The Global Environment and the Accounting Profession Essays

The Global Environment and the Accounting Profession Essays The Global Environment and the Accounting Profession Paper The Global Environment and the Accounting Profession Paper This impact comes from the creased amount of spending that people are doing due to the higher unemployment rates, higher inflation and interest rates and overall lack of finances. Because of this it has been causing a huge strain on accountants, as they are seeing revenues decrease and costs increase. There have been some signs that the economy is on the mend and there have been some slow improvement with the unemployment rate, but it is still a huge work in progress and it will likely take a lot more time to get completely back on track. Problem Statement For over a decade the economy has been a constant concern for most of the world. It has decreased the amount of jobs available and it has caused a serious decrease in the amount of financial spending being done by everyone, as it has gotten to where people would rather save their money for the more important things. This has taken its toll on the accounting profession. Accountants are seeing less business, as it has become easier and cheaper to use other methods for completion of taxes. With the decreases in income this will probably continue to be true. Since they are seeing a decrease in business, it is causing a financial strain on them as well. Overhead expenses for operating the businesses are increasing, so without he income coming in, it is causing difficulties. There are ways to help with this problem and in turn help avoid some of the strain and difficulty that they are seeing and dealing with. I will discuss some different solutions that could be utilized later in this paper. Comparison Throughout the accounting profession there are a few other major issues that also affect the profession as a whole. A couple of them are new financial reporting guidelines and retaining current clientele. Financial reporting standards have become a lot stricter since the scandals in the early sacs that rocked the accounting profession. The accounting profession has seen a lot of new guidelines that they must abide by or there are severe consequences and penalties. One of the regulations that must be followed is the formation of a board that is in charge of reviewing and auditing statements. Upper management, such as the CEO and SCOFF are also to sign off on any and all financial statements that they complete. This will hold them accountable for all information that they report. Having both of these guidelines in place has made the accounting field better from an honestly stand point, and has also made it easier to reprimand any financial snootiest on anyones part. With everything that is going on with the economy accountants are seeing a decrease in the amount of clients that they are seeing. This is due to there being other less expensive methods for completing taxes and business finances. Turbo Tax and H;R online are two of the programs that can be bought or downloaded in order to complete required financial business, and at a fraction of the cost of going to an accountant. And even as the economy improves, it still might continue to be an issue for accounting practices. Consumers today are in the mind set of peeping as much of their money as they are able to, and only spending it on the objects and services that are absolutely necessary. And unfortunately, seeing an accountant is not one of the items at the top of most consumers lists since they feel that they can now do the work themselves with the new software available for the public to purchase. Impacts The biggest impact that accounting firms are seeing is the decrease in clientele. With all of the available software that can be bought or downloaded, consumers and small business are not in as big of a need for an accountant as they have been in the past years. This is partly due to businesses and consumers viewing it as a luxury item and not a necessity. The economy has also affected how the audit funds of companies are directed. A lot of companies are moving their resources in order to cover any risks that have risen from the down economy. Therefore, this has led to a smaller budget for audit services within a company. With the various budget cuts, some companies have had to reduce the number of auditors that they staff as well as review the external auditors that are used. Consequences Currently there is a larger supply of accountants than there is for the emends of accounting services. If the economy does not improve, then one of the biggest consequences that will be seen is the lack of qualified individuals in the accounting field. You could see less college students getting degrees in the accounting filed due to the current lack of jobs that are available for graduating students. This would turn into a major issue when the economy would finally improve as there would not be anyone to fill the needed accounting and auditing positions. And again, loss of jobs would be a consequence of the downward economy. With the loss of clientele there is sees revenue coming in, which then leads to job cuts within organizations. A lot of companies have seen downsizing lately, and the unemployment rate has seen drastic increases in the past years because of it. Research on Issue When researching the issues, qualitative research should be performed. This type of research method helps with getting quality information rather than just a bunch of data that may or may not be of any use. One of the easiest ways to research the impacts of the downward economy is to do a survey. A survey of companies who are downsizing is the first place to start. By looking t who is eliminating accounting positions, it will help to give a better idea of how hard the accounting profession has been hit. Another way a survey could be used for research is to see your current clientà ¨les opinion on the services being rendered as well at the current pricing. This could also help to determine how many people and companies now feel that they can do the work themselves in house verses paying a professional to do the work. Research reasons The reason would choose to use surveys for the research method is because it is easy, inexpensive and less time consuming. Surveys are also useful cause you are able to take a sample of the population in order to get your findings. Plus finding out what customers want can be extremely beneficial and possibly make it easier to find ways to bring in new clients. Relevant Information The information that is most relevant to the research that is being performed is what effect the global economy is having on the accounting field. Until the global economy gets turned back around, the accounting industry will continue to struggle since most people deem it as a luxury. With the global market expanding and companies moving operations overseas, the accounting profession is having to adjust and make some changes so that accounting professionals satisfy the new needs and requirements. All of these changes are making it so that GAP is not as dominant as it once was in this country. There has also been an increase in the amount of management accountants that are being utilized as becoming competitive in todays market is vital for all companies. And by using management accounting it is making it easier to enhance financial performance. It is also important that accounting professionals are aware of what they need to do in order to stay p to date and be able to succeed in the fast changing global market. It is the belief that when it comes to financial reporting, that it is in the best interest of everyone and public interest to develop a set of universal rules and regulations that consist of high-quality standards. Having a new set of rules that are recon sized and utilized globally will make it easier to maintain the interests of the global community. GAP has always been deemed as the highest-quality set of guidelines and regulations in the world. But even though that is true, they have not exactly been accepted globally. And because of the quickly evolving global economy, it has become possible for other standards to assume a level of importance that is set to possibly surpass GAP. The changes in guidelines have produced three implications for accountants in the US. The first one is that the rules of GAP have changed and will continue to change as needed so that international standards continue to be covered. The second implication is that international accounting is going to quickly become more relevant and GAP will decrease in relevance with the domestic companies as well as global. And he last implication is that accounts in the US will be at a severe disadvantage to the international accountants who have more time learning and adjusting to the new guidelines. Managerial accountants have typically not been in as high of demand and financial accountants. This is because the US used to have such a big global market and little competition from other countries. But here of late there has been a surge of global competition and there has been pressure on the US to start utilizing the talents of managerial accountants to see where improvements can be made and how they compare to other companies globally. They are interested in ways to improve the business based on how factors outside the control of the company, rather than just the financial side of the business. There has become a strong movement to get the set of international financial reporting standards (FIRS). The goal is to get this accomplished so that there is only one set of globally accepted accounting standards for everyone to follow and abide by. This thought has gained the approval and motivation by such organizations as the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the World Bank. The international financial reporting standards are currently being used in over 00 countries globally. It was stated by 201 1 the international financial reporting standards WOUld be used by almost everyone globally. One of the biggest results from implementing these standards is the benefit of an increase in global capitol, and higher confidence in the global economy. With the global world being like it is, it gives more opportunities for international students to come to the US to attend school and major in accounting. This can be looked at as both a good thing and a bad thing. A benefit of it is that they can go back home and share what they have learned and implement it into their accounting practice. However, any international students who may choose to stay and work here in the US will create an off supply and demand in the job market, as the more accountants that there are, the fewer jobs that will be available. And because of the global market flourishing as it has been, accounting careers in the future are dependent on having enough knowledge and education. There is also a chance that if they work for one of the big international companies, accountants need to be prepared to work in an international workplace. The International Accounting Standards Committee is in charge of setting the global principles. The main idea was to determine a set of guidelines that could be adapted by those countries that did not have a set already to abide by. And over the last decade the majority of countries in the world have adapted to international accounting guidelines. One of the biggest downsides for countries to accept the new set of guidelines is that they will lose any of the traditional ways that they had been using. Another downside to making the transition is the cost to do so. The costs can be incurred when the companies bring in outside accountants to ensure that they are following the guidelines correctly. And any county that changes to he new guidelines will have the financial cost of passing new legislation for it as well as passing on the changes to all businesses and their stock market. And last, there is the cost for business for them to have to train everyone to the new principles, as well as additional costs for all universities who will have to add the appropriate curriculum. Based on these articles, they say a lot of the same information, and some take the issue into a different direction. But the overall thought for all of them is that the accounting profession is ever changing and we will all be using the same guidelines and regulations. This recess is not a quick one and is time and cost consuming, but in the end will be worth all of the hassle and headaches. The insight to adding more managerial accountants will be beneficial for new up and coming accountants as well as any current managerial accountants. Factors Up until now there have been differences when it came to financial reporting. But now there is an international consensus that the financial reporting should consist of only high quality, consistent financial information that can best serve the needs of the investors. Within the last ten years there has been a merging of global accounting practices. And with this there have been several factors that have contributed to the merge. The first one is that large, multi-national businesses have started to apply standards from the county that they originate in. This can help to allow more than one approach be applied to an issue in a manner that is consistent with such guidelines as GAP. The second factor is that is has been encouraged of the SASS to develop specific guidelines that would allow transparent financial reporting that can be applied consistently globally. The last factor is that regulators and setters for national accounting standards continue to look for approached for eating accounting standards that are as consistent as those of other setters. Some of the national standard setters participate in global projects in order to have a bigger range for accounting issues. Causes There are several reasons that could pin point the cause of all oftenest issues. One reason is because the United States did not pay a lot of attention to the companies that they competed with in the global market, as they didnt see a lot of competition from anyone. However, by the time that the assays hit, the United States was at a major disadvantage to the companies globally who had en working to enhance their competitive edge due to necessity. Another cause is due to the normal accounting style that was usually taken by American businesses which was not centered around being a team or being up to date on information. Instead of making logical, information based decisions, they were going with gut feelings or personal feelings. This led to a lot of business issues and changes in the way that managers ran companies and organizations. This researcher has read a lot of articles about this particular topic and have found some more reasons for the causes and effects of the global economy. One of the biggest reasons that was found that it stems from the governments of country who enact all of the rules that tell everyone how and when they can do business and how they are to report all of their finances. And with each additional year, more and more regulations are put into place in order to protect their shareholders and investors, consumers and employees. However, with all of these regulations that are put into place to protect investors and everyone else, the companys and businesses are not protected. Now an upside to all of this is that with GAP and FIRS merging together, there is a higher demand for professionals o fill the accounting and financial needs just to keep up with all of the regulations. One Of the biggest causes for this situation is based on all of the corporate scandals and financial crises that we have seen up to this point. Because of these, rules and regulations have become stricter in the financial sections of business. Along with this, lending standards have become a lot tighter which then leads to an increase in audits, leading to proof of a companys credit worthiness. With the changes in standards, it is also producing new curriculum in colleges and universities in order to meet the emend for the new graduates in the accounting and finance fields. This researcher plans to measure the current state by looking into the practices of our business and see the methods that are currently being used and if they are adhering to the guidelines that have been put in front of them. With the way businesses are changing for globalization, we need to make sure that we have a good managerial accounting practices as well as financial accounting practices. We need to make sure that we are looking at what our opportunities are for our company and watch what our competitors are doing ore closely, so that we can keep an upper hand on our market share. We need to do our research and make sure that we are making informed decisions that are best for our company and not relying on what we think might be a good idea. We need to make sure that we are planning ahead and budgeting accordingly so that we can make the right choices to advance Our companys global presence. All of these things will help us to be a more global company and stay ahead of the curve in our markets. This researcher would measure the success of the solution by analyzing the changes that have been made and compare them against where they should be at. The methods would also be analyzed to ensure that they are still being utilized and that they are working correctly. There would also be a committee set up to monitor periodically to ensure that the guidelines are still working and being followed. Data Collection When the collection of data is done, this researcher will be analyzing it to see how well the company is taking to the new accounting procedures as well as if everything is being followed as expected. When implementing new rules and regulations, it is vital to ensure that they are understood completely and that there are not any issues remaining that need to be taken care of. For the data collection for before and after the new regulations and procedures there will be a few methods that will be utilized that will be helpful in getting the information that is needed. The methods that will be utilized are surveys, interview and observation. A survey can be used to find out what the feelings are for the methods that were currently being used prior to the new regulations and procedures. Surveys are also a good tool that can be used to see how the employees and upper management are feeling with the comfort of the new procedures as well as any areas that they personally feel that they loud use help with. The interview process, like the survey, is also a great tool for seeing how everyone is feeling before and the new regulations are implemented. But interviews are a little more in depth when compared to surveys, and researchers can go beyond the survey questions and get more detailed on how the employees are feeling about everything. And lastly, observation is key to seeing first-hand how everything is being handled. By using observation, it is possible to see how well the regulations are being implemented and if they are going as well as stated in the interviews and revues. When this researcher went to analyze the data, all of the information collected from before and after the implementation of the regulations and was organized and prepared. The information was looked at to see how effective the prior methods were with the business functions. This gave an idea of what the strengths and weaknesses were, and where they were at. After that information was analyzed and documented, the data for the methods used after the new procedures were put into place was looked at. With this information, strengths and weaknesses were also analyzed and tote so that they could be discussed with management. Research analysis Once the research has been completed, a data analysis plan will be decided and this researcher will analyze and organize the information so that it can be reviewed with the company later on. It is extremely important to analyze the findings very carefully to ensure that everything is looked at and thoroughly examined. This information is what important business decisions are based on as well as future ideas for improvement and expansion. These results can also be used as an example for other businesses that are going thought the AMA process. After analyzing the collected information, this researcher found that the company worked well with the prior accounting procedures and everyone who was involved with using them were very skilled with the methods. The new regulations and procedures took a lot of training and teaching to get everyone doing the same thing. After observing the new procedures in place, this researcher found that everyone involved was able to make a smooth transition, and have since been able to abide by the new rules without much incident. It is the opinion of this researcher that this company s ready to move forward with the new plan in place and the future of the accounting with this company well on its way to being compliant. Ethical Concerns A company being ethical is one of the smartest things that they can do. Having actions and behaviors that are deemed appropriate will help to ensure that the company maintains a good outlook with the community, because one of the fastest things to go for a company who is not honest is their reputation. Having a reputation of being unethical can also have effects on other companies who feel that they could be affected by the bad publicity ND unethical reputation. An example of this is Enron. After the scandal in 2001 their reputation took a drastic nose dive and they have not been looked at the same since. The first big ethical issue that we see with globalization is problems with jobs. Jobs in first world countries such as the US have seen a decrease in the number Of positions that are available. O jobs require laborers and manual labor are seeing a lot of their jobs going overseas to third world countries where it is cheaper to have the work done. This in turn causes hardships on the workers in this country and other first world countries. Natural resources are a really big ethical issue that is in desperate need of being addressed. With all of the manufacturing, production and every other business that is being operated in this world, the natural resources that are needed to make them run are quickly becoming depleted, as the ecological capacity is not sufficient enough to maintain it. Also, the tropical rainforests are being cut down so that they can be used for fuel and pastured for cattle grazing. With the loss of the tropical rainforests, it is having a huge effect on the entire plants oxygen levels. The third big ethical issue that stems room globalization is the health issues that can result from it With the fact that traveling around the world from country to county, it is leading to the easier spreading of highly infectious diseases. Of course this issue isnt a new one as diseases have been spread like this since the Black Death in the 14th century. An example of a disease today that has been an issue is the swine flu, which has been spread through air travel. The last major ethical issue that is a result of globalization is financial issues. Because the world is becoming increasingly globalizes, there is a rapidly growing global market ND financial interdependency between countries. The US has also seen a collapse in the supreme mortgage, which ultimately had a worldwide effect which included depression. It is extremely important to identify the ethical concerns that may arise at some point. A company needs to be aware of where any issues that they have lie so that they can be taken care of before they get out of hand. It is also important to know what issues are possible so that the company can work to prevent those problems from happening. This can also be beneficial because if a company is aware of the biggest usual ethics issues, then it is possible that they could also be able to spot the little ones as well. The relationship between globalization and the ethical concerns are that all of those four topics are commonly found during this process. With the expansion of companies overseas, they typically look at the ways that they can save money, and therefore make more money. And the concerns that have come up are several of the ways that this can be accomplished for them. It is an unfortunate situation, but it is happening with a lot of countries and a lot of companies. The ethical concerns have a deep impact because whichever direction they go will have profound implications. If they proceed with the issues that are a concern and there are job losses or cause further depletions in natural resources, then it looks badly on the company and they get bad reputation. However, if the fix any issues that prevents the concerns from taking place then they get a great reputation of being an ethical company and continue to look great to the public and shareholders. This company has taken appropriate steps in order to try to lessen the ethical issues. Such Steps include recycling paper, bottles and NAS, and conserving energy. This step will help with the depletion of natural resources, as these steps aide in that effort. When it comes to the health issues, vaccinations are required as well as limiting the amount of overseas travel that takes place. This action will help with the spread of any diseases that could come over from other countries. After observing and researching the steps and efforts, it has been discovered that the efforts have been successful and the company is doing a great job with limiting any ethical concerns that could be had. This researcher, after analyzing and evaluating he steps and efforts put forward by this company feel that the rules, regulations and procedures have begun to be implemented successfully and this company is abiding accordingly. Also after researching the ethical concerns of this company and the steps that have been taken have also shown that they are not a lot of risk of concern. This researcher feels that this company is in a place that keeps them in good standing with the public as well as their stockholders. Conclusions The new methods that have been put into place have been successful and the employees are working well with them. The company has had workshops for he workers to train them with the new procedures and regulations and there has been a lot of Success seen. A couple more training sessions have been set, so that any residual issues can be taken care of and any last minute issues or questions can be answered. The progression with the recycling has also been successful and the company is also looking at other ways to save energy and resources. There are also steps that have been put into place that will help to maintain a low risk of unethical behaviors and concerns. A mandatory rule has also been implemented requiring anyone who travels for ark to have a yearly flu shot as well as any other immunization that may be necessary. This has made a huge difference with the amount of people who are sick as well as the viruses that are being spread to everyone. There are a couple of changes that can be made in order to ease the transition of globalization. The first change that can be made is the way competition is viewed. In order to stay competitive in the global market this company will need to look at how products are made and sold. One of the first things that can be analyzed with this how the companys pricing compares with those of intention in the market. By looking at this pricing can be altered if necessary. The quality of product compared to others on the market can also be looked at. This is one of the biggest and most important aspects that can make or break a product and can give a company a competitive edge. The next change that can be made has to do with technology. With globalization, technology has become a necessity. And with that, companies have to stay up to date with the newest and best technology that is on the market.

Deepening Affirmations Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 1

Deepening Affirmations - Essay Example Generally speaking, the Deepening Affirmation opens up a world of thought that is provocative and an eye-opener. I have learned remarkably in reading the self-help book written by Benor. In it, Benor asserts the close connection between the body and the mind (1). For instance, the physical pain that a person feels is something that a body wants to communicate to that person. Although physical, at certain extent, pain also exists in one’s mind. Benor’s concept of pain is distinct from what the modern science defines the term â€Å"pain.† For him, pain is deeply related to the person’s past. When an individual experiences pain, such pain is not derived from the physical immediate environment but from his or her inner self. With this kind of pain, medicine or any sort of drug medication cannot heal the pain that a person encounters. He or she must discover for him- or herself the historical/psychological reason why the pain emerged. Benor’s idea is fascinating because such concept or theory views the pain (e.g., fear) not in the outside and immediate world but i n the inner workings of a person. Thence, pain can be reduced, if not healed completely, through the person him- or herself. Benor presents a method of how to self-help one’s self: WHEE. There is something agreeable in Benor’s idea of mind, body, and pain. In fact, I have always believed that my body and my mind are interconnected and interrelated. When I think of good thoughts, my body is at ease. And when my body is healthy and strong, my mind is far from dis-ease (borrowed from Benor). What is surprising in his method is the tapping part and the recitation of an affirmative statement. Intuitively, they sound silly. There is no quarrel with the body-mind theory but I find it ridiculous to use the WHEE method. Benor seems to compare pain with a little boy. When a boy is experiencing difficulty or discomfort, the parent or guardian usually gently taps his

Developing Professional Practice for a Student Essay

Developing Professional Practice for a Student - Essay Example Effective professional practice makes the difference between competency and incompetency. Throughout the unit, I have leaned the effect of acquiring best practice since during internships I would find communication and interaction with fellow staffs easy and cordial. This would not have been so if I had not gone through the unit. Effective professional practice is intense to permit students and others to develop new skills and knowledge essential in their professional practice. Professional skills The unit has equipped me with numerous skills regarding professionalism. Time management is one of the skills learned; time is an essential part of individual and its management practice distinguishes the rich and poor. I need to be wealthy in knowledge and material thus time management is an essential skill that the unit has endowed. Currently and in future time management help and will help me deliver my duties promptly and become a role model to others. Communication and interpersonal sk ills are professional knowledge and skills acquired. Communication is essential and it gives a significant impact if done professionally (Morrison, 1993). The communication skills vary from the body language, intonation and words used. The best mode of communication attraction is the first impression; within seconds of interaction people form their opinion and if my dressing is not presentable my wording and intonation would not impress them. The formal and informal communication category assists in interaction with other people such as fellow staffs, patients or clients, and management. This skill that assists me to treat people as individuals thus ensuring interpersonal rapport is maintained. The skills can assist me in the future to attract and retain clients when I start my own business and also interact with employees professionally. Further training and practice of the skills can assist to add more value to what I have learned. Teamwork is another professional skill learned. A ny profession requires teamwork spirit to make work easy and also to encourage different experts to pull together in achieving organizational objectives. These skills help me appreciate individuals with their capacity and contribution. The future is brighter with this kind of skills put into practice I can manage bigger human resource capacity. It is essential to be a team player to make effective manager or a leader in an organization. With practice and involving my role models, I can add value to skills acquired and be better. Behavioral characteristics of the successful professional skills and presentation skills are additional professional knowledge acquired in this unit. Professional skills are pillars of my professional growth and development (Karten, 2010). Practice and training are additional activities to assist in perfecting the skills acquired and remain relevant. Knowledge development Knowledge gathered from this unit is that attitude, hard work, good communication, pres entation, dedication, and devotion are professionalism values that I have to keep throughout my career development. Maintaining ethics is an essential matter in professional development since it builds a reputation and assists one earns the trust of others (Eraut, 2003). I have learned trust is essential in financial matters and going through the unit this cannot be over-emphasized.  

What Guides Ethical Decision Making Essay Example for Free

What Guides Ethical Decision Making Essay A processor manufacturing company who are currently facing financial troubles completed an order about three months ago for newly designed high-powered processors that are smaller than and four times as powerful as its predecessor. These processors are to be placed into cutting edge cellular phones by a leading cellular phone manufacturer whose release date is a mere month away. A design inconsistency was recently discovered that essentially meant that the processors would work but would be no more powerful than its predecessor in certain conditions. A flaw that would only to be discerned when extraordinary load was placed on the device component whilst it was exposed to ambient temperatures of over 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The company’s CEO is now faced with the difficult decision of either doing nothing or replacing all the processors. Doing nothing, allows the company to keep its doors open, grants access to potential future earnings and saves the jobs of over 1000 employees. A decision that clearly seeks to ensure the common good of the company by giving them the ability to remain competitive while remaining silent on an issue that poses substantial risks to the cellular phone manufacturers earnings and reputation. The alternative, replacing all the processors would undoubtedly ensure that the processors function as advertised, but doing so would be at a significant cost to the company and may likely result in massive downsizing or the company’s declaration of insolvency. Though this option speaks positively to the moral character of the company, it may also lead to the company’s demise and leave over 1000 employees jobless. Both decisions, in light of the situation presented, may be considered to be ethical. A predicament which may undoubtedly lead a person to question how does one choose between several ethical options and more importantly what exactly guides this choice. The answer to these questions can be found in a branch of philosophy called theoretical ethics. Theoretical ethics is the rational reflection on what is right, what is wrong, what is just, what is unjust, what is good, and what is bad in terms of human behaviour according to [https://www.boundless.com/marketing /textbooks/boundless-marketing-textbook/social-responsibility-ethics-in-marketing-16/ethics-an-overview-101/definition-  of-ethics-498-8310/]. This branch of philosophy is exercised via the application the application of ethical theory. Ethical theories are those that represent the grand ideas which guide ethical principles and systematically attempt to answer the fundamental practical ethical questions [Ethical Theories http://www.medindia.net/education/familymedicine/biomedical-ethics-theories.htm#ixzz3H84Tlgi3] Ethical theories can be categorized according to how they justify ethical judgments [https://ethics.journalism.wisc.edu/resources/ethics-in-a-nutshell/#theoretical ] and as such the particular ethical theory utilized can influence the decision made. This essay will therefore seek to examine the concepts of the common good and moral character and fundamental human virtue, their supportive ethical theories and explain how they are applied to making ethical decisions in businesses. Common Good Also referred to as the human good, public good or commonweal, the concept of the common good is one that has evolved over time. As human society developed, so too did the concept, as articulated by the philosophers of the day. Originating with the Greek Philosopher Aristotle who, on the topic wrote â€Å"Every skill and every enquiry, and similarly every action and rational choice, is thought to aim at some good; and so the good has been aptly described as that at which everything aims†. He went on to reason that â€Å"since political science employs the other sciences, and also lays down the laws about what we should do and refrain from, its end will include the ends of the others, and will therefore be the human good.† http://catdir.loc.gov/catdir/samples/cam032/99036947.pdf . Aristotle firstly explained his idea of the good, which according to his writings can then be understood to mean the purpose, reason, desire or benefit of things and actions. The idea of the good sets the premise for understanding the human good, the good that yields the most benefit to human existence. The human good, in Aristotle’s view, was the science of politics since it was the science charged with managing all other sciences and their respective ends for a single purpose; the betterment of the polity. The underlying premise of Aristotle’s definition of the common good is utility. It involves a multiplicity of agents working towards a single shared purpose that would  satisfy or be of benefit to all involved. This single purpose, shared by many, for the benefit of many is therefore what is understood to be the common good; a concept that shares an ideal that is similar to utilitarian theory as developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills. UTILITARIANISM AND THE COMMON GOOD The basic premise of utilitarianism is the achievement of happiness for the greatest sum of people [ethics in action Domenec Mele]. This principle places the interest of the many over the interest of the few and as such the rightness or wrongness of an act is based only on the perceived or expected outcomes of that act as it relates to the utility obtained. http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80130/part2/sect9.html Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mills were the main proponents of this ideology, and though they had differing views on which outcome of act (happiness vs. pleasure) was worth measuring in order to determine the rightness or wrongness of an act they both held that human wellbeing was salient. http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/80130/part2/sect9.html Utilitarianism can be considered to be an ethical theory. It represents a grand idea; achievement of maximum utility for most, and at the same time, assesses the rightness or wrongness of an action through the lenses of this idea. The utilitarian principle can therefore be used to ethically guide or judge the ethicality of decisions and actions. Utilitarianism as an ethical theory acts in pursuance to the common good https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Presidential_Decision-Making_Utilitarianism_vs_Duty_Ethics . As previously expressed, a single purpose, shared by many, for the benefit of many is therefore what is understood to be the common good. This concept is similar to utilitarianism as is evident by the mutual aim of achieving maximum utility for many. As such, decisions and actions resulting from utilitarian theory are made based on the consequences of those decision and actions, and how they affect majority with an aim to always increase utility. Utilitarianism as a theory may then be seen as the tool through which the common good may be achieved. https://philosophynow.org/issues/64/Presidential_Decision-Making_Utilitarianism_vs_Duty_Ethics COMMON GOOD OF BUSINESSES The theories of the common good and utilitarianism although initially conceptualized on a societal scale are also applicable to smaller groups that occur within society. Both concepts are formulated purely on the idea that it is best to achieve utility for the majority of stakeholders and as such the size of the group is not an important attribute for consideration when applying these ideas. Utilitarian as a theory and the common good as a concept can therefore be viewed as reducible and as such be applied to virtually any group in society including a business. The common good of a business is to seek particular goods through its activities http://www.iese.edu/es/files/Paper_Antonio%20Argando%C3%B1a_tcm5-36013.pdf . These goods are extrinsic, intrinsic and transcendent in nature and are used to provide utility to stakeholders by satisfying their needs http://www.iese.edu/research/pdfs/DI-0777-E.pdf . These goods are interdependent of each other, but through their collective contributions, work towards the achievement of the vision and mission of a business. The vision and mission of a business may then be considered to be that business’s common good [domenec mele bookl]. Interestingly however, a business seeking its own common good also works towards the common good of society [domenec mele bookl]. As suggested by Adam Smith’s metaphor of the invisible hand, a business in pursuit of its own interests tends to also promote the good of society as a whole [domenec mele bookl]. Therefore the activities of a business: 1. creating added economic value with justice and distributing it with equity 2. supplying useful goods and services efficiently and fairly 3. providing jobs, opportunities and organizational conditions in accordance with human dignity and human rights 4. Promoting the necessary relationships between the firm and its constitutive stakeholders, fostering rec iprocity, collaboration and cooperation among them 5. Striving for the continuity and sustainability of the firm and 6. being a good corporate citizen  may be viewed as contributing to not only its own common good but also to the common good of society. [domenec mele bookl] COMMON GOOD DECISION MAKING IN A BUSINESS A common good decision in a business is any decision that is pursuant its own common good and, at the same time, is aimed at achieving maximum utility for  the majority of stakeholders. This type of decision making applies a mission driven approach to corporate governance where the organization is seen as one entity that achieves multiple ends. In applying this approach the corporate governing body weighs the positive and negative consequences of an action with an aim towards increasing overall utility for the many with the business’s vision and mission as its main goal [domenec mele]. It would then stand to reason that a common good business decision would be any decision that is utilitarian in nature, which is also in accordance with any of the 6 mentioned activities of a business. Common good business decisions are made through the application of utilitarian theory. Utilitarian theory provides a straightforward method for making decisions that would provide the greatest benefits and the least harm to the business. To arrive at such a decision, one must firstly identify the each of the various options that can be chosen http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . After the options are identified, the foreseeable benefits and harms that may result from each option are determined http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . Lastly, one compares the options and chooses the option that provides the greatest benefits and the least amount of harm to the business http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . In the utilitarian view, an option chosen via this ethical theory is considered to be morally right http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf and is therefore ethical. This decision making process may be likened to the cost benefit analysis, a commonly used business decision making tool. Although one may arrive at ethical decisions through the application of utilitarian theory, there are several disadvantages of using this ethical theory. Utilitarianism suggests that the decision maker assigns values to benefits and harms and subsequently compares these benefits and harms, this makes the utilitarian decision making process highly subjective http://www.sme.ie/articles/business_ethics/thinking_ethically.pdf . Predicting all the consequences of an action is difficult and as such it is possible that consequences which may cause great benefit or harm to the business are not factored into the decision making process. This method also, ignores the concept of justice and as such may cause several  particular groups to be repeatedly disadvantaged for the betterment of the organization. Because of the critiques of this ethical theory it can be reasoned tha t it is best used in situations that are amoral or situations where the rightness or wrongness of a decision is not in question. An example or an ideal amoral situation is a situation where all the available options are moral. The application of this ethical approach in such situations removes the need for the consideration of justice and therefore addresses a major flaw of the utilitarian process. MORAL CHARACTER AND FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN VIRTUES Another concept that informs ethical decision making is moral character and fundamental human virtues. The idea of Moral character and virtues has always been a prominent topic of philosophical discussion among ancient philosophers. The foundation of these discussions was centralized in the goodness of humans and in particular, trying to discern what makes a person good http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/ . As such, a person’s character became the logical starting point in the resolution of this issue http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#WhyChaMat . One’s traits and actions is what determines one’s character. Character, which is understood to mean the assemblage of qualities that distinguishes one individual from another http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#WhyChaMat is comprised of the relatively stable traits or behaviours that a person consistently exhibits. Although all of these traits are not moral nature, they may have a significant impact on a person’s moral characterhttp://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a . A person’s Moral Character is influenced by moral character traits and practical wisdom. A moral character trait is a disposition of character for which a person is morally responsible or is deserving of the resultant reactive attitudes. http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a. Virtues, traits that are deserving of positive reactive attitudes such as praise or gratitude and vices, traits that are deserving of negative reactive attitudes, when combined with proper reasoning about the matter at hand, collectively inform moral character http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a. In other words; virtues, vices and by extension moral character is not only influenced by the disposition of  character, but also by practical wisdom. http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/#SH1a Practical wisdom is an intellectual virtue that is required for the development of virtues of character. This intellectual virtue is acquired through learning general rules and practice. Throughout the course of one’ s life, we encounter situations that require reasoning to determine what actions are appropriate. It is through these experiences that practical wisdom is developed. Practical wisdom, when combined with â€Å"proper habits† fuels the development of virtues such as justice, courage and temperance. [http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aristotle-ethics/] Justice, courage and temperance are virtues which provide us with the interior strength to act well [domenec mele]. Justice governs relationships and it regulates one’s inclination to possess, to share and to give whilst, courage, the virtue of preserving or pursuing what is good despite the obstacles, regulates one’s inclination to overcome the obstacles to doing â€Å"good†. Lastly temperance regulates one’s inclination towards pleasure and is that virtue which provides self-mastery and avoidance of immoderate attachments [domenec mele]. These virtues each have common characteristics of providing a self-regulatory feature and encouraging behaviours that are in keeping with human excellence. As such, these virtues are considered to be fundamental [domenec mele]. FUNDAMENTAL VIRTUES AND DEONTOLOGY The theory of deontology states we are morally obligated to act in accordance with a certain set of principles and rules regardless of outcome. Deontological theories holds that some acts are always wrong, even if the act leads to an admirable outcome and as such, in deontology the morality of an action is judged without regard for the outcome of that action. Deontology is based on the view of the human being having the unique capacity for rationality and it is exactly this ability that requires human beings to act in accordance with moral law or duty. http://sevenpillarsinstitute.org/morality-101/kantian-duty-based-deontological-ethics In the deontological view, morality and moral character is primarily a function of acting in accordance with duties or obligations, regardless of the consequences of acting in accordance with those duties http://www.iep.utm.edu/moral-ch/ . Deontological theory goes on to apply  this categorical imperative to making all decision â€Å"Act only on that maxim whereby thou canst at the same time will that it should become a universal law† http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/Cavalier/80130/part2/sect8.html . This categorical imperative is Kant’s only guideline to making decisions. Simply explained it states that one should decide on an action only if they agree that everyone else should perform that action in all the time. To be able to act in accordance with duty, fundamental virtues are required. Duties may be either perfect (precise, specifiable and enforceable) or imperfect (unspecific and unenforceable) in nature. Perfect duties require that one forgoes certain actions in order to be able to act in accordance with such a duty. Imperfect duties on the other hand, are duties to adopt certain ends and because of its unenforceable nature require self-mastery and strength of will. Continence therefore becomes a necessity for acting in accordance with duty. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-character/#Kan Continence or self-control requires the exercise of virtues, namely those of practical wisdom, temperance, courage and justice. http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.7.vii.html MORAL CHARACTER OF COMPANIES The ideas of moral character and fundamental virtues, though originally conceptualized to examine the ‘goodness’ of a person, can also be expanded to analyse the moral character of groups particularly businesses. Moral character is assessed as previously indicated by evaluating a person’s commitment to virtues or exercise of duty. The same method of assessment can be applied to a business. The moral character of a company may be determined through its duty based activities. The perfect duties of a company are those to which it is legally obligated whereas its imperfect duties deals are those where the company isn’t legally obligated but are duty bond to adopt particular ends. As such, the company’s adherence to the laws of the land, how the company treats with contractual agreements, examination of the company’s ethical policy or code and review of the company’s decision to ensure that they are in accordance with the company’s duties are the factors that influence the moral character of a company.

Panoptical Power in China Essay examples -- Prison Jail Imprisonment E

Panoptical Power in China Jeremy Bentham, a leading English prison reformer of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, developed an architectural plan for an ideal prison that he called the Panopticon. Such a prison would consist of a ring of individual cells encircling an observation tower. Each of the cells would open toward the tower and be illuminated by its own outside window. So, by the effect of backlighting, a single guard in the observation tower could keep watch on many prisoners--each of whom would be individually confined--without himself being seen. And because the prisoners could not see their supervisors, they would have to assume that they were being watched at all times--even if they were not. The Panopticon was designed to maximize the power of a dominating, overseeing gaze upon a transparent society of inmates. The purpose of the Panopticon was not so much to punish wrongdoers as to prevent wrongdoing by immersing prisoners in a field of total visibility in the expectation that the possibil ity of constant surveillance would serve to restrain the inmates (Foucault, 1980). Such surveillance would be aimed toward the interiorization of the supervisor's gaze so that each prisoner would, in effect, become his/her own overseer. Thus, through self-policing, surveillance would become permanent and pervasive in its effects--even if it was not continuously exercised. Although relatively few prisons have been constructed according to the plan of the Panopticon given Bentham's optimism about its practical utility, Foucault (1975/1977; 1980) has articulated the Panopticon as a generalizable model of the functioning of power in modern disciplinary societies with applications beyond the prison including hospitals, the... ..., J., Dubois, A.-M., Le Barbier, F., Olivier, J.-F., Peemans, J.-P., & Wang, N. (1979). China: The people's republic, 1949-1976. New York: Pantheon. Cheshire, G. (1992). The long way home. Film Comment, 28, 36-39. Foucault, M. (1977). Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison (A. Sheridan, Trans.). New York: Vintage. (Original work published 1975) Foucault, M. (1978). The history of sexuality, Volume I: An introduction (R. Hurley, Trans.). New York: Vintage. (Original work published 1976) Foucault, M. (1980). Power/knowledge: Selected interviews and other writings, 1972-1977 (C. Gordon, Ed.). New York: Pantheon. Link, P. (1992). Evening chats in Beijing: Probing China's predicament. New York: Norton. Min, A. (1993). Red azalea: Life and love in China. London: Victor Gollancz. Rayns, T. (1992). Nights at the opera. Sight and Sound, 2, 10-13.

DBQ Middle Ages Essay

The Middle ages began after the fall of the Roman Empire. It can be defined as a time of minimal cultural and scientific achievements, suffering, feudalism, and power of the church. The labels for the Middle Ages that best describe the era between 500 and 1400 in Europe are the Dark Ages, the Age of Feudalism, and the Age of Faith. The Middle Ages should be labeled the Dark Ages because of the years of suffering that was inflicted from invasions. Invaders, usually from the North, would come into towns and completely lay waste to everything. These invasions made people live in fear and abandon their homes in refuge of safer places. In document one, â€Å"They sacked town and village and laid waste the fields†¦there is no longer any trade, only unceasing terror†¦the people have gone to cower in the depths of the forest or inaccessible regions.† Besides people’s homes being destroyed from invasions, many people were killed and their belongings and even loved ones taken. In document 3, â€Å"842, in this year there was a great slaughter in London and Quentavic and Rochester†¦843 the Northmen, with their boats filled with booty, including both men and goods, return to their own country.† The Dark Ages has a negative connotation to it, so this label rightly matches the terrible inv asions that occurred leaving families devastated. The Middle Ages should also be labeled the Age of Feudalism because of the absence of imperial authority that was replaced by local political organization known as the feudal system. The feudal system was based on loyalty and obligations between landlords in their vassals. In exchange for protection and land (fiefs) from the Lord, the vassle gave the Lord his loyalty, military service, and ransom if needed, as shown in the feudal obligations of document 4. After the fall of the Roman Empire, its territories in Europe had to protect themselves from outside invaders. To do this, these local kingdoms gave land to those willing to send knights in order to protect the kingdom. In Document two John of Toul is a vassle to the count and countess of Champagne and takes the Homage Oath, â€Å"I, john of Toul†¦will send to the Count and Countess of Champagne the knights who is service I owed to them for this fief which I hold.† Without the loyalty and service from the vassals to the landlord, the feudal system would crumble  leaving that territory defenseless against invaders and rival kingdoms. Finally, the Middle Ages should be labeled the age of faith because of the solid organization and power the Catholic Church demonstrated. The power of the church can merely be seen through its cathedrals as shown in document 10. A lot of money, materials, and labor were required to build the cathedral and only a wealthy and powerful organization could build them. The church even tried to limit warfare between landlords by decreeing days of peace when no battles or attacks could occur. In document 5, the Church believes in the word of God and called for the observance of the Truce of God, â€Å"on every Sunday, Friday, and Saturday, and on feast days no one may commit murder, arson, robbery, or assault.† Besides power, the Catholic Church had a lot of influence over people. Some people gave up the life they knew to follow God and join a monastic order. This is evident in document 8, an excerpt adapted from monastic vows taken by a brother that had an ordinary life but gave it up for a life with God. â€Å"I renounce my own will for the will of God†¦I accept all hardships of the monastic life†¦I promise to remain a monk in this monastery.† The calling of Crusades by the church shows its influence it had over people even in times of war. Pope Urban II was the head of the Catholic Church and he believed it was God’s will to call for a crusade to recapture the holy lands. In document 9, â€Å"your brethren of the Middle East are in urgent need of your help†¦the Turks and Arabs have attacked†¦they have occupied more and more of the lands of the Christians.† Document 8 shows the church’s religious influence while document 9 shows its political influence. In conclusion the Dark Ages, the Age of Feudalism, and the Age of Faith are labels that best describes the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages were low on cultural and scientific achievements and lived off of the knowledge from civilizations before them. Document 6, â€Å"it performs the function of the knowledge and treasures of what had come before.† Its output of creativity and originality did not in any way surpass the turmoil from invasions, political organization from feudalism, or the power of the church, to be known as a golden age. Document 7, â€Å"medieval culture was in perfect, was restricted to a narrow circle of superior minds.† To better understand that  the Middle Ages produced a low amount of cultural and scientific achievements I would need an additional document of a list of achievements produced during this era. I would be able to compare this to other achievements produced in civilizations during their Golden Age.

Teen pregnancy in Warren county, Kentucky Free Essay Example, 1500 words

Most of today’s parents imitate their parents when it comes to matters concerning sex an pregnancy. Most of these parents are uncomfortable and uneducated about sex education thus the stance of avoiding it altogether (Mink, 2012). These parents have the false belief that talking about sex with teenagers is tantamount to encouraging them to think about and engage in sex. Those affected The teenagers are the most affected by the problem in issue. Peer pressure to engage in sex is rife in high school since teenagers at a developmental stage where they are experimenting with their bodies. As sexuality increases with adolescence, teenagers may engage in sex as part of the experimentation process (Hay, Levin, Deterding, & Abzug, 2014). Those who do not experiment are made to feel as though they do not belong or they are left out on something important. Generally more male teenagers engage in sex while in their teenage as compare to the girls. Some even engage in sex before they attain thirteen years (SIECUS, 2010). The experimentation in most cases involves multiple sexual partners since they are seeking pleasure and not serious relationships. We will write a custom essay sample on Teen pregnancy in Warren county, Kentucky or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now Certain health behaviors place teenagers at a risk of getting pregnant. Mink (2012) gives an account of one teenage mother, Kelsey Elrod who at the age of seventeen had a one-year son, having become pregnant during her freshman year. Kelsey admits that many teenage girls desire to become pregnant. Most girls do not understand the risks of engaging in early sexual behavior, and much less, the implications of early parenthood. The teenagers do not pay attention to their sex education classes, and some do not get any sex education at home. For most of the teenagers, sex usually occurs in an environment laden with alcohol and drugs, and mostly in parties. Social functions involve consumption of alcohol, cigarettes and other social drugs. While these drugs relax the person, they also lower inhibitions and impair mental judgment. Another health behavior that promotes teenage pregnancy is the early introduction of contraceptives to teenagers by their parents. Some parents have resorted to taking the initiative to try and prevent their teenagers from getting pregnant by putting them on contraceptives. Parents are also affected by the problem since once the teenagers become young parents. These parents in most cases are forced to take care of their now grandchildren as well as their young parents. The advocacy of contraceptive use by parents is misunderstood by some teenagers that sex is alright.