The Myth Of Fat Free

The Myth Of Fat Free Food Essay Meat products, junk foods and dairy products often advertise that the product that they are distributing are products that are either â€Å"fat free† or with lesser fat content than the usual item sold to the public. This is a claim that could only be repudiated by thoroughly examining the product as well as knowing the proper way of computing for calories per food serving and calories per fat content mass of the food in question. An example of such computation is outlined below to prove that the computation of calories sourced from fat is erroneous in most packed food containing the â€Å"fat free† or â€Å"lesser fat claim†. Based from the computations   performed above,   it appears that Food Manufacturing Companies   have been getting away with misleading facts concerning their   products. It could never be denied that these companies   have found a way to give â€Å"healthier† food to the health conscious public. The minimal calories associated to the food they manufacture   is indeed,   Ã‚  a   testament to their unwavering   dedication in promoting a healthier lifestyle for their   consumers. However, it should also be pointed out that   it is wrong to knowingly alter the Nutritional facts   stated on the product label to deceive their consumers.   Food Manufacturing Companies should refrain from putting   false information to the product packaging caption with unsubstantiated claims concerning the product’s nutritional values.   Instead, what they should do is to put in a   claim that their product has lesser   fat ,   lesser protein , lesser sodium   or  Ã‚  Ã‚   lesser cholesterol   based calories than most of the projects being sold in the market.   This would be more accurate and factual rather   than making claims   that their   food product is 97%, 98%, 0r 96%   fat free, especially when contains   18, 19 or 22.5% fat per serving. These THE   MYTH OF FAT FREE FOOD manufacturers need to correct   these   misleading statements  Ã‚   concerning their food product   in order to be   credible in the eyes of the public. REFERENCES: Calories in Cooked Corned Beef 97% Fat Free, Extra Lean, California Style.   Retrieved   May 22, 2010, from World wide web: http:// http://caloriecount.about.com/calories-dietz-watson-cooked-corned-beef-i89411 The 98% Fat Free Turkey.   Retrieved May 22, 2010, from World wide web: http://www.fatsecret. com/. /oscar-mayer/98%25 -fat-free-turkey- lunch-meat 97% Fat Free   Hebrew National   Hotdogs and Products.   Retrieved May 22, 2010, from World wide web: http:// www.hebrewnational.com/products/hot-dog-beef-franks.jsp Fitness Truth Behind Fat-Free Labeled Foods   by   Phil Kaplan.  Ã‚   Retrieved May 22, 2010, from World wide web: http:// www.philkaplan.com/thefitnesstruth/fat-free.htm

The Problems Associated With Exponential Growth Environmental Sciences Essay

The Problems Associated With Exponential Growth Environmental Sciences Essay Define exponential growth. Describe the connection between exponential growth and environmental problems. Exponential growth is the growth in which some quantity, such as population size or economic output, increases at a constant rate per unit of time. The connection between these two is that exponential growth plays a key role in five important and interconnected environmental problems and issues by having population growth, resource use and waste, poverty, loss of biological diversity, and global climate change. But the great news is that we have solutions to these problems that we could implement within a few decades. Distinguish between solar capital and natural capital. Evaluate the significance of these forms of capital in the development of human societies. By analogy, we can think of energy from the sun as solar capital. Solar energy or capital includes direct sunlight and indirect forms of renewable solar energy such as wind power, hydropower, and biomass. Similarly, we can think of the planets air, water, soil, wildlife, forest, rangeland, fishery, mineral, and energy resources and the processes of natural purification, recycling, and pest control as natural resources or natural capital. Natural capital consists of resources that support and sustain the earths life and economies. This priceless natural capital that nature provides at no cost to us plus the natural biological income it supplies can sustain the planet and our economies indefinitely as long as we do not deplete them. Distinguish between living on principal and living on interest. Analyze which of these behaviors humans are currently illustrating. Evaluate the possibility of continuing to live in our current style. If you have something of value such as an amount of money, that is the principle. If you take from that amount to live on, you are living on the interest. The basic item you own is decreasing in value. You may be living well now. If you continue using up the item, you wont be able to use it in the future. You will need other sources of money in the future. Some items gain in value, such as a bank savings account that provides interest. If you draw off the interest, the basic amount in the account stays the same. But you are living on the interest. Currently I believe that humans are living on interest. They dont have enough money to support them so they would just spend first and pay the amount back slowly as interest builds up though. Define globalization. Globalization is the broad process of global social, economic, and environmental change that leads to an increasingly integrated world. What factors affect globalization? Factors accelerating globalization include information and communication technologies, human mobility, and international trade and investment. Summarize the advantages and disadvantages of globalization. Pros Of Globalization With globalization, there is a global market for companies to trade their products and a wider range of options for people, to choose from among the products of different nations.    Developing countries benefit a lot from globalization, as there is a sound flow of money and thus, a decrease in the currency difference. To meet the increasing demands that follow globalization, there is an increase in the production sector. This gives loads of options to the manufacturers as well. Competition keeps prices relatively low, and as a result, inflation is less likely to occur. The focus is diverted and segregated among all the nations. No country remains the single power head; instead there are compartmentalized power sectors. The decisions at higher levels are meant for the people at large.    Communication among the countries is on the rise, which allows for better understanding and broader vision. As communication increases amongst two countries, there is interchange of cultures as well. We get to know more about the others cultural preferences. As we feed to each others financial needs, the ecological imbalance is also meted out. Governments of countries show concern about each other.    Cons Of Globalization Globalization is causing Europeans to lose their jobs as work is being outsourced to the Asian countries. The cost of labor in the Asian countries is low as compared to other countries. The high rate of profit for the companies, in Asia, has resulted in a pressure on the employed Europeans, who are always under the threat of the business being outsourced. Companies are as opening their counterparts in other countries. This results in transferring the quality of their product to other countries, thereby increasing the chances of depreciation in terms of quality. There are experts who believe that globalization is the cause for the invasion of communicable diseases and social degeneration in countries. The threat that the corporates would rule the world is on high, as there is a lot of money invested by them. It is often argued that poor countries are exploited by the richer countries where the work force is taken advantage of and low wages are implemented. Distinguish between developed countries and developing countries. Describe changes in the wealth gap between these groups of countries. Developed country is highly industrialized already and has a high per capita GNP while developing countries have low to moderate industrialization and low to moderate per capita GNP. Most of its location is in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The developed countries are wealthier in economy wise while the developing countries are barely surviving. Distinguish between the following terms: physically depleted and economically depleted resources; nonrenewable, renewable, and potentially renewable resources; reuse and recycle. Economically depleted: When 80% of resource is extracted and used up therefore the cost to extract the 20% exceeds its economic value. Physically depleted: When 100% of resource is extracted and used up. Nonrenewable: Resource that exists in a fixed amount (stock) in various places in the earths crust and has the potential for renewal by geological, physical, and chemical processes taking place over hundreds of millions to billions of years. Examples are copper, aluminum, coal, and oil. We classify these resources as exhaustible because we are extracting and using them at a much faster rate than they were formed. Renewable: Resource that can be replenished rapidly (hours to several decades) through natural processes. Examples are trees in forests, grasses in grasslands, wild animals, fresh surface water in lakes and streams, most groundwater, fresh air, and fertile soil. If such a resource is used faster than it is replenished, it can be depleted and converted into a nonrenewable resource. Potentially renewable resources: something that can be replaced. Reuse: Using a product over and over again in the same form. An example is collecting, washing, and refilling glass beverage bottles.  Recycle: Collecting and reprocessing a resource so that it can be made into new products. An example is collecting aluminum cans, melting them down, and using the aluminum to make new cans or other aluminum products.   Draw a depletion curve. Explain how recycling and reuse affect depletion time. It affects depletion time because as we recycle and reuse the products over time it saves much more of that product and overtime it increases. Define sustainable yield. Sustainable yield is when the highest rate at which a potentially renewable resource can be used without reducing its available supply throughout the world or in a particular area. Describe the relationship between sustainable yield and environmental degradation. Renewable resources can be depleted or degraded. The highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used indefinitely without reducing its available supply is called its sustainable yield. When we exceed a renewable resources natural replacement rate, the available supply begins to shrink, a process known as environmental degradation. Describe the tragedy of the commons. Summarize how most environmentalists alleviate this type of tragedy. The  Tragedy  of the Commons is a term used to  describe  what happens to common resources as a result of human greed. It was first coined in an article in  Science  in 1968 by Garrett Hardin. The commons dilemma was seen long before Hardin, but he brought widespread attention to it and described it in a common-sense fashion that made it easily accessible. The  Tragedy  of the Commons can also be used when describing  national parks, river use, air quality, oil, forests, and even things such as radio frequencies. The  Tragedy  of the Commons is an important  theory  for designing resource usage plans, as its fundamental assumption about how rational humans can act in a way to bring about destruction of their resource gives a reason to set artificial limitations on usage through governmental policy. Distinguish between the following terms: point source of pollution and nonpoint source of pollution; nonpersistent, persistent, and nondegradable pollutants. Point source: Single identifiable source that discharges pollutants into the environment. Examples are the smokestack of a power plant or an industrial plant, drainpipe of a meatpacking plant, chimney of a house, or exhaust pipe of an automobile. Nonpoint source: Large or dispersed land areas such as crop fields, streets, and lawns that discharge pollutants into the environment over a large area.   Nonpersistent: breaking down rapidly. Persistent pollutionhuman created pollution that doesnt break down naturally and is stored in the fats of animals. Nondegradable pollutionpollution that does not break down at all. Distinguish between pollution prevention and pollution cleanup. Evaluate the effectiveness of these two approaches in decreasing pollution. Pollution prevention is when we reduce or eliminate the production of pollutants. Pollution cleanup is when it involves cleaning up or diluting pollutants after they have been produced. Both of these help the Earth stay cleaner because with these two preventions its helping the Earth do something better as in cleaning up or preventing it from happening. It can either be recycling or putting a stop to the harmful products or cutting back on the object. Summarize underlying causes of environmental problems. The major causes of environmental problems are population growth, wasteful resource use, poverty, poor environmental accounting, and ecological ignorance. Describe a simple model of relationships among population, resource use, technology, environmental degradation, and pollution. According to this simple method, the environmental impact (I) of a population on a given area depends on three factors: the number of people (P), the average resource use per person (affluence, A), and the beneficial and harmful environmental effects of the technologies (T) used to provide and consume each unit of resource and to control or prevent the resulting pollution and environmental degradation. Some factors of technology, such as polluting factories and motor vehicles and energy- wasting devices, increase environmental impact by raising the T factor in the equation. But other technologies, such as pollution control and prevention, solar cells, and energy-saving devices, lower environmental impact by decreasing the T factor. In other words, some forms of technology are environmentally harmful and some are environmentally beneficial. Evaluate which model is most useful to you. Assess which model would be most useful in explaining these relationships to young children and which more closely resembles reality. The technology model is very useful because today in the current world, everyone uses technology such as cars to get around and internet and the computer, and cell phones. Without technology, I dont think people would live as successful as today. In reality, no matter how old you are your family should own a cell phone and a computer at least. Without these, I dont think people would function as successful as they are today. Summarize strategies humans can use to work closely with the earth. To help the Earth function, I believe that people should do their best to conserve what they can, reuse what they can, and recycle from time to time to help out the environment. They should also care about the air we inhale and exhale to prevent any lung diseases that can harm us, and cut back on smoking.

Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol Essay -- environmental pollution

Global Warming and the Kyoto Protocol   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the world today there are talks about why and how the people of this planet are polluting the rivers, lakes, soil, and even air. With these talks countries are coming up with great ways to reduce this problem. They see the effects and they are happy and life goes on but there is another problem, the one the everyday people just can’t solve with their own hands, that problem is the theory of global warming. During December of 1997, a meeting in Kyoto, Japan, started a huge trend to try to improve the world’s greenhouse gas releasing which could cause an unnatural shift in climate throughout the world. This meeting was called the Kyoto Protocol and about thirty- eight industrialized countries agreed to lower their emissions of major greenhouse gases below 1990 levels. (Rowntree) In this research we are trying to find how the Kyoto Protocol is an example of globalization.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Globalization is the integration of world economies. Globalization affects productivity, imports and exports, technology, and growth rates. (Questia) Some of the trends in globalization are an increase in international trade, the use of global telecommunications, an increase in immigration, development of global financial systems, and the development of global business standards. In this case of the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union is one of the strongest advocates of regulations. With this the European Union today is lower than what it was in the ...

Writing from the Center: The New York Times and the Florida Election Dispute :: Essays Papers

Writing from the Center: The New York Times and the Florida Election Dispute The result of the 2000 Presidential election was one of the most closely contested elections in our nation’s history. Soon after the polls closed, it became apparent that the final tally between the Democratic candidate Al Gore and the Republican candidate George W. Bush would be extremely close. Network news programs broadcast on election night well into the next morning as one candidate, then the other, seemed to gain the advantage. As the election results became more distinct, however, attention turned to Florida, where less than one thousand votes separated the candidates, with Bush enjoying a tenuous lead. Over the next few weeks the Florida election dispute went through several Byzantine twists and turns, with the Gore team pushing for—and in some cases getting—recounts of Gore‑friendly counties, and the Bush forces feverishly working to declare the whole matter settled and Bush the new President of the United States. Finally, in early December, the matter went to the United States Supreme Court. The Court decided in Bush v. Gore that there were insufficient grounds for continuing the recount process and in effect declared Bush the next President. The mainstream media—including The New York Times—were fixated with the entire electoral drama, with the story usually given the lead slot on the evening news or the front page of the newspaper. Yet after the Court handed down its decision, this coverage virtually ceased except for a cursory analysis of the Court’s decision. There was little attempt to question the basis of the Court’s ruling, or whether Gore would have had sufficient votes to achieve victory had a recount been allowed to proceed. Why? The answer, it seems, lies in the â€Å"centrist† bias of The New York Times. Jeff Cohen, the executive director of Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting has argued that mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times emphasize â€Å"syst em supporting news† that focuses on how well â€Å"the system works† in resolving difficult situations, rather than questioning the wisdom of the system itself.1 By comparing how the Times portrayed the aftermath of the Court decision with the coverage given by media outlets on the left (The Nation, Extra!) and outlets on the right (The National Review) we will be able to see the â€Å"centrist† bias of the Times and its editorial mandate to preserve the authority and status of â€Å"the system.

Opium (Papaver somniferum) Essay examples -- Botany

Opium (Papaver somniferum) The opium poppy has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries all over the world. The opium poppy plant belongs to the Papaveraceae family. The scientific name of the opium poppy is Papaver somniferum L., and it is native to Turkey. The plant has lobed leaves, milky sap and four to six petaled flowers with several stamens surrounding the ovary. The two sepals drop off when the petals unfold. The ovary then develops into a short, many seeded capsule that opens in dry weather. The small seeds of the opium poppy plant are dispersed by wind. The plant has five inch purple or white flowers on plants three to sixteen feet tall. It is and annual plant which needs to be planted only once for several years of harvest. There are many varieties of poppy plants grown other then the opium poppy, mostly for seasonings, oil, birdseed and attractive flowers. The poppy plants produce natural opiates. An opiate is defined as the drug derived from the opium poppy and are found in the milky substance extracted from the unripe seeds. The opiates are the best known narcotics. There are twenty different alkaloids derived from the opiates. Codeine and Morphine are the ones that are still in widespread use today. Codeine is a milder form of morphine and both are used today in the medical field for relieving pain. To obtain opium from Papaver somniferum is a very easy thing to do. It is a very common plant and is easy to purchase. The seeds can be planted and little care is needed to grow healthy plants. When the flowers turn to seed, the seed pods are slightly incised and a white milky liquid is dispersed. The liquid is allowed to seep out and dry for a few hours. The white liquid will turn to black when it is expo... ...for simple uses, the plant produces a drug that causes death and injury. The medicinal uses have been overlooked by people using opium for recreation, causes strict restrictions and laws to control it. The opium poppy has gained much attention all around the world. Reports Cited 1. Alcohol and Drugs Consumption: Psychotropic Drug: The varieties of psychotrophic drug: OPIUM, MORPHINE, HEROIN, and Related Synthetics: History (http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=macro/5000/7/26.html&bold=on&sw=drug&keywords=psychotrophic%20drug&DBase=Articles&hits=10&pt=1&sort=relevance&config=config&firsthit=off). 2. Facts about opiates (http://www.arf.org/isd/pim/opiates.html) . 3. Opiates: High risk addiction (http://losangeles.dci.webpoint.com/health/osubopia.htm). 4. "Opium" Britannica Online (http://www-lj.eb.com:82/index.htcl/aDB/index_alpha/thisRow/151030/). Opium (Papaver somniferum) Essay examples -- Botany Opium (Papaver somniferum) The opium poppy has been used as a medicinal plant for centuries all over the world. The opium poppy plant belongs to the Papaveraceae family. The scientific name of the opium poppy is Papaver somniferum L., and it is native to Turkey. The plant has lobed leaves, milky sap and four to six petaled flowers with several stamens surrounding the ovary. The two sepals drop off when the petals unfold. The ovary then develops into a short, many seeded capsule that opens in dry weather. The small seeds of the opium poppy plant are dispersed by wind. The plant has five inch purple or white flowers on plants three to sixteen feet tall. It is and annual plant which needs to be planted only once for several years of harvest. There are many varieties of poppy plants grown other then the opium poppy, mostly for seasonings, oil, birdseed and attractive flowers. The poppy plants produce natural opiates. An opiate is defined as the drug derived from the opium poppy and are found in the milky substance extracted from the unripe seeds. The opiates are the best known narcotics. There are twenty different alkaloids derived from the opiates. Codeine and Morphine are the ones that are still in widespread use today. Codeine is a milder form of morphine and both are used today in the medical field for relieving pain. To obtain opium from Papaver somniferum is a very easy thing to do. It is a very common plant and is easy to purchase. The seeds can be planted and little care is needed to grow healthy plants. When the flowers turn to seed, the seed pods are slightly incised and a white milky liquid is dispersed. The liquid is allowed to seep out and dry for a few hours. The white liquid will turn to black when it is expo... ...for simple uses, the plant produces a drug that causes death and injury. The medicinal uses have been overlooked by people using opium for recreation, causes strict restrictions and laws to control it. The opium poppy has gained much attention all around the world. Reports Cited 1. Alcohol and Drugs Consumption: Psychotropic Drug: The varieties of psychotrophic drug: OPIUM, MORPHINE, HEROIN, and Related Synthetics: History (http://www.eb.com:180/cgi-bin/g?DocF=macro/5000/7/26.html&bold=on&sw=drug&keywords=psychotrophic%20drug&DBase=Articles&hits=10&pt=1&sort=relevance&config=config&firsthit=off). 2. Facts about opiates (http://www.arf.org/isd/pim/opiates.html) . 3. Opiates: High risk addiction (http://losangeles.dci.webpoint.com/health/osubopia.htm). 4. "Opium" Britannica Online (http://www-lj.eb.com:82/index.htcl/aDB/index_alpha/thisRow/151030/).

Corporate Governance Essay

Conduct a review of the governance of your organisation (or one with which you are familiar) in the form of a report to the Chairman (or President) of the Governing Board of Directors. In the brief report use the concepts, tools and techniques learned in this subject to review the structure, process and effectiveness of the governance of the organisation and make recommendations for appropriate improvements. Executive summary This report sets out to review corporate governance at a private company, namely, Paramount Insurance Company. The specific objectives were to identify the relevant codes the organisation follows, why they are important and review the structure, process and effectiveness of the governance of the organisation. Throughout the report, it was evident from the findings that Paramount although once a successful organisation, had some governance issues that can and should be improved for the best interest of the company and its policyholders. Finally, several recommendations for improvement of the organisation’s governance were outlined. Introduction Corporate Governance has evolved from the early days of merchants and monopolists and the concept of corporate governance is as old as trade but the phrase is new. (Tricker 2011).At its simplest, corporate governance can be regarded as being ‘about promoting corporate fairness, transparency and accountability’ (Wolfensohn 1999). All corporate entities need governing however, good corporate governance that takes into consideration a variety of frameworks, including various perspectives such as the relationship, stakeholder, financial, and societal. This report will review the corporate governance policies of Paramount Insurance Company Limited (â€Å"Paramount†). Firstly I will supply an overview on the company’s profile and define corporate. Then the report will look at the composition and criteria for the Board of Directors of Paramount and demonstrate any corporate governance issues that the company may be facing. Finally recommendations are given for mod ifications or improvements in the company’s practices relevant to this business. Company profile Paramount was an insurance underwriter predominantly writing motor business for individuals in the United Kingdom. Based in Watford, Paramount Insurance Company Limited (â€Å"Paramount†) wrote motor insurance over a period of around forty nine years until May nineteen ninety six when it ceased underwriting. Initially, the company primarily provided motor package insurance, that later expanded into also writing some legal expenses cover. Paramount was incorporated in Guyana and therefore the company complied with the Insurance Act 1998 and the Companies Act 1998 of Guyana. These acts provided a guide to Paramount along with the Guyana Corporate Governance Code (GCGC) to some of its corporate governance practices. The Corporate Governance Code of Guyana is not mandatory or enforceable but simply provides a list of principles for best practice. Throughout this report, it is evident that Paramount has a number of issues in relation to corporate governance. This eventuated with issues for policyholders as was estimated that there may be 40,000 current policies at the time of the provisional liquidation. Definition of corporate governance The term â€Å"governance† is derived from the Latin â€Å"gubernare† which means â€Å"to  lead†, suggesting rather that â€Å"the governance† (Corporate, in this case) implies more the steering function than the control one. BALC et al. (2013, pp. 14-17). Corporate governance has many definitions as it is often used in a variety of perspectives, operational, relationship, stakeholder, societal, and a financial economics perspective. For the purpose of this report, corporate governance is defined as the relationship that exists between company management, stakeholders and the board. Objectives of the company are usually set, attained and monitored through the structure corporate governance provides. (Balgobin 2008).The Guyana Corporate Code of Governance is similar to the UK codes of corporate governance and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD 2004).These principles serve as a reference point that can be used by companies to develop their own frameworks for corporate governance that reflect their own circumstances or situations. Composition and criteria at Paramount The Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer There is extensive research on board composition and the importance it places on different aspects of organisation performance. (Kang H, et al 2007). At Paramount the unitary board exists, where according to the textbook, a unitary board is when a company has a single governing body (Tricker 2009). A non- executive director is defined as a person who is not involved in the day to day management of an organisation but rather in business tasks such as strategic planning, and monitoring of executive directors. An executive director tends to be more involved in the managerial aspects of the company. The Chairman and four other directors are independent non-executives, and the CEO and one director are non- executives. Diversity of board members A diverse board is defined as a varied composition of a number of parameters for example, gender and age. ( Jhunjhunwala, S et al. 2012). It is often believed that women bring a somewhat different approach to leadership in an organisation. They are seen as better at building relationships, are perceptive in decision-making, etc. (Hughes et al 2012). Paramount’s board consists of one female executive director, Ann Estorffe, out of its eight members. She previously worked for one of the company’s subsidiaries in the  Caribbean and thus was deemed fit because of her experience, knowledge and competency on insurance and policymaking. In addition, there are no young directors on the board. According to the Company Secretary, all of the board members are in excess of sixty five years of age. This is well above the retirement age outlined by the company, which is 60 years. Some in the company may argue that it is risky to have appointed younger individuals on the board as th ey lack the experience that comes with age and they are higher risk takers. However, studies have shown that diverse boards may help in formulating strategies, improving productivity and creative problem solving. (Jhunhunwala & Mishra 2012).Appointment to the board and subcommittees Tricker et al. 2009 makes reference to two reasons why unitary boards create subcommittees: To enable independent directors to meet separately from the board as a whole, in order to fulfil their oversights roles; To delegate board activities to reduce the burden on the boards as a whole. All the directors are subject to re-election by policyholders every three years but this system is fraught with ineffectiveness to implicit pressure to re-elect the current directors. Paramount had several subcommittees consisting of the audit, remuneration, nomination, marketing, government and compliance committee, finance, and strategic planning subcommittees. This report specifically will be outlining the three committees, which are responsible for providing oversight to management. These are Audit, remuneration and nomination committees. (Tricker 2009) It is the impression of the Board that this power resides with them as they can choose the best person for the committee. In other words, some still feel that the right to appoint board members is the heart of corporate power. (Tricker 2009).Paramount’s audit committee considered and made recommendations to the board on rules, corporate governance codes, and the law. This committee also assists the company to comply with relevant accounting standards and legislation. Hence, this requires a company to have effective internal audit functions to manage the monies entrusted on them. The effectiveness of the audit is reflected in annual reports, with the intent to create transparency aimed at improving accounting and auditing standards and promoting good corporate governance. The Remuneration Committee of Paramount consisted of two independent nonexecutive directors and one chair. This committee is responsible for setting remuneration for  all executives and the chairman however; it is the board or the policyholders that determine the remuneration of non-executive directors. (Guyana corporate governance code 2011) It is said that the remuneration committee is where in interest of the shareholders conflict with that of management. (Carson 2002). The amount of remuneration received by directors and chairman are disclosed in the company’s annual reports In addition, this monitoring ensures that when profits are low, director’s remuneration can be adjusted and the issuing of incentive payments. Directors of Paramount were not viewed as self-serving and were viewed as effective in this aspect of corporate governance. Board performance evaluation One of the principles of Guyana code on corporate governance states that a board should have an annual evaluation of its own performance, its committees and individual directors. In addition, every three years this evaluation should be externally facilitated. This principle aligns with the UK corporate governance code. Studies have suggested that corporate governance markers such as the uses of sub-committees, independent directors, and an appropriate board structure may not be the best forecasters of board effectiveness. (Tricker 2009) In other words, a form of performance appraisal for directors may ensure they act in the best interest of the company and of the shareholders. Performance appraisals give feedback to individuals and facilitate changes or improvements. (Noe et al 2009). Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in essence can be defined as corporate entities acting as good citizens not evident within Paramount. UK Companies Act 2006 highlighted that quoted companies have to provide information on environmental matters, employees and social and community issues. Early attitudes towards corporate governance were a voluntary bureaucratic, expensive box-ticking exercise. Board members focused delivering on creating wealth not complying with principles. The changing expectations in the governance of organisations saw CSR strategies and policies developed, along with CSR competency frameworks created to increase shareholder value. Conclusion This report has given an account on corporate governance of a business in the private sector, namely the Paramount Company. The investigation first set  out to discuss the laws and corporate governance codes the company complies with and then reviews the governance in the organisation. The research suggested that organisations should have adapted to principles of corporate governance, however. These included the lack of a nomination committee, and an inactive performance evaluation board and the development of a ccorporate social responsibility framework. It was also apparent that the re-election of directors was ineffective and that retirement age seems not to apply to board members. This may be due to lack of proper succession planning or to the belief that people like similar minded people and in this case age was a commonality. If the above mentioned areas of opportunities were addressed earlier could this have prevented the outcome? That outcome being on the twenty first of May in the year nineteen ninety six the Department of Trade and Industry withdrew authorisation for Paramount to write new insurance business, and avoid having the directors of Paramount petitioning the court to wind the company up. The paper concludes that for too long emphasis of corporate governance has been around the relationship between managers, boards and shareholders and not so much on how corporations are financed and managed. There needs to be a multiple theoretical perspectives employed to allow for a better understanding of issues like allocation of resources and return and overall economic development. Recommendations Based on the report, there were a number of approaches that could have been actioned to improve governance at Paramount. Firstly, the organisation needed to embrace diversity, the acknowledgement that people are different and harnessing this diversity would have provided great benefit to Paramount. Promoting the health, well-being and opinions of staff, promotes individuals being valued. Fitness programs supported by the company with exclusive membership offers is an example of building a stay and thrive culture. This can be achieved through fair and transparent employment practices, regularly communicated to employees. Secondly, to eliminate the subjectivity of nominating board members and also the complacency. Developing a nomination committee consisting of independent nonexecutive directors, will help to establish criteria for selection of board members, which will help to ensure directors chosen, are truly independent to  contribute effectively to the board, to reduce the chances of a dominant director. Thirdly, Paramount should have developed a system to allow for the anonymous re-election of board members by not only outside policyholders but also inside policyholders e.g. employees as well. Fourthly to assist with CSR responsibilities and commitment a corporate policy statement can be generated, focusing on the six core characteristics of; Understanding society Building capacity Questioning ‘business as usual’ Stakeholder relations Strategic view Harnessing diversity Swire Pacific Ltd. developed a decentralized approach to generate its Sustainable Development Policy and appointed Director of Sustainable Development, Robert Gibson, in 2007. The intent was to create a long term approach to the sustainable development of their businesses and excel as corporate citizens. Finally, performance evaluation of board members is important to determine their effectiveness. Paramount took the initiative to form a sub-committee for this process however; it remained inactive for a number of years. This is an imperative function for a company to establish such a committee to see real long-term change and benefits in the governance of the organisation. Feedback on performance is critical for a board to improve any dysfunctional behaviour. References Tricker, B 2009, corporate governance principles, policies and practices, 2nd ed, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Balc, L, Ilies, R, Cioban, B, & Cuza, B 2013, ‘Corporate Governance. Conceptual Approaches’, Managerial Challenges Of The Contemporary Society, 5, Pp. 14-17, Business Source Complete, Ebscohost, Viewed 15 July 2014. Balgobin, RS 2008, ‘Board Characteristics that Promote Effective Governance: A Perspective on Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica’, ICFAI Journal Of Corporate Governance, 7, 2, pp. 20-41, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 July 2014. Donaldson, L, & Davis, J 1991, ‘Stewardship Theory or Agency Theory: CEO Governance and Shareholder Returns’, Australian Journal Of Management (University Of New South Wales), 16, 1, p. 49, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 July 2014. Balgobin, RS 2008, ‘Board Characteristics that Promote Effective Governance: A Perspective on Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica’, ICFAI Journal Of Corporate Governance, 7, 2, pp. 20-41, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 15 July 2014. Guyana Corporate Governance Code 2011, viewed on 9 July 2014 Kang, H, Cheng, M, & Gray, S 2007, ‘Corporate Governance and Board Composition: diversity and independence of Australian boards’, Corporate Governance: An International Review, 15, 2, pp. 194-207, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 13 July 2014. Jhunjhunwala, S, & Mishra, R 2012, ‘Board Diversity and Corporate Performance: The Indian Evidence’, IUP Journal Of Corporate Governance, 11, 3, pp. 71-79, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 12 July 2014. Hughes, R., Ginn ett, R. & Curphy, G 2012, Leadership enhancing the lessons of experience, 7th ed, McGraw Hill Irwin, New York Vafeas, N 1999, ‘The Nature of Board Nominating Committees and Their Role in Corporate Governance’, Journal Of Business Finance & Accounting, 26, 1/2, pp. 199-225, Business Source Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 12 July 2014. Wolfensohn, J 1999, Financial Times, 21 June.

Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry Thoreau Debate Essay

Fight For What is Right A cold, snowy winter night in Birmingham, Alabama: one of those nights where you would rather stay inside and sit by a fire while sipping on a cup of hot chocolate. Not everyone is doing that though, for many people walk in the cold all bundled up. Some of the more unfortunate ones stay stranded outside in the freezing weather with not nearly enough layers to keep them warm. In Birmingham, a lot of these people consist of African Americans who cannot afford somewhere to keep warm or are Just simply denied a place to stay based on their skin color. In this day and age, segregation exists between whites and blacks. A huge issue nationwide, but when it comes to Birmingham everything is taken to a new level. To ensure the separation of whites and blacks, you can see plenty of racial signs and other such tactics used by the city. Although between King and Thoreau, none of these resemble an issue; they both could stay warm under their nice winter Jackets, both had a place to go back home to and more importantly, one was a white man and the other a black man. Henry David Thoreau and Martin Luther King Jr. both made themselves very well known and idolized by many. They knew each other through a mutual friend but came into contact when they ran into one another here in Birmingham. The segregation in Birmingham continues to get out of control with constant bombings and killings of African American citizens, causing certain groups to want to take action towards reform in Birmingham. The group known as the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights called upon King to help lead them in non-violent reform, while Thoreau made his trip here to witness the reforms. Thoreau’s time of non-violent reform came about years before King even began to participate. King actually learned Just about everything from Thoreau’s writing, but Thoreau has no sense of that at this very moment. What King learned from Thoreau, he put to use more than Thoreau ever did. Right now the two men share the same non-violent beliefs and want to spread the word in their own separate ways. As the two men walk down the street they engage in friendly small talk. But then they come across a black couple denied entry into a restaurant. Both men look at ach other in disgust. They have seen it happen hundreds of times, but each time they see it, they have the same disgustful reaction. After what they Just witnessed, the two men started to state their opinions to each other on why they see this type of policy as a disgrace. Henry Thoreau spoke first with a scornful tone in his voice on how he cannot respect his government for allowing instances like these to occur. He continues speaking, â€Å"l cannot for an instant recognize that political organization as my government which is the slave’s government also (180). In response, King expresses to Thoreau, that you cannot put the entire blame on the government even though they could change the laws involving segregation. But would that change how the white majority feels, especially in southern states. Those people grew up witn certain opinions ot Atrican Americans. King goes on with another strong statement, saying â€Å"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly (214). † With this statement, King tries to tell Thoreau that if they cannot change how people think, then segregation will not change either. After uttering such words, King goes quiet, neither one of them saying anything to each other. Both continue walking with their eyes facing forward, trying to fgure out what they are going to say next. After a few minutes of walking in the freezing cold with a light flurry of snow, the silence is broken. King ends this when he asks Thoreau how he plans on making a difference for racism and segregation. Thoreau does not respond right away, giving King the opportunity to answer his own question: â€Å"Henry, we need to make a difference here in Birmingham. If we do something here then it ay affect the whole nation. And we need to do it in a non-violent manner. † He continues, â€Å"In any non-violent campaign there are four basic steps: collection of facts to determine whether injustices exist; negotiation; self-purification; and direct action (215). King believes that these steps will lead them to a successful reform against segregation. Thoreau agrees with King that they should reform in a non-violent way, but questions who will Join him. He immediately states, They continue enjoying each other’s company, but ever since their heated discussions the two have not said one word or even batted an eye towards the other. They arrive at the footsteps of Martin Luther King Jr. ‘s apartment where he says one final comment to end the night, â€Å"Henry, we have a ‘moral responsibility to disobey unjust laws’ (218). We are nere tor a reason; and that reason involves making a ditterence. So tomorrow let’s get everyone in town together and move forward with this reform. † Thoreau ooks at King with a blank face and continues his way. With his incomparable leadership ability, King leads a reform the next day in Birmingham. The reform in Birmingham took place in 1963, and was led by Martin Luther King Jr.. This action brought attention to the integration efforts in the city, and during these nonviolent riots the citys police brought out dogs which attacked the civilians. They would also spray the people with high powered water hoses. But the reform actions demonstrated led to the government changing the city of Birmingham’s discrimination laws.