SPECIAL EVENT PART 2 Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

SPECIAL EVENT PART 2 - Coursework Example Even though the police had a right to maintain law and order in Miami Beach during the festive season, they have no right to arrest people who are trying to find out why their friends have been arrested. The police also needed to be sensitive to the fact that the visitors to the city had come from different States with different cultures. These visitors were therefore inclined to engage in behaviors that were weird and strange to other people. Such should not attract arrests but only a warning. I think that the police had directives from the Police chief to make a certain number of arrests to show that they were really working hard. This is the reason why they ended up arresting anyone whom they thought was breaking the law, which in some circumstances did not exist. An example is there was not law outlawing arguing with friends after having a drink. But the police interpreted this as a sign of misdemeanors. What the police department does is to come up with stringent laws that they do not expect to be followed by hundreds of become who have come down the beach to have fun. Someone would not expect that laws such as drinking, loud music, or even prohibiting littering will be adhered to people especially the youth who are coming down to lay their stress. â€Å"Increasing the number of arrests is yet another way they have tried to control the rowdy people that come down for the weekend. They enforce laws such as open containers, illegal parking, and loud music†. This seems to be their motto. I think what the Miami Beach police does is to deliberately come up with laws that they know very well that it is difficult to adhere to especially with a crowded and excited

Organizational culture Essay Example for Free

Organizational culture Essay 1. Discuss several areas in which HR can affect organizational culture positively or negatively. A human resources department plays a significant role in determining the culture of an organization. Human resources cultivate and execute policies and procedures in key areas such as hiring practices, compensation, management relations and employee conduct and behavior. The decisions made by the human resources department can have significant positive and negative implications for the overall cultural quality of the organization. Some of the affected areas include creating awareness, compensation plans, hiring practices and behavior. Company executives may not always have a true understanding of their corporate culture, as they are often far removed from the front lines of the operation. Human resources personnel can provide the benefit of instructing top management as to what the culture is really like. This may lead to positive changes in the corporate culture, it could also lead to changes that meet with resistance from employees, such as when management decides it needs to change or eliminate popular employee programs that it deems wasteful or unproductive. When it comes to compensation, the human resources department typically accepts the responsibility of designing compensation programs for the organization. Depending on how they achieve this, it could have a positive as well as negative impact on organizational culture. For example, an incentive program for salespeople may provide the opportunity for these employees to increase their compensation through greater productivity. Nevertheless, it could also cr eate an environment where the salespeople are competing against each other, leading to the deterioration of teamwork and morale. Human resources also determine the hiring and recruiting practices used by the organization, which has a great impact on the organizational culture. A strong attention to characteristics of job candidates such as education and experience can certify that the company hires employees who are capable of performing the job. In contrast, if there is a lack of focus on characteristics like personality and people skills, the company may end up hiring candidates who will have difficulty being a sole member of the corporate culture. Another key area subsiding under human resources is the conduct of the organizations members. In many organizations, particular larger ones, this involves the development of a code of conduct or ethics that specifics how employees should treat each other and conduct their daily activities. An operative code of conduct that denotes the core values of the organization and is strictly enforced can promote a culture characterized by high levels of ethical behavior. On another note, a weak code or one that is only given lip service by human resources could lead to a culture of dishonesty and distrust. 2. For many individuals, the nature of work and jobs is changing. Describe these changes, some reasons for them, and how they are affecting both HR management and individuals. In reference to our textbook, our world is ever changing when it comes to the workplace. Some of the issues that affect the organization include technology, changing demographics, education and cultural issues. According to the article, â€Å"The Changing Nature of Organizations, Work and Workplace,† In todays world, the structure, content, and process of work have changed. Work is now: * more cognitively complex * more team-based and collaborative * more dependent on social skills * more dependent on technological competence * more time pressured * more mobile and less dependent on geography. In todays world, you will also be working for an organization that is likely to be very different due to competitive pressures and technological breakthroughs. Organizations today are: * leaner and more agile * more focused on identifying value from the customer perspective * more tuned to dynamic competitive requirements and strategy * less hierarchical in structure and decision authority * less likely to provide lifelong careers and job security * continually reorganizing to maintain or gain competitive advantage. 3. Why is it important for HR management to transform from being primarily administrative and operational to becoming a more strategic contributor? According to the PowerPoint, â€Å"Changing Nature of Human Resource Management,† Dr. Zaw states that the typical roles are still apart of human resources managers job descriptions, but the magnitude and percentage of each within the job description has altered. Human resources roles typically include; * Processing and recording keeping * Operational and employee advocate role Human resources strategic roles typically include: * â€Å"having a seat at the table† by contributing to organization results and success * Human resources becomes a strategic partner * When it focuses on creating program that will enrich the organization performance * Engage human resources in strategic planning at the onset * Contribute in the decision making in reference to mergers acquisitions and downsizing * Recreating of organizations and work processes * Accounting and documentation the financial means of human resource activities He then explains the nature of strategic Human Resource Management. 1. The relationship of the organizational and HR strategic strategies a. Cost Leadership includes i. Competition on the basis of low price and high quality of product or service ii. Relies on building employees fit specialized needs iii. Requires a longer human resources planning horizon approach b. Differentiation iv. Competition on the basis of either offering distinctively different products or services v. Relies on hiring needed skills vi. Needs a shorter planning time frame in order to be responsive to dynamic environments 2. Organizational Productivity and Efforts c. Human Resources Productivity vii. Unit labor costs computed by dividing the average cost of workers by their levels of output viii. Low unit labor costs can be a basis for strategy focusing on human resources ix. Productivity and unit labor cost can be determined at the global, country, organizational or individual level. d. Organizational Effectiveness and Financial Contributions of Human Resource x. Linking with financial executive to certify human resources financial contribution to organization’s performance e. Customer Service and Quality Products Linked to Human Resources Strategies xi. High quality productions and services are the outcome of human resources enrichment to the organizational performance f. Organizational Culture and Organizational Effectiveness xii. Organization culture is the values and beliefs shared amongst the organization. 4. What steps can HR professionals take to ensure that mergers and acquisitions are successful? How can HR help during the integration process? In reference to the article, â€Å"What is the Role of Human Resource During a Merger?† , Diane Chinn covers five distinct areas that human resources must focus on during a merger which includes executive coaching, employee communication, culture integration, employee retention and human resources integration. Executive Coaching: Even though human resources have been considered a major staff function, it is shifting more to an essential strategy function. In the process of a merger, human resources should function as executive coaches assisting leaders in understanding the relationship with effective human resources management and merger success. It also gives management insight to the different assumption of issues that may hinder the merger and find different solution for dealing with the issues. Employee Communication: There should be ongoing communication with the employees in reference to the success of the merger. Even though employees do not understand the reason for the merger, they may presume to be against the decision without effective communication. It’s the responsibility of the human resources department to create a communication strategy in reference to each step of the merger process. Cultural Integration: It is the responsibility of human resources to examine and compare the cultures of the two organizations and develop and execute a plan to address cultural issues that could affect the merger such as shared or conflicting values, beliefs and assumptions. Employee Retention: Human resources must ensure that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge needed for the organization remain a part of the merged organization. Human Resources Integration: When the companies merge, there are duplicate systems that must be consolidated or merged. This is especially true in HR where employee management, compensation and benefits, employee training, development and HR information systems must continue to function throughout the merger process. 5. Many companies in the United States have recently put an end to the practice of giving an annual employee Christmas party due to complaints by employees with non-Christian religious backgrounds or spiritual values who claimed the Christmas party was discriminatory employment practice. These dissident employees argued that the employer who celebrated by paying for an employee Christmas party favored Christianity over other religions and belief systems. Do you think non-Christian employees are treated illegally or unethically when the employer decides to give a Christmas party for all the employees? What is the basis of your decision? What would be a reasonable accommodation that an employer could make to satisfy both the Christian and non-Christian employees? Yes, I do feel that non- Christian employees are treated unfairly because employers should be delicate to the religious beliefs of their employees. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. I feel that no one should be forcing to do something that’s not a part of their beliefs or character. My recommendation would be to have an end of the year celebration where all are able to attend and possible share their cultural experience with everyone through foods, decorations and performances.

An organisations process

An organisations process Introduction Strategic planning is an organisations process of defining its corporate strategy, making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue its strategy, including its capital and human resources. In this modern and competitive era growing business, means taking timely, quick and accurate decisions about the way we want to grow our business. As an organisation grows, it becomes more and more complex for management to control. In this case, strategic planning is the key component for all type of organisations, which help them to keep on track. All organisations depend on strategic plan to keep the long-term focus synced up with day-to-day decision-making. From Board level to front line staff, everyone is aligned with the organisations strategy and vision. Because it is a road map to lead organisation from where it is now to where it would like to be in future. It is very important for management that they make sure, that all those who involved in any activity are clear about what that o rganisation is looking to achieve and how they are planning to do it. The main source of information is included from official websites and reports published by companies. Moreover, references from different books, published journals articles, research reports and internet have been used to support the arguments. Critical Analysis of Strategic Planning of Primark Company profile Primark is an Irish clothing retailer. It opened its first store in Dublin in 1969 under the name of Penneys. The company head office is based In Dublin, and operates 193 stores in Ireland, UK and other European countries. Primark is a subsidiary of Associated British Foods Plc (ABF) and positions itself as marketing (selling) fashionable clothing at cheap prices, targeting women, men, children and supply home decoration goods. Primark aim is to focus on latest fashions and sell to its customers with the variety of design at affordable prices. Primark mission statement is to provide customers with high quality, fashion basis at value for money prices (Primark 2009). Critical Analysis of Primark According to clothing market review 2008, the United Kingdom retail clothing market was worth  £42.45 billions in 2007. It account for almost 6% of total consumer spending which is lowest proportion in the history of UK. The reasons for decline in market were the declining prices and intense competition in the industry. Survey also shows that the cheap clothing market consumers will increase in the future and there is no sign of growth in market value over the next five years (Market Report 2008). Primark face intense competition due to number of competitors (Appendix 1). According to Bowmans Strategic Clock (1996), Primark is position itself in competitive environment at low price in his strategic clock (Appendix 2). This strategy helps Primark to analysis it competitive position in other competitors. Primark is fashion conscious targeting under 35s with the slogan Look good pay less at Primark. It offers good quality fashion clothes at very competitive prices. According to Porter Generic Strategies (1980) Primark is following cost leadership Strategy in retail clothing market. The success of this strategy is based on access to cheap resources and buying in bulk. Michael Porters Five Forces (1979) Model of competitive position helps Primark to analyse its competitive position in the industry. Cost leadership strategy helps Primark to create barrier for new entrant to sell same products at lower price. Primark imports from Asian countries where cost of production is very low and buying in bulks help Primark to improve its Bargaining power. On the other hands, bargaining power of the customers is not very strong because no other retailer is selling trendy and fashionable products at such a low price. So all this help and provide a platform to Primark for expansion both gaining market share and entering into new markets. PEST analysis can be used to examine the factors affecting on Primarks external Environment. All four factors have a considerable impact on Primarks environment. Political factors such as labour law, environmental, trade restrictions, tariffs, tax policy restrict Primark to operate within the limits. Economic factors such as interest rate, inflation rate, exchange rate, economic growth and disposal income affect Primark business operation and day-to-day decision-making. Social and cultural factors help Primark to take into account trends, fashion, growth rate in population, age, gender etc. Finally, technological factors helped Primark to reduce cost, improve quality and lead to innovation. In UK, clothing market is very competitive and credit crunch made it worse. Primark is the only clothing retailer who gets benefit from credit crunch. According to Igor Ansoff (1957), Primark is penetrating the clothing market to targeting competitors customers and retaining existing customers. Sean Poulter (2008) report says, Primark sales rose over 25% in 2008 and gave Primark overall 10% market share of UK clothing industry. It made second biggest seller after MS (12% Market Share). Primark has a very clear market positioning at the cheap end of the market. For Primark internal environmental analysis, SWOT analysis is used to assess Primarks internal capabilities, core competences while threats and opportunities assess external environmental factors. Primark SWOT analysis is shown in appendix 3. Critical Analysis of Strategic Planning of Woolworths Group Plc Company Profile F.W. Woolworths Company founded Woolworths in UK in 1909. In 1982 it was acquired by Paternoster Stores ltd, the subsidiary of Kingfisher Plc. Woolworths Group Plc was formed by the demerger of Kingfisher and began trading as listed company in August 2001. It inherited a mountain of  £200 million debts, and costly lease agreements. Right from the beginning, it sold a variety of goods such as childrens clothes, toys, stationery, electronic goods and confectionery. Pic n mix sweets and Woolworths have always gone together until went into administration. In first four years company really took off but after 2005 it faced constant decline in business and finally it went into administration on 27 January 2009 (Times Online 2008). This company was one of the biggest victims of recession. Mission and Vision Woolworths mission was to be at the heart of the community and the best loved retailer for kids, home and family leisure. Vision was to provide quality products and services to customer all the time through price strategies Elrico (2002). Critical Analysis of Woolworths Group Plc My aim is to analyse strategic planning process of Woolworths to analyse past seven years performance by using various strategic tools. Woolworths performance has been variable over the past few years and in 2005 private equity group Apax made a takeover bid, which was rejected by the board, and four weeks later they received another offer and it made Woolies future uncertain in retail sector. Strategic planning is usually begins with external environmental analysis of the organisation. Competitors are the primary external consideration for strategic planning. For Woolworths Porter Five Forces (1979) can be used to analyse external environment. Woolworths failed to respond the threats of it competitors. They never made any strategy to build barrier for competitors such as ASDA, Tesco, Argos, Discount Stores etc. Its management always depend upon advertisement and customers loyalty. Perfect competition brought more choices for customers and due to intense competition (Rivalry) in the industry, profit squeezed and market demand saturated. Woolworths customers switched to its competitors. Woolworths faced huge problems with suppliers in last couple of year of trading and they forced to pay cash at the time of purchases because of lack of security. According to Michael porters (1980) Generic Strategies to obtain competitive advantages, organisation must have one of the following strategies: Cost Leadership strategy Differentiation strategy Focus strategy Woolworth get stuck in the middle without having any competitive strategy as a result competitors (ASDA, Argos etc) took advantages of that and stole all customers form it. They never released the importance of competitive strategy and had growth strategy to compete with competitors by opening new stores in different parts of the country. According to Igor Ansoff (1957), Woolworths had Market development strategy to target new customers. Woolworths internal environmental analysis, SWOT analysis is the best tool, which can be use measure internal and external factors that affected on its strategic planning. Internal analysis examines Woolworths capabilities and external analysis examines factors that bring opportunities and threats (Appendix 4). Comparison of Strategic Planning of both organisations In the highly competitive environment in which all UK retailers are in war to sustain their position against competitors in this recession, Primark is doing remarkably well. The key of success in based on its well-planned strategies that evaluate internal and external factors that affect on it environment. On the other hands, Woolworths group Plc failed because, they were never thought about any strategy that gave them competitive advantages over any of its competitor. People and media said that Woolworths was the victim of recession but I would say it was the victim of bad management. My aim is to compare and contrast the strategic planning of both organisations. For this purpose, I have discussed few strategic planning models in critical analysis and now I am going to compare them and find out the reasons of success and failure. Pricing (Competitive) Strategy According to Michael Porter (1980) to get competitive advantages organisation must follow one of its generic strategies. Primark slogan is look good pay less, means cost leadership strategy. Cost leadership strategy does not mean low prices but it lead to emphasize on efficiency by reducing cost in all departments. This strategy gave competitive edge to Primark over it competitors. According to Jonathan Prynn (2009), Primark has boomed in the recession with the British biggest discount clothes chain unveiled big increase in revenue and profits. Primark revenues increased from  £1.17bn in 2007 to  £1.6bn in 2008 and it jumped to  £2.31bn in 2009. On the other hand, Woolworths was trading without having any competitive strategy, which help its management to focus on the ways in which it can achieve the competitive position in the retail industry. Its revenue declined since 2004 and in final year of trading, Woolworths announced pre-tax loss of  £99.7m for the first six months. This is just because of Woolworths was stuck in the middle of competitive strategies for long time and management was not sure what price they charge to customers for particular products. Woolworths products were comparatively expensive than its competitors and customers realised their products are not good quality compare to the prices Woolworths charged. Affects of competition Competitors are the real enemies for all organisations. Successful organisation always makes plans ahead to avoid the consequence of any threat from its competitors. Both organisations operate in highly competitive environment. Competitor analysis is very important for both organisations strategic planning. Sometimes organisations think that they are doing well and it is best to carry on with their plans and other become obsessed with monitoring every action of competitors. Woolworths Group Plc was well aware about competition. In Woolworths financial reports 2008, directors mentioned competition is a big risk for Woolworths but they did not come up with any strategy (carry on their own plans) that help Woolworths to maintain and improve it competitive position in the market. They lost most of there business to competitors. In clothing retail industry, Primark is also facing intense competition. Most of Primarks competitors hold same percentage of market share as Primark have. Nowada ys fashion has become disposable and to avoid competition Primark has led fast fashion revolution at lowest prices taking the fast fashion retail industry into new era. I would say Primark has emerged as the McDonalds of the fast fashion retail industry. Customers Analysis Customers analysis is an operative tool, which helps organisations to understand the specific customers demand, preferences and loyalty to the organisation. To keep competitive in todays environment, organisations need to take an in depth look at customers to explore and identify opportunities and threats. I would say Primark is the market leader to understand customers demand and response quickly to the fast fashion requirements of customers. Primarks time-to-market has been very fast, both in terms of copying designs rapidly after they come out in terms of getting the new stock into their stores while items are still hot' (R. M Grant, Blackwell 2009). New style, quality and low prices keep customers coming in and encourage them to come back again. All these help Primark to increase its market share and revenue. On the other side of the picture, Woolworths failed to focus on what they were good at, to sell to there customers and failed to identify their core products and customers. From customers point of view, Woolworths was a complete mish mash with hundreds different types of products, but low product ranges. As a result, Woolworths did not have enough selection of any product to attract customers (John McMillan 2008). All these factors forced customers to switch to Woolworths competitors. Marketing issues Organisations used marketing tools to create, keep and satisfy customers needs and demands. To get competitive advantages in the target market organisations use segmentation, targeting and positioning tools. These tools help organisations to differentiate there goods and services from their competitors. Market Segmentation and targeting Market segmentation help organisation to split customers or potential customers into different groups. Primark segments it customers on socio-economic (disposable income) and demographic (age, gender, lifestyle) bases. Robert Stockdill (2007) says in his report, Primarks target customer is young, fashion conscious and under 35 years old. So like many other retailers chasing that demographic or the broader value end of the market, Primark is now targeting a four to six week turnaround from design to shelf, sourcing primarily from Asia. Primark also target low-income group who have less disposable income to spend on latest fashion. Woolworths was also segmented its customers on demographic bases but there aim was to target all customer in the market. They never identified their target customer, market and which income group they were targeting. Market Positioning In market positioning, my aim is to create an image in the target market for both organisations, their products, and brands. Primark is known as cost leadership retailer in the market, which has over fifteen own brands (Appendix 5). Customers think that Primarks products are good value for money. Woolworths also had very rich and successful long history with the number of brands such as Chad Valley, Ladybird, Winfield and Worthit etc. Form customers point of view both organisations market-positioning image can be mapped in the following Bowmans Strategic Clock (1996); Business Seasonality Most organisations are affected by the fluctuation in business activity at different part of the year. According to directors 2008 report, Woolworths was highly seasonal business. Most of its revenue, profit, and cash flow have been come from Christmas season. Lower than expected performance in the Christmas period may have adverse impact on overall Woolworths results. It happened continuously after 2004 with Woolworths and it performance was very unstable un-till it went into administration. Woolworths never made any strategy to avoid adverse affects of Christmas sales. Primark business is all four seasons. Although most of its sales come from Christmas season but other three seasons of the year its make good profit. According to (James Hall 2009) report, Primark total revenue reaches it highest level of  £1 billion in first six months of trading, which is 18 % more than last year. Primark is the only largest fashion retailers around the world, who produce solid performance in cre dit crisis due to strong strategic planning. Conclusion Strategic planning is directional map, key instrument for strategic management for deciding where their company is headed and how they are planning to get there. Strategic planning is known as a process of defining strategy and making decisions on allocation of organisation resources to pursue strategy. It is a dynamic tool of continuously looking at organisational current position, examine and plotting future move. All this need in-depth knowledge and understanding about organisation and its internal and external environment in that operates in. the best organisations like Primark always engaged in some form of strategic planning to keep themselves update about internal and external environmental factors. Based on my detailed strategic planning analysis of Primark, i would say that Primark has comprehensive strategy planning, which considers all-important factors that affects on its business environment. From my above research, I conclude that, there are number of reasons behind Primark success. Firstly, they understand customers specific requirements and always come up with the solution of latest fashion at low price. Secondly, Primark has a very clear market position at the cheap end of the market and target customers who have low disposal income and fashion conscious. All this gave Primark competitive advantage over its competitors. Third, Primark has access to cheap resources and has very tight control over costs, which help them to increase profitability. Many people say Woolworths was the victim of credit crises. Other says Woolworths faced financial pressures (received over  £200 million debts in inherent and seasonal business crises) and severe competition from day one, so that is why it failed to survive. From my above discussion and analysis, I conclude that Woolworths was the victim of bad management and poor strategy planning. From my above discussion, I have mentioned several reasons of Woolworths failure. Woolworths completely failed to respond the threats of competitors, new technologies, customers buying patterns and target market. The world change very fast in 21st century and strategy worked in 1990s does not work today. Woolworths was keeping the old fashion strategy and planning to run business successfully in 21st century, where yesterdays strategy could be out date today. World has become global village and customers have many choices to buy products from any were in the world through internet. Ignorance of all thes e external factors have leads Woolies to lose their business to competitors. Finally I would say the key of success is to do few things right like Primark, not 100s things badly like Woolworths, keep ears and eyes open, monitor your internal and external environment, and response best to the threats and convert into opportunities. Financial analysis References ASX Announcement (2009), Primark, 3Q Holdings Limited 2009, [Online], http://www.threeq.com.au/announce/AnnouncementPrimark.pdf Bowmans Strategic Clock (1996), Strategic Business Planning, Strategies for leaders, followers, challenger and nichers, International Financial Publishing 2006, Surrey UK Elrico (2002), Woolworths Group Plc, Advfn III (2002), [online], http://www.advfn.com/stocks/buy-woolworths-as-they-are-a-good-shop-with-many-varieties_2527942.html Igor Ansoff (1957), Strategic Business Planning and Development, Strategy Development, International Financial publishing Ltd 2006. James Hall (2009), Primark Overtakes ASDA as Biggest Low Price Clothing Retailers, Telegraph 20th Jan 2009, [Online], http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/retailandconsumer/4299950/Primark-overtakes-Asda-as-biggest-low-price-clothing-retailer.html John McMillan (2008), Learn From Woolworths, Academy, [online] http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=118215 Jonathan Prynn (2009), London Evening Standard, Primarks recession fashion boom, [online], http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23763781-primarks-recession-fashion-boom.do Primark 2009, Primarks History, Primark Stores limited 2009, [Online], http://www.primark.co.uk/page.aspx?pointerid=eb44df4565934edca627dac6ec12145a Market Report 2008, Clothing Industry Report, Key Note publication Ltd Feb. 2008, Online, http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/594454 Michael Porter (1979), Strategic Business Planning and Development, The Competitive Environment, international Financial publishing Ltd 2006. Michael Porter (1980), Generic Strategies, Marketing Teaches Ltd (2000 2009), [Online], [Cited 14th November 2009], R. M Grant, Blackwell (2009), Shedding The Frills; Making A success, open2.net, [online], http://www.open2.net/moneyandmanagement/management_organisation/briefs_20051206_primark.html Robert Stockdill (2007), Primarks fast fashion revolution, Inside Retailing Magazine Oct 2007. [online], http://www.insideretailing.com. au/Latest/tabid/53/ID/1552/Primarks-fast-fashion-revolution.aspx Sean Poulter (2008), Primark now Britains 2nd Biggest Clothing Retailer, Mail Online (2008), http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-561270/Primark-Britains-second-biggest-clothes-store-thanks-rise-disposable-fashion.html Times Online (2008), History of Woolies, By Rosie Lavan, [Online], Witchalls, C (2007) Flexibility and speed key to new revenue streams http://www.computingbusiness.co.uk/computing business/analysis/2183247/case-study-bt

Effects of Police Misconduct

Effects of Police Misconduct What is police misconduct and how does it affect police and community relations? Police misconduct includes a comprehensive range, reflecting the high standards we expect of police officers. Police misconduct can apply to off-duty behavior as well as conduct on the job. Any conduct that is disgraceful, improper or unbecoming a police officer, or shows unfitness to be or continue as a police officer, or does not meet the requirements the community reasonably expects of a police officer. Examples of on-the-job police misconduct would be: Failure to provide medical treatment to a detainee. Assaulting another individual in a night club would be an example of off-duty police misconduct. The violation of state and federal laws or the violation of individuals constitutional rights by police officers; also when police commit crimes for personal gain. Police misconduct terms refer to a wide range of procedural, criminal, and civil violations. Misconduct is the broadest category. Misconduct is procedural when it refers to police who go against police department rules and regulations; criminal when it refers to police who defy state and federal laws; unconstitutional when it refers to police who abuse a citizens Civil Rights; or any combination thereof. Common forms of misconduct are: Excessive use of physical or deadly force, Discriminatory arrest, Physical or verbal harassment Selective enforcement of the law. Profit or another type of material benefit gained illegally as a result of the officers authority is considered misconduct. Forms of police misconduct include bribery, extortion, receiving or fencing stolen goods, and selling drugs. The term also refers to patterns of misconduct within a given police department or special unit, particularly where offenses are repeated with the consent of superiors. Police departments establish codes of conduct, train new recruits, and investigate and discipline officers, sometimes in cooperation with civilian complaint review boards which are intended to provide independent evaluative and remedial advice. Protections are also found in state law, which permits victims to sue police for damages in civil actions. Excessive force- police brutality, false arrest and imprisonment, malicious prosecution, and wrongful death are examples of actions brought for claims. State actions may be brought at the same time with additional claims for constitutional viol ations. Federal law specifically targets police misconduct through both criminal and civil statutes, Federal law is applicable to all state, county, and local officers, including those who work in correctional facilities. The key federal criminal statute makes it unlawful for anyone acting with police authority to deprive another person of any right protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States (Section 18 U.S.C. ÂÂ § 241 [2000]). Another statute, commonly referred to as the police misconduct provision, makes it unlawful for state or local police to engage in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of their rights (42 U.S.C.A. 14141 [2000]). Federal law prohibits discrimination in police work. police departments receiving federal funding is covered by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. ÂÂ § 2000d) and the Office of Justice Programs statute (42 U.S.C. ÂÂ § 3789d[c]), which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and religion. These laws prohibit conduct from racial slurs and unjustified arrests to the refusal of departments to respond to discrimination complaints. In the 1990s, the New York City Police Department began a community policing approach to crime fighting. Some major cities in which community policing and other community relations strategies have been used report increased public confidence in police, a reduction in crime, and the easing of racial tensions. The goal of community policing is for community residents and police to work together addressing crime in the neighborhood. Effective police-community relations initiates community members learn about policing and how to prevent crime, and a police department can learn about neighborhood members and their policing needs. Community policing allows neighborhood residents and police departments to come together to fight crime. Community policing effort can ruin the relations between the police and the community that it is designed to protect. As the NYPD has recognized, if the price is the trust and respect of the community we serve whatever gains we have achieved in fighting crime is minimized. If members of the community are reluctant to approach police for fear of a negative encounter, then we have not met our obligations to the public even if crime levels decline. Abner Louima was assaulted and sodomized by officers inside Brooklyns 70th Police Precinct; Mayor Giuliani created the Task Force on Police/Community Relations on August 19, 1997, 10 days after Haitian immigrant was assaulted. The goal was to give better communication among members of the police department and residents of the City of New York. The New York City Police Department began to put in place a program in June 1996, called the Courtesy, Professionalism and Respect (CPR) program. The CPR program encourages professionalism within the department, including the constant display of courtesy and respect toward the citizens of New York City. The NYPD initiated the program in response to a rise in the number of complaints against the NYPD. The mayor believes there is a problem in the relationship between the New York Police Department and the communities of color in New York, which must be addressed from both sides of the problem. Many of the complaints concerned discourteous conduct by members of the NYPD. To improve the situation it is critical that officers understand the need for respectful treatment of the people of New York. We train them to refer to people as Mr. and Ms, to try to explain to people why theyre doing what they do and to go out of their way to be respectful. According to the NYPD, the ultimate goals of the CPR program include: A more productive relationship between the NYPD and residents Improved officer safety through increased public support More success for all crime strategies An image of members of the NYPD as law enforcement professionals. To accomplish these goals, the NYPD provides its officers with in-service training as well as training at the Police Academy. The twentieth century saw multiple legal, administrative, and scholarly approaches to the problem. The passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, gave new protections to citizens who had long suffered discriminatory policing. A string of landmark Supreme Court decisions highly influenced cases resulting in the strengthening of Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable Search and Seizure, evidentiary rules forbidding the use at trial of evidence tainted by unconstitutional police actions, and the establishment of the so-called Miranda Warning requiring officers to advise detained suspects of their constitutional rights. Traditional views were based on the assumption that police abuse reflected the moral failings of individual officers-the so-called bad cop. The Knapp Commission was organized to hold hearings on the extent of corruption in the citys police department. Testimony against fellow officers not only revealed systemic corruption but highlighted an obstacle to investigate these abuses: the understanding among police officers known variously as the Code of Silence and the Blue Curtain under which officers regard testimony against a fellow officer as betrayal. The work of criminologists and others, police departments sought to improve organizational rules, training, and prevention and control mechanisms. The publication of a code of police conduct by the International Association of Chiefs of Police, reflect more hard training for officers, and experimented with so-called community policing programs to improve relationships between officers and the community. Several cities established joint police and civilian complaint review boards to give citizens a larger role in what traditionally had been a closed, internal process by police departments. Among the most dramatic examples of system-wide reform is New York Citys response to long-standing brutality, discrimination, and corruption within the New York City Police Department. After reviewing civilian complaints against police in the 1960s, the city committed to it after public outcry over the videotaping of officers beating citizens who violated curfew in 1988. The Civilian Complaint Review Board, which became an all-civilian agency in 1993. In 1992, responding to new complaints, the Mayor appointed the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Police Corruption and the Anti-Corruption Procedures of the Police Department, known as the Mollen Commission. Two years later, the commission concluded that the city had alternated between cycles of corruption and reform. The full-time Commission to Combat Police Corruption (CCPC) as an entity independent from the police department was created. The CCPC monitors the NYPD anti-corruption policies and procedures, conducts audits, and i ssues public reports. Misconduct complaints can be quantified on a city-by-city basis, but these data are often subjective, and far more complaints are filed than ever are evaluated at trial. Corruption is even harder to measure. As the National Institute of Justice acknowledged in its May 2000 report, The Measurement of Police Integrity, most corruption incidents go unreported, and data that do exist are best regarded as measures of a police agencys anticorruption activity, not the actual level of corruption. Prosecution of the officers was less conclusive. Officer Justin Volpe pleaded guilty to leading the Sodomy assault and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. However, in 1999, his fellow three officers were acquitted on charges of assault in the police cruiser; one of them, Officer Charles Schwarz, was convicted of violating Louimas civil rights for holding him down during the bathroom assault. In 2000, all three were convicted of obstructing justice for their actions in covering up evidence of the attack, but these convictions were later overturned in United States v. Schwarz, 283 F.3d 76 (2d Cir. 2002). Ordered a new trial on the civil rights charge, Schwarz reached a plea bargain in September 2002, agreeing to be sentenced to a 5-year prison term. Misconduct by police officers has occasionally led to rioting. The Los Angeles riots in 1992 followed the acquittal of white police officers charged with the videotaped beating of black motorist Rodney King. In April 2001, three days of rioting in Cincinnati followed the acquittal of a white police officer on charges of shooting Timothy Thomas, a 19-year old unarmed black man. Cities continue to examine ways to bring meaningful reform to police departments. Some critics have argued that misconduct and corruption are age-old problems that resist all efforts at eradication; the best society can do, in this view, is monitor and correct. Others trace recent problems to public policy that emphasizes aggressive policing of drug, gang, and street crimes. Until more effective remedies are found, some citizens will still require protection from the very people appointed to protect and serve them.

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twains The Adventures of Hucklebe

The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn." The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Hucklebe The Importance of Friendship in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Aristotle was once asked what he thought friendship was. His response was, "One soul inhabiting two bodies." This was the kind of relationship that Huckleberry Finn and Jim shared in Mark Twain's epic novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. This novel is a tool that Mark Twain, whose real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, was using to impress the great benefits of friendship upon society. However, others feel that Clemmons was using this book for another motive, to promote racism and ever since The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was published in 1885, there have been people trying to ban it from public bookshelves and trying to remove it from required reading lists, alleging that it promoted racism. This was not Mark Twain's motive; rather, he was trying to show how the prejudices that society places upon people could be overcome by friendship. Mark Twain's novel has caused much controversy from the beginning. In 1885, the year the book was published, the Concord, Massachusetts Public Library banned the book and described it as "trash and suitable only for the slums" (Haight 1). Other than saying that the book was trash, the library did not express any reason for the book's banning, but it can be assumed that the reason was racism. The complaints did not end there: in New York City, seventy-two years later, Twain's publication found itself "dropped from a list of approved books for senior and junior high schools, partly because of objection to frequent use of the term 'nigger' and famed character 'Nigger Jim,'" (2). The statement from New York showed from where the popular misconception of Twain's intent comes; the usage of the word, "nig... ...t Huck and Jim shared, Huckleberry probably would have never seen Jim as an equal. Huck and Jim showed that friendship is so powerful that it can overcome any obstacle, even prejudices created by society - this was the message that Mark Twain was promoting, and certainly cannot be counted as offensive to anyone. The classic tale of Huck and Jim's travels down the Mississippi River dealt with many complex issues, but the most important of these is friendship. This is what Mark Twain was promoting, not racism. Friendship does not need to be banned from our society; neither does The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Works Cited American Library Association. "Challenged and Banned Books." Haight, Anne Lyon & B., Chandler. "'Tom Sawyer' and 'Huckleberry Finn.'" Phan, Giang & Nguyen, Diep. "Pro Huck Finn." Twain, Mark. "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

acters and actresses Essay -- essays research papers

Actors and Actress   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Actors and Actresses are some of the most driven, courageous people on the face of the earth. They deal with more day-to-day rejection in one year than most people do in a lifetime. Each day, actors/actress face the financial challenge of living a freelance lifestyle, the disrespect of people who think they should get 'real' jobs, and their own fear that they'll never work again. Every day they have to ignore the possibility that the vision to which they have dedicated their lives is a pipe dream. With every passing year, many of them watch as the other people their age achieve the predictable milestones of normal life-the car, the family, and the house. Though to become an actor or actress one must follow a certain guideline (an education) as any other career does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  To begin with, to become an actor or an actress a person must start with their education young. In High School a student should put their minds in the fields of Performing Arts in other words Drama (Crafton 32). There they would learn the basic terms and history of Acting. There are two clear avenues to turn to while becoming a professional actor. One is just as trivial and nearly futile as the other, but someone who truly wants to pursue the field will tolerate the hardships. The first path is, logically enough, is go to drama school. Formal training is not a must, but it helps if one wants to be a professional actor (Harrop 147). If you have studied the craft it gives you a leg up over anyone else looking for the same job. To enter a school solely for acting, not just the drama department of a larger university, SAT scores and high school record aren’t always looked at. For some drama schools, a complete high school education isn’t even needed. How ever, the more prestigious the school, the higher the standards are. If you were to try to get into the Performing Arts College at, say, Columbia University in New York, the requirements are much higher at the testing level. At any school, no matter Ivy League or community college, to enter the performing arts department one has to audition. In continuance, some drama students may sometimes require a singing audition as well as monologues. After all, the most popular form of stage drama is the musical. Naturally, entrance essays are needed as well as recommendation lette... ..., you must get a formal training at an acting school as well as staying involved with as many shows as possible building up your rà ©sumà ©. Being an Actor/Actress is a hard career to pursue and if pursued a lot of talent as well as patience is needed in order to accomplish. Although an education is not needed to be an actor or actress, you should never escape it. Education is an essential part of our lives and the world we live in and forever it always will remain important for whatever career you choose to enter including acting. Work Cited Crafton, Allen. Acting; a Book for the Beginner. New York: F. S.Crofts, 1928. Haase, Cathy. Acting for Film. New York: Allworth Press, 2003. Harrop, John. Acting. New York: Routledge, 1992. Occupational Outlook Handbook.21 Mar. 2004. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor.27 Nov. 2004. â€Å"Oprah Winfrey Biography.† About Oprah. 2004. Harpo Productions. 18 Nov. 2004. â€Å"Oprah Winfrey Entertainment Executive.† Academy of Achievement, A Museum of Living History. 3 Mar. 2003. Academy of Achievement. 19 Nov. 2004. Moore, Dick. Opportunities in Acting Careers. Lincolnwood (Chicago), Ill: VGM Career Horizons, 1999.

Fire: Nutrition and Destructive Forces Essay

Fire is one of our greatest tools and also one of our most destructive forces. So is it an enemy or a friend? Fire has been around since creation. In fact, it appears that fire had a hand in creation itself. Therefore, man did not discover fire. It is believed that he discovered its use. Before he discovered its use, man was probably at its mercy. Fires started in nature, by lightning or by the sun, it must have terrified the early man. He did not use it to cook meat as early man ate raw meat. Then one day he discovered that fire, which burnt and hurt, could be useful. From that time, fire ceased to be an enemy and became man’s best friend. Today, we can hardly conceive a life without fire. It cooks our food, provides warmth and burns away rubbish. Fire plays a major part in our lives from birth till we are cremated. Since it has been discovered that food tastes much better and is healthier when cookked, cooking has evolved over the years. Now, there are countless dishes to prepare using fire. Yet, this great friend can be a very dangerous enemy. In its natural state, fire can break out at any moment – usually through careless handling – causing devastating harm. Destruction of lives and property by fire is one of the, almost, daily disasters in the world. Not even the most developed countries are exempt from this. All anyone can do is take as many precautions as possible to fight it when it occurs. Frequently when fires break out, humans are helpless and great losses occur before the fires are brought under control. Even in the wild, fire does not have to be a villain. Fire is actually vital to the survival of several species. It remove slow growing underbush, cleanses the forest floor of debris, opens it up to sunlight and nourishes the soil. Established trees have to compete with undergrowth for nutrients and space. Fire clears the weaker trees and returns health to the forest. Clearing bush from the forest floor with low intensity flames helps prevent large damaging wildfires that spread out of control and completely destroy forests. Wildlands provide habitat to forest animals and birds. Fire clears wildlands of heavy bush, leaving room for new grasses, herbs and regenerated shrubs that provide food and habitat for many wildlife species. So fire is both a bosom friend and a deadly enemy. When it is kept under control, it is one of the greatest boons known to humanity. However, when it gets out of control or when used for destruction, it is a devastating force which leaves man completely helpless and even dead. Fore also kills diseases and insects that prey on trees and provides valuable nutrients that enrich the soil More trees die each year from insect infestation and disease than from fire. Fire kills pests and keeps the forest healthy. Vegetation that is burnt by fire provides a rich source of nutrients that nourish remaining trees. One another note, man too uses fire for destructive purposes. Most weapons are based on the principle of fire. This applies to simple devices like handguns, artillery pices of fire and nuclear bombs. The main destructive element in weapons or at least the trigger is fire based. In this case, it is not fire, which is a danger in itself but rather because it is used for destructive purposes. Uncontrolled fire which spreads and becomes big is a deadly enemy. It destroys properties, belongings and takes away lives.