Elementary, Middle and Highschool Boy-Girl Relationship Essay

Is it too soon to talk about boy/girl relationships in elementary school? Of course it is, you say! Well, you may not want to hear about it, or you may choose denial over reality, but the fact remains that children are playing out the cultural role that they are being taught as early as 2nd grade. Therefore, the relationship between boys and girls at every school (Christian and non- Christian) is a topic that needs to be discussed from a Biblical standpoint. Recently I have observed an increase in the level of interaction between some of the boys and girls at the elementary school level with the boyfriend/girlfriend relationship in mind. There have been some phone calls made and notes passed, and yet nothing really serious has happened. Even so, the fallout from this kind of interest and behavior has been clearly seen, as some of the kids are rejecting others, breaking off friendships, and making â€Å"who likes whom† a focus of attention. The pattern becomes more sophisticated as it continues in the middle school years and is in full bloom by the time the children hit high school. I would like to attempt to persuade you that the elementary level of â€Å"who likes whom,† and the middle school level of â€Å"who is going out with whom,† are not simply innocent and cute stages of life through which everyone must go. As informed Christians professing to glorify the Lord in all things, we need to see if any of this behavior brings glory to God and evaluate the effects of it on our kids. A brief look at the teen dating model and its consequences will show that it is the world’s model, not Christ’s, that we are so accustomed to. Dating is more for a boy and a girl than just spending time together. It’s a lifestyle that involves attitudes and values. It’s a heart thing! Matthew 22:37 says, â€Å"And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and wit h all your soul, and with all your mind.’† The first love for our kids is to be Jesus. Our Creator’s plan for our lives is really what we should be directing our kids to focus on; the chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Him forever! Romantic male-female relationships are designed by God to be special and singular. The world’s model of dating is one in which you try out many opportunities until you find the one that makes you happy. This type of dating results in a pattern of many broken hearts and bad memories – some of which are detrimental to the intimacy intended for marriage later in life. Interestingly, even the non Christian world is beginning to realize that frequent dating is not healthy. The following are excerpts from an article in the September 8, 2005 Wall Street Journal1 that cites two studies not written from a Christian worldview but nonetheless conclude: * Teens who date a lot don’t have a higher likelihood of developing healthy adult relationships. Instead, their romances in their 20s are likely to be more troubled. * Teens who dated only one or a few people, and formed relationships of more than a few weeks, emerged in their 20s with closer and more-trusting romantic ties than those who had more numerous and fleeting dates. * Unmarried teen girls who settled down with just one partner at 16 or 17- and were still unmarried at 21- are more likely to be eventually married by ages 22-25. Many, including Christians and non Christians, think that dating is just part of the teenage experience. However, putting adolescent boys and girls together leads not only to the emotional experiences that often tear at our children’s hearts but also to sexual experimentation. Think back to your teen years: were you told by a boyfriend or girlfriend in your teen years that he/she loved you? Did he/she eventually marry you? Where did that relationship lead? God wants us to act and think differently. These are matters of the heart. Philippians 1:9-10 says, â€Å"And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ.† The goal for most kids in boy/girl relationships is that they are primarily interested in what they are going to get out of the relationship. Sometimes popularity, comfort or pleasure is what a teen gains emotionally or physically. That’s not the kind of love that God would have us live out. That’s choosing what feels good for self rather than what is good for others and pleases God. Parents must be honest and Biblically discerning about the real motivation that lies behind the thoughts and actions of our children. Do love and sincerity motivate the boys in these relationships? Matthew 22:39 says, â€Å"And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.† There is a great book on the subject entitled I Kissed Dating Goodbye, written by Joshua Harris. I have little space here, so I will make a few points and urge you to buy the book. The book is about waiting and preparation, and it debunks and rejects the typical idea of dating and applies a Biblical grid to it. You don’t have to agree with all of his points, but it would behoove you to take a good look at them. Josh Harris says, â€Å"Let’s not do what feels good, but instead do what is good.† He encourages us to look at all of the damage caused by typical worldly dating in the lives of teens and to replace that energy and time with a time of focused preparation for all of life, including preparing for the special relationship of marriage. The book challenges our teens to realize they have no business taking another person’s heart if they are not ready to make a lifelong commitment to that person. He says that if you really love someone, you’ll be interested in that special person’s long-term needs rather than your short-term desires. He exhorts the teen to look at the big picture: serving others and glorifying God. That way, the person is positioned to receive God’s best for them. God has something better for a teen than futile worldly dating! I have two lists for you from the Josh Harris book that are without the further explanation that is needed, but due to lack of space, you’ll just have to get the book to learn more. The seven habits of highly defective dating are: 1. Dating leads to intimacy, but not necessarily commitment. 2. Dating tends to skip the â€Å"friendship stage† of the relationship. 3. Dating often mistakes a physical relationship for love. 4. Dating often isolates a couple from other vital relationships. 5. Dating, in many cases, distracts young adults from their primary responsibility of preparing for the future. 6. Dating can cause discontentment with God’s gift of singleness. 7. Dating creates an artificial environment for evaluating another person’s character. If you are like me, you read those and said amen, I’ve done that before and amen, I see that over and over again. Now here is the refreshing Christian view – five important new attitudes: 1. Every relationship is an opportunity to model Christ’s love. 2. My unmarried years are a gift from God. 3. Intimacy is the reward of commitment; I don’t need to pursue a romantic relationship before I am ready for marriage. 4. I cannot â€Å"own† someone outside of marriage. 5. I will avoid situations that could compromise the purity of my body or mind. Some of you won’t agree. Some of you agree but are saying, â€Å"My child would never go for this.† You are absolutely right. If they have been trained by the world to think like a worldling, they will not want to kiss dating goodbye. But, you are the parent, so†¦.. be the parent! I can’t tell you how often parents tell me what their child will or will not do, so that’s what they (the parents) do. We parents have to take a stand for the Lord and teach the tough things that need to be taught! God will honor that. Some of you are happy that you don’t have teens yet, so you think you don’t have to be concerned. Wrong!!!!!! The reason that we are struggling with our teens and worl dly dating and relationship views isbecause of what they have been taught since Kindergarten. How foolish is it of us parents to allow our child to be taught worldly thinking about male/female relationships and then go to God when our child is 16 years old to beg that He will help our child behave like a Christian when he/she is alone! God will not be mocked! Boys must be taught that they are not to get physical with the girls and that, instead, girls are to be honored and respected. Little things such as holding open a door or helping carry something for a girl are proper and good. The children need to be taught that having an opposite sex relationship is something that is for later in life as you get ready for marriage – something that is also extraordinarily special to people and to God. Boys and girls calling each other on the phone (especially in elementary school) is inappropriate in most cases. We need to teach that people are not possessions that you can trade. Instead, we need to teach them to show real love to one another by helping one another to succeed where they are in life (a student) and to honor God. What are our kids being taught through what they see and hear daily? What are they watching on TV? How about the movies? You and I both know that women are often portrayed as sex objects and trophies. What about at home? Dads, do you treat your wife as the queen of the household? Do your kids see you treating her with great care and affection? Do you realize that everything they see is teaching them how to treat their wives one day? Every year of our lives we are learning and recording permanent records in our minds. I played the worldly relationship and dating game when I was young and things may seem to have worked out OK. My wife and I have been married for 27 years and have a great marriage – but there is more to the story than what you see. Frankly, I am ashamed of many things that I have recorded in my memory regarding male/female relationships from many years ago before I was married. I have prayed that God would remove some of those memories, and He has been gracious, but some remain. In God’s purposes, He often allows us to experience and remember things so we can learn from them and pass the lessons on to others. If you went through the same pattern of worldly dating when you were young, you don’t have to pass it on. You can start afresh with your children. By God’s grace, you have the power to go against the tide of our culture and raise up children who are truly happy and bring glory to God. We have great promises from God that He will be faithful if we will trust and obey Him. I hope that this article has given you some food for thought. Better yet, I hope that you have been convinced that boy/girl relationships in the third, fourth, or fifth grade are yet another battleground for the spiritual struggle for our kids’ hearts. In life, the devil is not kept out of your child’s life by locking a door. We must get after him with all we’ve got and then root out the unbiblical thinking in our kids. 1Shellenbarger, Sue (2005) The Case for Going Steady: Studies Say Teen Dating Habits Affect Marriage Skills. Wall Street Journal, 9/8/2005.

President Kennedy as the person who saved the west from nuclear war Essay

Section 1 The Cold war, which existed between the Soviet Union and the United States following World War ll, and the constant threat of nuclear devastation, which it presented, evolved throughout its history. The relationship between these two super powers was strained at the best, at its worst; it was hostile and came near the unleashing of the devastating nuclear arsenal both countries possessed. The term ‘cold war’ was used first by an American banker relating to the tension between the U.S.S.R and the USA, when he said cold he was referring to the fact that both countries were doing there best to stop direct fighting and for it to become a ‘hot’ war. The reason these two super powers fought were over their ideologies on how to live in each others country where as America was run by Capitalism, this was the system that gave common civilians the right to vote for which ever government party they wanted to run the country it also gave the press freedom of speech where government scandals were hardly censored, unlike The Soviets who ran a one party state consisting of only the Communist party called Soviets, but because most of the soviets were Communist the government was really run by the one party. Also there was mass government run industries like the media as this was run by them, the news was censored strictly throughout covering up any government scandal. The other major difference was the distribution of wealth and the line between the rich and the poor as this was very low in Russia however in the U.S average living standards where much higher as wealth was dispersed more unevenly throughout business Tycoons and their estate s. All these factors lead to nuclear war and the cold war between Russia and America, America was the first to release a nuclear attack and used, the first nuclear atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima, on 6th August 1945 showing the world what lengths America would go to, to win a war. Source 1a A concluding sentence The relationship also evolved over time, and the emergence of Fidel Castro in Cuba was a catalyst for a change in the relationship between these powers. The threat he and his Communist party presented to his American neighbours would change the way the Americans dealt with their Cold War enemies. In the same way, Castro’s Communists also gave Nikita Khrushchev and the Soviets an entrance into North and Central American affairs. Section two Prior to the revolution in Cuba, during Batista’s brutal regime there was a period of time describes as ‘an easing of tensions’ in relationships between the East and the West. These tensions were eased because many of the potential conflicts between Eastern and western sides had been resolved, such as the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. During Batista’s regime as dictator over Cuba the Americans had been its main customer of Cuba’s main resource, Sugar cane, this made relationships between Cuba an America quite friendly and Cuba was full of American influence with Gentlemen’s Clubs, Brothels and Casino’s it was nick named the rich Americans playground, also on the island were strong Mafia connections, yet the police did little to stop them as they could easily be bribed and were often dealing themselves. The easing of tensions and the apparent lack of interest from either of the two cold war powers in aggression against one another would be brought to an end following Castro taking over Cuba in early 1959, but at this time the relationship between Fidel Castro and the Cuban Communist was not entirely clear. During the Cuban revolution that saw Fulgencio Batista’s brutal regime overthrown and come to an end, Castro had been at the fore of the uprising. He sold all the American owned business’s the mere presence of a ‘Communist’ island within 100 miles of the United States drew much attention to Cuba, both to the Soviet Union and their American rivals. The real cold war evolution did not have its beginnings in the working relationship, which was to be established between Havana and Moscow, but rather in the deteriorating relationship between the Cuban capital and Washington. American business interests in Cuba were being threatened by Castro’s policy of nationalisation of lands, and the U.S. was begging to feel that they â€Å"could not ‘do business’ with Castro’s government† this feeling was the reason for the beginnings of an action against the Castro Regime approved by President Eisenhower, and late adopted by John Fitzgerald Kennedy when he was elected to office in November 1960. This program consisted of political action, propaganda and military operations† and was behind the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion, although this program was directed against Cuba it may also have sent another message to the soviet Communists that the Americans were not prepared to tolerate communism so near their own borders. In any case, Source 2b Concluding sentence This policy, a direct reaction to Fidel Castro himself and the communist regime, which he had brought to power, could not have any positive effect on relations between the Capitalist Americans and the communists. The real advantage of Cuba to the Soviets was in the form of gaining leverage in negotiations over Berlin, which was of far more importance to the communist than the small, poor island ruled by Castro. Tensions over Berlin came about after Khrushchev demanded the western powers, which occupied Berlin, evacuate the city. Khrushchev, â€Å"alarmed at the growing military and economic strength of West Germany† otherwise, the soviets would turn the administration of Berlin to the East German government, with which the west had no agreements and under the rule of which the western powers would have no access whatsoever to Berlin. By removing the western influences from the area, Khrushchev hoped to â€Å"Weaken ties between the United States and West Germany and provoke disunity among NATO allies† The NATO powers however did not back down, however there came to be a dà ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½tente over the question of administration of Berlin. This still existed in 1962, and Fidel Castro would prove to be a willing pawn in a move by Khrushchev to gain the upper hand in the negotiations over the administration of Berlin. Prior to the events of 1962, which made up the Cuban missile crisis came the infamous Bay of Pigs invasion, this great American failure showed to which lengths the Americans were prepared to go to remove the influence of Castro and communism from the island of Cuba. On 16th April 1961, 1,300 â€Å"CIA- trained Cuban exiles in American-surplus planes and boats left to invade Cuba and liberate their countrymen† this so called liberation was unsuccessful the Cuban people had been prepared for such an invasion and in fact the Cuban Military forces and Castro himself also knew of the plans of the invasion. One hundred and fifty invaders were killed, the rest taken prisoner and the American attempt to overthrow Castro and his regime had failed. There were several crucial outcomes to this invasion however, all affecting the relationship between the eastern and western powers. The soviets, due to the ability of the island nation to withstand the invasion, became convinced of the value of Cuba in gaining the upper hand over the U.S. enough so that the Castro’s regime would now be â€Å"worthy of a major military and diploma. But while the Soviet Union now considered Cuba a worthy ally, it became evident to Castro that he also needed to pursue a relationship with the Soviet Union for protection because his island was very much within the U.S. sphere of influence. The invasion, while unsuccessful, showed that the Americans were willing to go to great lengths to remove him from office, and at this point, the best solution for Castro appeared to be the pursuit of an alliance with Moscow, directed against his American neighbours. The strengthening of ties between Cuba and the Soviet Union, as a result of this Bay of Pigs invasion, led directly to the Cuban Missile Crisis. As much as that conflict resulted from Khrushchev’s design to take advantage of Cuba’s proximity to the U.S. to install missile sites, it was the American policy towards Cuba, that which sought, by any means necessary, to remove Fidel Castro’s influence over Cuba, which pushed the new Communist allies into each other’s arms. The mere presence of Fidel Castro was responsible for the heightening of tensions between the Soviet Union and John F. Kennedy’s United States leading up to the crisis. There was a strong Soviet presence in Cuba prior to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The sanctions, which followed Castro’s rise to power placed a large burden on the Cuban economy, as the U.S., naturally, had been the island’s primary trading partner. This burden was eased by the Soviets who, in 1960, agreed to buy out Cuba’s U.S. sugar share, and later made the promise to provide ‘necessary aid’ in the case of armed intervention. In fact, United States sanctions against Fidel Castro and his government â€Å"provided the rationale and the catalytic action which accelerate close economic, military and political relations between Cuba and the USSR.† But the gravity of the Soviets economic pursuits in Cuba is far less than the deal made which allowed the Soviets to build missile sites on the island. Due to the deadlock over the Berlin question, Khrushchev felt he needed to gain the upper hand in military might to have his way. Because the USSR was falling behind in the arms race, a creative solution was needed which would achieve equality and the â€Å"cheapest and fastest way †¦ was to install shorter-range missiles on Cuba.† The role of Castro in this affair was to accept the missiles from the USSR, but for his own set of reasons. Castro felt that some protection was needed from the threat of any more American invasions, and the addition of missile sites to his island would strengthen his position considerably. The military installations instilled confidence and would be a tremendous asset given any aggression by the Americans or their Western allies. In any case, both nations had interests in the missiles being installed in Cuba, so Castro gave the plan his blessing. By this time, it had become clear to the Soviets that their high expectations of Castro were warranted, as this revolutionary leader had given them the opportunity they thought they needed to tip the scale in their favour where there real interests lay, Berlin. For someone who had so critical a role in bringing about the Cuban Missile Crisis, Fidel Castro played only the smallest role once it began. When an American U-2 first spotted evidence of the construction of a missile site in Cuba on 14 October 1962, the crisis began. While negotiations to end the crisis were underway between Kennedy and Khrushchev, Castro was left out and â€Å"did not take the exclusion lightly† Castro even went so far as to make a speech, on 23 October 1962, denying that â€Å"either the Cubans or the Soviets would ever consider withdrawing their missiles† While the Soviets and the Americans were negotiating a peace, while still on the brink of launching an all-out nuclear attack, Castro was still trying to extract some political gain from the conflict. He imposed a set of conditions on the removal of missiles from his island, which called for the end of the U.S. blockade of the island, which had resulted when the crisis began, and for the end of subversive acts on the part of the U.S. against Cuba. All of these were ignored when a final agreement was hammered out between the U.S. and the USSR. Castro’s stubborn refusal to admit that he had been the real loser in the entire crisis was brought into focus when he refused entrance into Cuba to UN observers who were to assure that the missiles were dismantled, as had been agreed upon by Kennedy and Khrushchev. Castro’s reaction to his personal failure in the affair would signal the lesson he learned, as he made it known that â€Å"never again in the chess game of power† would his country play â€Å"the docile pawn† While Castro was involved in conflicts in Africa in the 1960s, and supported the communism of Vietnam, his involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis left the greatest of marks upon relations between the Cold War powers. What Castro may not have realized in all his bitterness over the results of the crisis is that, unwittingly, he had the effect of easing tensions between the U.S. and the USSR. His mere presence and his part in bringing about the crisis were instrumental in beginning a new era in the relationship between East and West. Prior to this point, any move by one side was met by an equally strong move by the other. Under such a system, no peaceful end could be sought to any conflict, only the escalating of tensions to a breaking point. The breaking point in the Cold War was the most undesirable, nuclear conflict, the implications of which were most destructive and grave. Indeed, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, while Castro was dreaming of power and prestige for his native Cuba, the Americans were reportedly minutes away for launching their nuclear arsenal against Russia, and likely the Soviets were in a similar position. But the diplomatic resolution to the problem, in spite of Castro’s designs, represented a turning point in the way problems were dealt with between the United States and their nuclear rivals. In a game of such high stakes, no longer could move be met with countermove because in such a case both would be losers. The value of diplomacy was realized and, in a way, Fidel Castro and his regime were facilitators for this lesson. After the crisis, relations once again eased into detente between the U.S. and the USSR and Castro, standing by his assertion that he would no longer be the pawn for any other, no longer wielded much influence in Cold War politics. And the relations between the two powers eased, that existing between Castro’s Cuba and the USSR grew more strained. These were restored somewhat later, but no longer were they of particular military or international significance. Cuba has continued to be a source of frustration to the United States, but this mainly from an ideological or philosophical point of view. While Cuba â€Å"gradually began to pursue a pro-Moscow course† their alliance with Moscow no longer posed any real threat to America in the way of future military aggression. Through the Cold War, the Americans had developed a great hostility towards anything perceived as being communist, Marxist, or socialist and Cuba has retained this aspect, but to have had any great fear of Castro and what he might do after the resolution of the missile crisis would not have been warranted. Castro’s role in the relationship between East and West, therefore, was played out over a short period of a few years, but on the largest of stages. His initial contribution to the evolution of this relationship was to cause it a large degree of strain. When the revolution of Castro became successful, he infuriated the Americans whose businesses and lands were being revoked by Castro’s policy of nationalization. The U.S. would accept this treatment at the hands of so insignificant a neighbour and launched the Bay of Pigs invasion. The reaction of the Cubans to this was the strengthening of ties with the USSR and inevitably the tensions between the USSR and the U.S. were raised as well. The USSR had one foot in the door, intolerably close to the American border and when the Soviets but this played this strategic card but installing the missile sites, the tensions were raised further. Castro’s role in the evolution of East/West relations ended soon after this point as both the Americans and Russians began to ignore him and pursue their own solutions to the conflict Castro brought about. Because of this exclusion, Castro no longer wielded any influence and faded into the background. Nevertheless, the Americans had been humiliated by seeing an island nation, which they had once dominated fall under the influence of the Russian communists, and this was Castro’s own accomplishment. It brought the prominence and importance to his country, which he desired and did fulfil some of the more immediate goals such as removing the economic stresses placed on his country by the U.S. sanctions. While the new tensions he brought about between the Soviet Union and the U.S. were alleviated following the crisis, Castro undeniably brought the world one step closer to witnessing nuclear war. It could therefore be said of Castro that his role and influence in Cold War politics was twofold. Firstly, it was largely his doing that the two powers came closer to clashing than they had ever come before, and it was largely in spite of him that this clash never took place. Instead, what followed was a detente, which, while still filled with suspicion and mistrust of one another, never again came so close to a boiling point as during the early days of Castro’s regime in Cuba.

Melanie Zoltan - ThoughtCo

How The Other Half Lives Essay - 1805 Words

The variations in the living standards among the people from place to place, and from time to time have always been existent. Greed, injustice and inequality are the three sides of the triangle of poverty and wherever we see them, poverty is always there. Humans cannot overcome a serious problem such as poverty without addressing those three main causes. Even this problem is worldwide; it varies from one area to another. It is higher in areas which were colonized for a long time before such as Africa, Asia and Latin America than other areas which were not colonized for a long time such as Europe and America. We cannot imagine the swift change that happens in the last century in poverty. Surprisingly, it is only one percent of the population that controls most of the international financial assets, creating a massive change in the international landscape of poverty. It was mentioned in the introduction to the text that was taken from Jacob Riis’ book â€Å"How the Other Half Lives† this quotation: â€Å"Curiously, today, that economic divide has changed and we now speak of a much wider division: the one percent versus nighty nine percent†. It is interesting, but not surprising to see today with all modern thinking and technological progress, poverty is still growing to threaten our existence and it doesn’t seem to go away anytime soon. Most definitely, without addressing the three sides of the triangle of poverty which are greed, injustice and inequality, nothing really will workShow MoreRelatedHow The Other Half Lives By Edward Bellamy1111 Words   |  5 Pagesof the problems of social equality. In the novel â€Å"How the Other Half Lives† by Jacob A. Riis, he highlighted not only the horrendous living conditions of the poor, but also their working conditions. 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In the book How the Other Half Lives, published in 1890, harsh criticisms and observations, along with photojournalism, of the appalling conditions of New York City tenements and their neighborhoods are examined through the eyes of Jacob Riis. As a reporter at the time for The New York Tribune, his writing and photography sparked reform and forced many people, even the likes of Theodore Roosevelt, to focus their attention on the horrendous conditions in which theRead MoreThe Gilded Age By Jacob Riis1483 Words   |  6 Pageshowever, America appeared to be a country of chaos and desperation. The necessities that people could not imagine living without today, such as fresh air and sanitary houses, were often a luxury to these immigrants. Jacob Riis, the author of How the Other Half Lives, visited several areas in New York to observe the appalling living conditions that various immigrants were stuck in. 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My Sociological Imagination Started Influencing Me A Lot

The term â€Å"Sociological Imagination† can be defined in various contexts and in different ways depending on the situation and surroundings. According to most researchers, the definition of the term varies from case to case. Due to different scenarios and observations, most researchers have failed to apply a single definition of the term. However, after studying a number of cases, there is a general definition that we can associate to this term, i.e. the interaction of one’s mind and its experiences. I, being an African-American, got the crucial grievance to be inspired by the relationship of the police and the Ferguson community on the tragedy to highlight the significance of the race. My sociological imagination started influencing me a lot. You are never sure of when and for what people get offended. What is right in my part of living today may be completely unacceptable in some other place. By shifting your social environment you are forced to rethink your path and doubt yourself. You cannot take things for granted. Other than this, systematic racism has been emerging in American society in every field. All the democrats as well as republicans have different views regarding tragic incident, happened on 9th August, 2014 in Ferguson, Missouri a native of suburb of St. Louis. The prevailing issues are rich in demonstrating the sociological issues including inequality in terms of wealth and profiling on the basis of race and â€Å"criminalization of Black male youth†.Show MoreRelatedStudy Guide9234 Words   |  37 Pagesfactors that might influence a person’s decision rather than accepting commonsense answers. 2. What is the sociological imagination and how do history and personal biography affect it? If a sociologist studies the challenges experienced by a student earning a college degree, how could the lessons gained be described as â€Å"terrible† as well as â€Å"magnificent†? 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Outside the workplace, Ford went so far as to establish what he called the â€Å"Sociological Department† to check up on how his employees lived and the ways they spent their time. Inspectors from this department visited the homes of employees and investigated their habits and problems. Employees who exhibited behaviors contrary to Ford’sRead MoreStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edition New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 PagesDiversity Management Strategies 56 Attracting, Selecting, Developing, and Retaining Diverse Employees 56 †¢ Diversity in Groups 58 †¢ Effective Diversity Programs 58 Summary and Implications for Managers 60 S A L Self-Assessment Library What’s My Attitude Toward Older People? 40 Myth or Science? â€Å"Dual-Career Couples Divorce Less† 47 An Ethical Choice Religious Tattoos 51 glOBalization! Images of Diversity from Around the Globe 54 Point/Counterpoint Men Have More Mathematical Ability Than Women

Accountant in Business Management Accounting

Questions: Demonstrate an understanding of the role and functions of accounting in an organisation. Examine the link between accounting and other key management functions. Explain the ways in which accounting policies can be influenced by factors external to a business. Demonstrate an appreciation for organisational factors. Answer: Introduction British Airways is the selected organization is the selected organization in the assignment. It is shortened to BA, which is known as the flag carrier airlines of the United Kingdom. It is the largest airline organization in the entire United Kingdom measured in terms of fleet size. However, when this particular airline, measured in terms of passengers, it is denoted as the second largest airlines in United Kingdom (Britishairways.com, 2016). The objective of this particular assignment is to analyze the current business situation of British Airlines. The study will focus on some of the important factor, which will analyze the current business situation with the application of different kind of Situation Analysis tool. The four tools, which are highlighted in the study, are Market Segmentation tool, PESTEL Analysis Tool, Porters 5 Force tool and Critical success factor tool (Anderson, Havila and Nilsson, 2012). The present assignment is divided into three parts. The first part of the assignment will analyze the entire situation analysis tool in the organization; the second part of the assignment will cover all the accurate management tools and models, which will analyze the internal strategic positions of the company. However, the final part of the study will conclude about the key drivers for change for BA and its implantation process (Aras and Crowther, 2012). Analysis of the Study The first part of the study will conclude about the analysis of different kinds of marking tools in the organization. The notion of market segmentation is a special type of marketing strategy, which involves dividing proper target marketing into different subsets of customers. British Airways maintains a huge target market in the business operations. British Airways maintains five factors in the development process of a proper market segmentation process. The five identified factors are loyal to the loyalty, urgent travelers, and business travelers, budget conscious and regular travels (Bertelsen, 2012). Different kinds of travelers, which are highlighted in the study, comprise different utilities in the overall business plan of the selected organization. SWOT Analysis The second marketing tool, which is used, is the application of the SWOT Analysis. SWOT Analysis is one of the most common and important situation analysis tools which mainly used in the process of situation analysis purpose. There are four factors in the SWOT Analysis process, which will conclude both the internal environment scanning as well as the external environment scanning (Baum, 2012). Strength and weakness are the two factors, which conclude the internal environment scanning, and on the other hand, Opportunities and Threats are the other two factors, which conclude the external environment scanning. Strong Brand image, Open sky agreement, international business operations, and skilled staffs are the strength of the BA. One of the addition point which is highlighted in the study, BA was the official airline for the 2012 Olympic (Cabezas and Diwekar, 2012). The three main weaknesses, which are highlighted in the process of situation analysis of BA, are cost of management, decl ine in profitability and labor strike. Due to the popularity of the airlines and reduction of travel cost, majority of the tourist prefers airlines as the best way to travel as compared with the other modes of travel communication system. Increase in the competition level is the only identified threats for the selected organization (Griffin and Moorhead, 2012). One of the most important factors which majority of the Airline Company faces in the business operations is the increase in the daily fuel cost. In order to solve this particular problem the organization needs to develop proper pricing strategies in the overall business operations (Jin, 2012). PESTEL Analysis In order to scan the external environment, the concept of PESTEL Analysis is highlighted. There are six important factors, which are highlighted in the development process of the PESTEL Analysis tool (Kinicki and Fugate, 2012). The six factors in this particular marketing are tool are Political, Economical, Social, Technological, Environmental and Legal are the highlighted factor in order scan the external environment (Lake, 2012). The political condition of United Kingdom is stable as compared with the other nations. Like all other airlines, British Airlines must observe the rules and regulations, which is developed by Federal Aviation Authority (Mangum and Kerr, 2012). One of the significant political factors, which are highlighted, and affects the operations of the business are is the power of trade union. One of the major problems, which the aviation industry in the United Kingdom is facing, is the increase in the insurance cost due to the global fear of terrorism. However, the d emand for air travel is determined by very high-income elasticity (Phillips and Gully, 2013). There are some barriers for the entry of the new firms in the aviation industry of United Kingdom. The social factor concludes the cultural influences, which varies from one country to another. It comes from different tastes and habits of different people in the globe. BA also faces cultural problems in the organizational operation (Robbins and Judge, 2012). The airline industry serves a vast industry of global destinations carrying passengers from one destination to another. It is one of the most challenging jobs for the British Airways to bring harmony in the organizational plans and procedures. Based on the latest news, the British Airways has invested a huge amount of money to the Lotus Technology for the technological advancements. The entire airline industries are constantly looking for the development and improvement process of both technological up gradation and security improvement . With the rapid development of the technological development, the British Airways has decided to adopt the majority of the technological advancement in the overall business operation (Robinson, 2012). Maintaining proper greenery in the environment and ensuring less pollution during the aviation process is the ultimate of the British Airlines. However, different plans and polices of the government and different interest rate structure of the government affects the legal factor in the airlines industry. The political and legal condition of the United Kingdom puts a positive effect in the overall business. The BA was benefited in different ways by the plans and polices which the UK government develops. The Economic condition of the UK is also stable. The rate of inflation and the rate of deflation in UK are very much less as compared with the other European Country. It maintains a stable rate in the overall economic process. The UK is one of the technological sound countries and maintains a rapid pace with the applications of the modern technology. The contribution of different kinds modern technology in the business operations helped British Airways to develop a strong business plan, which includes different application of modern technologies. The role of British Airways is very much significant towards the contribution for the society. It plays a vital role in the development process of the corporate social responsibility. Porters 5 Force Porters five force is another important tool, which is used in the process of situation analysis process. There are five important factors, which are highlighted in the development process of this particular marketing tool (Schermerhorn, 2012). The notion of the five forces includes the suppliers power, buyers power, entry, and exit of the firms, threats of substitution and intensity of competitive rivalry. Cost of fuel, aircraft, and labor, which are the main factors for the suppliers power in BA. A different kind of costs, which includes mainly aviation cost, contributes the buyers power. The entire airline industry in the United Kingdom falls under the notion of the monopolistic marketing structure (Snene, 2012). The entry and exit of new firms is not restricted, however there are few barriers in the entry and exit of the new firms in this particular industry. In order to develop a proper customer base the BA needs to develop a strong and a proper pricing strategy, if the passengers get other alternate option, the group will easily substitute BA with other airlines. There are different barriers which majority of the aviation industry faces in the entry and exit process. However, there are certain possibilities of substitution in this particular market. The entire airlines industry in United Kingdom maintains a good level of completion. The decision-making of one company affects the d ecision making of other industry. This particular industry falls under the concept of the monopoly market structure. There are few aviation companies and large number of passengers. The threats of substitution always remain the same for the organization. Successful Factors Some of the critical success factor of the British Airways is reflected in the following part of the study. Core Competences, vision statement and mission statement and goal setting objectives are the three key points, which are responsible for the critical success of the BA (Zorc et al., 2012). All these factors were developed by this particular organization keeping in mind the requirements of the organizations. Porters generic management tool The second part of the study will analyze the application of different kinds of management tools in the overall performance of the organization. There are certain organizational goals and activities. With the application of these management tools, the organization will get the opportunity to achieve the common organizational goals and objectives. The application of Porters generic management tool will allow British Airways to develop a proper competitive platform. There are four factors, which conclude the application of cost leadership, differentiation, and cost focus and differentiation focus. These are the four factors, which BA follows in the organizational plans and procedure. Choosing the right generic strategy is one of the most challenging jobs for the organization. Value chain management The role of the value chain management plays a vital role in the overall objectives of the organization. The British Airways develops a set of activities in the organizational plans and procedures, which starts from operating in a specific industry. This particular concept helps in the development process of a proper competitive advantage. The resources of the organization are limited; it is one of the most challenging jobs for the organization to develop a proper value chain system among the customers. Culture (Hofstede cultural framework) This point of the study will analyze the importance of the culture in the organization. Different employees join the organization from different cultural backgrounds. The way of working and communication differs from one another, if all the employees follow their own way of working style and communication it will lead to confusion in the organizational plans and procedure. In order to solve this particular problem the job of the management is to bring harmony in the organization. The notion of the Hofstede cultural framework is highlighted in this part of the study. In order to develop proper cultural dimensional activities in the organization, some of the most important and highlighted factor which BA follows towards the Hofstede cultural framework are power distance, individual Vs collectivism, Uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation are the most significant factor in the overall cultural framework. Application of this particular theory will allow the organization to focus on Hierarchy, Centralization, Salary range, Participation, Ideal Boss and Privilege status symbols. BA is benefited in different ways. Shareholders (British Airways) The importance of the stakeholders is immersing in every organization. British Airways maintains a versatile stakeholders base. The role of the stakeholders plays an important role in the development process of the organizational growth and performance. Some of the important stakeholders in the British Airways are Customers, employees, suppliers, media, financial institutions, shareholders, and local community (Britishairways.com, 2016). All the stakeholders play a vital role towards the expansion process. The organization maintains a good and a coordinal relationship with the all the stakeholders are is very transparent about the organizational policies. The stakeholders matrix includes the analysis of four factors. The four factors are Protect, Good Relation, Low Priority, and monitor (Cabezas and Diwekar, 2012). The close competitors of British Airways are Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Japan Airlines, and United Airlines INC. These are the three companies, which compete with the British Airways. The decision making process of one organization is affected by the decision making process of the other organization (Aras and Crowther, 2012). Key Drivers The British Airways has developed four main key drivers in order to develop a proper business structure. The key drivers are Financial Segment, Customers, and Orientations and employees (Britishairways.com, 2016). These are the key drivers which allows the organization to develop a smooth and a strong organizational plans and procedure. Finance is the backbone of all the organizational plans and procedure. Customers are the key result in the business operations and orientations of employees will allow the organization to achieve the common organizational goals and activities. However, GDP growth of an economy, increasing disposable income in the economy, corporate profits, airlines demands, and passenger traffic are the key drivers, which these particular airlines developed in the operations of the business. Conclusion The present study is divided into three parts. Different kinds of marketing tools such as market segmentation, PESTEL Analysis, Porters 5 forces and all the important factors, which concludes the success of the organization, are the key marketing tools, which this organization has developed in the operations of the business. The second part of the study will conclude about the organizational operations. Porters generic tool, value chain management, the notion of the culture in the company, which includes the concept of the Hofstede theory are the key concepts, which are used in the organizational operations. The final part of the study will conclude about the key drivers which majority of the airline companies follows in the operations of the business. Reference List Anderson, H., Havila, V. and Nilsson, F. (2012).Mergers, Acquisitions, and Stakeholders. Hoboken: Taylor and Francis. Aras, G. and Crowther, D. (2012).Business strategy and sustainability. Bingley, U.K.: Emerald. Baum, M. (2012).Strategic Management in a Global Context impact of the downturn. MuÃÅ'ˆnchen: GRIN Verlag GmbH. Bertelsen, B. (2012).Everything you need to know about SWOT analysis. [Newmarket, Ont.]: BrainMass Inc. Britishairways.com, (2016).UK Domestic | Economy Class Flights | British Airways. [online] Available at: https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/travel-classes/economy/uk-domestic [Accessed 27 Feb. 2016]. Cabezas, H. and Diwekar, U. (2012).Sustainability. Sharjah: Bentham Science Publishers. Griffin, R. and Moorhead, G. (2012).Organizational behavior. Mason, OH: South-Western/Cengage Learning. Jin, X. (2012). Guang Yuan Low-carbon Development Path Based on SWOT Analysis.JSD, 5(8). Kinicki, A. and Fugate, M. (2012).Organizational behavior. New York: McGraw-Hill Irwin. Lake, N. (2012).The strategic planning workbook. London: Kogan Page. Mangum, C. and Kerr, S. (2012).Centrally planned innovation. Phillips, J. and Gully, S. (2013).Organizational behavior. Mason, OH: South-Western Cengage Learning. Robbins, S. and Judge, T. (2012).Essentials of organizational behavior. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Prentice Hall. Robinson, Z. (2012).Sustainability. Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Editions. Schermerhorn, J. (2012).Organizational behavior.. Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley. Snene, M. (2012).Exploring services science. Heidelberg: Springer. Zorc, S., Manfreda, A., Lampert, D., Groznik, A., KrapezÃÅ'Å’, J., SÃÅ'Å’kerlavaj, M., Intzesiloglou, G., Marinova, M. and Ilieva, V. (2012).Digital content SWOT analysis. [S. l.]: FORSEE Partnership.

Social Security Reform Essays (2316 words) - Social Security

Social Security Reform Social Security Reform A little over sixty years ago the nation struggled through what was, up to then, the most dramatic crisis since the Civil War. The economy was uprooted after the crash of the stock market and the country's financial stability destroyed. One of the many steps taken to alleviate the burden on the American people was that of the passing of Social Security Act of 1935 and its amendments by Congress and the President, Franklin D. Roosevelt (http://www.socialsecurityreform.org/history/index.cfm). Under the provisions of the Act, the government would take on the responsibility of taxing the income of all working Americans and returning the money through numerous public benefits and programs which provide monthly benefits to nearly 45 million retired and disabled workers, their dependents, and survivors. Now the nation faces an economic and political problem with the program instituted to earnestly help the people. In the first half of this century the government will face the task of paying benefits to a large generation with funds it will not have. Social Security is the largest Federal Program, accounting for 23 percent of all Federal spending. Almost all political sides agree that Social Security must be reformed in some way before the baby-boomer generation begins to retire and collect. Social Security benefits refer to all those measures established by the government through legislation that help an individual or household to maintain an income of a certain level, insure income if one's employment is lost, provide other assistance for disability, old age, survivors, and other forms of compensation. Social Security may be defined through several characteristics: (1) participation is mandatory. Everyone, including children age 5 or older, is required to have a Social Security (2) Eligibility for benefits and levels of benefits depends on past contributions made by earners. (3) Benefit payments begin at a stipulated time such as at retirement from work, upon temporary unemployment, or with disability (4) Social-insurance benefits are means-tested - one's wealth or lack does not determine whether benefits are granted (Compton's). (5) Currently SS funds are collected and distributed on a pay - as - you -go (PAYG) system in which Social Security taxes from individuals are immediately distributed by the means of the SS Administration as it sees best fit. This means that taxes collected are not reserved for the individual who has paid them: in Rose 2 the current state he or she must rely on those persons paying Social Security taxes during the time of their retirement (Becker). For a n umber of these characteristics and future issues, the Social Security System must be reformed or completely abolished to meet the needs of tomorrow. The leading concerns of Social Security that merits the immediate initiation of reform are the demographic and economic circumstances in the coming century. Even though forecasting the economy and budget over such a long period is uncertain there remain many certainties regarding problems facing Social Security in the first half of the 21st century (OMB, Budget Perspectives 23). The Federal Government's responsibilities extend well beyond the five- or six-year window that has restricted the focus of recent budget analysis and debate. Of these, certainties are the mounting challenges posed from the baby-boomer generation. This generation, born in the years after World War II, is aging and will begin to retire around the year 2005. By 2008, the first baby-boomers will become eligible for social security(OMB 23). With the increased expenditures for baby-boomer group and pre-existing entitlements, a serious strain will be placed on the budget for the majority of the next 100 years. As cu rrently, the PAYG system has allowed for four workers to pay for every retiree. But, when the baby boom generation retires, eventually only two workers will be paying for every retiree(OMB, 1998 Budget 195). Long range projections from research done by the Congressional Budget Office last year observes that Those fiscal demands could produce unattainably high levels of federal debt and taxes unless additional actions are taken to control federal spending (OMB, Budget Perspectives 25). The baby-boomer issue is not the only problem facing the future of the budget regarding Social Security. The Social Security Trustees Report projects that population growth is expected to slow