Cyber Crimes

Businesses are becoming more and more reliant on the Internet in modern society and it is important to study the crimes that are committed electronically. There are criminals on the Internet just as there are criminals on the street, the Internet has several common crimes that businesses need to understand. Users on the Internet have rights and violating these rights are the same as violating rights in person. The Internet has laws. That means that people need to be aware of cyber laws and illegal cyber activity. Torts made on the Internet are referred to as cyber torts. Torts are simply violated someone.To start, there are several instances where a person is violated on the Internet. The primary example of being violated in cyber space is defamation. Defamation is essentially any type of slander against someone on the Internet. Whether it is through a blog post, video post, chat room, or message board, attempting to harm someone’s reputation is against the law. The person com mitting the crime of defamation can be sued for libel. It is wrong to try and ruin someone’s reputation and businesses need to realize that even if they are just joking around, saying derogatory things about someone is against the law.However, the Internet Service Provider cannot be held accountable for someone committing defamation. The Internet is a place of freedom but abusing that freedom cannot be the fault of the service provider. The Federal Communications Decency Act was created to protect these ISP’s and remind users to be decent on the Internet. Several laws have been created due to people abusing the Internet and the service providers are not to be blamed. To continue on the topic of cyber crimes, spam e-mails are constantly being thrown around but only some are actually legal.If a user is sending so much spam e-mail that it slows down the use of the computer or disrupts the Internet Service Provider, then it is a crime. The trespass of chattels is interferi ng with a person’s use of the Internet. All the junk e-mails and pop-ups are annoying for user’s and is considered a violation. However, the use of these spam type e-mails for commercial use is allowed. The Internet is a great way to advertise so companies are allowed to send bulk e-mail all around the Internet to hope generate some business. It is definitely important for businesses to understand how to properly use spam e-mails.Also, financial crimes are beginning to become more common on the Internet. So much banking and paying bills is done electronically now and it has is pros and cons. Being able to use the Internet for tedious activities like banking is great. However, all of a person’s information is now on the Internet, a very public place. Identity theft is a serious offense committed in cyber space. A person can find all of the information needed such as social security numbers, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, and all kinds of information about a person that would lead to identity theft.Users need to be extremely careful when entering any financial information on the Internet because it can lead to crimes like identity theft. Businesses need to be extremely careful when putting anything on the Internet. It can destroy a business if someone can access all of the company’s records and private information. These crimes are very serious and the culprits face serious consequences. Overall, all of these types of cyber crimes are important for businesses to understand because so much business is done on the Internet nowadays.Companies are taking more and more precautions to avoid all kinds of cyber crimes. Violating someone on the Internet is the same as violating someone in person. There are now cyber laws and breaking these laws has real consequences. From spam e-mails to defamation to identity theft, businesses need to understand all of the dangers that exist out there in cyber space. Knowing the laws will protect businesses and guide employees to stay within the boundaries of the law and keep the company strong. Cyber Crimes Businesses are becoming more and more reliant on the Internet in modern society and it is important to study the crimes that are committed electronically. There are criminals on the Internet just as there are criminals on the street, the Internet has several common crimes that businesses need to understand. Users on the Internet have rights and violating these rights are the same as violating rights in person. The Internet has laws. That means that people need to be aware of cyber laws and illegal cyber activity. Torts made on the Internet are referred to as cyber torts. Torts are simply violated someone.To start, there are several instances where a person is violated on the Internet. The primary example of being violated in cyber space is defamation. Defamation is essentially any type of slander against someone on the Internet. Whether it is through a blog post, video post, chat room, or message board, attempting to harm someone’s reputation is against the law. The person com mitting the crime of defamation can be sued for libel. It is wrong to try and ruin someone’s reputation and businesses need to realize that even if they are just joking around, saying derogatory things about someone is against the law.However, the Internet Service Provider cannot be held accountable for someone committing defamation. The Internet is a place of freedom but abusing that freedom cannot be the fault of the service provider. The Federal Communications Decency Act was created to protect these ISP’s and remind users to be decent on the Internet. Several laws have been created due to people abusing the Internet and the service providers are not to be blamed. To continue on the topic of cyber crimes, spam e-mails are constantly being thrown around but only some are actually legal.If a user is sending so much spam e-mail that it slows down the use of the computer or disrupts the Internet Service Provider, then it is a crime. The trespass of chattels is interferi ng with a person’s use of the Internet. All the junk e-mails and pop-ups are annoying for user’s and is considered a violation. However, the use of these spam type e-mails for commercial use is allowed. The Internet is a great way to advertise so companies are allowed to send bulk e-mail all around the Internet to hope generate some business. It is definitely important for businesses to understand how to properly use spam e-mails.Also, financial crimes are beginning to become more common on the Internet. So much banking and paying bills is done electronically now and it has is pros and cons. Being able to use the Internet for tedious activities like banking is great. However, all of a person’s information is now on the Internet, a very public place. Identity theft is a serious offense committed in cyber space. A person can find all of the information needed such as social security numbers, date of birth, mother’s maiden name, and all kinds of information about a person that would lead to identity theft.Users need to be extremely careful when entering any financial information on the Internet because it can lead to crimes like identity theft. Businesses need to be extremely careful when putting anything on the Internet. It can destroy a business if someone can access all of the company’s records and private information. These crimes are very serious and the culprits face serious consequences. Overall, all of these types of cyber crimes are important for businesses to understand because so much business is done on the Internet nowadays.Companies are taking more and more precautions to avoid all kinds of cyber crimes. Violating someone on the Internet is the same as violating someone in person. There are now cyber laws and breaking these laws has real consequences. From spam e-mails to defamation to identity theft, businesses need to understand all of the dangers that exist out there in cyber space. Knowing the laws will protect businesses and guide employees to stay within the boundaries of the law and keep the company strong.

Grapes of Wrath Essay

The exodus of the Joad family from Oklahoma to the promised land of California. They were cheated by tradesmen along Highway 66, harassed by border guards at state boundaries, and on arrival were burned out of their makeshift camp by police deputies. One dark night the Joads wandered into Weedpatch Camp, a government refuge for migratory farm workers, where they found clean beds, indoor privies, food, friendship, and hope. â€Å"Oh! Praise God,† whispered Ma Joad. â€Å"God Almighty, I can’t hardly believe it! † pronounced Tom. (p. 390) Their praises were addressed to Providence, but were intended for Washington. Here, they believed, for the first time in their lives, was hard visible proof that their government, whatever and wherever it was, really cared about them and the hundreds of thousands of people like them–landless, homeless, penniless victims of a fickle climate, an unstable economy, and a pernicious way of life. Between the Lesters of Georgia and the Joads of Oklahoma, a profound change of spirit had come upon the land. The great revolution of the twentieth century, not only in the United States but also in the emerging nations abroad, is the kindling of an extravagant hope that the human condition of man can and should be improved, through the harnessing of the power, resources, and machinery of government, not in some distant millennium, but during the lifetime of those now living. The effective response of modern governments to this enormous challenge depends not only on the dreaming of dreams and the preaching of hope, but also on the capacity to convert the pictures in men’s heads into the realities in their lives. 4. Considering the characters in the novel, which actions do you find admirable, and why? Which do you find reprehensible, and why? Admirable A considerable indecisiveness emerges from the novel about how radical the problem is: whether the circumstances of class war exist likely from the interchapters or whether there is a clear-cut villain in the Farmers’ Association with no broader implications—likely from the chapters and their limited point of view. The problem is partly compounded by the pragmatism of the Joads themselves, in many ways admirable in the face of degenerating circumstances but also dangerous in their willingness to lower their expectations: at the beginning Ma Joad dreams of a white house in California after a few months on the road, she hopes they may one day afford a tent that does not leak; Rose of Sharon plans early in her pregnancy a comfortable future for her child at the end she is sulking for a little milk so that her baby may be born alive. The disadvantages of nonteleological thinking are apparent when the result is a perpetual readjustment to straitened conditions: while we are told that the metaphysical grapes of wrath are ripening for the vintage, what we see among the poor is stoicism, sacrifice, and one supreme act of charity. Reprehensible Rose of Sharon and Connie think only of themselves and of now they will break from the group, and when difficulties arise Connie wishes that he had stayed in Oklahoma to man a tractor driving the people from the land. Later, alone, Rose of Sharon complains of her plight and frets about the coming child, and instead of sharing the family responsibility she adds to family worries. Uncle John is similarly preoccupied with his guilt and his personal problems and is almost useless to the group, picking cotton at only half the rate of the other men. Both he and Al withhold money from the family treasury. Noah, thoughtless of the others, wanders away. Connie, leaving a pregnant wife, also deserts. Even the children show a teasing selfishness. Ruthie eats her crackerjacks slowly so that she can taunt the other children when theirs is gone, and at croquet she ignores the rules and tries to play by herself. 5. Describe the role women play throughout the novel The seemingly gratuitous details of the truck driver and the woman driver may intentionally suggest Steinbeck’s awareness that men are often destructive while women are usually more protective: Tom Joad has just been revealed as having committed manslaughter; later we shall see that Ma Joad and Rose of Sharon try to preserve the family and nurture life. Ma Joad would be womanly and maternal in any station. If she had been a duchess, she would have labored with heroism for the integrity of the family and would have had a comprehensive vision of the serious social obligations of her class. The scene of her farewell to Tom†¦ is of the pure essence of motherhood. The pathos is profound and free from a taint of sentimentality. The courage and devotion of the woman are sublime In Ma Joad, Steinbeck created one of the most memorable characters in American fiction of the twentieth century. It is her courage which sustains the family through the almost overwhelming distresses suffered during their epic migration to the West. She voices the author’s belief in the common folk’s invincible will to survive. Ma is a tower of strength to her group, like Pilar in Hemingway’s For Whom the Bell Tolls though less articulate. She is a kind of pagan earth mother, kind to her father-in-law and her mother-in-law, anxious to let her husband Pa lead the family but quickly assuming the reins when he lets them slip through weakness and lack of understanding, firm but sympathetic with her children, friendly with deserving strangers. Ma holds her family together far longer than anyone else in the group could have done. She suffers intensely when she sees Grampa die, then Noah disappear, then Granma die, and then Tom obliged to hide and then go away. But she almost never reveals the degree of her misery. She knows that while she holds, the unit will hold unless man’s inhumanity to man and nature’s indifference put pressure upon her which simply cannot be endured. She goads Pa into near frenzy, knowing that it will make him stronger. She threatens to slap Rose of Sharon at times, but when the poor, pregnant, abandoned girl needs comfort, Ma is there with it in full measure. She knows that she can rely on Tom, not Al. She lets Uncle John have money for one quick drunken spree, knowing that without it he might crack. References Steinbeck John, (1939) The Grapes of Wrath New York: Viking.

How do leaders develop

How do leaders develop? Given the large amount of different facets leaders posses in order to perform effectively in their respective domains, it is hard to specifically define leadership- however, it can be merely presented as an influencing process between a leader and the people who follow. Furthermore, leadership development is essential in carrying an individual through from the stages of emergence all the way to leadership effectiveness, and was defined by Day (2012) as â€Å"the expansion of an individual's capacity to be effective in leadership roles and processes†.According to Contracts (2010) and Murphy (201 1), there are major developmental stages in leadership; starting in early childhood, those years playing a major role in the upbringing of future self-regulation and leadership identity. Studies by Viola and Possessing (2011) have also demonstrated that many skills acquired at a young age during â€Å"sensitive periods†, when learning has proven to be easi er and happens faster, often have an impact on leadership development in later stages; therefore an adequate early environment may reveal itself as helpful in developing future effective leaders.Furthermore, research from Arrive et al (2006) argues that many leader personality traits are partly genetically inherited, and that parents contribute to many characteristics shown in their children; which helps demonstrate that there are a considerable amount of factors in leadership development that are, at least for the early years, beyond the control of the individual concerned and will most likely have consequences (positive or negative) on leadership development in the person's future years.However, initiative is arguably the main driver for self-regulation and a moon trait in leaders, according to Larson (2000). In addition, Caldwell (2008) states in his findings that practice is the main method for obtaining desired leadership skills, leading us to think that anyone with enough init iative and the right set of goals could potentially become an effective leader. Considering the impact of an individual's environment on their personal traits and attributes, most noticeably from the early years, how much control do we really have over our leadership development?Based on a research conducted by Arrive et al (2006), at least 30% of personality heartsickness in relation to transformational leadership is attributed through genetics; which is an indication that genes play a large role in determining leadership attributes in individuals, whether it is leader emergence or leader effectiveness. However, 70% of leadership traits stem from other sources; it is therefore important to analyses all the other factors influencing the development of the individual's leadership skills.Acting as the main role-models, parents are a vital influence in their children's developments and play a major role in their relation to adhering: â€Å"Parents contribute to their children's religi ous beliefs, intellectual and occupational interests, feelings of self-esteem or inadequacy, adherence to traditional or modern notions of masculinity and femininity, helpfulness to others, skills, and values† (Wade & Atavist,2008) A research conducted by Contracts (2010) concluded that there are four different types of parenting styles; these are: authoritative, neglectful, authoritarian and indulgent.Each one of the four is argued to have varying effects on children's leadership development. It is believed that authoritative parents are the most likely to raise children to be effective leaders, by educating them with strict discipline and monitoring; but also supportive and encouraging of them to think and act independently as they become more mature (Murphy, 2011).On the other hand, according to Banding (1991) authoritarian parents tend to exert control and punishment based on firm rules; which is a parenting method that is not usually prone to leadership skill development in children, generally resulting in teenagers with a lack of social and communication skills.Furthermore, neglectful parents are absent or play very minor roles in their children's lives; as a result they tend to raise teenagers with poor social skills and low self control. However, indulgent parents, who will be present without ever enforcing many household rules, tend to raise children with generally higher creativity levels; but will also lead to lower social skills and self-control due to a lack of firmness in regards to their education from their parents.Another phenomenon instigated by parenting, which can be observed from infancy and acts as an indicator for future adhering outcomes, is the attachment or bond that infants have with their guardians; Insinuators et al (1978) determined three different types of attachments a child can have: Secure, avoiding and ambivalent- these will influence the individual's future social behavior.According to Insinuators et all's findings, in dividuals who benefited from secure attachment to their guardians in their formative years are generally more socially adaptable as adults and have the confidence resources to take on leadership roles; whereas individuals who suffered from insecure attachments (avoiding or ambivalent) tend to comparatively lack social confidence due to the absence of a sense of security from a guardian as a child and, in contrast, will not seek out leadership.This goes to show that parents have a considerable impact on the outcome of their children, which ultimately will affect them in regards to their leadership development, abilities and capabilities. It is quite obvious that early influences and genetics have an impact on leadership development in adulthood, those early years being a delicate, sensitive and an important period of development.However, as long as individuals keep on learning new skills and behaviors, development will continue (Bernstein, 1989). An individual's background, environme nt and early upbringing are not the only factors in successful effective leadership development; although those elements are strong enablers, with many demonstrated correlations, they are not everything needed to be a leader .Caldwell (2008) underlined the crucial importance of training and practice through his analysis of notable leaders such as Bill Gates or the Beetles, and included that it requires 10 000 hours of work to become an expert in any field; and this can be achieved by anyone with the initiative to do so. Although practice may yield more results in skill development and mastery if performed at a young age during the â€Å"sensitive period† of learning, it does not however mean that it will instigate zero form of leadership development if practicing occurs later in lifetime (Viola and Possessing 2011).Another important concept explained through a model developed by Lord and Hall (2005), which encompasses the development of leadership identity and self- exultatio n in relevance with the lifespan approach to leader development, is that our notion of leadership evolves through time; for example the way leadership is demonstrated and perceived as a child in primary school will be completely different to the way in which it is viewed by adults with different motifs and sets of personal goals.Leadership identity plays a vital part in leadership development, acting in correlation with self regulation; as individual goals and motivations progress through time, we tend to re-develop new updated leadership identities and adapt our goal researchers accordingly, in order to eventually achieve effectiveness and have control over our own leadership development. Previous findings demonstrate a clear correlation between early influences and leadership development.Furthermore, the presence of a sensitive period in regards to learning and developing core characteristics found in early years of childhood is an indicator of the limited amount of control we hav e over our own leadership development, given that most main decisions regarding young children's upbringing and social environments are made by the parents, and ultimately become defining eaters for the individuals.This emphasizes the fact that individuals placed in a favorable environment for developing leadership skills, self-efficacy and regulation at a young age have a considerable advantage over those that aren't, and consequently greater chances of becoming leaders in the long-run; this can be used as an encouragement for parents and schools to focus on those crucial character- building and defining years in order to enable individuals with the best opportunities for effective leadership from early on.It is still however possible for individuals to hang their leadership development trajectory and develop a different leadership identity at any given time after reaching maturity, if they posses the urge to become an effective leader or differ from a current leadership position; it is only their original circumstances as a young child which they have no control over, which is a major part of leadership development.

Interactive Educational Tools Design for Children Essay

Interactive Educational Tools Design for Children - Essay Example The interactive tools available today include pre-designed course units in the form of VCDs, ipods, interactive toys and games. The design process for making these tools into effective products has now become a complex subject in itself. As USERS, they dictate the output specifications of the tool to be developed by generating desired functional aspects. There are generally two reasons for researchers to ask children to take on the role of technology user: (1) To test a general concept that may help future technology developers and (2) To better understand the process of learning which may contribute to future educational practices. As TESTERS, they are made to use the tools under observation by adults, peers and designers. This generates an empirical database regarding feedback and corrective measures. This data is then utilized for modifying the design, before it is released to the outside world for product realization and its end use. As INFORMANTS, the children play a major part in the design process. The input of the design shall take into consideration the children's' reaction to the existing technology by observation and asking questions. The testing and validation of the design shall involve the children, who should be asked questions before any technology is developed, the child may be observed with existing technologies, or they may be asked for input on paper sketches. Once the technology is developed, the child may again offer input and feedback. With this role, the child plays a part in the design process at various stages, based on when researchers believe they can be informed by children. As DESIGN PARTNERS, children are considered to be equal stakeholders in the design of new technology throughout the entire experience. As partners, children contribute to the process in ways appropriate for the children and the process (Allison Druin, Human computer Interaction lab, University of Maryland). Each role is used today by some portion of researchers and developers. Impact On Children's Lives: The net-centric generation of today values its abilities to use the web and other software technology to create a self-paced, customized learning path. Current interactive gadgets like web logs, VCDs and ipods, along with online access to various tools, facilitates the formation of learning communities. The other stakeholders like parents at home, social contacts as well as teachers in the school environment are naturally involved in a supporting role. This encourages a social networking environment where exchange and sharing of various tools is possible, thus extending the awareness and accessibility of such tools (Baird Derek E et al, V34n1 page 5-32 -2005-6, Journals of Education technology systems). New Research Methods: The basic approach for further development of technology needs to shed the earlier notions such as 'ALL KNOWING ADULTS' versus 'ALL LEARNING STUDENTS'. Recent papers such as 'interface design - a neglected issue in education software' presented by

Business and Project Management Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Business and Project Management - Coursework Example In alignment to the intention of the brand, the statistical report regarding the market share of motorcycle manufacturers in the UK also appear in favour [4]. A close evaluation of the brands’ performance reports revealed about its positive growth figures in the present market scenario. If seen from the statistical perspective, one can say that this brand has successfully attained a growth figure of 12 per cent in terms of product and service sale by the end of 2012. Justification regarding this aspect can be provided depending on the fact that each of these growth reports was released by the ‘Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’. In an associate manner the sales figure attained by Vauxhall Motors during the period of 2013, hiked the previous year sales figure by 1.93 per cent. The financial year (2013) of this brand was accompanied with the release of multiple new models of commercial cars and passenger vans [6]. However, despite the slight drop in the sales figures of 2014 (11.14%), still Vauxhall Motors succeeded in turning the UK as its fourth largest profitable market. In addition, implementation of innovation within the provision of financial and comprehensive customer services have further helped in terms of boosting up the sales figures of 2014. Taking reference of all these aspects, one can easily say that Vauxhall Motors will have a profitable business opportunity in context to plunging its feet in the heavy two wheeler segment [6]. However, within the forwarding initiative Vauxhall Motors will have to make significant amount of investments to determine its potential and expertise of penetrating the over flooded two wheeler manufacturing and distribution segment within the UK. Likewise, the brand will also have to strategise and formulate effective marketing and customer convincement techniques in order to turn its heavy motorcycle manufacturing initiative into a success [6]. In addition, one

EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOMESTIC LAW AND THE EUROPEAN Essay

EXPLAIN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DOMESTIC LAW AND THE EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON HUMAN RIGHTS 1950 WITH RESPECT TO THE PROTECTION OF - Essay Example The European Convention of human rights is a body in Europe that has the responsibility of ensuring the defence of individual privileges, the same responsibility exercised by the domestic law. The Convention is an international body that looks at the rights and freedoms of citizens in Europe. Its formation was aimed at ensuring that violation of human rights was a punishable offense, this is evident in the domestic law meaning that the two set of laws perform the same function. It aims at ensuring that there is no violation of human rights by the states or any other party (Barnett 50). The court handles such cases with guidance from articles under the convention for human rights in Europe. It ensures that people or states can take cases to courts regarding violation of human rights against another state. This makes the body an international body that protects individuals with a high degree.12 The European convention of human rights is a law making body that seeks to certify that indi vidual constitutional rights are not dishonoured by any person or body regardless of their position in the society. It ensures that courts handle cases regarding human rights properly without being bias. The domestic law relates closely with the European convention for human rights because the two aim at ensuring adherence to laws regarding human rights (Bates 477). The domestic law regards all laws regarding human rights that a state or non-governmental organization may violate and how such cases should be handled in the court. There is a notable relationship between domestic law and the European convention of human rights. This is because the European convention aims at protection laws including the domestic law. This is evident by some of the articles in the convention and sections of the human rights. Some of the articles that relate with the domestic law include article 1, 13, 34 and 35. This paper also analyzes the relation using some section of the human rights like section 2 , 3, 4, 6 and 8. In the case of Keenan v United Kingdom, the applicant was complaining about his son’s sentence. In this case, the applicant used article 2 and 3 as the basis of the case. The court only found out that article 3 was breached and not article 2 of the convention. Article 1 of the European convention regards respecting rights in regards to all the other articles. It works within its jurisdiction unless under certain situations where it does not confine itself to the jurisdiction. In the case of Loizidou v Turkey, the court made a ruling that its jurisdiction extends to foreign states with similar control. This was made possible by military action in the state (Aria-Takahashi 240). Article 13 of the convention involves effective remedy. The convention applies the article before any national authority that violates human rights that it protects. It is a free infringement under the convention to get a remedy in case of violation of a human right. Obtaining such a re medy involving human rights can only be through the court. The case of Pretty v United Kingdom is another example of a case that an applicant basis on article 2 and 3. However, the court ruled that nobody has the right under articles of the convention to take his life or another person’s life. Article 34 regards individual applications which state that no high party has the ability to prevent the court from

An evaluation of a successful media campaign for a 2009 film Essay

An evaluation of a successful media campaign for a 2009 film - Essay Example After two years Transformers 2 was released in the month of June 2009 to a highly receptive audience in Europe and North America. The film is based on the epic battle between two forces – Decepticons versus Autobots (Gale Reference Team,2007). The former is led by Starscream of Cybertron while the latter is led by Optimums. The whole story of the film revolves around one particular character, viz. Sam Witwicky. He is a human being caught up in the conflict because he has strange visitations from Cybertronians. Finally, the battle for the earth expands in to a battle for the universe and as expected, Decepticons are defeated by Autobots. Being a science fiction Transformers 2 has all the characteristics of both imaginable and unimaginable stretches of human perception (http://news-briefs.ew.com). What is so significant about the film is the notion that the earth and humans would be protected by an alien force against any possible attack by a more powerful civilization. As with any other science fiction involving heavy machines, Transformer 2 is also a slugfest among a variety of metallic machines that incidentally have names as human individuals would have (www.scifisquad.com). However there is one particular aspect of the film that cannot be brushed aside as mere imagination of Steven Spielberg. The psychology behind a universal battle is based on the thematic paradigm that pits the evil against the good. Spielberg has invariably identified both connotations and denotations of the remotest possibility, i.e. a war between two extraterrestrial forces over human affairs. In other words the existence of extraterrestrials is without logic; yet there are people who subscribe to the theory of extraterrestrials. The melodramatic characterization of fighting machines on the basis of quality attributes farfetched though, human imagination does not reject the possibility of a no-holds-barred slugfests

Leadership 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Leadership 2 - Essay Example It is also considered that multicultural workforce tends to have diverse ideas and opinions which are considered as both harmful as well as beneficial. There are numerous organizations in UAE that faces such problems and leaders have to be quite innovative to deal with such problems. Consumers may also feel dissatisfied if employees of an organization cannot communicate efficiently with them. The leaders of organizations in UAE face a significant challenge in this regard to maximize the opportunities that are available and to minimize costs. Organizational Behaviour is concerned about those processes which deal with how individuals, groups, and people cope among themselves in organizational structures. In this regard, organizational behaviour follows an approach which can be termed as systematic. It interprets the relationship between people and organizations in terms of the whole organization, whole group, whole social system, and whole person (Lambert, 2002). It strives to achieve a better relationship between people by achieving objectives such as social, organizational, and human. Organizational behaviour comprises numerous topics such as leadership, change, teams, and human behaviour. It must be noted in this regard that the base of an organization depends on its management’s values, philosophy, goals, and vision. These factors play an important role in driving the culture of an organization which consists of informal organization, formal organization, and social environment. The culture of an organization p lays an important part in determining the type of communication, group dynamics, and leadership within an organization. A multi cultural workforce in an organization comprises people who are from different cultural backgrounds and as such they are considered to have different ways of approaching a problem. Leadership is considered as the ability to

Pay productivity in China, Flexibility of wage determination in China Essay

Pay productivity in China, Flexibility of wage determination in China - Essay Example Eldies (2003) explains wages are the returns of labor as a factor of production and wage flexibility as the ability of wages to respond to changes in the demand and supply for labor. According to Gordon and Li (1999), under perfect wage flexibility, wage is determined at the point where the marginal revenue of labor is equal to the marginal cost of labor. Policy changes such as the household registration system reforms and the shift of labor market from a centrally planned to a market oriented market led to increased labor mobility Sweeney (2014). The increased competition saw a huge demand for increase in capacity building as labor sought for higher education so as to remain competitive. As a result a relatively uniform wage rate in most of the sectors in china has moved towards the set market clearing wage. Government owned enterprises wages are highly regulated through policies such as minimum wages and wage setting. People in different job groups earn different wages. Then private sector labor market since 1990 economic reforms has adopted the labor contract system. Under this system, the employees are not permanently employed and wage is set through an agreement between the employer and the employee. This system has since led to massive layoffs which have led to government intervention through policy reforms. Dong and Bowles (2002) defines pay as the returns of labor as a factor of production and productivity as the output per unit of labor input. They point out that productivity can be increased through capacity building and motivation among other factors. According to Cowen (2010) pay is one of the motivational factors and an increase in pay leads to an increase in productivity as workers are highly motivated to work. The global financial crisis led to a decline in the Chinese productivity growth. The productivity growth went to a decline for the first time since the

Explain something that your major has trained you to do (Economics) Essay

Explain something that your major has trained you to do (Economics) - Essay Example The major distinguishing factor between an economist and a non economist is that, they have different perspective to see an event that can be as ordinary as picking some flower from the nearby market. This difference in view comes from the analytical economic forecasting that the subject teaches us to become a more rational human being. This forecasting can be made a lot complex if we consider forecasting through statistical data analysis and that might be a whole lot harder to explain to a non economist. Therefore the present article emphasis on economic logics that helps us to analyse a situation and determine the right time to take an action that might be related with economics. Analytical economic forecasting follows a chain of events that it tries to sew with one another to get to the optimum decision destination. It starts with considering the focused event and ancillary events that are present around that furthermore it tries to grasp the future events that might follow throug h in short or long run. Before moving into details it should be kept in mind that economics is a social science and any event in society that is substantially important to influence the surrounding will have an impact on the economy. Let us now analyse what sort of impact a rise in crude oil price might have on the economy from an economist point of view. To a non economist rise in crude oil price will definitely knock his head considering the higher price that he might have to pay now for gasoline; the fuel his car run on. However the wrinkles on his forehead and the anger that lays dormant deep into his heart will be multi fold if he considers the spiral of events that will follow suit a rise in crude oil price. United States of America is the largest consumer of crude oil and the third largest producer of the same. However the deficit that the country faces in terms of excess demand has to be met through import of crude oil from abroad. It is clear a rise in crude oil price will put burden on America’s balance of trade and that is not a good sign for already weakening dollars (Rand, 1-9). Crude oil is the prime form of energy in America so a price rise will result in rise in price of energy, domestic and industrial alike. Several industries nation wide (if we restrict our views beyond the national boundary) uses crude oil or its refined form diesel, petrol or gasoline as raw material; a rise in the price of the same will definitely raise the price of those related products. What would be the effect on household? A simple example can be, perishable and non perishable goods reach our market through goods vehicle that run on crude oil related products. A rise in the price of crude oil will make logistic costlier. This will reflect in higher price for the related goods such as vegetables, meats, milks and etc. Eventually this cost will have to be borne by the consumers as the producers are always in look out to shift this extra cost burden to the consume rs. This is the initiation of inflation spiral where rise in price for a product results in rise in price for other products and eventually within the economy a price related anarchy breaks down that seldom get tamed unless intervened by the government or the market force that is demand and supply interact with optimum speed to settle at a new equilibrium. The government might set a ceiling on price, or use subsidy. Whether in a free market mechanism the higher price might result in lower demand and greater supply and eventual settlement of price at a

Corporate social responsibility Dissertation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Corporate social responsibility - Dissertation Example Corporate social responsibility Moreover COSCO business practices illustrate practices that are fruitful for all (stakeholders, shareholders, workers, partners, suppliers, customers) (COSCO, 2011). In terms of social contributions COSCO is working on the principle of addressing workers to effectively participate in their community development, with its myriad activities are aligned and performed in order to participate in social growth and employees are also encouraged and supported in this regard. For instance COSCO in Singapore have been supporting Yellow Ribbon Project consecutively since five years, keeping in view that this projects has given employment opportunities to person who have been offenders previously by engaging locals in order to give them another chance. As a result COSCO is proud of the fact that many ex-criminals are now back serving societies (COSCO, 2011). Similarly in China COSCO group is very much fulfilling its duty of social responsibility by providing opportunities and supporting various education programs for needy students in China. For instance COSCO Zhoushan Shipyard devised a social activity by the name â€Å"Transfer Youth love, warm Tibetan Herdsman†. The core purpose behind this activity was to provide assistance and help for the needy Tibetan students in remote areas of Tibet. Likewise â€Å"Blue ocean plan love Tibet† launched by Trade union and youth league of Nantong Shipyard which consists of three main parts namely seagugll, seashell and dolphins was drafted in order to build a structure of support (long term) for the needy children of Tibets. The core aim behind this activity was to ameliorate literacy levels by donating basic school needs like bags, uniforms, books, toys, stationery and other material that is needed by students (COSCO, 2011). Besides these activities COSCO also provide help in terms of disaster relief and various other activities related to charity. COSCO is very much aware of the environmental issues and understands th e seriousness of the matter. Therefore various innovations have been carried out by the organisation in order to come up with practices that could less effect the environment. For achieving this goal, different innovations are being carried out like the concept of GREEN SHIP OF THE FUTURE. This concept enables staff and workers to come up with eco friendly ideas and practices. As COSCO is very much keen on practicing and devising designs of ships and operations of management that best suits environment or are environment friendly (COSCO, 2011). LITERATURE REVIEW Corporate Social Responsibility Guthey, Langer, and Morsing (2006) have defined Corporate Social Responsibility as a practice of management that is garnering importance and nowadays is also considered as fad of management. Meanwhile it is believed that businesses around the world have incorporated CSR differently or CSR practices vary around the world. For instance many organisations have perceptions that CSR is an effective tool that can help confining risks and costs related to business operations (Hockerts, 2008). But only very limited amount of organisations are using CSR effectively in order to come up with originality and innovations. Likewise Blum-Kusterer and Hussain after studying 150 British and German pharmaceutical companies believes that in order to achieve sustainability in innovations, advancement in technology

Case Study Situation Go Fast Essay Example for Free

Case Study Situation Go Fast Essay Situation Go Fast is a motorcycle manufacturer in the southern United States. Though sales have been steady, profits have declined because of increasing operational costs. The Board of Directors felt a fresh look at the operations side was needed. They developed a 5-year plan to increase operating efficiency and set out to find someone to lead the effort. Four months ago, GO FAST found what they saw as â€Å"the person† to be the new operations director and develop a new operational plan to reduce costs. Jill Jones had an outstanding reputation as operations director for a manufacturer of a closely related product. While she was located in a different state and was happy with her current job and lifestyle, she found the 5-year plan exciting. Besides, the offer was too tempting to refuse. Jill was offered the position, including a substantial increase in salary and benefits. She accepted the job, sold her home, and purchased a home near her new job. Her husband runs an in-home business and her children had adapted well to the new community and schools. She did not have a written contract, but was promised a great future with GO FAST and was given a salary of $90,000 per year. With the economic downturn, sales for this past year were the lowest in five years. The company needs to make drastic cost reductions or it could face bankruptcy. All senior managers agreed to a 25% pay cut. Several other high-paid positions will be eliminated. Among them is Jill Jones’ operations director position. Published by DECA Related Materials. Copyright  © by DECA Inc. No part of this publication may be reproduced for resale without written permission from the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. YOUR CHALLENGE The CFO has been asked by the board of directors to investigate GO FAST’S obligation to Jill Jones. You have been assigned the task of doing research. The board of directors assumes their agreement with Mrs. Jones is â€Å"terminable-at-will† based on the law in the state, and therefore GO FAST has no obligation to her. You will prepare recommendations to be presented to the chief financial officer (CFO). Since the decision is ultimately up to the CFO, your presentation should include, at a minimum: 1. How you expect Jill would react to the board’s hard-line approach. 2. Possible ways to deal with Mrs. Jones’ situation, including the positives and negatives of each. 3. Of these, you are to advise the CFO on the best course of action, and how to present it to Jill. While the financial challenges of the company are not a secret, Jill does not yet know that her position has been targeted for elimination. Your presentation to the CFO will begin in one hour. As part of your research you have pulled a copy of The Fair Debt Collections Practices Act, as well as cases related to this issue (see reference information provided). The information in THIS section is the result of research done specifically for this case situation, and has been given to you to help you prepare your recommendations within the allotted time. The judges will also receive this information, in addition to the Case Study Situation and Your Challenge as presented. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The following information provides background related to this situation. State Employment Law Under state law, employment generally is considered to be at will, terminable by either party at any time. This means that an employer may terminate an employee with or without just cause, in the absence of an agreement limiting the employee’s discharge to just cause or specifying the term of the employment. Even where an employer makes assurances seeming to mean job permanence, such assurances are generally considered mere statements of policy indicating only at-will employment. However, state courts have also held that employee personnel manual provisions, if they meet the requirements for formation of a unilateral contract, may become enforceable as part of a contract of employment. An agreement which includes a promise from one party but not from the other is called a unilateral contract. A unilateral contract is, for example, where an employer promises to pay a certain wage if an employee does a certain task for a certain period of time. The employee’s performance of that task for that time makes him or her entitled to the promised wages. The promise of employment on particular terms of unspecified duration, if presented in the form of an offer and accepted by the employee, will create a binding unilateral contract. These types of actions are referred to as â€Å"promissory estoppel† actions and they provide an exception to the employment-at-will doctrine. In order to constitute a contract, the employer’s personnel policy as set out in the personnel policy handbook must be more than a general statement of policy and must provide reasonably definite terms for a fact finder to interpret and apply in determining whether there has been a breach of the contract arising from that handbook. General statements of policy by an employer do not meet the contractual requirements of an offer. Employees frequently couple claims that certain oral representations constitute an enforceable agreement with assertions that certain actions by the employer create an implied contract to terminate only for good cause. For example, employees often contend that an employer has established a custom and practice such that employees are permitted to continue employment until retirement unless discharged for good and sufficient cause. Such an allegation does not meet the requirement of a definite offer. Similarly, an employer’s commendations and approval of the employee’s performance do not alter the employee’s at-will status. Severance pay is not required by legislation. Where it is provided by an employer or labor agreement, it must not be administrated in a discriminatory manner. Where it is provided, severance pay is considered wages in this state. The method of payment of severance pay may delay the employee’s eligibility for unemployment compensation benefits. Promissory Estoppel The state Supreme Court recognized that, despite the absence of a contract in fact, courts may imply the existence of a contract in law by utilizing the principle of promissory estoppel. The doctrine of promissory estoppel is applicable when: 1. A promise has been made; 2. The promissory reasonably expected to induce action of a definite and substantial character by the promise; 3. The promise in fact induces such action; 4. The circumstances require the enforcement of the promise in order to avoid injustice. An estoppel may arise from a promise of future performance. The doctrine of promissory estoppel is based in a promise which the promisor should reasonably expect to induce action of forbearance of a definite and substantial character on the part of the promise and which induces such action or forbearance and is binding if injustice can be avoided only by enforcement of the promise. Under the theory of promissory estoppel, liability on a contract may ensue even if the detriment incurred by one party is not bargained for where it can be shown that the promisor should reasonably have expected its promise to induce another’s detrimental action. The impairment-of-contract clause in the state’s constitution applies to an implied-in-law obligation created by promissory estoppel. The effect of promissory estoppel is to imply a contract in law where none exists in fact. When a promise is enforced pursuant to the doctrine of promissory estoppel, the remedy granted for the breach may be limited as justice requires; relief may be limited to damages measured by the promise’s reliance. RELATED CASE PRECEDENTS INFORMATION The following information is designed to provide samples of cases that may influence decisions made related to the case situation. The participants must decide what, if any, relevance these Related Case Precedents have on this Case Study Situation. Grouse v. Plan, Inc. (1981) The doctrine of promissory estoppel was applied by the court to grant damages to a pharmacist who accepted a job offer, resigned his current job and declined another job offer in reliance on this offer, but was â€Å"terminated† from his new job before he even had a chance to start it. Plan Inc knew that to accept its offer Grouse would have to resign his employment. Grouse promptly gave notice and informed Plan Inc that he had done so when specifically asked by them. Under these circumstances it would be unjust not to hold Plan Inc to its promise. Gorham v. Optical (1995) Former employee was entitled to reliance damages based on theory of promissory estoppel, where he quit his previous job and declined any renegotiations with previous employer in reliance on promise of new job, and on his first day of employment went through hostile reinterview process that led to his immediate termination. Lewis v. Assurance Society (1986) A promise of employment on particular terms of unspecified duration, if presented in form of an offer and accepted by employee, will create a binding unilateral contract. Pine River v. Mettille (1983) Generally speaking, promise of employment on particular terms of unspecified duration, if in form of an offer, and if accepted by employee, may create binding unilateral contract; offer must be definite in form and must be communicated to the offeree. Goodkind v. University (1988) Whether a proposal by employer is meant to be an offer for a unilateral contract is determined by the outward manifestations of the parties, not by their subjective intentions, and employer’s general statements of policy do not meet the contractual requirements for an offer. Gunderson v. Professionals, Inc. (2001) To overcome the presumption that employment is at will, an employee typically must establish clear and unequivocal language by the employer evidencing an intent to provide job security. General statements about job security, company policy, or an employer’s desire to retain an employee indefinitely are insufficient to overcome the presumption that employment is at will. Spanier v. Bank (1993) Terminated employee failed to show any evidence of offer for long-term employment in definite form so as to be entitled to recover for employer’s breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing as result of his termination, where employee’s claims were based on subjective belief and his own inferences that employer’s commitment to commercial lending business would provide him job security and employer’s statements about developing this new area of business did not constitute long-term employment offer.

Hemispheric Interference In Manual Verbal Tasks Psychology Essay

Hemispheric Interference In Manual Verbal Tasks Psychology Essay Research has shown that different hemispheres are responsible for different functions. It is argued that if two or more tasks are loaded on the same hemisphere, the overall performance of these tasks will deteriorate. This occurrence has been explained by the hemispheric interference theory which states that multiple tasks demanding cognitive attention from the same hemisphere will encounter interference due to the additional demands. In this study, this phenomenon was examined among 378 subjects using the manual-verbal task paradigm. Participants were asked to balance a dowel rod on their left and right hands alternatively across two conditions silent and verbal. Their preferred handedness were also taken into account and assessed by the Edinburg Handedness Inventory. Results obtained from an independent t-test analysis revealed that interference in right hand balancing is significantly more than left hand balancing in the verbal condition. This suggested that magnitude of interfer ence is larger when both tasks utilize the same hemisphere. Furthermore, it was also evident that interference occurs during dual tasks in both left and right hand condition. This suggested that contrary to several prior studies, speech is bi-lateralized. Hemispheric Interference in Manual-Verbal Tasks Extensive research has been done on brain hemispheres and the different functions each of them is responsible for. Clinical research reveals that the left hemisphere is responsible for speech and fine motor abilities while the right hemisphere is accountable for spatial functions (McGowan Duka, 2000). However, when it comes to motor skills, roles of left and right hemisphere have been shown to be asymmetrical, that is, the left hemisphere is responsible for manual tasks on the right hand and right hemisphere controls tasks on the left (Hiscock Kinsbourne, 1979). Asymmetrical cerebral lateralization and unilateral hand preference are usually correlated since birth. It was also noted that hemispheric lateralization occurs at a very young age but does not necessarily increase with it (Hiscock Kinsbourne). With these on board, it is argued that when dual-tasks are lateralized, that is, they load on the same hemisphere, performance will decline because of the increased cognitive demands on a limited brain capacity. This phenomenon has been explained by cerebral lateralization interference which explains that mutual interference occurs in the event of hemispheric sharing between several tasks, resulting in an overall decrement in performance of tasks (Kinsbourne Cook, 1971). However, it should be noted that due to each tasks distinct characteristics and demands, lateralization do not occur in a consistent manner. This in turn affects the amount of interference incurred. For example, in an experiment done by Hiscock, Kinsbournce, Samuels and Krause (1987), it was observed that speaking was more disruptive as opposed to memory encoding in a dual task paradigm where subjects were finger tapping. This suggests that different cognitive processes involved result in different lateralization and interference of varying magnitude. Other factors such as difficulty have also been observed to affect this phenomenon. An experiment done by Hicks (1975), which consisted of a manual task (finger tapping) across verbal tasks of various difficulty levels revealed that the more complex the verbal task was, the worse the manual task was performed. This finding can be interpreted to show that the more cognitively demanding a task is, the greater the interference. Other independent variables observed to affect concurrent task performance and hemisphere interference include gender and practice effects (Medlan, Geffen Mcfarland, 2002). As mentioned, vocalization utilizes the left hemisphere. However, it is noteworthy that there are various underlying cognitive processes that lead to vocalization. Factors that influence these cognitive processes include tasks stimulus and intention. In an experiment done by Steiner, Green and White (1992), it was observed that when subjects are required to process the meaning of a verbal task before recitation, there was a larger interference in the manual task, as opposed to the mere act of reading. This suggests that increased complexity of verbal task, such as the need for comprehension, results in a greater magnitude of interference. With that being said, verbalization is often coupled with a manual task as a means of assessing hemispheric laterality and interference. An early indication of asymmetric lateralization where a left lateralized effect was observed was evident in a dual-task experiment done by Kinsbourne Cook (1971). Subjects in this experiment were noted to struggle with manual tasks on their right hand when they were asked to speak simultaneously. This finding has since then been replicated in various experiments, such as those done by Hicks (1975) and Hiscock, Kinsbournce, Samuels Krause (1987), who attributed the asymmetry of interference to the fact that both right-hand tasks and speaking are controlled by the left cerebral hemisphere of right-handers. It was suggested that with competition for attention and abilities from concurrent tasks, the performance will inevitably decline due to the limited capacity of the hemisphere (Hiscock et al., 1987). It was further noted in the paper done by Hick s (1975) that this occurrence does not extend to left hand movements as they are controlled by the right cerebral hemisphere, which was noted to be rather disassociated from its left counterpart. However, if such an explanation is accurate, no interference should be noted when the tasks are managed by the left hand as the two tasks are loading on separate hemispheres. In contrary, prior research has shown that there is a sizeable interference effect even when manual tasks were performed on the left hand. This result suggests bilateral lateralization (Dimond Beaumont, 1972). In other words, verbal tasks might utilize both hemispheres instead of only the left, as previously hypothesized. This finding was affirmed by Beaton (1979), who stated that this interaction is a result of function sharing between hemispheres and is dependent on the cognitive demands of the task. In order to examine this phenomenon further, we build on the work of Kinsbourne Cook (1971) to examine if there is any difference in hemispheric interference between left and right motor skills using a manual-verbal task combination. Correspondingly, the manual task in this experiment consisted of balancing a dowel stick across two conditions, silent and speaking (single and dual task respectively). The influence of verbal task on manual task was examined by performance of dowel balancing, measured in time (seconds). It was hypothesized that in the speaking condition, dowel-balancing time on the right hand will be shorter than the left hand. It was predicted that this would occur because the act of speaking significantly interferes with the right hand balancing in the left hemisphere. This paper aims to covers the methodological and empirical foundations underlying the theories of cerebral lateralization interference. Method Subjects All 378 subjects were undergraduates enrolled in enrolled in PSY3350 Biological Psychology, Sensation and Perception in Edith Cowan University. All students did a checklist of questions regarding their preferred handedness and assessed by the Edinburg Handedness Inventory. Results obtained defined the handedness of the subject and revealed a mean handedness quotient of 0.83 (SD = 0.20). Only right-handers balancing time were taken into account in this experiment. Material and Design Subjects were assigned to groups of four. A wooden dowel rod (1.25 cm x 92 cm long) was used for the dual task balancing experiment. Students were asked to balance the dowel rod on alternate hands across two conditions silent and speaking. Time taken to balance was measured by a fellow group mate with a phone. For the speaking condition, another group mate held a conversation with the subject based on any topic (not limited). On top of that, Edinburg Handedness Inventory with a total of 10 questions based on daily activities was used to measure degree of preferred handedness. This test has been deemed sufficiently reliable by Oldfield (1970) to assess handedness in large populations. An experiment done by Williams (1991) further concluded that this test is reliable with a cronbachs alpha of .93, indicating internal consistency. Procedure Students were asked to gather in a classroom for the evening class. A brief introduction and purpose of the dual-task experiment was given by the lecturer before the start of the experiment. The experiment was held either in the classroom or the corridor, both of which were air-conditioned. In a standing position, subjects were asked to balance a dowel rod vertically on their index finger for as long as they can. Each trial commenced when the timer said start and ended when the subject lost control of the dowel rod i.e. dowel rod fell to the ground or hit against something. The experiment consisted of eight trials in total right and left trials alternated across two conditions, silent and speaking. The balancing time of each trial was recorder by a timer. Each condition was timed twice before the average was calculated. In the speaking condition, a conversation on a random topic was held with a fellow group mate. After the experiment, subjects were then instructed to complete the Ed inburg Inventory Checklist that measured ones preferred handedness based on a checklist of 10 questions about daily activities. Upon completion, both time sheet and Edinburg Handedness Inventory were handed in together to the lecturer for further analysis. Results Data with a total sample size of 378 was collected. This included time measured across four different conditions: left hand-silent, left hand-verbal, right hand-silent and right hand-verbal. It was hypothesized that in the speaking condition, dowel-balancing time on the right hand will be shorter than the left. Table 1 Average time of dowel balancing across conditions and interference incurred Condition / Dependent Variable Mean Std. Deviation (seconds) Left Silent 11.05 18.15 Left Verbal 10.34 18.76 Right Silent 17.27 29.04 Right Verbal 12.80 20.67 Amount of Left Balancing Interference (Verbal-Silent) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢0.72 10.19 Amount of Right Balancing Interference (Verbal-Silent) à ¢Ã‹â€ Ã¢â‚¬â„¢4.48 19.18 Table 1 shows the average time of dowel balancing across conditions and interference incurred in left and right hand in the verbal condition. It is evident in Table 1 that overall, balancing on silent condition for both left (M = 11.05 sec, SD = 18.15) and right hand (M = 17.27 sec, SD = 29.04) is better than balancing in the verbal condition for both left (M = 10.34 sec, SD = 18.76) and right hand (M = 12.80 sec, SD = 20.67). Furthermore, right balancing interference (M = -4.48 sec, SD = 19.18) is larger than left balancing interference (M = -.72 sec, SD = 10.19). A dependent two-tailed t-test conducted was able to further confirm that there this difference is significant, t(377) = 3.8, p Discussion It was hypothesized that verbalization shortens dowel balancing time on the right hand more than the left. Results obtained from this experiment support this hypothesis. It was noted earlier in this paper that manual tasks are managed by asymmetrical hemispheres and speech by the left hemisphere. Hence, a larger interference was observed in right hand balancing and speaking as they are both left lateralized. This is in favour of prior dual tasks researches, such as those done by Kinsbourne Cook (1971) and Hicks (1975), who attributed the interference to additional cognitive demands on a limited hemisphere capacity that arise from simultaneous tasks. Furthermore, it was theoretically suggested that speech is controlled by the left hemisphere alone. In contrary, results from this experiment did not reflect this as interference was evident in both left and right hand balancing during dual tasks, differing only in degree of influence. One explanation for this present result is that under different stimulus conditions, verbalization might utilize both hemispheres due to the different cognitive processes involved. Bi-lateralizing of speech is thus inferred. These findings lend further support to the studies done by Beaton (1979) and Dimond and Beautmont (1972), who indicated that when the demands of the tasks exceed a certain level, unilateral hemispheric processing gives way to bilateral processing. Lastly, it is also noteworthy that lateralized interference in this and prior experiments seem to only occur in one direction i.e. the verbal task affects the manual task. An explanation for this occurrence can be derived from the selective attention theory formed by Stroop (1935), who states that when the brain is confronted with different type of information to register, it has a tendency to do the activity that requires the least usage of cognitive abilities first. Dowel balancing is a manual task that requires minimal cognitive effort but demand ongoing attention while speaking, in this case, is a routinized verbal skill. In conclusion, hemispheric interference occurs during dual tasks due to the additive demands on the brain of a limited capacity. However, contrary to popular research, interference may occur in both hemispheres instead of just the designated section responsible for the task. This suggests bi-lateralization which indicates that both hemispheres may be utilized, depending on the cognitive demands. That being said, there are still many unanswered questions about cerebral lateralization. In particular, it remains unclear in this experiment which aspect of language and nonverbal ability is being lateralized. This is because an unlimited topic produces an unlimited variety of question, which might result in different cognitive processes and hence, different lateralization. Future research should include cross-validating dual tasks results across various conditions to identify the confounding factors that affect single versus dual task influence on performance.

Criminal Justice System- War on Drugs

Criminal Justice System- War on Drugs Introduction This paper will tackle the issue of the criminal justice system in relation to the social justice system on the issue of war on drugs as started by Richard Nixon in 1972 and will look at the effects of certain policies, the loopholes being exploited and several views from people about the way the criminal justice system tackles the issue of drugs. The paper will focus on the contemporary issues that are related to the criminal justice and social justice systems. First, this paper will review the facts as they stand and as they were presented earlier. It has been noted that there are about 500,000 drug related incarcerations in the US. In 1999, it was noted that 1.532 million Drug related arrests were made and this was equivalent to 10.9% of all arrests in that year. According to findings, the prison population in the US is the largest in the world with drug related convictions forming a substantial part of these at 25% in 1998 are also noted for 1999. These have led to the correctional facilities being filled up by drug offenders. The treatments that are accorded for the incarcerated offenders and the methods like medication using drugs like methadone being described are then discussed. The discussion will also include alternative treatments. These treatments include the use of cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, educational enhancement programs for juveniles and vocational training. Lehigh (1993) reveals that the cost of these treatments and their outcomes are then analyzed with treatment for a single case being put at about USD 2,940 while the benefit to society due to this treatment in reduced crime and incarceration costs being put at USD 9,170 in the period 1993 to 1995. The outcomes of these treatments showed a positive effect since the tax payer saved 3dollars for every dollar spent on treatment and also because the individuals who underwent the treatment showed reduced chances of going back to drug engagement as opposed to those who did not go through the treatment. Incarceration alternatives are then discussed at with options such as treatment of the offenders in hospital-like facilities instead of prison sentences being mooted. The next issue to be discussed is the widely growing clamor for the legalization of marijuana. Notable developments including the more relaxed approach to criminal prosecution of drug offenses and preference of treatment alternatives by the new administration, the increasing attention given to pro marijuana organizations by the media, the seemingly apathetic enforcement of marijuana laws by some police force and the new positions being taken at the United Nations will be discussed in detail.  Their effects on the growing clamor for drug legalization are analyzed as the section concludes by airing the views of those who want things to remain as they are. Pursuant to this the year 2000 Proposition 36 of California is discussed with regards to its attempts to lessen the penalties for non-violent possession or use of drug s (Cassese, p.65). The concentration of law enforcement agencies in the pursuit of individual users as opposed to the large gangs and cartels that produce and distribute these drugs is then tackled. The links of the Mexican cartels and the Salvadorian MS-13 gang that has a strong presence in the US at 20,000 buoyed by the post 9/11 concentration on terrorism by the law enforcement agencies is looked at. Descriptions of their links and the threats that they pose other than their distribution of drugs in the US are also noted. Other gangs like the bulldogs and F-13 are then discussed. To end the paper an analysis of the perceived racial bias that the war against drugs has taken with the implementation of the criminal justice system being regarded as biased towards the incarceration of minorities in the African American, Latino and Native American populations. Cases are cited like the prevalence of drug related busts in these populations neighborhood and the increased likelihood of black persons being arrested of drugs use being incarcerated. The issue of different punishment under the law for use of crack cocaine and powder cocaine is also discussed as being racially discriminative of the African American population. An Examination of the Law Enforcement Issues Law enforcement in the United States has become synonymous with various factors coming into play. Generally, under the laws of the US, it is a crime to possess, use, distribution and/or manufacturing of drugs like marijuana, opium and cocaine since they are considered illegal. Investigations on the various ways of curbing drug abuse among the youth have been carried out by the law enforcement agencies through the police. For instance, in the New York schools, random testing to establish the students who use these drugs has been introduced so as to assist in rehabilitating the students. The US has about 5 percent of the world’s population but 25 percent of the prison population in the world; these are about 3 million and on parole there are 5 million. Out of this number the people who were held for drug related offences were 500,000 in 2008(Webster, 2009). In 2001, The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) released a fact sheet on the state of the criminal justice system’s pursuit and addressing of drug related offenses. According to the sheet, 21percent of incarcerations at federal facilities in the US were drug related while those being locally supervised were reported at 26 percent in 1998. The fact sheet estimated that an average of 71% of the persons incarcerated in the countries jails had abused drugs at some time while the average for the entire population of the USA was estimated to make up 40%. A statement in the sheet quoted the FBI as having made up to 1.532 million arrests that were drug related making up 10.9 percent of all the arrests made in 1999. The numbers of incarcerations cut across the sexes with males being dominant at 7000 shy of a million and females were recorded to be more than 80,000 in 1997. Females in state prisons were found to have been most likely under the drugs influence when they committed the offences. The use of the drugs was estimated to have been 4 weeks leading to their offense; these statistics were reversed for the sexes in federal prisons. The cost of maintaining the prisoners was for both sexes were found to be equal. The sheet revealed that the amount of money spent on incarceration of individuals with charge that were related to drug offenses in 1996 was USD 30 billion. Application and Operation of the Criminal Justice System The criminal justice system in the United States is largely guided by the United States Constitution. For instance, the anti-drug abuse treatment is provided in accordance to the Violent Crime Control and Law enforcement Act (p.7) by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to the prisoners that were eligible before their release time. This treatment is provided through transitional programs that were both residential and also non-residential. This treatment aims at reducing the expenses that are incurred by the society as a result of crimes that were drug related. It also ensures that the drug victim goes back to productive life in the society free of desires to use illegal drugs. Inmates in relation to drug abuse as a criminal offence and how it is dealt with; Who are just about to be freed and are living in halfway houses are offered transitional services. These services include counseling and support services. The inmates in the detoxification program are isolated from the general population and are put in treatment units specially designed for detoxification. The non-residential section has programs that are not limited to a single place but move around to the perceived areas that need education and counseling on drug related issues. Fields (p.12) insinuates that it was estimated that 77.5 percent of the inmates in correctional facilities required treatment for substances abuse. In reality, fewer than 11 percent out of the 77.5 percent were actually getting the treatment in 1997 with 30 percent receiving treatment in facilities that are specially designed. Almost 2 percent of them were in hospitals while the others were being treated while in general facilities for all inmates regardless of crime. There are many modalities covering areas such as cognitive behavioral therapies and drug based medication. One of them is pharmacological maintenance whereby the participants are subjected to medication that acted in place of the desired drug. This gradually eliminates the need felt by the inmate or it blocks the drugs effects on an individual. Levo-alpha-acetymethadol a long-acting opioid maintenance compound was also used to surpass the requirement for daily clinic visits for those using methadone. The specific drugs that were in use in 1999 were Buprenrphinand narcotic analgesic. Buprenrphinand was used to antagonize opioids like Heroin in the bloodstream, Naltrexone also opioid antagonistic inhibits the effects attributed to opioids that reduced an individual’s need for the use of the drugs and Methadone. The narcotic analgesic was used in the place of opiate derivatives such as morphine and codeine. It was also reported that inmates were attending outpatient treatments and psychotherapies that were held formally with professional counselors informally held with peers. These sessions included the use of cognitive behavioral therapies that aimed at changing the reasoning of the individual as to what drove them to the abuse of the substance. Vocational therapy and peer group support structure like those made famous by the Alcoholics Anonymous were used during the sessions. Acupuncture was also mooted as an alternative used in conjunction with counseling to aid in decreasing the physical desire for drugs and the symptoms that are contributed to the denial of accessing the drugs. Other means that were in use to aide abusers were the Multimodality programs. These offered a combined treatment regime that incorporated treatments such as methadone medications, family and psychotherapy. This therapy was combined with education enhancement which was for inmates that were of school-going-age, stress management and vocational training techniques. An aftercare program was and still is in use with all the described counseling methods being used over a twelve step sessions /meetings o prevent the inmates from relapsing on their abusive ways an. Recovery training and additional vocational training is also done to help in the full recovery of these individuals. Webb (p.4) states that there are insufficient programs to promote the well being and support offenders who have recovered and are trying to fit back into society.  Still there are people who feel that the correctional system is not doing enough to treat these inmates. They cited the addictive properties of some of the treatments as replacing one master for another. This fact led to the Office of National Drug control Policy Reauthorization act of 2006 which was aimed at overcoming the addiction tendencies developed by the patients who were treated using Opioid analgesic drugs. Drug abuse related crime investigation techniques are many. The laboratory method may be employed in most advanced cases. This is where evidence is collected and put in preservation bags for court presentation when bringing up the case. The presented evidence is then transported to the central database centre where it is kept safely. The most ardent technique is the one that involves the use of detectives who basically investigate the alleged crime committed. The costs and outcomes of treatment According to the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, the mean cost per episode of treatment of substance abuse inmates between 1993 and 1995 was reportedly said to be USD 2,940. The mean gain to society was estimated at USD 9,170 per treated individual this save the society an impressive three dollars for every one dollar spent (Fields, p.17). This was considered a success. The profit was realized from the fact the costs that were footed by society for the purpose of treating and compensating drug related crime damages were greatly reduced since these individuals were made more productive to society. The BOP survey of inmates that were fully treated and released before 1996 revealed the success program. The BOP survey showed that there was a low probability of the individuals who went through the treatment to rearrest in the first half-year of their release. There was 3.3 percent possibility or rearrested in comparison 12 percent possibility for the individuals who were released without undergoing through the treatment. In the post-release period 20 percent of those that had received treatment were reported to use drugs while in the same period, 36 percent of those that didn’t seek treatment while incarcerated. Relating Social Justice to Criminal Justice Basically social justice describes a form of justice system whereby justice is assured in all aspects of the community. An example of social justice is whereby the society as a whole works together in to stop the penetration of drugs in the community by curbing and ending drug use among the youth. Social justice requires high commitment from the community and their good will to be socially responsible. This because according to critics, the criminal elements are well known to the community and therefore it would be easier to identify and eliminate these criminals. Criminal justice describes a justice system where justice achievement is based on law enforcement agencies which use their policies in reinforcing law and order within the community setup. From as early as 1993, there have been widespread complaints about the criminal justice system. It was complained that the system, in its war against drugs, took in many prisoners who were termed as petty dealers and passive abusers and this left the system in a crisis. These allegations were backed by the American Bar Association. At the floor of the US senate, these sentiments were backed up by Virginia senator Jim Webb who accused the system of going dramatically wrong by quote ‘swamping the prison system with drug offenders’. Treatment has been viewed as one of the most efficient alternatives to incarceration and the persuasive abilities of the criminal justice system to get offenders into treatment and to have them follow the regimes efficiently, with little degradation of the peace of communities was seen with the creation of Treatment Accountability for Safer Communities (TASC) program in the 70’s. The communities were required to provide the requisite treatment under the criminal justice system prescription while TASC role was to monitor the program as it progressed. This was done to ensure the offender was making progress in their treatment as well as comply with the criminal system prescription. Criminal Justice and Social Justice in relation to Incarceration The criminal justice system and the social justice system handle incarceration in different ways. In the social justice system, incarceration is carried out in accordance to the social setting to the community. The criminal justice system handles incarceration according to the procedure that has been laid down in the Constitution of the state which is supreme. The correlation between these to systems will be closely examined in this paper. Examples from drug related cases will be used. The attitudes towards the use of illegal drug which is a common activity all over the US have been seen to change over the last months. Reportedly, there are at least 30 groups that are pushing for the legalization of the use of marijuana including Marijuana Policy Project whose members have reported increased attention from mainstream media that wanted to discuss the issue. Open discussion on the issue of  lifting the ban with the aim of reducing the growing numbers of inmates held in custody for drug relate crimes such as possession and abuse of marijuana are being carried out. Subsequently, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws reported the presence of thirty-six different marijuana legalization bills that were pending in 24 states in mid-march 2009. This shifting attitude is being attributed to the baby-boom generation that used this drug heavily in the 60’s and are now controlling the instruments of power. Opinion polls carried out in California also show a slim majority of respondents, 54 percent were in support of the legalization. Proponents of legalization argue that this will alter the current problem that is attributed to law and order due to the violence that is occurring from the Mexican suppliers of most of this drug to a problem of public health since the regulators will be analyzing and setting quality standards. They also attach the huge monetary benefits that will accrue due to the reduction of spending on enforcement of bans and the amounts that will come in due to the tax that will be gained from the legalizatio n of the trade. In addition, the findings of the Nixon initiated and rejected 1972 Shafer report that found that the users of and marijuana itself bore no significant harm to the public and recommended the withdrawal of penalties given to the individual users and also small-scale distributors. Further support for this crusade comes from the unlikely quarters of the UN World Drug Report of 2009 that argued the legalization case. The report lauds much praise on the Portuguese decriminalization policy that not long ago was castigated for encouraging the drugs proliferation. The report roots for the non-custodial detention of drug offenders who are not perceived to be dangerous. The report argues that it is of no benefit to confine people caught with drugs and they should be directed to options for treatment options since the package is already confiscated. Perhaps the biggest support to this issue has come from the moderate stance that is being taken by Gil Kerlikowske the new head of the White house’s ONDCP. His comments suggest that the new administration will deal with the drugs issue as more of a health issue as opposed to a criminal issue and gave credence to treatment instead of incarceration. The Seattle police have also openly admitted that their enforcement of marijuana related laws has been lax preferring to deal with other serious crimes (Fields, p.21). As always there have been dissenting voices that propose sticking with the current situation they have termed the changing perceptions as hogwash saying that drug offenders do not just need treatment but they should also be punished for breaking the law. Moreover, the executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police James Pasco adds that offenders should be shown the repercussions of breaking the laws. They see the drive to legalize marijuana as start in the debate for the all drugs legalization. This observation is quite true as many of the pro-legalization organizations attest to this fact openly. Those against legalization view legalization as the opening of the floodgates to careless use and putting the non-using population in danger. They would have preferred footing the increasing cost of enforcement than see them repealed. These views are increasingly being marginalized especially in public debate as the more vocal advocators of legalization spread the message. At the senate, one senator voted against Mr. Kerlikowske’s suggestions, Senator Tom Cobum of Oklahoma was concerned with the developing permissive attitude in the country with regard to anti-marijuana law enforcement. California’s proposition 36 In California 30% of the inmates are being held for drug related offenses that involved simple possession and use charges and very few being arrested for distribution of drugs. This fact has led to the believe that the punishment Due to this many believe that the punishment measured out at the drug criminals is not equivalent to nature of their crimes. In 2000 a there was a proposition for the deferment of sentencing from the prisons to facilities for treatment after the conviction of an offender. This proposition proposed that the offenders should be sentenced to probation if and only they had gone through the drug treatment program and completed it. It also advocated for offenders convicted with misdemeanors crimes like violence to be ineligible for these provisions. The chance to choose whether or not to participate in these programs were given to offenders after they were convicted and the repercussions of their convictions were made clarified to them. One of the cases where the offender was allowed to choose and decide whether to go into treatment or proceed with punishment and pay the fine was the case of the diminutive fine of USD100 proscribed for the possession of marijuana. Participation of offenders in the program was a probationary term. There were no specification on how the offenders were to be treated; it was the judge who defined it during the hearing of the case. So this was basically done on case by case basis. The procedures for ensuring quality healing were not specified in the proposition but there was a twelve months maximum period of treatment but the minimum period was not given. Probation officers were to monitor the progress of the participants with regard to the treatment and to accordingly advice the court. At the time, the data on the California probationers did not assist the cause for this law, this is because the data revealed that up to a third of the probationers were rearrested 12 months into their probation and this cast doubt on the treatments’ effectiveness. Another observation was  that the law would have shifted the treatment burden to public institutions with more treatment of synthetic drugs in the future being seen as compared to Heroin which was the leading drug being treated at that time. It was also found that the system that existed then was not sufficient enough for handling the expected large numbers. Previous experience with implementation of legislation in California like the three strikes law also worked to the deflation of confidence in this proposition with analysts believing that the implementation would be varying from the court house and location. The number of plea bargains was also projected to increase with the implementation and the fear that a good number of the offenders sent to community-based treatment will not adhere to the treatment plan (Brownlie, p.74). Differences were expected in the implementation of the law where definitions were not as clear and the implementation of this law was linked with an increase with possession-for –sale charges thus creating a newer problem. War on drugs: gangs and cartels It has been noted that the drug war, instead of focusing on the drug cartels and gangs that distribute the drugs and met violence on the population at an approximated 1million people, it focused on the individual non-violent offenders suffering from addiction or mental illness (Webb, p.27). The ABA panel back in 1993 warned that the sharp rise in incarceration of harmless low level drug offenders was depleting the resources that were needed to combat more serious often violent crime (Lehigh, p.3). As the criminal justice system turns the heat on the individual users the gangs are prospering given the major support they receive from Mexican drug cartels. There are many gangs in America, and they have nationwide reach. According to Webster (p.9) American gangs are doing brisk business for Mexican drug cartels that supply them with drugs which they then sell down the drug sale chain to smaller gangs and drug addicts. These small gangs collect money for the cartels and the other hand; the cartels enforce punishments that are to be meted to any individual who crosses their path or defaults in their dealings. Mara Salvatrucha MS-13 mafia is one of these gangs whose’ leaders are being incarcerated in some state prisons like California. This gang was founded by Salvadorians in the 80’s in Los Angeles. It is involved in the smuggling of drugs and people across the border, and accused of raping and assaulting many immigrants. This gang has a trademark of leaving a dismembered corpse with a decapitated head in crime scenes; their involvement in crime is not restricted to drugs as they willingly involve themselves in crimes that they feel are good for their reputation. The FBI has reacted by creating a joint task force with the DEA and ICE aimed at countering the MS-13. The Columbian Cali cartel is another cartel though not as powerful. Both of these cartels have adopted international corporation management style. They have multilevel management starting from the cocaine production sites in South America’s Columbia and Venezuela among other countries up to the highly networked Mexican cartels with valuable smuggling routes to the US and they also have well established networks for distribution within the US. Another network is the opium trade that starts in Afghanistan finds its way to Mexico and then returns to America. These drugs are brought to Mexico by gangs from former soviet states who usually buy them from Afghanistan. The high profits obtained from the sale of these drugs are responsible for their continuity. For instance, processed cocaine goes for about USD 1500/kg in Columbia while in the streets of US, it sells for about USD 66,000/ kg representing a 4300% profit margin making it worth the risk that is involved (Tierney, p.44). This drug money is said to have become an integral part of the Mexican economy with vast regions involving themselves in the planting of marijuana and poppy for opium. The MS-13 is suspected to be in plans to smuggle terrorists into the US after it was seen meeting members of Al-Qaeda in Honduras. Another gang the F-13 had its members arrested and in the Los-Angeles area after shootouts with the African-American gangs trying to capture their drug distribution networks (Lehigh, p.34). These statistics show where the criminal justice system should lay its emphasis on, that is stopping the drugs from entering into the US. These facts also paint a deem picture about the call for legalization of drugs as this would be tantamount to supporting these criminal organizations and giving them funds to continue their reign of terror on the American public and the citizens of the countries that the members  come from. Impact of Drug Policies on the Criminal Justice System Jensen, Gerber and Mosher (p.6) suggest that criminologists have realized that the criminal justice system has been fundamentally changed in direct response to the current war on drug. Since the beginning of the war on drugs, the number of prisoners incarcerated for drug crimes has increased.  The criminal justice system has been forced to quickly make sweeping changes in policy to ensure the requirements of the war on drugs are met.   Furthermore, prisons that were already overcrowded have been stretched to the limits of their capacities and more so that the construction of new prisons soon became necessary.  This rapid influx of prisoners did not allow criminal justice professionals adequate time to research whether alternative measures to incarceration such as treatment or rehabilitation for less serious offenses would be more effective than simply imprisoning every individual convicted of a drug crime regardless of extenuating circumstances. A proactive approach to prevent drug crimes from occurring in the first place would serve society far better than the current system of reactively arresting, convicting and imprisoning people, then dealing with the myriad societal problems created by the criminal justice process. Imprisoning large numbers of people for long periods of time without regard for the seriousness of the crime they have committed and the subsequent long term effects of that incarceration, is neither beneficial to society nor is it fair to the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system lacks sufficient resources to handle the increasing number of drug prisoners who are constantly jailed without any feasible option being present on the ground at the time of their conviction. It is indeed evident that according to Jensen, Gerber and Mosher (p.24) building more prisons would not be a prudent step to take. Authorities must therefore put their heads together in ensuring that they achieve this in the nearest time possible as the criminal justice system is choking from a host of problems. The solution therefore seems to lie in conducting a thorough research in order to determine the potential punishments that could be employed without restraining the criminal justice system. Capstone Model: Modern Criminal and Social Justice Issue The fight against drug related crime is one of the most modern issues in the social are as well as the criminal area. This is more so true in relation to race. The relationship between drug use and race a modern dilemma that is facing the law enforcement agencies on a daily basis. This capstone model is aimed at establishing this relationship. The American Bar association from as early as the late 80’s, had noted drug related arrest rates for minorities were far much greater than those of the majority. There has been a definite connection observed between racial biases and the way the war on drugs has been carried out. It is argued that Native Americans, blacks and Latinos have borne the brunt of the war against drugs with a disproportionate number of these communities being incarcerated as compared to white majority (drug policy alliance, p.1). The alliance claims that racial profiling has dominated the investigation and prosecution of drug related crime with the police holding street drug bust operations in low income areas that are dominated by black and Latinos. In fact, members of minorities who are users of psychoactive drugs have in greater proportions been arrested and punished through prosecution in the criminal justice system instead of being taken to health care institutions to be medicated and reformed There is an argument that the courts charging system is racially biased, sentencing is marred with discrimination and that those in charge of guarding the system from issues like discrimination are not doing their work. In a report by human rights watch it is quoted that the black community represents 74% of  the people sent to prison for drug-related offences even though they make up 13% of the drug users population (Belenko, p.17). In comparison to white people, the blacks and Latinos have a13 times more likelihood of being incarcerated in prisons. Latinos and Native Americans are also not spared with the former being 50% of the entire marijuana-related arrests and the latter forming approximately 66% of those being prosecuted for these offenses at Federal level (Maxfield and Babbie, p.31). It was claimed that the war on drugs as carried out has encouraged the construction of prisons in rural US ostensibly to accommodate the swelling numbers of the minor population being arrested offenses that are drug related. Much cynicism is also attached to the treatment of minorities with many in the criminal justice system falsely believing that most crimes are attributable to minorities and that most minorities are involve in crime. The alliance also claims that much more attention is given to minority neighborhoods and therefore more arrests and convictions of the minorities. Consequently, a large number of these communities will be incarcerated; the skewed opinion is thus perpetuated (Drug Policy Alliance, p.2). The introduction of treatment and education programs, common in the white middle class communities, in the low-income minority neighborhoods was suggested as alternative instead of constructing more prisons