Tuesday, August 6, 2019

Volunteers and Decision Making Essay Example for Free

Volunteers and Decision Making Essay The purpose of this study is to explore and converse about the role of volunteers within the for-profit and non-profit organizations and examine their influence on organizational decision making. According to Lawrence and Weber, (2011), a volunteer is a person who donates his/her time or efforts for a cause or organization without being paid. Volunteering is about giving your time to a good cause. You dont get paid, but you do get the chance to use your gifts, abilities, talents, cultivate new skills, and experience the pleasure that comes from making a real difference to other peoples lives, as well as your own. Hansen, (2014), argue that it is a pretty common mistake to think of volunteering as just something nice that people can do. Sure, it may make them feel great about helping, but what impact does it really have? Volunteers have a huge impact on the health and well-being of organizations and communities worldwide. According to Ellis, (2003), from the perspective of the recipient of service, a volunteer is someone who gives time, effort and talent to meet a need or further a mission, without going on the payroll. Volunteers donate their time, expertise, talents, abilities, skills, and get-up-and-go energy to assistance the organization because they have faith and confidence in the organization’s operations, mission, ideas, and vision. According to Bruce and Martin, (1992), a non-profit organization is a group organized for purposes other than generating profit and in which no part of the organizations income is distributed to its members, directors, or officers. They can take the form of a corporation, an individual enterprise (for example, individual charitable contributions), unincorporated association, partnership, foundation (distinguished by its endowment by a founder, it takes the form of a trusteeship), or condominium (joint ownership of common areas by owners of adjacent individual units incorporated under state condominium acts). Non-profit organizations must be titled as not-for-profit when formed and may only employ measures acceptable by laws for non-profit businesses. Non-profit organizations include churches, public schools, public charities,  public clinics and hospitals, political organizations, legal aid societies, volunteer services organizations, labor unions, professional associations, resear ch institutes, museums, and some governmental agencies. Any funds earned by a non-profit organization must be reserved by the organization, and used for its own disbursements, disbursements, processes, and programs. Many non-profit organizations also pursue tax exempt status, and may also be exempted from local sales taxes or property taxes. These for-profit and not-for-profit organizations are distinguished from each other in the areas of interest, events, and actions, and whosesoever field of interest is well-defined by their organizational mission and vision statements. The for-profit and non-profit organizations have much in common, but there are significant differences between the two. According to Ingram, (2009), the most fundamental difference between non-profit and for-profit organizations is the reason they exist. For-profit companies are usually established to produce income for directors and their workers, while non-profits are usually established to help a charitable, philanthropic, humanitarian, or conservational and environmental need. In contrast, non-profit organizations distribute all of their profits into programs and services designed at meeting individuals unmet needs, such as food, water, shelter and education, or towards other issues such as endangered species. For-profit companies offer products an d services that are appreciated in the open market, electing to allocate returns among proprietors, workforces, stockholders, owners, investors, and the organization or business itself. Additionally, according Ingram, (2009), sales revenue, in the form of cash and receivables, is the life-blood of for-profit organizations. These companies depend on earned income and credit arrangements with lenders and suppliers to finance their operations. Ingram, (2009), goes on by suggesting non-profits, on the other hand, rely almost entirely on donations and grants from individuals, government entities and organizations. Non-profit and for-profit organizations income basis are regulated, to a large extent, on how the company can use its currency. Since non-profit income comes from donors, non-profits are expected to utilize their funding in a way that maximizes benefits to their targeted recipients. Since for-profits produce  their own revenue and pay their own bills, they have much more ethical latitude as to how they spend. Another different Ingram, (2009), suggests is for-profit organizations are taxed in a number of ways, depending on their form of organization. Small bus inesses, for example, are usually sole proprietorships and partnerships. Ingram, (2009), goes on to state â€Å"the IRS treats the income from proprietorships and partnerships as personal income, and the owners are held personally liable for all business debts†. Nonprofit organizations can register for income-tax exemption under section 501(c) 3 of the tax code, Ingram, (2009). Contributors to non-profit organizations are offered tax incentives for their donations as well. According to the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), (n.d.), non-profit organizations are treated as legal entities for tax purposes, leaving company forefathers not liable for organizational debts. Lastly, Ingram, (2009), provides a human resource differences between the two. The workforces look quite different between for-profit and nonprofit organizations. For-profit companies are staffed with salaried and hourly employees, while non-profits, on the other hand, usually hire a small workforce, but employ a large corps of volunteers. The processes for employing and dism issal, as well as worker inspiration, motivation, communication and direction techniques vary considerably between salaried employees and volunteers. The role of volunteers in non-profit organizations Volunteers are of huge value to nonprofit organizations. Non-profit organizations frequently depend on the service and commitment of volunteers. The skills and talents of volunteers workers bring nonprofit missions to life. Volunteers perform valuable services for the non-profit organizations. According to HR Specialist, (2002), recent studies estimate that about a hundred million people volunteer each year with an annual value in the range of $150 billion, Not only do volunteers help to save money, but they can provide better service to clients, increase contact with the greater community, make available better expertise, and reduce costs of services. From the early days of America, according to Dreger, (1996). volunteers have pitched in to treat community maladies and needs. Hospitals, orphanages, schools and local fire companies (to name a very few) were the result of a civic rallying around a cause. That civic concern and community  merger continues today in religious charities , Habitat for Humanities, hospitals, libraries, schools and colleges, Hospices, and YMCAs (to name just a very few). While we are sometimes suspicious of volunteers, the truth is that nonprofit organizations would not exist if it were not for the volunteers. Specifically, governance, programming and fund development are three areas of activity in which volunteers assist non-profit organizations, Dreger, (1996). When speaking of governance, volunteers who serve on boards of directors and their committees are the lifeblood of nonprofit organizations, Dreger, (1996). While the Executive Director takes care of day to day matters, volunteer directors take responsibility for policy making, for assuring that the organization has adequate funding, and for meeting any legal challenges that might arise. We often talk about the attributes of a good board member such as a combination of several of the following: wealth, wisdom, work, and the influence factor. With an appropriate mix of these attributes, boards will be in a position of strength to act on their strategic plans. If an organization is preparing fo r a capital campaign, then adding more wealth or wow to the board makes sense. If instituting new programming is in the future, then leaning the board toward wisdom and work would be productive. A board that polishes its composition will be motivated and strengthened. In the area of programming, Dreger, (1996), recommend that trained volunteers can be invaluable in helping to deliver services to clients. They reduce costs through their work and can often provide better services to clients since they serve because of their passion for the organization’s mission. Many volunteers also bring expertise or experience to the organization that is free, such as legal or accounting services, for instance. Other volunteers provide contact with parts of the community that an organization generally doesn’t interact with volunteers will talk about your organization with their friends and colleagues—the good and the bad), and chief among them would be the volunteer who coordinates volunteers! For each volunteer there is the reward of helping others, of serving the cause. When properly directed, volunteers are a treasured asset, real gems in delivering services to those in need, Dreger, (1996). Finally, in the Fund Development area, while fundraising is a chief responsibility of the board, Dreger, (1996), argue there are other ways that volunteers can help to advance the organiz ation. As part of a  development committee, volunteers can serve as prospectors, mining their networks for nuggets you want to pan out. They also can be the go-getters who will put on special events such as auctions, galas, or raffles. Others can seek to get better media coverage. For the best results, it’s important to think through a recruitment strategy to get the right volunteers serving with you, similar to massaging the board’s composition. With a clear idea of what needs to be accomplished and with direction from staff, volunteers can expand your horizons, help you to meet people of influence and affluence that you wouldn’t otherwise, bring skills and expertise that will increase revenues, and become new and dear friends. This is particularly helpful when making plans for a capital campaign. As a leader in an organization, you make the difference between mere success and great success. John Maxwell, author of many books on leadership, says â€Å"Leadership†¦has to do with casting vision and motivating people.† Those people in many cases are the volunteers who have sought you out and you have sought out. The degree to which they add value to your work and mission is dependent on how they are assigned tasks, trained, supervised, evaluated, and loved. Celebrate with your volunteers in all areas of activity! You’ll have lots of fun doing it.. The service volunteers provide to non-profit organizations is of immense value; they take any job, big or small and commit to its completion. They represent the organization before the community and take on the governance responsibility over the organization; they care for the organization as if it was a business of their own. The role of volunteers in for-profit organizations Volunteering at for-profit organizations is generally frowned upon under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Under the FLSA, employees may not volunteer services to for-profit private sector employers. On the other hand, in the vast majority of circumstances, individuals can volunteer services to public sector employers. When Congress amended the FLSA in 1985, it made clear that people are allowed to volunteer their services to public agencies and their community with but one exception; public sector employers may not allow their employees to volunteer, without compensation, additional time to do the same work for which they are employed. There is no prohibition on anyone employed in the private sector from volunteering in any capacity or line of  work in the public sector. Tuschman, R., (2012). A shaky economy and poor job market can tempt employers to use free labor; volunteers who are willing (at least initially) to give up compensation to obtain on-the-job skill or to help a d esired social cause or a struggling company. While this exercise may seem like a win-win situation, it is overloaded with legal danger for employers. Under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and many state and local wage and hour laws, the use of volunteers is strictly regulated. A court or the U.S. Department of Labor will consider misclassified individuals as employees who must be paid at least the minimum wage, and overtime pay if applicable. Penalties and attorneys’ fees may also be assessed. Under the FLSA, a volunteer will not be considered an employee if the individual volunteers for public service, religious or humanitarian objectives, and without contemplation or receipt of compensation. Typically, volunteers will serve on a part-time basis and will not displace employees or perform work that would otherwise be performed by employees. In addition, to avoid the possibility of coercion, the Department of Labor (DOL) takes the position that paid employees may not volunteer to perform the same type of services for their employer that they are normally employed to perform. These principles are strictly construed against employers. For example, the DOL has opined that there is no employment relationship between a for-profit hospice and individuals who volunteer their services to perform activities of a charitable nature, such as running errands, sitting with patients so that a family may have a break, and going to funerals. However, individuals may not donate their service s to hospices to do activities such as general office or administrative work that are not charitable in nature. Moreover, with respect to those individuals already employed by a hospice, the DOL has stated that they may not volunteer their services to the hospice. In the public sector, an individual who volunteers to perform services for a public agency is not an employee if the individual receives no compensation or is paid expenses, reasonable benefits or a nominal fee. In addition, the FLSA provides that the volunteer services cannot be the same type of services that the individual is employed to perform for the agency. Individuals can qualify as volunteers if they either volunteer to perform services for a different agency or perform different services than they are employed to perform for the same public agency, Tuschman, (2012). According to the Fair Labor Standard Act (FLSA), the difference between an employee and a volunteer in the for-profit sector is a very thin line which can lead an employer to misclassifying employees as volunteers, Bertagna, (2012). According to the same source, employers can use volunteers as long as they adhere to the minimum wage and overtime requirements of the Fair Labor Standard Act. â€Å"If employers misclassify employees as volunteers, the employer’s perceived opportunity to save on money may become a liability† (Bertagna, 2012). Volunteers’ roles in for -profit organizations face several limitations since the volunteer-employer relationship is subject to meeting certain conditions in order to not be considered an employee. In light to fully understand the legal interpretation of the volunteer in a for-profit organization it’s convenient to visit the U. S. Supreme Court (1947) observation about evaluating the relationship in today’s volunteer context: †The determination of the relationship does not depend on isolated factors but rather upon the circumstances of the whole activity.† Volunteers actively participate in activities where they usually have a personal interest in the for-profit sector, like the case of parents volunteering at their children private schools, or personalities giving presentations or lectures at private Universities, not to mention volunteers at private hospitals and their work to alleviate the suffering of the patients. Another category were volunteers participate in for-profit organizations is the case of retires senior managers or directors whom continue to collaborate for their former employers in an emeritus role, sharing their knowledge and experience with the new generations. The influence volunteers exert on organizational decision-making In the early 1980’s, changes in the American society started to call the attention of the scholars. Pearce (1982) described what he anticipated would result in volunteers looking for leadership roles and advance from their affiliations with organizations. In order to responsibly participate in the decision-making process, volunteers need to understand the role and social responsibility the organization has before the public, its customers and the community (Edwards, 2008). Volunteers in leadership positions within both non-profit and for-profit organizations exert a great influence in the decision-making process since their specific role positions them in an authority level where their experience and cognizance serves as a foundation for their capacity. Being as board members, advisory council members, or partner emeritus if firms and corporations, volunteers will always serve with the only goal in mind to do the most good for the organization and/or community they serve. Their willingness to share their expertise and knowledge with the organization, will serve as a way to give back some of what they have received through their lives. Sir Winston Churchill is credited with the quote: â€Å"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.† He was able to put volunteerism is its correct perspective. Conclusion â€Å"Our Nation has been profoundly shaped by ordinary Americans who have volunteered their time and energy to overcome extraordinary challenges. From the American Revolution and the Seneca Falls Convention to the everyday acts of compassion and purpose that move millions to make change in their communities, our Nation has always been at its best when individuals have come together to realize a common vision. As we continue to pursue progress, service and social innovation will play an essential role in achieving our highest ambitions from a world-class education for every child to an economy built to last. During National Volunteer Week, we pay tribute to all who give of themselves to keep America strong, and we renew the spirit of service that has enriched our country for generations.† (Obama, 2012) Alexis de Tocqueville was profoundly move d by America’s spirit of volunteerism when he toured the United States in 1831, he recognized the way Americans were prompt to assist one another and to sacrifice part of their time to for the welfare of the state (Bertagna, 2012). This is the true spirit of volunteerism, when people devote their time and energy to assist in pursuing and obtaining a greater good. The role volunteers play in modern organizations is of paramount importance, they donate their time, their talent, and their knowledge to support and assist with causes they believe in and where they have placed their hopes and their hearts. Those individuals who perform hours of service without compensation do it for  civic, charitable, or humanitarian reasons deserve to be recognized and respected, deserve to be honored for what they do. References Bertagna, B.R., (2012). For-profit volunteers: The fair labor standards a CT’s limits on volunteering in the private sector. Daily Labor Report. The Bureau of National Affairs. 179 DLR I-.Retrieved from http://www.paulhastings.com/Resources/Upload/Publications/2262.pdf. Edwards, H.C., (2008). Volunteers in leadership roles: Successfully engaging advisory councils. International Journal of Volunteer Administration. 25(2). Retrieved from:http://www.ijova.org/PDF/IJOVA%20Sample%201%20Manuscript%20May%2014.pdf. Ellis, S., (2003). Do volunteers deserve the board’s attention? Nonprofit World. 21 (1) 19-21.January/February 2003.ICNL (2013) FAQ. International Center for Not-For-Profit Law. Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.icnl.org/contact/faq/index.html. Lawrence, A. and Weber, J., (2011) Business and society: Stakeholders, ethics, public policy (13th Ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill/Irwin. Lewis, L.K., Hamel, S. A., and Richardson, B.K., (2001). Communicating change to nonprofit stakeholders: Models and predictors of implementers’ approaches. Management Communication Quarterly. 15 (1). Pp.15-41 Kipp, M.F,. (2009). Rethinking the nonprofit board. Nonprofit World. 27(6), pp. 20-21. Pearce, J.L., (1982). Leading and following volunteers: Implications for a changing society. Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 18 (3), pp. 385-394. Reiss, A.H. (1990) Bottom line: A working board of directors. Management Review. 79(5), pp. 37-38. Retrieved from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.library.gcu.edu:2048/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=1e928abd-3175-4cd5-9afe-c348a044c8a3%40sessionmgr15vid=8hid=5. Hansen, C., (2014). Why is volunteering important? Volunteer Resource Center. (VRC). Retrieved from http://www.idealist.org/info/Volunteer/Why. Bruce, T. R. and Martin, P. W., (1992). Legal Information Institute. Retrieved from http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/non-profit_organizations. Dreger, D.C., (1996). Importance of Volunteers for Non Profit Organizations Retrieved from http://www.cdsfunds.com/volunteers_what_can_they_do_for_you.html. Ingram, D., (2009). Non-Profit Organization vs. Profit Organization. Demand Media. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/non-profit-organization-vs-profit-organization-4150.html. Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE). (n.d). Non-profit vs. For-Profit. Retrieved from http://scoreknox.org/library/versus.htm. The HR Specialist, (2002). Employment Law. Volunteers’ at for-profit companies: Should they be paid? Compensation and Benefits, Human Resources http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/775/volunteers-at-for-profit-companies-should-they-be-paid. Tuschman, R., (2012). Using Volunteers and Interns: Is It Legal? Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/richardtuschman/2012/08/24/using-volunteers-and-interns-is-it-legal/.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Determinants of GDP in an Economy

Determinants of GDP in an Economy Research Ethics Introduction GDP (gross domestic product) is the main indicator of any economy’s growth. Every country’s economy works for improving its GDP because it is the type of indicator which shows overall state of affairs the Economy is in or rather the conditions of the State in terms of its Economic Growth. GDP is considered as the national income of any country. GDP is the monetary value of all final goods and services produced in the country[1]; mostly it is counted at annual basis. There are 3 approaches or methods to calculate the GDP of the country, which are as follows: Income approach Product approach Expenditure approach All these have listed methods have their own significance in terms of calculating the GDP. The most widely used method by many countries to count the GDP is; the income approach. The Income approach is based on the method in which all the revenues or income circulating in economy like wages, interest rate, rent and profits are accumulated. The Product Approach counts the value of all final goods that is produced in the economy. This is done so to avoid the double counting of the product value. The Expenditure approach counts all private and public expenditures which were conducted in an Economy. In other words it is all the money spent by the Government for the benefit of the People[2]. GDP is affected by every determinant and variable in the economy. The effectiveness could be low or high it depending on the variable. For example if we were to say that education is one of the factors that affects the GDP so the effectiveness must be very high because it effect in multiple ways like it increases the human capital, it increase the technological levels, it helps to reduce crime in society etc. GDP is usually low in developing countries and high in the developed countries. The level of GDP is a matter of concern for the Economy; although the stability of Economy can be found out by observing variation in GDP[3]. One of the reasons of success of developed countries is also their consistency in terms of GDP levels. However one cannot ignore the fact that there are many factors behind the consistency of GDP. Research Design The design of research is always extracted from literature review section. There is a strong relationship between literature review and research methodology or research design[4]. For designing research for GDP first researchers need to collect and read all the related articles; from where researchers can find out about the factors which are effecting the GDP. The process of reviewing literature is to collect all the bibliography of articles on GDP then start reviewing it one by one. After review of article the researcher should write in literature review about the hypothesis questions which he has identified from the review portion of literature. The data used in articles, methodology applied, findings of the research posting of recommendations and conclusions. These are the important findings of any research article. From reviewing the article it is extracted that GDP is mainly depend on investment, human capital and on interest rate. The data which we use is secondary data and we tend to find out how the GDP of developing countries is affected by investments[5], human capital and education. We use the data of these variables on several previous years to identify or predict the trend of the GDP of the existing year. Hence from review of literature we find that in research design we use the methodology of panel or pool regression because the data is panel in nature. Panel data means the data is based on more than one year (number of periods) and observing more than one country (cross sectional unit). Data Collection There are basically two types of data primary data and secondary data. The primary data are used mostly for qualitative methods and secondary data are used mostly for quantitative data. Primary data are the data which is firsthand experience like data collected from surveys by researcher as far as secondary data which is often found in forms of a published data. Our study is quantitative study and based on secondary data because we use published data from authentic source such as government publications. The procedure of data collection is divided in several parts. Firstly researcher does planning and finalizes the general topic in which researcher has command and deep knowledge, then the researcher finds all the relevant article for that topic and also collect different literature from websites, books, manuals and other resources. After reviewing all these material a concept is developed in the mind of researcher that what variable researcher will use and which cross sectional countries the researcher will select and run the tests on and of course for how many years does he intend to run tests on. i.e. for instance In order to find out the GDP of UK for 2016, the researcher may run tests on from a period of 2010 to 2015 to predict the GDP trends and forecast the outlook of GDP in UK. In the relevant study we find from many resources that investments, human capital and interest rate are the key factors which effect GDP of developing countries. The data we will use for developing countries and for the year 2000 to 2014. The data is available on world development bank. We can extract data from world development indicators. All of the data is available on WDI quite easily. The articles which researcher has studied are used for referencing purposes and given in detail in bibliography section of the Research Project. Strengths and Weaknesses Documentary research, is characterized by the use of documents; collects, selects, analyzes and presents consistent results; because it uses the logical and mental processes of any investigation; analysis, synthesis, deduction, induction, etc., because it performs a process of scientific abstraction, generalization based on the fundamentals; because it is an appropriate data collection that allow rediscover facts suggest problems, orient to other research sources, direct ways to develop research tools and develop scenarios[6]. At the same time, it can be considered as a fundamental part of a much broader process of scientific research, and finishing; it is a research carried out in an orderly and targeted, in order to be based on the construction of knowledge, and based on the use of different techniques: location and setting data, analysis of documents and content[7]. In turn, the bibliographic research allows, among other things, support research to be performed, avoid undertaking investigations already carried out, take cognizance of experiments and made to repeat when necessary, continuing interrupted or incomplete investigations, search for suggestive information, select materials for a theoretical framework, among other purposes.[8] Ethical Consideration In every study there are some ethics of research which the researcher should keep in mind. These ethics are essential components while doing the research. There is a component of relevance which means that the study that researcher is doing it should be related to the literature review and relate to the references and bibliography that have been used in the study. Another component of ethics is completeness which describe that the sources should be complete in the sense that whole study have to be referenced and the study should give complete picture so that it is find interesting by reader[9]. Another component is current approach it means the study should meet the current approaches of subject it should not be old or far behind of today’s modern research in that subject. It should also highlight the recent and latest development in the study. Our study meets all the ethical components efficiently because we give the references o related studies and our research is a complete package and also it is up to date research because the issue persists in several developing countries. Conclusion Conclusion is the last part of study which not only concludes research but also give recommendations to the problem that has been discussed in the study. GDP is the base of any economy and the indicators which researcher pick for testing their effectiveness to GDP are investment, human capital and interest rate. Researcher observes that all these 3 variables are significant but investment and human capital effect GDP in positive way as far as interest rate is concerned it affects the GDP in a negative way because when interest rate increase people tend to save more and decrease their investment. References http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp Landefeld, Steven J., Eugene P. Seskin, and Barbara M. Fraumeni. Taking the pulse of the economy: Measuring GDP.The Journal of Economic Perspectives22, no. 2 (2008): 193-193. Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt, Asli, and Enrica Detragiache.The determinants of banking crises-evidence from developing and developed countries. Vol. 106. World Bank Publications, 1997. Janesick, Valerie J. The dance of qualitative research design: Metaphor, methodolatry, and meaning. (1994). Tanzi, Vito, and Hamid Davoodi.Corruption, public investment, and growth. Springer Japan, 1998. Creswell, John W.Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage, 2012. Punch, Keith F.Introduction to social research: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. Sage, 2013. Bryman, Alan.Social research methods. Oxford university press, 2012. Guillemin, Marilys, and Lynn Gillam. Ethics, reflexivity, and â€Å"ethically important moments† in research.Qualitative inquiry10, no. 2 (2004): 261-280. [1] http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gdp.asp [2] Landefeld, Steven J., Eugene P. Seskin, and Barbara M. Fraumeni. Taking the pulse of the economy: Measuring GDP.The Journal of Economic Perspectives22, no. 2 (2008): 193-193. [3] Demirgà ¼Ãƒ §-Kunt, Asli, and Enrica Detragiache.The determinants of banking crises-evidence from developing and developed countries. Vol. 106. World Bank Publications, 1997. [4] Janesick, Valerie J. The dance of qualitative research design: Metaphor, methodolatry, and meaning. (1994). [5] Tanzi, Vito, and Hamid Davoodi.Corruption, public investment, and growth. Springer Japan, 1998. [6] Creswell, John W.Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage, 2012. [7] Punch, Keith F.Introduction to social research: Quantitative and qualitative approaches. Sage, 2013. [8] Bryman, Alan.Social research methods. Oxford university press, 2012. [9] Guillemin, Marilys, and Lynn Gillam. Ethics, reflexivity, and â€Å"ethically important moments† in research.Qualitative inquiry10, no. 2 (2004): 261-280.

Sunday, August 4, 2019

Francis I and Henry VIII :: Francis of Angouleme France England Essays

Francis I and Henry VIII On April 27th, 1989, at Sangatte on the northern coast of France, a ceremony was held to mark the commencement of the main work on the Channel Tunnel. At the tunnel entrance stood two giant pasteboard figures. One was of Henry VIII of England and the other was of Francis I of France. Their symbolic presence at the beginning of an ambitious project designed to link England and France was especially appropriate. Henry VIII is often called a |Renaissance prince' and is popularly remembered for his ebullience and the extraordinariness of his reign. What is often not so well appreciated, is the extent to which his style of monarchy and the events of his reign were influenced by his relationship with that other |Renaissance prince', Francis I. Rarely, since their time, have France and England been so drawn together by some higher ideal or imperative. Now it is the single market and European unity. Then, it was magnificent, competitive, kingship. Francis of Angouleme was born at Cognac in western France on September 12th, 1494. The Angouleme family was a cadet branch of the royal house of Valois. Francis' father, Charles, died on January 1st, 1496, and in 1498, the boy became heir presumptive to the reigning monarch. Louis XII. From the age of fourteen Francis lived at court and was soon known in Italy and England as the rising star of France. Louis XII died leaving no surviving son and Francis succeeded him as king on January 1st, 1515. Francis's accession was greeted favourably by the French nobility. He was young, healthy, full of confidence and he immediately rejuvenated the French court. His mother, Louise of Savoy, who was a great patron of artists and intellectuals, had ensured that her son had been well educated, at least by contemporary noble standards. Francis was inspired by dreams of royal greatness and chivalric glory. This was reflected in the iconography of the early part of his reign. A recent French study has identified more than a dozen different topoi of kingship which were produced under Louise of Savoy's patronage and which were taken up by the king himself. Among the most important were; Francis as the crusading roi chevalier, as the descendant of Charlemagne, and especially, as Julius Caesar's true successor. Royal propaganda promoted two ideals or hopes for Francis's reign. These were just and effective government at home and, abroad, the revival of a French imperial heritage. Francis I and Henry VIII :: Francis of Angouleme France England Essays Francis I and Henry VIII On April 27th, 1989, at Sangatte on the northern coast of France, a ceremony was held to mark the commencement of the main work on the Channel Tunnel. At the tunnel entrance stood two giant pasteboard figures. One was of Henry VIII of England and the other was of Francis I of France. Their symbolic presence at the beginning of an ambitious project designed to link England and France was especially appropriate. Henry VIII is often called a |Renaissance prince' and is popularly remembered for his ebullience and the extraordinariness of his reign. What is often not so well appreciated, is the extent to which his style of monarchy and the events of his reign were influenced by his relationship with that other |Renaissance prince', Francis I. Rarely, since their time, have France and England been so drawn together by some higher ideal or imperative. Now it is the single market and European unity. Then, it was magnificent, competitive, kingship. Francis of Angouleme was born at Cognac in western France on September 12th, 1494. The Angouleme family was a cadet branch of the royal house of Valois. Francis' father, Charles, died on January 1st, 1496, and in 1498, the boy became heir presumptive to the reigning monarch. Louis XII. From the age of fourteen Francis lived at court and was soon known in Italy and England as the rising star of France. Louis XII died leaving no surviving son and Francis succeeded him as king on January 1st, 1515. Francis's accession was greeted favourably by the French nobility. He was young, healthy, full of confidence and he immediately rejuvenated the French court. His mother, Louise of Savoy, who was a great patron of artists and intellectuals, had ensured that her son had been well educated, at least by contemporary noble standards. Francis was inspired by dreams of royal greatness and chivalric glory. This was reflected in the iconography of the early part of his reign. A recent French study has identified more than a dozen different topoi of kingship which were produced under Louise of Savoy's patronage and which were taken up by the king himself. Among the most important were; Francis as the crusading roi chevalier, as the descendant of Charlemagne, and especially, as Julius Caesar's true successor. Royal propaganda promoted two ideals or hopes for Francis's reign. These were just and effective government at home and, abroad, the revival of a French imperial heritage.

Lady Mary Wroth as Proto-Feminist Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Cri

Lady Mary Wroth as Proto-Feminist Lady Mary Wroth is one of very few canonized woman poets in the 17th century canon (Strickland lect. Oct 11 94.). This fact alone lends a type of importance to Wroth that sets her off from her male contemporaries. Wroth wrote poems at about the same time that Robert Herrick, John Donne, Andrew Marvell, and Sir Philip Sidney (to name a few) wrote their courtly lyrics. Wroth wasn't the only woman writer from the time, instead, she was simply one of very few that were saved from historical anonymity. Lady Mary Wroth writes using a fairly conventional form of sonnet making, the "Carpe Diem" style. In using this style, she achieves an interesting internal critique of itself as poetic form. Wroth shows how the form is exclusive and at times self-defeating. Wroth exposes these faults by elaborating on images of masochistic love and how this type of love is furthered by the use of military metaphor. Lastly, I will discuss how Wroth's use of double narration and monologue format also serve to problematize the "Carpe Diem" style. "Carpe Diem" means "seize the day", and this particular translation of the phrase is of particular importance for establishing the validity of Wroth's critique. (Strickland lect. Oct 11 94). These "Carpe Diem" love sonnets usually focused around the narrator trying to seduce a woman into bed or into some type of love relationship. The need to "seize the day was worked in by the narrator in hopes of spurring the woman into action. One good example of this is in Andrew Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress". In this poem, Marvell writes: "And the last age should show your heart:/ ... But at my back I always hear/ Time's winged chariot hurrying near" (Marvell n.p.). Marvell... ... too well placed to be considered accidental. Although I cannot claim to be completely knowledgeable in Feminist writing I can only suppose that I have found what I think is there. WORKS CITED Adam, Robert M. & Logan, George M. ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Fifth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton Co., 1986. Greer, Germaine. The Female Eunuch. New York: McGraw--Hill, 1970. Marvell, Andrew. Andrew Marvell: The Complete Poems. Elizabeth Story Donno ed. New York: Penguin, 1972. Smith, A.J. ed. John Donne: The Complete English Poems. London: Penguin, 1971. Strickland, Ronald. 17th Century English 215 (Course Packet). Normal: Pip Printing, 1994. Strickland, Ronald. Lecture. Literature of the 17th Century. Illinois State University. Normal, 11th Oct. 1994. Wroth, Lady Mary. The Poems of Lady Mary Wroth. Baton Rogue: Louisiana St. UP, 1983. Lady Mary Wroth as Proto-Feminist Essay -- Feminism Feminist Women Cri Lady Mary Wroth as Proto-Feminist Lady Mary Wroth is one of very few canonized woman poets in the 17th century canon (Strickland lect. Oct 11 94.). This fact alone lends a type of importance to Wroth that sets her off from her male contemporaries. Wroth wrote poems at about the same time that Robert Herrick, John Donne, Andrew Marvell, and Sir Philip Sidney (to name a few) wrote their courtly lyrics. Wroth wasn't the only woman writer from the time, instead, she was simply one of very few that were saved from historical anonymity. Lady Mary Wroth writes using a fairly conventional form of sonnet making, the "Carpe Diem" style. In using this style, she achieves an interesting internal critique of itself as poetic form. Wroth shows how the form is exclusive and at times self-defeating. Wroth exposes these faults by elaborating on images of masochistic love and how this type of love is furthered by the use of military metaphor. Lastly, I will discuss how Wroth's use of double narration and monologue format also serve to problematize the "Carpe Diem" style. "Carpe Diem" means "seize the day", and this particular translation of the phrase is of particular importance for establishing the validity of Wroth's critique. (Strickland lect. Oct 11 94). These "Carpe Diem" love sonnets usually focused around the narrator trying to seduce a woman into bed or into some type of love relationship. The need to "seize the day was worked in by the narrator in hopes of spurring the woman into action. One good example of this is in Andrew Marvell's poem "To His Coy Mistress". In this poem, Marvell writes: "And the last age should show your heart:/ ... But at my back I always hear/ Time's winged chariot hurrying near" (Marvell n.p.). Marvell... ... too well placed to be considered accidental. Although I cannot claim to be completely knowledgeable in Feminist writing I can only suppose that I have found what I think is there. WORKS CITED Adam, Robert M. & Logan, George M. ed. The Norton Anthology of English Literature: Fifth Edition. New York: W.W. Norton Co., 1986. Greer, Germaine. The Female Eunuch. New York: McGraw--Hill, 1970. Marvell, Andrew. Andrew Marvell: The Complete Poems. Elizabeth Story Donno ed. New York: Penguin, 1972. Smith, A.J. ed. John Donne: The Complete English Poems. London: Penguin, 1971. Strickland, Ronald. 17th Century English 215 (Course Packet). Normal: Pip Printing, 1994. Strickland, Ronald. Lecture. Literature of the 17th Century. Illinois State University. Normal, 11th Oct. 1994. Wroth, Lady Mary. The Poems of Lady Mary Wroth. Baton Rogue: Louisiana St. UP, 1983.

Saturday, August 3, 2019

The Colony of Saint Domingue :: History american Essays

The Colony of Saint Domingue In looking at the revolution of the slaves from the colony of Saint Domingue, we must consider several different aspects that helped to create the atmosphere that was suitable enough for this revolution to take hold. The "Eden of the Western World" (Beckles 402) that produced almost half of the sugar and coffee consumed in the Americas and Europe was soon to become the stage of intensely bloody, deadly battles. In order to better understand how and why this revolution, that has been called "one of the few revolutions in world history that have had such profound consequences" (Shepherd 402), could have happened we must look at who was living in the colony at this time period. In the late 1780’s the French colony of Saint Domingue consisted of what is primarily know as the "three-tier" structure, which was what generally existed in these sugar colonies. Race as well as economic standing and social position separated the three groups that made up this structure. The whites of the colony were surprisingly enough not a tight knit group even despite the fact that they were by far the minority, in terms of numbers on the island. The whites were split up into two distinct groups that drew their lines by wealth. The rich white planters was the group of whites that owned the plantations and the slaves and represented the unified support for slavery, because of the fact that they depended on it for their wealth. It should be duly noted that this group of whites was at this time extremely unhappy with their mother country of France, and were already disobeying her regularly in order to trade more cheaply with the United States. The second group of whites was obviously the poor whites who held simple everyday jobs, but despite the fact that they were not wealthy slave owners, they were certainly supporters of the anti-black feelings. The next group that we will look at is that of the black slaves. The black slaves, as was noted above, vastly outnumbered the free whites, and it can be seen here in this accompanying chart, that by the time of the French Revolution the black slaves outnumbered the free by almost 10: 1. This vast difference in numbers is not something without significance to the revolution, because it represented the apex of the discrepancy, and made the apparent balance of power seem less and less clear.

Friday, August 2, 2019

CMTG Network Security Infrastructure

Each Kudler Fine Foods location would be protected via higher end firewall recommended for small/medium size businesses with higher security requirements (Cisco, Watchguard, Barracuda). Each Kudler Fine Foods location, regardless of its geographical location, would have hi-speed internet access that would keep it connected to the headquarters location. Each firewall would be configured to provide maximum security for each location as well as Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection between the location and the headquarters. Headquarters location would host Main POS Database Server which would be synchronized with all other POS database servers every fifteen to thirty minutes. All of the synchronization would take place via VPN that has 1024bit encryption. Each geographical location would be able to access necessary data and files at the headquarters location via VPN at any time. Depending on the network authentication and network policies, not every person would have access to the same data. Since Kudler Fine Foods employs only two computer support specialists, we would recommend for the email to be hosted off site and be accessed either via Outlook Web Access (web-mail) or POP/SMPT/IMAP protocols with the Microsoft Outlook client. We also recommend that Email SPAM filtering be provided by the Email Host, but Kudler Fine Foods computer support staff should have access to email spam filters and manage them as they see fit best for the organization. Read this  Chapter 2 – Why Security is Needed We would also recommend for the Website to be hosted outside of the Kudler Fine Foods network but would recommend that Website’s database be synchronized with the network database via secure connection. Main reason for suggesting Email and Website services to be hosted off-site is security, downtime and support staff. Each firewall would handle IDS and IDP (intrusion detection and prevention service), as well as web access filtering, attachment filtering, traffic monitoring, virus scanning. Each computer and server would also run virus protection software. Firewall would be setup to shut down and block any suspicious network incoming/outgoing traffic in case of security breach and log it and email notify the computer support specialist (DoS, Hacker attacks, Virus outbreak). Firewall security updates would be done automatically and in the background and would provide security against latest threats. We believe that proposed network security infrastructure for Kudler Fine Foods would be secure, centralized, manageable by the small IT staff, reasonably priced to implement and easily upgradable and expendable in the future.

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Retailing businesses Essay

Different retailing businesses have very different distribution methods based on the types of product that they sell, some arguably more effectively than others. As mentioned in an earlier assignment, there are three main types of distribution channels. The first is the channel that goes from the producer, then to the wholesaler, then to the retailer or sells to the consumer. The second channel starts with the producer who sells straight to the retailer, who then sells to the consumer. The third channel goes directly from the producer to the consumer. Channels one and two are classed as indirect marketing channels, whereas channel three is a direct marketing channel as it goes straight from producer to consumer. All of the distribution channels start with a producer who will create the products, for example the person that milks the cows to get milk. For the first channel, the producer makes the product and then sells it to a wholesaler, such as Costsco who will purchase a huge quantity of products from them. They would do this to make sure that they have enough to sell onto retailers. They would keep a large amount of the product, for example some kind of confectionary, in there warehouse so they’re in a suitable environment to be kept until they’re sold on. Next, the retailer, who could be a small store or a larger store, who would want to purchase a specific amount of products from the wholesalers, not in as bulk form as the wholesaler would have purchased them in. This method would typically be used by used by smaller, more personal stores, that don’t need to buy in such bulk. This channel is effective for confectionary products for example, as Costco can get sweets such as Dairy Milk bars, or Skittles, at an incredibly low price for huge boxes. It is good because it means that the businesses further down the chain will have confidence that they will be able to get the products that they want because the wholesaler gets the items I such bulk and if they sell all of their products, they can replenish easily. For the second channel, the retailer can give their consumers a guarantee that the product is fresher than if they used channel one, as they are getting the product directly from the producer before selling it to the consumer. This is because companies get the products directly from producers so they can guarantee the quality, unlike the first channel where the products go through two separate distributors which could contaminate the product or  raise the risk of it being damaged. An example of this would be the electronics company Sony. Due to the fact that Sony produces their own products and then sells them onto other electronic stores such as Currys/PC World who will then sell the products onto the consumers. The third Channel will typically deal with the consumer directly rather than using a middleman. This means that the customer will get the product or service at that moment on purchase. An example of this could be seen with Gregg’s Bakery. Due to the fact they will have their products made on site and would be able to sell their customers everything they have produced in store without using other stores ford or bringing in any assistance. By doing this it gives Greggs a better look by being able to say that they produce all of their products on site and they can also guarantee that the products are fresh. Different sectors of business will use different techniques when going through the distribution stage differently. This can be from the difference of storing products whilst distributing them and how they actually transport the product to the next person in the channel. For example, how a food retailer and gets their products distributed will be different to how a clothing sto re gets theirs. For a restaurant they use a wide variety of produces such as local farmers and local fishermen, depending on the type of restaurant that they own. They could have very specific producers, for example if they were a halal based restaurant they would have to be very specific about their supplier. Then they will have to either make a deal with the producer/supplier so they can collect produce direct from them. Then they will prepare the food ready to cook it and will store the prepared ingredients safely at the correct temperature. They will then wait for the person at the end of the chain – the consumer – to come to the restaurant to cook it for them. This is good for the producer because money will track back to them through the restaurant gaining the money from selling the meals. The money goes into the restaurant from customers pockets, and then the restaurant will use a portion of this money to re-purchase some supplies from the producer. This is when a good working relationship will develop between them as they will gain more sales and earn more money back. Continuing with a food retailer, Greggs or a restaurant will want to get fresher ingredients than other retailers so that they can make sure they produce all of their products to be as fresh as can be. This  can be done for example by Gregg’s own in-store bakeries having their ingredients delivered in the morning and then they bake them the same morning to make sure they are as fresh as possible. When they order the ingredients from the producers they will have to check that the supplier is storing the produce correctly before purchasing, otherwise they may purchase products that could be unsuitable for them to use and if they did use them, could create problems for them in the future. A good example of this could be seen with restaurants purchasing fish. A lot of the time they would send an employee to get it directly after it has been caught on the boat . They do this so that there are no issues with how the fish is stored, as if it is stored incorrectly whilst distributed it will cause severe food poisoning and could lead to the restaurant getting sued or shut down. A clothing retailer will start the process from the producer then they will involve the their designers and then they would create the products. If the retailer manufactures their own brand clothing for example Primark the producers send the finished garments directly to their warehouses fir distribution into their stores. If it is a clothing retailer that buys garments from fashion houses or via intermediaries then the finished items would go to their wholesalers and then potentially go to retailers depending on what business it is and then finally, they would be bought by the consumers. They would start the process by collecting the cotton from the cotton farmers then they would be shipped off to the factories where weavers and designers will create the fabrics, the fabric factories will then sell them to clothing manufacturing companies who will create something that retailers can sell on to make a profit from the whole process. When they have been created they will choose either to sell them onto a wholesaler or to only sell it in their particular stores. With some businesses having stores in other countries it means they have to have all of their products send to one area then they will have to have those products sent to other stores across to other countries, extending the distribution channels. A retail business such as House of Fraser will be using the second channel. This means that they will get their clothing material/parts sent to them and then thy will create their products, and then send them to their retail stores. Because they have a large area inside their stores to store and display their stock it means they can have a large amount of one clothing item on sale at once. Because  House of Fraser is a bigger company than Greggs they will be using more trucks to get their products to them. Another difference between the two would be that House of Fraser will be able to store their products for a longer period of time due to them selling the non-perishable products unlike Greggs, who make the majority of their products on a daily basis and at the end of the day would have to throw those products away otherwise they would go off. In terms of cost, a restaurant will be willing to spend money in order to get products distributed to them in a safe and hygienic way, as long as they know the full process that the products take. For other businesses, such as Primark, the aim is to get them distributed to them at a very low cost, as long as the products aren’t damaged. This is because the products aren’t perishable and there is no need to store them in any specific way to keep them secure.