Soc 120 Week 2 Assignment for Ashford Essay Example

Soc 120 Week 2 Assignment for Ashford Paper Some of us like to believe that we are all born of sin and into sin regardless of what culture, race, ethnic identity, or class. We all have a sense of what is morally right and the relativity of it. There are traits, customs, and beliefs that make us distinctive to certain cultures, races, and classes, which due to the differences we all follow, a set of different moral standards. Each culture tackles moral questions based on their own moral beliefs. Universal moral requirements are presented to show that through differences there is still a huge connection of moral beliefs to show that we are more alike, than we as humans are willing to admit. Relativism maintains when it comes to right and wrong there is neither, because what is virtuous within a particular individual, culture or societies morality must be understood and taken into consideration (Mosser, 2010). Looking into the arguments of Lenn Goodman that there are certain things that are simply wrong, there are some who would definitely agree, yet there will be a few that would present a logical argument that would contradict his arguments. The areas of moral debates that Goodman chose would bring on a mass debate of arguments when it comes to cultures, races, ethic identities, or classes. Within the American society there are a huge amount of different cultures that certain cultural virtues held by some groups will not be acted upon due to the laws of the United States. We will write a custom essay sample on Soc 120 Week 2 Assignment for Ashford specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Soc 120 Week 2 Assignment for Ashford specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Soc 120 Week 2 Assignment for Ashford specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The beliefs of Lenn Goodman are based on the history of moral knowledge and what many of us as Americans think are right (Goodman, 2010). There are universal moral requirements as we have witnessed over time throughout history. The claim of certain rights and wrongs has been a forewarning for battles since the beginning of time. Goodman claims are that every person has the rights to live and be free from any and all inhumane treatment. Goodman stated, â€Å"all human aspirations worthy of the name deserve respect and support, materially and morally/intellectually† (Goodman, 2010) but, to judge those things that is not morally right. All people regardless of what culture, race, class, etc. have the right to be treated equal and have the right to live their own life; people of these areas that make decisions to take a life based on certain reasons should be punished. There is no excuse for taking a life, but there is a time for everything, even murder. Goodman stated, â€Å"Murder is wrong because it destroys a human subject. Warfare is not always wrong; it may be necessary to protect such subjects† (Goodman, 2010). Goodman discusses slavery as one of the acts of wrong in the article and several would agree with his views on this issue. â€Å"Slavery is the deepest exploitation, overriding subject hood to make a person a tool for use† (Goodman, 2010). In the past and even in today’s society some cultures would agree that slavery is racially and ethically right. In opinion, in today’s society especially in the south, there are still a large portion of the older Caucasian generations, that still look down upon the African American population simply because of the color of their skin. Many believe slavery was abolished years ago. Yet, there is slavery today, immigrants are being purchased and sold to work for nothing. This is inhumane when it comes to any moral standards that we have regardless of what race, culture, class, etc. we are apart of. Goodman states, â€Å"Drugs are sold only once. Humans can be sold multiple times† (Goodman, 2010). Looking at polygamy, it is a gender marked because it is related to women. In some cultures having multiple wives symbolizes wealth, domestic labor, and objects of enjoyment (Goodman, Lenn, 2010). â€Å"Polygamy changes the nature of marriage,† says Goodman. Polygamy exploits slavery just not in such a monstrous way. Slavery keeps its victims alive while removing their rights from participating in society, keeping them inferior to the demands of their superiors. Another area of relativism and morality is terrorism. According to the reading, (Goodman, 2010), â€Å"Terrorists explode the values they claim to fight for; their victims blood blurs and blots whatever ends were meant to justify the carnage. † Examples of these beliefs exist almost everyday in Iraq and Afghanistan; suicide bombers (terrorists) walk into groups of strangers and kill them. They are not only taking the innocent lives of others they are also on a suicidal mission for the beliefs of what they are doing will provide a change. Yet, they believe in the point that they are proving and they have a moral belief that they are pleasing the God they serve. â€Å"Terrorism is willful targeting of non-combatants, aiming to intimidate and attract attention. It is a war crime, since war, if just at all, seeks only to block an enemy’s ability to make war† (Goodman, 2010). A devastating example of this is 9/11. Terrorists hi-jacked several planes, which were used to not only destroy buildings but take the lives of innocent people. Among the American people and several other cultures around the world this was viewed as morally wrong because the lives of innocent people were taken. There would be no other sacrifice of American lives but the satisfaction of a war launched on terror and Al Qaeda. In opinion, having a familiarity with the different views morals allows us to identify the things that exist in everyday life that are unfair or just plain wrong, opens up a window to continue to try to get everyone to agree on one set universal moral requirements. Where do I stand when it comes to the views of Goodman? I agree with him one hundred percent. References Goodman, L. E. (2010). Some Moral Minima. Good Society Journal, 19(1), 87-94. Retrieved from EBSCOhost on May 3, 2011. Mosser, Kurt (2010). Ethics and Social Responsibility. Bridgepoint Education Inc. Retrieved on May 5, 2011 from https://content. ashford. edu/books/AUENG125. 10. 1/sections/copyright

buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay

buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay Introduction Barclays is a major financial service provider across the globe with experience in offering services in retail banking, credits cards, corporate and investment banking to its customers. The bank also offers wealth management services and has expanded its business tenets in Europe, America and Asia. The bank has 300 years of constant expertise in the banking sector and currently operates in 50 countries with a human resource capacity of close to 150, 500 people (Acrill Hannah, 2001). The external and remote business environment of Barclays Bank offers opportunities and challenges alike. This paper is an assessment of the external, remote and industry environment of Barclays Bank, the UK. The External Environment of Barclays Bank An assessment of the external environment of Barclays Bank, the UK reveals its opportunities and threats in relation to the political, economic, competition, social, technological and legal realities of its area of operation (Acrill Hannah, 2001). The UK financial market generally presents Barclays with great opportunity for growth. The Bank still enjoys dominance in the financial market. Being the first financial institution in the market, Barclays has established its business base and roots and is mostly relied upon by other financial institutions for bailouts during financial crises. This is an opportunity that Barclays has ably exploited to champion its business course and remain dominant in the UK financial market. Besides, most of the UK government/public financial transactions are made through the Bank. This enables Barclays to have a pool of customers and potential consumers for its various services. The technological advancement and infrastructural development that the UK enjoys is a great opportunity for Barclays Bank. While most of the competitors in the financial market like Lloyds Group have not exhaustively utilized this opportunity because of shortage of business technology and networking personnel, Barclays has been able to contract these services. Therefore through outsourcing, Barclays has been able to enhance efficiency, conveniencefor all its subscribers. The use of swift cards, credits cards, ATM and wireless money transfer are well advanced in Barclays Bank transactions (Acrill Hannah, 2001). Although the UK market has offered Barclays great potential business opportunities, the volatility of the financial market is a great threat to the Bank. For example, during the 2007-2009 financial crises, the Bank suffered great loss resulting from the financial tremors that affected most of the financial institutions that looked up to Barclays and the Royal Bank of Scotland for bailout (Singh, 2007). Worst still is the fact that most of the government financial transactions, investment loans are processed through Barclays. The housing finance, mortgage and stock markets are all integrated within Barclays banking system. When these institutions face financial stress, the weight affects the performance and profit margins of Barclays Bank. In the annual report of financial year ending 2010, Barclays registered allegations of political interference within the operations of the Bank. This illustrates that the Banks policies and laws are still weak and can be very vulnerable to political manipulation and interference. This is risky for any financial institution that has a large operation base like Barclays Bank, the UK. Barclays Bank Remote Environment Remote environment assessment entails analysis of the business elements that are beyond its control. These may be economical, social, political or even technological. As a financial institution operating in a technologically advanced business environment, Barclays Bank is faced with the challenge of turning this environment into a viable business opportunity (Capon, 2009). For example, the recent policy of the government that financial institutions such Barclays must remit a monthly tax return of 23% has had implications on the profit margins of the bank. The Chief executives had to strategize and raise the interest rates of some of its lending services to be able to cope with the tax requirement. Besides, the requirements by the UKs Central Bank that the interest rates on all mortgage loans must factor in the fluctuating inflation rates in the country have sseverely halted the ability of the Barclays Bank to operate independently and follow the forces of demand and supply in the mon ey market (Mercer, 1998). The financial markets in the UK are very elastic. This has greatly affected the strategic management approaches of most financial institutions with many closing down or relocating to other countries. Barclays Bank must thus develop a proactive and strategic approach to be able to cope with the tremors of the Euro in the Euro zone and the U.S dollar (Campbell Craig, 2005). The slump of these currencies has often led to crises in the money markets and investment prospects. Barclays registered a negative profit margin during the global financial crisis in most of its mortgage business and survived the wave only because of the loans that were paid up. This environment is thus a potential threat to the bank (Saleem, 2010). The industry environment of Barclays Bank The UK banking sector is generally declining in terms of performance relative to the global banking sectors (Capon, 2009). This is contrary to what the situation was four years ago. The banking sector in the UK where Barclays operates is now ranked position five according the survey of the world banking sector. The profit margins of Barclays Bank and other financial institutions such as Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds still stand at 58% (McTavish, 2005). The government owns most of the dominant financial institutions such as the Royal Bank of Scotland and the Lloyds Banking Group. The government owns a sheer 84% of the shares of these institutions. This implies that the financial markets and the banking sector in particular are dominated by the government (Kew Stredwick, 2005). In the aftermath of the global financial crunch, the economy of the UK was dilapidated as most the UK lenders and banks sought financial bailout from the government due to the freezing of the global markets . In conclusion, Barclays Banks operating environment is ripe with opportunities and challenges that require strategic management principles that would transform the challenges into opportunities for its survival in this environment. Buy custom Assessment of the Business Environment of Barclays Bank essay

Surgery by text message - Emphasis

Surgery by text message Surgery by text message For once, a positive story about text messaging is doing the rounds. A surgeon has instructed another to perform an amputation through the short message service (SMS texting to you and me). The details have the ingredients of a classic news story. Surprise for one (most stories about texting are negative eg blaming it for killing the English language). Then there is Death and destruction (the BBC reported that the surgeon who carried out the operation did it in war-torn Congo); and Heroism (he was working for Medecins sans Frontieres). And theres the fact that the amputation (Drama) was to remove the arm of a 16-year-old boy (children are also usually very newsworthy). Lets be clear. This was undoubtedly a huge achievement, especially as the teenager recovered from the operation. Its also remarkable that cheap technology can now be used to transmit written instructions into warzones. But was it me, or did James Naughtie of the BBCs flagship Today morning radio programme sound just a little disappointed when vascular surgeon Mr David Nott explained what really happened? Mr Nott had needed to perform a four-quarter amputation on the boy, whod already lost most of his arm. This was major surgery, which involved removing the collarbone and shoulder blade as well as what remained of the arm itself. But the reason for needing the instructions was not that hed never performed an amputation before. Rather, it was that there was only one specialist in the whole of the UK who specialised in four-quarter amputation: Professor Meirion Thomas of Londons Royal Marsden Hospital, a former colleague of Mr Nott. Mr Nott did not perform the operation with a scalpel in one hand and his mobile phone in the other, as you might infer from press reports. Instead, hed calmly emailed Professor Thomas the night before the operation, explaining the situation and checking with his former mentor that the procedure was appropriate. When he got confirmation that it was, a couple more texts followed to check the details. He then slept on the decision and confirmed that he would go ahead when he awoke the next morning. Nor was Professor Thomas on holiday in the Azores, as the BBC and several newspapers said; he was in London. (Naughtie muttered something along the lines of, Oh, well we got that from the papers.) There are two lessons to take from this. First, it will help you get news coverage for your organisation if you make sure your press release contains as many core news values as possible. Second, most news you read or hear reported is far from objective. The BBC was still reporting nine hours later that the boy was from war-torn Congo. This was despite the fact that, according to Mr Nott, his injury had nothing to do with the war: the boys arm was bitten off by a hippo. Emphasis runs courses on writing for publication. Contact us for details. For more on getting press releases noticed, click here.

Why auditor must to be objective and independent Essay

Why auditor must to be objective and independent - Essay Example In order to successfully carryout this feat, it can be seen that independent auditors play a significant role in the functioning of global capital markets. As such, this paper has been designed to evaluate the main reasons why auditors must be independent and objective in their operations. The main part of the paper will focus on why focus in terms of auditing financial statements of different companies is put on aspects such as objectivity as well as independence of the auditors who carry out different tasks related to financial reporting in the company. According to Kueppers & Sullivan (2010), the audit profession plays a very significant role in the functioning of the global capital markets and it also adds value to various roles played by different stakeholders in financial reporting in an organization. However, the effectiveness of an audit is reflected by the absence of failure of business or fraud after it has been completed. This can be achieved if an independent auditor is h ired to perform such a task in the organization. Ussahawanitchakit (2012, p.1) posits to the effect that during the recent years, â€Å"auditors have become important professions for directly and indirectly promoting the growth of economics in the countries.† These professionals significantly help the stakeholders and other people to assess the value of the firm’s financial information in all aspects of business. This can be achieved through the implementation of accounting and auditing standards that are within the dictates of the financial rules and regulations in a given country (Intakhan and Ussahawanitchakit, 2010). In most cases, independent auditors are more appropriate in carrying out this particular task. In as far as auditing is concerned, it is imperative for the auditors to have some form of independence so that they can impartially dispense their duties. Basically, â€Å"audit independence is defined as an objective and trustworthy arbiter of the fair pre sentation of financial results,† (Falk et al., 1999 as cited in Ussahawanitchakit (2012, p.12). This is a critical factor in the audit profession given that it is comprised of objectivity and is often free from bias. Audit independence is very important in the preparation of financial statements since it helps to generate investor confidence if the financial statement has been carried out by an outsider or independent person. Beattie et al (1999), suggest that in general, audit independence includes independence in fact, which is an unbiased mental attitude of an auditor, and independence in appearance, which is the perception by a reasonable observer that an auditor has no relationship with an audit client which would suggest a conflict of interest audit independence can be achieved if there are no conflicts of interests among the parties involved. It can also be noted that independent auditors are mainly concerned with upholding the principles of ethics, fairness and other p ractices and operations for presenting audit quality which plays a role in improving the quality of auditing that would done. Independent audits are also important since they help to promote fairness in the creation of financial statements and are likely to go a long way in sustaining integrity in terms of financial reporting. Georgiade (2011), states that the responsibilities of the independent auditor when conducting an audit of financial statements in accordance with GAAS include the following: â€Å"Obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial sta

Facts about input output Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Facts about input output - Essay Example Key board, mouse, pen drive, CD, joystick, scanner, camera, microphone, monitor, printer, speakers etc are some of the commonly used peripheral devices for inputting data and getting output from a computer system. This paper briefly analyses various aspects of inputs and outputs as far as a computer system is concerned. A computer cannot take decisions as its own. In other words, without inputs a computer cannot function properly. Inputs are necessary for a computer to act in a particular manner. It should be noted that system software helps a computer system to boot properly and open the desktop menu in front of the user. However, after booting computer needs some specific instructions to carry out different types of works. Mouse and keyboard are commonly used for inputting instructions to the computer. For example, if the user wants to prepare a document or make some calculations, he should input the data either through the keyboard or through the mouse. CPU recognizes these input data properly and process it properly. The processed data will be delivered as output either on the screen or through printers. Different serial and parallel ports are available on a computer system for connecting input and output devices. â€Å"Keyboards typically connect through a PS/2 or USB port. Many keyboards include special function keys that simplify playing music or browsing the Web. Some keyboards include a built-in USB port that can be used to connect other peripheral devices†(Computer Tips and Trix). Same way, mouse is also connected to a computer through a PS/2 or USB port. Printers, pen drives and scanners are mostly connected to the serial ports of a computer. Even though monitors were used primarily for displaying outputs in the past, at present they are used as input devices also. The arrival of touchscreens helped users to use the screens

Issues That Are Facing The Maldives Environmental Sciences Essay

Issues That Are Facing The Maldives Environmental Sciences Essay 36. String of Pearls Scattered Over the Deep Blue Indian Ocean . The first glimpse you get of this fascinating atoll formation confirms two unique aspects of the Republic of Maldives. Not only does it consist of the most beautiful tropical islands, but 99% of its 909,000 km is covered by the sea. 1190 islands are spread over 26 atolls, ring like coral formations enclosing a lagoon, which gives the Maldives its unique paradise like appearance. They stretch about 820 km from North to South, 130 km at the widest point and do not exceed a length of 4.5 miles or an altitude of 6 feet above sea level. No more than 200 islands are inhabited, the rest include 87 tourist resorts and uninhabited islands, some of which are used for drying fish or other agricultural activities. The capital Male, the seat of government and the centre of trade, commerce, business, health and education, is located in the middle of the atoll chain, a small island buzzing with the sounds and activities of about 75,00 0 people which is about one third of the population. 37. Atoll Formation. The atolls of the Maldives are formed from coral structures, separated by lagoons. The atolls are in fact part of a greater structure known as the Lacadives-Chargos Ridge, which stretches over 2000 km. The islands are low lying with the highest point at approximately 8 feet above sea level. Faru or ring-shaped reef structures form the atolls and these reefs provide natural defense against wind and wave action, on these delicate islands.1 38. The Geographical Structure of Maldives. Maldives geography based upon a group of 26 coral islands which are formed by approximately 1190 coral reef islands, and there are 20 administrative atolls along with Male which is the capital island of them all. It is a neighbour of Sri Lanka and is situated southwest of it. The view of Maldives from the air is splendid because of the beautiful patterns it makes in the clear blue sea. Maldives has numerous islands among which only 200 of them have people living there. The north-south stretch of this country is approximately 824 km and from east to west it is about 129 km. Maldives is more blue water than the land because more than 99% of it is sea. 39. There have been many devastating encounter of gale storms in the year 1812 and 1955, and the scientists have also said that the islands of Maldives are in danger due to the rise in the sea level caused by global warming. To safeguard the country from such natural calamities, the government has build up artificial breakwaters and other safety measures with the help of Japan, and has started purchasing land in India, in the event of excessive population displacement.2 Present Environmental Issues. 40. Introduction. Maldives is actively involved in bringing environmental issues to the forefront of the global political agenda, the role played by Maldives in the international arena. The environment of Maldives comprises a delicate and complex series of ecosystems that are unique to the tropical world and many have found it a pleasure of gaze upon. The Maldives has rich biodiversity and the coral reef ecosystem is one of the most productive ecosystems with linkages ranging from microscopic plankton to the giant sperm whale. However, the rapid socio-economic development and fast growing population have greatly contributed to the degradation of the environment. 41. Beach Erosion. Beach erosion is a very widespread problem. Either due to natural causes or man made changes, such as construction of coastal infrastructure; changes in the natural sediment balance; and up drift impoundment of sand behind coastal structures built without pre-filling. The process of coastal erosion and accretion is extremely complex with interrelations to climatic, geological, oceanographic, biological and terrestrial processes affecting the growth and stability of the reefs and island structures. As the beach systems are highly dynamic in nature, the prevailing seasonal conditions may gradually shift the shape as well as the position of the island by strong beach erosion and accretion on either side of the island. 42. Coral Mining. Over a six year period the volumes of coral landed in Male rose from 7,000 to 400,000 cubic feet. Brown Dunne 1988 carried out biological surveys on mined reefs and evaluated the impacts of coral mining in the Maldives. 43. Dredging. Dredging is normally associated with harbor deepening, land reclamation, and mining for construction material. 44. Land Reclamation. Reclamation which in the Maldives usually means the creation of new land. Such activities occur on both large and small scales and are usually associated with human population centres and as a byproduct of harbor dredging. 45. Population Growth. The annual population growth rate between 1977 and 1985 was 3.2% per annum. Between 1985 and 1990 was 3.4% from 1990 and 1995 has dropped to 2.75% per annum. At present 25.7% (62,793) of the population live in Male.3 46. Biodiversity. Biological diversity; the relative number of species, diverse in from and function, at the genetic, organism, community, and ecosystem level; loss of biodiversity reduces an ecosystems ability to recover from natural or man-induced disruption. 47. Deforestation. The destruction of vast areas of forest (eg., unsustainable forestry practices, agricultural and range land clearing, and the over exploitation of wood products for use as fuel) without planting new growth. 48. Greenhouse Gas. A gas that traps infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere causing surface warming; water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, hydro fluorocarbons, and ozone are the primary greenhouse gases in the Earths atmosphere. 49. Groundwater. Water sources found below the surface of the earth often in naturally occurring reservoirs in permeable rock strata; the source for wells and natural springs. 50. Pollution. The contamination of healthy environment by man-made waste. 51. Salination. The process through which fresh (drinkable) water becomes salt (undrinkable) water; hence, desalination is the reverse process; also involves the accumulation of salts in topsoil caused by evaporation of excessive irrigation water, a process that can eventually render soil incapable of supporting crops. 52. Soil Degradation. Damage to the lands productive capacity because of poor agricultural practices such as the excessive use of pesticides of fertilizers, soil compaction from heavy equipment, or erosion of topsoil, eventually resulting in reduced ability to produce agricultural products. 53. Soil Erosion. The removal of soil by the action of water or wind, compounded by poor agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing and desertification.4 Environment Assessment. 54. Background. The environment is characterized by numerous fringing coral reefs and lagoons, which contain rich biodiversity. The atolls vary significantly in shape and size. The 26 geographical atolls are grouped into 20 administrative regions, also referred to as atolls. The Maldives coral reefs are globally significant being the 7th largest in world and covering an area of 8920 km. Protecting the environment and natural resources is critical to sustainable livelihoods and the Maldives economy. Fishing directly employs and 11% of the work force, while 20% of the population is dependent on fisheries for the majority of its income. High quality eco-friendly tourism inn the Maldives accounts for around 33% of GDP and is based on the Maldives natural assets including unique geography and coral reefs. 55. Climate Change and Coral Reefs. Coral reefs play a key role in the lifestyles of Maldivians through natural protection of the islands and serve as a major resource for the Maldives economy from tourism and fishing industries. 56. Waste Management. Solid and hazardous waste management is recognized as a critical environmental issues. There are no provisions for collection, treatment and disposal of hazardous wastes. 57. Freshwater Availability and Quality. Rainwater harvesting is the primary source of drinking water. Groundwater accumulates in rainwater recharged aquifers which lie at a depth of 1-1.5 meters below the surface where they are highly vulnerable to:- Contamination from inadequate sanitation facilities and other human activities. Solid waste run-off. Over exploitation. Saline intrusion through soil erosion and flooding (storms, tsunami etc). 58. Biodiversity Loss. The main threats to biological diversity in the Maldives are habitat destruction and overexploitation. Habitat destruction arises from coastal development activities such as harbour development and land reclamation. Run-off from pesticides and fertilizers used in agricultural activities is becoming an increasing problem and threatens the eutrophication of coral reefs. 59. Air Pollution. Ambient air quality is currently not monitored in Male and the available indicators of air pollution include:- An increase in vehicle numbers. The rising quantity of imported fuel. A positive trend in recorded respiratory disease. The number of buildings constructed over the years. Impacts of Sea Level Rise in Male. 60. As sea level rises, the thickness of the freshwater lens decreases, and the volume of freshwater decreases. Also sea level rise would increase the likelihood of storm over wash of the islands, causing increased incidence of saltwater contamination of the freshwater lenses. 61. Tourism industry relying heavily on the marine ecosystems is also under threat from the impacts of climate change. 62. The islands of Maldives are reef-based and coral reefs serve as natural breakwaters. With damage to the coral reefs comes the bigger danger of loosing the natural protection of the islands from the waves and currents. 63. Fishery is also expected to suffer from the impacts of climate change. 64. There is also an urgent need for the development of resources to adapt to possible impacts of climate change. Major Policy Responses and Initiatives. 65. In order to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases, the Maldives has started pilot projects on alternate sources of energy: Solar power has been used to power telecommunication sets, navigational aids and government office buildings and mosques in the islands. The main constraint to the widespread use of solar energy is the lack of technical backup and high installation costs. While wind is a regular feature of the Maldives, existing wind speeds are considered marginal for electricity generation, unless high towers are erected at high capital costs. Supplementing conventional energy supply by alternate energy sources, wherever viable, has been included in the energy sector objective and strategy in the National Development Plan. 66. Various programs have been designed and implemented in areas such as coastal protection, freshwater management and coral reef protection. 67. A United Nations Environment Program mission visited the Maldives and recommended training of local personnel to monitor and evaluate impacts of expected environmental changes and the development of strategies that would permit sustainable development. 68. Maldives is a party to the UNFCCC. The Maldives signed he Convention on 12th Jun 1992 and ratified the same on 9th November 1992. The Maldives played a very important role with AOSIS in the negotiation process that started in Berlin and culminated in Kyoto. The Maldives, though disappointed with the low targets agreed for in the Kyoto Protocol, looks for early implementation of the Protocol. The Maldives was the first country to sign the Kyoto Protocol on 30th December 1998. The first National Communication of the Maldives to UNFCCC was submitted at the 7th Session of the Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC held in Marrakesh in 2001. The National Greenhouse Gas Inventory, National Mitigation Plan, Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Options are included in the national communication of Maldives.6 69. President Nasheed had said that the climate change has reached a critical phase and would soon become not just an environmental threat but a security concern too. The UN inter governmental panel on climate change said that within the next century, the sea level will go up by 59 CMS and this would merge most of the islands of Maldives.7 1. http://www.maldiveisles.com 2. http://www.maldiveisle.com. 3. http://www.fao.org 4. http://www.maldivesvacationpackages.net. 5. http://www.fao.org. 6. http://www.indexmundi.com. 7. http://www.adb.org.

Change Management Final Exam Essay

TCO A: The organization is planning to make a substantial change to the compensation and benefits program for the next fiscal year. This change will impact all branches of the organization throughout the U.S. Eight thousand employees will be required to move from the very popular existing total rewards program to the new system. A compensation study determined that most employees will need updated position titles and salary bands. A. Compile the change management imperatives that will go into making this a successful change project. B. Construct a set of strategies that managers can use to help employees cope with complex change. C. Persuade the managers involved in this change that the imperatives that you identified and the strategies to help employees cope with change will help them manage the complex realities of this change project. (Points: 30) TCO B: You are the Director of Change Management, and it is expected that you can read the corporate change â€Å"tea leafs† and have a model for change and an approach to plan change when the need arises. A. Construct a model of change that reflects the reality of change in modern organizations and reflects your beliefs about change. B. Think of an organizational change that you believe should be implemented in an organization where you work now, or one you worked for in the past. Create a plan to implement change by integrating your change model. C. Plan a system to measure how your model will impact the organization. TCO C: Put this scenario into the context of an organization where you work now or did in the past. Your organization has recently (past two months) hired a new VP of Marketing and she is trying to understand the various types of changes that might impact the organization in the future. This is important to know, as it is hard to develop a strategic vision for the Marketing Department without first considering how things might look in the future. A. Evaluate the various types of change pressure that might impact the organization in terms of: (a) staffing levels, and (b) corporate branding. B. You are further asked to compile a list that compares each potential force for change to the stability of the organization. C.  Speculate as to why some of these potential pressures on organizations to change do not impact all organizations in the same way. (Points: 30) TCO D: As the change expert for the State Department of Natural Resources in a large state with thousands of acres of forests, lakes, and wildlife, you learn that the legislature voted to privatize the entire department in order to save money and help reduce state and local taxes. It is entirely possible that some current government agency employees could be hired to work as â€Å"civilian† employees of the private company. A. Appraise the cultural impact of this change on the employees who will move from government to private sector employment. B. Speculate on the changes that will come to the strategic behaviors of the new privatized organization compared to the government organization. . Propose a plan that will help bring alignment between former government employees and the new strategy that they will have to work within. (Points: 30) TCO E: The organization is going through sweeping changes that will lead to layoffs and a situation where several â€Å"managers† will now be reporting to their former â€Å"direct reports.† A. Compose a likely set of reasons why people will resist this change. B. Appraise the most effective and least effective strategies for overcoming the resistance to the change identified in the scenario. C. Devise a plan to implement the most effective approaches to reducing change resistance. (Points: 30) TCO F: There are many approaches to diagnosing change in an organization. In the end, the change agent must use the best practices of various models of diagnosis and apply them to the organization. A. Appraise two approaches to diagnosing organizational change, pointing out what works and what does not work in effective organizational diagnosis. B. Construct your own version of an effective diagnostic model using the best elements of other models. Be specific about the components of the model you create. C. Create a strategy that will measure the effectiveness of your diagnostic  model. (Points: 30) TCO G: It’s no secret that having a vision for change and being able to communicate the change project are critical to success. However, that all requires a communication plan. Assume that you are working on a change project and need to design a solid communication plan. A. Help yourself by generating a checklist of key attributes of a good change communication plan. B. Then, compose an example change communication using an appropriate scenario. C. Finally, formulate a methodology to measure the success of your communication plan. (Points: 30)