Group Influence Essay

A group is a combination of more than one individual sharing some values, beliefs, or a set of behaviors. Many individuals together sharing a common goal or need is a group of people. People in a group sharing these common things tend to have interdependent behaviors. Each of the members of a group influences the behavior of another. Individuals will tend to react to situations or have specific behaviors in specific situations guided by a reference group view to those situations. Groups of people that influence their selves are members of the same religion, roommates, school friends, workmates, etc. Groups influence their selves in two ways. A group may influence the identity through conformity or obedience. Group influence has many effects on their selves. Some of them are positive while others are negative and damaging to the personality. The aim of this paper is to evaluate group influence and its effects on the individual. The observation was done at Inland Behavior Health Center , which is an outpatient rehabilitation center in San Bernardino. The physical arrangement or layout of the room and setting was as follows: chairs were arranged in a circle setting and the instructor was in the center of the group. The instructor used brochures and a standing trifold poster. The composition of the group on terms of ages, sex, and ethnicity, this particular class was is given to pregnant women only, ages varying from 19 through 35, ethnicity groups being: 40% Caucasian, 40% Hispanic, and 20 % African American. The purpose, mission, and goal of this class is to learn about the tobacco health effects on the pregnant women and unborn baby, the mission is to be self-reliant and not to depend on tobacco during when stress is experienced. The goals are to teach them to about all the health effects that can happen due to smoking, to prevent premature birth and low birth weight. The duration of the class duration is ninety minutes. Each participant needs to attend eight con secutive weeks and be smoking free for eight consecutive weeks; otherwise, the class has no end date. If any participant relapses during program, they are sent back to week one starting with no incentives. The discussion structure of this class is that the instructor follows a curriculum based on a weekly topic that includes, videos, provides handouts, and group discussion. A quiz was given at the end of session to test comprehension. The class structure and organization is difference, since the class is given at an outpatient rehabilitation center, the participants were in a class when the instructor arrived at 10:45 am. The instructor pulled all the pregnant women from the classroom. Some of the pregnant women were already in the Comprehensive Tobacco Treatment program (CTT), which the instructor was aware of it. The other pregnant women, who were not part of the CTT program, were substance abused screened and those who screened positive for tobacco were enrolled in program. At the beginning of the class, a signing sheet was passed to all attended participants. The instructor has a folder that included a â€Å"communication form† in where she keeps track of each participant’s cessation status. In a group discussion, she begins by asking if anyone would like to share an anecdote to tell about her past week smoking cessation experience. At this time, two participants mentioned how difficult they found that week to stay without smoking and one stated that knowing that if they smoke one cigarette it would equal thirteen packs to the baby. The second participant mentioned that knowing that she had to provide a urine test kept her away from smoking. After the discussion was done, the instructor transitioned by introducing the topic of the week. The topic of this particular week was on â€Å"Secondhand Smoke.† During session, a handout was passed out to all attendees including myself and a video was shown titled â€Å"The Perils of Secondhand Smoke.† A quiz was given at the end. All attendees were tested through a urine test to make sure they were nicotine free and those who achieved session, were rewarded with infant diapers and xylitol gum as an incentive. After nicotine test was done, the session concluded. The primary facilitator of this class was only one female instructor, who was the program coordinator. She has her bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and currently enrolled in a Human Resource Management program. The program has two instructors who travel to various sites through San Bernardino County. The subject or issues did the group members examine during the meeting was primarily smoking during pregnancy. Other topics may include parenting and baby bonding education. The different information that the members exchanged in this class was the difficulties facing through the cessation process that evolves through stress, financial issues, emotional experiences, and lack of support. The group’s norms, roles, status hierarchy, or communication patterns were that the participants are low income, low level of education (less than high school diploma), and normally come from a substance abuse setting. The communication patterns illustrated if this class was that participants were involved as a group and they were very open for discussion and sharing their experiences. The participants’ members share a sense of identity with one another and the participants shared the same interest of trying to stay tobacco free, provide a health living environment for their unborn baby and other children living with them. In this class or group there was not any indication that members might be vulnerable to groupthink, because at the beginning of the session, the instructor ask for each individual struggles through the cessation process and they all had their unique storytelling. Although some responses were similar, they did not seem influenced by their partner’s response. In my opinion, the group has a positive influence in each other’s behaviors because the participants share the same background and they all seemed to understand each other by giving praises for their successes and advices on how to deal with the cravings and withdrawals of tobacco. Unfortunately, due to the background of the participants, they were influenced by their living surroundings and the only thing they knew is to reach for drugs, alcohol, and tobacco. In this class, the participants learn the tools necessary to cope with stress factors rather than reaching out for a cigarette as a coping tool. A group influences their selves in many ways. While communicating and sharing some defi nite norms, people from the same group tend to behave in the same way. The group influences their selves through either obedience or conformity. This influence has many effects that are both positive and negative but mostly negative. References Myers, D. G. (2010). Social Psychology (10th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

American Presidency

Domestic policy encompasses a variety of policy issues which range from poverty, law enforcement, environmental protection, labor relations among other issues. However, in recent years, the focus in domestic policy has shifted to focusing on health care insurance, stem cell and AIDS research, prescription drug coverage, educational testing and accountability, drilling, logging, welfare reform, gay marriage, affirmative action, homeland security, transportation safety among other issues . Discussions over these issues are usually contentious since the members of the cabinet have control over how they are formulated and implemented.The cabinet was created in order to allow political constituencies considered important an institutional voice in running of the government affairs. The rise of important constituencies and issues necessitate the devotion to domestic policy by agencies. In this regard, the presidents in power have usually coordinated policy development using centralized mech anisms. History of domestic policy over various administrations. Many presidents have long felt that they had limited powers over the domestic policy.During the 1930s, Franklin Roosevelt had a desire to increase control over this policy and began examining the legislation which was being sent by agencies and departments to Congress. This was a process which was known as ‘central clearance' and it was aimed at strengthening the presidency. It achieved this purpose since after sometime, in addition to examining the proposed legislation; the president has the power to examine the executive orders, proposed testimony and enrolled bills. In 1939, there was the creation of the Executive Office of the President.There was also the creation of White House Office, and this ensured that the president had a cadre of personal staff at his disposal. President Truman increased involvement in development of policies, as well as the size of personal staff. Dwight Eisenhower doubled the staff p ortfolios including the White House Office for planning, atomic energy, and agriculture and airways modernization. President Kennedy joined the presidency and undid most of the formal structures that Dwight Eisenhower had developed, though he retained the White House policy development.Lyndon Johnson made sweeping policy changes in the domestic policy and expanded the domestic staff of the White House. He also institutionalized several task forces which consulted within and outside government to seek new ideas. President Richard Nixon transformed the Bureau of the Budget of Office of Management and Budget. This office was designed to help him in management the wider executive branches. New political appointees were installed and they had a higher rank than the career analysts of the agency.The next president, Gerald Ford, eliminated the Domestic Council and created the Economic Policy Board which was also staffed by personnel of the White House. Carter on the other hand sacked five cabinet secretaries, and this undermined the gains which had been made as far as centralized staff was concerned. Ronald Reagan increased control of central domestic budgeting and he defended this decision by explaining the need for urgent budget at the time. This led to an increase in control of the policy development.He also used the White House to create seven cabinet councils and their purpose was to ensure that heads of departments followed priorities of the White House. His model has been retained by subsequent presidents, though it has changed names severally. Under President Bush, it was known as the â€Å"Domestic Policy Council'. President Clinton on the other hand increased the National Economic Council and this was formed to handle issues which did not fit into DPC or NSC jurisdiction. The system was also retained by President Bush, and he increased the composition of the DPC staff to over twenty professionals.Power of President over domestic policy. Currently the Presi dent has limited powers over the domestic policy due to influence from Congress. However, the president can influence the domestic policy through two ways; appointments or reorganization. These ways can be used to gain influence over agencies which the presidency has no prior control over. The presidency can also to a certain extent influence the interpretation of law through directing the agencies on how to interpret bills which have been signed into law, by use of ‘signing statements'.In case legislation is silent or vague on certain matters, the presidency may use executive orders, presidential proclamations or memoranda to shape the implementation of the law. It may shape the law and direct it in a direction which may be different from the one the lawmakers contemplated. For instance, President Clinton used the presidential proclamation to develop a national monument in Utah, on two million acres of land. President Bush on the other hand set up a military tribunal for non- citizen terrorist suspects through an executive order in 2001.Another means which the presidency uses to control domestic policy is through the process of rule-making. The Office of Management and Budget plays the role of reviewing the regulations of the central clearing process. This office has also the power to review draft regulations, especially those which are not favorable to the society. In 1985, an executive order was issued to agencies, requiring them to forward an ‘anticipated regulatory actions' list which was to be reviewed by OMB. Interest groups and legislators grumbled, though Reagan and subsequent presidents have maintained these processes, some of which are stronger.Congress realized this loophole and established statutory power which delayed changing major rules by sixty days, in 1995. During that period, Congress also gave itself power to veto such decisions through joint resolution. In 2001, this veto was used against rules of ergonomics which the Occupatio nal Safety and Health Administration had issued. American Presidency control over foreign policy. The United States foreign policy guides the relationship which the United States has with other foreign nations.It is very influential mainly due to the reason that the United States has the largest economy and that it is the only superpower present . The aim of the US foreign policy is the creation of a prosperous, democratic and secure environment for Americans and the international community. It deals with export controls such as non-proliferation of nuclear hardware and technology, safeguarding US interests abroad, as well as fostering trade and economic relations with other countries. Many people are of the opinion that the American presidency has more control over foreign policy than domestic policy .This especially became clear after the September 11 terrorism attacks against the United States. However, there has been a long conflict between the President and Congress over the ri ght to formulate foreign policy. The main debate has centered on if congress and the Presidency are equal partners in formulation of the foreign policy, or if the Presidency is solely responsible for the formulation of the foreign policy. There is also a debate on whether Congress has the right to enact legislation which controls the flexibility of the Presidency.This struggle for control of foreign policy between Congress and the Presidency began during the world wars after countries began being interdependent. In 1920, Congress challenged the presidential treaty and began being assertive in running the foreign policy agenda. Some people are of the view that the intrusion of Congress in the running of the foreign policy has been disastrous and may have hindered a crucial US role, which may have averted World War Two . War powers. According to the US constitution, the President and Congress share power to declare war against other countries.However, many presidents have not involved Congress when ordering war against other countries which are considered to be enemies of the United States. President Thomas Jefferson dispatched US Naval ships to guard vessels against attacks by pirates without prior Congressional approval. The president later secured support from Congress, though he set a precedent which has been used by many subsequent presidents. Another example is President Nixon and Johnson who although had support from Congress, there was unanimous agreement among Congress that the actions in the Vietnam War had gone beyond those which had been given approval.In 1973, the passing of the War Powers Resolution Act was passed, and it required the president to seek approval from Congress whenever soldiers were about to be put in harm's way . It also stipulated that hostilities should be ended by the President within 60 days, unless war had been declared against another country by Congress, or if the 60 day condition had been extended by Congress. The third exce ption was if withdrawing soldiers after 60 days would cause harm to them. Non military foreign aid.Foreign assistance is a part of the US foreign policy and is under the international affairs budget of the State Department. Some of the components include economic assistance which supports security and political goals, bilateral development aid, multilateral economic contributions and humanitarian aid. In fact, the US is the largest aid donor internationally in absolute dollar terms. Domestic versus international powers. Currently, the United States Presidency has greater power in the international arena, as has been analyzed in the domestic policy and foreign policy above.Due to the resistance by Congress on control over the domestic policy by the Presidency, this marked the beginning of curtailing the President's powers as far as domestic policy control is concerned. It has also been discussed that in 1995, Congress gave itself statutory powers to delay implementation or even rever se unfavorable policies and laws which are imposed by the Presidency. On the other hand, it has been discussed that the US foreign policy was also meant to be controlled by the Presidency and Congress on an equal basis .The opposition to unpopular presidential policies began as early as 1920. However, President Thomas Jefferson set a precedent when he overlooked the mandate of Congress as far as foreign policy formulation is involved. This precedent was followed by many subsequent presidents, as has been discussed in the paper. Other presidents sought the approval of Congress before implementing foreign policy, but once they got this approval, they went beyond the boundaries of the mandate that they had been given. This undermined the role of Congress as far as foreign policy was involved.Currently, it is clear that the Presidency has more control over the foreign policy than over the domestic policy. The domestic policy can only be influenced through appointments and reorganization . This is a very limited form of control over Congress. However, in the foreign policy control, the Presidency can impose policies which go over the mandate of Congress. This illustrates that the American Presidency has more control in foreign policy affairs as opposed to the domestic policy. Arguments against greater international power by US presidents.Some people are of the view that the US presidency should have limited powers as far as foreign policy or international power is involved. One of the main reasons for supporting this argument originates from the track record of previous presidents as far as international power is involved. Many of the previous presidents including Gerald Ford, John Kennedy, Jimmy Carter, George Bush and Ronald Reagan have been accused by many political experts of pursuing American interests as far as capitalist tendencies are involved, and ignoring domestic issues including real democracy and human rights.For instance, President Bush has been accuse d of exploiting international power and waging the war against Iraq, which has cost billions of dollars, yet many people in America do not have access to basic services . The number of people who do not have medical insurance at all, or have limited coverage, is more than two million, and millions others do not have access to decent housing. In spite of this situation, billions of dollars are being spent annually in Iraq and other external military installations, despite opposition from the public.There are also people who are of the opinion that the US foreign policy supports some current and former dictatorial regimes through the foreign policy, and this undermines the gains which have been made through democracy, as well as undermines the human rights agreements. Due to the current financial crisis which faces the United States and other countries of the world, it is very important for the current US President to concentrate more on the domestic policy than international policy, since the economy of the United States is at stake.Summary and conclusion. It has been discussed that the American Presidency has certain influence over Congress in both the foreign and domestic policy affairs. However, the Presidency is able to control the foreign affairs policy more than the domestic policy largely due to the precedent which was set by President Thomas Jefferson. Most people are against the excess control over the foreign policy, especially during this time of the global economic crisis, where the Presidency should be more focused on improving the local economy.It is hoped that the current president will involve Congress in all policy affairs, in order to get through the economic crisis and develop an effective foreign policy. Works Cited. Ambrosio, Thomas. Ethnic identity groups and U. S. foreign policy. Washington: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2002, p 117-122. Barilleaux Ryan J. & Rozell Mark J. Power and Prudence: The Presidency of George H. W. Bush. Texas: Texa s A&M University Press, 2004, p 27-32. DeConde Alexander, Burns Richard Dean, Logevall Fredrik. Encyclopedia of American foreign policy. Washington: Scribner, 2002, p 255-261.May Bernhard, Honicke Michaela, Moore Michaela Honicke. The Uncertain Superpower: Domestic Dimensions of U. S. Foreign Policy After the Cold War. Washington: VS Verlag, 2003, p 29-36. Singh, Robert. American Government and Politics: A Concise Introduction. New York: SAGE, 2003, p 270-275. Sylvan David & Majeski Stephen. US Foreign Policy in Perspective: Clients, Enemies and Empire. London: Routledge, 2009, p 40-46. Wittkopf Eugene R. 7 McCormick James M. The Domestic Sources of American Foreign Policy: Insights and Evidence. New York: Rowman & Littlefield, 2007, p 34-38. American Presidency The books Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents: The Politics of Leadership, The Presidency In A Separated System, and Debating the Presidency: Conflicting Perspectives on the American Executive attest that in the United States, the president has extensive powers. He or she functions in many capacities on tap. As a separated system, Charles O. Jones says that the American president essentially though the president in the United States is also the chief policymaker and leader of the president’s political party, they share the roles of head of state, head of government, and commander-in-chief of the armed forces (Neustadt, 1991).The president is thus the most unifying force in a political system in which power is highly dispersed, both within the government and between government and the people. The president and advisors also establish and administer national policies in such areas as social security, education, health, civil rights, and air and water pollution (Neustadt , 1991). Because of the importance of the United States in international affairs as the president is the chief diplomat himself, the US presidential race is followed with interest all over the world.Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson also point out that as the U. S. politics as a separated system affects the elected president, the US president, as political leader, appoints cabinet and subcabinet officers, federal judges, US attorneys, and ambassadors to important foreign countries and fills several thousand other jobs of varying importance. The president also administers an executive pork barrel or the distribution of federal funds to be spent on public works, military installations, and social programs.The president and advisors also establish and administer national policies in such areas as social security, education, health, civil rights, and air and water pollution. The foremost prize of American politics is granted to anyone who qualifies for the position after a ballot vote . The election of the president of the United States every 4 years is the focal point of the American political process. Because of the importance of the United States in international affairs as the president is the chief diplomat himself, the US presidential race is followed with interest all over the world.The formal qualifications for presidential candidacy, as limited by Article II Section 1 of the Constitution, are that the aspirant must be at least 14-year natural-born resident of the United States and must have reached the age of 35. the 25th Amendment to the Constitution details procedures for presidential and vice-presidential succession when there is a vacancy in either office that the president becomes incapacitated.Should the presidency and the vice-presidency become vacant simultaneously, the Speaker of the House and the president pro tempore of the Senate, in that order are next in the line of succession, followed by members of the cabinet in a specified order. When w ar broke out in 1914, President Woodrow Wilson had announced a policy of neutrality for the United States. This policy was hard to maintain for a number of reasons. Most Americans sympathized with Britain and France because they were democratic countries.It is the exemplary polity of the United States that buttresses the foreign policies established and engaged in by American presidents (Jones, 1994). How much a president is weighed down by either a domestic policy or a foreign policy is a matter of debate. From a pragmatic perspective, the ease of the president’s management of policies is contingent on persistence to the United States’ welfare in the long run. For instance, U. S.military and foreign policies have been progressively maneuvered by the need to guarantee steadfast access to overseas oil, more than ever in the Middle East, and that as American imported oil dependence carries on to ironically strengthen our industries and conflict with some British-dependen t Arab nations, the American forces will ever more find themselves waging war to guard oil-producing zones and supply routes. American leaders have preferred to â€Å"securitize† oil while preserving healthy international relations (Ellis and Nelson, 2006).Foreign policies have also made American presidents wary of their consequences at the local level (Zernicke, 1994). No question about it; the 9/11 incident was the commencement of enlarged hostilities and vigilance as well. Security needs have turned our country into a police state. The bottomline of this is the tight spot between safety of private individuals and the world as a whole (Ellis and Nelson, 2006). Adds Richard Neustadt, the United States is a natural businesswoman too if modern capitalism is any indication. The United States is one of the four huge countries that accounted for more than two-thirds of total world exports.The president truly accustomed to this separated system seems to partake not merely the powe rs but the country’s resources as he welcomes the idea of internationalism because it is what will make most of the Americans’ lives easy however hard it may be for him to sustain the strength of the U. S. dollar in the international market. The American economy has been a symbol of the wealth of a nation. The efforts of our forefathers and present geniuses have created economic values, which drive the presidents to be protective of local interests in the global village (Neustadt, 1991).Historically, as the United States grew stronger economically, its leaders continued to favor a policy of expansion. The rapid growth of industry created a need for markets for American manufactured goods and a need for raw materials (Ellis and Nelson, 2006). Moreover, several prominent Americans believed that expansion would demonstrate American power and greatness. It was the destiny of the United States, they argued, to become a great power, and this meant extending American influenc e to other lands and raising the American flag on distant shores.It may not be easy to carry out foreign policies for a single president that may need to contend with a legion more of leaders in the international arena, but what his painstaking efforts make of his image will be an easy preference for the people that put him in the White House (Neustadt, 1991). Many international allies resented the growing influence and power of the United States. They felt their neighbor to the north had turned from a protector to an aggressor. But by its role in the Caribbean, in particular, the United States revealed its strength as a nation.In only a little more than a century it had grown from an infant republic to a major power in international affairs (Ellis and Nelson, 2006). Richard Neustadt, Charles O. Jones, Richard J. Ellis and Michael Nelson prove that Americans cannot deny the fact that in our political experiences, the successive change in political leadership led to anything but an i mprovement in the lives of the people. The domestic policies had improved education and had built housing, schools, roads, and railways. But on a larger scale, federalism just proves that the American polity is the most influential political event in world history.It provided for the actualization of the ideals and principles of such political thinkers as John Locke, Rousseau, and many others (Jones, 1994). The achievement of independence, adoption of the Constitution, and the creation of the republic served as lessons to other people in their struggle to build their nation. The success of the federal republic proved that individual states could be united under a central government but still free to act in order to solve their internal problems (Neustadt, 1991).We have been living under representative democracy, which basically means that we have elected presidents among a variety of leaders to represent us, to give us voice in forums, and then periodically we have judged well they represented us. American polity, in the very form of the Constitution, gives the world a mindset miraculous in the era of revolutions; that if we value freedom and independence, if we are disturbed by the conformity of attitudes, values, and behavior that bureaucracies often induce, then we may wish to set up conditions and policies that foster uniqueness, self-direction, and human dignity, locally or globally.Works Cited Neustadt, Richard. (1991) Presidential Power and the Modern Presidents: The Politics of Leadership. Free Press. Jones, Charles O. (1994). The Presidency In A Separated System. Brookings Institution. Ellis, Richard J. and Michael Nelson. (2006). Debating the Presidency: Conflicting Perspectives on the American Executive. CQ Press.

Response to Don Marquis’ “Why Abortion Is Immoral”

Don Marquis' â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral† In his essay â€Å"Why Abortion is Immoral,† Don Marquis argues against the morality of abortion on the premise that the value of a fetus' future is so great that it is immoral to take that potential future away from it. Essentially, he contends, abortion is tantamount to murder: killing an individual is prima facie wrong because the loss of the goods of one's future is the worst loss a human can suffer. He calls this potential future a â€Å"future-like-ours,† which is the basis for his contentions.In the next few pages I will delineate the general progression of his argument, and later, will evaluate the plausibility of said argument. Though Marquis makes both logical and compelling claims, there are several concerns and weaknesses that arise from his argument that must be considered. Marquis establishes his argument with the exploration of why killing humans is wrong, in any case. The clear answer, he says, is that k illing is wrong because of its â€Å"effect on the victim† (Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine, 558).Taking one's life deprives the victim of â€Å"all the experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments that would otherwise have constituted one's future,† and this is the greatest loss that any human can suffer (558). This theory of wrongness can account for why it is also wrong to kill infants and young children, whereas other theories that make narrower claims (e. g. â€Å"It is prima facie wrong to kill only rational agents) do not stand in such cases. There are obvious implications concerning the ethics of abortion with this theory in place.Marquis contends that â€Å"The future of a standard fetus includes a set of experiences, projects, activities, and such which are identical with the futures of adult human beings†¦ † (559). It follows then, that because it is wrong to kill humans, it is also wrong to kill potential humans, and so abortion is prima facie seriously wrong. Fetuses have a viable, valuable future, which Marquis calls a â€Å"future-like-ours. † So, he adds, whether one has â€Å"immediate past experiences or not† does not matter when it comes to killing, because it is the value of the potential future that must be taken into onsideration (561). Marquis goes on to refute other theories of wrongness of killing. One such example is that valuing one's future implies a valuer, but fetuses obviously cannot value their futures, and so their futures are not valuable to them. However, Marquis counters this notion by providing us with an example: one may think during a time of despair that his â€Å"future is of no worth whatsoever,† but he is wrong to think so because â€Å"others rightly see value†¦ in it† (561).So, just because a fetus cannot appreciate its own future, we are aware of the value of its potential future, so abortion is still wrong. Other claims put forth that to be an actu al victim, one requires mentation. However, we still recognize that it is wrong to kill those that are unconscious or in a coma (who have prospects of emerging out of their states), so it follows that mentation is not a necessary condition to be a victim. Marquis' refutations provide for his very strong and compelling argument against abortion.I will grant Marquis that his progression of logic is rational; if a fetus were allowed to fully develop, it would indeed become a sentient being with the capacity of enjoying a prosperous future. However, some ambiguities arise as a result of his claims and it is difficult to say how Marquis would respond. The first concern I would like to address regards the case of a fetus with a debilitating disease. With today's technology, it is quite easy to detect any abnormalities in a fetus very early on in the pregnancy.Say, for example, a couple finds out that their fetus has some sort of affliction that will make him terminally ill. They want to a bort the fetus because they cannot stand the notion of bringing a child into the world that, although sentient and rational, will have a markedly reduced life span and suffer greatly throughout whatever life he has. How would Marquis respond in this case? He might argue that though the child will suffer, he still has a potential future in which he formulate goals, and have experiences and projects.However, we must note that during his argument, Marquis says â€Å"If the patient's future is intolerable†¦ we want our account to allow killing the patient† and that â€Å"it is the value of the patient's future which is doing the work in rendering the morality of killing the patient intelligible† (561). Obviously, a quandary arises. Does the fetus in our example have a future that is less valuable than that of a normal one? Can we justify aborting this fetus, because although he will be rational and most likely capable of having experiences, the scope of his suffering will be exceedingly great?Are we in any sort of position to prescribe the value of someone else's future without knowing exactly how it will play out? So while it is plausible that Marquis would still argue from an anti-abortionist stance due to its potential future, this decision will very probably not sit well with the parents who have to watch their child suffer throughout his shortened life. This is one ambiguity that exists in Marquis' argument that has no easy answer, and is worth noting. We must recognize that cannot say with such conviction that we know what a future-like-ours entails.It seems presumptuous to assert that a future-like-ours is always a positive thing; how can we account for the fetus in the previous example, or an inner-city child essentially having to raise himself because his parents are absent? What about the child who is stuck in a situation with abusive parents, with no one to turn to for help? Though I grant Marquis the soundness of his general argument , and the premise that all fetuses have a potential future, we cannot infer from this claim that this future will necessarily be a positive one.It becomes a murky and essentially taboo dilemma to even ask if the lives of these children are worth living, and if they would have been better off being aborted in the womb. Marquis may still claim that every fetus has a right to life no matter what, but because he does not consider these cases in his argument, it is worth noting that the answers might not be so straightforward and that more complicated cases do exist. The main concern I would like to note regarding Marquis' argument is that he does not once consider the rights of the mother and the value of her future.Although Marquis treats the fetus as an independent being, we must at least recognize that the fetus' life depends on its mother's: it receives all of its nutrition from her and it develops in her womb. So, how would Marquis respond to a situation in which the mother will su rely (or even has the remote chance) of dying in childbirth, even if the fetus will not? Here, we have two potential futures contesting each other, because this is a one or the other situation – either the fetus must die or the mother will in delivering it.Similar to the example mentioned previously of the sick fetus, it is not easy to simply prescribe one of their futures with more value than the other one. An anti-abortionist could possibly make the argument that the fetus' life should be saved because it has a longer future to attain, since the mother has already lived a significant portion of her life. However, one could contend that because the mother is already a sentient, rational being and already has goals and projects set in place for her life, her right to life should take precedence over the fetus, who still has no capacity to value its future.To take away the future of the mother would be more cruel than to take it away from the unaware fetus. Furthermore, what a bout a situation in which the mother is a teenager, and adoption is out of the question? Say, for example, she has to drop out of school and get a low-paying job, and struggles greatly for a significant amount of time trying to provide for herself and her baby. What has happened to her future-like-ours? Both the mother and the child are in dire situations, and it is obvious that the mother would have been in a better current situation had the fetus been aborted, as uncomfortable as that contention may make us.The case of the child, however, is much more complex because again, it is difficult to weigh his suffering with his capacity for potentiating a future. I would not like to argue one way or another, but would simply like to note that it is unclear how Marquis would respond to these predicaments and should have noted such in the essay. As I conclude enumerating the ambiguities that arise from Marquis' contentions, I would like to consider the hypothetical case in which Marquis di d allow for an abortion, in, for example, the case of the fetus that has some sort of debilitating disease.He might contend that the inevitable suffering in the fetus' â€Å"future-like-ours† outweighs the positive value of his potential future, so an abortion in this case would be permissible. However, what does this do for the integrity of the future-like-ours argument? If we can begin to make exceptions like this, where can we draw the line of what constitutes a â€Å"good† or â€Å"bad† future-like-ours? If Marquis begins to allow for such xceptions, it seems to diminish the value of his theory as a whole, because it connotes that the futures of some fetuses are less valuable than others even if they are both capable of having potential experiences, dreams, projects, etc. On a broader and related scope, if an anti-abortionist who argues on the sanctity-of-life theory makes an exception for the abortion of a fetus who was the product of a rape or is in a situ ation where the mother cannot provide for it, it invalidates their entire premise. Both fetuses are innocent and have equal rights to their future.So, if Marquis did make an exception, it would compromise the integrity of his argument. Marquis makes very compelling and interesting claims in his essay, and takes a novel approach in the controversy over abortion. He uses a strong premise that is not too broad or too narrow in scope, as some anti-abortionists and pro-life activists end up doing in their reasoning. However, as mentioned above, ambiguities do arise from his argument, the most significant of which being the consideration of the mother's right to a future.With this considered, it becomes clear that a â€Å"future-like-ours† may not be as clear-cut of an idea as Marquis would like us to think. The essay would have been stronger and more lucid if Marquis considered â€Å"futures-like-ours† that are not exactly futures like ours. By virtue of the sheer breadth a nd variety of experiences that humans experience as a species, it is much more difficult to define a future-like-ours than Marquis delineates in his essay.

Answer the question Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 4

Answer the question - Essay Example 151). In bureaucratic structures, organizational strategy decisions are organized and controlled by the top management level thus being able to rationalize the entire decision making process (Cunliffe, 2008, p. 78-81). Additionally strategic decision making process is fast since there are few people involved in the process (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 83-88). The scientific management theory holds that the most efficient technique of accomplishing an assignment and the selection, motivation and development of workers can be scientifically determined. The employees are not allowed to choose their tasks. On the other hand, the human relations theory focuses on the welfare of the employees, their values and contributions (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 140-44). The left wing ideologies are the progressive views that look to the future and purpose to assist those who cannot aid themselves and believe in equality. Left wing supports corporation and inheritance taxes and the redistribution of wealth. The right wing ideologies are that the more productive people should not subsidize the less productive people in the nation. The right wing people believe that they should not pay for other people’s health service or education. They advocate for abolition of inheritance tax. Industrial capitalism implies a social and economic system where industry, capital and trade are privately operated and controlled for profits (Luhman & Cunliffe, 2013, p. 96). It is typified by increase in the use of machinery to sustain economic stability through its production process, routine work assignments and multifaceted separation of tasks between and within the work progression (Cunliffe, 2008, p. 92). Over the past few years, aspects such as increasing size of business units, increasing competition and the split-up of ownership from management have resulted to an augmentation in the need  for professional managers. The role and functions of a manager have presently been

None Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words - 6

None - Essay Example Similarly, the same theme is portrayed in Elizabeth’s fiction; â€Å"No One’s a Mystery† in the form of boredom. Persistence of boredom in the characters’ lives results to desperation. The old man and the older waiter tend to find nothing satisfactory in life while according to Elizabeth; Jack seems to no longer value his marriage life as it has become extremely predictable and monotonous. Life seems to have lost its meaning from all spheres; religion is described as nothing giving people no place to take refuge. The characters try to find places or things where they can forget about the boredom, but these sanctuaries seem only to last for a short while. In A well-lighted room, time limits the duration in which the old man and the waiter can stay in the well-lighted clean cafà © because the restaurant will eventually be closed (8). Time is also highlighted by Tallent. Jack gives his young lover a five-year diary (10; par. 1). This desribes the limited tim e their romance might last. Jack is bored with his wife and tries to find some happiness in the relationship with an 18-year-old woman. He seems convinced that the relationship won’t last even to the second year yet ironically he gives his girlfriend a five-year diary. In both stories, the characters seem to have found something that they get comfort from, but only for a short time. Ernest description of the theme of despair is apparent to the reader because his two characters tend to be experiencing the same emptiness (Becnel and Bloom 148). Alternatively, alcoholism features in both stories. The old man in a clean well- lighted room is a good customer at the cafà ©, and he is always the last customer to leave the cafà ©. Similarly, Jack is an alcoholic as implied from the tequila they have been drinking with the girlfriend (Tallent 10). Loneliness and unhappiness tend to be the main course of the alcoholic tendencies of both

Retail Market in Thailand Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Retail Market in Thailand - Assignment Example The Thai retail environment has distorted radically in the years since the 1997 financial crisis, which saw lots of Thai shareholders having to sell their shares to foreign-owned multinational retail operators, as well as the Thai government's policy to hold trade liberalisation in its wish to contribute in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and AFTA (ASEAN Free Trade Area) (David W. Raisbeck, 2003). To struggle the financial crisis, the Thai government followed trade deregulation. Thailand has since welcomed an influx of large-scale multinational hypermarket, supermarket and specialist retailers, which are eager for a share of the Thai retail market. This has raised protests from several Thai academics and traditional retailers, which have raised the "nationalist" alarm bells. Numerous Thai-owned minute and medium-sized retailers have been pushed out of business since they could not fight with the much better multinational discount stores, as some better Thai retailers have been bought out by foreign conglomerates. ... investors possess relative advantages in terms of a noise financial base, superior economies of scale, lower costs of production and superior bargaining power, due to their much larger order volumes (E.G., 2005). Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) "In this increasingly open world, FDI has become an important driving force for economic globalisation". (Xinhua News Agency, 2002) It can be supposed that FDI is fine and essential for the development of Thailand. FDI is regarded as a source of power in the globalisation process that sets apart the modern world economy. The process has reduced the value of territorial boundaries and every area of the world is in single way or another engaged in the process (FAOSTAT, 2005). The region should thus raise its international share of FDI. The supposition is based on the possibly incontrovertible roles that FDI can play in the growth of the region. This justifies the anxiety about the call for and ability of the region to increase its international share of FDI inflows. FDI in Thailand Foreign direct investment has been an significant constituent of Thailand's economic development process. Given the rising meaning of industrial competitiveness in an gradually more spirited global marketplace and the possible of the association linking FDI and technological improvement, this research discover two questions opposite Thai policy makers: (i) what are the most effectual ways in which technology relocate can take place during FDI; and (ii) how can such transfers be accelerated and improved during FDI promotion policies FDI in Emerging Markets It is a reality that Thailand, like several other emerging market of this world, needs a considerable inflow of external resources so as to fill the economy and foreign exchange gaps related

Companies Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Companies - Research Paper Example I feel like I have very strong leadership qualities, and employees of this company frequently get opportunities to lead the teams independently. Hence, I would not only find the opportunity to expedite my skills and capabilities, but would also grow professionally. Being employed by this company, I would feel safe for I would be building my experience in one of the largest and most popular companies in Qatar, which would be good for me in the long run. I would like to work for Qatar Petroleum because this is a very old company. It was 1939 when the first well was drilled. Development sustained after the Second World War and the first crude exports took place in the year 1949. The fields of Maydan Mahzam and Idd Al-Shargi were discovered in the year 1960. After the discovery of Bul Hanine, the largest offshore in 1970, Qatar Petroleum was established in the year 1974 (â€Å"QP History†). Since the company has a strong international presence, I would have the opportunity to visit different countries and places as part of my job and also have international exposure. With such a large work setup and being equipped with the latest technology, Qatar Petroleum provides its employees with the opportunity to polish their intellectual and technical skills in a highly dynamic and challenging environment. Working with Qatar Petroleum is a privilege and a great and valuable addition to the CV in terms of experience. I would also feel very fortunate and happy if I ever get employed in the Qatar Airways. Qatar Airways provides wonderful opportunities of talent development to its employees. Employees of Qatar Airways are offered a range of benefits and perks in addition to salary. Besides, the company fosters such a culture that makes its employees feel like a family. The company promises its employees; â€Å"You will gain from the diverse culture, by interacting with more than one hundred and fifty nationalities in a fast-paced working environment.