Assumption of Mary Essays

Assumption of Mary Essays Assumption of Mary Essay Assumption of Mary Essay Giving Voice to Our Values the thought experiment Fundamental premise of many Eastern philosophies and martial arts is to move with ones momentum and energy, rather than fight against them. The approach to voicing and acting on our values described in these pages a attempts to build on that same principle. Rather than taking a preaching stance wherein we might try to count- term temptations with all the moral reasons why we should behave ethically, or taking a persuasive stance wherein we might counter those same temptations with all the Para- tactical arguments for ethical behavior, the approach here is to take an enabling stance. We try to identify both the times when we already want to act in accordance with our highest moral values and also the reasons why we feel that way, and then we focus on building the iconic- dance and skills and the scripts that enable us to do so effectively and with the least amount of angst. Rather than pushing or pulling ourselves into values-based AC- Zion, we try to grease the skids that might carry us there. One way that we try to work with personal omen- Tums, rather than fight against it, is by framing our disc- 1 Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values cushion here as a thought experiment. We are invited to consider how we might voice and act on our values if we were going to do so. In this way, we sidestep all the pre- emotive arguments and rationalizations that pop up naturally, about how difficult or even impossible it may be to do so. We create a safe and enabling space, if you will, for experimentation and creative thinking. In the service of creating that safe space, we try to be explicit about as many of the working assumptions that underlie this approach to enabling values-based AC- Zion as possible. These assumptions are intended as the foundation for an exploratory rather than coercive stance. This explicit naming of our assumptions allows for a kind of informed consent at best, or at least for a Provo- signal consent as we embark upon this experiment. Even if we are not entirely certain that we accept all of the as- assumptions, this provisional consent provides room for us to act as if we did, and to see where they might take us, thereby freeing us up to create scripts and implemental- Zion plans for values-driven actions that we might never otherwise develop. Then when we are faced with the AC- tall excision to act on our values, we will at least have a well-developed strategy to consider. In this way, the De- fault of non-action, or of Just going along with the course of least resistance, will have a worthy counter position. So in the service of this informed or provisional consent, lets consider the starting assumptions for Give- inning Voice to Values. These are twelve assumptions, or give- Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 3 ens, that form the story line behind this approach to values-driven action. Assumption One: I want to voice and act upon my values. As discussed in the Introduction, the fundamental as- assumption is that most of us want to find ways to voice and act on our values in the workplace, and to do so fee- get stuck on the idea that even if we want to act ethically, we assume that many others do not. Therefore we conclude that our efforts will be for naught and, whats more, that we will likely pay a price for trying. But why do we always focus on the folks who do not want to behave ethically? If we start instead from the premise that most of us would like to behave in accordance with our values, then it becomes less important whether everyone does so. Instead we only need Just enough folks to share this position; it becomes simply a matter of critical mass. It is a glass-half- empty or half-full kind of issue. By starting from the assumption that most folks do want to voice and act on their best values, we begin to create that very possibility, because we eliminate one of the conclusions that prevent us from Joining this group. (We are putting aside for a moment the question of Copyrighted Material 4 Giving Voice to Our Values which values we, or others, want to voice and act upon. That question is addressed in Chapter 2. Another objection to this first assumption may be the protestation: But I might not want to act on my highest values in all situations! However, Just because an idea may not always be true does not mean it is never true. For the purpose of this thought experiment, we suppose that there are many times when we would in- deed like to voice and act on our values, and by enabling that choice and learning to do so effectively, we are likely to expand the frequency of this choice. It becomes a gene- nine and even a realistic option for us. Assumption Two: I have voiced my values , at some points in my past. Even though research and our own experiences reveal many individual and organizational inhibitors, most Poe- pile have in fact chosen to voice and act on their values on some occasions. In conversations and interviews with managers at all levels of organizations and in the class- rooms where this approach has been discussed, we have yet to find anyone who cannot think of times both when they have and when they have not done so. Typically this realization leads to a conclusion that no one is truly teeth- cal. What if, as part of our thought experiment, we turned this around and concluded that no one is truly unethical? This conclusion can then be the foundation for building Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 5 the muscle for more frequent and more effective values- driven actions. Assumption Three: I can voice my values more often and more effectively. We have the potential to expand our capacity, our effect- tipsiness, and our likelihood to voice and act on our vale- uses by acknowledging that we have such a choice, and by practicing what we would say and do if we made that choice. The working metaphor for the Giving Voice to Vale- uses approach to values conflicts is that of an individual learning a new hysterical skill or sport. Not being an tat- Leticia type myself, I did once take a class in self-defense a number of years ago. The course was called Model Mug- king, and the idea was that instead of simply learning the basic self-defense moves (fist to bridge of nose, heel to instep, knee to groin, and so on), we would also have the opportunity to experience the feel of a full-on blow did- erected at an instructor who was dressed in an entirely padded suit, like the Michelin Man. In this way, the stub- dents could practice delivering the various self-defensive moves full force, rather than simply alkali about what action was called for or miming the moves in the air without the in a support- Eve environment, we would have a chance to practice AP- Copyrighted Material 6 Giving Voice to Our Values plying them during a simulated full-speed attack as well, with the same padded instructor. The thinking and research behind this several-stage approach was that muscle memory is linked to both the experience of full-force contact as well as the heightened emotional state of the simulated engagement, and there- fore, even if our brains are frozen or reacting slowly, our bodies would remember how to respond if e encounter- tired that same emotional state again in an actual real- time situation. There are several interesting aspects to this AP- approach. Before engaging in the simulated attack, we first had to master the actual physical movements by breaking them down into their components and practicing them repeatedly, with full-force impact and with encourage- meet and feedback on our form. This is similar to the way a student of tennis or golf or any other sport might learn and practice the different strokes and positions and build the requisite muscle groups, as preparation or put- ting them together in actual play, or the way a musician practices playing or singing scales before attempting a complex musical composition. Switch,thepremiseisthatvalues-transcripts and actions are a competency that can be learned, and that it is learned by both breaking it down into its com- opponent parts and by practicing the application of those componentsscripts and action plansin cooperative and lower-stress situations. Both the cognitive aspects of the processanalyzing the arguments and creating fee- Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 7 active scriptsas well as the experiential aspectsactually saying the words in concert with peers who stand in as prop- sees for eventual workplace colleaguesare essential. In this way, we build the muscle and the muscle memory so that the approach will come more naturally and skillfully when we encounter actual values conflicts in real time. Some might argue that this is simply an example of traditional role playing in the service of learning. On the contrary, although there is a value in the use of role playing, if we are immediately placed in a situation where we must ice our values in the face of an adversary who is primed to argue vehemently against our position, we may find ourselves unintentionally reinforcing those same anxieties and that same pessimism about our chances at success that we are trying to counter. For example, too often participants in a role play of a values conflict will demonstrate their political astuteness, their savvy, and their experience with the so- called real world of business by assuming a skeptical, if not cynical, stance, pointing out all the reasons why a defense of ethical values is not realistic or practical. Such ole plays tend to send the signal that values-based actions are naive, at best. However, if instead of adversarial role plays, we Cree- ate opportunities to practice our arguments in front of peers who assume the role of coaches, we can work co- operatively and constructively to simultaneously rein- force the best of our arguments, to revise the weakest of our arguments, and to experience the physical and memo- action act of voicing these arguments in public. Copyrighted Material 8 Giving Voice to Our Values unintended negative rein- forewomen of our own best intentions, they would be used only after we have first taken the time to craft and actually practice speaking our positions in a collaborator- dive context. Assumption Four: It is easier for me to voice my values in some contexts than others. Developing the muscle for voicing our values does not diminish the importance of selecting and developing or- generational cultures and policies and incentives that en- courage such choices. In fact, our effort to promote the development of such cultures, policies, and incentives is, in itself, an instance of voicing values. And the more such organizational enablers are in place, he more likely it is that individuals will choose to voice their values. It is a kind of virtuous circle. This is an important part of the puzzle, for there is much research that examines the impact for good or ill of organizational contexts that enable or disable dissent and that focus on narrowly defined versus broadly De- fined performance goals. We will discuss examples of this in subsequent chapters, but the important point here is to recognize that although the emphasis of the GO AP- approach is on the individual and his or her abilities and choices, the organization and its impact are not over- Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 9 looked. Although GO is an individual strategy, individual- LULAS operate within organizations that can limit or en- hence the options available to address values conflicts. Focusing on organizational pressures and norms is, again, not a reason to avoid voicing our values but rather another opportunity to airframe our choices and act on our values, this time by actually addressing the organize- action context itself. As we will see, sometimes individual- alas can more effectively address values conflicts in the workplace by talking about what discourages ethical AC- Zion and engaging leagues in addressing those factors than by tackling the issue head-on. This becomes a kind of Jujitsu move, where colleagues are engaged in fixing the organization in such a fashion that, by the way, ad- dresses the values conflict itself. An example of this is when individuals focus on changing financial incentives and reporting systems that may not only enable, but also encourage, distortions in an organizations internal AU- dining. Looking for ways to fix the system in the service of more accurate planning and forecasting, along the way, addresses the distortions in reporting integrity. Assumption Five: I am more likely to voice my values if I have practiced how to respond to frequently encountered conflicts. There are certain frequently heard reasons and rational- actions for not voicing and acting on our values. But Copyrighted Material 10 Giving Voice to Our Values there are also possible responses or reframing that we can use to counter these reasons and rationalizations. If we familiarize ourselves with these responses in advance, we are more likely to be able to access them when needed and potentially shift a conversation or change a mind. This is especially true when we begin to see hat the types of reasons that we hearand even offer ourselvesfor not voicing our values tend to fall into a set of recognize- able and limited categories, and therefore the levers for responding to them, or entirely recasting them, are Simi- Larry recognizable and consequently learnable. Prior reflection on responses to values given decision situation. That is, if we be- come fluent in ways to address the defenses of less than ethical behaviors, we will find ourselves more easily and more automatically doing so. Rather than experiencing that deer-in-headlights feeling hen we confront values conflicts, our muscle memory can kick in and the memo- seasonality of the moment is reduced. I learned this lesson firsthand a number of years ago. While teaching at the Harvard Business School, I launched a research and course development project on Managing Diversity in the mid-sass. There was no other course on the subject at the school then, but I had both an intellectual as well as a personal interest in purr- suing this work. For a variety of reasons having to do with my own experiences and those of people I knew, I had always experienced significant discomfort when I Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 11 witnessed unfairness or undeserved bias toward school or professional colleagues. Rather than anger toward the offender, however, I would tend to feel guilty and angry at myself for not being confident enough or skillful enough to counter the situation. At some level, I believe I felt that the experience of researching, constructing, and teaching a course on diversity might enable me to learn how to handle such situations myself, even as I was try- inning to teach others. Although teaching the course was a very positive experience for me, at the end of the two years I felt that, sadly, I as no closer to that elusive sense of bulletproof confidence and skill that I believed I needed to be able to speak up when I witnessed unfairness in my professional life. I moved on to other projects. Less than a year later, however, while working as a consultant, I was led to areas- sees the impact of the diversity research and teaching I had done. Two situations in particular caught me up short. In the first instance, my team was presenting a new piece of work to a potential client. The representative from the clients firm was making small talk at the start of our meeting, and he engaged to make several Joking but disparaging comments based on ethnic and class stereotypes. Although the comments were not specific- calla directed at me or any of my team memberswho were racially diverse and included my boss as well as seven- real more Junior managersI was concerned about the tone that we set for our ongoing working relationship. I Copyrighted Material 12 Giving Voice to Our Values didnt really think about it but I Just heard myself sue- getting, with calm but pointed good humor, that perhaps we should turn to topics about which we all were more informed. There was a palpable sense of relief among my colleagues, especially the more Junior ones, and the CLC- .NET, unfounded, good-naturally turned to a more AP- appropriate topic. I was relieved, both because I did not want to lose the client but also because I did not want to bond with him on the basis of discriminatory humor. In the second instance, I recognized that the senior member of my consulting team had made some incorrect and negative assumptions about the writing ability of the sole African-American Junior member of our group. I dont believe this manager was intentionally biased, but his unconscious conclusion was barring the Junior cool- league from a plum assignment. I found myself in a car with this senior manager, and when the subject came up, I simply explained how impressed I was with the result, the Junior consultant received an attractive writing project, and I had the opportunity to work closely with him and benefit personally and profess- signally from the association. I mention these two examples neither because I be- live I handled them flawlessly nor to argue that I always counter bias when I see it. I still struggle tit my desire to avoid conflict and with a certain natural reticence. However, I did manage to shift the behaviors and IM- pacts on my peers in these two situations (not that I have Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 13 any illusions that I actually changed the attitudes of the client in the first example). And I did so with a mini- mum of stress and hand-wringing on my own part. In fact, in both instances, I heard myself making comments that I would never have made prior to my diversity course. In fact, in the past, I would have felt horrible about both situations but would have likely remained tongue-tied. I have concluded that the experience of researching and talking about the many ways that discrimination and bias can occur in professional contexts, and especially the identification of the many arguments against this type of bias and the many ways of responding to these situations, had had a profound impact on me. Not only had I seen how common such situations are, but I had also Para- diced, unwittingly, all the ways that one might respond. I was not shaken or put off my game when the circus- stances arose. I was able to react calmly, thereby without signaling to my audiences that this was a difficult situ- action or that they were somehow bad people. The re- sponges were fact-based, good-natured, and appropriate to the context. Had I been taken off guard or less pre- pared, I would likely have telegraphed more stress, memo- Zion, and blame. But the funny part was, I had not known that I was so prepared until I was in these situations! So I revisited my assessment of the value of my research and discussions of diversity. I believe it was more effect- dive than I had recognized. It was, in fact, a kind of pre- scripting. Copyrighted Material 14 Giving Voice to Our Values Assumption Six: My example is powerful. Just as we ourselves would like to be able to voice and act on our values, we can assume that many of our colleagues would as well. If we can demonstrate credible responses to frequently heard reasons for not voicing and acting on our values, we may encourage and empower others to Join us. An undergraduate business student I interviewed was working in a plum internship doing research for a consulting firm. When her boss told her to lie about who she was to gain intelligence from a competitor, she ex- planned that she didnt want to do so but that she would work to gather comparable information in other ways. Her boss, unconvinced by her ethical arguments, never- toeless indulged her alternative plan, and through hard work, the intern was able to generate a credible report without misrepresenting herself. It might be argued that she had had a very limited impact on the firm; after all, her boss was not likely to change his behavior going for- ward. However, the intern reported that later she was surprised and pleased to see that other interns began coming to her, asking how she managed to complete her task without deception because they, too, wanted to take that road. Whether the organization was changed example. Additionally, rather than walking away from this internship with only a sense of distill- sentiment at what she had learned about how this rep- Copyrighted Giving Voice to Our Values 15 table firm did business, she gained a sense of efficacy and greater confidence in her own options. In fact, she was offered an ongoing position with the firm. Assumption Seven: Although mastering and delivering responses to frequently heard rationalizations can empower others who share my views to act, I cannot assume I know who those folks will be. The responses we develop and practice to frequently eared reasons and rationalizations for unethical behave- IRS are intended to strengthen our own confidence in voicing and acting on our values. Additionally, this Para- twice can influence others who share our values conflict but are unable to find a way to explain their reluctance. However, we cannot assume we know who feels the con- flick and who does not simply by observing their behave- ROR because, as we have already acknowledged, we all have chosen to suppress these felt conflicts at some points in our past. Thus, in the example above, the business student intern might eve thought she had failed if her goal had been only to change her bosss behavior. However, Unix- affectedly and without her conscious intention, her be- having was noticed by some of her peers and they were influenced by her. This is important because often we can become discouraged from trying to voice our values 16 Giving Voice to Our Values because we are not certain of our ability to influence our intended audience. The thing is, we will experience more satisfaction from our efforts to voice our values if we re- main open to the possibility of unintended positive IM- pacts. This is not to say hat we do not design our scripts and action plans with a careful eye to having a hoped-for impact on a particular audience; rather it is simply to acknowledge and value the additional or alternative POS- dive impacts we may have. The only real and ultimate control we have is over ourselves, which leads us directly to the importance of the next assumption. Assumption Eight: The better I know myself, the more I can prepare to play to my strengths and, when necessary, protect myself from my weaknesses. The greater our self-knowledge, the more likely we are to be able to anticipate and manage our responses to values conflicts. Prior reflection on our own personalities and behavioral tendencies under pressure enables us to play to our strengths: that is, to frame the challenge we face in such a way that it draws on the skills and arguments with which we feel most adept and confident. Rather than AC- accepting the challenge as it is put before us, we can take an active role in reshaping it. This kind of self-assessment is not your typical values- Giving Voice to Our Values 17 clarification process. It is not about figuring out what is important to us; the Giving Voice to Values approach starts from the moment our values kick in. Instead this self- assessment is based on the observation that people who do act on their values often have found ways to describe the situation that give them power rather than ways as a prepare- Zion and trigger to consciously put mechanisms in place to protect us from our own weaknesses. However, re- search tells us that often these mechanisms need to go beyond mere self-knowledge and become external tools (incentives, deterrents, automatic review processes, transparency requirements, practicalities networks of sounding boards, et cetera). Our own internal awareness of our biases and tendencies is important but not enough to prevent us from falling ere to them: we need to go beyond awareness to active preparation for values- based decision making, a preparation that includes the script- inning and action planning that GO encourages. Assumption Nine: I am not alone. When we encounter values conflicts in the workplace, often we feel isolated and personally at risk. We may assume that our peers will not share our concern, or that to raise the issue will polarize our colleagues or expose us to greater pressure and vulnerability. This may actually be true. How- Copyrighted Material 18 Giving Voice to Our Values ever, interviews with individuals who have voiced their vale- uses in such situations veal that, in most cases, they did find and rely upon some form of external support system. The challenge is to identify whom to speak with and for which purposes. There are many different sources of support, both inside and outside organizations, and there are many ways of gathering support, some more direct than others. We can utilize our personal support networks (family, friends outside the organization) as sounding boards; we can reach out to our colleagues in the firm to build a coalition of allies or to gather sup- porting information; and we can engage in strategic use of the managerial hierarchy. However, we must consider carefully which approach is most appropriate in a par- testicular situation, keeping in mind the implications not only for ourselves and the challenge we face, but also for the individuals we engage. The examples discussed here show different ways that individuals countered the ten- Denny to feel isolated. Assumption Ten: Although I may not always succeed, voicing and acting on my values is worth doing. When pursuing our values, Just as with any other man- serial action, we do not always succeed at what we set out to achieve, et that does not necessarily prevent us and others from taking action. There are no guarantees or Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 19 reckless action plans, around voicing values or anything else, and GO does not claim that there are. Rather than backing off from our values because we cant muster the words or the strategies in the moment, and rather than rashly voicing values in ways that belie the management sophistication and interpersonal insight we would exhibit in a less charged situation, GO is about providing the pop- opportunity to hone and reactive our approach, such that we feel greater confidence and can behave more skillfully. In this way, the goal is to increase the likelihood of success. Additionally, we are more likely to voice our values if we have decided that the costs of not doing so, and the benefits of trying, are important enough to us that we would pursue them even though we cannot be certain of success in advance. In order to get to this place of clarity, we need to spend some serious time thinking about our own identity, our personal and professional purpose, and our definition of success and failure. We will fleet clear-eyed upon the risks associated with voicing our values, so that we can be prepared to handle the possible implications. Assumption Eleven: Voicing my values leads to better decisions. It is often difficult to be certain that a specific course of action is right or wrong, but we are more likely to Copyrighted Material 20 Giving Voice to Our Values come to the best decision if we feel empowered to voice our concerns about values conflicts and discuss them with others. In fact, one of the most common objections to the idea of voicing and acting on our values is the con- CERN that we may be wrong, hat our values might spring from a place of self-righteousness or incomplete under- standing. And of course, this is a valid concern. Unfortunately, too often this concern serves to is- lance us, preventing us from sharing our perspectives be- cause we assume that they are not valid. If, however, we learn to examine our values-based position in depth and from multiple perspectives, as the GO approach out- lines, we not only will become more adept at presenting our values-based position, but we will also be testing it against the views of others and supporting it with the necessary information. Our own position will become richer. In addition, even if in the end we conclude that our going-in position was incorrect, the process of analyzing and sharing our concerns can improve our organize- action decision-making process. In fact, one of the less- sons shared by the individuals interviewed for GO is that decisions are often improved if we do not assume that managerial directives are final and unquestionable, but rather view them as simply opening hypotheses. Take- inning this view can also help us to present our views with the calm confidence that comes room the belief that we are adding value by doing so. Copyrighted Material Giving Voice to Our Values 21 Assumption Twelve: The more I believe its possible to voice and act on my values, the more likely I will be to do so. We are more likely to voice and act on our values when we believe it is possible to do so, and to do so effectively. If we pay attention to positive examples of such voice and action and spend time developing support Mecca- minims and practicing the development and delivery of responses to frequently heard reasons and rationalize- actions for unethical actions, we can expand our sense of whats possibleanother virtuous circle. On the other hand, if we focus most of our time and attention identifying and bemoaning all the ways in which we are discouraged from voicing our values, we will be reinforcing that process. This is not only common sense; increasingly it is a phenomenon supported by re- search in the fields of positive psychology as well as the cognitive neuroscience. L In fact, the GO approach described in these pages is more than a set of insights and tools that we can learn to apply; the very act of reading and reflecting upon all the ways that looks have voiced and can act on their vale- uses can change the way we experience reality. That is, rather than proving that we can act on our values, we are simply making it true. And we do this by reframing the question from whether to voice our values to how can we voice our values? Copyrighted Material 22 Giving Voice to Our Values Having now familiarized ourselves with the work- inning assumptions behind the GO thought experiment, it becomes important to ask: What are our reactions to these informed, or at least a Provo- signal, consent to the GO project, then it becomes IM- orator not only to name and define these underlying assumptions, but also to reflect on both our resonances with them as well as our reservations or objections to them. We might consider: A

Week 5 discussion and participation questions Essay

Week 5 discussion and participation questions - Essay Example An independent variable for this problem could be income. Hypothesis testing is a procedure that tests the validity of a statement in regards to a population parameter. A hypothesis is a statement about a population parameter. The five-step procedure for testing a hypothesis is: One of the reasons why hypothesis testing has been used in the business world for decades is due to its utility. The procedure can be used in a wide variety of scenarios or problem in order to test a potential hypothesis. One of the limitations of hypothesis testing is that there is a margin for error in the analysis. The ANOVA test compares the sample means through their variances. The test is applied by calculating two estimates of the variance population distributions: the variance between samples and the variance within samples. The application of regression analysis which uses both dependent and independent variables can be used in the business world to calculate a lot of different business problems and scenarios. For example a company can forecast the sales of the business for future periods utilizing the past historical sales data. A marketer could create an equation that uses dependent and independent variables to determine the preference in customer taste. In your example you mentioned the probabilities associated with card games. I am pretty sure that good Poker players are have an excellent understanding of probabilities and statistics. When I go to the casino I like playing blackjack. I know that when the dealer deals a lot of low cards and my turn is up the chances of the dealer giving me a high card increases. An equation that can be used to put the concept of dependent and independent variables into good use is the y = ax + b. In this equation x is the independent variable and y is the dependent variable. This equation can be used in the business world to solve a lot of different problems or scenarios. For example a research

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Equity and trust law - Essay Example eform proposals are in the process of being finalized into legislation, it has been the relevant case law which has served as a guide in order to determine whether or not an organization can qualify for charitable status. The case of Commissioners for Special Purposes v Pemsel2 laid out four categories that would automatically qualify an organization to receive charitable status, which are (a) advancement of religion (b) advancement of education (b) advancement of religion (c) relief of poverty and (d) other purposes beneficial to the community. The Charities Bill of 19933 also has the provision whereby, when a charitable trust fails due to difficulties in literal compliance with the intention of a testator, the doctrine of CyPress can be applied as a flexible policy option to prevent a trust resulting to its donors or the crown. Applying the Pemsel qualification, New Dawn must qualify under the category of advancement of religion, Democracy under the category of advancement of educa tion and Medi Aid under the category of other purposes beneficial to the Community. Ans 1: One of the criteria for determining whether or not a trust could be deemed to be charitable would depend upon whether it can be described as a valid purpose trust. In the case of Re Lipinski4 Oliver J draws a distinction in a testamentary disposition, between a purpose which is invalid (excluding tombs, animals and monuments cases), and a ‘people trust’ which is valid. Another case that highlights the question of purpose is A.G. of the Caymen Islands v Wahr Hansen5 . In this case, the Privy Council rejected the formulation of charitable trusts on the basis of a general purpose, since a general purpose demonstrates an intention that is wider than that which will benefit objects that are strictly charitable. In the case of Chicester Diocesan Fund v Simpson6, a similar application of a broad purpose had been examined, where a distinction was made between a gift that was â€Å"benevolent† and

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Advantages Of Various Types Of Economic Systems - Assignment Example The economic system decides the amount and the mechanism of the resource allocation. The factors of production, the organizations, and the market forces comprise the economic system that interacts with each other with an aim to resolve the economic problems (Anderton, 2009, p. 30). This economic system is of various types depending on the impact of market forces on the system. A free economy is one in which the market forces are solely responsible for the determination of the price and quantity and the resources are allocated automatically without any kind of government intervention. On the other hand, in the case of the mixed economy, the market mechanism is allowed to operate but to a limited extent. In a mixed economy, there is the coexistence of the public and private enterprises in the economy. It has been argued by many scholars that the free market economy operates on a higher level of efficiency compared to the mixed economies. Analysis of the Statement In order to understand the level of efficiency of these two types of the economy it is essential to analyze the characteristics of these economies. A free market economy is characterized by the private ownership of the means of production. The government’s role is limited to the regulatory and legal aspects of ensuring the rights of the people. The people who are existent in the economy have the right to operate in the market and buy and sell goods and services at the price and quantities that are determined by the market mechanism. The government may have regulation in form of quotas or tariffs that does not hamper the free market environment in such economies (Samuelson and ? Nordhaus, 2010, p. 31). The market structure that is existent in such economies is based on the competitive framework. The decision making of the allocation of resources id decentralized because of each individual and decide how much to buy or sell in the market depending on the efficiency level.  

Juvenil Crimes Essay Example for Free

Juvenil Crimes Essay They look at Juveniles on how unreliable and inconsistent they are on making bad decisions. But often minors bring unparticular brutally attracting impulsive claims on their behalfs on their crimes. Though the mind of a teenagers brain is pretty much dazed out, meaning how would you think they could handle prison. Well people say if they can handle committing crimes they should put up with what should be disserved. This brought a concern to society should Juveniles be charge as adults? In the article assertions from Liptak, Lundstrom, Krikorian, and Thompson, bring us vidence of how Juveniles are being tried as adults. These Journalists bring concerning information on how teens react to hatred crimes that they commit. Liptak and Lundstrom consideration against ones opinion on how Juveniles crimes should be thought are at most similar to one anothers thoughts. Liptak thinks that Juveniles should be brought to thought, that they commit crimes to diminish their responsibilities to some of what of danger to themselves and others. Lundstrom says that theyre only kids until they mess up and commit crimes, then were more eager to all them adults. Krikorian believes that teens are seriously impaired, are less likely to recognizes the risks and dont really think about the consequences. Thompson finds that mathematical the brain system grows little until puberty corresponding with abstract concepts before then. Krikorian and Thompson have the agreement that teens are at a stage were they really dont think because they are still kids and that they dont know better. In the article Supreme Court to rule on Executing Young Killers By Adam Liptak, Robert Acuna was convicted of killing two elderly eighbors referring to Execution Style then stealing a car. Mr. Acuna was the latest person to be convicted with a death row sentence before the age of 18. In Kids Are Kids until They Commit Crimes by Marlie Lundstrom writers about a 12 year-old savagely beated a 6 year-old girl to death, Lionel Tate said he was imitating his world wrestler icon. In April. Nathaniel Braizl was charged with first-degree murder at the age of 14, for shooting an English teacher that didnt let him say goodbye to two girls on the last day of school. In Many Kids Called Unfit for Adult trial y Greg Krikorian researched that teens are emotionally or intellectually unable to contribute to their own defense in court. In studies shown thousands of Juveniles went to an adult trail when they shouldnt because of their inability to stand the courts proceeding. In Startling finds on Teenage Brains by Paul Thompson discovers that the patterns of brain growth in children and teenagers. The brain is like a puzzle that grows fast at the point of learning skills. Also, that the massive loss of brain tissue happens in teenage years at risk taking, controlling impulses, and self-control. The Supreme Young Juveniles are incompetent on being well behaved as what Krikorian says Seriously Impaired or is that Just an excuse? But knowing that you took a life is Just unimaginable and horrifying. So if you did the crime now youre going to pay the time. Even though your seriously impaired if you know that then why you take advance of that abuse and commit crimes. If you blame the teens youre basically blaming the parents for unfit parenting their children. They dont teach their kids form right or wrong and dont control their kids. So minors are what so to be unished for what inconsiderable parenting. Many Juveniles are sentenced as adults for the crimes they commit at a young age being irresponsible. Their for theyre the ones who should pay for the price they commit if they went against the law so the law should be put to Justices. Teens are impulsive when it comes to things that are serious at times which they cant really control themselves either. Juveniles commit crimes today like Homicides, Murder, First-degree murder, Second-degree murder, Voluntary manslaughter, and Involuntary manslaughter. People who commit uch horrible crimes should be taken seriously and let it be brought to Justices. It doesnt matter what characteristics makes a person an adult, a Juvenile, or a child if you committed the crime at any age you should be held responsible for what you did so you should be tired no matter what. Juveniles are able to commit crimes but then, so they should be punished the same way as adults. Teens try to be like adult but they do it in an unfair manner to make them seem cool so when they acted like adults why not try them as adults give them what they want.

Strategic Analysis Of Siemens Company Management Essay

Strategic Analysis Of Siemens Company Management Essay This essay will start with a brief description of Siemens, an introduction of its current mission statement and an evaluation of the key strategic issues/objectives which Siemens faced and are facing. The next part, two appropriate tools of analysis, PESTEL analysis of the external environment the organization faces, and Porters 5-Forces analysis of the competitive environment in which Siemens operates; a summary of its key strategic resources and competencies, and any resources that it lacks will follow these tow analysis. At last, SWOT analysis will be applied to describe and evaluate the strategic options for Siemens. Siemens is Europes largest engineering conglomerate.Siemens international headquarters are located in Berlin, Munich and Erlangen, Germany. Siemens is a diversified group, with business in information and communications, automation and control, power, transportation, medical and lighting businesses. The groups businesses have strong leadership in electronics and electrical engineering. Siemens has experienced significant restructuring in recent years, including divestments, acquisitions and reorganization of divisions. Siemens has three main business sectors: Industry, Energy and Healthcare and it has with a total of 15 divisions (Barclay, 2000). Worldwide Siemens and its subsidiaries employ approximately 420,800 people in nearly 190 countries and reported global revenue of 76.651 billion Euros as of 2009. Siemens AG is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, and has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange since March 12, 2001. Mission and vision Highest performance with highest ethics that is the standard demanded by Siemens present president and CEO Peter LÃ ¶scher. Its mission is to find the best way of combining and developing our know-how and expertise, so that Siemens can profitably channel them into outstanding value for customers. It has three core values- Responsible: Committed to ethical and responsible actions Excellent: Achieving high performance and excellent results; Innovative: Being innovative to create sustainable value. Siemens Strategic profile Keeping Profitable and long-term growth is the business strategy of Siemens, which is direct and simple. Specifically, according to the report of Siemens AG, there is several important components Siemens strategy, which is showed in the table below. 2.jpg Source: http://www.siemens.com In summary, there are several key management strategies as following. Making better use of sustainability as an opportunity Siemens view sustainability as an important success factor. Sustainability serves as the basis for Siemens future business success and is a key pillar of Siemens corporate strategy. Siemens is in a strong position to meet tomorrow business challenges, so sustainability is very important. By concentrating its activities in the three Sectors Industry, Energy and Healthcare, Siemens has a setup that enables it to profit from four key megatrends demographic change, urbanization, climate change and globalization. And with the Siemens Environmental Portfolio, it has an exceptionally broad spectrum of products and solutions for environmental and climate protection (Barney, 1986). Whats more, sustainability is thought by Siemens to be closely linked to its values. In all its complexity, Siemens view sustainability as a contribution to a more equitable world economy and the provision of energy-efficient, durable products and solutions for Siemens customers. In Siemens sustainability is also the expression of a responsible employee culture and a sign of uncompromising compliance with laws and regulations. Diversity as a factor of success Siemens is promoting diversity in the management ranks of the company to a greater degree than ever before. Up to nowadays, Siemens has given diversity a permanent place in the corporate level strategy. In Siemens culture, in view of the shortage of highly qualified people and demographic changes, diversity is a prerequisite for Siemens long-term success. The supply of qualified technical people and managers in the industrialized world is growing ever tighter. That makes it even more important for Siemens to acquire talented people and to create an environment that allows them to take on key functions in all units of Siemens- irrespective of factors such as nationality, age, gender, origin or religion. In the year 2008, Siemens applied the strategy of diversity into organizational structure. Siemens created the position of Chief Diversity Officer and appointed Jill Lee, previously the Chief Financial Officer of Siemens China, to the new position. Armed with a comprehensive package of measures, Jill Lee would work in the coming years to meet an ambitious target: By 2011 Siemens wants to have dramatically expanded diversity among the members of its top management. Siemens wants to become the leader in diversity. Delivering breakthrough innovations, Innovation has always been one of the most important elements in Siemens business strategy. In Siemens culture, Innovations are thought to be able to help cut costs, increase sales and achieve higher earnings, and, those who fail to launch the right new product on the market at the right time will be punished more severely than ever before. Siemens intends to become a pioneer in diversity. While this is very important, Siemens to this day remains a very German and very centralized company. Competitors such as ABB are many years ahead in this respect as can be seen in various dimensions such as board structure, regional management or repartition of headquarter functions. Siemens intends to become a pioneer in diversity. While this is very important, Siemens to this day remains a very German and very centralized company. Competitors such as ABB are many years ahead in this respect as can be seen in various dimensions such as board structure, regional management or repartition of headquarter functions. Siemens intends to become a pioneer in diversity. While this is very important, Siemens to this day remains a very German and very centralized company. Competitors such as ABB are many years ahead in this respect as can be seen in various dimensions such as board structure, regional management or repartition of headquarter functions. Strategic analysis for Siemens Firstly, Porters five forces and PESTEL will be applied to evaluate the microenvironment of Siemens and a complete SWOT analysis will follow to assess he strategic options for Siemens. Porters five forces One of the most important division and product of Siemens is electrical equipment and so Porters five forces will be applied to assess electrical equipment industry together with Siemens. Porters five forces Degree of rivalry The degree of completion in this industry is pretty high and there are many big players in this market Bargaining power of customers The space for customers to bargain is limited as the products are highly specialized and buyers are always governments or big companies. Bargaining power of suppliers Suppliers who supply raw materials or parts to manufactures have little bargaining power Threat of new entrants: As the equipment is of high technology, in the early stage of this industry, the entrant barrier of this industry is high. Siemens and GE have dominated this industry for decades. Threat of substitutes However, with the popularity of new energy technologies, some small companies also entered this market with lower-cost technology and energy, so it is getting more and easier to find a substituted in some limited field in a small scale. Degree of rivalry: In this industry, Siemens competes with big players such as General Electric (GE) of Fairfield, Conn., and ABB of Switzerland. GE has a strong market position in this industry, while ABB has great advantages in power generation and transmission. The number of market players in this field is big and the degree of rivalry is high (Barney, 1995). Bargaining power of customers: In other industries, companies are liable to cut their prices as they compete for jobs. This is less likely to happen with industrial electrical equipment. These products are highly specialized and technical, making it difficult for customers to find comparable products at lower prices. And because these products have relatively few buyers, their prices are less likely to be pushed down by free-market forces. Bargaining power of suppliers: Companies that provide parts and materials to these firms have little negotiating power. The components used in these complex electrical systems have little value until theyre part of the finished product. Suppliers of the raw components are a dime a dozen and can easily be replaced. The complicated nature of this equipment would also make it difficult for suppliers to cut out the middlemen and sell directly to end customers. These suppliers usually lack the skill and sophistication to build these products. Threat of new entrants: Siemens and GE have dominated this industry for decades. To run with the big players, a new company would need a great deal of investment. The company needs to have very good credibility and connections of both established firms and governments. So the entrant barrier for this industry is high. Threat of substitutes: some new technologies from smaller companies, which focus on green energy, have posted threat to big companies that lacks a competing product. In solar equipment, for example, some smaller companies are becoming more viable as their technology becomes cheaper, while solar companies may soon have the strength to compete with traditional power source on price and performance, the threat from substitutes post pressure to supplier like Siemens. In summary, although the completion in this industry is fierce, the entrant barrier for new entrants is high, whats more, both customer and supplier have limited bargaining power. The pressure from small companies which focus on green energy keep increasing as they have advantages on price and cost. PESTEL analysis of the macro-environment The external environment for international business is always complicated and dynamic. The PESTEL analysis of the maco-environment of Siemens is based from two perspectives: one is that Siemens run its business in German and the other condition is that it runs its business internationally or in other destination countries. PESTEL analysis for Siemens Germany GLOBAL Political Germany government policy on subsidies; subsiding policies for German firms Different countries has different policies; the relationship between the government of destination country and German; degree of local governments intervention in the economy; the quality of service that local government provide to foreign firms; subsiding policies for domestic firms; tariff barrier of non-tariff barrier from destination country; the education of the workforce, the health of the nation and Economic The economy in Germany; the growth rate of German economy; interest rate; inflation rate; domestic competitors. Global financial crisis; Overseas economic growth; the structure of local economy; the quality of the infrastructure of the economy such as the transportation and electrical system; level of national income; interest rate; exchange rate; inflation rate; Market demand and segments for Siemens products; local and international competitors. Social Structure and size of population; Structure and size of population; Availability of local human resources; Migration flows; culture differences; brand image of Siemens in destination country Technological New technologies related with Siemens business in German; any technology that could reduce cost, improve quality or service and help marketing such as on-line technology. International technological breakthroughs; New technologies related with Siemens business in German; advantages and disadvantages of Siemens technologies when compared with international competitors; any technology that could reduce cost, improve quality or service and help marketing such as on-line technology. Environmental Weather and climate in German; hardware such as land available for Siemens business Global climate change; weather and climate in destination country; natural environment ; Legal Environment regulation; related laws in German. Related international and local laws and regulations. Political Political factors always have great impact over the maco-environment in which the business runs, so muti-national companies need to do research on political environment before their international marketing planning. Siemens is doing well in evaluating political risk before it enters a new market. It is lucky for it that Germen government has steady relationship with lots of countries. Siemens often need to evaluate the historical relationship between countries that would benefit or do harm to its business. The influence of communities or unions for trading is also in its consideration. For example, trade barrier is also implemented in different firms of local laws. If necessary, a report regarding the political risks needs to be completed before its international marketing (Bell, 2001). Economic The economic situation in destination countries, the impact of currency fluctuations on exchange rates, the development of local market, the local market structure (Barney, 1996), the local human resources and the predisposition of local consumers are all very important issues for Siemens to consider (Bierly,1996). The global economy just experienced the financial crisis; Siemens business in most countries also experienced a downturn. Another problem is that, together with the financial crisis is the tightened credit system for Siemens, which brought a lot of trouble to its business. The highlight is that some new markets such as the China market are still growing fast and these new markets provide good opportunities for Siemens revenue generation. From economic perspective, Siemens has got steady financial performance in the recent years. Social The cultural difference is often a tough problem that all the muti-national companies have met with (Choi, 2000) . Culture, religion and society are of great importance to us. Will and how the local cultural differences affect Siemens business should also be evaluated. One of Siemens strategies is Diversity as a factor of success. Siemens is promoting diversity in the management ranks of the company to a greater degree than ever before. In the year 2008, Siemens applied the strategy of diversity into organizational structure. Siemens created the position of Chief Diversity Officer. Besides, the brand image of Siemens is very good and also means high quality by many purchasers (Davenport, et, 2000), which is one of Siemens advantages from the social perspective. Technological Siemens still have great technological advantages in its professional fields and it is still holding an advanced position in the international competition. However, in some countries where governments are not willing to afford high cost of new equipments, some smaller companies gained advantages over Siemens. For example, smaller companies like First Solar (FSLR) are more viable than Siemens as their technology becomes cheaper. Environmental With increasing attention from all countries in the world on global warming and with greater environmental awareness, environment is becoming a significant issue for muti-national firms to consider (Michael, 2003). The growing desire to protect the environment is having a great impact the industry. More environmentally friendly products and processes are in urgent demand. All of these external factors can bring good business opportunities for Siemens. Legal The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive of the European Union (EU) makes producers of electrical and electronic goods financially responsible for specified collection, recycling, treatment and disposal of past and future covered products. The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006, which implement most aspects of the WEEE Directive, came into force in 2007 in most Europe countries. Several product divisions of Siemens are subject to the WEEE regulation (Hofee, 2003). SWOT Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Big company scale and market share; Strong brand image; It has a lot of divisions; Steady financial performance. Strong RD capabilities Good at diversity Less innovative in the low-cost new technology Low in credit rating Weak in internal control Depend upon third party service providers for majority of its operational activities Opportunities Threats Increasing demand for environment friendly products Bankrupt of some local companies in other countries Joint venture with other big playes New regulation; Completion from new and smaller competitors; Unclear trend of global economy Strengths Siemens is a German engineering conglomerate with considerable scale and market share; Siemens is a diversified group, with business in information and communications, automation and control, power, transportation, medical and lighting businesses. It have strong brand image. The brand of Siemens has good global market penetration. The brand is always connected with products of high quality in a lot of markets. It has steady financial performance in recent years (Dess, 2008). Over the years, Siemens has delivered steady financial results. Siemens net profits have a similar trend in recent years. Steady financial performance enables Siemens to manage its operations well and also improve the financial flexibility in the next a few years. Siemens is famous for its Strong RD capabilities, which is also an important factor for its business success. Its research and development (RD) investment keeps increasing in recent years; the average number of employees engaged in RD also keeps increasing (Grant, 2008). The groups focus in RD facilitates development of new products and enhancements to existing products help in maintaining its strong market position and serving a new segment of customers. The global economy needs diversity. Siemens has given diversity a permanent place in the corporate level strategy. In Siemens culture, in view of the shortage of highly qualified people and demographic changes, diversity is a prerequisite for Siemens long-term success. Weakness Siemens is less innovative in the low-cost new technology. For example, smaller companies like First Solar (FSLR) are more viable than Siemens as their technology becomes cheaper, so Siemens now face the pressure from smaller companies. Siemens is low in credit rating. Siemenss credit ratings were downgraded by some major global rating agencies in the recent years, which is partly due to its capital structure (Hungenberg, 2008). In November 2007, Moodys Investors Service downgraded Siemens long-term corporate credit rating from Aa3 to A1.Its finance is not good at generating cash flow, therefore, Siemens ability to obtain new funding and investment from external investors may be negatively affected by its low credit rating. Its internal controlling mode is not as effective as expected. Some reviewers said Siemens disclosure controls and procedures have been not effective due to material weakness in its internal control. In the area of anti-corruption and financial report, Siemens got a lot of trouble due to its weakness in internal control. Siemens relied on third party service organizations for most of its operational activities. It buys third party services for manufacturing, assembling and testing its products, while these third parties always have kinds of tie ups with multiple companies. Any problems from these third parties could adversely affect the groups operations. Heavy dependence on third party reduces the groups control over its operation and business costs. The consistence of the products could not be guaranteed, either. Opportunities During the financial crisis, a lot of small companies went bankrupt, some companies are of great value to enhance Siemens competency. It is a good time to buy these companies with low cost. Ally with a strong player is a good way to share the resource and enhance the competency of both companies. For example, joint venture is a good way. Nokia and Siemens established a 50-50 joint venture in 2007. The joint venture is called Nokia Siemens Networks, which combined Nokias networks business and Siemens carrier related operations for fixed and mobile networks. This joint venture is expected to provide significant long term returns to both groups. As all the countries are caring more about the environment, There is a increasing demand for environment friendly products, which is related to several products line of Siemens. Threats The new regulation of producers of electrical and electronic goods financially responsible for specified collection, recycling, treatment and disposal of past and future covered products post sizeable costs and liabilities to Siemens. Small companies are gaining market share by their products with lower price, which make the competition more intense. The global economy has not fully recovered from the financial crisis, so the market has not fully recovered, either. Besides, the credit is still tight, and it is very difficult for Siemens to get new funding from external capital market.

Analytical Essay: Riddle Of Inequality :: essays research papers

Analytical Essay: "The Riddle of Inequality" The riddle of inequality, as Tillich explains, "...Cannot be solved." This inequality is the divider of people, of the have's and have-nots. It seems that this riddle has confused people since the beginning of time and was even discussed in the bible. People always wonder why some have more than others do; they wonder why this happens and how it can change. I believe that this riddle is natural and cannot be changed despite he best efforts of people. Tillich attributes this mystery of have's and have-nots to many factors. First is that if you were granted with inherited talents then you should use them in life to the best of your ability. But if you let them go to waste, then these talents will ultimately be taken away. It is unfair when things are taken away that we might have taken for granted due to lack of attention, such as, "...[the] intense joy and the presence of the mystery of life through the freshness of the young day or the glory of the dying day..." These things are only taken away because we do not pay enough attention to the simple beauty in life and in nature. Although all of these are examples of inequality, I do not agree with Tillich when he claims that this is due to the presence of the divine, by the choice of God. I believe inequality comes from ourselves. We may embrace, or else let it slip away. It is through our lack of conscientiousness that life becomes unequal. I attribute the basic inequalities in nature as an effect of true nature, almost as far as survival of the fittest. Inequality is unfair but it is an aspect of life that people must deal with without an answer, without justification. When looking to God or any religious aspect for an answer you can only possibly answer the question yourself. When you pray or ask God a question you propose this question clearly to yourself. When you finally find an answer or solution it is not through the light of God, but through yourself and through your own learning and understanding of the world. Analytical Essay: Riddle Of Inequality :: essays research papers Analytical Essay: "The Riddle of Inequality" The riddle of inequality, as Tillich explains, "...Cannot be solved." This inequality is the divider of people, of the have's and have-nots. It seems that this riddle has confused people since the beginning of time and was even discussed in the bible. People always wonder why some have more than others do; they wonder why this happens and how it can change. I believe that this riddle is natural and cannot be changed despite he best efforts of people. Tillich attributes this mystery of have's and have-nots to many factors. First is that if you were granted with inherited talents then you should use them in life to the best of your ability. But if you let them go to waste, then these talents will ultimately be taken away. It is unfair when things are taken away that we might have taken for granted due to lack of attention, such as, "...[the] intense joy and the presence of the mystery of life through the freshness of the young day or the glory of the dying day..." These things are only taken away because we do not pay enough attention to the simple beauty in life and in nature. Although all of these are examples of inequality, I do not agree with Tillich when he claims that this is due to the presence of the divine, by the choice of God. I believe inequality comes from ourselves. We may embrace, or else let it slip away. It is through our lack of conscientiousness that life becomes unequal. I attribute the basic inequalities in nature as an effect of true nature, almost as far as survival of the fittest. Inequality is unfair but it is an aspect of life that people must deal with without an answer, without justification. When looking to God or any religious aspect for an answer you can only possibly answer the question yourself. When you pray or ask God a question you propose this question clearly to yourself. When you finally find an answer or solution it is not through the light of God, but through yourself and through your own learning and understanding of the world.