Did the Constitutional Treaty Answer the Laeken Questions Essay

Did the Constitutional Treaty Answer the Laeken Questions - Essay Example The main matters dealt with during the Laeken Council held in Belgium included new measures in the area of Justice and Home Affairs which emphasized on the European Arrest Warrant, a common definition of terrorism, and the European Justice the seats of 10 new EU agencies. As a guide for the citizen's expectations raised in the summit, poll evidence in other countries suggest that the citizens want a more effective EU in terms of foreign and security policy, environment and a more clear fight against organized crime. September 11th has stretched the pace of integration of external and internal security. The treaty's provisions in the internal security policies is the "affirmation on the respect for human dignity, freedom, equality, the rule and respect for human rights including minorities, non-discrimination and equality between men and women"3. Common policies on border checks; asylum and immigration are provided under the treaty where cooperation is expected on judicial matters and police implementation scheme. Under this power, the Commission will have the power to take the member states to court for "failure to implement legislation on most justice matters like infringement procedures"4. The treaty is aiming to facilitate recognition of judgments and judicial decisions in criminal matter having a cross-border dimension. Such rules may cover mutual recognition and admissibility of evidence between member states in their criminal procedures. The Council acting by an unanimous vote with its members intends to specifically address crimes like terrorism, trafficking of humans and sexual exploitation, drug trade and arms, money laundering, corruption, counterfeit, computer and organised crime. The concerns specifically expressed regarding security measures were catered for in the treaty. The Constitutional Treaty has addressed the several questions raised during the Laeken council but the new solidarity clause specifies that any member state which becomes a victi m to a terrorist attack or other disaster will receive assistance from other member states. The question on the clear distinction on the exclusive competence of the Union and the member states and the particular the powers assigned by the treaties to the union was raised. The European convention in answer has submitted a proposal that underlines "a catalog of competences is not the aim of the exercise and that the five countries prefer a flexible approach to the issue of competences, but explicitly stating that the Union has no competences other than those conferred on it by the Member States through the treaties"5. More precisely, the powers of the EU may be widespread but is also narrow where exclusive competence is nowhere defined. There is no rigid demarcation line between the EU and its member states. Where EU and its member states have a more forceful power in trade and monetary policies- in other aspects it is playing second fiddle to the member states. Where EU enjoys no general competence and nobody is arguing that it requires one, "the five member states propose t he creation of a new political body, consisting of national parliamentarians mandated by the council, to ensure scrutiny of proposals by EU institutions"6. For the most part, as a proposing body a

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay Example for Free

Chipotle Mexican Grill Essay I. Key Problem What Steven Ells began with a small taqueria in Denver, Colorado in 1993, one may not have foreseen this venture to become the fastest growing restaurant chain in the last decade. By 2006, Ells’ idea made its initial public offering with 535 restaurants throughout the world. Things were going tremendously well for CMG until late afternoon on October 18, 2012 when Ells finished receiving the company’s third quarter results. While data indicated an overall satisfactory outcome, it was the competition from Yum Brands’ Taco Bell and their recent launch of the Cantina Bell menu that would result in what seemed to be the onset of a major problem. Taco Bell had now become a major competitor to Chipotle since the launch of their new Cantina Bell menu allowing them to enter into the fast-casual segment in offering similar ingredients and items as Chipotle had. At the same time CMG paid a significant amount more for their products forcing them to charge a higher price on their menu items. Taco Bell, however, now offered similar items for half the price. The bottom line: competition was the root of this problem. The fact that Chipotle menu prices were higher as compared to that of Taco Bell’s new menu would lead to consumers or normally loyal customers to give the Cantina Bell menu a try. After the launch of the Cantina Bell menu in the summer of 2012, CMG stock significantly declined just after third quarter results were announced. To add insult to injury, Jeff Einhorn, a hedge fund leader, presented at the Value Investors Conference in New York City proclaiming that CMG was an attractive stock for short-sellers because of the considerable competition from Taco Bell. He further stated, â€Å"23% of Chipotle customers had already tried Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu†¦and two-thirds of those customers indicated they would return. What’s more, the customers most likely to return to Taco Bell were also those most likely to eat at Chipotle, a dynamic that indicates to me that Chipotle is most at risk of losing its frequent customers.† This message led to CMG’s stock falling by more than 4% within hours of the conclusion of the presentation. The announcement of projected increases in food costs on the part of CMG also contributed to the competition between them and Taco Bell. While Chipotle stood by its belief that it is â€Å"Food with Integrity† because of better ingredients, the Cantina Bell menu produced something similar while lowering the cost a customer would have to pay for a meal, therefore, causing further competition between the two. II. Relevant Theory By looking at the items offered on the Cantina Bell menu versus those on Chipotle’s menu, I determined that they both have a competitive advantage. Chipotle is a premium product offered at a higher price where it reaches a broader market share that is willing to pay more money. On the other hand, Taco Bell’s main strategic course is cost leadership which enables them to reach a broader market share with a lower price for the desired item. As shown on Example 1 the Competitive Advantage and Economic Value Created are somewhat different between the two companies. Since Chipotle offers a better quality of ingredients, consumers are willing to pay a higher price. As a result, creating a higher Value (V) for a burrito is at the same time creating a greater economic value (Value-Cost.) Meanwhile the economic value created by Taco Bell is smaller since the value of their product is less and consumer’s maximum willingness to pay will be lower. Example 1 Since Yum Brands launching of the new Cantina Bell menu, this new organic ingredient-driven list of selections has been a pretty obvious attempt to compete with fast casual giant Chipotle. This is what has become the major concern for Chipotle where competition is becoming fierce and for practically half the price the Cantina Bell menu is a definite value. However, you do get what you pay for and the overall quality and taste of Chipotle still has a slightly greater edge over Taco Bell. The value someone will be willing to pay for a Taco Bell burrito will be less than the value Chipotle has created with their better quality ingredients, hence creating a greater economic value. III. Assessment of Alternatives How could Chipotle effectively approach their key problem which is Taco Bell’s new Cantina Bell menu? What seems to be the main concern for Chipotle is that Taco Bell is trying to provide a similar product for half the price. Some of the alternatives available to Chipotle to are: †¢ Buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) †¢ Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does †¢ Continue doing what they do best and differentiate themselves Should Chipotle buy low cost goods to reduce prices using Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), it would allow them to offer menu items at a lower cost to the consumer providing greater competition between them and Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu. However, in doing so would contradict their philosophy of providing the best quality ingredients in their food. In doing so, it will change CMG’s strategy from being a premium product and higher price to a cost leadership strategy and at the same time reducing the value of its product. Another option could be to offer a smaller burrito for a smaller price, or to include less amounts of meat as Taco Bell does in its Cantina Bell menu. This would also allow for cost effectiveness on both the consumer and Chipotle’s side, however, it would go against CMG’s mission statement of being â€Å"Food with Integrity†, lower its value and become a cost leadership strategy as opposed to being a premium product and higher price. A third alternative is for CMG to continue to compete effectively by doing what they already are doing which is differentiation based on quality and sustainability. This approach supports its philosophical message of better food for the consumer and community as well as being environmentally conscious. This allows CMG to maintain its values and remain within their strategy segment. On the contrary, this alternative force Chipotle to increase their menu prices while reducing its consumer surplus. IV. Suggested Course of Action After carefully analyzing the different alternatives, the best course of action is to continue to compete effectively on differentiation based on quality and sustainability given the mounting competitive and sourcing challenges. Even thought Taco Bell’s new menu seems like a significant threat they are far from creating the same value and reputation Chipotle has created since it opened its first restaurant in 1993. Not only does Chipotle provide the freshest and best ingredients with a bold flavor, they are setting themselves apart from any other restaurant chain and main competitor since they continuously are working toward better practices. They continue to push to sustainable sourcing like getting their meat form non Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) while at the same time contributing to the promotion of good animal health and fighting against animal abuse. In addition, CMG buys products from local farms, builds restaurants to be eco friendly and LEED certified (leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) while trying to keep the cost and price of other items down. As their value statement proclaims, â€Å"Food with Integrity† is a mission of serving good quality food with inputs sourced using sustainable farming practices. Even thought new threats like Taco Bell’s Cantina Bell menu are presenting a challenge there will always be competition. CMG upholds strong beliefs to do what is best for the environment and for its communities in order to provide the best products to its consumers. This is precisely why they have grown so fast from the opening of their first taqueria, to the capital infusion from McDonald’s, to its initial Public offering (IPO.) They have been the fastest growing chain in the last decade and just like any fast growing business, regardless of their success, they will reach a slower growth as they approach maturity. There will still be opportunity for expansion. Chipotle is certainly heading toward a different direction than their competitors making them stand out and become a lot harder to imitate. This alternative is truly the only logical option for Chipotle as it continues to enforce its philosophy of providing â€Å"Food with Integrity.† There will always be competition between companies and products, however, if Chipotle chooses another route for combating this rivalry with Taco Bell, it would not allow itself to differentiate from them. V. Key Takeaways Before reading this case, I knew nothing about Chipotle but after reading it I am quite impressed by the approach CMG has taken choosing to go a different route most companies are afraid of doing because of higher cost prices. I was equally impressed they choose organic products, to buy from local farms, being against massive animal feeding as well as animal cruelty and that they are eco friendly and are looking to make all their restaurants like this. Of course, I should also mention that one knows one will be eating the best ingredients and most fresh available foods. I am confident as the values of this company are brought to the attention of more of the public, Chipotle will reach a bigger market share as the public demand will rise. I would also predict other companies and restaurants will follow similar suit. As mentioned earlier, there will always be competition in business, but a firm must find their differentiation advantage. As individuals become more educated and understand the factor facing the environment people will be willing to make a change and help make a difference.

Importance of Being Ernest :: essays papers

Importance of Being Ernest Oscar Wilde The world has seen many talented literary writers. One of the more famous appeared in the late 19th century. Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin, Ireland on October 16, 1854. His life produced award-winning poetry and highly acclaimed plays. Although he had a troubled childhood, Wilde gained large popularity for his outlandish wit and compelling personality. Despite his overwhelming public appeal as a playwright, Oscar Wilde ultimately died a sad and lonely death. Oscar Wilde grew up in small house in Dublin, Ireland. His father was a well-known eye surgeon, and his mother was a poet a writer. On February 14---St. Valentine's Day--1895, London was choked with a major snow storm. But this could not prevent the opening night of The Importance of Being Earnest, at the St. James's Theatre, from being a major social event. This was in part due to the stunning popularity of Oscar Wilde in the theatre: The Importance of Being Earnest was Wilde's fourth popular West End play in only three years, and An Ideal Husband had only opened a month before and was still playing to packed house at the Haymarket Theatre a few blocks away. Fashionable London was out in force, in their most elegant clothes. As a tribute to Wilde's dandified aestheticism, women wore sprays of lilies as corsages; and many young men wore lilies of the valley in the buttonholes of lapels of their tailcoats. Wilde spent most of the performance backstage, but he was nevertheless dressed in what one biography called "the depth of fashion": "his coat had a black velvet collar; he carried white gloves; a green scarab ring adorned one of his fingers; a large bunch of seals on a black moir ribbon watch chain hung from his white waistcoat; and, like the young men in the stalls, he wore lilies of the valley in his buttonhole." Audiences came dressed in evening formal to opening nights then; in fact, you had to wear evening formal dress any night if you wanted to sit in the stalls (what we call the orchestra) or the dress circle (the first balcony). And this was true not only at the St. James's Theatre but throughout "Theatreland," the entertainment district in the West End of metropolitan London.

Melatonin :: Pharmacy Neurology Sleeping Papers

Melatonin: The Myths and Facts Melatonin is a hormone produced in the pineal gland. The pineal gland is about the size of a pea and is located in the center of the brain (http://www.milatonin.com/melfaq.htm). Melatonin is secreted at night or in the dark (http://www.ceri.com/melaton.htm). It is used to regulate the sleeping cycle. It is also found to correlate with a lot of other functions and problems in the body. Because of its many uses, melatonin is being manufactured by pharmaceutical companies as a dietary supplement. People are using it to treat everything from jet lag to cancer. There have been many studies done on the effects of melatonin. The bulk of the studies have been done on the effects of melatonin on sleep and on treating jet-lag. The findings show that melatonin is proven to be an effective sleep aid and also help alleviate jet lag. Melatonin is a substance that the public is taking without being knowledgeable about its benefits, side or dosage. Many companies manufacture melatonin. There are two kinds of melatonin available, synthetic or natural. It is recommended to take the synthetic time release formula. It is the closer to the molecular make-up of melatonin and is made with pharmaceutical grade ingredients. Natural melatonin may contain animal parts through which viruses and diseases can be carried (http://www.teleport.com/~jor/#1). What is being said about melatonin Melatonin and Sleep Melatonin is used most frequently for sleeping troubles and jet-lag. By differing the amount of exposure to lightness and darkness, there is a possibility of abrupting the sleep/wake cycle. It is believed this change results from varying levels of melatonin being produced. Taking melatonin is thought to induce sleep. It is found to work best when taken between twenty to forty minutes before bedtime. Low levels of melatonin seem to impede or disrupt sleep (http://www.readysorf.es/lifeplus/ingredients/p2.html). Without rising levels of melatonin in the evening, it is difficult to fall asleep (http://www.liberty.com/home/appaloosa/mel.htm). The peak of melatonin production appears to be at 2:00 a.m. Melatonin levels rise when the sun goes down and decrease after 2:00a.m. (http://www.ceri.com/melaton.htm). By taking melatonin tablets before bedtime, one can supplement their melatonin levels, making sleep come more easily and sleeping more consistently. Melatonin and Jet Lag Melatonin is also used to relieve jet-lag. Jet lag occurs after experiencing rapid, long distance travel through different time zones. Other behaviors that produce symptoms similar to jet lag are working all night shifts, staying up all night and working multiple shifts.

Mass-elite theorists and subcultures

Academic writing is usually best when it takes a dispassionate attitude to its subject; when it reviews the several contesting scholarly opinions around a question, before judging the value of each of them. But sometimes a writer is given a question that allows him to write destructive criticism, and to champion the merits of one argument only. This present question is such a question. If one takes a supercilious attitude towards it then he might expel it at once by arguing that neither Matthew Arnold nor F. R. Leavis – men who sought the promotion of culture through the study of high literature and the reform of education – would have descended at all to study the subcultures of Goths and Trekkers. These groups have produced no serious literature and they have done little to reform education. And so one can easily cement such a fierce attitude into a strong essay – though one that would sadly be very short and unmarkable! If instant dismissal is not appropriate, then a writer who has studied Arnold’s and Leavis’s definitions of culture can argue ceaselessly that neither man would have thought Goths and Trekkers a positive development for culture. A short statement about definition. There are of course manifold definitions of culture. Many recent writers define culture in terms of mass-culture, within which all groups and subcultures belong. If culture is defined like this then Goths and Trekkers are both part of culture and can be said to expand culture by pushing it wider and making it more diverse. Arguments like this are possible; but they are not possible for our present question. In this essay one has to measure these groups against the definitions of Leavis and Arnold only; and leave aside the merits of any modern definitions. Let us then examine the definition of Leavis and Arnold. Matthew Arnold famously defined culture as to ‘†¦ know the best that has been said and thought in the world’. Someone who is cultured has learnt to perceive beauty, perfection, truth and justice through literature and art. In Culture and Anarchy and Essays in Criticism Arnold argues that culture is centered upon education: thus the expansion of culture is possible only if it is accompanied by an equal expansion of education. So: somebody who is highly cultured is also highly educated. F.R.  Leavis had a very similar definition of culture. Leavis argued even more explicitly than Arnold that there is an unbreakable bond between knowledge of the humanities and the acquisition of culture. As G. Steiner says ‘The commanding axiom in Leavis’s life-work is the conviction that there is a close relation between a man’s capacity to respond to art and his general fitness for humane existence.’ Despite the esoteric sound of these words they do say something vital about culture. The key word is humane. Someone who has studied great works of literature tends to have better judgment and is kinder to his fellow man than people who have not. Leavis says ‘†¦ thinking about cultural and social matters ought to be done by minds of some real literary education, and done in an intellectual climate formed by a vital literacy culture’. In short: a healthy culture and society depends upon a large number of its citizens studying and thinking about the classics. Leavis famously defined these arguments in his controversial Richmond Lecture – should we say polemic? – against C. P. Snow. The lecture is Leavis’s proposal for the future of culture in England. Leavis wanted a small, economically weaker England that would be highly literate and cultured — instead of a huge commercialized and capitalistic society that would be less literate. Thus we see in Leavis, as in Arnold, a definition of culture as a society that knows intimately great works of art. According to this definition, any group that progresses culture must go beyond the culture that has gone before. Do Goths and Trekkers then add to what we can learn from Homer, Shakespeare and the Bible? (This is a fair question if measured by the definition above). The answer must be no. The Goth and Trekker subcultures have not produced one serious piece of literature or music; even if one stretches Star Trek into some definition of art, the movies and show are not the invention of Trekkers, but the object of their devotion. Goths claim to have a passion for literature; but this passion has not created any literature of their own. Likewise – even though it is not one of their aims – neither of these groups has done anything to reform education or our universities. We cannot study Goth culture from its literature, because there is not any. But we can examine some of the statements of Goth members to see whether there is any sign of culture as defined by Leavis and Arnold. The following article called ‘A Short Treatise on Goth subculture’ is taken from the internet. The author, Chameleon, says that Goths are defined by ‘a morbid sense of humor’, ‘appreciation of the darker side of life’, ‘tolerance of lifestyles considered weird by the masses’ and an ‘apolitical attitude towards society’. Rus Haslage, the President of the International Federation of Trekkers, says that the philosophy of trekkers is that ‘†¦everyone is different, and it is those differences that make us special. And, it is those differences that make meshing our sparks even more beneficial to us all.’ In both these statements the common feature is vagueness of meaning and purpose. Goths and Trekkers feel some solidarity with each other in their interest in the ways of the Goth or Star Trek; but there is no clear or precise thought about the identity and purpose of these groups. To be fair to each group neither claims to add to the wisdom that the great works of literature and art that the West has accumulated; but, if we judge this admission of non-achievement strictly according to the definition of Leavis and Arnold, then the existence of such groups has either no effect or a regressive effect upon culture. Bibliography Books: P. Hodkins,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Goth: Identity, Style and Subculture M. Arnold,     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Culture and Anarchy M.Arnold,  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Essays in Criticism H. Jenkins III, Star Trek Rerun, Reread, Rewritten: Fan Writing as Textual Poaching F.R. Leavis,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Mass Civilization and Minority Culture, (1930) F.R. Leavis,   Ã‚  Ã‚  Nor Shall My Sword: Discourses on Pluralism, Compassion and Social Hope (1972) G. Steiner,  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Language and Silence, Faber and Faber, 1967 Websites: www.iftcommand.com www.religioustolerance.org      

Letter From a Birmingham Jail Analysis Essays

Letter From a Birmingham Jail Analysis Essays Letter From a Birmingham Jail Analysis Essay Letter From a Birmingham Jail Analysis Essay Essay Topic: Letter From Birmingham Jail Martin Luther King Jar. Was an activist during the Civil Rights Movement. In 1963 he wrote a Letter from a Birmingham Jail to address his fellow clergymen. King uses diction and appeals to pathos to tell the clergymen and the black community that waiting is no longer an option if they want segregation to end. In the Letter, King uses associations of something that can be created or possibly false to show that letting time pass by will not help end segregation. King refers to time as the myth (paragraph 21). This shows that people often think time will heal all wounds, but King thinks otherwise. In order for colored people to end their oppression, they must act more effectively (paragraph 21). King also refers to time as destructively or constructively (paragraph 21). This displays that time can either be good or bad the same way a myth can be true or false. If colored people wait then they will have almost no chance at ending their oppression. King appeals to pathos to get across the message that waiting is not an option. He describes seeing hate filled policemen curse, kick, and even kill your black brothers and sisters (paragraph 12). This is pathos because it is meant to his black community audience angry. Their own law enforcement is taking part in the violent acts towards black people, and this will urge them to fight back instead of doing nothing. King also writes, Let us all hope that the dark clouds of racial prejudice will soon pass away (paragraph 39). This is Kings way of bringing together the clergymen and the black community. By saying hope it makes the audiences feel like segregation can be ended even though it is really bad. If the audiences are hopeful, then they will not want to sit around and wait for it to be over, they will take action. Kings word choice and appeal to pathos helps him convey his message of taking action to end segregation.

Europe and the West Essays

Europe and the West Essays Europe and the West Essay Europe and the West Essay human insignificance Josephine Baker: US †+ FR; singer, dancer, actress; first black to star in major motion picture, integrate in US concert hall; world famous entertainer; Civil Rights contributions International Monetary Fund: after WW2, 40s; pool of collective money to borrow; 29 †+ 188; int. economic cooperation, int. rade, employment, balanced exchange rate; info and influence on everyones econ. Policies Treaty of Versailles: WWI Germany must accept responsibility, disarm, give back territory, and pay reparations; 130bn marks; War Guilt; blame DE for starting war and destruction; blame socialists, communists, Jews, outsiders for selling out the country; started WW2 pretty much The Great Depression: 1930s, originated in US; income, tax revenue, prices and profits ropped worldwide; int. rade plummeted 50%; unemployment high; heavy industry cities suffered most; ended after WW2 Battle of Britain: WW2 air campaign: DE vs I-JK; 1940; fought entirely by air forces; super iority over RAF (royal air force); terror bombing; did not destroy UK air defenses or get them to surrender so DE defeated 14 Points: terms for German surrender in WWI; 1918; disarm, decolonize, redraw Doraers, A-H as one nation, ae-occupy Balkan territory, Independent polar-to, Tree trade, freedom of seas, League of Nations United Nations: 1945, international cooperation, after WW2 to replace League; 51 †+ 193; peacekeeping, security, human rights, economic development, humanitarian assistance; paralyzed until after Cold War Armenian Genocide: 1915-7 Ottoman Empire; 2 mil †+ 400k; blamed for siding with Russia in WWI; portrayed as liability to security; dangers of nationalism; inspired Hitler Spanish Influenza: 1918 killed healthy people; 3-5% of pop; 500m; during war times; hunger; medicine fails (virus not bacteria); troop ships; lox US deaths WWI; war aided spread; public places closed

Trials and Verdicts

Trials and Verdicts The important result of the legal decision-making process is the verdict which can end the trial process and state the form of punishment for the convicted person.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Trials and Verdicts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, to understand the details related to interpreting the cases and law and to stating the verdict, it is necessary to analyze the processes related to different courts according to their jurisdiction, and to focus on the real-life examples in order to discuss the problems of accepting a plea bargain and of being wrongly accused. The question of the court’s jurisdiction is discussed when it is necessary to select which court can decide on the certain case appropriately. Following the Felkner v. Jackson case, it is possible to state that different courts are effective to discuss concrete issues and decide on the aspects of the case, but the process of t he case resolution can be rather long and complicated. In 2011, Steven Frank Jackson was convicted of many sexual offenses. However, Jackson referred to the Batson v. Kentucky case, and focused on the issue of racism in relation to the California jury who discussed the case. Jackson’s petition was accepted and examined by the California Court of Appeal, and then the California Supreme Court decided according to the court’s jurisdiction to reject the necessity of the case’s review (Felkner v. Jackson, 2011). Nevertheless, the case was not unresolved even in relation to the Federal District Court. In this situation, the Supreme Court took the jurisdiction to provide the decision, and the previous courts’ decisions were defined as unreasonable. Finally, it is stated by the Supreme Court of the United States that the petition â€Å"for certiorari and the motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis are granted. The judgment of the Court of Appeals for the N inth Circuit is reversed, and the case is remanded for further proceedings consistent with this opinion† (Felkner v. Jackson, 2011). As a result, it is possible to note that the decision to discuss the case in the Supreme Court of the United States is appropriate because of the necessity to resolve all the controversial points of the case which cannot be resolved in the other courts.Advertising Looking for research paper on constitutional law? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The cases when the defendant accepts a plea bargain as an alternative to trial are also very controversial and complicated because this decision can be associated with a kind of pressure from attorneys and prosecutors. Furthermore, the defendant can change his or her decision during the process. Thus, to discuss the question in detail, it is necessary to focus on the Freeman v. United States case (2011). William Freeman was convicted of dif ferent crimes associated with drug trafficking and drug delivery. However, Freeman decided to develop the plea agreement under Fed. R. Crim. P. 11(c)(1)(C). The agreement meant that Freeman could plead guilty depending on receiving a specific sentence. The case was rather complicated, and it was decided in 2011 that referring to 18 U.S.C.  § 3582(c)(2), the sentence could be reduced â€Å"for the offense to which the defendant pled guilty† (Freeman v. United States, 2011). In spite of the fact that the plea agreement does not mean the alternative to the trial, the case is important to be discussed to decide whether or not justice was served. Referring to this concrete case, it is possible to state that the justice was served because the severity of crimes should be taken into account every time when the possibility of the plea agreement is discussed. The most problematic cases are those ones in which defendants are wrongly accused and later vindicated. One of the most famou s cases is the case associated with the famous sportsman Brian Banks who was convicted of raping Wanetta Gibson. Brian Banks accepted a plea bargain because of the threat to be imprisoned for more than 40 years. However, in 2011, it became possible to state that Banks was not guilty, and he was vindicated. The most important aspect to be discussed in relation to the case is the fact that Wanetta Gibson lied during the first trial process in order to receive the significant financial compensation (Powers, 2012). The decision of the court could be different, but the lawyers failed to prove or not Gibson’s words. That is why, these details affected the whole trail process, and Brian Banks had to accept the plea agreement in order to avoid being imprisoned for a long period of time.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Trials and Verdicts specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In spite of the fact, the United State s’ legislative system should contribute to the people’s welfare and protection, there are many controversial verdicts and trials which can influence the statement of the principles of justice in the country. From this point, it is necessary to pay much attention to the controversial aspects and issues discussed during the trial processes in order to resolve cases in the appropriate courts with the focus on their jurisdiction and to avoid the ineffective decisions which can lead to the unalterable consequences. As a result, all the details of the case should be taken into consideration to decide on the person’s guilt and possible verdict. References Felkner v. Jackson. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/10-797.pdf Freeman v. United States. (2011). Retrieved from https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/10pdf/09-10245.pdf Powers, A. (2012). A 10-year nightmare over rape conviction is over. Retrieved from https://www.latimes.com/local/l a-xpm-2012-may-25-la-me-rape-dismiss-20120525-story.html

1. Are social networking Web sites appropriate for teenagers Or should Essay

1. Are social networking Web sites appropriate for teenagers Or should their access to such Web sites be restricted - Essay Example It is even appropriate for teenagers if they use it wisely, and should not be restricted. One of the major concerns relating to social networking websites is that teenagers without realizing it a public domain, post personal information. Parents especially are concerned about teenagers posting personal information such as sexual behaviors, religious orientation, violent information and substance abuse for the public to read. They become prey to pedophiles and other adults who can direct them towards negative social behaviors and lifestyles. However, according to Dr. Moreno, an assistant professor of pediatrics at University of Wisconsin-Madison (Gordon), such information can be used by parents and others who are concerned about teenagers to communicate with them. They can email teenagers to inform and guide them how to remedy risky behaviors and substance abuse. Another major concern regarding teenage access to social networking web sites is its impact on the teenagers in the future. Around 90 percent of teenagers in the United States have access to the Internet (Gordon) among which 55 percent have used social networks with online profiles. The majority of the profiles belong to older teenage girls registered with sites like MySpace and Facebook (Madden). Since these teenagers use the web sites to connect with friends, make new friends and flirt around, they generally maintain a casual attitude towards their personal information. Parents are concerned about the impact such information lying in public domain have on their future careers and life. But such concerns are also baseless because Maddens survey indicates that teenagers today are wiser than before. They have restricted access to their profiles and only let those who they are acquainted with to view them. These aspects lead the author to conclude that social networking web sites are not such a threat to teenagers as adults believe them to be. With a wise approach and

Being An Adult Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Being An Adult - Essay Example I believe one of the significant aspects of adulthood is the ability to support and fend for oneself without one’s parental support. As individuals leave their home and enter college or this work environment this is exactly what is required of them, constituting a significant aspect of assuming adulthood. While I recognize that moving out of one’s parent’s home constitutes a significant aspect of adulthood, another important aspect is simply living one’s existence after the age of eighteen. In these regards, when one passes this age they assume significant legal responsibility. For instance, they then assume legal responsibility for their actions, as if they commit a crime they will be tried as an adult. At age eighteen, individuals are also given the right to vote, join the military, and serve on juries. With this in mind, it’s clear that even if the individual doesn’t have specific experiences, they are still forced to encounter adulthood t hrough these legal elements.

India and China Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

India and China - Essay Example As mothers, they used to take care of their homes and their children and ensure that their daughters end up marring a rich person. In India, a female serves several roles throughout her life at different stages of life. Every female is expected to go through two stages of life, the first stage is when an Indian female assumes the position as a daughter in Indian family and the second stage is when she assumes the position of being a wife along with a daughter in law in her life. As an Indian female child or daughter, the parents of an Indian girl expect her to enjoy her life, concentrate on her studies and become an obedient child to her parents. For example, Sita in Sarena Nanda’s article named â€Å"Arranging a Marriage in India† states that as a child her family does not expects her to find a boyfriend and a future partner for her and instead want her to leave this task on their shoulders while she continues to have fun and enjoy their life (Hirschberg 192). This eve n means that parents of Indian families expect their daughters to be dependent on them for major decisions of their life such as deciding about the person whom she is going to get married to and spend her life with. Another important point stated in Nanda’s article is that when a girl is married to a boy in India, the girl does not only gets married to the individual male, she even agrees to be committed with entire family of her husband. For example, when Sita was asked about how she can get married to a person she does not know, she responded that her parents conduct a background check on the family of her future possible husband. This means that at an early age, her parents have already injected it in her mind that after she gets married she even has to serve the family of her husband. In the ancient Chinese era, the Chinese families expected the female children to accept that the males of the society were elites and they were subordinates to them. This is evident in the a rticle named â€Å"China Chic: East Meets West† as it has been stated that the activity of foot binding was limited to the female gender and at a very early age this activity was conducted to ensure that the size of female feet remains smaller than the size of the male feet to symbolize male dominance (Steele 416). The females of the ancient Chinese era were even expected to accept that no matter how weak their male counterparts were, they were still elites and dominant. This explanation is correct as foot binding was especially under taken during the period when the Chinese were experiencing defeats and in order to boost the morale of the military officials, foot binding was used to make them feel superior. Chinese women were even expected by their family members, especially by their mothers to look sexually attractive so they can compete against concubines in order to attract their male counterparts. Steele asserts that small feet were perceived to be very sexually attracti ve, thus females of ancient Chinese used to be involved in the act of foot binding. The process of foot binding even reflects that Chinese women during the ancient Chinese period were expected to marry a rich husband and in order to attract such a husband, their families used to bind their feet at a very early age and their children used to accept the activity in a very brave manner. Steele’s text even highlights that the role of a mother was to ensure

The Film Shane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Film Shane - Essay Example The setting of the film is obviously a very early pioneer community in which there are frequent disagreements about land ownership and use. The first appearance of Shane shows him in the distance on horseback, against a background of impressive hills and wide landscape. This contrasts with the Starrett family’s small log cabin which is enclosed by log fences and a flowing river. The family scenes mostly take place in this small enclosed area, which appears all to have been created out of wood by the peaceful father figure of Joe Starrett. The villains, on the other hand, are pictured in dark saloon settings, with shades of brown and gray, and the key gun battle which resolves the danger to the community takes place in such a small, dark room. The hidden message in the visual camera work is to highlight the broad vista of freedom and justice that Shane represents. In the scene where Shane leaves the community, the camera shows young Joey standing on the porch of his log cabin, watching the figure of Shane retreat into a small speck against craggy mountains, just as in the beginning he was first spotted from afar. The message is that a single American hero can travel the whole wide world and make a difference and he is presented as a hero through the eyes of young Joey. Film-making is a team effort, and it involves many different technical skills contributed by specialists such as the camera operator, the actors, and professionals in areas such as lighting, music, make-up, costumes etc.

Comparing and contrasting HMO and PPO insurance programs Essay

Comparing and contrasting HMO and PPO insurance programs - Essay Example Whenever a policyholder needs the services of a specialist doctor, the PCP needs to be visited to refer the specialist to be visited by the policyholder, HMO or PPO. Difference between HMO and PPO comes in the PCP aspect. For HMO, there is no choice; the member has to identify a PCP but in PPO, it is not mandatory. It depends on the will of the members to choose a PCP or not. In other words, the PPO members can select a specialist by their own (Daltons, 2007). Personally, I would like to opt for HMO, reason being it suits my needs. I do not need to search for any specialist myself. Whosoever the specialist, I will be referred to by the PCP; it would relieve me from the tension of finding a good specialist. It is cost-effective also, as I will be eligible for coverage or benefits, not available in PPO for getting medical care outside of the private network. I need not pay from my own pocket if I select HMO, as my healthcare insurance provider (Dalton, 2007). It needs to be noted that a PPO member will not pay extra if the chosen doctor is from the preferred providers, but the HMO member can consult only the selected PCP. If there is some emergency, the selected PCP would refer the case to the specialist in the HMO network only. In the case of PPO, advanced permission might be required for costly services, such as MRIs. Even in HMO, procedures and prescription services and copayments for doctor visits are charged. In PPO arrangement, out-of-network charges are only partly paid (Behari, 2010). Role of the PCP is very critical in HMO, as it is the PCP who caters to all healthcare needs of the insurer. A PCP functions as a personal doctor to attend to all needs of the patient. A PCP could either be an internal medicine physician, family physician, and in some HMOs, gynecologists to offer essential healthcare for women. A PCP can be a pediatrician too or a family doctor as well, as per one’s choice for getting treatment for

The Film Shane Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Film Shane - Essay Example The setting of the film is obviously a very early pioneer community in which there are frequent disagreements about land ownership and use. The first appearance of Shane shows him in the distance on horseback, against a background of impressive hills and wide landscape. This contrasts with the Starrett family’s small log cabin which is enclosed by log fences and a flowing river. The family scenes mostly take place in this small enclosed area, which appears all to have been created out of wood by the peaceful father figure of Joe Starrett. The villains, on the other hand, are pictured in dark saloon settings, with shades of brown and gray, and the key gun battle which resolves the danger to the community takes place in such a small, dark room. The hidden message in the visual camera work is to highlight the broad vista of freedom and justice that Shane represents. In the scene where Shane leaves the community, the camera shows young Joey standing on the porch of his log cabin, watching the figure of Shane retreat into a small speck against craggy mountains, just as in the beginning he was first spotted from afar. The message is that a single American hero can travel the whole wide world and make a difference and he is presented as a hero through the eyes of young Joey. Film-making is a team effort, and it involves many different technical skills contributed by specialists such as the camera operator, the actors, and professionals in areas such as lighting, music, make-up, costumes etc.

Business Improvement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Business Improvement - Essay Example The nature of supply chain may vary across industries and products. The supply chain network is highly engineered as it exploits economies of scale, JIT, outsourcing, strategic inventory. With the use of advanced technology in supply chain, this paper will discuss how â€Å"the quality of a firms supply chain performance can mean the difference between business prosperity and failure† (Gattorna, 1998). Logistics is a practice to determine how to move people and materials most efficient between the source and the destination. Chain is used to describe the various companies connected loosely, connected for the most efficient economical delivery of a product (Aghazadeh, 2004). Information about products and services can easily be linked which facilitates the supply chain management. Chalasani & Sounderpandian (2004) describe supply chain as a network of collaborating partners who collectively engage in activities such as procurement and transformation of materials into products, and distribution of products to customers. The figure below describes the collaboration between the suppliers, manufacturers, distributors and the customer in a supply chain management system (SCM). Kaufman describes supply chain management as to †¦ â€Å"remove communication barriers and eliminate redundancies through coordinating, monitoring and controlling processes† (Kaufman cited by Power, 2005). Zeng et al cite Lee (Table 1), who points out that supply chain integration constitutes the following three dimensions: information integration, coordination, and organizational linkage. The supply chain concept originated in the textile industry with the quick response program and then to efficient consumer response in the grocery industry. In the 1990s as competition increased, companies became specialized, they started searching for suppliers who could provide low cost quality

Strategic Human Resource Management Essay Example for Free

Strategic Human Resource Management Essay To simply define Human Resource Management (HRM), it is a management function that helps managers recruit, select, train and develop members for an organization. Obviously, HRM is concerned with the people’s dimension in organizations. When we say HRM of the organization, it is concerned with all the departments of it. In the marketing department, people consult products or services that lead to the sale. In the sales department, people sell products or give services to the customers. And also in finance, people manage and forecast the flow of money in the organization. All these functions cannot be accomplished without the help of the human resources and people are the ones that can make the organization achieve its objectives. And when the strategies come together with HRM, there comes Strategic Human Resource Management (strategic HRM or SHRM). It may be regarded as an approach to the management of human resources that provides a strategic framework to support long-term business goals and outcomes. The approach is concerned with longer-term people issues and macro-concerns about structure, quality, culture, values, commitment and matching resources to future need. First, according to Strategic Marketing Management by Wilson, Gilligan and Pearson, I would like to express the different levels within the organization that strategies must be developed. They are: * Corporate strategy, which deals with the allocation of resources among the various businesses or divisions of an organization. * Business strategy, which exists at the level of the individual business or division, dealing primarily with the question of competitive position. * Functional level strategy, that is limited to the actions of specific functions within specific businesses. The above strategies are set at the different levels to achieve a major or overall aim of the organization. The strategic approach addresses issues and needs relating to changes in structure and culture, organizational effectiveness and performance — matching human resources to future requirements, the development of distinctive capabilities and intellectual capital and the management of change. There are five functional areas identified by Bratton and Gold in forming the core of human resource management activities. Staffing: Obtaining people with appropriate skills, abilities, knowledge and experience to fill jobs in the work organization. This role encompasses human resource planning, job analysis, recruitment and selection. * Rewards: The design and administration of reward systems. This role includes job evaluation, performance appraisal and benefits. * Employee development: Analyzing training requirements to ensure that employees possess the knowledge and skills to perfo rm satisfactory in their jobs or to advance in the organization. Employee maintenance: The administration and monitoring of workplace safety, health and welfare policies to retain a competent workforce and comply with statutory standards and regulations. * Employee relations: Under this heading may be a range of employee involvement/ participation schemes in union or non-union workplaces. In a union environment, it also includes negotiations between management and union representatives over decisions affecting the employment contract. With the best HRM policies and practices, HRM strategy does more than drawing boundaries; it also recognizes and addresses peoples needs. The best HRM practices contribute the four outcomes as follow: * Competence: Employees are versatile in their skills and can take on new roles and jobs as needed and are better able to respond to changes in environmental demands. * Commitment: Enhance mutual trust and better communication between employees and managers. * Congruence: All stakeholders share a common purpose and collaborate in solving problems brought about by changes in environmental demands. * Cost effectiveness: HRM policies are cost-effective in terms of wages, benefits, turnover, absenteeism, strikes, and similar factors. Here is the example of â€Å"Starbucks† which is one of the best known and fastest growing companies in the world that invest a lot in human resources. Starbucks believed that the companys success and rapid growth could be attributed largely to its committed and motivated workforce. Consequently, the companys human resource policies reflected its commitment to its employees. Starbucks cared about its employees and was one of the few companies in the retail sector to provide generous benefits to both full time workers as well as part timers. This ensured that employees remained motivated, and Starbucks had a relatively low employee turnover. However, in the early 2000s, the company faced the challenge of finding and retaining the right number and kind of employees to man its future growth. Despite the fact that employees, especially those on the frontline, are critical to the success of retail businesses, most companies do not have a strong relationship with their employees, and consequently suffer from a high rate of employee turnover (In the early 2000s, employee turnover in the retail industry was around 200 percent). In this scenario, Starbucks stood out for its employee-friendly policies and supportive work culture. The company was especially noted for the extension of its benefits program to part-time workers something that not many other companies offered. They are offered health and dental coverage, vision care, life and disability insurance, paid time off, a retirement savings plan, stock options and a discounted stock purchase plan, adoption assistance, domestic partner benefits, emergency financial aid and a free pound of coffee every week. As a result, Starbucks employees were among the most productive in the industry and the company had a relatively low employee turnover. The above example proves that HRM is the crucial source of competitive advantage to be a successful organization in the business environment. Thus, as I have discussed so far, you may have some ideas about Human Resource Management and notice how much it is important for an organization. Reference 1. Aswathappa, K. Human Resource and Personnel Management (Fourth Edition ed. ), (pg. 5) 2. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Starbucks. (2013, January 17 Thursday). Retrieved from en. wikipedia. org. 3. http://www. hrtutorials. com/cs-model-evaluating-human-resources/. (2013, January 17 Thursday). Retrieved from www. hrtutorials. com. 4. http://www. icmrindia. org/casestudies/catalogue/Human%20Resource%20and%20Organization%20Behavior/HROB068. htm. (2013, January 15 Tuesday). Retrieved from www. icmrindia. org. 5. http://www. mainstreet. com/article/career/employment/4-employers-great-part-time-benefits. (2013, January 17 Thursday). Retrieved from www. mainstreet. com. 6. Manual, ABE Study, Strategic Human Resource Management, (pg. 4,5)

Total Quality Management (TQM): Barriers to Implementation

Total Quality Management (TQM): Barriers to Implementation PREFACE This Dissertation Proposal submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements forms part of a Dissertation study for the Award of Master of Science MSc in International Construction Management by the University of Bath through its distance learning programme. The programme operates in Hong Kong in conjunction with Hong Kong Universitys School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPACE). This study examines the barriers faced by introducing to Vietnamese construction organisations the implementation of Total Quality Management (TQM). RATIONALE Total quality management (TQM) is still a new issue for organisations in the Vietnamese construction industry. Many construction organisations outside Vietnam have embraced the philosophy and techniques of TQM with enthusiasm and success, while Vietnam has been reluctant because of issues and problems in introducing TQM systems and programs. These organisations need to establish a new strategy towards quality management if they wish to be more effective and successful to give these construction organisations better competitive advantages. Although various studies have been undertaken into the factors affecting delays, cost overruns, quality, safety, and productivity, etc. and other problems in specific types of construction projects, these studies seldom discuss common and general problems of construction projects. Thus, comprehensive studies on these problems are essential. Since the problems are rather contextual, the research will focus on a framework for the implementation of TQM in Vietnamese construction organisations. The turnover of the construction industry represents about 10 per cent of the GDP of most countries. The construction industry is therefore a vital element of the economy and has a significant effect on the efficiency and productivity of other industry sectors. The Construction industry, though it is a major contributor to the economy of any country, is facing the problems of high fragmentation, low productivity, poor quality and lack of standards. It has not followed the lead of the manufacturing industry. Within the construction industry, architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, contractors and various other specialists all have, in addition to their special technical skills, their own trade or professional customs and practices. These have an effect on the construction process either individually or collectively. These participants have differing traditions and often conflicting objectives. A key determinant that has inhibited industrys performance has been found to be its fragmented and loosely coupled supply chains. All these made the management of quality a difficult and complex task for all. As a result, projects in the industry are plagued by time and cost overruns. Frequently one reads in the newspaper about construction projects that take too long to construct, go over budget, or include disputes that may need to be resolved by legal means or arbitration. The construction industry therefore has been accused of being, at its worst, wasteful, inefficient and ineffective. Thus the reputation of the Vietnamese construction industry is ill suited for meeting competitive challenges of todays fast changing world where competitive edge is with those who manage their resources most effectively and offer a timely response to the demands of the market. The construction industry in Vietnam still has some way to go in terms of developing and implementing appropriate quality initiatives across the board. INTRODUCTION Total Quality Management is a management approach that originated in the 1950s and has steadily become more popular since the early 1980s. Total Quality is a description of the culture, attitude and organisation of a company that strives to provide customers with products and services that satisfy their needs. TQM is a method by which management and employees can become involved in the continuous improvement of the production of goods and services. It is a combination of quality and management tools aimed at increasing business and reducing losses due to wasteful practices. The culture requires quality in all aspects of the companys operations, with processes being done right the first time and defects and waste eradicated from operations. One aspect of TQM that has frustrated the construction industry the most has been the measurement of quality. Although Total Quality Management has been a magic word, methods and techniques to implement the Quality Management program in the Vietnamese construction industry are still to be systematically and technically developed. The Vietnam construction industry is being viewed as one with poor quality emphasis compared to other sectors like the manufacturing and service sectors (Kubal, 1994; Kanji and Wong, 1998; Wong and Fung, 1999). Many criticisms have been directed to the construction industry for generally shoddy workmanship. It not only the final product that is subject to criticisms but the processes, the people, the materials etc are under tremendous pressure for better quality in construction. Total quality management (TQM) is increasingly being adopted by construction companies overseas as an initiative to solve quality problems in the construction industry and to meet the needs of the customer continuously (Fung and Wong, 1995; Wong and Fung, 1999; Kanji and Wong, 1998; Jido, 1996; Sommerville, 1994). TQM has the potential to improve business results, greater customer orientation and satisfaction, worker involvement and fulfillment, team working and better management of workers within companies. However, Vietnamese construction firms have been continually struggling with its implementation (Haupt and Whiteman, 2004). The implementation of a TQM philosophy within the organisations requires a cultural change (Sommerville et al, 1999) and its being recognised as an important aspect of total quality development (Adebanjo and Kohoe, 1998). The primary purpose of TQM is to provide excellence in customer satisfaction through continuous improvements of products and processes by the total involvement and dedication of each individual who is in any way a part of that product/process. It is a structured approach to improvement. If correctly applied, it will assist a construction company in improving its performance. Quality management is a critical component to the successful management of construction projects. Quality on construction projects can be regarded as the fulfillment of expectations (i.e. the satisfaction) of those participants involved. The quality is a critical factor in determining project acceptance and resultant contractual payment levels. Unfortunately the Vietnamese Construction industry, and generally, has lagged behind other industries in implementing TQM. There are various methods, which have been used by organisations in the construction industry to improve quality, employing mainly two major techniques: management techniques such as quality control, quality assurance, total quality management; and statistical techniques such as cost of quality and customer satisfaction. However, this does not mean that construction organisations have achieved the required quality standard. On the other hand, the quality performance found in the construction industry is worse than before, as more serious problems continue to happen in the industry. The primary objective of this study is to develop and implement an effective TQM framework model that would help Vietnamese construction organisations to establish a foundation for TQM programs and ensure continuous improvements and be more competitive- with tools and methodologies for the identification of construction processes for continuous organisational improvement and customer satisfaction within the Vietnamese Construction Industry. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Research Questions and Objectives A statement of the specific aims and objectives of the study is considered necessary to help frame the issue sufficiently to enable it to be studied effectively and to measure the extent of its achievement. AIM: Main aim is to investigate and identify the barriers of introducing Total Quality Management (TQM) in Vietnamese construction organisations and make preliminary proposals and considerations of TQM implementation outlining the basic steps in managing a transition to a new quality system such as TQM. OBJECTIVES: To examine the TQM practices in Vietnamese construction organisations To investigate the affects of TQM on organisational performance To examine the relationship between TQM and organisational performance (commitment, resistance to change, culture) To develop a mindset of the organisations effectiveness of quality management initiatives To determine if there is organisational or individual resistance to change by using TQM techniques To develop and formulate how to implement a TQM program HYPOTHESIS: The authors research technique will be a problem-solving approach, hence formulating a hypothesis will not deem applicable in this study. INITIAL CORE QUESTIONS: The research questions and stated objectives are translated into the following operational statements: Position of the affects of TQM on organisational current performance Position of barriers to introducing TQM in Vietnam construction organisations Position of the relationship between TQM and organisational performance or QMS (quality management systems) Position of organisations and individuals resisting to change Position to provide evidence to suggest that western management practices such as total quality management (TQM) can be implemented successfully in Vietnam despite high cultural and organisational barriers. Position of implementing TQM systems within the Vietnamese construction industry to be an effective continuous improvement RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: LITERATURE RESEARCH The objective of the research is to assess TQM barriers of introducing and implementing initiatives in a number of Vietnamese contracting organisations to explain and identify similarities and differences in the implementation approach, benefits achieved, difficulties experienced and critical success factors. The field study will be based on the guidelines suggested by Yin (1989) and thus focus on contractor selection, focus on inquiry, which sort richness in data and data gathering procedures. Below are the proposed research stages: A comprehensive review of the relevant literature including a computer-assisted search will be undertaken in order to develop an understanding of previous work in the field of TQM. The exploration will be achieved through unstructured interviews and questionnaires with approximately 15-20 companies/organisations that have stated they have a TQM system. Further examination will decipher if these organisations have evidence of a systematic TQM system in place. Interviews with the aid of the authors questionnaire will take place to evaluate the level of quality effectiveness. The author will use these organisations once examined to study the possible implementation of a systematic TQM. This stage will bring together and review the information collected in the previous stages in which the present TQM system has been studied. This stage will involve writing up the content of the dissertation and should cover the chapters proposed in the following content: Proposed Contents of Dissertation Introduction Total Quality Management (TQM)- The Concept Implementation of TQM Designing the case study and research methodology Analysing and evaluating the case study evidence Conclusions and further studies References and Appendices FIELD STUDY DESIGN AND CONTRACTOR SELECTION The study research and report for this paper will be carried out in Vietnam, where an estimate of fifteen- twenty contracting organisations will be approached about the nature of the research. The contractors considered for the study are considered to be well-established contractors who are capable of procuring a wide range of construction facilities (building and civil engineering). Each contractor has several offices throughout Vietnam. Table 1 (sample at present) will provide characteristics about the contractors used for this study. For reasons of confidentially the author cannot provide any more detail than that presented in Table 1. The information that will be provided by senior management will only be estimates so as to provide the reader with an idea about the size the organisations involved with the research. The following descriptions are drawn from Gay and Diehl (1992) and relate to the two main methodologies used in the research: CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH Correlational research attempts to determine whether, and to what degree, a relationship exists between two or more quantifiable variables The purpose of a correlational study may be to establish a relationship, or the lack of it or to use relationships in making predictions. Correlational studies typically assess a number of variables believed to be related to a major complex variable, such as leadership. Variables found not to be highly related are eliminated from further consideration; variables that are highly related may suggest causal-comparative or experimental studies to determine if the relationships are causal. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH Once again from Gay and Diehl (1992), Descriptive research involves collecting data in order to test hypodissertation or answer questions concerning the current status of the subject of the study. A descriptive study determines and reports the way things are. One common type of descriptive research involves assessing attitudes or opinions towards individuals, organisations, events, or procedures; pre-election political polls and market research surveys are examples of this type of descriptive research. Descriptive data are usually collected through a questionnaire survey, interviews, or observations. COMPETING OR LINKED RESEARCH PARADIGM? Whilst undertaking the Dissertation which will precede this Proposal; and whilst preparing the Dissertation itself: it became evident that the debate concerning the merits of quantitative vis-a-vis qualitative methodologies were relevant to considering how the research was to be conducted. As pointed out by Sekaran (1992), In the management and behavioral areas it is not always possible to conduct investigations that are 100% scientific Still, to the extent that we can design our research to ensure purposiveness, rigor, and the maximum possible testability, replicability, generalizability, objectivity, parsimony, and precision and confidence, we will have endeavoured to engage in scientific investigation. There exists a multi-methodological approach where, it is quite usual for a single study to combine quantitative and qualitative methods and to use primary and secondary data, (Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill, 2000). They continue, There are two major advantages to employing multi-me thods in the same study. First, different methods can be used for different purposes in a study The second advantage of using multi-methods is that it enables triangulation1 to take place. Based on this pretext, the multi-methodological approach has been used for this research study. 1 Triangulation refers to the use or different data collection methods within one study in order to ensure that the data are tailing you what you think they are telling you. For example, semi-structured group interviews may be valuable way or triangulating data collected by other means, such as a questionnaire. RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION Interviews with questionnaires will be used as the primary source of data collection to focus the investigation and to ensure that a consistent line of inquiry is followed (Yin, 1989). The research will be carried out on as many competent construction organisations as possible (approximately 15-20) and are prepared to participate. In order to attempt to maximize the participation, the study will be introduced to the industrys senior executives, middle managers and contract managers who are direct employees of their organisations. This will help to eliminate noise factors that would result, if the study reached down to indirectly engaged multi-layers of domestic sub and sub-subcontractors. The research will be carried based on the following general methodologies: Examination of existing TQM practices of these organisations (if they exist) Survey based on questionnaire submitted by this author (refer to Appendix 1 for sample questionnaire) Statistical analysis to test for correlation in matched data from (a) and (b) (Interviews and examination of secondary data (reports, instructions, procedural documents) to test the suitability of the organisations ability to ascertain if TQM could be implemented as an evaluation tool for use in the Vietnamese construction industry). DATA STORAGE The data storage provisions for all data pertinent to this study will be in accordance with Bath University policy and the guidelines contained in Dissertation Notes Booklet. These provisions include that the original research documents (such as verified interview transcriptions, returned pilot and final questionnaires) will be retained by Bath University and a copy by the researcher, for a minimum period of five years. ETHICAL ISSUES: All research for this dissertation will be conducted in accordance with the guidelines of Bath University. The research trail will be transparent and written consent will be sought from the construction organisations comprising the study group. Anonymity and confidentiality will be maintained at all times and all participation (including, individual/group interviews and questionnaire response, will be voluntary. Any private individual names (except those in public office) referred to on the interview tapes/Mini Discs, will not be transcribed. The tapes/Mini Discs will be erased once the transcripts have been verified as a true account of the interviews conducted. Transcripts, returned questionnaire forms, subsequent coded information and data analysis will be archived securely by the researcher, for the appropriate time required. FACILITIES AND RESOURCES: The researcher for this dissertation proposal will be responsible for meeting all expenses, including (but not restricted to) travel, translation, transcription, printing, postage, stationary, computer software and consumables required to complete the research programme. LIMITATIONS: The limitations of this study are perceived to be as follows: Only competent construction companies in Vietnam will be considered as the survey population; To date there is no evidence or records (but will require further research) of previous studies or data analysis as a comparison to other industries in Vietnam or abroad at this stage. REFERENCES Adebanjo, D., and Kehoe D.,(1998), An evaluation of quality culture problems in UK companies, International Journal of Quality Science, vol. 3, no. 3, pp. 275-286. Flood, R. L., (1993), Beyond TQM, John Wiley and Sons Fung, P. Wong, A. (1995) TQM in construction industry Hong Kong context, Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on ISO 9000 and TQM, De Montfort University, Leicester, pp. 29-34. Gay, L.R. and Diehl, P.L., Research Methods for Business and Management. New York: Maxwell Macmillan International, (1992). Hart, D.R. (1994) Quality Handbook for the Architectural, Engineering and Construction Community (Milwaukee, WI, ASQC Quality Press). Haupt, T. C., and Whiteman, D. E., (2004), Inhibiting factors of implementing total quality management on construction sites, The TQM Magazine, vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 166-173. Hildebrandt, S., Kkistensen, K., Kanji, G. Dahlgaard, J.J. (1991) Quality culture and TOM, Total Quality Management, vol.2, no.1, pp. 1-15. Jido, J. (1996), Quality management with TQM in Takenaka Corporation, Proceedings of International Conference on Quality, Yokohama. Kanji, G. Wong, A., (1998), Business Excellence model for supply chain management, Total Quality Management, vol. 10, no.8, pp. 1147-1168. Kanji, G.K. Wallace, W., (2000), Business excellence through customer satisfaction, Total Quality Management, vol. 11 no. 7, pp. 979-998. Kotter, J.P. and Heskett, J.L., Corporate Culture and Performance, The Free Press, New York, NY, 1992. Kubal, M (1994), Engineered quality in construction : partnering and TQM, McGraw-Hill, New York. Oakland, J S., (1993), Total quality management, Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. Oakland, J., (2000), Total quality management Text with cases, 2nd edition, Butterworth-Heinemann. Rowlinson, S.M. Walker, A. (1995) The Construction Industry in Hong Kong (Hong Kong, Longman). Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. Research Methods for Business Students. Pearson Education Limited, England, (2000). 98-100. Sekaran, U. Research Methods for Business: a skill building approach. John Wiley and Sons, Inc., New York, (1992). 14. Sommerville, J. (1994), Multivariate barriers to total quality management within the construction industry, Total Quality Management, vol.5, no.5, pp. 289-298. Sommerville, J., Stocks, R. K. Robertson, H. W. (1999), Cultural dynamics for quality: the polar pot model, Total Quality Management, Vol.10, Nos. 45, pp. 725-732 Wong, A. Fung, P., (1999) Total quality management in the construction industry in Hong Kong: a supply chain management perspective, Total Quality Management, vol. 10, no .2, pp. 199-208. Wong, A., (2000), Integrating supplier satisfaction with customer satisfaction, Total Quality Yin, K. R. (1989) Case Study Research: Design and Methods. Sage Publications, Beverly Hills, CA

Common Threads in George Orwells 1984 and Todays Society Essay

Common Threads in George Orwell's 1984 and Today's Society "Big Brother is Watching You"(Orwell 5). This simple phrase has become the cornerstone of the conspiracy theorists dialog. George Orwell may have writing a cautionary novel with 1984, but there is little possibility that he could have foreseen how close to reality his novel would truly become. In the past 50 years, the world has become a much more dangerous place. Along with this danger has come a call for governments to do more to protect their citizens. This Protection has changed over the years, but it has become more and more invasive in order to "protect" the populations from various "threats". Orwell introduces the reader to a future where the government monitors every citizen through a "telescreen". These telescreens broadcast news and various government sanctioned facts at all times, but they also, "Received and transmitted simultaneously. Any sound that Winston made, above the level of a very low whisper would be picked up by it"(Orwell 6). These devices can also visually monitor Winston as long as he is within its field of vision. Obviously, in the late 1940's, no such device actually existed, but since then, governments have developed many other forms of electronic intrusion into their citizen's lives. In London today, there is a "ring of steel", which was set up to protect the citizens from terrorist acts. This ring is actually a system of cameras, which can zoom in on individual faces and recognize them from a database of millions of red-listed individuals. This is probably the closest a society has come to actually installing actual telescreens in homes. Our Constitution protects us from being spied on in our homes like the citizens of Oceania... ...e world of human persecution, walking around inside of it, and reproducing it in literary form"(220). 1984 is exactly that then, a literary warning to all readers of the ultimate in human persecution, where individuals do not exist, and forces controlling society have complete and utter control over all aspects of their minions lives. Our own age has fallen into the majority of the pitfalls presented in 1984, if you have committed any crime, misrepresented yourself in any way, or simply taken out a library book that has been black listed, you can be punished by law without ever having the faintest idea of being monitored. Knowing this, and knowing where we could end up hopefully helps us to be able to correct our mistakes before they are taken too far and we end up in the basement of Miniluv. Works Cited: Orwell, George. 1984. London: Secker and Warburg, 1949.

Minority Movements Essay -- Politics, Civil Rights Movement

During the 1900’s many minority and ethnic groups including African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Women wanted to prove that they deserved equal rights, freedom of speech, the right to sexuality preference, and equal treatment for women. They formed several organizations under great leaderships during these movements in order to civil rights and equality. Along with great leaders, powerful organizations, and dedicated supporters, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and women were able to successfully obtain many rights despite constant opposition. [This looks like a strong thesis, but I am a bit puzzled how great leaders, powerful organizations, and dedicated supporters also obtained rights. The sentence is rather confusing as it stands now. You may want to revise to indicate that these were instrumental in helping the cause. Then, if you are going to talk about them, that topic should come first in your discussion.] African Americans were in constant pursuit of equality through the civil rights movement that began in the 1940’s (Roark 843). They fought against racial discrimination, segregation laws, and for the right to vote without prejudice. Discrimination led to exclusion from belonging to professional sports teams (Roark 843). During the post war era in 1947, a man by the name of Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play major league baseball within an integrated team called the Brooklyn Dodgers (Roark 843). Known as a sports pioneer of the civil rights movement, he led the Dodgers to six national league titles and one outstanding World Series despite constant harassment from white players and fans (Roark 843). Several civil rights leaders emerged during this movement (Roark 680). Dr. Ralph David... ...is president?] If you sincerely desire to forward the interest s of all people, why do you oppose the national enfranchisement of women (Scott 24)? The president could not respond. The president made a Pro –suffrage speech for the women who protested and the next year Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote in the year of 1918(Scott 24). All three minority groups used activities such as demonstrations to voice their opinions and stances to gain equal rights in America. Along with African Americans, Mexican Americans /Chicanos continued to be represented among the poor, and gradually won more political offices, effective enforcement of anti discrimination legislation, and greater respect for their culture (Roark 915). Mexican American like African Americans rejected traditional politics in favor of direct action (Roark 914). Minority Movements Essay -- Politics, Civil Rights Movement During the 1900’s many minority and ethnic groups including African Americans, Mexican Americans, and Women wanted to prove that they deserved equal rights, freedom of speech, the right to sexuality preference, and equal treatment for women. They formed several organizations under great leaderships during these movements in order to civil rights and equality. Along with great leaders, powerful organizations, and dedicated supporters, African Americans, Mexican Americans, and women were able to successfully obtain many rights despite constant opposition. [This looks like a strong thesis, but I am a bit puzzled how great leaders, powerful organizations, and dedicated supporters also obtained rights. The sentence is rather confusing as it stands now. You may want to revise to indicate that these were instrumental in helping the cause. Then, if you are going to talk about them, that topic should come first in your discussion.] African Americans were in constant pursuit of equality through the civil rights movement that began in the 1940’s (Roark 843). They fought against racial discrimination, segregation laws, and for the right to vote without prejudice. Discrimination led to exclusion from belonging to professional sports teams (Roark 843). During the post war era in 1947, a man by the name of Jackie Robinson became the first African American to play major league baseball within an integrated team called the Brooklyn Dodgers (Roark 843). Known as a sports pioneer of the civil rights movement, he led the Dodgers to six national league titles and one outstanding World Series despite constant harassment from white players and fans (Roark 843). Several civil rights leaders emerged during this movement (Roark 680). Dr. Ralph David... ...is president?] If you sincerely desire to forward the interest s of all people, why do you oppose the national enfranchisement of women (Scott 24)? The president could not respond. The president made a Pro –suffrage speech for the women who protested and the next year Congress passed the Nineteenth Amendment giving women the right to vote in the year of 1918(Scott 24). All three minority groups used activities such as demonstrations to voice their opinions and stances to gain equal rights in America. Along with African Americans, Mexican Americans /Chicanos continued to be represented among the poor, and gradually won more political offices, effective enforcement of anti discrimination legislation, and greater respect for their culture (Roark 915). Mexican American like African Americans rejected traditional politics in favor of direct action (Roark 914).

Stefan’s Diaries: Origins Chapter 20

I didn't see Damon for the next few days. Father said he was spending time at the camp, an idea that clearly filled him with no small amount of pleasure. Father hoped that Damon spending time there would lead to him rejoining the army, even though I figured his hours would be spent mostly gambling and talking about women. I, for one, was glad. Of course, I missed my brother, but I would never be able to spend so much uninterrupted, unquestioned time with Katherine if Damon was around. Truthfully, although I felt disloyal to say it, Father and I adapted well to Damon being gone. We began taking meals together, companionably playing hands of cribbage after dinner. Father would share his thoughts about the day, about the overseer, and about his plans to buy new horses from a farm in Kentucky. For the hundredth time, I realized how much he wanted me to take over the estate, and for the first time, I felt excitement in that possibility. It was because of Katherine. I'd taken to spending each night in her chambers, leaving just before work began in the fields. She hadn't bared her fangs since that night in the woods. It was as if that secret meeting in the forest had changed everything. She needed me to keep her secret, and I needed her to keep me whole. In her small, dim bedroom, everything was passionate and perfect–it almost felt as if we were newlyweds. Of course, I wondered how it would work, me growing older each year as Katherine stayed just as young and beautiful. But that was a question for later, after the fear of the vampire scourge was over, after we were engaged, after we'd settled into a life without hiding. â€Å"I know you've been spending time with young Katherine,† Father said one night at the dinner table, as Alfred cleared the table and brought Father his well-worn deck of cards for us to play. â€Å"Y es.† I watched as Alfred poured sherry into Father's glass. In the flickering candlelight, the normally pink liquid looked like blood. He held the decanter to me, but I shook my head. â€Å"So has young Damon,† Father observed, taking the card deck in his thick fingers and slowly palming it from hand to hand. I sighed, annoyed that Damon had once again come into a conversation about Katherine. â€Å"She needs a friend. Friends,† I said. â€Å"That she does. And I'm glad that you've been able to provide her with companionship,† Father said. He placed the cards facedown on the table and glanced at me. â€Å"Y know, I don't know very much about her ou Atlanta relations. I'd heard of her through one of my shipping partners. Very sad, a girl orphaned by my shipping partners. Very sad, a girl orphaned by Sherman's battle, but there aren't very many other Pierces that say they know of her.† I shifted nervously. â€Å"Pierce is a common enough name. And maybe she doesn't want to be affiliated with some of her relations.† I took a deep breath. â€Å"I'm sure there are other Salvatores out there that we haven't heard of.† â€Å"There's a good point,† Father said, taking a sip of his sherry. â€Å"Salvatore isn't a common name, but it's a good one. Which is why I hope you and Damon know what you're getting into.† I looked up sharply. â€Å"Fighting over the same girl,† Father said simply. â€Å"I wouldn't want you to lose your relationship. I know I don't always see eye to eye with your brother, but he's your flesh and blood.† I cringed, the familiar phrase suddenly complicated. But if Father noticed, he didn't say anything. He picked up the deck and glanced at me expectantly. â€Å"Shall we play?† he asked, already beginning to deal six cards to me. I picked up my stack, but instead of looking at the cards, I glanced out of the corner of my eye, to see if I could spot any movement from the carriage house through the window. Alfred walked into the room. â€Å"Sir, you have a guest.† â€Å"A guest?† Father asked curiously, half standing up from the table. We rarely had guests come to the estate unless there was a party. Father always preferred meeting acquaintances in town or at the tavern. â€Å"Please forgive my intrusion.† Katherine walked in, her thin arms filled with a bouquet of flowers of all different shapes and sizes–roses and hydrangeas and lilies of the valley. â€Å"Emily and I were picking the flowers by the pond, and I thought you might appreciate some color.† Katherine offered a small grin as Father stiffly held out his hand for her to shake. He'd barely had a four-word conversation with Katherine since she'd arrived. I held my breath, as anxious as I would be if I were introducing Father to my betrothed. â€Å"Thank you, Miss Pierce,† Father said. â€Å"And our house is your house. Please don't feel you need to ask permission to come visit. We'd love to have you, whenever you wish to spend time with us.† â€Å"Thank you. I wouldn't want to be an imposition,† she said, batting her eyelashes in a way that was irresistible for any man. â€Å"Please, have a seat,† Father said, settling down at the head of the table. â€Å"My son and I were just preparing to play a hand of cards, but we can certainly put them away.† Katherine eyed our game. â€Å"Cribbage! My father and I always used to play. May I join you?† She flashed a smile as she settled into my chair and picked up my hand. Instantly, she frowned and began rearranging the cards. How could she, when worried for her very existence, be so carefree and enchanting? â€Å"Why, of course, Miss Pierce. If you'd like to play, I'd be honored, and I'm sure my son would be happy to help you.† â€Å"Oh, I know how to play.† She set a card in the center of the table. â€Å"Good,† Father said, putting his own card on top of hers. â€Å"And, you know, I do worry about you and your maid, all alone in the carriage house. If you want to move to the main house, please, just let me know and your wish is my command. I thought that you would like some privacy, but with things as they are and all the danger †¦Ã¢â‚¬  Father trailed off. Katherine shook her head, a shadow of a frown crossing her face. â€Å"I'm not frightened. I lived through a lot in Atlanta,† she said, placing an ace on the table faceup. â€Å"Besides, the servants' quarters are so close, they would hear me if I screamed.† As Father placed a seven of spades on the table, Katherine touched my knee, slowly brushing it with a feathery stroke. I flushed at the intimate contact when my father was so close, but I didn't want her to stop. Katherine placed a five of diamonds on the card pile. â€Å"Thirteen. I think I may be on a lucky streak, Mr. Salvatore,† she said, moving her peg one spot on the cribbage board. Father broke into a delighted grin. â€Å"Y ou're quite a girl. Stefan's never really understood the rules of this game.† The door slammed, and Damon walked into the room, his rucksack over his shoulder. He shrugged it off onto the floor, and Alfred picked it up. Damon didn't seem to notice. â€Å"Looks like I'm missing all the fun,† Damon said, his tone accusatory as his gaze flicked from Father back to me. â€Å"Y are,† Father said simply. Then he actually ou glanced up and smiled at him. â€Å"Y oung Katherine here is proving that she's not only beautiful but that she has brains, too. An intoxicatingly infuriating combination,† Father said, noticing that Katherine had racked up an additional point on the board when he wasn't looking. â€Å"Thank you,† Katherine said, deftly discarding and picking up a new card. â€Å"Y ou're making me blush. Although I do admit that I think your compliments are just an elaborate plan for distracting me so you can win,† Katherine said, barely bothering to acknowledge Damon. I strode over to Damon. We stood together in the doorway, watching Katherine and Father. Damon crossed his arms over his chest. â€Å"What is she doing here?† â€Å"Playing cards.† I shrugged. â€Å"Do you really think that's wise?† Damon lowered his voice. â€Å"Given his opinions on her †¦ provenance.† â€Å"But don't you see? It's brilliant. She's charming him. I haven't heard him laugh so hard since Mother died.† I felt suddenly delirious with happiness. This was better than anything I could have planned. Instead of trying to come up with an elaborate plot to push Father off the vampire trail, Father would simply see that Katherine was human. That she still had emotions and wouldn't do any harm save for ruining his winning streak at cribbage. â€Å"So what?† Damon asked. â€Å"He's a madman on the hunt. A few smiles won't change that.† Katherine erupted into giggles as Father put down a card. I lowered my voice. â€Å"I think if we let him know about her, he'd change his mind. He'd realize that she doesn't mean any harm.† â€Å"Are you crazy?† Damon hissed, clenching my arm. His breath smelled like whiskey. â€Å"If Father knew about Katherine, he'd kill her in an instant! How do you know he's not already planning something?† Just then Katherine let out a peal of laughter. Father threw his head back, adding his hoarse laugh to hers. Damon and I fell silent as she glanced up from her cards. She found us with her eyes and winked. But since Damon and I were standing side by side, it was impossible to tell who it was meant for.

Human Rights Problem

On May 21, 1999, a local road construction company, Dumez Limited, attacked a group of peaceful protesters with clubs, daggers, axes, machetes, and other dangerous weapons. Tension began to arise when on April 26, 1999 the company began destroying newly planted crops of local farmers in the Ogoni kingdom of Gokana. They did so without paying adequate compensation for the crops or carrying out an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the road project, as required by international environmental standards. On May 8, 1998, a Human Rights Defender, Olisa Agbakoba, was arrested at Murtala International Airport in Lagos. The arresting officers were members of the Security Force, an agency of the Nigerian government. No reason for his arrest was given. This arrest was preceded by an earlier encounter in March 1998 where he was attacked and arrested by members of the Nigerian Police when he tried to speak at a pro-democracy rally in Yaba, Lagos. On January 8th and March 23rd of 1998, Batom Mitee and Barileresi Mitee who are brothers of Ledum Mitee, President of the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP), were arrested. No charges were ever given for their arrests. Batum Mitee was kept detained for several weeks without having access to his lawyers, his family, or a doctor. On January 18, 1998 he was brought before a judge who declared that the case was not within his competence because of its political character. Mitee was later transferred to a military hospital because of the beatings and ill treatment inflicted by the military. These incidents of brutality and harassment are just a few examples of the abuse by members of the police, security forces, and Nigerian government and how it remains to be a persistent human rights problem. There are numerous underlying factors that contribute to the problem of human rights in Nigeria. One the major factors is that of religion. Religious differences often correspond to regional and ethnic differences. For example, the northern region is overwhelmingly Muslim, as are the large Hausa and Fulani ethnic groups of that area. Many southern ethnic groups are predominantly Christian. About half the country†s population practice Islam and about 40% practice Christianity. Approximately 10% practice exclusively traditional indigenous religions or no religion at all. Many persons practice both elements of Christianity or Islam and elements of an indigenous traditional religion. Consequently, it is difficult to distinguish religious discrimination from ethnic and regional discrimination, which is pervasive. Although the government has never outlawed proselytizing, it continues to discourage and criticize it publicly because it believes that it stimulates religious tensions. Both Christian and Muslim organizations allege that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Department restricted the entry into the country of certain religious practitioners, particularly persons suspected of intending to proselytize. Consequently, Nigeria†s constitution prohibits state and local governments from adopting an official religion. Though Nigerian law prohibits religious discrimination, it is common for government officials to discriminate against persons who practice a religion different from their own, notably in hiring or awarding contracts. There have been documented reports of harassment of Christian missions by local government officials in predominantly Islamic regions. In April and again in August 1998, the local council of Lafia, in Nasarawa State, reportedly ordered the closure of a Protestant Christian mission church in connection with a dispute about the mission†s title to the land. In March 1998, State Security Service officers detained and interrogated the mission†s pastor. The mission sought to convert members of the generally Islamic Kambari ethnic group. The lack of concern for the environment and the people that it affects has also been a major concern in the struggle for human rights. Since 1958, oil companies such as Shell have exploited oil wealth in the region of the Ogoni people. As a consequence, they have suffered extreme economic deprivation and the environmental devastation of their land. Since Shell began drilling in Nigeria†s Niger Delta, it has spilled oil on farmland and in water sources, bulldozed across farms and flared gas just meters from Ogoni villages. The people of Ogoniland suffer extreme health problems from the air and water pollution. The Nigerian military has played a significant role in the continued persecution of the Ogoni. When the Ogoni began to demand environmental justice, villages were attacked, villagers were killed and their leader was executed by the judgment of a military court. Shell has even admitted to paying the military, which brutally silences voices crying for justice from the government of Nigeria and Shell, along with other multinational oil corporations. Shell is only one of many multinational oil corporations operating in Nigeria. Mobil, Chevron, and Texaco are also found in Nigeria, operating as partners of the Nigerian government, as required by Nigerian law. â€Å"Shell is certainly not the only Oil Corporation that abuses its money, power, and feeling of superiority over the people of Nigeria. † The country†s population of about 120 million is ethnically diverse, comprising more than 250 ethnic groups, many of which speak distinct primary languages and are concentrated geographically. There is no majority ethnic group. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani of the north, Yoruba of the southwest, and Igbos of the southeast, who together make up about two-thirds of the population. The fourth largest group, the Ijaw, has a population of approximately 12 million. â€Å"Societal discrimination on the basis of ethnicity is widely practiced by members of all ethnic groups and is evident in private sector hiring patterns, de facto ethnic segregation of urban neighborhoods and a continuing paucity of marriage across major ethnic and regional lines. There is a long history of tension among diverse ethnic groups. Although the country†s successive constitutions all have prohibited ethnic discrimination by the State, northerners and particularly Hausas have long been predominant in the national government, including the military officer corps. Tradition continued to impose considerable pressure on individual government officials to favor their own ethnic groups and ethnic favoritism persisted. Resentment of northern domination of the Government aggravated by the suspension of federal decentralization under the Abacha regime and resentment of Igbo success in private commerce, have contributed to ethnic and regional tensions. Possibly the most controversial issue within Nigeria is that of the political structure of the government. Since Nigeria received its independence from Britain, in 1960, there has been conflict in regards to the military and authoritarian system of government that existed. The citizens of Nigeria have longed for a democratic system of government that included themselves as active proponents. Nigeria became a Republic in 1963 and Nnamdi Azikiwe was made the President of the Federal Republic. In January of 1966, some Igbo army officials staged a coup d†etat to overthrow the government, who were primarily Hausa, because they objected to the population census. They felt it over estimated that number of people in the northern region thereby giving them a larger representation in the federal parliament. They succeeded in killing many of the senior officers but Azikiwe was not harmed. As a result of the attempted coup, the government promised a progressive program, a return to civilian rule determined by elections, and vowed to stamp out corruption and violence. Though idealistic in theory, these promises were never realized. Instead, it became the common practice of the government to consider democracy, but continue to practice authoritarian rule. Nigeria would bear witness to numerous coup attempts over the next three decades, most involving the transition to democracy. It wasn†t until the death of Sani Abacha, possibly the most famous President of Nigeria, in June 1998 that civilian rule would be realized. A new transition program was established that would lead the country back to democracy by Abdulsalam Abubakar, the man chosen to replace Abacha. After a series of elections, Olusegun Obasanjo was declared the new and current, democratically elected president on May 29, 1999. At the end of May 1999, Nigeria completed its transition from authoritarian rule to a formal democracy. A number of Nigerian groups have managed to create strong institutional structures, with narrowly defined mandates and internal staff structures as well as program plans. While there are still growing pains within many of these groups, this type of planning process has resulted in â€Å"the Nigerian human rights community†s being far ahead of its anglophone neighbors in putting human rights institutions into place. † The Center for Advanced Social Sciences (CASS) was formed in 1992 and is based in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. CASS is a think tank concerned with improving management and public policy in Africa. It has a Board of Trustees and is governed by an international Board of Directors. The Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), established in 1987, is one of Nigeria†s largest human rights organizations. The CLO is a non-governmental organization set up for the defense and expansion of human rights and civil liberties. It investigates human rights abuses and campaigns through litigation, publications, and communications with the government on behalf of people whose rights have been abused. Another human rights advocate is the Constitutional Rights Project (CRP) that was set up in 1990. Their aims are to ensure that Nigerian legislation conforms to international standards, monitor institutions whose activity impact on the rights of citizens, and to provide legal assistance to victims of human rights abuses. The cry for human rights reform in Nigeria hasn†t fallen on deaf ears from those of the international community. On November 12, 1998 the 53rd session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) met to discuss the situation of human rights in Nigeria. The General Assembly reaffirmed that Nigeria is a party to the International Covenant on Human Rights and thereby making it a Member State. All Member States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms. The Nigerian government was â€Å"strongly encouraged† that the establishment and strengthening of national structures and institutions in the field of human rights are of the utmost importance for the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria. The sanctions imposed on Nigerian government by the European Union, the Commonwealth and the government of the United States of America were to be lifted in light of the progress made towards the restoration of democratic government and respect for human rights. The Nigerian government in its transition to democracy was applauded for its establishment of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the issuance of a detailed timetable for the election process. Overall, the UN General Assembly was satisfied with the progress of the Nigerian government in its transition to democracy. Nigeria has seen some very turbulent times in its history as it relates to democracy and human rights. Democracy consolidation, which appears to be the most immediate challenge for the human rights movement in post transition Nigeria, will require forward thinking and cohesive action on the part of the human rights community. It has been clearly demonstrated that in Africa relatively free and fair elections observed by international monitor and elaborate â€Å"handing over ceremonies† will not necessarily bring about genuine democracy and a human rights culture. Civil society organizations will have to work gradually to expand the democratic space and rebuild the institutions of civil society. The long years of military dictatorship have decimated these institutions and virtually erased the rule of law according to AFRONET Reports. Though politicians glibly vocalize democratic jargon, it is still evident that democratic values and attitudes are not yet commonplace in the political class. Also, among ordinary Nigerians, popular mentalities need to change; the people have become accustomed to not expecting anything but the worst from their leaders in terms of political leadership, economic management and respect for civil liberties and human dignity. The average Nigerian has been driven by economic hardship to adopt a survivalist mode of life in which he or she is preoccupied with access to the bare necessities of life and does not demand or expect accountability or respect for human rights from their leaders. The Nigerian government, though its history is not favorable, is making sincere efforts to overwrite its history. But unless the human rights community and the people they represent adopt a more positive attitude towards its government, change can not be realized.