Organizational Behavior Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Organizational Behavior - Essay Example After the WWII, recycling was influenced by economic reasons and some countries continued to establish conservation programs, but recycling was not so popular within the United States. Landfills became a cheap way to dispose of trash and recycling efforts was not the main focus. It was not until the 1960’s that recycling and environmental awareness was public concern. By the 1970’s recycling was popular again and drop-off recycling centers were established (http://www.all-recycling-facts.com/history-of-recycling.html ) . The city of Woodbury, New Jersey was the first city to mandate recycling in the United States and soon after many towns and cities followed. â€Å"Recycling† trailers were towed behind waste management vehicles during trash collection routes. It was not till the late 1980’s and 1990’s that curbside collection was introduced. ... In the 1980s, Waste Management acquired Service Corporation of America (SCA) to become the largest waste hauler in the country.† As of 2010, Waste Management employs 45,000 employees that are dedicated to improving the environment and reported $12.52 billion in revenue. The business of collecting trash and disposing of it has evolved to a billion dollar business and all the problems that come with it. In 1993, Los Angeles Times wrote a article â€Å"Landfill Pact is Appalling† (http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/waste-management-inc) informed the public of the proposed contract between Waste Management, Inc and Weldon Canyon landfill and once the press heard of such a develop, it announced the high profit Waste Management would gain for such a contact. â€Å"Ventura Regional Sanitation District are appalled at the proposal that Waste Management Inc. be permitted a report 35% profit or over $156 million over the life of the contract. Adding insult to injury, the landown er will receive another $5.63 per ton, or over $67 million for renting out his goat pasture. Combined, these figures represent nearly 50%--$224 million--going directly into the pockets of Waste Management Inc. and the landowner.† (Landfill Pact is appalling, 1993). The stock price for Waste Management, Inc raised steadily in 2004, in the article â€Å"3 reasons to avoid Waste Management†, the country needs garbage service that is not question. Is the stock strong enough to profit from it success? On the surface, the company’s future remains positive. â€Å"The current dividend yield is 4.3%. A competing investment alternative, the 10 year Treasury Bond, yields 2.06%.† Waste Management reported an increase in revenue from $3.24 billion in 2010 to $2.52 billion in 2011. †Waste

Teachers Day Essay Example for Free

Teachers Day Essay On the 22nd of October 2012, PSC held its annual Teacher’s Day. The Supreme Student Council was the reason behind this program, and in fact, they did a job well done. As the MC of the program, it was a blast to see everyone smiling and it was grateful to know that everyone had fun, especially the teachers. The quadrangle was literally crowded with students who wanted to greet and spend the day with their beloved teachers. The program started off with a prayer and a speech from the Supreme Student Council’s president, and was topped off with a dance number from the Grade 6. The teachers were called one by one after, and were given gifts from the SSC and of course, their students. They were also given a chance to take photos with their students. Some students even presented a song number for the teachers, while the others preferred to give a simple gift. First up was the teachers from the pre-school department, we had a hard time with the children since we had to take them up to the stage, but we eventually made it through. Next was the teachers from the elementary department, the students were so sweet, some would just run up to the stage and hug their teachers. Last but not the least, the teachers from the high school department. The high school students put a lot of effort into their gifts; it just proves how much they love their teachers. The teachers were also given a chance to showcase their talents, whether it was at singing or at dancing. It was nice to see, just for once, the other side of our teachers. Since it was Teacher’s Day, the teachers were given a break from their stressful job, and just enjoyed the show which was prepared by their students. The program ended with a song number from the Supreme Student Council. Once again, the program was a complete success thanks to the cooperation of the students, and of course the reason why we made this program; the teachers.

Impact of House Prices on the UK Economy

Impact of House Prices on the UK Economy What happens to house prices is perceived as being very important for the wider UK economy (at the moment the concern is that they may fall sharply). Consider to what extent house prices are important for the UK economy and how the government (or Bank of England) should respond to a sharp fall in house prices. Introduction The health of the residential property market is seen as a very important factor in the UK economy, and house prices have risen dramatically (though unevenly around the country) between 1996 and 2005. Some analysts argued that this was the result of a ‘bubble’ in the housing market, rather than due to purely economic reasons, while others argued that the rise in prices was a rational reaction to high employment, economic stability and low interest rates. The price rises slowed in 2005 and that led some analysts to predict a sharp fall in prices. These fears proved unfounded, as renewed growth since late 2005 has led most analysts to predict modest price rises in the medium term. However, many analysts remain concerned that housing prices may fall sharply in the near future. This essay will first consider the different ways in which house prices in an economy relate to (and impact on) the performance of that economy more broadly, outlining in particular the specificities of the UK housing market that make its prices especially important to the UK economy. It will then examine the policies the government (or Bank of England) could adopt in response to a sharp fall in house prices, assessing which of these would be the most appropriate. Finally, it will also consider some longer term policies which could reduce house price volatility and the impact of house prices on the wider UK economy. The relationship between house prices and the wider economy The most obvious way in which house prices affect the wider economy is through their impact on household consumption (Cameron 2005:4) – a fall in house prices, for example, makes homeowners feel less wealthy so they tend to reduce consumption. Furthermore, a fall in house prices also reduces consumption indirectly by making it harder for people to borrow. Credit constraints are increased through two key channels: (1) reduced house prices means homeowners have reduced collateral against which they can borrow, further reducing consumption; and (2) lending institutions make losses when housing prices fall, and so they reduce their lending or tighten their lending policies. According to Oswald (1999:2), ‘an economys natural rate of unemployment depends on the ease with which its citizens can move around to find jobs. Fluid societies have efficient economies.’ High house prices and a relatively small private rental market make it more difficult for people to move around to find jobs, and thus can contribute to unemployment. House prices can also have an indirect effect on the exchange rate, which is a particular concern because it may lead to a crash in house prices. High house prices contribute to high levels of household indebtedness which can be associated with increasing the current account deficit. This, in turn, may suddenly trigger a correction in the exchange rate. If the exchange rate is weakened, a sharp rise in inflation and interest rates may follow, leading to a sharp fall in house prices. House prices and the UK economy According to Cameron (2005:3), the high level of house ownership in the UK means that households are ‘exposed to a considerable amount of risk (almost half a million households had their homes repossessed in the 1990s).’ Not only are house prices more volatile in the UK than elsewhere in the developed world, the impact of house prices on consumer spending is also particularly heavy in the UK – according to the OECD, a 1% fall in UK housing wealth correlates with a 0.07% fall in consumer spending. The nature of the UK housing market (typically high loan to value ratios, few long-term fixed rate mortgages, and easy to re-mortgage) makes house prices particularly volatile and responsive to interest rates. Cameron (2005:3) explains that ‘a one percentage point rise in the short-term real interest rate would reduce house prices over a five year period by 2.6% in the UK, 1.8% in the US, and 1.3% in Germany.’ The UK housing market is characterized not only by a high level of home ownership and typically high loan to value mortgage ratios, but also by an insufficient housing supply. Demand consistently outstrips supply and the market is not sufficiently responsive, primarily due to the limited land available for construction and the difficulties in obtaining planning permission for new buildings. ‘Constrained housing supply leads to increasingly unaffordable housing, frustrating the home ownership aspirations of many individuals and families. It also leads to wealth redistribution from those outside the housing market to those inside it. Low housing supply reduces labour mobility, damaging the flexibility and performance of the UK economy and key public services, and can also translate into wider macroeconomic instability.’ (HM Treasury 2005:9) Barker (2004:3) explains her view of the importance of the housing market to the UK economy more broadly: ‘Volatility in the housing market, in the UK, combined with the strong association between house prices and private consumption (reflecting in part high levels of owner occupation) is striking. Consequently, the housing market has contributed to macroeconomic volatility, creating a more difficult environment for businesses and for economic policy makers.’ Responding to a sharp fall in house prices In order to respond to a sharp fall in house prices, the main tool which the government or central bank has at its disposition is monetary policy. If there is a sharp fall in house prices, consumption can be expected to drop (as per the relationship between house prices and consumption outlined in the first section of this essay) and there is a danger that a recession with ensue. In order to prevent this, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England should respond to any such fall by reducing interest rates, even though this may not be compatible with meeting their inflation target. This should help house prices to grow again, thus building up wealth and promoting consumption. Further, it will make credit more accessible which will also encourage consumption. Longer term policies Rather than being forced to respond to a sharp fall in house prices, the British government, or the Bank of England, would be better off developing longer-term strategies to prevent such a sharp fall in the first place – that is to say, they should be proactive rather than reactive. Cameron (2005:4) argues that it may be possible to make the UK housing market behave more like the US housing market (i.e. to make prices less responsive to interest rates and less volatile) ‘if the share of long-term fixed-rate mortgages could be increased (even when UK borrowers do take out fixed-rate mortgages, they tend to only fix the rate for three to five years).’ According to the OECD (2005:3), the risk of a sharp fall in house prices has been significantly reduced, and this has been achieved by longer term monetary strategies. ‘If a relatively â€Å"soft landing† in the housing market has indeed been achieved it owes much to the strategy of gradual preemptive monetary tightening, in marked contrast to previous episodes when an abrupt correction in house prices was triggered by sharp interest rate rises. Nevertheless, reforms are needed to make housing supply more elastic to damp future housing market cycles.’ Furthermore, Miles (2004:97) argues that in order for monetary policy to be most effective in stabilizing the currently volatile housing market, the UK mortgage facilities also need to be improved, and borrowers should be better informed. Conclusion Because house ownership levels are high in the UK, and because houses represent most households’ biggest asset, house prices are particularly important to the UK economy. As it currently functions, the UK housing market is insufficiently flexible to respond to, and reflect, the needs of the economy as a whole. Fortunately a drastic fall in house prices is unlikely in the near future. To prevent one in the medium to long term, the government should consider increasing the flexibility of the housing market. This could be achieved through relaxing planning regulations and adapting the mortgage market. References Barker, K. (2004) ‘Review of Housing Supply: Delivering Stability: Securing our Future Housing Needs’, Final Report – Recommendations (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/053/C7/barker_review_execsum_91.pdf on 26 February 2007) Cameron, G. (2005) ‘The UK Housing Market: Economic Review’ (downloaded from http://hicks.nuff.ox.ac.uk/users/cameron/papers/ukhousingmarket.pdf on 22 February 2007) HM Treasury (2005) ‘Housing Policy: An Overview’ (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/296/69/housing_policy190705.pdf on 26 February 2007) Miles, D. (2004) ‘The UK Mortgage Market: Taking a Longer-Term View’, HMSO (downloaded from http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/80DDF/miles04_470.pdf on 22 February 2007) Muellbauer, J. Murphy, A. (1997) ‘Booms and Busts in the UK Housing Market’, The Economic Journal, Vol. 107, No. 445. (Nov., 1997), pp. 1701-1727 OECD (2005) ‘Economic Survey of the United Kingdom, 2005 (downloaded from http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/18/34/35473312.pdf on 24 February 2007) Oswald, A. (1999) ‘The Housing Market and Europes Unemployment: A Non-Technical Paper’, Warwick University (downloaded from www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/economics/staff/faculty/oswald/homesnt.pdf on 27 February 2007) Wadhwani, S. (2002) ‘Household Indebtedness, the Exchange Rate and Risks to the UK Economy’, Bank of England speech delivered to the Macclesfield Chamber of Commerce on Monday, 25 March 2002 (downloaded from https://164.109.43.50/publications/speeches/2002/speech166.pdf on 22 February 2007)

Tariffs always cause a net welfare loss :: Economics

Tariffs always cause a net welfare loss Explain and critically evaluate this statement. In this essay, I will be discussing the impact of protectionism, in focus, the impact of tariffs, import duties. As well discussing the overall effect on welfare from the tariff, the gainers and the losers will need to be identified. I will illustrate this diagrammatically. I will then move to discuss the value of the optimal tariff imposition. As well as discussing the first best argument, I will also look at the value of second best arguments, examining whether or not tariffs do always cause a net welfare loss. A tariff requires the importer to pay a given fraction of the world price to the government. This protects domestic producers by raising the world price well above the domestic price; this of course has a downside for the consumers. A tariff works like a tax from the consumer's perspective: there are transfers from the consumers to both the government in the form of revenue and to the producers in the form of higher profits. This can be illustrated effectively by looking at Figure A, it shows the demand and supply curves for the home economy, Pa is the point where there is no trade, where supply meets demand. Pw is the world price for the commodity, the point of free trade and Pw + t is the price plus the tariff. We can see that during free trade, at Pw the home economy should import (Qf - Cf) but when a tariff is implemented this means they will import (Qt - Ct). As we can see from Figure A, the government will gain the revenue from the tariff, area B. The price rise in imports means that there is a reduced demand for them and increased demand for domestic producers. This results in a gain for the producer, area E. The loss for the consumer, area C, this is where consumption is cut when Cf moves to Ct. Area A, is also a loss area, as when production increases from Qf to Qt production is inefficient, over the world price so this area is the extra cost that the economy pay for producing the good at home. We can summarize these gains and losses we can see that there is indeed a net loss for welfare: B - (E+A+B+C) + E = - (A-C). So are there any valid 'justifications' for the imposition of tariffs. The strongest argument (some would say the only) in favour of a tariff comes with the recognition that a domestic economy imports such a significant supply of the world market for a commodity that an

Should Doug Hann Be Expelled- Argument Essay

Quincy Day Eng. 095 Mrs. Dahlin October 31, 2012 Should Doug Hann be Expelled Racism, a word that describes people that have hatred for others cause of their race, sexual orientation, religion and sex just to name a few. It exists everywhere especially in our universities, there’s a article written by one Nat Hentoff about a Caucasian male being expelled for racial slurs he direction to other students his name is Doug Hann. Doug Hann broke the rules and lashed out verbally on innocent students so yes he should be expelled.He’s hiding behind the free speech amendment â€Å"Freedom of Speech,† which usually all racists do to get away with their actions. According to the president of Brown University, there’s an agreement that every new student signs before he or she attends the university. In this agreement it gives a list of standards of acceptable behavior at Brown university that has been read for more than 10 years by entering students who agree in writi ng to abide by them. Now prior to this event Hann was involved in another incident with a Brown student.He was in an encounter with a fellow student at a fraternity bar, while intoxicated again, he called the guy a NIGGER! So it’s not like this is something Hann just did, it’s something he is known to do especially while being drunk, so he’s trying to hide behind the 1st amendment :Freedom of Speech Now don’t quote me on this but Freedom of Speech means freedom to speak freely where you don’t have to ask for permission to speak right. You know that saying â€Å"when your drunk you speak the truth of what’s on your mind? So I believe he did it knowingly and purposely and he needs to be drunk to do it. The argument is that Hann didn’t act on anything so it’s called Freedom of Speech. Really? Don’t you think saying what you think is acting out on your thoughts. Now speaking freely is not directed at anyone its speaking so people can hear usually a message or scripture or things that we want the public or community to hear. Now we can argue all day about whether or not its freedom of speech and so n but what about the rules he broke in the process? That has to be enforced or that whole agreement is null and void. If anything that is one thing that the universities in American do and will continue doing is upholding the rules. Rules are made for a reason, without rules there would be no structure and we would be in utter chaos. So either way you look at it rules were broken and consequences were handed out. He’s the first to be expelled and the first to break the rules, there’s always going to be a first time for everyone.When that first time comes are we just suppose to overlook it, of course not. The constitution also states that were all created equal, so that means the rules apply to everyone. So Hann needs to man up and take the consequence that were handed to him I bet you anything this is not going to be the end of Hann and his racial slurs. Works Cited Hentoff, Nat. â€Å"Should This Student Have Been Expelled† 75 Readings Plus 9th Edition Edu. Sani V. Buscemi and Charlotte Smith. New York: Mcgraw Hill 2010. 398-402 print

Civil War Essay

A nation in four decades had been multiplied several times its territory, purchase of Louisiana to France, Florida to Spain, the annexation of Texas and the subsequent war with Mexico (1846-1848) ambient. The political states of north and south had been mounded by the interest of the second in their plantations and the conservation of slavery, while the firs inclined towards trade; shipping and financial interests on one side were the debtor farmers, and other creditors’ capitalists. After independence, the first were represented by Democrat Thomas Jefferson and the last by the Federalists under Alexander Hamilton. The congress in Philadelphia in 1787 was the problems faced by the new state, debt, inter-state trade conflicts, war with Mexico, who snatched the Aztec country half of its territory, got to the United States, territories of California and New Mexico social. The civil war was in the United States of America. Eleven Southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America, also known as â€Å"the Confederacy. † Led by Jefferson Davis, the Confederacy fought against the United States (the Union), which was supported by all the free states (where slavery had been abolished) and by five slave states that became known as the border states. The fireman in Bradbury’s world began their version of the fireman job â€Å"around about a thing called the civil war† (54). Captain Beatty, the main antagonist of Fahrenheit 451, and captain of the fire brigade that Guy Montag works for, reasons that the decline of people’s interest in books came about because of photographs which came about during the civil war. the allusion is to the American war of secession from 1861-1865, which is the only civil war of American history. In it, the Northern States were able to defeat the South and to proclaim the abolition of slavery in 1863;