Platos Phaedo The Souls Immortality free essay sample

In the dialogue, Socrates discusses the nature of the afterlife on his last day before eing executed by drinking hemlock poison. Socrates has been imprisoned and sentenced to death by Athenian political leaders for not believing in Athenian gods and for corrupting the youth of the city. The dialogue is told from the perspective of one of Socrates students, Phaedo of Elis. Having been present at Socrates death bed, Phaedo relates the dialogue from that day to Echecrates, a fellow philosopher. By engaging in dialectic with a group of Socrates friends, including the Thebans Cebes nd Simmias, Socrates explores various arguments for the souls immortality in order to show that there is an afterlife in which the soul will dwell following death. Phaedo tells the story that following the discussion, he and the others were there to witness the death of Socrates. One of the main themes in the Phaedo is the idea that the soul is immortal. We will write a custom essay sample on Platos Phaedo: The Souls Immortality or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Socrates offers four arguments for the souls immortality: The Cyclical Argument, or Opposites Argument explains that Forms are eternal and nchanging, and as the soul always brings life, then it must not die, and is necessarily imperishable. As the body is mortal and is subject to physical death, the soul must be its indestructible opposite. Plato then suggests the analogy of fire and cold. If the form of cold is imperishable, and fire, its opposite, was within close proximity, it would have to withdraw intact as does the soul during death. This could be likened to the idea of the opposite charges of magnets. The Theory of Recollection xplains that we possess some non-empirical knowledge (e. g. The Form of Equality) at birth, implying the soul existed before birth to carry that knowledge. Another account of the theory is found in Platos Meno, although in that case Socrates implies Anamnesis (previous knowledge of everything) whereas he is not so bold in Phaedo. The Affinity Argument, explains that invisible, immortal, and incorporeal things are different from visible, mortal, and corporeal things. Our soul is of the former, while ur body is of the latter, so when our bodies die and decay, our soul will continue to live. The Argument from Form of Life explains that the Forms, incorporeal and static entities, are the cause of all things in the world, and all things participate in Forms. For example, beautiful things participate in the Form of Beauty; the number four participates in the Form of the Even, etc. The soul, by its very nature, participates in the Form of Life, which means the soul can never die. The Phaedo was first translated into Latin from Greek by Henry Aristippus in 1160.

Private School Headmasters Compensation

Private School Headmasters' Compensation Education professionals often earn significantly less than what they could earn in the business world or in other professions. However, there is  a group of leaders of private schools who are actually seeing surges in their salaries that pack quite the financial punch: the Head of School. What are these leaders really making and is it justified? The Head of School's Job Compensation Averages A head-of-school is a job that comes with enormous responsibility. At private schools, these high powered individuals have to run not only a school but also a business. Many people dont like to think of schools as businesses, but the truth is, they are. A Head of School will actually oversee a multi-million dollar business, some schools are billion dollar businesses when you consider endowments and operating budgets, and they are responsible for the well-being of hundreds of children every day. Boarding schools add another level of responsibility when it comes to leadership and oversight of children, as they are essentially open 24/7. The head is involved in not only the aspects of academics and ensuring students receive quality educations, but also hiring and HR, fundraising, marketing, budgeting, investing, crisis management, recruiting, and enrollment. The person who sits in this role must be a part of every aspect of the school.   When you consider the enormous expectations made of these dedicated individuals, most head of schools compensation is far below comparable levels in other fields. How far below? Significantly. The average compensation of the top 500 CEOs is in the millions according to Executive Paywatch. According to NAIS, the average compensation for a head of school is about $201,000, with boarding school heads edging out their peers with about $238,000. However, some schools also have presidents, which at the day school level are making comparable salaries, but are making an average of $330,000 at boarding schools.   But, thats not to say that Heads of Schools are hurting. An interesting note is that many private school heads also tend to receive extensive benefits, such as free housing and meals (even some day schools offer this), school vehicles, housekeeping services, country club memberships, discretionary funds, strong retirement benefits, and even expensive buyout packages should the school not be thrilled with his or her performance. This can easily equate to another $50,000-$200,000 in benefits, depending on the school.   Comparison to Public School College Compensation While many claim heads-of-schools make less than their corporate counterparts, the truth is that many actually  earn more than some  public school superintendents. The average salary without benefits for a superintendent is about $150,000 nationally. But some states, like New York, have superintendent salaries exceeding $400,000. In general, the salaries at Urban Schools tend to be greater for superintendents. Now, college presidents, by contrast, make significantly more than private school headmasters. Reports vary from source to source some claiming presidents average about $428,000, while others show the average is more than $525,000 annually with many earning well over $1,000,000 in annual compensation. The top 20 highest-paid presidents all earned over a million dollars annually, even in 2014.   Why Do Head-of-School salaries vary so much? Location significantly affects the salaries of these top-level positions, as does the school environment. Heads of schools, historically referred to as headmasters when the positions were held primarily by men, at junior schools (middle schools and elementary schools) tend to make significantly less than their secondary school counterparts, and boarding school heads tend to make the most due to a large amount of responsibility the school has in providing an appropriate homelife for students from around the world. Schools in small towns tend to offer smaller salaries, although many New England private schools buck that trend, with schools that are centuries old in small towns offering some of the top salaries in the country. A couple of years ago, the Boston Globe came out with a story about the surge of salaries in New England, uncovering several heads with salaries ranging from $450,000 to over a million dollars. Fast forward to 2017, and those heads are making even more, with increases equating to 25% raises in only a few years. School financials also play a role in head-of-school compensation. Naturally, those institutions with higher endowments and annual funds also tend to pay their leaders higher salaries. However, tuition doesnt always indicate the level of a head-of-schools salary. While some schools with high tuitions will indeed offer some of the most competitive compensation packages, those are usually schools that dont rely on tuition to cover the bulk of the operating budget. In general, the more tuition-driven a school in annually, the less likely it is that their head of school will be pulling the biggest dollars.   Compensation Information Sources The Form 990, which non-profit schools file annually, is similar to a tax return. It contains information about headmasters compensation, as well as other high paid employees. Unfortunately, to make sense of figures you have to examine several different pages of the filing. The elements of the compensation packages are complex and are contained under many different expense headings. If the school is a 501(c)(3) not for profit educational institution, it must file a Form 990 with the IRS annually. The Foundation Center and Guidestar are two sites that make these returns available online. Note: the cash salaries are somewhat misleading as most of these key employees receive significant allowances for housing, meals, transportation, travel, and retirement plans apart from their cash salaries. Figure an additional 15-30% for allowances and/or non-cash compensation. The gross amount in many cases exceeds $500,000, with some exceeding $1,000,000 with other compensation factored in. A sampling of head-of-school  and president base salaries ranked from highest to lowest, based on Form 990 submissions from 2014, unless otherwise noted: Episcopal High School, Alexandria, VA $605,610 with $114,487 in est. other compensationMilton Academy, Milton, MA $587,112 with $94,840 in est. other compensationPhillips Exeter Academy, Exeter, NH -  $551,143 with $299,463 in est. other compensationPhillips Academy, Andover, MA - $489,000 was reported in 2013, with no head of school compensation listed in 2014Choate Rosemary Hall,  Wallingford, CT $486,215 with $192,907 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - President $483,731 with $107,105 in est. other*Rye Country Day School, Rye, NY - $460,267 (down from $696,891 in 2013)Hackley School, Tarrytown, NY - $456,084 salary and $328,644 in est. other compensationDeerfield Academy, Deerfield, MA - $434,242 with $180,335 in est. other compensationWestern Reserve Academy, Hudson, OH - $322,484 with $128,589 in est. other compensationHarvard  Westlake School, Studio City, CA - Head  $320,540 with $112,395 in est. other*   *Figures from the 2015 Form 990 Some older 990 forms have revealed the following headmaster salaries, from highest to lowest. Well continue to update this information as we obtain it.   Greensboro Day School, Greensboro, NC $304,158The Brearley School, New York, NY $300,000Lancaster Country Day School, Lancaster, PA $299,240Poly Prep Country Day School, Brooklyn, NY $298,656Georgetown Day School, Washington, DC $296,202Culver Academies, Culver, IN $295,000St. Marks School of Texas, Dallas, TX $290,000Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights, OH $287,113Madeira School, Maclean, VA $286,847The Dalton Schools, New York, NY $285,000Hotchkiss School, Lakeville, CT $283,920Punahou School, Honolulu, HI $274,967Far Hills Country Day School, Far Hills, NJ $274,300Groton School, Groton, MA $258,243North Shore Country Day School, Winnetka, IL $250,000Avon Old Farms School, Avon, CT $247,743The Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ $242,314Kent School, Kent, CT $240,000Episcopal Academy, Merion, PA $232,743Cranbrook Schools, Bloomfield Hills, MI $226,600University School of Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI $224,400McCallie School, Chattanooga, TN $223,660Middlesex School, Concord, MA $223,000Sidw ell Friends School, Washington, DC $220,189 Ransom Everglades School, Miami, FL $220,000The Masters School, Dobbs Ferry, NY $216,028Greenwich Country Day School, Greenwich, CT $210,512Harvey School, Katonah, NY $200,000The Hill School, Pottstown, PA $216,100Taft School, Watertown, CT $216,000Shore Country Day School, Beverly, MA $206,250Miami Country Day School, Miami, FL $200,000Village School, Pacific Palisades, CA $210,000Lake Forest Country Day School, Lake Forest, IL $188,677Hillel School of Metropolitan Detroit, Farmington Hills, MI $156,866Annie Wright School, Tacoma, WA $151,410Foxcroft School, Middleburg, VA $150,000Ravenscroft School, Raleigh, NC $143,700Forman School, Litchfield, CT $142,500 Are Headmasters' Compensation Packages Justifiable? A good headmaster deserves to be well-paid. The head of a private school must be a top-notch fundraiser, a superb public relations person, a fine administrator and a dynamic community leader. How lucky we are to have talented educators and administrators who lead private schools rather than manage a Fortune 100 enterprise. Many of them could make 5 or 10 or even 20 times as much as they currently do. Trustees need to review their key employees compensation packages annually and improve them as much as they can. Its extremely important to attract and retain talented administrators in our private schools. Our childrens future depends on it. Resources:Pay Soars For Headmasters at Mass. Prep SchoolsHeadmasters Salaries On The Rise

Answering Question Number One

However, as competition intensified, the company thinkers decided to overhaul the system and to go for more profit. This re-invention of the company was successful but only for a time. The atmosphere changed and soon the company found itself wondering where to start again.   Go Ahead Enterprises evolved from a manufacturing organization into a marketing one. This made the significant over-turn of the company, which sadly, was an unforeseen suicidal path. The company reduced its number of employees and moved to the city where it could market toys. It has stopped manufacturing its own metal toys. It sold its manufacturing plant. This decision was a critical one since the company never realized its important resource- the plant itself. Having a manufacturing plant is one key for sustainability.   Plus, the company is sure that each metal toy manufactured is at its best. Quality is assured. The demands or orders for the products can be handled easily since Go Ahead Enterprises supervises its own operation. Selling the manufacturing plant was an unwise move. Losing a great deal number of people is also critical since they are the company’s best asset. Letting go of competent and trained staff or employees is a loss to the company, too. People are one great resource that brings additional investments and profit. However, cutting knowledgeable and skilled employees off from the company may also result to downfall. The company’s big bosses’ decision to source instead of manufacturing its own metal toys became a major disappointment in the long run. Go Ahead Enterprises created a niche for itself in the market. Changing the position of that niche affects the company. What Go Ahead Enterprises did was to create another niche for itself by turning into a marketing company. It used to produce metal toys under its brand name.   But since the big bosses decided to make a complete overhaul, the company lost its niche as the manufacturer of metal toys. The company leaders’ decision was enough to ruin the company unintentionally.   On organisational level, they have induced the change. What they failed to see is the long-term effect of that decision. They saw profits coming in like never before. But an initial success is not a guarantee of future sustainability and growth. The company leaders never saw that right and noble decisions may sometime lead to a bitter path.   They should have seen the consequences first before jumping to conclusion and endanger the company’s growth, position in the market and quality of products. On the other hand, environmental factors do play a big part. Globalization floods the market with cheap products. This resulted to steeping competition and fight for consumers’ favor. Globalization made the market more diversified with more choices and alternatives. The consumers are left confused, bewildered and happy. The consumers are happy because influx of goods means affordability. They get to choose the products which suit their purse. Yet, cheap goods are sometimes made of inferior quality. Satisfaction is still an issue. There are consumers who still opt to buy branded products even if it is priced higher than the usual ones. Better to spend much than to be sorry, so they say. Go Ahead Enterprises banked on globalisation and joined the bandwagon to keep itself on top of the game. It imitated other companies which are also changing their company’s course to accommodate changes. The environmental change brought by globalization has transformed, but not necessarily improved Go Ahead Enterprises. Losing the company’s niche, its manufacturing plant and its key people brought the company lower than what it used to be. Go Ahead should have maintained its manufacturing and strengthened its niche in the market. The leaders should have come up with more strategies rather than adopting a strategic plan, which in the end, brought more harm than profit. The company must focus on its vision and keep the main thing â€Å"the main thing† (Hybels 2002). In this case, Go Ahead Enterprises’ fate will be on its feet again if it will re-align its strength, assets, priorities, and focus on the main thing. It may not be money or profit but company reputation and sustainability. List of References Hybels, B. 2002, Courageous Leadership, Zondervan Publishing, Michigan. Answering Question Number One However, as competition intensified, the company thinkers decided to overhaul the system and to go for more profit. This re-invention of the company was successful but only for a time. The atmosphere changed and soon the company found itself wondering where to start again.   Go Ahead Enterprises evolved from a manufacturing organization into a marketing one. This made the significant over-turn of the company, which sadly, was an unforeseen suicidal path. The company reduced its number of employees and moved to the city where it could market toys. It has stopped manufacturing its own metal toys. It sold its manufacturing plant. This decision was a critical one since the company never realized its important resource- the plant itself. Having a manufacturing plant is one key for sustainability.   Plus, the company is sure that each metal toy manufactured is at its best. Quality is assured. The demands or orders for the products can be handled easily since Go Ahead Enterprises supervises its own operation. Selling the manufacturing plant was an unwise move. Losing a great deal number of people is also critical since they are the company’s best asset. Letting go of competent and trained staff or employees is a loss to the company, too. People are one great resource that brings additional investments and profit. However, cutting knowledgeable and skilled employees off from the company may also result to downfall. The company’s big bosses’ decision to source instead of manufacturing its own metal toys became a major disappointment in the long run. Go Ahead Enterprises created a niche for itself in the market. Changing the position of that niche affects the company. What Go Ahead Enterprises did was to create another niche for itself by turning into a marketing company. It used to produce metal toys under its brand name.   But since the big bosses decided to make a complete overhaul, the company lost its niche as the manufacturer of metal toys. The company leaders’ decision was enough to ruin the company unintentionally.   On organisational level, they have induced the change. What they failed to see is the long-term effect of that decision. They saw profits coming in like never before. But an initial success is not a guarantee of future sustainability and growth. The company leaders never saw that right and noble decisions may sometime lead to a bitter path.   They should have seen the consequences first before jumping to conclusion and endanger the company’s growth, position in the market and quality of products. On the other hand, environmental factors do play a big part. Globalization floods the market with cheap products. This resulted to steeping competition and fight for consumers’ favor. Globalization made the market more diversified with more choices and alternatives. The consumers are left confused, bewildered and happy. The consumers are happy because influx of goods means affordability. They get to choose the products which suit their purse. Yet, cheap goods are sometimes made of inferior quality. Satisfaction is still an issue. There are consumers who still opt to buy branded products even if it is priced higher than the usual ones. Better to spend much than to be sorry, so they say. Go Ahead Enterprises banked on globalisation and joined the bandwagon to keep itself on top of the game. It imitated other companies which are also changing their company’s course to accommodate changes. The environmental change brought by globalization has transformed, but not necessarily improved Go Ahead Enterprises. Losing the company’s niche, its manufacturing plant and its key people brought the company lower than what it used to be. Go Ahead should have maintained its manufacturing and strengthened its niche in the market. The leaders should have come up with more strategies rather than adopting a strategic plan, which in the end, brought more harm than profit. The company must focus on its vision and keep the main thing â€Å"the main thing† (Hybels 2002). In this case, Go Ahead Enterprises’ fate will be on its feet again if it will re-align its strength, assets, priorities, and focus on the main thing. It may not be money or profit but company reputation and sustainability. List of References Hybels, B. 2002, Courageous Leadership, Zondervan Publishing, Michigan.

Four stories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Four stories - Essay Example So each man was correct from the own perspective, yet each were also wrong, in insisting that his was the only correct version. As the village wise man said, â€Å"Each one of you is correct; and each one of you is wrong.  Ã‚   Because each one of you had only touched a part of the elephant’s body.   Thus, you only have a partial view of the animal.   If you put your partial views together, you will get an idea of what an elephant looks like.† Thus, here the story relates to our daily experiences, where we tend to see things exclusively from our own viewpoint, while failing to comprehend what others feel about the same issue.  It is essential that we try to understand other people’s viewpoints, in order to  get a correct perspective of a certain situation, with judge it with an open and unbiased mind. This is most relevant to the topic of the varying religious views, where all are in search of God, and each with their narrow perspectives view only a par t, and fight with the other, about their varying notions. They fail to understand that it is the same God that they examine, only from a different perspective. Thus, instead of fighting like the blind men, men should work together, on solving the jigsaw puzzle. This would help them to understand God better, while also ensuring that there is peace in this world. Thus, the question that comes into the mind is that, in this modern world, when we see so much of religion related violence around us, is it not time that we stop behaving like the blind men and insist that only our way of viewing the elephant is correct? It is essential that we learn to tolerate and respect other people’s views, which would help to would ensure our happiness, while also giving us a complete perspective of the Supreme Being called God. The lost son The  Lost Son, also known as the  prodigal son, is one of the most famous  parables of Jesus Christ, found in the  Canonical gospels  of the  Ne w Testament. Here, we find that a younger son after taking his share of inheritance moves to a distance land, where he wastes his entire fortune by squandering away the money (in Gospel of Luke, 15:11-32). After wasting his fortune, the son toils for some time and finally repents. On returning home he is lovingly welcomed back by his father, who says his younger son, had long died, but had finally become alive once more, and had come back home. In the end when the elder son questions his father, as to he who had been staying with him and obeying his instructions throughout, had never had a goat killed in his honour, yet, when the younger son who had abandoned his father comes back, he gets a loving treatment and a calf killed in his honour. Here, we can interpret that the elder son who has been with his father, always had received everything; while the younger son who had left everything to search for something better, had suffered terribly, and now was repenting his prodigal ways, and so must be welcomed back into the fold. Here the elder son views the situation in terms of â€Å"law, merit, and reward† (Arland , 2002, 70), while the father representing Divine Love refuses to be bound by any limits to his grace or mercy. Here, what stands out is that, all sinners receive God’s grace and love, as he repents for his actions. Thus, one can say, to err (or to sin) is human, while to forgive is divine, and any person who is repentant, becomes a part

Sales and marketing PROJECT 213 Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sales and marketing PROJECT 213 - Research Paper Example ilities around the area like dawn beach, on the beach, Saint Maarten Zoo, Museum of Saint Maarten, Guana Bay Beach and the University of Saint Marten. The property is well situated, and it provides a good place to spend holidays and honeymoon in St. Maarten. People visiting the hotel have fun at the white sand beaches and the blue-green waters (Westin Hotel and Resorts, 2015). The property is located alongside other properties that offer recreation and education services. Some people visiting recreation centres in the area end up spending their nights at the hotel. Dawn beach is adjacent to the hotel about 0.4 km away. The beach is usually busy with people from the area and others from other places of the world. Dawn beach is advantageous because most of the people visiting the beach end up spending at the hotels rooms. On the other hand, people who visit Dawn Beach pollute the environment making most of the people not willing to spend in the hotel. Another property in the areas is Guana Bay Beach, that has the same value with the Dawn Beach. The Museum of Saint Maarten is another property that is important to the hotel. People visiting the museum include students, families, couples and business people. Most of the people visiting the museum spend time at the hotel, eating, drinking and spending at the hotel rooms. The University of St. Maarten has increa sed the population of the area providing more customers to the hotel. The university is located 4.9 km from the hotel. Most of the students at the university come from different countries and spend their free time at the beaches. Students from the University visit the hotel for drinks and launch. The lecturers and staff also use the hotel for the conference and special meeting. The university visitors spend their nights at the hotel (Westin Hotel and Resorts, 2015). In Saint Maarten, there are many hotels that compete direct with the Westin Dawn Beach Resort. The managers and the directors value and rate the

Reign of God Essay Example for Free

Reign of God Essay I have read chapter three in Reign of God in its entirety. In chapter 3, it described about God’s character and the basis of God’s kingdom. Everyone knows that the father of Jesus Christ is God. And God has relation to Jesus identifies him as God to us. So if we want to know God, we need to go to Jesus first. To summarize what is the most important statement in the Bible is â€Å" God is love. † Love is the first and the last word in the biblical portrait of God. Some people may think that love is the most difficult things to learn in our entire life. But God had already told us what love is though the bible. Love is the essence of God’s nature. Love is what it means to be God. To the english word â€Å"love† ,it covers an enormous range of meaning. We use love to describe our attitude toward everything from our favourite food, people that important to us and also things that we treasure. Nowadays, we use love and we say it with no any condition. But is there anyone can able to be uncondition to love others? Maybe yes, but I can sure about that, there are only a few amount of human in the world. However, God can. He love the world that he gave his one and only son to us. This is how God showed his love amoung us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he oved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins† (1 John 4:9-10). God’s love is very powerful and tenacious. It is powerful enough to let him forgive our sins. People often wonder how the same being can be at once a compassionate, forgiving parent and a stern judge og evildoers. Since God’s love is unconditional, so he can accept our sins and give a second chance to amend ourselves.

Genophilosophy Essay -- Philosophy Philosophical Essays

Genophilosophy ABSTRACT: Contemporary progress in life sciences, particularly in genetic engineering, is changing our concept of "human being" and a whole series of other philosophical and common notions. The conventional idea of "subject" will no longer be the final reference for philosophical thinking, since even the subject qua biological or psychological structure will enjoy a high degree of unpredictability. The results of gene technology require reinterpreting such concepts as reproduction, individuality, history, freedom and subjectivity. This paper focuses on the question of freedom, where freedom means the capacity to deliberate and choose between different alternatives of action. We hold that the issue of freedom is relevant for genetics. Considering that genes can "decide" between alternatives, it is possible to speak about the freedom of genes, at least in a metaphoric sense. It has been suggested that genes are "more free" than human beings because they encoded us. The human genome pro gram thus helps us to understand what kind of structures human beings are dependent upon. The main question that we address in this paper concerns the entire human genome project and all its implications including the functions and effects of each gene, the possibility of technological manipulation, what kind of freedom, history, and "human being" will eventually "survive." Recent developments in molecular biology and genetic engineering are going to change our human being concept and a whole series of other philosophical and common notions, such as "knowledge", "subject", "self", "history", "past", "science", "ethics", etc. The traditional idea of "subject" won't be any more the only final reference of philosophical thinking, si... ...philosophy ? a higher speed mutant of ancient type philosophy ? should prevail with a main task to investigate and understand the consequences of these new technologies and to represent it in scientific, social and ethical debates. Similar to when Kant urged philosophers in the eighteenth century to turn towards humans, now there is a need to turn towards genes. In continuous dialogs and partnerships with life scientists and politicians, philosophers have to develop new merits of freedom, person and evolution and to investigate the possible ways of improving human life on earth. We have to remember on the pragmatic adage, if philosophy and science lack social fruits in the long run, then it does not deserve the attention of the society. On the other hand, if the science and society do not open up for philosophical deliberations, it can have monstrous consequences.

Introduction to Computer Application & Systems Essay

Introduction to Computer Application & Systems March 6, 2012 Dr. Xuan Yu ? Technology has gone from the days of the pony express to advancing at a rate of a mile a minute to now evolving to what seems like the speed of light or faster. With such a fast paced environment of change in technology, policies and laws must adapt to be compatible to those advancements in order to provide the best method to govern the laws and policies and protect its people. This paper will explore how technological advancements have influenced crucial changes in two essential policies: the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and the Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA). The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, an extension of the Federal Wiretap Statute, was endorsed in 1986 (Justice Information Sharing, 2010). This was a necessary implementation with how technology was diversifying ways to communicate and share information. In order to oversee and safeguard technological advancements such as email, cordless and cell phone communications, and electronically stored data the federal government had to amend and sometimes put into operation new policies. These policies, like the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, minimize many ethical issues that came along with the development of these advancements. As technology experimented with ideals such as wireless connection, it gave way to many unethical and at times illegal practices. Ethical issues that the Electronic Communications Privacy Act had to address included accessibility and privacy; information could be shared outside the confinement of a person’s home or business. The government needed to find a way that would control and guard how this information was access, collected and stored. Implementing the Electronic Communications Privacy Act allowed government officials to include devices outside the scope of the Federal Wiretap Statute. Eight years before the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, financial businesses latched on to this idea of transferring information which cause governmental official to step in and implement the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. This ct is intended to protect people who engage in transferring and sharing private financial information such as bank account numbers and personal information through devices such as automated teller machines (ATMs) and point-of-sale terminals

Motorcycle and financial services Essay

Abstract The strength of Harley-Davidson’s brand and dominant market position give the firm a wide moat, in our opinion. However, weaker consumer spending and tight credit markets are presenting the firm with some significant near-term challenges. In addition, we believe the firm must carefully broaden the appeal of its brand to secure its long-term success. Harley-Davidson is a cult brand that resonates around the world. There are more than 1 million members of the Harley Owners Group, and every year several hundred thousand Harley fans attend biking events at Daytona, Fla. , and Sturgis, S. D. It’s no wonder that over 50% of Harley’s revenues are generated from repeat sales and these sales are at premium prices to other motorcycle brands. In addition, with almost a 50% share of the U. S. market, Harley also achieves economies of scale greater than most of its competitors. A Harley is not just a bike it is an investment. brand loyalty, its economies of scale, and its network of mostly exclusive dealers have created significant barriers to entry, and as a result, Harley has achieved historical operating margins of over 20% and returns on invested capital of over 40%, excluding the financial services segment. JIT Principles JIT is an operational strategy which helps in making inventory levels lean. An organisation which goes for synchronous manufacturing incorporates JIT to have lower inventory levels. Synchronous manufacturing encompasses techniques of JIT to achieve the target. Organisations which have implemented JIT and are using synchronous manufacturing have a very lean system. It has minimum wastage and the highest possible quality. These organisations are cost effective and generally have higher margins than their competitors. This results in higher level of efficiency in the organisation and a better work environment. BPI helps in management of inventory and related operations. It is very important that organisation understand the importance of new methods and reengineer their processes in line with the requirements. The minimum level of inventory which is required as WIP is determined by the organization and then control efforts are put in so that there is always the minimum level available and it would never cross the maximum level. This is done because one cannot hold high levels of inventory because it comes at a very high cost and is an occupational and can be a operation hazard. The strength of Harley-Davidson’s brand and dominant market position give the firm a wide moat, in our opinion. However, weaker consumer spending and tight credit markets are presenting the firm with some significant challenges and we believe the firm must carefully expand the appeal of its brand to secure its long term success. Harley-Davidson is a cult brand that resonates around the world. There are more than 1 million members of the Harley Owners Group, and every year several hundred thousand Harley fans attend biking events at Daytona, Fla. , and Sturgis, S. D. It’s no wonder that over 50% of Harley’s revenues are generated from repeat sales and these sales are at premium prices to other motorcycle brands. In addition, with almost a 50% share of the U. S. market, Harley also achieves economies of scale greater than most of its competitors. The intensity of the firm’s brand loyalty, its economies of scale, and its network of mostly exclusive dealers have created significant barriers to entry, and as a result, Harley has achieved historical operating margins of over 20% and returns on invested capital of over 40%, excluding the financial services segment. Despite its strong brand, sagging consumer spending on high-ticket items is likely to continue to depress volumes in the near term, and we expect the economic downturn to prolong the period of failing sales through 2010/11. The firm has already cut production in an attempt to trim costs in line with faling demand. in addition, just over half of Harley’s motorcycle revenues are derived from retail sales made on credit. We think that the lack of available funds on the wholesale markets and the shrinking of the number of qualifying customers will make it difficult for the company’s financial services division to continue to support retail sales by providing credit to customers. Harley must address some long-term challenges. The firm has been focused on a narrow demographic group (around 89% of customers are male) and the median age of Harley’s customers has been on a long-term upward trend. We believe that the firm must find ways to broaden the appeal of its brand without alienating its core customer base. Harley has grown in recent years in the international market , and revenues generated abroad have risen to 25% of total revenues in 2007 from 19% in 2004. Although the firm has recently introduced a performance motorcycle for the European market, I think that it may find it difficult to deliver customized products for overseas markets while supporting its brand franchise. Risk Harley’s revenues could be severely hurt by a further weakening of the global economy and increased reductions in consumer spending on high-ticket discretionary items, and the firm may not be able to securitize its receivables if the asset-backed security market is slow to recover. Harley’s sales are focused on a thin demographic segment: 35- to 54-year-old males. In our opinion, the firm must broaden its appeal in order to secure its long-term profitability, but any missteps in marketing its products to other demographic segments could damage the brand. Harley-Davidson’s brand resonates around the world, and it has particular strength in its key target market of 35- to 54-year-olds.   Historically, Harley has generated free cash flow at around 15% of revenues, allowing the firm to develop a strong track record of returning cash to shareholders through dividends and stock repurchases.   Through the downturn, Harley’s management has been careful to maintain spending on research and development and marketing, important steps in maintaining the strength of the brand, in our opinion. The firm has worked successfully with its network of dealers to significantly reduce dealer inventory over the last 12 months.   Harley’s core demographic, the baby boomer generation, is aging, and that’s likely to reduce demand for Harley’s products in the future. In order to mitigate the negative impact on revenues, the firm must improve its penetration in other segments. * Harley is likely to continue to face some severe short-term head winds, with anemic consumer spending likely to hurt revenues through 2010. The large inventory of used Harley motorcycles is likely to contribute to Harley’s near-term challenges, as a greater number of under-pressure consumers may opt for a cheaper used model in the secondary market.   The turmoil in the credit markets is likely to raise the cost of the short-term capital required to fund HDFS.   Despite raising the retail rate on its loans, I expect the operating margins of HDFS to come under severe pressure through 2009. HDFS may also find it difficult to raise financing for retail credit in the wholesale markets. This could restrict the number of loans the firm can make to customers and thwart the firm’s attempts to support retail sales volumes. Inventory Management in Harley Davidson Growth: Historically, the strong spending power of the baby boomers, Harley’s core demographic, has been favourable for the motorbike manufacturer. As the baby boomers age, however, I expect slowing domestic revenue growth to be only partially mitigated by international expansion. Profile: Harley-Davidson is the world’s leading manufacturer of heavyweight motorcycles, parts, and accessories. It sells the Softail, Sportster, Dyna, Touring, and VRSC models under the Harley-Davidson name, and it also manufactures the Buell brand. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides wholesale financing to dealers and retail financing and insurance brokerage services to customers. Strategy: Harley leverages its strong brand to sell a broad range of motorcycling-related products. The firm is attempting to broaden its appeal to more demographic groups by expanding its product line-up. It is also focused on international expansion, and it has introduced a new performance-based bike in an attempt to increase its share in overseas markets. Management: I think the quality of corporate governance at Harley-Davidson is above average. I applaud the firm for splitting the chairman and CEO roles between two individuals, although I am concerned that the relationship between the two individuals serving in these roles may weaken the chairman’s ability to provide independent oversight. CEO James Ziemer’s career at Harley blossomed under the leadership of former CEO and current Chairman Jeffrey L. Bluestein. In addition, although nine of the firm’s 12 directors meet the NYSE definition of â€Å"independent,† a total of six of them have served on the board for over a decade, and I believe that their long-term relationships with management, together with some related-party transactions, may further compromise their independence. Having said that, the Harley-Davidson board does contain a solid range of legal, accounting, and executive experience. Management compensation is skewed to long-term incentive components, and I think that this aligns the interests of the management team with those of shareholders. The firm has a strong track record of returning cash to shareholders, both through dividend disbursements and share buyback programs. Harley Reports Lower 3Q Earnings I am leaving our fair value estimate for Harley-Davidson in place following the release of third-quarter earnings, which were in line with our expectations. Revenue fell 8% year over year, to $1. 42 billion, as the economic downturn hurt retail sales volume, which declined 14%. The bright spot was international sales, but only a small part of the 11. 3% rise in international revenues was attributable to volume increases; most of the increase was caused by favourable currency movements. At Harley-Davidson Financial Services, the customer finance division, third-quarter earnings fell 28% from the same period last year, to $35. 6 million, because of lower securitization income and the write-down of some finance receivables held for sale. I was pleased to note that the firm is being proactive in securing alternative sources of funding for the finance division, in the event that it cannot raise funds in the unsecured debt market. However, we expect that Harley’s funding requirements would be met comfortably by its bank credit facility, if required. Supply side & Economic Scenario Given the continued macroeconomic deterioration and tightness in credit markets, I am raising our fair value uncertainty rating for Harley-Davidson. The company’s growth has decelerated during the last three years, and year-over-year shipments were down 15% last quarter. In addition, we see significant downside risks to the contribution from Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Last quarter, financial services income was down 43% because of a $20 million reduction in securitization gains. Financial income was also affected by a $6 million write-down in retained securitization interests. Since that time credit markets have seized up, and it’s likely the firm will report increasing charge-offs on consumer loans in the coming quarters. Summary Business process reengineering is very critical for companies and industries which survive on innovation. Sometimes there are cases when old processes in the company are dying and their is a pressing need to rejuvenate then. This process of is known as business process reengineering. A company that does not innovate dies out in the market. Old operations over time die down and new process needs to be rebuilt into the system. This is where the concept of business processes engineering is very critical. The objective of the paper is to critically evaluate symptoms which suggests organisation to go for business process reengineering & then come up with one of those symptoms and write a detailed analysis of it. References: http://www. emeraldinsight. com. / Gao, F, Li, M.& Clarke, S. (2008). Knowledge, management, and knowledge management in business operations. Nonaka, I. (2005). Knowledge Management: Critical Perspectives on Business and Management. Taylor & Francis. Tait, A & Richardson, K. A. (2010). Complexity and Knowledge Management Understanding the Role of Knowledge in the Management of Social Networks. IAP Goldman, A. (n. d. ). Eliminating Bottlenecks. Retrieved 28th March, 2011, from http://www. gaebler. com (n. d. ). Retrieved Mar 27th, 2011, from Customer Relationship MAnagement: http://www. customerthink.com (n. d. ). Retrieved Mar 27th, 2011, from More is not value Proposition: http://sinekpartners. typepad. com Auction site. (n. d. ). Retrieved MAr 27th, 2011, from Harley Davidson Value: http://harleyauctionsite. com Harley Davidson USA. (2011, MAr 27). Retrieved Mar 17, 2011, from Harley Davidson: http://www. harley-davidson. com Impact Factory. (2010, Feb 2nd). Retrieved mar 27th, 2011, from http://www. impactfactory. com http://www. h-dsn. com/genbus/links. jsp Management Research Review. (2000) Johan Van Nimwegen, Brian H. Kleiner, Volume 23 issue 7/8.

20 Research Paper Topics on the History of the Middle East

20 Research Paper Topics on the History of the Middle East In our previous guide, 10 facts for a research paper on the history of the Middle East, we discussed facts that could help you compose a competent research paper, however, picking a suitable topic out of many for your research paper can be a daunting task. Our second guide focuses on providing you with 20 topics for the Middle East research paper that are suitable for your research. You can select any one you see appropriate to write upon or even come up with your own. Besides mentioning these 20 topics, we have also written a structured essay that contains credible information. This short sample essay will help you get a clear picture on how to write an essay or research paper on the topic you have chosen. We have also mentioned a few references at the bottom to help you discover more information on a particular topic. This last guide holds all the keys and tips on how to write a better research paper to help you score top notch marks. So, here are our 20 topics you can consider when you’re writing a research paper on the history of Middle East:   How has the Great Pyramid of Egypt Managed to Stay Undamaged for over a Century?   How the Discovery of Oil Changed The Middle Eastern Economy   A study on Increasing Population of the Middle East and The Risks It Causes   Why Was Turkey Unaffected During World War II   Why America’s Interest in the Middle East is Growing Day by Day   A Study on how and when Middle East Political Disputes Began.   A Research on the Impact of Media in Middle Eastern Wars.   How the Palestine Conflict Started.   Why Saudi Arabia Remain Safe During World War II   The Role of Foreign Countries in the Prevailing Unrest in the Middle East   A Conceptual Study of the Traditional Islamic Ideology in the Middle East.   A Study on Influence of Religious History in the Middle East.   The Impact of War on the Middle East.   How Historical problems originated in the Middle East?   A Study on Overgrowing Refugee Problem in Middle East.   How and Why Turkey Adopted to both Western and Islamic Principles.   How the Ottoman’s Got Out of the Middle East Are Foreign Forces a Cause of Palestine-Israel Conflict How Saudi Arabia Became a Leader in the Middle East Why Jews Started to Settle in Palestine These topics would without a doubt help you grasp the initial idea on how to begin composing your research paper. To make things much simpler, we have picked one of the topics from the 20 given topics to create an essay that will help you understand the dynamics better. Here is a sample essay to help you understand. Sample Essay: How and Why Turkey Adopted to Both Western and Islamic principles? The Middle East was always a home to some religions and customs. Cultural conflicts were on the rise and people used to follow in the footsteps of their ancestors, without giving it a second thought. During this time, a revolution strike pushing some people to try what others had to offer, and Turkey was one such country. It started to learn more about the western world and understand its customers. Many say this also has to do a lot with the country’s geographical location as it is a part of Europe as well. If we have a look a Turkey now, after 200 years, it is centered around the western ways and traditions to quite an extent. However, deep down it is following Islamic ways. The everyday lives of the Turks have been a mixture of both eastern and western cultures. Turks are descendants of Djingis Khan, and they fall into the family of Uzbeks. They were influenced by the rulers of Ottoman Empire. Ottomans had been trying to adapt to the western ways as they thought westernization was important to survive in that era, especially when they were falling out of favor. The historical background of the people of Turkey doesn’t completely fall under one category. They have adapted to a little of every culture since the very beginning. Turkey can be labeled as the bridge between the Europe, Asia, and Arabia, however not just geographically, but also when it comes to customs and traditions. Accommodating western culture into the Turkish society was a well-thought-out move. However, neighboring Islamic states did not approve of it. Islamists see western culture as an opposing force towards Islam, but the Turks think otherwise. They think that adapting to a bit of western culture would allow them to grow more. Hayat is one of the oldest magazines that served in Turkey back in the days, and Hollywood movie actors are still quite famous in Turkey as they were before. During 1957 1958, the Hayat magazine was on the rise in popularity,   such famous artists as Ava Gardner, Brigitte Bardot, Elizabeth Taylor, Sylvia Lopez, Ingrid Bergman and Susan Hayward were found on the covers of the Hayat magazine and Hollywood’s love among the Turks kept on increasing with time. The Turks began to follow the lifestyle of the American actors. Western literature also influenced Turkish literature. Immersed in the western ideologies and styles, Turkish writers love following the western style of writing. They are found to be translating western work into Turkish work. A Turkish social thinker called Ziya Gokalp once wrote: â€Å"We belong to the Turkish nation, Islamic community, and western civilization. Our literature must direct itself to the people and, at the same time, to the West. † Turkish people are American food lovers as well. You can also find alcohol and pork easily in the country, despite it being a Muslim nation and Islam prohibiting drinking and pork. However, according to experts, this is largely due to the nation’s wish to promote tourism and welcome international guests. There you have it, let us now move on to our third and final guide which focuses on how to write a good research paper on a specific topic. But before that, let’s have a look at the references mentioned below. References: Regan Austin, Jesse DeLauder, Rebecca Luhrs, Laura Adriance, Austin Stockwell Tese Wintz Neighbor (2008), Turkish Culture and Society: Where East Meets West. https://www.world-affairs.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/turkey_resource_packet__study_unit__cba_-_web_version_final.pdf Douglas Arthur Howard (2013). The History of Turkey. Greenwood Publishing Metz, Helen Chapin, ed. (1996). Turkish Origins (fifth ed.). Imber, Colin (2014). The Ottoman Empire, 1300–1650, The Structure of Power Schaller, Dominik J; Zimmerer, Jà ¼rgen (2008). Late Ottoman genocides: the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire and Young Turkish population and extermination policies – introduction Rafis Abazov (2009). Culture and Customs of Turkey. Mango, Andrew (2000). Atatà ¼rk: The Biography of the Founder of Modern Turkey

Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 11

Research - Essay Example Their functions include planning and proactively monitoring and forecasting the changing requirements of the individual, coordinating his\her information regarding the care across all parts of the social and health care system, coordinating the care delivered to a patient group, facilitating communications between the hierarchies and care providers, overseeing the follow up of consultations and ensuring the linkage to other services, eliminating intervention and task duplication and ensuring implementation of the plans and their follow up (Mullahy, 1998). In summary, their functions can be generalized into four basics: A case manager should be possessing competencies in clinical training and having background knowledge of the job, communication and negotiation skills are imperative in such a job. Case managers need to be able to satisfactorily educate the patients and care providers. Possession of dexterity and in-depth knowledge of the ethics plus a strong character can help a case manager to voice dissidence when it is unavoidable. The case manager must be a strong problem-solver so that he can quickly and aptly solve technical, organizational and relational problems which might arise and so that he can avoid any variances to the plan all the way in its anticipated duration (Steinberg, 1996). Other competencies that a case manager shows are an aptitude for working in a team and a propensity for meeting hosting. Significant decision-making and leadership qualities are central to this role. A case manager has to be able to assert her belief in the case and communicate effectively to get others to follow the guidelines of the case management and adhere to them. Investigative skills play an important role in the case manager’s profile as they help him in overseeing, evaluating and correcting the implementation of the clinical

Cybercrime and Strategic Decision Making Term Paper

Cybercrime and Strategic Decision Making - Term Paper Example As the study stresses the development of information technology has been driving the world towards becoming more digitalization. The digitalization of the world has lead towards the emergence of new and potential threat of cybercrime. Different types of cybercrime have been constantly increasing with which the business communities are frequently required to deal. The increasing cyber-crime and hacking are firmly driven by several factors. That may include nation-states and political goals. Simultaneously, the frequency of cyber-attacks such as hacking has soared to manifold in the recent years and has been practiced routinely. The major global corporations in the recent time have been experiencing an increased level of hacking events. From the report it is clear that cybercrime is often regarded as a set of practices associated with computer crime, which involves breaching security policies and accessing confidential information through an unauthorized access. It is a particular instrument to conduct illegal activities such as fraud, unauthorized access, intentional system malfunctioning or damage of other’s electronic assets. The economic consequences of cybercrime and hacking are conceived to substantial particularly for the businesses engaged in e-commerce. The immediate impact cybercrime and hacking on the organization is associated with the damage to IT system. The organization falling victim of these cyber-attacks is likely to experience disruption of business functioning as well as delays in transaction and cash flow