Risk and Technological Advancements

Introduction Technology may refer to the understanding and tools that can allow men and women to modify available resources into a usable form. Although there are a number of technological changes that have resulted from simply modifying the existing ones, new technological innovations can also be seen all over the world (Kendall 58).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Risk and Technological Advancements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In the last 150 years, the rate at which technological changes take place has increased quite significantly. Major changes are noticeable in the world of computing where new discoveries may occur almost every day (Kendall 58). In a study done by Arnoldi, risk only became a subject of concern to nations when it became apparent that technological changes were beginning to cause a lot of havoc in the lives of people (3). The use of risky chemicals has ended up harming the health of thos e using them to carry out their farming activities. It is such threats to human life that have made men and women realize the importance of addressing the issue of risk (Arnoldi 3). Swift and Callahan, however, note that even though science and technology are blamed for being the genesis of so many risky situations, they are the best tools that we can use to tackle the emerging risks of technology (27). Edwards and Bowen also argue that what might appear as a risk to people may just be a profitable opportunity that can alter people’s fortunes. A point in case is what takes place at the stock market. Although stock market activities are characterized with fluctuations that occur from time to time presenting us with periods of huge loses, a careful analysis will show that the resultant risks are addressed with the correct attitude, these periods may end up being great opportunities that will later benefit people. Courageous traders are known to relax and wait to see prices chan ge to their benefit (11). Technology and Transformation Beyond any doubt, progress in the use of technological has radically transformed the way human beings live and interact with one another. One major effect of technological advancements that is well known to most people is globalization; the process of integrating activities of men and women taking place in different parts of the globe. With nations now operating as though no boundaries existed between them, it is now possible for many to realize their dreams so easily. International trade has been reinforced allowing business people to sell their products to a much wider market than before. The communication industry has also undergone drastic changes enabling people to reach others cheaply and very fast. Researchers can now share and also receive huge chunks of information electronically. People are now able to live much longer, thanks to discoveries in the medical world that have made this possible.Advertising Looking fo r essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Although the advances in various sectors have brought about improved services and in some instance seen a huge reduction in the presence of risks, new forms of risk are now here to haunt man. Lack of proper waste management systems, the increased use of genetically modified foods, and green house emissions are some of the risks that have to be dealt with (Ropeik Gray 1). Besides having positively impacted the society, the world of technology has come with its own share of perils which are now causing fear and anxiety in the society. Planned attacks by gangsters, climate change and moral decay are also part of the challenges that have to be tackled. Over the years, discussions about risk have led to plenty of disagreements both in the political and social arenas (Borodzicz 1). Today, risk is seen to affect all areas of the economy with no exception. Human activities such as industrialization and deforestation have been blamed for the devastating effects of climate change that are posing a major risk to the existence of humanity. The health sector has also not been left behind. Outbreaks ranging from HIV/AIDS to H1N1 are slowing down progress in key sectors of the economy. Despite all these happening, discussions on the topic of risk are still considered to be less developed (Borodzicz 1). Not so long ago, there existed very little connection between security and crime. With recent developments that have resulted in scores of people losing their lives, stakeholders are compelled to go back to the drawing board and come up with better strategies of handling security risk at all levels. This was accelerated by the 9/11 and the London railway terrorist attacks which also led to massive loss of lives (Zedner et al 200-14). Zedner also argues that since our lives are controlled by security to a great extent, managing security should also be a very importa nt undertaking for all (Zedner et al 200-14). Cultural changes have also been encountered as a result of technological transformations throughout the world. It has, however, been observed that various components of culture do not change at the same pace. Whenever a change happens in the material culture of a society for example, the non-material culture must also follow suit and change accordingly (Kendall 58).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Risk and Technological Advancements specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Understanding and Measuring Risk Despite the fact that one will encounter so many contradictions when trying to define what risk really is, a popular belief held by many is that risk is the probability of experiencing loss or injury of some sort. Risk is also defined as the uncertainty which exists about the end result of an event (Figlewski Levich 4). It is the assumption that something, usually bad, cou ld happen. To be complete, the definition of risk must include the presence of a hazard which is seen as the expected negative outcome of the risk (Ropeik Gray 4). Cohrssen and Covello also define risk as being the possibility that one will suffer from a hazard (7). Faced with risk, most of us begin to worry and make plans while thinking about what might probably be the end result of an event (Karen Marilyn 19). Studies have shown that due to globalization, many risks are shared by all throughout the world. While some of the risks are considered new there are others that have been in existence for a very long time (Ale, 1). Disease outbreaks for example have been a part of the society for ages and immensely threaten the existence of mankind. Although the move in technological advances has led to increased risk in different parts of the world, other observations very clearly show that the increase is quite high in the industrialized world (Burger 1). Bouchet, Clark and Groslambert a lso noted that the risks that are faced by different countries never took center stage for a very a long time until recently (ix). Based on experience and viewpoint, people will have different understandings of risk. Adams states that we all develop skills of dealing with risk right from childhood. Through experimentation, children come across so many situations as they begin to learn how to crawl and later walk and talk. Unaware of the risks involved and completely unsure of what to expect, they make decisions and move on (1). Confusion and differences in opinion between governments, industries, communities and campaign groups are considered to be a result of the way different people will attempt to explain what risk is (Adams 1). Our own individual perceptions about risk may also negatively influence us to make decisions that could be totally wrong. In most parts of Africa for example, many people consider the harsh realities of climate change to be a demonstration of God’s anger towards mankind whereas the truth is that changes in climate are mainly due to the destructive activities of man. Personal views will also dictate how different people will react to situations given the same conditions. If felling down trees in the forest for instance is perceived to bring about drought, the reaction by a farmer in the country side will completely differ from that of a person living in the city. While the farmer might see a threat to his or her livelihood, the city resident will probably not even be moved by the pronouncement. Ropeik and Gray also argue that the way we behave in the face of risk is determined by how we recognize and respond to dangerous situations (2).Advertising Looking for essay on other technology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More According to Arnoldi, people are exposed to so many risks that are little known to them. Arnoldi places the onus on scientists who through research have a key role to play in ensuring that lay people are made aware of the different risks that man is faced with (3). Based on the nature of risk under consideration, individuals have been seen to respond differently and researchers in various fields have also come up with a number of parameters seen to influence the way people will perceive risk (Cohrssen Covello 9). Although it is quite difficult to tell what is bound to happen in the future, there is an argument that financial risk as a result of uncertainty can be easily controlled. As opposed to the earlier economies, it is now easier to identify risk in newer economies (Crouhy, Galai Mark 1). Several approaches can be adopted when it comes to measuring risk. Karen and Marilyn argue that risk is measured based on the information passed to us either through the media or experts, on the possibility of risks occurring (19). Scientists on the other hand are found to give measurements that are informed by research they carry out. Das argues that without having an elaborate means of measurement, the management of risk cannot be effective achieved (505). The process of controlling risk in organizations therefore presumes that such a mechanism exists. A study by Ricci indicates that risk can be measured by considering the probability of an outcome of some specified magnitude (18). Among others, he explains that the components of risk management will include; identifying the hazard, assessing the level of exposure to risk, and risk management actions (19). Managing Risk Das defines risk management as the act of identifying and putting an actual figure on risk (505). In the recent past, the subject of risk management has gained a lot of importance and is considered to be very critical to sound financial management (Das 3). To a very large extent, the management of ris k will differ from one organization o another and this is determined by what the organization has chosen decide will be an acceptable level of risk. Risk management is recognized by many as the force driving the business world today (Crouhy, Galai Mark 1). A common trend these days, is to address risk through the help of specialized research work. Statistical approaches are now being supplemented by works of research in the economic sector (Luhmann Barrett). Bernstein argues that the capacity to manage risk and the desire to take risk and make decisions to forge ahead form the main foundation of a growing economy (3). According to Borge’s arguement, the main reason as to why people will embark on managing risk is not to merely find the reason for what happened in the past but to ensure a secure future (6). People are known to react differently in the face of surprises and this also applies to the management of risk in different areas. If one is considered a fatalist, he or she may assume a surrendered attitude and will simply agree to deal with things as they. A fatalist will go with the flow of events and will spend time worrying about what is to come. Fanatics on the other hand have a tendency to face the future with a lot of certainty and with a strong belief that things will turn out for them as they expect. Others, however, like to take a much more practical attitude when dealing with uncertain situations. According to scientists, for example, uncertainties in life are due to ignorance (Borge 7). A very good example is the belief held by most people in Africa about the biting effects of climate change. Most strongly believe that it is an act of God and lay no blame on human beings. An environmentalist on the other hand, well informed by his or her research work, will seek to explain the actual problem by pointing out that man’s activities have played a big role in messing up the environment. According to Cohrssen and Covello, people will m ake use of what is generated through the processes of identifying or assessing risk together with other available information to decide on the approach that should be taken to eliminate or reduce risk (8). Teaf, Yessekin and Khankhasaev argue that for effective evaluation of the environment, risk assessment, risk management and risk communication must all be taken into consideration (1). The ultimate goal of risk management is seen to be the protection of both public health and the environment. A variety of techniques may be used to achieve this (Teaf, Yessekin and Khankhasaev 6). A study by Linkov and Ramadan shows that there are two different outlooks that contribute to the management of risk. First, there is the economic concern that will prompt us to want to measure the expected utility instead of looking at the likely consequence. Later, we get to weigh both the risks and the probable benefits. The other viewpoint is the based on psychological considerations. This takes into ac count the fact that risk is multidimensional and it goes ahead to emphasize that we have to make use of tactics that will direct us to act in a different way than is expected by public (4). Theories about Risk There are several theories that exist regarding risk. Besides theories presented by Mary Douglas, Ulrich Beck, and Governmentality, which are seen as being dominant in the study about risk, other theories have also been fronted by the likes of Niklas Luhnmann and Anthony Giddens (Arnoldi 62). In collaboration with several others, Mary Douglas came up with what is referred to as the cultural theory of risk. Her work was inspired by the structures that exist in all cultures. She uses her background as an anthropologist to explain the concept of risk. According to Douglas, every culture has its own good and bad. Douglas also notes that while what is considered good or bad varies from culture to culture, clear differences of these two can be noticed in all cultures (Arnoldi 38). D ouglas’ theories are very much in line with how men and women will view risk. Many people seem to understand risk from what their culture teaches. The many customs that exist in Africa today can help to explain this concept clearly. Fear of the dead for example has forced quite a number of people to get involved in activities that are meant to â€Å"cleanse them†. Serious cultural fanatics will get affected when they do not do what their culture requires of them. In his theory, Beck first draws a distinction between industrial and society risks. He then goes on to argue that a wide range of risks such as climate change that are considered to be the result of technological advances are very vital when it comes to defining the risk society (Arnoldi 46). Here, Beck also points out the fact the damage may not be seen immediately and it may take a very long time for the effects to be felt. Foucault makes use of the term governmentality so as to reveal the changes in the nat ure of government (Arnoldi 53). Foucault was driven into action by the gradual development seen in the new way of governing. Arnoldi also argues that in line with Douglas’ study, risks are to be potential eternal dangers to the society. Under governmentality, risks provide a means to make the social environment, a field that will create room for governments to intervene (58). Looking at the above discussion on theories, we can conclude that while many people may relate quite well with Douglas’ cultural risk theory, the other two theories by Beck and Foucault may be a bit complex for the common man to understand. As people get to concentrate more on planning for the future, traditions as well as vital relationships that sustained the society in the past get eroded (Swift Callahan 22). Sources of Information about Risk There are a number of credible sources of information about the subject of risk. In the study undertaken by Ropeik and Gray, science is considered to be a major source of information about risk though coupled with a lot of uncertainty (8). In spite of the doubts that exist, history shows that the results of scientific research can be very reliable. Without the intensive work of research done by scientists, it would be a nightmare for people to determine what risks they face. Scientist’s activities help so much in opening people’s eyes to the effects of risk as brought about by technological advances. Though affected by some level of propaganda, the media is another reliable source of information about risk. The success of the media is greatly enhanced by the fact that most of the time, information is presented backed by real life situations and these drive their message home very well. Watching television for example, one is able to receive information about different occurrences as they actually happened. We get to see the so many dangers that face all of us such as road accidents, drought, armed robberies, terrorist attacks, and human trafficking, to name but a few. Through the media, for example, we are made aware of incidences taking placed all over the world including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados and disease outbreaks among others. With this very important information being available, one can make then make decisions that will that help them stay away from any form of trouble unless it cannot be avoidable. Examples of Risky Undertakings and their Dangers to Humanity There are a number of activities that human beings engage in and these expose them to serious risks. As human beings go about their day to day business looking for means to survive, they are often faced with all forms of risk. While some of these risks are as a matter of choice and can therefore be avoided, there are others that have to be done for one to survive (Beck 19). In a case where one has to eat, there is no opting out of an activity because of the risk involved. In the olden days men will go out hunting for game me at oblivious of the fact that they might be attacked by ferocious animals (Ale 3). Again, all because of wanting to make ends meet, most people in the developing nations have engaged in mining of natural resources. By so doing, they have exposed themselves to serious risks and quite a number have lost lives. This situation is worsened by poverty and high levels of unemployment that leave people with no option but to overlook the dangers associate with these activities. We are all familiar with the devastating effects of the HIV/AIDS outburst that has claimed millions of lives already. This is a major concern to many economies and governments are forced to spend millions of dollars to deal with the repercussions. Employers have also lost so many valuable employees to this scourge. Many parents have succumbed to death because of HIV/AIDS and this has seen the number of orphans across the globe swell. Given that many organizations are now offering expensive trainings to equip their emp loyees, the loss of a single employee is deemed to be very expensive. Even though stakeholders are working so hard to mitigate the effects of HIV/AIDS, the fight against the pandemic is far from over. New infections are still being recorded and with the high level of poverty in the developing nations, people will tend to do anything just to survive. Perhaps the worst cases are those involving terrorists’ attacks. Globally, thousands of people have lost their lives through acts of terrorism. This has seen different nations turn to commercial policing so as to ensure that they will be able to get to the root of the problem. Hamilton argues that although watchmen were forced to join this band wagon, private policing turned out to be such a brilliant idea and was embraced by several countries (141). Similarly Britain and other parts of the European world have resorted to commercial forms of policing so as to deal with challenges that face them (Johnston 123 – 134). A study by Arnoldi shows the heavy use of pesticides in farming as one of the side effects of technology and using the pesticides exposes human beings to grave dangers (3). Conclusion Following from this discussion it is very clear that we are certainly living in a world that is more dangerous than before. Though technological advancements have resulted into improved ways of living, this is has been accompanied with major risks to humanity. The issue of climate change is a man made disaster that is slowly eating us up and threatens to disturb life in the long run. Industrial activities especially in the developed nations are creating huge deposits of green house emissions into the sky that are responsible of global warming. Criminals are now also able to plan and successful executed their wicked schemes to harm others making life almost impossible. In the words of Beck, we actually are living in a world where no one is truly in-charge. We are all tossed back and forth with uncertainties th at make it so hard to make decisions. Works Cited Adams, John. Risk. London: UCL Press, 1995. Print. Ale, Ben J. M. Risk: An Introduction: The Concepts of Risk, Danger and Chance. New York: Routledge, 2009. Print. Arnoldi, Jakob. Risk. Cambridge: Polity Press, 2009. Print. Beck, Ulrich. Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity. London: Sage Publications, 1992. Print. Bernstein, Peter L. Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, Inc., 1998. Print. Borge, Dan. The Book of Risk. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, Inc., 2001. Print. Borodzicz, Edward. Risk, Crisis Security Management. Hoboken: John Wiley Sons, Inc., 2006. Print. Bouchet, Michel H., Clark, Ephraà ¯m and Groslambert, Bertrand. Country Risk Assessment: A Guide to Global Investment Strategy. West Sussex: John Wiley Sons Ltd, 2003. Print. Burger, Edward J. Risk. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1993. Print Cohrssen, John J. and Covello, Vincent T. Risk Analysis: A Guide to Principles and Meth ods for Analyzing Health and Environmental Risks. U.S: DIANE Publishing, 1999. Print. Crouhy,  Michel., Galai, Dan and Mark, Robert. The Essentials of Risk Management. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2006. Print. Das, Satyajit. Risk management, Volume 1. Singapore: John Wiley Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd, 2006. Print. Edwards, Peter J. and Bowen, Paul A. Risk Management in Project Organisations. Oxford: Elsevier, 2005. Print. Figlewski, Stephen and Levich, Richard M. Risk Management: The State of the Art. Massachusetts: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2002. Print. Hamilton, Sheilah E. Watching over Hong Kong: Private Policing 1841-1941. Hong Kong: Hong Kong University Press, 2008. Print. Johnston, Les. Policing Britain: Risk, Security and Governance. U.K: Longman, 2000. Print. Karen, Swift and Marilyn, Callahan. At Risk: Social Justice in Child Welfare and Other Human Services. Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Print. Kendall, Diana. Sociology in Our Times: The Essentials. New York : Cengage Learning, 2010. Print. Linkov, Igor and Ramadan, Abou. B. Comparative Risk Assessment and Environmental Decision Making. Dordrecht: Kluwer academic Publishers, 2005. Print. Luhmann,  Niklas and Barrett, Rhodes. Risk: A Sociological Theory. New York: Walter de Gruyter Co., 1993. Print. Ricci, Paolo F. Environmental and Health Risk Assessment and Management: Principles and Practices. Dordrecht: Springer, 2006. Print. Ropeik, David and Gray, George M. Risk: A Practical Guide for Deciding What’s Really Safe and What’s Dangerous in the World Around You. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002. Print. Swift, Karen and Callahan, Marilyn. At risk: social justice in child welfare and other human services. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2009. Print. Teaf, Christopher M., Yessekin, Bulat. K., Khankhasaev, M. Kh. Risk Assessment as a Tool for Water Resources Decision-Making in Central Asia. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2004. Print. Zedner, Lucia., H ope, Tim and Sparks, Richard. Crime, Risk and InSecurity. New York: Routledge, 2000. Print. This essay on Risk and Technological Advancements was written and submitted by user AlvinMaker to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Queen Hatshepsut

Queen Hatshepsut During the 18th Dynasty the third Queen of regent came to power, her name was Ma’at-ka-Ra Hatshepsut. Ma’at-ka-Ra means ‘Truth/Order/Balance is the Spirit/Double of Ra’, and Hatshepsut meaning ‘Foremost of Noble Women’. She wasn’t the only female ruler of Egypt, but is one of the best known. When her father, Thutmosis I, died, the throne was past down to his son, Thutmosis II, who was very sickly during his time of reign. Thutmosis II married his half-sister (they had different mothers), Hatshepsut. When he died, his son, from a wife other than Hatshepsut, held control of throne. Thutmosis III was just a child, so Hatshepsut became his regent (â€Å"one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign†). Then during his second year as ruler(around 1490 BC), Hatshepsut took over all authority, and was now King, which was almost unheard of for women to be a Pharaoh. Her justification, besides t he fact that she was conducting all Thutmosis III’s affairs, because he was just a child, she also claimed that the god Amon-Ra had visited her mother while she was pregnet with her, thus making her a divine child. Hatshepsut did not wait for Tuthmosis III to become old enough to be Pharaoh. She kept her power for a long time, raging from 15 to 22 years, which is not definite, considering she was a woman and her stepson was becoming impatient. It was tough for her to keep her power. We also know that she had a daughter, Neferura, said to be the daughter of Thutmosis II, but may have been fathered by Semnut, which is unclear. Hatshepsut governed for 22 years. She was believed to be between 35-40 years old when she died. Queen Hatshepsut concentrated on arts of peace rather than arts of war, as in earlier Pharaohs. She had many great accomplishments during her reign. She had the support from a group of powerful men, chiefs and priests. She had the wisdom to surrou... Free Essays on Queen Hatshepsut Free Essays on Queen Hatshepsut Queen Hatshepsut During the 18th Dynasty the third Queen of regent came to power, her name was Ma’at-ka-Ra Hatshepsut. Ma’at-ka-Ra means ‘Truth/Order/Balance is the Spirit/Double of Ra’, and Hatshepsut meaning ‘Foremost of Noble Women’. She wasn’t the only female ruler of Egypt, but is one of the best known. When her father, Thutmosis I, died, the throne was past down to his son, Thutmosis II, who was very sickly during his time of reign. Thutmosis II married his half-sister (they had different mothers), Hatshepsut. When he died, his son, from a wife other than Hatshepsut, held control of throne. Thutmosis III was just a child, so Hatshepsut became his regent (â€Å"one who governs a kingdom in the minority, absence, or disability of the sovereign†). Then during his second year as ruler(around 1490 BC), Hatshepsut took over all authority, and was now King, which was almost unheard of for women to be a Pharaoh. Her justification, besides t he fact that she was conducting all Thutmosis III’s affairs, because he was just a child, she also claimed that the god Amon-Ra had visited her mother while she was pregnet with her, thus making her a divine child. Hatshepsut did not wait for Tuthmosis III to become old enough to be Pharaoh. She kept her power for a long time, raging from 15 to 22 years, which is not definite, considering she was a woman and her stepson was becoming impatient. It was tough for her to keep her power. We also know that she had a daughter, Neferura, said to be the daughter of Thutmosis II, but may have been fathered by Semnut, which is unclear. Hatshepsut governed for 22 years. She was believed to be between 35-40 years old when she died. Queen Hatshepsut concentrated on arts of peace rather than arts of war, as in earlier Pharaohs. She had many great accomplishments during her reign. She had the support from a group of powerful men, chiefs and priests. She had the wisdom to surrou...

Fluoride in tea samples Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Fluoride in tea samples - Essay Example A laboratory experiment was conducted that used plastic labware bottles instead of glassware because the fluoride ions have a tendency to interact with the glass especially when at lower concentrations. Its main objective was to determine the fluoride levels in various tea samples that were obtained at random. For this experiment, a stock solution of fluoride containing 2000 mg F-/L was used and prepared using a reagent grade of sodium fluoride (NaF), then diluted in a volumetric flask and stored in a clean plastic bottle. A silver chloride (Ag-AgCL) electrode was then combined with the fluoride electrode into a single unit. Both electrodes were rinsed properly and dried for use. Next step was preparation of six (6) 50-mL fluoride standards containing the 5.0 mL of TISAB concentrate and 0.1, 0.316, 1.0, 3.16 and 100.0 mg F-/L and diluted with distilled water up to 50 mL total and stored in plastic bottles. Readings were taken and recorded by immersing electrodes in each solution with re-calibration each day for the temperature. Data obtained was plotted and shown in a graph in the method and results section of this report. The tea bags sampled were boiled in 100 mL of RODI water and then cooled to room temperature and analyzed. Sampling procedure was to mix 10.0 mL of tea sample with 10.0 mL of distilled water together with an additional 5.0 mL of TISB for a total volume of 25.0 mL per sample. The last step was adding a 0.50 mL of the standard F- solution in four increments to each mixture for a total of 2.0 mL of the solution and readings were taken at each incremental addition. The sample tea bags used in the experiment were of different brands and bought at random from a supermarket. This is in line with the objective of determining the level of fluoride in tea available from commercial sources as fluoride today is a growing serious health concern. The method used is

Mod # BUStwo feedback loops in your organization (HP INC.) Essay

Mod # BUStwo feedback loops in your organization (HP INC.) - Essay Example In a move to improve profitability the company is planning to outsource PC manufacturing facilities worldwide. This would help the company to increase profitability by focusing on its core strengths which includes supply chain management, new products and services development and supplier management. (www.hp.com) Management Intent: The management believes that as everything as a Service evolves, there is an opportunity to reshape the computing industry forever and, more importantly, create more dynamic services that enrich our everyday lives and improve how we do business. To realize this potential, the technology industry must innovate at a higher level of intelligence into the next generation of devices, networks and software. When we are successful in providing better user experience, we will be poised for the next wave of growth. (www.hp.com) Feedback loops Employed by HP: Customer groups in various markets - Speed quality and flexibility are some of the requirements of the customer groups as far as technology is concerned. Manufacturers like HP would like to classify their customers as large businesses, individuals with home office and the younger generation. Further this would also give an insight to the market size and location, stage of the product life cycle in each of these consumer groups and characteristics and influences of the buyers (demographic details).Global marketers like HP will would resort to this method of feedback which brings into focus the basic information necessary for development of a strategic plan for production.Survey on Product technology - This form of feedback involves the markets being broken down into segments. Volumes of requirement are forecast to identify and explore the requirements for niche products and otherwise. This feedback would also give the companies required product mixes, c omplexity, differentiation and frequency of manufacturing required. The purpose of selecting these loops was to bring to attention that the major deciding factors of cost in production are related to these. Balancing feedback brings in optimum product quality at the lowest possible pricing leads to goal seeking behavior. Complex systems are composed of multiple feedback loops laid upon one another. How this can be used in OD Hp can make use of these loops by empowering the team of people involved in these activities, by which the results would be extraordinary. The company can help teams involved to manage culture, process, systems and relationships which in turn would be effective and would also reflect on Organizational development. People learn together by submitting their shared vision to testing. When complex dynamics exist, a shared vision allows organizational members to examine assumptions, search for leverage points, and test different policy alternatives. This level of learning often requires simulation, which is a much more specialized systems technique. (Larsen, K., McInerney) Effects of feedback loops on Org Effectiveness Long and Short Term: The effects of these feedback loops on organization effectiveness are as follows Long Term: Organizations strive to reach their potential by sharing this vision of worthy goals with employees. There is a Lifelong commitment to high quality work can result when teams work

Ambition Essay Example for Free

Ambition Essay Ambition is the strong desire to achieve something in life. A person without future ambition is like a relationship without trust. Having ambition requires continuous effort towards achieving it. One cannot achieve anything if one just day dreams and does nothing. My greatest ambition is to attend medical school, and become a doctor. I was inspired by my grandmother, as well as, the great passion I have in helping others. Seeing the person that one loves in agony is hard, but not being able to do something to help is even harder. I experienced something like this when my grandmother became very ill with liver cancer. She had always been a strong woman with a strong desire of helping others. But with her condition, she had to become dependent on us, something she hated. She came here to seek better medical care, because the medical care in Mexico is very poor. Her arrival brought many changes to my life; socially and mentally. I spent most of my time watching after her in the hospital and at home. The responsibility that was set on me was hard, but I enjoyed every moment, and memory that I obtain from it. That experience brought both negative and positive situations to my life, which shaped me into the person I am now. Like I said, the moments and memories spent with her are something that will stay with me forever. But, also, my overall performance at school was affected. The circumstances caused me to leave at half way through my 8th grade year. I can say now, that back in those days I cared little about school and didnt see leaving school as a big problem. But now that I have the opportunity to look back, I don’t regret the moments missed because I have the certainty that I did it for the best reasons. Seeing all the attention and help she received from doctors and nurses was the final factor that convinced me to become a doctor. My goal after I become a doctor, is to move back to Mexico to serve my country, and contribute in making medical attention better. In conclusion, planning one’s future by having an ambition that one is determine to accomplish is important. Sitting in hope that life will bring everything ones way will get one no further from where one started. And like my grandmother always use to tell me, â€Å"success consists of a series of little, daily, victories. †

Honesty VersusTruthfulness :: Definition Essay

Honesty Versus Truthfulness Honesty and simply being truthful seem, on the surface, to be one and the same concept. However, though they are closely related in definition and are in fact listed as synonyms, there are fundamental differences between the two. Truthfulness is defined as "consistently telling the truth, honest" in The American Heritage Dictionary, which also defines honesty as "the capacity or condition of being honest; integrity; trustworthiness." Honest means "not lying, cheating or taking unfair advantage." So what does that mean? The definitions are nearly identical, so one must turn to the connotations. Truthfulness is the more basic of the two, it implies, as the definition says, speaking the truth predictably. If one is truthful, one tells the truth when asked a question. One does not spread lies, and one faces reality as it is. However, it is possible to be truthful and still not be trustworthy. If someone tells everything he knows when asked the smallest question, would you want to trust that person with an important secret? Likewise, someone can be truthful and still not be lawful, or entirely in the "right." For instance, someone could be involved in something illegal, and, when asked about it, could tell the truth up to a point. The person in question would be consistently telling the truth, but it would not be the whole truth. Honesty is a somewhat more complex idea that covers a broader range of requirements. Honesty is truthful, reliable, trustworthy, and open. It encompasses the virtues of truthfulness without the gaps. Being honest implies that you are willing to tell the truth at cost of personal risk. It implies being open and truthful no matter the conditions one faces. Real honesty means telling the truth out of respect for others and for oneself. Someone who is honest does not necessarily have to be asked in order to tell the truth; it is their standard of conduct and communication. Of the two qualities, honesty is the more admirable because it is harder to both attain and maintain.

The Ethics of Enron

Reading Enron's code of ethics, on first impression, you would expect nothing but excellence from a respectable company. Their code of ethics relied heavily on effective communication, a high level of integrity, and nothing but excellence. Through this code they portrayed a business that was capable of exceeding greatness to the highest standard. This soon to be eluded fact jaded by the deception with Enron's unethical actions, which would ultimately lead to its untimely demise. Enron, at one point, was the seventh largest company within the Fortune 500. Careful accounting strategies allowed it to be listed as the seventh largest company in America, and it was expected to dominate the trading it had virtually invented in communications, power and weather securities. Instead it became the biggest corporate failure in history. Enron was formed in 1985, by Kenneth Lay, CEO. Lay graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in economics. He then went on to get his Ph.D. from the University of Houston. With his extensive background in economics, Lay began to work for Exxon Mobil, and thus began his life in the energy business. He soon began to get involved in the natural gas market, which led him to propose the idea of the deregulating energy. Lay merged his company, Houston Natural Gas, with Omaha, Nebraska's InterNorth to form Enron (Briefing 2012). In addition to traditional sales and transportation of natural gas, Enron, under Lay's direction, invested into, what at the time was, future markets. From around 1983-1987, oil prices fell drastically. Buyers of natural gas switched to newly cheap alternatives such as fuel oil. Gas producers, led by Enron, lobbied vigorously for deregulation (Briefing 2012). Once-stable gas prices began to fluctuate, spooking buyers. That's when Enron started marketing futures contracts guaranteeing a price for delivery of gas sometime in the future (Briefing 2012). The government, again lobbied by Enron and others, deregulated electricity markets over the next several years, creating a similar opportunity for Enron to trade futures in electric power. With this, Enron began to grow at a rapid pace, having their assets grow by $50 billion in the matter of a short fifteen years. Being seen as a powerful company was undermining motive that lead to Enron's one main goal that they continuously strove to achieve. Who would not enjoy having a superior image for as long as this company did. Enron, before its collapse, was one of the worlds leading electrical, natural gas, and communication companies (NPR 2012). The company, with profit of $101 billion in 2000, markets electricity and natural gas, delivers physical commodities and financial and risk management services around the world, and has developed an intelligent network platform online business (NPR 2012). However, all so called good things for Enron came to an end. Despite Enron's perceptual display of ethical standards in its transactions, social conduct, environmental and financial reports, evidence of unethical behaviors such as engaging in massive corporate fraud, misleading its investors and employees about its financial status bloated out when it collapsed in 2001. By excluding its partnerships with Chewco and Joint Energy Development Investments (JEDI) from its financial statements, Enron was able to hide its $600 million debt from the balance sheet. For about eight years, Enron used complex and unethical accounting schemes to reduce its tax payments, overstate income and profits, inflate stock price and credit rating, hide losses, transfer the company's money to themselves, and fraudulently misrepresent its financial condition in public reports. Enron Senior Management did perform a job well done until it fell apart when Enron's share price started to drop in 2000. Before Enron filed for bankruptcy protection, the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) already found out these accounting irregularities where Enron clearly misled its shareholders, analysts and creditors. By the end of 2001, it left thousands of employees who have invested their savings and pensions in the company and small shareholders maintaining their investments; while members of Enron management sold their shares knowing the falling performance of the company. Enron was not protecting the interest of its stakeholders at all. Thousands of employees lost their jobs and significant amount of retirement savings, while investors were left with worthless stocks. These further affected their families and their community as a whole. Enron's scandal damaged public trust on corporate leaders. The behavior of Enron's leaders were far from the good leadership behavior we know of, where leaders should demonstrate integrity. What's worse was that, the Auditors of Enron who should have been the one to report their accounting malpractices long time before, accepted the accounting practices and remained silent. This was most probably because of the conflict of interest because these auditors earned high revenues from audit and non-audit works with Enron. In the most basic sense, lack of management integrity and the resulting impact on corporate culture was the root cause of Enron's downfall and the fundamental ethical issue. Enron's management chose ego gratification, power maximization, stakeholder deception and short-term financial gains for themselves, while destroying their personal and business reputations and hurting literally tens of thousands of stakeholders. Enron's scandal called for the need of significant change in accounting and corporate governance in the U.S. This is why the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) of 2002 was introduced. It was officially signed into law july 30th, 2002 to protect investors by imporoving the reliability and accuracy of disclosures made pursuant to securities laws. Sarbanes-Oxley developed the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a private, nonprofit corporation, to ensure that financial statements are audited according to independent standards. The legislation also mandates that companies listed on stock exchanges have completely independent audit committees to oversee the relationship between the companies and their auditors. Sarbanes-Oxley further banned most personal loans to any executive officer or director, accelerated reporting of trades by insiders, and stiffened penalties for violations of securities laws. SOX is generally applicable to all companies, regardless of size, who require to file reports with the SEC. SOX established the creation of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board to oversee the audit of public companies that are subject to the securities laws. The PCAOB establishes auditing, quality control, ethics, independence and other standards relating to the preparation of audit reports. They are also responsible for conducting inspections of registered public accounting firms, as well as conducting investigations and disciplinary proceedings, where, justified, concerning registered public accounting firms. The Enron case will forever stand as the ultimate reflection of an era of near madness in finance, a time in the late 1990's when self-certitude and spin became a substitute for financial analysis and coherent business models. Controls broke down and management deteriorated as arrogance overrode careful judgment, allowing senior executives to blithely push aside their critics. Indeed, it could be argued that the most significant lesson from the trial had nothing to do with whether the defendants, both former Enron chief executives, committed the crimes charged in their indictments. Instead, the testimony and the documents admitted during the case painted a broad and disturbing portrait of a corporate culture poisoned by hubris, leading ultimately to a recklessness that placed the business's survival at risk. The ethical lesson that can be learned front the Enron scandal is that, no success is important enough to be achieved at the price of dishonesty and illegal activities. Not only did the scandal tarnish the reputation of Enron but it ruined the lives of the people who belonged to the name, People who have invested time and money into the company. It goes without saying, corporate values is far more important than unethically scheming in order to make profits.