Reporting Practices and Ethics Essay Example for Free

Reporting Practices and Ethics Essay The four elements of financial management are planning, controlling, organizing and directing, and decision making. These four elements will be defined and explained in this paper. Also emphasized will be the accepted accounting principles and the general financial ethical standards. Examples of ethical standards of conduct and financial reporting practices will be explored and notated in this paper as well. All of these points are important in the accounting practice of health care management to help the organizations run smoothly and to be financially stable. Four Elements of Financial Management Planning lets a health care organization set goals and guidelines to make sure their office is a success and that all accomplishments are met. Controlling is ensuring that all areas within the healthcare organization are following goals and guidelines set and gives the organization the opportunity to prepare for any issues that may arise. Organizing and directing ensures that the health care organization is working to its potential and allows them to work on a day to day basis and fix any issues that may be looming. Lastly, decision making works off all of the other elements (planning, controlling, organizing and directing) by collecting information and making the final decisions on how the financial management will work. General Accepted Accounting Principles â€Å"The common set of accounting principles, standards and procedures that companies use to compile their financial statements. GAAP are a combination of authoritative standards (set by policy boards) and simply the commonly accepted ways of recording and reporting accounting information† (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles , n.d.). Even with GAAP being a set of  standards, there are still companies that will finagle numbers on their financial statements, so their financial statements will have to be scrutinized tremendously. General Financial Ethical Standards â€Å"Ethical standards are determined largely by professional accounting and finance organizations and the Financial Accounting Standards Board. Small-business owners who plan to perform their own accounting services or hire accountants should be aware of accounting principles and general financial ethical standards so they can maintain a positive reputation for their businesses† (Morley, n.d.). Competence is one of the ethical standards that is key for a financial officer to uphold in an organization. Financial managers should follow the GAAP and stay up to date with its guidelines. They should also uphold honesty and integrity. Examples of Ethical Standards of Conduct Ethical standards of conduct is a set of standards that each company sets for themselves. There is no consistent standards of conduct for a business, but they must include, promoting values, trust, good behavior, fairness, and kindness. They are not easily enforceable and are always open to interpretation. For example, men and women should be treated equally or treat the patient with respect. Nightingale Home Healthcare code of ethics are direct and descriptive. Some of their ethical standards of conduct are listed as: â€Å"all business conduct should be well above the minimum standards required by the law, each employee is responsible for the consequences of his or her actions, each employee must be the guardian of Nightingale’s ethics, leaders at Nightingale have extra responsibility of setting an example by their personal performance and an attitude that conveys Nightingales ethical values, our first responsibility is to the patient and patient’s families that we p rovide our services† (Corporate Social Responsibility-Code of Ethics , n.d.). There are numerous points of their code of ethics but they serve a purpose and that purpose to make sure their company is ran efficiently and respectfully. Financial Reporting Practices â€Å"A distinguishing characteristic of high performance organizations is a strong internal control structure-controls that ensure patient care,  compliance with regulations, internal efficiencies, and financial reporting. It is controls on financial reporting that are receiving a great deal of attention under a new law, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. Public companies are now required by law to document controls over financial reporting, in order to fully address exposures and the effectiveness of current controls. Though many healthcare organizations are not directly affected by the law, regulatory agencies could follow suit and require similar compliance. In fact, several states have introduced bills that require nonprofit organizations to adhere to portions of the act. This article provides a guide for organizations desiring to stay ahead of the curve† (Godwin Mueller, 2005). Significance The significance of these examples are that there are ethics that need to be followed within any organization but in a healthcare organization it is extremely important because you handle patients and to ensure the comfort of these patients, a code of ethics need to be enforced for the organization. It is also important to ensure that financial reporting is done, so all finances stay up to date on a legal manner. It helps to show revenue, liability, and expenses and helps control the business effectively. References Corporate Social Responsibility-Code of Ethics . (n.d.). Retrieved from Nightingale Home Healthcare : http://www.homecareforyou.com/about/code.html Generally Accepted Accounting Principles . (n.d.). Retrieved from Investopedia : http://www.investopedia.com/terms/g/gaap.asp Godwin, N., Mueller, J. (2005). Fiancial Reporting Practices: A Comprehensive Evaluation. School of Accountancy, Auburn University. Morley, M. (n.d.). Accounting Principles and General Financial Ethical Standards . Retrieved from Small Business Chronicle: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/accounting-principles- general-financial-ethical-standards-36283.html

The various changes and change management models

The various changes and change management models To survive in todays marketplace, a business must constantly examine its performance, strategy, processes and systems to understand what changes need to be made. At the same time, an organization must also understand the implications of a new business change on its employees, given their culture, values, history and capacity for change. Employees ultimately perform the new day-to-day activities and make the new processes and systems come to life in the business. Change management is about managing people in a changing environment so that business changes are successful and the desired business results are realized. Academic and professional literature propose a set of managerial practices that better support the enactment of organizational change processes (Armenakis and Bedeian, 1999; Buchanan et al., 2005; Casio, 2002; Jones et al., 2004; Kanter, 2001; Kotter, 1996; Meyer and Stensaker, 2006; Nadler, 1998; Whelan-Berry et al., 2003, among others). According to Kanter (2001) those who direct or participate in the change processes often forget these practices, which sometimes might seem obvious principles based on common sense, generating a more inefficient and sometimes chaotic process than necessary. Change preparation CMPs usually include suggestions such as the diagnosis and analysis of the organizational system and its environment, the identification of change needs, and the development of a new organizational vision (Buchanan et al., 2005; Tushman and OReilly, 1997; Whelan-Berry et al., 2003). Some authors also suggest to execute during the change preparation stage, the development of a d etailed plan of how change will be implemented, including ambitious but realistic objectives, stages to be achieved, and the timing necessary to coordinate the change project (Nguyen Huy, 2001; Whelan-Berry et al., 2003). 2.2 Change Management Models The current models of change derive from many theoretical and academic frameworks. Three leading theories, Kurt Lewin, John Kotter and Prosci ADKAR model provide helpful conceptual framework for those embarking on transformation efforts. Lewins Model Lewins approach suggests that change involves a move from one static state via a state of activity to another static state. He modeled this via a three-stage process of managing change: unfreezing, changing and re-freezing. According to Lewin in his book A Pioneer in Human Relations Research, the first stage unfreezing or opening up and examining the patterns of norms, values and beliefs that hold system together and discussing concerns about change. The second stage changing or planning the change process while continuing the ongoing communication within the system. The third and the final stage refreezing or integrating the changes to establish equilibrium of the system Lewin recognised that people like the safety, comfort and feeling of control within their environment, and that they also derive a strong sense of identity from that environment. Lewin regarded this as a frozen state and suggested that significant effort may be required to unfreeze people in order to get them to change. (Lewin, 1947) The weaknesses of the model: It emphasises more on psychological side rather than leadership, management and process improvement side. It doesnt address the strategic macro-level of change management Kotters Model Harvard Business School professor and world-renowned change expert John Kotter introduced his eight-step change process in his 1995 book, Leading Change. Figure: 8 steps of Kotters change model (1) Create Urgency Kotter suggests that for change to be successful, 75% of a companys management needs to support the change. Results of analysis and early conclusions should be thoroughly tested with informed third party opinion and a wide cross section of all stakeholders. (2) Form a guiding coalition Managing change is not enough change has to be led. By working as a team, the coalition helps to create more momentum and build the sense of urgency in relation to the need for change. Kotter recognises the importance of the emotional dimension and the energy that is generated by a mastermind groups all working together. (3) Develop a vision and strategy A drive for change without a clear focus will rapidly fizzle out unless you develop a clear vision of the future that is accompanied with a clear description about how things will be different in the future. (4) Communicating the vision Communication is everything, and Kotter maintains that as change leader you need to use every means at your disposal to constantly communicate the new vision and key strategies that support that vision. (5) Enabling action and removal of obstacles This is the stage where your change initiative moves beyond the planning and the talking, and into practical action as you put supportive structures in place and empower and encourage your people to take risks in pursuit of the vision. (6) Generating short-term wins Success breeds success. Kotter advises that an early taste of victory in the change process gives people a clear sight of what the realised vision will be like. (7) Hold the gains and build on change Kotter argues that many change initiatives fail because victory is declared too early. An early win is not enough. (8) Anchor changes in the culture Kotter says that for any change to be sustained, it needs to become embedded in the new way we do things around here that is the culture. The weaknesses of the model: It is action based and tactical and does not go far enough in spelling out the specifics of how to achieve clarity of vision and an executable strategy to get from vision to realisation of the benefits of the change initiative. It is all about organisational change and does not recognise or address the personal transition that accompanies that change. 2.3 The ADKAR Model for Change Management The ADKAR model reflects the necessary building blocks for individual change and its development was based on analysis of research data from over 900 organizations over a 10-year period. The ADKAR change model is founded on 2 basic ideas: It is people who change, not organisations Successful change occurs when individual change matches the stages of organizational change. To some extent, the ADKAR model covers the same ground as William Bridges model in that organisational change is linked to personal change. The difference is that the ADKAR model is essentially project focused and tactical in nature, whereas Bridges pays deeper attention to the scale of feelings of loss and disorientation that accompanies major organisational change. Figure: The ADKAR Model For organisational change to be successful, the following individual changes need to progress at the same rate of progress as project elements in the business dimension of change. Awareness of the need for change. Desire to make the change happen. Knowledge about how to change. Ability to implement new skills and behaviours. Reinforcement to retain the change once it has been made. Prosci describe ADKAR as a goal-oriented change management model that allows change management teams to focus their activities on specific business results. ADKAR provides a useful framework for change management teams in the planning and execution of their work, as goals or outcomes defined by ADKAR are sequential and cumulative. An individual must attain each element in sequence in order for a change to be implemented and sustained. We choose this model in our project to analyse JESA staff attitudes towards transformation because it enables us to: Diagnose employee resistance to change Help employees transition through the change process Create an action plan for personal and professional advancement during change Develop a change management plan for employees Identify why changes are not working and to take the necessary remedial steps In summary, it provides a very useful tactical action management framework and checklist. 2.4 Change management metrics Discussions to date have centred on different models for change and the need to manage change. In line with The Demming Cycle Plan, Do, Check, Act (van Bon et. al, 2008), it is necessary to check if the processes being utilised for TCM are working. To do this it is necessary to measure the processes implemented in an effort to improve them. Much of the available literature, dealing with models for managing change, defines the measure of success as being project-related rather than process-related. Prosci (2005) Maturity Model examines where organisations are relative to their management of change but does not review the measurement of the specific change management techniques as applied to particular projects. This study is focused is on putting in place metrics for measurement of the success of the change process throughout the project in an effort to enable accelerated adoption of the change management techniques. ITIL (Information Technology, Information Library) is the area of continual service improvement which aligns with the change management metrics concept and so is of relevance in analysing systems and measures put in place to see what can be learned from them and apply the learning to metrics proposed in this study. ITIL guides organisations to perform the following steps in order to improve a service: 1. Decide what you should measure 2. Decide what you can measure 3. Gather the data for measurement 4. Process the data 5. Analyse the data 6. Present and use the information found 7. Implement corrective actions. These steps are equally applicable to improving the change management metrics process by creating a set of valid metrics. One model presented by Baldwin Curley (2007) illustrates the measurement of Return On Investment (ROI) in IT. They reference the four components of a typical business case which must be considered for measuring benefits and costs of IT as presented by Tiernan and Pepard (2005). A set of surveys measured the use of change management processes, change outcomes in organizational results. The use of perceptual data to measure behavioral practices ( Huselid, 1995; Delantey and Huselid, 1996), organizational change processes (Holt et al., 2007) and organizational results (Ketokivi and Schroeder, 2004), has become a frequent measurement method in literature. Weick and Roberts (1993) argue that subjective perceptions about organizational events are crucial, since people behave in accordance with their perceptions, not in accordance with more objective data. As presented by Raineri (2009) in the Journal of Business research, he created several perceptual measures of organizational change results and organizational performance. Change strategists judged the degree of attainment of the change program objectives and deadlines with two questions, and a corresponding Likert scale ranging from 1 (not at all) to 5 (completely). 2.5 Communication and change management Only few managers obtain expected effects when they communicate strategic change to their employees. Kotter (1995) argues that transmitting vision to employees and using every communication channel possible are central elements in the success of a change. More recent research from Larkin and Larkin (1996) precise more efficient ways to present change to employees, and describe the appropriate communication channels to use. Even if managers are receptive at meetings, and understand values, vision, and mission, this process is not efficient with employees. With employees you need to communicate facts, and to present value through action, not through words. In general, half of employees believe that management cheats and lies, that is why talking about values suggests that fraud is near. Employees adhere to values only if they are convinced that those values will enable them to reach their personal goals (Larkin Larkin 1996). Larkin and Larkin (1996) suggest that groundless rumors can undermine chances of success, so it is important to choose appropriate media and to begin to communicate at an early stage in the change process to avoid misunderstandings. 2.6 Training and change management The most powerful change management strategies combine organizational change management techniques with individual change management tools to create a robust,closed-loop process. Individual change management is the process of providing tools and training to employees to enable them to manage their personal transition through change. This includes training for managers and supervisors to equip them with the tools they need to assist their employees through the change process. (Prosci,2003) The major gap in individual change management according to Prosci experts is knowledge about the change itself and the required new skills, then the appropriate solution is to develop the training plans to correct this knowledge gap. Project teams that can maintain a results-orientation are in a better position to develop and implement corrective action based on the root cause of employee resistance. The process for using individual change management tools begins with training for managers and supervisors. These front-line coaches are a critical component of individual change management. In many cases, these managers and supervisors will be the trainers for their groups when it is not feasible for your company to train every employee about change management. (Prosci, 2003) 2.7 Teamwork and change management A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks. As organizations seek to become more flexible in the face of rapid environmental change and more responsive to the needs of customers, they are experimenting with new, team-based structures. (Jackson Ruderman, 1996). A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks. A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team. Teams normally have members with complementary skills and generate synergy through a coordinated effort which allows each member to maximize his or her strengths and minimize his or her weaknesses. Aside from any required technical proficiency, a wide variety of social skills are desirable for successful teamwork, including: Listening and questioning Respecting and Persuading Sharing and Helping Participating and communicating For a team to work effectively in the context of change it is essential that team members acquire communication skills and use effective communication channels between one another e.g. using email, viral communication, group meetings and so on. This will enable team members of the group to work together and achieve the teams purpose and goals. (Meredith, 1993) 2.8 Career and job satisfaction and change management i) Performance appraisal system: As espoused by Anthony, Perrewe and Kacmar (1996, pp. 374-5), a performance appraisal system must be well defined, corporately supported and monitored. It must also be widely communicated and focused towards achieving corporate objectives. Fischer, Schoenfeldt and Shaw (1997, p.454), conclude that performance appraisal should be used as an employee development tool to identify areas of skill and ability deficiency to improve the focus for training and development, as the possession of appropriate skills and abilities are key elements in improving individual performance. A number of authors have demonstrated that good communication between managers and their immediate subordinates serves to enhance employee satisfaction, commitment and performance (Savery Syme 1996, p. 20; Larkin Larkin 1996, Fisher et al., 1997, p. 494; Ramsay 1991, p. 10). Changing an existing performance appraisal system will not be a straightforward process as there are a number of obstacles that need to be overcome. These include the ability to provide the training and development requirement as identified during the appraisal process. In addition, there are presently a number of staff, many of whom are doctors, who do not undertake this type of performance appraisal process. When considering altering the preexisting performance appraisal system within the environment of Meadowvale Health and bearing in mind the change management issues outlined above, the mechanism suggested would involve: -Education and communication to explain the rationale behind the change process and the benefits in training and development; -Participation and involvement during the development of the new performance appraisal system to encourage ownership; -Negotiation and agreement on the final mechanism of appraisal and of the areas to be appraised to ensure alignment with the corporate direction; and -Facilitation and support during the implementation phase of the new system of the employees and line managers involved. ii) Reward and recognition system Initial consideration of reward and recognition systems could lead to the belief that they consist only to provide extrinsic motivation. Herzberg (1987, p. 118) considers that reward and recognition can provide for both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. However, growth gained from getting intrinsic rewards out of interesting and challenging work provides the greatest influence. Motivation is an important issue in any organisation because it is involved in energising or initiating human behavior, directing and channeling that behavior and sustaining and maintaining it (Steers Porter 1987). There is no doubt that extrinsic incentives can boost performance. In a practical sense, decreased intrinsic motivation will be a concern if the extrinsic incentive is withdrawn, as the increased level of performance is unlikely to be sustained. Hamner (1987b). Some merit pay schemes may encourage poor work practices as individual employees attempt to maximise their personal gains to the detriment of the entire organisation (Hickey Ichter1997, p. 40). Rewards and recognition that the employee views as positive should improve job satisfaction and performance (Dunford 1992, pp. 84-5). What types of reward or recognition are best to increase intrinsic motivation and enhance individual performance and job satisfaction, as required by Meadowvale Health? Kovach (1987), Popp and Fox (1985) and Hede (1990) conducted surveys and provide answers to this question. They found that employees sought achievement, responsibility and growth as the highest priority for incentives in their work. A reward and recognition system that addresses these areas should produce the desired outcome. Goal setting can provide a number of these employee rewards as individual employees can negotiate desired outcomes with management (Dunford 1992, p. 82). The employee who plays an integral part in the development of these goals is more likely to perceive the outcome as being achievable and to be committed to achieving them (Robbins et al.. 1998, p. 213). Management involvement will ensure the goals are consistent with corporate objectives and that they provide challenging opportunities for the employee to use their current skills and abilities and to encourage the development of new ones. 2.9 IT tools and change management Information technology has become strongly established as a supporting tool for many professional tasks in recent years (Miresco, 1995). Computerized decision support systems can be used by project participants to help make more informed decisions regarding the management of variations in projects by providing access to useful, organized and timely information (Bedard, 2000). It is commonly evident that information technology provides enormous facilities among organizations, individuals and community. Nowadays, an organization considers IT/IS as a necessity to develop businesses, improve processes and satisfy customers needs. IT/IS, however, not only has the potential to change the way an organization works but also the very nature of its business (Galliers and Baets, 1998). Through the use of IT/IS to support the introduction of electronic markets, buying and selling can be carried out in a fraction of the time, disrupting the conventional marketing and distribution channels (Malone 1989). Indeed, IT/IS have changed the way of doing commerce from the real world to the virtual one with extremely developed details and improved processes. According to many researchers Information Technology Strategic Planning is the appropriate way to achieve organisation strategic purposes within the context of change. Strategic planning is the process of determining a companys long-term goals and then identifying the best approach for achieving those goals (Wikipedia). A study completed in 1999 revealed that less than 40% of US businesses included IT senior management in the strategic planning process. A Conceptual framework for IS strategic planning is necessary and so important for providing an accurate and valuable IT/IS planning for organisation. Based on Somendra and Cheng (1995) work, there are some basic steps to conceptualise IT/IS planning such as: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Study Internal Business Environment. The internal business environment is comprised of mission of the organization, its objectives, strategies and plans, business activities, the organizational environment, core competencies, its critical success factors and the internal value chain. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Study external business environment. This helps an organization focus attention on the forces and pressure groups it encounters. These external forces exert a very strong influence on the business strategy of an organization. à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¢ Study internal IS/IT environment. This is mainly comprised of the current and planned applications portfolio that supports the business. Those steps can be modified according to the business context in which the organization works, each steps could be revised and improved in order to have the ultimate formulation for realizing the IS strategic planning. Organizations performance will depend significantly on its IS potential, it is recognised that IS/IT now plays an integral role in the majority of business operations. However, there was an implication that any organization could achieve its business strategy by excellence in developing its strategy excellence in the sense of judicious assessment of the impact of IS/IT and precise alignment of IS/IT strategies with business strategies. How you gather, manage and use information will determine whether you win or lose (Gates 1999). 2.10 Project management and change management At the 8th conference of the International Research Network of Organising by Projects (IRNOP) Geraldi, et al., (2007) documented the motion: This house believes that we no longer need the discipline of Project Management. The PM body of knowledge as a discipline is challenged. In a static world it is accepted that these principles are valid but in the real ever-changing dynamic environment where everything changes it is argued that project management as a knowledge field should include more than just traditional disciplines. They conclude by saying that looking for the answer is a sign of the field being immature and that part of the maturity of project management research is to accept the complexity present in real life and to accept several perspectives to studying such a reality (Geraldi, J. et. al, 2008). The change management metrics is a sub element of project management but the principles discussed here in relation to application of standards by experienced practitioners is equally applicable. In the area of change management as a tool to deliver project success, there are several approaches which can be employed, that being said, the underlying concepts remain closely connected in all change management models. 2.7 Change Management Best Practices In the Change Management Best Practices study, Prosci (2005) analysed 411 companies worldwide in order to review their specific change management practices and determine industry best practices. Prosci then combined this study with similar ones from 2003, 2000 1998 and published the results. Proscià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s objective in conducting the study was to understand what methods and tools work best in the area of managing change. Prosci (2005) identified the following five key success factors in order of importance: 1. Active and visible sponsorship. 2. Use of change management process and tools. 3. Effective communication. 4. Employee involvement in the change process. 5. Effective project leadership and planning. Based on Prosci findings in 2007, participants evaluated what they would do differently on their next change management process. The findings focused on four areas: Better engagement of senior leaders as change sponsors Improved change management planning and more effective application of change management tools Dedicated resources for managing the people side of change Earlier and more personal communications with employees 1. Better engagement of senior leaders as change sponsors Consistent with the 2007 findings, participants stated they would engage senior leaders earlier and more proactively to: Ensure buy-in and alignment around the project Obtain sponsorship at the right level in the organization Enable senior leaders to participate actively as effective sponsors Study participants would have created a sponsorship plan and provided more education and coaching for their business leaders around being an effective change sponsor. They cited the need for a strong sponsorship coalition that was aligned around the vision and objectives of the project. They also stated the need for earlier and more frequent meetings with sponsors. Finally, participants cited the need to engage sponsors in the process of managing resistance with stakeholders. Early resistance management would help the project team create a consistent message and build commitment for the change.   2. Improved change management planning and more effective application of change management tools Participants cited several areas that needed improvement in their application of change management, including: Start earlier and improve change management planning Conduct better assessments of the change and of the attributes of each impacted group (improved situational assessments) Apply a standardized change management process on all projects Increase the involvement of employees in the process from the very beginning Align change management plans with project management plans Participants also indicated a greater need for change management training for project team members. 3. Dedicated resources for managing the people side of change Participants indicated that on their next project they would dedicate change management resources and a budget specifically allocated for change management activities. They also recommended careful selection of the change management team, which would become involved with the project sooner. 4. Earlier and more personal communications with employees Participants identified communications as an area for improvement on their next project. Specifically, participants stated that they would use more frequent face-to-face communications and less email. They also stated the need to build awareness around why the change was happening and to create the right level of urgency for the change. Additional suggestions from project teams included more active engagement of mid-level managers, more training available for employees and faster resolution of resistance. 2.8 Conclusion This literature review is intended as an introductory guide to facilitate understanding in the area of Change Management and from this to demonstrate the need for the investigation in the transformation plan at JESA. The body of research outlined in this literature review highlights the need of change in today organisations in order to survive in the context of globalization and competitiveness and analyses the areas investigated in the transformation plan at JESA with the change management practices. This supports the need for further research and the proposal that this thesis aims to address. From analysing the available literature it can be concluded that: There is no universal common Change management model of companies. However each company has its own characteristics (culture, values, mission) which the change model depends strongly on. The set of change management metrics cannot be provided universally to determine the success or failure of change management process The areas investigated in the scope of this project related to change management practices highlights many organisations practices relevant to their context and objectives So, it is the intent to put forward such a structured set of action plans and metrics in this thesis.

Explination Of Butlers Thesis :: essays research papers

Bret Hribar Q1:  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Butler’s theory of desire separates all desires into two groups, the desire for â€Å"self-love† and the desire for â€Å"particular affection†, which are all other desires like hunger, sleep, or sex. â€Å"Self-love† is a person general desire for happiness, this, as Butler states is an internal desire, a desire for our own enjoyment and satisfaction. Butler separates this desire from the desire for â€Å"particular affections† because these are all external desires, the desire for objects around us that fulfill those desires. He says that these desires are not based on reason, but may follow from it. For example a person instinctively wants to eat or drink but may not know why he needs to eat or drink. Therefore that desire for food is not a conscious decision, â€Å"I should eat now because I need the energy to live,† but rather it is an innate desire, â€Å"I want food because I am hungry.†   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  His distinction separates all the desires into the reasoning section of the mind, that a particular action would be in the best interest of themselves, â€Å"self-love†, and the animalistic desire for a certain thing. For example a person who wants to smoke a cigarette does so because of the need for nicotine, â€Å"a particular affection†, whereas the person knows the cigarette is bad for them and that they shouldn’t smoke, which is self interest. Q2:   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In order to show that all actions are not motivated by self-love Butler gives reasons why all actions might be motivated by self-love and them tries to disprove them. He states that all desires are self motivated, even the ones that appear not to be. A person may donate money to help the less fortunate but they are not motivated to do so because of a need to decrease someone else’s suffering but are motivated by a need to ease their own guilt.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The point he is making is that all actions done by a person are motivated by the desire for their own happiness and since all desires are ones own, all desires must be aimed at self-love.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The reason, Butler points out, that this deduction is wrong is due to the target of the desire. Some things are pursued because we know that they will make us happier, the reason or target of this desire is internal, that self motivated action is self love. Not all desires are based on our own best interest though, you may hate another person and want to hurt them, but by doing so may not be in your interest, he might break your face.

Essay --

The World of Cyberspace and its Effects on Social Relationships Many studies have been conducted on the various features of cyberspace, its connection to social media, and how it influences professional, intimate, and cordial relationships. Although many spectators are convinced that society’s frequent use of cyberspace has taken a turn down the wrong path, cyberspace has opened up many opportunities for professional relationships to establish, such as the relationship between Facebook usage and an increase in work values in Taiwan (Lin, Le, Khalil, & Cheng, 2012). However, contradictory results suggest that heavy use of the internet by young children, specifically adolescent girls, may be a factor of negative social well-being (Pea et al., 2012). In order to fully understand how social cyberspace affects everyday relationships, all forms of interactions must be examined. This paper will examine the positive and negative effects of cyberspace connections and whether they should be utilized and in what manner. Primary Issues Cyberspace Cyberspace is a time-dependent set of interconnected information systems and the human users that interact with these systems (Ottis & Lorents, 2010). In recent years the term â€Å"cyberspace† has been used to explain things that pertain to any type of network system and anything to do with the use of computer technology. However, given the frequent use of cyberspace and its different qualities that people use daily, human relationships are affected by the information systems. The everyday use of cyberspace has changed the way in which social identity, social interaction, and relationship formation is formed differently online than in real life (McKenna & Bargh, 2000). Cyberspace has affected the way ... ...various businesses. Social media is now used in order to recruit and hire employees for different companies. For instance, the social media site, LinkedIn, has many social profiles of individuals that are thrown in a candidate pool for different jobs. Many recruiters can find their ideal candidate by searching for key terms that may match individual’s background or show up on their personal profile (Blacksmith & Poeppelman, 2013). Although this process may make it easier for recruiters to scout potential employees, the method has its limitations. Recruiters are basing their decisions off of information provided by the unknown individuals, information that could potential be false. Also, other trivial things, like people not updating their profiles or revealing photographs of themselves that are accurate may influence the recruiter’s decision to hire someone or not.

Twelve Who Ruled Essay -- essays research papers

Twelve Who Ruled Book Review The year of terror is one of the most complex and misunderstood periods in the French Revolution. Palmer, in his book, Twelve Who Ruled, however, takes this period and skillfully turns it into a written masterpiece. The book is narrated from the point of view of someone with an omniscient knowledge of the subject matter, who is reflecting back on the period from the outside. The book tells the story of a brief moment in history when twelve men (Robespierre, Barere, Saint Just, Couthon, Lindet, Carnot, Saint-Andre, Prieur, Varenne, Herbois, Scholles, and Duvernois) ruled France; even though they were technically under the control of the Convention. Palmer begins by giving the reader an overview of who the twelve men were before they became rulers of a nation. He then goes on to discuss the purpose of the Committee of Public Safety, and the organizational structure of the terror. Palmer then smoothly moves on to discuss the "foreign plot" and how the committee dealt with it. He goes on to explain the "Doom at Lyons" by giving a very detailed description of the events that went on there. Palmer then procedes to depict the missions at Alsace and Brittany. In the last few chapters of the book, he slowly and carefully shows the winding down and eventual collapse of the Committee of Public Safety's power. Throughout this book, Palmer does an exquisite job painting the collage of the twelve men's ride to the top upon the horse of the committee of Public Safety. He wonderfully combines each man's individual actions with the more general problems that the Committee of Public Safety confronted. He discusses in detail the policies adopted to defend the Revolution, as well as how and why they were put into effect. The layout of the chapters in the book is extremely logical; they are basically put in chronological order. The fact that Palmer takes the time to give a full historical background of the twelve men shows that he wanted this book to be accessable to people who held no prior knowledge of the subject or time period. He gives a very lurid account of the most influential people on the committee, - namely Robespierre, Varenne, Carnot, Saint Andre, and Saint Just. In the first pages of the book,... ... they would not normally have acted. Due to the effectiveness of Palmer's presentation of the terror, the reader might get the idea that if he were involved in the Revolution, he might be afraid to speak up and voice his opinion. This is due to the fact that it might upset or oppose any person in power who might overhear what he said. These are the psychological repricutions of the terror. In his book Twelve Who Ruled, Palmer eloquently writes this narrative, "weaving the biographies of the twelve into the history of their time," and provides a coherent and convincing explanation of the terror. The book is not only educational for someone interested in the time period when these twelve men ruled the nation of France, but it is also enjoyable from the perspective of a person reading the book solely for interest in revolutions and how they affect the people who are involved in them. The book deals with a brief period of time during the French Revolution, namely the year of terror. The book ventures to interpret the foundations and rationale for the terror and Palmer illustrates his speculations on the subject through gracious, flowing writing.

Love Song

I thought of it as a positive because he was almost escaping time. B: Okay so he's Just like thinking about everything in this moment so time doesn't exist anymore A: Yes B: So when he says â€Å"Let fall upon the its back the soot falls from chimneys. † he almost personifying their sleep. Okay because I kind of saw it as him reflecting on his entire life and how there will be time to do all these things that I want to do but in the end is it worth it? And when he says â€Å"let us go then you and l. Maybe he's talking about the afterlife and saying what is the meaning of all of this until you get there. They also talk about Michelangelo, maybe because he's dead but almost amortized. A: He said â€Å"Do I dare† often and â€Å"how should I should I presume† I don't know maybe that's Just the uncertainty if It all and like the things like he said let us go and take these risks but he questioned it. Just moments we overlook or miss out on because we don't know how to think.Then he talked about like In line 40 and on â€Å"my hair growing thin† â€Å"my arms are thin† â€Å"do I disturb the universe? † do I question time do I go out even though nature Is taking Its course B: And he says indeed there will be time to wonder do I dare like there will be time to think about the things that you would have done and maybe he regrets not doing some of them. Like he says â€Å"l have measured my life with coffee spoons† and he know the voices and has kind of been In the background.You know coffee spoons Is kind of tedious A: Yea kind of living autonomously, Just like day by day doing the same thing and then think maybe this moment Is something different or special or he has this revelation that maybe I should take a risk and I guess In that moment he thinks this Is how I'm living my life and kind of reflects B: He repeats the question â€Å"would It have been worthwhile to do al these things and says no I am not prince ham let nor was I meant to b† and he says â€Å"I'm more Like a fool and fool and someone who advises the prince† and I don't know what do you think that means A: He also mentions Like a lot of characters really exalted people and he's saying†¦B: Kind of that he won't be remembered A: Exactly Like talking of Michelangelo, and Lazarus and a prophet, Prince Hamlet B: Yea and he's not prince hamlet A: He's not anything special I guess or he wants to be B: And so how does this reflect on love then he's saying would I have been worthwhile o squeeze this universe Into ball A: It think maybe In this moment he this thinks to himself what If I had lived my life Like this all the time and what If I had taken risks I could have know this feeling more. If we're looking at It Like love or even If It Is the end of his life and In the afterlife he's thinking I could have done so much more Like I'm not this person but I could have been and Instead I was the assistant that's Just the u ncertainty if it all and like the things like he said let us go and take we don't know how to think. Then he talked about like in line 40 and on â€Å"my hair o out even though nature is taking its course B: And he says indeed there will be measured my life with coffee spoons† and he know the voices and has kind of been in the background.You know coffee spoons is kind of tedious A: Yea kind of living moment is something different or special or he has this revelation that maybe I should take a risk and I guess in that moment he thinks this is how I'm living my life and kind of reflects B: He repeats the question â€Å"would it have been worthwhile to do says â€Å"I'm more like a fool and fool and someone who advises the prince† and I don't now what do you think that means A: He also mentions like a lot of characters really A: Exactly like talking of Michelangelo, and Lazarus and a prophet, Prince Hamlet B: to squeeze this universe into ball A: It think maybe in this m oment he this thinks to himself what if I had lived my life like this all the time and what if I had taken risks I could have know this feeling more. If we're looking at it like love or even if it is the end of his life and in the afterlife he's thinking I could have done so much more like I'm not this person but I could have been and instead I was the assistant Love Song The poem I chose to imitate and use to create my pastiche was Joseph Brodsky’s â€Å"Love Song†. The poem is Brodsky’s unusual ode to the woman he loves, telling her all the things that he would do for her if he could. These are things that he would do to show her how much he loves her, how far he would to take care of her, and how attracted he is to her. I chose this poem because I felt that it was an interesting combination of humor and subtle sexual innuendo intertwined with classical love poem emotion.I also chose this poem because the structure of it and the meter of the words were interesting and I wanted to challenge myself to recreate this structure with lines and thoughts of my own. Within Brodsky’s poem there are some particular elements that I intentionally tried to recreate, while there are others that I changed for my own. I tried to stay within the same meter with my poem as Brodsky did in his. I did this primarily because I enjoyed the way t hat the meter made his poem so easily readable and made the poem flow better.Brodsky did this by using words and lines with the same number of syllables, and I tried to recreate this element for the same effect. I also chose to utilize the element of rhyming every other line so that every two lines complete one sentence and one sentiment for the poem’s reader. Again, I felt that this technique made the poem flow well and made it more interesting. I began my creative process to create my pastiche of Brodsky’s poem by reading it several times.I did this to get an accurate understanding of the places in the poem where he inserted humor or innuendo in the lines. I felt that it was important to evenly space out these occurrences as Brodsky did so my poem didn’t come off too humorous and seem like a joke or a less than heartfelt expression. I also noted the individual components that Brodsky said he would be willing to be in his poem and tried to follow these. In some lines he refers to being a particular occupation, but in others he refers to himself as hypothetically being an inanimate object.I tried to follow this same structure because I felt it lent to the imagination of the poem and the genuine expression of love. The biggest challenge for me when creating my pastiche was to rhyme every other line. I find it difficult to write poetry that rhymes but I wanted to keep this element from Brodsky’s poem. I dealt with this challenge by trying to keep the first word, which is the word for which I would need to find an accompanying rhyme, simple and easy to rhyme.This meant rewriting some of the lines to make them end with an easy but fitting word, but it also helped me to make the poem flow better. I think I was able to rhyme the alternating lines while still incorporating meaningful metaphors in my poem. The other challenge I encountered was trying to implement Brodsky’s use of sexual innuendo without making the poem sexual. I trie d to accomplish this by using metaphors that hinted at sexual or physical attraction without being too overt, but I honestly found it difficult to imitate Brodsky’s sly subtlety.Overall, I think that the resulting pastiche that I created is a good imitation of Brodsky’s poem without mirroring it exactly. While I followed his formula for constructing the poem, I used my own metaphors which give it my own perspective. I think I did a good job of retaining the structure and flow of Brodsky’s poem, which was difficult since I was using my own words and having to rhyme every other line like he did. In creating this pastiche I was reminded of how much work goes into writing what seems like a simple poem.It’s easy to look at Brodsky’s poem, which is only sixteen lines of simple language, and decide that it must be easy to write something like it. But in reality, the structure, language and rhyme scheme made it more difficult than originally imagined. It t ook a lot of creative effort to create something individual while imitating the elements of the original poem that I liked or wanted to incorporate, but I think the resulting pastiche is a quality imitation of Brodsky’s display of poetic talent.

Philosophy Essay

Fundamentally the term philosophy is the study of different natural phenomena that exists like knowledge, truth, beauty, justice, validity, mind, numerous languages. Anthony Quinton a well known author of his time declared it as thinking about thinking. It is quite dissimilar than mysticism or mythology that are also ways of addressing numerous dissimilar questions. This term has a particular definite meaning as this word is an origin from ancient Greek times and it means ‘Love of wisdom‘. In addition with this it is also segmented into numerous different branches like Metaphysics, Epistemology, Political Philosophy, Logic, Philosophy of Mind, Philosophy of language and several more This branch of philosophy is fundamentally used to study the nature of the mind, mental events, mental functions, mental properties, consciousness and their relationship to the physical body, particularly the brain. Several well known scientists work on this segment of philosophy and gave there numerous theories as well as applications on this but still the relationship of the mind to the body, is commonly seen as the central issue in philosophy of mind. It was also explored that there are other issues too regarding relations with physical body that have to be resolved. According to research it was discovered that chronological mapping of the brain was the initial attempt, which correlates mental functionalities with different segments of brain. Many of us have a thought that the main defining characteristic of a person is either the person has consciousness, mind or soul. Not only this it was also a fact that almost all of us exactly know consciousness, but still there are several problem regarding this as having awareness of consciousness is not the end until we know what consciousness is. Several philosophers gave their thoughts and works in this field to resolve all issues of philosophy of mind. In 427 BC Plato one of the well-known and prominent philosopher of his time share his though and declare the fact that fundamentally what we are is our real soul, and that our real soul will survive after death, and after our death this soul will be release form our body. Similarly in 384BC Aristotle reveal the fact that soul and body are basically related with each other, in addition with this he also explore the point that our soul is not a part of other substance but it is directly related with our body as or material substance, of which the body is made. Beside this Aristotle once said, If an axe had a soul, its soul would be cutting. Furthermore in year 1825 T.H. Huxley gave his views regarding philosophy of mind. As according to him our mind is a product of brain. Not only this he also gave samples to prove his words as he states† if I think that I want some chocolate, this may be because my stomach is sending messages to the brain because my blood sugar level is low†. In addition with this he also explore that this term consciousness didn’t have any sort of power to cause anything, all such situations are reflection of biology as according to him till the time body is alive and is in working position but when body dies, mind will stop its functionalities and dies with it. Several philosopher work in this particular area to resolve mind-body problem, they define the fact that through which techniques and approaches a supposedly non-material mind can influence a material body and vice-versa. Besides philosopher also concerned this particular point that how someone’s propositional attitudes could become the result of that individual’s neurons to fire not only this how his muscles also contract in exactly the accurate behavior as well. â€Å"The diversity of our opinions does not arise from the fact that some people are more reasonable than others, but solely from the fact that we we lead our thoughts along different paths and do not take the same things in consideration.† To resolve above mentioned issues Dualism and monism are explored and declared as the significant thoughts to resolve all such problems of mind and body. Dualism if basically defined as a position in which both mind and body lie down in some categorical way which would separate them from each other. Not only this Dualism is also segmented into three parts as well. Similarly Monism is also a declared as a particular stage where both mind and body are not ontologically distinct kinds of entities. Furthermore many other related things are also completed and different techniques are also designed by philosopher to solve all such issues of mind and body. As the father of modern philosophy Descartes in year 1596 uses his famous writing â€Å"method of doubt† to explain the fact that he has no doubt on the existence of his mind. After Descartes master piece writing various more photosphere also contributes in this field and still many of the issues of mind-body problem are not resolved, and these philosopher are looking forward to solve all such issues and gave a clear concept of how this part of body actually works and what is the fundamental relationship of mind and body.