Thursday, October 10, 2019

Disney: The Decision

Eisner and some of the executives were very interested in expanding and building a new theme park. When they were attending a meeting in Virginia, they were impressed by the post war restoration. The idea of building a theme park with American history as the main idea came to Eisner at that time. The idea became a plan and soon the executives of Disney found suitable land that was affordable with all amenities. An international airport was nearby; the land would not create any environmental issues. It was also near an interstate highway. The politicians of the state were also for development and growth.The land identified with all these benefits was in Prince William County in the heart of Virginia’s Piedmont region. What Eisner may not have known at that time was that the Piedmont region was home to some of Americas most influential and wealthy people. The region had also fought off several developmental projects from that area. Once the announcement was made by Disney about the building of the theme park, opposition started rising from most of the wealthiest people from the region. There was also opposition from various organizations like The Piedmont Environmental Council.Why Disney America was never built The various organizations started mounting negative publicity against Disney. Disney being an image conscious company was put in a dilemma. Eisner was of the view that the project had to go on. He was also supported by the Virginia’s Governor George Allen. In spite of various campaigns by Eisner, the opposition kept mounting against the project with historians and journalists joining the bandwagon against Disney. All the opposition finally caught up with Eisner who decided that continuing with the project was not worth it.The decision was made because Eisner knew that if the park was opened in spite of the opposition, after it was opened, it could lead to further trouble, especially from the historians. The need for focusing on the other proj ects and the risk to Disney’s reputation were the most important aspects that made Eisner decide not to go ahead with the project. Eisner decided that deciding not to go ahead with the project was the best option under the circumstances. If he had continued with the project, there could have been opposition from Historians who were already campaigning against the project.If Disney had to concentrate all its efforts on the Disney America project then there was a risk of losing focus on its other business concerns. There was also the risk of losing the reputation of Disney that had been built for years. These were the main reasons for ending the project, but the other reasons were because of the problems in the management of Disney where one key executive had died and another had resigned. There were also rumors that there was a leadership crisis in Disney. All these reasons made Eisner deciding against continuing the project.The best choice under the circumstances This was als o the best choice that Eisner had. The project seems to have become a personal ambition for him. He had made remarks in a press release that would not have benefited the company. He also took it upon himself to go ahead with the project. This led to irrational thinking. Monitoring various projects would have actually become difficult if the company had so many hurdles in just a single project. The situation for the Disney company at that time was not good with the EuroDisney making a huge loss and the number of visitors dropping.Fighting a legal battle with the opponents of the park in Piedmont would have drained the resources of the company financially. There is evidence to suggest that Historians would have found fault with the many historical scenes depicted in the theme park, if it had been built. The Piedmont community and the environmentalists were also preparing for a legal battle with monetary contributions pouring in. This would have led to a long legal battle if the park h ad been built. So it was best in the interests of the company that Eisner decided not to go ahead with the building of the Disney America theme park.

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

Comparison of research articles Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Comparison of research articles - Essay Example It is therefore important to carry out an analysis that will show the relationship between vaccination and autism. As such, this article examines two articles that tend to explain the existing relationship between autism and vaccination or immunization. According to Doja and Roberts, autism is basically a neuro-developmental disease that is prevalent among young children, involving behavior deficits (2006). As such, it can be identified that autism disorder occurs among small children and could thus cause complications more so in terms of the children’s communication, interests and behaviors. Notably, whereas an autistic child with low functioning could possess below average cognitive ability and have an injurious attitude, an autistic child with high functioning is most likely to possess a high level of cognitive ability, high communication and verbal skills as well as develop strong relationship tie with peers, family and teachers. Essentially, the article by Gerber and Offit points out that in 1998, Wakefield, et al., published a report which aimed at proving that there was an existing positive relationship between measles-mumps-rubella (MMR), and autism (2009). To illustrate, the article states that Wakefield et al. carried a study which showed that several children developed autistic symptoms just one month after being given the MMR vaccine. Comparatively, Doja and Roberts identifies that Wakefield et al.’s study was done on 12 children that had normal development before undergoing MMR vaccination (2006). Thus, this article states that after undergoing the vaccination, the children were observed to have several abnormalities and complications such as abdominal pains, diarrhea, food intolerance as well as bloating. Furthermore, Wakefield stated that the children who undertook the MMR vaccination experienced behavioral difficulties that depicted the existence of autism (qtd. in Gerber & Offit, 2009; Do ja &

Tuesday, October 8, 2019

Women in the City of the Dead Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Women in the City of the Dead - Essay Example It implies that every woman has a city within her heart, a city that she nurtures from the cradle to the grave and from the womb to the tomb. The stories in this book explain how the women in Cairo (in that era) have to cope with their personal problems, domestic issues and the sociological challenges. It is a tough call viewed from any angle. It has been succinctly described by Helen Watson (1992, p.7) â€Å"Conflict and change tend to have a catastrophic effect on any highly structured system. Women’s increasing presence in the male world of work and money provides great potential for disruption of the complementary nature of male and female roles. This is a cause for considerable concern to both men and women.† The vast cemetery close to the centre of Cairo is the reality as well as the symbol of the past and present life there. The departed souls resting in peace in a number of graves must be watching with concern the developments taking place in the city due to the impact of industrialization, materialistic civilization, and the ambitions of the combustible generation, thousands who migrate to the cities in search of employment to better their prospects and adopt new lifestyles. The author describes about the worst part of this unchecked urbanization thus: â€Å"Families have moved into tomb buildings and ceremonial ante-rooms, and additional dwellings and extensions have been tackled on as required.†(p.4)

Monday, October 7, 2019

Assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Assessment - Essay Example A closed book exam, for example, requires the person being examined to rely on memory to answer the questions. Examinations are also formal or informal. Formal tests normally result in test scores or grades. A standardized test is a type of exam that is usually consistently administered and scored for legal defensibility (Thissen and Wainer, 2001). This type of exam is used in professional certification, education, psychology, military as well as many other fields. On the other hand, non-standardized tests are flexible in format and scope and also variable in significance and scope, as they depend on the person who has set the exam. Why this Assessment Instrument was Chosen This assessment instrument was chosen because it is a universal tool that is applied in many parts of the world. Moreover, it is approved and recognized by many countries, professional and academic bodies. Examination is also the best instrument of assessment because it is very valid and reliable. Almost every per son must undergo through an examination in many areas of life and hence, it is well known and appreciated by people of all races, ages, gender or social backgrounds. Importance of Examination Examination, as an assessment mode started in china and later spread to other parts of the world. Though it was historically used to select people who would serve in the government, it was later applied in education to determine the skills, knowledge and other qualifications of the candidates. ... grades from standardized tests are very useful because they determine if an individual qualifies for a certain job, professional or academic program (Phelps, 2005). In some countries, additionally, standardized tests are used to manage their institution’s quality. For instance, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) applies (PISA), Program for International Student Assessment, to evaluate certain knowledge and skills of students who may be participating from many countries. Furthermore, Phelps, (2005) states that specific governing bodies use standardized exams to determine if the participant has the permission to practice a certain profession, use a certain job title, or claim competency in certain set skills. For instance, a candidate who wishes to be a lawyer is normally required to successfully pass a bar tests by governing bodies like governmental bar licensing agency. Exams are also used to regulate immigration in certain countries. In Australi a, for example, standardized tests are used to award citizenship to immigrants after passing the citizenship test. Competition is another importance of exams. Tests are used to select participants who have success potentials in a competition like school contests. Finally, examinations are used by social or other groups to select individuals who would join their groups. Mensa International, for instance, is a society with high IQ and requires individuals to at least score 98th percentile supervised IQ test to become members (Thissen, and Wainer, 2001). Validity and Reliability Examination is very reliable as an assessment tool especially in education and other professional qualifications. Thissen and Wainer, (2001) believes that standardized exams in education should be continued because it is

Sunday, October 6, 2019

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words - 3

The book Common Sense by Thomas Paine - Essay Example The author is completely against the rule of royals, and believed that in the earlier times there were no kings, and, for the very same reason, there was peace and tranquility among men. But this is not applicable in all ages, as once people get civilized, the question comes about authority and power. The able and the fittest among people urge for superiority and have a want and desire to rule the inferior ones. â€Å"Government by kings was first introduced into the world by the Heathens, from whom the children of Israel copied the custom. It was the most prosperous invention the Devil ever set on foot for the promotion of idolatry†(Paine). So Paine intends to point out that once the government got introduced to the human history, there was a scene of suppression of right and values of the laymen. Pain was of the opinion that, a government or monarchy should not aim at ruling a country or society, but should focus on giving opportunity and space to personal development and gr owth and complete happiness and prosperity of public. Actually, he is completely right on this part, as government should be by the people, for the people, and of the people. A full full-fledged republican outlook, wherein all the common men get what they want in the right proportion is the right thing to be done for the welfare of the common men. Paine writes that human being was born with an equal status and only a tyranny, aristocratic rule or dictatorship could destroy the peace, freedom, and serenity of common man.

Saturday, October 5, 2019

Corrections and Additional Issues in Criminal Justice Essay

Corrections and Additional Issues in Criminal Justice - Essay Example The origins of corrections of the United States criminal justice system date back during the early colonization era; this practice was ascribed from European colonizing countries (May et al, 2007). Corrections generally refer to â€Å"the supervision of persons arrested for, convicted of, or sentenced for criminal offenses† (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2012). Corrections carry varied functions and are performed by different government agencies, which are involved in imposing social control and lessening crimes through punishment and management of those who are sentenced (Stohr et al., 2008). Further, corrections are delimited to three main functions: (1) imprisonment; (2) parole; (3) probation (Garner, 2009). By and large, any offender is not automatically sent to corrections; â€Å"the first exposure most people have to the criminal justice system is the police† (May et al., 2007) after committing any form of legal violation. Before an offender or suspected offender is forwarded to the corrections, the offender will have to undergo a trial on which he or she is given the chance to defend himself or herself against accusations or alleged suspicions; and to clear his or her name. After being found guilty, the offender is now handed in to the corrections, wherein the offender will have to submit to a punishment. In history, punishments were stern and ruthless. Due to deficient resources to construct buildings in which convicted individuals would be incarcerated, early civilizations resorted to some grave punishments; â€Å"defendants who were found guilty were subjected to corporal punishment (physical punishments such as whippings)†¦ or executed soon after the sentence was imposed† (May et al., 2007). However, less inhumane punishments such as shame was also employed as a form of condemnation. With the progression of time, system of executions has likewise progressed into

Friday, October 4, 2019

Advantages of the balance scorecard system Essay Example for Free

Advantages of the balance scorecard system Essay As a non financial measure BSC has significant advantages over the financially focused performance based measurement systems. BSC makes it possible for organizations to develop long term strategies. Because the focus is not only on finances, companies can focus on the business elements the would allow them to create a sustained long term perspective, and therefore assure a longer term financial health. Short term financial yardsticks relies more on accounting, so it runs the risk of neglecting other important areas, such as customer satisfaction. The BSC sees emphasize on better quality and the advantage of  competitive edge provided by its inclusive measurement as equally important, because it is a better forecaster of future financial success. ( Ittner Larcker 2000). Short term forecasting does not consider such elements as new product development non does it encourage innovation. The other advantage is that BSC offers organization the opportunity to announce its objectives and its long term based incentives to the rest of the team. Also it recognizes the importance of intangible assets such human intellects as well as customer loyalty, it recognizes managerial abilities, and the benefits that can accrue  when employees share good relationship with each other. There is no doubt that a lot of organizations are paying attention to their intangible assets. (Ittner larcker 2000). The other important advantage is that it is becoming clearer that BSC could actually be do a better job of forecasting the financial future of an organization. ( Ittner larcker 2000). When companies make investment on customer satisfaction, it has been found to raise financial intake, as well as customer loyalty. This cannot be predicted by a system that focuses only on financial calculations. The BSC helps the organization to bring many corporate programs that are usually disjointed into a single manageable roof. Kaplan and Norton also pointed out that by merely participating in the process of BSC development organizations give themselves an advantage, because they gain a better understanding of the strategy they want to implement. It transforms strategy into performance measures or targets. It helps the company to focus on what it has to do in order to achieve its performance goal. Although the BSC aims to establish a long term strategic process, it is actually brief and  direct to the point because it uses the four perspective to cover essentially all its system. It helps the team to learn because the strategies are regularly discussed. Also BSC is not limited to corporate offices, Kaplan and Norton cited the example of Exxon Mobile, it extended its BSC to all its stations, and they reported significant rise in customer satisfaction. It is important to be able to transfer the strategy to local outlets. And BSC does that. ( Kaplan Norton 2002). As has been discussed on this discourse, there are some disadvantages associated with BSC. For one it is expensive to implement, and it can take a lot of time. Considering the fact that financial measurement only system is measured based on finances only, the BSC does not have a common denominator measurement, and it does not have causal links with the rest of the measuring strategies. The facts are that most companies now report that using financially based measurement system is no longer adequate to formulate their true long term strategy. Emphasis on earnings and accounting returns are no longer persuasive enough in providing the complete picture to organizations. (Ittner Larcker 2000).