutRead MoreIslamic Culture Essay1273 Words   |  6 PagesMUSLIM CULTURE Muslim culture generally reflects the traditions and customs of Muslims that they adopt for a perfect and respectable life in the society according to the lessons of Quran. Muslim culture is a giant combination of diverse cultures, That’s because Muslims live in various countries all over the world. Most of the practices are common faiths and guidance for all Muslims no matter what country or even content they reside in.. These basic faiths and belives are based on theRead MoreEssay on Islam The Straight Path989 Words   |  4 Pages Islam The Straight Path   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  An evaluation of the book by John L. Esposito: Islam The Straight Path. In this book , Esposito provides a succinct, up-to-date survey of the Islamic experience, an introduction to the faith, belief, and practice of Islam from its origins to its contemporary resurgence. He traces the emergence and development of this dynamic faith and its impact on world history and politics. He discusses the formation of Islamic belief and practice (law, theology, philosophy,Read MoreIslam : A Monotheistic Religion1505 Words   |  7 Pages Modern Challenges Paper Islam is a monotheistic religion taking into account disclosures got by the prophet Muhammad in the seventh century A.D., which were later recorded in the Quran (or Koran), Islam s consecrated content. Islam has spread quickly during the time and today the religion is, by a few estimations, the biggest on the planet. Devotees of Islam are called Muslims. The Arabic word Islam signifies accommodation, mirroring the confidence s focal precept of submitting to Allah. IslamicRead MoreIslam And The Middle East1057 Words   |  5 Pagesstyles. Muslims eating habits are expected to be in function of their religious beliefs, by Islam regulations as described in the Qur’an and dictated by the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammed. Muslims consume all kind of food, except for the ones prohibited in Islam. Food cleanliness is one of their priority, nails, hair, mouth, teeth must be properly washed to prevent food contamination, and they use a â€Å"Mismark† before every meal which is a specific tooth cleaner proper to their culture. Islam teachingRead MoreThe Basic Beliefs Of Islam1660 Words   |  7 PagesOne of the basic beliefs of Islam is that God has sent his revelation through a series of communications to humans in many ways and times. The recipients of these communications are referred to as both prophets (to specific communities) and messengers (with a universal message). Jews and Christians recognize many of the prophets and messengers mentioned in the Qur’an, the sacred scripture of Islam, for their role in Old Testament history. In Islam, Jesus generally is considered to be the greatestRead MoreHow Trade in West Africa Encouraged The Spread of Islam1151 Words   |  5 PagesHOW TRADE IN WEST AFRICA ENCOURAGED THE SPREAD OF ISLAM Islam, a monotheistic and spiritually based religion which refers to the act of giving great reverence to the Supreme Being, â€Å"submission to God† was found in the Saudi Arabian countries by the Prophet Muhammad in 610 C.E.1 The religion which was renowned for its triumph, patent power with an open set of beliefs about the Dos and the DONTs so as to gain access to heaven spread spontaneously as people learned of it through trade.1 It is todayRead MoreReligion1264 Words   |  6 PagesMisconceptions about Islam – A personal perspective Islam may be the most misunderstood religion in the United States. The impression that majority of non-Muslim Americans have is usually obtained through the media which typically represent Islamic countries or groups in the middle of a Holy War. These wars are usually waged by Islamic Fundamentalist who use terrorism and other violent acts to get their messages across giving Islam a negative reputation. Because of the lack of understandingRead MoreIslamic Modernism : A Multiple Modernities Perspective1611 Words   |  7 Pagesmodernity experiences (Eisenstadt 2002; Preyer 2013; Smith and Vaidyanathan 2010). There are many modernities, not only one single patter of modernization. These developments forced sociologists for a paradigm shift in the dominant one-side understanding of western modernity. In this context, Islam and the discourse of western Muslim intellectuals have gradually gained visibility through the continuing migration and the growth of new generations in the western societies. Western Islam also has emerged

The Negative Effects of Beauty Standards - Essay - 2036 Words

Mrs. Doiron ENG 3UL - 03 November 18th, 2014 Influence of the Media Technology and the Internet have become a constant in many people’s lives. The rate at which they have risen is astounding. In December 1995, there were around 16 million people recorded using the Internet. In December 2013, a mere 16 years later, there is around 2 802 million people recorded using it. Media and the Internet go hand in hand. One fuels the other, and the Internet had become a platform for media. In modern society the media exerts so much pressure, that maintaining beauty and youth becomes more important than anything else. Thus, creating a type of self-involvement. This leads to loss of perspective and ultimately, innocence. People of all ages and genders†¦show more content†¦This is just one disgusting example of many that clearly show the malign effect the media has on children. The media is not only affecting the children of today, but it is also creating a type of selfishness in young people, as well as adults. Furthermore, t his selfishness is inadvertently forcing people to make sacrifices, ones that they should not have to make. Young people have an incessant stream of what they should be and look like etched into their minds. These things become so important to them that they are willing to get plastic surgery to change themselves. Dr. Diana Zuckerman has said, In 2003, more than 223 000 cosmetic procedures were performed on patients 18 years of age or younger (Zuckerman). They undertake cosmetic surgeries such as Rhinoplasty, Botox injections, breast augmentation and liposuction. What they do not know, is that doing these procedures can have serious risks. A concern about plastic surgery on adolescents is that their bodies are still maturing. In addition to development that may occur in the late teens, growth charts indicate that the average teenager, particularly girls, gain weight between the ages of 18 and 21 (ASPS Public Relations 14). With this fact in mind, that is likely to change their desi re or need for some of the antecedent cosmetic procedures. With 15% of the population in North American between the ages 13-19 undergoing such procedures, plastic surgery is a fairly drastic measure taken. Given the fact thatShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Toni Morrison s The Bluest Eye1232 Words   |  5 PagesThe little acts of chivalry conducted by men are just prolonged sugary illusions meant to hide the unpleasant truth of women and their strained relationship with the media s’ perception of beauty. Many women who are subjected to society s’ views of beauty often aim to convert to theses said beauty standards. This desire can, at many times, become unhealthy and lead to problems such as anorexia, bulimia, and self-hate. There is clearly a need for re-self-identification within the Black female communityRead More`` The Pitfalls Of Plastic Surgery `` By Camille Paglia Essay1609 Words   |  7 PagesThe beauty standard is a culturally constructed notion of physical att ractiveness that has become increasingly imperative for women and men. However, this standard has become extremely perilous to men and women’s self-image. Camille Paglia, a highly educated individual who earned her PhD at Yale University and became a highly acclaimed author, explicates this conception in her essay â€Å"The Pitfalls of Plastic Surgery†. Paglia suggests that the beauty standard idealizes women to look like â€Å"sex symbolsRead MoreCosmetic Surgery1507 Words   |  7 Pagesabnormal behavior and belief of people, which can impose far-reaching side effects to the whole society. It is obvious that the prevalence of cosmetic surgery can evoke severe social problems. The essay examines the reasons why cosmetic surgery should not be promoted to the general public. One major view concerning the increasing demand for cosmetic surgery in the 20th century is the misinterpretation of the standard towards beauty. According to Abraham and Zuckerman (2011), the mass media such as televisionRead MoreAdd Cake, Subtract Self Esteem Analysis1263 Words   |  6 Pagesnew beauty standard of thinness affects women in many ways. In â€Å"Add Cake, Subtract Self Esteem† written by Caroline Knapp, she describes her own personal experience on how this impossible standard affects women’s eating which leads to eating disorders and an unhealthy relationship with food. In â€Å"The Beauty Myth† written by Naomi Wolf, she describes the mental effects on women from a society that uses weight as a way to keep women submissive. Both of these essays discuss the negative effects on womenRead MoreThe Role Of Social Media On Women1001 Words   |  5 PagesMoreover, has media taken into consideration that the influenced constructed standards affect wo men long term and what exactly influences how girls act, look and think about themselves? Starting from a youth age through adolescence, which is the average age of still trying to figure out their identity, and in many cases lasting until adulthood, girls compare themselves and set their mindset to look like the celebrities they watch in T.V., magazines, music videos or movies.Yet, the issue is that byRead MoreThe Positive and Negative Effects of Advertising on Consumer Behavior1645 Words   |  7 Pagessuch as television, radio, magazine, newspaper, the internet, billboards and posters can influence consumer’s behavior positively or negatively as there are different arguments and opinions. This essay will focus on the purpose of the advertisement for the company, the positive effects and negative effects of advertisement on consumer behavior. According to Shimp (2007), there are five important factors which determine the purpose of advertisement in terms of marketers’ communication with consumersRead MoreAfrican-American Beauty1684 Words   |  7 PagesTiffany What Is Beauty to the Young Black Female? There’s more to me that the human eye can see. I’m a woman of purpose and destiny. A perfect design, I’m special and unique. I won’t be identified by the parts that make up my physique. My beauty is not defined by my skin or my hair and my soul has more value than the clothes that I wear. I’m not a symbol of pleasure or sex appeal; I have the natural ability to comfort and the power to heal. When God made me, He created aRead MoreThe Effect Of Advertising On A Customers Self Esteem1497 Words   |  6 PagesMalà ¤r et al. 2011, p.35). Women in particular are prone to react sensitively when exposed to images of the ‘ideal female beauty’ standard in the media (Pihas et al., 1999, p. 225). Therefore, this essay will examine the effect that television advertising of beauty products has on the self-esteem of women between the ages of 15-35 living in the UK with a focus on the negative effects on self-esteem across different age groups. Utilising a hypothetical quantitative dataset, descriptive statistics willRead MoreHow Media Affect People s Subconscious Judgments1200 Words   |  5 PagesThu Nguyen Professor Janet Nau English 103 26 June 2017 Exploratory Essay How Media Affect People’s Subconscious Judgments Nowadays, society is growing and becoming more modern, so media take a significant role which has a big effect on people’s lives. Media are all the organizations, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, television, Internet, and more, that provide news and information to the public. The human subconscious mind is considered as information storage. Thus, media influence people’sRead MoreThe Impact Of Media On Society Today911 Words   |  4 Pageswidely. For instance, radios, televisions, newspapers, and magazines are forms of media. The influence the media has around the globe is profound, therefore, in this essay, I am going to discuss the impact that media has on the society today. Although social media can connect all people in the world instantly, the negative effects have a great impact on the society because it decreases the desire for actual communication. First and foremost, media has an impact on Change in Identity. In Miss Representation

Enlightenment and Romanticism in American Literature free essay sample

Rather than seeing one common theme that linked all of these readings together, I saw a shift from one literary period to another through the changing writing styles and Ideas of these authors. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and Thomas Paine seem to exemplify the Enlightenment period of American literature whereas Washington Irving and James Feminine Cooper exemplify a shift towards the Romantic period in American literature. While themes of Enlightenment connect Franklin, Jefferson, and Paine, those themes differ from the themes that will connect Irving and Cooper.Each of these Enlightenment authors has a theme in their writing that exemplifies the themes of the Enlightenment period. The first is Benjamin Franklin whose writing shows an interest in human nature. Throughout Franklins lifetime he was constantly focusing on himself and how he conducted himself in everyday life. This can be seen through some of his 13 virtues such as 1) Silence: speak not what may benefit others of yourself, 2) Resolution: resolve to perform what you ought, and 3) Justice: wrong none, by doing Injuries or omitting the benefits that re your Duty (Norton, 526-527). We will write a custom essay sample on Enlightenment and Romanticism in American Literature or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page These virtues show that Franklin was always considering his own human nature and how he acted In his dally life. Another theme of Enlightenment includes a belief in progress. This is exemplified by Franklin also as he was constantly keeping track of his behavior: l entered upon the Execution of this Plan for Self-examination, and continued it with occasional Intermissions for sometime. I was surprised to find myself so much fuller on Faults than I had imagined, but I had the Satisfaction of seeing them diminish (Norton, 520). Both Thomas Jefferson and Thomas Paine exemplify one last theme of Enlightenment which is a rational approach to the world. This means that the authors presented arguments and supported their beliefs by using logic and reasoning. In Section Ill of Pains Common Sense, which deals with his Thoughts on the Present State of American Affairs, he says that America would have flourished as much, and probably much more, had no European power taken any notice of her (Norton, 632).He supports this claim by reasoning that the economy that the Americans have retreated so far has enabled them to provide themselves with the necessities of life and will been able to continue this success as long as the food produced in America is needed in Europe. Similar to this is Jefferson argument against manufacturing developing in America. He says that manufacturing was a necessity in Europe because all of the farmland was either cultivated, or locked up against the cultivator. He reasoning for why manufactu ring is not necessary in America is because there is an abundance of land to be cultivated, unlike in the situation inEurope. This use of logic and reasoning in these authors writings is a unique style to the Enlightenment period. There is now a shift In the themes of these writings weve read which show the emergence of European Romanticism beginning to Influence American writers such as Irving and Cooper. Romanticism deals with more imaginative writing, such as fictional stories that have a dramatic plot. Washington who has a strange encounter with a group of old Dutchmen, falls asleep after drinking a funny drink, and wakes up to find that 20 years had gone by while he was leaping.This story, with its fictional plot, exemplifies the new type of literature that emerged during this time of Romanticism. On the other hand, James Feminine Coopers writing exemplifies the natural aspects of Romanticism which is one of the most dominate themes of this literary era. An example of this is shown in the beginning paragraph of The Last of the Musicians when the scene between Natty and Chicagoan is being set: The vast canopy of woods spread itself to the margin of the river, overhanging the water, and shadowing its dark glassy current tit a deeper hue.

Religion, The State And Sovereignty Essays - Authority, Sovereignty

Religion, The State And Sovereignty Religion, the State and Sovereignty The influence of religion on humankind can be traced back to the first records of history. Religion has served as a pillar of strength to some and binding chains to others. There are vast amounts of information and anthropological studies revealing the interaction of religion and humankind. However, for the purposes of this paper, the time periods of study will be broken up into three sections. Each section will give a general description of how religion affected the institution of the state and its Sovereignty in a Euro-centric perspective. The first period is the early period, which will encompass from Christianity and the Roman Empire to the Medieval times (approx. 311 to 1100 A.D.). The second period will include the Renaissance, the Reformation to the Treaty of Westphalia (1101 to 1648 A.D.). The third and increment of history will range from 1649 to 1945 A.D. The date 311 A.D. marks the issuing of the Edict of Toleration for Christians. This date is important because it symbolizes national acceptance of Christianity, and planted its roots as a political institution. Later the Roman Empire on the verge of internal collapse acknowledged the importance of Christianity and used it to hold together the remnants of it former self. This adoption of Christianity took form and eventually became the Catholic church. The church became intermingled with politics and became a strong entity. The policies delivered from the church had more authority than the local rulers and magistrates of the developing feudal system. For example, St. Augustine wrote about war and what justified its enactment against fellow men. This policy was followed and adhered to for hundreds of years after St. Augustine wrote it. Another example, is the use of the Bible as a guideline for establishing governing systems. Scripture portrayed God as choosing the king of the people. The pope, being God's representative was then given the authority to crown the king. This crowning process gave the pope large influence in the political arena. This ritual continued for a number of centuries. The Crusades, which occurred around 1100 A.D., played a crucial role in challenging the church's authority. The pope identifying the spread of Islam as evil requested all of Europe embark on a Crusade to defeat the infidels. As the battles were fought, great treasures were found in the form of books and knowledge. These books were crude translations of old Greek texts, containing information which would eventually produce the waning of Church authority in the future. The Renaissance marked the beginning of intellectual re-birth. Writers such as Dante, Machiavelli, Guiarccidini, Vitoria, etc., all attempting to reform and some even contest church dominance. Dante in his imaginative work Inferno writes of hell which he envision is the pope's final destination. Machiavelli takes a more direct role classifying the actions of a prince to be above morality and ultimately above the Church. He continues the affront by classifying a human character of virtu as being completely centered around man (humanism). The Raison D' Tat is supreme especially in terms of the church belligerence. In the middle of the Renaissance, the Church was dealt a deadly blow from which it would never recover. This assault came via Martin Luther. His work, 95 Thesis, marked the beginning of the Reformation. This movement split the church into Catholic and Protestant sects. It marked the beginning of a bloody period which virtually split Europe in half. Examples of the conflict raged between Protestants and Catholics from the great slaughter of Protestants in Paris 1572 A.D. (7000 dead) to the Thirty Years War. With the Church in disarray, freedom was given to the state to begin to develop. During this period of Renaissance the political identity was going through a tremendous transformation. This transformation took form in what is called Absolutism. Princes began to tolerate less and less manipulation from the church. The political entity in the form of monarchy began to wean itself from the Church for its legitimacy and looked toward its own power. Other writers began to rise and discuss issues of sovereignty and the state. Thomas Hobbes discusses the state and refers to it as Leviathan which is the concurring title of his

Biometric Technology Essays

Biometric Technology Essays Biometric Technology Paper Biometric Technology Paper Biometric Technology is one of the branches of Automated Identification and Data Capture (AIDC). Automated Identification and Data Capture or AIDC is defined as a collection of technologies that are used to identify objects, collection of their data and entering the data in any database, software or computer system without the need of human involvement. â€Å"The family of Automatic Identification and Data Capture technologies can be broken down into six categories which are: biometrics, electromagnetics, magnetics, optical, smart cards, and touch.† (Automated Identification and Data Capture Biometrics Web Site.) Hence, Biometrical technologies refer to the study of measuring the quantitative, physiological and biological characteristics. It is referred to as the most authentic technique of measuring and in identifying. It can be classified into two groups: identification and/or security. â€Å"Biometric technologies are becoming the foundation of an extensive array of highly secure identification and personal verification solutions.† The use of biometrical technologies for the security purpose is used for government at all levels including federal, local and state and in military. As well as many commercial buildings now requires the personal identification using these methods. This reduces the unauthorized persons accessing the non-permissible zone. The branch of identification is used throughout the commercial enterprises including banks to reduce frauds and crimes. (Biometrics- Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There are several types of biometrical technologies that are used for identification. These include.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   â€Å"face: the analysis of facial characteristics  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   fingerprint: the analysis of an individual’s unique fingerprints  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   hand geometry: the analysis of the shape of the hand and the length of the fingers  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   retina: the analysis of the capillary vessels located at the back of the eye  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   iris: the analysis of the colored ring that surrounds the eye’s pupil  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   signature: the analysis of the way a person signs his name.  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   vein: the analysis of pattern of veins in the back if the hand and the wrist  ·Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   voice: the analysis of the tone, pitch, cadence and frequency of a person’s voice.†   (What is biometrics?) Fingerprint Identification Fingerprinting identification is the most popular and most widely used biometric technology. The advantage of using fingerprinting identification technology is that no two people in this world have the matching fingerprint. â€Å"Because of their uniqueness and consistency over time, fingerprints have been used for identification for over a century, more recently becoming automated (i.e. a biometric) due to advancements in computing capabilities.† (Not Available) The method of fingerprinting identification has been used since the late nineteenth century. The first characteristic points were introduced by Sir William Hersel and later modified by Sir Francis Galton. Although they are altered with time, the ‘Galton Point’ forms the base of fingerprinting identification. In 1960’s, with the advancement of computer technologies, automation took place. Though, the greatest force behind its development was from the FBI’s request for an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS).   After which it improved greatly. Fingerprint is defined as the impression of ridges and grooves on the ball of a finger. The impression on paper is seen as the series of dark lines. Fingerprinting imaging technology captures and reads this unique pattern. For the purpose of identification these unique lines or ridges are classified in patterns. They can either be in the form of loop, whorl, arch, or composite. In Loop pattern, most of the area is covered by the two diverging lines called the ‘Type Line.’ And, the point nearest to the divergence of these Type Lines is known as ‘Delta.’ The Loop pattern is visualized when lines or ridges start from one side of the finger and reaches the center, this region in known as ‘core.’ The rides then ‘loops’ and moves back to the same side. Loop pattern is the most common variety seen occurring in about 60-70% of the cases. A whorl pattern must have two ‘deltas.’ Moreover, a Core and Type lines should also present. They are visualized as concentric circles formed by the ridges in the center of the finger. The rest of the pattern shapes itself around these circles. The Arch pattern is the simplest type of fingerprint. In this, ridges enter from one side and exit from the other side. It, also, has the tendency to produce an upward thrust like a wave. In this type, no core, delta or type lines are present. Finally, the Composite pattern which is the rarest pattern occurring only in 1-2% of the people. This pattern is visualized as the combination of any of the two types described above. These patterns and their classifications are used for identification by matching and comparing the fingerprint’s minutiae points which are describes as the point where the ridges end or meet. Minutiae points include the following characteristics: Bifurcation: point where ridges split to form braches. Divergence:- point where parallel ridges are spread apart Enclosure: two parallel ridges come together again after being split into two branches. Ending:- termination of a ridge Valley:- the spaces produced on either side of the finger To collect the digital image of fingerprints a variety of sensors are used. There are a wide range of sensors available such as optical sensors, capacitance, ultrasound and thermal sensors. â€Å"Optical sensors are the most commonly but most expensive used sensor today. Optical fingerprint technologies require the user to place his or her finger on a glass substrate at which point an internal light source from the fingerprint device is projected onto the fingerprint. The image is then captured by a charge-coupled device (CCD)† The Capacitive sensor, which takes each pixel based on the measurement of capacitance. That is, it detects the electrical field around the fingerprints. It uses a sensor chip with a range of circuits to accomplish that. Ultrasound sensors use the reflection of light and takes images using prisms.    Lastly, Thermal sensors create the digital image by the difference in the temperature of the skin and the surface of scanner. (Automated Identification and Data Capture Biometrics Web Site.) Fingerprints are widely used in law enforcement, welfare programs, military, government and financial institutions.

Sociologists Take Historic Stand on Racism and Police Brutality

Sociologists Take Historic Stand on Racism and Police Brutality The 2014 annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA) took place in San Francisco on the heels of the killing of unarmed black teen, Michael Brown, at the hands of a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri. It also happened during a community uprising shrouded in police brutality, so many sociologists in attendance had the national crises of police brutality and racism on their minds. The ASA, however, created no official space for discussion of these issues, nor had the 109-year-old organization made any kind of public statement on them, despite the fact that the amount of published sociological research on these issues could fill a library. Frustrated by this lack of action and dialog, some attendees created a grassroots discussion group and task force to address these crises. Neda Maghbouleh, Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Toronto-Scarborough, was one of those who took the lead. Explaining why, she said, â€Å"We had a critical mass of thousands of trained sociologists within two blocks of each other at ASA- equipped to marshal history, theory, data, and hard facts toward a social crisis like Ferguson. So ten of us, complete strangers, met for thirty minutes in a hotel lobby to hash out a plan to get as many concerned sociologists as possible to contribute to, edit, and sign a document. I was committed to helping in any way possible because it’s moments like these that affirm the value of social science for society.† The document† Dr. Maghbouleh refers to is an open letter to U.S. society at-large, that was signed by over 1,800 sociologists, this author among them. The letter began by pointing out that what transpired in Ferguson was born of â€Å"deeply ingrained racial, political, social and economic inequities,† and then specifically named the conduct of policing, especially in black communities and in the context of protest, as a serious social problem. The authors and signatories  implored â€Å"law enforcement, policymakers, media, and the nation to consider decades of sociological analysis and research that can inform the necessary conversations and solutions required to address the systemic issues that the events in Ferguson have raised.† The authors pointed out that much sociological research has already established the existence of society-wide problems present in the case of Ferguson, like â€Å"a pattern of racialized policing,† historically rooted â€Å"institutionalized racism within police departments and the criminal justice system more broadly,†Ã‚  the â€Å"hyper-surveillance of black and brown youth,† and the disproportionate targeting and disrespectful treatment of black men and women by police.  These troubling phenomena foster  suspicion about people of color, create an environment in which it is impossible for people of color to trust police, which in turn undermines the ability of police to do their job: serve and protect. The authors wrote, â€Å"Instead of feeling protected by police, many African Americans are intimidated and live in daily fear that their children will face abuse, arrest, and death at the hands of police officers who may be acting on implicit biases or institutional policies based on stereotypes and assumptions of black criminality.† They then  explained that brutal police treatment of protestors is â€Å"rooted in the history of repression of African American protest movements and attitudes about blacks that often drive contemporary police practices.† In response, sociologists called for â€Å"greater attention to the conditions (e.g., joblessness and political disenfranchisement) that have contributed to the marginalization of residents† of Ferguson and other communities, and explained that â€Å"focused and sustained government and community attention on these issues is required to bring about healing and a change in the economic and political structures that have thus far ignored and left many in such areas vulnerable to police abuse.† The letter concluded with a list of demands required for â€Å"an appropriate response to the death of Michael Brown,† and to address the larger, nation-wide issue of racist police policies and practices: Immediate assurance from law enforcement authorities in Missouri and the federal government that constitutional rights to peaceful assembly and freedom of the press will be protected.A civil rights investigation into the incidents related to the death of Michael Brown and general police practices in Ferguson.The establishment of an independent committee to study and analyze the failures of the policing efforts during the week following Michael Brown’s death. Ferguson residents, including leaders of grassroots organizations, should be included on the committee throughout this process. The committee must provide a clear roadmap for resetting community-police relations in a way that grants oversight power to residents.An independent comprehensive national study of the role of implicit bias and systemic racism in policing. Federal funding should be allocated to support police departments in implementing the recommendations from the study and ongoing monitoring and public reporting of key benchmarks (e.g., use of force, arrests by race) and improvements in police practices. Legislation requiring the use of dash and body-worn cameras to record all police interactions. Data from these devices should be immediately stored in tamper-proof databases, and there should be clear procedures for public access to any such recordings.Increased transparency of public law enforcement, including independent oversight agencies with guaranteed full access to law enforcement policies and on-the-ground operations; and more streamlined, transparent and efficient procedures for the processing of complaints and FOIA requests.Federal legislation, currently being developed by Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA), to halt the transfer of military equipment to local police departments, and additional legislation to curtail the use of such equipment against domestic civilian populations.Establishment of a ‘Ferguson Fund’ that will support long term strategies grounded in the principles of social justice, systems reform and racial equity to bring about substantial and sustained c hange in Ferguson and other communities facing similar challenges. To learn more about the underlying issues of systemic racism and police brutality, check out The Ferguson Syllabus compiled by  Sociologists for Justice. Many of the readings included are available online.

Managers Responsibility in Setting Tone and Expectations in Hospital Assignment

Managers Responsibility in Setting Tone and Expectations in Hospital Setting - Assignment Example The paper tells that beyond an iota of doubt, the hospital’s success depends on the level of teamwork and participation invested by various stakeholders. The manager, in consideration of the above fact, needs to awaken to his or her duty as the tone-setter for the team. Considering the team, specifically to include nurses, doctors, administrative staff, lab assistants, support staff and other workers in the hospital setting, the hospital manager has a lot to do in respect of setting expectations and the tone. The manager should realize that his/her weaknesses and faults can easily be magnified within the team. Even though the manager should lead by example, this is no guarantee that their staff will behave positively or that performance will automatically be impressive as a result. However, it must be noted that leading by example increases the chances of having positive results and encouraging positive behavior as noted by Schulz and Johnson. The manager should take time to l isten to other people’s views and abstain from being judgmental. Yet again, he/she should honor their commitments and be interested in his staff members. Furthermore, they should be flexible, calm under pressure, effective in addressing issues, and open-minded and flexible. In addition, they should be respectful to others and work toward increasing productivity and meeting deadlines. Honesty, timeliness, optimism, and integrity should be part of the manager’s delights. The manager should be result oriented, be positively interactive and value meetings and other vital events. By setting the tone in this manner, employees are bound to follow suite, in some cases with a few exceptions. Expectations that the Manager should Communicate Understanding what mangers expect from employees is vital for improved performance, good employee relations and employee success. Saville and Higgins (2010) note that without clear work expectations, employees would waste a lot of effort due to lack of or misplaced priorities, endure a lot of stress and waste a lot of time doing unnecessary chores. They also note that when the manger defines clearly job expectations and communicate this to employees, they get to understand what is expected of them. They also understand the reasons why they are doing the work as directed. Furthermore, they get to understand how work progress and realize at the right time when to ask for assistance. This also helps employees in knowing areas where they need to make improvements (Saville and Higgins, 2010). One of the expectations that a hospital manger should

The employment relationship is an exchange relationship between labour Essay

The employment relationship is an exchange relationship between labour and capital that tends to be unequal - Essay Example The employees possess an abiding interest to ensure the success and the viability of the firm while guarding against the excessive demands placed upon them. The three recognized characteristics of employment relationships are indeterminacy, unequal and dynamic. Indeterminacy focuses on the logic that a labour contract involves the exchange of money for the capacity to deliver the service required by the purchaser and not material goods and services. This implies that those employers wishing to secure the value of the purchased labour must ensure willingness on the part of the employees (Edwards 2003, p. 14). They force the employees strain to achieve the required standards even if they are not willing. The second aspect on employment relationships is that they are unequal. This is because many workers have no choice other than engaging in paid work; their choice for potential employers is limited. On the other hand, the employers have considerable resources that give them power to re place the unwilling employees with other workers or adoption of a more reliable technology. Although the employee influence varies overtime and between contexts, the overall employment relationship is characterized by subjugation of the employee to the employer. Finally, the employment relationship can be dynamic whereby it can be driven by both conflict and cooperation at different degrees. Many managerial strategies are characterized by deployment and management of workers to maximize production and generate surplus (Edwards 2003, pp. 16-17). Some of these challenges are minimized through the adoption of employment contract. An employment contract is a largely a relational and less formal. Relational contract is... The employment relationship is characterized by power imbalance, which is why the concept cannot materialize without the employment contract. In the labor contract, the worker trades his or her ability to accomplish an assigned task, which should be translated into actual labour in the course of undertaking it. Expectations on performance standards are portrayed during the production stage. The indeterminacy nature of employment relationships makes the employees to be coerced in most situations other than undertaking self motivated tasks and responsibilities. The unequal nature of employment relationships leaves the employees with no choice but to engage in obligations for payment; not willingness. The deterioration in the power imbalance in employment relationships is portrayed by the existence of trade and employer unions purposely formed to solve the inevitable disputes. This suggests that formal contracts are the only remedy through which fairness can be ensured in such relations hips.

Women Rights in Pakistan Essay Example for Free

Women Rights in Pakistan Essay Constitution of Pakistan guarantees the rights of women and do not discriminate in any sphere of life. The basis of Pakistani constitution is Islam; a religion that has secured the rights of women fourteen hundred years ago. In Pakistan; Mukhtaran Mai, Dr. Shazia and various other women have been raised internationally because of the corrupt character of our moth eaten justice, social and political system. In order to avail political power, dictators like General Zia-ul-Haq tried to placate the fundamentalist Mullahs by launching Hudood Ordinance. The society is silent over social customs like Karo-Kari, Vaani, Swara and several other atrocities of the retrogressive people. Finally, the last hope, the justice system, is itself a victim of political interference. Let us see why women rights are being denied and exploited in Pakistan, but before that, make it clear what are womens universal rights. In Article 25(1) of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan it is stated, All citizens are equal before law and are entitled to equal protection of law. Article 25(2) states, There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex alone. Islam guarantees an adult woman to marry according to her will. Even parents cannot force her to marry against her choice. Moreover, no person including parents, husbands, in-laws have the right to judge and decide the fate of women accused of being guilty of any crime. Courts are there in a civilized society to decide what is right what is wrong. In addition to constitutional guarantee, 98% percent Muslims of Pakistan are morally binding as believer of Islam to fight evil and injustice, i.e., Amar Bil-Maroof Wanahi-o- Mankar. In this regard, they are binding upon at least to voice their concern as a Muslim who cannot tolerate evils of gross injustices going on women. Despite the universal protection of Islam and the rights given by the constitution of Pakistan, women are the being abused by some atrocious elements of our society. Politics in Pakistan is a game of holding power and doing everything whether right or wrong in order to secure that power. Women have been a victim of such a political game. General Zia-ul-Haq, after clinching power from Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, enacted Hudood Ordinances. Zia gave the impression to Islamize the country; however, the hidden truth was to prolong his tenure by making the religious extremist happy. Still the women are being crushed under the barbarity of Hudood Ordinances. If a woman is raped, one of the conditions of the law requires that woman must provide for four pious Muslim witnesses for seeing the crime. Let for a moment condone that part of the law. But, the worst cruelty of the law is that in case of failing to provide witnesses, the rape victim will be charged of fornication; the punishment for which is stoning to death. One of the examples from innumerous cases is that of an incidence of stoning to death to a blind girl in 1980s. Her only mistake was to report that she was raped. But, unable to provide for the four pious Muslim cum male witnesses, she was charged of adultery. Consequently, in this Islamic Republic of Pakistan, an innocent was stoned to death. Does the above case conform to the right and protection given by the constitution of Pakistan? Does Islam allow injustice of such an inhuman nature? The answer is no, but, such atrocities are being done under the name of Islamic injunctions; however, the concealed fact is that of a political nature. The society was silent when the Hudood Ordinance was enacted, and it is still heedless of the barbarisms from some of its own sections of people. Karo-Kari is one of those customs related to fornication. A Kari is a woman who is alleged to have extramarital relations with a man called Karo. In a typical Birdari and caste system of our society, especially in rural areas, if a woman marries with her choice outside of her family relation a crime of violating the Biradari unwritten rule – then she is alleged to have committed adultery. The whole Biradari becomes willing to kill both of the husband and the wife under the pretext of Karo-Kari. Even the dead body of the innocent woman is not given her due right of burying. She is interred in an isolated and far-flung place without religious rituals. In contrast, the Karo is given the right to be buried with religious rituals. Moreover, husbands, in-laws, and their relatives also victimize the woman with allegation of fornication. In fact, the reason is their personal grievances and enmity for not bringing enough dowry or not following the orders of in-laws. She could be killed any time by her husband or any of his relatives under the pretext of Karo-Kari custom. Not only the adult woman but also baby girls of even months old are not spared from the clutches of retrogressive customs. Swara and Vaani are such kind of heinous crimes that are deeply upheld by the stone-age minded people. In both of the customs, the minor girls are given as compensation for the wrongdoings perpetrated by one of the members of the culprit family on the aggrieved one. The villages cult of goons called Punchayat leaded by elders of village, fundamentalist Mullahs, including any of our graduate MPA participate in such Punchayats. Many girls given under Vaani or Swara to the aggrieved family refused to marry there after attaining adult age. CJ of the Supreme Court of Pakistan have taken suo motu action in this regard. Furthermore, girls as young as ten years of age are married with 60 years old man under such customs. The data collected by Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reveals, A woman is raped after every two hours and gang-raped after every eight hour. For honor killing, commissions report says that in 2006, 565 women have been killed under Karo-Kari. Police do not take seriously the crime of honor killings; as in 2005, there were 475 such cases, and police was able to catch only 128 accused. According to a report presented by the Interior Ministry, there have been 4100 honor killings since 2001. The report also criticizes that under Qisas and Diyat law, the killer could easily be forgiven after paying compensation for the blood of the dead. The village Punchayat is so lowest in its scruples that sometimes it orders to rape the women of the culprit family as revenge. Mukhtaran Mai is one of such victim who had been gang-raped because her brother was guilty of some wrong for which she was punished to be gang-raped. The law enforcement agencies denied her right to register an FIR because the criminals were influentials. Sometimes women are stripped and forced to walk naked in the village for any crime of their family members. If she denies marrying with a family relative or raising her voice against her in-laws then she is subjected to mutilation of her body by acid-throwing. For whatever reasons, her husbands could brutally beat her any time under any pretext. Most of the time, she was beaten and even killed for not having a male baby child. Women are also exploited for the only reason of being a woman. With a high workload from dawn to dusk, she was paid far less than what males get doing less work. Moreover, in our male dominant society, molestation and sometimes attack on her piety during job are frequent incidents. If she reports such crimes then as a punishment, she is rusticated from her job. Therefore, most of the crimes against her remain unreported. The traders of human flesh exploit her misery. Taking advantage of her penury, they force some of the women on prostitution. Trafficking of women is also a lucrative business for human traffickers. Such women after going abroad work as domestic slaves under extremely inhuman conditions or they are kept in brothels for the shameful business. Report by an NGO, the Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA) says that in 2006, there were 7,564 cases of violence against women; 1,993 cases of torture; 1,271 women were kidnapped; 822 women committed suicide; 259 were gang raped; 119 were trafficked; 144 booked under the Hudood Ordinances; and 792 were killed in the name of honor. The above data are based on reported cases; and because of unreported abuses, the actual crime rate is far more than what is reported. Furthermore, most of the women have no choice of theirs in deciding the number of babies to have. Family planning is seen in a typical conservative society as against Islam. In case of any medical emergency, when no female doctor available for her help, the orthodox relatives allow her to die rather than to be provided aid by a male doctor. Thousands of woman die per annum for not having female doctors in medical facilities. Being a female, cult of the fundamentalists mostly in tribal and rural areas does not allow her to get education. They say it is a western intrigue to make their women liberal. With the advent of Talibanization, the girls schools are openly threatened to close their centers else, their educational premises would be blasted. Such news in North Western part of Pakistan has become common today and several girls schools have been devastated by such crimes. With all such atrocities on majority of women, there is some ray of hope for having a section of women fully utilizing constitutional and religious rights. Such women are participating in the development and progress of Pakistan; while fully observing the Islamic behavior and conduct, they are working along with men in almost all the spheres of life. They are in military, economy, health, politics, police, foreign services, law, parliament and in fact every place where it was impossible to think of their presence few decades ago. Recently, PAF (Pakistan Air Force) inducted in its services female pilots as commissioned officers. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, a female, Shamshad Akhtar, has been appointed as Governor State Bank of Pakistan. In foreign services, Tasneem Akhtar is carrying out her duties diligently as foreign office spokesperson. Besides, her Excellence, Dr. Maliha Lodhi, is working as an ambassador of Pakistan in UK. Asma Jahangir, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commissions of Pakistan, is famous for her brave efforts for relieving the victims of Human Rights abuses in Pakistan At lower level, women are running their own business as entrepreneurs; working in petrol pumps, restaurants, and coaches; participating in politics. In fact, there is a long list of women who are active and no less than their male contemporaries are. There are 234 women legislators sitting in our assemblies; 18 in Senate; 73 in National Assembly; and 143 in Provincial assemblies. This is one of the first times in Pakistans history that women are given greater role to play in legislation. Several women are working in cabinet as ministers in various government divisions. In Local Government system, thousands of women are elected as councilors, mayors, deputy mayors. Nasreen Jalil, is Deputy mayor of CDGK (City District Government Karachi). Still, the number of women enjoying some of their rights is below optimum. For the majority, it is a distant dream to decide for their own choice of life partner; and it is a luxury for most of the women to avail medical facilities for delivering a baby. However, efforts are being made both from the government and non-government sides to make better the plight of the persecuted women. After Independence, the first Commission on the Emancipation of Women was formed in 1955; the commission presented its report in 1961, but the government diluted several of its recommendations. However, in the same year, president Ayub Khan promulgated Family Law Ordinance that gave not much but little relief to the women. In 1975, Pakistan Women Rights Committee was formed which presented its report in 1976 without having any effect upon the power holders. Similarly, in 1981, Pakistan Commission on the Status of Women was founded that submitted its findings in 1985. However, the report was thrown into the dustbin due to Zias passion for implementing his own version of Islamization. After nine years, the Commission of Inquiry for Women was formed in 1994. The commission presented its report in August 1997, but it has gone to the same fate as the previous commissions reports. The National Commission on Status of Women formed (NCSW) came into being in September 2000. The purpose was to advise the government for eradicating laws discriminatory to women. The commission provided its detailed report in 2003. The report presented a thorough and critical review of 1979 Hudood Ordinances and concluded that these laws are being used to abuse women; thus, it asked for their annulment. The power of the NCSW is restricted to only for recommendations. Moreover, it has been devoid of chairperson for several months. The effectiveness of the commission cannot be enhanced unless it gets independent in its working. India has a commission of similar nature but it is quite powerful in questioning and calling any senior government official. Therefore, it should be made equal on such footing as that of Indian commission. In 1996, Pakistan internationally ratified Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). The law requires the government to take strict measures against any abuse that hinders women rights for freedom, equality, and justice. The law is good in its part for binding the country in protecting rights of the women. November 2006 is important in relieving women some of the atrocities of Hudood Ordinances. Parliament passed Protection of Women Rights Bill (Criminal Laws Amendments); the bill is an attempt to secure the women from misuse of Zina and Qazf laws under Hudood Ordiances enacted by Zia in 1979. Religious fundamentalists as usual opposed the passage of the bill and leader of opposition Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman said that the bill is to turn Pakistan into a free-sex zone. They criticized the Bill to be against Quran and Sunnah. So much noise by religious bigots over rights of women is a norm in our society. The only purpose of such billows is to gain political marks. In fact, the Bill do not require a woman to be punished as the case under Hudood Ordiance 1979 if she fails to provide for 4 pious males like our religious fundamentalists. Moreover, the bill requires the intervention of the session court in case the families pardon the culprits of rape or killing by settling the dispute outside the court under Qazf. Moreover, the bill made the offences under Hudood Ordinances to be taken under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) that gives the right to have bail which 1979 Hudood Ordinance negated. The government presented another bill on women rights Prevention of anti-Women Practices Bill 2006 (Criminal Law Amendment) in December 2006. The bill contains the proposal of nine-member Ulema panel to relieve women from some of the malpractices. Under Section 310A, the bill prohibits handover of women for settling a dispute between groups, either under marriage or as Vaani, Swara. Any violation of the Bill carries three-year prison term and fine. The second bill on women rights also protects the women from depriving of the inheritance in property, violation of which carries seven-year imprisonment under Section 498A; force marriage is regarded as punishable with three-year imprisonment and fine under Section 498B; Section 498C prohibits marriage with the Quran, those involving such practice are punishable with three-year imprisonment. Women Action Forum was formed in Karachi in September 1981 in order to voice against brutalities of Hudood Ordinances. Behind its formation, there was a case in which a fifteen year old woman was sentenced to flogging because of marrying of her choice. Since then the forum took out many demonstrations and public awareness campaigns for eliminating the abuse of women rights in Pakistan. The forum has expanded its activities in major cities of Pakistan. Aurat Foundation formed in 1986 is working enthusiastically for the rights of women. The head office is located in Islamabad. The organization has its own information and publication department that apprise the people the true realities women facing in Pakistan. Given these facts, the Women in Pakistan do not possess their due rights guaranteed by the Constitution and Laws. The state is unable to protect the women from inhuman social customs prevalent in our society. The general population is mum over wicked practices being carried out on women; there is a great need of their voice against anti-women practices rather than forming laws over laws. The only need is to wake people of Pakistan for the Protection of Women Rights.

My Personal Philosophy of Education :: Philosophy of Teaching Teachers Essays

My Personal Philosophy of Education To teach a child something that is your responsibility to teach them, and they go on and become a successful adult is a great satisfaction for an instructor to see. I have many reasons that I want to become a teacher, focusing on the high school level. I have been told that I am crazy for wanting to become a teacher because there is no pay, the degree is difficult to complete, plus many other reasons. The only reason I stayed in the education program is that there are many more reasons to stay then to leave the program. Starting back when I was in high school I used to think to myself that it would be fun to become a teacher, at the high school level. What I really wanted to do was become a P.E. teacher and play sports all day. But after discussing the idea with my advisor in both high school and college I decided to go into a field that would give me the option of teaching or going into the specific industry of business, so that is what I decided to do. To prepare myself for the high school level I have substitute taught during the summer and Christmas breaks at Woodbridge High School in Northern Virginia, this experience seemed to get me more excited about my future career. I find satisfaction to pass what information I know about a subject on to the future adults in our country, it just seems like I accomplish much more when I teach something to someone no matter what it is. Another main reason I am going into the education program is that I one day have the aspirations of coaching football and track. I have played these sports for so long I catch myself teaching people fundamentals of the sport already, also while I student coached here at Concord College I found myself questioning the coaches calls and play calling several times, that is when I decided I need to go into coaching and inhibit what ideas I want for my own football strategies. From what I have observed if I what to become a coach at the high school level I must first become a teacher, which works out because that is what I really want to do anyway.

Cost-Effective Service Excellence: Lessons from Singapore Airlines

Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines Singapore Airlines is well known as a paragon of in-flight service. It is also a remarkably efficient and profitable airline and has been for decades. Loizos Heracleous, Jochen Wirtz and Robert Johnston explain how it combines service excellence with cost effectiveness. Singapore Airlines (SIA) has achieved the Holy Grail of strategic success: sustainable competitive advantage.It has consistently outperformed its competitors throughout its 30-year history. In addition, it has always achieved substantial returns in an industry plagued by intermittent periods of disastrous under-performance (see Table 1). Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines SIA has done this by managing to navigate skilfully between poles that most companies think of as distinct – delivering service excellence in a costeffective way. SIA’s awards list is long and distinguished.In 2002 alone it won no less tha n 67 international awards and honours including â€Å"best airline† and â€Å"most admired airline† in the world in Fortune’s Global Most Admired Companies survey. Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1 Business Strategy Review 33 Since Michael Porter’s influential suggestion that differentiation and cost leadership are mutually exclusive strategies and that an organisation must ultimately choose where its competitive advantage will lie, there has been fierce debate about whether a combined strategy can be achieved – and sustained over the longer term.SIA is proof that the answer to both these questions is positive. So, how does it consistently deliver premium service to demanding customers in an industry where both price pressures and customer expectations have been continually rising? In common with many other organisations with a reputation for providing excellent service, SIA has top management commitment to service, customer-focused staff and systems , and a customer-oriented culture. However, our research into SIA, spanning many years and at all levels in the organisation, has uncovered a umber of insights into developing and maintaining a reputation for service excellence that is applicable to a wide range of service organisations. Ultimately, SIA’s success is attributed to a customer-oriented culture, its recognition of the importance of its customers. â€Å"Our passengers are our raison d’etre. If SIA is successful, it is largely because we have never allowed ourselves to forget that important fact,† says Dr Cheong Choong Kong, former CEO of SIA. However, what distinguishes SIA’s culture is that these are not just abstract, â€Å"motherhood† statements.The values of cost-effective service excellence are enshrined in a unique, selfreinforcing activity system that makes the values real for all employees. We found that the five pillars of this activity system (see Figure 1) are: G rigorous ser vice design and development G total innovation (integrating continuous incremental improvements with discontinuous innovations) G profit and cost consciousness ingrained in all employees G holistic staff development; G reaping of strategic synergies through related diversification and world-class infrastructure.Rigorous service design and development Twenty years ago Lyn Shostack complained that service design and development is usually characterised by trial and error. Unlike manufacturing organisations, where R&D departments and product engineers were routine, systematic testing of services, or service engineering, was not the norm. Things appear to have changed little since then. SIA, however, has always regarded product design and development as a serious, structured, scientific issue. Performance metrics Revenues $m SIA United Northwest Continental American DeltaBA Cathay KLM Quantas 5,133 16,138 9,905 8,969 18,963 13,879 12,103 3,903 5,788 5,207 Net income (loss) $m Net profit margin (%) Operational profit margin (%) Revenue / cost ratio Revenue per $1,000 labour cost Net income per Load Tonne – Km $0. 001 343. 2 (2,145) (423. 0) (95. 0) (1,762) (1,027) (206. 1) 84. 2 (138. 2) 212. 3 6. 68 —— —— —— —— —— —— 2. 16 —— 4. 08 10. 4 —— —— 0. 016 —— —— —— 2. 73 —— 6. 83 1. 12 5,310 0. 81 2,279 0. 92 2,499 1. 02 2,969 0. 88 2,361 0. 93 2,266 0. 99 3,581 1. 03 3,989 0. 9 3,739 1. 07 3,995 2. 73 (10. 53) (3. 06) (1. 02) (8. 64) (6. 27) (1. 55) 1. 03 (1. 35) 2. 54 Table 1 Singapore Airlines’ performance relative to competitors Sources: Annual Reports for the airlines’ most recent financial year. IATA World Air Transport Statistics 2001; www. exchangerate. com (past rates based on respective report dates). 34 Business Strategy Review Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1 Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines Cost Effective Service Excellence Ingrained profit consciousness Rigorous service design Figure 1The five pillars supporting SIA’s cost-effective service excellence SIA has a service development department that hones and tests any change before it is introduced. This department undertakes research, trials, time and motion studies, mockups, assessing customer reaction – whatever is necessary to ensure that a service innovation is supported by the right procedures. Underpinning continuous innovation and development is a culture that accepts change as a way of life. A trial that fails or an implemented innovation that is removed after a few months are not seen as problems.In some organisations personal reputations can be at stake and so pilot tests â€Å"have to work†. At SIA a failed pilot test damages no-one’s reputation. In some organisations, service, and indeed product, innovations live beyond their useful years because of political pressure or lack of investment resources. SIA expects that any innovation is likely to have a short shelf life. The airline recognises that to sustain its differentiation it must maintain continuous improvement and be able to kill programmes or services that no longer provide competitive differentiation.According to Yap Kim Wah, senior vice-president, product and service: â€Å"It is getting more and more difficult to differentiate ourselves because every airline is doing the same thing†¦the crucial fact is that we continue to say that we want to improve. That we have the will to do so. And that every time we reach a goal, we always say that [we’ve] Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines got to find a new mountain or hill to climb†¦you must be able to give up what you love†. Customers as well as competitors raise the stakes for SIA.A company with a high reputation attracts customers wi th high expectations. SIA’s research team has found that SIA draws a disproportionately large number of very demanding customers. â€Å"Customers adjust their expectations according to the brand image. When you fly on a good brand, like SIA, your expectations are already sky-high. And if SIA gives anything that is just OK, it is just not good enough,† says Sim Kay Wee, senior vice-president, cabin crew SIA treats this as a fundamental resource for innovative ideas. Weak signals are amplified.Not only written comments but also verbal comments to the crew are taken seriously and reported back to the relevant sections of the airline. An additional source of intelligence is SIA’s â€Å"spy flights†, where advisors travel with competitors and report on their offerings. Finally, SIA recognises that its competition does not just come from within the industry. As a rule, SIA sets its sights high and instead of aiming to be the best airline its intention is to be the best service organisation. To achieve that, SIA employs broad benchmarking not just against its main competitors but against the best service companies.Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1 Business Strategy Review 35 Holistic staff development Total innovation Strategic synergies NewsCast High flying: but also ‘outstanding service on the ground’ â€Å"It is important to realise that [our customers] are not just comparing SIA with other airlines. They are comparing us against many industries, and on many factors. So when they pick up a phone and call up our reservations, for example, they are actually making a mental comparison, maybe subconsciously, to the last best experience they had.It could be a hotel; it could be to a car rental company,† says senior vice-president, product and service, Yap Kim Wah. â€Å"If they had a very good experience with the hotel or car rental company and if the next call they make is to SIA, they will subconsciously make the compari son and say ‘How come you’re not as good as them? ’ They do not say ‘You have the best telephone service system out of all the other airlines I’ve called’. Being excellent, our customers, albeit subconsciously, will benchmark us against the best in almost everything. Total innovation: integrating incremental development with unanticipated, discontinuous innovations An airline has a multitude of sub systems, such as reservations, catering, maintenance, in-flight services and entertainment systems. SIA does not aim to be a lot better but just a bit better in every one of them than its competitors. This means constant innovation but also total innovation in everything, all the time. Importantly, this also supports the notion of cost effectiveness.Continuous incremental development comes at a low cost but delivers that necessary margin of value to the customer. â€Å"It is the totality that counts. This also means that it does not need to be too expensive. If you want to provide the best food you might decide to serve lobster on short haul flights between Singapore and Bangkok, for example; however, you might go bankrupt. The point is that, on that 36 route, we just have to be better than our competitors in everything we do. Just a little bit better in everything.This allows us to make a small profit from the flight to enable us to innovate without pricing ourselves out of the market,† says Yap Kim Wah. While cost-effective, incremental improvements are an important basis for its competitive advantage, SIA also implements frequent major initiatives that are firsts in its industry, both on the ground and in the air. One example is its â€Å"Outstanding service on the ground† programme. This initiative involved working with the many other organisations that impact on customer service before and after a flight to ensure a seamless, efficient and caring service.SIA’s latest service excellence initiative, cal led â€Å"Transforming customer service† (TCS), involves staff in five key operational areas – cabin crew, engineering, ground services, flight operations and sales support. The programme is about building team spirit among staff in key operational areas aimed at ensuring that the whole journey from the purchase of the ticket onwards is as pleasant and seamless as possible. SIA employs an innovation approach called the â€Å"40-30-30 rule†. It focuses 40 per cent of the resources on training, 30 per cent on the review of process and procedures, and 30 per cent on creating new product and service ideas.In addition to continuous incremental innovations, SIA’s reputation as a service innovator is also based on unanticipated, discontinuous innovations in the air. Examples of current innovations include the full-size â€Å"space-bed† and on-board email and Internet services in business and first class. In addition, SIA has made the strategic choice to C ost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines Business Strategy Review Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1 be a leader and follower at the same time. It is a pioneer on innovations that have high impact on customer service (for example in-flight entertainment, beds and on-board email).However, it is also a fast follower in areas that are less visible from the customer’s point of view. In doing so, SIA relies on proven technology that can be implemented swiftly and cost-effectively. For example, SIA’s revenue management and customer relationship management (CRM) systems use proven technology where its partners had the experience to ensure a smooth and costeffective implementation rather than going for the latest technology, which would not only be much more expensive but also carry a higher implementation risk.Profit-consciousness ingrained in all employees Though SIA is focused on the customer and providing continually improving service, managers and st aff are well aware of the need for profit and cost-effectiveness. All staff are able to deal with the potentially conflicting objectives of excellence and profit. This is created by a cost and profit consciousness. â€Å"It’s drilled into us from the day we start working for SIA that if we don’t make money, we’ll be closed down. Singapore doesn’t need a national airline.Second, the company has made a very important visionary statement that â€Å"We don’t want to be the largest company. We want to be the most profitable†. That’s very powerful,† says senior vice-president Yap Kim Wah. Performance related reward system Team concept Peer pressure to perform Ingrained profit consciousness Related diversification High profitability Cost Effective Total innovation Service Excellence Strategic synergies Competitive intelligence, spy flights Extensive feedback mechanism Benchmarking against best-in-class Holistic staff development Suppo rting infrastructure Rigorous service designDemanding customers Developing the Singapore girl Figure 2 Singapore Airlines’ self-reinforcing activity system for developing cost-effective service excellence. Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1 Business Strategy Review 37 As a result, any proposed innovation is analysed very carefully on the balance of expected customer benefits versus costs. Station managers and frontline staff constantly trade-off passenger satisfaction versus cost effectiveness – the customer has to be delighted but in a costeffective manner.Second, and like many service organisations, SIA has a rewards system that pays bonuses according to the profitability of the company. The same formula is used throughout the company. As a result there is a lot of informal peer pressure from individuals within the organisation; staff and managers appear quite open in challenging any decisions or actions if they see resources being wasted or money being inappropriately spent. SIA builds team spirit within its 6,600 crew members through its â€Å"team concept†, where small teams of 13 crew members are formed and then fly together as far as possible for at least two years.This leads to the development of team spirit and social bonds within the team that reinforces the culture of cost-effective service excellence and the peer pressure to deliver SIA’s promise to customers. Developing staff holistically Senior managers say that â€Å"training in SIA is almost next to godliness†. Everyone, no matter how senior, has a training and development plan. New stewardesses undergo training for four months, longer than any other airline. This includes not only functional skills but also soft skills including personal interaction, personal poise and the emotional skills involved in dealing with demanding passengers.In addition to training, SIA also encourages and supports acti vities that might on the surface be seen as having nothing to do with service in the air. Crew employees have created groups such as the â€Å"Performing Arts Circle†, staging full-length plays and musicals, the â€Å"Wine Appreciation Group† and the â€Å"Gourmet Circle†. These activities help to develop camaraderie and team spirit as well as personal knowledge of the finer things in life, which feeds into the service the crew delivers in the air. Achieving strategic synergies through related diversification and world-class infrastructure SIA uses â€Å"related diversification† to achieve ost synergies and at the same time control quality and enable transfer of learning. Subsidiaries serve not only as the development ground for management skills and a corporate rather than a divisional outlook through job rotation but also as sources of learning. In addition, related operations (such as catering, aircraft maintenance, airport management) have healthier p rofit margins than 38 the airline business itself because competitive intensity is lower and the industry structure is more favourable.SIA Engineering, for example, ensures that SIA does not pay expensive aircraft maintenance fees to other airlines; rather, it sells such services to other airlines at healthy margins. SIA’s fleet, the youngest in the world, ensures low maintenance costs, low fuel expenses and high flight quality. SIA’s Inflight Catering Centre produces SIA’s own inflight cuisine, ensuring high quality, reliability and responsiveness to customer feedback, but also caters for other airlines at a healthy margin. SIA’s SATS Group subsidiary manages Changi Airport, which is regularly voted the best airport in the world.This airport management and infrastructure entices passengers who are travelling on to Australia, New Zealand or other countries in the region to pass through Changi and to choose SIA as their carrier. SIA’s subsidiaries o perate under the same management philosophy and culture that emphasises cost-effective service excellence. Even though they are part of the group, they are quoted separately on the Singapore Stock Exchange and are subject to market discipline with clear profit and loss expectations. In SIA the conventional wisdom of outsourcing (outsource â€Å"peripheral† activities and focus on what you do best) does not apply.External suppliers would not be able to offer the value that SIA’s own subsidiaries can offer it. This kind of related diversification within SIA leads to strategic synergy in terms of reliability of key inputs, high quality, transfer of learning and cost effectiveness. Loizos Heracleous ([email  protected] edu. sg) is associate professor of strategic management at the National University of Singapore. Jochen Wirtz ([email  protected] edu. s g) is associate professor of marketing, director of the APEX-MBA (Asia-Pacific Executive MBA) Program, codirector of the UCLA-NUSEMBA Program, and a member of the management committee of the NUS Business School, National University of Singapore. Robert Johnston (bob. [email  protected] wick. ac. uk) is professor of operations management at Warwick Business School. Bringing it all together: building a self-reinforcing activity system How, specifically, do these elements lead to costeffective service excellence? The five pillars of SIA’s cost-effective service excellence are made real through a self-reinforcing activity system of virtuous circles (see Figure 2). The cultural values of cost-effective service excellence are more than just abstract ideas.They are ingrained into the minds of both employees and organisational processes. This may help to explain why SIA’s competitive advantage has been sustained for so long. While it is easy to copy single elements, it is much harder to reproduce an entire, self-reinforcing system. I Resources: Porter M. , Competitive Advantage, Free Press , New York, 1985 Shostack G. L. , Designing services that deliver, Harvard Business Review, vol 62, no 1, JanuaryFebruary 1984 Cost-effective service excellence: lessons from Singapore Airlines Business Strategy Review Spring 2004 G Volume 15 Issue 1

Hewlett Packard Case

PANAMERICAN UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATION SCHOOL CASE 3 – HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY ADRIANA MA. DE LA PENA SANDOVAL 8 SEMESTER PROF. RAFAEL SANTANA VILLEGAS CORPORATE COMMUNICATION February 2013 INDEX Company†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 3 Background†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Importance†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦3 Information of the company†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 Characters in the case†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 4 Summary case†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Questions†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 5 Personal Opinion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 COMPANY Hewlett-Packard Company (www. google. com) Background Founded in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard, HP's global operations are directed from its headquarters in  Palo Alto, California, USA. Its U. S. operations are directed from its facility in  unincorporated  Harris County, Texas, nearHouston. Its Latin America offices in unincorporated  Miami-Dade County, Florida, U. S. , near  Miami  and in  Medellin  Colombia.Its Europe offices are in  Meyrin, Switzerland, nearGeneva. Its Asia-Pacific offices are in  Singapore. [47][48][49][50][49][51][52]  It also has large operations in  Boise, Idaho;  Roseville, California;  Fort Collins, Colorado, San Diego, andPlano, Texas  (the former headquarters of  EDS, which HP acquired). In the UK, HP is based at a large site in  Bracknell, Berkshire  with offices in various UK locations, including a landmark office tower in London,  88 Wood Street. Its recent acquisition of  3Com  will expand its employee base to  Marlborough, Massachusetts. [53].The company also has a large workforce and numerous offices at  Bangalore,  India, to address their back end and IT operations. MphasiS, which is headquartered at Bangalore, also enabled HP to increase their footprint in the cit y as it was a subsidiary of EDS which the company acquired. Importance is an American  multinationalinformation technology  corporation headquartered in  Palo Alto,  California,  United States. It provides products, technologies, software, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises, including customers in the government, health and education sectors.Family legacy and employee royalty were a deeply engrained parto f HP corporate culture. The founders, known to friends and employees alike as Bill and Dave, developed a unique management style that came to be known as  The HP Way. In Bill's words, the HP Way is â€Å"a core ideology †¦ which includes a deep respect for the individual, a dedication to affordable quality and reliability, a commitment to community responsibility, and a view that the company exists to make technical contributions for the advancement and welfare of humanity. â€Å"[62]  The follow ing are the tenets of The HP Way:[63] 1.We have trust and respect for individuals. 2. We focus on a high level of achievement and contribution. 3. We conduct our business with uncompromising integrity. 4. We achieve our common objectives through teamwork. 5. We encourage flexibility and innovation. Information of the company Hewlett-Packard Company (HP), incorporated in 1947, is a provider of products, technologies, software, solutions and services to individual consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and large enterprises, including customers in the Government, health and education sectors.Its operations are organized into seven segments: the Personal Systems Group (PSG), Services, the Imaging and Printing Group (IPG), Enterprise Servers, Storage and Networking (ESSN), HP Software, HP Financial Services (HPFS) and Corporate Investments. The Company’s offerings include personal computing and other access devices; multi-vendor customer services, including infrastr ucture technology and business process outsourcing, technology support and maintenance, application development and support services and consulting and integration services, and imaging and printing-related products and services.Characters in the case Bill Hewlett David Packard Damian Nash Patricia Dunn Summary case Questions WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS OF HP’S CORPORATE CULTURE IN TERMS OF COMMUNICATIONS, AS DESCRIBES IN THE CASE? IN CONSIDERING WHETHER TO RESPOND TO THE STORY, WHAT OTHER COMMUNICATIONS DEPARMENT FUNCTION SHOULD NASH CALL ON FOR CONSULTATION? WHAT CHALLENGES DO YOU FORESEE FOR NASH GOING FORWARD, AND WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE HIM? WHAT ROLE SHOULD CORPORATE COMMUNICATION PLAY AT HP TO HELP THE COMPANY ADVANCE ITS Personal opinion

Free Essays on Independence

Nations come into being in many ways. Military rebellion, civil strife, acts of heroism, acts of treachery, a thousand greater or lesser clashes between defenders of the old order and supporters of the new. All these occurrences and more have marked the emergences of new nations, large and small. The birth of our nation included them all. That birth was unique, not only in the immensity of its later impact on the course of world history and the growth of democracy, but also because so many of the threads in our national history run back through time to come together in one place, in one time, and in one document: The Declaration of Independence. The clearest call for independence up to the summer of 1776 came in Philadelphia on June seventh. On this day in session the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), the continental congress heard Richard Henry lee of Virginia read his resolution beginning â€Å"Resolved, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free, and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved.† (Kelly, cs.indiana.edu/statecraft/decl.html, 1997 pg 2 of 13) Lee’s Resolution was an expression of what was already beginning to happen throughout the colonies. When the second Continental Congress, which was essentially the government of the United States from 1775 to 1788, first met in May 1775, King George III had not replied to the petition for redress of grievances that he had been sent by the First Continental Congress. The Congress gradually took on the responsibilities of a national government. In June 1775 the congress established the continental Army as well as a continental currency. By the end of July of that year, it created a post office for the â€Å"United Colonies.† In August 1775 a royal proclamation declared that the Ki... Free Essays on Independence Free Essays on Independence There are many important factors in the Declaration of Independence, which enable the foundation of a new government. These range from describing grievances with England, to how government should be run differently, to the first statement of separation. The first step to the foundation of a new government is the uniting of a people in a common goal. Since all people were feeling violated by English soldiers, it was necessary to state these grievances in order to make people aware that they are not alone. When people learned that others felt the same as them emotion was stirred. The Declaration of Independence listed the grievances such as, â€Å"He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.† The next important step to the foundation of a new government was to gain peoples ambition by showing how the government would be run if a new party took over. This goal was achieved by stating the rights of man. â€Å"We hold these truths to be self evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.† This statement made people hopeful and feel kindly toward this new government. The final step in the preparation for a new government was separation from the old government. This was declared twice in the Declaration of Independence. In the beginning, â€Å"That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, driving their just powers from the consent of the governed,† and in the end, â€Å"that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved. In conclusion, the Declaration of Independence was able to motivate people, give the... Free Essays on Independence Nations come into being in many ways. Military rebellion, civil strife, acts of heroism, acts of treachery, a thousand greater or lesser clashes between defenders of the old order and supporters of the new. All these occurrences and more have marked the emergences of new nations, large and small. The birth of our nation included them all. That birth was unique, not only in the immensity of its later impact on the course of world history and the growth of democracy, but also because so many of the threads in our national history run back through time to come together in one place, in one time, and in one document: The Declaration of Independence. The clearest call for independence up to the summer of 1776 came in Philadelphia on June seventh. On this day in session the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), the continental congress heard Richard Henry lee of Virginia read his resolution beginning â€Å"Resolved, that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free, and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved.† (Kelly, cs.indiana.edu/statecraft/decl.html, 1997 pg 2 of 13) Lee’s Resolution was an expression of what was already beginning to happen throughout the colonies. When the second Continental Congress, which was essentially the government of the United States from 1775 to 1788, first met in May 1775, King George III had not replied to the petition for redress of grievances that he had been sent by the First Continental Congress. The Congress gradually took on the responsibilities of a national government. In June 1775 the congress established the continental Army as well as a continental currency. By the end of July of that year, it created a post office for the â€Å"United Colonies.† In August 1775 a royal proclamation declared that the Ki...

5-Paragraph Essay on Abraham Lincoln

5-Paragraph Essay on Abraham Lincoln 5-Paragraph Essay on Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, was born on February 12, 1809 and died at the age of 56 on the 4th day of March 1861. Lincoln was the president of the United States for four years from 1861 to 1865. Lincoln was born in Hardin County in the state of Kentucky in a small cabin that only had one room. His parents, Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks were farmers who had a large track of land that measured 348 acres on which their cabin was situated. His parents were uneducated, however. Lincoln’s political career began in 1832 when he created a political campaign for a political party known as the Whig Party. This party was based on efforts that sought to improve navigation on the neighboring river. Ten years later, Lincoln married the love of his life, Mary Todd, with whom he had four sons. Unfortunately, only one of his four sons did not survive into adulthood. Lincoln’s participation in active national politics took a turn for the better in 1842 when he campaigned and was elected to the US House of Representatives. While at the House of Representatives, Lincoln accomplished a number of things including accrediting the American-Mexican war to then president, Polk. Lincoln was, however, not a popular figure with the democrats, due to his speeches that tended to go against the beliefs of the Democratic Party. In 1960, Lincoln’s political star had grown so much such that he was nominated by the Republican Party to become their presidential candidate. His temperate views on the issues of western origin and slavery are said to have significantly contributed to his preference as a Republican candidate. Throughout the election period, Lincoln did not give any speeches but instead gave the Republican organization charge of any speeches that were required. On the 6th day of November 1860, Lincoln assumed the highest office in the US when he was elected to the office of the president of the land. It was during Lincoln’s presidency that the Civil War began. This war began in the year 1861 and ended up consuming a large portion of Lincoln’s time as the president of America. Biographies of Lincoln report that Lincoln often found himself very frustrated by the events that were taking place in the war. The war eventually ended on the 9th day of April 1865 when Robert Lee decided to surrender in Virginia. The 14th day of April, 1865 is a popular day in Lincoln’s presidency because this is the day when, inside the Ford’s theater, Lincoln had gone to watch a play without his bodyguard who apparently had knowledge of the president’s planned assassination. It was while Lincoln watched the funniest part of the play, while seated on the balcony, that he was shot point blank in the head by John Wilkes Booth who had hoped that the noise from the cheers and laughter would swallow up the noise of the gunshot. Booth was captured, however, and the president passed away a few hours later. How to write a five paragraph essay about Abraham Lincoln: In the first paragraph, introduce your thesis. Make sure that you choose a contradictory thesis statement, otherwise, there wont be anything to support with further arguments. Take three major arguments that support your thesis and build three separate paragraphs to describe and support them. Dont forget to add your own opinion, but avoid being too emotional in it. Do you need a top-quality custom essay about Abraham Lincoln? Visit and order a custom written essay now!

A proposal to the dean to consider a new grading policy called (Grade Essay

A proposal to the dean to consider a new grading policy called (Grade Replacement) - Essay Example I know I am modest when I say that the trustworthiness of existing examination criteria has feasts tremendous criticism in assessing a student’s insight of course material. Consequently, I argue that the institution has to take into account certain flexibility methods for a student’s academic records that reflect his or her efforts. The existing examination criteria for CU demand that the teaching staff adds a course-retaking student’s grades in his or her aggregate quality-point mean calculations. On the contrary, I propose that with the Dean’s consent, students can be free to replace their courses’ marks with the higher of the two exams taken during retake. This proposal will also allow the students to exempt the low-grade from calculating his or her aggregate quality-point mean score. As a result, the student’s records will still show the student took both exams and delivered an honest academic record. The following paper further provides proof of ways this policy can benefit the institution, student, and ensure the student’s future career. Additionally, I will support my proposal would statistics and true comparisons with institutions that currently apply this particular policy in their ranking system. In 2009, author Gerald Watkins Bracey noted that examiners believe the existing system for evaluation in the education sector is flawed. Irrespective of this observation, representatives in control of this sector still consider student grades the single source of evaluating their academic abilities and commitment. This poor consideration turns the entire education system into an ethical matter that one can resolve or alleviate in some ways (Thomsen, 2015). It is worth noting that this proposal involves enabling limited forgiveness to students by offering them another opportunity when they make a twin effort in one class. My retake and