Monday, January 27, 2020

World Wide Issue Of Suicide

World Wide Issue Of Suicide Suicide is a world-wide issue. Suicide is commonly referred to a permanent solution to a temporary problem. A person may choose to end his/her life for many different reasons. The person may feel unhappy, angry at a situation, helpless, or feel like it is his time to go. If people have never had suicidal thoughts or have never had to deal with the issue of suicide, it is hard for them to understand why anyone may have suicidal feelings. In many parts of the world, the issues of assisted suicide and Euthanasia are being debated. Some people see assisting suicides in any way as unethical; others have an opposing view. Assisted suicide should be legal, because it is a persons own choice as to whether to live or die, and it is his/her own life. Assisted suicide and Voluntary Euthanasia are large ethical issues and are often thought of as the same thing, but there is a difference. Assisted suicide involves the passive participation of a medical professional in an individuals decision to take their own life. This may take the form of dispensing a lethal pill or providing advice. In either case, its the patient who ultimately takes the decisive action. Euthanasia, in contrast, involves a positive action on the part of a doctor to end a life at that persons request by administering the fatal dose, for example (American Psychological Assoc.). Bernice Levitz Packford, a 95-year-old woman, was interviewed about assisted suicide. She wants her life to end but does not want to take it herself. She stated as her reasons, Because I am a coward. And its lonely. Bernice also gave an explanation of euthanasia. In euthanasia, somebody is doing it to you. Im not good at defining the differences but Im not happy with that term. (American Psychological Assoc.). Euthanasia is a disturbing thought to most people; it sounds like a form of murder. Yes, someone is taking the life of another person in assisted suicide, but what makes it different from murder is that the person wanted his life to be taken. Bernice feels that assisted suicide is better that euthanasia, because her death is her own choice and doing. Many issues need to be addressed concerning assisted suicide: whether or not assisted suicide is really a persons choice, if it is ethical, and if it should be legal. Utilitarianism supports assisted suicide. Utilitarianism is the doctrine that an action is right (wrong) in the proportion to its tendency to promote (diminish) the overall happiness of everyone concerned. (Foster, 2010) Following the reasoning of utilitarianism, as long as the majority of people are happy with an action, it is ethical. The person having assisted suicide wants to die and is happy with that decision; the person believes death will bring them pleasure. As sad as losing a loved one might be, family and friends could also find joy knowing that it was the persons decision to die and that he/she is now free from pain. The majority of people could find joy from assisted suicide. Those who object to utilitarianism state that, although it is easy for people to decide what is right or wrong based on the feelings they experience, a person cannot predict their feelings nor can they predict the consequences of such a drastic action. How does the person know they will be happier after they die? Some people who are religious believe in a glorious after-life, but what about those who dont believe this, and what if an after-life does not exist? Was assisted suicide still a good choice? Bernice doesnt believe in an after-life but said, I believe a person lives on in the memories of their friends and family. She still believes that her choice for assisted suicide will bring happiness. Because utilitarianism supports the majority, another common objection to utilitarianism is that by following this theory it often violates peoples rights. Assisted suicide would not violate anyones rights, if it was legal. In fact, by not legalizing assisted suicide, it is taking away the right of the person to make a personal decision to die. Bernice said, Can Parliament find the gumption to give me the right to assisted suicide? I could then have my family and friends around me to say goodbye as I die with dignity. The lives of people belong to no one, except themselves. Denying a person control of his/her life takes away a personal right. Under the theory of utilitarianism, assisted suicide is ethical and justified; the Divine Command Theory would disagree. The divine command theory is the view that to say that an action is morally wrong is to say that god disapproves of it, and to say that an action is right is to say that god approves of it. (Foster, Review Sheet, 2010)The Divine Command Theory bases ethics on Gods teachings. To many religious people the Bible is a book of Gods moral principles and teachings. In multiple places in the Bible, God tells people what He thinks about life and suicide. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 6:23). God gave man life, and therefore the life of all man belongs to him. Using assisted suicide is against Gods moral teachings. The Bible further explains that man belongs to Him: Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were b ought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Gods teachings show that assisted suicide is opposing His will. It is not a persons right to choose to take his/her life, because their body does not belong to them; it belongs to God. A person should live a full life and die when God chooses to end their life, not when that person decides to. Under the Divine Command Theory, morals come from God. God has set up laws and morals for people to follow and obey. Legalizing assisted suicide is against Gods teachings, and therefore is unethical. Just like with all theories, there are objections to the Divine Command Theory. The Divine Command Theory is flawed, because it does not consider a group of people like Bernice who are not religious and have no moral guidance under this theory. Where are people who do not believe in God supposed to get their moral teachings? How are they to decide right from wrong? Not even all religious people can agree on Gods teachings (cite). Using the Divine Command Theory, assisted suicide would be immoral for people who believe in God; however, those who do not have such beliefs in God would be left without guidance in regard to the issue of assisted suicide. The people who would like to have assisted suicide can be placed in a general category. For the most part, the people in this group are old, have health problems, are disabled in some way, and/or are near death. These people are often in pain and are incapable of living a normal life. They are no longer healthy and, in many ways, are living on the lives of others. In this kind of situation, it is very difficult to find happiness. Although an optimistic person could find joy in any situation, most people are not that optimistic and lose hope. Many people reach a point in their life where they give up. They cant find a purpose in continuing to live and would rather die a peaceful death instead of living in misery. Even though the person wants to die, he/she doesnt want to die in a gruesome way. Assisted suicide allows a person to take his/her life in a humane way. However moral or immoral the action of assisted suicide may be, a person should have the personal right to take his/her own life. Assisted suicide needs to be separated from normal thoughts of suicide. Suicide is often thought of as an irrational decision. The common methods of suicide are often inhumane and no one likes to think of a loved one participating in them. Assisted suicide is different; it is usually accomplished with a pill or an injection. Unlike the intentions of most people who commit regular suicide, assisted suicide is never meant to hurt someone or to escape from lifes troubles; rather, the person is ready to die and is not trying to escape living. A person planning to take his/her life through an assisted suicide has made a rational decision and often discusses their plans and decisions with a number of family members as well as with professional personnel. People have a blurred perspective as to whether the choice is really the persons who is participating in assisted suicide. Making assisted suicide legal would give people the right to make the decision, thus taking away the question as to whether he/she was persuaded to make the choice. Obviously, not all would choose assisted suicide for many different reasons such as religious reasons or that they just dont want to die. If assisted suicide was legal, it is possible that more people would choose to end their lives, because it could be so easily done. Some think that making assisted suicide legal persuades people to choose that action. If assisted suicide were available, people with severe disabilities because of their old age, might feel pressured to participate in assisted suicide even if they did not want to die, because they would be made to feel like they were a burden to the world. The person might decide to participate in assisted suicide, because it would be legal and conside red the proper and respectful thing to do. Although some people may feel pressure to use assisted suicide, it would still be the persons own choice. Just like anything in life, there are always people trying to persuade others to do something, but a person has to be strong and make personal decisions. The ethics of allowing assisted suicide can be compared to the issue life support. After a traumatic accident, some people are hooked up to life support, and are more like vegetables than humans, unable to do anything on their own. The family of the person has a choice as to whether or not to keep them alive with a machine or to pull the plug and let them die. The person who is on life support has no say in the decision to end his/her life. The person might want to continue living, and might not be ready to die, but if the family decides that letting them pass on is the best decision, then it is done. If disconnecting life support to end a persons life is legal, then assisted suicide should also be legal. People who are old and/or are burdened with disabilities are not living on a machine for life but rather are depending on the people around them for life. If a person is not on life support, it is unethical for family members to decide to end a persons life, but a person should have the right to end his/her own life, and it should be considered ethical. When people lose a loved one, it can be devastating. Many people die unexpectedly and in tragic ways. Dealing with the loss of any person is hard. With assisted suicide, the passing of a person can be expected, the family can be around, the method can be humane, and the family can find comfort in knowing that it was the persons own decision. The overall situation can bring joy to everyone involved. No one should be allowed to deny a person and his/her family the right to make a decision like this. Assisted suicide should be legal.

Sunday, January 19, 2020

Third World Socialism Essay -- Socialism Socialists Governmental Essay

Third World Socialism Many United States citizens are frightened by the word Socialism. However, the predominant ideology in most Third World countries is socialism. There are many reasons why Third World countries have turned to socialism as their form of government. The main reason the Third World has taken on the concept of socialism is because of the history of feudalism and colonialism that these countries faced for so many years. Socialism was seen as a way to reform the land of many underdeveloped countries. Socialism believes the government needs to intervene to make sure no feudalism or unjust land ownership systems are being enforced. For many years, Third World countries were being exploited by the British. Many of these countries were rich in natural resources, but were unable to make a profit off of it. Instead, the British were living in these countries, owning most of the land, running the laws and government, and making most of the profits from these natural resources. In the case of Egypt, the British took advantage of the Egyptians through Feudalism. Feudalism is a form of colonialism that asserts control over a previously independent region. Under Feudalism, most of the land was owned by wealthy, British landlords. Two percent of the people owned seventy five percent of the land. The rest of the population worked on the land as surfs. Feudalism in Egypt also practiced the Capitulation System. This system exempted non-Egyptians from the Egyptian law. This meant that if a non-Egyptian killed an Egyptian they would not be arrested or held accountable. Feudalism allowed the British to exploit the Egyptian's. Because of Feudalism, the Egyptians lost their culture and their history. Since Third World countr... ...f frowning from other countries when it comes to socialism, people should realize the reason why the Third World adopted this system. For so many years, Third World countries were exploited under colonialism by the Europeans. Third world countries, not only lost most of their natural resources, but they also lost their identity, culture, and civilization. Since these countries were exploited so much under capitalistic systems, it is no wonder that they turn to socialism. Socialism offers Third World countries an opportunity to change their economy around. It allows the poor to have chances that they never had before. So even though it is easy to sometimes frown upon Third World socialism, people should realize that socialism has provided small stepping stones towards abolishing systems of exploitation. It has also helped these countries to progress towards freedom.

Saturday, January 11, 2020

Environment of Firms Essay

Environment of Firms Introduction Business environment consist of all those factors that have a bearing on the business. The term â€Å"business environment† implies those external forces, factors and institutions that are beyond the control of individual business organizations and their management and affect the business enterprise. These forces are customer, creditors, competitors, government, socio-cultural organizations, political parties national and international organizations etc. some of those forces affect the business directly which some others have indirect effect on the business. Types of Environment 1Internal Environment The internal environment is the environment that has a direct impact on the business. Here there are some internal factors which are generally controllable because the company has control over these factors. It can alter or modify such factors as its personnel, physical facilities, and organization and functional means, like marketing, to suit the environment. A) VALUE SYSTEM The value system of the founders and those at the helm of affairs has important bearing on the choice of business, the mission and the objectives of the organization, business policies and practices. B) MISSION,VISION AND OBJECTIVES Vision means the ability to think about the future with imagination and wisdom. Vision is an important factor in achieving the objectives of the organization. The mission is the medium through which the objectives are achieved. C) Organizational Structure It includes the values and expectations of your firm’s stakeholders; its mission, goals and objectives; and its resources. These factors combined  determine what your organization is trying to accomplish and how successful it is likely to be. 5 basic parts of organization: Operating core, Strategic Apex, Middle line, Technostructure, and Support staff basic organization structure: a) Functional b) Divisional c) Hierarchical d) Line and Staff Structuree) Task Force The Need for Organizational Structure Organizations needs structuring so that lines of authority along with individual duties and responsibilities can be understood by every company member. f) Matrix Structure TRENDS IN ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES The growth in retailing, both on-site and off-site, has required merchants to readdress their tables of organization so that they will better serve the needs of their customers and make their companies more profitable. Some of today’s trends in organizational structuring for the fashion-retailing arena are described in this section. Restructuring to Accommodate Multichannel Expansion When department stores in particular expanded their catalog operations, many initially opted to make this division part of their brick-and-mortar operations. Similarly, when retailers saw that the Internet had the potential to increase revenues, they changed their organizational structure to reflect this and to make the overall operation function more efficiently. Today, the trend is for the major multichannel retailers to adjust and expand their tables of organization and separate the three functions into separate channels. Macy’s, for example, is one of the giants in the industry  that has changed to that format. Consolidation of Divisions The acquisition of department stores by major retail groups has become a dominant trend. May Department Stores and Federated Department Stores, for example, are two companies that have expanded their operations by purchasing other retail companies. In their pursuit of maximizing profits, these groups have, in many cases, decided to merge the new acquisitions into some of their own stores. May, for example, purchased sixteen Wanamaker’s stores and three Woodward & Lothrop stores and merged some into their Hecht’s division and some into the Lord & Taylor group. Through this practice, fewer buyers and merchandisers were needed as were other executives who previously worked exclusively for one store. As this acquisition trend continues, this staff consolidation is likely to continue as well. Decentralization Much of the growth in large-scale retailing has come about by expansion into new trading areas. Although centralization was once the forte of the chain organization, this expansion has necessitated some decentralization of functions. Merchandise distribution, for example, has now been decentralized to include regional operations. When stores were so far from the single distribution center, the time it took for merchandise to reach many of the units was both inefficient and costly. SMALL STORE APPLICATIONS The manner in which small stores are organized is unlikely to change, because these operations require few employees to run them. The key roles are usually performed by the owner or partners with the remainder of the functions such as selling and stock keeping left to the sales associates. When there isn’t a store manager on site, as is often the case, a particular salesperson should be designated to take charge and assign tasks such as handling temporary changes in sales associates’ hours. When outside tasks, such as advertising and visual merchandising, are required, outside agencies should be hired to take care of them. The need for in-house specialists to perform these tasks is limited and is too costly for small businesses to afford. Strengths and Weaknesses Strength is any attribute or ability of the organization that may help it in accomplishing its mission and in fulfilling its vision Weakness is any attribute or ability of the organization that may hinder it in accomplishing its mission and in fulfilling its vision †¢For example factors relating to products, pricing, costs, profitability, performance, quality, people, skills, adaptability, brands, services, reputation, processes, infrastructures, etc †¢Factors tend to be in the present Starbucks SWOT analysis 2013 Strengths 1.Sound financial records 2.No. 1 brand in coffeehouse segment valued at $4 billion 3.Starbucks experience 4.Largest coffeehouse chain in the world 5.Employee management Weaknesses 1.Coffee beans price is the major influence over firm’s profits 2.Product pricing 3.Negative publicity Opportunities 1.Extend supplier range 2.Expansion to emerging economies 3.Increase product offerings 4.Expansion of retail operations Threats 1.Rising prices of coffee beans and dairy products 2.Trademark infringements 3.Increased competition from local cafes and specialization of other coffeehouse chains 4.Saturated markets in the developed economies 5.Supply disruptions 2External Environment It refers to the environment that has an indirect influence on the business. The factors are uncontrollable by the business. Two types of external environment: Micro Environment The micro environment is also known as the task environment and operating environment because the micro environmental forces have a direct bearing on the operations of the firm. a) Suppliers An important force in the micro environment of a company is the suppliers, i.e., those who supply the inputs like raw materials and components to the company. b) Customer The major task of a business is to create and sustain customers. A business exists only because of its customers. c) Marketing Intermediaries The marketing intermediaries include middlemen such as agents and merchants that help the company find customers or close sales with them. d) Financers The financers are also important factors of internal environment. e) Public Public can be said as any group that has an actual or potential interest in or on an organization’s ability to achieve its interest. Public include media and citizens. Macro Environment Macro environment is also known as General environment and remote environment. Macro factors are generally more uncontrollable than micro environment factors. When the macro factors become uncontrollable, the success of company depends upon its adaptability to the environment. a) Economic Environment Economic environment refers to the aggregate of the nature of economic system of the country, business cycles, the socio-economic infrastructure etc. b) Social Environment The social dimension or environment of a nation determines the value system of the society which, in turn affects the functioning of the business. Sociological factors such as costs structure, customs and conventions, mobility of labor etc. have far-reaching impact on the business. c) Political Environment The political environment of a country is influenced by the political organizations such as philosophy of political parties, ideology of government or party in power, nature and extent of bureaucracy influence of primary groups etc. d) Legal Environment Legal environment includes flexibility and adaptability of law and other legal rules governing the business. It may include the exact rulings and decision of the courts. e) Technical Environment The business in a country is greatly influenced by the technological development. The technology adopted by the industries determines the type and quality of goods and services to be produced and the type and quality of plant and equipment to be used. Financial System of the Country and Selected Items of Monetary & Fiscal Policies The structure of the Philippine Financial system is dominated by a banking system. Bangko Sentral is the official central bank in the Philippines. The structure of the financial system allows the option to take debts and buy bonds or stocks. There are many private banks present for this purpose. Financial Institutions are the intermediaries that mobilize savings and facilitate the allocations of funds in an efficient manner Fiscal policy refers to the â€Å"measures employed by governments to stabilize the economy, specifically by manipulating the levels and allocations of taxes and government expenditures. Fiscal measures are frequently used in tandem with monetary policy to achieve certain goals.† In the Philippines, this is characterized by continuous and increasing levels of debt and budget deficits, though there have been improvements in the last few years. The Philippine government’s main sources of revenue are taxes, with some non-tax revenue also being collected. To finance fiscal deficit and debt, the Philippines rely on both domestic and  external sources. External Sources of Financing are: 1 Program and Project Loans – the government offers project loans to external bodies and uses the proceeds to fund domestic projects like infrastructure, agriculture, and other government projects. 2 Credit Facility Loans 3 Zero-coupon Treasury Bills 4 Global Bonds 5 Foreign Currencies Domestic Sources of Financing are: 1 Treasury Bonds 2 Facility loans 3 Treasury Bills 4 Bond Exchanges 5 Promissory Notes 6 Term Deposits In 2010, the total outstanding debt of the Philippines reached Php4.718 trillion: Php2.718 trillion from outstanding domestic sources and Php2 trillion from foreign sources. According to the Department of Finance, the country has recently reduced dependency on external sources to minimize the risks caused by changes in the global exchange rates. Efforts to reduce national debt include increasing tax efforts and decreasing government spending. Monetary policy is the monitoring and control of money supply by a central bank, such as the Federal Reserve Board in the United States of America, and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in the Philippines. This is used by the government to be able to control inflation, and stabilize currency. Monetary Policy is considered to be one of the two ways that the government can influence the economy – the other one being Fiscal Policy (which makes use of government spending, and taxes). Monetary Policy is generally the process by which the central bank, or government controls the supply and availability of money, the cost of money, and the rate of interest. The Philippines’ inflation target is measured through the Consumer Price Index (CPI). For 2009, inflation target has been set to be 3.5 percent, having a 1% tolerance level, and 4.5 percent for 2010, also having  1% tolerance. Also, the Monetary Board of the Philippines announced a target of around 4 ±1 percent from 2012 to 2014. Opportunities and Threats Opportunities are any issue, event or trend that may help the organization in accomplishing its mission and in fulfilling its vision Threats are any issue, event or trend that may hinder the organization in accomplishing its mission and in fulfilling its vision †¢for example, factors relating to markets, audience, fashion, seasonality, trends, competition, economics, politics, society, culture, technology, environmental, media, law etc †¢factors tend to be in the future

Friday, January 3, 2020

Symptoms And Symptoms Of Schizophrenia - 1876 Words

â€Å"Schizophrenia is a psychotic disorder marked by severely impaired thinking, emotions, and behaviors† (Gulli, 2002). In 1908, a Swiss doctor named Eugen Bleuler first viewed and described the individualities of Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia comes from a pair of Greek words meaning â€Å"split mind†. If a person with Schizophrenia is left untreated they will begin to become a total recluse and will not be able to fulfill certain needs, such as personal hygiene (Gulli, 2002). According to the powerpoint used in class, schizophrenia has a prevalence rate of anywhere from 0.3%-0.7%. In order to diagnose Schizophrenia, a person must have two or more of the following symptoms for at least one month and the symptoms must be present for a substantial†¦show more content†¦While she has been put on medication to help control these hallucinations she still gets them regularly throughout the day. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the symptoms of schizophrenia can be divided into three separate categories including, positive, negative, and cognitive. Positive symptoms are not usually seen in healthy people and consist of psychotic behaviors. People with positive symptoms can suffer from hallucinations, delusions, dysfunctional ways of thinking, and or movement disorders. Some people with these symptoms even appear to lose touch with what is really reality. Negative symptoms are connected with disturbances to normal emotions and behaviors. Some of the symptoms include what the National Institute of Mental Health calls, â€Å"flat affect†, meaning a decrease in the expressions of emotions which would normally be seen in facial expressions or in a person’s tone of voice. Other symptoms include, a decrease in what are considered feelings of pressure in the everyday life, complications with starting or maintaining activities, and even decreased speech. Cognitive symptoms can be subtle for some patients, but for others the symptoms could be very sever and even cause changes in certain features of thinking or memory. The ability to comprehend information and make decisions can be impaired (National Institute of Mental Health, 2002). The person might