Goals Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Goals - Assignment Example Firstly I would probably not make a lasting impact on the overall management of the firm which would hurt my chances of getting rehired. Secondly I would probably not learn a number of necessary tips from skilled professionals and lastly the job task could possible become more difficult which could hurt my overall performance. I postulate this because much of the information needed to be an effective auditor in my opinion can be gained in a short time when explained by a skilled professional but may take a great deal more effort to learn if that same information has to be learned organically. In regards to the techniques discussed in A Coaches Playbook for Leaders it is my opinion that one of the most exemplified coaching practices was clarifying roles and goals. On my very first day my roles and responsibilities were covered extensively, and in my opinion this will prevent me from overstepping any boundaries and ensuring that I stay on target with my work project. Since that original meeting I have received meaningful and positive feedback from my manager. Although I have not accomplished much in my internship, I had my manager look over my work thus far and he was able to identify that I was remaining on target. This not only motivated me to want to continue to impress him but I believe that this strategy will ensure that I produce meaningful and effective work that is tailored to the standards of my

The IKEA Business in the UAE According to the Market Demand Research Paper

The IKEA Business in the UAE According to the Market Demand - Research Paper Example In order to acquire the market share and to be labelled as one of the leading businesses in the world, IKEA has its control over the channels of production and distribution (BusinessWeek 2005). Due to the significance of marketing channels for market acceptance and profitability, developing a formal planning process for formulating and choosing channels is vital (Stern & El-Ansary 1982, p. 222). Much of this control is spelt out in its code of conduct that it calls â€Å"The IKEA Way on Purchasing Home Furnishing Products† (IKEA 2010). This code was launched in 2000 (IKEA 2010). It indicates what suppliers should look forward to from IKEA and suggests what IKEA should expect from its suppliers (IKEA 2010). It not only spells out its expectations in terms of legal requirements, working conditions, external environment, and forestry management but also puts a great deal of emphasis on the active prevention of child labour (IKEA 2010). These policies and guidelines will be utiliz ed when implementing the IKEA business in the UAE. As previously mentioned, IKEA’s biggest competitive advantage over other home stores is its low prices. The low prices are the single element that drives IKEA’s cost reduction strategy. This strategy provides the company with its greatest opportunity but also its greatest challenge. The firm is passionate about cutting costs and transferring savings to the customer. This cost-cutting governs the process of design. Therefore, unless a design can be made affordable, it will not end up in IKEA’s showrooms or catalogues no matter how otherwise marketable the item might be.

Relflection Paper Essay Example for Free

Relflection Paper Essay When enrolling into a new class, it is normal to have expectations. I am excited and nervous at the same time. I understand that the upcoming semester will provide many challenges I will have to face. I am excited to see how I will grow academically over the course of the semester. I find myself eager about learning new things and refreshing my knowledge on things I have forgotten. It has been a long time since I have studied the growth and development of humans. I have strengths to bring to this class as well as weaknesses that I plan to work on during this class. By the end of this course I expect to be able to apply what I learn in counseling and become a better writer. While this class will be more stimulating than what I have been used to I hope that with the help of my classmates and my professor I can make this class a positive learning experience. During my undergraduate career, I took many psychology classes involving the human development. In one of my undergraduate classes, Lifespan Development, we went through the lifespan of people from birth until death. I took this class online and the class involved a lot of self-teaching. Because the class was online, assignments consisted of mostly online tests. While I learned a lot, I do not feel as if I learned all that I could. I am looking forward to taking this class on a more challenging level and having a deeper understanding in human growth and development. One of my biggest weaknesses is engaging in class discussions and presentations. Although I have an extroverted personality, I am very shy when it comes presentations. It takes time for me to get comfortable speaking in front a group of people. While doing presentations and engaging in class discussions, I get very nervous. In this class, a big part of my grade comes from this. Therefore, in this class I expect to get over my fear of public speaking. I hope that with the help of my professor I gain confidence about speaking in front of groups of people. I want to be able to take what I have learned in this class, apply it to counseling and also have a better understanding of what I have learned. This class will be an introduction of what to look forward to for the next three years. I am not used to writing papers and having to do so much reflective thinking. I believe this experience will help me become a better writer. In order for me to achieve all of my expectations, it is important that my professor help me when I need it, challenge me and give me constructive critism. In addition, if I want to take all that I can from this class it is imperative for me to give this class all that I have and spend time reading and completing my projects. I know that during this semester, there will be challenges but with the instruction of my professor, I plan to grow in my profession.

IT Essay: National ID cards Ethical issues

IT Essay: National ID cards Ethical issues National ID cards have long been advocated as a means to enhance national security, unmask potential terrorists, and guard against illegal immigrants. They are in use in many countries around the world including most European countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Currently, the United States and the United Kingdom have continued to debate the merits of adopting national ID cards. The types of card, their functions, and privacy safeguards vary widely. In UK, The Governments decision to introduce a national Identity Cards Scheme was announced in the Queens Speech on 17 May 2005 and the Identity Cards Bill was reintroduced to Parliament. The date for introduction depends on the timing of the Bill being passed as law.   It is   expected to issue the first ID cards from 2008. But there has been a huge outcry over the issue and public continue to debate over it. According to the government press releases, ID cards will provide legal UK residents, including foreign nationals, with an easy and secure way of proving who they are. ID cards will be linked to their owners by unique biometric identifiers (for example, fingerprints) which mean one will have a much stronger way of protecting peoples identities. Background checks will ensure that claimed identities are real and not stolen, and will prevent criminals using multiple identities.The card will have the details like Name, address, gender, date /place of birth, immigration status, finger prints and iris scan. However it will not have sensitive information such as ethnic origin, medical records, tax records etc In UK, anyone who is in the country for more than 3 months and is over 16 years old is eligible for an National ID card. Public and private sector organisations will be able to check the information held on the National Identity Register to help them establish the identity of their customers and staff.   For example, you may be asked to prove your identity when opening a bank account or registering with a doctor. Major points advocating the need for an ID card is: 1. Prevention of Identity theft: An ID card will prevent the identity theft of an individual by providing him a secure and straightforward manner of proving and protecting their identity..2. Prevention of illegal immigration and travel: ID cards will stenghten immigration control.Government and people will know who is a legal citizen of the country and who go the rights to work here, thereby preventing illegal work which infact affects the economy.3. Public services: ID cards will help ensure public services are used by those entitled to use them .Thus it will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of service delivery. 4. Terrorism and organised crime: Just as people will gain an individual benefit from registering with the ID cards scheme, as more people r enrolled society as a whole benefits.It will be better protected from activities of those who use false identities, from people who hide their criminal past to avoid restrictions on working with children through to organised crime and those who support terrorist activites. ID cards- Ethical issues: We will discuss the national ID cards issue with respect to various computer ethical theories: 1. Ethical relativism: According to this theory, Morality is relative to the norms and traditions of a society.It states that whether an action is right or wrong depends on the society in which it is practiced.Actions which are right in one society can be considered wrong in another one.Now comparing this to the issue of national ID cards, which are considered as a tag to a citizen given by the government.Although National ID cards have been implemented in various europeon countries , malaysia, singapore etc but for countries like UK or USA, its not a very good idea to implement this.Reason being these countries are quite liberal in terms of foreigners settling in to take up jobs and a higher standard of living.So the culture is mixed.There are various colors and races of people.Issue of national ID cards can foster a new form of racism and descrimination. E.g. in UK, Asian or African communities can become subject to constant identity checks to confirm their status in the country. F ailure to carry a national I.D. card would likely come to be viewed as a reason for search, detention or arrest of minorities. The stigma and humiliation of constantly having to prove that they are citizens or legal immigrants would weigh heavily on such groups.Now compared to countries having a single colour people and not many foreign visitors, they might not have the same problem as ID cards can cause in USA or UK. So relativism theory holds true for national ID cards.It also depends on the situation of the society. National ID cards were issued in UK back in Second World War. But it was done to preserve national security from intruders and spies from other countries. It was abolished later on. So considering the situation; it was not a bad move that time. Now compare this to the present situation of UK the recent terrorist attacks, and post Sep 11 attacks on USA.National ID cards will provide a means of identifying any suspected person or someone who is having a past criminal re cord. This can make the present society more safe compared to what it is today. But again the implications are far too many. With various immigrants from so many countries, it would just cause an embarrassment for them who are also an integral part of todays society in these countries, as they would be viewed as potential suspects. ID cards would also act as an internal passport in the country. This is no doubt useful in the case of criminals or terrorists, but a common citizen has to show his credibility every time, thus giving a feeling of being monitored all the time. 2. Ethical utilitarianism: This theory classifies an act as right or wrong depending on the happiness of the society or person concerned .If the act is right, it would bring happiness .But if its not the case, then it is considered wrong. Utilitarians also assume that it is possible to compare the intrinsic values produced by two alternative actions and to estimate which would have better consequences. If the difference in the results is not of alternative acts is not great, some Utilitarians do not regard the choice between them as a moral issue. Coming to the issue of national ID cards, there are various direct and indirect consequences on the society. Some of them are good and beneficial and some are not. According to utilitarians, it is possible to do a bad thing from a right motive. Basically it provides an answer to what should a man do, to provide best possible results. Step taken in terms of issuing an ID card has a right motive. It would help in prevention of identity theft of an individual by someone else, prevention of illegal immigrants and travel into the country, as ID cards can provide a positive means of identification on the immigration status of a person. It would also help in prevention of misuse of public services and most importantly prevent the terrorists and persons having criminal record from taking fake identities to mix up in the society and try to cause some harm to it. Now all these are the positive points coming from ID cards.But there are few negative points too. Utilitarian theory tries to compare the bad consequences with the good ones and find out if the act is right or wrong. Now the foremost negative point about issuing an ID card is invasion of privacy of a person. All information about a person would be stored in a centralised database which can be accessed by any authorised person with the click on a button. But that doesnt guarantee prevention of possible misuse by some corrupt individuals to find out the details of someon e and possibly change it. And information once changed if not tracked in time, can cause a great loss to that person who wouldnt know what went wrong. He might get denied a job in a public sector requiring security clearance. People can make fake ID cards and steal identity of others, as it would be the most reliable method to prove ones identity. ID cards would also restrict ones free movement across the country and can cause racial discrimination. Now comparing the negative and positive points of this step, it is very difficult to decide which step is right for the society. But taking the safety of todays society, the decision tilts slightly in the favour of ID cards. But its a long debate and the exact consequences would only be known when the cards are actually implemented. 3. Deontological Theory: This theory focus on use of certain rules rather than consequences to justify an action or policy. The best-known deontological theory is that of Immanuel Kant in the 18th century. His theory stated that Moral rules should be universalisable i.e. applied to all rational, moral members of the community rather than to just some. All persons should be treated never simply as means but also always as ends in themselves. Members of the moral community should take a hand in making the laws as well as living by them. This theory states that one has to follow some morals no matter what the consequences are. Matter of ID cards clearly violates some freedom of movement and privacy of an individual. So technically speaking; it is not a moral thing to do.   Even though the consequences can be good for the society, but according to this theory, it should not be done, as it is not morally correct. One of the theory by shelly kaggan states that individuals are bound by constraints which he should respect but also given some options which he can choose to follow or not. Issue of ID cards can be considered as an option but it is not totally correct morally as it affects some rights of human beings. Consequences are not considered in this theory. Apart from all these ethical issues affecting an individuals rights of data protection, freedom of movement, privacy etc, there are many more hurdles which comes into picture before implementing ID cards Conclusion: It is not known how ID cards will be foolproof given the above failure modes. Misuse can be far more dangerous than anticipated. And they are prone to errors and misuse, and are likely to be blindly trusted even when wrong. And cost of issuing the ID cards to every person in the country would run into billions which will most likely be paid by the tax payers of this country. As expensive as the financial costs are, the social costs are worse. However saying that, ID cards are not totally ineffective but a proper and more reliable systems needs to be put into place before deciding on the privacy and rights of the citizens. Data Protection law is wholly inadequate to deal with the use of ID cards. Indeed legislation in most countries facilitates the use of ID cards, while doing little or nothing to limit the spectrum of its uses or the accumulation of data on the card or its related systems. However with its help in preventing terrorist activities, it can be implemented with a slight i mprovement on human rights issue. Morality of ID cards is still being debated all over the world, which is the main reason for the implementation getting delayed. Bibliography: 1.   Ermann M and M.B. Williams. Computers, ethics and society. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997, pp 12 50 World Wide Web: 2.   Home office.http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/passports-and-immigration/id-cards/how-the-data-will-be-used/?version=1.Oct 09, 2005 3.   Identity cards. http://www.identitycards.gov.uk. .Oct 09, 2005 4.   Bruce Schneier. Schneier on Security.   http://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2005/05/real_id.html.Oct 10, 2005 5.   National ID debate.   http://www.vastlyimportant.com/vastly/2004/08/national_id_deb.html#comments.Oct10,20056.   Epic-National id and real ID act. http://www.epic.org/privacy/id_cards/. Oct10, 20057. Utilitarianism. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utilitarianism.   Oct 12, 2005 8.   Ethical Relativism. http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/ethicalrelativism.html. Oct 12,2005

High Prevalence of Hepatotoxicity on HIV Patients under TDF First Base

In this cross-sectional study, our data demonstrate a high prevalence of hepatotoxicity 21.65% (225). Among 1039 HIV infected individuals, 8.2% (85) were on NVP based regimen, 38.8% (403) were on EFV based regimen, 26.18% (272) were on PI based regimen and 9.8% (102) were on raltegravir based regimen; of which only 2.4% experienced severe hepatotoxicity (n=25). This is in contrast with the previous findings, as many previous studies conducted so far have reported high prevalence of severe hepatotoxicity. For example a study conducted by Ferdinand et al., reported grade 4 hepatotoxicity in 7.9% patients [8], a retrospective study conducted at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) and Durham VA Medical Center (DVAMC) Infectious Diseases Clinics have reported 10.7% incidence of severe hepatotoxicity [9]. However, a recent study conducted on Ethiopian cohort have reported grade 3 and grade 4 hepatotoxicity among 1.84% of HIV infected patients [10]. The reason why the higher incidence was found among other cohort studies might be our study excluded patient with HBV/HCV infection. Among the 225 patients, 12.31% of them were on first line ART regimen. However SH among patient on first line ART was found to be present in 1.82%, this is similar with the previous finding that, among those receiving first line ART 1.7% had SH. However many finding states that overall rate of SH was between (4.2% - 8.9%) [11-13].In addition by analyzing further we found that SH was found to be higher in NVP (19.35%) than EFV (14.4%) based NNRTI, this is in line with the previous findings. The proportion of hepatotoxicity among HIV infected individuals is found to be 3.84%, 2.21%, 0.96% for patients who are ART naà ¯ve, on PI based regimen and raltegravir based ... ...transformed for statistical analysis. CD4 T-cell measurement was performed using flowcytometer FC 500, (Beckman Coulter, Pasadena, CA, USA), ALT and AST level were measured in Olympus AU400 Chemistry analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Pasadena, CA, USA). Statistical analysis: Baseline characters were recorded as median and interquartile range for continuous variables and as percentages for categorical variables. Differences in demographic characters between 4 groups were compared using Kruskal-Wallis Test for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square and Fisher’s exact test for categorical variables. Time to event between the groups was compared using Kaplan-Meier estimates and log rank test. Association between the risk factors and hepatotoxicity was computed using Odds Ratios (ORs). All statistical analysis was performed in Vasserstats: Statistical computation website.

Marijuana and the Biological Bases of Behavior Essay -- Research Paper

Marijuana and the Biological Bases of Behavior Marijuana is the dried leaves and flowers of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa. Like all plants, it's sensitive to the environment where it grows. Some of the names for it are Mary Jane, pot, weed, grass, herb, ganja or skunk. The brain has many responses to marijuana. Marijuana can cause people to lose focus on events around them. For some it makes them more aware of their physical sensations. For others, there are numerous other effects. All forms of marijuana are mind- altering. All of the changes are caused by chemicals that affect the brain. More than 400 chemicals are in the average marijuana plant. When smoked, heat produces even more chemicals. Different weather and soil conditions can change the amounts of the chemicals inside the plant. Marijuana grown in one place might be chemically stronger than grown in another. Marijuana's effects on the user depend on it's strength or potency, which is related to the amount of THC it contains. Marijuana causes some parts of the brain, such as those governing emotions, memory, and judgment, to lose balance and control. Marijuana can speed the heart rate up to 160 beats per minute. Dilated blood vessels make the whites of the eyes turn red. Panic feelings may be accompanied by sweating, dry mouth, or trouble breathing. Much like tobacco smokers, marijuana smokers may experience a daily cough and more frequent chest colds. Animal studies have found that THC can damage the cells and tissues in the body that help protect against disease. When the immune cells are weakened you are more likely to get sick. When someone uses marijuana, these chemicals travel through the bloodstream and quic... ...ology 8th ed. Australia, Canada, United States: Wadsworth Publishing Kouri, E.M., Pope, H,G., (2000, November). Abstinence Symptoms During Withdraw From Chromic Marijuana Use. Experimental and Clinical Psyhopharmocology,8(4),1- 13. Massi, P., Pavolaro, D., Rubino, T., & Vigano, D., (2001) The Psychoactive ingredient of Marijuana induces behavioural sensitization. European Journal of Neuroscience 14(5), 884-886. Nahas, G., (1977) biomedical aspects of Cannabis usage. Bulletin on Narcotics 29(2), 13-27. Martin, B. R., Neuropsychopharmacology: The Fifth Generation of Progress, Marijuana. Retrieved from the Internet March 3, 2005. http://www.acnp.org/g4/GN401000170.CH166.html Williams, J.S. (2004). Cognitive Deficits in Marijuana Smokers Persist After Use Stops. National Institute on Drug Abuse, 18(5), 1-4.

Case Study Retailmax

Case Study RetailMax: Role for Cam Archer and Regan Kessel Elizabeth Smith Grand Canyon University, LDR 610 April 10, 2013 Everyone has power to some degree. French and Raven (1959) distinguished five types of power: referent power, expert power, reward power, coercive power, and legitimate power and with each of the five types, the stronger the basis of power the greater the power. Power is defined in terms of the influence a person has over the ability to change behavior, opinions, attitudes, goals, needs, and values (French & Raven, 1959).Cam Archer is in a position of power at RetailMax; she has the CEO’s support to accept either a more lucrative position in the Professional Services (PS) Department or a marketing position with Regan Kessel, the Vice President of Product Management and Marketing (PMM) (McGinn & Witter, 2006a). Which position will provide Archer with the power to meet her needs; will Kessel’s power be affected if Archer accepts the position within hi s department? The power bases and social influence of both Cam Archer and Regan Kessel will be evaluated to determine which of the two most effectively used their power sources.Cam Archer is in an interim position as a retail account executive with RetailMax, Inc. , a software company based in Boston. Upon graduating with her MBA from a leading business school, Cam began working for RetailMax, a company providing merchandise optimization software. While working in business development where she was responsible for managing strategic alliances and partnerships, RetailMax was forced to downsize and all areas that were not directly involved with making or selling software were laid off.Cam was asked to join the sales team, an avenue she was not interested in, but one she agreed to accept because of her belief and faith in the entrepreneurial culture and service commitment RetailMax could provide to retailers during the current recessionary period (McGinn & Witter, 2006a). Cam’s dedication, drive, sacrifice, and social influence paid off; within the first year of sales she had built solid internal and external customer bases. Cam’s potential power was great. She had the trust and respect of the executive team and the support to decide which position she would accept; her fate was in her own hands.Cam’s referent and expert power is recognized by the CEO when he recruits her to handle an emergency situation with a new RetailMax customer who was one of the largest â€Å"big-box† retailers in the country (McGinn & Kessel, 2006a). Regan Kessel, a seasoned software executive, was recruited by Todd Elman, CEO of RetailMax to head product management and marketing because of his task, knowledge, and personal power. Kessel was put in place during Elman’s turnaround of RetailMax, and upon assessing his team he determined his product managers did not have the time or skill set to develop a consistent and clear marketing message.Although Kess el had the legitimate power to determine a strategy for his marketing dilemma, the solution came through another avenue. An informal meeting with Elman and Archer led to a brainstorming session that produced a plan of how to move Cam into the marketing department and provided a product marketing strategy. A new position, Director of Product Marketing, would be created for Cam, a position that would utilize her knowledge and expertise (McGinn & Witter, 2006b).Kessel is in the position to create a competitive compensation package, will Cam’s gender influence Kessel’s decisions because of stereotypical gender roles? It does not appear that Kessel made compensation decisions based on Archer’s gender; instead, his desire was to come up with a fair proposal based on Archer’s current and potential financial successes for the company, her skills, education, and qualifications; the same factors he utilized in determining the salary base for each of his employees.B ut, Kessel was going to have to make a tough decision. What was he going to offer Archer to incentivize her to accept the Director position, and would there be negative social factors such as resentment and envy toward Archer for her relationship with the Executive team? Cam is in a position of power. Not only does she have power over which position she will take at RetailMax, she also has strong personal and relationship power with both internal and external customers in addition to her close and personal relationship with the CEO and VP of sales.Kessel also possesses strong relationship power, if Cam accepts the position in Professional Services; he knows he can quickly locate a qualified candidate to replace her because of his strong ties and connections in the industry. What assumptions did Kessel make regarding Cam, and what if any assumptions did Cam have regarding Kessel? Kessel is aware that Cam does not want to stay in sales and she is tired of all the travel, he knows she is ambitious and assumes his compensation package will have to match the package being offered by Mangini (McGinn & Witter, 2006b).Cam assumes Kessel may resent not being able to select his own candidate for the Director position. She has researched the salary structure for the product managers and assumes Kessel will offer her a compensation package that is in line with the market, but since her role will have a broader more strategic scope she hopes to be compensated for this. On the other hand if she accepts the professional service position she will not be in a position to receive any credit if she is able to help with the turnaround of a chaotic professional services department (McGinn & Witter, 2006a).Cam has a decision to make, which position will strengthen her power? While the professional service position provides the opportunity to work closely with customers, involves revenue generation activities, and connects her compensation to revenue goals, Cam knows the position wi ll require as much travel as her recent sales position, while the marketing position is a more stationary position which means the opportunity to reestablish friendships and social activities, something Cam has missed.Cam is also drawn to the marketing position because it moves her toward her career goals of being in management. Although Cam would not have any direct reports, she would work with all five product managers to develop and implement marketing strategies for the corporate level, a level with more social networking, power, and prestige (McGinn & Witter, 2006b). Should Kessel be concerned with Archer’s career advancement, Archer does have the â€Å"ear† of the CEO, a close working relationship with the VP ofSales, and now she is being recruited internally by another VP? The benefits of hiring Archer means Kessel will gain an intelligent, dedicated employee with proven success for RetailMax and whose social connections and charisma could bring positive attenti on and promotion to the department; while the deficits being related to the team’s morale and how they may respond to a socially connected internal transfer who had a position created for her.Hiring an external candidate at a lower salary opens up the opportunity for Kessel to reward his current employees with a pay raise above cost of living, something they have not received in two years (McGinn & Witter, 2006b). Kessel has a decision to make. Kessel has put together his compensation package and made Archer an offer. Kessel reminded Archer of the benefits of the position: limited travel, social benefits and stability, and career advancement along with offering her a compensation package of $138,000 (15% above the market) because of her experience and proven success record for RetailMax (McGinn & Witter, 2006b).Archer believes the marketing opportunity makes good use of her education and skills, meets her personal needs and career goals, and positions her with the power and i nformation sources for the company; because of this she believes this is the best choice for her. Upon evaluation of both case studies, Cam Archer used social power most effectively through taking career risks that not only helped to develop and enhance her skills, but which brought visibility and attention to her reputation for being an innovative and resourceful employee whose charisma and business acumen brought much success to RetailMax.References French, J. R. P. , & Raven, B. H. (1959). The bases of social power. In D. Cartwright (Ed. ), Studies in Social Power (pp. 259-269). Ann Arbor, MI: Institute for Social Research Retrieved from http://www. communicationcache. com/uploads/1/0/8/8/10887248/the_bases_of_social_power_-_chapter_20. pdf McGinn, K. , & Witter, D. (2006a). RetailMax: Role for Cam Archer. Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Publishing McGinn, K. , & Witter, D. (2006b). RetailMax: Role for Regan Kessel. Boston,