Orange PLCs Organizational Culture and Structure

Introduction: The Orange PLC Company Orange PLC Company is one of the most profitable international companies in the global PC business arena. The company has its headquarters in New York. The New York branch has 250 employees in the three departments of production, marketing, human resource management.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Orange PLC’s Organizational Culture and Structure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More In order to survive and control a sizeable share of the global PC industry, Orange PLC Company has endeavored to remain competitive through an organized structure and culture. Thus, this reflective treatise attempts to explicitly review organizational structure, restructure and culture of the Orange PLC Company located in the United States of America. Orange PLC’s Organization Structure Organization structure refers to systems and channels that control the scope of operations in an orga nization. The organization structure offers an explicit overview of the general operation of a company within efficiency levels (Sylvia Stanley 2008). Work Specialization Knowing how to improve quality is crucial in the growth of a business enterprise. Improved quality has great reward to the Orange PLC Company. Since the production team is permanently employed in the company, they are engaged in the production process to ensure that the company optimizes labor as a factor of production towards efficiency. This is achieved through quality planning of the labor hours of the employees that relate to their specialization, rather than just keeping them on standby (Sylvia Stanley 2008). Besides, the marketing team is constantly trained on the latest marketing models to ensure that they give their best in online and offline marketing of the company’s products. The HRM team has specialized training on efficient performance among the employees to minimize redundancy. Quality planni ng of work specialization is an important policy that aims to promote long term success in business objectives since it is focused to enhance the effective exploitation of human resources (Sylvia Stanley 2008).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Chain of Command The Orange PLC Company has demonstrated that there exists a complex network behind its formal organizational chart. The teamwork-based organization structure actually identifies the hierarchy of the organization structure in order to understand the complex network. In addition, it provides myriad illustrations of the persuasive importance of problem definition within communication contemporary context. Also, the strategies of investigation, ramification, and elements of the problem definition are addressed in its chain of command. The current organization structure of the Orange PLC Company is characterized by a strea mlined chain of bureaucracy in the chain of command. The top bracket in the chain of command consists of the five company board of directors who report to the chairman of the company. Under the board of directors are the departmental managers in the three departments of production, marketing, and human resource management. Team supervisors below the departmental managers report directly to managers and are the bridge between employees and the managers. The ordinary employees are grouped into team units consisting of four employees within the same area of specialization. Thus, whenever there is need to communicate an issue to the chairperson, the team cells will pass the information to the supervisors. The hierarchal procedure will be repeated until the chairperson gets the information. For the self-motivated people, this approach allow them to do more spectacular things as a team and not as human machines (Sylvia Stanley 2008). Span of Control Other factors associated with inhibiti ng learning in organizations are inappropriate organizational structures, work pressure, entrenched attitudes towards learning, and emphasis on meeting targets (Douglas 2000). Fear and resistance to change in organizations that are characterized by high levels of bureaucracy and inter-functional rivalry are the main reasons that impede learning in such organizations. Fortunately, since every employee in the Orange PLC Company is his or her own boss, the cultural structure of the company has spurred a continuous growth in the competitive market. Related to changes in organizational structure are the variations in job design and new structures which provide the employees with an opportunity within the work activities. Moreover, the Orange PLC organization exhibits flexibility in its organizational structure that enables jobs to be redesigned thus, facilitating work based innovations.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Orange PLC’s Organizational Culture and Structure specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Centralization Orange PLC Company has created a healthy work environment and personal growth perspectives that apply to all situations since all the vital controls organs of the company are centralized. Through centralized and properly designed training procedures, talent promotion, and motivation, productive behavior internalization have presented the best alternative ways of solving problems in role execution. Unless employees take a positive attitude to embrace change and create an environment that motivated the change, quantifiable change may just be a dream (Douglas 2000). Formalization The Orange PLC institution is made up of formal systems of monitoring operations, reviewing performance and rewarding achievements. Employees’ behaviors in the company are influenced by the mutual interests that exist between the company and its workers. This mutual interest offers superordinate o bjective, which can be achieved only through combined determination of the organization (employer) and individual workers in a formalized production control system. Restructuring at the Orange PLC Company Restructuring in an organization refers to the strategies adopted by an organization to introduce an element of change that is meant to improve on the performance of that organization. Restructuring is necessary whenever redundancy becomes the norm of organization performance (Douglas 2000). The Orange PLC Company has restructured to introduce innovation department in the last two years to properly monitor and manage the logistics and challenges that might exist in the transit channels of product improvement. Specifically, restructuring of the production department was necessary in achieving the company’s goal of being the innovation leader in America. The innovative structure was critical in improving leadership skills, evaluation skills, and promoting creativity within the production department.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More As a result, job performance has greatly improved since the attractive rewards for innovation have become a motivational engine among the employees. Orange PLC’s Organization Culture Organizational culture is a manner in which people in a company operate both unconsciously and consciously on their daily activities (Flamholtz Randle 2011). Through understanding the organizational culture, the Orange PLC institution can understand the culture that prevails, drives and supports essential programs within its workforce to accomplish the strategic objectives. Physical structure The physical structures of the Orange PLC’s organization culture promote positive relationships between favorable and effective job performance and work environment as attributes of motivation and congenial conditions. The structure encourages security, comfort and safety, and prevailing physical convenience. Measuring factors such as interpersonal relations, working conditions, support and trust, we lfare provisions, and work environment have greatly contributed to the organizational effectiveness as well as good employees’ behavior at the Orange PLC. Symbols The Orange PLC Company has identified that the key driver of productivity is employees’ morale. It is revealed that engaged and productive workers are more likely to be creative and interested in their work commitments. Satisfied workers are more eager to create positive results in their work. This element has been embedded in the company unity of purpose symbol designed to create the culture of efficiency and support among the employees. Ceremonies, language and rituals With the need to establish a proactive organizational culture, the Orange PLC Company has developed a discursive approach in explaining and exploring shared and coordinated actions on roles and channels through which organizational framework functions in the exchange of information formally. This is of great essence towards understanding its organizational communication. Employees are also allowed to contribute their viewpoints regarding the daily management and operation of the organization. In order for the productivity quotient to become an effective tool, it is appropriate to ensure that workers and the management team both understand the collective perspective of the institution (Douglas 2000). The managers play a significant role in setting up the learning environment for their employees. This culture has created an ideal climate for innovation and communication among the employees. The proactive communication and teamwork culture at the Orange PLC Company spells the rules of engagement, expected behavior, and repercussions for misconduct. These rules appreciate diversity and uphold integrity in judgment. In the process, issues of prejudice are minimized as diversity develops into a positive aspect of the organization (Flamholtz Randle 2011). Consequently, when people are absorbed and made to feel part of these g oals, they would strive to give their best towards the organization and uphold the existing culture with minimal struggle. References Douglas, R. (2000). Does corporate culture contribute to performance? American international college journal of business, 4(1), 45-47. Flamholtz, E., Randle, Y. (2011). Corporate culture: the ultimate strategic asset. Stanford, UK: Stanford business Books. Sylvia, F., Stanley, K. (2008). Creating competitive advantage through intangible assets: The direct and indirect effects of corporate culture and reputation. Advances in competitiveness research, 16(2), 34-38. This report on Orange PLC’s Organizational Culture and Structure was written and submitted by user Barbara Berry to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Free Essays on Souls Of Black Folk

The Souls of Black Folk 2- DuBois repeatedly makes reference to a veil that separates himself from the world when he is a child. DuBois’ childhood was in New England, which was a fairly liberal area due to its Northern location. He uses the idea of a veil as an allegory in which he can see through the veil, but it is dark when he looks through it. This is a very descriptive and powerful when used in this way, because not only is the world through his eyes darkened, but so is he when looked upon by others, in the socialistic aspect. DuBois was a shadow that the other kids played with, but could never really touch because of his characteristics of not really existing. What is interesting is that DuBois doesn’t mind this at all because he enjoys his own world which has been made, he is surrounded by people who treat him as an outcast and inferior, yet he is much more intelligent and physically superior. He also speaks of how they are incarcerated in a prison-house closed around them with high wal ls that are unescapable, with the sky above them. This instantly draws my mind toward Bartleby’s jail when he just stood in a corner of a yard that was surrounded by high walls with grass in the center and sky above. All they need to do is get past these high walls and they are both free men, but the destruction of the wall will take the effort of thousands banging their palms against the walls to eventually break them down. 5- â€Å" But the facing of so vast a prejudice could not but bring the inevitable self-questioning, self-disparagement, and lowering the ideals.† This seems to relate to Young Goodman Brown’s walk through the forest and his surrounding by the forest with darkness all around. The darkness for the blacks is the constant onslaught of prejudice by the whites, and even themselves. The path for the blacks to travel on is very small and must accommodate a vast number of people, which is very difficult, which slows down t... Free Essays on Souls Of Black Folk Free Essays on Souls Of Black Folk The Souls of Black Folk 2- DuBois repeatedly makes reference to a veil that separates himself from the world when he is a child. DuBois’ childhood was in New England, which was a fairly liberal area due to its Northern location. He uses the idea of a veil as an allegory in which he can see through the veil, but it is dark when he looks through it. This is a very descriptive and powerful when used in this way, because not only is the world through his eyes darkened, but so is he when looked upon by others, in the socialistic aspect. DuBois was a shadow that the other kids played with, but could never really touch because of his characteristics of not really existing. What is interesting is that DuBois doesn’t mind this at all because he enjoys his own world which has been made, he is surrounded by people who treat him as an outcast and inferior, yet he is much more intelligent and physically superior. He also speaks of how they are incarcerated in a prison-house closed around them with high wal ls that are unescapable, with the sky above them. This instantly draws my mind toward Bartleby’s jail when he just stood in a corner of a yard that was surrounded by high walls with grass in the center and sky above. All they need to do is get past these high walls and they are both free men, but the destruction of the wall will take the effort of thousands banging their palms against the walls to eventually break them down. 5- â€Å" But the facing of so vast a prejudice could not but bring the inevitable self-questioning, self-disparagement, and lowering the ideals.† This seems to relate to Young Goodman Brown’s walk through the forest and his surrounding by the forest with darkness all around. The darkness for the blacks is the constant onslaught of prejudice by the whites, and even themselves. The path for the blacks to travel on is very small and must accommodate a vast number of people, which is very difficult, which slows down t...

Personal Development Planning Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 1

Personal Development Planning - Coursework Example The paper will discuss the benefits of studying PDP at a higher education level. It will also highlight on the changes the changes that I would like to bring into PDP for the future students’ justifying the change with a rationale behind it. Lastly, the paper will provide a reflection on how PDP has helped me at the university. PDP in higher education usually comprise of portfolio that contains evidence if the skills that have been acquired over a specific time period. Studying PDP at the university is very crucial since it assists in creating self-directed independent learners who have a higher probability of progressing to higher levels of academic achievement (Rughani, 2001). As cited by Grellier and Goerke (2006), the other benefit is that students can take responsibility for and personalise their learning. Essentially, personal development is a process and not a final product. Therefore, it can be utilised to support the personalisation of learning by facilitating pathways selection that suit individual learner. Through the utilisation of tools like auditing of personal transferable skills that are often used in the personal development frameworks linked with employability, the students can actually make links between their extra-curricular and curricular activities and what the employers value. These particular activities are advantageous in the context of work placements, work-based learning, or internships. Generally, students usually report in questionnaires and focus groups that CV development is something that they find very beneficial. PDP assists the university students to be effective in reviewing and monitoring their own progress and make use of their own evidence and records to show to others what they know they can actually do (Fry, Ketteridge, & Marshall, 2008). According to Fry, Ketteridge and Marshall (2008, p. 120), PDP promotes deeper learning through increasing awareness of the students are actually learning and to

How important a first impression is in an interview in todays economy Essay

How important a first impression is in an interview in todays economy - Essay Example A first impression on the interviewer helps the interviewee to impress the members who are taking the interview. It is necessary for the candidate to prepare for the interview beforehand so that he can make a good first impression. With a good first impression the interviewer goes slow with the interview asking him questions which might possibly help him enter the arena. Moreover even if the interviewee is not able to answer certain questions properly, then the first impression would make up for the interviewee so that he gets successful (Ronald 2002). In order to make the first impression appealing it is necessary for a candidate to be prepared. Appearance is counted as the first factor to impress the interviewer as when an individual enters the room of interview his appearance is the first thing which is to be noticed by everyone. Secondly his resume also works toward the first impression by allowing the interviewer to gain an insight into the qualifications of the candidate. The resume should be brief and well organized so that the interviewer can get grasp of all the important things. And thirdly it is necessary for a candidate to reach on time for interviews as it would create a good first impression on the interviewer (Renee 2007). By following all the protocols of an interview the candidate can be sure that he will make a good impression. A good impression in the current economy helps individuals to get jobs which are otherwise difficult to take. The interviewer judges the candidate from his very first impression and this might be the key to success for the candidate. A good first impression would also help the interviewer to know much about the interviewee as it is important in relation to the aspects of the job. Coming on time, right appearance and the right resume would create a balanced first impression which would help the interviewer to know that the person is fit to work in the position he has applied for (Bloch 1997; Ronald 2002). In

Abstract Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Abstract - Assignment Example Modernization is a positive step forward, but what about what we leave behind? Building new, technologically-advanced and expensive cities cannot alleviate poverty or reduce the income gap that is expanding every year. According to Cohen, large cities like Tokyo, Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Bangkok follow the unsustainable blueprint of grander projects at the expense of equity. Cohen (55) argues that growing cosmopolitan jungles like Delhi are also joining the fray by ignoring the poor and giving more power to the privileged. Cohen cites sources that highlight poor sanitation, health, housing and unemployment are the undercurrents that define 21st century cities. Sadly, these same issues were present in 19th and 20th century cities, but we have chosen to continue the trend instead of stopping it. Which begs the question, how long will we keep it going? How long do we think the poor can continue watching opportunities being given to the rich? A solution is needed; urgently. Results: Cohen argues that the events of the Arab Spring, Occupy Wall Street and Cabalgata de los Indignados show that we are sitting on a time bomb that will destroy everybody; the rich and the poor. As much as these events were politically motivated, social conditions played a huge role in their occurrence. The fact that they took place in major cities of those countries is another reason to worry. For example, why did the Occupy Wall Street protesters not go to Denver or Washington? The answer is because New York has enough frustrated people to sustain such a drive. We need to start designing urban 3.0, the cities that will gradually do away with the inequalities inherent in our current white elephants. Cohen’s analysis and arguments are based on past experiences and credible sources that support his claims. According to Cohen, this is not to say that urban 3.0 will solve all our problems, but it will reduce them significantly. It is all a matter of good planning

WTO Agreement on Agriculture India

WTO Agreement on Agriculture India Abstract: The possible welfare gains and likely beneficiaries for the facilitation of agricultural world trade formulated by the Agreement on Agriculture remains a matter of debate and concerns. Therefore the impact of the Agreement on Agriculture on production, price structure and trade in agricultural sector needs proper introspection and evaluation from Indian perspectives. The paper attempts to evaluate and analysed the impact of the agricultural reforms brought about by the Agreement on Agriculture on the Indian agricultural economy and its position in world trade. What is Agreement on Agriculture (AOA): The Agreement on Agriculture was formed on April 1994 at Marrakesh, Morocco as a part of the final Act of the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations which came into force on 1st Jan. 1995. This was a result of the long drawn talks on General agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) aimed at opening up of International markets and also to reform world trade which was highly distorted. A major reason for the formation of the Agreement on Agriculture was the need to reduce excessive surplus production in agricultural sector in the global commodity markets during the 1980`s and early 1990`s. This was caused by the rising levels of support and protection in a number of developed countries as some of the largest agricultural exporters competed on the basis of their government`s ability to subsidised production and exports of agriculture while limiting access to their markets to keep out foreign agricultural products from their domestic markets. Therefore the core objective of AOA wa s to establish a fair and market oriented trading system which was to be implemented for a period of 6 years in developed countries and 9 years in developing countries. With this, agriculture was brought under the new rules of world trading system for the first time. There are 3 main features of the Agreement: Market Access Domestic support. Export subsidy. The market access required that tariffs for agricultural product fixed by individual countries be reduce to equivalent tariff in order to allow free trade and encourage liberalisation in world trade. Under this, the AOA required the conversion of all non tariff barriers into tariff barriers. This process was known as Tariffication. This was to be implemented for a period of 6 years for the developed countries and 10 years for the developing countries, least developed countries were exempted from undertaking such reductions. Domestic support was targeted to reduce the subsidies given by governments within their country for agricultural production and related activities. The total domestic support should be below the level of de minimis within a maximum period of 3 years for developed countries and 5 years for developing countries. This was to reduce price distortion and unfair competition in agricultural world trade. Export subsidy aims to reduce subsidies of export related to agricultural products and to ban the introduction of new subsidies. This aimed to protect small and marginal farmers in home countries especially in developing countries. Another highlight of the Agreement was the provision of special and differential treatment for the protection of the interest of the developing countries. In addition, there are provisions of Special Products and Sensitive Products, which are to be exempted from stringent discipline of the above provisions of tariffication process. Provision of Special Products designates a certain number of products of the developing countries that would be exempt from tariff reduction requirements and other disciplines in order to protect and promote food production, livelihood security and rural development worldwide. The idea was to protect the developing countries and least developed countries from unfair competition in world market and to create a world trading system where each individual country can come together and trade on equal footing without any discrimination and distortion by the more advantageous countries of the world. However, the possible welfare gains and likely beneficiaries for the facilitation of agricultural world trade formulated by the Agreement remains a matter of debate and concerns. Therefore the impact of the AOA on production, price structure and trade needs proper introspection and evaluation from Indian perspectives. The structure of the Agreement on Agriculture as it exists today seems to be slightly imbalanced, since it enables countries subsidising the agriculture sector heavily to retain a substantial portion of their subsidies up to the end of the implementation period while those countries which were not using these measures earlier are prohibited to use these measures in future beyond the de-minimis  [1]  limit. Therefore, ways to bring about more equity into the structure of the Agreement has to be sought. Indian Agricultural Economic scenario: Until the liberalisation of 1991, India was largely and intentionally isolated from the world markets, to protect its economy and to achieve self reliance. India`s foreign trade was subjected to import tariffs, export taxes and quantitative restrictions. So far it had followed an inward looking economic policy until the attempts to liberalise its economy. The Green revolution which was introduced in 1990`s further brought about reforms in agricultural sector and increase its production. This in a way opened the gate for participation in the world economy through the production of excess agricultural goods. Thus, India`s economy shifted from subsistence economy to production for exports in the world market. At present, Indian agriculture contributes to 24% of GDP, however agriculture exports accounts for less than 1% of world trade in agricultural commodities while a major share of the world`s exports are supplied by developed countries which accounts for around 64%. Impact of AOA on India: Indian agriculture is characterised by an overwhelming majority of small and marginal farmers holding less than two hectares of land, less than 35.7% of the land, is under any assured irrigation system. Farmers, therefore, require support in terms of development of infrastructure as well as extension of improved technologies and provisions of requisite inputs at reasonable cost. There is no doubt that during the last 30 years, Indian agriculture has grown at a reasonable pace, but with stagnant and declining net cropped area it is indeed going to be a difficult task to maintain the growth in agricultural production. The implications of the Agreement would thus have to be examined in the light of the food demand and supply situation. The size of the country, the level of overall development, balance of payments position, realistic future outlook for agricultural development, structure of land holdings etc. are the other relevant factors that would have a bearing on Indias trade policy in agriculture. Implications of the Agreement on Agriculture for India should thus be evaluated from the impact it will have on the following: i) Whether the Agreement has opened up markets and facilitated exports of products; and ii) Whether India would be able to continue with its domestic policy aimed at improving infrastructure and provision of inputs at subsidised prices for achieving increased agricultural production  [2]  . With India being under balance of payments, it has not undertaken any commitments under the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture (AOA) which constrain it from following its developmental policy with regard to agriculture or which entail any action immediately. The only commitment India has undertaken is to bind its tariffs on primary agricultural products at 100%; processed foods at 150%; and edible oils at 300%  [3]  . However, it is needed to study the implications of removal of quantitative restrictions on market access, subsidy to farmers and tariffs on imports. One of the major impacts of the Agreement was that India has been maintaining Quantitative restrictions (QRs) on certain agricultural import products. Under the provision of the market access, such QRs will have to be eliminated latest by April 1st 2001. Immediate outcome was increased import of cheap and highly subsidized agricultural products which resulted in decline of domestic agricultural prices in India since 1999-2000. This adversely affected small and marginal farmers who resorted to selling off their agricultural lands to corporate and MNC`s at a very nominal prices. This further distorts domestic agriculture and rural structure of the economy that are mostly dependent on agriculture for survival. For example in Andhra Pradesh farmers were then hit by a crash in international prices, low rates of tariff applied on imports of commodities like edible oils, sugar, etc. and the removal of quantitative restrictions. Therefore a separate WTO cell was set up as these states felt that the central government were not doing enough to protect the interest of such states from the adverse impact of the Agreement. It aims to adapt state government policies to changing events and to influence future government negotiating positions. This clearly suggests that the AOA was more beneficial for the developed countries as it furthers opened up new market opportunities for them to exploit with their chea p agricultural products. However, It is also argued that with the opening up of world markets under the provision of Market access and the lifting of QRs on imports of certain agricultural products, prospects on exports have increased which lead to an increase in price of domestic agricultural commodities, this would mean that farmers would get benefits which in turn would encourage investment in the resource scarce agricultural sector. Also, with the decrease in production subsidies as well as export subsidies, the international prices of agricultural commodities will rise and this will help in making India`s exports more competitive in world market. Given the agro diversity of India, it has the potential to increase agro exports in a big way. A.V Ganesan  [4]  , suggested the idea of using the price incentive as a driving force to increase productivity as farmers are introduced to world markets there will be growing pressure from the farmers to gain higher prices for their produce and to narrow the gap between the domestic and external prices. Both the pattern of production and price expectations will increasingly be influenced by the demands and trends in world markets. Therefore, the price incentive could be used to give a strong boost to investment in agriculture as well as adoption of modern technologies and thereby to the raising of agricultural production and productivity. Furthermore, freedom to export agricultural products without restrictions will also need shedding the long-nurtured inhibition against their imports. Thus the Agreement on Agriculture is believed to provide a link between domestic reforms and international reforms by providing constraints that channel domestic policy change in the right direct ion. India had a history of food price inflation which makes it difficult to export agriculture processed products. The food price inflation was at the level of 11% during 1991-98, though the level has come down to 4.5% during 1998-2006  [5]  . Therefore, if increase in cheap imports further reduces the food price, it will not improve the condition of the farmers but instead their condition will deteriorate unless substantial gains are made through food based manufacturing export-enhancing strategies. However, with agriculture subsidies and export promotions, developed countries still continue to dominate the world agriculture market. More than 67 per cent of world food exports during 2001-03 originated from the high-income countries, while countries such as India where more than 65 per cent people survive on agriculture, contributed only 1.1 per cent of food exports. For example, In India, the dairy sector has been hit hard by subsidized exports from the EU. In 1999-2000 India import ed over 130,000 tonnes of EU skim milk powder. This was the result of EUR 5 million export subsidies that were provided to EU producers. EU subsidies to butter exports are also extortionately high. Consequently, butter oil import into India has grown at an average rate of 7.7% annually. This has had a dampening effect on prices of ghee in the domestic market. Ironically, India is the biggest producer of milk in the world. What is more worrying for India is that there are now signs of declining productivity growth for many agricultural products in India which will have severe implications for the majority of the population  [6]  . To ensure the welfare of our farmers from the affect of the lifting of Quantitative Restrictions, high import tariffs of commodities has to be maintained. The Agreement does not in any way constrained the ability to restrict the import of commodities since India has already reserved the right to impose high levels of import duties of 100%, 150% and 300% on primary products, processed products and edible oils respectively. Also due to India`s balance of payments (BOP) reasons certain products are allowed to remain under the QR`s category. With appropriate tariffication process, the adverse impact of such QRs can be rectified. In earlier years, a number of agricultural and horticultural products placed on the free list of imports have been brought to the peak rate to ensure adequate protection to Indian farmers. India has a negative total aggregate measure  [7]  (below 10%) of domestic support which implies that there is no compulsion to reduce tariff. India is under no obligation to reduce its domestic support. Also, India does not provide any export subsidies which requires reduction commitments under the export subsidy commitment. The Agreement on Agriculture lists several types of subsidies to which reduction commitments apply. However, such subsidies are virtually non-existent in India as exporters of agricultural commodities do not get direct subsidy. The Agreement allows unlimited support to activities such as (i) research, pest diseases control, training, extension, and advisory services; (ii) public stock holding for food security purposes; (iii) domestic food aid; and (iv) income insurance and food needs, relief from natural disasters and payments under the environmental assistance programmes. Moreover, investment subsidies given for development of agricultural infrastructure o r any kind of support given to low income and resource poor farmers are exempt from any commitments. Most of our major rural and agricultural development programmes are covered under these provisions. Therefore, the Agreement does not constrain our policies of investments in these areas. It is expected that reduction in domestic support and export subsidy by the developed countries will lead to a decrease in production in their countries and will eventually give scope for expansion of exports from the developing countries which will create a balanced export and import situation in the world trading system. India, with its cheap labor, diverse agro-climatic conditions and large agricultural sector can definitely gain through expansion of international trade in agricultural product. India`s agricultural exports have been growing since 1995and at present it is a net food exporter constituting greater share for exports in agriculture than manufactured exports. Therefore, India is likely to gain if the EU, the US, Japan and other major agriculture subsidisers significantly reduce their farm subsidies. For example, United States spent US$ 4 billion as subsidy to support its 25,000 cotton producers (US$160, 000 per producer) in 2003. It is also argued that in countries such as United States, subsidies are enjoyed by a selected few; mostly producing corn, wheat, cotton, soybean, and rice, while growers of 400 other crops hardly get any such subsidy. It would benefit India if other countries decrease tariffs to its farm exports on products such as cotton, basmati rice, fish or meat etc. However, the share of Indian exports in agriculture is sliding down as compared to manufacturing. These labour-intensive exports are expected to grow much faster and potential areas include textiles and food processing translating into benefits across a large group of farmers and contributing to stabilising their incomes. India has demonstrated comparative advantage in almost all the products it exports, and even in those products it imports. Therefore, India enjoys a large range of products where it could successfully enhance its capacity to export. The rural-urban divide is increasing steadily in India but India cannot resort to other balancing measures such as subsidy like the developed countries are doing. This is due to large population of India as majority of the population is dependent upon agriculture for livelihood. Therefore the solution for solving the rural-urban divide lies in large scale employment generation through industrialization and expansion of agriculture processing and exports. In the short term the Agreement on Agriculture may not affect India much because both its domestic support and export subsidy are negative I,e less than the minimal 10% in product specific domestic support. Moreover, the safeguards provided in the Agreement for the developing countries protect India from any major impact of liberalization of the world trade. However, in the long term, due to advantage of cheap labor that India enjoys, the cost of production are lower than any other countries, therefore in spite of its lower productivity as compared to the developed countries, the prices for agricultural product eg.as in the case of rice, tea, sunflower oil and cotton, will still remain lower than the world price. As a result, import to Indian markets will not be attractive as the domestic market prices in such products remain lower than the international standard. Hence, the impact of large scale imports due to liberalization of the world economy will not be much. Doha Ministerial conference and the deadlock: The Uruguay Round of AOA had a built in provision for review and renewal of its policy to consider not just increased trade but also such objectives as food security, diversified rural development and the reduction of inequalities between developed countries and developing countries and the least developed countries. In general, to assess in-depth the effects of the URAA on trade, on agricultural policy and on protection levels. This was to be decided at the next round of multilateral talk to be held at the fourth WTO ministerial conference in Doha, Nov. 2001 which was targeted to be completed by Jan. 2005. India`s stand at the conference included Non trade concerns which include food security and environmental protection. India is particularly concern with food security which includes not only adequate supply of food but also stability in its supply. India was of the stand that no profound change has been made in subsidy position of the developed countries even after the agreement. When the AoA was introduced in Uruguay there were so many expectations however the results failed to reach the expectations of many countries. In the Doha round, the concerns of the developing countries and the developed countries differed. The developing countries wanted to focus only on the implementation (or non implementations) and review of the Uruguay agreement. Developed countries perspective, however, was for new issues ( eg :Singapore issues), viz, investment, competition, trade facilitation and transparency in government procurement, besides environment and internationally recognised core labour standards. The Doha round clearly shows that India`s interest in the negotiation remain at variance from the interest of the least developed countries as India has a much more favourable agricultural condition than any of these countries. Many of these countries are net importers of food and the subsidy in the exporting countries makes them better off. Moreover, under the Everything But Arms (EBA) initiative of the European Union, the LDCs have quota and duty-free access to the EU market, a facility that was never available to India. Also, India depends highly on its service sector industry; therefore, the situation has become highly tense for India, particularly in view of the fact that the developed countries have managed to link agriculture subsidy with the market access in services and industry. If the European Union needs to do more on agricultural tariffs, and the US needs to do more on reducing agricultural subsidies, then India also needed to do more on industrial tariffs. This is a tr icky situation for India. The Doha Development Round of trade talks was targeted to be concluded by January 2005. However, the progress thereafter has hardly been in the positive direction. There was a deadlock of Doha Ministerial conference and it was left for further work and resulting negotiations. The reason for the failure of the negotiations mostly falls on the role of the United States, which departed from Cairns group and joined EU, the later having too ambitious agenda on including investment and competition. Countries like Australia, New Zealand and Canada (of Cairns Group) favour a totally market oriented approach and oppose trade distorting subsidies and protectionist regimes of EU and Japan. While EU remained against fast track approached to liberalization. Developing countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, ASEAN etc highlight significance of role of agriculture in their economies and seek to preserve domestic policy flexibility to guard food security concerns. Overall assessment: In India, more than half of the population is still dependent upon agriculture for subsistence even after governments continued attempt to bring about increase in industrialization and technological advancement. Therefore, agriculture remain a core importance for the sustenance of the population and also constitute a major share in the countrys economy. Agricultural self reliance forms a vital underpinning for the growth of the GDP of any agrarian developing economies since good agricultural production provides purchasing power to a large majority of a population, which in turn spurts industrial growth. Self-sufficiency in food production has, therefore, specific developmental perspective as opposed to a purely commercial perspective. Hence, it is important that the developing countries like India need to be provided with the requisite flexibility within the AOA to pursue their legitimate non-trade concerns of food security. More specifically, developing countries need to be allowed to provide domestic support in the agricultural sector to meet the challenges of food security and to be able to maintain the need of rural employment. Investment in Indian agriculture has been declining for quite some years. In the context of international trade, there is an added urgency to reverse this trend and increase investment in research, integrated market development, storage and ware-housing facilities, road development, creation of facilities for efficient and quicker transport and development of scientific systems of standard setting and grading. Public expenditure on research and technology, infrastructure creation and rural development will raise Indias AMS. More importantly, up-to-date information on domestic and international prices and demand should be made available to farmers through various awareness programmes and training. India also need to raise the quality of agricultural products to internationally accepted standards, i e, those of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (for food additives, veterinary drug and pesticide residues, contaminants, methods of analysis and sampling, and codes and guidelines of hygien ic practice). The AOA is criticised on being insensitive to human development or improving standards of living, and being too insistent on liberalization. The model of agricultural trade liberalization promoted by the AOA also encourages industrialized and export-oriented agricultural production, favouring trans national commodity traders and processors over small-scale farmers thus in spite of all the provisions provided under the Agreement, it is further attacked on not taking into consideration the problems faced by the small and marginal farmers. The success of the agreement to a certain extent also depends on how far the developed countries are willing and committed to the cause of helping the developing countries for development through a process of fair and unrestricted trade in agriculture. It is also argued that the agreement did little to liberalised trade and to improve market access and reduce protection as protection in many countries remain very high and allowable export subsidies st ill threaten the stability of world markets. Conclusion: Global agricultural policies affect many economies in a similar way. Developing countries may be more vulnerable to distortions and changes in global trading policies in the agricultural sector, but they also determine the implications of agricultural trade liberalisation in some countries. Vulnerability of countries arising from global policies and trade liberalisation agenda maybe inherent to their economy such as; Strong dependence on agriculture for income, employment and foreign exchange earnings, heavy dependence on food imports and food aid and relatively high degree of sector openness. These conditions may render a countrys economies vulnerable to trends and instability levels of world agricultural prices, long term changes with respect to access barriers to exports markets and global policies affecting the competitiveness of imports in domestic markets. With liberalisation of agricultural sector much priority is been given for increasing international trade which is no subst itute for inducing a domestically oriented agricultural growth. Indeed most food is produced for local consumption in developing countries and only a small proportion is traded internationally, which means that a solely trade-oriented approach has little relevance for many developing countries. Therefore agricultural reforms in International trading system like the AOA may not have much impact on a countrys economic growth particularly the developing countries if the reforms are implemented without proper analysis of own countrys economic strategic position. Since agriculture constitute the major share of many developing economies, the implementation of such reforms and also the participation in world trade without proper precautionary measures may result in crisis which such developing countries may not afford. Therefore, it is necessary to build up a strong domestic market scenario which is in line with external prices, with appropriate policies to ensure the protection of their e conomies from the unnecessary and unfair competition in world markets. However, if such reforms are disciplined in its implementation and also each country is serious enough to make such commitments for the welfare of the world trading system, it might lead to a balanced and equal world markets. This would in a way solve the problems of poverty, inequalities and lead to increased productivity and improve the standard of living of the world population.

The Criminal Justice Process

Abstract This paper describes all the steps taken during the criminal justice process. It explains how important it is to follow due process according to the bill of rights. During this process suspects are put through a series of steps, some within hours of an arrest and some may take days, weeks, and or months. The criminal justice process is numerous steps taken to process a criminal case beginning with an investigation and arrest. An investigation is done by the police and they must gather enough evidence to identify a suspect in order to make an arrest. In most cases, criminals are not arrested on the scene of a crime, they are apprehended later (Schmalleger, 2011). In cases like this, an arrest warrant is issued by a judge if there is enough probable cause to make an arrest. Probable cause is the legal requirement for an arrest connecting a suspect to a particular crime. Arrest is always done with discretion and is a serious step in the criminal justice process. During an arrest defendants are warned of their Miranda Rights prior to questioning. Police feel they are on safe ground by advising suspects of their rights immediately after arrest; however an arrest without questioning does not require a warning (Wiley Publishing, 2000-2010). Following an arrest, suspects are booked. The booking process is an administrative procedure. It includes pictures being taken, fingerprints, and personal information is recorded such as date of birth, address, weight and height. Details of charges are put on the arrest record. Suspects are advised to sign a form with each right stated. The second step in the criminal justice process is pretrial activities, which can take place within hours of the arrest. In this step a suspect will make their appearance before a magistrate where the judicial officer will tell them of the charges against them and once again is advised of their rights and may be offered bail. If a suspect post a bond on first appearance they may not flee, otherwise the cash deposit or property bond will be ordered to forfeit the posted cash or property (Schmalleger, 2011). Suspects who have serious crimes and are not afforded bail are taken to jail to wait for the next step which is a preliminary hearing. During the first appearance, defendants who can’t afford a lawyer will be appointed one. During the third step, preliminary hearing is a process where enough sufficient evidence must be established and exist against the suspect to continue in the criminal justice process. The defense has a chance to analyze the strength of the prosecution case and may request a plea bargain. This is also where the prosecution has a chance to build a case against the suspect and presents any evidence and may offer a plea bargain. The fourth step in the criminal justice process is indictment by grand jury. This is when the prosecutor has enough probable cause to prosecute a capital offense. During indictment, a defendant or a defendant lawyer does not have a right to be present at grand jury proceedings. Another option a prosecutor may take is filling a charge document called information. This is to determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a trial. A defendant and attorney can be present at the information hearing to dispute the charges (Wiley Publishing, 2000-2010). Step five in the criminal justice process is arraignment by a judge. This is when a defendant enters a plea of guilty, not guilty or no contest (nolo contendere). An arraignment is conducted in open court and the indictment or information on the charge is read to the defendant. Step six, adjudication. This step points out that every criminal has a right to trial by jury. If there is doubt based on reason the accused is entitled to be acquitted. The standard of evidence for a criminal conviction is guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. In most jurisdictions, criminal cases never come to trial (Schmalleger, 2011). Some states allow trials for less serious offenses before a judge, called a bench trial. In other cases, a jury is said to be deadlocked, and a judge will declare a mistrial. Step seven is sentencing by a judge. If the accused is found guilty, a judge will impose a form of punishment. Possible sentences include a fine, probations, a period of incarceration in jail or prison or some have a combination of supervision of the community and incarceration. Criminals found guilty, of one or more charges are ordered to serve one sentence after another is completed called a consecutive sentence. Or there sentence may run at the same time, called concurrent sentence (Schmalleger, 2011). In many cases convictions are appealed and filed by attorneys in appellate court and then ruled on appellate judges. If the appellate reverses a case, the case returns to trial court for retrial. The appeal process can be very complex and can involve both federal and state judiciaries. Even if a prosecutor drops the charges, the defendant can still be prosecuted later as long as the statue of limitations for the crime the defendant is being accused of committing hasn’t run out. Appeals are based on the defendants claim that rules of procedure were not follow properly at some earlier stage in the criminal justice process. The last but not least process is corrections. Punishment and or rehabilitation processed by local, state or federal correctional authorities. Once an offender has been sentenced, the corrections stage begins. Most inmates do not serve the complete term and are released before their maximum sentence expires (Wiley Publishing, 2000-2010). Inmates are assigned to confinement facilities and treatment programs. Not all offenders end up in prison. Some are ordered to prison and then have their sentences suspended and a probation term imposed. Offenders who have served a portion of their time may be freed on probation or parole. If conditions of probation or parole are not met, it will be revoked and result in more jail time. In conclusion the criminal justice process is to be conducted with fairness and equality, the due process. This process must recognize the individual rights of criminal defendants facing prosecution by state or federal government. Due process is what guarantees the fifth, sixth and fourteenth amendment. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without the due process of law, and each state is bound and required to respect the due process rights of United States citizens who come under their jurisdictions. There are many more suspects and defendants than inmates. Wiley Publishing, 2000-2010) The Criminal Justice Process Chart References Schmalleger, F. (2011) Criminal justice today: An Introductory text for the 21st century (11th ed. ) Upper Saddle River, NY: Pearson Prentice Hall Cliff Notes (2000-2010) The Process of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on October 19, 2010 from http://www. cliffsnotes. com/study_guide/The-Process-of-Criminal Justice. topicArticleId-10065,art icleId-9909. html New Jersey Judiciary (2001) The Criminal Justice Process. Retrieved on October 19, 2010 From http://www. judiciary. state. nj. us/criminal/crproc. htm

Moral dilemma essay Essay

A moral dilemma entails a choice between two highly conflicting values, where the decision made may result in guilt and remorse. As responders we are able to assess our own values in regards to the character’s actions. These characteristics are present in the texts Montana 1948 by Larry Watson 1993, The Returning by Daniel De Paola 1964 and Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby 2004. I personally have been influenced to assess my own values towards family ties, justice and the balance between right and wrong. When faced with a moral dilemma, avoidance and denial often result in greater consequences. In Montana 1948 the sheriff Wes has conflicting values of family loyalty and justice leading to an immense moral dilemma whether to convict his own brother even though this may have an adverse effect on familial ties. Wes instead resorts to denial of the situation. This denial is highlighted shortly after Franks exploitation of Indian women was brought to light by Gail. Wes attempts to refuse Marie’s accusations. â€Å"For gods sake, you know how she (Marie) likes to make up stories.† Despite knowing his brothers capability to commit such actions his aggressive tone shows his resistance to Gail’s argument, instinctively protecting his value of family over the law and also his loyalty to Marie. After coming to terms with the facts of Franks perversity Wes attempts to solve the problem, although half heartedly, by confronting Frank. â€Å"I think the problems been taken care of. Frank said he’ll cut it out,† In this context the colloquial language ‘cut it out’, referring to the molestation and raping of women, undermining the situation, reducing its severity and allowing Wes to not only justify his own avoidance but to pacify Gail. The relevant consequence to his lack of action is Frank’s mur der of Marie the following day, in an attempt to dispose of evidence against him, a much graver fate than if Wes had convicted Frank initially. Denial of a moral dilemma is also manifest in the film Million Dollar Baby. The scene in which Maggie asks Frankie to end her life, Frankie is faced with an unfathomable decision that contradicts his love for her as a daughter but also his faith in God. Repetition of â€Å"I can’t† demonstrates Frankie’s affliction towards the situation. The diegetic sound of Maggie’s  breathing paired with a close up shot addresses Maggie’s constant suffering supporting her reason to beg Frankie for the favour. Frankie chose to avoid maggie’s request until she attempts to take the problem into her own hands. The use of dark lighting in the final hospital scene, emits an eerie feeling to symbolise Frankie’s daunting and pressing task. He realises he must end her suffering. These texts demonstrate that doing what is morally correct may be difficult. Nonetheless I have learnt that the outcome of ignoring an issue may become an even bigger burden. If presented with a moral dilemma, I would work to solve the problem as quickly as possible but also to take the time to do it correctly. The perception different individuals hold for one another influences the approach taken in a moral dilemma, highlighting values of family, race and social status. In watson’s novel Wes is aware of the racial division, upon native American Indians of the time. This prejudice plays a large role in the treatment of Marie. The prejudice of the native indian women is evident in Julian’s comparison of native american women to â€Å"red meat† The derogatory metaphor ‘red meat’ conveys his perception of the native American Indian females as lowly animals, merely alive for amusement value. However Wes has a moral dilemma between the prejudice and his personal beliefs. This is demonstrated in the scene prior to Marie falling ill. David describes Wes as: â€Å"He simply held them (Indians) in low regard†¦he could treat indians with generosity and respect (as he could treat every other human being)† The use of the pronoun ‘them’ is intended to inflict primitiveness and inferiority on American indians by stereotyping them, meanwhile the words ‘generosity’ and ‘respect’ holding positive connotations, show Wes’ broader perspective. The conflict between his personal and family values pose a moral dilemma. Wes’ valuable perception of all individuals lives, override the views held by his brother and father, compelling him to seek justice. In Daniel De Paola’s short story â€Å"The Returning† we are presented with an underlying conflict between the whites and the natives. Although not spoken between one another, each character has been influenced by society to hold certain views. Negative connotations from Dark cat expressed in â€Å"At another  time and place, he wouldn’t have wanted to linger in a room alone with a white woman.† Contrasting with â€Å"But here and now there was only friendliness between them.† Conveys Dark cats prejudice towards whites. Meanwhile, high modality present in â€Å"never felt† shows that Dark cat may be turning a new leaf with the whites. This example demonstrates that moral dilemmas can make one rethink their bias. As discussed each character has conflicting predetermined values and beliefs that directly affect their decision. I have come to a conclusion that although mentally testing, the way in which I would handle a difficult situation would be to try to be aware and disregard irrational prejudices. Through my study of moral dilemmas, in particular in the texts Montana 1948, The Returning and Million Dollar Baby I have come to question values such as family, justice and the balance between what is right or wrong. I would act immediately to resolve the dilemma and overcome any prejudice that conflicts with my decision.

Biography of Larry Swartz, Convicted Murderer

Biography of Larry Swartz, Convicted Murderer Larry Swartz struggled his whole life, first as a foster care child, then as one of two boys adopted by Robert and Kathryn Swartz. In the beginning, Larry was his parents favorite. In time that changed, and he became their next victim. Robert and Kathryn Swartz Robert Bob Swartz and Kathryn Anne Kay Sullivan met while both were students at the University of Maryland. Soon, they discovered they had a lot in common, most notably childhoods marked by structure and stern discipline. As devout Catholics, neither had been active in the dating scene in either high school or college. After getting married, the couple settled in Cape St. Claire, Maryland. Kay got a job teaching high school and Bob started working with computers. Kay was unable to have children so they decided to adopt. The thought of opening their home to unwanted children fit right in with their active participation with pro-life groups. Lawrence Joseph Swartz Lawrence Larry Swartz was six years old and the first child to join the Swartz family. His birth mother had been a waitress in New Orleans and his father was alleged to have been an East Indian pimp. Larry had spent his life in foster homes. Michael David Swartz Eight-year-old Michael was the second child that joined the family. Prior to that, he had moved from one foster home to another and had developed into a rebellious child. He spent two years on a probationary period in the Swartzes home before being legally adopted. Favoritism Larry and Michael were only six months apart in age, with Michael being the oldest. A bond between the two brothers developed quickly, and they became best friends. Bob and Kay wanted both boys to receive a good education, but their ambitions became a source of family tension. Michael was a smart child and a quick learner. He excelled in his first few years in school, so the Swartzes decided he was under-challenged and insisted he jump from the second to the fourth grade. The change did not work out. Although intelligent, Michael was emotionally immature. His grades dropped and his disciplinary problems increased. He was impulsive and disobedient, often had fits of anger, and did not seem to understand right from wrong. Larry on the other hand was a poor student. His parents became concerned about his academic struggles and had him tested. It was determined that he was learning disabled. He was placed in special education classes, which had a positive effect on his performance. Larry was also a quiet, mild-mannered child who followed the rules at school and at home. He rarely caused any disciplinary problems and had a close relationship with his mother. He was clearly the favorite son. Abuse The mood within the household turned volatile as the boys hit adolescence. Bob and Kay were strict disciplinarians with rigid house rules. They also lacked good parenting skills and were becoming overwhelmed with the challenges inherent in raising two teenagers. Bob and Kay subjected both boys to constant criticism and harsh scoldings, and they often punished their children for even the most minor infringements of the rules. When it came time to deal with more serious problems, like Michael being disruptive at school, the at-home punishments became more severe. During family fights, Larry would try to calm his parents. Michael would do just the opposite. He often talked back and agitated the fighting. Bob had a ferocious temper and zero tolerance for Michaels rebellious behavior. It did not take long for the verbal lashings to turn into physical abuse. Larry managed to escape the beatings, but not the verbal and psychological abuse. The Swartzes were determined not to let Larry end up like Michael, and they kept a close watch on his activities. Being around the constant fighting and the physical abuse took a toll on Larry, and he obsessed about ways to keep his parents happy. Annie Swartz When the boys were around 13, the Swartzes  adopted their third child, four-year-old Annie. She was born in South Korea and had been abandoned by her parents. Annie was cute and sweet, and the entire family adored her. She also became the new favorite child of Bob and Kay, which bumped Larry down to second place. Hit the Road One night Michael asked his parents if he could visit some friends. The answer was no, so Michael snuck out of the house. When he returned home around 10 p.m., he discovered that he was locked out. After knocking failed to get his parents to let him inside, he began to yell. Finally, Kay opened the window and informed Michael that he was no longer welcome at home. The next day Kay reported Michael as a runaway to his social worker. He was given the choice to move into a foster home or go to juvenile court, which would have likely meant going to a juvenile detention home. Michael elected to move into a foster home. As far as the Swartzes were concerned, Michael was no longer their son. Next in Line Michael and Larry remained in touch with one another and talked for hours together on the telephone. They shared their frustration and anger over how their parents were treating them. Larry could not believe that his parents had disowned Michael. It not only angered him that a parent could just throw out their child, but it also caused him to feel severely insecure. He was scared that one day he would also be cast out of his home. Now that Michael was gone, his parents were always on his back about something. Larry couldnt understand why his parents didnt seem to like him. He was popular at school and had a reputation among his peers and his teachers as a nice looking, easygoing, and polite young man. However, his mild manner and friendly nature made little impression on his parents. Just as they had with Michael, Bob and Kay soon began to find fault with everything Larry did and the friends he chose to hang out with. His relationship with his mother, which had always been good, began to disintegrate. The more she screamed at him, the harder he would try to figure a way back into her good graces. But nothing seemed to work. Backfire In a desperate attempt to regain his favorite child status, Larry told his parents that he wanted to be a priest. It worked. The Swartzes were thrilled, and Larry was sent to a seminary to begin his first year of high school. Unfortunately, that plan backfired. After failing to make the necessary grade point average after two semesters, Larry was encouraged by the school not to return. The clashes with his parents intensified after he returned home. Drivers Education Most teens start annoying their parents about allowing them to get their drivers license as soon as they reach the legal age to drive. Larry was no exception. For the Swartzes, however, this hinged entirely on Larrys grades. They agreed to allow him to take drivers education if he make all Cs or better on his report card. By the following semester, Larry managed to get all but one C. Bob stood his ground and refused to give in because of the single D. Larry kept at it. The following semester he received two Ds and the rest were Cs. Again, that was not good enough for Bob and Kay. Destructive Criticism Arguments between Larry and his parents became a regular occurrence. They fought with him in particular over his extracurricular activities. They didnt care that their son excelled at sports and was co-captain of the junior varsity soccer team- in fact, they were adamant that sports was a distraction from his studies. He was often grounded and was only permitted to go to school and church and to attend his wrestling matches and soccer events. Socializing with friends was restricted. When Larry did manage to go on a date, his parents unfailingly criticized the girl he went out with. Larrys performance in school deteriorated as a result. At 17, his C average was now a D average. His hopes for a drivers license were completely dashed. In order to numb his pain, Larry began to hide liquor in his bedroom and often got drunk after fleeing to his room after a fight with his parents. As for Michael, he had been court-ordered to go to a psychiatric facility for testing after he continued to get into trouble at the foster home. The Swartzes never wavered in their decision to cut all ties with him, and Michael became a ward of the state. Snap, Crackle, and Pop The night of January 16, 1984, was a typical night in the Swartz home. Larry had been dating a girl that Kay disapproved of and she told him she didnt want him to see her again. Shortly after that argument ended, Bob blasted Larry for messing with his computer, which had erased some work. The fight escalated to ferocious levels. Larry went up to his bedroom and began to drink from the bottle of rum he had hidden there. If he was hoping to squelch his anger, it did not work. Instead, the alcohol seemed to fuel the resentment and rage he felt towards his parents. A Call to 9-1-1 The following morning, at around 7 a.m., Larry placed a call to 9-1-1. The Cape St. Claire emergency workers arrived to find Larry and Annie holding hands at the door. Larry calmly let the paramedics into the house. First, they found Bobs body lying inside a small basement office. He was covered in blood and had several gash marks on his chest and arms. Next, they found Kays body in the backyard, lying in the snow. She was nude except for a sock on one foot. It appeared that she had been partially scalped, and her neck had been deeply lacerated in several spots. Against police protocol, one of the paramedics covered Kays body with a blanket. Larry told the paramedics that Annie woke him up because she could not find their parents. He said that he looked out the kitchen window, saw Kay laying in the yard, and immediately called for help. The Crime Scene When the detectives from Arundel County Sheriffs Department arrived, they immediately secured the crime scene. A search of the home produced several clues. First, nothing of any value seemed to have been stolen. A blood trail led outside, indicating that Kays body had been dragged to where it was found. In addition, a bloody palm print was found on the glass of the patio door. They also uncovered a bloody maul out in a wet, wooded area behind the house. A neighbor alerted the detectives to blood that he saw in the front of his home. Investigators followed that trail, along with a series of footprints, from the neighbors house through the neighborhood and into the woods. The footprints included human shoe prints, paw prints from what was likely a dog, one bare footprint, and one that may have been made by someone wearing a sock. It appeared that Kay Swartz survived her initial attack and managed to escape the house, but was then chased through the neighborhood by her assailant until she was caught and murdered. The Interviews The detectives turned their attention to Larry and Annie. Larry told them the same story he told the paramedics about looking out the window and seeing his mother lying in the snow, except this time he said he looked out of the dining room window, not the kitchen window. He was also quick to implicate his brother Michael as a possible suspect. He told the detectives that Michael hated his parents for disowning him and sending him back to foster care. Larry pointed out that the family dogs knew Michael and probably would not bark at him if he entered the house. He told them that Kay confided to him that she feared Michael, and that Michael had once joked about stabbing their father in the back. Annie told detectives that she heard a voice around 11:30 p.m. that sounded like her father calling for help. She then described a man that she saw in the backyard. His back was to her, but she could see that he was tall, with dark curly hair, and that he was wearing jeans and a gray sweatshirt. She went on to describe a bloody shovel that he was carrying over his shoulder. For as young as she was, she remembered a lot of details. When asked if the man was as tall as Michael was, Annie answered yes. Michael was over six feet tall and towered over Larry. Michaels Alibi But Michael had an alibi. According to him and the staff at the Crownsville Hospital Center, Michael had been locked inside the dormitory during the night. One of the staff members confirmed that hed seen Michael around 11:15 p.m. Based on the time that Annie said that she saw the man in the yard, that would have given Michael only 15 minutes to get to the house and kill his parents. The detectives knew that there was no way that Michael was the killer. He could never have made it to the Swartz home that quickly. Cool, Calm, and Overly Helpful Everyone who came to the Swartz home that morning- the paramedics, police, and the detectives- remarked on Larrys emotional state. For a kid who had just found his parents murdered, he was amazingly cool and calm, to the point of appearing disconnected to the horror that had gone on inside his house. The detectives were also suspicious of his attempt to make Michael look like a suspect. There was also the batch of papers concerning Michaels legal problems, which had conveniently been left in open view in the living room. The Arrest The detectives knew that if they found out who left the bloody palm print on the glass door, they would probably find the killer. It did not take long for the FBI to make a match. The palm print matched Larrys palm print, a fact that did not surprise any of the detectives. Larry was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder. His bail was set at $200,000. Annie went to live with family friends in Annapolis. A Confidential Confession Three days after his parents funeral, Larry confessed to his lawyers that he was the killer. He outlined the events prior to the attack, describing the arguments hed had with his parents. He said he went to his bedroom, started drinking, and then went downstairs, passing his mother, who was watching television. She asked him about some tests he had taken at school that day, and Larry told her he thought he had flunked one but done okay on the others. According to Larry, Kays response was sarcastic and belittling. In response, Larry picked up a nearby wood-splitting maul and smash it over her head. He then stabbed her multiple times in the neck with a kitchen knife. Bob came in to see what was going on and Larry plunged the knife into his chest. He continued stabbing Bob around his chest and heart multiple times. Once Bob and Kay were dead, Larry busied himself trying to make it look like a crime that was committed by someone who had broken into the house. Someone like Michael. Final Act of Revenge- Humiliation Larry explained how he dragged his mother out through the patio door and across the snow in the backyard and laid her out near the swimming pool. He removed her clothes and then in a final act to humiliate her, he moved her body into an obscene position and then assaulted her with his finger. He then got rid of the murder weapons and his bloody clothing by throwing them into the wet, wooded area behind his house. When he returned inside he went to Annies room. She had woken up during the commotion, but Larry assured her it was a nightmare and told her to go back to sleep. Larry did not mention anything to his lawyer about chasing Kay through the neighborhood. When asked about it, Larry said he had no recollection of that happening. The Trial Larry sat in jail for 15 months before going to trial. On the day before it was to begin, his lawyers and the prosecutor reached a plea bargain. Judge Bruce Williams questioned Larry on the witness stand, verifying that he understood that he was going to plead guilty to the two counts of murder. He then announced his sentence. Judge Williams referred to the murders as one of the most tragic events in the history of the county. He showed compassion when speaking of the trouble that went on in the Swartz home. He said although Larry appeared normal, his court-ordered psychological testing showed that the teen was in great need of treatment. He sentenced Larry to two concurrent 20-year sentences and suspended 12 years from each. Freedom Larry was released from prison in 1993, after serving nine years of his sentence. Inexplicably, a family who had read about his case adopted him as their son. He lived with his new family for several years before leaving. He moved to Florida, married, and had a child. In December 2004, at the age of 38, Larry had a heart attack and died. The case was the inspiration for the best-selling book by Leslie Walker, Sudden Fury: A True Story of Adoption and Murder. In addition to the book, a movie based on the murders was made in 1993 called A Family Torn Apart, which starred  Neil Patrick Harris of Doogie Howser, M.D. as Larry Swartz. Michaels Unhappy Ending Michael continued to get in trouble, and as he got older his criminal behavior became more severe. At the age of 25, he was given a life sentence without the possibility of parole, for participating in robbing and murdering a man. His bounty? A jar of coins. Teens Killing Parents A number of articles about children who kill their parents have been published over the years, many of them in Psychology Today. Most experts agree that its the fastest-growing form of family homicide, committed primarily by males between 16 and 19 years of age. The reasons are unknown, although some doctors posit the high divorce rate may play a role. It is an area of crime that continues to be studied in great depth.

Buffalo Bill essays

Buffalo Bill essays Buffalo Bill was a man who as a child had a hard life. His real name is William Fredrick Cody. Even through all the disasters that happened in his life he pulled through. At the age of twelve his dad died. With very little education he pursued various jobs including a Wagoner, Trapper, and a prospector. By the age fourteen he joined the pony express. In 1863 during the Civil War he served as a scout for the Union Armys Ninth Kansas Calvary. Then in 1964-65 served with the Unions Forces in Tennessee and Missouri. After the war ended he tried various ventures. He tried running a hotel and freighter, he worked on railroad construction. In 1867-68 he became a buffalo hunter. He supplied meat to the Kansas Pacific railroad, and the legend of the nickname Buffalo Bill. BY his own count he had killed up to 4,280 buffalo. Then between 1868-72 he became a civilian scout for the fifth Calvary, while fighting the Sioux and the Cheyenne. In 1872 he appeared in a stage play by E.Z.C Judson, who under the pen name Ned Buntline began to feature Buffalo Bill in a series of dim novels. Buffalo Bill met Ned in NY and since then worked with him on these novels. Right after his meeting with Ned he went back to the plains where he started scouting again for the military. While he was there it is said that he captured and scalped the Cheyenne chief, Yellow Hand. In 1883 he decided to start the Buffalo Bills Wild West Show that toured America and Europe for 30 years. With himself as the star there was also various other marksmen and riders including Annie Oakley and mock battles with the Indians. Then in the 1890s he had settled on a large tract given him by the state of Wyoming in the Bighorn Basin (Later the site Known as Cody.) Due to financial troubles he had to shut down his show in 1913. During his scouting years he was awarded the congression ...

Roles, Ethical Considerations, and Effectiveness of the Acute Care Term Paper

Roles, Ethical Considerations, and Effectiveness of the Acute Care Nurse Practitioner - Term Paper Example When faced by a problem such as a HIV positive patient wanting the status to remain confidential, the caregiver should consider the effects of such a decision. The caregiver must be sure that withholding such information will not affect other people in the community such as family (Hendrick, 2011). b) Utilitarianism  is an ethical principle that emphasizes on assessing the rightfulness or wrongness of an action by considering the outcome. According to this code, the utility of any action depends on its ability to generate more good or positive outcomes than the negative consequences (Hendrick, 2011). A good example where utilitarianism applies is on the issue of abortion. In some cases complication occur during labour such that the mother’s life is in danger and only the mother or the baby has a chance of surviving. The caregiver should consider the possibility of saving either the mother or the child. If carrying out an abortion can save the mother’s life, then the a ction is justified since the positive consequences are more. Though abortion entails killing, failure to abort the foetus in a case like this will result in death of both mother and baby. Another example that utilitarianism is applied on cases whereby lying can help prevents mishaps. If telling a lie to a patient will help him or her abide to a procedure or medication that is helpful to them, utilitarian considers the action morally right even though it is against the caregiver’s moral obligation of truthfulness (Hendrick, 2011). c) Justice is a principle that entails relevance of fairness and equality when treating patients irrespective of their diversity. The principle insists on even allotment of health care resources. Justice in health care provision implies ignoring aspects such as gender, race, social status just to mention but a few in deciding the ease of access of health services (Boxwell, 2010) However, the factors remain trivial in deciding the form of treatment fo r the patients. For example, a white person and a black person seeking medical attention should be treated equally without favour (Hendrick, 2011) d) Fidelity is an ethical principle that stresses on the need for heath caregivers to remain faithful, loyal, and abiding to their promises. This enables the health professionals uphold the reputation and credibility of the profession. For example, when a medical practitioner gives an appointment to a patient, this principle requires that the practitioner keep the promise (Hendrick, 2011). e) Veracity is a principle that obliges medical practitioners to tell the truth to maintain their own credibility as well as that of the profession. Medical practitioners are required to tell the entire truth to the patients without any omissions, cloaking, or deception. The truthfulness should also be practiced in operations such as documentation as well as billing. For example, a medical practitioner should not lie to patients regarding their health c ondition for whatever reasons (Hendrick, 2011). f) Autonomy is the freedom or liberty to decide on one’s actions, intentions, or choices based on ones understanding without considering external factors. This principle argues that patients have total sovereignty to choose the course of treatment to be used on them as long as they are adults. However, the patients should first be provided with information that they can understand. The patients are also free to choose

History and Politics of the American Medical Field Assignment

History and Politics of the American Medical Field - Assignment Example There is not a set standard of ethics for the college, but moral integrity always has been a natural way of living in college. Every member should be very responsible, presentable, and socially intelligent. An ethical manual was designed by many educational experts but is only meant to be used as an ethical â€Å"guideline† which addresses many of the major issues dealing with the physician’s standards. These ethical standards which physicians live by have been developed over the course of time and began naturally with the very first physicians. The relationship between the physician and the patient has also developed very well over time. As the physician's goal is always to improve the medical condition while preserving the respect of the patient. The first practices of medicine were based on a trusting relationship that would allow the doctor to use medical knowledge to treat the patient. However, constant improvement in this field along with many breakthroughs has allowed the relationships to develop into an unbreakable bond. The financial situations of the medical field in America have also changed greatly over the course of time. The physician should explain all of the medical expenses before treating the patient, but still has the responsibility of sharing the knowledge of the field with anyone who may need help. It is the physicians’ choice of who will receive medical treatment in accordance with the medical field.