Importance of Ethics in Business as an Academic Discipline

0. 1OUTLINE OF THIS PAPER This paper is discussed under the following broad areas: Preliminaries 1. Statement of the Problem 2. Executive Summary Main Paper 1. Introduction to Business Ethics 2. Ethics as an Academic Discipline 3. Importance of Ethics in Business as an Academic Discipline 4. The Case Against Business Ethics Education 5. Conclusion 0. 2STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM Question 1: Discuss the importance of Ethics in business as an Academic Discipline. 0. 3EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In today’s highly competitive, performance-driven business climate, regulations are not enough; professional ethics codes are not enough; the old model of â€Å"business ethics† is not enough. According to a 2003 survey of corporate directors and general counsel conducted by the National Association of Corporate Directors and the American Corporate Counsel Association, â€Å"†¦the two groups overwhelmingly agree that the single measure that would most improve corporate governance is the establishment by senior management of an ethical business culture. And, â€Å"Another clear message of the survey is that ethical leadership from the top is the key to reducing corporate malfeasance. † Considering the ethical failures in the last several years and the resulting crisis in confidence, a sincere commitment to creating and sustaining an ethical business culture in public and private sectors has never been more important. It is important that each individual feel s personally ethically responsible. How an individual treats others, is affected by the way the individual is treated within the organization or by society. The focus on ethics provides a guide to individual and organizational actions in a consistent manner. The question ethics tries to answer is: â€Å"Is this the right thing to do? The purpose of ethical inquiry is to create a framework of general principles or right and wrong, what one might do, and what one’s duties are. The ethical application in a business situation is for managers to draw a line between morality and individual or institutional self-interest. Ethical analysis involves assessing issues and paying attention to the effects of potential decisions on the lives of those who will be affected. The imperatives of day-to-day organizational performance are so compelling that there is little time or inclination to divert attention to the moral content of organizational decision-making. Morality appears to be so esoteric and qualitative in nature that it lacks substantive relation to objective and quantitative performance. An effective organizational culture should encourage ethical behavior and discourage unethical behavior. Admittedly, ethical behavior may cost the organization. Even though ethical problems in organizations continue to greatly concern society, organizations and individuals, the potential impact that organizational culture can have on ethical behavior has not really been explored. What is needed in today's complicated times is for more organizations to step forward and operate with more positive and ethical cultures. Ethical decision making is key to the very fabric of administration and governance, either in a business setting or government operations. To have an ethical organization or business enterprise, requires: ? having a critical mass of ethically responsible individuals ? romoting norms that encourage ethical behavior ? having leaders who behave ethically and serve as ethical role models for others to emulate. 1. 0INTRODUCTION 1. 1What is Ethics? Ethics has been defined in many different ways by various people, depending on the perceptive they have and also the context of the definition. Some of the thoughts and definitions of term à ¢â‚¬ËœEthics’ are as follows: ? Ethics refers to well based standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to society, fairness or specific virtues. Ethics means the continuous effort of studying our own moral beliefs and our moral conduct, and striving to ensure that we, and the institutions we help to shape, live up to the standards that are reasonable and solidly-based. ? Ethics is the study and development of one’s ethical standards. It is necessary to constantly examine one’s standards to ensure that they are reasonable and well-founded. ? Ethics refers to those standards that impose the reasonable obligations to refrain from behaving in an unacceptable manner, such as rape, stealing, murder, assault, slander or fraud. Ethical standards include standards relating to rights such as rights to life, the right to freedom from injury and the right to privacy. ? Ethics has to do with acting e thically as individuals, creating ethical organizations and governments and making our society as a whole ethical in the way it treats everyone. ? Ethics refers to standards of behavior that tell us how human beings ought to act in the many situations in which they find themselves as friends, parents, children, citizens, business people, and professionals. . 2Definition of Terminologies associated with Ethics What are the differences between values, morals and ethics? They all provide behavioral rules, after all. It may seem like splitting hairs, but the differences can be important when persuading others. Ethics : Ethics may be defined as: rules or standards governing the conduct of a person or the members of a profession. Ethics tend to be codified into a formal system or set of rules which are explicitly adopted by a group of people e. g. medical ethics. Ethics are thus internally defined and adopted, whilst morals tend to be externally imposed on other people. If you accuse someone of being unethical, it is equivalent of calling them unprofessional and may well be taken as a significant insult and perceived more personally than if you called them immoral (which of course they may also not like). Values: Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and shouldn't, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another. Values can be defined as: beliefs of a person or social group in which they have an emotional investment (either for or against something); â€Å"he has very conservatives values† Morals: Morals have a greater social element to values and tend to have a very broad acceptance. Morals are far more about good and bad than other values. We thus judge others more strongly on morals than values. Morals can be defined as: motivation based on ideas of right and wrong. Moral conduct is a mood arousing good behavior with others by showing happy mien, nice wording, and kind manners. Norms: Norms are the behavioral expectations and cues within a society or group. They have been defined as â€Å"the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit. Failure to stick to the rules can result in severe punishments, the most feared of which is exclusion from the group. † They have also been described as the â€Å"customary rules of behavior that coordinate our interactions with others. † The social norms indicate the established and approved ways of doing things, of dress, of speech and of appearance. 1. 3Applications of Ethics Ethics have been adapted in various areas of life such as: Legal ethics This encompasses an ethical code governing the conduct of people engaged in the practice of law. The model rules address the client-lawyer relationship, duties of a lawyer as advocate in adversary proceedings, dealings with persons other than clients, law firms and associations, public service, advertising, and maintaining the integrity of the profession. Respect of client confidences, candor toward the tribunal, truthfulness in statements to others, and professional independence are some of the defining features of legal ethics. Professional responsibility is the area of legal practice that encompasses the duties of attorneys to act in a professional manner, obey the law, avoid conflicts of interest, and put the interests of clients ahead of their own interests. Professional ethics This concerns the moral issues that arise because of the specialist knowledge that professionals attain, and how the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public. The professional carries additional moral responsibilities to those held by the population in general. This is because professionals are capable of making and acting on an informed decision in situations that the general public cannot, because they have not received the relevant training. For example, a layman member of the public could not be held responsible for failing to act to save a car crash victim because they could not give an emergency tracheotomy. This is because they do not have the relevant knowledge. In contrast, a fully trained doctor (with the correct equipment) would be capable of making the correct diagnosis and carrying out the procedure and we would think it wrong if they stood by and failed to help in this situation. You cannot be held accountable for failing to do something that you do not have the ability to do. This additional knowledge also comes with authority and power. The client places trust in the professional on the basis that the service provided will be of benefit to them. It would be quite possible for the professional to use his authority to exploit the client. An obvious example is that of the dentist who carries out unneeded dental work on his patients in order to gain more money. It is likely that the patient will not have sufficient knowledge to question what is being done, and so will undergo and pay for the treatment. Work ethic: This is viewed as a set of values based on the moral virtues of hard work and diligence. It is also a belief in moral benefit of work and its ability to enhance character. Good work ethics may include being ? reliable ? having initiative ? maintaining social skills 1. 4Branches of Ethics Descriptive Ethics – it simply involves describing how people behave and/or what sorts of moral standards they claim to follow. Descriptive ethics will include research from the fields of anthropology, psychology, sociology and history in order to determine what people do or have believed about moral norms. . g. a description of what corporations and executives actually do value Descriptive ethics is sometimes referred to as comparative ethics because so much activity can involve comparing ethical systems: comparing the ethics of the past to the present, comparing the ethics of one society to another and comparing the ethics which people claim to follow with the actual rules of con duct which do describe their actions. All said, descriptive ethics asks two basic questions: 1. What do people claim as their moral norms? 2. How do people actually behave when it comes to moral problems? Metaethics – this investigates where our ethical principles come from, and what they mean. Are they merely social inventions? Do they involve more than expressions of our individual emotions? It is a philosophical study of the meaning, nature and methodology of moral judgments and terms, relations between moral concepts, the correct ways of arguing about moral issues, similarities and differences between various normative systems (e. g. , morality, religion, law, etiquette, aesthetics, the requirements of prudence, the judgments of taste), etc. There are questions about morality that are not concerned with its content, being neither questions on what principles there should be nor how we must live. These spring instead from puzzles about the logical form of morality. For example, the question of the objectivity or subjectivity of moral judgements and the problem of the logical relation between moral beliefs and factual beliefs are not directly concerned with the content of any particular form of moral life, but with what the general logical rules of any morality or any moral argument, whatever it advocates or condemns, must be. According to Richard Garner and Bernard Rosen, there are three kinds of meta-ethical problems, or three general questions: ? What is the meaning of moral terms or judgments? ? What is the nature of moral judgments? ? How may moral judgments be supported or defended? A question of the first type might be, â€Å"What do the words ‘good', ‘bad', ‘right' and ‘wrong' mean? † For example, until you have decided whether moral beliefs reflect some objective truth or are dependent on the personal desires of their holders you cannot know what form of argument is appropriate for the support or refutation of any given belief. Indeed you may not know if rational argument about morality is possible at all. Normative ethics Takes on the task of arriving at moral standards that regulate right and wrong conduct. This may involve articulating the good habits that we should acquire, the duties that we should follow, or the consequences of our behavior on others. Normative ethics is concerned with classifying actions as right and wrong without bias, as opposed to applied ethics. e. g. an account of what corporations and executives should value Applied ethics involves examining specific controversial issues, such as abortion, infanticide, animal rights, environmental concerns, homosexuality, capital punishment, or nuclear war. By using the conceptual tools of metaethics and normative ethics, discussions in applied ethics try to resolve these controversial issues. The lines of distinction between metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics are often blurry. For example, the issue of abortion is an applied ethical topic since it involves a specific type of controversial behavior. But it also depends on more general normative principles, such as the right of self-rule and the right to life, which are litmus tests for determining the morality of that procedure. The issue also rests on metaethical issues such as, â€Å"where do rights come from? † and â€Å"what kind of beings have rights? † 1. 5Core Ethical Values The following recommended core ethical values were developed based on research by the program founder, Dr. Ron Bucknam, for the development of an applied ethics in professional practice program to assist in evolving solutions to ethical dilemmas encountered in professional practice. Integrity o exercising good judgment in professional practice o adherence to ethical principles ? Honesty ? truthfulness ? fairness ? sincerity ? Fidelity ? faithfulness to clients ? allegiance to the public trust ? loyalty to employer, firm or agency ? loyalty to the profession ? for the theist, faithfulness to God ? Charity 1) kindness 2) caring 3) good wil l 4) tolerance 5) compassion/mercy ? Responsibility 1. reliability/dependability 2. accountability 3. trustworthiness ? Self-Discipline ? acting with reasonable restraint ? not indulging in excessive behavior All the above ethical values are important to development and maintenance of an ethical business organization as well as an ethical society. 1. 6Development of Ethics The study of business ethics in North America has evolved through five distinct stages: ? Before 1960 ? The 1960’s ? The 1970’s ? The 1980’s ? The 1990’s – and continues to evolve in the 21st century. Ethics in Business Before 1960’s: Ethics in Business Until 1960, ethical issues related to business were often discussed within the domain of theology or philosophy. Catholic collages and universities began to offer courses in social ethics. Protestants also developed ethics courses in their seminars and schools of theology and addressed issues concerning morality and ethics in business. The protestant work ethics encouraged individuals to work hard and attain success in the capitalistic system. Such religious traditions provided a foundation for the future field of business ethics. The 1960’s: The rise of social issues in business The 1960’s saw the decay of inner cities and the growth of ecological problems such as pollution and disposal of toxic and nuclear waste. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered â€Å"special message on protecting the consumer interest†, in which he outlined four basic consumer rights: the right to safety, the right to be informed, the right to choose, and to be heard. This came to be known as the consumer bill of rights. The modern consumer movement began in 1960’s. At this stage, activities that could destabilize the economy or discriminate any class of citizen began to be viewed as unethical The 1970’s: Business ethics as an emerging field Business ethics began to develop as an emerging field of study in the 1970’s. Business professors began to teach and write about corporate social responsibility. Companies became more concerned with their public image. The 1980’s: Consolidation In the 1980’s business academics and practitioners acknowledged business ethics as a field of study. Five hundred courses in business ethics were offered at collages across the country with more than forty thousand students enrolled. Corporations that were once nationally based began operating internationally and found themselves mired in value structures where accepted rules of business behavior no longer applied. The 1990’s: Institutionalization of business ethics The administration of President Clinton continued to support self regulation and free trade. The federal sentencing guidelines for organizations set the tone for organizational ethical compliance programs in 1990’s. Companies were made to develop corporate values, enforce its code of ethics, and strive to prevent misconduct. 1. 7Why Should One Be Ethical? Ethical behavior can be defined as: â€Å"Conducting one’s life in complete accord with a firmly held set of values and principles. † These principles may be derived from religious beliefs, philosophical understanding, etc. Application should be in all areas of one’s life: personal, family, business, social, etc. The question asked by some is whether there is a universal ethical standard for everyone. And the answer is, yes – Ethics is taught in different cultures using various approaches as seen below. Such approaches are at times used in school for more effectiveness. In Principle, there is a universal ethical standard practiced by: Christian principle: The Golden Rule â€Å"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. † Luke 6:29-38 â€Å"Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. † Luke 10:27 Other religions also have their own golden rule, that they teach their believers, which guides the moral and ethical behavioral standard. For example: Islam: No one of you is a believer until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself. Hinduism: Do nothing to thy neighbor which thou wouldst not have him do to thee. Sikhism: Treat others as you would be treated yourself. Buddhism: Hurt not others with that which pains thyself. Confucius: What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others. Aristotle: We should behave to our friends as we wish our friends to behave to us. Plato: May I do to others as I would that they should do unto me. In studying business ethics, we want to know the facts about what people actually do value. But we also want to know what people ought to value. Business ethics asks questions about how things should be done, and thus go beyond simply asking questions about ethos. There is already something odd about this question. It is like asking, â€Å"Why are bachelors unmarried? † They are unmarried by definition. If they were married, they would not be bachelors. It is the same with ethics. To say that one should do something is another way of saying it is ethical. If it is not ethical, then one should not do it. Perhaps when business people ask why they should be ethical, they have a different question in mind: what is the motivation for being good? Is their something in it for them? It is perfectly all right to ask if there is a reward for being good, but this has nothing to do with whether one should be good. It makes no sense to try convincing people that they should be good by pointing to the rewards that may follow. One should be good because â€Å"good† is, by definition, that which one should be. As for motivation, good behavior often brings a reward, but not every time. Think about it. If it were always in one’s interest to be good, there would be no need for ethics. We could simply act selfishly and forget about obligation. People invented ethics precisely because it does not always coincide with self interest. Impacts of not inculcating ethics 2. 0ETHICS AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE 2. 1Can Ethics Be Taught? Of the Institutions that have contributed to the quality of human life, business ranks with science, art, and education. Business has created the wealth that has given unprecedented numbers of individuals financial control of their lives. It has expanded immeasurably the range of goods and services available to individuals. It has broken down countless centuries-old barriers of racial, sexual, religious, and ethnic prejudice. And it has been the vehicle for countless numbers of individuals to develop their fullest potentials in achieving their dreams. In short, business has been a prime mover in making it possible for millions to pursue their lives in a wealthy, healthy, rational and exciting world. Yet no other human institution has been so plagued by suspicions of immorality. â€Å"Business ethics,† the old joke goes, â€Å"Isn't that a contradiction in terms? How moralists evaluate business depends upon their fundamental moral principles. Most moral philosophy has included the assumption that morality and practicality are two different things. Older moralists typically argued that the demands of morality conflicted with the requirements of business practicality, and so condemned business. More recent morali sts tend to adopt a less extreme version of the dichotomy, holding that determining what is practical and what is moral involves following two distinct lines of thought, although what is moral and what is practical happen to coincide in many cases. (Stephen Hicks , PhD. Chairman of the philosophy department at Rockford College, Stephen Hicks is the author of a forthcoming book on business ethics. ) Since Objectivism is unique in its rejection of the traditional dichotomy of the moral and the practical, it offers a unique perspective on the full range of business ethics issues. Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, The Virtue of Selfishness, and Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal remain by far the best presentation of the broader moral context within which to evaluate the various dimensions of business practice. The major issues in business ethics can be classified into four areas: ? The relationship between business and consumers ? The relationship between employers and employees ? The nature and value of special forms of business organization—most notably, that of the corporation ? The nature and value of financial markets The issue of the proper scope of government regulation cuts across these four categories. Miscellaneous issues such as waste disposal (â€Å"the environment†) and investing in morally dubious foreign nations (such as Communist China or Iraq) are often debated in the business ethics literature, but are primarily issues of political theory and so do not fit into the above business ethics categories. Even granting that business ethics is important, many seem to believe that there is no point in studying the subject. Ethics is something you feel, not something you think. Finance, marketing, operations, and even business law lend themselves to intellectual treatment, but ethics does not. The idea that ethics has no intellectual content is odd indeed, considering that some of the most famous intellectuals in world history have given it a central place in their thought (Confucius, Plato, Aristotle, Maimonides, Thomas Aquinas, etc. ). Ethics is in fact a highly developed field that demands close reasoning. The Western tradition in particular has given rise to sophisticated deontological, teleological and consequentialist theories of right and wrong. No one theory explains everything satisfactorily, but the same is true, after all, in the natural sciences. Even when they grant that ethics has intellectual content, people often say that studying the field will not change behavior. Character is formed in early childhood, not during a professor’s lecture. If the suggestion here is that college-level study does not change behavior, we should shut down the entire business school, not only the ethics course. Presumably the claim, then, is that studying finance and marketing can influence one’s conduct, but studying ethics cannot. This is again a curious view, since ethics is the one field that deals explicitly with conduct. Where is the evidence for this view? The early origins of character do not prevent finance and marketing courses from influencing behavior. Why cannot ethics courses also have an effect? Ethics courses have a number of features that seem likely to influence behavior: ? Ethical courses provide a language and conceptual framework with which one can talk and think about ethical issues. Their emphasis on case studies helps to make one aware of the potential consequences of one’s actions. ? They present ethical that theories help define what a valid ethical argument looks like. ? They teach one to make distinctions and avoid fallacies that are so common when people make decisions. ? They give one an opportunity to think through, at one’s leisure, complex ethical issues that are likely to arise later, when there is no time to think. ? They introduce one to such specialized areas as product liability, employment, intellectual property, environmental protection, and cross-cultural management. They give one practice at articulating an ethical position, which can help resist pressure to compromise. None of this convinces one to be good, but it is useful to those who want to be good. It may also improve business conduct in general. ? They enable an individual identify the unethical business conducts that occurs in the business world to-date, for example: o Ac count Fraud o Insider Trading; (of stock and Bonds) o Falsifying Documents o Deceptive Advertising o Defective Products o Bribery o Employee Theft ? They train the society and future generations to be ethical thereby raising the ethical standards in the business world. An individual’s personal values and moral philosophy are only one factor in the ethical decision-making process. The courses enable an individual to distinguish the individuals everyday ethical issues from business ones. ? They enable one to deal with individuals’ personal moral dilemmas as these issues affect everyone’s ability to function on the job. How many of the recent business scandals would have occurred if subordinates had possessed the skills, vocabulary and conceptual equipment to raise an ethical issue with their coworkers? Ethics not only should be studied alongside management, but the two fields are closely related. Business management is all about making the right decisions. Ethics is all about making the right decisions. So what is the difference between the two? Management is concerned with how decisions affect the company, while ethics is concerned about how decisions affect everything. Management operates in the specialized context of the firm, while ethics operates in the general context of the world. Management is therefore part of ethics. A business manager cannot make the right decisions without understanding management in particular as well as ethics in general. Business ethics is management carried out in the real world. This is why usiness majors should study ethics for future benefit in the business world. 3. 0IMPORTANCE OF ETHICS IN BUSINESS AS AN ACADEMIC DISCIPLINE 3. 1Benefits of Ethics in Business Business ethics started developing as an academic discipline in the 1970’s. At this time, theologians and philosophers had laid down the ground work suggesting that certain pri nciples could be applied to the corporate activities. Using this foundation, business professors started to teach and write about corporate social responsibility which is an organization’s obligation to maximize its positive impact to stake holders and to minimize its negative impact. A Marketplace Advantage: When most managers and employees study ethics in learning institutions as an academic discipline, it enables them gain intelligence of business ethics, that later attracts more customers and investors who will have more trust for the corporate practices and values as primary considerations in their decision-making to either, if customers, buy the organization’s product or, if investors, decide to invest in the organization. Superior Employee Performance: With the company employees and management application of their academic gained business ethics practices, the companies with sound business ethics and established values report improved employee morale, reduced employee turnover and increased productivity. As a result, the organization is able to work towards achieving its objectives due to enhanced better performance of the employees. Reputation Management: Workers in the organization can use their academically gained ethical lessons since if an organization is damaged by scandal or unethical behavior, a company’s reputation may never recover – resulting in lost revenue, low employee morale, and increased governmental and public scrutiny. Emphasizing responsible business conduct is the surest means of preserving a company’s intangible assets. Powerful legal and Financial Incentives: Another importance for the organization to follow business ethics is that the international regulatory developments shall provide strong legal and financial incentives to corporations that establish standards of conduct and provide ethics education and training to employees promoting business ethics as an academic discipline and ethical conducts of individuals in the organization. Enhanced Consumer ad employee loyalty: Consumer and employee commitment comes from their belief that their future is attached to the organization and thus are willing to make sacrifices for the organization. Study of ethics as an academic discipline is able to highlight to the consumer and employees the importance to be loyal to one organization; the benefits are reduced prices to the consumers and ability to the seller to understand the customer needs, it also promotes more trust to the employees who are also able to share during the company success periods. Increased Organization Profits: Another importance of business ethics as an academic discipline is that the company can improve its profit base. A company cannot nurture and develop an ethical climate unless it has achieved adequate financial profits. Businesses with greater resources have means to practice social responsibility while serving their customers, valuing their employees, and establishing trust with the public. Many studies have found relationships between corporate social responsibility and business performance. Customer satisfaction: Customer satisfaction is another important value business receives from better ethical operations of the organization that serves its customers and customer satisfaction is one of the most important in an effective business strategy. This can be achieved one way if the business operates ethically by considering the customer expectations and needs as well as avoiding exploitation of the customers. Investor’s loyalty: Investors today are extremely concerned with the organizations ethics, social responsibility, and reputations of the companies in which they invest in. investors also do recognize that the ethical climate provides a foundation of efficiency, productivity and profitability. Many companies such as Global crossing, Adelphia, Freddie Mac lost their investors due to unethical standards in their operations. Differentiating between personal and business ethics: Many people believe that individual’s ethics can be applied in the business setting, that is, wrong study of business ethics as an academic discipline helps to give a difference between the personal ethics and business ethics that can be applied in solving the organization’s ethical dilemmas. Identification of ethical issues: Study of ethics as an academic discipline also helps in enlightening individuals on ways to identify and deal with business ethics issues. It also enables both organizations and individuals to learn about ethical decision making and ways to promote ethical standards in the organization. By studying business ethics one begins to understand how to cope with conflicts. Promotion of organization responsibility: Study of ethics as an academic discipline also helps to ensure the organization undertakes its responsibility in the society and help solve the company stake holder’s problems. 3. 2Societal Costs of Unethical Behavior 1. Law enforcement and other security personnel 2. Physical protection (locks, electronic security, fences, vaults, etc. ) 3. A substantial portion of attorney and court system costs 4. Some welfare costs 5. Costs of collecting taxes 6. Wasted/misused investment funds . A substantial portion of accounting/auditing costs 8. A large fraction of costs for regulators and examiners 9. Some marketing/advertising costs 10. Costs for institutions like better business bureaus, consumer protection agencies 11. Some costs of bankruptcy 12. Lack of investment from outside investors, tourists 3. 3Business Costs of Unethical Behavior 1. Loss of physical as sets 2. Increased costs of security 3. Loss of customers – especially those who value ethics 4. Loss of employees especially – the more ethical 5. Loss of reputation 6. Increased legal costs 7. Higher costs of debt 8. Loss of investor confidence (lower stock price, difficulty in raising funds, problems with lenders) 9. Regulatory intrusion 10. Costs of bankruptcy 3. 4How Does Ethical Behavior Add Value? Better information a. Trust from investors b. Lower costs for audits, controls, investigations c. Better allocation of resources d. Customers will be more loyal e. Lower costs from suppliers f. Attracting and retaining better employees Fair competition g. Lowers cost of business in economy h. Leads to better decision-making (do what’s best for firm, not one individual) i. Improves competitive nature of a country’s economy Just compensation j. Creates a more vibrant, entrepreneurial economy k. Attracts and retains better employees Rights of others l. Draws upon talents of wider set of individuals m. Develops long-term respect from the community n. Maintains the environment for long-term value to all 3. 5How Can Ethical Values be Taught? Level 1: The Foundation – Personal Ethical Understanding ? Concepts of right and wrong, fair play, respect for rights of others, honesty, personal integrity ? Best learned in the home at an early age – and follow-up is needed throughout life ? Institutions (churches, schools, etc. can help ? Difficult to â€Å"back fill† in adulthood Level 2: Application to Business – Application of Ethics to Business Situations ? Can be taught in management education and organizations – provided students have a personal understanding of ethics ? Taught by modeling (cases and personal example are helpful) ? Can be reinforced by policies, codes of ethic s, training ? Businesses can teach through proper modeling: â€Å"Companies also have to further strengthen ethics management and social responsibility activities to improve their public image’’ – Korean Commerce-Industry-Energy Minister Lee Hee-beom. Level 3: Ethical Courage ? It is not sufficient to simply understand ethical principles ? One must have the courage to pay a price for being ethical ? Examples can be helpful—case studies showing people willing to stand up for ethical principles ? Again, it helps to have â€Å"practiced† ethical behavior over many years—especially in small things Level 4: Ethical Leadership ? The ability and willingness to encourage others to behave ethically ? Can be taught through cases, problem solving, study of successful organizations ? Developing an organizational climate that fosters ethical behavior ? Structuring policies that encourages ethics ? Behaving ethically while facing the pressures of leadership 3. 6Challenges of Teaching Ethics & Ethical Dilemma As the twenty-first century approaches, companies face a variety of changes and challenges that will have a profound impact on organizational dynamics and performance. In many ways, these changes will decide who will survive and prosper into the next century and who will not. Among these challenges are the following: ? The challenge of international competition. The challenge of new technologies. ? The challenge of increased quality. ? The challenge of employee motivation and commitment. ? The challenge of managing a diverse workforce. ? The challenge of ethical behavior. 3. 7Ethics and The Challenge Of Ethical Behavior The word â€Å"ethics† is often in the news these days. Ethics is a philosophical term derived from the Greek word â€Å"ethos† m eaning character or custom. This definition is germane to effective leadership in organizations in that it connotes an organization code conveying moral integrity and consistent values in service to the public. Certain organizations will commit themselves to a philosophy in a formal pronouncement of a Code of Ethics or Standards of Conduct. Having done so, the recorded idealism is distributed or shelved, and all too often that is that. Other organizations, however, will be concerned with aspects of ethics of greater specificity, usefulness, and consistency. Formally defined, ethical behavior is that which is morally accepted as â€Å"good† and â€Å"right† as opposed to â€Å"bad† or â€Å"wrong† in a particular setting. Is it ethical, for example, to pay a bribe to obtain a business contract in a foreign country? Is it ethical to allow your company to withhold information that might discourage a job candidate from joining your organization? Is it ethical to ask someone to take a job you know will not be good for their career progress? Is it ethical to do personal business on company time? The list of examples could go on and on. Despite one's initial inclinations in response to these questions, the major point of it all is to remind organizations that the public-at-large is demanding that government officials, managers, workers in general, and the organizations they represent all act according to high ethical and moral tandards. The future will bring a renewed concern with maintaining high standards of ethical behavior in organizational transactions and in the workplace. Many executives, administrators, and social scientists see unethical behavior as a cancer working on the fabric of society in too many of today's organizations and beyond. Many are concerned that we face a crisis of ethics in the West that is undermining our competitive strength. This crisis involves business-people, government officials, customers, and employees. Especially worrisome is unethical behavior among employees at all levels of the organization. For example, a recent study found that employees accounted for a higher percentage of retail thefts than did customers (Silverstein, 1989). The study estimated that one in every fifteen employees steals from his or her employer. In addition, we hear about illegal and unethical behavior on Wall Street, pension scandals in which disreputable executives gamble on risky business ventures with employees' retirement funds, companies that expose their workers to hazardous working conditions, and blatant favoritism in hiring and promotion practices. Although such practices occur throughout the world, their presence nonetheless serves to remind us of the challenge facing organizations. This challenge is especially difficult because standards for what constitutes ethical behavior lie in a â€Å"grey zone† where clear-cut right-versus wrong answers may not always exist. As a result, sometimes unethical behavior is forced on organizations by the environment in which it exists and laws such as the Foreign Corruption Practices Act. For example, if you were a sales representative for an American company abroad and your foreign competitors used bribes to get business, what would you do? In the United States such behavior is illegal, yet it is perfectly acceptable in other countries. What is ethical here? Similarly, in many countries women are systematically discriminated against in the workplace; it is felt that their place is in the home. In the United States, again, this practice is illegal. If you ran an American company in one of these countries, would you hire women in important positions? If you did, your company might be isolated in the larger business community, and you might lose business. If you did not, you might be violating what most Americans believe to be fair business practices. The effective management of ethical issues requires that organizations ensure that their managers and employees know how to deal with ethical issues in their everyday work lives. Therefore, organizational members must first understand some of the underlying reasons for the occurrence of unethical practices. 3. 8Unethical Behavior: Why Does It Occur In Organizations? The potential for individuals and organizations to behave unethically is limitless. Unfortunately, this potential is too frequently realized. Consider, for example, how greed overtook concerns about human welfare when the Manville Corporation suppressed evidence that asbestos inhalation was killing its employees, or when Ford failed to correct a known defect that made its Pinto vulnerable to gas tank explosions following low speed rear-end collisions (Bucholz, I 989). One answer to the question of why individuals knowingly commit unethical actions is based on the idea that organizations often reward behaviors that violate ethical standards. Consider, for example, how many business executives are expected to deal in bribes and payoffs, despite the negative publicity and ambiguity of some laws, and how good corporate citizens who blow the whistle on organizational wrongdoing may fear being punished for their actions. Jansen and Von Glinow (1985) explain that organizations tend to develop counternorms, accepted organizational practices that are contrary to prevailing ethical standards. It is not too difficult to recognize how individuals can knowingly engage in unethical practices with such mentalities. The overemphasis on short-term monetary gain and getting votes in the next election may lead to decisions and rationalizations that not only hurt individuals in the long run, but threaten the very existence of organizations themselves. Some common rationalizations used to justify unethical behavior are easily derived from Gellerman (1986): ? Pretending the behavior is not really unethical or illegal. ? Excusing the behavior by saying it's really in the organizations or your best interest. ? Assuming the behavior is okay because no one else would ever be expected to find out about it. Expecting your superiors to support and protect you if anything should go wrong. Rules, procedures, and other control mechanisms often lag behind growth of a firm, providing organizational members with an opportunity to behave illegally because no internal rules prescribe such behavior. Predisposition indicates a tendency or inclination to select certain activities–illegal ones–over activit ies because of socialization or other organizational processes. Baucus and Near (1991) avoid the assumption that a firm's managers or agents subscribe to a different set of ethical standards than the rest of society. Instead, they recognize that organizations, and industries, can exert a powerful influence on their members, even those who initially have fairly strong ethical standards. Certain industry cultures may predispose organizations to develop cultures that encourage their members to select unethical acts. If an organization's major competitors in an industry are performing well, in part as a result of unethical activities, it becomes difficult for organizational members to choose only unethical actions, and they may regard unethical actions as a standard of industry practice. Such a scenario results in an organizational culture that serves as a strong precipitant to unethical actions. The next section looks at the organizational culture-ethical behavior relationship. The ethical climate of an organization is the shared set of understandings about what correct behavior is and how ethical issues will be handled. This climate sets the tone for decision making at all levels and in all circumstances. Some of the factors that may be emphasized in different ethical climates of organizations are (Hunt, 1991; Schneider and Rentsch, 1991): ? Personal self-interest ? Company profit ? Operating efficiency ? Individual friendships ? Team interests ? Social responsibility ? Personal morality ? Rules and standard procedures ? Laws and professional codes Pressure, opportunity, and predisposition can all lead to unethical activities; however, organizations must still take a proactive stance to promote an ethical climate. The final section provides some useful suggestions available to organizations for creating a more ethical climate. 3. 9Promoting an Ethical Climate: Some Suggestions and Strategies Recent literature has suggested several strategies for promoting ethical behavior in organizations. (Adler and Bird, 1988; Burns, 1987; Harrington, 1991; Raelin, 1987; Stead etal. , 1990). 1. First, chief executives should encourage ethical consciousness in their organizations from the top down showing the support and care about ethical practices. 2. Second, formal processes should be used to support and reinforce ethical behavior. For example, internal regulation may involve the use of codes of corporate ethics, and the availability of appeals processes. 3. Finally, it is recommended that the philosophies of top managers as well as immediate supervisors focus on the institutionalization of ethical norms and practices that are incorporated into all organizational levels. The philosophies of top managers as well as immediate supervisors represent a critical organizational factor influencing the ethical behavior of employees (Stead etal. , 1990). A seven-step checklist that organizations should use to help their employees in dealing with an ethical dilemma (Schermerhorn, 1989; Otten, 1986): 1. Recognize and clarify the dilemma. 2. Get all the possible facts. . List all your options. 4. Test each option by asking: â€Å"Is it legal? Is it right? Is it beneficial? † 5. Make your decision. 6. Double check your decision by asking: â€Å"How would I feel if my family found out about this? How would I feel if my decision was printed in the local newspaper? † 7. Take action. An effective organizational culture should encourage ethic al behavior and discourage unethical behavior. Admittedly, ethical behavior may â€Å"cost† the organization. An example might be the loss of sales when a multinational firm refuses to pay a bribe to secure business in a particular country. Certainly, individuals might be reinforced for behaving unethically (particularly if they do not get caught). In a similar fashion, an organization might seem to gain from unethical actions. For example, a purchasing agent for a large corporation might be bribed to purchase all needed office supplies from a particular supplier. However, such gains are often short-term rather than long-term in nature. In the long run, an organization cannot operate if its prevailing culture and values are not congruent with those of society. This is just as true as the observation that, in the long run, an organization cannot survive unless it produces goods and services that society wants and needs. Thus an organizational culture that promotes ethical behavior is not only more compatible with prevailing cultural values, but, in fact, makes good sense. Although much remains to be learned about why ethical behavior occurs in organizations and creating and maintaining organizational cultures that encourage ethical behavior, organizations can benefit from the following suggestions: ? Be realistic in setting values and goals regarding employment relationships. Do not promise what the organization cannot deliver. ? Encourage input throughout the organization regarding appropriate values and practices for implementing the cultures. Choose values that represent the views of employees at all levels of the organization. ? Do not automatically opt for a â€Å"strong† culture. Explore methods to provide for diversity and dissent, such as grievance or complaint mechanisms or other internal review procedures. ? Insure that a whistle-blowing and/or ethical concerns procedure is established for internal problem-solving (Harrington, 1991). Provide ethics training programs for all employees. These programs should explain the underlying ethical and legal (Drake and Drake, 1988) principles and present practical aspects of carrying our procedural guidelines. Understand that not all ethical situations are clear-cut. Like many basic business situations, the organization should recognize that there are ambiguous, grey areas where ethical tradeoffs may be necessary. More importantly, some situations have no simple solution (Cooke, 1991). ? Integrate ethical decision-making into the performance appraisal process. . 0THE CASE AGAINST BUSINESS ETHICS EDUCATION 4. 1The Milton Friedman Argument According to Milton Friedman’s philosophy it states that the ethical duty of business people is to maximize profit. He also says in his philosophy that businesses should be concerned with stakeholders’ wealth maximization which requires competency in their business. This means that they (business people) should study marketing, finance, and operations and should not waste time studying ethics. Freidman advances two main arguments for his position. First that corporate executives and directors are not qualified to do anything other than maximize profit. Business people are experts at making money, not making social policy, and it is by making money, that they contribute to human welfare. They lack the perspective and training to address complex social problems, which should be left to government and social service agencies The second argument which is rooted in Friedman’s libertarian philosophy maintains that corporate officers have no right to do anything other than maximize profit. Corporate officers have no right to spend investors’ money on social welfare. Sole proprietors can spend the company’s money the way they want, since it is their money, but fiduciaries and hired managers have no such privileges. If they want to contribute to social causes, they are free to donate as much of their own money as they please. In the first argument, determining just how far they should go in order to meet this goal is what business ethics is all about. Business ethics rather than social ethics in general is the required competency. Students concede to this in that once business ethics is distinguished from ethics in general simply collapses into the duty of maximizing profit under the law. There are no specifically business related obligations than this and no training beyond business law and the traditional managerial skills is required. 4. 2The Argument from Incentives This argument begins with the familiar hypothesis that economic phenomena are best explained as resulting from the choices of utility maximizing, self interested individuals. Moral sentiments therefore play no significant role in economic life. Even if there are duties beyond profit maximization, the only way to encourage ethical behavior is to install financial and legal incentives. Business People respond to these not ethics lectures. If business people behave ethically, it is only because financial inducements and legal sanctions are properly calibrated, not because Kant or Aristotle inspired them to do the right thing. For example in the U. S. business scandals can only be addressed by such measures as regulatory reform, improved corporate governance, and removal of conflict of interest. Ethics instructions have no place in this picture. 4. 3The Gut Feeling Argument One cannot study ethics in a meaningful sense anyway, since it is something ou feel, not something you think about. Ethical judgment is seen as an essentially non-rational function that is tied to emotions and early childhood development. 4. 4The Moral Development Argument. Moral character is formed in early childhood, not while sitting in ethics class. By the time students enter business school, it is too late to change. One learns ethics from mom and dad, not from college professors. Moral chara cter is fixed early in life. This does not imply that ethics instruction serves no useful purpose, since it can change behavior even if it doesn’t change character. The opponents of ethics education presumably concedes that finance, marketing and operations courses change behavior, but insist that ethics courses do not. Where is the evidence showing the ethics which directly deals with how one should behave, incapable of changing behavior? There are a number of reasons to suspect that ethics instructions can affect conduct without going as far as to change character. They are: ? It provides a language and conceptual framework with which one can talk and think about ethical issues. Its emphasis on case studies helps to make one aware of the potential consequences of ones actions. It presents ethical theories that help define what a valid ethical argument looks like. It teaches one to make distinctions and avoid fallacies that are so common when people make decisions. ? It gives one an opportunity to think through, at ones leisure, complex ethical issues that are likely to arise later, when there is no time to think. 4. 5The motivational argument This final argument takes us into ethics the first class on the first day of the semester. Even if there is reason to study ethics, business students see no motivation to study it and do not take the subject seriously. Many students object to ethics class with such animus as it is different from others as they say. The finance or marketing instructor enlightens them, but the ethics instructor preaches to them and some students do not want to be preached to, and so react negatively. Accordingly, it is seen that students say that their finance instructors do not try to convince them to make money as the lecturers know the students want to make money and so they tell them how to make the money as opposed to the ethics lecturers who assume that students want to be ethical and so tell them how to. Some instructors have devised a number of strategies to overcome this issue. They convince students that ethical conduct is smart business, because they can â€Å"do well by doing good†. They integrate discussion of ethical issues into courses students’ regard as legitimate, such as finance and marketing. They bring in seasoned executives to talk about how ethics is a constant factor in their decision making. 5. 0CONCLUSION In conclusion, study of business ethics as an academic discipline is important to ensure that the managers are equipped with the tools and knowledge to undertake the ethical judgment about the organization business operations. This study also enables the organization to work towards achieving its objectives it sets to achieve since the stakeholders who contribute to the organization’s success will have more trust in the company to manage their interests in that organization. Even though ethical problems in organizations continue to greatly concern society, organizations, and individuals, the potential impact that organizational culture can have on ethical behavior has not really been explored (Hellreigel et al. , 1989). The challenge of ethical behavior must be met by organizations if they are truly concerned about survival and competitiveness. What is needed in today's complicated times is for more organizations to step forward and operate with strong, positive, and ethical cultures. Organizations have to ensure that their employees know how to deal with ethical issues in their everyday work lives. As a result, when the ethical climate is clear and positive, everyone will know what is expected of them when inevitable ethical dilemmas occur. This can give employees the confidence to be on the lookout for unethical behavior and act with the understanding that what they are doing is considered correct and will be supported by top management and the entire organization. REFERENCES 1. FERRELL, O. C. , FRAEDIRICH, J. & FERRELL, L. (2005). Business Ethics: Ethical Decision Making and Cases. Houghton Mifflin Company, U. S. A. 2. Hooker, J. (April 2003). Why Business Ethics? Carnegie Mellon University. 3. http://wpweb2. tepper. cmu. edu/ethics/whybizethics. pdf 4. http://construct. haifa. ac. il/~danielp/soc/sims. htm 5. http://changingminds. org/explanations/values/values_morals_ethics. htm 6. Friedman, M (1970), â€Å"The Social Responsibility of Business Is To Increase Its Profits,† New York Times Magazine (September 13). 7. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Meta-ethics

Self regulation

Self regulation as defined Jackson and Hackenberg (1996) is the ability a person has to control his or her emotions, desire ad behavior with an aim of managing ones future effectively. In order to attain self regulation, an individual is needed to be able to execute functions in regard to decision making especially during difficult situations.In this view, self regulation can be deemed as stable element that is vital in guiding behavior of a person along distinctive path to a directed goal. However, it is worth noting that self regulation process is characterized by epistemic and procedural in addition to critical volitional factors.For instance, volitional factors like self-regulation failure, discrepancy detection, and goal setting are necessary for scaffolding individuals to attain self regulation. Skinner’s contribution to self regulation concept can be viewed in terms of his need to understand interrelationship between learning and behavior (Skinner, 1953, p. 230). Skinne r (1953) emphasize that learning and behavior are inseparable because, it is difficult to change or influence behavior without understanding how the behavior was learnt.Therefore, behavioral learning theories help psychology practitioners to discover why behavior occurs and how they were learnt to be better positioned to handle them. In this regard, Skinner states that in order to relate behavior and learning with regard to self regulating, principles such as Physical Restraint and physical aid, Manipulating emotional conditions, changing the stimulus, Punishment, Operant conditioning, Depriving and satiating, Using aversive stimulation, and Drugs are of essence (Skinner, 1953).This principles for attainment of self regulation that are fundamental to practitioners to treat and manage addictions and psychological disorders (p. 230).The applicability of skinner’s principles of self control can be clearly seen to be relevant to date in terms of effective curriculums designs, beh avioral approaches such as child-rearing and the example of utopian community by Walden, human resources management, and psychotherapy where desired behaviors are encouraged using rewards, while unwanted behavior are discouraged (Vohs et al., 2008). References Jackson, K. , & Hackenberg, T. D. , (1996) â€Å"Token reinforcement, choice, and self-control in pigeons† Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 66, p. 29-49 Skinner, B. F. (1953) Science and Human Behavior, p. 230 Vohs KD, Baumeister RF, Schmeichel BJ, Twenge JM, Nelson NM, Tice DM (May 2008). â€Å"Making choices impairs subsequent self-control† J Pers Soc Psychol 94 (5): 883–98.

Analysis of The Merchant of Venice

Analysis of The Merchant of Venice Short plot summary. The film is about the jewish businessman Shylock who lived during the 1500’s. The wealthy prince Antonio wants to borrow money with reason to help his friend Bassanio. Antonio invested all his money on merchant ship’s. But, Antonio’s plan failed – the merchant ship’s were wrecked and now he didn’t have the money to re-pay Shylock. When Shylock didn’t receive his money, he and Antonio both agreed that Shylock would receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body. The married couple Bassanio and Portia, are friends with Antonio and they realized they had to help him.Portia offered Shylock triple the amount of what the money was really worth. Shylock rejected the offer but Portia had a plan to solve the dilemma – Disguise as a male judge to save her friend and also be more extreme by making Shylock worthless. Analysis. In the movie there are several motives such as good vs. evil, kindness and cruelty, religion dilemmas (Christian vs. Jew), tragedy etc. These opposites are all common with Shakespeare’s writings. Among the main character’s, Antonio is the one who is unselfish because he wants to help his friend, he represents goodness.Shylock isn’t actually the â€Å"evil-one†, he’s more of a vindictive individual because he lives in a society full of anti-Semitism and with a daughter who left him for a Christian man. I think Shylock has full right to receive a pound of flesh from Antonio’s body because both parties signed a contract (they both agreed on this) The movie is also about destiny and power. Whatever happened to the merchant ships is nothing Antonio, or any other human, can do about it. When Antonio borrows money of Shylock, he gives the Jewish businessman all the power.During the final scene when they’re all gathered in court, Shakespeare clearly shows he wants to maintain the Christian morali ty and make Shylock â€Å"clean† by converting to Christianity. Because Shylock is a Jew, he’s featured as an evil person. From the film’s and Shakespeare’s perspective, there is only one religion that is acceptable. This could be a symbol for the fights between the two religions and the main characters. Revenge is one of the main parts in this movie. Shylock uses his work and abundance to pursue his revenge. If the loan never had occurred Shylock would never had been able to take the evenge to another level. Though Shylock never succeeded his revenge, his main goal was vengeance and never hesitated to stop his work. Tragedy occurs when Shylock looses everything in court and has to beg for mercy. He has to give all his abundance to his daughter, convert to Christianity. He didn’t do anything wrong, lived in a anti-semitism society. Above all, he had a signed contract of the deal. But, Portia’s rhetorical skills turned the situation around wh en she argued that no blood, not more than the weight of a pound was allowed when cutting the flesh. This was impossible to accomplish.

Mathematics idea Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Mathematics idea - Assignment Example Lastly, data error results from measurements, analysis techniques, or interpretation (Meyer 128). In the above scenario, there are both formulation and numerical errors. The formulation error is evident in the assumptions made during the modeling of the concept. For instance, the modeling assumes that in every century there are only 4 generations, that is, children are born after every 25 years. This is an incorrect and inconsistent assumption leading to the formulation error within the model. Moreover, the model assumes that in as much as there are various generations, each generation had given birth to other generations. This is another incorrect and inconsistent assumption. In respect to the numerical errors, the above model does not have a consistent and accurate domain selection. The selection of the domain has been significantly influenced by the end result of the model and not the accurate steps required. Therefore, in this model, it is the end justifying the means and not the means justifying the end. These two errors make the mathematical model to be inaccurate and/or

Americans Constitutional Rights for Privacy Research Paper

Americans Constitutional Rights for Privacy - Research Paper Example American’s Constitutional Rights for Privacy The â€Å"war on terror† was introduced by George W Bush, which offered more power and authority to US intelligence agencies as the surveillance has become an acknowledged mechanism to assist in thwarting terrorist attacks in the near future. US government claimed that war on terrorism , and the enactment of Patriot Act are mainly intended to safeguard USA and its citizens from the future terrorist attack or to avert another 9/11 type attack. The main aim of the NSA (National Security Agency) of USA is to gather intelligence data and information so as to carryout national operation for foreign intelligence. SIGINT is the signal intelligence which involves collection data from foreign intelligence agencies, for helping missions carried over by the US government which includes narcotic and crime deterrence, military missions, foreign diplomacy, etc. The FISA (Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 1978) controls the gathering of foreign intelligence data and it covers wiretapping, electronic eavesdropping, physical ingress by intelligence agents and trap/ pen orders. Before eavesdropping, intelligence agency has to obtain a warrant from the FISA court (Carmen 2012). Whistle blowing against US government is not a new phenomenon. Earlier, in 1971, Daniel Ellsberg exposed how the US public had been hoodwinked about Vietnam War. Julian Assange leaked US documents about US’s engagement of war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Causal Analysis of Will Dropouts Save America Research Paper

Causal Analysis of Will Dropouts Save America - Research Paper Example † However, while Ellsberg commits to this type of sentiments of the present and expresses sold-out support for the seemingly majestic concretized idea in start-up entrepreneurship comprised mainly of prominent college dropouts, does it ever occur to him to ponder on how the world would look with money-driven human beings who act, talk, treat, and think like some crazy engine for dough all the time? For one, having thought ahead of the possible scenarios with that and what I would most likely feel about each of them, I am rather afraid of acquiring much trouble in coping with that kind of future Ellsberg insists in his sphere of change and investments. Perhaps we need not be upset with the way he perceives how economic conflicts, particularly the issues on unemployment, ought to be taken care of in the light of modifying an aspect of educational system so as to snap out rigidity in the curriculum. Maybe it is through this curricular flexibility that we can opt to find hope and r ealize that exploring beyond the conventional academic realms enables studying individuals to learn the remarkable key to economic potentials and thereby succeed with the targeted growth in professional goals. This is all fine and to some extent, relieving to know, but just because we are in dire necessity of rectifying certain directions with the traditional approach does not have to mean we must abolish proper education altogether and become entrepreneurs whether or not we are inclined to be. What Ellsberg’s paradigm appears to lack in understanding is that in truth, people by nature are free wanderers seeking true knowledge despite socio-political weather and economic conditions. Regardless of age and period, history has made us observe how indispensable an asset critical thinking is for the well-being of mankind as citizenry and as an entire nation. There can be no critical or creative thinking without valuable learning and there can be no valuable learning without an ins titution that serves a systematic way of educating people especially the youth. We must not forget that our capacity to think with the utmost sensibility is generated by our unconscious embrace of discipline and teachings in school. No matter how much we admit on not having a choice but to deal with academic tasks that take up considerable time and energy from us, at some point later, wherever we are or howsoever we come to be, a spur of wisdom pops to us and renders us capable of drawing inexplicable insights. It may be a little difficult to justify such statement without actual encounter yet certainly, a natural wonder of sound intellect is not something that Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or Paul Allen could afford to impart to an individual who is after a deeper sense of fulfillment in life. Definitely, I would never want myself nor my children and even my children’s grandchildren to miss on the fundamentals of sciences, mathematics, history, and classic literature to delight wi th for subjects like these are priceless and can only be delivered with heart by a faculty that believes and discerns the principles of good education more than those of material wealth. Attempts to resolve joblessness and associated educational demands should be held in great regard but never at the expense of one’s scholastic foundation which is highly essential in living, that there is no probable way it could

Exploratory argument on what has come to be called the school - to - Essay

Exploratory argument on what has come to be called the school - to - prison pipeline - Essay Example The STPP has become a social problem since learners drop out, causing social disruptions due to the influence of the policies. Primarily, radical changes are required within the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) act and the Zero tolerance policy to bring back education to its worth of content instead of test scores, image and funding. When learners are well provided with the test and material, administrators and teachers not only require them to prosper, but are more disturbed with the students’ failures, since they miss sufficient funding (Christle,  Jolivette & Nelson,  2005). This makes the education phase to be merely on money and funds instead of content oriented system. When schools became victims of little test score due to the societal economic standpoint, offense ridden where imprisonment is high and other contributing social issues, then administrators and teachers are put in a situation where they cannot come out of the issues within the time frame. Besides, given tha t the social populations of the society are wealthier and safe, it is believed that they have higher scores due to some benefits; they are not adequately learning the content but rather for further grants. The administrators and teachers have perceived the test scores and material as a dollar symbol to get federal funding; denying learners the chance to acquire the full knowledge of an education. The next factor to the social problem of the STPP (School to Prison Pipeline) is the Zero Tolerance rule. All schools in US (United States) have Zero tolerance rules meant to make learning institutions a safe place by keeping drugs and weapons out of them. In retrospect, the Zero Tolerance appears to ensure that the learners are safe in mind. However, the effects of expulsion and suspension do not appear reasonable. When a leaner is suspended and stopped from coming to school, he or she looses much of the learning time. Besides, expulsing or suspending a student makes his or her drops back on the learning, making them not to care about education hence dropping out of school. Drop out of learners with little life skills and education make students to resort to more criminal offenses and activities. The huge investment done by the US government on the criminal justice policy instead of education system is worrying and increases the risk of the (STPP) School to Prison Pipeline. This makes the youth awareness and motivation towards an education system to constantly be low concerning the experience and values of learning. The massive investment being employed into prisons versus education indicates the relation between the little budget of education as well as reduced test scores. Possibly, when much funding is spent on education, learners would get the equipment in education and academia so as not to be part of this trend. When this is adhered to, the social problem of the STPP (School to Prison Pipeline) would effortlessly decline. Besides, to eliminate the aforementione d social issue, teachers, administrators and teachers should be accommodated in adjusting the No Child Left Behind policy. The educational stakeholders such as cabinet secretaries, ministries and political leaders need to recognize the social problems faced by the education system to enable instructors educate and teach learners about the content of the

Some aspect of American Indian literature Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Some aspect of American Indian literature - Essay Example Actors from India have to choose between portraying unflattering portraits of the history and culture or if they have to abandon their hopes of making a living from acting. As Hollywood kept on developing, there was an increasing decline in the Western genre films. This made the depiction of the Indian stereotyping to reduce. Actors of Indian origin almost vanished from audience screens. Were it not for the multi-Oscar win by Kevin Costner in the ‘Dance with Wolves’ in 1990, the actors may have all disappeared. This film brought together some of the prominent Indian actors and offered the audience a developed and sensitive Indian cultural representation. The movie ‘The Last of The Mohicans’ in 1992 also renewed the interest of the audiences in Native American Culture. As Indians were seeking opportunities in Hollywood, they came across several limitations. They were given smaller roles, with only few starring roles available for them. In the recent past, there has been an in increase in the number of Native America scriptwriters and producers, who are working to provide audiences with a new Indian culture perspective. It is now the job of Native Americans to come out and challenge the existing racial stereotypes that have been established by Hollywood filmmakers (Simmon 98). Chris Eyre was able to achieve this with his ‘Smoke Signals’ film in 1998, which was written, directed, and starred by only Native Americans. The film managed to set a benchmark for its presence in Hollywood which is dominated by the westerns. The film is regarded as among the few films that have been widely distributed in which the Indians actors have produced their own narrative. More changes in the film industry were observed in the 1990s. In 1995, Disney came up with the ‘Pocahontas’ which was an animation with the supposed protagonists voiced by Native Irene Bedard (Simmon 25). The movie further served the role of demonstrating the English savagery that has not

Is Mind Indepent of Body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Is Mind Indepent of Body - Essay Example Thus, the mind or brain may interact with the body in a way that it needs it to remain alive and to direct other parts of the body that would make it a coherent body. It is independent however in a way that it is capable of thought and consciousness that other parts of the body does not have. 2. If you consider the mind to be strictly physical (material), then how do thoughts arise out of simple matter? (Or instead: What special "something" do we have that allows for consciousness that other things like chairs do not have?)Â   The brain is not strictly an organic body part that is placed inside the human being’s head whose mere function is limited to physical activity. It is the repository of consciousness that makes us human beings that is separate from the rest of the animals. It is capable of thought, imagination and thinking. Consciousness just resides in the organic life form which is the brain because it is the body that is capable of thought similar to consciousness. Consciousness or electro-magnetic activity in the brain has already been recorded by technology afforded by modern science. Science has already determined that consciousness is made up of energy and energy do not die unlike organic beings such as human body. Thus, when the body dies and along with it is the repository of the consciousness which is the brain, it does not necessarily mean that the consciousness will also perish or cease the consciousness. It will just instead leave the body. This departure of energy from the body when a person dies has already been captured by modern imaging technology. So as to where the consciousness or energy goes after death, is the subject of many religions in the world depending on what religion a person is affiliated or believes with. Others will say that such energy will just be reborn depending on one’s karma while others will say that it will be reunited with its creator in Heaven or Paradise. But what is

Jesus as an Imperialist Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Jesus as an Imperialist - Essay Example While considering the principles of Christianity for which he lived, an imperialistic approach has been adorned by him since his birth. He was looked for as king to be born in the dynasty of David who would free the Jews from the imperialism of the foreign governance and would establish the reign of God. The Jews believed that the promised man would appear on a Maundy Thursday and would take over as their king. However the consideration of Jesus as the king of Kings, involves a varied concept on imperialism. It never goes along with the conventional approaches of the worldly governing systems, but had a holy view adorning the power of Jesus as a king and the manifest destiny allied with his life and times. Zechariah 9: 9 says, â€Å"Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.†

Girlhood in19th Century American Art Research Paper - 1

Girlhood in19th Century American Art - Research Paper Example al backgrounds, ages, and other demographic variables who illustrate different features and aspects of girlhood that condenses the aspect of beauty in the context of the nineteenth century America. Beauty, culture, and history are presented in multiple dimensions that effectively portray the subtle aesthetics and meanings as understood within the specific context. A huge travelling exhibition, â€Å"Angels and Tomboys: Girlhood in 19th century American art† includes eighty prints, paintings, photographs, sculptures, and texts depicting the concepts of 19th century girlhood. The exhibitions interprets the countless ways that artists at this time delineated, artistically, the perception of people of how girls were and ought to be and how the artist aided in the modeling the social and artistic perception of being a female at that time. It also intended to show what adults hoped for the future of their daughters and what they feared most. Indeed, it includes the works of an era when females were just beginning to appear in art, featuring the works of Winslow Homer, Thomas Wakins, William Merritt Chase, Cecilia Beaux and much more. The artwork portrays economic and social class and race. It is apparent how the civil war affects the artwork which is shown later in the exhibition. It expresses how perceptions of women were changing along with the education and work conditions. Throughout the 19th century, when thinking about a young woman or girl, the first thoughts would be angelic, sweet, innocent and domestic. This exhibition at The Newark Museum had a different take on this issue. It displays significantly different views than the â€Å"norm† just previously describes of girlhood. The first text you would see entering the exhibit is a quote from James’s novella Daisy Miller (1878), where Daisy is portrayed as an †inscrutable combination of audacity and innocence†. This is evident in the name of the exhibit. It is evident how much our perceptions have changed

Price Elasticity or Demand & Marginal Utility Essay Example for Free

Price Elasticity or Demand Marginal Utility Essay Part A   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on its definition, the major determinants of price elasticity of demand would be the percentage change of quantity demanded and prices of the goods and services. We can say that a certain good is an elastic or inelastic good based on the above identified determinants of price elasticity of demand (Moffatt 1).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Like for instance, let us consider the case of bottled water in the market. Since there are a lot of companies that produces bottled water, this product can only be considered as elastic good because even if the prices of bottled water decrease in the market the demand would change significantly since bottled waters are goods that can be classified as normal goods. Moreover, there are a lot of substitutes for bottled water in the market which makes the demand react instantly on slight changes in the current prices of this kind of goods. On the other hand, the price elasticity of toothpaste is also elastic because the percentage change of demand is significant for a percentage unit change on its prices due to the existence of substitute toothpaste in the market. As for the case of Crest it has inelastic demand elasticity since during the 1950’s it is the only toothpaste that has fluoride and there is an absence of substitute product for this kind of toothpaste at that time. Meaning, the demand for Crest toothpaste remains high especially for those people who are health conscious regardless of the price level of the said product. Next product would be Ketchup which also has the same demand elasticity as bottled water and toothpaste- elastic demand. The last but not the least product would be Microsoft Windows operating system. Since majority of computers nowadays uses Windows operating system, the demand for this product is really high and consumers are very much willing to pay even high prices just to have this product. In other words, the percentage change of Windows operating system will not greatly affect the percentage change of demand for this product. Part B No. of Pizza Slices Consumed Total Utility Marginal Utility 1 20 n.a. 2 28 8 3 40 12 4 47 7 5 52 5   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Based on the table above, during the consumption of the first slice of pizza, my friend derived a total utility of 20 units. On the second slice of pizza, he derived 28 units of utility and 40 units during the third slice of pizza. On the fourth slice of pizza he looks as if he is not that much eager to get a slice of pizza and derived only 47 units of utility and 52 on the fifth slice of pizza. Based from this data we can now compute for the marginal utility that my friend was able to derive out of consuming 5 out of 8 slices of pizza. We can see clearly that my friend had an increasing marginal utility on consuming slices of pizza up to the 3rd slice. The fourth slice was not able to satisfy my friend as he approached saturation on consuming slices of pizza. My friend said to me that he experienced the same feeling, feeling of saturation after consuming a number of a single product, when consuming soft drinks and burgers. The more he eats burgers or drink soft drinks, he starts to value less the succeeding pieces of burger or bottle of soft drinks after some point in time. Works Cited Moffatt, Mike â€Å"Price Elasticity of Demand.† 2007. About.com.   24 February 2008 http://economics.about.com/cs/micfrohelp/a/priceelasticity.htm.

Welfare Needs Of The Elderly Social Work Essay

Welfare Needs Of The Elderly Social Work Essay As the population continues to age, it is becoming increasingly important to focus on policies and practices that support and enhance the wellbeing of the older population in later life. One sad reality for many seniors in later life and an increasing cause for concern is elder abuse. Elder abuse is one of the most disturbing and rapidly growing areas of crime throughout the global. It is extremely difficult to exactly quantify the extent of elder abuse because many such cases go undetected and under-reported. The World Health Organization reported that it is generally agreed that abuse of older people is either an act of commission or of omission or neglect, and it may either be intentional or unintentional (Krug et al., 2002). It results in unnecessary suffering, injury, the loss of violation of human rights, and a decreased quality of life for the older person. Like any other form of domestic violence, abuse of the elderly initially remained as a private matter hidden from public view. It was initially seen as a social welfare issue and latter on a problem of ageing, but now has developed into a significant public health and criminal justice concern. The value of loving family institution has been tarnished by greed, position-struggle and impatience. Despite elder abuse is not entirely a new issue; it is time to find out the prevention ways to be implemented and effective interventions to emerge. There are a few welfare needs that will be highlighted after so that the young generation have a strong sense of love and care towards the senior citizen. Elderly Nowadays, Malaysians are living longer; they are on an average of 74 years for men and 78 years for women. In others words, their life expectancy has increase. With the advances in medical care and better nutrition, older people are living longer, they are more visible, more active and more independent than ever before and they are in better health. Therefore there is a growing concern regarding the global phenomenon of aging. A decline in the birth as well as death rates has resulted in an increase in the elderly population. Given that the elderly population is on the rise, it is of paramount importance to examine the care of the older persons. 2005 (%) 2010 (%) Total Population 26.75 m 28.96 m 65 and above 1.15 m 4.3% 1.36 m 4.7 % This table shows that the total population and the aged of 65 years or above in Malaysia between the year of 2005 and 2010. In 2005, the total population of Malaysia was 26.75 million, and which 1.15 million or 4.3% was aged 65 years and above. Moreover, in 2010, Malaysia currently has a population of approximately 29 million, and aged 65 years and above has increased to 1.36 million or 4.7%. With the projected population growth of 2% annually, it expected that the total population in 2020 will rise to 34 million, of which 3.2 million or 9.5% will be the age of 65 years and above. In the year 2035, the country is expected to have a total population of about 46 million of which 6.9 million or 15% will be the aged 65 years and above. This is evident that Malaysias demographic ageing pattern is emerging. Based on the figure showed in this table, the real numbers of older person have increased lately, which also means that the number of elderly will continue to grow over the coming year. As the populations of older Malaysian grows, so there has a hidden problem of elder abuse. Further, the number of elderly with chronic illness is likely to increase. This can pose an increased burden on their caregivers such as family members, and it could lead to a higher risk of elderly abuse. Elder abuse Elder abuse is a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person (Action on Elder Abuse 1995). The wilful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation or cruel punishment with resulting physical harm or pain or mental anguish, or the wilful deprivation by a caretaker of goods or services which are necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish or mental illness (1985 Elder Abuse Prevention, Identification Treatment Act). According to the Swanson (1999), elder abuse refers to the mistreatment of older people by those in a position of trust, power or responsibility for their care. This is a global problem that is likely to intensify in view of the increasing number of older people and the changing socio-economic and environmental conditions worldwide (Randel et al. 1999). Further, Hazzard (1995) described elder abuse as cruel and inhumane tre atment of the elderly. Kapur (1997) defines it as a kind of harassment or an injustice done to the elderly by the family members themselves. In fact, there is too many definition of elder abuse but despite this, most would agree with this definition an action or inaction by someone in a position of trust; often a family member or unrelated caregiver. Normally, more than two-thirds of the abusers are their family members and are typically giving their basic needs or care support such as food, shelter, personal care or transportation. In others word, someone who commits elder abuse usually has control or influence over the older person. The older persons often know and trust the abusers. Some victims of elder abuse depend on the people who hurt them, sometimes for food, shelter, personal care, or transportation. Therefore, the abusers could be their family members, friend; someone the older people relies on for basic needs or staff in group residential settings such as care homes or i n long term health care facilities. The Prevalence of Elderly Abuse in Five Developed Countries Country Prevalence (%) USA 3.2 Canada 4.0 Finland 5.4 Netherlands 5.6 United Kingdom 5.0 The accepted prevalence rates of abuse of older people are drawn from five community surveys carried out in developed countries, which are USA, Canada, Finland, Netherlands and United Kingdom. The prevalence of the elderly abuse in USA with percentage is 3.2%, in Canada is 4.0%, in Finland is 5.4%, in Netherlands is 5.6% and United Kingdom is 5.0%. But in Malaysia, the information and data of elderly abuse is scarce. There are no reported cases of elder abuse to the Department of Social Welfare as well as no agency keeps proper records of the incidence of elder abuse in this country. Although this epidemic is virtually unheard of in Malaysia, we are challenged to be aware of the many faces of elder abuse in our own society and this issue is much more common than societies admit. Types of elder abuse Elder abuse referred to an inappropriate action that causes harms or distress to an elderly which the older person has expectation trust onto the person. Elder abuse can take in several forms. Elder abuse may take form in physical, psychological, financial, sexual abuse, neglect and abandonment that cause distress to a person who is past retirement age. Physical Abuse Physical elder abuse is non-accidental use of force against an elderly person that results in physical pain, injuries, or impairment (Ellen, Tina, Jeanne, 2008). This abuse includes not only physical assaults such as hitting or shoving but the inappropriate use of drugs, restraints, or confinement. The physical acts of violence commonly include slapping, hitting, and striking with objects. Indicators of potential physical abuse are broken bones, sprains, or dislocations, unexplained signs of injury such as bruises, welts, or scars, especially if they appear symmetrically on two side of the body, signs of being restrained, such as rope marks on wrists (Elder Abuse.com, 2009). Diagnosis may be difficult even at autopsy as findings may be subtle and invariably some chronic or debilitating disease would be present. The case of an elderly lady from a nursing home referred to the police for suspected physical abuse. Investigations showed that osteomalacia and spontaneous fractures could ha ve accounted for her injuries. However, recognition of physical abuse may not be straightforward, as injuries may be secondary to falls to which the frail elderly are more prone. Emotional abuse Emotional abuse is defined as the infliction of anguish, pain, or distress of elderly. Emotional abuse also referred as an act with the intention that causing emotional pain or injury which often accompanies physical abuse. This abuse may be happens in verbal or nonverbal acts. Verbal forms are included humiliation and ridicule, intimidation through yelling or threats and habitual blaming or scapegoating. Nonverbal emotional elder abuse can take the form of ignoring the elderly person, isolating an elder from friends or activities and terrorizing or menacing the elderly person (Ellen, Tina, Jeanne, 2008). Therefore, an elderly person who shows fear, passive, withdrawn, low self esteem, reluctance to talk openly, insomnia, fatigue and listlessness or behave mimics dementia, such as rocking, sucking, or mumbling to oneself may be abused in the form of emotional abuse. Financial Abuse Exploitation of the elderly is also considered as an abuse which includes acts of material or financial exploitation. Financial or material exploitation is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elders funds, property, or assets (Elder Abuse.com, 2009). Elder financial abuse is one of the most difficult types of elder abuse to recognize due to its lack of obvious symptoms. Some of these include misuse an elders personal checks, credit cards, or accounts, steal elders cash, income checks, or household goods. Most common example case is the announcements of a prize that the elderly person has won but they need to pay money to claim (Ellen, Tina, Jeanne, 2008). Besides that, theft of pension checks, threats to enforce the signing or changing of wills or other legal documents, and coercion involving any financial matters also consider as the example of the financial abuse. Indicators of potential financial abuse may include unusual bank account activity, sudden changes in the elder s financial condition, or worsening medical conditions due to lack of follow up or unfilled drug prescriptions. Exploitation may also occur in the form of fraud schemes; someone may persuade the elderly person to withdraw their life savings in a get rich quick scheme, or contractors convincing the elderly that the house needs repairs which in reality might be unnecessary. Financial abuse is one of the most difficult types of elder abuse to diagnose as the victim may not be aware of its occurrence or may not know how to seek help. Abandonment and Neglect Abandonment is defined as the desertion of an elderly person by an individual who had physical custody or otherwise had assumed responsibility for providing care for an elder. It also referred to the action of withdrawing a person or a thing entirely; putting aside all care for him or it. Neglect of the elderly is also a form of abuse and is often referred to the refusal or failure to fulfil any part of a persons obligations or duties to an elder. This may be intentional or unintentional neglect. Active neglect is the intentional withholding of basic necessities or care, while passive neglect is not providing basic necessities and care because of a lack of experience, information or ability. Another area to consider is self-neglect where older adults, by choice or ignorance, live in ways that disregard health or safety needs, sometimes to the extent that the disregard also poses a hazard to others. For example, the caregiver may be unable to perform care giving duties such as bathing or changing an incontinent elderly person. Therefore, an elderly person with unusual poor hygiene, loss in weight, poor nutrition, skin breakdown, unsuitable clothing, unsafe and unclean living conditions such as no heat or running water, faulty electrical wiring, other fire hazards and smelling of urine may be neglected either intentionally or unintentionally. Sexual Abuse Sexual abuse is defined as non-consensual and unwilling sexual contact of any kind. This includes all unwanted sexual activity, such as verbal or suggestive behaviour, fondling, sexual intercourse or a lack of personal privacy. Besides that, activities such as showing an elderly person pornographic material, forcing the person to watch sex acts, or forcing the elder to undress are also considered sexual elder abuse. Indicators of potential physical abuse are unexplained venereal disease or genital infections, bruises around breasts or genitals, unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding and torn, stained, or bloody underclothing (Ellen, Tina, Jeanne, 2008). Sexual abuse usually implies a physical sexual relationship with an elderly person without that persons informed consent, though this is not restricted to sexual intercourse but includes other forms of intimate sexual contact. It is often difficult to establish whether sexual abuse has occurred, unless the individual has cognitive impai rment. Signs and symptoms of elder abuse Signs and symptoms of elder abuse should be taken seriously. It is vital that we are alert to the possible indicators of abuse. In assessing any situation, it is important to realize that an indicator may be present for reasons other than abuse or neglect. However, if a combination of the following indicators is present there is a need to further explore why those indicators are present. Increase awareness of abuse signs and symptoms as well as monitor the progress in suspected cases of abuse. Home care community nurses can play a critical role in detecting suspected cases of elder abuse. However, in Malaysia, we do not as yet have a health care system in place for such purposes, although these types of services are only now slowly emerging. Hence the only opportunity for detecting abuse is when the older adult visits a primary care setting or an emergency department. Characteristics of the Abused Elder Most victims of elder abuse are mentally competent and able to make decisions for them. Most of them able to taking care of their own health needs and do not need constant care. Although some victims of elder abuse are generally dependent on their abuser in some way, their dependency is not necessarily because they are mentally incapable or physically frail (Al Loney, 2006). However, if the older people who having mental or physical disability, they may be more vulnerable to be abused. Those at risk are most likely to be female, widowed, frail, cognitively impaired, and chronically ill. The older adults who poor in physical health, highly dependence on the abuser, functional or cognitive impairment and a living arrangement shared with the abuser are consider as risk factors for elder abuse. Normally, older women are more vulnerable to abuse than older men and are burdened with a lifetime of experiences and beliefs that may increase their susceptibility. In most instances, violence an d abuse against older women can be sexual, physical or psychological and also can include material or financial abuse and neglect. It can occur in the home, in institutions or as a result of harmful cultural practices that specifically target older women (Breatheinspirit, 2006). There are various studies have looked at factors associated with elder abuse. In the NEAIS report, females and those aged 80 and above were more likely to suffer abuse, family members were the most likely perpetrators and victims of self-neglect were usually depressed, confused or extremely frail. Other studies have similarly reported vulnerable elderly as those with physical and mental weaknesses, advanced age, women, those with previous abusive relationships in the family, financial strain and caregiver stress and burnt out. Characteristics of the Abuser The abuser is most likely the person with whom the elderly person stays with. More often, the abuser is a close relative; 80% being spouses and children of the victims, or a close relative. In some cases, elder abuse may be caused to abusers over use of drug or alcohol, history of anti-social behaviour, or mental illness problems. Abuse is more likely to happen when the abuser is going through a period of high stress. It may be the stress of looking after the older person due to old age is a time of weak health, low income, meaningless role, or the death of loved ones (Al Loney, 2006). These problems may be creating great unhappiness for older people and then damage the relationships with their family. In extreme cases, this may lead to abuse. Elder abuse often happens because of the abusers power and fully control over an older person. Family members who depend on the elder for financial, housing, or other necessities have a higher risk of become an abuser. A caregivers inexperience, a history of family violence, economic dependence on the elder or a blaming personality and unrealistic expectations often contribute to elderly abuse. The abuser may be lack involved in community activities, social services, and even contact with other family members. Besides that, they may lack of family support, facing marital conflict, overcrowding and the high burden of care placed on the caregiver. In most of elder abuse cases, the abuser may not allow people to visit or talk to the older person alone. On the other hands, staff in long-term care homes, such as homes for the aged and charitable institutions, might involved in abuse the older people in physically or mentally. Abusers are more likely to be staff members who are not able to do their jobs properly (Al Loney, 2006). This may due to poor of training, low salary, over-work without pay, or under-staffing. Besides that, it also could be the staffs have personal problems that influence their services to older people which under their care. But, there is no excuse for abuse. The personal circumstances or problems of the caregiver cant be an excuse of elder abuse. These problems may be factors in the abuse, but they do not try to recognize it. It is unmoral because the older people are fully trusted and relies on the caregiver, but the caregiver misuse the trust of the older people to do something that threaten to the older people. Common Reasons Elder Abuse Is Not Reported The actual and prevalence of elder abuse is unknown and difficult to measure. Elderly abuse exists in our society but it is seldom reported, and perhaps even less so in an Asian society where filial piety and respect for the elderly is traditionally highly regarded. This problem often remains undetected because of poor public awareness and lack of knowledge among health care personnel. This is because it can cause some adverse effects on the health and quality of life of the elderly. Due to their mental capacity, they are unaware of the help available to them. Therefore, elder abuse is seldom reported. In most situations, elderly are unlikely to report that they are abused as they are fear of embarrassment and fear of losing care support. They are mostly completely under the control of the abuser and depend on the abusers for food, shelter, clothing and health care. Furthermore, they also fear of harm by the abuser. Some of them are lack of awareness; they are only suspect but uncert ain that is abuse, therefore, the cases of elder abuse is hardly to report and also seldom reported. Risk Factors for elder abuse Abuse of older adults is such a complex issue with no single explanation. However, there are many factors seem to contribute to these critical issues and each case has its own unique mix of factors. One of the most obvious factors is the family dynamics. The habits, values, emotional and coping skills are learned early in life and largely through family interaction. In other words, if unhealthy or violent behaviours go unchecked, abuse may continue when roles are reversed.   Therefore, if a child who was previously abused becomes a primary caregiver, there is a probability that the cycle of abuse will continue and be inflicted on a dependent parent. Besides that, inability to cope with stress especially for those non professional caregiver such as spouses, adult children, other relatives and friends find taking care of an elder would caused many responsibilities. This may be extremely stressful to cope with the demands of elder care giving. As a result, the stress of elder care can lead to mental and physical heaths problems that caused caregivers impatient, burned out, and sometimes are unable to keep from lashing out against elders in their care. Next, problem of elderly abuse may also happen in the nursing home when the staffs who worked are those lacks of experience and training. This is because even caregivers in institutional settings can experience stress at levels that can lead to elder abuse. The nursing home staff may be prone to elder abuse if they lack training, have too many responsibilities and are unsuited to care giving, or they are work under poor conditions. Social isolation can also conceal and perpetuate abuse or neglect. An older person may become isolated due to physical or mental illness, or through the loss of friends and family members. Therefore, isolation does not just conceal abuse and neglect; it perpetuates the problem.   The result of this isolation can make it easier for an abuser to exploit, neglect or abuse an older person.  There is a significantly higher risk for elder abuse if without a caring support network.   In addition, if a caregiver imposes isolation to avoid uncovering the abuse, this is also a form of abuse. In addition, sometimes caregivers who are unable to cope with the long term care giving may react to the stress of too many responsibilities in appropriate ways. These unusual releases way are such as abusing, neglecting the older adults in their care. Also, most of the caregivers perception is that taking care of the elder is burdensome and without psychological reward. Thus, many of them choose to neglect the older adults. The societys acceptance towards violence can also be a form of factors in contributing the elderly abuse. For example the Canadians see violence in the news, movie and television shows. This wide exposure often leads to a general acceptance or tolerance of violence as an acceptable way of venting frustration or anger. Thus, this tolerance creates an environment which can contribute to abuse and neglect of older adults. The welfare needs of elderly Welfare needs are necessary for elderly in order to stop the growing elder abuse issue. The government, law and legislation, mass media, school education, health care providers, family and also elderly have the responsibility to give support the rights of old persons. The government The National Service Program or Program Latihan Khidmat Negara (PLKN) was established since started in 2004 as a response to the Malaysian Governments desire to inculcate the spirit of patriotism in the hearts and minds of Malaysian youths. Besides to develop the spirit of patriotism, it instils a spirit of caring and volunteerism among members of society as well as to develop positive characteristics among younger generation through good values. The three-month program is aimed at shaping young people into disciplined, independent and resilient citizens capable of advancing the nation. From this programme, the young generations could learn how to respect the elderly. Welfare pension should be introduced in Malaysia. If elderly do not have the ability to claim maintenance from their financially-able children, they have the pension as a security. It is seen as a way to eradicate poverty. The senior citizens are still able to take care of themselves in spite of they are abandoned by their merciless children. Abuse prevention programme could be introduced by Malaysian government as well. Its purpose is to provide and arrange for services to protect adults who are unable to protect themselves from abuse and provide older adults with information about their rights. For example, Abuse Prevention Programme (APP) in Australia which supports older adults who are being abused, or who are at risk of being abused, by someone with whom they are in a relationship of trust, such as family and friends. APP advocates work in consultation with the older adult, either directly, or with someone else the older person has chosen (their representative). APP can assist them to identify and understand the issues related to abuse of their rights as well as discuss information about options which they can implement to assert their rights. Besides, it suggests action they can take to stop abuse of their rights and give them with appropriate advocacy support that enables them to have their rights met. In addition, the government can launch adult day care programme, which it enables the caregivers to get time off during the day. Adult day care is a planned program of activities designed to promote well-being though social and health related services. Adult day care centres operate during daytime hours, Monday through Friday, in a safe, supportive, cheerful environment. It not just provides older persons an opportunity to get out of the house and receive both mental and social stimulation but also gives caregivers a much-needed break in which to attend to personal needs, or simply rest and relax. Law and legislation Malaysia law and legislation also play a vital role in overcoming the elderly abuse problem. Malaysia law can establish a legislative Elder Protective Act which is warranted to protect our vulnerable elderly from untold suffering. They have the right to live with dignity and security. For example in all 50 US states have specific adult protection legislation within which issues related to elder abuse and/or neglect are addressed. This legislation is influenced by child welfare models, and is characterised by legal powers of investigation, intervention and mandatory reporting. In the absence of federal mandates, states have been developing their own responses to adult abuse, neglect and exploitation. Legislative Elder Protective Act should be implemented by the government to safeguard the rights of our vulnerable elderly. Suggestion has been made for the government of Malaysia to adopt a law which allowing the elderly parents to claim maintenance from their financially-able children. This can be learned from the country of Singapore where the Maintenance of Parents Act enables parents above 60 years old who cannot support themselves to seek legal action forcing their children to provide maintenance for them. The government of Malaysia should also tighten the law and can used country of India as an example. In India, children could be imprisoned or fined or be subjected to both if they abandon their elderly parents. The Tamil Nadu government is set to notify rules for the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, to help tribunals in each district decide on the order of maintenance for elderly citizens, who complain about being neglected by their children. Therefore, the government is committed to develop such services and formulate policies against elder abuse in Malaysia. Malaysia, being one of a few countries that uphold Syariah Law has Islamic Law that governs the welfare of family matters including the ageing parents, following the case in which a couple sued their daughter for not providing sufficient maintenance as what they have agreed. Elder abuse is a national problem with far reaching consequences for individuals, families, communities, and institutions. The state courts must play a critical role in addressing the needs of victims of elder abuse. The courts ability to assist older persons essentially determines whether individuals live their remaining years with respect and dignity, or are further alienated from the justice system with personal safety. Mass Media Mass media also plays a quite significant role in minimizing the problem of elderly abuse in Malaysia. The media was often blamed as one of the sources of the negative images of older adults in society. It was seen as important to work with the media to change these negative images, to raise awareness and to educate the population about elder abuse. They are able to inspire the public to be aware of this social issue by utilizing mass media such as televisions, radio networks, internet, newspaper, magazines, etc. Nevertheless the problem often remains undetected because of poor public awareness and lack of knowledge among healthcare personnel. Therefore, the print as well as electronic media are to play active roles to increase the societys awareness of the elderly. Media coverage of elder abuse cases can make the public knowledgeable about-and outraged against-abusive treatment in those settings. Due to most abuse occurs in the home by family members or caregivers, there needs to be a concerted effort to educate the public about the special needs and problems of the elderly and about the risk factors for abuse. Within mass media cultures, social issues such as elder abuse, have key reference points which can attract concentrated coverage of the topic and carry influential associations in public perceptions. For example, in USA, the Indochina Sino-American Community Centre  formed a coalition called Chinese Americans Restoring Elders, they used mass media to encourage the public to contact the Community Centre for matters related to elder abuse; provided some individual counselling sessions; and conducted a press conference and distributed brochures and flyers in Chinatown to commemorate World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The television networks always played the advertisements that have the influence on the public over the caring of the elderly. Like the PESTRONAS during religious or cultural holidays (namely Aidilfitri, Chinese New Year, Deepavali) are often accompanied by touching advertisement that convey the message to show love and care to our parents. School Education Education is the cornerstone of preventing elder abuse. This education needs to start very early, in primary school. The students need to be educated to perceive to older adults more favourably as positive contributors to society. The elderly do not necessary mean burden to the family or society. With their wealth of knowledge and experience, they can still contribute to economic development and wealth creation. They have contributed to the development of the nation in their earlier years and they can still continue to be productive in their golden years. The students should consider senior citizens are an important and integral part of our society. Students need to understand the interpersonal dynamic of care-giving. For example, they need to be award of the value placed on the dependency and inter-dependency in care-giving; role reversals in care-giving; and how unresolved emotions between the elderly and the care-giver influence the care-giving process. The school curriculum is to include education on the family to enable the younger generation to understand and appreciate the elderly. They need to be encouraged to form closer relationships with older adults. The general population also needs to be aware that elder abuse happens and is a problem. Students need to understand the subtle difference between abuse, neglect and abandonment theoretically as well as operationally. The moral education teachers not just teach theoretically but also operationally. What is more, the schools should organise a numbers of the activities like visiting old