My Story

I was fidgeting in my seat in the airplane.   It was night time, but I could not sleep.   Beside me, my papa was sound asleep.   I stared outside the window.   The night sky was full of stars.   I felt like I was riding on a magic carpet ride to my new home.   Then, the memories began play right before my very eyes.I cannot forget that day when mama and papa told me that we were moving to the United States.   I had just got home from school.   They were so happy and excited about it.   I thought that I would be as well.   But instead, I was dumbfounded.   I didn’t know how to react.   Should I be happy like them?   Or should I feel sad.   I didn’t quite understand.   But then again, I have always been told that I have been that way.   After all, I was a teenager.   Aren’t all teenagers prone to conflicting and overwhelming emotions happening all at one time?I went to my room and stared blankly at the walls.   It was only then t hat it began to sink in.   I was going to America!   I felt a smile forming on my lips. America! The land of opportunity!   The country that, up to this moment, I have only seen in television and in the movies!   Finally, I would be a part of it.   I would be the envy of many of my friends.   After all, who doesn’t want to go to America and be a part of it?Then it hit me.   My friends!   Yes, they would be envious.   I would be in going to the place of awesome beaches, actors and actresses, models, fashion, everything.   But, it would also mean that I would have to bid goodbye to them.   Sure, there will be the Internet for me to e-mail them, chat with them and perhaps for a moment even see them and hear their voices.   But, it wouldn’t be the same.The laughter, the parties, the sorrows, the moments when we would just hang out and bond with each other and dream about the future and what we wanted to become, that will be all gone.   Ã‚  I felt a pang in my heart.   Already I miss them.   I wonder what they were doing now.   Already I am miles away from them.   They are probably asleep in their beds, looking forward to another day in school.   I had let out a sigh as I felt my eyelids become heavy and then slowly drifting away into slumber.The Harsh RealityFor the next few weeks, my parents and I did what every family who comes to America would do.   We visited almost every single tourist destination that we knew and go to.   We went to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Hollywood, Rodeo Drive, anywhere.   At the end of each day, my digital camera’s memory was filled up and I would send the pictures to my friends in Taiwan.   They would e-mail me telling me how lucky I was to be here in America.   How they wish they could enjoy the things that I am enjoying now.   I never mentioned it in my e-mails to them, but deep down whenever they would tell me about the parties they went to and the things that we used to do.Mama and Papa enrolled me at the University High School in Irvine.   Once again, the mixed feelings came to me.   I was excited to go to school.   I have seen in television that American teenagers are always welcoming and nice.   They would always make you feel at home.   They will accept me for me.   But I was also scared.   I only knew very little English.   I was afraid that I might be left out because I could barely talk to them.But mama and papa assured me that it was going to be okay.   I have always been able to make friends easily in Taiwan.   So, it won’t be that difficult for me to be able to make new friends and things would be like back in Taiwan.   It would just take some getting used to.   I would be able to adapt to school in no time.   After all, there are a lot of Asians here in California.   As I neared my school, I felt butterflies in my stomach fluttering all over the place.   Here goes nothing, I said to myself .As I walked through the school grounds, everyone seemed to have known each other for a very long time.   On every side of the walkway, there were groups of girls and boys chattering and laughing.   As I passed them, some of the boys began to stare at me and point at me.   Their gaze made me feel so awkward.   Why were they looking at me that way? I wondered.   I concentrated my eyes to the concrete ground I was walking on.   Yet, their gaze seemed to be bearing down on me.   Then I heard the bell ring.Everyone began to make their way towards the long corridors and through the classrooms.   I felt a couple of people bump me as they ran passed.   It made me feel more awkward.   Did they bump me on purpose or because they were just hurrying to class?   I didn’t know.   I tried myself to believe that they were just in a rush that was why they bumped into me.   Americans are very much into equality and they have always been nice.   But something inside me was telling me otherwise.Then the reality came in when in my first class.   I was asked to introduce myself.   I stood in front of class and introduced myself.   As I did, I noticed some of the boys were snickering from the back of the room.   Others were looking at each other smiling at each other.   I was trembling.   I could not go back to my seat any faster than I wanted to.   Again, the feeling of eyes bearing down my neck came back.   I felt that I just wanted to disappear.   Every class it was the same.   When I got home, mama asked me how did my day went.   She looked so happy.   I didn’t want to tell her.   All I just said was it went okay, and I headed to my room.Over the next few weeks, things just went from bad to worse.   Some of them would mimic how I talk and those who would watch will burst out into laughter.   In times that some would try to talk to me, I thought that things would get better.   But when they did, they spoke to me mimicking my accent and would walk away, laughing.   It became harder and harder for me to go to school and having to face all of these.   I felt angry and ashamed of myself because I was different.   I knew that they were mocking me because I was different and that I could not speak English that well.I began to regret coming to America.   Why did we have to leave Taiwan?   If we just stayed, I would not have to go through this.   I began to long for my friends who were halfway around the world.   How I wish they were here with me.   They would have comforted me and would be there for me as I go through each and every single day of torment.In dinner, my papa asked me how did my day go.   It was then that I exploded.   I told them I did not like it here.   I wanted to go back home to Taiwan and stormed out of my room.The Turning PointShortly, after my outburst, my mama came into my room.   She sat beside me.   She placed her hand on my shoulder.  Ã¢ €Å"Son,† she said, softly in our native language, â€Å"I know you are having a hard time fitting in, even if you had never spoken about it.   But, you have to be strong.   Many people in Taiwan would do anything to be where we are now.   You can overcome this, my son.   We are here to support you.   Believe in yourself that you can do it.   If you give up, then the battle is completely lost without you trying.†Ã‚   With that, she left the room and me with my thoughts.Looking back, what she told me had been the turning point of my life.   I began to learn English on my own.   I tried my best to excel in class and I did.   Slowly, the boys and girls who used to taunt me began to talk to me and began to invite me to seat with them during lunch.   I even developed friendships with a few of them.People have always said that it is in college when you will have a taste of the real world.   In my case, I had my taste when I was in college.   I learned that the world can be a tough, cruel world to live in.   People will mock you and taunt you and criticize you because of the color of your skin, or because you talk differently.   The experiences I had gone through in high school had made me stronger, and it had taught me a valuable lesson.   For as long as I believe in myself, I can accomplish anything.   As I continue my road towards my desired career, I would never forget the lessons I had learned about myself in high school.   It is not what only makes me unique.   It has also made me more prepared for whatever the future has in store.

The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act

Section 1 of the 14th Amendment of the U. S. Constitution affords due process to every individual within its jurisdiction. This goes to show that whoever is in the U. S. territory, whether they are here legally or illegally, are afforded due process of law.The Illegal Immigration reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIR) made way for transformations in the system of the US Immigration laws generally pertaining to the improvements and control of entry into the US, intensified enforcement and penalties of laws with regards to aliens in the region, restrictions against their employment and benefits, and other miscellaneous provisions. The immigration laws of today can be enforced by the local and state police. They have the general power to investigate and arrest violators of federal immigration statutes.In this manner, the people can directly contact the police in case they suspect any illegal alien in their vicinity and the local police can check into it. In fact, after the September 11 bombings, there was a speedy detention of aliens suspected of terrorist activities or ties. (Malkin, 2002) One agency that enforces immigration laws is the Department of Homeland Security. Among the major policy changes since 9/11 is that local and state law enforcement agencies, along with their federal counterparts, are being required to use strict criteria in seeking out and detaining illegal immigrants (Pluvoise-Fenton, 2003).Alien Absconder Apprehension Initiative involved entering the names of fugitive alien absconders into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center database. It focused on absconders from a list of countries designated as terrorist supporting states. These individuals became the subject of a nationwide effort to apprehend them. The aim was for the immigration laws in the country to be better enforced as it were before. (Ziglar, 2004) It is therefore a program designed to bag those people that were released from custody and were initial ly apprehended for illegally entry.However, instead of being sent back to their home country, they were released with a date to show up in court. Having no legal status whatsoever, these people simply did not show up, leaving the government to put up efforts on finding them. The S visa is given to aliens who aid the US law enforcement in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of criminals involved in illegal or terrorist activities. This was pursuant to The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 which paved way for the creation of the â€Å"S† category in visas.If the immigrant gives certain information that is material to the success of the investigation, they then become qualified to adjust the status of their immigration. Reference Malkin, Michelle, (September 2002). The Deportation Abyss â€Å"It Ain't Over ‘Til the Alien Wins†. Center for Immigration Studies. Statement of James W. Ziglar to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon The United States (January 26, 2004).

Ikemefuna Described as an Ill-Fated Lad

In the book ‘Things Fall Apart’ Chinua Achebe describes Ikemefuna as an ‘ill fated lad’. Behind the meaning of this description lie different literary elements that pay a great significance to the book, in general. Before the author describes Ikemefuna in this manner, he writes about Okonkwo’s reputation and youth. He says, referring to Okonkwo, ‘He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife’. By saying these words, the author wants to show Okonkwo as a man who earned his good reputation by hard work and not family wealth. He also writes ‘And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time’ meaning that age was not the problem for him to succeed in life. ‘As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings’, by stating this proverb, the author means that being one of those boys who ‘washed their hands’, Okonkwo believed that he himself, could treat anyone in this manner if they ‘washed their hands’. He compares and contrasts Okonkwo’s youth against Ikemefuna’s who is later on described as an ‘ill fated lad’. Behind the description of Ikemefuna as an ‘ill fated lad’ lies foreshadowing which shows the readers that the fate of Ikemefuna is not fortunate, and there will be some event later on in the book that will prove the description right. As well as foreshadowing, the words ‘ill fated’ are a metaphor. ‘ill fated’ if translated correctly means a fate that is ill, therefore unfortunate. Even though the passage where Ikemefuna is described is short, there lies a lot of significance that affects the book as a whole. If the readers would not have read those lines saying ‘the ill-fated’ lad, they would most likely not predict anything unusual happening to him in the future. And because this line foreshadows the coming of Ikemefuna’s unfortunate fate, the readers pay more attention to the way Okonkwo treats Ikemefuna later on in the book. They see how Okonkwo treats him like his own son, and for the first time it is seen that Okonkwo becomes interested in something more than simply power and physical strength.

The case report Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

The case report - Essay Example It is an intentional and goal oriented programme. Change can also be unplanned. This is when an organisation is forced by circumstances to change some or all of its processes, strategies, systems or any aspect of its operations in order to remain in operation or perform better. In this case change is reactive. Apart from whether change is planned or unplanned, there are also different perspectives on the nature of change process. The planned approach assumes that the change process is linear and carefully crafted with several identifiable steps, which follow, in a sequential order. Another perspective, however believes that this linear, orderly fashion does not suit the complex and rapidly changing environment in which businesses operate. There is the issue of the locus of emphasis in initiating and implementing change programmes. Three schools of though have also emerged in this regard. There is the Individual Perspective School which believes that the locus of change should be the individual. The Group Dynamics School believes that organisational change should best be achieved through groups and that behaviour of individuals should be changed by influencing group norms, roles, and values. Then the Open System School sees organisations as consisting of several systems and also being parts of the larger system. Thus the internal subsystems interact among themselves while the organisation as a whole interact with the external environment. Changes in any parts of the system affect the other subsystems and also the general performance. TERMS OF REFERENCE: Report how to manage change for a case company Type of assessment - Individual Draft a job description advertising for a change agent suitable for this case organisation. From the points raised by the General Manager, Steve Humphries, it would be good to look at the following areas, which will form a yardstick on which basis decision as to whether or not change is necessary can be taken, what type of change, when and how. Let us look at the strengths of Polyflow Plastics & Packaging Limited: [1] Good contract from established customers [2] Sub-contracts from fellow competitors in the industry [3] Contacts all over London and South East [4] Customer satisfaction due to personal attention by the MD [5] Experienced workers [6] Big market in the packaging products line From the above, it can be noticed that presently there are good contracts both from organisations [established customers] as well as from competitors. From all indications, this has boosted the earnings of the organization and makes

Contemporary Hospitality Industry Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Contemporary Hospitality Industry - Assignment Example Keeping with the intensive development along with continuous success experienced by the global hospitality industry, the primary focus of this report is to provide an in-depth understanding regarding the current industrial trends on the basis of its typography, structure, ownership guidelines and other essential factors. The discussion hereafter also incorporates adequate information associated with the operational areas, professional bodies, required educational skills along with a critical analysis of the external environmental factors of the global hospitality industry. ‘Hospitality’, can be defined as a well-built corporate establishment that ensures to provide meals, refreshments along with accommodation facilities as services in terms of mutual benefits for both the clients and the organization as well. In general, the concept of hospitality industry can also be termed as an effective blend of tangible and non-tangible products and/or services in order to meet the desired expectations of the clients who commonly comprise tourists. It basically incorporates three core categories including food, accommodation and refreshments (National College of Business Administration, 2009). The dimension serving food and beverage in the hospitality industry tends to incorporate restaurants, pubs and night-clubs among others. Similarly, the extensive numbers of resorts and hotels can be considered as the accommodation categories in the respective industry. According to the recent developments of different products and/or services, the services provi ded through the travel and tourism companies can also be regarded as a major division of the hospitality industry that empowers the competitive position of the global hospitality industry. As apparent, the organizations in the  contemporary hospitality industry includes various types of ownership structures ranging from the government or publicly owned proprietorships, joint ventures, partnerships and franchises among others.

Faith Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Faith Integration - Essay Example Today, marketing management is more than the delivery of goods and services to customers. It is the science and art of effectively selecting target markets, maintain and growing customers base by developing, availing and communicating greater customer value (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Thus, the verse correlates to the marketing management principles in a way. The verse gives an assurance to the Israelites whom may be considered as the customers. Joshua is the individual who is developing and delivering to them through communicating the value attached to God’s Promised Land. Joshua was informed that there was an assurance of victory. Likewise in marketing management perspective, there is an assurance of market target and growing customer base through effectively obeying and applying accepted marketing principles. For instance, marketing management should be ethical and never apply malpractices. The book of Joshua talks of, â€Å"Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged". Through analysis, God gives encouragement and hope to the Israelites that He won’t forsake them as long as they trust in Him (Spence, 2013). This particular part of the Scripture echoes to marketing management to be hopeful despite the dynamic business environment that they operate. The dynamic business environment that marketers operate is full of competition and unethical practices, and as such, the verse prepares marketing managers in the world full of intimidation (Sites, et al., 2009). From a religious point of view, the marketing management is required to translate this statement to be a motivation from God, and use the energy to propel the company to a profitable level. Other qualities of marketing management include developing plans, capturing insights, building the brand, shaping the market offerings, and creating Long-Term growth. These tasks also pertain to what Joshua had to do. For example, Joshua had to develop a proper plan in the best way possible to attack Jericho. Likewise,

ASSIGNMENT ON EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSE Essay

ASSIGNMENT ON EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL RESPONSE - Essay Example Fast Food Industry The fast food industry has demonstrated significant growth and market opportunities which are characterized by the increase in disposable income among New Zealanders as attributed to the increased income and living standards. The trends of the New Zealand economy reveal an increase of monthly wage, benefits and bonuses among consumers. In addition, the busy lifestyles of consumers within the working class and institutions of learning have resulted to an increased consumption fast food. This is due to the cost effectiveness and convenience which characterize the fast food industry. It is in line with the market trends and business opportunities within the New Zealand food industry that Quick Meal Restaurant endeavors to invest within this market. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis Supplier power is one of the most important forces within the market which defines the competitiveness of a company (Pathak, 2012). The fast food production industry within New Zealand d epends largely on the ability of effective supply of raw materials for the production of high quality food products at the right time and quantity so that the needs of the consumers are met. The concentration of suppliers of food products within the New Zealand fast food industry is relatively high (Chand, Eyles & Ni Mhurchu, 2012). This reflects that fast food industries which require investing in this market have desirable market opportunities that they would invest in for competitive advantage. However, there are substitute food products within the New Zealand food industry which are likely to threaten the supply of fast food products. Porter’s analysis of market forces also demonstrates that the power of the buyer is one of the most significant forces within the market which determines the ability of a company to meet its business objectives (Pathak, 2012). The New Zealand fast food consumer is very sensitive to price and quality. This illustrates that the consumer factor s must be incorporated to company values for quality and price of fast food products for attainment of a competitive edge within this market. The threat of product or service substitutes is another external force within a market which influences the strategic competitive strategy of a company. For example food substitutes within large retailers and restaurants are likely to be a major business threat for a company that requires investing in the fast food market within this industry. The threat of new entrants into a specific market is described by Porter as a strong market force which determines the success of a brand within the market (Roy, 2009).

The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability Assignment

The Impact of Internships on Graduate Employability - Assignment Example The paper further focuses on the analysis of the normal career path for a post-internship candidate along with identifying the employment prospects from a long term and short term concern. Accumulatively, the paper has been focused on reviewing the value of internship in the current day context. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 Analysis of the Current Graduate Labour Market Both General and Specific 4 Identify Skills, Knowledge & Aptitudes Required From Internships to Enter the Market 5 Identify the Medium and Long Term Prospects for Post-Internship Employment 7 Identify the Value of Internship 8 Conclusion & Recommendations 9 References 10 Introduction Lowden et al. (2011) stated that creating recruitment opportunities through placements and internships will not only provide an effectual functional method of encouraging suitable consciousness, capabilities and skills among the graduates but can also endorse creative teamwork and partnership within highly educated interns and employers. Basically, an internship is a part-time training program as per the academic world. In the present scenario, the issues regarding employability have emerged as the core concerns of the various higher education sectors all around the world. For instance, in 2010–2011, the UK government attempted to invest large sums in two internship schemes: for undergraduates and graduates. In January 2010, UK government also intended to deliver a funding amount of ?12.8 million to 57 universities and colleges in order to support the graduate internship programs. It has further been analysed that by the end of March 2011, under these schemes, 7,900 internships were already completed in the UK, which was apparent from the growth of employment within the national context (Hobijn et al., 2011). Analysis of the Current Graduate Labour Market Both General and Specific By taking into consideration the present situation of the employment market, it has often been argued that the unemployment rates, income growth of recent college graduates and the trends of part-time employment have declined after the cyclical recession of 2001, which indicates a direct relationship between employability and internship programmes (Hobijn et al., 2011). However, a global perspective depicts that during the period of 2007 to 2012, the trends of employability have been declining gradually, even though a growing concern was witnessed towards internship programs. This particular phenomenon has been apparent in the case of financial companies where the employers desire to recruit experienced candidates and where post-internship candidates are observed to gain better scope to enter into these competitive employability markets. However, conversely the candidates with no experience tend to face greater challenge in attaining employability affecting the overall employment growth in the global context (Hobijn et al., 2011). According to Kocherlakota (2010), it is viewed that this unrelenting high unemployment rate is due to huge structural frictions within the US labour market rather than the weak demand for employers who are associated with severe recessionary impacts. For instance, mismatch happens when employers are seeking for skills which are quite different from what available workers offer. It is in this context that internship offers career associated job experiences to a candidate

Prenuptial Agreements in UK Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Prenuptial Agreements in UK - Essay Example Prenuptial agreements are not binding in the UK; however, the courts proved that, in case of Radmacher v Granatiano, circumstances had to be considered. They applied the requirements of the prenuptial leaving out parts that contravened principles of family law. Prenuptial agreements have remained to be a contentious issue since it can leave out fundamental principles. Such principles include being silent about children that may be born in the course of the marriage or insufficient funds or funds being allocated inefficiently leaving kids without being properly provided for. In case of such circumstances, the court has the authority to divide family assets in order to ensure children rule a decision in any other appropriate way. A pre-nap can be used to reduce the court’s authority to divide family money. Radmacher going to court to challenge the prenuptial agreement undermined decision held in Macleod v Macleod . In this case, it was held that prenuptial agreements could not be binding and made a distinction between prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. The Privy Council’s decision in this case shed light on how judiciary viewed this issue during that period. In Radmacher’s case judges stated that they did not recognize any difference between pre and post marital agreements. This change of position has been supported by scholars such as Joanna Miles who argues that there is no difference between a spouse and a fiancà ©. This means that whether the agreement is made before or after solemnization of marriage should not matter. An additional effect of this case is that it provides a way that can result into pre-nuptial agreements becoming binding in the UK. This, however, can only happen if it is under the right circumstances. It, therefore, becomes necessary to consider the effects that pre-nuptial agreements will have on marriage after this decision. The first significant effect is that, after this decision, there will be legal certainty. Prenuptial agreements will help couples to know what will happen to their finances in case of a divorce. Courts have been known to be extremely inconsistent in the past and certainty is welcomed. However, these

Sustainable Socio-Technological System Essay Example for Free

Sustainable Socio-Technological System Essay Every thread of the problems faced by the present human society can be traced back to first industrial revolution of late 18th century and early 19th century that took place in Britain and from where it was embraced by the entire world. The industrial revolution set in motion the process of changes that have since then subsequently transformed the character of not only human society but of entire earth. Air, water, land and sky, all bear the effects of the changes inflicted by human march through industrial revolution and the effects have not been pleasant by any order.   One of the consistent features of the industrial and post industrial revolution has been unprecedented rate of consumption of energy resources, which is the principle reason behind depletion, and instability of earth’s ecological and environmental system (Pirages, 1996). In the endeavor to exploit the full range and scope of advancing technology world required huge energy supplies, which it was unable to obtain from traditional wood fuel or steam power. A quest was soon underway to find that magical energy source that could fuel world’s transition in the new age of speed and power. And soon this magical source was discovered in the form of fossil fuels-petroleum oil and coal with which human world completely shifted in the modern age. The age of automobiles, airplanes, rockets, and computers almost rushed in simultaneously and since then continued to evolve and modify endlessly on the same essential design that is solely based on using the energy of fossil fuels at an increasingly higher rate. 20th century did not merely saw extravagant increase in the consumption of energy resources but also a massive population explosion where population of world tripled from 2 billion in 1930 to 6.5 billion by 2005, thereby making it impossible to reduce the consumption rates (Tyler, 1997). With demands continuously pressing ahead, world’s energy intake also almost doubled from 1973 to 2002. This giant rate and quantity of energy consumption has put world across two crises that have s potential to challenge the very existence of humanity and accompanying life forms, if its not resolved immediately. In the blind rush of growth that world has followed, it became over occupied with the immediate enjoying of wonders of fossil fuel without ever considering the consequences of its maniac pace of growth. The consequences of exploitation, on their part, did not take much time to manifest and air-pollution, water pollution and marine pollution, terms hitherto unheard of, were entering popular terminology. Fossil fuels are essentially hydrocarbon compounds and although they are extremely rich in energy content, their extraction from deep oil wells, refinement and use involve release of harmful and poisonous gases at each step of process, that dangerously increased contents of carbon di-oxide, sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides and chlorine compound in environment, changing the chemical composition of land, air and water. After the discovery of ozone hole in 1985,   humanity encountered the first major threat to its own existence in   so far innocuous journey in the modern high-energy, high-speed age. In subsequent years more catastrophic phenomena, such as global warming and melting of polar ice caps conclusively showed the inherent flaws and dangers associated with man’s present course. Of all the actors of the modern world that have caused upshot in consumption of fossil fuels and hence contributed towards the crisis of environmental pollution and global warming, transportation sector takes the role of the progenitor and spearhead. The role of transportation has been preeminent in humanity’s march through economic development of 20th century. The great mobility offered by transportation sector in personal and freight movements created the foundation of entire industrial infrastructure. However, in the process it also emerged as the biggest consumer of fossil fuel, accounting for more than 70 % of the fuel consumption all over the world. Also it is one of the   biggest polluter and driving cause of pollution. The exhaust fumes from millions of vehicles add toxic gases to atmosphere resulting in poisonous smog. While these gases and fumes add to atmospheric pollution and contributes in global warming their direct impact on human health results in diseases like asthma, migraine and cancer along with sharp rise in cases of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.   Apart from all these, transportation sector results in thousands of purely avoidable deaths each year due to road accidents.   The largest share in transportation sector belongs to personal and individual motorized vehicles, which are currently numbered at over 600 million and are expected to grow to 2 billion by year 2050 (Heywood, 2006). In the view of already depleting oil resources, the size of motorized industry in 2050 would be unsupportable by even existing fossil reserves and certainly untenable in 2050. These figures and analysis put the sustainability prospects of current transportation model in question. Every study conducted shows that if transformative changes are not introduced at institutional and policy level, the entire transportation sector may come to a standstill in few years, turning the wheels of development backward. Sustainable transportation is also a vital issue from current environmental and economic perspectives because researches have proved that increase in motorized transportation has negative economic implications eventually. Thus finding a sustainable transportation model that represents and safeguards interest of both society and industry is essential if world aims to achieve balanced prospects of growth and development (Burwell and Litman, 2006). Part II Sustainable Transportation Transportation plays two important roles in the economy. First it is a complete industry in itself, with various component industries as its part to create the whole structure and second it is the backbone of various other industries and economic activities (OECD, 1998). Transportation affects prospects of sustainable development at many places. The extraction of fossil oils and their consumption in internal combustion engine causes pollution, smog, acid rains and lead to increased concentration of carbon-dioxide in atmosphere; transportation network and road construction cause additional damage to natural environment and contribute in climatic change; the waste generated through transportation, fuel waste as well as industrial waste add toxic and harmful waste to environment (OECD, 1998). Therefore transportation has become the prime focus area in the quest of sustainable development. The sustainable model of transportation attempts to integrate the entire scope of transportation with real needs of human movement and renewed energy sources that does not pose dangers of depletion, or add to environmental pollution (Pirages, 1996). Sustainable transportation strategies include the vital dimensions of operations management, pricing policies, use of clean fuels, improvement in vehicle operation technologies, and integration in land use and planning in transportation infrastructure (Deakin, 2003). The implementation of these strategies requires combined operations at national and regional levels and need to channel efforts at government, business, scientific and community levels (ibid). Guidelines and principles for Sustainable Transportation In devising the guidelines for transportation to make it sustainable and environment friendly, the following issues emerge as areas of prime concern (Guiding Principles, 1996) Access: Transportation is the principle form through which people can access places and goods, contributing prominently in social and economic development. The integrated strategic direction involve a) demand management- Optimizing transportation needs and requirements of society. It includes curtailing unnecessary transportation requirements through use of better communication technology and packaging technologies and redesigning urban landscape. b) diversifying options: it includes providing people with greater number of options through which they can meet their transportation needs. Equity: It defines the need for government and communities to institute transportation policies that ensures social, regional and government equity by striving to attend to transportation needs of all the sections of society. Health and Safety: The sustainable design of transportation system shall include measures that make it conducive for physical and mental health of people and social and community well being. Responsibility at individual level: The safety of climate, natural environment and resources concern every one and hence it’s a collective as well as individual responsibility of people to safeguard them Policy intervention for sustainable development It is widely recognized at policy level that modifying the present transportation framework on sustainable paradigms would be more convenient and cost saving, rather than completely replacing it with a new framework that might be unable to perform at satisfactory levels. The various   policy options to make the existing model of transportation sustainable are broadly categorized as a) regime optimization and b) regime-shifts (Hoogma, Kepmp, Schot and Truffer, 2002). The distinctions assigning the different technologies in either of the two categories are somewhat vague and they are constantly being worked and assessed. The vital trend to emerge so far out is that there are potential technologies and innovations that can be used for both regime optimization and regime shift. The current transport regime considered exclusively for policy and technological intervention is land transportation system, with its huge impact on environment, society and economy. Various policies and strategies for sustainable transportation, as categorized by Deckins (2003), are, Vehicle and Fuel Technological Changes: The only practical solution to the problem of growing fuel scarcity and harmful level of pollutants ejected   technological innovations in energy field that can reduce dependence on petroleum oil by providing alternative and sustainable sources of energy. It shall serve two immensely useful purposes that are a. minimizing U.S dependence on foreign oil and b. preventing the environment from damages associated with use of petroleum oils and products. The certainty of oil exhaustion has inspired efforts from both government and corporate sector to research and develop the new fuel technologies as a providential measure for survival, growth and progress in forthcoming days of oil crisis. Past decade has seen great move on technological researches in alternative fuels. Various new techniques and models have already been introduced in the market to test their viability and capacity to successfully replace petroleum as chief source of energy. Most of these innovations are specifically aimed at transportation sector because it is the chief consumer of petroleum oil and as principle cause of increasing oil imports. Due to distinct requirements of different sectors in transportation, there are various technologies. Passenger vehicles, public transport vehicles and freight transportation carry specific needs that are difficult to be met by a single alternative fuel technology.   Some of the major and most popular of these technologies, where majority of research and development has taken place, are (Aldrich, 1996) Hybrid Vehicles, electric vehicles, use of ethanol as fuel, fuel cell vehicles, use of hydrogen as fuel and vehicles operated by solar power. Road vehicle operations improvement: The management of road vehicle transportation has significant bearing on sustainable transportation. It consists of areas such as-a) traffic flow improvements that involve measures of improving traffic signal timings, ramp metering, flow metering and removal of bottlenecks to improve the efficiency. The net benefit is reduction of time, better fuel efficiency and smooth transportation; b) Transport system improvement with thrust on constructing smart highways, smart vehicles, accident management and scheduling arrangements; c)educating drivers on appropriate fuel conserving techniques as well as traffic guidelines to help them utilize the system better; d) Improving management techniques in logistics and fleet management. Demand management: To optimize the transportation system according to exact requirements of people, so as to minimize the waste and maximize benefits, it suggests measures as such a) modal substitution where transits are redesigned and improvements are made for walking and biking purposes that provide incentives to people for using alternate mediums of transportation; b) substituting trucks by rails that is environmentally cost effective and involves less consumption of fuel and emission of harmful gases while improving efficiency; c) telecommunication improvements or transport telematics that involve technological systems that are either follow either driver oriented approach or centralized management oriented approach by introducing traffic automation that are vital from safety and efficiency point of view (Hoogma, Kepmp, Schot and Truffer, 2002). The major tools of this measure include telecommuting, tele-shopping, teleconferencing, distance learning and use of information technology in transportation and traffic management. Vehicle Technologies 1.Hybrid Vehicle: As the name suggests, hybrid vehicles combine dual technologies for their operation. Technically they are hybrid electric vehicle with an electric motor that drives the vehicle (Hoogma, Kemp, Schot and Truffer, 2002, 41 ). In the case of a typical electric vehicle, hydrogen fuel cell or chemical batteries such as advanced sealed lead battery, nickel cadmium and lithium ion are used for auxiliary power (Aldrich, 1996). However in the hybrid electric vehicles, the electric drive technology is combined with a gasoline-based power generator for running the electric motor and charging the batteries. Bio-diesels: Bio-diesel, as the term suggests, is a type of renewable fuel obtained by agricultural products and used as fuel in heavy-duty vehicles. The major sources currently under research for bio-diesel are soybean, rapeseed, corn, cottonseed, peanut, sunflower, and canola (Aldrich, 1996, 85). The process of making bio-diesel involves use of an alcohol such as methanol which is treated with oil of selected agricultural produce to form glycerin followed by separation of fatty esters, recycling of excess alcohol and purification of esters to produce a fuel that bears remarkable closeness to diesel, however with higher octane number (Aldrich, 1996, 85). Currently bio-diesel is used when blended with petroleum diesel, especially in European markets, with commendable results. Hydrogen: There are great interests in using hydrogen as fuel in transport industry due to the great flexibility of options and performance it offers. Hydrogen can either be used as fuel in place of gasoline in internal combustion engine or it can be used as energy carrier in fuel cells, the latter being the major research area in automobile sector (Aldrich, 1996, 87). Generally, hydrogen is obtained by decomposing hydrocarbon fuels, electrolysis of water and photolysis. It is stored directly in form of gas, liquid or as chemically with metal hydrides (Hydrogen Economy, 2002, 2). Due to its low energy volume, direct use of hydrogen as a fuel would require considerably large volumes to fuel the vehicle. On the other hand, hydrogen is extremely efficient in fuel cells. In a fuel cell, hydrogen combines with oxygen to produce electricity, Use of public transportation and mass transit system: Mass Transport System Apart from introducing alternative fuel and technologies to replace and minimize fossil fuel consumption, another area where fuel consumption can be easily reduced is creating a more robust and functional public transport and mass transit system. It is cost effective and time consuming to redesign the existing public transport system, especially in major cities, to cut down fuel consumption by reducing number of vehicles on the road. While airplanes are already a popular and heavily used long distance intercity mass transit system, there are many available areas of intervention in short distance intercity and intra-city transport to provide fast and reliable transit facilities while simultaneously reducing traffic, freeing up space on roads and parking and moderating fossil oil consumption. The transportation system , excluding freight transport, is presently divided in two broad categories a. privately owned individual all purpose vehicle transport system and b. public transport system consisting of buses, trains, trams, and metros under the control and maintenance of public administration and public transport companies ((Hoogma, Kemp, Schot and Truffer, 2002, 36-37). Public transport system is usually characterized by low cost, fuel-efficient transit system capable of carrying large number of people on a fixed route (ibid). It has been felt over time that a sustainable and efficient fuel policy needs to incorporate advanced public transport system as one of its key focus area. Additionally the light rail and bus services can be expanded to cover specifically high traffic and downtown areas of major cities. An integration of public transport and private vehicle system can be achieved by providing sufficient parking space at stations and depots of public transport system. It would encourage people to use their private vehicles to access public transport system, resolving one of major issues of limited accessibility involved with mass transit system. Inventing new strategies for sustainable transport development Sustainable development, by its definition, is development that has capacity to meaningfully continue itself without negatively affecting any chance of its failure or degeneration. Therefore sustainable transportation, according to this parameter, requires to incorporate measures and policies that help to grow along with changing dynamics of transport network and fuel technologies. These strategies include (Deckins, 2003) Land use and community development: It includes such activities as preservation, rehabilitation, redevelopment and redesigning of cities and suburbs with high population density. It also include additional measures such as infill in cities and suburbs, reusing of brown-fields, recycling buildings, and improving the quality of life through close location of workplace and residence. Consumer response to sustainable strategies: The major issue is to integrate consumers interests in sustainable strategies and technologies. Consumers should view these measures as crucial for creating a long term sustainable transportation plan that is adaptable for new vehicle and fuel technologies, technological up gradation and increased use of automation system, information technology and communication networks. Another major strategic intervention is about urban planning and transportation planning. It deals with concentration of urban growth, limiting urban sprawls and providing strategies for mixed land use that make intelligent urban structure and land use policies. It would help to mitigate transportation requirements by moving destination and source closer. It also recommends prioritising pollution prevention strategies and encouraging pedestrian and cycling movements as alternative to motorized mode of transportation (Guiding principles, 1996). Working towards a sustainable future transport Designing a transport system that successfully meets the present challenges of eliminating pollution, utilizing landscape space, carrying people safely and timely over their destination and most importantly which runs on such fuel technology is sustainable, without risks of running into shortage or worse, total depletion. Keeping in view of the every rising challenge of maintaining an increasingly large fleet of vehicles on the road in the coming years, the sustainable transportation should be able to accommodate both the present and future range of issues. The future sustainable strategy has following important policy and socio-technological dimensions (Schaller, 2007) Creating economic disincentives to drive: Presently the socio-economic system is oriented towards personalized driving. People prefer to ply to their respective destinations through personal mode of transport because it is time consuming, convenient and cost effective. However, in this process they do not pay for the environmental damage of pollution, cost of traffic congestion, charges of using roads, bridges and tunnels and appropriate parking charges. Further, even people are compelled to use personalized motor vehicles due to absence of a supportive framework of alternative medium of transportation. These problems can be tackled economically by raising the cost of driving personal vehicles while simultaneously improving the alternative transportation. The measures taken shall incorporate the total cost of owning and driving personal vehicles, in terms of the damage they inflict on the environment, quality of city life, congestion and accident risks involved. As discussed earlier, strengthening the public transport system and making it more affordable and cost effective would be greatly beneficial in creating disincentive for individual transportation. Redesigning cities and implementing thorough changes Redesigning cities and modelling them to make them conducive for future transportation needs is one of the most important policy and socio technological measures. The structure of major urban centres has already seen fundamental changes in their design and orientation with advent of mass transport structures of railways and metro and mono rails (Barret, 1996, 1971). It is well exemplified by cities of New York, London and Tokyo. With advent of motorized vehicles the cities started to grow and differences between workplace and residential places expanded due to speed and ease provided by these vehicles. Cities that are more dependent on non personal modes of transportation, or mass transportation are traditionally denser than cities whose entire urban structure is based on individual ownership and use of vehicles (ibid). The sustainable urban models requires cities to implement planning measures that make structure of transport more efficient by attuning both the urban landscape design and transportation system to each other requirements. The land use policies need to take such factors into account as population density and new settlement areas. Citing Kenworthy and Newman (1989), Barret shows as the density of population decreases in the urban areas, the consumption of petroleum goes up (ibid). Thus many cities of low population density in United States of America have per head consumption of gasoline several notches more than Asian mega cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo and New Delhi. Therefore sustainable designing of cities would require to create urban forms so that people have greater opportunities to access different destinations in limited time. Most, if not all, destinations, should be within walking distance (Ibid). Scaling of services and facilities should be with the view to minimize the travel requirements with well structured support provided in every locality. For the final step, the densely populated areas should be well connected with highly efficient public transport system. Reference Aldrich, Bob.. ABCs of AFVs: a guide to alternative fuel vehicles. California Energy Commission, Sacramento-CA. April 1996. 1st Feb 2007 http://www.p2pays.org/ref/26/25156.pdf Barret, Georoge. 1996.The Compact City: A Sustainable Urban Form?. Contributors: (edit) Burton, Elizabeth,. Jenks, M., Williams, K. E FN Spon. London Burwell, David and Todd Litman. Issues in Sustainable Transportation. Int.J. Global Environmental Issues, Vol.6. No.4. pp.331-347. 2006 Deakin E, Sustainable Development and Sustainable Transportation: Strategies for Economic Prosperity, Environmental Quality and Equity, Institute of Urban and Regional Development, University of California at Berkley, Accessed on net on 21st February 2007 http://www-iurd.ced.berkeley.edu/pub/WP-2001-03.PDF Definition, Sustainable development, 2007,Global Development Research Center, Accessed on net on 21st February 2007   http://www.gdrc.org/sustdev/index.html Guiding Principles for Sustainable Development, 1996, OECD International Conference, Accessed on net on 21st February 2007 http://www.gdrc.org/uem/sustran/sustran-principles.html Hoogma Recmo, Rene Kemp, John Schot, Bernhard Truffer.   Experimenting for Sustainable Transport: The Approach of Strategic Niche Management.: Spon Press: New York: 2002. 36 Organisation For Economic Co-Operation And Development , 1998, Towards Sustainable Development: Environmental Indicators: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: Paris, 1998 http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/29/9/1890501.pdf Pirages DC, 1996, Building Sustainable Societies: A Blueprint for a Post-Industrial World, M. E. Sharpe, Armonk, NY. Page Number: 3 Policy Brief, Sustainable development: critical issues, 2001, OECD Observe, Accessed on net on 21st February 2007 Schaller, Bruce, Sustainable Transportation for 2030, Gotham Gazette, 23rd February, 2007. http://www.gothamgazette.com/article/transportation/20070213/16/2104 What is Sustainable Development? 2006, Sustainable-development .gov.uk, Accessed on net on 21st February 2007 http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/index.asp   Heywood, John. 2006. Energy For Rapidly Evolving World. MIT world. Feb 5, 2007. http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/350/

Integrating Social Responsibility In Higher Education Management Essay

Integrating Social Responsibility In Higher Education Management Essay The perception of Corporate Social Responsibility is generally understood to mean that corporations have a degree of accountability not only for the economic consequences of their activities, but also for the social and green connotation. This is occasionally referred to as a triple bottom line approach that considers the economic, social and ecological aspects of corporate activity. a variety of terms are used to describe CSR proposal, including Corporate Responsibility, Corporate Accountability, Corporate Citizenship and Sustainability. The implication and value of CSR may differ in various statuses, depending on local factors including culture, environmental circumstances, and the legal framework. Issues like Education, The Environment, Hunger and Equal Opportunity were once thought of as social issues to be addressed completely by government. Today, public and private organizations collaborate; amalgamation resources, skills, energies and relationships to solve what we now understand are economic issues. But every corporation cannot take on every social issue. Todays most successful corporations must make strategic choices in their approach to Corporate Citizenship. Not only cost-effectively successful, they are deeply occupied in their communities. These companies understand limitations and competencies, and use this knowledge to create a deliberate social agenda that has positive collision in what they do every day. This is the new model for corporate citizenship. A business strategy creating competitive advantage, determining standards and guiding employees in how we manage every day, in communities around the world Literature review The aim of the following literature review is to identify the most important and knowledgeably important academic and practical works throughout the past decade as well as the current practices upon the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in higher education. According to (Valentine and Fleischman 2008) CSR is defined as the economic, legal, ethical, and discretionary expectancies that society has of organizations at a given point in time. This definition is based on Carrollà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸s study (1979) where he defined three components of social responsibility and broadened the scope of its understanding (Maignan 2001, Popa 2010). Carroll suggested that businesses have to fulfill economic, legal and ethical in order to address its entire obligations to society. Economic responsibilities designate the obligations for businesses to be productive and profitable (Maignan 2001). Legal responsibilities refer to the framework of legal requirements which businesses need to meet while practicing economic duties (Carroll 1979). Ethical responsibilities are the defined appropriate behaviors by established norms that businesses should follow. According to (Filho et al. 2010) Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is defined through the ethical relationship and transparency of the company with all its stakeholders that has a relationship as well as with the establishment of corporate goals that are compatible with the sustainable development of society, preserving environmental and cultural resources for future generations, respecting diversity and promoting the reduction of social problems (Filho et al. 2010). While CSR points out a way for companies to contribute to the well-being of the society, it also gives the opportunity to create a true competitive advantage and positive reputation for the business world (Smith 2007, Porter and Kramer 2006). Under the new circumstances such as the competition in higher education industry, many higher education institutions are adapting a more business-like approach in order to compete and survive in the changing face of the industry (Weymans 2010, Gumport 2000, Goia and Thomas 1996). And during the adaptation of this business-like approach, some institutions are discovering the importance of corporate image, corporate identity, corporate reputation and mainly CSR as a reputation and an advantage building strategy (Atakan and Eker 2007, Stensaker 2007, Porter and Kramer 2006, Melewar and Akel 2005). Although issues of CSR have always been a part of the educational mission of higher education institutions, through implementing CSR strategies, higher education institutions are now using this approach as a part of their competitive strategy. Hence, by developing such strategies higher education institutions are also discovering the opportunity to move the focus beyond the classroom into thei r own institutional operations. 2.1 Higher education and CSR One of the most significant indicators of social progress is education, which also plays a decisive role for a society to achieve selfà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ sustainable and equal development. With an increasing global realization of how business community can contribute to social objectives, education deserves a higher level of corporate involvement than status quo. Higher education institutions are often looked upon to take a leadership role within societies.  Ã‚  Students expect to learn by examples, whether through advanced research or by extending the bounds of justice on a global scale.  Ã‚   Now business institutions are emphasizing a lot on CSR and they are finding different ways for the implementation of CSR. Higher education institutions can choose to be followers, or they can grab the opportunity to be leader and adopt CSR a vital aspect of their competitive advantage.  Ã‚  A recent academic article on CSR suggests that higher education institutions can lead in the practices of CSR two ways, first, higher education institutions should promote a true culture of CSR throughout their organizations.  Ã‚  Second, higher education institutions should develop social marketing actions in order to better communicate and interact with stakeholders.   Higher education institutions have an opportunity to lead in an area that most businesses have recognized as important.  Higher education institutions can and should build on a tradition of the past decades of attempting to engage in positive social actions. 2.2 CSR and the Stake Holders The stakeholders of a higher education include present students, faculty and management. In the 1980s, student protest often focused on how higher education institutions were managing their large endowments.  Students wanted to have an impact; higher education institutions were grappling with how to respond. In todays era, students still care about how higher education institutions are exercising their own CSR, from climate change and recycling to making a difference with respect to global inequities in the world.   Higher education institutions can meet the expectations of stakeholders by adopting a well-conceived CSR strategy in the same manner as other organizations. Higher education institutions should look forward to grab the opportunity about the concern of stake holders (student current and potential, faculty and management). Higher educations institutions have realized that to gain a competitive edge in the market they have to satisfy the concerns of their stake holders. Therefore implementing CSR strategies in a higher education institution should be considered in order to obtain a true competitive advantage and a positive reputation. Moreover practicing what is taught and thereby generating a real example of the academic knowledge can create a unique proposition for any higher education institution The government of Pakistan needs to be focused on educational and other sector and should be socially responsible and business friendly. Now some educational institution is working to incorporated CSR into the business degrees program and courses, especially at leading business institutes such as LUMS or IBA. 2.3 CSR Practices in Pakistan In Pakistan there is a set of social pressures that force companies and other institutions to act in a much more compact and price-driven manner, thus resulting in a less than 50 percent compliance rate with basic CSR principles and objectives But In educational sector there is less awareness on CSR importance. Now some institutions are putting their efforts to implement the concept of CSR in the future business leaders. The Multi-National Companies is playing a vital role for making business student aware about what is CSR for this purpose different seminars and workshop is conducted for the student on the importance of CSR and its strategy practice and implementation and creating opportunities for the students, potential employer/employee to learn from their best practices. Some companies like Unilever, P G, Gillette, Siemens is performing their job well to aware the future business leaders Of Pakistan. 2.4 Karachi School for Business and Leadership  KSBL Is also committed to promote the core values of integrity and entrepreneurial spirit within our students. So we will be offering a leading-edge MBA programs, with a focus on ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility, to the many talented individuals in the country as well as from abroad. 2.5 Bahria University A Leadership Development Centre is functional at both the Islamabad and Karachi Campuses of the Bahria University. It is built in order to solve the issues and challenges that are faced by students in the world and to become successful leaders and are able to take higher responsibilities. To facilitate student activities, Bahria University has set up a Student Resource Centre that helps students to develop their leadership, communication, management and social skills. Bahria University believes in producing all rounder students containing various skills with themselves and therefore it has provided a platform for growth in that context. 3. Methodology The study research method will be the crucial research plan. Both the qualitative and quantitative techniques would be used in our research. Some of deans, professors and Assistant professors would be interviewed regarding Corporate Social Responsibility and integration with HEC. Students of MBA and BBA were asked to fill a close-ended questionnaire in identification of factors influencing CSR upon Higher Educations, decisions and a suggestion were also be asked from the Professors and students. Measurement Procedure Following Measurement procedures are used in this research. 1) We ask for suggestions and recommendation from the students and the professors. 2) We also rate the major factors of CSR upon higher education. Frame of reference We interacted with the faculty and student who have moderate level of experience and have sound knowledge about the CSR and the higher education system. This approach would help in our research to compile results by cumulating the opinions of the experienced people. Instrument selection Primarily we collected data through interviewing management. Through secondary method, we extracted the information by evaluating the past articles regarding CSR and Higher educations. Since this study explores the Pakistani environment from the perspective of educated professionals and students, the choice of questionnaire have been selected. People who are in consideration for useful and remarkable information for the study will be initially contacted i.e. Students and Professors Variables Main variables would be influence upon social responsibility, higher education, course integration, and Business schools. 4. CSR THE STAKEHOLDERS Faculty Faculty of the institution would be the direct stakeholder of this research as they would be benefited if the research is successful. Students Business School students are the indirect stakeholders in this research because they would be utilized in the convenience sampling of our research methodology. Management The Management would be the direct stakeholder of this research because it is the management who are the core responsible of Corporate Social Responsibility in any organization, especially in Educational institutions. I.e. Business Schools 5. Conclusion and Recommendations Business schools have a responsibility to provide practitioners with training in the basics of ethics, which would ideally act as a catalyst to stimulate socially and ethically managed business organizations. (Cornelius Wallace, Tassabehji, 2007). Business ethics course provides an understanding of ethical and social responsibility issues in contemporary business life. The aim is to enhance studentsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã… ¸ critical perspectives in implementing ethical behavior in organizations in relation to various stakeholders as well as the institutionalization of business ethics in the corporations (Undergraduate Handbook 2011-2012). Due to the lack of jobs, recession, inflation unemployment is increasing day by day which leaves only few jobs for business graduates and companies now are focusing on those students that have an extensive knowledge in their respective specialized skills and a good knowledge about CSR and about its implementation. Now, why companies are looking for individuals with CSR knowledge because consumers today require every knowledge about the product. Consumers are demanding more information on everything from where and how their goods are produced to the environmental record of the companies they invest in Pakistan is lacking many things related to Corporate Integration and social responsibility, higher authorities are not taking necessary actions to restore things for the betterment. Integration of CSR into curriculum Offer an additional course in the BBA/MBA program on the importance of CSR its strategy building and practice. For practice and strategy building some reference is needed from case studies and seminars should be offered for the executive MBA Courses which should be make mandatory for all the business students. An additional fund is needed to trained the faculty member/professors by offering workshops related to CSR and international business leaders should be invited as a guest speaker to share their expertise. The research work is also required to do research on current practices of CSR and It should be referred to CSR in the area of their expertise. The faculty member should ask for presentations and report related to CSR model building and its implementation in Pakistan. It should be mandatory for completing the course. Executive programs and seminars on CSR can be developed to help educate business leaders and managers on CSR principles and share international and local best practices. Academic institutions should make CSR an area of academic research. Academic institutions can make an immense contribution to promoting CSR through research findings. Educational institutions can collaborate with businesses to effectively introduce future managers to ethical and responsible business etiquette. Such initiatives include making internship arrangements for practical experience to students at exemplary companies. Students and lecturers can also be involved to conduct process assessments in companies. Academic institutions should also tap into funding and resources from state agencies and business community to develop CSR curricular and facilitate better transition from academia to employment. We need serious, concerted efforts to integrate social corporate responsibility in educational Institution. Business schools should maintain and increase CSR coverage. Business schools should not only react to the growing awareness and demand of students, but also have a proactive role in responsible management education, in both teaching and research. CSR and ethics can be embedded in core subjects, but also be taught as a separate core subject. The students with their positive attitudes towards CSR should draw the demand from the suppliers of their management education to include social and ethical management issues and courses. They act upon their attitudes and values by searching for schools that teach responsible management and by creating their own organizations such as Net Impact.

SO Jewett Nature :: essays papers

SO Jewett Nature The Conception of Nature and its Relationship to Gender in S.O. Jewett^Ã’s story "A White Heron." "Nature, in the common sense, refers to the essences unchanged by man^Ã…" From the very first steps of the new settlers on the American continent, its uncivilized nature, full of smell of the forests, of freshness of the air, and of almost prelapsarian variety of flora and fauna, came to be associated with unlimited wilderness. However, under the vigorous attack of developing civilization the untouched virginity of the New World soon began to recede, irretrievably losing its wild independent beauty. For a great number of American writers this confrontation of nature with civilization became a theme for the never-ending discussion. The short story of an American writer regionalist Sarah Orne Jewett, "A White Heron", is one of the works written on this touching American theme. In this story the author presents the conflict by juxtaposing a little country-girl Sylvia, who lives in harmony with nature, to the bird-hunter from a town. She does so through identification of a girl with nature and boys ^ with civilization. While the girl stands for the innoc ent femininity of natural world, who loves and cares about the creatures around, the boys are associated with aggression, danger and warlike elements of civilization. Thus she implies the idea that nature is just like a harmless little girl just exists in peace with every tiny thing around, while civilization, like a young man with a gun, by its utilitarian love for nature senselessly annihilates the artless creation. From the opening lines of the story Sarah Orne Jewett ushers her readers into the magic world of untouched beauty of the "New England wilderness" (WH, p.200): "the woods were already filled with shadows one June evening^" (WH, p.197). The reader is immediately charmed and has no choice but to proceed, to walk further, among the trees, until he meets a little girl, walking by the forest path together with her "plodding" (WH, p.

Childhood Obesity Essay -- essays research papers

It is a shame that so many children are obese. I am shocked that 2 million deaths each year can be contributed to physical inactivity (Wharry, 2002). The "How we Grew so Big" article is about the evolutionary reasons behind obesity. I worked in a factory this past summer where there was very physical labour. I ate way more food than I had before I started working there but was a lot slimmer by the end of my contract. Even though the sudden increase in activity in my life reduced my body fat, most of the other workers there were overweight. This leads me to believe that obesity is more of a societal issue than an evolutionary issue. I've had friends who were morbidly obese; one of whom would tell me "I know when I'm full because it gets hard to breathe". Last time I checked, that means you're over full! I have personally struggled with body image issues and am now exactly the correct and healthy BMI, yet by many people's standards would be considered "festivel y plump". I think that conflicting messages sent to people through media and healthcare providers over what "healthy weight" is, is a cause of obesity. Part of esteem in our society has to do with power, possessions and high luxury. Part of luxury is being catered to, having food made for you. It is hard to achieve this luxurious life style of drinking, partying and eating out all the time when we are also crash dieting so to meet the unattainable standards set out by advertisements and celebrities. If our lives are filled with inactivity and overeating, why are our pets so fat too? "Twenty-five % of cats of dogs are heavier that they should be" (Lenonick, 2004). It seems to me that if one is so lethargic as to not play with their pet, to the point that said animal is overweight, there is more than an evolutionary explanation to obesity. Though it may seem Marxist of me to write, people would be happier and probably slimmer if they were more connected to their places of work and community and had some kind of tangible association with the food they were putting into their mouth. The move from farms to urban areas in industrialized nations has reduced physical labour and also changed the way we relate to food. Lenonick, Michael D. 06/04/04 (Online). How we grew So Big. TIME magazine. Available at: http://www3.open.uoguelph.ca/d2l/orgTools/ouHome/ouHome.... ...ar accidents which is 16 in 100 000 (Harte 2002). I couldn’t believe that! I have a higher risk of dieing from a tummy tuck then getting hit and killed by a car, yet millions or people walk the streets everyday. The fact about it is that the greater the volume of fat and tissue fluids, including plasma, that are sucked out, the greater the chance of severe dehydration and electrolyte imbalances (Greeley 2000). Daniel Morello, M.D., president of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery points out that liposuction is not for weight loss but for contouring of the body. "It is designed for removing localized areas of fatty tissues--not as a substitute for proper dietary management and exercise."(Greeley 2000). So either way we look at it we still have to exercise to maintain a fit body. I guess if you have the money, anything is possible or pretty close to being possible. Harte, J. 2002 May. Tumescent Liposuction. Available from: http://www.health.state.mn.us/htac/lipo.htm Accessed 2005 Feb 20. Greenly,A . 2000. Planning To Look Flab-u-less? Know the Facts About Liposuction. Available from: http://www.fitnessmba.com/childrens_fitness.html Accessed 2005 Feb 20.

Macular Degeneration :: Eye Disorders Vision Essays

Macular Degeneration Robert, a 65 year-old male, has trouble reading fine detail, especially out of his central vision. He complains that his vision is blurred and that it is harder to see while operating a motor vehicle. In addition, sometimes objects appear wavy or crooked, which impairs his vision. His worst symptoms were that he occasionally lost the ability to distinguish between the features of familiar faces and he had a localized blind spot. Robert is not alone; many people suffer from symptoms related to loss and distortion of the visual field. He suffers from macular degeneration, the leading cause of decreased vision loss in the United States, especially for people over the age of 50 (Philippi, 2000). Macular degeneration also known as late, aged-related maculopathy is an eye disorder which causes a decrease in the visual field known as the retinal macula (Medical Encyclopedia, 2000). The majority of people who are affected are people over the age of 65, but occasionally it develops earlier in people 40-50 years old (Philippi, 2000). The majority of the visual loss is located in the central part of the visual field, while the peripheral vision is unharmed. There are also two types of macular degeneration, the "wet" and "dry" forms. The "dry" form of this disease is the most popular, affecting 90% of the cases (American Academy of Ophthalmology, 1997). Macular degeneration in general can affect many people in minor or drastic ways. People who experience this form often complain of vision loss when they are in dim light, especially when they are reading. The "dry" type is often characterized by a more gradual loss of vision compared to the "wet" type. Signs of this disease include an increase in drusen, which is an accumulation of a yellow-white substance, in the underside of the macular retina. A loss of cells can be seen in the macula. The macula is our sensitive sight region, where intricate detail can be seen. Thus, vision in this area is helpful and necessary to drive, read, focus on small details, and recognize familiar faces. The macula is located in the back of the eye known as the retina. The macula is only about 5 mm in diameter, and includes the fovea, which gives us our detailed central vision. If a person suffers from the "dry" form in one eye they will be more likely to develop it in the other eye as well.

African Americans health disparities Essay

In 2011, the diagnosis rate for HIV cases in the United States was 15. 8 per 100,000 population and 60. 4 among Blacks. Of 197,090 diagnoses of HIV-infection from 2008- 2011, Blacks/African Americans accounted for: ?47% OF THE TOTAL ?64% OF WOMEN ?66% OF INFECTIONS ATTRIBUTED TO HETEROSEXUAL CONTACT ?67% OF CHILDREN, AGES < 13 In 2010, the death rate for blacks was higher (25. 0 per 100,000) compared with any other racial ethnicity group (3. 0 whites). Blacks represented 49% of all deaths with HIV in 2010. A recent study showed that blacks diagnosed with HIV are less likely than other groups to be linked to care, retained in care, receive antiretroviral treatment and achieve adequate viral suppression. African American Males African American men accounted for 42% of HIV cases diagnosed among men in 2011. A majority (72%) of African American men with HIV contracted the disease by male to male contact while 19% contracted HIV through heterosexual exposure. African American Females Among African American women, high risk heterosexual contact was the most frequently cited mode of transmission, accounting for 89% of cases diagnosed in 2011. More Information: ?HIV/AIDS TOPIC SITE ?HIV/AIDS AND AFRICAN AMERICANS ?HIV/AIDS STATISTICS AND SURVEILLANCE Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) Gonorrhea In 2010, 69% of all reported cases of gonorrhea occurred among blacks. The rate of gonorrhea among blacks in 2010 was 432. 5 cases per 100,000 population, which was 18. 7 times the rate among whites (23. 1). This disparity has changed little in recent years. This disparity was larger for black men (22. 2 times) than for black women (16. 2 times). Chlamydia In 2010, the overall rate among blacks in the United States was 1,167. 5 cases per 100,000, a 4.0% increase from the 2009 rate of 1,122. 2 cases per 100,000. The rate of chlamydia among black women was over seven times the rate among white women (1,536. 5 and 205. 1 per 100,000 women, respectively). The chlamydia rate among black men was almost 11 times the rate among white men (761. 8 and 69. 9 cases per 100,000 men, respectively). Syphilis During 2009–2010, the rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis among blacks decreased 8. 7% (from 18. 4 to 16. 8 cases per 100,000 population). In 2010, 47. 4% of all cases reported to CDC were among blacks and 31. 0% of all cases were among whites. The overall 2010 rate for blacks was eight times the rate for whites, while the 2009 rate was 9. 2 times the rate for whites. In 2010, the rate of P&S syphilis among black men was 7. 1 times the rate among white men; the rate among black women was 21 times the rate among white women. In 2010, the rate of congenital syphilis was 33. 1 cases per 100,000 live births among blacks. Race/ethnicity for cases of congenital syphilis is based on the mother’s race/ethnicity. This rates was 12. 3 times the rate among whites (2. 7 cases per 100,000 live births). More Information: ?STD TOPIC SITE? STDS AND HEALTH DISPARITIES ?STD SURVEILLANCE REPORT ?STDS IN RACIAL AND ETHNIC MINORITIES Viral Hepatitis Acute Hepatitis A During the past 10 years, there has been little difference between the rates of acute hepatitis A among white non-Hispanics and black non-Hispanics. The 2011 rates for these groups were 0. 29 and 0. 27 cases per 100,000 population, respectively. Acute Hepatitis B In 2011, the rate of acute hepatitis B was highest for Black non-Hispanics (1. 4 cases per 100,000 population). Acute Hepatitis C During 2002–2010, the incidence rate of acute hepatitis C remained below 0. 5 cases per 100,000. The rate of hepatitis C among Black non-Hispanics increased 27. 3% (to 0. 14 case per 100,000 population in 2011). More Information: ?VIRAL HEPATITIS TOPIC SITE ?SURVEILLANCE REPORT FOR VIRAL HEPATITIS Tuberculosis (TB) In 2010, 84% of all reported TB cases occurred in racial and ethnic minorities. Non- Hispanic blacks or African Americans accounted for 24% of TB cases in 2010. African Americans make up approximately 14% of the U. S. population, but accounted for 40% of TB cases in U. S. -born persons. Overall, 11,182 TB cases were reported to CDC from the 50 states and the District of Columbia in 2010.

Effects of Societal Changes in Management Practices Essay

Companies are faced with the need to uplift competitive standards through implementation of measures that take care of the demands and challenges brought about by societal changes. The changing societal trends should be accompanied by changes in management practices. The changes covers the areas of responsibilities such as strategic planning, reinforcing the values and ethical issues of the company, analytical work, training employees and the adoption of the relevant technologies which can reduce the workloads on employees. Much effort should also be geared towards the retention of the employees (Duckier, 2006). The management has the responsibilities to foresee the future labor requirements projected through the use of techniques such as environmental scanning. Information from journals, mass media, potential think tanks, public opinion surveys, research, NGOs among other sources are of positive contribution for an environmental scanning (Duckier, 2006). Demographic Changes  Societal aspects related to demographic changes include age, social class, gender, fertility rates, mortality rates and family mobility. Demographic factors include increasing life expectancy of people, immigrants into the society, aging population, baby boomers approaching retirement and generation diversity among others all of which are associated with some demands. Increased life expectancy has led to employees working longer as a result of increased healthier lives. Financial concerns further extend their working life. Ageing in population as a demographic factor, affects economic, political environmental physical as well as cultural aspects in the society and workplace. Health provision and other social services and the company’s potential to pay for them are affected by population ageing (Society for Human Resource Management, 2003). Social Changes Social Changes are mostly caused by advance in technology. In an effort to adapt the upcoming technology there arises some economic imbalance between some agents (Society for Human Resource Management, 2003). Diversity has a vast range of concept ranging from personality and work style to all of the visible dimensions such as race, age, ethnicity or gender, to secondary influences such as religion, socio-economics and education, to work diversities as management and union, functional level and classification, or proximity to headquarters. Today’s impetus behind workplace diversity is compliance and inclusion in the business. The collaboration of cultures, ideas and different perspectives brings greater creativity and innovation resulting to improved organizational performance. Today’s paradigm is integration, learning and promotion of equal opportunities and value cultural differences, using talents of all employees to gain diverse work perspective. Diversity caused by immigrants, participation of women in the workplace and the aboriginal populations causes some considerable pressures in the workplace (Society for Human Resource Management, 2003). The management is faced with the duty of training the immigrants ranging from the internal language to the internships in the workplace. The management is also entitles to recognize credentials of the immigrants of their alien countries. Disabled employees are another aspect of diversity. The number of disabled employees increases with age, while more women than men are disabled. The issue of disability in the workplace calls for the management to face accommodation issues and offer more flexible schedules for work delivery (Frederick, 1996). Ethnic minorities have become significant inclusions into the labor market making diversity brought about by culture a significant component of a global labor market. The diversity brought about by culture has therefore called for some strategic management approaches to facilitate the retention of the talents in the workplace. Culture is a significant factor in the process of talents hiring keeping and development in the organization. The process involved in management becomes acceptable and effective due to the influence of the people making applications and prospecting to join the organization hailing from diverse cultures. Culture is also a potential moderator of the relationships in the organization (Stone, Stone-Romero & Lukaszewski, 2007). Implications in management practices Implications of this societal changes in the company requires the following roles in the management practices Developing and Implementing HR plans: Management practices should focus on assignments as well as opportunities involving the required number of people, specific place and time, peoples qualifications, their growth needs, development and rewarding the employees. Competencies involving the skills and inherent knowledge of the workers are utilized for a successful performance. It involves the already existing, competencies required for the future, those that can be avoided and whether the company will hire or develop the needed talents. Behaviors reflect attitudes of employees, the organizational values, detrimental behaviors to the company, whether there is need of behavior elimination or behavior modification and the behaviors that affect the customer. Employees should work longer hours, work in a more smatter way or be more hardworking, motivation is important towards retention of the worker and the degree of reliability. Managers should also conduct a review and focus of results achieved. The results serve as a guide for required corrections and setting future paces of duty and task performance (Jones, 1991). Recruiting and Retention of Employees: In majority of organizations retention of talents acquired overtime is important for the purpose of the company’s viability and attaining a market competitive advantage. Many workers complain of lack of opportunities for advancement of their careers, unsatisfactory pay and overburdening workloads. These have been causes of adverse talents turnover. To overcome these, the company should strive to make all efforts towards retention of their qualified and skilled employees achieved through motivation. Company managers should appreciate the existing competition brought about by globalization. The impacts of retention on the performance of the company have been found to be desirable. Turnover has been attributed to adverse relationship between the task performing workers and their managerial staff. The company should thus initially identify the right talents for specific duties followed by all efforts to retain the talent. In the efforts to sustain the business, the employees should be made satisfied since â€Å"people management is the next frontier for extracting and crafting more value from company assets† (Jones, 1991, 16). The talents turnovers are never caused by issues of compensation packages and the relevant benefits entitled to the employees but rather a management issue. Three key areas requiring concentration by the company are the process of the company and the inherent structure, the developments of the people and a conducive environment of working for the employees. It is a great loss to the company in a situation where a talent is hired, internal training offered and all the necessary items required for the job offered to an employee then within a short period of performance, the employee l eaves the company for employment in another company. Any company should therefore adopt the simplest and most effective strategy of management of getting the right people, keeping these people in the company and developing the people for the benefit of the company (Social Trends 2000, Labour Market Trends, 2002). The simple strategy enhances the rest of the functions such as diversity, compensation, compliance etc. (Jones, 1991). The right choice should be made, the reasons why the people quit the company understood and make appropriate use of time to develop the potential in the people while offering opportunities for their development (Jones, 1991). Labor Productivity: The productivity of labor in any company should be cost effective. The input of labor is associated with costs which should linearly relate to the labor output value. Labor management in any business organization should be dictated by the size of the organization. For healthy cost effectiveness in labor, the existing workers should be handsomely remunerated, offered internal trainings in the work place, their skills tapped to the maximum and uplift their working morale. This essentially reduces the company’s labor costs on individual perspective and increases productivity (Social Trends 2000, Labour Market Trends, 2002). Organization Flexibility: The Company should target the profit margin while utilizing the labor resource. Much productivity should be achieved while the cost of labor should be competitive. Flexibility has been taken from the point of both financial and numerical (head count) perspectives. For appropriate coping with the flexibility in the company, both short-turn and long-term measures are at the disposal of the managerial entity of the company (Social Trends 2000, Labour Market Trends, 2002). Social Legitimacy: The citizens and nations to which the workers bear their origin are significant contributors of development and nurturing the talent inherent in these individuals. The organization employing the talents are therefore submissive to the neighboring society and the government who have the power to regulate the environment the workers are subjected to. Most companies only address the most basic and minimum responsibilities of societal concern such as health issues and safety issues. The companies are duty bound to uphold the ethical practices associated with employment issues of child labor, unionizable rights, forced labor in addition to the safety/ health issues should be accorded significant address and any complaints from employees for lack of compliance looked at (Boxall & Purcell, 2002). Globalization of the current decade has brought about competition for talents. In the circle of HRM, there exist some strategic tensions as a reality. Examples of such tension include labor scarcity and labor motivation. The labor scarcity calls for individual firms to compete actively against other companies. According to the laws advocated against forced labor any worker can terminate services in any company for an employment opportunity in another company. The ability of any company to become dominant and competitive in the market as far as labor is concerned depends to a great degree to its ability to compensate workers and avail development opportunities for its worker (Boxall & Purcell, 2002). Labor motivation creates a strategic tension as a result of the mode of relationship between the workers and their managerial staff. Both the worker and manager interact on the basis of trust element. Nobody is capable to exercise entire control over another person and in any interactions, conflict due to diversity in individual interest are un- escapable. Most businesses are based on capitalism which exhibits exploitation while the workers are more oriented towards a more pluralistic tradition. Motivation entails the level of recognition of the worker at the workplace and to what extent the tasks are seen to be interesting to the workers. The degree of trust the worker expects from the managerial staff also determines the extent of strategic tensions brought about by motivation (Boxall & Purcell, 2002). Changing Management: For the viability of the company the management should address the aspects of cost effectiveness in productivity. For flexibility within the organization and legitimacy, â€Å"employers require workers to be both dependable and disposable† (Boxall & Purcell, 2002, 17). Brilliance in performing the duties and tasks is an important component of management. Management approaches such as â€Å"Taylonism† (Scientific Management) â€Å"Human Relations Movement’ and’ Total Quality Management† (Boxall & Purcell, 2002, 18) have in the past been formulated all aimed at enhancing human resource management. The basic concept is a participative role of every employee in the company’s decision making, commitment in execution and implementation of company’s policies all of which have important bearing towards motivation of the task performing employees (Boxall & Purcell, 2002). The Theory of Performance can be adopted by managers to cope with societal changes in the work place. Boxall & Purcell, (2002) have described this theory as â€Å"High Performance work systems, HPWS (p21). It entails adding the value to each individual employee by enhancing â€Å"productivity, defect rates and the proper utilization of the factory space† (p21). In the process of improving productivity great care should be taken to avoid stressing workers. The theory aims to effectively motivate workers, to widen the company’s social legitimacy and the employees’ attitudes of the employer. Conclusion The ideal reasons as to why people in any organization perform to the standard are knowledge, expertise, skills and experience, they are beefed with the necessary motivation and incentives, and they are surrounded by a conducive working environment and are allowed appropriate channels to express themselves. The work systems of the company and the employment models of the same company are some added components of labor management acting at individual as well as collective perspectives of people’s management. Talents inherent in people in any organization play a very significant role in the company’s steps towards gaining competition advantage. Any organization requires that the existing talents are utilized with commitment of the highest order and exhibiting flexibility

Prescription Drug Abuse Essay

Prescription drug abuse has had a strong hold on American society for decades and it does not appear to be diminishing. While some drugs have decreased in popularity over the years others have increased. For instance, there has been a surge in the popularity of Ecstasy and other â€Å"Club† drugs and an increase in marijuana use over the past few years. While society has taken steps in the right direction by supporting treatment programs for addicts and drug abuse prevention programs much more must be done to lower the current trend of substance abuse in our culture. For now, we will be arguing upon the abuse of prescription drugs. What Are Prescription Drugs? Prescription drugs are medications regulated by the U.S. government. These medications are helpful in treating a variety of health conditions and are only available when prescribed by a doctor or other healthcare professional. The government restricts these medications because they may be harmful if they are not taken properly or if they are combined with other medications (Firshein, 2005). Doctors and other healthcare professionals are highly trained and experienced at selecting the best medication to use for a certain condition. The type of medication and the dosage prescribed is carefully determined. It’s very important that the doctor’s directions are followed exactly to help treat the condition for which it was prescribed and to make sure the medication doesn’t cause unwanted effects (Kalb, 2001). Two recent events of deaths occurred due drug abuse. Tabloid star Anna Nicole Smith’s son Daniel died of a drug overdose, an inquest jury in the Bahamas ruled on March 31st 2008 (Reuters). Australian actor Heath Ledger’s death was an accident caused by the abuse of prescription medications, the New York City medical examiner’s office said on February 6th 2008 (Reuters). Taking prescription drugs in a way that hasn’t been recommended by a doctor can be more dangerous than people think. In fact, it’s drug abuse. Moreover, it’s just as illegal as taking street drugs. But some people experiment with prescription drugs because they think they will help them have more fun, lose weight, fit in, and even study more effectively. Prescription drugs can be easier to get than street drugs: Family members or friends could have a prescription. But prescription drugs are also sometimes sold on the street like other illegal drugs. A 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that among all youths aged 12 to 17, 6% had tried prescription drugs for recreational use. Most patients take medicine responsibly, but approximately 9 million Americans used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes in 1999, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). Non-medical purposes include misusing prescription drugs for recreation and for psychic effects–to get high, to have fun, to get a lift, or to calm down. Experts stress that prescription drug abuse isn’t about bad drugs or even bad people. It involves a complex web of factors, including the power of addiction, misperceptions about drug abuse, and the difficulty both patients and doctors have discussing the topic. Why? Some people think that prescription drugs are safer and less addictive than street drugs. After all, these are drugs that moms, dads, and even kid brothers and sisters use. But prescription drugs are only safe for the individuals who actually have prescriptions for them. That’s because a doctor has examined these people and prescribed the right dose of medication for a specific medical condition. The doctor has also told them exactly how they should take the medicine, including things to avoid while taking the drug — such as drinking alcohol, smoking, or taking other medications. They also are aware of potentially dangerous side effects and can monitor patients closely for these. Other people try prescription drugs because they think they’re not doing anything illegal because these drugs are prescribed by doctors. But taking drugs without a prescription — or sharing a prescription drug with friends — is actually breaking the law. Some people mistakenly think that prescription drugs are more powerful because you need a prescription for them. But it’s possible to abuse or become addicted to over-the-counter (OTC) medications, too. For example, dextromethorphan (DXM) is found in some OTC cough medicines. When someone takes the number of teaspoons or tablets that are recommended, everything is fine. But high doses can cause problems with the senses (especially vision and hearing) and can lead to confusion, stomach pain, numbness, and even hallucinations. A Look In The Past According to the 1999 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, in 1998, an estimated 1.6 million Americans used prescription pain relievers non-medically for the first time. This represents a significant increase since the 1980s, when there were generally fewer than 500,000 first-time users per year. From 1990 to 1998, the number of new users of pain relievers increased by 181 percent; the number of individuals who initiated tranquilizer use increased by 132 percent; the number of new sedative users increased by 90 percent; and the number of people initiating stimulant use increased by 165 percent. In total, in 1999, an estimated 4 million people – almost 2 percent of the population aged 12 and older – were using certain prescription drugs non-medically: pain relievers (2.6 million users), sedatives and tranquilizers (1.3 million users), and stimulants (0.9 million users) (oas.samhsa.gov). More Recently†¦ Data from the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) indicate that 4.0 percent of youth ages 12 to 17 reported non-medical use of prescription medications in the past month. Rates of abuse were highest among the 18-25 age group (6.0 percent). Among the youngest group surveyed, ages 12-13, a higher percentage reported using psychotherapeutics (1.8 percent) than marijuana (1.0 percent) The National Institute on Drug Abuse Monitoring the Future survey of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders found that the non-medical use of opioids, tranquilizers, sedatives/barbiturates, and amphetamines was unchanged between 2003 and 2004. Specifically, the survey found that 5.0 percent of 12th graders reported using OxyContin without a prescription in the past year, and 9.3 percent reported using Vicodin, making Vicodin one of the most commonly abused licit drugs in this population. Past year, non-medical use of tranquilizers (e.g., Valium, Xanax) in 2004 was 2.5 percent for 8th graders, 5.1 percent for 10th graders, and 7.3 percent for 12th graders. Also within the past year, 6.5 percent of 12th graders used sedatives/ barbiturates (e.g., Amytal, Nembutal) non-medically, and 10.0 percent used amphetamines (e.g., Ritalin, Benzedrine) (oas.samhsa.gov). Which Drugs Are Abused? The most commonly used prescription drugs fall into three classes: Opioids Examples: oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), and meperidine (Demerol) Medical uses: Opioids are used to treat pain or relieve coughs or diarrhea. How they work: Opioids attach to opioid receptors in the central nervous system (the brain and the spinal cord), preventing the brain from receiving pain messages. Central Nervous System (CNS) Depressants Examples: pentobarbital sodium (Nembutal), diazepam (Valium), and alprazolam (Xanax) Medical uses: CNS depressants are used to treat anxiety, tension, panic attacks, and sleep disorders. How they work: CNS depressants slow down brain activity by increasing the activity of a neurotransmitter called GABA. The result is a drowsy or calming effect. Stimulants Examples:  methylphenidate (Ritalin) and amphetamine/dextroamphetamine (Adderall) Medical uses: Stimulants can be used to treat narcolepsy and  ADHD. How they work: Stimulants increase brain activity, resulting in greater alertness, attention, and energy (Vranken, 2007). What Are the Dangers of Abusing Medications? Whether they’re using street drugs or medications, drug abusers often have trouble at school, at home, with friends, or with the law. The likelihood that someone will commit a crime, be a victim of a crime,  or have an accident is higher when that person is abusing drugs — no matter whether  those drugs are  medications or street drugs. Like all drug abuse, using prescription drugs for the wrong reasons has serious risks for a person’s health. This risk is higher when prescription drugs like opioids are taken with other substances like alcohol, antihistamines, and CNS depressants. CNS depressants have risks, too. Abruptly stopping or reducing them too quickly can lead to seizures. Taking CNS depressants with other medications, such as prescription painkillers, some over-the-counter cold and allergy medications, or alcohol can slow a person’s heartbeat and breathing — and even kill. Abusing stimulants (like some ADHD drugs) may cause heart failure or seizures. These risks are increased when stimulants are mixed with other medicines — even OTC ones like certain cold medicines. Taking too much of a stimulant can lead a person to develop a dangerously high body temperature or an irregular heartbeat. Taking several high doses over a short period of time may make a drug abuser aggressive or paranoid. Although stimulant abuse might not lead to physical dependence and withdrawal, the feelings these drugs give people can cause them to use the drugs more and more often so they become a habit that’s hard to break. The dangers of prescription drug abuse can be made even worse if people take drugs in a way they aren’t supposed to. Ritalin may seem harmless because it’s prescribed even for little kids with ADHD. But when a person snorts or injects Ritalin, it can be serious. And because there can be  many variations of the same medication, the dose of medication and how long it stays in the body can vary. The person who doesn’t have a prescription might not really know which one he or she has. Probably the most common result of prescription drug abuse is addiction. People who abuse medications can become addicted just as easily as if they were taking street drugs. The reason many drugs have to be prescribed by a doctor is because some of them are quite addictive. That’s one of the reasons  most doctors won’t usually renew a prescription unless they see the patient — they want to examine the patient to make sure he or she isn’t getting addicted. (Vranken, 2007) Extent of Use Data from the National Drug Intelligence Center’s 2006 National Drug Threat Survey (NDTS) reveal that 78.8% of state and local law enforcement agencies reported either high or moderate availability of illegally diverted pharmaceuticals (National Drug Intelligence Center, 2006). According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), approximately 49.8 million Americans aged 12 or older reported non-medical use of any psychotherapeutic at some point in their lifetimes, representing 20.3% of the population aged 12 or older. Nearly 7 million Americans aged 12 or older reported current (past month) use of psychotherapeutic drugs for non-medical purposes, representing 2.8% of the population. In this report, psychotherapeutics include any prescription-type pain reliever, tranquilizer, stimulant, or sedative but do not include over-the-counter drugs (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2007) Percent of U.S. Household Population 12 and Older Reporting Past Month Non-Medical Use of Psychotherapeutics, 2006, by Age    12-17 18-25 26 or older 12 or older Non-medical use of psychother.   Ã‚  Ã‚  3.3%   Ã‚  Ã‚  6.4%   Ã‚  Ã‚  2.2%   Ã‚  Ã‚  2.8%   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Pain relievers 2.7 4.9 1.5 2.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  OxyContin 0.1 0.4 0.1 0.1   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Tranquilizers 0.5 2.0 0.5 0.7   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Stimulants 0.6 1.3 0.3 0.5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Sedatives 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Additional data from the 2006 NSDUH show that 2.2 million people, aged 12 or older, initiated nonmedical use of prescription pain relievers within the past year. Each year, the Monitoring the Future (MTF) study asks drug use and related questions of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders nationwide. MTF provides usage estimates for alcohol, tobacco, illegal drugs, and substances that are only legally available by prescription. The study includes data for the non-medical use of amphetamines, stimulants including Ritalin, and sedatives (barbiturates) including: methaqualone, tranquilizers, the narcotic pain relievers Vicodin and OxyContin, as well as GHB, Ketamine, and Rohypnol, which is not legal for prescription in the United States. Survey respondents were asked to exclude from their responses any use of prescription drugs that occurred under medical supervision (National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, 2007). MTF data for 2007 show that lifetime prevalence rates for amphetamine use without a doctor’s orders were 6.5% for 8th graders, 11.1% for 10th graders, and 11.4% for 12th graders. Percent of Students Reporting Lifetime Non-Medical Use of Psychotherapeutics, 2007, by Grade Drug 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade Amphetamines   Ã‚  6.5%   11.1%   Ã‚  Ã‚  11.4% Sedatives n/a n/a 9.3   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Methaqualone n/a n/a 1.0 Tranquilizers 3.9 7.4 9.5 Approximately 9.6% of 12th graders surveyed in 2007 reported annual (past year) use of Vicodin without a doctor’s orders. Percent of Students Reporting Annual Non-Medical Use of Prescriptions, 2007, by Grade Drug 8th Grade 10th Grade 12th Grade OxyContin   Ã‚  Ã‚  1.8%   Ã‚  Ã‚  3.9%   Ã‚  Ã‚  5.2% Vicodin 2.7 7.2 9.6 Amphetamines 4.2 8.0 7.5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ritalin 2.1 2.8 3.8 Sedatives n/a n/a 6.2 Methaqualone n/a n/a 0.5 Tranquilizers 2.4 5.3 6.2 According to data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 21.3% of State prisoners and 16.9% of Federal prisoners surveyed in 2004 indicated that they abused depressants at some point in their lives. For this report, depressants were defined to include barbiturates, tranquilizers and Quaalude (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2006) Tips for Taking Prescription Medication What if a doctor prescribed a medication for you and you’re worried about becoming addicted? If you’re taking the medicine the way your doctor told you to, you can relax: Doctors know how much medication to prescribe so that it’s just enough for you. In the correct amount, the drug will relieve your symptoms without making you addicted. If a doctor prescribes a pain medication, stimulant, or CNS depressant, follow the directions exactly. Here are some other ways to protect yourself Keep all doctors’ appointments. Your doctor will want you to visit often so he or she can monitor how well the medication is working for you and adjust the dose or change the medication as needed. Some medications must be stopped or changed after a while so that the person doesn’t become addicted. Make a note of the effects the drug has on your body and emotions, especially in the first few days as your body gets used to it. Tell your doctor about these. Keep any information your pharmacist gives you about any drugs or activities you should steer clear of while taking your prescription. Reread it often to remind yourself of what you should avoid. If the information is too long or complicated, ask a parent or your pharmacist to give you the highlights. Don’t increase or decrease the dose of your medication without checking with your doctor’s office first — no matter how you’re feeling. Finally, never use someone else’s prescription, and don’t allow a friend to use yours. Not only are you putting your friend at risk, but you could suffer, too: Pharmacists won’t refill a prescription if a medication has been used up before it should be. And if you’re found giving medication to someone else, it’s considered a crime and you could find yourself in court (Vranken, 2007).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In conclusion, abusing prescription drugs can affect your relationship with your family. It can create problems at school and with your future education. You may end up losing some longtime friendships or be forced to give up some of your favorite activities. Moreover, you could get into some serious problems with the law. Listed above are so many reasons not to abuse what can be of good use. As Albus Dumbledore said in book one of Harry Potter, â€Å"use it well†. Bibliography David Friedman. Drugs, Violence and Economics. Retrieved on May 2 2008, from http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Academic/drugs_and_violence/Drugs_and_violence.html Kalb, Claudia. (2001). Playing With Painkillers. Newsweek. 45-47 Firshein, Moyers. (2005). â€Å"Our Current Policy† PBS Home. PBS. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2007). Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (Office of Applied Studies, NSDUH Series H-32, DHHS Publication No. SMA 07-4293). Rockville, MD. Retrieved on May 2 2008, from http://www.oas.samhsa.gov/nsduh/2k6nsduh/2k6Results.cfm Michele Van Vranken, MD, November 2007. Retrieved on May 2 2008 from The Nemours Foundation. http://www.kidshealth.org/PageManager.jsp?dn=KidsHealth&lic=1&article_set=39861&cat_id=20140& â€Å"Prescription Drug Use and Abuse† by Michelle Meadows. Retrieved on May 2, 2008 from http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2001/501_drug.html. U.S. Food and Drug Administration National Drug Intelligence Center, National Drug Threat Assessment 2007, October 2006 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Results from the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, 2007 National Institute on Drug Abuse and University of Michigan, 2007 Monitoring the Future Drug Data Tables, December 2007 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Drug Use and Dependence, State and Federal Prisoners, 2004, 2004, October 2006