The Age Of Champions By Rowe Kahn - 910 Words

After our class viewing of the Age of Champions as well as reading the numerous articles including one by Rowe Kahn, it is clear that there is a variety of ways people can view the term â€Å"aging successfully.† A variety of gerontologists have similarities and differences in their definition of the term, and this paper will compare some of the athletes from the film these definitions. The main definition of â€Å"aging successful† is said to be, â€Å"successful gaining includes three main components: low probability of disease and disease-related disability, high cognitive and physical functional capacity, and active engagement with life† (Rowe Kahn, 433). The first component of low probability of disease-related disability does not only refer to the physical disease itself being present in the persons body, but also the severity of the risk of the factors of such disease(s). High cognitive and physical functional capacity depicts what the individual can do and not just what they do. Finally active engagement with life deals with how the individual interacts with others (interpersonal relations) and creating societal value without any return (productive activity) (Rowe Kahn, 433). We are going to look into the lives of Roger Gentilehomme and Earl Blassingame and analyze if they are considered to be â€Å"aging well† based on variety of articles as well as personal opinion. Roger Gentihomme was born in 1909, making him 107 today and he is an all-star tennis player. He tells us how he

Questions and Answers on Kants Philosophical Reasoning

1. Kant’s famous first words in the Grounding are, â€Å"There is no possibility of thinking anything at all in the world, or even out of it, which can be regarded as good without qualification, except a good will.† (7) What does Kant mean by saying that the good will is â€Å"good without qualification,† and what is the good will contrasted with? According to Kant, the good will is good unconditionally and it is the only aspect of a human being that is good without conditions. In other words, the good will is good in it self. There are other good things that humans can have, such as intelligence, virtues, capabilities, personality, money, power, etc. These qualities are only good conditionally. It depends on the purposes and intentions of the people who posses those characteristics and capabilities. They could be used for bad purposes and to harm others. For this reason, they have to be used in the right way and they are only good if they are oriented by a good will. So in order to be good they require a good will because without it, they would be use for evil or for self-purposes. In contrast, a good will is good without any conditions. It shows us our moral duty, which we just can analyze by using reason and not by emotions. 2. Kant’s second proposition says, â€Å"An action done from duty has its moral worth, not in the purpose that is to be attained by it, but in the maxim according to which the maxim is determined.† Explain this proposition, using the concept ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about Jostein Gaardners Sophies World1694 Words   |  7 Pagesphilosophy, Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaardner, goes through over two-thousand years of philosophical history with a young girl names Sophie. A story with a twist, Gaardner is able to study the history of philosophy, focusing deeply even towards its outreach to the development of psychology. This novel is one designed to please children and adults alike to learn more and discover deeper meaning into philosophical thought. The story begins by focusing on young school aged Sophie who becomes the recipientRead More A White Lie in the Heart of Darkness Essay examples1277 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"‘The last word he pronounced was â₠¬â€œ your name.’† (Heart, pg123). He lies. In this situation, with the possibility existing of inflicting severe emotional damage on an already grieving soul, should Marlow have lied? Of course, the answer is neither simple nor short, and depends heavily on who is asked. The most relevant perspective naturally comes from Marlow himself. Marlow makes his feelings about lying clear early in his adventure. â€Å"You know I hate, detest, and can’t bear aRead MoreKant And Kant s Philosophy2023 Words   |  9 Pagesto postulate possible answers to the great questions of existence. He was daring and bold to wonder what constitutes the beauty of the human soul, how the existence of an all-powerful entity would be possible, and also what do human beings really do to perceive their surroundings. With such notable works as Critiques of Practical Reason, Metaphysics of Morals, and Critique of Judgement, Kant attempted to answer these great questions. Kant asked powerful questions, questions that would have and st illRead MoreIs David Hume Or Immanuel Kant?1428 Words   |  6 Pagesdetermine which philosopher, if any, would be considered to be more virtuous. In order to answer this question, we must answer a few other simpler questions such as who these philosophers are, and what they deem to be morality. Much like any situation, sometimes answers lead to more questions, so I will attempt to continue answering smaller questions if they pertain to the understanding of the main virtue question. What is virtue and how does one obtain it? The definition of virtue differs betweenRead MoreMy Personal Definition Of Philosophy978 Words   |  4 Pagesexpand on that concept and define it to be, the exploration and examination of thoughts, experiences, and knowledge through wisdom. Philosophy can take a simple concept and dissect the statement not only searching for the depth of its truth, but the reasoning behind said discovered or undiscovered truth. Regardless of the outcome, philosophy is the love of knowledge and wisdom involved and gained from the process of critical thinking. Allowing the mind to expand and consider other solutions rather thanRead MoreDescartes : The Father Of Modern Philosophy1518 Words   |  7 Pagesthe contemporary ideas into a philosophical system. He wanted to answer two questions; What certain knowledge humans have? and what is the relationship between body and mind? In his long journey he first asked about, â€Å"the method the philosopher must u se to solve a philosophical problem† (Gaarder 233). 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Kant’s opinion of reason is that it is a force, which is ever-evolving and constantly building on previous insights. The Enlightenment is a historical period referring to the intellectual movement that swept across Europe in the 18th century. To tackle this question, I will be looking at two texts. The essays, ‘An Answer to the Question: What is Enlightenment’ by Immanuel Kant, an 18th century philosopher, and ‘WhatRead MoreWilliam Clifford And William James1091 Words   |  5 PagesSince the 19th century, William Clifford and William James have been the foremost religious theorist and have attempted to answer significant creation and theological mysteries. However, Clifford and James have varying views on the belief debate, each formulating a rational argument of what the basis for belief should be. Clifford’s, Ethics of Belief and James’ The Will to Believe outline their respective arguments which are vastly s imilar and but have marked differences. Both articles will be examinedRead MoreHegel s Critique Of Kantian Moral Ethics2508 Words   |  11 PagesSpirit Hegel’s critique of Kant’s philosophy is quite prevalent throughout the unfolding of Hegel’s own dialectical philosophy. Several of Hegel’s critiques of Kant’s work can especially be seen in one of his earlier works, â€Å"The Phenomenology of Spirit.† This is particularly established once Hegel begins to undertake the developing of Spirit within his Phenomenology. Here, Hegel makes several attacks on Kantian philosophy principles, and at some of the foundations of Kant’s use of pure reason in philosophy

Performance Metrics Case State All State Insurance Free Essays

Allstate Insurance Company intertwines business goals with performance metrics. Goal setting is an ongoing part of striving to become successful and happy in life. When an individual achieves a goal, another one is set to accomplish next. We will write a custom essay sample on Performance Metrics Case State: All State Insurance or any similar topic only for you Order Now Goals are personal and professional and the latter determines the longitude and latitude of a chosen career path. Organizations set goals for all levels of the company, from business units to individual contributors. The successful attainment of these goals determines if it is profitable year over year. Using the model for goal setting, evaluate Allstate’s goal setting process to determine whether or not Allstate has an effective goal-setting program. The goal-setting model has 4 aspects used to motivate employees. They include direct focus on high priorities, regulate effort, increase persistence, and create strategies and programs to achieve goals (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). Allstate has a very effective goal setting program in place. One part of their program is to correlate manager’s pay to company’s goals. They use an online employee survey and feedback tool as the measurement. This practice touches on all four parts of the goal setting model. It forces the managers to maintain focus on the company’s diversity goals, while encouraging them to identify areas of opportunities and potential solutions. Allstate also has programs to support professional and career path development to provide individuals with the necessary knowledge and ability to achieve performance goals in each position. Discuss the competitive advantage Allstate has from the development of the Diversity Index. The index sets Allstate apart from its competitor’s at the most important level, the human level. Allstate uses it to ensure diversity inside the organization so they can understand and respect the diversity of their clients. The company’s vision states differences are a competitive edge (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). An organization must be a reflection of the communities it serves. A global market requires organizations to have a diverse staff and understanding of multiple cultures. Allstate’s diversity index provides such an advantage over companies who have yet to embrace cultural differences. Recommend the types of high-performance reward system Allstate should use to motivate its employees to reach its diversity goals. The company should use profit-sharing and culture and reward systems to motivate its employees to reach its diversity goals. Profit-sharing reinforces the team based performance rewards. This type of rewards displays the company’s recognition of each individual contribution to the bottom line. The culture and reward system is based on the employee’s culture. It recognizes the diversity at the employee level. It is based on cultural values to motivate performance (Hellriegel, D. Slocum, J. 2011). This makes the reward specific to the culture and recognizes diversity inside the organization. If you were an Allstate employees, discuss whether or not you would be motivated by the Diversity Index and QLMS. Provide a detailed explanation. The Quarterly Leadership Measurement System (QLMS) and Diversity Index would motivate me. It is taken twice a year and analyzed to identify issues and make appropriate changes in processes and performance. One reason it is motivating is a percentage of the merit pay is determined by the results. Another factor is the behavior specific questions asked to all employees in the index. The focus on the results and frequency of the surveys prove it’s a high company priority. It can be perceived that noncompliance would have a negative impact on employment and advancement opportunities. It encourages consistent behavior that coincides with the diversity goals of the organization. Ultimately, diversity is part of the American culture. The citizens of this country are from all over the world. There is a global consumer base here in this society. Allstate is a leader in business because they are socially responsible. Allstate requires its employees to maintain a work environment which embraces diversity. This business strategy will maintain their competitive advantage in the market. How to cite Performance Metrics Case State: All State Insurance, Papers

Shareholder Value And Employee Interests †Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Shareholder Value And Employee Interests? Answer: Introduction A company is a distinct legal individual, separate from its owners, known as shareholders or members and have similar rights as a natural person. A company has the ability to sue and be sued, or incur debt. The company is an artificial person having perpetual succession, common seal, limited liability and ability to transfer its capital into small pieces known as shares. The person, who owns the share of a public or private company, is known as a shareholder. The individual holding shares of a corporation are its owners, but the corporation is managed by company officers known as directors. The directors are appointed by the shareholders or other board of directors, and they represent the companys shareholders. The corporate governance is a wide-ranging term, including various policies, directions, guidelines, and procedure followed by companys directors in order to control and manage a company. Effective corporate governance increases the performance of the organisation and balances various interests of stakeholder in the company. The stakeholders of a company include consumers, stockholders, directors, managers, investors, and government. Stakeholders The individual having an interest in a company or the person whose rights get affected by the activities of the company is called stakeholder. There two type of stakeholders: Internet and External. Internal stakeholders are entities who work as internal part of the organisation, including employees, managers, investors, and board of directors. External stakeholders are not part of internal management but still get affected by the performance of the company, including consumers, sellers, shareholders, government, community, and creditors (Golob 2007). The employees are the individuals who hired by the corporation for a specific job. Many companies provide shares to their employees under Employees Stock Ownership Plan or ESOP, in order to increase their role in the organisation. The owners of a corporation appoint the directors as the officers of the company. The officers represent the interest of various stakeholders, supervise the activities of a corporation and make decisions for key matters of the corporation. The managers of a company control the daily operation of an organisation and supervise various aspects of a company, to achieve its goals (Damian 2002). The consumers are the prime focus of a company. A company works to satisfy the needs or supply the products, to its consumers. The consumers are the most valuable asset of the organisation. The supplies provide the raw material for production and provide credit to the corporation. The government imply various taxes on the organisation and protect the public interest, in the corporation. The shareholder owns the shares of a company, they benefit from growth in the value of companys stock (Fletcher 2003). Importance of Shareholders Shareholders invest their capital in the company by buying its share, as such; they are the part-owner of the corporation. Shareholders did not get involved in daily activities of business, instead, they have voting rights to appoint the board of directors. Shareholders have the voting power, which they used to make decisions for the major issues of the company (Farrar 2008). The shareholders are important for the company because they help the company in raising funds for its operations. The shareholders help finance the companys activities and in return, they become the owner of the organisation. The investment contributed by shareholder used in performing activities of the corporation and achieves its objectives (Sharma 2004). The shareholder has both direct and indirect part in the activities of an organisation. The directors or the officers of a company are appointed by the votes of shareholders. The elected directors appoint other key managerial personnel of the company to manage the daily activities of the organisation. The indirect role of the shareholder is related to stock market. The companies require earning profits, in order to attract the investors. There is a constant pressure under companys management to raise their profit. Every public company generally has proper corporate governance guidelines, which require companies to disclose their financial statements in meeting to their owners. The officers and directors have a duty to respond to the shareholders and not to the managers. A public companys board of director provide appropriate and whole disclosure to its owners in their meeting. The owners discuss and analyse the operation and growth of the company and take decision for major issues of the corporation. The control of a company is determined by its shareholders. A higher number of shareholders increase the risk of a hostile takeover in a company, but if the shareholders are satisfied with the management and growth of the company, they can stop such attempts. The shareholders could accept the offer of merger or acquisition with another corporation if they are satisfied with the offer price (Christensen 2010). The shareholders of a company face various risks while investing in a corporation. The value of share changes rapidly on the stock exchange. Various market factors or government policies could adversely affect the stock value of a company in the market. At the time of winding-up, the assets of a company get sold and proceed distributed among different stakeholders, shareholders get paid last (Nguyen 2002). Evidence of Shareholders Primacy Many directors worldwide held the opinion that directors and officers have a legal responsibility towards companys owners and it is their obligation to place their interest above all other stakeholders. But this is just an ideology, not the actual law. In shareholders primacy approach, the companys sole motive is to increase the profits for shareholders. Under this approach, usually, the employees of corporation suffer due to job losses or work pressure (Grossman 2005). According to various market experts, shareholder primacy affects the interest of other stakeholders of the company. The approach Motive of a company is only to gain profit has been changed with the introduction of Corporate Social responsibilities or CSR. Now the motive of the company is not limited to increase profits, but to also increase the quality of life for employees and society. The study conducted upon 4000 company directors in June 2006, for finding the evidence of shareholders primacy. The survey was focused on finding evidence for whether directors prioritise the interest of shareholders in a corporation. The directors were asked to rank the stakeholders according to the priority of their interest. According to the survey, the shareholders interest was the number one priority by the majority of directors, followed by interest of the company and employees. While ranking their priorities, 74 percent of directors rank shareholders interest as their number one priority (Anderson 2007). From the survey, it is clear that directors prioritise the interest of shareholders in the organisation, but the outcome of study does not conclude that pursue of shareholder interest adversely affect the interest of other stakeholders. Shareholders do have priority over other stakeholders, but some directors have ranked employees interest as the priority, making them appear equivalent when compared to other measures. For example, the companys short term profits are not considered as a priority for the shareholders, by the directors. The survey did not conclude that interest of other stakeholders is not being prioritized. Even if the shareholders interest is number one in the ranking, employees interest has ranked higher in these respects. For example, the interest of employees ranked higher in the list with some directors prioritising their interest as number one on the list. Therefore, the survey concluded that the shareholders primacy is a general viewpoint, rather than a specific policy made to maximise the profits for shareholders of a company. The survey concluded that the shareholder primacy is not a legal policy nor it is result of the misguided views of companys directors. The directors understand they are legally allowed to choose any approach, which is beneficial for all stakeholders of the company. The survey suggested that, corporate governance approach for overall achievement of goals has developed in the past decade, and it is the reason for failing of corporate governance, tormenting Australia along with many other countries (Mitchell 2005). Recommendations To protect the interest of various stakeholders and avoiding shareholders primacy, following steps could be taken by the companys directors: The directors should issue an annual statement before the annual general meeting called Report of Significance Stakeholders and Materiality. The report identifies various stakeholders of the corporation and ranks their interest according to companys priorities. The report should address the interest of various stakeholders and contain a page of communication between the company and its stakeholders, regarding their various issues. There are several benefits of adopting this approach, for example, if company prioritise the interest of small-term shareholders, then only those issues are material, who affects the interest of small-term shareholder. If company prioritise the interest of employees, then the dividends will cut before accepting the lay-offs of employees (Eccles 2015). The board of directors should arrange meetings of various stakeholders, to understand their issues and achieving benefits for them. The shareholders can present their issues in the annual general meeting, but it is hard for other stakeholders to present their issues. The meeting of other stakeholders, help in reducing their issues and assist in avoiding shareholder primacy. This approach helps in maintaining a healthy relationship between officers and stakeholders of a corporation. The policies for the diverse audience of an organisation are prepared by analysing the meeting of stakeholders. The board of directors should apply the policies of corporate governance, helping them fulfil the various interests of different stakeholders. These policies require directors to perform certain duties, for the benefit of stakeholders. The corporate social responsibilities of a company require timely and complete disclosure from the board of directors. The disclosure stops directors from prioritising certain stakeholders interests, and avoid the other stakeholders interest (Macey 2003). Conclusion The objective of an organisation is growth and expansion, rather than collecting profits for shareholders. The company has various stakeholders including, but not limited to, shareholders, bondholders, employees, suppliers, managers, and directors. The board of directors should form policies for the benefits of all the stakeholders interest, instead of making policies just for a category of stakeholders. The shareholders are an essential part of the corporation, but shareholder primacy is not the approach for the growth of the organisation. The company should take certain steps to increase the role of corporate governance in the organization. The overall growth of a company is beneficial for all the stakeholders interest. Timely and complete disclosure is a necessary part of a corporate social responsibility and the directors should perform their duties to maintaining transparency in companys operations. References Golob, U. and Bartlett, J.L., 2007. Communicating about corporate social responsibility: A comparative study of CSR reporting in Australia and Slovenia.Public Relations Review,33(1), pp.1-9. Damian, D.E. and Zowghi, D., 2002, September. The impact of stakeholders' geographical distribution on managing requirements in a multi-site organization. InRequirements Engineering, 2002. Proceedings. IEEE Joint International Conference on(pp. 319-328). IEEE. Fletcher, A., Guthrie, J., Steane, P., Roos, G. and Pike, S., 2003. Mapping stakeholder perceptions for a third sector organization.Journal of Intellectual Capital,4(4), pp.505-527. Farrar, J., 2008.Corporate governance: Theories, principles and practice. Oxford University Press. Sharma, V.D., 2004. Board of director characteristics, institutional ownership, and fraud: Evidence from Australia.Auditing: A Journal of Practice Theory,23(2), pp.105-117. Christensen, J., Kent, P. and Stewart, J., 2010. Corporate governance and company performance in Australia.Australian Accounting Review,20(4), pp.372-386. Nguyen, H. and Faff, R., 2002. On the determinants of derivative usage by Australian companies.Australian Journal of Management,27(1), pp.1-24. Grossman, H.A., 2005. Refining the role of the corporation: The impact of corporate social responsibility on shareholder primacy theory.Deakin L. Rev.,10, p.572. Anderson, M.E., Jones, M.A., Marshall, S.D., Mitchell, R. and Ramsay, I., 2007. Evaluating the shareholder primacy theory: Evidence from a survey of Australian directors. Mitchell, R., O'Donnell, A. and Ramsay, I., 2005. Shareholder value and employee interests: intersections between corporate governance, corporate law and labor law.Wis. Int'l LJ,23, p.417. Eccles, R.G., and Youmans, T., 2015. Why Boards Must Look Beyond Shareholders. MIT Sloan Management Review. Retrieved from https://sloanreview.mit.edu/article/why-boards-must-look-beyond-shareholders/ Macey, J.R. and O'hara, M., 2003. The corporate governance of banks.