Vision of Changes in McDonalds

Table of Contents Introduction Application Analysis Lessons Learned Reference List Introduction The application of change initiatives in business is as important as in any other branch of human activity. Sooner or later every company encounters necessity of applying changes in the organization due to changes that take place in the areas such as technology, corporate governance, evaluation of leadership competencies, and other concepts related to the sector of business including marketing strategies and sustainable competitive advantage.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Vision of Changes in McDonalds specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More So, the strategic change initiative should be thoroughly planned in order to result in successful changes in future regarding the period when changes should be implemented. One of the strategic change initiatives includes vision of the changes with regard to the vision statement whi ch shapes the whole strategy for changes, mission statement which justifies the reasons for change and indicates the highest point to strive for; finally, the change strategy is the set of approaches that should be used to reach the goals stated in the mission or at least to approximate to those. The changes that should be introduced in McDonalds concern the attitude of customers, reputation of the company, and reaction of staff members. Application Analysis As suggested by Palmer, Dunford, and Akin (2008), each change implemented in organization should have its own image and should be built in accordance with a certain strategic change initiative vision. So, the application of changes with regard to vision of these changes should be analyzed in order to evaluate effectively the effects expected from this change, the way the change was applied, the attitude of employees in the process of implementation and final results of the change application. In other words, it is necessary to t ake into account the change outcomes expected to be reached after application of strategic change initiative as reported by (Palmer, Dunford, and Akin, 2008), they can be intended (p. 25), partially intended or unintended (p. 26). Thus, the change that should be introduced in McDonalds can be considered intended or partially intended regarding the nature of external factors that can shift priorities and attitude of employees including their understanding of importance of changes applied to this business.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Lessons Learned The application of strategic change initiative requires certain sense of the situation because the change can be partially intended or unintended due to external factors and lack of underground for implementation of theoretical issues into practice. Besides, what is good for one business in terms of competitive advantage or cor porate governance is not applicable to another business due to relation with customers, engagement of personnel, and other concepts. A practicing manager could create a plan for application of strategic change initiatives with the help of vision concepts including vision statement, mission statement, and strategy in terms of approaches suitable for the case. The more thorough is the plan of application, the more successful can be its application to business because a practicing manager should identify some risks that can occur and be ready to solve problems related to strategic change initiatives application. The strategic change initiative was applied in accordance with the plan including identification of vision and mission statements, and selection of approaches necessary for effective reaching of intended change outcomes. Some mistakes that could occur in this situation could be fixed with the help of a detailed analysis of every step taken before the changes occurred and identi fication of mistakes. Reference List Palmer, I., Dunford, R., Akin, G. (2008). Managing organizational change. 2nd ed. Boston: McGraw-Hill. This essay on Vision of Changes in McDonalds was written and submitted by user Julieta Estes to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW The WritePass Journal

Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW Introduction Strategic Analysis (PESTEL, Porter and SWOT) of BMW IntroductionPolitical factorsEconomical factorsSocial factorsTechnological factorsEnvironmental factors Legal factorsPORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSISThreats of new entrants:Threats of substitutes:Bargaining power of buyers:Bargaining power of suppliers:Competitive rivalryKEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE  CYCLE OF COMPETITIONSTRATEGIC DRIFT  RESOURCES  Supply costEconomic scaleProduct/process designExperienceSWOT ANALYSIS OF BMWStrength:WeaknessOpportunityThreats KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF BMWFACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE ULTIMATE DAMAGE DEMISE OF FIRMProbable strategies BMW can restore to redirect profits and to retain endurance for the future are:  REFERENCESRelated Introduction When there prevails high level if dubiety due to intricacy or brisk changes, it becomes difficult to predict the external environmental that might affective the firm’s strategies. Thus scenario analysis is done to evaluate the likely views to predict the organizations future business environment (Heijiden, 2006). In order to reach this conclusion PESTEL analysis is done to identity the key drivers of change that can be used to predict the scenarios for the future. PESTEL stands for political, economical, social, technological, environmental and legal and forms of analysis of the macro-environment of the organization (Thomas, 2007). Political factors Political factors highlight the probable government   laws and regulations, security measures and restrictions that can apply to the industry as a whole. The probable factors that affect the automobile industry are: Laws and regulations had affected the automobile industry since its outburst. These laws generally revolved around the environmental norms that were to be fulfilled by any car industry. Thus the car manufacturers had to take care of the environmental issues during manufacturing of cars. Taxes and government foreign policies are critical for the automobile industry. The foreign policies help to us decide the probability of success in the global market. Introduction of new schemes in the US and Europe automobile industry wherein regulations led to produce high mileage cars along with increase in automobile sales and production (Hill, 2008). Economical factors Economical factors related to the exchange rates, economic growth globally and the business setting prevailing in the industry. Economic factors for the industry are: a)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There was excess capacity of cars produced thus giving rise to high amount of revenue in marketing and new product designs. Thus there was lot of revenue withheld even though demand was less than supply. For example the UK auto market had excess 80% capacity in 2003 which freeze 1.3 billion euro of the automobile industry (autofacts, 2004). b)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Total increase in the GDP globally from 2.0% to 3.1% in the year 2008 (statistics, 2008). c)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Decrease in the exchange rate if euro has hampered the European car makers in a big way (Allen, 2006). d)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Economic downturn in the US market (Copper, 2008) e)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surplus capital and buying power in the developing economies like India and China and their personal emergence in the global market place. Social factors Social factors include the changes in cultures and demo graphics globally apart from change in buying pattern and capacity of the consumer. Social factors having an impact on the auto industry are: Changes in the customer predilection from car being a status symbol to fuel efficiency and low emission cars. Changes in buying pattern of the consumers due to recession in mature markets. Environmental issues and awareness of the harmful emissions through automobiles Technological factors Increase in use of technology to gain a clear competitive ad vantage Use of new and sophisticated design to overcome the decreased margins in the industry. Modifications or restriction on technology causing environmental pollution Environmental factors Increasing effect if awareness of global warning, greenhouse effect and burnout among patrons (organization, 2008) Shift in consumer’s tastes and preferences towards use of more eco-friendly cars, hybrid cars, fuel cell cars etc. Stern application of the EURO norms set up to curb pollution in developing countries. Legal factors Restrictions and strict pollution norms set up in European and US markets Strict implications of the EURO norms in developing countries e,g, formation of BHARAT norms on the lines of EURO norms in India(CEN, 2006)   PORTER’S FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS Threats of new entrants: Threat of new entrant is dependent on   the challenges faces during entry into the industry or entry barriers. The threat of new entrants in case of automobile industry is less as large capital cost is required to set up a manufacturing plant and assembly liner. Also it takes time for new entrants to get a place and the reputation in the minds of the consumers. Threats of substitutes: BMW has a brand image of being powerful and luxurious. It is positioned in the exclusive car range where there exist many substitutes for BMW like mercedes, GM and Toyoto. Thus the threat of substitutes for BMW is high. Bargaining power of buyers: BMW and its competitors are positioned as in exclusive product range. Here the bargaining power of buyers is high because the consumers can decide the product according to the price range and buy the products accordingly. Also with environmental issues hovering over the industry the buyers have the last say with sample substitutes available. Bargaining power of suppliers: BMW has good supply chain management system and had long relationship with suppliers. The bargaining power of suppliers is high in this industry as the suppliers can dedicate the price tag for the raw materials. Though long time associations with suppliers can prove fruitful, the final word lies more or less with the suppliers. Competitive rivalry Industry has cut thoat comptetion for its products, with its products targeting the segment and postioned in a similar way. Competitive rivalry was high in the industry with the dominant US and European markets facing stiff competition   from the Asian market. KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE   From the PESTEL analysis and the five forces analysis, the key drivers of change are: Huge deployment of infrastructure and manpower concentrated on automobile industry after the dusk of the second world war Consumer preferences for product excellence and cost of ownership Use of design as a chief asset Technological advancements Environmental issues Increase in the implication an brand management rather than product excellence PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE The implications of the five forces analysis varies with the industry life cycle. The elements that underline the industry life cycle are development stage, growth stage, shake-out stage, maturity stage and decline stage. During start up the company is the development stage with high differentiation and innovation as its assets followed by growth stage where the firm experiences high growth with low bargaining power of buyers and less threat of new entrants. In the shakeout stage the growth is slower and the key assets for the firm are its managerial and financial activities. In the maturity stage the growth is almost stagnant with high entry barriers, high competition but less unit costs and higher market share. Finally in the decline stage the firm is likely to face extreme rivalry with the rational and emotional approach key for the firm. BMW was in the maturity stage of the industry life cycle. The growth of BMW was stagnant but its products like the 1, 3, 5, 7 series having huge market share   and brand identity in mature as well as developing markets. There were high entry barriers in comparison with BMW. But BMW had considerable market share and reputation for being an engineering excellence, an asset of BMW in the maturity stage. CYCLE OF COMPETITION Cycle of competition underlines the various drifts between competitors with time. BMW, the German carmaker had a consistent increase in its annual sales and had the technology at its behest to counter its competitors in the market. BMW’s competitive advantage lies in its integral processes and its designs. The use of scientific technology that BMW restores to, can be implemented to gaining higher economies of scale. In terms of competition BMW has Lexus, Mercedes, Toyoto, GM, Volvo group etc. as its rivals in the automobile industry. BMW has its product range from a MINI to a Rolls Royce. Thus its product range varies from a luxury segment to a premium segment in the auto industry. In the cycle of competition any core competencies or competitive advantage is temporary and in this scenario the closest competitor or BMW is the Toyota group. Toyota group has technology, production capacity; profit margins and product range that can give BMW run for their money. It is also a proved product in immature market territory. Thus BMW can strive in the cycle of competition through its core competencies and competitive advantage. STRATEGIC DRIFT   Drift is trying to go towards a direction however fail to do that. This could be good or bad. Strategic drift is when a company fails to work in line with environmental changes however incremental development is evidenced but there is a strong influence of the cultural and historical factors. BMW and its emphasis on brand development incrementally with the changes in the environment when it outsmarted competition. However the path way dependency paved way for the acquisition of Rover an English brand. This could be due to the companies need for huge production and the consideration happened during that time. This would be the strategic drift. The company beaded with the English brand when it was in the flux phase of the strategic drift. But when the new CEO was appointed BMW went for transformation and Rover was sold to Ford. After this BMW started to working in tandem with the changes in the environment and developed incrementally. RESOURCES   Every organization or a firm need and possess certain resources and competences required to endure and thrive globally. In other words every firm has its own strategic capability to survive against all odds (Gerry Jonhson, Kewan Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). The resources consist of- Tangible resources   underlining the physical chattels like plant, people and finance of the organization Intangible resources underlining non-physical chattels like information, reputation and knowledge (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008) Resources based analysis of BMW: SOURCES OF COST EFFICIENCY Supply cost Supply cost play in important role and can influence the firm in the bigger way. Supply costs revolves around the raw material supply, production units efficiency etc. supply costs can prove to be an important asset where input cost prove to be critically important for success (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). BMW managed its supply costs by setting up manufacturing units at various locations round the globe namely Germany, USA, South Africa, UK and China wherein they employed 104000 workers (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). This ensured that the supply costs are reduced with assembly units operating more flexibly and reducing the transportation costs of raw materials. Economic scale Economies of scale play a big part in manufacturing organizations or firms since the need is to recover the high capital costs through high volume of output. BMW achieves economies of scale by increasing its production capacity. BMW had the capability to swing its operations for 60 hours a week during limp demand and whooping 140 hours a week when the demand is at its peak. BMW also had produced an impressive 1.1 million cars in fiscal year 2003 (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008), thus demoing economies to scale to gel with its manufacturing units worldwide. Product/process design Product/process design is also a key costs driver. Product design meliorations can help in labour productivity, better yield and maximum utilization of working capital. Product design can also be used to gain competitive advantage over its rivals with simple use of marketing intelligence. BMW was considered to be the best when it came to product/process design and was tipped as an engineering excellence. It was highly dependable, influential and lavish. BMW also restored new and modern technology for its products thus marketing maximum utilization of the working capital available. Experience Experience must prove to the key asset of control costs and attaining cost efficiency. Through experience the firm should generate competitive advantage through the collective understanding attained by the firm and its unit costs. The experience curve for BMW is as shown: The unit costs of BMW are supposed to decline due to the gain of cumulative experience (Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008). BMW has been in the automobile sector since the dusk of the Second World War. With the number if units produced increasing per year with the setup of new assembly units, there needs to happen continental reduction of costs in the competitive market situation. This may not provide the necessary competitive advantage, but is proves to be a threshold capability for survival.    Value of network It is difficult for a single organization to manage all the value based activities right from the design of the product to delivering the final product or service to customer. This process is generally carried out with the help of a value network. A value network can be termed as a combination of inter-organizational process that proves beneficial to create a product or a service (Timmers, 2008). The value of network of is as shown. BMW has various assembly locations as well as manufacturing units with each assembly unit having its own supplier of raw materials needed to create a product. Also there exist an internal value chain of the assembly liners themselves. The finished product is again reciprocated to the suppliers and collectively it gives rise to the organizations or the firm’s own value chain. The organization has its own channel value chain. The channel value chain for BMW offers its potential customers products ranging from a â€Å"MINI† to the higher end â€Å"Rolls Royce†. These products are priced differently and segmented effectively in response to the target market. BMW also has price variations according to the locations it is striving in. For example BMW is priced in a slight lower side in the Asian markets as compared to the UK or US market. The consumer value chain is based on the channel value chain BMW offers namely price, design an d location. SWOT ANALYSIS OF BMW Strength: BMW is a renowned company with a high position in terms of branding and gratitude factor. BMW is able to sustain its market position lucratively with its hub of exclusive cars. BMW had exceedingly qualified labour force(Gerry Johnson, Kevin Scholes, Richard Whittington, 2008) that could qualify as a source for gaining competitive advantage BMW used advanced technology for its products that embarked its products design, quality and price BMW had strong relationship with its suppliers which propagated BMW in maintaining a brawny supply chain management. Weakness BMW’s overall image was too serious and conventional in comparison with its competitors Low cost products of its competitors Overdependence on US and Europe market Opportunity The increase in number of products sold in spite of the economic downturn Use of advanced technology for the products Popularity in developing countries like India and china Flexibility in development and manufacturing Low interest rates Threats Strong competition in the luxury segment of cars Economic downturn New entrants in the automobile industry Increase in fuel costs Rising supply costs e.g. steel    Critical success factor of BMW: The above graph is used to identify the critical success factors of BMW. The y-axis represents the value and the x-axis represents the elements of critical success factor. According to the graph, the critical success factors for BMW are: Product quality Cost of product that justifies product quality Experience Product quality is an inevitable and distinguishing factor for customer satisfaction. The brand is identified by its product excellence and cost of ownership. BMW has a status of being number when it comes to qualify, and thus it is one of the critical success factors for BMW. Though the cost of the product i.e. BMW automobile is high it evidently justifies this through its product quality. The experience of BMW in the industry also is a critical success factor for BMW. With its years of experience it has developed a brand identity for its products and very integrated and sophisticated supply chain that ensures its products are delivered at the right time and right place. KEY SUCCESS FACTORS OF BMW    The key success factors thus of BMW can be summarized as Business model of BMW Technology Brand image Sustainability Helmut Panke, CEO of BMW FACTORS THAT MAY CAUSE ULTIMATE DAMAGE DEMISE OF FIRM Rising raw material prices and high fuel prices Change in customer tastes and preferences Decrease in economies of scale Extreme rivalry and price wars in the maturity stage Stagnation of technology Unfavourable currency effects Stricter regulatory norms paving way for alternatives like hybrid cars, fuel-cell cars. Electric cars etc. Mobility precincts emergent urban areas Probable strategies BMW can restore to redirect profits and to retain endurance for the future are:   1)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market development 2)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Market penetration 3)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Product development 4)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Restructuring 5)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Retrenchment 6)  Ã‚  Ã‚   Liquidation 7)  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Vertical integration This may help BMW achieve a safer tomorrow and help to sustain its BMW’ness for years to come. REFERENCES Allen, T. (2006, October 17).Retrieved june 7, 2009, from Euro area annual inflation down to 1.7%: http://74.125.153.132/search?q=cache:1fhKosuEvHsJ:europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do% 3Freference%3DSTAT/06/137%26format%3DPDF%26aged%3D1%26language%3DEN%26gui Language%3Den+average+rate+of+inflation+of+EU+in+2006cd=2hl=enct=clnkgl=in

Beling reflective about 1 article Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Beling reflective about 1 - Article Example In this program, she initiated that traditional assessment measures are accompanied with additional measures, classrooms are to be differentiated, and development is enhanced through preparatory services, early intervention and parent outreach. One of Robinson's critiques is Margie K. Kitano. Kitano debunked the premises in Robinson's action plan through her paper "Gifted potential and poverty: A call for extraordinary action." Instead of saying that income level produces social inequality, she pointed at the complexity of the situation, particularly in migration, that indeed, it is almost difficult to separate the two from each other. She therefore said that undermining the importance of the racial factor would indeed "not solve society's unsolved problems." Instead also of claiming that the source of the reduction in the proportion of identified gifted but economically disadvantaged children is the negatives effects of poverty, she cited the work of Brooks-Gunn and Duncan (1997) that environmental conditions outside the family have a major impact on the quality of life of these children, and therefore this problem is rooted not on the family conditions per se, but the assessment procedures in which these children are bei ng selected.

Macdonald's Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Macdonald's - Term Paper Example It has been recognized that such grave issues tend to hamper the overall effectiveness of the organization. In order to resolve the issues, it is quite significant for the company to revise its strategies. It must also desire to focus upon the creation of sound incentive structures. It is also imperative to enhance the working condition of the employees. Top management needs to play an active role in this regard. Position The company that has been chosen for the study is McDonald’s Corporation. It is considered to be one of the biggest food chains in the globe pioneering in hamburger fast-food based restaurant. It is based in the United States, though McDonald’s has a global presence as at present the restaurant chain is operating in over 100 nations. In various places of the world where the company operates, it is either run by a franchise, an associate or the corporation itself. The company sells numerous products such as hamburgers, French fries along with chicken an d other breakfast item (McDonald’s, â€Å"Mission and Values†). McDonald’s mission statement aims at becoming one of the favorite places for the consumers. Its worldwide branches and subsidiaries have been linked with the global strategy which is known as ‘Plan to Win’. ... It believes in the fact that for the purpose of attaining success it is quite significant to have a trained workforce belonging to diverse backgrounds working in an environment as a team. The company assists its customers to build improved societies, endorses Ronald McDonald House contributions and thus these aspects positively impact upon their size, scope as well as possession to make the world a healthier place (McDonald’s, â€Å"Mission and Values†). The vision statement of the company is to be one of the top service restaurants offering speedy services to the customers. It wants to offer its customers with best quality, service, and cleanliness and value (McDonald’s, â€Å"Mission and Values†). McDonald’s is a business entity which is famous for its burgers and meals. The business of the company has been extended all over the world. The major stakeholders of the company are customer, employees, managers, financiers, and suppliers along with com munities in which it operates (McDonald’s Corporation, â€Å"The Values We Bring to the Table†). Thesis Statement The main objective of the paper is to discover the problems faced by McDonald’s and to identify the ways through which the problems can be resolved. Sense It can be observed that McDonald’s has been developing and extending its operations all over the globe since past few years. Even though the company seems to be convenient, clean and cheap there are a number of negative aspects related to the company especially its operational procedure. Despite paying the employees of the company with low wages and impacting other culture negatively to a certain extent, it has been observed that the company has been capable of positioning itself as having

Increase in Insurance Rates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Increase in Insurance Rates - Essay Example As result the rate directly relates to the premium paid. One factor that causes insurance rates to the increase is the occurrences of particular risks. For instance, an increase ion the occurrences of auto accidents in a particular region ill normally lead to the increase of the premium charged for motor cover. Several instances have been evidenced where the prevalence of a particular risk has led to insurance firms charging higher interest rates for such risks. Other insurers have been noticed to shun covering such risks. Another factor that has seen insurance rates go up is the moral hazard among the insured. This is the situation where the insured party takes no responsibility to prevent the occurrence of risks (G, 1960). This normally arises from the gratification that â€Å"after all I am insured.† The person therefore takes no duty to prevent certain risks from occurring. This will in the long run, lead to an increase in the prevalence of some risks. As a result, insuran ce firms will progressively increase the rates so that the insured chuck out more in form of premiums. The increase in the uncertainties realized in some dimensions in life has made insurance firms take radical measures to ensure they can cope with such situations.

Martin Luther And His 95 Theses

Martin Luther And His 95 Theses Nailed to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg on October 31, 1517 on the eve of All Saints Day (according to Philip Melanchton, Luthers colleague in Wittenberg University), Martin Luthers 95 theses paved the way for the birth of a great spiritual movement called the Protestant Reformation. The Reformation ultimately signaled the end of the Medieval Age and the inauguration of modern times. What Luther intended to be a set of propositional statements to be debated upon over the abuses associated with the sale of the indulgences very soon became the key that unlocked the door towards the long-awaited reformation of the church of the late Medieval Christendom. The Sale of the Indulgences The doctrine of indulgences is peculiar to the Roman Catholic Church, unknown to the church fathers, and most importantly, to the apostles of Christ. It is basically defined as a certificate of forgiveness granted by a bishop or an archbishop within his diocese for the remission of the temporal punishment of sin both on earth and in purgatory, the alleged source of which was the surplus of merit and grace accumulated through the lives of Christ, the Virgin Mary and the saints of the Church. What most particularly attracted Luthers attention in this regard was the extravagant preaching associated with the sale of the indulgences in Germany by a Dominican friar Johann Tetzel. Tetzel was commissioned by Albrecht, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg, to raise funds for the rebuilding of Saint Peters Basilica in Rome. As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, Tetzel proclaimed, the soul from purgatory springs. Luthers long quest for truth that resulted in his discovery of the biblical doctrine of justification by faith alone must have been the reason why he indignantly reacted to such a deceptive message that offered false hopes to those who bought the indulgences for themselves and their departed loved ones on account of their ignorance of the true gospel of Christ. The 97 Theses Before the 95 Theses Convinced that he must challenge the traditional views purported by the Roman Catholic Church for centuries, he published a set of 97 theses to be debated in an academic setting among his colleagues at Wittenberg University. The theses attacked many of the major tenets of the Church with a clear message in mind: that the gospel was entirely different from what had been commonly held. Luther expected the theses to cause a stir among the participants which in turn would allow him to divulge his great discovery. To his disappointment, they only mustered little interest. Martin Luther and His 95 Theses Despite such a cold response to his 97 theses, Luther composed another set of theses which he called The Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of the Indulgences, now popularly known as the 95 theses. Like the 97 theses, this new set of theses was also meant to provoke academic discussion among his colleagues in the university. They may have been an afterthought to a letter he sent to Albrecht through which he aired his disagreement on the sale of the indulgences. However, scholars are divided whether the Luther of the 95 theses was still a Roman Catholic clergyman at this time or already a Protestant Reformer. On the one hand, Luther appeared to have thought Pope Leo X was on his side in this matter. Some scholars even suggest (probably following the church historian Philip Schaff) that he was not protesting against the indulgences, but only against its abuse. On the other hand, a closer look at the document would reveal one thing for sure: what Luther was up against was not simply the sale of the indulgences but its theological underpinnings. As Princeton theologian Benjamin Warfield puts it, They constitute, in point of fact, a theological document of the first importance, working out a complete and closely knit argument against, not the abuses of the indulgence traffic, and not even the theory of indulgences, merely, but the whole sacerdotal conception of the saving process an outgrowth and embodiment of which indulgences were. While there may be apparent remainders of Roman Catholicism in the theses, they nonetheless assert the evangelical Protestant doctrine of salvation that refuted the sacerdotal system that was largely built on tradition instead of the Bible. In summary, the 95 theses proclaimed that indulgences cannot remit guilt as such a work belongs to God alone, that they are unable to make souls spring from the Purgatory, and that the truly repentant sinner has already received the forgiveness of God and is justified by faith alone. Sources: Gonzalez, Justo. The Story of Christianity Volume 2. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers, 1985. Schaff, Phillip. History of the Christian Church Volume VII. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997. Warfield, Benjamin Breckenridge. The Ninety-Five Theses in Their Theological Significance. The Princeton Theological Review, xv. 1917, pp. 501-529. Copyright Edwin Vargas. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.

Moral Judgment Essay -- essays research papers fc

‘Moral judgments are nothing more than expressions of personal preference. While there is some point to arguing about questions of fact, moral arguments are a waste of time. The only thing at issue is what people like or don’t like’. I have probably read this statement about a million times and still do not have any qualms against it. Moral judgments are typically based on your upbringing, your likes, your religion (or non-religion), and numerous other aspects that make up your personality. Those listed traits and further attributions give you the basis of what you are going to feel morally to many issues such as: homosexuality, abortion, murder, stealing, etc. While many of us feel that we are always precise when making a judgment, this paper will show that no matter how hard we try; the above statement will always be true. In Rachels’ The Elements of Moral Philosophy; it states, â€Å"Ethical Subjectivism is the idea that our moral opinions are based on our feelings, and nothing more†. Ethical Subjectivism is what the topic statement is defining. When you make a moral judgment, such as the following: I disagree with homosexuality; what is your basis for the judgment? Society, your parents, your religion – these are all things that round out your personal preferences. By making such a statement, you are in fact just stating your own opinion (which is an extension of your preferences). In the dictionary, opinion is defined as: a belief or conclusion held with confidence but ...

Harassment And Discrimination Of Homosexuals Education Essay

Homosexuals are capable to more harassment and favoritism than any other minority because straight persons frequently view homosexualism as a pick. Harmonizing to Charlie Bradley, a newsman for Associated Content, homophiles are frequently the mark of violent hatred offenses because of homophobia, dogmatism, spiritual persecution, fright and ignorance. Such ill will, if non controlled, can take to violence such as hate offenses and self-destruction. Harmonizing to Janet Fontaine, one in three stripling self-destructions is caused by issues with sexual individuality. Students frequently have emotional, societal and psychological issues because they do non hold the same protection from torment as heterosexual pupils. Homosexuals are four to five times more likely to go down than straight persons when covering with issues with their gender. Adolescents spend two-thirds of their twenty-four hours at school, so jobs like torment at school will go important adequate to impact the remainder of their day-to-day life. My solution to this job is to supply protection and guidance of LGBT pupils in our secondary public school systems. There are several ways to carry through this, such as making a safe zone or a gay/straight confederation, one-on-one guidance with a professionally trained counsellor to help LGBT pupils with their peculiar state of affairss, recommending active protection from instructors, parents, and decision makers and making policies to protect these pupils from favoritism and torment. Exposing striplings to a support system will let them to construct healthy relationships, non merely in school but besides in mundane life. A better apprehension of who precisely is a â€Å" sexual minority † is the footing for understanding issues which LGBT pupils experience. â€Å" Sexual minority † in this essay is defined as any stripling with a sexual individuality that stands in resistance to rigorous heterosexualism. Anastasia Hansen describes LGBT pupils as anyone who identifies as sapphic, homosexual, bisexual, or transgender, engages in homosexual behaviour, or experiences same-sex attractive force ( Hansen 1 ) . Identifying as a homosexual, nevertheless, can take to persecution. Further, I find a better apprehension of what constitutes strong-arming to be good to acknowledging the difference between â€Å" badgering † and torment. Dan Olweus, who developed the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, defines strong-arming in his book Bullying: What We Know and What We Can Make every bit, â€Å" A individual is bullied when he or she is exposed, repeatedly and over clip, to negative actions on the portion of one or more other individuals, and he or she has trouble supporting himself or herself. † Strong-arming leads to societal and physiological issues every bit good as force. On February 12, 2008, Brandon McInerney told another pupil to â€Å" state good-bye to Larry because you will ne'er see him once more. † Larry King, an openly homosexual pupil, was sitting in the E.O. Green School computing machine lab when McInerney shot him twice in the caput at blunt scope. Two yearss subsequently, King died in a local infirmary after being on life-support for several yearss. McInerney had harassed King in the yesteryear ; the school ne'er stepped in to set a halt to the torment. Cases like this are what make people think, â€Å" Why did n't anyone protect him? How can we forestall this from go oning to our kids? † It is the occupation of instructors, decision makers, and staff to actively listen to how pupils talk to each other. A individual of authorization must do it really clear that torment is unacceptable and will be purely punished. They must protect our pupils. Teachers spend more clip with our kids than any other decision maker in schools and they must play an active function in protecting our LGBT pupils from strong-arming and torment. The hours each twenty-four hours that they spend with our pupils gives them equal clip to measure a kid ‘s province of head. They must pay attending to what our pupils are stating and making to each other. This would forestall tease and torment from intensifying to battles and assault. With the work burden a instructor experiences, this is frequently a really hard undertaking. Teachers merely must listen to a kid ‘s ailment of being bullied and take action ( Birkett, Espelage, Koeing 991 ) . If a instructor finds a pupil is holding a job with another pupil, a instructor needs to instantly inform the parents and decision makers. The following class would be disciplinary action. The instructor so can make up one's mind whether the LGBT pupil should have extra aid through guidance. Students must accommodate to a batch of force per unit areas. LGBT pupils, in peculiar, trade with normal equal force per unit area every bit good as issues of being a sexual minority. Students of a sexual minority are pressured towards heterosexual relationships because that is what is perceived to be normal. Students may deny their gender, isolate themselves, and experience depression. Students with reding place positive ways to pass on feelings and are more disposed to develop healthy relationships ( Zubernis and Snyder 2 ) . It is a counsellor ‘s function to make a safe environment at school and protect all LGBT pupils from the frequently hostile homophobic political orientation that other pupils and instructors possess. A counsellor can recommend alteration in the current policies a school possess to explicitly protect LGBT pupils from torment, favoritism, and force. Teachers should work with parents in protecting our pupils. Parents should besides actively listen to their kids. If a kid complains of being bullied, they should reach the instructor and decision makers to discourse what should be done to relieve the job ( Olweus ) . Stairss should be taken to advocate both pupils involved and disciplinary action should be taken. At times, instructors and decision makers deny there is a job. This inactive attitude will let the torment to intensify to violent hate offenses and the â€Å" bully † would see that is behavior is acceptable and go on. If the school decision makers refuse to take action, I would propose the parent contact school board members to recommend alteration in school policies. Parents and instructors can protect an single pupil in their schoolroom, but they do non ever have the power to alter regulations and ordinances to protect all pupils. Administrators must recommend for regulations sing torment to protect all pupils, including LGBT pupils. Administrators should besides back up pupils in making nines, confederations and particular involvement groups to back up LGBT pupils. I have found in my research a deficiency of published composing about how a pupil or decision maker can physically amend or alter policies to protect LGBT pupils. In malice of deficiency of published authorship, The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program was developed by the authorities of Norway to make an intercession plan ; it was studied on much of the population. The plan began by developing parents on how to acknowledge when your kid is being bullied. They made a program of the school so there would be no blind-spots for strong-arming outside a instructor ‘s ticker. If a kid continued to hassle other kids, he or she was removed from the school, given behavior alteration preparation, and transferred to another school. After 20 months, at the terminal of the survey, the Norse authorities confirmed that strong-arming jobs were reduced by about 50 per centum. A instructor can besides help in the organisation of nines and confederations giving pupils a â€Å" safe infinite † to travel to. A Gay/Straight Alliance would give homosexual and heterosexual pupils a topographic point to develop positive relationships in a merriment, mellow environment. Gay/Straight Alliances give LGBT pupils a â€Å" safe infinite † to have equal mediation and guidance. These plans are unfastened to any pupil who identifies as an LGBT pupil or has an involvement in back uping other LGBT pupils and altering policies that do non back up and protect LGBT pupils from favoritism and torment ( Lee 20 ) . Harmonizing to a survey done by Eugene Wall of University of Denver, there are a figure of ways all pupils benefit from Gay/Straight Alliances. In his survey, he found the dropout rate, general torment, sexual torment, the feeling of an insecure environment, transporting of arms, and frequent absences are higher in schools without Gay/Straight Alliances than schools with them ( Wall 5-7 ) . Gay/Straight Alliances frequently have school patrons who have particular preparation to help LGBT pu pils develop positive attitudes toward their gender. These counsellors are normally trained in psychological science and possible gender surveies. These counsellors assist pupils with school and calling advice every bit good as issues with their gender. The Gay/Straight Alliance patron would besides be available to measure an LGBT pupil ‘s province of head. If a pupil becomes down or experiences anxiousness, the patron could find if he or she is in demand of extra support through guidance. Patrons will besides hold an active function as an militant in altering policies to protect LGBT pupils. Detailss of policies protecting pupils from favoritism are frequently wide. Most policies province that pupils can non be discriminated against based on their race, ethnicity, faith, etc. The â€Å" etc, † nevertheless, does non ever include LGBT pupils. Students in schools that do non possess policies to protect LGBT pupils are more likely to hold cases of torment and force. Chesir-Teran and Hughes besides claim that pupils of schools that have organisation and policies to protect them have fewer studies of torment and force and pupils are â€Å" more likely to comprehend their school environment as safe, tolerant, and respectful toward a sexual minority person † ( Chesir-Teran and Hughes 3 ) . This feeling of regard and safety is what encourages a pupil to go on to keep good classs and attend school on a regular basis. Students who are involved in a positive environment are less likely to develop depression, anxiousness, and psychological jobs. Gay/Straight Alliance and reding give LGBT pupils a safe topographic point when they find grownups they can swear. Schools that possess policies to protect pupils have fewer cases of favoritism, torment, and violent hatred offenses. Merely when we wholly change the manner decision makers control their pupils and schools will LGBT pupils experience wholly safe within their school walls. With aid from pupils, instructors, and decision makers, schools can go the safe, comfy larning environment it is meant to be.

Tillich essays

Tillich essays Tillich was born into the family of a Lutheran pastor in the village of Starzeddel, Prussia, on Aug. 20, 1886. He studied at the university of Berlin, Tbingen, Halle, and Breslau. In 1912, at the age of 26 he was ordained a minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. From 1914 to 1918 he was a chaplain in the German Army. Tillich believed that the traditional concept of God no longer existed and through the rest of his life he worked at redefining the concept of God, directing men to the God beyond God. Tillich taught at several Universities in Germany until 1929 where he was dismissed, when Hitler assumed power, due to his contradictory views with the growing Nazi movement. By 1933 he immigrated to the U.S. and taught at the Union Theological Seminary until 1955. During this time of adapting to a new culture, Tillich is triggered by a single fundamental question of Who am I?. He had great concern in his preservation of his old values and their translation into the terminology of this new culture. Later Tillich went on to teach at Harvard University and the University of Chicago as well as being a guest speaker for several colleges. The comprehensiveness of his thought, which was both traditional and modern and which built bridges from religious faith to secular activities, made Tillich the most influential theologian of his time in North America. Tillich's "method of correlation" related Christian affirmations to the existential questions arising in human life and history. He described himself as living on the boundary between theology and philosophy, church and society, religion and culture, idealism and Marxism, his native and his alien land. He combined such diverse traditions as classical ontology, derived from Parmenides, Plato, and Aristotle, with modern romanticism and existentialism. Tillich relies heavily on his Christian faith and his experiences f ...

Cliché vs. Idiom

Clichà © vs. Idiom Clichà © vs. Idiom Clichà © vs. Idiom By Maeve Maddox In response to a recent post on idioms, a reader asked for a discussion of â€Å"the distinction between idioms and clichà ©s.† In the article referenced, I gave four definitions of the word idiom. Here is the definition closest to the word clichà ©: idiom: a construction or usage peculiar to English. A clichà © is an idiom that people notice and find annoying. Here are three typical definitions of clichà ©: A phrase or opinion that is overused and betrays a lack of original thought. (Oxford Dictionaries online) A trite or stereotyped phrase or expression; also, the idea expressed by it. (Merriam-Webster Unabridged) An expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has become overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, even to the point of being trite or irritating, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. (Wikipedia) The irritation factor of a clichà © depends to a large extent upon the listener or reader. Three clichà ©s that make me gag are â€Å"the elephant in the room,† â€Å"a win-win situation,† and â€Å"dà ©ja-vu all over again.† On the other hand, I don’t mind â€Å"You can’t please everyone,† â€Å"This too shall pass,† or â€Å"Mi Casa es Su Casa.† Everyone uses clichà ©s. They are convenient verbal shorthand. If our goal is to be original, then clichà ©s are to be avoided. If we are just making conversation, trying to avoid confrontation, wanting to express a strong feeling, or trying to write a catchy headline, clichà ©s are our friends. Numerous websites offer lists of clichà ©s. The lists include proverbs, literary quotations, and cultural references as well as convenient phrases that say a lot in a few words. Here are a few clichà ©s that are alive and well in the media: alive and well â€Å"still existing or active; often used to deny rumors or beliefs that something has disappeared or declined† Ex. Email marketing is alive and well, at least for now- Headline, Fortune. to do an about-face â€Å"to reverse ones opinion or course of action† Ex. China Does an About-Face on GMOS- Headline, Bloomberg. a thorn in one’s side â€Å"a person or thing that repeatedly annoys you or causes you pain† Ex. Otherwise, [Trevor] seems pretty content. That is, except for one thorn in his side- his hotheaded employee, Kat (Cobie Smulders).- Movie review, Washington Post. tell it like it is â€Å"describe the facts of a situation no matter how unpleasant they may be† Ex. R. Kelly promises to ‘tell it like it is’ in memoir- Today, Book News. to be all ears â€Å"to be waiting eagerly to hear about something† Ex. Warren Buffett beams in, and everyone’s all ears- Headline, The Australian. window of opportunity â€Å"a favorable opportunity for doing something that must be seized immediately if it is not to be missed† Ex. The best window of opportunity we have to improve the brains and lives of the nations children is between birth and age 3.- Chicago Tribune. a witch hunt â€Å"a campaign directed against a person or group holding unorthodox or unpopular views.† Ex. Those leading the witch hunt twisted what Mr. Hunt was saying into girls cant do science, and cited Marie Curie to prove him wrong.- The Baltimore Sun. bottom line â€Å"the underlying or ultimate outcome or criterion† Ex. Profits are the bottom line of competitive market business enterprises, and they are signaling devices that inform and direct decisions.- Publication of the Office of the Governor, California. draw a line in the sand â€Å"make it clear that that one has reached a point beyond which one will not go† Ex. The bottom line is that when you draw a line in the sand and decide that nothing on earth will get you to move it, every student within the four walls of your classroom will be changed because of it.–Classroom management site. Clichà ©s are idiomatic expressions. They may not contribute to meaning in significant ways, but they do play a part in social interaction. They may not promote fresh thought, but their familiarity makes people feel that they’re in the loop. in the loop â€Å"aware of information known to only a privileged few† 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 Misused Words category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:85 Synonyms for â€Å"Help†40 Synonyms for â€Å"Lie†Words Often Misspelled Because of Double Letters

Pneumonia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Pneumonia - Assignment Example Various tools are used in diagnosing this condition and these include the use of x-rays, or taking a sample of sputum for testing. There are various types of vaccines available for the prevention of pneumonia and these are complemented by the treatment measures available for those who suffer from the infection. The treatment of this condition depends on the agent that caused it, whether it is viral or bacterial. If the infection is caused by bacteria, then the condition is treated using antibiotics, but if the condition is caused by a virus; on the other hand, the most common treatment used are neuraminidase inhibitors. When an infection is deemed severe, the most likely cause of action that doctors tend to take is to have the patient admitted to hospital because if left untreated, this condition often proves to be fatal. It is estimated that on an annual basis, pneumonia affects over four hundred million people and of these, about four million meet their deaths from the condition (K ornum et al 2008, p.1542). While this condition has been made treatable with the advancement of the development of antibiotic therapy as well as vaccines, pneumonia still remains one of the most dangerous as well as the a leading cause of death, especially in developing countries. The people, in these countries, who are at the most risk of infection, tend to be the young, the elderly, and those who are extremely ill. Symptoms Those who are infected by pneumonia tend to display certain symptoms, which provide the evidence that they have indeed been infected. Among the symptoms that they display include coughing, a fever, a stabbing pain in the chest when taking deep breaths, and most of all, and an increase in the rate of respiration because of the shortness of breath that they experience. One of the most prominent symptoms that are displayed by older people is that of being confused. Among children, on the other hand, there is often a fever, coughing, as well as difficulty in breath ing. When making a diagnosis of the condition, too much insistence should not be put on the detection of a fever because it can be found in quite a number of diseases such as malaria among other severe diseases (Chandra et al 2010, p.862). In addition, coughs should also not be considered a common symptom among children who are less than a year old and instead, more severe signs should be looked out for. Among the severe symptoms of this condition is the appearance of a blue tinge on the skin, a decrease in the infected person’s thirst, convulsions, and the most severe of all, a decrease in consciousness level. Whatever the source of infection, whether bacterial or viral, the victims of pneumonia often display the same symptoms and this is the reason why specific tests have to be carried out to ensure that the correct treatment is prescribed to a patient (Metlay and Fine 2003, p.109). While pneumonia is often caused by either bacterial or viral infections, it is common to fin d that even fungi and other parasites can cause this condition. It has, however been estimated that of the over one hundred agents that can potentially cause pneumonia, only a few of these agents are actually responsible for the majority of the cases involved (Kollef et al, 2005, p.3855). In a little more than 45% of the cases studied in children, it has been found that the causing agents have been a mixture of bacterial and viral infections. Among adults, on

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ADHD Essay

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder ADHD - Essay Example One of my key findings is that Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder is a psychiatric disorder that has been diagnosed in nearly 5% of children in the world. The disease is currently considered to be a serious issue of public health concern in many parts of the world and has affected the societies and families in a number of ways. According to Wilens and Dodson (2004), the affected individuals usually have difficulties in their interpersonal relationships and do not perform well in schools. Conducting a psychiatric assessment is one of the main methods of diagnosis although laboratory tests can also be used. My research has significantly enabled me to have a better understanding of my daughter who has been suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Consequently this will improve my coping skills and enhance my contributions towards her behavioral and normal medical interventions in her condition. For example as a parent, this research has improved my understanding of the significance of providing family therapy and parental assistance to the affected children like my