Ethical Integrity in a Business Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Ethical Integrity in a Business - Research Paper Example St. Augustine, a medieval philosopher, based his concept of ethics on religious injunctions. He argued that persons should have compassion expressed in a Golden Rule: do not do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Hosmer, 1994). Modern philosophers such as Hobbes and Locke assailed that compassion is an ideal virtue in a world that is competing on resources and on political posts; people compete and take advantages (Hosmer, 1994). Thus, Locke and Hobbes proposed that people ought to moderate themselves from competition; maintain societal peace and to abide on laws (Hosmer, 1994). Bentham and Mill, proponents of utilitarianism, contend that business ethics is possible if people abide to fundamental rules and if those who are serving in the central government are bereft of self-interests (Hosmer, 1994). Both also proposed that there should be a measure on government laws and to evaluate the justice in all actions (Hosmer, 1994). Thus, an act is good if it’s helpful to the greatest number of persons benefitted. Kant, on the other hand, contended that there is universal rule and such must be free from decision-makers’ interests. Kant proposed that ethics must forbid any action one is unwilling to see from others if on similar situation, one would be encouraged to take (Hosmer, 1994). This is further elucidated by modern philosophers, Rousseau and Jefferson, who postulated that removing self-interest is impossible thus, civil rights are necessary to protect persons from arbitrary actions and to guarantee them freedom of speech, religion, assembly, and the like (Hosmer, 1994). It also protects civilians’ properties and liberties, following due process. Moreover, Rawls argued that ethics is based on distributive justice. He advocated for equitable distribution of wealth and services, especially for the disadvantaged in the communities (Hosmer, 1994). Rawls posit that this is possible through social contract. Nozick’s argued that liberty is the bulwark of what is morally upright. Liberty allows freedom from constraints, from laws and market. Under the concept of Social Contract, Nozick argued that no one should be allowed to interfere with the rights of others for self-development and fulfillment (Hosmer, 1994). Larue (1987) perceived that ethical issues relating to business management are most discussed as a relevant matter in human resource management. Hosmer (1987) posited that ethical issues are foremost considered when workers experienced being harmed or at a loss especially when the company undertakes restructuring or closure. Such add to common transactional details on legal and financial matters where ethical imperatives are sought to resolve an ethical dilemma that would considerably be right, proper, and just (Hosmer, 1987). Thus, it’s wise to integrate management’s moral obligation and ethics in strategic planning as part of corporate responsibility (Hosmer, 1994). This is essential to create an environment of trust and commitment among company’s stakeholders to ensure business leverage in the market and its economy (Homer, 1994). He cited that managers whose general

Historical reference to U.S. counter-terrorism practices, and how Essay

Historical reference to U.S. counter-terrorism practices, and how these practices have been developed - Essay Example Two sections, besides the introductory one, deal with key issues in crafting the US counterterrorism strategies, while the third section lays a particular emphasis on the current approach to countering acts of terror and terrorist networks. Thus, the final section discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the present-day US counterterrorism policy and draws a conclusion about its effectiveness. Introduction As a general rule, terrorism is unsusceptible to exact definition insofar as certain interpretations could justify violence, especially actions conducted under the banner of politics, which is otherwise unacceptable (White, 2012). Thus, as White (2012) states, terrorism denotes different things to different people, being called either revolutionary war or crime in one or another period of history. On the other hand, according to White (2012), terrorism itself, along with the counter-terrorist responses, are practices that have always been in transition; while Ambassador Michael Sh eehan (retd) points out that terrorism is both provoked and sustained by technological progress, development and, perhaps most notably, globalization (Alexander & Kraft, 2008). In that regard, the smaller the world has become, the more capable terrorists would appear – whether in terms of communication, travel, funding, or weaponry (Alexander & Kraft, 2008). The advent of global-oriented terrorism in the 1990s, being represented first and foremost by Islamic Jihad- and al-Qaeda-led activities worldwide, appears a powerful argument in favor of that statement (Anderson and Sloan, 2009). In his foreword to Evolution of US Counterterrorism Policy, Ambassador Sheehan (retd) concluded that the US counterterrorism policies generally present a perspective on the evolution of terrorism itself (Alexander & Kraft, 2008). Being largely preoccupied with traditional interstate conflict and counterinsurgency, the US national security establishment first recognized the terrorist threat in th e early 1970s; while the increasing frequency, considerably extended reach and magnified lethality of terrorist attacks in the 1980s and 1990s up to the post 9/11 era, firmly shifted the focus of attention on terrorism in order to become US national security policy’s top priority (Sheehan in Alexander & Kraft, 2008). Correspondingly, the US counter-terrorist responses and tactics reflected the growing complexity of terrorist threat worldwide, including weapons of mass destruction, cyber-terrorism, etc. (Lia, 2003). The Times of Blissful Ignorance There have been numerous acts of terrorism across the world in modern times, but the United States became a prime terrorist target as late as the 1980s; until then, the term terrorism had been applied to various groups, including revolutionaries, anarchists, nationalists and violent left-wing activists, who mainly targeted European citizens and governments (White, 2012). As the meaning of terrorism fluctuated over time, the forms of terrorist activity also fluctuated between group violence, rioting and guerilla warfare (White, 2012). In turn, the tactics employed by terrorist organizations varied from kidnapping to assassinations and bombings, including suicide ones. The attack on the

Access and consent in public photography

Access and consent in public photography Difficulties in obtaining literature I thought it would be appropriate to start this chapter with a foreword, explaining the difficulties I had in obtaining relevant literature for this review. Whilst conducting an initial search for literature, it became quickly apparent that very little other primary research had been conducted on this subject. To confound matters, the only literature that had been conducted was extremely dated. As a result, there was little other material that I would be able to compare my research to. The one piece of research that was directly relevant was a chapter in Image Ethics by Lisa Henderson – Access and consent in public photography. This chapter will receive a thorough review in a latter section of this review, as its importance as the only other comparable piece of primary research cannot be understated. The only other papers I found that were comparable in terms of content were legal review papers, usually specific to a particular nation. Both Dunedin and Ludlows papers at first glance seemed to be similar in content to my working title (Dunedin 2007; Ludlow 2005). Upon closer inspection though, their applicability was limited. Both dealt with photography as a form of privacy invasion, however, the large bulk of both papers was review of the legislation covering these issues in New Zealand and Australia respectively. Whilst some the content was arguably valuable, I felt that discussing legal legalisation of countries outside of the UK would be irrelevant in the context of my interviews. As there is little to no comparable primary research to base this review upon, I have instead aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of the relevant issues that may occur during the interview process. These include, an overview of the laws in the UK that govern photographers rights, A social history of amateur photography and the advent of the Kodak and specific review of Hendersons Access and Consent in Public Photography. The Law The law is fundamental to many of the arguments covered in this dissertation. The UK law in particular, covers many aspects of photographers rights and details exactly when and how they may intrude upon the privacy of others. Despite issues such as the intrusion of privacy, are more of a modern product of legal development, their creation can be attributed in part to the onset popularisation of amateur photography as a result of the hand camera. In this aspect, it can be argued that photography is on the forefront of ethical and moral issues surrounding privacy and the protection of intellectual property. In particular, this section will focus on the laws surrounding photography of private property, invasion of privacy and harassment, and photography of children. There exists much material on copyright issues pertaining to photography. I have purposefully excluded these issues from this review because I felt it was less relevant to the overall purpose of the dissertation as compared to the issues involved in actually performing the act of taking the photograph. Private property As a rule of thumb, photographers do have the right to take photographs of private property from public spaces (Macpherson 2009). Photographers also have the right to take photographs on private property provided they have the owners permission to do so. Conversely however, any owner of private property has the right to refuse access to a property upon entry, and this includes taking photographs of said property. Macpherson notes that, in addition, photography is restricted upon entry to other areas of private property that some might consider public, including â€Å"museums, stately homes, for example, and by most concert venues† In addition, the use of a of a long lens to take to an picture of a private property, such as a persons residence, is an invasion of privacy if the photograph is taken without the owners consent, even if it is taken in a public space (Macpherson 2009). Exceptions in Public Spaces The UK has two exceptions, where photography is prohibited in openly public spaces. These specifically, include Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square in London. Photography in these areas is prohibited from commercial photography, for example, it could not be used in business adverting or for selling prints (Greater London Authority 2002). Non-commercial photography is not prohibited, for example, tourists taking photographs are unrestricted in their photography in these areas. Harassment In general, any harassment of a person is illegal. Obviously this term is extremely broad but photography in certain circumstances can be viewed as harassment. Macpherson notes that â€Å"Harassment is essentially behaviour that causes alarm or distress, and it refers to a ‘course of conduct not a single incident.† (Macpherson 2009) This means that this behaviour has to be repeated at least twice to count to amount to harassment; however, two separate incidents have the potential to occur in a short period a time, for example, if a person repeatedly tried to photograph of an unwilling subject. Invasion of Privacy As it stands, the UK does have laws governing an individuals privacy. This right to privacy has developed through the interaction of the European Convention on Human Rights with domestic law through the Human Rights Act 1998. This may result in certain prohibitions on the practice of photography. Specifically Article 8 of European Convention on Human Rights gives every individual the right to protect their private family life, correspondence and home from the intrusion of others. Whether this right is directly a result of the Human Rights Act 1998 or is judicially created, is a matter that has been widely discussed (Morgan 2004). Whilst, the right to privacy is protected by Article 8 of the convention, Article 10 detailing freedom of expression, contradicts this right in terms of photography As a result, courts often have to judge each case in terms of its own merits (Human Rights Act 1998). To confound matters, article 8 is in a stage of flux, and laws surrounding the privacy of ind ividuals are often altered, creating the potential for further confusion among both photographers and members of the general public. When specifically considering the case of photographing in public spaces, the core of the issue lies in whether a person could have a reasonable expectation of privacy, however, the degree to which is asserted is a matter of debate. Data Protection Despite there currently not being a case of such, there is still a possibility that photographs may be subject to the Data Protection Act (Data Protection Act 1998). This act monitors and protects all aspects pertaining to personal information. Whilst the act does not specifically mention privacy as a concept, the label of ‘personal information can relate to almost any aspect of an individuals intellectual property, whether this includes their image, is a question that has yet to be clearly stated ,but is a matter that will no doubt be debated in the near future. Protection of Children The law protects children in exactly the same way as adults when considering the issues we have already considered in terms of harassment, data protection and invasions of privacy. However, in addition, children are also protected by the child protection act. It is illegal both to take an indecent photograph of a child, or to edit an image in such a way that a photograph becomes indecent. These laws are detailed in the Protection of Children Act (Protection of Children Act 1978). Macpherson notes that while it is not illegal to take photographs of children under the age of 16 in public places, it may well arouse suspicion from the police and may result in investigation of motives (Macpherson 2009). In addition he notes that other activities and events put on by local councils, such as fairs and school-based events, may well have strict rules about photography of children which can be enforced. Security National Security has become an issue of chief importance in the light of recent terrorist activity. One of the most published examples is the fact that is now illegal to transfer or publish a photograph of a police constable, members of the armed forces, or other security related personnel under new counter terrorist legislation (Counter-Terrorism Act 2008). This rule is somewhat moderated by the fact that the accused photograph would have to be of a nature that would prove useful to terrorists. The accused are capable of defending themselves if they manage to provide a reasonable excuse, nevertheless, the focus of this legislation is arguably still a case of ‘guilty before proven innocent. This law has been met with considerable resistance, with journalists recently staging a protest against the legalisation at Scotland Yard. In an news article covering the protest, Victoria Bone notes â€Å"That means anyone taking a picture of one of those people could face a fine or a prison sentence of up to 10 years, if a link to terrorism is proved The law has angered photographers, both professional and amateur, who fear it could exacerbate the harassment they already sometimes face.† (Bone 2009) A Cultural History Of Amateur Photography The Advent Of Personality And Privacy The advent of a formal understanding of privacy is an issue that is central to this entire dissertation. I wanted to examine the advent of privacy as a concept because it is so inextricably linked to many of the issues that arose through my interviews, aiding my latter analysis. Many of the issues pertaining to the evolution of privacy can be found in Mensels paper Kodakers Lying in Wait: Amateur Photography and the Right of Privacy in New York, 1885 -1915 (Mensel 1991). At first glance of this paper, I was concerned of its potential use because I wanted to focus on the UK, as many of these issues are culturally relative. Despite this, upon further inspection, the concepts the paper produces are universal in their applicability. In addition, many of the issues of privacy do appear to have developed in Victorian New York in a way that is both traceable and easily understood. The first of Mensels key references in the development of privacy is author Warren Susman. Susman has written a wealth of information on the fundamental changes that occurred in American society in the early 20th century. Perhaps the most important of these changes was the shift between being a â€Å"culture of character† to a â€Å"culture of personality†. In her book ‘Culture as History: The Transformation of American Society in the Twentieth Century (Susman 1984) Susman describes how self-awareness developed within society, subtly and yet fundamentally. He argues that for much of the 1800s that society was defined by the nature of â€Å"Character†. Character was defined as form of self-awareness where people examined their own morality. From Susman: â€Å"In the age of self-consciousness, a popular vision of the self defined by the word character became fundamental in sustaining and even in shaping the significant forms of the culture. Such a concept filled two important functions. It proposed a method for both mastery and development of the self. In fact, it argued that its kind of self-control was the way to fullest development of the moral significance of self. But it also provided a method of presenting the self to society, offering a standard of conduct that assured interrelationship between the social and the moral.† This matter of expressing oneself to society was a crucial trigger for a wide reaching social change. For Susman, the advent of character was the first step on the road to society developing personality and consequently, the concept of privacy. Despite these insights, Mensel argues that Susmans use of words such as ‘character and ‘personality are inappropriate because such distinction between them was not recognised at that time. Another key reference that Mensel cites in his paper, is the writing of renowned journalist EL Godkin. Godkin was at the forefront of the development of privacy as a concept and was one of the first to write specifically on the matter. His article in Scirbners magazine ‘The Rights of the Citizen was one of the first writings to consider â€Å"The right to decide how much knowledge of [an individuals] own private affairs the public shall have† (Godkin 1890). Godkin saw privacy as â€Å"a distinctly modern product, one of luxuries of civilisation†. Having recognised the advent of privacy as a new phenomenon, Godkin was also conscious of the threats to privacy that the behaviours of modern society represented. He was particularly concerned with the behaviour of the media in intruding peoples personal lives: â€Å"The Chief enemy of privacy in modern life is that interest in other people and their affairs known as curiosity, which in days before newspapers created personal gossip [A]s long as gossip was oral, is spread, as regarded any one individual, over a very small area, and was confined to the immediate circle of his acquaintances. It did not reach, or but rarely reached, those who knew nothing of him. It did not make his name, or his walk, or his conversation familiar to strangers† Godkins writings on the issues of privacy and how it may be intruded upon, inspired a strong desire within some sectors of the society, to protect their privacy with legal means. Some social commentators have argued that Godkins work was the direct inspiration for Warren and Brandeiss groundbreaking article, ‘The Right to Privacy, that argued for privacy to be protected by law (Warren Brandeis 1890). Ironically , it would appear that Godkin was actually opposed to using the law as a method of protecting privacy. According to Mensel, this was partially due to the fact that a jury in such a trial would be most likely â€Å"be composed of the same ‘depraved classes that were responsible for the advent of sensationalist journalism and intrusive photography profitable† (Mensel 1991). Despite Godkins objections, Warren and Brandeiss article was a huge success. Combining elements from varied and estranged fields of law, they managed to formulate an argument that the law could protect the â€Å"thoughts, sentiments and emotions† of the general public (Warren and Brandeis 1890). This issue was especially important to the authors because of the threat generated by â€Å"Recent inventions and business methods† These included the new journalism style that was similarly disregarded by Godkin, in addition a previously unconsidered threat in the form of the newly invented Kodak hand camera. The Social Impact Of The Kodak Camera Photography, prior to the invention of the hand camera, was a difficult and cumbersome process that was only left to the reserve of a minority of experts. It was certainly not the highly accessible hobby that it became in later years. As Jenkins notes: â€Å"From the time of the introduction of commercial photography in 1839 until the late 1870s, the technical complexities of the photographic process were so great that only professional photographers and a very few avid amateurs chose to pursue the practice. In the 1870s the photographer had, for example, to prepare the photosensitive materials; adjust the camera settings; expose, develop, and fix the glass-plate negative; and print and fix the positive paper copy.† (Jenkins 1975) This situation changed permanently and dramatically with the invention of the hand camera, invented by George Eastman. This camera used an innovative new technology that used dry plates and allowed for instantaneous exposures. This new technology came to change not only how photographs were taken, but who took them. Perhaps the widest reaching effect of the introduction of the Kodak was to allow members of the public with no little to no previous experience of photography to take acceptable quality pictures. Whilst this may have seen as a positive step in terms of the reputation and esteem of the photographers, the advent of thousands of amateur photographers had the opposite effect. In the late 19th century, in America, prominent newspapers such as The New York Times produced articles on what came to be known as The Camera Epidemic (The New York Times 1884). These articles disregarded the mass popularisation of photography to the extent of a labelling it a national scourge. Reports written by members of the public of the growing problem of â€Å"camera lunatics appear frequently in letters to the major publishers. A different article in the New York Times (NYT 1884) went as far to liken amateur photographers to the mentally ill: â€Å"it has not occurred to a single medical man that the first noticeable increase in the percentage of lunatics in this country and in England took place about a year after the introduction of dry plate photography We need search no further to find out why our lunatic asylums are crowded. These reports are a potent reminder of the disregard many people felt for the advent of the hand camera at this time. One article detailing Secretary of Treasury, Charles Folger marked as an oddity for having â€Å"a most extraordinary fondness for being photographed†, In the same article as the author describes Folgers picture being taken be describes â€Å"..while the camera does its deadly work† (NYT 1884) Examples such as these highlight the publics distaste for these new amateurs. One particularly violent solution was offered in The Amateur Photographer1885: There is but one remedy for the amateur photographer. Put a brick through his camera whenever you suspect he has taken you unawares. And if there is any doubt, give the benefit of it to the brick, not to the camera. The rights of private property, personal liberty, and personal security birthrights, all of them, of American citizens are distinctly are distinctly inconsistent with the unlicensed use of the instantaneous process. (The Amateur Photographer 1885) Access And Consent In Public Photography – A Review This essay, written by Lisa Henderson, is essentially a review of an unpublished masters thesis – Photographing in Public Places: Photography as social interaction that was produced while she was a student at the University of Pennsylvania in 1983. I first encountered this essay while studying a book called Image Ethics: The Moral Rights of Subjects in Photographs, Film, and Television published in 1991, the essay however is also revised and reprinted in a book called The Photographer Reader published in 2003. The gap between these dates was a good initial indication that the essay had occupied a unique niche in terms of describing issues of privacy caused by photography from a social standpoint. Indeed, it is the only comparable piece of literature I have found on the subject. Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain a copy of the original thesis. Thankfully, the essay alone contains a detailed summary of the most pertinent results. This section will review these results so that I may be able to compare the findings of our research during my analysis and conclusions. Hendersons results are subdivided into three main categories: Settings, Subjects and Strategies. I will purposefully avoid repeating the reference (Henderson 2003), all of the following material is adapted from the most recent version of her essay in The Photography Reader, all statements can be directly attributed to this essay. Settings Henderson begins this chapter with four elements that she has defined as being key when considering the setting of photographs: 1) The familiarity of the setting 2) Whether the setting is is considered a â€Å"front† or â€Å"back† region of a larger area 3) How frequently photographs are taken in the setting and 4) The purpose of the event within the setting. Familiarity, according to Henderson, is key in defining how comfortable a photographer feels taking photographs in a given setting. She notes that familiarity is key because it allows a photographer to achieve a state of â€Å"normality† By understanding their subject audiences, photographers can blend into specific cultural settings and make their subjects feel at ease. The language used in this case is interesting. Henderson implies that a state of â€Å"normality† is beneficial because photography is an abnormal action. The terms of â€Å"front and back† are adapted from theatrical stage language and define a photographers route of access. Back regions involve a photographer to imitate the image of a consummate professional going about day-to-day business, they can achieve this by being accompanied by a official such a police officer or by â€Å"pretending† to be on official business. Front entrance occurs when an event implies a photographers presence is not unusual. Henderson argues that photographers are more comfortable when surrounded by their own kind. A mob has the effect of drawing attention away from the individual, making it easier for a single photographer to achieve â€Å"neutrality† in their setting. Again, the language here implies neutrality is beneficial in order to avoid unwanted attention. Again, events where photography is expected, such as press conferences, are easier for photographers because photography is the expected norm at such an event. Subjects Henderson introduces this section with what some would argue, is an extremely bold statement: â€Å"No group of people is categorically off-limits or of no interest to photographers†. This statement is modified by adding that many different groups at treated differently by photographers, Age, gender ethnicity and social class all require a modification of strategy be it an invitation to take a photography or an act of â€Å"intimidation in others†. Henderson notes that a common subject for many amateur photographers can be found in street performers performing various formal and informal activities. Individuals performing musical, theatrical or other forms of entertainment are ideal according to Henderson, because photography is usually a welcome presence or â€Å"flattery† for many street performers who are keen for attention. They also allow the photographers to remain relatively unnoticed among a crowd of stationary observers. Strategies Henderson describes a plethora of different strategies in order to gain access to their subjects. These strategies are eased if the photographer shares common characteristics with their subjects, she cites ethnicity, social class and social background as being key in determining the ease at which a photographer can gain access to their subjects. Interestingly, she notes that children are an exception â€Å"Photographing children is an exception. Children are thought to be less self-conscious about their appearance and less likely to anticipate the â€Å"possible horrors† of photographs and they might appear in publication† This comment is of particular interest because it reflects the culture of the time in which it was written. Indeed children would be considered an exception in photography in recent times, more likely for the fact that they were a subject to be avoided due to possible fear of being labelled a sexual deviant. A mass paranoia about paedophilia was not p resent in the early 1980s to the same degree that it is currently. Henderson describes a variety of different strategies that may be employed to gain access to their subjects. The majority of these involve the photographer assuming a role where he/she can appear as â€Å"un-alarming† as possible by either assuming an official role or by blending in with the crowd. Conclusions Hendersons work serves an interesting social insight into the behaviour of photographers. However, there are several factors that would be interesting to have been more informed on. She mentions that this work is based on interviews with 15 ‘photographers, it becomes clear in the subsequent prose that these photographers consist of a mix of amateurs, professionals and photojournalists, which does seem a wide variety for such a small sample. In many ways, the paper exudes a feeling of disapproval, photographers are seen as taking steps to remain â€Å"un-alarming† and seeking to try and gain an appearance of â€Å"normality†. Photographers are also seen as adjusting their approach to different social groups by â€Å"intimidating† them, although direct quotations or evidence to support this claim is not provided. In many regards, this paper seems to follow the line of the amateur photographer as a 19th century â€Å"camera lunatic†. Whilst informative, it does seem somewhat odd that this one-sided approach to the issue remains the only obtainable source on the behaviour of the photographer and their considerations of privacy.

Cosbys Ebonics :: essays research papers

Cosby on Ebonics In 1996, the Oakland School District proposed the inclusion of what is known as "Ebonics" into its curriculum. Ebonics, or Black language, has been referred to in various ways over the years: "African American Vernacular English," "Pan-African Communication Behaviors," "African Language Systems," or "West and Niger-Congo African Language Systems." By any name, Ebonics, when studied over the years, has been proven to be a real language with its own phonology, syntax, morphology, sentence patterns, and double interpretations of words. The pattern that Ebonics speakers in the United States speak is highly similar to the patterns seen in both the Caribbean Creole and the West African languages. No one would have thought that comedian Bill Cosby would have an opinion on this subject, but as I read through essay I realized the logic and validity behind his paper. In his essay Bill Cosby states that, "Ebonics be a complex issue," and it is, also he feels that it should not be taught in schools without studying the problems that could grow from teaching "an urbanized version of the English language." Cosby has a PhD in education, which increases his credibility. Cosby, being a black man, should not affect how his essay is read but it may be an issue to some. His use of humor makes the subject easier to comprehend and the entire piece more interesting. There is always a serious way and a lighter way to address any problem that affects many people and Cosby's choice to use humor makes more sense considering who he is in the public eye. Ebonics is a difficult issue to deal with, and Cosby makes a valid point that it should not be taught in school. Cosby's credibility is not weakened because of his PhD in education if nothing else it is heightened. Being that he has this degree, he is more likely to obtain all the facts before forming a strong opinion on the subject. Having to teach Ebonics to anyone and everyone would be a problem and some people may not want to learn a new version of the language that has been taught for how many years. Cosby’s education creates a feel of an educated person making an educated opinion, not just anyone with a personal opinion. A black man has just as much authority to discuss Ebonics as a white or Asian-American person. Just because Cosby is black does not affect the way Ebonics would be encountered in everyday occurrences.

Inft Adult Learning Theory

inft Adult Learning Theory Dustin Stamey Adult Learning Theory Summary Non Traditional college students make up a large percent of the total population. There are a few categories that they fall into. The first category is workers. Non-traditional students might have either lost their job or are doing training to move up the ladder from their current position. The second category is military veterans. After years in the service, their professional education took a back seat. All they know is military service. For them, it will be really hard to acclimate into civilian life.The third category is adults that just received their GED and are now pursuing a life in higher education. It is important to provide for the adult learners so that they can thrive. M. S. Knowles said that there are four principles that characterize adult learners. â€Å"1. They are self directed, take responsibility for their own actions, and resist having information arbitrarily imposed on them. 2. They have an extensive depth of experience, which serves as a critical component in the foundation of their self identity. 3. They are ready to learn.As most adult learners return to college voluntarily, they are likely to actively engage in the learning process. 4. They are task motivated. Adult students returning to college attend for a specific goal and the primary component of their motivational drive tends to be internal† (Knowles, 1984) According to Schraw and Moshman there are three â€Å"Metacognitive Frameworks† that help people build their own learning theories. These would include Tacit, Informal, and Formal. Some of the metacognitive skills are built over time, such is the case with tacit and informal theory.These are made from educators and very repetitive jobs that do not require critical thinking. One of the biggest problems with adult learners is their gap in education. The adult has learned practical education instead of learning academic knowledge. Practical knowle dge can be used in everyday tasks like at work. Academic knowledge is not. There are ways to help the individual bridge the gap and make connections between the two. For example, an introductory writing class might show differences in practical and academic. The adult learners will also need a detailed syllabus. A set of instructions are very important.Adult learners are very goal oriented and need to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Educators need to use strategies to invite the adult learner to want to learn. Using these strategies make it easier to adapt to a cognitive and critical thinking mindset. Article 2 Adult learning Theory for the Twenty-First Century Educators want to help facilitate learning. They must learn more about their students in order to do this through â€Å"embodied learning, spirituality, and narrative†. (Merriam, pg 93) Adult learning is a very complex problem and cannot be boiled down to something simple.It is forever changing. There have been m any advances since Mezirows idea of transformational learning. (Merriam, pg 94) A bigger value has been placed on exactly where the education is taking place like work, home, and school. There are numerous factors that can affect each place like size, lighting, and background activities. There has been an increased attention to learning context. There finally has been an acknowledgment that learning is a â€Å"multidimensional Phenomenon†. (Merriam, pg 95) It used to be that learning was taking in facts and converting it to knowledge.Now it is said that learning involves the body, mind, spirit, and emotions. The mind (brain) changes when it is in learning mode. There is a mind body connection. There is also a connection between life experiences and mental capacity. Reflection I have read both articles completely. For the most part, I feel that they adequately describe the adult learner. There are many options that one could use to apply this to their own lives. Personally, th e article Adult Learning Theory: Applications to Non-Traditional College Students really hit home. I fall into almost all of their categories.I have a full time job and even though I haven’t lost my job yet, I feel that a college education can help me further my career. From the working standpoint, repetitiveness of my daily tasks does not contribute to a higher standard of learning. I also fall into the category for veterans. I was in the Air force for 7 years. I can relate to military veterans. Most of them are deployed a long time and school is not an option. Most of them choose to wait till they get out to start school. I had to wait from 2003 till now to get started in school and the gap in education is killing me.Liberty University has a fantastic grasp on what I need personally to succeed in school. The articles touch base on starting school with the right mind set and environment. With the gap in education that I have it was important to see the correlation between be ginning (starter) classes and making the connection between practical knowledge and academic knowledge. This will really help me. A detailed syllabus helps me keep track of what’s due and when I need to turn it in. I took it a step further and made a calendar of assignments and turn in dates.My wife has also been enlisted in keeping me on the right path and on time. One of the articles spoke about adults being goal oriented. This is absolutely right in my case, and is a product of my own design. I need to see an end to a means. There has to be a light at the end of the tunnel for me. The article gives the impression that goal orientation is a downside to learning and I do not agree. The second article honestly was a bad choice. There was not a lot of information on how I can improve on my adult learning. It was more of a generalization about another publication than actual facts.Having said that, we will see if there is anything that I can use The article states that adult le arning is very complex. I could not agree with them more. In an average day, I work 9 hours at my job, come home, start dinner, run errands, and spend quality time with my son. It is hard to find time for studying and course work. The thing that it is not just the time constraints that get me. My environment does not help in any way. It’s dimly lit and has a loud surrounding. This makes it a little hard to concentrate. If I had a bad day at work then I probably won’t be in the right mood to study.Over all, both articles were helpful in understanding the dilemmas that an adult learner faces. Institutions of higher learning have a grasp on how to cater to these individuals. Although each person is different, instituting the best practices works well for adult learners. Dustin Stamey References Kenner, C & Weinerman J, (Spring 2011). Adult Learning Theory: Applications to Non-Traditional College Students. (41. 2), pp. 87-96 Merriam B, S. , (2008). Adult Learning Theory fo r the Twenty-First Century. . 2008 (Issue 119), pp. 93-98

Mercury Athetic

Net Present Value of Mercury Athletic Enterprise The results of my financial analysis based on the Free Cash Flow Method considering the base case of financial projections and assumptions for Mercury Athletic Footwear collated and developed by John Liedtke indicate that that the project to acquire Mercury Althletic has a positive net present value at $243,025 (in thousands) [ given by PV(FCF)=86,681+ PV (Terminal Value) =156,343] which is also greater than the recommended acquisition price of $186,216 (in thousands),therefore Active Gear Inc. hould proceed with the acquisition of Mercury’s operation. Free Cash Flow The free cash flow from Mercury’s business operations was determined using the base case for the consolidated operating income, expenses, tax rate and depreciation to determine the net operating profits after tax (NOPAT) for the years 2007-2011. Free cash flow was then calculated using the formula (FCF= NOPAT + Depreciation-? Net Working Capital -?Fixed Asset s) which was evaluated at $21,240, $26,727, $ 22,097, $25,473 and $29,545 for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 respectively. The Cost of Debt and the Cost of Equity The next step was to determine the coast of debt, using the assumptions made by Mr. Liedtke which outlines a tax rate of 40%, the cost of debt of 6% for a leverage of 20% debt. The after-tax cost of debt (RD) was determined to be 3. % [using RD =(R*(1-Tax Rate), where RD =after rate cost of debt, R= cost of debt] The cost equity estimated using the CAPM approach, Surfside Footwear was selected as a comparable company since its EBIT Margin of 9. 3% was the same as the average consolidated EBIT Margin of Mercury Athletic for period 2004-2006, the Equity Beta for Surfside from Exhibit 3 was 2. 13. The risk free was determined to be 4. 69% using US Treasury Bills Yield given in the case Footnotes on page 7. The 5 year T-bill yield was selected as†¦