Historical Background of Labor Unions and Leaders Essay

Introduction The history of labor unions dates back the late 1700’s. Without strong leadership, workers were rarely able to improve their wages or working conditions. However, as effective leaders began to emerge, labor became a force demanding to be recognized by business and the government. Change came slowly, but through the efforts of some forward-thinking union leaders, a great deal of change in the world of labor was finally achieved. Historical Legal Status of Unions Trace the evolution of the legal status of American unions. What activities were restricted by laws and courts? Did constraints increase or decline with time? Early organized labor had no support from the government and was frequently eliminated by legislation and†¦show more content†¦Anti-union constraints were further eased with the passage of the Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932 which limited injunctions and allowed collective bargaining (Fossum, 2012). However, this act did not require recognition of unions by employers. The Wagner Act, also known as the National Labor Relations Act, of 1935 addressed unfair labor practices, provided private sector employees with the right to organize and collectively bargain using representatives, and protected employees against discrimination for engaging in union activities (Fossum, 2012). This government support greatly increased union membership and influence. However, as economic depression and World War II broke out, increased strikes by organized labor demanding increased wages resulted in Congress again making striking and lockouts a criminal offense (Fossum, 2012). The Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 amended the Wagner Act by defining unfair union practices, giving employees the right to not join unions, and allowing court injunctions to stop strikes which violated the nation’s interests (Colorado State University-Global Campus, 2013). This Act established mediation procedures to resolve labor disputes and promoted more widespread acceptance of unions by employers and more reasonable, longer-term contracts which benefited both labor andShow MoreRelatedNothing From The Korean War On North Korea1399 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel,Nothing to Envy: Ordinary lives in North Korea, tells the stories of six North Korean citizens from Chongjin, third largest city in Democratic People s Republic of Korea. After the Korean War in the 60th, the aid from Communist China and Soviet Union caused industrial growth in North Korea. During this time the daughter of a South Korean Prisoner of War described the hardships she faces as a citizen with tainted blood. 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Shaara wrote this historical masterpiece with the sole purpose of letting the reader know exactly how the war was for the men actually putting their lives on the line to get this great country of America to the stature it is today. In order to accomplish his goal of creating

The Increased Presence Of Public Surveillance Technology...

The Increased Presence of Public Surveillance Technology Justified With the number of burglaries and thefts ever increasing, it is essential for the government and business owners to keep a watchful eye on the public. Contenders of Cobens essay would agree that watching over someone’s whereabouts makes the observed grow uneasy. This also brings up the question of whether keeping a watchful eye is actually effective at deterring wrongful behavior? Watching over someone with or without them knowing can be controversial. In many arguments it is brought up that security cameras pose a threat to civil liberties. Civil liberties are essentially laws that are put in place for the wellbeing of the community. The Fourth Amendment of the†¦show more content†¦Although a specific number cant be placed, the NSA is able to access any cellular device that they wish to. (). It is almost impossible to go about our daily lives without being seen by a surveillance camera or to have your computer activity monitored. Coben would most likely agree that the Government it too nosy. However when having the ability to see everything is in your hands it’s hard to filter how much you actually see. This is a conundrum because you cant monitor a child’s computer and not observe everything that has been seen. However spying on computer activity is not something that only parents and the Government does, it is also something businesse s are doing. Businesses putting in cameras and monitoring computers are not uncommon now a days. Observing the work area and its employees allows employers to find out who works and who doesn t. Well-placed cameras and software helps companies detect and identify any employees who may be stealing company property or slacking off on work computers. A 2005 survey by the American Management Association showed that more than half of the employers use video surveillance at work to counter theft, violence, or sabotage (AMA 2010). And 16% of the employers surveyed used video surveillance to monitor employee performance (AMA 2010). When talking about property damage, having the surveillance cameras monitored by security personnel greatly increases the chance of catching anyone misusing or stealing companyShow MoreRelatedNSA and Edward Snowden Essay examples1326 Words   |  6 Pagesage darkened by the looming shadow of terrorism, another force threatens to dominate the skyline and obscure the light of l iberty behind promises of safety and security: government surveillance. As an employee of the NSA, Edward Snowden broke his vow of secrecy to inform the public of our government’s furtive surveillance acts, but does this render him traitorous? To answer this, we must first ask ourselves, traitorous to whom? 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A Comparison Contrast Between. Reggae and Bluegrass Essay Example For Students

A Comparison Contrast Between. Reggae and Bluegrass Essay Reggae and bluegrass are two unique musical genres with some very similar aspects. By tracing the origins of these two types of music, it is evident that there is a certain relationship between these two radically different and immensely popular types of music. Both styles of music originated by popular demand. They dealt with the everyday issues of ordinary people in the 1930’s. By examining certain key aspects in the history and style of reggae and bluegrass the roots of these types of music, the pioneers of these musical genres, the content of the lyrics one is able to understand how these two seemingly different types of music share many fundamental similarities such as paths from the origins. Similarities might also be found in the lyrical content; not necessarily the actual lyrics but in the reasons why they were written. The foundations on which reggae and bluegrass are built may seem entirely unrelated. With further observation, however, one might see that this is far from the truth. Bluegrass music was said to have emerged as early as the seventeenth century by the colonists who began settling in America. â€Å"It is said that bluegrass can be traced all the way back to the Jamestown and the subsequent colonie Clearly, religion plays an important role in the lives of most ordinary, common people. This is also very clear in the bluegrass and reggae lyrics. Much of reggae music is centered on Rastafarianism, which is essentially a religious doctrine. Marley’s lyrics to â€Å"Redemption Song† advocate a Rastafarian concept: fighting for what you believe in with the support of God. â€Å"But my aim was made strong by the hands of the almighty; we fought in this generation triumphantly† Other artists, like the lesser known, Bankie Banx, chose to write lyrics based on the earth, Cherish the rock, on which we build our nation, Cherish the rock it is our true foundation. Showing reverence for the not only God, but for what God made. (). Likewise, the lyrics of Bluegrass often include religious themes. In rural areas, where Bluegrass had its roots and its largest audience, religion was important part of everyday life. Lyrics like â€Å"Little Community Church House† by Bill Monroe, give an excellent example of the religious overtones so often found in bluegrass music. â€Å"Oh I kneeled down and prayed to my savior, that he might hear and accept me and then I felt the holy spirit I knew my soul was saved in me† (). Similar in both types of music, tradition plays an important role in both their development and their popularization. In both cases, it was the â€Å"traditional† quality of the music which made them so likeable to masses. Both types of music incorporated musical trends and lyrics which were entertaining to people. They were songs people could dance to, clap to, sing along with. The real spread of the bluegrass sound occurred after the invention of the phonograph and, much later, the radio (). These inventions gave country music a chance to be heard throughout the United States and it was soon a profoundly popular type of music. Likewise reggae, which became popular during the seventies, was in its most basic form entertaining, popular music. â€Å"The term â€Å"reggae† was use to refer to a ragged form of dance rhythm popular in Jamaica† (). It is uncertain exactly how the term â€Å"reggae† was coined for this specific genre. There were a great number of influences that helped reggae shape itself and set its image, namely the already popular â€Å"ska† sound and reggae legends Jimmy Cliff and Bob Marley. .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .postImageUrl , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:hover , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:visited , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:active { border:0!important; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:active , .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725 .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uccfa02c74d62cde9c7bbf01e0ab9f725:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Chisholm Trail EssayThe most important distinction to make about the popularization of reggae is that, like bluegrass, it was appealing music to ordinary people. Perhaps the most important and, certainly, the most interesting component of the popularization of these two different types of music were the legendary figures who truly â€Å"popularized† their musical genres. When the Monroe Brothers, Charlie and Bill, came into the picture in the late 1920’s, they were a huge success. Eventually, due to unsolvable differences, the

Shot guns should be banned free essay sample

Guns dont kill people, people kill people. Guns are the only way to protect a civilian from thugs around the world. America is also one of the most dangerous places due to thugs and maï ¬ a gangs who are the criminal minds of murder and shootouts, they have access to any gun you can think of. How would you feel if you got in the way of one of these gangs? you need gun to protect yourself. You wouldnt want to end up dead do you? i strongly believe that all civilians should own a gun in the United states. Since when do criminals obey the law? Banning guns is just taking away Americans rights to defend themselves and their belongings. Banning guns is just opening the door for more shootings as now the criminals will have guns and normal law abiding citizens will be like sitting ducks. In my opinion the only thing that stops a criminal is the thought of the person inside has a gun waiting for me. We will write a custom essay sample on Shot guns should be banned or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The governments should make laws like no one with a mental illness may own a gun, because no one in their right mind is going to go and willingly kill several children. A gun cannot ï ¬ re itself, it has to have someone pull the trigger. If guns are banned criminals will just use other things like knives, pencils, cars and wrenches. Americans have a right to protect themselves with guns. If their Government decides to turn on them, Americans were given the right by the Second Amendment of the Constitution, to have guns for their protection. Taking away guns from everybody in America will not lower any crime rates. Thugs are not going to stop breaking the law regardless of the laws. They will get guns, if guns are banned and then people who need guns for protection have no way to protect themselves. Not only are guns needed for self protection, we use them for hunting as well, if America bans guns, animals like deers, and other wildlife would be over populated and will eventually be living in our community on the roads or even in our backyards, this will cause car accidents and loss of crops due to the animals eating them. I strongly believe that guns should not be banned in the U.S. To conclude guns assure the safety of civillians from danger and also help for hunting purposes. Guns are not the problem to murders, it is the people who pull the trigger, I certainly believe that guns must not be banned in America.

Free Essays on Pop-up Adds

Pop-up Ads: The Most Annoying Advertisement Ever In today’s electronic market, new ways to get potential customers’ attention have become of utmost importance. Some internet sites, it seems, will stop at nothing to get you to come to their site. This ruthless advertising frenzy has birthed an abomination: the pop-up ad. What better way to get a person to come to a specific site than to put a big advertisement right in their face whether they want it or not? Many of these pop-ups don’t even have the name of the site on them, merely some game or offer of a â€Å"special prize† for those unwitting dupes that click on them. In fact, some don’t even require you to click on them. They merely need you to â€Å"mouse† over them.1 One site with such a pop-up ad is Orbitz.com, a major proponent of this style of advertisement. In one month, they delivered more than 400 million pop-ups or pop-unders. This form of advertisement continues annoy me. Whenever I get onto a site and receive 3 more open sites that I really didn’t want to go to, it never fails to make me leave the site posthaste. However, on the flipside of things, it has proved to me to be an effective form of advertising. I will occasionally see a site promoted in one of these ads and be intrigued by it. From a profit-seeking point of view, using pop-up ads is a good idea. If a company gets more â€Å"hits,† than they can sell more ads, and thus make more money. From a customer loyalty point of view however, I believe that pop-up ads are detrimental. If a person goes to a site, and each time he does so is bombarded by a flurry of new windows advertising for things he doesn’t want, the less likely he is to come back to that site.... Free Essays on Pop-up Adds Free Essays on Pop-up Adds Pop-up Ads: The Most Annoying Advertisement Ever In today’s electronic market, new ways to get potential customers’ attention have become of utmost importance. Some internet sites, it seems, will stop at nothing to get you to come to their site. This ruthless advertising frenzy has birthed an abomination: the pop-up ad. What better way to get a person to come to a specific site than to put a big advertisement right in their face whether they want it or not? Many of these pop-ups don’t even have the name of the site on them, merely some game or offer of a â€Å"special prize† for those unwitting dupes that click on them. In fact, some don’t even require you to click on them. They merely need you to â€Å"mouse† over them.1 One site with such a pop-up ad is Orbitz.com, a major proponent of this style of advertisement. In one month, they delivered more than 400 million pop-ups or pop-unders. This form of advertisement continues annoy me. Whenever I get onto a site and receive 3 more open sites that I really didn’t want to go to, it never fails to make me leave the site posthaste. However, on the flipside of things, it has proved to me to be an effective form of advertising. I will occasionally see a site promoted in one of these ads and be intrigued by it. From a profit-seeking point of view, using pop-up ads is a good idea. If a company gets more â€Å"hits,† than they can sell more ads, and thus make more money. From a customer loyalty point of view however, I believe that pop-up ads are detrimental. If a person goes to a site, and each time he does so is bombarded by a flurry of new windows advertising for things he doesn’t want, the less likely he is to come back to that site....

Qualitative Research Definition and Methods

Qualitative Research Definition and Methods Qualitative research is a type of social science research that collects and works with non-numerical data and that seeks to interpret meaning from these data that help us understand social life through the study of targeted populations or places. People often frame it in opposition to quantitative research, which uses numerical data to identify large-scale trends and employs statistical operations to determine causal and correlative relationships between variables. Within sociology, qualitative research is typically focused on the micro-level of social interaction that composes everyday life, whereas quantitative research typically focuses on macro-level trends and phenomena. Methods of qualitative research include  observation and immersion, interviews, open-ended surveys, focus groups, content analysis of visual and textual materials, and oral history.   The Purpose of Qualitative Research Qualitative research has a long history in sociology and has been used within it for as long as the field itself has existed. This type of research has long appealed to social scientists because it allows the research to investigate the meanings that people attribute to their behavior, actions, and interactions with others. While quantitative research is useful for identifying relationships between variables, like, for example, the connection between poverty and racial hate, it is qualitative research that can illuminate why this connection exists by going directly to the source the people themselves. Qualitative research is designed to reveal the meaning that informs the action or outcomes that are typically measured by quantitative research. So, qualitative researchers investigate  meanings, interpretations, symbols, and the  processes and relations of social life. What this type of research produces is descriptive data that the researcher must then interpret using rigorous and systematic methods of transcribing, coding, and analysis of trends and themes. Because its focus is everyday life and peoples experiences, qualitative research lends itself well to creating new theories using the inductive method, which can then be tested with further research. Methods of Qualitative Research Qualitative researchers  use their own eyes, ears, and intelligence to collect in-depth perceptions and descriptions of targeted populations, places, and events. Their findings are collected through a variety of methods, and often, a researcher will use at least two or several of the following while conducting a qualitative study. Direct observation:  With direct observation, a researcher studies people as they go about their daily lives without participating or interfering. This type of research is often unknown to those under study, and as such, must be conducted in public settings where people do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For example, a researcher might observe the ways in which strangers interact in public as they gather to watch a street performer.Open-ended surveys: While many surveys are designed to generate quantitative data, many are also designed with open-ended questions that allow for the generation and analysis of qualitative data. For example, a survey might be used to investigate not just which political candidates voters chose, but why they chose them, in their own words.Focus group: In a focus group, a researcher engages a small group of participants in a conversation designed to generate data relevant to the research question. Focus groups can contain anywhere from 5 to 15 participants. Social scientists often use them  in studies that examine an event or trend that occurs within a specific community. They are common in market research too. In-depth interviews: Researchers conduct in-depth interviews by speaking with participants in a one-on-one setting. Sometimes a researcher approaches the interview with a predetermined list of questions or topics for discussion but allows the conversation to evolve based on how the participant responds. Other times, the researcher has identified certain topics of interest but does not have a formal guide for the conversation, but allows the participant to guide it.Oral history: The oral history method is used to create a historical account of an event, group, or community, and typically involves a series of in-depth interviews conducted with one or multiple participants over an extended period of time.Participant observation:  This method is similar to observation, however with this one, the researcher also participates in the action or events in order to not only observe others but to gain the first-hand experience in the setting.Ethnographic observation:  Ethnographic observati on is the most intensive and in-depth observational method. Originating in anthropology, with this method, a researcher fully immerses herself into the research setting and lives among the participants as one of them for anywhere from months to years.  By doing this, the researcher attempts to experience day-to-day existence from the viewpoints of those studied in order to develop in-depth and long-term accounts of the community, events, or trends under observation. Content analysis:  This method is used by sociologists to analyze social life by interpreting words and images from documents, film, art, music, and other cultural products and media. The researchers look at how the words and images are used, and the context in which they are used to draw inferences about the underlying culture. In the last decade, content analysis of digital material, especially that generated by social media users, has become a popular technique within the social sciences. While much of the data generated by qualitative research is coded and analyzed using just the researchers eyes and brain, the use of computer software to do these processes is increasingly popular within the social sciences. Pros and Cons of Qualitative Research Qualitative research has both benefits and drawbacks. On the plus side, it creates an in-depth understanding of the attitudes, behaviors, interactions, events, and social processes that comprise everyday life. In doing so, it helps social scientists understand how everyday life is influenced by society-wide things like social structure, social order, and all kinds of social forces. This set of methods also has the benefit of being flexible and easily adaptable to changes in the research environment and can be conducted with minimal cost in many cases. The downsides of qualitative research are that its scope is fairly limited so its findings are not always widely generalizable. Researchers also have to use caution with these methods to ensure that they themselves do not influence the data in ways that significantly change it and that they do not bring undue personal bias to their interpretation of the findings. Fortunately, qualitative researchers receive rigorous training designed to eliminate or reduce these types of research bias.

Alternative energy source, technology, or energy storage method Assignment

Alternative energy source, technology, or energy storage method - Assignment Example Apart from the environmental impact, the other major concern with fossil fuels is their limited capacity. Fossil fuels run the risk of becoming extinct with the rate at which it is being utilized. It is for these reasons that the need for a sustainable, alternate energy resource has become a necessity. Renewable energy has been defined by Lund (2009), â€Å"as the energy that is produced by natural resources-such as sunlight, wind, rain, waves, tides, and geothermal heat-that are naturally replenished within a time span of a few years†. This energy domain encompasses all those energy systems that convert natural resources into useful energy for instance; wind, wave, tidal, hydropower, biomass, biofuel and solar energy. For centuries plants have been harnessing solar energy to process their energy needs through photosynthesis. The earth receives 174 petaWatts (PW) of solar radiation in the upper atmosphere (A.I. & N, 2011). The thought of harnessing the sun’s energy to power man-made devices was first commercially incorporated in 1958. Space exploration equipments such as satellites and space stations were powered by solar energy. Since then, the technology of harnessing solar energy has progressed. Currently there are two major methods of acquiring solar energy. The first is direct heating; which involves concentrating the solar rays onto a specific target to heat it. Solar water heaters utilize direct heating. However, there are two significant techniques involved in direct heating which are; solar ponds and flat plate collectors (Pimentel, 2008). Solar ponds are artificially constructed ponds in which solar energy may be stored by allowing temperature rise on the bottom layer of the liquid and preventing convection currents from developing. There are multiple methods in which convection currents can be halted. The most suitable, however, is the addition and maintenance of salt concentration gradient. The

American Presidency Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

American Presidency - Essay Example In general, each man who has held the position, has faced somewhat similar circumstances while holding the job, but have been forced to approach them from an individualistic standpoint that stays true to their respective convictions, while outlining their legacies in the pages of the history books that future generations will come to read. As for the American Presidency, the following are listed under Article II of the US Constitution in regards to the issue of the role of the office of the Presidency and in particular the tools available to its occupant; Chief Diplomat: Under the Constitution, the president has more authority over foreign policy than the other branches of the government (but not sole authority). The president can negotiate treaties (with consent of the Senate), appoint diplomatic personnel, and has sole power to recognize governments. Commander-in-Chief: The Constitution places the president as the head of the armed forces of the United States. One way to look at this is that he is the general of the generals. This is important because it guarantees civilian control over the military (something missing in many countries of the world). One of the last major challenges to the presidency as commanderin-chief came when General douglas McArthur challenged Truman's policies during the Korean War which led to President Truman's firing of McArthur. Chief Legislator: No bill propos... Commander-in-Chief: The Constitution places the president as the head of the armed forces of the United States. One way to look at this is that he is the general of the generals. This is important because it guarantees civilian control over the military (something missing in many countries of the world). One of the last major challenges to the presidency as commanderin-chief came when General douglas McArthur challenged Truman's policies during the Korean War which led to President Truman's firing of McArthur. Chief Legislator: No bill proposed by the congress can become a law without the president's signature. Thus the president is also involved in the process of legislation. But the Constitution mandates that the president "from time to time" inform the congress on the state of the union (the U.S.). By tradition, this has become a yearly event known as the State of the Union Address. Through this address the president helps to set legislative priorities for the coming year. ("The Presidency", p.1). Different President's come into office at different times during the course of their nation's history. Contrary circumstances that can lead different men in vastly different directions and lead them to having distinct Presidencies in their own right. In regards to what would enable a President to succeed, as well as what could make then fail, "Two hundred years of our country's history suggest that five qualities have been constants in the men who have most effectively fulfilled the oath of office. First, every successful president has had vision, insight, or understanding: a clear idea of

Law Enforcement Agencies Essay Example for Free

Law Enforcement Agencies Essay Identify three federal law enforcement agencies. Roles and responsibilities and comparison of local and state law enforcement duties, functions, and their two main differences. The duties, functions, and responsibilities of Local Law Enforcement agencies are as follows: They are required to arrest law violators, perform routine patrol, investigates crimes, enforce traffic laws (including parking violations), provide crowd and traffic control for example parades and other huge public events. Today they also have duties such as: Performing the duties of coroners, tax assessors, tax collectors, keepers of county jails, court attendants, and executors of criminal and civil processes, as well as law enforcement officers. The duties, functions, and responsibilities of State Police Agencies are as follows: patrol small towns and state highways, regulate traffic, and have the primary responsibility to enforce some state laws. They also carry out many duties for local police agencies, such as the managing of state training academies, criminal identification systems, and crime laboratories. Some of the differences between the state and the local police are as follows: State police cooperates with an assortment of law enforcement agencies such as local police, the highway patrol, and park or forest rangers. Really the differences between a sheriff and a police officer vary slightly from state to state, which sometimes lead to confusion. Three federal law enforcement agencies are: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Drug Administration or Agency (DEA), and the Alcohol Tobacco Firearms (ATF). â€Å"The FBI is a threat-based, intelligence driven national security organization, their principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Justice and a full member of the U.S. Intelligence Community,†(FBI 2010). These agents are â€Å"dedicated men and women of the DEA are working hard to investigate and arrest the traffickers of the dangerous drugs.† These agents also help keep our schools and neighborhoods safe and secure. The â€Å"Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) seeks to reduce alcohol smuggling and contraband cigarette trafficking activity, divest criminal and terrorist organizations of monies derived from this illicit activity and significantly reduce tax revenue losses to the States,† (ATF 2010). These agents are also reducing violent crime, and enforcing the Federal explosives laws and regulations. These agents are working to enforce Federal firearms laws and regulations.  All these agents whether local, state or federal work together to protect the United Sates residents from all criminals activities.

Evils of Monarchy and Society in the Works of Mark Twain Essay

The Evils of Monarchy and Society in the Works of Mark Twain      Ã‚  Ã‚   In the latter part of his life, Mark Twain developed a deep-rooted hatred for society.   His aphorisms often reflect this contempt: "Every one is a moon and has a dark side which he shows to no one" (Salwen n.pag.).   This disdain for humanity eventually seated itself in complete disapproval for what he called the "damned human race."   Twain's criticism for society appeared in many of his works, growing stronger and stronger as time passed.   Hand in hand with his distaste for society went his hatred for the upper class.   In each of his works, Twain creates a theme of appearance versus reality and ultimately brings out his harsh criticism of monarchies.   Through such royal criticism, Twain comments on American civilization, attacks society's ideals, and assaults commonly held beliefs.      Ã‚  Ã‚   The Prince and the Pauper has often been written off as just another children's book.   It is seen as Twain's first experience with historical fiction, which simply led into Twain's more famous work, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.   However, Twain starts to show his disapproval of monarchies in this book.   Edward, the Prince of England, and a common beggar boy, Tom Canty, switch clothes and identities, throwing each into a social situation with which he is not familiar.   Through the stories of each boy, Twain brings out two themes that reflect his views on monarchy and society.   Underlying the adventures of Tom Canty is Twain's mockery of the idea that clothes determine a man's place in society.   As Twain once said, "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence in society" ("Clothes" n.pag.).   Tom Canty assumes the role of King of Engl... ...n.   Boston: Twayne, 1988. Lynn, Kenneth S.   "Afterword" to The Prince and the Pauper. "Mark Twain Quotations - Clothes."   [Online] Available: <http://www.tarleton.edu/~schmidt/Clothes.html> (May 22, 1999) "Mark Twain Quotations - Monarchy."   [Online] Available: <http://www.tarleton.edu/~schmidt/Monarchy.html> (May 22, 1999) Salomon, Roger. B.   Twain and the Image of History.   Yale University, 1961.   Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism, Vol. 48.   Detroit: Gale,   1993. Salwen, Peter.   "The Quotable Mark Twain."   [Online] Available:   <http://salwen.com/mtquotes.html> (May 4, 1999) Twain, Mark.   The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.   Tom Doherty, 1985. _____.   A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.   New York: Penguin. _____.   The Prince and the Pauper.   New York: Penguin, 1964.

Human Resource Activities of Qantas Airways Essay

The Qantas Airways is the largest airline in Australia. Its Human Resource Management operates in the company in four major areas, which are business segments, corporate, shared services, development, and learning. This report gives limelight to the Qantas airways HRM and its role in ensuring perfect operations of the company. It further discusses change management and job analysis and design. The company has undergone intensive change management such as cutting of prices and labor costs in order to ensure high productivity, moderation of wages as well as the introduction of flexible structures through a versatile and motivated workforce. Moreover, the HRM is also responsible of ensuring that right people are hired and given necessary training under job analysis and design. However, despite the roles that the company has entrusted the HRM, there have been heightened cases of accidents and strikes from dissatisfied workers alleging that they are paid meager salaries. This shows a HRM gap in delivering its responsibilities. Therefore, the report further argues that the HRM has failed in its change management and job design and analysis strategy. In order to correct the situation, the report further proposes that the HRM change its training and communication model. As a means to an end, the report discusses some of the implications emerging from the HRM problems and ends with a comprehensive summary. Description of Qantas and their HRM Activities The Qantas Airways is Australia’s largest airline. It has a solid history as it began its business years back by transporting passengers and mails. Today, the company has expanded its operations in almost 140 destinations across the globe. It is Australia’s largest employers with around 37,000 employees. The human resource management operates in the company in four major areas, which are business segments, corporate, shared services, and development and learning. Under corporate level, the HRM is responsible for employees’ remuneration as well as benefits, the industrial relations of the airline with its competitors and development of the management. In the business segment level, the HR teams often collaborate with other business segments to ensure successful delivering of strategies that will ensure competitive advantage. Human resource has a major responsibility in the company and under shared services; the HRM is responsible of managing  workers records, supporting remuneration and recruitment process and managing employees’ compensation as well as coming up with strategic plans on staff travelling schedules and schemes (Belobaba, Odoni and Barnhart, 2009). Finally, under the learning and development level, the HRM comes up with training programs for employees to help them deliver their work effectively. HR Functions: Change Management and Job Analysis and Design at the Qantas Airways Discussion of Two HR functions in the Qantas Change Management The Qantas airline was formerly owned by the government hence did not perceive efficiency and profits as its prime goal (Rothkopf, 2009). After its privatisation in 1995, the HRM had to adopt various management practices in order to overcome the company’s external and internal influences. The HRM in their change management has emphasised on cutting costs and more so reduction of labour costs to guarantee heightened productivity, moderation of wages as well as the introduction of flexible structures through a versatile and motivated workforce (Marks, 2007). Cutting labour costs in the Qantas airways have involved strict measures from the HRM such as reducing wages and salaries through eliminating costly practices (Hernandez, 2011.). The Qantas airline HRM has undertaken immense changes in order to cope with diverse external and internal factors (Gillen and Morrison, 2005). Various factors led to changes in the HR management such as the need to have more profits in the company a nd the fact that the company was under government ownership. This means that the airline had maintained its authoritarian hierarchical structure, autocratic form of leadership, and strict procedures and rules (Hughes, 2012). In addition, the airline has been involved in a major change as far as training is concerned and in 2003, the HRM facilitated in the expansion of the company’s apprenticeship programme (Gunn, 1988). According to Kirkpatrick’s model of learning and training, training helps in ensuring affirmative results (Kearns, 2010). Job Analysis and Design Job design and analysis is the cornerstone of the Qantas HRM. Job analysis can be viewed as the hub of all human resource management activities that are needed for effective organizational functioning (Berman et al, 2009). Under job analysis, the HRM is responsible for planning, recruitment, selection, placement, and induction of workers (Berman et al, 2009). The procedures that are often supported by job analysis process include personnel selection, training, job evaluation as well as performance appraisal (Berman et al, 2009). In addition, the process of job analysis supports the Qantas organizational strategy in dealing with market competition and talent crisis. According to human resource theory, strategic HRM focuses on connecting all HR functions with organizational goals (Rothwell and Benscoter, 2012). The Qantas airline HRM in the process of job analysis determines various training needs of workers. Moreover, in job analysis process, the HRM determines on some of the things that affect behavior in the company. After job analysis process, the next step is job design, which aims at outlining and organizing duties, responsibilities, as well as tasks in a single unit in order to achieve particular objectives. Job design in the Qantas airways is essential in enabling effective feedback. In addition, training is an imperative part in job design in order to make sure that employees are conscious of their work demands. Training encompasses leadership training to employee orientation (Aulenbach, 2007). Development and training plays an imperative role in ensuring success of a company. Today, most organizations view training as an imperative role of human resource (Price, 2011). From research conducted, it is apparent that most organizations such as the Qantas airways are spending a lot of money on training with a belief that it will consequently give them a competitive advantage in both global and local market (Jackson, Schuler and Werner, 2011). According to human resource theory (Bacon et al, 2009), workers need maximum support from human resource function. In that case, the Qantas airways offer training to staff in order to motivate them as well as ensure competitive advantage in the company. Frances (2009) avows that training is imperative in ensuring imperative piloting skills. In 2009, the company opened approximately $10 million staff training centers in an effort to build on economies of scale. The HRM through job design help the workforce to make vital adjustments. Problem s and Implications Faced by Qantas Although the two major basic functions of HRM is to ensure successful change management and job analysis and design, the Qantas airline has undergone  through various challenges in these two areas. The HRM in their change management focused on cutting costs such as labor costs in order to increase productivity, ensure moderate workers’ salary and introduce flexible structures. However, they have failed in ensuring effective and non-biased change management. This is because, workers recently have been complaining of being paid meager salaries and even gone for strikes. Under change management, they should have ensured successful remuneration of employees. However, it is embarrassing to note that a reputable company like Qantas with such successful change management strategy has failed to take care of its employees. The unsolved salary issues have caused employee outcry and various scandals in the company. The pilots have been protesting over meager salaries and the union workers have continued to demonstrate over pay inequality arguing they are paid 25% less than their equals in Victoria (Hernandez, 2012). In a survey that was conducted in 2012, on three thousand Qantas employees, the workers expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the company mostly the HRM (McDonald, 2012). Serious staff challenges have continued threatening the company yet up to now the HRM is still reluctant to come up with a new change management model such as ADKAR model that will cater for the interests of workers and allow the company to focus activities on particular business results (Hiatt, 2006). Under Job analysis and design, it is apparent that the HRM made immense mistakes in choosing the right candidates. Despite heavy training programs that the HRM has invested in during job analysis and design process, it is only in 2008 that the company was involved in an in-flight incident, which caused ser ious injuries to passengers and death of 129 passengers due to specious commands (Frances, 2009). In addition, it is apparent that training has not had a positive impact in the company since in 2006, the Qantas Airways pilots failed to monitor their position hence ended up to the wrong runway. Moreover, in 2009, the company’s pilots failed to acknowledge and decided to overshoot their destinations by 150 miles (Frances, 2009). Frances (2009) alleges that captains in the company are not competent enough as they lacked knowledge on use of stick shaker and stall recovery thus causing serious accidents. It is hence clear that the HRM department leaves a lot to be desired as incidences have continued to intensify despite the company’s change management and job design and analysis strategy (Louise, 2011). With such a successful airline company, it is apparent that its HRM is ineffectual and has only led to losses than success. The company asserts that it is committed fully to developing its people, yet they do not seem to know how they can forge a beneficial relationship with its staff. There has been a lot of change in the company including cutting of costs, developing training programs, outsourcing working rules and regulations, collaborating with the unions yet the situation seem to be moving from bad to worse. It is apparent that the HRM has been incompetent in hiring the right personnel and dealing with employees. Implications to Stakeholders Various stakeholders include trade unions, government, shareholders, customers, community, business partners, employees, the media, and non-governmental organizations. They all have a major influence on the company’s performance and its strategy. The media coverage on wrong decisions in the Qantas have affected negatively on the company’s image. The problems discussed obviously imply that the HRM, shareholders, and business partners have been reluctant in solving the current crisis hence affecting the performance of the company. Because of the accidents reported, most consumers are not keen on using Qantas airline hence affecting profitability (BBC News, 2012). Additionally, the challenges in the company have also affected employees and consumers on grounds that they have lost confidence with the running of the company (Sandilands, 2011). The looming disagreement between Qantas and its pilots shows clearly that the HRM and business partners have failed in ensuring they contribute in effective management of the company. In addition, the Non-governmental organizations have failed in conflict resolution between the Qantas and its employees. It is apparent that the HRM, business partners, and non-governmental organizations involved have failed in coming up with rational solutions to ensure such current disputes do not develop into a major crisis. Instead of the company’s CEO, Alan Joyce holding productive talks, he has been busy making provocative comments in numerous heated exchanges. For instance, he condemned union members on issues regarding wages arguing that their talks and protests were baseless (Bamber, 2011). The union leaders in return criticized N senior managers and accused them of tarnishing the brand image of the company while they were awarding themselves hefty salaries. This hence implies that the  community as well as Union members have lost confidence on the company’s stakeholders and this in return has led to bad publicity and reduced profitability. Consequently, the media has given a wide coverage on the company’s latest controversies meaning that it is benefiting financially because of the developing story. It is upsetting to see Qantas’ employees go on strike due to poor management issues in a company owned by various stakeholders. The shareholders, business partners, the HRM, CEO, and Nongovernmental Organizations have a major role to play in ensuring issues in the company are resolved and the company goes back to its initial profitable situation. Therefore, they need to sit down and come up with a rational plan towards improvement (Bamber, 2011). Action plan and Recommendations With the increasing incidences, there is hence a need to come up with an action plan. First, all the stakeholders must meet to discuss on ways to solve the recent crisis. In the meeting, there will be change of communication and training model to more rational models that are employee oriented. The HRM will carry out the process and engage other stakeholders to give ideas on how salary and training issues ought to be handled. The change process will take place from 1st to 28th November in the company’s boardroom. To carry out the process, the employees will be interviewed in order to show some of the areas they would need change. The entire company’s workforce and managers will be given information concerning the changed plan. The recent problems involving HRM function has caused the company to suffer financially. The Qantas airline in their website asserts that, â€Å"Qantas is committed to providing meaningful jobs with competitive salaries and superior benefits† (Qantas, n.d). However, they have failed in fulfilling their promise as the strikes reported tell a different story. In addition, they allege that they â€Å"provide targeted, quality training to the Qantas group and assists in the development of skills† (Qantas, n.d). However, the accidents reported show a major gap in their training strategy. The HRM should revisit their training and communication model and make a change on it. It is time the company moved out of a market approach change strategy that only focus on making profits and focus on employee oriented approach that consider the interests of workers. With an effective training  model, there will be workshop and focus group sessions where employees air their grievances and come up with solutions to their problems (Frances, 2009). In addition, effective HRM communication should contribute successfully to teamwork, learning, innovation, safety, and productivity (Krizan et al, 2010). Moreover, the HRM should invest heavily on their pilot candidates and ensure that they get the right training. Coming up with a HR strategic oriented communication model is important in guaranteeing that employees are at par with requirements and needs of the company. This will help in discussing paramount issues affecting the running of the company. Once there is fit between communicat ion and training model in relation to the role of the HRM, the next step should be to come up with a tactical plan on how the HR will be managing their roles to ensure there are no more scandals. The HR needs to be involved fully in daily operations of the company to ensure alignment with needs of the employees. Moreover, the HRM should come up with performance management plan, which is imperative in following up on the performance of the staff members. The HRM should also be transparent in its strategy. This means that the company’s operational and strategic agenda should be communicated clearly to workers and must be accepted. This will ensure employees’ needs are met and there are no operational challenges. In addition, its mission should be shared with other shareholders to make sure they are on the right path to correcting the image of the company. Today’s HR models recognize on the fact that people do not leave their issues at home when they are going to work. For the company to be successful, it should focus on the needs of the workers whether personal or professional. This will motivate the workers to deliver quality work. In that case, there will be less accidents and remuneration problems in the company (Frances, 2009). In addition, in training sessions, the HR should focus on changing staff members’ attitude towards work and teach them on how to have a positive attitude. This will help in motivating workers and encouraging them to air their grievances through dialogue.

Jimmy Choo a Celebrity Brand

A Celebrity Brand Strategic Fashion Management A report by Psyche Kuo 2010-11-15 Contents 1. Introduction3 2. Shoes fit for a Princess3 3. Tamara Mellon Part co-owner, Part celebrity4 4. Power of Media6 5. Potential crises 8 * Fast fashion use the celebrities power * Celebrity brands * Celebrities’ scandals 6. Conclusion 9 7. Reference 10Introduction The following report will look at the influence of celebrities and the culture of celebrity lifestyle upon the success and the strategies adopted by Jimmy Choo. From the beginning of Jimmy Choo as a bespoke shoemaker to the takeover of Tamara Mellon, celebrities and red carpet media events which have always been associated with its name. The report will look at the past, present and possible future strategies influenced by celebrities and its culture. Shoes fit for a princess â€Å"The late Princess Diana who was a Choo shoes devotee, made him rise to further fame in 1990.Choo has made a mark on the fashion designing industry and in time was accepted as an iconic image of a classic and refined fashion designer in shoes and later in accessories. † Naomi Silveira (2010) The late Princess Diana would be the first significant figure that helped propel Jimmy Choo shoes from great, to extraordinary. Through history we can always identify luxury brands with a celebrity face, dating back to Chanel with Marilyn Monroe and Givenchy with Audrey Hepburn. It’s a key strategy that helps educate and promote the brand to the public, making the brand more desirable and more exclusive.However, Jimmy Choo did not endorse any celebrities at that time, Princess Diana was a customer of Jimmy Choo simply because she liked the design and comfort of the Shoe. Without Princess Diana, Jimmy Choo may have not achieved the success it has today, with such a public figure photographed wearing a pair of Jimmy Choo. Tamara Mellon – Part co owner, Part Celebrity â€Å"†¦, understood the importance of linking celebr ities to brands and was recognized as an important marketing communications tool. † Uche Okonkwo (2006)Tamara Mellon, former UK Vogue accessories editor, was looking out for out-of-the-ordinary designs that were both chic and attention grabbing. That’s when she approached Jimmy Choo and bought 50% of his company. With her relationship with the media and her strong networking skills, Tamara Mellon managed to help the company grow to worth ? 500 million. Tamara Mellon’s relationship with the media is a very important aspect to why Jimmy Choo succeeded in such a short time span. â€Å"Celebrities are extremely important and valuable to brands, especially in the luxury fashion sector. There is no argument about it.They wield enormous power in fashion circles and can contribute to making and breaking brands. † Uche Okonkwo (2006) If Tamara Mellon was not a public figure as she was, it would have been difficult for Jimmy Choo to achieve the level of â€Å" adve rtisement â€Å" and public awareness without having to invest a large number of capital and resources into this key area. It was hugely beneficial that the new co-owner Tamara Mellon was already a public figure and was able to use this to her advantage. Tamara Mellon realised that celebrity are the brand icon of this generation, an icon which conjures as a mental image or an opinion.This acts as an indirect metaphor to both corporate worlds. Just as brands and brands owners don’t necessarily coincide. Similarly, Jimmy Choo shoes aren’t made by Jimmy Choo. Jimmy Choo is no longer associated with its own brand design with Tamara Mellon whereas Jimmy Choo now focuses on Jimmy Choo Couture footwear. There are not many companies left that follow this tradition of shoes being designed by the company’s founder who brings Jimmy Choo to a few competitors which are Christian Louboutin and Manolo Blahnik.Regarding Tamara Mellon’s marketing strategy of penetration, celebrity endorsement which determines the wealth and success to the brand has lead to a factor where luxury brands appear lesser extent than consumer brands as luxury brands already have well-defined personalities. Power of Media â€Å"The rise of the cult of celebrity, in which everyone can be famous for 15 minutes, can be directly related to the rise of reality television and social networking sites. † PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (2007) The number of celebrity advertisements has doubled from 1996 to 2006. It was uring 1996 that Choo established his brand name Jimmy Choo in London with the assistance of Tamara Mellon. It is no coincidence that Jimmy Choo benefitted from the boom in celebrity endorsement during these ten years. Programmes such as â€Å"Sex and The City â€Å"are just an example of how strong an influence TV have on consumers. â€Å"But the real growth story of Jimmy Choo over the past 14 years has been the riding of a tidal wave of celebrity endorsements, as well as those gushing recommendations in Sex and the City. † Anonymous (2010) Without TV, Media and even Sex and the City, Jimmy Choo would not have become an instant household name.With millions of viewers, Sex and The City was the ideal catapult to make the name public to an even wider audience, even with the programme also â€Å" mentioning â€Å" rival brand Manolo Blahnik in the programme, this did not affect the sales or brand equity of Jimmy Choo. â€Å"Jimmy Choo is attractive to celebrities but they must have pushed it to celebrities as well because that is how you keep the brand in the public's mind – most designers now want to get their shoes on the red carpet because you get so much media coverage from that. † Maureen Hinton (2010)Disregarding that fact however, the lead analyst at the retail consultancy Veridct added that Jimmy Choo’s are attractive enough to stand on its own for it fashionable design. It was also commented that the medi a only acts as a reminder to the public’s mind about the brand’s image. This strengthens the foundations of Jimmy Choo’s defined image. Potential crises Celebrity endorsement is as easy as it sounds as it upholds several risks that are associated with brand communication strategy. If a luxury brand decided to use celebrity endorsement as a strategy, brands should meticulously evaluate their interconnections elements.Fast fashion use the celebrities power The current Jimmy Choo’s strategy that uses celebrity endorsement has a potential risk as the current fast market (mass production market) also uses celebrity power as a major marketing strategy. In examples to that are Gap which Sarah Jessica Parker promoting its brand and Top Shop which Kate Moss is anointed to design their clothing and accessories. Celebrity brands Celebrities’ brands indulge in brand extension and brand architectures. They now understand the importance and influence of personal branding and are exploiting it and also extending it to commercial branding.As a result, several celebrities have ventured into the fashion and accessories businesses and more are on the way. A few examples are such as Jennifer Lopez, Sean Combs and Jessica Simpsons. Celebrities’ scandals The biggest harmful factor that Jimmy Choo can come across as a brand image is from celebrity scandals as celebrities are easily exposed to the public and may get into controversies. An image of a celebrity holds a very important role to the brand it’s promoting. A scandal may lead to a negative connotation. Conclusion The media, TV and Public figures have always been synergetic with Jimmy Choo from the very Beginning.From the late Princess Diana, to Tamara Mellon, Sex and The City and countless of other celebrities photographed with a pair of â€Å" Jimmys†, Jimmy Choo’s main strategy was to use this â€Å" tidal wave of celebrity endorsement â€Å" to its full advan tage. For a new brand in a very competitive market, it was important to utilise this strength to compete with rival brands with a deeper heritage and history. Even though Jimmy Choo has always used celebrities and the media as its main source of advertisement, there are indications that t Jimmy Choo is diversifying its strategies by collaborating with other brands, such as H;amp;M and UGG.With so much reliance with its celebrity exposure, it is potential dangerous to solely rely its company’s future in such an unstable trend. With Collaborations with H;amp;M is a more stable and long-term strategy to appeal to a â€Å" different â€Å" target consumer. Jimmy Choo may be a shoe for the stars, but will eventually grow and establish themselves through other mediums. 1082 words (Excluding title page, direct quotations and references)Reference1. Anonymous, 2010. Jimmy Choo: The world's most valuable shoemaker, The Independent, [Online], Available at: http://www. independent. co. k/news/business/analysis-and-features/jimmy-choo-the-worlds-most-valuable-shoemaker-2076499. html [10 Oct 2010].

Assistive Medical Devices Essays

Assistive Medical Devices Essays Assistive Medical Devices Paper Assistive Medical Devices Paper Essay Topic: Medical   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The development and evolution of technology since the 20th century has paved the way for the creation of new alternatives that continuous to help man in its endeavor towards easing the difficulties of life. It has enabled many to go over hurdles and boundaries. It created better opportunities for man to seek out new ways to innovate and prove the road for betterment.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   This technology has also spread in the creation of assistive devices for the disabled. It opened up new ways wherein it can go over man’s limitations and function as a normal human being. Now, these individuals too can dream and achieve goals without thinking their respective restrictions. In the end, these devices have been supplemental in the creation of better ways to appreciate life and seek out numerous possibilities.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One example of this assistive device involves the creation and design of Dr. Maysam Ghovanloo who is an assistant professor at NC State. With his expertise in both engineering and computer science, he looks into creating the ‘Tongue Drive System’ (The All Need, 2006). In this machine, he tries to help the people who had suffered from different severe disabilities. These include spinal cord ailments and degenerative diseases.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Looking at the machine, it is composed of microchip sensors that try to monitor movement within a person’s mouth and the vibrations that it may emit. â€Å"The basic device consists of three components: a tiny permanent magnet the size of a rice grain, which is coated with gold or platinum and can be attached to the tongue by means of piercing or implantation† (The All Need, 2006, p.1). After this procedure, it tries to gather responses from the brain and is receptive towards severe damages.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another component of this apparatus involves a control unit. It is in here that the records of the brain activity of a person is recorded and stored. Looking at its components, it is â€Å"comprised of sensor interface circuitry, wireless transmitter, and a pair of watch batteries – is contained in a coin-sized, custom designed sealed package that rests inside the mouth in the area under the tongue† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Prior to its creation, there were different models available to determine and understand the intentions and thoughts of an individual with severe disabilities. Most of the time, it looks into the attachment of a device towards a body part then simulated to an equipment to actively calculate a response. Examples of these include the sip-and-puff devices which are considered to be designed under a switch-based approach. However, these have proven to be disadvantageous at the long run because it lacks appeal to the public and the limited capabilities it can offer (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another apparatus that is also existent prior to this device is the one that uses webcam that tries to â€Å"scan face or eye movements and require user to sit in front of the monitor† (The All Need, 2006, p.1). Again, this device is difficult to achieve because of the degenerative state of an individual and the obstacle of getting the accurate reading out of the process. At the same time, this is unappealing because it is not user-friendly in nature and requires a professional to make the necessary readings and findings. Seeing this, it is more expensive to pursue this process than the switch-based approach.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Ghovanloo mentions that this gadget is supplemental for these individuals because it can generate reactions without really tapping into the damaged area such as the spinal cord. It is said that this device operates and taps into the hypglossal nerve which is connected to the brain; a part that can be seen in the man’s tongue (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Though there are physical limitations in this equipment such as it does not operate on a switch based or sip-and-puff device, the Tongue Drive System has components that are appealing even to the disabled person. Its strength lies in the way it is designed; simple yet effective in nature. â€Å"This gadget â€Å"provides maximum capabilities with no invasive procedures and no externally obvious wiring or visually unappealing components† (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Also another important advantage of this device is it is inexpensive and not difficult to operate. Not like the new models wherein they try to put in electrodes in the brain to decipher intentions and thoughts, the Tongue Drive system does not use invasive brain surgery and expensive materials for it to work and monitor an individual’s activities (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   One way that this device is innovative compared to its predecessors is the way it communicates with other systems. â€Å"The Tongue Drive System uses a wireless transmission to communicate with a basic PDA or nearby technology using Bluetooth or Wi-Fi technology† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Moreover, software has been written to actively make this device responsive to the apparatus and its receiver. It tries to â€Å"decode signals from the mouth sensors, translate them to user commands, and then communicate the commands to a specified device such as a computer, powered wheelchair, telephone or television† (The All Need, 2006, p.1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dr. Ghovanloo explains this process between the tongue and his device to be like a peripheral device in a computer wherein the user can point out specific up to complex instructions which would then be interpreted into several actions (The All Need, 2006). The good thing about this device is it also collaborates with previous innovations such as switch based and then enables the person to have control over a connected machine such as a wheelchair. Also, it provides a continuous motion compared to its predecessors as it processes data and information at a faster rate.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, Dr. Ghovanloo and his collaboration with other scientists have paved the way for the creation of better devices that will support the needs of patients with degenerative diseases and ailments. By taking into consideration the needs of patients particularly in WakeMed Rehab, he and his team can find better ways that can increase possibilities for these people to live normal lives (The All Need, 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To conclude, assistive devices are inventions that have been supplemental for people with disabilities in making them cope with the challenges of society and life. It gave them the hope and inspiration that despite their current state, possibilities are still available for them. It gave them the motivation that by making these things work for them, they can interact and live like normal human beings.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   At the same time, innovators and researchers also share a unique responsibility in fostering and catering towards improvement. By dwelling into what matters most for these people, they can come up and design new possibilities that will bridge further the gap that exists between normal and disabled people. Reference The All Need (2006) Tongue Drive System Revolutionizes Assistive Device for the Disabled. Retrieved January 9, 2009 from, theallineed.com/engineering/06082931.htm

In Regards To

In Regards To In Regards To In Regards To By Maeve Maddox A web search for â€Å"in regards to† brings up 680 million links, thousands of which lead to articles telling readers that â€Å"in regards to† is nonstandard English. Apparently quite a few English speakers have managed to avoid reading any of them. Nonstandard â€Å"in regards to† continues to spread, and not just on blogs and in comments written by the educationally challenged. Here are some examples from sites that aspire to some sort of professional expertise: Elasticity of Ridership In Regards to Transit Fare and Service Changes headline over an About.com article ICA President McLean Changes Tune in Regards to CCE headline at The Chronicle of Chiropractic Nitrogen Inversion in regards to Stereochemistry title of study guide at ucla.edu McDonalds in regards to globalization and business change title of an essay offered at a UK site The phrase â€Å"in regard to† means â€Å"about, regarding, concerning.† Speakers who put an â€Å"s† on regard in â€Å"in regard to† and â€Å"with regard to† are perhaps confusing these phrases with â€Å"as regards†: As regards your question concerning the membership of the Universal House BBC policy as regards interviewers/journalists and their relationship with government officials In the expressions â€Å"in regard to† and â€Å"with regard to,† regard is a noun; in the expression â€Å"as regards,† regards is a verb. The noun regard does take the plural in certain other idioms. For example, Give my regards to your parents. Best regards, Sam Speakers who find it difficult to remember to omit the â€Å"s† can avoid nonstandard â€Å"in regards to† and â€Å"with regards to† by using regarding in their place. Related post: In Regard to Your Letter Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Yours faithfully or Yours sincerely?Used To vs. Use ToHow to Punctuate Introductory Phrases

Marketing in a Foreign Country Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Marketing in a Foreign Country - Case Study Example Therefore, in this case, the paper is going to consider the following products such as men’s neckties in Saudi Arabia, digital cameras in South Africa and men’s shoes in Russia. The aforementioned nations have varied cultures and traditions that may have adverse effects of marketing of products and acquisition of profits. It is also imperative to note that culture affects numerous facets of international trade in the context of rejection from consumers and lack of sales in the market. For example, in South Africa, they believe in the culture called ‘Ubuntu.’ Ubuntu means the art of loving one another through sharing and assistance (Clark, 2008). Therefore, for a business to prosper in a country especially in terms of promotion and advertising, it should factor the aspect of ‘Ubuntu.’ In other words the promotions should lean on the guiding ideals of ‘Ubuntu’ that will motivate consumers to buy the products. Additionally, another fa ctor that would require product change entails the culture of social mores. In South Africa, women are still considered inferior and hence the company that wishes to sell its digital cameras should employ more men than women to attract more customers. However, when it comes to men’s neckties in Saudi Arabia, it is a different case. ... On that aspect, sale of men’s ties should mostly be targeted at the foreigners who are exempted from the rigid dress code. Alternatively, these neckties should be accompanied by long trousers and shirts that make the wearer decent by covering the upper torso. This suggests in the context of packing size the men’s neckties should come with additional shirts and long trousers to compliment the decency. Furthermore, in terms of promotion and advertising in the media, Saudi Arabia has a limited freedom of the press and the expression of opinion in public. In other words, when the foreign company is making its advertisements, it should not arouse conflicts of traditional Islamic values. These include questioning the role of women in Saudi Arabia such as encouraging them to also buy men’s ties. When it comes to Russia and its sale of men’s shoes, there are varied cultures that would affect packaging size, promotion, and advertising. For instance, it is essential to observe that Russia has a rich culture that dates to many centuries with significant achievements. On that account, the dress code is much respected especially in the business context and hence its promotion consists of different things. Therefore, for a foreign company to succeed in Russia, it is crucial to observe shoes supposed to be highly polished at all times. Additionally, men are required to wear business suits that depict formality and conservatism (Nickles, 2008). This suggests that the packaging size of men’s shoes should also come with complimenting men’s suits. However, in terms of promotion, it should not so business. Russians dislike people who are so business and hence it should be made friendly and casual. Additionally, when conducting an advertisement

Business Basics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Business Basics - Essay Example Secondly, Martha knows that she will be the sole owner of the business when she starts-up as a sole proprietor. She is going to posses all authority and makes decision on behalf of the Apex Company. She will as well have the mandate to sell or transfer the company to another individual business and make important business decisions at her discretion. Probably, the accountants concerns about running a sole proprietorship business are the risks that are involved mainly to the owner of the business. Legally, these risks are not treated separately from the business. They seem to be aware of some of the disadvantages of sole proprietorship business. They know that a sole proprietorship business has a liability disadvantage or risk. When Martha starts-up Apex as a sole proprietor business, she will be held directly responsible for any debts, losses, or violations that come from the business. For example, if the company incurs debts that must be paid back, Martha as the sole owner will repay the debts from her own personal funds. Again, she can be sued for any unlawful acts done by the employees, which is unlike other business structures. Additionally, if she becomes deceased or incapacitated the business will not continue since the owner and the business are treated as one (Madura, 2007). A partnership business is formed by two or more people who wish to come together to start a business. For a new business structure, partnership is a good choice of legal structure (Madura, 2007). This type of business has several advantages and disadvantages as discussed below. Capital- because of the business nature, the partners are the ones to fund the business with the start-up capital. The more partners they are, the more money they contribute for the business, which allows potential growth and flexibility. This also means more profit, which will

Explain Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Explain - Essay Example The definition of the self using Sartre’s existentialist views is that the self is a manifestation of the person’s consciousness, which connects the past, present, and the future of a human being (Sartre 31). However, the self of today is not the self of the past, nor the self of the future, but rather as an existing self that is only alive now, and would grow to be a different one after the present has passed. Existence is necessarily viewed from a first person’s viewpoint, based on the person’s grasp of reality, and what kind of existing being a person is would be based on how he or she sees the self and connects it with the concept of reality (Gardner 3). The essence is what makes a person a human being, and because of this human essence always precedes human existence due to the freedom that man inherently has, and this kind of freedom gives humanity its essence, regardless of how time flows through their lives (Sartre 25). Not only did Sartre define the human being as both essence and existence, but also the bad faith that could possibly ruin a person’s human essence. Bad faith, negative attitudes, or self-deception is what corrupts the perception of humans in the significance of their existence, which could lead to self-doubt, anguish, pity, guilt among other negative emotions, which in turn would not affirm the person’s existence and essence, but the nothingness (Sartre 44). The prohibition or the prevention of realizing a dream, as well as the creation of limits in an infinite universe are examples of forgetting transcendence, which counters the limitless potential that Sartre defines in his existentialist views (Sartre 47). On the other hand, the rejection of a person’s existence in the present time, failing to grasp the reality, as well as realizing the negativities of a person’s transcendence are defined as forgetting facticity, which undermines the

Organised Crime and the Criminal Justice Process

Organised Crime and the Criminal Justice Process This essay will begin with a brief outline of the historical work of organised crime. Then the definition of organised crime will be given with examples of areas associated with organised crime. The Criminal Justice Process will then be explained and the role of the Serious Organised Crime Agency including the Assets Recovery Agency with statistics showing the economic and social impact of organised crime. Finally a brief outline of Cohen’s view of organised crime will be given and the role of the victims of crime as key players in the Criminal Justice Process and ending with Box’s clues to understand most serious crimes. According to King et al; (2000) â€Å"the battle over the origins of organized crime is one being constantly fought, and historians have utilized archive data, such as police and judicial reports, economic evidence, pamphlets, diaries and biographies, to disinter the professional and organized criminal†. Furthermore, King et al; (2000) states that â€Å"organised crime seems to have been a feature of British society from Elizabethan times onwards and British studies of professional criminals, some of them displaying elements of organization, indicate a wide range of activities†. However, by the eighteenth century professional and organized criminal gangs, armed with a variety of criminal strategies from petty theft and violence to fraud, were firmly established in Britain (King et al; 2000). Criminals not only established their activities in London where the market place was most affluent and the control of the emerging working class was at its most ineffective, but also in coastal, rural and provincial areas (King et al; 2000). The definition of Organised crime is broadly seen as economically motivated offending which involves more than two people (Hale et al; 2005). Furthermore, Hale et al; (2005) suggests that â€Å"unlike legally defined crimes or predicate offences such as murder, drug trafficking and money laundering, organised crime tends to be confined to its structures and relationships and the general nature of crimes committed by such associations†. According to Hale et al; (2005) Article 2 of the ‘United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime’ states that an â€Å"organised criminal group must have at least three members operating in concert to commit a serious crime as part of an internally structured organization which has been in existence over a period of time preceding and subsequent to the commission of the criminal act†. Whilst such a definition provides a general framework of understanding, it can in practice undermine effective law enforcement responses (Hale et al; 2005). An organised crime group can include anything from a four person, low level racketeering group to a highly complex, international networks involved in human trafficking or money laundering (Hale et al; 2005). Get help with your essay from our expert essay writers Furthermore according to Marshall, (1998) â€Å"organised crime is a term used for situations where a large number of people in a hierarchical structure are engaged in an on-going pattern of criminal activities†. The most common areas associated with organised crime are extortion and the provision of illegal goods and services, such as drink, drugs, gambling, money laundering and prostitution (Marshall, 1998). According to Marshall, (1998) â€Å"these activities involve continuous relations with the victims or clients, who have contact with the lower echelons of the organization†. In order to succeed organised or syndicate crime involves some element of corruption or intimidation of the police or other law enforcement agents (Marshall, 1998). Marshall, (1998) suggests that â€Å"organised crime is often thought to be synonymous with a secret society, such as the Tongs of the Chinese diaspora, the Camorra of the nineteenth century Naples and the Mafia of Sicily and Costa Nostra in the United States†. Although, according to Marshall, (1998) â€Å"it seems more likely that if such societies exist at all, they do not actually run criminal activities, but rather act as a fraternal organisations for some of the racketeers†. On the other hand, according to Marshall, (1998) â€Å"organised crime is associated with violence and threats in the course of extortion, but also in the maintenance of control over subordinates, and struggles for power within groups and the struggles for monopoly control between groups†. Furthermore, Hale et al; (2005) points out that â€Å"organised crime can be argued as primarily a reactive phenomenon, exploiting gaps in a diverse and lucrative market†. Also according to Hale et al; (2005) â€Å"Its clientele are, for the most part, ‘ordinary’ folk who seek, alternative routes to satisfying needs unmet or proscribed by the legislatures of the countries they inhabit or pass through†. However, according to Hale et al; (2005) â€Å"In many cases clients are also victims, obliged or enticed into cooperation, as in the trafficking of women and children and in areas of economic decline and acute social inequality organised crime can provide alternative employment and a reinstatement of status, a situation currently common in former communist states†. According to Kelbie, (2007) â€Å"Human trafficking is a growing trade and it is estimated that around 700,000 people are trafficked in Europe every year, and most of them are women and girls who are forced into prostitution, while others are brought in to work illegally†. Furthermore, Kelbie, (2007) estimates â€Å"that 4,000 women are trafficked into Britain each year and are forced to work in the multi-million pound sex industry†. As more numbers of Eastern European and African Girls are trafficked into Britain, some as young as 12 years old, the traffickers are shifting their trade outside major cities (Kelbie, 2007). Consequently, as a result of this growing trade in Human Trafficking, Glasgow is the only city outside London to provide help and support to victims of sexual exploitation (Kelbie, 2007). Furthermore, according to Kelbie, (2007) â€Å"the city’s organised sex industry is worth approximately 7 million pounds a year, earned from the exploitation of women who are forced to work in saunas, private flats and as escorts†. The women forced to work in these places are regularly sold and re-sold between organised criminals operating in all of Britain’s major cities (Kelbie, 2007). Meanwhile, there are millions of incidences of online crime in Britain each year (Sharp, 2007). Furthermore, according to Sharp, (2007) â€Å"around 3 million internet crimes were committed in the UK last year and one of the most common is identity theft†. In 2004, two people were arrested in connection with an internet crime ring, the Shadow Crew, who planned to defraud consumers and banks out of hundreds of millions dollars (Sharp, 2007). British organised crime has it’s ‘families’ modelled along the lines of Mafia families in the United States. One of the most powerful recent criminal families has been the Arifs from Stockwell, in South London. They were involved in armed robberies and drug smuggling in the 1980s, and also owned a string of pubs, restaurant and clubs, and it is certain that these establishments were bought from the proceeds of their criminal activities (Giddens, 1977). According to Giddens, (1977) â€Å"Bekir Arif was jailed for five years at the end of the 1980s after being convicted of robbery with violence, and the reign of the Arifs ended in the early 1990s, following a series of police operations†. The head of the family, Dogan Arif is currently serving a fourteen year prison sentence for his part in a  £8.5 million drug smuggling deal (Giddens, 1977). In order to regulate and manage the risks that organised crime presents, investigation and law enforcement play important roles in bringing offenders to justice. According to Davies et al; (1998) â€Å"in exploring what a criminal justice aims to do, we need to distinguish between the goals of the system as a whole, and the functions of the different agencies who make up the system†. The cross-system goals of the criminal justice system according to Davies et al; (1998) are â€Å"protecting the public by preventing and deterring crime, by rehabilitating offenders and incapacitating others who constitute a persistent threat to the community, upholding and promoting the rule of law and respect for the law, by ensuring due process and proper treatment of suspects, arrestees, defendants and those held in custody, successfully prosecuting criminals and acquitting innocent people accused of crime†. Furthermore, â€Å"maintaining law and order, punishing criminals with regard to the principles of just deserts, and registering social disapproval of censured behaviour by punishing criminals, and finally aiding and advising the victims of crime†(Davies et al; 1998). The ‘National Crime Squad’ was put into effect by the Police Act 1997 and came into operation on the 1st April 1998 (Newburn, 2003). Furthermore, it merged with all regional crime squads. They targeted serious and organised crime, such as immigration crime, illegal arms and drug trafficking crimes and money laundering and counterfeiting (Davies et al; 2005). Following the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005, the Serious Organised Crime Agency was created and the agency officially came into being in April 2006, and its function was to tackle the growing problem of international criminal gangs. (Home Office, 2008). The agency was formed from the amalgamation of the National Crime Squad, the National Criminal Intelligence Service, the National Hi-Tech Crime Unit, the investigative and intelligence sections of HM Revenue and Customs on serious drugs trafficking and the UK Immigration Service responsible for organised immigration crime (Home Office, 2008). The Serious Fraud Office continues to be a separate agency. According to the (Home Office, 2008) â€Å"the economic and social impact of organised crime in the UK is staggering and statistics show that global profits from people smuggling is estimated to be $10 billion annually, 280,000 problem drug users cause half of all crime, every  £1 spent on heroin is estimated to generate about  £4 of damage to the national economy and there are around 400 organised crime bosses in the UK with an amassed criminal wealth of approximately  £440 million†. The economic and social cost of organised crime is estimated to be in the region of  £20 to  £40 billion per year (Home Office, 2008). Furthermore, the Home Office, (2004) strategic plan for Criminal Justice 2004-2008 was â€Å"the criminal justice process will relentlessly target the top 15-20 prolific offenders in each Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area, and more in bigger areas, and give the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the |Serious Organised Crime Agency the powers they need to take on the most serious and organised criminals†. Also, the police, Crown Prosecution Service, courts and other agencies like the Serious Organised Crime Agency would be able to keep at least 50% of the value of all the criminal assets they help to seize (Home Office, 2004). The recovery of criminal assets would be the role of the Assets Recovery Agency which was set up under the Proceeds of Crime act 2002 and plays an important part in the government’s plans to seize the profit out of crime, and separate and prevent the criminal organizations from continuing with their activities by removing the money which motivates their activities and their major source of income (Assets Recovery Agency, 2008). Meanwhile, the (Assets Recovery Agency, 2008) has three strategic aims â€Å"to disrupt organised criminal enterprises through the recovery of criminal assets, thereby alleviating the effect of crime on communities, to promote the use of financial investigation as an integral part of criminal investigation, within and outside the Agency, domestically and internationally, through training and continuing professional development and to operate the agency in accordance with its vision and values†. As, the Assets Recovery Agency was formed to stop organised criminal activities through the recovery of assets, on the 16th January 2007, the government introduced the Serious Crime Bill to Parliament setting out their suggestion to amalgamate the operational elements of the Assets Recovery Agency with the Serious Organised Crime Agency, and the Agency’s training and accreditation function with the National Policing Improvement Agency (Assets Recovery Agency, 2008). On the 1st April 2008 the operational section of the Assets Recovery Agency merged with the Serious Organised Crime Agency. Commenting on the merger Hughes, of SOCA, (2008) said â€Å"we are gaining important skills and expertise with the arrival of Assets Recovery Agency staff and we welcome them into SOCA. Now that the merger has taken place we will get on with the job that parliament want us to do, namely depriving crooks of their ill-gotten gains†. However, the Home Office minister Coaker, of SOCA, (2008) said that â€Å"assets recovery is critical in the fight against all levels of crime and we are determined to stop criminals profiting from crimes which affect the lives of law abiding majority†. Meanwhile, Goggins, SOCA, (2008) said â€Å"this merger will strengthen the fight against crime in Northern Ireland as it combines the intelligence expertise of SOCA with the hands on practical experience of ARA. This combination will make the recovery of assets even more effective and strengthen our fight against those who profit from organised crime†. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 on 17th January 2008 the Asset Recovery Agency recovered assets worth at least  £4 million from the High Court in Belfast. Also, on 5th February 2008 the agency obtained a Civil Recovery Order in the High Court in London worth an estimated  £750,000 from a couple who had obtained the assets through the human trafficking of people, mainly from Eastern Europe into Britain to work in brothels (Assets Recovery Agency, 2008). According to the Home Office, (2008) â€Å"the Serious Organised Crime Agency Second Annual Report showed another record year in the war against drugs with almost 90 tonnes of class A drugs seized with partners at home and abroad, a 20 per cent increase on the previous year. The cocaine alone, cut to usual UK street quality, could have realised  £6bn†. Furthermore, according to the Home Office, (2008) â€Å"53 disclosure notices, requiring individuals to co-operate with investigations by producing documents or answering questions, and 46 warnings on crime threats issued to over 2,500 private sector organisations throughout the UK. Meanwhile, the Home office, (2008) quotes â€Å"over  £46m criminal assets restrained by the domestic courts†. All SOCA operations now include financial investigations with an additional 35 financial investigators appointed during 2007/2008. According to Wright, (2006) â€Å"For Cohen, it is necessary to map the interactions, processes and patterned relationships both within and outside organisations in a more holistic way. It is necessary to establish the social context of the criminal activities of ‘organised criminals’, as well as the structure of their associations†. Furthermore, for Wright, (2006) â€Å"Cohen points out that criminology has done little work on the nature of organisational processes in crime groups. It has overlooked such things as recruitment, socialisation of members within organisations, and the way in which subcultures are developed and maintained. It has also to a large extent ignored such things as the protection and insulation of participants from the impact of conventional moral definitions†. For Cohen, according to Wright, (2006) â€Å"criminal groups should be subject to assessment of their internal structures and to analysis of all societal activity as it bears upon the production of their criminal behaviour. It is necessary to show that the functional problems of human systems take a distinctive form in criminal enterprise and that this distinctiveness provides a justification for the specialised study of criminal organisation†. Victims of crime are now recognised as key players in the Criminal Justice Process. According to Zedner, (2002) â€Å"without the cooperation of the victim in reporting crime, furnishing evidence, identifying the offender, and acting as a witness in court, most crimes would remain unknown and unpunished. The reliance of the Criminal Justice System on the victim has proved to be a powerful bargaining tool in the recognition of the victims’ interests†. The Victims Charter was first published by the Home Office in 1990 and at the time signified an important way forward in the recognition of victims’ interests, though it had been criticized for offering little by way of enforceable standards (Zedner, 2002). The clues to understanding most serious crimes according to Box, (1983) â€Å"can be located in power, not weakness, in privilege, not disadvantage, in wealth, not poverty†. In conclusion, since the launch of the Serious Organised Crime Agency in April 2006 and the merging of the Assets Recovery Agency in April 2008, the Criminal Justice process in dealing with serious organised crime has had a huge impact on criminal gangs operating within the UK, with the recovery of their assets from their criminal activities and to make it harder for them to continue in their criminal ways. BIBLIOGRAPHY Assets Recovery Agency, (2008), â€Å"Making Sure Crime Doesn’t Pay†. Available at: http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk/AboutARA/AimsandObjectives/ http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk/AboutARA/History/ Box, S. (1983), Power, Crime and Mystification, Tavistock Publications, London. Davies, M; Croall, H. and Tyrer, J. (1998), Criminal Justice: An Introduction to the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales, (2nd Edition), Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow, Essex. Davies, M; Croall, H. and Tyrer, J. (2005), Criminal Justice: An Introduction to the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales, (3rd Edition), Pearson Education Ltd, Harlow, Essex. Giddens, A. (1997), Sociology, Polity Press, Cambridge. Hale, C; Hayward, K; Wahidin, A. and Wincup, E. (2005), Criminology, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Home Office, (2004), Cutting Crime, Delivering Justice: A Strategic Plan for Criminal Justice 2004-08. Home Office, London. 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Available at: http://www.assetsrecovery.gov.uk/MediaCentre/ProceedsOfCrimeUpdate/2008/ Serious Organised Crime Agency, (2008), â€Å"Merger of SOCA and ARA strengthens Government drive to deprive criminals of their assets†. Available at: http://www.soca.gov.uk Sharp, R. (2007), â€Å"Cybercrime†: Uncovered. Available at: http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/gadgets-and-tech/features/cybercrime-uncove Wright, A. (2006), Organised Crime, William Publishing, Devon. Zedner, L. (2002), ‘Victims’, in M. Maguire; R. Morgan and R. Reiner (eds), The |Oxford Handbook of Criminology (3rd edition), Oxford University Press.