The Convergence of Business and Technology

The Convergence of Business and Technology While technological convergence is no longer a new idea, the fascination with the subject lies with the capabilities and applications of both hybrid and brand new technological platforms and the ways previous stand alone industries, have been reconfigured and thereby mobilised to provide enhanced service delivery. Such convergence pertains to the â€Å"digitisation of communications and the ways discrete media formats have become accessible to other media forms; have been further factors in this process† (Saltzis, 2007). In technical terms, Saltzis (2007) reminds us that â€Å"the new technologies convergence can be attributed to developments in digitization, bandwidth and compression; as well as interactivity. Moreover, the rapidity and pervasiveness of technological convergence has seized the entrepreneurial imagination and arrested the attention of economic rationalists, with respect to â€Å"the devices used by institutions within the communications and media industries, as well as the information they process, distribute, and exchange over and through these devices† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37). Such convergence also focuses upon the â€Å"integration of or interface between and among different media systems and organizations, made possible by the development of new technologies† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37). With this being said, a more fertile field to explore, derives from the recognition that while technology continues to converge, so does the corporate world. The nub of this issue is the nature and extent of the link between these two types of convergence, and the nuanced ways in which one shapes and is shaped by the other. Corporate convergence, according to Babe (1996:284-285) refers to the â€Å"mergers, amalgamations, and diversifications, whereby media organisations come to operate across previously distinct industry boundaries.† Babe extends this explanation stating that corporate convergence refers to the non-technical features of convergence, which also â€Å"contribute to the blurring of industry boundaries† (Babe 1996: 284-285). Examples he cites in the 1990’s from his Canadian context include â€Å" Time Warner combining book publishing, music recording, and movie making, not to mention cable television, (while) Rogers Communications, Inc. engage in n ewspaper and magazine publishing, long-distance and cellular telephony, cable television, and radio/television broadcasting† (Babe 1996: 284-285). While it is self evident that â€Å"corporate convergence promotes and is promoted by technological convergence† (Mosco and McKercher 2008: 37), closer attention is warranted to examine the nature of the promotion and the ways these two significant convergences influence each other. It is illuminating as we do this to itemise dimensions of technological convergence, to begin to pinpoint the areas of synergy between technology and corporate enterprise. The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has been helpful in its examination of convergence, by singling out ‘device convergence,’ ‘network convergence,’ ‘service convergence’ and ‘regulatory convergence’ (ITU 2008). While the ITU cites examples of devices include mobile phone, camera and internet access device, network examples include fixed-mobile convergence and next-generation networks (ITU 2008). Moreover, service convergence is exemplified by voice services over th e internet; not to forget regulatory convergence for broadcasting and telecommunications, citing the example of the Office of Communication (Ofcom) in the United Kingdom (ITU 2008). The view of convergence from the corporate stakeholder, according to Andriole (2005:28), is ideally a â€Å"multi-disciplinary, anticipatory, adaptive and cautious† one, no longer about â€Å"early adoption of unproven technology,† but instead about questions of â€Å"business technology acquisition, deployment and management† (Andriole 2005: 28). The sense that the momentum has changed within the corporate sector, prompting corporate leaders to be ready to have ‘convergence conversations’ is clearly articulated by Andriole (2005). It is advocated that companies will benefit by thinking in terms of â€Å"business technology convergence plans† (Andriole 2005: 28). Instead of technology being a footnote or a discrete department within a corporation, through its own array of convergences, it now occupies a central position in underpinning corporate cultures. As a response to this generational shift in consciousness, business planning now closely consults with technological providers, shaping corporate decisions and goals. This change of thought led spawned a new series of business planning questions, which demonstrate some of the links between technological and corporate convergence. Questions which illustrate this include: â€Å"‘How does technology define and enable profitable transactions?’; ‘What business models and processes are underserved by technology?’; ‘Which are adequately or over-served by technology?’† (Andriole 2005: 29) Now when strategic planning is tabled as an agenda item within companies, the matter of technological capabilities is taken seriously, as corporations realise that sidelining technological innovation, is a stepping stone towards giving away market edge to one’s competitors. Indeed, Andriole (2005: 30) forewarns of the perils of business technology segmentation. Instead of a new business initiative being conceived then asking what technological capability exist to support it, Andriole (2005: 30) argues that technologists must be present as part of the materialisation process of a company’s development goals and strategies. One fundamental area a business model which values efficiency and effectiveness is the calibre of the internal and external communications systems and infrastructure. In the 21st century business context of global interfacing, communications which are â€Å"pervasive, secure and reliable† (Andriole 2005: 30), are a base line issue. The incentive to acquire such state of the art systems is one factor driving further technological convergence, as the market demand fosters technological innovation to bring market edge to communications. The airline industry is a practical case in point, with specific international airlines branding being fostered by the level of their onboard entertainment systems for travelling customers. Some international airlines have invested heavily in this component of their corporate identity to enhance their market niche, displaying convergence through the multi-media, multi-channel video and music on demand, personalised entertainment systems, which now permit replay and play back functions (Yu 2008). We are reminded us that a large area of compatibility and synchronicity between technological and corporate convergence relates to the classical knowledge networks, such as universities, corporations and investors, who derive great benefits from convergence, finding more penetrating ways to exchange information and knowledge, their primary resource Saltzis (2007:2). Additionally, since political, economic and financial power is derived from shared information, the value of corporate convergence to the stock markets and to companies is self evident. In relation to the priming of information flow via the synergy between corporate and technological convergence, some observers are beginning to draw attention to the sociological trend that knowledge, through these processes, has become less of a community resource and increasingly a commodity. As information is commodified, it is packaged to target specific interest groups and economic stakeholders, who prize specific knowledge for specif ic outcomes, in terms of client need and demand. This instance of the knowledge super highway shows that knowledge can be ‘positioned’ within the market with greater precision through convergence, yet , in so doing, may easily lose its original contextual underpinnings that imbued it with richer nuances of meaning in the first place. This phenomenon is perhaps no more evident than in cable television, where networks and individual channels are devoted to specific content delivery 24 hours a day. The downside of course, is that information must be assimilated rapidly on the take up side by the media corporation, just as it is foisted upon the consumer with a ‘forced- feed’ pretext, to make room for the next feed. Information, through such convergent capabilities, that permit ‘bites’ of knowledge to be digitally transferred globally and instantaneously, allows knowledge to be stripped of the framework in which it emerged, just as it is quickly, y et superficially digested by the global consumer. When information held the status of being a community resource, rather than a global commodity, it could be used at the will of the consumer, for their own determined purpose, rather than the commodified purpose preselected by the respective media conglomerates that perpetuate the promulgation of endless information. Further challenges to technological and corporate convergence trends, apart from dilution of meaning due to the multiplicity and potentially splintering of sources, according to ITU (2008) concerns, â€Å"content distribution and management, sustainability and scalability, innovation management, competitive dynamics, tariff policies, network security, regulatory coherence and consumer protection† (ITU 2008). While the broadening of avenues for content distribution has the allure of versatility, the revolutionary distribution of music in the past decade illustrates the potency of convergence, threatening to undermine the very industry it was seeking to promote. I-Tunes and other legal internet based distribution pathways for music radically altered the income and revenue streams derived from popular music providers globally. While the consumer was benefited through the open door of access to music, (just as the educational market was reconfigured once educational corporations b egan to exploit the potentialities of online delivery of educational content at school and university level), the demand for live music globally initially declined, yet has now been buoyed up by the benefits of enhanced global exposure, on account of the global penetration capacity of online music. Another aspect of this link that has pressurised corporations like never before has been how to safeguard the integrity of informational, entertainment or intellectually creative products, once they are so widely available via the world wide web. The proliferation of cloned products has the tendency to diminish the quality, reputation or demand for the original. Corporations have had to weigh the benefits of more universal distribution, against this tendency to have the integrity of a product compromised. This, in one sense has been as much about re-education of the consumer, who remains driven by the desire for quality in many instances, overlooking the detracting influence of You-Tube look alike musical bands renditions of hit singles by either reputable or promising new talent. Patently, issues of security remain paramount, in this race towards virally changing convergences, whether it is the protection of personal data by entertainment companies, the finance sector or an individual relying upon social networking websites to foster their new relationships. Banks reputation for safety once built at the store front only, to remain competitive amid their market rivals, has now shifted to the quality and integrity of their web presence. This same notion extends of course, to an ever growing margin of the retail sector, and the sporting sectors, who realise that within the 21st century era of the new media users, the ‘digital native’ populations will increasingly rely upon web based sources for their interfacing with the world. Ironically, even large scale media conglomerations recognize the technological convergence can allow the operator of a mobile phone with a camera component, to drive world changing conditions, in the event that anybody happen s to be at the right place at the right time, and films an international crisis on the telephone, then posts it on the web, embarrassingly before a major news corporation has the time or the infrastructure to outrun them. This realization has brought a new sense of recognition from major news broadcasters, to the power and penetration of websites like You-Tube, creating in journalists a scrutinizing eye for such alternate culture havens to assist the construction of mainstream breaking news stories. The future looks bright for the ongoing convergence of technologies and corporate agendas. We are reminded of the profound benefits of the digitization revolution, yielding â€Å"enormous gains in transmission speed and flexibility over earlier forms of electronic communication,† (Mosco McKercher 2008: 38) â€Å"extending the range of opportunities to measure and monitor, package and repackage entertainment and knowledge† (Mosco Mckercher 2008: 38). Nonetheless, the need to balance economic welfare and human welfare continues to be of concern, and one of the many implications of the increasing reciprocity, between technological and corporate convergence. In the field of media journalism news production convergence, Klinenburg reiterates that convergence facilitates a more rapid confluence of sources impinging upon an event or a story, yet it also intensifies the pressures upon the journalists time to â€Å"conduct interviews, go out into the field, research and write† (2007: 128). The processing time available at the human level continually diminishes, and when the technical speed is permitted to eclipse the human processes of digestion of knowledge and subsequent reflection, the result may ironically, in spite of a seemingly infinitely greater number of sources, be inferior, less news worthy and more insubstantial, than in would have been if the journalist had to rely upon more traditional methods of crafting a story to be broadcast or published. While we have such warnings of convergence being manifest as a â€Å"concentration of technological ownership, in the form of the global media conglomerates† (Saltzis 2007), occurring in tandem â€Å"at the three levels of networks, production and distribution† (Saltzis 2007), it is prudent to be cogniscent of the fact that such monopolization can create an hegemonic corporate empire, allowing such media outlets to in effect be massive funnels for particular ideological positions. Divergence of ownership, on the other hand, may be a way to democratise control and use of these powerful message delivery mechanisms, yet without inbuilt check and balance systems, the corporate stakeholder will rarely consider that their over- influence in the market place of ideas is detrimental to society. Since convergence researchers are ambivalent about the relative degree to which the â€Å"conglomeration of the global media has been the causal factor of technical convergence, or whether it is its by-product† (Saltzis 2007), there remains much to scrutinize, as we more globally to a yet more convergent means of conducting business; as well as producing, disseminating and consuming information, for diverse purposes. Saltzis’s observations seem pertinent in the final analysis. While the â€Å"benefits of these transitions include the merging of consumer bases; the creation of synergies with shared resources (utilising economies of scope and scale); as well as cross-promotion, the instability of the global media system, with its intense competition, advertising, peer-to-peer file sharing technologies, have established significant challenges for both the music and film industries† (Saltzis 2007). The matter of e-regulation is, as Saltzis asserts, â€Å"in its infa ncy† (2007), with many more competing political, economic and ethical questions to consider, as the global market place continues to converge. Bibliography Mosco, V. McKercher, C. (2008) The Laboring of Communication: Will Knowledge Workers of the World Unite? Rowman Littlefield Saltzis, K. (2007) Corporate and Technological Convergence (Lecture 8): New Media and the Wired World MS2007. International Telecommunications Union (2008) World Telecommunications Policy Forum 2009 ‘Convergence’, accessed December 13, 2008 from http://www.itu.int/osg/csd/wtpf/wtpf2009/convergence.html Yu, R (2008) Airlines Upgrade Entertainment in Economy Cabin USA Today retrieved from http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2008-05-05-inflight-entertainment_N.htm December 13, 2008.

Sammy

Sammy is observant and watches everything that goes on in the store while he cashiers because the Job can get a little boring and he can also by easily distracted y something. His observations, so marvelously acute and precisely and delightfully expressed† (WEB) When these girls walk in, he becomes very observant. He notices the patterns of the bikinis they are wearing. He also notices the way one of them has the strings on the top. Once they start to talk, he fgures out who is the leader. He calls her queenie, and he is very fond of her. He notices by the way she is walking and talking that no doubt she is the leader and the other two are her followers. Sammy is different but acts like a normal cashier in this story.He is not important and does not stand out compared to his coworkers. Sammy wants the girls to notice him, so he feels the need to try to be different. â€Å"Sammy notices the gulf between them; the only way he can get them to notice him to differentiate himself f rom what he sees, through their eyes as the provincialism of the small town that insists on â€Å"decent dress† in its supermarket. † (126) He wants to stand out from the rest of the people in the store, such as, customers and coworkers. He calls this coworker a drone and customers sheep, which is very different and strange.Not many normal teens do that, and nothing makes Sammy any more special than the rest of the people in the store. Sammy is dissatisfied and quits his Job. â€Å"Sammy is not frustrated because he cannot woo queenie but because of the length of time because of the time he has been working at the supermarket and his daily encounters with customers. † (Web) His manager decides to tell the girls something about the way they are dressed. Sammy thinks his manager disrespected them, he stands up for them and quits. He is hoping the girls would notice and like it but they do not notice.Sammy becomes very dissatisfied with his decision when he walks ou tside and notices the girls are gone. Then again, he did not really like the Job anyway, considering he realized this opened up a door for new opportunities. Sammy starts to think about his decision more and more, wondering if he has made the right choice. At the end of this story, he is a different Sammy. He became were worth quitting for. He thought by being different he would have gotten their attention. He also thought he would have been satisfied with his decision, but he begins to question his decision. Sammy Sammy is observant and watches everything that goes on in the store while he cashiers because the Job can get a little boring and he can also by easily distracted y something. His observations, so marvelously acute and precisely and delightfully expressed† (WEB) When these girls walk in, he becomes very observant. He notices the patterns of the bikinis they are wearing. He also notices the way one of them has the strings on the top. Once they start to talk, he fgures out who is the leader. He calls her queenie, and he is very fond of her. He notices by the way she is walking and talking that no doubt she is the leader and the other two are her followers. Sammy is different but acts like a normal cashier in this story.He is not important and does not stand out compared to his coworkers. Sammy wants the girls to notice him, so he feels the need to try to be different. â€Å"Sammy notices the gulf between them; the only way he can get them to notice him to differentiate himself f rom what he sees, through their eyes as the provincialism of the small town that insists on â€Å"decent dress† in its supermarket. † (126) He wants to stand out from the rest of the people in the store, such as, customers and coworkers. He calls this coworker a drone and customers sheep, which is very different and strange.Not many normal teens do that, and nothing makes Sammy any more special than the rest of the people in the store. Sammy is dissatisfied and quits his Job. â€Å"Sammy is not frustrated because he cannot woo queenie but because of the length of time because of the time he has been working at the supermarket and his daily encounters with customers. † (Web) His manager decides to tell the girls something about the way they are dressed. Sammy thinks his manager disrespected them, he stands up for them and quits. He is hoping the girls would notice and like it but they do not notice.Sammy becomes very dissatisfied with his decision when he walks ou tside and notices the girls are gone. Then again, he did not really like the Job anyway, considering he realized this opened up a door for new opportunities. Sammy starts to think about his decision more and more, wondering if he has made the right choice. At the end of this story, he is a different Sammy. He became were worth quitting for. He thought by being different he would have gotten their attention. He also thought he would have been satisfied with his decision, but he begins to question his decision.

Human Beings as Being Genuinely Free Essay - 781 Words

Human Beings as Being Genuinely Free To be able to answer this question successfully we must first understand what is meant by the term genuinely free. By this do we mean to have limitless freedom where each choice is our own or rather freedom within certain boundaries? There are of course many different views which consider the extent of our freedom and what being free really means, ranging from ultimate, unlimited freedom to us having absolutely no freedom. If we are to believe that human beings are completely free we are likely to accept the Libertarian view: By liberty, then we can only mean a power of acting or not acting, according to the determinations of the will; that is, if we†¦show more content†¦For example, if we are asked to repent then we must obviously be free to choose whether to repent or not to. The most common religious view concerning Libertarianism is that of R. Swinburne. This is the notion that God is within the boundaries of time. Therefore he sees the free choices human beings are making and is able to intervene, thus limiting our freedom yet not being capable of predestining our choices or decisions. If we apply the Libertarianism view, whether the atheist or religious position, to this question then it is simple to understand that human beings would be considered completely free. In direct contrast to this is the view of hard determinists. They believe that all our actions and decisions are predetermined by previous causes: All our choices, decisions, intentions, other mental events, and our actions are no more than effects of other equally necessitated events (Hondereich) For example, choosing what the wear in the morning is effected by certain factors such as society and what is acceptable to wear, the weather, religion, amongst other causes. Scientific evidence for this relates to Isaac Newtons Theory of Relativity that states for every action there is a positive or negative reaction, in a sense this is rather like the hard determinist theory. Our actions result from wants, wishes and motivations,Show MoreRelatedHU4640 Project Part11650 Words   |  7 Pageslastly, free will versus determinism. It will also include a discussion about the study of morality and identify which of the approaches (Scientific, Philosophical, or Theological/Religious) are closest to my own personal beliefs. There will be a discussion regarding the three sources of ethics and what they are based on (Reason, Emotion, and Intuitionism). Keywords: Virtue Ethics, Care Ethics, Absolutism, Relativism, Consequentialism, Deontological Ethics, Intuitionism, Determinism, Free Will.Read MoreMy Philosophical Concepts Of Nursing859 Words   |  4 Pagesbe flexible enough to provide care for them. The mistake would be to provide the same care to every patient, because every patient is different and their beliefs will morph the way that they will want to be treated, in which you are used to. And by being non-flexible or not understanding of the situation can cause friction between the nurse and the patient. The Four Major Concepts of Nursing The first major concept is environment. To me, environment is what you surround yourself with. It can be internalRead MoreThe Different Ways Of Which Freedom Can Be Compatible With Determinism1334 Words   |  6 PagesDavid Hume, he claimed that ‘’all the puzzles and disputes about free will result from sloppy and confused use of language. Therefore, if we think carefully, and avoid verbal entanglements, then free will is a simple and obvious matter, and all mankind both learned and ignorant, have always had same opinion about the nature and existence of free will. Therefore, David Hume in his argument on free will also added that ‘’By liberty (free will) we can only mean a power of acting or not acting accordingRead MoreSt. Augustine s Life And Life734 Words   |  3 Pagesinvolve many spiritual and intellectual subjects and are written in many different forms; no one work conveys all of his views. His writings are theocentric or God-centered, often focu sing on God’s relation to human beings. For example, in accordance with Genesis 1:26, he asserts that each human being is made in the image of God; each person’s equality, freedom, and dignity are bestowed by God and are thus inalienable. Augustine assumes the existence of God as self-evident because it cannot be provenRead MoreServant Leadership Is A Term Defined By Robert L. Greenleaf918 Words   |  4 Pagespoint by explaining that listening doesn’t just mean listening to others, but also listening to yourself and your conscience. Awareness Being aware is one of our most instinctive traits; it is what keeps one alive and lets one know when and when not to cross the street. Being aware can also mean being aware of people’s feelings that one is working with or being culturally aware of patients in the hospital (Spears, 2010). Another type of awareness is self-awareness. Self-awareness is, knowing one’sRead MoreWhat Does It Mean to Be a Good Person1573 Words   |  7 Pagesmeans that our attitude for â€Å"self† is like a sickness in our society today. He goes on to say â€Å"Individual significance in society commonly diminishes in direct proportion to the number of people† (70). He expresses that the reason for this being is that â€Å"Human behavior deteriorates when many people are crowded closely together, contending elbow to elbow for the same space without respite† (72). Where in which, Cooper then points the blame for our selfishness and carelessness on the Vietnam War byRead Mo reAnyone Who Thinks That They Have Free Will Is Out Of Their Mind995 Words   |  4 Pagesthinks that they have free will is out of their mind.† James: â€Å"Really? What do you call free will?† Spinoza: â€Å"The decisions that we believe we make as human beings.† James: â€Å"I make decisions every day.† Spinoza: â€Å"The reason you believe you make your own decisions is merely because you are conscious of what you are doing and not aware of the causes that determined your actions.† James: â€Å"I disagree with this statement. You see, we all have what I call options. And this ‘free will’ as you call it wouldRead MoreThe Absolute Paradox For Kierkegaard Essay1609 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Absolute Paradox† by revealing paradox as â€Å"the passion of thought.† Kierkegaard claims that humans desperately want to discover something they are unable to contemplate and are, thus, only leading themselves toward the downfall of all thought. We are unable to contemplate the â€Å"unknown†, and the unknown— according to Kierkegaard—is essentially God. Humans are foolish in their attempt to prove God’s existence; for humans’ attempted to do so already assumes god’s existence. In other words, , there would beRead MoreTwitter Essay782 Words   |  4 Pagesmost excellent nation in the world. He appreciates cars and values his time at the exercise center. In his free time, he too volunteers, most as of l ate at a Muslim community center. But four weeks back, he did something uncommon: he got to be the individual capable for taking President Trump off Twitter for 11 minutes. The quick silencing of Trumps account drove the net into a frenzy. Humans wondered how Twitter (TWTR, Tech30) could permit one man or woman to take down such a high-profile accountRead More Crooks Analysis-of Mice And Me Essay512 Words   |  3 Pagesdifference if he donamp;#8217;t hear or understand.; Although he is talking to Lennie about George, he is actually speaking of his own life. He needs someone, someone to talk with, a friend. After Lennie explains his dream to Crooks, he says he would work free. Later he decides that he does not want to face rejection. amp;#8220;I donamp;#8217;t wanna go to no place like that. Iamp;#8217;d never wanna go to a place like that; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Crooks is also

The Invention Of The Engineer s Standpoint - 1053 Words

H.G. Wells said that a day will come when people, who has thoughts that became dreams and hidden potential in their bodies, who shall stand upon Earth like a footstool, and while they are in the middle of a mist of stars, they raise their hands and laugh. Later, the Engineering Editors, of the Times, said that in all the attempts to create and perfect airplane are not only dangerous to human life, but it foredoomed the failure of the engineer’s standpoint. As one man dreamed of raising his hands and touching the skies, above the clouds. The other told how dangerous aviation can be to the human life, and how engineers will fail many times. Both of these famous quotes are right, the human race will touch the skies and fail many times in†¦show more content†¦CEO of American Airlines, Doug Parker, says how he thinks that Tony never thought of how big of an impact his flight would mean to the world today. The American Airlines, at the time, were private enterprises while m ost of them were government owned and goes through the history of aviation. The history starts from 1914, through the World Wars, the Jet Age, and finally the 21st century. The First official airline went back to 1925. The father of airline, which is the Western Air Express, and the first airport was called the La Guardia Airport in Queens, New York. Besides, Interjet became the first American Airline into supporting the electric taxiing system by Honeywell, and Safran have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Mexican airline Interjet, so they can support the advancement of the EGTS taxiing system. Since, this supports using technology on the airplanes for the use of the taxiway and runway, which brings both fuel savings and emissions reductions to the airlines. Evidently, this can save up to four blocks of fuel on the plane by using motors on the landing gear that enables the landing gear to push back from the gate and taxi by using the plane’s own electrical power rather than using its main engine. A new update from Garmin Software. The software update allows for planes with GTN touch-screen avionics. The software update Version 3.0 includes new things such as a display support for weatherShow MoreRelated Engineering Technology: Revolutionized Essay2224 Words   |  9 Pageswith the tide. Engineers that grow and see their world of work improve every day because of certain advances in technology all depending on their field. This how engineering features evolved into what they are today from with in the last two decades; and how the change will continue to advance as modern Technology embraces a post modern era. 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Hence, Google enriches their innovative leadership by enhancing the abilityRead MoreLenovo- technology company1731 Words   |  7 Pagesthe company to evolve on a global platform and enabled it to become one of the leading technology companies in the market today. Company history review Lenovo was originally founded as Legend Holdings in China in 1984 by a group of young Chinese engineers. The company did not show a significant amount of growth in the 1980s and the 90s. However, in the early 2000s, under the CEO, Yang Yuanqing, the company made a strategic deci-sion to change its name into â€Å"Lenovo,† with aspirations of differentiatingRead MoreThe Affordable Care Act And Its Corresponding Implementation Of The United States Of America Government s Healthcare Marketplace1611 Words   |  7 Pagesor make a shared responsibility payment. 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Teenage Alcohol Abuse Essay - 2212 Words

Teenage alcohol abuse is one of the major problems that affect academic performance, cause health problems and is responsible for the death of teenage drivers and sometime their passengers. Many teens drink because they think it is cool and do not understand the dangers of drinking alcohol. In 2008 a survey on the students views on alcohol was conducted in the Atlanta Public School System of 4,241 students surveyed results showed 74% of sixth graders felt there was a health risk while 25% felt there was no health risk; 81% of eighth graders felt there was a health risk, while 19% felt there was none; 82% of tenth graders felt there was a health risk, while 18% felt there was none, and 84% of twelve graders felt there was a health risk,†¦show more content†¦Statistics show that prevention programs decrease binge drinking in students 6th through 12 grades, as indicated by the successful intervention programs of Project Northland and Life Skills Training. Assessing the strengt hs and weaknesses of both programs, The Atlanta Public School System decided to use strategies from both program which addressed the closest positive results that matched the Atlanta Public School System’s objectives of decreasing substance use (alcohol), improvements in positive attitudes/behavior and reductions in negative attitudes/behavior, and reduce the possibility of automobile accidents and health problems related to alcohol abuse. SUMMARY Teenage binge drinking (consumption of five or more alcohol drinks in a row) has grown to be a serious problem in the United States. A report in 2009 from the Surgeon General’s office show alcohol consumption by teens start as early as 11 years of age for boys and 13 years of age for girls (Grant Dawson, 1997). In the youth Risk Behavior Surveillance Report (2007), data results showed that over three million teenagers in grades 6 through 12 are alcoholics, and several million teens have serious health issues due to drinking. Further research conducted by the Harvard School of Public health (2006) show a direct correlation of automobile accidents, alcohol poisoning, poor academic performance. violence andShow MoreRelatedTeenage Alcohol Abuse1465 Words   |  6 PagesAlcohol Abuse in Teenagers Underage alcohol abuse is a growing problem in the lives of teenagers today. Almost 80% of high school students have tried alcohol (Dowshen). To effectively combat this growing epidemic, teens need to understand the effects of consuming alcohol, and adults need to recognize the problem and effectively prevent alcohol abuse. Though many teenagers do not realize it, alcohol can significantly affect a teen’s life, including short-term impacts on the teen’s popularity andRead MoreTeenage Alcohol Abuse2826 Words   |  12 Pages Teenage Alcohol Abuse/Addiction 550-150-2W7A Psychopharmacology Instructor Dennis Markus, MSW, LCSW, C-SAC Tracy L. Murray (Rego) MSW, LCSW, CTS 11 November 2009 The dangers of teenage alcohol abuse are underestimated in our country due to the social acceptability of the drug alcohol. The social acceptability of alcohol itself is seen by the frequency it is categorized separately from other drugs and substances when we talk about use and abuse. Alcohol is a drugRead More Teenage Alcohol Abuse Essay726 Words   |  3 Pagesyear by teenage under-aged drinkers and how alcohol effects their future and see how bold of a word invincibility is. Issues that need to be considered when it comes to alcohol are the medical conditions it gives people, how alcohol effects each teenagers future, and who the people are that are inspiring teenagers to drink. People have the right to drink but because of law teenagers are not legally allowed to. There is a reason for everything and this is to keep everyone safe. Alcohol has a majorRead MoreTeenage Drug And Alcohol Abuse978 Words   |  4 PagesTeenage drug and alcohol abuse is becoming a major problem in the United States. Abuse of illicit substances eventually leads to an addiction. Drug and alcohol addiction is a disease, and it is contagious. It does not spread through germs; it spreads through families, schools, and communities. There are two youth prevention programs that try to exceed at decreasing the drug and alcohol abuse in teenagers. They are the D.A.R.E. program and the Serenity House based out of Texas. The D.A.R.E. programRead MoreTeenage Drinking And The Abuse Of Alcohol1283 Words   |  6 PagesTeenage drinking and the abuse of alcohol/smoking. Alcohol abuse can cause wrecks, smoking can cause many different cancers. Whenever people under age consume alcohol, they tend to do stuff that they will regret. Whenever people under age smoke they have some sort of cancer in/on their body. When adults drink they still have a chance to wreck but the percentage of adults getting in a wreck is less of a chance of an underage drinker. They have age restrictions for a reason. E-cigarettes areRead MoreTeenage Drug And Alcohol Abuse2166 Words   |  9 PagesTeenage drug and alcohol abuse can come from a number of different factors such as emotional disorders, stress, social events and other adolescent pressures. Adolescent is a period of time when teens have a lot of pressures to fit in, establish their own identities, it’s also a time of growth and development, and also the great desire to fit in which leads teens to give into peer pressure. Teens are going through an emotional change in themselves emotionally, physically and also hormonally duringRead MoreInfluence of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Amoung Kenyan Teenage Education5708 Words   |  23 PagesSCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE RESEARCH PROPOSAL. Influence of drug and alcohol abuse among Kenyan teenage Education. BY BRIAN MUNGA (J15-3021-11) TAKEN BY: Catherine Mavyala DECLARATION I declare that Influence of drug and alcohol abuse among Kenyan teenage Education is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 07 August 2012 SignatureRead MoreThe Effects Of Alcohol And Teen Drinking1069 Words   |  5 Pagesto Dryden-Edwards (2), teenage drinking is widespread, and teenagers believe that it is acceptable. But, teenagers’ bodies are still developing. They fail to realize that consuming alcohol places them in danger  for numerous issues.   Consuming alcohol is more widespread among teenagers than most realize. Alcohol and Teen Drinking (1) reports that three-fourths of seniors,  a little over two-thirds of Sophomores, and two out of five 8th graders have experimented with alcohol. With rising statisticalRead MoreTeenage Alcoholism1078 Words   |  5 Pages1. According to statistics on alcoholism and alcohol abuse statistics, even though alcohol has been used in a number of diverse ways. a. Throughout history these ways can be called useful, however, known thousands of years ago that abusive and excessive drinking led to negative outcomes and adverse alcohol side effects. b. The symptoms associated with this are mostly societal and personal problems. 2. Research studies have shown that teenage alcoholism is correlated to the age at which teensRead MoreEssay on Teenage Drinking In America920 Words   |  4 Pagesworld. A subject that needs special attention is the abuse of alcohol by teens. Statistics show that there is a problem currently between teens and alcohol. There are many causes of teenage drinking and effects that prove that drinking is an important issue that needs to be dealt with to preserve American teenagers. Teenage drinking will become worse of a problem if it continues unchecked on its current path to destruction. Alcohol abuse among teenagers in the United States is a plague that

Pecking Order Theory Free Essays

Brigham Concise 4th Edition Chapter 1: An Overview of Financial Management 1. Which of the following are among the three main areas of finance? a. financial institutions b. We will write a custom essay sample on Pecking Order Theory or any similar topic only for you Order Now investments c. financial management d. all of the above are correct e. none of the above are correct d. Correct. 2. The globalization of business and the increased use of information technology are the two key trends in financial management today. a. True b. False a. True 3. Which of the following could explain why a business might choose to organize as a corporation rather than as a sole proprietorship or a partnership? a. Corporations generally face fewer regulations. . Corporations generally face lower taxes. c. Corporations generally find it easier to raise capital. d. Corporations enjoy unlimited liability. e. All of the above statements are correct. c. Correct. 4. A partnership is subject to the same taxation as corporations. a. True b. False b. False 5. One main disadvantage of partnerships is the requirement of a charter and set of bylaws. a. True b. False b. False 6. One disadvantage of the sole proprietorship form of organization is that there is: a. unlimited liability. b . double taxation c. more regulations than for corporations d. easy transferability of ownership interest . all of the above are correct. a. Correct 7. A corporate charter should include which of the following: a. name of the proposed corporation b. type of activities it will pursue c. amount of capital stock d. number of directors e. names and addresses of directors f. all of the above f. Correct. 8. One reason that the value of most businesses is maximized if they are organized as a corporation is that: a. corporations face unlimited liability. b. it is easier to transfer ownership of a corporation (corporations are more liquid assets). c. corporations have a more difficult time raising capital than sole proprietorships. d. All of the above b. Correct 9. Which of the following represents a significant disadvantage to the corporate form of organization? a. Difficulty in transferring ownership. b. Exposure to taxation of corporate earnings and stockholder dividend income. c. Degree of liability to which corporate owners and managers are exposed. d. Difficulty corporations face in obtaining large amounts of capital in financial markets. b. Correct 10. The chief financial officer (CFO) is usually the highest ranking officer in a corporation. a. True b. False b. False 11. The activities of the financial staff include: a. forecasting and planning. b. ajor investment and financing decisions. c. dealing with financial markets. d. risk management. e. all of the above. e. Correct. 12. The financial vice-president’s key subordinates are the president and the chief executive officer. a. True. b. False b. FAlse. 13. In most firms the treasurer has the responsibility for managing the firm’s cash and mar ketable securities, for planning its capital structure, for selling stocks and bonds to raise capital, for overseeing the corporate pension plan, and for managing risk. a. True b. False a. True 14. The primary goal of a publicly-owned firm interested in serving its stockholders should be to: a. Maximize expected total corporate profit. b. Maximize expected EPS. c. Minimize the chances of losses. d. Maximize the stock price per share. e. Maximize expected net income. d. Correct 15. Managers that depart from the goal of shareholder wealth maximization run the risk of being removed from their jobs. a. True b. False a. True. 16. Most actions that help a firm increase the price of its stock also benefit society at large. a. True b. False a. True. 17. The primary contribution of finance to total social welfare is its: a. Function as a productive resource. b. Contribution to the efficient allocation and use of resources. c. Role as an exogenous variable. d. Positive impact on the externalities of â€Å"other variables. † e. Contribution to environmental protection. b. Correct 18. Most firms today have in place strong codes of ethical behavior, yet there are no obvious answers for many of the ethical questions facing many companies. a. True b. False a. True. 19. Socially responsible actions that increase costs may have to be put on a mandatory basis. a. True b. False a. True. 20. An agency relationship arises whenever one or more individuals hire another individual or organization to perform some service and delegate decision-making authority to that agent. . True b. False. a. True. 21. In financial management the primary agency relationships are those between: a. stockholders and managers b. managers and debtholders c. managers with similar levels of authority within the firm d. a and b e. a, b, and c d. Correct 22. Which of the following work to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and b ondholders? a. Including restrictive covenants in the company’s bond contract. b. Providing managers with a large number of stock options. c. The passage of laws that make it easier for companies to resist hostile takeovers. d. All of the statements above are correct. a. Correct 23. Which of the following actions are likely to reduce agency conflicts between stockholders and managers? a. Paying managers a large fixed salary. b. Increasing the threat of corporate takeover. c. Placing restrictive covenants in debt agreements. d. All of the statements above are correct. b. Correct 24. The managers should always undertake actions that result in a transfer of wealth from bondholders to stockholders. a. True b. False b. False. 25. Which of the following factors tend to encourage management to pursue stock price maximization as a goal? . Shareholders link management’s compensation to company performance. b. Managers’ reactions to the threat of firing and hostile takeovers. c. Statements a and b are both correct. c. Correct. 26. Mechanisms used to motivate managers to act in shareholders’ best interests include: a. managerial compensation b. direct intervention by shareholders c. the threat of firing d. the threat of takeovers e. all of the above e. Correct. 27. Creditors lend funds at rates that are based on: a. riskiness of the firm’s existing assets b. expectations concerning the riskiness of future asset additions c. he firm’s existing capital structure d. expectations concerning future capital structure decisions e. all of the above e. Correct. 28. The dividend policy decision is the way the firm is funded (e. g. , the mix of debt and equity used). a. True Incorrect. The dividend policy decision is the choice of how much of earnings to pay out as dividends and how much to retain to reinvest in the firm. b. False b. False. 29. Managerial actions are the only determinant of a firm’s stock value. a. True False. b. False. 30. If the firm maximizes EPS, it will maximize stockholder wealth. a. True b. False b. False. How to cite Pecking Order Theory, Essay examples

Development of Australian Policies-Free-Samples for Students

Question: Write a report on the development of Australian Policies. Answer: Introduction to Social Policy Social policy deals with the ways in which the human wants for work, safety, education, wellbeing and health are met by societies across the world (Hoggett, 2001). Social policies address the manner of responding to the global challenge of globalization, poverty and migration along with social, economic and demographic changes. It also analyses the roles performed by national governments, civil society, the family, market and international organizations in providing support and services from infancy to old age of an individual. In other words, social policy consists of the principles, legislations, guidelines and activities that impact the quality of life and living conditions of a person (Jimenez, Pasztor, Chambers Fujii, 2014). This report throws light on the development of social policies in Australia over a period of time. Development of Social Policies in Australia The lives and choices of Australians have been drastically affected by the changes in the social policy over time (Carson Kerr, 2017). Social policy related areas have witnessed many examples of past policy activism. In health and disability area, it includes the introduction of Medibank and Medicare in the 1970s and 1980s and recently National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) in 2013. This resulted in the changes in the distribution of costs of health care in Australia and manner of providing and funding assistance to people with disability along with increase in the access to health care. Now the families were saved from facing large healthcare bills or to prove that they are poor for receiving free treatments from the public hospitals. This significantly resulted in visible changes in the living standards of the Australians and succeeded in ensuring equality in access to the healthcare services. For women, children and families, the important changes include the introduction of Child Endowment in 1941, payments for single parents in 1970s, Family Allowance in 1976, family planning in the 1960s, expansion of childcare in 1980s and paid parental leave in the year 2011 (McClelland, 2014). The operations of indigenous communities were intervened by Howard government in Australia is a worthy illustration of highly contested policy. The Racial Discrimination Act was suspended, the permit system was removed and the welfare payments for parents were detained. In the 1980s, anti-discrimination legislation was introduced at both state and Commonwealth levels which resulted in enlarging the rights of minority groups. Nowadays, the policies focus on the developing of working capacity of people along with expecting larger category of individuals to be in paid work including people with disability and women. In the year 1894, minimum wages laws were introduced in Australia. Moreover, Harvester Judgement, which was a basic wage judgement in Australia, was introduced in the year 1907. These acts provided power to determine working conditions and minimum wages to the court. The social reformers and trade unionists in Australia succeeded their battle for justified wage prescriptions. The family wage policy was objected by Liberals in Australia and was attempted to be undermined. It was believed that the labor market was distorted by the pay floor and resulted in creating a moral hazard i.e. favored single men without the responsibilities of family in wage policy. For the purpose of restraining wages, child benefits were introduced in 1941. The welfare state of Australia was created with the introduction of pension for widows and sickness and employment benefits in the year 1942 and 1945. Working Nation was a social policy in the form of formal statement which was released in the year 1994 after a policy review regarding unemployment problem in Australia. It contained various proposals in detail for the purpose of reducing unemployment. It also covered actions regarding the promotion of regional development, introduction of Job Compact which promised the employment of people who have been unemployed for a period over eighteen months, changes in industrial relations and changes to the procedure of income support (Howard, 2001). With the election of liberal government in Australia in 1996, the expansion of private sector was promoted instead of universality in social services. Attempts were made to bring a complete division between the private and public sectors in the areas of social welfare with the help of tax concessions introduced in 1996 in the form of Private Health Insurance Debate. Moreover, Goods and Services Tax (GST) dominated tax changes in the year 2000. The wage structure was further deregulated by Workplace Relations Amendment Act 2005, also known as Work Choices, along with the elimination of employment laws that were related to unfair discharges (Sheldon Junor, 2006). The Work Choices legislation was based on the principal thrust to individualized employment relations, with the effect of marginalizing industrial tribunals and trade unions. The global financial crises assisted Australia to enter into a new stage of social democracy. In the year 2007, the Rudd government came into power. For the purpose of stimulating the economy, Rudd government turned to Keynesian policies in the time of recession (Aulich Evans, 2010). In the year 2009, The Fair Work Act assisted in reversing the unpopular policies of the labor market from 1990s and provided the workers with safe employment conditions (Forsyth Smart, 2009). In other words, the rights rescinded by Work Choices were restored to the Australian workers and they were provided with the legal right to appeal against unfair and harsh discharges from their workplace. This led to the encouragement of collective bargaining and the wages started to reflect the desires of the low paid and relative living standards. There also have been unassertive reforms under labor to the welfare system in healthcare, aged pensions, labors social inclusion agenda and paid maternity leave. Disability Care Australia and National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) was introduced for the purpose of supporting 4,60,000 Australians suffering from permanent disability (Stephens,Cullen Massey, 2014). The key priority for labor also included the strengthening of the national health service of Australia which has been split among the various tiers of government and on state lines for a long time. Reforms to delivery, organization and funding of health services leads towards the requirement of state, commonwealth and territory governments for working together for the purpose of improving healthcare services. Australia suffers from relatively high poverty levels in comparison with other advanced economies. There is no even distribution of risk of poverty within the society. Higher risk of poverty is suffered by people such as adults with disability, sole parents, unemployed and indigenous people. Therefore, social security payments are required to be increased for the purpose of improving Australias position in international poverty league table. Conclusion The social policies have performed an important role in Australia and have significantly affected the choices and lives of the Australians over a period of time. Such policies have been prepared by taking into consideration the various needs of the people residing in Australia such as favorable working conditions with justified payments and access to the appropriate healthcare facilities (Philips, 2007). They also aim at education and child protection by providing various benefits to the parents in the form of leaves, introducing Child Endowment and expanding childcare. Australia has come a long way by constantly improving the social policies in accordance with the needs of the people. However, it still has scope for further identifying the human needs for security, work, well-being and health and taking steps for meeting them by formulating appropriate social policies. References Aulich, C. Evans, M. (2010). The Rudd Government: Australian Commonwealth Administration 2007 2010. ANU E Press. Carson, E. Kerr, L. (2017). Australian Social Policy and the Human Services. Cambridge University Press. Forsyth, A., Smart, H. (2009). Third party intervention reconsidered: Promoting cooperative workplace relations in the new 'fair work' system.Australian Journal of Labour Law,22, 117-146. Hoggett, P. (2001). Agency, rationality and social policy.Journal of social policy,30(1), 37-56. Howard, C. (2001). Bureaucrats in the social policy process: administrative policy entrepreneurs and the case of Working Nation. Australian Journal of Public Administration, 60(3), 56-65. Jimenez, J., Pasztor, E. M., Chambers, R. M. Fujii, C. P. (2014). Social Policy and Social Change: Toward the Creation of Social and Economic Justice. SAGE Publications. McClelland, A. (2014). Social Policy in Australia: Understanding for Action. Oxford University Press. Philips, R. (2007). Generational Change and Social Policy Challenges: Australia and South Korea. Sydney University Press. Sheldon, P., Junor, A. (2006). Australian HRM and the Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005.Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources,44(2), 153-170. Stephens, A., Cullen, J., Massey, L. (2014). Will the National Disability Insurance Scheme improve the lives of those most in need? Effective service delivery for people with acquired brain injury and other disabilities in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.Australian Journal of Public Administration,73(2), 260-270.