The Great Depression Essay Example for Free

The Great Depression Essay The great depression in America occurred during the reign of Herbert Hoover, the tenure of the Americas 31st president. Hoover who easily won the elections with a massive landslide over the Democratic Al Smith. He believed in efficiency and enhanced the notion that economic problems had their solutions hidden in technocratic approaches. During this time he tried the volunteer approach and government action to enhance the economy functioning but still failed. The breaking down of the Wall Street in 1929 challenged the American economy. Things went berserk for Hoover who avoided legislative relief proposals. Historian believe strongly that Roosevelt’s victory in 1932 was due to Hoover’s inability to address and resuscitate the American economy during the period when millions were rendered jobless and great heights of hopelessness hovered on the horizons. Though it is also agreed that  Ã‚   Regardless of Hoover’s relentless efforts that were deemed non-consequential in comparison with Roosevelt tenure, they surmount those all his federal predecessors. The political Platform that gave Roosevelt victory was coined behind the New Deal political ideology, this was a liberal New Deal Coalition invented by his government to support his projects. His intervention was timely in assuring economic boomerang through creating of jobs, abolishing of the stock market monopoly, enactment of the bank deposits that assured the business fraternity stable market economy. Workers unions were also formed. Despite Roosevelt’s monumental efforts in trying to contain the sickening memoirs of the great depression, he experienced an equaled opposition. Economists of the time wedged massive criticism against his short-term policies, which they termed as a toothless. A consortium of organizations, Lawyers, Democrats and Republican and writers all mounted vicious criticism against Roosevelt’s efforts like the public scorned Hoover by labeling him nicks names. The Supreme Court also in retaliation banned most of the unconstitutional programs. By and large the genesis to the bankruptcy and the depression of America transcends beyond the Hoover and Roosevelt’s regime. David Kennedy (1999) References: David Kennedy (1999) Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War: 1929-1945. Oxford University Press

Importance of Toys in Child Development

Importance of Toys in Child Development Toy’s And Development Bella Coreas Toys are fun and any child, no matter the age, will attest to that. Toys have the potential to teach in many ways as well as play a positive role in a child’s educational, social, emotional and physical development. â€Å"Play is the mechanism by which children learn how they experience their world, practice new skills, and internalize new ideas and is therefore the essential work of children†(Guyton, 2011). Physical, emotional and mental capacity are all a direct correlation of the environment a child grows in, especially the types of toys used during the child development stages. Genetics will play a role in the child development process and there are other factors as well that will be influenced through learned behaviors while playing with toys such as; family structure, nature surrounding/ environment, and basic education concepts. In the early years of life, children learn through play and interaction with family and friends. â€Å"Children are like sponges, ready to absorb any bit of knowledge that comes their way. With that in mind, toy stores have begun to carry more toys, games and plush animals that promote not just basic learning, but, more specifically, items that convey the importance of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and caring for the environment† (Levin, 2013). When children start to approach the preschool age, they begin to learn about numbers, letters and language skills. There are a lot of toys that motivate this type of learning, from basic alphabet puzzles to high-grade technological electronic gadgets. Modern day technology affords us the opportunity to have the school age child on your mobile device or tablet while you are grocery shopping for dinner. Toys of this type are positively influencing the development of your child by giving them an advance of the things that they will be ta ught in school at a later time. Children that are in school can adjunct their learning while having fun with educational toys. Giving a child the opportunity to have fun while preforming repeatedly, from the things they are learning in school, will amplify their retention with the things learned. When your child finds an educational toy that she or he really likes, she or he will be more likely to play with it, thus reiterating the things they have learned. Toys are necessary tools that are basic instructions for a child development in thoughts fantasies and creativity. As the child gets older the toys began to change, but the same learning in taking place just on a higher level. Once beyond elementary school and onto middle school the child begins to explore classes like wood shop, keyboarding, and home economics. These are all from the foundation of toys and play. Middle school is also where a child can start to partake in extra-curricular activities like the chess club, basketbal l and robotics. All of these activates can be built upon at the high school level as well. The learning is even more enhanced because now the repetition of the play as a preschool child has begun to improve your technique and you have mastered the skill for years of toys and play. While learning through play for many years you development a team of peers who also enjoy playing with the toys with you. These peers are commonly referred to as your friends. This makes you play more enjoyable and gives you someone to also evaluate the success of you play with yourself. Play aids in the social development as well and as the child grows through playing with toys so does their social development. Many studies find that play is positively related to a host of cognitive and social skills. In the recent CNN Opinion article, (â€Å"want to get your kids into college?†) Let the children play, Erika Christakis and Nicholas Christakis shared the following: within the act of play, children l earn to share, defer there gratification, bargain or negotiate conflicts, problem solving, share goals, obtain flexibility, and live with disgruntlement. By authorizing children to walking in another persons shoes, imaginative play accurse and seeds the development of empathy, which is a key component for intellectual, social, and emotional success. The real readiness skills that make for an academically accomplished kindergartener or college student has as much to do with emotional intellect as it does with academic preparation. Kindergartners require not just sight words and lower case letters, but also the knowledge and know how when it comes search for meaning. The same can be said of 18-year-olds, as admissions officers at several different colleges like to say, an entire freshman class may be filled with students that possess perfect grades and test scores. Academic advancement in college requires readiness skills that exceed mere book learning. It entails the ability to invol ve actively with people and there philosophies. In short, it needs a deep connection with the world. For a five year-old, this assembly begins and ends with the creating, questioning, imitating, dreaming, and sharing that characterize play. When we repudiate young children in play, we are literally refuting them the right to understand the world. By the time they progress into college, we will have denied them the opportunity to fix the world as they would see it. Securing a childs educational and social development through toys and play also connects the emotional development. Playing is important to children; it is the way they practice and prepare to grow up. Toys are the tools children use in play, they can be a high tech purchase or they may be as simple as a kitchen pot, pan lid or paper sack puppets. In fact, you may have watched infants open presents and notice that they spent more time playing with ribbon and wrapping than with the toy inside. Conduced within play children develop skills called, executive function, the main characteristic of this elevated level brain activity is the ability to self-regulate. When this area of the brain is well established, children are able to regulate their emotions, behavior, and are better able to counterattack impulses, and have a greater amount of self-control. This will decrease the amount of incidences in school when the child is not given what they think they deserve and reduce the opinion of harsh or unfair treatment. Self-regulation is an essential skill for success in life, children need unstructured play time to mature these abilities. There are many toys that help with the imagination of a child; just about all types of toys help with some form of development when it comes to a child’s inventiveness. When children are interactive in play, they use their thoughts, dreams and fancies for creative-thinking skills all to explore and discover the many structures a toy has to offer. Encouraged experimentation, can be used in a variety of ways, and utilized inversely every time. There are several different toys that foster creativity when it comes to involved pretend role-play, such as action figures, adventure play sets and dress up. It is just as imperative as the type of toy making sure there is enough time to play with them. Children need time to get there mind set for their interactive play and the process that it in tales, their creativity cultivates along wit h other developmental skills. Art materials foster creativity and appreciation of beauty. Sadly, many children spend more time watching television, not attending academic focused programs or lack of adult directed lessons. It is much more beneficial to be playing with friends outdoors, creating, and being crafty with various materials, building with legos, blocks or playing make-believe. Through mutual play with toys children are also taught many more life lessons rather it be through materials, friends, or outdoors. Outdoors play often forester the development of the child physically. Physical development through toys also enhances the overall child. Children also develop in many ways including through physical, mental and interactive play. According to a January 2007 clinical report in the journal â€Å"Pediatrics,† â€Å"play contributes to the cognitive, social, physical, and emotional welfare of a child or adolescent (Moore, 2007). Physical development encompasses your childs motor skills, which are those that require him to move his body. Motor skill is split into fine motor skills and gross motor skills, both being of equal importance. Gross motor skills encompass the coordination and control of large muscles like walking, sitting and running. Fine motor skills(or manipulation) encompasses the coordination and control of small muscles skills like holding a rattle, picking up crumbs or scribbling with a pencil and pen. Physical development affords children with the abilities they require to explore and network with the world around that surrounds them. Young children’s physical growth first begins as muscles g ain strength while a child gradually develops coordination. The development of muscular control is the first step in this process. Toys are very valuable at this point because they are developing the muscle that you child needs to survive when doing everyday task such as sitting up in a chair or writing. These chores are bound to you throughout life and for the duration of your life. This is when toys such as the walker because important and as the child gets older the toys that is simulated to look like a lawnmower that you push while walking are important. Motor skills are a necessity in life and toys aid in the development kick ball helps with your motor skills as well as grabbing the mobile from a child crib. Motor skills are a learned sequence of movement combined to produce a smooth, efficient action in order to master a particular task. These toys generally have a cause and effect that will encourage muscle movement. â€Å"Teachers can maximize opportunities to build new ski lls by being mindful of where children are developmentally, what their interests are and what skills they, as educators, want children to learn† Moore,2009).. Parents being the first teacher a child will come in contact with need to know what type of toys will promote motor skill development. There are many other varieties of toys that foster creativity, as well as toys that consist of pretend role-play, such as action figures, and adventure play sets, these toys also stimulate physical development. It is just as critical to make sure there is time for children to play with their toys. During the play time of a child they begin and continue to play as their creativity will grow along with the development of skills. Hardwood blocks teach children about geometry, shapes, balance and gravity when the towers come crashing down. This will also help build muscle strength. Outdoor play equipment builds muscles and confidence that the child can meet physical challenges in everyday lif e. There are also experimental materials like sand and clay. These flexible toys offer the child control as they shape and distribute the materials. Materials like sand and clay appeals to a child’s senses. It develops the child’s sense to sight and especially touch. Children will all admit that toys are fun, but toys are tools that are used to help children learn about themselves, as well as the world around them. Healthy play is critical for the growth and educational development, social, emotional, and physical development of children. Through play children also learn to solve problems, to get along with others. To develop the fine and gross motor skills that are needed to grow and learn to preparation them for adulthood. The challenges of toys prepare children encounter what cards life may deal them and reminds them that they have already solved that problem while it was not so alarming to them. The answer then came when they were calm and experience that best time of their life- the answer came during their play time with their toys. Now that can take of any challenger that life brings them. â€Å"As we move forward into this brave new future of play, those who are most effective may well be those brave individuals who see themselves as stu dents and accept that they simply don’t get it. Once done, they can begin the process of either educating themselves or allying with those who do† (Richard 163). Works Cited Christakis, N. . (2010, Dec 29). What To Get Your Kids Into College?Let Them Play. Retrieved from CNN.com: http://www.cnn.com Gottlieb, R. (2013). Do You Get It? Plaything , 163. Guyton, G. (2011, September 25). Using Toys to Support Infant-Toddler Learning and Development. Retrieved 2013, from Young Children. Levin, A. (2013). Toys that Teach How a Healthy Lifestyle Can be Taught Through Play. Plush and Toys, 168. Reifel, J. (2006-2012). Brain Research and Development. Retrieved 2013, from Education.com: http://www.education.com/reference/article/brain-research-child-development/ Toys to boost Child Creativity. (n.d.). Retrieved November 6, 2013, from The Creativity institute: http://www.creativityinstitute.com/earlychildhooddevelopment .

Adult Learning in Cohort Groups :: Adult Education Cohorts Essays

Adult Learning in Cohort Groups [According to a cohort participant,] cohorts are created not born. They are successful when everyone works collaboratively and collectively on improving their own and others' learning experiences. It takes self-responsibility, patience, courage, humor, commitment, sensitivity, and a lot of hard work to create such an enriching learning experience for everybody. (Nesbit 2001, p. 3) Learning in groups has historical roots in adult education and many adult educators use group learning as an element of their programs (ibid.). Recently, a form of group learning—cohorts—has emerged as an attractive option for administrators, instructors, and participants alike (Fahy 2002). Cohorts are usually defined as groups of students who enroll at the same time and go through a program by taking the same courses at the same time, a process that is sometimes referred to as lock step (e.g., Chairs et al. 2002; Reynolds and Hebert 1998). A cohort is much more than a structure, however (Norris and Barnett 1994). It is "a tight-knit, reliable, common-purpose group" (Drago-Severson et al. 2001, p. 15) that has foundations in group dynamics, adult development, and adult learning theory (ibid.; Nesbit 2001; Norris and Barnett 1994). This Brief highlights findings from research and theory on adult learning cohorts to examine how cohorts are structured or formed and the exp erience of the learning process within cohorts. Recommendations for practice are provided. Forming and Structuring Cohorts A cohort is more than an administrative arrangement. In fact, "to view the [cohort] structure merely as a method of course delivery, a vehicle for socialization, a convenient scheduling design, or as an upbeat, fashionable 'in' approach is to do cohort structure an injustice" (Norris and Barnett 1994, p. 34). Cohorts must be purposefully formed and structured if they are to succeed as environments that foster learning and development. Both individual and group development are important aspects of cohorts (Chairs et al. 2002; Lawrence 1997; Norris and Barnett 1994). Cohort structure should support the personal development of its members within a collaborative, cohesive group environment. Research on cohorts (e.g., Brooks 1998; Chairs et al. 2002; Lawrence 1997; Maher 2001; Norris and Barnett 1994) reveals that successful cohorts balance the needs of the group with those of the individual members by fostering a sense of belonging, creating an environment in which mutual respect flourishes, supporting risk taking, providing a place for critical reflection and the development of shared understanding, and encouraging and sustaining multiple perspectives. Adult Learning in Cohort Groups :: Adult Education Cohorts Essays Adult Learning in Cohort Groups [According to a cohort participant,] cohorts are created not born. They are successful when everyone works collaboratively and collectively on improving their own and others' learning experiences. It takes self-responsibility, patience, courage, humor, commitment, sensitivity, and a lot of hard work to create such an enriching learning experience for everybody. (Nesbit 2001, p. 3) Learning in groups has historical roots in adult education and many adult educators use group learning as an element of their programs (ibid.). Recently, a form of group learning—cohorts—has emerged as an attractive option for administrators, instructors, and participants alike (Fahy 2002). Cohorts are usually defined as groups of students who enroll at the same time and go through a program by taking the same courses at the same time, a process that is sometimes referred to as lock step (e.g., Chairs et al. 2002; Reynolds and Hebert 1998). A cohort is much more than a structure, however (Norris and Barnett 1994). It is "a tight-knit, reliable, common-purpose group" (Drago-Severson et al. 2001, p. 15) that has foundations in group dynamics, adult development, and adult learning theory (ibid.; Nesbit 2001; Norris and Barnett 1994). This Brief highlights findings from research and theory on adult learning cohorts to examine how cohorts are structured or formed and the exp erience of the learning process within cohorts. Recommendations for practice are provided. Forming and Structuring Cohorts A cohort is more than an administrative arrangement. In fact, "to view the [cohort] structure merely as a method of course delivery, a vehicle for socialization, a convenient scheduling design, or as an upbeat, fashionable 'in' approach is to do cohort structure an injustice" (Norris and Barnett 1994, p. 34). Cohorts must be purposefully formed and structured if they are to succeed as environments that foster learning and development. Both individual and group development are important aspects of cohorts (Chairs et al. 2002; Lawrence 1997; Norris and Barnett 1994). Cohort structure should support the personal development of its members within a collaborative, cohesive group environment. Research on cohorts (e.g., Brooks 1998; Chairs et al. 2002; Lawrence 1997; Maher 2001; Norris and Barnett 1994) reveals that successful cohorts balance the needs of the group with those of the individual members by fostering a sense of belonging, creating an environment in which mutual respect flourishes, supporting risk taking, providing a place for critical reflection and the development of shared understanding, and encouraging and sustaining multiple perspectives.

Rebecca Wests The Return of the Soldier and Virginia Woolfs Jacobs R

Rebecca West's The Return of the Soldier and Virginia Woolf's Jacob's Room Rebecca West and Virginia Woolf give great significance to the families of their respective main characters in The Return of the Soldier and Jacob’s Room because it gives the reader a greater insight to the formation of and reasoning for both Chris and Jacob’s nature. Each of these characters have multiple families to deal with: Chris has Kitty and Jenny on the one hand, and Margaret on the other, while Jacob deals with his mother and brother as well as his connections to society and academia. The distinctions between each character’s multiple families cause them to behave differently in various situations, and provide reasons for their actions. It is said that we are shaped by our surroundings and molded by our families, and Woolf and West’s male protagonists prove to be no exception to this rule. The opening scene of Jacob’s Room depicts Mrs. Flanders and Archer searching for a young Jacob along the beach, already showing that the titular character is detached and separate from those around him. Instead of walking with his mother and brother on the shore, Jacob is more interested in the escapades of a crab in a tidal pool, an early indication of his future pursuit of knowledge and his penchant for isolation. Aside from this first mention, Jacob’s biological family is mentioned very rarely throughout the remainder of the novel, as Woolf focuses on his social and academic family instead. However, Jacob’s tendency to distance himself from many of his friends probably stems from the slightly distracted air of his mother, who seems to love and care for him but at the same time is scatter-brained and somewhat unaware of her surroundings. Jacob i... ...e complete without the care and heartache handed them by the families they gain and lose throughout the courses of their short lives. Woolf states it perfectly, realizing that â€Å"life is but a procession of shadows, and God knows why it is that we embrace them so eagerly, and see them depart with such anguish, being shadows... Such is the manner of our seeing. Such the conditions of our love† (Woolf, 96). Jacob is only partially loved and cared for by his mother, and therefore carries this half-affection into his social interactions, eventually regretting the supremely human act of falling in love. Likewise, Chris is two completely different people between Margaret and Kitty– loving and content with Margaret, once he is returned to reality he becomes one of the â€Å"brittle beautiful things† that Kitty so loves to have in her presence, a mere shadow of his soul (West, 6).

Essay --

Introduction We are experiencing unprecedented rates of biodiversity loss. 60% of the ecosystem services (such as freshwater, fisheries, pollination and climate regulation) which biodiversity underpins are either degraded or in decline. Predictions are that this trend will worsen. It is clear that it has severe economic implications, not only for society but also for business as most industries depend on ecosystem services to function. The pharmaceutical sector is both dependent on and impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services or BES. Approximately 25% to 50% of the pharmaceutical market is derived from active ingredients from nature. The sector’s dependence on the BES stems from the use of active ingredients from nature in drug discovery and manufacture, the use of water and a reliance on inert raw materials such as fish oils, soya and palm oil in drug manufacturer. Impacts include water pollution from drug manufacturing and use, overexploitation of active ingredients from nature that can’t readily be synthesized and use of inert ingredients linked with environmental degradation. For the pharmaceutical sector, this may pose reputational, operational, regulatory and market risks as well as new opportunities linked to new drug discovery. Pharmaceutical industry investors may also face reputational and financial risks if the companies in which they invest do not adequately manage their own BES risks. All companies reviewed have started to consider the business implications of declining BES. However, none are managing the BES in a comprehensive manner. The focus of corporate activity has been on understanding site-level impacts on biodiversity such as risks associated with potential impacts on protected areas or water consump... ...e to determine company risk exposure in relation to BES. Lack of information on how companies are managing their risks and opportunities leads to decreased investor confidence. Companies should be encouraged to disclose more information on volume, nature and provenance of raw materials sourced, the outcomes of products and issue risk assessments and the activities underway to address them, if that assessment shows them to be material. References †¢ http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/index.html †¢ file:///C:/Users/De/Desktop/Media_release_-_pharmaceutical_companies_face_biodiversity_risk.pdf †¢ http://www.naturalvalueinitiative.org/content/010/102.php †¢ http://www.cefic.org/Documents/IndustrySupport/RC%20tools%20for%20SMEs/Document%20Tool%20Box/Biodiversity-and-Ecosystem-services_What-are-they-all-about.pdf †¢ Biodiversity and Human Health By Jensa Bell

Harshness of the time Essay

‘Of Mice and Men’ has been described as a novel about the harshness of the time. What justifications can you find for this? ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in 1930’s America, an extremely prejudiced area of history. It is a time that criticises and excludes women, black people, disabled people and old people, deeming them useless within a utilitarian society. In the novel, Steinbeck represents the harsh prejudices, poverty and injustice with the life of itinerant workers, a microcosm of American society at this time. Firstly, the way in which Steinbeck describes the bunkhouse of the ranch immediately seems to suggest a harsh environment in which people are forced to live and work in: â€Å"†¦ the walls were whitewashed and the floor unpainted†¦ a solid door with a wooden latch†¦ † This description of the ranch suggests a purely utilitarian approach to life, showing a living area with no aesthetic appeal whatsoever. It shows no dignity towards the workers, and what’s more they don’t complain about its lack of appeal. This gives the impression that ranch workers live with no inspiration, seemingly being forced to live a life purely to survive it rather than enjoy it. The â€Å"door with a wooden latch† and general unloved atmosphere gives a prison-like sense to the bunkhouse, conveying a sense of loneliness and isolation. This lack of communication and friendship could be interpreted as an extremely harsh thing to deal with. In addition to this, the severe racism portrayed by Steinbeck through the character Crooks is just one example of the harsh prejudice that disadvantaged people face in this novel: â€Å"†¦ he [the boss] give the stable buck hell, too†¦ ya see the stable buck’s a nigger. † Crooks is constantly referred to as â€Å"a nigger†, and characters in the novel react to this as a completely normal comment to make, which we see when George reacts to this name with â€Å"Nigger, huh? â€Å". The fact that the ranch is racially segregated is quite surprising for numerous reasons. The novel is set in the West where racism was considered to be less intense, as well as the fact that Steinbeck conveys the ‘American dream’ as a theme in the novel, suggesting that anyone can make it in America and â€Å"live off the fatta the land†. However it is clear that black people are restricted from succeeding here and this irony merely emphasises the harshness of reality for black people during this period in time. In addition to this, the prejudices that women face present the times the novel is set in to be extremely harsh, often through Curley’s wife: â€Å"She put her hands behind her back and leaned against the door frame so that her body was thrown forward† The novel does not even dignify Curley’s wife with a name, as she is merely referred to as the wife of Curley or simply just â€Å"a tart†, which suggests that they live in a somewhat patriarchal society where women are seen as purely sex objects. This would suggest that women are not allowed to aspire to better things, and live their lives as commodities of men. Another problem that they face is the fact that the only power they can achieve is through their sexuality, but if they choose to expose this, they are criticised for being promiscuous, emphasising the harshness they have to cope with. Furthermore, Whit’s story of â€Å"Bill Tenner† who got his letter put into a magazine is one of great interest to the ranch-workers, especially Whit, which tells us something about their dreams and aspirations: â€Å"Bill Tenner? Worked here about three months ago†¦ That’s the guy! Here, Steinbeck portrays a certain excitement within Whit, which we see from the exclamation â€Å"That’s the guy! † and this has arisen purely from the fact that one man who he barely knew (as ranch-workers moved from place to place often) had accomplished something that he had dreamed of. This shows a huge lack of ambition among the workers, from the fact that the only excitement for these workers has come from a mere acquaintance of Whit’s name being printed in a â€Å"pulp magazine†, which was a piece of inexpensive fiction. This is not only quite pathetic, but also extremely saddening to see grown men become energised by something so seemingly trivial. Although people living in this time period and circumstances would not necessarily see this as harsh, looking at it from today’s perspective, in contrast it most definitely seems like an austere environment. In conclusion, the harsh living conditions, inhibitions and prejudices that the majority of the disadvantaged ranch-workers must live with have a clear correlation to the state of American society during The Great Depression of the 1930’s. Steinbeck seems to have created a character for each type of harshness that was experienced, for example, Curley’s wife corresponds to sexism, and Candy corresponds to old and disabled people, all of which creates an accurate impression of the harshness of the times that ‘Of Mice and Men’ is set in.

Employment At Will Doctrine Essay

†¢Summarize the employment-at-will doctrine and evaluate each of the eight (8) scenarios described by determining: The employment-at-will doctrine states that an employee can be fired or released from a company for cause or no cause at all. The employee also has the right to quit a job for any reason. Under this legislation, neither the employer or employee incurs â€Å"adverse legal consequences† (NCSL, 2014). There are three exceptions that are observed by the law to include a dismissal that â€Å"violates a state’s public policy, where there is an implied contract for employment, or where there is an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing† (Muhl, 2001, p4). People cannot be fired based on the â€Å"individual’s race, color, religion, sex, or national origin† (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p134). An individual can also not be fired based on a disability or due to filing a workman’s comp claim. Imagine you are a recently-hired Chief Operating Officer (COO) in a midsize company preparing for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). You quickly discover multiple personnel problems that require your immediate attention. As an astute manager, you will need to analyze the employment-at-will doctrine and determine what, if any, exceptions and liabilities exist before taking any action. oWhether you can legally fire the employee; include an assessment of any pertinent exceptions to the employment-at-will doctrine. oWhat action you should take to limit liability and impact on operations; specify which ethical theory best supports your decision. †¢John posted a rant on his Facebook page in which he criticized the company’s most important customer. John’s actions took place on his own time, and the information was posted on his personal site. The action from the company would depend on whether John made the post and none of his coworkers chimed in or agreed with him, or if someone did agree with him. Concerted activity is protected under the law but not grunts and groaning from one employee. According to Eidelson (2012), â€Å"concerted activity will take different forms for different workers†. Quite simply put, John’s post could cause a loss of business for the company or even a disgruntled customer, not to mention the company’s most important customer. The company would be protected in firing him. I made this decision based on the Ethics  of Care. John made a comment about our most important customer, and it is the company’s business to make sure the customer continues to be our most important customer. †¢Jim sent an email to other salespeople protesting a change in commission schedules and bonuses and suggesting everyone boycott the next sales meeting. Jim’s case is interesting. The answer to firing him is it depends. If Jim is disgruntled and just decided to send out an email to all of his coworkers to get them roweled up, then he could be fired legally. However, if he had been talking to other employees and then sent them an email to further talk about actions to take, he would be protected under the law as â€Å"protected concerted activity† (Eidelson, 2012). Also, the judge may look at Jim’s case to see if he talked with any of the upper management about concerns before trying to get others to boycott. The judge would check to see if Jim was part of a union as well. In one case where an employee sent an email, the judge ruled that her firing was legal, because her email â€Å"merely expressed an individual gripe rather than any shared concerns about w orking conditions† (Newby, 2013). Since this description did not say that other employees joined in with Jim, the judge would rule that his firing was legal. After firing Jim, I would call a meeting with the rest of the employees to make sure that Jim’s attitude towards the company had not spread to others and to try to find some solutions if it had. I made this decision based on the Virtue Ethics model. †¢Ellen started a blog to protest the CEO’s bonus, noting that no one below director has gotten a raise in two (2) years and portraying her bosses as â€Å"know-nothings† and â€Å"out-of-touch†. Ellen started a blog to protest the CEO’s bonus. The employer would need to make sure that Ellen’s post had not been commented on by other employees who were in agreement with her. The company should also look to its’ social media policy if it has one. The employer could be covered if the policy states that employees cannot speak derogatorily about their boss or coworkers online. The â€Å"National Labor Relations Act states that workers have the right to discuss their wages and conditions of employment†; however, â€Å"griping or ranting by a single employee is not protected† (Rogers, 2013). Ellen stepped across the line by criticizing the CEO of the company and calling him names. This could cause a rift in the company and lower morale. The company would be justified in firing Ellen. I would do this based on Deontology which focuses on rights and duties,  telling the truth and fairness (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p17). †¢Bill has been using his company-issued BlackBerry to run his own business on the side. Bill was given the company-issued BlackBerry to use for work. As I read in most articles, it is expected that in this digital age employees will use their employers’ equipment for some type of personal use. Most companies have policies on the use of company equipment. If Bill is a good employee, there is no loss of productivity, a nd the majority of his personal business is taking place during off-time, Bill should not be fired, and it would not be deemed legal, unless the company’s policy says something different. The company’s policy should be â€Å"clearly communicated to all employees and† and be â€Å"consistently enforced† as well (BizFilings, 2012). Bill should be aware that the employer †generally can monitor, listen in and record employee phone calls on employer owned phones† to include â€Å"voice mail and text messages† (Bussing, 2011). So if his employer found that he was exchanging insider information about the company through the company BlackBerry, they would be justified in firing him. I chose this course of action based on Virtue Ethics. If Bill feels his employer trusts him, he will most likely remain trustworthy and honest to the company. †¢The secretaries in the accounting department decided to dress in black-and-white stripes to protest a memo announcing that the company has installed keylogger software on all company computers. The secretaries could not be legally fired in this instance. The secretaries would also be covered under the National Labor Relations Act. They are silently protesting the keylogger software. There is more than one person involved in this silent protest and they have the right to discuss â€Å"conditions of employment† (Rogers, 2013). I chose this based on the Ethics of Care. The secretaries obviously do not agree with a new procedure in the workplace. The upper management should not come down on them for that. The secretaries are quietly organizing themselves, and they should have the right to disagree. †¢After being disciplined for criticizing a customer in an email (sent from his personal email account on a company computer), Joe threatens to sue the company for invasion of privacy. Company computers are company computers. The company has the right to information that is sent on its’ computers, especially during work hours. Joe should not be discussing work business through his personal emails. Joe would not be covered under the First  Amendment, because it â€Å"protects all of us from the government, not from private companies† (NOLO, 2014). I chose this action based on Free Market Ethics. This model focuses on what is good for the company. Joe cannot stay with the company while criticizing the customers, especially through his personal email at work. If the company keeps Joe around and the information gets out, it could lose more than it would by letting him go. †¢One of the department supervisors requests your approval to fire his secretary for insubordination. Since the secretary has always received glowing reviews, you call her into your office and determine that she has refused to prepare false expense reports for her boss. The secretary’s firing would not be justified in this situation. Although the secretary is an employee at will who could be fired for cause or no reason at all, it appears that the secretary is being retaliated against for refusing to prepare corrupt documents. The secretary’s reviews have always been great, so there is no presence of a developmental plan or previous violations of company policy. The company most likely has some type of policy for progressive discipline, so if the supervisor did not follow the plan to the letter, the firing would not be justified. I chose this action based on Deontology. The employer has the obligation to be honest and to remain steadfast â€Å"to universal princip les† (Halbert & Ingulli, 2012, p17). †¢Anna’s boss refused to sign her leave request for jury duty and now wants to fire her for being absent without permission. Anna’s boss could not legally fire her due to serving jury duty. â€Å"Most states prohibit employers from firing or disciplining employees called to serve on a juryâ€Å" and some states â€Å"prohibit employers from trying to discourage or intimidate employees from serving† (NOLO, 2014). Anna’s boss could be â€Å"held in contempt of court† if Anna did not show up to court because of her employer’s decision (Gordon, 2012). I chose this action based on Utilitarianism, because the choice of firing Anna due to attending jury duty may have a detrimental effect on the entire workplace. As you proceed with your investigation, you discover the company has no whistleblower policy. †¢Take a position on whether or not you would recommend to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) that the company adopt a whistleblower policy. Support the position. I would recommend to the CEO that the company adopt a whistleblower policy. It is important to have such a policy so that people know the proper steps to take when disclosing  information of wrongdoing in the workplace and know that they will be protected for sharing such information. In the situation between the supervisor and his secretary, a whistleblowing policy could have exposed the issue earlier. It seemed that the secretary did not tell anyone about the supervisor pressuring her to create false documents, until she was faced with losing her job. †¢Justify at least three (3) fundamental items that should be included in a whistleblower policy. Provide a rationale for your selection of each of the three (3) recommended items. The first item that should be included in a whistleblower policy is the â€Å"responsibility to disclose that information to appropriate parties inside the organization† (Barnett, 1992). The employees are the ones who are going to see the wrongdoing most likely. Without laying the responsibility on the employees, they may not know how important it is to the company and may not feel supported in their efforts to share information. This part of the policy should also include that the process will take place within the organization and that all information given should be done so â€Å"in good faith† (Barnett, 1992). The second item that should be included in a whistleblowing policy is a group of neutral people â€Å"outside the chain of command as complaint recipients† (Barnett, 199 2). This should make people feel more comfortable sharing violations, because they don’t have to worry about backlash from sharing information. It would make it much harder for an employee to disclose information to the group if he knew the person he was telling on was best friends with someone on the committee. Finally, the policy should outline the steps of the investigation process and give assurance to the whistleblower that there will be no â€Å"adverse employment consequences† (Barnett, 1992). The Whistleblower Acts should also be included in the employee handbook so that employees not only understand the policy within their current workplace, but as it is stated by the government. The employee will know what is covered and what is not. References Barnett, T. (1992). Why Your Company Should Have a Whistleblowing Policy.Retrieved May 4th, 2014, from http://ethics.csc.ncsu.edu /old/12_00/basics/whistle/rst/wstlblo_policy.html BizFilings. (2012). Using Policies to Address Employees’ Personal Use of BusinessEquipment. Retrieved May 4th, 2014, from