DM Bicycle Company

As the HR director of DMBC I have witnessed first hand the change in Mr. Duncan’s responsibilities to the company. He has become deeply afflicted by the diagnosis of Batten disease to his nine year old daughter Nicole. Wanting to begin a new CSR program aimed at combating Batten disease Mr. Duncan has gone out on his own accord to use the windfall created by the FY11 projections to help fund this endeavor of his. Though I’m empathetic and personally feel for what he and his family are going through, Mr. Duncan still has a responsibility to the employees and shareholders of DMBC. By combining his role as CEO with his role as a father it is clear he has gotten off track and has overstepped his responsibility as the face of the company. My concerns with what is happening at DMBC has to do not just with the proposed CSR program for Mr. Duncan and it’s effects towards the company, but also with the duties of the senior leadership and the current culture amongst them. If he goes through with funding a new CSR program in order to help his daughter Nicole, Mr. Duncan will be doing more than just taking away bonuses from our well deserved employees. He will be changing the core principles and key practices of DMBC. When I approached Jim Miniter in order to get some resolution about the situation he told me several things that created a feeling of unease. As we talked in his office he said â€Å"We’re going to have to present this change (new CSR program for Batten disease) in the annual report and at the shareholder meeting—but I guess Gino can finesse those things,† and when I asked him if he would talk to Mr. Duncan he responded with â€Å"I can’t. It would be like betraying a brother. This rationalization by Mr. Miniter and his loyalty to Mr. Duncan has skewed his primary duty as the CFO of DMBC. I believe as the CEO, Mr. Duncan is an agent to the individuals who own the corporation and its employees not the other way around. By letting him fund this project without debate, he has created an environment where employees are afraid to speak up about his direction. He wants to change the current CSR program of Ride for Life towards a cause that personally benefits his interests which is ethically unsound. Senior leadership has been passive in letting Mr. Duncan force his future CSR program for fear of disloyalty and reprisal. While talking to other employees they’re also afraid. They’re afraid of possible effects on promotions and evaluations if they do not follow suit or participate in helping Mr. Duncan use the projected windfall for his daughters fight against Batten disease. I make these following recommendations in order to thwart off any negative effects Mr. Duncan’s professional choices could have against DMBC. Create an indoctrination program for all new employees and a refresher training course for all current employees to establish the company’s code of ethics and values. By doing this, we’ll have employees who are responsible into ensuring that leaders are consistent in their commitment to proper ethical behavior. Rather than put the Ride for Life program on hold we need to expand on it by creating a program that raises the issue of Batten disease. Raising awareness for Batten disease doesn’t have to be just monetary. The Ride for Life program has been so successful—both in raising employee morale and in creating positive public relations that Dottie Thompson had been working for nearly a year to take the program national. Though Mr. Duncan is the CEO, he should lead the Ride for Life/Fight Batten Disease CSR program so it allows him to focus on his cause and spend more time with his family. By having him focus directly on what has been side-tracking him from his professional duties for the last several months he will have a greater impact with everyone who is connected to DMBC. It also allows him to expand awareness of DMBC CSR programs from Greensboro to Rochester, New York that will benefit the company. Lastly, employees should be allowed to dictate where their bonuses and participation goes without fear of retaliation from corporate. I can assure you by allowing them to decide where their bonuses and volunteer work go they will end up supporting Mr. Duncan and his cause even more than despising him. I understand my position as the HR Director at DMBC, but it is also my duty regardless of title to uphold my values, integrity, and my overall responsibility to the employees and shareholders.

Four P’s in Foreign Policy Essay

By analyzing the war on Iraq using the 4 P’s framework given by Bruce W. Jentleson in his Book American Foreign Policy, it seems that the US national interest goal cannot be simultaneously satisfied in most of the cases. Iraq became a US threat in 1990 when former Iraqi dictator, Saddam Hussein, led the invasion of Kuwait. US, supported by the United Nations and many other countries, went to war for the first time against Iraq. The US troops expelled the Iraqi troops out of Kuwait and reestablished order in that country. This did not mean that the threat was over; Saddam Hussein became an â€Å"enemy† of the United States. After the terrorist attacks in the United States, President George Bush started a war on terror, a war which main purpose is to finish any kind of threats all over the world. According to President Bush, Saddam Hussein with his anti-American sentiment and the â€Å"possession† of biological and chemical weapons was one of these threats. The proposal of a new war against Iraq came from George Bush. This war was supposed to be based on the core goals of American Foreign Policy (The 4 P’s). Power: Iraq was considered as one of the biggest enemies of the United States, more than the country itself; the enemy was its leader, Saddam Hussein. An active threat could not only harm US allies in the Middle East but also other countries in the world, even America. The risk was too big and some actions should be taken. America should protect itself and its interests. Peace: Iraq could also deter world peace as it did before. Saddam Hussein’s greed and power could result in another invasion to a Middle Eastern country. The United States had also a big responsibility in this aspect, as one of the most powerful countries in the world, it was necessary an US intervention in order to preserve the world’s peace. Even though the United States was breaking the peace by going to war against Iraq, this war was necessary to avoid a bigger disaster. Prosperity: The economic national interest was also involved in this war. Iraq has the second largest oil reserves in the world, but also Iraq’s  neighbors, like Kuwait, are important oil providers to the US. Since the safety of these countries was in danger America should protect them, and at the same time protect its own economical interests. Principles: Saddam Hussein was a brutal dictator who committed mass murder against his own people. There were no civil rights in Iraq, repression and tortures were common denominators in the country. George Bush also wanted to bring freedom to the Iraqi people and all the rights that were taken from them. After the war was over some of these goals were not achieved, totally. The main reason to start this war was Saddam Hussein’s possession of biological chemical weapons. These weapons or any proof that they existed have not yet been found. Peace was also broken, and even months after the war is over and Saddam Hussein has been captured, there still is not peace in Iraq. Many innocent people died during this war, and today people are still dying as a consequence of that war. The United States violated several provisions established by the United Nations. The US was supported by some countries but it was not the same number of supporters as in the first war against Iraq. The UN and countries like France did not give all their support to this war. On the other hand, prosperity and principles goals were achieved or are on the road to be achieved. The US provides more security to many oil producers in the Middle East and it will also gain a new provider, Iraq (This is the reason which I believe the war started). Also democracy is on its way to be established in Iraq; people are recovering many of their rights and freedom. As Jentleson explained in his book sometimes some goals have to be sacrificed in order to achieved the others.

Animal testing is one of the most long-lasting and controversial questions. It even seems that this issue will remain unresolved forever. A lot of people are in favor of the idea that all the medical experiments should be conducted on animals. Scientists provide us with a long list of pros of animal testing, giving the examples of how it helped to heal serious diseases or even saved people’s lives. And it is hard to argue with that. Firstly, we all know that thanks to some researches on animals, the vital substance hormone insulin was discovered and it continues saving lives of diabetics until today. (â€Å"The Discovery of Insulin†). The cases of polio were reduced by a thousand times within only 20 years due to the positive results that were shown after testing this vaccine on our four-legged friends. (â€Å"Poliomyelitis†) Animal experimentation has also made a great contribution to the crucial progress in understanding and coping with such illnesses as cancer , brain injury, leukemia, fibrosis, malaria, multiple sclerosis, tuberculosis, and many others, and it also became an instrument for the development of pacemakers, cardiac valve substitutes, and anesthetics. If not for the chimpanzees, we would not have a vaccine for hepatitis B and C as well. (â€Å"Diseases & Research†). Of course, these results were gained at the expense of countless suffering animals. Unfortunately, there is no equal substitution for them so far, because the system of any living being is a thousand times more complex than the system of any computer. Only the animal body can react in a similar way to our body. The defenders of animal rights strongly disagree with this statement. They claim that the human body is very different from the body of the animal, and the drugs that are helpful for the mouse will not work for people. And all these tests, experiments and researches are only the waste of time, money and poor animals’ lives. Almost all drugs that were tested on animals had failed to be good for people. The large amount of money that was spent on feeding, housing and treating during all these experiments, could have been spent on medicines for people, who are in need. Get high quality custom written essay just for $10 Both sides have constructive arguments and are ready to defend their positions. Those, who support animal testing, claim that the absence of animal rights is a good thing; otherwise, we could not hunt and eat meat to stay healthy and strong and could not make clothes to protect ourselves during the winter and cold weather. The opposite side considers it to be inhumane. The stance of the church is also a bit vague. It states that the interests of the people are above all, but at the same time we have to be merciful to those, who are much weaker than we are. On the one hand, these tests are really very painful and cause suffering to defenseless animals. All the awful manipulations conducted during the experiments can never be justified. These tortures include immobilization of animals, irritation of their skin and mucous membranes, keeping them in the unnatural for them environment. On the other hand, it would be also cruel to use people for such experimental purposes. Taking into consideration all these facts, it is impossible to determine who is right in this so-called war. Recently, a new tendency has appeared. According to it, the scientists have to look for alternatives of animal testing and research. Some new inventions have already taken place. For example, the Harvard’s Wyss Institute   has created chips that reflect human organs and cells structure and function. New methods of skin and mucous cell growth are becoming popular and more productive as well. (â€Å"Organs-on-Chips†). It can be used for tests, because it does not have emotions and, therefore, will not be scared, frustrated and feel pain. The scientists have also revealed that the human blood can be used for medical tests, and there is no need to make animals consume toxic and poisonous substances and irritate their eyes with corrosive liquids. There are also researchers, who work on creating computer models that will show us the process of tissue and tumor develo pment, thus helping doctors indicate the causes and find the appropriate remedy. Despite the growing number of alternatives, there still is a large amount of experiments on animals. And we still suffer from new diseases that appear every day. It seems that there is no way we could find out how to be healthy and live forever. That is why we have to concentrate on how to live honorably and do only decent things without hurting the creatures that are left at the mercy of us. 1. â€Å"The Discovery of Insulin†.  Nobelprize.org.  Nobel Media AB 2014. Web. Accessed 7 Jan 2016. http://www.nobelprize.org/educational/medicine/insulin/discovery-insulin.html 2. â€Å"Poliomyelitis,† who.int,  World Health Organization. Web. Accessed 7 Jan 2016. http://www.who.int/biologicals/areas/vaccines/poliomyelitis/en/ 3. â€Å"Diseases & Research,† Animal Research.info, Web. Accessed 7 Jan 2016. http://www.animalresearch.info/en/medical-advances/diseases-research/ 4. â€Å"Organs-on-Chips†, Wyss Institute, 2014. Web. Accessed 7 Jan 2016. http://wyss.harvard.edu/viewpage/461/ Rely on professional writers with your college paper and take a load off your mind. Relax while we are working on your essay. Your peace of mind is just one click away

Leadership Does measuring leadership help productivity of the Coursework

Leadership Does measuring leadership help productivity of the Organisation - Coursework Example A number of examples of organisations have been provided in this context. The subject of leadership has gained tremendous interest in the sine the past few decades. Leadership is considered to of critical interest for adding value to the organisation. It is important to measure the effectiveness of leadership and its influence in driving the performance of employees and the organisations. A leader has a much bigger and important role to play than just being a person who is the biggest or the most powerful. The term leader has been interpreted as a person who sets the direction with an effort to influence individuals to follow the direction. However, the term leader needs to distinguished form that of a manager. It is different from planning, coordinating and organising and is more concerned with the power to influence people and guiding them through the direction of attaining organisation goals and objectives (McNamara, n.d.). It is important to assess the quality of leadership devel opment programs to identify the possible actions which can be taken towards improving the quality of the programs. It is also important to assess the short term as well the long term impacts of these programs to find out the extent to which the organisations provide support or behave as barriers for transferring the leanings to performance (Martineau, 2006, p.1). However, the assessment and evaluation of the effectiveness of leadership should not be restricted to just the management programs. Overall, the objective should be to capture the essence of the term leadership and what it is all about. It requires to be evaluated if the leadership is able to bring about the changes as per the objectives. Leadership should be measured at various levels of the organisation and at all positions. This project aims at bringing out the purpose of measuring the effectiveness of leadership at various levels of the organisation. Literature Review The importance of measuring the effectiveness of lea dership can be viewed from different perspectives. It has an impact on the performance measures, on the followers, and finally at the bottom line of the organisation. In order to make leadership effective, the leader must have all the critical data at the point of his fingertips which would allow him to have the best understanding of whatever is going on in the organisation. The evaluation of leadership involves identifying whether leadership is being effective in finding the solution to a problem through collective efforts or by combining the efforts of the people to promote survival and success. The leaders’ performance may be evaluated on the ground that it can influence the people towards contributing towards the betterment and good of the group. It can also be measured by understanding how the organisations objectives are attained and achieved through the combined efforts of the group members. However, it must be noted goals vary between organisations. The goal of Genera l Motors is different from that of Microsoft, Wal-Mart or other organisations. However, all of them work towards the common goal of attaining the maximum output and profits. Organisations remain competitive towards each other for attaining the scarce resources and having the maximum return on their assets (Kaiser, Hogan & Craig, 2008, p.1). Some traditions follow the measurement of leadership through evaluation of

The Nature of Truth Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Nature of Truth - Essay Example Charles Darwin suggested the theory of evolution, by natural selection. He collected multiple pieces of evidence to support his idea so that he can make the idea realistic to the people. After looking at all the evidence, he came up with the conclusion that the theory of evolution was the beat explanation that he could come up to support the discoveries that he found during his research (Scott, 2008). The history of all living things is usually documented in the multiple lines of evidence, which form a convergence and tell the story of life as time passes. The first piece of evidence of evolution is found in fossil remains that have been discovered in time. These fossils serve as snapshots of history, and they are used to illustrate the evolutionally changes that have taken place over time. Fossil remains started being discovered as early as in the seventeenth century. Each new fossil that is discovered brings new clues as to the understanding of human history (Scott, 2008). Other evidence ids brought about by the study of embryology and the observation of similarity between species. Embryos of early vertebrates look similar. These species differs in their genetic structures due to the genetic changes that every organism undergoes so as to adapt to the environment, evolution was also brought about by natural selection where nature choose the beat species that are best adapted to the environment (Scott, 2008). The theory of evolution is supported by many pieces of evidence; Biogeography is the study of a number of species in an area over a given period. This study gives the idea that if the evolution theory is true, then species that are related should be found in the same geographical area this is in the exemption of the animals that have a high mobility rate like birds (Scott, 2008). There are other theories that are against the theory of evolution. These theories include the creation theory, the big bang

Documentary Reflection assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Documentary Reflection - Assignment Example Such information is a prerequisite for them to make informed decisions about fracturing. Most products have the capability of causing defects to the endocrine system thus affecting development and reproduction in human and wildlife. Others are known to affect the skin, eyes, sensory organs, respiratory system, and liver. In addition, they have adverse effect on the general environment, soil, water, and air. As such, it is important to have fracturing contractors reveal full information about their products to the public. Natural gas manufacturer too, are obliged to reveal the chemical contents and effects of their products. However, a major drawback associated with this is that, most of them rely on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDA) for product information. Seemingly, it has been discovered that many MSDSs provide unreliable fragmented information. This therefore hinders the public access to full information about products and related chemicals. As a fact, the Chevron company should have full disclosure of its product and chemicals associated with fracturing and natural gas manufacturing may not only enable people to know about their adverse effects on health alone but may also enable them to be conversant with the air and water quality they consume. This is very significant in developing air and water quality monitoring protocols. Those living near natural gas development industries stand to benefit the most from such information. Besides all these, such information could be very important for the public to make decisions about the regulation of the fracturing and drilling activities. Thus, based on deep analysis of the movie, it can be concluded that the general public deserves to be informed about the effects of gas products from industries, fracturing and drilling industries in order to enlighten and make them take necessary

Hypnotherapy and Smoking Cessation How Effective Is It Essay

Hypnotherapy and Smoking Cessation How Effective Is It - Essay Example It is not considered useful for physical problems but is said to help if there is any kind of psychological aspect, for instance, phantom pain from an amputated leg. It can help, but it is not a cure. According to one advocate of hypnotherapy, the process is more than hypnosis. It is a partnership between practitioner and patient (Annamalay 1). Even so, the willingness of the client to share control with the practitioner is paramount. The main question becomes: Is hypnotherapy a useful technique or is it actually a profession, a business set up for profit with no real guarantees, even though money-back guarantees are rampant Is it considered a legitimate process in the health field This essay will attempt to explore the hypnotherapist's role in smoking cessation, how much depends on the client personally, how effective the process has been and whether it is a proven source of help for the smoker to cure his or her addiction. Can one discuss hypnotherapy in the 21st century without acknowledging it as part of holistic health The debate continues as to whether or not hypnotherapy is a preferred treatment for tobacco addiction. It must be noted that smoking is an addiction developed over time, basically through dependence on nicotine, a known addictive drug. This physical need, however, can be overcome if a person truly wants to stop smoking and is determined to benefit from any treatment offered. In the area of hypnotherapy, the ability of a person to be hypnotised is based on the willingness of the subject to allow himself or herself to be hypnotised. Therefore the success or failure of such a process is entirely up to the person being hypnotised. Once the hypnosis is successful, the therapist can be helpful in treating phobias, weight problems, insomnia, anxiety and stress in addition to bringing about smoking cessation. Current Development of Hypnotherapy in Smoking Cessation In modern therapy, Ericksonian hypnotherapy is well known in the field. The process was instituted by Milton H. Erickson, an MD who treated many patients using hypnotic techniques and did his best to document his achievements (Hypnotherapy: History, par. 4). He is highly respected in his field, and the process he developed truly can be called a technique. This type of therapy treats the client based on the unique qualities of the individual's needs. Erickson considered the experience of trance or hypnosis a natural, everyday experience; similar to learning to drive or ride a bicycle and finding it has suddenly become a reflexive action. One can also relive or re-experience an event by bringing it into the present through memory. Erickson further challenged the notion that some people could not be hypnotised and believed that interaction with the client would give them the ability to enter into their own treatment, thereby allowing hypnosis to take place (Johnson, 2, 4). The availability of hypnotherapy at present pretty much depends on the financial status of the person wishing to engage a therapist. Most clinics offering the service are privately owned, and the cost can be anything from 30 to 200 an hour. To get hypnotherapy treatment under National Health Service (NHS), it

Develop a Summary on the State of the US Economy Essay

Develop a Summary on the State of the US Economy - Essay Example Additionally, access of low-interest loans and other credits has been easy. This is a chance to property owners to refinances their mortgages. Car sales have also increased significantly due to sufficient liquidity; consumers can take advantage of cheap financial incentives and price discounts by to buy vehicles. However, car manufacturers do not make profit due to the inexistence of price power. The strength of the United States economy is also increasing due to development of GDP brought by defense spending. According to Kubarych, (2002), defense spending especially on military hardware is contributing close to half of the U.S. GDP. The rate of unemployment is still high despite the decrease in the number of job layoffs. Statistics shows that unemployment rate of in the U.S. currently stands at 6% with no hopes of falling. A study by Kubarych, (2002) explains that unemployment rate is likely to increase even further in the future. In addition, most businesses and industries in the U.S. are still making losses despite the economic recovery. Finally, borrowers especially those going for less credit are under tight restriction from lending institutions. The development of the United States economy is likely to slow down in the next 12 months due to factors such as harsh weather conditions, reduction of spending on both the U.S. and countries Europe. Compared to recovery of previous U.S. economy, the recovery of the current economy is slower. However, increase in government spending will likely to foster the U.S. economic growth. A change of fiscal policy is needed to increase economic recovery of the United States. Application of expansionary fiscal policy will improve economic recovery. The fact is that expansionary fiscal policy will lead to increase in aggregate demand. The government does this by increasing spending and reducing taxes. The result is that consumer spending will rise significantly due to availability of extra disposable income (Boyes &

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as Essay

Geopolitical assignmentreport 1 page Please finish it as soon as possible.In a hurry.thanks - Essay Example The efforts coordinated by Mayor John Tory and Ratna Omidvar are aimed at mobilizing Canadians to contribute towards the initiative. The same news was covered by other international news agencies that tend to alleviate the sufferings experienced by the Syrians. It is apparent that the international community is trying to come up with possible solutions of avoiding the mass exodus (Black, 2015). This is because the situation is a humanitarian crisis that affects the children and women who are suffering under inhuman conditions. In this regard, Black (2015) suggests that Canadian groups need to introduce measures that allow the Syrian families to stay in the country for temporary purposes. This implies that states need to provide amenities that can help the incoming refugees that need the services offered in the country. The Syrian refugee menace is an international matter that requires urgent solutions with the GTA countries establishing ways of stopping the protests (Black, 2015). Syria has been in war for the past 5 years, leading to a mass exodus of its citizens to the neighboring countries. The citizens are trying to escape the fighting by seeking assistance from other regions. Black has offered initiatives in Canada that will offer humanitarian services to the high number of political refugees. This is essential because it touches on international affairs that need urgency and social approaches to help the suffering citizens. The news is currency covered by different agencies to give a worldwide perspective that will spur restorative