Ethics †Morality Essay

1. Definition of Ethics It studies how man ought to behave. Ethics is a thoughtful review of how to act in the best interest of patients and their family. It is also about making good choices based on beliefs and values regarding life, health, suffering and death. Relationship of Ethics in other branches of science: * Ethics and Logic- Studies the correct and organized thinking of a man. Focused foremost on demands of materials, nonhuman world, or world of â€Å"things† in one’s environment it is people-oriented * Ethics and Psychology- Both deals with the study of man and his behavior. Studies how man ought to behave. Concerned with man’s moral obligation or the result of his behavior. It studies the human behavior from the perspective of morality. * Ethics and Sociology- Sociology deals with the study of social order and human relations in a society. Sociology is related to Ethics because Ethics deals with the study of moral orders in a society. Importance of Ethics: Ethics form the base ground of values, which differ from one culture to another. Ethics was applied in health care system, since ancient Egyptian times. A physician has moral obligations towards his patient based on physician – patient’s relationship. The ethical principle of confidentiality confirms that patient can trust his health care provider not to disclose any information that the patient may have given in order to get cured. A current ethical issue in research involving human participant’s informed consent has prime importance. The subject and his guardian must have the capacity to understand the issue in question and the possible risks of treatment in the trial study. We need to do more to ensure that medical research practices are sound and ethical, and the goals of research should be secondary to the well being of the participants. The study of ethics and the study and practice of healthcare have not merged much in the past, but nevertheless ethical standards are essential to the practice of the health professions. Each professional discipline has its own code of conduct, guidelines for practice and philosophy of care to direct practice within its professional remit. There have been several international declarations of human rights within healthcare to protect patients from unethical practices that might nevertheless be portrayed to them as necessary evils in the course of scientific research and utilitarian principles – that is, the greater good. Despite the relative lack of moral philosophy and healthcare ethics in the curricula of healthcare professionals, it does not take long for anyone in clinical practice to face their first ethical dilemma about which they are called upon to make a judgment or have a view. In any healthcare system, whether organized and managed by the state or government or by the independent sector (private or non-governmental/voluntary) – or any mixture of these – moral issues will frequently be raised and should challenge the practitioner, teacher, manager or researcher. Establishing moral codes of practice between the various organizations mentioned above is important at the outset of any professional relationship or client encounter. For the practitioner the appropriate use of professional power, compared with the relative vulnerability of the lay client/patient during the first meeting, establishes the relationship for all future transactions between the two parties. In the context of progressive illness there are many occasions that will challenge this relationship as the illness trajectory takes its course. 2. Basic concepts in Ethics. Definition of Human Acts Human Acts (Actus Humani) refer to â€Å"actions that proceed from insight into the nature and purpose of one’s doing and from consent of free will†. Specifically, human acts are those actions done by a person in certain situations, which are essentially the result of his conscious knowledge, freedom and voluntariness, or consent. Hence, man performs these actions knowingly, freely, and voluntarily. Aspects of Human Acts * The Act Itself or the Object Of The Act. The act itself refers to the action that is done or performed by an agent, or simply, what the person does. This is the â€Å"substance of a moral act†, and here regarded as the basic factor of morality. More concretely, the object of the act is â€Å"that act effect which an action primarily and directly causes (finis operis). It is always necessary that the result of the act, independent of any circumstances or of the intention of the agent. † * The Motive or the Intention. The motive is the purpose that for the sake of which something is done. It is the reason behind our acting. It answers the question â€Å"why the person does what he does? †. Man normally performs an act as a means to achieve an end or goal, different from an act itself. And since the motive or intention is practically present in all human acts, it then becomes an important and integral part of morality. * The Circumstances. It refers to the various conditions outside of the act. They are not part and parcel of the act itself. Circumstances are conditions that influence, to a lesser or greater degree, the moral quality of the human act. The moral goodness or badness of an act is determined not only by the object or act itself, plus the motive or intention of the moral agent, but also on the circumstances or situation surrounding the performance of the action. Classification of Human Acts * Elicited Acts. These are actions performed by the will. (Wish, Intention, Consent, Election, Use) * Commanded acts. These are those acts done by man’s mental or bodily powers under the command of the will. (External and Internal Actions) Constituents of Human Acts * Knowledge. A human act as a deliberate act is a KNOWING ACT. No human act is possible without knowledge. * Freedom. The CAPACITY or POWER to choose between two or more courses of actions WITHOUT being forced to take one or the other by anything except our own will. * Voluntariness. A human act is a WILL- ACT. A voluntary act is different from what is merely WILLED and cannot be controlled by the will, as good or bad. Modifiers of Human Acts * Ignorance. It is the absence of necessary knowledge, which a person in a given situation, who is performing a certain act, ought to have. Ignorance therefore is a negation of knowledge. It can be classified as Vincible or Invincible Ignorance. * Passion or Concupiscence. It is here understood as a strong or powerful feeling or emotion. It refers more specifically to those bodily appetites or tendencies as experienced and expressed in such feelings as fear, love, hatred, despair, horror, sadness, anger, grief and the like. Passions are either classified as Antecedent or Consequent. * Fear. It is defined as the disturbance of the mind of a person who is confronted by an impending danger or harm to himself or loved ones. Fear may be considered a passion, which arises as an impulsive movement of avoidance of a threatening evil, ordinarily accompanied by bodily services. * Violence. It is generally referred to any physical force exerted on a person by another free agent for the purpose of compelling the said person to act against his will. * Habit. It is a constant and easy way of doing things acquired by the repetition of the same act. Habit is a lasting readiness and facility, born of frequently repeated acts, for acting in certain manner. Definition of Morality Ethics and morality are two words, which are oftentimes used interchangeably, not just in ordinary discourse and in popular media but also in academic discussions. Etymologically, the word â€Å"ethics† is derived from the Greek word â€Å"ethos†, which can be roughly translated in English as custom or a particular way and manner of acting and behaving. The Latin equivalent for custom is â€Å"mos† or â€Å"mores†. It is from this root word that the term â€Å"moral† or â€Å"morality† is derived. The two terms, ethics and morality, in this sense, therefore, have literally the same meaning. That is why ethics is usually taken synonymous with morality. Also because of this, ethics is also called morality, or more precisely, the other name of ethics is morality. Norms of Morality The general way in which a given society or group operates is largely determined by societal norms of morality. These norms are composed of the rules by which people are supposed to operate within that society, and these rules can be explicit or implicit. According to the definition of societal norms of morality, they are subject to change from society to society and age to age. If a particular social norm becomes unpopular, it ceases to be a social norm. There are, of course, some societal norms that are viewed with differing perspectives even within a society. Because of this, any given society can be broken down into further subgroups that share a more common set of societal norms. This process can, in theory, continue all the way to the individual level, at which point it ceases due to the obvious need for more than one person to constitute a group. Understanding and adhering to social norms begins at birth, and most of these social norms are so ingrained within an individual that it is difficult to see that they exist. Formal social norms are quite easy to spot, of course, because they are recorded in some way and require a specific punishment if they are not followed. Informal social norms make up the vast majority of social norms, however, and are much easier to miss. They take the form of folkways, which are rather informal norms that are ordinarily followed, but do not carry great consequences when broken, and mores, which are also informal, but carry great consequences when broken. The development of social norms is inevitable, and the pressure to conform to them is great. There are occasions upon which the larger group conforms to the norms of the individual or a small group, but it is far more likely that the individual or small group will conform to the norms of those in the majority. It is important to be aware of social norms so that the actions an individual can determine which social norms are worthy of challenging and which serve a useful purpose. Many of these social norms will not ever be noticed because they are a core part of each person, but it is still useful to reflect upon those which can be noticed. Determinants of Morality The factors in human conduct that determine whether it is good or bad. There are three such determinants of morality, namely the object, the end, and the circumstances. By object is meant what the free will chooses to do–in thought, word, or deed-or chooses not to do. Be end is meant the purpose for which the act is willed, which may be the act itself (as one of loving God) or some other purpose for which a person acts (as reading to learn). In either case, the end is the motive or the reason why an action is performed. By circumstances are meant all the elements that surround a human action and affect its morality without belonging to its essence. A convenient listing of these circumstances is to ask: who? Where? How? How much? By what means? How often? Some circumstances so affect the morality of an action as to change its species, as stealing a consecrated object becomes sacrilege and lying under oath is perjury. Other circumstances change the degree of goodness or badness of an act. In bad acts they are called aggravating circumstances, as the amount of money a person steals. To be morally good, a human act must agree with the norm of morality on all three counts: in its nature, its motive, and its circumstances. Departure from any of these makes the action morally wrong. Definition of Rights. Rights are legal, social, or ethical principles of freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people, according to some legal system, social convention, or ethical theory. Rights are of essential importance in such disciplines as law and ethics, especially theories of justice and deontology. Rights are often considered fundamental to civilization, being regarded as established pillars of society and culture and the history of social conflicts can be found in the history of each right and its development. According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, â€Å"rights structure the form of governments, the content of laws, and the shape of morality as it is currently perceived. † The connection between rights and struggle cannot be overstated — rights are not as much granted or endowed as they are fought for and claimed, and the essence of struggles past and ancient are encoded in the spirit of current concepts of rights and their modern formulations. Definition of Duties. A duty to use care toward others that would be exercised by an ordinarily reasonable and prudent person in order to protect them from unnecessary risk of harm in a typical medical malpractice lawsuit, the plaintiff has the burden of proof to show that the physician had a legal duty of care to the patient, that the physician breached that duty, and that the breach caused injury to the plaintiff. Divisions of Duties An appropriate division of duties is the first basic principle of internal control. Remember, the basic point is that no single person should handle a transaction from beginning to end. The primary reason is to prevent an individual from having enough control over a transaction to where errors and/or irregularities can occur and go undetected for extended periods of time. An appropriate division of duties should also produce warning signals when errors and /or irregularities do occur. It is important to keep in mind that a good division of duties does not guarantee that things will operate, as they should. This is because two or more people can be involved in wrongdoing (i. e. collusion). Unannounced rotation of job duties and surprise audits can help reduce the chances of collusion. 3. Disablement Terminologies Disability * Inability to function normally, physically or mentally; incapacity. * Inability to pursue an occupation because of physical or mental impairment * The term â€Å"disability† summarizes a great number of different functional limitations occurring in any population in any country, of the world. People may be disabled by physical, intellectual or sensory impairment, medical conditions or mental illness. Such impairments, conditions or illnesses may be permanent or transitory in nature. Functional Limitation * Any health problem that prevents a person from completing a range of tasks, whether simple or complex. Handicap * A disadvantage for the given individual resulting from impairment or a disability that limits or prevents the fulfillment of a task that is normal in that individual. * A disadvantage that makes achievement unusually difficult. * The term â€Å"handicap† means the loss or limitation of opportunities to take part in the life of the community on an equal level with others. It describes the encounter between the person with a disability and the environment. The purpose of this term is to emphasize the focus on the shortcomings in the environment and in many organized activities in society, for example, information, communication and education, which prevent persons with disabilities from participating on equal terms. Impairment (Indirect and Composite) * To cause to diminish, as in strength, value, or quality: an injury that impaired my hearing a severe storm impairing communications. * Any abnormality of, partial or complete loss of, or loss of the function of, a body part, organ, or system. * An injury, illness, or congenital condition that causes or is likely to cause a loss or difference of physiological or psychological function.

Hotels and the Environment

HOTEL INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT By VASUNDHARA TANWAR LITERATURE REVIEW When we talk of hotels we never think that something like that could have an impact on the environment and people would spend millions of rupees and infinite number of hours to deal with this so called impact. However this is absolutely the case. The seemingly small problem is literally taking the world by storm. So much so that national governments, hotels and even the UN are taking steps in order to find solutions to this problem.Extensive research has been done in the recent years by economists and scientists etc to come up with the most sustainable ways to run hotels since the degradation of the environment is a major concern worldwide. Papers like â€Å"An analysis of environmental management, organizational context and performance of Spanish hotels† by M. J. Alvarez which addresses the factors that determine the deployment of environmental management practices and its effects on firms’ finan cial performance have been published.Results find support for the notion that age of facilities, size, chain affiliation, stakeholder environmental pressures, and their use of operations management techniques exert a lasting influence on the degree of implementation of environmental management practices by hotel firms. Moreover, findings show a positive relationship between environmental management practices and firms’ financial performance. Various other economists in different countries have drawn similar conclusions. The United Nations environment programme also published a guide â€Å"how the hotel and tourism industry can protect the ozone layer†.Environmental Good Practice in Hotels, published by UNEP IE and the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), presents 15 case studies selected from the IH&RA annual Environmental Award. The case studies document environmental programmes initiated by independent hotels and international chains across the globe – in Australia, Asia, Africa, Europe and North America. Action areas include environmental policy, design and construction, water, energy, waste, emissions, purchasing, staff training, and guest communication. The range of environmental initiatives featured is extensive, from simple recycling easures to water conservation using the latest technology, and from resorts built to strict environmental guidelines, to small hotels where the personal commitment of the general manager drives environmental activities. All case studies highlight the environmental and economic benefits gained by the actions taken. Also included are examples of environmental initiatives taken by national hotel associations, and a list of sources on environmental management publications and programmes in the hotel industry. These are just some examples of what is being said and done by organizations that observe what is going on.The actual participants, the hotels, are also not far behind. Many hotels hav e come up with various innovative ways to contribute to the betterment of the environment. Some of them have won various awards for this very purpose. Hotels now days strive to achieve the ECOTEL ® certification which is primarily the hallmark for environmentally sensitive hotels. One of the pioneers in such activities would be the orchid group of hotels. However, there are others that strive to achieve excellence in this cause and some have been quite successful too. INTRODUCTION Most countries rely heavily on the services sector for its growth.A major part of this sector is tourism. Tourism is one of the leading growth sectors of the economy and brings in billions of dollars for developing countries. When we talk about tourism we can hardly isolate it from talk of hotels. Hotels in a sense are synonymous with tourism and one cannot be talked about without reference to the other. The growth of the tourism industry has greatly increased the amount of stress on the environment. Now each individual has varying degrees of impact on the environment which largely depends on the personal choices made by individuals and is scattered world over. The same is true for hotels.They have an effect on the biodiversity right from its conception. This makes it imperative for us to study exactly how and where do hotels affect our environment, what can be done to reduce this impact and how aware is the current generation of hotels regarding this issue. Taking the example of India we see that as a result of increasing tourism in Goa, developers built several hotels. The hotels soon drew up to 66,000 gallons of water per day from wells and other local sources. Many of the wells and rivers the community had relied on went dry. This is a common problem in many areas where tourism runs into the limits of natural resources.With various such instances in several parts of the world today, ECOTOURISM—tourism that is nature-oriented and environmentally focused—is growing rapidly. This represents a growing market for environmentally friendly options in the tourism industry. Ecotourism aside, many in the hotel industry have recognized the negative impact their business activities have on the environment and have taken action to alleviate those impacts. Environmentally responsible business practices dovetail well with the newfound popularity of ecotourism. They harmonize tourism and environmental sustainability.This awareness has given rise to what can be called the â€Å"GREEN HOTELS†. The term â€Å"green hotels† describes hotels that strive to be more environment friendly through the efficient use of energy, water, and materials while providing quality services. Green hotels conserve and preserve by saving water, reducing energy use, and reducing solid waste. They have seen benefits such as reduced costs and liabilities, high return and low-risk investments, increased profits, and positive cash flows. Identifying these benefits and inc entives has allowed the popularity of green hotels to grow. Hotels are consistently becoming greener.The most costly and wasteful use of resources in hotels are usually in the consumption of nonrenewable energy, excessive water use, and the generation of waste. Through this paper we would try to point out the complex nature of the impact that hotels have on our environment and the steps that can be taken in order to minimize this impact as much as possible. We would also like to shed light on the work that has already been done in this field by various hotels and organizations. Many organizations have done commendable work in trying to reduce their ecological footprint and have, in some sense, become pioneers and inspiration for others.For instance, the orchid group of hotels is pretty known for the kind of work it does. IMPACTS Tourism has a fairly large environmental footprint. Hotels, being at the heart of it, shoulder the responsibility for this. The following table shows that h otels are responsible for 21% of total emissions generated by tourism industry. These just constitute one part of their impact which in reality has many layers and levels to it. The hotels have an impact on the biodiversity at each stage of its life cycle, right from planning to its closure.These impacts could be summarized as follows: At the planning stage, the most important issue in determining the level of impact that a hotel will have relates to choices about its location and design. Even the most sustainably operated hotel will have major impacts if it is built in a biodiversity-sensitive area. Choices about the materials that will be used to construct the hotel, where those materials will come from and the total physical footprint of the hotel will also influence how significant its impacts will be in the operational stage.At the construction stage, impact is determined by the size and location of the area cleared for development and where construction activities are taking p lace, the choice of construction methods, the sources and amount and type of materials, water and energy used to build the hotel, the location of temporary camps for construction workers, inadequate storage facilities for construction materials, the amount of construction waste that has to be disposed of, and other types of damage such as surface soil erosion or compaction caused by construction activities or disruption of natural water flows and drainage patterns.In the operational stage, a hotel's impact comes mainly from the energy, water, food and other resources that are consumed in running the hotel, by the solid and liquid wastes it produces, by the way its grounds are managed, and by the direct impacts of its guests. In addition, regular renovation and replacement of furniture, appliances and facilities can cause impacts through purchasing choices and increased waste generation.Using energy and water more efficiently, using organic and sustainably produced food, reducing, tr eating and disposing of waste appropriately, making sustainable purchasing decisions and managing gardens with natural-style plantings can all help a hotel to reduce its adverse impacts on biodiversity. Similarly, a hotel's relationship with host communities not only affects the sustainable operations of the hotel but also the use of environmental resources by communities themselves. At the closure stage, a hotel's impacts come from the disposal of materials removed from the hotel to refurbish it, convert it for other uses, or demolish it, nd from the work involved in these activities. It may be possible to reuse and recycle some materials, but there may also be some toxic materials, particularly from older buildings, which will require careful handling and management. A responsible hotel operator should also foresee supporting activities of ecological restoration as required. Responsible siting and design, the effective management of energy and water consumption, and the proper dis posal of wastewater and solid waste are important challenges for any hotel hoping to improve the sustainability of its operations.Now even though a hotel has environmental impact through different stages of its lifecycle the most easily cited and the longest running impact that they have is at their operational stage since once a hotel has been built, it stays in the business for very many years under normal circumstances. The day to day running has impacts which are a lot times ignored in the overall picture. This mostly becomes the case because individually, hotels do not have a significant impact on the environment. Collectively however, they can be very wasteful and use huge amount of resources.It has been estimated that seventy-five percent of hotels’ environmental impacts can be directly related to excessive consumption. This is wasteful in terms of resources and creates unnecessary operational costs. The three key areas of environmental impact are energy, water, and wa ste. Energy – Excessive energy use is extremely costly and with minor adjustments, it can lead to massive cost savings. According to Gossling et. al. (2005), â€Å"the average energy consumption per bed per night in hotels might be in the order of 130 Mega joules.Hotels generally use more energy per visitor that local residents, as they have energy intense facilities, such as bars, restaurants, and pools, and have more spacious rooms. Studies have determined that a hotel emits an average 20. 6 kg of carbon dioxide per night. Waste – A study conducted by Bohdanowicz(2005) also indentified that hotels are not only resource intensive and that waste generation is on e of the most visible effects on the environment. One estimate identified that â€Å"an average hotel produces in excess of one kilogram of waste per guest per day†.Approximately thirty percent of waste in hotels can be diverted through reuse and recycling. Water  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Tourists and residents alike require a clean and dependable supply of water for survival including drinking, cooking and cleansing. However, water is integral to the amenities usually expected by tourists, such as swimming pools, landscaped gardens, and golf courses. Water also supports industries such as agriculture that support the tourism industry (Pigram, 1995). Thus, tourists demand more water than local resident s on a per capita basis (Essex, Kent ; Newnham, 2004).It has been estimated by Salen (1995) that 15,000 cubic meters of water would typically supply 100 rural farmers for three years and 100 urban families for two years, yet only supply 100 luxury hotel guests for less than two months (Holden, 2000). In dryer regions, tourists' water consumption can amount to 440 liters a day per tourist, which is almost double the average amount of water used by residents in Spain (UNEP, 2008). In destinations that do not have the required infrastructure and systems to manage these impacts, severe degradation of the environment can occur.The following table summarizes the environmental impact of the day to day workings of any hotel Service/Activity| Description| Main Environmental Impacts| Administration| Hotel management Reception of clients| Energy, water and materials (mainly paper) Generation of waste and hazardous waste (toner cartridges)| Technical Services| Equipment for producing hot water and heating Air conditioning Lighting Swimming pools Green areas Mice and insect extermination Repairs and maintenance| Energy and water consumption Consumption and generation of a wide range of hazardous products Air and soil emissionsGeneration of waste water Pesticides use| Restaurant/bar| Breakfast, lunch, dinner Beverages and snacks| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Packaging waste Organic waste| Kitchen| Food conservation Food preparation Dish washing| Consumption of energy and water Packaging waste Oil waste Organic waste Generation of odours| Room Use| Use by guests Products fo r guests' use Housekeeping| Energy, water and raw materials consumption Use of hazardous products Generation of waste packaging Generation of waste water| Laundry| Washing and ironing of guest clothesWashing and ironing of hotel linens| Consumption of energy and water Use of hazardous cleaning products Generation of waste water  | (Graci, 2009) This gives us a clear enough picture of the ecological impacts of hotels. Thus it becomes imperative that each hotel recognizes them and takes initiative to curb these impacts. With the growth of the tourism sector all over the world and with more and more hotels coming up each day these small things become issues of epic proportions when looked at collectively. In a time when our environment is in a very fragile condition one can’t ignore such a situation.The sooner hotels realize this the better it would be. However, these issues were not even brought to light till very recently. The annual hospitality consultants’ conferenc e in 2007 did not even mention any of the environmental issues that plagued hotels in their top 10 problems of the industry. BEST PRACTICES There are many green practices that hotels can implement and they also help save unnecessary costs. There can be many ways in which a hotel can reduce its footprint. Some of them can be: * Not discharging waste in water bodies – prevents pollution. * Recycling Use of compact fluorescent lights – saves energy. * Reuse of linens – saves water, detergent, energy and greenhouse gases. * Low-flow shower systems – saves water and energy. * Local products – save transportation costs. * Installation of green roofs – saves energy. * Installation of solar heaters or other renewable energy source – saves energy. These points are just a brief outline to what can really be done in order to go green. The possibilities as such are endless. There are some more sophisticated and cost heavy methods that can also be undertaken. BENEFITS OF GOING GREENCost benefits Financial savings are one of the most significant factors that influence the implementation of environmental initiatives in a hotel. This is especially evident for hotel businesses that operate in a highly competitive market and where the cost of energy, water and waste disposal are high. Hotel operators that can maximize their efficiency and reduce waste will be more cost-effective than their competitors. Hotels also use large amounts of energy to keep guests cool in hot temperatures, and equally large amounts of energy to keep them warm during the winter.In some destinations, hotels place an additional, sometimes unsustainable demand on local water resources and generate large quantities of food and packaging waste. Despite the setup costs and the possible lengthy return on investment associated with environmental initiatives, the economic benefits usually outweigh the cost of implementation. Starting with projects that are less ca pital intensive – such as retrofitting light bulbs, energy metering, and training staff to be conscious of energy use – can lead to substantial cost savings. Competitive advantageGreen programs can provide a competitive advantage to leaders as long as green activities continue to be voluntary. Over time, however, green practices in the hospitality industry will become a baseline requirement, particularly as the cost of non-renewable energy continues to rise, regulatory pressure increases, and consumers become more demanding. Therefore, hotels with business models that revolve around green practices will have the strongest opportunity to achieve a competitive advantage by being ahead of the emerging sustainability curve. Employee retentionEmployees are identified as one of the greatest benefits of going green. Employees, like hotel guests, are increasingly sophisticated and â€Å"tuned† into current thinking in society and are far more likely to identify with an employer whose principles and practices are aligned with their values. Environmental programs have proved to be an effective means of generating enthusiasm and motivating staff to work as a team to achieve a common purpose. Many hotel companies use environmental programs as a staff incentive – the financial savings earned are translated into cash or other rewards such as in-house events or trips.Employee turnover rate in the hotel sector is relatively high therefore increasing the retention rate will also save the business money in training of new staff. Customer loyalty There has been a shift in the expectations and demands of consumers. The typical hotel guest of today is more sophisticated and to varying degrees is likely to be concerned about environmental issues such as recycling bottles, cans and paper at home as well as making greener lifestyle choices, such as organic food or fuel-efficient vehicles.Many guests however, make their decision to stay at a hotel facility based on location, amenities, and service. The implementation of environmental initiatives may play a smaller role in a guest's choice of a property. The influence from customers however occurs when their level of awareness increases and they come to expect environmental practices such as recycling. Despite first-time guests basing their decisions on location, amenities and service, customer loyalty may increase once they have experienced a hotel which has demonstrated a level of environmental commitment.Regulatory compliance Hotels must anticipate future regulatory changes and implement initiatives to mitigate the possible costly effects of emerging regulation. Savvy businesses are aware that regulations do not have to be a negative restraint on their daily operations – in fact, they can offer opportunities to gain an advantage over competitors. Some environmental regulations are good for economic competition as they stimulate innovation that can offset the cost of complianc e. By implementing measures in the face of societal and egulatory pressures, unexpected, but substantial cost savings as well as potential new areas of profit may be found. The hotel industry worldwide is increasingly being regulated for waste, water, energy use and greenhouse gas emission. Being aware of pending rule changes will allow you to adopt measures in advance, and avoid potentially higher future costs which may be associated with compliance. Risk management Risk minimization is now viewed as increasingly intertwined with good corporate social responsibility and governance.Managing risk is as much about minimizing the potential damage from decisions and actions taken from within a company as it is about managing external exposure. Traditionally, a hotel's risk management strategy has been focused on health and safety concerns around food and water, pest infestation, fire or water damage, outbreaks of disease, and guest security and safety. In recent years however, environme ntal and social issues are emerging as a key risk issue for the lodging sector. Environmental risks include: * Water and land contamination. * Air and noise pollution. Supply chain environmental practices. * Waste management. Environmental risks also have an impact on the cost of capital for businesses of various types and sizes, and may affect the value of a company over the long term. In addition, the investment community is increasingly regarding excellence in environmental management and performance as an indication of the quality and aptitude of management in general. Some insurance companies and lenders are beginning to selectively adjust their rates based on environmental criteria stipulated by ethical funds.Companies that integrate the environment into their business decisions and reduce their environmental risk and potential liabilities are in a better position to secure investment and reduce their financial and reputational market exposure (Graci and Dodds, 2009). Cause it 's the right thing to do! Beyond regulation and compliance, many environmental and social initiatives are voluntary. Whether driven by cost savings or a principled strategy, the hotel industry is recognizing the environment, the community and their human capital as a valuable resource to be protected.Long-term business sustainability will depend on this. Many hotels have implemented social initiatives and corporate social responsibility (CSR) into their regular day-to-day practices. Corporate social responsibility in the hotel industry ideally exists in human resources management, the local community, and through promoting and practicing environmental initiatives and is heavily influenced by internal and external forces. CSR has been widely expanding throughout the hotel industry, mainly to prove that corporate unethical behavior is no longer a problem.Thus, hotels are embarking on being ethical through social initiatives by protecting and supporting communities, their human resourc es, and by implementing environmental initiatives. Many international and local hotels are becoming involved in corporate social responsibility in order to extend their brand knowledge to different types of audiences, to gain employee retention and improved competitive advantage, and lastly because it is â€Å"the right thing to do†. Sixty-five percent of the top 100 companies in the world employ some sort of corporate social responsibility statement featured on their websites.Several multinational companies have gained a very negative brand reputation based on their past unethical practices. Larger companies have been criticized as being the main culprit in releasing excess greenhouse emissions, climate change, environmental devastation, and unfair treatment of employees. Due to such criticisms and negative publicity, many businesses have increased the focus on corporate social responsibility. HIGH ACHIEVERS When it comes to hotels that are environmentally sustainable the fi rst name that comes to mind is the Orchid group of hotels.The Orchid  became Asia's first Five Star hotel to win the ECOTEL ® certification shortly after opening in May of 1997 and today (January 2011) is the only Hotel in the World to win over  80  international / national awards in 13 years from inception. Under the management of  The Orchid  Owner Vithal Kamat, the hotel has earned more environmental accolades than any other hotel in the world. With this latest achievement,  The Orchid  becomes one of only six hotels in the world to maintain top-level, â€Å"five-globe,† ECOTEL ®-Certification. Though orchid group is a pioneer in environmentally friendly hotels, others ave also done substantial work. The fern group of hotels in India being one of them. The Uppal in New Delhi, Seasons in Pune etc are other ecotel hotels. Various international hotels are also actively involved in such projects that put environmental sustainability at its fore. In conclusion it can be said that though environmental sustainability is big problem that is plaguing the hospitality industry, it’s still not too late to correct the situation. References * www. uneptie. org * http://www. concepthospitality. com * Accor 2010, ‘Child Protection'.Retrieved February 04, 2010 from  http://www. accor. com/en/sustainable-development/ego-priorities/child-protection. html * Alexander, S 2002, Green Hotels: Opportunities and Resources for Success. Portland: Zero Waste Alliance. * Bohdanowicz, P 2005, ‘European Hoteliers' Environmental Attitudes: Greening the Business, Cornell Hotel and Restaurant Administration Quarterly, vol. 46, no. 2, pp. 188-204. * Bohdanowicz, P 2006, ‘Environmental Awareness and Initiatives in the Swedish and Polish Hotel Industries – Survey Results' International Journal of Hospitality Management, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 662-668. * Bohdanowicz, P. and Zientara, P. 2008, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility in Hospit ality: Issues and Implications. A Case Study of Scandic' Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, vol. 8, no. 4, pp. 271-293. * Brebbia, C. A. and Pineda, F. D. 2004, Sustainable Tourism. WIT Press, Boston. * Claver- Cortes, E. , Molina-Azorin, J. F. Pereira-Moliner, J. , Lopez-Gamero, M. D. 2007, ‘Environmental Strategies and Their Impact on Hotel Performance' Journal of Sustainable Tourism. , vol. 15, no. 6, pp. 663-679. * Dodds, R. 005, Barriers to the Implementation of Sustainable Tourism Policy in Destinations. University of Surrey School of Management, Surrey. * Essex, S. , Kent, M. , ; Newnham, R. 2004, ‘Tourism development in Mallorca: Is water supply a constraint? ‘ Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol 12, no. 1, pp. 4-28. * Fairmont Hotel and Resorts 2001, The Green Partnership Guide. A Practical Guide to Greening your Hotel, 2nd edition, Toronto * Fairmont Hotels and Resorts 2008, Corporate Responsibility. Retrieved February 04, 2010, fromhttp://w ww. fairmont. com/EN_FA/AboutFairmont/enviroment/Awards/CorporateEn

Financial Reporting Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Financial Reporting - Assignment Example The assets listed in Coca-Cola Company’s balance sheet are classified into two main categories, current and other assets. Current assets are divided into two sections, with the first one being cash and cash equivalents and short term investments (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). All the other assets that do not make up part of current assets are the long-term assets that are listed individually. In a balance sheet, cash equivalents always appear with cash as the first of current assets. From research, it is noted that cash equivalents are non-cash assets that are highly liquid or can be converted into cash immediately. This means that cash equivalents are assets that can be readily sold or disposed of and converted into cash for immediate use. Just like cash, cash equivalents are usually low risk and return assets, meaning that their face value rarely changes much. From the annual report for The Coca-Cola Company, it can be seen that the total value for the total current liabilit ies for 2012 was $27,821,000,000 while the total value for the total current liabilities for 2011 was $24,283,000,000 (The Coca-Cola Company, 2013). It should be noted that 2012 was the most recent annual reporting period while 2011 was the previous annual reporting period for The Coca-Cola Company. ... The creditors expect to be paid at a future date, so they review the financial statements to see if the company will be able to pay its debts in time. The creditors will look at the balance sheet to determine if the company has enough current assets to pay immediate debts and if the company’s debts can be covered by the assets that it owns. The creditors will also look at the annual reports to assess the liquidity of the company should it need to pay its debts immediately. Conversely, investors are the people who own the company, mostly in the form of shareholding. In any investment, the investors look to earn a return on their investment and get a return for their investment. This means that information contained in the balance sheet and income statements is important to the investors. The investors will look at dividends paid out to determine if they will earn a return on their investment, that is whether they will make a profit by investing in the company. The investors wil l also want to be sure that their original investment is paid back, so they look at the current assets and current liabilities to know if they will get paid the value of their investment. Finally, the employees of the company are assumed to want to work for the company for as long as possible. This means that the employees of the company expect the company to be a going concern, meaning that the company is expected to have sound performance and look to be profitable. To determine this, the employees of the company will look at the financial information presented in the balance sheet and income statements to determine if the company is growing or failing.

Emergency Response to Nuclear Disasters Research Proposal

Emergency Response to Nuclear Disasters - Research Proposal Example Nearly three million people live within 10 miles (16 kilometers) of an operating nuclear power plant.1 Nuclear power plants use the heat generated from nuclear fission in a contained environment to convert water to steam, which powers generators to produce electricity, also producing by-products in the wake of this procedure like, radiation and release radioactive particles into the air which can be harmful to people, animals, crops, and the environment overall. Mutation of humans and animals, deaths of plants and infection of various species resulting in an entire food chain getting irrevocably poisoned, severely erosive acid rain, contamination of the water cycle and air as radioactive particles diffuse into the surrounding regions are some of the many devastating effects that disrupt the ecosystem of our planet. Although the construction and operation of nuclear power plants are closely monitored and regulated by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), accidents at these plants are possible due to flaws in the design of the power plant, human error of the operators and electrical engineers involved etc. The worrying thing about these power stations is that when something goes wrong due to human error or a fault not fixed, an irreversibly massive accident can occur destroying many kilometers of area in its vicinity, contaminating it almost forever. The magnitude of its effects is determined by the amount of radiation released from the explosion, wind direction and speed, and weather condition. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki (1945) nuclear bombings, two of the most famous nuclear accidents at these power stations occurred at the Chernobyl reactor 4 (Ukraine - 1986) in the former Soviet Union and the Three Mile Island (US - 1979) reactor 2 in the United States. Categorized as the most intense nuclear disaster ever, the Chernobyl nuclear explosion (1986) destroyed the unit in its entirety and released an incredible amount of radiated fallout, into the environment resulting in about 600000 deaths due to radiation exposure as revealed by IAEA and WHO studies with 56 direct deaths off the explosion. The 4000 cancer deaths due to exposure to nuclear carcinogens are just a meager part of the expected 100000 fatalities. The after effects of this nuclear power plant disaster were Nuclear rain in places like Ireland as the radioactive fallout traveled over an extensive geographical area spreading all through the Western Europe in just a span of 1 week resulting in contamination in large areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. Four square kilometers of pine land forests turned brown and died in addition to numerous animal deaths and the remaining badly poisoned with thyroid and reproductive problems, now known as the 'Red Forest'. However, the later g enerations did not suffer these problems. About 336000 people's evacuation, resettling due to this tragedy and the horrendous large scale loss of life and lifestyle pose nuclear power catastrophe as one of the most irreversibly destructive threats in this contemporary society of technological development where precautions and safety measures direly need to be adopted to avoid a bigger loss.The Kyshtym (1957) disaster in a Russian nuclear fuel reprocessing plant in Mayak, the Windscale fire (UK - 1957)

Organizational Systems and Style Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Organizational Systems and Style - Essay Example It was majorly used to focus on company improvement, expected future changes, procedures during acquisition or a merger of departments and basically how to go about the proposed plan to improve the company. It is based on seven elements that are grouped into two, the hard and soft elements. The hard elements include strategy, structure and systems while the soft elements include skills, stuff, shared values and style. Strategy refers to the plan used to create and maintain the lead over other competitor in the market while structure is simply how the framework of an organization works. The staffs are employees of the organization while the skills refer to the competences of the organization. It is worth noting that organizations use external factors to gauge their relevance and achievements while others use internal factors. Both of the approaches are important since they are supposed to be complementary for the organization to optimize its goals and targets (Alvesson, 2002). In othe r words, coming up with relevant strategies requires a dynamic and well informed team. This may not be effective if the organizational style used to implement these strategies is not supportive. The staffs also need to buy the vision and the goals of the organization so that they can accurately deliver. This can happen without a motivated workforce with includes good remunerations and strong values that govern these employees. Again the style here is of great importance if this is to be of ultimate gain to the organization. The values simply refer to the culture in the organization. In reference to Alvesson (2002), culture is a pattern of basic assumptions. Among the employees of every organization there are distinct ways of doing things. This is propagated through the ‘generational influence’ among the staff. When new staffs are hired, they have to learn these values subconsciously since that is the culture in the organization. We must ask ourselves this question. What will happen if the culture of the organization leads to stagnation or even hampering of its intended results? This calls for stuffs with a different approach. In that case we need staffs who can think outside beyond the challenges, i.e. individuals who can influence the culture so that it can lead to a goal oriented approach. Sometimes changing the culture is not hard in comparison with coming up of a procedure of changing it. The organizational system should be designed in a way that it leaves room for improvement to the shared value if need be. Strict and stubborn systems can easily lock out new and fresh ideas leading to stagnation or deteriorating of an organization. This, however, calls for caution since the shared values upon which the organization was founded should never be entirely lost unless the organization wants to redefine itself. The staffs are very instrumental in propagating the goals of an organization. Arguably, the staffs are the image of an organization. When o ne talks about the culture, it mainly refers to the staffs, and, more importantly, how they implement the shared values of an organization. This touches on the leadership too. The system used becomes important. The system manages the culture of an organization in most cases (Alvesson, 2002). This author argues that the flow of ideas should be clear swift and effective. It is tragic to have a staff that is not goal oriented. This is because it reduces the impact of the organization. There are few reasons why this can happen when the staff is out of

Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell Essay

Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell - Essay Example The paper "Cooperation Between HR And CSR In Qatar Shell" examines the actual relationship that exists between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and human resource management of Qatar Shell. Shell is a global energy company that is amongst the top five petrochemical companies around the world. Shell has over 100,000 employees who are located in over 90 countries around the world. Shell prides itself on her ability to meet the world's growing energy demands in environmentally and socially responsible ways. Shell is currently undertaking a joint project with Qatargas and Qatar Petroleum. This has led to the largest project ever launched in the petroleum sector in Qatar, which is one of the world's largest oil producing countries. However, Shell has a lot of issues with its reputation in different parts of the world. Shell has reputational issues in nations like Nigeria where it has been fingered for being irresponsible environmentally and condoning with corrupt Nigerian governments. This spate of scandals has linked Shell with the various environmental hazards that have hit the petroleum-rich areas of Nigeria. Also, with the fact that Shell has been implicated for supporting some of Nigeria's military governments who were indicted for various human rights abuses places the company's reputation in perpetual doubts. Shell is presenting itself as a socially and environmentally responsible organization. However, some incidents in its past seem to have dented the public image of the company.

A portfolio about Mary Walker Phillips(an artist), and discussing the Essay

A portfolio about Mary Walker Phillips(an artist), and discussing the meaning of the work, it's form, its context, its qualities - Essay Example Born in 1923 in Fresno, Phillips began as a traditional knitter in her childhood. But after high school, she got into studying design, and then learned weaving under the guidance of Marianne Strengell and Lola Saarinen at the Cranbrook Academy of Art situated in Michigan. Phillips followed that up with a stint as a weaver under designer Dorothy Liebes in San Francisco, which helped her discover her own potential as a textile designer. Her renown as a textile artist grew as she opened her studio in Fresno, and she had the privilege of working on the textiles for the much-renowned Arizona home of famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Phillips eventually finished her graduation by the year 1960, and it took her another three years to do a masters in fine arts, specializing in innovative textiles. But the turning point in her career came from the suggestion of a famous fabric designer and friend Jack Lenor Larsen, who urged her towards artistic expression through knitting. Phillips took up her old hobby once more, but this time she had qualifications in fine arts and innovative textiles, and her perspective had evolved from following pre-existing knitting patterns towards contemporary expression. Philips broke all knitting conventions in order to express herself, using un

Social Darwinism Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Social Darwinism - Essay Example â€Å"Social Darwinism† is a term used to refer to the application of ideas and concepts applied to the social world which are allegedly derived from Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution (Leonard, 2009). There is much controversy surrounding Social Darwinism, its historical significance, its usage and applicability and most importantly its association with some of the known social scientist in history such as Darwin and Spencer. The debate around the definition of the term has in most cases revolved around whether or not Social Darwinism came out of the works of Darwin and other theorists that wrote about the role of biology to explain the social hierarchies present during that era, as Europe, America and other continents witnessed the aftermath of industrialization. There are basically two types of approaches to the definition of the term that have been put forward to explain the different approaches theorists have taken in order to explain the term (Crook, 1996). The â€Å"generalist† approach basically refers to Social Darwinism as the analysis of social inequality by the help of evolutionary and developmental ideas using Darwinian terminologies such as â€Å"survival of the fittest† but not explicitly relying on the original works of Darwin (Weiler). The second type known as the â€Å"restrictionist† approach in contrast, argues that a mere use of phrases that represent the work of a theorist such as â€Å"survival of fittest† does not define the theorist as a Social Darwinist (Weiler). According to the broad definition, the theory came to denote racism, imperialism and capitalism during what came to be known as the Gilded Age where, whilst the poor suffered the consequences of Industrialization in the American society, those that owned the factories and benefited from the wealth they were acquiring, although fewer in number, used Social Darwinism to justify why such notions as â€Å"survival of the fittest† put forward by Darwin and Spencer made it logical for only those that were biologically gifted or a so called â€Å"superior race† to be market leaders and worthy of acquiring the most wealth and superior positions in politics (Hodgson 2004). There is also debate on when the term was first used and while the works of theorists like Hofstadter gave a strict definition of who the Social Darwinist are, others such as Hodgson have argued that these theorists present as facts what are basically just labels (Hodgson 2004). The history of the term is a controversial issue. While some say that the term was first used in the late 1800s and was associated with known social theorists like Spencer and Sumner (Wieler), for example Spencer’s Synthetic Philosophy is one of the first pieces of literature where the term can be traced (Hodgson 2004), others argue that Spencer never used the term Social Darwinism and that he is deemed one of the founders of the theory only based on assoc iations made between the theory and Spencer’s work (Hodgson, 2004). This paper will aim to present a critique of the theory â€Å"Social Darwinism† as presented in the book â€Å"Social Darwinism in American Thought† by Hofstadter that proved to be a very influential piece on the theory. In order to do so I will look at the work of revisionists such as Hodgson and Leonard who

Budget Management Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Budget Management - Article Example s and challenges in the wake of the budget management realms would entirely focus on how well I shape up the different avenues of growth and development within the community college and how well my role has been defined as per the budget considerations. The benefits that would be gained out of the budgetary discussions are manifolds. The administration would know in an adequate manner where the finances are being spent and who is liable for these costs (Wiersma, 2011). The staff would know how much is being used for what activity or task. The faculty would know what to expect out of the entire budget allocation debates and what their share would be, and the institution would know what kind of attention it is being given at the hands of the stakeholders in the long range scheme of things. A greater role of success would therefore be achieved if my incorporation is made mandatory and this is what I will bank upon in the coming

Beverly Cleary Author Study Essay Example for Free

Beverly Cleary Author Study Essay Hi, my name is Beverly Cleary. I am an author of over thirty books for children and adults. I have written many award winning books. I worked as a librarian when I was younger. That’s where I got the idea to write about ordinary kids. I was born in McMinnville Oregon on April 12, 1916. My dad was in the war. When I was a child I was always around books. Soon me and my family moved to Portland. I attended grammar and high school there. I found myself in the low reading circle. When in third grade I was told by the public librarian â€Å"You should write a book.† I kept that in mind. When I was 34 I wrote my first book, Henry Huggins. The way I get the ideas for the books is from my own experiences like my childhood or other kids’ childhood. Maybe I would see an article in the newspaper or a magazine. Sometimes it would just seem to come out of thin air. Once two boys who didn’t know each other asked me to write a book about a child of divorce. That’s how I got Dear Mr. Henshaw, my Newberry winner. One street that most of my characters live on is Klickitat Street which is a real street in Portland. I have won many awards for my books. For example, Dear Mr. Henshaw won the Newberry Medal in 1984. Ramona and Her Father was made a Newberry Honor Book in 1978. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 was made a Newberry Honor Book in 1982. The Newberry award is one of the most prestigious awards given to authors for their contributions to literature for children. In 1984 the U.S. made me a nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen award. Two of my books are Henry Huggins and Ribsy. Some ways they are alike are that they have the same characters – Henry Huggins, Ribsy, Ramona, and Beezes. They both have a both have problems concerning animals and they take place on the same street. Some ways they are different are that they have different problems. In the book Henry Huggins, Henry has lots of small problems with his pets, which are not life and death situations. In the book Ribsy, Ribsy the dog has one big problem. He gets lost and he needs to figure out how to get back to his owner, Henry Huggins. This is a big problem for a dog because he doesn’t want to get hit by a car or get killed or hurt by other animals. My books are about ordinary kids and the things that happen to them. There’s usually a problem or two and the characters find interesting ways to solve them. I like to write about ordinary kids because it’s something kids can relate to and enjoy reading without thinking it’s a hassle. Kids tell me they like my stories. I hope you do too.

Shifting Paradigms In The Non Aligned Movement Politics Essay

Shifting Paradigms In The Non Aligned Movement Politics Essay The concept of Non Aligned Movement or NAM is not a doctrine or a dogma. It is a process. It is a way of looking at issues in a particular way. It is against hegemony, against arm-twisting by the rich and the powerful. Non-alignment  [1]  does not mean isolation or neutrality. It is an independent movement stressing that nations should follow their own policies without joining any of the power blocs (in the period when they had existed) and falling under their influence. A non-aligned nation judges each issue on its merits. In other words, non-alignment upholds the rights of all states to freedom and choice of action in the international field. One of the fundamental aspects of non-alignment is its antipathy to military alliances and opposition to any form of imperialism. The post Second World War period witnessed an era of awakening and rise of political and nationalist aspirations of subjugated people over the world. The centuries old phenomenon of colonialism started crumbling and finally gave way. Many new independent states came into existence in Asia and Africa after having thrown off the yoke of foreign domination. It was also a time when the cold war between the Soviet and the US blocs was getting intensified. The super powers tried to win over these newly independent countries to their respective blocs. But some of them abhorred the idea of submission to any of the super powers or for political inclination towards any of them. They wanted to pursue an independent foreign policy of their own rather than toeing the line of any power bloc. It was this strategy of not joining either of the two power blocs and following an independent foreign policy that came to be known as Non-alignment. The newly independent countries mostly in Asia and Africa had almost identical problems of economy, government, development, etc. and therefore they had many views in common on world affairs. These African and Asian countries thus sought to tackle their problems at a conference held at Bandung in Indonesia in 1955. Thirty Asian and African nations attended it. India, China and Indonesia played a leading role at this conference. Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru, the then prime minister of India, the then Chinese Prime Minister Chou-En-Lat and the then President Sukarno of Indonesia expressed complete identity of views. The impact of this conference was felt in the United Nations also. This was also the beginning of the Non-Aligned Movement. These Afro-Asian countries declared themselves neutralists. The epithet non-aligned was adopted at a subsequent conference held at Belgrade in 1961. SCOPE OF RESEARCH During the course of preparing the final submission, the student researcher has essentially tried in analyse the following primary research questions, namely: The extent to which the Non Aligned Movement has affected the world politics? Indias role concerning the Non Aligned Movement considering that it is one of the founding members and has recently emerged as a global economic superpower? The extent to which the current debate on the contemporaneous significance of Non Aligned Movement relevant? Measures can be taken to ensure that Non Aligned Movement emerges as a stronger force in current world politics? LIMITATION OF RESEARCH While trying to provide concrete answer to the research questions formulated above, the student researcher has intended to prepare this final research submission which is both explanatory and exploratory in scope. Also, the student researcher has intended to critically analyze the research question framed for the purpose of final research submission. In relation to the above, the student researcher has tried to present an overview of the Non Aligned Movement, historical evolution, its major contribution to global politics, pros and cons associated with the same, etc. through this final research submission. Also, the student researcher has tried to essentially compare Indias initiatives with that of the other countries of the world and examine the various measures adopted by them in strengthening the Non Aligned Movement. LIMITATION OF RESEARCH The student researcher submits that not much literature has been available on the same in the NUJS university library and other prominent libraries in Kolkata. Hence, the student researcher has relied on the electronic resources for completion of his final research submission. Also, this submission is, in no way, to be considered exhaustive and there shall be plenty of scope for further research. Having said this, the student researcher has tried, within his limited capabilities, to critically analyze the research questions framed for the purpose and present a value neutral submission. METHODOLOGY OF RESEARCH Since the present submission offered no scope for empirical research, the research methodology adopted by the student researcher was entirely doctrinal. The student researcher has analysed the research questions by making a value neutral study of the same. In doing the same, the student researcher has not let his own opinion influence the research questions or the research as a whole, to the maximum extent possible. NON ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT ITS ORIGINS, IDEOLOGY AND A LITTLE MORE Those who were not with us were against us. Stalin A country must lean to be on one side or the other and a third path does not exist. Chinese Communist Supremo Mao The term non-alignment has a specific meaning. Many Western scholars mean by non-alignment, neutrality or neutralism only; but that might not be a correct interpretation. Schwarzenberger  [2]  has suggested some related terms- isolationism, non-commitment, neutrality, neutralization, unilateralism and non involvement. Isolationism stands for policies of aloofness varying from the known isolation of the US before the First World War to postures of inoffensiveness in international affairs. Non commitment refers to politics of detachment for other powers in a triangular or multicorner relationship. Neutrality describes the political and legal status of a country at war, with respect to belligerents. Neutralization means a permanent neutral status of a particular state which it cannot give up under any circumstances, eg. Switzerland is a neutralized state. Unilateralism is identified with policies of calculated risks such as the destruction of own nuclear weapons at ones own instance . Non involvement means keeping away from the ideological struggle between the different super powers, though permitting a certain degree of flexibility when absolutely unavoidable. Non-alignment has a broader meaning than all the above mentioned terms and thus has a distinct character. It means a nation pursuing such a policy need not be neutral under all circumstances. Unlike neutrality, non alignment aims at keeping away but it keeps away not from a particular conflict or issue but from a persisting international tension like cold war. Since military alliances were an important aspect of cold war, non alignment naturally insisted on shunning from these alliances. It is, therefore, a foreign policy perspective that advocates freedom from commitment to any power bloc; it stresses on the independence of choice and action in external affairs. The policy of not aligning with any bloc, but at the same time being friendly to everyone, so that it might be feasible to have a moderating impact on international relations, came to be popularly known as non-alignment. It would enable a nation to judge each issue on merit and decide upon its course independently without be ing influenced by any commitment or bias. Non-alignment is neither a passive nor a negative policy. In so far as the negative appearance of the term non-alignment is concerned, it should be understood in the foreground of the ways of contemplating of Indian people who have expressed many positive and constructive ideas through negative expressions, such as Ahimsa and Apramad. As a positive concept it has several dimensions. It is natural that non-alignment should oppose certain values and at the same time promote some others which are in harmony with its basic orientation. The chief goals of the non-aligned movement in the fifties and the sixties were decolonization and the preservation of international peace. Of late, it has been contributing positively for attaining of a new international economic order and a new information order based on equity, justice, freedom and eradication of exploitation and dominance. It is positive since it strives for certain goals and values. As an activist and dynamic policy, it takes specific sides on the merits of each case. This implies issue bound tilts in non alignment are considered legitimate and the concept, therefore, does not imply equidistance from any of the existing superpowers. But at the same time, it also rejects the idea of natural allies recently coined to justify certain alliances of the non aligned states with certain powers. It is thus an active policy as it envisages an active role for the non aligned countries in the world affairs. For the sake of a more efficient and global lobbying power, 29 independent African and Asian countries met in the Indonesian city of Bandung between 18 and 24 April, 1955 with the aim of elaborating upon the principles of peaceful co-existence and creating the Dasa Sila Bandung (Bandungs Ten Principles).  [3]  None of them wanted to join any of the blocs, therefore, they chose non-alignment, which later on, first in Cairo, June 1961, then, in Belgrade, September 1961, was extended and formalised in the form of NAM. To quote Calvocoressi: The principal achievements of the Bandung Conference were that they had met and got to know one another (most of them were new to international politics); that they had laid the foundations for joint action at the United Nation and, through solidarity, increased their security, their status and their diplomatic weight in the world that they had attracted new men like Nasser to the group and made it bigger; that they were making the giant powers t ake them seriously and treat their policies as respectable.  [4]   Zambian President Kenneth Kaunda elaborated on the goodness of this concept in 1964 in these words: It is a determination to preserve independence, sovereignty, to respect such independence and sovereignty in such states and to decline to take sides in the major ideological struggles which rend the worldà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. We will not hitch our carriage to any nations engine and be drawn along their railway line.  [5]  The criteria of non alignment determined as early as June 1961 at Cairo were: A country should follow an independent policy based on peaceful coexistence and non alignment, or should be showing a trend in favour of such a policy. It should consistently have supported movements for national independence. It should not be a member of multilateral military alliances concluded in the context of great power conflicts. If it has conceded military bases, these concessions should not have been made in the context of great power conflicts. If it is a member of a bilateral of regional deference agreement, this should not have been made in the context of great power conflicts. Another vital feature of Non-alignment is that it has been opposed not only to the two power blocs of power but also to the creation of a third bloc- the bloc of the Non aligned nations. The policy is not based on the desire to build up a third force or a third bloc. There is nothing like Indias Monroe Doctrine and there was nothing like Nehru Doctrine, behind Indian non alignment. The aim of non alignment is to build a third area of peace, an area which rejects war, cold war, alliances and supports peace in a a positive way and believes in cooperation. Non Aligned states have always opposed, and very successfully, the attempts to transform the group into a non aligned bloc. Non alignment is a movement but is not backed by any formal organisational structure or constitution. However, Indias effort to check institutionalization proved futile as in the Algiers Summit (1973)  [6]  it was decided to have a co ordination bureau within the host nation of each summit as the Chairman for the period between that summit to the next summit. The original strength of the Summit was 25 which was subsequently raised to 36. The Bureau meets at least once a year and deals with matters of common interest from time to time. It also takes decision regarding the next summit. It also seeks to strengthen cooperation and coordination among the member states inside the UN and help them in making united efforts for the realization of the goals of the non aligned movement. As per the Lusaka Conference (1970)  [7]  decision to hold non aligned summits at the interval of every three years, the same are held regularly since then. The Foreign Ministers of member states usually meet sometime before each summit mainly to prepare the agenda for the summit. These developments indi cate the growing institutionalization of non alignment is a reality and does not appear to be reversible. Some degree of permanence in structure and regularity in behaviour pattern have been injected into it. NON ALIGNMENT MOVEMENT AND THE INDIAN PERSPECTIVE In Volume 7 of Encyclopedia Britannica (Micropaedia Section) on page 380, there is an entry which is most revealing of the mind set of the West. The word Non-Alignment is no doubt mentioned. However, the reader is directed to see neutralism. And that is that.  [8]   India has been one of the founding members and one of the most voracious proponents of the theory of non- alignment. In fact, it is sometimes attributed solely to the initiatives of our first Prime Minister Mr. Jawahar Lal Nehru. Nehru was not only the architect of Indias non-aligned foreign policy but also played a major role in espousing the cause of the third-world countries. In the prevailing turbulent state of global affairs, charting a non-aligned foreign policy posed a big challenge and it was only due to the wisdom and skill of Nehru that he succeeded in doing so. The principles guiding the foreign policy of Indias interim government that was formed just prior to gaining independence was enunciated by Nehru on September 7, 1946. In a radio address, Nehru, who then headed the interim government, stated that India would not join groups of states that were aligned against each other but would strive to establish friendly relations with all countries. Nehru had already conceived of a closer association of the Asian countries for evolving a common foreign policy. During his visit to South-East Asian countries in March 1946, Nehru not only secured the support for his idea but also got the needed consent from leaders of Burma, Indonesia and so on for holding a conference for that purpose. At the 14th NAM Conference held in Havana in September 2006, the purposes and principles of NAM was reiterated in the Declaration on the Purposes and Principles and the Role of the Non-Aligned Movement in the Present International Juncture, which was adopted on September 16, 2006.  [9]   The Heads of State and Government of the member-nations of NAM also reaffirmed their political will to strengthen the Non-Aligned Movement. The Havana Summit  [10]  also declared that one of the major Purposes of NAM in the present international situation was: To continue pursuing universal and non-discriminatory nuclear disarmament, as well as a general and complete disarmament under strict and effective international control and in this context, to work towards the objective of arriving at an agreement on a phased program for the complete elimination of nuclear weapons within a specified framework of time to eliminate nuclear weapons, to prohibit their development, production, acquisition, testing, stockpiling, transfer, use or threat of use and to provide for their destruction. The Havana Summits reiteration that: it is imperative that the Movement continues to be in the front-line in the struggle to change and transform the present unjust international order, certainly did not go down well with the US administration, which perceives the revival and reactivation of NAM as an inherent threat to its interests. Addressing the 32nd Annual US-India Business Council meeting which was found to be an appropriate occasion to publicly convey to India that it should jettison NAM in Washington D C, on June 27, 2007, the US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, posed a seemingly innocent question: What is the meaning of non-alignment? Immediately after posing the question, the Secretary of State herself went on to declare: It has lost its meaning  [11]   Rice had prefaced her question with the following remarks: à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦in order to create a partnership for our future and to fully realise it, we are going to have to move past old ways of thinking and old ways of actingà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦. And I know that there are some who still talk about non-alignment in foreign policy. But maybe that made sense during the Cold War when the world really was divided into rival camps. The fact is, neither Rices dismissal of the relevance of Non-Alignment nor the memory lapse of many of those at the helm of affairs in the Indian government at present, can make the concept of Non-Alignment irrelevant. On the contrary, it is high time that the US administration moved past old ways of thinking and old ways of acting; the sooner the US abandoned militarism and eschewed belligerency, the better it would be for all humanity! However, the fact remains it is the signals the Indian government has been transmitting over the last few years by acting contrary to the aims and objectives of NAM that have emboldened the US administration to give a call to India to abandon NAM. In a damage control exercise, the government of India was forced to quickly reiterate its commitment to NAM.  [12]   However, the said Press Briefing by the spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs in response to Rices statement was so brief that it provides further proof that the government of India did not intend to pay literally nothing more than mere lip service to the cause of NAM. It would be a complete betrayal of the cause of NAM if the government of India, as one of the founding members, fails to take on the mantle of responsibility and play a leadership role in propagating the cause of NAM by acting in accordance with its principles and proceeding to fulfill its purposes. The government of Indias present disposition towards NAM does not appear to be too favourably placed. Contrary to the explicit declaration of Nehru in 1947 that We do not intend to be the play things of others, there are apparently quite a few at the helm of affairs in India today, who are not averse to India playing second fiddle to the United States. Some groundwork was undertaken for realizing Mahatma Gandhis vision of a One World in the form of the Action Plan for a Nuclear Weapon Free and Non-violent World, which Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had placed before the UN General Assembly in 1988. However, after Rajiv Gandhis assassination in 1991, the government of India chose to tread in a different direction. Thus, Mahatma Gandhis counsel in 1947, that It is up to you to deliver the whole world, not merely Asia but deliver the whole world from that wickedness, from that sin [of war and destruction], remains unheeded. Only a vigilant and well-informed public and a strong and active m ass movement can force the government of India to pay heed to the eloquent advise of Gandhi and Nehru and compel it to uphold the tenets of NAM and act accordingly. HAS THE MOVEMENT LOST ITS RELEVANCE? A DISCUSSION IN THE LIGHT OF THE FORMAL END OF THE COLD WAR AND COLONISM The 58-Year old NAM has remained an object of immense applause as well as ruthless criticism throughout its existence. The US dubbed it as immoral and non sense. The Western Scholars despised the NAM ever since the latter was reckoned as an important factor in international politics. Notwithstanding this criticism, NAM remained a potent and powerful force in the cold war era. It took bold stands on issues affecting the newly independent and developing countries and was decidedly, a force that neither of the two super powers could afford to ignore. The NAM as a movement of the small, newly-independent and developing countries has been determined to carve out an independent path of development and not to remain an appendage of any colonizing power or superpower. This objective helped NAM in making a significant headway throughout the cold war era. The crusade against imperialism and racism met with greater success with large number of colonies the list of the UN and NAM as sovereign and Independent nation states. The economic concerns were related to the North- South great economic divide, dubious role of the international financial institutions, poverty and above all the vitality for a strong South-South cooperation. The search was for a New International Economic Order (NIEO) envisaging the restructuring of the global financial and monetary structure on just and equitable grounds. NAM played the role of cooling effect in ensuring global peace in the midst of cold war rivalry. NAM has been subjected to more ruthless criticism in the post-cold war period than in its long career. In the changed international scenario-the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the end of the cold war, the question has been posed as to whether NAM remains valid or not, it is often argued that since Non-alignment was born and brought up in the cold war context why should it not be renounced in the post-cold war world ? But there can be a counter question. The cold war is over. The War saw Pact has been dismantled, the Soviet Union has disappeared. Is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) relevant? The non-aligned countries represent the will and voices of three-fourth humankind. In order to visualize its cherished goal the NAM needs to be especially innovative. The 21st century is for NAMs rebirth under new democratic philosophy. The 22 page, Declaration issued after the meeting of NAM Foreign Ministers, held at Accrais September 1991, entitled A World in Transition from Diminishing Confrontation Towards Increasing Cooperation emphasized that NAMs new focus must be on eradicating poverty, hunger, malnutrition and illiteracy and called on the international community to help. NAM supported the present efforts at strengthening the UN so as to render it, more democratic, effective and efficient. There was consensus among the Foreign Ministers for a bridging Agreement between NAM and the Group of 77 and proposed that a study should be made immediately of the modalities for reaching agreement between the two bodies for the introduction of a new system of periodic meetings of the joint coordination committee. The tectonic shifts in international relations over the last decade have challenged NAM to adopt itself to effectively tackle the new contemporary challenges. NAM should have a clear consensus on key issues of common concern to all of us. Multilateralism, reform of the UN system, global disarmament and combating global terrorism should be the political elements of this agenda. The collapse of Bipolarity and the rise of Unilateralism have given a unique cause to this developing body to strive for multilateralism in International relations. The issue of reforming the UN structure for a just world order has been going for long. The NAM should strive to restore the central role of the UN in the global economic issues, development and maintenance of peace and security in the world. Non-discriminatory, time-bound nuclear and general disarmament should be the objective towards which the movement should endeavour. The entire world today is facing a unique crisis in transnational terrorism, w hich is striking countrys political, economic and social edifice with immunity. The members within the NAM framework need to work out a realistic strategy to counter this danger in collaboration with the international community in a war footing. Perhaps the most important role for NAM today lies in framing a concrete economic agenda for a just and fair international economic order. The globalisation and liberalization trends worldwide have generated complex economic problems. The rich-poor divide has widened. The WTO rules and procedures have failed to provide adequate economic gains to the third world. WTO summits have failed to reach a consensus on many issues.  [13]  Its role in WTO negotiations to advance and protect the trading rights and opportunities of developing countries and in muscling up their negotiating position and skills would be the chief concern. It should strive to reform and reorient the globalization process through a strong developmental agenda. NAM has an effective role to play in this regard provided member countries try to see the benefits from a unified angle without any partisan considerations. South-South cooperation should become a major economic plank of the movement. Its role in the present century would be strengthened by more South-South cooperation, which would mean, by and large, collaboration between and among the NAM countries and defending their interests from fast expanding economic and technological power of the North. NAM should develop a progressive agenda on the fundamental values of democracy, Human rights and multiculturism. The preservation and consolidation of democracy throughout its membership is a major challenge. NAMs spectrum could be further enlarged with the increasing concern worldwide over environmental issues over green house gas emissions, health concerns especially AIDS, drug trafficking, rising instances of poverty and unemployment mostly within the NAM members and LDC countries, the rising digital divide between the rich and poor and fight against all shades of extreme, xenophobia, ethnic nationalism, regional wars. Non-alignment is a dynamic policy and retains its continuing relevance in world affairs by adapting itself to the changing international context and the needs of non-aligned community of nations. Peter Wiletts, another advocate of Non-alignment, holds the view that whether if will be a bipolar, multipolar or unipolar world, Non-alignment will have a place in it as an independent foreign policy. former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao commented: The pursuit of nonaligned foreign policy is ever more relevant (today) than ever before. Nonalignment basically consists of the espousal of the right to nations to independence and development, regardless of the bloc phenomenon. Whether there is one bloc or more at a given moment, the urge for a nonaligned country would continue to be to maintain its independence, to take decisions according to its light, not tagging along itself, in advance to others . . . . . He went on to add Chimera of hegemony must not be pursued. On the other hand, introspection also needs to be done on account of the recent lackadaisical approach of the heads of many countries who have failed to appear for the Summits of NAM. A more dynamic agenda needs to be adopted and adhered to because there still exist a number of basic issues in the developing countries which need to be addressed at the earliest. Though there has been a formal end to the factors had originally led to the origins of the movement, yet the second and the third world nations find themselves grappling with a number of other issues which cannot be said to be any less significant.

Photography Review Essay example -- essays research papers

Photography Review Joel Meyerowitz spent the summer of 1976 and 1977 taking magnificent photographs, which he later published in 1997 in a book called â€Å"Cape light.† These photographs were taken in Cape Cod, Massachusetts around the Truro-Provincetown area in the summer. His book is full of marvelous photographs, which depict a typical summer up on the Cape. These pictures may seem beautiful to anyone. However, these pictures possess more meaning to anyone who has ever lived on Cape Cod or visited Cape Cod. Cape Cod is one of the most beautiful and meaningful places to me. From the time I was a baby on, my family and I have spent many wonderful summer in the Cape. My parent, have been going to Cape Cod, Massachusetts since they were first married. When I think of Cape Cod, the first thing that comes to my mind are memories of the same old little beach cottage my family has rented year after year. I think of Cape Cod and thoughts fill my head with the beach, water, sand, beach cottages, and hot summer days. When I look at Joel Meyerowitz’s book the photos almost come to life. The color and images are so real. The same thoughts that I have for the water, sand, and beach are expressed in Meyerowitz’s photos.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Joel Meyerowitz took his photographs with an 8†x10† view camera. The prints were in full size, made directly from the negatives without any kind of changes or manipulations. Joel Meyerowitz’s is a pictorialist. His picture are taken of scenery...

How can ICT support the learning of children with special educational :: ICT Essays

How can ICT support the learning of children with special educational needs? ICT can support the learning of children with special educational needs [SEN]. It enables children with SEN to overcome barriers to learning by providing alternative or additional methods of communicating within the learning process. Moreover, it also helps teachers to create a supportive framework, which can enable autonomous learning. When used creatively, ICT can enrich and enhance teaching, motivating pupils and engaging them in active learning. But how is this achieved? The range of special needs covers a very wide spectrum. It will be necessary therefore to examine how ICT can support the various needs. Standard equipment is often suitable for children with SEN. the settings of the computer can be changes to make it more computer friendly. The mouse motion can be slowed down for better control. The toolbar can be created to suit the children's needs. However if this is not suitable there are many peripherals and devices, which can support children with SEN, but not all are appropriate for everyone. For those children with a physical disability a variety of switches, optical pointers, voice controlled devices and word prediction software has been designed to overcome the problems these children have using traditional input devices such as the mouse and keyboard. However according to Semerc [2000] these alternative methods of access are more complex than direct input and therefore place an additional cognitive burden on the child. The system therefore needs to be set up so that it does not become an additional barrier. Children need to be competent with input devices such as switches. The technique may take time to develop and opportunities need to be provided to practise these to avoid frustration. There are a variety of switches available. Some involve hand movement while others can be operated by other parts of the body; even a strong puff of breath can operate a switch. The assessment of the type of switch required is usually carried out by specialists [Hopkins, 1998]. This assessment needs to be continuous. Bowser and Reed [1995] as cited by Bryant et al [1998] argue that as a child progresses through the Education System, their requirements change and this may necessitate a need for different devices. This is not limited to those children with a physical disability but is relevant to all children with SEN as they progress and the Education System places additional burdens upon them. For children with a visual impairment ICT can provide support in various ways; tools to support communication, to improve access to information and as a means of producing learning materials in alternative. There is a wide range of devices and software, which can

Blade Runner Essay -- Papers

Blade Runner "Mise en scene, in discussions of film, refers to the composition of the individual film, the relation of objects, people and masses; the interplay of light and dark; the pattern of colour; the camera's position and angle of view, as well as the movement within the frame". The complete film dictionary. The Ridley Scott film Blade Runner, begins with opening credits, these are plain, bold, white text on a black background. This along with quiet music and sudden beats of drums creates a very tense atmosphere and helps with suspense; there is a very military feel to this opening sequence. We are then given an update of events, this tells us the film is set in the future and that it is a time when technology has enabled cyborg human clones, colonisation on planets in outer space and a world dominated by Large Corporations, this tells us that the genre of this film is sci-fi. ====================================================================== The opening sequence shows a vast futuristic urban ba...

Kafka’s Metamorphosis: Vision of the Body

Through the metamorphosis of Gregor Samsa, Kafka not only traces modern man’s sense of alienation from his body, but also anticipates Postmodernist visions on identity—the way that identity relates to the body, and the social constructs of marginality and normality, that infallibly reminds us the works of Michel Foucault, who examined the disciplining and medicalization of body as a form of social control. Gregor Samsa’s sudden discovery of his transformed body is another form of the horrible confusion that Samuel Beckett later explores in his plays. There are no such pretty, healthy bodies in Beckett.His characters are infirm, decrepit figures that are, as Beckett described them, â€Å"falling to bits†. Some theorists of the Body trace the emphasis on ‘normal’ body to industrial capitalism, which required a standardized body for factory work and labeled the ‘different’ body as ‘abnormal’. This social conditioning can also be associated with the recent dreads like anorexia and bulimia in especially teenage girls, who in the desire to wear ‘size zero’ dress, that is extremely popular in America and to look ‘wonderfully thin’ endanger their lives with starvation.This is an example of how the market forces of capitalistic power play manipulate the concept of identity by constructing a ‘norm’ of the body. In spite of the traces of the modernist horror of fragmented identity, there is also an element of Postmodernist fantastic in Kafka’s tale; where the transformation of the body is more marvelous than terrible. The 2001 film Amelie had a protagonist who literally melts when her love interest leaves the restaurant in which she works without asking her for a date—unmistakably reminding the viewer Kafka’s vision of the Body as marvelous.

An Introduction to Debt Policy and Value Essay

What remains to be seen however, is whether shareholders are better or worse off with more leverage. Problem 2 does not tell us, because there we computed total value of equity, and shareholders care about value per share. Ordinarily, total value will be a good proxy for what is happening to the price per share, but in the case of a relevering firm, that may not be true. Implicitly we assumed that, as our firm in problems 1-3 levered up, it was repurchasing stock on the open market (you will note that EBIT did not change, so management was clearly not investing the proceeds from the loans in cash-generating assets). We held EBIT constant so that we could see clearly the effect of financial changes without getting them mixed up in the effects of investments. The point is that, as the firm borrows and repurchases shares, the total value of equity may decline, but the price per share may rise. Now, solving for the price per share may seem impossible, because we are dealing with two unknowns—share price and change in the number of shares: Share price=Total market value of equity

Life Sentence, Cruel and Unusual Punishment?

Teenagers are always committing petty crimes, and some are more sever then others. Most of the time when juveniles are charged for crimes, they are sent to Juvenile Hall. But what if the crime requires more com/capital-punishment-and-sensitive-societal-issue/">punishment than that? Some teenagers are committing crimes so sever that they’re being tried as adults and serving life in prison without parole. The Supreme Court is now considering whether this sentence constitutes ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment. Teenagers are always doing something illegal because maybe they think it's cool or they’re not thinking properly or whatever it’ll be. But no matter how extensive the crime, teens shouldn’t be imprisoned their whole lives because of one stupid decision or mistake they made at 15 years old. Hopefully some people grow up and out of their old ways and they regret what they had done. But, unfortunately, that’s not enough. Joe Sullivan. 13 years old. Convicted in 1989 for sexually assaulting a 72-year-old woman. Now at 34, Joe is asking the Supreme Court to decide whether his sentence violates the Constitution’s Eighth Amendment ban on â€Å"cruel and unusual punishmentâ€Å". Joe Sullivan is located in Florida – the state holding the highest number of non-homicidal juvenile lifers: 77. Joe’s crime is cruel and unusual but others could and are way worse. According to the reports from the Equal Justice Initiatives, only 8 people in the world, all in the United States, are serving crimes they committed at 13. Prompted by a quick rise in juvenile crimes in the 1990s, Florida and other states have taken a get-tough approach. Which made the punishment much more sever for their crimes. Rebecca Falcon. 5 years old. Convicted on November 19th, 1997 for shooting and killing a cab driver. That night Rebecca was upset over an ex-boyfriend and because of that, she drank a large amount of whiskey. Later on, she and an 18-year-old friend hopped in a cab and within minutes the driver was dead. To this day, the shooter wasn’t identified, however the gun belonged to her friend. Both had put the blame on each other. Now Rebecca is 27 and highly regrets her decisions from night. Some people do mature over time and not everyone deserves to be entenced for life for a crime they committed as teenagers. 2,500 prisoners in the United States are serving life imprisonment for crimes they did as juveniles. 109 people were sentenced for life for crimes that didn’t involve a homicide. Besides Sullivan’s case, there have been only one other case involving teenagers locked away for rape. But the question is, is it right? Obviously putting them in Juvenile Hall will do nothing seeing how they committed the crime a year or two before they would get out if they were put there. But at the same time, life in prison might not be the best thing either. Putting a 13-year-old in jail and telling them they’ll be there for the rest of their lives is somewhat overwhelming. Young teens are more susceptible to peer pressure and easily run off the straight and narrow by the environment around them. Jail is suppose to serve two purposes: Punishment and rehabilitation. However, if teens are being sent to life without parole, they’re only getting the punishment. Not everyone should be giving parole but no one should be denied a chance at another life.