Build A Team Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Build A Team - Essay Example From the West Coast Transit team member profiles, the following members have been selected to be part of the A team that will undertake the above mentioned project: Natalie, Elizabeth, Katelyn, Bob, Susan and William. In brief, these six members have good qualities that can positively yield in great team performance. Essentially, collaboration and coordination are basic tenets of teamwork in an organization (Schultz, 2007). In brief, Natalie is positive and has great communication skills; Elizabeth enjoys the collaborative aspect of the job and has a positive attitude; Katelyn’s mindset suits teamwork; Bob’s attitude is positive and he is a team player; Susan’s attitude is positive and she is an excellent team player and William is also positive and believes that he is a team player. When combined, the qualities of the selected six members are likely to contribute towards the formation of a strong and formidable team that can collaboratively work together to prod uce positive results for the organization. The other people have not been selected to become part of the A team as a result of their negative attitude. For instance, Ian is arrogant and he does not want to back down from his ideas. Doug is a bit of a temper and he is easily frustrated and is viewed as abrasive by his workmates. On the other hand, Michael is overconfident and at time battles with depression though he collaborates with others when the need arises. It can be observed that the qualities of the members left out of the A team are not consistent with the spirit and letter of teamwork. The attitudes of these members can impact negatively on the overall performance of the team since they can lead to conflicts. As indicated above, the A team is formed for a specific purpose. Given the diverse factors that may influence the behavior of your team members, the job characteristic model and goal setting will be

Financial perspective Essay Example for Free

Financial perspective Essay As seen balanced scorecards does not totally disregard financial measures of performance. Thus, timely and accurate data is essential to the successful implementation of balanced scorecard. This implies that handling and processing of financial data should be swift and centralize perhaps fully automated. The financial data should be integrated with corporate databases and especially data regarding risk assessment and cost benefit analysis (Stewart, 2000). Learning and growth perspective This category recognizes that people are the only repositions of knowledge i. e. people posses intangible assets of the company. In this information age intelligence is the heart of organization success and hence Ned to ensure continuous learning through employee training. This is because technology changes rapidly as aloes people exiting an organization for greener pastures. (Lipe Salterio, 2000) As a result, corporations’ culture and attitude need to be shaped to ensure that people within the organization pursue self-improvement and reverse brain drain to other companies. The cost of recruitment and training people is usually high and measures of allocating the funds to reap maximum benefits need to be developed. Knowledge sharing is equally important. Notably not all training translates to learning but the most effective learning occurs, using mentors and group discussions and communication within the organization. Intranets may contribute towards facilitating communication and learning (Norton, 2001) Process perspective This category identifies two kinds of process within the business one, the mission oriented processes and two the support process. Support processes are repetitive in nature and nature and hence easier to measure on the other hand mission oriented involve government offices and hence difficult to measure. Attention to these perspectives enables managers to know how well the operations of the business are and whether they are in tandem with customer requirements and expectations. (Kaplan Norton, 1996) Problems associated with financial measures. The move to adopt the balanced scorecard at Intel has been triggered by the inefficiency of financial measures to link corporate strategy and goals to measurement it ahs been difficult for Intel to link the strategies used in say marketing and advertising campaigns to the effects or anticipated results. Thus a shortfall in gauging performance has been experienced.. As pointed out, Intel faces strong competition from Microsoft and there has been to re-strategize its operations in order to gain competitive advantage and adopt with the changing technology. The previously used financial measures are outdated as the PC industry how shifted from the industrial age to become more knowledge based. White previously, Intel management of the company’s property equipments and plant was adequate to accord the company competitive edge, now a days the intangible asset i. e. the employee’s knowledge plays a great role in ensuring that Intel stays ahead of its game. The company’s income statements, and balance sheets are still used to capture revenues and profits but they still account very little to the company’s market value hence the need for balance scorecard. The balanced scorecard becomes handy for Intel to link its strategy i. e. deploying its intangible assets to the company’s goal i. e. dominate the PC industry. The problem of financial measures utilized at Intel is its failure to measure how effective customer relationship operating process product innovation skill of the workforce culture and other variables are in contributing to the company’s goal of maintaining lead in the PC industry. The financial measures i. e. balance sheets and incomes statements fail to assist management describe its asset and link it to strategy and goal. The pitfall of this measure is that without a clear description of the situation and the company’s possessions in terms of assets then it is difficult to know what to manage or measure. Recommended design and implementation of Intel’s balance scorecard Intel balance scorecard design will incorporate strategy aimed at increasing the company’s revenues by twenty percent in a period of 18 months. In order to do so the balance scorecard components will be used in designing the strategy. The invaluable contribution of the employees at Intel is recognized in this design. They contribute indirectly to the company’s revenue investment in the employees will improve their functional competence and hence lead to better quality products and innovations hence greater customer satisfaction. This satisfaction in turn will translate to higher sales and thus increase in revenue and profit margins. Rewards systems for hardworking employees will be given in form of cash incentives and recognition awards. More importantly, dead wood employees will not be retained in the company, as they are liabilities to the company. The workplace culture and climate will also be representative of the company’s goal; hence performance appraisals will also be used to boost hard work. The no-office policy at Intel will be retained in order to ensure equality among the company’s employees. Communication and knowledge sharing will be boosted by upping Intel intranets and using monthly meetings in departments to achieve this end. Intel will have to upgrade its internal processes to improve its customers and shareholders satisfactions hence achieve revenue. The way to do this will be by availing its microprocessors speedily to its customer’s at the time when needed. Intel will need to keep track of releases of operating systems by software hence increase sales and revenues. Intel should also develop new products and services that are relevant to meeting customers’ wants and needs. Perhaps, there is need to identify new markets in order to broaden its customers base also promote satisfaction among customers. Grievances and complaints will handle with immediacy and accuracy. Additionally, Total quality management and zero tolerance production techniques will be used in its manufacturing plant to ensure that consignment delivered to customers have zero defects. Intel will also ensure that it exercises social responsibility and that its activities benefit the greater society and don’t harm the immediate environment. The customers’ perspectives components of Intel balance scorecard will work towards creating a image of value and distinction in its customers. Intel will achieve this by incorporating a mix of different products and service that uniquely identify the customers to the company. Intel will sustain intimacy with its customers by being a representative of the customers’ diverse traits. It will ensure indiscriminate customers service to customers regardless of race, gender or religion its branding and advertisement campaigns will be acceptable to the customers. Intel will employ competitive pricing to attract and retain customers. At the same time Intel will assure great performance and auxiliary features in its products so that customers get value for their money, hence boost revenue. Delivery lead times will equally be reduced by half in order to encourage customers to buy more from them. The financial position of Intel will be influenced by the effects o customer’s internal process and the learning perspectives of the company’s workforce. Ultimately, if the positive changes on these sections are effected then the company will realize profitability and increased revenues. In effect, the company’s value in the eye of the shareholder will also improve, more to that; an increase in company assets value will be evident.

Intern Experience Reflection Essay -- Reflection Paper, criminal justi

As I continue exploring the aspects of Family Inc., I find myself becoming more amazed at the tragedies that occur in the lives of juveniles. Society is always pointing the finger at the children, blaming them and punishing their negative actions. With a deeper look at the family system behind these children, I have found an empathy for the delinquent children. The organization is not only for delinquent children, but it is thought that children with incarcerated parents have a higher risk of going into the prison system. Especially since these children most likely get placed with grandparents, they could become more rebellious and hard to handle. Since learning the mentor database system, I have seen a bit more of the actual family aspect of the mentees. I have been updated and informed of children, the stories of their parents, and how they got where they are now. The circumstances that I have heard about are things that I could not even imagine going through myself. Growing up in Philadelphia and even having close friends with troubled homes has not prepared me for the issues I hear. It is no wonder these children lose their self-control. I guess this just shows the cycle of the criminal justice system. The streets create criminals, whether it be through poverty or simple environmental stressors. The criminals have children, like everyone else. Their children are subject to the living situations that come with losing a parent to the system, which in turn pushes them to the streets. They follow the same path their parents walked down. I see Family Inc. as an institution that creates a fork in the road, giving the child the options to go the right way and steer clear of crime. The mentor is a guide to show the light to the r... ...me to college. I finally get to see what I learned in the class come alive in the professional world. I now yearn to learn more about my career choice from the classroom, so I can continue to make use of it in the real world. I have even decided that I might change around a couple of my classes to figure out what juvenile classes are offer the coming semester. Overall, I am enjoying the experience. I am taking each day as it comes, learning as I go. I think that working with Family, Inc. is a good interning experience. I find it to be a good mix of my life goals and personal interest. I am currently a mentor, orientation leader, and university ambassador at school and I have always been one to be there to help new people adapt. I guess this has always been in my mind because, now that I think of it, even in my lower level jobs, I trained new employees.

Free Essay - Evil in Nathaniel Hawthornes The Scarlet Letter :: Scarlet Letter essays

Evil in the Scarlet Letter One belief that people live by is that evil is the nature of mankind, yet there are others that feel man has good intentions but those intentions can be overrun by the devil. Nathaniel Hawthorne points out that the former is true of all people in the novel The Scarlet Letter. In this novel, there are three main characters who commit evil and sinful acts, but each act is at a different degree of sinfulness (i.e. the sins get worse as the story goes a-long). These three sinners, in the eyes of the Puritan community, are the beautiful Hester Prynne, the esteemed Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, and the cold-hearted doctor, Roger Chillingworth. Like Hawthorne, I believe that evil is the nature of man but that there are different magnitudes of evil; some choose to fight it, like Hester, and some choose to give in, like Chillingworth. Hester Prynne, a strong willed and brave woman, in respect to the two additional people, has committed the least amount of sin in the novel. In the eyes of the Puritan community, though, she has committed one of the worst possible sins that can be imagined: adultery. They feel she is horrendously corrupt, yet it is not truly her fault. Hester is the victim of her husband, Roger Chillingworth's (formerly Roger Prynne) stupidity by sending her to New England by herself, while he remained in Europe. Chillingworth even admitted that it was his fault when he voiced, "It was my folly! I have said it. But, up to that epoch of my life, I have lived in vain."(Ch.4, p. 68) Hester is also a victim of fate. She has no way of knowing if Chillingworth is dead or alive when the Indians capture him after he arrived in North America. She still goes against the strict Puritan rules, and breaks Commandment 7, which was often punished by death. Arthur Dimmesdale is a strong pillar of the community and a very devoted Puritan. What could he do that is worse than young Hester Prynne's appalling act of adultery? Well he goes a little further into the same sin. First of all, he commits adultery with the abandoned Hester. Then instead of admitting his sin to the public, he keeps his dark secret in his heart, knowing it will eat at him for the rest of his life until he reveals it.

Smart Phone

Smartphone Security Survey of U. S. consumers Sponsored by AVG Technologies Independently conducted by Ponemon Institute LLC Publication Date: March 2011 Ponemon Institute © Research Report Smartphone Security Survey of U. S. Consumers Ponemon Institute, March 2011 Part 1. Introduction Ponemon Institute is pleased to present the findings of the Smartphone Security Survey: A Study of U. S. Consumers sponsored by AVG Technologies. The goal of the research is to determine consumers’ perceptions about the potential privacy and security risks when using their smartphones.In addition, we wanted to learn if participants in our study care about these risks and if they take security precautions. We surveyed 734 consumers who are 18 years and older and own a smartphone. The risks that we address in our survey concern location tracking, transmission of confidential payment without the user’s knowledge or consent, diallerware (specialized malware unique to smartphones), spyware, viruses from insecure WiFi networks and others. What we learned is that most of the consumers in our study are using their smartphones without understanding that they are exposing their sensitive information to the risks listed above.We also believe the findings of this study signal a potential security risk for organizations because so many consumers surveyed use their smartphones for both business and personal use. With business confidential information stored on these smartphones, organizations should make sure employees and contractors take appropriate precautions to secure such sensitive information. We also recommend that security policies state these precautions and ensure they are enforced. Following are the most salient research highlights: ?Eighty-four percent use the same smartphone for both business and personal purposes. The cross over of business and personal usage means much more sensitive and confidential data is at risk and suggests that the smartphone is with them most of the time. Sixty-six percent admit they keep a moderate or significant amount of personal data on their smartphones. Such personal data include email address, name, contact lists, photos, videos, anniversary and personal dates, music, Sixty-seven percent of consumers surveyed say they are concerned about receiving marketing ads and promotions.However, less than half (44 percent) are concerned about having a virus attack on their smartphone when it is connected to an insecure Internet network. In addition to using it as a phone, 89 percent use their smartphone for personal email and 82 percent use it for business email. A smaller percentage of consumers use their smartphones for financial transactions including payments. In fact, 38 percent of consumers use the smartphone to make payments and 14 percent use it for banking. Sixty-six percent of consumers have paid at least once for an item using their smartphone.In addition, 12 percent of consumers say they have experienced a f raud attempt vis-a-vis a mobile payment scheme. Despite this fact, only six percent say they check their mobile bill or statement every month and eight percent check the statement when the bill is higher than usual. Fifty-eight percent of consumers say that based on how they used the smartphone for purchases, Internet browsing and location they were targeted by marketers. Accordingly, 67 percent say they are very concerned or concerned about aggressive or abusive marketing practices. ? ? ? ? ? Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 1 ?Despite security risks, less than half of consumers use keypad locks or passwords to secure their smartphones. In addition, only 29 percent of consumers said they have considered installing an anti-virus product to protect their smartphone. Forty-two percent of consumers who use social networking apps say they allow smartphone versions of well-known social networking applications such as Facebook to access the same key chains, passwords and log-ins that they use of their desktops, laptops or tablet. Only 10 percent of consumers say they turn off Bluetooth â€Å"discoverable† status on their smartphone when not in use. ? ?Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 2 Part 2. Key Findings In this report we have organized the findings from the study according to the following topics: Consumers’ use of smartphones, consumers’ awareness about the security risks that accompany their use of smartphones, scenarios that illustrate potential smartphone security risks and how consumers are or are not managing these risks. Consumers’ use of smartphones Most consumers use their smartphone for both business and personal use. Forty percent use their smartphone for business and personal use equally and 25 percent use it for personal but some business use (Bar Chart 1).Only 6 percent of consumers surveyed use their smartphone exclusively for business. Bar Chart 1. What best describes your smartphone use? Both busine ss and personal use equally 40% Mostly personal but some business use 25% Personal use only 16% Mostly business but some personal use 13% Business use only 0% 5% 6% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Despite using the Smartphone for personal use, 34 percent say their employer purchased the smartphone and pays all monthly charges. As shown in Bar Chart 2, 35 percent say they purchased it without any reimbursement.Bar Chart 2: Who purchased your smartphone and who pays the monthly service fee? I purchased it without any reimbursement from my employer My employer purchased it and pays monthly charges I purchased it and my employer provided some reimbursement I purchased it and my employer pays monthly charges My employer purchased it and I pay monthly charges 0% 5% 13% 35% 34% 10% 8% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 3 Smartphones can perform a wide range of tasks. However, the most popular use next to the phone is business and personal emailing.The mo st popular smartphone uses are checking both personal and business email, using it as an address book, texting, Internet browsing, storing or moving data, obtaining and viewing documents, as a calendar and listening to music (Bar Chart 3). Least popular are banking, travel assistance and video conferencing. (For a complete list of tasks, please see Q. 24 in the Appendix to this paper. ) We suggest this finding may indicate why many in our study are not concerned about the security risks. Because consumers believe its primary use is as a phone or to email they may think (incorrectly) that there are negligible security or privacy risks.Bar Chart 3: Tasks that consumers do on their smartphone Phone Personal email Business email Address book Texting Store or move data Internet browsing Obtain documents Calendar View documents Listen to music Schedule tasks Shop Camera Social networking 0% 20% 100% 89% 82% 57% 54% 53% 53% 52% 51% 51% 50% 48% 44% 42% 40% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% As reported in Bar Chart 4, 66 percent have paid for an item via their smartphone once, irregularly (once every two months) or regularly (maybe once a month). Fifty-one percent were surprised that they were charged for a service of product they signed up for.Bar Chart 4: Key questions about smartphone use Each bar defines the percentage yes response Did you ever pay for an item via the mobile phone? Did you every sign-up for a service or product on a mobile without realizing that there would be a cost? Have you ever signed a terms and conditions request on your mobile phone? 66% 51% 46% Have you ever been the victim of mobile payments fraud? 0% 10% 12% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 4 Consumers store confidential information on their smartphones. Sixty-six percent (40+26) of consumers store a moderate or a significant amount of personal data.Bar Chart 5 shows that only 11 percent say they do not store personal data on their smartphone. Bar Chart 5: How much p ersonal data do you store on your smartphone? 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% A moderate amount of A significant amount of personal data personal data A small amount of personal data None 11% 26% 23% 40% As shown in Bar Chart 6, data most often stored on smartphones include email addresses, names, contact lists, photos, anniversary and other personal dates and location. Consumers are less likely to store planned future purchases, purchase history, health data and security test questions (see Q. 3 in the Appendix for the complete list). Bar Chart 6: What kinds of data do you store on your smartphone? Email address Name Contact lists Photos Anniversary & personal dates Location Music Home address Confidential business documents Date of birth Gender Credit or debit card numbers Videos Passwords 0% 20% 97% 85% 69% 59% 53% 52% 47% 40% 37% 33% 32% 29% 25% 23% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 5 Many consumers surveyed have used email and text to sign u p for services or products without realizing they would be charged.As noted previously in Bar Chart 4, 51 percent made what they thought was a free service and later found out they were charged for it. Bar Chart 7 shows most of these purchases were made by consumers using email (46 percent), text message (34 percent) and website (31 percent). Bar Chart 7: The methods used to sign-up for services or products on your smartphone 50% 45% 40% 35% 30% 25% 20% 15% 10% 5% 0% Email Text message Website Other 12% 34% 31% 46% Despite these unexpected charges, Bar Chart 8 shows consumers surveyed rarely check their bills for unusual or unidentified payments.Only six percent check their bills every month and eight percent check their bills only if it is higher than usual. Fifty-two percent never check their smartphone bills. Bar Chart 8: Do you check your mobile bill or statement for unidentified charges? 60% 52% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Never Yes, occasionally Yes, but only if the bill is higher than usual Yes, I check it every month 8% 6% 34% As previously noted in Bar Chart 4, the majority of consumers (78 percent) say they have not experienced any mobile payments fraud. Twelve percent say they have experienced such fraud and 10 percent are not certain. Ponemon Institute © Research ReportPage 6 Consumers’ awareness about the security risks that accompany their use of smartphones Marketing messages—not privacy and security risks—worry consumers. While the majority of consumers do not feel their private information is at risk or that their smartphone will be hacked (56 percent and 58 percent, respectively), they do worry about receiving unwanted marketing messages. A shown in Bar Chart 9, consumers also worry about being tracked when using their smartphone (64 percent). Bar Chart 9: Attributions about privacy and security risks The agree response is a combination of strongly agree and agree.The disagree response is the sum of unsure, disagree and stro ngly disagree. I worry more about the security of my desktop or laptop computer than my smartphone. When downloading software to my smartphone I do not always check to see if the app is from a trustworthy source. I do not worry that a hacker will attack my smartphone. I do not feel my private information or privacy is at risk when I use my smartphone. I do not worry about losing my smartphone while traveling. I do not worry about being tracked when using my smartphone. I do not worry about receiving marketing messages on my smartphone. 5% 35% 62% 38% 58% 42% 56% 44% 50% 50% 36% 64% 33% 67% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100% Agree Disagree They also worry more about the security of their desktop and laptop computers than the security of their smartphone. Because of these perceptions about the security of the smartphone, they are not likely to check to see if an application comes from a trustworthy source before downloading it. Scenarios concerning smartphone risks In the surv ey, we asked consumers to respond to eleven scenarios illustrating a range of security issues and risks.Specifically, they were asked if they are aware that what is described in the scenario could happen to them, if they are aware that they experienced what was described in the scenario and what was their level of concern. Following are the 11 scenarios: 1. Location data embedded onto image files can result in the tracking of the smartphone user. 2. Smartphone apps can transmit confidential payment information (i. e. credit card details) without the user’s knowledge or consent. Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 7 3.Smartphones can be infected by specialized malware called â€Å"diallerware† that enables criminals to make use of premium services or numbers resulting in unexpected monthly charges. 4. Smartphone apps may contain spyware that allows criminals to access the private information contained on a smartphone. 5. Financial apps for smartphones can be infe cted with specialized malware designed to steal credit card numbers and online banking credentials. 6. If a social network app is downloaded on a smartphone, failing to log off properly could allow an imposter to post malicious details or change personal settings without the user’s knowledge. . A smartphone can be disposed of or transferred to another user without properly removing sensitive data, allowing an intruder to access private data on the device. 8. In many cases, people use their smartphone for both business and personal usage, thus putting confidential business information at risk (a. k. a. cross-over risk). 9. A smartphone can connect to the Internet through a local WIFI network that is insecure. This may result in a virus attack to the smartphone. 10.Smartphones contain basic security protections that can be disabled by jailbreaking, thus making the smartphone more vulnerable to spyware or malware attacks. 11. Smartphone users can be targeted by marketers based o n how the phone is used for purchases, Internet browsing and location. As a result, the user may receive unwanted marketing ads and promotions their smartphone. Bar Chart 10 summarizes the consumers’ level of awareness about the above-mentioned smartphone security risks. Consumers are most aware of receiving unwanted marketing messages based on their smartphone usage (60 percent).They also understand that they may be putting business confidential information at risk when using the smartphone for both personal and business use (55 percent), and that they are vulnerable to a virus when connecting to the Internet through a local WIFI network is insecure (35 percent). Bar Chart 10: Are you aware of the following smartphone security risks? Each bar defines the percentage yes response Marketing abuse Cross-over Insecure WIFI Improper disposal Location tracking Jailbreaking Spyware Social network snafu Auto transmission Diallerware Specialized malware 0% 11% 11% 10% 9% 10% 20% 30% 4 0% 50% 15% 15% 21% 35% 31% 55% 0% 60% 70% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 8 Bar Chart 11 reports consumers’ actual experience with these security issues. Fifty-eight percent of consumers say they indeed have received unwanted marketing messages. In addition, 52 percent say they have experienced cross-over risk – wherein the security of business information was jeopardized because of the personal use of the smartphone. Bar Chart 11: Have any of these situations happened to you? Each bar defines the combined very concerned and concerned responseMarketing abuse Cross-over Insecure WIFI Improper disposal Location tracking Spyware Jailbreaking Social network snafu Diallerware Auto transmission Specialized malware 0% 5% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 8% 8% 6% 11% 10% 16% 13% 23% 52% 58% 60% 70% Bar Chart 12 summarizes consumers’ level of concern about eleven smartphone security risks. Accordingly, a large percentage of these consumers say they are very concerned or co ncerned about each scenario happening to them, especially diallerware (68 percent), unwanted marketing (67 percent), and the auto transmission of personal data from the phone (66 percent).Bar Chart 12: Are you concerned about of the following smartphone security risks? Each bar defines the combined very concerned and concerned response Diallerware Unwanted marketing Auto transmission Jailbreaking Spyware Location tracking Specialized malware Improper disposal Social networking snafu Insecure WIFI Cross-over 0% 10% 20% 30% 42% 40% 40% 50% 60% 51% 50% 60% 68% 67% 66% 65% 65% 65% 70% 80% Consumers are concerned about being tracked while using their smartphones or having their security protections disabled through â€Å"jailbreaking† but generally are not aware of this risk.In Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 9 contrast, only 40 percent of consumers are very concerned or concerned about cross-over and 42 percent about an insecure smartphone-to-WIFI connection. While the re is some awareness that a smartphone that is disposed of or transferred to another user without removing sensitive data could allow someone to access private data on the device, about half of consumers are not very concerned about this occurring.In summary, consumers surveyed are least aware that the following can happen on their smartphone: the transmission of confidential payment information without their knowledge or consent, downloading a financial app for their smartphone that has specialized malware designed to steal credit card numbers and online banking credentials, â€Å"diallerware† infections that enable criminals to make use of premium services or numbers resulting in unexpected charges and spyware that allows criminals to access the private information contained on a smartphone.Those who are aware of these risks are generally very concerned about how these risks may affect their smartphone. Line Graph 1: Summary of consumer responses to eleven smartphone securi ty risks 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Location tracking Auto Diallerware transmission Spyware Specialized malware Social network snafu Improper disposal Cross-over Insecure WIFI Jailbreaking Marketing abuse Are you aware? Has this happened to you? Level of concern Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 10 Part 3.How consumers are managing security risks associated with smartphones Despite the confidential information on their smartphones, consumers are not taking appropriate security precautions. As showing in Bar Chart 13, less than half (43 percent) of consumers surveyed consider security features to be important when deciding which smartphone to purchase. It is not surprising, therefore, that they are not taking security precautions. Bar Chart 13: How important is security as a feature on your smartphone? 60% 50% 43% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Important Not important 57%Bar Chart 14 shows 51 percent of consumers surveyed have neither keypad locks nor passwords on their smartpho ne. Nineteen percent have passwords and 10 percent have both keypad locks and passwords. However, when we analyzed the responses of the more experienced users the percentage dropped to 31 percent who do not use keypad locks or passwords on their smartphone. Bar Chart 14: Do you have keypad locks or passwords on your smartphone? 60% 51% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% No, neither Yes, keypad locks Yes, passwords Yes, both keypad locks and passwords 20% 19% 10% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 11Forty-two percent of consumers allow smartphone versions of well-known social networking applications such as Facebook to access their key chains, passwords and log-ins that are used on their desktop computer or tablet (see Bar Chart 15). Twenty-nine percent of consumers say they have considered installing an anti-virus product and 10 percent turn off Bluetooth â€Å"discoverable† status on their device when they are not using it. Only 10 percent set up download controls on their smart phone to protect against apps and games that may contain malware. Bar Chart 15: Security habits of smartphone users Each bar defines the percentage yes responseDo you allow smartphone versions of well-known social networking applications such as Facebook to access your key chains, passwords and log-ins that you use on your desktop computer or tablet (only for those who use social networks)? Have you considered installing an anti-virus product on your smartphone? 29% 42% Do you turn off Bluetooth â€Å"discoverable† status on your device when you are not using it? 10% 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 12 Part 4. Methods Table 1 summarizes the sample response for this study of US consumers who own or use smartphones.Our sample frame consisted of nearly 30,000 adult-aged consumers located in the Unite States. These individuals were screened to ensure they use a smartphone for both personal and business purposes. A total of 793 respo nded to our web-based survey. Fifty-nine surveys failed reliability tests, resulting in a final sample of 734 consumers (2. 5 percent response rate). Table 1: Sample response Sample frame Invitations sent Total returns Rejections Final sample Frequency 29,921 27,498 793 59 734 Pct% 100. 0% 91. 9% 2. 7% 0. 2% 2. 5% Table 2a provides the types of smartphones used by consumers.Table 2b lists the operating systems contained on these smartphones. As can be seen, the top rated smartphones are Apple’s iPhone, RIM Blackberry and Google Nexus One. Accordingly, the top rated operating systems are iPhoneOS, RIM and Windows Mobile. Table 2a. Type of smartphone Apple iPhone RIM Blackberry Google Nexus One Nokia N8 Motorola Droid X T-Mobile G2 Sprint HTC EVO 4G Palm Pre Plus Samsung Epic 4G Other Total Pct% 27% 21% 12% 9% 9% 6% 6% 5% 4% 0% 100% Table 2b. Operating system iPhoneOS RIM Windows Mobile Android Symbian OS Linux Maemo Garnet OS Bada MeeGo Other or unsure Total Pct% 24% 19% 12% 9 % 3% 3% 2% 2% 1% 1% 25% 100%Pie Chart 1 reports the age range of consumers in our study. Pie chart 2 shows the employment status of consumers. The largest segment of consumers are aged 36 to 45 (21 percent), and 52 percent are employed in a full or part-time position. Pie Chart 1: Age range 10% 2% 18% 18 to 25 26 to 35 36 to 45 46 to 55 19% 17% 56 to 65 66 to 75 75+ 21% 14% 10% 9% 52% 8% Pie Chart 2: Employment status 5%2% Employee Homemaker Retired Student Unemployed Business owner Active military 13% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 13 Pie Chart 3 reports the household income of consumers.Pie Chart 4 shows the location of consumers according to their region in the United States. A total of 44 states are represented in our sample. The median household income of consumers is $81,000 per year. Pie Chart 3: Household income Pie Chart 4: Regional location 1% 4% 10% 13% Below $20k 20 to $40k 41 to $60k 19% 19% Northeast Mid-Atlantic 14% 20% 61 to $80k 81 to $100k 101 to $150k 12% 18% Midwest Southeast Southwest 15% 17% Pacific west 16% 22% 151 to $200k Over $200k In addition to web-based survey analysis, we conducted debriefing interviews with a random cross-section of consumers.In total 128 individuals were contacted, resulting in 66 one-to-one interviews to discuss certain questions and probe for additional insights from the consumers when appropriate. A total of 53 percent of consumers are female, 47 percent male. Forty percent of consumers say they use their smartphone for both business and personal reasons. Only six percent say they use their smartphone solely for business (see Bar Chart 1). Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 14 Part 5. Conclusion The key finding from this research is that consumers in our survey are unaware of the security risks associated with their smartphones.This could be attributed, in part, to the lack of information being published about smartphone security risks. We also conclude that there may be a perception that because the most popular uses are phoning and emailing they are not putting the data on their smartphones at risk. In contrast, the security of desktop and laptop computers receives much more attention. It is not surprising, therefore, that consumers surveyed are more worried about protecting their computers from security risks. This is despite the fact these devices can contain just as much sensitive data that if lost or stolen could result in financial harm.Caveats There are inherent limitations to survey research that need to be carefully considered before drawing inferences from findings. The following items are specific limitations that are germane to most Web-based surveys. ? Non-response bias: The current findings are based on a sample of survey returns. We sent surveys to a representative sample of adult-aged consumers in the United States, resulting in a large number of usable returned responses. Despite non-response tests, it is always possible that auditors who did not pa rticipate are substantially different in terms of underlying beliefs from those who completed the survey.Sampling-frame bias: The accuracy is based on contact information and the degree to which the list is representative of individuals who are information system auditors. We also acknowledge that responses from paper, interviews or telephone might result in a different pattern of findings. Self-reported results: The quality of survey research is based on the integrity of confidential responses received from consumers. While certain checks and balances were incorporated into our survey evaluation process, there is always the possibility that certain consumers did not provide responses that reflect their true opinions. B ? ? Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 15 Appendix: Detailed Survey Responses Following are the survey results for a final sample of 734 adult-aged consumers located in all regions of the United States. Fieldwork concluded in February 2011. Sample response Sa mple frame Invitations sent Total returns Rejections Final sample Part 1. Background Q1a. Please select the smartphone that you presently use. If you use more than one smartphone, please select the one you use most frequently.T-Mobile G2 Apple iPhone Motorola Droid X Samsung Epic 4G RIM Blackberry Sprint HTC EVO 4G Nokia N8 Google Nexus One Palm Pre Plus Other (please specify) Total Q1b. Please select the operating system your smartphone runs on. Symbian OS Android Linux Windows Mobile Bada MeeGo Maemo Garnet OS iPhoneOS RIM Other Unsure Total Q2. What best describes your smartphone use? Please select only one. Business use only Mostly business but some personal use Personal use only Mostly personal but some business use Both business and personal use equally Total Frequency 29,921 27,498 793 59 734 Pct% 100. 0% 91. 9% 2. 7% 0. % 2. 5% Pct% 6% 27% 9% 4% 21% 6% 9% 12% 5% 0% 100% Pct% 3% 9% 3% 12% 1% 1% 2% 2% 24% 19% 0% 25% 100% Pct% 6% 13% 16% 25% 40% 100% Ponemon Institute © Resea rch Report Page 16 Q3. Who purchased your smartphone and who pays the monthly service (usage) fee? Please select only one. I purchased it without any reimbursement from my employer I purchased it and my employer provided some reimbursement I purchased it and my employer pays monthly charges My employer purchased it and I pay monthly charges My employer purchased it and pays monthly charges Total Q4. Please select all the tasks that you do on your smartphone?Phone Personal email Business email Address book Texting Internet browsing Store or move data Obtain documents View documents Calendar Listen to music Schedule tasks Shop Camera Social networking Payments Games Maps and navigation Upload videos Location services Watch TV/films Banking Travel assistance Video conferencing Monitor health Q5. Have you ever paid for any item via your mobile phone? Yes, only once Yes, irregularly (maybe once every two months) Yes, regularly (maybe once a month) Never Total Q6a. Have you every signed u p for a service or product on your mobile without realizing that there would be a cost?Yes No Total Q6b. If yes, please select the all the methods you used to sign up for the service or product. Text message Email Website Other Total Pct% 35% 13% 10% 8% 34% 100% Pct% 100% 89% 82% 57% 54% 53% 53% 52% 51% 51% 50% 48% 44% 42% 40% 38% 34% 24% 24% 23% 21% 14% 10% 9% 5% Pct% 11% 32% 23% 34% 100% Pct% 51% 49% 100% Pct% 34% 46% 31% 12% 123% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 17 Q7. Do you check your mobile bill or statement for unusual or unidentified payments? Yes, I check it every month Yes, but only if the bill is higher than usual Yes, occasionally Never Total Q8.Have you ever signed a terms and conditions request on your mobile phone? Yes No Unsure Total Q9. Have you ever been the victim of mobile payments fraud? Yes No Unsure Total Part 2. Attributions Q10. Please rate each one of the following statements using the scale provided below each item. Strongly agree and agree shown . Q10a. I do not feel my private information or privacy is at risk when I use my smartphone. Q10b. I do not worry that a hacker will attack my smartphone. Q10c. I do not worry about receiving marketing messages on my smartphone. Q10d. I do not worry about being tracked when using my smartphone.Q10e. I do not worry about losing my smartphone while traveling. Q10f. I worry more about the security of my desktop or laptop computer than my smartphone. Q10g. When downloading software to my smartphone I do not always check to see if the app is from a trustworthy source. Part 3. Scenarios Pct% 6% 8% 34% 52% 100% Pct% 46% 21% 33% 100% Pct% 12% 78% 10% 100% Strongly agree 18% 25% 10% 11% 18% 25% 21% Agree 38% 33% 23% 25% 32% 40% 41% Q11. Sometimes location data can be embedded onto image files such as digital photos contained on your smartphone so that other people can track where you are.Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total Pct% 21% 45% 34% 100% Pct% 13% 28% 59% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 18 On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your location could be tracked while using your smart phone? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q12. Smartphone apps can transmit confidential payment information such as credit card details without the user’s knowledge or consent. Were you aware that this could happen?Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your credit card details could be transmitted with your knowledge or consent? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q13. Smartphones can be infected by specialized malware called â€Å"diallerware† that enable criminals to make use of premium services or numbers resulting in unexpected monthly charges. We re you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone?Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone could be infected by diallerware? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q14. Smartphone apps may contain spyware that allows criminals to access the private information contained on a smartphone. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total Very concerned 29% Concerned 36% Pct% 11% 53% 36% 100% Pct% 6% 41% 53% 100% Very concerned 31% Concerned 35% Pct% 10% 58% 32% 100% Pct% 8% 65% 27% 100% Very concerned 36% Concerned 32%Pct% 15% 53% 32% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 19 If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone could be infected by spyware? Concerned and very concerned shown. Res ponse Q15. Financial apps for smartphones can be infected with specialized malware designed to steal credit card numbers and online banking credentials. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone?Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone or downloaded apps could be infected by this specific type of malware? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q16. If a social network app is downloaded on a smartphone, failing to log off properly could allow an imposter to post malicious details or change personal settings without the user’s knowledge. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone?Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your failure to close the social networking app on your smartphone could allow unauthorized access and/or malicious posts your user account? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Pct% 11% 56% 33% 100% Very concerned 33% Concerned 32% Pct% 9% 57% 34% 100% Pct% 5% 66% 29% 100% Very concerned 32% Concerned 28% Pct% 11% 56% 33% 100% Pct% 8% 55% 37% 100% Very concerned 26% Concerned 23% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 20 Q17.A smartphone can be disposed of or transferred to another user without properly removing sensitive data, allowing an intruder to access private data on the device. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total Pct% 31% 36% 33% 100% Pct% 16% 54% 30% 100% On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that private information on the smartphone would not be removed properly before disposing of it or transferring it to another user? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q18.In many cases, p eople use their smartphone for both business and personal usage, thus putting confidential business information at risk. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your use of a smartphone for personal reasons could put the confidential information of your business at risk? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q19. A smartphone can connect to the Internet through a local WIFI network that is insecure.This may result in a virus attack to the device. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total Very concerned 23% Concerned 28% Pct% 55% 28% 17% 100% Pct% 52% 36% 12% 100% Very concerned 19% Concerned 21% Pct% 35% 42% 23% 100% Pct% 23% 45% 32% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 21 On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone when connected to an insecure Internet network may result in a virus attack?Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q20. Smartphones contain basic security protection that can be disabled by jailbreaking, thus making the smartphone more vulnerable to spyware or malware attacks. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone’s security settings could be disabled remotely by a third party without your knowledge or consent?Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Q21. Smartphone users can be targeted by marketers based on how the phone is used for purchases, Internet browsing, and location. As result, the user may receive unwanted marketing ads and promotions. Were you aware that this could happen? Yes No Unsure Total If yes, has this happened to your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total Very concerned 22% Concerned 20% Pct% 15% 57% 28% 100% Pct% 10% 55% 35% 100% Very concerned 34% Concerned 31% Pct% 60% 17% 23% 100% Pct% 58% 15% 27% 100%On a scale of 1 to 5, where 1 = not concerned and 5 = very concerned, how concerned are you that your smartphone could receive marketing ads and promotions? Concerned and very concerned shown. Response Part 4. Other Questions Q22. On average, how much personal data do you store on your smartphone? None (Go to Q24) Only a small amount of personal data A moderate amount of personal data A significant amount of personal data Unsure Very concerned 31% Concerned 36% Pct% 11% 23% 40% 26% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 22 Q23.What kinds of data do you store on your smartphone? Email address Name Contact lists Photos Anniversary and other personal dates Location Music Home address Confidential business documents Date of birth Gender Credit or debit card numbers Videos Passwords PIN number Hobbies, sports and travel interests Ages and gender of children Names of children Alarm codes Planned future purchases Purchase history Health data Security test questions Q24. Do you use a one Gigabyte (or higher) storage device on your smartphone? Yes No Unsure Total Q25. What do you worry more about?Losing my wallet/purse Losing my smartphone I worry about both equally Total Q26. What do you worry more about? Losing my laptop computer Losing my smartphone I worry about both equally I don’t have a laptop computer Total Q27. Do you have keypad locks or passwords on your smartphone? Yes, keypad locks Yes, passwords Yes, both keypad locks and passwords No, neither Total Pct% 97% 85% 69% 59% 53% 52% 47% 40% 37% 33% 32% 29% 25% 23% 19% 15% 13% 13% 11% 8% 8% 5% 2% Pct% 19% 68% 13% 100% Pct% 50% 23% 27% 100% Pct% 38% 10% 19% 33% 100% Pct% 20% 19% 10% 51% 100%Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 23 Q28a. Do you synch your smartp hone with any of the following devices? Laptop Desktop Another smartphone An online backup storage solution None of the above Total Q28b. How regularly do you synch your smartphone with any of the devices listed in Q28a? Hourly Daily Weekly Monthly Irregularly Total Q29. Do you allow smartphone versions of well-known social networking applications such as Facebook to access your key chains, passwords and log-ins that you use on your desktop computer or tablet?Yes No Unsure I don’t use social networking apps Total Q30. Do you turn off Bluetooth â€Å"discoverable† status on your device when you are not using it? Yes No Unsure Total Q31. Have you considered installing an anti-virus product on your smartphone? Yes No Total Q32a. Do your children have a mobile/cell smartphone? Yes No I don’t have children Total Q32b. If yes, do you use your children’s smartphone to keep track of them (from a security perspective)? Yes No Total Pct% 44% 38% 9% 8% 45% 144% Pct% 25% 29% 14% 8% 24% 100% Pct% 21% 25% 4% 50% 100%Adjusted 42% 50% 8% 0% 100% Pct% 10% 83% 7% 100% Experienced 30% 62% 8% 100% Pct% 29% 71% 100% Pct% 22% 33% 45% 100% Experienced 53% 47% 100% Pct% 41% 59% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 24 Q32c. If yes, do you set up parental controls on the smartphone to protect your children when they access the Internet? Yes No Total Q33. Do you set up download controls on your smartphone to protect against apps and games that may contain malware? Yes No Unsure Total Q34. When deciding which smartphone to purchase, how important are its security features?Very important and important shown. Response Part 5. Demographics D1. Please check your age range. 18 to 25 26 to 35 36 to 45 46 to 55 56 to 65 66 to 75 75+ Total D2. What is your present employment status? Full-time employee Part-time employee Business owner Homemaker Retired Student Active military Unemployed Total D3. What range best defines your annual household income? Below $ 20k 20 to $40k 41 to $60k 61 to $80k 81 to $100k 101 to $150k 151 to $200k Over $200k Total Pct% 21% 79% 100% Pct% 10% 74% 16% 100% Very important 21% Important 22%Pct% 18% 19% 21% 17% 13% 10% 2% 100% Pct% 48% 6% 5% 13% 10% 9% 2% 8% 100% Pct% 13% 20% 22% 17% 14% 10% 4% 1% 100% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 25 D4. What is your highest level of education attained? High school Vocational University or college Post graduate Doctorate Other Total D5. Please check gender: Female Male Total D6. Are you head of household? Yes No Total D7. US Region Northeast Mid-Atlantic Midwest Southeast Southwest Pacific Total D8. Please rate each one of the following statements using the following five-point scale.Strongly agree and agree sown. The Internet is central to my lifestyle I often give advice to others about how best to use computers and software I need to ask for help if something goes wrong with my computer I always try to spend as little time as possible online I am often confu sed when I try to use the Internet to do things I am really concerned about online threats Only people who do risky things on the Internet are at risk to online threats I don’t feel the online threat is that significantPct% 21% 22% 45% 7% 1% 4% 100% Pct% 53% 47% 100% Pct% 48% 52% 100% Pct% 19% 18% 17% 15% 12% 19% 100% Strongly agree 25% 19% 22% 16% 23% 18% 15% 18% Agree 32% 21% 23% 24% 24% 35% 28% 34% Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 26 Please contact us at 231. 938. 9900 or send an email to [email  protected] org. Ponemon Institute Advancing Responsible Information Management Ponemon Institute is dedicated to independent research and education that advances responsible information and privacy management practices within business and government. Our mission is to conduct high quality, empirical studies on critical issues affecting he management and security of sensitive information about people and organizations. As a member of the Council of American Survey Resea rch Organizations (CASRO),we uphold strict data confidentiality, privacy and ethical research standards. We do not collect any personally identifiable information from individuals (or company identifiable information in our business research). Furthermore, we have strict quality standards to ensure that subjects are not asked extraneous, irrelevant or improper questions. Ponemon Institute © Research Report Page 27

“Children are best raised by their natural father and mother” †Critically Analyse The WritePass Journal

â€Å"Children are best raised by their natural father and mother† – Critically Analyse Abstract â€Å"Children are best raised by their natural father and mother† – Critically Analyse ) where the tribunal refused to allow an adoption agency from discriminating on the grounds of same-sex couples in adoption procedures. This confirmed the earlier decision of the ECtHR in Karner v Austria (2003) which stated that there need be significant and convincing reasons for discriminating against same-sex couples. It is clear therefore that moving towards a non-discriminatory society which recognizes equal rights for same-sex couples with regards to family life is a right which is currently seeing significant attention. In the judgment of X, Y Z v UK (1997), the ECtHR held that in determining whether a specific relationship may amount to family life, there is the need to consider a number of relevant factors. These factors include whether the couple cohabit, the duration of their relationship and whether there is a demonstrated measure of commitment to one another by the parents by having children together or any other demonstrable means. This was confirmed in the judgment of Fitzpatrick v Sterling Housing Association (1999) the court recognized that establishing the existence of a family life required the examination of factors such as the mutual inter-dependence between spouses, a commitment to sharing of lives together, the existence of caring and love-filled relationships, mutual commitment and the support that is rebuttably presumed to exist in marriage type relationships. The existence of a family life therefore that is necessary for the determination of the best interests of the child, is on e which does not necessarily include traditional parental roles, but rather the de facto existence of close personal relationships which define the relationship between a parent and a child. It stands to reason that the existence of these relationships will be best for the child, regardless of whether they exist in a same-sex parented family. Conclusion The question of whether it is in a child’s best interests to be raised by their natural mother and father is one which is currently a topic of widespread debate, particularly with regards to the question of adoption by same-sex couples. It is clear that the echoes of legal discrimination of same-sex couples is a topic that is garnering significant attention and the injustices that remain are being challenged and abolished. The significance of these decisions cannot be understated for the purposes of children’s and family law, as essentially this serves as a paramount recognition by the judiciary, based on legislated grounds of human rights, that a family unit does not necessarily consist of a natural father and mother to the exclusion of same-sex parented families. The essential inquiry in this regard is into the best interests of the child and although there is still a measurable amount of discrimination against same-sex couples, it has been shown that same-sex parents are not contradictory to these interests. Providing a stable and loving environment for raising children is in the best interests of a child and whether this is provided by same-sex parents or heterosexual parents is of little consequence by comparison to the factual personal relationships that exist in these families. References Primary Sources Legislation The Children’s Act 1989 The Children’s Act 2004 Convention on the Rights of the Child, Adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by General Assembly resolution 44/25 of 20 November 1989, Entry into force 2 September 1990, in accordance with article 49. The European Convention on Human Rights The Human Rights Act 1998 Common Law Catholic Care (Diocese of Leeds) v Charity Commission for England and Wales. [2012] Upper Tribunal, Appeal number FTC/52/2011 Fitzpatrick v. Sterling Housing Association Ltd [1999] 4 All ER 705 K and T v Finland [2001]36 EHRR 18 Karner v Austria [2003] 38 EHRR 528 Mazurek v France [2000] 42 EHRR 9 R (Williamson) [2005] UKHL 15 Re: Compatibility of the Adoption Order (NI) with the ECHR [2012] NIQB 77 Salgueiro da Silva Mouta v Portugal [1999] 31 EHRR 47 X, Y Z v UK [1997] 24 EHRR 143 ZH (Tanzania) v SSHD [2011] UKSC 4 Secondary Sources Haringey Local Safeguarding Childrens Board (2009) Serious Case Review ‘Child A’ (ref: March 2009) London: Department for Education Hodson, L. (2008) The Rights of Children Raised in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender Families: A European Perspective. IGLA: Europe Lundy, L. (2007) Voice Is Not Enough: Conceptualising Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. British Educational Research Journal, Vol 33, Issue 6, pp. 927 942 Wintemute, R. Andenas, M. (2001) Legal Recognition of Same-Sex Partnerships: A Study of National, European, and International Law. Hart: Oxford

Impact of Globalization Issues Essays

Impact of Globalization Issues Essays Impact of Globalization Issues Paper Impact of Globalization Issues Paper Essay Topic: Global Issues In recent years international health care organizations are more and more recognizing the impact of nursing shortages in every aspect of health care delivery. Many health care delivery systems are increasingly recognizing the threat recurrent shortages of registered nurses impose on the health care system (Krall Prus, 1995). This trend has become increasingly apparent from about the mid 1980s through the present, with concerns over nursing shortages leading many health care specialists to explore the dynamics of the nursing labor market using neoclassical labor market analysis (Krall Prus, 67). Using this approach many suggest that chronic nursing shortages in the global market result from depressed wages and excess demand, and that hospitals tend to command monopsonistic power when it comes to nursing management (Krall Prus, 1995). Under this line of thinking hospitals have traditionally resulted to substituting less skilled nursing personnel in place of RNs when the need arises to cope with nursing shortages, potentially decreasing the quality of care afforded patients and customers of the hospitals. One thing is certain; the future of the modern global health care organization is uncertain in light of chronic labor shortages among qualified nursing staff (Epstein, 1999). Many health care organizations are seeking alternative methods to provide patients with the quality care they need despite nursing shortages. Many are resorting to more emphasis on preventive care while others are branching out into the community in an attempt to identify community resources that may promote more support for patients in the health care environment (Epstein, 1999). Heirich (1998) notes that it is vital that health care organizations rethink the health care delivery system in order to provide the innovation necessary to accommodate the rapidly changing world economy and global health care environment. Old formulas for funding health care no longer work; health care costs continue to rise. Many organizations are focusing on cost control, which may include budget shortfalls when it comes to compensating nursing staff. More and more however health care organizations are also realizing the need to focus on adequate compensation and attention to nurses and nursing shortages. New business and health coalitions are forming in major metropolitan areas to help control costs and also attract more qualified personnel, stimulating physicians and nurses as well as other providers to work together to improve service delivery in light of new health care challenges (Heirich, 1998). Future of Workforce Design and Organization As health care organizations are changing in response to chronic nursing shortages so too are organizations re-evaluating workforce designs and organizational development within the health care setting. More and more the emphasis within the health care community and organization has been creating more flat organizational structures and global enterprises that encourage cross collaboration or multi-disciplinary approaches to health care delivery (Heirich, 1998). Chronic labor shortages of nurses in the global workplace have encouraged healthcare organizations to adopt new strategies for attracting qualified personnel. In Britain for example, long standing labor shortages among nurses has resulted in dire efforts to recruit migrant nurses from other countries (McGann Mortimer, 2004). Other organizations including the Illinois State Association are considering recognizing various grades of nurses, including nurses with twelve months vs. nurses with twenty seven or more months of training, in an effort to provide more and lower cost nursing care for patients (McGann Mortimer, 2004). Nursing workforce design is increasingly taking on an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach, with more nurses and health care staff trained in a diverse array of services (Clark Drinka, 2000). More health care systems are developing teams that consist of a nurse, doctor, nurse practitioner, social worker and other community members that provide a mix of services to patients (Clark Drinka, 2000). Such efforts may help relieve some of the burden associated with nursing shortages while still ensuring that patients are cared for and offered the highest quality services possible in the health care setting. Health care organizations are also working to involve nursing staff more in decision making processes in an attempt to increase job satisfaction and promote reduced turn over and greater loyalty among qualified staff, as many nursing shortages have been attributed to overworked nurses and lack of job satisfaction (Clark Drinka, 2000). More and more workforces are designing systems that allow nurse practitioners to provide feedback and work in an environment that is more supportive even in light of chronic over scheduling or nursing shortages. Impact Nursing Shortage on Education and Training Educational facilities are increasingly realizing the need to cross train staff to work in a variety of settings to cope with nursing shortages. Additionally more and more educational institutions are promoting team building skills training to promote greater collaboration among nurses and among other health care professionals. The chronic global nursing shortage has affected the future of nursing education, encouraging more training program development with emphasis on training nurses in other skill areas including stress management to cope with increasing burdens associated with under staffing and increasing job demands (McGann Mortimer, 2004). Mosley (1998) suggests that the health care delivery and training model is shifting to move from more individual patient care to care in an integrated environment or system that affords a continuum of services . In this environment accountability for the health and well being of patients moves from a single nurse or care provider to multiple members of the health care team. This wellness model is increasingly promoted in educational facilities where potential health care providers and nurse trainees are taught to include community organizations, family, physicians and individuals as part of the health care team working to promote the health and well being of patients. The new model for educating nurses includes more diversity training so nurses are capable of working with diverse patients from diverse backgrounds (Clark Drinka, 2000). It also includes an interdisciplinary approach to training that cross-trains nurses and other health care staff members to work in various settings and under dynamic conditions. Despite these efforts chronic shortages still exist with regard to attracting and retaining competent staff. Many educational facilities are realizing decreased enrollment in nursing programs, in part because many perceive the field of nursing to be one that is over taxing (Clark Drinka, 2000). Educators will have to work diligently at highlighting programs that provide potential nursing students with the skills necessary to face the new challenges associated with working in a global nursing environment. Bibliography : Clark, P. G. Drinka, T. J. (2000). Health care teamwork: Interdisciplinary practice and teaching. Westport: Auburn House. Epstein, R. A. (1999). Mortal peril: Our inalienable right to health care? Cambridge: Perseus Publishing. Heirich, M. (1998). Rethinking health care: Innovation and change in America. Boulder: Westview Press. Krall, L. Prus, M. J. (1995). Institutional changes in hospital nursing. Journal of Economic Issues, 29(1): 67. McGann, S. Mortimer, B. (2004). New directions in nursing history: International perspectives. New York: Routledge. Mosley, A. M. (1998). Community partnerships in neighborhood-based health care: A response to diminishing resources. Health and Social Work, 23(3): 231.

The Serial Comma is OK with Me

The Serial Comma is OK with Me The Serial Comma is OK with Me The Serial Comma is OK with Me By Maeve Maddox After a lifetime of being wishy-washy about the serial comma, I’ve reached a decision: I’m going to use it all the time. Such a momentous decision is, of course, a deeply personal matter. The pros and cons are widely, frequently, and hotly debated. Here is some information that may enable you to make the decision for yourself, if you haven’t already done so. serial comma: (also Oxford comma) n. a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before and or or (e.g. an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect). Penguin Writer’s Manual. Oxford comma: n. [after the preferred use of such a comma to avoid ambiguity in the house style of Oxford University Press] a comma immediately preceding the conjunction in a list of items. OED Some writers call the Oxford comma the â€Å"Harvard comma.† Heres a sentence with a serial comma: The Three Stooges are Larry, Moe, and Curly. Here it is without a serial comma: The Three Stooges are Larry, Moe and Curly. PRO serial comma The Chicago Manual of Style (2009) When a conjunction joins the last two elements in a series, a comma- known as the serial or series comma or the Oxford comma- should appear before the conjunction. Chicago strongly recommends this widely practiced usage, blessed by Fowler and other authorities 6.19 The Elements of Style (2000) In a series of three or more terms with a single conjunction, use a comma after each term except the last. The stated rule seems ambiguous to me, but the examples that follow it are clear: red, white, and blue gold, silver, or copper Gregg Reference Manual (1993) When three or more items are listed in a series, and the last item is preceded by and, or, or nor, place a comma before the conjunction as well as between the other items. CON serial comma   AP Stylebook (2009) Use commas to separate elements in a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: The flag is red, white and blue. He would nominate Tom, Dick or Harry. AP does allow a comma before and when ambiguity would result without one: Put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series, however, if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction: I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast. Penguin Guide to Punctuation (1997) Note also that it is not usual in British usage to put a listing comma before the word and or or itself (though American usage regularly puts one there.) So, in British usage, it is not usual to write The Three Musketeers were Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. On the fence regarding the serial comma Penguin Writer’s Manual (2002) It is becoming more common in British English (and is usual in American English) to place a comma before the and that precedes the final item in a simple list (numbers one, two, three, and four). Fowler’s Modern English Usage (1965) In promoting the use of the serial comma, CMOS observes that the usage is â€Å"blessed by Fowler† among other authorities. However, when I looked up the topic in Fowler (1965 edition) I found this remark, which seems neutral at best: The more usual way of punctuating such an enumeration as was used as an example in the preceding section is French, German, Italian and Spanish; the commas between French and German and German and Italian take the place of ands; there is no comma after Italian because, with and, it would be otiose [having no practical function; redundant; superfluous]. There are, however, some who favour putting one there, arguing that, since it may sometimes be needed to avoid ambiguity it may as well be used always for the sake of uniformity. So there you have it. My choice is to travel the path of otiosity for the sake of uniformity. What’s yours? Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Punctuation category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Apply to, Apply for, and Apply withComma Before ButWhile vs. Whilst

Quality Management (2) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Quality Management (2) - Essay Example In the gradual process that led to its eventual improvement and landmark accomplishments, AS had to address the following challenges to its operations: In finding solutions to the above problems, AS made effective use of quality strategic planning in linking its corporate objectives with customers’ needs. Guided by its long-term strategic goals, AS then modified its organizational structure, relying on teams to fuel productivity. Managerial support, sound incentive programs, and an over-all corporation culture of information sharing and integration has made AS succeed as a model in TQM application. Total Quality Management was formally introduced in the post-war era by W. Edwards Deming, Joseph M .Juran and Philip B. Crosby, with the theories they established on management for quality in manufacturing systems. Since then the tenets of TQM have been adopted for application in services and commercial operations. Companies have met with either success or failure, depending on the manner they have incorporated these principles in their processes. For the purposes of this study, focus will be drawn on Boeing Aerospace Support, a large multinational organization which, despite its size, complexity, and product technicality, has continued to serve its customers well, maintain excellent employee motivation, and enjoy a progressively robust performance. Boeing Aerospace Support (also known as AS) is a subsidiary of the Boeing Company, which in turn is the largest aerospace company in the world. Boeing Aerospace provides products and services, among them aircraft maintenance, modification and repair. It also undertakes training for aircrews and maintenance staff, in a bid to reduce life-cycle costs and improve the effectiveness and safety of their aircraft. A huge part – ninety-seven percent – of Aerospace’s business is for military customers. The company has a workforce of 13,000 employees; it has its headquarters in St. Louis,

Postpartum Depression and Treatment Implications Essay

Postpartum Depression and Treatment Implications - Essay Example The topic of postpartum depression has gotten much more attention in recent years due to mass media and violent incidents between mothers and their new infants. The most famous public feud on the subject was between Tom Cruise and Brooke Shields. Cruise spoke about Shields: Cruise speaks of his disappointment to learn Shields used Paxil to fight post-natal depression following the birth of her daughter Rowan†¦Cruise, who claims to have helped people fight drug addictions through his controversial Scientology religion, says the Suddenly Susan actress should have used vitamins to help her feelings of despair. Many hold the idea that postpartum depression is just the baby blues. Since the majority of the population feels that women only have baby blues and need to take vitamins, not have a real medical treatment, many women do not get the help needed to prevent tragedy. The solution for the postpartum depression misconception problem is an education for everyone involved in a pregnant woman‘s life and the pregnant woman. Tom Cruise came out to Billy Bush on the TV show Access Hollywood about his views on postpartum depression (WENN.com). Since Tom Cruise practices Scientology, he does not believe in psychoanalyst or anti-depressants, mood stabilizers, or other medication to control moods. In the interview, Tom Cruise expressed: "These drugs are dangerous. I have actually helped people come off. ‘When you talk about postpartum, you can take people today, women, and what you do is you use vitamins. There is a hormonal thing that is going on, scientifically, you can prove that. But when you talk about emotional, chemical imbalances in people, there is no science behind that‘. (WENN.com 2005)

Financial Analysis for Managers Article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Analysis for Managers - Article Example However, the highly competitive nature of today’s corporate world has given rise to an essence of unethical behaviour which underlies a majority of business operations; in order to ensure their success. Many a times, unethical behaviour in the workplace has an immense negative impact on the organization and its employees. These effects can be psychological, financial, social, or even bureaucratic in nature. Financially speaking, if a company adheres to unethical means, then it endangers its image in the eyes of the public, and less people would be interested in dealing with the firm. These may include suppliers, financial institutions, customers and distributors. Such a trade-less condition obviously is a set-back to the revenue, and thus the profit of the company. Moreover, from an intra-firm point of view, employees would have lesser faith in a company which does not deal ethically with the public, as there emerges a possibility of the firm using corrupt means against employ ees; if need be someday. Not only does this encourage the existing workforce to leave the firm, it also keeps potential employees to join the firm. This proves to be disastrous for the company’s overall growth and progress.

Market Segmentation for the Coffee Market Research Paper

Market Segmentation for the Coffee Market - Research Paper Example The following diagram shows the income distribution (media per capita income in 2009) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. (Source: â€Å"Baton Rouge..†) As per the media per capita income distribution in Baton Rouge in 2009, the Whites have high inflow of income as compared to other groups. The chart indicates that the Hispanic is ranked just below Whites in case of media per capita income distribution. The 2010 census reflects that the Baton Rouge’s population comprises of 50.02% African American, 45.7% Whites, 2.62% Asian, 0.18% Native American, and 0.49% other races (Louisiana’s report†¦). The historical trend figures point that the percentage of Whites in the city’s population gradually increases over the last two decades. The White’s population growth together with improvements in living standards offers potential advantages for the coffee market. This type of market segmentation assists the coffee industry to easily identify the purchase powe r of consumers and to design cost-effective promotional tactics for different market segments. A number of surveys have indicated that as compared to blacks, whites like coffee more. Hence, the Whites may turn out to be the potential market segment for the company. However, majority of the African Americans and Asians are also regular users of coffee. Targeting strategy While developing a targeting strategy for the coffee market, it is necessary to analyze the coffee consumption culture of the population. (Source: â€Å"2008 National Cofee Drinking†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) The given figure indicates the graphical representation of the outcomes of the â€Å"2008 National Coffee Drinking Trends Study†. This study focused on the coffee consumption trends in different age groups and published a comprehensive report detailing coffee trends over the last eight years. From the above chart, it is clear that the percent of coffee drinking in the United States is directly proportional to the ag e of the population. The graph clearly illustrates that people over the age 60 are more likely to drink a lot of coffee as compared to other age groups. Likewise, youngsters between the age of 18 and 24 are less likely to drink coffee as they are heavily attracted to modern beverages. It is advisable for the company to target people over the age 30, because the trends study shows that youngsters very rarely take coffee. However, a growing coffee consumption trends is seen among the age group 25-39; therefore, it is also advisable for the company to give more focus on this group of consumers as potential prospects. Target segment descriptions As we discussed earlier, a major proportion of the Baton Rouge’s population represents Whites and African Americans even though the city is an agglomeration of different cultures. The demographical information show that the city’s 35.8% of the total households are married couples whereas 40.8% are non-families (â€Å"Private hard money†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). The 2010 census data reveal that the Baton Rouge’s average household size is 2.42 while its average family size is 3.12. The percent of people living under the age groups of below 18 is; 18-24; 25-44; 45-64 and 65 and above is 24.4%, 17.5%, 27.2%, 19.4%, and 11.4% respectively (BatonRouge). The population trend indicates that there are only 90.5 males for every 100

History of Exxon Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

History of Exxon - Essay Example The Standard Oil Company in 1899 became the holding company for all corporations listed under the trust, but was order by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1911 to separate from 33 American subsidiaries. In 1972, Standard Oil Company (New Jersey) changed its name to Exxon Corporation with other subsidiaries and affiliates, including Humble also adopting the name Exxon. Exxon had established itself in every phase of oil industry before merging with Mobil Company in 1999. Exxon dealt in oil transport via pipelines and also owns a largest fleet of tankers in relation to its peers. Exxon Mobil Corporation comes second after BP as the world largest integrated oil firm. The company runs oil and gas discovery, production, haulage as well as marketing in over 200 countries around the world (ExxonMobil, n.d). The company is also a major player in manufacturing of petrochemicals (Rienstra, Linsley & Beaumont Chamber of Commerce, 2003). In 2014 quarter 4, Exxon Mobil recorded a higher decrease in total revenue year on year by -22.22 percent, which was faster compared with its competitors’ overall decrease of -16.91 over the same period. Exxon Mobil also recorded a net margin of 7.64 percent, thus achieving higher profitability compared to its competitors, including Royal Dutch Shell, BP, and Chevron (CSIMarket,

Market Segmentation for the Coffee Market Research Paper

Market Segmentation for the Coffee Market - Research Paper Example The following diagram shows the income distribution (media per capita income in 2009) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana area. (Source: â€Å"Baton Rouge..†) As per the media per capita income distribution in Baton Rouge in 2009, the Whites have high inflow of income as compared to other groups. The chart indicates that the Hispanic is ranked just below Whites in case of media per capita income distribution. The 2010 census reflects that the Baton Rouge’s population comprises of 50.02% African American, 45.7% Whites, 2.62% Asian, 0.18% Native American, and 0.49% other races (Louisiana’s report†¦). The historical trend figures point that the percentage of Whites in the city’s population gradually increases over the last two decades. The White’s population growth together with improvements in living standards offers potential advantages for the coffee market. This type of market segmentation assists the coffee industry to easily identify the purchase powe r of consumers and to design cost-effective promotional tactics for different market segments. A number of surveys have indicated that as compared to blacks, whites like coffee more. Hence, the Whites may turn out to be the potential market segment for the company. However, majority of the African Americans and Asians are also regular users of coffee. Targeting strategy While developing a targeting strategy for the coffee market, it is necessary to analyze the coffee consumption culture of the population. (Source: â€Å"2008 National Cofee Drinking†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ) The given figure indicates the graphical representation of the outcomes of the â€Å"2008 National Coffee Drinking Trends Study†. This study focused on the coffee consumption trends in different age groups and published a comprehensive report detailing coffee trends over the last eight years. From the above chart, it is clear that the percent of coffee drinking in the United States is directly proportional to the ag e of the population. The graph clearly illustrates that people over the age 60 are more likely to drink a lot of coffee as compared to other age groups. Likewise, youngsters between the age of 18 and 24 are less likely to drink coffee as they are heavily attracted to modern beverages. It is advisable for the company to target people over the age 30, because the trends study shows that youngsters very rarely take coffee. However, a growing coffee consumption trends is seen among the age group 25-39; therefore, it is also advisable for the company to give more focus on this group of consumers as potential prospects. Target segment descriptions As we discussed earlier, a major proportion of the Baton Rouge’s population represents Whites and African Americans even though the city is an agglomeration of different cultures. The demographical information show that the city’s 35.8% of the total households are married couples whereas 40.8% are non-families (â€Å"Private hard money†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ). The 2010 census data reveal that the Baton Rouge’s average household size is 2.42 while its average family size is 3.12. The percent of people living under the age groups of below 18 is; 18-24; 25-44; 45-64 and 65 and above is 24.4%, 17.5%, 27.2%, 19.4%, and 11.4% respectively (BatonRouge). The population trend indicates that there are only 90.5 males for every 100

Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent Essay

Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent - Essay Example While great strides have been made in managing the affairs of the continent by different countries in the continent, some have lagged behind in development, owing to the political instability and other natural forces such as the adverse climatic conditions and the environmental factors that poses a lot of challenge to the development of such countries. Consequently, the development of the African continent, especially in the field of health is far behind, compared to other continents of the world (Archangel, 2007). It is not unusual to find many people perishing from the very common and preventable diseases, which are non-existent in other continents, due to the inability of the African health systems to address such illnesses effectively (Edoho, 2011). Therefore, the health systems in the African continent highly require to be addressed. Nevertheless, there are major challenges that might face the implementation of the desired changes in the African health systems, especially regard ing the Health IT systems. Therefore, this discussion seeks to focus on the Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent, with a view to how such challenges can be overcome. Poor technological infrastructure, normally referred to as the digital divide, is one of the Challenges of implementing Health IT on the African continent (Khosrowpour, 2006).Technology in Africa is not only a challenge in the health sector, but in every other aspect of the technology application. By the year 2007, it was estimated that the access to technology was limited to a small percentage of the African continents population, including the telephone connectivity, the internet and the mobile phones accessibility. It was estimated that by then, only 1.5 in every 100 people had telephone connections in Africa (Edoho, 2011). The access to mobile phone subscriptions was estimated at 22.9% in every 100 people of the African population, while the level of internet accessibility was even lower, wi th the African continent having a meager internet accessibility of 3.7% for every 100 people of the African population. The African technological data is in sharp contrast with the global average technological data accessibility, where the internet accessibility, according to the global average was set at 20.6 for every 100 people globally (Edoho, 2011). The implementation of Health IT systems requires robust infrastructure, to ensure that data and information communication can easily be done by health professionals, health providers and other health institutions and agencies. The application of health IT systems is aimed at ensuring that the health information is gathered, stored, retrieved, analyzed and transmitted to the necessary information users, in the most timely manner (Archangel, 2007). However, all this cannot be achieved without a good infrastructural framework that allows for such gathering, storage, analysis and the transmission of the health information. The challenge with the African continent is that; it does not have a robust technological infrastructure, which would enhance the connectivity of the health systems and health facilities, thus enhancing transmission and sharing of information (Khosrowpour, 2006). Both satellite technology and the internet are limitedly developed in Africa, with only some countries managing to have access to such technology, though on a limited basis and restricted to the urban areas only. Considering the differences in

Issues Facing Latino Immigrants in Todays Political Climate Essay Example for Free

Issues Facing Latino Immigrants in Todays Political Climate Essay The United States is a country built on immigration, both legal and illegal. One of the most influential groups in terms of immigration in America is the Latin American demographic. Latin Americans influence everything from their local economies, politics, culture and society in general. There are a number of arguments made both for and against continued immigration by Latinos, from the fact that all Americans are descended from immigrants to the fact that they provide needed labor in areas that many American citizens are less inclined to work in. The argument against immigration is that allowing Latin Americans in steals jobs from U.S. citizens, they contribute unduly to crime statistics or that they take advantage of social services reserved for legal Americans without paying the taxes that keep these programs in service. In this paper, I will present a brief history of Latin American immigration and present arguments both for and against continued movement into the United States. The close of the paper will be reserved for my opinion on what the best course of action would be to curtail the problems facing immigration in the United States. â€Å"The first significant wave of Mexican workers coming into the United States began in the early years of the twentieth century, following the curtailment of Japanese immigration in 1907 and the consequent drying up of cheap Asian labor. The need for Mexican labor increased sharply when the Unites States entered World War I. The Mexican government agreed to export Mexican workers as contract laborers to enable American workers to fight overseas. After the war, an intensifying nativist climate led to restrictive quotas on immigration from Europe and to the creation of the U.S. Border Patrol, aimed at cutting back the flow of Mexicans. But economic demand for unskilled migrant workers continued throughout the Roaring Twenties, encouraging Mexican immigrants to cross the border—legally or not.† This early need for labor, stemming both from a lack of available men due to the war effort and a distrust of Asian immigrants, became the catalyst for Mexican workers to begin migrating into the U.S. The ready work, better wages compared to those in their home country and promise of a better life either in the United States or back in their home countries, led many Latinos to cross the border and begin settling and working in America. The early influx of Latino laborers helped combat the loss of American men to the war effort in Europe. World War I and World War II diverted a great many American males to Europe and the Pacific to serve in the military, which left businesses short on labor. Although women started entering the work force at this time, there still was a dearth of labor to fill all the roles that had opened up with the mass exodus of American males into the military. Following the return of the United States military after the war effort subsided, there was less need for immigrant labor and so a great many of the Latino workers returned to their home countries. The desire for legal immigrant labor to fill necessary position started evolving into its current state, whereby businesses supplant legal workers with illegal workers, thus gaining access to the labor that their businesses require while only paying a fraction of the wages that legal citizens would demand. â€Å"One of the tools conservatives have used very successfully over the past 25 years to drive down wages, bust unions, and increase CEO salaries has been to encourage illegal immigrant labor in the US. Their technique is transparently simple. Conservatives well understand supply and demand. If theres more of something, its price goes down. If it becomes scarce, its price goes up. They also understand that this applies just as readily to labor as it does to houses, cars, soybeans, or oil. While the history of much of the progressive movement in the United States has been to control the supply of labor (mostly through pushing for maximum-hour, right-to-strike, and child-labor laws) to thus be able to bargain decent wages for working people, the history of conservative America has, from its earliest days grounded in slavery and indentured workers from Europe, been to increase the supply of labor and drive down its cost.† The Latino people who immigrated here had motives different from those of the businesses bringing them here; to an immigrant, America was a land of endless opportunities, where they could either settle their families and begin a new life or earn enough money to return to their country of origin and live a comfortable life there.  While some immigrants were no doubt coming to America to accomplish criminal goals, the majority were everyday people looking for a better life for themselves and their families. The problems facing illegal immigrants in the United States today are numerous. There are many who seek nothing more than to legalize their status as American citizens, while others would be happy to simply receive work visas that would legalize their status within America and allow them to work without fear of harassment, arrest or deportation. Among the many problems that immigrants face are the following: The type and quality of education available to these new residents—desperate to learn English—and to their children. Economic issues: the lack of secure jobs that pay an often undocumented population, and their resulting poor or crowded housing. Isolation in immigrant and refugee communities: isolation from services that could help them, as well as the emotional isolation caused by the stress. Prejudice and discrimination that new immigrants and refugees report they face, as well as the cultural differences that may deter them from seeking and receiving services. The language barrier is perhaps the most important barrier facing these immigrants. The inability to speak English in America is a warning sign the person may be an illegal immigrant, it is harder to read signs or directions, many services are staffed by English speakers and therefore may be unable to understand what the Spanish speaker wants and it is harder to apply for jobs if the person is unable to decipher what the application is asking of them. For most Americans, this isn’t an issue facing them, but for an illegal immigrant with limited access to educational opportunities or translators, it is a major hurdle that they may be unable to overcome. The inability to speak English is a major hurdle in areas with robust law enforcement and laws that are in place to detain and deport illegal immigrants. In Arizona, laws are on the books that allow police to â€Å"check the immigration status of anyone pulled over. This could be as simple as an officer walking by a group of Latinos speaking in the native tongue and  asking for papers. If they can’t provide documentation, they could be arrested as illegal aliens, creating an atmosphere where people are afraid to be caught using their own language, but are unable to communicate effectively enough in English to get the help they need to master it. The major problem with this is that people oftentimes complain that immigrants don’t want to learn English, but the ones that do are unable to access the tools or services they need to meet this requirement. The inability to read signs is another enormous hurdle facing immigrants; many signs are in English only and may contain important directions or warnings that people who are unable to speak or read in English won’t be able to understand. Road construction warnings, directions to important buildings like hospitals or hazard warnings due to inclement weather will be beyond the ability of these people to either follow or fathom. If an immigrant is injured while working on a remote job site and is unable to speak English, they won’t be able to call emergency services for a paramedic. If this occurs, the only recourse is for another worker to drive the injured party to a nearby hospital. If the person is severely injured, possibly bleeding heavily and neither person in the vehicle can read the English language directions, valuable minutes may be wasted while they drive aimlessly looking for a hospital that would be easily reached by someone with the ability to read the signs directing them to the hospital’s location. Another important hurdle is that non-English speakers have fewer labor protections than English speakers do. An unscrupulous business owner could take advantage of the fact that these people are unlikely to go to the authorities if they are taken advantage of and then under pay, force them to work in unsafe conditions or work hours that an English speaker would know were illegal and would be able to get the help to put a stop to it. A non-English speaker may be afraid to come forward and risk arrest or deportation and will then simply endure the miserable conditions and continue to work for less than fair pay. â€Å"Immigrants are often identified as a â€Å"vulnerable population†Ã¢â‚¬â€that is, a group at increased risk for poor physical, psychological, and social health  outcomes and inadequate health care.(healthaffairs.org) Vulnerability is shaped by many factors, including political and social marginalization and a lack of socioeconomic and societal resources. Addressing the health care needs of immigrant populations is challenging both because of the heterogeneity of this group and because recent federal and state policies have restricted some immigrants’ access to health care. These policies have exacerbated existing differences in access (for example, legal residents versus undocumented and long-term residents versus recent arrivals). The stigma associated with some forms of immigration status (for example, undocumented versus refugee) can also contribute to vulnerability.† This is a different issue than that of reading signs adequately; the inability to properly speak in English puts immigrants in a dangerous situation where they are oftentimes working in unsafe conditions but are unable to obtain health care in case of an injury. A debilitating injury could not only cost the immigrant their job, but put them at risk of further harm when they can’t get the medical care that would be required to properly nurse them back to health. This puts an enormous strain not only on the families of the injured workers, but on the low cost health care alternatives available in the areas that immigrants live in, as they won’t be able to afford proper care at a hospital and are relegated to seeking recourse at a free clinic or some similar institution. When this occurs, these institutions are unable to keep up with the demands placed on them by their normal clientele and are forced to back log cases resulting in even more harm to the health of all the affected individuals. This spiraling problem could conceivably become so dire that entire areas are denied health care access while the back log is cleared out. The next hurdle facing immigrants is the quality of education available to both themselves and their families. Non-English speakers in areas where their native tongue is not used frequently may be unable to gain access to schools or teachers who could either teach the English or provide education at a level befitting their intelligence instead of teaching them more basic information because it is assumed that the inability to speak English denotes a learning disorder instead of simply being a problem caused by coming from a country where English is not the language spoken most  frequently. â€Å"Much of the participation gap can be explained by just a few economic and socio-demographic factors, the authors find. To some extent, the factors that affect disadvantaged immigrant children resemble those of their similarly disadvantaged native counterparts. Affordability, availability, and access to ECE programs are structural barriers for many immigrant families, as they are for disadvantaged families more generally. Language barriers, bureaucratic complexity, and distrust of government programs, especially among undocumented immigrants, are unique challenges that may prevent some immigrant families from taking advantage of ECE programs, even when their children might qualify for subsidies. Cultural preferences for parental care at home can also be a barrier. Housing is another major issue facing immigrants, especially illegal ones. These people are forced to live in the most destitute areas due to the low paying jobs they take and since they have no formal status as American citizens, will often times crowd into homes too small for the number of people living there, creating dangerous situations such as fire hazards or the spread of disease. These houses may also lack basic amenities, which can lead to sickness in the weaker members of a family or to a lack of hygiene which will further impair the immigrant’s ability to secure work or better housing. â€Å"Like all renters, immigrants have faced an economic squeeze over the past decade, as rents have risen while incomes have remained flat. The median income for households headed by foreign-born New Yorkers is $35,500, significantly less than the median income of native born–headed households. Even as the city has seen high levels of new construction, the number of units that are affordable for low- to middle-income families has decreased precipitously. From 2002 to 2005, the city lost more than 205,000 units affordable to the typical household. The median monthly rent for unsubsidized apartments in the city increased by 8 percent, while the citywide median income fell by 6.3 percent. For unsubsidized low-income renters – a group that includes a disproportionate share of immigrants – the typical share of earnings spent on rent rose from 43 percent to more than half of income, in just three years. The foreclosure crisis is exacerbating the problem, and even drop in real estate prices is providing little relief. Rent declines are concentrated in Manhattan luxury housing, the only part of the market with a high vacancy rate. In the outer boroughs, where most New Yorkers and most immigrants live, widespread foreclosures are leading to the eviction of tenants and homeowners alike. The next major issue is that of isolation in immigrant communities. Many immigrants are very aware of the negative public opinion of illegal immigrants and even if they are here legally, may be afraid they will be viewed in the same light as those who did not arrive in the appropriate manner. This isolation can result in depression, drug use or an inability to access medical and social services that they are in dire need of. An immigrant who feels isolated by public pressure may pull his or her children from public schools, further exacerbating the educational crisis facing many of them and creating another generation of immigrants unable or seemingly unwilling to assimilate into American culture. â€Å"Past research on immigration has conceptualized the adaptation of immigrants to their new cultural and social environment as a multifaceted process involving different patterns and strategies. From a broad perspective, adaptation is a process of change and adjustment to new environmental conditions. Although there is no agreement in research on how to define and measure adaptation while moving from one culture to another, it has been suggested that most migrants go through initial â€Å"culture shock†, which has significant consequences for their wellbeing. The extent and outcomes of this â€Å"culture shock† and following adaptation may depend on many factors, from cultural distance to migration motivation and expectations. Adaptation of immigrants can be defined as the process of â€Å"fitting in† to the society of settlement and functioning successfully in a new environment. Two distinct aspects of intercultural adaptation have been identified on the basis of past research. The first is socio-cultural adaptation, which is based on the culture learning approach and reflects the ability to engage in constructive interaction with a different culture. The other is psychological adjustment, which facilitates the individual’s sense of wellbeing, positive appraisal of  situations and general satisfaction with life.† This as noted is with Russians into New Zealand but American immigrants face the same challenges as does any immigrant anywhere. The final major hurdle facing immigrants is that of prejudiced attitudes by the citizens of the host country. As seen in some parts of America today, there are a number of people with negative attitudes towards all immigrants, legal or illegal. When added to the problems already facing immigrants, this last obstacle can prove almost insurmountable. An immigrant may have the best intentions of assimilating into the host countries society, but find the avenues to do this blocked by people in positions of power who do their utmost to prevent them from making headway, either by creating laws to hamper immigrants from arriving or becoming successful, to denying them basic services and amenities that they need in order to become part of the culture or to take care of their families. â€Å"Were highly dependent on people in our own groups. In fact, one could argue that our highly ultra-social, interdependent form of group living may be the most important human adaptation. People tend to be invested in members of their groups, to have ongoing histories of fair exchanges and reciprocal relations, to treat one another reasonably well, to create and follow a set of agreed-upon norms, and thereby build up trust. Outsiders arent going to have that same built-up investment in us or our group. Because of this, we tend to believe that people who are foreign to us are more likely to pose certain kinds of threats: We believe they may be more interested in taking our resources, more likely to cheat us in exchanges, to violate our norms and values, to take more than their fair share, and the like. These perceptions of threats are linked to negative emotions such as anger and moral disgust that contribute to anti-immigrant prejudices. The solutions to these problems are as varied as the problems themselves. In order to help alleviate the problem of illegal immigration, an easier to utilize and more streamlined policy for legal immigration is a must. A good system would involve fast tracking candidates who possess skills needed in America, while providing a system for normal laborers to get in quickly as well. A way to help new immigrants would be to set up camps where they  could learn English and important facets of American culture and law while waiting for their paperwork to process. The system could be set up to require that these new immigrants show a basic competency in English and maneuvering through American society before they are granted full citizenship. There have been a number of programs and ideas put forth to help immigrants, with such as the Dream Act. â€Å"Over three million students graduate from U.S. high schools every year. Most get the opportunity to test their dreams and live their American story. However, a group of approximately 65,000 youth do not get this opportunity; they are smeared with an inherited title, an illegal immigrant. These youth have lived in the United States for most of their lives and want nothing more than to be recognized for what they are, Americans. The DREAM Act is a bipartisan legislation ‒ pioneered by Sen. Orin Hatch [R-UT] and Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] ‒ that can solve this hemorrhaging injustice in our society. Under the rigorous provisions of the DREAM Act, qualifying undocumented youth would be eligible for a 6 year long conditional path to citizenship that requires completion of a college degree or two years of military service.† An example of one policy that aims to help immigrants shows how much added pressure is put on immigrants in order to satisfy the political views of prejudiced voters, â€Å"A bipartisan group of U.S. senators on Tuesday unveiled long-awaited landmark legislation to remove the threat of deportation for millions of illegal immigrants, giving them an opportunity to apply for permanent legal status within 10 years and eventually for U.S. citizenship. Under the proposal, undocumented immigrants who came to America before Dec. 31, 2011 and stayed continuously could apply for provisional legal status as soon as six months after the bill is signed by the president. But beyond that, they would have to wait, perhaps for a decade or more without receiving federal benefits, while the government meets a host of tough conditions for securing U.S. borders and enforcing current immigration law. The bills sponsors four Democrats and four Republicans -felt such conditions and enforcement triggers to be necessary in order to help it succeed where similar measures have failed, mostly because of opposition to what opponents see as amnesty for law-breakers.† This policy at first seems like a great start towards helping immigrants, but the hurdles and the  number of caveats attached make it so difficult for these people to attain that a great many of them, especially those of limited education, may simply continue subsisting the way they have instead of doing all the work required knowing that there would still be a long wait until they were recognized as full citizens. In closing, my opinion is that the Dream Act is the basis that elected officials should use to craft future immigration reform. It offers attainable goals, the timeline is short and if the goals are met, the immigrants will have proven that they are as â€Å"American† as those born here. While the Dream Act only helps children of illegal immigrants, similar provisions could be added into such a law to help the adult members of this community become full citizens. Rather than viewing immigrants as an obstacle that we must overcome, we should instead remember that at one time, all Americans were immigrants and that this country was founded on the ideal that it would provide safety and respite to those in need and those who wanted to become a member of this society. An influx of vibrant people from other cultures only opens the doors to new ideas, new business opportunities and potentially new friends. Bibliography Peter Morton Coan, Toward a Better Life: Americas New Immigrants in Their Own WordsFrom Ellis Island to the Present. Prometheus Books 2011. Stephen Yale-Loehr, Green Card Stories. Umbrage Editions 2011. Common Dreams. Stop Allowing the Wealthy to Treat Undocumented Immigrants Like Slaves https://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/03/13-10 Kathryn Derose. Immigrants And Health Care: Sources Of Vulnerability http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/26/5/1258.full Brad Lander. Confronting the Housing Squeeze: Challenges Facing Immigrant Tenants, and What New York Can Dohttp://prattcenter.net/sites/default/files/publications/Confronting%20the%20Housing%20Squeeze.pdf Randal Archibold. Arizona Enacts Stringent Law on Immigration. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/24/us/politics/24immig.html?_r=0 Lake Snell Perry Mermin. Challenges Facing New Immigrants and Refugeeshttp://www.policyarchive.org/handle/10207/bitstreams/21623.pdf Harvard Magazine. Uneasy Neighbors: A Brief History of Mexican-U.S. Migration http://harvardmagazine.com/2007/05/uneasy-neighbors-a-brief-html Dream act FAQS. http://dreamact.info/faq/1#1n5252 Karoly, LA. Early care and education for children in immigrant families http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21465856 Sophie Bushwick. What Causes Prejudice against Immigrants, and How Can It Be Tamed? http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=what-causes-prejudice-aga Elise Foley. Dream Act To Be Reintroduced In House As Immigration Push Grows http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/07/dream-act_n_2639187.html