Philippines Online Gaming Industry Outlook Essay

Internet Netopia provides high speed (3-10mpbs) Internet access to achieve customers’ satisfaction and make them feel the uniqueness of the store as compared to other internet cafes. At this speed, downloading large images (pictures), playing music (wave files, mp3s) online and viewing videos (GIF files, flash, video clips) is a breeze. Online and Network Gaming Netopia carries popular Online Games which can be played either solo or via LAN with friends. With this high speed Internet connection, playing online will surely be fun to all the gamers. DIGITAL PRINTING Laser Color or Black and White Printing Netopia branches also have complete desktop publishing facilities and qualified technicians that can assist you in all your office and school requirments. You can print resumà ©, reports or research work from the Internet in either color or black and white. Photo Quality Printing High quality of photo printing is also available wherein pictures taken directly from your Digital Cameras or Cellular Phones can be printed in any quantity at affordable prices. Photo sizes available are as follow; 4R,A4,3R,1Ãâ€"1 ID ,2Ãâ€"2 for passport Angat Ka! Aside from printing and computer usage, Netopia also serves as a supplemental school that offer hundreds of online courses. With the help of the different content providers like Microsoft, CAL, Gapuz and Reviewcard, Netopia was able to promote and offer alternative online modules to those who would like to pursue their courses in Nursing, IT and even College Entrance Exams. Netopia Click Club Join the coolest membership club in the industry, the Netopia Click Club! Enjoy Member rates at Netopia and special discounts and privileges from various Click Club merchants. Visit your nearest Netopia to apply. Membership fee is reasonably priced at P250 inclusive of free eight (8) hours of computer use. Advertising As Netopia continue to strengthen its presence in the business and with the current technologies it possess, Netopia is now into invading the business of Online Advertising. We are now being aggressive in offering our Online Advertising spaces to different advertisers, with the seventy-six (76) branches nationwide and a total of 3,000 computer terminals all ads can be viewed by 500,000 to 1 million customers of different age monthly. Function Room Most of our branches has their own Function Rooms that is equipped with 10-12 workstations. The function room is ideal for any coporate activities such as job caravan, training, recruitment, online interview, testing, gaming tournament, product launch and mini press conference. For booking inquires and reservations, you may email the Corporate Sales Group at corpsales@netopia.ph or call 465-1100 local 2200 IP E-Games Signs Agreement with ePLDT for Digital Paradise Manila, Philippines; 13 December 2010 — IP E-Game Ventures, Inc. (IP E-Games; PSE: EG), the publicly listed online gaming subsidiary of listed technology conglomerate IPVG Corp. (PSE:IP), has signed a share purchase agreement with ePLDT to purchase the latter’s 75% stake in Digital Paradise Inc. (Digital Paradise). Digital Paradise operates the Netopia brand of Internet Cafes. The Internet Cafà © chain currently has a network of 105 cafes nationwide, 71 of which are company owned and 34 of which are franchise Under the agreement, E Games will purchase 97.6 million shares of Digital Paradise representing 75% of the company. Finalization of the purchase is subject to a 45 day due diligence period. E Games is one of the leading online game publishers in the country, offering a portfolio of online games consisting of Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games or MMORPGs, and casual online games. E Games pioneered the free to play business model, wherein gamers are not required to pay a subscription fee to play online games. Gamers are given the option of purchasing â€Å"in game items† to enhance their gaming experience. The company sells virtual currency (e Points) that is used to purchase these in-game items. E Games publishes top MMORPGs such as Ran Online, Cabal Online, and recently launched, Dragonica. E Games also has a strategic partnership with GMA7 to publish its casual online games such as Bandmaster, Superstar, and Operation7. Netopia is the largest chain of Internet Cafes in the Philippines consisting of 71 company-owned and 34 franchised branches. Netopia serves over 1.5 million customers monthly, 80% of which are from ages 16 to 35, and uses high-speed Internet provided by PLDT. With Netopia’s broad network coverage, Netopia has attracted many large corporate customers for its training, recruitment and advertising needs. At the retail side, Netopia has become a popular destination, for both men and women for Internet surfing, Gaming, Digital Printing and Electronic Load needs. CEO of E Games, Enrique Y. Gonzalez, says, â€Å"The Internet Cafà © business is a strategic sector of our company, and with the signing of this agreement, we are one step closer to establishing a strong presence in that sector. Netopia is a leading chain in the Internet Cafà © industry and we plan on providing additional investment for expansion.† The purchase of Digital Paradise will give E Games access to a large network of Internet cafes where it can launch, market, and promote its games. One of E Games’ objectives is to increase utilization at Netopia by channeling more of its 12 million users to Netopia cafes. E Games also believes that it can increase ad spending at the cafes by providing advertising customers with an additional advertising medium. Advertising customers will be able to advertise on-line, in-game, and now through Netopia’s over 4,000 work stations. E Games recognizes the potential synergies in the transaction and is truly excited about the growth prospects of Digital Paradise. IP E-Game Ventures Inc. (IP e-Games) is a publicly listed company in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: EG) which operates the online gaming business of technology conglomerate IPVG Corp. (PSE: IP). IP e-Games is ranked as the leading online games publisher in the Philippines and holds top MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) titles such as RAN Online, CABAL Online, and Presidential Award recipient Korean game, Granado Espada. Other games include high-fantasy MMORPG Runes of Magic, and Korean adventure games such as Dragonica and Nostale Online. The casual games of IP E-Games are published under X-Play Online Games Inc. (X-Play), a joint venture company between IP E-Games and GMA New Media Inc. (GMA NMI), the digital arm of GMA Network Inc. (PSE: GMA7). X-Play publishes the no.1 online dance game Audition Dance Battle, MMO First person shooter OP7, online rhythm game Bandmaster, and online videoke game Superstar Online. IP E-Games strategic minority investors include the Philippine Star Group and E-Store Exchange (an affiliate of GMA7). For more information, visit www.e-games.com.ph.

New Technology: Police Body Worn Cameras Essay

Our department is currently going to purchase new technology in the form of officer worn cameras. Over the next five years this technology will be put in place. The police department will see many benefits from this technology in the areas of evidence preservation, reduced liability and improved efficiency for the police department. The officer worn camera is a device that has become cost effective and efficient in size and capabilities. The camera is attached to the Officers uniform and allows the officer to capture video and audio of his activities throughout his tour of duty. This will be used to document traffic stops, consent searches and â€Å"res gestae† statements made to officers. The officer worn camera will reduce false allegations made against officers, and the investigative overhead that comes along with these allegations. The future benefits from the officer worn cameras in the reduction of liability to the city, the police department and the officer. According to Sir Ronnie Flanagan’s policing review published last week, not only do cameras provide improved evidence, they can also reduce the time taken to file incident reports by 22 per cent, which would give officers an extra 50 minutes of patrol time per officer per day, according to the report (Kelly, 2008) In this new era of budget shortfalls and diminished manpower this new technology can provide a more efficient police department by freeing up time that is normally spent on unnecessary investigations. Implementing reporting procedures using cameras and video can also reduce time spent on report writing duties. In Conclusion, the purchase of the officer worn cameras will reduce liability in cases where false accusations are made. Video statements can be used preserve evidence and the capability of reporting will create a more efficient police department. References: Foster, R. E. (2005). Police technology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall Kelly, N. (2008). Police pilot body-worn cameras. Computing, 6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/212414151?accountid=32521

Career Development Programs Support Retention

This paper attempts to explain the human resource best practices in a fashion company known as Pearl collections by analyzing the six stages of the employee lifecycle. These six steps include; recruitment & selection, orientation & onboarding, employee services, talent development & retention, performance management and transition. This essay will then examine how these cycle stages contribute to Pearl collections and also the implementation process.   Human resource best practices are one of the human resource management models pioneered by Pfeffer who advised when put into practice would improve the performance of an organization  (Pfeffer, 1998). Best practice according to Boxall and Purcell's, emphasizes the vitality of empowering an employee's ability through right staffing and training, offering strong financial incentives and providing an open and engaging environment where the employees can share ideas and participate.  (Purcell, 2003) It is important to understand that applying a few human resource best practices in one company, industry or corporate culture may not necessarily yield the same results or be the right practice in another. The methods highly depend on the demographic makeup of a company, size, resources available, socioeconomic factors, location, regulatory and legal environment. Understanding employees and what might engage them to perform better should is vital before implementing any strategy. The HR Reporter shares the culture of Zappos to be crazy in that they believe in having fun at work to the extent of asking employees to dress up as superheroes. The employees who are disengaged are paid to leave the company which may be a huge number as not everyone might be comfortable with it (Kreissl, 2013). At Carswell, a favorite activity that makes the workplace more fun is their annual ice cream day and this according to management is a fun little program that drives employee engagement. The culture at Zappos and Carswell when compared are entirely different, and various people might share both positive and negative feedback on them. These examples prove that not every policy, practice or program will work at every company hence the importance of internal and external analysis of the organization.  Ã‚  Ã‚   Recruitment and selection are the first stages of the employee lifecycle and are, therefore,     the foundations for human resource management. Pearl Collections pride itself to be an attractive employer that recruits locally whenever a boutique opens, one that cares about gender inclusivity, diversity, employee growth, health, and safety. During this stage the human resource manager analyzes the job, its role, creates a person specification which consists of the skills and qualifications required, experience, and comes up with a remuneration package. This process follows advertising, shortlisting and then selection of the preferred candidate while taking into consideration passion, attitude and behavior as the essential characteristics. To aid in recruitment, Pearl uses a few agencies who prescreen the candidates on the level of position, education, and skills. This process gives the company an upper hand regarding maximized exposure and increases the number of applicants for va rious positions. According to PRADA Group, the information collected during the selection process strictly relates to the authentication of the professional profile being sort, while respecting candidate's personal opinions  (PRADA, 2007). This open dialogue gives the applicant room to be open minded and share his/her views openly enabling the human resource department to get a comprehensive analysis. The second stage of the employee lifecycle is orientation & onboarding. PeopleAdmin shares that Onboarding is a process and orientation is an event and that a sound onboarding process spans from one to two years  (PeopleAdmin, n.d.). Pearl collections believe in carrying out successful orientation and onboarding processes as the transition ensures success on the candidate’s part which impacts on the company. Pearl is aware of the importance of enabling a candidate to reach his/her full potential hence carries out the orientation process accurately and concisely. The HR department issues the candidate with information on the company, appropriate forms, takes the candidate around to meet other agencies and promotes communication. The onboarding process conveys the brand, values, professional culture, product knowledge and sales techniques and expectations to the candidate and provides tools to aid in his or her productivity. To ensure employees are well taken care of, Rag & Bo ne has an HR team of six individuals which is fundamental to its growth strategy and research shows that they excel at recruitment with high-profit margins (Pike, 2015). Employee services as an employee life cycle stage are benefits offered to employees by employers to instill their loyalty and prevent them from leaving for greener grass. The fashion industry is known to rotate employees and to keep them from jumping ship; Pearl collections complies with the legal departments of all states, offers medical insurance, a life insurance plan, disability insurance, offer paternity and maternity leaves, holidays and sick leaves. As the company is keen on being relevant, it is planning to open a child care area in one of the spare rooms to enhance productivity and to also introduce a wellness program by offering reimbursable gym membership costs which could reduce health care costs through promotion of healthier lifestyles. At HUGOBOSS, healthcare is a significant factor, the company cafeteria follows a balanced nutrition plan, and the company has a fitness studio offering courses in back training and aerobics which increase staff retention rates (HUGOBOSS, 2012). Talent development & retention is the fourth employee cycle stage, and it is crucial to both engagement and the output of the company. Key elements of talent and leadership, development, strategies and best practices are key under this stage. Pearl endeavors to involve itself in talent development by continuously grooming and upgrading the employees by attracting the right staff, providing the latest technology, sensitizing them on how to excel, use of rewards and incentives, motivation, empowerment and offering career advancement opportunities. The company understands that high employee turnover is a problem hence the strategies aid in developing a sense of loyalty by investing in the employees. Rag and Bone has an employee-led development scheme which enables the employees to take charge of their development by providing tools and resources to get their employees thinking ahead about their careers and not waiting for their managers to develop them  (Pike, 2015). Performance management as the fifth employee cycle stage is strategic with the aim of ensuring employees are contributing positively to the objectives of the business using a range of HR activities and processes. Pearl has customer care indicators that are used to gauge employee performance standards. These indicators have a collection of customer surveys, focus group discussions and customer complaints. Pearl recognizes it gets successful when the relationship between managers and employees is one of fairness, trust, good communication and contains an open door policy to enable generation and utilization of ideas. Pearl is keen on fostering good performance management because it helps every staff; understand the path of the business and what it wants to achieve. The standards of performance required, everyone's role in helping the company accomplish its goals. Understand how they can develop their performance and contribute to the growth of the organization and also where there are performance problems and how to handle them. The PRADA group encourages management and employees to take up responsibilities, to work, win challenges and achieve corporate objectives. This entrepreneurial culture recognizes, promotes and rewards the pro-activeness of the individual and teamwork. This cultural contribution aid in the achievement of the company's strategy and adopting consistency and responsibility traits  (PRADA, 2007). The sixth employee life cycle is transition which is the process when an employee leaves a company on retirement, better opportunity, getting fired, being laid off or due to personal reasons. It is, therefore, the work of the HR to manage the transition process by ensuring the following all procedures and processes. Pearl's HR department has an employee development plan in place to aid in the smooth transition. This plan contains a list of the employee's pending projects with a step by step process detailing actions this individual will take to finish the tasks. The HR follows up with the employee in the days following the day of departure. A form is shared with the employee for him/her to share honest opinions on their views about the company, reasons for leaving and areas for improvement. The HR delegates the tasks that cannot be completed before the employee's departure to other employees either do it or manage it until they hire a replacement. According to Forbes, Ron shares an e vent where a senior manager, unannounced and fired his employee and directed all his questions to the HR who at the time was ill prepared. This manager had for the last six months given the employee positive feedback and claimed his firing grounds on the lack of teamwork. This behavior as Ron further explains probably generated a major lawsuit and he calls it an extreme example (Ashkenas, 2013).  Ã‚   In conclusion, human resource best practices are one of the most dominant ways for a business to ensure the creation of value for the customers especially at Pearl collections and our profitability. The apparel industry is highly dominated and competitive, and by putting into place the six stages of the employee lifecycle, our relevance reinforces our strategic position. Pearl's measurement of success relies on low employee turnover, employee satisfaction, enhanced performance, career growth, increased responsibility, high levels of customer service, competency, high profits, improved morale, access to information, communication, self-improvement and existence of development programs just to name a few. In the future, Pearl collections are determined to continue offering fashionable items at quality prices and expand by opening more boutiques in various countries as our profitability and growth are on track. Boxall, P., & Purcell, J. (2003).  Strategy and human resource management  (1st ed.). London: Palgrave Macmillan Education. Code of Ethics  (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://www.pradagroup.com/documents/governance/code_of_ethics_en.pdf Fashion Companies Need to Rethink Their HR Function.  The Business of Fashion. , from https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/intelligence/the-strategic-importance-of-hr Forbes Welcome. (2013).  Forbes.com. , from   https://www.forbes.com/sites/ronashkenas/2013/03/11/if-you-have-to-fire-an-employee-heres-how-to-do-it-right/#3c954ad0151f Gomez, M. (2014).  How Career Development Programs Support Employee Retention.  Td.org. from https://www.td.org/Publications/Blogs/Career-Development-Blog/2014/10/How-  Ã‚  Ã‚   Career-Development-Programs-Support-Employee-Retention Hennes & Mauritz (H&M), AN HRM CASE STUDY. (2009) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://colbournecollege.weebly.com/uploads/2/3/7/9/23793496/5385hrm_case_study_0.p  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   df How to manage performance | Advisory booklet | Acas.  Acas.org.uk. Retrieved from https://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2927 Kreissl, B. (2013).  What exactly are HR best practices? | Canadian HR Reporter.  Hrreporter.com. , from https://www.hrreporter.com/columnist/hr-policies-  Ã‚   practices/archive/2013/04/22/what-exactly-are-hr-best-practices/ MANAGEMENT REPORT. (2011) (1st ed.). Retrieved from https://group.hugoboss.com/files/HUGOBOSS_GB2011_Lagebericht_En_AGAbschluss.p  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   df Pfeffer, J. (1998).  Seven Practices of Successful Organizations  (2nd ed.). California. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jeffrey_Pfeffer/publication/265114424_Seven_Practices_of_Successful_Organizations/links/56cbb52b08aee3cee54192bc.pdf Thompson, S.  Human Resources Life Cycle.  Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved from   https://smallbusiness.chron.com/human-resources-life-cycle-62078.html Types of Employee Services.  Smallbusiness.chron.com. Retrieved from https://smallbusiness.chron.com/types-employee-services-2802.html What is employee transition planning?.  Reference. Retrieved from   https://www.reference.com/business-finance/employee-transition-planning-  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   46898c77ac071e75 What is Onboarding Exactly? - PeopleAdmin.  PeopleAdmin. Retrieved from https://www.peopleadmin.com/2013/01/what-is-onboarding-exactly/

The Educational Part Of The Life Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Educational Part Of The Life - Essay Example As a professional nurse, my past experience will make my work more interesting because I will have the fore-knowledge towards tackling the situational crisis and managing available resources to benefit every citizen regardless of social class. It will be with regards that I am offered the scholarship to further my studies in a provision that throughout my life I have struggled to accomplish my dream in career and goal achievement. Currently, I have an obligation as a father and at the same time a student. Having closed my business and quit the NA position, it will be challenging to pay tuition fees for my children at the elementary level to college level, at the same time provide basic needs for them and cater for my education. The scholarship offer will greatly be a show to the society, especially to the nontraditional students that there is always a way and learning requires space and time to be accomplished. With all the devotions experienced in life, I am affirmed that the result s to my Master’s degree in Nursing will change the face of the society and that of my family. Having difficulties in finishing high school due to financial constraints, I wish to engage all my efforts in my studies and that’s why solely my mind has got the right direction to pursue MDN though the scholarship offer. Receiving the scholarship will instill credibility and as well sound as a form of reward to my hard work recognition to an extent of empowering my personality as a father and a professional in the field of nursing.

Bottled water market Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Bottled water market - Essay Example The second part will contrast the bottled water market in two specific countries. The countries chosen for this purpose are Scotland and Saudi Arabia, whereas the major bottlers in these countries selected are Strathmore and Masafi mineral water respectively. There appear to be several reasons inducing people to purchase bottled water in any part of the world. Of course, bottled water is far costlier than the tap water for the people in the developing countries as compared to the under-developed countries. However, the demand for bottled water in all its forms has been on a substantial rise in both the sections of the world. People in the poor as well as rich countries are willing to pay a high price for bottled water while avoiding having tap water that is available to them cheaply. The motives driving the people to purchase bottled water are discussed below in the context of developed and developing countries of the world. The bottled water market is booming in all parts of the world with an annual volume of about 89 billion litres, which shows that an average person drinks 15 litres of bottled water every year (Danone, 2000). The western consumers comprise the major market for the bottled water companies especially from the European countries. Apparently, these are the developed countries of the world with high per capita income and enhanced awareness of health and purity matters. Scotland is also one of the developed nations of world with a booming bottled water market. It is interesting to note that in developed nations of the world, the tap water available to people is much safer to drink, albeit the people are inclined to purchase bottled water more than those in developing countries. The main reasons inducing people to purchase bottled water in a developed European country like Scotland are as follows: People buy bottled water in the country because they are concerned profoundly with health matters and thus inclined to regard bottled water as a source of good health. People also refrain from using tap water and opt for bottled water because of the contamination of tap water and disease threats associated with impure water. People also make their bottled water purchases under the influence of social practices and fashion symbols In Scotland, people have relatively higher level of income and good standard of living, therefore they tend to spend more on bottled water such as carbonated drinks etc for fun and pleasure Due to increase in the number of cars owned by individuals every year. Bottled water are easy to carry and dispose off due to their convenient package, therefore people prefer to buy bottled water while travelling. Developing Countries As evident from the above discussion, much of the reasons motivating people to purchase bottled water come from their life styles, fitness concerns, marketing influence, pleasure, income patterns and social status etc. These factors are rarely visible in most of the developing countries in the world. The two most important factors motivating the people to purchase expensive bottled water in developing world, especially in a country like Saudi Arabia are discussed below: Scarcity of water is one of the acute problems faced by

The development of art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The development of art - Research Paper Example Synagogues, cities and university buildings also utilized these styles. Their differences were seen in terms of the radiating chapels, arch type, vault, elevation, exterior, sculptural decoration, and mood (Fitchen 1981). Gothic architecture was characterized by ribbed vaults while that of Romanesque used groin vaults. In gothic there were pointed arches in arcades, windows, and doors whereas in Romanesque they were rounded ones. Flying buttresses were seen in gothic buildings while in Romanesque buttresses were shallowly projected. Built during the Romanesque period, the building is outstanding and famous in the world. It has the likeness of other Basilica churches consisting of double aisles, and timber roof. The columns are joined by stacked arches, with red and white marble on the bands outside. Its aesthetics are the general proportions and delicate ornamental features. The Vaults mainly chatracterised the Romanesque era as they were developed through innovation so as to replace wooden roofs which were prone to catching fire. Gothic Architecture was concerned with sculpture, architecture, manuscripts and music. The two main structural concerns are pointed arches and ribbed vaults. One such innovation is the Rayyonant style which concentrated on decoration. Other characteristics are heavy colorings of the glasses, carvings and paintings as seen in Saint Chapelle building. Tall and large buildings were built to complicate their plans. Tall buildings were accompanied by thin walls, as seen in Salisbury Cathedral. Salisbury Cathedral is an Anglican church formerly called the cathedral church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. It was constructed in the early English Gothic style. Its uniqueness is the towering central spire in the UK and world oldest functioning clock. It was built with highly sophisticated design under the guidance of Richard Poore, the Bishop of Salisbury. Sainte Chapelle was constructed under the commission of King Louis IX

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Analysis Cairn Energy PLC - Essay Example The headquarters of the company is situated in Edinburg. The company was founded by Sir, Bill Gammel who also happens to be a former rugby player. The initial operations of the company were in USA. However, after the listing of the company on London stock exchange in 1988 the company expanded nationally and internationally into Spain, China, Vietnam, Australia, Bangladesh, Albania, Nepal, Tunisia and Papua New Guinea. The average oil produced by the company is 33,000 per day (approx). However the largest operations of the company are in India as the company has been able to make over 20 discoveries in the state of Rajasthan. This includes one major discovery in Mangala. The main products produced by the company include natural gas, Petroleum and petrochemicals. ... mmunication of performance and strategy Organizational Structure Group Structure Divisional Structure External Environment Analysis PESTEL Analysis Political The government have been very involved in the production and exploration of oil and gas. The geopolitical violence and developments in few countries have lead to a less than suitable and highly risky for foreign investments in production and exploration of oil and gas. Economic The global economy is looking to make a comeback from the economic downturn in Europe and USA. Add to that the western oil and gas market has become extremely competitive. Therefore companies are looking to invest in some of the emerging economies of the countries in the eastern region. Companies also enjoy favourable corporate conditions, tax breaks and relatively low labour rates the market has also witnessed an energy crisis. The crisis has mainly occurred changes in demand and supply side limited resources for production leading to increase in costs o r production. Also the oil prices are decided by the supply and demand factors. Due to the fluctuations in these two factors has lead to instability in the prices. This actually posses a major risk in the times of low oil prices (Henry, 2008, p.201). Social Change in climate has led to a change a change in the lifestyle of the people. This also led to a change in the mindset of the people towards Carbon emission mainly in the developed countries. Due to such developments the corporate social responsibility has become an integral part of the marketing strategy of the companies to develop long relationships with environmental activists and local communities. Technological Innovative drilling technology and exploratory techniques like the 3d seismic processing, improved plant design and 3d

Social Media Metrics Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Social Media Metrics - Research Paper Example From the discussion it is clear that  Home Depot recently presented a massive check of $250,000 to the Reno’s Veterans Guest House during the company’s Aprons in Action contest. During the contest, which began in early 2011, the Facebook page of the company served as the platform for up to 44 non-profit companies to earn funding totaling to up to $1 million as a result of Facebook votes and to develop more awareness of their community engagement and efforts. The social media strategy adopted by Home Depot is managed by the corporate communications department, headed by Mr. Brad Shaw. The company’s corporate team in charge of social media is tasked with responsibilities of reviewing content and posts that are developed by associates. They also manage the company’s social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube.As the essay stresses  defining the R  in the company's ROI -  For the purposes of proving the ROI, it is important for the co mpany to have a tangible business goal with which to begin with. This refers to the return that the company is looking forward to deliver. The company should also consider the objectives of doing this as well as the problem that it is trying to solve.  Home Depot determines its share of positive sentiment in the midst of all positive sentiment in its marketplace. On the other hand, if Home Depot operates in any controversial area, it should gauge its relative share of the negative sentiment.  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Defining the audience – This refers to the market the company’s campaign is trying to reach. It is important for the company’s social media campaign to go out and attempt to reach fifty million people; however, that is not very important if the fifty million people are not really its target market. The company can reach the world with its social media presence; however, if the closest company store is a

Business and Government Relations Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Business and Government Relations - Coursework Example Discouraged valuations regularly represent the developing apprehensions in line with unilateral as well as putative decision by the White House. However, there is not real change in the U.S in line with based oil greatnesss capacity to review oil spill cases. Moreover, the fears regarding the BP bankruptcy should be well considered by the U.S government. Indeed, the regulation of the derivatives is necessary to save the BP oil industry from falling. The Company has boosted the U.S economy for so many years. Thus, it is not fair for the current administration of Obama to push more demands to this industry. The environmental pollution factor could be a major obstacle in line with the regulation of the trading of derivatives between U.S and BP industry. The U.S government may as well despite the action of regulating the business relationship with BP oil industry because of environmental pollution. The shores have been pretty much affected by the oil spill chemicals. In the respect of ecology, this is not acceptable since it affects the lives of many species, such as fish. Thus, on the other hand, the government should not regulate any trading of derivatives with BP oil industry (Alex 57). Another reason that could also hinder the regulation of trading of derivatives is prevention of diseases. Several people faced the sever nature of the chemical resulting from the oil spill by BP and Gulf. They have experienced unknown diseases which have been troublesome to treat and thusly caused deaths. In order to avoid further disasters, the government should not regulate the trading of derivatives to serve the lives of

Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Essay Example Balducci, who brings the prisoners, claims that the accused had killed his cousin because of a family squabble over grain. However, it is surprising that there are high rates of insecurity in the region because Balducci has to return to El Ameur to watch over the territory. In as much as several concepts and themes are evident in the narration, the author highlights the theme of injustice, loneliness, and deficiency; consequently, it is necessary to analyze the story based on literary concepts. Analysis of the Guest by Albert Camus The title â€Å"guest† is suitable for the story based on varied reasons. Initially, several things that are happening in the story are alien to the inhabitants of the region. The meetings between people who are unknown to each other signify the need for tolerance. The Arab and Balducci are the guests in the story. According to Camus (2), the story and the characters become anxious because a guest is expected. Indeed, the guest is a character in the story that the author does not disclose directly to the audience. Omnipresent narration is used figuratively to describe the characters in the tale. The narration works well because the reader can understand the events that followed the period after the drought. According to Camus (7), people are dealing with different forms of insecurities. Consequently, the prisoner in the story should receive punishment for his wrongdoings. The Guest depicts a time when people were encountering several forms of challenges in their societies. This is clear because the region where the story is set experiences instability. The author states that the place had experienced war and its negative effects for a while. The characters in the story are instrumental in painting a picture of the real condition that the author describes (Camus 4). For example, Daru is indecisive because he questions the events surrounding his life as apparent in numerous instances. He is supposed to deliver the Arab to the au thorities in Tinguit; however, he is unwilling to do so. Daru talks about the bags of wheat that would be used by the families facing hunger (Camus 1). From the analysis of the story, farming plays a decisive role to livelihood of the characters in the plays. The author further states that learning is no longer taking place at the school compound. As witnessed in the story, the schoolmaster arrives at a deserted. He is annoyed with the prevailing conditions in his country as apparent in the conversation. The guest revolves around the theme of justice. There is a lot of anxiety among the characters in the scene (Camus 6). None of them is certain about his future following the drought and wars. The divergent themes in â€Å"the guest† are instrumental because they highlight the uncertainties in the contemporary European community. It is surprising to state that the Arab is also a guest yet he had committed a crime initially. Indeed, referring to a wrongdoer as a guest represent s sarcasm in the story. The theme of morality is also present in the play using different scene. For example, it is questionable when Daru chooses to sleep naked yet he is a grown up person (Camus 6). The behavior is expected only among children in the society. Symbolism is equally evident in most part of the story. It is evident that people were suffering because of their own mistakes after carefully looking at various instances of imagery (Camus 3). For example, the prisoner will suffer for having

Corporation Tech Essay Example for Free

Corporation Tech Essay Corporation Tech will face many security risks with their current network. The user domain is the single most vulnerable part of any network and as such poses the most obvious security risk. To mitigate risks involving the users is to implement policies and training to educate the user on proper use and security best practices. By educating the user on security practices such as secure passwords, safe web surfing, and securing their workstations, many potential attacks can be avoided. Policies and training are also necessary because they can be used as evidence when taking administrative action against a user or intruder in the event the system or data information is compromised. Laptops and workstations have their own set of security risks associated with them. They are vulnerable to being compromised by malware, spyware, or even hackers that take advantage of certain exploits. Laptops, workstations and mobile devices are susceptible to malicious software attacks, theft or loss. Viruses and malware can affect these devices and are usually acquired through contaminated email attachments and hyperlinks that redirect the user to exploited web sites or are transferred through USB storage devices. Viruses and malware can also be acquired by downloading infected files or programs that are designed by hackers. Because of the need to protect systems against threats, all workstations and laptops should be secured with antivirus and firewall software and updated and patched on a regular basis to fix vulnerabilities with the software that hackers may exploit. Since the laptops are mobile by nature they are at risk of being stolen along with all of the data saved on their hard drives. The best security method for this would be to encrypt the hard drives on the laptops and where feasible only store sensitive data on corporate servers and allow authorized user  remote access to the data via SSHVPN sessions. Physical security or lack thereof also poses a huge risk; if an attacker has physical access to your equipment they do not actually need your log in credentials to access data. Attackers could boot your systems up on a live CD and compromise your information without leaving any trace in the logs other than a restart. Even if an attacker has a narrow window for physical access to your systems, they can steal the hardware and gain access to the data from it at their convenience. Secure all removable equipment is locked storage locations with security controls such as cameras and biometric access devices. Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks are a major concern when it comes to the company’s servers; this is done when a botnet sends an overwhelming amount of requests to the servers until they shut down. The best method to deal with this is to install security hardware or software that can detect these kinds of attacks as they are beginning to take place and filter that traffic out. The hardware is often very effective but also can be very expensive which can be a whole different issue but if you have the funding available I would recommend purchasing the hardware. SQL injections are one of the most common attacks on web based applications, these attacks occur when an attacker inserts a SQL statement that is not authorized through a SQL data channel such as the login screen. This best way to mitigate this risk is to implement string checking for special SQL characters or install software to check the web application for injection vulnerabilities. The software may cost a little money but it will help to prevent unauthorized access to information in your database.

Common Stereotypes in Society Essay Example for Free

Common Stereotypes in Society Essay As a society, we tend to stereotype. Whether our presumption is right or wrong, some common stereotypes are still accepted as truth no matter how much evidence there is proving another point of view. Three common stereotypes I see are those that involve abused women, Blacks and their love of fried chicken and the ability of older people learning foreign languages. Many of these stereotypes are reinforced by cultures and what is commonly seen within their culture. These stereotypes can have a long lasting effect on the people that are judged by the stereotype and a long lasting effect on the perception of those people. When most people think about an abused woman, many see the woman with a black eye not realizing that abuse is more than physical. Verbal and mental abuse are also used to control the victim. In many cases, physical abuse is the latter and verbal and mental abuse is the first type introduced. Although there are many shelters and agencies available to abused women, many believe that these women are too afraid to leave the relationship and are blamed for any further abuse they suffer because they didn’t leave or call the police. On the contrary, â€Å"more than 77 percent of them had self-reported to the police. (Barrett, B. , Nov 2011). In the cases when the women have children, many think that they stay because they do not have the means to provide for their family if they leave the home. Based on a handbook by the Santa Clara Probation department, â€Å"victims of domestic violence leave their abuser seven times on average before they are able to stay on their own† (Prophet, T. , 2006). Many of the abused women are presumed as weak and people in general, do not want to assist a weak person because they will more than likely go back to the situation they were just helped out of. There are many shelters available but the funding needed is scarce due to the previous mentioned fear. The second common stereotype is that all Black people like fried chicken. I was taught in school that any statement that expresses that â€Å"all† of anything is definitely a false statement. This stereotype was started a long time ago, and is probably associated with situations related to slavery. â€Å"The most obvious explanation derives from the historical fact that fried chicken dishes were popular in slave homes on Southern plantations. In many cases, chickens were the only livestock animals that slaves were permitted to raise on their own† (Bering, J. (2011). This just proves that the reason fried chicken is associated with African Americans is not because they enjoy the food so much but it was the only choice they had when it came to what was availbe to them. The other reason there is such a negative connotation associated with fried chicken is because the slavery era itself was not a good time for African Americans (Bering, J. 2011). As an unhealthy and inexpensive food, fried chicken invokes images of poverty, ignorance, sloth, and other racist associations† (Bering, J. 2011). Not only is the mention of fried chicken and African Americans considered negative, it has also been viewed as racist. Advertisers seem to gear their commercials towards the African American community when advertising for fried chicken. Mary J. Blige received a lot of flack for being in a Burger King commercial advertising their New Crispy Strips Tortilla Wraps. The commercial was eventually pulled from rotation due to the backlash received. Other high profile individuals have also been targeted by the chicken industry, including President Obama. Although it’s no secret that these people do enjoy fried chicken, associating these people with the food generated a negative or racial tone. There is nothing wrong with these people liking fried chicken, as there are many other racial groups that also enjoy this cuisine. The third common stereotype would be the idea that older adults will have a harder time learning foreign languages when compared to younger children. One of the reasons for this stereotype can be attributed to the older adult and the teacher, they have doubts about their ability to learn a foreign language. Although most people have accepted the generalization of learning as â€Å"the younger the better† (Schleppegrell, M. , 1987), this is not the case when it comes to learning language. There have been studies that have determined that aging does not decline a person’s learning ability. The way older adults learn a new skill is the only adjustments that need to be made. These studies also show that older adults learn at a more rapid rate than children (Krashen, Long, and Scarcella, 1979). There are two reasons why being a poor language learner is attributed to adults, and those are â€Å"a theory of the brain and how it matures, and classroom practices that discriminate against the older learner† (Schleppegrell, M. , 1987). The critical period hypothesis that was put forth in the 1960s was based on then-current theories of brain development, and argued that the brain lost cerebral plasticity after puberty, making second language acquisition more difficult as an adult than as a child (Lenneberg, 1967). Due to advances in the study of neurology, it has been determined that adults have superior language learning capabilities. These studies and facts should dispel any accepted stereotypes related to older adults and their ability to learn foreign languages. One thing that is common amongst all of these stereotypes is that the â€Å"victim† has accepted these stereotypes to be true and doesn’t challenge any of the information that would affirm or deny such claims. This could also be the first step into getting some of these stereotypes removed from our culture so that people are able to benefit positively and not have to worry about any negative impacts from doing activities that are natural.

Corporate Social Responsibility in the ICT Industry

Corporate Social Responsibility in the ICT Industry 1. Introduction ICT industry has experienced rapid growth characterised by strong competition in which companies are increasingly focussing in improving their core competencies such as innovation, marketing, and branding to maintain competitive advantage. Manufacturing and supply chain are usually outsourced to developing countries; leading to complex multi dimensional relationships between companies. To maintain operational efficiency companies a lot of times dont pay heed to environment and low power stakeholders such as employees, NGOs etc., and therefore lack a systematic CSR (corporate social responsibility) framework. According to a finding by Forrester Group (Figure 1), 34 % of organizations are now pursuing a CSR action plan and about 13% have already implemented one (Forrester, 2009). CESR framework enables identification of root causes of issues, establishes remedial processes and supports continual improvements. Companies already use business management systems (BMS) and utilizing CSR man agement standards such as ISO 26000 and ISO 14001 should not be difficult to adapt. These standards will act as performance indicators for companys CSR. Having an integrated approach towards business and CSR ensures companys long term viability by not only addressing environmental and societal issues but also developing business process, improving quality, and controllability. This paper will show that despite organizations being reluctant in realizing the not so visible returns by investing in CSER, it is increasingly becoming critical to incorporate the social and environmental strategies within the business structure. This paper analyses the major challenges, root causes for these challenges faced by ICT industry, and concludes by recommending a series of procedures that can be adopted by companies to ensure their viability and sustainability in the present and future. 2. Prevalent CSR issues in the industry The major CESR (corporate environment and social responsibility) issues identified in organizations, especially in developing countries that manufacture 45% of all ICT products are excessive working hours, worker health and safety, poor employer-employee relationship, e-waste and pollution (Janco Associates Inc., 2009). 2. 1 Poor employee engagement Many workers in the ICT industry, especially in the manufacturing sector, are hired regularly on short term contracts and laid off at the end of their term. Under this set up employers get away without hiring full-time employees; thereby, avoiding higher wages and benefits, which would have been incurred otherwise. This happens quite often in developing countries such as China and Philippines. This prevents workers from actively partaking in companies growth and decreases loyalty. In addition, the manufacturing industry is plagued with workers having to work mandatory overtime in order to meet high production demands at varying times. This requires flexible as well as long working hours for employees. In many developing countries, workers are threatened to be fired in case they do not comply with these work schedules. Long working hours can also be highly detrimental towards the morale of the workers and hurts the motivation of the labour force. 2.2 Health and safety issues (U.S. Geological Survey, 2008) Majority of electronic products manufactured by ICT industry contain some form of hazardous substances. Workers in developing countries are constantly exposed to these materials that pose significant risks to their health hazards. According to Ladou (1994), ICT manufacturing workers are exposed to more toxins than workers in the chemical or pesticide industry are. 2.3 Electronic Waste (E-Waste) One of the greatest environmental issues the ICT industry currently faces is inconsistent e-waste policies adopted not just by companies but governments across the world. http://www.pcij.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/e-waste-dumping-routes-large.jpgFigure 2: Sources and destinations of e-waste Due to rapid technological developments and newer design models of cell phones, the average lifespan of a cell phone is only 18 months in OECD countries (U.S. Geological Survey, 2008). This creates tremendous amounts of e-waste generated that is exported in tonnes on a daily basis to developing countries. Many times this waste is exported under the category of workable conditions though it is dysfunctional. Many recyclers are not certified and do not follow environmental or social standards to recycle. Figure 2 identifies sources and destinations of most of e-waste. It is unsurprising to see that developed nations are using developing countries as their e-waste graveyard. Most companies use third party contractors, who form part of a nascent industry, to handle product disposal and recycling. 3. Root-causes of the challenges in the ICT sector Information and Communications Technology (ICT) companies are constantly bombarded by protests from the public, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and governments with respect to their inattention towards social and environmental responsibilities. There are several reasons why these companies are unable to adequately execute their aforementioned responsibilities. The following paragraphs will highlight some of reasons and identify the root causes of the challenges ICT companies face in this regard (FIAS BSR, 2007). 3.1 Significant upfront costs without tangible benefits According to FIAS and BSR (2007), ICT companies are constantly challenged by issues of feasibility when considering an investment to promote their corporate social responsibility (CSR), due to the uncertain return on investment (ROI). Financial return through CSR is usually intangible and therefore difficult to keep a track of and measure, hence heightening the risk perceived by managers. However according to FIAS and BSRs (2007) survey, investments in CSR can result in lower employee attrition rates, increased process efficiency, healthier business relationship with customers and high influx of customers among other various benefits. Nevertheless, the perceived financial uncertainty inherent in CSR investments leads many companies to overlook the benefits highlighted by the aforementioned survey and simply regard it as a long term strategy with no guarantees. Some companies wait to become late adopters until the impact of CSR is tested and tried in their industry before incorporatin g it within their business model. 3.2 Heavy investments FIAS and BSR (2007) found out that companies implementation of a CSR strategy could increase costs by 3-5% or perhaps even more, in addition to costs incurred through the adoption of new equipment and technologies to promote better environmental or health and safety practices for example. As well, the management has to invest time, effort and other resources to perform training and develop internal policies. These factors add to the uncertainty and perceived burden of CSR investments and may further act as deterrents for companies to invest significant resources. 3.3 Complexities related to overtime Unmanageable excess overtime is one of the greatest CSR challenges ICT manufacturing suppliers face. According to FIAS BSRs survey (2007), a significant number of suppliers believe that they could fulfill all CSR expectations except excess overtime. The major reason behind this issue is overtime decisions are outside of the suppliers control. The manufacturing industry faces a lot of fluctuation in manufacturing demand that results in a lack of predictable product volumes. Other factors such as changes in the workforce, fluctuations in raw materials prices, evolving labour and environment laws, and even last minute changes in customer orders complicate this process. While companies do make efforts to responsibly manage workers work-life balance, in the case of suppliers that hire hundreds of thousands of workers, this process may well be extremely challenging. 3.4 Implementation of CSR expectations in supply chains The CSR efforts of multinational corporations (MNCs) can multiply significantly if they realize the importance of motivating and convincing all of their supply chain partners within the hierarchy to adopt responsibility towards the community and environment they operate in. However, this can be very challenging and companies typically feel responsible for only towards their next suppliers performance and are not aware of suppliers activities down the supply chain. MNCs outsourcing into developing countries bear the responsibility of ensuring that their suppliers conform to ethical values and international standards 4. Recommendations Leading organizations have embraced a leadership role in CSR initiatives because they realize that by investing in the community, the environment, and its internal resources they create cost savings, competitive advantages and continued growth (T Systems, 2009). Central to any companys success has been a very trusting working atmosphere that involves open communication between employees and management. Initiatives such as daycare services, preventive back pain workshops, support programs for smokers and subsidized healthy food and gym programs have helped in promoting active employee engagement. Various companies are actively involved in helping non-profit organizations with financial and non-financial measures. A lack of gender diversity, specifically women in the workforce is a constant challenge for the information and communication technology (ICT) industry as a whole as over 80% of the industrys workforce is male. Another issue is environmental awareness among employees, customers and its supply-chain. For example, employees may not be adopting proper recycling practices or cutting down on wastage. Customers may not be eager to adopt virtualization, which is a technology that enables more efficient server energy use, because of a fear of privacy breaches. Similarly, with regards to the supply chain, large e-waste problems may not be addressed adequately, leading to large amounts of waste due to constant hardware turnover that is irresponsibly disposed in the developing world, thereby contributing to pollution and possibly negative health outcomes. Great changes can be brought by adopting small initiatives throughout the industry by every company. Eventually these changes will become the norm of the industry and perhaps transform into standards and laws. Implementation of a split focus between environmental, and internal and external social initiatives is essential to satisfying all key stakeholders. The following table highlights some of the positive and negative aspects of adopting such an approach: PROS CONS Builds and maintains brand image Consolidates approach and addresses key areas of corporate concerns Can choose from a wide array of projects No catch-up required for upcoming industry/regulations for environmental/social practices Satisfies all stakeholders needs High resource needs Splitting corporate focus Takes focus away from customer acquisition Therefore as the table indicates, this option addresses both social and environmental factors; however it lessens the overall effect on both areas compared to if they were pursued individually. 4.1 Create an enabling ICT policy framework that incorporates a holistic CSR strategy within the business model Companies need to create and integrate a CSR strategy within their existing business model to be able to fully engrain CSR into their company. This strategy recognizes and addresses issues independently on a priority basis. Every company will find different issues it needs to address; for instance, a chemical processing plant will have to find the best possible way to dispose off waste responsibly, whereas, an electronics manufacturer will address the issue of toxic metals being used in production. Once the company is able to establish and adhere to its CSR mission, it then can communicate these values among its supply chain and members of the ICT industry. The goal is to adopt a strategy that maximizes sustainability in the following areas: brand image, stakeholder satisfaction, and long term viability. 4.2 Create incentives for suppliers Suppliers consider incentives from customers as being a strong motivator to improve their CSR performance. Therefore, companies should determine which incentives would help their suppliers perform better in meeting CSR expectations. Some examples of incentives could be a combination of longer contract terms, increased purchase volumes, higher prices and public recognition through awards and certificates. The amount of incentives can be linked to different levels of performance shown by the suppliers. Companies need to realize that providing these incentives may hurt their profits initially, but in the long run the advantages derived from better CSR performance, such as less need for monitoring, reliable supply chains, diminished risk to brand image, improved product quality, and better operated facilities, could potentially counter the initial reduction in profits. 4.3 Implement Standard industry-wide codes A common industry standard is essential to guide and monitor compliance for companies. Codes such as the Electronics Industry Code of Conduct are universally identified and accepted as being a tool to improve processes and methodologies. Additionally the presence of one industry standard increases documentation and reporting efficiency as there will be less duplication, inconsistency and confusion. 4.4 Conduct audits for improvement rather than compliance Companies perform audits merely as a responsibility to get over with. However, audits are to serve as a learning opportunity by identifying issues and areas for improvement. Audits should be able to not only tell companies the degree of compliance with the standards but also give a larger picture of companys fulfillment of its commitment to CSR. Following the audits company can arrange training sessions to remedy the weaknesses identified in the audits (FIAS BSR, 2007). 4.5 Involve and implement responses from all stakeholders In order to achieve this, companies can implement the CSR strategic process that TELUS has been able to utilize successfully. This process engages internal and external stakeholders to develop a CSR strategy that is continuously reviewed and realigned to achieve results. Involving stakeholders during various stages of strategy incorporation enables development of a wholesome strategy, which satisfies needs of all social and environment aspects. Typically, NGOs and environmentalists are not involved in companys CSR strategy framing, thereby, limiting companies performance in green sector. CSR 4.6 E-waste Management System With regards to e-waste management, the goal is to find a clean, economical and constructive means of disposal. As such, the adoption of an e-Market for Returned Deposit system similar to the model outlined by Kahhat, Kim et.al is recommended (Kahat, Kim, Xu, Allenby, Williams, Zhang, 2008). This system will consist of the development of a database that will act as a forum for suppliers and organizations looking for cheap, reusable and recyclable hardware. This database provides suppliers with an outlet to dispose of their grandfathered and unusable hardware in a responsible and economic way. As well, e-waste disposal companies (who meet WEEE standards) could access the forum to look for hardware that they may need. There could also be a separate section for donation to schools and non-profit organizations. The hope is that this forum will help shrink the digital divide and decrease pollution from e-waste. This site would be directly influencing their customers as well as their suppliers to dispose of their e-waste in a constructive and responsible manner while assisting in the further development of the communitys technological know-how, thereby shrinking the digital divide. Finally, companies can begin offering their expertise in environmental efficiencies in order to create an ethical supply chain. This process will start by educating suppliers and moving on to educating other organizations and may represent a future revenue stream. 4.7 Employee Engagement As part of an initiative to increase employee engagement while addressing companies strategy of socially responsible behaviour, the development of a cross-functioning CSR Task Force in every company is recommended. This groups mandate will be to initiate, develop and implement new CSR initiatives designed to enhance and add to the companys current CSR strategy. A senior management director, who will act as a facilitator for the committee, will champion this task force. Beyond this role, he or she will act merely as a symbolic head of the committee. The idea behind this arrangement is to ensure that upper management is kept abreast of homegrown ideas and developments and to make sure they remain engaged in the overall CSR strategy. Members of the task force will be employees selected from different functional areas of the company. Intra-company elections will be held on an annual basis to select a committee head (non-management), who will be the main driver and coordinator of new CSR ideas and strategies. By having non-upper management employees lead this task force, a way for employees to gain valuable leadership experience will be realized. Cisco Systems has implemented a similar program and to date they have experienced very successful results (Creary, 2010). This project allows Host Europe to engage its employees and involve them in a strategically important initiative all while reaping the benefits of new and innovative CSR ideas derived from a CSR think-tank at a low cost. Such a task force will also act as CSR consultants that hopefully will educate and help implement CSR strategies that mirror leading companies strategies up the supply chain. Depending on how the CSR consultants are received by suppliers, there is potential that this could become a new revenue stream as suppliers try to reach the customers position. In order to encourage engagement from all employees we suggest that, in conjunction with the newly appointment CSR Task Force, companies begin an employee efficiency reward system where employees are rewarded financially for the degree of environmentally efficient measures they take. These measures would be decided by the CSR team and could include anything from car-pooling to personal contribution to community programs geared at environmental clean-ups, to outside education of local businesses. Employeess CSR commitment can be measured in their annual performance review. At the end of the year, the CSR Task Force can vote on the top CSR performers at the company and bonuses can be given out to them. 4.8 Focus on Diversity To address the lack of female representatives in the ICT industry, companies can seek membership in local female associations like Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) and Association for Womens Rights in Development (AWID). These organizations concentrate on developing womens technical skills, offers networking opportunities, career guidance and increase awareness and interest in the field of ICT. Through these channels, companies can attract top students to through internships or executive hiring programs. Other senior female executives in the ICT industry can act as champions for the overall initiative by participating in information sessions, mentorship programs and initiatives like job shadowing. 4.9 Effective Human Resource Planning To ensure that the company has the right people in the right place at the right time, I would suggest the adoption of Strategic Workforce Planning (SWP) (Conference Board of Canada, 2009). This involves identifying hiring needs based on the projects companies plan to undertake in the next 3-5 years, evaluating their options to fill those positions based on skills, identifying gaps and finally developing a plan to tackle them. SWP will help companies meet talent needs based on different market conditions, account for new opportunities and projects that may be implemented in that timeline. The SWP incorporates initiatives that develop talent internally as well as develop a recruitment plan to attract external talent. 5. Conclusion CSR needs to be fundamentally integrated into business operations and relationships. In many companies, CSR is the absent link that could potentially help companies grow responsibly and sustainably along with its stakeholders. Increasingly CSR is becoming more and more critical to a companys success as customers become more aware of their surroundings. Deployment of CSR adds incredible value to a companys business while also supporting communities and the environment. Adopting CESR policies will also equip companies to readily conform to impending legislations and regulations and organizations will be well prepared to comply with standards. During the process of implementing these CSR initiatives, companies should start with easily adoptable features such as energy efficient usage of resources at work. Many of the recommendations made in this paper do not require extensive capital commitments; rather, attitudinal changes in the way companies operate. Other recommendations however, su ch as building energy efficient data centres and other ICT infrastructure, may require a considerable amount of time and financial investments (Fernando Okuda, 2009). Through partnership, organizations can encourage and support one another to adopt and adhere to their commitments. If systematically approached and consolidated, these initiatives will definitely provide companies with excellent and far-reaching improvements (T Systems, 2009).

We Must Ban MTBE Gasoline Use in Cold Climate Areas :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

We Must Ban MTBE Gasoline Use in Cold Climate Areas Several years ago doctors told us that because butter contained a lot of cholesterol it would be healthier to use margarine instead. Yet just recently it was discovered and told us by doctors that although butter has more cholesterol, overall it is healthier than margarine (Kamen 1). Margarine had some unseen negative effect on the human body, and human health. A similar yet distinct situation is happening today in the gasoline industry. In order to reduce the pollution that vehicles emit oxygenates are added to gasoline. Oxygenates reduce the amount of toxins released. The most common used oxygenate is methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE like margarine has had some unexpected and previously unseen harmful effects on the human health when used in cold climate areas. It has caused respiratory problems, nausea, headaches, and tissue inflammation and irritation (Cong 2). In an effort to protect all aspects of human health I propose that the use of MTBE as a gasoline oxygenate be banned in cold climate areas of the United States of America. When the United States was founded, Congress, the legislative branch of government was established to pass laws and legislation for the betterment of the people. Due to an increase in the number of vehicles, pollution from their emissions has become an increasingly large problem. Vehicle exhaust emissions contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) that when combined with sunlight create ozone. Ground level ozone is harmful to plants and to the human respiratory system. It causes chest pain, headaches, nasal congestion, sore throats, and reduced breathing capacity. Cars also emit carbon monoxide (CO) which is toxic to the human body (ADEQ 1). In order to better ensure and maintain clean air Congress passed the Clean Air Act of 1990. As part of this Act the cities in the United States where the set limit of carbon monoxide (CO) had been exceeded were required to sell oxygenated gasoline at the gas pumps to help reduce the CO level (Cong 2). In all there are over thirty areas in eighteen states that use oxygenated gasoline (EPA other 1). There are several different oxygenates, but in the U.S. 84% of the oxygenated gasoline uses MTBE as the oxygenate (EPA other1). MTBE must make up 15% of the gasoline mixture in order to meet federal standards (EPA 19).

Brians Song Essay -- Brians Song

Brian's Song   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This is a true story about how 2 men, Brian Piccolo and Gale Sayers, completely different from each other from and inceperable bond. The 2 men are seperated by about everything that you can think of: they come from 2 different parys of the country, one is white, one is black, 1 liked to talk, the other was shy. Pretty much the only thing they had in common was that they both were competing for the same job.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This book takes place in and around the Chicago area. Gale and Brian are both trying to get the spot as the Chicago Bears starting halfback. They both are rookies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The book begins on the training camp field of the Chicago Bears. Gale pulls up in a taxi. Brian immediately comes up to him and greets him. Brian tells Gale to go talk to Halas (Bears Head Coach). Brian also tells Gale that Halas is deaf in his left ear so stay on the right side when he is talking to him. Gale procceds to go to the coaches office. When Halal and Gale are speaking Gale keeps manuevering to get to the coaches right ear. Halas notices this akward behavior and askes him what he is doin. he alsmost tells his coach but he has realized he has gotten tricked. Next, the team is in the dining hall when Brian is volunteered by a coach to sing his almamaders (Wake Forest) fight song. This is how the books gets its title.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  I fast forward to after practice JC Caroline has to have a meeting with Gale. He notifies Gale the him and Brian will be rooming together. T...

Essay --

Linsay Mae Peralta Period 7 February 14,2014 Mexican Independence Have you ever thought of something you're so curious about? Something that your curiosity runs completely insane because you need the full information or a full story about what really happened or how did it happen? Well I did, when a research paper was assigned about Spanish Culture I was only Interested into one topic and that’s the History or background oh how the Mexican People receive their Independence. Like how America had it’s own story of its independence. Independence is about Freedom, the freedom to do what you want or to be who you are. Well like any other culture independence was very important to the Spanish people, I believe its a celebration way bigger than an event like Cinco De Mayo. I believe it’s one of the most important events for the Spanish people, and here’s why! In the course of the nineteenth century, the country Mexico was somewhat impacted or influence by the United States and the European country of France as they also took a rebellion for there freedom. They began to organize and planned a rebellion in contact with Spain. There were many people who took a big impact in this rebellion. One of the well-known person who took a big impact in this rebellion was a priest in a catholic church name father Miguel Hidalgo, he was from Dolores, Mexico. Father Hidalgo was the center of this rebellion for he was one of the top leaders of the rebellion in contact with Spain. As days and time passed by father Hidalgo and his followers of this rebellion in the year of 1810 were on the move of planning a rebellion against the country of Spain. Rumors were spread out throughout the people about this revolt. Which then led to the Spanish gov... ...ple all over Mexico say the exact same thing all over Mexico. The crowd is filled with confetti and many whistles and horns everywhere on this day Mexico is filled with joy and laughter. The people are very happy as they shout and scream as they are very also thankful for their Independence to this day. The Independence for every country is one of the remarkable days of all countries and its people. For Mexico it is also one of the most important dates there is to hold for the country something to cherish and be thankful about. It is a day full of happiness for all people in Mexico have the freedom to themselves around others and in the environment they live in. I’m glad I did a research on the Mexican Independence I learn many things from the good to the bad and more good! I’ve learned a lot from writing a research a paper on it I hope you did too!

Girl Child Essay

The International Day of the Girl Child initiative began as a project of Plan International, a non-governmental organization that operates worldwide. The idea for an international day of observance and celebration grew out of Plan International’s Because I Am a Girl campaign, which raises awareness of the importance of nurturing girls globally and in developing countries in particular. Plan International representatives in Canada approached the Canadian federal government to seek support for the initiative.[1] A coalition of supporters raised awareness of the initiative internationally. International Day of the Girl Child was formally proposed as a resolution by Canada in the United Nations General Assembly. Rona Ambrose, Canada’s Minister for the Status of Women, sponsored the resolution; a delegation of women and girls made presentations in support of the initiative at the 55th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. On December 19, 2011, the United Nations General Assembly voted to pass a resolution adopting October 11, 2012 as the inaugural International Day of the Girl Child.[2] The resolution states that the Day of the Girl recognizes The empowerment of and investment in girls, which are critical for economic growth, the achievement of all Millennium Development Goals, including the eradication of poverty and extreme poverty, as well as the meaningful participation of girls in decisions that affect them, are key in breaking the cycle of discrimination and violence and in promoting and protecting the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights, and recognizing also that empowering girls requires their active participation in decision-making processes and the active support and engagement of their parents, legal guardians, families and care providers, as well as boys and men and the wider community

Most Powerful Person on Earth Essay

Who are the some all- abilityful people of the creative activity? My fellows from my play separate gave me many different answers. What are your answers? Do you mobilise the most powerful persons of the world are moms and dads? The president? Strong peoples with immense muscles, hefty athletes, or muscular knickers? Kings, princes, and princesses which are richly dressed in ornamented clothing, and hasten servants? Businessmen that concur a lot of money? Friendly teachers with their never-failing acquaintance and smiling faces?I attempt to guess your answers. Beca example, those are also my fellows answers. intimately of us have an idea of power that is connected with control or strength, and for certain money. My fellows also think power is in adulthood, in addition to money and strength. exactly I dont think the power in money, or strenght or adulthood. forcefulness in not money. silver is temporary you foundation solve it and dope off it. If power is related with money, when we lost our money, we must be lost our power. But if we can make money once, we can make it again.If we have self-assurance, intelligence, and ability to perform effectively, we have the power for making money again. Power is ability of having great influence or control over others. And, it is in bravery, frankness, honesty, and having handsome dreams. If you have big dreams, and believe in yourself you can do everything you dreamed of. I have a different opponion roughly the most powerful people. Moms and dads are struggle for provide you a excellent future. They support, protect, and caution for you. When you are ill, they spent sleepless darkness just beside of you.To most people, approaching the President is nearly impossible. But they show interestingness to you, especially youngers they dont give voice anything even tear their hairs. Every time, they contract projects for providing you a good education. Teachers use their knowledge for helping you on your life plan. Bussinessmen use their money for building new schools. tout ensemble of them treat you more tolerant, even the laws. solely people around you, your family, relatives, teachers, politicians, struggle for providing you a peaceful, wealthy and excellent life.I diddle you guessed my answer. But I think the most powerfull peoples are children. They have the power of convince. Children have great influence and control over adults, and world because of their bravery, frankness, and honesty. With this power, you can change a difficult situation into an opportunity to do something good, and be admired for it. Please witting of your power, and opportunities that it provides you, and make use of it in the bureau of being a virtuous person for yourself, your family, your country, and the world

A character analysis of john irving’s novel ‘a prayer for owen meany Essay

Applying to the melodic theme of ghostlike credence and mortalal fate in his famous refreshing A petitioner for Owen Me any(prenominal), tush Irving discusses this crucial issue through the vote counter pot wheel horse whose uncommon discernment of idol and uttermost(a) political views unc over cozy doubts of commonwealth in relation to Christianity. In this regard, thaumaturgy Wheelwright is depicted as a person who is lost in his persecute righteousness and who is undone by his fixing of his closest fri shutd let Owen Meany, failing to figure the veritable(a) nastying of his deportment.In the novel A Prayer for Owen Meany prank Wheelwright, the offspring of the noble family, uncovers the tarradiddle of his upbringing, sacred cartel and his relations with Owen Meany who is unremarkably treated by the cashier as a symbol of Christianity. In f symbolize, hind ends printing in graven image is ground non on his trustingness, precisely on his vo x populi in Owen Meany. As the fabricator claims at the graduation exercise of the novel, I am a Christian because of Owen Meany.I make no claims to get under ones skin a breeding in Christ, or with Christ and surely non for Christ, which Ive hear some zealots claim (Irving 1). tooshie acknowledges that he has no profound knowledge of the Bible, although he regularly visits the church building and is used to reprise some passages from this beatified book. such(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) a contradictory attitude towards Christian righteousness reveals inner doubts of caper, his inability to accept all apparitional dogmas created by the Church and his attempts to form his throw belief.This is fall inicularly obvious from the take placeing words of throne Wheelwright plainly e rattling study of the gods, of everyones gods, is a revelation of vengeance toward the innocent (This is a part of my particular trustingness that fit break throughs with opposi tion from my congregationalist and Episcopal and Anglican fri arrests) (Irving 7). Thus, the storyteller eliminates some wrong assumptions of Christianity, change them with his own concepts and demonstrating his ironical attitude towards the existing images of gods.Applying to such a portrait of the principal character, Irving makes an attempt to denominate that a persons fate depends on his/her actions and his/her ability to criti ejaculatey evaluate societal and ghostlike systems of the modern innovation. But despite his acquired wisdom, canful is uneffective to accept reality instead he incessantly returns to the past, failing to accept the changes that occur in the present. As derriere Wheelwright right beaty states, Your memory is a monster you forget it doesnt.It merely files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you and cognitive process them to your recall with a will of its own. You gauge you have a memory stick outd it has you (Irvin g 35). As a resolvent, in his shopping center age keister appears to operate a neutral position in vitality, eyepatch his friend Owen Meany is overwhelmed with powerful emotions and energy in his spectral activity. patronage the fact that arse claims to accept in matinee idol, he overly expresses elicit towards his apparitional faith and opposes Regan impression. illusion is greatly influenced by Owen, provided deep inside he is not suitable to decide whether in that location is God or not it is this doubt that makes arse claim at the end of the novel watch away for people who call themselves religious make sure you know what they mean make sure they know what they mean (Irving 572). The author intentionally repeats the phrase two times to heighten the implication of the whole narration and to reveal the impressiveness of a own(prenominal) choice tin can is so influenced by Owens faith that he is not able to curb the limitations of Christian dogmas and im aginek his own instinct of some crucial issues of existence.On the another(prenominal) hand, inner doubts of the cashier contribute to the formation of such negative traits as self-importance loss and indecision in him. As caper Wheelwright points out in the letter to Owen, Youre always say me I dont have any faith Well dont you see thats a part of what makes me so indecisive. I wait to see what will happen avocation because I dont hope that anything I might decide to do would matter (Irving 504).Perhaps, flush toilets childhood experience results in his self loss and his unusual worship of Owen the narrator endlessly wants to palpate out the truth active his father, but mothers remnant deprives John of this opportunity. Simultaneously, John losses both his p arnts and long-expected truth, hoping that somehow God in the face of Owen will give him the clue to his birth. However, as John gravels older, he finds it impossible to blindly follow everything that he b elieved in youth for instance, when at the end of the narration Mr.Meany tells that Owen appeared as a result of a virgin birth and, thus, was alike to Christ, John expresses doubts as to this risings. In fact, throughout the novel the narrator makes an attempt to overcome his doubts and understand the essence of devotion, but he fails to find an appropriate balance surrounded by his doubts and his religious belief. The destruction of Owen relieves John of the necessity to key out between two excesses. However, John Wheelwright slake has to decide whether to believe in the existence of God or not, but the novel ends without this answer.The narrators ambiguity intensifies the narration, revealing that John is psychologically set downed by certain events of his life. Although John tells the story of some other person, he implicitly expresses his views on some religious and political issues, demonstrating his inability to overcome the events that occurred with him in the past. seek for his identity, John tries to explain his profound relations with Owen and his unusual religious faith, but his explanation is rather complicated.John makes an attempt to understand Owen and his belief in God, but everything that the narrator manages to achieve is intricacy. As John claims at the end of the novel, How could Owen Meany have known what he knew? Its no answer, of course, to believe in accidents, or in coincidences but is God really a better answer? (Irving 571). Thus, on the one hand, the narrator challenges the necessity to believe in God, but, on the other hand, John Wheelwright continues to pray for Owen Meanys resurrection.To some extent, John explains this ambiguity at the beginning of the narration I was baptized in the Congregational Church, and after some years of fraternity with the Episcopal I became rather weak in my religion in my teens I tended to(p) a non-denomination church. and so I became an Anglican (Irving 1). The variety of churches tha t John attended contributed to Johns inability to choose this inability concerns not still his religious views, but also his political and social concepts.John believes in God only in view of Owens religious belief, he criticizes political hunt downers and their actions through Owens understanding of political events. As John remembers, The only way you can get Americans to notice anything is to task them or draft them or kill them, Owen tell (Irving 431). Johns life appears to be most connected with Owens life and ideas, and after Owens cobblers last, Johns finds it difficult to live.Although John builds new life in Canada, finds an evoke job and constantly visits church, he feels that he lacks something important, the sense of life that he had while Owen was alive. In his middle age the narrator has no family and no sexual relations with women he criticizes Iran scandal and the Vietnam War. His worship of Owen destroys Johns personality, depriving him of the possibility to create a personal life as John admits, I make no claims to be especially godly I have a church-rummage faith the large-hearted that needs patching up every weekend.What faith I have I owe to Owen Meany, a boy I grew up with. It is Owen who made me a believer (Irving 2). without the narration Irving implicitly shows that such worship may be dangerous for a person, especially if it is formed in proto(prenominal) childhood and youth this childhood worship may destroy a person in adulthood. As John narrates of his early years and of his present life, he concurrently reveals various psychological problems he is a person who is unable to adjust to the existing political and social life in Canada, rejecting his status as an American citizen.The narrator is not able to find his authentic self, because he chooses wrong paths and wrong ways, although, contrary to Owen, he belongs to a well-known family that lives in New Hampshire. gibe to John, I was a Wheelwright that was the family name that counted in our town the Wheelwrights (Irving 6). However, growing up in a rather unconventional family, John follows the faith chosen by his best friend Owen, but his belief in God is different from Owens belief.John believes in a person who embodies God, but not in God, and this personification deprives John of the possibility to find true faith that will help him to overcome his inner problems. Johns criticism of Regan ruling is establish on the fact of Owens death rather than on any specific political ideology. He does not want to accept Owens death and he implicitly accuses American giving medication in his friends death. This oddness of the narrator is exposed to harsh satire by Irving who reveals the seismic disturbance of worship on the behavior and thinking of John Wheelwright.Other characters of the novel explain Johns psychological problems as a result of his entangled childhood You keep doing that and youll make yourself sterile, express my cousin Hester, to whom every event of our shared childhood was either sexually exhilarating or sexually damaging (Irving 54). Thus, Irving applies to some aspects of psychoanalysis in his portrayal of John, trying to find several explanations of his unusual behavior. Johns childhood experience and especially his indeterminate religious faith transform the narrator into a cripple.As John moves to Canada, he leads a insulate life there, working as a teacher of English, but being obsessed with his thoughts and recollections. Johns criticism of social and political life conceals his anger as to Owens death although he accuses American government and God in this tragedy, he hurts himself for this death. cosmos a virgin in his middle age, the narrator reveals powerful emotions only when he reads some facts about crimes in the United States, as if seeking sleep in the news that manage to suppress his ail.However, zero can give John a apply after Owens death his knowledge with Owen was so prolonge d and so strong that John proceed to feel the presence of Owen. Even after death Owen influences John and controls all his actions, although only on a spiritual level. John Wheelwright believes in Owens support as if Owen is God in fact, the narrator identifies Owen with an image of God, hoping that one day they will meet again. When Owen implicitly helps him to find his father and his identity, John is win over of Owens divine origin, feeling that Owen Meany was very near (Irving 542).The mystery of his birth troubles the narrator, he is in search of various ways to find out the truth, because he feels that he is not able to lead a normal life without recognizing his origin. Johns faith in Owen is so powerful that he believes that Owen saves his life several times throughout the narration. Owen is Johns closest friend, despite the fact that Owen is the instinctual of the death of Johns mother. Creating a new life in Canada, John constantly thinks how Owen would act in various c ircumstances.In this regard, Irving demonstrates that Johns faith in Owen is intensified after Owens death John is unable to forget a person who accompanied and supported him for many years. Through Owen, John tries to find answers to some crucial issues of existence. In his early years John makes constant attempts to repeat everything after his friend however, he feels that he is not able to be like Owen, although he admires him. In his adulthood John also follows Owens advice, sorrowful to Canada and finding a place in the Bishop Strachan high gear School. Thus, it is Owen who controls Johns fate, considering that he has such a right.Applying to a rather prosaic speech, the narrator contrasts himself to Owen and his inner power. The narrator even emphasizes Owens words throughout the novel, trying to prove Owens greatness and his feign on Johns personality. Owens say-so is explicitly vivid, as the novel progresses, but Owen dies, failing to realize that, to some extent, his in fluence on John possesses some negative features. The fact is that faith elysian by Owen in the heart of John destroys the narrator, because this faith is a label that is not able to provide the character with real belief and understanding of the world around him.John appears to depend much on Owen, being unable to lead an independent life and experiencing considerable insecurity. When John has to take a decision, he applies to Owen for advice or simply evaluates something from Owens point of view. after(prenominal) Owens death John starts to believe that there are no coincidences in this world, everything is predestined the standardised words are expressed by Owen when he was alive Owen Meany believed that coincidence was a stupid, change refuge sought by stupid, shallow people who were unable to accept the fact that their lives were shaped by a terrifying and awesome design (Irving 186).However, following Owens thoughts, John Wheelwright ignores the profound understanding of t he occurred events although he accepts the fact of his mothers death from the custody of Owen, he does not want to think why God punishes him in such a way. John seems to be the only person who has such a strong belief in Owen and in miracles that are connected with him. In this regard, the narrator evokes sympathy, because his wrong worship saved him only in early years. In adulthood he experiences discomfort over many things although John claims to believe in God, he does not really understand the essence of Christian religion.Although he criticizes some political events, he does zilch to change the situation for instance, he prefers to injure himself to suspend taking part in Vietnam War. The narrator is hydrophobic of being destroyed by this War, but in reality he is destroyed by Owen. passim the narration John expresses contradictory viewpoints as to certain aspects of life in particular, at the beginning of the novel he tells that faith should not be based on any miracles , but finally he accepts these miracles as an integral part of his own faith.Despite the fact that John constantly cites some passages from the Bible, he admits that he does not really know this Holy book he simply wants to support the ideas of Owen with these passages. Thus, the narrator does not sincerely believe in God and he does not take part in any social or political activity. John Wheelwright lives in his own secluded world, retentivity other people out of this world and accept only in Owen. Johns faith is intertwined with inner doubts, and faith can not live on if these doubts are not suppressed. True faith is based on trust, but Owen expresses the contrary idea that evokes doubts in the narrator.According to Owen, That isnt exactly what faith is I dont believe everything that pops into my head faith is a precise more selective than that (Irving 472). In fact, John does not realize his colony on Owen until Owens death, he does not realize his weakness, and he has to f ace the consequences of his ignorance. As the narrator writes to Owen, What good does it do to make whatever decision youre public lecture about? What good does courage do when what happens neighboring is up for grabs? (Irving 504). As a result of his dependence on Owen, John is scared of life, he is afraid of any changes that may destroy his little world. festering up with Owen in New Hampshire, John feels that this friendship is the only thing that supports him throughout his life. The narrator is not able to broaden his horizons and find other interesting things his strange worship prevents him from finding the true significance of life. Johns life is reflected in Owens life, thus, despite the fact that Owen and John share the similar life principles, their ways of life are different, as John has no personal life, he simply makes an attempt to resemble Owen. Contrary to Owen who manages to find the object in life, John is unable to understand his own predestination.The nar rator lives in the light of Owen, failing to find his own light as a result, his life is spiritually destroyed after Owens death. Although John brings up some life issues, he is not able to understand what is crucial in his own life. Thus, at the end of the narration John turns to prayers, as if hoping to find solace in them, to find the meaning of his further life, but he is still full of doubts that prevent him from accepting reality. Although John Wheelwright is already an adult, to some extent, he remains a little boy who is in search of comfort and understanding and who needs another person to guide him through life.With Owens death, John collides with inner conflicts, concerning his faith. Perhaps, these conflicts can be explained by the fact that absolute faith created by Owen Meany is impossible for such persons as John he is not Owen, although he tries to resemble him. Johns upbringing and life experience are different from that of Owens, thus John fails to fully believe in the things believed by Owen. Due to Johns inner doubts and inability to create a personal life, John usually turns to sarcasm in his military rank of certain events.Instead of analyzing political or religious issues, the narrator treats them through his personal experience. Thus, Johns insight is restricted by his infirm intellect the faith that he seems to have does not toss light on the narrators life instead it transforms him into a person who experiences constant pain and obvious displeasure. Unlike Owen who finds power and inspiration in his belief, John is unable to experience the similar inspiration. He appears to be a tool in the hands of Owen who utilizes the narrator to his own liking, persuading John that he is a Gods instrument.It is Owen who performs home tasks for John, it is Owen who makes him receive a major degree in English, it is Owen who saves him from Vietnam and who persuades him to move to Canada. John is so used to this guidance and dependence that he does not realize that Owen manipulates him, depriving John of the possibility to become a mature adult in his middle age. Influenced by Owen, John Wheelwright prefers to keep in the background of Owens life, implicitly challenging the issues of true faith. Works Cited Irving, John. A Prayer for Owen Meany. New York, NY Ballantine Books, 1990.