Lifeboat ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Lifeboat ethics - Essay Example This can lead to confusing spaceship ethics with the life boat idea. On the Spaceship Earth, nations can be divided into two categories rich nations – the most powerful- and poor nations. Two thirds of the Earth’s population lives in poor nations, only a third lives in rich nations. The United States is the wealthiest nation on Earth. Everyone sees the rich nations as lifeboats. The rich one third represents the lifeboats; and the two thirds are trying to get to one of these lifeboats. In order to get in any lifeboat we first have to realize its capacity. The lifeboat has a capacity, which limits how many people can get into it. In addition, we cannot exceed the capacity; if we exceed capacity then we will lose our safety factor and everyone therein will drown. The cruel ethics of the lifeboat becomes crueler, when we take into consideration the reproductive differences between the rich and poor nations. Rich nations are doubling every 87 years, while the poor nations double almost every 35 years. Hardin gives an example that shows the population of the United States equal to another population made of seven poor countries. Suppose that the U.S currently agrees to share its recourses with them. At first the ratio would be one-to-one, but in the future the poor countries’ populations are going to double faster than the United States’ population, then each American would have to share what he/she has with more than eight people. Consequently, a nation’s needs are determined by their population size. Another important point Hardin argues about in his article is the tragedy of commons. When properties become public, everyone would have the right to use it. Thereafter, everyone would suffer because of overloading the commons. Otherwise, everyone would say his/her needs are greater. Overloading of the commons results into destruction of the facilities and

McDonald's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

McDonald's - Essay Example He played role for the two brothers of purchasing the chain of their company’s production and his efforts oversaw the company’s global growth. The company is currently the largest producer of fast foods in United States and u can find its products in approximately hundred and twenty countries (Mieth 2007, p. 95). The executive organizational departments of McDonald’s are as follows: the top leaders of the company are chief executive officer and chairperson, and COO (Chief Operating Officer). Under these leaders, there several departments, which are broken into: marketing, corporation affairs, human resources, regional managers, national operations, information technology, finance, and strategic planning (Kincheloe 2002, p. 45). There are also other functional departments in the company, which include franchising, customer services, hygiene, security, property and construction, safety, restaurant services, and supply chain. The company has a multi-department organizational structure; the CEO is the leader of the company with board of directors. The company’s board of directors consists of thirteen members, with whom eleven are directors. The CEO is the head of the company and manages the other departments in the company, which include operations, finance, franchising, and human resource departments. McDonald’s serves in the restaurant sector industry and its name is famous in the world. The main products of the company are fries, burgers, as well as soft drinks. The company also offers chicken, desserts, milkshakes, French fries, cheeseburgers, and breakfast foods (Kincheloe 2002, p. 48). In addition, due to the expanding needs of McDonald’s customers, the management has also decide to expand its menu including other items such as fish, smoothies, wraps, fruits,/ and salads. Most customers prefer the company using some big names such as Quarter Pounder, Big Mac, Egg Mc Muffin, Filet

A company overview of FedEx

A company overview of FedEx US based FedEx Corporation, is a universally acclaimed corporate giant for logistics and transportation and is a conglomerate of many subsidiary companies like FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Freight, FedEx Office, FedEx Custom Critical, FedEx Trade Networks and FedEx Services functioning under the FedEx brand name (FedEx, 2009). FedExs core competencies lie in package routing, delivery and employee relations. Frederick W. Smith instituted the FedEx Corporation in 1971 under the name Federal Express. In 1998, the Federal Express Corporation was as FDX Corporation. It was in January 2000, that the FDX Corporation was renamed as FedEx Corporation and its subsidiaries were re-branded as well. Federal Express came to be known as FedEx Express since then; the small-package ground service RPS got re-branded as FedEx Ground; the shipping provider Roberts Express got renamed as FedEx Custom Critical; Caliber Technology and contract logistics provider Caliber Logistics were united to for m FedEx Global Logistics; FedExs retail arm renamed as FedEx Office. Ever since its inception in 1971, FedEx showed extraordinary growth and truly metamorphosed into a gargantuan company. Today the company stands tall with a marked revenue upswing of $35.5 billion (though down 6% from $38.0 the previous year the loss can be mainly attributed to global economic slowdown) (FedEx Corp. 4th Qtr. Earnings, 2009, June 17). FedEx comprises of a strong workforce of more than 290,000 employees and contractors. FedEx is renowned for its various ace service and innovatory HR practices, policies and procedures. This is proven by its consistent appearance on the Fortune magazines lists Worlds Most Admired Companies, Americas Most Admired Companies and 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. FedEx enjoys nonpareil leadership in various realms of HRM such as employee motivation, employee retention, diversity of work and benefits and compensation. The key contributing factor to FedExs ginormou s success and reputation is its People-Service-Profit (PSP) philosophy according to which FedEx views human resources as the prime contributor for its profitability. Strategic HRM FedExs objectives are to offer 100% service quality, immaculate customer service and overnight parcel delivery. FedExs corporate strategy is differentiation that transcends product, market and geographic boundaries. FedExs is able to maintain its competitive edge by way of its uncanny ability to innovate and by its being leader in technology. All the HR strategies elaborated below facilitate FedEx to enjoy competitive advantage by ways of innovation, technology, human resource and management capabilities. HRM Organizational Objectives Faultless delivery of tens of thousands of packages within stipulated maximum of 48 hours with an immaculate service quality is definitely a wondrous accomplishment. Despite the fact that FedEx adopted technological innovations well ahead of time, its capability and power to provide first-rate customer service is possible chiefly because of its committed, inspired and well-trained manpower. FedEx strategically manages its manpower resources. FedExs organizational strategy is Compete collectively, Operate independently and Manage collaboratively (FedEx, 2009, Mission, Strategy, Values). FedEx Corporation aligns its HR activities with its organizational strategy and by doing so it is capable of attaining such incredible and improbable success. People-Service-Profit (PSP) doctrine religiously adopted by FedEx Corporation assures that the organizations priceless human resources are well cared for and empowered as well. Owing to the fact that the employees are taken good care of and are d elegated with more power and authority, they reciprocally take care of the organization by delivering ace quality of service thereby facilitating the organization in reaping more profits (Chang, Labovitz Rosansky, 1995, p.34; Birla, 2005, pp.9-13). Hence the People-Service-Profit (PSP) slogan forms the basis for all decisions made by the FedEx top management. Key HR Strategies FedExs core HR strategies and their alignment with organizational objectives are discussed as under: Recruitment and Selection Strategy FedEx recruits capable and qualified manpower for all hierarchical levels. It set up promotion from within policy with the intent of providing fair chance to all employees to employ their skills and competencies at work to the full (Birla, 2005, p.196). The company committed to a no lay-off policy so long as its survival is not imperilled (Frock, 2006, p.67). Communication Strategy FedEx employs several processes like Open-Door Policy (ODP) (Frock, 2006, p-204), Guaranteed Fair Treatment Program (GFTP) (Frock, 2006, p.207) and Survey-Feedback-Action (SFA) (Frock, 2006, p.206) to establish sound and good bipartite communication networks. Employees from all hierarchical levels are made to actively get involved and interact freely in the various discussion and QA programs employed by FedEx. Compensation Strategy FedEx offers extremely competitive pay schemes (Dessler, 2003, p.358). It also gives pay-for-performance incentives. It ensures fair treatment of all employees. It vouches job security for all employees. Training and Development Strategy FedExs Training strategy facilitates in fulfilling its organizational objective of cent percent customer contentment. The organization practices promotion-from-within policy. Hence it ensures that adequate and all-encompassing training comprising leadership conceptions, quality management and organizational philosophy is provided to employees belonging to all rungs of organizational hierarchy. HRM Models Harvard Model Harvard model sketches four key HR domains 1) Human Resource Flows recruitment, selection, appraisal, termination etc.; 2) Reward systems pay packaging, employee motivation etc.; 3) Employee empowerment empower and delegate employees with more power, authority and accountability; and 4) Work systems work definition, managing diversity of work and alignment of human resources (Price, 2007, pp.35-37). The above four policy areas result in the 4 Cs Commitment, Congruence, Competence and Cost-Effectiveness. The characteristics of Harvard Model of HRM that are prevalent in FedEx environment are the following: Human Resource Flows Recruitment and Selection FedEx is consistently showered with laurels such as best employer, most admired organization and great place to work. FedEx, having earned such recognition and accolades does not obviously have any trouble with enticing and luring the best work force. FedEx carries out both internal and external recruitment drives. In FedEx, collaborative effort is valued more than individual effort. Equal employment opportunities are given to skilled and competent potential candidates at all hierarchical levels. FedExs Job Change Applicant-Tracking System (JCATS) offers opportunities to irregular workers to acquire regular employment (Shen, 2007). Also FedExs Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Process (LEAP) provided employees from non-managerial positions search positions at managerial levels (Holbeche, 2001, p.294). Appraisal FedExs performance appraisal done annually relates pay hikes to individual performance. Performance goals are decided and agreed in advance but of few notable characteristics that deserve appreciation and guaranteed pay hikes are enthusiasm, team playing skills, commitment, customer orientation and technical know-how and expertise (Cook, 208, p.205). Pay reviews for hourly paid workers are done once every 6 months. Reward Systems FedExs rewards system comprises of various awards such as The Five Star Award, Super Star Award, Bravo Zulu, Circle of Excellence and Golden Falcon Award that are instituted to motivate and boost the morale of the employees and push them towards even more better performance (Mcshane, Von Glinow Sharma, 2008, p.552). Employee Empowerment FedEx caters to customers demands by even exceeding their expectations, which is why it is possible to deliver such a top-rate customer service. In order to meet and exceed customers expectations, FedEx resorted to employee empowerment (Kandula, 2004, p.143). Employee empowerment is the most established and proven means to gain competitive edge over peers. Employees are empowered to the extent of even chartering flights on their own so as to meet the customer delivery requirements. FedEx has even empowered truck drivers so that they are accountable for scheduling their delivery routes in order to meet the delivery schedule. Federal Express records Service-Quality Indicator (SQI) depending on various parameters like a) prompt delivery of shipments; b) delivering past the stipulated deadline; c) unable to track the status of the shipment within half an hour of a customers enquiry. SQIs intent is to comprehend the causes for failure and reduce such instances in order to increase custom er satisfaction. Keeping SQI at desired levels was possible due to employee empowerment. Managing work diversity FedEx won the accolade 100 Best Companies to Work For from Fortune magazine due to its capability of managing work diversity (FORTUNE, 2009, January 23). From the above four policy areas identified in the context of FedEx, we can infer the following Commitment By putting the people first as in the FedEx philosophy People-Service-Profit (PSP) and adopting various employee-friendly HR practices detailed above (recruitment, selection, rewards system, employee empowerment), the workforce will definitely remain committed to fulfilling FedExs goals. FedEx work environment is conducive to innovation and its practices are employee-friendly to ensure that they are kept motivated ever. Congruence All the HR practices outlined above have their objectives aligned perfectly with FedExs goals that is to offer unparalleled customer service. Competence FedExs core competence is its leadership in innovation, human resources and processes. FedEx with its best employer tag and excellent HR practices is able to easily attract and retain talented pool of workforce and this mainly contributes to its success in its operational area. Cost-Effectiveness Obviously, FedExs processes are cost-competitive and facilitate in a great manner to maintain the competitive edge over its competitors. Guest Model This model posits that provided a unified set of HRM practices and procedures is employed in a logical and consistent manner, with the objective of accomplishing the prescriptive objectives of great dedication, superior quality and task flexibility, then super-ordinate employee performance will ensue. Further such a collective performance excellence from employees will eventually result in superior organizational performance too. Guest models six components are 1) an HRM strategy; 2) a set of HRM policies; 3) a set of HRM outcomes; 4) behavioural outcomes; 5) performance outcomes and finally 6) financial outcomes HRM strategy FedExs strategy is differentiation that transcends product, market and geographic boundaries in order to attain 100% customer satisfaction. HRM practices policies Recruitment selection, training, appraisal, rewards, job design, involvement, job security, open-door policy, promotion-from-within, no-layoff-policy, profit-sharing policy, fair-treatment policy HRM outcomes Employee commitment, service quality and flexibility Behavioural outcomes Motivation, involvement and collaboration Performance outcomes High productivity, high innovation, low turnover, low absenteeism, less customer complaints Financial outcomes Profits, good ROI (Return on Investment) Key HRM Activities Recruitment Recruiting the right skilled and talented workforce is crucial to fulfilling FedExs organizational strategy and this becomes a key HRM activity that facilitates FedEx maintaining its competitive edge over its peers as well. The Recruitment and Selection procedures practiced at FedEx are detailed under the HR Planning and Development section below. Rewards FedEx has set up various awards that are defined below to acknowledge talent and to actuate exceedingly gifted employees (Mcshane, Von Glinow Sharma, 2008, p.552; FedEx Overview, n.d.). These awards, tokens of appreciation and accolades immensely facilitate in motivating the employees to improve and do even better and fix high standards for them as individuals and as teams. The Five Star Award The highest and best award one will get in FedEx for exceptional performance is the Five Star Award. The employee who contributes to an extraordinary extent to enhance teamwork, service quality and profitableness receives this most coveted award. Super Star Award Employees who perform consistently and are constant achievers in terms of performance deserve this Super Star award. Bravo Zulu Bravo Zulu is slang used by US Navy for well done. Employees whose performance is outstanding are sure to receive this award. Circle of Excellence Team and collaborative effort demands appreciation, recognition and encouragement. This award is one such award given to teams rather than individuals that do exceptionally good. Golden Falcon award Employees who offer extraordinary customer service by exceeding the customers expectations deserve the Golden Falcon award. Internal Communication Bipartite communication involving the top management and the employees is prevalent in FedEx Corporation. FedEx is committed to Open-Door Policy (ODP), Guaranteed Fair Treatment Program (GFTP) and Survey-Feedback-Action (SFA) in order to facilitate such a bipartite communication. Open-Door Policy (ODP) ODP facilitates employee empowerment by enabling them to call into question / to register their displeasure (or) discontent regarding various organizational policies such as hiring, career, benefits, compensation, etc. The formal accusations and charges thus registered are put forward to the open door forum and are later on forwarded to the respective official to be handled (Frock, 2006, p.204). Guaranteed Fair Treatment Program (GFTP) FedEx requires having a professional grievance handling system to cater to such a huge workforce. GFTP precisely satiates such a need. GFTP facilitates employees to record their grievances, displeasure and discontent on several aspects like disciplinary measures, appraisals, layoffs, downsizing and placements. Such issues are processed at three levels of managerial hierarchy. The manager at the first hierarchical level who is the employees immediate superior reviews the issue. Any issue that reaches second level is carefully reviewed by the Vice President of the section. If the issue is still not resolved at the second level also, then it is addressed by the Supreme Court of FedEx Corporation headed by none other than Fred Smith (Frock, 2006, p.207). Survey-Feedback-Action (SFA) FedEx instituted SFA with the purpose of enhancing employee top management relationships. Employees are made to form teams or work groups amongst themselves and chosen representatives from such teams have to complete questionnaires on several management aspects and superiors. The advent of technological innovations have facilitated setting up of on-line SFAs so as to give instant, easy and immediate access to its global team of employees (Frock, 2006, p.206). FedExs bipartite communication mechanisms described here thus let openness and transparency prevail in the operations and hence should be appreciated for the same. HR Planning and Development The core HR Planning and Development activities / processes namely the recruitment and selection, training and development and succession planning that are performed in FedEx are elaborated below: Recruitment and Selection FedExs organizational objective is to provide unrivalled quality customer service. So recruitment becomes a critical process that needs to be carried out with careful consideration. FedEx only recruits people who were ready to accept challenges and take risks and also possessed enterprising attitude. FedEx entices functional experts by providing them stock options as well as chance to work in exciting and ambitious environs. FedEx adopts a logical and well-planned procedure to carry out recruitment and selection. FedEx supports recruiting students / graduates for intern positions so as to train them for taking up challenging job offers in the future (Working at FedEx., n.d.). Roughly around 25,000 employees are recruited at FedEx for various permanent as well as ad hoc positions. Keeping pace with the technological innovations and internet, FedEx automated the whole job application and application screening procedures. Job applicants can apply online by clicking the Career Centre ico n in the FedEx home page http://www.fedex.com. Vacancies prevailed in various areas such as administrative support, aviation maintenance, customer service, e-commerce, engineering, operations, HR, IT, marketing, truck drivers, vehicle technicians etc. are updated in Personnel Records and Information System (PRISM) (FedEx Overview, n.d.). Prospective applicants can apply online for jobs that commensurate with ones skills, talent, education, training and experience. College graduates and students are also welcome to apply online for internships and permanent positions as well. Prospective candidates can complete information pertaining to their preference (job and place of work). FedEx job application system allows such prospective candidates to create and store on-line resumes. The candidate details are then checked with job eligibility criteria stored in PRISM and suitable candidates are identified. Such short-listed candidates have to further take an aptitude test that quizzes thei r Math, English and reasoning skills, followed by interview. Candidates who clear the interview further undergo a fitness examination and a background credentials check, and finally are given appointment letters. The new (online) system facilitated the screening procedure and drastically brought down the time taken for the procedure by about 50%. There is no race, gender, religion, nationality, disability or age discrimination when it comes to providing employment opportunities. Fair and equal treatment is provided to one and all at FedEx. Thus the recruitment and selection procedures at FedEx are carried out efficaciously thereby helping FedEx to maintain its competitive edge over the rest. Training and Development FedEx has a well-defined training program in place so as to train the new hires and to facilitate them to perform the tasks they are expected to. FedExs training and development program not only imparts job-specific skills and competencies but also contributes greatly to the wholesome development of human resources. FedEx provides an environment that favours continuous learning and hence stagnation of skills or plateauing is highly unlikely. New recruits are made to undergo a very effective orientation program that is formulated with the intent of making first day at office or on-boarding in general a beautiful, enjoyable and unforgettable affair. The orientation program comprised of a New Hire Orientation Kit that includes 1) letter from the CEO; 2) checklists; 3) welcome letter personalized and signed by the managers; 4) first day / first week / through the year employee work schedule. And then the kit also includes a half-an-hour video program Welcome to our World that details out the benefits and facilities of FedEx (Connor, 2003, January 1). The orientation program enabled the new recruits to become conversant with the doctrine, policies and procedures, and the type and nature of relationship between higher-ups and equals at FedEx. An on-the-job training program commences once after the orientation program is over. The training program is designed as per the type and nature of job and tasks the new recruits were required to execute. The higher-ups who are in-charge of the new recruits are also instructed as to how and in what manner the new recruits need to be provided on-the-job training. The employee types such as customer service representatives (CSRs), couriers and service agents, who have to interact more with customers were trained with extra care and significance. The training program for such CSR trainees was a rigorous eight-week schedule during which they were trained about FedExs service types and were put in conditions simulating real work environment. They were taken through computer screens which they will be required to use during their work; they were made to listen to customer live calls in order to get a flavour of the actual job environment. Tests were also conducted as part of the training p rogram and the trainees have to obtain good scores in these tests in order to complete training successfully and be put to actual work. Couriers / service agents have to successfully complete a four-week on-the-job training before being assigned to real field tasks. FedEx is a learning organization that provides a continuous learning atmosphere to facilitate honing the skills, capabilities and competencies of the employees. To evaluate the competencies and proficiencies of the employees, they are subject to taking up a job-knowledge online test once every six months. The performance of the employees becomes an employee training record and is stored in Personnel Records and Information System (PRISM). By way of such evaluation it is possible to determine the areas in which employees ought to enhance their competencies and are assisted and trained further in improving their performance. If despite being trained the employees flunk the job-knowledge tests, they have no other option but to quit FedEx. Such is the significance of periodically assessing the employees job proficiencies. FedEx started the Leadership Development Institute (LDI) during the 80s, and this was instrumental in formulating various training sessions and programs for employees from various hierarchical levels of management. The LDI backed training programs covered three subjects Core Management Principles, outdoor-based learning, and Electives. LDI was staffed by Managing Directors and senior managers together to be called as Management Preceptors. FedExs LDI recognizes leadership material by functioning the Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Process (LEAP) (FedEx Overview, n.d.). LEAP is established on various leadership attributes such as charisma, dependability, flexibility etc. Team play is crucial in this LEAP process. This program is designed to cater to and evaluate the needs and potential of all employees who evince interest and involvement in donning leadership roles. Interested candidates are made to participate in a one-day introductory classroom session Is Management For Me? in order to make them conversant with managerial capabilities and responsibilities. On successful completion of this, the candidate progresses to the next stage to finish the leadership awareness activities. During a 3-6 month period, LEAP candidates are trained and evaluated in leadership qualities. Depending on the candidates performance during this tenure, the manager makes a written recommendation by either favouring or rejecting the candidates attempt for acquiring managerial positions (Murley, 1997, p.502). Succession Planning FedEx believes in fostering and nurturing in-house talents and in promoting them to top rungs of management. FedEx also gives chances for employees from non-managerial cadres to get promoted to managerial positions. FedExs Leadership Evaluation and Awareness Process (LEAP) (Murley, 1997, p.502) was established in 1988 to enable non-managerial employees opt for managerial positions. The LEAP essentially involved assessing the leadership skills and capabilities of the employees who wish to get into managerial positions. FedEx gives preference to in-house talent and hence posts job vacancies in its on-line job portal called Job Change Applicant Tracking System (JCATS). FedEx encourages mentoring and coaching which is yet another non-formal but efficient way of succession planning. FedExs mentoring and coaching programs are carried out efficaciously in FedExs Leadership Development Institute (Murray, 2001). These are the various means by which FedEx facilitates career progression within the organization. Performance Monitoring and Enhancement The HR performance needs to be monitored regularly to enhance the effectiveness. So performance monitoring in FedEx is carried out and the various ways by which the HR performance is assessed are given below: Performance Appraisal System FedExs appraisal system links pay increases to the employees productivity and performance. Annual performance appraisals are carried out and employees are evaluated on the basis of various job-specific attributes few noteworthy ones being customer orientation, team skills, loyalty, technical expertise etc. (Cook, 208, p.205). Apart from hefty pay packages, several attractive prerequisites like 1) tuition fees reimbursement, 2) travel discounts and 3) jump-seat availability (free flight privileges for employees). All such prerequisites are provided over and above the already entitled hefty pay packages. FedEx also offers a 10% profit-sharing scheme for those valued employees. All such enticing aspects related to compensation and benefits keep the employees happy and motivated and enable FedEx to enjoy unmatched position when compared to its peers. Staff Surveys FedEx conducts staff surveys on an annual basis and this serves to be crucial business enhancement tool. Participants are supposed to provide replies to 32 questions electronically in a two week period (Mosley, n.d.). Active participation of staff has been witnessed over these years. This Survey-Feedback-Action (SFA) procedure was introduced with the objective of helping top management in deciding upon issues related to promotions. But then SFA was practiced in reality only to the magnitude of evaluating the employees belonging to the managerial cadre. The employees from various teams are supposed to respond to the 32 questions asked about their higher-ups and the overall management anonymously. The survey results are collated and tabulated and given to the concerned team managers. The managers carry on feedback sessions with the employees, conduct a detailed discussion about the survey results obtained and spot the issues which ought to be handled. Once the feedback sessions conclud e, the team members need to draft a formal plan of action to resolve the spotted issues. The plan is thereon reviewed on a regular basis to monitor the advancement of the corrective measures being carried out. Few sample questions from the survey are as follows: I feel free to tell my manager what I think My manager lets me know whats expected of me Favouritism is not a problem in my work group My manager: helps us find ways to do our jobs better The SFA helps 1) to assess the managerial performance, 2) to resolve employee problems and 3) to enhance relations at work place. Turnover rates FedEx has a very less and insignificant turnover rate of about 1 percent. This being the best employer knows the trick of successful and effective employee retention mechanisms. There is no dearth of career plans or opportunities for the FedEx employees and this is one crucial reason why FedEx is capable of successfully retaining its invaluable workforce. Promotion-from-within policy enables elevating the employees in the hierarchical rungs from within. Also employees performance, efforts and contributions are well-recognized and exceptional employees are awarded for their competencies and proficiencies. Also open and transparent communication too plays a great role in reducing the employee turnover rates. Also, employees should take pride in what they do and this is where imparting proper training to hone the employees skills becomes essential. FedEx has a well-defined on-the-job training mechanism which greatly helps in enabling the employees perform a meaningful job for which they can own pride and responsibility. Motivation and Job Satisfaction FedEx thrives on innovation. For innovation to prevail at impressive levels, creativity, productivity and discretionary efforts are prerequisites. Such attributes are fostered by high levels of employee motivation and job satisfaction experienced by the employees. FedEx has won a slew of accolades thanks to its job-satisfied and motivated workforce. FedEx environment is conducive to innovation and this in turn motivates the workforce to perform exceedingly well. HR Policy Requirements Here we compare and contrast three identified HR policies of two diverse organizations. The two organizations taken for study and comparison of HR policies are 1) Northumbria Police and 2) UCL Londons Global University. The three policies that are considered for comparison are 1) Diversity and Equality, 2) No Smoking, 3) Work life Balance HR Policy 1 Diversity and Equality Northumbria Police versus UCL Londons Global University Northumbrias Diversity and Equality Policy (Northumbria Diversity Equality, 2009, April 8) strives to boost, encourage and preserve diversity, equality and human rights and inform individuals and community about the significance of honouring equality, diversity and human rights within the Northumbria Police. The policy is formulated to evince the Northumbria police support and compliance to enforcing anti-discriminatory, equal opportunity and fair treatment measures in the workplace. UCLs Race Equality Policy (UCL Human Resources Race Equality, n.d.) aims to promote racial equality in all its functions and to value diversity of staff and student and to forbid illegal acts of racial discrimination. The Policy goes about defining racism and means of implementing the policy. UCLs Equality objectives are clearly defined and an Equality Action Framework is formulated too. Special mention about dealing with the acts of harassment and bullying is made and institution of boards and committees to keep acts of inequality under check and control. Managing work force diversity and promoting fair treatment in recruitment and selection procedures at UCL is emphasized. Both the staff and student communities are included in defining the various equality initiatives that are required to be taken as per the policy. HR Policy 2 No Smoking Northumbria Police versus UCL Londons Global University Northumbrias No Smoking Policy (Northumbria No Smoking, 2009, April 1) states about the existence of No Smoking policy within the building premises and vehicles under its control. The objectives of this policy is to 1) ascertain that non-smokers are not involuntarily exposed to tobacco smoke, 2) to educate people about the health hazards associated with smoking, 3) to help those who wish to quit smoking and 4) to accommodate smokers as well. UCLs No Smoking Policy (UCL Human Resources No Smoking, 2007, June 1) strives to create a smoke-free healthy environment f

Love Is Timeless :: essays research papers fc

Love can be described as having genuine affection towards someone. Whether it be a family member or your soulmate, love comes in many shapes and forms. Love is also defined as timeless and infinite. In the poem â€Å"A Red, Red Rose† by Robert Burns, there is many connotations about love. Throughout the poem the speaker symbolizes his love for someone. He uses various metaphors to get his point across about how he feels about this particular person. However, what makes this poem differ from other common love poems is that it emphasizes how the author leaves but will still always love the other person thus making love endless.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Robert Burns was born in Scotland, January 25th, 1759. He was the son of William Burnes, or Burness, at the time on the banks of the Doon in Ayrshire. He married Jean Armour whose father did not approve of their marriage. They moved all over England and finally ended up in Dumfries where he died at thirty-eight. Historians believe that the poem ‘A Red, Red Rose’ emerged from the difficulties Jeam Armour’s father had of their marriage. Regardless of her father’s disapproval, he wed her and created an ageless poem of his love towards her.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã¢â‚¬ËœA Red, Red Rose’ uses various similes and metaphors to describe love. Love is conveyed through a rose. The color â€Å"red† is also a symbol of passion and love. In lines 3 and 4 Burns is compelled again to write another metaphor about his love. This time he compares her to a melody from a song. This is, however, a temporary beauty since a melody eventually ends. In the second stanza he believes that his love will last forever. The line â€Å"tell a’ the seas gang dry† (Burns 1401) does not put a limit of time in his love. The probability that this would happen is next to impossible making his love continuous. Lines 9 through 11 also convey the same message as lines 5 through 8.His love will last until â€Å"the rocks melt wi’ the sun† (Burns 1401) Burns emphasizes again the fact that his love will never end. This reiteration tells readers that he truly loves this person and that he will not stop loving this person until the end of time. The final stanza has multiple meanings. He could mean that their love is separated above or beyond the sands of time.

More Human Than Human

More Human than Human is the first episode of the BBC series entitled How Art Made the World. This documentary discusses on how people in the past rarely use realistic human images. From little figurines, to cave paintings and murals, and up to towering statues, Dr. Nigel Spivey investigates on how this has become so. The relics discovered were observed to have some body parts that were exaggerated while others were completely ignored. These exaggerated parts are said to have certain significance to the people who created them. Dr. Ramachandran, a neurologist, explains a theory in which the brain tends to recognize certain things that will stimulate the body. A few thousand years later, Egyptian art was found to have been expressed through mathematical approaches rather than exaggerations. They chose to show human body parts from their clearest angles. On the other hand, the Greeks wanted to create realistic images. When the two cultures clashed, an artistic revolution ignited and the Greeks reproduced their realistic human images in exact and perfectly measured dimensions. But later on, they abandoned this realism and went back to exaggerating. Over the years, exaggeration points have changed according to the preference of the humans. Exaggerating is said to make the images more interesting. In Asia, human images are very culturally influenced. The Chinese and Japanese give more details to the facial features and clothing. They make it look more like how their people look like. From the hats, to the slit eyes, beards and mustaches, and to the long, flowing robes, the images seem more realistic. However, their statues and figures of Buddha and other gods have exaggerated features as well. The statues of Buddha are usually portrayed in squat position but accessories and features differ according to the people. Some have body parts which are not proportional with each other and others have certain features that satisfy their culture and religion. Exaggeration changes over time as the taste of the people changes. What is pleasing to the eye in one generation might be completely unpleasant to another. Culture and religion also have their own effect on the preferences of people. While exaggerated sexual parts stimulate fertility for some, these types of exaggerations might wholly step unto others' principles. However, Art is a personal expression. Therefore, the pleasant or unpleasantness of an art is dependent upon the creator, while the observer also has his own personal inclination.

Introduction to heritage tourism

In Northern Ireland heritage tourism attractions can be classified in many different ways. These include manmade but not built to attract tourists attractions, manmade and purpose built to attract tourists attractions, natural attractions and can also be applied to special events. It is hoped that this seminar will help people to gain a wider understanding and appreciation of heritage tourism and the efforts of the bodies who do so much excellent work in order to protect and preserve Northern Ireland's rich heritage attractions. Manmade but not built to attract tourist heritage attractions include the Walls of Derry which were built in 1613 to protect the inhabitants from hostile enemies. They fulfilled their purpose during the siege by the Jacobites and defended the city for more than a hundred days until the siege ended. Another example of a heritage attraction is St Columb's Cathedral, built in 1633 and was the first cathedral in the British Isles to be built after the Reformation. Today, like the Walls, they are the city's most popular tourist attraction and receive hundreds of tourists a year .However the Cathedral is still used to worship in. The Walls are owned by the Honourable The Irish Society but are looked after by the Environment and Heritage Service. Manmade and purpose built to attract tourist attractions include the Tower Museum, which was built in 1992, which has displays on the early history of Derry, the Siege and the role it played during World War Two. Another example of this is the Ulster American Folk Park in Tyrone which was primarily built as an educational facility. It was built in the late 1970's to celebrate the United States' bicentenary in 1976. It is owned by MAGNI (National Museums and Galleries of Northern Ireland) which looks after all the museums and parks in its care. Natural attractions include the Giant's Causeway in County Antrim which was formed sixty five million years ago by the cooling of magma into its unique hexagonal shapes. It is perhaps the legend of Finn MacCool forming the Causeway that is perhaps more interesting than the actual formation. It is also the only World Heritage Site in Ireland having been made so in 1986. Special heritage attractions include the Halloween festival and the Maiden City Festival in Derry. The Maiden City festival was first held in 1997 and has had an extremely successful run each subsequent year. It embraces both sides of the community and has helped both sides to gain a better understanding of the others culture. The Banks of the Foyle Halloween Carnival has had perhaps an even more successful run. It won the Northern Ireland Tourist Board's â€Å"Event of the Year† Award in 2002. To tie in with the festivities are ghost tours around the city and story telling in the Tower Museum. 0950- The National Trust The National Trust was established in 1895 by Robert Hunter, Octavia Hill and Hardwicke Rawnsley to â€Å"guard† the threatened coastlines, countryside and historic buildings of the United Kingdom. They had been concerned with the unrestrained development and industrialisation of the Victorian Era. Since 1884 Hunter had been calling for the establishment of an organization to â€Å"administer its property with a view to the protection of the public interests in open spaces.† In over a hundred years it has become the largest independent conservation body in the world and now owns more than two hundred historic buildings , more than six hundred thousand acres of countryside and more than five hundred miles of coastline. Its main aim is, and always has been, to â€Å"maintain and care for the coast, countryside and historic buildings on behalf of the nation†. In Northern Ireland the Trust owns almost fifty different properties spread around the country .These include Mount Stewart in County Down which is one of the Trust's more popular properties in Northern Ireland. The property not only includes some of the most magnificent gardens in Northern Ireland but also objects of historical significance. The dining room features the actual chairs that were used by the delegates in the Congress of Vienna in 1815. The house also contains priceless paintings which were collected by members of the family over several centuries. The Dining Room Mount Stewart Another popular property is Florencecourt in County Fermanagh. It was previously the home of the Enniskillen family and was given to the National Trust by the fifth Earl of Enniskillen in 1953. It is also of natural importance as on its grounds is the first Yew Tree was planted here in 1767. The land around the house is owned by the Forest Service which purchased the land from the sixth Earl of Enniskillen in 1975. Florence Court, County Fermanagh In County Antrim the Trust owns the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. It was primarily used as a way for fishermen to Carrick-a-Rede Island. Over one hundred thousand tourists visit the bridge every year. It is also an excellent place to view porpoises, dolphins and basking sharks. Carrick- a-Rede Rope Bridge The Giant's Causeway is the most popular heritage attraction in Northern Ireland and is the only UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ireland. More than five hundred thousand tourists a year visit the area from around the world. Over sixty million years old it was formed by lava flowing into the sea and gradually cooling and hardening. In 2002 the Giant's Causeway and Bushmills Railway opened more than fifty years after its predecessor the Giants Causeway, Portrush and Bush Valley Tramway closed. The line runs from the Giant's Causeway to Bushmills. The Causeway is also an important area for wildlife including peregrine falcons and a rare species of bird known as chough. The Causeway is the last known area in Northern Ireland for these birds to inhabit. The Giant's Causeway The Trust also owns and manages the Mourne Mountains specifically Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh. Slieve Donard is Northern Ireland's highest mountain standing at a majestic 850 metres. The Trust has only owned these two mountains since 1991 and, since it is a charity, it had to use its own money to buy them. It managed to raise enough money through a fundraising campaign and bought over a thousand acres. The Mournes have an abundance of wildlife including ravens, hares and rare dragonflies. Slieve Donard and Slieve Commedagh The Trust also owns and cares for sites that belong to Northern Ireland's industrial heritage such as Patterson's Spade Mill in County Antrim. It operated from 1919 to 1990 and was purchased by the Trust in 1992. It is the last working water-powered spade mill in the British Isles. The spades are still available for purchase at around twenty pounds. 1010- The Environment and Heritage Service The Environment and Heritage Service is the largest department in the Department of the Environment with more than five hundred personnel. It advises and implements the Government's policy on the environment in Northern Ireland. Their main aim is â€Å"to protect and conserve the natural and built environment and to promote it's appreciation for the benefit of present and future generations.† One of the areas the EHS cares for includes Scrabo Tower and Country Park in County Down. It was built in 1857 in memory of the 3rd Marquis of Londonderry (who also owned Mount Stewart) and can be seen for miles around. There is also a disused mine where the famous Scrabo Rock was extracted and exported to other areas of the United Kingdom. The EHS also cares for Roe Valley Country Park in County Antrim. It is home to a wide variety of wildlife including foxes, badgers and otters. The park is also a popular place for recreation including salmon and trout fishing, canoeing rock climbing, orienteering and riverside and woodland walks. They also look after Dunluce Castle in County Antrim which was built in the late 16th century. The incident in 1639 in which the kitchen fell into the sea is what the Castle is most renowned for. Carrickfergus Castle, Bellaghy Bawn, Ballycopeland Windmill, Dundrum Castle, Inch abbey, Grey Abbey and Hillsborough Courthouse. Other country parks and countryside centres the EHS cares for include Portrush, Countryside Centre, Castle Archdale County Park, Ervey Wood and Ness Wood. Scrabo Tower and Country Park Dunluce Castle Greenpeace Greenpeace had it's beginnings in 1971 when several people protested at the USA detonating underground nuclear bombs in a area used by rare otters near Alaska. It has grown in the last thirty years and has over 2.8 million supporters around the world. It operates in more than forty countries and has its headquarters in Amsterdam. Greenpeace's latest triumph has been in putting pressure on the World Heritage Committee to add Lake Baikal (the largest fresh water lake in the world) and the Volcanoes of Kamchatka in Russia to the list of World Heritage sites. More than twelve million hectares will now be preserved. Greenpeace also successfully put pressure on the WHC to declare the Komi Virgin Forests in the Urals a World Heritage Site. 1100-The Wildlife Trust It is the United Kingdom's largest conservation charity devoted to wildlife. No member of the trust is paid as all of its members volunteer to help the Trust. The Trust cares for more than two thousand nature reserves. There were four hundred thousand voluntary members of the Trust in 2002 and the member is still growing. Membership costs à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½24 a year for one person and à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½36 per annum for a family membership. They have 47 local trusts and a trust for children known as the Wildlife Watch who work together to protect wildlife in different areas from cities to the countryside especially in national and country parks. The local trust in Northern Ireland is the Ulster Wildlife Trust and was founded in 1978. In Northern Ireland there are more than 2000 members of the Trust. Their main aim is to â€Å"help people recognise that a healthy environment, rich in wildlife and managed on sustainable principles, is essential for continued human existence.† WWF The World Wide Fund for Nature's main aims are to protect and conserve endangered species and to address global threats to wildlife. However it only works to protect animals in the wild and has â€Å"no experience or expertise to deal with issues relating to animals in captivity. Whereas the larger organisation works on international issues relating to animals the UK organisation work to look after the countries wild animals. It can be involved in many matters affecting wildlife such as challenging the government on the destruction of the countryside. It also puts forward the effects of tourism in wildlife. Unlike other heritage organisations it owns no property and therefore has more money to spend.

Self discovery and makes the decision Essay Example

Self discovery and makes the decision Essay Example Self discovery and makes the decision Paper Self discovery and makes the decision Paper Arthur Millers play The Crucible was based upon the 1950s McArthur trials. Miller was called before the House of Un-American Activities Committee in 1956 and refused to testify against his friends and associates (similar to the decision made by his main character and protagonist, John Proctor). He was then charged with contempt, but the conviction was later overruled with an appeal.  The play explores the challenge in society to stand up for what you believe in and doing good in the face of evil. Salem must have seemed a very strong basis of which to develop his play and ideas. Miller travelled to Salem and heavily researched the Puritan society existing in the 17th century. In this essay I am going to explain how John Proctor goes through a journey of self discovery and makes the decision that his pride and principles are worth dying for, which is why Miller has written the play.  In the first scene involving John Proctor, his sordid affair with Abigail Williams is exposed.  Although honest and a good man, John is very passionate which lands him in a lot of trouble. After a lot of guilt and a heavy concience he decides to end the affair with Abby. Once he is on his own with her, he declares, Abby, I may think of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before Ill ever reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abby. This powerful use of imagery works to add meaning to what he is saying. This is obviously hard for a man of Johns nature to come to terms with he knows he has let down his wife Elizabeth but is trying to redeem himself by ending any ties to this woman. It is this conflict which serves as one of the devices by which Miller takes his main character on a journey of self-discovery. Miller has created a simple plot where Reverend Hale is invited to Salem after no cure can be found for Reverend Parriss daughter, Betty, who after found dancing and singing in the forest with other girls in the village, had developed a strange illness. In a Puritan society such as Salem at that time, singing and dancing were strictly prohibited. The inhabitants of Salem begin to think Betty is possessed. After Hales arrival, the girls involved are questioned. Abigail (the ringleader of the group) begins calling out names of respectable members of the society, claiming she has seen them with the Devil. Betty joins in. Sarah Good and Goody Osburn are the first citizens to be accused of witchcraft. Proctor know that Abigail can manipulate people and she that shes feared by many of the girls. However, by ending the affair with Abigail earlier on in the play, it shows that John has great strength of character and has taken the first step to turn his life around and leads on to a journey of self discovery. John tries to make amends with Elizabeth by exclaiming On Sunday let you come with me and well walk the farm together. I never see such a load of flowers on the earth. This clearly shows his love for his wife as well as his genuine remorse for his liaison with Abigail. This mirrors towards the ending because Proctor turns to Elizabeth, and asks her if he should confess; her opinion obviously means a lot to him and hes asking her out of love. Referring back to the question, Proctors decision to die for his pride and principles are greatly affected by what Elizabeth told him to do. Elizabeth said that she could not judge him. Proctors principles and journey of self discovery are centered around his love for Elizabeth. Elizabeth explains to John that many people have been arrested and accused of witchcraft and a court has been set up to try them with the penalty of death. Abigail accuses Proctors wife, Elizabeth, of witchcraft. After Elizabeth is taken away, John tries to clear her good name. Ill not give my wife to vengeance. This quote shows Johns willingness to stand up for what he believes in, and his love for Elizabeth, because he believes his wife is good and pure and wont hesitate to stand up for her.  Elizabeth begs her husband to speak out and tell the court what kind of person Abigail really is. However it takes her arrest before he will do this. Proctor states I had not reckoned with goin into court. But if I must I will.

Bus 272 Ch 8 Essay

Bus 272 Ch 8 Essay Bus 272 Ch 8 Essay 8 Team Dynamics 1 Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa What are Teams? Groups of two or more people Exist to fulfill a purpose Interdependent interact and influence each other Mutually accountable for achieving common goals Perceive themselves to be a team Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 2 Many Types of Teams Permanence How long that type of team usually exists Skill differentiation Degree of skill/knowledge diversity in the team Authority differentiation Degree that decision-making responsibility is distributed throughout the team or centralized Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 3 Informal Groups Groups that exist primarily for the benefit of their members Reasons why informal groups exist: 1. Innate drive to bond 2. Social identity 3. Goal accomplishment 4. Emotional support Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 4 Team Advantages/Challenges Advantages 1. Make better decisions, products/services 2. Better information sharing 3. Increase employee motivation/engagement Challenges 1. Process losses 2. Brook’s Law 3. Social loafing Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 5 Team Effectiveness Model Team States Norms Organizational and Team Environment Rewards Communication Org structure Org leadership Physical space Cohesion Team Efficacy Team Trust Team Design Accomplish tasks Task characteristics Satisfy member needs Team size Team composition Team Processes Team development Team norms Team cohesiveness Team trust Time and Team Development Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa Team Effectiveness 6 Maintain team survival Organization/Team Environment Organizational and Team Environment Rewards Communication Org structure Org leadership Physical space Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 7 Best Tasks for Teams Complex tasks divisible into specialized roles 2. Well-structured tasks – easier to coordinate 3. Higher task interdependence 1. Team members must share materials, information, or expertise to perform their jobs Teams are usually better because high interdependence But teams less effective if task goals differ – use other coordinating mechanisms Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 8 Best Tasks for Teams Team Design Task characteristics Team size Team composition Teams better for tasks that are: sufficiently complex (require teamwork) can be divided into more specialized roles requiring frequent coordination well-structured (easier to coordinate) Teams preferred with higher task interdependence Extent that employees need to share materials, information, or expertise to perform their jobs. Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 9 Team Design Levels of Task Interdependence Task characteristics Team size Team composition High A Reciprocal B A Sequential B C Resource Pooled A Low Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa C 10 B C Team Design Team Size Task characteristics Team size Team composition Smaller teams are better because: less process loss more engaged with team get to know each other feel more responsible for team’s success But team must be large enough to accomplish task Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa 11 Team TeamDesign Design Team Composition Task characteristics Team size Team composition Effective team members must be willing and able to work on the team Effective team members possess specific competencies (5 C’s in diagram) Canadian OB 9e: McShane/Steen/Tasa Conflict Resolving Diagnose conflict sources Use best conflicthandling strategy Team Member Competencies Comforting Show empathy Provide psych comfort Build confidence 12 Coordinating Align work with others Keep team on track Communicating Share information freely, efficiently, respectfully Listen actively Team Composition: Diversity Team Design Task characteristics Team size Team composition Team members have diverse knowledge, skills, perspectives, values, etc. Advantages

Candle Making Basics

Candle Making Basics The use of candles for light and heat is known to have existed in ancient times. The remains of candles have been found in the caves of France. It is believed that cavemen used them while painting and etching on the walls. It is believed those candles where made out of animal fat. The Egyptians used candles as well by dripping beeswax onto leave stems. The burning process of a candle involves the four basic elements of matter which are solids, liquids, gas, and plasma. Today candle making is a fun hobby or craft. For some, it is a very profitable business venture. Candle making provides you with they ability to create wonderful designs and crafts out of your candles. There is no limit to the shapes, sizes, and colors you can make your candles in. A candle is a device to provide light or fragrance. Candles have become very popular for the wonderful aromas more than for their ability to produce light. Some candles give off a popular smell such as vanilla or jasmine. Others smell like a chocolate cake or cinnamon rolls. The body of a candle is generally made of paraffin wax. It can also be made out of beeswax. Paraffin wax is a natural wax that comes from plants. This wax can be purchased from Petroleum Refinery or the Specialty Wax Processor. Beeswax is also considered a natural wax, and is taken from honeybees. This is the substance the bees use to construct their honeycombs. A wick is placed in the center of the wax before it dries. The wick is made of cotton fibers that have been braided together. The wick is very thin, but also very powerful. Sometimes candle makers will use a wick that is wider than normal to increase the size of the flame. Safety is a very important part of candle making. The temperature of the hot wax can result in severe burns. There is also the risk of fire. Make sure your candle making area is set up properly and that you have a fire extinguisher in the area. Clean up spills quickly as they will become very slick, leading to falls if you walk across them. To make candle making fun instead of frustrating, start will making simple candles. This is a great opportunity for you to discover what works well with your set up and gives you the chance to make necessary changes. Initially, work at implementing good safety habits and melting your wax at the proper temperatures. You will also want to experiment with your cooling process. Once you have these areas down, you will start to relax and the process will become more natural to you. This is the right time to start experimenting with dyes, scents, and shapes for your candles. The candle making process is easy to follow if you take your time and learn from your mistakes. Those who are impatient and take multitasking to an extreme will most likely not enjoy the art of candle making. However, it is very enjoyable by those who have plenty of time to take with the process and who enjoy creating things. Candle making supplies aren’t expensive so use the best you can. This will also help ensure your candles form well and burn properly.

Jim Crow Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jim Crow - Research Paper Example The Jim Crow was characterized by tough anti-black polices or laws (Packard 2003, 222). Under the Jim crow, people of color especially African Americans were seen as people who belonged to the lower or second class in society. The Jim Crow rallied for implementation of anti-black policies because many theologians and Christians preached that the white people were children of God. They taught that God cursed people of color especially black men to be servants, and due to this, God endorsed racial biasness (Boskin 1976). In addition, craniologists and social thinkers argued that the culture of the black people was inferior and that they were intellectually inferior to the white people. Those politicians who were against social integration believed that the black culture could not mix with the white culture as this could lead to mongrelization of the white race which they perceived to be superior than any other race (Klarman 2006, 211). The media propagated racial segregation in their articles where they referred to black people as darkies, coons, and niggers. Their messages in the articles spread anti-black information and stereotypes. For instance, in schools, white children saw black children as inferior and worthless. Under the Jim Crow, all social institutions such as schools and churches reinforced oppression of the people of color particularly African Americans (Parish 2008, 93-95). The Jim Crow norms worked in combination with the Jim Crow policies. The Jim Crow norms were responsible for black exclusion from significant facilities such as jobs, transport, and schools. The 13th and 15th amendment of the US constitution had given black people same rights and legal protection as white people (Stetson 2011, 188). However, when Rutherford was elected the US president, border and southern States started restricting the freedoms and rights of black people. Even the highest institution in the land, the Supreme Court, reinforced racial segregation with the

An Overall Analysis of Various Aspects of Islam Research Paper

An Overall Analysis of Various Aspects of Islam - Research Paper Example (Waines 92) This ambiguity of the meaning of Islam ultimately evolves from the concept that one’s submission to the will of God will bring peace in this worldly life. A fundamental Muslim thinks that submission to God and peace are the two sides of the same coin. Conventionally it is often believed that Islam was founded by Muhammad, in the 640 AD, who claimed himself to be the messenger of God. But referring to the Quranic evidences, some scholars claim that the origin of Islam dates back to Adam, the first man as well as the first prophet of Islam. This is how, all of the Abrahamic religions and few others were the ancient versions, of Islam, which have now been annulled by God Himself. (Nasr 45) But other scholars argue that since the ancient versions of Islam such Christianity (the religion of Prophet Zesu, one of the most revered prophets in Islam), Judaism (the religion of Prophet Moses, another revered prophet in Islam) and other religions have been repealed by God beca use the distortions of these religions by men, the true Islam for modern people is the one that Muhammad founded in the Seventh Century. Articles of Faith in Islam Institutional Islam, to a great extent, can be viewed as the summation of some seven beliefs and actions according to these beliefs. A follower of Muhammad or a believer of Islam needs to believes in: a. one God (Allah), b. prophets starting from Adam to Muhammad including Noah, Moses, Jesus, Abraham, etc. c. divine scriptures (Qutub) such as the Torah (the divine message of David or Da’ud), the Zabur (the divine message of Moses or Musa), the Bible of Zesu or Isaac (the Ingile as the Muslim calls it), the Quran (Muhammad), other unnamed minor religious scripts that were descended upon the prophets, d. the angels as the servants of God, e. belief in the â€Å"Day of Judgment† () and f. belief in fate. The summation of these beliefs is known as Islamic Belief, in Arabic ‘Iman’ or ‘Aqidahâ⠂¬â„¢. ‘Iman’ or ‘Aqidah’ essentially means to have beliefs in these six articles. Indeed five of these Articles of Faiths are supported by the textual evidences from the Quran. For an example, the verse 136 of chapter â€Å"An-Nisa† says, â€Å"Whoever disbelieveth in God and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers and the Last Day, he verily wandered far astray.† (4:136) Again the verse 285 of Chapter ‘Baqarah’ tells about the four of the main articles of faith in Islam: â€Å"believers have believed in God and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers† (2:285). Tawhid: Islamic Belief in the Oneness of God Islamic belief in God is both confirmation of one’s belief in one God and denial of many. In this sense, belief in Islamic God is a rigorous monotheism. In Arabic, this monotheism is called Tawhid or the oneness of God. This ‘Tawhid’ is the most fundamental concept of Islam. Indeed th e Islamic belief in the existence of one God is essentially the denial of many gods. According to the Quran, the fact that God is one is self-evident and therefore, the concept of many gods is simply false. God as well as His oneness, in Islam, often sides with transcendentalism. Though the transcendentalism has not directly been affirmed in Islam. The description of God, in a round about way, infers that God is transcendental. The Chapter, â€Å"

Recruitment, selection, and retention challenges Essay

Recruitment, selection, and retention challenges - Essay Example f mismatch between job description and job requirement, the organization might be forced to cancel the recruitment results and conduct fresh recruitment. The organization might also decide to train the employee to make sure he/she can carry out the duties associated with that job requirement. Most organization use job interviews and resumes to get information about job applicants. Technology may be used to conduct job interviews via live video conferencing (Billsberry, 2007). It is important to ensure that the organization selects a job applicant who will feel comfortable and will be successful. This can be achieved if you assess your organizations culture, define the candidate you are looking for and taking time to learn about the applicants working style and personality. Managers need to select candidates based on occupational qualifications. The selected applicant should possess the necessary skills required to be successful when carrying out the requirements of the job. The law prohibits any form of discrimination during the recruitment process. It is illegal to discriminate against sex, age, marital status, ethnicity or religious affiliation (Billsberry,

Turning Passion into a Career Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Turning Passion into a Career - Essay Example This paper tells that as with all careers that constantly undergo advancement and changes, the field of medicine is such that an individual needs to keep themselves abreast of the times. You have to keep learning new things and incorporate new developments and techniques in your day to day working. So the learning phase never actually ends. One can choose to shift it from the more informal ‘learning on the job’ level to a more formal ‘guided study’ one. My working environment is ideal to allow me the opportunity to further enhance my career and take it to the next level. I am planning on doing a Master’s Degree in Nursing to combine two of my passions together: teaching and nursing. Knowledge spreads through sharing and teaching a subject that you really love enhances the overall experience. A bit like sharing a hobby with the rest of the world. It adds to the pleasure. I would love to share my knowledge and experience in my field with others and faci litate new students as much as I can to help them become good nurses. It is not arrogance to believe that I would prove to be a good teacher. I have always found it to be a better experience learning from teachers whom I felt had a genuine passion for the subject. That passion and the joy of sharing makes you sincere with what you do. While working, I have picked up a few best practices here and there that help me tremendously with my tasks. I am sure more people can and will benefit from these. I know I would have if someone had offered me these bits of advice instead of me having to learn the hard way! I am at a point in my career where I can choose the path ahead for myself, both in terms of which route to take and also as far as workloads are concerned. It is of the paramount importance for me to choose my path with care. I currently have the option to take up a managerial role in our expanding laboratory or become a divisional leader. To take on new responsibilities in a new ro le, I feel it is important for me to augment my education by enrolling in a Master’s program. After giving it much thought, I have chosen to go with the clinical track since apart from helping me out in a new role, it will help me fulfill my dream of teaching nursing at college- or university level. When I was considering my options and planning for the future, I extensively searched through institutions and courses that suited me, browsing the web extensively as well as going through every prospectus I could get my hands on. I went through Norwich University’s website and liked it. I read through course-lists and any pertinent information on offer. Particularly, after watching the webinar, I was convinced that Norwich University would be the perfect place for me to embark on the next phase of my professional journey. As I have previously mentioned, right now is the ideal time for me for this undertaking: I have full support of my family and coworkers; I have been work ing long enough to be very comfortable with time management, prioritizing work and meeting deadlines; and I have no other obligations, commitments or hurdles that would keep me from devoting ample time to my studies. My working environment is conducive to learning as I am well-liked by my colleagues. Since I am always willing to pitch in and help out a colleague wherever I can, I get the same treatment in return.

Affluent Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affluent Society - Essay Example The paper will also review the most important benefits and drawbacks of sub-urbanization and affluence for Americans in the 1950s. The suburban consumers in the 1950s gained much affluence due to the economic prosperity of the US during the period. There was an increase in luxury expenditure and increase in consumer values due to increased enlightening of the suburban population. Prior to the period of 1950s consumer values did not have much dominance in the United States of America. Affluence was not of much meaning before this period. It was during this period that the people of the United States of America gained confidence in the affluence. Material conformity was brought about by mass marketing and consumerism despite that fact that the US market was consisting of people with different characteristics and abilities. Conformity seemed to be the norm in social aspects such as religion and gender roles. The 1950s is commonly referred to as the decade of economic boom. This is a decade that came immediately after the end of the World War II. Therefore, Americans were so eager on spending their money on things that they could not access during the period of war. There wasthe growth of the industries that existed even before the war began. Good examples of such industries are automobiles and steels. There was also growth of new industries such as plastic, electronics, and computers. This is a clear indication that there was an increase in the availability of employment opportunities in the US. There was a resulting increase in workers’ wages and benefits1. This implies that the people of the United States of America were in a better position to spend money on things that were previously termed as luxuries. A research carried out by the Corning Glass company in the 1950s used American women to evaluate the possible performance of their coffee in the market. The research showed just shows the extent to which the specification of customers mattered

Recruitment, selection, and retention challenges Essay

Recruitment, selection, and retention challenges - Essay Example f mismatch between job description and job requirement, the organization might be forced to cancel the recruitment results and conduct fresh recruitment. The organization might also decide to train the employee to make sure he/she can carry out the duties associated with that job requirement. Most organization use job interviews and resumes to get information about job applicants. Technology may be used to conduct job interviews via live video conferencing (Billsberry, 2007). It is important to ensure that the organization selects a job applicant who will feel comfortable and will be successful. This can be achieved if you assess your organizations culture, define the candidate you are looking for and taking time to learn about the applicants working style and personality. Managers need to select candidates based on occupational qualifications. The selected applicant should possess the necessary skills required to be successful when carrying out the requirements of the job. The law prohibits any form of discrimination during the recruitment process. It is illegal to discriminate against sex, age, marital status, ethnicity or religious affiliation (Billsberry,

Affluent Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Affluent Society - Essay Example The paper will also review the most important benefits and drawbacks of sub-urbanization and affluence for Americans in the 1950s. The suburban consumers in the 1950s gained much affluence due to the economic prosperity of the US during the period. There was an increase in luxury expenditure and increase in consumer values due to increased enlightening of the suburban population. Prior to the period of 1950s consumer values did not have much dominance in the United States of America. Affluence was not of much meaning before this period. It was during this period that the people of the United States of America gained confidence in the affluence. Material conformity was brought about by mass marketing and consumerism despite that fact that the US market was consisting of people with different characteristics and abilities. Conformity seemed to be the norm in social aspects such as religion and gender roles. The 1950s is commonly referred to as the decade of economic boom. This is a decade that came immediately after the end of the World War II. Therefore, Americans were so eager on spending their money on things that they could not access during the period of war. There wasthe growth of the industries that existed even before the war began. Good examples of such industries are automobiles and steels. There was also growth of new industries such as plastic, electronics, and computers. This is a clear indication that there was an increase in the availability of employment opportunities in the US. There was a resulting increase in workers’ wages and benefits1. This implies that the people of the United States of America were in a better position to spend money on things that were previously termed as luxuries. A research carried out by the Corning Glass company in the 1950s used American women to evaluate the possible performance of their coffee in the market. The research showed just shows the extent to which the specification of customers mattered

Criminal profiling and the types of crime Essay Example for Free

Criminal profiling and the types of crime Essay Crime Murder is the unlawful taking of human life It is a behavioral act that terminates life in the context of power, personal gain, brutality, and sometimes sexuality. Murder is a subcategory of homicide, which also includes lawful taking of human life, such as, manslaughter, deaths resulting from criminal and non- criminal negligence, and unpremeditated vehicular deaths (Megargee, 1982) With murder there are murders who sometimes go on for months without being caught for the murders they have done. But eventually, the murder catches on to them through the behavior of the murder. Behavior reflects the personality, everything observed at a crime scene tells a story and reflects something about the unknown subject who committed the crime. (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Modus operandi and victimology are very important factors in an investigation. These terms could link a murder to different scenes of crime that they committed that they are not yet charged with.   Modus operandi is the method of procedure or a method of operation that suggests the work of one crime to other crimes. Victimology is the study of victims of crime. The offender often leaves signatures (something repeated at each crime, like slashes in the throat and a bullet between the eyes) which can point a profiler at the offenders personality. Criminal Profiling Do you ever wonder what criminal profilers do? Criminal filer is a job that is different from other jobs people have. â€Å"Criminal profiling is defined and described as a technique whereby the probable characteristics of a criminal offender or offenders are predicted based on the behaviors exhibited in the commission of a crime.† (Kocsis 2006, p. 1) Due to a various amount of crime shows and social media criminal profiling meaning is often misinterpreted and the job is mixed up. Criminal profiler often examines the work a murder does and figures out their personality through crime. There are many different kinds of murderers and types of murders ranging from mass homicide, rape, computer crimes, etc. Homicide. Homicide can be classified by the number of victims, style, and type of homicide. One person is defined as a signal homicide, two victims killed in the same location around the same time is a double homicide and lastly, a triple homicide is three victims killed in the same location around the same time. Unlike homicide mass murders have â€Å"two subcategories of mass murder: classic mass murder and family mass murder. A   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   classic mass murder involves one person operating in one location at one period of time,   Ã‚   which could be minutes or hours or even daysThe second type of mass murder is family mass murder. If four or more family members are killed and the perpetrator takes his own life, it is classified as a mass murder-suicide. Without the suicide and with four or more victims, the murder is classified as a family mass murder.† (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   1988) Usually, someone that commits a mass murder is a mentally il l individual whos problems have increased to the point where they act to groups of people who are unrelated to the problems. A Spree murder is a single event with more than one location and no cooling off to think before another murder.   A Serial murder is three or more events in three or more separate locations with a cooling off time. Gang motivated murder is the murder of a group of three or more that sometimes ends in homicide. Arson and Bombing.   Arson is the crime of fire with the intent of harming someone or something. Arson is very hard to investigate due to all the debris, collapsed buildings, and ashes. But when investigating a fire scene you are to find where the fire originated from or started. If the fire does not seem to look like an accident it is a person. Crime scene investigators usually note from arsons that organized arsonist have electronic timing mechanisms, less evidence they were there, and have items to start fires with them. While disorganized crime has the materials with them on hand like cigarettes or lighter fluid, and they leave physical evidence. Aerial bombing is when one attacks a public place where there are to be a lot of people. Rape and Sexual Assault. Rape and sexual assault include criminal offenses in which victims are forced or coerced to participate in sexual activity. Physical violence may or may not be involved. (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Usually victims of rate are put into different categories depending on how old you are. Adults; at least eighteen years old and have the exception for mentally ill, brain impaired, or psychotic, adolescents; thirteen to seventeen years old who have reached puberty, children; twelve year of younger, lastly elders who are sixty or older. When someone reports a rape case the investigators are to see if it was a situational or preferential sexual motives. Examples of both situational and preferential sexual motives are described below: Situationally motivated sexual assaults are those committed to fulfill sexual and other   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   needs without the elements of the offense being necessary for arousal or gratification (such as raping a woman because she is available and vulnerable). Preferentially motivated sexual assaults are those committed to fulfill sexual and other needs with some elements of the offense being necessary for arousal or gratification (for example, raping a woman because the offender cannot feel aroused or gratified without an unwilling partner). (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Sexual rituals are patterns of behavior or rituals that are hard for the rapist to change. Both preferential and situational sex offenders may have an MO, but the preferential offender is more likely to have a sexual ritual. (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Nonlethal crimes. There are criminal acts that begin as, and sometimes remain, nonlethal crimes. In some of the crimes, such as burglary, threats, and stalking, there may be no physical contact, and the victim is not physically injured. But the victim may fear for their life or the life of loved ones, so it is suggested you report these crimes to police. Communication threats are to cause harm by a threat, terrorist threats are a good example of a communication threat. Direct threats are aimed at a certain person while indirect threats are told in a vague manner. There are also written, letter, and symbolic threats to where something is sent to you or placed on a desk or inside a mailbox. We often hear physical threats a lot, our parents may threaten us by telling us they will take our phones if we do not do good on the test. Stalking is often another form of nonlethal crime, stalking is a form of following. Robbery is taking something that is not there, The element of force differentiates robbery from embezzlement, larceny, and other types of theft. Armed robbery involves the use of a weapon. High- way robbery takes place outside and in a public place. Carjacking is the act of stealing a car from a victim, usually at gunpoint. Bank robbery is the robbing of banks and financial institutions. (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Computer and cybercrime. Not all crimes are going to be involved in person or through a threat some crimes are involved with cyber and computers. Computer crimes are when someone hacks into a computer system and puts malware that messes up and destroys the computers walls so that the person can take over the computer or destroy it. Virus are a good start to this computer crimes, virus are embedded in emails or music that we download illegally that damages the software or hardware on the computer. A worm is a code that damages computer files or slows the computer down, which comes from other programs like emails.   Trojan horses are programs placed on a computer to send and take information and send it to computer user who used the trojan. Cyberstalking is a use of following a target through social media which is typically like stalking. Money laundering is a crime used to make illegal funds appear to be legal. (Ressler, Burgess, Douglas, 1988) Bank Fraud is when money is illegally obtained from on bank account and put into a different bank account. Cybercrime is costing the world $110 billion every year. But according to McAfee Inc. the cost is actually approximately $1 trillion. With all this money being spend on cyber crimes we could be finding new way on how to get rid of cancer or to help stop global warming. Conclusion Crimes come in all different shapes and sizes. Not all crimes need to be homicide or murder they simply can be someone taking over your computer with a virus. Being aware of all these different kinds of crime come in handy. Just remember when committing a crime Modus operandi and victimology are important factors in an investigation and if they don’t find you now they will find you in the future. References Burgess, A., Burgess, A., Ressler, R. (1992). Crime Classification Manuel (Second ed.) (J. Douglas, Ed.). Jossey Bass A Wiley Imprint. Geberth, V.J. (1983). Practical homicide investigation: Tactics, procedures, and forensic techniques. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press. Hyman, P. (2013). Cybercrime: Its Serious, But Exactly How Serious?. Communications Of The ACM, 56(3), 18-20. doi:10.1145/2428556.2428563 Kocsis, R. N. (2006). Criminal profiling. [electronic resource]: principles and practice. Totowa, N.J. : Humana Press, c2006. Pinizzotto, A. J., Finkel, N. J. (1990). Criminal personality profiling: An outcome and process study. Law And Human Behavior, 14(3), 215-233. doi:10.1007/BF01352750

Pros And Cons Of Capital Budgeting Measures Finance Essay

Pros And Cons Of Capital Budgeting Measures Finance Essay Capital budgeting refers to the process in which a firm determines whether a project or investment is worth pursuing. More often than not, the process involves a long term assessment of the cash inflow and outflows to determine if the returns generated meet the investment appraisal. The most common methods used are the net present value (NPV) where evaluation of the project is based on the amount by which its value is maximized. Other measures or tools used in decision making include: the internal rate of return (IRR), a version of the IRR known as the modified internal rate of return (MIRR), the discounted payback period (DPB), a profitability index method (PI) and the traditional payback method. Regardless of the demerits presented by each, most firms or financial managers tend to stick to a certain method of capital budgeting. This discourse explores each of the measure as they apply to real world process of project approval. The discourse comprehensively reviews and evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of each of these measures with regards to their effectiveness, project size and long term/ future returns. Based on review of recent literature in business related journals, the discussion primarily sought to determine which version of capital budgeting method is most suitable for big and small businesses. The findings of the discourse indicate that capital budgeting decision is a unique investment decision making tool to macro or micro enterprises and there is no one size fits all solution. As a matter of fact, certain methods of capital budgeting are identified with the level of project, size of firms and innovation levels. The discourse also established that while most chief executive officers or managers have distinct capital budgeting models, not all yield the same results for a company or even meet listed project or investment expectations. Introduction Capital budgeting involves a series of identifying, evaluating and implementing long term investment opportunities in a firm or business venture. Depending on the measure or technique employed, firms seek to identify investments that will increase their shareholder wealth. The decisions involved largely target or aim at assessing a project that demand large upfront investment coupled with a series of small cash inflows. The most commonly used measures of capital budgeting are NPV, IRR, MIRR and DPB methods. Distinct as they are in approach, each presents its strengths and weaknesses when it pertains to project evaluation or capital budgeting. Internal rate of return (IRR) According to recent budgetary surveys, the internal rate of return has received more preference for project evaluation than other techniques (Rousse, 2008, p. 2). The IRR presents analysts with an avenue through which rates of return are quantified in an investment and according to Kelleher MacCormack (2004, par. 4), managers opt to finance projects with high IRR based on their selection of the project value but at the same time destroy shareholder wealth in the investment. IRR can generate different values for the same project when future cash flows switch from negative to positive and back. More often than not, the IRR is expressed as a percentage thereby making small projects appear attractive and large ones great (Kelleher MacCormack, 2004, par. 4). As evident in most IRR projects, the general rule dictates that where the measure is greater than the opportunity cost of capital, all investments remain acceptable. Strengths and Weaknesses As one of the most commonly employed measures in capital budgeting, the IRR draws its popularity from the fact that it is based on a discounted cash flow. When used effectively, the IRR method provides viable or feasible options on a project value. On the flip side however, internal rate of return has numerous risks that outweigh its merits. The method is essentially inconsistent and exposes shareholders wealth at risks minimizing their objective (Rousse, 2008, p. 1). The IRR may exhibit multiple rates of return when cash flows shift from negative to positive multiple times (Kierulff, 2008, p. 327). If managers and analysts are to continue using IRR, then major adjustments are to be made over the measures critical assumption: that interim cash flows will be reinvested at the same high rates as the returns (Kelleher MacCormack, 2004, par. 5). Even more disturbing is the practice that practitioners frequently employ in interpreting the IRR; when computing the IRR, practitioners usuall y equate the measure with return on a given investment. Net present value (NPV) The net present value of a capital project or an investment is the aggregation of the present values of all benefits (in cash) by deducting the present value of all cash (Elumilade, Asaolu Ologunde, 2006, p. 145). The NPV basically involves evaluation of the amount by which the value of a given project is maximized. As the name suggests, the basic premise for the net present value is the assumption that monetary value of a currency today is worth more than its future value. According to Rudolf (2008, p. 1), the logic behind the premise is that present cash can be invested and generate interest. Profitability is determined by evaluating the return on the invested capital whose net present value is zero. Negative NPV implies that the project is not desirable while a positive NPV means the project is viable. Theoretically, all estimations made in the NPV involve measuring the projects future net cash flows such that they are discounted at appropriate cost of capital to procure their pr esent value (Elumilade et al., 2006, p 145). Strengths and Weaknesses The net present value method is effective for both the assessment of new investments and comparison of investment alternatives (Rudolf, 2008, p. 2); the investment with the higher NPV becomes a more viable alternative. Based on its additive process, the net present values of different investments with different discount rates can be added up. A notable strength of the NPV is that it recognizes the risks associated with future monetary value using the money concept. Another strength of the NPV method is that it is an arithmetically simple procedure that when computed presents easy interpretation as the capital value is expressed in monetary units. In addition, the NPV offers managers with the possibility of adapting the discount rates for different periods (Rudolf, 2008, p. 2). In line with the IRR, the net present value has several drawbacks much as it is popular in capital budgeting. For one thing, the NPV lacks visibility of a time frame on which a project is expected to generate positive values given the simplicity in calculations. While the NPVs basic premise is to accept all investment greater than zero, the measure is however not clear of when the positive values are achieved. In cases where a new project has higher risks than a companys cost of capital, its cash flow should be discounted at a higher rate to mirror that risk. But if they are, the reinvestment rate becomes detached from the cost of capital such that the investment rate for the new product introduction is way above the normal cost of capital (Kierulff, 2008, p. 323). Hypothetically, the NPV tends to generalize and assume that at any given time, the capital is always abundant and thereby no capital rationing. Supposing the resources are scarce, practitioners have to do some critical exa mination of not just the measure, but each and every available project and size of investment. Modified internal rate of return The modified internal rate of returns is a derivative of the IRR with the exclusion of the aforementioned drawbacks. Compared to the internal rate of return, it provides a more accurate percentage measure of financial attractiveness (Kierulff, 2008, p. 322). Based on existing literature, the MIRR method has not received much attention. Within a sample of 15 significant and highly respected finance textbooks, nearly all have ignored the MIRR (Kierulff, 2008, p. 322). Given the widespread use of NPV and IRR, financial institutions across the globe overlook the importance of the modified internal rate of return method. The main idea behind MIRR is simple computation that may seem challenging in practice because of the need to estimate reinvestment rates (Kierulff, 2008, p. 326). The modified IRR involves three basic procedures that when utilized effectively present the best measure of capital budgeting. The first step involves discounting investment funds committed to the project back to present at a rate that fairly reflects the investment risk. Two, with the exclusion of investment, the free cash flow is compounded forward within a time frame and a chosen reinvestment rate. It is worth noting that the reinvestment rate represents projected future opportunities with risks equal to investment risk. The final step involves calculation of the internal rate of return. Strengths and Weaknesses There are several reasons why firms should ditch the traditional IRR and embrace the modified version. While the former exudes rigidity in changing the reinvestment rate and assessing impacts, the MIRR function permits both a finance and reinvestment rate to be associated with the stream of cash outflows and inflows in investment evaluation (Block Bell, 2009, par. 14). Unlike the IRR or NPV, a company is able to tell whether an investment increases its value through MIRR. With MIRR, risks of future cash flows, time value of money and cash flows of the project are considered. Both NPV and IRR share significant drawbacks in that both of them have problems of size, timing and ranking. Moreover, NPV and IRR renders management locked into assumptions about how free cash flows will be reinvested by giving unrealistic view of investments actual potential (Kierulff, 2008, p. 328). Of the three, MIRR is the most effective considering its capability in dealing with the mentioned problems. Like the other decision tools, the modified internal rate of return has its share of weaknesses in capital budgeting. Some of the techniques in MIRR require adjustments for effective functioning in practice. For instance, the method requires an estimate of the cost of capital for one to make a decision and when used to compare mutually exclusive projects, the measure may fail to produce value-maximizing choices. Discounted payback method (DPB) The discounted payback method simply measures the period it takes to recover the initial investment using discounted cash flows. In DPB, projects with the shortest payback periods are ranked highest or considered the most viable. Unlike NPV, IRR and MIRR, the criterion used in discounted payback method centers more on profitability rather than liquidity. This method has many advantages over other measures. The discounted payback period is simple to understand and easy to compute. Additionally, the method offers a more conservative measure of the relative liquidity of an investment than the traditional payback method (Bhandari, 2009, p. 3). The DPB function allows for a better gauge of the economic breakeven point and can be interpreted as a period beyond which a project generates economic profit (Bhandari, 2009, p 3). Even so, the methods efficiency is reduced in cases where cash flows beyond it are overlooked. Another of its weakness is that it requires an estimate of the cost of ca pital for one to compute the payback and exudes a part whole bias in special cases such as assessing or valuing long term projects. Profitability Index (PI) Profitability index is also known as the cost-benefits ratio as it involves ratio of the present value of future cash benefits at the required rate of return to the initial cash outlay of an investment (Elumilade et al., 2006, p 146). The PI is another capital budgeting methods used by entrepreneurs in choosing among countless causes of action. The monetary cost of a project is ascertained and compared with its expected benefits in monetary term. The profitability index computes the present value of benefits to that of the cost such that when PI is greater than 1, the project is termed as acceptable. By comparison, the PI method is a slight modification of the NPV only that this time, the PI evaluates project using a return element. Its close relation with the net present value may lead to identical decisions in project evaluation. The PI method is easier to understand and tends to communicate more easily than the NPV. For firms initiating smaller or larger projects, the PI acts as an effective tool regardless of the project size. On the flipside however, the values obtained in profitability index may not be as accurate as the ones in IRR. Conclusion The survival, growth and development of a firm is heavily dependent on constant flow of ideas for new products and ways to make existing ones better. Capital budgeting is one of the most important factors in the process of corporate decision-making. The whole process of capital budgeting calls for a series of stages in which the project is evaluated and feasible options employed. For a firm to make rational decisions, specific objectives must be included to maximize profits with one eye on the projected long term return (Elumilade et al., 2006, p. 141). Identifying and evaluating possible projects and alternatives makes the all essence of capital budgeting and this fundamentally implies that a firm has to find a measure that is uniquely in congruence with its short term or long term objectives. The existent body of literature, primarily those included in this discourse, identify NPV and IRR as the most popularly used by firms. Whether this is a testament of their superiority in pract ice is still debatable as each of them has its own drawbacks. It is difficult to find one measure that would work for every organizations.