Article 2 (Economics) Why Knockoffs Can Help a Strong Brand

2 (Economics) Why Knockoffs Can Help a Strong Brand - Article Example o the article has been provided by Renee Gosline’s study in Massachusetts Institute of Technology and also by Yi Qian of the National Bureau of Economic Research. According to the research findings of the two above mentioned researchers, counterfeits serve as a passage to the original products and have positive effects on the sales of the original brand products. The counterfeits brands therefore according to the article can be said to have more advertising effect than substitution effects and therefore pose no much danger to the original brands. They actually save them from more advertisement charges since sooner or later the consumers realize the difference between the original and the counterfeit and move to the original. This knockoff effect does not however affect only the formal brands which have trademarks and are protected by law. The article further explains that even individual creators with their own unique line of designs and creativity can have copies of their work being reproduced. The overall effect and outcome is however the same as that of the formal brands since the consumers will realize the difference of the original and the counterfeit and move to the original. Raustiala, Karl and Springman, Chris. â€Å"Why Knockoffs Can Help Build a Strong Brand.† Freakonomics 9/5/2012. Retrieved from:

Defining Abnormality - Towards a definition Essay Example for Free

Defining Abnormality Towards a definition Essay The statistical approach is based on the idea that certain behaviours are statistically rare in the population. If you measure any type of human behaviour you should find that people with varying degrees of the behaviour are normally distributed around the mean. For example there are a lot of people who are of average height but few people who are very small. If we plot a graph of for example IQ scores, It is bell shaped. The majority of individuals are clustered around the mean (the curves highest point). The further you go away from the mean, the fewer people there are. Problems Desirability-some statistically infrequent behaviours, e.g. being a genius are desirable. Cut-off point-who decides at what point you are to be considered abnormal? Statistical Definitions-The Same standards or norms are not relevant to all social groups/ ages/cultures for example in terms of anxiety. Children have more irrational fears than adults. Deviation from social norms Social norms are behaviours that are desirable for both the individual and society as a whole. Deviance from social norms is both undesirable and abnormal. Most mentally Ill people do behave in a socially deviant way but this doesnt mean that you can base clinical abnormality on this theory alone. Moral standards-social norms change over time and basing mental illness on deviation from social norms is dangerous. Context-for example, wearing few items of clothing on the beach is acceptable, on the high street it is not. Sub Cultures-for example in the Mormon religion it is acceptable to have several wives. In England that is a crime called bigamy Good/Bad-in some certain circumstances being socially deviant is a good thing for example in Nazi Germany people who were opposed to Nazism were socially deviant. Collectivistic cultures-cultures which emphasise the greater good of the community rather than focusing on individual achievement would not find the first three characteristics relevant. Difficult-most people would have difficulty fitting all these criteria at most times in their lives. Cultural relativism A limitation to all ways of defining abnormality is that no definition is relevant to all cultures. Also cultures definitions change over time. For example Homosexuality was considered to be a mental disease till the 80s.

Analysis of the Black Codes 1865-66 Essay -- Slavery, Inexpensive Labo

The Black Codes were legal statutes and constitutional amendments enacted by the ex Confederate states following the Civil War that sought to restrict the liberties of newly free slaves, to ensure a supply of inexpensive agricultural labor, and maintain a white dominated hierachy. (paragraph 1) In southern states, prior to the Civil War they enacted Slave Codes to regulate the institution of slavery. And northern non-slave holding states enacted laws to limit the black political power and social mobility. (paragraph 2) Black Codes were adopted after the Civil War and borrowed points from the antebellum slave laws as well as laws in the northern states used to regulate free blacks. (paragraph 3) Eventually, the Black Codes were extinguished when Radical Republican Reconstruction efforts began in 1866-67 along with the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment and civil rights legislation. The lives of the Black Codes did not have longevity but were significant. (paragraph 3) Although each ex-Confederate state enacted its own set of codes, all of them shard certain features such as they ...

Challenges for Building Stable Democracies Essay -- Essays Papers

Challenges for Building Stable Democracies It has been stated that the Bush administration’s goal is to have America spread democracy around the world. This may sound radical, but it is really just what our foreign policy has been for the past 60 or so years. The only difference is that now there is no evil communist empire, the USSR has fallen. America has a new ideological enemy the theocracies and oppressive regimes around the world especially Africa and the Middle East, the places that breed terrorists. The Bush administration and most people feel that the best way to stop Terrorism is to wipe out its source. However, in building democracies in the Middle East and other parts in the world there are some extreme difficulties in the process. The first step to building any strong democracy in a country with an autocratic regime is to topple that old regime. This can often be very difficult, because these autocratic regimes usually have quite a strong military and police force to oppose your attempted regime change. America really has little problems with this, because our army is the most powerful in the world. Despite our ease at defeating most armies it we cannot overlook this step in the process of building democracies. The next step is occupying the country; this can often take even more troops then the invasion. This is because often after a state is defeated there are still rebel guerilla groups that can cause a bit of a problem. There is also the fact that it takes a long time to rebuild a country. The two countries we have successfully rebuilt as democracies, Japan and Germany, had no guerillas and it took us five years of occupation to get them where they needed to be. Any invasion force has to have ... ...aucratic gridlock that results in extreme inefficiency. Despite these challenges the United States and others have a good chance to spread Democracy, but it will not be easy. To make America’s current plan work we need to be dedicated to this goal, be willing to deal with hardships, have the compassion to get these people out from under oppressive regimes, and to not pull out of the states at the first sign of trouble. Works Cited 1. David Ingersoll, Richard Matthews, and Andrew Davison, â€Å"Theopolitics and Islamism,† in The Philosophic Roots of Modern Ideology, third edition (Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2001) 2. Nicolo Machiavelli, The Prince, found on http://www.constitution.org/mac/prince00.htm, Ch. 19 3. Sheri Berman, â€Å"Civil Society and the Collapse of the Weimar Republic,† World Politic 49 (April 1997)

Henry Dvid Thoreau Biography (in First Person)

I was born in Concord, Massachusetts on July 12, 1817. My family consisted of my Ma and Pa and three siblings; Helen, John Jr. and Sofia. We lived a very humble life; my father worked in a pencil company while my mother tended to the house and took care of me and my siblings. (Otfinoski pg. 60) My family was really pushing for me to start school at Harvard College but the cost was too expensive for my family. My father owned a small pencil factory and my mother took in boarders to help make ends meet.But, through great sacrifice my family was able to pitch in the money to send me to college, and so I entered the class of 1833 at the age of 16 and graduated in the year 1837. (Otfinoski pg. 60) After graduating Harvard College I went back to Concord to start my own academy with my brother John Jr. and teach the way I felt was right. Together with my brother we taught about 20 students. I believe that the academy would have lasted longer if my brother hadn’t taken ill, the work w as just too much for me to manage on my own. Otfinoski pg. 61-62) Shortly after closing the academy my brother died I was devastated. I walked 40 miles to attend one of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s lectures, soon after I was able to meet the great man. Emerson offered me a job; it was as a caretaker and a handyman in his home I would live there and work while he was away doing his lectures. In our free time we would discuss Transcendentalism, a philosophy for which he was well known. I was inspired by his radical view and ideas, and looked up to him as a mentor and hero. (Otfinoski pg. 2) Feeling it was time to see more of the world I left Emerson’s and headed back to Concord. In March 1845 I headed towards Walden Pond where I built a cabin for myself and stood there for two years. My reasons for going there were to experience life and discover the true account of it. During my time at the Walden Pond I worked tirelessly on the manuscripts that will later become my first two books. (Otfinoski pg. 62-64) In May of 1849 a Boston publisher published my first book, A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers.Although it sold poorly I never gave up. I later wrote about my experience living at the Walden Pond this book was entitled Walden which also wasn’t as popular as I would have hoped but that still didn’t bring me down. (Otfinoski pg. 64-66) Soon, nature being the very thing that I loved became my enemy as I contracted tuberculosis from living in the outdoors with the bad weather and the constant exposure to the graphite dust working in the pencil factory all caught up to me and on May 6, 1862 I died at the age of 45 years old. (Otfinoski pg. 67-69)

Rural Cellular essays

Rural Cellular essays Making its home in Minnesota and owning and operating cellular and digital phone service companies in thirteen states, the Rural Cellular Corporation is quickly making a name for itself. Sense its inception in 1990 Rural Cellular Corporation, or RCC, has become the ninth largest rural cellular company in the country. A rural cellular company is exactly what it sounds like. It has no holdings or contracts in major metropolitan areas, but instead it groups together small rural cellular carriers and providers into one large corporation. By starting in their home state of Minnesota, they have branched out to all sectors of the country, including Washington, Oregon, North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Mississippi, Alabama, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Maine. By gathering up small cellular companies in these areas, RCC has given itself a foothold in fast growing areas of the country. As they have grown in location, so have they grown in service and product they offer. They have just recently begun to offer digital phone service in some of their areas, while at the same time they have implemented paging and phone service packages. By packaging these together they offer the convenience of a mobile phone with the practicality of a pager. Something that will benefit both the businessman and the family man. Just by taking a quick look at the RCC annual report, you may see a company that is in excellent condition, and is on a sure footing for the future. However, certain aspects of this company are raising my suspicions of a short-lived existence. The annual report I received and analyzed is from 1999. When I requested the most current report, the 2000 was unavailable. Therefore, the numbers I relied on and cite throughout this analysis are one year old. As a whole, the annual report is very easy to follow and understand. The first twenty pages are charts, graphs, time-lines...

The White House and its Machinations in Latin & South Americ essays

The White House and its Machinations in Latin & South Americ essays The White House and its Machinations South of United States Borders I look forward to a great future for Americaa future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose. America was established not to create wealth but to realize a vision, to realize an idealto discover and maintain liberty among men. The United States government and its branches have throughout history ignored the meaning of these quotes, just as it has ignored human rights violations in the interest of capitalism. In Nicaragua a major anti-socialist group was committing atrocities: Rape, starvation, and disciplinary tethering were tortures that new contra recruits were forced to endure. The contras were supported unconditionally by Washington and trained by the C. I. A. In Chile the Pinochet military junta murdered thousands of Allendes supporters. The regime was backed fully by the White House. Over the course of the past century and a half, economic and strategic interests were put above all moral and ethical priorities when involved in foreign countries. This nations leaders consistently express pride in the rights to freedom and justice, yet have exemplified the perfect contrary through the governments behavior in Cuba, Chile, Panama, Nicaragua, and Venezuela. The hypocrisies and lies perpetrated by the American government were extensive and deleterious to its good name, and the actions taken by this notorious government were crippling to our Latin American neighbors. Take, for example, Cuba. This island country has had a history of Communism, even under Batista, ruler before Fidel Castro came to power. He had appointed to his cabinet the first avowed Communist ever to serve in any Western government. (Smith, 316) However, Cuba has been a target of American hostility ever since Castro took power. The United Stat...

Major Wars and Conflicts of the 20th Century

Major Wars and Conflicts of the 20th Century The 20th century was dominated by wars and conflicts that often altered the balance of  power around the globe. The 20th century saw the emergence of total wars, such as World War I and World War II, which were  large enough to encompass nearly the entire world. Other wars, like the Chinese Civil War, remained local but still caused the deaths of millions of people. The reasons for the wars varied from expansion disputes  to  upsets in government to the  intentional murder of an entire people. However, they all shared one thing: an extraordinary number of deaths. Which Was the Deadliest War of the 20th Century? The largest and bloodiest war of the 20th century (and of  all time) was World War II. The conflict, which lasted from 1939 to 1945, involved most of the planet. When it was finally over, more than 60 million people were dead. Of that enormous group, which represents about 3 percent of the entire world population at the time, the huge majority (well over 50 million) were civilians. World War I was also bloody, with 8.5 million military deaths plus an estimated 13 million more civilian fatalities. If we were to add in the deaths caused by the  1918  influenza epidemic, which was spread by returning soldiers at the end of  World War I,  the WWI total would be much higher, since the epidemic alone was responsible for  50 to 100 million deaths. Third in the list of bloody wars of the 20th century is the Russian Civil War, which caused the deaths of an estimated 9 million people. Unlike the two world wars, however, the Russian Civil War did not spread across Europe or beyond. Rather, it was a struggle for power following the Russian Revolution, and it pitted the Bolsheviks, headed by Lenin, against a coalition called the White Army. Interestingly, the Russian Civil War was over 14 times deadlier than the American Civil War, which saw the deaths of 620,000. The American Civil War was by far the deadliest war in history for United States soldiers. The second deadliest war in terms of American deaths was World War II in which 405,399 Americans died. The List of Major Wars and Conflicts of the 20th Century All of these wars, conflicts, revolutions, civil wars, and genocides shaped the 20th century. Below is a chronological list of the major wars of the 20th century. 1898–1901 Boxer Rebellion1899–1902 Boer War1904–1905 Russo-Japanese War1910–1920 Mexican Revolution1912–1913 First and Second Balkan Wars1914–1918 World War I1915–1918 Armenian Genocide1917 Russian Revolution1918–1921 Russian Civil War1919–1921 Irish War of Independence1927–1937 Chinese Civil War1933–1945 Holocaust1935–1936 Second Italo-Abyssinian War (also known as the Second Italo-Ethiopian War or the Abyssinian War)1936–1939 Spanish Civil War1939–1945 World War II1945–1990 Cold War1946–1949 Chinese Civil War resumes1946–1954 First Indochina War (also known as the French Indochina War)1948 Israel War of Independence (also known as the Arab-Israeli War)1950–1953 Korean War1954–1962 French-Algerian War1955–1972 First Sudanese Civil War1956 Suez Crisis1959 Cuban Revolution1959–1975  Vietnam War1967 Six-Day War1979–1989 Soviet-Afgha n War1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War1990–1991 Persian Gulf War1991–1995 Third Balkan War1994 Rwandan Genocide

Business Ethics Topics.. 5 questions each have their own title Essay

Business Ethics Topics.. 5 questions each have their own title - Essay Example If the objective is to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number, one must work with estimates. (97) McGee explains that the most important principle that all ethical organizations in all cultures should consider is not to breach or contribute in any way to the breaching of individual contract rights. Rosenthal (2013) says â€Å"Ethics in international business is a very complex issue since ethical standards differ among different countries. Some issues which organizations should establish an ethical standpoint include corporate governance, social responsibility, targeted marketing and corruption.† When trading in international markets, participants should be aware of different ethical standards and business standpoints of various groups around the world. A trader should always ensure that high ethical standards are observed and also be prepared to accept the different standards and expectations of others as well as the reasons for them. Bibliography Frankel, Paul, McG ee, Robert, and Tibor, Machan. Business Ethics in the Global Market. Hoover institution Pr.1999.print Rosenthal, Joel. â€Å"Ethics and International affairs: A primer†. ... al with the help of what is not public knowledge and therefore giving them an advantage over the rest of the market participants who are on the outside (Machan and Chester, 131) The Pros of insider trading includes: it increase the overall efficiency of transactions in the market. McGee (2009) argues that â€Å"those trading from the inside send signals to others whose reactions then help propel the market to its new level of efficiency† (67).Another pro for insider trading according to McGee is that it allows the executives to use inside information to cut the company costs through saving on payroll costs. It is an alternative form of compensation that makes it possible for the organization to pay a lower salary (McGee, 67).The cons of insider trading include; it is morally not right for some individuals to gain from inside information by making huge profits with such little effort. Also business is like level playing field where all individuals should benefit from informatio nal equally and not where others enjoy informational advantages over others. Insider trading is economically beneficial since stocks can trade at prices that reflect more information. Those who are against insider trading base their arguments on emotional appeals and not sound economic analysis. Bibliography Machan,Tibor & Chesher,James. A Primer on Business Ethics.Rowman & Little field. 2003.print McGee, Robert. â€Å"Analyzing Insider Trading from the Perspectives of Utilitarian Ethics and Rights Theory†. Journal of Business Ethics Springer.2009.DOI 10.1007/s10551-009-0068-2 Question#3. Capitalism is the political economic system in which the institution of the right to private property is fully protected. It is an economic arrangement of an organized human community. It is a type of legal order

RES675, Version 2 - Written Assignment #1 Essay

RES675, Version 2 - Written Assignment #1 - Essay Example Each part is weighed against generally accepted methods for preparing research articles. The review concludes with the author’s thoughts about the research methods depicted in the two articles, citing appropriateness of the methods as well as limitations. Research is the cornerstone of any science. It refers to the systematic and purpose-driven process of attempting to gain knowledge about something. Research processes are often documented in journals, which describes the reason for the research, how the research was conducted and the results of the research or study made. This paper looks into two researches conducted and reviews the documented research process contained in the journal article published by the researchers. The first research article presents research done with postcards and looks into its usage as a souvenir, collectible or a means of communication from 1985 until 1920. The research was conducted by Bjarne Rogan, professor of ethnology and culture history at the University of Oslo, Norway. His article on his postcard research was published in the Cultural Analysis journal in 2005. The article describes the researcher’s purpose for conducting the research using present day postcard collections from the period mentioned above. The researcher wanted to look into other aspects of postcards aside from their picture side where more scholarly researched had been focused on. Reviews of previously published articles and literature on postcards are also used by the researcher in order to determine the reasons for the postcard’s popularity during its time, as well as to trace the development of postcards and the evolution of its design during the period. The second research article presents research regarding consumption of energy drink among college students. The research was conducted by Brenda Malinauskas, Victor Aeby, Reginald Overton, Tracy Aeby, and Kimberly Heidal, all professors at East Carolina University

Effects Of Increased Wait-Time On The Quantity Of Attempted Responses Essay

Effects Of Increased Wait-Time On The Quantity Of Attempted Responses And Correct Responses From Elementary ELL Students To Questions In A Classroom - Essay Example It gives the educator, as a scholarly practitioner, the opportunity to examine relevant issues in his or her own classroom or school which may complicate, compromise, or complement the learning process—and to find meaningful, practical, research-based answers. In Action Research, teachers are empowered to design a research-based plan, identify learning issues or problems, review relevant literature that examines identified problems, implement specific, research-based strategies, and discover convincing evidence that supports or contravenes their teaching strategies. The most exciting part of Action Research is the teacher can often observe student improvement during the project and can demonstrate, in a quantitative manner, the improvement of student learning. Sagor notes, â€Å"Seeing students grow is probably the greatest joy educators can experience† (2002, p. 5).... I chose this research topic because I became quite interested in the positive effects of â€Å"wait time† when the concept was first introduced early in this program. Through self-examination of my own teaching behavior and practices, I came to realize that I was not allowing sufficient time for all students to answer questions. I began to wait longer for answers and I noticed a definite improvement in the number and in the quality of answers provided by my students. I extended my "wait -time" in all areas of my classroom, talking circle, small group projects, full class lectures. I notice improvements in the number of answers, participation, and the engagement levels of my students. "Wait time" is one of several tools and techniques learned in this course that I am in the process of implementing in my effort to create a more inclusive and equitable classroom-learning situation. I endeavor to continuously develop as a teacher and I am committed to improving in a manner that in sures each student in my classroom learns and develops to their full potential. I have concluded that implementing "wait time" into my teaching behavior is an important aspect of this development. RESEARCH QUESTION: What are the effects of increased wait-time on the number of attempted responses and the number of correct responses from elementary ESL/ELL students? DEMOGRAPHICS DEMOGRAPHIC DATA: Where / What is the research site? Who is directly involved? How will statistics be acquired to give a clear understanding of the context and culture of the research site? (Do not use name as an identifier.) Provide references for sources used. The research site is ‘Iowa after-school program’ learning center where

Why zinedine zidane consider to be my hero Essay

Why zinedine zidane consider to be my hero - Essay Example I believe that Zinedine Zidane is the greatest football player of the modern era because of the way he could control a football. He is only one of two players to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times (Ronaldo being the other). At club level, he won trophies in three major leagues: France, Italy, and Spain. However, in my opinion, his greatest ever triumph came in the French shirt at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the final France were underdogs against a highly fancied Brazilian side. On the day, Zinedine Zidane stepped up to the mark and scored with two headers, resulting in a 3-0 French win. A couple of years later, Zidane also won the EURO 2000 title, helping the French team defeat the Italians in the final. I grew up watching Zidane at the peak of his powers, and I would argue that no one has since been able to reach such heights. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the tournament was being hosted in France for the first time in 60 years. France had yet to win a World Cup, so there was great expectation that the team would finally bring home the trophy. At this time, France was becoming a more multi-cultural nation, with numerous African immigrants settling in the country. Even though Zidane was born in Marseille, he had Algerian ancestry. He was thus the ideal person to lead the French nation into a new era. Once the French team became world champions, the nation rejoiced for weeks. Zidane became an instant hero overnight and helped to unite the French people as a result. For many African immigrants, Zidane was the ultimate role model; he came from an Algerian background but was able to become one of the most respected people in French society. To this day, I look up to Zidane as someone who can unite a nation in joy and happiness. Finally, I appreciate Zidane for all the charity work that he has done since his retirement from football. Zidane has participated in charity football matches in

Comparative Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Comparative Law - Essay Example Some scholars have furthered the realism and common sense approach to comparative law by arguing that laws can be effectively studied separately from the surrounding concerns and environment. Such formalized and deconceptualized approaches are evident from the fact that law comparists and comparative law scholars have hardly been engaging the other academic disciplines which in one way or the other influence the application and the understanding of law in different contexts (Balakrishnan, 2003). The aim of this treatise is to explore and examine how western approaches like realism and the common sense approach to various business values and ethics have influenced legal studies in comparative law. The paper will look into how attention has shifted in the preoccupation of comparative law and the written law codes to a social and culture based approach of understanding the legal matters. Pluralism is a phenomena whose impact is clearly evident in the field and application of competitive law. Antoine (2000) defines legal pluralism to be a theory that is used by social scientists whose basic idea is that several legal systems can coexist and intermingle in a single legal entity. The historical origin of this influence can be traced back to the middle ages, which faced the problems of the conflicts between the church laws and the sate laws. Anleu (2005) notes that a second historical evidence can be found in the imposition of various western laws in the indigenous laws of the countries that were ruled and influenced by western powers. In the more recent context, the phenomena has been seen as a result of globalization leading to the emergence of the global legal pluralism. The effect of legal pluralism in cooperative law has been witnessed in the legal families and the definition of legal systems. Authors and scholars who subscribed to legal pluralism define law in a very broad context. Their definition encompasses

Why zinedine zidane consider to be my hero Essay

Why zinedine zidane consider to be my hero - Essay Example I believe that Zinedine Zidane is the greatest football player of the modern era because of the way he could control a football. He is only one of two players to win the FIFA World Player of the Year award three times (Ronaldo being the other). At club level, he won trophies in three major leagues: France, Italy, and Spain. However, in my opinion, his greatest ever triumph came in the French shirt at the 1998 FIFA World Cup. In the final France were underdogs against a highly fancied Brazilian side. On the day, Zinedine Zidane stepped up to the mark and scored with two headers, resulting in a 3-0 French win. A couple of years later, Zidane also won the EURO 2000 title, helping the French team defeat the Italians in the final. I grew up watching Zidane at the peak of his powers, and I would argue that no one has since been able to reach such heights. In the 1998 FIFA World Cup, the tournament was being hosted in France for the first time in 60 years. France had yet to win a World Cup, so there was great expectation that the team would finally bring home the trophy. At this time, France was becoming a more multi-cultural nation, with numerous African immigrants settling in the country. Even though Zidane was born in Marseille, he had Algerian ancestry. He was thus the ideal person to lead the French nation into a new era. Once the French team became world champions, the nation rejoiced for weeks. Zidane became an instant hero overnight and helped to unite the French people as a result. For many African immigrants, Zidane was the ultimate role model; he came from an Algerian background but was able to become one of the most respected people in French society. To this day, I look up to Zidane as someone who can unite a nation in joy and happiness. Finally, I appreciate Zidane for all the charity work that he has done since his retirement from football. Zidane has participated in charity football matches in

Changing Roles of Worker ( Evolution of Management) Essay

Changing Roles of Worker ( Evolution of Management) - Essay Example Focus would be over an article by Lauren Keller Johnson entitled Are you getting the most from your knowledge worker? (2006). Moreover, the paper would revolve around the evolution of management roles particularly from a boss to a coach or player role. In order to explore the shift in roles, the paper would elaborate and describe the roles of the player/coach, how this role is achieved by a manager. Moreover, it would discuss over how the manager identifies knowledge workers without having proper means to identify, measure and quantify knowledge itself. Changing Roles of Workers According to Austin (2006), a knowledge worker is someone who is not hired to do manual work as they are most productive when given the autonomy to work with their skills as they are the workers who are employed due to their deep knowledge over a subject, this quality of the knowledge worker makes them exclusive and diverse from traditional workers. A precise characterization of knowledge workers can be quote d by Davenport in his article â€Å"Knowledge work and the Future of management’ (2001) which states them as â€Å"the workers who contribute in disseminating knowledge such as product development engineers, or the workers whose work revolves around the application of knowledge, such as financial auditors† Furthermore, Austin claimed that with when dealing with knowledge workers, the management is more democratic as opposed to being autocratic and where bosses are more like knowledge managers rather than leaders. This evolving role of bosses is recognized by Davenport as marking eight key trends of the player/coach role these trends include performing tasks themselves rather than only supervising it, replacing the organization of hierarchies by allowing the formation of communities, understanding the nature of the work and devising work design models instead of enforcing them, having a more open approach towards training while discouraging redundancy and demoralizatio n, replacing manual skills by those that contribute in building knowledge, focusing upon invisible performance achievements rather than evaluating visible achievements, promoting a culture of knowledge versus one of ignorance, and finally, nurturing bureaucracy (Wagner, 2002) Often managers fail to recognize the abilities of the workers to become knowledge workers when in actuality, every worker is a knowledge worker as they would be able to, if given the opportunity, assume the roles of player/coach as it was envisaged by the eight trends mentioned earlier. A worker being employed by an organization would be, with the passage of time, adding his or her knowledge into the corporate culture of the organization. The enhanced corporate culture would become a strong aspect for the business as it would help in improving the work practices by adding value to the knowledge base of the organization and helping it function better. The process would bring out the role of a coach/player from a knowledge manager who was initially a knowledge worker in the organization. A vital measure of the efficacy of the knowledge manager is through the relationships that they inculcate and maintain (Serrat, 2008). The management of knowledge workers can only be accomplished by managers who do not only possess the skills of good leaders, but who are equally as competent being team players and followers. It involves progression of talent by influencing skills of knowledge work

Weaknesses of modern democracy Essay Example for Free

Weaknesses of modern democracy Essay â€Å"Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried from time to time.† These are the words used by Sir Winston Churchill while he was expressing his resolve with democracy. Democracy is the dominant form of government in the world with the exception of a few countries. In Sir Winston’s statement, the phrase, â€Å"except all those others that have been tried from time to time† however, shows that despite being a weak form of government, it’s relatively the best form of governance in history1. Weaknesses of modern democracy span from the fundamental to contemporary ones as this paper illustrates. The biggest problem with modern democratically elected governments is the sluggish manner in which they conduct their business2. This is detrimental to any government’s role in deliberating on key policies. Any policy making exercise by any government should be marked by strong decisiveness. Modern democratic governments have adopted compromise in the place of decisiveness2. In circumstances where long term solutions are needed, short term solutions are made leaving problems unsolved and very sensitive to future discussions. On part of the governed, unfulfilled promises lead to disillusionment eventually resulting to numerous and sporadic government changes thus overhauls and patching of critical government programs and key policies1. A good example of sluggishness in government policing is the destitute nature of the United States economy2. Slowness in dealing with the huge public debt and recession, have drastically reduced the strength of the economy. With the congress locked in ideological partisan politics, important decisions on the economy have been unforthcoming. On the other hand, China (without democracy and very decisive) has a strong economy growing with an above average growth rate2. The original definition of democracy is; a government whereby people determine on the way they are governed mostly through elected representatives1. Democracy is guided by the core principle of majority rule2. However, today the minority as well might have their way provided there is enough money to bribe the electorate. Such governments end up spending extravagantly so as to achieve all campaign promises1. Excessive spending leads to accumulation of huge public debts, as seen in the European Union and in the USA. To settle these debts, governments end up borrowing more money and imposing huge taxes. These end up reducing an economy’s competitiveness and reducing critical investment within a country2. Another weakness in democracy is the accession of incompetent leaders to office. Most citizens in countries with modern democracy belong to a gullible bourgeois class1. An intelligent charismatic leader with self interests can easily deceive such masses to get into office. Once in office such leaders end up forgetting their promises in pursuit of personal gains2. In modern democracy, most voters do not vote due to an obligatory purpose as required in democracy but due to persuasion by candidates1. Due to the equality principle applied in democracy, this phenomenon is dangerous since not all people are intelligent enough to understand all proposed promises by candidates2. Another demerit of modern democracy is the huge cost incurred. A lot of resources and time are used and foregone in electing governments and formulating laws democratically1. Elections waste a lot of money that could instead be used for economic constructive purposes. Elected politicians also waste a lot of public money in seminars and unnecessary retreats2. It is important to note that, despite democracy having a lot of demerits; it has a lot of benefits compared to all other forms of governance ever tried so far. Only in democracy can citizens be assured of essential human rights and freedoms. It is also the only form of government that citizens can determine how and by how much to be ruled. Bibliography 1. Gupta, Tusha. â€Å"What are the advantages and disadvantages of democracy?† Preserve articles, May 16, 2012, http://www.preservearticles.com/2012051632245/what-are-the-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-democracy.html. 2. Hearnes, James. â€Å"The weaknesses of Democracy† WordPress, July 18, 2012, http://jameshearne.wordpress.com/2012/07/18/the-weaknesses-of-democracy/ View as multi-pages

Project Management and Leadership in Construction Company

Project Management and Leadership in Construction Company Management There are several key elements that contribute to the success of any organization good management, inspirational leadership, proper service-orientation, and economic stability. Today, little emphasis is placed on the study of an organization’s infrastructure, function, and employees’ behaviors as they relate to successful accomplishment of the organization’s goals. Rather, these concepts are typically taken at face value and accepted for what they are. Employees work and accomplish at a minimum what needs to be done. Within the last century or so studies relating to behavior in organizations began to increasingly emerge resulting in the theoretical framework of this field. The three most notable facets of this framework includes: scientific management, human relations movement and bureaucracy. (Greenberg and Baron, p.12-14). This paper will provide brief information on the theoretical framework of an organization’s structures which in turn will provide an overview of types of management/leadership styles, an assessment of the New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (NYCDDC) style of management, and my personal management preference. According to Greenberg and Baron, one of the earliest pioneers in the study of behavior in organizations, Frederick Winslow Taylor, an engineer, sought ways to change the ineptitudes of employees. His research, the concept of scientific management, â€Å"not only identified ways to design manual labor jobs more efficiently, but also emphasized carefully selecting and training people to perform them.† The second facet of the theoretical framework, the human relations movement, was founded by Elton W. Mayo, an organizational scientist and consultant. The human relations movement â€Å"emphasized the social conditions existing in organizationsthe way employees are treated by management and the relationships they have with each other – influence job performance.† Bureaucracy, the third facet, was initiated by Max Weber, a sociologist. This form of organization is governed by a â€Å"set of applied rules that keep higher-ranking organization officials in charge of lower-ranking workers, who fulfill the duties assigned to them.† (Greenberg and Baron, p.12-14) Today, at least one form of the theoretical framework can be found in any existing organization, and, each form comes with a different type of management leadership style within the organization. So then, what is management? Management, as defined by the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as, â€Å"the conducting or supervising of something (as a business or people).† Management) Managers are endowed with the power to lead their organization. They must share that power in conjunction with other leaders in other parts of the organization and wield that power successfully over a designated staff within the organizational hierarchy. Since no one individual is gifted with precise knowledge on every topic, managers must: possess their own particular area of expertise, have an understanding of general organizational psychology, consistently offer creative thinking and innovative views on current issues facing the organization at different levels and guide (supervise) and motivate their team effectively along a predetermined path that will meet their corporate goals in order to insure the success of the entire organization. But not all managers supervise their staff in the same way. The different management leadership styles are noted in the Every Manager’s Desk Reference by Penguin Group, Inc. Some of the styles include: â€Å"dictatorship, the ‘almost’ democracy, the partnership and the transformational leadership.† According to the Every Manager’s Desk Reference In a dictatorship, managers, tend to keep decision- making powers and most critical knowledge to themselves. In the ‘almost’ democracy, the leader â€Å"strives to make sure the group is well informed and participating in the direction of the team as a whole.† In a partnership, the lines between the leader and the members of the group are blurred. The leader â€Å"becomes just one of the group.† And, in the case of the transformational leader, the leader â€Å"goes beyond trying to keep individuals and team performing at the status quohe/she is .one who has the power to bring about change in team members and the organization as a whole. (Penguin Group, Inc., p. 309-312) The theoretical framework and management style employed by an organization determines whether or not it is effectively leading its staff, enhancing and improving the morale and the overall work environment; and, thereby increasing productivity and output quality by employees. Based on some of the characteristics listed by Greenberg and Baron, which includes, â€Å"Formal rules and regulations; Division of Labor; Hierarchical structure; Authority structure, etc†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Greenberg and Baron, p.14), the theoretical framework employed by the NYCDDC is that of a bureaucracy and a â€Å"directive leadership† style of management. Under a directive leadership, the managers â€Å"give specific guidance to their subordinates.† However, there are limitations associated with the directive leadership style of management because it can be â€Å"redundant, less effective and can reduce a worker’s satisfactions.† (12 Manage Premium, 2009) Additionally, adherence to the agency’s policies and procedures are a strict requirement. There is also a partnership style that applies within the NYCDDC’s various divisions/units. It is essential for all units of the agency to work cohesively together to ensure the agency’s mission, goals and objective of safe, successful, and expeditious completion of projects are met. The day to day management of any organization is one of the most essential factors that will either result in the success of that organization or to its eventual demise. In support of the above statement, Chris Lauer, in his book, â€Å"The Management Gurus,† states, â€Å"Who you are determines what you see and the way you see it†¦and who you are determines how you see others.† (Lauer, p 8) Although, the agency employs the directive leadership method, the style of management most applicable to my personality is, â€Å"the ‘almost’ democracy.† My work ethic parallels the basic characteristics of this style. I encourage â€Å"participation from all team members and welcome their opinions in setting new goals, procedures and direction for the unit.† (Penguin Group, Inc., p.310-311) This form of management creates a trusting environment between management and staff because it welcomes and encourages communication of staff views and ideas. All viable ideas are openly considered. With this style, any given team is motivated to do what is best for the team and for the organization as a whole while displaying adaptability and openness to ideas from peers. This style of management declares that an open line of communication is imperative to the successful relationship between management and staff, but, notes that management is still the leader and must have the final say on any matter without being necessarily obligated to explain its decisions. An assessment of my work ethic corroborate that I utilize â€Å"the almost democratic† style of management when managing my group. My overall personality characteristics reflect openness. I freely admit to not being knowledgeable in every topic. I welcome, encourage and respect the views of others. I can explain decisions I make without hesitation should they come into question. But, I have no difficultly asserting my role as the manager of my group. Overall, I believe that a strong work ethic, two-way communications, an innate trust and a shared common goal to succeed are key principles for positive group dynamics. I also strongly acknowledge individual success and outstanding performances as well as the shared success of the group. I believe that when the manager shares his/her success with the whole team the relationship between management and staff is strengthened and enhanced. The almost democratic style of management has its drawbacks. The line between management and staff can be precarious at times. For example, the staff can develop several creative ideas and suggestions concerning how to improve and increase employee morale. Although some suggestions can and will be taken into consideration and possibly utilized, a contributing member of the team might feel slighted if his or her idea is not adopted. That employee might possibly be offended by the final decision made by management which might result in that employee feeling less motivated. In conclusion, the theoretical framework of management I have outlined acknowledges the three organizational structures: scientific management or division of labor; human relations movement or people oriented; and, the bureaucratic method where managerial emphasis is placed on policies and procedures to run the organization. Along with these facets an array of management styles have been established and employed by managers throughout time. While the NYCDDC employs the bureaucratic management framework and the directive leadership and partnership styles of management, I follow the same organizational framework, but utilize the â€Å"almost democratic† style of management. However, I also, acknowledge that no manager can agree to use only one style of management at all times. Different situations, different groups of people and different tasks require different management styles at any given time. Deviation from the norm will be necessary for success to be accomplished. But, overall, a manager who tends to stay true to what works best for them and his/her subordinates will be viewed as consistent and reliable. My intentions are, whenever possible, to stay true to myself and my staff. The Organization As defined by Jerald Greenberg and Robert Baron in their book, â€Å"Behavior in Organizations,† an organization is â€Å"a structured social system consisting of groups and individuals working together to meet some agreed-upon objectives.† (Greenberg Baron, p.5) However, an organization is much more complex than what this simplistic definition seems to imply. Because it is a society of persons working together, the internal management of the individual steps necessary to attain the overall goals of the organization and the abilities of the managers and specialized workers are intrinsically linked together in order to determine the success or failure of that organization. The essence of any organization lies within its infrastructure. History The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) was established in 1996, with the objective of providing â€Å"design and construction expertise to over 20 City agencies.† (10th Anniversary Magazine Supplement, DDC, 1996, p.1) When originally established and this practice continues to date, the agency is a cultivated agency with the majority of its employees coming from two sister city agencies: the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) and the New York City Department of Environmental Protection. (NYCDEP) The NYC Department of Transportation (NYCDOT): City agency responsible for any work related to bridges and roadways, including the rehabilitation and reconstruction of them. The NYC Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP): City agency responsible for any work related to water mains, storm and sanitary sewers, including the rehabilitation and reconstruction of them. The relationship among these three agencies is that the NYCDDC is the managing agency for the NYCDOT and NYCDEP projects dealing with â€Å"design and construction related to roadways, sewers, water mains, correctional and court facilities; cultural institutions; libraries; and other public building, facilities and structures†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (DDC, 2006, p.ii) Management Philosophy/Style The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) employs over 1,200 employees in numerous professions, including architects, engineers, estimators, project managers, communications and community outreach, auditors and outside consultants. The scope of responsibilities of the 1,200 plus employees is divided into two groups: Design and Construction; the Design Staff covers all five boroughs while the Construction Staff is divided into divisions: Infrastructure and Structure Divisions. The Infrastructure and Structure Divisions’ staff are divided into New York City’s five boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Manhattan. Although, there is an overall leadership team for the agency, each borough consists of a borough director that administers the day to day operations of his/her respective borough. Although some materials covered in this paper are reflective on the NYCDDC as a whole entity, but, the primary focus will be on the Infrastructure Division. The NYCDDC headquarters is located in Queens at 30-30 Thomson Avenue, Long Island City, New York, 11101, where it currently occupies four floors – the 1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th floors. While there is an overall bureaucratic management structure that governs the agency and because of the physical structure of the agency, various management philosophies are employed at the headquarters location and the satellite or borough offices. Yet these different, but cohesive, philosophies are essential for the successful governance of the agency. For example, there is a directive leadership that governs the overall agency structure, but, also evident is a partnership amongst units such as the Design and the Office of Community Outreach and Notification Units. Directive leadership is the overall management style of the NYCDDC. Direction and management decisions come from the top and trickle down the organizational chart from management to key supervisory staff. This is internally the same for each unit within the agency and is based on the policies and procedures that must be followed. For example: each borough has a chain of command that is headed by the Borough Director. He/she directs his/her immediate staff (Deputy Borough Director and Borough level staff) on agency philosophy, key initiatives, changes or additions to current policy as well as what to do and how to perform their duties/tasks. These directives are then passed on to the Engineers-In-Charge, then onto the project support staff. The Borough Director oversees all projects in his/her borough and provides the consent/approval for most day to day operations. In addition, the borough director also has a chain of command that must be followed. Certain decisions/approvals have to be reviewed by subordinates as they travel up his/her chain of command: Assistant Commissioner, Associate Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner, and Commissioner. The numbers of approvals that are required from the members of the hierarchy depend on the scope of the issue. The Office of Community Outreach and Notification’s (OCON) staff are comprised of the Director, Deputy Director, Citywide Construction Liaisons, Community Board and Small Business Service Liaisons, Executive Assistant and Graphic Artist. They work in tandem with each of the Borough Office’s Staff – Director, Deputy Directory, Engineers-In-Charge, Resident Engineers, Project Liaisons, and Office Management. This direct partnership between the two entities facilitates the exchange of information necessary to keep all individual projects moving forward. This partnership also helps to address and eliminate any and all complaints and concerns of the affected communities where the work will be or is being performed. Mission The New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (NYCDDC) mission, â€Å"To Deliver The City’s Construction Project In A Safe, Expeditious, And Cost-Effective Manner While Maintaining The Highest Degree Of Architectural Engineering, And Construction Quality.†(DDC, 2006, p.i) With such an overreaching and specific mission statement, all of the organization’s personnel must strive on a daily basis to meet the fundamental goals and objectives set forth by the agency. Goals A goal is defined define as, â€Å"the end toward which effort is directed.† (Goal. 2009) The goals of the NYCDDC are, to build and upgrade the infrastructure and public spaces provided by local government in order to ensure the health, safety as well as the economy of the City of New York. Objectives Objectives are defined as, â€Å"something that ones efforts or actions are intended to attain or accomplish; purpose; goal; target.† (Houghton Mifflin Company, 1995) The objectives of the NYCDDC are, to continue to achieve and maintain excellence in design and construction while adhering to safety and quality standards. The NYCDDC achieves its goals and objectives by continually recruiting and employing highly trained and certified professionals of all disciplines including engineering, architecture, construction management and administration. (DDC, 2006, p.ii) Internal Systems: Strengths and Weaknesses For any organization to succeed it is equally important to provide excellent goods and services to its clients while reviewing and addressing elements its internal infrastructure-the strength and weaknesses of the organization and its personnel. Human Resources: Paid and Unpaid The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) currently staffs approximately 1,200 plus paid employees providing skills needed to execute the daily requirements of projects in the design and construction phases in a timely and efficient manner. In addition to its full-time paid personnel, the agency also offers both paid and unpaid summer internships to students in all areas of the agency’s current working environment. General consensus among workers is they are underpaid and overworked. Employees of NYC agencies are hired under a particular title that comes with an associated salary range. The same rule of thumb applies when employed by the NYCDDC. An employee’s salary is based on the range to which that title has a minimum and maximum amount; if through an employee’s tenure that he or she max out at the range and still in the position hired then he or she will remain at that salary until their unions get involved. The City’s employee unions attempt to compensate its members with percentage and cost of living raises as contracts are renegotiated. Merit raises are sometimes awarded, although, they are few and far in-between. There are occasions when employees are asked to perform tasks beyond their normal required duties. In these cases grievances are usually filed in order to be compensated for out of title work. Additionally, employees of NYC agencies enjoy good job security as it is rare that city workers are removed from their positions. Interns at the NYCDDC experience a cross section of the daily tasks performed at the agency. These internships can often result in promoting the desire of a potential engineer or architect, or changing the focus to a completely different specialty or field. Committees and/or Boards The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) perform its duties under a chain-of-command organizational chart that clearly delineates the units, ranking of officials and the required approval process. Figure I illustrate the overall chain of command for the agency’s various units and Figure II illustrates the overall chain-of-command for the NYCDDC Infrastructure Division’s OCON unit. (See Appendix for the NYCDDC’s Organizational Charts). The NYCDDC’s strength lies in the vested time in developing and maintaining its infrastructure so that the agency could meet its goals and requirements without confusion or question of direct authority. However, the agency’s weakness is noted when at times, even in a structured environment, that things can be overlooked or tasks mistakenly believed to be the responsibilities of another department. Formal And Informal Groups Several formal groups exist at the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) which enhances the overall environment of the agency. These groups include Design and Construction Procurement Services or the Agency Chief Contracting Officer (ACCO). This group is responsible for â€Å"ensuring that the NYCDDC procures goods, services and construction in conformance with City regulations.† (DDC, 2006. p.31) The Project Review Service Unit consists of the agency’s architects and engineers who provide the creativity and oversight of a project in the design stages. The Office of Sustainable Design unit â€Å"identifies and implements cost-effective ways to promote greater environmental responsibility in building design.† (DDC, 2006. p.31) The Research and Development Unit studies â€Å"innovative technologies, construction materials, methodologies and management strategies to improve the design and construction of buildings and infrastructure in New York City.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Performance Metrics is when the NYCDDC utilizes the â€Å"Key Performance Indicator (KPI) program† to process the â€Å"Inter-related databases that maintain information about the agency’s projects, contracts, payments and support functions, as well as a multi-level reporting system which extracts data on critical processes in the agency’s operating divisions and presents it in an easy-to-read, yet comprehensive format.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Quality Assurance and Construction Safety Unit oversees that safety procedure are adhered to in every aspect of the project for all of the agency’s projects. The Geographical Information Services works with and utilizes the Geographic Information System (GIS). This system allows the agency to clearly oversee the project dimensions of all projects locations on an electronic map and allows the agency to appropriate coordinate their work with other entities. The Technical Supports group works prior to the onset of construction. They conduct investigations, monitor and provide information on â€Å"asbestos, lead, and other environmental contaminants†¦provide research, analyses and survey preparation for property-line, damage and acquisition, new buildings and all roadway, water and sewer projects.† (DDC, 2006, p.31) The Percent for Art Unit works with the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs to integrate arts into a project scope. And, the Peer Review program promotes and enables review and open discussion from the agency’s staff on design issues. (DDC, 2006, p.31) Informal Groups Whether at the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) headquarter office or at the borough office level, the agency encourages frequent informal group discussions. Among the groups are the lunch groups who meet on a daily basis to discuss socio-political-economical issues and the ethnic groups that celebrate religious and national milestones, etc. The strength of the NYCDDC lies both in its employees and in the groups listed above. The presence of both the formal and informal groups enhances, strengthens and excites the overall agency culture. The experience of attending these groups helps to encourage and educate all staff members to address the myriad of concerns the agency faces and promotes cultural diversity; this ensures that each employee feels welcome and accepted as part of his/her work environment. This acceptance helps to alleviate employee stress. As with any organization with such a varied cross-section of personnel, the weaknesses lies in conflicts of many kinds that can occur especially when employees allow personal issues to overrule their professionalism. Therefore, for that organization to be successful it must rely heavily on each individual staff member pulling his/her weight and performing to the best of his/her ability. Material Resources The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) provide an array of free public information materials for the communities they serve and educational materials for its employees. Prior to the onset and for the duration of most projects, the NYCDDC-Office of Community Outreach and Notification (OCON) releases several public information printed resource materials including: Start-Up Advisory Notice which provides essential project information distributed to all affected parties prior to the onset of any project; Project Brochure is the medium used to provide a detailed overview of the project; Bi-Monthly Newsletters provides an update on the project status Work Operation Notices provides all affected parties with work operations that may affect their daily routines including water shut-offs and so forth; Bus Cards are handouts that provides information to affected bus rides if a bus route will be affected because of a project and so forth. The education materials are designed to provide NYCDDC employees with essential information. Some materials include: Employees Manual which Provides employees with all the essential rules for being a successful employee of the agency; the Design Consultant Guide provides vital information including the goals and objectives on the design phases for all of the agency structures projects; the Design Construction Excellence: How the City is Improving its Capital Program is a publication that provides a review and explains the policy changes that were implemented and provides information of design and construction projects. The NYCDDC is a proactive agency that provides the community and its employees with an array of vital information and assistance. This sensitivity illustrates how important the agency values its image and credibility. A major concern is that the information provided to the user is easily accessible, comprehensive and understood by all. A weakness that applies is a manual should be applicable and understanding to all the agency’s personnel rather than a selected group. Constraints Due to its configuration, the New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) have both structural and human constraints. Structural. The NYCDDC currently occupies by means of rental, four floors at its current location and has five respective borough offices. This is a costly endeavor for the agency because it has occupancy is five borough offices rather than one. Human (Political, Relationships) The NYCDDC currently employees over 1,200 employees in its overall structure. There are some noted political affiliations; for example, the agency’s Commissioner is appointed by the Mayor of the City of New York. More of than not, if an employee can assist in any means to find advance the career of a friend, associate, acquaintance, then that employee will assist in what means he or she can. There are often scheduling conflicts when planning meetings. These conflicts lead to delays in actions that may need to be taken thus inhibiting the progression of an issue. Additionally, because of the locations of most of the borough offices, traffic and parking are major issues. Because of the five borough offices, more often than not, relationships are formed through emails and telephones. Therefore, personal contact with coworkers is being eradicated at a hasty pace. Relationship To External Systems Collaborative Agreement with Outside Agencies on City/ Local State and Federal Levels. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) has and maintain collaborative relationships with many municipal entities. These collaborations are essential to the daily operation of the agency’s work flow and for the successful completion of projects. The NYCDDC receives funding from these entities based on the client agency’s annual budget allowances and its specific objectives to be achieved. Accurate accounting is kept of how the monies are spent. There are times when an overrun will occur and additional funds are necessary for the completion of a project; an under-run also can occur when funds remain after the completion of a project. The municipalities, the NYCDDC collaborates which includes: the NYC Comptroller keeps count of all finances and provides oversight to ensure the proper ethical procedures are being adhered to. The Borough Presidents and the NYC Council are entities that collaborate with the agency’s project management on issues dealing with land and zoning matters or if these entities funded any project within their borough or district. The Client Agencies include several external agencies that work with the NYCDDC; these external agencies includes the twenty plus NYC agency clients including: Departments of Children’s Services, Environmental Protection, Parks and Recreation, Transportation and so forth; NYS Office of Court Administration; Office of the Chief Medical Examiner; New York, Queens and Brooklyn Public Libraries, and so forth where the NYCDDC manages the projects from the initial steps in design to the final stages in construction for the projects set forth by these agencies. The Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget provides the NYCDDC with services ensuring all finance related issues dealing with a project are dealt with properly and without conflicts. The NYCDOB is the city agency that provides the NYCDDC with any/all necessary and applicable permits for some projects to occur. The Mayor’s Office of Contract Services ensures that any project bidding operation is done in a fair manner with an open competition amongst contractors providing the opportunity for no conflicts of interest to happen. The NYCDDC collaborates with the fifty-nine NYC Community Boards to hold public meetings with their constituents when a project is being planned for their community. At these meetings, residents’ are given a presentation about the project and its impact on the community. An open forum follows so that concerns and opinions are addressed. The Utilities companies gas, electric, cable and telephone services is a very vital relationship. Clear, proactive cooperation ensures the progression of the project and limits the opportunity for problems surrounding limiting/eliminating services to their constituents. The NYCDDC’s OCON Unit is a proactive unit that reaches out to affected communities, ameliorates problems and concerns and addresses all public inquiries. The NYDDC collaborates with the NYC Art Commission to bring approved public arts to the appropriate projects. (DDC, 2006, p.29) The history, management philosophy, mission, internal and external systems all play vital roles in the structure of any organization. These entities must interact, have a directional flow and coexist with each other for the day to day operations of the organization to proceed smoothly. Since there are times when conflicts arise, it is imperative that such issues be dealt with properly and in an appropriate manner. For example, failure to hire the appropriate personnel can and will lead to the decrease in the services the agency aims to provide to its clients; hence, a decrease in the credibility of not only the employees but the reputation of the agency. The NYCDDC has a proven reputation for providing excellent goods and services to its clients. Its leadership role in implementing new facets of technologies and its innovative thinking when applying new management models into the agency’s overall infrastructure clearly enhance its ability to accomplish its mission statement. The Target Service Area For any business or organization to succeed in providing the professional services it offers, it first must assess, analyze and fully understand the service area(s) and the target audience(s) it hopes to provide its services to. The New York City Department of Design and Construction (NYCDDC) services the five boroughs of New York City by â€Å"building and upgrading the City’s infrastructure and public spaces.† (

Very Short Wedding Toasts :: Wedding Toasts Roasts Speeches

Very Short Wedding Toasts The Light that Shines There is a light that shines beyond the heavens; this is the light that shines in your heart when you are in love. "May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart!" ~Eskimo Proverb The Days of your Life May you live all the days of your life. — Jonathan Swift From this Day Forward May the face of every good news, And the back of every bad news, Be toward you, From this day forward. No Sorrow May the goblets of life hold no dregs of sorrow. Happy Endings I love weddings. They are where strange tales begin and happy endings are possible. Your Grandchildren’s Hair May I see you grey And combing your grandchildren’s hair. Your Right Hand May your right hand always Be stretched out in friendship And never in want. Luck Always remember, if you’re enough lucky to be married to _______, then you’re lucky enough! Misfortune May misfortune follow you the rest of your life, but never catch up. Mountain Girl Marry a mountain girl and you marry the whole mountain. The Bannister of Life As you and your wife slide down the bannister of life, May the splinters never point the wrong way. Your Laugh May your laugh, your love and your wine be plenty, thus your happiness will be nothing less. Your Enemies, Enemies. May God bless and keep in good health your enemies, enemies.

The Toughest Decision of My Life Essay -- Personal Narrative Writing

The Toughest Decision of My Life People are often asked the question, â€Å"If I could go back in time, what would I change?† But have you ever really thought about the answer to that question? What would you change or what would you keep the same? Accius, a character from Medea, said, â€Å"Change rules all things.† (II 118) I never realized how true this would be. When I look back in life, there are many things that I would change, but there is one decision that I am very thankful that I made. That was the decision to continue living with my grandparents and not to move in with my mother. It was a normal afternoon after school when I returned to my house after a busy day in sixth grade. My grandfather was busy preparing dinner in anticipation of my grandmother coming home from work. Soon my real mom came by to â€Å"have a serious discussion† about something. I had no idea that this â€Å"something† would be one of the hardest decisions I would ever have to make in my life. My real mom had just gotten a new apartment that had enough bedrooms that I could live there. It had never crossed my mind that moving in with her was the question with which she was going to confront me. Soon the topic came out when Mom said, â€Å"Sade, how would you like to come and live with me from now on?† This remark was the beginning of one of the hardest times in my life. I knew I had to make the right decision as Sophocles says, â€Å"Decide not rashly. The decision made, can never be recalled.† (Oedipus Rex 314) I was faced with the first choice of staying with my mother in her new home. Her home was in a location outside the limits of my school zone so I would have to start attending a different school... ...that I ever made. In the years that followed, my mom continued moving around and having off and on jobs. I would have never had a stable home and would be who knows where by now. I am now seventeen years old and don’t regret a single day spent in my grandparents’ house. They have cared for me like no one else could and I am very thankful for that. My mother and I have become closer than ever and we have a very happy relationship with each other. As Thomas Adams said, â€Å"What we obtain cheaply we esteem too lightly; it is dearness which gives everything its value.† (Sermons 14) Works Cited Adams, Thomas. Sermons. From the McMillan book of Quotes, Maxims, and Famous Phrases, 1948. Euripides, the Medea. Trans Philip Vellacott, London: Penguin Books, 1977. Sophocles, Oedipus Rex. Logan, Iowa: The Perfection Form Company. NDP.

Enron’s Collapse Essay

Enron’s Collapse In the case of Enron’s collapse, many would blame the external auditor’s collusion with the management, the aggressive accounting policy it had adopted to manipulate its earnings or the Special Purpose Entity (SPE) it had created as a sham to conceal its debts. However, everything began from an internal environment with weak controls. The internal environment is the capstone of all other components within an organization’s ERM framework, influencing strategy formulation, objective setting, as well as risk management. The internal environment is largely shaped by the tone at he top. And in the case of Enron, its failure was primarily attributable to the board and management’s failure to take responsibility for the risks inherent in the company’s business plan and strategy. Various elements of the internal environment had contributed to Enron’s failure. Risk Management Philosophy and Risk Appetite Enron had a huge risk appetite which can be seen from its speculative trading activities as well as the use of â€Å"mark-to-market† accounting and SPE to manipulate earnings and conceal debts. The source of revenue was vague and highly volatile. It was almost like Enron was engaged in gambling. However, well knowing the nature of income, the management still continued to carry out such activities. Management’s huge risk appetite reassured the employees that Enron could easily handle these risks. Hence, everyone in Enron became risk-seeking. Board of Directors’ Attitudes One of the core principles of Anglo-American corporate governance is that â€Å"the board should maintain a sound system of internal control to safeguard shareholders’ investment and the company’s assets†. Enron’s board had defended itself by laiming that they had no idea about the unethical conducts Enron’s management was involved with. However, the board had, in the first place, failed to make an appropriate assessment of the risks to which the company was exposed of. And it did not put in place the procedures by which it could obtain the information needed to oversee and monitor the management. Moreover, the independence of the board was also questionable as they allowed own conflict of interest to get in the way of their monitoring role. The board members received substantial payments for consultancy service apart from their directors’ fees. In addition, they were indirectly compensated by receiving gifts made by Enron to their universities and hospitals. As a result, the failure of board’s monitoring role further weakened the internal control of Enron. Integrity and Ethical Values Integrity and standards of behavior are required for the organization to achieve an internal environment with strong controls. There should be a strong corporate Enron’s corporate culture was usually described as arrogant, where everyone in the company, employees, managers or directors, believed that they could handle ncreasingly toxic risk without danger of going bust. Besides the arrogance, greed was as well evident across the organization. Top executives made use of â€Å"mark-to- market† accounting and SPE to manipulate earnings and conceal debts in order to further enrich their compensation which was tied to the performance of the company. Top executive’s actions of striving to enrich personal wealth rather than generate profits for shareholders had set the tone at the top which in turn led to employees’ efforts of maximizing individual wealth instead of creating value for the ompany as a whole. Assignments of Authority and Responsibility Corporate officers owe fiduciary duties to the organization, hence they must act in the best interest of the company and avoid incidences where conflicts of interest would arise. Although this is not enforced by legislation, it is normally set out in the organization’s own code of conduct. A strong code of conduct is a critical element of assignments of authority and responsibility, not only in form but in substance as well. And Enron indeed had such code of conduct, explicitly restraining self-dealing. FastoWs involvement in LJM SPE’s management would amount to self-dealing, which was a clear breach of Enron’s code of conduct. However, the board had waived it under Ken Lays advice. Therefore, it can be seen that the tone at the top made Enron’s code of conduct form over substance, which as well contributed to the failure Human Resource Standards Jeffery Skilling was usually credited with creating a system of forced rankings for employees, under which the bottom 20% was regularly dismissed on the basis of performance rankings drawn up by peers and superiors. Whereas those remained ere rewarded with stock options and performance-based increments. Thus employees attempted to crush not Just outsiders but also each other. And it is not surprising that they would keep silent even that they well knew about the unethical behavior of management. As a result, the ranking policy contributed to the diminishing of the organization’s transparency and a widening communication gap between the board and the rest of the organization, making it even harder for the board to effectively carry out the monitoring role.

5 Points of Oedipus Rex Essay

Five Important Points of â€Å"On Misunderstanding the Oedipus Rex† †¢ Oedipus Rex attempt to justify the ways of God to man by: 1. â€Å"Proving† that we get what we deserve. An example is how Oedipus treated Creon badly, so the gods punished him. 2. Oedipus Rex is â€Å"a tragedy of destiny†, the play â€Å"proves that man has no freewill and is controlled by gods. 3. Sophocles was â€Å"a pure artist†, so he is not interested in justifying the gods, and Oedipus Rex was merely an exciting play. †¢ Oedipus did horrible things unknowingly, if they did it knowingly, readers won’t feel pity. The tragic hero must have a big moral flaw. †¢ A significant difference between Sophocles and Aeschylus is that Sophocles thinks that fate is unconditional, and can not be avoided. Oedipus tries to avoid the oracle given about him that he will sleep with his mother and kill his father, but in the end, it still happens. Aeschylus’ thinking is that fate could be avoided. According to him, the oracle given to Laius was avoidable: â€Å"Do not beget a child; for if you do, that child will kill you.† †¢ Oedipus blinded himself to cut himself off from contact with humanity. If he suicides, he would meet his parents in the next world. He blinded himself because he could not face the living or the dead. †¢ Oedipus Rex is a play about human greatness. Oedipus fell from his high position to the lowest of the low, and he still has the strength to accept and endure it. His inner strength is virtuous, because he pursues truth at whatever personal cost.

How have certain specific societies or cultures tended to view the Essay

How have certain specific societies or cultures tended to view the individual person, his or her relationship to government, and the concept of individual freedom - Essay Example We can analyze these legacies and identify the most probable reasons why they have gone extinct through the ages. One strain of individual/state relation that has since left us is the truly God-centric view of the state and its justification. The Enlightenment, with its secularization of society, attempted to move the reasoning behind state power away from the dictates of an all-powerful creator, and move it to the realm of man. What is not so clear in our present age is how the individual related to the state in a time when God was indeed the central philosophic focus of all government and social power, when priests and religious men made all decisions under the watchful eye of God. One such society was that of Judah and Israel with the Hebrews upon their Exodus from the sands of Egypt. How was the individual seen then as opposed to now? In the Israelite society, government was seen as the intermediary between man and God, enforcing God’s will. Any governing force not acting on God’s will was portrayed as malicious and evil. Individuals, of course, serve the state as they serve God, for the state is a surrogate for divine power. 1 Maccabees, the deuterocanonical Jewish book, begins after Alexander the Great has conquered Judea and his empire has been split on his death. The entirety of the book encompasses the events after the suppression of Jewish rites in Judea, ordered by the Greek Seleucid Antiochus IV. Antiochus imposes his will on Jerusalem, extracting objects from the Jewish temple, slaughtering worshippers, and enforcing a tax and building a fortress in the city. To make matters worse, Antiochus smothers the observance of Jewish laws, desecrates the temple and forbids the practice of circumcision. Antiochus establishes an idol in place of the Jewish god, forcing members of the community to make sacrifices to it. This all comes in an attempt to reestablish the Hellenistic culture and, in some respects, the Greek polis in

Business argument and ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3500 words

Business argument and ethics - Essay Example Historically in the United States, government has been wary of large corporations who appear to accumulate monopolistic powers where they control both the supply of a particular commodity as well as its price. The belief is that monopolies constrain competition and that prices are kept at an artificially high level as a result. In some instances, government has gone so far as to order these huge corporations to be spilt into smaller companies. This occurred early on with the railroads and more recently with the Bell system of telephone companies. The latest industry that finds itself in the sights of government regulators is the information technology sector in general and the Microsoft Corporation in particular. This essay examines Microsoft’s business practices and argues that the company has an unfair market advantage in violation of federal anti-trust laws. Microsoft Corporation is an international computer technology company that produces hardware and software products for computer-related devices worldwide. The company is a leader in technological innovation and excellence and for years has dominated the market for computer operating systems software. Critics of Microsoft’s business practices argue that its monopoly over essential software technologies places its competitors at an unfair disadvantage. This is particularly the case for Microsoft’s operating system software, Windows. The majority of computers sold worldwide with the exception of Apple, come with Microsoft Windows operating system installed. Microsoft also provides a number of application software programs that are compatible only with Windows. Microsoft is also the major player in the rapidly expanding and lucrative Internet market, although Google has also certainly become a legitimate competitor in the Internet environment as well. Internet Explorer was the browser of choice for several

Explain how the development and growth of the stock market effects the Essay

Explain how the development and growth of the stock market effects the real economy - Essay Example Stock markets have securities notified on stock exchanges and also provide private trading facilities. According to an estimate, at the close of 2012, world stock market was more than $50 trillion with US having the largest market of about 35% and United Kingdom and Japan with 6% each (Perry 1-2). Impact of stock market growth and development on economies is indeed an important area of research among economists. It provides for steering financial matters and forming future economic strategy to improve business and investment environment of a country. Thus impact of stock market growth has both direct and indirect effects on an economy. Industries, Service providers and Corporations of various types get their stocks available in stock market. Large companies usually put their stock available/ registered in many exchange markets around the world. It is done after weighing potentials of business in a specific stock market. Participant of stock markets are traders, banks, retail investors, insurance companies and corporations etc. which deem to invest, buy, sell, transfer and even evaluate their stocks through the facility of a stock market. Trading in stock market is done through evaluation and bidding process carried out among buyers and sellers who agree over a deal on value o f the product. From hedge funds to stock investors the participants of a market can perform this activity anywhere in the world. A representative of business activity carries out buying, selling, exchange or valuation on behalf of his employer to execute exchange activity. Thus companies are not physically available or do not come with their active products and investment plans but they perform these transactions virtually through their representatives. A rational response to the concept of stock exchange and its activities can be transpired as effectiveness and vibrancy of economic activities in a market.

Financial Performance Interpretation. Stilsim Essay

Financial Performance Interpretation. Stilsim - Essay Example With the help of ratios, many aspects of the business can be quantified that facilitate accurate comparisons. The ratios of Stilsim can be compared the three offices with each other and depict the standing of the company. FINDINGS ANALYSIS & COMPARISON TO COMPETITOR One of the major problems that are facing the company is their lack of agility and adaptability to the changes in technology. Although the company has been making profits since it was established, we have seen in the SWOT analysis that it recently, they are not doing well due to their inability to keep track of the upgrades and keep their systems up to date. Below a table 1 that compares Stilsim to Cross Country Healthcare which is a key competitor. IMPLICATIONS The comparison with Cross Country Healthcare elaborates that at this point in time, the performance of Stilsim is at reasonable level. While the comparison of the three offices indicates that the problem lies with one of the office locations. We can conclude with this analysis that the since the company has been in the market for two and a half decades and has managed to gather considerable experience, it should be making more profits than it is making currently. Moreover, it should try to resolve the issues that are hindering the performance where the company is spending more than the returns. SHORT-TERM ISSUES With the help of the SWOT analysis and the financial ratios of the company, the performance the Capital City Office, which is the main office of the company, has been detrimental. The loss that is incurred by this part of the company has an impact on the overall performance. Moreover, with the increase in spending, there is less return that the company is getting. This shows that as the expenses are increasing, there is not an increase in the profits. Although, this may not be a significant issue in the short term but in the long haul this could cause a bottleneck situation for the company. LONG-TERM STRATEGIES Due to the increase in competition, Stilsim would have to rectify the issues at hand to be able to keep up in the market. There is a dire need to maintain a competitive edge in the market that is now attracting many new entrants. In the long haul, Stilsim should implement strategies to drive down costs and increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the orga nization and its counterparts. The competitive edge can be created through lower

WC Mod 7 WA Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

WC Mod 7 WA - Research Paper Example Although most crimes are linked to male counterparts than female this has been attributed mostly to the fact that men are typically more aggressive than their female counterparts. The impact of these challenges hinders efficient and effective administration of justice. In addition it is a basis of stereotypes that causes a lot of psychological harm not only to the affected individual but the general population that views it self as minority. The complex relationship between criminology and gender is attributed to the fact that relatively little attention has been dedicated to women in the justice system because of their small percentage in the system. This explanation fall short in a number of ways, first is that while women are underrepresented as victims, workers and offender, the number of women falling into criminal activity is still rising. Secondly practices that negatively affect the men have an effect on women as well for instance women are the ones who bear the responsibility of child-care when the male counterpart is imprisoned. Additionally while the criminal system is all male based gender is relevant when talking about male involvement in the system as well as female. It is however worth noticing that significant developments have been witnessed and currently discussing gender and crime is definitely an easy task now as compared to how it was thirty years back. Criminology is a wide concept that requires a holistic approach and to establish the link of gender and crime and the overall effect it has on criminology and justice system. Gender plays a critical role in understanding and resolving issues of related to crime. Criminology takes into consideration the theories of Marxism, feminist and critical theory as crimes originate from inequalities. In the 19th century Italian criminologist known as Cesare Lombroso developed the theory of

Mary Schapiro’s job was to fix the SEC Essay Example for Free

Mary Schapiro’s job was to fix the SEC Essay 1.Kotter’s eight steps As already noted, the SEC was starkly exposed as ill-equipped to deal with the chaos erupting across the globe. It was under strong criticism for the serious fraud of Bernard Madoff and the collapse of Wall Street stalwart Lehman Brothers. Accordingly, Mary Schapiro, a career regulator, was appointed the 29th chairman of SEC to save a languishing SEC. She changed the way they were doing things at the SEC including creating new structures, procedures, and programs to better address the modern financial markets as an urgent need to restore the credibility and public confidence in the SEC. This analysis is based on Kotter’s (1995) eight-step process for leading successful change. a.Establishing a sense of urgency The chairwoman argues that urgency is critical. Schapiro developed a change program with three priorities comprising internal assessment, investor protection focus and mistakes acknowledgement. The mission was to turn the SEC to be a high functioning, agile and intelligent, and committed to investor protection and market integrity. b.Creating a guiding coalition In order to able to manage the change process, she brought in new leadership and new senior team. The new leadership team set about retraining, skilling up and motivating the SEC’s talent staff. In addition, the investor –focused agenda was putting in place. The board and senior management and then all levels of decision making were required to pay attention to risk at all level of an enterprise. The whistle blower program was set up to detect securities violations. A final goal was to admit the mistakes that the SEC made under its watch. This is the first step in communicating the change vision. c.Developing a vision and strategy A vision was created to help direct the change effort, that was, to build a high functioning, agile and intelligent, and committed to investor protection and market integrity agency. d.Communicating the change vision In order to communicate the change vision, the chairwoman developed an open  way communication in which all staff and bankers could directly discuss with her. e.Empowering broad-based actions The SEC critically trained their staff to become certified fraud examiners. The organisation was restructured by removing the whole layer of management sending those to the frontline putting thousand staff to different focus groups such as corrupt foreign practices, insider trading, market manipulation and structured products. In addition, the SEC also set rules for over the counter and asset backed securities, hedge funds and examination program. f.Generate short- term wins Monetary reward and safe avenue were offered to whistle blower as a way to encourage people to detect securities violation as part of the change program. Fine was charged to financial institution (Goldman Sachs) due to misleading investor mortgage securities. g.Consolidating gains and producing more change h.Anchor new approaches in the future The change within the SEC was continually anchored for several years after the change commenced.

Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity

Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity Astrology and Pagan Symbolism in Christianity First of all we shall start the definitions of the key words as used in the research question. Astrology can be defined as the study of how events on earth correspond to the positions and movements of astronomical bodies which are the moon, sun, planets and the stars. Paganism in general is a term for the ancient and modern religions which identify nature as the body of the divine e.g. Taoism is the paganism of China, Hinduism is the Paganism of India, Shinto the paganism of Japan and Santeria, Voudon Macumba are the paganisms of the African Diaspora; etc On the other hand symbolism is the applied use of symbols i.e iconic representations that carry particular conventional meanings. Symbolism also refers to a way of choosing representative symbols that are in line with the abstract rather than literal properties, allowing for the broader interpretation of a carried meaning than more literal concept-representations can allow. A religion can be described as a language of concepts related to human spirituality. Symbolism hence is an important aspect of most religions. Christianity is the monotheistic system of beliefs and practices that are based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and that emphasizes the role of Jesus as savior and Christ. Discussion Zodiac is one of the oldest conceptual images in human history. It reflects the sun as it figuratively passes through the 12 major constellations over the course of a year. It also reflects the 12 months of the year, the 4 seasons, and the solstices and equinoxes. The term Zodiac relates to the fact that constellations were anthropomorphized, or personified, as figures, or animals. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary on December 25th/a> in Bethlehem, his birth was symbolized by a star in the east which three kings or magi followed to locate and adorn the new savior. He was a child teacher at age 12 and at the age of 30 he was baptized by John the Baptist, and thus began the ministry. Jesus had 12 disciples whom he traveled about with performing miracles such as healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water, he was also known as the King of Kings, the Son of God, the Light of the World, the Alpha and Omega, the Lamb of God e.g. After being betrayed by Judas his disciple and sold for 30 pieces of silver, he was crucified, placed in a tomb and after 3 days resurrected and ascended to Heaven. The birth sequence of Jesus is completely astrological. The star in the east is Sirius, the brightest star in the sky at night, which on December 24th aligns with the three brightest stars in Orions Belt. These three bright stars are referred today what they were called in ancient times, The Three Kings. The Three Kings and the brightest star Sirius, all point to the place of the sunrise on December 25th. This is why the Three Kings follow the star in the east, in order to locate the sunrise or the birth of the sun. Virgin Mary is the constellation Virgo, also known as the Virgo the Virgin which in Latin means virgin. The ancient glyph for Virgo is the altered m. This is why Mary with other virgin mothers, such as Adoniss mother Myrrha and Buddhas mother Maya begin with an M. Virgo is also referred to as the House of Bread, and the represents of virgin holding a sheaf of wheat. The House of Bread and its symbol of wheat represent August and September, the time of harvest. In turn, Bethlehem literally translates to house of bread. Bethlehem therefore refers to the constellation Virgo, a place in the sky, not on Earth. Another very interesting phenomenon that occurs around December 25th is that from the summer solstice to the winter solstice, the days become shorter and colder. From the northern hemisphere perspective, the sun appears to move south gets smaller and more scarce. The shortening of days and the expiration of the crops when approaching the winter solstice symbolizes the process of death to the ancients. By December 22nd, the Suns demise was fully realized, for the Sun having moved south continually for 6 months, makes it to its lowest point in the sky. And here a curious thing occurs, the Sun stops moving south, at least for 3 days. In the three day pause, the Sun stays in the vicinity of the Southern Cross, or Crux, the constellation. After this time on December 25th, the Sun moves 1 degree, this time north, foreshadowing longer days, spring and warmth. And thus it was said, the Sun died on the cross, was dead for 3 days, only to be resurrected or born again. This is why Jesus and num erous other Sun Gods share the crucifixion, 3 day death, and resurrection concept. It’s the Suns transition period before it shifts its direction back towards the Northern Hemisphere bringing spring and thus salvation. However, they didn’t celebrate the resurrection of the Sun until the spring equinox, or Easter. This is because at the spring equinox, the Sun officially overpowers the evil darkness, as daytime thereafter becomes longer in duration than night, and the revitalizing conditions of spring emerge. Therefore the obvious astrological symbolism around Jesus regards the 12 disciples. They are simply the 12 constellations of the Zodiac, which Jesus, being the Sun, travels about with. In fact, the number 12 is seen more often throughout the Bible which has more to do with astrology than anything else. Looking at the cross of the Zodiac, the figurative life of the Sun, this was not an artistic expression or tool to track the Suns movements. It is a Pagan adaptation of the cross of the Zodiac. That is why Jesus in early occult art is shown with his head on the cross the Sun of God, the Light of the World, the Risen Savior, who will come again, as it is every morning, the Glory of God who battles against the works of darkness, as he is born again every morning, and can be seen coming in the clouds, up in Heaven, with his Crown of Thorns, or, sun rays. Now, of the many astrological-astronomical metaphors in the Bible, the most important has to do with the ages. In the scriptures there are numerous references ‘Age’. To understand this, we need to familiarize with the phenomenon called the precession of the equinoxes. Ancient Egyptians along with cultures long before them recognized that approximately for every 2150 years the sunrise on the morning of the spring equinox would occur at a different sign of the Zodiac. This is concerned with the slow angular wobble that the Earth maintains as it rotates on its axis. It’s called a precession because the constellations go backwards, rather than through the normal annual cycle. The time that it takes for the precession to go through all 12 signs is roughly 25 to 765 years. This is also called the Great Year, and ancient societies were very aware of this. Each 2150 year period was called an age. From 4300 b.c. to 2150 b.c., it was called the Age of Taurus, the Bull. From 2150 b.c. to 1 a.d., it was called the Age of Aries, the Ram, and from 1 a.d. to 2150 a.d. it was called the Age of Pisces, the age we are still in to date, and in and around 2150, we shall enter the new age called the Age of Aquarius. The Bible reflects a symbolic movement through 3 ages, while foreshadowing a 4th. In the Old Testament when Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the 10 Commandments, he was very upset to see his people worshiping a golden bull calf. He reacted by shattering the stone tablets and instructing his people to kill each other in order to purify themselves. I would attribute this anger to the fact that the Israelites were worshiping a false idol or something to that effect. The fact is that the golden bull is Taurus the Bull, and Moses represents the new Age of Aries the Ram. That is why Jews even today still blow the Rams horn. Moses represents the new Age of Aries, and upon the new age, everyone should shed the old age. Other deities mark these transitions as well, a pre-Christian god who kills the bull, in the same symbol. Jesus is the figure who ushers in the age following Aries, the Age of Pisces the two Fish. Fish symbolism is very repetitive in the New Testament. Jesus fed 5000 people with bread and 2 fish. When he began his ministry walking along Galilee, he befriends 2 fishermen, who followed him. I have seen Jesus-fish on the backs of peoples cars. Yet they do not know what it actually means. It is a Pagan astrological symbolism for the Suns Kingdom during the Age of Pisces. Also, Jesus assumed birth date is essentially the start of this age. In Luke 22:10 when Jesus is asked by his disciples where the next Passover will be, Jesus replied ‘Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bearing a pitcher of water follow him into the house where he entereth in.’ this scripture is one of the most revealing of all the astrological references. The man carrying a pitcher of water is Aquarius, the water bearer, who is always seen as a man pouring out a pitcher of water. He represents the age after Pisces, and when the Sun leaves the Age of Pisces (Jesus), it will go into the House of Aquarius, as Aquarius follows Pisces in the precession of the equinoxes. Also what Jesus is that after the Age of Pisces will come the Age of Aquarius. We have all heard about the end times and the end of the world. Apart from the depictions in the Book of Revelation, the main source of this idea comes from Matthew 28:20, where Jesus says ‘I will be with you even to the end of the world.’ Otherwise, in King James Version, ‘the world’ is a mistranslation, among many mistranslations. The actual word being used is aeon, which means ‘age.’ ‘I will be with you even to the end of the age.’ Which is true, as Jesus Solar Piscean representation will end when the Sun enters the Age of Aquarius. The entire concept of end times and the end of the world is a misinterpreted astrological allegation. Lets tell that to the approximately 100 million people in America who believe the end of the world is coming. Furthermore, Jesus character, a literary and astrological hybrid, is most explicitly similar to the Egyptian Sun god Horus e.g., inscribed about 3500 years ago on the walls of the Temple of Luxor in Egypt are images of the enunciation of the immaculate conception, the birth, and the adoration of Horus. The images begin with Thaw announcing to the virgin Isis that she will conceive Horus, then Nef the holy ghost shall impregnant the virgin Isis, and then the virgin birth and the adoration. This exactly entails Jesus’ miracle conception. In fact, the literary similarities between the Egyptian religion and the Christian religion are staggering. The plagiarism is continuous. The story of Noah and the Ark is taken directly from the traditions. The concept of a Great Flood is common throughout the ancient world, with over 200 different cited claims in different periods and times. However, one needs look no further for a pre-Christian source than the Epic of Gilgamesh, written in 2600 b.c. In this story is told of a Great Flood commanded by God, an Ark with saved animals on it, and even the release and return of a dove, all held in common with the biblical story, among many other similar occurrences. Then there is the plagiarized story of Moses. Upon Moses birth, it is said that he was placed in a reed basket and set adrift in a river in order to avoid infanticide. He was later rescued by a daughter of a king and raised by her as a Prince. This baby in a basket story was lifted directly from the myth of Sargon of Akkad of around 2250 b.c. Sargon was born, placed in a reed basket in order to avoid infanticide, and set adrift in a river. He was in turn rescued and raised by Akki, a royal mid-wife. Furthermore, Moses is known as the giver of the Ten Commandments. However, the idea of a Law being passed from God to a prophet on a mountain is also a very old motif. Moses is just a law giver in a series of law givers in mythological history. In India, Manou was the great law giver. In Crete, Minos ascended Mount Dicta, where Zeus gave him the sacred laws. While in Egypt there was Mises, who carried stone tablets and upon them the laws of god were written. The Ten Commandments are taken outright from Spell 125 of the Egyptian Book of the Dead. What the Book of the Dead phrased I have not killed Thou shall not kill, I have not told lies became Thou shall not bear false witness I have not stolen became Thou shall not steal,† and so forth. In fact, the Egyptian religion is likely the primary foundational basis for the Judeo-Christian theology. Baptism, afterlife, final judgment, virgin birth and resurrection, crucifixion, the Ark of the Covenant, circumcision, saviors, Holy Communion, the great flood, Easter, Christmas, Passover, and many more, are all attributes of Egyptian ideas, long predating Christianity and Judaism. Justin Martyr, one of the first Christian historians and defenders, said: When we say that Jesus Christ, our teacher, was produced without sexual union, was crucified and died, and rose again, and ascended into Heaven, we propound nothing different from what you believe regarding those who you esteem Sons of Jupiter. In a different writing, Justin Martyr said He was born of a virgin; accept this in similarity with what you believe of Perseus. Its quite obvious that Justin and other early Christians knew how similar Christianity was to the Pagan religions and practices. However, Justin had a solution, as far as he was concerned, the Devil did it. The Devil had the foresight to come before Christ, and create these characteristics in the Pagan world. The Bible is just but an astro-theological literary fold hybrid, just like nearly all religious myths before it. In fact, the aspect of transference, of one characters attributes to a new character, can be found within the bible itself. In the Old Testament theres the story of Joseph. Joseph was a prototype for Jesus. Joseph was born of a miracle birth; Jesus was born of a miracle birth. Joseph was of 12 brothers, Jesus had 12 disciples. Joseph was sold for 20 pieces of silver; Jesus was sold for 30 pieces of silver. Brother Judah suggests the sale of Joseph, disciple Judas suggests the sale of Jesus. Joseph began his work at the age of 30; Jesus began his work at the age of 30. The parallels go on and on. At the time of Jesus, the Mediterranean world was ruled by the Roman Empire. The Romans were pagans, who had their own gods namely; Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and so on. The names of these gods have survived to date in the names of the planets, the days of the week, names of months and general linguistic usage. The other cultures in the area also had their own gods and goddesses, who corresponded more or less to the Roman pantheon. Greek was the language of culture in the Middle East; the main centre was Alexandria in Egypt and the Roman world was one in which trade and religion passed rapidly between the cities and towns along the marvello. Celebrating the Solstice was forbidden by the Church, but many customs survived anyway. In the 4th Century, Pope Julius I declared that 25th December was Jesus birthday and so celebrations were in order. This effectively transformed the Pagan occasion into a Christian holy day (holiday). This was not, however, merely a convenient way to Christianize a Pagan celebration. There is no historical evidence to prove what date Jesus was born on, or the season, or even the year. But after many years of calculation, contemplation and argument, 25th December was assigned. And since the why is more important than the when, that date has been good enough for Christians ever since. Conclusion Paganism has a wider influence on our lives than we might care to think. Take for example, the simple wedding ring. This has profound Pagan origins yet is considered an essential part of the wedding ceremony by many Christians. Overemphasizing the relevance and importance of religious symbols can lead to conflict. Consider the tensions that rose in France during 2004/5, following the banning of Muslim headscarves, Sikh turbans, Jewish skullcaps, large Christian crucifixes, and other conspicuous religious symbols that dont blend into secular state schools5. The headscarf issue resulted in just a handful of school expulsions but more damagingly generated ill-feeling, divided the country and achieved nothing positive. Paganism has had a wide influence on Christianity given the many examples of rites and regalia that support this assertion. And this raises the question: So what? Christians should be cautious about condemning practices as Pagan, just because of their origins. The origins may be interesting, but not so important. What is really important, however, is what we do with these things. References: J. G. Frazer (1993) The Golden Bough, Macmillan Co. Ltd, London R. Graves (1961) the white Goddess, Faber Faber, London A. His lop: (1990) The Two Babylon’s, Loizeaux Brothers; 2nd edition. M. D. Magee Sun Gods as Atoning Saviors an online resource investigating the origins of Christian and Jewish teachings Strabo:( 1982) The Geography of Strabo, Loeb Classical Library Tertullian:( 870) Adversus Judaeos, trans. Rev. S. Thelwall, 1870 B. G. Walker 🙠 1983) the Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets, Harper Row, NY