Rene Descartes Second Meditation Evaluation

Rene Descartes Second Meditation Evaluation My Paper is on Rene Descartes Second Meditation. I chose to analyze and critique the concepts and ideas that were presented in Rene Descartes second meditation because it is in the second meditation were Rene Descartes famous adage was produced Cogito, Ergo Sum or I Think Therefore I am and also I find his second meditation the most controversial and most interesting of all his meditations. The second meditation is the most controversial of Rene Descartes meditations because it is here that his first rule of methodic doubt process is clearly introduced which is Accept nothing as true unless you can be sure that it is certain and it is also here that his idea becomes Radicalized because it suggest that one must critique all types of knowledge, that one has to doubt everything including himself and this is what the second meditation is all about because the second meditation is about ones existence. Descartes says that one must never accept anything or any knowledge unless one is certain of this knowledge and for Descartes being certain of knowledge means that there must be no place for doubt, it must be self verifying and it must be indubitable or in other words unquestionable and not open to doubt. The second meditation starts with Descartes doubting existence itself because of the radicalism of his philosophy that assumes everything is false, so in the second meditations Descartes doubts even existence, he says that even our very own existence needs to be doubted so as to arrive at the truth in the end of course of the second meditation Descartes does prove that without a shadow of a doubt that one does exist because one thinks hence the famous saying I think therefore I am. When one reads the second meditation Descartes does sound like someone who is a bit crazy and perhaps someone who had too much time in his hands because to doubt even existence is for me at first just down right absurd and many of us would have the same feeling on this matter maybe because of how we were brought up but it is exactly this kind of thinking that Descartes was trying to destroy he wants everybody to think for themselves and not just accept opinions as truths because if we just accept the texts of the ancient and the opinions of everybody as truths then how can we arrive at certain knowledge if those texts and opinions happen to be false he wants us to discover the truths for ourselves and perhaps he wanted people not to be lazy. When reading the second meditation the philosophy that is included there is definitely a radical one because he doubts existence and that what we perceive as truth may in fact be false, perception for Descartes is deceitful and our mind errs all the time so there is no way for us to be certain of things. We can be certain of our existence however but not this kind of existence were there is the body and the limbs but our existence as a thinking being since for Descartes the body and the things around is maybe just be an illusion created by an evil deceiver who does all he can to deceive us with all this false perception or we can just be dreaming that what we see and feel is all but a dream and therefore not real because how can we be sure that we are not just dreaming right at this very moment and that we are just dreaming everything and everyone around us this concept was a very intriguing concept what if we were just dreaming all this time, this was a concept that is so intriguing that even Hollywood adopted it in their film Inception which delves into dream and reality. The only certainty that we know we exist is that we know we are thinking and no great deceiver or dreams can doubt the fact that we think and therefore because we think we exist but for Descartes it is a thinking existence because it is the only thing that one can be certain of and that everything else we perceive may be false or just an illusion, one cannot trust our senses because are senses may just be an illusion or the senses may just be perceiving an illusion therefore not certain so for Descartes perception cannot arrive at the certitude of truth. Sensation as well is not a good determinant for certitude because one could again just be dreaming. Thinking for Descartes is very important since thinking for him determines ones existence. The act of thinking is the self guarantee of thinking. The act of thinking provides the ground for realizing that one exist. Human beings have a natural propensity to think therefore he or she can prove his or her existence. Thinking can never be false, because it is a process, thinking itself is beyond judgment, the thoughts that come from thinking are always real we only make mistakes in our judgment. Descartes explains in the second meditation using the honeycomb wax as an example of what kind of existence we can perceive and have since the wax changes its form but yet we know it is still the same wax Descartes thought that perhaps this is the true existence we are not just body and limbs but we are beyond that because we can still change and still be the same and this is how our minds works it has something innate that enables us to know it distinctively. The Second Meditation deals with reality and existence, like I mentioned before I thought that Descartes perhaps just too much time on his hands for thinking something so crazy as that everything around us is just an illusion and that we cannot trust out perception. I thought to myself that here is another philosopher saying something controversial just top be noticed but now that I was a little aware of a science called quantum physics and now I wonder if Descartes was actually someone who was way ahead of his time in thinking that everything is just an illusion and that what we perceive is actually false because quantum physics itself says that perhaps what we perceive as real, what our senses perceive as true my actually be false because it may just be an illusion created by our sense perception. With this in mind Rene Descartes is not crazy and his theory was not absurd this despite him being a member of the Rosicrucian group which believed in an invisible church that they built. Rene Descartes Philosophical theory on Existence and Reality was in fact a science which was way ahead of its time. His philosophy on doubting everything so as to arrive at certain knowledge can be seen as something radical and impractical and if we do take him literally then it is no doubt that this philosophy is indeed a radical form of Philosophy and an impractical one at that because one will just waste his time doubting and questioning everything one sees and this is just an impossible task. I think Rene Descartes is someone who was obsessed in knowing the truth and this led him to create this philosophy that before we can have certain knowledge we must first doubt. To have knowledge one must first doubt, this philosophy of Descartes becomes practical if we do not take to the extreme by really questioning everything, I think Descartes main point is that for man to use his reason rather than just accepting opinions, Descartes believes that reason is higher that any kind of opinio n, Descartes wants us to use our reason and there is nothing radical about using our reason. Sources: Rene Descartes Second Meditation

Ge Talent Machine Essay

DESCRIPTION GE believes its ability to develop management talent is a core competency that represents a source of sustainable competitive advantage. This case traces the development of GE’s rich system of human resource policies and practices under five CEOs in the post-war era, showing how the development of talent is embedded into the company’s ongoing management responsibilities. It describes the development of a 25-year-old MBA named Jeff Immelt, who 18 years later is named as CEO of GE, arguably the biggest and most complex corporate leadership job in the world and how he frames his priorities for GE and implements them, pulling hard on the sophisticated human resource levers his predecessors left him. Immelt questions whether he should adjust or even overhaul three elements of GE’s finely tuned talent machine. LEARNING OBJECTIVE To examine the importance of managing human capital as carefully as financial capital as a scarce strategic resource. SUBJECTS COVERED Business policy; Competitive advantage; Core competencies; Corporate strategy; Diversified companies; Human resource management; Implementing strategy; Leadership; Management development; Organizational behavior SETTING Company Employee Count: 300,000 ï‚ · Company Revenue: $132 billion revenues ï‚ · Event Year Begin: 1960 ï‚ · Event Year End: 2003 BUILDING THE TALENT MACHINE: HISTORY OF GE’S HR PRACTICES Strengthening the Foundations: Cordiner’s Contributions Ralph Cordiner was president of GE from 1950-1958 and CEO from 1958-1963. Under his leadership, the following initiatives were implemented: 1. Decentralized GE’s management structure, transferring authority down to nearly 100 department-level businesses. 2. Spent $40 million annually on management education, almost 10% of its earnings. 3. Initiated a new management evaluation process known as â€Å"Session C,† which resulted in career development plans and the rating of subordinates on a six-point scale from â€Å"high potential† to â€Å"unsatisfactory.† 4. Introduced a system of objective performance evaluation tied to 28 position levels (PLs) that showed entry, median and maximum level salaries for each level. Systematizing HR Processes: Borsch and Jones Fred Borsch was CEO from 1963-1972. During his tenure he: 1. Implemented a new round of corporate diversification. 2. Overcame department managers’ tendency to keep talented managers to themselves, which was accomplished by having the top 2% of GE’s employees (PLs 13-27) report directly to him. 3. Had GE business leaders identify potential managerial talent and track all â€Å"high potentials† to make sure they were exposed to a wide range of GE businesses. Reg Jones was CEO from 1972-1981. He introduced a more formal and structured approach to strategic planning, creating 43 strategic business units and adding another organizational layer—the sector—to put groups together based upon common characteristics. Supercharging the System: Welch’s Initiatives Jack Welch became CEO in 1981. During his time as CEO, he: 1. Concentrated on improving performance in order for GE to become #1 or #2 in their current businesses. 2. Implemented the â€Å"fix it, sell it, or close it† strategy for businesses that were not #1 or #2. 3. Eliminated over 100,000 jobs. 4. Collapsed the 29 positions levels (PLs) into seven broad bands. 5. Granted stock options for performance. 6. Invested heavily in management development. 7. Reconsidered competing for management recruits from the pool of most hunted college and business school graduates. Went after disciplined, self-motivated candidates from Midwestern engineering programs, night schools and former military officers. 8. Insisted managers be evaluated on how they live up to GE’s values, as well as objective performance measures. 9. Added a disciplined performance analysis to Session C by asking managers to rank subordinates on a â€Å"vitality curve†: the top 20%, highly valued 70% and least effective 10%. 10. Tightly integrated HR systems with other business elements to constantly look for â€Å"high potentials.† THE MAKING OF A CEO: THE RISE AND RISE OF JEFF IMMELT Jeff Immelt joined GE in 1982. He was a 25-year old Harvard MBA who impressed the GE Harvard MBA recruiting executive so much that Immelt didn’t even need to go through the normal process of going through the corporate referral center. The recruiting executive recommended Immelt to senior management and suggested that Jack Welch get involved to make sure Immelt didn’t take a job somewhere else. Within 30 days of his hiring, Immelt was part of a team presenting to Welch. The Plastics Experience: Building Skills Immelt started out as a regional sales manager for GE Plastics with 15 people reporting directly to him. Over the next seven years, Immelt held positions as product manager, sales manager and global marketing manager. He was one of 150 other young â€Å"high potentials† being tracked for positions at the highest levels of the company. In 1987, Immelt was selected to attend the Executive Development Course at Crotonville. This course was important for Immelt’s possible selection as a company officer and provided him excellent networking opportunities with other high potential managers. The Appliances Challenge: The Turnaround Test In 1989, Immelt was moved to the Appliances service business. He was placed in the Appliances business to figure out what to do with over one million defective refrigerators that had been sold by GE. Immelt knew this was an excellent opportunity and that he would either â€Å"sink or swim.† Over one million refrigerator compressors were replaced with new units that came from competitors. The recall operation went well and Immelt was asked to run the entire marketing and product marketing operations, reporting directly to the CEO of Appliances. Immelt got frank feedback during his Session C evaluations and was counseled that he needed to listen better, to empower his subordinates more and to channel his energy into bringing his people along with him when he wanted action. In 1992, Jack Welch moved Immelt back to Plastics. Plastics Redux: Trial by Fire After a year back at Plastics, Immelt was named head of Plastics Americas, reporting directly to the CEO of Plastics. Immelt faced challenges when his operation missed its numbers by $30 million, due to cost overruns, and he had tried to renegotiate prices with its big customer, General Motors. GM was ready to stop doing business with GE when Welch and GM’s CEO decided to work together in order to solve the problem. Welch checked with Immelt regularly to see how Immelt was handling the situation. Welch was not happy with Immelt, but he watched Immelt closely and allowed the decisions made regarding the relationship with GM to be Immelt’s. Immelt understood that he would not be punished for making a mistake. He knew, however, that â€Å"you can fail† but â€Å"we don’t allow you to make the same mistake twice.† Medical Systems: Putting It All Together In 1997, Immelt was appointed to run GE Medical Systems. Prior to Immelt’s arrival, GE Medical had been focusing on cost-cutting. Instead, Immelt emphasized growth and started to expand into other businesses and make GE Medical a more global company. He started acquiring companies, investing in new technologies and restructuring global operations. Immelt’s style was to engage and energize those around him. Immelt began to mentor and coach other high potential managers, and as a result of his leadership and the success of his team, in four years, GE Medical’s sales doubled and its profit more than doubled. Because of his excellent work leading GE Medical, by 2001, Jeff Immelt had become one of the front-runners to succeed Jack Welch as CEO of GE. The Succession Process Welch’s list of CEO succession candidates included then-current business heads, some senior corporate officers and about a dozen young â€Å"hot shots,† like Immelt. From 1994, members of GE’s board visited various GE businesses to get a direct impression of potential CEO candidates. By 2000, it was widely speculated that the three top contenders were Jeff Immelt, Jim McNerney and Bob Nardelli. In October 2000, the board discussed the three finalists and in November, Immelt was unanimously voted CEO designate. NEW HANDS ON THE CONTROLS: JEFF IMMELT, CEO Jeff Immelt’s first day as CEO was September 10, 2001. He called it the â€Å"one good day† of his first year on the job. The next day was 9/11 and from then on, GE’s businesses, like those of other companies, faced hard times and a drop in its stock price. Immelt’s Priority: Leveraging Human Capital for Growth Immelt was committed to GE’s continued growth and he spent an estimated 40% of his time on human resource issues. He said, â€Å"Every initiative I’m thinking about gets translated immediately into recruiting, Crotonville and Session C.† Immelt’s five key human resource initiatives were: 1. Target technology skills during Session C reviews. Review the business’s engineering pipeline, the organization of its engineering function and evaluate the potential of its engineering talent. (Immelt was concerned that technology-oriented managers were under-represented in GE’s executive ranks.) 2. Open new channels of communication between businesses and geographical areas. Share ideas. 3. Emphasize customer relationships and marketing. 4. Develop GE’s globalization strategy. (Immelt appointed Ferdinando Beccalli as the company’s first CEO of GE Europe; named a new president and CEO of China; and began offering courses at Crotonville to Chinese management and Chinese customers.) 5. Invest in businesses heavier in human capital than in physical capital. (Immelt identified six growth platforms—healthcare information technology, water technology and services, oil and gas technology, security and sensors, Hispanic broadcasting, and consumer finance.) THE TALENT MACHINE IN 2003: SERVICE, TUNE UP, OR OVERHAUL? In 2003, Immelt was reflecting on his first full year as CEO. Times had not been good; GE’s stock was down and employees were uneasy about the economic downturn. Management and employee turnover was low, but Immelt wanted to make sure that when the economy picked up, employees would be motivated and engaged. He wondered if it was time to adjust or overhaul GE’s talent machine. The Vitality Curve While the rankings-based vitality curve had been controversial to many outsiders, long-term GE employees viewed it as part of the company’s meritocracy-based culture. Immelt felt that other companies had experienced difficulty with the process because it requires feedback, coaching, training and clear performance goals. All the elements of the evaluation system must work together. However, in early 2003, Immelt noticed that BankAmerica had successfully recruited over 90 GE employees. These employees had been targeted, not from the top 20%, but from the highly valued 70%. Immelt felt this group was the backbone of GE and were not to be considered just average. Should the system be modified to differentiate within this group? Should recognition and rewards be less sharply focused on the top 20%? Or, should the entire concept of performance ranking at GE be questioned? Recruitment GE was driving toward more service-intense global businesses. Immelt wondered about the talent pool he would need to run these businesses. One proposal was to target MBAs with marketing management career interests. Immelt also wondered if GE was not over-reliant on its US-based recruitment programs. Since 40% of GE’s revenues were generated offshore, should there be more non-Americans in executive positions? Executive Bands One problem with the collapse of the 29 PLs into seven broad executive bands was that some employees, especially in international locations, felt that their promotion opportunities were limited and the frequency of clearly defined job promotions decreased. In more hierarchical business cultures, such as India, perceived status and level were highly valued. While there might not be a real difference between a PL15 and PL16, for many it represented an important psychological reward.

Fatty Acid Composition Of Adipose Tissue And Colorectal...

Fatty acid composition of adipose tissue and colorectal cancer: a case-control study Colorectal cancer is considered as the third most common cancers worldwide that usually leads to the death of the patient. Studies have proved that lifestyle factors great influence the development and spread of cancer. Modifying the lifestyle can reduce the risk of getting colorectal cancer by 70%. It is noted that more consumption of red and processed meat increase the risk of developing colorectal cancer. However, high intake of dietary fibers decreases it. On the contrary epidemiologic studies that connect the fat intake with colorectal cancer are varying and unreliable. The concentrations of fatty acids in human serum and in the membranes of red blood cells depict the intake of previous days or weeks. Conversely, the fatty acid concentration in the adipose tissue truly show the habitual dietary intake in the previous two to three years. Hence, various studies that aim to explore the correlation between the concentration of fatty acids and cancer risk use adipose tissue in this request. The case study discussed in this paper is conducted in Five University hospitals located in Northeastern France (Cottet and others 2015). Subcutaneous adipose tissue samples were acquired from the surgery departments through surgeons. The samples belonged to the patients who were admitted for elective abdominal surgery. These patients were recently diagnosed of primary colorectal cancer. PatientsShow MoreRelatedSci 241 Week 524609 Words   |  99 PagesI I I I I I I I I Thiamin, riboï ¬â€šavin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are B vitamins needed to produce ATP from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Vitamin B6 is important for amino acid metabolism as well as energy production. Folate is a coenzyme that is needed for cell division. Vitamin B12, only found in animal foods, is needed for nerve function and to activate folate. Vitamin C is needed to form connective tissue and acts as a watersoluble antioxidant. Vitamin A is essential for visionRead MoreCell Biology Final Essay30093 Words   |  121 PagesName: _Leroy Johnson __________________________________ Date: ______________Comprehensive Study Guide. Test will only be Multiple choice 1. The feature that most clearly separates eukaryotes from prokaryotes is the presence of _______ in eukaryotic cells. A) ribosomes B) oxidative phosphorylation C) DNA molecules -D) a nucleus 2. Cytoplasmic organelles are - A) absent in prokaryotic cells; present in eukaryotic cells. B) present in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells

Compare and Contrast Martin Luther King and Malcolm X Free Essay Example, 1000 words

Martin Luther King and Malcolm X were both born in the United s and raised under Christian families. Born in 1925 in Ohama, Nebraska, Malcolm grew up by with parents who were being terrorized by the white supremacists, up to his 8th grade where he went to live with his half-sister. His father was a Baptist minister and a Marcus Garvey follower. His family has a long tenure in the ministry, serving as pastors of the Ebenezer Baptist Church. For his whole life, he served as a co-pastor. He did attend several schools and received B. A. degree from Morehouse College, a B. D. from Crozer Theological Seminary where he was class president in a class filled with whites. Martin also had a name change from Michael Luther King to Martin Luther King. Had a family comprising of his wife, two daughters, and two sons. He was a civil rights activist whose wish was to have white and black people live together in peace and harmony. He was a victim of assault for four times and put under arrest on mult iple times. We will write a custom essay sample on Compare and Contrast Martin Luther King and Malcolm X or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/pageorder now When in Memphis, he was to lead a protest march that involved garbage workers who were on strike. However, he succumbed to death after a shooting. Religion was their core foundation for their leadership qualities. They both had unending love for their people and felt that change regarding their governance was imminent (Nelson, p. 6-12, 2012). Malcolm served time at a juvenile detention home when he was 13 years old. His school life was short lived and he took odd jobs, became a peddler and active in crime. When he was 20, he was arrested and sent to prison for 10 years. While in prison, he became a Muslim and changed his name to Malcolm X from Malcolm Little. He followed their lifestyle that condemned use of alcohol, smoking, and drugs. He also became an eloquent speaker and read philosophical, religious, and historic books. Malcolm advocated for the rise of the black people against their white oppressors who mistreated and used them to their liking. At first, Malcolm never considered himself an equal, but after going to Mecca for a pilgrimage, he changed his stand and considered himself equal. At the time of his assassination, he had four children and had his name change to El-Haji Malik El-Shabazz. They were both leaders of their people but they had different policies on how to confront the ‘white’ menace. Martin believed that the two races could sit down and have their differences sorted without any bloodshed. Malcolm thought otherwise, he believed the way forward was bloodshed.

The Mission Of The Child Protection Services Agency

According to the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators, the mission of the child protection services agency is to assess the safety of children, intervene to protect children from harm, strengthen the ability of families to protect their children, and to provide a reunification or an alternative safe family for child (Home - Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). The purpose of a case plan is an arrangement or ground plan that a child protection services professionals’ uses with a family as a road map for a rewarding mediation. Case plans are used for the summary of the findings and consequences, it seeks out acknowledgment of individuals concerning discernment and feelings. Case plans also includes services that will be offered to clients that they usual don’t know that are available to them (Home - Child Welfare Information Gateway, n.d.). Goals of a case plan is not that the goals should be clear, specific, measurable, and related to key ris k factors developed with the child or children and caregiver. It should be in form of an observable end state, consistent with the child or children particular developmental strengths and needs. Time is limited being able to be improved or affected by the foreseen intervention (Dubowitz DePanfilis, 2000, p. 385) The family I have chosen will contribute from a case plan because she is a single mom of four but at the time of the incident she only had two children, she does not an stable safeShow MoreRelatedContexts That Shape Social Work Practice1179 Words   |  5 PagesWork Practice Social work agencies strive to provide access to services that promote well-being for those most in need in society. Different agencies may vary in regard to their specific purposes, missions, or foundations. 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The positions held as a caseworker within the agency are eitherRead MoreChildren And Family Services1633 Words   |  7 Pagesof Children and Family Services is an organization that was developed by the st ate government. It is found in the Department of Family Assistance. It has its headquarters at Capital View Office Park in Rensselaer. The New York State of Children and Family Services as an organization was instituted on January 8, 1998, through a program that involved the integration of different programs such as the state Division for Youth and family programs. At its foundation, the agency was being administered byRead MoreThe Main Reason For Runaway And Homeless Youth Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesRunaway youth are usually teenagers and are perfectly capable of thinking rationally about short term and long term effects of their decision to leave home. Therefore, runaway youth leave their homes and lead a successful life out in the real world. Agencies like WaveC.R.E.S.T enable teens to think running away is fine. â€Å"Thousands of children, dirty, malnourished and alone, boarded the Orphan Trains near the turn of the 20th Century, desperately hoping to find families. Under the leadershipRead MoreThe United Nations and Its Humanitarian, Peace and Security, and Economic and Social Agencies1641 Words   |  7 PagesNATIONS 2. STRUCTURE OF UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES 3. DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES 4. The United Nations Development Program -UNDP 5. The United Nations Childrens Fund -UNICEF 6. The United Nations Population Fund -UNFPA 7. HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AGENCIES 8 .Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator 9. The Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees -UNHCR 10. The World Food Program -WFP 11. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the NearRead MoreChild Abuse And The United States Department Of Health And Human Services1509 Words   |  7 PagesWhat is Child Abuse There is not one specific type of child abuse in fact there are more than one form of child mistreatment such as: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, and neglect. Before going into further details of the problems and treatment of child abuse; one must know what child abuse is. The United States Department of Health and Human Services provides a standard legal definition of child abuse, CAPTA (2010) states: Any recent act or failure to act on the part of a parentRead MorePreventing Child Abuse By Donna J. Stone984 Words   |  4 Pages Prevent Child Abuse America is one of my top list organizations that makes a really big difference to preventing child abuse. The Prevent Child Abuse America is the organization founded in 1972 by Donna J. Stone. Their mission is â€Å"to prevent the abuse and neglect of our nation s children.† This organization helped and saved many innocent lives who suffered from abuse. They offer children to be able to stand again and seek better opportunity despite of being a victim of child abuse. They haveRead MoreThe Child Protective Services ( Cps )1463 Words   |  6 PagesThe Child protective services (CPS) is formed of social workers who are the forefront of its community’s child protections efforts. In recent years, according to Scanlon et Harding, â€Å"while the profession of social work and the labor movement have moved in different directions since the post-WW2 era, recent events, such as the dominance of managed care and cuts in government financing, have led social workers to rediscover unions as potential political and workplace allies† (Scanlon et Harding

Alternative Energy and Canadian Solar Free Essays

The company we are focusing on is Canadian Solar. They are a multinational firm that operates in several countries such as â€Å"Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, Korea, Spain, Australia and the United States†. They are a leader in the solar energy industry. We will write a custom essay sample on Alternative Energy and Canadian Solar or any similar topic only for you Order Now A detailed PEST (Political, Economic, Social and Technological) analysis will be provided on how these elements affect the company. There are various political regulations and by-laws passed by the Canadian government to help regulate proper practices of using and installing solar energy. These regulations affect Canadian Solar and their practices. For instance, in the 1970s and 1980s there were a large number of solar panels installed that were not installed properly because they were added by unqualified people. Today there are strict regulations on getting the permission to install solar energy panels which protect land owners from liabilities. Permits must be attained from the government. This regulation protects Canadian Solar from any lawsuits from poor quality installation of solar panels or any damage to their customers’ property. This also helps them meet a certain standard of excellence to help their image and their customers. From 2007 to 2012 the world suffered a global recession. Canada was affected by it but not as severely as other countries worldwide. Economists say we are not in a recession but many Canadians believe otherwise. Although real GDP is adjusted for inflation, it is not for the growing population. This means â€Å"a country’s economy can be growing simply because the population is rising, and Canada’s population increases one percent a year†, which is misleading and does not tell the actual condition of the country.. This has affected Canadian Solar as well. Although they made a net profit in 2011, they made a net loss in its first quarter of 2012. Canadian Solar operates in other countries as well which were affected by the recession. For example, in late 2007 China was affected by the recession, where their economy â€Å"plummeted by [forty] percent†. However, in 2012 Canadian Solar and Ningxia State Power, a Chinese based solar energy company, had completed a major project. This would help China â€Å"reduce CO2 emissions by 18, 900 tons annually – the equivalent of saving 5,200 tons of standard coal. † So although China was affected, companies are still progressing towards a healthier alternative of energy resource. Many Canadians believe solar energy is an excellent resource of energy. An advantage of using solar energy is there is no green house emissions and is friendly to the environment. However, onlyfifteen percent of sunlight is converted into energy which is not efficient for the amount it costs to install them. Although society agrees that solar energy is a healthy alternative to current resource of energy, it is very costly and inefficient. This affects Canadian Solar because depending on how society feels. If the environment deteriorates much quicker than it is already, people will invest more in solar panels as a way to help the environment. If they do not care or feel the investment is not worth it, they will not buy. This affects the overall growth and stability of Canadian Solar. There has been much technological advancement in solar panels. The first solar panel was created by Charles Fritts in 1883 but could only convert less than one percent of sunlight into energy. . By 1954 a solar panel that could convert six percent of sunlight was created.. In the modern day Canadian Solar has made panels which can convert up to eighteen percent of sunlight into energy. The technological advancements have steadily improved in the solar energy industry and Canadian Solar is continuing to research and develop new ways to convert energy more efficiently. Encompassing Stakeholder map Government – Legislation is a key stakeholder interest for the company. Certain legislation can hurt or promote an industry which affects the companies within it. For example, in Ontario the provincial government passed the â€Å"Green Energy and Green Economy Act† which promotes the use of clean energy and promotes jobs. However, there is a lack of the right to light within Canada which affects those who want to use solar panels. This will be explained later. Employees – Employees want job security when working within an organization. Employees are an important stakeholder because they can affect the production and image of an organization, and at the same time are affected by the progress or deterioration of a company. If the organization is doing poorly that can affect the employees job security. Owners – Owners have an interest in the success of the company. These owners could be shareholders who have invested their money into the company in hopes of a positive return. Without their investments, these public companies have a lack of capital funding. Without proper decision making by management, these shareholders could lose everything they invested. Consumers – Customers are the foundation of businesses. Without them, a business cannot exist. Customers care about various things like customer service quality and the quality of the company’s product. If the product does not meet the standard of customers, they will not buy the product. Community – The community cares about environment and how solar energy will affect them. They want to make sure the product they are buying does not harm the environment and can be used to effectively harness sunlight as a form of energy. Specific Stakeholder Position Analysis The CEO of Canadian Solar is Dr. Shawn (Xiaohua) Qu. As CEO he holds several responsibilities and duties. He is considered the image of the company to both shareholders and the general public. If there are any disasters or public relation issues the media, stakeholders and general public will look to him for answers. Although there are high ranking officials within the company to handle any public relation issues, it is up to him regarding where the company is heading towards. The decisions he makes can affect the company and other stakeholders who have stakes in the company. If Canadian Solar announces a major project which is long term and fails, the pressure is on the CEO. If the financial status of the company is poor, it concerns shareholders and they want to know why the company is failing. These responsibilities fall upon the CEO and it is up to him to determine whether certain projects are viable in the long term and how his decisions affect everyone around him. The federal and provincial governments are also stakeholders in the solar energy industry. The legislation they pass can hurt or harm the solar energy industry like Canadian Solar. There are various legal issues that come with harnessing sunlight as a form of energy. For example, in Canada there is no right to light. Although you may have a solar panel installed around your home, you legally do not have the right to light. For example, a man in Ottawa installed a solar panel but â€Å"is now under threat from a near-by five-storey condo development†. This means that he cannot do anything to stop the construction of the condominium regarding his solar panel because there is no law for it in Canada. The lack of a right to light in Canada can affect many people who want to use solar energy as a source of energy but cannot because of obstacles like this. However the provincial government is making an effort to help encourage the use of alternative energy resources. On May 14, 2009 the Ontario government passed the â€Å"Green Energy and Green Economy Act† which encourages the use of â€Å"clean and renewable energy resources such as solar energy† and to create more jobs. The provincial government of Ontario has been trying to encourage the use of solar energy by passing legislation that helps promote the use of renewable, clean energy and promoting jobs at the same time. Customers are essential to the overall growth and long term development of companies. They are important stakeholders because companies depend on them in order to operate. In the solar industry, customers need to know that the product they buy is ethical, efficient and has quality. Customers are the foundation of companies and they make an overall impact on the organization. If boycotting occurs that would be a public relations disaster for them and can affect multiple things such as market share value and profits of an organization. They demand high quality, ethical and efficient goods. Customers believe solar energy is an excellent source of energy however because of the costs related to it and the lack of energy conversion. The industry needs to continuously try to improve their product in order to attract a larger market. How to cite Alternative Energy and Canadian Solar, Papers

Introduction As the internet grows in popularity Essay Example For Students

Introduction: As the internet grows in popularity Essay fdh every day, so too does electronic commerce. Electronic commerce, simply put, is the exchange of money for goods and services via electronic means. In other words, electronic commerce is usually when you purchase something off of the internet. Electronic commerce is often referred to as e-commerce, or e-business. In this paper I will be discussing the technical side of e-commerce, security, different points of view regarding e-business, and of course my personal opinion and experiences. Background Information: First I would like to discuss the types of e-business. E-business can be anything from purchasing a toaster from a department store online to checking your bank statement online. All are examples of the many aspects of e-business. There are several aspects of e-business unique to it. When comparing traditional business to e-business, one can see several differences between the two. The most obvious difference when buying standard goods (such as a toaster, a book, or a new computer) is the store. When dealing with e-business there is no â€Å"real† store or merchandise to look at. It is all presented through the merchant’s webpage, or by other electronic means. You will not be able to touch, or inspect potential purchases. All you will have to go on is perhaps a picture and a brief description of the item in question. This is obviously a big change from traditional store-based business practices. Why would any self-respecting consumer buy something via e-business if they were unable to touch, or inspect a potential purchase, and there is a real store just done the street? There are several reasons why e-business is appealing to a growing amount of people. For example, e-business is based on the internet. If you are using the internet, you are not bound by geography. You can access any site, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your computer chair. What does this mean to the consumer? Now the consumer has access to several things they didn’t before. The consumer now has diversity. With the entire internet at your fingers, in a matter of minutes you can browse several stores in several parts of the world without even leaving your home. This allows you to compare prices and products. With e-business you are not restricted to the prices and products of you local stores. You can easily choose the best price on the best product. Purchasing goods electronically is becoming easier by the day. The majority of e-businesses have software set up on their webpage to take and record your order as well as your credit card and personal information. The software is set up such that you can order anything you want without having to interact with anyone what so ever. You just have to enter your credit card number, address, and other personal information. Some people are not comfortable with the concept of sending their credit card number or other personal to a potential merchant over the internet, but are more comfortable using the telephone. Most businesses know this and have set up a special number or other means to talk to a representative from the company to settle any questions, and to accept credit card numbers or other means of payment. There are of course several security issues involved in both forms of commerce. I will discuss security in greater detail later in the paper. The popularity of e-business is growing almost as fast as the technology itself. More and more people are using their computers to buy what ever they want, whenever they want. Every day there is an increasing number of companies that join the electronic world of business. Companies spend millions of dollars a year to setup and maintain a website designed for e-business. Why are they willing to spend so much? Most business people have a good knowledge of how and why business works. It is not hard to see that there is a huge market in e-business. With the price of computers going down each day, more and more people have the opportunity to get in on their piece of cyberspace. A Typical E-business Transaction Security Information: A few methods in which e-business is conducted are shopping, and online banking. Let’s examine the shopping aspect of e-business first. When you go to a site to buy something, a site such as www.amazon. com, there are a few things you should notice. They have something called a shopping cart. When you finally decide that you want to buy something, you enter the quantity you wish to purchase, and then â€Å"add to shopping cart†. The shopping cart it a CGI script used to keep track of the things you want, and how many. Problems with Voting Essay Mostly you need to consider the cost versus the sales. Is it worth the cost to setup and maintain a website? What exactly is involved in setting up an e-business? In order to set an e-business you will need a domain name, webspace to put pictures and things like that, and bandwidth. In addition to this, you might need to hire technical support, and purchase software needed to run your business. Compared to the cost of traditional commerce, I believe e-business is much cheaper to run and maintain. When running an e-business you wont have as high of an overhead to pay. A domain name, webspace, and bandwidth are all fairly cheap. A growing number of businesses think e-commerce is a good investment, and a legitimate way to expand their company. Large companies such as K-Mart are leaning towards the e-business market. Personal Experience: In my quest for the best product at the best price, I too have turned to e-commerce from time to time to get what I needed. My first experience comes from purchasing a telephone online. I started by visiting several sites and inspecting what they had to offer. I began to notice right away that some stores are more expensive than others, even for the exact product. I proceeded to find the best deal on the phone I wanted and, as I described before I added it to my shopping cart at www.amazon.com. Next I went to check out. The scrip loaded and I entered all of my personal data and my credit card number. After I did all of that, I was taken to a billing screen where I could choose my form of shipping based on cost and time. At the bottom of the billing section it added the price of the phone and all of the additional charges (such as shipping), and produced an actual total. Before proceeding to confirm my order I considered my position. Was it worth the price after shipping to buy here instead of at a local shop? Do I need the phone right away? It turned out that even after shipping and all additional costs, I got the phone for less than my local stores could offer. Because I did not need the phone right away, I decided to purchase it. Within three or four days I received my phone and was satisfied with my first online purchase. It is also worth noting that I bought my phone at about 2am. Another personal experience of mine regards online banking. I have a checking and a savings account with Wellsfargo. I noticed that they offered online banking free of charge, so I figured I would try it out. I went to their website and began to setup my online account. I was asked for my basic personal and my account information. I gave them all of that and proceeded to try to log into my account. I was surprised to find that I could not. I was using Internet Explorer with only 40-bit encryption. Wellsfargo requires that you use a browser with at least 128-bit encryption. After I downloaded the addon for Internet Explorer, I successfully logged in. I was meet with a number of options. I could check my checking account balance, my savings account balance, and I could transfer money between the two. This made me very pleased. I have trouble keeping my checking account up to date, but with this I could see exactly what I had with only a day’s delay. I am overly pleased with all of my e-business encounters. I enjoy buying things from my home at any hour. It is also very convenient to see my account status in almost real time. Summary: To summarize this paper, e-business is basically online transactions for goods and services. There are many things to consider when buying something online. Firstly you should be dealing with a company that you are totally comfortable with. After you have that established, online shopping is safer than any other form of commerce because of the use of encrypted data transfer. Online banking is another aspect that is worth looking into. You can get information about your accounts anytime for little or no charge. Online banking, of course requires a stronger method of encryption, so you may need to download the newest security plugin for your browser. Finally, e-business is the new business of the future. You can buy anything, any time, and get information from your home. Which makes being antisocial just that much easier. Webpages: http://www. amazon.com http://www.zdnet.com/enterprise/e-business/ http://www. ibm.com/e-business/ http://ecommerce.internet.com/ http://www. ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/sitesee/index.html http://www.shopping. iwmi.com/ http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/ http://www. ecommercetimes.com/ Books: Baase, Sara . A Gift of Fire. Pretence-Hall Inc. 1997. Bibliography:fghfgh