Affluenza Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Affluenza - Essay Example Therefore, this is an apparent indication that the problem of affluenza has a rich history in human life. Greed is a major constituent of Affluenza, since individuals persistently possess a materialistic mindset. However, the exaggerated possessions initiate negative ramifications in society. it amounts to health hazards, economic stagnation, environmental pollution, amongst others. Evidently, this is an ancient social problem that requires remedies. Johnson is an anthropologist who conducted a study in a hunting and gathering society called Machiguenga. According to his findings, the society enjoys more merit than the modernized society. The people of this society practice subsistence, and they are content with the resources that are at their disposal. They are never in a hurry, and they are much cohesive in their inter-personal relationships. Different philosophers such as Aristotle, Jesus Christ, Jerome Segal, amongst others assert that more possessions bring more struggles than h aving enough. Affluenza definitely brings much decadence to the society. Affluenza is a persistent social problem that has four major solutions.... Excessive consumption is a key mannerism that manifests amongst the affluent individuals. Academic adjustments in schools would offer profound recommendations against affluenza. Consequently, children will achieve awareness about the ramifications of affluenza. The knowledge system would also inculcate a change in parent’s lifestyle. Parents would not have to invest immensely on snacks and soft drinks. Therefore, the parents’ culture of overconsumption would take a diminishing trend. Evidently, the curriculum adjustments towards environmental science in schools would be an outstanding remedy for affluenza. The government has a major role in curbing affluenza. It would do this through its strict regulations to protect the natural environment. Social vices such as pollution, resource exploitation, and recycle issues would be effectively tackled. Affluenza entails a materialistic mindset in an existent population. People are pre-occupied by the persistent ambition to attai n more possessions. Factory owners therefore focus on maximizing production and profits. They do not have a major consideration towards the environment. In an affluent society, factories pollute the environment due to their materialistic mindset. Manufacturing industries also exploit natural resources. They do not implement recycling techniques. Such business entities have no regard towards the ramification of depletion. In this scenario, massive consumption and material possession are the applied principles. The government ought to implement clear-cut policies that oversee the preservation of all resources. Violation of the policies ought to attract legal consequences on the offenders. Legal limitations of advertisement ought to be

Establishing a Planned Giving Program Essay Example for Free

Establishing a Planned Giving Program Essay Charitable institutions play an important role in society, now more than ever, as socio-economic issues mount. The essence of charitable institutions is to facilitate the sharing or transfer of resources from those with excess to those who are wanting. The culture of giving emerged as a means of ensuring overall social welfare by pulling excess resources to segments of the population having more than they need to people without resources. Charitable institutions develop fund raising activities and schemes to encourage philanthropy as well as manage funds to translate this into programs for the targeted beneficiaries to fulfill this role effectively and continuously. The philosophy of fund raising for charitable work is that philanthropy plays an important role in democratic societies and fund raising is inevitable to philanthropy so that fund raising becomes an absolute necessity to democratic societies. (Kelly, 1998) Over the years, charitable institutions developed many fund raising processes or systems to ensure the short and long-term flow of funds necessary to support their important function. Planned giving is one long-term fund raising program that emerged. This works by providing donors with the option, other than outright giving, to defer giving to charitable institutions years after expressing the giving behavior, usually upon the death of the donor. This then focuses on assets instead of income as the measure of the capacity of donors to give. (Kelly, 1998) The rationale for this option is to facilitate the passing of assets from one generation to another through a system that allocates assets from their estates to charitable institutions upon their death according to their preference (Harrington, 2004). If people elect to pass their assets to charitable institutions then they can do so through planned giving. This also finds support in the governance system by providing incentives to philanthropy in the form of tax exemptions. II. Review of Literature A. Important Concepts and Definitions in Planned Giving Kelly (1998) conceptualized planned giving as the managed effort by charitable institutions to raise funds from gifts of assets of donors utilizing estate and financial planning processes and tools. The purpose of planned giving is to generate major gifts by offering donors with another option aside from outright giving. This fund raising scheme expands the prospect pool of donors by centering on assets, instead of income, as the determinant of the capacity to give. The sole concern of planned giving is facilitating the philanthropy of individual donors as compared to the other fund-raising efforts directed at the public. Previously, this fund raising method was known as deferred giving because financial benefits for the recipient charitable institution usually are postponed until years after the donor has set-up the gift, usually upon death resulting to the appropriation or management of the estate. The description explained planned giving in terms of the implications to charitable institutions and donors of the benefits from financial planning and incentives for planning giving. Weinstein (2002) defined planned giving, also known as charitable gift planning, as the giving of charitable contributions with some level of professional guidance. Most planned gifts have the effect of reducing the estate taxes, income taxes, and/or capital gains taxes of the donor. Charitable gift planning supports the charitable intentions of the donor while at the same time helps donors better manage their assets for their families and loved ones. Usually, planned gifts are bequests, which mean deferred actual receipt by charitable institutions. Non-profit organizations receive the bequest after the death of the donor. There are also other planned gifts, such as donations of appreciated stock, which accrue current contributions for the charitable institution. This definition focuses on planned giving as a process or system and the manner this works in supporting the fund raising activities of charitable institutions and asset management of donors. Hopkins (2005) explained that planned giving ideally concerns â€Å"long-term capital gain property† (p. 245) that is likely to increase in value. The greater the increase in value, the greater would be the charitable deduction as well as the income from tax savings. Value appreciation comprises a core concept in planned giving so that a planned gift is essentially interest in money or an item of property of the donor. Planning giving involves the transference of partial interest in property based on the concept of property as having two interests, which are income and remainder interest. The income interest from an item of property depends on the income generated by the property at the current time while the remainder interest from an item of property pertains to the projected value of the property, or the property produced by reinvestments, at some future date. As such, the remainder interest is the amount equal to the present value of the property when received at a subsequent point in time, which is higher than the income interest assuming that the property is appreciating. Measuring these two types of interest in property is through the consideration of property value, donor’s age, and the period when the income interest will exist. An income interest or a remainder interest in property could be subject to charitable donation. However, a deduction is almost never available for a charitable gift of an income interest in property. By contrast, the charitable contribution of a remainder interest in an item of property will likely give rise to a charitable deduction with compliance of all technical requirements. This provides an explanation of the manner that the system works and serves as an elaboration of the previous definitions. The explanation also provided a rationale for planned giving since remainder interest, which accrues in the future is usually always subject to charitable deductions when compared to income interest accruing at present. Hopkins (2005) further explained the two basic types of planned gifts. One is legacy or charitable giving contained under a will. This is a gift coming out of the estate of a deceased as a bequest or devise. Planned giving in the form of a legacy works through the inclusion of a charitable institution as a beneficiary of the estate of the donor with entitlement following the death of the donor. As such, this perpetuates the philanthropy of individual even in death. The amount assigned to the charitable institution comprises a tax exemption that decreases the estate tax. The other is a gift made during a donor’s lifetime, using a trust or other agreement. An example is charitable gift annuity that commences when a donor gives a charitable institution a certain amount of money that the institution can use, similar to a premium paid for insurance, but with the condition that a beneficiary receive payment of a certain amount every year. The amount given by the donor is subject to tax exemption. After the payment of annuity ceases such as with the death of the beneficiary, the charitable institutions gains the amount paid and all other interest accruing from its appropriation. This explains the options available to donors, with options supporting the charitable intentions of donors and providing them with convenient options for financial planning. B. Basic Steps in Establishing Planned Giving Program for a Non-Profit Organization Establishing planned giving program for a non-profit organization should involve some basic preparatory steps similar to a business plan in profit organizations. The first step is preparation. This involves an assessment of the capability of the organization to manage a planned giving program to determine areas requiring improvements to accommodate the program. Another must do is obtaining the feedback from the board over the development of the planned giving program since the board’s support determines a successful program. This step also involves a feasibility study to determine whether the intended program meets two criteria. One is whether the leaders and members of the organization together with donors believe in continuing its existence in the long-term and the other is whether donors express their belief in the longevity of the organization through significant gifts. (Barett Ware, 2002) In satisfying these criteria there is a higher probability of success. Second step is planning. This step covers the identification of goals and specific objectives of the program, the changes in organizational structure including the creation of committees and sub-committees and assignment of leadership positions and tasks, the plan for staffing such as part time or full time, the budget to cover all aspects of the program, and the timetable for the phases of the planned giving program. (Dove, Spears Herbert, 2002) These areas should receive focus to cover all planned program to support viability. The third step involves the identification of the program’s core and specific features. The idea of planned giving is to provide givers with various options on the ways through which they prefer to actualize their charitable intentions and manage their assets in the process. This means the need to identify the particular planned giving options that the non-profit organization would make available to its donors together with the details of how these works. (Ashton, 2004) This is for the benefit of the staff who would be directly dealing with donors and for the benefit of donors wanting to learn more about giving options offered by its preferred charitable institution. The fourth step is policymaking. Guidelines and protocols are inevitable in actualizing the planned giving program. Policies should cover issues such as legal advice, confidentiality of information, conflict in interest and authority in negotiations. Guidelines should also thoroughly explain procedures in executing and accepting planned gifts, valuation of donations, according of credit for planned gifts, investing managing and administering of planned gifts, and limitations and terms of planned gifts. Lastly, the policies should also establish the functions and roles of the committees and administrators. (Barett Ware, 2002) The fifth step is promoting the planned giving program to individual potential donors as well as the community in general. There are a number of ways for non-profit organizations to promote their planned giving programs including the handouts or leaflets, newsletters and other widely distributed publications, hosted events, seminars, and personal testimonials or referrals. The important thing is to introduce the program to people as a means of developing interest in planned giving and reaching out to existing donors who could be interested in different options. (Reiss, 2000) The sixth step is prospecting. This involves a two-fold consideration. On one hand, this involves the determination of the likely uptake of the program by considering potential donors including the involvement in planned giving by members of the board themselves. This results to identification of anticipated long-term fund raising position of the organization. On the other hand, this also involves the determination of the impact of the program including the possible issues and problems to support contingency planning. (Rosso, 2003) C. Establishing Goals and Objectives for Planned Giving Program Goals comprise statements of the position or outcome that the organization wants to gain while objectives set out the manner of achieving this position or outcome (Lewis, 2006). Establishing the goals and objectives of the planned giving program also goes through a series of interconnected cyclical processes. The first process is communication and clarification of issues, problems, challenges or opportunities that provide a context for establishing the program. These support the determination of goals. If a challenge is giving options then the goal would be diversified giving options for donors and the objective is the development of a planned giving program. (Lauer, 1997) The second process is evaluation of alternative solutions to express needs and requirements into goals and objectives through measures of success that would also constitute the criteria for evaluating the extent of fulfillment of the goals and objectives. (Lauer, 1997) The third process is articulation by drawing the participation of all stakeholders in providing perspectives over the areas for improvement and drawing consensus on actions (Lauer, 1997).

Business process management (BPM)

Business process management (BPM) Literature Review 2.1 Definitions 2.1.1 What is Business Process Management? Business Process Management (BPM) was influenced by concepts and technologies from business administration and computer science. BPM had its root in process-oriented trends and was treated as a management philosophy since mid 1990s (James F. Chang, 2006; Mathias Weske, 2007). Studies investigating BPM had been carried out several management principles and practices were associated. Most of these concepts were identical to Business Process Reengineering (BPR) and Total Quality Management (TQM) concepts. In the book Business Process Management: Concepts, Languages, Architectures, Mathias Weske had quoted from Davenport, who defined business process as: a set of logically related tasks performed to achieve a defined business outcome for a particular customer or market. And a specific ordering of work activities across time and place, with a beginning, an end, and clearly identified inputs and outputs. However, Mathias Weske (2007) had adopted definition as: A business process consists of a set of activities that are performed in coordination in an organizational and technical environment. These activities come together to make a business goal became achievable. Every single business process is performed by a single company, but it may interact with business processes performed by other companies. From the business process definition, Mathias Weske (2007) had defined the concept of BPM as: Business process management includes concepts, methods, and techniques to support the design, administration, configuration, enactment, and analysis of business processes. The basis of BPM had explicit representation of business process with their activities and execution constraints between them. When BPM defined, people could analysis, improvement and enactment with BPM. In traditionally, business process had manually executed as usual by knowledge personnel, regulations of company, and installed procedures. Nowadays, company had more additional benefits by apply Information Technology like Business Process Management System (BPMS) when coordinating activities involved by business process. 2.1.2 What is Business Process Management System (BPMS)? According to definition of James F. Chang (2006), BPMS is a new class of software that allows organizations to devise process-centric information technology solutions. Process-centric means BPMS solutions are able to integrate people, systems, and data. BPM fills the gap between the wide-open, unstructured world of collaboration and the precise transaction processing of enterprise applications. It has become widely realized that important enterprise processes routinely cross the boundaries of enterprise applications. Processes like order-to-cash or procure-to-pay may involve several enterprise applications such as taking orders in CRM, ERP creating invoices and purchase orders, and managing production and fulfilment in SCM. BPM, especially in combination with services that can move data in and out of enterprise applications and other information sources provide a way to clear define, manage, and automate processes that span enterprise applications. BPM also allows processes that bring in people and systems from outside the company to the defined process. In this way, BPM supports processes that take place across an extended business network. The personalities of processes currently automated by BPM are as follows: They are more structured than the loose collaboration based on email and other such mechanisms They are more flexible than the transactional processes in enterprise applications They are wider in scope than processes in enterprise applications, crossing both application and company boundaries Their flow is explicitly defined, managed, and automated 2.1.3 What enabling standards and technology support BPMS? When evaluating and adopting BPM technology, two standards are referenced over and over: BPMN and BPEL. To fully understand what BPM technology does, it is important to understand the role of these and other standards, which provide a common infrastructure for process modeling and automation. Business process modeling notation (BPMN) is a standard for the visual definition of business processes. Most of the modern tools for business process modeling support BPMN or are based on it. BPMN defines the primitive constructs that are used to represent business processes, such as starting points, ending points, process steps, decision points, and so on. Business process execution language (BPEL) is a standard for expressing the steps required to execute a business process by invoking a series of web services. BPEL is more like a programming language for carrying out a business process than a modeling system for describing the process flow. Web services technology standards are vital to BPM because they enable web services to communicate with enterprise applications and other systems using appropriate mechanisms for security, self-discovery, versioning, and other important matters. Industry standards for web services define specific sets of services that are used to automate communication between two companies in a particular industry. BPMS frequently makes use of such web services when creating systems that cross company boundaries and incorporate partner companies into a process. 2.1.4 What is Business Process Modelling? Business process modelling is the art of describing how work is done in a company at the appropriate level to achieve the desired communication. The typical goals of business process modelling are to capture a process so that it can be better understood and improved or to describe a process in detail and associate it with technology so that it can be automated. A business process model in general is simply a description of a business process. Visual business models are description of the steps that take place during a process and frequently represent in flowcharts such as the one shown in Figure 3, although other forms of models such as numerical equations or systematic procedures are also sometimes used. 2.2 Main functions of BPMS Here is a list of the most common components and management mechanisms that are involved in application assembly. Web services. BPM needs SOA. The act of creating executable business process models is the start of creating new applications to help automate and support business processes. To allow each business process step to interact with the world, web services are needed to create a two-way communication with enterprise applications and to reach out to other sources of information and functionality on the Web. Business rules. Process steps can involve the application of sets of business rules that determine some sort of result, based on the inputs passed in and the rules in effect. Rules could be used to determine the routing of a document, the credit score of an individual, or a suggestion for a product to upsell. User interfaces. When process steps need to interact with people to collect information or to define a task that must be performed manually, a user interface is needed. In this way, a user interface is a component that is included in the set of parts that are assembled into a working application by the BPM process automation technology. User interface components can be generated automatically, based on interactions implied by web services, business rules, or data required by process steps. User interface components can also be created by users and developers using a variety of tools. Modeling and orchestration tools. Modeling and orchestration tools are used at many different levels of a BPMS. The center of a BPMS is usually an environment for modeling used to define business process models or the orchestration of services. Modeling can be used to create services and user interfaces. Modeling also can be used to define the integration and mapping of data from one source to another. Simulation tools. In order to understand the flow of work through a proposed business process, simulation tools may be employed. Assumptions are made about the amount of inputs to each process and the amount of time it takes to perform each process step. In this way bottlenecks or key areas for optimization can be found. These key areas can be closely monitored to find problems early on in implementations or to confirm the validity of assumptions. Model and process repositories. When models are created, they must be stored in repositories, which allow them to be accessed and shared by large groups of people. In any large program of BPM adoption, some processes are used over and over. These process components must be stored in a central location and reused in other business process models. Web services repositories. To link business process steps and user interfaces to the invocation of services, it is important to be able to find services, understand what they do, and identify the data sent and retrieved through them. Web services repositories contain information about the interfaces and functionality of the services and the underlying applications the services are connected to at runtime. Integration tools. It is not uncommon for a business process to require two systems to work together in specific ways. Perhaps a purchase order must be transferred from the CRM application to ERP. Frequently, the BPMS does not contain the capability to perform such integration and so other integration tools must be used to create the needed functionality. The BPM tools then invoke a service that performs the integration defined by the integration tools. In this way, specific integrations become components used by BPM technology. Centralized task management. One of the most important transitions in a business process model occurs when a software application asks a person to perform a task. It is vital that the task to be performed be adequately described and that the results of performing the task be recorded. A single user may be getting requests to perform tasks from many different business process applications. Centralized task management components create a single inbox into which all requests from business process applications are sent, which streamlines monitoring and executing those tasks. Process and activity monitoring tools. Once an application has been created using a BPMS, it is important to monitor the business process model during execution. By monitoring the activity of specific steps, it is possible to monitor not only the technological activity of the system such as database reads and writes or network traffic, but also the progress of the business process, that is, number of purchase orders created or customer service requests handled. Systems created based on business process models take a large step toward achieving the promise of the field of business activity monitoring, complex event processing, predictive analytics, and simulations. These main functions would provide the basis for evaluation of BPMS platforms. 2.3 BPMS platforms evaluation From the main functions of BPMS, the author has evaluated four platforms to support the implementation stage. These four platforms were Drools 5, jBPM 4.3, OSWorkflow 2.8, and ARIS. The critical evaluation framework has been discussed in the main functions of BPMS within this chapter. The evaluation framework included: Web services Business rules User Interface Widgets Modelling and Orchestration tools Simulation tools Model and process repositories Web service repositories Integration tools Centralized task management Process and activity monitor tools The marking guidance has included at appendices. The guidance provided descriptions for each mark from 0 to 10.The investigation of BPMS has marked these platforms base on the evaluation framework and marking guidance then ploted to charts. 2.3.1 Drools 5 Business Logic Integration Platform Drools was a open-source business rule management system (BRMS) with a forward chaining inference based rules engine, more correctly known as a production rule system, using an enhanced implementation of the Rete algorithm. Adapting Rete to an object-oriented interface allows for more natural expression of business rules with regards to business objects. Drools is written in Java, but able to run on Java and .NET. Drools has been supported by JBoss since 2005 and renamed to JBoss Rules. Drools 5 have been released on May 2009. The main goals of this release were introducing Complex Event Processing (CEP) engine (in Fusion module) and workflow capabilities (in Flow module). On the release of Drools 5, it has changed name from Business Rule Management System (BRMS) to Business Logic integration Platform (BLiP) with modules: Drools Guvnor (BRMS/BPMS) Drools Expert (rule engine) Drools Flow (process/workflow) Drools Fusion (event processing/temporal reasoning) Advantages: The platforms had Drools Expert; it was an excellent rule engine, developed as the first-class module in mind. The platform received ten marks for business rule function because it had long time development and matured enough for production environment. Drools Guvnor combined with Drools plug-in on Eclipse were outstanding at BRMS and editor. The combination help user easily draw; manage models on both Web and desktop IDE (integrated develop environment). It helped the platform received eight marks for modelling tools, nine marks for model repository, and eight marks for centralized task management. Disadvantages: The documentation of platform did not have any mention about web service on whole platform. That meant the platform did not support web service either BPEL standard. According to the official user guide at Drools website, the integration ability with OpenBravo ERP and OSWorkflow were still under developing at time this report conducted. The platform received one mark for integration function. 2.3.2 jBPM 4.3 jBPM is a platform for executable process languages ranging from business process management (BPM) over workflow to service orchestration. jBPM supports three different process languages. Each one is targeted towards a specific function and environment. *jBDL*BPEL*Pageflow jBPM builds all these process languages natively on top of a single technology: the Process Virtual Machine (PVM). Even as the BPM industry converges towards new standards, the investment in jBPM is protected; the PVM foundation will remain stable. Advantages: The supporting of BPEL has gave jBPM a good marks (eight) at web service function. Support BPEL has also meant this platform good in integration with legacy systems. The ability of generate form for human interaction workflow was the good function that included in jBPM. This ability contributed seven marks for user interface widget function. Modelling, repositories, and centralized task management were the advantages of jBPM. This platform developed some plug-in for Eclipse to create the Graphical Process Designer. This approach gave the power of Eclipse to business process on both graphical modelling and debugging. Disadvantages: The investigation shown the weakness of jBPM was the lacking of simulation tools. Simulation tools helped process designer in bottle-neck solving. The simulation function of jBPM was under developing at time of this report conducted. 2.3.3 OSWorkflow 2.8 OSWorkflow is a mature open-source Java workflow engine. It is mainly aimed at the programmer and not an end user or business analyst. For the end user or business analyst, it includes a user-friendly visual workflow modeller designed only for basic usage. Advantages: The strength of OSWorkflow showed at modelling tools and Disadvantages: 2.3.4 ARIS Advantages: Disadvantages: 2.3.5 Conclusion 2.4 Summary

Groundwater Pollution and Drinking Water Scarcity :: Freshwater Essays

Ground water! What is it? Well it's basically self-explanatory and is any water that is held under ground. That is only a very simple definition of it though and well in fact ground water is very critical to every ones life locally and worldwide. Most of the water that you drink comes from ground water and not from lakes and rivers even though those are considered as a part of ground water components. Ground water has many components that it can be divided into and this paper will explain what ground water is, that negatives and positives of it, where is it and how it gets there. I will also explain how it affects people locally and worldwide.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Like I said ground water is any water under the ground. Water is in almost everything on this earth and approximately 70% of this earth is covered with water on it's surface. Ground water locations can take on may forms such as in caves to lakes. Sure it is very easy to understand the significance of water from rivers lakes streams and oceans. But how much do you know about all of the water that exists below the surface of our earth. I'm sure that you think that groundwater is kind of like an underground river or lake. If you do your somewhat right but that not just quit it. Only in caves or near lava flow does the underground rivers and lakes occur. Instead ground water is usually held within pours of soil or rock material. An good example to show how the water is held is to fill a sponge with water that is kind of the way that ground water is held in these underground materials.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Groundwater is very beneficial to human life for several reasons. First, humans withdraw at about 40% of the public water supply on earth for everyday uses. Of that 40% that is withdrawn for everyday use 22% of it is fresh water that is sanitary enough to drink. One of those uses is very helpful for farmers and their irrigation systems to make crops, to help mankind be fed each and every day. In fact 34% of ground water is used to help irrigation on farms so farmers can grow their crops. Where do you think that water comes from your local home faucet? Well odds are it's from ground water because 53% of the American population's drinking water comes from groundwater.

One process theory of motivation Essay

Motivation is great part of today’s management. However, â€Å"most organizations don’t give it much thought until something starts to go wrong. Pain gets people’s attention.† _(Sanjeev Sharma)_ Therefore it is important to motivate because motivation is force behind all human actions _(Sanjeev Sharma)_. Manager must be able to realize and fulfil the most urgent needs of employees as well as other needs to keep than satisfied, free from stress, and highly motivated. Satisfied and motivated employees are value because they will be less likely to quit the job therefore reducing staff turnover and cost of employee training as they will have gained all the necessary skills and experience, so their performance will be good, therefore companies overall performance can rise as well. This essay is focused on the exploration and comparison of Alderfer’s and Adams’ theories. It seeks the answers to what makes them fall in different category and yet what are the similarities between them and, furthermore, how they can be used together to achieve greater efficiency and to leave less for the chance of error or uncertainty when motivating the employee. Many people have studied needs and ways of motivating the employees. Theories on this subject can be very different and are divided into two categories – content and process theories. Content theories stress that every one of us has same set of needs, which must be satisfied. One of the first and most influential content theories is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (1954). This theory states that human needs are formed similar to pyramid with 5 levels, where bottom level must be completed to move to the next level. Five levels are: 1. Psychological (food, shelter, clothe), 2. Security needs, 3. Social needs, 4. Self-esteem (recognition and self-belief), 5. self-actualization (develop one’s full potential). (R. Fincham, P Rhodes, 2005 p.195) One similar to Maslow’s is ERG (Existence, Relatedness, and Growth) theory  developed by Alderfer (1972). Alderfer’s theory says that everybody has 3 sets of needs. Existence, which includes food, shelter, clothes, need to feel safe and similar (Maslow’s 1st and 2nd levels). Relatedness – social activities, family, friendly working environment, etc (Maslow’s 3rd and 4th levels). Growth – recognition from supervisors and managers, occasional bonuses or rise in salary, promotion, etc (Maslow’s 4th and 5th levels). Although it looks like the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs with less and more compact sets of needs, there is one important difference – there is no order specified in which these needs must be satisfied. _(Fincham, Rhodes, 2005)_ However, as Kotler et al 2005, points out if one has unsatisfied need, one will try to find something that satisfies it or tries to get rid of the need. This relates to the Frustration – Regression principle in Alderfer’s theory while when the need has been satisfied it also is strengthen ed (as illustrated in chart below) _(12manage.com_). However, with the passage of time and possible changes in lifestyle or other circumstances can force one to come back to needs that have been satisfied in past and set new, more demanding needs to meet the needs of current situation. Companies has limited influence on Existence set of needs, other than providing rates of pay which enables worker to pay all the bills and supply family with enough food, and still have some extra spending money left (there are cases where ‘worker villages’ have been built in order to provide workers with accommodation and everything necessary, as to provide for existence needs and ultimately have some control of workers lives as well). However, there are many possible ways of satisfying Relatedness and Growth sets of needs. Relatedness could be satisfied by ensuring friendly and open working conditions, possibly non-work related social activities with co-workers, extra holidays to spend with families. Growth is arguably the most important and the most work related one. Growth is almost entirely dependant on supervisors, as for example rise and promotion. Also praise and recognition from supervisor will be much more effective than ones from co-workers, although being rec ognized as unofficial leader by co-workers is strongly motivating and satisfying. Process theories however, admit that we all are different and therefore have different needs. Further more they focus on way employees see themselves in the company, the way they are treated in respect of the other employees in regard of their effort and performance. Adams’ Equity theory explores inputs and outputs of a worker and tries to set the balance between them. Inputs represent the effort and performance worker puts in his job like dedication, long hours, high efficiency and outputs on the other hand, represent all he wants to receive for that like recognition from supervisors in form of praise or rise in salary, promotion, bonuses and similar. Adams stresses that keeping balance between inputs and outputs is very important as in case of imbalance worker can loose self-esteem, motivation or come under pressure to perform better, therefore coming under stress, which will inevitably lead to fall in performance. Although feeling of being overpaid is not widely studied it is believed that the negative effect of the feeling wears of shortly and has little effect on the worker, _(SIOP)_ however has impact on other workers who might feel underpaid or undervalued. Therefore, all extra inputs must be balanced with extra outputs. Nevertheless one must not forget that first of all employees will compare themselves to co-workers. If one employee will have high rewards, for example have a rise, than others will look for justification for that. In case that none is found others will feel neglected therefore their performance will drop or they will ask for the rise, or encourage other (the one who receives higher rewards) to work harder, or convince themselves that they are not worth the higher reward _(SIOP)._ Some of these outcomes are potentially mentally dangerous therefore create stress in the workplace or even worse crate tension between workforce which can lead to different unwanted outcomes even such as strikes out violence outbursts. This inevitably means that overall performance of the company will drop. _(Fincham, Rhodes, 2005)_ The main difference between these theories lies in the fact that Alderfer’s one focuses on satisfaction of needs whereas Adams’ one focuses on creating good and balanced relationship between inputs and outputs of the worker and more importantly good relationship and equality between co-workers, and fairness from the supervisor. It is not specified in Alderfer’s theory  exactly how to determine when is the best time to motivate the employee nor why, while on the other hand Adams’ theory is more concerned about when and why to motivate the employee. This shows clearly that these two theories are completely different in their basis. Furthermore part of Alderfer’s theory is Frustration – Regression principle in which an unsatisfied need is being regressed and made up by satisfying more other needs. In some respects similarly with Adams’ theory – if balance is unfair than employees will feel discomfort. Both of these will take empl oyees mind of the duties of work which will lead in fall of performance. Alderfer’s and Adams’ theories both point out the need of balance between things, however each theory puts stress on different things. Alderfer suggests that needs of employee must be equally satisfied between each of the three sets, therefore no need are neglected. However, as mentioned before, a need can be neglected if it has been recently satisfied. On the other hand if one need or set of needs is recently satisfied, it stands above others in level of satisfaction, which therefore makes it reasonable for it to be neglected until other needs reach same level of satisfaction. This process can take up some time and does not require immediate levelling of scales, however Adams’ scales should be levelled at all times. Longer the process of the levelling takes, longer the employees feel the discomfort of injustice which will inevitably lead to employee’s satisfaction or motivation dropping or level of stress rising. In fact Alderfer’s theory could easily become a part of Adams’ theory as a way of determining outputs, for example friendly relationships in workplace is part of Relatedness set of needs and output, which management has provided. Alderfer does not relate to inputs in his theory. This fact makes Adams’ theory more sophisticated and better suited for understanding when and why employee should be awarded. Because if manager is looking to improve worker motivation and job satisfaction he/she can see on one scale the inputs worker has done from where in comparison to co-workers inputs and outputs an appropriate output can be made. However in order to do the comparison of employee’s past and co-worker present performances, they have to be constantly monitored and records kept of the of the information. Using  Alderfer’s theory, however, requires manager to understand employee’s needs and situation to see which needs must be satisfied and what wou ld be the best way to satisfy the need, therefore bringing greater understanding of how and why to award or motivate employee. Adams’s theory is good theory to be using for large companies with many users which all have to be motivated. With help of large and detailed database of workers and their inputs, such as working time, are they late for work or not, their performance, etc and outputs their wages, ways of recognition, etc one can compare workers. Special program can be easily made and adjusted to record and analyse data for independent, non favouring, information on workers which would help to make decisions on their extra outputs. On the other hand Alderfer’s theory would more go for managerial level or smaller companies as it requires in-depth understanding of employee and his situation. If one would put these two theories together the outcome could be a theory in which workers activity is constantly monitored and recorded for purposes of comparison with previous performance and performance of co-workers, therefore, determining the inputs as by Adams’ theory. However, the outputs would be determined according to the needs specified in Alderfer’s theory. Alderfer’s theory could also be substituted, for example, by Hertzberg’s two-factor theory. Although content and process theories are different in their basis, they both work for the same goal and in times can be combined or as in this case content theory can be a part of process theory to explain it more fully and efficiently or just to bring the highest level of efficiency. However, besides the fact Alderfer’s theory can be used to compliment the Adams’ theory, one must not forget that most important part of Adams’ theory is far from just motivating the employee but is based on equality among workers and their inputs/outputs, because too much outputs can produce feeling of overpayment therefore creating stress for employee as he/she tries to increase inputs to level the scales. â€Å"Alderfer’s theory explores which need to satisfy and how while Adams’ theory explores when and why to satisfy the  need.† Previous sentence is very good way of explaining the difference between two theories and seeing that in order for each theory t o work in best way possible – both theories must work together. REFERENCES Books: P. Kotler, V. Wong, J. Saunders, G. Armstrong, _Principles of Marketing,_ (2005 4th European Edition) p. 8, published by Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow, England R. Fincham, P. Rhodes, _Principles of Organizational Behaviour,_ (2005, 4th Edition) Published by Oxford University Press, New York, United States Online: Sanjeev Sharma, A right way to motivate an employee, is to win his heart!!! [online] url:http://www.bpoindia.org/research/win-heart.shtml Accessed: 24/11/05 12manage.com _ERG Theory (Alderfer)_[online] url:http://www.12manage.com/methods_alderfer_erg_theory.html Accessed:24/11/05 Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology inc. (SIOP), _Justice lecture notes 4,_[online] url: http://siop.org/Instruct/Justice/Justice%20Lecture%20Notes%204.doc Accessed: 26/11/05

The Proud and the Prudish

The Proud and the Prudish The Proud and the Prudish The Proud and the Prudish By Mark Nichol This post discusses two words that because of their disparate meanings are not easily recognized as cognates, as well as a couple of others that are, as a result of disguised spelling, perhaps equally unlikely to be associated. The words detailed here derive ultimately from the Latin verb prodesse, meaning â€Å"useful,† by way of prode (â€Å"advantageous†). The descendant French adjective prud, meaning â€Å"valiant,† was borrowed into English as proud but came to refer not only to esteem of oneself or another but also arrogance. It also pertains to exultation or spirited behavior or to magnificent display. (By extension, it also refers to a raised or swollen prominence, such as when referring to a scar.) The state of feeling proud in the senses of both reasonable and excessive esteem is called pride, and one considered to have too much pride is called prideful and suffers from pridefulness. (In addition, inspired by the regal bearing of lions, a group of these animals is called a pride.) Meanwhile, prowess, meaning sometimes â€Å"bravery† but usually â€Å"skill† (generally in physical feats), derives from prud. Prude, referring to a person of excessive modesty, also stems from prud. In that word’s sense in French of â€Å"brave,† it became part of the compound prudhomme, or â€Å"brave man.† The feminine equivalent, prudefemme, referred to noblewomen, who were expected to demonstrate propriety, but the first element came to pertain to an excess of that quality to the point of priggishness. The quality of being a prude is prudery or prudishness, and such behavior is described as prudish. A related word not easily recognized as such is improve, stemming from prode and meaning â€Å"make better† or â€Å"make good use of.† An act of improving, or something improved, is an improvement, and something that can be improved is improvable. Self-improvement, meanwhile, is an act or process of attempting to improve one’s circumstances in life. 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:50 Idioms About TalkingYay, Hooray, Woo-hoo and Other Acclamations20 Classic Novels You Can Read in One Sitting

Juveniles in the Adult System essays

Juveniles in the Adult System essays If a twelve-year-old child murdered a person, what should be his/her punishment? If a thirty-year-old adult murdered a person, what should be his/her punishment? Should there be a difference in punishment? Should one be more strict then the other? Should one be more lenient then the other? These are all questions that most people have thought about. With all the youth crime talk in the media, these questions have been asked many times, and we always get the same outcome; DEBATE. One side of the story is that of the juvenile correction system. This system is about a hundred years old and has been revised before. This system has a positive outlook on what youths in trouble can become. They believe that one can be rehabilitated and taught differently. They believe that pre-adolescent children do not know the difference between reality and fantasy. They believe that they do no know the difference between right and wrong. The juvenile system was started in England after they opposed to the killing of young convicted felons. The English invented a juvenile correction system that would re-teach values and morals to the young, rehabilitate them, and give them a second chance at a happy life. They also set up a separate court system from that of adults. In this system, there was to be no sort of media, no jury of peers, and no lawyers, there would only be a judge and the accused party. The judge would listen to the accused and decide for him/herself the correct punishment. This punishment could include lock up in a juvenile correction facility, probation, foster care, and community service or any combination of. In this system, the young adult could only be kept until the age of twenty-one. At this age, the young adult would be released and he/she would be able to start a new life. This system was started because the citizens of England thought that children were being punished to harshly. They thought that ch ...

Mary Ann Shadd Cary - Abolitionist and Journalist

Mary Ann Shadd Cary - Abolitionist and Journalist About Mary Ann Shadd Cary Dates: October 9, 1823 - June 5, 1893 Occupation: teacher and journalist; abolitionist and womens rights activist; lawyer Known for: writing about abolition and other political issues; second African American woman to graduate from law school Also known as: Mary Ann Shadd More About Mary Ann Shadd Cary: Mary Ann Shadd was born in Delaware to parents who were free blacks in what was still a slave state. Education even for free blacks was illegal in Delaware, so her parents sent her to a Quaker boarding school in Pennsylvania when she was ten through sixteen years old. Teaching Mary Ann Shadd then returned to Delaware and taught other African Americans, until the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850. Mary Ann Shadd, with her brother and his wife, emigrated to Canada in 1851, publishing A Plea for Emigration or Notes of Canada West urging other black Americans to flee for their safety in light of the new legal situation which denied that anyone black had rights as a U.S. citizen. Mary Ann Shadd became a teacher in her new home in Ontario, at a school sponsored by the American Missionary Association. In Ontario, she also spoke out against segregation. Her father brought her mother and younger siblings to Canada, settling in Chatham. Newspaper In March of 1853, Mary Ann Shadd began a newspaper to promote emigration to Canada and to serve the Canadian community of African Americans. The Provincial Freeman became an outlet for her political ideas. The next year she moved the paper to Toronto, then in 1855 to Chatham, where the largest number of escaped slaves and emigrant freemen were living. Mary Ann Shadd opposed views of Henry Bibb and others who were more separatist and who encouraged the community to consider their stay in Canada as tentative. Marriage In 1856, Mary Ann Shadd married Thomas Cary. He continued to live in Toronto and she in Chatham. Their daughter, Sally, lived with Mary Ann Shadd Cary. Thomas Cary died in 1860. The presence in Canada of the large Shadd family meant that Mary Ann Shadd Cary had support in caring for her daughter while continuing her activism. Lectures In 1855-1856, Mary Ann Shadd Cary gave anti-slavery lectures in the United States. John Brown held a meeting in 1858 at the home of Carys brother, Isaac Shadd. After Browns death at Harpers Ferry, Mary Ann Shadd Cary compiled and published notes from the only survivor of Browns Harpers Ferry effort, Osborne P. Anderson. In 1858, her paper failed during an economic depression. Mary Ann Shadd Cary began teaching in Michigan but left for Canada again in 1863. At this time she obtained British citizenship. That summer, she became a recruiter for the Union army in Indiana, finding black volunteers. After the Civil War At the end of the Civil War, Mary Ann Shadd Cary earned a teaching certificate, and taught in Detroit and then in Washington, D.C. She wrote for The National Era, Frederick Douglass paper, and for John Crowells the Advocate. She earned a law degree from Howard University, becoming the second African American woman to graduate from law school. Women's Rights Mary Ann Shadd Cary added to her activism efforts the cause of womens rights. In 1878 she spoke at the National Woman Suffrage Association convention. In 1887 she was one of only two African Americans attending a womens conference in New York. She testified before the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on women and the vote and became a registered voter in Washington. Death Mary Ann Shadd Cary died in Washington, D.C., in 1893. Background, Family Father: Abraham Doras Shadd, shoemaker and abolitionistMother: Harriet Parnell ShaddSiblings: twelve younger siblings Education Prices Boarding School, Chester, Pennsylvania (1832-1839)Howard University, B.A. Law, 1883 Marriage, Children husband: Thomas Cary (married 1856; he died in 1860)one child: Sally Cary

Anetial Market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Anetial Market - Essay Example Inflation is a measure of changes in prices over a specified period and the objective of the monetary policy is to set the interest rate so that inflation can be brought back to target within a reasonable duration. Bank rate is therefore an essential tool used by the Bank of England to control the inflation rate. When Bank believes inflation is beginning to rise, it raises interest rates to cool the economy and vice versa. However this formula has many exceptions as proved by the recent rate cuts by the Bank of England. Although factory gate inflation (based on prices of good leaving factory) reached a 16 year high in December 2007 influenced by rising oil and food prices and CPI stood at 2.1 %, the Bank still went ahead with rate cut. It is interesting to understand why. Although bank rate is used as a tool to control inflation, it is first important to understand that there are different ways of measuring inflation. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) and Retail Prices Index (RPI) are used in UK to measure inflation and usually have separate values. This is because of the difference in goods and services they cover and the method of calculation. The Government inflation target, which is currently 2%, is based on CPI. ... aper the most important difference that needs to be considered is that CPI does not include certain housing costs, such as mortgage interest payments. The reasons for the rate cut was not a isolated decision by the Bank of England but was influenced by the crisis in the global financial market as a result of what has now come to be known as subprime mortgage crisis. Subprime is the general term used to refer to lending to borrowers who do not normally qualify for standard market rates for various reasons such bad credit history or lack of stable income. Obviously these borrowers are a greater risk to the financial institutions. For many years, Cleveland in America was the major market for the sub-prime lenders where the brokers informed the residents that they could obtain cash by refinancing their homes, "but often neglected to properly explain that the new sub-prime mortgages would reset after 2 years at double the interest rate" (BBC, 2007). As the home owners were subsequently unable to afford repayments, this resulted in a wave of repossessions. As the sub-prime lending had spread across America, the same story has been repeated. As many borrowers defaulted on payments, the financial institutions felt the credit crunch which reflected on other developed economies such as UK. The lenders in UK tightened their loan conditions in response to the US financial slump, especially in the sub prime market which has influenced the price of property in UK. The profitability of the financial services sector, which has been a key driver of UK economic growth in recent years, has also been affected. As the housing demand in UK showed a decline, this resulted in a general fear of economic slowdown. At this stage, the Bank of England faced a dilemma between a rise

Statement of Purpose for Master's in Chemical Engineering Personal

Of Purpose for Master's in Chemical Engineering - Personal Statement Example It has opened up my canvas as I have comprehended how things shape up within this field of study and how the same would be when I take it up as a profession in the times to come. This work has allowed me to come to terms with how operations are run under the banner of the oil and gas companies and how research has been seen as a quintessential part of the very same. I have also realized how I need to cope up with the changing requirements of the time and what my disposition needs to be see under such aegis. The Master’s in Chemical Engineering would pave my way towards building up a better future for not only me but also the organizations that I work with. It would mean that there would be a mutual benefit that needs to be cashed upon under the related settings that I have envisioned for my own self. I hold my career in great stead and this is the reason why I want to attain my M.Sc degree from such a reputable university like yours. This is also one of the reasons why I want to continue with the university from where I am graduating because I know the alumni of this university speak highly as they are placed in some of the top oil and gas companies of the world.

Seminar in Criminology - Research paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Seminar in Criminology - Research paper - Essay Example These are not good prison films because they show criminals suffering behind bars, but they are good because the actors capture those moments as if they were real. Though there are critics that may argue that the films do not provide an authentic presentation of prison life, the film directors try as much to capture all the details. In United States, prisoners have always had to adapt to so many pressures which most of them have to adapt to so as to survive while in prisons (Pollock, 2011). This has always been the turn of events in the last few decades. In the last seven to nine years, the criminal justice system has transformed and it is now changed the way most prisons are today. As noted by the prisoners who are there today, the challenges that the Federal Bureau of Prisons registers in its records from prisons shows that they have intensified and exchanged as opposed to the way they were 20 or 30 years ago (Thistlethwaite & Wooldredge, 2014). All prisons have a specific subculture that is exceptional only to them. It is the functional code or a system of beliefs that inmates adhere by when in any prison. However, looking at the behavior of inmates while in prison it is important to know the terms involved. What is a prison subculture? Thistlethwaite and Wooldredge (2014) it is a means of adapting to the deprivations that inmates face while in prison. According to Blackbrun, Pollock and Fowler (2012), prisoner subculture refers to the inmate code which is the set code of behavior among inmates, or special languages or values and prisoner roles. From this description, the subculture of prisoners shows that it is usually associated with negative use of words such as â€Å"sissys† and â€Å"punks† (Blackbrun, Pollock and Fowler, 2012). Based on what Blackbrun, Pollock and Fowler (2012) see as a prison subculture, development of such prisoner roles, and

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World Essay - 5

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World - Essay Example It is strange when Monica describes her feelings for her three-year-old son, David, and she say that she had tried to love him in vain. It is sad that her love for him is questionable. Rationally speaking, mothers have endless and immeasurable love for their children, a fact that is unrepresented in Monica-David case leaving us with many unanswered questions about Monica’s motherhood. Brian Aldiss tells us that Monica is lonely, and he never mentioned whether she had friends or family for companionship (Arthur 443). At the end of page one, the writer reaffirms that she remained lonely. Monica seeks help from Teddy, another robot toy to try to comprehend why she is unable to communicate with David, not to mention companionship. David on the other hand questions Teddy whether his mother loves him and wonder whether he is truly real. He tries to write letters to explain his feelings about his mother and the inner conflicts he battles with, but all his letters remain incomplete (Arthur 445). Henry in his Company discusses the future development of artificial forms and bio-electric beings. He discusses the new Artificial Intelligence under construction that would finally solve the problems of humanity relating to loneliness and isolation. Monica also discovers David’s incomplete letters whose content depict lines about love and jealousy contempt for Teddy, whom Monica seems to bond with perfectly than David. The letters puzzle her, and when Henry arrives, she shares this with him that the Ministry of Population has selected their family to give birth to a child. Eventually, we discover that David is not a human child but an artificial human designed to ease Monica’s loneliness and replace a real child’s position. Monica privately tells her husband that David has a verbal malfunctioning and must be taken back immediately to the factory (Arthur 450). Brian Aldiss concludes his story with David thinking of love and warmth of his

Military Technology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Military Technology - Essay Example The internet and phones connect us to people who are thousands of miles away from us and have bonded people together as well as widening our view on staffs and made information even more accessible to persons. Evolution of technology has made life easier by saving lives via technological medical advances. Newer technological advances might lead to newer scientific discoveries. For instance, the developed DNA sequencing and copying technologies has led us into important breakthroughs in several areas of biology, specifically in reconstruction of evolutionary relationships amongst organisms. One might think the society is relying too much on it but that might be a good staff since that's the way our lives seems to be improving now thanks to technology (Hardy, 2002). Our everyday lives are spent surrounded by technology and technology not just being Xboxes and TVs. We heavily depend on cars, trains, and planes for transportation. The society also rely greatly on advancements in weaponry so us to keep the country safe. We spin around technology and it has enhanced our lives greatly. I think our everyday life would be miserable without evolution of technology. ... Moreover if you don’t own a recent one then it`s same as not owning one at all. With the evolution of technology, we are discovering new, and life altering ways to enhance research into many diverse fields which we use every single day. One of the most essential forms of research which with the aid of technology has assisted individuals worldwide is medical research. Devoid of the evolution of technology that the society has now, most of the treatments the society has for diseases, injuries and infections would have not been invented if the technology society has today did not exist. Human life spans would significantly be reduced, and they would not recover from diseases, injuries or infection the way they are able to now. Less harmful infections and injuries would be more serious and might not heal as they do. Diseases too would be way more deadly than they are currently (Jaeger & Bowman, 2005). A good example of how society is dependent on the current technology to assist p eople as well as make huge improvements on illnesses is evidenced in reliance on artificial limbs to make life easier. The continued funding of NASA( National Aeronautics and Space Administration), together with its combined innovations in shock-absorption and robotics materials are inspiring and allowing the private sector to generate new and better solutions to animal and human prostheses. Advancements for instance Environmental Robots Inc.’s improvement of artificial muscle systems that has actuation capabilities and robotic sensing for use in extravehicular activities and space robotic of NASA are being adapted to generate a very functionally dynamic artificial limbs. Technology also make our lives easier and that of society through improving the transport sector.

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality - Essay Example When we evaluate the United States through the lens of Thiroux's basic principles, we find a country that is striving for moral idealism and compromising to satisfy reality. When considering the United States, it needs to be defined as a culture and society of people, religion, and laws. It is not the canyons, mountains, and buildings. The morality of the United States extends to the people, their laws, and the philosophical underpinnings of the constitution. Giving a moral standing to the inanimate objects within our borders would go beyond the traditional boundaries of the moral universe (MacNiven, 1993, p.204). When we apply Thiroux's five principles, we examine the people, the law, and the principles as they are applied to the people in our own country and around the world. When evaluating a situation or a people for its ethical nature it is critical that we have the truth. Honesty, one of the five principals, is the foundation that morality is built upon. Our major religions embody the principle in the ninth commandment of 'thou shalt not bear false witness'. It is reflected in our expectation of truth from our leaders and courtroom testimony. However, the US is inundated with false and misleading advertising, and our country goes to war based on a deception. In the US, honesty is generally valued only so long as it is in our own self-interest. In the long term, the self-interest of corporations and politicians can become the illusion of honesty (Mansbridge, 1990, p.151). While the US embraces honesty as a concept, the principal is often overrun by self-interest. A fundamental moral principle is the sanctity of life and the belief that we should celebrate life and accept death (Thiroux, 2007). The United State's Declaration of Independence expresses the similar belief when it says that one of our inalienable rights is our right to life. This moral principle is reflected in our laws that prevent assault or murder, as well as the fundamental respect for life that is practiced by our mainstream religions. Still, abortion laws, lack of child health care, and militaristic adventures call into question whether this is a guiding principle of the US or merely words to strive for. Here we see our principles overlapping and contradicting one another. Freedom of choice and a right to privacy impede the idealism of the value of life in regards to health care and abortion (Thiroux, 2007). It is also argued that military action serves to save a greater number of lives than it takes. No system of laws or government has a greater respect for individual freedom than the democracy of the United States. Once again, the principles are valid only within a well defined context. If questioned, many Americans would express the feeling of exploitation and slavery to the economic system. Personal freedom is only attainable if the freedom is in itself moral. The United States has made incremental progress towards individual freedom, though we do not have the absolute freedom to do as we please. Our morality may be at odds with someone else's value system. Henry David Thoreau (1892) said, "The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual" (p.151). While the United States has the ideal of a universal morality, our diversity challenges our individual freedo

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World Essay - 5

Science Fiction, Technology, and Our Modern World - Essay Example It is strange when Monica describes her feelings for her three-year-old son, David, and she say that she had tried to love him in vain. It is sad that her love for him is questionable. Rationally speaking, mothers have endless and immeasurable love for their children, a fact that is unrepresented in Monica-David case leaving us with many unanswered questions about Monica’s motherhood. Brian Aldiss tells us that Monica is lonely, and he never mentioned whether she had friends or family for companionship (Arthur 443). At the end of page one, the writer reaffirms that she remained lonely. Monica seeks help from Teddy, another robot toy to try to comprehend why she is unable to communicate with David, not to mention companionship. David on the other hand questions Teddy whether his mother loves him and wonder whether he is truly real. He tries to write letters to explain his feelings about his mother and the inner conflicts he battles with, but all his letters remain incomplete (Arthur 445). Henry in his Company discusses the future development of artificial forms and bio-electric beings. He discusses the new Artificial Intelligence under construction that would finally solve the problems of humanity relating to loneliness and isolation. Monica also discovers David’s incomplete letters whose content depict lines about love and jealousy contempt for Teddy, whom Monica seems to bond with perfectly than David. The letters puzzle her, and when Henry arrives, she shares this with him that the Ministry of Population has selected their family to give birth to a child. Eventually, we discover that David is not a human child but an artificial human designed to ease Monica’s loneliness and replace a real child’s position. Monica privately tells her husband that David has a verbal malfunctioning and must be taken back immediately to the factory (Arthur 450). Brian Aldiss concludes his story with David thinking of love and warmth of his

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hiroux's Basic Principles of Morality - Essay Example When we evaluate the United States through the lens of Thiroux's basic principles, we find a country that is striving for moral idealism and compromising to satisfy reality. When considering the United States, it needs to be defined as a culture and society of people, religion, and laws. It is not the canyons, mountains, and buildings. The morality of the United States extends to the people, their laws, and the philosophical underpinnings of the constitution. Giving a moral standing to the inanimate objects within our borders would go beyond the traditional boundaries of the moral universe (MacNiven, 1993, p.204). When we apply Thiroux's five principles, we examine the people, the law, and the principles as they are applied to the people in our own country and around the world. When evaluating a situation or a people for its ethical nature it is critical that we have the truth. Honesty, one of the five principals, is the foundation that morality is built upon. Our major religions embody the principle in the ninth commandment of 'thou shalt not bear false witness'. It is reflected in our expectation of truth from our leaders and courtroom testimony. However, the US is inundated with false and misleading advertising, and our country goes to war based on a deception. In the US, honesty is generally valued only so long as it is in our own self-interest. In the long term, the self-interest of corporations and politicians can become the illusion of honesty (Mansbridge, 1990, p.151). While the US embraces honesty as a concept, the principal is often overrun by self-interest. A fundamental moral principle is the sanctity of life and the belief that we should celebrate life and accept death (Thiroux, 2007). The United State's Declaration of Independence expresses the similar belief when it says that one of our inalienable rights is our right to life. This moral principle is reflected in our laws that prevent assault or murder, as well as the fundamental respect for life that is practiced by our mainstream religions. Still, abortion laws, lack of child health care, and militaristic adventures call into question whether this is a guiding principle of the US or merely words to strive for. Here we see our principles overlapping and contradicting one another. Freedom of choice and a right to privacy impede the idealism of the value of life in regards to health care and abortion (Thiroux, 2007). It is also argued that military action serves to save a greater number of lives than it takes. No system of laws or government has a greater respect for individual freedom than the democracy of the United States. Once again, the principles are valid only within a well defined context. If questioned, many Americans would express the feeling of exploitation and slavery to the economic system. Personal freedom is only attainable if the freedom is in itself moral. The United States has made incremental progress towards individual freedom, though we do not have the absolute freedom to do as we please. Our morality may be at odds with someone else's value system. Henry David Thoreau (1892) said, "The progress from an absolute to a limited monarchy, from a limited monarchy to a democracy, is a progress toward a true respect for the individual" (p.151). While the United States has the ideal of a universal morality, our diversity challenges our individual freedo

The Fatal Mistake Essay Example for Free

The Fatal Mistake Essay This is Swetas book, she gave it to me, she replied. I never knew you read Daniel Steel? , she glared at her. Sweta told me that this was really an emotional story and I would love it, she said. Why did you come back early from college? , she asked. The lecturer was absent. Anyway one of my classmate is coming here today, he has some doubts in economics, she said. Which classmate? , she asked. You dont know him, even I didnt know that he stayed in our apartments till today, she said. Fine! I am going to Nehas house, we have to do our homework together, she said picking up her books. When will you be back? , Kavita asked. In an hour, I have to go for Badminton practice after that, she said, she had goosebumps all over her when she thought of Nakul. What is this new you have started, badminton practice daily? , asked her sister. Someone told me that I was good and should participate in the junior tournament in the colony, so he is just teaching me, she said. He? Who is this he? , she asked. He is the champion of our colony and he is coaching me now days, you should see him, he is great, Mala said. Eeks! Badminton, please I hate that game, she said and got back to her books. Yeah! You cant see anything apart from your books, Mala said and walked out of the house. An hour later Mala came back from her friends house and saw that Kavita was clearing the table. So did that boy come? , Mala asked. Yes he did, he just went a few seconds back, she replied. You should have made him wait, I would have met him too, she grumbled. He will come here daily till our exams, so you can see him some other time, she said, going back to her room. Fine, I am going for my practice, will be back in two hours or so, Mala said and out she went. This time Nakul wasnt there, so she started to practice on her own. In another five minutes, Nakul came to the court. Sorry, I am late, he said. No problem, what happened? , she asked. Actually my exams are coming, so I have to study. I am weak at a few subjects, he said. Fine, she muttered, she didnt even know what he studied or where he studied, she made a mental note of asking it later. The game went off even better than the previous day. After the two hours both of them were completely dead. God! I just dont feel like going home, he said. Why? , she asked. I just feel like playing with you the whole day, it is so much of fun. Once you go home, you have to start studying the horrible subjects, he said. She laughed. What are you studying? , she asked. I am doing Final year Economics hons, he said. Great! Even my sister is doing that, she said. You have a sister, I didnt know that. Doesnt she play badminton? , he asked. She hates outdoor sports, she hardly comes out, she said. Oh! Mala I have to leave now, I am getting late for my tuitions, he said. Yeah bye! See you tomorrow, she said. Not tomorrow Mala, I have to take extra tuitions tomorrow, we will meet day after tomorrow, he said. Yeah fine, she said looking dejected. This time she didnt run all the way home, rather she was quite upset. He could have taken out at least an hour for the practice. That night again she had that bad dream, but this time she could see a few more things. She could see that the gleaming thing was a sharp knife. She could see that the other person was poking the knife at Kavita. And before Kavita lost her consciousness she wrote something on a piece of paper, it looked like a name alam. Mala got up feeling quite nauseated. The dream felt so real that she was literally shaking in fright. Who was Alam? And who killed Kavita? Why would anyone want to kill her? She would have to ask Kavita, who Alam was. The next day, Mala confronted Kavita. Do you know any guy called Alam? , she asked. Alam? No I have never heard that name, why are you asking that? , she asked. Have you picked up a fight with someone? , she asked. No, but why are you asking me all that? , she asked. Nothing, she got up. Maybe what I am thinking is all wrong, maybe I am going mad, she thought to herself. Mala, I have bought something for you. I was at Lajpat Nagar today and I found something that you will love, she said taking out a packet. Mala gasped in shock, it was a blue bag with Snow White on it. She held on to the bag, nervously. She had become completely pale. Did you like it? I thought your bag has become really old, so I bought this for you, Kavita said. Thanks I love it, she managed to say. She thought over her dream once again. The murder weapon would be in her bag or maybe she was the one who took the weapon from the bag. Would she try to kill Kavita? But why? Why would I kill my own sister? What is happening , she looked really scared. The next day was no out of usual. Mala was worried the whole day. She kept thinking about her dream again and again. When she came home in afternoon she lay tiredly on the bed. She soon dozed off. When she got up it was four in the evening. Oh, I am missing my badminton practice. oh Nakul is not coming today, she sighed in relief and again lay on the bed. She could hear Kavita in the hall. She was with her classmate, teaching him. Mala got up and freshened up, then she came out of the room to go to the kitchen. On the way she passed the hall and she stood for a while to see the guy, Kavita was teaching. Her heart took a double jump, as soon as she saw him. Nakul.. Nakul was in Kavitas class and she is teaching him. She quietly walked into the hall. Hi Mala! Come meet Nakul, he is in my class and Nakul, she is my sister Mala, she said introducing them. Hi Mala, I didnt know that you were Kavitas sister, he said. Hi and I didnt know that you were Kavitas classmate, she said with a smile. Excuse me! Am I missing something? Do you people know each other? , Kavita asked. Yes, I told you about the champion who coaches me for badminton, Nakul is the one, Mala said. Oh Great! I didnt know that, she said. I should say that Mala is great, you should just see her playing, Nakul said. I have heard that you are a champion, I should see you playing sometimes too, Kavita said with a smile. I have called her so many times to see my play and she never came and now she will see Nakul playing, Mala thought, as a tinge of jealously hit her. I am not a champion, you are the champion of the college, you should see your grades, he told Kavita. Oh please Nakul, stop that, she said giving him a shove. Kavi, dont be so modest dear, he smiled. Mala stared at them strangely. Even she didnt call her Kavi, who was he to call her that way and anyway the hell was she behaving like this with him? . I am tired, lets go out for a Pepsi, Nakul asked Kavita. Yeah Sure! Mala would you like to join us? , she asked. She stared at them. She felt that they didnt want her to join, Nakul didnt even ask her. No, I am a little busy. You guys go on, she said. Fine! Come Kavi, lets go, he said. He looks so happy that I am not going. We have practiced so hard, didnt he ever feel like going in for a Pepsi break with me, she was really pissed off. She walked into her room without even saying bye to them. She sat on the bed and the scene flashed through her mind again. The way both of them were looking at each other and talking to each other. Was there something going on between them? He looks quite impressed with Kavita and who isnt? She always impresses everyone with her sweet talking and her flirtatious attitude. But why Nakul, why couldnt she have just left Nakul for me? I loved Nakul, God! Why does this happen to me always? I will have to talk to her, she thought. That night their parents were not at home, so this was the perfect time Mala could talk to Kavita. Kavita we need to talk, she said gravely. Yeah, whats up? , she said, looking up from her novel. From when do you know Nakul? , she asked. I told you he is my classmate, I know him from three years, she replied. Are you close to him? , she asked. What sort of question is that? He is a good friend of mine, she said. Good Friend! You are having an affair with him, she screamed. Oh yeah! I am having am affair with him, she said sarcastically. Please Kavita! Dont make a joke of it. You have snatched away everything from me but not this time. I wont allow Nakul to fall into your trap, she roared. What nonsense are you talking? What trap? And what do you know about Nakul? , she asked. I know that I love him, I truly love him. My love is not an infatuation, I have loved him for four years and now when I am about to get him, you are playing your tricks, she shouted. Mala you are completely out of your mind, Nakul can never love you, she said. Oh yes! And why not? Because you love him and want him, you cant do this to me, you cant. I wont let him go away from me, she looked really flared up. Listen Mala! You dont know a thing about Mala, he will never love you because. , before she could complete her sentence, Mala had poked the knife she had brought in her bag into her stomach. Kavita gasped in horror. She turned and tossed in pain. She had a pen in hand and in the book she wrote mala , Its mirror reflection when Mala saw looked like alam. Kavita lay dead in a few seconds. Mala quietly cleaned all the fingerprints from the knife and kept it over the body. Then minutes later she screamed. Hearing her all the neighbours rushed to the house. Mala ran out like a mad girl and soon the police had arrived. Mala was in no condition to speak, everyone knew that she had loved her sister so much. The police registered the case as a robbery cum murder, the thief had come to rob the place but Kavita saw him and in order to save him he killed Kavita. All the while Mala was in the hall watching her favourite cartoon Snow White. A week later, everything came back to normal. Mala again started to practice badminton with Nakul. That day Nakul had come with a friend of his. He introduced him to Mala. Mala, this is Yash, my boyfriend, he said. Hi Yash, Nakul why did you refer to him as your boyfriend, you could have called him your friend. Boyfriend seems so weird, she said. Nakul looked towards Yash and he smiled back. Mala you have become a good friend of mine so I wouldnt hide it from you. He is my boyfriend, I am a gay, he said frankly. Mala looked stoned. She froze to her bones. She ran all the way to her house and sat on the bed. Kavita was so right, Kavita I am so sorry, I am so sorry.. you were right.. He could never love me he could never love me, Mala cried. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Miscellaneous section.

Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay

Performance Measurement In The Public Sector Finance Essay In recent years governments within Canada have been facing increased pressure from the public to be more financially accountable, transparent and responsible when it comes to managing tax dollars. In large part, this is due to several economic and social pressures, such as an aging population, budgetary deficits and various financial scandals, which make the need for effective and efficient financial management a pressing matter. Governments have been developing systems, approaches and processes to continually ensure value for money, including integrating private sector practices into the public sector (e.g. New Public Management and Public Sector Renewal). One such private sector practice is the extensive use of and reliance on performance measures, which are used to obtain information thought to be critical to ensuring effective and efficient financial management, such as tracking government debt, program success, and forecasting future programming needs. This paper will demonstrate and explore the theory of performance measurement, including its advantages and disadvantages. A case study will then be presented, which will outline, apply, and assess financial performance measures used by the Ontario government on its provincial budget covering the period from 2002 to 2007. The paper will then conclude with observations and recommendations for more effective use of performance measures and a better understanding of the benefits and, perhaps more importantly, the limitations of performance measurement. Performance measures, while a useful tool, are not sufficient to guarantee effective and efficient management of public resources. Context for the need for performance measure in the public sector Governments are increasingly grappling with complex social and economic pressures. For instance, the aging of the population is expected to have important impacts on governments revenues and expenditures. With soaring health care costs as the population ages, Roy Romanow (2002) in his report on the future of health care in Canada estimates that annual per capita expenditure on people aged 65 and over is three times as much as the average of all age group spending (p.57). Looking at Ontarios annual report and consolidated financial statements between 2002 and 2007, the province has seen a significant increase in its expenditure in health and long term care where the province increased its expenditure by approximately 9.9 billion dollars or a 36.8 percent spending increase over five years. Overall expenditures during the same time period have increased by 20.4 billion dollars or a 28.6% increase. This essentially means that approximately 49% of the increase in expenditure went to health care spending. Ontarios revenues on the other hand increased by 21.8 billion dollars or a 31.8% increase. However, net debt has increased by 8.5 billion dollars or a 6% increase (Please refer to appendix 1.1). As these statistics show, expenditures on health care represent a significant proportion of provincial spending, a situation that may be exacerbated by an aging population. Furthermore, Saks and Haccoun (2004) estimates that Canadian labour supply shortage will reach the one million plateau by year 2020, which can have significant adverse effects on the Canadian economy and its provincial and territorial counterparts in terms of ability to raise taxes and maintain current program expenditures and ensure a sustainable economy in the future. As a result of these pressures and complexities, governments have started to examine its role in society and the various ways through which programs are delivered and managed. For instance, governments are increasingly delivering programs and services through partnerships as a means of improving efficiency in the delivery of services to Canadians. With increasingly complex and varied configuration of delivery of public services, there exists a real need to identify separate roles and responsibilities of participating partners and to develop expectations, standards, and measures of performance to ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability. What is Performance Measure: Definitions and Considerations One of the results of this movement for better public service delivery is the integration of private sector practices, including performance measurement to ensure transparency, accountability and sustainability even in the face of pressures and complexities facing the public sector. In recent years, several developed countries and some developing countries have made increasing use of performance concepts and results indicators, both in their managerial practices and in the formulation and execution of public programs (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p. 649-650). Performance measurement is also considered by some experts as the first step toward improving the performance of a public-sector organization, and, if backed by an appropriate incentive system, it can help shift organizational focus from inputs to outputs and outcomes and thus improve efficiency and effectiveness (Performance Measurement in Public Administration, p.663). It is essentially the collection of a bout an organizations performance indexes that will equip a program manager to evaluate its changes in performance over time (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). Performance measures are believed to be first applied in the public sector in 1960, when calls for the improvements in processes in which the way the government manages its resources or inputs to maximize efficiency and effectiveness started becoming more pronounced. It is argued that by tracking performance, the government is better able to meet its budget goals and objectives. There are many factors to consider when developing or applying a performance measure in an organization. The main factor that must be considered is cost. Can the organization afford the costs associated with developing, maintaining and implementing a performance measure? Clear, concise and realistic performance goals are needed. The performance measure must be fully communicated to everyone in the organization, as the success of a performance measures implementation depends on everyone buying into the concept. Once a performance measure is approved, an appropriate rewards system should be included, as well as a system for modifying the performance measures if the organizations objectives are not being realized. The organization must also ensure that individuals who have to work with the performance measures within the organization are well informed about the process and the benefits of the system and how to implement it (Mayne, 2005). In other tools, realizing and achieving the full benefits of performance measurement may be compromised or limited if analysts/managers fail to appreciate and understand the nature, purpose, meaning, and limitations of the indicators. Benefits of Performance Measurement As the economy grow, the demand for government services increases as well. Ontarios gross domestic product (GDP) increased from 493.1 billion dollars in 2002 to 586.2 billion dollars in 2007 or an increase of approximately 18.9% (Please refer to appendix 1.6). This means that there could be an increased demand for government programs and services and, likely, for the Ontario governments workforce. As programs, service, and government workforce grow, there would be a need to track the various programs the government provides. Performance measures can be beneficial in a given organization in various ways if implemented properly. Some of these benefits include: workforce and program management, assessment of program effectiveness, and increased accountability. Performance measures assist in organizing information that will help track, assess and analyze how various programs are progressing over time. It is a control measure that will make sure that the public sector is delivering services to the public that will maximize the publics utility level and at the same time ensure that resources are utilized efficiently and effectively(Carroll and Dewar, 2002). The management of these processes will also ensure compliance within various departments where the process can be standardized across various departments to ensure compliance. The application of performance management hopes that managers would change from being inwardly focused to being outwardly focused on public conditions, needs and problems (Waldt, 2004, p.21). By helping managers think outside the box, performance measure will hopefully generate innovation that can be fed back into the policy process to incorporate these innovations. However, this will only work if senior management i s able to sell this idea to everyone in the organization that will help break down resistance. By overcoming these barriers, an organization can now look ahead and collect various information regarding its performance, how well it is doing in comparison to previous years?, and how it is performing against other organizations. Performance measures can also help in improving public accountability. Outcomes information will inform public debate and the political process, and thereby providing direction to Government(Waldt, 2004, p. 19). In recent years, various government sectors have faced heavy scrutiny from the tax payer, electorate, opposition parties and the media. This is due to mismanagement of government funds such as the sponsorship scandal. This is one of the reasons why various performance control measures are increasingly filtering through the public sector. Since performance measure requires information gathering, maintaining and analyzing, then its proper implementation improves government accountability, transparency and responsibility. Since the public sector is more open to scrutiny because of the advancement of the information technology and the availability of legislations such as the Freedom of Information Act, this will further assist in ensuring that public sector managers are more cons cientious. Although one must ask whether or not performance measures in the public sector exist because there is a real need to improve performance or a perceived need for one. If the cost of performance measure outweighs its benefits, then performance measures can be seen as a ploy by the government to provide peace of mind to the public. Then the cost of performance measure is essentially the cost of buying peace of mind which is a waste on its own. Finally, another benefit of proper application and implementation of performance measure is through benchmarking (Carroll and Dewar, 2000). Benchmarking allows government agencies to create and compile best practice information that can help other agencies achieve their goals. This information may be useful to other organizations to help make their operations effective. A word of caution with utilizing benchmarks is that each organization is different from one another. Therefore, these benchmarks must be modified to fit into the organizations culture, goals and objectives. Though this may be helpful, the flip side is a potential to promote laziness and block innovation (De Bruijn, 2007). Limitations to the Use/Application of Performance Measurement The main idea behind performance measures is to be able to reduce cost and at the same time provide services at the least possible cost without jeopardizing the quality of service. However, the application of performance measure alone does not mean that governments will start realizing the benefits associated with this practice. Some may question the underlying reason why performance measures are needed in the public sector. It can be argued that performance measures were implemented in another country or province and they have been successful at achieving goals through the use of performance measures as a tool (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). However, just because performance measurement works in one particular organization does not necessarily mean that it can be fully integrated in another organization and be expected to provide the same level of success (the idea of benchmarking). This brings into light various motives or the driving force for the use of performance measures. Do public sector analysts and managed really believe that performance measurement contributes to more effective financial management? Or are they simply forced to include performance measures to fulfill reporting and financial requirements from the Center of government (e.g. Treasury Board)? Or are they just following a trend or a passing fad? The implementation of performance measure in the public sector can have a few disadvantages. These limitations include the manipulation of the performance measure system, challenges and difficulties in quantifying qualitative objectives (Carroll and Dewar, 2002). One of the major problems of performance measure is the manipulation of the performance system to maximize rewards by a particular individual/organization. Performance measure objectives can be interpreted in a variety of ways that can potentially give way to manipulate the system to allow a given organization to meet its objectives on paper but not in reality. One example of how performance measure can be manipulated happened in Australia when an Aboriginal tribe was informed that its sanitation and other subsidies would depend on their performance in keeping sanitary facilities clean, they did so most effectively by thoroughly cleaning the toilets, and then closing them to the public. (p. 660, Performance Measurement in Pu blic Administration) Performance measure can be manipulated by defining the goal and manipulating other variables to meet its objectives. For instance, if a police forces objective is to decrease crime rate in a given community, it can essentially meet its goal without any real changes to the crime rate in the community in question by choosing not to report certain crimes. This practice is a waste of resources that could have been used to fund other programs that are more efficient in nature. As illustrated by the examples given, the application of performance measure can potentially generate good performance on paper but not in reality. Another disadvantage of performance measure is the challenges associated to applying it to the public sector (Graham, 2007). This is because private sector is mostly concerned with profit maximization which is a quantifiable objective. The public sector on the other hand is concerned with measuring qualitative objectives and quantifying its results. Qualitative measures can be quite challenging because it involves subjective interpretation of quality. For instance, if the governments goal is to measure the quality of secondary education provided in Ontario, and then it becomes hard to determine how well the ministry of education is performing. The reason for this is because there are a variety of ways to measure quality, where is the data coming from? What measures are used? Who measures performance? And whether or not there is a conflict of interest that will manipulate the system. Finally, quality of education may not be measured until a few years later when the students graduate h igh school. The application of performance measure also calls for rewarding good performance and punishing poor performance (Waldt, 2004). The implementation of this premise may be a challenge in the public sector because politicians can over ride budget allocation. If for instance, health care is the governments top priority, if for instance health care is the worst performing ministry within the public sector then this may be a challenge. However, this will not work in the public sector because politicians can opt to ignore the performance measure in place and increase funding for the ministry of health. It is also useful to note that the implementation of performance measurement in the public sector could potentially be more challenging than in the private sector, in part because of differing operations/service goals. While the private sectors bottom line is profit maximization, the public sector involves multiple competing stakeholders with multiple goals (Graham, 2002). For instance, there are certain stakeholders who believe in maintaining balanced books and reducing debt, while there are others who believe that the government should consistently provide for social programs, even if this implies financing services through deficit. Furthermore, a performance measures effectiveness may not be fully utilized because politicians can choose to ignore these measures or can over ride budget allocation based on performance measures. Case Study: Ontario Financial Performance Measure A budget is one of the most important pieces of legislation in any given government because it outlines how the government plans to manage its limited resources effectively. A well-conceived, -applied, or -implemented budget allows the organization to realize its goals and objectives with maximum efficiency and effectiveness (McKinney, 2004, p.264). For many years, the public sector has been experiencing increased pressure from the public to provide the best quality of service at the least possible cost. Furthermore, governments have been facing increased pressure from the public to reduce its debt, otherwise debt servicing costs will be transferred to future generations at a higher cost (principal plus interest charges). As the government becomes larger, the role of financial management plays an indispensable role in the achievement of an organizations objective. It is the fuel that gives life and substance to the engine of public administration (McKinney, 2004, p.1). Along with its growth, the number of competing stakeholders also increases and therefore, the process of allocation becomes more complicated. This is the very reason why governments are increasingly finding ways to improve its financial reporting such as the adoption of accrual based accounting and the implementation of the Public Sector Accounting standards. These are some measures used in the private sector that are now being applied in the public sector. In theory, the purpose of the application of these measures is to be able to make governments responsible, responsive and fully accountable. This section will explore and analyze the financial performance measures used by the government of Ontario to assess its effectiveness. The government of Ontarios financial analysis measures three areas which includes sustainability, flexibility and vulnerability. Sustainability measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations. Sustainability measures Assets to Liabilities, Financial Assets to Liabilities, and Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue, Net Debt to GDP and Deficit to GDP. Flexibility measures the governments ability to move around its financial obligations across programs or across various years to be able to provide the best possible programming level. Flexibility measures Public Debt Charges to Revenue and Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets. Finally, vulnerability measures the extent to which the government is dependent on or can be influenced by external organizations such as the federal government, foreign institutions and foreign governments. Vulne rability measures Government Transfers to Total Revenue and net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt. Sustainability Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to meet its financial obligations through the liquidation of its assets. In the private sector depending on the company, an acceptable ratio is 2:1. However, looking at the Ontario governments assets to liability ratio, this figure hovers around 0.27:1 0.31:1 between 2002 and 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3). This figure may be way below the private sector expectations but the chances of a government experiencing bankruptcy (especially in developed countries) is quite low, since governments tend to have the ability to raise money by issuing debt to cover liabilities. Therefore, the use of this measure is limited to just merely observing upward or downward trends. Furthermore, with the implementation of full accrual based accounting in the public sector it becomes hard to determine the exact total value of the governments assets. These assets include heritage assets where a market value is non- existent or there are competin g estimates. It becomes a challenging task to assign a value on such an asset, or the asset may be of value to the government who owns the asset but not to anyone else. Given the challenges associated with determining an actual value for an asset, care should be taken when using this ratio as a financial performance indicator since its accuracy can be challenged. Financial Assets to Liabilities measures the governments ability to raise cash quickly or its liquidity to cover its liabilities. The Ontario governments ratio ranges from 0.18:1 to 0.23:1, where it reached its peak in year 2004/2005 and in 2006/2007 (measured at 0.21:1). (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Debt to Total Annual Revenue measures the governments net debt in relation to its ability to generate revenues. This ratio reached its peak over a five year span at 2.03:1 in 2003/2004 and 1.56:1 in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since 2003/2004, the Ontario government has been able to reduce its net debt in relation to its annual revenue. Net Debt to GDP measures the governments fiscal capacity. They relate bond indebtedness to the sources of government revenue (McKinney, 2004, p.245). Ontarios net debt is hovering around a quarter of its GDP and between 2002 and 2007 where it has been slowly declining from 0.27 in 2002 to 0.24 in 2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Since a consistent downward trend exists in this measure, this means that the government is improving in this ratio. Since both Net debt and GDP has increased from 2002 to 2007, this means that the GDP has increased at a faster rate than the increase in net debt. This means that governments ability to pay its debt obligations has improved over five years. Deficit to GDP measures the governments deficit in relation to its GDP. In this measure, the government has seen improvements from 2003/2004 to 2006/2007. This means that the Ontario government is continuously managing its expenditure and making sure it spending is within its capacity. Even though the Ontario government has seen deficits in the years 2003/2004 and 2004/2005, this ratio is looking favourable since deficits are declining in relation to GDP, which has seen a constant increase over five years. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Flexibility Public Debt Charges to Revenue measures the governments ability to raise funds to pay its debt servicing charges. In this measure, the Ontario government has seen a constant improvement or a downward trend during the five year term from 14.9% in 2002/2003 to 9.7% in 2006/2007. The reason for this is because Ontarios revenues over the same five years have seen consistent growth and have increased by approximately 31.8% while interest on debt has seen a 13.7% decline over the same period. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) Net Book Value to Cost of Capital Assets measures the true value of the governments capital assets. This value is hovering around two thirds of the cost of capital assets and it has seen a slight downward trend from 69.5% in 2002/2003 down to 67.2% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure is a good indication of the governments capital assets such as land, buildings, and transportation infrastructure such as highways, railroads and bridges. However, looking at the Ontario governments public accounts, it does not state whether or not the value of land is recorded at historical cost or fair market value. If the land is recorded as historical cost, then it does not really show the true value of the governments assets; instead it is under estimated if the value of the land increases in market value and vice versa if it decreases in market value. Furthermore, depreciation is measured based on estimates; it could be that the life span of an asset could be higher than expec ted and therefore, while the asset is recorded on financial statements as having no value, the asset could still be utilized. Furthermore, an asset can be estimated to have a lifespan of 10 years; at year 10, even though the asset can still be used, an organization can continue using the asset or request for new funding for the replacement of the asset. Since the asset can still be utilized, the organization can sell the asset and make money out of it (scrap value) and record it under its miscellaneous revenues. This becomes an issue of operational efficiency versus manipulation of assets to maximize revenues. Vulnerability Government Transfers to Total Revenue measures the proportion of the federal governments share of the province of Ontarios total revenue. Federal funding that flowed into the provincial government ranges between 13% (2002/2003), which is its lowest level between 2002 and 2007, and has increased steadily to approximately 15.8% (2005/2006) and dropped slightly to 15.5% in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This figure can be interpreted in various ways where the upward trend shows that the federal government is continually increasing its transfer payments to the province of Ontario in relation to its total revenue. Looking at nominal figures, the federal government has increased its transfer every year between 2002 and 2007 (from 8 billion dollars in 2002/2003 to 14 billion dollars in 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.2) Part of this increase is due to huge surpluses the federal government has been reporting in recent years. However, the increased in federal transfer can b e seen both negatively and positively. This can be viewed positively because the province is able to provide more services to the public. However, funding commitments can be revoked especially with a change in government and government priorities. Furthermore, budgetary models are built upon expectations, if the province expects to receive a certain amount of dollars from the federal government, and this is not realized, then it can potentially adversely affect the financial standing of the province. The provincial government should also use this figure as a sign of caution in terms of its forecasts not to rely heavily on federal transfers. The province should try to provide the same level of programs and services to its citizens without relying heavily on federal transfer payments because of fluctuations and uncertainty. However, others may argue that increasing federal transfers is a positive step towards addressing the so-called fiscal imbalance and providing Ontario a fair share of federal funding that is more proportional to the contributions that Ontarians make to the federal tax base. This demonstrates another useful limitation/caveat: performance ratios/indicators are not purely objective, in that their interpretation and ultimately the manner in which they are used/applied depend on the subjective point of view of the public sector analyst/manager. Net Foreign Currency Debt to Total Debt measures the provinces debt level to foreign countries and or organizations. This figure has seen an increase from 21.4% in 2002/2003 and 23% in 2004/2005 and from that point it declined to approximately 20% by 2006/2007. (Please refer to appendix 1.3) This measure is a good indicator on Ontarios reliance on foreign governments in terms of trade and its indebtedness. A declining net foreign currency debt to total debt means that the province can have a positive effect on the provinces credit rating that assesses the governments vulnerability and stability which can have an impact on interest rates on its debt. An improving credit rating will increase the chances of the Ontario government to refinance its maturing debt because of lower risk of default from its debt. An increase in this ratio might cause international panic where other countries can call the province on its debt that can have adverse effects on the economy in terms of attracting investors and other countries willing to do business with the province. As a useful summary of the provinces dependence on foreign debt, it is important to keep track of this budget measure of vulnerability. Discussion of the Ontario governments Financial Analysis as a Measure of Performance Based on the above discussion the ratios used by the government of Ontario is a useful tool as part of a comprehensive strategy or approach to analyzing, measuring the provinces economic and financial performance. However, these tools alone are clearly not sufficient to obtain a full and clear picture and forecast of the economy. Variables such as domestic and international political conditions, international and domestic commodity prices, supply and demand, price of oil, interest parity, price parity, and other non-financial indicators, such as demographic trends, should be considered when formulating, implementing, and assessing the effectiveness of policies and programs. Furthermore, these budgetary performance measures tend to be applied at a relatively high level (i.e. on rolled-up or summed-up figures or estimates) with a view to gauging whole of government performance. Since the Ontario government comprises of individual ministries and departments, improving whole of government performance must start with the individual ministries and their specific programs and projects. This reinforces the idea that full and effective performance measurement entails consideration of other and more specific factors/elements. The government of Ontarios financial measures provide very useful snapshots of the government position at a particular point in time. However, there are other measures, information and factors that one has to consider in gauging the performance of the government and formulating recommendations and strategies moving forward. Conclusion Increased pressures and complexities confronting the public sector has encouraged the proliferation of private sector practices, including the use of performance measurement to gauge program outcomes and ensure transparency, accountability, and sustainability of government operations. As this paper has demonstrated, there are benefits to performance measurement, such as providing opportunities to track, compile, and maintain data and requiring regular reporting, thereby helping in promoting transparency and benchmarking. However, these financial/material indicators are not sufficient to ensure effective and efficient management of public resources. As this paper has pointed out, there are several limitations and caveats to performance measurement that public sector managers/analysts must bear in mind, including the need to incorporate other information (e.g. non-financial and qualitative data) in developing, implementing, and assessing policies and programs. These points were reinfor ced in this paper through an examination and evaluation of financial ratios intended to measure the performance of Ontarios budget between the period of 2002 and 2007. While this paper presented a case study of performance measurement from a financial perspective, perhaps a more interesting and richer case study would be to explore quantifying qualitative program performance measures in which represents another area of future research. Indeed, performance measurement when used in a public organization by itself is a fools gold (Carroll and Dewar, 2002).