Accreditation in Higher Education free essay sample

Accreditation is one of the most intricate and confounding issues in advanced education. It is likewise one of the most abused ideas †both purposefully and inadvertently. In its most straightforward sense, accreditation implies approval †an announcement by a gathering of people who are in any event hypothetically unprejudiced specialists in advanced education that a given school or division inside a school has been completely researched and seen as deserving of endorsement. The procedure of accreditation is anyway an intentional procedure which implies that no school is required to be certify. Likewise accreditation isn't an administration procedure as the authorizing offices may be, at any rate in United States, private offices and are free associations. As referenced, this is an unconventionally American procedure. In each other nation on the planet, the legislature either works the schools and colleges or legitimately gives them the option to concede degrees, so an autonomous office doesn't have to state that a given school is alright. We will compose a custom paper test on Accreditation in Higher Education or on the other hand any comparable point explicitly for you Don't WasteYour Time Recruit WRITER Just 13.90/page Returning to United States, there are several certifying offices, some of which are commonly perceived as genuine while others are definitely not. Likewise as referenced before there is no requirement for a school to be certify. Indeed there are few satisfactory schools and some of the time divisions inside schools that are not licensed either willingly (since accreditation is an intentional and frequently costly method) or in light of the fact that they are excessively new (all schools were unaccredited at once) or excessively test (some would state unreasonably creative) for the for the most part preservationist accreditors. Then again, there are likewise a couple of not exactly awesome schools that are authentically authorize, however it is very uncommon. A much normal situation is the place numerous terrible schools guarantee to be certify †yet such accreditation is consistently by unrecognized, here and there nonexistent, authorizing affiliations, frequently of their own creation.Accreditation is a disputable theme in advanced education. Indeed the last two US secretaries of instruction expressed beyond all doubt that the authorizing organizations are not carrying out their responsibilities, particularly regarding nontraditional schools, for example, a portion of the separation learning offices. As will likewise be talked about in the later areas of this report, having accreditation isn't a similar thing as being authorized, contracted, affirmed, approved or recognized.Introduction to AccreditationAccreditation is a procedure of outside quality survey utilized by advanced education to examine sch ools, colleges, and advanced education programs for quality affirmation and quality improvement (Forest, Kinser, p. 29). It is essentially a procedure by which a program or establishment is perceived as being in congruity with some formal composed settled upon standard. Another meaning of accreditation is â€Å"a process by which a foundation of postsecondary training assesses its instructive exercises, in who or partially, and looks for and free judgment to affirm that it is considerably accomplishing its goals and is commonly equivalent in quality to similar establishments of post auxiliary education† (Bogue, Hall, 2003, p. 22).According to American Psychological Association APA, the accreditation procedure of is â€Å"a process that includes making a decision about how much a program has accomplished the objectives and objectives†. The Oxford English Dictionary characterizes accreditation as â€Å"the act or procedure of giving authority authorization†. It is imperative that the definitions don't allude the degree of execution of an individual or an association. It incidentally implies that, accreditation could be applied to an association whose degree of execution is deficient. Albeit each state and country certifies schools and expert projects and distributes arrangements of endorsed, guaranteed, perceived or enlisted establishments, the term accreditation all the more regularly alludes to endorsement affiliation and certifying offices as opposed to state endorsement (Williams refered to in Drake, 2003, p. 64).The accreditation process is one in which, as indicated by Council for Higher Education Accreditation CHEA,  ccreditation is â€Å"the personnel, overseers, and staff of the organization or scholastic program direct a self-study utilizing the certifying association’s set of assumptions regarding quality as their guide. A group of friends (from inside the advanced education framework that are) chose by the certifying affiliation audits the proof, visits the grounds to talk with workforce and staff, and composes a report of its assessment† (Asher, 2000, p. 254).An foundation or program looking for accreditation must experience various a dvances specified by a certifying association. These means include a blend of planning of proof of achievement by the establishment or program, examination of these materials by staff and regulatory companions, activity to decide the accreditation status by the certifying associations. Of the few advantageous motivations behind accreditation, the two viewed as most crucial are to guarantee the quality and to aid the improvement of the organization or program. In particular, the accreditation of an organization or program says to people in general when all is said in done and to institutional electorates specifically that is has suitable strategic purposes, assets important to accomplish those reasons, and a history and record inferring that it will proceed to accomplish, and a history and record suggesting that it will keep on accomplishing its motivations. The requirements of a few voting demographics are filled when accreditation satisfies its needs of value confirmation and institutional or program improvement. The overall population is served by being guaranteed that the foundation or program has been assessed inside and remotely and complies with general desires in higher education.Accreditation benefits understudies in a few wyas. It guarantees them that an a uthorize establishment has been seen as palatable and fit for addressing their requirements, encourages the exchange of credits among organizations, elevates admission to advanced education projects and fills in as an essential, at times for entering callings. Establishments additionally advantage from accreditation. There is first the upgrade for intermittent self-assessment and consistent improvement. Accreditation empowers establishments to pick up qualification for themselves and their understudies in specific projects of governments and private guide to advanced education and causes foundations to forestall parochialism by setting desires that are national in scope. One more advantage is the upgraded notoriety of an authorize establishment, principally due to the for the most part high open respect for accreditation (Bogue, Hall, 2003, p. 23).Accreditation of foundations and projects is continuous: Initial accreditation isn't an assurance of inconclusive certify status. Occasional survey is an unavoidable truth for certify establishments and projects. Self-accreditation isn't a choice (Forest, Kinser, 2002, p. 30). The open advantages when it very well may be guaranteed that the authorize establishment is progressing and express exercises considered satisfactory to empower the foundation to develop itself constantly and to made fundamental alterations to oblige changes in information and practice in different fields of study. Accreditation diminishes the requirement for intercession by administrative organizations since establishments are themselves required to accommodate the support of value (Bogue, Hall, 2003, p. 23).Accreditation depends on the assessment of institutional or program execution against a lot of insignificant gauges. There might be, in this manner a justifiable variety among authorize organizations. Be that as it may, without accreditation, the level of variety would be a lot more prominent, and the public’s capacity to observe the contrasts between the establishments of sufficient quality and those of deficient quality would be genuinely harmed. Without accreditation, the impulses of reputational concentrates additionally would be extraordinarily exacerbated (Bogue, Hall, 2003, p. 23-24).Usually accreditation and quality confirmation in different nations is commonly completed by the administration. An exemption to this case is United States, where accreditation is completed by private in-benefit associations intended for this particular reason. Outside quality audit of more excellent training is a non-legislative exercise in United States.The word accreditation is regularly and mistakenly utilized reciprocally with confirmation and licensure. While accreditation is a status credited to an organization or one of its parts, confirmation normally applies to an individual or suggests a procedure that establishes that the person has satisfied necessities gone ahead in a specific profession and may rehearse in that field of work (Bogue, corridor, 2003, p. 22). Licensure is likewise a term material to an individual as opposed to an organization. Regularly related and at some point sneaked to both accreditation and affirmation, licensure is the procedure by which an individual is conceded the power to rehearse in a specific field. It runs the range from vehicle activity to mind medical procedure, from barbering to flying kind sized jets.Generally Accepted Accreditation PrinciplesGAAP is essentially a bookkeeping idea for example Proper accounting rules. These standards are commonly acknowledged: not completely, not generally, not all around, yet for the most part. A similar idea bodes well in the realm of accreditation: GAAP †Generally Accepted Accreditation Principles. The term was first utilized casually at the national show of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers AACRAO in

The NFL Strikes of 1982 and 1987 Essay Example for Free

The NFL Strikes of 1982 and 1987 Essay Presentation The National Football League (NFL) strikes of 1982 and 1987 were viewed as historic occasions in the NFL however not on the grounds that it prevailing in its points. In actuality, they can legitimately be called horrifying disappointments. In its disappointments, the two occasions picked up reputation and a spot in history as: the most limited season throughout the entire existence of football; the first run through substitutions were utilized in an expert football match-up; and concentrated on the issue of free office among football players. This paper will give an outline of the genuine occasions and talk about the how it turned out badly. Foundation So as to comprehend the NFL strikes of 1982 and 1987, it is imperative to give a foundation on the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). The association framed with the Green Bay Packers and the Cleveland Browns consented to sign up in 1956 to request the lowest pay permitted by law and different advantages of NFL players. They were helped in getting the remainder of the players of the 28 groups in the NFL sign in by Don Shula (Baltimore Colts), Frank Gifford and Sam Gifford (New York Giants) and Norm Van Brocklin (Los Angeles Rams). (â€Å"National Football League Players Association,† 2007) The NFLPA was not honored with much impact with the proprietors of the alliance, and were essentially inadequate in pushing their points and objectives through. An endeavor to strike before the beginning of the 1956 season didn't get off the ground. Before 1982, players worked under an exceptionally free course of action with group proprietors; marking rewards were unfathomable and frequently there were no agreements. The compensation scale was a long way from standard; new kids on the block could be gaining more than players of quite a while standing, unbeknownst to either player. Ordinarily, it was not a problem, until players got some answers concerning, generally during shower discussions. (Forbes, 2001) Players likewise had the most simple of medical coverage and preparing support as far as accounts from the group proprietors. It was anything but a given that player outfits were paid for by the group proprietors and that they were paid in any event, when harmed and incapable to play. Since group proprietors would not accept the assembles of the NFLPA for conferences truly, declining even to appear, the association heads took steps to document an antitrust claim against the NFL, encouraged by the an ongoing decision the Supreme Court wherein it precluded resistance from claiming the NFL from antitrust laws. The association drained this for all it was worth in the resulting years, prevailing with regards to winning little triumphs, for example, annuity and wellbeing plans. Notwithstanding, it was not until 1968, twelve years after it was first shaped that it got perceived as the official worker's organization of the NFL. Players took to the streets duriong preparing drove by the Cleveland Brown’s Bernie Parrish at the induction of a significant trade guild, and the group proprietors fought back by securing the preparation camps. Afyet a short interim, a trade off was rached the NFLPA picked up its association contract, for example, it was (â€Å"National Football League Players Association,† 2007). The agreement was uneven, best case scenario, leaving players with next to no use during resulting strikes in 1970, 1974 and 1975 and they were tormented by players crossing the picket line, separating the solidarity (Staudohar, 1988). III. The strike of ‘82 The impulse for the 1982 strike was a blend of a few elements. After the prematurely ended 1974 strike, legal advisor Edward Garvey assumed control over an official executive of the NFLPA. Once in the past from the firm speaking to the NFLPA, Garvey was not new to aggregate bartering, and he was resolved that the players would get the concessions they have been requesting. It was additionally as of now that the news spread about a concurrence with a TV channel would nearly significantly increased the owners’ TV incomes contrasted with the earlier year. In addition, the United States Football League (USFL) was scheduled to begin in 1983, successfully breaking the imposing business model of the NFL and giving football players all the more haggling influence. Every one of these components prompted the assertion of a strike by the NFLPA on September 19, 1982 and it would most recent 57 days until November 16 of that year. The association requested that players get 55% of the gross incomes of the group. (â€Å"National Football League Players Association,† 2007) In spite of the strong front showed by the players, the NFL wouldn't surrender, selecting to shave 7 games off the 16-game season, which was the period wherein the strike was continuous. Meanwhile, association pioneers sorted out a few â€Å"all-star games† however these didn't passage well with the fans nor did it produce adequate enthusiasm for TV inclusion. At long last, with the systems neglecting to help the players and the NFL standing quick, the strike finished without the players getting their 55%. At the point when the USFL began in 1983, players had the option to can foresee better terms or leave the class. (Staudohar, 1988) The 1987 strike In the meantime between the 1982 and 1987 strike, advancements in the pro game prompted the requests for better compensation just as the option to free office. The agreement between the NFL and the association was set to lapse on August 31, 1987. In 1986, the USFL stopped to work, encouraging the NFL to permit the strike to occur unafraid of the players setting off to the USFL. The NFLPA had additionally figured out how to distribute the first NFLPA Base Salary Directory, which gave the premise to pay arrangements for players. (Forbes, 2001) The genuine strike was again activated by a TV contract, this time expanding the NFL owners’ incomes to $17,000,000. This time, the association mediators, Jack Donlan and football player Gene Upshaw have had involvement with aggregate dealing before the strike, and functioned admirably with one another. In any case, the mediators had managers, and the there were a great deal of contradicting voices. This isn't astonishing thinking about that there was one agent from every one of the 28 groups, framing them union’s work strategy making group called the Management Council drove by official chief Jack Donlan and another six representatives to shape the Council Executive Committee. It was Donlan’s obligation to advance attachment in the requests of the association just as guarantee that exchanges keep to limits set by the Council individuals. A portion of the association requests were as per the following: least compensations severance pay option to free organization end of counterfeit turf (Staudohar, 1988) A football player’s proficient life is short, under four years before getting too harmed to even think about continueing playing. In this way, it is intelligent that they attempt to get as much cash as they can during their profitable seasons. Be that as it may, the 1987 strike didn't generally stress this. What was underscored by the players who were met and in the resulting arrangements of association pioneers was the option to free organization. Free organization is about an expert player’s option to haggle with any number of groups for the offer of their administrations once their agreement terminates gave they had satisfied a few states of residency. There are five classes of free organization: unlimited (UFA); limited (RFA); select rights (EFA); establishment (FFA); and transitional (TFA). In UFA, a player with in any event four years of experience can change groups without limitations. RFA directs that a player of at any rate three years standing can haggle for his exchange to another group, yet his past group has the option to coordinate the different team’s offer and hold rights to the player on the off chance that they do as such. In the event that the past group decreases to coordinate the offer, the new group should offer pay to the past group as draft picks. EFA players have under three years with the alliance and his group should make a proposal before the NFL cutoff time or the player turns into a UFA player. A player assigned as FFA is a UFA player for whom another group, if the past group decreases to coordinate the offer, must dispatch pay to the past group. The TFA player get a proposal from the past group for least higher sum dependent on last compensation for example 120% of compensation and the past group has seven days to make the offer. On the off chance that the offer isn't made, the player can join up with the new group which doesn't have to repay the past group. (â€Å"Free organization definitions explanations,† 2004) The strike was declared on September 22, 1987 and very quickly, things began to go amiss. Since Upshaw as one of the association moderators was not constantly present during the anticipating the new agreement, NFL authorities grumbled to the National Labor Relations Board this was an intentional ploy to legitimize a strike due to non-movement in the discussions, and asserted dishonesty. This reinforced the situation of the group proprietors, and they chose to confront the strikers by acquiring substitution players to play in their stead. The season’s games proceeded as arranged. Substitution players, additionally alluded to as â€Å"scabs† are typically previous school football players, or those players who got cut during the draft. This was an extraordinary move by the NFL group proprietors and was viewed as a â€Å"dirty† stunt. (Farsnworth, 2002) However, the advertising of the NFL got occupied in speaking to the NFL as being morally justified, and the way that by the principal seven day stretch of the strike significant players crossed the picket line appeared to strengthen this impression. The break in solidarity, and the disappointment of association pioneers to get the group proprietors to conform to their terms, prompted the closure of the strike on October 15, 1987. That day, the NFLPA recorded an antitrust claim against the NFL group proprietors, a field wherein they have been progressively fruitful previously, significantly more than on the picket line. In the long run, however the 1987 suit was excused, another claim documented in 1989 which was progressively fruitful and the courts decided for th

Kevins Room

Kevin’s Room You’ve probably heard this a million times in various iterations, but MIT is a kaleidoscope of vastly different people, all of us united by this one weird thing or set of things that keeps us moving (it could be robots or math or cheesecake or Netflix. Mmmm, cheesecake). The MIT campus is defined and elevated by its people, and for this blogpost, I sat down with one of them, Kevin, to talk about his room, which I think in many ways reflects his individuality and personality, and is a fitting microcosm of the larger spectrum of things MIT tries to capture. I previously mentioned Kevin in my blog about  snow  antics.  I built my first and only snowman, Olaf, with him in January 2015. Nearly two years later, I’m a senior, and he’s a junior. We still live in the same floor of Random Hall, a dorm that lets its inhabitants personalize their room however they want. Kevin has found a way to capitalize on this freedom to make his room as him as possible. ** Kevin Vincent Morrow 18 became a member of MIT in August 2014 (yes we share a name; his middle name is my first name, and this was a fun fact we bonded over the first time we met). He comes from Riverton, Kansas, a town of slightly under 1000 people, and attended a high school of about 300 students. His graduating class consisted of about 60 people. Ever since his high school years, he’s been interested in “making stuff”. He tinkered with and flew remote-controlled planes for fun, often building them from scratch (some of which he featured in the optional Maker Portfolio of his admissions application). MIT was one of few places he was interested in, although he admits to not expecting to get in. Other places he applied to include Caltech, which turned him down (their loss), and the Naval Academy, a place whose application process is incredibly more rigorous and demanding, both physically and mentally, than the typical college admissions process (you can read more on it  here). He had to choose between MIT and the Naval Academy; his engineering side won out and he’s on track to completing his third year here. Reflecting on this difficult choice, he said that on some days he wondered, not quite certain that choosing MIT was the right thing. But lately, his doubts have been vanishing, and he’s finding fulfillment in his classes and his environment. Part of this initial inertia came from the usual freshman-year jolt MIT is known for. He admits to feeling like hot stuff, leaving high school and entering the world of MIT. 4.0 GPA, captain of his school’s varsity soccer team, ran track for a while, fair amount of experience with electronics and building stuff. Then his first semester at MIT was like a rude jolt. In his words, it was a “brutal transition”, “turned my world upside down”. He found some classes very difficult, and the experience of intense struggling knocked him down a few pegs: “I had to find humility, and that was hard, but I found it.” He recalled something his dad had told him about military training: they break you down, to build you up. MITs unofficial motto. Ever since then, he’s gotten used to the demanding groove, and is currently taking classes he enjoys (his major is course 2, Mechanical Engineering). This semester, he’s taking 2.05 (Thermodynamics), 2.051 (Intro to Heat Transfer), 2.086 (Numerical Computation for Mechanical Engineers), 6.002 (Circuits and Electronics), and 4.021 (Intro to Architecture Design). It’s a demanding load, but he’s found fulfillment in the hands-on components.  4.021 is a HASS (Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences) class in which he gets to create multiple design sketches, capped off by a final design project that brings them to life. He’s also enjoying 6.002, whose professor he describes as big-hearted and kind of silly, and rattled off some of the topics theyve covered this semester. Transistors, mosfets, inductors, capacitors, resistors, circuits, current meters, complex differential op-amps. As a Computer Science major, those words fill me with nightmarish terror, but my nightmare is Kevin’s paradise, and he’s on track to acing the class. His love of “making stuff” follows him even outside of classes. He’s still interested in drones, although he says it’s harder to work on them in the city, and lately, his attention has shifted to rockets and robotics. He’s on the MIT Rocket Team, a small but highly active team that builds rockets out of a room in Building 17 of MIT. He says the team actively teaches its members how to do things, but also grants them a lot of autonomy. Because he loves building things, and always want to get working on a project with ease, he decided to ensure his room reflected this desire. ** Random Hall is a mix of traditional singles and doubles and “uneven doubles”. The uneven double is a bit interesting, comprising two rooms collectively large enough to create a traditional triple, except one room is twice the size of the other. Kevin was originally in the smaller uneven double, but moved to the bigger one at the end of his freshman year, courtesy of Random Hall’s annual room lottery, and upon learning that he was allowed to do whatever he wanted with his room, decided he would transform it quite a bit. Kevin’s door was originally red, but he painted it black, aiming for a “bunker-like” feel. He’s a big fan of sci-fi and militaristic games and movies, and wanted a bare door that somehow reflected that. Opening this door reveals his nearby work desk, dominated by a TV. And a work monitor he built himself (using stuff he knew from high school, plus online research, plus Andrew’s help, Andrew being the sophomore that lives in the smaller “half” of their uneven double, and also a member of Rocket Team). Kevin does most of his problem sets from this desk. Right next to it is a wall-spanning work bench, comprising everything he might need: drills, screws,  screwdrivers, pliers, wires etc. Kevin’s mom shipped most of the items to him from Kansas in two flat-rate boxes that weighed seventy pounds. He unpacked, built the work bench and organized the tools over a period of weeks. Staring at them, I got the sense of a one-man industry. He said the work bench was inspired by a typical scene from action movies, in which a hidden wall vanishes, or a hidden door swings open, revealing a room full of high-tech weapons. He wanted something similar for his room, except for drills and drones in place of auto-rifles and grenades. Next to the work-bench hangs what appears to be an action-movie setpiece. It’s actually the second fully-autonomous, GPS-equipped multirotor he ever built. He explains a dazzling array of its technical specs, while I just flashback to the time he flew it around the kitchen and I kept hiding from it with tiny shrieks. From getting the parts he needed to having a fully assembled piece took him a month, but most of his time was spent in the former stage. A 3D printer sits to the right of the multirotor. He bought this printer at the start of last year (after his internship with 3D Robotics in which he got to work with sophisticated printers) and spruced it up with 200 dollars worth of upgrades, effectively creating a high-end printer at a much cheaper rate. He’s 3D-printed iron man helmets, rocket avionics bays, custom parts for the printer itself, handles for simple things. The iron man helmet was an especially interesting one, so we dwelled on that for a bit. Kevin is a huge fan of the Iron Man movies, and Iron Man being an MIT alum was part of what drove him here. In high school, he always talked about how he’d build a fully functional Iron Man suit to anyone who would listen, and in particular to Kyle Dannelly, his high school’s main IT specialist. Kyle would listen to Kevin go on about all his ideas, about things he’d built and the more sci-fi contraptions hed someday invent. Kyle was a very patient listener, and an influential force in Kevins curiosity.  As it turns out, having someone who listens to you that intently, pushes you deeper into the world of your ideas. ** Hanging opposite Kevin’s multi-rotor is a guitar. He can only play two chords, and has no idea how to transition between them (hint: anyone knowledgeable about catchy one-chord songs should send him an e-mail).  He hopes to learn how to play someday, but MIT hasn’t left him with enough time to. He believes it’s symbolic of how busy the Institute is, and represents what he’s working towardlife after graduation, where some of his wilder dreams have greater power to take shape, and where he can maybe have enough time to learn how to play. There’s a massive bed next to the guitar. Random Hall’s freedom in letting you design your own room also comes with a slew of other “you-bet-you-can”s, which includes adding extra furniture and items (like his marker board), and dragging up a twin-size bed from the collection of the spares in the basement, if you so desire. Kevin did, and transformed a small twin into something more comfy. It’s safe to say that if you want to get to know Kevin, as an MIT student and as a person, there’s no better place to start than his room. ** Kevin isn’t entirely sure what comes after he graduates from MIT. He’s considering grad school in Course 2 or Course 6 (EECS), but he also hasn’t taken being an officer at the Naval Academy off the table. He believes there’s a lot of unexplored aspects of life he could discover in the military world. But he does recall when it became real for him that he was really in MIT. It was the start of his freshman year, and he was strolling down a sidewalk. To his side, the MIT dome loomed large, standing in front of Killian Court, green and alive (in a few months, it would turn white under the wintry fury of snow). As he stared at the dome, it finally struck him that this wasn’t a dream, that he was really here at MIT. In his own words: “it wasn’t anything like sadness or happinessit was awe. I made it. I did it.” He’s still doing it.

Groundwater Pollution - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 1026 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/04/15 Category Ecology Essay Level High school Tags: Water Pollutions Essay Did you like this example? Groundwater Pollution Despite being one of the most prominent issues in our world, water pollution is commonly overlooked in our society, particularly groundwater pollution. Even environmental activists can have very little knowledge on how impactful this problem really is, but the fact remains that groundwater pollution is a terrifying reality lurking just beneath our feet. By ignoring this issue, multiple societies hace allowed themselves to pump the pure groundwater full of nitrates and other harmful chemicals. Payal Sampat, a senior researcher at World Watch Institute, puts it best by saying: Numerous studies have tracked the extent to which our increasing demand on water has made it a resource critical to a degree that even gold and oil have never been. Its the most valuable thing on Earth. Yet, ironically, its the thing most consistently overlooked, and most widely used as a final resting place for our waste. And, of course, as contamination spreads, the supplies of usable water get tighter still (Payal). Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Groundwater Pollution" essay for you Create order The biggest questions people have when approaching the topic of groundwater pollution are Why does this matter? and Is it really that bad? These questions can be best answered by the Weldon Springs incident from 1980s. In the 1940s, soldiers would clean off nitrates from TNT in the fields of Weldon. Years later in the 1980s, it was found that nitrates were bubbling up in springs branching out miles away from the site, and was relatively undrinkable due to this. After knowing of this incident and the many others like it, it becomes much easier for people to accept that groundwater pollution is something that should be researched properly. In order to properly delve into the topic, it must first be discussed exactly where the groundwater contaminates come from and how they affect the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the top contaminate in groundwater pollution is sewage. It is easy for people to pass over this factor because it is out of our sight. However, sewage systems often are cracked and allow harmful pollutants to mix with the clean groundwater. Jim Davis, a contaminants taxologist who does research for MarineBio, has looked into this topic. He found that a good portion of sanitation plants do not put the water through a filter thorough enough to remove all of the waste and chemicals before it reaches the environment. Davis quotes, According to the EPA, 40 percent of all waterways in the US do not meet national water quality standards, due in large part, to leaking sewer systems (Davis). Another one of the biggest contributors are nitrates. This is because nitrates are elements in many other harmful pollutants such as pesticides and fertilizers. In addition to this, home purification systems do not work to filter out nitrates, and even boiling the water increases their affect. The EPA marks it mostly harmless so long as it is 10mg/L in drinking water, but higher rates have been known to harm infants under six months. Some interesting research comes from S.M. Rhinds academic journal Effects of environmental pollutants on the reproduction and welfare of ruminants. In this journal, Rhind looks into the health risks that come from groundwater pollution. Nitrates that find their way into the earth from pesticides, sewage leaks, and toxic metals, have often been speculated to affect the reproduction system in animals. Rhind proved this theory somewhat true with his experiments on ruminants, or sheep. The nitrates attack the endocrine system, which does play a part in repro duction. However, his experiment also included sewer sludge in the diet of the sheep, and Rhind stresses the need for further, more detailed experiments in the future. He quotes, In these studies, the concentrations of chemicals to which animals were exposed, and the specific mixture of chemicals involved, were not comprehensively defined because this would have been logistically impossible (Rhind). Toxic metals such a lead and barium also play a large role in groundwater pollution. Many of these metals are natural, and in fact healthy to drink, but others can provide serious health risks. Paul Tchnounwou, a researcher for the National Center for Biotechnology Information, NCBI, gives just a few examples of the effects of extended exposure to these toxic metals when he quotes, These metals are systemic toxicants known to induce adverse health effects in humans, including cardiovascular diseases, developmental abnormalities, neurologic and neurobehavioral disorders, diabetes, hearing loss, hematologic and immunologic disorders, and various types of cancer (Tchounwou). Unlike nitrates, toxic metals can be filtered out of water, but it can be expensive and often more beneficial to connect to another source of water. Among these pollutants lies another man-made threat to the quality of groundwater, the depletion of natural aquifers. Aquifers are deposits underground where large bodies of groundwater are stored. With the growing population of humans, society has recently begun to well up this underground water as opposed to only drinking surface water. However, this habit has made groundwater pollution even more prominent in our society. Payal quotes, Unlike rivers, which flush themselves into the oceans, aquifers become sinks for pollutants, decade after decade-thus further diminishing the amount of clean water they can yield for human use (Sampat). After depleting an aquifer in Ludhiana, India, the groundwater became so polluted that the well water was undrinkable. It can take an estimated 1,400 years before it may return to normal. A final question to be asked is How do we fix this issue? It seems as though the first place to start is in the sewage systems and septic tanks. The government funding for these things is severely under what it should be, and in turn results in faulty systems that allow waste to slip through the cracks into what was once drinkable water. The next step would be to stop depleting the natural aquifers for drinking water. Finally, taking the time to test the water supply once a month can be a clear indicator of when the drinking water is unhealthy and in need of treatment. By focusing on slowing down the heavy impact humans have on groundwater pollution, we may be able to make the world a better, healthier place to live.

An Analysis of the Israeli-Palenstinian Conflict Essay

The thesis of this article is an examination of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and both the things that have prevented it from being resolved as well as potential solutions or measures directed at establishing peace. The Author’s major arguments in this article start with Israel and how they feel that they have a Biblical right to occupy the areas of the West Bank. The author then goes on to discuss how the Palestinians also feel that they have a right to this land as a birthright because they have occupied this land over time as their own. After discussing why both sides feel as if they deserve to call the land in conflict their own he discusses neither side is happy with what is going on. In this section he discusses how the Israelis†¦show more content†¦I feel that the author makes a strong point in his next argument when discussing the Palestinian justification to land rights and their feelings surrounding this topic. The author discusses how because the Palesti nians feel as if they are under occupation that they have the right to resist in a violent manner. He points out how this viewpoint and occupation has helped to create violent movements such as Hamas. In addition to this the author continues this argument by stating that this violence only breeds more violence as it creates a desire for revenge. I feel that this is a strong point because it not only addresses the mindset of Palestinians but also provides an explanation for why the violence in the area continues. The next issue of the choices faced is also a strongly supported one as is shows how various solutions would and have been seen over time. The first potential choice is to expel Palestinians but the viewpoint that has come over time is that this is not only an immoral thing to do but it would also create very negative international backlash. The second point is that over time those living in the area have come to realize that violence has created hardships that affect everyo ne involved and because of this maintaining occupation over an extended period will not be doable. The third, and potentially strongest point, is that by simply granting Palestinians the territories they desire it would either take away Palestinian

Key Success Factors in Online Ventures Free Essays

The chaotic development of the Internet has left many attempts to route commerce through it stranded. Icons of the brick-and mortar age have often been the most hapless victims, floundering in vain attempts to attract the attention of browsers, and to deliver value. This makes the eminent online success of Office Depot especially worthy of study. We will write a custom essay sample on Key Success Factors in Online Ventures or any similar topic only for you Order Now The business-to-business model has been especially difficult for middle-aged industrial and corporate buyers to comprehend. Those who have never learnt to write in code feel threatened by the very mention of a web site, and take refuge in the exaggerated risks of buying online (Tillinghast, 2002). The first key success factor of Office Depot lies in the simplicity of design of its web site, requiring no familiarity with computers or programming to place orders, pay for them, and to receive supplies. Office Depot, by virtue of the variety of products and services on offer, tempts customers to become frequent web site visitors (Office Depot, 2006). Office supplies for coffee are positioned in the upper left quadrant where it is likely to catch first attention. The lay out is inviting, and is bound to generate curiosity and interest even in the minds of skeptical browsers. Overall, Office Depot scores through a web site, which is akin to the shop windows of the most popular retail outlet in the physical world. A third success factor is that Office Depot makes it easy to return goods purchased on incorrect impulses, even arranging to pick them up at the door (Johnson, not dated). This must alleviate natural fears about making buying decisions without seeing and feeling products, and meets most objections of electronic commerce head-on. Office Depot respects customer choice, emphasizing the availability of trusted brands (Office Depot, 2006). Generic products, new brands, and the most established ones such as Hewlett-Packard are offered with even prominence. This is in contrast to the online business forays of some others, which are blatant efforts to promote particular brands at the cost of customer degrees of freedom. Broadly, Office Depot has succeeded in online business, because it has put customer needs ahead of technological innovation in electronic communication, ensuring that the Internet serves business needs rather than dictate terms to it. Lessons from the Office Depot Online Success Conventional marketing promoted the targeting of relatively narrow segments. This made sense as long as a business offered its products and services within the confines of a segregated area. An over-riding feature of the Internet is that the whole world becomes a single market place. Conventional marketing which is highly focused on a spatially limited segment pays the costs of existence on the World Wide Web, but without the attendant market potential and size benefits. We can learn from the success of Office Depot that online marketing has to address clusters (Payne, 2002) rather than narrow segments. Office Depot defines its customers as enterprises of all sizes, from the small to large corporations, and has combined its Internet foray with international operations. It is therefore able to use the full power of the medium. The Internet makes the Process element of the Marketing Mix (Payne, 2002) a key determinant of success. Office Depot has a prominent promise on the web site of deliveries, without extra charge, within one business day. The enormous planning and investment efforts made to make this promise come true over incredibly large numbers of transactions everyday, has to be appreciated if anyone wishes to repeat the Office Depot success story. Perhaps the facility of the medium makes other enterprises offer commitments which they are not geared to meet, leaving customers disillusioned. There is a large and complex operation of logistics behind the Office Depot success, to keep adequate inventories of such a large number of items within a day’s reach of all customers. The sophistication of online business tempts many enterprises to segregate Internet operations from conventional business. A lesson from Office Depot is that the medium should be integrated in to the mainstream in manners which lend synergy (Johnson, not dated). Office Depot treats customers on its web site just as it would if some one walked in to one of their conventional stores. Finally, Office Depot enhances its physical and generic products with useful services (Johnson, not dated). The articles and discussions on small business and commercial resources must be particularly valuable for customers. Competitive Advantage in Marketspace Scale matters in marketspace (Johnson, not dated). Office Depot is successful because of the breadth of its product and service offers, because of the vast territory it serves, and the sheer weight of over a billion dollars of revenue, which is growing rapidly as well. These dimensions act as barriers to new entrants, and strengthen the company’s competitive strength from day to day. Marketspace is first about customer needs, and not about the elegance and creativity of software engineers. Other enterprises have web sites with flash, multi-media, and other features which delight programmers, but which take time to load, and can even scare away customers. Web sites should have clear objectives (Tillinghast, 2002), and serve the business, rather than drive it. It is important for enterprises to avoid being overwhelmed by the aura of the Internet, and to keep it tightly within the reins of customer needs. Limits to Online Business Success and the Office Deport Experience There are 5 important limitations to online business in general, and to the foregoing account of the success of Office Depot in this regard: firstly, credit card and related payment frauds plague most electronic commerce ventures. The case does not mention the actual experience of Office Depot in this regard, and even if the company has not suffered any significant losses in this regard, it remains vulnerable for the future. Secondly, products such as copiers and facsimile machines may require considerable product demonstration and after-sales-service, which the online business model is not geared to provide. The decision-making for pins and staples is certainly not the same as for equipment such as filing cabinets: Office Depot runs the risk of building revenues faster in low value-addition lines, as opposed to modern office products of the future. Thirdly, Office Depot has tasted success during the halcyon years of a global economic boom. The serious fixed cost growth which it has encountered in terms of warehousing and logistics could become a serious drag on profitability during a future economic downturn. Fourthly, the practice of offering products in kiosks which are not available or offered online, may rebound on the company. Customers may move away from the company’s web site once they realize that more choice is available in real stores. Finally, the Office Depot experience lacks universal relevance. Many competitors, and companies in other lines of business may realize better returns from conventional business channels, and failures if they copy the high fixed cost and infrastructure-intensive online business model of Office Depot. References Johnson, W. C. (not dated) Case 13: Office Depot Goes Online-E-Service Quality, publication details not available Payne, A. (2002) Services Marketing, Prentice-Hall Tillinghast, T. (2002) Tactical Guide to Internet Marketing, Xlibris Corporation Office Depot, (2006) Company website, retrieved January 16th 2007 from: http://www.officedepot.com/ How to cite Key Success Factors in Online Ventures, Essay examples

Poem Hurricane Essays - Atlantic Hurricane Seasons,

Poem: Hurricane The evil hurricane destroys the landscape by snapping the trees The depressed rain sounds like a baby crying because he did not get his way The corrupt winds hurl the timber around The stern winds sound like a mother yelling angrily at her child The loud thunder sounds as if a baseball is being hit hard by a large baseball bat The crack of trees snapping caused the hurricane to roar There was a low moan of pain traveling through the air The screeches of the hurricane sent shrills down our spines The twirling witch threw rain at our house The stormy clouds were running away from the disasterous battle field The yelping cars were tumbling and somersalting across the freeway The upset hurricane threw down the blazing lightning The tremendous hurricane was a thundering, swirling cloud of death as it spun off baby ice cream cones of terror The terrifying hurricane whistled an unsteady tone as it uprooted our crops and had a tasty snack The gigantic hurricane swept up our homes and left them where they were and didn't bother to use a dustpan The horrifying hurricane weakened our houses with its powerful and terrifying smelling breath The destructive hurricane blew the ocean waves into a wild rage to destroy our unsafe homes The hurricane was a sinister villain destroying beautiful land The noisy hurricane screams and howls like an upset baby Hurricanes are angry grandmothers with gray hair spinning and falling out everywhere The powerful storm was throwing branches like major league baseball pitchers The winds were rushing across the water while whistling a creepy tune with the trees snapping along The hurricane was so angry, she ripped off the barn roof, while her whipping winds chased the cows The repulsive eye sternly watched me as it began to leave Poetry Essays

Antigone Essays - Antigone, Civil Disobedience, Creon, Free Essays

Antigone Essays - Antigone, Civil Disobedience, Creon, Free Essays Antigone In Ancient Greece, new ideals surfaced as answers to life?s complicated questions. These new beliefs were centered on the expanding field of science. Man was focused on more than the Gods or heavenly concerns. A government that was ruled by the people was suggested as opposed to a monarchy that had existed for many years. Freedom of religion was encouraged to be exercised in city-states. These new ideals, though good in intentions, often conflicted with each other creating complex moral dilemmas. Such was the case in Antigone a play written by Sophocles during this era of change. In the play, Antigone and Creon battle a philosophical war dealing with the controversy of the Greek ideals. They both based their actions on their beliefs of what is right and wrong. The conflict arose when the ideals that backed up their actions clashed with each other, making it contradiction between morals. Antigone?s side of the conflict held a much more heavenly approach, as opposed to the mundane road that Creon chose to follow. Antigone feels that Creon is disregarding the laws of heaven through his edict. After she is captured and brought to Creon, she tells him ?I do not think your edicts strong enough to overrule the unwritten unalterable laws of God and heaven, you being only a man.? Antigone?s staunch opinion is one that supports the Gods and the laws of heaven. Her reasoning is set by her belief that if someone is not given a proper burial, that person would not be accepted into heaven. Antigone was a very religious person, and acceptance of her brother by the Gods was very important to her. She felt that ?It is against you and me he has made this order. Yes, against me.? Creon?s order was personal to Antigone. His edict invaded her family life as well as the Gods?. An important ideal in Ancient Greece was the belief that the government was to have no control in matters concerning religious beliefs. In Antigone?s eyes, Creon betrayed that ideal by not allowing her to properly bury her brother, Polynices. She believed that the burial was a religious ceremony, and Creon did not have the power to deny Polynices that right. Antigone?s strong beliefs eventually led her to her death by the hand of Creon. Never, though, did she stop defending what she thought was right. As Creon ordered her to her death, Antigone exclaimed, ?I go, his prisoner, because I honoured those things in which honour truly belongs.? She is directly humiliating Creon by calling his opinions and decisions weak and unjust. She also emphasizes ?his prisoner,? which tells us that Creon?s decision to capture Antigone was his own, and was not backed up by the majority of the people. She feels that Creon is abusing his power as king and dealing with her task to a persona! l level. Creon?s actions are guided by the ideal that states ?Man is the measure of all things.? The chorus emphasizes this point during the play by stating that ?There is nothing beyond (man?s) power.? Creon believes that the good of man comes before the gods. Setting the example using Polynices? body left unburied is a symbol of Creon?s belief. ?No man who is his country?s enemy shall call himself my friend.? This quote shows that leaving the body unburied is done to show respect for Thebes. After all, how could the ruler of a city-state honor a man who attempted to invade and conquer his city. From that perspective, Creon?s actions are completely just and supported by the ideals. Though most of Creon?s reasonings coincide with the Greek ideals, one ideal strongly contradicts his actions. The ideal states that the population would be granted freedom from political oppression and that freedom of religion would be carried out. Creon defied both of these. First, Antigone was ?his prisoner?, not necessarily the publics. In fact, the general population supported Antigone, though they were too scared to say anything. Haemon, the son of Creon, knew of this, and told Creon, ?Has she not rather earned a crown of gold?- Such is the secret talk of the town.? This proves that Creon was exercising complete domination of political power, which is

5 Tips for Writing a Winning Resume - Proofread My Paper

5 Tips for Writing a Winning Resume - Proofread My Paper 5 Tips for Writing a Winning Resume Recruiters may take as little as six seconds to make a decision about a resume. With the job market increasingly competitive, ensuring your resume is well written and correctly formatted is, therefore, essential. But how do you do this? There’s no catch-all method for writing a winning resume. But there are some things to keep in mind†¦ 1. Content The exact content of your resume will depend on your background, experience, and the role you’re applying for. But should always include: Contact Information – Your name, address, email and phone number Job Objective – A brief statement about the kind of role you’re after and the skills you can bring to it Education – Relevant information about college courses and training Work Experience – Details of previous positions you’ve held Skills – Any abilities you have that are related to the job Activities and Achievements – Anything else that could enhance your application (e.g., college societies, volunteering, awards, etc.) 2. Tailor Your Resume to the Job Most roles require particular skills, so you should always tailor your resume to the position. As well as using the job description, try checking the companys website; they may have additional information relevant to your application. It’s fine if you have a basic â€Å"template† with all the important information on it, but make sure you adjust it accordingly before sending it to employers. The mistake this guy made was writing in Latin. [Photo: Flazingo Photos] 3. Two Pages Maximum! Recruiters sometimes have to read dozens of resumes in a day, so they won’t be impressed if yours is a novel-length treatise on your skills as a worker. Try keeping your resume down to a maximum of two pages. If this involves cutting information not directly relevant to your application, do it. Additional detail can be provided in a cover letter. It may be worth noting that, although resume and CV are often used interchangeably, a CV is usually a longer document that includes complete details of your professional experience. 4. Pay Attention to Formatting Since a good resume will be easy to read and visually impactful, it’s worth considering the formatting you use on yours. Minimally, you should use a consistent style throughout, making sure that text isn’t too small to read and that you provide clear headings indicating important details. You may also want to use bullet points to list responsibilities and achievements. Like so. [Image: Dawakhuu/Wikimedia] 5. References Unless a company specifically asks for references (i.e., people who can vouch for your skills as a worker) during the initial application, it’s usually enough to write â€Å"References available upon request† on your resume. And don’t forget: It’s polite to let your referees know if a prospective employer might be calling!

Valuing Bonds Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Valuing Bonds - Essay Example The call provision feature allows bond issuers to pay off the remaining debt early before the maturity date. The role of the borrower is to make a lump sum payment derived from a formula based on the net present value (NPV) of future coupon payments that  will not be paid because of the call. The call provision right is usually exercised at times of low interest rates and it allows the bond holder to retire what is currently a high interest debt and reissue it at a lower interest rate. Call provisions limit a bonds potential price appreciation because when interest rates fall, the price of a callable bond will not go any higher than its call price. Thus, the true yield of a callable bond at any given price is usually lower than its yield to maturity. A discount bond is a bond issued at a price lower than its par value is a bond currently trading at less than its par value in the secondary market. An example is a $4,000,000, 9%, 5-year bond with par value of $1000 issued at $970. A premium bond is a bond issued at a price higher than its par value is a bond currently trading at more than its par value in the secondary market. An example is a $4,000,000, 9%, 5-year bond with par value of $100 issued at $105. For a 5% bond, interest is paid is calculated at the interest rate on the par value of bond and is paid periodically (annually or semi-annually) while for a zero coupon bond, no periodic interest payments are made. When the bond reaches maturity, its investor receives its par (or face) value. "Calculate the price of a $1,000 (FV) zero coupon bond that matures in 20 years if the market interest rate is 6.5 percent." (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 147). Assume semi-annual compounding. 4. "Compute the price of a $1,000 (FV) 4.5 percent coupon bond with 15 years left to maturity and a market interest rate of 6.8 percent." (Cornett, Adair, and Nofsinger, 2012, p. 148). Assume interest payments are paid semi-annually,

The Limits of Freedom Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Limits of Freedom - Term Paper Example From the independence of America to the beginning of the New World, White males had superiority and complete freedom as compared to the women, African Americans and American Indian. The religious groups did not enjoy freedom as well. Freedom of Women: In the colonial era, the treatment and behaviour with women varied with colonies and tribes, with the variation in the ethnicity of the tribe. The Puritan settlers from England did not allow the women to work with the men in the fields as they were very religious and believed that the women should look after their men and bring up children who feared God. The German women however could be seen working in the fields along with the men and in the stables as well. The English women did not own their own clothes and had no right to write their wills regarding the things they possessed. On the contrary, German and Dutch women had their own clothes and also had the freedom to make their wills. ... i Single women could vote up to 1807 according to the New Jersey state constitutions but married women could not. ii Freedom of African Americans The African Americans were brought into the country as slaves. They were treated very poorly and had no rights. While being transported on slave ships, these slaves were forced to leave their families and chained below the deck of the ship. Their living conditions were unhygienic and they suffered from severe malnutrition which resulted in an increase in the prevalence of diseases at an alarming rate. They were punished harshly. They first arrived in America in 1619 as servants sold to Englishmen. Killing a slave however was still a crime and some whites were even hanged as a punishment. The owners treated them no better than livestock. iii The African American children were not allowed to study in schools so they made schools for themselves within the community where the children could get educated. White males, either naive or immigrant w ere preferred to be hired by companies rather than the African Americans. During the Civil War, President Lincoln promised the slaves in the Southern states freedom from their slavery if the Union won the war.iv By February 1865, about 200,000 slaves were freed. The Civil Rights Act of 1866 the African Americans were declared as Americans and two years later the African Americans were granted citizenship of America. Freedom of American Indians American Indians are the indigenous natives of the continental United States, Hawaii and Alaska. Difference in culture between the Native Americans and immigrants from Europe and Africa, the constantly changing alliance of different people has been a source of quarrel between the New World and Old World societies. They were

Corporate Governance UK USA

Corporate Governance UK USA A statutory response to Corporate Governance: A Critique Compare and contrast UK and USA responses to Corporate Governance Introduction My dissertation will focus on the examination and the comparison of the corporate governance practices followed in UK and USA. The extensive reforms that have taken place in the particular sector have led to the development of many doubts regarding the effectiveness and the credibility of the corporate governance systems applied on these two countries. For this reason, the examination of the particular issue is considered to be really valuable offering to researchers and managers around the world the chance to understand the various aspects of corporate governance and align (where possible) their business strategies with the relevant corporate governance principles applied on each specific market (referring to the cases of UK and USA). Moreover, this study could help to the identification of any potential weaknesses of the corporate governance policies applied on UK and USA suggesting appropriate reforms on the relevant rules. Background: Business activities around the world have often caused the interest of governments within the particular states. The reason is that all parts of these activities need to be appropriately regulated in order to offer adequate and effective protection to the stakeholders and the public in general (referring mostly to protection from severe financial losses that can threat the viability of the company but even the level of the development of the local economy – when the firm under examination is a well established one, eg Enron). However, because there are many differences in corporate structure internationally, it is necessary for legislators to each specific state to try to adapt the legal principles that are related with business activity with the social and cultural characteristics of each particular state; the size of the firm and its culture should be also taken into consideration. The particular issue was examined by Douglas et al. (1989, 440) who noticed that ‘differ ences in environmental conditions in different country markets, in terms, for example, of market size and growth, rate of technological change, or barriers to entry, may also lead to differences in strategy’. In other words, corporate activity is a complex network of actions and initiatives that need a careful review and close monitoring by the governmental authorities in order to ensure the safety of the transactions without influencing the development of the various corporate projects. As noticed above, the dissertation will focus on the examination of a specific aspect of corporate activity: the corporate governance. The latter can refer to a series of elements within a particular organisation starting from the principles that should be applied to the governance of a firm up to the relationships between the employer (board of directors) and the employees. On the other hand, globally two major corporate governance systems are recognised: the liberal form of corporate governance (UK and USA) in which the interests of shareholders are considered to be the major priority for legislators when developing laws related with business activities. In accordance with the coordinative model (accepted mostly by Europe and Japan) the interests of other participants (in the corporate activities) like employees, customers and suppliers are considered to have a crucial role in the formulation of the laws regulating business activities. This study will refer primarily to the corpora te governance schemes applied in UK and USA. For this reason, the corporate governance system of these two countries will be analytically presented highlighting the potential differences and also the advantages of each one of them within the modern market. From another point of view, the examination of the various aspects of corporate governance cannot be achieved without the analytical presentation of the characteristics of corporate governance through an appropriately customised definition. In this context, it is stated by Buck et al. (2005, 42) that ‘corporate governance and governance institutions in general terms are concerned with the means by which a firms stakeholders control the decisions of senior managers; these stakeholders can include shareholders, executive directors, employees who are not executives, customers, creditors, suppliers (including banks as suppliers of credit), competitors, and the State’. From another point of view, Pedersen (1999, 45) supported that ‘corporate governance the mechanisms by which companies are controlled and directed is a complex subject that consists of owner-manager relations, stakeholder relations, board structures and practices, management compensation, capital struct ure, company law, and other variables’. Both the above definitions present the particular aspects of corporate governance within the modern market; no differentiation in corporate structure seems to be made in accordance with the principles of the state of activity (or the state of origin). On the other hand, the study of Fort (2000, 829) led to the conclusion that ‘corporate governance can be described as the top management process that manages and mediates value creation for, and value transference among, various corporate claimants in a context that ensures accountability to these claimants’. In accordance with the above definition the development of the various aspects of corporate activities is decided by the firm’s managers; the intervention of the state is rather limited. Indeed, the increase of the power of top management in modern businesses around the world is also highlighted by the literature and the empirical research. In a relevant report it is noticed that ‘the principal weakness of corporate governance today is the excessive concentration of power in the hands of top management; rebalancing or equalising this power is a prerequisite for controlling management fraud and promoting accurate financial reporting’ (CPA Journal, 2008). The above described concentration of power can have severe consequences for both the stakeholders and the public in general. In the case of Enron the concentration of power in the firm’s top managers led to the unexpected collapse of the firm and the development of severe turbulences in American economy. Literature Review Corporate governance – general aspects Firms that operate within the modern market have to face a series of challenges related with both their internal and external environment. In this context, it is supported by Wooldridge et al. (2001, 17) that ‘the main challenge for companies in a global economy is to situate themselves in various centers of excellence and weave together different centers of excellence into a global production network’. From a different point of view, Gooderham et al. (1999, 507) noticed that ‘despite their very different assumptions, both rational and institutional explanations of organizational structure and management practices predict similarity among firms that operate in the same industry within the context of a simple country’. In other words, the regulation of business activities today can be effective only if it takes into consideration the various aspects of these activities as they are formulated within the modern market – taking always into consideration t he changes in the needs of the firm’s shareholders but also in the needs of the stakeholders. On the other hand, it is clear that extensive differentiations can be observed in the methods of corporate governance applied to modern firms in accordance with the social and cultural characteristics of these firms but also the social and cultural context of the country in which the firms’ operations are based. The theoretical and empirical research has proved that significant differences can be observed in all aspects of business activities in accordance with the social and cultural characteristics of a specific region – where business activities are mainly developed. The differences mentioned above can refer to specific management issues or they can refer to all business context. In the case of British firms, Scullion (1994, 86) noticed that ‘very few British companies can claim to have a truly international top management team’. Other issues of corporate activity may be differentiated under the influence of the social and cultural trends applied on a specific country/ region. In order to understand the importance of corporate governance for the development of the business activities, we should refer primarily to a clear description of the interests existed within any corporation: the stakeholders from one side and the shareholders from the other. Regarding this issue, it is noticed that ‘stakeholders, broadly defined as society as a whole, are interested in the collateral benefits derived from the success of the enterprise, such as the abundance of a product or a service, a clean environment, or a general rise in the standard of living; stockholders have a dual interest in the success of the enterprise: direct interest as a reward for their investment, and collateral benefit as stakeholders’ (CPA Journal, 2008). The conflict of interests of these two sides can lead to the development of severe turbulences within the organization. On the other hand, in firms that the interests of both these sides are protected it is very likely that there will be no severe problems in the communication and the cooperation between these parties towards the increase of the firm’s performance. It should be noticed that the principles of corporate governance are primarily stated by the governmental authorities (referring to the firms of a particular country). Apart from these orders, the international community can intervene in the business activities presenting a series of standards that should be met in the corporate activities worldwide. OECD is a well known international organization that provides appropriate solutions to a series of issues related with international business activities. The specific organization has set several rules regarding the various aspects of corporate governance. In accordance with these rules: ‘’all shareholders should be treated equally; insider trading and abusive-self dealing should be prohibited; capital structures and arrangements that enable certain shareholders to obtain a degree of control disproportionate to their equity ownership should be disclosed’ (OECD, 2004, 18-19). It is clear from the above rules that inter national organizations can set rules regarding business activities around the world; however these rules can be characterized rather as ‘principles’ of commerce being similar with the ethics held in corporate activities worldwide. Corporate governance in Britain In the case of Britain, the regulation of business activities is realized through the application of a series of legislative texts and orders. The history of business activity in the particular country was examined by Pedersen (1999, 45) who noticed that ‘the industrial revolution took its beginning in the United Kingdom more than 250 years ago; therefore, the hypothesis of greater differentiation in the early industrialized nations than in later industrialized nations can be tested by examining the extent to which the corporate governance structures of U.K. firms are more or less similar to the governance structures of firms in other nations’. In other words, Britain is a country with a significant history in business activities. The importance of the latter in the economy should be considered as extremely high. For this reason the legislator pays a significant attention to the development of the appropriate legal framework for the regulation of the various aspects of c orporate governance. The above assumption is in accordance with the view of Kay (1995, 84) who supported that ‘British statute law is virtually silent on how corporations are to be organised; since the corporation is regarded as a creation of private contract, obligations on companies are mainly there to prevent abuse of the privilege of limited liability, and concern formal matters such as registration and audit’. Because of the above phenomenon, additional legislative texts (as described below) have been introduced and applied in order to support the effective regulation of all corporate governance in British firms (foreign firms that operate in Britain may have the right to claim the application of the laws of their country of origin – it depends on the law applicable on each case taking into account the firm’s articles of association but also the legislation of the country of origin and the country of operations). However, it could be noticed that the British statute law recognizes to the firm’s leaders (board of directors) the right to decide on the firm’s corporate governance. The legal framework applied in UK regarding the corporate governance includes a variety of legislative texts: ‘Common law rules (e.g. directors fiduciary duties). Statute (notably the Companies Act 1985). A companys constitutional documents (the memorandum and articles of association). The Listing Rules, which apply to all companies that are listed on the Official List (or AIM Rules, as appropriate). The Combined Code on Corporate Governance; the Code is supplemented by: the Turnbull Guidance (relating to the internal control requirements of the Code), the Smith Guidance (on audit committees and auditors) and suggestions of good practice from the Higgs Review. Non-legal guidelines issued by bodies that represent institutional investors (such as the Association of British Insurers (ABI), the National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the Pensions Investment Research Consultants (PIRC). In the context of takeovers of public companies, the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers and the rules of the Takeover Panel apply. The Financial Services Authoritys Code of Market Conduct (relating to the disclosure and use of confidential and price sensitive information and the creation of a false market)’ (Metropolitan Corporate Cousel, 2008) In other words, corporate governance in Britain is regulated by a series of legal texts the most important of which is the Combined Code on Corporate Governance as described above. The specific Code includes provisions that refer to all particular aspects of corporate governance of firms operating in Britain; however because in some cases additional provisions may be required (like in the case of a merger) it is possible that other legislative texts are used in order for the relevant issues to be appropriately addressed. In any case the common law rules and the Companies Act of 1985 are applied (the former are rules that can be applied in any dispute – whenever necessary – whether the latter can be applied in any issue related with the business activity – i.e. not only to the corporate governance). Corporate governance in USA On the other hand, in USA there is no Code for the regulation specifically of the corporate governance issues; instead a series of laws and courts’ decisions can be used in order to resolve problems that are related with the corporate governance of firms operating across the country. There are certain issues that are regulated directly by the law but these are limited; in the high majority of the disputes appeared in the area of firms’ corporate governance various statutes and other legislative texts can be applied. In accordance with a report published recently in USA ‘corporate governance practices in the United States are not regulated by any one particular statute but instead are affected by the governing instruments, the corporate law and the court decisions of each issuer’s state of incorporation, and, in the case of many publicly-owned issuers, by the U.S. federal securities laws and requirements of the national securities markets (Security and Excha nge Commission of Brazil, 2008). On the other hand, it should be noticed that corporate governance issues are likely to be regulated differently by each one of the 50 states of USA. In this context, the Sarbanes-Oxley law which was introduced in 2002 has been formulated in order to offer a valuable legislative base for the regulation of various issues referring to the corporate governance of firms across USA. The above is considered to have influenced also the UK legislation related with the corporate governance. Regarding the specific legislative text it is noticed by Tran (2004) that ‘Sarbanes-Oxley, which called for tighter internal company controls, caused a rethink of   corporate governance laws in the UK as well, with the publication of the Higgs report, written by Derek Higgs, the former investment banker’. The effectiveness of Sarbanes-Oxley Act 2002 has been extensively criticized. In accordance with Atkins (commissioner in United States Securities and Exchan ge Commission, 2003) the specific legislative text ‘contains many advances for corporate governance and attempts to provide best practices to prevent the misdeeds that have led to the investor losses. Many of these ideas are not new, but have been floating around in one form or another for quite a number of years’ (Atkins, 2003). In other words, Sarbanes-Oxley Act has been introduced in order to resolve specific problems in corporate governance for firms operating in USA; in the long term the achievement of this target can be doubted and only the examination of the consequences of application of this Act in practice could lead to a ‘safe’ assumption regarding the particular issue. It is for this reason that the incorporation of the empirical research (questionnaire) in current study has been considered as necessary. Research question and objectives In accordance with the issues developed above, current study will focus on the regulation of corporate governance in two specific countries: UK and USA. Because the particular issues can include a variety of aspects, it is necessary for the relevant research to be expanded to the following questions: a) which is the current trends in corporate governance around the world, b) which are the major differences between the corporate governance practices followed by the Anglo-American countries and the countries of continental Europe/ Japan, c) which are the benefits and the pitfalls of the statutes and the other legislative texts applied on UK and USA regarding the corporate governance d) which are the most common problems related with the corporate governance in these two countries. References Atkins, P. (2003) Recent Experience With Corporate Governance in the USA, online, available at http://www.sec.gov/news/speech/spch062603psa.htm Buck, T., Shahrim, A. (2005) The Translation of Corporate Governance Changes across National Cultures: The Case of Germany. Journal of International Business Studies, 36(1): 42-69 CPA Journal (2008) A Comprehensive Structure of Corporate Governance in Post-Enron Corporate America http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/2004/1204/essentials/p46.htm Fort, T., Schipani, C. (2000) Corporate Governance in a Global Environment: The Search for the Best of All Worlds. Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law, 33(4): 829-859 Kim, H. (1995) Markets, Financial Institutions, and Corporate Governance: Perspectives from Germany. Law and Policy in International Business, 26(2): 371-405 OECD Principles of Corporate Governance (2004), available at http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/32/18/31557724.pdf Pedersen, T., Thomsen, S. (1999) Business Systems and Corporate Governance. International Studies of Management Organization, 29(2): 43-54 Scullion, H., (1994) ‘Staffing policies and strategic control in British multinationals’, International Studies of Management and Organization, 24(3): 86-97 Security and Exchange Commission of Brazil (2008) available at http://www.cvm.gov.br/ingl/inter/cosra/corpgov/usa-e.asp Tran, M. (2004) USA: Corporate Governance Law Too Strict available at http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=11374 Metropolitan Corporate Counsel (2008) Corporate Governance In The UK And U.S. Comparison http://www.metrocorpcounsel.com/current.php?artType=viewartMonth=DecemberartYear=2005EntryNo=3957

Behavioural Approach

BEHAVIORISM Fred Luthans, James B. Avey and Brett Luthans Definition Behaviorism is a theoretical foundation with roots in psychology with an intentional focus on observable, measurable behavior as the primary unit of analysis (Luthans, Youssef, & Luthans, 2005). Behaviorism systematically analyzes the relationships between an individual’s behavior and environmental contingencies. The study and practice of behaviorism emphasizes predicting and controlling/managing behavior and thus is especially relevant to organization studies.The behaviorism paradigm is in contrast to the popular cognitive psychology theories in that behaviorism is not focused on internal cognitive or affective processes or indirect measures of beliefs, attitudes or feelings. Whereas cognitive based approaches attempt to understand and explain the multifaceted causes and complexity of human behavior, behaviorism is based on the premise that behavior is a function of its environmental consequences or continge ncies (also see Motivation, Contingency Theory).There are four primary historical building blocks of behaviorism. These major foundational contributions are Pavlov’s (1849-1936) classical conditioning experiments, Thorndike’s (1874-1949) law of effect, Watson’s (1878-1958) experiments with human conditioning, and Skinner’s (1904-1990) work and conceptualization of operant conditioning (also see Operant Conditioning). However, applied to organization studies, the most influential application of behaviorism would be Luthans and Kreitner’s (1985) book Organizational Behavior Modification and Beyond.Conceptual Overview Have you ever wondered how children, adults, and even animals learn to respond to and operate in their world? Early in the twentieth century, Thorndike coined the famous law of effect by systematically studying cats in a puzzle box. Thorndike’s law of effect states behaviors followed by positive consequences tend to be strengthene d and increase in subsequent frequency, while those followed by negative consequences tend to weaken and decrease in frequency.Even before Thorndike established the law of effect, a Russian scientist named Ivan Pavlov conditioned several dogs to salivate to the sound of a ringing bell. Originally the bell was sounded with the presentation of food (meat powder, positive consequence) and ultimately the dog’s salivation was in accordance with the bell regardless of food presentation (Pavlov highlighted the stimulus-response phenomenon).In a logical progression, Watson applied the behavioral conditioning mechanism to humans when he conditioned the subject â€Å"little Albert† to fear white rats by associating them with a loud, unpleasant noise (negative consequence). In the 1930’s the famous psychologist B. F. Skinner made a significant discovery for modern behaviorism that led to the modern practice of organizational behavior modification. Using rats and pigeons in controlled environments, his studies found that the consequences of behavior were influential in determining, predicting and controlling that behavior.Skinner highlighted the important distinction between respondent conditioning (Pavlovian S-R connection) where the stimuli elicit the behavior and operant conditioning (the organism operates on the environment in order to obtain the desired consequence, or the R-S connection) where the behavior is a function of the consequence. Skinner’s operant conditioning with the focus on environmental consequences as behavioral determinants instead of antecedent stimuli led to the underlying core premise of modern behaviorism.Based on this scientific foundation, the study of behaviorism suggests that we can predict and modify behavior by strategically controlling (i. e. , managing) the consequences. This well-known practice of managing behavioral contingencies has become known as â€Å"behavior modification. † Modern behaviorism an d behavior modification has been applied to organization studies and performance management in the workplace by Luthans and Kreitner (1985) as â€Å"organizational behavior modification,† or simply O. B.Mod (Luthans and Kreitner, 1985 for a full review) (also see Classical Management, Organizational Behavior). The O. B. Mod. approach to performance management involves five sequential steps: (1) identify critical performance-related behaviors; (2) measure the frequency of those identified behaviors; (3) analyze the antecedents and consequences associated with the behavior within the existing environment; (4) intervene by applying positive consequences/reinforcers contingent upon exhibiting the desired behavior; and (5) evaluate the results by measuring changes in the behavior and its impact on performance.In over 30 years of multiple research studies and applications of this O. B. Mod. approach, Luthans and colleagues ( Stajkovic & Luthans, 1997, 2003), and other behavioral ma nagement scholars have been able to reach consistent, conclusive findings. First, three types of positive consequences/reinforcers result in an increase of desired work related behaviors and performance outcomes when administered contingently. These are: money, performance feedback, and social recognition (Luthans & Stajkovic, 1999).A major finding for managing organizations is that in many cases feedback and/ or recognition, which typically involve no direct cost, often results in similar (and sometimes higher) performance outcomes than monetary reinforcers that are often outside a manager’s direct control. Luthans and colleagues offer guidelines for use of these reinforcers. For example, effective performance feedback must be positive (emphasizing what is right), immediately following the desired behavior, graphic, and specific.Effective social recognition must include personal one-on-one attention and appreciation from the manager communicating to the employee that the des ired behavior has been noticed and admired by the manager versus a standard program where randomly selected employees are recognized regardless of demonstration of desired behaviors (which is what many of the formal recognition programs become over time). Positively reinforcing desired behaviors is significantly more effective in terms of performance impact over time than punishing undesired behaviors.It is important to note that punishment may be necessary when there is a need to immediately cease potentially harmful behavior. For example, in the case of a workplace safety violation (e. g. not wearing a helmet or eye protectors on a construction site), the behavioral management approach would not take time to measure the outcomes and wait for the desired safe behavior to occur in order to administer positive reinforcement. However, in general, the potential long term harm of punishment (e. g. stress, burnout, revenge, turnover, decrease in commitment) may be more than its potential benefits.It is important to point out that behavioral management works across various organizational types, industries, and cultures (Luthans & Stajkovic, 1999). For example, the behavioral management technique has been successfully employed in a Russian factory, where it demonstrated stronger performance outcomes than the participative management technique (Welsh, Luthans, & Sommer, 1993) and most recently with Korean information service providers. Critical Commentary and Future Directions The contributions of behaviorism in general, and more specifically the O.B. Mod. approach to behavioral management, have been very positive in organizational studies. Behaviorism provides understanding of how we learn, operate, and perform in all types of organizations. Organizations achieve their missions, visions, goals, and competitive advantage through the performance and behavior of people. A meta-analysis shows that the application of the O. B. Mod. model in the workplace across multiple i ndustries, levels, and cultures increased performance on average 17 percent (Stajkovic & Luthans, 1997).Despite the overwhelming support of how well behaviorism works in the organization, several limitations to the technique must be highlighted. First, individuals are unique and thus not all people respond the same way to reinforcers. Their desires are not only different, but they may also change over time. However, this is not a major problem when applying O. B. Mod. in the workplace because people in general desire money, feedback and recognition. However, they may vary in the level of intensity in their responses and which reinforcer has a relatively greater impact.Although behaviorism helps us to predict, modify, and change behavior over time, it does not attempt nor intend to understand how or why the phenomenon works. Behaviorism tends not to recognize the complexity of human cognitive processes. Another potential limitation is that in most cases multiple contingencies are sal ient in the context within which behavioral management attempts take place, resulting in complex interactions. These multiple contingencies can become competing contingencies as to which one the behavior links to and its subsequent effects.Behaviorism is not concerned with nor does it account for the social context within which contingent reinforcement (or punishment) takes place. In fact, modern behaviorism including O. B. Mod. treats antecedent factors as cues for the desired behavior. Still another limitation to the behaviorism approach is the requirement for action on behalf of the manager. In behaviorism, if the contingent reinforcement is removed and no longer exists, the desired behavior that was previously reinforced is likely to decrease in frequency and intensity, eventually fading away. This elimination of the controlling consequence is referred to as â€Å"extinction. This implies that managers who practice a behavioral management approach to increase the performance of their staff need to at minimum maintain an intermittent reinforcement schedule in order to avoid this going to extinction. In an attempt to combine the best of both worlds, and to present a more comprehensive and realistic view of human behavior in organizations, many previously radical behaviorists have â€Å"mellowed out† (Luthans & Kreitner, 1985) to adopt a social cognitive approach to understanding behavior (Bandura, 1986) (also see Social Cognition, Self-Efficacy, Cognitive Approach).The social cognitive approach asserts that behavior is the result of a continuous reciprocal three-way interaction between the person (cognition), the environment (physical context, including organizational structure and design; social context, i. e. , other people), and the individual’s past behavior. As opposed to behaviorism where behavior is a function of its contingent consequences, the social cognitive lens argues that behavior is also influenced by the processes of symbolizin g, forethought, observation, self-regulation, and self-reflection (Bandura, 1986).Furthermore, from a social cognitive perspective, the role of contingent reinforcement in enhancing performance can be understood in terms of outcome utility, informative content, and regulatory mechanisms (Stajkovic & Luthans, 2001). The future of behaviorism at least as it is applied to organization studies is likely to continue within the comprehensive theoretical framework of social cognition. Both organization scholars and practitioners realize the value of the objectivity and predictive validity behaviorism in general and O. B. Mod. in particular has on measurable performance impact.However, in today’s complex, ever-changing work environment, radical behaviorism is not comprehensive enough to stand alone. With the increasing emphasis on human resources as the primary source of long term competitive advantage, the confluence of behaviorism theory and cognitive theory through social cognitiv e theory may best accomplish the goals of understanding, prediction, and effective performance management. References Bandura, A. (1986). Social Foundations of Thought and Action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Luthans, F. , & Kreitner, R. 1985). Organizational Behavior Modification and Beyond. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman. Luthans, F. , & Stajkovic, A. (1999). Reinforce (not necessarily pay) for performance. Academy of Management Executive, 13, 49-57. Luthans, F. , Youssef, C. , & Luthans, B. (2005). Behaviorism. In Nicholson, N. , Audia, P. , & Pillutla, M. (Eds. ). The Blackwell encyclopedia dictionary of organizational behavior. London: Blackwell. Stajkovic, A. , & Luthans, F. (1997). A meta-analysis of the effects of organizational behavior modification on task performance, 1975-1995.Academy of Management Journal, 40, 1122-1149. Stajkovic, A. , & Luthans, F. (2001). Differential effects of incentive motivators on work performance. Academy of Management Journal, 44, 580-5 90. Stajkovic, A. , & Luthans, F. (2003). Behavioral management and task performance in organizations: Conceptual background, meta-analysis, and test of alternative models. Personnel Psychology, 56, 155-194. Welsh, D. H. B. , Luthans, F. , & Sommer, S. M. (1993). Managing Russian factory workers: The impact of U. S. -based behavioral and participative techniques. Academy of Management Journal, 36, 58-79.

Decision Making At The University Corporation - 3996 Words

Executive Vice President for Operations: Decision Making at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research Kristen Alipit ORG525 Decision Theory in a Global Marketplace Colorado State University Dr. J. Ondracek June 22, 2015 Executive Vice President for Operations: Decision Making at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a federally funded research and development center in Boulder, Colorado has experienced incredible amounts of change over the last few years and is looking to new processes and structures to make it sustainable in the future. The President’s Council, comprised of the president, the vice president for finance and administration, the†¦show more content†¦Executive Vice President for Operations The current president of UCAR has declared the importance of external relationships with funding agents and scientific organizations and has focused on this area while the internal administrative functions have received less attention. A chief operations officer, or an executive vice president (VP) for operations could fill the current void and give the company administrative oversight and centralization while allowing the president’s focus to remain more external (Cepin, 2011). Adding this role has proven to be beneficial to many organizations like Microsoft, Comcast, and Allstate (Researchers Demystify Role Of COO In New Book, 2006). Also, it is argued that companies such as Hewlett Packard would have benefited from having this role when mergers became difficult (Researchers Demystify Role Of COO In New Book, 2006). This new position would manage the daily operations of the company, including facilities management, budget and finance, purchasing and contracts, human resource s, and possibly information technology (Cepin, 2011). This individual must oversee strategic initiatives and strive to make the internal workings of the organization more efficient and productive (Cepin, 2011). This role should be a partnership with the president and there must be a great amount of trust between the two positions (Researchers Demystify Role Of COO In New Book, 2006). Overall, the VP for

A Brief History of the Country of Morocco

In the Classical Antiquity era, Morocco experienced waves of invaders included Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, and Byzantines, but with the arrival of Islam, Morocco developed independent states that kept powerful invaders at bay. Berber Dynasties In 702 the Berbers submitted to the armies of Islam and adopted Islam. The first Moroccan states formed during these years, but many were still ruled by outsiders, some of whom were part of the Umayyad Caliphate that controlled most of northern Africa c. 700 CE. In 1056, a Berber empire arose, however, under the Almoravid Dynasty, and for the next five hundred years, Morocco was governed by Berber dynasties:  the Almoravids (from 1056), Almohads (from 1174), Marinid (from 1296), and Wattasid (from 1465). It was during the Almoravid and Almohad dynasties that Morocco controlled much of North Africa, Spain, and Portugal. In 1238, the Almohad lost control of  the Muslim portion of Spain and Portugal, known then as al-Andalus. The Marinid dynasty attempted to regain it but never succeeded. Revival of Moroccan Power In the mid-1500s, a powerful state again arose in Morocco, under the leadership of the Saadi dynasty that had taken over southern Morocco in the early 1500s. The Saadi defeated the Wattasid in 1554 and then succeeded in holding off incursions by both the Portuguese and Ottoman Empires. In 1603 a succession dispute led to a period of unrest that did not end until 1671 with the formation of the Awalite Dynasty, which still governs Morocco to this day. During the unrest, Portugal had again gained a foothold in Morocco but was again thrown out by the new leaders. European Colonization By the mid-1800s, at a time when the influence of the Ottoman Empire was in decline, France and Spain began taking a great interest in Morocco. The Algeciras Conference (1906) that followed the First Moroccan Crisis formalized Frances special interest in the region (opposed by Germany), and the Treaty of Fez (1912) made Morocco a French protectorate. Spain gained authority over Ifni (to the south) and Tà ©touan to the north. In the 1920s the Rif Berbers of Morocco, under the leadership of Muhammad Abd el-Krim, rebelled against French and Spanish authority. The short-lived Rif republic was crushed by a joint French/Spanish task force in 1926. Independence In 1953 France deposed the nationalist leader and sultan Mohammed V ibn Yusuf, but both nationalist and religious groups called for his return.  France capitulated, and Mohammed V returned in 1955. On the second of March in 1956, French Morocco gained independence. Spanish Morocco, except for the two enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, gained independence in April of 1956. Mohammed V was succeeded by his son, Hasan II ibn Mohammed, upon his death in 1961. Morocco became a constitutional monarchy in 1977. When Hassan II died in 1999 he was succeeded by his thirty-five-year-old son, Mohammed VI ibn al-Hassan. Dispute over Western Sahara When Spain withdrew from the Spanish Sahara in 1976, Morocco claimed sovereignty in the north. The Spanish portions to the south, known as Western Sahara, were supposed to become independent, but Morocco occupied the region in the Green March. Initially, Morocco divided the territory with Mauritania, but when Mauritania withdrew in 1979, Morocco claimed the whole. The status of the territory is a deeply contentious issue, with many international bodies like the United Nations recognizing it as a non-self-governing territory called the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. Sources Clancy-Smith, Julia Anne, North Africa, Islam, and the Mediterranean world: from the Almoravids to the Algerian War. (2001).MINURSO Background, United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara. (Accessed 18 June 2015).