Biography of Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President

Biography of Abraham Lincoln, 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809–April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 to 1865. During his time in office, the nation fought the Civil War, which claimed hundreds of thousands of lives. One of Lincolns greatest accomplishments was the abolition of slavery in 1864. Fast Facts: Abraham Lincoln Known For: U.S. president from March 4, 1861–March 3, 1865; issued  Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, freeing slaves in the southern United StatesAlso Known As: Honest AbeBorn: February 12, 1809 in Sinking Spring Farm, KentuckyDied: April 15, 1865 in Washington, D.C.Spouse: Mary Todd Lincoln (m. 1842–1865)Children: Robert, Edward, Willie, TadNotable Quote: Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery, I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally. Early Life Abraham Lincoln was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, on February 12, 1809. He moved to Indiana in 1816 and lived there the rest of his youth. His mother died when he was 9 but he was very close to his stepmother, who urged him to read. Lincoln himself stated that he had about one year of formal education. However, he was taught by many different individuals. He loved to read and learn from any books he could get his hands on. On November 4,  1842, Lincoln married  Mary Todd. She had grown up in relative wealth. Many historians believe that Todd was mentally unbalanced; she struggled with mental health issues throughout her life and may have suffered from bipolar disorder. The Lincolns had four children, all but one of whom died young. Edward died at age 3 in 1850. Robert Todd grew up to be a politician,  lawyer, and diplomat. William Wallace died at the age of 12. He was the presidents only child to die in the White House. Thomas Tad died at 18. Military Career In 1832, Lincoln enlisted to fight in the Black Hawk War. He was quickly elected captain of a company of volunteers. His company joined regulars under Colonel Zachary Taylor. Lincoln only served 30 days in this capacity and then signed on as a private in the Mounted Rangers. He then joined the Independent Spy Corps. He saw no real action during his short stint in the military. Political Career Lincoln worked as a clerk before joining the military. He ran for the Illinois state legislature and lost in 1832. He was appointed as postmaster of New Salem, Illinois by Andrew Jackson and later elected as a Whig to the state legislature, where he served from 1834 to 1842. Lincoln studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1836. From 1847 to 1849 he served as a U.S. Representative in Congress. He was elected to the state legislature in 1854 but resigned to run for the U.S. Senate. He gave his famous house divided speech after being nominated. Lincoln-Douglas Debates Lincoln debated his opponent for the Senate seat, Stephen Douglas, seven times in what became known as the Lincoln-Douglas Debates. While they agreed on many issues, the two disagreed over the morality of slavery. Lincoln did not believe that slavery should spread any further through the United States, while Douglas argued for popular sovereignty. Lincoln explained that while he was not asking for equality, he believed African-Americans should receive the rights granted to all Americans in the Declaration of Independence: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Lincoln lost the election to Douglas. Presidential Election In 1860, Lincoln was nominated for the presidency by the Republican Party with Hannibal Hamlin as his running mate. He ran on a platform denouncing disunion and calling for an end to slavery in the territories. The Democrats were divided, with Stephen Douglas representing the Democrats and John Breckinridge the National (Southern) Democrats nominee. John Bell ran for the Constitutional Union Party, which took away votes from Douglas. In the end, Lincoln won 40 percent of the popular vote and 180 of the 303 electoral college votes. Since he was in a four-way race, this was enough to ensure his victory. First Presidential Term The main event of Lincolns presidency was the  Civil War,  which lasted from 1861 to 1865.  Eleven states seceded from the Union, and Lincoln firmly believed in the importance of not only defeating the Confederacy but also reuniting North and South to preserve the Union. In September 1862, Lincoln issued the  Emancipation Proclamation. This declaration freed the slaves in all of the Southern states. In 1864, Lincoln promoted  Ulysses S. Grant  to commander of all Union forces. Reelection The Republicans, at this point called the National Union Party, had some concern that Lincoln wouldnt win but still renominated him for a second term with Andrew Johnson as his vice president. Their platform demanded unconditional surrender and an official end to slavery. Challenger George McClellan had been relieved as the head of the Union armies by Lincoln. His platform was that the war was a failure, and Lincoln had taken away too many civil liberties. Lincoln won reelection after the war turned in the Norths favor. In April 1865, Richmond fell and  Confederate General Robert E. Lee  surrendered at  Appomattox Courthouse. In the end, the war was the most costly  in American history and also the bloodiest, with hundreds of thousands of casualties. Slavery was forever ended with the passage of the  Thirteenth Amendment. Death On April 14, 1865, Lincoln was assassinated while attending a play at Fords Theater in Washington, D.C. Actor John Wilkes Booth shot him in the back of the head before jumping onto the stage and escaping to Maryland. Lincoln died on April 15 and was buried in Springfield, Illinois. John Parrot / Stocktrek Images / Getty Images On April 26, Booth was found hiding in a barn, which was set on fire. He was then shot and killed. Eight conspirators were punished for their roles in the plot to kill the president. Legacy Lincoln is considered by many scholars to be one of the most accomplished and successful presidents in United States history. He is credited with holding the Union together and leading the North to victory in the Civil War. Furthermore, his actions led to the emancipation of African-Americans from the bonds of slavery. Sources Donald, David Herbert.  Lincoln. Niagara, 1996.Gienapp, William E.  Abraham Lincoln and Civil War America: a Biography. Oxford University Press, 2002.

Have No Time for Homework Learn How to Speed Up the Process!

Have No Time for Homework Learn How to Speed Up the Process! How to Complete Your Homework Quicker For most of the students homework is torture and they would rather concentrate on their leisure or hobbies. However, there are many ways out and simply by organizing the process, asking for help and learning useful tips will surely help to boost your creativity. Don’t hesitate and approach your homework right now! Make lists. It is not surprising to hear students say that they have simply forgotten about the task. There is a simple solution: write down class assignments in one of the convenient ways and you will always remember about them! The most effective way is to use a simple diary. Write all the assignments on a separate page and always have it in front of you. You can also use calendars and daily logs. There is also a chance to write down all the tasks on top of your workbook, indicating the number of pages and all of the guidelines your teacher may have. However, if you use such method we strongly recommend you to copy tasks to your diary not to lose anything. Such a simple trick will help you not to miss any details; Understand every assignment. Many students are too shy to ask teachers or their friends for clarifications and hope to manage the task on their own. However, if you don’t understand the task, you won’t be able to detect whether you have the necessary data or skills. If you see that the equation is not familiar or the questions after the text are too confusing, ask your teacher at once. The best way is to look through your homework while you are still in the class and not when you come back from school; Make sure you have all the necessary tools. Remember how distracting it is to notice that you don’t have a ruler or a necessary pen, while you are already working on your homework? You will lose track of time and often won’t be able to get back to your thoughts. If you plan in advance, you will have everything you need to complete homework without any distractions. Another useful advice is to plan a break in advance and don’t get up from your place until that time approaches; Remain focused on a single task. It is impossible to remain effective if you decide to complete homework on several subjects simultaneously. Go to the next one only when one subject is ready. This will help you to complete every assignment without missing any important details. If you find the assignment too difficult and need assistance, you can switch to another task. Stick to the chosen duration of breaks and don’t make them longer. Remember, the first 15 minutes are the most effective because your brain is ready to solve the most complicated tasks; Don’t forget to treat yourself for a completed assignment. For example, you can promise yourself to play a favorite video game or to have some chocolate once you are finished. However, such a treat should be something you don’t usually do while you are on a break to stimulate you to complete homework much quicker; Don’t hesitate to ask for help. If you are not able to concentrate, you can always ask your friends or relatives for help. You can give your phone to them, while you are doing your homework not to feel tempted to check your social accounts. After your homework is completed, take your phone back and don’t forget to treat yourself; Discuss difficult assignments with your teacher. He was the one to choose it, so he knows the task perfectly and may help you to complete it and cope with all the difficulties. If you are asking for help it doesn’t mean that you are stupid and don’t understand the task. A good teacher will surely listen to your questions and will offer the best solution. Never be scared of asking for help, because it is much simpler than to get stuck in the middle of the process at home, not knowing what to do. Network This advice may not be directly related to completing your homework but it is an essential part of your student time, which is able to simplify your life! Ask international students whether they find it beneficial to meet people from all corners of the world with different backgrounds and skills. College is a great chance to enter an internship, attend various fairs and competitions, where you can meet people and network. If you use all of these opportunities wisely, it will be much easier for you to get a strong reputation among other students. Such relationships may not only influence your future carrier but also help to overcome any difficulties with assignments you may face. Networking is a key, which will always help you to remain afloat, understand subjects and find useful connects. Believe us, networking at college is as huge, as using social media accounts at Facebook or LinkedIn. Â   Train Have you ever talked to students, who are studying communications? They obviously have lots of benefits, when it comes to learning unique training techniques and skills. Such skills help students to train in completely different situations, which allows them to sharpen skills in completing all types of homework and other assignments. Communication and foreign students also get an opportunity to understand what they want from their lives and help to get additional skills for future success. If you are a journalist or a language student, you may be offered to attend newspapers, channels and radio stations. All of them help you to train and exercise unique skills to build a strong portfolio, sharpening skills in completing all sorts of assignments. You should always remember that completing homework is important not only for getting a degree but also for building a future career. Very often students invent brilliant ideas for the future business amidst completing homework, so training is surely a key to a better future. Being rejected Now, when you know how it is possible to simplify the process of completing homework, and know why it is important to network and train, we would like to say a few words about rejection. Once in a while, any student will have to experience rejection. Whether it is a rejection of a poorly completed homework or a scholarship cover letter. However, students, who are taking a communication course, know that rejection of an article or a new strategy can become a positive result for their future and be fruitful for the future success. Don’t worry if your homework gets rejected or your teacher asks for additional changes. Just work on the best solution, mind your previous mistakes and improve yourself to deliver better results in future. We hope that our simple but yet effective tips helped you to understand that there is nothing difficult in completing homework with a proper approach and enough devotion.

The Advantages of Including Clinical Simulation in Nursing Education Research Paper

The Advantages of Including Clinical Simulation in Nursing Education - Research Paper Example This way, the individual is fully engaged in something that he might otherwise just read about or watch someone else doing. However, in most situations, people are just asked to â€Å"watch and learn† and be expected to automatically imbibe what is being taught. Somehow, for most people, this is not enough, especially for those in jobs that would require actual practice before they apply what they have learned. Nursing is one example of a career that would need much practical experience before implementation as a career. Since nurses are entrusted with the lives of their patients, having no clue as to what to do with them in actual practice, no matter if they are just new in their profession, is no excuse. It would be a risky and unprofessional thing to do. Lacking practical experience, nursing students cannot just rely on their theoretical knowledge gained from school. New Training Technique One new development in nursing education is the use of clinical simulation. This is a teaching methodology that provides students with learning experiences closely resembling real-life circumstances that they are likely to encounter in their professional practice. â€Å"Simulated clinical experience requires immersing students in a representative patient-care scenario, a setting that mimics the actual environment with sufficient realism to allow learners to suspend disbelief† (Waxsman:29). Faced with a simulated environment, they gain familiarity with situations that they will most probably encounter in their future profession. They get to see the real equipment to be used, the set up in a clinical environment, and get an idea of how it feels like to be in a clinic, hospital room or operating room. In this method, student nurses get the opportunity to use a lifelike high-fidelity manikin which is interactive and realistic (Jeffries: 56). Different scenarios that nurses are likely to encounter with their patients are played out during simulation sessions that would summon their skills and knowledge. The manikin would serve as a sample patient that the nurses can attend to depending on the symptoms presented. High and low-fidelity manikins as well as skill and task trainers, virtual reality trainers, computer-based simulators and scenarios and even standardized patients comprise the simulation education package (Jeffries: 60). In clinical simulation, they get exposed to various scenarios and are supposed to apply what they have learned in a safe and controlled environment that will not risk the safety and life of any patient. This is very much different from the traditional teaching methods that nursing students have been accustomed to such as lectures, discussions, role-play and laboratory practice, as these may no longer be effective (Waxman:30). What is currently being promoted in education is the adherence to constructivist pedagogical approaches wherein more active, experiential learning strategies reflect real world practices. Parke r & Myrick (42) contend that clinical simulation has constructivist pedagogical underpinnings fostering interpretive, generative learning which is suited to the promotion of transformative learning. Through the use of clinically- simulated scenarios, students engage in concrete experiences likely to be done in their future practice. The Process of Clinical Simulation Human patient simulation (HPS) is the technology behind clinical simulation in nursing education. Bearnson and Wiker (422) explain that a human-like manikin designed with human-like responses and function is controlled by a computer by the

Environmental Geology Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Environmental Geology - Research Paper Example In his speech delivered on June 16, 2010, the President said that we needed to break our â€Å"addiction† to oil and that will be possible when, â€Å"†¦we seize the moment.   And only if we rally together and act as one nation –- workers and entrepreneurs; scientists and citizens; the public and private sectors (Obama, 2010).† As much as I would like to see this happen, I feel that there are three fundamental realities that will prevent this oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico from becoming some sort of catalyst that will change our energy policy as a nation and as individuals. The first fact is that most American thing regionally about their citizenship, and it takes an event such as the terrorist attacks of 9/11 to really unite the nation as a whole. Americans surely feel for one another, as is shown by the volunteers that rush from all corners of the nation to clean-up after a hurricane or and earthquake. This sort of empathy, while wonderful in the most basic human sense, does little to change people’s choices. We still will build our homes in hurricane and earthquake prone areas after the mess is cleaned up. Everyone feels badly about the fishermen than are going to lose their homes and boats, but that isn’t going to make the guy driving 60 minutes each way to work to suddenly quit his job so he can burn less fuel each day. These are the choices that need to be made if we are going to become less dependant on oil, and most people won’t change because of the oil spill. The second regional issue is the economic roll oil plays in the Gulf of Mexico. The people that need to call for less oil consumption now is the residents most affected by the spill. They have the attention of the nation this summer. Unfortunately, they are not making these calls. The fact is, many are employed by oil companies in the region and the taxes generated by the oil

Economic growth is one of the macroeconomic objectives of the Essay

Economic growth is one of the macroeconomic objectives of the Australian government . Outline the problems that arise in measuring economic growth - Essay Example It also fails to consider the externalities that may be negative like those caused by pollution as well as depletion of resources. (tradingeconomics.com, 2011) Globally, the process by which the wealth of a nation is determined or poverty is a complex task since there lies a predicament while trying to obtain compatible type of data. Different nations may be having different data types and thus, comparison in performance fails to be objective at the end. GDP as mentioned earlier is the method that is mostly used in the world to measure a country’s growth and Australia has followed this method as utilized by United Nations. This GDP method does not consider the incomes that come from corporations and individuals. This is especially if these incomes come from foreign sources and this approach further shows the weakness of measuring the growth of a nation. The alternative method, (just to mention), that was usually used to measure an economy’s growth and that was applied universally in the world was GNI. The difference arises where GNI considers income from outside the country while GDP does not. (Kendall, 2010

Structural Causes Of Unethical Behavior Within An Organization

Structural Causes Of Unethical Behavior Within An Organization Traditionally, organizations function within a certain set of guidelines and protocols that inherently form a structure in an organization. Pugh defines an organizational structure as a hierarchical concept of subordination of entities that collaborate and contribute to serve one common aim. Activities such as task allocation, coordination and supervision are carried out to achieve organizational goals. Organizations are formal entities that distribute tasks through specialization and create a standard set of processes to create an efficient and effective workplace environment to increase productivity while saving costs. Standard operating procedure protocols, management protocols and standard set of rules and codes are implemented throughout the organization to ensure all employees perform their tasks as they are supposed to in the proper way. For instance, in a car assembly line, factory workers and engineers have to follow a certain set of guidelines to ensure the quality of the cars. Testing for safety and quality are standardized in every manufacturing branch not only throughout the country but internationally. Similarly, McDonalds provide standard operating procedures for every franchise throughout the globe in order to maintain quality and the companys reputation (Griffin, 2012). Although formal organizations provide a set of guidelines and standard procedures, in a situation where ethical decision-making takes place, these standard codes fail to provide a clear cut solution to the dilemma, thus resulting in unethical behavior which are caused by the structure of the organization. Organizations do provide codes of conduct and ethical code doctrines to employees prior to their hiring but implementing those codes are entirely up to the employees and their immediate supervisors. Even the CEO of a company can make unethical decisions to his own discretion despite being bound to the ethical codes of conduct of the corporation in which he serves. Moreover, considering he is the man in charge of the entire corporation, it is even more likely that he will not be held responsible for his unethical decisions. When the organization structure fail to prevent unethical behavior, ultimately the profitability and sustainability of a corporation will be affected. This is where strict corporate governance needs to be put in place in order to minimize unethical behavior within an organization. In order to solve unethical behavior and improve organization structure, we must first understand how a structure can fail to prevent unethical behavior. Furthermore, we must identify the types of unethical behavior that can arise in ethical situations where an organizations structure is ineffective. Finally, we will also expound on previous researches to identify ways to minimize unethical behavior within an organization by, among other things, improving the structure of the organization. 1.2.1 Boston Consulting Group Founded by Bruce D. Henderson in 1963, The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) is a global management consulting firm that has successfully appeared in the top 15 of Fortunes Best Companies To Work For seven years in a row. As much as it was a subsidiary of The Boston Company, BCG currently has 77 offices of its own in 42 countries all across the World. In attempts of trying to understand the nature of pricing in a manufacturing industry and as a result of work done for a semiconductor manufacturer, The Boston Consulting Group came up with its first breakthrough known as the experience curve in 1966. The experience curve states that the unit cost of a product gradually decreases as cumulated volume and production experience increases. Ultimately, the theory stresses that it is crucial and important to enter newly introduced fields and take hold of as much market share as possible. By doing this, an organization will be able to gain advantage over other late-arriving organizations in the same field and thus, eliminating any sort of competition. (Refer to Appendix C) The Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG Matrix) also known as the growth-share matrix was introduced in 1968. The framework of the BCG Matrix consists of a box with four quadrants that is represented using terms such as cash cows, dogs, question marks and stars. The terms of the framework represent growth rate, market share and negative and positive flow of cash. The main goal of the framework is to achieve a balance between cash cows, question marks and stars and to sell off the dogs. As soon as the theory was introduced, the terms of the framework quickly became fixtures in the world of business. In the same year, BCG was released as a subsidiary from The Boston Company. (Refer to Appendix D) Despite the departure of a few prominent and top individuals, The Boston Consulting Group became an independent company in 1975. BCG was one of the first few companies to practice the Employee Retirement Income Security Act as the company recognized its benefits and was quick to take advantage of the act. Through this act, The Boston Consulting Group was allowed to establish an employee stock ownership program. The establishment of the program made way for the process of buying BCG from The Boston Company to begin. By 1979, the buyout was completed five years ahead of the original schedule. (Refer to Appendix E) The year 1985 paved way for some major changes at top level management for The Boston Consulting Group as its founder and then Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bruce D. Henderson retired. He was succeeded by John Clarkeson who assumed the position of CEO and Alan Zakon who took on the position of chairman of the companys board. In 1992, Henderson died at age 77. Few people have had as much impact on international business in the second half of the twentieth century as the founder of The Boston Consulting Group, eulogized the Financial Times upon Hendersons death. (Refer to Appendix E) In 2003, Hans-Paul Burkener was elected the fifth President and CEO of The Boston Consulting Group by the companys partners. As of the year 2011, The Boston Consulting Group was ranked second on Fortunes 100 Best Companies To Work For, marking its sixth consecutive year on such a prestigious list. BCG continues to explore important topics that have significant effects around the World as the company aims to provide better and more quality service in helping organizations to combat the battle of ever changing landscapes in the management of diversity (Refer to Appendix F). 1.2.2 General Electric In 1890, Thomas Edison established his own company and named as Edison General Electric Company by bringing his different businesses together. Two years later, Edison General Electric Company incorporated with Thomson-Houston Company and, then they named the new organization as General Electric Company. The new organization the General Electric Company is a diversified technology and financial services company. General Electric Company has different type of products and services. They main product and service is householder appliances and General Electric Company is one of the largest manufacturers of major appliances in the world. Besides that, General Electric Company also has other different type of products and services such as aviation, consumer electronics, customer training, electrical distribution, energy, finance-business, healthcare, oil gas, water, lighting, software services, rail, and other. In the early 1890s, the first General Electric appliances electric fans were produced, and a full line of heating and cooking devices were developed in the year 1907. A few years later, General Electric Company developed the first airplane engine booster for the fledgling U.S. aviation industry. Besides that, the plastic filaments for light bulbs were created in 1930, and led to the first General Electric Plastics department. Through the years, General Electrics leaders have built a portfolio for the diversity of management and leading businesses. Thats made the General Electric Company become a most success company that drives growth and reduces the production costs; increase financial strength and Controllership that allow it to capitalize on opportunities through numerous cycles. And, they have a set of common values that allows it to face any environment or situation with confidence. In 1971, the General Electric Company with the helped from McKinsey developed a General Electric/McKinsey Matrix. The General Electric/McKinsey Matrix was developed in year 1971, with the helped from McKinsey and consulting firms. And, General Electric Company used it to measure or decides which Strategies Business Units (SBU) should invest, retain, or divest. The GE matrix/McKinsey matrix is one that cans helps to improve the companys businesses unit strength and helps to increase businesses unit attractiveness. Besides that, this matrix is measure the business unit through the business units attractiveness and business strength. When the business units attractiveness and strength is high, the company should keep invest for gain more profit. On the other hand, when the business units attractiveness and strength is medium, the company should retain or selectively invest. But, when the business units attractiveness and strength is low, it is the time for the company to exit that business unit or stop invests in that business unit. The aim of this portfolio analysis is: To decide the company should invest more or divest. To helps the new product or business unit to develop a growth strategies. To decide which business unit should retain or not. 2.0 Literature Review 2.1 Unethical Behavior Resulting from Failure of Organizational Structure Many researchers were found to focus on various aspects that management fails to prevent different types of unethical behavior within a corporation. Some of the unethical behavior that is being studied includes conflict of interest, false advertising, discrimination, insider trading, and harassment among others. For instance, Sherry, Shilbury and Wood (2007) found that as sport becomes a fully-fledged business, there is an increased complexity of ethical issues within sports management and conflict of interest presents similar structural elements as traditional businesses. Practices such as providing benefits, trust and obligation are magnified, as there are also societal expectations and values emphasized in sport and sporting organizations. To illustrate the issue of conflict of interest arising from structural failing in this matter, five of the seven board members of the Californian Horse Racing Board actively own or breed racehorses and at least six acknowledge that they gamble at the track (Sherry, Shilbury, Wood, 2007). This clearly is a conflict of between the board members personal interest and the interest of the corporation. Conflict of interest issues are usually not clearly outlined within the corporation, especially for people in top management and there is no obvious way to i dentify a person who has a conflict of interest because a hierarchical organization does not usually scrutinize an employees personal life. In this case, the integrity of the sport will be compromised, as society will not look with favor on the races for fear of them being cheated out of their bets. Furthermore, despite laws and regulation outlawing discrimination while hiring, there is still a substantial informal form of discrimination in the workplace towards different races or genders. As found by Pompper (2011) after interviewing 36 middle aged, middle income women of African-American, Asian-American and Hispanic ethnicity in the communications industry, glass ceilings in communication organization remains impenetrable especially for women of these ethnicities. The research found that there is a higher level of financial uncertainty for middle aged, middle-income women of color within media organizations. None of the participants of the research reported having equal salary or status with male colleagues that do comparable work. While there have been strides to reduce employment discrimination in many countries, informal forms of discrimination that are not specifically outlined in corporate policies will still occur, especially in a society or country that inherently, in t heir culture, practice discrimination against gender or race. 2.2.1 Boston Consulting Group In a publication titled Strategic Business Models, Frederick Betz discusses the six different kinds of generic business models that can be used in operating a company. One of the generic business models that he highlights is The Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG Matrix). Betz defines a business model as a strategic technique of how ones company now operates and how it should change to operate in the future. Also, he describes a business model as an abstraction of business identifying how that business profitably makes money. Besides that, he identifies a business model as abstracts about how inputs to an organization are transformed to value-adding outputs. The transformation of input resources into output products or services is performed by the processes and operations of the business. Furthermore, he mentions that a strategic business model is a systematic list of policies that will guide the future specification of inputs, outputs, processes and values of the complete operations of the business of the corporation. In a publication titled Kiechels History of Corporate Strategy, Robert J. Allio and Robert M. Randall interviewed Walter Kiechel III about his book titled The Lords of Strategy: The Secret Intellectual History of the New Corporate World (Harvard Business Press, 2010). In his book, Kiechel chronicles the rise and stumbles of a number of leading consultancies primarily Bain, Boston Consulting Group and Mc Kinsey after having interviewed originators of the core ideas behind strategy and strategic movement and executives at the companies where it was first practiced. In his book, Walter Kiechel III regards The Boston Consulting Group as the Lords of Strategy. He explains that the pioneering consulting efforts of the organization has helped instill a sense of empiricism that is a fundamental key in competing. He defines empiricism as the ability to identify and recognize facts that are essential in gaining advantage over other late-arriving organizations in the same field. Also, the concepts developed by The Boston Consulting Group are made up of easy-to-understand and familiar patterns that make the task of interpreting the data less difficult. This indirectly enables one to figure out what needs to be done. Besides that, Kiechel did not fail to draw attention to the opinions of critics and his personal opinion about The Boston Consulting Group Matrix (BCG Matrix) in his book. Critics pointed out that a certain organization can define and characterize the shares and size of a targeted market. However, it is impractical and almost impossible for the same organization to predict the exact growth of the market. Kiechel strongly believes that an organization should associate with the hidden message of the BCG Matrix. An organization should take the initiative to identify and accurately comprehend the competitive situation that it faces, the data for understanding the business that it is involved in and the potential that the organization possess. Otherwise, you are left at the mercy of every business units manager telling you that Next year is going to be different; This baby is really set to take off. (Kiechel, 2010). 2.2.2 General Electric Nowadays, General Electric can be more successful. If should related to the McKinsey and Company consulting firm. Because General Electric Company get the help from McKinsey and Company consulting firm, and developed a more complicated matrix (Figure 2.1). Through the internet research, the General Electric Company used GE matrix/McKinsey matrix as their planning system for management of diversity. From my general knowledge about the GE matrix/McKinsey matrix, it is a strategic that will separate from the mother company into many small business units and determine which business unit should invest more, retain, or divest. From Strategic Management: theory and case study, by Tunchalong Rungwitoo, the General Electric / McKinsey Matrix, is a nine cell matrix from two dimensions, which is industry attractiveness and business strength. For the use of General Electric/McKinsey Matrix, they use the GE matrix/McKinsey matrix to identify whether the small business units should invest, retain, or divest. Besides that, it also can fits perfectly to the companys strengths and helps to exploit the most attractive industries or markets. Besides that, General Electric Company can see the status of their business units and suggest the strategy the business fell in which categories through the General Electric/McKinsey Matrix (Figure 2.2). The vertical axis of the General Electric/McKinsey matrix is industry attractiveness, which is determined by the factors such as market growth rate, market size, demand variability, industry profitability, industry rivalry, global opportunities, and others. And, the horizontal axis of the General Electric/McKinsey matrix is the strength of the business unit. Some factors that can be used to determine business unit strength include: market share, growth in market share, brand equity, distribution channel access, production capacity, and profit margins relative to competitors. From International Journal of Humanities and Social science, the General Electric/McKinsey Matrix requires the identification and assessment of both external and internal factors, which are industry attractiveness and business strength on a nine-cell grid. To grow, to hold, or to harvest are the categories used to classify both attractiveness and strength (Figure 2.2). When that is high attractiveness and high business strength (Leader), the company should seek dominance and maximize investment. When that is medium attractiveness and medium business strength (Proceed with care), the company should specialize and invest selectively. And, when that is low attractiveness and low business strength (Withdrawal), the company should attack rivals and time exit. 3.0 Data Analysis and Discussion 3.1.1 Structural Causes and How to Solve Them An organization can have a centralized or a decentralized structure. A centralized organization refers to an organization in which important decision-making tasks and power are given and carried out by few leaders. As stated by Vitez (2012), centralized organization depends on a single person to give direction and make decisions for the corporation. A decentralized organization, on the other hand, give autonomy to individuals in middle and lower management levels to make critical decisions and usually carry out decisions as part of a team (Vitez, 2012). The hierarchy of the organization also tends to be much more flat compared to centralized organizations. In a centralized organization, ethical conduct is often disseminated in the form of ethical codes of conduct and corporate policies. It is easier to control and minimize unethical behavior within an organization with a central structure as employees have clearly written guidelines to follow in the corporation and if they fail to do so, they will be reprimanded for it. However, an employees own personal ethical standards may conflict with what is expected of him as a member of the organization and its corporate culture (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2012). Centralized organization also creates a groupthink environment in which in an organization culture where unethical behavior is prevalent, employees knowingly commit unethical acts or ignore unethical acts with full knowledge that these behaviors are morally wrong. As stated by Sims (2003), the presence or absence of ethical behavior in organizational members actions is both influenced by the prevailing culture (ethical climate) and, in turn, partially determines the cultures view of ethical issues (Sims, 2003). Furthermore, central codes of ethics are created out of context of ethical dilemmas and may not be suited for delicate situations with no clear-cut solution. While having an ethical code may inhibit major ethical problems such as physical and sexual harassments that are clearly morally wrong and unethical to begin with, subtle ethical problems may not be outlined in the ethical code of the company such as alienating co-workers of other races. Conversely, a decentralized organization gives more freedom to employees to make decisions and top management usually delegate decision making to middle and low management. In this type of structure, there is more flexibility to each unit of business to carry out tasks and make decisions. According to Gitman and McDaniel (2008), decentralized organizations benefit by quicker decision making, increased level of innovation and creativity, greater organizational flexibility, faster development of lower-level managers, and increased level of job satisfaction and employee commitment (Gitman McDaniel, 2008). Despite this, there is also a risk of unethical practices and behavior occurring in a decentralized organization. As employees are given more power to make decisions, they are now more susceptible to moral hazards in which an employee will have a higher tendency to take risks. As decentralized organizations have fewer internal controls such as corporate policies and code of ethics, these organizations rely on shared values (Ferrell, Fraedrich, Ferrell, 2012). Therefore, it is harder to control employee behavior especially if they do not believe in the shared values of the organization. To solve these structural problems, an organization must first acknowledge the possibility of unethical behavior occurring within its framework. An organization must realize the flaws that each type of structure presents and ways to combat these flaws to minimize risky and unethical behavior among its employees. In this sense, organizations should look into allocating resources to study and research the structural problems and implement the solutions into the organizational structure. Organizational change is somewhat harder and more costly to implement in a centralized organization because it involves changing all policies from top to bottom within the organization as compared to a decentralized organization, which is more fluid, and adapt to change quickly. New rules, values and organizational culture to minimize unethical behavior must always be monitored to gauge the success of these new policies. Furthermore, an organization must tailor its ethical standards to the type of structure that it uses. For instance, in a centralized organization there should be more room to maneuver ethical dilemmas that does not strictly coincide with corporate policies. Moreover, centralized organizations should provide a form of outlet for employees to air grievances about ethical dilemmas and adopt a situational approach to ethical decision making in the corporation. On the other hand, in a decentralized organization, top management should constantly portray ethical values outwardly through their actions so that it empowers employees to follow their stride and perform ethically as well. Leading by example is one of the approaches to keep employees from committing unethical acts in this type of organizational structure. There should also be some form of central codes of conduct, even in a decentralized organization to keep employees in check and to maintain the reputation of the corporation. Other solutions to prevent unethical behavior are to set up a committee that will look into employees indiscretions in the company and evaluate whether these indiscretions are justified in the given circumstances. Instead of penalizing the employee by suspending them and creating resentment, the employees should be sent to ethics classes to help them rehabilitate their behavior. Ethics classes are a good way to disseminate ethical values within an organization but having classes in which the instructor tells the employees the rules, there should be a more interactive environment where employees get to try their hand in solving ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Ethics classes and training should also be given to new hires as part of their training in the corporation. Additionally, the organization can provide motivational training for employees to get them invested in the interest of the company and the companys bottom line that is the customers. A motivated employee is a hardworking and productive employee and an employee that is less likely to make unethical decisions that may jeopardize the company and its customers. 3.2.1 Boston Consulting Group Planning System Large companies that have diversified its business into other strategic business units usually face challenges in allocating resources among its units. The Boston Consulting Group Matrix Growth-Share Matrix (BCG Growth-Share Matrix) is a planning model for managing portfolio of different business units that is based on combinations of market growth rate and relative market share. The market growth rate represents industry attractiveness and relative market share represents the strength of a company within the industry relative to its competitors. Thus, the position of a company on the BCG Growth-Share Matrix indicates consumption of cash needed to diversify into a particular business and generation of cash through that particular business. The portfolio planning model of the BCG Growth-Share Matrix is divided into four grids that are represented using four symbols; cash cow, dog, question mark and star. Cash cows are used to represent a business unit in a mature industry that has a large market share. It generates more cash than it consumes which in return can be used to invest in other business units. Business units that are categorized as cash cows should be milked in order to gain profits while investing as little cash as possible into that particular business unit. Besides that, dogs are used to represent a business unit in a mature industry that has a small market share and a low growth rate. It does not require high cash consumption nor does it result in high cash generation. Even so, business units that are categorized as dogs are cash traps because the cash invested is tied up in a business unit that has little possibility. Instead, the cash invested into that particular business unit can be deployed into other more rewarding business units. (Refer to Appendix A) In addition to that, question marks are used to represent a business unit that has a small market share in a high growth market. Due to this, it consumes more cash than it generates. However, business units that are categorized as question marks have the potential to become stars and eventually cash cows if high investments and resources to grow market shares are fueled into that particular business unit. Nevertheless, it is still a questionable decision as it is unknown if it will succeed and become stars and cash cows. Furthermore, stars are used to represent a business unit that has a large market share in a high growth market. It requires high cash consumption but at the same time, it results in high cash generation. Thus, the flow of cash in each direction is evened out. If successful, business units that are categorized as stars will eventually become cash cows when its industry matures. (Refer to Appendix A) Despite its many advantages, the BCG Growth-Share Matrix has its disadvantages as well. The main limitation that has been identified is the questionable link between market share and profitability. This is due to the fact that an increasing market share can be very expensive and may not result in high cash generation as predicted. On top of that, the matrix overlooks many factors that contribute to the profitability of a business unit. For example, market growth rate is only one of the many factors that represent industry attractiveness. Also, there are additional factors that represent the strength of a company within the industry relative to its competitors besides relative market share. (Refer to Appendix B) Moreover, the framework of the matrix assumes that each business unit is independent and does not depend on other business units run by the company. However, in some large companies, this is most certainly not the case. For instance, business units that are categorized as dogs which do not require high cash consumption nor does it result in high cash generation may have been formed in order to strategically help other business units run by a particular company. (Refer to Appendix B) 3.2.2 General Electric Planning System On the other hand, the General Electric also had own portfolio analysis for the diversity of management or Strategies Business Units (SBU), which is General Electric/McKinsey Matrix. General Electric/McKinsey Matrix is a business portfolio analysis on Strategies Business Units (SBU) that based on the business unit strength and the market attractiveness. The business unit strength is determined by some factors such as the market share, growth in market share, and others. And, the market attractiveness is determined by the factors such as market growth rate, market size, and others. Thus, the General Electric will invest the business unit through the markets strength and the markets attractiveness. The General Electric/McKinsey Matrix is nine-cell portfolio matrix which will measure the business unit strength and attractiveness, and let the company know whether they should invest, retain, or divest that business unit. The advantages of this matrix are telling the company their business unit strength and attractiveness and what decision should them make. When the company should invest, retain, or divest the business unit? When the business unit falls into the categories A, B or D (Figure 2.3) is the time for company to invest. Because at that time, the business unit has a quite strong strength and market attractiveness, so the company should invest for growth or to maintain that business unit at that kind of category. On the other hand, when the business unit falls into the categories C, E, or G (Figure 2.3) is the time for company to retain the business unit. This is because the business unit does not have quite strong business strength and market attractiveness. But, the compa ny also can try to invest that business unit for get more earning. And, when the business unit falls into the categories F, H, or I (Figure 2.3) is the time for company to divest that business unit or plan to exit that business unit because the business unit has weak business strength and market attractiveness. Although the General Electric/McKinsey Matrix has many advantages such as it will looks through all the business unit sides such as market size, market growth rate, market share, and what decision should them make depend on the business units strength and attractiveness, it has forgot about the other competitors and the new business unit. This matrix totally forgot about other competitors and the new business unit, we should look at other competitors strength and attractiveness too. This is because other competitors may affect own companys strength and attractiveness and the growth rate too. And, for the new business unit, what can the new business unit should do, to invest, retain, or divest? 4.0 Conclusion 4.1 Organization Structure and Ethics Organizations face many challenges when operating, one of which is the moral problems that can potentially occur within its structure. Organizations play an important rol

Losing Free Speech -- Freedom of Speech

â€Å"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.† These words were spoken by Franà §ois-Marie Arouet, more well known by his pen name, Voltaire (Quotes About Censorship, #36). A French philosopher from the seventeen hundreds, Voltaire is believed to have influenced the Founding Fathers of America. As a matter of fact, this quote makes up the backbone of the First Amendment from the U.S. Constitution, which states: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. While these words were originally written as a kiss-off of sorts to Great Britain, they were also crafted in a way that would transition throughout generations. However, what exactly do these words mean today? How far can someone go and still be able to defend their actions with the phrase â€Å"freedom of speech?† A general rule of thumb that has been used was the fire in a crowded theater example, (it is unlawful to yell â€Å"Fire!† in a crowded room, due to the endangerment of those inside) but society has reached an age where there are more ways than just word of mouth to cause panic. Nowadays, a rapper can send subliminal messages about spousal abuse through a popular song. Nowadays, a simple Facebook conversation between friends on a social networking sites can cause suspension, or in some cases, expulsion. Nowadays, a simple wardrobe malfunction on live, network television can launch a federal investigation spanning five years over whether or not a pop starâ₠¬â„¢s nipple can be deemed â€Å"offensive.† Pop culture has effectiv... .... â€Å"PERSON OF THE YEAR: THE SHORT LIST: JULIAN ASSANGE.† TIME: 90-94. PRINT. HARRIS, MARK. â€Å"CENSOR AND SENSIBILITY.† ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: 36. PRINT. â€Å"FAQ’S ABOUT THE PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL.† PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL. THE PARENTS TELEVISION COUNCIL, N.D. WEB. 1 FEB 2011 . â€Å"INTERNET QUOTES, SAYINGS ABOUT THE WORLD WIDE WEB.† THE QUOTE GARDEN. N.D. WEB. 3 FEB 2011 . â€Å"H.S. TEACHER LOSES JOB OVER FACEBOOK POSTING - BOSTON NEWS STORY - WCVB BOSTON.† THE BOSTON CHANNEL. WCVB TV 5, 18 AUGUST 2010. WEB. 12 FEB 2011 . â€Å"CENSORSHIP QUOTES, FREEDOM OF SPEECH SAYINGS.† THE QUOTE GARDEN. N.D. WEB. 7 FEB 2011 .

Private Peaceful Essay

Have you ever felt like a character in the book that you are reading? Some authors write in such a way that makes the reader feel as if he or she were actually in the book. Michael Morpurgo is one of those authors. In Private Peaceful, he uses characterization, imagery, and setting to really help the reader understand and relate to the plot. Characterization plays a key role in making the reader relate to the plot. For example, in the beginning of the book, Tommy feels as if he does not belong in society. He is also dependent on Charlie and looks up to him to protect him and guide him through life. But, towards the end of the story, Tommy becomes completely independent and matures into a young, confident soldier. The situation shows the reader how war changes people not only on the outside but also on the inside. Another example is the friendship between Molly, Charlie, and Tommy. They had a deep friendship all through their early years and into their teens. Morpurgo then developed that friendship into a relationship between Molly and Charlie. This eventually excludes Tommy from the group and adds to the fact that he does not belong. The reader can relate to this if they have ever been excluded from a group or ever had a girl that they loved stolen form them. Another literary element that makes the reader connect to the book is setting. The setting is very detailed. The Peacefuls’ live in Hatherleigh, England which is near the southern part the United Kingdom. When Morpurgo describes where they live, the reader gains a picture of the setup of the town. He describes the house as an old cottage home which is next to a large hill. On top of that hill, the Colonel, the man that Tommy and Charlie’s mother works for and the man that owns their house, lives in his mansion. This provides an image that the reader can use throughout the story. Another example of where they live is the creek that lies just at the bottom of the hill where Molly, Charlie, and Tommy fished for trout when they were younger. This helps the reader connect situations to the picture that they already have of the layout of Hatherleigh. The setting then moves to France where Charlie and Tommy get thrown into the war. Morpurgo paints a mental picture of the setting as their bunker is right in front of no-man’s land and the enemy right on the other side of no-man’s land. He does this so the  reader has an understanding of how close the enemy is to Tommy. The final literary element used in this book is imagery. Morpurgo uses visual, auditory, and olfactory imagery in the book. He uses auditory when Charlie, Tommy, Hanley, and the rest of the squad are sitting in the bunker and Hanley is ordering them to make a break for it but Charlie ignores the order and the rest of the squad moves with Hanley. Morpurgo depicts the rattling of the machine guns and the screams of the soldiers that were cut short. The visual imagery is used when the wall of Germans are coming over no-man’s land. He describes the German’s as an invincible wall that cannot be penetrated until he sees the Germans’ falling to their knees and falling over. This helps the reader see the wall and the Germans’ falling to their knees. Olfactory imagery is used when he is in the bunkers in France. Tommy smells men that have not taken showers in weeks and the stench of death. The reader now has an understanding of what war and death smells like. This makes the reader feel as if he or she were in Paris. The literary elements in the story bring the whole story together. The characterization, imagery, and setting makes the reader connect to the book and not just understand it. This book really explains the cost of war on cities as well as the people in it.

Yolanda by Oscar Casares Essay Example

Yolanda by Oscar Casares Essay Example Yolanda by Oscar Casares Paper Yolanda by Oscar Casares Paper miolanda by Oscar Casares is a story narrated by a thirty-six-year-old man reflecting on his experiences during one summer in his youth. The story starts in present day before recounting the experiences of the summer he met Yolanda. She was the young wife of Frank, a controlling older husband, who moved in next door to the narrator when he was twelve years old. The narrator thinks Yolanda is beautiful and develops a huge crush on her, so he cant help but listen to Yolanda and Franks fights and make-up sessions throughout the summer since their houses are so close ogether. His feelings for Yolanda grow when she spends time looking after him when he comes down with chickenpox. Ultimately, Frank and Yolanda have a huge fght and Yolanda ends up crawling through the narrators window into his bed for comfort and protection. The narrator also learns of Yolandas imperfections after that night, although now, as an adult, he isnt fond of recalling them. Casares central idea focuses on loss of innocence, the Journey into the adulthood, and the longing to reclaim that innocence by going back to a time when life had not yet left its scars. The central character is the narrator who tells the story, but his name is never revealed. This narrator is round since the reader gets to see not only what he thinks and feels as an adult, but also what he thought and felt as a teenage boy. He is also a dynamic character, changing from a young, innocent boy, into the adult narrator he is today reflecting back on his younger self. His Journey into adulthood began when he meets Yolanda and develops his first crush. A persons first crush is usually not forgotten because it is often this crush that crashes one into the world of adulthood and sexuality. Yolanda came to the narrators bed that night for shelter, wanting to escape the troubles in her life and feel safe, much like the narrator now goes back to that night to escape his own. Yolanda is a major character in the story and is the object of the narrators obsession. She is a round character, shown through the eyes of the narrator as the perfect woman repressed by her Jealous husband, only to be revealed in the end as a deceitful woman with flaws. In the beginning of the story she is controlled by her husband, but she begins stepping out of that subservient role as the story progresses by attaining a Job, wanting to drive nd buy a car, and eventually in the end leaving her role as a wife completely. Her characters struggle is reminiscent of a teenager fighting to gain independence from their parents, even though in this case it is gaining independence from a controlling husband. It is this transformation from being controlled to being in control that makes her character dynamic. The minor characters include Frank and the narrators mother and father. Frank is the Jealous, controlling husband next door. From him, the narrator learns people like him exist; people who will yell at and do everything they an to control the world, even those they supposedly love. Knowing him takes away a piece of the narrators innocence because before knowing him, he did not realize this kind of person existed. Then there is the narrators mother and father, whose roles seem to simply help propel the story forward by giving more information about Yolanda and Frank. The central conflict of the story is an internal one between the narrators desire to gain back his innocence and having to live with the fact that it is gone forever. He thinks about Yolanda when he cant sleep at night, implying there are numerous troubles in his life that keep him awake. He seems to want to go back in time, even if only in his mind, to before he realized the hardships of life, back to when a perfect world still seemed attainable, his innocence was still intact, and things were different. He tells the story of his loss of innocence and entry into the world of adulthood, but the conflict is ultimately left unresolved. The reader is left to assume that his internal conflict will continue and he will continue to think about Yolanda when he cant sleep at night, since the memory of that night is the last time he felt safe [enough] to fall asleep.

A Federalist Government essays

A Federalist Government essays The Constitution guarantees a federalist government by stating in the tenth amendment that ,The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or the people. The framers did this to prevent a single person, or group of people to gain too much power. One example of the Federal system at work is that the state of North Dakota does not require voters to register in order to cast their votes. While other states choose to require their voters to register. While Federalism allows state governments to handle their local issues, the National government can deal with issues of defense and foreign affairs. If a certain state were to need help, the Federal governments resources, and other states may be joined together to help the state in need. The supreme court has the authority to change laws in both statutory law and in administrative law, as well. This authority lies in the judicial review. Judicial review was first adopted in MARBURY v. MADISON. It is what guards against a tyrannical government, which might enact, laws which could strip us of individual rights and personal freedoms, guaranteed to us in our Constitution. One example is BUSH, George W. v. PALM BEACH CUNTY CANVASSING BOARD, ET AL. The question was Whether post-election judicial limitations on the discretion granted by the legislature to state executive officials to certify election results, and/or post-election judicially created standards for the determination of controversies concerning the appointment of presidential electors, violate the Due Process Clause or 3 U.S.C. s 5, which requires that a State resolve controversies relating to the appointment of electors under "laws enacted prior to" election day. The United States Constitution (Article IV: Section 1.) ...

New Trends in Software Process Modeling Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

New Trends in Software Process Modeling - Essay Example The company’s unique identity in the concerned service provider world will be an advantage for the execution of the future implementation (Bendraou & Jà ©zà ©quel, 2010). Apart from IDS, the company has also a reliable record in implementing ERP systems. They have a proven track of implementing SAP-based systems, which make the network infrastructure reliable. Since our company aims at reviving its network infrastructure by implementing the software engineering approach, Raid al Hariri has all the professionals who will consider all the aspects that can be improved in order to increase our productivity. The methodology that has been chosen after careful considerations is Prototyping. The pros and cons of the selected methodology can be better understood if we have an understanding of what prototyping is. The prototyping methodology aims at modeling the system that is required. The prototype model consists of programme modules of the input and output methodology, maintenance of databases, user interface etc. The approach of prototyping gives the designer space and ideas to make the final system in accordance with the needs. The raw model consists of the initial designs. These designs are tested and altered with respect to the results of tests. The prototyping methodology is based on software engineering. Software experts do the programming, mostly in COBOL. Prototyping methodology is one of the most reliable methodologies to attain desired results. This approach may take a while, but the final results are just according to needs. So it is a wise decision to go for a prototyping metho dology in order to avoid any loss in the future after the implementation of the system (Acuà ±a & Sà ¡nchez-Segura, 2006). These are the major problems, which can be solved after the implementation of this methodology.

Role of genetics in childhood obesity Research Paper

Role of genetics in childhood obesity - Research Paper Example This essay "Role of genetics in childhood obesity" outlines if the children of obese parents are susceptible to obesity. Even in old times, when the science of genetics did not exist, it was a common knowledge that children inherited many things from their parents, families and ancestors like the color of their hair, the color of the eyes, height, physique and many other things. In the light of this common observation, it would not be wrong to conclude that like the color of their eyes, color of their hair, height, children also inherit a strain for obesity from their parents and families. The more recent scientific studies in the field of genetics have further established that like many other health problems and attributes, obesity in children could also be attributed to a genetic or in other words hereditary link (Smith 1). A recent scientific research which happened to be based on a close collaboration between many related studies has found out that obesity also tends to have a ge netic component. Till a few decades ago, it was strongly believed that people or families who had faulty lifestyles and unhealthy dietary preferences were more likely to get obese. However, this study and many other such studies are forcefully pointing towards the fact that childhood obesity may not be the result of defective lifestyles, but rather a defective gene or genes. Even if people with faulty lifestyles are more prone to obesity, it may that a particular gene in their genetic makeup may be pushing them to stick to unhealthy diet and lifestyles.