Police, Civil Liability and the Law Essay

At the onset of the 20th century, police work can best be described as very authoritative and policemen or law enforcers were themselves considered the law. Criminality was low principally because of the relatively stable economy and the population density in cities and urban centers were a hundred time, or even more, than today. As symbol of authority, the police was then looked up to by the citizenry with great respect and even with admiration. Through the years, the public image of the policeman is suspect. In truth city police departments today already employ spokesmen or public relations officers to ensure the respectability of the service is protected and preserved. The changes in the concept of police work tremendously changed over the last century, or to be more specific the 25 years. The situation was brought about by the growing public conscious on human rights which is guaranteed no less by the United Nations. While before police training was focused on proper handling of firearms and marksmanships, traffic rules and regulations, today’s police officer should be conscious of every person’s human rights. Otherwise he or she may end up in court being sued for civil liability or damages. Changing Concept on the Police Over the years the police service has underwent some sort of an evolution. From a strong image of authority, the police has to some extent been compelled to accept the fact that their functions or source of power emanates from the taxpayers who wanted them to be their protectors instead of oppressors. The situation is quite complex. While they have the mandate to enforce or implement the laws, the police are being restricted by a string of guidelines better known in their lingo as the rules of engagement. They have to comply with the rules in the performance of their duties because failure to do so could mean suspension or worse dismissal from the service. Unlike before when for instance, a traffic police officer can simply issue a citation ticket to a motorist who violated a traffic law today’s system places the supposed violator on a position of strength. He or she can write on the citation ticket the words â€Å"under protest† to signify the intention to question the actuation of the traffic officer for flagging him or her for a supposed violation. The situation for policemen whose duties are to run after criminal elements or members of the underworld is even more difficult. Unlike before when they would simply pick up a suspected person and have him or her placed under interrogation or â€Å"tactical questioning,† today’s detective or police intelligence officer need to first gather substantial proofs or incontrovertible eyewitness accounts in order to be able to apply for a warrant of arrest from the court. Down for a supposed violation Because of the complex nature in today’s justice system, police work now requires them to be conscious of the civil or human rights of every citizen. Additionally, they also need to be more aware of the rules of court or run the risk of being rebuffed or they cases they brought up for prosecution or litigation may end up dismissed for either insufficiency of evidence or non-compliance to the rules in effecting or carrying out arrests and raids. The preponderance of diligence in the performances of police duties and responsibilities in the enforcement of the laws is so emphasized that police officers are restricted from conducting investigations or questioning without the presence of the suspect’s preferred or lawyer of his or her choice. Civil Liability of Abusive Members of the Police Department Today’s police officers are made by law liable for their actuations as a result of an alarming pattern of abuse they commit in the process of dispensing their duties. Perhaps because of media attention or coverage on police work, abuses have eventually been documented or difficult to deny as far as the police officer is concern. Every now and then, the public would see on television brutal police handling of suspected offenders. The abuses have become so frequent that the time has now come where victims of police abuse have to get back at them by suing for civil liability or damages. Perhaps, as society experiences new trends in law enforcement more laws to ensure that the power or authority vested in police officers are only used for the public good and not make the police as a threat to society itself. By making them civilly liable for high handedness in the performance of the laws, police officers will be kept on their toes. Guide to Civil Liability In view of the above positions, it is notable to discuss a book manual for police officers’ to consider in the performances of their duties and in relation to their civil liability and the law. In a book entitled â€Å"The Police Officer’s Guide to Civil Liability,† Franklin (1993) emphasized the need for law enforcers, police officers in particular, to adhere to a standard guide to enable them to abide by their principles and at the same time uphold the concept of civil liability. Franklin noted that due to the increased number of court cases hurled against police officers, there is also a mounting need to teach these law enforcers on the dynamics of civil law. This is because such training or learning should be innate among police officers and within their profession and in order for them to survive the field (Franklin, 1993). While the required knowledge on civil liability totally varies from their abilities and expertise which are essential to be alive in a fatal shooting incident, having proficiency about civil law may avert a devastating possibility or outcome which will ultimate affect the career of the police officer and which is definitely dreadful as any form of shoot-out or gun battle. Additionally, the monetary and emotional implications of a civil case are often than not surpass the physical suffering which is likened to a gun shot wound (Franklin, 1993). The book noted that as professionals, police officers are, in one way or the other, are engaged in a civil case. Franklin noted the stress it had inflicted on law enforcers and their respective police departments in general. However, police officers are still limited with civil law or civil liability trainings which may assist them in their court battles. It is unfortunate to note that a large amount of money which will be used in the court proceedings as well as many lives of police officers could be saved if only there is a provision of civil liability education or training. This is because such kind of knowledge created a better and well-prepared police officer who can react to any kind of police situation or effectively carry out his duties to people and the society. Through this training, there will also be a reduction in the possibilities of a defeat in the civil case, and most importantly, this is the fundamental determining factor for the efficiency and value of police officer and his civil liability training (Franklin, 1993). Conclusion An increased awareness on the need for police officers to learn and adhere to civil liability in reference to specific laws of the country is a positive effort to undertake. This is because such consciousness will allow police officers to carry out their obligations, in a legal or appropriate manner, without the hindrance of possible civil lawsuit. While there are members of the police force who are undeniably amiss in their profession, it is worthy to consider that this is not the general view of the police department. Additionally, any misconception about the police profession may be corrected in such a way that the police officers are portrayed as important members of the society who are bound to protect people, property and the society as a whole. Hence, it is just but fair to provide police officers trainings and related means which will enable them to appropriately respond to the security or safety requirements of the people. Ultimately, the concept and the need to uphold civil liability will serve as a reminder for police officers that their authority entails responsibility.

Characteristics of Humanism Essay

Humanism is a term applied to the social philosophy and literary culture of the Western world during the Renaissance movements that spread across Europe. Washington State University, WSU, quoted on the internet: â€Å"Of all the practices of Renaissance Europe, nothing is used to distinguish the Renaissance from the Middle Ages more than humanism as both a program and a philosophy†. The Renaissance in Europe began in Italy, and with it the origin of humanism. The movement began as a response to the troubling times Italy had been facing in the years prior to the beginning of humanism. During the Fourteenth century, Italy had become overpopulated, which resulted in famine and the Black Death. A deterioration for trading with China was another issue that we had to take in account.. Humanism was the intellectual movement responding to this crisis. They began to look at things that had been ignored in the Italian society, and brought ideas to the public eye that revolutionized philosophy and literature. Ancient Renaissance Philosophers say that â€Å"Renaissance humanism was considered a ‘rediscovery’ of the ancient classical learning of Greece and Rome.† The Renaissance is characterized by its emphasis on humanism, an emphasis that would have a tremendous impact upon the subsequent history of Western civilization. Humanist studies placed us into a different world and changed the face of our lifestyle. Influential factors for Humanism were literature, art as well as music. It embraced concepts such as the supernatural as a created psychological human myth. People that where influential to the Humanism period, constructed this framework by coupling science with human reason to create an appropriate method for creating an interpretation of ultimate reality. Humanists generally denied the existence of anything outside of nature. They rejected many supernatural beliefs; however, disbelief in the supernatural is not a necessity for humanistic beliefs (Cunningham 287). Humanists believed science is based on nature, and humans learn from it. I will go into detail of the nature and beauty of Renaissance art that emphasizes on Humanism art within the work.. â€Å"The School of Athens ( 5.77 m * 8.14 m ) was painted by the 27 year old Raphael (Raffaelo) Sanzio (or Santi) for Pope Julius II (1503-1513)†(Michael  Lahanas). We do not know all details of the people who are depicted. Giorgio Vasari, who is an Italian painter and architect, suggested that nearly all Greek philosophers and ancient scientists can be found on this painting. Beyond one of the most important people on this painting is Plato, Aristotle and Michelangelo. The painting frames in the most important part by setting up the focal point in the middle of the painting. â€Å"Raphael’s School of Athens reflects a high degree of sensitivity to ordered space, a complete ease with Classical thought, obvious inspiration from the Roman architectural past, a brilliant sense of color and form, and a love for intellectual clarity-characteristics that could sum up the Renaissance ideal† (Cunningham 299). It does not only show characteristics of the Renaissance, but also characteristics of Humanism, for example it’s artistic creation on the walls, as well as the well planned building. Another thing that is associated with humanism is the social behavior of the people. The Night figure was created by Michelangelo and it suppose to create the illusion of the figure either sleeping or being awake at the same point of time. Almost all of the female’s bodies that Michelangelo creates, have a masculine body structure as well as fake looking breasts. These two analytical founding are another proof of Humanism. The Article about the best Artists said: â€Å"He goes farther away from nature in these Medici figures than in any of his others and requires greater acquiescence from his viewers. Many are not willing to let him lift them so high off the ground. ‘She may be beautiful but she’s not a woman.’ † People guessed that Michelangelo was gay, but it was never proofen as a fact. The last artwork that I am going to describe is The Last Supper by Tintoretto. The Author of auction and sold mentioned that: â€Å"All the outstanding qualities of Tintoretto appear in this strikingly original and complex design. It is characteristic in using intensified streaks of light along limbs and garment-folds, to emphasize the direction of movement, and thus heighten the effect of dramatic action.† In this painting you can see many characteristics of humanism that are shown by the people socializing, enjoying themselves and having seemingly unlimited amounts of food. In the bottom right of the painting, you have people who prepare the food and wash  the dishes. This is another characteristic for humanism. We can also see angel like figures in the picture, that move towards the human that has the bright light around his head. This person should represent Jesus, and I believe that those angel or ghost looking creatures are the souls of his friends. Our society is still influenced in the artists, and architects from the Renaissance time period. Humanistic ideas have proved to be of great educational value in the formation of civilized and responsible societies, and they are still alive in many intellectual beliefs today. Work Cited Cunningham, Lawrence S. Culture & Values. 7th ed. Vol. 2. Boston: Wadsworth, 06. â€Å"Humanism.† Washington State University – Pullman, Washington. 04 July 2009 . â€Å"Night by Michelangelo  «.† The Best Artists. 03 July 2009 . â€Å"Raphael’s School of Athens (1/2).† Hellenica, Information about Greece and Cyprus, Michael Lahanas. 06 July 2009 . â€Å"Tintoretto – The Last Supper.† Old And Sold Antiques Auction. 07 July 2009 .

Calligraphy in Islam

Calligraphy is the form of art which denote signs and letters in an expressive form, it’s a form of visual art which was developed in western Europe by monks about 1500 years before. It is a painting which is helps to express emotions through designs and show the intellectual skills of an individual. it is Greek word defined by greek roots Kalli meaning beautiful and attractive and gharphia refers to writing. The aim of this proposal is to discuss the role of calligraphy in islam and different types of calligraphy. Calligraphy is the tongue of the hand, the delight of the conscience, the ambassador of the mind, the inheritor of the thought, the weapon of knowledge, the companion of absent friend, the converser with them over long distances, the depository of secrets, and register of events. † – Ibrahim Ibn Muhammad Ash-Shaybani Many religions have made the use of art to portrait their core doctrine. Islam has used the shapes and sizes of word and letter in calligr aphy which is a paramount form of art for Islamic visual expression and inspiration. It portrait the cultural values of Muslims. The Islamic calligraphy is a hallmark of most muslim societies it stands out with other calligraphic tradition with flexibility and its applicable to any decorative purpose, from the 8th century it became more standardized and bonding with Muslim identity far more firmly than any writing tradition. The tools used by calligrapher are unique which includes reeds and brush pens, scissors, a knife for cutting the pens, an ink pot, and a sharpening tool, The traditional way to hold the pen,† according to Safadi, â€Å"is with middle finger, forefinger, and thumb well spaced out along the (pen's) shaft. Only the lightest possible pressure is applied. † The most admirable reeds were native to the coastal lands of the Persian Gulf. Qalams the most valued objects are stipulated across the entire Muslim world. An accomplished and handy scribe would require different qalams in order to achieve different degrees of fineness. Inks used are of various colors but the ink most used is black and brown, since there acuteness and consistencies can be altered, Many of the calligraphers are provide training on how to prepare ink while other implies that their recipe is a secret. Although techniques differ from one place to another place, most inks were based on soot or lamp-black mixed with water and gum-Arabic. Other ingredients are indigo, minced gall-nuts, and henna. The final stage of preparation involved straining the ink through silk. Also, the ink might be perfumed if desired. There are different kinds of calligraphy restricted to Islam the most common among them is Kufic. It has amalgamation of square and angular lines on one end, and compact bold circular forms on the other. It reached perfection in the late 8 century and became to only script to write Quran for following 300 years. Taliq calligraphy which was developed in Iran in the 10th century created by Hassan Ibn Husayn but due to great improvement by abd-ul-malk its usually affiliated with him. It is written with thick nipped pen with cater corner cuts, it’s a combination of short thin vertical with broad horizontal whose natural length is exaggerated wherever possible and especially at the end of work. Thuluth is medieval Islamic style of handwritten alphabet. It’s written on principium that one third of each letter slopes. It is gigantic and fancy calligraphy script which is often used for titles rather than the long text. The letters are round and maybe written in line so close that the element of letters intersect with each other. Many of its discripence are found on architectural monuments as well as on glass, metalwork, textiles, and wood. Naskh which means â€Å"copying,† is like a run on a mill which was used in ordinary correspondence and the production of literary works. It has a regular appearance. This calligraphic script of Ibn Muqla was escorted to excellence by Ibn Al-Bawwaba, a house decorator who turned his hand to calligraphy. In 10th century it was used for writing the Quran and this art never ended in Persia However, it is Mirza Ahmad Nayrizi, in the early 18th century who is regarded as the last great master of naskh. There were many late development in the Calligraphy. The Safavid dynasty in 1502 produced an eye opening masterpieces of Islamic art. During the era of Shah Isma'il and his successor Shah Tahmasp (1524-1576), the Ta'liq script was invented and developed into a widely used native script which led to the invention of a lighter and more elegant version called Nasta'liq. The word Nasta'liq is a compound word derived from Naskh and Ta'liq The Mughals lived and reigned in India from 1526 to 1858. This dynasty was the greatest, richest, and longest lasting Muslim dynasty to rule India. They produced some finest art work in the history. Nasta'liq, Naskh, and Thuluth were adopted by the Muslim calligraphers during this era. The passionate development of calligraphy in India led to the creation of new versions of Naskh and Thuluth. These Mughal scripts are thicker and bolder, the letters are widely spaced, and the curves are more rounded. Calligraphy was extremely appreciated in this era especially when the Taj Mahal was built. One name remains closely associated with It with the superb calligraphic inscriptions displayed in the geometric friezes on the white marble — that is the name of the ingenious calligrapher Amanat Khan, whose real name was Abd ul-Haq. It can be proven that the fact, that the Arabic calligraphy has more strongly associated with Islam than the Arabic language itself. That is, even illiterate people who could not conceive either spoken or written Arabic knew immediately when they were in a Muslim environment when they saw the Arabic script clearly displayed in calligraphy. This rare function of the Islamic calligraphy continues to the present day. Referencing: Sana Naveed. (2006). islamic calligraphy art. Available: http://www.muhammadanart.com/ . Last accessed 17th feb 2011. Islami City. (2005). islamic calligraphy . Available: http://www.islamicity.com/culture/calligraphy/. Last accessed 17th feb 2011. Museum Of Fine Arts. (202009). Introduction: Traces of the Calligrapher. Available: http://sites.asiasociety.org/islamiccalligraphy/introduction-traces-of-the-calligrapher/. Last accessed 17th feb 2011. Mamoon Shakkal. (1993). The Language And The Script. Available: http://www.sakkal.com/ArtArabicCalligraphy.html. Last accessed 17th feb 2011. Wilson, Diana Hardy. (1990). The encyclopedia of calligraphy techniques: Headline. p34-56. Saramago (1995). Manual of painting & calligraph: Carcanet, in association with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation,. p1-17.

Nursing research paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Nursing - Research Paper Example She is normal and not depressed although she retired from her job. Interviewing is similar to courting where two individuals have to agree on something before doing it. Connection between an interviewer and an interviewee can be seen through numerous aspects. In this interview, there was a sound and outstanding connection between the interviewer and the interviewee. This was seen through the attention that the patient gave to the questions that she was asked (Peate, 2010). She held onto her judgments and opened her mind. The patient kept her ears and eyes into what she was asked and held onto her feelings or body language that would indicate any sort of body language. Additionally, the patient remained curious and deferential throughout the interview. When the patient was engaged in the interview, she responded succinctly. The interview took place in the patient’s house, in her living room, on Monday 10th June 2013 at 6pm and took 30 minutes. Part II: General Assessment Whenev er individuals get to the age of 75 and above, they experience changes in their life. Such changes include deterioration of the person’s immune system, memory loss, wear and tear on joints and bones, skin changes and loss of sight. The patient has grey hair, vision loss, walking problems and difficulties in using the bathroom. Eyesight weakens as people get older. Research indicates that at the age of 60, eye cataracts degenerate resulting to weakened sight. Cataracts are cloudy regions in the human eye lens that cause loss of eyesight (Anderson et al, 2010). Cataracts may form and stay small and not affect eyesight while they may become large and affect eye sight. Graying of hair is a clear sign of aging. It can only be understood through delving into biology. Hair color is manufactured by melanin, a protein underneath the skin. When individuals age, the melanin cells also age and start dying out and stop making hair color. Therefore, the color of an aged person turns gray d ue to the loss of color by melanin. She cannot bear to stand in the bathroom since her joints and bones have worn out. Additionally, she needs help in order to take a bath (Anderson, 2010). The patient notes that she cannot walk for long periods and cannot walk too without a walker. The weight bearing joints and bones in an individual wear down as he or she ages. As a result, the weakened bones prevent an individual from walking. These bones could either be infected with arthritis. This results from the wearing off of cartilage in joints and, therefore, leaves the bones to rub against each other (Anderson, 2010). Additionally, the patient noted that she could not hold her bladder and stool. Loss of bladder control, commonly referred as incontinence, is a common disorder among the aged. Statistics indicate that out of 10 aged people, one is likely to have urinal incontinence. However, this problem seems to be more prevalent among women than in men. The patient is aware of her aging c ondition and understands that she cannot carryout normal daily activities without help. This is because she is unable to walk and cannot hold her bladder and stool. This makes it hard and challenging for her to do anything for herself. For instance, she faces difficulties when using the bathroom. This is because she cannot stand for long due to her weak bones and joints. The patient satisfies her basic needs through retirement or work through attending church meetings, hobbies through taking trips,

Assistive Technology (AT) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Assistive Technology (AT) - Essay Example Further, from the many types of specialized devices, it can be seen that different capabilities require different forms of AT to improve, maintain and increase (Gillespie, Best & ONeill, 2012). The approximate number of students using AT in K-12 classrooms in North East Ohio is 150,000 (Carlson, 2005). The number of persons using AT in schools is increasing mainly because making AT accessible to them is a legal requirement. Every child or student is mandated to receive equal learning opportunities regardless of their disabilities of functional capabilities. To this end, more users of AT are enrolled in schools. Then, the effectiveness of AT is also an encouraging factor that leads more parents and guardians to enroll students in schools. Further, the funding of AT is primarily placed on school districts by federal law, which makes it more accessible to the growing number of students in need of them. It is recognized that disabilities will not just go away or get cured like most ailments. In fulfilling the mandate of availing equal opportunities to every citizen, the federal government acknowledges that persons with disabilities can use ATs to compensate certain disabilities, work around them and even leverage their strong points (Purcell & Grant, 2005). Therefore, the access to AT for persons with disabilities is mandated because AT will facilitate their endeavors towards becoming more independent, be it at home, school, work or throughout life. AT further helps persons with disabilities to lead healthy and productive lives. The law requiring persons with disabilities to have access to AT is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), revised in 1997 and 2004. It mandates that all children under special education must have their AT requirements considered by the respective school districts. It is crucial for special education teachers to write the device and a plan for use in the IEP because it will

What makes software so important Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

What makes software so important - Essay Example This would therefore mean that each and every user will install different computer software in their personal computers. For instance, a household that has children and wants them to play computer games will most likely install software’s aimed at supporting the various games that these children want to play. It is also possible to uninstall software that is not needed, in exchange of software that a user needs. On this note, software’s are used to run computer programs that users want to benefit from. Apart from the personal use of computer softwares, business organizations also need these softwares for purposes of helping their organization function to the best level of standard. This is beneficial to me, because it helps me to acquire high quality services from these organizations. There are different types of softwares that a business organization can use. This depends on the nature of the organization itself, and the kind of business activity that the organization engages in (Bowser, 2012). Examples of computer softwares that business organizations will need to use are, database management softwares, point of sale softwares, content management softwares, etc. Take for instance, a school or a university institution. For this organization, computer software that has the capability of keeping students records is essential (Pressman, 2010). This will help the organization to maintain and keep track of present and past students belonging to the institution under consideration. For a departmental store, or a retailing unit, the point of sale software is essential for keeping track of all the transactions that occurs within the business establishment. The content management software on the other hand is helpful to the online marketers and this is because it can help them to manage the flow of information in their websites in an easy and efficient manner. Apart from the above mentioned softwares,

Starting a Four-day Workweek Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Starting a Four-day Workweek - Assignment Example Several organizations have used it, and it is already proving to be successful in achieving its purpose and benefits. One of the companies that offer cosmetic products and a four-day workweek for its employees is Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Company. The company offers facials, waxing, cleansers, muscle relaxers, general skin care products, and several other cosmetic services (Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Company, 2015). Apart from cosmetic and skincare products, the company also offers cosmetic surgery. The company has an accredited surgery facility used to perform facelift surgery for outpatients under anaesthesia to improve the skin. The areas of the skin that are sagging are accessed by incision through the ear and the airline. According to Indeed, a company offering job search database, Advanced Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Company in Ormond Beach Florida, USA likes the four-day workweek because it leads to improved work-life balance and flexible work schedule, leading to higher productivity at the workplace (Indeed, 2015). Following this example, Skin Essentials can provide its employees with four-day workweek. My recommendation is that the policy should be implemented immediately so that employees can establish a work-life balance as soon as possible, and achieve energy-saving opportunity by reducing use of fuel on driving and commuting to the workplace.

More Efficient Software System for the University Research Proposal - 1

More Efficient Software System for the University - Research Proposal Example Apart from direct cost implications, the current system forces the University personnel to work overtime in an effort to clear up work baggage. This unfolding is not only inconveniencing to the staff but also results in additional costs of labor for the overtime work. In line with the above challenges facing the current computer system used in the University, I have opted to present a proposal of that, if implemented, will see the entire system replaced with a more efficient software system. The new system targets to improve efficiency in all University departments by minimizing on the cost of maintenance, enhance the rate and quality of service delivery and minimize the instances that University staff is forced to work overtime (Miner, J. T., and Miner, L. E., 2008). The Problems Related to the Previous System The University has in recent years seen an unprecedented rise in the number of students enrolled for various programs. According to the records from the admissions department, the total number of in-session students at any moment is estimated to stand at 10,000. In relation to the system used to serve these students, it is undeniable that its capacity is by far being outstretched. The current system was installed when the university was starting implying it was meant to serve just but a few numbers of the students in the University at the time. As such, the current system has become exceedingly slow thanks to the high number of records it has to keep. This has resulted in unnecessary and frequent delays in most of the departments. The consequence is that both the students and staff end up wasting their precious time which could otherwise be utilized in some constructive businesses. Secondly, it is not unusual for a student to visit the finance department only to be informed that the system has either crushed or developed delays and, therefore, they should come sometime later. The cumulative impact of these cases results in excessive commotion when the ex am period approaches as students scramble to get clearance from the accounts department. It is also at such moments when errors are magnified and the system could end up breaking completely. Suggested Solutions To resolve the almost perennial challenges experienced in most of the University departments, it is imperative for the University to totally overhaul the entire computer and software system and replace it with a more efficient system. Therefore, I propose that the University considers replacing the current computer system with new hardware as well as software. I further propose that the new computerized system is purchased from Systemic Company. Systemic Company is one of the renowned and dealers in computer hardware and software. If the system is installed, the University would be guaranteed of better returns with minimum cases of hiccups. To facilitate stable operational activities and processes in the University Finance department, an efficient and trust worth the computer system needs to be implemented. Such a system could be in form of application software that permits the management, tracking, and reporting of all processes that takes places in the department. Systemic Software is designed to achieve this purpose.

Company report Speech or Presentation Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Company report - Speech or Presentation Example It is also setting a new hotel standard for healthy food, as it is the first hotel chain to serve food completely free of Trans fat at its locations. This idea of putting the customer first, and of thinking of them, is what sets Marriott apart. Marriott keeps the customer first it its mind, but also remember what else is important and is working to help the economy to. This worldly mindedness and high standard level is what sets Marriott apart, and what keeps it on top of the hotel world. -I knew Marriott was a successful company, but after doing all the research I did, I now see why. Marriott is different than other companies that just think about the dollar. I mean sure, Marriott wants to make money, but they aren't afraid to take risks for the sake of improving their customer's stay at their hotel chain. For example, they have recently said that all their chains will be non-smoking. To some this may be a risk, for you have the chance of not making smokers happy. However, it helps keep the hotel environment a safe environment for everybody, and they were willing to take that risk. Also, Marriott has recently decided to make all their food free of trans-fat, a decision that was made to help improve the health of customers during their stay at Marriott hotel chains. This is just one of their decisions that shows how they put people, and the care of their customers, first on their agenda. Besides helping out their customers, Marriott is also working to help out the environment. Marriott continues to cut its costs and green house gas emissions, and has set goals for the company to keep improving the standards by which they live and deal with the environment. Marriott is not only customer friendly, it is environment friendly. It is because of all these reasons I believe Marriott contains to dominate the hotel world. As it continues to expand both within the United States, and abroad, Marriott keeps spreading its messages and high standards, offering a great and enjoyable hotel experience for any traveler who stays there. Thank you.

History of Japanese Painting Odano Naotake Essay Example for Free

History of Japanese Painting Odano Naotake Essay Odano Naotake (1759 – 1780) was a painter from the Akita Ranga art school. This art school was a by-product of the ‘rangaku’, the ‘Dutch learning’. Rangaku was an important movement in eighteenth-century Japan. It is the study of Holland and the Dutch during the time that the Dutch trade post on Desjima the only connection was with the outside world and the west. Through this contact, Japan stayed informed about Western developments, such as health care and other technologies. This made Japan capable of fast modernization after the opening of the country in 1854. The Rangaku painters painted traditional Japanese themes with the use of Western techniques. The difference from the traditional paintings was the use of shadows, perspective and reflections. The painters also started using the color blue for the sky and sea. Naotake was also influenced by this new intellectual movement through Hiraga Gennai, a natural scientist and student of the Rangaky. He inspired Naotake to study these new Western painting methods as well. He moved to Edo (Tokyo) to continue his studies there. Through contacts with other painters, Naotake mastered the painting of ‘bird and flower’, which is a traditional Jananese style painting with the use of Western perspective and depth. These methods brought these paintings to a higher level, more than just decorations. Naotake also illustrated Japan’s first anatomy book, the Kaitai shinsho. This book was a Japanese translation of the Dutch book â€Å"Ontleedkundige Tafelen†, which was imported from Holland. Together with Gennai and Lord Satake Shozan (1748-85), Naotake started the Akita Ranga school of Art. When Gennai was arrested for killing a student and died shortly afterwards, Naotake was send away from his post in Edo. These developments made the school fall apart. ? Works Cited Johnson, H. Western Influence of Japanese Art: The Akita Ranga Art School. Amsterdam: Hotei Publishing, 2005.

Effects of Excessive Petroleum Use

Effects of Excessive Petroleum Use Researches shown that in 2014, the world’s oil consumptions would reach 90, 78 million barrels per day. This indicates the importance of the oil in every country, both developing and developed countries. But in the same research, the supply of oil in one day in the world’s only estimated about 89, 74 million barrels per day, which means the supply will soon can’t afford the usage of oil in the world. This lack of supply can easily cause the exhaustion of petroleum and then it may lead to the power crisis. Petroleum supply exhaustion is one of the biggest problems in every country in the world, governments and scientists are trying to find ways to solve this issue. Amongst some effort that have been done to solve the supply exhaustion problem, this essay will argue about the degradation of the oil’s quality in some area and improve the quality is one of the best way to put an end to the hardness. Litten by oil was shown to have been used in the ancient Chinese. In the 8th century, the oil production had appeared in Iraq where people use pitches, a waste of petroleum to cover the streets. The first oil drilling was said to be around Baku, Azerbaijan. But it was not until the beginning of the 19th century that oil exploitation was strongly developed. At that time, the main fuel was the spermaceti but it was too expensive, none can afford it except the rich people. Although the price was very high but it had a very bad smell so that people want to find a replacement. In the middle of the 19th century, scientists found many ways to exploit the crude oil efficiently. The first modern drilling was in 1859 in Pennsylvania and it put a start to our current petroleum industry. As the crude oil is becoming one of the most important thing for our lives, it is being overexploited that lead to the supply exhaustion, one of the biggest and the most significant problem in petroleum industry. Over two centuries, trillion of oil barrels have been exploited, this number is not decrease but it increase significantly in the last two centuries and it’s becoming more and more. In some researches, scientists have pointed out that people used 30 billion barrels of oil per year; this horrible number shows that people are using too much oil but the supply and the reserves do not enough for us to use. According to the chart posted by Michael Morrison, the world supply and demand change repidly from 2008 to the first quarter of 2012, in 2008 and 2009, the demand and supply are very similar, but from the first quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2012, the demand always higher than the supply, even in some times, the differences reach 3 million barrels per day. With those evidences, the exhaustion of petroleum is becoming more and more serious. It is said that the lack of petroleum supplement is becoming more and more severe, and the causes of this problem is observable. Supply exhaustion come from both subjective and objective reasons. One of the reason why the petroleum supplies deficiency than the need is the usage of everybody in the world. As we have known, oil is used in most aspect of our life. People use petroleum or at least its waste to process it into products such as all leather foot, aspirin, waxen, chewing gums, and the most important apply of oil is fuel and gas; two of the most important power resources in the world. Since oil has become so important and the products which made of oil are becoming more useful, its high usage is understandable. We all know that it is easier to use than make, so that the supply always have to follow the need. The next main reason is about the use of the low quality crude oil. Low quality oil contains a great amount of sulfur, a toxic. According to Greg Karras, low quality oil can increase the greenhouse gas emission by as much as 17 %-40 %( Environ. Sci. Technol, 2010, 44). Some statistics have shown that Middle East is the region which has the most oil reserves in the world, but in some others statistics; the Middle East’s oil has the worst quality (G. Houlton, 2010). Most of the imported oil in the world comes from Middle East, which means we are using the low quality oil; this can cause significantly bad effects to our health and our environment. This can cause severe damage to the supplement of oil. Petroleum industry is not the only one that suffers from this, industries, people, social and even some governments also have trouble with this hardness. The aspect which will be affected the most serious is the economics. The most adverse effect is price of petroleum will have to be increased. If the price of petroleum is increased, since some industries have to use the products of petroleum as its materials, those industries will be in difficulty and with the higher and higher prices of crude oil, the producer’s prices raised significantly. It is followed by every other product must increase their price which lead to the restructuring of the economics and damage directly to the life of the social groups, products excess and even economics crisis ( Kiseok Lee, Shawn Ni, 2002). Plus, the countries those who focus on export petroleum such as Russia, Arabia, UAE, etc†¦ will be suffered from the raise of the price of petroleum for some countries can’t afford it. Furthermore, some countries have the intensifying unemployment rates and the taxes collected from citizens are lower because of the low employment and with the raise of the petroleum, those countries now have to face a very pernicious problem. To sum up, the lack of supply of petroleum has many causes. Although the impact of this problem at the present is not so serious and some solutions have been given out. However, people have to overcome this soon to prevent the problem from being severely. In the case of the lack of supply, people have to take action to control this problem, not only during the event but also after it. These are the most fundamental solutions. First, the government should control the usage of petroleum in each country. There are four main ways I want to suggest to reduce the usage of petroleum. Petroleum is known to have been the most used fuel in the world and most of the products of petroleum are used to make fuel. In the event of the number of the vehicles are rising, the world need more and more fuel to run those vehicles, which lead to the explosion of the oil demand. In order to solve this, the scientists have found some replacements for the petroleum such as biofuel, power source from sticks; carrots; †¦ (R.J.Kopp, 2006). Apply those replacements in the real life will surely ease the pressure on the petroleum supplement. The next way to reduce the usage of petroleum in life is the change in people’s using habits. People have used some organic, green products instead of products made from oil. Avoid using personal vehicles to travel from place to place and replace it by cycle or public transport, using packaged without plastic products; recycle and re-use bottles, etc†¦ (J. Lucie, 2010). Plus, some industries which use petroleum as its raw materials should decrease the usage of petroleum and manipulate some others resources as the main raw materials (NASEO). It will followed by the lowered of the demand. In addition, to reduce the use of petroleum in the world, scientists should find alternatives to petroleum products. There are many sources that can replace the petroleum and petroleum-based products like electric, natural gas, hybrid gas, bio-diesel; a little known replacement to diesel fuel which is made out of used vegetable oil and can be burned in diesel cars and in home oil burners (Baltimore Monthly Meeting of Friends, Story Run, 5116 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21210). I would add that photovoltaic, passive solar, wind turbines and some others renewable fuels can be used to replace fuel. These are some alternatives for petroleum fuel which people can use it to reduce the usage of petroleum. However, most of those alternatives are little-known ones, only a little people know about it, then how can they use it There should be some propaganda campaigns that help the people know about the situation of the petroleum supplement then show them the advantages of using the alternati ves for oil, this could help people reduce using petroleum as their most important power source. Last but not least, a very effective way to reduce the use of petroleum in people and teen is some programs that the government should set up such as â€Å"weekend without oil†. This is a program which was set up by dosomething.org, an organization help young people to tackle against some impact from their own behaviors and habits. These programs should aim to helps people to recognize the ways that their daily routines help increase the oil consumption and provide the people how to avoid it (C. Tackett, 2010). This is not only help to reduce the use of oil but also make the people to be more active with some outdoor activities such as walk or ride a bike,†¦ Although all these solutions are very effective, but it’s also have some disadvantages. There’s one most optimal solution that I have given, and it is:† people should use alternatives fuel†. This is the most effective way to restrict the usage of petroleum; it’s also the best way to improve the quality of our environment which is being severely damage by the over-using of petroleum. In this solution, people can reduce their petroleum usage by using others kind of power source such as solar energy, power of the wind, biofuel, biodiesel†¦ and especially fuel for driving vehicles. As most of the amount of petroleum is used as the fuel to run the vehicles, changing the fuel of the vehicles is the best ways to reduce the petroleum usage, which biodiesel and solar energy can be the best one. Using these alternative can help reduce the reliance on petroleum of most of the country in the world. Plus, some alternatives are renewable resources while petroleum is non-renewable resources, which mean we can use as much as we can without worry about the exhaustion of those resources. Furthermore, those alternatives’s bad effects are extremely small while petroleum can cause huge damage for our environment, every year; using and exploiting petroleum emit 381.740.601lbs of toxic air pollution, 3.3 trillion lbs of CO2 (J.Sandry,2013). Using alternatives for petroleum is very useful and it’s also the easiest way to reduce our reliance on petroleum so that we can solve the petroleum-exhaustion problem, and even the environment problems. Biofuels is an example, these are result from the photosynthesis of plants which convert solar energy into chemical energy, its green and renewable though their slightly less energy than oil and gasoline but much cleaner (ecoreps). Some researches shown that using solar energy instead of petroleum in 25 years can help reduce 199.679lbs of CO2, 2316 trees can be planted with the surplus and help the drivers saving 208.166 miles driven (RGS energy,2014). This way is not being limited in any country but for every country in the world, everyone can use these replacements, it’s even cheaper than the cost of the petroleum, then why shouldn’t people use these alternatives, for both themselves and the world. However, the only downfall of this solution is that it can’t be spread through some dev eloping countries, people should find some way to widespread these alternatives to developing countries to help them. In order to reduce petroleum usage and saving our environment, replace petroleum in most of aspect in our lives is the best way to achieve our goal. In conclusion, supply exhaustion in petroleum is a significant problem in every phase of petroleum industry, but this is a most severe time when the surplus between supply and demand is at the highest ever. Industries, power, products, etc†¦ now have to rely too much on petroleum and its waste which is the most fundamental reason for this problem. This reliance does not damage the petroleum industry with the depletion of supply but also damage the economics with the raise of the cost of petroleum. However, the most significant effect is the damage our environment with the use and the waste of petroleum. In that consequence, people have to reduce their use of petroleum to save them from the reliance on petroleum. The best way to reduce the use is using alternatives, solar energy; wind energy; biofuels†¦ are very effective alternatives that people should consider to use them instead of using too much petroleum. This is not only to save the petroleum industry but also our envi ronment. Everyone should join hand to solve this problem.

Total Quality Management And HRM

Total Quality Management And HRM This chapter provides the background to this project termed The role of human resources management in the implementation of total quality management; it consists of an introduction to total quality management and human resources management. It will also provide an introduction to problem/questions the research intends to resolve, highlight the reason for my interest in the research topic, indicate the possible benefactors of this research work, specify the locus and focus of the project and the methodology that will be adopted during the course of the project. The aims, objectives and deliverables of the study will also be clearly defined followed by the project outline. 1.1 Introduction to Total Quality Management and Human Resources Management Organisations that pay special attention to the quality performance of their operations are mostly rewarded in the global business world, for organisations to survive in the tough competitive market they must continuously improve the quality level of their products and services; it is onus on the management to find ways of improving their quality services the question is how? Fortunately the business environment have been able to define certain means of achieving and improving quality in their individual organisations, although different organisations implore variable tactics they all have one method in common which is Total Quality Management (TQM), researchers have different interpretation of TQM, but according to youssef et al (1996) they all agree that based on the proper implementation of TQM, it can improve quality of products and services, improve company performance level, reduce costs thus improving the companys competitive advantage in the global market, in addition to this previous studies all agree that TQM is an approach to improving the effectiveness and flexibility of a business as a whole i.e. its essentially a way of organising and involving the whole organisation; every single individual at every level or department. This implies that for any organisation striving towards continuous improvement, each individual of the organisation must acknowledge the other and recognise that each activity (small or big) matters. From the literature review, it will be established that Human Resource Management plays a crucial role in implementing TQM through reinforcing human relationships, improving employee competence, and achieving culture change. Quality gurus such as: W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M. Juran, Philip B. Crosby, Genichi Taguchi, Kaoru Ishikawa and Walter A. Shewhart amongst others all agree on the importance of a team based culture for organisations to continuously improve on quality, perhaps the most popular of the quality gurus is Deming for hi s contribution to the Japanese industry in the 1950s, all of their quality philosophies had the following points in common: Providing quality goods and services. Customer focused (internal external). Production is optimised through team-work, transformational leadership and statistical measurement. The central focus of Total Quality Management and related approaches is customer (internal external) based, The external customer is the reason for a business to exist, and by directing every operation of the internal customers (employees) of the of the organisation towards the external customer satisfaction through continuous improvement in quality. Research by Wilkinson (1992) and Collinson et al. (1998) amongst other researchers opine that there are two sides to TQM a hard side and a soft side, and that the soft side emphasizes on the management of human resources, relationship between employees and employers (teamwork), customer care and the hard side lay emphasis on the technical aspect of an organisation. The soft side of TQM is mostly adopted by service industries while the hard side is accustomed to manufacturing industries. The issue with this Hard and Soft TQM concept is that most organisations fail to integrate these two parts effectively, especially in the manufacturing industries which tend to focus on production first and quality second due to their desire to meet the schedule. According to Omachonu, V. and Ross, J., (2004) in the United states and other highly industrialised countries the economy has shifted from manufacturing to service industries, indicating that 80% of workers globally are employed in the service sector. This suffices to say that quality improvement can only be achieved through the actions of the humans in the organisation, HRM is the practice adopted by organisations to achieve this goal, HRM can be defined as a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisations most valued assets i.e. the people/humans working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the organisations objectives (Michael, A. 2006). The notion sustaining the practice of HRM is that people are the organisations key resource and organisational performance largely depends on them. Therefore if an appropriate ra nge of HR practices and processes are developed and implemented effectively, then HR will make a substantial impact on an organisations performance. Although previous research has established the fact that HR is crucial to performance, the general consensus from most of the research especially that carried out by Purcell et al (2003) is that HR can make an impact by contributing to the following: The development and successful implementation of high performance work practices, particularly those concerned with job and work design, flexible working, resourcing (recruitment, selection and talent management),employee development (increasing skills and extending the skills base),reward, and giving employees a voice. The formulation and embedding of a clear vision and set of values. The development of a positive psychological contract and means of increasing the motivation and commitment of employees. The formulation and implementation of policies which, in the words of Purcell et al (2003) meet the needs of individuals and create a great place to work. The provision of support and advice to line managers on their role in implementing HR policies and practices. The effective management of change (Purcell et al, 2003.) From the above it is obvious that HRM plays a huge role in TQM, hence this research will be focused on the identifying the HRM practices that are most effective to TQM and how best this practices are implemented in the industry today, the research will focus its attention in the oil service industry of Nigeria thus the topic The role of human resources management in the implementation of total quality management in the oil service industry the research will be done using a multinational oil servicing company (Hercules Offshore) as a case study, the reason for this is that most developing countries still fail to recognise their employees and the role they play in the quality of goods and services, my interest in this topic arose from my experience working in the Nigerian company I realised that most employees lacked commitment to the managerial goals and objectives, emphasis are made more on individual performance rather than a holistic approach which is the main concept of TQM, there was a huge gap between the front office and the back office, this research aims to identify how this gaps could be closed to encourage continuous quality. Most companies in Nigeria and other developing countries that are yet to grasp the advantage of a committed work force will find this project useful, even the country as a whole would benefit from what this project aims to achieve because if every individual lives and performs for a general goal not an individual goal the country would move forward. 1.2 Project Aim The aim of this project is to identify and study the impact of Human resources management in the implementation of Total quality management and the role of the humans (employees) in quality attainment and improvement. 1.3 Project Objectives There are some objectives that fall within this specific aim and the objectives include: Does the Nigerian average worker know what TQM is? What are the perceptions of the companies customer service in Nigeria? How are these practices implemented in Nigerian oil servicing industries? What are the exact HRM practices that assist in the implementation of TQM in the oil service industry? What are the factors influencing employees to adhere or refute company quality policies? The determinants of employee responses to TQM 1.4 Deliverables Understanding the role of HRM in the implementation of TQM Understanding total quality management and the need for organisations to have an effective and efficient TQM model. Understanding how management strategies for continuous quality improvement can reach the roots of the organisation Improving employees commitment to quality in the Nigerian oil industry identify the major limitations to quality improvement practices in Nigeria Recommendations for further improvement. 1.5 Project Methodology This study is descriptive in its entirety rather than experimental. It entails collecting data in the form of literature review survey, questionnaire survey, and interview questions from some selected HR managers including the managers in the organisation for the case study (Hercules offshore). The methodology to be developed will focus on the mechanism through which high service level can be achieved by efficiently managing the human resources available to an organisation, the role of the human in TQM implementation, how TQM practices are implemented using HRM practices in the oil service industry in Nigeria, and to assess the average workers knowledge of TQM. This proposed project will involve a four phase design that will be used for implementation. The first phase of the project is the research planning, the second phase will involve the project planning, the third phase is for result analysis, fourth phase is the project summation. The main tasks to be completed at the end of the fourth phase plan are; i. Analysing the background of the survey through literature review ii. Selection of case study for the project iii. Carry out a feasibility study of the case study iv. Data Collection v. Data Analysis vi. Result Analysis vii. Discussion and Conclusion viii. Recommendation The methodology to be developed for the research and project planning, result analysis and project completion is illustrated in figure 1.1 Phase 1 Research Planning Phase 2 Project Planning Phase 3 Result Analysis Phase 4 Project Summation Figure 1:1 Methodology to be developed Source: Author This study addresses the importance of improving an organisations quality output through improving the efficiency and commitment of the internal customers (employees). Figure 1.2 shows a diagrammatic representation of the methodology giving the steps to be adopted. These steps are: understanding and knowing the aim of the project, designing questionnaires and arranging interviews, administering questionnaires and conducting telephone interviews with employees of an organisation in the oil services industry comprising of human resources managers, project managers, operations managers, vessel managers, shipyard managers and deck hands. Recommendation would also be made to enhance the organisations implementation of total quality management. This will be sent to the organisation in order to gain feedback from the recommended solutions. Understanding the direction of the project Designing questionnaires and arranging interviews Questionnaires and conducting interview Result Presentation and Analysis ng Discussion, Recommendations and Conclusion Figure 1.2: Diagrammatic representation of the Methodology Source: Author 1.6 Project Summary In this section the author provides a brief outline of the content of each chapter in the project. Chapter 1- Introduction to the dissertation, the project aim, objectives and the methodology to be adopted. Chapter 2 A literature review survey of the project that will comprise human resources management practices, total quality management, strategic management, and customer services. A summary of the literature review will be given at the end of the chapter. Chapter 3 A comprehensive study of the organisation background, including its products and services and an exhaustive insight into the oil servicing industry in Nigeria Chapter 4 The methodology to be used will be presented in this chapter. It will show the approach and other considerations that were made in obtaining data and result analysis for this project. Chapter 5 A compressive analysis of the empirical data and results of the study by describing the descriptive findings will be presented. Chapter 6- This will present the discussion of the work done, importance of the questionnaire, interviews and results to the project and issues encountered. The conclusion and recommendations are also presented in this chapter. The order of presentation for the chapters in this dissertation is shown graphically in figure 1.3 Chapter One Background of study Aim, Objectives and Deliverables Introduction Chapter Two Literature Review Related theories Chapter Three Company background and Oil service industry This chapter focuses on the concept of HRM and TQM in the Nigerian oil industry Chapter four Methodology Research design, approach and strategy Chapter five Results and Analysis of Data Results presentation Data analysis Chapter six Discussion and Future Work Discussion of findings Future works and Conclusion CHAPTER 2 Figure 1.3: Project Summary Source: Author LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction The role or effect of Human Resource practices on the implementation of Total Quality management cannot be over-emphasized, because it serves as a basis for ascertaining employees attitudes towards effective and efficient quality practices, simply put if the employees are not quality oriented, there is no quality hence the organisations ability to conform to its customers requirements is low, Several studies investigating the relationship of HRM and TQM have asserted the same ideology e.g. (Lammergeyer, 1991; Wilkinson, 1992; Oakland,1998; Palo and Padhi,2005). Additionally, according to Morrison and Rahim (1993) and Hoogervorst et al. (2005), TQM depends on the effective management of human resources. Considering the TQM model, Murphy and Cleveland (1991) state that the system that is used to appraise performance needs to be congruent with the culture and principles that guide the conduct of the organisation, unless congruence is retained, anything that is developed is liable to be rejected. Hence this chapter presents a literature review closely related to the project, the literature survey will be carried out in a topical format this is necessary to give an exhaustive background knowledge to the terms in the topic ; the first section will be on the definition and principles of human resource management, advantages of HRM in the global business world, the second section will consist of the definition and concept of total quality management, its origin and benefits to the industry, the third section will investigate the work done so far with respect to the role of HRM in the implementation of TQM and its importance, the fourth section will consist of the research background, proje ct justification and literature review summary. 2.1 Definition of Human Resources Management Presently in the dynamic competitive business environment, there has been reasonable doubt as to what the roles and functions of Human Resource Management (HRM) are in an organisation. According to Soderlund and Bredin (2005) previous research by American Business School Professors all identify HRM as an effective organisational tool, but due to the present volatile business environment there has been conflicts on the concept and role of HRM within an organisational structure. One of the main problems contributing to this is that there is no single unified concept of what is meant by HRM. There are a variety of definitions attributed in the literature as to what exactly HRM is. In addition to this philosophy, Brewster and Larsen (2000) stated that due to its diverse nature there is no generally accepted definition for HRM and what it entails. Less satisfactory definitions have been proposed by different authors Soderlund and Bredin (2005) classified HRM as a management philosophy tha t concentrates on people (employees) treatment, Dessler (2006) defined HRM as the process of acquiring, training, appraising, and compensating employees, and of attending to their labour relations and health and safety, Marchington and Wilkinson (2002) defined HRM as the management of employment. These definitions are perhaps simplistic in nature and failed to highlight the true concept of HRM (Michael, 2006). Michael (2006) went further to define HRM as a strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organisations most valued assets (humans/employees) the people working in the organisation who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of its objectives, Price (2007) also supports Michaels definition with his proposed philosophy of HRM, according to Price, HRM is a philosophy of people management based on the belief that human resources are uniquely important to sustained business success. In addition to his philosophy he stated that an organisation gains competitive advantage by using its people effectively, drawing on their expertise and ingenuity to meet clearly defined objectives. Prof P.S Nel et al (2001) in their book strongly supports Michaels definition of HRM with this quote HRM is the only resource in an organisation that reacts when acted upon i.e. with the exception of human resources all other resources of an organisation are static because other resources derive their dynamic character from human resources. Although there are diverse definitions to HRM, for the purpose of this research the definition proposed by Michael (2006) will be adopted considering the fact that it clearly states that HRM is aimed at recruiting capable, flexible and committed people, managing and rewarding their performance and developing key competencies. 2.1.1 Human resources management in practice Armstrong, (2000) highlighted that HR is of immense importance to modern day organisations, it provides an approach to inducing improved performance levels through the use of the humans (employees) by improving their levels of customers service, productivity, growth, profits and quality control. There are a number of activities, roles, processes covered by HRM, Lado and Wilson (1994) outlined the following to be the HR activities in contemporary organisations Planning. Recruitment and selection Training Performance management Benefits and rewards Compensation Career development Banhegyi et al., (2008) and Robbins and Coulter, (2002) also supports the HR activities stated above as the salient global HR activities in present day organisations. 2.2.1 Planning Planning in Human Resource has been a debated topic in different HRM contexts over the years (Wren, 1994). HR was initially a strategy used to determine the strength and weaknesses among employees and to develop the skills and competences they needed (Gallagher, 2000). With the era of individual career plans, organisations started recruiting individuals with certain desired skills and competences as a method of employing individuals who shared the same orientation or objectives with that of the organisation (Kuratko and Morris (2002), this means that HR planning is essentially a method of selecting employees that align with the succession plan of the organisation. This aspect of HR is still been exhaustively discussed by many researchers, Schuler (1986) proposed that HR planning is a complicated and complex issue of debate within the HR activities. Storey (1995) argues that HR planning today is a very important task of every contemporary organisations HR department. According to him, HR planning mainly involves the identification of skills and competence within the organisation, the filling of identified competence gaps, and the facilitation of movements of employees within the organisation. An essential part of the HR planning is the succession planning which aims to ensure the supply of individuals and filling of gaps on senior key positions when they become vacant and replenish competences to areas where they are most valued (Wolfe, 1996). 2.2.2 Recruitment and selection This is the process by which an organisation places the diverse talents at their disposal in different levels of the organisation. Analoui, (2007) defined the process as an ethical approach by an organisation to find and attract the most efficient individual with the desirable skills for an available position. According to Price (2007), the recruitment process is divided into three approaches: Suitability the most qualified applicant for the position, Malleability moulded within the cultural norms, and Flexibility the most reliable and versatile employee. These factors are quite complicating and can be easily mistaken during the process of hiring employees. Suitability is a critical aspect hence its mainly concerned with the process of hiring the most suitable applicant for the position. Pfeffer (1994) proposed that the ability by an organisation to select and retain talented employees is of great advantage in the global competitive market. It is obvious from the present global market that organisations who possesses the greatest talents prevail in the competitive market hence firms tend to employ renowned managers to lead the thriving future. 2.2.3 Training It is already a well-established fact from the above literature that employees skills and knowledge are of immense impact on an organisations level of quality in goods and services (Guzzo, R A. and Noonan, K A, 1994). Ostroff and Kozlowski, (1992) supported this idea by stressing that for organisations to overcome certain problems and to attain continuous improvement the employees have to be continuously trained individually or as a team, their research also suggested that training also serves as a socialisation tool for new employees to gain cultural knowledge about the organisation, learn about the necessary tasks and how to perform their responsibility; clarifying their roles and relate with others inside the organisation. Additionally, Hackman and Wageman (1995) identified training in their study as the second most commonly used HRM practice in implementing TQM. Rollag Cardon (2003) supported this philosophy in their research as they indicated that the process of socialisation within a firm enhance new employees to integrate speedily within the new organisation. Formal training is a wide-spread method for organisations to enhance the personnel performance level, as important roles are covered also by organisational socialization and multitasking (Chao, 1997 and May, 1997). Research by Bishop (2003) highlights training as a cost effective strategy especially when there is a shortage in talented or skilled labour, employees could be trained on the job (OJB) thereby saving cost in time and resources of finding a competent workers. 2.2.4 Performance Management The concept of performance management within an organisation is to determine how the employers can get the highest level of commitment from their employees (Dransfield, 2000). There are three steps of approaching the performance measurement within an organisation, the three steps are stated below: Objectives Appraisal Feedback (Dransfield, 2000) Dransfield (2000) described the first step (objectives) as goals that are quantifiable, easy to measure and simple to communicate throughout the organisation after which the performance appraisal takes place and subsequently feedback. Although quality gurus like Deming and Juran are of the opinion performance appraisals are deterrent to quality improvement, according to Deming (1986) there are many undermining factors of performance appraisal as stated below It nourishes short-term performance, annihilates long-term planning, builds fear, demolishes teamwork, and nourishes rivalry and politics. It leaves people bitter, crushed, bruised, battered, desolate, despondent, dejected, feeling inferior, some even depressed, unfit for work for weeks after a receipt of an unacceptable rating, unable to comprehend why they are inferior. Soltani (2003; 2006), also supports this idea he believes that performance appraisal disregards the existence of variability in the system, it holds workers responsible for errors that may be the result of faults within the system and it undermines teamwork However, other investigators conclude that performance appraisal is compatible with TQM if it is based on quality criteria (Blackburn and Rosen, 1993; Simmons et al., 1995; Wilkinson et al., 1994; Wood and Peccei, 1995). Shadur et al., (1994) in their research claim that some organisations still have some form of performance appraisal and there is evidence that this HRM practice is useful in implementing TQM. Other researchers affirm that although performance appraisal can be related to individual performance, it can be of more advantage to quality improvement if it should be focused on measuring organisational and group performance (Petrick and Furr, 1995; Schuler and Jackson, 1987; Simmons et al., 1995) 2.2.5 Benefits and rewards The major determinant of human behaviour is the consequences to their actions, if employees know there is a reward for their actions they tend to work towards earning that reward, most managers in contemporary organisations have adopted the benefits and reward system as an incentive besides the wages that would derive that extra commitment from their employees, according to Appleby and mavin (2000) attaining high levels of commitment from employees within an organisation is highly essential. Consequently employee considerable effort will manifest into an intended realisation and fulfilment of a specific desired outcome. Such manifestation enhances the explanation of the crucial aspect of organisational reward system and how it can be sustain and elicit the firm human capital investment Tannenbaum and Dupuree-Bruno (1994). As defined by Manus and Graham (2003), total reward includes all types of rewards/benefits-indirect as well as direct, and intrinsic as well as extrinsic. Each aspect of reward, namely base pay, contingent pay, employee benefits and non-financial rewards, which include intrinsic rewards from the work itself, are linked together and treated as an integrated and coherent whole. The concept of total reward has emerged quite recently and is exerting considerable influence on reward management (Michael, 2006). An equally wide definition of total reward is offered by WorldatWork (2000) who state that total rewards are all of the employers available tools that may be used to attract, retain, motivate and satisfy employees. Thompson (2002) supports this idea with his definition of reward management, where he states that total reward typically encompass not only traditional, quantifiable elements like salary, variable pay and benefits, but also more intangible non-cash elements such as scope to achieve and exercise responsibility, career opportunities, learning and development, the intrinsic motivation provided by the work itself and the quality of working life provided by the organisation. 2.2.6 Compensation According to Patel Cardon (2010) compensation is an essential tool for modern-day organisations as it contributes to attract and retain high skilled employees with superior salaries, and it encourages a desired stakeholder behaviour regarding recognition and legitimacy. Minbaeva et al. (2003) inferred that compensation would enhance motivation among personnel too. Even though non-financial compensation can really work as a positive incentive for the workers, providing monetary benefits is necessary to increase the productivity of the employees on the individual or group level (Gomez-Meja, 1992). Balkin and Swift (2006) suggest a more flexible approach toward the payment issue. They proposed to relate it to the life stage of the organisation with a higher rate of non-monetary benefits during the first years of activity, and a re-equilibration whenever the company enters the mature stage. Non-monetary paybacks are represented by stock options, stocks or other form of equity sharing that enhance the participation and the motivation of employees, while spreading the risks over a larger number of people (Graham et al., 2002). The aforementioned ownership sharing represents also a long-term planning for compensation, as Graham et Al. (2002) stated, but also short-term rewards exist. These are represented by profit sharing policies aiming to encourage the employees toward group work, or to control the organisational outcomes (Heneman Tansky, 2002). 2.2.7 Career development (CD) Many practitioners and scholars within human resource development (HRD) field have claimed that the utmost crucial aspect of the practices is career development (McLagan, 1989; Weinberger, 1998; Swanson Holton, 2001). However, this area of studies has been given little attention (Upton, Egan Lynham, 2003). With the intense competition in the 21 century, many organisations have realised that in order to remain competitive they have to improve their employees and enhance their career development as an holistic approach (Boudreaux, 2001); rather than individual career development (Swanson Holton, Upton, Egan Lynham, 2003). Hence, many organisations are now taking proactive measures towards equipping their staffs (Leana, 2002) or create a climate that supports their staffs at all levels of the organisation to be more resultant and productive (Sullivan, 1999); which Boudreaux, (2001); Brown, (1997) referred to as shared responsibility. However, learning within an organisation is quite critical and expensive (McDonald et al., 2002). According to Power et al (2001) the most common learning methods within organisations are informal (i.e. on-the-job coaching, sessions, lesson learned, development assignment) and formal learning (i.e. as training/workshop and other forms of professional training conducted by professional bodies internally or externally (McDonald et al., 2002). 1.3.1 Reservations about HRM As many other departments within an organisation encounter, HRM has its own challenges, according to Michael (2006) the main reservation have been that HRM promises more than it can deliver and that its morality is suspect, Michael

Duels :: Essays Papers

Duels "This is the excellence of Court: take away the ladies, duels and the ballets and I would not want to live there." - A. d'Aubigne, Baron de Foeneste, Il, 17 Duels and the act of dueling is something that has characterized not only the imagination of historians and modern warfare enthusiasts, but also the minds of writers and readers of literature for years. The numerous literary variations on the theme of dueling are enough of an indication of its importance, and the fascination with the act continues to increase. However, dueling is more than a literary climax or a plot twist; duels have been being fought for centuries and are actually derivatives of many medieval practices. The word duel has several predecessors, depending on which history is being referenced. The most common form of the word is derived from the German word Duell, which is a derivative of the Latin word duellum. Duellum is a combination of the Latin words bellum and duo, which connotes a war between two. This simple definition seems to be the most common and the most recognizable. Historian Francois Billacois states that a duel is "a fight between two or several individuals (but always with equal numbers on either side), equally armed, for the purpose of proving either the truth of a disputed question or the valour, courage and honour of each combatant (Billacois, 5)." Historian Ute Frevert concurs, but points out that duels, especially in the modern era, were "no mock fights, but serious passages at arms in which the opponents risked their lives and which could result in serious injury, or even death (Frevert, 11)." Most contemporary historians believe that the modern version of the duel developed out of three medieval institutions: the feud, the judicial duel and the knightly tournament. The belief that dueling was derived from these three events is often referred to as the continuity theory. Feuds in the medieval period occurred when people attempted to settle disputes and exact revenge for insults through "private vengeance," rather than by going to the authorities and entrudting them to settle the matter. Judicial duels, on the other hand, were official acts, during which both parties (the plaintiff and the defendant) fought their grievances out on the battle field with swords in front of a judge.

Magical Realism and Mans Search For Meaning Essay -- Literature Essay

Magical Realism and Man's Search For Meaning    Magical realism was first coined by Franz Roh when he was writing about paintings. Artaro Ulsar Pietri was the first to use the term when talking about literature. Magical realism is also related to other academic fields such as philosophy, psychology, mathmatics, physics, and theology. Im magical realism, "the writer confronts reality and tries to untangle it, to discover what is mysterious in things, in life, in human acts" (Leal 121). Viktor E. Frankl uses this concept in his book Man's Search For Meaning. The magical realist characteristics that relate to this story include defamiliarization and supplementation. Through Man's Search For Meaning, Frankl explores "a reality which is already in and of itself magical or fantastic" (Simpkins 149). It tries to magnify and enlarge the small amd simple things in life. Defamiliariazation is used through human life (Simpkins 150). Defamiliarization is when an object that is common and everyday is shown in a new way that one never saw or noticed before. Supplementation is when realit...

The Pirate Bay

C ASE S TUDY The Pirate Bay: The World's Most Resilient Copyright Infringer? The Pirate Bay (TPB), a Swedish Web site (Piratebay. org), is one of the world's most popular pirated music and content sites, offering free access to millions of copyrighted songs and thousands of copyrighted Hollywood movies. In June 2011, The Pirate Bay reported that it had about 5 m illion r egistered u s ers, a nd 25 m illion n on-registered u sers ( so-called â€Å"free riders â€Å"). To p ut t hat n umber i n p e rsp ec tive, c onsider t hat i t is n early t hr ee t imes t h e p opulation o f S weden i tself (9 m illion).T he P irate Bay is r egularly i n t he t op 100 m ost p opular Web sites i n t he w orld, a nd r eac h es 1 % o f t he global I nt e rn et popula ­ tion, according to I nternet a nalysts i n 2 0ll. I n S weden, Norway, a nd t he Ne therlands, i t o ften r anks a s o ne o f t he t op 10 s ites. T his d espit e t he fac t t hat TPB h as b een s ubjected t o r epeated l egal effort s to s hut i t do wn . I t b ills itself a s â€Å"the world's m ost r esilient b ittorrent site. † But t he h attIe is far f rom over.T he I nternet i s b ecoming a t ough p lace f or m usic a nd v ideo p irates to m ak e a liv in g i n p art b e c aus e o f e nforce ­ ment a ctions, b ut m ore i mportantly b ecause o f new m obile a nd w ireless t echnologies t hat e nable h igh-quality c ontent to b e s treamed for j ust a s mall fee. Q. search Torrents I ~ I ~ 1::rt. J.!! 9! I! I ~ 1D! R..! 92 How d o I clo wn'o. d? == ­ F irst s ome b ackground. T he P irate Bay is p art o f a E uropean s ocial a nd p olitical m ovement t hat o pposes c opyrighted c ontent a nd d emands t hat m usic, v ideos, TV shows, a nd o ther d igital c ontent b e f ree a nd u nrestricted.I n t he w ords o f t he P irate Party, â€Å"the P irate B ay is a u nique p latform for d istributing c ulture b etween r egular p eople a nd i ndependent a rtists, a nd t hat's s omething w e w ant to p res erve. † I n a u nique t wist o n p rior e fforts to p rovide â€Å"free† m usic, T he P irate Bay d oes n ot o perate a d atabase o f c opyrighted c ontent. N either d oes i t o perate a n etwork o f c omputers o wned b y † members† w ho s tore t he c ontent, n or c reate, o wn, o r d istribute s oftware ( like BitTorrent a nd m ost o ther s o-called P2P n etworks) t hat p ermit s uch n etworks t o e xist i n t he f irst place.T hese w ere t he o ld t echniques for r ipping o ff m usic. I nstead, T he P irate Bay s imply p rovides a s earch e ngine t hat r esponds to u ser q ueries for m usic t racks, o r s pecific m ovie t itles, a nd g enerates a l ist o f s earch r esults t hat i nclude P2P n etworks a round t he w orld w here t he t itles c an b e f ound. By click ­ ing o n a s elected l ink, u sers g ain a ccess t o t he c opyrighted c ontent, b ut o nly a fter d ownloading s oftware a nd o ther files f rom t hat P2P n etwork. Voila' â€Å"No body, n o c rime. T he P irate Bay j ust l inks i ts u sers to s tolen m edia files. W hat c ould b e i llegal? T he P irate Bay c laims i t is m erely a s earch e ngine p rovid ­ ing p ointers to existing P2P n etworks t hat it d oes n ot i tself c ontrol. I t c laims t hat i t c annot c ontrol w hat c ontent u sers u ltimately f ind o n t hose P2P n etworks, a nd t hat it is n o d ifferent f rom a ny o ther s earch e ngine, s uch a s Google o r Bing, w hich a re n ot h eld r esponsible for t he c ontent f ound o n s ites l isted i n s earch r esults.F rom a b roader s tandpoint, T he P irate Bay's f ounders a lso c laim t hat c opyright l aws i n g en ­ eral u njustly i nterfere w ith t he f ree flow o f i nformation o n t he I nternet, a nd t hat i n a ny e vent, t hey w ere n ot v iolating S wedish c opyright law, w hich t hey f elt s hould b e t he o nly l aw t hat a pplied. A nd t hey f urther c laimed t hey d id n ot e ncourage, i ncite, o r e nable i llegal d ownloading. N ever theless, t he d efendants h ave n ever d enied t heirs w as a c ommercial e nterprise.D espite all t he t alk b y t he P irate P arty c alling for t he free, u nfettered s pread o f c ulture, T he P irate B ay w as a m oney-making o peration f rom t he b eginning, d esigned to p roduce p rofits for its founders, w ith a dvertising a s t he p rimary s ource o f r evenue. H owever, i n a r uling t hat p uts to r est t he n otion t hat t he l aw is a lways b ehind t he d evelopment o f t echnology, t he F irst S wedish C ourt i n S tockholm d eclared t he f our f ounders g uilty o f v iolating S wedish c opyright law, a nd s entenced e ach t o o ne y ear i n p rison a nd p ayment o f $3. m illion i n r estitution to t he p laintiffs, all S wedish d ivisions o fthe m ajor r ecord l abel f irms ( Warner Music, Sony, a nd EMI G roup a mong t hem). T he c ourt s aid â€Å"By p roviding a w ebsite w ith † . w ell-developed s earch f unc ­ tions, e asy u ploading a nd s torage possi bilities, a nd w ith a t racker l inked to t he w eb ­ site, t he a ccused h ave i ncited t he c rimes t hat t he file s harers h ave c ommitted. † T he c ourt a lso s aid t hat t he f our d efendants h ad b een a ware o f t he fact t hat c opyrighted m aterial w as s hared w ith t he h elp o f t heir site.T he p rison s entence w as j ustified b y † extensive accessibility o f o thers' c opyrights a nd t he fact t hat t he o peration w as c on ­ ducted c ommercially a nd i n a n o rganized f ashion. † I n o ther w ords, t he c ourt b elieved t he d efendants w ere e ngaged i n a c ommercial e nterprise, t he b asis o f w hich w as e ncouraging v isitors to v iolate t he c opyrights o f o wners. I n fact, t he p rimary p urpose o f T he P irate B ay w as to violate c opyrights i n o rder to m ake m oney for t he o wners ( commercial i ntent). Enable,† â€Å"induce,† a nd † encourage† c opyright i nfringement a nd † intent to sellà ¢â‚¬  a re k ey w ords i n t his r uling a nd T he P irate Bay case. T hese c oncepts g rounded i n W estern l aw a re n ot â€Å"disabled† b y n ew t echnology, b ut i nstead c an b e, a nd are, e xtensible to n ew t echnologies, a nd u sed to s hape t echnology t o society's n eeds a nd w ishes. I ndeed, t here's a c onsensus d eveloping a mong p rosecutors a nd c ourts w orld ­ wide t hat i nfringement is n ot j ustified s imply b ecause i t's t echnically p ossible to do i t o n t he I nternet.T he P irate Bay is a ppealing t he c ourt j udgment, h as p aid n o fine, a nd i ts o wners h ave, as yet, n ever s pent a n ight i n j ail. T he P irate Bay Web site c ontinues to o perate i n S weden m uch a s before. Well, almost. I n 2 0ll, t he f irm m oved i ts s ervers i nto c aves i n S weden, a nd d ispersed m ultiple c opies o f i ts p rogram to o ther c ountries j ust i n c ase Swedish police t ry t o confiscate its s ervers a gain. Meanwhile, t he u . S. g overnment p ressured t he S wedish g overnment to s trengthen i ts copyright laws to discourage r ampant d ownloading.I n S weden, downloading m usic a nd v ideos from illegal sites w as v ery popular, e ngaged i n b y 43% o fthe S wedish Inter ­ net p opulation. 1b s trengthen its laws, S weden a dopted t he E uropean U nion c onven ­ tion o n c opyrights, w hich allows c ontent o wners to receive f rom I nternet p roviders t he n ames a nd a ddresses o f p eople s uspected o f s haring p irated files. I n F rance, participat ­ ing i n t hese p irate sites will r esult i n b anishment f rom t he I nternet for u p to t hree y ears.As a result, I nternet traffic i n S weden d eclined b y 40 % , a nd h as s tayed t here. Like t he f ight a gainst t he o riginal C aribbean p irates o f t he s eventeenth c entury, g lobal forces c ontinue t o m arshal a gainst T he P irate Bay. N ot t he B ritish N avy t his t ime, b ut a l oose c oalition o f t he U nited S tates a nd a n umber o f E urope an c ountries .. T he f irm h as b een h ounded b y l awsuits, police raids, a nd c onfiscation o f s ervers i n F rance, Finland, Italy, G ermany, D enmark, I reland, t he U. K. , a nd G reece.T hese c ountries h ave i n s ome c ases r efused to allow I nternet s ervice p roviders i n t heir c ountries to h ost T he P irate Bay, o r l ink to T he P irate Bay, n o m atter w here i n t he w orld i ts s ervers a re l ocated. T he P irate Bay h as c aused E ngland, France, Malaysia, F inland, a nd m ost r ecently t he U nited States, to c onsider s trong i ntellectual p rop ­ erty p rotection l aws t hat w ill p revent d omestic s earch e ngines a nd ISPs f rom l inking to i nfringing sites, o r r esolving t heir d omain n ames. C alled t he P rotect IP Act, t he p roposed l egislation n ow i n t he U.S. S enate i s a n e ffort to s hut o ff t raffic f rom t he U nited S tates to offshore p irate s ites t hat h ave n o s ignificant u se o ther t han e ngaging, e nabling, o r f acilit ating t he illegal c opying o r d istribution o f c opyrighted m aterial i n † substantially c omplete form. † T he t arget s ites m ust b e † dedicated t o infringing. † I n a ddition, t he l aw w ould p ermit i ntellectual p roperty o wners a nd g overnment a gencies to s eek i njunctions a gainst i nfringing sites, p otentially s hutting t hem d own i mmediately u ntil t he i ssues c an b e a rgued i n c ourt.For o nshore sites, t he I mmigra ­ tion a nd C ustoms E nforcement (ICE) a gency a lready s eizes Web site d omains t hat v iolate U. S. laws o n I nternet g ambling a nd i ntellectual p roperty t heft, a nd r edirects t his t raffic to a Web p age h osted b y ICE e xplaining t he a ction. T he P rotect I P Act a nd s imilar l egislation i n E urope is o pposed b y civil l iberties g roups a nd s earch e ngine f irms s uch a s Google.T he E lectronic F rontier F oundation (EFF) b elieves d efining † dedicated i nfringing sites† c ould b e s omewhat a rbitrary, a nd t he l egislation i ntroduces t he p ossibility t hat g overnment a gencies c ould c ensor o r s hut d own Web sites, t hreatening f reedom o f s peech. Eric Schmidt, n ow C hairman o f Google, said i n May 2011 t hat Google will fight all proposed restrictions o n s earch e ngine linking b ecause t hey c ould â€Å"set a disastrous precedent† for freedom o f speech, a nd l ead to censorship similar to t hat i mposed b y C hina.Because Google's s earch e ngine is u sed b y m illions o f people e very d ay to find BitThrrent sites, Google itself is a major contributor to infringement, albeit unintentionally. Meanwhile, t he w orld's largest advertising agency, GroupM, h as k eelhauled T he P irate Bay a nd 2,000 o ther s ites worldwide b y p utting t he s ites o n i ts blacklist o f copyright infringing sites w here it will n ot b uy a dvertising space.Pirating intellectual p roperty is, above all, about t he m oney, as a ny good pirate knows. T h e P irate Bay case is j ust t he l atest i n a saga o f c ourt c ases involving t he r ecord industry, w hich w ants to preserve its d ominance o f c opyrighted music, a nd I nter ­ net u sers who w ant free music. I n 200S, after several years o f h eated c ourt b attles, t he c ase o f Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios v. Grokster, et al. f inally r eached t he u . S. Supreme Court.I n J une 200S, t he C ourt h anded d own its u nanimous decision: Inter ­ net file-sharing services s uch as Grokster, StreamCast, BitThrrent, a nd Kazaa could b e h eld liable for copyright i nfringement b ecause t hey i ntentionally s ought to induce, enable, a nd e ncourage users to share m usic t hat w as o wned b y r ecord companies. Indeed, i t w as t heir b usiness model: steal t he music, g ather a h uge a udience, a nd m onetize t he a udience b y a dvertising o r t hrough s ubscription fees. Since t he c ourt ruling, Kazaa, Morpheus, Grokster, BearShare, iMesh, a nd m any o thers h ave e ither . one o ut o f business o r s ettled w ith t he r ecord firms a nd c onverted themselves i nto legal file-sharing sites b y e ntering i nto relationships w ith m usic i ndustry firms. I n May 2010, M ark Gorton, founder o f t he l argest u. S. pirate site, LimeWire, lost a copy ­ right i nfringement case. I n May 2011, a dmitting h is guilt (â€Å"I w as wrong†), a nd h aving facilitated t he m ass p iracy o f billions o f s ongs over a lO-year period, Gorton a nd h is file-sharing c ompany a greed to compensate t he four largest record labels b y p aying t hem $10S million.T hese l egal victories, a nd s tronger g overnment e nforcement o f c opyright laws, have n ot p roven to b e t he m agic b ullet t hat m iraculously solves all t he p roblems facing t he m usic i ndustry. I n a ddition to t he i ssue o f illegal downloads, legitimate digital music sales h ave so far failed to m ake u p for falling CD s ales revenues. T he o nly h ope for t he m usic i ndustry is to cha nge its b usiness m odel a nd decisively move towards digital distribution platforms. H ere t hey a re m aking s triking progress b ut c ontinue to face r evenue declines.I n 2011, digital m usic sales a ccount for n early SO% o f industry r evenues, totaling $S. 7 billion, u p f rom $1. 9 billion i n 2006. I n 2 m2, digital sales o f m usic will exceed sales from CDs. I n 2011, a nnual r evenue f rom CD s ales is 1ess t han h alf of 200S1evels. Album sales o f 12 o r m ore songs, b oth digital a nd o n CD, a re also d own IS% a nnually o ver t he s ame p eriod. Since 2003, t housands o f r etail music stores have closed, a nd Walmart h as c ut b ack s helf s pace devoted to CDs a nd n ow c arries only t he t op titles.As CD sales o f complete albums p lummet, o nline m usic s ales o f singles are soar ­ ing rapidly, l ed b y iThnes. Sales o f digital m usic a t iThnes, Rhapsody, a nd e Music have b een growing a t a bout SO% p er y ear s ince 2006. Apple dominates t he m usical d ownload s cene a nd h as b ecome t he l argest retailer o f m usic i n t he U nited States, – SOURCES: â€Å"World's Biggest Ad Agency Keelhauls 2,000 Pirate Sites,† by Natalie Apostolu, The Register, June 14, 2011; â€Å"Internet Piracy and How to Stop It,† New York Times, June 8,2011; â€Å"The â€Å"Pirate Bay: FiveYears After the Raid,† by Ernesto, Torrentfreak. com, May 31,2011; â€Å"Why Google Would Defend Pirate Bay? ,† by Parmy Olson, Forbes, May 19, 2011; â€Å"The Protect IPAct: COICA Redux,† by Abigail Phillips, Electronic Frontier Foundation, May 12,2011; â€Å"Preventing Real Online Threats to Economic Creativity and Theft 01 Intellectual Property (Protect IP Act) 012011,† United States Senate, 112th Congress, 1st Session, 2011; â€Å"Pirate Bay Keeps Sinking: Another Law Suit Coming,† by Stan Schroeder, mashable. com, June 22, 2010; â€Å"Idea Man 01 LineWire at aCrossroads,† by Joseph Plambeck, New York Times, May 23, 2010; â€Å"Pirate Bay Sunk by Hollywood Injunction For Now,† by Charles Arthur, The Guardian, May 17 2010; â€Å"British PutTeeth in Anti ­ Piracy Proposal,† by Eric Planner, New York Times, March 14,2010; â€Å"How Pandora Slipped Past the Junkyard,† by Claire Cain Miller, New York Times, March 7, 2010. r eplacing Walmart. By 2011, t he i Thnes Store h ad s old o ver 15 billion songs, 450 million TV shows, a nd o ver 100 million movies, m aking i t t he w orld's m ost p opular o nline m usic, TV, a nd m ovie store.Its r evenues a re u p 75% i n t he l ast year. Driving t his p erformance, o f course, are t he s ales o f its various i-devices. By mid-2011, Apple h ad s old over 300 million iPods (all models), over 125 million iPhones, a nd 25 m illion iPads. A nd a ccording to a s tudy b y A rbor N etworks a nd t he U niversity o f M ichigan, p eer-to-peer t raffic is s hrinking d ramatically, a nd s treaming o f video a nd m usic f rom l egiti mate s ites h as g rown to o ver 10 % o f all I nternet traffic.R esearchers s urmise t hat c onsumers h ave j ust f ound i t a l ot e asier a nd m ore c onvenient t o access videos a nd m usic f rom t hese s ites r ather t han u sing P2P s haring s ites w here a m ovie c an t ake e ight h ours to download, a nd w here d ownloading m usic t racks c an also b ring a h ost o f m al ware w ith t he m usic. I n a ddition, t he w hole i dea o f â€Å"owning† m usic i n t he f orm o f records, tapes, CDs, a nd m usic files s tored o n y our h ard d rive is o ut o f d ate. While s ubscription m odels i n t he p ast d id n ot w ork, t hey w ere l imited t o s treaming m usic t o d esktop a nd l aptop PCs.I n t he w orld o f mobile I nternet d evices, t he i dea o f s treaming m usic all d ay l ong t o y our i Phone o r B lackBerry is m uch m ore a ttractive. I n 2011, P andora, t he m usic ­ streaming service, h as o ver 94 m illion r egistered u sers a nd 34 m illion s ubscribers, 30% o f w hom c onnect w ith s martphones. T he U. K. m usic s ervice Spotify o pened to U. S. c ustomers i n J uly 2011, a nd o ffers its 10 m illion s ubscribers a ccess to m ore t han 13 m illion s treaming m usic t racks t hat c an b e p layed i nstantly b y j ust d ragging t he s ong y ou w ant t o y our i Phone a pp.Users do n ot n eed t o w ait for d ownloads o r c lutter t heir h ard d rives a nd f lash drives w ith files, o r o rganize t he t housands o f s ongs o n t heir s torage devices. However, a d ownload s ervice was a dded i n 2011. I n e ach o f t hese n ew m edia d elivery p latforms, t he c opyright o wners-record c ompanies, a rtists, a nd H ollywood s tudios-have s truck l icensing d eals w ith t he t ech ­ nology p latform o wners a nd d istributors (Apple, Amazon, a nd Google).T hese n ew p latforms o ffer a w in-win s olution. C onsumers a re b enefitted b y h aving n ear i nstant a ccess to high-quality m usic t racks a nd v ideos w ithout t he h assle o f P2P software downloads. C ontent o wners g et a g rowing r evenue s tream a nd p rotection for t heir c opyrighted c ontent. A nd t he p irates? T he P irate Bay a nd o ther p irate s ites m ay n ot b e a ble to c ompete w ith n ew a nd b etter w ays to l isten t o m usic a nd v iew v ideos.Like t he r eal p irates o f the C aribbean, t echnology a nd c onsumer p reference for e ase o f use m ay l eave t hem b ehind. Case Study Questions 1. Do you think The Pirate Bay can continue to survive in a global Internet world? Why or why not? 2. Why is legislation like The Protect IP Act opposed by Google and civil liberties groups? 3. Do you think it is possible to reliably identify â€Å"dedicated infringing Web sites? † What criteria do you suggest? 4. Why does cloud computing threaten pirate sites?