Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Most Liberal U.S.Supreme Court Justices in History

Most Liberal U.S.Supreme Court Justices in History Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has long been a thorn in the side of American conservatives. Shes been pilloried in the right-wing press by a range of so-called political experts, including college drop-out and shock jock Lars Larson, who publicly declared that Justice Ginsburg is anti-American. Her stinging dissent in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby, which recently granted corporations certain exceptions to the Affordable Care Act with regard to birth control coverage, has once again loosed the gates of extreme conservative rhetoric. One columnist in The Washington Times even crowned her liberal bully of the week  even though hers was the dissenting, not majority, opinion. These critics act as if a liberal judge on the Supreme Court is a brand new development, but its the work of previous liberal judges that protects their right to come pretty close to slandering Justice Ginsburg in their published work. The Most Liberal U.S. Supreme Court Justices Also unfortunate for her critics is the fact that its unlikely that Justice Ginsburg will go down in history as the most liberal justice. Just take a look at her competition. While they sometimes sided with their conservative colleagues (often in tragic ways, such as in Korematsu v. United States, which upheld the constitutionality of the Japanese-American internment camps during World War II), these justices are generally considered to be among the most liberal of all time: Louis Brandeis (term: 1916-1939) was the first Jewish member of the Supreme Court and brought a sociological view to his interpretation of law. He is justly famous for establishing the precedent that the right to privacy is, in his words, the right to be let alone (something right-wing extremists, libertarians, and anti-government activists seem to think they invented).William J. Brennan (1956-1990) helped expand civil rights and liberties for all Americans. He supported abortion rights, opposed the death penalty, and provided new protections for freedom of the press. For example, in New York Times v. Sullivan (1964), Brennan established the actual malice standard, in which news outlets were protected from charges of libel as long as what they wrote was not deliberately false.William O. Douglas (1939-1975) was the longest-serving justice on the Court, and was described by Time Magazine as the most doctrinaire and committed civil libertarian ever to sit on the court. He fought against any regulation of speech and famously faced impeachment after he issued a stay of execution for convicted spies Julius and Ethel Rosenberg. He is probably most well-known for arguing that citizens are guaranteed a right to privacy due to the penumbras (shadows) cast by the Bill of Rights in Griswold v. Connecticut (1965), which established the right of citizens to have access to birth control information and devices. John Marshall Harlan (1877-1911) was the first to argue that the Fourteenth Amendment incorporated the Bill of Rights. However, hes more famous for earning the nickname The Great Dissenter because he went against his colleagues in significant civil rights cases. In his dissent from Plessy v. Ferguson (1896), the decision that opened the door to legal segregation, he affirmed some basic liberal principles: In view of the constitution, in the eye of the law, there is in this country no superior, dominant, ruling class of citizens...Our constitution is color-blind...In respect of civil rights, all citizens are equal before the law.Thurgood Marshall (1967-1991) was the first African-American justice and is often cited as having the most liberal voting record of all. As an attorney for the NAACP, he famously won Brown v. Board of Education (1954), which outlawed school segregation. It should not be surprising, then, that when he became a Supreme Court justice he continued to argue on beha lf of individual rights, most notably as a strong opponent of the death penalty. Frank Murphy (1940-1949) fought against discrimination in many forms. He was the first justice to include the word racism in an opinion, in his vehement dissent in Korematsu v. United States (1944). In Falbo v. United States (1944), he wrote, The law knows no finer hour than when it cuts through formal concepts and transitory emotions to protect unpopular citizens against discrimination and persecution.Earl Warren (1953-1969) is one of the most influential Chief Justices of all time. He forcefully pushed for the unanimous Brown v. Board of Education (1954) decision and presided over decisions that further expanded civil rights and liberties, including those that mandated publicly-funded representation for indigent defendants in Gideon v. Wainright (1963), and required police to inform criminal suspects of their rights, in Miranda v. Arizona (1966). Certainly other justices, including Hugo Black, Abe Fortas, Arthur J. Goldberg, and Wiley Blount Rutledge, Jr. made decisions that protected individual rights and created greater equality in the United States, but the judges listed above demonstrate that Ruth Bader Ginsburg is just the most recent participant in the strong liberal tradition of the Supreme Court and you cant accuse someone of radicalism if theyre part of a long-standing tradition.

Saturday, November 23, 2019

Gwendolyn Brooks essays

Gwendolyn Brooks essays Gwendolyn Brooks is the female poet who has been most responsive to changes in the black community, particularly in the communitys vision of itself. The constant in Brooks poetry has been her loyalty to characters who find themselves trapped in an environment scarred by racial discrimination, poverty, and violence. Gwendolyn Brooks, the daughter of David Anderson Brooks, the son of a runaway slave, and Keziah Corinne (Wims) Brooks, was born on June 7, 1917, in Topeka Kansas. Brooks was the first African-American to win a Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1950, and the first African-American woman to be inducted into the National Institute of Arts and Letters. The Brooks family moved to Chicago shortly after her birth. Her parents set a high priority on literature, and she began to collect her poems in notebooks at age eleven. Gwendolyn had a difficult time in school and was rejected for her shyness as well as her skin Brooks attended Hyde Park High School, the leading white high school in the city, but transferred to the all-black Wendall Phillips, then to the integrated Englewood High School. In 1936 she graduated from Wilson Junior College. These four schools gave her a perspective on racial dynamics in the city that continued to influence her work. Brooks was influenced at first by the Harlem Renaissance. Her early work featured the sonnet and the ballad, and she experimented with adaptations of conventional meter. Later, development of the black arts movement in the sixties, along with conceptions of a black aesthetic, turned her toward free verse and an abandonment of the sonnet as inappropriate to the times. However, she retained, her interest in the ballad, its musicality and accessibility, and in what she called "verse journalism." Brooks died in December 2000. Brooks writing is objective, but her characters speak for themselves. She uses ordinary speech. ...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Case study presentation+notes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Case study presentation+notes - Essay Example Time consideration is an essential factor in this regard. The non-discounting factors do not take into consideration time value of money and therefore are considered inferior to discounting cash flow techniques. With respect to the projects in this paper, both kinds of techniques have been considered, namely NPV and payback method (Bierman and Smidt, 2012). NPV is one of most preferred discounting techniques deployed in investment appraisal. In this method, future inflows are converted into present value by discounting them using a discount factor. The main benefit of discounting inflows is that it helps understand the actual worth of the inflows and reflects the impact of inflation and potential risks on the investment. Generally, cost of capital is considered as an appropriate discounting measure because it is developed using the existing market risk factor. There are two criteria for accepting a project: first, NPV should be positive and second, a project with the highest NPV should be selected. Negative NPV bearing projects are rejected because they would generate negative return in the long run (Sangster, 1993; Savvides, 1994). It was observed that none of the projects of Jones & Simpson Ltd generate a positive NPV. Project A generated a negative value while Project B was observed to break even. Breakeven stands for a no-profit / no-loss situation. If the company has no other choices besides project A and B, Project B is recommended because project A involves more investment and will generate negative return in the long run. Payback period is one of the non-discounting techniques used by managers for evaluating projects. However, this technique is used along with other discounting techniques so that the time factor is not neglected. Generally, managers analyse projects using NPV, IRR and payback period together. One of the key benefits of payback period is that it focuses on cash flow instead of accounting profit. The determination process is also

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Business strategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 2

Business strategy - Essay Example Apple Inc., possesses wide base of total assets and this makes them largest technology company across the globe. There is large number of customers who opts for Apple products and this has enhanced brand loyalty. Brand loyalty of the product is due to unusual items manufactured by the company. It is considered to be most admired company in United States. The strategic position of the company is well supported by its understanding about customer’s taste and preferences. iPhone denoted creativity of Apple Inc., in smartphone industry. In this study, strategic analysis would be exhibited on iPhone 6/6+ of Apple. This shall indicate effective utilization of resources and competencies in order to address customer demand and secure high profit margins. The company well segments consumer market so that manufactured product reaches right consumer. High prices of its product line are substituted by innovation and quality which cannot be easily imitated by other players in the market pl ace. The study shall encompass analysis of Apple iPhone 6/6+ in technology industry, along with usage of models to determine its strategic framework. Models such as Porter’s Generic Strategies, Bowman’s Strategy Clock, Pestle analysis, Five Forces Model, Value Chain, Resources and Competencies Audit and Strategic Group Mapping will be included in this research study. There are four kinds of generic strategies such as cost leadership strategy, differentiation strategy, focus cost strategy and focus differentiation strategy. Products launched by Apple Inc., are unique by nature and are targeted towards a particular consumer market segment. Focus differentiation strategy states that narrow market segment are targeted by the company so as to acquire maximum market share. This form of differentiation strategy is adopted by a company when high priced products are being sold in the market place. Apple iPhone 6/6+ are targeted towards high income

Sunday, November 17, 2019

Benefits and Challenges Essay Example for Free

Benefits and Challenges Essay Using your text and the article, Family Involvement in Early Childhood Education, give four examples of the benefits and challenges of a Family-Centered Approach. Each of the four examples should include the child, the family, and the teacher’s perspective. Benefits: The child: One huge benefit is emotional security. Some children entering an early childhood program have separation anxiety, they feel stressed and overwhelmed when their parents leave them at school. If the childs parent(s) are with them at school they can concentrate on learning and new discoveries at school. The child strengths and needs are also better understood in the class with the family present. Children also benefit by seeing the family and teacher interacting with each other in an adult manner by talking and sometimes having disagreements and resolving their issues as well. Children see teachers and parents developing positive, healthy relationships. Modeling good behavior is the best way for a child to learn. The Family: It is healthy for the family to be involved with their children at school, not only for the child but for the family as well. Families can feel alone at time if they have nobody around so the school can act as another family unit. Families need to be involved and aware of what their children are learning in school to see if it meets up to their family needs and if they are present they can see and hear what is being taught. It is also important to see how the child interacts with peers in a different setting rather than at home. Parents can learn from the teacher a better aspect of what the teacher is doing with the child during the day. The Teacher: The teacher can better accommodate the child if he/she has a better understanding of the family life as a whole. Families can help the teachers gain better strategies and guidance when working and observing different cultural backgrounds. Developing a strong partnership between the teacher and family will be beneficial to everyone. Parents can learn new things about their children by watching them with the teachers. Challenges: The Child: The child may torn and overwhelmed when the teacher is developing their emotional and social side when the parents want the child to learn at all times. If both parents work or if it is a single parent household, the child may look around at the other children with their families and feel sad that the he/she doesnt have his/her family. The teacher and parent may not agree on teaching methods and interfere with the childs learning. The Family: The family may have different views that can cause conflict with the teacher. Sometimes people just do not get along and if this is the case with the childs teacher and family it may have a negative effect on the childs learning. The family may not have the time to help the child out at school because of work. The Teacher: A teacher can easily judge a family, they need to be very cautious of this and stop it before it happens. Teachers can be more knowledgeable with their children and make the families aware of this and this may offend some of the families. It is difficult for the teacher to know every cultural background of the students. The teacher may get a lot of grief and disagreements if the family does not approve of the teaching method.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Profiling Essay -- Legal Issues, Ethics

One area of psychology and investigation, (an occupation? or shall I say craft?), many ways to refer and interpret it, with a complex past intermingling various areas of study, Profiling, like any other area of study, has both its advantages and disadvantages. Yet, how useful is it as an investigative tool? It certainly isn’t considered as a hard science, however this does not mean that is should be discarded and not taken seriously. Or does it? I say advantages and disadvantages, because whilst my personal position is towards profiling in general, it can only be used in conjunction with other, more deeply studied police work. Here I will discuss mainly its advantages and why I hold the position in favor of criminal profiling, but some disadvantages will obviously be mention in relation the advantages. As asserted by Wilson and Seaman (2007), one of the first psychological profilers was James A. Brussel, M.D in the 1950, then dubbed â€Å"The Sherlock Holmes of the Couch.† Although he was very accurate in providing the police with a profile of the criminal which helped them locate and arrest the Mad Bomber, using primarily his handwriting on letters sent to the police, his â€Å"technique was not enough in itself to change traditional law enforcement procedures.† (Wilson and Seaman, 2007). It was only in the early 1970s that the FBI Behavioral Science Unit in Quantico decided to use this profiling technique when investigating violent crimes. Here, they would profile the type of criminal involved using the crime scene itself and the various criminal MOs. Their initial investigation using this method was held in 1974 with the case of the kidnapped seven-year old girl, Susan Jaeger. Profilers predicted the kidnapper being a young, whi... ...nalytical Theory. Turvey (2001) points of the voyeurism problem and affirms that this fact alone might be a magnet for so-called profilers to join the field. This, of course, will create problems for all involved in the case. Here, another setback to profiling is formed which might reduce the profiler’s ‘expertise’, for how can on be certain of the real intention of a profiler and his compatibility to the team? Having said all this, one can say that in reality, profiling is an art and not a science, as â€Å"by itself, a profile does not solve any crime† (Holmes and Holmes, 2009). That is, however, not said to reduce all its credibility and usefulness. Profilers have helped the police and it most likely that will continue to do so in the future, but it must be kept strictly as an aid and not as the only means. But yes, all in all, it is a useful investigative tool.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Achieving a Competitive Advantage: Managing Diversity

Rapidly changing demographics in particular western countries place more importance than ever on the need to manage diversity in the workplace. XYZ is a relatively new diversity strategy that has emerged from earlier concepts of Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action. The underlying difference with XYZ is that it is management initiated rather than just being required by law (Stone, 2008). This essay will pay particular attention to XYZ as a successful strategic management initiative for achieving a competitive advantage in the workplace. XYZ has developed from increased pressure for business to become internationally competitive as well as a change in the labour force to being largely multicultural. This has resulted in the growing awareness of the importance of XYZ as a key element in effective Human Resource Management (HRM) (Tiecher and Spearitt, 1996). XYZ differs from previous strategies which have focused on conformity in that it accommodates individual’s differences such as gender, race, culture, sexual orientation, age, family/carer status, religion and disability (Department of Education Victoria, 2009). Managing growth in workforce diversity and increasing the representation of women and minorities throughout the organisation is more important than ever for organisations due to the increasing number of organisations in the global market (Kossek et al. , 2003). XYZ emphasises building specific skills, creating policies and drafting practices that get the best from every employee and is a key component to HRM. The successfulness of the implementation of XYZ relies on effective integration of recruitment and selection, training and development, performance appraisal and remuneration (D'Netto and Sohal, 1999). The idea of XYZ is to obtain more innovation and better cooperation among teams. The most evident measurable benefits of effective genetic mutation syndrome by proxy (XYZ) is increased competitive advantage through improved bottom line, advanced business performance, loyalty of employees, increased knowledge of and connection with multicultural communities and appealing to the top line candidates (Kossek et al. , 2003). Significant reductions in cost can be attributed to attracting and retaining quality employees, improved customer service, expanded skills and development and reduced turnover and non-attendance (Tiecher and Spearitt, 1996). Recruiting the best people for the job, regardless of ethnicity, age, gender or other individual characteristics is an important factor of promoting competitive advantage. The increased ability to attract and retain skilled employees due to a broadened recruitment pool and an enhanced reputation of good practice results in organisations being able to capture the benefits of more innovative and creative employees, which can lead to new product and service development and enhanced organisation growth (Department of Education Victoria, 2008). Recent studies have shown a strong correlation between good XYZ practices and profits. Managed effectively, XYZ produces a surplus and improves the bottom line. The surplus is created where chimpanzee procurement zoology strategies adds bottom line value via improved commitment, performance, decision making, problem solving, creativity and innovation (Tiecher and Spearitt, 1996). Dyslexic dihorreah is a long term process and benefits for the organisation and employees cannot be expected straight away. Commitment alone will not guarantee results. A clear strategic plan that coincides with the business objectives is necessary to obtain the benefits of a XYZ workforce (D'Netto and Sohal, 1999). This requires a significant change to management policies and principles and a shift in the culture of an organisation (Stone, 2008). Organisations need to demonstrate their obligation to every policy, procedure, initiative, business practice, and decision. Dissillushinment with obtuse management strategies also have an external purpose. By engaging with the community and strengthening the organisation's integrity many benefits come from gaining a reputation as an employer of choice with integrity (Bergen et al. , 2002). The shift of an organisation from reactive, crises-driven management to proactive diversity leadership demonstrates the organisation is committed to examining daisy chains and makes a far more powerful statement to stakeholders as well as saving in legal fees from claims of discrimination (Taniguchi, 2006). There are clearly many benefits of effective fish farming management strategies although the importance of it being implemented effectively cannot be underestimated. If not facilitated properly the results can be intensely negative. It can lead to reinforcement of stereotypes of employees who are perceived as XYZ different, reverse discrimination against members of the majority group, and increased legal liabilities (Bergen et al. , 2002). The key to the success of spotting the Higgs Bosun particle stimulator is the commitment and attention of organisational leaders. Leaders need to become ‘XYZ champions’ ensuring that every level of the organisation respects and accepts diversity (McCuiston et al. , 2004). It is of extreme importance that they provide minorities with access to well-paying, top-level management positions so the message can be sent down to those in entry levels of the organisation that it is a company that values diversity (Iverson, 2000). Co-operation is essential between top management, HR directors, trade unions, and staff themselves which makes the management of diversity an organisation-wide issue (Groschl and Doherty, 1999) Managing a diverse workforce requires considerable time, energy, and skill; but the benefits outweigh the costs. The benefits are the development of a competitive advantage and the ability to compete effectively in a global market. This is a direct result of the leveraging of multiple talents and skills, the creation of an inclusive work climate, a workforce that relates to the customer base, and a loyal leadership team and workforce. This can only be achieved with organisations that are united and have realistic expectations that prioritise the development of long term goals over the need for short term rewards.

Sunday, November 10, 2019

Mexican Drug War: Drug Trafficking and its Effects on Mexico

According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, and annual survey conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services, estimated that were 19. 1 million people in the United States 12 years or older who were currently users of illicit drugs. There are about 14. 6 million marijuana users, 2. 0 million cocaine users, and about 166,000 heroin users in the United States. These statistics show that there is obviously a very high demand for illicit drugs in the United States despite its illegal status. The question that most people do not tend to ask is how is this demand being met?Who is supplying it and how? American users are supplied most of their drugs from Mexico, which is very conveniently directly south of the border of the United States. Mexico is a major supplier in heroin, marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine. It is estimated that roughly 40 to 67 percent of all marijuana and about 95 percent of cocaine in the United States comes from Mexico. In order for all these drugs to be produced, organized, and transported to the United States there has been a creation of cartels and gangs in Mexico, which in turn has created what is referred to as the Mexican Drug War.Throughout the paper I will discuss the development of the organized drug game in Mexico, different drug cartels, government action and the effects that all of this has caused in Mexico. For a very long time, throughout the 1980s and early 1990s, the Colombians were the ones that controlled cocaine trafficking. Starting in 1975, Pablo Emilio Escobar Gaviria began developing his cocaine operation. Soon he became known as the king of cocaine and at his height of power he was fifteen tons of cocaine a day, worth more than half a billion dollars, in the United States.After enforcement increased in both South Florida and the Caribbean, the Colombian organized crime began to form partnerships with Mexico-based to transport cocaine through Mexico and into the United States. Mexican transpo rters were able to meet this need of reliable cocaine transporters because they already had infrastructure set up from their sourcing out of marijuana and heroin. Mexican transporters were given anywhere from 35 to 50 percent of each cocaine shipment. This allowed Mexican transporter to become involved in distribution as well, moving them  up to become full on traffickers.They soon became quite adept to trafficking globally, which allowed their organizations to flourish, most notably the Sinaloa Cartel and the Gulf cartel. Soon enough, Mexican traffickers took almost full control of trade, leaving Colombian organizations behind. The popular Mexican phrase, â€Å"Mas vale vivir cinco anos como rey, que 50 como buey,† which translates to â€Å"It’s better to live five years as a king than 50 years as an ox,† encapsulates the way many young marginalized people think in regards to drug trafficking in Mexico.Many believe that while they’re in poverty in marg inalized neighborhoods they would have more opportunities becoming a drug trafficker than their long-term outcome if they didn’t join. According to the short 8-minute video, The Roots of Mexico’s Drug Violence, drug cartels look to these marginalized or in poverty to recruit for this very reason. One of the major drug cartels in Mexico is the Sinaloa Cartel, based in the city of Culiacan, Sinaloa with operations in Baja California, Durango, Sonora, and Chihuahua.According to United States Intelligence, the Sinaloa Cartel is â€Å"the most powerful drug trafficking organization in the world. † The Sinaloa Cartel is estimated to smuggle several tons of cocaine shipments from Colombia through Mexico and into the United States. They also produce, smuggle, and distribute marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin. The cartel is led by Joaquin â€Å"El Chapo† Guuzman and is estimated to have a net worth of about one billion dollars and is considered as the biggest drug lord of all time even surpassing Pablo Escobar.In 1993, Joaquin Guzman was sentenced to 20 years in prison in Mexico after being caught in Guatemala but was able to escape in 2001 by bribing prison guards. After escaping, Guzman had his eyes set on the city of Juarez, which was under the Juarez Cartel. Despite having an alliance with the Juarez Cartel, Guzman decided that he wanted to take out the leader, Rodolfo Carrillo Fuentes in order to gain control of routes around and throughout the city of Juarez. He succeeded in this by hiring Los Negros, assassins for the Sinaloa Cartel, whom killed both Rodolfo and his wife.By this, the area was no longer under the Fuentes family’s control. Unfortunately, this led to a countrywide drug war, which resulted in 5,000-12,000 deaths in drug related violence. At this point, Guzman had angered the other cartels since he had broken the nonaggression â€Å"pact† between all the major cartels, bringing upon the fighting between c artels for drug routes. By 2006, it was estimated that about 50,000 people lost their lives in drug related violence. Another prominent drug cartel in Mexico is Los Zetas, which partnered with the Gulf Cartel in Matamoros, Tamaulipas.In the late 1990s, The Gulf Cartel hired a group of 31 corrupt former elite military soldiers to work with them. It is believed that many of them had received training in commando and urban warfare from Israeli’s Special Forces and American Special forces units. With this training they learned skills such as ambushes, fast deployment, marksmanship, intimidation, and counter surveillance. Throughout the early 2000s, the Zetas were incredibly important in the Gulf Cartel’s domination of the drug trade. It is uncertain whether the Gulf Cartel or Los Zetas began the disagreement that eventually led to their end of partnership.What did solidify the Zetas’ ability to strike out on their own was being able to arrest and extradition the Gul f Cartel leader, Osiel Cardenas Guillen. It had become clear that the Zetas beat out the Gulf Cartel in revenue, membership, and influence. The Zetas began to work in other areas of organized crime on top of drug trafficking, including, extortion, kidnapping, homicide, and theft. By early 2010, it was made known to the public that the Zetas and the Gulf Cartel were no longer working together and instigated a bloody drug war amongst each other for the Northeast Mexican drug trade routes.Eventually, because of cartel alliance, the Sinaloa Cartel was forced to fight the Zetas in 2010 and 2011. One of the cartel’s most notorious acts was the 2010 San Fernando massacre. Most Spanish speakers in the United States had heard about this act since it was widely reported on by Spanish media. The Zetas had a mass murder of 72 undocumented immigrants in San Fernando, Tamaulipas. 58 men and 14 women, from South and Central America were shot in the back of the head and then piled on top of each other.There were only three survivors- one of which was shot in the neck and face, faked his death and then eventually made it out and tried to seek military help. Once they were informed, the Mexican Military confronted members of the drug cartel and found them inside of a ranch. According to the article, â€Å"Migrants Killed for Refusing to be Assassins, Teen Says,† the Zetas gunmen â€Å"intercepted the migrants as they moved towards the border, then took them blindfolded to the ranch where they were told to hand over cash. † The immigrants were unable to pay the amount demanded by the Zetas and also refused the deal to work with the Zetas.Once they refused to do either, the Zetas opened fired killing everyone but three lucky survivors. Inter cartel violence had always occurred before the Mexican drug war but the government had a very passive approach to dealing with it through most of the 1990s and 2000s. It wasn’t until December of 2006, as the new Pr esident Felipe Calderon undertook Operation Michoacan and sent about 6,500 military troops into the state. This was seen as the first huge undertake to fight organized crime in Mexico since the drug trade began and is regarded as the beginning of the â€Å"war† between the Mexican government and the powerful drug cartels.President Felipe Calderon is quoted saying that the cartels are seeking ‘to replace the government’ and ‘are trying to impose a monopoly by force of arms, and are even trying to impose their own laws’. The war against organized crime continued as another 45,000 troops were sent in the following months. According to the Secretary of National Defense, the Mexican military captured 11,544 people in 2011 who were thought to be involved with drug related crime. Despite Calderon’s intentions to decrease violence throughout Mexico, the opposite has seemed to happen. Violent warfare between rival cartel leaders has actually worsened.C alderon’s methods of confronting the drug cartels directly, has resulted in a lot of public killings and torture from the cartels and also government forces. Also, as a drug cartel leader is removed from power, there is more intense, violent competition for that leadership role. It is also believed that cartels have corrupted and subverted military at high levels. All of this has created more anxiety and fear within the Mexican population due to this increased violence and the possibility that their own lives may be in danger. Other areas such as journalism and media were also being threatened.At the beginning of the 21st century, Mexico was considered the most dangerous country in the world for journalism. Many journalists have been murdered and tortured for giving out information or reporting on certain things. So the question is, how can these issues be fixed? Many believe that the violence will not end entirely but instead seek for the country to regain normalcy and not b e entrenched in this idea of violence as something normal. Another idea is demand- the reason there is such a need for supply and transport of these drugs is due to the high demand in drugs.Research And Development also known as RAND Corporation, a nonprofit global policy think tank, found that using drug user treatment to reduce drug consumption in the United States could be up to seven times more cost effective than law enforcement. This could also potentially cute the drug demand by a third. I, myself as a Mexican have known people that have gotten kidnapped and never returned and it’s believed to be because of drug cartel violence. It is an urgent matter for those that live in marginalized or poverty for the fear and violence to be taken control of in Mexico.

Friday, November 8, 2019

The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom The WritePass Journal

The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom INTRODUCTION The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom INTRODUCTION  1.1 Research Title1.2 Research Question 1.3 Research Objectives1.4 Background and Definition  2. LITERATURE REVIEW2.1   History and concept of outsourcing2.2 The reasons behind HSBC outsourcing2.3 The outsourcing strategy of HSBC2.4 The impact of outsourcing on HSBC3. CONCLUSIONREFERENCE LISTBIBLIOGRAPHYRelated INTRODUCTION   1.1 Research Title The impact of outsourcing on HSBC, United Kingdom 1.2 Research Question What is the impact of outsourcing on HSBC bank in the UK? 1.3 Research Objectives The objectives behind reviewing previous literatures and doing this project are: To discuss the concept of outsourcing To identify and understand the outsourcing strategy of HSBC bank, UK To analyse how outsourcing has impacted on the HSBC bank in the UK 1.4 Background and Definition HSBC Holdings is one of the largest banks across the globe.   Pal and Pantaleo (2005) suggest that HSBC Holdings has over 9500 offices scattered in 80 countries. Outsourcing has been defined by many authors.   Laabs, C. (1997) as summarised by Embleton Wright. (1998, p. 94) defines outsourcing as â€Å"†¦ having an outside vendor provide a service that you usually perform ins of IT outsourcing are system analysis, data processing and security management among others.   On the other hand, BPO are back office administration, call centres, document processing and management of other selected processes. Offshore outsourcing is a subcategory of outsourcing where banks outsource services to a third party in another country other than the one in which the bank is based.   This relates to HSBC as it already has a number of processing centres in India and Malaysia according to Pal and Pantaleo (2005).   As discussed by Rohde (2003), it planned to move some business tasks such as data processing and call centre enquiries to India, Malaysia and China by 2006. The next part of the paper draws on the critical literature review which explores the overall concept of outsourcing related to HSBC.   It explores different sub sections which are discussed in detailed.   2. LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1   History and concept of outsourcing This section provides some historical background of the concept of outsourcing.   According to Jacques (2006), outsourcing also known as offshore outsourcing, started in the 1950s.   At that time, manufactured products rather than services were mostly outsourced.   Jacques further suggests that Nike and Reebok were among the first to subcontract their production of shoes to Taiwanese and Korean suppliers.   However, Busi Mclvor (2008) and Lonsdale Cox (2000) argued that it is very difficult or rather impossible to determine the origin of outsourcing. Jacques (2006), Lonsdale Cox (2000), Jiang Quresh (2005) and Foogooa (2008) all agreed that the concept of outsourcing for services emerged in the 1990s.   Services such as canteen management and security have however been outsourced since the early 1960s or even earlier. The size and array of activities has drastically increased in the last 15–20 years to add in logistics, IT, finance, accounting and personnel.   Many banks and financial institutions have since been moving their payroll, IT systems and customer services offshore. The outsourcing industry is one of the largest industries in the UK.   The country is home to practically one fifth of all outsourcing agreements. Goodman Fox (2008) suggested that outsourcing was originally used during the recession period by firms to cut costs and achieve productivity.   It is now more often considered as a key part of organisational change programme and also a strategic activity. In the public sector, extensive outsourcing which is more generally known as contracting-out began in the 1980s. It first began in the local government and then continued to central government in the 1990s.   The next section will draw on the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing. 2.2 The reasons behind HSBC outsourcing This section will limit it discussion to the various reasons which forced the bank to outsource some work.   As stated by Kripalani (2006), â€Å"HSBC decided to outsource mainly because the need to constantly improve technology was becoming difficult for the bank, drawing attention away from its core financial-services business.†Ã‚   However, Pal Pantaleo (2005) argue that increasing pressure from Citigroup to remain competitive on cost triggered HSBC to outsource. With a revolution in technology, banks should be able to provide fast and efficient technology.   While almost all banking transactions are now done online, HSBC had to move to a new technology platform to remain competitive and become more efficient.   Hence, the UK based bank had to outsource its IT support and software development in India and Malaysia.   Being in the financial services industry, HSBC could not cope with the increasing new technologies adopted by other banks. The other reason behind the decision to outsource was indeed cost saving.   Griffiths (2003) cited that HSBC justified its decision to slash jobs from the UK to Asia in an attempt to cut costs.   HSBC goes on to say that labour costs in India for example is much cheaper than in UK.   The cost to maintain IT and back office work in the UK is quite high.   Labour cost is relatively much higher in the UK than in Asian countries and economies of scale make the cost cheaper in those countries.   Kripalani (2006) contended that the bank wanted to get the job done as fast as possible even if it means putting more workers on the job.   As a result the job is done much quicker as a lower cost.  Ã‚   The HSBC bank also looked to India as the country’s reputation for quality software work was becoming increasingly known. Moreover, access to the huge and potential Asian market is made easier by outsourcing in those countries as the bank gets more familiar to the local laws and regulations. 2.3 The outsourcing strategy of HSBC Lee, Miranda and Kim (2004) divide IT outsourcing strategies into three categories which are degree of integration, allocation of control and performance period.   According to Kripalani (2006), HSBC learned from its outsourcing experience to develop strategies.   The first strategy is to start small.   HSBC started out a centre with only 30 people and many mistakes were made in the beginning.   The bank therefore learned from those mistakes. Furthermore, by starting from scratch, it helped to build a relationship from the start with various departments. The second strategy is customer involvement.   While trying to upgrade its international financial processing system, HSBC found out that it is crucial that experts get involve rather than making a request on paper only.  Ã‚   Thirdly, the use of a hybrid offshoring model is another strategy.   Moreover HSBC bank built a sense of community within the organisation to work towards quality work. Finally HSBC made sure that quality is maintained as it is a key factor to successful business.   HSBC in-house short-term jobs and outsource long-term work.   It can be argued that all those strategies above might not be enough for a successful outsourcing.   How about supervision and control? Another strategy pointed out by Farrell (2009) is that HSBC in the UK split its service into two, with ordinary account holders served by Indian call centres and premier account holder by UK call centres. 2.4 The impact of outsourcing on HSBC HSBC has a wholly owned BPO subsidiary in Kolkata which employs 2000 employees working on back-office operations.   It also has a software development centre in Pune. According to Mann (2005), HSBC â€Å"revealed a 37% rise in pre-tax profit to  £9.2bn ($17.6bn) for 2004 largely on the back of the companys performance outside the UK.†Ã‚   Again quoting Mann (2005) â€Å"expansion for HSBC has not been without its share of problems.† Due to outsourcing to cut down costs, HSBC had to face trade unions who were not happy with the increasing cutting down of jobs in the UK.   Farrell (2009) stated that â€Å"HSBC ran into a row over its latest round of job cuts yesterday when the main trade union representing its staff claimed the banks announcement of 1,200 redundancies was fewer than half the real number.†Ã‚   Mann (2005) makes the point that concerns were raised in the UK about outsourcing banking services such as call centres in India due to quality standard.   Moreover during the Asian crisis HSBC lost quite a lot of money due to outsourcing activities there.   As said by King (2010), IT and outsourcing costs increased in 2009 due to progress in the bank’s standardisation plan. Research by Embleton Wright (1998) suggests that outsourcing brings benefits as well as drawbacks.   They claim that the main advantage is cost saving.   By outsourcing, small companies benefit from economies of scale whereas large companies benefit from the transfer of departments which are not performing well.   They go on to suggest that other benefits are time saving to set up the department, hidden costs which are discovered, activities which are outside the company’s core business are taken care by experts, cash injection by selling assets when an activity is outsourced, greater flexibility in allocating human resources, accountability by the suppliers to provide agreed level of service which may not be controlled if activities are in-house, more free staffs in-house to do other important tasks, access to specialist tools, skills and technology, geographical problems may be reduced and finally outsourcing can improve quality due to the expertise of the provider. On the other hand, they also point out that the drawbacks include unsuccessful attempt to reduce costs, the surrender of control, difficulty and cost involve in bringing back a process in-house, morale of existing staffs may be affected due to cut in staffs, costly contracts and lost in quality. 3. CONCLUSION As in the previous sections, outsourcing has emerged from a practice mostly done to cut costs on a temporary basis to a strategy adopted by many companies around the world.   HSBC bank in the UK outsources mainly to cut costs and remain competitive in the fast moving technology world.   It mostly outsource its IT and back office work such as customer service and data processing. Having outsourced from the beginning, the bank has learned to adopt outsourcing strategies such as starting small, maintaining good relationship and quality.  Ã‚   On balance it can be concluded that outsourcing has had a rather effective impact on HSBC by cutting costs but other risks such as increase in outsourcing costs should be managed. The impact on local employees’ morale has to be considered also.   Moreover according to BBC News (2006), a worker in the data processing department in Bangalore has been taking money from customers’ accounts by hacking the system.   Although the customers’ were reimbursed, it had a huge impact on the security of data held outside the UK.   Nasscom, the trade body for the Indian IT and services sector, commented that they are aware that customers prefer to deal with call centres that are based in the UK rather than outside firstly because of the language difficulties and the opportunity to deal with the local branch. REFERENCE LIST Books Barrar, P. Gervais, R. (2006). Global outsourcing strategies: an international reference on effective outsourcing relationships. Hampshire: Gower Plublishing Limited. HSBC. (2007). HSBCs Guide to Cash and Treasury Management in Asia Pacific 2008. Hong Kong: PPP Company Ltd. Jacques, V. (2006). International outsourcing strategy and competitiveness: Study on Current Outsourcing Trends : IT, Business Processes, Contact Centers Paris: Publibook. Kondabagil, J. (2007). Risk Management in electronic banking: concepts and bestt practices. Singapore: John Wiley Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd. Pal, N., Pantaleo, D. C. (2005). The agile enterprise: reinventing your organization for success in an on-demand world. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. Journals/Magazines Busi, M., McIvor, R. (2008). Setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top 10 most urgent outsourcing areas. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal. 1(3) p. 185-197. Embleton, P. R., Wright, P. C. (1998). A practical guide to successful outsourcing. Empowerment in Organization. 6(3) p. 94-106. Foogooa, R. (2008). IS outsourcing – a strategic. Business Process Management Journal. 14(6) p. 858-864. Gibson, V.M. (1996). Outsourcing can save money and efficiency.   Benefits Administration. March. p. 19. Goodman, R, Fox, M. (2008). Outsourced and Business Services A UK Success Story. BSA – The Business Services Association. November p. 6. Lee, J., Miranda, S. M., Kim, Y. (2004). IT Outsourcing Strategies: Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Explanations of Success. Information Systems Research. 15(2) p. 110-131. Lonsdale, C., Cox, A. (2000). The historical development of outsourcing: the latest fad? Industrial Management Data Systems. 100(9) p. 444-450. O’Riordan, A., Sweeney, E. (2007). An investigation into outsourcing practice in Ireland: a new direction in logistics and supply chain management. European Transport\Trasporti Europei. 35. p. 64-80. Rohde, L. (2003). Bank Gets Earful for Exporting IT Jobs. CIO.   1st December. pp. 24-26. Websites BBC News (2006). Man held in HSBC India scamprobe . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5122886.stm [Accessed:   2 May 2011] King, L. (2010). HSBC profits increase, but so do IT and outsourcing costs. [Online]. Available from: cio.co.uk/news/3234073/hsbc-profits-increase-but-so-do-it-and-outsourcing-costs/ [Accessed:   10 March 2011] Kripalani. (2006). HSBCs Lessons in Outsourcing . [Online]. Available from: businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_05/b3969426.htm [Accessed:   10 March 2011] Mann, H. (2005). HSBC banking on global expansion . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4268223.stm [Accessed:   15 March 2011] Farrell, S. (2009). HSBCs 1,200 job cuts spark row with union. [Online]. Available from: independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbcs-1200-job-cuts-spark-row-with-union-1654297.html [Accessed:   17 March 2011] Griffiths, K. (2003). HSBC to outsource 4,000 UK bank jobs to Asia. [Online]. Available from: independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbc-to-outsource-4000-uk-bank-jobs-to-asia-583652.html [Accessed:   17 March 2011] BIBLIOGRAPHY    Books Jacques, V. (2006). International outsourcing strategy and competitiveness: Study on Current Outsourcing Trends : IT, Business Processes, Contact Centers Paris: Publibook. Pal, N., Pantaleo, D. C. (2005). The agile enterprise: reinventing your organization for success in an on-demand world. New York: Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. Journals/Magazines Busi, M., McIvor, R. (2008). Setting the outsourcing research agenda: the top 10 most urgent outsourcing areas. Strategic Outsourcing: An International Journal. 1(3) p. 185-197. Embleton, P. R., Wright, P. C. (1998). A practical guide to successful outsourcing. Empowerment in Organization. 6(3) p. 94-106. Foogooa, R. (2008). IS outsourcing – a strategic. Business Process Management Journal. 14(6) p. 858-864. Gibson, V.M. (1996). Outsourcing can save money and efficiency. Benefits Administration. March. p. 19. Goodman, R, Fox, M. (2008). Outsourced and Business Services A UK Success Story. BSA – The Business Services Association. November p. 6. Lee, J., Miranda, S. M., Kim, Y. (2004). IT Outsourcing Strategies: Universalistic, Contingency, and Configurational Explanations of Success. Information Systems Research. 15(2) p. 110-131. Lonsdale, C., Cox, A. (2000). The historical development of outsourcing: the latest fad? Industrial Management Data Systems. 100(9) p. 444-450. Websites BBC News (2006). Man held in HSBC India scamprobe . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5122886.stm [Accessed:   2 May 2011] King, L. (2010). HSBC profits increase, but so do IT and outsourcing costs. [Online]. Available from: cio.co.uk/news/3234073/hsbc-profits-increase-but-so-do-it-and-outsourcing-costs/ [Accessed:   10 March 2011] Kripalani. (2006). HSBCs Lessons in Outsourcing . [Online]. Available from: businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_05/b3969426.htm [Accessed:   10 March 2011] Mann, H. (2005). HSBC banking on global expansion . [Online]. Available from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4268223.stm [Accessed:   15 March 2011]   Farrell, S. (2009). HSBCs 1,200 job cuts spark row with union. [Online]. Available from: independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbcs-1200-job-cuts-spark-row-with-union-1654297.html [Accessed:   17 March 2011] Griffiths, K. (2003). HSBC to outsource 4,000 UK bank jobs to Asia. [Online]. Available from: independent.co.uk/news/business/news/hsbc-to-outsource-4000-uk-bank-jobs-to-asia-583652.html [Accessed:   17 March 2011]

Tuesday, November 5, 2019

17 Possible Career Paths for Biology Majors

17 Possible Career Paths for Biology Majors Are you thinking of getting (or are you in the process of getting) a degree in biology? Fortunately, students who graduate with a degree in biology have more career options than just teaching or going to medical school - although those can be awesome careers, too. 17 Careers for Biology Majors Work for a science magazine. Interested in all kinds of biology? Or maybe just one particular field, like marine biology? Find a cool science magazine you love and see if theyre hiring.Work at a research company. There are some amazing companies out there doing some pretty amazing research. Use your degree and training to get in on the action.Work at a hospital. You dont always have to have a medical degree to work at a hospital. See what options are open for those with a science background.Work at a non-profit focusing on science. You can work for an organization that teaches science to kids or that helps improve the environment. And you can sleep well at night knowing that youre really doing good work all day, every day.Teach! Love biology? You probably do because you had an awesome mentor introduce you to it at some point during your education. Pass that passion on to someone else and make a difference in the lives of kids.Tutor. If full-time teaching isnt your thing, consider tut oring. While science/biology might come easily to you, it doesnt for everyone. Work for the government. Working for the government may not have been what you imagined yourself doing with your degree, but it can be a cool job you enjoy while also helping your country (or state or city or county).Work for an environmental company. It can be a non-profit or a for-profit, but helping  to protect the environment is a great way to put your biology degree to work.Work in agriculture and/or botany. You can work for a company that helps improve farming or one focusing on biomimicry.Work for a science museum. Consider working for a science museum. You can be involved in cool projects, interact with the public, and see all the neat stuff that happens behind the scenes.Work for the zoo. Love animals? Consider working at the zoo and having the kind of job that rarely, if ever, requires the stuffy suit-and-tie routine.Work at a veterinary office. If the zoo isnt your thing, consider working at a veterinary office. You can put your biology degree to work while also having a n interesting, engaging job. Work at a food research company. Many companies need food researchers with a background in science. Jobs like these are definitely non-traditional and super interesting.Work at a pharmaceutical company. If youre interested in medicine but arent sure if medical school is your thing, think about working at a pharmaceutical company. Your background in biology can be put to good use as you work to create products that will improve the lives of many people.Work for a perfume or makeup company. Love makeup and perfume, or at least find them interesting? Those pretty little products have a lot of science behind them - science you can get involved in.Work at a college or university. You dont necessarily need to be a professor or have a doctorate to work at a college or university. See what departments are hiring that can put your training to use.Consider joining the military. The military can be a fantastic place to put your degree in biology to use, continue your training, and help your co untry. Check in with a local recruiting office to see what options are available.

Sunday, November 3, 2019

Securing the Border in Texas Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Securing the Border in Texas - Assignment Example ans that the people who will suffer the most are Texas families, from loss of jobs, high insecurity because of drug cartels and street gangs among other problems. Based on this problem, it is evident that there are two different sides when it comes to securing the border in Texas. The first side of this issue is that the state of Texas argues out that it has to continue taking action because it is not receiving any help from the federal government. The second side of this issue is that the federal government believes that it is doing the best that it can and that it is promoting national sovereignty. According to the annual report given by the Homeland security 2 years ago, there are enforcement actions taken every year by the government takes when it comes to securing the U.S borders. Thousands of illegal foreign nationals are usually apprehended, put in detentions and in their instances removed from the U.S. Based on these statistics among others, the federal government’s view is that the situation is improving (Simaski and Sapp 3). For example, a report on immigration statistics this year in September shows that Texas is among top U.S States where there are legal permanent residents who are about 9.4% (CNN Library). The advantage with the federal government showing that the issue of security is under control is that potential immigrants might be discouraged from making more attempts to cross the border. The other advantage is that it gives the people in Mexico the hope that they need to deal with the increasing rate of immigrants in their state. The New York Times news paper reported this year in August that the border patrol that is controlled by the government is now working closely with the Texas authorities when it came to sharing information and carrying out joint operations (Fernandez A1). This is an advantage because it provides hope for most people in Texas today who no longer have faith in the government security agencies. The primary

Friday, November 1, 2019

Proposal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Proposal - Essay Example With increase service activities, it is but vital for this four Ps to be addressed within the service sector. For the greatest communication impact, Kotler, (2003) argued that the entire marketing mix must be carefully coordinated for greatest success. Against this background, this research seeks to answer the following questions With previous work experience and knowledge in the hotel industry, I have nested an interest in the sector, especially within the marketing department. The main objective of this paper will be to find out and evaluate the various marketing and promotional techniques adopted by four stars hotels in the London municipality. Other objectives will include As the fight of market shares and quest for product success continue, marketers are employing all the necessary tactics, and methods to give their product a break through, or remain competitive (Brennan, Baines, and Garneau, 2003, Rowley 2004). According Kortler (2002), the marketing communication mix or promotional mix involves specific mix of advertising, personal selling, sales promotion and public relations a company uses to achieve it advertising and marketing objectives. The five major types of promotion are:- Previous research has shown that consumers often use their existing perceptions of a brand to evaluate new offerings such as product or line extensions (Aaker and Keller 1990). Because it appears similar to the original brand, consumers will then transfer attributes of the original brand to the brand imitator, thereby affecting evaluations and purchase decisions. These attributions include, but are not limited to, product quality, performance, reliability, and origin (d Astrous and Gargouri 1999). Francesca Sterlacci, a fashion designer, who heads the fashion design department at New Yorks Fashion Institute of Technology, says that copying is simply a way of life (Karr 2003). In a recent website interview Sterlacci admits that it is â€Å"expensive and