Hewlett Packard (HP) company expert project Essay

Hewlett-Packard Company is an American multinational corporation focusing on information technology. It is headquartered in USA, California, Palo Alto. HP is among the world’s largest organization and operates virtually in every country of the world. The company focuses on the development and manufacturing of computing, networking, and data storage hardware. The company products include enterprise servers, personal computing devices, related storage devices, and a wide range of printers plus other imaging products. The company sells its products to households, small, medium and large-scale business entities, and other users (Packard, Kirby and Lewis, 2006). Wired Magazine identifies HP as the first producer of marketed and mass produced personal computers (House and Lewis, 2009). The Hewlett-Packard 9100A was produced in 1969, coming as the first scientific calculator. The company is credited with producing the world’s first scientific electronic calculator in the year 1972.   This only captures a segment of the many electronics the company pioneered in their production.   This presents the company as revolutionary as it focuses on the production of new efficient products into the world. 1.   History Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett founded the HP Company in the year 1993. At the time of conceiving the idea, the two were students at the Stanford University. The Company’s first product, an audio oscillator for testing sound was built in Palo Alto garage. Walt Disney Studios was among the company’s first customers as reflected by the purchase of eight oscillators, which went into use in the testing of the sound system in the production of the movie Fantasia (House and Lewis, 2009). The HP Company is among the few business entities in the world, which successfully married computing measurement technologies, and communication (House and Lewis, 2009). The company continues to make progress in portable computing, entry into home computing, and imaging and printing solutions. For the latter part of the past decade, the HP Company enjoyed twenty percent growth rates on yearly rates (House and Lewis, 2009). In the 1990’s Lew Plant replaced the retiring John Young. The leadership change continued to see the growth path charted by the company go on. It is at this time that the HP Company gets recognition as a company, which values its workers as it offers a balance on work-life, diversity, and community involvement is struck.   This is the major reason behind the huge attraction the company has on both current and potential employees. At the turn of the century, HP formed Agilent Technologies. At the same time, it brought on board Carleton (Carly) Fiorina as the new CEO. Carleton Fiorina primarily focused on reinvesting for growth and leadership (Packard, Kirby and Lewis, 2006). The major changes in the company rest on the part of a spin-off of its business to Agilent Technologies in the year 1999. In the year 2002, HP merged with Compaq. In 2008, HP acquired EDS, which saw an increased revenue up to 118 billion US dollars.   HP, in November 2009, acquired 3Com. In April the subsequent year, HP paid one billion two hundred million US dollars towards the purchase of Palm. As at May 2010, the acquisition of Palm had been finalized (House and Lewis, 2009). The business environment of the HP Company just as in any other environment is characterized by competition (Packard, Kirby and Lewis, 2006). This offers a partial explanation as to why the company has focused on the acquisition strategy. The presence of other competitors like Toshiba, Acer, Dell, etc imply that the company’s position in the market is threatened, as a result, it has to engage in measures aimed at improving or retaining its market share. The growing population and demand for electronic goods on the other hand, presents opportunities for the HP Company (Packard, Kirby and Lewis, 2006). Through the acquisition strategy, the company has spread its presence across the globe and thus has the opportunity of studying the different markets’ preferences. This forms the basis upon which HP should embark on producing market specific products. This should ensure an improved market share and a check on its competitors. Overall, the company does not appear to have taken dramatic changes to counter emerging threats. 2.   Strategy Brand positioning and differentiation At the acquisition time, Compaq was the low-end dominant computer vendor (Collins, 2009). Its brand had become premium in both business and home use. On the other hand, HP enjoyed the repute of producing the best instruments in the computing market. After bringing these two brands under one leadership, there was a challenge of harmonizing them into one. HP did not have the option of jettisoning Compaq owing to its valuable brand. At the sale instance, it was difficult marketing the two lines for the same product (Collins, 2009).   The result due to this is reflected on the HP website, which reveals a feeble brand differentiation between the two. It remains difficult for an average customer to differentiate the two. The acquisition strategy seems to be the major growth approach employed y the company. The acquisition of several businesses in various parts of the world indicates the place of the strategy in the company’s developmental agenda.   This strategy is useful as it underlies a variety of benefits attributable to it (Collins, 2009). The acquisition strategy is not unique to the HP Company as its major competitors as IBM employs the same approach.   During the stewardship of Carly, HP went head to head with IBM concerning the acquisition of PricewaterhouseCoopers Consulting wing. The acquisition price ballooned prompting a withdrawal by HP. Later IBM completed the acquisition (Collins, 2009). The presence of a number of competitors in the computing industry seems to be the major reason why the company chose to employ the acquisition strategy (Dong, 2009).   With competitors like Dell, IBM, etc, the company is under no illusions. It must work out means of remaining ahead or at the minimum, getting close to these companies.   Towards the pursuit to maintain and increase on its market share, HP had to adopt the acquisition strategy to compete effectively. Success is a function of several factors and as a result, it is difficult to pinpoint a specific one for success (Russ, 2002).   The major strategy employed by HP is the acquisition method. It is only once that the company had faltered in making an acquisition deal go though albeit on the basis of this paper. This was after the ballooning of the price on the PricewaterhouseCoopers making HP to baulk. Based on the fact that IBM paid a fraction of what HP was being asked to remit, then the execution of HP is plausible on this instance. However, based on the disadvantage of allowing your top competitor make the acquisition, it does not augur well for HP. However, this is only an instance, which happened during the rein of the disgraced Carly Fiorina. Given the company had achieved tremendous success before Carly Fiorina’s appointment, and it seems to be doing fairly well after her exit, the company strategy must have played a significant roe in the development of the company. However, a strategy alone is not good enough; its execution is equally important. On this evidence, it is held that the success of HP heavily rested on its strategy just as it did rest on its execution. Technology is a rapidly changing area of business (Collins, 2009). The company thus needs to be responsive to these changes. Towards this end, the company needs to alter its products if it is to compete. The presence of other giant industry players makes it difficult for the company to lag behind in terms of adopting newest technology in its product manufacturing.   Competition is healthy especially to the consumers; however, this poses a serious threat to the company, as it must check this or face declining sales. 3.   Culture From the beginning, Packard and Hewlett developed a leadership style never practiced before. They coined a corporate culture known as ‘the HP way’. The culture renounced the ‘hire and fire’ mentality. This is reflected by the defying of temptations to lay off workers despite the1974 US economic crisis. The two owners also underscored the need to promote own motivation at the workplace. The company was run like a family. The profit sharing approach underscores this focus. Further to this, employees were extended several benefits, which meant that HP was the perfect and unique employer (Buhler, 2003). In 1950, Bill and Dave chose to write down the company objectives to serve as guidelines in reference to all decision-making in the company, this was aimed at keeping pace with the growth the company had achieved by this time.   The objectives covered citizenship, management, the growth people, customers, and profits. Towards achieving the goal, team-wok was proposed (Collins, 2009). Based on section of workers, HP was premised on religion when referring to the company philosophy. The company was viewed as inviolable. The management philosophy was founded on teamwork, respect for individuals, innovation, integrity, and contribution to society. This explains why the company gained a lot of respect both from its workers and from members of society. The founding fathers; Dave Packard and Bill Hewlett are credited with the introduction of this legendary leadership style into the company (Dong, 2009). The hiring of Carly Fiorina from outside the company ranks coming after the merger with Compaq seems to have brought changes hitherto un-witnessed. Carly Fiorina was accused of carelessly handling workers issues especially on lay-offs.in the lay-off exercises, Carly Fiorina factored in on profits with little regard on the welfare of the workers. At the same time, Carly Fiorina  Ã‚   is accused of introducing the element of personality cult into the organization. It is during the reign of Carly Fiorina that employees began complaining about fear. The CEO’s reign was further characterized by proxy wars. Retirees also complained about ignored views and total disregard of contributions. This presented a big departure from the initial cultures as set by the two owners (Dong, 2009). Rather than firing, employees were reassigned duties. Employees were allowed up to six months to find their desired positions. If one failed to locate a working position, s/he was allowed to quit as opposed to being fired. This was during the good old days. The management interacted freely with the workers to facilitate sharing of information. Both Hewlett and Packard took time to talk to staff at various HP points (Dong, 2009). The focus was on creating a loyal workforce. Fiorina is accused of turning the company fortunes to a lower scale (Dong, 2009). This is reflected in the way in which employees were laid off. Further to this, Fiorina made comments intended to belittle Walter Hewlett, her merger opponent, this indicates a departure from the original HP way. The dramatic change in the culture of the environment was occasioned due to the changing environment in characterizing the industry (Walton, 2002).   This would enable the company gauge competition and remain in business though its position as a credible employer could loose credibility. However, the extent to which culture affects the organization has weathered over time. Unlike in the past, organizational structure seems to be in control as opposed to the cultural aspect.   The fact that the organizational set up has managed to change its focus from cultural attributes of the company serves to augment this position.

Pro Clean

Company overview/ Statement of Problem Pro Clean LLC is an old-timer carpet cleaning business. It was owned and managed by Kevin Wilson and located in Knoxville, Tennessee. Wilson had to manage almost all functions of Pro Clean daily activities. In this industry, the problems Pro Clean faced are how to stay competitive and still make above average returns with one of his main competitor the King Rug. King Rug has a resolute business structure and is able to charge its customers with high prices which make King Rug much more profitable than Pro Clean. Another problem that Pro Clean has to face is the rapid expansion process.At the onset of the expansion, the business had started to churn cash as a result of the increased payroll expenses and the lease payments for the company’s vehicles. Wilson’s return on investment was dismal. Cash flow quickly became a problem and Wilson resorted to using his business and personal credit cards to finance his business. Environmental Sc anning/ Stakeholder Analysis Demographics of Pro Clean are composed mostly of customers from Knoxville, TN. Being located in the Suburban district and close to Condominiums near the City Center; most of its customers come from single-income families, above $250,000 annually.Most of these homes had pets/ young children. 20% of the business made up of the regular customers. Economically, Pro Clean is doing fine with its source of Revenue made up of cleaning carpet (77%), upholstery cleaning (9%), area rug cleaning (5%), tile and grout cleaning (5%), carpet and fabric protection (3%), and drapery cleaning for (1%). The culture of the customers of Pro Clean is those of frequent use. Average Pro Clean customers had their carpets cleaned every 12 months.Technologically, Pro Clean had improved from stuffing envelopes with direct mail material, answering phone calls and giving estimates to setting up a webpage so customers can easily and instantly know about the company’s profile and service. Pro Clean is just a local business thus it is not thinking about expanding to another country, however, it sought to expand locally with much difficulty Industry Analysis Pro Clean’s NAICS code is 339994. According to the United Census Bureau, a 339994 is a â€Å"Broom, Brush and Mop Manufacturing† Pro Clean conducts a pure competition in where there are many other competitors selling similar ervice in the industry. Its main competitors are D-Clean, King Rug, Green Clean, Right Clean and Kleen Clean. The industry is a growing market. The market grew approximately 5 percent per year, which was what Wilson’s business averaged as well. Currently, Pro Clean had built up a respectable 5 percent market share in Knoxville Now for Porter’s five forces model of Pro Clean, they are very weak to withstand the threat of new entrants because a number of national janitorial cleaning and carpet cleaning chains were advertising aggressively to establish new fra nchises in the city.The bargaining power of supplier of Pro Clean is rather weak. For a cleaning company, Pro Clean can pretty much buy their source of cleaning products pretty much from different suppliers and switch products without hurting the company’s balance sheet. The bargaining power of buyers of Pro Clean is rather weak also, because the customer can switch to another cleaner company in town where it might have a service which Pro Clean doesn’t have. In addition, there are approximately 60 cleaners in town competing in the same industry as Pro Clean. Substitute products are a huge disadvantage for Pro Clean.Some new customers who are not used to carpet cleaners preferred to buy the cleaning products and do the cleaning by them. The commercial cleaning market was serviced by janitorial service providers that offered a one-stop service to commercial businesses which Pro Clean does not offer. The intensity among the companies is cut throat. The market is very com petitive because the firms have similar service and almost equal status among buyers. The other companies are killing each other to differentiate themselves from their competitors by conducting additional source of revenue.For example, King Rug derives a substantive portion of its revenue from rug cleaning at its place of business and did well with cross selling and up-selling. Pro Clean however, did not successfully up-sell Company Analysis Pro Clean vision is to be the number one carpet and rug cleaners and â€Å"ready to take on even the best in Knoxville† Pro Clean’s mission to accomplish this vision is to â€Å"stay in touch with all its customers by sending out quarterly newsletters. † The current goal of Pro Clean is to organize their organizational structure where it had inaccurately expand too fast and thus hurting company’s current cash flow.To achieve this goal, Wilson had to lay off one of his cleaning technicians. He temporarily transformed t he cleaning technician position to that of sales and office administration. Wilson had to spend his personal time trying to develop the business as well as dealing with administrative and clerical tasks. SWOT ANALYSIS Strength: 1. Pro Clean has 5% overall market share of Knoxville carpet cleaning market 2. Its market shares grows at 5% annually 3. Their business venue is located in the city northeast residential district (most of its customers are residential people) 4.It has loyal customers which generates 60% of its income Weakness: 1. It has a poor organizational structures 2. Lower price charged to its customers making it to have difficulty covering overhead costs 3. It expanded too quickly, making a small return on investment. Opportunities: 1. Pro Clean might be able to target not only residential areas but also commercial as its main competitors do not target commercial areas 2. Pro Clean continue charging a lower price than its main competitor in the rug cleaning business Th reats: . Pro Clean competes in a highly competitive market 2. Other companies might crush Pro Clean by offering a cheaper service fee 3. Any frequent-customers who suddenly become unsatisfied might turn its revenue down. Pro Clean’s philosophy is that â€Å"each and every client is the most important facet of our company†. Pro Clean’s core competency is its ability to make on-site estimate visits, while other competitors gave approximate estimates over the phone and followed up with a detailed price once they were on site to clean.Porter’s value chain of Pro Clean is important to the health of the company. Their network (existing customers, technology and follow ups) are the most crucial in the relation of its income statement. They must keep on doing whatever they do best not to lose any existing customers otherwise the company’s operating income will suffer. STRATEGIC ANALYSIS The corporate strategy of Pro Clean is at a low level because it does not conduct any other form of business other than cleaning services.It has a cost-leadership business strategy as compared to its main competitors; it charged the least fee for cleaning services. Pro Clean ability to keep its existing customers is certainly a positive effect on the company’s image and it also can give a positive â€Å"free advertisement† to these customers’ relatives. The culture of Pro Clean is that the human resource works as a close knit team. While Wilson is out, his employees will routinely visit real estate agents and other referral sources for half of the day while others spent the remainder of the day in the office. ALTERNATIVE/SOLUTIONThe two main problems mention above is the significantly low pricing which makes it unable to cover its overhead costs while its main competitor can; and the other problem is the wrong decision of the expansion which was rather too soon for the company to handle. The main opportunity which Pro Clean might be able to consider is that it should aim for not only residential area carpet cleaning but also commercial area as it will hugely increase the number in their sales. Also, I believe that the expansion has already happened but it produces a little, if any, a positive return on investment.The way I would take advantage of this is to either sell the extra capacity/ plant or to maximize its ability to produce different product/services which might be able to generate more revenue for Pro Clean. For example, not only they do the cleaning business, but they also manufacture their own brand of Pro Clean cleaning products. I believe that Pro Clean can survive if these problems were to be exploited. With additional capital and better company strategies implications, Pro Clean will be able to dominate the cleaning industry locally. End Note Page

Police officers Essay

Have you ever been in a situation where you find yourself stuck between facing consequences for things you haven’t done and giving in to someone who seems to be on a power trip and is taking advantage of their superiority over you? Whether it be a manager taking advantage of his power in the work place or a police man or woman doing unnecessary and over the top things to you. Abuse of power seems to be a common thing in some police officers every day life and this is not okay. It is very apparent what a police officers job is and that is to protect and serve the community and make sure that real criminals are being served justice, however; some may come across police officers that use the fact that they have badges and weapons to their advantage in order to basically become a bully instead of a hero. Of course not all police officers are corrupt, most are actually doing their job and are concerned with the safety of all people and not just their own but those few that are corr upt need to be stopped and be punished for their police brutality and/or abuse of power. So the question is, are police men and women being evaluated thoroughly enough so as not to hire corrupt officers? Are police officers being punished and or brought to justice because of their wrong doings? In this paper I will bring some cases of police brutality and or abuse of police powers to your attention as well as if and how police are being punished because of their illegal or down right cruel behavior. Becoming a police officer is far from an easy task as it should be, but why is it that after so much questioning and tests of integrity and moral values citizens are becoming more and more victimized by police officers? In my opinion police officers are not being as extensively tested for a corrupt mind set as we are led to believe they are. Possible police officers are asked questions on a polygraph test that mostly tie in with the questions asked in the application process so as to get details and obviously the truth out of anything remotely suspicious on the application. These questions mostly having to do with drug use or theft and anything that may prove an officer to be dishonest about questions already asked prior to the polygraph. These questions however rarely have to do with how officers view a citizens race, religion, gender, levels of class, etc. For example, a police officer is not asked in a polygraph test if he does not like Muslim people or if he is disgusted by gay individuals.

Social perception and managing diversity Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Social perception and managing diversity - Essay Example Managers must also employ good communication process as this could further align the people. Aligning the people could eliminate formation of diversity in an organization as this involves actual communication of the vision to the human resource (Kotter, 1998). In addition, managers must employ policies that could help promote teamwork disregarding the presence of race, color, age, demographic, gender or sexual preference. One important move in an organization is to create a team that could work together in the same direction and as one, disregarding whatever prevailing issues concerning diversity in various aspects of an organizational climate. As a result, this would create a positive implication on diversity climate, by which employees would be able to learn to recognize the organization is fair in dealing with its human resource (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2010, p.53). Finally, managers must enhance their ability in decision-making by which they could showcase their ability to handle disturbance in an organization (Kotter, 1998). Stereotypes are important components of this organizational disturbance that every manager as decision-maker should take into account. Affirmative action is an artificial intervention in order for the management to correct imbalance, injustice and other unnecessary actions that could probably hinder productivity (Kreitner & Kinicki, 2010, p.36). To emancipate this, a legal system or act should be well implemented in order to create a positive response from every concerned. In line with this, some policies or legal act should be mandated in every organization such as those that would promote equal and balanced opportunity for everyone. In the workplace for instance, the law concerning discrimination must be employed in order to adhere to affirmative action. For example, every organization is under employment law that seeks to give equal opportunity to each individual and such discriminatory practices

Changes in Roles of African Women Triggered by Colonial Rule Essay

Changes in Roles of African Women Triggered by Colonial Rule - Essay Example The period of colonization initiated discomfort and trust issues between the British and Agikuyu(Finke, par 2). Even though the regions of Kenya were unknown to the British, they immediately chose regions of Kenya that had contents of resources that were of great value to the economy. By this, the British ensured that there would be less cost in running administrative affairs of a colony. The Agikuyutribe was spread in central Kenya, and the area was densely fertile. The new colonists took benefit of the fertile land by farming on a large basis. They farmed extensively because there were scarce resources (Finke, par 7). Due to this act of the colonists, the Agikuyu had to leave some of their lands. The domestic and other roles of women such as cooking, bearing children, mat weaving, transportation of goods and going to the marketplace had changed due to the effect of the colonists. The locals had lost their lands due to compulsion from the colonists. These events changed the perspect ive of the women in several ways (Turner, par. 16).Introduction of Christianity:The first and foremost that the colonists brought about in women were change in beliefs. The locals had believed in traditional beliefs but as per changer, they converted to Christianity. This change of faith was spread through the colonies (Afrikan Eye, par. 8). Another change in the Kikuyu women was a change of roles. The women previously were labors but after the colonial rule they lost control of their products and were paid for their work.

Houston Astros and Enron Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Houston Astros and Enron - Assignment Example As a prominent sports team with a large fan base, it is a force to be reckoned with in the sports of American baseball which is perhaps the most popular team sports in the United States and also a major part of the American culture as a pastime when families bond together. When its sponsor Enron Corporation suddenly collapsed back in 2001, the Houston Astros found themselves in the embarrassing position of being endorsed by an organization which symbolized corporate greed. It is the aim of this brief paper to examine the options available to the said sports team and as an illustrative case study on how to properly handle a seemingly public relations disaster. Discussion Professional sports today in America and elsewhere in the world is characterized by the increasing intrusion of commercialization through corporate sponsorship in the form of company advertisements and marketing promotions. American sports organizations are privately-owned teams and as such has to be managed well like any business enterprise and has to turn a profit for its owners. In this regard, many of such sports organizations have turned to corporate sponsors to earn much-needed additional revenues to offset higher expenses in the form of maintenance of its home stadium and to pay the often-exorbitant professional players' fees. In other words, the sports team owners are in a quandary of sorts, as they have to sacrifice the purity or sanctity of sports in favor of commercial ads to make their sports teams a viable on-going enterprise. There is a prevalent practice of selling the naming rights of a stadium to a corporation for a huge fee. Problem Definition – in the case of the Houston Astros, they had sold the naming rights for their new ball park to Enron Corporation for a 30-year period to the tune of $100 million and in turn, Enron was given all the rights to put up advertisements, banners, and all sorts of the paid endorsements accruing to the Houston Astros sports team, such as the opportunity to put Enron's name on all interior and exterior signages to include even the uniforms of game-day staff. A part of the deal included spending for a luxury suite and season box seats (Jensen & Butler, 2007, p. 28). When Enron collapsed, the sports team had to find a way to dissociate themselves from it. Case Analysis – the sudden collapse was an unprecedented event in American business history for it was the largest bankruptcy filing ever and worse, Enron represented the corporate scandal involving dubious accounting practices, insider trading, and other types of malfeasance. The Houston Astros found themselves in the uncomfortable position of being associated with the company most hated by Americans who lost their jobs, pensions, and life savings. Evaluation of Case Facts – the naming rights that Enron Corporation entered into with the management of the Houston Astros was a valid business contract but the extremely bad name or reputation that Enron soo n earned after its collapse when sordid wrongdoing came to public knowledge made it untenable for the sports team to continue with the contract because it is now a public relations crises in relation to its valued publics, in particular its avid sports fans. Consideration of Alternatives – Houston Astros has to find a way to get out of the now-useless contract with Enron as the corporation is in no position to honor its end of the bargain in terms of annual installment payment for the naming rights of the stadium. The sports team has to resort to the courts to discharge it from its obligations

The differences and similarities between the Christian and Muslim Research Paper

The differences and similarities between the Christian and Muslim faiths - Research Paper Example In order to understand the two religions, this paper will discuss the differences and similarities between the Christian and Muslim faiths. The first main difference between Christian and Muslim faiths has to do with the recognition of Jesus. Even though both faiths recognize Jesus, their beliefs on him greatly differ. Both faiths believe that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary and that he was infallible and sinless; however, while Christians see Jesus as God Himself, Muslims view Jesus a prophet of high regard (Renard, 2011). Christians are of the view that Jesus was a spiritual and not a political leader, and this is why most dominantly Christian nations practice separation of state and church. To Muslim, however, Muhammad was both a religious and political leaders, and this explains the integration of state and Islam religion in many Muslim countries. Related to this difference is believe in the Holy Trinity; Christians believe in the Holy Trinity, that is three persons in one divi ne nature, while Muslims believe that God is one person only. To Muslims, Jesus was not divine but was a human prophet who was sent by God just like prophets Moses and Muhammad (Riley-Smith, 2011). It is for this reason that Muslims are of the view that since these prophets were human beings, they should not be worshipped directly or indirectly. The other main difference between the two religions is in regard to their founders. To Christians, Jesus is the founder of Christianity and they ought to live according to His teachings. However, to Muslims, Muhammad is the founder of Islam; he was both the religious and political leader (Rousseau, 1999). It should be noted that both religions believe their founders are sinless and infallible. In addition, Christian and Muslim faiths differ on the idea of how salvation is obtained. On one hand, Christians believe that Adam and Eve committed sin and that all people, aside from Jesus, were born with this original sin (Al-Moghamis, 2002). They also believe that human beings are imperfect, and therefore man can only earn salvation through God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice. Besides, Christians believe that they can earn reparation and indulgences for their sins, through the saints’ good works (Riley-Smith, 2011). On the other hand, Muslims believe all humans are born sinless, and therefore they are responsible in maintaining this state throughout their life. Muslims also believe that all individuals are responsible for their individual salvation, and that no individual can receive an indulgence. The Quran cites two reasons why Muslims do not believe in the Original sin: God forgave Adam for his sin; and no one should bear the mistake or sin of someone else because it is unfair (Renard, 2011). In spite of the aforementioned differences between Christian and Muslim faiths, there are a number of identifiable similarities. The both have similar beliefs regarding what will happen at the end of time. They beli eve that all human beings will be judged and will go either to heaven or to hell (Rousseau, 1999). In addition, they both believe that heaven is eternal and all human beings should strive to go to heaven. Both Christianity and Islam have certain similar religious aspects: almsgiving, fasting, and prayer. They both have particular holy day where followers are obligated to prayer and engage in other religious rituals.

Consider how a currency appreciation might affect national income Essay - 2

Consider how a currency appreciation might affect national income - Essay Example If an economy of a nation presents a favorable environment for investments that are relatively better than other nations, then the nation will experience inflow of capital. With flexible foreign exchange rates, this capital inflow will tend to increase the value of the country’s currency. Factors such as relative product prices, monetary policy, inflation rate differences and income changes influence the appreciation of a country’s currency (LIPSEY & CHRYSTAL, 2011 p 167). The effects of these factors are discussed below: Suppose that the income of major trading of a country increase to a greater margin, there will be greater increase in domestic income which is associated with increased consumption of the imported goods. The nation’s trading partner demand for the local goods will increase; thereby the demand for local currency will exceed quantity supplied hence appreciation. Deflation is always associated with appreciation. Suppose the price levels of a nation’s commodities decreases while that of its trading partner remains the relatively stable. The local goods will seem cheap to foreigners hence increasing the demand for local goods. This will increase the demand for money hence appreciation of the local currency. Countries that implement restrictive monetary policies will be decreasing the supply of their currency hence currency appreciation. The appreciation of a country’s currency is relative to the currencies of its trading partner. Higher rates of interest make it more attractive to save in a nation. This is because there is a better rate of return on saving accounts. Therefore there will be inflow of money in country hence appreciation of the currency. Stronger economic growth tends to cause an appreciation in the forex market. This is so due to the fact that with higher economic growth, there is likelihood that the nation might experience increase in interest rates (DAÃŒ ¨BROWSKI 2001, p 10).

Marketing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words - 17

Marketing - Essay Example WD Electrical Appliances Co. Ltd. was built in 1999, locating in Cixi City, Zhejiang Province, which is called the hometown of small household appliances. It is a company of manufacturing small household appliances integrating R&D, production and marketing. The main products are electric kettles, coffee pots and electric steamers, with the annual output of 2 million units of small appliances. WD owns its self-operation export and import rights and the products passed GS/CE Authenticate of TUV and were exported to countries and districts such as Europe, Middle East and Australia. The company covers 8,500 square meters and over 170 employees, including 55 managers. It manufactures as per the order and mainly as the OEM. The annual production value and sales in 2002 was USD 3.47 million, about CNY 28.73 million. The entry barrier for the electric kettle is rather low because the universal production equipment (injection model) can be widely applied in producing kinds of household appliances with injection molding. It can be switched easily with low cost. The mold manufacturing is the main restriction. The cost of a set of mold of the kettle is about CNY 0.8 – 2 million, which is not too much for investors; the economical efficiency of scale is not obvious and can be operated on small scale; with low technique and fewer components, the technical difficulty is mainly achieving the appropriate temperature controller and connecting pieces design according to the aesthetic appeal; customers are particularly sensible to the style and quality, so if the manufacturer can design a popular style, it is not difficult for them to receive orders and marketing channels by means of product development and exhibition. Therefore, the channel is not the problem. As the competition enters a new stage, price competition is not the only

Human_Resource_Development_in_UAE 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human_Resource_Development_in_UAE 2 - Essay Example This shall help generate ideas about the significance of employee retention in public and private organizations in UAE in regard to HRD. This would also serve as a practical guide for managers working in different sectors in UAE. While examining these concepts of HRM, it is important to instill an understanding, whether if these elements of Human Resource Development are an integral part of UAE or not. Due to increasing number of foreign workers in UAE, the concept of training and development is not seen incorporated by the public and private sectors. This argument is debatable and is subject to scrutiny. Research indicates that Human Resource Development is serving as a challenge in many sectors in UAE but the Strategic Plan, 2015 that was instilled by the government is focusing on the shortcomings in the management practices (Data Matrix Group, 2014). This plan hopes to cater all private and public sector regarding organizational policies and growth. It is also seen that UAE has taken initiative in incorporating a strategic plan to overcome skills shortages and promote training and development in organizations (Sinha, 2004). In order to develop the concept of HRD in the country, the employers of public and private sectors are required to first impart awareness regarding training and development and then initiate such programs that address this concept. According to Storey & Sisson (1993), training makes an employee more motivated to work pro-actively in their workforce as it polishes their cognitive, technical and interpersonal skills. According to Bateman & Strasser, (1984, p. 95), training gives rise to organizational commitment which is an important part of an organization which is multi-dimensional and demonstrates an employee’s loyalty to the organization. An employee who is committed to attaining organizational goals is supposedly more satisfied with his performance. Moreover, he also makes an effort to maintain this relationship by working

Economics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 4

Economics - Essay Example Indeed, the currency exchange rate policy must be geared towards leveling the global financial playing field. The prior Bretton Woods agreement and the current United Kingdom government’s policy determined the nation’s currency exchange rate. The variance in the United Kingdom currency in relation to another country’s foreign currency may translates to either a currency fluctuation gain or a loss. Romain Veyrune (2007) reiterated the fixed exchange rate system is defined as a pegged exchange rate. The exchange rate of the nation’s currency is matched to another nation’s currency. Likewise, the nation’s currency may also be matched with a precious metal like Gold. The main purpose of the unique monetary rating system is to make the nation’s currency stable, the British pound, in relation to another country’s pegged currency or precious metal. One of the major purposes of the fixed exchange rate system is to stabilise trading betw een the two nations. Many companies can make predicting the current and future sales, purchases, and other currency related transaction between country with the currency that is pegged against the other nation’s currency and the country whose currency is used as the basis for the nation’s currency. ... The electronic currency, e-gold, found in the internet website, www.e-gold.com, is an internationally accepted currency that is pegged or fixed on the value of gold at the time of each sale or purchase of goods or services. Here, the person’s receipt of 20 e-gold currency is pegged the average world market price of gold. As the gold value increases, the value of the 20 e gold currency amount increases; as the gold value decreases, the value of the 20 e gold currency amount decreases. Thus, the value of one e-gold may increase or decrease depending one world value of gold or the demand value of another nation’s currency. Fernando Goncalves (2008) opined the floating exchange rate system is grounded on the economic supply and demand of the nation’s currency in relation to the currency of another nation. Under this system, the currency exchange rate varies depending on the economic situation at the time of the exchange. Under the demand economic principle, the incre ase in the demand for one currency increases the value of such currency. On the other hand, Callum Henderson (2006) reiterated a decline in the demand for a certain currency generated a decline in the value of such currency. In layman’s terms, a Chinese having a strong need to use the American dollar to purchase American may be willing to â€Å"buy† or exchange RMB 10 for each American dollar. On the other hand, the American having a strong need to â€Å"buy† or get the Chinese currency, Yuan, can be willing to exchange one American dollar for only RMB 7 for each American dollar. The British pound is based on the fluctuating or supply and demand economic pricing policy in

Role of Religion in Centralization of Nation States Essay Example for Free

Role of Religion in Centralization of Nation States Essay Religion was a major factor in the centralization of territories into modern nation states. Religion was crucial in the development of the modern nation state because of its ability to be a unifying characteristic. Religion also created common enemies which allowed groups with different religious views separate into individual states that be far more likely to have a more centralized government or monarch. While religion acted as a catalyst in the development of the modern nation state, religion hindered and tore apart developing nation states. Religion played both the role of an asset and a liability in the case of centralization during the age of the reformation. Religion was successful in creating a common characteristic, by which people categorized themselves. For example, Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile reformed Spain by requiring all citizens to be Catholic. This would allow them to have better control and a shared attribute with the citizens of Spain, which would allow for a more centralized territory that would become a nation state. Also during this time period the Calvinists in the Holy Roman Empire area controlled by Philip II were being persecuted for their religion. The common religion in these Dutch provinces allowed for them to form together and create a centralized territory which eventually would become the Dutch Netherlands. German principalities also used their religion as a common characteristic to hold themselves together. When Martin Luther told the German Princes to separate from the Pope and Holy Roman Empire, they unified under Lutheranism which led to the development of that nation state. While religion was used as a common characteristic, religion was also used to unify groups of people by creating common enemies. For example, William of Orange (William I) centralized the Dutch Provinces, who were primarily Calvinists, against the Holy Roman Empire who was trying to force them to become Catholic. Ferdinand II also tried to use religion to create a common enemy within the Holy Roman Empire, he did this through the Edict of Restitution. The Edict of Restitution made Calvinists the enemy and unified the Catholics against them and temporarily solidified the Holy Roman Empire as a nation state. Another example of religion creating a common enemy was when Henry VIII created Anglicanism which was against the Pope. This  negative disposition towards the Pope strengthened England and allowed the monarch of England to create a more centralized territory, which led to the development of the modern nation state that is England. While religion was good as bringing nation states together and solidifying them, it also slowed and destroyed developing nation states. For example, the religious diversity that occurred within the Holy Roman Empire led to differences in religion and sect breaking apart until there was no more Holy Roman Empire. Henry of Navarre (Henry IV) saw this problem when he became the King of France and witnessed the religious wars in France between the French Huguenots and Ultra-Catholics. This slowed the development of France as a nation state, this is because religion was placed ahead of the state. Another example of religion dividing developing nation states was when Philip II attempted to oppress the Calvinists in the Dutch provinces with the Spanish Inquisition. This difference in religion led to the Dutch Revolt and caused the territory to be separated. Religion was critical in the development and disestablishment of the modern nation state. Religion provided a common characteristic from which a nation state could develop; it also created a characteristic by which a nation state could divide. However, in a majority of the cases the separation was necessary and led to the creation of multiple independent nation states. Religion was both a centripetal and centrifugal force. Religion created created a common characteristic and enemy, which aided the development of the modern nation state, as well as a difference that was a major factor in the disestablishment of developing modern nation states during the age of the reformation.

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay

Reviewing Biological And Psychological Crime Theories Criminology Essay Mans attempt to understand the causes of crime and deviance predates written history. Prehistoric skeletal remains show evidence of primitive cranial surgical procedures. This appears to indicate that, during these more primitive times, people thought spiritual evils in the mind caused crime and deviance. Cranial surgery was the effort to open the mind and allow the unwanted spiritual influences to escape. Since these early times, many theoretical perspectives concerning crime and deviance have emerged. Biological, psychological, and sociological theories are the most widely known. This paper will focus on Cesare Lombrosos biological theory of anthropological criminology (atavism) and Gabriel Tardes psychological modeling theory of imitation. Biological crime theories began in the 16th century with the ideas of J. Babtiste della Porte (1535 1615). He was the founder of human physiognomy. Human physiognomy is the study of physical features to determine an individuals characteristics. Early biological theorists studied physical features to make assessments about a persons criminal propensity (Kroeber, 2006). Fundamentally, if criminality is inherited, then an offender can be distinguished by physical atavistic stigmata. The physical appearance, they believed, distinguishes criminal types and the positivist method was the biological approach these scholars chose. These ideas differed from the ideas of contemporary scholars in that they also believed in lower forms of life, anecdotes, and folk wisdom as explanations of crime (Farrington, D., 1996). The biological explanations of crime available today include abnormalities of the brain, brain damage, head trauma, genetic predispositions, vitamin deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), lack of serotonin (neurotransmitters) in the brain, and blood abnormalities. Since many criminologists academically center on the social sciences, theories of deviant behavior based on biology are not widely accepted in the field of criminology. Society tends to reject biological explanations of crime because of the belief that biological equals hopelessness. Schmalleger (2006) states that some biological theories simply show abnormalities to be facilitators of crime, rather than determinants of criminal behavior. Biological crime theories involve various fundamental assumptions. These assumptions are the brain is the center of behavior and personalities, the manifestations of behaviors, to include criminal propensities, are in some form gene tically predisposed, differences in crime rates among races and gender are a result of biological differences but will only show in certain environments, biological crime facilitators and determinants may be passed to succeeding generations, and human behavior is instinctive and characteristic of all organisms (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 144). One of the most renowned scientific biological theorists was Cesare Lombroso (1836-1909). Lombroso coined the term atavism to suggest that criminal behaviors were the result of primitive impulses that successfully survived the evolutionary process. Lombroso and his students used the ideas of Charles Darwins theory of evolution and discredited the classical ideas of Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Lombroso believed in determinism rather than the ideas of free will. Free will is the idea that all individuals have an equal opportunity to make choices and to act criminal. Lombrosos class of thought is known as the Italian School. Lombroso theorized physical characteristics would represent primitive impulses. The characteristics that he found to be common among criminals, he labeled, atavistic (Ellwood, 2000). Atavism is a real or supposed evolutionary throwback. Atavists possess an unexpected appearance resembling the primitive traits of man or the reversion of such a trait that was present in the lineage of the past. This representative trait is not seen often in intervening generations after primitive creatures. Atavisms can occur when the previous genes for such phenotypical features are preserved in DNA and are dominantly shown. These genes may be present in organisms but not expressed in dominate features (Farrington, D. 1996). Social Darwinists frequently used the ideas of atavism. This class of thinkers claimed that inferior races would display atavistic traits and those individuals expressing atavistic characteristics are an inferior form of their primitive race. The notion of atavism is saturated with the ideas of evolution as a progress towards a greater complexity and superior ability of man (Farrington, D. 1996). Statistical evidence and the idea that physical traits indicate criminality has not been substantiated. However, the concept that physical traits can indicate the likelihood of criminal behavior is still popular in some circles. Lombrosos work was the result of studying postmortem bodies of executed offenders and deceased criminals. He measured the body in many different ways. He took measurements from 65 executed criminals and 832 living offenders and compared them with the measurements taken from 390 soldiers. Lombroso used this data to identify consistencies between traits and characterized his findings as criminal features. Among the traits he found to be predictive of criminal behavior, were index finger length, fleshy cheeks, close eyes, large teeth, lobe-less ears, high defined cheek bones, crooked nose, large lips, abnormal number of ribs, and different eye colors. Lombroso hypothesized that possession of certain combinations of traits could be used to identify a specific type of offender. For example, the classification for habitual homicide is cold, glassy eyes, a large nose, a strong jaw; large cheekbones, thin lips; and dark, curly hair (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 147). Psychological crime theories available today include Frustration-Aggression Theory, Modeling Theory, Behavior Theory, and Self-Control Theory. Gabriel  Tarde (1843-1904) first introduced the psychological modeling theory of imitation. This psychological perspective states that people learn how to behave by modeling themselves like others whom they have observed. The suppositions that provide the basis for his theory, as with most early theories, are analysis of the individual, personality is the major motivational element, criminal behavior is purposeful for the individual, normality is defined by social consensus, and crime results from inappropriate mental processes. Furthermore, inappropriate mental processes have many causes to include diseases of the mind, inappropriate learning or improper conditioning, and poor role models (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 183). Psychocriminologists generally focus on personality disorders that include psychopaths, sociopaths, and antisocial personalit ies to explain criminal behavior.   Gabriel Tarde believed that the laws of imitation were the basis of any society. He rejected the biological theories of crime proposed by Cesare Lombroso and other criminologists of his time, stating that certain inferences of law or regularities govern the social world. Tarde developed a behavior theory based on three laws of imitation. Tardes first law of imitation states that individuals that regularly and closely interact with each other behave similarly. The application of this law can be seen in groups such as white supremacists. These individuals focus most of their time and attention on ideas of white superiority and actively promote these ideas. Due to their close interaction with one another, they tend to exhibit the same behavior. The second law rests on the premise that imitation follows a hierarchical pattern. In the United States Marine Corps, Marines of junior rank often emulate their leaders. This idea of hierarchical imitation is positively reinforced through educati on and training. Tardes third law is that of insertion. This law conveys the notion that new ideas, modus operandi, or methods reinforce prior successful patterns or replace failed or less efficient methods. In the Marine Corps, leadership ideas that have been used for over 230 years are reinforced everyday because they are successful. At the same time, new methods for implementing those ideas are replacing outdated, less efficient methods (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 194). There are presumed advantages and disadvantages to both biological and psychological crime theories. In the criminology field, biological theories are advantageous because they provide a basis for the hypothesis that criminal behavior can be predicted by physical traits, chemical make-up, and genetic factors. In theory, once identified, criminal behavior can be treated through various medical therapies to include behavior modification, hormonal therapy, and gene therapy. The disadvantages of biological crime causation theories generally lie with methodological problems and the types of analysis employed to gather statistical data. Schmalleger (2006) states that biological studies often fail to include proper testing groups resulting in flawed forms of analysis. Glenn D. Walters and Thomas W. White, critics of biological perspectives, note the shortcomings of biological crime theories. They assert that the degree of criminality is improperly established, often based on one arrest, sam ple groups are not varied or realistically selected, results are left open for interpretation thus detracting from the integrity of the research, and findings from outside of the United States may not be applicable (Schmalleger, 2006, p. 172). Another disadvantageous aspect of biological crime theories is the potential impact on public policy. If biological studies are conducted that show credible information to the public regarding a certain biological trait for criminality, the outcry for legislation would be great. For example, if all criminals have gene-x, the people would demand laws be put in place that protected society from gene-x carriers. However, data obtained from biological crime studies is not consistent but can be interpreted. Furthering the x-gene example, while all criminals have the x-gene not all carriers of the x-gene are criminals. This could result in unfair practices against some innocent carriers. Psychological crime theories are beneficial to investigations today because they provide the framework used in developing typologies of psychological profiles utilized to identify personality characteristics of criminal individuals. Psychological explanations assist the investigator in understanding the criminal mind thereby increasing the chances of apprehension. Additionally, if crime causation factors are identified, offenders may be treated more efficiently, possibly reducing recidivism. Psychological crime causation theories also pose disadvantages to the field of criminology. D.A. Andrews and James Bonta (1994) discredit contemporary psychological theories stating that psychological and sociological criminology findings are not obtained through objective and empirical means therefore representing weak psychology in mainstream society. Another disadvantage of psychological theories is that they are more often applicable to sexual and violent crimes, include untestable postulations, and fail to account for situational factors (OConnor, T. 2004). In conclusion, it can be inferred that no one theory definitively explains crime. Biological and psychological crime theories address crime and deviance explanations from different, but equally feasible perspectives. The early biological ideas of Cesare Lombroso stimulated the emergence of more contemporary theories. Although his crime explanations are not widely used today, they provided a foundation for further thought in the criminology field. Similarly, Gabriel Tarde proposed an alternate crime explanation with his theory of imitation. Tardes thoughts encouraged social thinkers to expound on his ideas and develop more contemporary crime theories that are in practice today. Both biological and psychological explanations for criminality and deviance present advantages and disadvantages but it must be noted that each provide practical value to criminologists today.

The Emergence Of Education For Sustainable Development Education Essay

The Emergence Of Education For Sustainable Development Education Essay Education is an essential component of achieving sustainability. All over the world, societies are coming to recognize that current development trends are not sustainable, and that public awareness through education and training is a key element to moving our increasingly globalized society towards achieving sustainability. Education for sustainable development (ESD), education for sustainability (ES), and sustainability education (SE) are three terms often used synonymously and interchangeably in referencing sustainability educational programmes. ESD efforts may be named or described in a variety of ways because of language and/or cultural differences, but ESD is the terminology used most frequently at the international level and within UN documents, and is therefore the term used most throughout this document (UNESCO, 2006). All education must serve some purpose or else societies would not invest in it. ESD has the capacity to secure a more liveable world for present and future generations. The nature of ESD is oriented to giving people knowledge and skills for lifelong learning they need to help them find effective solutions to their environmental, economic, and social issues, and the effective use of technology is an essential element to increasing the efficiency of education institutions to achieve these aims (UNESCO, 2006). Diverse perspectives help societies worldwide to determine how individual issues of ESD are dealt with in individual cultures. These perspectives have significant influences on the way people live, behave, and relate to one another; and relationships to outside cultures are in a constant state of change. ESD should help us to understand ourselves as well as others better and how local sustainability issues link to the wider, global environmental view. Everyone is a stakeholder in Education for Sustainable Development; we all share in the long-term effects, both good and bad, of environmental decisions (UNESCO, 2006). Though the benefits of environment sustainability may be relatively well defined, the effective implementation of plans of action for education programmes need to take into account specific local, regional, and national contexts (Scoullos, 1998). The practise of tailoring of ESD training programmes to individual cultures is common, yet there are specific common elements that are essential to all sustainability training programmes regardless of where they are administered. Key elements of ESD programmes include the following (Tilbury and Wortman, 2004) : ESD is the primary agent of transformation towards sustainable development. The promotion of increasing the capacities of people to transform their visions for society into reality. Education fosters the values, behaviours, and lifestyles that are required for a sustainable future. Education for sustainable development is a process of learning how to make decisions that consider the long-term future of the equity, economy, and ecology of all communities. Education builds the capacity for such futures-oriented thinking. 1.4.3 Definitions Sustainable development is a challenging concept to define, especially since the field is continually evolving. The Brundtland Commission is often credited with one of the first and most commonly cited descriptions of sustainable development: Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). Sustainable development was at one time generally believed to have three main elements: environment, society, and economy. However, in recent years, an additional culture pillar has emerged, complimentary to the social pillar, yet a distinct consideration. These four pillars are closely interrelated with one another and are therefore not completely separate elements. The sustainability paradigm challenges the argument that environmental and social problems are an inevitable and acceptable consequence of economic development. The perspective that advocates the concept that human development and the quality of the environment are not compatible with one another is in direct opposition to the basic the principles of sustainable development (Pace, 2009). Dr A. Ghafoor Ghaznaw, former chief of UNESCOs Environmental Education Section, defined environmental education at a UNESCO consultation meeting held in Malta in 1989 as, the educational process through which is imparted to its target groups the sensitivity, awareness, knowledge, skills, attitudes, commitment for actions and ethical responsibilities for the rational use of the environment and its resources and for the protection and improvement of the environment for the present and future generations (Schembri, Ventura, Calleja, 1989) . 1.4.4 Application Regardless of how life affirming the high ideals of sustainability education objectives may be, and despite the significant support and many years of effort behind the work to achieve environmental sustainability ideals, the long-term record of accomplishment in achieving any significant progress in these efforts has been reported to be disappointingly less than expected by many. Although environmental education has frequently been proposed during numerous international conferences as a key element to major strategies intended to promote environmental objectives, there has nonetheless been a significant discrepancy between the efforts spent on education and the results that have be achieved to date (Pace, 2009). Some feel that most of what needed to be said about environmental education was said in the Tbilisi Conference in 1977, and that any new elaborations are really just a repeat of the same principles under a new guise (Pace, 2010). The characteristics of and commitment towards sustainable development were reconfirmed 10 years after the Tbilisi conference at the International Congress on Environmental Education and Training in 1987 in Moscow, and again 10 years later at the International Conference on Environment and Society: Education and Public Awareness for Sustainability in 1997 at Thessaloniki. Although the recommendations and action plans proposed by the aforementioned conferences were still valid, the question arose as to whether the framework originally developed to support environmental education initiatives had instead become an standalone of irrelevant academic exercises (Pace, 2010). Part of the problem may lie in the fact that environmental education, much like the concept of sustainable development, can never arrive at a precise definition of the concept due to its evolving nature (Pace, 2010). The issue of how best to approach environmental education has been unclear. Although it has been well established that learning is not normally a linear experience, a significant number of educational programmes have adopted linear approaches. Linear approaches fail to acknowledge the fact that individuals learn in different ways and through different experiences (Pace, 2010). Moreover, although it is widely acknowledged that degradation of the environmental is firstly due t o the results of unsustainable lifestyles. Environmental education also recognises this fact and espouses the concept that the environment it is every citizens responsibility, and therefore in order to be effective, environmental education programmes should target individuals with learner centred learning. Environmental education programmes committed to promoting sustainable development require the transformation of principle theories into actions. Learner centred programmes, based on competency development prepare learners to take concrete steps towards discovering their own sustainable life patterns. Development of learner centred pedagogies designed to transform passive individuals into independent, critical-thinking lifelong learners committed to taking action is the next phase in the evolution of environmental education (Pace, 2010). 1.4.1 Historical Context The origins of Education for Sustainable Development lie in two distinct areas of interest in the United Nations: education and sustainable development. The Declaration of Human Rights stated in 1948 that, Everyone has the right to education. This right to an education was later reinforced in 1989 by the Convention on the Right of the Child (CRC), which declared that primary education should be compulsory and available free to all. In 1990, the Jomtien Declaration on Education for All (EFA) declared, Basic education should be provided to all children, youth, and adults. International Development Targets (IDT) related to quality education have been also developed. The Dakar Framework for Action lists as one of its six important educational goals as the Improving all aspects of the quality of education so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved, especially, in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) also address educat ion. MDG 2 is designed to Achieve universal primary education. Furthermore, the UNGA declared the years 2003 to 2012 to be the United Nations Decade of Literacy (UNLD).The importance of education for all has clearly been repeatedly emphasised by the United Nations repeatedly over the course of its long history. Several milestones have marked the progress of sustainable development, including the landmark 1972 United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm, which led to the establishment of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and many other environmental protection agencies. Nations came to realize that the widespread growth of environmental degradation required international attention and collaboration rather than isolated national approaches and solutions. Within 10 years after Stockholm, the world began to realize that addressing environmental concerns separately from development needs was not an effective means to managing the welfare of the environment for human society, and by the mid 1980s the United Nations began to search for a larger strategy to address the needs of both society and the environment. This resulted in now well-known report on sustainable development from the Brundtland Commission in 1987, entitled Our Common Future. This report was endorsed a t all levels of government as an overarching framework for future development policy. During this time, the United Nations General Assembly concurrently explored a parallel concept of utilising education to support sustainable development (UNESCO, 2005). The concepts of sustainable development continued to progress with committees discussing and negotiating the terms of the 40 chapters that eventually came to know as the Agenda 21, where it was presented to the public in 1992 at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The link between education and sustainability was first conceptualised in Chapter 36 of Agenda 21. Entitled Promoting Education, Public Awareness, and Training, the chapter was an enabling and implementation strategy for Education for Sustainable Development and stressed the importance of integrating education into every one of the other 40 chapters that also comprised of the Agenda 21, which was reaffirmed in each of the subsequent conventions that arose from the initial Earth Summit as (UNESCO, 2005). All nine of the major United Nations Conferences that convened in the 1990s to further address and refine sustainability issues also correspondingly identified education as a crucial elemen t to implementation (UNESCO, 2005). The Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), convened in 2002, helped to deepen international commitments towards sustainable development at all levels, and it was at this the Decade of Education for Sustainable development (DESD) was proposed, thereby reaffirming education as an important and central principle to effective approaches for sustainable development strategies. That same year the Rio+20 Conference 2012 was held in Rio de Janeiro. Otherwise known as the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, and Earth Summit 2012, a draft resolution entitled The Future We Want was presented, which reaffirmed prior commitments to education by strengthening international cooperation to achieve universal access to primary education, which is considered an essential condition for achieving sustainable development, as well for the achieving internationally agreed upon development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. This draft resolution also re solved to improve the capacity of education systems to prepare students to pursue sustainable development careers, which included enhanced teacher training, curricula developed around sound sustainability principles, and more effective use of information and communication technologies to enhance learning outcomes. The document further resolved to promote Education for Sustainable Development and to integrate it more actively into education beyond the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development plans, and strongly encouraged educational institutions to teach sustainable development as an integrated component across disciplines. The importance of environmental concerns first gained international recognition with the Stockholm Declaration in 1972. It consisted of 7 proclamations and 26 principles to inspire people of the world to preserve and enhance the worlds and enhancement of the human environment. The International Workshop on Environmental Education was held shortly after Stockholm Convention at Belgrade, Serbia in 1975. The resulting Belgrade charter was the outcome of the event and built upon the Stockholm Declaration, with additional goals, objectives, and guiding principles for environmental education programmes. An important aspect to this work was the inclusion of the public as part of the defined target audience for environmental education. The worlds first intergovernmental conference on environmental education was organized by the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in cooperation with the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1977, and was convened in Tbilisi, Georgia (USSR).The Tbilisi Declaration was a result of this conference, with the declaration updating and clarifying the Stockholm Declaration and the Belgrade Charter. The Tbilisi Declaration recommended that environmental education develops the necessary skills for societies to deal with environmental challenges, and promotes the attitudes and commitments required to make the most informed decisions and responsible actions towards the environment. The declaration emphasised the important roles of education to preserving the planets environment and balanced development of communities, and declared that, by its very nature, environmental education can make a powerful contribution to the renovation of the educational process. The document also recommended that environmental education should be integrated into the entire system of formal education at all levels to provide the necessary knowledge, understanding, values, and skills needed for participation in devising solutions to environmental questions. Ten years after the Tbilisi Conference, a follow-up conference was convened in Moscow, otherwise known as the Moscow Conference, to determine a specific international plan of action for environmental education and training. The Moscow Conference report was based upon input from international studies and surveys, and outlined an international strategy of action to develop environmental education and training programmes for the 1990s. The plan defined requirements for education and training programmes, and reaffirmed the Tbilisi Conferences declaration that environmental education should be made an integral part of the entire educational process and aimed at every category of the population in member states. The Rio+5 or Earth Summit+5 Conference was convened in 1997 to appraise the progress the Agenda 21 plans over the five years that had passed since its initial approval. It was determined by the assembly that progress was thus far uneven, and identified several key negative trends affecting the environment, which included continuing globalisation, widening of gaps in economic incomes, and a continuing deterioration of the global environment. This conference brought to light a new international consensus with a new vision of education that involved more public awareness and training, and conceptualised education as an essential element of sustainable development, with the support of advances in other related areas such as science, technology, and policy (UNESCO, 1997b). Twenty years after the Tbilisi Declaration and five years after the Rio Conference, a third environmental education conference was also held in 1997 at Thessaloniki, Greece. The purpose of this conference was to reiterate the important role of education and public awareness to achieving the aims of sustainability. The declaration of Thessaloniki reaffirmed commitments, recommendations, and action plans from previous conferences, yet at the same time also recognized that insufficient progress had been made in the five years since the Rio conference had concluded. Despite this disappointment however, there was a recommitment to involving national governments, civil society, the United Nations, and other international organisations to working towards the intentions of sustainability, and established a global agenda for upcoming Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) as declared by the UN. In the conference, they reaffirmed that sufficient education and public awareness should be recognised as one of the main pillars of sustainability, together with legislation, technology, and the economy. It was also recommended that special emphasis should be given to strengthen teacher training programmes and the identification and sharing of innovative practices. Support was also recommended for research in interdisciplinary teaching methodologies and assessments of the impact of relevant educational programmes (UNESCO, 1997a). 1.4.2 The UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) Following the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, and based upon recommendations from chapter 36 of the Agenda 21 document, the United Nations declared 2005 to 2014 the Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD) in 2002. During the decade declared by the UN, many goals have been set forth in conjunction with strategies towards outcomes that are intended affect millions of people from communities all over the world for many years to come through inspiring all individuals at all levels of society to contribute to helping to make sustainable development a realistic reality. Planned outcomes during the Decade include raising public awareness, updating educational systems, and the integration of ESD into all elements of developmental planning (The United Nations, 2010). The DESD is also linked to other international educational priorities as well. The United Nations has launched four global initiatives since 2000, all of which focus on education. The four initiatives are the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), Education for All (EFA), the United Nations Literacy Decade, and the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. UNESCO is the coordinating agency for three of the four goals. While the initiatives are unique in certain respects, what they all have in common is a commitment to education and an emphasis on the importance of the participatory role of each individual in education and sustainable development (UNESCO, 2009). The Fourth International Conference on Environmental Education, also referred to as the Tbilisi+30, was held at the Centre for Environment Education (CEE) in Ahmedabad, India in 2007. During the conference, several work group sessions were convened, along with special sessions for solely for government agencies. The conference was intended to promote a vision that education that prevents and resolves conflicts, and to provide assistance in building partnerships and facilitating shared experiences and a collective knowledgebase required to refine a vision of sustainability that expands its practice globally, and reaffirm that education is a crucial element to bringing about the global transitions required to make sustainability a realistic reality (UNESCO, UNEP Govt. of India, 2007) . Environmental education supports education for sustainable development, and encourages a shift from viewing education as a delivery mechanism, to a lifelong, holistic, and all-inclusive process (UNESCO, UNEP Govt. of India, 2007) . The following is a list of Working Group Session Reports Recommendations and Workshop Presentations available from the Tbilisi+30 Conference: Reorienting Formal Education towards ESD (Strategies, Pedagogy, and Assessment). Teacher Education: A crucial contribution to the UNDESD. Supporting Sustainable Development through Open and Distance Learning, including Technology Mediated Open and Distance Education (TechMODE). Education for Innovation and Technology. Integrating Values of Sustainability into education. Monitoring and Evaluating Progress during the UN DESD. Education for Sustainable Consumption through the DESD. The World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development was held in Bonn, Germany, in 2009. The conference was organised by UNESCO, the German Ministry of Education and Research, and the German Commission for UNESCO. The World Conference on ESD marked the beginning of the second half of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development. The purpose of the conference was to discuss and exchange best practices on Education for Sustainable Development from all world regions. The conference had four objectives: To highlight the relevance of ESD to all of education. To promote international exchange on ESD, especially between the North and the South. To carry out a stocktaking of the implementation of the UN Decade. To develop strategies for the way ahead. Strategies were developed during the conference to highlight key focus areas in order to put knowledge into action and promote further progress of ESD in the following five years remaining of the Decade. Post-conference strategies included: Re-orienting education and training to address sustainability concerns. Building and sharing knowledge, and generating new knowledge through research. Advocating for ESD through increasing awareness and understanding of sustainability, and reinforcing/enhancing synergies between different education and development initiatives. Extending and strengthening ESD partnerships. As the global coordinator of the DESD, UNESCOs role is to facilitate new partnerships and encourage exchange between Member States on ESD, share best practices, encourage monitoring and evaluation efforts, encourage development of ESD research agendas, and provide strategic guidance. Many activities have been undertaken by a broad range of stakeholders since the start of the DESD, including setting up National Committees, establishing networks, developing and disseminating education materials, identifying and highlighting good practices, and arranging meetings to encourage international exchange (UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development, 2009). Although much work remains to be done before ESD completely occupies a central place in educational and learning processes in order to realise its full potential to improve the quality of education as a whole, there has been notable progress since the beginning of the Decade in 2005. Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) was a key outcome from the Rio Earth Summit held in 1992. A review halfway through the DESD indicated that the need for ESD had become well established in national policy frameworks and that national ESD coordinating agencies had been created almost 100 countries across all UN regions (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012) . Networks and organisations both within and outside the UN system have been established globally to encourage and support increasing ESD in schools, universities, and communities, and in the process, ESD has gained international recognition as an education relevant to addressing todays Sustainable Development challenges, (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012) . More recent reports indicated that there is been an increased recognition that environmental challenges cannot be solved exclusively through technological advances and new policy frameworks, in order to achieve sustainable success efforts must be accompanied by changes in mind-sets, values, and lifestyles of societies (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012) . ESD is being increasingly viewed as a means to renew teaching and learning in ways that allow schools and communities to more effectively address the challenges sustainable development and the environment. In some parts of the world, ESD has been a part of a co-evolution of teaching methods and has arguably become a catalyst for educational change and innovation (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012) . There has been a shift from viewing ESD as something to add-on to education to ESD as a mechanism for rethinking education and learning (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012). Sustainability challenges require more integrative and exploratory forms of learning. As a result, the boundaries between schools, universities, and communities are increasingly blurring in many areas of the world now due to a number of recent trends, including increased focuses on lifelong learning; globalization; and ICT facilitated social networking education. These boundary-crossing phenomena are resulting in a reconfiguration of formal, informal, and non-formal learning processes, and changing the roles and relationships stakeholders Earlier in the Decade the emphasis was on finding a niche among education institutions, whereas today ESD is viewed more as a potential umbrella for all educations (including global citizenship education) concerned with the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants (UNE SCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012). Despite all the positive progress being made however, there are new challenges to resolve. For instance, the E in ESD is conceptualized in different ways depending on the availability of individual societies for participation, self-determination, and autonomous thinking (UNESCO DESD Monitoring Evaluation, 2012). Local situations may vary in these respects globally, which often leads to different interpretations and implementations of ESD. Within more restrictive environments, more transmission-oriented pedagogies are more likely, with a strong emphasis forms of instruction centred around knowledge transfer, and in more open environments, ESD is more typically characterized by higher levels of participation, self-determination, autonomous thinking, and knowledge co-creation. The latter versions of ESD require alternative forms of teaching and learning, and higher levels of stakeholder interaction. 1.5 Applying TEL Concepts in ESD Contexts 1.5.1 Uptake Extent of Use The eMerge One-to-One Laptop Learning Project was initiated by the Government of Albertas Ministry of Education to explore the effectiveness of wireless computing for learning and teaching. The project was anticipated to affect 2,502 students, 173 teachers, and 47 administrators within 50 schools in the 20 Alberta jurisdictions. Data collected during the course of the research period supported the following findings (Government of Alberta, 2010): By the end of Year Three there was a significant shift in participating classrooms toward 21st Century Learning skills, with students in the project significantly increasing their readiness to thrive in a complex, global, high-tech society. The educators involved in the progress have made steady progress over the course of three year in their proficiency with technology and 21st Century Learning, and in the process, increased the frequency at which technology was used to keep students engaged in deep, complex, authentic, and relevant learning activities. The eMerge project included a range of professional development models. One of the most highly valued by teachers was the community of practice that linked teachers to one another. There were also key shifts with students in their independence in learning and increased collaboration with other students. Teachers and administrators developed a deeper understanding of and commitment to the vision for 21st Century learning. Over the course of the first three years of the eMerge, the perception of teachers on the relevance of the 21st Century Skills shifted from valuing productivity to placing more value on the use of skills in critical thinking, creativity, and ethical use. European Schoolnet is a not-for-profit organisation comprised of 30 Ministries of Education in Europe. The organisation is dedicated to supporting collaboration and networking among schools in Europe using new technologies, and contributing to the development of technology-enhanced learning in schools. In 15 years since its founding, European Schoolnet has become one of the key organisations involved in transforming teaching and learning at schools in Europe using the integration of ICT into learning and teaching (European Schoolnet, 2011). European Schoolnet provides services through its partnerships with ministries of Education and the European Commission. The services offered to schools provide opportunities for teachers to become actively involved in exploring how ICT can enhance the teaching and learning experience. Recent initiatives have focused on raising awareness among teachers of the benefits of school collaboration activities for both the pupils learning and the teachers own professional development (European Schoolnet, 2011). European Schoolnet is currently facilitating several project initiatives. The Scientix project is a European Schoolnet initiative that provides a web-based information platform for science education in Europe to disseminate knowledge and share best practices in science education. The Scientix web portal is available in six European languages and targets anyone involved in science and maths education, from policy-makers to science education teachers. The Spice project, funded by the European Commission under the Lifelong Learning programme, collects, analyses, shares innovative pedagogical practices focused on inquiry-based learning and improving student interest in the sciences (European Schoolnet, 2011). eTwinning is an online community for schools in Europe that provides a host of online educational tools for teachers from participating countries to locate potential school partnerships, arrange virtual meetings, exchange best practice ideas, and opportunities learn together with on line-based projects. An eTwinning project allows at least two schools from at least two different European countries create a project and use Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to carry out their work (eTwinning, 2011). The We teach together eTwinning project is a partnership between schools in the Czech Republic and Portugal that incorporated the integration of the school subjects of Chemistry, Biology, and Environmental Education. This project brought teachers and classrooms together to teach topic of photosynthesis. The primary objective of the project was to facilitate a teaching practice in an unusual way that would enhance the motivation of students to learn otherwise less popular

Menos Paradox :: essays research papers

What is Meno’s Paradox? First, who is Meno? The Meno is one of the earlier Platonic writings, which include Socrates and which look to try to define an ethic, in this case virtue. Meno himself is seemingly a man who is greedy for wealth, greedy for power, ambitious, and a back-stabber who tries to play everything to his own advantage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Meno starts by questioning Socrates. Can virtue be taught? Socrates says to Meno, well, what makes a virtue a virtue. Meno comes to the borrowed point that virtue is â€Å"to find joy in beautiful things and have power†. Socrates retorts by saying â€Å"do you think men desire just good things?† While explaining themselves they came upon what becomes Meno’s Paradox. Is virtue something learned and can we learn things without already knowing them?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Socrates defends the philosophy that if a man can recall one fact only, as long as he does not get tired of searching for it, then searching and learning are as a whole, a recollection. Meno does not understand this argument. Socrates uses a discussion with a Greek boy you explain this to Meno. â€Å"Do you know that I square figure is like this†, Socrates asks. â€Å"I do† the boy replies. He then asks, â€Å"Is a square is a four sided figure with equal sides?† Yes, he replies. Socrates questions the size, the lines and comes to asking that if the figure is two feet this way and one foot that way then the line would really be two feet. The boy agrees. Now if its also two feet the other way, then it would be four feet total. The boy agrees. Then he adds a figure the same size, this would make it eight feet. Boy agrees. He asks the boy to explain how long each side of the wall is. He responds with twice the length. Socrates then tells Meno tha t he didn’t teach anything; just questioned until the boy reached the answer he wanted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This brought them back to virtue. It is a type of knowledge; clearly able to be taught says Meno’s. They both question virtue. Does is make us good? Yes. Beneficial? Yes. It comes from the soul, Socrates states. He doubts that virtue is knowledge, therefore unteachable and coming from within. To really say who is virtuous, and if it cannot be taught, then there can’t be teachers because who is virtuous enough to teach it?

Shakespeares Julius Caesar :: Plays William Shakespeare Caesar Essays

Shakespeare's Julius Caesar "A talent for drama is not a talent for writing, but is an ability to articulate human relationships"- Gore Vida. This is certainly true for William Shakespeare, on of the greatest writers of all time. He wrote such dramas like Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Hamlet and Othello. Julius Caesar is no different. His ability to relate to human nature by using drama accurately distinguishes Julius Caesar from the rest by creating suspense, eagerness and tension. Act III Scene II is an especially important part to the play. Brutus I explaining got the crowd why Caesar was slain "as he was valiant, I honor him; but, as he was ambitious, I slew him" (ll. 30-31) and "Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome more" (ll. 21-22). This quote proves and summarizes Brutus' point in his speech. To achieve his goals, Brutus' oratory techniques were simple, logical, and rational. Brutus' speech is very formal, controlled and it seems that all of the sentences are perfectly balanced. Although he did a very good job at explaining to the confused crowd that murdering Caesar was for the good of Rome, he still had not won them over yet. After he explained himself and his purpose, the people were reluctant to believe him, yet there were convinced for only a short while. Antony has sworn not to attack the conspirators, although he intends to. This creates more tension within the plot by adding layers of opposition. In Antony's speech, he paints a different picture of Caesar "HE hath brought many captives home to Rome/ Whose ransoms did the general coffers fill/ Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?" (ll.80-82). Antony continues by stating, "I thrice presented him a kingly crown/ Which he did thrice refuse. Was this ambition?" (ll. 87-89). He asks the people if they consider this ambitious, obviously implying it was not, because Caesar's deeds were for the good of Rome, not for Caesar himself. This art of persuasion is able to move the mob. All at once, they discard "noble Brutus" and listen to Antony who is a "plain blunt man". Clearly wooed by his impressive oration, the mob alters the fate of the conspirators, adding more suspense and drama to the plot. During the whole scene, it teases us leaving us on the edge waiting for the conclusion. The introduction of two characters adds suspense in Act II. Calphurnia, Caesar's wife, tries to convince him to stay at home. Being persistent she is able to convince him "Do not go forth today: call it my fear/ That keeps you in the house, and not your own" (Scene

Mean Spirit :: Essays Papers

Mean Spirit Our story takes place on an oil-rich Native American town, called Watona, on a reservation in Oklahoma. The course of the story extends from 1918 to the mid-twenties. There is a multitude of characters that accompany this story. One of the most important characters is Nola Blanket, a young teenager who is a full-blooded Osage Indian. She is a very delicate girl but still very strong. Her mother, Grace Blanket, is a very beautiful, well-liked young woman who is very outgoing and fun-loving. Belle Graycloud is a feisty, strong-willed Indian woman. She is well respected and is the commanding grandmother of her household. Her family is very close to the Blankets, who are distant cousins. Belle’s daughter, Lettie, is a close friend of Grace. Lettie’s lover, Benoit, is an Osage man that is married to Grace’s crippled sister, Sara Blanket; but he is more like a brother and caretaker to her than he is a husband. Michael Horse is the fire keeper of the Osage tribe, but he also writes in his spare time. He is an old man who observes everything around him and writes it down in his journals. Stace Red Hawk is a Sioux Indian that works for the FBI. He became a federal agent in hopes of helping the Native Americans and protecting them from being taken advantage of. John Hale is a tall, lanky white rancher and oilman. He is trusted by the Indians, and seems to be a generous and helpful person. Watona was a small Indian town that prospered due to the rich rivers of oil flowing beneath it. As part of the Dawes Act, each Indian was allowed to choose an allotment of land not already claimed by white Americans. Although the 160 acres of land per Indian seemed generous, the land was barren and dry. The government did not know, however, that black oil seeped up out of the earth, and many Indians became very wealthy because of their â€Å"worthless† pieces of land. As a result of the Indians’ wealth, hundreds of white businessmen, fortune-hunters, traders, thieves, and swindlers swarmed to the reservation to make cash. When Grace Blanket is murdered by John Hale on a warm summer morning, it is made to look like a suicide and the local law enforcement passes it off as such.

Icloud Technology Essay

Cloud computing is not necessarily a new technology, but it is one that has become much more popular in the past few years. It is a technology that has been improved upon and more companies are relying on cloud computing for their hardware, software, and storage needs. What is Cloud Computing? There are several definitions of what exactly cloud computing is. The simplest explanation is that cloud computing is a means of renting computers, storage, and network capacity on an hourly basis from a company that already has these resources in its own data center and can make them available to you and your customers via the Internet (Smith, 2009). Cloud computing comes in three main formats: Infrastructure-as-a-service, platform-as-a-service, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) (Howarth, 2009). Infrastructure-as-a-service provides access to server hardware, storage and bandwidth (2009). Platform-as-a-service provides basic operating software and may also include services such as database access, user interface, message queues, and application servers (2009). The last model is software-as-a-service (SaaS), which provides customers with access to complete software applications that are often integrated with other users to prove greater functionality for the customer (2009). Positive Aspects of Cloud Computing Prior to cloud computing, there were related services that offered certain or limited services, but not all the services were combined, as they are with cloud computing. Small- and mid-size businesses are signing up for cloud computing, as their goal is to eliminate as much internal IT services as possible (Shacklett, 2011). Cloud computing allows a company to use the services that they see fit for their needs and use as much computing power as them deem necessary on an hourly basis (Smith, 2009). As the demand for internal or external users shrinks or expands, the necessary software, hardware, storage, and network capacity can be added or subtracted as needed (Smith, 2009). The equipment is not kept at the company using the cloud computing service. It does not require upgrades to the electrical system, modifications of the cooling system, additional floor space, or expansion of the IT staff (Smith, 2009). The cloud computing company handles the storage and service of the equipment needed. The last advantage is that there are competing providers for cloud computing services (Smith, 2009). If you are not happy with the current company, you have the choice to move your business to a different company that offers the services that you need. Disadvantages of Cloud Computing The biggest concern or disadvantage of cloud computing is security. The geographical location of the data in a cloud computing environment will have a significant impact on the legal requirements for protection and handling of the data (Bowen, 2011). The laws of the host country apply to the data on the machines (Smith, 2009). Most businesses are hesitant to allow their internal data to be stored on a computer that is outside of their own company and could potentially be stored with another company’s application (Smith, 2009). To date, there has been no breach of client-to-client data, which could be due to sufficient security or because there has been no value in this type of breach (Smith, 2009). There have also been variations of performance when running applications on the cloud (Smith, 2009). Cloud computing services have crashed and become unavailable for several hours or days. When this happens, all your services are off-line until the problem is corrected (Smith, 2009). It may appear as if cloud computing has an unlimited amount of computers and storage disks to meet the needs of customers. As cloud computing becomes more popular and widely used the amount of computers and storage disks may become somewhat limited. Relation of cloud computing to a Biblical Ethical Worldview When a business uses cloud computing they are putting their trust into another company with their personal and business information. The cloud computer company must protect the information as if it were their own. Recommendation of Cloud Computing I believe I would use cloud computing if I were starting or operating a small- to mid-size business. To have access to the hardware, software, and storage capacity of the changing and growing computer industry, it is a good alternative to actually purchasing the equipment or software. Projections of Cloud Computing Cloud computing will continue to grow in popularity. As more businesses look for ways to cut cost, cloud computing will eliminate the need to have the storage space, money needed to purchase and upgrade equipment and to have the technical knowledge to handle problems that arise. Conclusion The popularity of mobile devices is growing rapidly in the business world. To be able to have the software needed downloaded on the mobile devices, as needed, will be a huge benefit to businesses. Cloud computing will also help companies that have several different locations throughout the world connect to the same network, using the same software, when needed. Security will always be a concern, whether the data is stored in-house or at an off-site location. Reputable companies are quickly joining the cloud computing business and although there still may be breaches, the more reputable the company, the better the consumer feels about storing their data off-site. Cloud computing will be a huge benefit to businesses as technology continues to change and grow.