The News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal

The News of the World Phone Hacking Scandal from Business Ethics and CSR Point of View Date: 21 June 2012 Executive Summary The focus of the project you’re about to read is on the recently phone hacking scandal of famous UK News agency, – The News of The World. The report include a brief explanation of what has happened based on pre-selected online articles, analysis of the scandal from Business Ethics point of view by using various CSR theories discussed during the CSR course in period four and provides conclusion and recommendations on what could have been done.The research is built on identification of the moral problem identification, analysis of the scandal, optional actions which could have been taken to avoid the situation, evaluation of the scandal from business ethics perspective by using business ethics theories. To make sure that the scandal is analyzed realistically the report covers different stakeholder perspectives. Nonetheless, the report addresses one o f the most important scandals of the news industry and aims to handle the issues from Business Ethics and CSR point of view.Contents Introduction3 The News of the World and Phone hacking Scandal background4 1. What the dilemma is about5 2. Stakeholder Analysis6 2. 1. Who acted and who had to act? 6 2. 2. Stakeholder and their interests/actions7 2. 3. Moral values9 3. Theoretical analysis10 3. 2. Sustainability10 3. 3. Ethical Value Judgment11 3. 4. Virtue Ethics (Phone Hacking)12 3. 5. Utilitarianism: Consequentialist approach13 3. 6. Universalism: Deontological approach14 4. Conclusion and recommendations15 Bibliography16 IntroductionThe scandal analyzed within this report is one of the most discussed and complicated scandals the news world has ever faced. In order to be able to realistically present company and adequately evaluate this whistle blowing journalistic research which revealed the greatest journalistic scandal ever the following criterion were used: * Business Aspect of the scandal * Moral aspect of the issue and public reaction * Political aspect of the problem * Ethical theoretical relevancy * Social elements of the scandalAll the gathered data is analyzed according to the theoretical knowledge gained during the course. Company Mission Statement: †Our practice is the fearless advocacy of truth. [We] will seek for the patronage of no party †¦will conceal neither the merits nor the faults of any party, but†¦ will aim alone at doing good service to old England by maintaining her glory and security, the prosperity of all classes of the people. † (Hinton. (2011). After 168 years, what changed?. Available: http://hintonandco. com/tag/mission-statement/. Last accessed 14 June 2012. This in itself is a very powerful mission statement which was left as an inheritance from the company’s founding fathers. After 168 years they first have been in business, the staff were empowered by these powerful words. The culture that was ini tially â€Å"advocated for truth† was left to run uncontrolled even if it was for the cost of breaking the law. The News of the World and Phone hacking Scandal background For the first time being published in 1843 the News of the World was one of the most read Newspaper in the United Kingdom, until 2011.During the period of its publication it was the biggest selling English language newspaper not only in the UK but also globally. The company initially was established by John Browne Bell in 1843 and later was sold to Lascelles Carr in 1891 and last was bought by News Corporation in 1969. News of the World was the Sunday sister paper of The Sun. The newspaper main focus was on its specialty on celebrity-based scoops and populist news. Its â€Å"extraordinary† scandal news earned the company various names, including but not limited to famous News of the Screws and Screws of the World slogan. UK: BBC. (2011). News of the World to close amid hacking scandal. Available: www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-14070733. Last accessed 14 June 2012. ) The company was famous for exposing celebrities as drug users, sexual peccadilloes, or criminals, setting up insiders and journalists in disguise to provide either video or photographic evidence, and phone hacking which became obvious in 2011. With its paparazzi style and delivering personalized news, the paper was selling over 2 million copies on weekly basis up until 2010.Though the phone hacking allegations started back in 2006, accusations reached to its top level on the 4th of July 2011, when it was revealed that the newspaper staff had intercepted and deleted the voicemail of missing British teenager Milly Dowler, who was later found murdered. As a result of the intense allegations News International announced the closure of the newspaper on July the 7th 2011. However the scandal did not just end there by closing the company, it got deepened as the investigations got intensive.The most horrible news was that the comp any had hacked the phones of the British service personnel killed in action, their families, people who died during 9/11 and their families. However ethical dilemmas do not just end by the phone hacking scandal, but also secondary dilemma starts with the speech of the owner of the News Corp. Richard Murdoch’s announcement on February the 17th 2012 in London that they were soon to launch a Sunday edition of The Sun as a successor to the News of the World and they were planning to employ a number of former News of the World journalists. . What the dilemma is about When the investigations initially started in 2005 it was concluded that the company’s phone hackings were only limited to celebrities, politicians and a few members of the British Royal Family. However when it was revealed in July 2011, that the phones of the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler’s , relatives of deceased military members, victims of the 7/7 London bombings and some of the 9/11 victims were a lso accessed. As a result of those unethical actions a public outcry against News Corporation and owner Rupert Murdoch culminated. (UK: BBC. 2011). News of the World to close amid hacking scandal. Available: www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-14070733. Last accessed 14 June 2012. ) Even though the public relatively calmed down after the company was closed, the anti-Murdoch and anti-News Corp. protests culminated once again after the owner of the company announced that they are planning to start a new newspaper agency by hiring the same staff under different name. 1. Stakeholder Analysis 2. 1. Who acted and who had to act? Phone hacking scandal covered multi level stakeholders. The following were the major stakeholders:In this case the main responsible stakeholders were the News Corp Management, Richard Murdoch; – the owner of the company and the British Government/monitoring institutions within the government. These stakeholders were legally responsible for making it sure that the news paper was operating within the legal borders. Once the company was suspected for its fraud activities the governmental institutions did their job by starting an investigation on the newspaper’s operations. However these institutions did fail to monitor the newspaper activities prior to the scandal.Both the News Corp. and the owner of the company, Richard Murdoch claimed not to be knowledgeable of those hacking activities, however they did apologize those harmed as a result of hacking activities and subsequently shut the company down. Meanwhile, the holding company did fail their promises when they announced about their plans of re-starting the newspaper’s successor under different name. 2. 2. Stakeholder and their interests/actions The stakeholders given in the stakeholder map can be divided into two: * Internal * ExternalThe following could be classified as internal stakeholders: 1. The News of the World: It was in the newspapers objective to deliver interesting news at on weekly basis. The company was profit oriented and would do almost everything to achieve its targets. They also had the campaign to expose pedophiles rings rather hollow. That was a dangerous path to go on: we could imagine them asking the question, ‘Will this sell us lots of copies? ’, and if the answer is ‘Yes’, they would do it, no matter if it’s illegal, immoral or indefensible.The culture that was initially â€Å"advocated for truth† was left to run uncontrolled even if it was for the cost of breaking the law. 2. The NotW management: The management had the responsibility to make strategic decisions to run the company profitably. It was in their interest to give the staff as much independence as possible to bring the most sensational news in the news industry. However it was also their responsibility to make sure that the staff’s actions were within the legal boundaries. 3. The staff/journalists: The employees’ main duti es were delivering the news that no other paper delivered.However it was morally their responsibility to act responsibly. 4. Richard Murdoch: It was in his focus that the company was profitable. It was also him as primary responsible person when the company was subject to investigations. He was the one apologizing in public on behalf of the newspaper, which created a good image of the company in short term. However, his announcement about new company being launched again put the News Corp. as holding company in the frontline subject to criticisms. 5. The NOTW shareholders: This group of the stakeholders was the people who invested in the NOTW.It was in their interest that the company was profitable and was running that way continuously. It was definitely out of their focus that the company was engaged such harmful activities. The external stakeholders: 1. The UK government/regulatory institutions: It was government’s/regulatory institutions duty to check the activities of the newspaper and act upon necessity. 2. David Cameroon: The prime minister was criticized for his former director of communications Andy Coulson was an ex-editor of News of the World at the time much of the phone hacking occurred. (Luke Buckmaster and Amber Jamieson. 2011). ‘Hacked to death’: Murdoch kills NotW. Available: http://www. crikey. com. au/2011/07/08/the-latest-24-hours-of-the-NotW-phone-hacking-scandal/. Last accessed 14 June 2012. ) 3. Victims: The victims who were alive or the relatives of the victims were interested in NotW management’s apalogizes. 4. New industry: The industry got harmed by one representative’s action, and the eyes turned towards other news agencies asking one question â€Å"Are they also using same or similar method? † 5. The community: The majority was interested in NotW to apologize and even shut down.However there were small group of people who could potentially be against these and these people were majorly the No tW employees or their relatives. In addition, the community was the main reason why the company did those actions as the demand was very high for such news. The dilemma in the case which makes the stakeholder interests collide: * The NotW company interests for higher profitability * The NotW management objective to bring news at any cost * Possible corruption within the government * High level of public demand for scandal newsSumming it up, there are over 10 major stakeholders being divided into two parts, internal and external stakeholders. However the most interesting part is that some of the stakeholders have mixed interests. For instance, the government who used the information provided by the newspaper, used and sought more news without checking the source of the news and later on accusing the NotW for fraud. In addition, the community who which was the main drive for the hacking due to the demand also had mixed interest levels. 2. 3. Moral values The question â€Å"What is Mo ral† in itself is debatable.However one can accept that moral values are values shared by the majority. If there would not have been any value in common in the community, it would be impossible or extremely hard to decide on what is moral. In fact, one can see that some values are shared with higher acceptance late than others. The phone hacking scandal covers various moral values’ elements: * Responsibility * Accountability * Cooperation * Honesty * Commitment * Integrity * Equality The actions taken by all the stakeholders must meet at least one of the above given elements in order to be considered moral. 2. Theoretical analysis . 1. Carroll’s Pyramid Based on Carroll’s pyramid a company has four levels of responsibility which are Economic, Legal, Ethical and Philanthropic responsibilities. Analyzing the NotW’s overall operational structure we can conclude that their major focus was on Economic responsibility, making more profit in shortest time p ossible. Their mission statement did touch Legal and Ethical responsibilities as well, however it was not very much clear what their major Ethical responsibilities were. They tried to create ethically responsible image of the company by donating money and hosting charity events.However this in itself was not enough. One can conclude that NotW was settled at the base line of the Carroll’s pyramid. 3. 4. Sustainability Evaluating the NotW from sustainability curves point of view one can spot the target of the management. 1- Ethical Responsibility: The company website and their PR representatives always mentioned that their mission is to bring reliable and honest news. While they were often giving large money donations for good cause. However for the concept of the Phone Hacking Scandal, we can say that one action overcame all the â€Å"Ethical† actions of the company. – Economic Responsibility: This was the main responsibility of the company as they were the large st selling English Language newspaper of the world. 3- Legal Responsibility: The company and the staff were held legally responsible for their actions however the management did not act legally responsible prior to the scandal outbreak. Summing it up we can conclude that the company did not meet all the sustainability elements and lacked sound CSR policy. 3. 5. Ethical Value Judgment We inherit ethical standards suiting our community the most.As people, the companies are as well judged upon firm views about right and wrong. Some of those ethical views are so strong that, shaking them will shake the whole fundamentals. Reliability and trust are those of major elements in these ethical standards that any news company would be judged upon. Looking at the NotW, we can confirm that, the company not only ignored the prevailing norms of the industry but also shook the fundaments of the ethical expectations from a news agency. (James Griffin (2006). Value Judgment Improving Our Ethical Beli eves. 2nd ed.New York, the USA: Oxford University Press. p 60- 98. ) However finally the management took the right psychological decision by stopping the company operations. NotW NotW Phone Hacking Scandal Prevailing norms of News industry Value judgments and perceptions of the audiance ETHICAL? 3. 6. Virtue Ethics (Phone Hacking) â€Å"Virtue ethics† is shortly the development of a person or a company into an ethically responsible one to lead ethical and responsible life/operations. To achieve that level it is important to develop responsible character traits which are called virtues.In Phone Hacking Scandal both the government and the management had to determine specific virtues and play the role of Virtue Ethics Agent. Based on virtue ethics, to determine whether an action is morally acceptable, the action must be chosen responsibly making the virtue equal to responsibility. In most of the case the agent must choose the virtue on the victim and help them. We could see that the British Government acted virtuously and increased the investigation on the hacking scandal, which eventually lead to the end of the NotW.This is mostly due to the fact that NotW as a company lacked major news agency virtues which are being trustworthy, reliable, and honest and one can conclude that the government played an important virtue agent role. 3. 7. Utilitarianism: Consequentialist approach According to the consequentialists it is morally right to do anything if it results in the greatest amount of good for the greatest amount of people. However the main issue becomes the consequence of the theory which would allow any action to take place under the name of a good cause. Even actions hat would be considered as â€Å"morally wrong† can be accepted within this theory. However according to the utilitarianism, the NotW has created more harm in the community than benefit by hacking people’s private voice mails and, for this reason they are considered to be guil ty for taking morally wrong actions. Looking at from different perspective, if the scandal was not found out, and people enjoyed reading the hacked news, one could say that as long as nobody finds it out, everybody is happy, the consequence is good. Happy & satisfied customer, revenue generating company, taxes received at the government, positive consequence.Once again it is confirmed that this theory can not clearly formulate satisfactory rules for decision making and can easily breach justice/legislation. For the above given reason, one could conclude that the Utilitarianism is not the best way of assessing an action by means of morality. 3. 8. Universalism: Deontological approach Kant's deontological ethics theory is based on Deon – duty. If the scandal is approached from Kant's categorical imperative principle point of view, we can conclude that it is the duty of any News Agency to deliver the news to its customers within the given standards without violating the otherâ⠂¬â„¢s private lives.Since this theory is built on the actions that lead to the outcome, then we can conclude that it was not only the NotW but also the regulatory institutions who acted immoral by not monitoring the NotW properly and providing the ground for the company to take such actions. 3. Conclusion and recommendations Failing almost every Ethical Theory, not having sound CSR system, being majorly financials’ oriented firm, the News of the World’s Phone Hacking activities were completely against not only the British Business ethical standards but also the international ethical standards.The NotW management had various mistakes, including but not limited to giving power to their staff without monitoring them on according to the standards. Which consequently lead for the largest scandal of the news industry. However, the management did take the right step by announcing the NotW closed which created a caring image in the community, and saved the holding News Corp. company. Meanwhile, Mr. Murdoch’s announcement of News Corp. launching a new successor of the NotW created more aggression within the public. The following would be final recommendations for the News Corp. s the NotW is no longer exists: 1- Give your staff power, but do not let the aggression take their power over 2- Corporate Social Responsibility is not donations, but acting. After such incident, the management should start different volunteer activities not only in the UK but also the other parts of the globe. 3- Define a sound CSR policy covering both your internal and external activities 4- Add learning objectives which you have acquired and which you are missing from your mal-management to your website to let your customers understand that you are aware of your mistake and have learnt from it. – Do not hide your history 6- Engage with your customers via different tools, including but not limited to Social Media means and ask for their opinions where they would li ke to see you as a company. 7- Make sure that you have decent reporting system set, and are on track of every single development within the company. Realizing the above given recommendations, the News Corp. will slowly, however soundly be restoring the customer confidence and rise back to their previous levels once again. Bibliography * http://www. bbc. co. uk/news/uk-14070733 * http://www. crikey. com. u/2011/07/08/the-latest-24-hours-of-the-NotW-phone-hacking-scandal/. * http://www. csrquest. net/default. aspx? articleID=12770&heading= * http://www. ec. europa. eu/enterprise/policies/sustainable-business/corporate-social-responsibility/reporting-disclosure/swedish-presidency/files/media-csr/corporate_responsibilty_and_the_media,_david_grayson_en. pdf * http://www. goodcorporation. com/documents/Corporatesocialresponsibilitymorethanaluxury. pdf * http://www. guardian. co. uk/news/blog/2011/jul/11/news-world-hacking-scandal-live * http://www. guardian. co. uk/sustainable-business/bl og/csr-now-hacking-scandal *

Just in Time Essay

Students will respond to the following: †¢Discuss the pros and cons of a JIT relationship from a supplier’s point of view and a buyer’s point of view. The con of the JIT relationship is that problems would occur if the company has sudden breaks to service and the supply. This may lead to labor strikes, and then eventually a failed business. A pro of the JIT relationship would be saving cost by not having unnecessary inventories. Also another attribute is flexibility, allowing the company to answer. †¢Analyze the short-term and long-term consequences that could come from implementing this JIT relationship. The short-term consequence of implementing JIT would be the cost that ties into the culture evolving, training staff on problem solving. The long-term consequence of JIT is improving the quality of the product along with the delivery of it. Once customers realize the proficiency of the company with its product that leads to a chance of a larger profit. †¢Discuss what factors Dixon and D&S should consider before making a decision on this relationship. In regards to factors that Dixon and D&S should consider before making a decision is: 1.Improved Quality- measuring the quality of service, timeliness, service consistency and courtesy. 2.Utilizing Multifunction Workers – Assist with improving quality and customer service. 3.Reduced Turn Around time – The competition is steady among companies that provide services, so a company that uses JIT concepts reduces the turnaround time and increase their speed.

Four Views to The College Conspiracy Essay

In May of 2011 a video by the National Inflation Association (N.I.A) surfaced on YouTube gathering over two million views and opening the eyes of people to the American college system. According to the producers of this video, â€Å"College is the largest scam in US history!† Is college a worth-while investment? Is it just a way for the government to stimulate the economy? Are college degrees really a necessity in performing on the job? All of these questions have been asked and answered with both yes and no. Four writers with different views on this matter have written up articles concerning this issue. While reading through the articles one will notice that the views for each author are backed up by examples and statistics but differ in viewpoints, resulting taking different sides to this topic. In the first article, by The Christian Science Monitor, examples of successful entrepreneurs without degrees like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Peter Thiel of Paypal were given to the audience. The writer then expresses his belief that not everyone is cut out for college, some would be better suited to vocational training, but the United States needs more well-educated people to compete in the world economy. Statistics on how college degree recipients have a decreased likelihood of unemployment and receive increased wages on average are then given. The next article, from the New York Times, opens up by revisiting America’s past decision to make high school open to the public and how education has benefitted the United States. The writer makes a comparison between the current situation of the importance of higher education to the America’s past decision. Studies stated that prove a bachelor’s degree is an asset even for those whose jobs do not require any degree. He states that, beyond the monetary value of a degree, education seems to make people happier and healthier. Quoting M.I.T economist, David Autor, writer states his opinion on how not sending a child to college would be a disaster. Different statistical evidence were then used. Once financial aid was taken into account, the average net tuition of public four-year college were approximately $2000, a lot less than what most people presume the cost to be. A recipient of a college degree makes 83 percent more than those with only a high-school diploma. Citing the Hamilton Project, a research group in Washington, an investment in a college degree has a 15 percent annual return, 8 percent more than stock investment, and 14 percent more than in real estate. On the other hand, article three, by John Stossel disagrees with the potency of a college education in the working world. He starts the article with examples of successful non-degree holders, Michael Dell, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Mark Cuban, Richard Branson, Simon Cowell and Peter Jennings. Stossel then shares his opinion that for many people, college is a scam. He then states the opinions of his Fox Televison partner Richard Vedder. Sharing similar view points, Vedder reasons out that students who do well in college often did well in high school, even though most students, even those who did poorly in high school, are pushed into college. He then asks as to why colleges accept the lower-tier of students and answers that question by stating that government loans ensure students are able to pay for college, even at the risk of long term debt, which fuels the academia. Giving out some statistics to back up the claim, Stossels points out the high percentages of baggage porters, bellhops and taxi and limo drivers have a college degree that they did not require to obtain their current jobs. The last article comes from Marty Nemko, a career counselor. She gives her personal experiences during her job when students are disturbed by the amount of money they have already spent on their education but still lack the units to complete their degree program. She then gives out the statistic that among college freshman who graduated in the bottom 40 percent of their high school, 76 percent won’t earn a diploma even if given 8  ½ years. Yet colleges admit these students and take their money. 23 percent of the students themselves are unprepared for college and students learn less in college than what is led on to believe, only having 16.4 percent of students satisfied with the instruction given to them. These four sources gave their own personal opinions and back them up with sufficient evidence in the form of examples, testimonies, and statistics. The Christian Science Monitor takes into account, not only each individuals need for a college degree, but also the country’s need for college graduates to compete in the world market. The New York Times’ article takes finances into account giving reasons to why college degrees are actually affordable, with the proper financial aid, and how they pay off once they’re put to good use. John Stossel takes his views the college system as a for profit organization, where, although some are able to use their education in the working world, many don’t and the college system takes advantage of the mass of hopefuls who try to better their lives, successful or not. Marty Nemko draws from her own personal experiences as a career counselor dealing with college students and their problems in taking the college route. What the discussion comes down to is how are the four authors interpreting the data they are given and how do their own viewpoints make them subjective to the matter. One side believes that a college education is a worth-while investment while the other believes that it is just a waste of time and money. Works Cited â€Å"America’s Most Overrated Product: Higher Education.† What Colleges Must Do: What Parents Must Do. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Jan. 2013. â€Å"The College Scam.† Fox News. FOX News Network, 06 July 2011. Web. 24 Jan. 2013. â€Å"Is College a Scam?† The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 15 Sept. 2011. Web. 25 Jan. 2013. Leonhardt, David. â€Å"ECONOMIC SCENE; Even for Cashiers, College Pays Off.† The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 June 2011. Web. 26 Jan. 2013.

State sovereignty 'led inexorably to the Holocaust and atomic warfare' Essay

State sovereignty 'led inexorably to the Holocaust and atomic warfare' - Essay Example Two major historical traumas that occurred in the 20th century – the Holocaust and atomic warfare, both involved countries that exercised its full sovereign rights which led many nations to the Second World War. Around six million Jews died in the hands of the Nazi, a political party which represented the legal government of Germany in 1933 (Florida Center for Instructional Technology, 2011). On the other hand, over 200,000 Japanese civilians died when the United States aircraft dropped atomic bombs in the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki -- a decisive action of the United States to put an immediate end of war and prevented further loss of lives (The Atomic Archive, 2011). Looking back at the scale of atrocities done by totalitarian and militarist governments over the past century, the role and obligation of the world community to intervene in the state affairs during humanitarian crises confronts a crucial challenge to the idea of state sovereignty. In today’s globalized community, the act of a state or group of states to use force in order to protect the lives of people other than their own citizen defies the main tenant on the codification of state sovereignty – that is the right of a state to exercise its ultimate authority within its territory. Viewpoint & Assumption Can the catastrophic events of the Holocaust and atomic warfare be attributed to the absolute exercise of state sovereignty? To examine this position, a careful analysis of the sovereignty principle and an exploration of the historical events are needed in order to establish the claim. This is rightly done so, because to say that the concept of state sovereignty contributed to the escalation of these catastrophic events of the Second World War is to recognize the justification of humanitarian intervention – the deliberate action of the international community to prevent human rights abuses of governments to its citizen. In this regard, the paper argues that while humanitarian intervention during the Second World War could have prevented the violence of authoritarian states, most nations could not readily commit to wage war because of its social, political and economic cost. The intervention itself can be rightfully justified; because the moment both Japan and Germany entered to war, it already submitted its sovereignty and challenged other nation’s sovereign rights. However, the international community is hesitant in intervening with authoritarian states not only because of social and economic implications of war, but also because no interest was at stake for these nations. The same issue persists on the humanitarian intervention or the lack of it, done in Libya, Syria, and Rwanda. To establish this viewpoint, a historical background of the Second World War events and the prevailing belief about the exercise of sovereignty will provide a better context for the argument. Then, a detailed discussion on the basic principles of sta te sovereignty will establish a clearer understanding for the idea of sovereign right. Following this discussion is the careful examination of the social, political, and economic reasons for the indecision and delay to intervene with German and Japanese powers. The Parallel Events of WWII While it may be argued that the holocaust and the atomic warfare are two distinct events that led to the loss of millions of lives, the main idea is that Germany and Japan were both authoritarian states that touted its some of its people to commit human rights violence during the Second World War. Hitler ordered the extermination of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, and the mentally challenged while the Imperial Japanese Army under Emperor Hirohito committed killings against millions of civilians and prisoners of war in China, Korea, and other Asian countries. While these atrocities were committed, it must be noted that the social and economic conditions of major nations such as the United States,

Customer Relationship Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Customer Relationship Management - Essay Example It is evident from the study that the customer relationship management aims to trim down costs and boost profitability by solidifying client loyalty. Customer relationship management may have a key impact on a business through: changing the attention from merchandise to client streamlining the offer to what the client requires, not what the business can make. This stresses the competencies required for a successful Customer Relationship Management procedure. CRM has specialized inputs, components and characteristics, which characterize CRM of a corporation and client base capacity for development and advancement over time. It contains particulars of customers; thus, it is very simple to follow a client accordingly and can be useful in the determination of customer’s profitability. All the information in CRM system is centralized that is accessible anytime on fingertips. This decreases process time and enhances efficiency. The strongest facet of CRM is that it is particularly c ost-effective. The main benefit of CRM system is that there is incredibly no requirement of paper and physical work, which involves lesser staff to supervise and resources to administer. New interactive technologies provide effective and acceptable level of service in order for a company to retain customers. In circumstance after circumstance, companies concurrently under-deliver on service components that are significant to customers, and over-deliver on service point clients might not regard about or even discern. (Peppers & Rogers, 2004). In many businesses, assignment of service provision is specific to frontline functions. These roles may be held up amid a broken system and an aggravated customer with modest capability to tackle any of the deeper systemic subjects. Therefore, this limits the degree of the relationship and understanding between the company and the customer. Thus, companies have to shift from depending on their technologies to analyzing their customer behavior to maximize their profits. A distinctive characteristic of companies that uphold success with clients is their capability to connect with customers as individuals. Businesses that appear engrossed in their clients’ lives and, consequently, convey an extremely personal, human experience. Embodying customers incorporate organized ways to entrench empathy in the foundation processes of client discovery, plan and delivery experiences, which are constructive for customers and beneficial as well as tactically pertinent for the business. Empathy is the recognition with or sensational experiencing of the feelings, situations, feelings, attitudes or thoughts of another (Peppers & Rogers, 2004). Apple Computers Apple computers have an understandable and straightforward set of products. Therefore, it is effortless to comprehend the differences between their product families, products and diverse configurations. Complicating products make it hard for a customer to understand the product an d even identify with it; thus, cementing the relationship between the company and customer. Apple restructures its product packaging and offerings to generate a simpler proposition for customers (Peel and Gancarz, 2002). Category and product simplification attracts a customer concentration from derivate labels, meaning that less is significant in a customer’s behavior. Apple computers place the customer at the centre of design. Engineers build and design personal computers and mobile phones, an approach which leads to baffling messages on machines. However, Apple sets design and

Green Flash and Nuclear Winter Scenario Assignment

Green Flash and Nuclear Winter Scenario - Assignment Example Instead, there are different colors of light that move in different ways. Our atmosphere is not just empty air, either. So far as light is concerned it acts like a prism and causes light to refract. Since the different colored lights curve at different speeds, this accounts for how we can see this green flash during times when the sun sets or rises. In some cases, the atmospheric conditions around the viewer will cause different illusions to appear as well, like a flashing ray of light or a stretched-out and shaky mirage. The easiest places to see the green flash are those where the horizon is not blocked by buildings or other large objects. The ocean, above a layer of clouds, or on top of a mountain are all good examples. Green flashes do not last very long so it can be difficult to see them. At most, they last for a few seconds. Nuclear winter is a terrifying possible effect of nuclear warfare. Basically what would happen is that the dust and soot from the fires started by many nuclear bombs going off would leak into the far upper atmosphere. Due to being heated by sunlight after reaching the upper atmosphere, these clouds of debris would then rise even further, above normal weather conditions. Since they could no longer be washed away by rain or blown away by the wind, these clouds would stay in the air for many years, causing temperatures to drop around the earth. If there had been a very large nuclear war, the temperature change could be quite drastic, or it could be as small as a few degrees in the case of a smaller conflict. In addition to causing cooler temperatures, a nuclear winter would have an effect on rainfall, lowering it by up to 75% in some areas in the three months immediately following the cloud entering the atmosphere. Nuclear Winter would also have a devastating effect on the worlds ozone layer, decreasing it by as much as 20% overall across the globe. This would increase the amount of UV radiation that got

Comparing and contrasing web and class learning Essay

Comparing and contrasing web and class learning - Essay Example It does not require the student to go to the school and attend regular classes, but it is done in one’s own comfort and one can gain much intellectually. This form of learning involves use of computer supported learning, virtual and also digital teamwork. The topic in the discussion is then transferred to the internet, privately owned computer network, extranet, CD-ROM, audio and videotape, and via satellite television (Prunuske, 2012). It is crucial to those who have no time to move from different places. It is an expedient way of training and learning. It is good for those who have a job to hold them during the day and still want to pursue their studies. This is because they can freely study from home after work or any time they are free without the pressure of attending classes. It is student focused form of training and learning. It authorizes all types of learners to get access the superlative materials, learning and referral resources, tutoring and teaching lessons from the instructors. In addition, with this program, no student is left out of the topic when he is willing either at home or even in hospitals. It just involves clicking into the internet (Prunuske, 2012, p. 14). This gives a chance to the learner to study any subject that he wills to. It does not matter where the instructor is located. It is also cheaper than regular learning therefore it is the best study method for those who are not financially stable. Classroom learning is the type of learning where students have to attend a place or a room selected for learning purposes. It is therefore very important for the learner to ensure that he is punctual with the lessons to ensure that they move together with the tutor and other students. It requires a lot of attention and concentration. It is the most used method by a large number of students especially where the technology level is low (Prunuske, 2012). The web learners will have time for

Literary analysis for En Aquel Entonces Readings in Mexican American Essay

Literary analysis for En Aquel Entonces Readings in Mexican American History - Essay Example Subsequently, in 1993, the United States and Mexico entered into another important treaty--the North American Free Trade Agreement (hereinafter NAFTA). NAFTA created considerable controversy in the United States. It governs trade between the NAFTA parties: Canada, Mexico and the United States. The NAFTA parties trade hundreds of billions of dollars worth of goods a year. Thus, one can expect that many trade disputes will arise under NAFTA. As a result, NAFTA has provided procedures for dispute resolution. In the 1800s, many in the United States believed it was America's destiny to expand westward so as to govern the entire continent. Writing in 1845, journalist John O'Sullivan explained: The American claim is by the right of our manifest destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent which Providence has given us for the development of the great experiment of liberty and federative self-government entrusted to us. In accordance with this notion of "manifest destiny," in 1846, the United States went to war against Mexico in an effort to incorporate the western territories of California and New Mexico and certain Texas borderlands. At the war's end in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo required Mexico to cede about half of its then existing territory. Much of the American West and Southwest was acquired by the United States in the 529,000 square mile cession by the Republic of Mexico. Thus, the United States conquered Mexico in 1848. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo completed that conquest and, therefore, completed the conquest of the Southwest. In agreeing to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico--a conquered nation--obviously had much less bargaining power than the United States. The Mexican government was under tremendous political and financial pressure to sign the Treaty. Mexican officials viewed the Treaty as a final opportunity to preserve Mexico. With the American Army just outside of Mexico City, they believed that if the war continued, all of Mexico would have been acquired by the United States. In addition, British money brokers, who had made large loans to Mexico, were pushing Mexican officials to end the war and pay off Mexico's debts. Under these circumstances, the United States virtually dictated the terms of the [Treaty]. So one-sided was the Treaty in favor of the United States that the American political party, the Whigs, who were opponents of the war, concluded that the Treaty was morally bankrupt. In particular, the Whigs argued that it was unethical to require a defeated country to "sell" its territory . Despite this, Mexico sought to provide certain rights for Mexican citizens in the territories ceded under the Treaty to the United States. Experience proves it is possible for one nationality to merge and be absorbed into another: and when it was originally an inferior and more backward portion of the human race absorption is greatly to its advantage. Nobody can suppose that it is not more beneficial to a Breton, or a Basque of French Navarre, to be brought into the current of the ideas and feelings of a highly civilized and cultivated people--to be a member of the French Nationality, admitted on equal terms to all the privileges of French citizenship--than to sulk on his own rocks, the half-savage relic of past times, revolving in his own little mental orbit, without

Criminal justice Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Criminal justice - Essay Example There is also a newer classification which is the National Incident-Based Reporting System or NIBRS which is an upgraded version of the UCR (Samaha, 2006). These systems are all very different. They range from random-sampling based surveys to the more tangible nationwide percentage surveys. The more popular of all of then is the Uniform Crime Reports as conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This is the first to be cited in crime reporting statistics because it is based on actual data gathered throughout the country annually. The others, being primarily based on sample populations taken at random reasonably yields a more vague assumption when it comes to results. Statistically, they have a higher rate when it comes to margin of error. We can actually classify crime reporting measuring systems into two logical kinds, the official crime statistics and the unofficial crime statistics. They are also gathered at different stages (Wold & Weis). I find that the official rep orts are more useful because they are based on actual data. Over time this system has transformed and included other types of more specialized data such as the Hate Crime Statistics and the Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted (Federal Bureau of Investigation). It’s newest addition, the NIBRS is a more fine-tuned version of the older UCR.

Professional meeting report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Professional meeting report - Essay Example As being a completely new topic for me, the presentation was quite helpful in developing my understanding regarding how I might get confused if I remain focused on following initial illness evaluation procedures such as signs along with symptoms. The presentation also helped me in understanding the fact that the presence of an open mind and close attention to every minute detail might help me in attaining better returns. As a learning outcome, I understood that the place and profession undertaken by an individual also impacts his / her physical and mental conditions as can be appropriately understood from the second case (University of Washington, â€Å"Cultural Relevance in End-of-Life Care.†). In an overall manner, this presentation will certainly aid me in helping the patients suffering with varied diseases from a wider and effective perspective. For attaining this particular objective, I need to evaluate each and every detail about the patients like preferred foods, profession, locality and subjection period to illness. Knowledge regarding aspects such as cultural back ground and financial condition of the patients will also help in enhancing my career as an effective dietician (University of Washington, â€Å"Cultural Relevance in End-of-Life

Cafe Latte Essay Example for Free

Cafe Latte Essay The business was formed as a limited partnership between three siblings and a friend, Cynthia, Stuart, and Rob Chan, along with Jeff Burns, respectively. The Chans are somewhat knowledgeable about running a business since their parents have operated a restaurant for years, and Stuart Chan continues to manage the restaurant. The three siblings are the principals in the business, while Jeff Burns is primarily a partner for financial purposes only. Cynthia, having the most free time, has spent the most time working on the business opening. Stuart has procured the equipment for the bar, with Rob’s help. Stuart has become angry at Cynthia for not spending enough time in preparations, and feels that she and Rob are not doing their fair share of work. Stuart wants to buy out Cynthia’s share, but later just apologizes for his outburst. In order to avoid further conflicts, a work schedule was devised that permits Cynthia and Stuart to work schedules that do not overlap, and Rob will manage the operation. Introduction This case study is following the decision case model. Case studies are and important part of the study of organizational behavior. We can dissect the various components of attitudes, behaviors, consequences, etc. , using a fictional setting and cast of characters. We can subsequently collaborate to develop objective assessments of the situation presented, and model possible decisions that we might make as managers. In the case of the Cafe Latte case study, we are provided with one decision possibility but we are also free to propose alternative decisions, along with the rationale. Stuart has some qualities of a team leader (commitment, hardworking etc), but lacks some important ones. He failed to appreciate others contributions and failed to do psychological empowerment. Also as a leader he was not distributing the roles and responsibilities evenly. Unfortunately, he was getting more work from two jobs he was handling. Instead of motivating others he was making negative remarks frequently. There could be some ego problems and sibling rivalry too. Cynthia was unhappy at the end, but she was not ready or courageous to talk to Stuart about the problems. Instead she wrote a list and handed-over that to Stuart. Stuart was intelligent enough to understand the situation and the consequences. But he has some false pride and he was not even ready give a direct apology to Cynthia. It took him two days to write an apology. Also he has to leave the apology in Cynthias car, which made its less personal and sincere. The problems are listed in detail below: 1. There is an overall lack of communication in this business and family. 2. Lack of transparency within the organization and lack of goals for metrics when the business opens. 3. No delineation of responsibilities between the siblings. 4. Basic problem is the inter-personal relationships, lack of proper communication, and improper distribution of work. We see that Stuart and Cynthia are making assumptions about others’ actions and contribution. They are not analyzing or evaluating the situation properly. There was no proper channel for unbiased flow of information. With each partner holding an equal share in the business, no one has emerged as a manager to lead the others. 5. We see that Stuart is over-worked with two jobs and he is not getting any appreciation for his hard work. At the same time, Stuart thinks that Cynthia and Rob are not working hard. This makes Stuart unhappy. 6. Stuart has some qualities of a team leader, but lacks some important qualities as well. He fails to appreciate others contributions and fails to do psychological empowerment. Also as a leader he is not distributing the roles and responsibilities evenly. Unfortunately, he is getting more work. Instead of motivating others or suggesting solutions to problems, he instead chose to make frequent negative remarks that served only to inflame the other partners. 7. Stuart does not incur any consequences for his immature behavior. . Stuart’s ego may be getting in the way of an amicable resolution. 9. Sibling rivalry between the Chans. Decision –Additional Options The conflict in the workplace is quite normal with different kind of personalities, cultures and life experiences. However, conflict is not necessarily a bad thing. It will become a major problem if the conflicts are not resolved effectively. According to OB, conflicts can be resolved by increased understanding, group cohesion and improved self-knowledge. Open discussion is needed to resolve conflict and increase the awareness of the situation. This will bring some insight into how they can achieve the common goals. Team members will have strong mutual respect and faith in their ability to work together once the conflict is resolved amicably. One important thing to resolve the conflicts is to do self evaluation. Everyone should examine their goals, strength and weakness, tasks, actions in close and enhance the positive aspects or behavior. †¢ Someone should initiate a mediation talk to resolve the conflicts between Cynthia and Stuart. Since Cynthia and Stuart are upset and emotionally distressed, a third party should initiate the talk. The best people in the picture to initiate this are Rob and Jeff. Rob and Jeff should initiate a serious of talks to understand the problems of Stuart and Cynthia and look for an amicable solution. While Jeff is a financial partner only, the trouble brewing among the Chan siblings could place his financial stake in the company at risk. †¢ But when Cynthia received the apology, she should have contacted Stuart directly and initiated the conflict resolution and mediation process. Behavior Assessment In both cases, they should list out the problems and possible solutions to achieve their common goal. A good understanding and working relationship among the team members should be the most important goal for the success of their new venture. John Holland’s Typology of Personality and Congruent Occupations provides a model that attempts to match job requirements with personality. In his hexagon diagram, the theory is that the closer two personality types are to each other, the more compatible they are. In addition, the model categorizes personality types into six categories, lists the personality characteristics, and then suggests the most congruent occupations for the various personality types. Holland classifies enterprising personality types as having self-confidence and ambition, and suggests congruency with small business manager occupations. Cynthia demonstrated her high energy and entrepreneurial tendencies when she devoted all of her free time to the tasks leading up to the opening of Cafe Latte. According to Holland, she then might be the right personality type to manage the business. Stuart Chan, however, already manages the family restaurant, but if we assess his personality using Holland’s model, he perhaps would be a conventional personality type, which prefers rules, and orderly, unambiguous activities.

“The Origin of Species” Response Essay Example for Free

â€Å"The Origin of Species† Response Essay In â€Å"The Origin of Species†, Charles Darwin painstakingly explores the different character traits exhibited among species. He looks at natural selection as a way of explaining extinction and adaptation and tries to prove evolution as the main theory of human origin. He states, â€Å"this whole volume is one long argument† (362), and that is exactly what this book is. There are no definite answers provided to the question of the origin of existence, but instead, many unanswered questions are posed and explored. Darwin argues on the issue of variance, stressing that it is most likely that any single species may derive from one common ancestor. He goes on to state that although not everything is known or can be proven about origin in ‘modern’ times because of ignorance about current climatic effects on our universe, it is most likely that the Earth itself affects certain groups of descendants of a certain species, making them extinct, while other migrated groups continue to thrive. In other words, species who remain in one area are bound to become extinct due to environmental factors, while those who migrate, or move from their homeland may have a better chance of survival. In doing so, roots become harder to trace, and changes in the species are inevitable due to their new surroundings. Darwin also believes that the world has had more groups of species than we will ever be able to uncover in our lifetime, so we will never truly know all that walked or lived on the Earth. I am personally fascinated with Darwin’s theories, experiments, and unanswered questions. It is intriguing how Darwin questions and test life and the origin of life. Many times in my own life I have wondered about the origin of life and questioned the religious answer versus the scientific answer. It was courageous and bold of Darwin to explore this issue the way that he did, especially since he came up with no true answers, merely a very educated and studied argument with sections of admitted ignorance on certain subtopics. The language is highly technical and â€Å"stiff†, so it does not make for a very fun read, but once the reader gets used to the content, it becomes easier. I agree with the concept that ‘only the strong survive’ and believe that natural selection is inevitable or the world would be uninhabitable. I disagree with Darwin’s explanations of complex questions, stating things such as, â€Å"I can answer these questions and grave objections only on the supposition that the geological record is far more imperfect than most geologists believe† (365). This weakens his argument, but still allows room for possible validity in his argument. However, it is noble that Darwin stuck to his theory and defended it, despite his lack of ability to actually prove it, â€Å"Grave as these several difficulties are, in my judgement they do not overthrow the theory of descent with modification† (367). From reading The Origin of Species, I learned how complex science can be. I learned that theories need to be tested and explored, and sometimes even if they fail, the original hypothesis remains unchanged. I learned that one must acknowledge the weaknesses in one’s own argument in order to make it stronger or more valid and I also learned that sometimes in life, there are no answers; some of life’s questions will always remain unanswered. Works Cited Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. Spark Publishing: New York. 2003.

What is the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women?

What is the Impact of HIV/AIDS on Women? ABSTRACT This dissertation will outline the major issues surrounding HIV/AIDS infection as it relates to women, with specific reference to women in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom (UK). It will explore the reasons why women are increasingly at greater risk of infection than males. Underpinned by a feminist analysis of womens oppression, it will include a discussion of how biological, social, sexual, economic and cultural inequalities contribute to womens vulnerability. It will also look at the impact of HIV/AIDS on women and how these factors can influence them to seek services. The differences in what is deemed â€Å"social work† in terms of both definition and practice as well as the differences in the health systems and the healthcare workers involved in delivering services in both countries will also be explored. INTRODUCTION AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease that makes it difficult for the body to fight off infectious diseases. The human immunodeficiency virus known as HIV causes AIDS by infecting and damaging part of the bodys defences its lymphocytes against infection. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell in the bodys immune system and are supposed to fight off invading germs. People may be infected (HIV positive) for many years before full AIDS develops, and they may be unaware of their status. HIV can only be passed on if infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk gets inside another persons body. HIV and AIDS can be treated, but there are no vaccines or cures for them (WHO, 2003). HIV/AIDS PREVALENCE IN WOMEN IN ZIMBABWE AND THE UK Increasingly, â€Å"the face of HIV/AIDS is a womans face† (UNAIDS, 2004). AIDS is now the leading cause of death in Sub-Saharan Africa and the fourth-highest cause of death globally (UNAIDS, 2002). AIDS is a profound human tragedy and has been referred to as the â€Å"worlds most deadly undeclared war† (Richardson, 1987). Women and girls are especially vulnerable to HIV infection due to a host of biological, social, cultural and economic factors, including womens entrenched social and economic inequality within sexual relationships and marriage. HIV/AIDS continue their devastating spread, affecting the lives of 16,000 people each day, with women, babies and young people being increasingly affected. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS has now reached almost 40 million globally (UNAIDS and WHO, 2006), and of these an estimated two-thirds live in Sub-Saharan Africa, Zimbabwe included. Zimbabwe is experiencing one of the harshest AIDS epidemics in the world. The HIV prevalence rate in Zimbabwe is among the highest in the world, although recent evidence suggests that prevalence may be starting to decline. In Zimbabwe 1.8 million adults and children are living with HIV/AIDS, with 24.6% of adults infected: women represent 58% of those infected among the 20- to 49-year-old age range. (Consortium on AIDS and International Development, 2006) In a country with such a tense political and social climate, it has been difficult to respond to the crisis. President Robert Mugabe and his government have been widely criticised by the international community, and Zimbabwe has become increasingly isolated, both politically and economically. The country has had to confront a number of severe crises in the past few years, including an unprecedented rise in inflation (in January 2008 it reached 100,000%), a severe cholera epidemic, high rates of unemployment, political violence, and a near-total collapse of the health system (AIDS and HIV Information, 2009). In Britain, HIV prevalence is relatively low and currently stands at 0.2% of the population. Statistics show that at the end of 2008 there were an estimated 88,300 people living with HIV, of whom over a quarter (22,400, or 27%) were unaware of their infection. This compares to the 77,000 people estimated to be living with HIV in 2007, of whom 28% were estimated to be unaware of their HIV infection. Of all diagnoses to the end of 2008, 45% resulted from sex between men and 42% from heterosexual sex, with black Africans representing 35% of newly diagnosed infections (HPA, 2009). According to the Health Protection Agency (2009), there has also been a dramatic increase in the number of women diagnosed with HIV. In the years up to and including 1992, females accounted for 12% of HIV diagnoses, but in 2008 that was 37%. Therefore, as HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic, the eradication of this health issue represents one of humanitys greatest challenges one that requires co-operation and comprehensive collaboration between scientific disciplines, governments, social institutions, the media, social work and healthcare professionals, and the general public (IFSW, 2009). Social workers, by virtue of their training, their commitment to human rights, and the fact that they are uniquely placed within a wide variety of health and welfare settings, can play a very effective role in the global effort to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic (IFSW, 2009). 1. CHAPTER 1 1.1 OVERVIEW OF GENDER AND VULNERABILITY TO HIV/AIDS While women are battling for equal rights throughout the international community, the existing power imbalance between men and women renders women particularly vulnerable to contracting HIV. Womens subordinate position places them at a considerable disadvantage with respect to their fundamental human right to control their own sexuality, and to access prevention, care, treatment, and support services and information. This subordination of women is mainly caused by the socially-constructed relations between men and women or, in other words, the patriarchal structure which is oppressive to women. (Walby, 1990, cited in Richardson, 2000) defines patriarchy as the â€Å"system of social structures and practices that men use to dominate, oppress and exploit women†, thus giving them greater opportunities to access services compared to females. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) and many governments are implementing educational programmes to teach women about protecting th eir health, traditional and cultural practices continue to perpetuate discrimination against women, in turn forcing women into high-risk situations. Unless proactive human-rights policies are enacted to empower, educate, and protect women with regard to their sexual autonomy, HIV/AIDS will continue to spread at an alarming rate and will have a devastating impact on all aspects of society. Even though the root of womens vulnerability lies in the imbalance in power between men and women, biological and sexual practices have an important role to play and mean that HIV transmission is unfortunately more efficient in women than in men. 1.2 WOMENS BIOLOGICAL VULNERABILITY TO HIV/AIDS Women are more biologically vulnerable to HIV than men; research has shown that women are at greater risk than men of contracting HIV both from an individual act of intercourse and from each sexual partnership. This â€Å"biological sexism† applies not only to HIV but to most other sexually transmitted diseases (Hatcher, et al, 1989). A woman has a 50 per cent chance of acquiring gonorrhoea from an infected male partner while a man has a 25 per cent chance if he has sex with an infected woman (Doyal et al., 1994). This is because the vaginal tissue absorbs fluids more easily, including the sperm, which has a higher concentration of the HIV virus than female vaginal secretions and may remain in the vagina for hours following intercourse, thus increasing womens vulnerability to infection. Not only are women more vulnerable to STIs than men, but â€Å"untreated genital infections, especially genital ulcer disease, syphilis and genital herpes, all predispose to HIV infection† (Doyal, 1994). While STDs are not necessarily gender specific, it is likely that women with STDs will remain undiagnosed and untreated for longer, increasing their risk of infection (Finnegan, et al, 1993). This is largely because women tend to remain symptomless for longer than men (Doyal, 1994). Even though much is known about the transmission of HIV to women through unprotected sex with men, less is known about the manifestations, progression, treatment and care of HIV/AIDS in women. Due to the lack of research we can at best speculate on the reasons for this. One reason may be the failure of medical professionals to pick up on possible symptoms which are often present in women: â€Å"existing diagnostic guidelines pay little attention to symptoms such as thrush, herpes, menstrual problems and cervical cell abnormalities that seem to characterise the early stages of the disease process in many women. Indeed a significant number are diagnosed only during pregnancy or when their child is found to be HIV positive†. (Doyal, 1994, p13) Therefore, if researchers persist in ignoring the biological differences, then the realities of the risks of infection and the disease progression in women will remain unacknowledged. As a consequence of this, women will continue to be diagnosed later than men, which ultimately leads to an earlier death. (Gorst, 2001,) Further research into biological differences and the effects of HIV on womens bodies is urgently needed. 1.3 TRADITIONAL AND CULTURAL FACTORS Traditional and customary practices play a part in the vulnerability of women to HIV infection. Practices such as early marriage and the payment of lobola in marriages make women and girls more vulnerable to HIV infection. Marriages among black women in Zimbabwe include bride wealth â€Å"lobola† if the couple is to be socially approved. Bride wealth is increasingly becoming big business in Zimbabwe, with some parents charging as much as US$2,500 plus five or more cattle for an educated girl. (IRIN NEWS, 2009) The insistence on bride wealth as the basis of validating a marriage makes female sexuality a commodity and reduces women to sexual objects, with limited rights and privileges compared to their husbands, who pay in order to marry them, thus leaving them without a say in their relationship. Patriarchal attitudes are also found in Christianity and these have strengthened the traditional customs that men use to control womens sexuality. (Human Rights Monitor, 2001) For example, Eves alleged creation from Adams rib has made women occupy a subordinate position in the Church as well as in the family. Women are therefore viewed merely as second-class citizens who were created as an afterthought. This is to say that if God had seen it fit for Adam to stay alone, then Eve would never have been created and hence women would not exist in this world. Such patriarchal attitudes have seen women being forced to be submissive to males. To make matters worse, once Eve was created she wreaked havoc by giving in to the Devils temptation and pulling Adam into sin. This portrayal of women as the weaker sex has made men treat women as people who have to be kept under constant supervision. St Pauls letter to the Colossians is one example of the letters which Zimbabwean men quote as a justifi cation of their control over women. The woman is expected â€Å"to submit to her husband† (Colossians 3:18) whilst the husband has to love his wife (Colossians 3:19). Therefore, because of these beliefs, women will remain passive and powerless in relation to sexual health, making them more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. 1.4 CONFLICT AND CIVIL UNREST Migration or displacement as a result of civil strife, natural disasters, drought, famine and political oppression has a greater impact on womens vulnerability to HIV infection compared to men. About 75 per cent of all refugees and displaced people are women and children. The political and economic crisis in many African and Asian countries has caused many women to come to the UK in search of safer lives and employment (Freedman, 2003). The World Health Organization (WHO, 2003) states that female immigrant workers are more vulnerable to sexual barter as they try to negotiate for necessary documentation, employment and housing, which further increases their risk of HIV/AIDS infection. In addition, because of the lack of legal documentation these women will experience limited options, receive low status, receive low pay and are often isolated in their work, including marriage, domestic, factory and sex work. These situations place women in vulnerable and powerless positions, with little ability to refuse or negotiate safe sex, thereby increasing their risk to HIV/AIDS. Despite the risks associated with the migration process it is important to recognise the right to ‘freedom of movement and travel irrespective of HIV status (ICW 12 Statement and the Barcelona Bill of Rights, 2002). This was a focal point during the Barcelona HIV/AIDS conference in 2002, because the Spanish authorities denied visas to numerous people from the South many of whom were open about their HIV status. Some countries do have discriminatory policies regarding travel of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) and others are instituting stricter controls. For example, Canada has recently introduced the need for an HIV test for people emigrating to Canada and Australia. Whilst they say it will not affect the final decision it is not clear why they need the information (Tallis, 2002). 1.5 POVERTY AND INEQUALITY Women and men experience poverty differently because of gender inequality: The causes and outcomes of poverty are heavily engendered and yet traditional conceptualisations consistently fail to delineate povertys gender dimensions resulting in policies and programmes which fail to improve the lives of poor women and their families (Beneria and Bisnath, 1998). Despite worldwide attention to existing inequalities and the way these violate a socially-just society, there is no society in the world in which women are treated as equals with men (Doyal, 2001). Major inequalities between men and women still exist in many places from opportunities in education and employment to choices in relationships. Gender and social inequalities make women more vulnerable to HIV infection, especially in societies which afford women a lower status than men. Worldwide, women and girls are disproportionately impacted by poverty, representing 70 per cent of the 1.2 billion people who live in poverty worldwide (Amnesty International, 2005), a phenomenon commonly referred to as the â€Å"feminisation of poverty†. Worldwide, women receive an average of 30-40 per cent less pay than men for the same work (Card et al, 2007). This economic inequality may influence womens ability to control the timing and safety of sexual intercourse. Specifically, economic dependence on men, especially those who are not educated and do not have good jobs, forces women to remain silent about HIV risk issues and to stay with partners who refuse to engage in safe-sex practices. Poverty also leads to greater HIV risk among women by leading them to barter sex for economic gain or survival (Weiss et al, 1996). Commercial sex work is the most well-known way for women to exchange sex for money, food, shelter or other necessities. Most of this sex will be unsafe as women will be at risk of losing economic support from men by insisting on safer sex. Where substance abuse is a factor, the means for obtaining clean needles may be traded for other essentials. Trading or sharing needles is a way to reduce drug-addiction costs. Risk behaviours and disease potential are predictable under such compromised circumstances (Albertyn, 2000, cited in Card, 2007). Educational inequality also contributes to a womans HIV risk directly, by making information on HIV/AIDS less accessible to her, and indirectly, by increasing her economic dependence on a male partner. In particular, studies show that more-educated women are more likely to know how to prevent HIV transmission, delay sexual activity, use healthcare services, and take other steps to prevent the spread of HIV (UNIFEM, 2004). Because many cultures value ignorance about sex as a feature of femininity, many young women are prevented by husbands, fathers, or other family members from obtaining information about HIV/AIDS. Others decline to seek such information out of fear for their reputations. Lack of education about the causes, prevention, and treatment of HIV/AIDS will increase these womens vulnerability to infection. Legal systems and cultural norms in many countries reinforce gender inequality by giving men control over productive resources such as land, through marriage laws that subordinate wives to their husbands and inheritance customs that make males the principal beneficiaries of family property (Baylies, 2000). For example, Zimbabwe has a dual legal system, recognising both common and customary law in marriage. This creates inequalities for many women upon divorce or their husbands death. Women in customary marriages, especially those who are not educated and who live in rural areas, make up approximately 80% of marriages in Zimbabwe, and are not entitled to the same rights as those married under common law; this means that they are often barred from inheriting property and land, or getting custody of their children, thus making them more vulnerable to male dominance and increasing their risk of getting infected with STIs (Womankind, 2002). 1.6 CONCLUSION Power inequalities at social, economic, biological, political and cultural levels mean that women continue to be increasingly more at risk from HIV infection. It is therefore critical that social workers and other healthcare professionals make sure that HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes address the most immediate perceived barriers to accessing HIV/AIDS prevention and care services. Measures could include vocational training, employment, micro-finance programmes, legal support, safe housing and childcare services. Such measures would empower these women to have options and to take voluntary and informed decisions regarding the adoption of safer practices to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS (UNODC, 2006). There is also the need for a female-controlled form of protection which women can use to protect themselves, for example microbicides, which women can use without the consent or even the knowledge of their partner, thus enabling them to protect themselves if they are forced to engage in unprotected sex. 2. CHAPTER 2 2.1 HIGH-RISK GROUPS OF WOMEN Although there is a vast literature on HIV/AIDS, relatively little has been written about how HIV/AIDS affects women, and what constitutes a high-risk group. In part, this reflects the way AIDS was initially perceived in the West as a â€Å"mens disease†, so much so that until a few years ago a common response to the topic of women and AIDS was â€Å"Do women get AIDS?†, the assumption being that women were at little or no risk (Doyal, et al, 1994). This has never been true of Africa, where the appallingly pervasive epidemic has always been a heterosexual disease and where 55 per cent of those who have been infected were women. In recent years it has become increasingly clear that women can both become infected with HIV and transmit the virus. A study conducted by AWARE (Association for Womens AIDS Research and Education) in America found that women who inject and share needles, have sexual contact with or are artificially inseminated by a man, lesbians, sex workers and those from an ethnic minority, especially black women, were at increased risk of HIV infection (Richardson, 1987). The study also found that most people in these groups are underrepresented in prevention or treatment interventions, and often suffer social stigma, isolation, poverty and marginalisation, which place them at higher risk. Therefore, in this chapter I am going to discuss how some of these groups are vulnerable to infection, and what can be done to prevent and treat infection in these vulnerable groups without inadvertently increasing their stigmatisation. 2.2 PROSTITUTES There is a substantial body of research on the correlation between HIV/AIDS infection and female prostitution. Studies worldwide have revealed cause-and-effect relationships between AIDS and prostitution in a number of areas, including the use of alcohol and/or psychoactive drugs, and have revealed variance in the rate and circumstance of infection from one country to another (OLeary et al, 1996). For example, researchers have found the high rate of AIDS in Africa to be largely a reflection of exposure through sexual activity only, while in the US and Europe, transmission of the AIDS virus is more likely to come from prostitutes or customers who are also IV drug users. Many writers have pointed out that real social concern about HIV infection did not materialise until its potential â€Å"spread to heterosexuals† was recognised. What is less often pointed out is that concern for the â€Å"spread to heterosexuals† has mostly been manifest in concern for the spread to heterosexual men, not heterosexual women (Flowers, 1998). The expressed fear is that HIV will spread from women to men, allegedly through prostitution. In the press and the international scientific literature on AIDS, often the light cast upon Women in Prostitution (WIP) has been a harsh one. WIP have been identified as a â€Å"risk group†, a â€Å"reservoir of infection†, and a â€Å"bridge† for the HIV epidemic. Such technical, epidemiological language has depicted WIP as vectors of HIV infection (Scharf and Toole, 1992). Rather than presenting WIP as links in broader networks of heterosexual HIV transmission, women categorised as prostitutes have bee n described as â€Å"infecting† their unborn infants, their clients and indirectly their clients other female sexual partners, as though HIV originated among WIP (Scharf and Toole, 1992). Like posters from WWI and WWII which aimed to warn armed servicemen in Europe of the danger of contracting gonorrhoea and syphilis (Brandt, 1985, cited in Flowers et al, 1998), some AIDS-prevention posters have caricatured WIP as evil sirens ready to entice men to their deaths (New African, 1987, cited in Larson, 1988). Interestingly, there is evidence that some HIV-positive men may be inclined to claim that their infection came from a female prostitute, in order to cover up its real origins: sex with a man, or IV drug use. 2.3 PROSTITUTION IN ZIMBABWE There are many reasons why women engage in prostitution in Zimbabwe. Studies show that poverty and deviance are the main causes. Other studies have shown that many women engage themselves in prostitution by their own choice and see it as a career path whilst others might be forced into it (Chudakov, 1995). In Zimbabwe prostitution is illegal, and many women and young girls, especially orphans who engage in prostitution, are driven to it by poverty and economic dislocation, which is being caused by the current economic and political crisis the country is experiencing. According to the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF), the hunger and disease-ridden conditions in much of Zimbabwe have forced many children into prostitution in order to feed themselves (UNICEF, 2008). Save the Children, a non-governmental organisation working to create positive changes for disadvantaged children in the country, estimate that girls as young as 12 are now selling their bodies for even the most meagr e of meals, such as biscuits and chips. They also state that the issue is further complicated by the growing presence of child traffickers in the region, looking for young girls to abduct and take to South Africa for the use of potential clients at the 2010 World Cup (Mediaglobal, 2009). Combating child prostitution and trafficking is complicated, but prioritising the alleviation of poverty with particular emphasis on fighting poverty from a childs perspective; prioritising education for all, with emphasis on improving access for girls; and provision of information to victims and survivors of child prostitution and/or trafficking, including information about available counselling and legislative services would be helpful (WHO, 2003). 2.4 PROSTITUTION IN THE UK Prostitution in the UK is different from that in Zimbabwe. The laws around prostitution in England and Wales are far from straight-forward. The act of prostitution is not in itself illegal but a string of laws criminalises activities around it. Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is an offence to cause or incite prostitution or control it for personal gain. The 1956 Sexual Offences Act bans running a brothel and its against the law to loiter or solicit sex on the street. Kerb-crawling is also banned, providing it can be shown that the individual was causing a persistent annoyance (BBC NEWS, 2008). Though actual s are scarce, it has been estimated that at least 2 million women are selling sexual favours in Britain. The bulk of these are brothel prostitutes working in parlours, saunas or private health clubs. According to The First Post published on 18/08/08, prostitution was viewed as â€Å"the new profession†. The article stated that prostitution in Britain is booming, and that thousands of young women have chosen prostitution for independence and financial security. The key factor which has led to a huge rise in this kind of prostitution is the influx of girls from Poland and other Eastern European countries which acceded to the EU in 2000. A strong relationship also exists between UK prostitutes and substance abuse, which drives many into the sex business. Intravenous-drug-using prostitutes are particularly prominent in Scottish cities such as Glasgow (OLeary et al, 1996). According to researchers, 70 per cent of the citys streetwalkers are IV drug addicts, injecting heroin, temazepam and tengesic. In Edinburgh, which has the highest rate of HIV-seropositive IV drug addicts of all cities in Britain, a significant number of those addicts testing HIV positive have been identified as prostitutes. Even though sex workers can transmit HIV/AIDS, blaming them encourages stigma and discrimination against all women. It allows the men who infect sex workers and their own wives to deny that they are infecting others. Wives too can infect their husbands, who can in turn infect sex workers. It is therefore important to note that sex workers and their clients are not serving as a â€Å"bridge† for HIV transmission into the rest of the population. 2.4 LESBIANS Can women transmit the disease to other women through sexual activity? The answer to this question is crucial for a community that knows that HIV is within it even though the question might be difficult to answer as there is â€Å"very little† information on this subject (Richardson, 1987). Lesbians were seen as least likely to be infected, as there was an understanding of HIV as a disease which existed in specific groups of people, for example gay males and intravenous-drug users. Because of these biased attitudes toward people, rather than risk behaviours, no data was systematically gathered. This understanding prevented the healthcare system from defining sexual risk behaviours: it stressed people, not sexual behaviours. It has therefore been noted that most lesbians have been in â€Å"risk situations† or engaged in what would be considered as â€Å"risky behaviour† at some stage. Some lesbians inject drugs and may share needles. Also, a significant number of lesbians have had sex with men before coming out, and many will have had unprotected vaginal or anal intercourse Some may still have sex with men for reproductive purposes (Gorna, 1996). Some may be prostitutes who, for economic reasons or through pressure from a pimp, may have had unprotected sex with clients (Richardson, 1989). According to records from a London sexual health clinic for lesbians, 35 per cent of the lesbians who attended had had sex with a man in the previous six months (Gorna, 1996). As Gorna puts it, this emphasises the fact that â€Å"activity is not always consistent with identity†. In other words, â€Å"we are put at risk by what we do, not by how we define ourselves or who we are† (Bury, 1994, p32). Although the risk of HIV infection from sex between women is very small, it is important for lesbians to look at what they do, how they do it and with whom they do it, just like everyone else, as, â€Å"Low risk isnt no risk† (Richardson, D, 2004). However, they may find it difficult to access services and, if they become ill, they may experience special problems, given that the healthcare system is designed for and administered by a predominantly heterosexual population. There may be a lack of recognition of their relationships, which could lead to isolation and depression. For example in Zimbabwe homosexuality is illegal and punishable by imprisonment of up to 10 years. The President of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe, views lesbians and gays as â€Å"sexual perverts† who are â€Å"lower than dogs and pigs† (BBC NEWS, 1998). In 1995 he ordered the Zimbabwe International Book Fair to ban an exhibit by the civil-rights group Gays and Lesbians in Zimbabwe (GALZ). He follo wed this ban with warnings that homosexuals should leave the country â€Å"voluntarily† or face â€Å"dire consequences†. Soon afterwards Mugabe urged the public to track down and arrest lesbians and gays. Since these incitements, homosexuals have been fire-bombed, arrested, interrogated and threatened with death (Tatchell, 2001). This makes it difficult for lesbians in Zimbabwe to access information and other services, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV infection. 2.5 ELDERLY WOMEN The number of older people (older than 50 years) with HIV/AIDS is growing fast. Older adults are infected through the same high-risk behaviours as young adults, though they may be unaware that they are at risk of HIV/AIDS. However, when assessing the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic upon the worlds population, older people are often overlooked. HIV-prevention measures rarely target the older generation, despite the fact that many older people are sexually active and therefore still at risk of being exposed to HIV. The older population is steadily growing larger with the maturing of the â€Å"baby-boomer† generation as well as the availability of antiretroviral drugs which extend peoples life expectancy. Social norms about divorce, sex, and dating are changing, and drugs such as Viagra are facilitating a more active sex life for older adults (NAHOF, 2007, cited in Lundy et al, 2009). Heterosexual women aged 50 and older are most in need of the HIV-prevention message. The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS, 2006) estimates that around 2.8 million adults aged 50 years and over are living with HIV, representing 7 per cent of all cases. In the UK, the Health Protection Agency reported that almost 4,000 HIV-infected people who were accessing care in 2006 were aged 55 years or over. Data on this subject from low-income countries like Zimbabwe is fairly patchy. This is because HIV/AIDS surveillance is commonly conducted in antenatal clinics, as many people have little other direct contact with medical services. Data from antenatal clinics does not provide information about people who are above child-bearing age, thus making it difficult for healthcare and service providers to make policies that will impact on the elderly who are infected. Firstly, it has been noted that elderly women can be exposed to HIV via non-consensual sexual contact or rape. Research has shown that some criminals appear to target older women for sexual crimes because they appear to be, and often are, vulnerable to attack (Muram et al, 1992). Elderly women in institutional settings such as nursing homes may also be at greater risk. Some estimates suggest that up to 15 per cent of elderly nursing-home residents have been victims of either sexual or physical abuse, thus increasing their vulnerability to HIV infection (Collins, 2002). Exposure to blood tainted with HIV may also occur when an older woman provides care to adult children who may be suffering from AIDS (Levine-Perkell, 1996). Allers (1990) revealed that more than one-third of all adults who contract A

Gun Control Essay -- Gun Control, 2015

Firearms are dangerous weapons used to intentionally and unintentionally kill people, which lead to one of Americaï ¿ ½s most heated debates: gun control. With increasing crime and violence, many people look to gun control laws as a way to slow these trends down. On the other hand, others believe that owning a gun is a constitutional right that should never be taken away. James Q. Wilsonï ¿ ½s essay ï ¿ ½Just Take Away Their Gunsï ¿ ½ is an attempt to offer a solution to both sides of this argument. He claims that illegal possession of firearms is the problem and that frisking suspicious characters would be a good solution to the debate of gun control. However, random frisking to end illegal gun possession is a violation of privacy and an overbearing task that would be impossible to take on. First of all, Wilson states that ï ¿ ½legal restraints on the lawful purchase of guns will have little effect on the illegal use of gunsï ¿ ½ (106). However, Wilson fails to neglect that lawbreakers have to get their guns from somewhere. Of course some criminals will steal their firearms, but others look to breaking a different law. Buying guns from an unlicensed dealer gives criminals a feeling of safety. The criminal does not have to worry about being caught with breaking and entering and can also feel safe knowing that there is not a file containing records that says he owns a gun. Federal law limits who can purchase a gun on the basis of age, criminal status, and mental health (Zimring 37), but it does not put a limit on the amount of firearms a person can purchase. Enabling people to buy as many guns as they would like supports the black market. Without any restrictions on gun laws a criminal can buy firearms freely from whoever wants to sell one to him. Forgetting these facts weakens Wilsonï ¿ ½s stance that gun control will not be able to help solve the issue of illegal gun possession. A large setback with Wilsonï ¿ ½s plan is the potential for racial profiling. He even recognizes this and says that ï ¿ ½young black and Hispanic men will probably be stopped more often than older white Anlgo males or women of any raceï ¿ ½ (109). Some say that, to cut down on gun violence, it is necessary to target groups, neighborhoods, and races that are more likely to commit these crimes; however it is demeaning and backwards. A good example of how the stop-and-frisk can lead to racial profiling is a case filed... ... but to go about it in the way Wilson suggests will only hurt the nation. Instilling a random frisk would cause more problems than it would solve. First and most important, Americansï ¿ ½ privacy would be at risk. Another point to look at is the large possibility of racial profiling. To come so far in the area of civil rights and adopt Wilsonï ¿ ½s plan would be taking a step backward. Also, it would be a travesty for the police to waste their time frisking possible suspects when there is already so much crime for them to be putting a stop to. Wilson fails to realize the problems his plan will cause America. Forgoing the end of illegal gun possession as Wilson proposes is not worth it when one looks at the harms it will create. Works Cited Boyd, Herb. ï ¿ ½Cops Must Pay.ï ¿ ½ New York New Amsterdam News. 25 September 2003. 1. Wilson, James Q. ï ¿ ½Just Take Away Their Guns.ï ¿ ½ The New York Times Magazine March 24, 1994. Rpt in Current Issues and Enduring Questions 7th ed. Sylvan Barnet and Hugo Bedau. Boston; Bedford/St. Martinï ¿ ½s . 2005. 106-109. Zimring, Franklin E. ï ¿ ½Firearms, Violence, and the Potential Impact of Firearms Control.ï ¿ ½ Journal of Law, Medicine, and Ethics 32.1(2004): 34-37.

Roman Houses :: essays research papers

Roman Houses   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roman houses evolved from the thatched-roof huts of the original roman civilization to the great villas of the late empire. Roman houses were not only built in Italy. There were Roman houses built in Greece, Africa, and Britain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roman houses were one story high, the villas of the wealthy were sometimes two. Walls were built of cement covered in stucco or sun-dried bricks which were commonly used until the beginning of the first century B.C. Although the concrete walls were weatherproof, they were usually faced with stone or burned bricks. The walls could also be covered with fine white marble stucco to give it a brilliant finish. Some windows were provided with shutters, which slid in a framework on the outer wall. The ceilings were vaulted and painted in brilliant colors. The roofs varied, with some flat and some sloped. The earliest roof was a thatch of straw, later replaced by shingles and finally tiles. Floors were covered with marble tiles. Smaller houses floors were covered thickly with small pieces of stone, brick, or pottery and pounded down. In two story houses the upper floor was made of wood, sometimes with a layer of concrete on top. Doors were richly paneled wood carved, or p lated with bronze. Usually curtains were preferred instead. Sometimes larger houses had an open court in front of the door, called a vesibulum, with pavement from the door to the street.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Roman villas were divided into public and private spaces. The private spaces were bedrooms, the kitchen, and servant quarters. The masters office or study called the tablinum was also located in the private section. A large chest was kept there chained to the floor containing money and valuables. The main room in the house was the atrium, a windowless room with a space in the ceiling through which rain fell into. The rain fell into a hollow space called the impluvian. There were four types of atrium: Tuscan (in which the roof was supported by two pairs of beams that crossed each other at right angles, testrastylon (in which four pillars supported the roof beams at the corners of the opening in the ceiling) displuviatum (in which the roof sloped down to the walls) and the testudinatum. Later the atrium was reduced to being a reception room.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  For lighting public rooms there were tall stands from which numerous lamps could be hung.

Feasibility Report Essay examples -- essays research papers

Abstract   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The purpose of this report is to determine whether it would be feasible for the Style Shop to add a computerized register to the store. The Merchandising Society is the largest club on F.I.T.’s campus. It provides the opportunity for its members to enhance their college experience at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Its members are dedicated to gaining exposure to the fashion industry first-hand through running a business, visiting companies worldwide, and volunteering services to the community. The club is responsible for operating a successful on-campus boutique, the Style Shop. The store offers the unique opportunity for FIT students, faculty and alumni to sell their original creations on a consignment basis. This not only allows students to earn recognition and profit, it enables Merchandising Society members to gain experience in buying, product development, marketing, finance, customer relations, management, visual merchandising, and website development. The Style Shop offers students the chance to develop a sharper awareness of group dynamics, build professional relationships, and actively participate in our college education. Currently the store uses a non-computerized register. There is no computerized inventory or bar codes used. Everything is done by hand. The addition of a computer would not only help keep track of all purchases by time, it would allow for the finance team to plan sales and monitor loss. The Style Shop uses a budget handed out by FITSA to fund purchases and stock for the store. This budget would be used to purchase a computer. It is highly feasible that the Style Shop purchases a computer and a register program. Introduction Purpose The purpose of this report is to determine the feasibility of adding a computerized register to the Style Shop team. Problem During the 2001/02 school year the Merchandising Society has over 180 active members. The store currently has no regulated computerized system. Inventory and tickets are all manually printed. By adding a computer to the store, inventory and sales could be more easily monitored. The computer would also serve as a ticket printer and finance station. Scope The addition of a computerized register would make the flow of goods in and out of the Style Shop easier. By adding a computer to the store each Merchandising Society member would h... ...h day. They will also be in charge of closing all curtains at night so that passers-by cannot see the computer in an empty store. Summer/Winter   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When the Style Shop is not in operation the computer will be disconnected and stored in the Style Shop closet on the 7th Floor of the A-Building. This closet is only accessible to Style Shop Managers. Conclusion   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Style Shop is a growing student run boutique on F.I.T.’s campus. Each semester the store’s sales increase. The store needs a better way to track sales and inventory. By purchasing a computer Managers would be able to effectively track sales, inventory, and expenses. The total cost for the computer and register system is just under $2000.00. The money to purchase the computer/register would come out of the Style Shop budget given to the store by F.I.T.S.A. Recommendations   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Style Shop is an expanding establishment at the Fashion Institute of Technology. The addition of a computerized register would increase productivity within the store. It is recommended that the Style Shop use their budget and purchase a computer and a point of sale