Relationships Between Grandparents and Grandchildren Essay

The relationships between grandparents and grandchildren vary within every family. Some families develop strong relationships with their grandchildren, while others are seemingly unrecognized by one another. For this interview, I was hoping to come into contact with an individual who has maintained a healthy relationship with his or her descendants. Originally I was going to interview someone outside of my family; however, I realized that if I were to interview my own grandmother, I could demonstrate two different perspectives of the grandparent-grandchild relationship, hers and mine. I chose to conduct an interview with my grandmother (maternal) whom is an 82-year-old Hispanic woman who primarily speaks Spanish. She was born in Texas in 1931 and currently resides at this location. Her socioeconomic status is middle class. My grandmother is a widow. Her husband passed away 10 years ago this month. She is currently unemployed, and resides in the same home that she shared with her husband and children. She has seven children (six females; one male), eleven grandchildren (five females; six males), seven great grandchildren (two females; five males), and one great-great grandchild (female). Considering that my grandmother is the first generation, there are still five active generations on the maternal side of my family. I would have liked to talk about my grandmother’s relationship with the fourth and fifth generations of my family, but they presently live in Georgia and unfortunately there is not much contact between them. The only child currently in the fifth generation, her great-great granddaughter, still has not met the first generation because they live so far apart from each other. Thankfully, due to technological advancements in communication, my grandmother has been able to see pictures and videos of all the family members from all generations. In the interview, I asked her how she would describe her current relationship with her grandchildren. As expected, she said that her relationship with all of her grandchildren was great and there were no problems with any of them. Uncertain about the sincerity of her answer, I then rephrased the question to ask her how she felt about each individual relationship with her grandchildren. I made a list of all her grandchildren and asked her to talk about each one. What I was able to draw from all the individual relationships was that she is proud of all her grandchildren regarding their accomplishments thus far. She did reveal some regretful elements that she has experienced as a grandmother to such a large family. She stated that she is sad that she does not get the opportunity to see or talk to many of her grandchildren as often as she would like. She only has the chance to interact with some of them during special occasions such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, and other major holidays. Even then, not all of the grandchildren are able to attend those events because the majority of them are already adults and have their own lives and responsibilities that seem to have become priority over family festivities. Another one of my grandmother’s concerns is that not all of her grandchildren are able to communicate with her effectively, because there is a slight language barrier. Although she understands English fairly well and can interpret what her grandchildren are expressing to her, she is unable to speak the language correctly when she is responding to them. Regretfully, many of her grandchildren are not fluent in the Spanish language. She expresses that the reason for this is due to the fact that Spanish is not taught to children while they attend school which never influenced them to learn. Furthermore, since my grandmother has never been employed throughout her life and instead opted to be a housewife, she never felt the need to drive. Since my grandmother never learned how to drive, she never obtained a driver’s license. I asked her what her primary mode of transportation is and she said that one of the perks to having so many grandchildren is that nowadays children learn how to operate a vehicle at an early age. She only has a few grandchildren that live nearby but she is able to get a ride from them to take her to any appointments she may have or to just run errands. Originally her husband would drive her wherever she needed to go but by now he would be about 88 years old. She manages to maintain a strong relationship with one of her granddaughters in particular. Her youngest daughter, along with her granddaughter, currently lives within her household. This would typically make it much easier for her to keep a healthy relationship with her granddaughter who is approximately twelve years old, but her daughter that is 39 years old, went through a divorce about 5 years ago and is currently diagnosed with schizophrenia. Both my grandmother and my cousin must support my aunt with her mental disability. Regretfully, this is taking a toll on everyone in the household. While I was listening to her speak about the situation, I was able to add a follow-up question regarding how the current situation has affected her relationship with her granddaughter. She expressed that the situation has impaired relationships between herself, her daughter, and her granddaughter. She continued talking about how her daughter randomly goes through behavioral outbursts and it is incredibly difficult to calm her down and at times. Sometimes situations can escalate to a point where she and her granddaughter have no choice but to call the authorities because her daughter can be a potential threat to herself or others. My grandmother and her granddaughter work together to keep everything in the household running smoothly but there are times that the tension is too great between everyone in the household. I wanted to go a little more in depth on her thoughts about her daughters divorce and how she feels it affected her relationship with her granddaughter. She said that because of the divorce, she can now have her daughter and granddaughter closer. She was naturally sad that her daughter’s marriage ended in divorce but since her daughter and granddaughter used to live in San Antonio, she didn’t get to see them very often. She enjoys being around her granddaughter all the time and it wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for the divorce. I believe my grandmother was very lucky that her daughter is the one that maintained custody over the father. â€Å"A divorce may strengthen bonds between the grandparent and grandchild; especially when grandparents become more involved with caring for their grandchildren. In cases where contact between grandparents and grandchildren decreases or ends, the result can be traumatic and painful for all concerned. (Milne). I then proceeded to ask her about what kind of activities she participates in with her granddaughter. My grandmother takes the time to sit with her granddaughter and talk about school related things, watch movies together, and share ideas & concepts on things that her granddaughter should paint. As I got to this point into the interview and I asked so much about the grandparent-grandchild relationship, I was curious what my grandmother ’s perspective was on being more of a parent than a grandparent. My grandmother feels that she has to be more of a parent to her granddaughter due the fact that her daughter has schizophrenia. She tries her hardest to help her granddaughter with homework and advice but she feels that there are still a lot of things that she cannot do on behalf of her daughter. My final question was based off of one of the chapters that I read in the class assigned textbook. â€Å"Grandchildren whose parents had poor relationships with their own parents saw their grandparents less often and rated the quality of the relationship lower than those whose parents recalled caring relationships. (Quadagno, 2011). With that in mind, I asked if she felt that her granddaughter’s relationship with her was affected by her daughter’s relationship with her. I gave an example such as, â€Å"If your daughter was close to you, then that would make your granddaughter close to you also, and vice versa. † She told me that when her daughter first moved back home, she was still very upset with the divorce and she would lash out at everyone. My grandmother said that since her daughter would treat her badly, her granddaughter wouldn’t have as much respect for her. It took about a year until her granddaughter began to realize that there was something wrong with her mom and began to get closer to her grandmother for comfort and support with handling her mother with schizophrenia. After talking to my grandmother about her perspective on this grandparent-grandchild relationship, I couldn’t help but feel as if she was not being completely truthful with all her answers. I read in an article in USA Today, â€Å"Grandparents may feel that they themselves have failed as parents. They may feel a sense of shame and worry that it says something about the parenting of that (adult) child. â€Å"(Facciolo, 2012). I would have liked to go into more detail regarding her thoughts on her daughters divorce, and how she really feels about it. I believe if I were to have gone too much in depth she would have gotten slightly upset because there are a lot more factors regarding her situation at home. Overall, it was interesting getting insight on the grandparent-grandchild relationship which I never really gave too much thought on.

Essay about Reading Essay

Ever since I started learning to read, it has been one of my favorite hobbies. I love to submerge myself into a book and get the chance to go on adventures I never can in the real world. Usually, when I get hooked on a good book, I can’t put it down. I’m not myself anymore. My reality becomes eclipsed by something as simple, yet complex, as words on paper. I begin to eat, sleep, and experience through the character in the tale. I am the character in the tale. Although I experience these journeys vicariously, it feels real in my mind, and that’s good enough for me. When I am reading, I like to settle myself in a very quiet environment with little to no noise. I often read during the evening or at night. More often than not, I get myself a snack to chew. I also get some water to quench my thirst, especially if I’m reading a story taking place in dry conditions. I like to lie on the sofa or on my bed because I enjoy being very comfortable while reading. Some will fall asleep whilst reading, but I usually get too absorbed by the book to do so. Something I don’t understand is when people must listen to music or have noise in the background- for me, it is very distracting. In my life, I like to think that I’ve read quite a few books. I don’t have a favorite genre of books but I read much more fiction than non-fiction. That is something I am trying to improve on- I want to read more biographies, auto-biographies, non-fiction narratives, speeches, etc. Some books that I love are: The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Gone with the Wind, Jane Eyre, A Time of Angels, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, The Help, The Fault in Our Stars, Ender’s Game, Harry Potter and more. I want to learn how to read faster and retain information better to become a more efficient reader. I often find that I have difficulty recalling details in a book. Reading allows for a break from all the stress and scurry in life. It allow one to relax and enjoy some alone time. I love when a book is quick to get into and interesting.

Boardman Management Analysis and PRF Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Boardman Management Analysis and PRF - Essay Example ion has been made, the introduction of communication technology has to be viewed as an occasion in the life of an organization that affects the processing of information by knowledge workers. With the implementation of new processing systems, an external parameter has been introduced within the organization that changes the creation and manipulation of information. The fundamental question arising is concerned with the relationship between this external parameter and the agents – knowledge workers – of the organization. Boardman Management should take into account its current system and future goals connected with business expansion and future development. As new technology is introduced, knowledge workers have to make media choices that translate into alternative ways of processing information. These media choices are made in the context of having to achieve an expected level of individual performance. In these circumstances, knowledge workers appropriate the technology according to their needs and given organizational norms. Although top management may have a specific output in mind, the invested new software technology is adopted by organizational members who make the eventual decision regarding the use of the technology. The underlying idea is that new software technology is created and changed by human action, yet it is also used by people to accomplish organizational aims. Knowledge workers may, for example, decide to use group support systems for the purpose of generating ideas, yet refuse t o use these for overcoming conflicts (Laudon and Laudon 2005). Boardman Management should take into account current problems and skills deficiencies, routine work and complexity of organizational structure. This means that workers are limited in their full range of media choices. Furthermore, political processes within organizations demand the negotiation of appropriate media choices. These negotiation processes adhere to established social patterns that have

High and Lows of Bangladesh Textile Industry Essay - 23

High and Lows of Bangladesh Textile Industry - Essay Example The move to join was seen by many as a setback to the economy, but this was not the case. The textile export in Bangladesh continued to grow while, in 2008, the rest of the country suffered economic recess, but Bangladesh enjoyed an export rise. The textile industries rose to 5000 factories that provided employment to about 3 million people (2). The developed countries underwent economic recess in 2008-2009 and were forced to import low- cost garments from Bangladesh to meet the demand of their customers who wanted low prices. These companies included Walmart and as a result, a Hong Kong manufacturing company- Li & Fung enjoyed a 25 % rise in 2009 as compared to China whose sales dropped by 5%. The underlying factors that triggered an increase in the exports were based on the fact that labor costs were low due to the presence of hourly rates of wages. The wages were low in Bangladesh with the minimum of $ 38 a month as compared to China that went up to $138 a month. Other factors included; few regulations that are equivalent to no rules at all, a good network of supplies which saved on transport costs, import duties and time. Bangladesh also benefited from not being China as the importer had become too independent on their imports and wanted an alternative. This came as a result of an increase in costs if the problem was no t addressed. All these factors favored Bangladesh, and it became the second largest to China garment exporter (2). Some of the main setbacks to economic development include power disruption, poor infrastructure since the government has underinvested as compared to China. Apart from these, Bangladesh underwent economic crisis after the collapse of the Rana Plaza building that hosted five garment factories. The collapse came as a result of not following construction procedures as the building could only hold five floors.

Bioethics Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Bioethics - Term Paper Example Critical thinking can help someone to evaluate himself or herself in the wake to self-realization. Every person is different from the other. There is a unique feature in every person that differentiate him or her from the rest in the society. This uniqueness is the one that can be used to define who a person is and how he or she can live and behave in order to achieve the desired goal in the future. Human beings today are largely shaped by the evolving technology. The technology have been growing every day, and people have appreciated it and used it to enhance their living. Enhancement entails the increase in the life of the people. Enhancement does not only lead to positive transformation of ethics. It has also led to the deterioration of the values considered good in the societal realm. Since the development of technology is global, it have led to the creation of a global village. It has become very easy for a person in one point of the world to communicate with another person in another point, many miles apart, at an affordable price (Cliteur). It therefore implies that people no longer need to travel from one country to another so that they can engage in a conversation. The only thing they need to have is a device for communication. Considering the advancement in technology, the sharing of information have been made easier and increased. Both the scientific innovations and culture can now be transferred from one place to the other, regardless of which continent the parties are. Culture has been prominently transferred from one community to the other. Given that culture is very detrimental in the observing of ethics, the change in culture then implies the change in ethics. People have a tendency of being a victim of influences. The technology have influenced a lot of people in many rounds. They have opted to imitate other people’s cultures. When put in an example, most of the African countries have adopted a lot of the Western culture. For example,

LOG501 MOD 5 case SLP Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

LOG501 MOD 5 case SLP - Essay Example The infrastructure comprises of every transportation mode from rail, road, sea and air to the economy of country as all of these factors collectively support the logistics development within the country (Lynch, 2010; â€Å"The transportation challenge: Moving the US Economy†, 2008). Despite increase in efforts of US government in the development of the logistics and transportation industry, it has been unable to achieve the targeted results. For instance, the government of US has allocated $2.3 billion of the federal budget for the development of the transportation infrastructure which is more than 5% as compared to last year i.e. 2010 (â€Å"Transportation Performance Index Update 2011†, 2011). It has been specifically mentioned in a report that the backbone of an effective supply chain and logistics system for any company is the transportation and logistics industry of the country as they need to have access to the right mediums for enhancing their transportation facilities as it facilitates their delivery mechanism. There is a requirement of a well-developed transportation and logistics sector because the rules and regulations are developed in accordance to the demands of the companies that are present in that sector. In order to compete effectively, the government of US has to ensure that the resources are effectively utilized and all changes are made slowly and steadily (â€Å"20th annual trends and issues in logistics and transportation study†, 2011). US had a strong sector which was growing steadily till 2008; after the recession, it had to undertake severe precautionary measures especially creation of stringent laws for safe and secured transportation and logistics activities (â€Å"24th annual state of logistics report†, 2012). The main factors that are impacting the infrastructure development are as follows: 1. Growth in

Research Integration Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Research Integration - Essay Example The volume of data and evidence that was synthesized to come up with the guidelines is quite many which make it quite proper and important to nursing practice. Moreover, many experts were involved in developing this practice guideline such as microbiologists who play crucial roles in the treatment of AOM. To make the article more acceptable is the use of simple language that is easy to understand by all healthcare specialists. It highly recommends the concept of watchful waiting as the best option in handling AOM complications. Block, S. L. (1997). Causative Pathogens, Antibiotic Resistance And Therapeutic Considerations in Acute Otitis Media. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 16, 449–456. This source can be classified as a filtered information article owing to its approach to the handling of AOM. In essence, it reviews and gives a summary of proceedings in a symposium that discussed pertinent issues that are related to increased antibiotic resistance to AOM. In terms of t he kind of evidence, it falls under evidence summary because it delineates different recommendations of handling cases of AOM. Owing to the large volume of evidence surmised in this article, it is quite appropriate and suited for nursing practice. Moreover, it tackles different cases of AOM which may be caused by different pathogens in synergy which makes some AOM cases complicated. In such scenarios, the article is of the opinion that treatment and administration of antibiotics should only be started after the causative pathogens have been positively identified. This in turn ensures that cases of antibiotic resistance are reduced because some antibiotics are not effective in handling some causative pathogens of AOM. Kelley, P. E., Friedman, N., Johnson, C. (2007). Ear, nose, and throat. In W. W. Hay, M. J. Levin, J. M. Sondheimer, & R. R. Deterding (Eds.), Current Pediatric Diagnosis And Treatment (18th ed., pp. 459–492). New York: Lange Medical Books/McGraw-Hill. This is a filtered source because it gives an in depth analysis of different microbial infections that infect around the throat region. It has been noted that the different infections that occur within this region and affect the eyes, nose throat are caused by common or similar pathogens. It follows then that chances are high that infection in any of the parts will automatically lead infection of the other parts. This article can also be classified as evidence based guideline that tables diagnostic procedures as well as the treatment of AOM infections. The suitability of the source for nursing practice is found in the in depth analysis of different methods of handling cases of AOM. In addition, the article provides a chart or diagrammatic representation on how to handle this infection at each step of its progress. McCracken, G. H. (1998). Treatment of Acute Otitis Media In An Era Of Increasing Microbial Resistance. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, 17, 576–579. Information is synth esized and analyzed about the rising resistance of pathogens that causes antibiotics to. Moreover, a guideline is also provided that gives the way forward on how to handle these complications and as such the source is a filtered source. In terms of evidence, it can be classified as

Cuban Missile Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Cuban Missile - Essay Example John F. Kennedy was the US president during this time of crisis. He therefore had to make swift moves to avoid going into war with the Soviet Union. As Robert Kennedy and Arthur Jr. Schlesinger portray in their book In Thirteen Days, they applaud John F. Kennedy for the way in which he handled the crisis.Kennedy’s team of Executive Committee of the National Security Council (ExComm) congregated and deliberated on different ways to deal with the crisis. As Robert puts it, they considered several options. The first one was invading Cuba, option two was ordering air strikes with the intention of taking out the missile areas, the other option was imposing a blockade around Cuba. This was aimed at keeping out the undelivered missiles. The fourth option they considered was presenting a private ultimatum to Nikita Khrushchev and in the event that the missiles were not removed, then a military action was to be taken. The fifth and the last option was to present some offer of trade for the missiles in Cuba and those in Turkey.The fifth option was fronted and therefore at the heart of the crisis Kennedy’s administration agreed to withdraw or remove the US missile s from the republic of Turkey and in exchange the Soviet Union was to also remove their nuclear forces from Cuba. The US central concession handled the matter in secret unlike the Soviet who came out in public. The US thought that the idea of withdrawing from the republic of Turkey would have seen the administration that was in place as weak.

Case Note Record of Key Worker Session Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Case Note Record of Key Worker Session - Essay Example When I inquired about the reason of his insomnia, he informed me that he had been undergoing a lot of stress for the past few days, especially when he stayed with his mother in her house. Since his mother is unemployed, she heavily relies on him for monthly expenses and tends to get abusive, if he does not provide adequately. This has been constant practise for the past 2 months. Since he has high respect and regard for her, he is unsure about how to handle the situation. According to him, the insomnia stems from the fact that he constantly thinks about ways to make additional money to support his mother’s lifestyle. Now its come to a point where he is unable to deal with it anymore, and admitted that as his discharge day gets closer, he is getting increasingly worried about moving in back to his mother’s house. He expressed his desire to buy a house for and live there by himself. He himself suggested that it would be a great way to address his insomnia and bipolar diso rder that he had been admitted for. Mr. Cooper said that he would often move to his friend’s apartment for a few days to clear his mind, when things got worse with his mother. Clearly, one of the reasons for Mr. Cooper’s insomnia and phases of depression is due to his unhappiness when with his mother. I suggested him a counseling session with one of the doctors at the department of psychology. In my opinion, these findings and revelations could be new leads in diagnosing Mr. Cooper’s condition, and prompt action should be taken, before his discharge, which is scheduled on the 3rd of December. Sincerely, Head nurse, Department of Psychiatry Discharge Summary Patients name: Dennis Cooper Age: 45 years Condition: Bipolar disorder Discharge time: 12:45 pm, December 3rd, 2011 Summary: A 45-year old male was admitted due to severe depression and an attempted, failed suicide on November 25th, 2011 at 4pm, by an overdose of Diazepam. The patient is a known case of Bipol ar II disorder. On admission, he was immediately given a gastric lavage. Following the lavage, vital parameters were normal, and BP was 120/80. On awakening, the patient started talking incessantly, smiling constantly and seemed very excited and elated. This lasted for approximately 3 hours, after which he fell asleep. After awakening from a 6-hour nap, the patient had a severe headache, which subsided after administration of Advil, however, he was sobbing inconsolably for no apparent reason and appeared dejected and low. In order to relieve this phase of depression, Divalproex, clonazepam and Lithium were commenced. No more of such acute episodes of either mania or depression were observed during the course of his stay. The patient was under moderate sedation and antidepressants throughout his stay at the center, and this combination was helpful in maintaining a neutral state of mind, without any agitation or depression. On December 1st, he underwent counseling with the department of psychiatry, about certain issues, which in his opinion were causes for his insomnia and bipolar syndrome. A follow up with Dr. Shinde is recommended after a week of discharge. The current medication sheet that he is currently prescribed and needs to be continued is attached with this summary sheet. Medication: Lithium: 0.5 mg OD Divalproex: 250 mg BD Clonazepam: 0.25 mg BD Follow up: Dec. 11, Community Hospital Attending physician: Dr. Jay Shinde Comments: In case of sudden

Integrative Network Design Essay Example for Free

Integrative Network Design Essay Riordan Manufacturing is a global plastics manufacturer. Their products include plastic beverage containers produced in Albany, Georgia, custom plastic parts produced in Pontiac, Michigan, and plastic fan parts produced in Hang Zhou, China (UOPX, 2013, p. 1). Riordan’s research and development is in San Jose, California (Corporate Headquarters). Riordans main customers are automotive parts manufacturers, aircraft manufacturers, the Department of Defense, beverage makers and bottlers, and appliance manufacturers (UOPX, 2013, p. 1). Team B and associates were task by Riordan to analysis Riordan’s WAN and add a wireless Network to Riordan Manufacturing, also to analyze and update Riordan’s Internet security in each of the locations and provide documentation for security policies and procedures. What is a wireless network and what are the benefits of going wireless. With the current wireless technology, Wi-Fi is everywhere; one can connect to the Internet by going to coffee houses, airports, hospitals, hotels, and homes. Businesses can stay connected to their coworkers and customers without being tied to their office desk by using wireless networks and Wi-Fi hotspots. Wireless local-area network (WLAN) allows personnel to connect to their computers without wires or cables. A wireless network uses radio waves to connect and communicate within a certain area to mobile devices. If someone needs a document while attending a meeting in the conference room or one needs to access the inventory list from the warehouse. A wireless network allows one to access the company’s Internet and retrieve documents on their mobile devises without leaving the meeting or going back to their office. Benefits of Wireless Networking The benefits of company’s going wireless include convenience, mobility productivity, and ease of set up, scalability, security, and cost. Mobile devices in today’s society are equipped with Wi-Fi technology and able to connect to a WLAN. Convenience: employees can access securely to their company’s network resources from any location within their coverage area. The coverage area normally is the office building but is able to expand to other company facilities. Mobility: employees are connected to the network when they are not at their office desk. People in meetings can access documents and applications with their mobile devices. Salespeople can access the company’s network from any location. Productivity: employees accessing their documents and applications are the key to get the job done, and it encourages teamwork. Customers also have access to the company’s Internet using a secure guest access to view their business data. Ease of setup: business do not have to run cables through the facilities, installation is quick and cost-effective. WLAN’s make it easier to for hard to reach locations to have connectivity to the network. Scalability: with businesses expand, company’s need to expand quickly along with their network. Wireless network expands with the current existing equipment. Security: the success in controlling and managing secure access to a business’s wireless network is very important. Security managers must be knowledgeable with the advanced Wi-Fi technology and needs to provide vigorous security protections to protect their data, but only giving permission to who need access. Cost: businesses that operate with and WLAN, reduces wiring costs during office upgrades. How Riordan Manufacturing can use a wireless Networking Company’s using a wireless networks are boosting productivity and encourage data information sharing. Employees can wander throughout the building using mobile devices and still have constant access to documents, e-mails, applications, and other network resources required to do their jobs. Employees using wireless LAN can travel throughout the office building without losing Internet connectivity. Employees having a team meeting or in conference can have the most updated communications, including all documents and applications on the network. Voice over internet protocol (VOIP) technology; also have roaming capabilities in their voice communications. Improved responsiveness Customers require rapid replies to questions and concerns. A WLAN improves customer service or relationships by connecting employees to the data information. Better access to information WLAN’s allow business’s access to all areas in the building without any connectivity issues. WLAN’s are very effective in warehouses, manufacturing plants, and distribution centers. Employees can access inventories and providing accurate figures in real time to management. Easier network expansion Businesses expanding and hiring new employees are easily added the network by the network administrator. Office furniture is easily moved and employees are added or removed to/from the network without issues. Enhanced guest access WLAN’s allow businesses to provide secure wireless access to the Internet for guests or visitors. Hospitals, restaurants, hotels, coffee shops, and other public businesses provide WI-FI to all mobile devices. The IT administrator will need to verify that all the desktop PCs already have the integrated Wi-Fi hardware installed or the PC’s will need to upgraded. Switching to a WLAN does not mean switching changing from ones existing wired network. It is common for businesses to have a wired-wireless network that provides wireless capabilities to conference rooms or in new expanded office spaces. WLAN’s also supports VOIP for the conference rooms. IT managers should be aware of some of the technical aspects of WLAN’s. The WLAN network covers approximately about 3,000 square feet. The range of a wireless router could be affected by walls and cubicles, and the signals are hard to be received in elevators. Other issues IT managers should be made aware of include: †¢Wireless router is shared between 15-20 users per each access point for data, 8-12 for VOIP †¢VOIP quality, wireless routers need to be installed closer together †¢Routers have enhanced coverage when they are installed on the ceiling. Security policies and procedures in a WLAN are very important to consider when establishing a wireless network. Security policies that need to be considered: †¢Data encryption †¢User authentication †¢Secure access for visitors †¢Control systems. To prove that the design meets the data rate requirements, you need to calculate the required data transfer rate for all your networks. Backups over the network must move the data from all your clients, to your media servers fast enough to finish backups within your backup window. To calculate the data transfer rate, use this formula: Required network data transfer rate = (amount of data to back up) / (backup window) the chart below shows the typical transfer rates of some of the more resent network technologies. Table: Network data transfer rates (PowerTech. com, 2010, p. 1) Network TechnologyTheoretical gigabytes per hourTypical gigabytes per hour 100BaseT (switched)3625 1000BaseT (switched)360250 10000BaseT (switched)360025 Here is an example of how to calculate the required data transfer rate for your network: (Symantec Corp, 2013, p. 1) Use the following assumptions: †¢Amount of data to back up = 500 gigabytes †¢Backup window = 8 hours †¢Required network transfer rate = 500 gigabytes/8hr = 62. 5 gigabytes per hour Solution 1: Network Technology = 100BaseT (switched) Typical transfer rate = 25 gigabytes per hour A single 100BaseT network has a transfer rate of 25 gigabytes per hour. This network cannot handle your required data transfer rate of 62. 5 gigabytes per hour. In this case, you would have to explore other options, such as the following; backing up your data over a faster network (1000BaseT), large servers to dedicated tape drives (SAN media servers), SAN connections by means of SAN Client. Performing off-host backups using Snapshot Client to present a snapshot directly to a media server that backups during a longer time window, performs your backups over faster dedicated networks such as solution 2: Network Technology = 1000BaseT (switched) and Typical transfer rate = 250 gigabytes per hour Based on the above network table; a single 1000BaseT network has a transfer rate of 250 gigabytes per hour. This network has much more capacity to handle the backups for this system. To build a backup system for you network; you complete the following. The data transfer rates for your networks must be calculated in order to identify your various problems and potential bottlenecks. (The latest breaking technological solutions for dealing with multiple networks problems and potential bottlenecks are readily available for installation. ) Once the data transfer rates required for your backups are calculated, the rate of transfer must be able to achieve a complete backup of all your data within the allotted time. Then you must determine the most efficient type of tape or disk technology is available to meet your company’s specific needs. Determine the specific number of tape drives needed and the required data transfer rate is going to be for your network. To set the backups needed for your network, (as before) you must move the data from all your clients, to your media servers fast enough to finish backups within your backup window. Then determine the size of your systems ‘Netback up’ image database, exactly how much disk space will be needed to store your entire Netback up image database, the size of the ‘Netback up relational database’ (NBDB), and the required space that will be needed to handle the NBDB. Then calculate how much media will be needed to handle both full and incremental backups, plus you must determine how many tapes will be needed not only to store, but also to be able to retrieve and keep your backups. The next step will be to estimate the size of the tape library your network needs to store your backups and if you need to use robotic library tape slots in order to store your backups. General Threats to Network and Information Security is the primary concern in e-business. The assets of the e-business services and other electronic services should be protected in order to preserve the  authenticity, confidentiality, integrity and availability of the service. Administrators normally find that putting together a security policy that restricts both users and attacks is time consuming and costly. Many users in companies also become disgruntled at the heavy security policies making their work difficult for no discernible reason, causing bad politics within the company. A common attitude among users is that if no secret is being performed, and then why bother implementing security. Malicious attackers can gain access or deny services in numerous ways, for example with Viruses, Trojan horses, worms, password cracking, denial of service attacks, E- mail hacking, impersonation, Eavesdropping, Packet replay, packet modification, social engineering, intrusion attacks, and Network spoofing. Attackers are not the only ones who can harm an organization. The primary threat to data integrity comes from authorized users who are not aware of the actions they are performing. Errors and omissions can lose, damage, or alter valuable data. Users, data entry clerks, system operators, and programmers frequently make unintentional errors that contribute to security problems, directly and indirectly. Sometimes the error is the threat, such as a data entry error or a programming error that crashes a system. In other cases, errors create vulnerabilities. Errors can occur in all phases of the system life cycle. Programming and development errors, often called bugs, range in severity from irritating to catastrophic. Improved software quality has reduced but not eliminated this threat. Installation and maintenance errors also cause security problems. There are ways to keeping Riordan Manufacturing safe from all these problems. One way to protect the company is by having Common Access Cards for all employees. With these cards it will have all the employees personal Information and will also protect the employee from identity theft of employees personal information. By having these cards the IT personal will know exactly who the one that used certain computer was and be able to know when they did it. By keeping track of when and where every employee logs in. It is known for human errors to be number one risk for security side. Most of the hacking done by people has to do also because of a mistake of a worker. To reduce all of these things Training will have to be programmed to reduce human mistakes will on the job and after the job. Mobile phones are another threat to Riordan Manufacturing, because there are people that log on to the companies using their phones and many times they forget to close the account. By leaving this account open the company is vulnerable to hackers getting to the companies account and doing a great deal of damage. To prevent these types of things these part will have to be covered in Training through the company and the company will have to have all of their employees with a certain access to have a company phone and have them use only that phone to access the account if necessary. The phones will be protected at all times to make sure that no hacker is getting in to the account through these phones. Also if for some reason the employee wants to take action against the company and give secret information through the phone this should also be known through the company. A replay attack occurs when a valid media transmission between two parties is intercepted and retransmitted for malicious purposes. SRTP used in connection with a secure signaling protocol protects transmissions from replay attacks by enabling the receiver to maintain an index of already received RTP packets and compare each new packet with those already listed in the index. Many hackers like to do Spoofing, and this occurs when the attacker determines and uses an IP address of a network, computer, or network component when not authorized to do so. A successful attack allows the attacker to operate as if the attacker is the entity normally identified by the IP address. The largest threat in the Promises study was undocumented or unsecured USB devices. About 13 percent of the surveyed endpoints had them. This isnt just a theoretical concern. A 2005 Yankee Group survey found that 37 percent of the companies surveyed believed USB devices were used to compromise corporate information. Another way the company will be protected from is from unauthorized peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing programs that are often forbidden by company policy, 4 percent of the surveyed computers had such applications installed. This problem is getting worse. Not only are more peer-to-peer networks making their way onto corporate networks, but computer criminals have started using them to compromise and take over computers wholesale. Also cyber-attacks are costing the U. S. economy an estimated $8 billion a year. How much money is going from Riordan Manufacturing? This is a problem that has to be taken care of by reducing Human Errors since this is the largest threat to IT Security. Since Most breaches in critical corporate data are not the result of malicious intent. They are the result of mistakes made in the way security is managed and configured across the business especially at the network level. All of these problems are not only costing the company also nearly nine million U. S. residents are victims of identity theft each year. The â€Å"SOX requires publicly traded companies to secure information systems to the extent necessary to ensure the effectiveness of internal controls over financial reporting. † (PowerTech. com, 2010, p. 1) Companies must now take into consideration that IT well trained and educated security support teams must be brought into the process to provide protection any leaks or intrusion in order to meet the compliance deadlines. â€Å"Section: 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act have had the highest impact on Information Technology and Security. The IT related issues that cause problems for SOX compliance in the context of Section 404 are generally related to access control of system users. † (PowerTech. com, 2010, p. 1) Without adequate access controls in place, users can perform functions/activities that are in conflict with their job responsibilities are to modify/corrupt financial data. Controls to initiate/record unauthorized transactions commit fraud and cover their tracks. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act in some ways comes off very vague and open to interpretation leaving companies unsure how to handle compliance. The best way to start is to identify significant and potential high risk problems when going through the process, identifying specific systems, data processors, and control links whose integrity could be compromised. Once these problems within the network have been identified, effective controls must be implemented to address these deficiencies, to record their regularity and frequency, and to evaluate them to ensure that the proper set of controls is kept in place protecting system integrity. The Bill was introduced (and named for) sponsors; Senator Paul Sarbanes (D-MD) and U. S. Representative Michael G. Oxley (R-OH), as a reaction to a large number of various scandals that had exposed excessive wrong doing in the corporate world, costing investors billions of dollars and many companies to collapse. â€Å"The act contains 11 titles, or sections, ranging from additional corporate board responsibilities to criminal penalties, and requires the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to implement rulings on requirements to comply with the law. † (SOX-online, 2012, p. 1). The Constructing new data base network for Riordan Manufacturing will have to take all SOX rules, regulations and requirements  into consideration at each step along the way in order to stay within the guidelines of the law. General Threats to Network and Information Security is the primary concern in e-business. The assets of the e-business services and other electronic services should be protected in order to preserve the authenticity, confidentiality, integrity and availability of the service. Administrators normally find that putting together a security policy that restricts both users and attacks is time consuming and costly. Many users in companies also become disgruntled at the heavy security policies making their work difficult for no discernible reason, causing bad politics within the company. A common attitude among users is that if no secret is being performed, and then why bother implementing security. Malicious attackers can gain access or deny services in numerous ways, for example with Viruses, Trojan horses, worms, password cracking, denial of service attacks, E- mail hacking, impersonation, Eavesdropping, Packet replay, packet modification, social engineering, intrusion attacks, and Network spoofing. Attackers are not the only ones who can harm an organization. The primary threat to data integrity comes from authorized users who are not aware of the actions they are performing. Errors and omissions can lose, damage, or alter valuable data. Users, data entry clerks, system operators, and programmers frequently make unintentional errors that contribute to security problems, directly and indirectly. Sometimes the error is the threat, such as a data entry error or a programming error that crashes a system. In other cases, errors create vulnerabilities. Errors can occur in all phases of the system life cycle. Programming and development errors, often called bugs, range in severity from irritating to catastrophic. Improved software quality has reduced but not eliminated this threat. Installation and maintenance errors also cause security problems. There are ways to keeping Riordan Manufacturing safe from all these problems. One way to protect the company is by having Common Access Cards for all employees. With these cards it will have all the employees personal Information and will also protect the employee from identity theft of employees personal information. By having these cards the IT personal will know exactly who the one that used certain computer was and be able to know when they did it. By keeping track of when and where every employee logs in. It is known for human errors to be number one risk for security side. Most of the hacking done by people has to do also because of a mistake of a worker. To reduce all of these things Training will have to be programmed to reduce human mistakes will on the job and after the job. A replay attack occurs when a valid media transmission between two parties is intercepted and retransmitted for malicious purposes. SRTP used in connection with a secure signaling protocol protects transmissions from replay attacks by enabling the receiver to maintain an index of already received RTP packets and compare each new packet with those already listed in the index. Many hackers like to do Spoofing, and this occurs when the attacker determines and uses an IP address of a network, computer, or network component when not authorized to do so. A successful attack allows the attacker to operate as if the attacker is the entity normally identified by the IP address. The largest threat in the Promises study was undocumented or unsecured USB devices. About 13 percent of the surveyed endpoints had them. This isnt just a theoretical concern. A 2005 Yankee Group survey found that 37 percent of the companies surveyed believed USB devices were used to compromise corporate information. Another way the company will be protected from is from unauthorized peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing programs that are often forbidden by company policy, 4 percent of the surveyed computers had such applications installed. This problem is getting worse. Not only are more peer-to-peer networks making their way onto corporate networks, but computer criminals have started using them to compromise and take over computers wholesale. Also cyber-attacks are costing the U. S. economy an estimated $8 billion a year. How much money is going from Riordan Manufacturing? This is a problem that has to be taken care of by reducing Human Errors since this is the largest threat to IT Security. Since Most breaches in critical corporate data are not the result of malicious intent. They are the result of mistakes made in the way security is managed and configured across the business especially at the network level. All of these problems are not only costing the company also nearly nine million U. S. residents are victims of identity theft each year. The importance of explicit enterprise security policies and procedures are necessary in a structured network as we currently have in Riordan Manufacturing Inc. and in any other establishment whereas you depend on sending and receiving data over the internet. If no security policy boundaries would be taken seriously, each and one of us would be leaving ourselves vulnerable to malicious computer hackers, corrupted information sent on emails such as; Trojan horses, viruses etc.. As a growing company, we want to protect and ensure that personal information is not compromised and that company policy security awareness procedures are taken. Once a year all employees at Riordan will be required to complete an online assessment of standard procedures for computer use at the facility. If there are any suspicious cyber crime activities occurring, it shall always be reported immediately to the corresponded employee’s supervisor. Mobile work stations have been limited to company issued wireless devices inside the premises, excluding personal cell phones, smart phones, Mp3 players, portable media players, Laptops, tablets, USB drives or external hard drives. All data is classified and is set into four different categories; restricted/proprietary, confidential, sensitive and public. Employees must act appropriately, to prevent unauthorized disclosure of information unless if you have been authorized to access it, if it is utilized as a legitimate business need or shared with other company employees, then it is considered acceptable to the Riordan security policy. Our proposal of upgrading the current switches to the 24 port Meraki Cisco switch and the addition of MR24 Cisco access points will benefit the security policy of networking operations. The Network Security options, Firewalls (2013) website, both pieces of hardware’s have built in firewall management which will assist the network from intruders degrading our system. The purpose of a firewall is to secure the in house network and from non-trusted networks, by blocking content off the internet. Also knows as a choke point, a firewall provides a particular point of contact, enabling users to browse the internet from approved resources located internally or outside the network. It appears as a solitary address to the open public, providing the user access to the non-trusted network through SOCKS, proxy servers and from network address translation (NAT), while keeping the internal networks address private. This technique minimizes impersonating or cyber attack less likely because the firewall maintains the privacy of your internal networks (Network Security Options, Firewalls, 2013). Although firewalls can be limited to what it can protect, such as files that contain file transfer protocol (FTP), telnet amongst the other possible ways of data corruption but it will not necessarily protect them depending on specific destination of the information being transmitted and if the user decides to encrypt the data. When using wireless technology, this can bring several risks to the Network, because hackers can access any unencrypted wireless devices or access points. Having a Wi-Fi protected network will minimize the chances of anyone breaking into the system.

Police Use of Force | Essay

Police Use of Force | Essay There have been several issues concerning the policies that underline the use of force within the field of law enforcement. Favorable opinions, negative objections, and indecisive feelings about the use of force have varied throughout the public as well as within the criminal justice system when it comes to this policy. For a number of years, it has been extremely difficult in determining the proper definition of what is considered to be the use of force or the proper use of force, especially in regards to law enforcement. Ironically, there have been dozens of studies on police and the use of force and research concluded that there is no single accepted definition. Must police use force? Not only should the answer to this question include the circumstances surrounding the situation but it should also include the amount of force able to be used in each unique situation. This question will especially benefit a police officer when determining the amount of force that should be exerted on criminal suspects. Overall, in order for one to fully understand the various definitions of use of force, one must be able to appreciate the background, causes, and ways to reduce the use of force. The basic problem with use of force is the lack of routine, national systems for collecting data on incidents in which police use force during the normal course of duty and on the extent of excessive force and when force should be applied and how much. According to Buker (2005), the term, use of force, describes a right of an individual or authority to settle conflicts or prevent certain actions by applying measures to either: dissuade another party from a particular course of action, or physically intervene to stop them (pg201). Police are granted the authority to use force and being able to use force this is characterizes one of the most misconstrued powers granted to commissioners of the government. Law enforcement officers may define the use of force as, taking all actions to bring a hostile situation to a more manageable status. Adler (2007) found as leading police historians have demonstrated, early law enforcers worked in a hostile environment. Established during an era of soaring violence, when riots were commonplace and when social divisions cleaved cities into competing neighborhoods, American policemen, in Chicago and elsewhere, faced a daunting task. They were expected to maintain order, yet they lacked legitimacy and remained shackled to a partisan, often corrupt, institutional structure in which they were encouraged to use their influence and muscle for overtly political tasks, such as safeguarding their patrons and quelling labor unrest. All the while, American law enforcers battled to command respect and to control the streets. Types of Force There are several interpretations as to what is considered an excessive amount of force, which can vary from using bean bags guns, chemical spray, or batons. When these items are used inappropriately or excessively one may say this is using an excessive amount of force. However, since they are non-lethal they can be seen as reasonable use of force. Therefore, the amount of force a police officer uses does not solely depend on him or herself, but his or her discretion. Every situation that possibly involves the use of force is unique. Situations may be similar or seem to mirror one another, but no situation is the same. By situations varying from the differences in people, regions, beliefs, and backgrounds to tailor a particular definition, create certain guidelines for the use of force is difficult. Some people believe police should not have the power to use force, no matter what the circumstances may be. They believe everything can be solved along peaceful stipulations in which no o ne can be injured or killed (Ng, 2009). Then you have others who understand that in some situations, force is not only necessary, but is required, if serious, injury or death is avoided (Rahtz, 2007). When handling a certain situation police officers have a variety of force options from which they can choose. Officers have been granted the authority to use both physical and mental force to solve crimes and detain criminals. At certain times criminals can be very cooperative when being arrested, so there is no need for physical force the mere presence of the officer is enough to gain their control. When criminals are no so cooperative, the first step would be verbal commands, going forward the next stage to detain a criminal, would be the compliance hold which means applying physical force, which may be followed by the use of non-lethal weapons such as the baton or tasers. The last result would be resorting in applying deadly force, which by all means should attempt to be avoided unless considered necessary (Douthit, 1975). It is widely regarded that the police in any given society have a difficult job to fulfill. Dealing with criminals and placing themselves in harms way on a day to day basis is definitely an admirable calling. Although seen as difficult, there is an underlying sentiment in the general public that the job of law enforcement officers is relatively straightforward. Police are faced with tough moral decisions daily. They are to decide when and how to act when presented with violations of the law. When the use of force exceeds that which is necessary to accomplish their lawful purpose, or when their purpose is not lawful apprehension or self-defense but, rather personal retaliation, it is defined as excessive use of force and is unethical and illegal (Pollock, 2010). According to the United States Department of Justice (2008) the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) in Data Collection on Police Use of Force, states that the legal test of excessive force is whether the police officer reasonably believed that such force was necessary to accomplish a legitimate police purpose. However, there are no universally accepted definitions of reasonable and necessary because the terms are subjective and totality understood. A court in one jurisdiction may define reasonable or necessary differently than a court in a second jurisdiction. More to the point is an understanding of the improper use of force, which can be divided into two categories: unnecessary and excessive. The unnecessary use of force would be the application of force where there is no justification for its use, while an excessive use of force would be the application of more force than required where use of force is necessary (pg3). Causes According to Alpert Smith (1994), a major cause of overuse of force, possibly leading to police brutality is the belief that police officers are soldiers in a war on crime. The war mentality impulses are to do certain things that would not be allowed under normal conditions. Police adopt this mentality because of citizens, whose fear of crime has reached an all-time high, and because of politicians, who publicize the notion that tough cops prevent crime (pg127). Most suspects are compliant and require no more than a guiding arm, but those who refuse or resist, and occasionally those who do not, may provoke a forcible response. Subjects of police uses of force often respond with allegations of law enforcement brutality. Sometimes these allegations are baseless, a product of misunderstanding what might justify lawful force or of false accusation (Matthew, 2006). Other times they represent a just demand for recognition and redress for damaged bodies and spirits. The dilemma, according to Rahtz (2003), is the lack of a clear agreement on what constitutes legitimate use of force. The public, as well as the police, understand that in some situations, force is not only necessary and unavoidable, but is required, if serious injury, death or destruction of property is to be avoided (pg136). When dealing with civilian suspects and the amount of force a police can apply during an arrest it places them in a very shaky situation. When police officers make decisions and choices based on the current situation without referring to any policies and procedures, just by following ones own judgment this is called discretion (Douthit, 1975). This gives the police leeway as to when force is necessary and when it is not, within certain guidelines. For instance, a policeman cannot beat up a man for robbing a store. But, if the robber battered someone in the process of the robbery the policeman could. He could do this because there was a clear threat of danger to himself or to another officer or human being. Police must take the precise course of action to fit the circumstance, because if they are too lenient or to forceful, even when dealing with the pettiest things, they can be chastised by superiors and the public. It seems as if the use of force issue has not been taken very serious through legal aspects. Police officers are rarely reprimanded; if the officer is charged with excessive use of force the charges are nearly exonerated. This causes questions to be raised, why is it that law enforcement officers get special treatment? One may say officers charges are exonerated because; when officers are placed in a precocious situation they use their knowledge of past precedent to be excused with their force actions which may be excessive aggression. Notorious Cases of Police Brutality In 1991 a horrified videotape was broadcasted nationwide, capturing California police officers brutally beating a motorist by the name of Rodney King. This case has had a tremendous effect on law enforcement. This case caused an investigation by a special commission to see whether the brutality was extensive within the police force (Engel, 2008). Another case of police brutality happened in Brooklyn, NY a citizen by the name of Michael Mineo claimed he was sodomized with a baton by police officers. The case of Sean Bell is a case that many will remember Bell was killed on the morning of his wedding day outside of a strip club in Queens, NY. Bell and a few of his friend were out at a strip club celebrating his wedding, not to long after leaving the nightclub, Bell and his friends were confronted by a plainclothes undercover officers who did not identify themselves as officers. Bell sped off in the car and the plainclothes undercover officers let off 50 rounds into Bells vehicle, killi ng him and severely injuring his friends (Engel, 2008). Several political leaders such as Al Sharpton and the NAACP tried to fight for some justice because the outcome of this case did not seem like a feasible amount punishment. The officers were charged with manslaughter, reckless endangerment and assault but were all acquitted. On November 29, 2008, a 15-year-old girl was beaten by two King County Sheriffs Department deputies. The video shows deputies as they escorted the girl into the holding cell, when the deputies asked her to remove her shoes, and, as she slipped out of her left shoe, she appeared to kick it at the deputy. The deputy then lunged through the door and kicked her, striking either her stomach or upper thigh area, he smashed her head against a corner wall before flinging her to the floor by her hair. These events are very alarming but what is more alarming is the amount of times officers are exonerated for their actions. Where an officers initial use of force is aggravated and lawful, the line between a legal arrest and an unlawful deprivation of civil rights within the aggravated assault guidelines is relatively thin. There is no middle ground, no buffer zone. Its either reasonable or criminal. One extra baton strike, shove or control holds can make the difference between an officer doing his job and being sent to prison (Alpert Smith, 1994) Ways to Reduce Use of Force There are several ways to reduce the excessive use and improper use of force, the most important factor is to make all laws enforceable to the fullest extent no excuses. Police officers should fall under these same set of rules, they should be used as deterrence so other officers will not commit this same crime in the future. It is not a question of should or whether, but when and how much. However, police officers must learn to use force lawfully. You cannot use lethal force at will or use force when it is not permitted. The Continuum Scale is believed to be one of the most efficient sources used to ensure the appropriate amount of force is used. A use of force continuum is a standard that provides law enforcement officials security guards with guidelines as to how much force may be used against a resisting subject in a given situation. In certain ways it is similar to the military rules of engagement. It was designed as a general guide to using force in a confrontation or arrest situation and to make sure police officers use the appropriate level of force necessary in the performance of their duties (Terrill, Alpert, Dunham Smith, 2003). The scale will assist officers in applying the law and departmental policy in use of force situations, documenting the use of force, and presenting testimony in a court proceeding. The purpose of these models is to clarify, both for officers and citizens, the complex subject of use of force by law officers. Literature Review In 1977, the Police Foundation conducted a seven-city study of shooting incidents by police. The cities included Birmingham, Alabama; Detroit, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana Kansas City, Missouri; Oakland, California; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C. The research team examined department policies on shootings, analyzed available reports, conducted extensive interviews, and rode in patrol cars as observers. Among their major findings was the observation that most departments were only beginning to develop recordkeeping procedures on police use of excessive force and repeated involvement of officers in shooting incidents. They went on to note, The lack of systematic, centralized data collection in many departments inhibits the rational development of new policies, training programs, and enforcement procedures (Bazley, Lersch, Mieczkowski, 2006). Contacts between Police and the Public, a 1999 BJS report, estimated that less than half of 1 percent of an estimated 44 million people who had face-to-face contact with a police officer were threatened with or actually experienced force. Other studies report similar statistics. It is these few situations, however, that attract public attention. Robert K. Olsen, former Minneapolis Police Chief and Past President, Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), early in 2004 called the use of force the single most volatile issue facing police departments. He noted that just one use of force incident can dramatically alter the stability of a police department and its relationship with a community (U. S. Dept of Justice, 2008). Also, according to International Association of Chiefs of Police (2001), one of the most publicly debated aspects of police use of excessive force during the last year, is the racial characteristic of participants in use of force encounters. There were 8,148 reported incidents of police use of force in which the contributors (police departments) included racial descriptions for officers and suspects. Of this total, 39% involved white officers using force on white subjects, 44% involved white officers using force on African American subjects, 7% involved African American officers using force on African American subjects and 3.4% involved African American officers using force on white subjects. Methodology The literature is in general agreement that police are in a very precarious situation when it comes to the amount of force they can apply when dealing with a civilian suspect. There is no clear definition of use of force because the terms are subjective. The research designed I would perform for this study would be the evaluative survey research method, in the sense that seeks to determine what is the proper meaning of use of force. The research would be of a quantitative analysis approach. A quantitative analysis approach is an approach which is the examination, analysis and interpretation of observations for the purpose of discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships. Conclusion Several key points could have been operationalized differently. When dealing with a dangerous or unpredictable situation, police officers usually have very little time to assess it and determine the proper response. Effective training as well as other guidelines can make it possible for officer to react, respond and address situations in an effective manner. Many early studies utilized official report statistics to measure the outcome of the variables use of force and excessive use of force. Early studies on the incidence of use of force focused on lethal, or deadly, force by police. Lethal force, obviously the highest level of force used by police, results in the most severe injuries to its recipients and commands the greatest attention from the media. The early studies looked at the incidence and circumstances of lethal force in individual cities. The need for improved data collection systems can also be justified by considering the legal liabilities that law enforcement agencies have with their use of force, from both lethal and less-than-lethal weapons. The research conducted over the last 30 years on police use of force consistently calls for improved data collection at the local and national level. In short, the purpose of this study was to determine the meaning of use of force, who can use force, when force should be applied and how much force is too much force. According to Buker (2005), the term of use of force describes having the right or authority to resolve conflicts or to avoid certain actions by applying measures to either: deter another party from a particular course of action, or to physically intervene to stop them (pg210). A major cause for police use of force is the belief that police officers are solders in a war on crime. Police officers are placed in serious and life threatening events on a daily basis. They have to use their discretion; ones own judgment on how to solve the problem and what they believe is the best suitable outcome. Notorious cases of police brutality have called for a special commission to investigate whether brutality was widespread in the police forces. The continuum scale is one of the most effective sources use to ensure the appropriate a mount of force is being used. All in all, one may view the use of force as a glass half empty, and some view the glass half full, which simply states it all depends on how you look at the situation.

Paul Hindemith :: essays research papers fc

  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul was born in the German town of Hanau in 1895, on December Sixteen. We might assume that Hindemith felt a pull in the musical direction from a very early age; Paul’s father was a painter and did not want his son becoming a musician, so our little composer-to-be ran away at the age of 11, and started his own life. Paul taught himself the violin and viola, and began earning his living by playing at Cafes and other such establishments. Eventually, Hindemith learned the rudiments of all the instruments that mattered, so he could play them at least passably-- but he was surely a virtuoso at his viola and viola d’amore.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Eventually, Hindemith ended up at the Frankfurt Conservatory, where he studied his music performance under the tutelage of people like Arnold Mendelssohn. While there, Hindemith showed increasing interest in the field of composition-- he began writing in earnest around the time he completed his courses at the Conservatory, and began establishing himself in the music culture through chamber music and expressionistic opera.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Paul landed a pretty major job in the Frankfurt Opera Orchestra... he was first concertmaster, and then conductor over the years 1915-1923. After this, he founded his Amar String Quartet, for which he was violist-- the group became pretty celebrated and performed successfully throughout Europe. It’s agreed that 1921 was when Hindemith began to come into his own, and emerge as well-known into the world as a composer and performer. Hindemith appeared regularly at the Donaueschingen Festival starting that year, and in 1922-24 his Chamber Works were performed at the Salzburg Festival (which I assume was a fairly big deal at the time).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Up until about 1925, Hindemith was pretty conventional, going along more or less complacently with the musical norms of his time. But in 1925, he came out with â€Å"Kammermusik†, his first openly atonal composition. The piece was representative of new ideas, and roused lots of talk when it was performed at the Venice Festival of the International Society of Contemporary Music. Before he knew it, Paul was a sort of pioneer, a figurehead of the advancing frontier in â€Å"Modern Music†.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ah-- during these years of his life, Hindemith was working as a professor of Composition at the Berlin Hochschule.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  It was around 1934 that Hindemith started having some trouble with the Nazis. For one, they didn’t like his music. In fact, Alfred Rosenberg, who was Chief of Nazi Foreign Affairs, said his musics were the â€Å"foulest perversions of German music.† Obviously, the Nazis gave his career

Gender and Equality in the Workforce in the USSR Essay -- Equality Emp

Gender and Equality in the Workforce in the USSR For every person, different reasons exist to go out and seek employment. These reasons, however, stem from the type of government that people are ruled by. In Russia, during the period that will be discussed, a Socialist government ruled the USSR. It was under this government, that everyone was to have a job and unemployment was to be kept at a minimum. During this socialist regime, the attitudes to working will be taken from the perspectives of three related women. The first woman, Mela Krul, was born in 1932 and is the mother of Alla Veitsman and Helen Krul Zlatkin. Alla Veitsman is the oldest sister and was born in 1954. Although her work experience under the socialist government is brief, it shows signs of the progress that women made during the middle to late 1900s. Helen Zlatkin, born in 1962, had no work experience in the former USSR, but her personal account demonstrates the types of choices that women made in order to have both family and work. Mela Krul was the only one who had extensive work experience in the USSR, but she was able to see the changes and progress that women underwent through the daily activities and choices that both of her daughters made. As these three women came to the United States of America, along with their families, they faced a democratic government where employment was not guaranteed and women did have to face the hardships of unemployment, and more importantly, inequality. It would be the values and traditions that both Alla and Helen believed in that allowed them to be successful and relatively unaffected by inequality. In the time period that the three women lived in the USSR, society was ruled by socialism (communists did exist, but were not the majority). Under this theory of government, everyone worked; it was believed to be a disgrace if a person simply sat at home and did not participate in the labor force. The goal was to have every citizen in the USSR working; there was little focus on quality or productivity, "Early Soviet policies rested on the assumption that genuine equality and independence for women depended on full economics participation." (Lapidus 168) People were encouraged to work, not to meet their potential in the workplace. In order to receive their monthly pay in rubles, the workers had a quota to meet. The workers rarely met this quota --... ...to a certain age group desire these things -- but she did not take into account immigrants. No matter when a certain immigrant woman is born, once she has arrived into the United States she wants a job and a family -- a career comes later. For an immigrant woman, it is never a question between a family or a job, you have both -- you must have a job to keep the family healthy and in need of nothing. For an immigrant woman coming from a socialist government where benefits were nonexistent, jobs in America that do offer benefits do not advocate inequality, but advocate progress and an opportunity to support one's family by fully participating in the labor market. Immigrant families never lose sight of the importance of family and the support that they can offer you. Society is constantly changing and new and better things are always improving, but the help of one's family members can never be overlooked -- some traditions promote modernization and progress. The authors of the econom ic models discussed try to fit people into categories without taking into account very important exceptions -- personal values will never fit into categories and will always promote equality and progress.

MRSA infection in neonatal intensive care units

Methicillin-resistant S. aureus strains increased in the U.S. from 2.4% in 1975 to 29% in 1991. Once established, MRSA is very difficult to eradicate. One of the biggest challenges is preventing cross-transmission of these organisms. Certain patients are more prone to infection and colonization by MRSA, and neonates in NICUs are a high-risk group (Finkelstein, 1999, 24). Risk factors for acquiring MRSA include prolonged hospitalization; a stay in an ICU or burn unit; previous antimicrobial therapy; surgical site infections; and exposure to colonized or infected patients. The majority of MRSA infections in neonates are primary bacteremias and pneumonias. MRSA infections have also been associated with increased morbidity and mortality, and greater hospital costs than those due to methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). Why are neonates more prone to MRSA infection? With regards to skin infection it has been shown that an infant's gestational age has a great impact on epidermal barrier function as measured by transepidermal water loss. Preterm infants younger than 28 weeks show decreased functioning of the epidermal barrier, placing them at risk for cutaneous bacterial infection (Kalia, 1998, 323). The skin barrier attains full function, similar to adult skin, by 2 to 4 weeks of age but can take as long as 8 weeks in extremely premature infants. Mandel et al. (2004, 161) conducted a retrospective analysis of the role of cutaneous abscess in sepsis. They found that in 22% of the newborn infants with nosocomial sepsis, cutaneous abscess was the underlying cause. Additionally, their immune systems are underdeveloped, with white blood cells-neutrophils in particular-moving more slowly than adults'. It's suspected that neonates become colonized with S. aureus soon after being placed in a nursery, with the umbilical stump as the site of initial colonization. Factors identified with MRSA outbreaks in NICUs include high infant-to-staff ratios and infection transmission through hand carriage by health care workers (AAP, 1997) Spread of MRSA Infection and prevention MRSA is found on the anterior nares, groin, and perineum, S. aureus is a normal part of the body flora. It's also a common pathogen, causing major infections in both compromised and uncompromised patients. The normal immune response of the body can overcome any MRSA attempt to infection, but in the intensive care due to reduced immune response, and bacterial resistance, these organisms van create havoc. In a report from Australia quoted by Park (2007, 26-27), it was shown that from 1992 to 1994, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) infections caused only 8% of staphylococcal infections but from 1995 to 1998, there was an outbreak of MRSA infection in two Melbourne hospitals. Methods to halt the spread of MRSA outbreaks include reducing overcrowding and improving staffing patterns, treating umbilical cords with triple-dye, and bathing full-term infants with hexachlorophene. But unless strict adherence to infection control is maintained, it is not possible to control this infection. Handwashing is most important. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that neonatal nursery staff perform a three-minute handwash at the start of each shift, cleansing up to the elbows with an antiseptic soap and sponge brush (AAP, 1997). Infected neonates should be placed on contact precautions. Here the infant must be handled with gloves, and if possible, depending on the spacing available and the acute status of the infant, they should be assigned to isolated chambers (Larson, 1995, 259, 262). Hitomi etal (2000, 127), advocate the use of mupirocin as a nasal spray to control nasal carriage of MRSA in the hospital staff, which act as the greatest source of spread of this infection. Effects of Nosocomial MRSA infection According to the NNIS (2002), In 2000, 55.3% of S. aureus isolates causing nosocomial infections among patients hospitalized in intensive care units in hospitals reporting to the National Nosocomial Infection Surveillance System were resistant to methicillin. Nambiar etal(2003, 224) give an interesting account of the complications MRSA can cause in an intensive care setting. They describe an outbreak of MRSA, in which neonates had meningitis, blood stream infection (with its complications – soft tissue abscess, shock and a right atrial thrombus, suppurative thrombophlebitis, osteoarthritis of the distal femur and knee joint). Masanga (1999, 169) reported colonic stenosis after MRSA enterocolitis. The predisposing factors for neonatal MSSA enterocolitis include breast feeding from a mother with staphylococcal mastitis,an indwelling feeding catheter   and malnutrition. The clinical picture of MSSA enterocolitis in the neonate is characterized by acute onset of diarrhea and ileus. Necrotizing enterocolitis. intensive care including mechanical ventilation, indwelling feeding catheter, the use of antibiotics, the delay of feeding causing the lower acidity of gastric contents, hypoactive peristalsis and the change of bowel flora, conditions similar to those seen in postoperative patients most likely predisposed to abnormal MRSA growth and resultant enterocolitis. toxic shock syndrome (combination of erythema and thrombocytopenia, low-positive C-reactive protein (CRP) value, or fever), (Richtmann etal, 2000, 88-89, Takahashi, 2003, 234-35). Effect on parents The illness in the neonate is a great source of stress to the parents. Not only is the child separated from the mother, which leads to anxiety for the mother, and nursing problems. There occur problems of lactation, with breast engorgement and galactorrhoea. In addition, the mother is at a greater risk of catching infection from a septicemic child with pneumonia and exanthemas. Skin infection can spread via contact. Thus parents are at an increased risk from a child affected with MRSA infection. Treatment Prevention is the best treatment. This infection can be rapidly fatal in the neonates, particularly the preterm infants. Prompt recognition of the symptoms and active measures to prevent spread can reduce the morbidity and mortality. Cultures should be obtained for susceptibility determination in any child with a presumed S. aureus infection that is moderate to severe. The choice of empiric therapy, before susceptibility testing, and the choice of definitive therapy will depend on the local antibiotic resistance patterns, the tissue site and severity of infection, and the toxicity profile of the antibiotic. Vancomycin has been the traditional antibiotic employed for the treatment of MRSA pneumonia. It has been found, however, that problems with lung tissue penetration may limit the effectiveness of vancomycin   Similarly, daptomycin has been shown to have limited activity for pneumonia due to limited lung penetration and inhibition by surfactant. Linezolid has also recently been evaluated as a specific treatment for MRSA pneumonia, and found to have good lung tissue penetration capability (Bradley, 200575-77) Conclusions MRSA infection in the neonatal intensive care setting is associated with exceptional morbidity and mortality. Preventive measures are the key to victory against MRSA. Each unit has to chart out effective protocols of infection control and adhere to it with a strong will. References 1 Finkelstein LE etal(1999MRSA in NeonatesAm J Nurs, Volume 99(1).January.24 2   Kalia YN, Nonato LB, Lund CH, et al(1998) Development of skin barrier function in premature infants. J Invest Dermatol; 111:320-326 3 Mandel D, Littner Y, Mimouni FB, et al.( 2004) Nosocomial cutaneous abscesses in septic infants. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed; 89:F161-F162 4 American Academy of Pedaitrics and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (1997)Guidelines for Perinatal care, 4th ed. Elk Grove Village, IL, The Academy, 5 PARK CH etal(2007). Changing trend of neonatal infection: Experience at a newly established regional medical center in KoreaPediatr Int, Volume 49(1).24–30 6 Larson, E. L(1995). APIC guideline for handwashing and hand antisepsis in health care settings. Am.J. Infect.Control 23:251-269. 7   Hitomi S, Kubota M, Mori N, et al(2005): Control of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus outbreak in a neonatal intensive care unit by unselective use of nasal mupirocin ointment. J Hosp Infect; 46: 123–129 8 National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (NNIS) System Report. Data Summary from January 1992 to June 2001. Issued August 2001. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/hip/NNIS/members/members.htm #nnisreports. Accessed Mar 5 2007 9   Nambiar S, Herwaldt LA, Singh N (2003). Outbreak of invasive disease caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in neonates and prevalence in the neonatal intensive care unit. Pediatr Crit Care Med, Volume 4(2).220-226 10 Masanga K etal (1999). Colonic Stenosis After Severe Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Enterocolitis In A Newborn. Pediatr Infect Dis J, Volume 18(2).169-171 11 Richtmann R etal.(2000) Outbreak Of Methicillin-Resistent Staphylococcus Aureus (Mrsa) Infection On A Neonate Intensive Care Unit (Nicu): The Key Role Of Infection Control Measures. Am J Infect Control, Volume 28(1).February 88-89. 12 Takahashi N (2003). Neonatal toxic shock syndrome-like exanthematous disease (NTED). Pediatr Int, Volume 45(2).233–237 13 Bradley JS (2005). Newer antistaphylococcal agents Curr Opin Pediatr, Volume 17(1).71-77                           

DeBeers Case Analysis and PEST Analysis Essay

De Beers is currently being faced with some new challenges that are making it necessary for us to consider a change in the way we do business. With recent turmoil in Western Africa, where illicit diamonds are beginning to come from war torn villages, and other sources of diamonds being found in Russia and Australia, it is clear that we need to begin to move into the U.S. market. However, legally, De Beers is in violation of the U.S. antitrust laws and is therefore being prohibited from selling directly in the U.S. market. Throughout the following memo I will identify the problems we at De Beers are currently facing. I will then make a set of recommendations for action to help us move into the U.S. market by proposing a relaxation of U.S. antitrust laws with restrictions on illicit diamonds, and finally I will conclude with some implementation steps for the solutions that have been recommended. Challenges A PEST analysis has been performed on the current situation facing De Beers. In the following section, I will focus on the most important problems identified in the PEST analysis for which we must find solutions and also on the most important positive forces that we must leverage to our advantage in order to maintain or gain market share. Please see Exhibit 1 for details on the PEST analysis and additional information on other issues we are facing and forces that might help or hinder our market share in the U.S. The most important of the problems we are faced with are due to Political issues in the United States and elsewhere. Due to war in western Africa, diamonds are beginning to flow from the war torn fields of Sierra Leone and Angola, and in Russia, mines are being controlled locally as opposed to in collaboration with De Beers. These challenges alone pose a threat to the power that De Beers currently holds over the diamond industry. Due to these challenges, we initiated a branding campaign attempting to brand De Beers diamonds to the consumers. This campaign was centered in the U.S., where â€Å"legally, the entire De Beers group – its officers, its operations, its marketing structure – was in violation of the U.S. antitrust law† (Burns, 2000). This prohibited De Beers from directly selling in the United States.  Additionally, a political issue that we need to leverage to our advantage is the U.S. foreign policy towards helping to rebuild Africa. These political i ssues will be further addressed in the recommendations section. Economically, there is an expected surge in diamond sales expected to occur in the U.S. this year. This emphasizes the fact that we need to be uninhibited in our marketing and sales efforts in the U.S. if we are to continue to be a successful company. Another economic issue that we are facing is that the historical price of diamonds is leveling off and may even be decreasing as new sources of diamonds are being found. This decrease in prices could be devastating to De Beers and the diamond industry as a whole and needs to be avoided at all costs. The other large economic issue we are facing is our method of stabilizing the diamond prices. The stockpiling we currently utilize to control the supply of diamonds and, more specifically, control the price of diamonds, is eating away at our profits, resulting in a low stock price. Our shareholders, of whom 21% are from the U.S., are starting to voice dissent about our low share prices. Technically, we have been using our single channel distribution system to work our way around the antitrust laws in the United States and to keep an arms length from the U.S. legal system. By selling to diamond merchants through the Central Selling Organization in London, and controlling the supply of diamonds offered to these merchants, we control what stones enter the market at what price. This single distribution channel has been at the core of our ability to regulate the diamond market and without this means of distribution, De Beers and the entire diamond industry would greatly suffer. By winning relaxed antitrust laws in the U.S., we would be able to continue to leverage the power of the single channel distribution system. Socially, the perception of diamonds is that of a beautiful and rare stone that is a symbol of romance and of greed and has been treasured as such for centuries. In the nineteenth century, the supply of diamonds increased, turning the stones from something only the elite could purchase, to a commodity that could be purchased by the mass market. Even with this increase in supply, the perception of diamonds remained that of a rare and  valued commodity. Therefore, even though the supply of diamonds increased, the perception that they were rare was not tarnished, leaving the price of this commodity high. This is a key point that we need to leverage: consumers expect and want the price of diamonds to remain the expected price of a unique and high valued commodity. Stakeholders The primary stakeholders that will be affected by this impending move into the U.S. market and relaxation of the U.S. antitrust laws are De Beers and its shareholders, the African economy, the diamond industry as a whole, and diamond consumers. If these antitrust laws are not relaxed, then De Beers market share will crumble while being replaced by lower priced competitors, leading to an overall decrease in the diamond prices, leading to less profit to everyone in the diamond industry. The African economy also has a large stake in this decision. If the diamonds from war torn fields are accepted into the diamond market, consumers will unknowingly be supporting rebel controlled diamond mines. Lastly, if the antitrust laws are not relaxed, the shareholders of De Beers will most likely experience a short term increase in stock price while the stockpile is being depleted, but in the long run, the stock price will bottom out and will not rise again because the price of diamonds will be permanently lowered. The stakeholders that will be most impacted here are De Beers as a corporation and the diamond industry as a whole, including the African economy. I will focus on these stakeholders in the recommendations section. Recommended Solutions and Implementation Steps The following solutions are being recommended for De Beers to implement in order to convince U.S. policy makers to relax the U.S. antitrust laws and allow De Beers to directly do business in their diamond market. De Beers needs to approach U.S. policy makers with the following arguments and ask for relaxation of the U.S. antitrust laws with some restrictions. The criterion for these solutions is that they are feasible to implement with our current resources and that they do not generate negative press about  past lawsuits. Luxury Items My first recommendation is to approach U.S. policy makers with the fact that diamonds are a commodity and not a necessity. One of the main purposes of the U.S. antitrust laws is to protect consumer well being. Diamonds are not a necessity and the lack of a diamond does not make ones life materially different. Therefore, by helping to stabilize the supply and price of diamonds, we are not hindering the success of people or businesses within the U.S. By keeping the price of diamonds stable, we are not lessening the quality of life of any consumers, however we are keeping consumer value stable. Those millions of consumers who have already invested in diamonds do not want to see the price of their investment decrease. By continuing to help stabilize the price and supply of diamonds, we will ensure that their investment will maintain value. In order to implement this, we need to conduct some consumer surveys to support the fact that consumers are pleased with stable diamond prices and present these facts to U.S. policy makers. We also need to gain the support of other members of the diamond industry to help with this solution. By leveraging our relationships with other diamond mine owners, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers, we can work together to convince U.S. policy makers that the value of this luxury item is sustained due to it’s perceived rarity and in order for the diamond industry to survive, this perception needs to remain untarnished. The other players in the diamond industry, mentioned above, benefit from this perception as well, so it should be relatively simple to gain their cooperation in this matter. African Growth and Opportunity Act The current U.S. foreign policy that seeks to support the reconstruction and redevelopment of Africa needs to be fully leveraged by De Beers. The Clinton administration has pledged it’s dedication to Africa by the pending African Growth and Opportunity Act. We need to pledge our support of all U.S. policy toward U.S. – Africa relations and offer our contribution to the African  economy. Some of the countries in Africa that are currently suffering from violent wars could greatly benefit from their diamond assets if helped by De Beers. They currently lack the knowledge and technical skills needed to mine diamonds effectively. With De Beers’ help, these African countries can begin to develop their economy and stabilize their relationships with the U.S. In order to leverage this foreign policy, we need to enlist the help of U.S. – African relations activists groups as well as activists groups dedicated to the rebuilding of Africa to help us get our message across to U.S. policy makers. We need to convince the U.S. government that De Beers is a positive force in the African economy and by allowing us the antitrust rules to be relaxed in the U.S., we can help to build a stronger relationship between Africa and the U.S. Illicit Diamond Embargo De Beers needs to work with the U.N. to place an embargo on illicit diamonds coming from the war torn fields of Angola and Sierra Leone. These diamonds come from rebel controlled mines, and by allowing these diamonds to enter the marketplace, we are supporting the bloodshed involved in mining these diamonds. Therefore, we need to pledge our support to stop these illicit diamonds from merging with our diamonds in the marketplace. We will differentiate our own legitimate African diamonds from the illicit diamonds coming from the blood stained rebel controlled mines. We will also pledge to the U.S. and the U.N. to not purchase any rough diamonds from these rebel controlled mines. This will be the key restriction we will agree to in our request to have the antitrust laws relaxed. Branding We need to continue our marketing efforts aimed at branding our diamonds. In addition to creating more prestige around our brand of diamonds, we are also certifying that our diamonds do not come from the war torn rebel controlled mines of Africa. By continuing our branding effort, we will continue to increase the demand for the De Beers diamonds, which will help to decrease our stockpile, and in turn slowly increase our stock price, pleasing our shareholders. In addition, it has been proven that with these marketing efforts, consumers are willing to pay a premium for a De Beers diamond, which will further protect us from the possibility of decreasing prices in the future by increasing our profits. Conclusion We at De Beers are facing some difficult challenges and are being forced to look at the way we run our business. In looking at our methodology we have determined that the way we run our business, and the way the diamond industry works, is in the best interest of De Beers as a corporation, the diamond industry as a whole, the African economy, and consumers. As an African company, our paramount concern is to use the diamond industry to help the African economy begin to rebuild itself. We believe that by relaxing the U.S. antitrust laws and abiding by the restrictions mentioned above, the United States can help us further enhance the African economy while maintaining a strong diamond industry, which in turn, benefits the consumers in the United States by preserving the value of their diamond investments. Exhibit 1 PEST Analysis Items of high importance are marked with an upward arrow for strong positive forces and a downward arrow for strong negative forces. These are the issues that have been focused on in this memo. The other items are also important, however solutions to these problems are out of the scope of this document. Political Political forces working against De Beers U.S. Antitrust laws (1890 Sherman Act and 1914 Clayton Act) – De Beers is in full violation of these laws Wars in Africa leading to leakage of illicit diamonds from rebel controlled villages Russia defections leading to leakage of illicit diamonds End of apartheid in South Africa Political Forces working for De Beers U.S. foreign policy seeking to support the reconstructoin an development of Africa Pending African Growth and Opportunity Act De Beers has found that it is out of reach of U.S. legislation while it does not do business directly with the U.S. because it is a South African company Economic Economic forces working against De Beers Historical price of diamonds leveling off and starting to decrease 21% of shares are held by U.S. citizens. These shareholds are beginning to put pressure on De Beers because although the value of the commodty we sell is very high, the stock price is relatively low due to our stockpile Economic forces working for De Beers Prices have been kept uniform on diamonds historically Surge of over a 10% increase of diamond sales expected in U.S. market, hitting $20 billion in 1999. This can be a positive force if De Beers can maintain market share in the U.S. Social Social forces working against De Beers Negative press from previous lawsuits where De Beers avoided being acquitted or settled. Social forces working for De Beers Despite supply of diamonds, consumer perception that the stone is rare persists, allowing the price of diamonds to be higher than supply would dictate The marketing De Beers has been using to brand diamonds has been successful. According to a survey, consumers are willing to pay a 15% premium for a De Beers branded diamond Technical Technical forces working against De Beers The current diamond industry market structure is changing (i.e. diamonds are coming from more sources that solely De Beers owner mined, and the demand from the U.S. is increasing) Technical forces working for De Beers Single channel distribution system. This is the reason the diamond industry has thrived over the past century, however this is one of the main aspects of the way we run business that is in violation of the U.S. antitrust laws. Exhibit 2 References Burns, Jennifer L., Forever: De Beers and U.S. Antitrust Law. Harvard Business School Publication: 9-700-082. Harvard Business School, 2000.