Humans & others mammals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

People and others warm blooded creatures - Essay Example Creatures like the chimpanzees, primates and bonobos are genuine models which through their life structures and practices, demonstrate that development is genuine. The association of inside organs in the African gorillas and the individuals is comparative. The bone structure is comparative and they just contrast fit as a fiddle and size. People anyway need tails and this delineates at one point the people were practically equivalent to the African chimps yet they have advanced after some time. All well evolved creatures are explicitly dimorphic in that guys are bigger than females by around 5-10% (Barton 79). This shows people are like different warm blooded creatures and are just better since they have advanced after some time. Advancement standards show that body highlights create dependent on ongoing bipedalism. The hands of people are shorter than those of primates. This is on the grounds that they locomote more utilizing their hands as opposed to legs. So also the legs of individuals are longer than those of chimps. The human pelvis and the spinal section are adjusted so that the people stay erect and offer greater strength for waking and running. This adjustment is accepted to have been accomplished because of the opposition among people and different well evolved creatures and is proof that advancement occurred. Researchers have demonstrated that the state of the mind in chimps and in people is comparative. Be that as it may, they contrast in size. This expansion in the size of the mind demonstrates that development has occurred. Human females arrive at the menopause stage at one point throughout everyday life. Be that as it may, different well evolved creatures like chimpanzees, primates and gorillas don't get sterile at any phase throughout everyday life. The Scientific clarification of this distinction depends on human choice that is a factor that demonstrates advancement (Barton 211). Male Bonobos ensure the female bonobos. This trademark is likewise present in different warm blooded animals, for example, gorillas. Individuals likewise have a similar character of guys ensuring the females. This similitude shows an association in the inception of people and primates.

An Environmental Risk Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay

An Environmental Risk Assessment Environmental Sciences Essay Everywhere throughout the world, fast mechanical advancement of metropolitan urban communities have consistently brought about a development in populace and furthermore in the general increment of the size of civil strong waste created. The administration of metropolitan strong waste, if not took care of appropriately, will prompt different issues now and later on. Created nations on the planet have, to a huge degree prevailing with regards to taking care of their waste utilizing different standards and techniques. From appropriate assortment strategies to mechanically propelled removal techniques, they have ensured that metropolitan strong waste has been viably controlled in their urban areas. Lamentably, the equivalent can't be said about other creating nations of the world. Creating nations, for example, Nigeria are as yet doing combating with metropolitan strong waste administration. As an immediate consequence of the oil blast, Port Harcourt city, the capital of Rivers State, Nigeria (which is the contextual investigation of this examination work) has encountered a significant country urban relocation. The populace has nearly significantly increased throughout the years. This has, thus, prompted a gigantic increment in the sheer volume of strong waste created inside the city.. Around 168,201 tons of strong waste are created in the city of Port Harcourt consistently and squander removal has not been successfully dealt with. Inhabitants resort to aimless disposing of their loss at each given open door The most widely recognized methods for squander removal in the city by people in general are essentially by dumping the deny by the street, consuming the reject in the outdoors in their mixes, littering it straightforwardly on traffic intersections and furthermore dumping them in waterways and streams and seepage frameworks. These techniques for squander removal contribute significantly to the corruption of the earth from various perspectives. Be that as it may, next to no is done to reuse and reuse the strong waste created. Research shows that a gigantic level of the general population don't reuse and reuse their squanders which demonstrates that the mindfulness level of people in general about reuse and reusing of waste in Port Harcourt city is low and offers a ton of prospect for development. This examination in this way explores the reasons why appropriate waste removal strategies are ignored by occupants of Port Harcourt. It additionally tries to find why the strategy for Reuse and Recycle of waste isn't getting the mindfulness and Government bolster it enormously merits. Suggestions were made about systems that will permit the legislature and partners required to progress on present day techniques for squander Reuse and Recycling as a center part of metropolitan strong waste administration in the city. Using information grouped by means of surveys, it was accumulated that a lion's share of respondents concur that reuse and reusing of waste can decidedly affect the earth, make income and furthermore business openings. It observes the connection among reuse and reusing of strong waste as a way to make income and to at last accomplish supportable advancement later on. Part ONE Presentation Foundation OF STUDY As indicated by Shah (2000), strong waste is characterized as any material that is undesirable or discarded. The general network sees squander as something useless that ought to be obliterated or discarded. In that capacity, legitimate removal of waste has comprised gigantic removal issues. Individuals usually dump their family unit strong waste out and about side, unapproved dumpsites and unlawful landfills. This has achieved untold ecological contamination just as significant misfortunes in cultural turn of events (Mbata 2010). Squander all in all is a danger to the earth, in view of its negative natural effects that come about because of littering, dumping of squanders unlawfully, and ozone depleting substance outflows (Hosetti 2006). Squander defiles ground water and can cause genuine wellbeing risks if not took care of and oversaw appropriately. In creating nations like Nigeria and in reality Africa as a rule, modern advancement has improved the issues of fast urbanization. In Nigeria today, strong waste administration is one of the chief issues looked by the state and neighborhood government experts in Nigeria. Strong waste administration in Nigeria is fundamentally categorized by ineffectual assortment and removal strategies (Ogwueleka 2009). All things considered, Ogu (2000) saw that strong waste administration keeps on staying an imposing test to most creating nations. The movement of human advancement in creating countries, for example, Nigeria has incredibly improved waste age; making it considerably progressively complex to deal with (Jayarama, 2011). Attributable to the developing populace of Nigeria, the volume of waste delivered is additionally expanding in metropolitan urban areas like Port Harcourt, particularly as it is an oil creating region and the investigation of oil has prompted an expansion in development of individuals from provincial to urban zones (Odiba, 2009). This quick development of key urban communities in Nigeria, similar to Port Harcourt, has prompted the frailty of nature for the most part by local waste (Onyinlola, 2005). As indicated by UNEP (2009) populace development and industrialization has brought about fast increment in the sorts and volume of strong waste created in that. Research shows that migration of the individuals from provincial to urban zones doesn't just expand the income of the nation, yet in addition b uilds the complete volume of city strong waste created in such zones. (Adedokun, 2009). Metropolitan strong waste removal strategies are a viewpoint that brings genuine worry up in an underdeveloped nation, for example, Nigeria. The normal techniques for strong waste removal in certain nations particularly Nigeria is via landfill, open dumping in the city, and by consuming the loss in patios or in an open space. Lamentably, generally 65% of family unit squanders are dumped straight into waterways or streams in Nigeria (Rakshit 2009). The utilization of dumpsites and landfills as waste removal frameworks is one more typical methods for squander removal in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. This prompts negative natural effects, for example, the outflow of methane gas which contributes basically to a dangerous atmospheric devation and furthermore decreases the measure of land accessible for advancement (Olowomeye 2010). Dumping of waste in landfills likewise prompts ground water defilement of the whole encompassing zones. Okosun(2011) likewise saw that uncontrolled dumping of squand ers by side of the road brings about different wellbeing dangers and lessens the tasteful nature of the earth. Through research shows that the issues related with squander removal can be followed back to the fourteenth century when the littering of food squander and other strong squanders in the town prompted the flare-up of infections that caused the passing of half of the Europeans at that point (Bortoleto 2011). Throughout the years, examine has persistently demonstrated that the fundamental purpose behind strong waste issues in urban territories of creating countries is because of high populace development rates and the predominant neediness (Affun 2009). The financial and social development of a nation or city consistently brings about expanded creation and assembling exercises. This, thusly, prompts exercises that are interchangeable with human presence, for example, creation, fabricating, squander age and removal. As an immediate aftereffect of the procedures of assembling and removal of consumables, there is a critical increment of the pace of contamination. This exhausts significant characteristic assets and furthermore discharges harmful vitality which dirties the earth, making practical advancement difficult to accomplish. Manageability as a word has consistently been utilized in our regular dialect. As per Hideroni (2006) it is characterized in a viewpoint of regular ecological insurance, populace development and financial hole among created and creating nations. Economical improvement involves an ecologically far reaching, financially savvy and socially reasonable administration of strong waste (Roberts, 2003). Manageable advancement is a hypothesis that must be incorporated into the regular daily existences of the people in the event that we need to accomplish a superior personal satisfaction for our unborn kids (Dernbach, 2002). In the chronicles of the International Council for Local Initiatives(ICLI),sustainable improvement is to such an extent that gives ecological, social and monetary conveniences to all residents of the general public without upsetting the ability of the common assembled social frameworks whereupon the conveyance of these administrations rely upon. The principle point of econo mical improvement is to recover the seriously harmed condition and guarantee that ages unborn don't confront the antagonistic impacts of our disregard on the earth. In this way, strong waste administration in light of supportable advancement urges nations to create less waste, re-utilize most consumables, reuse and attempt their most extreme best to recoup and reuse all the waste delivered, along these lines guaranteeing that the group of people yet to come are not influenced by the effects of the present age (Mbata 2010). Economical improvement is an idea that should be taken into consideration for powerful waste administration. With respect to this, nations everywhere throughout the world including Nigeria, are endeavoring to accomplishing supportability (Hasheela, 2009). Consequently, all essential advances and safeguards ought to be taken to accomplish this objective Issue STATEMENT Having a populace of over 165million individuals and a yearly development pace of 5.6%, Nigeria is viewed as the biggest nation in Africa. Development pace of urban territories in Nigeria has expanded from 25% in 1975 to 46% in 1995(George,2010) Estimates by the World Bank show that constantly 2005, over 65% of Nigerians would have moved to urban regions, for example, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Delta, Calabar and Abuja (Alkali, 2005). The reason for this movement is basically because of oil investigation exercises of oil organizations in these zones. Subsequently, the squanders created from these zones have been on the expansion and its removal and viable administration is a gigantic test to the governme

Making Academic Writing More Digestible

Making Academic Writing More Digestible Academic research provides the basis for many different texts written for many different purposes. Marketing campaigns, proposals, essays â€" they commonly begin with a writer pouring through pages of research, looking through all the numbers, and determining which needles to pull out of the haystack of jargon and methodology. Learning how to understand and sift through the data and protocol descriptions is often a key talent of the best writers. In this case, knowing how to adapt the academic 4-course meal into a more easily digestible snack becomes crucial in reaching a wide range of people, interests, and reading levels.As with any effective medium, writing requires consideration of the audience. A general audience requires less jargon â€" and fewer technical details â€" than a specialized audience expects. Therefore, the first thing to keep in mind is that when adapting academic text, audience engagement is crucial. Most writers will readily admit: academic writing isnt exactly t he most exciting (or easy) read. So how does a writer adapt academic writing to get the message across in the right way, and to an expanded audience?This can be done in several ways. The easiest is to pretend that you are explaining the research publication to a friend. How would you describe the gist of the study, and more importantly, what highlights would you choose to point out to be the most convincing data from the research? Would you use words like therefore and furthermore, or would you opt for a more conversational tone? These questions are important to take into account before beginning a rough draft, and should be revisited at the various stages of the editing and final draft process.Making academic writing more digestible is not only a matter of shortening sentences and removing jargon â€" it involves being able to quickly get to the heart of the matter. While a marketers first impulse might be to simply reword the abstract to achieve this goal, the abstract rarely conta ins the specifics of the studys goals and aims, or even the exact statistics revealed. These factors are crucial in engaging a more general audience, because they will be the concerns that drive the purpose of the adapted text in the first place.Beyond these general considerations, there are specific tasks a writer can focus on to make the process of adapting an academic text a smoother one.Relax on the formalitiesSome grammar rules are accepted (at least for now) as being set in stone. Take, for example, run-on sentences. Fiction authors get away with it, but I have yet to see any non-fiction writers or copywriters pull it off. Ending with a sentence or clause with a preposition, however â€" thats an entirely different story.When adapting academic writing for a broader audience, the following grammar rules can be relaxed, making the text seem less stuffy and nondescript.Semicolon usage â€" semicolons most often connect two independent thoughts and tend to make sentences more convol uted. Its best to avoid them entirely, if possible.Avoiding contractions â€" most academic writers shy away from contractions, especially sense writing in passive voice tends to circumvent them, anyway. To adapt an academic text to a more mainstream audience, contractions are fine, and can be useful in giving the writing a more approachable voice.Referencing the source of every fact â€" the research approval and monitoring process demands that researchers state every source theyve taken from in their writing. This is such a focus within academic circles that researchers must almost be overly cautious about making a statement of fact or relevant theory that isnt referenced by previous studies.A lot can be learned from the appendixThe graphs and charts that are usually included in the Appendix of a research publication are often quick, visual indicators of the findings of the study. You can reference these by looking at the end of the paper, after the References or Bibliography sectio n. Bar charts and graphs are often used, or mapped webs to show hierarchical relationships and connections. Researchers are required to make these easily understandable, with applicable keys included, making them a great resource for beginning a scaled-down adaptation.Pay attention to the abstract, but dont use the same languageThis one is important. Abstracts are purposefully written to summarize the framework and methodology of the research. The language used is succinct, formulated, and chocked full of terminology that is edited specifically for removing wordiness and unnecessary language.The abstract is also typically written with a lot of passive verbs. Below is a common passive sentence you may find in a research abstract:The researchers found…The trick to modifying this statement is to simply state the findings of the research. Instead of The researchers found that 63% of employees reacted positively to a career ladder incentive plan, instead explain that, This career ladde r incentive plan works â€" and the research proves it! The specific details can always be included in footnotes in case the reader wants to fact check.PowerPointThe above information also applies well when attempting to convert research into PowerPoint presentations. This type of writing is becoming a common task as modern workplaces are focusing professional development on data driven strategies.In fact, the commonly accepted grammar rules for PowerPoint slides are often even more lax than those of informal business correspondence. Bullet points are preferred to complete sentences, and end punctuation is sporadic.

The Age Of Enlightenment By Voltaire - 1572 Words

1. Do some research on Voltaire and his beliefs as well as the era in which he wrote, which was the Age of Enlightenment. Be sure to cite your sources of information. The Age of Enlightenment occurred from the 1620s until the 1780s. This movement began in England, and steadily spread almost worldwide before long. The term Enlightenment was used to contrast the Dark Ages, a time in which innovation and free-thinking was at an all-time low. Voltaire’s French philosophy included free-thinking and the struggle for defense of civil liberties, in which he uses almost every known literary form, including novels, poetry, and performance art such as plays. His intellectual skepticism of traditional beliefs and dogmas denotes an â€Å"illumined† contrast to the supposed dark and superstitious character of the Middle Ages. http://www.pbs.org/faithandreason/gengloss/enlight-body.html 2. Satire is a literary genre in which human vices, folly, and flaws are ridiculed or mocked, often with the intention bringing about change. How do Voltaire use techniques such as irony, sarcasm, and understatement for his satirical purposes? Give some examples from throughout the book. Voltaire uses irony and satire in many different situations during the story. A prime example of these literary forms can be found in the form of religion, for example when the Catholic Inquisitor speaks against his own ideals and keeps a mistress, and a Franciscan friar who operates as a jewel thief, even thoughShow MoreRelatedVoltaire s Theory Of The Age Of Enlightenment848 Words   |  4 Pagescommonly known as Voltaire was born November 21, 1699, in Paris, France. He was a French philosopher, historian and writer of the Age of Enlightenment. He valued the right to have your own thoughts as well as the ability to change religion. Even though he was a complex person, he was highly intelligent, humorous and his writing style made him one of France s greatest writers and philosophers. He supported social reform, including freedom of religion, civil rights and free trade. Voltaire had a rough relationshipRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment By Voltaire And Economist Adam Smith844 Words   |  4 Pages The Age of Enlightenment brought forth some of history’s greatest philosophers who introduced and provided the arguments for contemporary thought and social systems in continued use today. Although historians consider the ideas of natural rights and separation of powers in democracies of the highest order of importance, the economic theories developed by the leading thinkers of the era pervade daily life in all societies. The idea of wealth is timeless, but philosopher Voltaire and economist AdamRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment Ideas Lead To Hypocrisy In Candide By Voltaire1592 Words   |  7 Pages Did Age of Enlightenment ideas lead to hypocrisy in Candide? The â€Å"Age of Reason†, during Europe was a time in history where people started to confide in eachother and themselves when it came to reason and logic; and it was a period when creative ability came to light and it was encouraged. This paper will examine Voltaire s Candide and the way Voltaire mocks religion and how this outlines Enlightenment thought. A decent approach to portray Candide may be the ethical quality play by VoltaireRead MoreVoltaire s Candide : A Critique Of Politics And Religion During The Age Of Enlightenment1500 Words   |  6 Pages When Franà §ois-Marie Arouet, better known by his pen-name Voltaire, secretly published Candide, ou l Optimisme simultaneously in five European countries in January of 1759, it was met with widespread denouncement due to its controversial content and scandalous portrayal of politics and religion. Nevertheless, the bitingly satirical novel fervently spread throughout Europe and was translated into several more languages, selling tens of thousands of copies within its first year of publication (Barnes)Read More Age of Reason Essay example1161 Words   |  5 Pages An Age of Reason â€Å"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.† This brief quotation was spoken by the famous writer and philosopher Voltaire; I believe it vaguely points out that some people are full of absurd ideas, and for others to follow such nonsense is foolish. The quote is just a taste of Voltaire’s wisdom and knowledge of the world, during the Age of Reason. The Age of Reason or The Enlightenment is defined as a change in not just a way of thinkingRead MoreThe Age Of Enlightenment And The Scientific Revolution1675 Words   |  7 Pagesleap forward in human development, the Age of Enlightenment delivered the greatest influence for the future American society and planted the way for cultural and humanistic enrichment. The Age of the Enlightenment raised new concepts in education, democracy, and human freedom. The new humanistic philosophy promoted the polish of the human intelligence and made education a longing that lasted in the following ce nturies. Names like John Locke, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, and many more, contributedRead MoreEssay on Candide: a Satire on the Enlightenment604 Words   |  3 PagesCandide is an outlandishly humorous, far-fetched tale by Voltaire satirizing the optimism espoused by the philosophers of the Age of Enlightenment. It is the story of a young mans adventures throughout the world, where he witnesses much evil and disaster. Throughout his travels, he adheres to the teachings of his tutor, Pangloss, believing that all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds. Candide is Voltaires answer to what he saw as an absurd belief proposed by the Optimists - anRead MoreThe And Candide Essays : Practical Reason Triumphs Logic1382 Words   |  6 Pagesin the eyes of those who believed in the enlightenment. Moliere and Voltaire were both influential writers who strongly represented the enlightenment beliefs in their works Tartuffe and Candide. The enlightenment brought up a r ather youthful philosophy in the early seventeenth century. This philosophy focused on reason and good sense more so than common knowledge. The upper class believed they were the only group that could obtain knowledge; the enlightenment questioned this belief. This new idea helpedRead MoreCandide Essay example579 Words   |  3 PagesCandide Candide, written by Voltaire during the 18th century is a celebrated novel known for its strong criticism of the Middle Ages and Enlightenment expressed by Voltaire. During the transformation from the Middle Ages to The Enlightenment, social, religious and political ideas were rejected and emphasis was placed on rationalism. Three examples of this notion that are expressed in Candide are as follows. Social conduct that was normally practiced during the 18th century was thrown out ofRead MoreReligion, Politics and Morals in Voltaire’s Candide1300 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"Religion, Politics and Morals† How did Voltaire exploit the pre-modern era through mockery and criticism of 18th century society? Voltaire’s Candide can be understood in several ways by its audience. At a first glance it would appear to be simply a story blessed with outrageous creativity, but if you look deeper in to the novel, a more complicated and meaningful message is buried within. Voltaire uses the adventures of Candide as a representation of what he personally feels is wrong within in society

When Speaking Of Mexico In Relation To Its Experience With

When speaking of Mexico in relation to its experience with the United States not many are aware of or want to acknowledge the dark underbelly of foreign affairs between the two. From the very beginning of the creation of the newly settled United States, they have been in constant disagreement and forced negotiations. This, very prominently, has caused an almost constant tension between the neighboring countries that has shaped a molded both cultures, economies, and societal norms into what they are today. The discovery of certain historical milestones truly uncovers what kind of an impact the two have had on each other, as well as in what ways they have had to change to live as peacefully as possible. The effort to maintain serene†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"This did Mexico develop its culture of resistance, a fierce pride in lo mexicano and resentment of U.S. depredations.† The resistance would not stop there. A comparable interaction between the Mexican government and that of the United States would be the implication of NAFTA which was a trade agreement signed by Canada, the U.S. and Mexico eliminating tariffs on imports/exports and disbarring trade barriers. The United States intention was for NAFTA to secure the Southern border, secure the access to petroleum investments already existing in Mexico, and corroborate political support from Mexico in the never-ending democratic crusade the United States feels entitled to. â€Å"Despite its title, NAFTA was not primarily concerned with ‘free trade’. By 1990, tariff and even nontariff barriers to U.S.-Mexican commerce were already low. NAFTA was concerned primarily with investment.† NAFTA also not so coincidentally didn’t mention anything about undocumented workers coming into the U.S. This evidence proves that NAFTA’s purposes were indeed set on stability of investments. Mexico’s actions also point to that of seeking stability. The Mexican government sought social peace through the lifting of tariffs and negotiating with the U.S. NAFTA also gave the president at the time, Carlos Salinas de Govtari, an opportunity to advance his economicShow MoreRelatedCultural Relations Are Historically Filled With Conflict1298 Words   |  6 Pages Intra-cultural relations are historically filled with conflict; and to deal with this conflict: Gloria Anzaldua’s concepts of opposing cultures and language barriers, John Locke’s Equality theory, and Kwame Anthony Appiah’s global citizenship theory explores the issue and works towards better relations. According to Anzaldua, people are not of one culture, but in several cases, several clashing, distinct cultures. Anzaldua argues that language is part of our identity, and it is a barrier betweenRead MoreRelationship Between Spanish And English Language879 Words   |  4 Pages1) - which has led to the identification, or incr eased recognition, of various specific phenomena in language change, including lexical borrowing, convergence, phonological changes and structural transfer. The aim of this essay is to explore, in relation to Spanish-English contact situations, how language contact engenders linguistic development. By firstly examining the different situations in which Spanish and English come into contact, we can then discuss the different types of language changeRead Moreindex.html Mexico Location Mexico is bordered by the United States to the north and Guatemala and900 Words   |  4 Pagesindex.html Mexico Location Mexico is bordered by the United States to the north and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast. In the east is the Gulf of Mexico. The center of Mexico is a great plateau with mountain chains on the east and west and also with ocean low lands. History of Mexico Three great civilizations the Mayas, the Olmecs and the Toltecs previous the Aztec empire, conquered in 1519–1521 by the Spanish under Hernando Cortà ©s. Spain ruled Mexico until Sept. 16, 1810, when the MexicansRead MoreThe Importance Of Globalization838 Words   |  4 Pagesbetween countries, which has been a key aspect of globalization from its beginning, works as a way to fuel the economies of the countries involved as well as strengthen and/or harbor the political relations between them. This allows people from different countries all around the world to have similar experiences as well as an access to a variety of the same resources that would not be possible without an interconnectedness between them. Globalization, for its different aspects, has both its fans and itsRead MoreGraduation Speech : Math And Math997 Words   |  4 PagesOften, when people ask me about my major they make a face at my response. Math. Why on earth would anyone ever want to study math? The ir response, however doesn t discourage me. Rather, it encourages me to work harder at understanding math so that one day I can teach it in such a way that others understand. I was homeschooled until the second half of my sophomore year. I can clearly remember my freshman year sitting at the kitchen table attempting to understand what my mother called a simple conceptRead MoreThe Language Of International Business Essay1741 Words   |  7 PagesAt the beginning of all times civilization stared to move to other countries in order to trade, and time passed they understood that in other villages they did not have the same language. When speakers started to trade, they communicate using their own language and adopting some words from the others as a result of the mix of this two â€Å"languages† it is known as a â€Å"pidgin†. Currently the society needs a language that acts as a universal language or â€Å"lingua franca† it means it is the language thatRead MoreCu ltural Pluralism And Its Effects On American Culture1490 Words   |  6 Pagesrecently, studies by the Pew Charitable Trust demonstrate that the number of illegal immigrants from Mexico entering the United States has actually been declining, resulting in a net negative number of Mexican immigrants entering the United States. Reasons for this trend include the Great Recession of 2008, and an improving economy in Mexican, making it more attractive for Mexicans to stay in Mexico. In addition, stepped-up U.S. border enforcement has reduced the likelihood of success for enteringRead MoreNorth Americas Comparative Advantage1458 Words   |  6 PagesOn October 13, 2015, the Universal Corporation hosted the 21st annual International Business Forum in the University Student Commons Ballroom, which was sponsored by the Virginia Commonwealth University School of Business every year when the forum is organized. The International Business Forum has been established by VCU in 1994 with the supp ort of both private and public organizations from Richmond and Central Virginia. Each year, the forum has been supported through generous grants from the UniversalRead MoreThe Hispanic-American Experience1695 Words   |  7 Pagesbetter life for themselves and for their families. For most Hispanic-Americans, the goal was the same. Hispanic-Americans come from a variety of different Spanish-speaking countries. Just as the wave of immigrants from Europe came to the United States of America in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Hispanics came from places like Mexico, South and Central America, and the Caribbean Islands. Although everyone came with the same goal in mind, to make sure their families would have a better life in aRead MorePersonal Statement : Professional Profile887 Words   |  4 Pagesstrong rapport and fostering exceptional interpersonal communication. My ability to keep students engaged has allowed me to relay information to an attentive and receptive audience. To the same extent, my TESOL certification and my former pastoral experience allows me to anticipate the needs of my students and design meaningful and effective coursework based on such needs. To further my abilities as a mentor and teacher, I have frequented leadership development seminars focusing on conflict management

Enron Free Essays

The Enron scandal has far-reaching political and financial implications. In just 15 years, Enron grew from nowhere to be America’s seventh largest company, employing 21,000 staff in more than 40 countries. But the firm’s success turned out to have involved an elaborate scam. We will write a custom essay sample on Enron or any similar topic only for you Order Now Enron lied about its profits and stands accused of a range of shady dealings, including concealing debts so they didn’t show up in the company’s accounts. As the depth of the deception unfolded, investors and creditors retreated, forcing the firm into Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December. More than six months after a criminal inquiry was announced, the guilty parties have still not been brought to justice. Leaders Leadership is critical to the creation and maintenance of culture; there is a constant interplay between culture and leadership. Leaders create the mechanisms for cultural embedding and reinforcement. Cultural norms arise and change because of what leaders tend to focus their attention on, their reactions to crises, their role modeling, and their recruitment strategies. Referring to Enron, the major mistake made by leaders are as follows: Compensation Programs As in most other U. S. companies, Enron’s management was heavily compensated using stock options. Heavy use of stock option awards linked to short-term stock price may explain the focus of Enron’s management on creating expectations of rapid growth and its efforts to puff up reported earnings to meet Wall Street’s expectations. The stated intent of stock options is to align the interests of management with shareholders. But most programs award sizable option grants based on short-term accounting performance, and there are typically few requirements for managers to hold stock purchased through option programs for the long term. The experience of Enron, along with many other firms in the last few years, raises the possibility that stock compensation programs as currently designed can motivate managers to make decisions that pump up short-term stock performance, but fail to create medium- or long-term value (Hall and Knox, 2002). Dishonestly concealed debt and overstated earnings. Management t Enron Corp. admitted it overstated earnings for nearly five years. In an SEC filing, Enron said financial statements from 1997 through the third quarter of 2001 â€Å"should not be relied upon, and that outside businesses run by Enron officials during that period should have been included in the company’s earnings reports. As a result, Enron is reducing earnings for those years by $586 million, from $2. 89 billion to $2. 31 billion. The company also acknowledged that part of earnings came from deals with partnerships controlled by recently sacked CFO Andrew Fastow. These transactions are already being investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission. Enron said these deals enabled Fastow to earn more than $30 million. Enron also conceded that three entities run by company officials should have been included in its financial statements, based on generally accepted accounting principles. In addition, the company revised its debt upward in each year from 1997 to 2000. As a result, Enron’s debt at the end of 2000 was $10. 86 billion, $628 million more than previously reported. Enron’s Performance Review System. PRC featured two basic motivational forces – fear and greed. Skilling wanted to keep only â€Å"the very best,† meaning those who produced their profit and volume target– so every six months one or two out of every ten employees were dismissed. In pitting employees against each other, the rank-and rank System acted to stress the imagined weaknesses of individuals and to obfuscate organizational problems. In sum, this led to an erosion of employee confidence in their own perceptions and, most crucially, to further compliance with the organization’s leaders in a way that strengthened conformist behavior. In practice, the PRC system worked to encourage â€Å"entourages† or â€Å"fiefdoms† (Dallas 2003) of loyal employees who gravitated towards powerful players for protection. The PRC was a powerful mechanism for preventing the emergence of subcultures running counter to the organizational tone set by Enron’s hierarchy. Members of the Risk Management and Assessment Group who reviewed the terms and conditions of deals (and who were largely inexperienced recent MBA graduates) as well as internal auditors, were fearful of retaliation in the PRC from persons whose deals they were reviewing (Chaffin and Fidler 2002; Dallas 2003). At best, control was compliance-based, seldom encouraging employees to follow either the letter or the intent of laws (Dallas 2003). This punitive environment brought the consequences of dissent sharply into focus. Enron’s culture has been characterized as â€Å"ruthless and reckless †¦ lavish rewards on those who played the game, while persecuting those who raised objections† (Chaffin and Fidler 2002, 4-5). Led by Skilling’s cavalier attitude to rules, top management conveyed the impression that all that mattered was for employees to book profits. In sum, this led to an erosion of employees’ confidence in their own perceptions and, most crucially, to further compliance with the organization’s leaders in a way that strengthened conformist behavior. Former employees have noted how â€Å"loyalty required a sort of group think† (Chaffin and Fidler 2002, 2) and â€Å"that you had to ‘keep drinking the Enron water’† (Stephens and Behr 2002, 2). A myth of smooth, flawless operations was perpetuated with problems â€Å"papered over† (McLean 2001, 58). The net effect of the rank-and-yank system was to decrease the likelihood that employees would raise objections to any illegal or unethical behavior of powerful players. The competitiveness the PRC created was exacerbated by Enron’s bonus regime. As one insider put it, â€Å"sure, the culture at Enron was treacherous, but that was the point† (Swartz and Watkins 2003, 56). Ultimately, the overestimation of profits and underestimation of costs was endemic to the organization. The cheat on debt and financial report lead to character erosion which destroys the image of this company and loss of business and social standing. The harsh policy alliance the relationship between managers and ordinary workers, make well-intentioned employees were inhibited from doing the right thing. Board Board of Directors in Enron’s collapse concluded that the firm had developed a pervasive culture of deception (Senate Subcommittee 2002). As such it was designed and operating at the level of connivance. CEO Lay used direct force to fire any possible successor with whom he disagreed and either he or other top Enron managers used indirect force to deceive and manipulate employees and other stakeholders for top executive advantage. Whatever standard operating procedures were developed at the level of conformance were honored only to the extent that they did not infringe upon executive perks or interfere with top executives exercising a type of feudal control over internal subjects. When external compliance threatened to restrict Enron corporate prerogatives, aggressive tactics to reduce or liminate regulatory standards were routinely employed. The extent and degree to which illegal non-compliance was the cultural norm at Enron will be determined in the courts. Enron did not reach the commitment level; it never democratized its power structures so that employee and community input could shape strategic direction or restrain executive perks. For all intents and purposes, the work culture of Enron was that of a moral jungle where abuse of power dominated principled economic democratic norms; it was a moral powder keg ready to explode. (1) Fiduciary Failure.  The Enron Board of Directors failed to safeguard Enron shareholders and contributed to the collapse of the seventh largest public company in the United States, by allowing Enron to engage in high risk accounting, inappropriate conflict of interest transactions, extensive undisclosed off-the-books activities, and excessive executive compensation. The Board witnessed numerous indications of questionable practices by Enron management over several years, but chose to ignore them to the detriment of Enron shareholders, employees and business associates. 2) High Risk Accounting. The Enron Board of Directors knowingly allowed Enron to engage in high risk accounting practices. (3) Inappropriate Conflicts of Interest. Despite clear conflicts of interest, the Enron Board of Directors approved an unprecedented arrangement allowing Enron’s Chief Financial Officer to establish and operate the LJM private equity funds which transacted business with Enron and profited at Enron’s expense.  The Board exercised inadequate oversight of LJM transaction and compensation controls and failed to protect Enron shareholders from unfair dealing. (4) Extensive Undisclosed Off-The-Books Activity. The Enron Board of Directors knowingly allowed Enron to conduct billions of dollars in off-the-books activity to make its financial condition appear better than it was and failed to ensure adequate public disclosure of material off-the-books liabilities that contributed to Enron’s collapse. (5) Excessive Compensation.  The Enron Board of Directors approved excessive compensation for company executives, failed to monitor the cumulative cash drain caused by Enron’s 2000 annual bonus and performance unit plans, and failed to monitor or halt abuse by Board Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Lay of a company-financed, multi-million dollar, personal credit line. (6) Lack of Independence. The independence of the Enron Board of Directors was compromised by financial ties between the company and certain Board members. The Board also failed to ensure the independence of the company’s auditor, allowing Andersen to provide internal audit and consulting services while serving as Enron’s Outside Accountants/Auditors Andersen’s auditors were pressured by Enron’s management to defer recognizing the charges from the special purpose entities as their credit risks became clear. Since the entities would never return a profit, accounting guidelines required that Enron should take a write-off, where the value of the entity was removed from the balance sheet at a loss. To pressure Andersen into meeting Enron’s earnings expectations, Enron would occasionally allow accounting firms Ernst Young or PricewaterhouseCoopers to complete accounting tasks to create the illusion of hiring a new firm to replace Andersen. Although Andersen was equipped with internal controls to protect against conflicted incentives of local partners, they failed to prevent conflict of interest. Revelations concerning Andersen’s overall performance led to the break-up of the firm, and to the following assessment by the Powers Committee (appointed by Enron’s board to look into the firm’s accounting in October 2001): â€Å"The evidence available to us suggests that Andersen did not fulfill its professional responsibilities in connection with its audits of Enron’s financial statements, or its obligation to bring to the attention of Enron’s Board (or the Audit and Compliance Committee) concerns about Enron’s internal contracts over the related-party transactions†. Ethical Code/Process Enron senior management gets a failing grade on truth and disclosure. The purpose of ethics is to enable recognition of how a particular situation will be perceived. At a certain level, it hardly matters what the courts decide. Enron is bankrupt—which is what happened to the company and its officers before a single day in court. But no company engaging in similar practices can derive encouragement for any suits that might be terminated in Enron’s favor. The damage to company reputation through a negative perception of corporate ethics has already been done. Enron’s top managers chose stakeholder deception and short-term financial gains for themselves, which destroyed their personal, and business reputations and their social standing. They all risk criminal and civil prosecution that could lead to imprisonment and/or bankruptcy. Board members were similarly negligent by failing to provide sufficient oversight and restraint to top management excesses, thereby further harming investor and public interests (Senate Subcommittee 2002). Individual and institutional investors lost millions of dollars because they were misinformed about the firm’s financial performance reality through questionable accounting practices (Lorenzetti 2002). Employees were deceived about the firm’s actual financial condition and deprived of the freedom to diversify their retirement portfolios; they had to stand by helplessly while their retirement savings evaporated at the same time that top managers cashed in on their lucrative stock options (Jacobius and Anand 2001). The government was also harmed because America’s political tradition of chartering only corporations that serve the public good was violated by an utter lack of economic democratic protections from the massive public stakeholder harms caused by aristocratic abuses of power that benefited select wealthy elite. How to cite Enron, Essay examples

personal statement Essay Example

personal statement Essay personal statement BY kit-li96 Prompt #1 Step back, relax, and I will you take on a Journey. A Journey into the past, of which made me the person I am today. A childhood not so bright, but one of a very promising future. There have been times of struggle, sacrifices, and hardships, but at the end of the day What doesnt kill us can only make us stronger This name carries generations of family history and culture, NigistiAzeb Retta Adane Retta Kesaun Yelow Selassie. I was born on September 22, 1996, in Black Lion Hospital (Ethiopia). The daughter of Kiros Meresa, and Retta Adane, I was born into a olitical family, with relations to the last Emperor Haile Selassie. Most of my life I had no clue to who my dad really was. I met him for the first time when I moved to America, in 2001 with my mother. My father had an affair and contracted HIV, and died 7 years later. But, the first six months coming into the country, we were left with little money, and no place to live. The first few months the church placed us in women shelters, which allowed me to start going to school. Even though I was young I knew I had to learn English as soon as possible to teach my mother. We will write a custom essay sample on personal statement specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on personal statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on personal statement specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer I learned what a good work ethic was through my mother. When we first came here we had nothing, but she some how managed to get us from living in a womans shelter to a 2- bedroom apartment within a year. As I reflect upon my childhood, I see a caring, underweight five year old that suffered constant abuse from others. I see a girl lost, stumbling over to her principals office to have their weekly meeting with Social Services. Seeing my mother work day and night in order to support the two of us, I learned how to handle, and adapt to different situations. Later on in my sophomore year of high school my friend thought it would be a good idea to Join the Blairs poetry club. It was there that I learned how to forgive, keep faith and move on through poetry. It has allowed me to be the person I am today, open- minded, sympathetic being with a lot of hope and ambition. On the plus side I learned being involved in the community is also therapeutic. Working in a government subsidized building, I really got to help the children overcome the same situations I was in. , and lead them on to a path of a bright future. Many of whom I still keep in contact with today, and are thriving in school. As class president taking initiative, and being a school leader has helped me build confidence. I have dreams of one day creating my own lifestyle brand. That will extend far beyond clothing, magazines, blogs, anything I can get my hands on. I will become a household name in business, and fashion. Still, I will use the success of my brand to truly make an impact in the world. To one day be able to stand up for our social, economical, and cultural rights. I know that to achieve dreams. I must apply myself in education. Soon I will be getting my diploma, and my dream of going to college is becoming more real. I plan on getting a marketing degree, and minors in communications and public relations. I have high goals, and plans to achieve them all. Robert Frost once said, two roads diverged into a yellow wood, and sorry I could not take both, with that being said regardless of what life throws out at me, I know failure will not be the path I lead. Prompt #2 In the movie Pursuit of Happyiness Chris Gardner tells his son, Dont ever let omeone tell you, you cant do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People cant do something themselves, they want to tell you, you cant do it. You want something, go get it. Period. This summer, I had the opportunity to intern at the Robert Rodriguez Collection, a contemporary womans clothing line. I heard of the program, Discovery Internships, through my counselor. The program offers guaranteed internships in the field of choice, and college credit. Its a great opportunity but quite expensive. I knew it was too much to ask of my mother, about 7000 but I could not pass up on it. This was my sophomore year so I had a year to come up with the money. I gathered a group of friends and together through donations, car washes, and bake sales etc. We came up with almost $5500. My mother was impressed and kindly gave me check for $1500. Soon from there I applied, spoke with Aaron the Internship coordinator and was accepted immediately. Overall I feel that the whole experience from fundraising to working 10-4 taught me basic skills on being on my own. Learning how to manage my time, and how to prioritize. As clich? © as it may sound the bigger lesson I learned is no matter what obstacles may face you, if you really want something you persevere and work your way around it. I could have never imagined myself staying home another summer being idle. From the second I heard about this opportunity I Jumped on it. In a way I proved to myself that when I really set a goal for myself, I could find the means to achieve it. I felt fearless, and strong something I can show the girls I mentor and I am proud of that. I have definitely grown as person because of this experience, and ready to take on the world.