Financial analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words - 3

Financial analysis - Essay Example It serves government consumers, individual consumers, small and midsized businesses, and education enterprises. Apple’s financial year ends on the last Saturday of September and has an approximate period of 52 or 53 weeks. In connection to this, the main aim of this paper is to take out Apple Inc. financial analysis. Financial Analysis refers to the assessment of the profitability, stability and viability of a business entity or project. It is based on information derived from the financial statements including the Balance Sheet, Statement of Cash flow and the Income Statement, a single financial statement cannot give full information about the firm but together they give useful information (Gibson 2012, pg. 6). It is useful in benchmarking that majorly involves comparison of different companies’ performance comparison or comparing the company’s performance over time. The information is also used by management and investors in decision making and forecast future performance. We analyze data as revealed by Apple Inc.’s annual Reports and also carry out ratio analysis that helps us discover more information about the business (Michelle 2012, pg. 45). Apple operates in different geographical areas including the Americas, Japan, Europe, Asia Pacific and retail operations, it is hence involved in segment reporting and all the information from various sources is consolidated and used as the company’s financial information from which the company’s performance is analyzed (Brooks 2012, pg. 86). This paper aims to analyze the financial statements of Apple Inc from 2011 to 2013 to determine which year was more profitable, that is, time series analysis. The results could also be useful in performing industrial analysis which involves comparing one company’s performance to another in order to determine which one is doing better. Measure the ability of

Computer Crime and Cyber-Terrorism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Computer Crime and Cyber-Terrorism - Essay Example Yet another dangerous result of the developments in technology and the availability of the Internet has occurred in the field of cyberterrorism, offering terrorists an expanded platform from which to propagate their ideas and launch their attacks (www.ntrg.cs.tcd.ie).   Online crime has now become a multi-billion dollar business. Hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated in the means they use to get users to disclose confidential financial and personal information, which is then misused. According to an expert in online risk management, the world of computer security is increasingly under threat because users leave large online footprints.(Lush, 2007). Online crime may be of three types – phishing, malware, and corporate attacks.   Phishing is the practice of sending emails with links that direct users to websites where they unwittingly disclose confidential data or expose their systems to malicious software. It is mainly financial institutions that are targeted through such methods, with the number of such websites being estimated at 55,000 in April 2007 (Lush, 2007). Malware and corporate attacks may destroy or steal confidential business and customer data or may convert a computer system into a â€Å"bot†, whereby it is controlled by someone else who gains access to all the sensitive information that is present on the computer. Banks are most often the targets of online crimes. In a recent study conducted at the University of Berkeley, the Bank of America was found to be the largest target of identity theft, followed by other banks such as HSBC and Washington Mutual (Seltzer, 2008).

Gender Differences in the Workforce

Gender Differences in the Workforce The contention that women’s roles in having a career results in the creation of a problem with regard to them achieving a balance between their work and lives finds its roots in the rights and equality issues women have faced throughout the ages. The subject is not a contemporary one, although this tends to be the common perception due to scant references to resources dating back centuries as a result of either suppression or the lack of relevant data in books. In fact, such information is available via research in many journals and letters. The sources of the conception that a woman’s career somehow takes second precedence to being a wife, mother or homemaker are founded in a number of myths, prejudicial thinking, misguided notions and historical contexts that have fostered them as second class citizens. A large percentage of feminists believe that the status of women being regarded as second-class citizens is a result of patriarchy being the foundation that modern society was built upon and that this fostered thinking, attitudes and conceptions that relegated them to secondary roles instead of being regarded as equals. The foregoing notion(s) shall be examined from a number of standpoints to clarify the unenlightened views held by some in this regard. The examination will not be conducted from a feminist point of view, nor shall it seek to explain prevailing views, it shall instead present the relevant facts which the conclusions shall be drawn from. The simple truth is that women have been balancing multiple roles through history and the insertion of the role of career can be equated to any number of functions that they have performed and accomplished. Chapter 1 – Introduction 1.1 Background In order to set the context for the discussion regarding the contention that women’s roles in having careers poses a problem in their achieving balance between work and life, the first salient fact that needs tube established is that women constitute 3,209,000,000 of the world’s total population estimate of 6,477,450,857 (Population Reference Bureau, 2006). This means that the under utilization of women represents a 50% reduction in the number of available individuals that can make a contribution in professional terms. Chart 1 – Education Variables – Women (Population Reference Bureau, 2006) Demographic Variable Country Data Women All Ages, 2005 World 3,209,000,000 All Educational Variables Literacy Women as % of Literate Men, Ages 15-24, 2000-04 World 92 Secondary School Enrolment, Female, 2000-03 (as % of school-age enrolment) World 93 As the preceding chart indicates, the slight difference in overall literacy rates does not put women at a disadvantage in terms of educational qualifications, yet their unemployment rate remains considerably higher proportionally. As shown from the following chart, women comprise approximately 40% of today’s work force yet their participation rates indicate bias (see Chart 3 – Male and Female Labour Force Participation Rates and the Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males, 2003): Chart 2 – Global Labour Market Indicators / 1993 and 2003 (International Labour Organization, 2004) Female Male Total 1993 2003 1993 2003 1993 2003 Labour force (millions) 1,006 1,208 1,507 1,769 2,513 2,978 Employment (millions) 948 1,130 1,425 1,661 2,373 2,792 Unemployment (millions) 58.2 77.8 82.3 108.1 140.5 185.9 Labour force participation rate (%) 53.5 53.9 80.5 79.4 67.0 66.6 Employment-to-population ratio (%) 50.4 50.5 76.1 74.5 63.3 62.5 Unemployment rate (%) 5.8 6.4 5.5 6.1 5.6 6.2 Chart 3 – Male and Female Labour Force Participation Rates and the Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males, 2003 (International Labour Organization, 2004) Male LFPR Female LFPR Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males World 79.4 53.9 68 Middle East and North Africa 76.8 28.2 36 South Asia 81.1 37.4 44 Latin America and the Caribbean 80.5 49.2 64 Industrialized Economies 70.3 50.5 76 Transition Economies 65.7 53.1 91 South-East Asia 82.9 60.5 75 Sub-Saharan Africa 85.3 63.2 77 East Asia 85.1 73.1 83 When wages are factored into the preceding figures, the picture of bias with respect to employed women takes on additional meaning. Chart 4 – Percentage Change in Real Wages/Earnings, Men and Women for Selected Occupations. (International Labour Organization, 2004) Accountant Computer First- Labourer Professional Welder (in banking) programmer Level in nurse in metal in education construction Manu- insurance teacher factoring F M F M F M F M F M F M Bahrain (1993-98) 16 1161 near near -7 131 36 24 1n.a.1 1n.a1 1n.a.1 1n.a1 Belarus (1996-2000) near near near near 100 35 307 323 near near near near Cyprus (1990-2001) near near 44 60 23 12 49 37 26 9 near near Finland (1990-1999) 67 96 44 66 -7 -4 1 8 -7 -6 -10 -1 Jordan (1988-1997) 29 20 -63 -51 25 13 near near -21 -17 near near Korea, Republic of (1990-2001) 91 46 94 73 29 60 115 37 71 229 46 49 Kyrgyzstan (1998-2001) 4 -26 near near -14 -39 4 20 -19 -32 near near Latvia (1997-2001) 39 31 561 142 82 45 36 18 60 33 1 26 Peru (1997-2001) 15 35 -13 -20 34 37 near near near near near near Poland (1998-2001) 28 31 103 70 53 53 13 20 26 29 45 25 Romania (1995-2001) 126 73 1 38 -7 -6 -19 -24 27 17 -22 -20 Singapore (1995-2000) -3 -24 24 43 near near 26 16 9 24 24 19 United Kingdom (1996-2001) 16 1 9 near near near near near near 10 12 near near United States (1990-2000) 9 12 15 6 4 14 near near -2 10 near near From the foregoing it appears that the problem with women’s roles in having a career is the problem that is perceived by others rather than women themselves. The preceding statement is made as a result of the purely statistical information which clearly shows that women want to work and have the basic educational background(s), however wages are a reflection of a perceived difference even when gauged against the same profession. Therefore, there must be other forces, explanations, perceptions and aspects at work. In order to understand the environments outlined by the preceding, it will be necessary to delve into social, gender, historical, economic and other areas in order to develop an understanding of what is at work in even asking the question, as well as answering it. For if the preceding did not consist of underlying causes, then the need to examine the phenomenon would not exist. The foregoing brings us to areas of examination that at first glance might seem disconnected from the context, but in reality are revealing looks into legislative, sociological, cultural, historical and aspects that aid in providing not just facts, but insight as a result of reviewing them in combination as statistical data and appropriate legislation are a result of changing societal views. But legislation alone cannot cause individuals to evolve their views, and herein lies the problem as there are countless examples where the spirit of the law has been subjugated and artificial barriers created or utilized. The preceding are events, circumstances and outgrowths that are not the product of women’s careers being the problem, these are other forces at work making it a problem. 1.2 Historical Perspectives Historically women have managed, just as males have, to multi task. The example of the working male who engages in sports, hunting, boating, wood working, and running multiple businesses does not raise the question as to whether they are neglecting or failing to provide their families with enough fathering time. This is a result of patriarchy which means in literal terms that males make the decisions as a result of them being the dominant aspect in political as well asocial affairs. But, more importantly males own and run the corporations by and large, as well as are dominant in political, military and other manifestations of power. Therefore, whether one elects to think of society at large being patriarchal, it in fact is. Hence, the preceding fosters underlying, hidden and historical perceptions regarding the roles of men and women as established centuries ago. Support for the preceding view can be traced back to Roman law during the period defined as Augustus to Justinian, as represented by27 B.C. to 527 A.D. A Roman woman was regarded as legally capable at the age of thirteen whereby she was permitted to draw up a will(Hacker, 2004). The foregoing however was bound by the condition that she could do so under supervision. Supervision was deemed to either bathe female’s father, male guardian of husband and their consent was essential in order for the will to be executed. The preceding stipulation of male consent remained as a condition over a Roman woman’s life regardless of her age. This condition was explained as being a result of their â€Å"†¦ unsteadiness of character†, â€Å" â€Å"the weakness of the sex†, and â€Å"ignorance of legal matters† (Hacker, 2004, p-3). Evidence of subjugation can also be found in Church history. Canon law states that a wife must be submissive to her husband and that she could not cut off her hair under penalty of excommunication (Hecker,2004, p-9). And in the case of Joan of Arc, it was her breaking of the law stating that a woman who wore men’s garments was accursed, that was one of the charges that resulted in her being burned at the stake(Hacker, 2004, p-9). Similar examples can also be found in British law where under older common law a husband had the authority to â€Å"†¦ correct and chastise his wife† (Hacker, 2004, p-11). The preceding examples are a few of the historical foundations that patriarchy has been built upon and hence the underlying foundation from which the subject of woman’s career roles emanates. Chapter 2 –Segregation in the Workplace 2.1 Segregation Segregation in the workplace constitutes a phenomenon that is linked to sex discrimination, the glass ceiling, patriarchy and unequal wages in that it reinforces stereotyped views, attitudes and traditions. Resin (1984) states that work related sex segregation can be characterized in the following manner, the first is through norms that separate sexes into separate spheres, such as the predominance of females in domestic work and males in construction, and via functional separation whereby males and females do different work in the same work setting. Segregation in the workplace is a further subtle reinforcement of inequality that slowly permeates the conscientiousness of both males and females into accepting this abnormality as being normal. A review of segregation in the workplace in terms of its manifestations shall be examined from a neutral stance in order to gauge perspectives from both sides of the equation. Such will be done from a factual information based perspective. The subject of segregation in the workplace with regard to women is also termed as the ‘Glass Ceiling’. This phrase was developed in the United States during the 1970’s to describe artificial and invisible barriers that were and are created as a result of organizational and attitudinal prejudices that serve to prevent women from assuming top positions in the workplace (Wirth, 2001). As the most visible and publicized example of discrimination and the segregation of women in the work place, the exclusion of females from top positions within corporations is clearly evident by the fact that they hold just 2 to 3 percent of the top positions. Linda Wirth (2001) has stated that women have not reached top positions in major companies and that the foregoing has nothing to do with their lack of abilities. The International Labour Organization (Chart 5) indicates that around fifty percent (59%) of all women are positioned in occupations that cane be termed sex stereotyped. The preceding term is defined as meaning that approximately eighty present (89%) of the workers within these occupations are either males or females whereas management is primarily male dominated position. Chart 5 – Women’s Share of Administrative – Managerial Positions and Their Share of Total Employment, 1994-1995 (Wirth, 2001, p 193) Country Administrative and Managerial Jobs (%) Total Employment (%) Australia 43 42 Austria 22 43 Chile 20 32 Costa Rica 23 30 Ecuador 28 38 Egypt 12 20 Finland 25 47 Israel 19 42 Japan 9 41 Malaysia 19 34 Mexico 20 32 Norway 32 46 Paraguay 23 41 Philippines 33 37 Sri Lanka 17 48 Switzerland 28 40 Turkey 10 30 United Kingdom 33 45 United States 43 46 Uruguay 28 41 Venezuela 23 33 The preceding is an example of how segregation in the workplace extends into wage inequality as well as job satisfaction in that there is a cap on the level of advancement which women can generally aspire to thus slowly dampening their drive and determination in the face of subtle hurdles. Given the predominance of male positioned managers, executives and directors only the most dedicated and brightest of females manage to reach top positions where they still remain underpaid and suffer forms of discrimination in a male dominated environment. The definitive example of work segregation is found in the manner in which men and women are paid for the same work. Chart 4, Percentage Change in Real Wages/Earnings, Men and Women for Selected Occupations, revealed that the fact there has been and is a percentage change in real wage earnings for men and women in selected occupations, means that there was wage disparity in the first place (International Labour Organization, 2004). The idea of traditional occupations represents one of the most pervasive forms of segregation in work whereby males are thought to be either innately qualified or predisposed to work in certain industries. An example of the preceding is demonstrated by the findings of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Scotland based upon research conducted by Caledonian University in Glasgow. Said study found that there are barriers to younger adults pursuing certain career choices and that these include the negative feedback and or attitudes of family, friends and more particularly employers (BBC News, 2005). Said study pointed to the fact that there were just forty-one female apprentices in the entire country that were actively engaged in pursuing a construction career., and only fifty in engineering (BBCNews, 2005). On the opposite side of the coin the same study revealed that just 15 males were pursuing careers as apprentices in childcare. The report concluded that the barriers concerning the recruitment of males for that occupation were the low pay and attitudes of end users regarding the suitability of males in such roles (BBC News, 2005). 2.2 Gender Segregation Gender segregation represents a real issue that is neither subtle nor hidden, yet defies the concept of discrimination in that it prevents females from assuming careers that tend to fall outside of what is either considered feminine or represent male dominated areas whereby their attempt at entry will be greeted with barriers. The conception that there are traditional roles for men and women is countermanded byte fact that fully one-third of Finnish and American entrepreneurs are women, as just one singular example (International Labour Office,2004). The concept of segregation in the workplace has many differing forms and varieties, but it is what it is, segregation. And that fosters the climate that continues the attitudinal as well as prejudicial underpinnings that contribute to the view of woman’s careers as being predisposed to a certain limited sphere as well as inequality. Pascale differences, the conception that certain careers are better suited to women, the disproportionate skew of males in managerial positions as well as the predominate concentrations of females in certain professions and industries reinforce this environment to the detriment of all. Chapter 3 Attitudes Toward Women at Work As pointed out in Chapter 3 – Segregation in the Workplace, certain predefined ideas and conceptions provide the basis that fosters and continues the notion that varied occupations are better suited to women or men. This thinking helps to create an attitudinal atmosphere that reinforces itself in spite of there being proof to the contrary. Evening what we like to think of as our modern and progressive societies of the new millennium, much of the same limited and outdated thinking that existed prior to the 1940’s is still with us, and in spite of all of the legislation, feminist movements and understanding of equal rights, progress in terms of changing or evolving people’s minds has been slowing coming. The aforementioned ‘glass ceiling’ atmosphere is a pervasive climate that permeates throughout the work environment. Its visual manifestations in terms of the male dominated professions and management positions are consistent reminders of the way things are, as well as the way things were. Thus, an examination of attitudes concerning women at work is linked to segregation in the workplace as well as other concepts as they are inexorably tied to one another. The most disturbing examples of attitudes with regard to women at work arise discrimination and sexual harassment, both outgrowths of segregation in the workplace. 3.1 Looking Under the Surface Oddly, the Allies would most likely not have won World War I without women. Not because they were nurses, functioned as telephone operators or were basically secretaries to generals and prime ministers, but because they welded tanks, made munitions, drove tractor-trailers, operated heavy machinery and performed all manner of traditionally male jobs (Wikipedia, 2005). With such a breakthrough in thinking as well as demonstration of female aptitude one would wonders to why the questions of discrimination, work place segregation and unequal pay scales are still with us, yet they are. Once again, the roots of such odd thinking can be traced back to patriarchy, which comes from ancient Greece whereby patria Thus the ramifications of continued second class citizenship with regard to participation in the work force must be explained by ingrained societal foundations, and this is the rationale for the examination of the word patriarchy. Given its foundation of ruler, archer, the platform for at least a partial explanation of the struggle women still face in the workplace seems to have a basis. The foregoing when combined with the ‘glass ceiling’ effect and unequal wage scales brings forth the fact that there is de facto sex discrimination, and these practices create the view that sees women as secondary, or less important workers and individuals. Article 20 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which was enacted in 2000, states that everyone is equal in terms of the law and Article 21 of that legislation states(Silver, 2003): â€Å"Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited† The European Charter of Fundamental Rights goes on to add in Article23 that it is understood that it recognizes equality between men and women as being (Silver, 2003): â€Å"†¦ in all areas, including employment, work and pay, without preventing measures providing for specific advantages in favour of thunder-represented sex† The language as well as intent leaves no room for misinterpretation with regard to the stance of the European Union and thus the obligations of all member nations. The problem with the foregoing is that it had to be legislated rather than being a part of the social fabric. And, as it is with all regulations, laws and legislation, penalties form the basis for compliance where common sense and morality do not prevail. Once again, the ingrained thinking of centuries of cultural and traditional foundations of patriarchal societies is at work slowing the process. And while there has been and is progress in terms of the opportunities open to women, these areas pale in comparison to the overall number taken as a whole. The International Labour Organization (2003) found that while women represent forty present (40%) of the labour force, their proportion of managerial positions is fewer than twenty present (20%). Its studies also uncovered that the higher the management position, the less women are represented. The latest figures on top corporate positions found that women constituted just a 2 to 3 present representation (International Labour Organization, 2003, p-5). The preceding, while limited to managerial considerations, is clear indication of the prevailing attitude in the workplace regarding careers involving women. It points to the ‘glass ceiling’ effect and the fact that within the structures as well as processes of society and organizations that there is inherent discrimination that transcends legislation through the application of slow and frustrating practices. The correlation of attitudes in the workplace is best exemplified through what is and has transpired as a result of historical employment patterns. Developed economies such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland report that slightly over ten present (10%) and twelve present (12%), respectively, of executives in these countries were women as of 1999 (International Labour Organization, 2003, p-6). And while there have been increases in the level of managerial positions held by women, the overall percentage increase has been in the range of1 through 3 present. 3.2 Statistical Evidence Statistical evidence has been utilized to illustrate that the workplace attitudes concerning women has been and is slow to change. In the United Kingdom a survey conducted by the Equal Opportunities Commission(2006) indicated that while females have been outperforming males in education and that they statistically outnumber males in institutions of higher learning, they represent just: nine present (9%) of the senior judiciary, ten present (10%) of senior police officers, and thirteen present (13%) of national newspaper editors The overall consensus reached by the survey is that there has been little progress or change since the Equal Opportunity Commission first published its findings in 2004. The lack of any meaningful progress in women achieving managerial positions has been utilized as a bell weather to gauge attitudes and indicates that social, cultural and economic variables, as well as wage scales, that are clear indicators with respect to the fact that the workplace attitudes concerning women still sees them in secondary rather than equal roles. Chapter 4 Legislation Concerning Gender and Employment The European Union passed the Equal Pay Act in 1970, which marked its first legislation on discrimination. Society was different in that period than it is now and in some ways it remains the same. The gender divide is still present and research has shown that there is little difference in a reduction of the wage gap. The fact that the European Union has been diligent in its understanding and approach to the facets of inequality, discrimination in all forms, equal pay, employment equality, sexual harassment, and sex discrimination means that there are other factors inhibiting the objective of attaining improvements in these areas. In order to understand what has transpired in terms of society and legislation, a comparative examination of the 30 year period that represents the enactment of the Equal Pay Act of 1970 and today shall attempt to identify the factors inhibiting progress in the achievement of the aims of legislation designed to eliminate the aforementioned inequities. 4.1 Equal Pay Act of 1970 (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005) The Act makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate in the workplace between males and females with regard to their rate of payment when they are engaged in the same as well as similar work, work that is rated as being equivalent and or work that is of equal value. The key provision is that the Act refers to comparisons for the preceding between individuals of the opposite sex. When the Act was passed in 1970 the wage gap between males and females stood as thirty-seven present (37%) (Woman and Equality, 2006). By the time the Act became law in 1975 the wage gap had reduced to thirty present(30%), and presently it stands at seventeen present (17%) (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005). The Act provides both men as well as women to equal payment in terms of the contract for employment and provides for coverage for piecework, quotas, bonuses, sick leave and holidays. Enhancements to the Act under European Law have extended the range of coverage to redundancy payments, concessions for travel, pensions handled by employers and to occupational benefits under pension plans administered by employers. The Equal Pay Act was the first as well as most important piece of legislation in that it immediately addressed the issue of compensation that covered every male and female within the jurisdiction of the European Union. And while being a landmark piece of legislation in terms of seeking to level the playing field for women, the Act also contains provisions that provide employers with a defence concerning pay differences. It states that employers do not have to pay the same wages as well as benefits for equal work if they can effectively prove that the difference on wages is a factor unrelated toe difference in sex. It also provides for the fact that differing geographic locations might serve as grounds, as well as specialized recruitment for particular positions and the requirement or need to retain workers that perform or occupy particular positions. 4.2 Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation (International Labour Organization, 2006) As referred to as ‘gender equality’ Directive 76/207, which was amended by Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 of the European Commission Treaty, it sets forth the foundations and regulations concerning equal treatment in terms of: 1. access to employment 2. self-employment and occupation, 3. working conditions, and 4. vocational training The framework that the Directive set down terms and conditions that identified discrimination on the basis of: religion or belief, and age or sexual orientation, with regard to employment as well as occupation, thus putting into effect in the European Union states principles of equal treatment as long as the preceding does is not as a result of discrimination based upon sex, which is legislated under the Sex Discrimination Act. And while this piece of legislation is not directly linked to considerations based upon sexual orientation, it does represent a broad context that broadens the scope of the European Union’s legislative powers in these areas and as such constitutes a supporting role in the specific mandates that affect women. As covered under Chapter 3 -Attitudes Toward Women at Work, societal, traditions and cultural foundations help to shape individual as well as corporate thinking. As such the attack on prejudice needs to take a direct frontal approach as well as from angles to centralize and focus in on the problem or unequal treatment as a concept, condition and principle. Sex Discrimination Act, as amended, of 1976 (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The Act provides for the fact that individuals must have legal protection with regard to harassment and sexual harassment in employment as well as vocational training. The Act defines harassments: â€Å"†¦ where unwanted conduct related to the sex of a person occurs with the purpose of violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment†. (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) And in terms of the Act, sexual harassment is defined as: â€Å"†¦ where any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature occurs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The preceding refers to when the foregoing violates the dignity of an individual when in particular such creates a hostile, degrading, offensive and or humiliating environment. In the United Kingdom the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is the singular statute dealing specifically with this subject. It makes it a criminal offence for someone to engage in or pursue a course of conduct, this includes speech, which amounts to the harassment of another individual. Under the UK Harassment Act, harassment is defined as: â€Å"†¦ a course of conduct which amounts to harassment of another, and which he knows or ought to have known amounts to the harassment of another† (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The laws of the European Union clearly set forth the conditions, circumstances and legal ramifications of equal pay, sex discrimination, harassment and gender equality in its position to create compliance with modern societal thinking and correctness. The heart of the principle is that a law is: 1. A rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement or authority. 2. a. The body of rules and principles governing affairs†¦ b. The condition of social order and justice created by adherence to such a system †¦ 4. A piece of enacted legislation † (Houghton Mifflin, 2006) The preceding provides the explanation as to why such legislation is needed. And while there is great debate on the subject, the purpose of government is to protect individual rights and to preserve justice(Wikipedia, 2006). And as it is with any societal system, the prevailing view as well as wisdom changes as thinking evolves. The underlying foundations upon which western societies are primarily built upon are patriarchal and religious precepts. As discussed in Chapter 1– Introduction, the rights of women were scant and subject to the subjugation of males under Roman law, the church and ancient as well as medieval laws. Since legislation for Equal Pay was only enacted in 1970in the European Union it seems to indicate that medieval principles were still at work in our modern age and apparently still at work in that equal pay, attitudes toward women at work and enacted legislation has made progress, but still represents a prime topic of discussion thirty years later. Chapter 5 The Differences Between Men and Women The biological and social constructions of men and women are known to have scientific basis with respect to differences. The notion that we are all created equal is a truth of the human experience, but within that equality, men and women differ in many aspects. The question in the context of women and their career roles with respect to a work and life balance is, does that difference equate some type of advantage, disadvantage or no applicable correlation with regard to that context? 5.1 The Perception of Differences A recent scientific discovery indicated that there are 789 different genes that separate men from women (BBC News, 2003), but the study could not detail what they do or the reasons as to what the differences that these genes might hold. And the foregoing represents the point. There are both differences as well as similarities between the sexes that are identified as a result of psychological differen Gender Differences in the Workforce Gender Differences in the Workforce The contention that women’s roles in having a career results in the creation of a problem with regard to them achieving a balance between their work and lives finds its roots in the rights and equality issues women have faced throughout the ages. The subject is not a contemporary one, although this tends to be the common perception due to scant references to resources dating back centuries as a result of either suppression or the lack of relevant data in books. In fact, such information is available via research in many journals and letters. The sources of the conception that a woman’s career somehow takes second precedence to being a wife, mother or homemaker are founded in a number of myths, prejudicial thinking, misguided notions and historical contexts that have fostered them as second class citizens. A large percentage of feminists believe that the status of women being regarded as second-class citizens is a result of patriarchy being the foundation that modern society was built upon and that this fostered thinking, attitudes and conceptions that relegated them to secondary roles instead of being regarded as equals. The foregoing notion(s) shall be examined from a number of standpoints to clarify the unenlightened views held by some in this regard. The examination will not be conducted from a feminist point of view, nor shall it seek to explain prevailing views, it shall instead present the relevant facts which the conclusions shall be drawn from. The simple truth is that women have been balancing multiple roles through history and the insertion of the role of career can be equated to any number of functions that they have performed and accomplished. Chapter 1 – Introduction 1.1 Background In order to set the context for the discussion regarding the contention that women’s roles in having careers poses a problem in their achieving balance between work and life, the first salient fact that needs tube established is that women constitute 3,209,000,000 of the world’s total population estimate of 6,477,450,857 (Population Reference Bureau, 2006). This means that the under utilization of women represents a 50% reduction in the number of available individuals that can make a contribution in professional terms. Chart 1 – Education Variables – Women (Population Reference Bureau, 2006) Demographic Variable Country Data Women All Ages, 2005 World 3,209,000,000 All Educational Variables Literacy Women as % of Literate Men, Ages 15-24, 2000-04 World 92 Secondary School Enrolment, Female, 2000-03 (as % of school-age enrolment) World 93 As the preceding chart indicates, the slight difference in overall literacy rates does not put women at a disadvantage in terms of educational qualifications, yet their unemployment rate remains considerably higher proportionally. As shown from the following chart, women comprise approximately 40% of today’s work force yet their participation rates indicate bias (see Chart 3 – Male and Female Labour Force Participation Rates and the Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males, 2003): Chart 2 – Global Labour Market Indicators / 1993 and 2003 (International Labour Organization, 2004) Female Male Total 1993 2003 1993 2003 1993 2003 Labour force (millions) 1,006 1,208 1,507 1,769 2,513 2,978 Employment (millions) 948 1,130 1,425 1,661 2,373 2,792 Unemployment (millions) 58.2 77.8 82.3 108.1 140.5 185.9 Labour force participation rate (%) 53.5 53.9 80.5 79.4 67.0 66.6 Employment-to-population ratio (%) 50.4 50.5 76.1 74.5 63.3 62.5 Unemployment rate (%) 5.8 6.4 5.5 6.1 5.6 6.2 Chart 3 – Male and Female Labour Force Participation Rates and the Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males, 2003 (International Labour Organization, 2004) Male LFPR Female LFPR Gender Gap in Economically Active Females per 100 Males World 79.4 53.9 68 Middle East and North Africa 76.8 28.2 36 South Asia 81.1 37.4 44 Latin America and the Caribbean 80.5 49.2 64 Industrialized Economies 70.3 50.5 76 Transition Economies 65.7 53.1 91 South-East Asia 82.9 60.5 75 Sub-Saharan Africa 85.3 63.2 77 East Asia 85.1 73.1 83 When wages are factored into the preceding figures, the picture of bias with respect to employed women takes on additional meaning. Chart 4 – Percentage Change in Real Wages/Earnings, Men and Women for Selected Occupations. (International Labour Organization, 2004) Accountant Computer First- Labourer Professional Welder (in banking) programmer Level in nurse in metal in education construction Manu- insurance teacher factoring F M F M F M F M F M F M Bahrain (1993-98) 16 1161 near near -7 131 36 24 1n.a.1 1n.a1 1n.a.1 1n.a1 Belarus (1996-2000) near near near near 100 35 307 323 near near near near Cyprus (1990-2001) near near 44 60 23 12 49 37 26 9 near near Finland (1990-1999) 67 96 44 66 -7 -4 1 8 -7 -6 -10 -1 Jordan (1988-1997) 29 20 -63 -51 25 13 near near -21 -17 near near Korea, Republic of (1990-2001) 91 46 94 73 29 60 115 37 71 229 46 49 Kyrgyzstan (1998-2001) 4 -26 near near -14 -39 4 20 -19 -32 near near Latvia (1997-2001) 39 31 561 142 82 45 36 18 60 33 1 26 Peru (1997-2001) 15 35 -13 -20 34 37 near near near near near near Poland (1998-2001) 28 31 103 70 53 53 13 20 26 29 45 25 Romania (1995-2001) 126 73 1 38 -7 -6 -19 -24 27 17 -22 -20 Singapore (1995-2000) -3 -24 24 43 near near 26 16 9 24 24 19 United Kingdom (1996-2001) 16 1 9 near near near near near near 10 12 near near United States (1990-2000) 9 12 15 6 4 14 near near -2 10 near near From the foregoing it appears that the problem with women’s roles in having a career is the problem that is perceived by others rather than women themselves. The preceding statement is made as a result of the purely statistical information which clearly shows that women want to work and have the basic educational background(s), however wages are a reflection of a perceived difference even when gauged against the same profession. Therefore, there must be other forces, explanations, perceptions and aspects at work. In order to understand the environments outlined by the preceding, it will be necessary to delve into social, gender, historical, economic and other areas in order to develop an understanding of what is at work in even asking the question, as well as answering it. For if the preceding did not consist of underlying causes, then the need to examine the phenomenon would not exist. The foregoing brings us to areas of examination that at first glance might seem disconnected from the context, but in reality are revealing looks into legislative, sociological, cultural, historical and aspects that aid in providing not just facts, but insight as a result of reviewing them in combination as statistical data and appropriate legislation are a result of changing societal views. But legislation alone cannot cause individuals to evolve their views, and herein lies the problem as there are countless examples where the spirit of the law has been subjugated and artificial barriers created or utilized. The preceding are events, circumstances and outgrowths that are not the product of women’s careers being the problem, these are other forces at work making it a problem. 1.2 Historical Perspectives Historically women have managed, just as males have, to multi task. The example of the working male who engages in sports, hunting, boating, wood working, and running multiple businesses does not raise the question as to whether they are neglecting or failing to provide their families with enough fathering time. This is a result of patriarchy which means in literal terms that males make the decisions as a result of them being the dominant aspect in political as well asocial affairs. But, more importantly males own and run the corporations by and large, as well as are dominant in political, military and other manifestations of power. Therefore, whether one elects to think of society at large being patriarchal, it in fact is. Hence, the preceding fosters underlying, hidden and historical perceptions regarding the roles of men and women as established centuries ago. Support for the preceding view can be traced back to Roman law during the period defined as Augustus to Justinian, as represented by27 B.C. to 527 A.D. A Roman woman was regarded as legally capable at the age of thirteen whereby she was permitted to draw up a will(Hacker, 2004). The foregoing however was bound by the condition that she could do so under supervision. Supervision was deemed to either bathe female’s father, male guardian of husband and their consent was essential in order for the will to be executed. The preceding stipulation of male consent remained as a condition over a Roman woman’s life regardless of her age. This condition was explained as being a result of their â€Å"†¦ unsteadiness of character†, â€Å" â€Å"the weakness of the sex†, and â€Å"ignorance of legal matters† (Hacker, 2004, p-3). Evidence of subjugation can also be found in Church history. Canon law states that a wife must be submissive to her husband and that she could not cut off her hair under penalty of excommunication (Hecker,2004, p-9). And in the case of Joan of Arc, it was her breaking of the law stating that a woman who wore men’s garments was accursed, that was one of the charges that resulted in her being burned at the stake(Hacker, 2004, p-9). Similar examples can also be found in British law where under older common law a husband had the authority to â€Å"†¦ correct and chastise his wife† (Hacker, 2004, p-11). The preceding examples are a few of the historical foundations that patriarchy has been built upon and hence the underlying foundation from which the subject of woman’s career roles emanates. Chapter 2 –Segregation in the Workplace 2.1 Segregation Segregation in the workplace constitutes a phenomenon that is linked to sex discrimination, the glass ceiling, patriarchy and unequal wages in that it reinforces stereotyped views, attitudes and traditions. Resin (1984) states that work related sex segregation can be characterized in the following manner, the first is through norms that separate sexes into separate spheres, such as the predominance of females in domestic work and males in construction, and via functional separation whereby males and females do different work in the same work setting. Segregation in the workplace is a further subtle reinforcement of inequality that slowly permeates the conscientiousness of both males and females into accepting this abnormality as being normal. A review of segregation in the workplace in terms of its manifestations shall be examined from a neutral stance in order to gauge perspectives from both sides of the equation. Such will be done from a factual information based perspective. The subject of segregation in the workplace with regard to women is also termed as the ‘Glass Ceiling’. This phrase was developed in the United States during the 1970’s to describe artificial and invisible barriers that were and are created as a result of organizational and attitudinal prejudices that serve to prevent women from assuming top positions in the workplace (Wirth, 2001). As the most visible and publicized example of discrimination and the segregation of women in the work place, the exclusion of females from top positions within corporations is clearly evident by the fact that they hold just 2 to 3 percent of the top positions. Linda Wirth (2001) has stated that women have not reached top positions in major companies and that the foregoing has nothing to do with their lack of abilities. The International Labour Organization (Chart 5) indicates that around fifty percent (59%) of all women are positioned in occupations that cane be termed sex stereotyped. The preceding term is defined as meaning that approximately eighty present (89%) of the workers within these occupations are either males or females whereas management is primarily male dominated position. Chart 5 – Women’s Share of Administrative – Managerial Positions and Their Share of Total Employment, 1994-1995 (Wirth, 2001, p 193) Country Administrative and Managerial Jobs (%) Total Employment (%) Australia 43 42 Austria 22 43 Chile 20 32 Costa Rica 23 30 Ecuador 28 38 Egypt 12 20 Finland 25 47 Israel 19 42 Japan 9 41 Malaysia 19 34 Mexico 20 32 Norway 32 46 Paraguay 23 41 Philippines 33 37 Sri Lanka 17 48 Switzerland 28 40 Turkey 10 30 United Kingdom 33 45 United States 43 46 Uruguay 28 41 Venezuela 23 33 The preceding is an example of how segregation in the workplace extends into wage inequality as well as job satisfaction in that there is a cap on the level of advancement which women can generally aspire to thus slowly dampening their drive and determination in the face of subtle hurdles. Given the predominance of male positioned managers, executives and directors only the most dedicated and brightest of females manage to reach top positions where they still remain underpaid and suffer forms of discrimination in a male dominated environment. The definitive example of work segregation is found in the manner in which men and women are paid for the same work. Chart 4, Percentage Change in Real Wages/Earnings, Men and Women for Selected Occupations, revealed that the fact there has been and is a percentage change in real wage earnings for men and women in selected occupations, means that there was wage disparity in the first place (International Labour Organization, 2004). The idea of traditional occupations represents one of the most pervasive forms of segregation in work whereby males are thought to be either innately qualified or predisposed to work in certain industries. An example of the preceding is demonstrated by the findings of the Equal Opportunities Commission in Scotland based upon research conducted by Caledonian University in Glasgow. Said study found that there are barriers to younger adults pursuing certain career choices and that these include the negative feedback and or attitudes of family, friends and more particularly employers (BBC News, 2005). Said study pointed to the fact that there were just forty-one female apprentices in the entire country that were actively engaged in pursuing a construction career., and only fifty in engineering (BBCNews, 2005). On the opposite side of the coin the same study revealed that just 15 males were pursuing careers as apprentices in childcare. The report concluded that the barriers concerning the recruitment of males for that occupation were the low pay and attitudes of end users regarding the suitability of males in such roles (BBC News, 2005). 2.2 Gender Segregation Gender segregation represents a real issue that is neither subtle nor hidden, yet defies the concept of discrimination in that it prevents females from assuming careers that tend to fall outside of what is either considered feminine or represent male dominated areas whereby their attempt at entry will be greeted with barriers. The conception that there are traditional roles for men and women is countermanded byte fact that fully one-third of Finnish and American entrepreneurs are women, as just one singular example (International Labour Office,2004). The concept of segregation in the workplace has many differing forms and varieties, but it is what it is, segregation. And that fosters the climate that continues the attitudinal as well as prejudicial underpinnings that contribute to the view of woman’s careers as being predisposed to a certain limited sphere as well as inequality. Pascale differences, the conception that certain careers are better suited to women, the disproportionate skew of males in managerial positions as well as the predominate concentrations of females in certain professions and industries reinforce this environment to the detriment of all. Chapter 3 Attitudes Toward Women at Work As pointed out in Chapter 3 – Segregation in the Workplace, certain predefined ideas and conceptions provide the basis that fosters and continues the notion that varied occupations are better suited to women or men. This thinking helps to create an attitudinal atmosphere that reinforces itself in spite of there being proof to the contrary. Evening what we like to think of as our modern and progressive societies of the new millennium, much of the same limited and outdated thinking that existed prior to the 1940’s is still with us, and in spite of all of the legislation, feminist movements and understanding of equal rights, progress in terms of changing or evolving people’s minds has been slowing coming. The aforementioned ‘glass ceiling’ atmosphere is a pervasive climate that permeates throughout the work environment. Its visual manifestations in terms of the male dominated professions and management positions are consistent reminders of the way things are, as well as the way things were. Thus, an examination of attitudes concerning women at work is linked to segregation in the workplace as well as other concepts as they are inexorably tied to one another. The most disturbing examples of attitudes with regard to women at work arise discrimination and sexual harassment, both outgrowths of segregation in the workplace. 3.1 Looking Under the Surface Oddly, the Allies would most likely not have won World War I without women. Not because they were nurses, functioned as telephone operators or were basically secretaries to generals and prime ministers, but because they welded tanks, made munitions, drove tractor-trailers, operated heavy machinery and performed all manner of traditionally male jobs (Wikipedia, 2005). With such a breakthrough in thinking as well as demonstration of female aptitude one would wonders to why the questions of discrimination, work place segregation and unequal pay scales are still with us, yet they are. Once again, the roots of such odd thinking can be traced back to patriarchy, which comes from ancient Greece whereby patria Thus the ramifications of continued second class citizenship with regard to participation in the work force must be explained by ingrained societal foundations, and this is the rationale for the examination of the word patriarchy. Given its foundation of ruler, archer, the platform for at least a partial explanation of the struggle women still face in the workplace seems to have a basis. The foregoing when combined with the ‘glass ceiling’ effect and unequal wage scales brings forth the fact that there is de facto sex discrimination, and these practices create the view that sees women as secondary, or less important workers and individuals. Article 20 of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, which was enacted in 2000, states that everyone is equal in terms of the law and Article 21 of that legislation states(Silver, 2003): â€Å"Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited† The European Charter of Fundamental Rights goes on to add in Article23 that it is understood that it recognizes equality between men and women as being (Silver, 2003): â€Å"†¦ in all areas, including employment, work and pay, without preventing measures providing for specific advantages in favour of thunder-represented sex† The language as well as intent leaves no room for misinterpretation with regard to the stance of the European Union and thus the obligations of all member nations. The problem with the foregoing is that it had to be legislated rather than being a part of the social fabric. And, as it is with all regulations, laws and legislation, penalties form the basis for compliance where common sense and morality do not prevail. Once again, the ingrained thinking of centuries of cultural and traditional foundations of patriarchal societies is at work slowing the process. And while there has been and is progress in terms of the opportunities open to women, these areas pale in comparison to the overall number taken as a whole. The International Labour Organization (2003) found that while women represent forty present (40%) of the labour force, their proportion of managerial positions is fewer than twenty present (20%). Its studies also uncovered that the higher the management position, the less women are represented. The latest figures on top corporate positions found that women constituted just a 2 to 3 present representation (International Labour Organization, 2003, p-5). The preceding, while limited to managerial considerations, is clear indication of the prevailing attitude in the workplace regarding careers involving women. It points to the ‘glass ceiling’ effect and the fact that within the structures as well as processes of society and organizations that there is inherent discrimination that transcends legislation through the application of slow and frustrating practices. The correlation of attitudes in the workplace is best exemplified through what is and has transpired as a result of historical employment patterns. Developed economies such as the United Kingdom and Switzerland report that slightly over ten present (10%) and twelve present (12%), respectively, of executives in these countries were women as of 1999 (International Labour Organization, 2003, p-6). And while there have been increases in the level of managerial positions held by women, the overall percentage increase has been in the range of1 through 3 present. 3.2 Statistical Evidence Statistical evidence has been utilized to illustrate that the workplace attitudes concerning women has been and is slow to change. In the United Kingdom a survey conducted by the Equal Opportunities Commission(2006) indicated that while females have been outperforming males in education and that they statistically outnumber males in institutions of higher learning, they represent just: nine present (9%) of the senior judiciary, ten present (10%) of senior police officers, and thirteen present (13%) of national newspaper editors The overall consensus reached by the survey is that there has been little progress or change since the Equal Opportunity Commission first published its findings in 2004. The lack of any meaningful progress in women achieving managerial positions has been utilized as a bell weather to gauge attitudes and indicates that social, cultural and economic variables, as well as wage scales, that are clear indicators with respect to the fact that the workplace attitudes concerning women still sees them in secondary rather than equal roles. Chapter 4 Legislation Concerning Gender and Employment The European Union passed the Equal Pay Act in 1970, which marked its first legislation on discrimination. Society was different in that period than it is now and in some ways it remains the same. The gender divide is still present and research has shown that there is little difference in a reduction of the wage gap. The fact that the European Union has been diligent in its understanding and approach to the facets of inequality, discrimination in all forms, equal pay, employment equality, sexual harassment, and sex discrimination means that there are other factors inhibiting the objective of attaining improvements in these areas. In order to understand what has transpired in terms of society and legislation, a comparative examination of the 30 year period that represents the enactment of the Equal Pay Act of 1970 and today shall attempt to identify the factors inhibiting progress in the achievement of the aims of legislation designed to eliminate the aforementioned inequities. 4.1 Equal Pay Act of 1970 (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005) The Act makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate in the workplace between males and females with regard to their rate of payment when they are engaged in the same as well as similar work, work that is rated as being equivalent and or work that is of equal value. The key provision is that the Act refers to comparisons for the preceding between individuals of the opposite sex. When the Act was passed in 1970 the wage gap between males and females stood as thirty-seven present (37%) (Woman and Equality, 2006). By the time the Act became law in 1975 the wage gap had reduced to thirty present(30%), and presently it stands at seventeen present (17%) (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2005). The Act provides both men as well as women to equal payment in terms of the contract for employment and provides for coverage for piecework, quotas, bonuses, sick leave and holidays. Enhancements to the Act under European Law have extended the range of coverage to redundancy payments, concessions for travel, pensions handled by employers and to occupational benefits under pension plans administered by employers. The Equal Pay Act was the first as well as most important piece of legislation in that it immediately addressed the issue of compensation that covered every male and female within the jurisdiction of the European Union. And while being a landmark piece of legislation in terms of seeking to level the playing field for women, the Act also contains provisions that provide employers with a defence concerning pay differences. It states that employers do not have to pay the same wages as well as benefits for equal work if they can effectively prove that the difference on wages is a factor unrelated toe difference in sex. It also provides for the fact that differing geographic locations might serve as grounds, as well as specialized recruitment for particular positions and the requirement or need to retain workers that perform or occupy particular positions. 4.2 Equal Treatment in Employment and Occupation (International Labour Organization, 2006) As referred to as ‘gender equality’ Directive 76/207, which was amended by Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000 of the European Commission Treaty, it sets forth the foundations and regulations concerning equal treatment in terms of: 1. access to employment 2. self-employment and occupation, 3. working conditions, and 4. vocational training The framework that the Directive set down terms and conditions that identified discrimination on the basis of: religion or belief, and age or sexual orientation, with regard to employment as well as occupation, thus putting into effect in the European Union states principles of equal treatment as long as the preceding does is not as a result of discrimination based upon sex, which is legislated under the Sex Discrimination Act. And while this piece of legislation is not directly linked to considerations based upon sexual orientation, it does represent a broad context that broadens the scope of the European Union’s legislative powers in these areas and as such constitutes a supporting role in the specific mandates that affect women. As covered under Chapter 3 -Attitudes Toward Women at Work, societal, traditions and cultural foundations help to shape individual as well as corporate thinking. As such the attack on prejudice needs to take a direct frontal approach as well as from angles to centralize and focus in on the problem or unequal treatment as a concept, condition and principle. Sex Discrimination Act, as amended, of 1976 (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The Act provides for the fact that individuals must have legal protection with regard to harassment and sexual harassment in employment as well as vocational training. The Act defines harassments: â€Å"†¦ where unwanted conduct related to the sex of a person occurs with the purpose of violating the dignity of a person and of creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment†. (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) And in terms of the Act, sexual harassment is defined as: â€Å"†¦ where any form of unwanted verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature occurs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The preceding refers to when the foregoing violates the dignity of an individual when in particular such creates a hostile, degrading, offensive and or humiliating environment. In the United Kingdom the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is the singular statute dealing specifically with this subject. It makes it a criminal offence for someone to engage in or pursue a course of conduct, this includes speech, which amounts to the harassment of another individual. Under the UK Harassment Act, harassment is defined as: â€Å"†¦ a course of conduct which amounts to harassment of another, and which he knows or ought to have known amounts to the harassment of another† (Equal Opportunity Commission, 2002) The laws of the European Union clearly set forth the conditions, circumstances and legal ramifications of equal pay, sex discrimination, harassment and gender equality in its position to create compliance with modern societal thinking and correctness. The heart of the principle is that a law is: 1. A rule of conduct or procedure established by custom, agreement or authority. 2. a. The body of rules and principles governing affairs†¦ b. The condition of social order and justice created by adherence to such a system †¦ 4. A piece of enacted legislation † (Houghton Mifflin, 2006) The preceding provides the explanation as to why such legislation is needed. And while there is great debate on the subject, the purpose of government is to protect individual rights and to preserve justice(Wikipedia, 2006). And as it is with any societal system, the prevailing view as well as wisdom changes as thinking evolves. The underlying foundations upon which western societies are primarily built upon are patriarchal and religious precepts. As discussed in Chapter 1– Introduction, the rights of women were scant and subject to the subjugation of males under Roman law, the church and ancient as well as medieval laws. Since legislation for Equal Pay was only enacted in 1970in the European Union it seems to indicate that medieval principles were still at work in our modern age and apparently still at work in that equal pay, attitudes toward women at work and enacted legislation has made progress, but still represents a prime topic of discussion thirty years later. Chapter 5 The Differences Between Men and Women The biological and social constructions of men and women are known to have scientific basis with respect to differences. The notion that we are all created equal is a truth of the human experience, but within that equality, men and women differ in many aspects. The question in the context of women and their career roles with respect to a work and life balance is, does that difference equate some type of advantage, disadvantage or no applicable correlation with regard to that context? 5.1 The Perception of Differences A recent scientific discovery indicated that there are 789 different genes that separate men from women (BBC News, 2003), but the study could not detail what they do or the reasons as to what the differences that these genes might hold. And the foregoing represents the point. There are both differences as well as similarities between the sexes that are identified as a result of psychological differen

Nietzsche And Platonism Essay -- essays research papers

In Twilight of the Idols Nietzsche writes, "My objection against the whole of sociology in England and France remains that it knows from experience only the forms of decay, and with perfect innocence accepts its instincts of decay as the norm of sociological value-judgments. The decline of life, the decrease in the power to organize, that is to tear open clefts, subordinate and super-ordinate -- all this has been formulated as the ideal in contemporary sociology." (p 541). The culture of Europe at the time of Nietzsche’s writing was experiencing a general decline in vitality which was exemplified in Christianity (Platonism) and anarchy or nihilism. Nietzsche saw himself as a kind of philosophical doctor, capable of diagnosing the sickness of man. These two types of decline made it especially apparent what was wrong with mankind, and in this decadence Nietzsche detected symptoms of nihilism, one of his biggest worries for the culture as a whole. To Nietzsche, Christianity is objectionable because it is a symptom of mankind’s world weariness. In rejecting the realm of the here and now in favor of a transcendent, heavenly afterlife, the Christian reveals his weakness. This weakness was first observed in Plato, whose logic is eventually carried out into the development of Christianity. Plato created the idea that this world is meaningless, and that people do not get rewarded for their actions until after death, and that worldly reality is not worth anything. Nietzsc...

Nursing Laws and Ethics

As nursing profession continuously progresses in its quest for excellence, its nature becomes complex in the light of meeting the standards set forth by the implementing bodies in nursing profession. These standards are indeed the result of careful assessment and observation made to resolve the never ending issues and concerns pertaining to the legal responsibilities and ethical obligations of nurses.Many of these include the duty to interpret and carry out orders, duty to monitor the patient, delegation of authority, consent to medical and surgical procedures, confidentiality of medical records, negligence and others. But among the issues and concerns aforementioned, one of the most controversial issues which caught my attention is â€Å"Malpractice†. Sometimes, nurses, for some personal reason, go beyond their boundaries and exceed the scope of nursing practice they are ought to observe at all times.In abroad, there have been numerous reported incidents wherein Filipino nurs es who happened to be medical doctors here in the Philippines were charged of malpractice and was deported back here for attempting to save a dying patient in the absence of the medical doctor in-charge. Legally speaking, what they did was a â€Å"breach of duty† and basically, they should have been subjected to corresponding sanction.However, as far as nurses’ sworn duty is concerned, it’s also their responsibility to save and protect life at all cost. I understand that, doing the job beyond their legal limitations was hard for them. But because Filipino nurses are typically compassionate, they have set aside the thought of facing consequences of their actions and didn’t think twice when they saw the imminent danger to the patient’s life, considering their knowledge and experience in critical situations as doctors.It is quite paradoxical in nature, to which side they are to choose in the midst of ethical dilemmas like that. In the code of nurses d eveloped by the American Nurses Association, there is no way they condone ethically passive behaviour. But being passive will mean two things at the same time. First, being passive and adherent to the scope of their jobs will mean being firm in their chosen profession and avoid legal responsibilities on their part.Secondly, it will mean depriving them of their own wisdom and freewill to do the right thing and do nothing as if they can’t do anything in the midst of life-threatening situation. As for me, we are all trained and equipped with ethical principles and laws just to guide us in making the right decision for the good of all. But no one can really tell us what exactly to do or which way to go. It is always, our wisdom, wise thinking and judicious assessment of the situation that would lead us to make the correct decision.

Office Automation Essay

Office automation has made office work to be efficient nowadays for the organizations that have adopted the system. Office automation usually refers to a situation where office activities are computerized so that it becomes easier for them to be executed faster and efficiently. This had been facilitated by use of computer in the office and it has really help many companies to cut cost in terms of manpower. Office automation has been relied on by many companies to collect, store, create and transmit office information when they are needed in order to accomplish some basic activities in the office. (Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. P, 1994) Our organization has adopted a number of automation and collaboration software to enable them carry on their activities efficiently and to cut cost on wages and salaries. Collaborative software is a system that an organization adopts in order to ensure that the organization is working a coordinated manner when they are executing they office work in their day to day activities. Our organization has not been left in terms of automation as it has implemented some collaborative software to facilitate office activities. Some of the collaborative software that has been adopted by our organization is use of email and instant messaging. The use of email to communicate in our organization has facilitated conveying of messages and data from one point to another either within the organization or even outside the organization. Since the organization adopted the system, it has seen the organization be able to cut cost in term on the cost it incurred previously to send communication via other mode of transmission. However, when it comes to internal communication within the organization, our company has adopted intranet system where employees within the organization uses company mail to send emails to each others only. The use of email in the office has some advantage in that it is the cheapest means of communication, one can forward the mail to another person, one can open the mail from any computer in the world that is connected to the internet, and there is unlimited storage facility. Another advantage of using email to communicate is that the message can be stored in the receiver’s inbox even if he is not in the office. Some of the disadvantages of email are that it might not be used to communicate confidential information; people might misuse the facility and keep on browsing through the internet instead of working. Instant messaging is collaborative software that has been adopted by our organization to communicate within or outside the organization. This facility is very popular in our organization as one get feedback immediately after sending a message to the other person either within or outside the organization. The disadvantage of the facility is that since it requires instant feedback it cannot be used to communicate if the receiver is not there to reply to the message. The facility also cannot be used to communicate detailed information like data and for this case; it needs someone to use another facility. The facility also cannot be used where one want to attach something like a photograph or a map. (Laudon, K. C. and Laudon, J. P, 1994) The collaborative software adopted by our organization has been of great use in our organization to convey messages within and outside the organization. Our company has saved a lot when it adopted the facilities and abandoned the older mean of communication where they used fax or even letters and parcel which are slow and expensive.

22 Causas de Negación de Ingreso a USA por Inadmisibilidad

22 Causas de Negacià ³n de Ingreso a USA por Inadmisibilidad Las autoridades de los Estados Unidos pueden negar a cualquier extranjero el ingreso a Estados Unidos  con una o varias  causas de inadmisibilidad. Esto aplica incluso a los residentes permanentes legales. Asimismo, puede aplicar tanto a los que estn fuera del paà ­s como los que ya se encuentran en su interior. Este es una situacià ³n grave y, por ello, este artà ­culo informa sobre cules son las causas de inadmisibilidad, cà ³mo surge el problema y dà ³nde y, finalmente, quà © se puede hacer para solucionar el problema. Antes de comenzar, seà ±alar que es muy importante distinguir las  causas de inadmisibilidad, la razà ³n que se da est seà ±alada con un nà ºmero  212(a),  de las causas de inelegibilidad  que hacen que el cà ³nsul rechace una solicitud de visa por motivo calificado en los documentos oficiales  como 214. 22 causas de inadmisiblidad que impiden el ingreso en Estados Unidos Las causas de inadmisibilidad pueden aplicar tanto a las visas no inmigrante, tipo turista, estudiante, trabajo, intercambio, etc como a las visas de inmigrante, para obtener la green card o tarjeta de residencia. Incluso pueden aplicar a personas que se encuentran legalmente en los Estados Unidos y que solicitan un cambio de estatus. Por ejemplo, una persona con visa H1B que pide la residencia permanente mediante un ajuste de estatus. Las causas de inadmisibilidad, que se conocen en inglà ©s con el nombre de grounds of inadmissibility, son: Carga pà ºblica. Sospecha de que es posible convertirse en una fuente de gasto para las arcas pà ºblicas de Estados Unidos. Por ejemplo, personas enfermas, muy mayores, etc.Sufrir una enfermedad contagiosa, como por ejemplo, tuberculosis.Sufrir una enfermedad fà ­sica o mental que convierta al enfermo en un peligro para otras personas.Consumo de drogas. La expresià ³n que utilizan las autoridades de inmigracià ³n es abusador de drogas y por eso se entiende haber consumido una sustancia ilà ­cita ms de una vez en los à ºltimos tres aà ±os.Haber cometido o haber sido condenado por un delito inmoral.Haber sido condenado por varios delitos.Haber sido condenado por delitos especà ­ficos tales como trfico de drogas.Ser familiar de un traficante de drogas si se ha beneficiado de las ganancias de esa actividad en los à ºltimos cinco aà ±os.Haber cometido espionaje o sabotaje.Haber cometido o haber sido condenado por un delito agravado.Haber sido miembro de un partido polà ­tico t otalitario, como por ejemplo, un partido comunista, o de un partido nazi. Haber participado en un genocidio.Haber asegurado falsamente que se es ciudadano americano.Haber violado una ley de inmigracià ³n. Hay muchos ejemplos de esta circunstancia, por ejemplo, trabajar en Estados Unidos con una visa que no lo autoriza (turista, etc.)Haber cometido fraude migratorio. Bajo esta categorà ­a caben acciones muy distintas. Presentar documentos falsos ante un oficial migratorio o un consulado es una de ellas. Las mentiras en este contexto pueden resultar muy caras.Estar ilegalmente en Estados Unidos o haber estado si todavà ­a no se cumplià ³ el plazo de la penalidad.Haber sido deportado o expulsado.Haber ingresado a los Estados Unidos sin tener la documentacià ³n necesaria.Estar casado con ms de una persona al mismo tiempo. Estos son los casos de bigamia y poligamia.Haber realizado un secuestro internacional de nià ±os. Esto ocurre con frecuencia en el caso de paps y mams que no se ponen de acuerdo dà ³nde deben vivir los nià ±os. El problema es que sin darse cuenta se puede estar cometiendo ese delito, que es muy grave. Si se ha tenido una visa de intercambio J-1  y se est sujeto a la obligacià ³n de residir fuera de Estados Unidos por dos aà ±os.Ser un peligro para la seguridad nacional de los Estados Unidos. Esto incluye pertenencia a pandillas  (gangas). Quà © puede suceder en estos casos de inadmisibilidad Puede pasar tres cosas: Primero: la visa es denegada por un oficial consular. Tener en cuenta que la visa puede ser rechazada, adems, por otras causas, cuando se cree que no se cumplen los requisitos para obtenerlos. Segundo: el oficial de Inmigracià ³n de la CBP (Policà ­a Fronteriza) en un puerto de entrada (aeropuerto, puerto o frontera terrestre) prohà ­be el ingreso tras consultar su completà ­sima base de datos. En estos casos pueden darse dos situaciones: Si se llega al puerto de entrada con una visa o una green card  vlida, en algunas circunstancias es posible solicitar presentarse ante un juez de inmigracià ³n y, en su caso, apelar su decisià ³n ante la Corte de Apelaciones Migratorias.. Pero no siempre es posible. Por ejemplo, en casos de fraude o de haber asegurado falsamente ser ciudadano americano la decisià ³n del oficial de Inmigracià ³n es final. Pero tambià ©n puede suceder que se proceda a regresar a la persona inmediatamente a su lugar de procedencia. Las razones pueden ser varias, como en el ejemplo anterior. Pero tambià ©n sucede en caso como en los que no se tiene visa porque se es de un paà ­s del Programa de Exencià ³n de Visados la decisià ³n del oficial de la CBP es tambià ©n final y no se podr solicitar comparecer ante un juez. Y tercera posibilidad: si ya se est dentro de Estados Unidos, las autoridades migratorias pueden proceder a la remocià ³n de la persona en esa situacià ³n. Quà © se puede hacer en los casos de inadmisibilidad Para algunos de estos supuestos es posible pedir un perdà ³n migratorio, tambià ©n conocido como waiver.  Por ejemplo, en casos de prostitucià ³n, enfermedades contagiosas, riesgo de ser una carga pà ºblica, condenas por delitos inmorales o, incluso, mà ºltiples condenas por delitos. Pero es muy importante entender que las reglas son distintas segà ºn los casos, que no es lo mismo pedir una visa no inmigrante que una inmigrante y que los perdones son medidas excepcionales.  Y tambià ©n hay que tener presente que el poder solicitar un perdà ³n no quiere decir que se vaya a obtener su aprobacià ³n. En estos casos es muy importante contar con la asesorà ­a de un abogado competente y con un buen rà ©cord, que no prometa cosas que, sencillamente, no pueden ser porque la ley no lo permite. Adems, tener en cuenta que hay causas de inadmisibilidad para los que no es posible jams pedir un perdà ³n. Por ejemplo, trfico de drogas, terrorismo o espionaje. Finalmente, es realmente aconsejable conocer cà ³mo aplica el castigo de inadmisibilidad de los 3 y de los 10 aà ±os por presencia ilegal en los Estados Unidos y el castigo de la prohibicià ³n permanente. Este à ºltimo es frecuentemente ignorado pero afecta a muchas personas y las consecuencias son muy graves. Este es un artà ­culo informativo. No es asesorà ­a legal.

The Death Penalty in America †World Religion Essay

The Death Penalty in America – World Religion Essay Free Online Research Papers The Death Penalty in America World Religion Essay This week’s show involved asking religious persons about their perceptions of the death penalty. It is very interesting that religious language is used on both sides of such a discussion. New constitutional challenges have been fueled by DNA testing and this technology is redefining what absolute evidence has come to mean. The Catholic Church has come to condemn capital punishment as apart of it stance on the value of life throughout its natural course. The Southern Baptist Convention is the only religious body that still actively supports capital punishment. Their official comment on the issue is as follows: All people including those guilty of capital crimes are created in the image of God and should be treated with dignity†. When this comment is looked at more carefully it is clear that it really doesn’t speak to the issue other to say that dying via a death sentence could be seen as a dignified death. Debbie Morris When Debbie Morris was 16 a young man named Robert Willy abducted her and her boyfriend. For two days he raped her and made her witness the brutal murder of her boyfriend. Robert Willy was sentenced to death but this did not put Morris’s heart at rest. She lived with a constant fear that he would escape and come find her. She believes that most people who are victims of a crime and the death penalty is an option seek it more out of fear than anything. As time went on all she really wanted was to make things the way they were before; she sought peace. Her emotions preferred that he be dead however in the back of her mind she also feared that the day after he was killed she would not feel any better. She would have nothing left to hold on to or focus her anger on. In desperation she called out to God. She went through tough times, drinking to kill the pain. The death penalty was the end of the line. If this didn’t make her feel better then she was afraid that nothing would. What is forgiveness like when you don’t ever hear or see the person you are in conflict with? She didn’t ask for forgiveness to make Willy feel better, she did it because she wanted to feel relief. Morris even states that her actions were somewhat selfish. The night she realized she needed to forgive Willy she realizes that it didn’t do him any good. He didn’t get let off any hook because of her forgiveness. However, she felt a sense of relief; however she says it is work. You have to forgive daily and ask for help from God everyday in regards to placing that pain in the past. Trading away the hate and being filled up with something better is what forgiveness means. It doesn’t mean that Morris and Willy will have lunch; she had no desire to see Willy. He is still dangerous and she says that she would not go through the act of forgiving with him directly. Forgiveness is sometimes one sided. God says forgive, not forgive and wait for this person to come to you. There is never complete and total healing; it is a process that must be worked. Rabbi Elie Spitz Rabbi Spitz started his career as a criminal attorney only later to become a Rabbi. He talks about the meaning of â€Å"An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth†. This comment is found twice in the books of Moses. Spitz believes that this statement has been taken out of contest by the America legal system to justify horrible acts of revenge. In the ancient world there were no prisons and no civil systems of justice. It was completely up to the family to resolve issues that we would think require the police or the court system. According to Spitz the Bible does give authority for capital punishment. It is however only performed in very special cases that involve having two eye witnesses to the crime. Perhaps DNA evidence is the modern day equivalent to having two eye witnesses. The eye for an eye line was written to comment on fairness. It is meant to equalize the punishment for crime. So for example if someone steals from you, it is not fair to kill their whole family. In the same light if a one eyed thief takes the eye of a victim it is not fair to take the only remaining eye of the thief. Causing complete blindness would hurt the thief more then the thief taking the one eye of the victim. Rabbi Spitz quotes the line â€Å"justice justice, you shall pursue†. Meaning, the end result must be as just as the means. Justice is pursued because the nature of it shows us that it is never fully captured. What is justice? Sister Helen Prejean Sister Helen Prejean is the author of the best selling book Dead Man Walking. Prejean believes that the individual’s perception of God greatly effects their belief regarding the death penalty. For example, if one believes that God is revengeful and a God we must fear then perhaps the death penalty fits that idea. However, if you believe that God is pure love that forgives all then this will affect your belief of the death penalty. Prejean’s experience and studies of inmates has concluded that death row is generally made up of minority men that come from impoverished homes and have often been victims of violent abuse from an early age. She believes that the ability to hire a good attorney often separates who gets the death penalty from who spends life or less in jail. She references the Jim Crowe days when people would say â€Å"They dont feel like we feel. How many times throughout history do we have to be shown that once you dehumanize someone it is easy to justify whatever. As love and truth grows inside of us then our perception of God gets larger as well. This seems to be an important theme for a good number of the issues we have discussed throughout the semester. At which time God believes the way you do on an issue there is going to be trouble because you are no longer allowing yourself to doubt enough or be in a place that accepts new information. Research Papers on The Death Penalty in America - World Religion EssayCapital PunishmentBook Review on The Autobiography of Malcolm XThe Masque of the Red Death Room meaningsArguments for Physician-Assisted Suicide (PAS)Comparison: Letter from Birmingham and CritoHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows EssayEffects of Television Violence on ChildrenThe Fifth HorsemanTrailblazing by Eric AndersonQuebec and Canada

Reedsys writing tool to change the way authors create books

Reedsys writing tool to change the way authors create books Today, Reedsy changes the way millions of authors will create books We are incredibly proud. After months of work, we are releasing the first version of the Reedsy Book Editor, a writing tool that will transform the way millions of authors create their books. It took thousands of hours, and countless iterations on design and code to create what we believe will disrupt the process of writing and producing books.Okay we’ve said enough. Now, showtime.The simplest yet most innovative way to create booksThe first thing we wanted to do was to create a great environment to write in. We didn’t want to replicate Microsoft Word’s awful interface and were inspired by the work the team at Medium did. We saw it as the way forward and designed a product that appears minimalistic but is in fact extremely powerful.To format a book, authors will only be using our style-guide toolbar. Here is what it looks like:– Matt (designer) and Emmanuel (visionary) of the Reedsy Book Editor, founders at Reedsy.A press release is available here.

Financial Markets and Bank Management Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Financial Markets and Bank Management - Essay Example The paper attempts to explore how HSBC Bank has performed on these parameters in year 2012 and 2013. The paper will also make specific recommendations for improving bank’s performance in the years ahead. HSBCs balance sheets for year 2012 and 2013 report its income from six sources: Net interest income, Net fee income, trading income, Net income from financial instruments at fair value, net earned insurance premiums, and other operating income. Of these, interest income is the largest component followed by income from fee. On comparing HSBCs performance in year 2013 with its previous year (2012), it can be seen that its interest income has gone up by ( £6,961- £6,519)/ £6,519 = 6.7%. While there is a marginal rise in fee income from  £3,309 million to  £3,336 million, there is a significant rise in its trading income from  £1,587m to 2,373m. In percentage terms, this amounts to nearly 50%. Income from financial instruments has increased by almost 660% from  £118m to  £900m; however, the banks earned insurance premium income has declined by around 10% from  £2,286m to  £2022m (HSBC Bank, 2013 p.10). While Banks net operating income has increased by almost 17% from  £10,133m to  £11,869m in year 2012 and 2013 respectively, the most noteworthy aspect is that its operating expense has reduced significantly from  £9,506m to  £8,575m. In percentage terms, expense reduction is almost 10% (HSBC Bank, 2013 p. 10). This had indeed a very positive impact on bank’s financial performance in 2013. With HSBC bank, deposits have increased from  £39,571m in 2012 to  £50,683m in 2013. Even loans and advances have increased from  £32,286 to  £53,228 – an increase of over 60% (HSBC Bank Plc., 2013 p.95). This reveals a full confidence of the customers on HSBC bank. Pre-tax profit is derived after making loan-loss provisions, and operating income is the

Acid Rain and Alkalinity of the Lakes in Canada Essay

Acid Rain and Alkalinity of the Lakes in Canada - Essay Example In the same way, surrounding vegetations also determines the acidity or alkalinity of the lake, such as types of trees, soil, and decaying leaves. Humus (layers of decaying leaves) has rich organic matter and they produce acids similar to vinegar.Another determinant of lakes is its location and natural bases, that is, answer lies in geology. If the lake has surrounding of rocks containing limestone contain bases, then acids will be reduced (neutralized) by the natural bases and the pH of the lake will remain nearly the same. Calcite (CaCO3) greatly mitigates the effects of acid rain. Calcite is the principal mineral that makes up the rock limestone. For example, the case of sulfuric acid falling on limestone can be understood by the following reaction: The sulfuric acid is changed into mineral gypsum (CaSO4.H2O) and Carbon dioxide is released. Thus, lakes located on limestone terrains will not suffer the consequences of acid rain. On the other hand, rocks which contain granite contain has very little bases and is unable to neutralize the acidic ingredients. Eastern Canada is facing widespread acidification of lakes due to acid rain, and presence of granite rocks. In Ontario approximately 1200 lakes are dead.Acid rain refers to all types of precipitation - rain, sleet, fog, hail, snow that has a pH lower than the 5.6 average of rainwater. Note that the rain water is naturally slightly acidic due to equilibration with atmospheric carbon dioxide. The "pure" rain water's acidity is between pH 5.6-5.7, somewhat pH readings vary depending upon place to place and amount of other gases present in the air, such as nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxide. The pH scale refers to the free hydrogen ions (electrically charged atoms) in water and a number that ranges from 0 to 14. Seven is considered neutral, that is, neither acidic nor basic. Number less than seven are acidic and those higher it is basic or alkaline. The pH scale is logarithmic (base 10), and not linear. For example, pH 3 is 10 times more acidic than pH 4 and 100 times more than pH 5. The formation of acid in the acid rain is due to two kinds of air pollutants - sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). These pollutants react with gaseous water in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid (H2SO4) and nitric acid (HNO3). The two-step process explains the formation of acid solutions by SO2. First the sulfur dioxide molecules react with water molecules and forms molecules of sulfurous acid: SO2(gas) + H2O(liquid) H2SO3(aq) Then the Sulfurous acid molecules reacts with water and produces an equilibrium with H+(aq) and hydrogen sulfite. Because the Sulfurous acid only partially ionizes into H+(aq) so it is considered as a weak acid: H2SO3(aq) + H2O(liquid) H+(aq) + HSO3(aq) Sulfur dioxide also reacts with oxygen or ozone and form sulfur trioxide: SO2(gas) + O2(gas) + 2SO3(gas) SO2(gas) + O3(gas) SO3(gas) + O2(gas) Then the sulfur trioxide reacts with the atmospheric moisture to form sulfuric acid: SO3(gas) + H2O(liquid) H2SO4(aq) The sulfuric acid which is a strong acid, completely ionizes in the atmospheric precipitation to release H+(aq) ions: H2SO4(aq) H+(aq) + HSO4-(aq) These aqueous hydrogen are responsible for the acidic effects in the acid rain. In Canada about 60% of pollution is caused by transportation emission. Car engines uses gasoline, which burn using air as a source of oxygen. Nitrogen is the primary component of air and under high temperature inside the car engine it forms the pollutant nitrogen monoxide (NO). Under sunlight a series of secondary reactions takes place and

The rise of the Second Klan Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The rise of the Second Klan - Essay Example It is believed that it had enlisted more than 30 million people by mid-1920s of which 43% belonged to the protestant church (MacLean, 7). It was against the Catholics, Jews, immigrants and the African Americans who were giving the whites a run for the available housing and jobs. They also aimed at restoring social order. This paper will examine the issues that gave rise to the Klan, the role played by class, gender and race as well as the complex forces that gave rise to the invisible army. The rise of the second Klan can be attributed to many factors as outlined by MacLean (1-97). The first factor responsible for the rise of the Klan was the famous film â€Å"The birth of the Nation† by D.W Griffiths which depicted black men as beasts and the white men as saviors of American civilization (12). The film had lots of praises for the first Klan in their advocacy for restoration of the white rule after the civil and the reconstruction thereafter. As such, it was very influential a mong the whites. Simmons and his friends took advantage of this platform to preach their ideologies and recruit thousands of members. Another significant event that gave rise to the second Klan was the lynching of a Jewish man namely Leo Frank. This individual had been convicted of murdering Mary Phagan a white factory worker. He had been handed a death sentence but the Georgia governor commuted the sentence (12). The white men were very angry with the governor’s action that they decided to hang him and the place he was hanged became the podium for launching the Klan organization. This was the beginning of the recruitment drive for the Klan. It established links with the press to champion their course and attract more people to the Klan through propaganda. These helped the Klan to infiltrate even the high levels of government since those who were against the fraternity would be threatened and blackmailed (88). The role of government officials was to ensure security for member s; since it comprised of governors, mayors, lecturers, and judges the chances of prosecuting errant members were slim. This is why the organization managed to thrive for long and expand despite its activities. The Klan also ensured most of the lay leaders of the protestant churches were Klan men. This enabled them to paint a good picture of the Klan despite their violent acts. They also infiltrated the fraternal organizations such as the woodmen of world and Elk and used them to recruit more members and as a channel for communicating its agenda. Those who joined were initiated through an oathing ceremony whereby they paid initiation fees as well as buying Klan costumes which comprised of hoods, robes, and terrifying masks (MacLean, 7-15). According to MacLean’s â€Å"The vice of modernity,† the rise of the second Klan was also prompted by economic and social factors. The main issue that led the whites to revive the Klan was fear of losing the white supremacy due to the economic and social changes that were occurring. They felt that these shifting lines of race, class, religion and gender were threatening social order and it was its role to maintain order in society (MacLean 32). Due to industrialization there was rapid urbanization which changed the lives of Americans. Most people were involved in cotton farming among other farming activities with the whites

Characteristics of an enterpreneur Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Characteristics of an enterpreneur - Essay Example Not only does he invent but also oversees the progress and performance of the business venture. According to most economists, an entrepreneur is one who is willing to bear the risk of a new business venture if there is a significant chance for profit (Davidsson 70). Entrepreneurial ventures are considerably different and depend on the type of organization, individual and creativity involved. The ventures range in scale from solo projects to major undertakings creating many job opportunities. Various entrepreneurial ventures include establishing a communications store that get people talking by selling cell phones and other devices, starting a mobile computer training that prevents employees from having to leave their offices to undertake computer courses, starting a glass shop that collects and recycles used glass materials, the list practically endless as noted by Parker (66). What is needed to be a Successful Entrepreneur In order to succeed in doing business, an entrepreneur must have a great deal of passion in their undertakings. In other words, he or she must love what he does, passion driving him/her toward working harder and harder toward set objectives. With hard work, the business person becomes more productive and much happier with time. Yet another trait that the entrepreneur must posses is persistence (Krueger 23). This means that the entrepreneur must be determined to succeed in all that they do. They must be prepared to overcome daily challenges and to do the things that they may not like to do. The entrepreneur must also be able to work toward achieving an ultimate goal in a creative way. Since the entrepreneur always desires to grow and meets challenges along the way, he/she has always to think about the next step to take. For example, the business person must always think of creating a new product, business, or service. Being creative on how to address conflict and service to customers and willingness to engage in new and exciting ideas will pl ace the entrepreneur above many competitors. He or she must be independent, ready to make things happen and very disciplined in managing time. A good entrepreneur should be intuitive. Always able to look beyond the obvious and able to make quick decisions that may affect the business. A good entrepreneur must be self-confident, always optimistic and maintaining faith in what he or she does. This allows the entrepreneur to be realistic and open minded and not afraid to ask questions and take risks on the journey to success. Yet again, the entrepreneur needs be hardworking and ready to forego comfort so as to realize the laid down objectives (Barrow, Brown &Clarke 20). In order to succeed in any business one must possess certain attributes and acquire specific knowledge and necessary business skills. Personal qualities are important, such as the desire for continuous education, self motivation, discipline, clear vision, and a great passion. Beyond the personal attributes business men and women must be good communicators. They need to be good in both written and spoken language. This will ensure that the business person establishes good understanding with the clients. The business people also need to be socially networked. This is because in business, it is more of who you know than who you don’t know. One current customer is worth more than several other potential customers. One