Philosophical Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Philosophical Questions - Essay Example This paper will provide four arguments that God exists. To begin with, one should point out one simple, yet rather important fact: the belief in divine powers has been known since the dawn of humanity; so, this continuous existence of the tradition might be considered to be an indirect indication of existence of God. Common sense suggests that there is no smoke without fire. If there had not been any divine power, millions of people around the world could not simply have imagined it out of nowhere. Keeping in mind that there was no communication between the groups of the early people, the very existence of religious cults might be regarded as a valid evidence that God exists. Is it possible that people have been mistaken for thousand or years about one of the most defining aspects of their identity? It is rather hard to believe in that. Therefore, the existence of religious beliefs that dates back to the primitive society may be a suitable argument for existence of God. The second indirect indication that God exist focuses on our very lives. Should not the latter be considered to be a true miracle? The process of ovum fertilization by spermatozoid has not only been studied in great details, but also filmed. It may seem that science has taken cover from the greatest mystery – the beginning of live. However, no scholar is able to point out that moment when a small number of cells become a living organism. In other words, science did its best to analyze the world around us, but it could not get a hold of one of the fundamental powers – life. It would not be a mistake to suggest that without any divine intervention the above mentioned set of molecules would have never become a living creature. So, all the organisms in the world are the living arguments for the existence of God. Another point that should be taken into

A Modest Proposal Essay Example for Free

A Modest Proposal Essay Swift is a renowned satirist, whose works are read even today since they represent social problems persistent through centuries. Although his parents were English, Swift was born in Ireland and lived there most of his life, though he wanted to live in or near London. His bitterest piece, A Modest Proposal is about curing the growing population and preventing the children of the poor people in Ireland, from being a burden on their parents or country. Swift is strongly against poverty as well as discrimination and presents these points his piece, A Modest Proposal. Swift pretends to be an expert or social planner who has a scheme to solve the problem of poverty in Ireland. This piece was written for the English aristocracy. It was meant to be humiliating and embarrassing for them, and it was! Swift killed people figuratively. Initially, when people started reading the piece, they agreed with Swift since he was stating facts and presenting reality in a serious tone. But when the readers reached the part where he proposes his solution to the malady, they felt he was out of his mind! This was an eye opener for the Britishers, and it wasnt too hard for them to realize that he was making fun of them and they were offended. His proposal might have sounded preposterous, but he intended it to be satiric and it was! Swifts writing was very effective and helped enhance his purpose. One of the strategies that Swift uses to draw the readers attention is by using a lot of details and imagery to clearly present his points enabling the readers to have a better understanding. One such example in this piece would be, It is a melancholy object to those, who walk through this great town, or travel in the country, when they see the street, the roads and cabin-doors with beggars of the female sex, followed by three, four, or six children, all in rags, and importuning every passenger for an alms. As people are reading this, they can clearly get a picture of what is going on and exactly what hes trying to put across. But, this is a social insult towards women since they are supposed to be at home and not on the streets with kids. He sarcastically refers to women who have dozens of kids as breeders. To make things worse, he points out how a pregnant animal is apparently more worthy than a pregnant woman. If a man found out that his wife was pregnant, he would do anything to abort the child, which would end in the mother being killed most of the times. Women were treated like dirt. By this we can say that he also differentiates between the roles played by man and woman in the society. Not only does he include men and women, but he takes children into consideration too. According to Swift, selling children negates the cost of breeding them. He says, the maintenance of an hundred thousand children, from two years old, and upwards, cannot be computed ay less than ten shillings a piece per annum, the nations stock will be thereby increased fifty thousand pounds per annum. Another way Swift grabs the readers attention is by making stark contrasts between the rich and the poor. He says, I grant this food will be somewhat dear and therefore very proper for landlords, who, as they have already devoured most of the parents, seem to have the best title to the children. He expounds how money circulates in the society with an idea of the rich giving money to the poor, and take it back. He comes up with his own unique resolutions to the problems that exist. Its basically like trying to solve a hard math problem without following any of the rules. There are a few things that Swift talks about in his piece that arthat a child just born will weigh 12 pounds and in a solar year, if tolerably nursed, increases to 28 pounds. This is very unrealistic, because the average weight of a newborn in any country was never 12 pounds and they did not weigh 28 pounds in a year either. He might have meant it to be satiric, but it doesnt work very well and doesnt fit in. His statistics were incorrect; they were either too high or too low. Although he might have used these facts to get his point across, they ruin the effect of the entire piece. He insults peoples religious e very unrealistic. For example, Swift claims, I have reckoned upon a medium, beliefs which might have helped him prove his point, but can be offending to readers even today. He tends to be repetitive and tries to emphasize on certain things so many times that they lose their value. Swift tends to get carried away with his satire and comes up with unrealistic and ridiculous so lutions. In this piece, Swift manages to maintain the readers attention by using elaborate language and expressions. His tone and satiric language helps convey his message and point of view. This piece was very effective, keeping in mind his main purpose, regardless of whether or not people were offended or that they thought he was being ridiculous. He proved his point with an extraordinary plan, which he felt could have resolved the problem. Whether it would have worked or not, would have been a different issue. Thus, in reality this can be viewed as one of Swifts greatest pieces.

The Affirmative Action Debate Essay -- argumentative persuasive 2014

For the sake of this essay, affirmative action in education is defined as: â€Å"policies and programs designed to advance equality of educationalopportunity for individuals from groups that have suffered systematic historical discrimination† (Mickelson 29). What is being referred to here is race-based affirmative action, or the act of taking into consideration an applicant’s race in the college admissions process. This is a hot topic all over the United States and has been for quite a while, the debate raging between two sides: those in support of affirmative action and those opposed. The ethics of affirmative action itself are difficult to determine, but here an attempt will be made to prove that affirmative action is indeed unfair. In addition, perhaps people are looking at the wrong issue. Maybe the real problem is the early education gap between the minority and majority students, something that, if fixed, could solve the issue of affirmative action once and for al l. Just to make things clear, because the topic of this is race-based affirmative action, â€Å"majority† will refer to the racial majorities in college admissions (mainly whites and to some extent Asians) and â€Å"minority† will refer to racial minorities (such as African Americans, Hispanics, etc.) Also, diversity, unless stated otherwise, means racially diverse. Before any analysis can take place, it is beneficial to first know a little bit about the subject area. With that in mind, the history of affirmative action can be condensed into the basics: Supreme Court cases and major legislation. Civil Rights Act of 1964 got the ball rolling on affirmative action, both in education and in general. Title VI of this Act ordered desegregation of public educational institutions, from... .... 2008. Web. 01 Nov. 2011 Garrison-Wade, Dorothy F., and Chance W. Lewis. â€Å"Affirmative Action: History And Analysis.†Journal Of College Admission  184 (2004): 23-26.  Academic Search Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2011. Mickelson, Roslyn A. â€Å"Affirmative Action in Education.†Ã‚  Education and Sociology: anEncyclopedia. By David L. Levinson, Peter W. Cookson, and Alan R. Sadovnik. New York: RoutledgeFalmer, 2002. Print. Moreno, Pamela Barta. â€Å"The History Of Affirmative Action Law And Its Relation To College Admission.†Ã‚  Journal Of College Admission  179 (2003): 14-21.  Academic Search  Premier. Web. 4 Nov. 2011. Ogletree, Jr., Charles J. â€Å"The Case For Affirmative Action.†Ã‚  Stanford Alumni Association. Stanford Magazine. Web. 01 Nov. 2011. Sacks, David, and Peter Thiel. â€Å"The Case Against Affirmative Action.†Ã‚  Stanford Alumni  Association.  Stanford Magazine. Web. 01 Nov. 2011.

World War One â€Life in the Trenches

World war one –life in the trenches When men volunteered to fight in world war one, on the Western front, little did they know about the conditions they would be living and fighting in the trenches, and for how long this would all go on for. The Great War lasted for four years even though many believed they would be home by Christmas 1914 on till 11/11/1918(today know better as remembrance day). (See source A) Even if the men did know about many of the conditions in the trench they would most likely have still joined as many were pressured by two ways to join. irstly by women as they would press little white feathers into their hand another way was they would walk past with a desecrated look in their faces as described by Rifleman Norman Demuth in source B (see source B) and secondly by propagandas(posters)see sources C,D and E for some examples. Even though the war lasted longer than expected the conditions didn’t get any better for soldiers as the shortage of food got worse, diseases became more common e. g.Trench foot (where your foot rotted off in your boot), more rats moved into the trenches, no way to remove toilet waste from the trenches and corpses lined many of the sides and floors of the trenches helping to spread disease. It got so bad in the trenches many solider turned to shooting themselves so they could be sent home and see their friend and family they had left behind. But if you were found guilty of a self-inflicted wound (SIW) in the British Army the ultimate penalty was capital (death by firing squad. )But 3,894 British soldiers were found guilty of SIW but none were executed but instead sent to prison for lengthy periods.Basic trench and layouts(see sources f and G) The first job of any soldiers getting to the western front who wanted to survive the machine gun fire from the triple alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy) was to dig down, making trenches. Frontline trenches were usually about seven foot deep and six foot wi de. The front of the trench was known as the parapet. The top two or three feet of the parapet and the parados (the rear side of the trench) would consist of a thick line of sandbags to absorb any bullets or shell fragments.In a trench of this depth it was impossible to see over the top, so a two or three-foot ledge known as a fire-step, was added. Trenches were not dug in straight lines. Otherwise, if the enemy had a successive offensive, and got into your trenches, they could shoot straight along the line. Each trench was dug with alternate fire-bays and traverses. Duck-boards were also placed at the bottom of the trenches to protect soldiers from problems such as trench foot. Soldiers also made dugouts and funk holes in the side of the trenches to give them some protection from the weather and enemy fire.The front-line trenches were also protected by barbed-wire entanglements and machine-gun posts. Short trenches called saps were dug from the front-trench into No-Man's Land. The sap-head, usually about 30 yards forward of the front-line, were then used as listening posts. Behind the front-line trenches were support and reserve trenches. The three rows of trenches covered between 200 and 500 yards of ground. Communication trenches, were dug at an angle to the frontline trench and was used to transport men, equipment and food supplies. Food in the trenchesIn the trench food was basic but was for many it was better than what families were eating back at home. Daily rations for a British soldier consisted of 20 ounces of bread or 16 ounces of flour or 4 ounces of oatmeal instead of bread, 3 ounces of cheese, 5/8 ounces of tea, 4 ounces of jam or 4 ounces of dried fruit ,? ounce of salt, 1/36 ounce of pepper, 1/20 ounce of mustard, 8 ounces of fresh vegetables or 1/10 gill lime if vegetables not issued, ? gill of rum or 1 pint of porter , 20 ounces of tobacco, 1/3 ounces of chocolate (optional), 4 ounces of butter/margarine and 2 ounces of dried vegetables.One B ritish soldier said (source H) Tinned bully beef was the usual. we were always hungry. many times we only got one slice of bread,often without butter or jam,for breakfast and hard biscuits for tea. they were so hard that you had to put them on a hard surface and smash them with a stone. Meaning many did not get what they should have. Weapons One thing that played a big part in the war was the weapons They used * Handguns (e. g Webley Revolver, Webley Self-loading, Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver, Enfield revolver, Colt M1911 , Colt New Service, Smith ; Wesson M1917 revolver, Smith ; Wesson Model 10, Smith amp; Wesson Triple Lock, Lancaster pistol, Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, and Mauser C96) * Rifles(e. g. Lee-Enfield, Lee-Metford, Pattern 1914 Enfield, Martini-Enfield, Martini-Henry, Ross rifle , Winchester Model 1894, Winchester Model 1895, Winchester Model 1907, Type 30 rifle, Type 38 rifle, Type 38 cavalry rifle, Mauser-Vergueiro, andPeriscope rifle) * Machine Guns(e. g. Vickers machine gun, Maxim gun, Lewis Gun, Hotchkiss Mark I, M1895 Colt-Browning machine gun and M1917 Browning machine gun) * Shotguns(e. g Sawn-off shotgun and Double-barreled shotgun) * Anti-tank weapons(e. . Elephant gun) * Grenades(e. g Grenade, No 1 Hales; Rifle grenades, 2, 3, 4 Hales; No. s 5, 23, 36 Mills; No. 6 Grenade; No. s 8, 9 Double Cylinder Jam Tin; No. 13 Battye; No. 15 Ball grenade; No. 27 Smoke Grenade and No. 34 Egg grenade) * Mortars(e. g 2 inch Medium Mortar, Newton 6 inch Mortar, Stokes Mortar and Livens Projector) * Support Guns(E. g Vickers-Crayford rocket gun * Swords(e. g 1897 Pattern, 1908 and 1912 Pattern Cavalry Swords and Claymore) * Bayonets(e. g M1907 bayonet) See sources G-L for examples of weapons. DiseasesIn the trenches there was a lot of disease from a common cold to trench foot(foot rotting off). 1. Trench foot- Many soldiers fighting in World War One suffered from severe trench foot. Trench foot is an infection of the feet caused by cold, wet and insanitary conditions. In the trenches soldiers stood fur hours on end in waterlogged trenches without being able to remove wet socks or boots. The soilders feet would gradually go numb and the skin would turn red or blue. If untreated, trench foot could turn gangrenous and the result was amputation. 2. Shell shock-Early symptoms of shell shock included tiredness, irritability, giddiness, lack of concentration and headaches. Eventually the men suffered mental breakdowns making it impossible for them to remain in the front-line. Some came to the conclusion that the soldiers condition was caused by the enemy's heavy artillery. These doctors argued that a bursting shell creates a vacuum, and when the air rushes into this vacuum it disturbs the cerebro-spinal fluid and this can upset the working of the brain. 3. Trench mouth- It was a severe form of gingivitis that causes painful, infected, bleeding gums and ulcerations. . Trench fever is a bacterial infection that causes repeated cycles of high fever. Two different types of bacteria cause Trench fever. Bartonella quintana is carried by body lice and Bartonella henselae is carried by ticks. Symptoms are headaches, skin rashes, inflamed eyes and leg pains. Rats In the trenches Rats gathered in their millions infested everywere in trenches. There were two main types of rats in the trenches the brown and the black rat. Both were despised but the brown rat was especially feared. Gorging themselves on human they could grow to the size of a cat. Toilets Loss of life Conclusion

Research Paper Animal Experimentation Essay

I Introduction Thesis Statement: Animal testing is a debatable issue in modern society. Some people argue that animal testing should be kept due to medical benefits and research study conveniences. However, I think animal experimentation should be banned by refuting supporters’ arguments. II Body A. Opposing argument 1 Animal experimentations are conducted for human health. Rebuttal to this argument: Animal testing can cause serious problems regarding to human health. a. The results of animal experimentation are often inconclusive and cannot be accurately applied to human. b. Animal drug testing causes a lot of dangerous side effects. B. Opposing argument 2 Animal experimentation is vital for research purposes. Rebuttal to this argument: Ethnics problems: Are humans too selfish? a. Animal testing can be extremely cruel and inhumane. b. Examples to illustrate the cruelly experiments conducted on animals. c. Animals deserve the equal rights as humans. C. Opposing argument 3 There are no effective alternatives to animal experimentation. Rebuttal to this argument: The facts of efficient non-animal methods and relevant benefits. a. Examples of successful alternative methods. b. Lists of possible technology as alternative methods. c. The benefits of non-animal methods. III Conclusion Animal Testing should be banned due to its cruelness, moral issues and the existence of effective alternative methods. Should Animal Experimentation Be Abandon? Animal Experimentation, also known as animal testing, is the use of animals to conduct experiments or do research in the laboratory. The number of animals used in experiments increased dramatically after World War II. Nowadays, animal experimentation is widely used in many areas such as medical research, behavior study, and drug tests. It is estimated that scientists in America utilize more than 15 million animals each year in their research. Also, animal research and testing is used in almost 10% of all biomedical research. (â€Å"Animal experimentation†, 2011, para.4 ) While some people insist animal experimentation is necessary for social progress due to its unique contributions to human health and scientific researches, opponents of animal research argue that it is cruel, immoral, and unnecessary. As a matter of fact, animal experimentation has been a controversy issue for a very long time. At the same time, there are an increasing number of regulations which restrict animal testing to some extent in order to protect animals’ rights. From my perspective, animal experimentation should be abandoned because of its inhuman cruelness, moral issues, and the existence of possible alternatives. The most common arguments supporting animal experimentation can be refuted and shown to be unnecessary harm to animals. There are many arguments to support animal experimentation. Supporters of animal testing assert animal experimentations are beneficial for human health and vital for research purposes. Also, supporters tend to believe that there are no effective  alternatives for animal experimentation. One of the most common opinions supporters of animal experimentation hold is that a lot of animal experimentations are conducted for human health. They assert animal testing is critical for drug development, the safety of cosmetic products, and treatment for diseases. For instance, Carl Cohen (2005), a professor of philosophy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, argues that vaccines for diseases such as polio and malaria could not have been developed without animal testing (para.1). There is no denying that humans did benefit a lot from animal experimentations. People practice on dogs first to learn how to perform surgery successfully, test the toxicity of ingredients of shampoo on mice to ensure the safety of cosmetic products, and study the infected chimpanzees to study the virus effects. These actions seem to be reasonable. However, there are also plenty of problems of animal experimentation associated with human health are ignored by supporters. The results of animal testing are often inconclusive and cannot be accurately applied to human. â€Å"Many of the drugs approved through animal experimentation have proven dangerous to humans† (Thomas, 2008, para.3). The inner structure of human body is quite different from animals’. In fact, animal experimentation results cannot predict many common life threatening side effects of new products like drugs and cosmetics. Animal testing could be the reason that many so called â€Å"safety products† drugs which work perfectly on animals would cause so many dangerous side effects on human body. More seriously, it is possible for humans to suffer from allergic reactions, some blood disorders, skin lesions and many central nervous system effects that cannot be demonstrated by animal models (Singer, 2006). Most medications are derived from one big contradiction: Our government demands that we test all medications on animals prior to continuing to human trials, and it admits that applying animal data to humans is a â€Å"leap of faith.† However, animal drug testing cannot guarantee all the medications would apply to humans. Still, many human diseases go uncured. Besides human health perspective, supporters argue it is necessary to conduct research through animal experimentation. The history of animal experimentation can be traced back a very early time. The earliest references to animal testing are found in the writings of the Greeks in the 2nd and 4th centuries BCE (â€Å"History of nonhuman animal research,† 1984). The achievements of animal testing research cannot be ignored. For example, the Roman physician Galen dissected pigs and apes to demonstrate that veins carry blood, not air as people previously thought. In the early 1600’s English doctor William Harvey dissected numerous types of animals, including frogs and fish, to show how blood circulates the body. During the 1800s, scientists used animals to examine the role of microorganisms in causing disease (Gilland, 2002).Scientists take advantage of the animals’ biological similarity to humans to gain advanced biology and behavior knowledge. Furthermore, scientists can create controlled environments for animals (regulating their diet, temperature, and other factors) in a way that would be difficult for human research subjects. Evidence shows   the research progress benefits from animal experimentation. It cannot be denied that the animal experimentation plays a crucial role in research. However, as the scale of animal experimentations increasing drastically over years, there are more animal-rights movements and more ethics questions have come to the top. Opponents of animal experimentation consider it is unethical due to reasons such as it is cruel and inhuman, and it violates animals’ rights. Firstly, animal testing is always merciless. The condition of where animals are kept within laboratory could be poor, and animals are often exposed to harmful chemicals to see the results. In 1997, people for the Ethical Treatment of Animals filmed staff inside Huntingdon Life Sciences (HLS) in the UK. The staff was hitting puppies, shouting at them, and taking blood samples from the dogs. (â€Å"It’s A Dog’s Life,†2005). Another example is the primate experiments conducted at the University of Cambridge in 2002. The monkeys in laboratory had undergone surgery to induce a stroke, and were left alone after the procedure for 15 hours overnight. They were only given food and water for two hours a day so that researchers can better observe their reactions in different situations (Sandra, 2005). The extremely pain and suffering caused by animal testing has become a serious ethics issue. The second debatable ethics issue is regarding to animals’ rights. People have started to ask whether animals deserve the same rights as humans. According to human’s basic rights, a person may not be killed, cruelly treated, intimidated, or imprisoned for no good reason. Put another way, people should be able to live in their own needs and preferences. What about animals? Do they deserve the basic respects like humans? There is no doubt that animals experience life as humans do. Animals can feel pain and fear, and they would be desperate in difficult situations. It is true that animals do not have the same abilities as humans. They cannot speak, write or invent things, but neither can some humans. Can we deprive the rights of those humans who lack these abilities? Do we say disabled humans have no inherent value and rights? Certainly not, because their lives still has value to them. As philosopher Tom Regan (1985) has said in his argument for animal rights: we are each of us the experiencing subject of a life, a conscious creature having an individual welfare that has importance to us whatever our usefulness to others†¦ animals too must be viewed as the experiencing subjects of a life, with inherent value of their own(p.13). It is not justifiable to harm animals’ lives for the benefits of humans. Humans tend to regard themselves as the most important and valuable species on earth. However, this opinion is too self-centered and unmoral. Millions of species are all living on this planet, and they all deserve the dignity to live. Even though there is no doubt that better research progress would be gained from animal testing, we human cannot take the benefits from the misfortune of other species. We are part of this planet, and we have the obligation to protect ecological balance, not to harm it. Supporters of animal experimentation are also aware of the defects and ethical problems of animal experimentation, but they assert there are no effective alternatives to animal testing. As a matter of fact, with the development of technology, there are many more possibilities to conduct experimentations without animals. Thanks to modern technology, more and more non-animal research is being used now all over the world. For example, Pharmagene Laboratories is the first company to use only human tissues and sophisticated computer technology for the purpose of drug development and testing. People in Pharmagene use sophisticated scanning devices to analyze inner structure of human. With tools from biochemistry, analytical pharmacology, and molecular biology, Pharmagene is able to study human genes and drug effects on the proteins they make. They have made great achievements in the field of non-animal experimentation. Besides, the scientists in Pharmagene believe that the study process would be much more efficient with human tissues instead of animals’. They also state there would be lower risk associated with non-animal experimentation. (Coghlan,1996). As I pointed out before, animal testing can be inconclusive and inaccurate. Also, it is usually expensive to do experiments on animals. On the contrary, non-animal methods often take less time and cost less to conduct. Effective, affordable, and humane research methods include sophisticated in vitro, genomic, and computer-modeling techniques as well as studies of human populations, volunteers, and patients. Why do we have to conduct the cruel, immoral animal testing which cost us money and effort? People c an use these effective alternatives instead. Today, animal experimentations are still used widespread in areas of biology, behavior study, medical research, and drug testing. Although supporters of animal experimentations argue that animal testing is beneficial for human health, critical for research purposes, there are strong evidence showing that animal experimentation might not be necessary. Animal experimentation can cause a lot of dangerous side effects in drug testing. Moreover, People’s diseases cannot be accurately treated through animal experimentation. Also, there are serious moral issues associated with animal testing, and we should not take the benefits from the misfortune of other species. People need to be aware of the disadvantages of animal testing and seek for better alternatives. Non-animal methods often take less time and cost less to conduct. With the development of technology, there would be more and more effective alternatives to animal testing. Due to the various disadvantages of animal experimenta tion, we ought to abandon animal testing and focus on better solutions. I believe humans can benefit more from non-animal experimentations References Animal Experimentation.(2011). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Balls, M. Statement on the Application of the Epidermâ„ ¢ Human Skin Model for Skin Corrosivity Testing. New York, NY: Metropolitan. Cohen, C. (2001). The Animal Rights Debate. Lanham, MD: Rowman. Coghlan, A, (1996). Pioneers Cut Out Animal Testing. New Scientist, 9, 31-33. Deborah, L. (2009). Novel Multicellular Organotypic Models of Normal and Malignant Breast: Tools for Dissecting the Role of Microenvironmen in Breast Cancer Progression. Breast Cancer Research, 11, p.3. Festing, S. (2008). Animal Research—a Defense. Retrieved from http://www. Newstatesman.con/life-and-society/2008/03/animal-rights-debate. Gilland, T. (2002). Animal Experimentation: Good or Bad? London: Hodder. It’s a Dog’s Life. (2005). Small World Productions, pp. 54, 56. Laboratory Primate Advocacy Group. (1984). History of nonhuman animal Research. Boston, MA: Bedford. Regan, T. (1985). The Case for animal rights. New York: Basil Blackwell. Sandra, L.(2005). Lab monkeys in tests. The Grardian. p. R3. Singer, P. (2006). In Defense of Animals: The Second Wave. Malden, MA: Blackwell. Thomas, P.(2008). Animal Testing—Dangerous to Human Health. Retrieved From http://www.newstatesman/life-and-society/2008/animal-right

Chemical Warfare in the Iran-Iraq War

Chemical Warfare in the Iran-Iraq War party that distrusted and misunderstood the army. On the side of Iran, army was under control of Ayatollah Khomein, who was a religious fanatic. These two personalities on both sides took advantage of the army and involved the army in their personal differences. Military force played a crucial role in the outbreak of the war from both sides. For instance, Baathist planned their military campaign, and they had a positive attitude on themselves. According to Iraqs, they referred Iranians as one who lacked cohesive leadership, and who lacked spare parts for America- made equipment. Baghdad on the other side possessed well equipped and trained forces, which made their morale run high against Irans armed forces including revolutionary Guard (Pasdaran) troops, who were led by the religious mullahs with inadequate military experience; the Iraqis could muster twelve complete mechanized divisions equipped with latest soviet materials. By the late 1970s, the Iraqs had assembled an army of 190,000 men, 450 aircraft and 2,200 tanks (Hogendoorn 2008). The relationship between Iran and Iraq deteriorated in April 1980; when Iranian supported Ad Dawah attempt to assassinate Iraqi, foreign minister Tariq Aziz. When they failed to assassinate foreign minister they further went on and tried another attempt to assassinate the minister of culture and information, Latif Nayyif jasim. In reaction, the Iraqis immediately rounded up members and supporters of Ad Dinah and deported to Iran thousands of shias of Iranian origin. Saddam went further and ordered the execution of presumed Ad Dawah leader Ayatollah Sayyid Muhammad Bagr as Sadr and his sister. Robison Grant emphasized that, on 22 September 1980 Iraqi fighter jets that were used to attack nine dissimilar Iranian bases by surprise, with intention to destroy air forces for the Iranians while on the very ground. During this period or moment, there entered 6 Iraqi divisions of army and they drove around 5 miles transversely the border belonging to Iranians on 3 fronts and ended pu occupying 1000 square kilometers of Iranian territory, although this attempt did not succeed the Iranian jets retaliated by hitting strategically crucial targets close to paramount Iraq cities. Following this, the war broke out and went on for eight years. Both sides despite being imported high- tech fighting machines, they had inexperienced and untrained personnel to operate and repair them. As a result, they had to look for other tactics, which were effective caring less about casualties (Smart 2004). During the war, to avoid defeat Iraq hunted out every promising weapon, this included developing of self- sustaining facilities to produce militarily fundamental quantities of chemical warfare agents. This presented a solution to the masses of evenly armed Basif and Posdoran. These weapons were singularly successful when used on troop meeting areas and supporting artillery. When carrying out distasteful operations, Iraq routinely supported the attacks with deep fires and incorporated chemical fires on forward defenses, artillery positions, command posts, and logical facilities (Maritson 1984, 141). During this war, Iraq developed the ability to produce, store, and use chemical weapons. These weapons included G-series blister and H-series agents. These weapons were built on various offensive munitions which include aerial bombs, rockets, war heads and artillery shells on the Al Hussein Scud missile variant. During the war, Iraqi fighters attacked Iran by dropping mustard-filled 500 kilogram and tabun-filled 250 kilogram, it is also noted that, they also installed spray tank on an unknown numbers of helicopters. Iran unsuccessfully tried to attack the osirak reactor on September 30, 1980 that belonged to Iraq. In response to Iranian missile attack against Baghdad, Iraqi fired 190 missiles against Iranian cities for a period of six weeks (Iraqi Scientist Reports on German 2003). The Iraqi air force, which consisted of about 28,000 troops, had a back from soviet and French aircraft. The air force was divided into squadrons of light bombers, interceptors, fighter, transports, and helicopters. Despite these heavy munitions, the Iraq did not have appropriate measures to utilize these munitions to their maximum. For instance, most attack squadrons and all the bomber squadrons had been retained to protect the palace. Also, they had inadequate training, especially pilots, and they received inadequate training in Soviet Union. Iraqis lacked both target analysis and reconnaissance capabilities. They also lacked a viable command and to manage system for either close air hold up or on an integrated air defense (Grant 2003). On the side of Iran, its air force was backed by United States, where they received their training and assistance. For instance, they were provided by number of air crafts which included, 166 f-5Es, 188 F-4D/Es and 77 F-14s. Iranians had only about 77 air craft dedicated to the mission, unlike the Iraqis who had 115 air craft defense. Iranians had fourteen dedicated reconnaissance aircraft, the Iranians enjoyed the fact that their aircraft had advanced avionics, and could carry smart bombs, and they had trained pilots to fly them. Also, Iranian took advantage of being near the border, based on that the Iranians would have an easier time to reach their targets, Stephen R. Shalom, The United States and Iran-Iraq War 1980-1988 Iran Chamber Society 1,2 (n.d). In conclusion, chemical warfare of Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1981, was largely fueled by internal factors. It is notable that, even though there were external influence, super powers such as Soviet Union and United state, they provided weapons which did not help too much. Case in point is in Iraq where they did not have the skills to use the weapons, thus creating more problems than it solved. It is due to this they had to look for other ways to apply, hence introduction of chemical warfare. Therefore, Iraq and Iran played a significant role in the rise and facilitated the war for eight years.

QUIZ Use This Chart to Determine Your Stress Level

QUIZ Use This Chart to Determine Your Stress Level Stress is unavoidable. We all have forces pulling at us from all directions: family, friends, work, pets, health, hobbies, you name it. But if your stress levels bubble up so high that they’re taking over your life, all day every day, you have a problem. When your health and general demeanor start taking a beating and can’t get back up again because of the pressures you feel, it’s time to make a change. Take the quiz below, found via Lifehacker, to determine just how big a part stress plays in your life, and what you should do about it.

Ignorance, Ignominy, and Other ig- Words

Ignorance, Ignominy, and Other ig- Words Ignorance, Ignominy, and Other ig- Words Ignorance, Ignominy, and Other ig- Words By Maeve Maddox In the words ignominy, ignoble, and words related to ignore, the prefix ig- means not. Words Related to Lack of Knowledge Ignorance and its related forms come from the Latin verb ignorare, â€Å"not to know.† ignore Initially the English verb ignore meant â€Å"to be ignorant of.† Like â€Å"J’ignore† in modern French, â€Å"I ignore† meant simply, â€Å"I don’t know.† In modern English ignore means â€Å"to refuse to take notice (of).† Ex. â€Å"I always smile and say ‘Hello,’ but she ignores me.† ignorance and ignorant Both these words relate to the fact or condition of not knowing something. As everyone is born ignorant, no shame should attach to the mere fact of being ignorant. However, the words have acquired negative connotations and both are often used to insult, hurt, or condemn. For example, when Emilia discovers Desdemona’s dead body, ignorant is one of the terms of abuse she hurls at Othello: Emilia: Thou has not half that power to do me harm As I have to be hurt. O gull! O dolt! As ignorant as dirt! thou hast done a deed– I care not for thy sword; I’ll make thee known, Though I lost twenty lives. –Othello, ii, 192-195. ignoramus Ignoramus [IG-nuh-RAY-mus] was an earlier generation’s favorite word for an ignorant person. For example, â€Å"That ignoramus doesn’t know the difference between imply and infer.† In fact, ignoramus is plural in origin. It’s the second person plural of the Latin verb ignorare: ignoramus, â€Å"we do not know.† It was a legal term: ignoramus: The endorsement formerly made by a Grand Jury upon a bill or indictment presented to them, when they considered the evidence for the prosecution insufficient to warrant the case going to a petty jury. I think the word dummy has probably replaced ignoramus in modern usage. Words Related to Lack of Reputation The etymology of both ignominy and ignoble can be traced to the Latin word for name. ignominy Etymologically, ignominy [IG-nuh-MIN-ee] is the state of not having a name. Roman culture, like many others, attached great importance to the sanctity of the family name. Name and reputation were synonymous. Although he puts the words in the mouth of that toad Iago, Shakespeare expresses the importance of reputation in this speech from Othello: Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse steals trash; tis something, nothing; Twas mine, tis his, and has been slave to thousands: But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him And makes me poor indeed. –Othello, III, iii, 156-161 A disgraced name is a name lost. The meaning of ignominy, therefore, is â€Å"dishonor, disgrace, shame, infamy.† The adjective is ignominious [IG-nuh-MIN-ee-us] ignoble Like ignominy, ignoble has connections with reputation–or lack of it. The word noble goes back to Latin nÃ… scere, â€Å"to know.† The best-known people were members of the ruling classes. Their families had the wealth to buy the horses, weapons, and armor that enabled them to make a name for themselves. Being â€Å"known† conferred status. The word for being known became a class marker. Noble began as a word that referred to a social and economic class, but gradually acquired additional meanings. Initially, ignoble meant â€Å"not noble,† that is, not born to the noble social class. Because the privileged class saw itself as superior in every way, noble came to mean â€Å"characterized by moral superiority,† and ignoble came to mean â€Å"morally flawed†: A rake is a composition of all the lowest, most ignoble, degrading, and shameful vices; they all conspire to disgrace his character, and to ruin his fortune. –Philip Dormer Stanhope 4th Earl of Chesterfield (1694–1773) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Compared "to" or Compared "with"?Comma Before But10 Types of Hyphenation Errors

Persuasive Film Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Persuasive Film Analysis - Essay Example The fireworks are revealed to be part of a celebration of Al Gore's election to the Presidency in 2000. The dream sequence that follows appeals to Democrats' hopes, dreams, and expectations on a very basic, fundamental level. Contrasted with that is the conspiracy information that a Bush cousin is an executive for Fox Channel in Florida and Bush’s brother Jeb, the Governor of Florida, promised George that he would win. Moore’s film suggests that the means by which Bush won Florida and thus the Presidency was not legitimate, convincingly causing the audience to feel curiosity and a growing sense of unease. Once the dream segment is over, the movie restarts with a black screen and the sounds of the streets of New York the day the planes hit the World Trade Center. In addition to very effective continued emotional appeals, Moore uses well-documented evidence, such as news videos of the moment Bush received news of the attack and callously turned back to reading to a group of children, to prove that George Bush was a bad president. Not only did he steal the election, but he did not effectively respond to emergencies and he was politically compromised by family and business interests. Other evidence he offers includes interviews with influential people, verifiable historic events, photographed images, and documents that he shows on the screen. The evidence is highly convincing and effectively distributed throughout the film to maintain variety and interest. A specific sequence that demonstrates the logic of the presentation occurs as the film examines the business connections between the Saudi Arabian government and the Bush family. Records of the passengers on each of the planes showed that nine of the 13 hijackers were of Saudi nationality, bringing up a disturbing connection. Video records showed that the senior Bush was engaged in a meeting with the Carlyle Group, of which he and the Bin Laden family are involved, on the morning of the attach. Addi tional records illustrate that the younger Bush was bailed out of his several business failures by large financial investments from Saudi business groups during a time when his father was head of the CIA and Vice President. Through this progression, Moore leads the audience to the conclusion that the Bush family must be more personally loyal to the Saudis than to the country they professed to lead. This conclusion is underlined with the parting shot reminding the audience that the only planes flying that day were military planes and a private airline quickly evacuating members of the Bin Laden family safely out of the U.S. The film has many strengths, including the elements listed above, but one of the weaknesses of the film is the overwhelming elements of the conspiracy theory Moore is developing. While the arguments are convincing because they are supported by strong evidence, the accusations are vast. He suggests not only that Bush stole the election with help from people who kne w he was incompetent, but he did so in order to further the personal interests of his family and friends. From the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan to the degradation of civil rights including the Patriot Act, the government’s misuse of terror warnings, and, in the final section of the movie, the conflict in Iraq, Moore's march is relentless and can be oppressive. Because of its approach, the film was easily accepted as truth by people who already criticized Bush before they saw the film, but

Analysis of Sustainability in Practice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Analysis of Sustainability in Practice - Essay Example As a technology company, Siemens worldwide aims to capture opportunities for sustainable advancement of customers and the organization. Corporate social responsibility generates sustained value for the betterment of society. Siemens is a future-oriented company which believes in sustainable development and responsibilities towards the society and has undergone out of the way to fulfill its commitment to the welfare of people, earth and the business. Sustainable development is beautifully explained as â€Å"Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs† (Grayson et. al 2012). Sustainability is seen as the eco-development approach for the preservation of resources. Moreover, social responsibility is an obligation to assume corporate duties for the welfare of society (Ebner & Baumgartner 2006). Seeking economic benefits stays as the mission for the existence of any business. However, CSR provides societal development which in directly supports the motive of the business. By long-term value creation for the society, businesses fulfill their duty as a member and contribute to the growth of the firm. Proponents of sustainable development suggest that resources are scarce so sustainable use is crucial for growth otherwise the quality of life will worsen (Blewitt 2008). For instance, if a tree is slashed without planting another one, this will eventually turn a forest into a desert. The issue of sustainability has become even more challenging with the massive growth in population because it will raise the consumption and demand for resources. Sustainability involves a firm commitment towards needs of the poor along with economic and social improvement and also realizing the limited nature of resources. Corporate Social Responsibility is an ethical  obligation to the community at large.

Kiosk Technology Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Kiosk Technology - Research Proposal Example Kiosk point-of-sale systems provide 24 x 7 availability to the customers where they can make transactions in an easy, user-friendly manner. The ease, with which transactions can be made, provides an important element towards an organization's ability to attract customers; as the customers look for user-friendly and always available systems that can take care of their needs. Kiosk promises to be the technological advancement that can take care of this need. In addition, kiosks provide customers with product information and interactive features that improves the overall image of the company in customers' minds. Kiosks are available in various types and for various purposes. Ranging from a simple cash register to a complex and integrated ATM (Automated Teller Machine), kiosks are believed to improve customer relationships, reduce headcounts for manual/ traditional operations, to take benefit of technology boom, to achieve accuracy and efficiency in operations and to improve customers' p erception about the company by providing various marketing and product/ services information on the kiosk terminals. This research will concentrate on evaluating the use of kiosks at var... Presenting Problem Any strategic investment in technology is made only if there are visible benefits and high expected returns from the investment. Kiosks have been used at POS sites with a hope to increase customer visits and their satisfaction levels that might ultimately lead to an increase in business revenue. However, there are no measurements and or performance evaluation mechanisms to find out the effectiveness of kiosks in adding to customer delight at the point of sale sites; and if at all there are some benefits to it. My research will help establish a relationship between kiosks and the POS systems to determine if kiosks add value to the overall productivity of POS sites and how can this value be measured, if at all. This can be used as part of feasibility analysis for strategic IT investment in kiosk technology by companies at their point of sale systems sites. Scope and Scale The scope of this research can not be restricted to few organizations or customers only. Since kiosks are being used by a variety of companies in a number of instances, it is wise to sample different sets of businesses and customers to develop a representative output for the entire universe of customers and businesses. The scope of this research includes surveys to be conducted with both customers who make use of kiosk technology and businesses that employ kiosk systems at the point of customer interaction. I will gather surveys from approximately 25 respondents belonging to various sites and areas, and then will attempt to compile the results. The number of surveys and interviews is only an estimate with an expected variation of ten percent for the number of respondents for the survey. Target The relationship between customer interaction with kiosk at POS systems and

How did the cotton economy shape the Souths environment and labor Assignment

How did the cotton economy shape the Souths environment and labor system - Assignment Example How did the Lecompton Constitution and the Lincoln-Douglas debates affect the debate over slavery in the territories? Why did Lincoln’s election in 1860 cause the South to secede? Scholarly sources which were researched online were used in providing for the answers. a. The antebellum South was mainly agricultural with cotton as their main product and with the unprecedented growth of the cotton economy during that period, slave labor became the major capital investment. South remained agricultural and produced on site goods and services. It remained a largely closed society and only a few towns or villages emerged. (â€Å"The Cotton Economy in the South.† American Eras. 1997). Slaves were only regarded as properties by their owners and were often maltreated and oppressed. Though a few had the courage to fight back, their punishments were much more severe; they were whipped, beaten, drowned or hanged. Others resisted by slowing down in their work or feigning illness or breaking their tools. Others sabotaged their production like setting fire on the crops, and some resorted to theft of food, tobacco, liquor, and money from their slave masters. In the 1850s, slaves in plantations dwelt in quarters made up of crudely-made cabins. They lived together within the same homestead and this made the black communities flourish. Within these slave communities, they were able to retain their African culture with their folk tales, religion and spirituality, music and dance, and language, and they had their own families. These made their lives as slaves bearable. b. The Americans believed they had a â€Å"manifest destiny† to expand across the Pacific Ocean. After the election of James K. Polk in 1844, he at once initiated the annexation of Texas and he also eyed California and New Mexico. The Indians made it more difficult for the Americans in their war against Mexico. As U.S. was having war with Mexico, they were also having a cultural war

Personal Development and Careers Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words - 1

Personal Development and Careers - Essay Example The process of learning leads to acquiring of knowledge. Learning is commonly defined as the process that brings together cognitive, emotional, and environmental influences and experiences for acquiring, enhancing, or making changes in one's knowledge, skills, values, and world views (Illeris, 2000; Ormorod, 1995)’.Learning process focuses on what happens when the learning takes place. There are various Learning Theories which explore the process of learning. A learning theory is attempts to describe how people and animals learn; thereby helping us understand the inherently complex process of learning. Thus, through this process permanent change in the behavior and pattern is observed. The change, which comes through learning, is permanent in the sense that it improves one’s performance in his/her field. Learning theories have two main functions. According to the definition by Hill (2002). â€Å"One is providing us with vocabulary and a conceptual framework for interpr eting the examples of learning that we observe. The other is suggesting where to look for solutions to practical problems. The theories do not give us solutions, but they do direct our attention to those variables that are crucial in finding solutions.† David Kolb’s, a pioneer in the field of learning, developed a model, which he published in the year 1984.Through this model was originated the Kolb’s Experimental Learning Theory. This theory establishes four stage-learning styles which can also be called the Training Cycle. In this four-stage cycle of learning, â€Å"immediate or concrete experiences provide a basis for observations and reflections. These observations and reflections are assimilated and distilled into abstract concepts producing new implications for action that can be actively tested in turn creating new experiences†. Through the entire cycle of learning, the learner touches the basis, that is, a cycle of experiencing, reflecting, thinking , and acting. Immediate and concrete experiences lead to observations and reflections, these reflections are then absorbed or assimilated as abstract concepts which in turn help in creation of new processes. Thus, Kolb’s categorizes learners into four types according to his definition. Convergers, Diverger, Assimilator and Accommodator. A learning process must accomplish all these four responses. Convergers are characterized by abstract conceptualization and active experimentation; they are good at practical application of ideas and proficient at deductive reasoning. Divergers are reflective in observation and they are imaginative. They have concrete ideas. Assimilators are capable of crafting theoretical models by means of inductive reasoning and Accommodators are good at actively engaging with the world. Kolb’s learning style methods are acknowledged by the academicians, teachers, managers and trainers. This model has helped people in learning and understanding human behaviour. Another model of learning is Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligence Theory Model that offers simple and accessible methods to understand and explain people preferred ways to learn and develop. It is a classic model to understand and teach many aspects of human behaviour and intelligence, learning style and personality. It is also a widely accepted model in the field of academics and industry though developed initially for psychology. In simple terms this theory is based on cognitive perspective. Gardner discovered seven

How did the cotton economy shape the Souths environment and labor Assignment

How did the cotton economy shape the Souths environment and labor system - Assignment Example How did the Lecompton Constitution and the Lincoln-Douglas debates affect the debate over slavery in the territories? Why did Lincoln’s election in 1860 cause the South to secede? Scholarly sources which were researched online were used in providing for the answers. a. The antebellum South was mainly agricultural with cotton as their main product and with the unprecedented growth of the cotton economy during that period, slave labor became the major capital investment. South remained agricultural and produced on site goods and services. It remained a largely closed society and only a few towns or villages emerged. (â€Å"The Cotton Economy in the South.† American Eras. 1997). Slaves were only regarded as properties by their owners and were often maltreated and oppressed. Though a few had the courage to fight back, their punishments were much more severe; they were whipped, beaten, drowned or hanged. Others resisted by slowing down in their work or feigning illness or breaking their tools. Others sabotaged their production like setting fire on the crops, and some resorted to theft of food, tobacco, liquor, and money from their slave masters. In the 1850s, slaves in plantations dwelt in quarters made up of crudely-made cabins. They lived together within the same homestead and this made the black communities flourish. Within these slave communities, they were able to retain their African culture with their folk tales, religion and spirituality, music and dance, and language, and they had their own families. These made their lives as slaves bearable. b. The Americans believed they had a â€Å"manifest destiny† to expand across the Pacific Ocean. After the election of James K. Polk in 1844, he at once initiated the annexation of Texas and he also eyed California and New Mexico. The Indians made it more difficult for the Americans in their war against Mexico. As U.S. was having war with Mexico, they were also having a cultural war

Impact of the war on terror on Rules of Evidence Essay

Impact of the war on terror on Rules of Evidence - Essay Example However the alteration of the U.S. security system after 9/11 and various fresh national security agendas have produced extensive anxiety over the safeguard of international human rights, democratic standards, and several rights preserved in the U.S. Constitution that outline the civil liberties of the American citizens. Since the United States has not experienced any more attack on U.S. soil, which shows the efficiency of different U.S. counterterrorism efforts. But the 9/11 terrorist attack led the U.S. administration to review several existing laws and strategies and to make fresh ones, mistakes and exceeding the limit associated with these labors added grave erosion of faith in U.S. guiding principles and direction. In foreign countries, exposures of extrajudicial apprehensions and detainee mistreatment have damaged U.S. status and sincerity. Further it hindered counterterrorism collaboration with allies, and endowed with provocative misinformation that helps terrorist radicalization. Internally, policy deviations over security and civil liberties have been recurrent, extensively revealed, and sensitively charged, creating a situation of animosity and doubt that has confronted the people’s faith in the administration, caused division among supporters, and destabilized collaboration among the political branches of government. (Prieto, 2009). Criminal laws of US normally focus on dealing with criminal actions that have already happened, and are less effective in attaining the counterterrorism aim of preventing future attack. Criminal laws face a lot of disputes in tackling the terrorist threat. Even after a person is detained, a number of challenges face a successful criminal trial. Before 9/11, criminal trials relied on involving the defendant to a specific violent act or a plot to perform such an attack. The admissibility of evidence causes an additional challenge. Information that may be suitable in an intelligence framework may fail to suit the

African American-European American Iat Essay Example for Free

African American-European American Iat Essay The version of the IAT, that I chose to take is the African American – European American IAT. There were a few steps in order to complete the test; the first step was to fill out information about myself. The questions that I answered were related to my age my educational status, nationality, religious beliefs and my current state of employment. The next step of the test was to choose either ‘E,† or ‘I,† to indicate my choice of African American for a picture of a African American or European American for a picture of a European American. The next series of questions asked me to select either African American grouped with â€Å"bad,† or European American with â€Å"good’. Another series of questions was visually posed this time with, African American grouped with good and European American grouped with bad. The results show that data suggests a strong automatic preference for European American’s compared to African Americans. My automatic preference was toward European Americans. The results of this test aren’t very surprising to me. In class we were told how the test would go, so I already knew what to expect. There was a small bit of doubt whether or not the test would indicate a strong preference for one or the other at all though, because I am Hispanic. I would have speculate that based on the fact that I grew up primarily in white suburbia in a private school that almost exclusively consisted of all white students, that my preference is a subconscious choice. I am most familiar with European Americans therefore I chose them over African Americans. There is a distinction between implicit attitudes and explicit attitudes, that distinction is simple. Implicit attitudes are the attitudes that we don’t think about, they are automatic. Explicit attitudes are the attitudes that are consciously controlled. According to Gawronski and Bodenhausen, in the text, Social Psychology,†Our automatic implicit attitudes regarding someone or something often differ from our consciously controlled, explicit attitudes†(p.51). From the results of the IAT that I took, I would have to say that my implicit attitudes towards African Americans, do not match my explicit attitudes about African Americans. The reason that I believe that my implicit attitudes are different from my explicit attitudes is that I usually make a conscious decision to be friendly and welcoming to any person that I come in contact with regardless of gender, race, age, or sexual orientation. The results are mildly surprising, however, I believe that I am more accustomed to being in the company of European Americans, and therefore I show a distinct implicit attitude favoring them. Implicit attitudes are a dangerous thing; we should pay particular attention to how we label people explicitly, so that with time, we can manipulate our unconscious attitudes and impulse reactions to certain people. A good example of problems that people run into with their improper mind set comes to us from our text, Social Psychology. Age is the example Bugental and Hehman used in 2007, when they discovered that people treat the elderly differently than they do people whom are younger, they explain that â€Å"People’s perceptions of the elderly- as generally kind but frail, incompetent, and unproductive- predispose patronizing behavior†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (p. 308). It’s that attitude that people hold about the elderly that according to Bugental and Hehman, â€Å"predispose patronizing behavior, such as baby-talk speech that leads elderly people to feel less competent and act less capably’ (p. 308). It is important that we change our thinking, because if we continue to have the same biases, we not only do our selves a disservice in being implicitly and or explicitly inappropriate in our attitudes, but we also risk the chance of hurting others in our actions. Works Cited Myers, D. C. (2010). Social psychology (10th ed. ). New York: McGraw-Hill. Pages 51,308 Psych 312 Extra Credit 10pts 5-8-13 Eli J. Guymon Gender – Career IAT The second test that I took was the gender – career IAT. Before the test began, I was asked to report my beliefs about women versus men in the work force and women versus men in the home life. The second set of questions asked me to fill out information about myself. The questions that I answered were, what is my age, my educational status, nationality, religious beliefs and my current state of employment. Following those questions were questions about my family growing up, they wanted to know if I had a mother as a primary care giver, and if she worked outside of the home, specifying what she did for a living, and if there was a secondary caregiver, such as a father or step father, where they employed outside the home, and what their occupation was. The next step of the test was to choose either ‘E,† or ‘I,† to indicate my choice. The groupings in the first series of visual concepts to match were men’s names with the word men and women’s names with the word women. The next step was to match men with career minded words and women with household related words. Finally in the final sets of matching words the groupings were reversed so that men and household related items were a pair and women with career minded words belonged together. According to the results, data suggested little or no association between male and female with career and family. I did not have a automatic preference. My explicit and implicit attitudes match, I do not consciously nor do I subconscious place anyone in a group that favors either individual in the work place or family. I am not surprised by my results because I was raised in a home where my mother was a primary care giver but I also received care giving from my step father. Both my mother and my step father worked outside of the home. Both my mother and my step father shared responsibilities equally except where one person seemed to enjoy a task more than the other, that partner would assume say a specific domestic role that the other was happy to not have to do. For an example of a domestic role that both of my parents needed to be done but one seemed to favor it over the other, grilling outside, was my step fathers domestic role because my mother did not enjoy doing that work, and my step father rarely did his own laundry, because it was a task that my mother felt comfortable doing by herself.

A business analysis project for Amazon.com

A business analysis project for Amazon.com INTRODUCTION Business analysis, a process of finding the needs and problems in business and generating solutions to cater to those problems. These Solutions should focus to achieve improvements in the process, incorporation of organisational change, planning and development to set a system of operation that is result oriented and effective. There are numerous tools and techniques used depending on the situation and requirement; few are PESTEL, PORTERs model, SWOT analysis, HEPTALYSIS, MOST, CATWOE, DeBonos six thinking hats, MoSCoW, five whys, VPEC-T and more; however only few of the above tools are used, very frequently in critical analysis at the initial stages. ABSTRACT In this case we analyze as how Amazon.com has been performing off late, using the tools mentioned above. The advantages and disadvantages Amazon.com has over their competitors, where they have been lagging, their financial performance and strategic approach. Critical analysis will be done on their business environment and strategic approach to highlight any possible shortfalls and to provide with appropriate recommendations for improvements. Internal and external analysis will be undertaken to determine their marketing strategy, their response to global e-retailing industry. COMPANY PROFILE Amazon.com based in Washington and found by Jeff Bezos in 1994 is global leader in e-commerce and it was the first company to introduce the concept of selling goods on the Internet. Initially Amazon.com started as an online bookstore and its success led Amazon to diversify into other products such as gifts, music, electronics, groceries, toys and many more. Probably today there is no product that Amazon.com doesnt sell. Amazon.com has developed different internet portal sites for different countries such as Canada, UK, Germany, France, China and Japan. Amazon.com was named after worlds largest river Amazon and was assigned with a logo of an arrow starting from A to Z representing the customer satisfaction as the highest priority and fill their store houses with every product in the alphabet. Amazon.com was open for trading under NASDAQ with a symbol AMZN for the first time on 15 may, 1997 by issuing initial public offering at a price of US $ 18/share. Amazon.com in its early stages was not very successful and did not produce any profits, which made investors rethink about their portfolio, major business and process restructuring was required; they had to cut down their costs to increase the profits and were tied up from diversifying into more products, however Amazon.com survived the dot com bubble in 2000 which was the core reason for many e- businesses to close down and this was the turning point for Amazon.com after which they finally in the fourth quarter, 2001 they made their first profit which generated revenues of more than a billion$ and $ 5million profits in just 1 quarter. This led Amazon.com to prove to the world that their business model was profitable and also they popularized online shopping which was recognized by time magazine and awarded Jeff as the business person of the year. 1.3. MISSION VISION STATEMENTS Amazon.com vision: Our vision is to be earths most customer centric company; to build a place where people can come to find and discover anything they might want to buy online. (Amazon.com, 2010) Above statement reflects that amazon.com wants to be global leader in e-retailing business by providing the quality products at affordable price using latest technology to build the customer database and gain their loyalty towards the brand; thereby catering to the stakeholders interests and generating profits to the company. Expand themselves all over and build a virtual market place where customers can shop comfortably from at home. ANALYSIS 2.1. EXERNAL ANALYSIS The external environment also referred to as the macro-environment, plays a very important role in the operations of any business. Key environmental factors such as political, economical, social, technological, legal, etc. affect the organisations at various levels. It has become the need of the hour to consider the potential impact of the external factors on the individual organisations. (Johnson et al, 2006). 2.1.1 PESTEL analysis PESTEL analysis is conducted to determine current and future trends in political, economical, social, legal, environmental and technological environments, might influence the performance of business and what measures to be taken to avoid any shortfalls. PESTEL Factors Key Points Relevance to Amazon.com Political Government policies incorporate competition and promotion by liberalizing telecom and e-commerce legislation Increase in affordability and internet usage. Investing in national ICT infrastructures by government (Euro monitor) Reliable, faster and better internet usage for the national users. Relaxation of competition policies in industry as compared to heavy industries in EU and North American regions Expansion of markets at greater a pace by mergers and acquisitions. Economic To control inflation, interest rates varied which slows down the consumer spending in UK. Off late spending has seen a downfall in US and rise in Asian markets due to economic growth; main reason being the credit crunch and tightening the housing loan (The Times online, 2008) Opens the gates to other global markets to such as India and china. Between 2006 and 2011 e-retailing grows tremendously by rising sales over 100%. This growth is backed by increase in the number of internet users in US, which has increased approximately by 85% after 2000. (Euromonitor International from national statistics) Increase in potential customers for Amazon.com The annual disposable income exceeds US$5,000. by 2011 covering around 620 million households; of these majority will be in Asia- Pacific next to western Europe. (Euro monitor International from national statistics) Increase in potential customers for Amazon.com leading to the concept of globalization. Social Popularity and increased use of online social networking. Added advantage to market the product and the website Interface available for users to shop and the increase in number of products lead to drop in online shopping. Has to come up with a solution to reduce the security and financial risks to users. Growth of internet from 2002 to 2011 is 288.7%. 28.9% of world population use the internet (Internet World Stats, 2009) Huge market available to exploit and establish. Technological Innovation of latest technologies increased broadcasting, internet access at cheaper cost. Increase in number of users of technical devices such as mobile, iPods, TV, led for increase in internet access for online shopping. Innovations and development of high-speed internet services (broadband) has increased usage rich media applications. Rich media applications are easily available to shoppers on internet. Environmental Awareness about pollution and global warming. Reduced travel and more shopping online. Corporate social responsibility and global pressure to go green. Can incorporate concept of green within postage and packaging, methods. Legal No standard regulations governing e-retailing covering entire globe. Eg. Federal trade commission in USA and data protection act in UK. Should be well aware of both domestic and international legal laws. European E-retailing directive Could impact the cross continental growth of e-retailing considering strict regulations (Jacobson, 2008 as cited in Zugelder et al, 1999). The invention of electronic signatures Law. Removes traditional legal methodologies and instate more secure and transparent legal environment. Summary of PESTEL PESTEL factors indicate attractive global market to be exploited by Amazon.com. Asian markets have reflected tremendous growth opportunities in recent past. Advancement and usage of internet for social networking has led to new opportunities to be exploited. Amazon.com should support environment friendly actions as increased importance is been given to environment these days, also to be a true global company Amazon.com has to incorporate single global strategy which involves legalities common to all of the globe. 2.1.2 Industry competitor analysis (PORTERs Model) For any organisation the industry and competitor analysis is important as it comes handy for businesses to understand the competitive forces, market status, factors influencing, competitive strategic implementations. Porters Five Forces analysis is used to assess the attractiveness of different industries, and therefore, it can help in illustrating the sources of competition in a particular industry (Johnson et al, 2006). Porters five forces High Low Power of suppliers Suppliers retain the control as few brands and special products increase the cost down the network. For example Harry Potter books are exclusive from publisher which is an advantage for Amazon.com E- Retailing sets a stage and makes it much easier for businesses to sell products directly to consumers without any third party in-between. Power of suppliers rise if the control of certain type of products rests with one supplier than fragmented. Products available easily pose low power to suppliers and they have to act to a mower margin. Wider the market, wider is the scope for suppliers thereby increasing number of suppliers. Power of buyer Increased market competition has increased the power of buyers. Increase in number of online stores and comparison sites makes e-retailing business even more difficult. Threat of new entrants Initial capital required for such a business is very low as it doesnt involve any inventory and storage costs and will only need to implement technology Strong brand image incorporates good customer relations and trust. Since the competition is very tight the suppliers who emphasize on economies of scale and consider business turnover over profits make more business and profits in the long run Leaders in the online retail industry hold the advantage of customer loyalty and database while giving edge over the cost. Threat of Substitutes Latest marketing factors such as feel, touch, hear physical stores; makes an effect. One of the major threats to Amazon.com is online rentals instead of purchase as posed by texbookflix.com, bookrenter.com which reduces cost and pile of trash to a major extent. Internet is a global marketplace where consumers can get information and products which are much better in quality and from overseas online for no or very little cost. E-libraries, $ and pound shops mark greater threat nowadays. Mail orders, network marketing, catalogues although not very popular and effective yet pose threat to online buying Competitive Rivalry Search engine plays a major role at the consumer end for it acts as interface between seller and buyer which generates opportunities and PR to other e-retailers. Due to low initial investment costs there are a numerous affiliate online stores which are smaller still increase the competition. Summary of key findings from Porters Five Forces The competition in e-retailing industry is intense. There are number of small organizations adding frequently making the situation even worse. Main competitors to Amazon.com are BN and E-bay. The threat posed by small players and new entrants who can equally compete directly with Amazon.com is very low. When consumers consider prices of goods they also consider brand image and if they are reliable, most of customers expect quality service than just quantity and lower priced service. 2.1.3 Competitor analysis / Benchmarking Amazon.com has a wide product range and equally wide number of websites that compete with Amazon.com. Most of the e-retailers concentrate on introducing variety of products in the current available market or entering the new markets across the globe or both in order to maintain economies of scale which helps catch up with the pace of e-commerce industry. If we consider how diversified the product line is and the geographical markets catered, eBay poses direct competition to Amazon.com. However Amazon.com is the market leader in current trend and they have immediate urgency to expand both their product line and geographical reach to remain as leaders. As we can notice in the above graph, in 2006 Amazon.coms growth rate as compared to that of walmart was very low because walmart was a strong brand by then and had advantages of cross channel synergies and in-store pick up. In 2007 we observe the amazon getting closer to walmarts growth rateas they diversified into products such as music, cds, dvds, mp3 players and more; due to increased competition from these players walmart has been losing its market share continuously and however once can see that by 2008 Amazon.com is almost overtaken the walmart by providing with various offers such as free delivery and customer reviews. (Source: Data monitor) The above table shows position of Amazon.com but they are more diversified into the product line and geographically well spread. Companies like apple, hp, and dell do online retailing only for focussed group of products. However store based companies grew very strongly in 2008, but due to economical, hit not too many companies was able to survive. Amazon.com did by lowering delivery charges and provided with best offers. They also introduced ad-free TV and own download service and film streaming service in 2008 to outplay all of their competitors. Through competitor analysis it can be concluded that BN.com is the leading competitor to Amazon in lifestyle goods and books. However, Amazon has a diversified product range. Wal-Mart.com has almost similar prices as compared to Amazon but they have better product range such as pharmacy, photo printing and etc. Ebay.com also has a wider product range and better geographical reach but their concept is different to Amazon.com More competitive threat posed by Tesco, Wal-Mart as they have physical stores and eBay has better geographical reach, but however Amazon.com has option to develop the strategic alliances as they did in Japan with Lawson to capture the market. Amazon.com has to design its strategies to address these competitive threats. 2.1.4 Global internet trends Internet Usage: china, US, Germany, India, Brazil, Japan are amongst the top 5 countries where internet is used the most; Amazon.com has made its impact in all the above countries except for India. This implies and directs Amazon.com to exploit hidden opportunity in Asian market and huge business potential for future. Graph below shows the popularity of internet in the 21st century, which indicates the future of e-commerce as trends keep changing. C:UsersWELCOMEDesktoptop202010.jpeg (Source: Worldinternetstats.com) The graph below shows the dominance of Amazon.com sector wise. The balloon shows of all the business done by amazon.com majority has been in internet retailing; direct selling, vending and home shopping is almost void. This reflects the influence of internet on the business of Amazon.com. It is also seen below emerging markets and present markets where currently Amazon.com has its presence. Of all the retail sales value Amazon.com holds a very small share but then future trends look brighter as the CAGR expected is highest in India by 2011. This lays a pathway to Amazon.com as to establish themselves without any delay in India. (Source: Data monitor) (Source: Data monitor) 2.2. INTERNAL ANALYSIS Internal analysis can be conducted to determine relationship between the organizations available resources and its application to generate value proposition to the customer, it can also be used to determine the limitations, advantages and disadvantages within the organizations. 2.2.1 The Value Chain The value chain analysis helps determining the effectiveness of actions that makes organizations standout from their competitors and take a lead; i.e. activities that are difficult to duplicate. Applying the framework laid by Amit and Zott (2001) analytical objective of value chain is attaining of transaction cost economies value creation. Amazon.com focuses on reducing the costs in creating unique value to its customers. Support Activities Value creation Firm Infrastructure All of the business units are provided with central customer data warehouse; and planning functions from headquarters. Human Resource Management Amazon.com employees enjoy benefits such as stock grants, relocation allowances, paid Time off medical. Such an approach invites warehouses to be in cheaper locations yet attract skilled labour. Technology Development Amazon.com implements latest technology to leverage opportunities in digital sales such as videos, music, eBooks (The Economist, August 2006) Being able to digitize media for online download or for Search inside the book service. Usage of hardware systems to reduce cost of maintenance and compatibility Procurement Using the SBU-Book bank to maintain inventory of digital copies of books so as to make it available readily for customers on-demand and reduce time of delivery (The Economist, August 2008). Usage of recyclable cardboards for packaging. Primary Activities Inbound logistics Robust forecasting technology ensures no or very returns of goods to suppliers. Collection of customer feedback and experiences to defragment inventory and delivery controls. Operations Secure and fast online payment systems. Employ 24/7 warehouse services to meet consumer demands. Outbound logistics Built in close proximity of a robust transport system e.g. Bedfordshire fulfillment centre located next to M1. Ability to collate orders from around same locations. Marketing Sales Live customer interaction to offer suitable products at discounted prices and product mix, leaving customer feel more valued. Robust shipping price calculation and shipping all the products for the price of one. Service Free consumer friendly returns policy within 30 days on unsatisfaction, inviting consumers to try more new products. Provision to select between old and new products with price comparison 2.2.2 Financial analysis In Q4 2009, Amazon reported 42%, $9.52b rise in sales as compared to worldwide sales of previous year which was $24.51b, a mere 28% rise under the economic pressure; they also benefitted from the investments into customer services in Q3; however rise in their revenues all over the world doesnt imply high profit margins. As compared to the consistent rise in sales, the profits have been fluctuating, however their margins are very low as compared to the turnover, reason being the economies of scale and competition. (Source: GMID) Amazon.com did see a drastic rise in number of active customers in latter half of 2009, in the final quarter the average revenue/ customer rise more than $90, a mere 63% hike as compared to previous quarters. However rise in sales and number of active customers also rise their expenses significantly except for technology costs. $274m, 84% more as compared to previous quarter was spent on marketing activities. They invested money on paid search engine marketing, search engine optimization and content development. Also they entered into price war with their competitors to tie-up consumers by reducing their prices of electronic goods persuading consumers to buy from them which raised the revenues and number of customers. Amazon Global Revenue and Active Customers 2009 (www.365daysofretail.com) Amazon 2009 Expenses: Fulfillment, Technology, and Marketing (www.365daysofretail.com) Below shows a summary of balance sheet and income statements for 10 years, as we can observe amazon.com has been adding value to its stakeholders year on year where EPS has rised to 2.04 from 1.49 previous year. Amazon.com has been very consistent ear on tear however between 2005-2006 their EBIT dropped because they had high budget on marketing and investment in systems which allowed them to stay ahead of competitors. C:UsersWELCOMEDesktop11.bmp C:UsersWELCOMEDesktop12.bmp (www.msnfinance.com) Debt, Capital and gearing ratio indicates the ratio of debt to capital invested. 82% of the finance was from borrowing in 2005 which reduced to 68% in 2006 and has further reduced dramatically. Debts lead to the interest payments decreasing the profit margin, however if the cost of debt is less than capital cost then one can opt for debt, but Amazon has been continuously reducing their debt cost year o year and is just $109m in 2009. New projects has to be financed which emphasizes amazon.com to borrow, this can be justified by the data where interest cover has increased regularly concluding amazon.com ability to pay interest by 33.1 times is profitable. Amazon has huge financial reserves and can used for innovative research and development programs and technological implementations where they can incorporate single global strategy and also penetrate more geographic markets to create value to the stakeholders and customers. 2.3 SUMMARY OF ANALYSIS 2.3.1 SWOT analysis From a detailed Internal and external analysis we can conclude and summarize the Amazon.com strengths, weakness, threats and opportunities from the following SWOT analysis. Strengths Globally recognised brand Research and development programmes Geographical presence Customer focussed vision Diversified product line Incorporation of latest technology Amazon.com affiliate and merchant Program Highly skilled employee base Best inventory and logistics. Huge economies of scale Weaknesses No physical stores Lower profit margin due to high competition Low cash flows Lower market share in countries like India and china. Opportunities Tremendous growth in digital downloads Popularity of social networking Increase of online shoppers in Asian markets Open options for expansion via MA. Increase in e sales and growth of e-retailing Advancement of digital technology Rise in consumer spending across the globe Threats Vastly dependent on vendors Huge competition as it requires low capital Applicable Patent regulations. Piracy Concentrated business vision. CONCLUSION RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 CONCLUSIONS Analysis tool Key point Strategic essence PESTEL Rise in number of internet users. High priority to environmental issues Various government policies aiding now than before. Rise in internet usage opens new markets like china and India. Environmental issues can be utilized to advantage by incorporating proper CSR. Legal and government policies usually are havoc. Porters 5 forces Rise in competition levels taking into consideration the porters five forces. Amazon.com has the competitive advantage and the value proposition. Competition Competition from new entrants and stores are growing at a very high pace and geographically. Amazon.com strategy and diversified business focus leading to innovation should be implemented. Future internet trends USA, China, Japan, Germany, Brazil and India are the top internet users between 2006-2011. Amazon.com has a presence in all these countries except in India. The value chain Amazon.com is equipped with global IT, high investments in technology and systematic logistics with a centralized management. This stands out Amazon.com from other players in the market hence they should hold the competitive advantage of brand image. Resource Based View Biggest asset of Amazon.com is customer base, web personalization and value proposition they offer to their customer. Utilize the available resources, technology and global strategic reach to outplay competitors. Financial Analysis Rise in revenue every year and %CAGR growth has not led to high profits. Manage costs, resources and economies of scale more effectively to generate more profits 3.2 RECOMMENDATIONS Long-term focus Internet retailing presents a challenge to traditional retailing to see increased investments from store based retailers such as wal-mart making it more crucial for amazon.com to maintain a long term vision and invest in innovation, customer experience, diversified product range in spite of profit maximization expectations. Exploit New Markets Amazon.com should consider entering into more new markets especially Asian where the buying power, standard of living and the demand has rised dramatically over past few years as global economic changes take place. Downloads Expansion Amazons core business in future will be digital downloads, although they were latecomer in the field of film, music, TV downloads they have to cater to the demand in a highly competitive market along with their diversified product line. Also they have to concentrate on eBooks media division. Sensitivity to changing variables It is very important for amazon.com to be sensitive to the minor particulars such as changing trends, tastes, preferences of consumers from time to time as the purchasing power and changing lifestyles generate more demand leaving companies like Amazon.com to respond hence such a market research and imagination will be an advantage. Build selling opportunities Amazon.com should seek ways to sell products to customers with less havoc, instantly and securely as they did in text message selling without internet. In order to achieve this they need to have high end technical skills. Recently released kindle can also be used as a tool to increase the download sales.

The Life of my Dog Precious Essay -- Personal Narrative Pets Family Es

The Life of my Dog Precious Within the animal kingdom, few animals have the characteristics to co exist with humans. Dogs, however, are the exception. For centuries dogs have been known as man’s best friend. Throughout the test of time dogs have proven to be the most loyal and the truest friends. â€Å"Dogs are not just our proverbial best friends in the animal world but probably our oldest† (Phillips 12). With this in mind I understand the reason that my dog Precious is my most treasured and loyal friend. On December 24, 1993 I opened my mom’s purse to get some Tylenol and out popped a little puppy. Its fur was soft and blonde, she had freckles on her nose, and she had droopy eyes. It was a Cocker Spaniel. She was so adorable that my family and I decided to name her â€Å"Precious.† She was the greatest present anyone could have asked for. Precious, unlike most dogs, has lived an incredible life. She has been dog knapped three different times and taken to Georgia each time. She has been shot, ran over by a car, and experienced many other life threatening experiences. This dog has been through it all. After having her only two weeks, we decided to visit my grandmother. Precious did not like o be left alone, so when I looked around and noticed she was nowhere to be found, we all got a little worried. My family and I started searching all over the house. Finally, my grandmother heard a weird noise coming from the bathroom. Sure enough, it was Precious. She fallen in the toilet while trying to drink out of it, and could not get out. Thanks to my grandmother’s great hearing, Precious did not drown. Throughout Precious’s puppy years we had to repair many things that she destroyed. One ... ...eorgia. Last summer, right before I left to come to school, Precious was once again missing, and I was once again crying my eyes out. Instead of contacting our police or even driving down to Georgia, my parents contacted the police force in the area where the renters lived. They had an officer on dispatch drive by to see if they saw a little blonde Cocker Spaniel and there she was sitting in there lawn. The policeman told the people why he was there and quickly brought Precious home. One might think that dogs do not live an exciting life, but Precious has been on more road trips and lived through many life-threatening adventures than most humans. She is a wonderful pet and a great best friend. Obviously, she is adorable because she was stolen three times. She means the world to me and I do not know what I will do when she is gone for good.

Kentucky Fried Chicken History Essay

The company operates with five long-term measures identified as essentials of corporate growth and progress .. 1 International Expansion ‘Yum! Brands number-one goal is to drive global expansion with its category- leading brands. In 2002, the company opened a record 1,051 new international estaurants and increased international system sales 9% prior to foreign currency conversion. ‘ 2. Multibrand Innovation & Expansion ‘Yum! Brands is the worldwide leader in multibranding, offering consumers more choice and convenience at one restaurant location from a combination of two of the company’s brands. The company and its franchisees today operate over 1,975 multibrand restaurants, generating over $2 billion in annual system sales. Approximately 350 new systemwide multibrand restaurants were opened in 2002. ‘3. Portfolio of Category-Leading U. S. Brands ‘U. S. ystemwide same-store sales increased approximately 4% while U. S. same-store sales at company restaurants increased approximately 2% in 2002. ‘4. Global Franchise Fees ‘Global franchise fees, a significant factor in annual profits and cash flow, grew 6% to $866 million. Global franchise net restaurant growth was 2% in 2002. ‘ 5. Strong Cash Generation and Returns ‘Yum! Brands generated over $1. 3 billion in cash from all sources in 2002, more than fully funding capital expenditure needs, allowing free cash flow for share repurchase, and some repayment of debt. Return on invested capital is 18%, in the estaurant industry’s top tier. ‘ Culture Big on diversity in the workplace Promotes differences in background, ethnic cultures, and values – oriented environment Focuses on teaching everybody something new Promotes unity in the workplace Team- Focuses on building relationships and creating diversity and commitment within the company and amongst employees and customers Organizational Structure and Design KFC is part of a divisional structure, which is Yum! Brands, Inc. – Long John Silver’s, A;W, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut are the other divisions – Offers positions to change and growth – KFC works to bring recognition and money to Yum! Brands, Human Resource Management We won’t make you wing it’ is KFC’s motto when it comes to training employees. Training includes: 1) Workbooks 2) Quizzes 3) On-the-Job competency based training Employees are encouraged to work together as a team their people grow to their highest potential interesting and exciting for workers Social Responsibility KFC is committed to making sure KFC does their best to make the Job KFC has made it their responsibility to consumers that they will provide quality chicken in a fast, efficient way. They also say that their meat comes about ethically and through humane treatment. This has not always proved true in the past, since the PETA has become involved with their warehouses that ‘grow’ the chickens. KFC has made statements to the patrons of KFC, though, that the chickens will not be treated badly in the progression from birth to the processing plant. KFC sponsors a reward for senior citizens, those who live life to the fullest and are recognized in their community ‘ KFC also has the Colonel’s Kids program, a charity organization that helps kids become educated and grow up in a better world han that which they have known. It addresses the child care crisis and steps up to the plate to help out where possible. ‘ Scholarships and diversity programs are a part of KFC’s social responsibility as well Recently, the PETA group secretly recorded a worker at the Pilgrim’s Pride, one of the processing plants, beating a live chicken against the wall in order to kill it. As soon as KFC was notified of this treatment, they immediately submitted a written statement saying that the treatment was ‘appalling’ and took action immediately, placing an animal welfare expert at the plant to ensure he ethical, humane treatment of the chickens. The statement said that: â€Å"We do not tolerate animal abuse by any of our suppliers, under any circumstance. ‘ KFC also told the company Pilgrim’s Pride that, â€Å"unless they can definitively assure us there are absolutely no abuses taking place, we will not purchase from this Moorefield, West Virginia, facility. ‘ PETA says that more action should be taken, but KFC has done all it can to ensure that people are happy with the facilities and means by which their food comes about.