Woolworths Limited and Criticisms From Public

Question: Discuss about the Woolworths Limited and Criticisms From Public. Answer: Introduction Corporate Governance is a set of rules and regulations basis which a company is directed to perform and is controlled as well. Basically it is concerned with maintenance of a balance of interest between the various stake holders of a company such as the shareholders, creditors, employees, the government regulators as well as the society as a whole. The economic condition in todays world is such that adherence to these corporate regulatory requirements and governance is of utmost importance. Lack of adequate governance has led to bankruptcies such as that of One Tel, Lehman Brothers and many more. But it is also to be understood that corporate governance policies once formulated needs timely review as well so as to ensure its effectiveness. Increasing globalisation and its importance has posed a challenge for these regulators. Australian companies are looking ahead to expand globally but at the same time maintaining their Australian identity. Globalisation is good for the economy of Australia but at the same time adequate corporate governance too which are ruled by a range of regulatory authorities such as the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC). However the same is mixed with the other intended requirements which form the corporate governance in Australia. The said paper talks about how Woolworths Limited has been performing in the recent past, highlighting upon the governance protocols and practices it has been following. Further the areas where the Company has succeeded and similarly the areas where it has failed in its Corporate Governance practices. About Woolworths Limited The said company is listed in the ASX and is a leading business entity engaged in the food and beverage industry which also produces liquor. It is into retail business and is ranked as number two after Wesfarmers. It is known under the brand name Woolworths in Australia and Countdown in New Zealand. The companys current years performance was not so promising wherein it reported a loss of $1.235 billion for the financial year 2016. This is the biggest ever loss reported in two decades since the Company became a part of the ASX. The main reason behind the same was that it had to write down more than $2 billion due to a failure in the Masters Business and losses it suffered in the Big W business (Australian Food News, 2015). Woolworths Limited is a multi-faceted organization and its recent loss is eye catching for everybody, all its investors and the stake holders. So much that hundreds of employees have lost their jobs Although corporate governance has always been the most important stance of the company i.e. to ensure that the shareholders wealth is maximised and their funds are not misappropriated. It ensures that its board of directors act in the most ethical manner and perform their duties in the best interest of the company. As per the governance framework of the Company, the entire board is elected by the shareholders but for the CEO and the Managing Director. The board of directors main role was to ensure that the performance of the various businesses is done as per the policies and strategies. The decisions of the CEO are approved by the Board. Further it also states that the CEO is responsible the conduct of the daily operations of the company in accordance with ethical standards which involves ensuring a transparent attitude towards the employees. Criticisms Faced by Woolworths Limited Current years performance of the Company made it face various criticisms. It clearly shows that what it states in the Corporate Governance Statement and what it delivers are contrasting by nature. The failure of Masters was a big hit over the corporate governance which the Company used to follow. The year 2009 was the one when the Board was over-confident and certain egotism had pervaded into the higher echelons of the company, they ended up investing in Masters (Swan, 2016). Since then, the said segment of the Company has never made profits out of the same yet continued with the said business for five long years until the losses soared up to $500 million. This is an example of bad governance by the Board who did not pay heed to the loss that the said venture is incurring on a year on year basis and putting in a pressure on the top line of the Company (McConnell, 2016). Further the Board did not even take initiatives to improvise on the said business so as to turn the said project pr ofitable. It worked in a manner which would never entail benefits to the Company i.e. it tried to copy the market that exists in United States in Australia without understanding the demands of the citizens of Australia. The Company took too long to understand that the decision taken by the then Chairman was a mistake. Without paying heed to the value of the shareholders wealth and in order to give a big competition to Bunnings part of Wesfarmers business, the Company ended up losing a lot of the shareholders wealth. The Board in order to concentrate its efforts towards Masters, ended up ignoring the profitability of the entire group i.e. failed to concentrate upon its core business of food and beverages. This is where the company lacked in performing its duties of corporate governance (legalvision.com, 2016). They failed to perform one of the most important objective i.e. enhancement of the shareholder value along with ensuring that the activities of the Group are managed efficiently. Although the corporate governance statement pronounced by the Company states the Risk Management Policy and Framework yet the same was not followed in the said case. The risk management teams main objective was to conduct a timely assessment of the various businesses in which the Company is involved, especially the loss making wings and analyse as to how it was impacting the companys overall strategies and performance. Its objective also includes safeguarding of Companys assets as well. However it failed to deliver in case of Masters and did not exemplify the impact it was making on the overall performance of the Company so much that it had to report a loss breaking the record of past twenty years. The 2009 Board was so stubborn that the Company well knew that there was a high barrier to the entry in this segment due to dominance of Bunnings yet it kept on insisting due to which there costs increased (Pash, 2016). However the previous Board did not deter from its decision and tried to prove to the stakeholders that their decision was right. In order to prove the same they ended up compromising upon the main motto of the Company. When the new Chairman was ultimately appointed and the composition of the Board was altered, it is then that there was a revolution bought to the strategizing of the business of Woolworths Limited. Unfortunately, even at present the Company has not been able to get away from the directors who were a part such a disastrous decision. One of the main persuader of the said expansion of hardware was the then director of business development Grant O Brien. He was the one responsible for the roll out of the same who failed to even understand the market demand of Australia (Evans, 2016). However after two years of acquiring Masters, he became the chief executive of the entire Woolworths. His sudden approach of increasing its profitability margins was not taken in the right stride by the customers and they chose to leave Woolworths and shop elsewhere. However he is still the chief executive while a replacement is being searched for. The most shocking was that the Company ended up experimenting for five long years with the wealth of outsiders who believed in the Company and its performances. Further the corporate governance protocols define the members of the board to act in a trustworthy manner but they ended up breaking the same. Another criticism which the Company faced with regards the said failure was the lack of a good work culture. The competitor had a more open ended structure whereas Woolworths Masters structure was close ended wherein the policy had in clear terms stated all staff were to park tail-in to the kerb (Stewart, 2016). The Company failed to involve its customers too. The most obvious reason for such a failure was lack of adequate strategy and thought before implementing any decision. The Board behaved immaturely so much that it ended up buying lands so that the competitor Bunnings would not open up newer stores and frustrate the same. The said approach in itself was very childish not expected to be taken by the Board of a company like Woolworths (Murphy, 2015). Further the kind of stores it opened made people believe that its products would be expensive and hence they stuck to their old stores. Another highly unexpected step taken by the Company was that in order to uphold the Masters Business, Woolworths ended up compromising on their main business of supermarket chains which protected the margins of the company so as to neutralise the impact of the losses it suffered due to Masters (Bartholomeusz, 2016). This was again a decision extremely criticised by the shareholders and the investors as the same led the Wesfarmers and the Coles to gain momentum in the race. Another example of bad corporate governance followed by the management of Woolworths Limited was with regards Big Ws turnaround strategy. Employees of a concern are also the responsibility of the management and they have to ensure to maintain a balance of interest with them and the society as a whole (Thumm, 2016). However it failed to do and did not maintain the required level of transparency and ethical behaviour with them. According to the Australian Financial Review, Big W has handled its severances improperly and that its employees were unaware of the swivel strategies of the Company. The Board has been performing in a manner which is highly unacceptable as per the general practices of code of conduct of business. Without giving any prior or satisfactory justifications it has rolled back its purchase contracts thus hauling the long term suppliers with huge stock. Thus this move hampered the reputation as well. Although the Company officials and the management has full rights to take decisions for the well being of the group but the same should be in accordance with certain policies and protocols which it has laid down in its Corporate Governance Statement(ONeill, 2016). But unfortunately it is being criticised of working out of the policy document thus hurting the sentiments of its various stakeholders such as the investors, employees, suppliers and the community it serves as a whole. Current Measures Taken Presently the Company has promised to introduce a new operating model so as to enable the Company come out of the rags by focussing mainly on the core business of super market and liquor retailing. It has also decided to strengthen the corporate governance structure which was the main reason behind the tragic fall and losses it suffered from years. The Ezibuy has been divorced from Big W and all efforts for selling the former is being made. BIG W, ALH and Quantium all are to have separate governance with better transparency so as to achieve the highest values to the investors and the other stakeholders. Bradford Banducci, the new CEO of the Company has made many promises and all his efforts are steered towards regaining the lost power and reputation of the Company. The confidence that the investors had lost in the Company would be regained once the new board proves itself to be working for the benefit of the Company and not for personal interest. He is the man behind making Dan Murphy the leading liquor store of Australia and is the one of the fewer investments made by the Company which is running into profits (Woolworthsgroup.com, 2016). He is into the continuous task of rebuilding the worth of Woolworths. Conclusion On summarising the performance of Woolsworth Limited it is understood why the public has been criticising its business performance off late. The mistake the Company had done in the year 2009 yielded very disheartening results leading to breaking of trust of customers, staff as well as the investors. Ego coupled with over confidence led to the disruption of the outperforming company. In order to hide ones own faults the then Board ended up sacrificing the leading supermarket retail business chain of Woolworths as well. The Australian government and the regulators should strengthen their policies to such an extent so as to ensure that mandatory checks and regulatory audits are conducted so as to ensure that the decisions of the Boards are also reviewed. Unfortunately the officials had forgotten that even though they are sitting at the helm, yet they are not the owners of the Company and they owe a sense of responsibility towards the stakeholders. The new CEO, although seems to be promi sing yet the same cannot be construed so early whether he would be able to pull Woolworths out of the drain. References: Australian Food News, (2015), Concerns about trends in Woolworths results, Available at https://www.ausfoodnews.com.au/2015/03/02/concerns-about-trends-in-woolworths-results.html (Accessed 26th November 2016) Bartholomeusz, S., (2016), End of Woolies Masters Disaster, The Weekend Australian [Online], Available at https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/opinion/stephen-bartholomeusz/end-of-woolies-masters-disaster/news-story/0c66eb3b3c504b2efd8e03aa9db5c15d (Accessed 26th November 2016) Evans, S., (2016), What went wrong at Woolworths Masters,The Sydney Morning Herald [Online], Available at https://www.smh.com.au/business/retail/what-went-wrong-at-woolworths-masters-20160118-gm8fge.html (Accessed 26th November 2016) Legalvision.com, (2016), Masters Closure : Why It Failed and What Next, Available at https://legalvision.com.au/masters-closure-why-it-failed-and-what-next/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) Murphy,J., (2015), Masters in the screw up that could hammer Woolsworth and the rest of us, Available at https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/masters-is-the-screw-up-that-could-hammer-woolworths--and-the-rest-of-us/news-story/ed95848f906b7eeb3399f8378784e3eb (Accessed 26th November 2016) McConnell, P., (2016), Masters- A Failure of Corporate Governance, Available at https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/49655-masters-a-failure-of-corporate-governance/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) ONeill, S., (2016), Why the Woolworths Limited share price is going nuts today?, Available at https://www.fool.com.au/2016/07/25/why-the-woolworths-limited-share-price-is-going-nuts-on-better-grocery-performance/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) Pash, C., (2016), Why The Masters Hardware Business Failed, Available at https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2016/08/why-the-masters-hardware-business-failed/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) Raszkiewicz, O., (2015), 3 key takeaways from Woolsworth Limiteds annual report, Available at https://www.fool.com.au/2015/08/28/3-key-takeaways-from-woolworths-limiteds-annual-report/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) Stewart, E., (2016), Masters: Five reasons Woolworths is pulling the plug on struggling hardware chain, Available at https://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-06/five-reasons-woolworths-is-being-hammered-on-hardware/6450364 (Accessed 26th November 2016) Swan, P., (2016), Experienced shareholders better than independent directors for business, Available at https://newsroom.unsw.edu.au/news/business-law/experienced-shareholders-better-independent-directors-business (Accessed 26th November 2016) Thumm, J., (2016), Big Ws Awkward Turnaround Strategy, Available at https://www.powerretail.com.au/news/big-w-strategy/ (Accessed 26th November 2016) Woolworthsgroup.com., (2016), 2016 Annual Report, Available at https://www.woolworthsgroup.com.au/icms_docs/185865_annual-report-2016.pdf, (Accessed 26th November 2016)

A Profile of Barry Goldwater - “Mr. Conservative”

A Profile of Barry Goldwater - â€Å"Mr. Conservative† Barry Goldwater was a 5-term US Senator from Arizona and the Republican nominee for president in 1964. Mr. Conservative Barry Goldwater and the Genesis of the Conservative Movement In the 1950s, Barry Morris Goldwater emerged as the nation’s leading conservative politician. It was Goldwater, along with his growing legion of â€Å"Goldwater Conservatives,† who brought the concepts of small government, free enterprise, and a strong national defense into the national public debate. These were the original planks of the conservative movement and remain the heart of the movement today. Beginnings Goldwater entered politics in 1949, when he won a seat as a Phoenix city councilman. Three years later, in 1952, he became a US Senator for Arizona. For nearly a decade, he helped redefine the Republican Party, assembling it into the party of the conservatives. In the late 1950s, Goldwater became closely associated with the anti-Communist movement and was an avid supporter of Sen. Joseph McCarthy. Goldwater stuck with McCarthy until the bitter end and was one of only 22 members of Congress who refused to censure him. Goldwater supported desegregation and civil rights to varying degrees. He got himself into political hot water, however, with his opposition to legislation that would eventually turn into the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Goldwater was a passionate Constitutionalist, who had supported the NAACP and had backed previous versions of civil rights legislation, but he opposed the 1964 bill because he believed it violated states’ rights to self-govern. His opposition earned him political support from conservative southern Democrats, but he was detested as a â€Å"racist† by many blacks and minorities. Presidential Aspirations Goldwater’s rising popularity in the South in the early 1960s helped him win a tough bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 1964. Goldwater had been looking forward to running an issue-oriented campaign against his friend and political rival, President John F. Kennedy. An avid pilot, Goldwater had planned to fly around the country with Kennedy, in what the two men believed would be a revival of the old whistle-stop campaign debates. Kennedys Death Goldwater was devastated when those plans were cut short by Kennedy’s death in late 1963, and he mourned the president’s passing profoundly. Nevertheless, he won the Republican nomination in 1964, setting up a showdown with Kennedy’s vice president, Lyndon B. Johnson, who he despised and would later accuse of â€Å"using every dirty trick in the book.† Introducing ... Mr. Conservative During the Republican National Convention in 1964, Goldwater gave perhaps the most conservative acceptance speech ever uttered when he said, â€Å"I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.† This statement prompted one member of the press to exclaim, â€Å"My God, Goldwater is running as Goldwater!† The Campaign Goldwater was not prepared for the brutal campaign tactics of the vice president. Johnson’s philosophy was to run as though he were 20 points behind, and he did just that, crucifying the Arizona Senator in a series of vicious television ads. Comments Goldwater made during the previous ten years were taken out of context and used against him. For example, he had once told members of the press that he sometimes thought the country would be better off if the entire Eastern Seaboard were sawed off and floated out to sea. The Johnson campaign ran an ad showing a wooden model of the United States in a tub of water with a saw hacking off the Eastern states. The Effectiveness of Negative Campaigning Perhaps the most damning and personally offensive ad to Goldwater was the one called â€Å"Daisy,† which showed a young girl counting flower petals as a male voice counted down from ten to one. At the end of the ad, the girl’s face was frozen as images of nuclear war played in the shadows and a voice extolled Goldwater, implying he would launch a nuclear attack if elected. Many consider these ads to be the beginnings of the modern negative campaign period which continues to this day. Goldwater lost in a landslide, and Republicans lost many seats in Congress, setting the conservative movement back significantly. Goldwater won his seat in the Senate again in 1968 and continued to earn respect from his political peers on Capitol Hill. Nixon In 1973, Goldwater had a significant hand in the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon. The day before Nixon resigned, Goldwater told the president that if he stayed in office, Goldwater’s vote would be in favor of impeachment. The conversation coined the term â€Å"Goldwater moment,† which is still used today to describe the moment a group of the president’s fellow party members vote against him or publicly take a position opposite him. Reagan In 1980, Ronald Reagan won a crushing defeat over incumbent Jimmy Carter and columnist George Will called it a victory for conservatives, saying Goldwater had actually won the 1964 election, â€Å"†¦ it just took 16 years to count the votes.† The New Liberal The election would eventually mark the decline of Goldwater’s conservative influence as the social conservatives and the Religious Right began to slowly take over the movement. Goldwater vociferously opposed their two top issues, abortion and gay rights. His views came to be regarded as more â€Å"Libertarian† than conservative, and Goldwater later admitted with wonder that he and his ilk were the â€Å"new liberals of the Republican party.† Goldwater died in 1998 at the age of 89.

Strategies for How to Improve English Listening Skills

Strategies for How to Improve English Listening Skills As a new English speaker, your language skills are progressing well grammar is now familiar, your  reading comprehension is no problem, and you are communicating quite fluently   but listening is still posing a problem. First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult task for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen, and that means as often as possible. The next step is to find listening resources. This is where the Internet really comes in handy (idiom to be useful) as a tool for English students. A few  suggestions for interesting listening selections are  CBC Podcasts,  Ã‚  All Things Considered (on NPR), and  the BBC. Listening Strategies Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated  by your limited understanding. Here are a few courses of action you can take: Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.Stay relaxed when you do not understand even if you continue to have trouble understanding for a while.Do not translate into your native language.Listen for the gist (or general idea) of the conversation. Dont concentrate on detail until you have understood the main idea(s). First, translating creates a barrier between the listener and the speaker. Second, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, you can usually understand what the speaker had said. Translating Creates a Barrier Between Yourself and the Person Who Is Speaking While you are listening to another person speaking a foreign language (English in this case), the temptation is to immediately translate into your native language. This temptation becomes much stronger when you hear a word you dont understand. This is only natural as we want to understand everything that is said. However, when you translate into your native language, you are taking the focus  of your attention away from the speaker and concentrating on the translation process taking place in your brain. This would be fine if you could put the speaker on hold. In real life, however, the person continues talking while you translate. This situation obviously leads to less not more understanding. Translation leads to a mental block in your brain, which sometimes doesnt allow you to understand anything at all. Most People Repeat Themselves Think for a moment about your friends, family, and colleagues. When they speak in your native tongue, do they repeat themselves? If they are like most people, they probably do. That means that whenever you listen to someone speaking, it is very likely that they will repeat the information, giving you a second, third or even fourth chance to understand what has been said. By remaining calm, allowing yourself to not understand, and not translating while listening, your brain is free to concentrate on the most important thing: understanding English in English. Probably the greatest advantage of using the Internet to improve your listening skills is that you can choose what you would like to listen to and how many and times you would like to listen to it. By listening to something you enjoy, you are also likely to know a lot more of the vocabulary required. Use Key Words Use keywords or key phrases to help you understand the general ideas. If you understand New York, business trip, last year you can assume that the person is speaking about a business trip to New York last year. This may seem obvious to you, but remember that understanding the main idea will help you to understand the detail as the person continues to speak. Listen for Context Lets imagine that your English speaking friend says, I bought this great tuner  at JRs. It was really cheap and now I can finally listen to National Public Radio broadcasts. You dont understand what a tuner  is, and if you focus on the word tuner  you might become frustrated. If you think in context, you probably will begin to understand. For example; bought is the past of buy, listen is no problem and radio is obvious. Now you understand: He bought something the  tuner to listen to the radio. A tuner must be a kind of radio. This is a simple example but it demonstrates what you need to focus on: Not the word that you dont understand, but the words you do understand. Listening often is the most important way to improve your listening skills. Enjoy the listening possibilities offered by the Internet and remember to relax.

Citizenship in United Kingdom under Neo-liberalism Essay

Citizenship in United Kingdom under Neo-liberalism - Essay Example Opening of markets refers to free trade and an international division of labor (Bateman 48). Neoliberalism usually favours multilateral political force through international organizations or treaty devices such as the WTO and World Bank. It promotes plummeting the role of national governments to a minimum. Neoliberalism favors laissez-faire over direct government intervention (such as Keynesianism), and measures achievement in overall economic gain. To improve corporate efficiency, it strives to reject or mitigate labor policies such as lowest wage, and collective bargaining rights. (Faulks, pp 34-37) Neoliberalism is an economic philosophy rather than a broader political ideology. The swing away from government action in the 1970s led to the prologue of this term, which refers to a program of dipping trade barriers and internal market restrictions, while using government power to enforce opening of foreign markets. This is strongly different by economic liberals, who favor a free market and free trade. Neoliberalism accepts a positive degree of government involvement in the domestic economy, mainly a central bank with the power to print fiat money. It also favors an interventionist military (Cate 73). While neoliberalism is sometimes described as overlapping with Thatcherism, economists as varied as Joseph Stiglitz and Milton Friedman have been described - by others - as "neoliberal". This economic agenda is not essentially combined with a liberal agenda in politics: neoliberals often do not pledge to individual liberty on moral issues or in sexual mores. An extreme example was the Pinochet regime in Chile, but some also categorise Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and even Tony Blair and Gerhard Schrder as being neo-liberal. It should be distinguished that, in the 1990s in the UK, a lot of social democratic parties adopted 'neoliberal' economic policies such as privatization of industry and open markets, much to the disappointment of many of their own voters. This has led these parties to become de facto neoliberal, and has often resulted in a radical loss of popular support. For instance, critics to the left of the German Social Democratic Party and the British Labour Party blame them of pursuing neoliberal policies by refusing to renationalise industry. As a result of this, much support for these parties has been gone astray to the Christian Democratic Union and the Liberal Democrats, correspondingly. (Cate 77) Sometimes 'Neoliberalism' is use as a catch-all term for the anti-socialist response which sweep through some countries during the period between the 70s and 90s. 'Neoliberalism' in the form of Thatcher, Reagan, and Pinochet claimed to move from a bureacratic welfare-based society in the direction of a meritocracy acting in the interests of business. In actuality, these governments cut financial support for education and taxed income more deeply than wealth, which augmented the influence of big business and the upper class. Some conservatives perceive themselves as the true inheritors of classical liberalism. Jonah Goldberg of National Review argues that "most conservatives are nearer to classical liberals than a lot of Reason-libertarians" because conservatives want to protect some institutions that they see as wanted for liberty

Information on databases Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Information on databases - Essay Example This research will begin with the statement that databases are found anywhere structured data needs to be stored and referenced for future use. This includes places like schools, hospitals, businesses, libraries, banks and even at the home. Tables are the basic entities that store structured data in the form of rows and columns. Forms are designed to make the entry of data into tables easier. Queries are used to make searches on tables based on specific criteria and the output can be given in the form of a report that clearly shows the results of the query. The researcher states that he uses a timetable to store data about my classroom activities and he uses a paper based table to store records of things he needs to do during the week. This includes such items as shopping for groceries, studying and places to visit. It has two columns of time and activity and several rows. Paper and database forms differ in the following ways. Database forms are electronic and thus can handle more da ta than paper can by several orders of magnitude. Paper forms are limited in their functionality, unlike database forms which allow functionality search as carrying out quick searches, sorting, delete and undelete and etc. Database forms can allow an audit trail to indicate who accessed what and when. Paper forms cannot allow this to happen. Database forms are more persistent and more difficult to destroy, unlike paper forms because of easing of copying and storage.

Ethical Issues In The Human Genome Project

Ethical Issues In The Human Genome Project The Human Genome Project was the largest international scientific research conducted in the field of Biology. This research project began in 1990 with a mission of discovering all the genes in human DNA and determining the sequences of chemical base pairs which make up the DNA of human. The Human Genome Project was coordinated by the Department of Energy and National Institute of Health, in the USA. The research involved thousands of scientists, biologists, chemists, engineers, computer scientists, mathematicians and human participants from around the world. The researchers plotted several types of biological maps that enabled many other researchers to improve their knowledge and to use them in proceeding with their researches. According to web definitions, a genome is The set of genes that are carried by an individual. A chromosome is a genetic structure that contains cells that contain thousands of genes. The human genome is stored in 23 chromosome pairs. Gene sequencing is a process that determines the sequence of DNA of an organisms genome. The genome that was sequenced for the first time was a virus and was done in 1977. Scientists have discovered that there are over 3 billion DNA base pairs in a haploid human genome. One of the aims of the human genome project was to plot maps that are capable of providing a way for the researchers to locate specific genes in a chromosome. The primary aim of the Human Genome Project was to identify and map all the DNA pairs. There are many applications of Genome research, namely, Bio Technology, Bio Medical Research, Molecular Medicine, DNA Forensics, Agriculture, Livestock Breeding and bio-processing. The outcome of the Human Genome Project enables improved diagnosis of disease, Rational Drug design, creation of customized drugs and Gene therapy. These are several benefits of the HGP in the context of Molecular Medicine and Bio Medical Research. The maps created by the HGP have enabled researchers to unveil many genetic conditions such as inherited colon cancer, Breast cancer and Alzheimers disease. The HGP ( in the filed of DNA forensic) will enable to identify suspects by identifying DNA found in crime scenes, identify parents, and other relationships, and to identify DNA precisely in any context. Furthermore, it enables creation of nutritious products and Biopesticides as benefits to the field of Agriculture and Bi oprocessing. Plants and animals that are more immune to diseases could be created by understanding plant and animal genomes. Moreover, it will enable to reduce cost of agriculture and to provide customers with more nutritious and quality products. The benefits for Bioarchaelogy, Human Evolution and Anthropology are the ability to study the evolution of humans by understanding the genomics, ability to study migration of different populations and to discover the relationships between the archaebacteria, eukaryotes and prokaryotes. On the contrary to the above mentioned benefits, the Human Genome project and its applications have encountered significant social, ethical and legal issues. The main issue is allowing access to gathered genetic information. If the information is accessible by anyone, it could be misused. For example an employer can access this information, and use it in making decisions when they hire people. There may be people who are having genetic disorders, yet physically fit and capable of working. Nevertheless, the employers can decide not to hire them considering the possibility of developing a medical disorder. Decisions are made based on the employees personal genetic information. This could be unfair to a certain group of people with genetic disorders. Making decision based on the genetic information of the employees is unlawful under section 202 of the Genetic Information Non Discrimination Act of 2008. According to Section 202, Employer Practices, it is unlawful for an employer not to h ire or to discharge or to discriminate any employee based on their genetic information. If the data is accessed by Insurance companies, they could use it to earn profits. The person who is willing to insure himself will have to pay a premium depending on the severity of the disease he has. For example, a cancer patients premium will be higher that the premium of a normal person. The ethical issue is discrimination based on the genetic information. It is a known fact that discrimination is used to discourage people in many places such as schools, workplaces, universities, and even in public. There are many instances in which people had to leave workplaces, and children faced many problems in schools due to embarrassment which was a consequence of discrimination. Race and ethnicity discrimination was the most prominent form of discrimination. It has deviated into genetic discrimination since the genetic information is now available. This may cause embarrassment to people with certain genetic disorders, discourage them and even lose their confidence which could let them do wn. To regulate this situation, many governments have set laws and legislations that describe the penalties of discrimination. One such legislation is the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. Section 702 of the act States (A) In General For purposes of this section, a group health plan, and a health insurance issuer offering group health insurance coverage in connection with a group health plan, may not adjust premium of contribution amounts for the group covered under such plan on the basis of genetic discrimination. It further discusses the penalties for the insurers and employers who use discrimination as a form of gaining profit. Another way of misusing the gathered information is using it do discriminate minority ethnic groups or communities. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Human genome states, No one shall be subjected to discrimination based on genetic characteristics that is intended to infringe or has the effect of infringing human rights, fundamental freedom and human dignity. Therefore even though a persons genetic information is revealed, he has the right to live without being a victim of discrimination. Nevertheless, the existence of the genetic information may lead to several social issues such as racial discrimination. Currently, most people in European countries are victims of racial criticism. The human genome project requires quite a large number of genes to be gathered and stored and then to be tested. The genetic differences between groups of people can be emphasized. This may have a psychological impact due to the differences between genetics. One of the greatest achievements of the Human Genome Project was the genetic map which is capable of facilitating researchers to pin point specific genes in a chromosome. This enables to discover a significant amount of disorders in the human body and doctors to quickly identify the disorders within their patients. Several decades ago, people were not allowed to be aware of the diseases and only the scientists were allowed to discover them and find treatments. The society has revolutionized, and people live more sophisticated lives, therefore, awareness of such diseases is at a higher level. Many people argue that patients have a right to be aware of their illnesses; on the other hand, this has a negative impact on the patients mentality. Even if a genetic disorder is discovered, it takes some time to discover the treatments. For instance, cancer was discovered, several decades ago, however proper treatments with no side effects have not been found yet. Similarly, when a genetic diso rder is diagnosed, it can create frustration and anxiety. This frustration and anxiety will remain within the patients mind until the treatments are discovered and the patient is treated. This may take a short time period or may take a couple of years. It is a well known fact that a person can live longer and happier as long as he is not aware of his illnesses. Another drawback is that people might be discouraged and refuse to live their normal lives due to frustration. Awareness of the genetic disorders can ultimately result in a group of people who are mentally ill which would become a severe social issue. Applying new genetics to unborn children is another area which may cause ethical and social implications. The discoveries of the Human Genome Project have enabled the scientists and doctors to replace cells in unborn children. This implies that parents can have custom-made babies, with the desired features. A possible dilemma is issues related to In-Vitro-Fertilization. In Vitro Fertilization is the process of fertilizing egg cells by male cells (spermatocyte) outside the womb. Since genetic information is available, genes with all good features could be selected and high grade embryos could be created. The concept of Designer Baby is introduced with this technology. Theses embryos could be sold at different prices which may cause in every human having a price and it will depend on the race, intelligence level, eye, or hair color and immunity to diseases. Prices of these designer babies will depend on the quality of the baby. Social issues may arise among people who are able to affor d for a high quality designer baby and people who are not capable of owning one. Another possible social issue is the competition among the designer babies when they grow older. Every parent would want their baby to be a high quality designer baby. The rate of child kidnaps and murders could rise as a result of the designer baby concept. As stated in the previous paragraphs, one of the main objectives of the Human Genome project was to map the DNA sequence. This enables the doctors to modify the embryos and create humans who can live longer, more intelligent and more immune to various diseases. In addition to the issues raised by having designer babies, creation of super human with fewer defects have raised religious issues. It contradicts with the religious beliefs on God of many people. Creation of super human has raised controversial issues among the scientists who are involved in research based on creating humans and spiritual and religious leaders. This is because many religions believe that the creator of humans is God. They believe that the superiority of human is decided by god. The argument brought by them is that only god has the power to create a living creature and humans are not creators, but only creations. They also believe that humans shall never become powerful than God. Moreover, they strongly belie ve that these scientific researches and developments have disappointed God, and the harsh punishments should be given to scientists who are engaged in such research. This religious issue could grow into a serious social issue where people might start attacking the scientists. Previous researches have shown that most people are against modifying embryos to create better quality humans. Furthermore, it is evident that people who are against the creation of super human are mostly religious and spiritual leaders and people who strongly believe in God. Forensic Investigation is another area which is benefitted by the Human Genome Project. Nevertheless, it can be the origin of many social and ethical issues. The DNA gathered by the HGP is stored in a database known as the National DNA databank: CODIS. The goal of storing this information is to use it for forensic investigation, in criminology. Investigations involving DNA is considered to be more accurate. The Combined DNA Index System has become a powerful tool to reduce violent crime as it combines DNA technologies with computers. Two indexes are used in CODIS, namely, The Convicted Offender Index and The Forensic Index. These indexes are generated using the biological evidences gathered from the crime scene. DNA profiles are then created using Short Tandem Repeat analysis. Different software is utilized in CODIS to search for the indexes for matching DNA profiles. According to the sources, the databank contains more than five million DNA profiles. DNA is tested to identify crimin als, but when the tests are done, used DNA records should be destroyed. Proper Disposal of the DNA information is vital or else the persons entire genetic information would be available. This again could be used to discriminate people or to accuse innocent people for crimes which they have not committed. Another distressing issue is the violation of privacy of the owners of the genetic information. Genetic information is considered as private and confidential information of a person and privacy implies that a person has the right to decide the extent of disclosing his or her genetic information. Privacy is violated due to not having proper means of disposing the used samples. Accusing innocent people or arresting them is another negative aspect of storing DNA in a databank. This technology matches DNA profiles of crimes with victims and therefore, it can match a person who has been in the crime scene earlier. This way, innocent people could be accused and arrested, hence discriminat ed and cornered by the society. Another alarming issue is populating criminal databases with DNA samples of people belonging to ethnic minorities. This is mainly done with an intention of discrimination and discouraging people. This is due to not gathering and storing genetic information in an unbiased manner such that it would not be unfair for a group of people. For example, a controversial problem occurred in a European country, for storing DNA samples in a biased manner such that the criminal databases were mostly populated with innocent people belonging to ethnic minorities. Consequently, innocent people were arrested and questioned. Gene Testing is yet another area which may cause social issues. In gene testing, DNA sample are taken and stored in databases, and sometimes used to compare with other peoples DNA samples. Once a DNA test is done, the company issues a copy to the owner of the DNA and results are kept in hard copy files as well as databases. These hard copy files could be accessed by any one and refer to the genetic information and test results of some one. The database can also be hacked and the genetic information can be revealed. It is a known fact that no database is hundred percent secure even if it is an offline database. Therefore security is a main issue in genetic testing. Some of this DNA samples are compared with other samples during tests, and mostly done without the consent of the owner of the DNA sample. Privacy is the main issue of having a massive databank with DNA information of millions of people. DNA can provide information about people including their probability of having certain diseases, sexual orientation or certain behaviors. Gaining access to this information would violate the privacy of another. Police, forensic science service and researchers can access this information without the consent of the people. This violates the privacy of the people. One can use this information unethically, against another to discriminate or to harm someone emotionally. Celebrities would be the first to lose their privacy as many people are keen on gathering information about them. This information could be published and could be the origin of many other issues in their personal lives. The probability for genetic discrimination by the government, schools, employers and insurance companies may increase. Invading someone elses privacy is illegal according to many privacy laws and legislations set by many governments. According to the Privacy Law of the United States of America, privacy is the expectation that confidential personal information disclosed in a private place wil l not be disclosed to third parties, when that disclosure would cause embarrassments or emotional distress to a person of reasonable sensitivities. Furthermore, it discusses the penalties of invading other peoples privacy. Article four of universal Declaration of the Human Genome and Human Rights states that The human genome in its natural state shall not give rise to financial gains. In most countries it is believed that DNA, when removed from a person, is not considered to be in its natural form, hence it is used to gain financial benefits. For instance, in the US, innovations are encouraged by allowing gene patenting. Though using genomes to gain profits is against the Universal declaration of Human Rights many companies tend to use this to gain profits. But many people are against gene patenting for various reasons including their strong beliefs which says that human gene sequences should never be patented. It is also believed that human genome is an inherent part of every person. Gene patenting is prohibited in some parts of the world and there has been evidence of situations in which legal bodies have denied to grant patents. Another area of the Human Genome Project which will cause several ethical, legal and social issues is genetic Testing, Screening and Counseling. As a result of identifying new genes, tests that can determine the level of risk for a particular genetic disease are developed. This will enable people to know whether there is a potential of developing a disease or a genetic disorder which could be passed on to their children. This will have a negative impact on the society. Also it could change the whole life of a person. For example, a person could be mentally letdown if he gets to know that he has a high possibility of developing a rare disease which could not be cured. If this information is revealed, and accessed by an employer this person might not be granted a job. Similarly, if the person wants to get an insurance coverage for himself, he might be required to pay a higher premium to the insurers depending on his disease. Genetic engineering involves manipulation of genes. The map created as a result of the Human Genome Project provides information that will enable to diagnose and treat many diseases. The map can also help in determining the genetic foundation of physical and psychological behavior. As a result, it is possible to alter the behaviors with the involvement of genetics. Two areas of genetic engineering is somatic cell manipulation which alters body cells and germline manipulation which alters reproductive cells. The use of Somatic cell manipulation is ethically accepted as it limits the changes that can be done to an individual. Since it alters only the body cells, the risks are not inherited by the descendants. In contrast, the germline cell manipulation raises ethical issues since the manipulations of reproductive cells can extend the risks across the generations. Genetic engineering done on humans may cause health issues. For example, genes of one person could be enhanced to increase a persons height further than his natural height. But this may cause stress to other parts of the body such as the heart. As a result, the person might be left physically ill. Another key ethical issue of the Human Genome Project is the use of genetic screening. According to web definitions genetic screening is The process of testing individuals in a population for certain hereditary defects. Mandatory genetic screening for adults raises many ethical issues related to privacy and personal liberty. Furthermore, Genetic screening of infants, young infants and other vulnerable groups who cannot grant their consent is unethical. For example, in most cases, infants are screened without the consent of parents. Screening is done based on an assumption that parents are willing to know about the probable diseases that might develop in their children. There is evidence of situations where genetic screening has been used as a form of discrimination. For example, in insuring patients who are willing to obtain a health insurance, there are required to pay extra amounts. In addition to the applications discussed earlier, Agriculture and livestock breeding are two other applications of the genome research. As opposed to the above applications, these areas do not use humans for testing. Yet it may give rise to many health issues which might convert into social issues with time. These applications entails of developing bio engineered food and animals, also known as genetic engineering. This process is similar to genetic engineering done on humans. Though many researchers explain the positive aspect of bio engineered food, many health issues and other side effects night arise by consuming modified food. Many companies tend to create genetically modified food regardless of the consumers health. Regular consumption of genetically modified food may severely damage the health of people; as a consequence, people of a country may not be able to involve in the development process of the country. Furthermore, companies would refuse to hire people and as a result , the country can be populated with unhealthy and unemployed people. Though the mission of The Human Genome Project was accomplished, it is evident that the potential and current applications of the Human Genome Research have caused many issues. Ethical and social issues included issues concerning the privacy of the people, discrimination, unauthorized access to the gathered information and security issues and many other related issues. Issues related to the informed consent and legal issues were also caused by the applications of the genome research. The concepts of super human and designer baby were two controversial concepts that caused religious and social issues. Furthermore, other applications in the field of agriculture and genetic engineered food could cause health issues in the society. In my opinion, the Human Genome project and its current and potential applications have a significant amount of social, ethical, religious and legal issues which would directly affect many peoples lives.

Comparison of BMW and Mercedes Benz Essay -- Compare Contrast Cars Ess

Comparison of BMW and Mercedes Benz   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The most popular car of this century are the Mercedes Benz and the BMW. Many different cars in the world dont campare to at least half of what a Mercedes Benz and a BMW are. Two specific cars are the 2000 BMW M 2-door Coupe 3.2L, 2000 BMW X5 sports activity vehicle 4-door sport utility 4.4L, 2000 Mercedes-Benz CLK 430 2- door Coupe 4.3L, and the 2000 Mercedes-Benz SLK 230 Kompressor 2-door convertible 2.3L. In this report I will be tlaking about these specific types of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The Bmw X5 is a 4- door, 5 passenger sport utility available in one trim only. Th X5 is quipped with a standard 4.4-liter, V8, 282-horsepower engine that consumes 13-mpg in the city and 17-mpg on the highway. A 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The X5 is new for the year 2000. Sophisticated powertrain, fully equipped, good driving pleasure, roomy interior, and gives an interesting performance. It is a complex machine, unproven quality of assembly, high priced, limited initial availability. The price for the X5 is $49, 400, $44,620 for the dealer invoice, and $570 for the destination charges. Its competetor is the 2002 Cadillac Escalade 4-door sport utility 6.0L all wheel drive, the 2001 GMC Yukon XL Denali 4-door sport utility 6.0L all wheel drive, the 2001 Lincoln Navigator 4-door utility 5.4l4 wheel drve, the 2000 Toyota Land Cruiser 4-door sport utility 4.7L 4 wheel drive, the 2001 Merc...