Jack London Essays (1100 words) - Jack London, Charmian London

Jack London One is led to believe that if a person is an author, then that person would have the best education that is available to them. However, this is not the case for Jack London. He dropped out of school at the age of fourteen and explored San Francisco, stole oysters, worked for the government, went to Japan, and traveled around the United States by hitching rides on freight trains. This is just a list of the few things he did during the five-year period while he did not attend school. He then returned and finished high school at the age of nineteen to continue onto the University of California at Berkeley, only to quit after one semester. Yet, he is described by Howard Lacchtman, as a ?born teller of tales? (Lundberg 1). Flora Wellman gave birth to Jack London on January 12, 1876 in San Francisco, California. Flora Wellman was an unmarried woman who came from a very wealthy background. Jack London's father, an astrologer who was very nomadic, deserted him and his mother when Jack London was born. Jack London received his last name from his stepfather who married his mother late in the year of 1876. John London, Flora Wellman, and Jack London moved to Oakland, California in 1886 where Jack London spent his childhood years. It is said that London was a frequent visitor of the Oakland Public Library and loved to read at an early age. Yet, because of the hard times, he always helped support his family by ?delivering newspapers, sweeping saloon floors, setting up pins in a bowling alley and working at other jobs? (Port of Oakland). At the age of fourteen, Jack London decided to quit school to ?escape poverty and gain adventure? (Britannica.com Inc.). He did a number of things in the five-year period while he escaped from school. He pirated for oysters on the San Francisco Bay, worked to capture poachers on fish patrols, and sailed all around the Pacific Ocean on a sailing ship. He also ?hoboed around the country? (Dr. Stasz) and worked many miscellaneous, strenuous and ruthless jobs. At the age of nineteen, he returned to school to discover his passion in life, reading. When London returned to high school at the age of nineteen, he became well acquainted with the idea of socialism through the many books he read. At the age of twenty he became a student at the University of California at Berkeley, but he quit after one semester. London was often known as the ?Boy Socialist of Oakland for his street corner oratory? (Stasz). He ran many times for the political title of mayor as a socialist, but to his disappointment, he was never elected. He later quit the Socialist party because because of its ?lack of fire and fight? and its loss of ?emphasis on the class struggle? (Port of Oakland). Because he was never elected, he chose to become a writer to escape poverty and the horrific working conditions of factories, mines and hard labor. So London tried to support himself by writing, all without success, and eventually joined the gold rush to the Klondike in 1897. He then returned from the Klondike gold rush in 1898 to attempt writing once again. He sold his story, To the Man on Trail to the Overland Monthly of San Francisco for five dollars. Since his publication in the Overland Monthly, he became a dedicated and disciplined writer. He then completed his first book in 1900, The Son of the Wolf, which is a collection of his tales from Klondike, Alaska. In the same year as his first book release, London married Elizabeth Maddern and they settled in Oakland, California. After the birth of his first daughter Joan in 1901 he ran for the Oakland mayor as a Socialist candidate, but did not win. His second daughter Bess was born in 1902. A short while after Bess was born, London and his family moved to Piedmont Hills where he met and became good friends with George Sterling. However, this was not his last move and he did not live happily ever after. In 1905, he divorced his wife Elizabeth London and the next day he married Charmian Kittredge.

Hvjhv Essay Example

Hvjhv Essay Example Hvjhv Paper Hvjhv Paper The Sardine Crash The Ocean is one of the most important sources of food. From the ancient times, humans have used its resources for food. Fish is the most significant seafood harvest. Since ancient times, fishing has developed and increased. Before, people didnt have good techniques for successful fishing compared to todays fishing equipment. Therefore, because of efficient equipment and the significance of fishing in our society, many kinds offish are in danger of disappearing. Overfeeding is a very big problem today. The Sardine is one of the most useful kinds of fish. It is a very small fish compared to all the big fish in the sea. The article, Sea Food Crisis: Time for a Sea Change by Paul Greenberg, from National Geographic Magazine, demonstrates that in regards to the sea food chain, little fish have a big impact on bigger fish and even humans are affected by this ocean food web. By this definition, sardines are the first-order consumers which are very important for ocean predators as a main source of food. So, people consume a lot of big fish whose existence depends on sardines. Overfeeding and climate change are the possible causes of sardine crash which have many dangerous effects on the ecosystem and humans, and these problems require immediate solutions to save the first-order consumers. Sardine crash can be a very big problem in history. People indicate two main causes of this crash which are overfeeding and climate change. An increase of fish consuming causes the opening of new fishing grounds. Today all the oceans are used as a fishing areas. Many of these areas are already overfilled. In the article Sea Food Crisis: Time for a Sea Change, Paul Greenberg states The catch from high-sea areas has risen to nearly ten times what it was in 1950, from . 6 million metric tons Sashaying 2 to around 13 million metric tons. According to this definition, fishing areas are increasing very fast. Fish is very expensive today and for many people it is a main source of their income. Also, huge number of sardines is used on fishing farms as a food for bigger fish. Therefore, sardines are used very widely. Another cause of the sardine crash is a climate change. If the climate change, the temperature of oceans, seas and lakes will change too. So, our oceans and fish stocks maybe under threat from changing water temperature. In the article West Coast Sardine Crash Could Radiate Throughout Ecosystem from Los Angles Times by Tony Barbara, the author states One factor is a naturally occurring climate cycle known as the Pacific Decal Oscillation, which in recent years has brought cold, nutrient-rich water to the West Coast. While those conditions have brought a boom in some pieces, such as market squid, they have repelled sardines. Sardines need a specific temperature to live or they will die and it will effects people as well as the big predators. These causes have many bad effects on the ecosystem and humans. Many things depends on these small fish. If the number of sardines decreases, there will be no food for big predators as well as there will be no fish for people to consume. In the article West Coats Sardine Crash Could Radiate Throughout Ecosystem, Barbara says The sardine crash has prompted steep cuts in the amount Sherman are allowed to catch, and scientists say the effects are probably radiating throughout the ecosystem, starving brown pelicans, sea lions and other predators that rely on the oily, energy-rich fish for food. According to this definition, not only fish and people depend on the amount of sardines, but also big predators like sea lions and pelicans consume sardines. Such a small seafood harvest plays such a big role in our world. What seems like an insignificant factor in our food chain ultimately proves to be very important . If there is no food for the oceans big predators including sea lions and

Abstinence Education And Sexual Education

of adolescent children receive some form of sex education before graduating high school. Sexual education units of classes are taught in two ways; comprehensively and abstinence-only. Comprehensive sexual education covers abstinence as an option, but teaches a generally wider array of sexual health options, like contraceptives and ways to avoid sexually transmitted infections. Abstinence-only education, however, teaches students that engaging in sexual activity prior to marriage is morally wrong, and†¦ Having abstinence only education as a form of sexual health education can lead women to be have problems in the future. As in the article â€Å"We need to raise awareness about female fertility before it is too late†, there is a nurse who mentions the importance for young people to be taught the biology of reproduction as a part of a sexual health education class (Denton 32). She states that there are women around their late thirties and early forties who are having a hard time conceiving (Denton 32)†¦ many good reasons to teach abstinence, there is, of course, a great deal of controversy in the communities throughout the U.S., as there would be with any kind of statement that shows a personal opinion. . For example, â€Å"Abstinence-only education isn’t ‘education’. By design, it’s a program that leaves young women and men in the dark and misinformed† (Getting to Responsible Sexual Health Education). This quote, coming from K. Sajuta, states that abstinence-only education should not be taught. In several†¦ all American teenage students. For years the education system in America has either taught an Abstinence only curriculum or not had any form of sexual education. Until the outbreak of human immunodeficiency virus in the 1980’s the exclusively abstinence education curriculum was considered sufficient, then many professionals had to consider another scholastic approach in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases spreading. An extensive sexual education curriculum has been considered to be the best†¦ Sex Education School systems in the United states have been implementing sexual education into classrooms. Arguments are abundant when dealing with such fragile situations and there are many advantages and disadvantages of sexual education being taught in the public schools. It seems that most parents are either strongly for or against sex education classes, but there are a few parents that are on both sides. In fact, there are more parents that support sex education classes. However, there are†¦ Despite that image, sex education should be taken seriously. What is taught to young people early on about sex, impacts their lives as adults. Abstinence only sex education teaches students to wait until marriage for sex, often leaving out details about STDs and pregnancy. Comprehensive sex education gives students medically accurate and evidence based information about sex, providing them with the knowledge they need to have safe sex and healthy lives. Despite comprehensive education being the most informative†¦ Sexual Education in Schools Sex education in schools is important, but most students that are in a sexual education class have a distorted view of sexuality. They also do not have a good understanding of the word contraception and how to have safe-sex practices. Abstinence-only programs in public schools have become popular because of a law that gives millions of dollars to schools that will teach this program. This program has a great intention of persuading their youth to wait until marriage before†¦ there is no way this would pass for sex education outside of the silver screen, right? Actually, sometimes it does, and that comes with major consequences. Abstinence-only sex education has been taught in United States public schools for decades. This has been the state-preferred form of sexual education in many states, though proven to be ineffective in preventing or lowering the rates of teen pregnancies and STI transmission. Sex positive education, or education that teaches proper methods of protection†¦ Abstinence-based sex education isn’t a practical approach to sex education because it doesn’t give students the necessary resources they need to prevent the consequences of engaging in any type of sexual activity. Teenagers need the proper facts about contraception and birth control to be able to take the appropriate precautions for when they decide to become sexually active. With abstinence-based programs there is no decrease in the amount of sexual activity that students are engaging in and where†¦ The majority of born again Christians also support abstinence only programs because they tend to have different perspectives about sexuality than the rest of America. Eighty-one percent of Christian Americans voted to have abstinence only education while only thirty-one percent of other Americans voted for abstinence only education. The Community-Based Abstinence Education (CBAE) program has mostly funded organizations that have strong religious faith. A Silver Ring program has even been placed†¦

Proposal Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words - 3

Proposal - Assignment Example In this regard, this proposal is requesting for a grant to introduce an instruction software, which will easy the work of teachers and enhance the learning process of students using an innovative software, such as the Drill-and-Practice Software. The Drill-and-Practice software offers exercises that allow students to work using examples, one at a time and they receive the feedback immediately, informing them whether they are correct or not. The effective feedback model of the instruction software will allow students to gain quality comprehension of what they will be learning. It will also offer students the technological instruments for exploring the topic they are learning. If appropriately implemented, the program will help teachers comprehend the areas that their students have difficulties, meaning that the relationship between the teacher-students will enhance (Roblyer & Doering, 2013). The teacher will direct the students on the right way to study and comprehend the subject under study. The Drill-and-Practice instruction software has proven to be effective and the outcomes are seen on the deeper comprehension of the topics of study among the students, who will also show tremendous enthusiasm. In addition, the instructio n software will guarantee that students will be more interactive with other innovative utilizations of technology. The Department of Enhancing Educational Through Technology (EETT) offered the class the software grant of $10,000, which will b utilize to enhance the learning process of the students. The Drill-and-Practice instruction software is more of a self-study, whereby students carry out a number of exercises on the topics they have studied. The flash-card activity is the type of drill-and-practice instruction software that will be implemented in the classroom. The students will test

Financial Ratio and the Gross Profit Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Financial Ratio and the Gross Profit - Assignment Example The ROCE is has decreased over the four years from 15.78% in 2010 to 11.63% in 2013; indicating that the company received fewer earnings for every unit of capital invested in the company in the recent years compared to the past years. However, it is above average in the industry in terms of utilization of assets to earn profits because its ROCE is more than the industry average of 8%. Generally, the company is doing well in terms of profitability. Inventory days decreased from 2011 to 2013, indicating that the number of days that inventory remains in the store has decreased; hence the company is managing its inventory successfully. Compared to the industry, the company is below average in the number of inventory days because the average industry average is 60 days. This shows that the company manages its inventory more effectively than most companies in the industry. Receivable days are also lower than the industry average indicating that the company collects its debts faster than most companies in the industry. Payable days are also lower than the industry average, showing that the company pays its credit faster than most companies in the industry. Debt/equity ratio decreased from 0.96 to 0.82 in 2013 indicating that the equity could pay total liabilities more times in 2012 than 2013 using its equity. This is a lower number of times compared to industry average, meaning that the company’s equity can pay off its liabilities faster than most companies in the industry (Sutton, 2004). The interest cover of decreased over the four years from 11.16 times in 2010 to 5.70 times in 2013; indicating that the company uses fewer debts to fund its total assets in the recent years. it is also below the industry average of 12 times; hence it uses less debt to fund its assets than most companies in  the industry.

Cost Club Week Essay Example for Free

Cost Club Week Essay The issues against discharging an employee with any reason can be very harmful to any business. This opens the door for a lawsuit to any organization because, an ex-employee could file a lawsuit against the employer for alleging that they had been discharged wrongfully. The civil right law act in 1964 provides protection to the employees against wrongfully discharge. This describe that companies cannot terminate their employees basis of race, gender, skin, religion, color etc, (Employment law for business, 2007)†.) For example, if their at-will relationship exists between the employee and employer this does not mean that employer may terminate the employee, in a discriminatory manner. This mean the organization has to follow the legal principles before discharging their employee. There are so many laws that protect the individuals even though we are an, at- will state. The Federal anti-discrimination law prevents employees from wrongful discharge by the employer (Lawson, 1998)†. This scenario does not say that the employees were not let go due to the basis of any reason. This lawsuit against the organization for wrongful discharge could be very risky for the Cost Club since there were no reasons for terminating their employees. Reduction in Employee Costs There are many ways to reduce company cost. One thing a company can do is to outsource their HR. This will help reduce the cost of the employee benefits  program by bring in an outside company like GNA Partners. The GNA Partners have many ways to save the company money but, may bring cost to the workers. The GNA Partners provide negotiation insurance rates, which the plan cost are determined by what age group the employees fall into. Next the company can choose higher deductible plans, which this reduces, the cost of benefits plan. †¢ The business can offer robust benefits package by making their employees contribute. †¢ Using different types of workers like temporary workers, contract employee, part-time employees, employees and, non-employees work hours. These job types can be helpful to accomplish the seasonal demand of the organizations plus can cause the increase within the organizational performance. The organization knows all different categories of workers who can hire to save money for definite and indefinite period. Organization understands that temporary workers directly reports to the employer and receive their reimbursement from the company. When a company hires a contract employee, temporary and, part-time employee they know that they do not have to pay this employee benefits or high rates. Like vacation, sick, and part-time workers are usually define a workers, who have shorter working hours other fulltime workers. The rules, policies and, procedures for the part-time employee are not the same as the regular employees but quite different from the temporary workers† (Part Time and Temporary Employees, 2009). According to â€Å"Bennett-Alexander, Hartman, â€Å"by hiring independent contractors, the cost of overtime is eliminated (the federal wage and hour laws do not apply to independent contractors) and the employer is able to avoid any work-related expenses, su ch as tools, training, or traveling. The employer is also guaranteed satisfactory performance of the job for which the contractor was hired because it is the contractor’s contractual obligation to adequately perform the contract with the employer, while the employee is generally able to quit without incurring liability (Employment law for business, 2007)†. For example, the company manage is an employees work who sets an employee’s schedule, along with deciding the method the employee uses to perform their work. An independent contractor is a person who provides particular services to an organization. Whether it be a short or long-term assignment. This is very effective low cost and saving the companying money because; temporary, contract or part-time employment arrangements provides several benefits to any business. Injury and Damages According to Tort Law, the Cost Club will be liable for the misconduct of employees with the customers. Tort laws are laws that offer remedies to individuals harmed by the unreasonable actions of others. Tort claims usually involve state law and are based on the legal premise that individuals are liable for the consequences of their conduct if it results in injury to others (McCarthy Cambron-McCabe, 1992). Tort laws involve civil suits, which are actions brought to protect an individual’s private rights. The second situation, the employee is liable for physical harm to the customers’ property. Therefore, the company who hires the employee will be held liable for their employees negligent. The last situation, the business will not be liable for the acts of a real estate agent, because, the real estate agent is not controlled by the business. Therefore, the Cost Club should let their customers know they, are not responsible or that the real estate agent is an independent and organization contractors and that they have no control on his or her activities so, Cost Club will not be liable for the tort of him or her (Tort Liability Basics: Strict, Vicarious, and Joint Liability, 1999). Resolving Disagreement Processes Resolving disagreement between company and its employees, the can †¢ Set up a subject box  Ã¢â‚¬ ¢ Have a meeting once a week with the manager, and employees to discuss the problem that may arise between co-workers and managers. †¢ Includes third party as the mediator between employees and company. †¢ Grievance procedure, corporate due process, mediation etc., †¢ Clear as the formal complaint by the employees that they are behaved wrongly by the management decisions (Open door policy) These steps can be very effective to resolve between most companies’ problem. Which, if not settled could cause a big problem like violation of law, and just a perception of unfair treatment by the employees and managers. This method has to be effective in order to achieve long-term success and to facilitate and to accommodate between the employees and the company. Employment Law Concepts for Selection Employment law concepts for selection would include several legal implications. According to Bennett-Alexander, Hartman, â€Å"the Civil Rights  Act 1964 prohibits the employers from discrimination among the potential employees on the basis of race, gender, color, region etc. in its recruitment and selection process. The next step is once the employee is hired, the company should make sure they follow steps are, training, appraising, compensating, and implementing employment decisions that determine such things as promotions, transfers, and layoffs† The selection procedure should also be job related and concern with the business necessity. The company should always follow the State HR Laws, and all the employees should be treated fairly and equally (Employment Tests and Selection Procedures, 2008). The Age Discrimination in Employment Act should also be considered in the selection procedure by the management. Reference: Beatty, J.F. Samuelson, S.S. (2009). Introduction to Business Law (3rd ed.). Cengage Learning. Bennett-Alexander, D. D. Hartman, P. L. (2007). Employment law for business (5th ed.). New York: McGraw–Hill. Retrieved October 29, 2012 from University of Phoenix, rEsource. Part Time and Temporary Employees. (2009). Retrieved October 29, 2012 from http://employment.findlaw.com/employment/employment-employee-overview/employment-

Reducing Gun Violence Essay examples -- The Need for More Gun Laws

Gun violence has reached an all-time high. After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, widespread concern forced legislators to take a second look at our gun laws. When twenty children and six educators were gunned down, many citizens were outraged and begged authorities to pass more stringent gun laws because with fewer guns, there could possibly be fewer incidents involving gun violence. Many people believe that the widespread availability of guns is making society unsafe. Each year, nearly 100,000 Americans are shot, 32,000 of them die, 47 children are shot every day, and eight of them die, according to the U.S. News Digital Weekly. In order to solve this problem, more stringent background checks should be required by all applicants, restriction and enforcement on the sale of guns at gun shows need to improve, and the availability of automatic weapons should be limited. More stringent background checks should be obligatory for all gun purchases, and a database should be kept on a state and federal level, which could be funded by the federal government. According to Messer and Cartwright, background checks are a safer way to reduce the chances of endangering families. People who are against new laws misinterpret background checks with the belief that they can infringe on the rights of responsible gun owners. In actuality, background checks prevent known felons and unstable persons from acquiring weapons. The loophole with private sales of weapons, however, is that felons and mentally unstable buyers can purchase from a private seller without a background check. Because of the loophole, private sales should be documented. Even seventy four percent of the National Rifle Association members and 87 percent o... .... MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Goldberg, J 2012, 'The Case for More Guns (And More Gun Control)', Atlantic Monthly (10727825), 310, 5, pp. 68-78, Literary Reference Center, EBSCOhost, viewed 7 Oct. 2015. McInery, Thomas K. "Keeping Children Safe from Gun Violence." Vital Speeches of the Day 79.7 (2013): 209-211. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 4 Oct. 2015. Messer, Luke, Cartwright, Matt. "Should All Gun Sales Require Background Checks?." U.S. News Digital Weekly 5.20 (2013): 16. MasterFILE Elite. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. Tormey, Travis J. â€Å"NJ Gun Laws- Both Registration and Criminal Charges† New Jersey’s Criminal Defense & DWI Attorney, 8 Oct. 2015. Zarych, John J. â€Å"The Current State of New Jersey’s Gun Laws.† EIN Presswire, 13 August 2009. Web. 18 Oct. 2015. â€Å"Homicide Statistics† Australian Institute of Criminology, 21 February, 2013. Web. 8 Oct. 2015

Shareholder Activism Essay

Can shareholder activism actually deliver the desired change? Introduction The increasing awareness of shareholders and their level of importance to the modern organisation have raised multiple questions as to the potential role which shareholders can play in influencing the decision making of the management team and their willingness to engage with a broad range of stakeholders. Where shareholders have an impact to any degree, this is referred to as shareholder activism and is largely described as being the role that shareholders play in dominating the decisions made by management teams (Bainbridge, 1995). Whilst it is readily accepted that shareholders own the company, whereas directors manage the company, there has historically been a misapprehension that shareholders are simply interested in the financial profits that the company produces. It is argued in this paper that this is not the case and shareholders are becoming much more involved in ensuring a balanced approach and that organisations have a wider awareness of issues such as corporate social re sponsibility (Schacht, 1995). The purpose of this paper is to consider whether or not this type of shareholder activism can actually be seen to be delivering a positive change, specifically in the area of corporate social responsibility. In order to look at this issue and the development of CSR, shareholder activism in its entirety needs to be looked at, before then considering the legal regime which encourages such activism and any specific cases that are relevant, before drawing conclusions on the key question. Shareholder activism – the Theoretical Perspective The management of an organisation has, for a long time, accepted that the performance of a business is down to them and that, if the shareholders are unhappy about the performance or the returns of the business they may potentially walk away from the organisation or the position of the manager may be in jeopardy. Where shareholders take this type of action on board, it can be suggested that shareholder activism is in operation. Broadly speaking, there are several key reasons why which investors may pursue the shareholder activist approach. Firstly, shareholder activism occurs in order to procure a better return on shareholder investment; secondly, to ensure that the company pursues a different corporate strategy that will ultimately improve performance and profitability, a key example of this being the suggestion that the company should demerge; thirdly, to make changes in the management team; fourthly in order to pursue some form of special interest, such as a social and ethical agenda (it is this agenda which will be looked at in more detail in the paper below). Finally, shareholder activism is undertaken to influence the outcome of some form of corporate agenda that has already been pursued (Tarrow, 1994). Shareholders have always had the option of essentially voting with their feet, when they disapprove of the decisions of the management team. For example, they can simply sell their shares, where traditionally the criticisms of management decisions would take place in private, with shareholders simply moving away when they were displeased. Although the concept of shareholder activism is not necessarily new, in recent years, it has certainly increased in its operation and become much more prevalent. Examples of recent shareholder activism include action by an institutional investor, Knight Vinke Asset Management which lobbied for changes in the HSBC strategy, or in Tesco where shareholders became involved in demanding changes in working conditions relating to clothes’ suppliers in Asia. Interestingly, shareholder activism does not depend on the size of the market, with shareholder activism being a tool that can be used in any type of organisation. Those holding shares are also potentially able to act in this way and therefore this lends a considerably more diverse meaning to the notion of shareholder activism, which can be derived from a much broader range of sources (Roe, 2003). With this potential diversity in mind, the next step is to look at the tools that are available for the activist shareholder and to identify the statutory basis upon which such action can take place. Legal Basis One of the key statutory powers which are available in order to support shareholder activism is that of the Companies Act 2006 (the Act). This Act lays down the legal framework which enables a shareholder to exercise any of their legal rights when they are pursuing an activist agenda. The precise options available to the shareholder will depend on the type of company in which they hold shares; for example, there are different rights attached to public companies. For the purpose of this analysis, all potential legal rights will be looked at and it should be borne in mind that these may not always be available, particularly to shareholders of private companies (Warneryd, 2005). In accordance with sections 303 to 305 of the Act, shareholders are able to call a general meeting. This is a strong element of the shareholder activism as it provides members with a platform in which they can make their requirements known. In the aftermath of the Shareholder Rights Directive 2009, members and groups of shareholders representing a minimum of 5% of the public companies voting rights are able to demand that the directors call a general meeting of the company. Similarly, where the directors choose to convene a general meeting there are rules associated with giving notice to the individual shareholders. This allows shareholders the opportunity to bring a platform upon which to discuss their own issues. Secondly, in accordance with sections 314 – 317, members with a shareholding of at least 5% or shareholders or that have at least 100 shares with an average of at least ?100 per member are entitled to demand that the company circulates a statement to shareholders of up to 1,000 words regarding a proposed resolution or any other business that is going to take place at the meeting. This again provides the shareholders with the information that they need in order to be potentially active. It is also noted that beneficial owners of shares can count towards the threshold in order to meet the 5% trigger (Belloc and Pagano, 2009). As well as the ability to gain access to the meeting and information in relation to the meeting, shareholders are also entitled to be active within the meeting itself. In accordance with section 338, shareholders holding a total of 5% shares can propose a resolution, a strategy that was used by the investor â€Å"efficient capital structures† but they required a resolution as part of the 2007 AGM of Vodafone plc to pursue a specific strategy. Furthermore, section 168 provides shareholders with the ability to propose the removal of the directors. Arguably, this is one of the greater sanctions available to shareholders, from the perspective of the individual directors. Where this process is being initiated, special notice of 28 days must be given of the intention to propose this resolution and to reasonably work in line with the articles of association of the company (Filatotchev, et al 2006). Importantly, section 116 of the Act allows any shareholders to gain access to the shareholder register which then may offer them the opportunity for the shareholders to join forces in order to deal with a particular agenda, making the ability to reach the 5% thresholds somewhat easier. There are, however, requirements for shareholders to ensure that when they are canvassing support they are doing so for the proper purpose. There are certain thresholds which allow shareholders to have rights, with 5% offering the opportunity to propose a resolution, to require an independent report in the case of quoted companies, the power to require companies to publish audit concerns, again in quoted companies, and also the power to include a matter that should be considered at AGM. When the required percent of the shareholders join forces, the power becomes much more threatening to the management team, as this is the requisite amount required a specific resolution. For example, at 75%, the shareholders can require a special resolution to be passed. The regime associated with proxies can play a very important role when it comes to shareholder activism with the 2006 Act making changes as to the way in which proxies can operate, allowing the property to be much more effective. For example, members have an absolute right to appoint a proxy who can attend a meeting and vote on their behalf. Another key area of shareholder activism emerged from the ability to use corporate representation, rather than using a proxy, as this allows shareholders a much greater degree of practical flexibility when they are unable to comply with proxy deadlines, or some other form of formality. Corporate shareholders are also able to appoint representatives by virtue of their own board resolution. Finally, it is worth noting that shareholders’ rights can be utilised by indirect investors. For example, under the 2006 Act, it is possible for the beneficial shareholders holding shares to enjoy information rights, i.e. to obtain information in relation to the company and in many cases the beneficial shareholders can count towards reaching the 5% thresholds. Although this goes beyond the scope of the discussion here, it is worth noting that these beneficial shareholders can have a direct impact on any agenda for shareholder activism.Examples of Shareholder ActivismIn order to gain an understanding of just how effective these legal provisions can be, the situation in Tesco can be looked at. In 2007, the poverty charity â€Å"War on Want† used the fact that it held a 5% shareholding in order to present a resolution at the 2007 AGM, with a view to ensuring a better deal for suppliers, in particular across Asia. The matter did not rest there and in June 2008 Tesco was tar geted once again by a group of shareholders who were headed by an individual high- profile shareholder, to look at the living conditions of chickens, prior to their purchase by Tesco for sale. The shareholders in both these cases used section 338 of the Companies Act 2006, in order to demand resolutions relating to their individual issues. Once this resolution had been demanded, the company was required to circulate information relating to the resolution, as well as any supporting statements (Aguilera, 2005). This type of shareholder activism was seen to be successful in these individual cases and provided a real forum for the shareholders with a relatively minimal percentage to change the strategy and activities of the organisation itself. Tesco is not alone in facing these types of issues and many other large companies have also faced action from minimal shareholders, relating to specific issues such as wages for staff or supplier issues. This shows a clear indication of the willingness of shareholders to become much more active in putting their points forward and being willing to take on corporations by forcing resolutions to be placed and information to be provided to the broader shareholding (Hendry et al 2007).Analysis and ConclusionsThe question presented here is to consider whether or not shareholder activism can truly have an impact on organisations, when it comes to encouraging changes and improving corporate social responsibility within the organisation. By looking at the history of shareholder activism and the way in which shareholders are becoming much more willing to engage in the operation of the company, as well as examining the provisions of the 2006 Act which provide shareholders with the ability to un dertake these activities, it is argued here that shareholder activism is a growing and real threat to management teams of all sizes. In particular, the 2006 Act offers a considerable opportunity for shareholders to demand information and to have certain items discussed at the AGM. By merely providing this platform for discussion, shareholders can become more active in order to ensure their ultimate agenda is not pursued. By looking at this and using a company such as Tesco as an example, it can be seen that groups of shareholders are gaining real attention and are able to have a direct and dramatic impact on the decisions made by the management teams, particularly when faced with the ultimate sanction that shareholders can request the removal of those directors who fails to comply (Gillan and Starks, 2000). It is concluded here, therefore, that shareholder activism is a real and direct method whereby shareholder groups can encourage changes in the strategy of the organisation relating to both corporate, social responsibility and any other relevant issues. References Aguilera, R.V. (2005) ‘Corporate governance and director accountability: An institutional comparative perspective’ British Journal of Management, 16: S39–S53. Bainbridge, S. M. (1995) The politics of corporate governance, Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy, Vol. 18 (3), pp. 671-735. Belloc, M. and Pagano, U. (2009) Co-evolution of politics and corporate governance, International Review of Law and Economics, Vol. 29 (2), pp. 106-114. Filatotchev, I., Jackson, G., Gospel, H., and Allcock, D. (2006) Key Drivers of ‘Good’ Corporate Governance and the Appropriateness of UK Policy Responses The Department of Trade and Industry and King’s College London. Gillan, S.L. and Starks, L.T (2000) ‘Corporate governance proposals and shareholder activism: The role of institutional investors’ Journal of Financial Economics, 57 (2): 275- 305. Hendry, J., Sanderson, P., Barker, R. and Roberts, J. (2007) ‘Responsible ownership, shareholder value and the new shareholder activism’ Competition & Change,11 (3): 223-240. Roe, M.J. (2003) Political Determinants of Corporate Governance: Political Context, Corporate Impact Oxford University Press. Schacht, K.N. (1995) ‘Institutional investors and shareholder activism: Dealing with demanding shareholders’ Directorship, 21 (5): 8-12. Tarrow, S. (1994) Power in Movement: Collective Action, Social Movements, and Politics in Marens, R. (2002) ‘Inventing corporate governance: The mid-century emergence of shareholder activism’ Journal of Business & Management, 8 (4): 365. Warneryd, K. (2005) Special issue on the politics of corporate governance: Introduction, Economics of Governance, Vol. 6 (2), pp. 91-92.

Functions of Philosophy Essay

The functions of philosophy are the uses of the subject to us as individuals and as members of a society. Some contemporary thinkers called the Analytic philosophers see philosophy as a study that essentially simplifies and analyses issues and statements pertaining to other subjects in order to enable us understand them better. The functions of philosophy are explained as follows: 1. Analytical Function This has to do with the analysis and clarification of ideas, issues, and statements to enable us understand the subject matters of other disciplines. This analytical function is considered to be the primary function of philosophy. 2. Speculative and Normative Function The mind is a very essential instrument for doing philosophy. The mind is one gift to man which enables him to think about himself, the people around him and the world in general. With it he can speculate about things he is not sure of; he can imagine things that are possible and even those that are not possible. It is to be noted however, that, when we think about things or speculate on issues it is done within the context of our social and cultural environment. 3. Inspirational Function The educational process is constantly inspired by philosophers. Such works as Plato’s Republic and others like it have become the reference book for many educators because they obtain a lot of insight from these books to guide their activities. For one thing, every society has its ideal and thus, strives to attain it. Plato’s ideal in the Republic is one in which education serves as an important criterion for assigning social positions and responsibilities. It is therefore, believed that, people should be educated in order to enable them achieve self-fulfillment. Even though Plato’s society does not pretend to strive for equality of all people, it is still a model to inspire the Kenyan educator in his effort to bring about a measure of equality in society. 4. Prescriptive Function Every nation has its problems which call for solution. It is expected that every one would contribute to the best of his ability. Although philosophy has a lot to contribute, philosophers are sometimes excluded from the decision making process. This appears to have made the situation worse. For example, before adopting a new educational or social policy in the country, one would expect that philosophers would be included in the planning. Such contributions would benefit all concerned. Some educational philosophers in the country hold the view that the poverty of Kenya’s philosophical base is responsible for our technological under-development. They also blame the country’s social political instability on the weakness of its philosophical foundation. Philosophical prescription is therefore, made to help to overcome these difficulties. Indeed every society expects some guidance from its philosophers, especially in education. It is on this score that philosophy is made compulsory in all Teacher Education and Law Program. 5. Coordinating Function Since it is well known that all other disciplines are generated from philosophy, philosophy cannot be seen as competing with its offspring. In view of the fact that these disciplines have established their knowledge base solidly, philosophy has mapped out for itself other responsibilities. The fact that there exist at present such area as philosophy of science, philosophy of social science, philosophy of law and philosophy of education among others, shows the contribution that philosophy still makes to learning. Consequently, the coordinating role of philosophy in articulating the knowledge base of these disciplines should not leave anyone in doubt about the prescriptive function of philosophy.

Free Essays on The Runaway Universe

Donald Goldsmith graduated from Harvard College in 1963. He continued his education at UC Berkeley, where he earned a PhD in astronomy and where he later became a professor. Over the years, he has taught astronomy courses at many world-renowned institutions, including Stanford University, Cornell University, and University of California at Santa Cruse. For his achievement in popularizing astronomy, Goldsmith received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Astronomical Society, and the Science-writing Award from the American Institution of Physics. Goldsmith has written and edited over fifteen books. Some of his most famous works are: Worlds Unnumbered, Supernova! , Voyage to the Milky Way: The Future of Space Exploration, Worlds Unnumbered: The Search for Extrasolar planets, Einstein’s Greatest Blunder? The Search for Life in the Universe, The Astronomers, Space Telescope: Eyes above the Atmosphere, Nemesis: The Death- Star and Other Theories of Mass Extin ctions, and Mysteries of the Milky Way. For many years scientists have been attempting to discover the secrets of the universe. For as long as recorded history, human curiosity has been concerned with what the universe is like and how it began. In his book Runaway Universe, Donald Goldsmith describes observations of distant supernova and teams of astronomers who compete to find ways to attack mysteries of the universe, including the bending of light by gravity, the formation of galaxies billion years ago, and the faint after growth of the creation. The Runaway Universe is an intriguing story filled with captivating information about the discoveries of the great astronomers of the twenty century. The book also addresses the current main problems of cosmology and opens a window into the future of the universe. Throughout the book, Donald Goldsmith emphasizes the historical development of astronomy and examines evidence submitted by the leading groups of scien... Free Essays on The Runaway Universe Free Essays on The Runaway Universe Donald Goldsmith graduated from Harvard College in 1963. He continued his education at UC Berkeley, where he earned a PhD in astronomy and where he later became a professor. Over the years, he has taught astronomy courses at many world-renowned institutions, including Stanford University, Cornell University, and University of California at Santa Cruse. For his achievement in popularizing astronomy, Goldsmith received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Astronomical Society, and the Science-writing Award from the American Institution of Physics. Goldsmith has written and edited over fifteen books. Some of his most famous works are: Worlds Unnumbered, Supernova! , Voyage to the Milky Way: The Future of Space Exploration, Worlds Unnumbered: The Search for Extrasolar planets, Einstein’s Greatest Blunder? The Search for Life in the Universe, The Astronomers, Space Telescope: Eyes above the Atmosphere, Nemesis: The Death- Star and Other Theories of Mass Extin ctions, and Mysteries of the Milky Way. For many years scientists have been attempting to discover the secrets of the universe. For as long as recorded history, human curiosity has been concerned with what the universe is like and how it began. In his book Runaway Universe, Donald Goldsmith describes observations of distant supernova and teams of astronomers who compete to find ways to attack mysteries of the universe, including the bending of light by gravity, the formation of galaxies billion years ago, and the faint after growth of the creation. The Runaway Universe is an intriguing story filled with captivating information about the discoveries of the great astronomers of the twenty century. The book also addresses the current main problems of cosmology and opens a window into the future of the universe. Throughout the book, Donald Goldsmith emphasizes the historical development of astronomy and examines evidence submitted by the leading groups of scien...

Microeconomics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Microeconomics - Term Paper Example The various market structures that are discussed within microeconomics are perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly. One of the objectives of microeconomics is to analyze the mechanisms of market. Microeconomics sets up the relative prices amongst the services and the goods and allocates the available amount of limited resources among the alternative uses. Some of the significant fields of study under this branch of economics include asymmetric information, general equilibrium, game theory and choices under uncertainty. All wealth that fulfills the wants of consumers constitutes the wealth of a nation. Therefore, the aim behind expanding wealth is broadening the choices of the consumers in terms of quality, quantity and variety. Economists are involved in researches on the idea of free market with socially optimal allocation. The notion of competition constitutes the central part of economic theory. The objects of the choices available to the consumer are called the consumption bundle. The consumer has the objective of maximizing the well being. They are well informed about the availability of the goods in the market and desires variety in their consumption bundle. There are two sets of consumption bundles (x1, x2) and (y1, y2). The consumer ranks the availabilities according to their affordability. When the consumer is just satiated consuming the bundle of x goods as compared to the satisfaction he would have earned consuming the other bundle of y goods, according to his own preferences, then it is said that the consumer is indifferent. The axioms of consumer theory are complete, reflexive and transitive (Samuelson, 1956. p.3). The two axes represent a typical consumption pattern of goods 1 and 2. A consumption bundle (x1, x2) is offered along with the other bundles of consumption that are weakly preferred to the selected bundle. The other consumption bundles are called the weakly preferred sets. The indifference

Philosophy Ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Philosophy Ethics - Essay Example Mill explained this rule with the aid of the principle of utility. According to this principle which is also sometimes referred to as the principle of happiness, for a person to be happy himself he should consider the happiness of others to be as important as his own happiness (Mills 1867). This philosophy of happiness was further explained by John Stuart Mill with the assistance of his theories by putting forward the rules of thumb. The reason for presenting these rules was that Mill argued that a person should not misunderstand the meaning of happiness. These rules were used by him to support the theory of maximizing happiness and provide an insight into the meaning of this principle. These rules encompass the aspects of this principle to cover the features and the characteristics which should be understood about it. The rules of thumb were to be always considered to reach to a proper conclusion as to what happiness actually is. According to these rules, it is through knowledge and learning that a person actually gets to know that what act will bring about the maximum happiness. The reason behind this is that it is through awareness of the developing of humans and human nature that one can understand that what act is morally correct and will actually bring about the maximum happiness for the maximum number of people. These rules also present that a person should increase his level when thinking about happiness. That is happiness should not be restricted to certain things. A person should search for happiness in everything that surrounds him. These things can range from nature to music to history and art. That is a person should be learned and it is through his knowledge that he will be able to find happiness in all these things. An example of education can be considered here as to how much educated an individual is to know about certain facts about life. Being educated would help an individual to distinguish between the higher and lower pleasures in terms of happiness. He would understand as to which pleasures are attainable and which are not. With appropriate education the individuals are able to experience both the lower and higher forms of pleasure through which they can decide as to what they would prefer. With enough education one can know about different things existing in the world and thus individuals can then decide as to which happiness they really want. (Mills 1867; Steward & Blocker 2005). To make his theory even better understood Mill clearly presented the exceptions that implied to this rule of happiness. He explained that though acts like lying and murder are considered to be wrong under normal circumstances but these acts become acceptable under certain conditions. An example to this can be that when a person has to protect himself from a murderer he has a right to act in self defense. Another example which can be considered is a person can lie when the person has to conceal some information from someone who might misuse it and cause great harm. Mill is quoted as â€Å"Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness; wrong as they tend to produce the reverse of happiness. By happiness is intended pleasure and the absence of pain† (Mill 1986 ii). According to the utilitarian position, it is the consequences of an act that matter the most. In this regard, John Stuart Mill who was a