KFCs Ethical Policies

KFCs Ethical Policies KFC Corporation, also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken is a fast food chain based in Louisville, a subsidiary brand of its parents company Yum! Brands. Kentucky Fried Chicken was founded by Colonel Harland Sanders in 1952, while the idea of KFCs fried chicken actually goes back to 1930. The company adopted the condensed form of its name in 1991. KFC has doing some ethical social responsibilities for years; like the KFC Colonels Scholars Program is about to give scholarship up to $20,000 offered to high school seniors planning to attend a public in-state college or university. Also in Social Diversity, their global culture is developing a workforce that is diverse in different segment actively, where everyone can make a difference. In this report will be discussing about business ethics of KFC, their main ethical dilemmas together with theories and relative importance and, the good practice and values behind that together with some recommendations and strategies. This Ethical Audit Report of KFC was divided into four main structures to cover all elements, first is main ethical dilemmas of KFC, continue with part two which is relative importance and ethical theory to the dilemmas of KFC. Follows with part three, good practices and values of KFC and the last part is recommendations and strategic options to KFC. 1. Main Ethical Dilemmas of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) The main KFCs ethical dilemmas which they are currently facing with, and how they affect various stakeholders. Business simply means a structure of an applied system that practice ethical principles and moral problems that occur in a business environment. Where as dilemmas can be defined as A situation that requires one to choose between two equally balanced and often equally unpleasant alternatively or, a predicament that seemingly defies a satisfactory solution (David Murray 1997: pg. 112)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In doing a business, especially international or in a global company, a person must be able to compromise all different cultural in different countries, it is not easy to make a business to success. From the aspects of ethics, cultural relativism is so much related into it. The ethic of cultural relativists views other cultures, not as wrong, but as different. This means that they define â€Å"good or right† as â€Å"communally approved† by the majority in a given culture in a country or a particular land, this may because everyone in a particular land does it, peoples beliefs and practices is already shaped by the environment. 1.1 Chicken Abuse, and the PETA Every year, KFC needs 700 million supplies of chickens for the entire worldwide restaurants. While KFCs claim that they â€Å"only deal with suppliers who promise to maintain our high standards and commitment to animal welfare†. But about the treatment of the chickens it buys, a proof of graphic evidence, a video was taken by an investigator of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had showing that the chickens was purposely abused by the workers. The video was taking in a slaughterhouse, at a Pilgrims Pride plant in Moorefield West Virginia, where the workers kicking live chickens like playing footballs, thumping them into walls, apparently those workers do it just for fun. This does not happens once, the investigation of PETA on KFC shows that there are so many suppliers of KFC had committed into this behaviour. Only in United States many suppliers have involved in, one of them is Tyson slaughterhouse. In the slaughterhouse showed that birds purposely were burnt to death, were blown apart by makeshift firecrackers, and broke their legs by the workers so that it can be fit into slaughter-line shackles. Tyson is KFCs number one supplier. (All related pictures please refer to Appendix 1)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Other country, the most popular issue on the abuse by the supplier of KFC is happens on India. Chickens was found overstuffed into awfully crowded warehouse plagued with chicken carcasses, cruel breeding practices, sick and injured chickens but never received any medical attention, and they suffering at the hands of cruel workers who neglected to examine even minimal ethics of animal welfare. (For details in this issue please refers to Appendix 2) Animal abusing can be defined as the most serious Ethical Dilemmas on KFC. 1.2 Health Problems, Fried fast food Fried is like almost everything in KFC, the main course from the menu in KFC is actually fried chickens. Unlike any other fast food brand, common one-McDonalds, which in their menu french fries is just a side dish. In the past few years, KFC has been sued by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CPSI), charged with the food contains â€Å"staggering sum† of trans fat. In one three-piece chicken combo meal contains 15 grams of trans fat, which is over the limit that a person should have in one week. CPSI (2006) through press release said that â€Å"The class-action suit asks that the court prohibit KFC from using partially hydrogenated oil, or that at the very least, signs be posted in KFC outlets notifying customers that many KFC foods are high in trans fat.† The suit was filed in Superior Court of the District of Columbia.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  These trans fat is actually harming consumers health, KFC as the worlds most popular chicken fast food chain, over 14,000 outlets around the world, with more than 12 million customer eating their â€Å"fried† chickens every day. Just imaging, their unethical behavior has influenced widely against their customers. It is a serious ethical dilemmas which can be found in KFC. 2. Relative Importance and Ethical Theory to the Dilemmas of KFC 2.1 Relative Importance and Ethical Theory to the dilemmas on Chicken Abuse, and the PETA KFC and its parent, Yum Brands, states at their website on Animal Treatment that: â€Å"Yum! Brands and KFC believe treating animals humanely and with care is a key part of our quality assurance efforts. This means animals should be free from mistreatment at all possible times from how they are raised and cared for to how they are transported and processed. Our goal is to only deal with suppliers who provide an environment that is free from cruelty, abuse and neglect.† (http://www.kfc.com/about/animalwelfare_principles.asp)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Yet, all the abuse behaviours still occurs in almost all KFC suppliers slaughterhouse. A spokeswoman for KFC responded for the video said: â€Å"the company wouldnt tolerate the type of behaviours in the video. KFC will require that the employee or employees responsible be terminated, and further violations will â€Å"result in termination of our relationship.† (Bonnie Warschauer 2004)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  KFC has formed the KFC Animal Welfare Advisory Council, which consists of greatly regarded experts in the field. The Council provides KFC with information and suggestion based on relevant data and scientific research. KFC has done something for the issue, but it seems like not really effective on defeating to the problems. But in fact, one of the advisors in the council had come out to say that â€Å"KFC never had any meetings. They never asked any advice, and then they touted to the press that they had this animal-welfare advisory committee. I felt like I was being used.† (Dr. Adele Douglass, former animal welfare advisor to KFC, Chicago Tribune 2006)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  On the year 2003, as the works done by KFC does not improving the situation, PETA sued Kentucky Fried Chicken and called for a boycott to KFCs food, demanding that it require its suppliers to give chickens more room in factory barns, stop forcing growth so rapid that it cripples birds, and to gas birds before hanging them so they feel no pain.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ethical theory Theological or Consequentiality state that to judge whether an action is right or wrong is by looking at the consequences justify the means. It is corporate Social Responsibility to see that all rules and Code of Conduct is adhered to by KFC. 2.2 Relative Importance and Ethical Theory to the dilemmas on Health Problem, Fried Fast Food According to this trans fat issue, a spokesperson from KFC Laurie Schalow (2007) issued a statement saying that: â€Å"We take health and safety issues very seriously. We provide a variety of menu choices and provide nutrition information, including trans fat values, on our website and in our restaurants so consumers can make informed choices before they purchase our products. Our company is reviewing alternative oil options, but there are a number of factors to consider including maintaining KFCs unique taste and flavour of Colonel Sanders Original Recipe, supply availability and transportation, among others.† This has prove that KFC has initiative to take action on the issue, but yet, still have other profits relates concerns, such as in the statement stated, they afraid they might lost the unique taste thus losing customers at the same time, and it sure will decrease the annual profits.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  KFC has taken a big step in their chains history by launching the Kentucky Grilled Chicken. In this combo meal, contains only 395 calories, even lower than a subway Italian B.M.T sandwich which contains 450 calories. And the main point is, guarantee no trans fat. KFC promote their new Grilled Chicken on the famous show Oprah Winfreys daytime talk show, by offering free meal using print out coupon on the related site. (For the coupon picture and details please refer to Appendix 3) The action taken was proved that KFC has strong initiative to promote both Fried and Grilled Chicken in their chains, as people now is really concern and sensitive on what they are eating especially on fast food meals.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  This big move has pop up more questions; based on the history of KFC, the main focus of the meal is Fried Chicken, when the focus added with Grilled Chicken meal, should they also change their name into Kentucky Grilled Chicken? The problem that the company facing is, how to promote their new meal and also keeping their regular customer who used to Fried Chicken while doing so. The greed to keep old customers that are loyal to only fried chicken especially the name, are immoral. The last but not least, why would this healthy Grilled Chicken meal only available in US but not worldwide while KFC is an international fast food chain?   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Respect for persons- Kants ethics and duty explain that it is the age of enlightenment was marked by an emphasis on human reason. According to Kants first formulation and the Categorical imperative was- â€Å"I ought never to accept in such a way that I can also will that my Maxim should become universal law†. KFC should act in such a way in accordance to Kantian view- â€Å"that act always to treat humanity- never always as a means but always at the same time as an end.† I always believe that humans are rational animals because of their power and reason. (Essentials of Business Ethics, George Chryssides and John Kaler, pg 31-34)   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The ethic of Natural Law explains the fundamental moral rights that every company should have towards their customers and those associated the organization for instance stakeholders. 3. Ethical Good Practices and Values of KFC KFC as a worlds most famous chicken fast food chain has uncountable employees working for them. Basically, the employees are representative of KFC as they work immediately to the customers. Thus, as their employees produce goods (prepare foods), provide services (serve walk-in customer in KFC restaurant) to the customers everyday, a good practices of to train a professional staff, and how they treating their employees is a must to KFC in order to constitute the essential outputs of the company. 3.1 Protect Employees Health and Safety, as Working Condition Every year, there are more than 5000 workers are killed and over 3,000,000 are seriously injured as a results of work accident in the world. Workplace hazard always the main causes workers get hurts, include not only obvious categories like mechanical injury or burns but also extremely heat and cold, skin irritants or noisy machinery. In KFCs restaurants kitchen, their workers facing with deep fried machine, hot oven, cutting machine and bad air condition everyday. The Occupational Safety and Health Act (1994), is the most recent legislation in Malaysia, to safe guard safety and health of works. KFC should abide by the rules and this act, is ethical. When their employees feel save in their work place, firm will have good reputation though. 3.2 Provides Job Satisfaction, as Working Condition The work of Manuel G. Velasques (1996) emphasis that the rational parts of the organization put a high value on efficiency: All jobs and tasks are to be designed so as to achieve the organizations goals as efficiently as possible. When efficiency is achieved through specialization, the rational aspects of organizations tend to incorporate highly specialized jobs. As we known, working in a fast food restaurant is definitely bore with keep on repeating the same jobs everyday with no exception. This leads to job dissatisfaction to the workers, it will change their attitudes when they feel annoyed in doing their works, this is also why some customers complaint on they got rude services in the chain. Efficiency is achieved by understanding the workers motivational patterns. Professor Abrahim Maslow cited in his research the 5 need factors, for example security, social and esteem. This factors are ethical and enhances productivity at KFC both local and internationally.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  When employees happy, they will work happily and then treat their customer better, the golden rule is to recognize the differences is cultures and economic development of the countries. To better value KFC, the fair trade concept is to be utilized further to firms, community involvement, targeting should be the code of practices in KFC. 4. Strategic Options and the Recommendations to KFC To my understanding and learning the recommendations and strategic options to KFC to improve and to defend themselves against the critics. KFC should have the responsibilities to take care their employees health and safety in their workplace, what employer can and should do is offer higher wages to compensate the risk measure by different position. A better one to ensure their workers against unknown accident that might happen anytime, employer should provide them with suitable insurance programs. A little bit costly, but a good one is advise KFC to form a special team, to collect information, researching on the health and safety issue on the working environment which where their workers facing everyday. Then come out with the results together with solution and steps recommendations information available to all KFC employees around the world. â€Å"Excessive job specialization is undesirable for other reasons than that it places unjust burdens on workers. There is also considerable evidence that it does not contribute to efficiency. Research findings have demonstrated that there is a link-age between worker productivity and programs that improve the quality of work life for workers by giving workers greater involvement in and control over a variety work tasks. † (Manuel G. Velasques 1996: pg 462) Thus, KFC should make the operation efficiently like held parties involved customer and workers quarterly, or a outstanding idea such as choose the best worker in different country and offer them to have exchange colleague (similar with exchange student) to work in other countrys outlet with a duration one to three months with fully allowanced by company, this sure will motivated workers to do hard work on their working days. The stakeholders management should include the improvement in Communications, where there is possible setback the whistle blowing ethic should be applied as a strategic option where as the recommendations would be to set up a panel to do constant analysis on different options as the Marketing, and Operations issues, for instance the coordination activities in Service Management, Public Relation and Advertising techniques. The ethical theory of Technological or Consequentialist states the â€Å"end justify the means†. This further is depended by Kants ethics of duty. The consequentialism is that human welfare is best served by moral responsibilities. Equal rights refers to equal opportunities for all workers with out exploitation. Buddha in his teachings said â€Å"do not do what is evil, do what is good, keep your mind pure†.

Reducing Drug Trafficking in The United States Essay -- Illicit Drugs

The drug problem in the U.S. and around the world is an important issue and seems to be a difficult problem to tackle across the board. The inflow of drugs has become one of the largest growths in transnational crime operations; illicit drug use in the United States makes it very difficult for nation states police and customs forces to get a handle on the issues. War on drugs, drug trafficking has long been an issue for the United States. There has been a proclamation of â€Å"war on drugs† for the past 44 years. Drug trafficking and drug abuse has long been a frustrating feature of United States and other country around the world. The United Nations Office of Drug Control and Crime Prevention points out that the fight against drug trafficking and drug abuse has met with some successes in recent years to restrain the trade that affect community as a whole (World Drug Report, 2010). The U.S. need to increase security at the borders and that will help eliminate the drugs brought into the country. I believe when you put a plan in place that is well develop it will help eliminate the number of illegal immigrants that traveling back and forth into the United States who want to drug trafficking in our country. We need better security checks at the border that will help eliminate the drugs that brought into our country. In 1972, Mexican President Luis Echeverrà ­a met with President Nixon and, along with several government agencies, developed The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). There has been much effort to fight the war on drugs such as: increase in law enforcement, allowing federal officials to access military intelligence, and training and much more including campaigns. A recent national drug survey, released last October, shows... ...roQuest Newsstand. (Document Palmer, S. A. , 2006-11-01 "The Incidence of Illicit Drug Use in Canada 1977-2004" Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology (ASC), Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, CA Online . 2009-05-24 from http://www.allacademic.com/meta/p125275_index.html Ruby, M. (1993, December 12). Should drugs be legalized? . U.S. News & World Report., http://www.usnews.com/usnews/opinion/articles/931220/archive_016323.htm Lorraine Mazerolle, David Soole, Sacha Rombouts Drug Law Enforcement: A Review of the Evaluation Literature Police Quarterly, June 2007; vol. 10, 2: pp. 115-153. http://online.sagepub.com/ World Drug Report, 2010, published by the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, New York, 2010, p. 2. http://www.unodc.org/unodc/en/data-and-analysis/WDR-2010.html

Small Town with One Road, by Gary Soto :: Small Town with One Road

A. Title: The title of this poem suggests that it is about a small country town with one road, most likely in the middle of nowhere. Very few people and very few things around for a person to do with their free time. B. Paraphrase: We could be here. This is the valley and its highway which rabbits can't get across but kids can. They jump to the store with sweetness on their tongues. They watch for fun. Dimes fall from their palms to pay for the candies they eat on the way home. There are lots of dogs and cats and chickens at the house. A pot bangs and water runs in the kitchen, beans are getting cooked for dinner. Brown soup for the the men who work the fields. No matter what race, its hard for anyone who does work in the fields. The cotton gin is a major factor in the money dream and the mill makes money for a wife-and maybe my wife, who boxed peaches and plums and hoed her dad's fields as a girl. We could go back. I could lose this easy job I have. Just talking and using a shovel, a hoe, a broom that takes everything away. All my daughter does is worry. She touches my hand and we eat snow cones from a roadside vendor in the shade while we look around. Behind sunglasses I see where I once was. A brow kid getting across the road. â€Å"he's like me,† I tell my daughter and she stops eating her snow cone. He looks both was then leaps across the road where riches happen on red tongues. C. Connotations:The poem is written in free verse with no rhyme or rhythm to be found. The speaker is seeing himself in someone else's actions like a flash back to the time when he was at that age. The poet uses a metaphor to describe the kids as â€Å"Spectators of fun.† Gary Soto also uses personification when he states that the, â€Å"pot bangs and water runs...† D. Attitude:The speaker is a father, a worker of the fields. His attitude is one of childishness and relaxation. He is eating snow cones with his daughter and talking about when he was a kid and now as an adult. The attitude of the poet is that this is just the way of life in the small towns and the farming towns are pretty much all boring and monotonous. Small Town with One Road, by Gary Soto :: Small Town with One Road A. Title: The title of this poem suggests that it is about a small country town with one road, most likely in the middle of nowhere. Very few people and very few things around for a person to do with their free time. B. Paraphrase: We could be here. This is the valley and its highway which rabbits can't get across but kids can. They jump to the store with sweetness on their tongues. They watch for fun. Dimes fall from their palms to pay for the candies they eat on the way home. There are lots of dogs and cats and chickens at the house. A pot bangs and water runs in the kitchen, beans are getting cooked for dinner. Brown soup for the the men who work the fields. No matter what race, its hard for anyone who does work in the fields. The cotton gin is a major factor in the money dream and the mill makes money for a wife-and maybe my wife, who boxed peaches and plums and hoed her dad's fields as a girl. We could go back. I could lose this easy job I have. Just talking and using a shovel, a hoe, a broom that takes everything away. All my daughter does is worry. She touches my hand and we eat snow cones from a roadside vendor in the shade while we look around. Behind sunglasses I see where I once was. A brow kid getting across the road. â€Å"he's like me,† I tell my daughter and she stops eating her snow cone. He looks both was then leaps across the road where riches happen on red tongues. C. Connotations:The poem is written in free verse with no rhyme or rhythm to be found. The speaker is seeing himself in someone else's actions like a flash back to the time when he was at that age. The poet uses a metaphor to describe the kids as â€Å"Spectators of fun.† Gary Soto also uses personification when he states that the, â€Å"pot bangs and water runs...† D. Attitude:The speaker is a father, a worker of the fields. His attitude is one of childishness and relaxation. He is eating snow cones with his daughter and talking about when he was a kid and now as an adult. The attitude of the poet is that this is just the way of life in the small towns and the farming towns are pretty much all boring and monotonous.

Venezuela

There have been many current events that have violated human rights, one of them is that Venezuela is suffering from lack of food and medicine they are given and their leader isn't doing anything about this but other leaders are trying to help out Venezuela , there are many things that are being done in order to Prevent future events like this, because this can't start happening around the world, Colombia, Cuba, and Argentina are already starting to have problems like this and this could get out of control. Venezuela use to be one the the wealthiest countries until the 19th century, that's when they started to have economic and political crisis. Venezuela's president, Nicolas Maduro is denying the fact that Venezuela people are staring and not having access to good health care. Many people are starving and others are in the hospital, and not having enough medicine for everyone because the hospitals are getting filled with injured people. Since the hospital doesn't have enough supplies for everyone they ask patients to bring their own medicine and which most patients can't afford. According to † Venezuela's health care crisis † the video states that even when their own patients bring in their own medicine, they are stolen inside the hospital.This Hospital use to have staff 24/7 working on surgerys and helping other patients while now there are people that have been waiting to have surgery for days. The Violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is Article 7 which is â€Å"You have the right to be treated by the law in the same way as everyone else.Everyone has the right protection against violation of their human rights† and Article 8 â€Å"If your rights under law are violated , you have the right to see justice done in court or tribunal.† This is saying that every person in Venezuela should be treated the same and have the same health care. People in venezuela are dying and starving because of the lack of food and medicine and health care they are given. According to CNN, this crisis that is happening in Venezuela had started around 2015 where people were having less than one meal a day. It's sad to see that newborns are being put in cardboard boxes after their mother give birth. According to FP people have been use to having one meal a day while others are hunting for dogs pigeons and cats. People In Latin America would feel rich with just one dollar or maybe some clean water while people here in America are wasting food and aren't grateful for one dollar. This rich Country is suffering because of one person which is their leader Nicolas Maduro. We can start helping Venezuela by just donating one dollar, because that would mean a lot to them. Donald Trump is also helping out with this situation.According to U.S.NEWS president Donald Trump he states that he promises â€Å"strong and swift economic actions† to counter Maduro's antidemocratic measures.† What Donald Trump is doing is he is restricting the revenue that Nicolas Maduro planned and benefit from oils form the United States. In Conclusion, Venezuela is struggling in food and health care because of their bad Leader Nicolas Maduro. People are dying faster and families are starving because they don't have food. This is a huge crisis, this was one of the wealthiest countries but now is the one leaving in poverty, people are eating pets and birds which is not usual. President Donald Trump and other leaders in Latin America for example Mexico they are trying their best to help out venezuela because everyone is supposed to be treated the same way, and in a way people in America can be helping out by donating one dollar which to them means a lot .

Advantages of Being Bilingual

Abstract This essay deliberates the benefits of being bilingual. The information has been analyzed from resources dating from September 2010 through 2012. The idea put forth in this essay is to prove that the brain of a bilingual person is agile and nimble. It argues a bilingual signs in babies having the ability to distinguish between two languages as young as 4 months old. It also presents how infants show a strong preference for the language their mother spoke during pregnancy. It confirms that using two languages throughout life delays the onset of dementia symptoms by an average of four years.The research further explores how bilingualism is positively connected with many cognitive outcomes, including: metalinguistic awareness, focus attention, auto control, active memory, and abstract and symbolic representation skills. In general, bilingual speakers enjoy far nimbler cognitive commands, maintaining a continuously active and alert brain, even when only one language is in contro l. Being bilingual actually provides opportunities in many corners of life totally impossible for monolinguals speakers. Advantages of Being BilingualThe saying â€Å"less is more,† does not apply when the topic of monolingual versus bilingual language skills is concerned. This work is a recompilation of the advantages of being bilingual. It discusses how the brain of bilingual speakers is ingenious and clever. Moreover, extends how infants as young as 4-months old and children who live in bilingual environments have advantages over those living in monolingual environments. The article presents how using two languages throughout life delays the onset of dementia symptoms by an average of four years.This essay proves, through a number of studies, the cognitive outcomes associated with bilingualism. According to Flora (2010): Infants as young as 4 months who live in bilingual environments can distinguish between two languages, monitoring lip and facial movements. Babies also sh ow a strong preference for the language their mother spoke during pregnancy. We're built to acquire language, of course, but we're also built to learn and accommodate more than one. Monolinguals are essentially underutilized their abilities: Brain scans show that while monolinguals use established language centers such as Broca's rea, bilinguals employ far more of the neural landscape when expressing themselves. (p. 75). Wang (2010) uses the results of the studies performed by Dr. Bialystok and Dr. Craik (2004) on how children learn a second language. Doctor Bialystok and Craik conducted three studies that look at the cognitive effects in some 150 monolingual and bilingual people between 30 and 80 years old. They found that in both middle and old age, the bilingual subjects were better able to block out distracting information than the single-language speakers in a series of computerized tests.The advantage of bilingualism was even more pronounced in the older subjects. Compared wit h people who speak only one language, bilingual children and young adults have slightly smaller vocabularies and are slower when performing certain verbal tasks, such as naming lists of animals or fruits. Bilingualism equally doesn't just apply to the small percentage of people who are perfectly fluent in two tongues. In the same fashion, bilinguals might speak beautifully in one language without being able to read or write it. Moreover, they may have acquired their second tongue as a child, a teen, or an adult.Wang, (2010) affirms that: A lifetime of speaking two or more languages appears to pay off in old age, with recent research showing the symptoms of dementia can be delayed by an average of four years in bilingual people. Multilingualism doesn't delay the onset of dementia—the brains of people who speak multiple languages still show physical signs of deterioration—but the process of speaking two or more languages appears to enable people to develop skills to bett er cope with the early symptoms of memory-robbing diseases, including Alzheimer's.Over time, regularly speaking more than one language appears to strengthen skills that boost the brain called cognitive reserve, a capacity to work even when stressed or damaged. This build-up of cognitive reserve appears to help bilingual people as they age. Specifically, the advantages of bilingualism are thought to be related to a brain function known as inhibitory or cognitive control: the ability to stop paying attention to one thing and focus on something else, says Dr. Bialystok (2004). Fluent speakers of more than one language have to use this skill continually to silence one language in their minds, while communicating in another.People who are bilingual are often asked which language they think in, but when people are walking down the street, riding a bus, or jogging in the woods, their thoughts may not be in a particular language, points out Francois Grosjean, author of the research-based Bi lingual Life and Reality. Parker-Jones, (2012) and his colleagues used functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to investigate whether neuronal activation differs in bilinguals and monolinguals during picture naming and reading aloud when only one language is in use.They found that when a bilingual person names pictures or reads words aloud, in their native or nonnative language, activation was higher by the monolingual in 5 left hemisphere regions: dorsal precentral gyrus, pars triangularis, pars opercularis, superior temporal gyrus, and planum temporale. They further proved that these areas are sensitive to increasing demands on speech production in a monolingual person. This suggests that the advantage of being bilingual comes at the price of increased work in brain areas that support monolingual word processing.By comparing the effect of bilingualism across a range of tasks, they argue that activation is higher in bilingual speakers as compared with monolingual speakers beca use word retrieval is more demanding. Furthermore, articulation of each word, by bilingual speakers, is less rehearsed. In addition, speech output needs careful monitoring to avoid errors when competition for word choice occurs between, as well as within, language.The Parker-Jones (2012) team’s conclusions offer novel insights into the effect of bilingualism on brain function. They emphasize that the advantage of being bilingual comes at the expense of increased demands on word retrieval and articulation, even in simple picture naming and reading tasks. The Parker-Jones (2012) team also has shown images of the increased activation for bilinguals relative to monolinguals during overt picture naming and reading aloud, even when bilinguals are only responding in their native language.The areas where these effects were observed are remarkably consistent with those previously associated with low- versus high-frequency picture naming in one's native language and the control of inte rference in bilinguals as they respond in a dual language context. Their findings suggest that bilinguals increase processing within a system that is also used in monolinguals (Abutalebi & Green, 2007). However, they contrast sharply with the idea of a unique and helpful bilingual system that exploits resources that are untapped in monolinguals Baker and Shalinsky (2008).By including multiple tasks, they have been able to interpret the function of the areas where activation is higher in bilinguals than monolinguals. In addition, by including multiple groups, and only testing in a single language context, they were able to control for differences between native versus nonnative language. In the final analysis, attaining fluency in two or more languages not only looks fabulous like an advantage on college and job applications, it actually presents opportunities in many corners of life completely denied to the monolingual.The advantage of being bilingual now has science behind it. My r esearch proves that the list of advantages includes, staving off dementia, improved cognitive skills, and heightened creativity. Moreover, bilingual speakers have an easier time focusing on tasks, and greater control over literacy skills which is heightened by environmental awareness. Additionally, bilinguals have an easier time switching between tasks; have denser grey matter, faster response time, and higher scores on intelligence tests.References Flora, C. (2010, October). Double Talk. Psychology Today. 70-79. Wang, S. S. (2010, October 12). Building a more resilient brain. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved from http://online. wsj. com/article/SB10001424052748703794104575 545923443462444. html Parker Jones1, O. , Green2. D, W. , Grogan3, A. , Pliatsikas4, C. , Filippopolitis1, K. , Ali5, N. , Lee6, H. L. ,†¦Price1, C. J(2012). Where, When and Why Brain Activation Differs for Bilinguals and Monolinguals during Picture Naming and Reading Aloud.Oxford University Press. 22 (4). Retrieved from http://cercor. oxfordjournals. org/content/22 /4/892. full Grosjean, F. (2012, November). Linguistic Aspects of Childhood Bilingualism. Bilingual: Life and Reality. Harvard University Press. Abutalebi, J. , Brambati, S. M. , Annoni, J. M. , Moro, A. , Cappa, S. F. , & Perani, D. (2007). The neural cost of the auditory perception of language switches: an event-related fMRI study in bilinguals. Journal of Neuroscience, 27, 13762-13769.

Cyberspace and War Essay

Reading the highly interesting essay entitled â€Å"Navigating the Cyberspaces of Virtual War† presents to us the reasons why movies like The Terminator movie series are no longer works of fiction as written by an over active imagination. The reality is that science and computer technology have reached that point in the evolution of the systems that both the real and imagined reality of everyday lives, problems, and in this case, world wars, can now seamlessly interact and allow human beings to become active participants in the situations without really posing any physical dangers to the themselves. We have to admit that violence is an inborn characteristic of humans regardless of age, gender, and capability. But, man is afraid of the real repercussions stemming from any act of violence. Nobody in his right mind would put his own life on the line if he can find a way around it. This is the problem that presented itself to the public the day that man found a way to involve themselves in virtual war games. It is true that soldiers must be well trained and versed in handling their weapons and be so familiar with their combat zone that they can patrol the area blindfolded. For the military, the applications of virtual war is endless and a fantastic training tool that limit’s the number of casualties in the field. The problem is that the virtual war games were commercialized and sold to the public for home entertainment. The end result of the virtual gaming world was the desensitizing of mankind. Virtual Reality turned into an actual reality for some wherein nobody ever actually got hurt or died. It redefined violence for the participants and made it seem alright to blow each other up because â€Å"It’s just a game†. However, the developers of such games neglected to consider the psychological effect of the game on an ordinary person. A soldier would eventually have to deal with the reality of his virtual training and deal with actual loss of lives from both friendly and enemy fire. For the common man who merely plays the game and does not need to experience the actual loss, it instead gives him a thrill that sometimes pushes him to emulate the game in a real life setting. Early on, I mentioned that the Terminator movie series has now turned into a reality. This is a truth that can be seen because of the way cyberspace and war have turned battles into situations fought by remote control from the comfort of the soldier’s home base using highly intelligent computer systems that are capable of deciding upon what kind of weapons to use depending upon what their sensors data transmits to the onboard computer. But, what if the onboard computer develops a problem that causes the machine to turn upon its remote operators? What if Artificial Intelligence turns into Real Computer Intelligence? Are we prepared for such repercussions? Our computer developers and scientists have turned computers into almost fully independent machines that can function and decide its own actions in times of war. Good for the soldier because he won’t have to risk his life on the battlefront. Bad news for the rest of us because cyberspace is filled with computer hackers who would love to be able to gain the bragging rights to being that one person who took down a whole satellite system or took virtual / cyberspace enabled control of a real online defense system thereby gaining control of the military fighting machines for his own whims. Cyborgs are not that far off in development either. A perfect fighting machine, no feelings or logic, just a follower designed to eliminate the enemy as per preloaded mission objectives. The question is, how prepared are we to unleash such forces into reality? What safeguards are in place within cyberspace to protect us from the potential disasters cyber wars and technological advancements in cyberspace could bring upon mankind? The internet, online war gaming, television, and newspapers all present us with the realities of war while we are still far removed from the actual situation. I believe that if the world is to know any sort of peace, such virtual technologies should be limited to only military applications and not be allowed for commercial purposes. There is no need to feed the violent tendencies of man. Instead, a separate virtual reality should be developed for the common folk where we can practice solving political tensions through discussion and treaties instead. Leave the virtual fighting to those who are trained to really handle such situations. Cyberspace and war do not have to become any sort of reality for mankind simply because all it will bring about is our own self destruction in both virtual and actual reality.

Employment law, trade unions (uk) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 4000 words

Employment law, trade unions (uk) - Essay Example Human nature is essentially the same the world over and "man is a social animal at all times" (Bates, April 1888) and in all places. It is this basic nature of man that controls and directs the organization and development of society in all its spheres of activity. The inevitable landmark of social advance has been the family , the tribe, the state and the world organisation. Further advances in world organisation have however to be made if man is to benefit from and not to be destroyed by the power of the atom. Different approaches may be made in this regard. But world organisation has persistently proceeded, ever since the industrial revolution in England, on the basis of social system subjected to industrial modes of production. One of the most fruitful approaches would, therefore to explore the possibilities of the dynamic forces that have already manifested themselves in modern industrial society (Fung, 2003). The industrial system has increased the inter dependence of people ev erywhere and it is constantly emphasising the ever-growing importance of the technique of cooperation. The trade union have, therefore become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy is closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. TRADE UNION The term 'trade union' is in constant and popular use, and it is usually clear when a body is or is not a union. However, a statutory definition is necessary to determine what organisations are eligible for the various rights and duties accorded such bodies. Thus s.1 of the "Trade union and Labour Relations (consolidation) act 1992 characterizes as a union, 'an organisation(whether permanent or temporary) which.. consists wholly or mainly of workers of one or more descriptions and is an organisation whose principal purposes include the regulation of relations between workers of that description of those descriptions and employers or employers associations" (Trade Unions, n.d.). "The largest organization of trade union members in the world is the Brussels-based International Trade Union Confederation. it has approximately 309 affiliated organizations in 156 countries and territories today, with a combined membership of 166 million" (Wikipedia, 13 April 2008). PURPOSE OF TRADE UNION The trade unions have, therefore, become the greatest economic institution of our times and the future of democracy closely bound up with the fate of trade unions. The immediate objectives with which trade union have been formed in different parts of the worlds are essentially the same. The objectives and activities of trade unions may differ but general objectives are follows: To ensure the benefits of the worker from unemployment, ill health, old age and working environment. So that they can get professional training,